Up for discussion this morning are Dundee’s proposed biomass plant and wind turbines, a potential way of saving public money, the importance of the NHS Fife board elections and staging the Proms outdoors.
Waterfront proposal may pose bio-security risk Sir,-Having followed the debate about the biomass proposals for Dundee waterfront, the following points come up time and time again.
No matter how you dress it, or greenwash it, it is a large incinerator with all the attendant problems of these systems size, visual intrusion, gaseous emissions, particulate emissions.
Better by far a low-profile digester which will utilise all sorts of bio-sourced materials including sewage sludge to generate power via the well-proved use of methane or biogas as it is often called.
It has also been suggested that the incinerator will be a “sacrificial pawn”, as in, give us the turbines, which attract gigantic subsidies, and we will drop the incinerator.
Better by far that they should be offshore where they cause no problems.
Nobody has addressed the bio-security issue, that of importing alien species of bugs and fungi, some of which could cause such havoc in our forests as to make the pine beauty moth look positively benign.
Tidal turbines, of which there are many prime examples, would do well in the Tay estuary, unobtrusive, predictable, reliable and a steady provider of all sorts of employment.
Mike Stirling.Noranside,Forfar.
Will dissenting voices be heard?
Sir,-I went along with quite a number of others to the exhibition in Overgate, Dundee, given by Forth Ports on their plans for the city.
There were no artists’ impressions of the wind turbines on view, which I think is the part of the scheme to which Dundonians object most.
We were invited to submit comments to the people in attendance, but I suspect few of your astute readers would take me up on a wager that we will ever learn what percentage of those comments were against the execution of the proposals.
Robert Lightband.40 Clepington Court,Dundee.
Arts a luxury we can forego
Sir,-As Prime Minister David Cameron struggles to save money, he could well look at sport, culture, art and music, an area of expenditure with the appropriate acronym of SCAM, that has drained the British taxpayer of some £560 million every year for the last 20 years, to no benefit of anyone other than the thousands of luvvies that this money keeps in fine style.
Malcolm Parkin.15 Gamekeepers Road,Kinnesswood,Kinross.
Democratising health service
Sir,-So Mr John Montgomery (May 22) thinks that NHS Fife board elections are a “pointless exercise.”
Mr Montgomery is obviously ignorant of the point of these elections to say nothing of the fact that they were promised by the incoming SNP Scottish Government three years ago.
To date, scrutiny of the NHS has been carried out by boards made up of medical professionals, administrators and some outsiders appointed by government. Not much public accountability there.
Now, the public is to be involved through the election to the NHS Fife board of lay people with a direct interest in patient care and the use of public funds.
As for the costs of the elections coming from frontline services, I suggest that Mr Montgomery takes that up with Mr Gordon Brown and his recent UK Government, who are the cause of all new cuts.
The new Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government is now equally culpable as they refuse to cut either the existing Trident nuclear weapons programme or its multi-billion-pound replacement.
Now there is pointless expenditure which could be cut to free up more funds for the health service.
George S. McLennan.31 Rintoul Place,Blairhall,Dunfermline.
Hold Dundee Proms outdoors
Sir,-After going to Proms in the Park in Glasgow for a number of years I was delighted to read that the event was coming to Dundee.
How disappointing to see that it is to be held in the Caird Hall.
Surely the part of the name the park should give a clue as to where this event should be held.
Apart from the enjoyment of listening to great classical music, the fun of wrapping up warm, bringing your own picnic and seeing the spectacular fireworks finale all added to this outdoor event.
Dundee has some lovely open spaces where this event could be held instead of confining it to a hall.
Lesley Ruddell.27 Broadlands,Carnoustie.
Take care over harbour plans
Sir,-In your article (May 24) some of the concerns over the proposed development in Woodburn Place, St Andrews, are expressed.
The most serious one is surely the access from Abbey Street to the seafront.
At the moment, it is a most dangerous corner, where huge vehicles turn down too quickly.
A couple of years ago my house, which is on the corner, was dunted by a large, out-of-control dumper truck which had mounted the pavement.
At one time, the suggestion was that traffic would be diverted from this road.
I agree that the sailing club need room for storage.
The curious, rather sombre tower of a former timber and rope works in their yard needs attention.
Weeds are sprouting from the stonework and there are gaps in the roof.
At one time, the yard was used as stables and some of my time as a school boarder in St Andrews was spent there with the animals.
What with the Woodburn Laundry further down and the reek from gasworks at the harbour, the whole area had a somewhat melancholic aspect to it.
Much careful planning is needed in an area which is so close to the beach yet which has its own proud history.
Ruth M. L. Walker.1 Woodburn Place,St Andrews.