Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – It’s good that Stuart Miller has confidence in his local councillors on matters such as the siting of the new Madras (letters, November 19) but it often isn’t the local councillors who make the decisions.
Major decisions are made in Glenrothes by Fife-wide strategic committees whose membership is determined on a political party basis.
These have merit when considering Fife-wide issues as the councillors concerned (perhaps a fifth of the whole council) develop particular expertise over time, but they may not be best when considering issues specific to one locale. Then it means that decisions are made not by the local members with local knowledge but by councillors whose wards may be 40 miles away.
Council committees receive reports with recommendations written by council officers. These are made public less than a week ahead of meetings. The quality is generally good and the recommendations are often very sensible. However, the near-universal acceptance of those recommendations, which requires the approval of the ruling administration coalition, leaves me wondering whether the administration, who get an earlier view, are properly scrutinising what’s on offer and what alternatives there might be.
One of the successes of the present council administration has been the seven local area committees where, in my experience, party politics fade away and local interests come to the fore. Unfortunately, those area committees have few decision-making powers.
Local decisions should be made locally by those who know what’s important.
Cllr Dave Dempsey, leader, Fife Council Conservatives.7 Carlingnose Park,North Queensferry.
Parking charges hit rural folk
Sir, – I read with dismay the proposal by Perth and Kinross Council to yet again raise parking charges by more than the rate of inflation.
Inevitably the charges fall most on those who travel from rural areas in their own vehicles, at a time when fuel prices are ever rising.
Nor do I believe that those involved with parking management have been given equivalent salary increases above inflation every time there has been an increase in charges.
Every recent price rise has been 10p let the council restrict the amount to 5p this time.
Garry Barnett.The Garden House,Campsie Hill,Guildtown.
Tragic vision of things to come
Sir, – The sickening YouTube video of a magnificent soaring griffon vulture being felled by a wind turbine on the island of Crete (below) is a portent of what Scottish raptors face.
In the south of Spain, a hundred vultures are killed a year, while at the Altamont pass in California the windfarms actually seem to attract eagles, striking 1,000 raptors yearly, many of which are golden eagles.
The same is true for the sea eagles running the gauntlet of the Norwegian west coast windfarms.
Assuming a peak demand of about 1GW, most coming from wind, this requires 20,000 two megawatt wind turbines for Scotland, plus some still to be invented affordable means of energy storage.
Fat chance our birds will have, and our priceless landscape for that matter, let alone people being able to afford this intermittent, hugely expensive form of electricity.
Meanwhile, we have the prospect of affordable shale gas, greener than coal, or nuclear.
Stephen Grieve.60 Nethergate, Crail.
Lights despoil a historic structure
Sir, – I was dismayed to see the council has capitulated to the campaign of Cory Campbell and his wife and installed lights in Baxter Park.
The lights form ugly accretions to the Category A listed pavilion which despoil this structure during the day when far more people use the park.
It seems that this campaign led by the one family that actually lives within the park is to destroy the architectural amenity enjoyed by the rest of us during the day.
Was Historic Scotland consulted before these lights were tacked on? I trust they will be removed as soon as possible and the building restored to its previous condition.
The lights themselves are far too bright and only succeed in illuminating the area on three sides of the pavilion. How does this safeguard the safety of the public outwith the illuminated area?
Well quite frankly, it doesn’t.
I understand that Mr Campbell is happy with this “victory” and no longer wishes to campaign to have the illuminated area extended to cater to public safety in the entire park.
Does this attitude not show the whole farrago up for what it is, merely Mr Campbell’s latest anti-Dundee City Council vendetta?
David Moncur.Baldovan Terrace,Dundee.
Scots are not scared any more
Sir, – Unionist types appear to be resorting to the anti-Scots slogan: “A fleg a day, keeps the Scots at bay”.
Each time your paper comes out there is an article, maybe more, designed to give Scots “a guid fleg”. These anti-Scottish utterances usually come from lovers of the union.
I detect this is having a much-reduced effect among Scottish folk. Crying wolf comes to mind.
Jim McGugan.7 The Square,Letham, Angus.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.