The Old Firm, atheist responses to the census, renewable energy, pensions and plans for a school in Arbroath are under the spotlight in today’s letters.
Create separate leagues for Old Firm rivals Sir,-Thousands of words have been spoken about the Celtic-Rangers tensions
One of the main talking points has been trying to stop the two clubs meeting too often in a season and building up tension. I would like to put forward a simple solution don’t have them in the same league.
In no particular order, in one league have Celtic and, say, Hearts, Hibs, Motherwell, St Mirren, Hamilton, Falkirk, Morton, Queen of the South, Livingston, Ayr United.
In the other could be Rangers, Aberdeen, Inverness Caley, Kilmarnock, Dundee United, St Johnstone, Dundee, Raith Rovers, Dunfermline, Partick Thistle, Ross County.
A further league would have all other current senior teams in Scotland.
After each side in the two major leagues have played one another twice (20 games) swop the 10 (other than the Old Firm) to the opposite league. Every team would then total 40 games each in a season, without Celtic and Rangers meeting at all.
To decide which team is the best in Scotland, have the top two in the leagues meet in a decider for a Champions League place and that might not always be Celtic or Rangers.
Yes, they might be drawn against one another in the two main cup competitions but that would be two games, plus a possible league decider, not six or more as it is under the present system.
As for relegation and promotion, the bottom two teams in each of the top leagues would be replaced by four from the third league every season.
I have little doubt plenty of people will shoot holes in this idea, especially the television crowd, but it is time the Scottish game tried something new, something different for the fans, not the cameras. Could this be it?
Ian Wheeler.Springfield,Cupar.
Census faith protest pointless
Sir,-Atheist Scotland considers the campaign by the British Humanist Association for people to tick the no-religion box in the census as naive.
It is naive of the BHA to believe that even if millions of people tick the no-religion box that this will have any impact.
Government will not pay the slightest attention and will continue to provide more taxpayer-funded segregated faith schools.
We shall not be participating in the census charade.
Convener,Atheist Scotland,33 Park Avenue,Dundee.
False economy of renewables
Sir,-Based on the content of his letter (March 11), Stuart Allan could well find a role as a speech writer for Alex Salmond in that both their claims are virtually identical and based on the same prediction tool, namely wishful thinking.
He makes so many erroneous claims that it is difficult to know where to start.
His claim that Scotland “has the opportunity to provide several times its own energy requirement” is highly fanciful. I assume that Mr Allan is aware that Scotland’s currently operational wind turbines (with an installed capacity of around 2500 MW) produced essentially zero electricity on a number of days in December 2010.
Has Mr Allan read the recently-published report by Verso which concludes that for every job created in the renewable sector in Scotland, more than one job is lost in the rest of the economy.
He may also be surprised to know that coal is not a renewable source as he indicates whether it’s “clean” or not.
G. M. Lindsay.Whinfield Gardens,Kinross.
Pensioners on bread line
Sir,-Having just received my pension statement for 2011/2012, I find that I have been awarded the princely sum of just under £7 a week increase for this period.
I am in the fortunate position of having another more generous pension but this increase gave me food for thought for those on the basic state pension.
How are they going to live bearing in mind the everyday increases in the price of food, basic utilities and other necessities of life.
Obviously the Coalition Government are living in cloud cuckoo land thinking that those in receipt of a basic state pension will be able to survive over the coming 12 months.
Allan Murray.44 Napier Road,Glenrothes.
Limited consultation
Sir,-Angus Council are planning to spend £8 million to create an accident black spot with the proposal for a new primary school on the Westway, Arbroath, within 200 metres of the junction of Arbirlot Road/Arbirlot Road West.
The one and only public meeting on the proposal took place at Arbroath High School on March 8.
There are now only two methods of effectively voicing your objections directly to the council before the planning stage of the procedure through the Angus Council website, which is not user friendly and is more off than on; or by letter.
You may be surprised that you have only until April 1 at this stage of the process to voice your objections.
Angus Council state in their minutes and reports that they can refurbish/ rebuild the other primary schools in Arbroath in situ.
Their whole approach to the Muirfield/Timmergreens schools project is a cause of deep concern.
All of Angus Council minutes concerning this proposal can be read at Arbroath library but, unfortunately, because Angus Council’s website is very intermittent, the only way to be certain of reading the allied reports is to go to Angus Council offices in Forfar.
Isobel and Ed Sutton-Jones.38 Arbirlot Road,Arbroath.
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.