Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir,-Perth & Kinross Council seems determined to drive through a preconceived plan for a Perth square.
Was nothing learned from the pedestrian bridge fiasco? At least 10 years ago a senior official expressed an intention to see the City Halls removed, declaring that Perth should have its own piazza.
I questioned why a piazza was thought to be appropriate in Scotland, and whether our weather had been taken into account. The response was, “it is a good idea”, and that was the end of discussion.
Neither weather nor attitude changed in the intervening years.
I have compared the official scheme with the alternative proposal that successfully retains that part of the City Halls which fronts King Edward Street.
I admit to having prepared sketch proposals for a similar scheme some 18 months ago. This alternative achieves better definition to the public open space by preventing it from overflowing visually and physically on to King Edward Street, while reducing the visual impact of North and South St John’s Place, which is not of outstanding architectural merit.
Spatial arrangements within the retained building are sufficiently flexible to accommodate a variety of community uses.
Both schemes satisfactorily address the issue of accommodating the market which brings a much needed buzz to the centre.
For my money, the alternative scheme offers much more and should be supported.
John McLaren.4 Upper Woodlands,Oakbank,Perth.
Discrimination out of order
Sir,-I object to the sexist opinion expressed by Mr Cameron (June 30), who believes that married female teachers should stay at home because their husbands can support them.
His objection appears to be that these women are clogging up posts for graduate teachers (presumably of all ages) by filling posts.
I was a teacher who had a career break to raise my family. When I returned to teaching it was as a supply teacher.
I worked very hard for a local authority in this capacity for a year. I then applied, along with everyone else who wished to apply, for a vacant full-time post.
I am grateful that I was not discriminated against.
The government invested taxpayers’ money to train me to teach, just as it continues to pay to train the graduates looking for work.
Has Mr Cameron considered whether taxpayers money is being wasted if there are already sufficient numbers of qualified and experienced teachers who are ready and willing to fill current posts?
How dare Mr Cameron suggest such outrageous discrimination against women like me?
Fiona McClymont.5 Camus Place,Craigton of Monikie.
Motives for wind farm industry
Sir,- People like my self who travel will have seen that the needless destruction of the Scottish landscape is well under way with the onslaught from the wind farm industry.
The climate change lobby says that this is the small price we have to pay in order to save the planet, but was it merely coincidence that global warming only became an issue at the same time that the heavy industry involved in oil platform construction was winding down?
Climate change experts have been keeping a low profile lately. Perhaps they realise that huge volcanic eruptions experienced lately, along with the way the earth orbits the sun, together with its natural oscillation, combined with the whims of the Gulf Stream, have more to do with weather patterns than anything man-made.
The MPs that voted through the climate change bill would have been the same crop of MPs who were involved in the expenses scandal.
Given Parliament’s track record of cash for questions, and lobbyists that come with a high price tag, would it be a surprise to discover that the bill was oiled through Parliament with a good lubrication of backhanders? If that were ever proved, it would make the bill fraudulent.
George Donaldson.48 St Ninian’s Road,Padanaram.
Dundee scored with the blues
Sir,- Congratulations to all those responsible for providing Dundee with another fantastic Blues Bonanza at the weekend.
From the organisers, to the bars, performers and sponsors, they all helped to provide Dundee with the best music event of the year and all free.
All the venues I attended were busy and I spoke to many who had travelled a fair distance to come to the city for the weekend. Even the weather was good this year.
Dundee is unfortunate in that it does not get its fair share of big-name music performers. Even Perth Concert Hall seems to be beating the Caird Hall in attracting big names these days.
There is maybe a need for those responsible at the Caird Hall to establish how others are beating them. So thanks for the Blues Bonanza.
Art McGuinness.39 Queen Street,Newport-on-Tay.
Name of veteran rang a bell
Sir,-While reading The Courier (June 30) I saw the photograph of the three veterans with their collecting boxes.
As I started to read it, a name jumped out at me: Bob Curran.
I checked letters I had received from our boys in Afghanistan and there it was. Bob had written thanking me for the parcels I had sent out.
It was so good to be able to put a face to a name. Well done boys, I hope you collected lots of money for Veterans in Action at Perth races.
Alice Blaikie.Drunzie Farmhouse,Glenfarg.
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.