Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, I am a civilian worker with Tayside Police, I do my job because I care for the public and I want to nail once and for all the myth that public sector workers get gold-plated pensions when they retire.
The average pension in the local government scheme is around £4,000 a year £2,800 for women. The NHS is £7,500, which includes higher-paid consultants and doctors. But for a woman this falls to around £3,000 not exactly a fortune.
I have saved for my pension all my working life, 25 years now, and it is simply unfair for the Government to make public service workers pay a lot more. I already pay 6.1% £130 per month and now they want another £65 per month in addition.
That is why I, along with many other public sector workers, voted decisively for action to protect our futures and our children’s futures.
George McIrvine.Old Glamis Road,Dundee.
Should show some leadership
Sir, Perhaps MPs should show a bit of leadership and review their own pension rights. For 20 years’ service, an MP is awarded a half final salary pension, index linked (not bad for those in safe seats).
Their contribution is 12% of salary while the taxpayer injects a massive 31.6%. This equates to more than double the pension rights of a teacher.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister, Speaker and Lord Chancellor, amongst others, are entitled to a full life annuity after just ONE day’s service. This is worth several million pounds to a middle-aged individual.
”Let them eat cake” springs to mind.
D. Milne.Drumsturdy Road,Broughty Ferry.
Opt out if not happy
Sir, If Phil D’Arcy really thinks he will be better off on State benefits than his public service pension then he should surely opt out of his pension scheme.
I’d thought that much of the point of the proposed change was precisely because public service pensions are guaranteed by Government, and not at the mercy of bankers.
I suspect that few of those in private sector schemes who, like Mr D’Arcy, have also paid 6% of their salaries, but into a failed private scheme, would agree that it’s all worked out for the best now they rely involuntarily on State benefits.
Hector Maclean.Balnaboth,Kirriemuir.
A disgraceful lack of respect
Sir, Historic Scotland had an open day on Sunday and, as I was in Edinburgh, I thought I would take advantage of this opportunity to visit Edinburgh Castle. I was delighted to find not much had changed since first I was taken there as a child in the 1940s.
I had expected crowds and was mentally prepared for that, even the half-hour queue to see the Honours of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny. What I was absolutely not prepared for was the veritable circus that the Scottish National War Memorial has become.
No respect was being shown, the noise level was high and cameras were in use, all in defiance of notices requesting respect, quiet and no photography. Our national war memorial is not a tourist attraction but it was being treated as one. The experience was upsetting and it made me furious that people could behave quite so badly.
The stewards were tearing their hair out, because there simply were not enough of them to police the crowd. I managed to have a few words with one, to express my disappointment. He was bitter there was so little he could do and told me it was sometimes much worse, even to the point of someone scrambling up and sitting on the shrine. Apparently, they are no longer allowed to insist people delete pictures taken digitally either, as it is feared ‘it may offend somebody’.
Not half as much as the whole scene offended me and, I am sure, others who were there to acknowledge the sacrifice made by our servicemen.
This is, or should be, a sacred place. Instead it was more like a cattle market; an utter disgrace, completely lacking in respect for the dead servicemen it commemorates.
Those directly in charge need to get a grip and do something about this situation immediately.
David R Grant.No 2 Balintore Cottage,Kirriemuir.
Increase at this time is madness
Sir, I write to support the position taken last week by Conservative councillors (Perth & Kinross Council) on the enterprise and infrastructure committee, namely that to enforce an increase in parking charges is madness at this time.
While shops and businesses struggle with low growth, and in particular when shopping online is becoming more the norm, it makes no sense at all to make it more expensive to go shopping in town. We should be bending over backwards to try to help our shops and restaurants etc, rather than burden them with a further barrier to trade. This shocking rise is double the rate of inflation.
I do question whether the SNP administration in Perth and Kinross Council has really worked out the true costs of this foolish move? Altering all the parking meters and ticket machines, as well as changing the signage will all cost a lot of money.
How long will it take for those costs to be met by the increase in the charges? Some considerable time, no doubt, and so one wonders what is the point of it all?
(Cllr) Ann Cowan.Ward 6 Strathearn.
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.