Letters Page

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Gardenstown ‘our little piece of heaven’

SIR, – I was dismayed and shocked at the recent slating of Gardenstown by ex-Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren.

My family and I return to Gardenstown year after year and are made to feel more and more welcome with each visit. Not only does it offer the most stunning of sea views, but a village that boasts its own bakery/shop, post office, butcher, restaurant, pub, hotel, two fine art galleries and, last but not least, Bob’s own tearoom. With this comes its own characters – something Mr McLaren obviously did not have the time or inclination to find out.

Every summer, the harbour comes alive with its own charity cafe set up by the local ladies, who serve up a tasty home-made pancake and cafe latte. Everyone gathers for a chat and a laugh and you are made to feel like one of the family.

The highlight of last year’s visit was when the present harbour master went out of his way to take us out on his fishing boat to see puffins and shags and finished off our visit by presenting us with fresh mackerel and lobster. It was then cooked and shelled by another friendly local.

I cannot fault this wonderful place and its occupants. It is our little piece of heaven and so it shall remain.

Irene, Gavin and Eva Eastwood, Craigie Avenue, Boat of Garten.

A happy accident you might say

SIR, – To prove that many great discoveries are made by accident, I set out for the shops on Monday, February 7, fell, fractured my left wrist and right kneecap and dented the pavement with my face – a nasty accident.

The great discovery was the Links Unit at the City Hospital.

After A&E had plastered me together again, I had the chance to watch the Links Unit in action for 18 days. I saw professional skill, patience, warmth, optimism and good-humoured efficiency helping to create a very special atmosphere.

As patients, we felt safe, really well cared for, and this helped us to regain our courage, strength and all-important independence.

I am home now, still plastered for a bit longer, but feel so privileged to have seen the wonderful Links Unit staff work their magic.

Pamela White,

Rosewell Place,

Aberdeen.

Future funding for alcohol treatment

SIR, – North-east Labour MSP Richard Baker is urging Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon to step in to safeguard the future of a vital Aberdeen alcohol treatment centre.

Albyn House, which offers intoxicated individuals a place to sober up rather than being taken to accident and emergency or placed in a prison cell for the night, is set to be closed by Aberdeen City Council as part of its £27million spending cuts.

If only alcohol producers, arguably the cause of the problem, could be persuaded to contribute to the funding of such facilities, they wouldn’t be facing the axe.

Judi Martin,

Alma, Maryculter,

Aberdeenshire.

Fishing situation unacceptable

SIR, – The report this week on the demise of the fishing fleet in Arbroath, from 40 trawlers down to two in a matter of years, is a reflection of the price that has been paid by our Scottish fishing industry for our membership of the EEC.

If this devastation of an industry had been purely on grounds of conservation, and evenly applied to all EEC members, then it would have been seen as necessary and fair, but as some fishing fleets in Europe are allowed to break all the rules and fish with illegal nets and false fish holds with apparent immunity, the situation is wholly unacceptable.

Dennis Grattan,

Mugiemoss Road,

Bucksburn, Aberdeen.

Lack of confidence in the city council

SIR, – I refer to Peter Macari’s letter (Press and Journal, May 1) in which he asserted that “the council is now effectively neutered and does not carry the confidence of citizens”. I would wholeheartedly agree. However, I would go further.

The fact that the Accounts Commission is to hold a hearing into the financial affairs of Aberdeen City Council is by now well known.

This, in itself, is an indication of a much more serious loss of confidence in the council by Scotland’s financial watchdog, and in view of the fact that the commission has the ultimate power to “parachute in” appointees to run the council if it so decides, is there not a case to be made that, in the interim, all decisions on major reports due to be considered by committee ought to be deferred until the determination of the forthcoming commission inquiry is published?

George S. Morrison,

Overton Circle,

Dyce, Aberdeen.

Bring back first past the post

SIR, – Although I would not disagree with correspondent Patrick Murphy’s view (Press and Journal, April 29) that voting is important, I would disagree with his assertion that poor councillors can now necessarily be voted out, and that is because local elections are now conducted under single transferable vote (STV) in multi-member wards.

Previously, under first past the post, unpopular and useless councillors could be voted out, and were. Now, if a party only runs one candidate in a three-to-four-member ward, as is the strategy of both the Lib Dems and SNP, they need only 20-25% of the vote to get re-elected.

Therefore, sadly, I will not be the slightest bit surprised to see all the same old faces return at the next election on the administration benches in Aberdeen.

No wonder the Lib Dems and SNP support STV, whose use inevitably leads to safe seats and stagnation in local government, as it has in the Irish Republic, which has employed STV since 1922. Bring back first past the post and keep stagnation at bay.

John W. Denning,

66 Provost Buchan Road, Brechin.