Letters Page

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‘Damned’ by association

SIR, – Hearing Kevin Stewart, as depute leader of the SNP/Liberal coalition, saying that it has been a bad week at Aberdeen City Council will rest uneasily with many SNP supporters who were astonished to see such a coalition formed.

Having resisted a coalition for years, the SNP sold out for a taste of power in a fatal move orchestrated cleverly by the Liberal Democrats in the sure knowledge that there was a serious financial crisis looming for Aberdeen.

The SNP will take and share all the flak for the grave troubles of the city and be forever damned by the association.

Dennis Grattan,

3 Mugiemoss Road,

Bucksburn,

Aberdeen.

Council leader going to Houston

SIR, – Leaving aside how on earth Aberdeen will benefit from city council leader Kate Dean's visit to the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston (the Press and Journal, May 2), I view her decision to attend with mixed feelings.

On one hand, she ought to remain in Aberdeen to deal with the council's current difficulties.

On the other hand, she will be out of the country.

George S. Morrison,

53 Overton Circle,

Dyce,

Aberdeen.

Paving paradise for a parking lot

SIR, – The current assertions of propriety and competence by council officials regarding the sale of the Seafield allotments in Aberdeen at a peppercorn price bring back memories of the “clearances” that we, as allotment holders there, were subjected to at that time.

A request to buy our plots as long-term sitting tenants was refused, in contrast to the favourable outcome of the club’s request. Relocation at other allotments was offered, but only three out of a substantially larger number of “evictees” took on the onerous, time-consuming and costly task of moving our equipment and infrastructure to alternative and neglected plots at a bigger distance from our homes. Compensation for our effort was minimal.

Browsing recently through my substantial file of correspondence on the matter, I came across a letter dated March 2003 to my MP from Douglas Paterson, Aberdeen City Council chief executive, in which he wrote: “. . . the negotiation has been carried out on a basis that delivers best value for the council and taxpayers”.

Those words sound more hollow every time I read them. Sometimes, I wander nostalgically into the development, to look upon the bit of ground that was my plot. It’s taken up largely by spaces for cars.

I’m reminded of the Joni Mitchell song which contains the words “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”.

That sums it up for me.

David Lindsey,

51 Hazledene Road,

Aberdeen.

Attendance at Trump inquiry

SIR, – I refer to your excellent piece (the Press and Journal, May 2) with regard to the claims made by Councillor Martin Ford that the Trump organisation is trying to gag him and to prevent him from giving evidence at the forthcoming inquiry.

Maybe we should have a long, hard look at the facts instead of the world of selective democracy that Martin Ford seems to inhabit. Aberdeenshire Council took a democratic decision that Mr Ford and his fellow-councillors could not attend the inquiry in an official capacity and should attend as private individuals only.

Remember that this was a democratic decision of the kind that Mr Ford never tires of lecturing us about.

While I fully support the right of any individual to have their say at the inquiry, to stand up and either support or reject the proposal, what I will not countenance is people not playing by the rules.

Mr Ford continually bleats on about democracy, but that seems to be only when it suits his objectives.

James Noel,

54 Leggart Terrace,

Aberdeen.

One-handed driving argument

SIR, – You reported (April 26) that a case of driving while using a mobile phone was apparently dismissed because, although the person charged was observed looking down at his phone while holding the wheel with the other hand, there was insufficient evidence that he was actually using the phone at the time.

This argument might similarly seem capable of being applied to being not fully in control of a vehicle whenever anything at all is held in one hand while the other holds the wheel. This would include a can or bottle of drink, a bun, a map, instructions for a route, a writing implement and so on.

I am sure that this, if true, would be an unintended and unwelcome consequence. But it is a touch alarming if one-handed driving could, as a result, spread even further.

Smoking, of course, remains a major reason for one-handed driving, unless one risks singeing eyes nose and lips, but so far as I know it is not normally challenged.

Lighting up at the wheel is available using the hot element built into most cars, as I did before I broke the addiction.

Dropping hot fags into one’s lap while driving was just plain dangerous, however, for several reasons, and could be identified as a contributory factor in accident situations, thus affecting insurance appraisals.

Joe Darby,

Glenburn,

Cullicudden,

Black Isle.