Letters Page

Published:

Council actions under scrutiny

SIR, – As an exiled Aberdonian, I condemn the execrable behaviour of Aberdeen City Council in its disgraceful sale of irreplaceable granite edifices at a fraction of their market value.

How did these people come to be elected to office?

Their modus operandi and self-serving ways are untenable and consist of holding private citizens to ransom, fining them, ordering them around, and costing them a fortune.

It is galling to read that the magnificent Marischal College buildings have been appropriated as offices at great expense so that the “new alumni” can warm their seats within the granite splendour of this building. Many of them will not have crossed this academic threshold before, that is certain.

This costly flit is a travesty and insulting to the taxpayers who are forced to pay for it, when we think of the thousands of successful students from throughout the world who studied there and brought honour to themselves and Aberdeen. The mess sticks in one’s craw.

Councillors pass their well-paid time of day in the town house, one of the finest granite buildings in the world. They should be forcibly ejected and made to sit behind the desks once occupied by the pupils of the schools marked for closure.

They might then learn a thing or two about real people and how to run a great city.

Alexander J.K Monro,

7 Oakdene Crescent,

Scone,

Perthshire.

Service pension entitlement

SIR, – The Armed Forces Pension Group (AFPG) was formed as a result of the anomalous situation whereby members of the armed forces who served between 1949 and 1975, for more than three years but less than 22 years, have no entitlement to a service pension. This is despite deductions being made from their wages to pay for a pension.

The aim is to address this and obtain a pension and/or compensation for these former service personnel.

Their cause is championed by MP Colin Challen, who will be holding a meeting of members, prospective members and anyone who has an interest, on Sunday, May 25, at 6pm, in the Royal British Legion clubrooms in Huntly Street, Inverness.

Anyone who wishes to become a member, or who would like more information, can contact me on 01955 631447, or visit the AFPG website at www.AFPG.info.

David Martin,

Scorton,

South Street,

Keiss, Caithness.

Slow vehicles on trunk roads

SIR, – The root cause of many accidents and near misses on the A9 and A96 is not excessive speed but slow-moving vehicles, which cause frustration and reckless overtaking which, while inexcusable, is understandable.

While not condoning speeding, perhaps a change of policy away from concentrating on speed irrespective of vehicle condition, traffic conditions and driving standards to punishing poor driving, irrespective of speed, would help increase safety. In other words, fewer camera vans and police officers operating speed traps, but more marked patrol cars.

J.W. Milne,

Kirkmichael,

Blairgowrie.

Planning transport infrastructure

SIR, – It was interesting to read J.D. Stewart Campbell’s views on transport (Letters, May 9).

It is disappointing that very few politicians, local or national (greens excepted), seem to have a long-term view on transport.

If we are reaching peak oil production and demand is growing year on year, we should be looking for solutions that would conserve this amazing commodity – not building new roads.

If we started now, we could have a transport system that would take commuter cars off roads and conserve fuel for more-essential purposes.

We need a good public-transport system. What happens if there are fuel shortages? We had a small taste of what it might be like during the Grangemouth strike. Without an efficient public-transport system, everything would grind to a halt.

I hope politicians will waken up to solutions that will benefit future generations and not just pump huge amounts of money into short-term solutions like the AWPR.

There needs to be a far more integrated solution to the needs of the future. Why are developers continually being allowed to build thousands of houses with no accompanying infrastructure to support them, miles away from where people work, with the only solution to getting there being by car?

Surely we must look at a broader perspective of our future needs.

J.W. Fraser,

Burnorrachie,

Bridge of Muchalls,

Stonehaven

Compensation package

SIR, – Bob Ross (Letters, May 15) asked how we were going to pay for the chancellor’s compensation package for low earners hurt by the abolition of the 10p tax rate.

The answer is simple: it will be paid out of the extra tax levied on low earners courtesy of the abolition of the 10p rate.

Confused? So, it would seem, are Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling.

Rob Johnston,

Westerton,

Inverugie,

Peterhead.

Lost and damaged luggage

SIR, – On reading stories about lost and damaged luggage, I thought I would relate my experience at Tel Aviv Airport. On arrival, the case was so damaged it was obvious it couldn’t be repaired. I inquired as to what I could do.

An agent took me to the “lost and found” department in the airport. They gave me a new case; I signed a form and left.

This took about 30 minutes.

I. MacPherson,

65 Harbour Street,

Hopeman.