Sir, – The shops in the city centre are struggling just like most cities, so what does Aberdeen City Council do? Increase parking charges!
The reason behind it is to get more people to use public transport. But has councillor McLennan tried using public transport? It does not exist in its previous form due to a shortage of drivers
As for parking permits, many of the people who have parking permits already live in the city centre or the periphery of the city centre, such as Jamaica Street, Calsayseat Road, and George Street to name a few.
These people should not even require a parking permit.
Parking permits were introduced the last time the SNP held power because they boasted that they would not put up council tax, so basically, parking permits were a back door to getting more money from the residents of the city.
It beggars belief to see what state they are going to leave this city in. We have got one councillor who doesn’t go to see the progress on UTG as he doesn’t like wearing a hard hat and a hi-vis vest, and another saying the John Lewis building is a no-no.
There are some very clever people working for the council who could give the councillors some constructive advice, please consult them.
Bill Carrol, William Carrol Audio Visual, George Street, Aberdeen.
Only the people of Scotland can stop Westminster bully boys
Sir, – I asked a strong supporter of the Union, who was ranting the usual SNP “bad” nonsense, if he could tell me who he thought could do a better job. This seemed to stop him in his tracks and he couldn’t answer.
The reason is when you look at the opposition they are all pretty pathetic. It’s very easy to criticise but not so easy to justify an alternative or come up with a benefit for Brexit or the Union.
It is obvious to me that the UK Government is not negotiating with the nurses’ union because a well-paid well-run NHS would be more difficult to sell off. In Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon sat down and negotiated, no doubt putting all her cards on the table as she has to work with a fraction of our tax take.
The Westminster government doesn’t have any restrictions; they print money and call it the national debt. They are for big business, not the common people. Private companies, many of which used to belong to the people, British Telecom the Post Office etc, have been sold off. Why would they want to see the NHS well-funded when they want to sell it off?
All the denials from Westminster that it doesn’t want to privatise the NHS fall on deaf ears.
You just need to look at their past record to realise that is what Tories do. If proof was needed that the Westminster government is for big business and the super-wealthy and not for ordinary people, look at these figures: a pay rise in line with inflation for public sector workers would cost £12-15 billion, a fraction of the money wasted on useless PPE contracts with Tory chums and donors.
What they could do now is raise taxes for the high earners but that is not the Tory way.
The NHS in Scotland is not safe either as plans are afoot to undermine the Scottish Government, reducing its powers and bypassing it. We don’t have the protection of the EU now.
Westminster can do what it wants. Only the people of Scotland can stop the Tories by demanding a referendum and voting for an independent Scotland.
Herbert Petrie, Parkhill, Dyce.
Scottish soups to ward off the chills
Sir, – In a recent debate on the cheapest way to heat your home, many ideas were put forward.
If your home is insulated, both externally and internally, the cost savings are much greater, but heating small areas to live in will also help.
Thermal underwear (don’t laugh) is a must. Thick curtains across windows and doors to stop draughts, and living in just part of a big house is also recommended.
Here’s another idea to get through this winter – great Scottish soups.
Stephen Jones, Burnside Place, Oban.
Dons need to look at fitness training
Sir, – Jim Goodwin says his reason for the triple substitution in the game against Rangers was that his players were “dead on their feet”.
They played 45 minutes, then had a 15-minute interval, and then another 20 minutes later they are dead on their feet?
Jim you need to look seriously at your training and fitness regime.
Roddy McBain, Glassel, Aberdeenshire.
Time to forget this separation myth
Sir, – It’s been a puzzle how some of your correspondents can so repeatedly mix up a lot of dud propaganda with wishful thinking (Messrs McBain and Dunbar, P&J December 19) in the face of global financial reports and GERS.
They even dismiss John Swinney’s admission that an independent Scotland would be unable to sustain pensions at present levels, perhaps preferring to believe the irrational SNP assertion that the remaining UK will continue to pick up that tab along with much more.
Perhaps the most touching and childish belief was that of, despite carrying a huge fiscal deficit and proposing to banish nuclear weapons, Scotland would be given a rousing welcome into Nato; possibly imagining that an invasion of our fishing grounds, or whatever excuse, will bring Nato armies bustling into play against a Russian invader.
It has escaped their notice that while the cheapest way to heat your home is busy giving employment by building frigates on the Clyde, we still await delivery of two ferries which now have cost estimates approaching £400 million. It would be better if we had training facilities for some of the 2,600 defence graduates and apprentices being hired next year in a 43% intake increase.
Unfortunately for us, upskilling the Scottish economy is something still to occur to Holyrood and when training a pilot costs £1 million perhaps never will, as they struggle to get a couple of ferries together. It’s time to play a bigger part in Scottish defence, forget this separation myth and play a full part in UK economics
Ah, the answer to the puzzle mentioned earlier? It’s answered in the perverse Scottish philosophy of “Fit’s yours is mine and fit’s mine’s my ain.”
Sam Coull, Lendrum Terrace, Boddam.
Let’s all celebrate ‘Kings’ of shinty
Sir, – It is that time again when the Scottish sporting year is reviewed.
There have been many fine achievements by sportsmen and sportswomen as well as team displays worthy of mention. Football, athletics and cycling are but three sports in which Scots have excelled during this calendar year.
However, for me it is in the sport of shinty that I would vote for a runaway winner as the outstanding team of the year.
Kingussie Camanachd completed a most remarkable grand slam, the first in the sport for 19 years.
The MacTavish, Macaulay, and Camanachd cups and the Premier League trophy are all on the Dell sideboard.
This was Kingussie’s seventh grand slam, one of only 12 ever achieved which signifies how hard it is to attain.
This was no walk in the park for these players, it is a hard sport, and their fitness and dedication are quite remarkable. It is a long hard season from March through to October and no quarter is ever asked or given.
They played 29 gruelling matches, winning 26, drawing twice with one loss, scoring 96 goals in the process. Top scorer was Roddy “The Rocket” Young with 36 goals, and I find it amazing that his great, great grandfather is John C Dallas who was the model for the figure on the lid of the magnificent Camanachd Cup back in 1896.
They are all steeped in the great tradition of their sport and Kingussie in particular, following in the footsteps of many legendary relatives.
Led commendably by manager John Gibson, himself a player the last time the grand slam was completed, and captained by daytime gamekeeper Savio Genini, they fight for the cause and each other, never knowing when they are beaten.
In this day and age of obscene pay packets, especially in football, these guys from the Dell don’t get paid, indeed they actually pay the club to play and also pay the cost of their camans.
My vote would go to Kingussie Camanachd, “Kings of Badenoch and beyond”.
Charlie Simpson, Fraser Place, Keith.
Stadium a case for partnership
Sir, – I had the good fortune recently of visiting the fantastic Aberdeen Sports Village facilities. This experience instantly brought the question to mind, why build another leisure centre and new AFC stadium?
This question was addressed after reading the sports village website and noticing the owners are listed as being Aberdeen University and Aberdeen City Council. Surely that can’t be right? ACC funding the building of a sports complex from the taxpayers’ purse?
To quote: “Aberdeen Sports Village is the premier sports facility, hosting an array of first class sporting facilities and delivering high-quality sports services and opportunities for all at the home of sport in the north-east”.
The first stage of the village was opened on August 22 2009, representing an investment of £28 million. By whom, the implication being that ACC funded a proportion?
In 2010, Aberdeen Sports Village hosted a training session of the Scottish rugby team. In 2012 it was an official pre-games training venue of the Cameroon Olympic team prior to London 2012, both events bringing recognition and revenue to the city.
Construction of the Aquatics Centre started in late 2011 and was completed in early 2014 following an investment of £22m. Again by whom? The centre opened on May 5 2014 as an expansion of the existing Aberdeen Sports Village complex.
I appreciate there are many people against the proposed joint venture of a new AFC stadium at the beach being part-funded by the council, but I fail to see the difference between the two enterprises.
After visiting the sports village and seeing the benefits to the city and shire there is certainly a strong case for a further partnership, this time between AFC and ACC.
WW.
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