Sir, Three ex-Madras senior teachers, with 108 years’ secondary school experience, deserve respect not scorn for initiating the judicial review of Fife Council’s Pipeland decision-making.
Would councillors want to implement a possibly ultra vires decision, affecting current school generations (concerning parents, naturally) plus community and pupils through the century?
The petition’s reasons breaching Planning Acts; rejecting an available, suitable, alternative site confirm the belief that council’s case rests on false premises and remiss stewardship of public resources. Let us hope for an early Court of Session ruling.
Legalities aside, short and long-term practicalities favour North Haugh’s alternative as argued for 20 months in your columns on cost, education, sports, planning, pupil/staff majority access, congestion, pollution, environment, construction, drainage, safety, future housing, community use and Audit Scotland’s “lifetime best value” criteria without damaging St Andrews’ landscape.
It also meets the “single-site” objective more effectively and safeguards Madras South Street’s educational future.
A Pipeland school’s positives apply equally on the Haugh. Its location determines its numerous negatives.
Wide enthusiasm in 2011 for a plan akin to the Haugh’s implies it would still have substantial support, had we been properly consulted before Fife Council chose Pipeland based on partial, misleading information.
John Birkett. 12 Horseleys Park, St Andrews.
More important matters…
Sir, In Jim Crumley’s article (August 12), he asked why the debate focused mainly on the economy and didn’t touch on one woman’s point about the Gaelic language, as this is the important issue for him, the future of Scottish culture.
My guess why the ecomony was the main focus is because that affects 100% of the population. Gaelic is a dead language spoken by 1% of the population.
As important as it may be to Scottish culture, it makes almost no difference to people voting for independence. This would be something better suited to a general election.
To suggest that only people with money are interested in the economy is a misrepresentation.
I’m a soldier, I don’t have money by Jim Crumley’s standards, yet I am very interested in where the money for pensions, roads, councils, hospitals, education etc is coming from.
“Economic policy: let’s take it for granted that there will be one.”
Shouldn’t we know what it is first and how it affects us all before we work out how to spend money on Gaelic language programmes?
Dave Gardner. Caen Barracks, Hohne, Germany.
60-year wait for compensation
Sir, I was delighted to note that, thanks to The Courier, retired Captain Laura Fermor has obtained compensation from the Ministry of Defence after a six-year battle for compensation for an accident she was involved in.
She then stated: “There are hundreds of others who are still waiting, and have been for longer than I have!”
Sorry Laura, but there are thousands of nuclear veterans and family members still attempting to claim for radiation poisoning, but the Ministry of Defence appear to have misplaced all the original documentation relating to the levels of radiation they received.
This has been ongoing for more than 60 years rather than just six.
Dave Whyte. 73 Blackcraigs, Kirkcaldy.
The answer is in front of him
Sir, During his recent TV debate with Alistair Darling, Alex Salmond mentioned concerns about the number of food banks in Scotland, which was commendable.
But, isn’t the answer right in front of him?
If he were to donate the £15 million he is spending on a referendum that nobody wanted or wants, that would really be something to welcome.
George Cormack. McLauchlan Rise, Aberdour.
Why stop at Palestine?
Sir, Since Fife Council has decided to participate in international affairs by flying flags of parties it approves of as a symbolic gesture of support for their cause, can we now also expect the flag of Ukraine to be flying over Glenrothes to show support for the people there being bullied and killed by aggressive actions and terrorism fomented in Russia?
And while we’re at it, how about the Kurdish region in northern Iraq being terrorised by Iranian-armed proxies?
If the council wishes to show tacit recognition of the sufferings of people whose politicians resort to military aggression, then why stop at Palestine? There are thousands of people being killed elsewhere in the world by the same brand of religious and tribal zealotry that has been evident in Palestine for the past 60 years.
Derek Farmer. Knightsward Farm, Anstruther.