Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Your paper, amongst others, has recently exposed the considerable division which is being created in our communities between those who seek to protect our rural landscape and those who seek financial gain for the community from turbines which blight that landscape.
This is all clearly driven by what many MPs are now accepting what some others of us had already called a government bribe the creaming off of green subsidies to persuade communities to not oppose turbines.
A serious conflict has arisen in some community councils. The community council is elected to ascertain and stand by the view of the community as a whole: that is often to protect landscape and amenity and to oppose turbines.
Yet some community councillors are also trustees of so called community development trusts whose charter is to seek out funds, effectively from turbine subsidies. They will be expected to be very proactive in that.
Is it not time for the council and indeed for MSPs to see that individuals should not be permitted to wear both of those hats?
It is against common sense. Indeed, the very concept of CDTs, funded by windfarms, undermines the role of unfunded elected community councils.
What was the government thinking?
Mike Scott-Hayward.Chairman,UK Independence Party Scotland.
Have a play-off at Ibrox?
Sir, – I read with interest that Dunfermline Athletic have taken legal advice to the effect that they have a stronger case for SPL survival than Dundee do for promotion.
I understand that this argument appears to be largely based on the fact that Aberdeen were not relegated when Falkirk became First Division champions.
When Aberdeen got their reprieve, however, relegation could not occur because though Falkirk had earned the right to be promoted to the SPL, their ground failed to meet the admission standards of the Premier League. That is not the case this time.
There is no procedural obstacle to prevent Ross County from being promoted and as Dunfermline finished bottom of the Premier League it is their place Ross County will be taking and not the place of Rangers.
That is not to say there is not a real question over how the SPL should fill the Rangers place. The SPL certainly does have a choice to make.
It seems to me though that if the SPL clubs are serious about ”sporting integrity” that would require the team that finished bottom of the league the previous year to be relegated.
However, Dundee, by only finishing second in the First Division, did not earn a place in the SPL so perhaps the fairest solution would be a Dunfermline v Dundee play-off at a neutral venue.
Ibrox maybe? I understand Rangers need the money.
Angus Easton.Burnett Street,Auchenblae.
Still a UK so no Euro vacancy
Sir, – Dale Smith tries to answer (June 26) some of the points put by previous correspondents about Scotland’s position on international treaties should we choose to split from the United Kingdom.
However, he fails to recognise one key point that as the vote will be on separating Scotland from the United Kingdom, then the United Kingdom will remain a sovereign country alongside the new Scotland.
The examples which he mentions from Europe in the 1990s were where a country disintegrates and several new countries replace it, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia being the prime examples.
What effect this will have on international treaties is unclear. Mr Smith discusses the effect on the European Union and who will take the UK membership, but if there is still a UK, which would be the case, then there is no vacancy.
Scotland would have to reapply for entry and, under the current EU treaties, that means accepting the euro as our currency whether we like it or not.
There is also a further question about what would happen to the UK seat on the UN Security Council and the corresponding veto. Would England get that, or perhaps they’d let us have a wee shot now and again too?
Mr Smith criticises opposition politicians for making First Minister’s Questions a ”point scoring exercise”.
Perhaps if the First Minister instead agreed to answer these and the many other unanswered questions about independence which he is currently dodging, it would become less so.
Keith Legg.50 Chandlers Walk,Dalgety Bay.
Strange idea of democracy
Sir, – R J Soutar has a weird idea of democracy (Who else will be excluded, June 19).
Firstly he mentions the South African constitution. What on earth has that got to do with Scotland/UK? So far as I know we don’t have one in either case.
No voting system is perfect and the rules as they stand will regrettably mean some people who would like to vote in the forthcoming referendum will not be able to do so due to the necessary restrictions placed upon the process.
But for those who should be included, I would be interested to know where R J Soutar gets the idea that every young person stays in education up to the age of 18, and even if they do so, why should they not be allowed a vote?
And perhaps they need reminding that people as young as 16 in this country can get married. Presumably if they’re old enough to take such a step then they are well able to vote on such an important issue.
The coup de grace is the comment about the Falklands. According to the letter, they are not a part of Britain but are instead ”owned”.
Apparently it is still perfectly acceptable that they be given the chance to vote as to whether or not they should stay with the UK, but Scotland shouldn’t!
John Campbell.40 Auchrannie Terrace,Dundee.
Winter no-no
Sir – Best wishes to John McGlynn on his move to Hearts.
A proponent of summer football, he realises the prospects for bigger gates.
Stark’s Park in January has become a no-no for me.
A T Geddie.Glenrothes.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.