Sir, Councillor Bryan Poole, Fife Council’s executive spokesperson for education and advocate of the proposal to build the replacement Madras College at the poorly located Pipeland Farm was quoted in the Courier on Tuesday March 18 as calling on the community to pull together once the council had made its decision.
He went on to say: “Given the strong feeling on either side of this particular debate, following the decision, whatever that is, there will be a need for community leadership Fife councillors, St Andrews Community Council and other community bodies to come together and rise above the divisions that have strained relationships.”
Mr Poole must by now be aware that these divisions were caused by his highly divisive and controversial decision to proceed with a planning application in a highly unsuitable location and on the newly established St Andrews Green Belt. In doing so, he ignored a much better site which would have gained wide community support.
A democratic decision to reject the Pipeland proposal on substantial planning grounds has now been taken by elected councillors representing the local community at a special meeting of the North East planning committee. Will Mr Poole now stand by his own words and fully support this democratic decision?
Of course, he can use the political muscle of his comrades in the rest of Fife to overrule the local planning committee’s democratic decision when it goes to the full council on April 3. It is unlikely that councillors from other parts of Fife will have the same knowledge or commitment to the North East Fife community as our local members but they may have the majority vote.
It will be interesting to see if Mr Poole and his colleagues support the outcome, arrived at after more than two hours of close examination in the local planning committee, or simply substitute their own decision.
In this situation, Mr Poole’s democratic credentials will come under close and critical scrutiny.
Carroll Finnie. Leuchars.
Another own goal by SFA
Sir, If Scottish football is not highly regarded to the extent it was in years gone by, then the governing bodies can take their fair share of the blame.
In Spain last week I was talking to a chap who turned out to be a director of the Dutch side Ajax. He asked me why the SFA would pick the ground of one of the semi-final contestants (Rangers) to play one of the games, knowing full well, in advance it would give that team a huge advantage.
My friend commented: “If that happened in Holland there would be riots.”
I myself cannot understand this decision. There has been plenty of time for the SFA to arrange an alternative venue and indeed forward planning should have been able to avoid such a happening.
Dundee United have been unfairly, one could say harshly, treated by this decision. Once again Scottish football has scored an own goal. Disgraceful.
George Cormack. McLauchlan Rise, Aberdour.
Advice should be withdrawn
Sir, Education Secretary Mike Russell must surely be aware of the EU Commission’s legal advice about university fees.
It repeated its advice only last month. The commission advised that residence requirements that disadvantage citizens of other member states more than nationals are unlawful.
So, there we have it. Mr Russell either doesn’t know that discrimination against university students of another state is unlawful which it would be if Scotland became a separate state or he’s telling us a calculated inexactitude. Either way, he should withdraw his advice immediately.
Andrew Dundas. 34 Ross Avenue, Perth.
Contradiction in his aims?
Sir, Am I alone in perceiving some contradiction in Alex Salmond’s fervent wish for his Scotland to assume membership of the European Union a body which in its evolved form is, I admit, anathema to me with the zealous pursuit of apparently his sole raison d’tat national self-determination?
Peter Dickinson. 13 South Street, Arbroath.
Biased towards “Yes” vote
Sir, I think your recent pull-out (Referendum 2014 your questions answered, March 18) was biased in favour of the “Yes” vote.
If your paper was impartial it would show some equality between the Better Together and pro-independence camps.
The Courier is nothing but a mouthpiece for the SNP. You seem to splash SNP propaganda with regards to the 2014 Referendum and say very little about what those in the Better Together campaign are saying.
Is it true that you only print what the SNP tell you to print about the referendum?
S Brett. 8 Craigmill Gardens, Carnoustie.
Lost art in the modern world
Sir, While travelling on an early-morning bus recently, I noticed that almost everyone was chattering away on their mobile phones with absolutely no acknowledgement of fellow passengers, or even the driver, when they boarded or alighted.
Such a pity that the art of basic communication appears to have been lost in a world full of modern technology.
John McDonald. 14 Rosebery Court, Kirkcaldy.