Sir, – It appears to have caused a fair bit of controversy but Perth and Kinross Council should be applauded for finally tackling the state of Perth High School head-on.
The building – built relatively cheaply to solve an immediate crisis as the city expanded westwards – has long-since stopped being fit for purpose.
The mend and make-do attitude suffered by pupils and staff in recent years is unsustainable and must surely lead to lowering morale and standards.
The creation of the Bertha Park school nearby, as well as community campuses elsewhere in Perth and Kinross, highlights the High’s ageing incongruity even further.
Of course it is disappointing that other facilities and projects will lose out and there is valid criticism that other parts of the region need suffer.
Swimming pools and wellbeing hubs are desirable but nothing is more important than the education of our young people.
In an ideal world all projects would be funded but that would be to ignore the reality of these trying economic times.
Their needs cannot be satisfactorily met in crumbling buildings and cash spent on patch-up repairs represents nothing other than a case of throwing good money after bad.
The council cannot afford to get caught in a squabble over the merits of one project over another.
It is high time for all involved to rise above political point scoring and begin this vital project.
Thomas Hutchison.
Ash Grove,
Perth.
Festival sending wrong message
Sir, – I have never been called a killjoy and I love a laugh as much as anyone but I found your article about the pizza throwing competition that is part of the Carnoustie Festival (Courier, June 23) upsetting.
As a trustee of Kinross-shire’s foodbank “Broke Not Broken” I am very much aware of the poverty that devastates some in our communities.
We are about to enter the school holiday period when many families will struggle to replace the school meal subsidy that they receive during term time.
Recent research has shown that adults often go without food during the holidays to ensure their children have something to eat.
The shambles that is called Universal Credit is making things worse for hundreds, if not thousands, of families.
I am sorry but wasting food by throwing it around a field is not funny when so many are going hungry.
I wish the festival well but please think again about this crass insensitivity.
David A MacKenzie.
12 Torridon Place,
Kinross.
Roadworks, but no sign of work
Sir, – What a wonderful day last Thursday was at the opening of the Royal Highland Show – an event that pumps millions of pounds into the local economy.
The sun was out, the showground was pristine and everybody was enjoying a day out meeting old friends.
We were having such a good time that we stayed until 8pm before leaving to travel north.
At 8.15pm we were stopped in a very slow moving queue three or four miles from the new bridge.
An accident or a breakdown we thought.
No, just the hard shoulder going north being used for traffic.
Plenty of bollards but no road repairs or workmen in sight.
How can anyone with half a brain in this Government’s transport division allow this to happen, especially as the first message on the next overhead gantry read: “frustration can cause accidents”?
W S Young.
Mawcarse,
Milnathort.
Union is not one of equals
Sir, – If ever there was a good example of why the UK is better out of an unreformed EU, then the imposition of EU tariffs against American products is it.
The EU tariffs are in retaliation for American tariffs on EU metals exported to America, presumably to save the US domestic steel industry being undercut by cheap imports, costing US jobs.
Who are the principal exporters of metals production to the US?
Germany and France.
So as per usual, the EU is manipulated for the economic benefit of Germany and France and meanwhile, UK consumers are going to see 25% increases in the price of a whole host of American products, ranging from orange juice, clothing and cosmetics to motor-bikes and scooters.
It would have been understandable if the EU tariffs were restricted to American metals exported to the EU, but no.
Instead we are seeing punitive measures that affect a very wide range of goods, increasing their prices by 25% (with the exception of playing cards, where the imposed tariff is 10%…how weird is that ?)
Did Scotland or the UK have a say?
Of course not.
This was another authoritarian diktat from Brussels, so typical of the arrogance of this bureaucratic and dysfunctional union.
We are better out of it, and making our own decisions on trade barriers.
Derek Farmer.
Knightsward Farm,
Anstruther.
Key routes in a shocking state
Sir, – We recently returned from an enjoyable week in the Trossachs – apart from the weather, the midges and the roads.
We travelled in my old MG sports car, and were shocked by the condition of some of the road surfaces in the area.
These roads lead to important tourist destinations such as Aberfoyle, Callander, Cairngorm National Park. Queen Elizabeth Forest park, and Loch Katrine.
The council has the nerve to erect signs warning of “uneven road surfaces”.
I believe we should be encouraging tourists to our beautiful country but travelling on roads in these conditions does not encourage visitors, quite apart from the potential damage to vehicles (thankfully my old car survived).
I realise cash is short, but if we don’t get tourists we will have even less cash.
I feel sorry for the locals having to use these roads every day.
Please councils, get it sorted.
Ron Mackie.
49 BrentField Circle, Ellon.
Leuchars plan could take off
Sir, – I endorse John Phimister’s letter (Courier, June 19) regarding Edinburgh Airport congestion.
Whilst it is of course commendable that new airline routes to all parts of the globe (viz China) are opening up to make Edinburgh a major transport hub, the infrastructure to support such a scenario is falling way behind.
The road system around the airport is becoming increasingly congested in all directions and the airport facilities are always lagging behind the passenger throughout.
Numbers grow month on month with the site now handling some 13 million passengers annually which is way beyond its current capacity.
The result is more traffic jams, passenger queues, overcrowding and delays – none of which create a favourable first impression on visitors to Scotland or frustrated locals.
Recently I was waiting for my luggage for as long as it took to fly from Southampton. This situation was no doubt compounded during the Highland Show causing tailbacks northwards over the Queensferry Crossing hitting the ever-growing numbers of tourists to Scotland.
There have been several calls over the years in this newspaper for the establishment of a regional airport at Leuchars (capable of handling any size of aircraft) to serve the east of Scotland north of the Forth.
Angus, eastern Perthshire, Dundee (soon to be with its V&A) and north east Fife, centred on St Andrews, which attracts huge numbers of visitors, would all benefit.
The railway station at Leuchars provides excellent connectivity in all directions. This in itself will reduce traffic flow over the Forth significantly.
There is a clear need for a proper feasibility study to establish whether a case can be made and which destinations in UK and beyond would be economically viable, involving central and local government, MOD, airlines and a public survey.
Perhaps the establishment of a public survey wold provide a good starting point for negotiations.
Ian Crombie.
Keepers Wood,
Over Rankeilour,
Cupar.
