Sir, – The warning to Fife councillors that appeals against planning decisions can be costly (The Courier, June 29) raises some interesting issues.
The underlying message seems to be councillors should always follow the planning officer’s recommendation in case a successful appeal results in an award of expenses against the council.
Such awards are rare and the risk of incurring a penalty is a poor reason for uncritically following an official’s recommendation.
This presupposes the planning officer is always right.
It is not unknown for government reporters to uphold decisions taken by councillors against the advice of officials.
A case quoted in the report was that of a “Pergola” (approved by a planning officer, not councillors) which turned out to be a large outdoor drinking and dining area that caused serious disturbance to nearby residents.
The planning committee, having received an excoriating report from the ombudsman, ignored the advice of officials worried about a claim for expenses, and righted the wrong by ordering the structure removed.
Not so long ago, the Court of Session quashed the unlawful decision – recommended by officials – to site the replacement Madras College at Pipeland Farm.
North East Fife councillors advised against this, but it was approved by councillors from elsewhere in Fife voting uncritically for the official’s recommendation.
The resulting legal bill for the council was more than £200,000.
The relatively modest sums occasionally claimed by a few successful appellants is a small price to pay for democracy.
David Middleton.
Glenesk,
Lade Braes,
St Andrews.
Recycling centre is essential
Sir, – I had to visit the Montrose recycling centre twice today and on both occasions there was a long queue to get various items to the skips.
Frankly I am totally unable to understand Councillor Bill Duff’s comments (The Courier, July 1) when he said: “I don’t think recycling centres are very important.
“We have a lot of capacity to recycle from our houses, we don’t have to make that journey to the recycling centre.”
I suggest Councillor Duff speaks to the staff and also some of the people bringing items to the Montrose recycling centre as I am sure he would not get much if any support for his view.
What does he suggest that we do with items that cannot be recycled from our homes?
Would he really close the recycling centres?
David May.
Hillside,
Montrose.
A not-so-fitting tribute to miners
Sir, – My grandfather, his brothers and sons all hewed coal at Lochore a century and more ago.
They would have turned in their graves had they had the misfortune to listen to De Profundis at the Bowhouse on Saturday night.
Twice in recent days your reporter Michael Alexander promised this show would pay “fond tribute to the past generations of Fife miners”.
The show did nothing of the sort.
How could the organisers take so much top-class brass band talent to the venue and force them to deliver not music but a discordant cacophony? My ancestors would not have thought what emerged was a tribute to their music – they would have feared they were being dug up and transported to a dark, satanic spot.
The widow of a Fife miner standing beside me got it right when she asked: “Don’t we get an actual tune?”
The nearest was a nice audio track of birdsong.
The least this show could have had was some of the wretched, jarring cacophony to set the scene then a few beautiful pieces that these musicians are capable of, perhaps finishing with an evening hymn.
De profundis means “heartfelt feelings of sorrow and anguish” – a sentiment I echo, though probably for the wrong reasons.
I noticed much of the applause at the end was from the musicians themselves.
Perhaps they or any spectators who stayed to the end would explain what they found so moving.
De profundis? More like de minimis.
Michael Mulford.
82 Hogarth Drive,
Cupar.
Demonstration of PM’s mettle
Sir, – Theresa May has been written off as weak and vacillating after her ill-judged election campaign.
There is, however, one area in which she has been neither, and many of us have reason to be grateful to her for that.
In her first speech as PM, Mrs May pledged to defend the union, and on the morning after she travelled to Edinburgh to be received by a First Minister who had the discourtesy to display two Saltires instead of a Saltire and a Union Jack.
Since then Mrs May has rebuffed Ms Sturgeon’s attempts to retain the option of calling another referendum.
“Now is not the time” was a good response to Ms Sturgeon’s badgering.
Let us hope Mrs May continues to support the union against SNP attempts to railroad us into bankruptcy.
Jill Stephenson.
Glenlockhart Valley,
Edinburgh.
Holyrood saved by Westminster
Sir, – For the second year in a row some 10% of Scottish farmers have not been paid what they were due under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Scotland is likely to escape a possible £60 million fine from Brussels over late farm payments because Scotland is part of the UK.
Since the rest of the country met its targets it looks like the Scottish Government has been let off the hook.
I trust that Nicola Sturgeon, instead of blaming Westminster, will have the decency to thank Westminster for saving Scottish taxpayers £60 million.
Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.
Thanking the good Samaritans
Sir, – Last Thursday afternoon I was returning to Blairgowrie from my granddaughter’s prizegiving at Dundee High School when a car crashed into me on Tulleybaccart.
I would like to thank the two kind ladies who came to my assistance and also praise the police, the ambulance crew and the staff in Ninewells A&E for their efficient treatment and kindness.
I am glad to say I was not seriously injured, even though my car was written off.
Margaret Strachan.
Eathie,
Golf Course Road,
Blairgowrie.
How democracy normally works
Sir, – It is interesting how many people including Ian Kennedy (“EU vote claims don’t add up”, June 30) use the total electorate to justify their own views on the results of referendums/elections.
On the basis of his argument as to why the Scottish Government cannot claim to have a clear mandate to call for another independence referendum as only 42% of the total Scottish electorate voted to Remain, then Brexit wouldn’t be happening.
Of a total UK electorate of 46,500,001 only 17,410,742 actually voted to leave.
That represents about 37% of the total electorate.
Unless the rules have changed, the common view is that the most votes wins.
George Dickson.
32 Lynedoch Road,
Scone.