Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir,-Back in the first flush of spring, a certain Angus councillor who controls the purse strings on the council, declared unequivocally that potholes were the number one priority for the public and therefore for the council as well.
Now with autumnal morning dew on the grass and another winter fast approaching, potholes are still the public’s top priority, but little progress has been made.
The Angus roads are still punctuated by deep potholes that present a real danger to life and limb, particularly for road users on two wheels.
Those who know the roads well have become adept at mapping and dodging them.
Drivers who don’t know the roads so well are left guessing which of the many puddles has a deadly pothole lurking within.
One Carnoustie resident recently compared Angus roads unfavourably with those of a Latin American country.
May I suggest that Angus Council stop wasting money on temporary repairs that are undone within hours. I might add that most drivers can see for themselves that the road markings are worn. Is there any need for such a costly proliferation of signs at the roadside?
It is high time that Angus Council got on with the job of bringing our roads up to standard.
Ian Angus.9 Steading Place,Arbroath.
Centre-half’s life made miserable
Sir,-Re Off The Leish (August 17) and the piece “Hearts can sting Spurs”, I thought your columnist might have mentioned Dunfermline AFC played Tottenham Hotspur FC in a two-legged tie in 1970 in the Texaco Cup.
The Fife team lost 4-0 at White Hart Lane and 3-0 at East End Park. The name of the centre-half in the Fife team in the two legs escapes me, but the centre-forward of Tottenham in the two matches was a chap called Martin Chivers, who managed to score six goals, if my memory serves me well.
The centre-half in question did little in football circles after this humiliating and humbling performance but he did mentor a young and enthusiastic full-back who had a brief spell as a Dunfermline player, namely a certain James Leishman. He was not particularly good either.
David McNicoll.2 Braehead Drive,Carnoustie.
Benefits have dried up
Sir,-I was very interested in the article (August 18) on the recent unemployment figures. It quoted that the number of people claiming jobseekers allowance in Fife was approx 11,600.
I have recently been on JSA for six months. I received the enormous sum of £65 per week MPs and MSPs can claim more for expenses on a daily basis.
Because of the six-month rule, and the fact my wife works full time, I am no longer entitled to any benefits whatsoever.
Where does that put me on the jobless register? I’m still unemployed and looking for work. How many people out there are in this same predicament?
Through my working life I have paid tens of thousands of pounds in taxes and received £1600 back from the government, and Mr Cameron says: “We are all in this together”.
Aye right.
George Walkingshaw.219 Lady Alice Path,Cadham,Glenrothes.
Good deal on care for Fife
Sir,-In his letter about care homes (August 20) Gordon Barlow repeats one of the major misunderstandings when he writes about “the private sector” as if it’s a monolithic unit like “the council”.
There are 40 operators in Fife running 68 homes. That’s less than two each. Some are national chains while others are single units with the proprietor living next door.
It’s this diversity and competition that works in the public interest. The public work out who is good and those homes prosper.
As for “cherry picking the profitable parts”, it’s the council, or rather all 32 Scottish councils, who hold quite a few of the aces. Their purchasing power ensures that they buy places in the private sector at a far, far lower price than pertains in the care homes they run themselves.
In Fife, the difference can potentially fund a further 232 places.
Does Mr Barlow believe that 232 Fifers should lose out so that 297 others can enjoy an expensive service with no obvious advantage?
The SNP in Fife are finally doing the right thing, years after we first proposed it.
(Cllr) Dave Dempsey.Leader, Fife Council Conservatives,7 Carlingnose Park,North Queensferry.
Rather too much of Mr Salmond
Sir,-I noticed when reading my Courier (August 20) that Alex Salmond’s photograph appeared no less than four times.
I sincerely hope that this is not part of a scheme to increase circulation of your newspaper.
If it is, I fear that, in my opinion, it will fail miserably.
I hope that the various charities involved were amply rewarded on the day at Perth races.
Bill Low.Rowan Bank,Golf Course Road,Blairgowrie.
Investigate who owns the seal
Sir,-I was a bit surprised that the recently auctioned silver seal that once belonged to Anstruther Burgh could be sold at all.
Surely it was initially paid for by the burgesses of Anstruther.
Unless there is a record of the item being sold off or given away, it must still belong to the citizens of the town.
I suggest that either the rightful ownership of this unusual item should be looked into more closely or its present keeper should voluntarily put it into the possession of Fife Council to be kept on display on behalf of the people of Anstruther.
Archibald A. Lawrie.5 Church Wynd,Kingskettle.
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.