Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, On Wednesday, October 19, the development control committee of Perth and Kinross Council met to consider an application to build a waste gasification incinerator at Binn Farm. I was one of two objectors allowed to address the committee.
I was taken aback when the vice-convener Bob Band began by stating that the purpose of the meeting was not to discuss whether there ought to be an incinerator at Binn Farm. That, he said, had already been decided a reference to the permission granted in 2006 for a conventional incinerator.
Instead, he told the committee that it should limit itself to considering whether there should be a change in the type of incineration, from conventional incineration to gasification. As far as I can understand, the gasifier proposal was a standalone application, not one to modify an earlier proposal.
The vice-convener’s statement had the effect of stopping committee members considering the negative effects that all types of incinerator have in common, namely the destruction of resources, the waste of energy, the production of greenhouse gases, and the poor monitoring of harmful emissions all of which undermine the principle of sustainable development (applied by the Perth Area Local Plan) and the protection of health (required in the Perth Structure Plan).
Subsequently, Ann Sangster of Abernethy Community Council pointed out that the only other example of gasification in Scotland had shown itself to be extremely unreliable, producing hundreds of emissions of harmful gases.
All in all, this was a very strange meeting. All concerns were contemptuously dismissed within the space of half an hour. That’s half an hour to condemn the people of Abernethy to 30 years of breathing poisonous fumes.
Michael Gallagher.33 Precinct Street,Coupar Angus.
Don’t ignore Empire history
Sir, Re Paxman angry at Empire rebuff (Courier, October 19). The TV presenter has to be commended for his criticism of the ‘dreary educational establishment’ for failing to teach schoolchildren about the British Empire.
However, it is not only the educational establishment which should receive this criticism. The nation’s political hierarchy seem to shy away from anything connected with this significant period in British history.
One has only to look at India’s (The Jewel in the Crown) burgeoning economy rapidly developing into one of the world’s wealthiest.
India, it would appear, has achieved a very fair degree of this success through the adoption and adaption of certain components of The Raj.
Kenneth Miln.22 Fothringham Drive,Monifieth.
Religion being empowered
Sir, From reading her letter in your newspaper October 19 Anne Colvin is clearly wrong in asserting that politicians are running roughshod over religion.
Nobody is trying to ”force the vast majority of religious people in this country to change their beliefs” as Ms Colvin quite correctly points out, this would be an illiberal position.
However, the current legislation simply does not permit churches or religious organisations which would be happy to carry out same-sex marriages or civil partnerships to do so organisations such as the Quakers and the Unitarians.
Nor does it allow individual ministers to make the decisions on whether they as individuals wish to carry this out. Now that’s also an illiberal position.
What the proposals would do is permit these ceremonies to be held on religious premises. It’s then up to the religious groups themselves to decide whether or not they wish to allow this a similar premise which affects divorcees wishing to marry for a second time in church.
If the Catholic Church, or the Church of Scotland, wish an outright ban or allow it to be decided by individual priests and ministers, that’s a decision for them to make.
If anything, this proposal allows religion to make its own mind up about recognising same-sex relationships.
Each individual religious group can make a decision which is appropriate for its own teaching.
Far from running roughshod over religion, one could argue that the proposals in fact empower religious groups.
(Cllr) Keith Legg.Scottish Liberal DemocratsWard 5, Rosyth & NorthQueensferry.
Will provoke even more fury
Sir, So Dundee City Council is to appeal against the Linda Ross industrial tribunal findings. This shameful ‘David and Goliath’ episode has already proved extremely wasteful in terms of both public money and damaged reputations.
Throwing countless thousands of pounds of hard-earned council taxpayers’ money into a ‘black hole’ of legal fees at a time of imposed financial austerity within the public services will only provoke even more public fury.
Perhaps these persons would think twice if they were held personally liable for all the costs should this appeal fail.
Jennifer Helen Allan.18 Grangehill Drive,Monifieth.
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.