Sir, -The effrontery of Tory councillor Andy Heer (June 22) in questioning Fife Council cuts is beyond belief.
Who is responsible for the savage cuts in local government expenditure?
It is his government.
This is in addition to the severe austerity programme, which affects the most vulnerable members of our society more than the rich.
Never forget, the Conservatives are the party of the accountants.
They know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
Who is going to rescue us from our plight?
It is certainly not the Old Etonians who rule from Westminster.
Nor I fear our current First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
She mouths seemingly socialist platitudes while giving wholeheartedsupport to big business.
What is good for big business, is not necessarily good for most of ourpeople.
Please somebody out there do something.
I am rising 79 and not quite so fit as I used to be.
However, if someone can help us, I would make an effort, albeit a bit of a feeble one to help them.
We all should all think of future generations.
Have we dealt our grandchildren a good deal?
No, I do not think we have.
Bill Ledger. 43 Dreelside Anstruther.
Discrimination against parents
Sir, – After a visit to Dundee city centre, I returned home quite annoyed after parking in the multi-storey atGellatly Street.
I counted 20 disabled parking spaces nearthe lower level of thecar park and, right atthe very end of thelevel there were threeparent and childspaces.
The odd thing was there was only one car in the disabled spaces.
How can this be agreed by someone in Dundee City Council?
The disabled are allowed to park inparent-and-child places but not the other way around.
This is also the case at some supermarkets where parent-and-child spaces are at the far end of the car parks whiledisabled spaces are close to the stores.
Other supermarkets in Dundee have moresensible space configurations in their car parks.
Who is it that decides how many disabled spaces are needed in private and publicly-owned car parks?
T. Mitchell. 27 Gotterstone Drive, Dundee.
Let experts speak on Madras
Sir, – The proposed NHS whistleblowing champions (June 23)should not report only the obvious medical and safety breaches.
Many long-standing residents in St Andrews agree with yourcorrespondent Don Winter’s (June 22) concerns about siting a new Madras College atPipelands Farm at the edge of the town.
They also believe that Fife Council’s plan to relocate the school next to our communityhospital is opposedby staff at all levels,quite possibly a majority within the hospitaland indeed in the school too.
These are well-qualified experienced professionals who surely understand best the immediate and long-term interests of patients, pupils andparents.
But they feel constrained from voicing their opinions, whether by express directive, indirect pressure or assumed muzzling (I don’t know which) from NHS Fife and council education officers.
They should be able to speak out to our free press, confidentially if need be, with the protection our politicians promise and pay lip-service to.
John Birkett. 12 Horseleys Park, St Andrews.
Airport revamp disappointing
Sir, – What highly-paid manager is responsible for the botchedexpansion and redesign of Edinburgh Airport?
I suspect none. What we have looks like the result of competing requirements and forces being allowed to fight it out to a standstill, then the terminal was built to that design.
It was once a pleasure to fly from Edinburgh, but it is now confusing and annoying.
As well as the twoseparate domestic arrival areas, we now have two international arrival areas, at opposite ends of the terminal.
Check-in desks are scattered higgledy-piggledy around the building, some inlong rows at rightangles to the flow oftraffic.
Some of these desks are now tucked in here and there in the shopping area.
The crowning glory has to be the experience provided as theconfused traveller emerges from the end of the terminal into anoutdoor piazza, with round concrete benches, more suitable for warmer climes.
At one end there is a replica of the Falkirk Kelpies sculpture, at the other a huge TV screen showing news channel with sound full on.
Blade Runner meets the Marx Brothers. I am back to the train.
Norman Alm. South Manse Abernyte.
51st forgotten by councils
Sir, – My wife and I have recently returned from France wherewe attended the 75th anniversary remembrance ceremonies of the surrender of the 51st Highland Division atSt Valery en Caux on June 12 1940.
The citizens of St Valery and surrounding area organised a series of events and extended a very warm welcome to the Scots who attended.
Many Scots had made their way to the ceremonies including the provost of Inverness and a small detachment from 7 Scots, the direct descendants of the 51st Highland Division.
However, I wasdisappointed to notethe distinct lack ofrepresentation by the other Scottish local authorities.
The Highland Division was raised north of the Forth and I feel that the local authorities in the area should have been represented at the events.
Where were the provosts of Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen, Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy?
If French people could commemorate the sacrifice of Scottish soldiers surely Scottish local authorities could attend the events.
Rodger A Scott. 72 Feus Road, Perth.
Smart move by road officials
Sir, – I congratulate Perth and Kinross Council’s roads department on their wisdom inmodifying the traffic lights control system in Blairgowrie recently and I trust that the present temporary arrangements are established permanently.
It is such a pity that such wisdom could not have been displayed sooner.
J P K Garthwaite. Ladeside House, Ashgrove Road, Rattray.
Making case for independence
Sir, – As someone who has supported Scottish independence all my adult life, I am grateful to your correspondentMartin Redfern (June 22) for spelling out starkly and accurately thebrutal reality behindour better-together union.
Mr Redfern applauds Prime Minister David Cameron and supports his actions as a latter-day Marshal Wade in hisuse of the power he wields to “crush”Scotland’s MPs atWestminster.
Mr Redfern blithely confirms that anyrepresentation Scots send to London will be outvoted by sheer weight of numbers.
There will be no loud voice for Scotland or any respect given to Scottish aspirations. Ever.
Thank you Mr Redfern for making such aconcrete case forindependence byremoving the maskfrom the most divisive, reactionary institution in the British Isles and revealing its true face.
Ken Clark. 335 King Street, Broughty Ferry.
Migrant crisis on our shores
Sir, – The situation at Calais caused by the strikes this week was completely unacceptable and it actually needs to be seen for what it is.
These migrants seen trying to jump onto lorries to try to get into the UK illegally should be classed as an invasion.
It is now time for military intervention at British ports with the army manning border controls and checking vehicles.
This ongoing migrant situation is a threat to our national security.
How many jihadists are trying to enter this country illegally under cover of the unrest?
And these migrants are the people that Nicola Sturgeon wants to flood Scotland with.
Britain has caused much of this problem herself with generous benefit, healthcare education and social housing available freely.
The mayor of Calais has said this andhas come in or a lot of criticism.
But he is completely correct with what he has said.
I hope that the British people will remember this chaos at the time of the EU referendum and vote to leave.
Gordon Kennedy. 117 Simpson Square, Perth.
Long way back for Labour Party
Sir, – Those whorecommend a move to the right to resurrect the fortunes of the Labour Party have got theirnavigation 100% wrong.
Tony Blair and hissuccessors have already lurched so far to theright as to be on the brink of extinction in Scotland.
When Ed Miliband made it all too clearthat he would notentertain any kind of an arrangement, formal or informal, with the SNP, even if it meant opening the door of Downing Street for Cameron, it was not only the plot he lost.
He lost Scotland and perhaps has lost itforever.
Next year we have Holyrood and thefollowing year the council elections.
Both of these arecoming too soon for Labour, especially with the paucity of talent in their ranks.
Whereas Labour once enjoyed 41 offices in Scotland, maintenance and staff paid for by Westminster, they now have one, as against the SNP’s 56.
This huge turnaround represents a collapse, not only in finance but in profile, which appears insurmountable.
Is there an escape route? Well maybe, if they pick up on their original key policies of redistribution of wealth downwards, and, dare I write it, home rule for Scotland.
Otherwise it looks like oblivion.
Joseph G Miller. 44 Gardeners Street, Dunfermline.