The week ends with letters discussing the future of lottery funding, Ashludie Hospital, waste recycling, David Cameron’s trip to the US and praise for the clean-up operation after the Perth floods.
Ensuring money goes to the right areas Sir,-I am writing in response to an article in The Courier of July 22.
Reports that the coalition government intends to bar lottery distributors from funding projects linked to the public sector are untrue. However, we are committed to reforming the National Lottery so that more money goes into sport, the arts and heritage, bringing it back to how it was originally conceived.
We have already announced a mechanism for achieving this and we are currently consulting on when this should be introduced.
We want to see a rise in the amount of funding going to voluntary and community organisations and we want to ensure that cash funds to that sector are protected by BIG lottery’s support being focused on the voluntary and community sector. It is a matter for the Big Lottery Fund as to how they distribute the money to small and large projects.
I am a strong supporter of the Commonwealth Games coming to Glasgow and hope that the Big Lottery will continue to support projects related to it.
David Mundell.Under Secretary of State.
Anxious time for patients
Sir,-I belatedly, but wholeheartedly, concur with the comment by Mrs Easton about Ashludie Hospital ward closures in The Courier July 15. My wife Patricia was a resident briefly in Ward 9 and then Ward 3, for the last seven years of her life.
Moving immobile stroke patients from a bright and airy brick-built construction into a physically depressing environment of mainly wooden construction, and mixing them with patients suffering psychological problems appears to be unfortunate at best, and must adversely affect the well-being of patients from Ward 1 to say nothing of the patients in Ward 7.
The nursing staff in Wards 1 and 3, and previously Wards 2 and 4 have long ensured a bright, cheerful and caring environment for patients while facing uncertainty about Ashludie’s future role. The anxiety of patients’ families is heightened also by the apparent vicissitude of those in authority to resolve the problem of the future for elderly disabled patients needing 24/7 NHS Nursing care in Angus.
Harry Davey.12 Dores Drive,Broughty Ferry.
Doesn’t add up!
Sir,-Having had only one out of two of our garden waste recycling bins collected the other day and being told by the binman that they were now to empty only one bin per household, I was rather annoyed and a little bemused to then open The Courier to see a cast of thousands trumpeting the redevelopment of the Friarton waste depot.
Could someone please explain to me, and to the many other householders who were also left with a bin full of stinking household and garden waste, why we are now only to have one bin collected when this redeveloped site will, according to Environment Convener, Councillor Alan Grant, increase the area’s recycling and composting rate to meet the Scottish Government target of 50% by 2013?
(Mrs) Jill Mackay.Stormontfield,Orchil Road,Auchterarder.
Just another US poodle
Sir,-There can be little doubt that David Cameron’s visit to America has turned into a shambles. Not only has he reaffirmed the UK’s junior status in its relationship with the US, to the chagrin of many, but Mr Cameron has also managed to deeply offend those who fought in the second world war; sow confusion over the war in Afghanistan; and trash the reputation of Scotland and Scots Law whilst being embarrassingly forced to meet US senators. All within 48 hours of landing in Washington!
The Prime Minister may have proved to himself he is a good friend of America, but there is no doubt back home that Mr Cameron is now seen as just another poodle of a US president.
Malcolm McCandless.40 Muirfield Crescent,Dundee.
Great work in flood clean-up
Sir,-On behalf of the Fairfield community I would like to express my sincere gratitude to both Tayside Fire Brigade and Perth and Kinross Council for the highly professional way in which they acted during the floods which beset Perth on Wednesday and the ongoing clean-up operation.
The prompt response of the emergency services to what could have been a devastating course of events was excellent and kept stress levels of our residents to a minimum in very trying circumstances.
Grant Ager.(Director).5 Fairfield Avenue,Perth.
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.