Sir, – As the chairman of Fife Council’s environment, finance and communities scrutiny committee and of that committee’s working group investigating the enterprise resource planning (ERP) computer system, I’d like to clarify some aspects of the report in Saturday’s Courier.
Much around the ERP project is not in dispute.
It was a big, complicated project, it didn’t go as well as it could have.
The objective is to learn lessons and do thing better in future.
A report was produced a year ago, but the scrutiny committee felt it didn’t go deep enough.
The working group has gone much further, largely through a series of private conversations with council officers.
Most of those officers are quite senior in the organisation, representing teams and services impacted by ERP.
Some were nominated by very senior officials.
Rumours they were selected to rig the results are utterly without foundation.
A minority of those we spoke to were clearly uneasy.
Some seemed scared that’s a matter of fact.
Consequently, we have not published names and have taken steps to reassure ourselves that no member of council staff will suffer in any way as a consequence of helping our inquiries.
These reassurances have been given and repeated and I am happy on that account.
It was reported publicly a year ago that savings from ERP would not be as high as originally estimated.
These are the figures in The Courier report.
The savings are described as delayed but I’d suggest that they are effectively lost.
However, our evidence suggests the net savings may be considerably lower than even the revised figures, and that further investigation is required.
My quoted comment that “the system has not worked” refers to something much wider than just the ERP software and the computers it runs on.
To expand fully on that would fill The Courier’s letter pages for several days.
Finally, I am not trying to apportion blame.
I find the comments of Councillor Hood and others utterly incomprehensible and look forward to being able to explain to them why that’s so.
Councillor Dave Dempsey. 7 Carlingnose Park, North Queensferry.
Creative energy? Surely a joke
Sir, – Stuart Cosgrove might be a bit of a comedian, but he is stretching things to suggest the independence referendum unleashed a wave of creative energy in Scotland (Independence day analysis, March 24).
Giving it credit for the success of the Edinburgh Festival is completely implausible and belittles all those who have worked to make that a success over many decades.
The referendum produced remarkably little in the way of a literary, artistic or musical legacy, and very little of what it did will stand the test of time.
The reason for this was that the Yes campaign was completely reliant on messages and materials passed down from above.
The daily narrative arrived courtesy of the SNP, and few dared speak out on any subject until the prescribed line was available.
Organised group- think was the order of the day.
Creativity comes from being prepared to think for yourself, and from being prepared to challenge authority.
Following the government line without question is not the temperament required for a successful cultural revival.
If those on the pro- independence side of the debate were genuinely confident in themselves, they wouldn’t be so chippy about others within Scotland who don’t agree with them.
Victor Clements. Taybridge Terrace, Aberfeldy.
Let our pupils study at home
Sir, – Angus Council has decided to stop exam study leave for all fourth-year pupils prior to them sitting their National 4 and 5 exams in May.
Of course, as study leave is not a pupil entitlement, it is the right of the local education authority to withdraw this privilege, citing one would hope some statistics showing home study makes no appreciable difference to results.
Angus Council has given no such reason.
Instead, it claims antisocial behaviour, loitering with intent and petty thefts increase when their pupils are off.
I think it such a shame these education chiefs are so splendidly isolated that they hold their own pupils in such disdain.
If only the head of children services at Angus House and her staff got out more and actually struck up a meaningful dialogue with their own school kids they might realise they’re not all intent on mugging old grannies and nicking sweets from the corner shop.
JG Buchan. Grove Road, Broughty Ferry.
Mapping the decline of Perth
Sir, – Perth was the town I chose to make my home when I moved from Canada 20 years ago.
It was a beautiful and vibrant place and people came from far and wide to shop in the boutiques, gift shops, craft shops, House of Fraser and McEwens.
It had a reputation as a place to spend a pleasurable weekend.
How different to the city of today.
We now have beggars, potholes and plenty of empty premises everywhere in the city centre.
The powers-that-be are incapable of making a decision about the former City Hall, so it also stands empty.
Perth has become a city of coffee shops and supermarkets.
Gardens that brighten the city are looking beautiful due to the hard work of volunteers.
I suggest we send the council on extended leave and ask volunteers to take over with a vision to make Perth economically viable and vibrant once again.
Diane McLeay. 5 Alder Grove, Perth.
Money where their mouth is
Sir, – More than 90 celebrities are calling on David Cameron to accelerate reuniting refugees stranded across Europe with their families in the UK.
While other countries in Europe are closing their borders these “stars” want us to throw ours open.
This would be a godsend for people-smugglers and terrorists who will pay people in Britain to state the refugees are relatives.
The term “relative” will allow far too many of the extended family in, and even more will then pop up in Europe.
The NHS is routinely conned by health tourism, so reuniting will be another expensive exercise.
If these well-paid “stars” want to allow in more refugees then they should personally sponsor a refugee family and pay for their education, health and accommodation so they are not a burden on the taxpayer.
Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.
Stepal let down St Andrews
Sir, – Congratulations to Stepal for condemning the schoolchildren of the St Andrews area to a likely refurbishment of Kilrymont.
Stepal has misled people into believing there is an alternative site when none exists.
One of their spurious reasons why it should not be built at Pipeland was school buses travelling up and down Largo Road and Scooniehill Road, but they are going to get them just the same not to mention the builders’ vehicles.
At least it will give Mr Sangster’s so-called north-east Fife safety panel something to get its teeth into.
I do not have a lot of faith in the justiciary, but I have heard the judge who awarded Stepal protective costs for its appeal then sat in judgement or presided over the appeal against Fife Council at the court of session in January.
I cannot confirm the authenticity of this, but would be grateful if someone can tell me whether or not it is true.
Robert Thomson. 35 Lindsay Gardens, St Andrews
Leaders ought to show respect
Sir, – Having viewed the political debate on television last week, I have never heard such a rabble of educated people hoping to run the country.
With one exception, the politicians were continually speaking over each other, showing a complete lack of respect.
Glen Campbell tried very hard to control them, but it was an almost impossible task.
Always remember that if respect is given it will be received.
John McDonald. 14 Rosebery Court, Kirkcaldy.
UK should follow Dutch example
Sir, – With the Dutch parliament voting last week to ban arms exports to Saudi Arabia due to its human rights record, it is time the UK Government followed suit.
While the Gulf kingdom continues to conduct air strikes on civilian populations in Yemen, the Netherlands thankfully became the first EU nation to act on a European Parliament motion in February that called for an arms embargo across the entire bloc.
The UN estimates 6,000 people have been killed in the conflict that began last year, with almost half of them civilians.
The Dutch vote centred on the UN’s report on Yemen from January and Saudi’s continued executions as the reason for voting in favour of the embargo.
Bombs have been falling on Yemen for almost a year.
In that time a grave humanitarian catastrophe has been created and thousands of civilians have been killed, with vital infrastructure including schools and hospitals destroyed.
Last month the European Parliament set an important precedent, and it’s definitely welcome that Dutch politicians have joined them in calling for action.
Over the past year the UK has sold billions of pounds worth of warplanes, bombs and missiles to Saudi Arabia.
It’s hardly a matter of pride that misery in Yemen is made in Britain. It’s time for the UK to step up to the mark and follow the lead set by the Dutch.
Alex Orr, 77 Leamington Terrace, Edinburgh.