Sir, The Courier, June 6, revealed that a legal challenge has been lodged against Fife Council’s granting of planning permission for the new Madras school.
It’s obvious that practically any development will be opposed in St Andrews. It must have more protest groups per square yard than any other small town. This newly-formed group’s action could spell the end of any chance of a new school for the town. Even if it is defeated, hydra-like, St Andrews can always be relied upon to produce another protest group.
I don’t live in St Andrews, so it may be asked what my locus is in the matter. As a general and council taxpayer in Fife, I know that the continual opposition to Fife Council’s efforts costs the local authority. I think that any Fife resident has a right to be concerned about what goes on in St Andrews.
Two possible solutions occur to me.
The first is to build the new school right outside the St Andrews complainer belt.
That would mean inconvenience for pupils having to travel or be transported and would be hard on the many St Andrews residents who wish only to live in a community with all necessary facilities, but at least there would be a school.
The second solution would be that, considering the number of too small local authorities in Scotland at present, adding another wouldn’t make much difference.
A bill could be presented to Parliament to create St Andrews as a separate local authority.
That would allow it to make its own decisions as to whether it wanted a new school or not, amongst other matters, at the same time relieving Fife Council of responsibility for the town.
James Thomson. 14 Vardon Drive, Glenrothes.
Diminishes him and position
Sir, There have been some untoward comments in the weekend press concerning Alex Salmond’s appearance alongside heads of state at the D-Day commemoration ceremonies in France.
Since many Scots died during the Second World War fighting against oppression and enslavement alongside other UK and Commonwealth compatriots, it is right that the First Minister of Scotland should represent Scotland at such ceremonies.
The problem, however, is Alex Salmond’s repeated failure to differentiate between his role as First Minister, representing all of Scotland, and his role as leader of the SNP, a faction hell-bent on the break-up of the UK, come what may.
This failure of differentiation between statesman and ideologue diminishes both the man and his position as First Minister.
Is it beyond expectation for him to up his game as the senior representative of Scotland and to stop behaving like the captain of the local under-17 football team, forever rubbishing the opposition and ignoring the realities of his team’s limitations?
Derek Farmer. Knightsward Farm, Anstruther.
Was this offer made to Stalin?
Sir, Not many of the families of our British forces’ personnel escaped the loss of a loved one during the Second World War. With D-Day remembered what solace there is may be sought from justice never being better served than by achieving the fall of the Third Reich.
With a father, who lost a brother and a mother, who lost a first husband, both to Bomber Command, my family had reason to grieve. My mother always cried a little if she sang: “We’ll gather lilacs in the spring again, and walk together down an English lane, and my heart will learn to sing again, when you come home once more.” He never did.
Perhaps, I may wrong the memory of Mr Churchill, if I were to presume no attempt was made to ask Stalin to trade Poland for West Germany. Although, would Stalin, with more than 22 million Russian dead, not have jumped at such an offer, were it made?
The annexing of Poland was why we declared war. Surely, immediately after the war, West Germany rather than Poland should have suffered the grip of Stalin’s iron fist! It is a little galling that the sacrifice made by those we loved was, in part, to free from Stalin’s rule an enemy rather than an ally.
Leslie Milligan. 18b Myrtlehall Gardens, Dundee.
Was it worth their while?
Sir, After watching the commemoration of the Normandy landings and hearing the heroic stories of those who lost their lives and suffered major injuries in the conflicts of war, in an effort to save this country from invasion, I look around and see what is happening to this country, and indeed the world, today and wonder, sadly, if it was really worth their while!
John McDonald. 14 Rosebery Court, Kirkcaldy.
Savings will be “minuscule”
Sir, A huge wind farm featuring 67 turbines above Loch Ness has been approved by the Scottish Government despite widespread opposition.
Energy minister Fergus Ewing said that the wind farm would save thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
Professor Gordon Hughes of Edinburgh University has done detailed research and his findings are that the CO2 savings are in the range of “minuscule to zero”.
It shows how out of touch our politicians are. Or are they just devious?
Dan Arnott. St Brycedale Court, Kirkcaldy.