Your letters to the Helensburgh Advertiser: May 25, 2017

To add your thoughts to the mix, email editorial@helensburghadvertiser.co.uk - we'll publish the best in the June 1 issue of the Advertiser. Happy writing!

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On Tuesday I visited, for the first time, the Community Centre in Kirkmichael, only to find the only thing there is an office with a friendly staff member, who told me that Fun First hadn't been at the centre for a long time and the only thing on at the centre was a Work Club.

I was disappointed, as I had my two year old grand daughter with me, hoping to attend our first session of Fun First!

Who are the powers to be, that have a Community Centre on the doorstep of a Community and not a single thing is held in it to bring the community together?

Did there not used to be an amazing playgroup/nursery there? Is there a community group up there, but which doesn't use the centre?

Is the centre too expensive, that people cannot afford to hold there groups there? Does Kirkmichael get bad press, therefore putting people off trying to come together in various groups?

I myself was born in Helensburgh. My grandparents and other relatives used to live in Kirkmichael. I have current friends who live there, but I am not sure if anyone has the answers to why is the Community Centre is not thriving?

If anyone has some answers, please write in - so people can start to understand why facilities that used to be thriving are perishing and dying out!

Helensburgh, all of it, East and West, upper and lower is a beautiful town - please let the people speak out at what they wish to see in it, so the powers of community and council know and hopefully be guided to build our facilities and not let them cease to be without anyone knowing why!

Elma Chapman, via email

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I hesitate to say it, but my point of view is slightly different from Ruth Wishart's. In last week's Advertiser she wrote that the "Public deserves more Commons decency". She was disappointed that some people newly elected to local councils were now also standing for election to the UK Parliament in London and, that if they succeeded, they might be unable to fulfil their roles as local councillors properly.

While I sympathise with many of the points that she made, I do feel that some other points should be taken into consideration.

Firstly, the general election for the UK Parliament was called unexpectedly. Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act of 2011 the Westminster Parliament was expected to run for another three years.

It would therefore be understandable if political parties had to scramble around to look for candidates to fight the general election, and if some of these candidates turned out to be people who had expected only to be fighting for council seats at this time.

Secondly, there is the issue of ability. If political parties wish to win a general election, they will feel that they should be putting forward their best candidates.

How would Ruth Wishart feel if she knew that the person standing for election to the UK Parliament was only the second best, just because the best one had already been elected to a local council?

Thirdly, if their funds permit, most parties like to put up a candidate for as many seats at Westminster as they possibly can. In private many of them will admit that their candidates' chances of being elected are very small.

How happy would the electorate be if their preferred party was unable to field any candidate, just because their candidate had previously been elected to a council? Not very, I would suspect.

Having said all that, like Ruth Wishart I find it difficult to understand how anyone person can hope to carry out the roles required of both a councillor and an MP properly.

Stewart Noble, East Abercromby Street, Helensburgh

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Unlike your correspondent Cllr Anne Horn (Advertiser Comment, May 18) I am so delighted to learn that Alan Reid is standing for the Liberal Democrats in the June election.

He will be working on the day job unlike many representatives of SNP in Holyrood.

He is a reliable, steady hand on past experience who will work very hard for this constituency and all its voters.

Argyll and Bute needs someone with parliamentary experience in Westminster to fight for our rural area. He will not be obsessed by seeking independence from the UK and understands the economics of working with the rest of Britain to grow our economy.

Margaret Horrell, via email

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The current Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon, has confirmed that his party, the Conservatives, are willing to not only retaliate but also make the first nuclear strike.

This means our current PM, a vicar’s daughter, is willing to press the nuclear button to start the first ever nuclear war.

I was astonished when I realised why she always looks so distracted. When she gets to the heavenly gates, how will she explain away killing millions of people?

To save her soul, we must not choose her for the next election but pray: "Please, if we must choose someone, please let it not be her”

R.L. Mackie, Helensburgh

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I am not surprised that Ruth Wishart and her other SNP friends in Dumbarton and Kintyre and the Islands (Advertiser Comment, May 18) are exercised about Alan Reid’s decision to stand again as MP for Argyll and Bute - since he will be a real threat to their man, Brendan O’Hara.

May I remind them that the Westminster election came like a bombshell out of the blue in the middle of the run up to the council elections.

I welcome Alan Reid’s decision to stand again. He served this constituency well for many years and will, I am sure, do so again if elected.

And anyway I seem to remember that a certain Alex Salmond did a bit of double billing in his time.

For the record: I do not belong to any political party.

Berit Vogt, Helensburgh

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As a former paediatrician, find it very disturbing that so many young people are being ignored by the Scottish Government who have been in charge of health matters for 10 years.

Figures have come to light, from research by the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS), which revealed that pupils in the most deprived areas have worse mental well being than their peers, and that children are waiting over 600 days (almost two years) in some areas, including our own area, for mental health treatment.

Bearing in mind that earlier treatment leads to better outcomes in most instances, this country is failing its youth dramatically in ignoring this vital area.

In the context of startlingly long waiting times and a wide attainment gap, this situation is only going to get worse without a substantial increase in investment.

Only the Liberal Democrats have set out a comprehensive and positive plan that will deliver a step change in mental health.

This includes ending the under funding of mental health, new units for children and more professionals at more locations capable of delivering therapies.

That is the way to give every child a chance of getting on in life.

The constant centralisation of services has lead to the deprivation of necessary facilities within reach of anxious parents and families who are desperately seeking treatment.

Jan Chisholm, via email

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Our former MP for 14 years, Alan Reid, agreed to stand in this General Election after many local people told the Liberal Democrats they hoped he would put his name forward.

Many people told us that Alan had been a very hard working MP and is the only candidate who can overtake the SNP and stop another independence referendum.

Alan finished in clear second place the last time, well ahead of the third placed Tory. When he stood for the council, Alan obviously didn’t know that the Prime Minister intended to call a General Election for June 8.

Theresa May had promised repeatedly that she wouldn’t do this. We clearly can’t trust what she says.

Ruth Wishart should check her facts before she puts pen to paper. Alan had said at the public hustings during the council campaign that he was considering standing in the General Election.

He also said he would meet the cost of a council by-election if he were successful.

Last week's SNP letter writers were silent when 15 SNP councillors were elected to Parliament at the 2015 General Election, causing 15 by-elections. They were also silent when the then SNP councillor, Isobel Strong, stood against Alan at a General Election.

That silence shows that these recent letters were just an SNP attempt at a smear campaign.

They are clearly very worried that Alan Reid will move from second place last time to first place this time.

Alan's record shows that he is the best placed candidate to represent Argyll & Bute in Westminster.

Jacqueline Davis (secretary, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Liberal Democrats)

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All the hype and hyperbole over the apparent improvement in the Tory party’s fortunes at the local elections ignores a number of things.

Firstly, they were the main beneficiaries in a fall in the Labour vote throughout the country.

Secondly, they benefited from the Single Transferable Vote system of proportional representation.

And thirdly they have the advantage where a large portion of the media which is owned by their billionaire friends.

The Conservative Party support has been at rock bottom for many years so it wouldn’t be difficult to improve on that.

James Cormack, Dumbarton

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The Conservative Party has now confirmed that they want to pursue a hard and destructive Brexit: out of the Single Market and Customs Union, prepared to leave the EU with no deal at all.

They have dropped their pretence that they can deliver the “exact same benefits” outside the Single Market. The truth is, we will be poorer as a result of the decisions the Prime Minister has taken.

We won’t be stronger or more stable, but weaker and more insecure. And we will move backwards, alone, not forward, together.

We know that it is likely the Prime Minister will still be the Prime Minister on June 9.

The choice at this election is whether to write her a blank cheque for this dangerous path, or to support those who will fight hard Brexit and provide opposition and accountability.

Alex Clifford (Head of Digital, Open Britain)

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Every year, heart and circulatory disease kills around 15,500 in Scotland and currently, 670,000 people in the country are living with its burden.

The need to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat these terrible conditions is more urgent than ever.

That’s why I’m calling on everyone to take part in the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) 'Wear it. Beat it.' campaign.

Join thousands of others across the UK on Friday, June 9 by wearing red and holding a fundraising event to help us stop heart disease in its tracks.

From a bake sale or coffee morning at work to a red-themed garden party with friends and family, whatever you choose to do, 'Wear it. Beat it.' is a great way to bring everyone together and help make a difference to millions.

You will be also be helping the BHF fund even more cutting-edge breakthroughs that will help end the devastation caused by heart disease.

Last year more than 15,000 people took part in 'Wear it. Beat it.', raising more than £750,000.

To sign up and receive a free fundraising pack full of ideas about how to get involved, visit wearitbeatit.bhf.org.uk

Murray Easton (British Heart Foundation Area Fundraising Manager for Scotland)