Letters to the Helensburgh Advertiser: March 2, 2017

We are asking people to have a look at the magnificent trees that are being chopped down for what, just so they can build a car park and some toilets.

They are destroying homes of squirrels, birds and insects as we speak.

So start to think about what is happening to nature and what you can do about it.

That is why we should stop this devastating act

Fraser O’Neill (Age 10),

Helensburgh

I WOULD like to comment on your article concerning the council tax arrears of Councillor Robert G MacIntyre.

Without trying to make any excuses for non-payment of council tax or the reasons for that, it is important to look at the real reasons or motives that led to the exposure of this ‘oversight’ by Mr MacIntyre.

It is not long before we see the elections again for our local councils and it is at least rather suspicious that someone should make these extraordinary efforts to not only get this information from the local council offices, but also made sure that this unfortunate situation was exposed in the way it appeared in the newspapers.

I also noticed that there is no mention at all of the person who was so keen to have this publicised, or the fact that, as in many other cases of outstanding taxes, the matter had been resolved between Mr MacIntyre and the council to both their satisfaction.

It is extremely sad that no mention is ever made of the fact that Mr MacIntyre has on many occasions not claimed all of his council expenses, or the amount of work and help he has always provided for his constituents. I should also mention the large amounts of his private money he has poured into the local Rosneath Highland Games over the years

I agree totally with deputy council leader Ellen Morton’s comments that Robert MacIntyre is one of the nicest and honest people I know. It would be a dire travesty if dark political motives should undo the good work done by Mr MacIntyre presently and, hopefully, in the future.

Ronald Rietveld,

Clynder

I READ the trumpeted news about the great investment in Faslane with some dismay.

This is proclaimed to be a significant benefit for the Helensburgh and Lochside area. I beg to differ. This is another expansion of the town of Faslane.

The navy used to bring crew members to live in Helensbugh. They lived in the several housing estates that were built to accommodate them. These estates have now mostly been sold off; about half of Churchill is now privately owned or in the hands of Dunbritton Housing Association.

Even those that the navy retains are largely empty. Go up round Kent Drive or Hardy Hill and it’s like a ghost town.

The local area gets little or nothing from Faslane. A very large majority of naval personnel are quartered in the base Monday to Friday and travel home to other places at the weekend.

Faslane has its own shops, entertainment, sports facilities and a continually growing number of accommodation blocks to house the navy.

At present we have a fair number of security employees in the MDP and Guard Force; we have a shrinking number of people working in logistics and in maintenance. The rest are navy and contractors that live elsewhere.

I read recently that the cleaning and hotel services is to be put out to contract.

This may mean reduced hours for local staff or possibly part-time staff being brought in

Coulport has diminished from a place employing thousands, in the time when Polaris missiles were maintained there, to a couple of hundred now that the US maintains the Trident missiles and the warheads are made and maintained in establishments outside London.

Despite the spin put on it by politicians, this new investment will expand Faslane into the surrounding land and continue the centralisation of the navy on its own estate.

There will be little benefit to local people other than some short term construction work.

Dougie Blackwood,

Douglas Drive East,

Helensburgh

I THINK I speak on behalf of many local residents when I state how disappointing it is that the council’s cutback plans include removal of many of the attractive local rose beds.

Last year, when I learnt that the rose bed in Rhu Bay was intended to be grassed over, I set up a small group of interested residents in my area, raised more than sufficient funds and applied to the council to take over said rose bed.

After a lengthy exchange of correspondence, I was sent a seven-page contract whereby, amongst other ridiculous stipulations, I was expected to take personal responsibility for it.

This was bad enough until I learned it also incorporated taking out a public liability insurance, due to health and safety regulations.

All I was trying to do was replace some rose bushes that had died over the years, prune them ourselves and add mulch.

Not such a big deal, nor expense apart from the initial setup.

I find it really sad to see over recent weeks that further rose beds at Dalmore, Kidston and Colgrain are facing the same fate.

The roses added beauty along the main road through the town, out as far as Rhu.

I tried to do my part and keep something in the community, but the council has made it impossible, ruining part of the attraction to the town’s roads.

Some things should not be cut.

Hopefully they won’t do the same to the cherry trees next.

Moyra Conner,

by email

AN SNP strategist and wife of SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson has admitted on social media that independence would be a “gamble”, albeit “one worth taking”.

Jennifer Dempsie made the remarks in a Twitter discussion. It’s a welcome admission from the SNP that separation would be the gamble of all gambles.

This admission comes as the Centre for Economics and Business Research suggested an independent Scotland would be worse off financially than Greece.

It’s time for the SNP to get over their loss in the 2014 independence referendum and accept the sovereign will of the people of Scotland who voted by a clear margin to remain part of the United Kingdom.

This continued constitutional merry-go-round is damaging our economy and creating huge uncertainty for Scotland’s businesses. With all the trouble facing the Scottish Government due to their mishandling of Scotland’s devolved responsibilities, it’s time the SNP got on with governing and stopped its grievance stoking.

Alastair Redman

Portnahaven,

Islay

CAN I draw your readers’ attention to a letter being enclosed with the Argyll and Bute Council 2017/18 annual council tax bill, shortly to be sent out.

This letter will advise customers that due to the increase in council tax liability they now have the option to set up a payment arrangement to pay their council tax over 12 monthly instalments rather than the normal 10.

Christine Woods,

Helensburgh Community Council

NFU SCOTLAND is asking dog walkers in the Helensburgh area to take precautions when out walking in the countryside in the coming months.

Incidents of livestock worrying – where sheep and cattle are distressed, chased, injured or killed by uncontrolled dogs – are increasing, and we are pleading with dog owners to ensure that their pets are kept under proper control.

In addition to this, we are asking dog owners to avoid fields where very young livestock is present, as per the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. This is particularly relevant at this time of year, when lambing and calving is now under way.

Where the public takes access to fields where older livestock is grazing, we ask that they keep dogs on a lead or under close control. They should also be aware of the potential dangers that cattle can pose, particularly where a dog is present.

NFU Scotland is asking the public to ensure that when exercising their dogs in the countryside they ensure they do so responsibly, in line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

In addition to this, we would like to remind the public that, whilst the Union views the option as a very last resort, farmers do have legal rights to shoot a dog worrying livestock.

There have been some cases where much-loved family pets have been shot, because they have not been properly controlled by their owners.

Andrew McCornick

President, NFU Scotland