This week's letters to the Advertiser include views on the Vale of Leven Hospital, Brexit, policing, data protection and air pollution.

To have your say just email editorial@helensburghadvertiser.co.uk with 'Letter' in the subject line. Please keep your contributions to a maximum of 300 words if possible.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Helensburgh Savoy Musical Theatre Group would like to say a massive "Thank you" to the customers of the Helensburgh branch of Waitrose for their generosity in sharing green tokens in support of the group.

Waitrose have been able to give us a cheque for £200 under their supporting local groups scheme.

Staging a musical every year is hugely expensive (even though we try to keep costs as low as possible) and we are always delighted when the local community give us their support.

We are hoping that someone in the community can come to our rescue once again.

Currently we, along with Helensburgh Theatre Arts, are urgently seeking storage premises for our larger set and props pieces as the 30 foot container we have been using is no longer going to be available to us. If anyone can help with this, either by providing the use of a storage container or the land needed to site one, or any other suitable premises, please get in touch with Euan Forrest by email euan_forrest@msn.com

Pauline Forrest (Secretary, Helensburgh Savoy Musical Theatre Group)

* * * * * * * * *

Brexit must at first have seemed a good idea; however the civil servants who actually have to implement it must have been appalled to learn that they have to sort through 40 years of documentation. The previous generation of Whitehall might have had the skills but the current one has only experience of the ability to make the odd alteration. This could be completed, with training, in only another 40 years.

The big problem now is the Brexit referendum. No-one on the media says it was a good idea to Leave any more. They always predicate any discussion with 'I voted to Remain but......'

There is a cunning plan to take a copy of the European Union laws, change the cover to say 'British' and pretend that this proves we have ‘taken back control’. Whilst this might fool some in the short term, attempts to make new laws in Europe or Britain will inevitably lead to divergence, confusion and delay.

Britain has this desire to ‘take back control’ which really means they want to be in charge and would be happy in the European Union so long as everyone did what Britain told them.

Scotland has more modest ambitions and would just like a chair of its own.

R.L.Mackie, Helensburgh

* * * * * * * * *

I attended the public meeting regarding the threat of closure to our local GP out of hours service at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

I was horrified to hear the risks associated with this closure from the representatives on the panel. I was astounded to then hear that the cuts being proposed haven’t been done in consultation with our GPs or patients. These proposals are purely about saving money irrelevant of how many lives are being put at risk by them.

I would encourage every single person to write or email their local councillors, their MSP, the Health Board and the Health Secretary Shona Robison stating that this proposal is simply unacceptable and we will accept no more uncertainty or closures at the Vale. It’s time to start investing in in the Vale of Leven Hospital and giving the people of Helensburgh and surrounding areas a quality local facility that is properly run with a range of services.

The question for the health board and the Scottish Government is whether saving money is more important than saving lives.

Christopher Fagan, via email

* * * * * * * * *

What a well attended public meeting on July 3 in Helensburgh about the proposed cuts to the GP out of hours service at the Vale of Leven.
People do not just become unwell during working hours. So we must fight to keep the out of hours service in the local hospital at the Vale of Leven. 

There is a real worry that the extra time taken going to Paisley could cause a poorer outcome or even possibly loss of life in some cases. 

People without transport could be put off going when they really need to. As our GPs feel they need to speak out against the closures and moving of services, surely we should give them our support.

D. Lonnen, Helensburgh

* * * * * * * * *

New figures have shown that the number of grievances made by police officers to single force bosses in the last year has doubled.

In 2016/17, 29 officers lodged formal complaints with Police Scotland, compared to just 14 the previous year, and only seven in 2014/15.

And when the statistics include grievances submitted by other staff, the total number for last year increases to 59, which is 10 more than in 2015/16 and considerably higher than the 32 made three years ago.

The statistics were obtained by the Scottish Conservatives through Freedom of Information.

Shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr said the figures pointed to a decrease in morale among officers as Police Scotland continues to be hit by negative publicity.

The organisation has been criticised heavily for a lack of transparency and accountability, particularly in relation to the Scottish Police Authority, culminating in the departure of its chair Andrew Flanagan and accusations of bullying and secrecy.

There have also been concerns about police on the front line being stretched, and officers forced to “back fill” to make up for shortages in other departments.

This doubling of grievances goes to show how morale is suffering at Police Scotland.

It is well known that our Police take risks most of us never have to think about.

Our Police deserve better than this constant centralization obsession and indifference to the challenges facing our Police by the separatists.

Cllr Alastair Redman (Conservative, Kintyre and the Islands), via email

* * * * * * * * *

This month (July) marks four years since consumer choice campaign, Keep Me Posted launched.

Keep Me Posted was started to challenge companies who push their customers to receive electronic communication, without their consent, sometimes without their knowledge. Our research has proven that it is easier to assess your financial health when you receive paper statements (75%) compared to (48%) electronic statements.

Thanks to the valuable information and feedback we have received from your readers, we have been able to persuade parliamentarians, large corporations, service providers and banks that everyone should have the right to receive their financial information in the format that is easiest for them – be it text, paper, email or a combination of all three.

As a result, 29 service providers, including a number of high street banks, have been awarded the Keep Me Posted Mark of Distinction in recognition of their commitment to consumer choice. This means that millions of people across the country can rest assured that they will not be forced to receive electronic communication or penalised for requesting a hard copy of statements or bills.

I am incredibly proud of what the campaign has achieved over the past four years. However, the battle is not over - we must continue to fight to ensure that our rights are honoured by companies. We ask your readers to do the same. Together we can stop organisations overlooking our wishes or taking our custom for granted.

Let us know your experiences by writing us at: FREEPOST KEEP ME POSTED.

Judith Donovan CBE (chair of the Keep Me Posted campaign), via email

* * * * * * * * *

WITH air pollution in the news so much it can be easy to lose sight of what is really at risk if the dirty air many of us breathe, particularly on our daily commutes, isn’t tackled.

Air pollution is an invisible but deadly problem which contributes to an estimated 40,000 premature deaths in the UK per year.

Pioneering research funded by the BHF has shown that even short-term inhalation of high concentrations of air pollution – particularly dangerous ultrafine particles found in diesel vehicle emissions – increases the risk of a potentially life threatening heart attack occurring within just 24 hours of exposure. 

Glasgow has previously exceeded the World Health Organisation’s air quality guidelines for particulate matter. For the 70,100 people in Glasgow city living with heart and circulatory disease, we must take action now. 

Since 2010, the British Heart Foundation has invested £3.2m into medical research into the link between air pollution and heart and circulatory disease. 

We’re committed to working with political leaders at all levels to clean up the city’s dirty air. 

Simon Gillespie (Chief executive, British Heart Foundation)