Capital farce shows PR does not work

There is no question that Edinburgh is in a mess. Dave Anderson, city development director at the City of Edinburgh Council, states that the capital is on the road to recovery (Analysis, 9 November) but this is simply self-justification and not true.

One only has to look at the stalled big projects, the appalling traffic situation where roads are closed on a whim with no warning and we are forever going round in circles trying to get through. And then there’s the ongoing farce of the trams.

These all mean that we are in trouble. Surely now is the time to scrap this stupid idea of multiple member wards and go back to one councillor being responsible for one ward, irrespective of the party.

In the old days you used to be able to write to your councillor, whether you supported him or not in the election, and you would get an almost immediate response. Nowadays, you have to write to two or three and they seem to share out the duties in an arbitrary way. Most business people in Edinburgh have lost faith with the council and this coalition, members of which seem to be arguing constantly among themselves. This proportional representation simply does not work. We look forward to the May elections.

Cameron Buchanan

Douglas Gardens

Edinburgh

I’m intrigued by the assertion that Councillor Steve Cardownie (your report, 10 November) may not become council leader if the SNP group happens to be the biggest in the City Chambers after next year’s elections.

I’m just a bit old-fashioned and happen to think it’s important to know what you’re voting for, so can Mr Cardownie just write to The Scotsman and confirm if he is the SNP group leader on 3 May, 2012, he will be council leader on 4 May, 2012, if the SNP group is the largest party and forms part of an administration?

I wouldn’t like to vote for him and then find he’s not prepared to be council leader.

Julie Marshall

Calder Gardens

Edinburgh