Common good

Reading John Forsyth's excellent article on Common Good assets (Law & Legal Affairs, 11 January) I was reminded of the old saying "He who pays the piper calls the tune". This is appropriate in describing the writings of Andrew C Ferguson, team leader at Fife Council and author of Common Good Law.

Mr Ferguson was once quoted as saying residents of the former burghs owned common good assets gifted to them only "in a philosophical sense". Given Mr Ferguson's role as the council's spin-doctor on such matters, he can hardly be described as objective. Even so it is heartening to note from Mr Forsyth's piece that our local authority author has recanted on some of his more controversial views on the extent to which the citizens of the former burghs have a say in gifts left to them by past benefactors.

Mr Ferguson's attempts to be authoritative are hampered further by the fact that Fife Council was the subject of an external audit in 2009, which resulted in a highly critical report of the council's stewardship of the common good. The report revealed basic failures at all levels in the council's legal obligation to properly record and steward the common good.

Perhaps Fife Council should pay more heed to its statutory obligations and less to books written to tell them what they wish to hear.

TOM MINOGUE

Victoria Terrace

Dunfermline