Flood options

R T Smith (Letters, 5 January) suggests “flooded out Stonehaven residents” could sue a developer as well as Aberdeenshire Council.

Going to court could take years and, with no certain outcome, may cost taxpayers a fortune.

Why not invest some of the £40 million budget surplus Aberdeenshire announced recently in flood prevention projects?

Apparently, in one of the worst affected streets £100,000 is earmarked to refurbish a clock tower. Doesn’t this beg the question of how councillors draw up their priorities for spending public money?

Arguably, not only are questions about priorities for the council political but at root are profoundly moral choices.

Ellis Thorpe

Inverurie