Letters: Education chief not fostering respectful exchange of views

It is true that Councillor MacLaren sought to take a straw poll on the issue as it emerged during a wide-ranging discussion on the revenue budget for next year. However, parents objected to such a poll in that context.

So Cllr MacLaren's claims are based only on a "feel" for the meeting. I can only assume that her "feel" must have been highly-influenced by her anticipating the full council meeting the following day, as I left the meeting with a very different impression.

More broadly, the CCWP was set up a number of years ago to allow a channel of communication between parents who are active in Edinburgh's schools and senior councillors and officials. It hardly fosters a mutually respectful exchange of views if such a senior councillor mis-uses the committee in this way.

Gavin Corbett, Briarbank Terrace, Edinburgh

We pay our taxes so give roads grit

I HAVE just spent almost an hour driving home from the city centre to Frogston Road and I am appalled by the lack of road clearing and gritting that has been done in the last two weeks.

My local road has not been gritted once in two weeks which being a minor housing road I could just about accept, but when ALL the major roads turn into ice rinks with cars, buses and emergency vehicles lucky to even move, it goes beyond the acceptable.

In the last week I have seen snowploughs and gritters out in East Lothian, West Lothian, Central Region and the Borders but not a single one in Edinburgh!

I pay my council tax and expect services to be delivered. Too much money is being wasted on a ridiculous tram line that no-one that I know in Edinburgh wants and I now suspect that we, the residents of Scotland's capital, are now suffering the effect of cash shortages due to overspend on the trams.

I hope that the council has cash in hand to pay for the numerous insurance claims I am sure they are about to be bombarded with.

R D Miller, Mortonhall, Edinburgh

Preparation needed for winter weather

I AM disgusted at the gritting response this winter.

Unfortunately when weather like this strikes it is the elderly and vulnerable that suffer the most and I know for a fact that a number of elderly people have had their Christmas ruined because they could not get out or family could not get to them. Local authorities should hang their heads in shame that this situation has been allowed to develop.

In future I would like to see more on-street grit bins provided which are regularly topped up between October and April, a return to 24/7 gritting/standby again between 1 October and 30 April and for pavement ploughs/gritting operations to be deployed in the side streets far earlier than they have been this time.

The motorways, which are treated by BEAR Scotland, have not really been much better than the local road. I hope that the local councillors and MPs will be doing all in their power to ensure that the motorway network is kept running to the highest standard during future events of winter weather.

Councils and road authorities have no excuse for having a lack of salt. Generally they will have the period between 1 May and 30 Sept to replenish salt stocks for the following winter.

Every roads depot should have the maximum amount of salt possible in store.

It might not be needed but at least if things take a turn for the worst it is there and ready to be used.

Mr Alastair Macintyre, Webster Place, Rosyth

Give the banjo players a break

WHILST no one can deny that attacking a parking warden with a guitar is a heinous offence it is totally wrong to lay the blame at the feet of the peaceful and already abused banjo-playing community (Banjoed, News, 2 January).

The banjo bears little resemblance to the guitar, carries none of the aggressive stance and is normally wielded by quiet and contemplative musicians.

MJ Millar, East Lothian