Letters: Election winners must act quickly over school dispute

Firstly, the cost to the members of the Portobello Park Action Group, which is liable to pay the bill for the legal fees.

It would be naive to think that the legal action and associated fees will end with the appeal to the Court of Session since a further expensive appeal to the Supreme Court cannot be ruled out.

Secondly, the cost to this community of the delay in getting desperately needed school improvements.

There are entrenched positions on both sides, but do we need to fly in a United Nations peace envoy to sort this out?

Mediation between the parties, guarantees over green space, pledges to reform the law as it relates to common good land, community ownership of the golf course. Just some of the steps the city council could take a fresh look at.

To whoever takes power in the Edinburgh’s City Chambers tomorrow, please hit the ground running with some positive action.

Geoff Lynn, Coillesdene Crescent, Edinburgh

Chance to derail tram supporters

FOR Edinburgh voters who are dismayed with the council’s overall performance on the Edinburgh tram fiasco, the choices on offer on today’s ballot paper will be unpalatable.

All of the main parties have participated in the ongoing debacle. Last September, the last opportunity to take the chance to reconsider the project, the Lib/Dems, the SNP, Labour and the Greens all supported the continuation of the project.

The Conservatives were the only group on the council to consider a proper analysis of cancellation costs.

The only viable strategy for the anti-tram voter is to not vote for any sitting councillor who supported the continuation of the trams.

Andrew Carey, Roseneath Place, Edinburgh

SNP had faith in poll candidates

I REFER to Andrew Burns’ letter (News, May 2) regarding city-wide hustings.

The mask has slipped again, Andrew, and once more you have betrayed your true political manipulations and disregard for the facts.

I as leader of the SNP group did not “miss” every city-wide hustings except one as you state in your letter.

The SNP group decided that we would adopt a “team” approach to the hustings to give more candidates an opportunity to participate in the process and give the electorate a chance to see the calibre of our candidates and this was well received.

Your strategy obviously differed, Andrew, in that you felt you had to attend as many as possible presumably because you could not trust your fellow candidates to deal with that responsibly.

The SNP held no such fears and our candidates excelled!

Councillor Steve Cardownie, SNP group leader

Satisfaction with work of council

TAKING at face value the views of an unrepresentative sample of self-selected respondents on the eve of an election is dangerous and misleading (News, May 2).

The only results that matter will be delivered at the ballot box by Edinburgh residents.

Edinburgh residents’ satisfaction with the city is the highest of any city surveyed by MORI. Earlier this week Edinburgh was named the second best tourist destination in Britain after London and we have won many best city and best festival accolades since 2007.

And why did your editorial choose to throw in the “state of our roads” as a disincentive to vote when over £70 million has been spent on road and pavement repairs in the last four years, moving us from second worst in Scotland to 11th best? And roads in need of repair have dropped from 50 per cent under the previous administration to 31 per cent now.

Cllr Jenny Dawe, Leader, Edinburgh City Council

Vote for those who put city first

I APPLAUD your call (News, May 2) for Edinburgh residents to support candidates who will put the city first.

I also believe that individual effort at a local ward level should be taken into account and I’ll be considering that when I go to the polls today.

Alan J Boston, Rosemount Buildings, Edinburgh