Letters: Environment boss fails to convince with rubbish stats

And perhaps she could indicate whether she is making calculations based on the steady reduction in waste sent to landfill prior to the introduction of “managed weekly collections” (reduction of green bin collections to fortnightly) or after these were introduced.

The projections presented in the report for Services for Communities at the Transport Committee last Tuesday clearly show the projected annual tonnage leapt by 5000 tonnes after the introduction of managed weekly collections.

Recycling as a percentage of waste collected has reduced. No explanation of this has been forthcoming and it is of concern that the figures show the changes to waste collection will cost more than predicted

Joanna Mowat, Conservative councillor, City Centre Ward

Filming sitcom a blessing for kirk

Like other members of Corstorphine Old Parish Church, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the “stir” in West Edinburgh caused by our kirk’s recent appearance in the popular BBC3 television sitcom Pramface currently on our screens – and by many positive comments about the beauty of our wee church.

The filming experience (nearly 100 technicians, production staff and cast descending on our quiet church for four days in autumn) was at times a bit stressful but fun, too, and the BBC took great trouble to make sure everything was returned to normal at the end of shooting.

The church benefited directly through fees and donations, but several other locations were used in the Edinburgh area to make Pramface and the local economy must have gained quite a bit by the film-makers’ use of services such as hotels and other accommodation, temporary offices, car hires and food and drink – the urgent services of a local blacksmith were even called for as part of transforming Corstorphine Old Parish into an English RC church for a christening service!

We would like to pay tribute to the help, advice and encouragement we had throughout from Rosie Ellison and Ros Davis at Edinburgh Film Focus.

They were thoroughly professional and deserve praise for helping not just to put Edinburgh on the entertainment map, but also for bringing much-needed investment to local services and businesses.

Donald Stewart, Corstorphine, Edinburgh

Home values put  before education

I ATTENDED a meeting concerning the new Portobello High School at Meadowbank on January 17, where a revelation by the council was the final nail in Portobello Park Action Group’s “green space” coffin.

In 2006, PPAG suggested the new high school be built on Bingham Park with the existing school site, 2.9 hectares in size, sold for housing.

In November 2012, the council formally agreed to create a new park of 2.2 hectares on the existing school site, in compensation for building on part of Portobello Park – a deal that means Portobello will have to sacrifice just 0.4ha of parkland, roughly half a football pitch. PPAG finds this unacceptable and makes it clear it will do everything it can to scupper our school, even if there is significant majority in favour.

PPAG’s suggestion to the council in 2006 would have meant the loss of at least 2.6ha of parkland, over six times more than the current proposals – a clear indication PPAG values some green space more than others. A new park, which is almost a like for like swap, a few hundred metres away, has no value to PPAG whatsoever – “sell it for housing – you will get no objection from us”.

To keep Portobello High School off “PPAG’s” park , it was prepared to sacrifice another park and have the community lose six times more open space. It is clear it is more concerned about property values than green space.

Stephen McIntyre, West Register Street, Edinburgh

Drivers will need thick skin for flak

IT might be a good idea for tram drivers to go on a public relations course.

After all the controversy the trams project has generated, the drivers, as well as having a thick skin, might also have to be tolerant in dealing with any flak they might come across.

Angus McGregor, Albion Road, Edinburgh