Letters: Facing a daily slalom course of dog deposits is disgusting

I wasn’t in the least surprised by your story “What a load of rubbish” (News, January 7). The state of the streets and pavements in the Merchiston/Fountainbridge canal area of the city are a case in point.

I understand that nearly £200,000 has been invested in revamping the Union Canal and Harrison Park East during 2011 to improve the park and canal access.

I live in the area and, sadly, the improvements seem to have attracted an increasing number of dog walkers who take no responsibility for cleaning up their dog’s mess in streets and the park.

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Residents face a daily slalom, dodging piles of dog excrement that litter the pavement, often right outside doorways.

There are plenty of bins for owners to throw away their doggy deposits and there is no excuse for fouling streets used by young families with children wanting to access the park and enjoy the canal without ending up with shoes – or worse – covered in muck.

Nearly every flat owner in my block has reported the situation to the council but this has resulted in no action.

The streets are not cleared of the mess, signage warning of penalties has not been put in place and although it’s rumoured that an environmental warden was once spotted in the area, this has done nothing to stop irresponsible dog owners from letting their dogs foul the pavements. Fresh dog excrement appear on a daily basis. It’s disgusting and needs immediate attention.

Eleanor Graff, West Bryson Road, Edinburgh

Nuclear power is low-cost option

RENEWABLE energy enthusiast Alex Orr thinks that expanding nuclear power in the UK would make it “amongst the most expensive options” (Letter, January 5).

However, in May last year, the UK’s Committee on Climate Change reported that nuclear power appeared likely to be the lowest cost low-carbon technology, certainly cheaper that off-shore wind or marine generation.

Steuart Campbell, Dovecot Loan, Edinburgh

Wait for poll to decide on role

I REFER to the article “SNP ponders bid to secure majority at City Chambers” (News, January 8). In it Michael Blackley states that I have my sights set on becoming the Lord Provost, with the economic development convener Tom Buchanan becoming the favourite to be leader. I wish to set the record straight.

I would not have the temerity to identify a role for myself prior to the outcome of May’s elections. And for the record, I have not expressed a view on any future positions I may or may not hold after May 3, 2012 (I have still to be elected after all!).

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Edinburgh City Council’s SNP group will meet post-election and after taking all of the relevant circumstances into account will agree on the position each councillor should fill.

The SNP City Association will meet later this month to re-assess and determine whether our electoral strategy should be finessed, in view of all the up to date information we will have at our disposal.

This may or may not conclude with an increase in the number of candidates the party will field in May.

As for Andrew Burns’ typically snide remark that I am “not Alex Salmond”, I am prepared to wholeheartedly concede that he is indeed an Ed Miliband!

Councillor Steve Cardownie, leader of the SNP group

Same price for all parts of country

YOUR article “Fears over postcode lottery” (News, January 5) suggests that Ofcom is proposing measures that would allow rural areas to be charged more for postal services.

To be clear, it is required by law that all services that are considered to be within the universal service, such as stamped letters, must be provided at the same price for all parts of the UK.

Ofcom is not consulting on changing this; this could only be done by the UK Parliament.

Vicki Nash, director, Ofcom Scotland

Yacht with that sinking feeling

I TRUST that the former Royal Yacht Britannia will not be renamed Ko-ko after the Gilbertian character in The Mikado who sang of having a little list.

John Hein, Montgomery Street, Edinburgh