Letters: No consultation on decision to shut after-school centre

We have had no notification and no consultation on this matter. I would be very interested to see how much the council think they will save by closing down the centre. Granted, it is an old pre-fabricated building within the school grounds, but because of this, the property has no sell-on value. If we were aware of the running costs perhaps this is something the club could address.

The article refers to the loss of six jobs over the six different centres that face closure.

We are a self-sufficient club with charity status and all our outgoings are covered by the fees charged. Any surplus (which is not much) is usually spent on arts and crafts, equipment or activities. There is certainly no money in the pot to offer any of our much appreciated staff any form of redundancy.

Perhaps the council would like us to go back to the days where all mothers stayed at home for their children returning from school?

This would be in an ideal world, however, most working-class parents can not afford this luxury.

Donna Ewen, Longstone Grove, Edinburgh

Parochial nonsense of independence

YOU claim that Scotland doesn't want or need independence (News, 23 February). I can't speak for Scotland, but I don't want or need independence.

Striving to break from our UK partners seems to be the idealist political aspirations of the last century, certainly nothing to do with embracing the realism of our modern globalised world.

I'm not saying that a breakaway Scotland wouldn't thrive, but it wouldn't be an "independent" nation. The EU would still have the major say in forming our laws. Now, I don't object to this per se. I like the idea of commonality across Europe. Indeed I would prefer to ditch Scots Law in favour of the English and other European versions which rely more on statute and less on woolly common law which is "interpreted" for the convenience of police, government and the judiciary rather than victims.

I would welcome a proper constitution and bill of rights so that we all know precisely where we stand in law and what our societal obligations are.

But I would prefer to have the greater clout, the bigger stick, of being part of the UK to shape Europe in our interests, rather than the parochial nonsense of "independence".

Jim Taylor, The Murrays Brae, Edinburgh

Energy use keeps Holyrood in hot air

WITH regard to your article "Heat is on at Holyrood as Scottish Parliament fails energy test" (9 February), it would be misleading to suggest the Holyrood building is consuming twice the energy forecast.

Holyrood's energy efficiency rating, which is rated as a B, is the amount of energy calculated as the amount which would be used if the building was run in a standardised way. As Holyrood is not used in this standardised way, ie operates during the day time only, the energy rating and the actual energy consumption can not be compared on a like-for-like basis.

The building's energy consumption, the amount Holyrood uses, is determined by various factors relating to how the building is utilised. For instance Holyrood is open six days a week, hosts a large number events in the evenings and weekends and runs an overnight publication printing facility – all of which means it uses more energy than other buildings.

These definitions are used in calculating energy performance certificates in Scotland, and not elsewhere in the UK where criteria differ.

David Fairhurst, environmental performance manager, Scottish Parliament

Heroic Paul is a rock star for real

I WAS amazed to read of the courage of Paul Manson (News, 23 February), who abseiled 150ft to go for help after checking on his climbing friend Sam Burns, who had fallen in the Cairngorms.

Let's hope Sam makes a complete recovery and goes back to conquer the cliff face in the future.

Mr A Morris, St Leonard's Lane, Edinburgh

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