Letters: Nursery's policy does not encourage a return to work

On top of the 12.5 per cent fee rise, Edinburgh City Council has said it is also changing its admissions policy to only allow full-time places at the Cowgate Under-5s Centre. This policy is discriminating and against equal opportunities, as it forces parents to either work full-time or to not work at all. This is surely not in line with Government policies encouraging parents to return to work and promoting flexible working.

In addition, the new full-time fees will make the nursery more expensive to attend than some of Edinburgh's fee-paying private secondary schools, thereby restricting entry to higher income earners only.

Davina Shiell, East Claremont Street, Edinburgh

Time to get serious for a safer future

DURING the leaders' TV debates, Brown, Cameron and Clegg have each stressed their own personal green credentials, but said very little about what their party would do to enable everyone else to cut their emissions.

During this election campaign hundreds of people have attended a series of Climate Question Time events throughout Scotland, including two in Edinburgh, and asked prospective MPs what they and their parties would do to combat climate change.

Already each year 300,000 people worldwide die as a result of climate change, while thousands of birds and animals are driven towards extinction. Serious decisions need to be made by our next Government to help ensure a safe future for all.

Make sure you put your climate questions to your local candidates before voting.

Dr Richard Dixon, Director, WWF Scotland; Kathy Galloway, Head of Christian Aid Scotland; Stuart Housden, Director, RSPB Scotland; Duncan McLaren, Chief Executive, Friends of Earth Scotland; Liz Murray, Head of Campaigns, WDM Scotland; Judith Robertson, Head of Oxfam Scotland; Mike Robinson, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland

Fine these lazy motorists now

I AM wondering why I never see any parking tickets on vehicles that park in bus lanes in Edinburgh.

Bus lanes are for buses only and this lazy, inconsiderate nonsense is completely out of order and causes unnecessary chaos in a city that is already hard enough to drive around as it is.

Alan Lough, Dunbar, East Lothian

Not impressed with 'democracy'

I WONDER how many people will realise that councillors Peter Mackenzie and Stuart Currie and their colleagues on East Lothian Council, together with the members of Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council, have in effect voted for at least another five years of coal burning at Cockenzie Power Station with the prospect of a massive industrial wasteland on our doorsteps following closure in 2015?

In choosing to reject a proposal to convert the station to gas which would have led to a substantial early reduction in coal burning, East Lothian Council has turned down a golden opportunity for a much cleaner and healthier environment well before 2015.

Future generations may have to suffer the consequences of their folly for many years to come.

The most depressing aspect of the special meeting of East Lothian Council held on 20 April in Port Seton Community Centre was that, from the voting along strict party lines it was obvious to all present that positions had been decided in advance of the meeting.

The responsible attitude of Cockenzie Power Station management stands in stark contrast to the conduct of our elected representatives who even went so far as to reject the advice and expertise of their own officials.

If this meeting was intended to encourage the public to take a positive view of local democracy at work, few could be impressed.

(Rev) Robert L Glover, Links Road, Port Seton