Rate payment 'holiday' could save struggling businesses

As you report (News, 26 February), the Scottish Government has seen fit to increase business rates by as much as double-digit percentage rises in some cases.

And this is being done on the strength of information that was to hand when things were booming two years ago.

Now would be a time to announce a rate freeze, appropriate at a time when people are having to accept wage freezes in all sectors to keep their jobs.

In fact, I would go further. What about a "rates holiday" for businesses which can prove they are struggling? This would give them the chance to weather the storm and, once they are in better health financially, pay what they owe.

But if some of them are not given a fighting chance of survival, there will be far fewer ratepayers in the future.

Randall McLean, Portobello

Join forces to help lack of housing

EDINBURGH'S requirement for affordable housing is now stronger than ever. The slowdown of the property market during the economic recession has caused significant difficulties, increasing the demand for affordable housing throughout the city.

And whilst this is undoubtedly cause for concern, like other housing associations across Edinburgh, Hillcrest is working hard to deliver high quality, affordable housing developments.

From experience, partnerships with private developers have proven highly effective at meeting this need. With Cruden Homes we have, for example, recently submitted plans for 36 social-rented homes on London Road to Edinburgh City Council.

This project proves the benefits to be reaped when the public and private sector join forces.

Emma Hutchison, development manager, Hillcrest Housing Association

Debt is not a bad thing for council

IN RESPONSE to your article on 24 February, "City plunges 1.1bn into red", I need to restate some important points.

The vast majority of the council's loans are long-term, fixed-rate deals.

There are strict controls on borrowing by councils and we fully comply with these.

Major decisions have to be approved by council and all our finances are subject to audit and other scrutiny.

Our borrowing is affordable, sustainable and the most appropriate way of carrying out major capital improvements, such as flood prevention works, new care homes, the Royal Commonwealth Pool refurbishment, the new Portobello High School and the Usher Hall upgrade.

If those quoted in your article have specific grounds for concern then perhaps they would be better advised raising those at council or with me directly.

Debt is not automatically a bad thing. It has to be for a good purpose and it has to be managed well.

This council's borrowing is both of those.

Cllr Phil Wheeler, convener of the finance and resources committee

All taxpayers are funding the roads

ONCE again I see the tired old myth of cyclists not paying to use the road being peddled by correspondents to your paper (unintentional pun there).

The fact is that anyone who pays any kind of taxes is contributing to the building and upkeep of roads, as funds for this are drawn from central government revenues. Road tax, or correctly Vehicle Excise Duty, is not hypothecated for use on roads. That was stopped in 1936!

The monies collected simply go into the big pot of central government revenues, to be doled out by the exchequer as required.

Andy Macrae, Cockenzie

Travellers don't want turbines

I SINCERELY hope the SNP is not planning to site wind turbines in the Forth estuary, west of the May Island. Travellers approaching Edinburgh and Leith by sea do not want to be confronted by concrete monstrosities interfering with shipping lanes or the landscape.

CJR Fentiman, Polwarth Gardens, Edinburgh

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