This sporting chance isn't just for 'posh'

Inverleith Petanque Club have been playing boules in Inverleith park for 21 years now and as such are a well known entity, therefore we were not subject to a "protracted inquiry".

We had outgrown the little area we were on and moved to the current site so we could continue growing and, although we have 60 members now, there is room for hundreds.

Members all object to the title "posh" - we have a complete mix of people who are unanimous that a public park is for the enjoyment of the public. We have always been in favour of the Inverleith skatepark. We have attended all the public meetings and spoken in favour of it and we have stopped our contact with organisations who are against it.

Our patch of gravel is laid on ground which is not suitable for the skatepark because of the drains and culverts underneath. The same is true for the new tennis courts and five-a-side pitches.

If you are correct with your "several thousand Edinburgh skaters" estimate you will find that we have had less money spent per head than the parks intend to spend on you.

I agree that the local residents are probably responsible for the demise of the skatepark plans but not us, we are not your enemy, or the tennis players, or the footballers.

I wish Mr Borys and his son every success with achieving their goal of a world class skatepark in inverleith, or anywhere.

You won't get far by insulting everybody on the way, though.

Colin Montgomery, president of Inverleith Petanque Club, McDonald Road, Edinburgh

What if councillors had to be careful?

TO cut the tram project now would surely have been a sensible decision.

Edinburgh citizens are undoubtedly horrified to learn that the council has decided to allocate funds from education and family services to finance the tram project. This cannot be allowed to happen.

Our councillors seem hell-bent on bankrupting the city and its citizens with needless expenses, for decades to come, with their determination to push through their "pet" tram project.

Their priority has been to make sure that their allowances, expenses (however extravagant) and pension fund are secure then ration everything else.

Maybe if the councillors used public transport at all times or paid for their taxi journeys out of their own pockets, then perhaps they would be more careful with our money and there would be finance for the essentials that benefit the city.

R Glanville, Rathbone Place, Portobello, Edinburgh

Please act with care for animals

GUY Fawkes Night will soon be with us once again and many think fireworks are fun. They aren't, especially when it comes to animals which are terribly frightened by them. I express my deep concerns as fireworks are extremely dangerous to humans and animals and really should be banned.

I also hope all gardeners will be vigilant on bonfire night and to ensure there are no hibernating hedgehogs under piles of leaves, etc, and all will be safe for animals at this time of year.

June Fleming, Redburn Road, Prestonpans

Lib Dems blaming all but themselves

I AM becoming really tired of the Liberal Democrats failing to take responsibility for decisions in the city and trying to constantly blame the previous administration.

Jenny Dawe, the council leader, says (News, October 24) that she needs 23 million to meet the demands of the current budget and a potential council tax freeze. Her constant sub-text is that all her financial problems are the making of her predecessors. Frankly, this is rubbish.

The Liberal Democrats proposed a 2.5 per cent council tax rise last year, in contrast to the Labour rise of 1.5 per cent. That extra Lib-Dem 1 per cent would have raised just over an extra 1m, so it is incredibly misleading for Jenny Dawe to indicate that everything would be fine if only the previous lot had raised council tax at a higher level.

Had she been in power last year, given the absolute facts above, the projected finance required would be 22m as opposed to 23m. Hardly a seismic difference.

I've come to the conclusion that for over 20-years we've had a local council which just got on and tried its best to manage the daily difficulties of running Scotland's capital city - sometimes they succeeded, sometimes they didn't.

Today we have a local council who aren't prepared to take responsibility for their actions and spend endless amounts of political energy trying to apportion blame to anyone but themselves.

Jenny Wales, Alva Street, Edinburgh

Watch out for this frightening letter

JUST to advise you that I received a six-page letter from Karina Natalia, Psychic Healer, which contains dire warnings and offers a "free" rosary for which she wants 19.95 to cover materials, a velvet case, and cost of shipping. The letter I consider to be dangerous and frightening.

Please draw your readers' attention to this especially, elderly and gullible people.

Kenneth Sinclair Stewart, Warriston Avenue, Edinburgh

Quango blitz is not Alex's masterstroke

ALEX SALMOND is trying to take credit for planning to abolish 50 quangos. Twenty-six of his 50 were being wound up anyway following legislation by the last administration.

The Justice of the Peace system has been radically reorganised and a Parliamentary Order was passed in March - before the election - setting up 6 JP advisory commttees (one of each Sheriffdom in Scotland) in the place of the previous 32 (one for each council area). So at a stroke half his target has been met. But the stroke wasn't his.

Sheila Gilmore, St Catherine's Place, Edinburgh