Your views online

City's under-fire schools chief is given some 'friendly' advice while bin men suffer from trash talk from our onliners

City schools chief Marilyne MacLaren is under serious pressure after just surviving a power challenge from within her own party. If you're reading, Marilyne, maybe look away for now.

Marilyne, instead of trying to deflect the heat away from yourself by reeling off your own propaganda, just accept it is not just random criticism you're facing – you are just too incompetent to do the job, when even the bulk of your own party vote against you, why can't you just accept it's time to go?

It's Leith for me!

Marilyne – What you fail to understand is that, irrespective of the circumstances in which the council finds itself, parents expect certain minimum standards of conduct from their politicians. These include openness and honesty, two characteristics that you consistently fail to demonstrate, to the extent that you are now a major part of the problem rather than the solution. If you genuinely have the objective of "improving the well-being of children and young people" then go, and go now.

Making sense, Edinburgh

What the public object to is not the harsh reality we face, but the fact that you seek to impose your will over all others irrespective of any evidence suggesting you are wrong. This piece of opinion just reinforces the prime reason why people think you should go – you have no understanding or concern about what the good people of the city think.

Jams, Edinburgh

"We'll ensure that 20 per cent of P1-P3 pupils are in classes of 18 or fewer by August". This presumably recognises that smaller class sizes are advantageous. So what about the 80 per cent of children still in classes of up to 30?

Steven P, edinburgh

Half of the city's street cleaners have voted to end their strike after almost a year.

And when the bin men go back, it will be back to the poor service, pity we could not keep the privateers.

The Real Alfonsa Pedrosa, edinburgh

Let's hope the bin men learn the lessons of history (particularly the sacked miners) and do not accept a deal that does not include the re-instatement of their colleague, Paul the Binman.

Andy 52, Niddrie

Surely at the moment it is just "Paul".

Angus R

Talk amongst yourselves . . .

"It emerged in March that the private contractors brought in to keep the streets clear during the work-to-rule had cost the city 5.4 million". Erm, no, it is actually the council bin men who have cost the city 5.4 million. What a waste (no pun intended).

D Williams

Are you seriously suggesting that this is the money the bin men would have been paid to do the job over this period of time? I think you will find these private fleecers took over and above the rate of pay for this job, stupidly handed out by the imbeciles in charge of the council.

T Shirts Rule, Edinburgh

No, what I am saying is, by striking, it has cost the council (taxpayer) 5.4m. No strike > no cost. Yes, the private contractors cost a fortune and ultimately it is the council who is ultimately responsible for how the money should be spent and, yes, I will be waving goodbye . . .

D Williams

So we are agreed. The idiots in charge of this fiasco ultimately bear the responsibility. Good to see you will be casting your vote elsewhere than the Tartan Tories or their lickspittle Lib Dem dregs.

T Shirts Rule, Edinburgh