Questioning council motives

Sir, - Whoever runs Angus council, it’s certainly not the elected councillors who, when seeking election, make grand promises of listening to the people but when elected appear to leave most of their critical faculties and commitment at home.

It appears that they are all struck down with Stockholm syndrome

and rendered incapable of comment or criticism of decisions made by unelected council officers.

Every week, as reported in The Courier, we have another example where the wishes of the people are ignored for what the council officers refer to as the greater good.

In Carnoustie a golden opportunity for local business to get some well needed cash was thrown away by the agreement between Angus council officers and the Open management.

To corral the visitors in order to maximise profit should have been a nonstarter.

Carnoustie golf course has been turned from an asset to a liability – only allowed to happen because there was no representation of the Carnoustie people by our councillors.

Some think that this was by design, myself included.

The latest affront to the Angus electorate is the proposed demolition of the Damacre School to build well needed social housing when there is a much better site lying derelict crying out for demolition.

This decision to demolish the Damacre centre to build affordable homes is a red herring.

The overriding purpose is to demolish a good building well liked by Brechiners in order to get it off council books and force community groups to use the

£26 million pound community hub – a facility that is so expensive few can afford it.

Angus council has used the proposal for the end use of the Damacre site for affordable housing in the hope that no one would object and that it would therefore be more easily slipped past.

Stewart Ball for Angus council said in support of the demolition that the building has no significant architectural or historic interest. I, and indeed many Brechin folk, would strongly disagree.

The fact that the man who won the Second World War and saved Europe from fascism was born in Brechin and had his genius kindled in Damacre school would be reason alone for his admirers worldwide to object to the demolition.

That is the building’s architectural and historical merit – Angus Council will rue the day.

Rab Alexander. 39 Barry Road, Carnoustie.

Angus council has used the proposal for the end use of the Damacre site for affordable housing in the hope that no one would object and that it would therefore be more easily slipped past