Hawkhead memories
I was pleased to see the pictures of Hawkhead
Hospital (Express, December 29).
I was a patient in Ward 2 in 1952 for seven months with meningitis.
Earlier I received treatment there for scarlet fever.
The little building at the foot of the driveway was manned by a Mr Docherty.
I remember the nurses in Ward 7. I was moved there when they knew I had meningitis.
Nurse McArthur, Nurse Robertson and Nurse Williamson all looked after me.
And in Ward 2, Sister Galbraith and Matron Dryburgh treated me very well – they were so lovely.
Nursing is so different now.
Mrs Joyce Foster (nee McKinley) Kilnside Road Paisley
Nochangeinpower
I write in reply to the article (Express, January 8) regarding the council’s powers to compulsorily purchase buildings which are in danger, such as the TA building or the Half-Time school.
They have always had that power, at least on paper.
About 15 years ago I persuaded our planning officers to take out a compulsory purchase order on the Half–Time school.
They spent considerable amounts of money to get this to the court, only for the application to be totally killed off before it even got in the courtroom. This was because the owners had sold the building to someone else, thereby negating the application from the council.
The recent announcements from the government don’t change that.
All that has been announced is recommendations from an advisory group to look at land ownership, with a commitment to introduce legislation by 2021.
In order for any meaningful change to the system, the government would have to introduce laws to stop owners of these buildings being able to shift around property to stop it from reaching the hands of the council.
This being the case, the position is that for the time being councils don’t have any additional powers, and that if new powers are to be introduced the details of this will need to be considered and approved through parliament, with suitable resources made available to councils to deliver what would be an entirely new function.
Councillor Eileen McCartin Liberal Democrat member Paisley South West
In Ward 2, Sister Galbraith and Matron Dryburgh treated me very well – they were lovely