‘Perth-centric’ project paid for by whole area
Every household in Strathearn is going to have to pay a 2.5 per cent increase in Council Tax, as agreed by PKC councillors.
I have already commented on the absurdity of delaying the flood improvements works for Comrie – vital for public safety – while spending £26.5 million on the vanity City Hall museum project in Perth.
Look at the increasing number of potholes in Crieff.
The road to PKC’s own recycling centre has ceased to be a road with potholes but, instead, has become a pothole with a bit of road!
This is damaging not only to our cars and vans, but to PKC vehicles.
Those in charge don’t seem to care that it is our money that will be spent repairing those vehicles.
They just want vanity projects to show us all how grand they are – provided those projects are in the city of Perth.
We hear each day how councils are having their monies cut by the Scottish Government, of potential rises in Council Tax, the costs of fuel, energy and food – all bad news for the residents of Strathearn.
What does PKC suggest? Why not spend £85-90 million (yes £85-90m) on a new leisure centre, swimming pool and ice rink for Perth City because it will save about £500,000 in maintenance costs.
That is like my buying a new more expensive house because the gutters need replacing.
The council leader let the cat out of the bag when he told the Perthshire Advertiser on Friday last week: “This is not just about providing a pool but about the economy and wellbeing in Perth. It’s not just about footfall but the mental health and wellbeing of people in Perth.”
Note ‘Perth’, not ‘Perth and Kinross’.
Another Perth-centric project being paid for by the rest of us at a time of austerity.
I’d want to ask a lot of questions about who is really going to benefit and, given the chance, I will ask them and publish the answers.
A time when ordinary people are struggling and needing foodbanks is not the time for such expensive vanity projects that will serve to make senior officers and councillors with an excuse to say “look what we built”.
If money was freely available, perhaps, but it seems that they are likely to reject a £60m scheme in place of the more expensive one put forward by officers – I wonder which contractors will benefit? Dr Roger I Cartwright, Crieff
Help out if you can
Dear Editor
As we have all watched with horror the events in Ukraine, it has been humbling to see the response of our communities.
So many people quickly mobilised to gather together funds and items for those who have left their homes and now find themselves displaced with very few belongings.
Perth and Kinross has strong and valued links with Eastern Europe.
The Polish communities have taken a lead in gathering items and I would encourage anyone who can to donate.