Readers' letters: BBC Scotland needs its own board

“How much would it have cost BBC Scotland to use the same feed with local commentators?”

Tthe BBC Scotland headquarters at Pacific Quay, Glasgow

BBC Scotland needs its own board

It’s time that BBC Scotland’s board was appointed by the Scottish Parliament and it is farcical that broadcasting is not devolved until such time as a proper Scottish Broadcasting Corporation is established.

For example, the Czech Republic v Croatia football match played at Hampden Park had a material influence on Scotland’s progress, yet this was covered by BBC London with no Scottish input or even references to Scotland by the pundits.

How much would it have cost BBC Scotland to use the same feed with local commentators describing events from a Scottish perspective?

Far from broadcasting being devolved, the BBC is intent on a London power grab of two Glasgow Pacific Quay studios which are being transferred to BBC Studioworks – a subsidiary of the broadcaster in Elstree.

The Tories’ plan to sell off Channel 4, perhaps because it provides the best news channel, also threatens Channel 4’s Creative Hub in Glasgow.

This is all indicative of the Tories’ One Britain, One Nation propaganda agenda.

Fraser Grant, Warrender Park Road, Edinburgh.

Firewords are duds, time to move on

The Scottish government must have money to burn with the announcement of the second major consultation on fireworks in three years.

The last one, published in May 2019, showed 87 per cent of the 16,420 respondents wanted a ban on the sale of fireworks to the public.

Animal Concern has been asking for this for decades but both Westminster and Holyrood governments totally refuse to take this long overdue action.

Instead they hold consultation after consultation then tinker with legislation without making any major difference to the damage and disturbance caused by fireworks.

In 2019 I made a Freedom of Information request to the Scottish government and discovered £38,200 had been spent placing an annual “advertorial piece” on fireworks safety in 107 local papers.

Add the cost of police, fire brigade, ambulance and hospital services and I’ve no doubt the Scottish public purse pays out £1 million plus every year because our politicians refuse to ban the retail sale and domestic use of fireworks. The real cost of course is the stress, fear and injury fireworks inflict on people and animals.

Last Hogmanay several major displays switched from fireworks to LED illuminated drones flown in formation to tremendous effect. That’s the future.

Fireworks are history and our politicians must recognise that.

John F Robins, Animal Concern.

New Town refuse hubs are last straw

We have a council driven by political beliefs, not the good of Edinburgh.

We have had the trams; the new school building disaster; the toying around with the traffic management; the mad proposal for advertising displays on already dangerous roundabouts and now the scheme to deface the New Town with domestic refuse hubs.

We have to stop kidding ourselves. Representations and protest to our current city council will have no effect. The welfare of Edinburgh is a plaything of their political beliefs and the influence of activist groups. They neither understand or care.

Until we, the electorate, get it into our heads that we should be electing persons of competence and principle, who share our love of our City, not political apparatchiks, nothing will change.

David Hogg, Glanville Place, Edinburgh.