I work with some very vulnerable people in Dundee, most of whom are in receipt of benefits. When any difficulties arise with their benefit claim and they attend the local offices they are informed they have to contact the office in Clydebank.
Fair enough, but if a claimant has no money how on earth are they supposed to make this call?
Claimants are informed they cannot use phones at the local centre to make inquiries and must make arrangements to use phones elsewhere. Why?
Why should claimants have to make other arrangements to use a phone to contact another department of the Benefits Agency?
The Benefits Agency, like most other large organisations, have made their contact process centralised and automated, but are refusing to let claimants contact them internally. Who exactly is getting benefit from this service? — Confused and Concerned.
Students need more support
NUS Scotland reports that a quarter of students consider dropping out because of financial pressures.
This rise in cost of living is the latest kick in the teeth for Scots students.
First of all the SNP promised to scrap all outstanding debt only to downgrade the promise to scrapping some of it.
Then there is the SNP’s replacement for council tax.
In a parliamentary answer, Finance Secretary John Swinney concedes that 55,000 or 22% of working students would pay local income tax. Only 2.3% working students pay council tax.
Dundee has a high proportion of students. They contribute around £150m annually to the city’s economy. The city also has two MSPs at Holyrood.
Joe FitzPatrick and Shona Robison should be raising concerns of students with the Scottish Government. — F. P. R.
Bigotry
Lorraine Kelly has commented on the divisions faith schools create. She is absolutely correct in saying that the separation of pre-school five-year-old friends into schools according to their religious beliefs “leads to conflict and suspicion”.
The Scottish Government is quick to condemn sectarianism but allows discrimination to take place in many schools where baptised Roman Catholic children are given priority over children who follow no particular faith.
Schools which request proof of baptism as an enrolment requirement are contributing to the spectre of bigotry which still lingers over contemporary Scottish society. — Phil Welsh.
Price of oil
I shake my head when I hear people complain about petrol approaching £1.50 a litre. Yes it’s expensive, but I never hear many complain that (in a pub) beer is more than two times that price.
When you think of the millions spent on oil exploration, transportation and the exorbitant tax collected by Mr Darling, and the fact that beer is 95% water, and brewed down the road, who is the real profiteer?
But, one oil price to cap them all is the humble sunflower. I bought some for £1.59. It was just 59p a few weeks ago. It’s food, so there’s no tax and it doesn’t come from the bottom of the China Seas, so why the price hike? — Dundee Reader.
Frustrated by park mess
As a regular user of Dawson Park in Dundee I am becoming increasingly frustrated by the mess left by the football teams using the pitches on a Saturday and Sunday.
Each week teams finish their games and wander off the park leaving behind them a scene of complete devastation with bits of tape, bottles and cans.
This really is not on — surely it is not beyond their wit to bring a rubbish bag and put their used bottles in them and take them away?
The council know who book the pitches so why they don’t fine them for littering is beyond me.
It is not fair to expect the parks staff to clear up after them. They are grown men so surely picking up a bottle and putting it in a bag is within their capabilities.
The teams seem to be pretty organised with coaches, managers etc., shouting from the sidelines so why can’t they act responsibly?
It is not pleasant for those of us who use the park after them. — Park Fan.
Clarification needed on golf charges
Can you ask Dundee City Council to clarify their golf charges?
On Saturday August 16 and friend and I played at Caird Park golf course as non-members, paying normally £21 as Dundee residents.
However, on this day I used a Spree ticket, a scheme sponsored by Tay FM and run by Dundee and Angus councils.
The Spree ticket entitles you to one free green fee £21. However, on this occasion we were informed the charge would be £31.50.
There is no mention of this charge on the price schedule posted on the window on the starter’s box.
Therefore it would seem people using Spree tickets are being treated unfairly with the price hike. — Unhappy Hacker.
[A spokeswoman for the city council said, “The normal fee for playing a round of golf at Caird Park is £31.50 at the weekend, and the reader in question already receives a £10.50 discount for being a Dundee resident.
“The Spree voucher is only available on the visitor round price because residents already receive a discount, plus the Spree voucher has to be purchased and there is a limited number in the offer, whereas residents’ play is unlimited.
“In this case the reader, and his playing partner, gets a round of golf for £31.50 which is a very good deal.”]
Booze bill
A significant number of Britain’s armed forces are under the age of 21.
Returning from an exhaustive tour of duty, many will no doubt take the opportunity to wind down with cans of beer or bottles of wine.
In a letter to the Tele SNP MP Stewart Hosie claims he will “yield to no-one” in defence of our armed forces. Press officer Andrew Scott talks of “admiration” for those presently serving.
Will this mean Dundee’s two SNP MSPs will be voting against their own party when the bill to ban under 21s from buying booze comes before parliament? — Support Our Troops.
No one helped niece
I hope the people who were peeping and annoyed when my niece’s car broke down on Longhaugh Road at 8.45am on September 2 never find themselves in the same position.
Not one person stopped to help, not even the police van or car which passed. As she herself was on her way to work, she had to leave her car and walk to her aunt’s house for her to come and jump-start the car for her.
The police had the cheek to go to her mother’s door and ask that the car be removed. As her mother didn’t know what they were talking about, it left her shaken and distressed. Her mother phoned her work to make sure she was OK. — Angry Aunt.
Dr Who
I read in your Vox Pop about which TV programme they would like made into a film. Dr Who was a popular answer. Casting my mind back to the 1960s, I remember going to see a film of Dr Who and the Daleks with my parents which was on at the then ABC in Dundee. — Film Goer.
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