Thursday 12 December 2024
 7.1°C   SW Gentle Breeze
SCT - 2025/26 Small Grant SchemeSCT - 2025/26 Small Grant Scheme
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Letters / Tricky council business

Your two recent articles on EV charge points and housing construction do not seem to bode well for the new councillors.

SIC director proposes construction industry meeting as local capacity affects house building

 

Officers Symon and Grant, respectively, seem to be bringing problems to members, why rather than solutions?

It is for the politicians to decide on the tricky decisions like funding, where one hopes the politicians will know the value of everything and price of nothing, unlike the opposite it seems with officers.

Collaborate with supermarkets on electric vehicle chargers, councillor suggests

Both issues are long-term strategic issues, just the thing for politicians to get their teeth into, looking hopefully beyond the next five years and re-election.

Bringing really stupid issues like workforce on emergency calls taking work vans home and needing charging and journey anxiety are just so much nonsense and easily solved.

Leave the work vehicles at work! Commuting to and from home should not be a public expense!

Will Viking Energy really make SSE generation at Gremista obsolete? Shetland’s electricity needs are not their priority, never were. The electricity is for export and profit maximisation. Read the small print of the SSE Generation so called ‘deal’ with the SIC. With such a small stake in VE (Shetland Charitable Trust, not SIC) it really should revert to being called SSE Generation. Let’s called a spade a spade, it’s certainly not a tushkar!

Regarding the overheating of the housing/construction industry. This has always been an issue in Shetland since oil came and many new houses had to be built. Maybe let’s just slow down the build, and don’t be taken for a ride by local or external contractors.

And perhaps face up to the real reasons for a housing shortage even with a now smaller population? Try for example trebling, or more, the council tax on second homes and see what that does to the local housing market? Homes for tourists or locals first?

Tricky this council business, isn’t it?

James J Paton
Lerwick

Become a member of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider paying for membership to get additional features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.

 
Categories
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Have you considered becoming a member of Shetland News?

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please consider paying for membership and get the following features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.