BALMACASSIE TRAVELLERS

Dear sir

It must be nearly two months since the "travellers" parked beside the Balmacassie roundabout were reported on in the Ellon Times, and at the time seemed to be given the green light by councillors to stay there.
During this time, in gaining access they have caused extensive damage to the roadside verge. No doubt there will be the usual build up of rubbish which will, no doubt, be left when they leave.
This damage will have to be levelled and reseeded in time and, along with the cost of clearing the rubbish, will be paid for through taxes by the majority of people who abide by the rules. It seems to me that the people who are being discriminated against are the decent, law abiding people who are left paying the bills, not these so-called travelling people.
They seem to be very different to the travelling people that I used to hear and read about when I was a youngster.
Are there any checks to distinguish between those who are genuine travelling people and those who seem to be sticking two fingers up to the rest of us?
What really angers me is that there are a number of people volunteering, putting in a lot of hard work into improving Ellon on the one hand, and on the other, there are those who are allowed to do damage and leave rubbish lying.
Why bother, when a minority is allowed to get away with breaking the rules? The rest of us would be fined for fly tipping and doing damage.

Norman Fraser
Dunnottar Road

GOOD NEWS FOR MPS BRUCE AND SALMOND

Dear Sir

It has now emerged that Mr. Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, is taking advantage of a little-known Parliamentary rule that allows complaints about financial misconduct to be settled behind closed doors.
The deals are made available to MPs who are willing to admit they have broken the rules and offer to make voluntary repayments.
The loophole was introduced in 2005 under the auspices of Michael Martin, the discredited former speaker.
They have to privately apologise to the Committee of Standards and Privileges, the group of MPs overseeing the conduct of politicians - but their misconduct is then not made public.
In view of the continuing silence of Messrs Bruce and Salmond on the subject of MP's expenses one has to assume that they have escaped public embarrassment by taking advantage of this loophole.
It would be nice if they would at least make an attempt to defend themselves on allegations of their misdemeanors.   They certainly get plenty of space in your newspaper to talk about all the good things they do for our local community.

John Russell
7 Mathers Place
Ellon