READERS’ LETTERS

Sir, – I read in last week’s Cumbernauld News that some discussion took place about the ownership of the St Enoch clock at the recent meeting of the Local Area Partnership. Unfortunately I had to leave the meeting before this item and so do not know what was said, but I hope the following is helpful.

North Lanarkshire Council does not own the clock and therefore has no responsibility for it. The clock is owned by London and Regional, the owners of the Antonine Centre, who have the responsibility for repair and maintenance.

However, over the last two years or so there have been problems associated with vandalism and damage to the clock which cast doubt on its future. In the circumstances and as a gesture of goodwill the Campsies Centre company was happy to donate £10,000 towards having the clock repaired and a security screen erected to ensure that this important piece of history is preserved and appreciated by the community. – Yours etc.,

GERRY McELROY

Chairman

Campsies Centre Cumbernauld Ltd.

Helping young people manage M.E.

Sir, – At this time of year, many young people will be considering university options and many parents and guardians will be worrying about them leaving home for the first time.

Leaving home to go to university can be an exciting and challenging time – and, if the truth be told, a little bit scary, especially if you have a serious medical condition.

Action for M.E., the leading UK charity for people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) and their carers, has now set up a Student Hub section on its website www.actionforme.org.uk

It is packed with useful facts to help young people manage their condition and links to an interactive forum for peer support during their time at university or college.

M.E. is a fluctuating chronic illness affecting 250,000 people in the UK. Many first became ill at school, college or university.

It may be diagnosed as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome (PVFS). Symptoms include persistent exhaustion, muscle and/or joint pain, sleep disturbance, feeling flu-like and having problems with memory and concentration. – Yours etc.,

Sir Peter Spencer

Chief Executive

Action for M.E.

3rd Floor, Canningford House

38 Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6BY.

Tel: 0117 930 1324

Selling the people down the river

Sir, – When I read the Cumbernauld News article on the Health Campaign, I felt the need to reply.

I was involved as part of the Forum in all the consultation of which I did not know is to promote the Labour Party. The time to object to this was at the time the consultation was going on and not now. As vice chairperson I have my own political views which are not brought into the Forum or anything I do. If you have any views on the Health Board Campaign then it’s the Health Board Lanarkshire (NHS) you should reply to and not the Government.

In conclusion I would like to point out to people that one of the board members who made the decision to make the cuts in Cumbernauld is Councillor Jim McCabe the Labour leader of North Lanarkshire Council.

So in seeing Labour politicians and activists jumping at pointing the finger at the Scottish Government is only an attempt to divert attention from the fact that they are once again selling the people of Cumbernauld, down the river. – Yours etc.,

Mrs ALICE HOMER

Vice chairperson

Forum

Labour have a cheek

Sir, – In answer to the article in the Cumbernauld News regarding the Health Campaign, I think that the Labour Party have a cheek to attack the SNP Party. I live in Condorrat (Ward 3) and we have four councillors in my Ward who represent our local community and I was very disappointed when I read this article.

My husband sustained a brain injury three years past in September and he needed rehabilitation. I contacted the four councillors in my ward for help and advice. The response I received from the local Labour councillors and ex-MSP was that one was an optimistic and another said they could not tell North Lanarkshire how to spend their funding. At the same time the only help and support I received was from my SNP Councillors and Jamie Hepburn MSP. I can’t thank them enough.

Do not believe anything the Labour party tells you, as they are only doing this because of the local elections coming up in May. – Yours etc.,

KATE McLEAN

Primrose Place

Condorrat

Labour seem to have let us down

Sir, – Cumbernauld Labour Party seems to have badly let us down over the Treatment Room and X-Ray facilities.

Labour Council Leader Councillor Jim McCabe is a Member of the NHS Lanarkshire Board. We expect him to watch over the North Lanarkshire public interest. Unfortunately, Councillor McCabe attended just four of the 10 Board Meetings (Dec. 2010 – Oct. 2011).

When the Treatment Room and Radiology reviews were up for approval at the vital September meeting, Councillor McCabe was absent. He turned up at the next meeting (October) and gave his approval of the minute of the fateful September meeting. Nowhere in all the Board Minutes for the year can I find evidence of any Labour objections, or dissent, to the treatment of Cumbernauld.

Did the five Cumbernauld Labour councillors ever ask their Group Leader to request intervention for Cumbernauld at NHS Lanarkshire Board level?

I submitted two separate objections (five pages, 18 points, in all) regarding Kildrum Treatment Room. These helped win back some service for Kildrum.

My point about Nicola Sturgeon is that Cabinet Secretaries give budgets to local NHS, Police and Fire boards and expect them to take local decisions. Cabinet Secretaries are not responsible for local Board decisions.

Some areas of Lanarkshire have actually gained Treatment Room service for the first time under the Review. Once again, however, Lanarkshire Labour appear to have failed the interests of Cumbernauld. – Yours etc.,

Councillor TOM JOHNSTON

SNP Ward 4

Abronhill, Kildrum and the Village

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