Only one option if you believe Dear Editor By the time this edition of the Advertiser is available, referendum day will almost be upon us, the time when the most important folk of all take centre stage namely the voters, it is to be hoped that all will be clear what they are voting for and why, there has been advice aplenty from all quarters although that in itself may have left some undecided. To my own admittedly, biased view point what people vote for or should vote for can be divided into two precise categories.

If you believe that it is wrong for Scotland to do what the majority of countries in the world take for granted, that is run our own affairs, then you’ll vote no.

If you believe that it is alright for a Westminster government to withhold important reports from even those who voted for them, as was the case with the McCrone report because it was inconvenient, not to mention other reports about setting up an oil fund and exploring for oil of the coast of Arran then you will vote no.

If you wish to see the continuation of the kind of thinking that brought about ATOS, the bedroom tax and the need for food banks etc, then again you will vote no.

If you think it is right that our servicemen and women be sent into illegal wars and at that not properly equipped, then you will be voting no.

If you think it’s right that trident should be retained on the Clyde and acceptable that a government study should state that putting them anywhere in the South coast of England is unacceptable because of the risk of collateral damage due to an accident, then you will vote no.

If you think it democratic that Scotland can vote Labour but then find itself with a Tory government time and time again, then you will vote no.

However. if you see Thursday’s vote as an opportunity for Scotland to accept the challenges that other countries take for granted you will vote yes.

If you believe that we are mature enough to make our own decisions, then you will vote yes.

If you believe that Scotland’s greatest resource is it’s people, then you will vote yes.

If you believe that we deserve better than to be lied to and deceived by a Westminster government that’s supposed to represent us all equally, then you will vote yes.

If you believe that this referendum is about more than Alex Salmond, the SNP or politicians and political parties in general, then you will vote yes.

If you believe that Scotland should get the government that it actually votes for, then you will vote yes.

If you believe in yourself then you will vote yes.

If you believe that we have to give to our children and grandchildren a better chance so that they won’t have to leave in their droves to find a better way of life, then you will vote yes.

If you believe that we can do better, then you will vote yes and be proud to do so!

Yours sincerely Jim Mitchell Convenor, Sauchie Branch SNP Let's hope Clacks leads the way Dear Editor, I write to you in respect of this week’s historic Referendum, not in my capacity as Council Leader, or indeed even Councillor, but as just one of the myriad Clackmannanshire residents who have embraced the Yes Campaign locally.

I think most Clackmannanshire residents would be of the view that decisions affecting local communities are best taken locally – indeed the staunch cross-party defence which helped save Clackmannanshire Council is testament to this fact.

Perhaps it has been no surprise then that amidst the, at times, overwhelming volume of individual arguments over the Campaign – quite simply one key factor emerges, namely “Who is best placed to make those decisions key to all of those that reside in Scotland” and the answer that has reverberated overwhelmingly locally (as I hope it has further afield) is quite simply – “The People of Scotland”.

Whilst some have proferred that such a concept is too radical or too vague, I have very much taken heart from those that get this key argument. Indeed, many have made analogies to Clackmannanshire itself. Just as Clackmannanshire has innovated and notwithstanding the financial climate, continued to reduce debts yet overtly increase investment in all of our local communities (whilst freezing Council tax), of course Scotland could not only subsist but prosper.

Just as Clackmannanshire will continue to face challenges, as will Scotland and the UK, surely those best placed to make key decisions, locally or Scotland-wide are those that live here. As well as ensuring real accountability at a local level, it strengthens that democratic contract with our communities and citizens, a dynamic enthused by the whole Referendum debate.

I have never, irrespective of political persuasion, heard of anyone wishing to take away local decisions from local people. The corollary of this therefore is the inevitable conclusion that Scottish decisions are best exercised by Scotland, with access to the full raft of measures that independence brings.

I have been genuinely humbled and inspired by the debate locally and those from various parties and perhaps most importantly, not affiliated to any party, that just get this simple point and will seek to protect both Clackmannanshire and Scotland from future Westminster cuts, imposition and austerity by the very simple yet historic act of voting Yes on Thursday.

Clackmannanshire led the way at the Devolution Referendum by heralding Scotland voting Yes. If, as I would hope that by chance of chances, this “Wee County” could be amongst the first to declare, when the whole world’s eyes will be upon us, would it not be fitting yet again that in this historic Referendum, Clackmannanshire led the way again – by voting Yes!

Yours sincerely, Gary S Womersley Think about our children Dear Editor This week we are faced with what is likely to be one of the most important decisions we will ever take. Should Scotland be an independent country? It will come as no great surprise that I think the answer to that question is Yes, that I beleive this is our one guaranteed opportunity to take our future into our own hands and build a fairer, more prosperous country.

I am a child of the 1980s and my journey to independence began with childish, gut instincts that something wasn’t quite right with the Union. Over the years, that gut feeling has hardened into certainty - Scotland can, should and must have the power to decide it’s own path. If we’re ‘Better Together’ then where is the evidence? All I can see around me are people and families struggling because of decisions taken by Westminster, which serve the needs of just a few.

I beleive that a yes vote provides us with biggest opportunity any of us will ever have to improve the lives of our families and our communities. Even the No Campaign agree that Scotland has the natural resources, skills and talent to be independent and I would like to see these put to work to protect our public services like the NHS from Westminster cuts, to create jobs, protect pensions and increase childcare.

The campaign over the last week has seen opponents of independence try every trick in the book to create fear and uncertainty but the outcome of this referendum won’t be determined by fear, it will be determined by hope and by optimism. So I’m voting yes, not for the past but for the future. I want my children to have the ability to seize the future with both hands, instead of having one tied behind their back and the only way this will happen is with a Yes vote on Thursday.

Yours sincerely Councillor Ellen Forson Alloa