SNP spin no more
SIR – I was equally fascinated and amused to read the piece by Keith Brown in today’s Alloa Advertiser. 
In a spectacular display of spin and disinformation Mr Brown does not miss a chance to simultaneously promote the SNP government’s agenda and take a swipe at Labour in the process. 
He makes the point that the council tax freeze has helped save the citizens of Clackmannanshire by around £1200 each per year yet fails dismally to mention the negative affects of this vote grabbing policy. 
Neither does he say specifically which households actually saved this amount. 
Rather than blowing the SNP trumpet, perhaps he might be better served by seeing what financial expert professor Arthur Midwinter had to say about this policy: “The Scottish budget claims that the council tax freeze is progressive yet their officials have produced statistics for the parliament showing that the annual saving in Band A is £60 or 0.3 per cent of net household income, compared with £370, or 0.98 per cent for band H residents. 
“Prioritising these measures has compounded the UK’s austerity agenda. The result has been 40,000 job losses, cuts in service and increased charges, The end result of all this is that approx £1bn of targeted spend on poverty has disappeared.”
This was all in spite of the fact that in 2008, the then deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon claimed that she would ‘address the root causes of poverty once and for all’.
Sadly, levels of poverty have increased since then. 
This – when added to the sorry state of the education system, the police and the NHS – just about says it all.  
The SNP can no longer blame Westminster for all Scotland’s ills – they should concentrate on running the country instead of fixating on independence. 
One last thing, perhaps it is no coincidence that the SNP were once known as ‘Tartan Tories’, because no less a figure than arch-Tory Boris Johnson is considering imposing a similar tax freeze in London.
Name and address supplied, Alloa

Show you care
SIR – Like many of your readers, I’ve had family and friends affected by breast cancer, which is why I’m encouraging everyone – with a little help from Linda and Pauline – to grab their favourite girls, dress up and hold their own fabulous Big Pink to raise vital funds for Breast Cancer Care.
A Big Pink could be a dress down day at work, a lunch, brunch or cosy night in at home – anything goes, as long as it’s pink and as long as you’re all having fun. Join in on Friday, October 16, or choose any date in October that suits.
Every year, 55,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer, and the number of those living with a diagnosis is on the rise.
So there has never been a more urgent time to support the work of Breast Cancer Care, who provide vital care, support and information for those affected, from day one.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – so really there’s no better time to show you care.
You can get your free starter kit at www.breastcancercare.org.uk/thebigpink.
Please join me and lend your support too. It’s incredibly important.
Thank you,
Lesley Joseph, Breast Cancer Care supporter

BT: Get in touch
SIR – High-speed fibre broadband has emerged as one of the hottest topics of recent years for communities across Clackmannanshire.
Increasingly, it is a ‘must have’ technology.
Local households and businesses are using it for everything from selling products to filling in government forms, helping with education, adding to entertainment or simply staying in touch.
A great deal has already been achieved in Scotland thanks to the £410m Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband partnership between the Scottish and UK governments, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, local authorities, BT and others.
Around 17,600 premises in Clacks can now access fibre broadband as a result of the partnership and BT’s own commercial rollout of this exciting technology.
And the number of homes and businesses able to get fibre is growing rapidly. By the end of March 2018, Scottish coverage is expected to have reached around 95 per cent.
But what about the people not yet included in any existing rollout plan and who don’t get included in the next stage of public funding?
Part of BT’s mission is to listen to those worried they’re not in any upgrade programme – and do what we can to help.
We’ve just announced our commitment to work with communities to find a fibre solution and have set up a community fibre partnership scheme to enable this. 
Our strong ambition is to never say ‘no’ and rather to work together until we have agreed a suitable and affordable option.
Indeed, we’ve already worked with 90 UK communities where local people have got together and pooled their funds with our contribution.
If any Clackmannanshire community contacts us at www.openreach.co.uk/communityfibre we’ll do whatever we can to help, including co-funding options.
This initiative will complement the main fibre deployment and the Community Broadband Scotland programme already operating across Scotland, with everyone pulling together to deliver a truly Digital Scotland.
Householders and businesses can check the latest situation for their area by going to the Digital Scotland and Openreach superfast broadband websites.
UK fibre broadband coverage is currently at 90 per cent, on course for 95 per cent by the end of 2017. 
Independent studies already place the UK top of the European Union’s five largest countries for broadband.
Our job now is to make sure that the UK remains at the forefront of this exciting technological revolution by doing whatever’s possible to help the remaining five per cent of households and businesses still awaiting good news.
Gavin Patterson, chief executive of BT

Call for cage ban
SIR – Every year, around 40 million pheasants are intensively reared to be released for shooting and the four-month killing season started this week. 
Gun lobby spokespeople have already begun trying to fill newspaper columns and the airwaves with their sunshine and roses fantasy picture of their bloody sport.
Cages, industrial hatcheries, giant sheds and release pens are all involved in mass production of these feathered targets. 
Animal Aid continues to press for a ban on the purpose breeding of birds to be shot for sport, which Holland introduced in 2002.
A particularly vicious aspect of ‘gamebird’ production is the use of small metal cages, in which the egg-producing birds are confined. 
Animal Aid recently released shocking undercover footage showing just how wretched and utterly depressing a time the birds have inside these metal prisons. 
A civilised country would not permit their use.
In fact, a YouGov opinion poll we commissioned last year found that 77 per cent of respondents opposed them.
You can add your voice to those calling for a cage ban. 
Please contact us for a free information and action pack.
Andrew Tyler, Animal Aid

Help to save sight
SIR – I was really shocked to find out that every 15 minutes in the UK someone starts to lose their sight.
I know only too well how worrying it is to think you might not see your loved ones again after needing a cataract operation myself. 
Thankfully the operation was a success, but it made me think about how my life would change if I couldn’t read my lines or see the reaction on other actors’ faces when I’m on set.
 Almost two million people in the UK live with little or no sight at all. 
RNIB is there to offer a wide range of practical and emotional support, from its invaluable Helpline and Legal Rights Service to Talking Books and even volunteers to help get people online.
 That’s why I’m supporting RNIB’s ‘Wear dots... raise lots’ campaign which raises much needed funds to support all of RNIB’s vital work for people with sight loss. 
 It’s really easy to make a difference, simply gather your friends or colleagues and dig out the polka dots. Or why not try a dotty cake sale or games evening?
 For more dotty ideas and a free fundraising pack, you can register your interest at www.rnib.org.uk/weardots or by calling 0845 345 0054.
 Yours sincerely,
 Barbara Windsor