Responding to MacLeod...

It is quite absurd of SNP Councillor Jim MacLeod to accuse me of trying to “pin the blame for all of the Clune Park/Robert Street problems over the past 20 years on the housing minister Alex Neil” (‘Blame bid a farce’, Telegraph, 31 January).

It is even more absurd of Councillor MacLeod to trace back the decline of this area to my time as ward Councillor between 1992 and 1996. The demise began long before I came on the scene.

If blame is to be apportioned I would have thought that Councillor MacLeod would have done better to highlight those who have exploited the area and its inhabitants for their own financial gain over a long number of years than to selectively mention those of us to who have tried our best to argue Clune Park’s case.

I readily acknowledge that successive Councils and Scottish Governments have failed to address the fundamental problems of the Clune Park area. Due to the scale of the challenge, particularly in relation to funding, it was easier to find reasons for not doing things than it was to come up with practical solutions.

We are in grave danger of making the same mistake again.

Rather than playing the blame game I have tried to work constructively with Councillor MacLeod and Conservative Councillor David Wilson through the Clune Park Regeneration Task Group in the best interests of the residents of the area. I have also sought to work with the current Scottish Government to the same end.

If I am guilty of anything it is of not accepting no for an answer.

My repeated invitations to the Housing Minister to visit Clune Park have not been designed to embarrass him. On the contrary, I genuinely believe that the only chance of breaking the impasse that currently exists between government officials and the Council is through his intervention.

That is a view shared by the Clune Park Tenants’ and Residents’ Association, who contrary to what Councillor MacLeod would have us believe, are grateful to my colleague Trish Godman for the support she has given to them over the years she has been their MSP, and indeed for the support she continues to give them despite the fact that she is retiring in May.

Rather than indulging in political points scoring Councillor MacLeod could use his time more productively by trying to persuade his colleague Mr Neil to come to Clune Park. After all, what does the Minister have to lose other than a couple of hours of his time?