We were right to make the changes we have made at the BBC in Scotland

The argument that Grant Stott returning to a Radio Scotland arts and culture show he previously presented is evidence of a change in direction for that slot is surely nonsense; and the characterisation of Up Late’s music offering suggests to me that someone hasn’t listened to it. And despite what Ms MacWhirter maintains, there is no secret about the music BBC Radio Scotland plays on its programmes – which in the evenings is hand-picked by humans, not by an algorithm. The details are on the BBC website for everyone to see, including for Roddy Hart’s programmes, who is now on-air more often than he was beforehand, and who, alongside the unchanged BBC Introducing programme, works tirelessly to support new and emerging musicians in our nation.

As to the revenue which the BBC raises in Scotland and spends here: we know that audiences in Scotland are deeply interested in global content, from the World Cup and other major international sporting events to the BBC World Service and the many landmark series by Sir David Attenborough. Of course, not every penny raised by the BBC is spent here – because the audience in Scotland expects and deserves content from all around the planet. To fund that content, TV Licensing has a responsibility to support the collection of the licence fee by contacting unlicensed households. TV Licensing does that in a proportionate and cost-effective way.

Currently, around 94% of adults in the UK use the BBC every month, and Ms MacWhirter is right to identify a funding challenge. The BBC said in its recent response to the UK Government’s consultation that although the vast majority of people are still using the BBC, only around 80% of households now pay towards it. We are clear this needs reform, not for our own sake, but for the public we continue to serve, the vast majority of whom continue to use the BBC. I can only assume Ms MacWhirter is in the six per cent of the population which currently does not. Maybe some of our new dramas and new radio programmes will tempt her back.

Luke McCullough, Corporate Affairs Director, BBC Scotland, Edinburgh.

Read more letters

• Radio Scotland’s howling hyenas are a real turn off
• Please, don't believe the politicians' claims on wind energy
• Take a look around you: blue collar is the smart option

The blight of wind farms

I agree with Norman McNab and DB Watson (Letters, August 28) about the problems caused by increasingly relying on wind and solar power to generate electricity on a large scale. The hills of Scotland and Wales have been disfigured by hundreds of wind farms, and lowlands by battery yards which will not make one jot of difference to our climate, but do in fact cause great environmental damage and undermine the stability of the National Grid which depends on steady unfluctuating power.

What about the climate crisis, the alarmists will say? The mean average UK temperature in this "crisis" has reached the "boiling" height of 10.09C; and millions struggle to afford heating their homes in winter. Let's have a reality check to bring the SNP and their Green associates into the 21st century and away from net zero astrology.

Each wind machine tower requires around 400 cubic metres poured into a cut from 2.5m to 4m deep. Renewable? Environmentally friendly? If you download the Ordnance Survey UK mapping app you can see every wind machine throughout the country. You will be astounded at their number and location. Near our village, Oxton, there are 48 towers 7km NE over 13 square kilometres in the Lammermuirs around Fallago Ridge. There are 10 towers 3km W of the village over four square kilometres at Toddleburn. There are 76 towers 4 km NNW of Oxton over 11 square kilometres, from Carfrae Common across the Roman Road at Dere Street to Dun Law. Earlier this year the SNP Government overruled Scottish Borders Council and granted permission for another wind farm just 3km to the NE of the village and spread over 8 square kilometres of unspoiled land.

A big nuclear power station on the other hand is on a compact site, near the market, and will power the Grid 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. There are 436 reactors across the globe working safely and another 76 being built. The SNP is preventing Torness from being renewed on the grounds of safety although it has produced 290 Terawatt hours of failsafe power for 37 years, and modern nuclear plants are even more efficient.

William Loneskie, Lauder.

What's the true council tax cost?

Upon reading the latest issue of our excellent local community magazine, I was somewhat incensed to learn that despite a recent increase in our council tax rates for 2026/2027 of 9.5%, our council has now decided to abandon issuing refuse sacks for food caddies, in order to save the eye-watering sum of £27,000.

This is in tandem with last year’s decision that garden waste bins are now levied at £52 per bin for eight months (19 fortnightly collections). Indeed, our local authority is not alone. I have heard many similar anecdotes from residents of other authorities who are growing equally tired with ostensibly paying more but getting less. Thus, from this perspective, one is forced to question the validity of a council tax, when in the end, services are now being stripped out and itemised separately. Indeed, with such additional increments, one has to ask: what really is the true cost of council tax today?

John G McMenemy, Milngavie.

Are there too many wind turbines in Scotland? (Image: PA)

Chemical alert

My least favourite word is biodiversity.

What does it mean exactly? The way we manage wildlife means hedgehogs and ground-nesting birds will soon be extinct.

Farmers are blamed for polluting rivers... yet I see every second advert on TV promoting wipes for cleaning floors, and high-powered dishwasher chemicals, not to mention scent boosters. What are we putting in our rivers and water systems? These products are never called to question. Maybe it’s about time.

Sheila Kerr, Newton Mearns.

The million pound question

I was happy to see a contestant winning the million pounds on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire on ITV at the weekend, despite his first help line being needed at the early question about the ingredients of mayonnaise (which I knew). His only real difficulty was a film question which needed his sister's input. Thereafter his wide knowledge was apparent.

One of his favourite topics was history – again he answered quickly and correctly. Mind you, the question related solely to early English events, only one of which I could date, so I wonder what would have happened if he had not been English?

JB Drummond, Kilmarnock.