FROM THE HUSTINGS

Our major event in April was to hold a hustings meeting in Cupar for local candidates just before the elections to the Scottish Parliament and the local Councils. This was a very successful evening with about 50 people attending from a number of other local environmental organisations as well as SWT members. Candidates from each of the six main political parties were invited to give a five-minute presentation on environmental issues considered important by their party. This was followed by questions from the floor on a variety of topics including sustainable development, monitoring of environmental strategies, fisheries, farming, wind farms, environmental education, local public transport and tetra masts (a local issue in Fife). Some of the candidates were well informed; others were not and displayed a disappointingly low level of knowledge of environmental issues. The meeting succeeded in raising the profile of environmental issues with candidates, in seeking information on different parties' policies and also in raising the profile of the Trust.