MY wife and I have just returned to our Edinburgh home, having spent a delightful couple of “tourist days” some 40 miles away in the city of Perth.

What a good idea that was! Good restaurants, a modern, comfortable theatre, well-tended expansive city parks, smooth pavements (essential for wheelchair users such as myself) and clean streets. I was perhaps a little unused to living in a fairly litter-free environment.

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Any confusion, however, was relatively short-lived, since the next day I saw a street cleaner tending a pedestrian zone which was already, to my eyes, pretty clean!

I have no wish to tax the longer-term memories of my fellow National readers, so maybe I should explain. A “street cleaner” is someone who maintains the cleanliness of the city streets with the aid of a brush, pan and a litter-picker.

I wonder if this is an idea that other Scottish councils might wish to consider?!!!

All flippancy apart, well done Perth, and thank you for a lovely couple of days.

Alex Leggatt
Edinburgh