Undoubtedly you will receive numerous supportive letters and e-mails full of righteous indignation at how our money has been wasted — and no doubt linking this to the profligacy of the 2007 Kessock Bridge fireworks display, the housing fair and the proposed city art gallery, not forgetting the cost of renewing Eden Court, etc., etc.; if only these sensible critics were in charge, they would no doubt spend money far more wisely... or would they?

While there's obviously a need to properly account for public money, I have no doubt that the people responsible for the streetscaping project, and the diverse and very impressive public art programme, have been responsible, conscientious and have only the very best intentions for the city; and the word "city" is crucial here.

Because what do Inverness and its people really want? Do they want to turn the clock back, and remain a parochial wee provincial town in the far north; or do they want to acknowledge and accept our changing and growing role in Scotland's future and proceed with confidence and ambition, and offer a city that is attractive to future citizens and visitors? The mean, penny-pinching attitude of those who shout loudest in protest would seem to imply the former; but I believe that the silent majority favour the latter and understand that ambition is a good thing, albeit not a precise or easy path to take. It is so easy to criticise, is it not? Far harder to risk and innovate.

To be specific on the various issues involved;

• Cost — an overspend (or "costs soaring" as you put it) of £200,000 on a £6 million project is just under 3.5 per cent; given the huge complexity and nature of the project, that is well within the normal 5 per cent variation acceptable on large building or public works contracts.
• Of course the work took a long time and caused problems for traders and the public, not surprising given its ambition; but a longer view must surely be taken. Within a year or two the disruption will be forgotten but the quality of environment and its lasting benefit will remain for years. Anybody been to Edinburgh lately and experienced its tram project? now there's disruption!
• Spending in a recession — obviously such a scale of project would not proceed now; but remember that the economic climate in which it was commissioned and commenced were very different indeed. People have short memories.
• Artworks — it is easy to "cherry pick" specific items of expenditure in a wide ranging and innovative programme, and to imply that they were profligate; easy, but unfair and incorrect. And of course, art in itself is totally subjective and always easy to criticise. But as a totality the Old Town public art programme and the "quality v cost" of the various artworks and installations have been recognised nationally as an exemplar for public arts.

No doubt this counts for little or nothing to its blinkered and outraged local critics; but it means a lot to many people and agencies elsewhere, and to visitors and tourists; and that is significant for our future development and to how we see ourselves and our city.

D. Macleod, Planefield Road, Inverness.

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