Scotland would not be able to share the pound

The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne today made a speech in Edinburgh, stating a separate Scotland would not be able to share the pound in a currency union with the rest of the UK.

 Reacting to the speech, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson MSP said:

 “Alex Salmond's fantasy economics has been hit by reality. And the blunt truth is that a vote for separation this September is a vote to leave the security of the UK pound.

 “This is no bluff. The Permanent Secretary of the UK Treasury has made it clear he has advised the Chancellor against entering into a currency union with an independent Scotland.

 “There is now nowhere left to hide. The SNP has been found out. It should now stop concealing the truth from the people of Scotland and come clean on what the consequences of separation really are. Scotland's already part of a currency union. It's called the United Kingdom.”

Graffiti vandalism Balmossie

I’m always annoyed when I see graffiti vandalism. There is no need for it and all it does is detract from the general appearance of an area. There is also the waste of time and resources in cleaning it off.

The Balmossie end of the Esplanade seems to have attracted quite a bit of it recently with the sewage pumping station being the main target of the vandals.

I have contacted Scottish Water requesting that action be taken to paint over the eyesore.

Stay safe online event

I have attached a poster for a stay safe online event to be held this Thursday, 13th February, at The Steeple Church Centre from 11am-3pm. The event is for adults as well as children and it will provide advice and information on how to stay safe online.

Council committee meetings

Tonight’s Environment Committee considered a report on the control of dogs in parks, cemeteries and open spaces. An action plan was approved  which proposes a number of measures including increasing the number of officers authorised to issue fixed penalty notices for dog fouling offences ,  bringing forward a proposal for implementing a registration scheme for professional dog walkers and developing a pilot dog walking trail within one of the parks.

The Environment Committee also considered a report on the pre-purchase of cemetery lairs. The pre-purchase of lairs within Dundee’s cemeteries was stopped in 2007 due to the pressure that existed at that time on available space.  The extension to Birkhill Cemetery and the formation of the new Pitkerro Grove Cemetery to the north of Broughty Ferry now provide sufficient capacity and it was agreed to make lairs available for pre-purchase from 1 April 2014.

At the Housing Committee I voted against a proposal to send two elected members to attend a conference at the SECC in Glasgow. The estimated cost, excluding travel and subsistence, was £699 per delegate. I have always been of the view that there is no need for councillors to attend conferences as I don’t think they provide value for money. In my opinion it is far better that any information from a conference be cascaded by the council officers who attend.

The Policy and Resources Committee confirmed the Community Regeneration Fund allocation for 2014/15, which includes an amount for the first time for the Ferry ward, which is something I have been pursuing for a number of years.

The committee also completed another step in the waterfront development by authorising the Head of Democratic and Legal Services to conclude a lease for the hotel component of the redeveloped Dundee railway station concourse.

Missing sign to be erected

I have contacted the council’s head of transportation about the signage notifying drivers of the new 30 mph speed limit in force on Dundee Road. There is a sign in place at Margaret Crescent for traffic heading east but nothing at Ellieslea Road for traffic going west. In response he has confirmed that that there should be such signage at both eastbound and westbound start points of the new 30mph section.  Tayside Contracts has been notified that the signage was not erected as expected and I am told that the matter will be rectified soon.

Proposal for budget savings

Yesterday I submitted my proposals for additional savings in the council’s 2014/15 revenue budget for consideration by the Policy and Resources Committee on 13 February. 

They are the same items I asked to be deleted from the budget last year but as they weren’t accepted by the SNP administration at that time I am having another go. 

Included are £9,000 for alcohol purchases, £7,200 for food and refreshments for councillors, £1,000 for councillors’ attendance at conferences and £28,800 for hospitality in various council departments.

The amount in the budget for alcohol purchases last year was £6,916, this year it has gone up to £9,000, an increase of about 30%. People might be surprised by this large increase particularly when so many other things are being cut.

The £28,800 hospitably saving I am proposing doesn’t include what is spent in the City Chambers. The only impact on civic events would be that alcohol wouldn’t be one of the beverages served.

I have also proposed a 1% reduction in energy costs which would save £33,000. In its proposal the SNP administration is expecting to see a 5% reduction in energy usage across the school estate in 2014/15 and 10% reduction in 2015/16. That being the case I think a 1% reduction in energy costs across all other council buildings is achievable.

I have met with a lot of council officers to discuss the budget and I have received representations from organisations and individuals about the impact some of the administrations proposals will have. Those who have contacted me, in the main, have been concerned about the 3% reduction in funding to external service providers and the removal of early years practitioners from primary schools. I’m sure that the SNP councillors will have received similar representations and I am happy for them to put the savings I have identified towards measures to lessen the impact of their proposals.

Keeping the draught out

Towards the end of last year I contacted the council's housing department on behalf of council tenants and owner occupiers of former council properties in the Strathmore Street area who have had new security doors fitted to their communal entrance. The new doors don’t fit the door frame as neatly as the old doors did leading to draughtier internal common areas.

In response I was told that in most of the new installations there is an appreciable gap at the floor level and this tends to be greater than was previously obvious at locations which had a more traditional timber unit in place. Of the 1200 properties across the city that have been fitted with security doors only between 20 to 30 have had an existing door completely replaced with a steel equivalent. The vast majority of installations take place on blocks with no existing door (about 75%) or else on existing doors that are easily adapted to accommodate the locking devices.

Apparently on occasion a bespoke draught brush has been provided if local conditions allow it without hindering the opening and closing of the door.

I recently received an update advising me that the Housing Investment Unit Project Team has now discussed the use of draught excluders and the outcome is that from now on these will be fitted as standard to all new rear steel doors where building design allows.