Call for white ‘H’ advisory markings

I continue to be contacted by residents in the vicinity of the Grove Academy/Eastern Primary School campus about obstructions at their driveways caused by inconsiderate parking. Although the council continues to monitor the area and has taken action to deal with some situations, such as the pinch point in Albert Gardens where extended double yellow lines are proposed, there doesn’t appear to be much that the council can do to stop vehicles parking so close to a driveway that the sightlines are impeded and the space available to manoeuvre is restricted.

 

However some properties, in Albert Road for instance and elsewhere, have courtesy ‘H’ white lines extending across their driveways drawing attention to the need to keep these areas clear and by and large they are observed. Those in Albert Road were provided by the council a number of years ago to deal with parking issues associated with Grove Academy and are refreshed by the council when they become faded. You have probably seen them in various locations around Dundee where there is heavy demand for on-street parking. Since the opening of the new Grove Academy and the relocation of Eastern Primary school I have repeatedly asked for these courtesy lines to be provided at the other properties that are having difficulties, most noticeably at the western end of Albert Road.

 

Unfortunately the City Development Department always responds that it can’t agree to further white H markings as these are no longer supported by police or parking enforcement and with very restricted revenue budgets for new schemes and maintenance it would be difficult to reintroduce the widespread use of them.

 

I intend to contact the Chief Executive of Dundee City Council to ask if he will agree to review this matter and perhaps allow new markings to be provided where it is clear that there are repeated and on-going problems, especially around the Grove/Eastern campus.

Public bodies spend thousands ringing the speaking clock

More than £14,000 of taxpayers’ money has been spent phoning the speaking clock over the past five years, the Scottish Conservatives have revealed. Councils, health boards and the Scottish Government all spent public money ringing the 123 number since 2008/9.

The problem is getting worse, with last year totalling a record high of £5,437 – a more than six-fold increase from five years ago. Some organisations have put a block on the number, with the Scottish Conservatives calling on others to do the same.The Freedom of Information request revealed local authorities have spent £12,947 in the last five years calling the speaking clock, while health boards have amassed £1,551 worth of calls.

I was disappointed to discover that Dundee City Council is on the list having spent £63.75 in 2012-13, with figures for previous years not available. Since receiving this information I have contacted the council’s Chief Executive requesting confirmation that the speaking clock number has now been blocked from all council land lines and mobiles.

Even the Scottish Government has recorded use of the number, spending £30.78 since 2008/9. The true figure is likely to be far higher with some councils and NHS boards unable to provide the information. Among the councils, the biggest spenders were North Ayrshire (£2,206), while NHS Lanarkshire spent the most among health boards. Worryingly, the total of £5,437 in 2012/13 was at least £2,000 higher than any of the previous years. According to BT, it costs 31p to call the speaking clock from a landline telephone. 

Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont MSP said:  “The total amount may be small in comparison to overall public budgets, but it’s still a hideous waste of money. With clocks on mobile phones and computers, there has never been less of a need to call the speaking clock. Yet it seems to be occurring more and more, and it beggars belief that more councils and health boards have not put a block on this. If staff are calling 123 as a distraction tactic when the boss is around, that’s even more inexcusable.

“This waste of taxpayers’ money is the sort of thing that infuriates the public, and undermines savings being made elsewhere in these organisations. The worst offenders have to explain why this is happening so frequently, and what action is going to be taken to address it.”

Traffic issues Forthill

This week I have raised a number of traffic and pedestrian safety issues with the council; three in particular in the Forthill area. The first is on Nursery Road at Forthill Drive.   I am aware that there have been a few occasions in recent months of vehicles ignoring the lollipop man at this location and residents of the nearby sheltered housing have spoken to me about the difficulty they sometimes have in crossing the road to access the bus stop due to the speed of traffic. 

A few years ago the council agreed to my request to install a pedestrian refuge at this location but I think additional measures are now required. In response to my enquiry the council’s head of transportation said:

‘I will arrange to carry out a review of the existing traffic signs and if there is the requirement for additional signage this will be considered for inclusion within a future minor works programme.  I will also advise Police Scotland of the observation of vehicle speeds in order for them to take any necessary action.’

Concern has also been expressed about vehicular movements in Forthill Drive at Forthill Place, which can be used to access the pedestrian entrance at the rear of Forthill Primary School. In response to this enquiry the head of transportation told me:

‘Due to car ownership and the narrowness of the roads at this location there is a high demand for parking spaces, which is exacerbated at school times.  Any parking restrictions will have an impact on residents as well as parents and visitors, therefore at this moment in time my preference is not to install any double yellow lines to restrict parking for the residents further but will arrange to monitor the situation for what may be a short term problem.

'Following the monitoring period we may reconsider and place a section of double yellow lines for junction protection in this residential estate, or other short term parking restrictions to discourage short term parking associated with the school.’

Forthill Road at Fintry Place

Residents of Forthill Road have asked me if anything can be done to combat the congestion that is caused in their street due to the drop off/pick up at Forthill Primary School’s main entrance. It has worsened in recent weeks with parking on both sides of the road causing a problem.  In response to this enquiry the head of transportation said:

‘With the introduction of the part time prohibition in Fintry Place for Forthill Primary School this prevented cars entering to park in this section of Fintry Place.  There was always the risk if parents insist on driving to the school then vehicles would be displaced to adjacent streets which may have an impact on local residents. There is no immediate easy solution and any additional yellow lines are likely to be unwelcome by residents who will find them to be inconvenient more than a benefit as they will restrict the ability for themselves and visitors to park near their homes.’

Brook Street pavement reconstruction works

I have previously reported that the pavement on the south of Brook Street between Lawrence Street and Brown Street is to be resurfaced early in the New Year. I have now been notified that work is programmed to commence on Wednesday 15 January 2014 and will last for approximately 2 weeks.  This footway reconstruction is most welcome as it is a very busy location and I get a lot of complaints about its condition. The contractor for the works is Tayside Contracts.
 

The council has issued a letter to the owner/occupiers of the nearby properties advising them of the arrangements. It indicates that in the interest of public safety a one way closure is to be implemented and westbound vehicular traffic will be diverted via Fort Street, King Street and Church Street for the duration of the works.

 

On street parking directly adjacent to the works will be closed but parking will still be allowed on the north side of Brook Street. Vehicular, delivery access will be maintained to properties, although vehicular traffic movements are requested to be kept to a minimum and minor delays may be encountered during some phases of the works.

 

 Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained throughout the works.

Broughty Ferry Conservation Area Appraisal

Dundee City Council is inviting comments on the terms and content of the draft Broughty Ferry Conservation Area Appraisal.   All comments must be received by 24th January 2014. The outcome of the consultation exercise will be reported to the City Development Committee for approval as a material planning consideration.

Copies of the Broughty Ferry Conservation Area Appraisal document can be viewed on-line at: www.dundeecity.gov.uk/citydevelopment/listedbuildingsconservationareas or at Broughty Ferry Library, Central Library and the reception of Dundee House.

You are requested to send your comments in writing to; City Development Department, Development Management, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee, DD1 1LS, marked “Consultation Response – Broughty Ferry Conservation Area Appraisal” or alternately emailed to conservationareas@dundeecity.gov.uk. Should you wish to discuss the content of the draft proposal you can contact Gary Knox, Conservation Officer, Tel 01382 433414.

Conservation areas are areas of special architectural and/or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. The purpose of a conservation area is to ensure that new development or alterations will not have a negative impact on the existing character of the area.

When an item came to the City Development Committee seeking consent to consult on the Broughty Ferry conservation appraisal I suggested slightly extending the proposed boundary to include parts of Broughty Ferry which I believe to be typical of the existing character of the area and would sit comfortably within the Broughty Ferry Conservation Area, such as taking in more of The Esplanade to include The Glass Pavilion.

If you have a few spare moments please have a look at the consultation document and let the City Development Department know what you think about it.

EU membership letter

Alex Salmond has been caught red-handed presenting an out-of-date letter to Parliament in a desperate attempt to back up his claims on EU membership. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson MSP has challenged the First Minister to explain whether his failure to mention a clarification letter from the European Commission contradicting his position was a muddle or a fiddle.

The correspondence states that a separate Scotland would not automatically become a member of the EU. Ruth said it was the third time the First Minister had misled the people of Scotland over Europe, branding him the “Pinocchio of Scottish politics”. Two weeks ago in the Scottish Parliament, the First Minister attempted to use a letter from an EC official - taken from a pro-independence website - to assert a newly independent Scotland would bypass the ordinary application process to gain membership.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson today asked Alex Salmond why he ignored the subsequent letter sent by the Commission that said the opposite was true. The correspondence was received by the independent Scottish Parliamentary Information Service (SPICe) at the beginning of November and stated that the EC’s position on accepting new states remains unchanged. It repeats the view of EC President José Manuel Barroso that any country breaking away from a member state would cease to be part of the EU and would have to reapply for membership. It comes after Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, said that if Scotland left the UK it “will be left outside the EU” and would have to re-apply subject to negotiation with the 28 member states. The foreign ministers of Latvia, Ireland and the Czech Republic have also warned that if Scotland left the UK, the country would not have a seamless continuation into Europe.

The revelations over the two EC letters come after Alex Salmond previously claimed he had legal advice on Europe when none actually existed. His attempts to keep this fact from the public resulted in a court case, which cost the taxpayer almost £20,000.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson MSP said: “Two weeks ago, the First Minister stood up in the Scottish Parliament and made an amateur attempt to back up his claims on EU membership by producing a letter he found on the internet. Now, he has been caught red-handed presenting an out-of-date letter to Parliament, conveniently ignoring a later one from the European Commission which blows apart his policy that Scotland would be fast-tracked into the EU.

“It seems extraordinary to imagine that Scotland’s First Minister would rather browse the internet for answers than check the Parliament for official information, or even contact the Commission direct himself. That is because he would be faced with the inconvenient truth that an independent Scotland would have to negotiate entry into the European Union from the outside. This would mean the opt-outs we currently have, such as the Euro and secure border controls, may no longer apply.

“Three times now, Alex Salmond has misled the public over what an independent Scotland’s position would be within the EU. The First Minister is the Pinocchio of Scottish politics, every time he speaks on Europe his nose grows another inch. If people can’t trust the First Minister on this important issue, how can they trust a word that comes out of his mouth.”

Council committee meetings

At tonight’s meeting of the Education Committee authority was given to the director of education to consult with stakeholders on revised guidelines on enrolment and placing requests in primary and secondary schools. Until now, at transition to secondary school, pupils have been prioritised first on the basis that they attend an associated primary school. It is proposed to change this so that children will be prioritised first for admission based on whether they live in the catchment area of the school.

The City Development Committee agreed a tender of £14,100,020 to construct and complete the major roads of the central waterfront development and associated infrastructure. The roads include the northern and southern boulevards and the interconnecting grid of streets along with all the various traffic signals and services. The project also includes the construction of the public open space.

It was reported to committee that the works on the formation of the new box office in City Square are complete and that the intention is to locate the tourist information office here as well.

The Policy and Resources Committee was informed of plans for improvements and additions to the conferencing facilities at Caird Hall. Funding of £942,500 for a first phase of works was approved which comprises of alterations to the redundant housing department offices in Shore Terrace below the main auditorium to form a series of new meeting rooms and offices which will be directly accessible from Caird Hall. These will provide a flexible space of additional breakout facilities which major conferences require.  It is anticipated that a second phase will be brought forward at a later date to provide a dedicated exhibition hall, but this will be dependant on the outcome of a review of all the available space within the Caird Hall complex.

On a more local level the Environment Committee agreed to some play area improvements which include replacing worn climbing nets and the broken sand digger at Castle Green and the topping up of the woodchip safety surface at Orchar Park.

The Policy and Resources Committee also agreed to the allocation of £10,000 to the Ferry ward from the Community Regeneration Fund.

Dundee Conservatives Christmas Lunch

After my morning surgeries yesterday I attended the Christmas Lunch organised by Dundee Conservatives. The guest speaker was Struan Stevenson MEP, who gave a very interesting and passionate talk on, amongst other subjects, Kurdistan and in particular the gradual erosion of Iraq's ancient Christian community which has now dwindled from 1.5 million to an estimated 300,000.

Struan, who chairs the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Iraq, travelled to Erbil in Kurdistan at the end of November, where he met with the Kurdistan Regional Government's President Masoud Barzani and Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani. Struan told us that one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, which can trace its origins back to the time of Christ, now faces extinction because of bombings, assassinations and kidnappings. 

He talked about the plight of refugees from the civil war in Syria and the need for aid and said that the EU must stop sending financial aid to Baghdad, where it simply disappears. Instead it must be given directly to the NGOs who are actively helping the Syrian refugees in Iraq.

Struan has represented Scotland in the European Parliament since 1999. He is standing down at next year’s European Parliament election. Ian Duncan, who won a ballot of Scottish Conservative Party members, is to replace Struan at the top of the Scottish Conservative Party list.

New Broughty Ferry book

A new history book entitled "The Memory of Broughty Ferry" has been published to mark the centenary of the annexation of the burgh of Broughty Ferry by the city of Dundee.

The book was co-authored by Hugh Begg and Chris and Nancy Davey. It covers a wide range of stories relating to Broughty Ferry's history. Others have submitted chapters, including my former councillor colleague Charlie Webster.

It runs to 100 pages and is published on a non-profit making basis. Copies are £6 each and are available in Broughty Ferry at McDonald the Stationer, Eduardo Alessandro Gallery and Broughty Ferry castle and in Dundee at McManus Gallery.

Funding for The Ferry ward

There is a report coming before the next meeting of the council’s Policy and Resources Committee recommending community regeneration fund allocations for the year 2014/15. Previously six of Dundee’s electoral wards had projects funded from this budget but now all eight wards will receive something as the community planning partnerships in The Ferry and West End wards are to be allocated £10,000.

 Over the years I have argued that both of these areas should receive a share of the funding so I am pleased by this latest development. I know it will be put to good use.