Evening Classes at Grove Academy 2009/10 - enrolment night Mon 31 August

The new programme of evening classes organised by Broughty Ferry Education and Recreation Association (BERA) will commence on Monday 14 September 2009 at Grove Academy. Public enrolment will be held at Grove Academy on Monday 31 August 2009 at 7pm-8.30pm via the entrance on Seafield Road. Check out the full programme of classes.

More Details South Marketgait, East Dock St & Broughty Ferry Rd reconstruction beginning 8 September 2009

Journeys between Broughty Ferry and Dundee city centre will be subject to delays from 8 September as South Marketgait, East Dock St & Broughty Ferry Rd (up to Greendykes) is reconstructed. Diversions will be in place but we should anticipate longer journey times.
For maps and full details, download/view the BEAR Scotland leaflet.

Camphill Road B/ferry - Proposed Temporary Road Closure to Facilitate Pavement Resurfacing

Dundee City Council propose to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating footway resurfacing works. The Order is expected to be in force for four weeks from 9 September 2009. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.

The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in that section of Camphill Road between Whinny Brae and Bughties Road, Broughty Ferry, Dundee.

Pedestrian thoroughfare is maintained and vehicular access to premises will be maintained where possible.

An alternative route is available via Queen Street / Monifieth Road / Reres Road / Bughties Road.

Please forward any comments you may have regarding this proposal to Mark Cobb, Network Management Team, Planning and Transportation Department, Tayside House, Crichton Street, Dundee, no later than five working days prior to the commencement date.

If you have any queries please contact Mr Cobb on 433082.

Significant Case Review: Brandon Lee Muir

Following the death of Brandon Muir, those charged with leading and managing child protection services in Dundee commissioned two separate reviews. A significant case review was commissioned in line with national guidance to examine the particular circumstances surrounding the child protection issues, and the role of the various authorities involved. Separately, an independent review was commissioned by the Chief Officers Group to ensure validation of the Significant Case Review, but also to address wider issues which may emerge, not necessarily related to the death of Brandon.

The two Reports were published on Wednesday 19 August.
Significant Case Review: Brandon Lee Muir
I attended the briefing for elected members with the two authors of the jointly published reports.

Summary of Joint Report Findings

4 The Significant Case Review concludes that the violence of Robert Cunningham towards Brandon Muir could not have been predicted. In the period of less than three weeks that Cunningham became part of the family grouping with Heather Boyd and her two children, child protection staff had quickly embarked on a process of assessment and information gathering which would have led to a Case Conference on 18th March 2008.

5 In that time, both social work and health staff had seen Heather Boyd, Robert Cunningham and the children on a number of occasions, visited the home, and Heather had cooperated with a medical examination on Brandon in relation to a query about his gait.

6 The focus of attention in preparation for the Case Conference centred more on the well being of the children against the context of concern about Heather Boyd’s wider parenting skills and the home environment, rather than the threat of violence from Robert Cunningham.

7 The Significant Case Review explored in considerable detail the information known to the authorities about Heather Boyd and her children, and about Robert Cunningham. The authorities had sought to offer Heather Boyd support in her parenting role. She never utilised this to any great degree, preferring to make use of the support offered her by her parents. While she had come to the
notice of the police in the past, nothing was known of her activities in prostitution, and she had no recorded history of drug misuse. Experienced staff found no evidence of either a chaotic household or lifestyle that suggested she had a dependence on substances.

8 Both health visiting and social work staff consistently stated that Heather and her children did not stand out as giving great cause for concern. Whilst there were ongoing concerns, these never reached a threshold which prompted consideration of more formal intervention until shortly before Brandon’s death.

9 Robert Cunningham had also come to the previous attention of the police, but more significantly in this case he was known to the police, social work services and to the Children’s Reporter through his alleged involvement in domestic violence towards a previous partner.

10 The Significant Case Review explains what has changed in Dundee since the death of Brandon Muir, and where appropriate reference is also made to the Improvement Plan which has been developed in response to the recent HMIE joint inspection.

11 However, in examining the particular circumstances of the case, the two reviews identified a number of issues which have a continuing consequence for child protection policy and practice in Dundee, and some of which are of wider national interest.

Warning - Roadworks East Dock Street from 8 September for 10 weeks

Transport Scotland and Dundee City Council have formed a partnership to deliver an improvement Project comprising resurfacing and reconstruction of East Dock Street; installation of traffic signals to the Trades Lane/City Quay junction with South Marketgait; and construction of Rising Main Chambers in Trades Lane as part of the future Flood Prevention Scheme.

These works are due to start on Tuesday 8 th September for a period of 10 weeks.

What's Coming up at The Ferry Local Community Planning Partnership?

The Ferry Local Community Planning Partnership (FLCPP) will be meeting on Thursday 27 August at 17:30. If there is an item on the agenda (see below) which interests you, you may either attend the meeting and/or ask me to convey your comments on a specific issue.
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The Ferry Local Community Planning Partnership

Meeting

Thursday 27 August 2009 in Panmurefield Village Church Hall

at 5.00 p.m. for buffet with a 5.30 p.m. start

A G E N D A

1. Welcome and Apologies

2. Previous Minute and Matters Arising

3. New Developments

- Home Insulation Scheme - Heather McQuillan (Housing Dept)

- Sandy Park - Councillor Rod Wallace

- Grove Office Redevelopment

4. Local Community Plan Update

-Castle Green Master Plan Review

- Development Trust

- PRC Cluster Consultation

- Community Plan Monitoring Document

- Impact Assessment Exercise

5. Department/Agency/Organisation Update

6. Open Forum On Community Issues

7. A.O.C.B.

(a) LCPP Review

(b) Cycle Parking in Central Broughty Ferry (Councillor Laurie Bidwell)

8. Date, Time and Venue for Next Meeting

V & A In Dundee – Comments by Laurie Bidwell, Labour Education Spokesperson on Dundee City Council

"The announcement this morning progressing the development of the Victoria & Albert Museum offshoot in Dundee is most welcome. Not only will this bring economic and cultural benefits to Dundee but it will also be very positive for art education in our city. This museum and art gallery will bring national and international exhibitions to Dundee which will make these much more accessible for our school pupils and their teachers. This will help to inspire more of our pupils to engage in the arts and crafts and aspire to work in the related creative industries. This is also very positive news for Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art. This will reinforce their place as one of the top six research led Art and Design higher education institutions in the UK."

Commenting on the Publication of Statistics on Violent Incidents in Dundee Schools Involving Parents

“I am disappointed to hear that that three violent incidents reported in Dundee schools during April and May 2009 involved parents and carers because three is too many. Parents and carers should be backing up the authority of our schools and setting a good example to their children. They should not be resorting to behaviour that undermines school discipline and threatens the health and safety of teachers and other staff. We should however get this in proportion and acknowledge that this a small minority of parents and carers. Most parents support the work of their children's schools. They are conscious of the need to model appropriate behaviour to their children by resolving disputes constructively.”

Car Ditched in East Home Street as Temporary Bridge over Pavement Trench Collapses

Professor Steve Partridge got a shock when he was parking his car in his garage off East Home Street in Broughty Ferry on Wednesday evening. As he carefully drove on plastic bridging sheets over the trench dug by Tayside Contracts, the side of the trench gave way and the offside front wheel of his car became stuck in the trench. Careful jacking by a garage he called out helped to extricate the car.

He said,

“While being delighted that the pavement has been adopted, the minor disruption to daily routine has now turned serious. The trench that has been dug in preparation for the installation of the kerbs means that either we risk driving over inadequate plastic ramps and our cars falling in (as happened to me this evening), or leaving our cars on the street in direct contravention to our insurance companies' instruction.

Either adequate ramps of greater length should be supplied, or the trench should be filled in until the delivery of the radius kerbs, which have clearly been holding up the work. I should also like to know from Tayside Contracts if they will compensate me for the garage callout and if the underside of my car has been damaged?”

Councillor Laurie Bidwell, who was also called to the scene said,

“I think residents with garages accessed on the south side of East Home Street will be very nervous about crossing this trench. Like Mr Partridge, I think they will want to know when the pavement upgrading will be completed on their side of the street so that they can access their homes and garages easily and safely.”