A Day in the Life of Your Local Councillor

Tuesday 8 September 2015 was a day full of meetings and activities.

My working day began at about 09:30 at home reading and writing emails and making phone calls on behalf of constituents. On average I receive more than twenty emails a day about constituency and Council matters as well as letters and reports including papers for Council meetings.

At 11:15, I joined residents from Forthill sheltered housing on their annual estate walkabout with staff representatives from Housing, Environment, Roads, Tenant Participation and Communities. As we walked around the area we noted action points based on our observations and the complaints and comments made by residents who we met us at their gates and doors. At 12:25 I left to go to my next meeting which was in Dundee.

I picked up my post from my Council pigeonhole at my City Square Office and then walked over to Dundee House where i was due at 13:00 to join an interview panel for appointing a Head Teacher for St Joseph's Primary School. The vacancy arose following the death of Marion Myles, the very popular and effective Head Teacher. After a series of interviews, the panel selected a 'preferred candidate' who, following formalities such as references, should be confirmed publicly to Parents, Pupils and Staff in due course.

I arrived back home in time to take my dog Milli for a short walk, before going to Broughty Ferry Library for my weekly surgery. Two constituents came in and reported a recurring parking and road safety issue in their street. We discussed possible solutions and agreed actions I would take. This will need some follow up communications with the Transportation Department.

Back home at about 18:20 with time for a mug of tea and collecting my papers for the next meeting. At 19:00 I arrived at Staff Room in Grove Academy for the AGM and termly meeting of the Grove Academy Parent Council. Penny Lewis was re-elected as Chairperson together with other office bearers. The meeting received a detailed report from Head Teacher, Graham Hutton, which included reference to the very positive but provisional 2015 SQA examination results for Grove pupils, the international sporting achievements of pupils, the school trips under consideration for the 2015/16 session as well as changes in staffing.

Home again at 21:30 and time for a late supper with my wife Rowena.

Not every day contains such a full schedule of 'meetings' and everyday is different; that's what I find so interesting and absorbing about the office of City Councillor.

Responses From The Council to Broughty Ferry Issues: Some Positive News

Flowerbed weeded at Douglas Terrace open space
and re-seeded area the near the road
Click on image to enlarge

Over the four weeks, I have reported a number of environmental issues that had been raised with me by constituents. Many have had a satisfactory outcome while others are progressing towards a solution.

For example, I reported to the Environment Department attention was required at the triangle of open space at the end of Douglas Terrace. Part of this area had been used as a site compound by the contractor when they worked on the upgrading of the adjacent coastal pathway. As a first step, the flower beds have been weeded and the rutted 'grass' area re-surfaced and re-seeded.

At the end of May, two residents from dispersed sheltered housing in Anton Drive and Nursery Road asked me to request the removal of a steel container. This had apparently been left by the Council contractor that had been working on the kitchen and bathroom replacements in their houses. The residents wanted this shifted as the work had been finished for some time. Several days later the Housing Department arranged for the container to be uplifted.

On Wednesday this week, I reported a large patch of giant hogweed on the embankment next to a lay by on the eastbound stretch of the A92 between the East Balgillo Road and Panmurefield roundabouts. On Thursday the area was sprayed by the Council.

Last month, along with the Community Council, I commented on the very poor state of the fencing on the dunes beside the The Esplanade. This picket fencing had previously been put in to help stabilise the dunes and funnel members of the public to a few well demarcated crossing points onto the beach. Following storm force winds the fencing had been broken and the crossing points buried under accumulations of sand. I asked for a solution but none is yet forthcoming. As a constituent said to me this week, what are those scrappy bits of fencing doing?  I have written again to the Environment Department.

Forthill Residents Want Ugly Container to be Removed From Their Open Space

On Saturday morning, two residents from dispersed sheltered housing in Anton Drive and Nursery Road asked me to request the removal of a steel container. This had apparently been left by the Council contractor that had been working on the kitchen and bathroom replacements in their houses.

Now that the upgrading work has been completed, the residents want to know why they should have to put up with this ugly steel container cluttering the open plan grassed area close to their homes. They also point out that the container has become a target for graffiti.

I have joined the residents in calling 'times up' on the container. I have passed on their request to the Housing Department and informed the Community Wardens about the graffiti.

Anton Drive Replacement Retaining Wall Going Up Fast

Reconstructing the retaining wall in Anton Drive
Tuesday 12 March.
Click on image to enlarge

Since Monday 11 March contractors have been erecting the replacement retaining wall along on the side of Anton Drive in the Ferry.

In July 2012, I was informed that, after a safety inspection by the Council's Senior Engineers, it had been necessary to erect safety fencing along the length of this wall prior to replacement or repair of the wall.

The first picture shows work in progress on Tuesday 12 March. Despite subsequent snow and ice, the second picture shows excavation and construction much further up the street.

Reconstructing the retaining wall further
along Anton Drive - Tuesday 19 March.
Click on image to enlarge

Residents I have talked this week are relieved that this work is now being undertaken. A big BUT from them is that the trees on the embankment above the new wall are not being reduced in height. Residents who live in the terraced houses opposite the wall remain concerned that their homes will be damaged when one of the tall trees topples over. A long term resident who has lived in these homes since they were built, remembers three separate incidents when falling trees and branches have damaged property beneath. When these concerns have been reported to the Council over many years, a major constraint is that these trees are on private land and this limits the power of the Council to intervene. I have written to the Council's Forestry Officer to request that they contact the private owners above to request that remove diseased and dying trees.

Temporary Closure of Anton Drive Proposed Beginning on Monday 11 March 2013

Dundee City Council propose to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating works for the construction of a retaining wall.  The Order is expected to be in force for five weeks from 11 March 2013.  Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.

The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in in Anton Drive, Broughty Ferry for its entire length.

Vehicular access for residents of Anton Drive will be maintained where possible.

An alternative route will be available via Forthill Road and Nursery Road.

Please forward any comments you may have regarding this proposal to Andy Scrimgeour, Network Management Team, City Development Department, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee  DD1 1LS, no later than five working days prior to the commencement date.  If you have any queries please contact Mr Scrimgeour on 01382 433168.

Safety Work on Anton Drive Retaining Wall Starting Soon

Click on image to enlarge

Yesterday, the City Council confirmed that the contract for the safety work on the Anton Drive retaining wall has been finally agreed and a company called Phi Group will carry out the work. The contract is currently scheduled to start in week commencing 11 March. The Housing Department have committed to notifying residents with the definite start date by the beginning of March.

I think that residents in Anton Drive and the vicinity will be relieved when the current retaining wall has been made safe although I know there will be lingering concerns about the safety of the trees on the private land on the steeply rising bank above the retaining wall. 

Residents will however be pleased that there has been a slight amendment to how the work is to be undertaken. Initially it was thought that Anton Drive would need to be closed for at least 2 weeks while the work was carried out, but this is not now the case. The road will be kept open, but there will be parking restrictions during the day, when the work people are on site.

Replacement of Anton Drive Retaining Wall Approved

On Monday night 10 December, at the Housing Committee, the Committee approved a £94,144 tender for the replacement of the retaining wall in Anton Drive.

This is what I said at Committee in support of this investment:

"Convener, I welcome this tender for £94,144 for the replacement of the retaining wall at Anton Drive in The Ferry. Residents will be able to rest easier in their beds when they know that the retaining wall on the other side of their Street has been made safe. Since the City Engineer declared that the wall was in danger of collapse in early July, following a period of sustained heavy rainfall, residents have been nervous about living close to the wall and the steeply rising land behind it.

I hope they can look forward to a speedy build period and an end to a section of their road partitioned off by security fencing that was erected as a precautionary measure."

I was advised that the work would be started before the end of January and should be completed in three weeks. The Director of Housing agreed to keep residents informed about the definite start date for the building work and the required street closure during the contract period. As the new wall would partly use space previously available for informal car parking, the Director also agreed to explore alternative locations for replacement car parking spaces in the vicinity.

Council Tenants in The Ferry Have Your Say on 5%+ Increases in Rents and Service Charges from April 2013

Tenants have your say about future rent levels and service charges before the end of the year!

This is the message from the City Council Housing Department to all its tenants throughout Dundee including Broughty Ferry. Now is the time to take the opportunity to respond to the consultation on the proposed increases in rent and service change from April 2013.

Every year the Housing Department looks at the rent and other charges that they need to collect so that they can continue to deliver the services that tenants have told them they want. They have looked at their budgets from 1st April 2013 to 31st March 2014 and have developed three different options for rent and service charge increases which they want to gather opinions and feedback on. The three rent options range from an increase in 5% to 5.5%.

More details on the options for rent increases and what you would get for your money.

More details on the options for increases in service charges especially for tenants in sheltered housing. 


There are lots of ways to give us your views and feedback on the Council's proposals. All they ask is that you tell them by Monday 31st December 2012

How to give the Council your opinions and feedback. 

Council Organises Heating, Kitchen and Bathroom Upgrades for Fifteen Homes in Broughty Ferry

The Housing Department are organising a contract for Heating, Kitchen and Bathroom improvements in Broughty Ferry. Fifteen homes in Fort Street, Anton Drive, Nursery Road and King Street are part of this phase of work.

The contractor will be McGill Electrical and work is targeted to commence in December 2012 and complete in January 2013.

All of the tenants have now been visited by Housing staff to discuss the works and any arrangements which may be necessary to allow the improvements to be carried out. Meantime arrangements have been made lo provide a site display container which all tenants are welcome to come along and visit. The container is laid out with a display kitchen and bathroom allowing
tenants to see the different units, worktops, doors and handles available. At this time, The Project Team to answer any individual questions.

The display container will be located In Anton Drive next to the lock-up garages. 

While the tenants concerned are looking forward to their replacement kitchen and bathrooms and upgraded heating systems, I have written to the Housing Department to ask for some reassurances about the management of the contract. My concerns arise because many of the tenants are elderly and the contract period is programmed to be either side of Christmas and New Year. 

Frankly, If I could avoid it, I wouldn't choose to have my heating system upgraded at a time when one anticipates that the weather will be cold.  Neither would I choose to have my kitchen and bathroom upgraded just before the Christmas New Year holidays. I should be worried that some of the work would be left incomplete or that there might be some niggling fault and then the contractor's staff would be off for the best part of a fortnight. 

Anton Drive Residents Impatient for Replacement Retaining Wall

In early July, following torrential rain, the City Engineer decided that the weight of water above a retaining wall in Anton Drive was potentially in danger of collapse and was to be fenced off as a precautionary measure. As this retaining wall was built on Council land managed by the Housing Department, it turned out to be the responsibility of the Housing Department to fix. 

At the same time, following my request, a commitment was given to Ferry Councillors and the residents of Anton Drive that we would all be involved in examining an appraisal of different ways of replacing the wall. Two options had been identified; either rebuilding the wall with a better construction than the wall that is being pushed over or re-landscaping the bottom of the slope with the loss of the existing pathway. 

The residents in Anton Drive are concerned that no discernible progress has been made ten weeks after this announcement. In the meanwhile, the residents of Anton Drive have had the usable width of their road reduced by the safety fencing. This has led apparently to their parked cars being damaged by passing vehicles such as bin lorries with several residents either losing wing mirrors or having paintwork on their cars damaged.

I have written to the City Engineer and his colleague in the Housing Department as well as the Housing Convener, Councillor Black to ask them to hurry things up.

Forthill Tenants' Association Meeting

Yesterday evening, I attended the monthly meeting of the Forthill Tenants' Association which meets in the Tenants' Lounge in the Complex on Forthill Drive.

Forthill Tenants' Association is an enthusiastic and hard working group of older people who bring lots of life experience and many years involvement to their work on this committee. They are also a group of folk who know what they want and will enlist support wherever this lies to help them to achieve their goals.

These meetings are always lively and the members present are enthusiastic and caring. I always enjoy attending their meetings.

A worthwhile and constructive meeting. I am glad that I attended.

Forthill Tenants' Group Grant Approved by Housing Committee

At the Housing Committee last night (Monday 20 August 2012) a grant of £255 was approved for the Forthill Tenants' Association. This was awarded towards the administrative costs of running the group. 

The group meet every month on a Monday evening in the Communal Lounge at the Forthill Sheltered Housing Complex 3a Forthill Drive. They are a very active and effective group focusing particularly on the housing and environment in Forthill Drive and Place, Anton Drive, Forthill Road, Nursery Road and Archer Street.

Further details about meeting times from Rita Smart, Secretary, Forthill Tenants' Association c/o the Forthill Sheltered Housing Complex.

Anton Drive Retaining Wall Fenced Off As a Precautionary Measure

 
On Monday 11 July, I was emailed by the City Engineer, as one of The Ferry Councillors. I was informed that a safety inspection of the retaining wall which runs down one side of Anton Drive had been carried out that morning by one of the Council's Senior Engineers. Due to the poor condition of the wall and the continuing heavy rain, as a safety measure it had been necessary to erect safety fencing along the length of this wall. Furthermore, I was informed that the Council are currently designing and pricing alternative options for the wall strengthening/replacement and will consult with residents and Ferry Councillors on potential solutions 

While I welcome this precautionary measure, I share the concerns of tenants and residents about the potential threat from what is pushing over the retaining wall. In recent weeks there have been many reported land slips in Scotland on railway embankments and other places with steeply rising land which have become saturated with rain. While the protective fencing errected may prevent passers from getting near to the retaining wall, I think residents and tenants in Anton Drive will want to be reassured that there is no potential danger of a land slip and trees toppling over damaging homes and putting lives at risk.
 
As the retaining wall is built on council land and is the responsibility of the Housing Department, I shall be looking to the Council to get on with the replacement in weeks rather than months.

(Photograph DC Thomson)
Link to press coverage of this issue in The Courier
 

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