Westbay Residents Demand Some Road Safety Action

Since the new Grove Academy was opened and Eastern Primary School moved to the upgraded old Grove premises, both school have been opening their doors to an increasing number of pupils. This has led to regular parking difficulties for residents of Westbay Court in Albert Road.

Residents of the 17 apartments in Westbay Court have their own off street parking but they find it is very difficult to exit or enter their driveway during the forty minutes or so in the mornings and afternoons when parents and carers are using their road as a very congested drop-off and pick-up zone. Frequently Westbay residents find vehicles parking part way across the entrance to the driveway to their private car parking spaces. Their concerns are not merely about their own inconvenience from getting blocked in. They are very concerned about the risks to life and limb of young children walking and crossing Albert Road because for the restricted sight lines for residents as they exit and enter their driveways in their cars.

Residents first contacted me about this in the Spring last year and on a number of occasions I raised this in writing and at meetings with staff in the City Development Department. Despite a number of reminders from me and the residents, so far the residents think that their reasonable requests have been not been taken seriously enough.

I support the residents' view that this is an accident waiting to happen. I urge the Transportation section of the City Development Department to respond positively to the residents' request. At the same time, I urge parents and carers to drive and park safely and considerately in Albert Road because neither they nor the residents of Westbay Court want to be the cause of a road accident with a young pedestrian.

School Alert for Proposed Temporary Closure of Seafield Road Broughty Ferry from Monday 19 October 2015

Earlier this month I alerted readers of my blog to the proposed temporary closure of Seafield Road for the replacement of the gas mains. Work is expected to start on Monday 19 October and last for for eight weeks.

Link to full details of the proposed road Closure

This essential work to renew the gas mains in Seafield Road will begin during the second week of the October school holidays.

Many pupils and their parents may be affected by this 8 week road closure, given the proximity of the road works to three of our Ferry Schools. I have therefore alerted the Head Teachers of Eastern Primary School, Grove Academy and Forthill Primary School. More specifically, I was concerned that the closure of Seafield Road will affect some of their pupils' Safe Routes to School and is likely to disrupt some car journeys to all three of these schools. It will of course unfortunately disrupt the lives of residents of Seafield Road who may well experience temporary access difficulties while their gas main is updated.

Proposed Temporary Closure of Seafield Road for Gas Main Renewal Beginning 19 October 2015 for 8 weeks

 

Dundee City Council propose to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating gas main renewal works.  The Order is expected to be in force for 8 weeks from 19 October 2015.  Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.

The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in Seafield Road from Davidson Street to Fintry Place (Phase 1) and Fintry Place to Balgillo Road (Phase 2).

Only one phase will be closed at any time.

An alternative route will be available via Davidson Street, Cedar Road, Forthill Road and Balgillo Road for northbound traffic, and via Balgillo Road, Forthill Road, Fort Street, Queen Street, Church Street and Seafield Road for southbound traffic.

Please forward any comments you may have regarding this proposal to Mark Cobb, 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 Cobb on 01382 433082.

Public Meeting on Proposed Local Government Boundary Changes in The Ferry TONÍGHT Tuesday 1st September 2015

Tonight, Tuesday 1st September 2015, Broughty Ferry Community Council, will be turning over their entire meeting to consider the proposals from the Boundary Commission for Local Government in Scotland. 

The Commission have proposed to remove West Ferry, west of Victoria Road and Claypotts Road, from 'The Ferry' local government ward.  This is in conjunction with other ward boundary changes in Dundee.

More details about these proposals are contained in my earlier post.

NB This public meeting will be held in The Gym Hall of Eastern Primary School with access from Claypotts Road at the back of the School. Please note, due to other events on at the school, parking in the immediate vicinity of the school will be limited and restricted.

Broughty Ferry Community Council meet on the first Tuesday of every month (except July) in Broughty Ferry Library. 

Eastern Primary School Redevelopment Stalled

Earlier today, Muirfield Construction went into administration. The workforce of the Dundee based building contractors had reportedly been sent home.

This was really bad news for Muirfield's staff and the workforce of their sub-contractors. It is also bad for the city in that Muirfield Construction are the last remaining major building contractor based in Dundee. 

Residents of Whinny Brae didn't take long to notice that the conversion work on the former Eastern Primary School had abruptly stopped mid week. 

Later on Wednesday, the Directors of TOR Homes, the owners of the former school, issued a statement saying;
that,  
"The Directors of TOR Homes remain fully committed to the redevelopment of the former Eastern Primary School, Broughty Ferry despite losing Muirfield Contracts, the main project contractor, following their recent announcement that they will be going into administration."

The company acquired the vacant Eastern Primary School from Dundee City Council and successfully applied for planning permission to convert this A-listed, Edwardian school into Eastern Residences - 27 luxury apartments.

Paul Millan, Director, TOR Homes, said today:

"To lose our main contractor at the outset of this construction project is a major setback. However, we have been working on our vision for two years and remain 100% committed to completing the project."

"On this week's news it would be premature for us to predict future timescales but we will be working hard to replace our main contractor and will make further announcements on the revised building programme in due course.”

Increase in Reserved Places in Ferry Schools for 2014-15

Click on table to enlarge

At the Education Committee on Monday 24 February 2014, the Committee approved proposals from the Director of Education to increase reserved places in eleven schools in Dundee including Grove Academy, Barnhill, Eastern and Forthill Primary Schools in The Ferry.

The table shows that the allocation of reserved places for Barnhill, Eastern and Forthill Primary Schools for school year 2014-15 will be five places at P1 and one place in each year group P2-7. The allocation of reserved places for Grove Academy will be four places at S1 and two at S2.

Reserved places are defined as those which are reasonably required to accommodate pupils likely to become resident in the catchment area of the school in the school year to which the placing request relates.

This allocation of reserved places for Ferry schools will help to ensure that while parental choice is maintained wherever possible, that will not unduly restrict parents moving into the catchment area of a school from sending their child or children to their local primary or secondary school.


The following points should be noted concerning the deployment of reserved places:

• Reserved places are only created where space permits. Where sufficient Priority 1 pupils enrol to fill a class a reserved place cannot be created;
• No Priority 1 pupil will be refused a place while a reserved place exists and 
• When all reserved places have been used for Priority 1 pupils moving into the catchment area no more places can be granted. If a pupil then leaves the school roll that place will again be reserved for Priority 1 pupils moving into the catchment area and will be allocated to such pupils as required.

Link to the full paper presented to and approved by the Education Committee on Monday 24 February 2014 to read and/or download.

Eastern Primary School Nursery Receives Good Report from Care Inspectorate

In November 2013, the Nursery at Eastern Primary School was visited by the Care Inspectorate. Last week the report on their inspection was published.

Given the short interval between the previous inspection in February 2013 and the latest one, just nine months later in November, I think the nursery staff are to be congratulated on the very positive progress that is acknowledged in the new report:

"What the service does well:
Children were cared for in a well organised and resourced environment, providing them with many learning opportunities. Staff were working well as a team to make improvements within the nursery, as a result this was improving outcomes for the children attending."

The Inspection Grades awarded were as follows:

• Quality of Care and Support - Grade 4 - Good
• Quality of Environment - Grade 4 - Good
• Quality of Staffing - Grade 4 - Good
• Quality of Management and Leadership - Grade 4 - Good

Feedback from parents and carers to the Inspector was very positive about the nursery staff and the standard of care they showed in practice and the learning and development of the children that was being fostered.

Read or download inspection reports on the Eastern Primary School Nursery 

Eastern Primary School: The Big Art Project Film

Back in 2011 Eastern Primary School was preparing to move from Whinny Brae to the former Grove Academy building on Camperdown Street. While the new premises offered more accommodation for the school, after nearly 100 years, there was considerable fondness amongst parents and carers and former pupils for the old school and its distinctive Victorian building. 

While their 'new' school building was being converted and upgraded, a Community Art Project involved the children and staff in designing a public art work that would encapsulate the history of the school and its significant move. The pupils' designs were incorporated in the intricate shapes for the new school gate which can now be seen on Church Street.

Ferry film maker Duncan Nicoll sensitively captured this process on video and produced a thirty minute documentary. While this has been previously shown to pupils, parents and carers at the school, it has now been uploaded to YouTube so that a wider audience can share the experience of the school preparing for the move and designing the 'gate'.

Link Eastern Primary School: The Big Art Project Film

Christmas Poster Competition Winners 2013 from our three Broughty Ferry Primary Schools

Click on poster to enlarge

Broughty Ferry Traders' Association have just announced the winners of their Christmas Poster Competition for 2013. 

• Lawry Angus from P7A at Barnhill Primary School, 
• Rosie Nicoll P5 from Eastern Primary School and 
• Sophie Merchant P2B from Forthill Primary School

will all collect their prizes from the stage at the Christmas Light Night in The Ferry on Thursday evening. 

Didn't they do well?

Eastern, Grove and Forthill 20 mph Warning Lights Not Turning Off to be Sorted

The timers that control the 20 mph warning lights that flash to warn road users to slow down in the vicinity of Eastern and Forthill Primary Schools and Grove Academy have been not working properly. 

These warning signs are designed to establish 20 mph traffic calming at critical periods for child safety around the beginning and end of the school day without disrupting traffic at other times.

My picture shows the set of warning lights in Claypotts Road, close to Eastern Primary School and Grove Academy. They were still flashing at 09:15pm last night. There are also similar problems with the lights at Forthill Primary School.

Clearly this set of lights has not turned off after the pupils have left in the afternoon. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of such signage is diluted when they operate at the wrong times.

In response to my writing to the Transportation Department of the Council I have received the following response from the Street Lighting Partnership:

"The project to convert the signs so that they can be controlled from a central point and so we can harmonise with term times  has hit a few technical problems which has resulted in some signs operating 24hrs.  Work is continuing to get the remaining signs which are not working correctly, on line."  

I have been reassured that these unfortunate technical issues should have been resolved by the end of next week.

Redundant Road Sign Reported for Removal

A constituent complained to me that it was time the "School" traffic warning sign on Camphill Road at the corner of Dick Street was removed. 

The School to which this referred was Eastern Primary School on Whinny Brae and the school moved to the refurbished 'old' Grove Academy buildings on Camperdown Street just over two years ago.

I have asked the Transportation Department to arrange for the removal of this sign which is unnecessarily cluttering this corner of Camphill Road.

Centenary of Opening of Eastern Primary School

The former building of
Eastern Primary School on Whinny Brae

Eastern Primary School has been in the news recently. 

On Monday 19 August 2013, the Council's City Development Committee approved the sale of the Whinny Brae school buildings and site to a developer (identity not yet disclosed) for conversion into housing. 

In August 2011 it moved from it's original building on Whinny Brae to its new location at the refurbished former Grove Academy buildings on Camperdown Street. The formal opening of the 'new' building took place in March 2012. 

But a hundred years ago today, on Saturday 29 August 1913, Broughty Ferry School Board, arranged the 'Formal Opening of Eastern School' by George Andrew, Esq, from her Majesty's

Click on image to enlarge

Inspectors of Schools.  According to the programme, the opening ceremony includedp, speeches, musical recitals of works by Chopin and Elgar and an elaborate vote of thanks by five separate individuals, led by Provost Lindsay from the Broughty Ferry Burgh Council.
  I notice that the School opened to pupils on Monday 1st September immediately after the opening on the Saturday. According to the first entry in School's log book, 'Work was started with an enrolment of 834 children and a staff of Robert Cameron, Headmaster' and twenty other teachers and instructors who were all listed by name. Excluding the Headmaster and three specialist teachers, some of the infant classes must have been huge by today's standards with as many as 50 pupils.

Click on image to enlarge

Perhaps the anticipated end of the Broughty Ferry Burgh Council in November 1913 may have encouraged the School Board to bring forward their opening ceremony, rather than wait a few months until the school was in session and comfortably settled in. 

On Monday 8 September, a week after the opening day for pupils, the Headmaster wrote in the logbook, 'The organisation is gradually coming into shape.'  His next entry on 15 September records that, 'Mrs Kidd (the Domestic Science Teacher) is absent to-day with a sore foot.'

On 7 October , the Headmaster records, 'The Autumn Holiday was observed yesterday'. We may infer from these log book entries that in 1913 the Autumn term started in early September and the Autumn holiday was a single day rather than a fortnight.

While the pattern of holidays, the pupil teacher ratio and the body responsible for organising schooling has changed over the last hundred years, interestingly one constant is the office of Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools which still has a vital role in the external quality assurance of our schools.

To find out more about life at Eastern Primary School in 2013, visit their website:  Eastern Primary School

Eastern Primary School Parent Council AGM

On Tuesday evening, the Annual General Meeting of Eastern Primary School took place in the staff room of the school. A group of well motivated and interested parents and carers with children across the school gathered to find out more about the potential work of the Parent Council and to join in where they could.

Claire Leslie was elected as Chairperson. Claire replaced Elaine Smith, the Chairperson for the last two years, who was no longer eligible to remain a member of the Parent Council as her son had moved up to Grove. After a discussion about the responsibilities of the Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Minutes Secretary and Treasurer, volunteers were forthcoming.

In her report, Head Teacher, Gillian Knox confirmed that all the new Primary One children were settling in well and the school was full staffed. She also reported on a number of organisational changes such as the relocation of the resource base and staff room to more central locations within the school thereby freeing up more space for alternative school uses. She also responded to a number of questions from new parents about school photographs, Performance Indicators in Primary Schools (PIPS) assessments, science in the curriculum, and the potential for developing a school exchange.

The Parent Council also agreed to develop a link with Broughty Ferry in Bloom.

 

Settlement of Damaging Dispute with Staff who Were Reliant on Using Their Cars for Work

Last night the Council reversed another decision which also had caused inconvenience and disruption to valued public services. As part of their budget proposals in February 2013, the SNP administration included a cut in the 'Casual Car User Allowance' for all staff from 45p a mile to 25p a mile.

At the time, Labour Councillors warned the Council of unilaterally abandoning what was part of staff terms and conditions of work. 

Not surprisingly, many staff affected were unhappy that the reduced mileage rate hardly covered the cost of their petrol. Once it was implemented, the Council also found that many of our staff really needed their cars to do their job efficiently. How could these staff be deemed to be 'casual car users', when they needed to use a car every working day. For example, schools no longer have a single janitor to themselves but operate in clusters. In the Grove cluster, one Facilities Coordinator opens up all three Primary Schools. To get round quickly in the morning to open our schools, it's not practical to use public transport or walk between, Eastern, Forthill and Barnhill primary schools. 

When negotiations broke down, the Janitors, amongst other staff, worked to rule in protest. Not surprisingly breakfast clubs opened late because the Breakfast Club staff couldn't get in to their school until the Facilities Coordinator arrived using transport other than their own cars. The dispute was not helped when it was revealed that teachers in the schools were not subject to the same mileage rate cut as other Council staff. Care workers, delivering care services to vulnerable people in their homes were also affected and some clients apparently found that the time care workers could spend in their homes was squeezed by their care worker spending more time travelling between clients because they were not using their own cars.

Those members of the public who were inconvenienced by this ill conceived policy change will be glad that normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. Staff who really need their cars to do their jobs effectively will be relived that the Council has seen sense and recognised their across the board cut in the mileage rate was unfair and counter productive.

New Website for Eastern Primary School

Eastern Primary School have recently relaunced and updated their website.
Click on this link

 

 

 

 

New Website for Eastern Primary School

Eastern Primary School have updated their website.You can find them by clicking on this link.

Road Safety Improvements in Claypotts Road Outside Grove Academy

The new bus stop for Grove Academy
Click on image to enlarge

Claypotts Road reopened last Friday after a period of closure for road works. 

The road works comprised a complete resurfacing of Claypotts Road from the junction with Ferndale Drive, past the main front entrance of Grove Academy right down to the junction with Queen Street and West Queen Street at the Occidental traffic lights. 

In addition, a number of road safety measures have been introduced including:

• Moving the bus stops from a position close to the main entrance to Grove and its vehicular entrance to new positions close to the pedestrian only entrance further down Claypotts Road;
• Introduction of a traffic island in Claypotts Road close to the new bus stops to prevent vehicles overtaking the buses dropping off and picking up passengers and
• Revised and redrawn traffic restrictions including yellow lines.

The Grove Academy and Eastern Primary School Parent Councils, the Broughty Ferry Community Council were all consulted about these proposals as were the four Councillors for Broughty Ferry.

When I had a site visit before the road re-opened, I voiced some concerns to Traffic Engineers that the new traffic island, which seemed to have been erected in the wrong location. I was concerned that it was located adjacent to the kerbside fence outside the pedestrian access to Grove Academy.  The Traffic Engineers confirmed that this traffic island was being constructed in the location they had planned. It was positioned to stop overtaking of stationery buses (see picture above) but not positioned to facilitate pedestrians crossing at that point.

I first raised concerns about the traffic arrangements in Claypotts Road in 2009 before the opening of New Grove Academy. 

I trust that these new arrangements will be used appropriately by drivers, cyclists and pedestrians and thereby contribute to enhanced road safety in the vicinity of Grove Academy and Eastern Primary School.

New Stretch of One Way Traffic Restriction in Seafield Road Broughty Ferry

New Section of One Way Traffic in Seafield Road

Earlier this week Broughty Ferry's latest stretch of one way street was introduced on the southern end of Seafield Road between Grove Academy and Davidson Street. This narrow section of Seafield Road now only permits traffic driving north.

Traffic driving south down Seafield Road from Balgillo Road will find that at the cross roads with Davidson Street their path direct ahead is now "No Entry" and they need to turn right or left down Davidson Street.

Temporarily, there is also no turn available along Davidson Street heading west as this leads to Claypotts Road which is currently closed for complete resurfacing work.

As my photograph taken at twilight shows, the new short section of one way traffic begins by the back entrance to Grove Academy.

This traffic change came from recommendations made by a short life working group. This was formed to address concerns about pupil safety in anticipation of the move of Eastern Primary School to the refurbished old Grove building next door to the new Grove Academy. Chaired by the Chief Executive David Dorward, this group involved Head Teachers and members of the Parent Councils of Grove Academy and Eastern Primary Schools, senior members of staff from the Council's Education and Transportation Departments and Tayside Police and Ferry Councillors.

It is hoped that this measure will divert traffic towards the front entrance of the school on Claypotts Road and reduce the number of vehicles exiting Church Street onto Queen Street. The one way was deliberately introduced during the summer vacation so that residents could get used to this before the school runs resume on Tuesday 12 August.

Care Inspectorate Report on Eastern Primary School Nursery

I was concerned to read the latest inspection report from the Care Inspectorate about the Nursery at Eastern Primary School. 


Link - Care Inspectorate Report - Eastern Primary School 14 February 2013

It found that on seven out of eight measures the nursery was graded 'adequate' and was awarded just one 'good' grade. 

I don't think 'adequate' is acceptable.

The report identifies a number of areas for improvement to ensure that the Nursery provides the best possible experience for children and families.

'In particular, it should make sure that:

• children and parents have more opportunities to participate in assessing and improving the quality of the service;
• the systems for assessment, planning and recording children's progress are properly implemented;
• communication and team working amongst the staff team is improved;
• an action plan is put in place to address key priorities for improvement in the nursery.'

To restore confidence in the quality of the nursery education, I think it is crucial that parents and carers are reassured that the action plan referred to in the report is in place and that the issues identified in the report are being addressed. As the report is based on an inspection which took place in February, I trust that the Education Department, The Head Teacher of Eastern Primary School and the Nursery staff have already been tackling this agenda, especially that 'communication and team working amongst the staff team is improved;'

Postscript
A follow up inspection was conducted in November 2013 and reported in early February 2014. This is a much more positive report indicating that the shortcomings reported in May 2013 had been well addressed in the interim and the Nursery was performing at a "Good" level on all measures.

Building Work Approved for Eastern and Forthill Primary Schools

At the City Development Committee last night, the Council agreed to funding for two tenders for building work at schools in The Ferry:

Eastern Primary School, a sum of £68,634.90 for "Gym Hall Heating Refurbishment" by Environment Department (Construction Services)

I think pupils and teachers, as well as out of school users of the Games Hall, will appreciate heaters that work effectively.







Forthill Primary School, a sum of £161,299.00 for "Out of School Modular Unit" - Supply of Modular Unit by Elite Systems

This will provide larger premises for the children using the Forthill Out of School Care Club which was recently rated by the Care Inspectporate with Excellent grades for each category of their inspection.