Overhanging Shrubs Reported on Path Between Beach Lane and Grassy Beach

Earlier in the week, a constituent contacted me to complain about the overgrown hedges and overhanging shrubs on the path connecting Beach Lane and Grassy Beach in The Ferry.

When I walked this stretch of pathway on Wednesday afternoon, I took some photos. Subsequently, I contacted staff in the Environment Department to ask that these shrubs and the hedging are cut back. 

On Thursday morning I received a positive reply to let me know that the cutting back would be scheduled in next week.

Environmental Improvements at Reres Hill

View towards Tentsmuir Forest and Tayport

Bracken cleared on approach to the summit

Bracken cleared from summit area

Recently staff from the Environment Department (formerly the Parks Department) have undertaken some cutting back of areas of overgrown bracken and brambles at Reres Hill. 

Improvements are most noticeable where paths to the summit are once again clear. With access to the summit, the viewpoint towards Tentsmuir Forest and Tayport is restored. 

Enjoy!

Bonnie Dundee City Centre Walk Tuesday 28 July 2pm and 6pm - Free Event

On Tuesday 28 July staff from City Council's Environment Department will be leading two city centre walks.

Participants will be able to find out about the work of ‘Bonnie Dundee’, a volunteer group working with the City Council to brighten our City of Discovery. They will also be able to see and hear how Dundee has become the FIRST Urban Orchard City and much more information with time for questions.

Meet at Henderson’s the Jewellers at the top of  Union Street opposite the City Churches.

The one hour walks will begin at 2pm and 6pm. 

There is no charge for these events.

Sort Out Concerns About New Recycling Services at 5 Drop-Ins 16-20 March 2015

A significant number of constituents have been contacting me over the last few weeks about the introduction of the new recycling services in The Ferry.

Whether your new bins have arrived or not, whether you want them or not, whether alternative communal bins are right for your close or group of properties or block of flats, whatever your query or concern:

There are five opportunities to meet members of the Environment Department this week in Broughty Ferry Library as follows:

Monday 16th March 10am - 12pm
Monday 16th March 5pm - 7pm
Wednesday 18th March 12pm - 2pm
Friday 20th March 10am - 12pm
Friday 20th March 5pm - 7pm
all at Broughty Ferry Library Queen Street,
Broughty Ferry Dundee DD5 2HN

Of course, if you or your neighbours have remaining issues that can't be resolved directly with the Environment Department, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Five Drop-In Roadshows to Sort Out Broughty Bin Queries in Week Beginning Monday 16 March 2015

Over half of the homes in Broughty Ferry will be shifted over to a new pattern of recycling and waste collections before the end of the month. Each household in the first phase of the new scheme should have already received an introductory letter about the changes and how it might affect them. 

This will involve new collections of household food waste in sealed containers and a change to additional bin collections and recycling containers. For those households that can't accommodate the new 'bins' there will be an offer of shared communal euro-bins and improved local recycling centres.

Roughly speaking it is the Eastern half of The Ferry which is in phase one. Click on this link to see map showing which parts of Broughty Ferry will start their new recycling services later this month.

If you or your neighbours have further concerns and queries, you can take advantage of the five drop-in sessions in week beginning 16 March that have been arranged at Broughty Ferry Library:

• Monday 16th March 10am - 12pm
• Monday 16th March 5pm - 7pm 
• Wednesday 18th March 12pm - 2pm 
• Friday 20th March 10am - 12pm
• Friday 20th March 5pm - 7pm 

all at Broughty Ferry Library Queen Street, Broughty Ferry Dundee DD5 2HN

Of course, if you or your neighbours have remaining issues that can't be resolved directly with the Environment Department, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Consultation Meeting on New Bins in Barnhill

Last night North Barnhill Tenants' and Residents' Association hosted a consultation meeting about the introduction of changes to bin collections in their area.

The meeting, held at Barnhill Primary School, was well attended by residents who wanted to find out more about which new recycling collections were to be introduced in week beginning 23rd March. Additionally, they wanted clarification about which new recycling bins might be available for their homes or communal areas for flatted accommodation.

The meeting was addressed by a member of staff from the Environment Department. While most questions were clearly answered, it was evident that not all residents were convinced that they could cope with the storeage of the extra household bins. 

There are also remaining uncertainties about how the detailed arrangements can be sorted out over the next two weeks before the extra recycling bins are distributed on our streets.

In addition to Abercromby Street, Aberlour Place and Abernethy Road, most of Broughty Ferry is also in phase one of the new recycling collections. But houses west of Church Street, Forthill Road, Balgillo Road East and Linlathen Drive are excluded from the first phase rollout. Ferry folk, not in the first phase may be relieved that they are not going to be the guinea pigs.

More details of the changes which are to be introduced, are available at:

http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/recyclefordundee

Update on Changes to Bin Collections and Recycling in Broughty Ferry

Manufacturer's illustration of
1280 litre communal bins ordered
by the Environment Department

At the Environment Committee last night, the Committee approved the purchase of additional communal recycling bins for householders in Broughty Ferry and the West End at a cost of £106,940. 

Both areas of the city are in the planned first phase of the new fortnightly general waste black bin collections along with more collections of waste for recycling. These new collections are planned to begin in March of this year.

Along with two other opposition Councillors, I used the opportunity to quiz the Convener of this Committee, Councillor Craig Melville about progress with the promised consultation with community organisations and with householders prior to the switch to the new services. 

These consultations were meant to ensure that residents are given a choice about which of the new recycling containers they can accommodate. In addition, in flatted accommodation, householders as groups are meant to be able to choose the most acceptable communal recycling and waste bins for their close or block. 

I also asked the Convener whether there had been any progress with making up one calendar for all the Domestic Bin / Recycling Container Collections. I wanted to avoid householders having to check four or five calendars from the Council to work out which bin to put out each day. I reminded the Convener that I had raised this issue at a previous meeting. He assured the meeting that work was ongoing on this and this should be ready for the changes in Broughty Ferry.

With only eight weeks to go before these changes apparently are being introduced, I was not entirely satisfied by the Convener's assurances that the consultations are as thorough as promised and that it will all be fine when the fortnightly kerbside general waste collections along with more recycling collections are introduced in The Ferry.

Any residents who would like to be consulted about the new collections and which of the new recycling containers they can accommodate should contact the Environment Department via Dundee (01382) 433710

Clean Sweep Along Coastal Path

Earlier this week, staff from Dundee's Environment Department deployed one of their smaller mechanical sweepers on the coastal pathway between the Stannergate and Douglas Terrace. This has cleared up accumulated debris on both sides of the path. 

I am sure regular users of the path, including dog walkers and cyclists, will notice the difference.

Well done to the Environment Department to whom I had made a request. I have also suggested that this stretch of pathway is regularly scheduled for a clean sweep, perhaps once every one or two months.

Hedge in Claypotts Road Being Misused as a Rubbish Bin

On Saturday lunchtime I was walking home having purchased a paper from the Coop in Claypotts Road.  This stretch of private garden ground seems to be used as an unofficial rubbish bin. 

I am sure the residents in Deepdale Place could do without this at the bottom of their garden. For those of us that walk along the street it's an unsightly mess. 

Cleaning up litter throughout Scotland costs close to £100 million every year. In Dundee that works out at £3-4 million per year. It's money I think most folk would prefer the Council to spend on schools and care for the elderly.

I have written to the helpful folk in the Environment Department to ask them to clean up this area and also requested more patrols to catch and to impose on the spot fines for those that are littering in this street. I have also written to Graham Hutton, the Head Teacher of Grove Academy, to ask that he reminds his pupils  to deposit their litter in the bins provided or to take it home.

Was Bob Servant correct? Should dogs be banned from Dawson Park?

On Saturday I received this letter in an email from a constituent. He is part of the Ferry Athletic Youth Football Club whose young players play regularly on the pitches at Dawson Park. The letter is self explanatory. 

In response the same day, I contacted the Animal Control Team to ask them to police this area much more rigorously. I have also asked the Environment Department to clean up this area. I am also appealing to all dog owners to be responsible and pick up their dog's excrement by using the free bags available from the Library and depositing these in the dog bins available in this park.

Dear Sir,

Was Bob Servant correct?

Should all dogs be banned from Dawson Park?

I agree, this is an unreasonable suggestion. However something has to be done.

As one involved in youth and adult sports groups that use Dawson Park on a regular basis I am absolutely disgusted at the amount of dog excrement left by irresponsible dog owners.

Today one of our coaches collected 9 bags of this vile excrement from the area towards the east of the park near the cricket pitch. We regularly remind our coaches and players to collect any rubbish at the end of training sessions and games.  A plastic juice bottle left behind might not degrade through time and look unsightly. But it doesn’t carry dangerous toxins or leave your shoes, car mat, carpet or child’s clothing smelling vile. With all the publicity recently with the Commonwealth Games coming to Glasgow and the promotion of activities to keep children active this situation is simply unacceptable.  They would be safer at home playing on a games console!

We pay a substantial amount of money to Dundee City Council each year to use these facilities and every week without fail we have to spend time collecting dog mess. If any driver on Arbroath Road passing by notices marker cones in random positions around the park, they are the ones covering up dog waste.

There are several dog waste bins at each entrance to the park and I thank responsible dog owners for cleaning up their animal’s mess. Of course it is the minority of irresponsible owners who are giving all dog walkers a bad name.

I look forward to Dundee City Council proposing a solution to this unhygienic and unsightly mess.

Regards,

Finbarr McCarthy

Ferry Athletic Youth Football Club

Speedy Response by Environment Department to Issues at Neglected Open Space on Douglas Terrace

On Monday night I raised an issue at the Environment Committee about the state of the rather neglected open space at the corner of the junction between the coastal pathway and Douglas Terrace. On Friday afternoon (yesterday) a team of Environment Department staff were out rectifying some of the issues I had raised.

The issues at this triangular area of public open space arose chiefly because the area close to the road had been used as a construction compound where plant and equipment had been stored, while recent construction work on the beach and the coastal pathway had been undertaken.

It looks as though the damage caused to the surface, particularly the deep ruts from heavy vehicles have been flattened.

I will look by again next week when the work has been completed - so far so good.

Overhanging Shrubs on Coastal Pathway in Broughty Ferry

Walkers on the coastal pathway have complained to me about the gorse bushes which are overhanging the path midway between the Stannergate and Grassy Beach. 

The overgrown gorse has effectively narrowed the available pathway for walking or cycling just on the brow of the hill.

I have asked the Environment Department to trim the gorse back to restore the full width of the coastal pathway as part of their autumn maintenance.

Report to the October Meeting of the Broughty Ferry Community Council

Changes to Licensing Hours 
As fellow Community Councillors know, I have encouraged the Community Council to respond to the parallel consultations held over the summer into proposals to extend licensing hours for the sale of alcohol in pubs and clubs and the sale of takeaway food.

On Monday 16 September the Licensing Board (I am not a member of the Licensing Board) approved longer and later weekend licensing hours for the ‘on’ sales of alcohol. In the Licensing Committee (of which I am a member) later that morning, the Committee agreed to revised opening hours for hot food takeaways in the City Centre. This committee agreed however to defer a decision on opening hours outside the city centre. This will be reconsidered at the Licensing Committee on Thursday 3 October. Under the Councillor’s Code of Conduct, I will not be making up my mind about how to respond to this issue until I have heard and read all the evidence submitted at the Licensing Committee meeting.

Road Safety at Barnhill Primary School
Following the long term absence of the Barnhill PS Crossing Patroller who is stationed at the junction of Falkland Crescent with Balgillo Road parents were concerned to find that there was no cover from the Council nor Police Scotland. This also applied to year long lack of a Patroller at the junction of Wyvis Road and Balgillo Road. Council officers have agreed to priorititise two appointments for Barnhill following the recent selection interviews. The Director of Transportation is also investigating putting up Slow Children crossing signs on Balgillo Road because to the speed of the traffic.

Eastern Primary School Parking & Pupil Safety Issues
I followed up the issues raised at the last meeting by Vice Chair, Stan Nutt, about parking and pupil safety issues around Eastern Primary School in the vicinity of the main entance to the school and shared vehicular access driveway to Stan and his neigbours’ homes. The Head Teacher is having a meeting with Neil Gellatly to try to resolve some of these related issues. One of the practical issues affecting the management of the school is the necessity for the head teacher to attend meetings in other locations in the city and yet currently does not have a reserved place close to the school when she returns.

Scottish Water – Replacement Sewer Junction
The replacement of the leaking concrete sewer junction partly buried under the beach was nudged forward by the City Development Committee. At out meeting ten days ago the Council approved Scottish Water’s application to dig up the sea bed at the location close to Douglas Terrace.

Advertising in a Conservation Area
As a supplement to the updating the Conservation Area Plan for central Broughty Ferry (and other Conservation areas), the planning department are developing a policy which would provide a greater measure of control over advertising on buildings in the Conservation Area.

Bins
Following my request, on behalf of the Ferryfields Residents Association, additional dog poo bins have been installed in and around the Ferryfields estate.

The Environment Department have agreed to provide a larger capacity rubbish bin on Grassy Beach close to the Royal Tay Yacht Club premises as the current smaller bin is often overflowing.

Vandalism in Barnhill and Brook Street
After a relatively quieter time on the vandalism front, it would appear that there is another spate of such incidents following a series of graffiti tags in Barnhill late last Thursday night and in the early hours of Friday morning.

On Monday of this week, I reported the vandalised cycle rack outside Greggs on Brook Street. When I reported this to the Police, I asked that they refer to recorded CCTV footage to try to identify the culprits over the weekend. Council Officers I contacted have confirmed they will arrange for the removal of the broken cycle rack and then subsequently a replacement that matches the remainder of the street furniture. 

Broughty Ferry Community Council meets on the first Tuesday of every month (excluding August) in the Community Library, Queen Street, Broughty Ferry Dundee DD5 2HN. Community Council meetings begin at 7pm and are open to the public.

Overfull Rubbish Bin Reported

While out on my dog walk, I have noticed that this rubbish bin at Grassy Beach is stuffed full. 

I have reported it to the Environment Department. I have also reminded them that I previously requested a larger bin for this location. It's a busy spot on the green circular and coastal pathway close to the sailing and yacht club premises.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Job Done! Replacement Sign Post for Grassy Beach

Council staff in the Transportation and Environment Departments are to be commended for a speedy replacement of the rusted and leaning sign pole beside the coastal pathway at Grassy Beach.

The new pole with the warning signs and the Dog Poo Bin attached is pictured.

Baldovie and Riverside Recycling Centres Back to Normal on Monday

On Monday morning 26 August 2013, Baldovie and Riverside Recycling Centres will be 'back to normal' accepting all kinds of waste for recycling. This follows a climb down by the SNP administration of the City Council who eventually bowed to public pressure on Monday past and reversed an unpopular and impractical decision.

In February the SNP administration reorganised the three major recycling centres at Riverside, Marchbanks and Baldovie as part of their budget cuts. Marchbanks was closed completely and garden waste was only to be accepted at the Riverside recycling depot and general waste was only to be accepted at Baldovie. This meant that many householders in The Ferry found they had a much longer drive to a recycling depot involving a cross city drive to Riverside Drive if dumping garden waste. Worse still was the prospect of having very lengthy round trips to deposit say garden waste at Riverside and then certain items of general waste at Baldovie. For householders this was an expensive and inconvenient decision and to be construed as "green", as the Council claimed, stretched credibility.

I was pleased to support the proposed change of heart on Monday night. I know many residents in Broughty Ferry will be relieved they can revert to depositing all their recycling, including garden waste, at Baldovie.

But what is convenient for constituents in The Ferry and folk in the West End does not address the issue of the complete closure of the Marchbanks Recycling Centre for those that live closer to that site. I am pleased that, after further pressure from opposition Councillors, a review of this decision is also to be undertaken.

Overhanging Shrubs Obstructing Pavement in Nursery Road

Residents living in the sheltered housing in Forthill Drive complained earlier this week about the shrubs overhanging the Nursery Road pavements which many of them walk along on their way to the shops at Campfield Square. Since the residents' meeting on Monday, I have been out with my camera and sent a photograph to staff at the Environment Department.

It is clearly a seasonal issue as screening shrubs put on growth which extends over boundary walls and fences. On the north side of Nursery Road, I have noticed that many of the properties with overhanging shrubs have their entrances on Morlich Gardens and Lochalsh Street that run in parallel with Nursery Road. In these circumstances the householders may easily miss noticing that their shrubs are obstructing the pavement beyond the boundaries of the properties.

I have reported this to the Environment Department and asked them to contact the householders concerned to ask them to cut back the offending shrubs.

Barnhill Rock Garden Wins Prestigious Green Flag Award Again

Earlier this week Barnhill Rock Garden was awarded one of the prestigious 2013 Green Flag Award from Keep Scotland Beautiful. It was one of four parks in Dundee to receive this award.

On Monday, I had rather bemoaned the fact that Broughty Ferry had apparently missed out on an award. This conclusion was on the basis of an error in the Press Release distributed by Keep Scotland Beautiful that had referred erroneously to Baxter Rock Garden and Baxter Park.

This award for our Rock Garden is in no small part a recognition of the sterling work of the Friends of Barnhill Rock Garden in partnership with staff from the Environment Department of Dundee City Council.

Parks are assessed by volunteer judges who usually have a background in parks management, conservation or ecology. They judge against eight criteria testing whether the park or green space is:

• welcoming;
• healthy,
• safe and secure;
• clean and well-maintained;
• sustainable;
• manages conservation and heritage;
• has community involvement;
• markets itself, and
• has good management.

Barnhill Rock Garden was first Awarded a Green Flag Award in 2007.

Barnhill Rock Garden is a public park extending to more than two hectares, owned and maintained by Dundee City Council with significant support from the Friends of the Barnhill Rock Garden. It is situated on part of a former nine-hole golf course which was laid out when the Dundee to Aberdeen railway line was built. It is on the Visit Scotland tourist trail and is open to the public at all times.

 

Four Dundee Parks Receive Prestigious Green Flag Awards 2013

Four parks in Dundee – Baxter Rock Garden, Baxter Park, Templeton Woods and Trottick – will fly the prestigious Green Flag this year.

The Green Flag Award is the benchmark for a quality green space. They are administered in Scotland by Keep Scotland Beautiful, the independent environmental charity.

Parks are assessed by volunteer judges who usually have a background in parks management, conservation or ecology. They judge against eight criteria testing whether the park or green space is: welcoming; healthy, safe and secure; clean and well-maintained; sustainable; manages conservation and heritage; has community involvement; markets itself, and has good management.

This is great news with four of our city parks rightly being awarded for their quality and for what they give their communities. We should be proud of our park managers, their staff and particularly the local volunteers who work all year round in rain or shine to make these parks beautifulI.

While these awards are admirable, I do wonder why none of the parks in Broughty Ferry were apparently not worthy of an award?

CORRECTION
Subsequently, I have been informed about an error in the Press Release from Keep Scotland Beautiful. 'Baxter Rock Garden', should have read 'Barnhill Rock Garden'. I have written more about this in a subsequent posting.

Dundee Road West Road Traffic Sign Concealed by Shrubs and Trees

Unsuspecting drivers approaching The Ferry driving along Dundee Road West will find that it is easy to miss the road sign warning of the 'hidden accesses' just over the rise in the road ahead.

As you can see its well concealed behind overgrown shrubs and trees. 

I have contacted the Environment and Transportation Department to draw attention to this and to request some early pruning by the householder or the Council.