Welcome from Residents in Falkland Crescent for Driveway Improvements and Adoption

Over forty years after a row of fourteen houses were built by Bett Brothers in Falkland Crescent, the successor company, and the Dundee City Council have sorted out an issue that should have been resolved when the houses were first purchased. The section of residents’ driveways that runs between their private gardens and the edge of the road, a distance of four or five metres across a grassy verge, has been resurfaced prior to adoption by the City Council.

Resident, Bob Wilson, who first took up this issue, said:"I am very pleased that my driveway has been brought up to standard by Bett Homes so that it can now be adopted by the Council. I want to thank Senior Highways Engineer, Mike Giblin; Councillor Laurie Bidwell  and of course Bett Homes for working together to sort out this issue for me and the other residents who were in the same predicament. I am delighted with my upgraded driveway.'

I am pleased to have been able to support Bob Wilson's efforts to have this issue resolved. Bett Homes deserve recognition for their extraordinary customer service in remedying an issue from so many years ago. But the real thanks should go to Bob for taking up this issue in the first place, sticking with it over a number of years and recognising that the legal discrepancy that affected him and his driveway applied to his neighbours in the same street.

Shortage of School Crossing Patrollers for our Pupils at Barnhill Primary School

There is currently a shortage of School Crossing Patrollers for pupils attending Barnhill Primary School. 

I was particularly concerned to hear on Thursday that the crossing point for children over Balgillo Road close to the junction with Falkland Crescent is currently unstaffed.  This is compounded by road safety issues in Falkland Crescent caused by house building opposite the front entrance to the school.

Balgillo Road is a very busy spine road and a bus route. Unfortunately it seems many drivers ignore the 30 mph speed limit. I would appeal to all road users to take extra care in the vicinity of Barnhill Primary School especially during this time when some crossing points are not staffed. I was reassured that all parents and carers have received a letter to warn them about the absence of a Patroller at this particular crossing point.

Barnhill Primary School has a good record of children walking or cycling to school. We don't want to undermine that because of a shortage of Lollipop men and women. I have been informed that interviews are already scheduled for the coming week with a view to making further appointments of Lollipop men and women. Let's hope that these gaps in service can be covered soon.

Finally, I written to the Education Department to ask again about progress with my previous proposal to explore combining the role of School Crossing Patroller with other paid duties in and around our schools to make this a more attractive part time job.

Call for Building Work at Barnhill Primary School to be Complete Before Pupils Return Next Week

Click on image to enlarge

When I visited Barnhill Primary School on Monday evening, building work by the Council appeared to be seriously behind schedule for the new term beginning next Tuesday. 

Over the six week summer holiday, the temporary classroom that houses the Nursery Class was supposed to have been moved from its site close to the front entrance to a new location at the other side of the school. When I visited on Monday evening, I had expected to see the job done or merely the finishing touches to be completed. Unfortunately the site preparation for the relocated hut was still being undertaken and the Nursery Hut hadn't budged from its original location. The school looked like a building site with the playground on the Abercromby Street side of the school fenced off - see photograph.

Apart from the temporary classroom being moved to its new location, services will need to be connected, there are access ramps to fit, external play equipment to be moved, secured and fenced off all before the Care Inspectorate are called in to inspect and approve the relocated nursery unit."

I contacted the Director of Education to pass on my observations and seeking a reassurance that the re-located Nursery will be ready to welcome its young pupils next week and the school site ready for its staff and pupils.

On Tuesday morning, I was relieved to hear from the Director that the Nursery Unit move had been rescheduled. It will now be moved to its new location during the October holiday. It still looks like it will be a challenge to get the playgrounds and the external areas around the school tidied up before the beginning of term.

When members of the Parent Council were briefed about the extension of their School earlier this year, they were assured that the work would be carefully scheduled and monitored to ensure that disruption to the teaching and learning would be minimised. This does not appear to be the start that they were promised.