Councillor Laurie Bidwell Launching New Pattern of Surgeries for the Coming Year

The Dates and times of my Surgeries for Consituents with effect from Monday 12 August 2013 are as follows:

Forthill Sheltered Housing Complex
(discontinued from August 2015)
3a Forthill Drive
Tuesdays
3.15pm - 3.45pm
(except school holidays)

Barnhill Community Centre
(discontinued from August 2015)
Campfield Square
Tuesdays
5.00pm - 5.20pm
(except school holidays)


Broughty Ferry Library
Queen Street
Tuesdays
5.30pm - 6.00pm (except school holidays)

Or Request a Home Visit
Telephone
Council Office 01382 434110 Home 01382 738566
Email laurie.bidwell@dundeecity.gov.uk
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/councillorlauriebidwell

Well Attended AGM of Forthill Tenants' Group

Iain Flett City Archivist delivering his talk

Yesterday afternoon Forthill Tenants' Association held their Annual General Meeting at the Sheltered Housing Complex in Forthill Drive. The meeting was well attended by tenants and residents living in the dispersed sheltered housing in the Forthill area. 

They heard and approved the annual report by the Chairperson, Morag Hutchison and the annual accounts from Treasurer Anne MacDonald. It was reported that the tenants' group had had another positive year with numerous improvements negotiated on behalf of the residents. Some, such as the enhanced emergency exit and the upgraded fire alarms in the complex, were evident to all the regular participants in the programme of activities organised at the centre. From my observation attending the monthly committee meetings, the Committee members are highly committed and effective at robustly representing the interests of Forthill tenants and residents.

After the election of the new Committee, Rita Smart was re-elected Secretary and Morag Hutchison, Chairperson for the coming year.

Following the formal part of the meeting, Iain Flett the City Archivist delivered a talk about the history of Forthill and Broughty Ferry. He also emphasised some of the ways that residents might make use of the archives if they wished to take part in the 'Memories' programme of events connected with marking the centenary of Broughty Ferry becoming part of Dundee.

Coffee Morning at Forthill Sheltered Housing Complex 10-12 Saturday 25 May 2013

Forthill Sheltered Housing Complex will opening their doors for a Coffee morning on Saturday 25 May 2013 between 10am and 12 noon.

In addition to coffee, there will Bric a Brac, a raffle, tombola and a cake and candy stall.

Admission £1:50 includes coffee and cakes.

Forthill Sheltered Housing Complex

Forthill Drive

Broughty Ferry DD5 3DY

Forthill Art Group Exhibition Open All Week

Click on image to enlarge

Yesterday, I enjoyed going round the Forthill Art Group's Annual Exhibition at the Forthill Complex. Thus show exhibits art works produced by residents living in the dispersed sheltered housing at Forthill. Their creativity and artistry has been nurtured by their art tutor Phyllis Fenton. She has clearly encouraged participants to use a variety of stimuli and media, which is reflected in paintings with a variety of subjects.

One of the most striking works is the joint piece of sixteen panels making up a painting of Magdalen Green by members of Forthill Art Group - see photo above.

Their exhibition demonstrates most powerfully that it is never too late to learn or engage in a new activity.

You can catch the exhibition throughout the remainder of the coming week. Just drop into the complex in Forthill Drive Monday 13 to Friday 17 May 2013 08:00 to 16:00.

Waterlogged Roads and Paths in The Ferry Yesterday

Yesterday afternoon was another period of squally rain in The Ferry. As I went round my Tuesday afternoon surgeries, I noticed lots of examples where drains could not cope with the rainfall. Now this pattern of rainfall seems the norm, rather than the exception, I think our drainage on streets and paths needs improvement.

When I visited the Forthill Sheltered Housing Complex in Forthill Drive for my surgery at 3:30pm, I noticed that the drain in the path up to the Complex entrance was blocked again and so elderly residents were having to paddle through the water to get to and from the front door of the Complex. This is a perennial issue and is just not good enough for folk who are residents in 'sheltered' housing. I have reported this to the Housing Department. I hope the residents can expect a prompt and more thorough work on unblocking the drain this time.

Later in the afternoon, I was driving down Balgillo Road East linking Balgillo Road with the Arbroath Road. Just short of the roundabout water had extended over the pavement and road on the western side of this busy road. This really would be a challenging place to walk or cycle as motorists had no room to evade the water and so prevent soaking a pedestrian or cyclists as they drove past.  I have reported this to the Council and the Roads' Maintenance Partnership.

Consultation in Broughty Ferry on Monday 3 December About the Proposed Council Rent Increases 2013/14

Click on Poster to enlarge

Tenants in The Ferry can have their say about about their future rent levels and service charges at a local consultation meeting that is taking place on Monday afternoon 3 December 2012 at Forthil Sheltered Housing Lounge on Forthill Drive. The consultation will begin at 2:30pm.

Now is the time to take the opportunity to respond to the consultation on the proposed increases in rent and service charges 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. 

If you can't make the meeting on Monday afternoon, there are lots of ways to give 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. 

Issues Arising on a Busy Tuesday

There may not be any Council meetings this week, but yesterday was a very busy day for me as a Ferry Councillor. 

On Tuesday morning, I received two well reasoned and detailed emails from constituents.  One was requesting action about damaged trees in Gillies Park in Barnhill. The other inquiry was about the road safety issues arising  from dropped cast iron drain covers in Balgillo Road. 

On my daily dog walk along to Grassy Beach, I investigated the source of the sewage pong which was wafting around the western end of Douglas Terrace.

In the afternoon I had two surgeries, one at Forthill Sheltered Housing Complex 15:30 - 16:00 and one at the in Broughty Ferry Library 18:00-18:30.

I then attended and reported to a meeting of Broughty Ferry Community Council. Our Community Council meet in the Library at 7pm on the first Tuesday of each month.

In the course of the surgeries and the Community Council meeting, I received five more issues to follow up:

• to check the frequency of cleaning of Broughty Ferry Beach by staff from the Environment Department;
• to represent the concerns of a constituent in connection with an educational issue at a Primary School in The Ferry;
• to follow up pupil safety issues raised by a school crossing patroller;
• to convey concerns about the non enforcement of section 70 agreements by the Council's Planning Department and
• to discover how restrictions might be lifted for flying the Broughty Ferry flag more often in 2013, the centenary year of Broughty Ferry being incorporated into Dundee.

There will be lots of letters and phone calls to follow up these issues complaints and concerns.

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.

Cllr Laurie Bidwell Announces a New Rota of Surgeries from 27 August 2012

Click on image to enlarge

I have extended my regular programme of surgeries for my constituents and these come into effect from Monday 27 August 2012. 

I have added a new weekly surgery at the Forthill Sheltered Housing Complex on a Tuesday afternoon beginning at 3:30 pm. I have also added a surgery at the Barnhill Community Centre on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month beginning at 5pm.

I also confirm that I am continuing with my weekly surgery at the Broughty Ferry Library but this will now begin at 6pm.

You can read full details of my new surgeries and my contact details in the poster displayed.

I think it's important that I am available to my constituents on a regular basis.  It is also important, in a large ward like The Ferry, that I am available to constituents in different parts of the ward and I have tried to do this through the premises where I have located my surgeries.

However, the shortage of suitable premises in West Ferry, Panmurefield, Balmossie Brae, Ferry Fields and Clearwater Park means that not everyone can have a surgery in their neighbourhood. I am also aware that many problems and issues can't wait for one of my surgeries, I am therefore very happy to hear from constituents by phone, letter or email.  It is important to me as a Councillor to hear the views of people in Broughty Ferry and respond as quickly as possible.  If you think that I can be of any assistance please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.

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.