Final Count Down to Broughty Ferry Christmas Lights Night Thursday 26 November 2015

Broughty Ferry Christmas Lights Night is this Thursday, 26 November 2015. It will be taking place in Brook Street and Gray Street which will be traffic free for the night.

A great turn out from children with their parents and carers, young people and those that are young at heart is anticipated. 

The event kicks off at 6pm on the Radio Tay stage with this running order:

• 6pm The Eastern Primary School Choir
• 6.10pm Christmas Poster Competition presentation to the winners
• 6.20pm Downfield Musical Society
• 6.35pm Tribute to Frozen
• 6.50pm Broughty Ferry Traders' Association cheque presentation to local good causes
• 7pm Lights switch on with the Festive Ferry Minions

Entertainment will also be provided by Radio Tay and family friendly headliners with the whole event ending at 9pm.

There will be street food from local traders including Scott Brothers Butchers, all the fun of the fair with rides for young and old and a stall where people can purchase the new Broughty Shopper Bag and the beautifully illustrated Broughty Ferry 2016 Calendar.

Please note that the middle section of Brook Street between its junction with Fort Street and the junction with Gray Street will be closed from mid afternoon, although all the shops will remain open as usual.

Enjoy!

Grove Academy Nineteenth in Sunday Times League Table of Top Fifty State Secondary Schools in Scotland

Yesterday, as part of their Parent Power supplement, the Sunday Times published their list of the Top Fifty State Secondary Schools in Scotland. 

Grove came in joint nineteenth place (17th in 2014).

Congratulations to the pupils and staff at Grove for maintaining the school in the top twenty at a time of profound changes to the curriculum and SQA examinations. Of course the results at Grove also reflect positively on the support of parents and carers and the excellent groundwork provided by the pupils' Nursery and Primary Schools.

The Sunday Times table was calculated with reference to the 2014 National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher examination results with Highers and Advanced Highers double weighted.

A much wider range of measures about the Grove 'results' is available on the Education Scotland website - follow this link. The latest 'Insight' tool provides comparisons between the performance of Grove school leavers with a sample of pupils with similar backgrounds.

Events in Dundee Today in the Wake of the Paris Terror Attacks

In the wake of the Paris terror attacks on Friday evening a number of events have been arranged in City Square today.

A one minute silence for the victims will take place at 11am in City Square. The event is part of a Europe-wide act of remembrance to those murdered in the atrocities. The council is asking anyone wishing to show their respects to be in the City Square by 10.50am.

This morning the Lord Provost Office in the City Council confirmed that a book of Condolences has been opened This will be available in the City Chambers main reception at 20 City Square so that people in Dundee can express their solidarity, write a word or sign the book of condolences.

Dundee Solidarity with Paris, Beirut, Iraq and Syria are holding a vigil in City Square in Dundee beginning at 17:30. They write:
This is not a protest but a solidarity candle light Vigil. There will be speakers and prayers.
Participating organisations: Tayside Action for Refugees, DUSA (Dundee university Student association), UNISON (trade Union), Yusuf Youth Initiative
More details on their Facebook link below
https://www.facebook.com/events/1667672750177417

Vote for Dawson Park in UK Best Parks Awards 2015

Dawson Park has been nominated in the UK Best Parks Awards 2015.

Online voting runs until 5pm on Wednesday 25th November 2015. The winning park will be announced at the Fields in Trust Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 2nd December.

You can find the link to vote for Dawson Park at:
http://www.fieldsintrust.org/bestpark/nominations

Dawson Park was funded by a bequest in 1940 from Mr William Dawson of Broughty Ferry, 'for the purpose of providing playing fields, sports ground and other recreational facilities'. The ground was purchased from the Douglas and Angus Estate in 1949, and the park was opened in the mid 1950's.

As well been a very well used public park, Dawson Park hosts Grove Academy for its outdoor PE; providing a running track for athletics, hockey and football pitches, tennis courts and changing rooms.

More businesses in Dundee … but fewer workers

"Statistics released by the Scottish Government have shown that there are now 310 more businesses in Dundee than five years ago, generating a £586m rise in annual turnover. However, the number of people employed by Dundee businesses has dropped by 680 in those five years. 

The breakdown of figures shows that the two sectors that have lost the most jobs are construction and manufacturing, with 640 and 680 fewer jobs respectively over the five-year period."

Source: Dundee Evening Telegraph

My Submission to LGBCS About Proposed Boundary Changes for Ward 8 - The Ferry - in Dundee

Dear LGBCS,

I am writing to add my weight to many hundreds of my constituents who attended a public meeting on Tuesday 1st September and the regular October meeting of The Broughty Ferry Community Council as well as those that have already submitted written representations. The former meeting was the largest about a local issue in The Ferry during my eight years as a City Councillor. The latter meeting was the largest public attendance at an ordinary meeting of the Community Council for many years.

Almost without exception residents from West Ferry were hostile to your proposals. Almost without exception residents from other parts of The Ferry were supportive of retaining the entire Ferry ward and not having West Ferry pruned off or any other part of their ward subsumed into another ward. I understand that this has been reflected in the written representations you have already received.

As an opposition Councillor, I regret that I did not take the opportunity to move against what became the LGBCS proposal when the Council discussed this. At that meeting, the tabled proposal from the majority SNP group on the Council was obviously going to be voted through.

The case for retention of the current boundary for Ward 8 does not however wholly depend on the number of objectors but also the following arguments:

Parity.

Using the LGBCS figures, not unreasonable parity, would be achieved by retaining the existing ward boundary.

Community/Local Ties. 

The Ferry Ward is effectively identical with the long established community of Broughty Ferry. The electoral boundary currently adequately defines what is essentially the eastern suburb of Dundee. This arrangement will be disrupted by the proposed boundary change. This moves the western boundary eastwards so that the West Ferry part of Broughty Ferry will, to a great extent, be merged into the adjoining East End Ward. The western boundary of the historic (independent and electorally separate) Police Burgh of Broughty  Ferry is identical to the current western boundary of West Ferry/Broughty Ferry (this has been confirmed to the Community Council by Ian Flett, the City Archivist). After Broughty Ferry was subsumed into Dundee in 1913, this electoral boundary was retained and exists to this day. Not only is the existing Ward 8 boundary historically significant, but the identity of The Ferry is strongly felt not only by residents born and bred in The Ferry but also by those residents like me that have moved to the city and made their home in Broughty Ferry. The strength and prevalence of these ties are also evidenced by the volume of objections you have already received.

Local services. 

There is a complex web of local statutory and voluntary organisations that serve people in the ward; for example the Broughty Ferry Community Council and Grove Academy. Significantly, while much of the current West Ferry lies outside the current catchment area of Grove Academy, through placing requests and the increased capacity of the new Grove Academy, many children from West Ferry attend Grove Academy along with their counterparts from other neighbourhoods in The Ferry ward.

In conclusion

I think there is now overwhelming evidence of a strongly held held consensus amongst my constituents that The Ferry ward should retain its existing boundaries. It is now the responsibility of the Commission, not the electors of The Ferry ward, to decide the potential alternative changes that might be required in adjoining wards to make this aspiration a reality.

Yours sincerely

Councillor Laurie Bidwell

Submitted to the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland (LGBCS) 22 October 2015

Commenting on the Report on Staffing Levels in Dundee Schools - Education Committee Monday 26 October 2015

The report from the Director of Children and Families' Service paints a varied picture. It is positive that at a time of shortage of teachers across the country the Council has managed to compete more effectively for potential staff. It also positive that the 1412.5 teachers in post is more than the 1407 teachers counted in 2014. But the fact remains, this is still a significant drop from September 2013 when the Council had 1436 teachers in post.

The report is also selective about what it reveals. On class sizes it does not for example identify the number of classes currently being taught at maximum. In relation to ongoing shortages of supply teachers, neither does the report refer to how secondary schools are having to improvise supply cover nor how primary schools are covering the non contact time of primary teachers which they use towards preparation and marking.

At the meeting on Monday 26 October, we shall want reassurance that strategies are in place for Dundee to recruit the teachers it needs as competition for teachers sharpens between councils. Councils in the Highlands and Islands have recently had a summit with Angela Constance and have agreed to work together on recruitment and promoting alternative routes to teacher qualification. What are our plans for Dundee?

This performance is not what the SNP promised at the May 2011 elections to the Scottish Parliament. 

In their Teachers' Manifesto May 2011, they committed to:

'Bring stability to teacher numbers by ensuring councils stick to the agreed minimum number of posts.'

It is significant that here in Dundee, this is the first year since 2011 that a year by year reduction in teacher numbers has been halted. It will take more than one year to be convinced that our SNP led Council now really means business on maintaining teacher numbers in our schools.

Proposed Temporary Closure of King Street for Carriageway Resurfacing Works from 26 October 2015

Dundee City Council propose to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating carriageway resurfacing works.  The Order is expected to be in force for 2 weeks from 26 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 King Street from Westfield Road to Lawrence Street (Phase 1) and from Lawrence Street to Fort Street (Phase 2).

Only one phase will be closed at any time.  No work will be carried out at the weekend and therefore the road will be open.

An alternative route will be available via Westfield Road, Brook Street and Brown Street (Phase 1), and via Church Street, Brook Street and Fort Street (Phase 2).

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.

The Foodbank: Britain's Hidden Hunger - Dundee Featured BBC1 Wed 7 October 11:05pm - 12:05pm

Later today there will be a late night screening of The Foodbank: Britain's Hidden Hunger on BBC1 on Wednesday 7 October 2015 11:05pm - 12:05pm. It features the busiest Foodbank in Scotland, right here in Dundee.


Programme Notes from The Radio Times
Documentary looking at the growing numbers of people requiring emergency food in Britain. The stories of the people who received help from Scotland's busiest foodbank in Dundee are explored, including a man who cannot afford food after being the victim of a robbery, and a single dad who cannot feed his four-year-old son after a long period without work.

Network repeat of programme screened on BBC Scotland last week.

Dundee Food Bank
c/o Full Gospel Church
58 Constitution Street
DUNDEE DD3 6NE
Telephone: 01382 226372
Email: info@dundee.foodbank.org.uk
Website: http://dundee.foodbank.org.uk/

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.

Go Dundee Learning Journey 2015 – City of Design Saturday 7th November 9.30am-4pm

GO DUNDEE have confirmed that the 2015 Learning Journey will take place on Saturday 7th November from 9.30am to around 4pm and that the event will celebrate Dundee’s achievement of UNESCO ‘City of Design’ status. This year participants will be visiting the following venues:

• Dundee Waterfront – including view of engineering works from RRS Discovery
• DC Thomson – Kingsway East HQ
• High Mill gallery – newly opened visitor attraction at Verdant Works
• Maggie’s Dundee – cancer care centre in building designed by Frank Gehry

Go Dundee is again organising this event in partnership with Dundee Science Centre as part of the Dundee Science Festival 2015.  This year they are making a particular effort to encourage people from all the city’s various communities to take part in this event.  They are delighted that the Whitfield Community Choir has kindly agreed to perform at lunch time.  

Lunch will be provided at Verdant Works.

Many thanks to Xplore Dundee (formally National Express Dundee) for generously agreeing to provide the bus for the Learning Journey.

Booking
This event is free to attend but numbers are limited so booking is essential.
Booking starts on Friday 2nd October at 12.00 – phone the Dundee Science Festival number 01382 228800.

Commenting on Thefts from NHS Tayside over 5 Years

On the basis of Freedom of Information Requests, it is regrettable to learn that over £400,000 of losses to NHS Tayside over the last five years were attributable to theft.

Whether it is lead stolen from roofs or equipment and furnishings removed from wards and surgeries, every pound spent on replacements is a pound not available for spending on the treatment of patients. 

Those who chose to deliberately or opportunistically steal from the NHS are stealing from us all as we all contribute to the cost of the NHS through our National Insurance contributions and taxes. 

Having said that, the budget of NHS Tayside is in excess of £640 million per year and they are a major owner of buildings in many locations. Seen it that light, the figure of £80,000 attributed to thefts per year (averaging out the reported annual losses from the five year total) suggests good security of NHS Tayside premises and sensible oversight of their movable property which I don't think intrudes on the treatment of patients.

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.

Council Make Grammatical Error in the Title of New Combined Education and Socal Work Service

At the Education Committee on Monday 28 September,  I asked Michael Wood, the Executive Director of Children and Families' Service, a question about punctuation. As Executive Director I asked why the service he heads apparently had decided to remove an apostrophe after the s in Families in the title of the amalgamated service? 

This omission was apparent in the title and body of the reports that he had brought to Committee. I understand that this will also be used on letter heads and the Council's website.

I had previously raised this matter in private with Michael Wood and had hoped that matter would have been sorted out without having to raise it at the Education Committee.

As the head of the service that is responsible for the teaching of reading and writing in our schools, I think our Executive Director of Children and Families' Service should lead by example. 

Interestingly, the Convener of Education, Councillor Stewart Hunter, avoided revealing whether he and the SNP group of Councillors had been responsible for, or were party to this decision.

I have sent a copy of the committee report to the Apostrophe Protection Society.

Welcome for Additional Bus Shelter on Balgillo Road

This morning Council staff have advised that: "a bus shelter has been installed on Balgillo Road near to its junction with Forthill Road.

The shelter was previously located on Dundee Road opposite Ralston Road but apparently saw very little usage, therefore the decision was made that its new location was of far greater benefit to bus users. Currently there is no power to the shelter but this will follow in the next weeks as part of an electrical installation programme at various bus shelters."

Bus users who contacted me about the need for a bus shelter had complained about the lack of protection from the weather at this well used stop. Hopefully they will be pleased with this relocated shelter.