Step Out - It's National Walk to Work Week 9-13 May

Next week, 

from 9-13 May, 
is 

National Walk to Work Week 

- the ideal time to give walking a go. 

An easy form of exercise requiring no special equipment, walking can be fitted in on your way to or from work, at lunchtime or throughout the day.

Walking will:

• tone you up
• trim you down
• help keep your heart healthy
• save on petrol or bus fares
• help the environment

More information on Walk to Work Week 

BERA 30th Annual General Meeting

Last night I attended the Annual General Meeting of the Broughty Ferry Educational and Recreation Association (BERA). 

The Chairperson of BERA, Ron Moodie, reported on the programme of evening classes in the Ferry which the association has run over the past year. BERA have in fact been running a evening classes in the Ferry for 30 years. Their longevity as a organisation indicates both enduring community support for their classes as well as the determination and persistence of a relatively small group of volunteers to keep their organisation going. Their close association with Grove Academy, where they run most of their classes, was emphasised last night when their AGM was held in the staff room, and Head Teacher, John Hunter, attended to say his farewells as he is retiring at the end of the Summer Term.

Looking forward, BERA anticipates making use of the sports hall at the old Grove which will be available for community use from the Autumn as part of the 'new' Eastern Primary School. They are also reviewing their approach to enrolment.

Well done BERA.

Future Organisiation of Policing in Scotland - Response from Tayside Joint Police Board

At the continued meeting of the Tayside Police Board on Monday, the SNP group of Councillors had promised to flesh out their arguments for opting for four police boards instead of the current eight. This was an integral part of their proposed response  to the Scottish Government's 'A Consultation on The Future Organisation of Policing in Scotland'. 

Unfortunately, their sketchy proposal attracted most votes. As a consequence the board's response to the Scottish Government will feature a viewpoint that is neither fish nor fowl. This is because a reduction of eight forces to four police forces in Scotland will neither produce the back office savings required to save front line policing nor will its stretched geographical boundaries be capable of keeping the police close to communities and elected members. It was also unfortunate that these Councillors were so lacking in argument and evidence in putting forward their motion. Perhaps this was why they wanted the press and public excluded from the meeting.

Constituents in Dundee should be reassured that the Dundee Labour Councillors on the Joint Police Board will be vigilant in the months ahead when the next Scottish Government legislates for the reorganization of policing in Scotland. We will continue to advocate for a single police force in Scotland in the belief that this will deliver administrative and management savings which will ensure that current levels of front line policing can be left unscathed despite cuts in policing budgets. Furthermore, we believe that local accountability can enhanced by the development of local authority wide so called 'blue light' committees to cover police and fire services.

SNP Report Card - 5 Major Broken Promises from their 2007 Manifesto

Five headline promises broken by the SNP in government 2007-11

• cutting class sizes to 18 for P1-P3 pupils
  - no progress made in Broughty Ferry primary schools
• replacing council tax with a local income tax
  - dropped but making a come back in their 2011 manifesto
• writing off student debt
  - no help for students who had already completed their degrees
• providing a £3000 grant for first time buyers
  - quietly dropped
• matching Labour's PPP school building brick for brick
  - SNP led Holyrood government did not fund a single brick to be laid at any new schools in Dundee and then claimed credit for schools built with local government funding

Dundee Education Convener Confirms that the SNP have no Plans for New Schools in the City Beyond Labour's Blueprint

In an article in the Dundee Courier on Wednesday,  Education Convener Liz Fordyce confirmed that the SNP have no plans for new schools in the City beyond the plans that Labour initiated during 2007/9 when they they led the coalition running the council.

During my time as Education Convener, I brought forward plans for a Council funded programme of school building which comprised six new schools. This included a replacement Kingspark School, a replacement Primary School in Whitfield and replacement joint campus Primary Schools in the West End and Lochee - Charleston. During this time, a feasibility study was also carried out on the refurbishment or the replacement of Harris Academy. 

This followed Labour's Scottish Government funded Public Private Partnership (PPP) school building programme that built 2 secondary schools (Grove and St Paul's) and six primary schools and nurseries (Claypotts Castle, Downfield, Craigowl, Rowantree, Fintry and St Andrew's). 

Liz Fordyce said:

"It was impossible for the council to commit to building more new schools beyond those already programmed because of the difficult financial climate."

Significantly, she did not mention her party's broken promises on a largely government funded school building. In their May 2007 manifesto for the Holyrood elections, the SNP claimed that they would 'match Labour's PPP programme brick for brick'. While the financial crisis began in summer 2009, it doesn't explain the two wasted years while her party running the Holyrood government and not commissioning one new school.

I think Liz Fordyce's statement extinguishes hope for the those schools waiting their turn for refurbishment or replacement in Dundee. In my own constituency in the Ferry, I think this puts paid to any hope of the SNP bringing forward plans for a refurbishment and extension of Barhill Primary School.

Mayday March and Rally Friday 29 April Assemble 11:30 Hilltown Park

West End Schools' Progress - Slow, Quick-Quick Slow

At the Education Committee tonight, members will be asked to approve the tender for the building for the replacement West End Primary Schools. This will bring together St Joseph's Primary School and Park Place Primary School and Nursery School onto a shared campus on the former Logie Secondary School site on Blackness Road.

This is most welcome step in building new schools in the city. In two years time,

children in the catchment areas of both schools will enjoy state of the art school buildings and facilities that are fit for the 21st century. It also another important milestone in the Council financed school building programme which was initiated while Labour led the Council 2007/9. This was part of the capital plan which the Labour led administration bequeathed for the city. In the two years since the SNP have run the council, significantly they have not added any major school building projects to the Council's Capital Plan when it has been reviewed. Indeed, at the last meeting of the Education Committee, they refused to bring forward a feasibility study on extending and refurbishing Barnhill Primary School.

While progress has been significant with improving the West End primary schools, I wish we could see more progress with the replacement of Harris Academy. Unfortunately, this has been quagmired in the delays by the Scottish Government's Scottish Future's Trust. The SNP promised in May 2007 that they would match Labour's Public Private Partnership government funded school building programme 'brick for brick' and find a cheaper way to procure new schools. Unfortunately their recipe for cheaper procurement did not work. It seems that the Scottish Future's Trust is aptly named only ever talking about things that remain tantalisingly in the future. Readers may remember that Joe Fitzpatrick MSP Dundee West went on Newsnight Scotland and promised that Harris Academy would be rebuilt by the elections next month. Not only has this scheme not progressed even to a start on site, but the SNP's Scottish Future's Trust has yet to build even one school in Scotland let alone one in Dundee. If we are to avoid two tier set of school buildings in Dundee, we need a continuing programme of school building and school refurbishment in the city.

This is a time for parents and carers as well as teachers to distinguish between rhetoric and reality. They should be able to clearly see who is responsible for progress in school rebuilding in the West End; who is responsible for the quicks and who for the slows.

Scottish Labour's Pledge Card Holyrood Elections May 2011

Barnhill Primary School Extension and Refurbishment Blocked

At the Education Committee on Monday 28 March, Councillor Ken Guild Leader of the Council and also a Ferry Councillor, led moves to block the extension and refurbishment of Barnhill Primary School.

I had formally

asked the Education Committee to agree to the preparation of a feasibility study for the extension and refurbishment of Barnhill Primary School with a report back to Committee by November 2011. This was supported by evidence of rising numbers of parental requests for places in P1, accommodation in the school under pressure, a nursery accommodated in huts and many more planning permissions pending for new homes in the school's catchment area. There was also £5 million already earmarked for Barnhill Primary School in the Council's capital plan for future development.

Despite the support of three out of the four Ferry Councillors, the

Education Convener Councillor Fordyce amendment was voted through for the Director of Education "to carry out an extensive review of the whole Schools and Nurseries Estate in Dundee. This will include all schools and nurseries in the West End of the City, Central and Eastern areas, schools North and South of the Kingsway and all of Broughty Ferry, in order to achieve a complete picture of how we can provide the best possible educational facilities for the children of Dundee." This review, we were told, will be brought back to the Education Committee by the end of November.

I shall continue to advocate the development of public services in Broughty Ferry so that schools and other services have the capacity to meet the needs of our rising population arising from new housing developments.

Edith's Wartime Scrapbook - Barnhill Primary School Show

On Tuesday evening I was entertained by P6/7 pupils from Barnhill Primary School. As part of their thematic study of the Second World War, they were performing Edith's Wartime Scrapbook on the stage at Grove Academy. This musical drama featured a series of wartime memories of Edith, now in her eighties, as she delved into her childhood scrapbook 1939-45. The part of Edith was played by Caterina Hutchison. This was a demanding role as she was on stage for the entire performance and had a considerable number of lines to remember and deliver. The other stand-out feature of the show was the fine blend of singing, dancing and acting into an engaging and enjoyable performance. Applause from the audience and smiles on the faces of the young performers conveyed our mutual enjoyment.

Interest in performing Edith's Wartime Scrapbook was triggered by a thematic study of the 1940s. As part of this curriculum for excellence project, Sergeant  Laurence Young MBE, of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, visited the school last November and shared his reminiscences of the second world war. He also took part in the show, in the final scene, when those who did not return from war were remembered.

This was not only an impressive learning experience in the classroom but also in the staging of the play.

Dundee Golf Competitions this Summer at Caird and Camperdown Golf Clubs

Sponsored Golf Competitions organised by the Leisure and Communities Department this summer in partnership with Caird or Camperdown Golf Clubs:

Camperdown 18 hole Golf Course
Saturday 4th June Stuart Patrick Cup 07:30am - 12:00noon
Sunday 5th June J. R. Ritchie Ladies Rosebowl 10:00am - 12:00noon

Sunday 14th August Lord Provost’s Charity Cup Scratch Matchplay Championship 07:00am - 1:00pm
Thursday 18th August Ladies Two Ball Foursomes Trophy 10:00am - 12:00noon
Saturday 10th September Autumn Cup, 1st Round 07:00am - 12:00noon

Camperdown Pitch and Putt Course
Friday 8th July The Camperdown Park Junior Open for The David Low Cup 12:00noon - 3:00pm

Caird Park 18 hole Golf Course
Friday 22nd July The Caird Park Junior Open for the Whytock Cup - Angus County Order of Merit 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Sunday 11th September Autumn Cup, 2nd Round 07:00am - 12:00noon

Entry Forms and Bookings

Email: golfbookings@dundeecity.gov.uk

Extension and Refurbishment of Barnhill Primary School - Education Committee 28 January

Extracts from my contribution to the debate at the Education Committee last night - Monday 28 March

"I have asked for this item to be brought to the Education Committee because, 'as it says on the tin', I want you to agree tonight to the preparation of a feasibility study for the extension and refurbishment of Barnhill Primary School with a report back to Committee by November 2011.

With confirmed demand for school places a growing issue in the catchment area of Barnhill Primary School, it makes sense for the council to revive its plans to refurbish and extend the school in a manner similar to the recent extension and refurbishment of Forthill Primary School. This could not only expand the capacity of the school to cope with an growing demand for places for children who live in the catchment area but also upgrade facilities in the school that are already stretched.

The catchment area of Barnhill Primary School includes the recently completed, Balmossie Brae development north of the Arbroath Road and Panmurefield up to the seven arches viaduct and old Dundee – Monikie, Forfar railway embankment. The catchment area map shows that there is a large portion of undeveloped north of the Arbroath Road. This is currently with an agricultural use but all lying within an area designated for future development, designated at the instance of this council. So we need to provide the services necessary to cope with demands for Nursery, Primary and then Secondary Education. In fact we have already extracted a considerable income stream from from section 75 agreements we entered into with developers in order to help fund primary schools. This is right and proper since Primary Education is valued as a locally accessed service which is in reasonable distance for children and their parents and carers to access.

Apart from the growing volume of housing in the catchment area, there are two other reasons why I believe that demand for places is growing.

• Firstly the unique option of parents in Barnhill, sending their children to Grange Primary School in Angus with a guaranteed option of then progressing to Grove Academy has come to an end. Parents living at an address inside the Dundee boundary that might previously have considered this option, would be wary of ending up with their children leaving Grange Primary School and having neither a guaranteed place at Grove Academy in Dundee nor a guaranteed place at Monifieth High School in Angus.
• Secondly, as President Clinton, famously said, ”It's the economy stupid”. When I was convener figures were produced by the Directorate with a High School Of Dundee discount. That is that is was expected that some children that might otherwise have entered our schools would go private. But given the economic uncertainties, I think that this is now much less likely. I am also politically of the view that public services, shouldn't be second rate nor a last resort if you can't afford to go private.

What about the current accommodation in Barnhill Primary School? Well the nursery classes are accommodated in temporary huts which is unusual in Dundee Schools. And the current Dining Hall is stretched by current numbers. Of course much has changed since the school was built forty years ago. Now what I am asking for was contemplated by the Council in the past. In fact Barnhill was in the original PPP school building programme scheme but dropped out at some point like other schools such as Park Place Primary School and Kingspark School. Interestingly, we have already recognised their shortcomings and their replacement schools are under development or are already built by the council. In fact the council applied for and received outline planning consent for such a development (as I am advocating) in Spring 2002. In this planning application permission, in outline, was sought for:

'an extension to school with accommodation for educational and community use and replacement of temporary nursery unit at Barnhill Primary School, Falkland Crescent, Broughty Ferry, Dundee. The proposals for this school and nursery are to accommodate the forecast expansion of population in the east end of the city.'
Unfortunately this outline planning permission lapsed.

But, £5 million continues to allocated for Barnhill Primary School in the council's Capital Plans including the current plan for 20011/12. It just needs to be shifted out of limbo in the 'future years' column of the plan and given a definite timescale. I think parents living in or moving into the catchment area of Barnhill Primary School will expect the Council to plan ahead and revive these plans as a matter of urgency. I am therefore asking that a feasibility study is prepared and then brought back to the Education Committee later this year. I am also recommending to the committee that this is not just a technical appraisal but also involves the Head Teacher and the Chair of the Parent Council. Of course this will not provide an immediate solution to the capacity concerns that arose earlier this year but might reassure families living in or contemplating moving into the Barnhill Primary School catchment area that the council will have a longer term rather than makeshift solution to primary school capacity at Barnhill Primary School. Progressing my proposal would also help to reduce fears that public services in Broughty Ferry will not be able to cope with the planned growth in population principally in the north eastern part of The Ferry.
I hope that what I am asking for is uncontroversial and will be supported by all sides. We all want the city to prosper and that requires new developments including housing and the public and private services to support these.

My proposal recognizes that now is the time to decide to prepare and bring forward a feasibility study for the extension and refurbishment of Barnhill Primary School."

Extension and Refurbishment of Barnhill Primary School

I have placed the following item on the Agenda of the Education Committee next Monday.

'Item 2 - Extension and Re-furbishment of Barnhill Primary School

This item has been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Bidwell.

He will ask the Education Committee to agree to the preparation of a feasibility study for the extension and refurbishment of Barnhill Primary School with a report back to Committee by November 2011.'

With confirmed demand for school places a growing issue in the catchment area of Barnhill Primary School, it makes sense for the council to revive its plans to refurbish and extend the school in a manner similar to the recent extension and refurbishment of Forthill Primary School. This could not only expand the capacity of the school to cope with an growing demand for places from parents who live in the catchment area but also upgrade facilities in the school that are already stretched. For example, the nursery classes are accommodated in temporary huts which is unusual in Dundee Schools.

In fact the council applied for and received outline planning consent for such a development in Spring 2002. In this planning application permission, in outline, was sought for:

'an extension to school with accommodation for educational and community use and replacement of temporary nursery unit at Barnhill Primary School, Falkland Crescent, Broughty Ferry, Dundee. The proposals for this school and nursery are to accommodate the forecast expansion of population in the east end of the city.'

Since letting this permission lapse in 2005, a considerable amount of house building has taken place within the school's catchment area and more land is zoned for large scale future housing developments. And the nursery is still in the huts.

I think parents living in or moving into the catchment area of Barnhill Primary School will expect the Council to plan ahead and revive these plans as a matter of urgency. I am therefore asking that a feasibility study is prepared and then brought back to the Education Committee later this year. I shall be recommending to the committee that this is not just a technical appraisal but also involves Head Teacher Pam Nesbitt and her staff and the Parent Council and Forum.

Of course this will not provide an immediate solution to the capacity concerns that arose earlier this year but might reassure families living in or moving into the Barnhill Primary School catchment area that that the council will have a longer term rather than makeshift solution to school capacity within the catchment area of Barnhill Primary School. Progressing my proposal would also help to reduce fears that public services in Broughty Ferry will not be able to cope with the planned growth in population principally in the north eastern part of The Ferry.

Law Nursery School Consultation - Letter to Education Convener

Copy of my letter to Councillor Fordyce, Education Convener, (email dated 13 March 2011) calling for an early date for the consultation about the Law Nursery School:

Dear Liz,

In the Council's press release, 'Law Nursery Informal Consultation', issued on Monday afternoon 28 February, prior to the Education Committee the same evening, you were quoted as follows:

Education convener Cllr Liz Fordyce said

"I asked that this report was withdrawn to allow more time so that we can consult informally with parents and carers of children attending Law Nursery.This will be an extra consultation exercise that will help to inform any report that goes back to committee recommending formal consultation on a relocation proposal."

Please can you advise on the timescale for and form of this consultation? I hope that as Education Spokesperson for the major opposition group on the Council, I should be invited to attend any consultation event along with the local Councillors.

Although you also said that,

"This means that any move (for Law Nursery School) for August this year is no longer an option."

I think you will be aware that this still means there is uncertainty beyond school year 2011/12. Many children spend two years in nursery education prior to transferring to primary school. It follows that parents and carers making choices about their three year old children entering Law Nursery School this year can have little confidence that it will still be operating on its current site from August 2012. This continuing uncertainty is corrosive and risks undermining what, according to the School Inspectors is an outstanding Nursery School. Accordingly, I urge you therefore to organise your consultation event before the Easter holidays so that your proposal can then be scrutinised by the Education Committee at the April meeting.

I hope that in any further contact with parents or press statements, neither you, nor any member of the SNP group, will raise any more misleading claims that there are health and safety issues at Law Nursery School. I have now read the Electrical Services Condition Survey Report on the School dated October 2009. Comments such as under Kitchen Installations "Very small kitchen" (which is only a servery for meals that are supplied from the School Meals service) does not suggest to me that a complete refurbishment of the kitchen area is justified or necessary. Of course I am only a lay person with no qualifications in health and safety. But I assume that since the Education Department have had this report for over sixteen months, were there any significant health and safety hazards, you would have taken immediate steps to protect our children and staff. I am sure you need no reminding of our responsibility as corporate parents for the children of Dundee and of course our responsibility as an authority for health and safety and environmental health.

I remain of the opinion that you and the Education Directorate have not advanced a convincing educational case for uprooting and undermining a successful Nursery School nor that there are significant real savings to be found in so doing.

Finally, I have copied this email to the press.

Threat of Further Cuts in Dundee Schools as Budget May be £500,000 Short

A lack of progress in national negotiations with Teachers led by the Scottish Government has led to concerns that there may be a black hole in the budget of the Education Department in Dundee. I have been advised that the figure may be near £500,000. The SNP's swingeing education cuts of £4.1 million for the forthcoming financial year may not be enough.

In the process of agreeing the budget settlement for local government, the SNP's Cabinet Secretary for Finance, John Swinney MSP, offered councils his government’s commitment to agree reductions in the terms and conditions of work of teachers by the end of January. Now that no progress has been made, the savings the city council assumed in arriving at its education budget will need to be revisited. Unfortunately, I think this means that the Education Convener, Liz Fordyce, will be looking out for more cuts.

Back in December, I made it clear that I thought that these assumptions were optimistic and the savings projected were unlikely to be realised in such a short time scale. This is another example of SNP mismanagement and unfortunately it will be the education of our children that will suffer as a result, because short term cuts often lead to long term damage.

Councillor Richard McCready said:

“I hope this budget shortfall won’t mean we will have more ill thought out schemes, such as the proposed relocation and downgrading of Law Nursery, being proposed piece by piece. Dundee deserves better.”