Come to Broughty Ferry Website Relaunched by Broughty Ferry Traders in Time for Gala Week

Link to the NEW Come to Broughty Ferry website

The Come to Broughty Ferry website has been given a makeover by Broughty Ferry Traders' Association who own and manage it. Its colourful new homepage and updated content is just in time for Gala Week Sunday 1 - Sunday 8 July 2012. 
Gala Week is one of the key community events in The Ferry that Broughty Ferry Traders supports.

Ferry Music Fest 29 June - Sunday 1 July 2012

Ferry Music Fest is a festival incorporating many of the pubs, bars and hotels in Broughty Ferry.

Come and see and hear what's going on this weekend Friday 29 June - Sunday 1 July 2012.                 More details
 
Friday 29th June 2012

The Fort
Dave 5pm
Steve & Nic 6.30pm
The Broon Troot Orchestra 10pm
  
The Gunners
Emerald Sunday 8 - 11pm


The Post Office Bar
Jack Rabbit Slims 8.15pm

The Royal Arch
Miss Nic Nevet 8pm

Doc Ferrys
to be confirmed


The Eagle
Karaoke til Late


Bar Leo 
Diva 8pm - 1am


Saturday 30th June 2012


The Occidental
Judge Hardie and The Crimes 5 - 8pm

The Fort
Bobby Clark 2pm
Jack Rabbit Slims 5pm 
Son 9pm 
Colour Coded 10pm 
House DJ 11.30pm - 2am

The Gunners 
Miss Nic Nevet 2 - 4pm

Doc Ferrys
Sleepers 5.30pm

Post Office Bar
Jamboliah 8.15pm 

The Eagle 
Double T 5 - 7pm 
Karaoke til Late

Bar Leo
Open Mic 4 - 8pm
Karaoke 8pm - 1am 

Fishermans Tavern
Jacobite Barbeque and  Live Celtic Folk Music from 1pm

Sunday 1st July 2012


The Gunners
Itchy Feet 3 - 6pm

Bar Leo
Diva 3 - 7pm

Fishermans Tavern
Live Jazz Music all afternoon.


More details http://www.ferrymusicfest.co.uk/

Broughty Ferry from Above 1927-33

Broughty Ferry, general view, showing Grove Academy
and St Stephen's Church. Oblique aerial photograph
taken facing north. Click on image to enlarge

Fifteen photographs of Broughty Ferry feature on a new website Britain from Above 1913-59. These are part of The Aerofilms Collection. This is a unique archive of photographs taken from the air between 1919 and 2006. This collection presents a fascinating insight into the changing face of Britain in the last century. 

Most of the original photographs were taken by aircraft flying at low altitudes which we would now think was dangerous or irresponsible.

Britain from Above 1913-59 website - viewing the gallery and downloading of the digital images is free.

Earlier this week the first half of the Aerofilms Collection was made available online at the 

The fifteen pictures of Broughty Ferry were taken between 1927 and 1933.
Click on this link to view and download these images of Broughty Ferry.

See more at britainfromabove.org.uk

SNP Councillors on City Council Reject Appeal for Additional Funds for Welfare Rights Advice in the City

At the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee on Monday evening 25 June, the Council agreed to endorse the For Fairness in Dundee Strategy and Action Plan. This focuses on combating multiple deprivation in the city. A key component of this is the provision of welfare rights advice and debt counselling. I was disappointed that in voting down my amendment, they turned down the opportunity to attract more money to help fund these advice services in the city. 
I think many people in Dundee will wonder what planet Councillor Guild and his colleagues live on. They will be puzzled why the possibility of £100,000 to boost the funding advice centres in the city was not worthy of the bother of writing a letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance John Swinney MSP. 
The Westminster government have boosted the funding for advice centres over two years (2012/13 and 2013/14) to deal with the anticipated increased demand  for advice as welfare reform changes are introduced. As a result the Scottish Government have received additional funding as this is a responsibility devolved to the Scottish Government. 
I think it is entirely reasonable to ask what arrangements the Scottish Government is putting in place to distribute this cash and can Dundee have its share to help extend the work of its Fairness Strategy. At time when money for new developments is tight, surely every £100,000 helps?

Broughty Ferry Development Trust - Find Them on Facebook

Broughty Ferry Development Trust
involve people who live and work in Broughty Ferry in the development of our community to enhance its environmental, historical and commercial assets and promote it as a high quality place to live, work and visit.
As part of their promotion of and community engagement in their work The Trust have developed a Facebook presence.  
Link to Broughty Ferry Development Trust on Facebook

Tree Preservation Order in Strathern Road Approved

Click on plan to enlarge.

At the City Development Committee last night, a number of Tree Preservation Orders were noted. 


These included one at 42 Strathern Road in The Ferry which concerns 7 trees:

• An Elm
• Lime, 
• Oak, 
• Corsican Pine, 
• Siver Birch and 
• two Holm Oaks.

For Fairness in Dundee and Broughty Ferry

I welcome the draft For Fairness in Dundee Strategy and Action Plan on the Agenda of the Policy and Resources Committee on Monday 25 June 2012.  At a time when many household incomes are depressed by wage freezes or reductions, benefits are being cut back and household bills are rising, we need a strategy and action plan that will address poverty and deprivation throughout our city. While the statistics in the report show that inequalities are most concentrated in certain areas of the city, they also show that a smaller but significant minority of households in Broughty Ferry are affected by many of the indicators of poverty.

At the meeting, I will be asking whether the planned responses by the Council and agencies in the Dundee Partnership will really be fair if they exclude people living in parts of the city like Broughty Ferry. While The Ferry is generally more affluent, this is not universally true. This was illustrated by the statistics produced by the Dundee Citizens' Advice Bureau. Their annual report for 2011/12 shows that while the inquiry rate from people with Broughty Ferry addresses was lower than folk from other areas in the city, the problems that folk brought forward were the same across the city: benefit advice, debt and consumer issues.

I note in the report that we will be considering at the Policy and Resources Committee that advance consultation did not include the Broughty Ferry Local Community Planning Partnership. That and references to focusing responses on areas of multiple deprivation suggest that For Fairness in Dundee will be exactly that and will not extend to folk in Broughty Ferry. My job is to try to ensure that the benefits from the new strategy and action plan are widespread. Fairness needs to be seen to be fair not excluding people from participating in programmes and initiatives just because of their DD5 address.

Safer Routes to Every Primary School in Dundee

Cover of sample draft leaflet
Safer Routes to Primary School

On Thursday afternoon I attended a meeting of the Council's School Parking and Pupil Safety Working Group. One of the positive outcomes from this group is that every Primary School pupil in Dundee will receive a leaflet detailing Safer Routes to their School. These leaflets are being prepared by Dundee Travel Active and should be ready for distribution for the beginning of the new school year in August.


Inside the cover (see sample <<) will be a map to help inform parents and carers of safer routes for taking their child to school. The map will include features such as the position of pedestrian crossings, dropping off points and park and stride locations.


I trust that this will help promote pupil safety in each and everyone of our Primary Schools.

Broughty Ferry Art Society Annual Exhibition Thursday 28 June until Sunday 8 July at Scout Halls in Ambrose Street

The 33rd annual exhibition organised by  Broughty Ferry Art Society opens on Thursday 28 June running to Sunday 8 July. The annual exhibition is held to promote the work of Society members, and attracts many visitors. Each year members surpass themselves in producing, exhibiting and selling many quality paintings, which highlight their wealth of talent and creativity.
The annual exhibition will once again be held in the new Scout Halls in Ambrose Street. 
Opening hours will be 10am-6pm except the last Sunday when the doors will close at 4pm.
Anyone interested in joining the Society should contact the Membership Secretary Ron Clark tel 01382 667374 email riclark55@yahoo.co.uk

Replica Broughty Signal Box Nearing Completion

The external work on the replica Broughty Ferry Signal Box is almost complete this week. With the scaffolding down, it is easier to see and appreciate what has been achieved. In the picture you can perhaps make out the old Broughty Ferry station sign has been fixed to the side of the box parallel with the platforms. If you want to compare and contrast this view with a view of the previous signal box click on this link.

Forthill Road Mobile Phone Mast Refused Planning Permission Emphatically

I am delighted that the Development Management Committee emphatically turned down this planning application at our meeting on Monday night 18 June. It was clearly judged by our Planners and Councillors to be an unsuitable site for a mobile phone mast. I know many folk in Forthill will be relieved that the immediate prospect of a telecoms mast on their doorstep and street corner has receded. 

Prior to the meeting I had been contacted by a significant number of constituents who objected to this proposed planning application for a mobile phone mast near their homes. A petition also indicated widespread concern about the proposal. Under the Councillor's Code of Conduct, we are not allowed to publicly comment on the merits of an application for planning permission in advance of the Planning Committee; in short we must be seen to make up our mind on the night when all the evidence is before us. If Councillors go public on their concerns prior to a planning committee, this would disqualify them taking part in the vote at the Planning Committee. I hope my constituents appreciate that a non committal response before a meeting does not necessarily indicate I am indifferent to their concerns.

One World Centre Dundee Free Lecture and AGM Thursday 28 June 7pm

Professor David Bradley’s talk – see opposite - 
promises to be very interesting and stimulating.  It’s free.  


All welcome

Thursday 28 June 2012 at 7pm


Venue - Methodist Church, Marketgait, Dundee.

Also incorporating the AGM of the One World Centre Dundee.

One World Centre Dundee 189 Princes Street Dundee DD4 6DQ

telephone 01382 454603 email admin@oneworldcentredundee.org.uk

Customer Information Screens Go Live at Broughty Ferry Station

I am delighted to be advised the installation of Customer Information Screens at Broughty Ferry Station has been completed with the system going live earlier today.  I am sure passengers will really appreciate this. In an unstaffed station, up to the minute information about train services provides reassurance that your train is on its way.

The installation of the Customer Information Screens has been jointly funded by Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership and ScotRail. This supports the Broughty Ferry rail service enhancements introduced with the December 2011 rail timetable. 

I corresponded with the Managing Director of SCOTRAIL and Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership about this, so it is gratifying to see that they have responded so positively.

I hope when the enhanced rail service is reviewed, later this year, more stopping services will be added to our timetable so that we have a regular hourly service from Broughty Ferry to Aberdeen and Glasgow with connections in Dundee to Edinburgh.

Broughty Ferry Gala Week Sunday 1st - Sunday 8th July 2012

The programme for Broughty Gala Week 2012 has just been published by the Community Gala Committee. This year Broughty Ferry Gala Week will run from Sunday 1st to Sunday 8th July. The programme includes many old favourites such as:

• Children's Shop Window Guessing Competition (throughout Gala week);
•  Gala Fete on Castle Green on Sunday 1st July 1pm - 5pm;
• Pavement Artist Competition outside M&S on Wednesday 4th July 10am - 12noon and
• Secret Gardens of Broughty Ferry (visits to) on Sunday 8th July 1pm - 4pm.

For more information about each of the events - more than 50 from my count - consult the free Gala programme. Printed booklets are available to pick up from shops in the Ferry as well as the counter of the Library in Queen Street. 

• Download the Sunday 1st July Gala Fete Programme (0.3MB)
• Download the all-week events list (0.3MB)
• Download the Window Competition Entry Form (0.5MB)
• Download the full programme for the week (7MB)

Cautious Welcome for Proposals for New Schools and Community Facilities

Model of one of the 6 PPP funded Primary
Schools already built in the city

Background
Three of the reports appearing on the agenda of the Education Committee on Monday 25 June are about proposals for future school building projects. This includes initiating formal consultations on a new primary school, nursery and linked community facilities in both the Coldside and Menzieshill areas. As both areas involve potential school mergers, a formal consultation process is the next step. Appearing on the same agenda is a report advising the Committee of a bid for possible government funding towards a replacement Baldragon Academy, Sidlaw View Primary School and Jessie Porter Nursery on the Baldragon Academy site.


Labour's Education Spokesperson, Councillor Laurie Bidwell said:
Its positive news for parents, carers, pupils and teachers in Menzieshill and Coldside. They will all be pleased that the proposals for a new primary school in each of these areas with linked nursery school and possible community facilities is moving towards the formal public consultation stage. In both Menzieshill and Coldside parents, carers and teachers will need to be consulted on the potential merger of their local primary schools and the best site for the merged schools. For service users of all ages who use community centres and projects in both areas there are issues about possible co-location of community facilities with schools to resolve. Certainly, the demolition of multi-storey flats has made available centrally located sites in both these areas of the city for the potential new schools and community facilities. The consultations will allow all those with an interest to be involved in selecting the best option available including the most suitable site and the best mix of schools, nursery and community facilities.


Starthmartine Councillor Kevin Keenan said:I am encouraged to learn that there is now recognition that three of the schools in the Strathmartine ward need replacement - these schools being Baldragon Academy, Sidlaw View Primary School and Jessie Porter Nursery. New schools are something that I believe would have the full support and backing of teachers, pupils, staff, parents and the wider community. I hope the Council will be successful with its bid to the Scottish Futures Trust. If the Council's need any additional indicator of community support for these new schools,  I would be the first to put my name to any petition.

Labour's Education Spokesperson, Councillor Laurie Bidwell also said:
While the proposals for a bid for additional funding for new schools is positive, I do have some concerns. 
Just four months ago in February 2012 when the new 2012-17 capital plan was brought forward, Councillor Keenan and I queried why there were no new proposals for comprehensively refurbishing or replacing any of our secondary schools, especially Baldragon Academy whose buildings are over 50 years old. It's good that the Council has changed its mind but this decision calls into question the thoroughness of their analysis in the school estate review. 
A bid for funding is no guarantee of government support. Dundee lost out in the second round of new schools to be built with funding from the Scottish Futures Trust so let's hope it will be third time lucky. Unfortunately, any replacement schools in the Strathmartine ward are probably a long way off. Funding for Harris Academy comes from the same source and its funding was announced in September 2009 and their pupils and teachers are not due to move into their new school until 2016.


Starthmartine Councillor Kevin Keenan also said:
The Council's contribution to funding the possible new schools in the Strathmartine area is likely to be £10 - £15M. There is no provision for this in the new capital plan 2012-17. I hope that the Council will not be faced with deciding which of its other new schools to delay in order to progress these new schools in my ward.
I hope that all the Scottish Futures Trust's teething problems and red tape that delayed the rebuilding of Harris Academy are sorted out, allowing the next phase of their developments to hit the ground quickly, delivering new schools for our children and helping the local construction industry.