Best Wishes for Christmas 2015

Broughty Ferry Dook 2016 - Friday 1st January 10:30 - Time to Get Your Entry In

Links
Further Details about Ye Amphibious Ancients' Bathing Association (AABA)
Dook Entry Online 
Dook Entry Form to Print Out 

Pupils at Kingspark School Entertain with Christmas Show

Earlier this afternoon, I enjoyed an enthusiastic performance of 'Snowy Chums', the Christmas Show performed by the talented pupils of Kingspark School.

I can't remember any previous school show where the Head Teacher had confidently asserted that every pupil in the school had been involved, one way or another, in the staging of the show and the performance. This was an outstanding example of pupils working together: designing the tickets, preparing the hand written invitations, singing and dancing, taking part in the video about the school, serving refreshments, as well as the enterprise group making and selling Christmas gifts and decorations. 

The performers on stage are to be congratulated for singing their hearts out and mastering and delivering their lines and dance moves.

Head Teacher, Laura Smith, and her staff deserve recognition too for having clearly embedded the 'Getting it Right for Every Child' in their practice. 

Commenting on Continuing High Levels of Pupil Absence in Dundee Schools

Being at the bottom of a national league table for pupil absence is not where we want to be in our schools and our city. Days lost through absence from school are days lost from learning.

Of course it is important to recognise that average attendances mask the fact that a majority of our pupils have excellent attendance at school. On the other hand, a relatively small proportion of pupils may have a very poor record of attendance which depresses the average attendance in a specific school and across the city. However we interpret them however, there is a job to be done to raise the average citywide attendance.

When we look for solutions, I have misgivings about putting too much reliance on short term projects employing temporary staff. When their project is over, after two or three years, the initiatives they have begun may well be unsustainable by the remaining core staff in a school. 

The reduction in the number of Guidance staff in Secondary Schools and the number of Depute Head Teachers in our Primary Schools will not have helped our schools focus on tackling non attendance. These cuts have reduced the senior staff who would directly follow up these issues with pupils and their teachers as well as parents and carers.

Just now the Council is consulting on a plan to reduce by a third the number of places for pupils in our three small scale Education Centres which offer an alternative to secondary pupils who are disengaged from their secondary schools who often have multiple additional support for learning needs. Currently many of the pupils who transfer to one of these centres experience a dramatic improvement to their attendance and participation in learning. I am concerned that the vague alternative and much cheaper services the Council are discussing will make matters worse not better for these pupils and less effective in promoting their attendance and participation by these pupils.

If we are going to tackle a low average attendance in our schools, relative to other Councils in Scotland, I think we need to stick with what currently works and promote initiatives that have the backing of staff and parents and carers, rather than impose more short term initiatives from the centre.

Widespread Disapproval by Ferry Residents to Proposals from Local Government Boundary Commission

Last week it was reported that close to 1000 residents from The Ferry had submitted written objections to the Boundary Commission for Local Government in Scotland (LGBCS). 

Their representations have focused on opposing the proposal for removing that part of West Ferry that lies to the west of Victoria Road and Claypotts Road from Ward 8 The Ferry for elections to the Dundee City Council.

By any measure. this level of public response is a magnificent display of community solidarity, an overwhelming demonstration of disapproval with these proposals and a clear vote for West Ferry staying an integral part of The Ferry ward for city council elections.

We now await the deliberations of the Boundary Commission for Local Government in Scotland. Apparently, any changes they finally recommend to the Scottish Government would be planned to come into force for the next local Government elections in May 2017.

Link to my representation to the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland

Ferry Christmas Carol Service 7pm Monday 14 December 2015 St James's Parish Church

The annual Lifeboat Carol Concert will be held in St James Parish Church (the Lifeboat Church) on Monday 14 December 2015 beginning at 7pm

This is a wonderful opportunity to join in carol singing, remember the work of our brave and dedicated volunteer lifeboat crews and donate to the Lifeboat via the offertory.

St James’ Parish Church, Fort Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, DD5 2AD

Commenting on Increasing Class Sizes in Dundee Primary Schools

I know parents and carers in Dundee will be concerned by the news that class sizes in Dundee are continuing to increase and the number of teachers we employ has declined significantly. They know that the quality of the education their children receive depends on the expertise and number of teachers in local schools.

The SNP's record of running Education in Dundee is imposing one cut after another in the number of teachers in our schools. In the census in September 2010 there were 1511 teachers in post and in September 2015 this was down to 1409. This loss of over 100 posts represents the equivalent of more than two teachers in each of the primary and secondary school in the city. We can't go on like this cutting the schools' budget year after year and not expect that this will undermine the attainment and achievement of our children.

Strangely when the City Council was provided with the opportunity to bid for extra millions of pounds to help close the attainment gap in our city, they have apparently declined the opportunity to employ more teachers to reduce class sizes, especially in the early years.

For the second year running, the Education Convener, Councillor Stewart Hunter is presiding over the worst record in Scotland for the proportion of pupils who are taught in class sizes of 18 or fewer in P1-3 classes in our Primary Schools.

The plain fact is that the cash the city has received from Scottish Government has been reduced year after year and the Council Tax has been frozen. While George Osborne and the UK Government has imposed significant cuts in the value of their annual block grant to the Scottish Government, the SNP government in Holyrood must also accept responsibility for imposing cuts in our schools by avoiding using the powers they possessed to increase the rate of income tax and failing to bring in a new system of local government funding to replace the Council Tax.

Special Events for Children and Shoppers in Broughty Ferry Sunday 13 December 2015 12 noon - 4 pm

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.