Monday 12 December 2011

Tonight's City Council meetings

Following my surgeries late this afternoon at Harris Academy and the Mitchell  Centre, I attended tonight's City Council meetings at which :

* I sought (and obtained) assurances at the Education Committee about the continued independence of Park Place Nursery School as a 'stand alone' school.   A report on a review of the school estate rather implied it would be integrated into the primary school at the new Blackness Road campus, but, having already corresponded with the Director of Education on this matter, he agreed, in response to my questions, tonight that the nursery will remain as an independent school with its own Head Teacher and with its school roll intact at 110 pupils.

* At Housing Committee, I praised the hard work and quality of service delivered by the City Council's sheltered housing wardens.

* At City Development Committee, I supported road speed limit cuts - in particular on Riverside Avenue and Riverside Drive and asked about the possible provision of pedestrian crossings in the future.    I have had a large postbag on this issue, the vast majority of residents supporting a cut in the speed limit.

* At Policy and Resources Committee, I spoke out against Scottish Government cuts in Dundee College's budget and asked that Scottish Government uses £67m in consequentials due to the English Council Tax Freeze to help Scotland's colleges.