Tuesday 28 February 2023

Friends of Wighton - Lunchtime Recital tomorrow!


With thanks to Sheena Wellington, here's the latest update from Friends of Wighton :

Lunchtime Recital: Wednesday 1st March, 1.15pm – 1.45pm
Ted Poletyllo, singer
Wighton Heritage Centre at the Central Library

We are, at last, able to go back to our pre-pandemic time and are celebrating by bringing you another fine traditional singer, Ted Poletyllo.

Ted, who hails from Fife, is a consummate ballad singer who has won numerous TMSA singing competitions over the years, the latest, in November 2022 being Glenfarg Folk Club’s prestigious Sandy Watt Quaich.

Admission is free and donations welcome!

Monday 27 February 2023

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend


DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2023

Dunmore Drive/Gardens – closed from Thursday 27 February for 3 days for carriageway resurfacing.

Perth Road (Roseangle to Nethergate) – rolling overnight (7.00pm to 6.00am) temporary traffic lights on Monday 27 February for C-Plan cabling works.

Abbotsford Street (at Seymour Street) – temporary traffic lights from Monday 27 February for 3 days for telecommunications mast maintenance.

Blackness Avenue – temporary traffic from Monday 27 February for 5 days for installation of pedestrian crossing island.

Forthcoming Roadworks

West Marketgait (Nethergate to West Port roundabout) – off‑peak northbound nearside lane closure on Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 March for Virgin Media work.

Lochee Road (at Gardners Lane) – temporary traffic lights from 9.00am on Thursday 16 March to 6.00am on Friday 17 March for Scottish Water work.

City Road (at Tullideph Road) – temporary traffic lights from Monday 20 March for 4 days for O2 work.

Sunday 26 February 2023

Harris Academy FPs' lunch #dundeewestend


The Harris Academy Former Pupils' Association is holding a lunch on Monday 6th March from noon - for a 12.30pm start.

All FPs welcome - please contact Dorothy Drummond, President of the FPs' Association, at dorothy.s.d@outlook.com or call 668619.

Saturday 25 February 2023

Lauries of Dundee sign #dundeewestend


As residents will be aware, the former Lauries Nurseries site is now something of a building site as the care home development has commenced.

We had requests to ask the developer to ensure the Lauries of Dundee sign is saved and had the following helpful feedback from Wellwood Leslie Architects, the architects for developers Simply UK :

"Simply UK and the landowner are in discussion with Dundee Civic Trust with regards to the removal and the donation of the existing signage to the trust."

Friday 24 February 2023

Dundee Women's Festival 2023


Book now for Dundee Women's Festival 2023!

🗓️ When? 4th - 19th March.

🏰 Where? Venues across the city - and some are
online too!

🎟️ How? Click link below to access full programme and find event booking details.

Thursday 23 February 2023

Wednesday 22 February 2023

Getting things done - underpass near Clovis Duveau Drive #dundeewestend


There is unfortunately again a lot of graffiti in the underpass across Riverside Avenue around Clovis Duveau Drive to Invergowrie.

We have asked the City Council to have this removed.

Tuesday 21 February 2023

A cleaner city : Liberal Democrats’ big offer for Dundee council budget


Dundee City Council’s Liberal Democrat councillors have released their full budget proposals ahead of Thursday’s council budget meeting and have proposed re-hiring every single street cleaning post in Dundee axed by the SNP since 2015.    That’s some 39 posts, the SNP having cut the number of full time equivalent street cleaning jobs from 115 in 2015 to just 76 today.

Group Leader and West End Councillor Fraser Macpherson said, “We continue to get many complaints from constituents about street cleaning in the city which is simply not as good as it used to be.   The street sweeping staff left do a really good job but there’s just not enough of them now.    It has been a picture of decline in the staffing resource year after year under the SNP.

“Not only has the SNP cut 39 posts, there’s an additional 16 vacancies that have not been filled.    So with just 60 street cleaners in post at the moment, staffing levels currently in post are little more than half the staff that were in place in 2015. 

“Environment management generally has lost significant staffing since 2015 and in our view has borne a disproportionate share of the cuts.   For example, leaving aside cleaning the streetscape, the council’s Director of Neighbourhood Services has confirmed to us that grounds maintenance staff who maintain Dundee’s parks and open spaces has declined by 27 full time equivalent posts since 2015.

“We want a cleaner city – not litter lying, overflowing Eurobins, litter bins and dog bins and to achieve this we need to help existing staff with the load they already have by adding more street cleaning staff so we have found the funding necessary to reinstate every single street cleaning post lost over the past 8 years.    We’ll also create new posts in forestry and animal control and add to the community safety warden and countryside ranger staff resource.”

To pay for this, the Liberal Democrats have identified a large range of small savings right across the council in areas like equipment and furniture, car allowances, travel and subsistence and also hospitality.    This would include scrapping the second civic vehicle and removing alcohol purchases.   It would also mean greater recharges for providing services to third parties.   The Liberal Democrats also aim to propose a lower council tax increase than the SNP’s proposed 4.75% increase.

Broughty Ferry councillor Craig Duncan added, “We are also proposing an additional £2 million next year for roads resurfacing, £1 million on pavements resurfacing to properly tackle the state of many footpaths and road surfaces that we get so many complaints about.

We are also proposing to save local supported bus services including the 206 service in my own Broughty Ferry area that are proposed for the axe by the SNP.  We want to save this service as well as others in the West End/Lochee, Kirkton/Lawside/The Glens and Mill O’Mains/Mid Craigie and cuts to Service 10.   

“We are also proposing to save the sheltered shoppers’ bus and the ‘Out & About’ bus service that the SNP intends to end.   We feel this will be detrimental to the elderly folk who rely on these services and would be an unkind and inappropriate thing to remove these vital services for older people.”

West End councillor Michael Crichton added, “We are also proposing improvements to the City Centre and District Shopping areas with a £1 million for shopfront upgrades and other exterior improvements such as improved lighting, painting, stonework repairs and repositioning façade signage in the City Centre targeted on Murraygate and Reform Street to complement the existing scheme recently agreed for Union Street.

“A further £1 million will be shared across the five district shopping areas – Stobswell, Hilltown, Broughty Ferry, Perth Road and Lochee – to undertake further environmental improvements there.    

“We also want to double the frequency of bus shelter cleaning back to monthly as it used to be before the SNP halved it last year.    We are determined to see real environmental improvements in our shopping areas, particularly in the city centre.

“We’ll also reduce parking charges in areas like Hilltown and Broughty Ferry and abolish the West End car parking charges altogether.”

Strathmartine councillor Daniel Coleman said, “The Liberal Democrat Group will try stop the SNP proposal to hike the brown bin charge yet again – to £45 from 2024 – and would seek to cut it to £35 to support the recycling effort in Dundee.

“We also aim to oppose the SNP’s increase in the bulky uplifts charge and would aim to cut the SNP proposed charge by £9 per collection.

“We are also strongly against the SNP’s proposal to cut 10% off local community regeneration funding.   Not only will we oppose this SNP cut but our budget alternative aims to give each local area an extra £10 000 each specifically for localised cost of living support.

“There are areas where we will support parts of the SNP budget – for example, their areas of additional expenditure like supporting Dundee’s food network.

“We would also continue to provide support to Sistema’s Big Noise Douglas that the SNP says it will no longer support.”

Councillor Macpherson concluded : 

“Liberal Democrat budget proposals also allow for growth in key areas like supporting local communities, roads and pavements improvements, shopping area improvements and keeping our streets cleaner.

We have listened carefully to the issues our constituents are raising and feel our proposals are fair and deliverable.”

Monday 20 February 2023

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend


DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2023

Greenmarket – prohibition of left turn into Greenmarket from South Marketgait on Monday 20 February (9.30am to 3.30pm) for Virgin Media work.

Dunmore Drive/Gardens – closed from Thursday 23 February for 5 days for carriageway resurfacing.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Perth Road (Roseangle to Nethergate) – rolling overnight (7:00pm to 6:00am) temporary traffic lights Monday 27 February for C-Plan cabling works.

Blackness Avenue - road closure from Monday 27 February for 5 Days for installation of pedestrian crossing island.

West Marketgait (Nethergate to West Port roundabout) – off peak north bound nearside lane closure Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 March for Virgin Media work.

Sunday 19 February 2023

Liberal Democrats slam Dundee SNP budget proposals - "the city needs better"


The Liberal Democrat Group on Dundee City Council has responded to the SNP administration budget proposals by saying it has ‘very significant’ concerns at many of the SNP cuts and it will be moving an alternative set of budget proposals at Thursday’s crunch budget meeting.

Group Leader Councillor Fraser Macpherson said, “Dundee SNP continually drones on about it ‘being ambitious for the city’ but even even the most cursory look at their budget proposals casts serious doubts on that claim – millions of pounds of cuts and a huge council tax increase to boot.

“Its own SNP government shares much of the blame as it has handed down to all councils one of the worst local government finance settlements in many years and the bottom line is that under the SNP you will be paying much more and getting much less in the way of services.

“The Liberal Democrat group is finalising alterative proposals and will be moving an alternative set of proposals at Thursday’s budget meeting.”

Depute group leader and Broughty Ferry Councillor Craig Duncan added, “The SNP again intends to axe local supported bus services including the 206 service in my own Broughty Ferry area.

“We will certainly oppose this cut and the other bus services that will include axing services in the West End/Lochee, Kirkton/Lawside/The Glens and Mill O’Mains/Mid Craigie. The SNP will also axe the support the council currently makes to ensure Service 10 has evening and Sunday services right across Dundee.

“If we are to further encourage people to use public transport this is exactly the wrong thing to be doing and so very short sighted.”

Strathmartine councillor Daniel Coleman said, “The SNP also intends to axe £50 000 of community regeneration funding support right across Dundee, something we feel is a completely wrong thing to do. This funding is for local communities and helps anti-poverty, social inclusion and cost of living issues.

“These cuts we cannot support – it is completely the wrong thing to be doing at this time.”

West End councillor Michael Crichton added, “Our overall impression is of an SNP budget that expects Dundonians to pay much more for a whole lot less.

“The council has been handed a dreadful grant settlement by the SNP government and the SNP council administration’s choices have simply made matters worse”

The full Dundee Liberal Democrat Group budget proposals will be released early next week after discussions with council officers on the proposals are concluded.

Saturday 18 February 2023

Getting things done - Rockfield Crescent #dundeewestend


We have long campaigned for resurfacing of the road in Rockfield Crescent and were previously advised by the City Council at the start of 2022 :

"Rockfield Crescent is provisionally included in the 2022/2023 Carriageway Resurfacing Programme (Marchfield Crescent to Hyndford Street)."

We sought an update recently as the 2022/23 financial year draws to a close and the Senior Engineer - Roads Maintenance Partnership has now updated us as follows :

"I can confirm that unfortunately Rockfield Crescent is one of 20 carriageway schemes that are being deferred to the new financial year. T  his has been due in the main to the vast increase in bitumen prices which has curtailed our works programme.

The works deferred from this year will be programmed as early as possible in the new financial year."

We have asked to be kept updated as we are anxious to see this resurfacing take place as soon as possible.

Friday 17 February 2023

Getting things done - footbridge south of Harris Academy #dundeewestend


Residents will recall that, before Christmas, there was unfortunate recent vandalism of the footbridge over the rail line south of Harris Academy.

The principal engineer at the City Council dealing with this has further updated us on progress with repairs as follows :

"Tayside Contracts has set up security Heras fencing at both sides of the bridge to prevent access. This fencing will be in place until the bridge repairs are complete.

Network Rail and Dundee City Council engineers have assessed the bridge and confirmed that although the bridge is damaged there isn’t a need to introduce train speed restrictions.

We are consulting with Network Rail to formalise their required Basic Asset protection agreement (BAPA), line possession dates and estimation of their costs.

Also, we are currently putting together tender contract documentation for the required bridge repairs, which we hope to have issued in the next few weeks for contractors to price.

Unfortunately, we don’t have a timeframe until we have a contractor appointed and Network Rail’s agreement for rail track possession."

Thursday 16 February 2023

Bus timetables concern - an update #dundeewestend


As residents will be aware, over a protracted period, we have raised with the City Council that, although real time bus information is working at bus shelters, paper timetables had been out of date since the bus companies altered services at the start of the COVID health emergency in 2020.

Bus stops in our neighbouring authorities like Angus and Perth and Kinross have had timetables restored long since and we were given assurances that timetables in Dundee would start to make a reappearance.

We asked for an update and the council's Senior Transport Officer updated us as follows :

"We have now prepared, printed and set out timetable information at around 350 bus stops across the city.

We have focused our efforts on the busiest stops where passenger loadings are most significant.

We are reviewing the datasets provided to us by the bus operators before we generate any further displays."

There's updated timetables on the Perth Road bus stop at Party Wizard but, as the photo indicated, it had been covered in an unauthorised advert. We asked the council to have the glass panel cleaned and were promised this would be done.

Wednesday 15 February 2023

Fuel Well 3 applications open


The Fuel Well scheme has already helped over 10 000 Dundee households with their energy costs and has now reopened to new applications.

So far the third phase of Fuel Well Dundee has funded just under £1 million to support people on a low income or who are already experiencing fuel poverty with energy costs.

It also provides a range of energy and debt advice, help with income maximisation and employability support.

Now the scheme is opening up to additional households who have not received a Fuel Well grant in the past 12 months.

Run by Dundee City Council, Scarf (Part of the Home Energy Scotland network) and Dundee Citizens Advice Bureau, the scheme reopened last Friday - 10th February - and will help :

• Single people and couples without children, who will receive a £100 award; and
• Households with children, who will receive a £150 award.

As well as the original focus on low-income families, this time there is a recognition that as the cost of living crisis continues to bite there is an opportunity to extend help to new families (both those in work or out of work) who fall into any of the categories below :

• Spending 10% or more of their total household income on heating their home.
• Struggling to deal with unmanageable debt alongside higher energy costs.
• Dealing with a disability or long-term health condition that means they spend more money on heating their home.
• Have seen their housing costs and energy costs rise to levels where they are having to take on long term debt or are in danger of missing rent or mortgage payments.

Full details of the revised eligibility and how to apply can be found on the council website at www.dundeecity.gov.uk/service-area/corporate-services/customer-services-and-it/fuel-well-dundee

As well as these direct payments, the scheme can help with short, medium and longer-term support from fuel advisers and welfare rights advisers. Information and assistance on how to apply for a Warm Home Discount application is also available.

Fuel Well advisers will also offer support in other areas of financial inclusion including energy advice, a benefits check and debt advice; where appropriate, consideration of referral for Discretionary Hardship Payments or to the council’s Hardship fund; and crisis grants and community care grants advice.

Tuesday 14 February 2023

Environmental improvements for Perth Road area - an update #dundeewestend

Residents will recall the information we posted back in June and September 2022 - see www.dundeewestend.com/2022/09/environmental-improvements-for-perth.html and www.dundeewestend.com/2022/06/environmental-improvements-for-perth.html - on possible environmental improvements in Perth Road at three locations - Pennycook Lane outside the police station, the Miller's Wynd car park and area around the West End Community Fridge and the Sinderins "triangle."

These were simply 'concept drawings' and we insisted to the City Council that it provided detailed designs for public consultation and feedback before the final designs go to tender and these have now been provided - see below.

We would welcome residents' feedback ASAP and this will also be discussed at the West End Community Council meeting tonight - 7pm at Blackness Library - all welcome!

The illustrations have had to be reduced in file size to enable them to be posted.   If you would like a copy of the original high definition PDFs, please e-mail Fraser at fraser.macpherson@dundeecity.gov.uk - many thanks.



Monday 13 February 2023

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend


DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2023

West Park Road – temporary traffic lights for up to one week for Scottish Water mains repair.

Blackness Road (at Annfield Road) – overnight (7.00pm to 6.00am) temporary traffic lights on Monday 13 February for Scottish Water investigation work.

Lochee Road (at Blinshall Street) – overnight (7.00pm to 6.00am) temporary traffic lights on Monday 13 February for Scottish Water investigation work.

Glamis Drive – road closure from Monday 13 February for 5 days for CityFibre works.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Greenmarket – prohibition of left turn into Greenmarket from South Marketgait on Monday 20 February (9.30am to 3.30pm) for Virgin Media work.

Dunmore Drive/Gardens – closed from Thursday 23 February for 5 days for carriageway resurfacing.

Sunday 12 February 2023

Historic maps of the West End #dundeewestend


The National Library of Scotland has an an online tool to allow people to see how an area looks in a recent satellite photo compared to a map published in 1896 - later dates can also be chosen.

Using the blue slider button on the left hand side of the tool’s screen, you can look at the map, the photo or, best of all, a merged combination of both.

The following link at :


... will take you to the tool zoomed in on part of the West End but you can of course use it to look elsewhere in Scotland.

Saturday 11 February 2023

Treasured Tots #dundeewestend

The Gate Church at 158 Perth Road runs its parent and child group 'Treasured Tots' on a Monday from 10am to 12.30pm.

This is a free group for parents and carers of young children. 

These are drop in sessions and you can drop in any time between the opening and closing times.


Friday 10 February 2023

Getting things done - Perth Road #dundeewestend


Residents recently contacted us about a number of potholes and road defects including the one pictured on Perth Road around the Invercarse Hotel entrance and just east of it on the north side of the road.

We reported this to the Roads Maintenance Partnership and received the following helpful response :

"An order has been raised for repairs to be carried out."

Thursday 9 February 2023

Temporary Traffic Order - Glamis Drive


From the City Council :

THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14(1)

THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of City Fibre duct installation works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Glamis Drive (between Glamis Road and Hillside Road), Dundee.

This notice comes into effect on Monday 13 February 2022 for 5 working days.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.   Access will be maintained where possible.

Alternative routes for vehicles are available via Glamis Road / Glamis Terrace / Hazel Drive.

For further information contact 433082.

Executive Director of City Development

Dundee City Council

Wednesday 8 February 2023

Heart Space - free offer! #dundeewestend

Heart Space Yoga and Bodyworks in Scott Street is now offering free community classes - indeed a quarter of its full timetable is free of charge.

This is a very generous offer and details are below and you book classes at www.heart-space.yoga/book :

Tuesday 7 February 2023

Getting things done - Sycamore Place #dundeewestend


The state of the Sycamore Place road surface - especially the part between Balgay Road and Logie Avenue - is in really poor condition.

Last spring, we asked the council's Roads Maintenance Partnership if the road could be considered for the 2023/24 resurfacing programme.

We are pleased to now advise that it has indeed be added to the carriageway improvement programme for 2023/24.

Monday 6 February 2023

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend


DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2023

West Marketgait (Northbound) at Greenmarket (new BT development) – off‑peak (9.30am – 3.30pm) lane closure for 5 no water service connections until Friday 3 February.

Session Street – closed for one week for Scottish Water work.

Session Street/Hawkhill/Blinshall Street/Guthrie Street - temporary traffic lights and lane closures for cladding inspection works at The Hub building from Sunday 29 January – Friday 3 February.

Perth Road (at Millbay Terrace) – temporary traffic lights for 2 weeks for Scotland Gas Network mains repair.

Riverside Esplanade – nearside westbound lane closure from 9.00am on Monday 6 February to 6.00am on Tuesday 7 February for Scottish Water manhole repair.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Blackness Road (at Annfield Road) – overnight (7.00pm to 6.00am) temporary traffic lights on Monday 13 February for Scottish Water investigation work.

Lochee Road (at Blinshall Street) – overnight (7.00pm to 6.00am) temporary traffic lights on Monday 13 February for Scottish Water investigation work.

Glamis Drive – road closure on Monday 13 February for CityFibre works.

Greenmarket – prohibition of left turn into Greenmarket from South Marketgait on Monday 20 February (9.30am to 3.30pm) for Virgin Media work.

Dunmore Drive/Gardens – closed from Thursday 23 February for 5 days for carriageway resurfacing.

Sunday 5 February 2023

Lampshade Making Workshop


Transition Dundee at 112 Nethergate is running a Lampshade Making Workshop next Friday from 10am.

You can unleash your creativity at our workshop and take home a unique, upcycled lampshade!

Take an old, unloved lampshade and transform it into a beauty.

All materials, plus refreshments, will be provided.

This workshop is open to anyone over the age of 12, though 12 to 16 year olds must be accompanied by an adult.
 
Full details including booking are available at www.facebook.com/events/6147140971987065

Saturday 4 February 2023

Getting things done - Newhall Gardens #dundeewestend


Some time ago,  trees had to be removed on Riverside Avenue south of Newhall Gardens, to protect rail line safety.

As one resident in Newhall Gardens recently asked :

"Could I please ask that some could be planted to replace the ones cut down on Riverside Avenue when works were done to the railway line ?

I realise that access needs to be kept clear to the line now but there is plenty of space for new trees.

The houses in Newhall Gardens are now enduring more lights from the businesses, noise and pollution from traffic on Riverside Avenue."

We raised this with the council's Forestry Officer had received this helpful response :

"Planting was to be undertaken by ourselves a number of months ago. 

I am of course tying to have this completed this planting season with the resources I have and the work load. I will have a discussion with a colleague and see if I can move this one using gardeners to plant it up.

The selected trees are mainly hardwood similar to the original shelterbelt, conifer species unfortunately are not used so close to the rail track for safety reasons."

Friday 3 February 2023

Cosy Rooms #dundeewestend


Cosy Rooms at The Gate, 158 Perth Road continue on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays - 10am to 4pm.

An open drop-in with tea, coffee and soup for anyone who'd like to warm up while enjoying some good company.

We are grateful to Gate Church for this excellent initiative!

Thursday 2 February 2023

Getting things done - Dunmore Drive and Dunmore Gardens - an update #dundeewestend


Michael is pictured in Dunmore Gardens where the road surface is really poor and we had long requested resurfacing.

This was agreed but resurfacing work in both Dunmore Drive and Dunmore Gardens had to be postponed from late 2022 as another resurfacing project over-ran due to flooding issues - so we sought assurances from the City Council that the work will take place in early 2023.

We were initially advised as follows from the Senior Engineer - Roads Maintenance Partnership :

“At present all being well, the works are currently programmed for the last week in February, first week in March.

The only sticking point is with the increases in the Bitumen prices there may be a possibility that the works may be postponed until after March. I am currently working out the likely outturns for the works on site now against the budget.

Once this has been completed I will let you know."

We are pleased to now advise that we were recently further updated as follows :

"Latest position is still the same, programmed for last week in February, first week in March. It looks like the budget will be there to complete the works."

Wednesday 1 February 2023

Dundee Cancer Support Network

The cancer support café and drop in is every Thursday from 10am to 2pm at the Wellgate Listening Post.

Everyone is welcome.

Read more about the Dundee Cancer Support Network at www.cancerdundee.org