Blackness Library - consultation

Last week, I mentioned that, at the Community Spirit Action Group meeting, there was a presentation by the City Council's Chief Architectural Services Officer on the proposed capital investment on Blackness Library.   


As I indicated, what is proposed will provide proper disabled access to the meeting rooms on the first floor, which is to be welcomed.  However, in my view it falls short of what is really required to create a proper community resource for the West End.   


In addition to the proposals, we really need to see provision of a base for community groups, upgrading of the library and meeting rooms and ease of access to the facility in the evenings and weekends for local residents and community groups.


At present, the large meeting room upstairs can be exceptionally warm on summer days and its impossible, given its glass dome, to show electronic presentations.   Furthermore, the area and the library downstairs would greatly benefit from sympathetic refurbishment that these proposals do not provide for.


I made the point at the Community Spirit meeting and direct to the Chief Executive that there was the need for a proper public display of the proposals and consultation events at the library and I am grateful that he has written to me to agree to this.   Details of this are given in the poster below and I would urge local residents to go along, look at the proposals and give their views:

Thursday surgery

As tomorrow is an in-service day at Dundee's schools, Blackness Primary School is not open so my ward surgery there cannot take place this week.

I can, however, be contacted at any time on Dundee 459378 or by e-mail at esurgery@frasermacpherson.org.uk.

Transition on Tour

As a long-standing and active supporter of the Dundee Transition Town group, I am really pleased that "Transition on Tour" comes to Dundee tomorrow.

You can download a copy of the flyer about tomorrow's activities by clicking on the headline above or by going to http://tinyurl.com/transitiontour.

Wave 102 News - on the LGiU awards

I was on Wave 102 news yesterday about the Local Government Information Unit Awards - click 'play' to listen:

WESHA meeting

Earlier tonight, after my ward surgeries at Harris Academy and the Mitchell Street Centre, I attended the West End Sports and Heritage Association (WESHA) committee meeting at the West End Community Base in the Vine in Magdalen Yard Road.

WESHA is making great progress and we are planning an Open Event later in the spring for sporting and other community groups.

If you are interested in WESHA's work to improve sporting and environmental facilities in the West End, please contact us - wesha@frasermacpherson.org.uk.

Problems with parking at Ninewells Hospital

As residents are aware, I have long campaigned for improvements in the parking situation at Ninewells Hospital, including campaigning against parking charges at the hospital (that Scottish Government, despite SNP election promises, has failed to abolish), difficulties getting parked in the Vinci Park-operated car parks in the hospital grounds, and the overspill of cars that impact upon residential streets in the West End Ward to the east and south of the hospital area.

Following a spate of further complaints from staff and visitors (both out-patients and friends and relatives visiting in-patients) about difficulties finding a parking space at the hospital, I wrote to NHS Tayside recently asking if Vinci Park and NHS Tayside are aware of these difficulties, monitor the growth of car usage within the hospital site and have considered future provision of further car parking capacity.

I have received a detailed response from NHS Tayside's Head of Site and Support Services at Ninewells Hospital as follows :

"In respect of the issues around car parking I can advise that we are indeed experiencing our annual/seasonal high pressure on parking at the hospital and we do keep a close eye on the varying demands by close monitoring with the car park contractor Vinci Park.

I have confidence that the changes we mad a few years ago to protect car parks closest to the hospital is continuing to provide the desired effect and by and large these car parks (car parks 5, 6 and 7) do indeed turn over on  regular and frequent basis during the day due to the time restriction control (4 hours). Similar time controls in the disabled car park area also continues to allow ease of access for disabled drivers arriving at site throughout the day.

In terms of staff, we are continuing to review our site Travel Planning approach with efforts to encourage higher use of public Transport, given that we have an excellent bus terminus at our main entrance.  Additionally we will experience an increase in the use of bicycle transport by staff as is normal once the winter period is over. Also at this time of year, there is a generally low uptake of staff annual leave but this increases from February onwards which will reduce the pressure experienced at this time of year.

In respect of Park & Ride, we do already work very closely with TACTRAN and also Dundee City Council and fully support the Park & Ride initiative that is being planned for the Dundee West location.  We fully believe that this will greatly assist with the continuing parking pressures.

In terms of providing additional parking facilities on site, I'm sure you will appreciate that for a number of reasons this is not in our strategic plans.  Likewise we understand that Dundee City Council (supported by TACTRAN) do not consider increased parking provision to be something that can be supported from a planning perspective. 

Out with what is currently our Seasonal high pressure we will continue to closely monitor parking capacity and in reviewing our Travel Plan (with support from TACTRAN) we will continue to focus efforts to try and encourage staff in particular to make higher use of what is already a very good public transport network in and around Dundee along with further promotion of walking and cycling to work, which also has a health benefit for staff."

Hawkhill by-pass - safety barrier - at last!

Two years ago when the Tesco Express opened at Hawkhill, at its east end, residents expressed concern about parking right outside the store on the busy by-pass. The police were also been in touch with me about the concerns.

The police's suggestion was for an extension to the barriers across the store entrance - a very sensible suggestion in my view.

So I asked the council for this and - through the Road Construction Consent process - the developer of the adjacent site (including the Tesco store and the Casino) was asked to provide the necessary safety barrier.     Protracted negotiations over what I would consider a minor improvement have dragged on and, in short, the developer has been uncooperative in terms of providing the necessary barrier.

So full credit to the City Council's Head of Transportation who has broken the stalemate and advised me :

"To bring this matter to a conclusion I have agreed that Dundee City Council will complete these works as we do not wish to allow the unwelcome parking situation at Tesco to continue and will implement the barrier works in the coming weeks (before the end of March 2012)."

Dissatisfied with bank's response over Student Branch closure

Following my writing to Royal Bank of Scotland last month following concerns about possible closure of the student branch at Balfour Street, I've expressed disappointment at a response I have received from the bank to reject calls to think again over the proposed closure of its branch at the university’s student union.    

The response I have received from Jeffrey Hartley, RBoS’s Head of Group Customer Relations, confirms the branch is indeed earmarked for closure and it appears the Royal Bank is adamant that it will not reprieve the well-used branch.   

In his letter Mr Hartley says :

“I acknowledge that any news about a branch closure will be unwelcome, but I can assure you that this is not a decision which we take lightly.  As we look to rebuild a sustainable bank, we must ensure that our branches are open where and when our customers want to use them.  Regrettably, the Dundee University branch is not used to the same extent as the other branches in the area, and the branch has seen a substantial decline in usage over the last few years.

RBS will maintain a presence in the local area, with our nearby branches on Dundee High Street and Perth Road continuing to offer a full banking service.  Each of these branches if within one mile of the University.  Additionally, customers can use our online, telephone and Smartphone banking services 24 hours a day.

Over the course of 2011, we came to an agreement with the Post Office which allows our customers to use their systems.  Both personal and business customers can now use their debit cards to carry out balance enquiries and cash withdrawals at their local Post Office branch.”

There’s a certain sense of irony in that response from the bank as they suggest using local Post Offices.    The Nethergate Post Office, very close to the university campus, was closed by Post Office Limited in 2008.

The decision to close the bank branch at the Student Union is really detrimental to the University of Dundee’s students and staff.   Its been a hugely busy branch over the years and it comes on top of the decision to close the Ninewells Hospital branch and the Lochee branch last year.

Despite being largely in public ownership, the bank doesn’t seem much bothered about the public, the customers who rely on local branches.    Coming in the wake of the furore over bankers’ bonuses, I don’t half feel the Royal Bank of Scotland, despite being over 80% in public ownership, is totally out of touch with public opinion.

I have written back to Royal Bank of Scotland criticising the decision and also seeking an assurance that the bank will at least keep the much-used RBoS ATM at the Student Union.

Our budget priorities : Pupils before Council Offices

Cllr Helen Dick and I have now submitted to the City Council Liberal Democrat proposals to improve the council’s Revenue and Capital Budgets.   We will have amendments to both the revenue budget and the capital budget at the Budget Meeting next Thursday but will look carefully at the ideas coming from the other political groups.

In the revenue budget, by using unallocated and not legally committed money in the City Development budget, we propose saving the much-needed visiting specialists in Music and PE in the city’s primary schools and also reversing the proposed cut of music instructors contained in the SNP administration’s proposals.  The feedback we have had from constituents is that they see any proposal to cut music and PE instructors and specialists as highly detrimental to our schools and this should be stopped.

In the capital budget, we say “pupils before council offices” by cutting out over £5m of proposed expenditure on new depots and a headquarters for the council’s Environment Department and spending it instead on improvements in city primary schools.    Since I made clear that we felt that, after spending over £35 million on the new Dundee House and other sums on other council offices, the council should be redirecting its resources to schools rather than yet more money being spent on offices, I have been inundated with local people telling me they agree with this stance.

The Liberal Democrat Capital Budget proposals would also see the establishment of a £100 000 unadopted roads budget and a £100 000 budget to improve car parking in council estates.

Some years ago, the City Council had a working party to look at improving car parking in council estates and then one ‘pilot’ new car park in part of Douglas that has proved a success.  But it has done nothing further to make improvements in other areas.   There are many estates in the city that would benefit from improved car parking and I have highlighted the Pentland area.   There needs to be funding to move this forward.

On unadopted roads, there are a small number of really poor conditioned unadopted roads in the city.    The council already has an unadopted pavements programme but does nothing about unadopted roads – an example is the appallingly badly conditioned Shaftesbury Place in the West End Ward and there are other examples across the city.    In Shaftesbury Place, a resident broke his ankle falling into what I can only describe as a pitted road that resembles the surface of the moon.  £100 000 won’t solve the problem right across the city but it would make a start and recognise there’s a real issue here. 

Verdant Works and the High Mill - Dundee's industrial heritage

This afternoon, along with a representative of Dundee Heritage Trust, I had a tour of the parts of Verdant Works  and the High Mill that have not, as yet, been restored and, left in their current state, are under threat.

As the photos below indicate, these areas of the mill are a stunning representation of Dundee's industrial past.    There has been interest shown by Historic Scotland and we discussed possible options.   It will be a challenge to secure a positive solution but it is absolutely worth progressing.   To see the neglect and decay of nearby Queen Victoria Works, it reminds us of the need to preserve our city's historical heritage.

Wave 102 news report on Riverside Drive walkway

Following my recent article about pedestrian safety on Riverside Drive and proposals to improve the walkway between Tesco Riverside and the Rail Station, I spoke about the matter on Wave 102 news yesterday.

Community Spirit Action Group - February update

Earlier tonight, I attended the first meeting of 2012 of Community Spirit Action Group, the residents' group covering Polepark, Pentland, Cleghorn, Ancrum, Tullideph and surrounding areas. 

Matters covered included :

* A presentation by the City Council's Chief Architectural Services Officer on the proposed capital investment on Blackness Library.   Although welcome in itself - it will provide proper disabled access to the meeting rooms on the first floor - in my view it falls short of what is really required to create a proper community resource for the West End.   This would include provision of a base for community groups, upgrading of the library and meeting rooms and ease of access to the facility in the evenings and weekends for local residents and community groups.

I have specifically requested a proper public consultation with the local community on the proposal, including a display and community engagement event at the library.

* There was thereafter an excellent presentation by Mark Chalmers of Sustrans about the Street Design Project in Kirkcaldy that has provided a low-cost, great value project that is giving the local community traffic and community safety improvements, dropped kerbing, landscaping and improved lighting and pathways.    I have been in touch with Sustrans about how areas like Ancrum and Pentland can benefit from this sort of initiative.

* I updated the group on two projects I have proposed to the Community Payback Scheme to benefit the local area - upgrading the Blyth Street seating area (see right) and repairing the fallen fencing in Glenagnes Gardens.

2012 Dundee Women's Festival

Dundee Women's Festival, celebrating women with events, film, arts, drama and workshops - takes place from 28th February until 17th March.    As in past years, there will be a great programme of activities.

You can download full details at http://tinyurl.com/dundeewomensfestival.

Local Government Information Unit Awards 2012

I was delighted to learn today that I have been shortlisted in the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) Awards 2012 in the "Online Councillor of the Year" category!     I was particularly honoured as I am the only  councillor from a Scottish local authority shortlisted in any of the 11 categories.

LGiU advised me :

"I am pleased to inform you that you have been shortlisted for an award at the 2012 LGiU and CCLA C’llr Achievement Awards.

Now in their third year, the C’llr Achievement Awards are established as the only national ceremony to recognise and reward the fantastic work of councillors from across the political spectrum.

There are 11 different awards on offer in 2012, and the shortlists for each category are now available on the LGiU blog.

The winners in each category will be announced at a ceremony in Westminster City Hall on 27^th February, 2012. Several high profile speakers are expected to attend, including Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles (confirmed). An official invitation to the ceremony will be emailed to you later this week.

Congratulations on being shortlisted."

I am very grateful for being nominated and shortlisted.

Riverside Drive Walkway - an update

Further to my article earlier this month about concerns from residents about the state of the walkway from the railway station to Tesco Riverside and the fact that it is claustrophobic given the concrete barriers that Network Rail has insisted upon being in place as the adjacent roadway runs in parallel to the rail station concourse, I have now received the following useful update from the City Council's Director of City Development:

"We have now met with Network Rail and they have agreed that we can extend the Riverside layby to both the east and the west. Network Rail were concerned with the potential for accidental collision to their structure particularly at the new enlarged west access. We have mitigated their concerns by proposing 'Trief' safety kerbs at the entrance together with some protective bollards.

I have attached a copy of our plan showing our proposals. The remaining area from our proposed layby to Tesco roundabout has now had shrubs cut back providing much improved visibility and our proposals have reduced the length of high concrete containment barrier by 40% which will dramatically increase vehicular / pedestrian activity at the layby. Together these proposals should improve the security and visual perception of the area."

I view this as positive progress towards removing the claustrophobic nature of the walkway.   The plans referred to above can be downloaded at http://tinyurl.com/riversidewalkway.

Jim Opray

I was very saddened to learn of the death of Jim Opray, former councillor for Ancrum Ward back in the 1980s and my Conservative opponent when I was first elected to the City Council at the Tay Bridges Ward by-election in 2001.

Jim was an absolute gentleman who worked for the local community in so many ways.   In addition to being a former District Councillor, he was a board member at Tayside Recyclers and a volunteer at the University of Dundee Botanic Garden.

Jim made a real contribution to the community and will be sadly missed and long remembered.

Good news on the Roseangle Car Park

I have welcomed feedback that the City Council will give priority to my request to upgrade the Roseangle Car Park early in the new financial year 2012/13.

I have been asking the council for some time to resurface the car park - see its condition - right.   It is in a really poor state with loads of bad potholes and very worn parking bay lining.    The car park is very well-used in an area where finding a parking space is often difficult.  Last year I requested resurfacing only to be told there was no money for it in this year’s budget.

I therefore requested that the City Development Department Director give priority to the car park early in the 2012/13 financial year when he has a refreshed budget and am pleased to say the response looks promising.

The Director of City Development has advised me :

“I have discussed this with the Head of Transportation and he agrees that the resurfacing will be prioritised early next Financial Year.  This is conditional on the car parking CFCR budget remaining at the same level as Financial Year 2011/12 and this will only be confirmed at the budget setting meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee.”

Hopefully therefore we will see this confirmed at the budget meeting in early February.    Local residents will greatly welcome the resurfacing of this badly surfaced car park.

On Wave 102 news

I am on Wave 102 news this morning about my call to increase funding for improvements across 7 schools in the city including Ancrum Road and Blackness Primary Schools.   Click 'play' to listen :

Getting things done ... Magdalen Green fencing

Some years ago, at my request and those of local residents, the City Council erected some fencing at the east end of the Green, near to the Riverside Approach/Magdalen Yard Road junction, to stop a minority of irresponsible drivers from parking on the Green edge and damaging the grass.

The fencing has worked pretty well, but some of it has fallen - see right - so at the request of residents and the Friends of Magdalen Green I have asked the council's Environment Department to have it sorted.


The Department's Head of Environmental Management has kindly agreed to get the fencing re-erected.

Stunning photograph!

With thanks to my good friend and Chair of Friends of Magdalen Green, Dr Angela Mehlert, here's a stunning photo she recently took of the Tay Rail Bridge :

Latest update from Friends of Wighton ...

Ann Heymann

On Wednesday 1st February, the celebrated harpist Ann Heymann will be in Dundee for a special concert and workshop of ancient and historical Scottish and Irish harp music.

Ann is the world's best known and most highly regarded historical Gaelic harp player. Based in Minnesota, USA, this is her first visit to Scotland for many years and the Friends of Wighton are delighted that she will be visiting Dundee to teach and perform in the Wighton Centre, upstairs in Dundee Central Library.

Ann will perform a lunchtime concert on Wednesday 1st February from 1.15pm to 1.45pm. The concert will be performed on a beautiful, craftsman- made replica of the medieval Scottish "Lamont" harp with strings of brass, silver and solid gold wire, and will feature music from medieval times through to the 18th century traditions. Since the 1st of February is St Bride's or St. Bridget's day, Ann will also perform medieval music associated with this ancient Celtic saint.  Admission to the concert is free.

After the concert, from 2pm, she will present a demonstration and masterclass, which provides a chance for any harpists to bring their instruments and get some inspiring tuition from one of the world's masters; this is also a chance for anyone interested in the old Gaelic traditions to stay in the audience and watch the workshop.    Admission to this part of the event is £10 for participating harpists, and £5 for audience members.

A master in the performance and traditions of the Gaelic harp, Ann Heymann continues to spearhead the instrument's revival, recording, performing and teaching around the world. Recent recordings include the critically acclaimed "Cruit go nOr - Harp of Gold" and "Queen of Harps". Her books include the seminal tutor for the old Gaelic harp traditions, "Secrets of the Gaelic Harp" as well as a groundbreaking method book "Coupled Hands for Harpers".

For more information about Ann Heymann including sound clips, photos and biographies please visit http://www.annheymann.com

For more information about the Friends of Wighton and their concert series, please visit http://www.friendsofwighton.com

For more details of these events please call 07792 336804 or email secretary@friendsofwighton.com

Our schools deserve better than a Sixty Minute Makeover

I have today highlighted my concerns about aspects of the proposed Dundee City Council Capital Budget and urged that there be a cross-party discussion about ways to improve the proposals to benefit the city’s schools.

There’s much to welcome in the draft capital budget and in particular the proposal to build new primary schools in Menzieshill and Coldside is good news, especially given the state of some existing school buildings.    The total of £20m investment in these two areas will not only bring new primary schools but also community facilities and given the funding level for Menzieshill, presumably new nursery facilities may be possible there too.

However, it is over capital expenditure for other primary schools identified for improvement where I am critical of what is being proposed as the funding is simply inadequate and must be increased.     Seven other schools across Dundee have been identified, including Blackness and Ancrum Road Primary Schools that serve large parts of the West End Ward.  

The recognition of the need to improve facilities at these seven schools is welcome but the amount of funding at only £250 000 per school and that is simply not enough funding to make the sort of modernisation that these seven schools deserve.    It should be remembered that a new-build primary school costs in the order of £9-10 million.      These seven primary schools deserve more than a sixty minute makeover.

I have a specific proposal to make the improvements at Glebelands, Clepington, St Mary’s, Longhaugh, Dens Road, Ancrum Road and Blackness Primary Schools a whole lot better by allocating them £1 million each over the lifetime of the next Capital Plan – four times the proposed funding.

£1m per school is affordable if we consign to the bin another proposed set of expenditure on new headquarters and depots for the Environment Department.   The council has already spent around £35 million on Dundee House and more expenditure on other council offices.   It is about time to focus on our schools and, by abandoning ideas of further council department headquarters and by focussing on schools, we can increase expenditure on at Glebelands, Clepington, St Mary’s, Longhaugh, Dens Road, Ancrum Road and Blackness Primary Schools to £1 million for each school.  

No business case has been brought before a city council committee to make a case for more money being spent on council headquarters buildings.    It would be better spent on our schools.

Getting things done ... Peddie Street

Towards the end of last year, I was pleased to report the introduction of a trial for Eurobins at the north end of Peddie Street, to replace the wheelie bin collection that was not working and that residents had asked for a re-think about.

The trial has worked well and feedback from residents has been very positive but, as a number of residents have pointed out, the lack of concrete blocks to weigh down the Eurobins leaves the possibility of them being insecure - see right.   Blocks are used at other locations to keep Eurobins securely in place.

The City Council has assured me that the bins will be properly weighted down as soon as possible and has also given a commitment to re-site the bin at the east end of Abbotsford Place to improve parking.

TayScreen is 10!

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending a very enjoyable event at Dundee Contemporary Arts as part of the 10th Anniversary celebrations of TayScreen that has done so much good work to promote Fife and Tayside for media development and film and TV production, post-production and animation.   

My involvement with TayScreen stems from our joint interest in promoting local television for Dundee, wider Tayside and North Fife, a project now with great potential.

Keith Partridge (right), a Fife-based adventure cameraman, gave a superb talk with dramatic film footage of some of his work.   

In his seminar session, Keith talked about adventure camera work and what it is like to undertake production in remote and dangerous places.  His presentation was hugely impressive and you can find out more about Keith's work at www.adventurecamera.co.uk.

Kathleen Smith

It is with great sadness that I learned yesterday of the death of Kathleen Smith, Honorary President of Dundee Liberal Democrat Association.   Kathleen was 89 and passed away just a few weeks after the death of her husband of 63 years, Jack.

Kathleen and Jack were both leading members of Dundee West Liberal Association and thereafter Dundee Liberal Democrats over many years.   They helped keep the Liberal cause going in the difficult days of the 1950s and 1960s and, as a young election agent in 1984, I remember Kathleen's kindness in giving a generous donation towards the election of Dundee's first Liberal District Councillor.

Kathleen was a parliamentary candidate in Perth and East Perthshire at the February 1974 general election and also at the Tayside Regional Council election the same year in the then Central/Riverside Division, which covers much of my current West End Ward area.    In the Regional Council election she ran a spirited campaign and laid the foundations of future electoral success.    Both Kathleen and Jack were very supportive of my election campaigns in the West End, for which I will always be extremely grateful.

In addition to her highly successful role as Rector's Assessor at the University of Dundee during the rectorships of Sir Clement Freud and Lord Mackie of Benshie (1974-83), Kathleen was a long-standing elder of Meadowside St Paul's Church.

My thoughts are with Kathleen's family at this sad time.

Presentation to Blackness Primary School pupil

Yesterday, Frances Tait, Chair of the Friends of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden, and I had the pleasure of presenting prizes to Blackness Primary School pupil Gary Scott, age 10, winner of the West End Christmas Week children's window spotting competition.

Gary correctly spotted where the letters of C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S were located in Perth Road shops and wins a year's Family Membership of the Botanic Garden and a book token.

On Wave 102 news ...

I was on the Wave 102 news yesterday speaking about my concerns over a likely hike in street lighting costs - click 'play' to listen:

Getting things done ... Benvie Steps

Residents have contacted me regarding the damaged fencing art the Benvie Steps that lead from Lochee Road to Benvie Road - see right.    Residents are concerned about the access to the former garage site and also to an adjacent tenement's back garden

I contacted the City Council about this and the City Engineer has advised :

"An order has been raised for the repair of two linear metres of fence on the east side at the top of the Benvie Road steps. 

The work has yet to be programmed but the Road Maintenance Partnership will update you once this information becomes available."

Perth Road pavement improvements

It was good to see the Perth Road pavement improvements work start yesterday that will see resurfacing on the south side between Step Row and Shepherd's Loan in the shopping area - see right.

I spoke with the council's Roads Maintenance Partnership yesterday about issues raised by local shops.   I am grateful to the Roads Maintenance Partnership for the very prompt response to these matters.

Tonight's City Council meetings

Tonight, after my weekly surgeries at Harris Academy and the Mitchell Street Centre, I attended City Council committee meetings at which:

* At the Education Committee, I welcomed the recommendation not to progress a 33 period model in Dundee's secondary schools.   I also queried why the council did not have the foresight to build the new Kingspark School  large enough to accommodate the proposed additional four classrooms, now being proposed at a cost of an additional £1.1 million.    Of course, if the school needs the additional rooms, they must be provided, but it is a real pity that a school that opened as recently as August 2010 is already requiring expansion.   It would have been less expensive to build the bigger school in the first place.

* At Policy and Resources Committee, I criticised the waste of public money and loss of accountability in the SNP's centralisation of police and fire services.    I also queried the robustness of land sales estimates in the five year Housing Capital Budget, but recognised the efforts made by the department to scale down likely land receipts in the current financial climate.   For the first time in a very long time, the SNP administration proposed sending no councillors to a conference at a cost to the council tax payer.  My goodness - anyone might have thought there was an election in the air.   The rest of us have opposed such expenditure for years!

* At the Development Management Committee, I spoke in favour of Section 75 agreements to limit Houses in Multiple Occupation.   The report before committee was the latest episode in a long running saga about properties in Larch Street.

Getting things done ... Pennycook Car Park

Following complaints from residents about broken fencing at the Pennycook Lane Car Park - see right - I have taken up the matter with the City Council's City Development Department and requested repairs.


I have been assured that an order has been placed with Tayside Contracts to have this repaired.

Getting things done ... Baxter Street

I recently received complaints that work to tidy up the grassed and tree lined area in Baxter Street was "overkill" with damage to the trees.  The area is pictured - right.

I took up the matter with the City Council which has advised me that it will improve the site with new shrubbery in the Spring.  That is to be welcomed.

Concern over increase in street lighting electricity costs

Over the past few days, I have heard from colleagues on other councils across Scotland that the electricity companies are considering increasing very significantly the cost to councils of street lighting.    Although it has yet to be finalised, I understand that Scottish & Southern Energy is looking at increasing its Distribution Use of System (DUoS) charges by approx 2.5pkWhr from 1.7p to 4.3p for unmetered customers. 

The City Council’s Street Lighting Partnership tells me that this would add approximately £280 000 to Dundee City Council’s Electricity Bill.

I have great concerns about an increase of this magnitude – it is extremely high in relation to real inflation and comes at a time when the City Council like other local authorities is trying to finalise its budget for 2012/13.   Such an increase has not been factored into the budget and I have therefore been in touch with the Director of Finance who advises :

“The latest proposed development which is being challenged has not yet been implemented or included in the Provisional Revenue Budget for 2012/13.

We propose to tackle this in 3 ways:

1. We are looking at possible spend to save initiatives to reduce our electricity burden on street lighting.

2. I am taking the latest proposals up with Procurement specialists to see if there is anything that can be done to secure a contract for this element of street lighting.

3. We do have a provision for increased energy costs of £603k in the Provisional Revenue Budget for 2012/13 along with £650k for general contingencies. At present we do not know what the actual impact of energy price increases will be but this is our best estimate.”

Speaking as the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on the City Council, my own comment is that it is very difficult to see any justification for this level of increase in charges coming at a time of great pressure on council budgets.     DUoS is not part of the National Procurement Scotland Contract which only deals with the Raw Energy Element.     

I think there is also an issue for the regulator OFGEM in that Scottish & Southern DUoS charges for unmetered Customers is by far the highest of any of the other 12 UK Distribution Companies thereby penalising local authorities in the North and North East of Scotland.