Friends of Blackness Summer Fair tomorrow! #dundeewestend

The Friends of Blackness Summer Fayre takes place at Blackness Primary School tomorrow - Saturday 14th June - between 10am and 12 noon - all welcome!

Friends of Blackness Primary School Winter Fair today! #dundeewestend

One of the events taking place today during West End Christmas Fortnight is the Friends of Blackness Winter Fair today at Blackness Primary School - all welcome!

Friends of Blackness - summer fair at Blackness Primary School #dundeewestend

Friends of Blackness - summer fair at Blackness Primary School #dundeewestend

 

Road safety at Blackness Primary School - an update #dundeewestend

Residents and parents of pupils at Blackness Primary School have been in touch following Tuesday's worrying incident at the Hawkhill side of the school where an out of control vehicle hit the barriers on the pavement, shortly after the end of the school day. Police Scotland has traced the driver, who has been charged.

One lady was unfortunately bruised although the outcome could have been a lot worse. Thank goodness no-one was seriously hurt.

We immediately asked for barrier repairs as the previous barriers were totally mangled. We were assured by the Roads Maintenance Partnership that a temporary arrangement was put in place soon after the incident and permanent reinstatement will happen as soon as possible.

However, both the school parent council – Friends of Blackness – and ourselves feel that, in light of this worrying incident, a full safety audit must be undertaken in relation to pupil safety existing the school and heading north to Hawkhill.

We requested this of the Head of Sustainable Transport and Roads at the City Council. Pupil safety is paramount so a full review of the safety situation here really is required.

The council's Traffic and Road Safety Team Leader has updated us as follows - "I will have someone have a look at the site to see if there is anything amiss ... I will also have a look at this accident record of this location as a check to make sure there is no other underlying issues."

Blackness Primary School Summer Fair this Saturday - all welcome! #dundeewestend

 

School crossing patrollers #dundeewestend

Tayside Contracts is currently recruiting for more school crossing patrollers - and specifically for Blackness Primary School for the Hawkhill crossing.

It is vital that all school patrol crossing points are staffed and if any resident is interested, details are below :

Many thanks Helena! #dundeewestend

A big shout out goes today to Helena, a Blackness Primary School Parent!

Helena is a self employed gardener and garden designer running her business called Gorgeous Gardens by Helena.

At the latest Friends of Blackness Zoom meeting, Helena kindly offered to improve the area in Pennycook Lane directly opposite the school entrance.

On her behalf, I checked that the area is in City Council ownership to ensure owner consent and what a lovely job Helena is making of the area - looking superb.    Many thanks Helena!

School catchment area consultation - an update #dundeewestend

Last week, I advised that Dundee City Council has launched a consultation on a number of schools proposals.

Part of the proposals see substantial proposed changes to the catchment areas of the primary schools that are feeder schools to Harris Academy.

In the West End, there are significant proposed changes to the Blackness Primary, Victoria Park Primary and Ancrum Road Primary catchment areas.

I can now advise that consultation meetings about the West End proposals will take place on Wednesday 26th February and, again, on Monday 16th March, with a drop-in from 6pm to view the proposals and a presentation and Q&A session at 7pm - all welcome

You can view the full proposals here.

Friends of Blackness Family Ceilidh

The Friends of Blackness has an upcoming Family Ceilidh tomorrow evening.    Parents and carers can purchase tickets at ParentPay :

Soup and home baking lunch #dundeewestend

A reminder about this Saturday's soup and home baking lunch, in aid of the Blackness Primary School playground fundraising project :

Pennycook Lane - great work by Blackness Primary School #dundeewestend

The area of former spare ground on the south side of Pennycook Lane opposite Blackness Primary School is looking great - see below :

As one of the residents in the nearby sheltered housing advised : "Can I just draw your attention to the wonderful job the staff at Blackness Primary (with the help of the children, I think) have done with the spare bit of ground.  It looks really good and they should be commended for it."

Friends of Blackness meeting

Earlier tonight, I attended the first Friends of Blackness meeting of the new term.   Friends of Blackness undertakes both the Parent Council and Parent Teacher Association roles at Blackness Primary School.

It was an extremely positive meeting and Gordon Ferrier, Head Teacher, reported a likely very healthy P1 intake for the forthcoming 2016/17 year.     There was also a useful discussion about parking issues near to the school and promoting safe drop off and collection of pupils from the school.

Busy Tuesday ...

Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of attending a Fairtrade Breakfast at the City Chambers to mark Fairtrade Fortnight.    

It was an thoroughly enjoyable breakfast with pupils from local schools who are helping to promote Fairtrade in their schools and communities.    There was also an excellent presentation from St John's High School pupils.

Here's a couple of photos from the event :

Presentation by St John's High School pupils

Later in the morning, I met with a constituent and two officers from the City Development Department of the City Council to look at road safety for Blackness Primary School pupils and pedestrians generally crossing Perth Road near Pennycook Lane.    

It was agreed that the pedestrian crossing can be improved - by resiting the large utilities box on the south side of the crossing that obscures pedestrians from drivers heading west (see first photo below).    It was also agreed that, once funding is available, the crossing (see second photo below) will be modernised, with better signals with LED lights. 

Last night, I attended the latest meeting of Friends of Blackness at Blackness Primary School.   Friends of Blackness covers the roles of both Parent Council and Parent Teacher Association.    It was a very positive meeting with updates from Mr Ferrier, Head Teacher, about school activities, staffing update and the school improvement plan and a discussion about the structure of future meetings.    

I updated the group about the earlier site meeting and also the issue of improved bicycle storage at the school. 

Zig zag safety markings and yellow lines - Blackness Primary School

Residents have complained to me that the zig zag safety markings and yellow lines outside Blackness Primary School in Pennycook Lane are badly worn - see right.

I brought this to the attention of the City Council's Head of Roads and Transportation, who has responded as follows :

"I will ask the parking team to include this location in next batch of yellow lining remarking.    It will be later this year that this can be undertaken as the temperatures are too low and road surface too wet to undertake at this time of year."

West End Christmas Vintage Motor Cavalcade - and Blackness Primary School's Christmas Fair

Yesterday saw the West End Christmas Vintage Motor Cavalcade take place as part of West End Christmas Fortnight.   Many thanks to Dundee Museum of Transport for arranging such an excellent vintage vehicles' cavalcade through the West End, Barnetts Mazda for sponsoring it, Ally Bally of Radio Tay for launching the cavalcade and the many folk en route who gave us a wave!

Here's a couple of photos :

Some of the folk taking part yesterday including Ally Bally (far left), Paul Barnett of Barnetts Motor Group (second right) and Matthew Jackson of Dundee Museum of Transport (to the immediate left of Paul)

The motorcade heads up Hawkhill!

... and Blackness Primary School had a superb turnout at its Christmas Fair yesterday too!

Tuesday meetings

Yesterday afternoon, I attended the City Council's School Parking and Pupil Safety Working Group where there was a detailed discussion about policy on the provision of School Crossing Patrollers.   

I asked how quickly the very welcome new patroller site at the bottom of City Road next to Milnbank Gardens will be in place.   This will be of benefit to many Victoria Park Primary School and St Joseph's Primary School pupils and I was advised it was hoped to have the new School Crossing Patroller in place by the start of term after the October holiday.

Yesterday evening, I firstly attended the latest Friends of Blackness meeting at Blackness Primary School.   Friends of Blackness covers the roles of both Parent Council and Parent Teacher Association.  The school has a record P1 intake this year and a very healthy roll and its good to see such a good turnout at the meeting and positive work undertaken by Friends of Blackness on behalf of the school community.

Later yesterday evening, I attended the Harris Academy Parent Council meeting, again a very positive meeting.    Mrs White, Acting Head Teacher, gave a very comprehensive update about the school's activities and very positive SQA examination results.    

There was also a good discussion with the Head of Transportation about travel and drop-off arrangements for the school once it returns to Perth Road next year.   

It is good to see that work has started this week (see right) on the new pedestrian crossing being installed on Riverside Drive to the south side of the Harris Perth Road site and the playing fields at Riverside.

Well done Blackness Primary School!

Earlier this year, I highlighted the City Council's welcome tidying of one of the areas at the south end of the Pennycook Lane car park.

To the immediate east of this was an untidy area next to the hanging baskets belonging to the local sheltered housing residents' association and I asked Blackness Primary School if it would wish to take it over to add to its gardening initiatives and the Environment Department if this would be allowed.

Both agreed and I am delighted to see the school's pupils already making a difference here:

Saturday activities ...

Yesterday, I was pleased to attend the Summer Fayres at Ancrum Road and Blackness Primary Schools.   Both were really well attended, really enjoyable and really good value for money too - with adult entry at each only £1!

Here's some Saturday photographs :

A busy Ancrum Primary School Summer Fayre

At the Ancrum Road Primary School Fayre 

Blackness Primary School's event was equally well-attended

Always a good sport, Gordon Ferrier was back in the stocks!

City Church on Tullideph Road also had their Family Fun Day yesterday

Damaged safety barrier at Blackness Primary School - action taken

Following concerns expressed by residents about the damage to the safety barrier outside Blackness Primary School's Pennycook Lane entrance (see photo right), I raised this with the City Council.

I have been advised in response :

"I can advise that an Inspector has been on site ... and advised that the location is safe (no sharp edges etc) and that he will raise and order to get the barrier replaced."