Thursday 20 December 2007

Monday to Thursday!

It has been an exceptionally busy week … on Monday, had a very useful and constructive meeting with Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, about a variety of local and regional issues.

Also met with representatives from NCR and, apart from an administration group meeting on budget matters, the City Council’s Development Quality Committee met for some four hours in the evening, including debate over a number of highly contentious planning applications.

One of the items I spoke on was the decision of the Scottish Government Reporter to uphold an appeal (and quosh enforcement action) against the committee’s decision to refuse planning approval for a flat conversion at the Meadowside/Victoria Road junction.
When this matter came before committee in March, it was in my old Tay Bridges Ward (it is not in the new West End Ward) and I was highly supportive of the decision to refuse permission. The application failed on two counts (a) contravening policy on decent space standards and (b) poor air quality. The Reporter has again failed Dundee and I am highly critical. I am grateful to the Courier for highlighting my concerns in yesterday’s edition.

Apart from chairing the TACTRAN Board in Forfar on Tuesday, I attending my employer’s Christmas reception in Edinburgh and to give a degree of “balance” (having mentioned the Glasgow Christmas lights recently!) here’s a couple of Edinburgh Christmas photographs!

Spent much of yesterday catching up on constituents’ issues and we are awarding the winner of the West End Children’s Window Spotting Competition at lunchtime today.