This morning, following the meeting about pedestrian safety at the Tullideph Road/City Road junction that local residents' group Community Spirit and I had with City Council officers on 2nd February, we had a follow-up meeting at the junction.
It was a useful discussion about safety at the junction and City Council road safety officers have offered to attend a future Community Spirit meeting to discuss concerns with local residents.
I then attended a meeting with Education officers about the building programme for the replacement Park Place Primary School, St Joseph's Primary School and Park Place Nursery School.
Thereafter, I attended the Dundee House Project Board, where I raised a number of questions and concerns about that project. I then attended the City Council's Scrutiny Committee, at which I raised questions about numerous matters on the agenda.
I am disappointed to learn about the lack of progress on the time it takes Dundee City Council to let vacant council houses. The SNP administration has gone on at length about its so-called 'enhanced relets' policy. This has cost council tenants a fortune and the net result appears that - thus far - the time taken to let houses has actually and incredibly worsened.
The Housing Department has given a commitment to improve on the 98.7 days it took to let houses (on average) last September (it was lower at 74.5 days in September 2009) and it has now set itself a target of 65 days - although it is not clear when they expect to achieve this. The SNP's flagship housing policy is not delivering.
I also asked questions about ensuring that new tenants get Housing Benefit from the start of their tenancies, committee reports on revenue expenditure having better financial appraisals, customer excellence and on other matters.
Conservative councillor Derek Scott asked a very pertinent question about the lack of progress on Demand Responsive Transport (DRT). As the previous Chair of TACTRAN, the regional transport partnership, I ensured that funding was available for pilot DRT projects for Dundee and a rural pilot in Perthshire/Stirling. It is disappointing that the Dundee pilot has not moved forward under the SNP, as DRT would help elderly people, people with mobility difficulties and people not living near main bus routes get access to public transport. At my request, an update report will go to City Development Committee. This is to be welcomed.