East End Ward

Bus Services to be reviewed

2010-09-07T18:19:00.003+01:00

I am glad to announce that the City Development departments transportation team will be reviewing the accessibilty issues within Dundee as has been pointed out in the Courier today.

I have had many lengthy discussions with the team over what has been the biggest change in the bus network over the past 20 years or so and it has caused a lot of anger and frustration. Understandably so.

Meetings have also been held with National Express where we have expressed concerns and given them a team view of where we see missed opportunities and obvious gaps. These meetings have been confidential so I cannot update the blog as too the content however what was evident is that we are looking to help National Express do what is best for the public transport network in Dundee.

Change is sometimes hard to accept and sometimes when decisions are taken with the best of intentions, it leaves people frustrated and angry. I totally agree that we will need to look closely at how services are provided and what can be done to fill the gaps and this process will start in November.

Changing for the future

2010-09-01T02:33:00.002+01:00

I find myself at odds with colleauges of other parties over this board. We are presenting an ideal opportunity for members of the opposition to become involved with the budget preparations but they do not seem to be interested.

Why I wonder!

We are approaching matters in a way never seen at Dundee before but they still think we are hiding things. This is an ideal opportunity for all members to become involved but as they have no control within the council any longer they do not wish to know about it.

Oh how things have changed in the last couple of years.

We are more open and transparent than they were but we are still accused of hiding things - how ironic!

Dundee United lift the cup

2010-05-17T20:01:00.003+01:00

It was a beautiful day followed by a great result for Dundee United. I'm not the greatest follower of football in the world however tend to try and watch when Scotland and the home teams are playing.

However had to do other things on the day of the final but managed to listen to the whole match on Radio Scotland. The first half was as many said a quieter affair to that of the second half but what a second half.

I would like to pass on my congratulations to the team and all the staff at united for a job well done.

Ross county also deserve sincere congratulation on getting as far as they did in the competition. I love to see the smaller teams getting a chance and this one was well deserved.

Dundee International Book Prize - Top 4 Announced

2010-05-11T20:52:00.006+01:00

2010 - Dundee International Book Prize

This is the UK's premier prize for emerging novelists and the final four have been announced. This is the biggest award in the UK for an unpublished writer and after more than a hundred entries were received from around the world, four have made the cut.

Dundee is committed to supporting innovation and the City is a hub of creativity - whether that's in the arts, digital gaming or music. The book prize shows that we are serious about recognising and celebrating that talent. The book prize is a fantastic way of discovering new writing talent and the fact that the judges have chosen four finalists this year instead of three shows the breadth and scope of the talent out there.

Extracts of the final four have been published at
www.literarydundee.co.uk/bookprize.htm

Stewart Hosie returned as Dundee East MP

2010-05-11T20:24:00.005+01:00

Congratulations to Stewart Hosie who has been returned as MP for Dundee East. Stewart is a hard working MP and the people of the constituency have obviously realised this by returning him with an increased majority.

It is unfortunate that this election was such that people in Scotland were running scared of a Conservative Government or we generally would have hoped to have had Jim Barrie elected also.

Below is a message from Stewart and Jim;

SNP Candidates Stewart Hosie and Jim Barrie thanked the 26,066 voters in the Dundee East and Dundee West constituencies who voted SNP. The SNP gained 34.4 of the vote over the two constituencies.

Stewart said:"we want to thank all those who voted for us on Thursday and helped us to increase our vote across both constituencies.

I am delighted to have been re-elected as MP for Dundee East and I pledge to work hard for my constituents and for the City during the next term of Parliament to fulfil their trust in me."

Jim Barrie said: "I thank all those electors who supported us. We put a strong challenge to Labour in Dundee West. Clearly we lost out because the election was dominated to a great degree by the TV debates - from which we were excluded

It was therefore difficult for us to get our message heard. Labour managed to scare the voters that if they did not vote Labour they would get a Tory Government.

Of course it now looks like they will get a Tory Government anyway although the negotiation over the next few days will be interesting.

What is certain is that Labour massively lost out in England while they scooped up anti-Tory votes in Scotland.

Although we are disappointed we did not win in Dundee West, this is our best performance in a UK General Election since the 1970's"

Arbroath Road - Bumpy Ride

2008-05-20T17:28:00.003+01:00

Responding to a recent letter in the tele;

Bumpy Road for Drivers.

In response to Broughty Commuter, I have already had discussion with the Planning & Transportation department regarding this very issue and a meeting was held at the site on 9th May. Tests of the surface have been carried out (these are more rigorous than those carried out during the councils local program) and the results indicate compaction, layer depth and material are all as per specification. A further visual inspection shows no signs of a problem.

All at the meeting acknowledge that their is a problem with the running surface but at present no one can accurately pinpoint why this has occurred. I know from experience that this road feels horrendous at present. The situation will be monitored until the end of June where further tests will be carried out. If these tests still show a defect then remedial action will have to be taken.

One possible cause of the problem is that the filled in area is a different surface to that of the existing carriageway and if this is found to be the case then a surface dressing could be put on to this carriageway in order allow the traffic to travel on a more uniform surface. Any remedial action can be taken when the road is again closed from the 28th July. The reason for this closure is to allow Scottish and Southern Energy to complete the cabling works at the Scott Fyffe Roundabout. For obvious reasons I cannot say if this will cure the problem as we will have to wait until the tests are carried out.

If after the monitoring period the road surface improves and is running smoothly, then no further action would be required.

I understand the frustration that drivers feel when road surfaces are running like this but Broughty Commuter can rest assured that it is being looked into and remedial action will be taken as necessary.

Cllr Will Dawson
East End Ward
SNP Planning and Transportation Spokesperson

Douglas Summer Festival

2008-05-13T18:21:00.001+01:00

From tonights tele,

"Summer festival

On June 22, there will be a summer festival in Douglas and we are looking for volunteers to help out.

Are there any people who are willing to come on the day to give us a hand? We would be very grateful and you might enjoy taking part. We can be contacted c/o Community & Library Centre, Balmoral Avenue, Dundee. — Douglas Festival Committee."

I'm sure that Jim and his team who are organising this years festival will be more than happy for any help that can be given. Their will be a parade, stalls, refreshments and contributions from local groups (cadets etc if I remember correctly) so anyone that can help please get in touch with them.

Lack of updates

2008-05-12T21:06:00.005+01:00

Have to admit I haven't posted for a while so feel quite guilty as really should be keeping all who read this updated with the work that both Christina and I do.

However on many occassions the work of a Councillor is actually quite personal.

Ok, I could report every pothole, missing street sign or unemptied bin on this blog but I don't think that is the point and it would become very boring very quickly.

Also as I have said a lot of the work is personal which would mean divulging information which people who have come to me would not want divulged!

However, I will try to update this as often as possible and appreciate any feedback that is given.

One last bit of (belated) good news. The ABB factory is finally coming down. The protective fences have gone up and have been painted (why paint a fence for demolition - I don't know but I am not going to complain about it) and I was quoted in the press recently as saying "are they blowing it up? Can I press the buton?" - Good news indeed -

some images below from the factory including ones from people who have actually managed to enter the building which was apparently under the watchful eye of security all the time.

Trolley Wars Over?

2008-05-12T21:02:00.002+01:00

Asda have recently confirmed that they have taken on a contractor who will now come out on their behalf a few times a month in order to collect the abandoned trolleys. Finally a success! However Christina has informed me that she has had more trolleys reported in the old Pitkerro part of the ward than ever before. The problem seems to have moved! However we will keep an eye on the problem and keep on top of Asda.

Hunter Street Car Park

2008-05-12T20:54:00.002+01:00

Glad to welcome this at committee tonight, basically the city council are planning to change the current street parking at Hunter Street with a multi story car park which will accommodate over 400 cars compared to the current 130. For those of you who do not know where this car park is, it is in the Westport area close to Session Street and immediately behind Mickey Coyles.

This to me is an excellent idea. The area is heavily used by students, residents, businesses and those wishing to use the incredibly popular cultural quarter. My only fear is that with the amount of building work going on, I asked for assurance that free traffic flow will be allowed with the amount of building work that is due to take place (or is taking place) in the area.

We have the Tay Road Bridge ramps being re-routed, the car park being built, the planned extension to the Overgate could technically start at any time, Dundee House the list seems to go on and on, however with all this going on, the free flow of traffic in the Westport and Nethergate is crucial to allow our City to function. The Convenor gave me these assurances and said that a full traffic impact assessment will be undertaken, however, I will watch with interest.

Some more news from the Council and Claverhouse Junction

2008-03-11T18:09:00.004Z

The City Council have informed me of a proposal to install a new recycling station in Westcroft Place. It is proposed that this be installed on the large section of pavement in front of the two parking bays (on East side of the road).

The council will also send letters to nearby households at least one week prior to installation to provide occupants with an opportunity to comment.

Nearby householders will also be provided with an information leaflet and reusable jute bag to carry recyclables to the bins.

Each Neighbourhood Recycling Point will consist of 4 steel containers for recycling each of the following materials: Paper, Clear glass, Green glass and Brown glass.

With recycling being something that many of us are trying to do more of, I welcome this proposal. As with the other recycling centres in the are both myself and Christina will be watching the containers to ensure that they are not vandalised. Thankfully, I have not heard of any being vandalised as of yet.

My other concern at the moment is the road layout at the Claverhouse Junction, especially at Fintry Road and Fountainbleu. The reader's letter page of the tele has had some worrying letters in it recently indicating that drivers feel this particular junction is an accident waiting to happen. I have to agree.

Prior to these letter going to press, I spoke to the Director of Planning and Transportation raising these concerns. The basic crunch issue is this. On approach to this junction, their is only one sign indicating which lane you should be in. Blink and you miss it. It is not the first time I have been in the correct lane for a driver to cut me up.

Ok, it always takes time for people to settle in to a new junction and sometimes I think it is easier for out of town drivers as they will generally be paying more attention as the layout is unfamiliar to them. However we have become very used to the old junction and simply do not know what to do when we approach something new. I say this from experience as the first time i got to this junction, I didn't have a clue and ended up in the wrong lane myself!

Along with Christina and my SNP colleague's in the North East Ward, we will be asking for immediate improvements to be made before an accident does happen.

Dundee SNP Welcomes Support For Voluntary Sector

2008-03-11T18:05:00.002Z

Press release recieved from colleaugues in the parliamentary office today, certainly something well worth welcoming.

Support For Voluntary Sector Welcomed

Dundee MSPs today welcomed details of how more than £30m from the Third Sector Development Programme is to be allocated.
Shona Robison and Joe FitzPatrick today welcomed the announcement that the network of 57 Councils of Voluntary Service (CVS) will receive £11.85m from the Scottish Government over the next three years for Third Sector development.

The role of Volunteer Centres in enabling people to find volunteering opportunities has also been recognised with a £11.5m award. In Dundee, the CVS, known as Dundee Voluntary Action, and Volunteer Centre Dundee share premises in Constitution Road.

Joe FitzPatrick said: "This extra funding will enable CVS like Dundee Voluntary Action and Volunteer Centres to develop their roles and work with central and local government to grasp the opportunities that lie ahead."

Shona Robison added: "John Swinney previously announced a 37% increase in Third Sector Development Funding in November and £63 million is allocated in 2008-11 for development of the sector. It is intended that the CSV network will use this £30m funding to work with community planning partnerships to provide local advice and support to the third sector under the theme of 'Thrive and Connect' - the joint business plan."
£3.7m has been allocated to the Dunfermline-based Voluntary Action Fund to encourage volunteering. A further £4m has been allocated to help the Third Sector become more enterprising and deliver more public services.
In making the announcement, Finance Secretary John Swinney said:
"The third sector has a massive role to play in helping to make Scotland a more successful country. More than one million people contribute to their community through volunteering, often helping to transform the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in society.
"The Scottish Government will be providing local government with record levels of funding - and the Third Sector will reap the benefits.
"Local authorities will in future have increased flexibility and will be able to divert any efficiency savings they make into local priorities. This presents a real opportunity to enhance, not diminish, the delivery of Third Sector provision.
Dr Alison Elliot, Convener of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), said: "SCVO welcomes this investment in local infrastructure which helps the voluntary sector make such a difference to the people of Scotland. This is a really welcome vote of confidence in the work of the voluntary sector. We hope that this will facilitate further serious voluntary sector engagement in Community Planning."
George Thomson, CEO of Volunteer Development Scotland, said: "Together with the network of Volunteer Centres in each local authority area, we appreciate the Scottish Government's recognition and investment in our services.
"Through our partnership with the Scottish Government and local government, we will also ensure that Scotland retains its world-class reputation for excellence and innovation in volunteer development."

Roadworks

2008-03-11T17:59:00.002Z

The city council have informed me of the following roadworks set for the Arbroath Road. This is a particularly busy junction and whilst this will cause considerable delays and inconvenience, I trust that the work is over relatively quickly.

Dundee City Council propose to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating works for the installation of hydro electric cable. The Order is expected to be in force for four weeks from 31 March 2008. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.
The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all westbound vehicular traffic in Arbroath Road from Scott Fyffe Roundabout to Craigie Avenue.
The right turn from Montgomerie Crescent will be prohibited for the duration of the closure. Access and egress from Noran Avenue/Gannochie Terrace/Balgavies Avenue to Arbroath Road will be prohibited for the duration of the works.
An alternative route will be available via A92 Greendykes Road and Craigie Avenue.

Council Tax - Good news

2008-02-19T18:19:00.003Z

Dundee City Council met on Thursday to set the Council Tax rates for next year. I am extremely pleased to report that as a Council, we have been able to freeze the amount that Dundee's citizens will have to pay.

This has been brought about by a concordat signed by the Scottish Government and CoSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Autohrities). The good news for the Council is that it is no longer tied into having to ring fence money. One of my greatest hates over the last few years is that we were given money by the previous Scottish executive and it had to be spent on specific things. We had no leverage in deciding on where this money would be best placed. Thankfully this has now finished. We were also given more money as a council through the agreement.

My only great concern is that whilst the council have been able to stop any increases, Scottish Water are in the process of increasing the water charge for the area. If recent newspaper reports are too be believed this will be to the tune of about £11 a month. i'm sure that particular report is wrong, but I will watch with interest over the next few days.

Teddy Row

2007-12-03T18:03:00.000Z

Glad to hear the news that Gillian Gibbons has been pardoned in this recent of news stories, but I am extremely saddened to hear in the press the repercussions that have happened within our City.

In case you weren't aware, several vehicles in the city were vandalised in a mindless and selfish attack on a family who has nothing to do with case.

I fully support the police in the action that they will take to catch the people responsible for this mindless act of vandalism and ultimately racist attack. This sort of racist attack has no place in our City or society.

Political Diary - Better late than never!

2007-12-03T17:44:00.000Z

We have had the pleasure of introducing a new Councillor to our offices.

You may or may not know that one of our sitting Councillors, Nigel Don, was also elected as an MSP and decided to stand down from the Council (reluctantly, I hasten to add) to concentrate on the Scottish Parliament.

Alan Ross was our victorious candidate and the whole group have welcomed him to the City Council. In what was once a labour heartland Alan's victory is even more dramatic by beating the Labour candidate hands down.

It has been a steep learning curve for Alan as there is a lot to take in but with the support of the whole group he is settling in nicely. Alan will be a wonderful Councillor for the people of the Lochee Ward and we wish him all success.

Interesting reading

2007-12-01T23:25:00.000Z

Surfing various other blogs this evening I came across the blog of Osama Saeed and reading the posts found this. Like many others I was astonished and very angry about the thought of a teacher being arrested and imprisoned for what seems to me to be nothing more than an minor error. I have copied the blog posting below.

http://www.osamasaeed.org/

A few sandwiches short at this teddy bear's picnic

Meet Adam the Prayer Bear. This toy is owned by hundreds of Muslims up and down the country. He happens to share the name of a Prophet. If this is a crime, then there are a lot of Muslims guilty of it.
He's called a 'prayer bear' because he recites various lines when any of his limbs are pressed. As I was putting him away after taking his photo, I accidentally pressed down on one of his paws. He said "In the name of Allah, the most Merciful, the most Kind". Appropriate.
Crime must be low in Sudan. In our country, traffic police get a hard time for ignoring "real crimes" like muggings and rapes. Except we do know that a certain place called Darfur in Sudan has seen thousands upon thousands of murders, rapes and incidents of torture over the last few years.
There has been no justice for the victims, but the Sudanese justice system apparently has time to worry about the names of teddy bears. Many of these war criminals may even be called Muhammad. There are enough ignoble people we know sharing the name of the Prophet, peace be upon him e.g. Mssrs Siddique Khan and Atta.
Muslims in this country don't have a problem standing with Gillian Gibbons on these ridiculous charges. Predictably though, sections of the media have been quick to exploit their own agendas. Right-thinking people can easily see though that this is the usual case of Liberalism vs Authoritarianism, and clearly everyone in this country is on the side of the former in this case. It's not another chance to pit Muslim vs non-Muslim.

Big Day out - Well to Perth and Back - oh and Lib Dems Supporting Independence? - by Will

2007-12-01T20:42:00.000Z

Spent an interesting day with SNP colleague's at our National Council meeting today. For those of you not up on politics, it's a mini conference where we meet, discuss and vote on issues which have arisen between our main Spring and Autumn conferences.

It was a meeting which was different to those in the past. The hall in the Dewar's Centre at standing room only, smiles on all of the faces and unusually a guest speaker. One of the debates was on the Scottish Independence Convention and we were addressed by Elaine C Smith.

Now many of you will know that Elaine is an SNP supporter (not member) and for those of us old enough Rab C's long suffering wife, but many of you will not be aware that she is chair of the Scottish Independence Convention.

This is a body which encompasses those who believe in Independence for Scotland and they welcome everyone, regardless of party political affiliation, who shares the vision of Scotland being a free and democratic independent state.

Elaine's message was quite simple. It was about the fact that we, the Scottish People are being denied a say in our future by a group of parties because they dinnae believe in it! This organisation is quite simply about bringing the debate back to the people. She mentioned various things about how this will be carried out and what they have in mind. Too much to put in this blog so I have included a link to the website http://www.scottishindependenceconvention.com/index.asp

Interestingly enough, the blog on the home page at the moment is from a lib dem peer
Jamie, Earl of Mar and Kellie. Just in case the introduction has gone from the page when you get there, here is his introduction on the website;

This weeks blog comes from Lib Dem peer Jamie, Earl of Mar and Kellie. Jamie is a staunch supporter of Scottish independence, and is a card carrying member of the Independence Convention. His views are at odds with the leadership of the Liberal Democrats, but we suspect his views are shared by many others in his party.

Various Updates - by Will

2007-11-28T17:12:00.000Z

Some updates on ongoing projects / issues in the ward,

The building work at the new Claypotts Castle Primary School is on schedule and has a provisional completion date around April 2008. The newly merged Rowantree Primary School in Mid Craigie is operating from the Mid Craigie Primary School site. Work on the new building is expected to start soon.

Craigie High School hosted the Annual Review Meeting of NHS Tayside. This was attended by the Scottish government Minister, Shona Robison and the Chief Executive of NHS Tayside. Staff are being encouraged to car share and pupils encouraged to cycle or walk to school. This fits well with the Health Promoting School ethos as well as easing traffic problems in the area. The school is looking at ways of improving attendance at parent contact evenings by having one in the local community centre.

Staff in the Hub Library and Learning Centre are awaiting a start date for the work which will transform the building.

Douglas Community & Library Centre continues to play host to a variety of opportunities for people in the area. A Christmas Coffee Morning is to be held on 8 December. The art group have been asked to do another mosaic - this time in the City Chambers. Next year is to be the Centre's 40th Birthday so a series of celebratory events are planned.

The CRF funded skatepark (Finlathen Park) is now complete and used extensively by young people with bikes, skateboards and other blades. Discussions are being held regarding safety improvements.is now complete and used extensively by young people with bikes, skateboards and other blades. Discussions are being held regarding safety improvements.

Community Safety. A major review is underway and a report is being prepared on its findings. So far, the overwhelming response by those surveyed is "that people believe wardens make a difference to their communities and in particular their high visibility presence on the street offers reassurance." Statistics also show that the Wardens are much in demand and involved in improving many aspects of community life.

Claverhouse Junction

2007-11-28T17:01:00.000Z

Information regarding road layout changes below. Again as this junction progresses, please be patient. At Mondays committees I asked for assurance that this phase of the works will be completed on time. The completion date is scheduled to be the 21st December, however Morrisons are confident that they will have the work completed by the 14th.

Info below.........

Work at the new Claverhouse Junction continues at pace. We intend to change over from contraflow to fast lane closures tonight. This will allow completion of the central reservation work, barriers and traffic lights. The side roads will have to remain closed for safety and completion of traffic lights however this should help with traffic flows through the works.

St Andrews Day, again with thanks to Sheena Wellington

2007-11-25T14:45:00.000Z

As part of Dundee City Council’s celebrations for St Andrews Day, Wellington Consultancy & Friends of Wighton have arranged a programme of musical happenings in the city. I apologise for the short notice (and the informality of a group message!) but if you can manage along to any of the events you will be most welcome.

Warmest good wishes and have a Happy St Andrews Day, Sheena

PS Though I didn’t manage to get an event in every ward, all wards are represented amongst the performers!

Care Homes for Senior Citizens:

11am: Janet Brougham House, Robertson Street Dundee DD4 6EL Tel: 01382438819 (A Ministerial visit by the Minister for Public Health, ShonaRobison MSP)
2pm: St Margaret’s Home, Victoria Road, Dundee DD1 2NB Tel: 01382 223865
3.30pm: Wellburn Home, 118 Liff Road, Lochee, Dundee DD2 2QT Tel: 01382622212
Fiddle player Karen Read and singer Mike Kelleher will be the musiciansvisiting the Care Homes. Both artists have done a lot of work in this fieldand enjoy entertaining older people.
Karen Read (nee Hannah) is a highly accomplished fiddler with a sparklingpersonality. A former Celtic Connections Danny Award winner she has toured throughout the UK, Europe and New Zealand, appearing with musicians of the calibre of Aly Bain, Phil Cunningham and Alasdair Fraser. She is a member of the band Randan and several other groups.
Mike Kelleher hails from Ireland and is equally at home with Irish or Scottish song. A fine guitar player he also has a mellow, delightful voice and a winning way with an audience .He is also a member of Randan

Senior Citizens Clubs (Age Concern – 01382 825624)
11am Broughty Ferry Centre, 343 Brook Street, Broughty Ferry -
3.30pm Fiveways Centre, 2-4 Caird Avenue DD3 8AW.
Musicians entertaining at the Clubs are Maureen Jelks, singer, and Simon Chadwick, harpist
Dundee born Maureen Jelks is one of Scotland’s finest traditional singers,much in demand for festivals and concerts. She has recently returned fromthe International Celtic Women’s Festival in Milwaukee. Simon Chadwick is a world expert on the medieval harp, a recent winner of aprestigious Arts Trust of Scotland Award and proud possessor of a beautifulreplica of the harp which belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots.

City Square
1 -2 pm Dundee High School Pipe Band & Mains of Fintry Pipe Band.
DHS Pipe Band is a very promising young band. Mains of Fintry Pipe Bandhave been invited to represent Scotland at a major piping event in Japan in2008 and this will be part of their fundraising for the trip.

Wellgate Centre Entrance: Kinnear & McKay, pipes, banjo and a touch offunk!
Central Library
12.30 - 2pm Music from Wighton Singers with input from Maureen Jelks, SimonChadwick, Karen Read, Mike Kelleher
The Wighton Singers are a group of mainly senior citizens who meet withMaureen Jelks every Tuesday afternoon in the Wighton Heritage Centre tolearn Scottish songs.
3.30pm Children's Song workshop with Sheena Wellington

Meadowside St. Paul's Church Hall, West Marketgait
7.15 pm St Andrews Night Party (pipes, highland dancers, Sheena Wellington &stovies)
Tickets £5 including refreshments, available from Cornerstone Coffee House,Nethergate

Shooglenifty - With thanks to Sheena Wellington

2007-11-22T18:22:00.000Z

Sorry for the short notice - See 2 posts ago -

Last Tickets Remaining

Shooglenifty with Tanya Tagaq Gillis

LIVE at Fat Sams
This is going to be an amazing gig:

Tanya has toured with Bjork and The Kronos Quartet, bringing the anient inuit vocal game of throat singing to the contemporary experimental music scene. Shooglenifty have been at the forefront of the folk/acid/electronica fusion scene for many years. This should make for a genuinely thrilling on stage collaboration.

It's the closing night of their Tune - Up tour around Scotland and it's going to be a fantastic party.

Details: 8pm Saturday 24 November
Tickets £12.50 in advance from City Box Office (01382 434940) or (if you're lucky) on the door.

DCA - By Will

2007-11-22T17:58:00.000Z

It has been my pleasure to serve as a Director of Dundee Contemporary Arts since my election as a Councillor more than 4 years ago. This building is a great asset to the cultural quarter with many artists showing their work in the galleries, but the reason for this post is to give you some more information on the building and the work that it does.

I have included the two links below for you to have a look at

www.dca.org.uk
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7245911548 (if you have a facebook account)

Many people are put off by the idea of Contemporary Art, but no matter what you think, you should go and take a look. The facebook link is open to anyone to join and currently has a description of the latest exhibition.

Back in Business - by Will

2007-11-22T17:44:00.000Z

Not been able to post for a while due to a couple of reasons, getting married being the big one and having a small but painful DIY accident. Despite this, the ward is as busy as ever. Attended a good meeting with the Parents and Teachers of Craigie High School (PATCHeS) where the topics of conversations ranged from educational attainment to one of my favourite subjects, the Arbroath Road!

Have also been involved with discussing the ongoing problem of bins being left in the street, overflowing and smelly. This is a problem that all Councillors have and is a difficult one to get under control. It is down to residents to ensure that refuse is presented properly and on time but it is a battle we are all losing. More information to come on this!

Glad to report that a crossing is being installed on the Arbroath Road. The work on this project will start in the new year and should last about 2 weeks. The crossing is being installed close to Ruthven Road and will be a lifeline for people who live on this busy route as well as being an added safety measure for the pupils at the 2 local schools. I welcomed this in the press and will watch with great interest.

Have been involved in discussions concering the skate park in Fountainbleau Drive and possible additional safety features. A great concern has been that kids using the park could stray on to the road at high speed. Proposals are being put to the local safety panel soon and additional fencing and road markings could be installed soon.

It is also getting to that time of year again where the requests for meetings etc fly through the door. I will keep you up to date on what is happening.

Trolleys, Road Works and Committees- by Will

2007-09-11T00:20:00.000+01:00

A very quick update of some of the things happening in the area.

Finally some action from ASDA.

I had the pleasure in witnessing 2 members of ASDA staff collecting abandoned trolleys last week. Doesn't sound like much, but considering the hassle I and others have had with them it is fantastic.

Work is ongoing to replace several worn out road surfaces in the Douglas area. Signs are appearing on the roads to be resurfaced and the work appears to be going well. Note to all please be patient if your street is being done as this is good news (wave goodbye to some potholes).

At the committees tonight (without going in to the details) it was good to see the return of Lawrie Bidwell the Education Convenor. Many people think that as politicians we just want to stab each other in the back, but not true. Lawrie seriously injured himself in a fall recently and has been off work for a while. we are all glad to see he is on the road to recovery and we all wish him well.

Trolley Wars! - by WIll

2007-09-01T18:10:00.000+01:00

Yet again, more trolleys plague the area. I have phoned ASDA to complain about 8 trolleys abandoned in Douglas to be told on Wednesday night that they will arrange to pick them up the next day!

On travelling home from the Flower and Food festival at Camperdown park today - Guess what - They are still there!

So much for the promises of their head office that they will be picked up if reported. I will report them again and see what happens!

Road Works Warning - by Will

2007-08-30T21:03:00.000+01:00

Advance notice of the following sets of roadworks. Care should be taken especially at Forfar Road /Kingsway as major works are about to commence. Also please note that a section of Pitkerro Road will also be closed for a while in order to facilitate resurfacing.

Details of this are below;
FORFAR ROAD / KINGSWAY / CLAVERHOUSE
Further to our previous correspondence we are now in the position tostart the work on the trunk roads in Dundee. A reminder to you that wewill be converting the existing roundabouts at Kingsway/Forfar road andClaverhouse to light controlled junctions. This work will be carried outin phases and we will keep all of you up to date as the work progresses.

The first phase of the works which will commence on the 3rd September2007 will entail the construction of two cross over points on the verges above and below the existing roundabout at the junction of Claverhouse and Forfar Rd. We will also have to deal with some services issues atthe same time. At the moment we are anticipating two weeks of work,weather dependant, however we will strive to reduce this timescale if wecan.

Fountainbleau drive will remain closed.

The traffic management will be off peak only that is 9.30-15.30 and also19.30-05.30. we will only take up the evening off peak closure oncertain occasions. At these times the fast lane on both the North andSouth bound will be closed. The off peak closure means that the cones are lifted during high volumes of traffic. There will automated signs positioned on the Kingsway and Forfar road toupdate driver of any forthcoming changes.

For everyone's safety the speed limit will be reduced to 30mph, pleasebe patient and allow extra time for your journey.

Once this phase is completed the works will move to full contraflow while each side of the junction is totally reconstructed.

Pitkerro Road (Happyhillock Road to Longhaugh Road), Dundee – Carriageway Resurfacing (WORKS EXPECTED TO LAST 2 WEEKS)
In the interest of public safety, a road closure will be implemented and traffic will be diverted via Happyhillock Road, Drumgeith Road, Whitfield Drive, Fintry Terrace and reverse, for the duration of the works.
No on-street parking will be allowed on the section of carriageway being worked on. Restricted access will be maintained from the Happyhillock Road to service businesses within the closed section of road. However, we ask that vehicular traffic movements be kept to a minimum, where possible. Please note that pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained throughout the works.

Friends of Wighton

2007-08-28T20:36:00.001+01:00

Some information regarding the Friends of Wighton from Sheena Wellington.

Autumn Workshops at the Wighton

The autumn season at the Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library starts with a free Come’nTry day on Saturday 1st September, 11am – 3pm..

Members of the public will get a chance to try out whistle, fiddle and medieval harp under the expert guidance of Helen Forbes, Karen Hannah read and Simon Chadwick.

Regular classes start on Saturday 8th September, fees for each session being £4/£2.50 concessions.

For those interested in traditional song there is a regular Tuesday afternoon workshop, tutored by Maureen Jelks, from 2-3.30pm in the Wighton Heritage Centre.

The first of the Autumn Lunchtime Recitals with Graeme Stevenson on harpsichord takes place on Wednesday 5th September from 1.15 -1.45pm. Admission is free, donations in support of the programme are welcome.

Friends of Wighton

Midlin Fun Day

2007-08-28T20:15:00.000+01:00

Had a good time at the Midlin Fun day on Saturday, Unforunately missed the parade, but the Pipe Band were amazing and Sheena Wellington did a star turn opening the fund day with a song about our very own DC Thomsons. Took some pictures from the even and hope they turn out. Have included some below.

Dundee's Own Sheen Wellington

Community Forums - by Will

2007-08-23T21:26:00.000+01:00

It's election time again and I don't just mean the upcoming Lochee Council by-election but the Community Forums are looking for people interested in their communities to come forward to stand for election. This is an interesting position and it allows you to make a real difference to the local community.

You get the chance to discuss and decide on where money is spent. Projects have included bike racks for pupils at Craigie High School, community police officers - dedicated to the area and many other things too numerous to mention.

Details for our area are as follows;

Venue - Douglas Community & Library Centre, Balmoral Avenue, Dundee
Date Wednesday 19th September 2007
Time 5.30pm - 6.30pm
Contact Hazel Feilder (Community Regeneration Fund Worker) - Tel: 01382 432455

Dundee South East - Linlathen, Mid Craigie and Douglas,
Community Regeneration Forum Elections 2007.

In 2004 the Scottish Executive announced the establishment of a new £104 million Community Regeneration Fund, Dundee was allocated £5.775 million.
To distribute this money, five local forums were set up and 15 people were elected to sit on each for 12 months. The forums aim to meet local needs and address the aspirations of the Regeneration Outcome Agreements. They also draw on community plans when making decisions on expenditure.
Come along and make a difference to your community.

More mini recycling opportunities - by Will

2007-08-22T16:48:00.000+01:00

Further to my previous post, I have to admit a mistake! Doesn't happen often but when they do I admit to them. Mini recycling facilities have been installed at the Ballindean Shops however you could be forgiven for not noticing them!

They are installed at the taxi rank under the trees. I still think that the others located on Ballindean Road are in a poor position but will speak to the department regarding this.

A National Conversation - by Will

2007-08-17T22:43:00.000+01:00

The First Minister has opened up The National Conversation. This is a debate on the constitutional future of Scotland. No Matter what your political persuasion this is a site you should visit.

In the SNP, we believe that Independence is the way forward for Scotland, but I do understand that not everyone believes in our cause.

Read the posts on the blog for what everyone in Scotland is currently discussing and leave your own comments

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/a-national-conversation

Advanced Road Closure Information - by Christina

2007-08-17T18:22:00.000+01:00

Just received this from the Council's Planning and Transportation department,

Dundee City Council propose to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating resurfacing works. The Order is expected to be in force for two weeks days from 10 September 2007. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.
The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in Pitkerro Road between Happyhillock Road and Longhaugh Road.
Access for residents will be maintained where possible.
An alternative route will be available via Happyhillock Road, Drumgeith Road, Whitfield Drive and Fintry Terrace.

Any comments fell free to get in touch. Our contact information is listed under our photos.

ABB - Bad News! - by Will

2007-08-16T17:51:00.000+01:00

I have contacted the Director of Planning and Transportation in relation to the dangerous buildings notice served on ABB's factory on Kingsway east. ABB had until the 13th of August to make the building safe and were due to start demolition by the end of the year.

It saddens me to report that the management of this company have decided to appeal the notice therefore giving the building a stay of execution. Even though the company freely admits that in its current state thier is nothing that can be done with the building and it is unlikely that someone will be able to find a use for it.

This basically means that the company will go through a legal process to say (in their opinion) that the building is safe and does not need to be demolished.

I will obviously be taking a close interest in this and will update with more information when possible.

Mini Recycling Station - by Will

2007-08-14T22:31:00.000+01:00

Glad to announce that Douglas has another excellent resource for residents to use. A mini recycling station has been installed on Ballindean Road which means that for certain recyclates, you will no longer have to make a trip to ASDA or Sainsburys. I fully welcome this sort of innovation and cannot wait to see more throughout the area.

I am thinking however of questioning the location of this unit as I believe that this would be beneficial if situated closer to the shops on Ballindean Road. These shops are used by a huge amount of people and would possibly make it even more valuable if situated there.

I have asked Christina to look into this with her remit as our groups spokesperson for all things recycling. Will update once a reply is received

ABB Update - by Will

2007-08-14T21:31:00.000+01:00

Extremely glad to see the following on the recess sub committee agenda and even better that this was accepted by the committee

Extract from committee agenda below....
ABB, EAST KINGSWAY WORKS, DUNDEE (AN193-2007)
Concern has been expressed regarding ABB's derelict factory premises at East Kingsway Works.

Following discussions between the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) and the Director ofPlanning and Transportation it has therefore been decided to proceed with a Dangerous BuildingsNotice under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003.

The Notice which is currently being served requires ABB (unless they successfully appeal to theSheriff) to secure the building against entry by 13th August and then demolish it by 28th December2007.
ends

I am hoping that ABB do not decide to appeal this notice and this blot on the landscape will be gone forever. I will be watching this item with interest over the upcoming months and as the 13th has passed will be asking the Planning and Transportation Director if they have been able to secure the building.

The Sub-Committee are asked to note the position and that the Planning and Transport Committeewill be kept advised of progress.

ASDA trolleys - by Will

2007-08-14T21:21:00.000+01:00

Finally had some good news reference the dreaded abandoned trolleys throughout the ward. With an apparent lack of interest from the store, I felt obliged to contact ASDA's head office to encourage a response.

Normally, the store will hire a van once a month to go and find abandoned trolleys but this allowed a full month for the area to be littered with them. They are now going to arrange this every fortnight. However in order to ensure that this is successful, the store really need to know where the abandoned trolleys are so that they can collect them. If you find any abandoned please let a member of staff in ASDA know so they can collect them.

Traffic Issues - by Will

2007-08-14T21:05:00.000+01:00

Recess is over and i've not updated the blog in a while so I have a lot too report, but to save on overkill, will stick to traffic issues at present.

Glad to see at last nights committee that pot holes should hopefully be repaired properly in the near future. The "Rapid Rhino" scheme should allow these to be documented and repaired fully whilst the current situation only means temporary repairs are carried out. These temporary repairs generally only last a few weeks then get worse.

Currently looking into issues concerning access to Gotterstone. For those who live in the area, getting in and out can be a nightmare especially at peak time. So far the news is not good as a recent traffic survey indicates that waiting times at this junction are relatively low. Trying to argue that the amount of houses being built towards Ethiebeation will see a huge increase in traffic using the Arbroath Road and this will have a negative effect on the amenity of the residents. However as normal this is a trunk road which means that BEAR Scotland are involved in its routing and maintenance and working with them can take forever.

Issues in the Craigiebank area (Dean Avenue and surrounding). The roads in this area are extremely congested and very narrow. Have been asked by a constituent to investigate the possibility of a one-way system being put in place. My fear over this issue is that one way systems increase speed. Whilst making it easier to get around, speed increases are not something that i want to see.

Also received a request to look into the traffic problems on Ballindean Road. This is a major road in to the Douglas area and can be pretty congested with buses and private cars. Although it is a wide road, cars parked with vehicles trying to pass can make it a nightmare to negotiate especially with buses coming the other way.

Will report back when more info is available.

ABB Update - By Will

2007-06-27T18:04:00.001+01:00

In addition to my last post, I found out that one family fell within the exlusion zone and my apologies to them for not knowing this. However this brought up an interesting point, if people have to be moved from their houses, what happens to family pets?

I will be speaking to the council to find out what we do in situations with this? With the kennels currently closed (and the rebuild being welcome) this is not an option people could use.

More to follow

ABB Disruption - by Will

2007-06-26T23:47:00.000+01:00

Dissapointed to hear of the fire that caused havoc to the Kingsway and surrounding businesses yesterday. Thankfully no one was hurt and through the good work of the Police and Fire Service it is lucky that nothing more serious happened.

I was worried that people may have to be evacuated from the surrounding area and put the housing department on alert once I knew what was happening. Luckily, the houses around the factory were outside the exclusion zone and no one had to be put up in other accomodation for the night.

I've had a response from the owners of the factory assuring me that it is not a forgotten site and that they do take the security if it very seriously but I hate to think what could have happened if this had been a malicious fire.

Both myself and Christina are still calling for the building to be demolished as we believe that this will be the only thing that will solve the problem of this eyesore.

Claverhouse Junction

2007-06-14T16:38:00.000+01:00

We have been notified that the 1st phase of work to upgrade the Claverhouse junction (Forfar Road) will start on Monday 18th June. Therefore we give advance notice that this can and probably will cause disruption. The work includes deep excavation and will require a lane to be closed for safety reasons whilst this is carried out.

If you can find an alternative route it would certainly be recommended.

Bear Scotland & Trolley wars By Will

2007-06-12T22:00:00.000+01:00

Amongst the things in my in tray recently was correspondence relating to the state of the grass verges at Greendykes.

Bear Scotland and the Council have been in dispute over the last few years about who maintains these verges. I spoke to Bear earlier today and have had some assurances that the maintenance of these verges will be looked at. They also appear to admit that they are responsible for the maintenance of these areas after the Council provided them with maps showing that they are in Bear's ownership. I have also asked them too look at the traffic island at the Scott Fyffe roundabouts junction on to Douglas Road. This small piece of land has weeds about a foot and a half high and is very unsightly so hopefully some action soon.

I also received a letter from Sainsburys reference my new obsession with supermarket trollies. From speaking to residents, it is reckoned that there are over 100 of them strewn throughout the area. Sainsburys are more than willing to uplift any of their trollies from the ward if I get in touch with them but still no official contact from Asda. I have had to contact Asda again as on my way home last night spotted 6 trollies just on Ballunie Avenue alone.

Royal Mail Deliveries - By Will

2007-06-08T22:13:00.000+01:00

Had an interesting communication from a constituent reference postal deliveries in Douglas. I have been informed that mail appears to be going missing and was wondering if anyone else is having the same difficulties.

You can contact me by email at will.dawson@dundeecity.gov.uk and I will be more than happy to look into the situation.

Personally, I tend to get some mis-directed mail i.e. mail delivered to Balunie Avenue rather than Balunie Street.

I have written to the manager of Dundee East Delivery office to see what the current situation is and will give you an update as soon as i get a reply.

Street Signs Update - by Will

2007-06-07T20:43:00.000+01:00

The street name signs that I reported recently, the faulty road sign at the Douglas Road/ Happyhillock Road and several signs reported by Christina are to be looked at by the Planning and Transportation department. The response from the department is as follows

"I have been passed copies of e-mails from Councillor Dawson and Councillor Roberts regarding problems with a number of street name plates and traffic signs. I understand that the street name plate issues have already been addressed by my colleague. I have inspected the locations of the traffic sign problems at Douglas Road / Happyhillock Road roundabout and Pitkerro Drive and have arranged to have the defects rectified."

Hopefully see a resolution to these issues soon.

ABB Nitran Factory - by Will

2007-06-04T21:48:00.000+01:00

Following todays Courier article and a spot on Tay FM, I have continued to take up the case of the derelict ABB factory on the Kingsway.

To see the full article follow this link

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2007/06/04/newsstory9807224t0.asp

Both myself and Christina are dimayed at the state of the building and are following on from the work previously carried out by John Corrigan in trying to get something done. We are both under the impression that no one wants this building anymore and the longer it stays in it's current condition the less likely anyone will want to move into it.

I have written to ABB and will update the blog when more is known.

Fingers crossed ABB take some notice and live up to their responsibilities

Supermarket Trollies - By Will

2007-06-03T19:54:00.000+01:00

Very distressed about the lack of action being taken by Asda in relation to the trollies littering the ward.

Spotted lots throughout the ward recently and wrote a letter to Asda. After no response I decided it was wise to speak to the press. From the article, assurances appear to have been given that they take this very seriously and go round the area a few times a week looking for rogue trollies.

I believe the store is now under new management and this may have explained the lack of response as the contact we used to have within the store has either moved or left the company.

I will continue to keep an eye on the situation and report these trollies when i find them or they are reported to me.

Ward Issues- by Will

2007-06-03T19:41:00.000+01:00

Currently reporting more and more potholes on the roads within the ward and am becoming increasingly concerned about the state of many of the roads. The roads currently being looked at are Balunie Street, Balbeggie Street, Baluniefield Road and Balantrae Terrace just to name a few.

I will be asking for assurance that these repairs are done in a timely fashion and that the repairs last for more than a few days.

Street signs have also been an issue recently. I have reported a number of different street signs that need replacing or repaired such as Balcarres Terrace and Balmoral Gardens. These have mostly been vandalised but many in the ward are faded and require replacing due to old age.

Glad to report that the housing department have placed work orders to have the back court areas of some of the tenements on Balbeggie Street cleaned up and internal stair lighting repaired.

Blog Sharing

2007-05-10T18:10:00.000+01:00

Well to save on information overload, both myself and Christina have decided to share this blog! More information to come shortly from us both!

Busy old day

2007-05-09T22:25:00.000+01:00

Well, the work has started in earnest.

Started the day with a general training session and then caught up on ward issues. Few things to note, work is due to start on road re-surfacing between Balunie Avenue and Balunie Drive and road closures due to building works - Details below

Hopefully these shouldn't cause too much of a problem and I have already had assurances that it should not affect the buses through Douglas.

Will report more later.

Dundee City Council propose to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road
Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating works for a new
housing development. The Order is expected to be in force for fifty three
weeks from 21 May 2007. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen
months. The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in
Balerno Place between Balerno Street and Balunie Avenue. Pedestrian thoroughfare and vehicular access to premises will be maintained. An alternative route will be available via Balerno Street, Balbeggie Place, Balunie Avenue and reverse.
Dundee City Council propose to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating carriageway resurfacing works. The Order is expected to be in force for two weeks from 28 May 2007. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months. The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in Balunie Drive between Douglas Road and Ballindean Road.
Pedestrian access will be maintained. An alternative route will be available via Ballindean Road and Douglas Road.

Many Thanks

2007-05-07T20:44:00.000+01:00

I was incredibly honoured to top the poll in the East End Ward on Thursday and wish to thank all of those who voted for me.

My one disappointment from the night was the amount of wasted ballot papers! Dundee did not seem to be as bad as many of our cities and I have to thank the information officers in the poling stations for helping out.

However their were far more spoilt papers than I think anyone has ever seen at an election and I believe we may just have made a new record - will Guinness be in touch - we will just have to wait and see.

Once again, many thanks for all the support and best wishes that I have received.