Councillor Laurie Bidwell writes :

Damaging Gap in Higher Education Fees for our universities in Dundee

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Councillor Laurie Bidwell writes :

Preventing Another Lost Generation of Our Young People

14 July 2011

On Tuesday the Waste: a Future You Report was published.

The responses of more than 750 young people across the UK paint a depressing picture of the impact of unemployment on their mental health.

Shockingly, it revealed that:

- more than a quarter are so depressed they have contemplated suicide and
- others turn to drink or drugs in the face of serial rejection and bleak prospects.
Of those surveyed in Scotland, 28 per cent said they had contemplated suicide, compared with 25 per cent south of the Border.

A third of Scots often felt their "life was being wasted", while two-thirds said being classed a Neet - Not in Education, Employment of Training - made them "feel bad about themselves".

Scottish unemployment fell to 208,000 between January and March, putting the rate at 7.7 per cent - the same as the UK average.

However, Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) recently found the unemployment rate for young people to be around 20 per cent, almost three times the overall figure.

Lucy McTernan, chief executive of CAS, said:

" The evidence from Scottish advice bureaux shows that young people in Scotland have been hit hard by the recession, and that this is really causing a wave of anger and despair across their generation."

In February 2011, CAS published a survey of Scots aged 18 to 25, Being Young Being Heard: The impact of the recession on young people in Scotland.

The results of their survey apparently took CAS by surprise.

The scale of the crisis in our youth is much greater than is generally realised.

"One in every five young people aged 16 to 24 are now unemployed. For 16- to 17-year-olds, this figure jumps to one in every three."

These two research reports emphasise just how devastating it is for young people to be out of work and not in education or training.

It would clearly be wrong if we in Dundee were ignoring this message and not responding by ensuring more successful transitions from school to work, education or training.

I have written to Michael Wood, the Director of Education and the SNP's Education Convener, Councillor Liz Fordyce asking for review of what is being done in our secondary schools by teachers and other professionals to ease the path from school to work or training or university of our young people.

I am sure there is room for improvement.

I think that parents, carers and especially our senior school pupils should expect that we would be active in finding more pathways to a positive post school destination

web link :

http://www.thefutureyou.org.uk/images/stories/downloads/WasteFinalReport.pdf

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Worrying Decrease in Job Creation in Scotland as Young People Leave School, College and University

Threat of Further Cuts in Dundee Schools as Budget May be £500,000 Short

11 March 2011

A lack of progress in national negotiations with Teachers led by the Scottish Government has led to concerns that there may be a black hole in the budget of the Education Department in Dundee.

I have been advised that the figure may be near £500,000.

The SNP's swingeing education cuts of £4.1 million for the forthcoming financial year may not be enough.

In the process of agreeing the budget settlement for local government, the SNP's Cabinet Secretary for Finance, John Swinney MSP, offered councils his government’s commitment to agree reductions in the terms and conditions of work of teachers by the end of January.

Now that no progress has been made, the savings the city council assumed in arriving at its education budget will need to be revisited.

Unfortunately, I think this means that the Education Convener, Liz Fordyce, will be looking out for more cuts.

Back in December, I made it clear that I thought that these assumptions were optimistic and the savings projected were unlikely to be realised in such a short time scale.

This is another example of SNP mismanagement and unfortunately it will be the education of our children that will suffer as a result, because short term cuts often lead to long term damage.

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March 2011

Law Nursery School Consultation - Letter to Education Convener

Copy of my letter to Councillor Fordyce, Education Convener, (email dated 13 March 2011) calling for an early date for the consultation about the Law Nursery School:

Dear Liz,

In the Council's press release, 'Law Nursery Informal Consultation', issued on Monday afternoon 28 February, prior to the Education Committee the same evening, you were quoted as follows:

Education convener Cllr Liz Fordyce said

"I asked that this report was withdrawn to allow more time so that we can consult informally with parents and carers of children attending Law Nursery.This will be an extra consultation exercise that will help to inform any report that goes back to committee recommending formal consultation on a relocation proposal."

Please can you advise on the timescale for and form of this consultation?

I hope that as Education Spokesperson for the major opposition group on the Council, I should be invited to attend any consultation event along with the local Councillors.

Although you also said that,

"This means that any move (for Law Nursery School) for August this year is no longer an option."

I think you will be aware that this still means there is uncertainty beyond school year 2011/12.

Many children spend two years in nursery education prior to transferring to primary school.

It follows that parents and carers making choices about their three year old children entering Law Nursery School this year can have little confidence that it will still be operating on its current site from August 2012.

This continuing uncertainty is corrosive and risks undermining what, according to the School Inspectors is an outstanding Nursery School.

Accordingly, I urge you therefore to organise your consultation event before the Easter holidays so that your proposal can then be scrutinised by the Education Committee at the April meeting.

I hope that in any further contact with parents or press statements, neither you, nor any member of the SNP group, will raise any more misleading claims that there are health and safety issues at Law Nursery School.

I have now read the Electrical Services Condition Survey Report on the School dated October 2009. Comments such as under Kitchen Installations "Very small kitchen" (which is only a servery for meals that are supplied from the School Meals service) does not suggest to me that a complete refurbishment of the kitchen area is justified or necessary.

Of course I am only a lay person with no qualifications in health and safety.

But I assume that since the Education Department have had this report for over sixteen months, were there any significant health and safety hazards, you would have taken immediate steps to protect our children and staff.

I am sure you need no reminding of our responsibility as corporate parents for the children of Dundee and of course our responsibility as an authority for health and safety and environmental health.

I remain of the opinion that you and the Education Directorate have not advanced a convincing educational case for uprooting and undermining a successful Nursery School nor that there are significant real savings to be found in so doing.

Threat of Further Cuts in Dundee Schools as Budget May be £500,000 Short

11 March 2011

In the process of agreeing the budget settlement for local government, the SNP's Cabinet Secretary for Finance, John Swinney MSP, offered councils his government’s commitment to agree reductions in the terms and conditions of work of teachers by the end of January.

Now that no progress has been made, the savings the city council assumed in arriving at its education budget will need to be revisited.

Back in December, I made it clear that I thought that these assumptions were optimistic and the savings projected were unlikely to be realised in such a short time scale.

This is another example of SNP mismanagement and unfortunately it will be the education of our children that will suffer as a result, because short term cuts often lead to long term damage.

Withdrawal of Law Nursery School Proposal from Education Committee Agenda

1 March 2011

Confusion and exasperation were evident at the Education Committee last night. when the Committee were due to consider 'Item 3 Proposed Relocation of Law Nursery into Rosebank Primary School'.

February 2011

Councillor Laurie Bidwell writes  ........

SNP Councillors vote down £379,000 for Dundee Schools they had cut by £4.1 Million

14 February 2011

At the Council's Budget meeting on Thursday 10 February, the SNP group of fourteen Councillors, with the support of the Lord Provost, voted down the Labour amendment.

We proposed to use savings we had identified, to restore more than a third of a million pounds to the Education budget.

Our proposals would have have made this a better budget by ensuring that:

We believed that the best way to achieve our priorities was to pass these funds to the discretionary budgets of our head teachers so that they might have spent this on the most important priorities in their schools.

In this way, teaching and learning in our schools would have been protected from the most damaging effects of the SNPs programmes of more than £4 million cuts.

Unfortunately, our school children and their schools will have to suffer because the SNP insisted on protecting the budget for two civic cars and not one as we proposed.

They also voted to protect money for beer and sandwiches for hospitality.

They also voted to retain an unallocated bus route development fund. Why we would want to invest more money from the council tax to boost the profits of the bus company in Dundee beats me.

I think most council taxpayers in Dundee would think this would be throwing good money after bad given the recent botched reorganisation of bus routes in the city.

So as the dust settles after our prolonged budget meeting, why does our SNP led Council prefer to retain the £379,000 savings we had identified and not shore up the Education budget they had raided?

Why are beer and sandwiches and civic cars on the council tax more important than the Education of our children?

Dundee nursery, primary and secondary schools deserve better.

Budget Cuts in Education: Councillor Fordyce in Not for Turning

8 February 2011

The committee papers for the budget setting meeting on Thursday 10 February were issued on Thursday 3 February. I have examined the papers about Schooling in Dundee and notice that they contain exactly the same budget cuts which our SNP led council announced just before Christmas.

This is despite the submission of a considerable volume of public, professional and political representations about the shortcomings in these proposals.

Representatives of our Primary School Head Teachers and Depute Head Teachers, have informed me that they have felt sidelined from consultation about the proposed cuts in their schools.

More disappointing is that their alternative budget options do not seem to have influenced the Education Convener, Councillor Liz Fordyce.

The lady is obviously not for turning!

Interestingly Councillor Fordyce made a point of publicising her visits to every one of the Primary Schools in the city after she was appointed.

I wonder what it was that persuaded her to reinstate management standards in our schools from 1972.

Little evidence here of Changing for the Future, more like Back to the Future.

Dundee deserves better.

Councillor Laurie Bidwell writes  ........

Budget Options for our Schools should be Scrutinised by the Education Committee

3 February 2011

In yesterday’s "Courier", the Education Convener, Councillor Liz Fordyce, denied that school closures and mergers were being considered.

This denial was called into question by an email from the Director of Education received by Political Group Leaders yesterday morning.

This confirmed that the Education Department had received detailed alternative budget savings put forward by Head Teachers and Depute Head Teachers in Dundee Schools forwarded by the Dundee Primary Head Teachers’ Association.

The Director also confirmed that these had been submitted as part of their consultation on the budget cuts.

The Dundee Primary Head Teachers wrote:

‘In closing, as senior managers in schools ……. There remains a strong feeling that school rationalisation should have been and must be considered. We appreciate the proposed savings (we have identified) are Revenue budget savings but would suggest that some of these could be offset by Capital savings.’
Since one assumes that the views of these senior teachers' in our schools have been read and studied and weighed by the Directorate and the Education Convener, it follows that their options have been or are being considered.

Yesterday, the Education Convener once again resorted to personal insults in relation to the issues I had raised about the budget cuts in Dundee schools.

I think that people who resort to lashing out like that have lost the argument.

Another technique she has used to shut down debate is to deny opportunities for the Education Committee of the council to discuss her cuts before they are presented to the Budget meeting next Thursday

I have consistently claimed in the council chamber and the press for an opportunity for the Education Committee to examine the SNP's budget reductions in Education.

The Education Committee should be the place where these issues are scrutinised by Councillors alongside members of the Committee drawn from the teaching profession and religious leaders in the city.

Why is the Convener afraid to present her budget proposals to the Education Committee?

What has she got to hide?"

Councillor Laurie Bidwell writes  ........

In the last week, Councillors and the Education Directorate have received numerous written representations about the proposed education cuts.

This has included communications from Head Teachers and Depute Head Teachers in the City, representatives of the Church, Teacher Unions and parents.

These people and organisations have without exception been registering their grave concerns about the package of savings proposed for our schools in Dundee.

It seems from my mailbox that the Education Convener, Councillor Liz Fordyce, is the only person in Dundee who thinks that the SNP’s programme of £4.1 million cuts will improve education in the city.

One recurring issue from the representations I have received is about the unfairness of the impact of the proposed changes in education.

There is concern that about where the impact of these cuts will be hardest felt.

It seems likely that it is in the areas of the city with the highest levels of poverty and unemployment that the proposed cuts will bite hardest, especially by reducing the number of teachers in local primary schools.

The Head Teachers and Depute Head Teachers have not only identified their concerns but also have identified their own alternative budget savings including merging smaller primary schools and moving smaller primary schools to share premises with a local secondary school.

I understand that the Administration is currently considering these alternative savings and has not ruled out school closures and mergers.

While Labour would not support school closures, I think parents, teachers and members of the Education Committee should be allowed to discuss the Education cuts and potential alternatives before they are adopted in a block at the Budget meeting next week.

If that means a delay in the budget process, so be it. I think the public would expect their politicians should leave no stone unturned in finding the least damaging reductions in Education in the city.

As part of the SNP's budget cuts, the well used and much loved Broughty Ferry Library will be set to managed by an arms length body, a not for profit organisation, rather than directly by the Council.

Councillor Laurie Bidwell writes ...

Barnhill Primary School Oversubscribed

Feedback from parents in the catchment area of Barnhill Primary School confirms that the Primary One intake beginning in August is already significantly oversubscribed.

This means that more parents who have a rising five child who live in the catchment area of the school have put their child's name down for entry to the school in Primary One than were accommodated last year when the Primary One classes were full.

Unless more places are found in the school, some of the children who live in the Barnhill PS catchment area could be denied a place.

In addition children who are priority two might not get a look in at all. Priority two children are those who live outside the school's catchment area but already have an older brother or sister who attends the school.

This is a very serious issue, which may well require an adjustment to the Council's budget for next year if parents and their children are not to be denied a place at their local primary school.

I don't think parents and children should suffer from the results of inadequate planning by the Education Department.

When I raised this issue last year in relation to the capacity of public services in Broughty Ferry to accommodate more housing developments, this was dismissed and it was claimed by the Education Convener that there was plenty of capacity in Broughty Ferry schools.

Well now, where is that spare capacity for parents living in the Barnhill Primary School catchment area?

Council Should Revive Plans for Extension and Improvement of Barnhill Primary School

January 2011

10 January 2011

Labour's Education Spokesperson in Dundee, Councillor Laurie Bidwell said:

"SNP claims that their £4 million plus package of education cuts will only affect back office functions and will not affect teaching and learning are inaccurate and misleading.

Coming to many Primary School in the City will be a reductions in the number of Depute Head Teachers and a general increase in the teaching duties of any remaining Depute Head Teachers.

"When these deputes do more classroom teaching they will replace other teachers currently in their schools.

"They will not be an additional teacher in their schools.

"Overall the number of teachers in most primary school will fall.
"Not only that but as a consequence there will be less time for the remaining Deputes to undertake classroom monitoring and other work on enhancing teaching and learning in their their schools.

"This is a recipe for undermining recent improvements in attainment and achievement in schools in the city.

"It will also mean that the overall pupil teacher ratio in Dundee Primary Schools will get worse.

"This is another example of SNP broken promises on Education.
"I have requested that reductions on teacher numbers in our schools will be placed on the agenda of the next Education Committee so that it is no longer a matter hidden behind the shroud of secrecy of the Changing for Future Board.

"I think that parents and carers in Dundee have a right to know what is really happening in our schools."

December 2010

"The SNP's cuts in the city will involve reductions in key parts of the education service and I think all schools will be affected.

"The Education Convener, Councillor Liz Fordyce needs to spell out what each of her nineteen cuts will involve.

"So far she hasn't explained the impact of what each of these will represent on the ground for the education of our children.

"This needs to be clear primarily to parents and carers as well as opposition councillors like me.
"In last week's local papers the Education Convener, was asked about her city campus idea.

"This will apparently see senior pupils move round the city to take some of their higher examination courses at schools other than their own.

"On Wednesday last week, Councillor Fordyce revealed that she had not yet considered the transport arrangements and costs of moving senior pupils around the city.

"On Thursday, she also admitted that the coordinated timetabling necessary between the nine secondary schools in the city had yet to be worked out too.
"Another area needing clarification is the impact of the early retirement savings.

"How many fewer teacher will be working in our schools as a result of these changes and how will each school be affected?

"For example, I understand that there will be an overall reduction in the number of support for learning teachers in primary and secondary schools.

"This will reduce the help available to children with learning difficulties.

"These are certainly not 'back office' jobs.
"So Councillor Liz Fordyce should get out and explain her programme of cuts to parents in the city.

"I and my colleagues in the Labour Group are of course prepared to attend and hear what parents have to say.

"Before she says that we will need to wait until after the Council's budget on Thursday 10 February, parents do need to be informed now.

"If what they find out persuades them that they wish to put in a placing request for their child to attend a school in Dundee other than their local school, these need to be submitted by Monday 7 February."

25 September 2010

Ed Miliband Elected Labour Party Leader

Earlier this afternoon at the Labour Party Conference in Manchester, the results of the Labour Party leadership ballot were announced. Ed Miliband was elected leader of the Labour Party narrowly defeating his brother, David Miliband.
In his victory speech he said: "The Labour Party in the future must be a vehicle that doesn't just attract thousands of young people but tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of young people who see us as their voice in British politics today."
He paid tribute to his predecessors Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, but added: "We lost the election and we lost it badly. My message to the country is this: I know we lost trust, I know we lost touch, I know we need to change."
Ed was in Dundee for a campaigning rally at Discovery Point on Friday 10 September 2010
 

24 September 2010

SNP's Mistaken & Meanest Cut of All?

Surely, one of the meanest and most mistaken cuts so far anticipated in Dundee has been set in train by the SNP led City Council. They have initiated a short term review of welfare rights services in the city. This is part of the Changing for the Future measures they devised to identify savings to deal with the anticipated £20 million shortfall in the council's budget for the next financial year.


Recent news on the Dundee economy have made for grim reading. Rising levels of unemployment, combined with job losses at Realtime Worlds and low vacancy rates. And the prospects are not looking good with alarming levels of combined public sector cuts in the city amounting to 1000 jobs disappearing. Add to that the impact on low income households of proposed cuts in social security benefits announced by the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition. Already some agencies such as CAB in Dundee are reporting that demand for welfare benefits advice and debt counselling are stretching their resources.


Councillor Laurie Bidwell said:

"At a point when many Dundee folk are exposed to the negative side effects of the bankers' excesses, why do our SNP councillors think that there is any scope for significant savings to be made in welfare rights agencies in Dundee? As a council, I think its our civic duty to protect the citizens of Dundee when they experience reductions in household income. If we don't have a vibrant range of free and independent advice agencies in the city, we can't guarantee the rights of our citizens when they are experiencing financial hardship or treated unfairly by public bodies and private organisations. Without access to free and independent advice services, these rights would only be reserved for people who can afford to buy their own financial and legal advice from solicitors and accountants. It's also common sense that if you maximise a household's income by helping them claim the welfare benefits they are entitled to, it not only raises the household's income but also increases the money circulating in the local economy in Dundee. It's a 'no brainer' that the demand for debt counselling and welfare rights advice in our city is likely to escalate rather than reduce in the near future. Why are the SNP being so unsympathetic to our citizens at times in their lives when they are experiencing real hardship?"


Notes

As part of the wide ranging 'Changing for the Future' package of measures, approved at the Policy & Resources Committee of Dundee City Council on Monday 23rd August, there was a Review of Welfare Rights provision.


Link to the Policy & Resources Committee Agenda and Papers which run to 204 pages. NB you will only need to examine/print out pages 7 - 16.
http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/agendas/pr230810-1.pdf

The Review of Welfare Rights was one of the reasons why Labour Councillors voted against the 'Changing for the Future' agenda but the SNP group pushed ahead using their majority on the Council.

 

22 September 2010

Outreach Antenatal Care

The report Pregnancy and complex social factors: A model for service provision for pregnant women with complex social factors, commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, details the poor health outcomes for mother and baby when there is little or no antenatal care. To counter many of the women from these client groups not attending traditional antenatal care in health centres, they propose outreach care in a number of locations. In relation to school aged young women, they propose antenatal classes might be run in schools.

While the report is focused on the NHS in England, I am sure it has some pointers for midwifery in Scotland. In Dundee we do have a high level of young mothers of school age and provision already exists to support mother and baby at the special unit at Menzieshill High School. This report suggests starting that support before birth. If it improves the health of mothers and their babies, I think it should be considered carefully.

It is interesting that the news coverage about this report has focused on the recommendations for the enhanced antenatal care for school pupils. Many of the other women with complex social factors featured in the report, including those with drug and alcohol dependence are apparently not being reached by traditional antenatal care. Given the worrying level of drug misuse in our city, I suspect that is probably more of a priority issue in Dundee right now.

21 September 2010

National Express Bypasses Key Parts of Broughty Ferry

In early November, National Express buses will no longer pass through central Broughty Ferry when the No 5 circular bus is re-routed. The No 5 bus service will no longer cross the railway line and travel through central Broughty Ferry removing convenient drop off and pick up points in the central shopping area.
 

Many older residents, including some who live in sheltered housing, have approached me with their concerns. They complain, for example, that elderly residents will now have to get off the bus at the Post Office Bar and walk along Queen Street to the post office at the top of Grey Street, then walk across the rail crossing to get to the main shops within the Ferry. When these residents have finished their shopping, they will need to carry their messages up the steep incline to reach the bus stop at the foot of Forthill Road.

Likewise, residents in Dundee Road/Broughty Ferry Road remain inconveniences and cut off by the withdrawal of their bus services since the end of June.

I think both sets of bus users are very reasonable in asking for a solution to the withdrawal of bus services that they have come to rely on. Come on Travel Dundee, you can surely do better than this!

9 September 2010

Meeting with Marlyn Glen MSP at Holyrood

On Wednesday I had a meeting with Marlyn Glen MSP at the Scottish Parliament to discuss constituents' issues.

In the afternoon, I went into the visitors' gallery to hear the announcement of the Scottish Government's legislative programme and Labour's response. Although the ten bills listed include some worthy reforms, unfortunately they fail to address the key issues facing people in The Ferry of supporting and developing employment, training and education.

SNP fail to bring forward Literacy Action Plan

Labour’s Literacy Commission reported in January this year and Mike Russell, the SNP's Education Secretary promised Parliament during the debate on its findings that he would bring forward a Literacy Action Plan. However eight months on - despite the overwhelming vote in the Scottish Parliament in favour of such a plan being brought forward - nothing has been forthcoming so far from the Scottish Government.

The Literacy Commission found that almost one million Scots have difficulties with literacy and every year nearly 1 in 5 children leave primary school not able to read and write to the basic standard. The Commission’s report called for a zero tolerance approach to tackle the problem of illiteracy and made a number of clear recommendations.

It is a bitter disappointment on International Literacy Day that despite repeated promises by Michael Russell no Literacy Action Plan has been brought forward. The Literacy Commission’s report was a wake-up call for Scotland. Eight months after the Literacy Commission Report and Labour’s debate on the report we’ve seen nothing from Mr Russell’s department. Every child in Scotland deserves the tools for future success and eradicating illiteracy is the vital first step in providing these basis skills. Mr Russell appears to think that the problem of illiteracy will be resolved by the Curriculum for Excellence. But if, as the Minister claims, the new Curriculum has been running effectively in Scottish primary schools for years what additional steps is he taking to prevent 13,000 children leaving primary school every year unable to read and write effectively? The truth is that specialist learning support is being removed from schools up and down the country as a result of SNP policies, making the job of classroom teachers more difficult.

Dundee Secondary Pupils Miss Out on Quality PE?

3 September 2010

SNP responsible for misery of young teachers unable to find work

New statistics revealed today by the Times Educational Supplement Scotland (TESS) showed that older teachers ar not delaying their retirement, putting paid to the argument that they are partially responsible for the desperate job prospects facing new teachers.

The most common retirement age of teachers has actually fallen over the past three years - from 62 years in 2007-08 to 60 years in 2009-10 - according to the Scottish Public Pensions Agency. Its figures revealed that the average retirement age was 61.86 in 2007-08; 60.98 in 2008-09; and 60.16 in 2009-10.

The TESS reports that since the teacher jobs crisis began to bite, one explanation consistently put forward by the SNP Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) for the lack of posts for new entrants was that older teachers were putting off retirement beyond 60 because of the impact of the economic downturn on them and their families. But Ronnie Smith from the EIS said: "This finally lays to rest the myth that older teachers deferring retiral are blocking job opportunities for new teachers."

The reason we have almost 2500 fewer teachers in Scotland and only 11 per cent of newly qualified teachers have obtained permanent posts is because of the SNP's mis-management of Scotland’s education system and their broken promises. SNP education cuts in the good times when Scottish Government budgets were expanding will be compounded in the future by the Tory/Liberal cuts in the pipeline.

The SNP’s educational legacy is fewer teachers, fewer classroom assistants, hardly any jobs for newly qualified teachers, teaching unions on the brink of strikes, parents fundraising for books and essential equipment and not one school yet built by the Scottish Futures' Trust in the term of this parliament.

How Will The Ferry Benefit from Sale of Eastern Primary School Site?

16 August 2010

There is currently a consultation with parents, teachers and the community about the Council's proposal to move Eastern Primary School to the old Grove Academy buildings on the south side of Camperdown Street. If this proposal is approved, the City Council have made it clear they will be selling off the current Eastern Primary School buildings and land.

What will happen to the cash raised from this sale? The Chief Executive of the Council has confirmed to me that,
"The Director of City Developments has carried out a detailed investigation into the use of the building, and the estimated capital receipt. For commercial reasons I cannot advise you on what that sum is, but I can say that the figure is significant."

Based on the capital receipt raised from the sale of the former Linlathen High School site to Morrisons, I think £2 million might be raised from selling off the Eastern Primary School site for conversion of the existing building into other uses such as apartments. How much of this "significant" cash sum will be earmarked for spending on Education or other front line services in The Ferry?

Can Ken Guild, Leader of the Council, reassure constituents in the Ferry that cash raised from this sale will not be siphoned off by his administration to pay for services in other parts of the City? How much of this cash will benefit pupils at Eastern Primary School?

Commenting on the call for Car Exclusion Zones next to Schools

13 August 2010

Commenting on the call by Living Streets for car exclusion zones next to schools, Councillor Laurie Bidwell said,

"I welcome the campaign by Living Streets just before the start of the new Education Session next week.

Dismay at Rising Unemployment in Scotland

11 August 2010

Scottish Labour’s Andy Kerr has expressed his dismay that unemployment in Scotland is still rising, while in the rest of the UK it is falling. Scotland’s

unemployment rate now stands at 8.4 per cent, higher than the rate for the UK as a whole.

The latest figures showing that 223,000 people in Scotland are out of work. This is 7,000 up on the previous figures.

Shadow Finance Secretary Andy Kerr said:

"Unemployment is a devastating experience. It is very worrying that unemployment in Scotland is rising, while in the rest of the UK it is falling.

"Today’s figures highlight the fact that Scotland is suffering more in the recession due to the Salmond Slump. We are lagging behind the rest of the UK in employment rates, business start-ups and economic recovery.

"The SNP have cancelled essential infrastructure projects, such as the Glasgow Airport Rail Link, and over £2bn in investment has been lost along with 30,000 construction jobs because of their ideological objection to private finance.

"The unnecessary cuts being imposed by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, coupled with the rise in VAT, are making the situation even worse and putting the recovery at risk."

Strathern Road & Abercromby Street Temporary Closure

5 August 2010

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 reconstruction works. The Order is expected to be in force for ten days from 9 August 2010. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.

The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in Abercromby Street from Dalhousie Road to Panmure Terrace.

Access for residents will be maintained. The junction of Abercromby Street with Invermark Terrace will be closed for the duration of the works.

An alternative route will be available via Dalhousie Road , Abertay Street and Panmure Terrace .

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 9 August 2010. Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.

The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in Strathern Road from Claypotts Road to Caenlochan Road.

Access for residents will be maintained. The junctions of Strathern Road with Caenlochan Road , Grove Road , Duntrune Terrace and Victoria Road will be closed for the duration of the works.

An alternative route will be available via Claypotts Road, West Queen Street, Dundee Road and Fairfield Road.

The McManus Galleries in Dundee is hosting Titian's Diana and Actaeon on its special Scottish tour, marking the first anniversary of the nation's acquisition of this magnificent painting.

Titian is one of the most influential artists of all time. His exceptional handling of paint, bold use of colour and original approach to subject matter had a huge impact on generations of painters. This is a unique opportunity to see this masterpiece of European painting in Dundee. It is part of the National Galleries of Scotland's commitment to bring great art to as many people as possible across the country.

It will be on show at the McManus Galleries from Friday 6 August - Sunday 5 September (both dates inclusive). There are no admission charges to the Gallery for this exhibition and booking is not necessary.
 

The painting was acquired for the nation by the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Gallery in London in February 2009 following a large scale public and private fundraising campaign. Diana and Actaeon was bought for £50m with generous contributions from the Scottish Government, The National Heritage Memorial Fund, The Monument Trust, The Art Fund (with a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation) and through public appeal, 2009.

23 July 2010

On Sunday 25th July, Travel Dundee will introduce changes to the routing of the 5A and 5B circular buses in Broughty Ferry.

These revisions are being introduced only one month after the upheaval of new bus routes and timetables throughout the city.

Following difficulties keeping the four an hour combined 5A & 5B services running to time, Travel Dundee have gained permission from the Traffic Commissioners to half the number of buses (two instead of four) that cross the railway line and drive through central Broughty Ferry.

This will reduce the service through the central Broughty Ferry south of the railway line to a half hourly service.

Many residents in Barnhill will be disappointed that the revised new routes for the 5A and 5B services will remain only operating in a one way direction round the Barnhill loop, which prevents some bus users from practicable outward and return journeys by bus.

Folk who use the 5A and 5B buses to travel directly into central Broughty Ferry may be wary that these reductions in the 5A and 5B services that run through the Ferry are just the thin end of the wedge.

If, as Travel Dundee claim, delays at the Gray Street level crossing are to blame for delays in the four an hour combined 5A and 5B services, maybe Travel Dundee will be back soon with another request to scrap the remaining 5A & 5B services that run through Brook Street/Gray Street and Gray Street/King Street.

The new timetables for the 5A & 5B buses will be posted on Bus Stops.

It does not contain key details that are required by the people to be consulted and it is skimpy on the detail which we require to make a judgement as to whether or not to approve such a proposal.

It is not that I am necessarily against this proposal but I need to be convinced that what we have before us is robust and well thought through and will be of benefit for current and future pupils of Eastern Primary School.

Given the history of chopping and changing on the future use of the former Grove Academy buildings and the rush to bring this to the Education committee late, I think I am right to be cautious. In my experience in life and on the council, rushed decisions are often ones we live to regret.

More specifically, here are as yet the unresolved matters I think are significant for us as a Committee.

Firstly, moving Eastern Primary School to the Grove site will mean that it would sit at the western extremity of its catchment area.

Will this mean that the catchment area will need to be changed?

Secondly, the report offers the future option of providing classroom space for expansion making Eastern Primary School, three rather than two form entry.

The bottle neck in primary classes however is in the north eastern part of the Ferry at Barnhill Primary school whose catchment area includes current and future house building developments.

It's a long distance from expansion areas such as Balmossie Brae to Camperdown Street.

If primary school places were to be expanded in the relocated Eastern Primary School, I think the catchment areas of at least two primary schools would need to be altered.

Thirdly, this proposal is skimpy about the standard to which the old Grove buildings are being improved apparently at less cost than the office conversion proposed.

If so little work is required, by comparison with other school moves, why is the schedule of accommodation that will be available for the school not specified?

I understand that the number of office staff going in to share this building has yet to be tied down.

Furthermore, I understand from the Director of Education that the portion of the building where these office staff are to be accommodated has yet to be identified.

These are crucial details.

Fourthly, if space is abundant inside the old Grove Academy, space is certainly very constrained outside.

I presume that the tarmac old playground and staff car park on the south side of the old Grove buildings is the only outside space for play, sports and games?

Because of these constraints, I very much doubt that this area of ground will comply with the requirements of the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967.

If, as I suspect, the new site will not meet those requirements, will the Director of Education need to apply to Scottish Ministers for dispensation from the regulations, which was the case with the West End and Lochee schools proposals?

Fifthly, the previous plans for the Grove House offices for council staff were controversial because of road safety concerns in the vicinity of Grove Academy and because of increased pressure on parking in the streets surrounding the school.

This proposal does not solve those issues.

If, as we are led to presume, the tarmac area of land to the south of the old Grove buildings will be the new playground for Eastern Primary School then where, but the surrounding streets, will the near to a hundred staff from the school and the offices park?

This proposal will make for a net increase in parking by the office and school staff. Dropping off and picking up will also generate more road traffic and pedestrian movements in the streets surrounding the adjacent Grove Academy and Eastern Primary School.

Sixthly, this is the first time that the Education Department have undertaken a consultation with the wider range of stakeholders required by the provisions of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

In addition to teachers and parents, the community and pupils are to be consulted as well.

How is this to be accomplished?

As we embark on a new process of consultation, should we not expect more detail to be laid before us before offering our approval?

In conclusion, this is a rushed proposal and one that lacks key details.

I suggest that it is premature to give our approval tonight.

I ask you to support a deferral until the next meeting of the Education Committee scheduled on 23rd August.

Item two on the agenda of the Education Committee on Monday, is a report from the Director of Education, setting out the Council's response to a Scottish Government's Consultation on draft regulations to reduce the class size maximum of all P1 classes to 25.

Despite their electoral promise in May 2007 to reduce primary school class sizes in years one to three (P1-3) to 18, the SNP government in Holyrood is proposing to only legislate for a class size reduction to 25 in P1.

They have however asked in their consultation whether the same limit should apply to P2 and P3 classes.

In the report to the Education Committee (para 5.2.1) it is suggested that, '... in practice, and in the current financial climate, such an extension is likely to cause considerable financial difficulty. and .... (para 5.3.1) 'the Council urges caution, and continuing dialogue with local authorities around the financial implications.'

I think parents in Dundee will be disappointed that this appears to be limit of the ambitions for our city wide primary schools by the SNP administration of the City Council.

I wonder whether Councillor Liz Fordyce (SNP), Convenor of the Education Committee, has merely been caught napping approving this report for the Agenda of the Education Committee?

I hope she will be coming forward with her own amendment on Monday evening which will give fuller effect to her party's commitment to class size reductions to 18.

In addition, parents with pre-school aged children will want more answers from the Convener about how their children might be excluded from their local primary school if the proposed legal limits on class sizes were introduced.

For example, Barnhill Primary School is almost bursting at the seams.

In Broughty Ferry, on the basis of figures recently supplied to me by the Education Department, the August 2010 school roll for Primary One intakes to Eastern, Forthill, Barnhill and Craigiebarns Primary are all currently full with waiting lists.

Will some parents with rising fives in the catchment areas of Barnhill Primary School have to seek places outwith these other three schools if class size legal limits are reduced?