Temporary Traffic Order – Pitfour Street and City Road

From the City Council :

Dundee City Council proposes to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating SSE cable renewal works.  The Order is expected to be in force for 5 weeks from 7th October 2019.  Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.
The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in Pitfour Street in an eastbound direction between City Road and Roseberry Street (Phase 1) and City Road in a southbound direction between Pentland Avenue and Scott Street (Phase 2).
The Phases will run consecutively.
An alternative route will be available via City Road, Cleghorn Street and Roseberry Street (Phase 1) and Pentland Avenue, Balgay Street, Blackness Road, Rosefield Street and Milnbank Road (Phase 2).
Please forward any comments you may have regarding this proposal to the Network Management Team, City Development Department, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee, DD1 1LS.  If you have any queries please contact 433082.


Milnbank Road phone box – an update #dundeewestend

Further to my recent article about the state of the phone box in Milnbank Road, I have had the following feedback from BT :

“I’ve requested that an engineer be sent to give the box a clean.

I’m sorry to say that we will not be repainting the box as it has now been added to our street rationalisation project.

Our contractors are due to put a notice in this box to advise that we are removing it.

There would be the possibility to adopt the kiosk and our website here shows who can do this.”

I queried the lack of consultation and usage figures at the phone box and was further advised by BT :

“There will be no formal notification as this box does not meet OFCOM criteria (there is another one within 400 metres).    We are posting a courtesy notice to advise that it is being removed and where the nearest one is located.

I’m afraid I can’t share usage with you but can say that it has had no emergency calls in the last twelve months.

Once the notice has been posted we would try and remove within 24 weeks.    This is why I advised regarding adoption.”

I have responded to BT stating that, whatever their commercial considerations, the company has a responsibility to give an indication of usage before considering removing a phone box as boxes should not be removed where there is still a reasonable level of calls.


Art for All – Public Art Workshop

From the Curator of Museum Services at the University of Dundee :

As part of our exhibition Art for All: The Pioneering Story of Public Art in Dundee, we’re delighted to announce a special event giving you the chance to imagine your own piece of public art for the city through relief modelling in clay, in a special workshop led by artist J Keith Donnelly.    The event takes place on Saturday 5th October from 11am – 3pm in the Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee.

The Saltire award-winning ceramic panels on Bellfield Street by Duncan of Jordanstone College graduate J Keith Donnelly (above) were created in 1983 as part of the pioneering Blackness Public Art Programme.   36 years later they remain one of the masterpieces of public art in the city. This and other successful commissions helped Keith secure the role of Town Artist for East Kilbride, where he worked for over 10 years. 
In this unique workshop Keith will discuss his work (including a site visit to see the artworks in Bellfield Street) and will give you the chance to imagine your own piece of public art. Under Keith’s guidance you will establish a design through a charcoal sketch before transferring the concept through modelling with clay.      Following the drying of the clay work, it will be fired locally and arrangements made for you to collect it at a later date.
At the end of the event there will be an opportunity to view the Art for All exhibition in the Lamb Gallery in the company of Keith and curator Matthew Jarron.
All tools and materials will be provided.   Lunch is also included in the ticket price – please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements.
Places are limited – book now here.


Getting things done – Magdalen Green #dundeewestend

Further to my recent article about the maintenance of Balgay and Victoria Parks, I have also had similar concerns about grass and other maintenance at Magdalen Green.

Having raised this matter with environment management at the City Council, I have now had this feedback from the Service Manager – Environment in the council’s Neighbourhood Services :

“Magdalen Green has always been a fast growing area historically.    We have had to carry out additional cuts to the grass on a number of occasions over the seasons prior to events such as WestFest due to the growth rate.   The constant warm weather and rain this season hasn’t helped. 

Whilst we have kept to our planned cutting schedule of a fortightly visit, the excessive growth has been against us. To try and alleviate the situation the area was cut down on Wednesday oif last week and gone over again.      We will endeavour to cut it again this week. 

These actions will help to improve the situation.    Hopefully the grass will start to slow down shortly.”


Community Council elections

The West End has been lucky to have a very active Community Council over many years.    Community Council elections are upon us and details are below :
Invitation to Nominate Community Councillors and Petition for Community Councils

Community Councillors are elected (through the process of nomination and election if required) every 4 years.  Dundee City Council manages this process and would like to inform you that nominations for new Community Councillors are welcomed.  

A public notice was placed in the Evening Telegraph, Friday 27th September, inviting nominations for Community Councillors in areas where Community Councils exist and petitions to form new Community Councils in areas where no Community Council exists. 

Nomination Forms, petition forms and additional information, including boundaries of Community Councils, the scheme of operation for Community Councils and the code of Conduct for Community Councillors will be located in libraries and community centres across the city from today – 30th September.  

Completed Nomination Forms should be sent to the Community Council Liaison Officer by Friday 25th October 2019 (postal address on nomination form). 
All information can also be accessed here (from today).
For further information, please contact the Community Council Liaison Officer, Natalie Mackland – 436796 or natalie.mackland@dundeecity.gov.uk