Milnbank Play Area – Improve all surfacing within the play area. This includes removing slabbed surface and replacing with rubber mulch safety surface and additional ground restoration works.
Magdalen Green Play Area – Improve stability of the well-used banking by installation of a Scramble net to enhance play for users and additional restoration to safety surfacing.
Residents in Milnbank Road and Bankmill Road have complained to me about unsightly graffiti on the lock-ups in Bankmill Road – see right.
Although the recent thaw has helped to reduce the extent of icy roads and footpaths across the city, there are still areas causing residents difficulty.
Residents in Bankmill Road have contacted me about the state of the road and pavements in the street and also in the pathway that runs from the street to Rosefield Place that residents use to get to the Blackness Road shops.
A number of the residents are elderly and the icy paths are causing real problems – one resident with mobility problems has not been out the house in the past five weeks.
I have contacted the City Council about this asking that the winter maintenance team give the area attention as soon as possible.
In my earlier article I gave feedback from the City Engineer at Dundee City Council who explained that, traditionally, weeds spraying work by Dundee Contract Services (DCS) was undertaken ‘east to west’ across the city, rather than it taking place by doing the streets most badly affected first (as I had suggested).
As a follow-up, the City Engineer now reports reports that DCS has advised him :
“We started approx a week later than last year as many of the weeds had not appeared due to the severe winter we had.As the weedkiller only works on contact with the leaves, starting earlier would have been wasteful. Blackness Road area was all sprayed week beginning 21/06/10.
No matter where we start, some areas are going to be bad before we get to them. Doing the worst streets first is not a good idea as it becomes confusing for the operators.”
“…traditionally DCS start in the east and head west with their routes planned that way. I will ask (DCS) to advise on the possibility of starting in the west and heading east on an alternative year basis but in fairness we would need to do the same for each area ie north to south, south to north etc.”
* Seabraes : Following residents’ requests, I asked for litter bins both at the steps and along the path from Greenmarket to Roseangle. I am pleased to say that Scottish Enterprise Tayside has agreed to pay for bins around the steps area (in a style to fit in with the seating) and will attempt to secure necessary funds for further litter bins along the path.
There are dog bins at each end of the pathway, but none along it. Residents also requests some more along the pathway given its length, but the Animal Control team in the City Council advise that “the location requested isn’t going to be possible as the vans could not get close enough to the location to empty other bins.”
* Bankmill Road recycling : Yesterday, the Recycling Projects Officer in the Waste Management Department of the City Council advised councillors –
“I am writing to keep you up-to-date on the latest developments with the burnt out paper bin within the Neighbourhood Recycling Point on Bankmill Road.
As you may already be aware in such cases it is our standard policy to replace the burnt out unit for a second time, however, any further incidents would result in the removal of the paper bin from the NRP unit. The incident occurred on the 9/10/2009, and we thought it was wise to delay the installation of a replacement unit until some time after Guy Fawkes night.
We now have a replacement unit in stock and we will be looking to reinstate the paper bin over the course of next week. We will monitor the site closely in the forthcoming period and hopefully there will be no repeat of the previous vandalism.”
* Benvie Road : I have previously raised concerns about safety surrounding the derelict garage towards the top end of Benvie Road – see right. The City Council has made attempts to contact the owner and in September, he applied for a building warrant to demolish the remainder of the building. This was granted on 6th October and the Council was advised by the agent that demolition would start 7th December, but this has not happened yet. I am very concerned about the state of the site and the fact that the boundary is not secure. I have asked the Council’s Head of Planning to make urgent contact with the agent on this matter. It is very important that the demolition takes place as soon as possible.
* Safe parking near schools : I recently
updated residents about the council committee report on improving arrangements for the drop-off of pupils and parking around schools (the report to the Education Committee can be read at http://tinyurl.com/schoolsparking).
The pedestrian walkway between Bankmill Road and Rosefield Place is well used by local residents but a number of them have recently complained to me about its maintenance (or lack of it as the photo below indicates!)
“The ‘No Through Road’ signs at the entrance to Bankmill Road have been checked by the area inspector. An order will be raised for the straightening of these poles for completion in the new financial year.”
“The shopping trolley has been removed and returned to the Tesco store. We have also cleared litter around the area and removed graffiti from the footbridge.”
