Ladies and Gentlekats, it fill me with great pleasures to introduce the Meerkat Band! After many days of practice we make musical debut as we perform theme tune from telebox show known as ‘The Corrie Street’:
Coronation Street
Coronation Street Blog
I was delighted to have recently been invited by Glenda Young, editor of the fabulous Coronation Street Blog (http://coronationstreetupdates.blogspot.co.uk) to do a guest entry!
Now live on the Coronation Street Blog – you can read it by following this link – http://tinyurl.com/fraser-corrieblog.
I’d also like to thank Glenda for the donation to the charity of my choice, the MS Society.
Betty Driver – 1920-2011
As one of Coronation Street’s greatest fans, I was very sad to learn of the passing of Betty Driver – Betty Turpin and Williams to the millions of Coronation Street followers. A brilliant actress, who looked twenty years younger than she actually was, the vegetarian famed for her Rovers’ hot pot, she will be sadly missed.
Coro at 50 …
And, what a superb week it has been on The Street at 50!
Betty’s 90!
As many of you know, I am a great fan of Coronation Street, and today marks the 90th birthday of Coro legend Betty Williams (although Betty Driver, the actress who has played Betty for 40 years isn’t 90 in real-life until May!)
It turns out that Betty of Hot Pot fame is actuallly a vegetarian! More can be read on the excellent Coronation Street Blog at
http://coronationstreetupdates.blogspot.com/!Coronation Street Update!
A couple of years ago, I mentioned on the blog that Glenda (aka Flaming Nora) editor of Corrieblog had sent me a nice e-mail following a blog entry I had made about Coronation Street, my favourite TV programme. See http://www.dundeewestend.com/2006/10/ok-corrie-over-heres-rest.htmlAnyway, I heard from Glenda again today :
From: Glenda Young
Sent: 25 January 2009 14:38
Subject: Coronation Street
Dear Cllr Macpherson
Just to let you know I’ve moved from Corrieblog and am now blogging about Coronation Street at
http://coronationstreetupdates.blogspot.com/.
If you can link your work with Corrie at all, do let me know and I’ll give you a link and a blog post!
All the best
Glenda Young (aka Flaming Nora)
Was really good to hear from Glenda and I’m pleased to add a link to http://coronationstreetupdates.blogspot.com – a great way to keep up with the news from the Street!
Wednesday …
Apart from a whole load of ‘day job’ activities today, I had the pleasure of attending the fascinating guided walk at Western Cemetery, ably led by Ann Prescott of the Western Cemetery Association and Iain Flett, Dundee City Council Archivist. An excellent turnout – here’s a couple of photos (above).
Later I attended the City Council Housing Working Group, of which I am a member. Good presentations and discussion on tenant participation and housing investment.
Tonight, I attended the Harris Academy Parent Council – both interesting and informative.
And … now home to recordings of ‘Coronation Street’ and ‘The Restaurant’!
Ok, more tomorrow was more Monday than Sunday ..
We had a dreadfully busy Sunday between constituent replies (serves me right for going to Brighton! – backlog now cleared) and finishing FOCUS newsletter delivery (accomplished!) so blog is a day late. I suppose it sums up the power of a blog that the fact you are a day late with the next entry is mentioned by a lady at your surgery tonight!
OK then, chronological order:-
* BRIGHTON – Very enjoyable Institute Conference. Its the day job and it was great to see old friends. Here’s me (second left) with good friends Colin, Bill & Julie – and Julie’s just been elected Institute National Junior Vice President!
* CORONATION STREET – So Rosie and Craig didn’t quite run off into the sunset together (you can tell the Council meetings were not too late tonight!) But the absolutely fantastic news is my inclusion as Corrieblog’s Celebrity Fan (click on headline above!) – many thanks Flaming Nora, editor of Corrieblog!
* BACK TO BUSINESS – Recent issues as follows:
1 No Ball Games Sign missing on Magdalen Green – have reported.
2 Spoken with University of Dundee about shrubbery protruding onto footway on Nethergate just west of Park Place.
3 Missing drain covers in Step Row – reported to Planning & Transportation; also drainage grill on Perth Road near Ryehill Lane getting replaced following my complaint (it keeps falling off!)
4 No electronic information/bus timetables at the Waterstone’s bus shelter/stop in Commercial Street – reported to City Council.
5 More HMO disturbances complaints over weekend; have reported – but forthcoming report to Planning & Transportation Committee will limit or “cap” HMOs – a sensible proposal.
* AND LASTLY – Finance Committee of Dundee City Council (which I chair) tonight agreed a very sensible proposal to extend discretionary rates relief to some charities. Good move.
Ok, Corrie over, here’s the rest …
And taking of Corrie, got a really nice e-mail from Glenda (aka Flaming Nora) editor of Corrieblog following my earlier blog about Coronation Street and www.corrieblog.tv – and she tells me LibDems have already been mentioned on the Corrie Blog (click on headline above to view!)
Ok, back to business! Homebase site – lots of residents asking what’s happening with the site following planning approval. You’ll recall I was strongly against the planning application but it was unfortunately approved last December. Here’s the latest feedback from the City Council planning officer :-
“I have recently contacted the applicants agent (11.10.2006) who has advised that, at this time, it is intended to commence demolition of the Homebase building early 2007 (Jan / Feb). This is anticipated to take approx. 8 weeks as material to be recycled on site and re-used in development works. Construction works anticipated to commence mid 2007.”
A fair bit of white coloured graffiti has appeared at Sinderins (and mentioned at Community Council last night) – I have reported this to Waste Management asking that the Rapid Response Team remove it.
And taking of graffiti, complaints about more graffiti at Seabraes – this time on the viewing platforms – SET tell me they have passed on my complaint to their sub-contractor.
Lots to report back on…
Ok, the last couple of days have been seriously busy, so I’ll start with the chronology ..
Tuesday:
4 pm : West End Christmas Week meeting – very good progress – on launch day (2nd December – art mural and street football for primary children from St Joseph’s, Park Place & Blacknes
s Primaries); on 6th December, Children’s Concert in Dundee West Church followed by torchlit procession to Seabraes, Christmas Lights Switch-On and a rather larger fireworks display than last year – and many thanks to Robin Carstairs and West End business community for making this possible; and on 7th December a Bands Night at Dundee University Students Association for Harris Academy pupils. Add in a Snowflake Spotting Competition for children, a Shoppers’ Prize Draw, Christmas Card Competition, Blackness Library events and lots more – a superb to Christmas in the superb West End!
s Primaries); on 6th December, Children’s Concert in Dundee West Church followed by torchlit procession to Seabraes, Christmas Lights Switch-On and a rather larger fireworks display than last year – and many thanks to Robin Carstairs and West End business community for making this possible; and on 7th December a Bands Night at Dundee University Students Association for Harris Academy pupils. Add in a Snowflake Spotting Competition for children, a Shoppers’ Prize Draw, Christmas Card Competition, Blackness Library events and lots more – a superb to Christmas in the superb West End!5.30pm : Along with a member of West End Community Council, I had a pre-meeting with the Chief Executive and two other staff of Margaret Blackwood Housing Association, followed by a meeting with residents at Blackwood Court, Glamis Road, about concerns about changes to services planned for April of next year. This could result in the loss of the 9am-5pm warden service, a matter of real and genuine concern to the residents. I attended in the absence on leave of Bailie Neil Powrie (who represents the people of Blackwood Court) and I’ll be updating Neil about the meeting on his return. Meantime, I have contacted the Director of Social Work about a number of aspects.
7pm : West End Community Council. An excellent, lively meeting. I gave an update on the Magdalen Green meeting and there was an update on the Dundee Civic Forum members’ visit to Sweden, an update of our (very recent!) Christmas Week meeting, planning matters and a number of other local issues.
Wednesday:
Seemed like hundreds (exaggeration!) of constituent phone calls and e-mails today but was most enjoyable bit was attending presentation of £50 Overgate Voucher to Alan Pitcairn, the City Centre resident who won the Recycling Draw held recently. So here’s the pic! From left : Jill Darling (City Centre & Harbour Community Council), me, Representative of Overgate Centre who kindly sponsored the draw, Alan the winner!, and Cllr Julie Sturrock, Convener of Environmental Services and Sustainability.
Off to watch Corrie, more later tonight!
FOCUS for Tait’s Lane – and sad demise of Fred Elliot …
Delivered a special edition of FOCUS today to the residents in Tait’s Lane about the road resurfacing – click on the headline above to view.
Been doing my filing – various parts of the West End spread across the lounge, dining room, hall … you get the picture! Janet awfully impressed, not. Anyway, all filed but do not believe the paperless society is with us just yet!
And lastly, superb Coronation Street tonight (favourite TV programme in the world – normally watch Monday’s on Tuesday but its the Council recess!) – Fred Elliot is no more – tears all round, I say, tears all round. Anyway, for more, see http://www.corrieblog.tv/ – great stuff!
