Contact your local Councillor

In response to an email sent from West End Parents to Ward Councillors, Cllr Fraser Macpherson has requested that members of the anonymous group contact him directly in order to validate that this is a website constructed by parents and carers.

Cllr Macpherson has offered the following statement:

"I am very happy to speak at any time to any constituent; something I have practised throughout 8 years representing the West End on Dundee City Council. I will ensure that the questions you have raised are brought to the attention of the Director [of Education]."

He also assures that, "It goes without saying that the contact by any constituent to me is treated as confidential between myself and the constituent concerned."

Other ward councillors would no doubt be as happy to speak with constituents directly, whether they have concerns or are in favour of the proposal as it stands.

Please contact Cllr Fraser Macpherson directly, but remember to make your written representation to the Council by 6th April 2009.

Health Week

It seems that this week is Health Week at one of the primary schools and the pupils "will be taking part in various activities from Monday to Friday. This will include rugby, football, dance, athletics, cross country, karate, yoga, and healthy living talks".

Where will such activities take place if the schools are moved to the new Logie site?

Suggested text to include in written representation

If you wish to send written representation to the Project Director, but don't know what to write, here are some suggestions based on our Questions and Concerns document:

I am writing to commend the Council on its aims to provide “new schools with a high quality teaching and learning environment with modern resources “ and to ensure that “new buildings are energy efficient and the number of places is matched with the projected rolls”.

I am writing as a concerned citizen in regard to the Council's Proposal to build new schools on a shared site at the old Harris Academy Annexe and replacing Park Place Primary, Park Place Nursery and St Joseph's Primary Schools.

Is the proposed site suitable for two primary schools and a nursery?

• I have concerns that the site is too small and does not meet minimum statutory requirements.
  
• I have concerns that there will not be any suitable playing fields in close proximity to the new schools.
  
• I have concerns in regard to access, parking and drop-off for over 625 pupils.
  
• I have concerns that the primary schools may be at least 3 storeys high.
  
• I have concerns that the nursery school may be on multiple levels.
  
• I have concerns in regard to the increased risks of prolonged exposure to the electric and magnetic fields emanating from the nearby electricity sub-station.
  
• I have concerns in regard to an environmental noise impact of the new development.
  
• I have concerns that the proposed site is overlooked by adjacent tenement apartments.
  
• I have concerns that, despite an existing and approved planning application (January 2006), there has been no activity on the site in regard to a scheme to check and remove any contamination in the land, apart from an initial ground inspection.
  

Were the options fully and fairly appraised?

• I have concerns that a detailed option appraisal has not been done, or if it has, that it is not available for public inspection.
  
• I have concerns that I am unable to make an informed decision in regard to the proposal as there is insufficient detail available.
  
• I have concerns that the presented Net Present Values cannot be determined on the basis of costs supplied in the proposal and that detailed costings are not available.
  
• I have concerns that the option to refurbish St Joseph's and Park Place sites to extend their life by 25 years was rejected using criteria that have not been defined, namely that the option does not satisfy long-term demand (capacities and property).
  
• I have concerns that the option to merge Park Place and Blackness Primary Schools was not fully explored.
  
• I have concerns that the option to develop St Joseph's site was not even included in the council's proposal.
  

Is the consultation process being conducted properly?

• I have concerns that there was no consultation during the option appraisal, despite Scottish Government official guidance on Option Appraisal.
  
• I have concerns that the presence of a number of teachers during the consultation meetings was intimidating and discouraged open debate.
  
• I have concerns that there had been no indication to parents prior to the consultation meetings that there would be a "vote" to gauge the level of support for the proposal.
  
• I have concerns that non-attendance at the consultation meetings will be taken as an indication of support for the proposal when there are no grounds on which to base this assumption.
  
• I have concerns that information about the discussion during the consultation meetings, including the list of questions raised, will not be made available until after the deadline for written representation has passed.
  
• I have concerns that no details on the basis for School Parent Council support have been made available.
  
• I have concerns that pupils from St Joseph's Primary school came home the day after the consultation meeting reporting that they would be getting a new school with ensuite toilets, huge play areas complete with swings, slides and playframes, and saying they had been told how good this would be.
  
• I have concerns that as the consultation process is not finished and there is no detailed plan for the schools, the setting up of these expectations in the pupils' minds is entirely inappropriate.
  

Questions and Concerns about the Proposal

Using the freely-available material identified in our recent post, we have produced a summary document outlining our main questions and concerns regarding the Council's proposal.

Questions_and_Concerns_69-2009.pdf

Please read this and if you agree with any of these questions and concerns, please send written representation to the Project Director by 6 April 2009.

Regulations, Legislation and Planning Applications related to the Proposal

We have identified the following material related to the council's proposal:

(1) Report to the Education Committee on School Estate Improvements in the West End of the City, 26 January 2009. http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/reports/69-2009.pdf

(2) Dundee City Council Planning Application No. 05/00780/FUL Cultural Centre Proposed in Blackness Road, 2006. http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/plan_apps/05-00780-FUL.pdf

(3) School Premises Regulations (Scotland) 1967 as amended in 1973 & 79

(4) School Playing Fields: Planning & Design Guidance, SportScotland, 2007. http://www.sportscotland.org.uk

(5) Report of the Review Group on Physical Education, Scottish Executive, 2004. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/06/19466/38538

(6) Dundee City Council Planning Application No. 06/00103/FUL, 2006. http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/plan_apps/06-00103-FUL.pdf

(7) Ahlborn A et al., Review of the Epidemiologic Literature on EMF and Health, Environmental Health Perspectives 109, Supplement 6, 911-933, December 2001. http://www.icnirp.de/documents/EPIreview1.pdf

(8) Option Appraisal – building our future: Scotland’s School Estate, Scottish Government, May 26, 2004. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/05/19436/38226

Dundee Council's Proposal

View Larger Map Note: If you wish to view a Google Street View of the new site, click on the Powered by Google logo to get the map full screen and then drag the yellow man icon to the street of interest

In a report to the Education Committee, the Director of Education put forward a proposal:

To build 2 x 1 stream primary schools with 6 additional classrooms on a shared site of the former Harris Academy Annexe to replace Park Place Primary School, Park Place Nursery and St Joseph's Primary School

The council is currently undergoing formal consultation with parents and teachers of all three establishments and finished its last meeting yesterday evening at Park Place Nursery.

Please read the document as some of the details (and omissions) may raise questions that you would like answered. Written representation must be submitted by 6th April, 2009, to:

Gillian Ross-Pond
Project Director
Dundee City Council
Floor 8
City House
Overgate
DUNDEE
DD1 1UH
Telephone: 01382 435161
Email: Gillian.Rosspond@dundeecity.gov.uk

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Park Place Primary School


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Park Place Nursery


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St Joseph's RC Primary School


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