Article in the Evening Telegraph 31 March 2009

The Dundee Evening Telegraph has published an article in yesterday's edition (31 March 2009, p10) with quotes from the website and comment from representatives of Dundee City Council, the Bishop of Dunkeld and Councillor Fraser Macpherson.

The West End Parents group did not contact the Evening Telegraph to request this publication.

Whilst we acknowledge the additional publicity this article generates, it would appear that our aims may have been misunderstood. The article states:

1. "Parents opposed to a new shared primary school campus in Dundee's West End..."

• The West End Parents are not opposed to a new school, nor to a shared campus: we simply have some serious concerns about the size and suitability of the proposed site for bring two primary and one nursery school together.

2. "Claimed that sex offenders and drug addicts could pose a danger to pupils"

• Nowhere on the website do we make this claim. The statement, as written by the Tele, is self-evident but our Questions and Concerns document does not make any "danger claims", we are simply asking the Council to check whether sex offenders and drug addicts are in the vicinity of the proposed site. This is not intended to be scaremongering: the question was posed to the Director of Education at one of the consultation meetings and he has promised to investigate this with the Police.

3. "No evidence has been produced in support of these allegations"

• No allegations have been made. We have only posed the question, asking for information regarding the truth from the Council. Our sources have asked to remain anonymous (for obvious reasons) and we have asked the Council to check. Time is running out for the consultation process and we felt there was no alternative choice but to include these questions on the public website. If the claims are untrue, please let us know. What do local residents think?

4. "The website states, 'The proposed site is overlooked by tenement housing'"

• Yes, this is a fact. However, we did not intend this to be social commentary on the type of residents of tenement housing. Many of us, like the concerned commenter last night, live or have lived in tenement housing. The point is there are multiple residences overlooking the play areas of the new site. The current site for St Joseph's does not have this concern and Park Place is only partially overlooked.

5. "...does not meet minimum statutory requirements, and questions the availability of nearby playing fields...clearly too small and would deny [the children] the space to which they are entitled according to Scottish Government regulations."

• Please, please read the cited references and make up your own mind. If there are other relevant documents, please provide citations for these in the related blog post. We have made these claims based on the regulations that we have identified, either within the group or following discussion with the appropriate Council or Government body.
• When asked about this at consultation meetings, the Director of Education responded that there are "special privileges" that can be dispensed by the Government for sites such as this in an "inner site environment".
• The School Premises Regulations (Scotland) 1967 as amended in 1973 and 79 do indeed include clauses such as 7(6):

Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is impracticable or would be unreasonable to apply the standards prescribed in this regulation to a particular school building. the area of the site for that school building shall be such as may be approved.

• However, is this what we aspire to for the children in a new build?

6. "Bishop open to discussions"

• Our Questions and Concerns document is not a religious document. While we anticipate that some parents from St Joseph's school and parishioners from the adjacent church may have concerns in regard to the proposals, we represent the views of a group that have questions and concerns about the size and suitability of the new site.

7. "The Diocese is aware school rolls are shrinking..."

• This is untrue in the case of Park Place Primary, Park Place Nursery and St Joseph's Primary schools: the Council's roll projections (section 4.3) indicate anticipated growth - 436 pupils for 2008/09, 445 for 2011/12.
• At consultation meetings, the Director of Education also stated that there is an expectation that rolls for Park Place Nursery will rise by 20-40 places.

8. "Parents...are being urged to write to the council's project director Gillian Ross Pond by the start of next week"

• Yes, please do make your views known to the Council, but only after you have been able to make an informed decision. If you have any questions, contribute to the discussion on this website, or call Ms Ross Pond on 01382 435161.