Last Monday was very busy with constituent issues, including a few issues raised at my surgery - graffiti complaints in the West End in particular, which I have raised with both the Waste Management Department of the City Council and with our local liaison policeman. Monday night's Development Quality committee had a very full agenda, including applications for smoking canopies outside a number of public houses (including one in the West End) - all were unanimously refused.
Tuesday evening saw the annual (or thereabouts) meeting of the South West Community Forum, orgainsed by the City Council's Leisure & Communities Department. This is a useful get-together of local community groups, local councillors and council officials to discuss local issues and matters of concern. Issues raised included sheltered lounges (I have since spoken with the Director of Housing about this), bus shelters and it was a good opportunity to highlight the initial arrangements for this year's West End Christmas Week (OK it is early on but these things take a lot of organising!)
Felt I drove round most of Scotland on Wednesday! The Scottish Executive had organised a demonstration of the proposed move to "e-counting" of the votes for next year's elections. It was very illuminating and I must say I am won over - counting the council votes next year with the new STV electoral system would be a very long process. I certainly felt the arrangements for e-counting seem very well thought-out.
From Glasgow to Inverness (overnight stay) so I could get to Elgin to deliver "Good Morning" leaflets from 5am on Thursday morning at the Moray by-election. A good chat with Nora Radcliffe MSP outside while we were waiting for someone to arrive with the office keys, followed by a morning delivering in Elgin this time. Absolutely beautiful day and was pleased with the 7% increase in the LibDem vote - far more than any other party. LibDem candidate Linda Gorn is pictured above.
Friday was a mixture of day-job work (as has most of the weekend been!) and local council activities. Attended the Workers' Memorial Day event at Discovery Point (see http://www.dundee.prai.co.uk/news/148.html) and met with the Council Leader and Finance Officials for our monthly finance meeting (in a coalition situation, I have found it really useful to meet with the Council Leader on finance issues specifically (as well as our weekly meetings on general council matters) as it ensures the administration is fully updated and aware of all finance matters. Also had a useful meeting to progress City Centre festive matters, a meeting with Education Officers, the Education Convener & Council Leader on education matters, plus my Finance Committee pre-agenda meeting.
Have raised another list of constituent concerns with council officers - presently "shadowing" Strathmartine Ward as well as my own as Helen Dick (my sister in law) is on holiday. The volume and type of concerns are similar and its interesting to get a handle on some of the local issues in a different part of Dundee.