Earlier today, I attended a briefing by City Council planning officers for elected members about the Western Gateway housing proposals. I raised questions about schooling provision should the housing go ahead at a later stage. The proposed 'catchment' schools (Ardler Primary School and Baldragon Academy) are some distance away and I sought assurances that the building of future housing would not result in large numbers of placing requests for Harris Academy.
After my weekly ward surgeries at the Mitchell Street Centre and at Harris Academy, I participated in City Council meetings. At Policy and Resources Committee, on police and fire issues, I raised:
* Queries about crime statistics, noting the excellent progress Tayside Police has made in crime detection in 2012/13, for example in robbery and violent crimes detection.
* Concerns constituents have raised about items such as furniture and rubbish being left in communal closes in flats and tenements that could present a fire hazard.