Last night, after my ward surgery at Blackness Primary School, I attended the latest West End Local Community Planning Partnership (LCPP) meeting at the Tartan Coffee House in Perth Road.
The LCPP meeting remains a great opportunity for representatives from different council departments, councillors and representatives from other organisations like police, fire and rescue and the NHS to discuss local issues and matters of concern and also let local residents raise issues, ask questions and have their say.
We started with a presentation from a local 10 year old pupil of Blackness Primary School who recently wrote to me saying he and his friends would like to see a skatepark in the West End as the nearest facility - Dudhope Park - is so far away. Along with his father, we have met with the City Council's Head of Environmental Management to discuss the viability and last night we sought the support of the LCPP meeting to move this forward. Obviously funding is the major issue - finding a site for it in public ownership in the West End is less of an issue - and the LCPP enthusiastically supported the idea - everyone was so impressed that a primary school pupil aged 10 had not only come up with this idea but had the confidence and ability to address the meeting on the issue.
The LCPP has tasked several senior officers to help make this project a reality in time and I am delighted at the LCPP's support.
We had a very useful discussion about recycling and I again emphasised my wish to see recycling opportunities in the West End increase - including allowing more types of recycling at Neighbourhood Recycling Points. A number of other issues were discussed including dangerous and derelict buildings and house/flat factoring - and I sought support for residents in the far west end area of Perth Road (including Millbay Terrace/Gardens and Clovis Duveau Drive) who are very concerned at the decision of National Express Dundee to withdraw their area from the Service 5 bus route.
We had a lengthy LCPP meeting last night but it was both productive and positive. It highlighted just how many positive initiatives are taking place right across the West End Ward, the great community spirit in the West End (evidenced by the recent community graffiti clean up and litter pick with around 70 volunteers taking part) and the desire of all on the LCPP to tackle issues facing our area.