Dundee City Council Committee meetings

Last Monday evening saw the latest round of City Council Committee meetings.  As Labour's Environment spokesperson I spoke on a number of items on that agenda.  I spoke about my concerns about air quality,

this is an important issue.  We must be concerned about reports that suggest that Dundee has 4 of the top 15 polluted streets in Scotland.  I was interested in officers views of the reports recently issued by Friends of the Earth Scotland.  I also wanted to know what the council is doing to deal with the areas where air quality is bad?  I also wanted to know if there were other areas of the city where we should consider monitoring air quality and if so how would these be chosen?  I will continue to look for more information on this important issue and try and get the council to take action where appropriate.

I also spoke in favour of the renaming of the Caird Park Stadium in memory of Ronnie McIntosh.  I was very pleased that this item was brought before us.  I think that this is a fitting tribute to Ronnie McIntosh.  I did not know Ronnie well but I did meet him on a number of occasions.  He was a man who tried to overcome hardships and who made a real effort to put something back into the community.  I think that renaming Caird Park Athletic Stadium the Ronnie McIntosh Athletics Stadium is a fitting tribute.  I hope that this gesture by the council will offer some comfort to his family and friends.  I hope that many Dundonians will be inspired by Ronnie McIntosh’s legacy and strive to achieve their best at this stadium which is being re-named in his honour.

At the Policy and Resources Committee I spoke in favour of bringing the National Performance Centre for Sport to Dundee.  I welcome this report it is good to see that it is being taken forward.  I think that Dundee has a strong case to make for the National Performance Centre for Sport being based in Dundee.  Clearly, many people in the city have shown their support for this facility to be in Dundee through supporting Jenny Marra's campaign on the issue.  It is good to see a strong partnership, among a variety of organisations, pulling together to deliver this bid for the city.  What we need now is for the Scottish Government to see the strength of the case that Dundee has put together.  I said to the Convener, Cllr Guild,  'I know that you will be pulling out all the stops to ensure that this facility and investment is delivered to Dundee and in that you have my full support.  If there is anything that the Labour Group can do to assist you in your campaign to make the Scottish Government listen to our bid all you have to do is ask.'  I fully support this important bid and fully expect the Scottish Government to do so as well.

At the Housing Committee there was a debate on the bedroom tax and the direct payment of housing benefit to claimants rather than landlords.  This policy pursued by the Tory/Lib Dem government is wrong and will have bad consequences for families across Dundee.  Labour has opposed these moves.  There were reports before which will allow the council to alleviate the problems caused by these changes to a few council tenants.  There was then an attempt to use this policy as a reason to support independence, although it is interesting to note that the motion that the SNP councillors passed in effect supported the so-called 'devo-max.'  I said that we should focus on what was before us and call on the UK government to look at ways in which it could look at how benefits are paid especially to try and prevent rent arrears.