| Chairman John Whellams defended his group’s efforts after a recent barrage of complaints in letters in the Tele by disgruntled residents criticising the burgh’s lack of amenities and poor services.
Tele readers have even suggested they would be better off back under the jurisdiction of a Dundee council.
Mr Whellams claimed some residents are quick to complain but do little to improve their community.
He said, “There are people who whinge but don’t come up with concrete decisions.
“Monifieth Community Council meets every month, but when you have only half a dozen people there from a population of ten thousand there’s a degree of apathy.
“The people who are complaining should come along to the meetings and do something.”
The town was included within Dundee’s political boundaries between 1975 and 1996.
Since then it has fallen under the jurisdiction of Angus Council, but many residents have been left feeling Monifieth is the forgotten burgh, saying both councils have left a legacy of “undelivered promises”.
One letter signed Herr Schadenfreude said, “I don’t know why the people of Monifieth are surprised to find Angus Council unwilling to build amenities in the burgh.
“Angus, in my opinion, ignores Monifieth because it knows residents have open access to the various council-run leisure services of nearby Dundee.”
Another writer, We Don’t Matter, took a swipe at Angus Council, complaining it is not doing enough to provide for residents.
Among complaints were a lack of amenities for young families, bins only being emptied once every two weeks and unsalted pavements in the winter.
He or she added, “There is some kind of vendetta against dog-walkers in that the council refuses to put up any dog bins, claiming it is ‘too expensive’.”
A Broughty Ferry man suggested Monifieth Community Council should “steer its beloved burgh back into Dundee, which is where, logically, it would appear to belong”.
But Mr Whellams slammed any suggestions that the town needs a change in administration.
“I’m not a fan of verbal fisticuffs because such complaining gets little done. These people should instead come to the community council meetings to air their views.”
He said that with funding from Angus Council the regeneration of the High Street seeks to take in the views and wishes of all the burgh’s residents, but it is impossible to do so when feedback is so limited.
He said, “Of the 450 public consultation questionnaires taken home, only 80 were returned.
“I’m only one person out of 10,000 and more people need to make their voice heard.”
Mr Whellams went on to criticise residents who complain about a lack of amenities.
“Monifieth has access to a swimming pool at the high school, but it may not be at times people can always use it.
“However, when Monifieth moved to Dundee administration things were forgotten about, such as the provision of a community centre. Then when it came back to Angus it was forgotten again.”
He conceded that any limitation on amenities has been the logical conclusion of an over-development in residential areas.
“People say we have no amenities but we have no room for them. Monifieth is overdeveloped in terms of homes.
“You have to ask though who was involved in the planning at the time of building. Dundee District Council.” |
