On Christmas Eve, 16 temporary cleansing workers received their termination letters to finish work today.
Some of them have been working for 10 months and it has been their third time back.
Surely these men could have been used for snow clearing, especially when elderly people are prisoners in their own homes?
This work could include sheltered housing and the main thoroughfare pavements.
So much for the SNP pledge to protect frontline services. — Jim Elder, Retired Cleansing Worker.
What’s the point?
I’m absolutely disgusted at Dundee City Council for the mess of the pavements outside the city’s Wishart Place.
I was going to visit my girlfriend’s father and stepmum on Tuesday afternoon and was totally shocked to see two elderly women having to grit the pavement.
When I called the council the reply was they are only going to grit the bus routes.
What’s the point in doing them when the people who use the bus are imprisoned because they can’t get out?
Why should the council tax get paid if the council is not doing what it is supposed to do?
Then my little girl goes to primary school and the playground has not been touched.
If I’m not mistaken school staff go back before the kids do, so is that not ample time for the school to get something done? — Concerned Parent.
Snow in their wellies
Having taken my son to Hillside Primary School, Dundee, one morning, I was shocked to see the amount of snow in the playground.
What made it worse was that the janitor had cleared a path for the teachers from their car park to the school entrance but no effort had been made to help those parents with buggies or prams, or for the children in Primary 1 to 4 whose wellies did not stop the snow from getting in their boots due to the depth.
Why should the teachers get a path for them and nothing whatsoever done for the children or mums with prams? — Concerned Hillside Parent.
Bin hazard
I understand Dundee City Council has a problem gritting roads, pavements etc. due to costs, manpower and the amount of snow that fell.
But they can make sure pavements are kept clear of obstacles.
In St Columba Gardens, bins are all over the pavement.
You cannot get hold of railings to steady yourself, with the result I slipped and had to spend a couple of hours in A & E on Hogmanay and went back on New Year’s Day.
As there was no public transport, it cost me £23 there and back.
On school days I have seen children having to go on the road because of the bins.
It’s an accident waiting to happen.
If the council did their job I would not be out of pocket and Ninewells would have had one less patient. — Sober and Sore.
Global warming
It was with a measure of disbelief that I read letter writer John Devlin’s letter “A Pinch of Salt”.
The current cold snap here in the UK can be perfectly well explained by regional seasonal temperature variations.
This is completely different to global warming, which is a phenomenon observed over long periods of time. Mr Devlin recommends “until global warming actually happens” we should take the advice of experts with a pinch of salt.
Might I suggest that a more appropriate use of salt would be on the pavements and roads of Dundee at present. — Green Goblin.
Left turn danger
The bottom of the Hilltown
On a couple of occasions I have seen ambulances and police cars turn left at the bottom of the Hilltown, Dundee, in non-emergency situations when the green man is operating for pedestrians in Victoria Road.
When the lights are green for Hilltown to turn right, only the green man is on for Victoria Road. I am worried there could be an accident. — Pedestrian.
Urban pest
I note a tree growing in Mayfield Grove, Dundee, has been spared the axe by the Scottish Government.
If planning permission is given to build houses, then surely it is not too much to ask that residents are spared the nuisance of such tall plants.
Big trees should be grown in forests to spare urban dwellers seasonal inconvenience such as blockage of light in the summer and slippery pavements in Autumn, as well as the cost of gathering up the detritus.
With the bleak summers we have been having, allowing more light into our environment would be good for our vitamin D intake as well as our mental well-being.
As a West End dweller, I am more at risk of SADs in the summer than in winter. — Jungle Dweller.
Cinderella’s debut success
Thanks to everyone who helped us present Cinderella in the East End area of Dundee at Christmas.
The group was made up of local residents, volunteers and Dundee City Council staff.
It was the first time any of the group had performed and we were overwhelmed by the fantastic response.
If anyone from the East End area would be interested in taking part in similar events then feel free to contact us on 432455. — Phillipa Lyttle, Chairperson, East End Community Panto Group.
Bin men helped
As a resident at Spey Drive, Dundee, I really appreciate how helpful my binmen have been throughout the festive season.
They have helped me take my bins out in such difficult weather and I feel they deserve credit for their efforts.
It’s not their job to help us get our bins out, but they do. — Miss Cooney, Spey Drive.
Smoke anger
As a smoker I get so angry at the sight of people standing outside pubs and clubs smoking.
At least give smokers a smoking room in pubs and clubs. This is a legal habit which has been banned. What happened to the “partial smoking ban”? — Joan Day.
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