Lochee concerns brought to the fore after deprivation report
A Dundee councillor has warned the regeneration of Lochee cannot be put on a "convenient back burner."
Lochee High Street.
- By Bruce Robbins
- Published in the Courier : 25.11.10
- Published online : 25.11.10 @ 05.58pm
Tom Ferguson, speaking in the wake of a report to the Lochee Community Planning Partnership that revealed a catalogue of local social and health problems, said impending council cuts could harm the future prospects of Lochee people.
Prior commitments ruled out his attendance at Tuesday night's partnership meeting but Mr Ferguson said he was "absolutely appalled" to hear of the statistics that were presented.
They revealed a dramatic rise in drug-related hospital admissions, low life expectancy and higher than average levels of deprivation and mental illness.
Lord Provost and Lochee councillor John Letford described the findings as "depressing" but said the report was not about Lochee as a whole but "pockets of Lochee."
However, Mr Ferguson said the council's SNP administration had to "reflect heavily" on its "single outcome agreement" with the Scottish Government, which, he claimed, had failed to deliver for Lochee people.
He said, "The levels of crime continue to cause concern and I have increased my surgeries and work on a daily basis with the police and other agencies to bring around improvements in the area. The commitment of the police and other agencies is to be commended.
"My overriding commitment is to the decent, hard-working families in the area and their interests must come first. The administration should recognise that the most effective way out of poverty is through employment and yet this administration is currently presiding over an endless number of council employees being made redundant and thrown on the scrapheap.
"Regeneration is a key factor in the Lochee area and should not be put on any convenient back burner. Housing, social work and other agencies now have a job to do for Lochee. I will help in keeping Lochee's needs to the fore."
Mr Letford said the improvements in Lochee might not be happening as quickly as people would like but were being implemented "in the proper manner," adding, "All the different departments will make the necessary moves to ensure Lochee improves. I have lived in Lochee for 50 years and could name the streets and lead you to the doors that require attention.
"This is not about Lochee but pockets of Lochee and it is unfair to label these areas as Lochee."
08.37pm - 11.12.2010 R.maguire - dundee, scotland Report This
The l.p.talks about Lochee as a whole, wrong spelling. shop here on a dailly basis as we do instead of having the fire brigade, squads of DDC workers + vehicles to clear a path that he may switch on the fantastic lights that we missed as we could'n'ae get oot oor streets.
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