Councillors Report
My apologies that I am unable to be at the meeting tonight and also apologies from Willie Clarke. We are both looking forward to the miners service at the Library and would like to take this chance to thank everyone involved with the Christmas lights as they make a difference in the village at this time of year.
Local Environment
Over the last month I have received more complaints about dog fowling in the street than about any other single issue. As a result of this I have asked the Cowdenbeath area committee to look at bringing together all services that that have a responsibility for health and wellbeing in our community for health and wellbeing in our community in order that we can explore the issue and options as well as the impact that this has in our communities.
The majority of complaints I have had is where people say that the problem is down to irresponsible dog powers who do not clean up at the back of their dogs and this has to be dealt with. I have been critical of the decision of the council to remove the free biodegradable dog bags as for a little amount of money over one million of these were bring used a year in Fife. There has also been a reduction in the number of dog wardens and a shift away from the street orderly with a beat to cover to roving teams that travel around in vans and in the main pick up paper. I also want us to have a discussion with the police around the use of cameras on the lampposts to target the areas where this problem is a constant problem.
This is one example of a written complaint I received on this issue that for me sums up the problem better than I can;
“My oldest five and has just started school and my youngest is one. The reason I am writing is to make you aware of the problem of dog fouling on the streets of Kelty. I like to walk my son to and from school and am so fed up of having to clean dog dirt of the wheels of my buggy or off my sons shoes (this is a daily occurrence). It is now making the walk to and from school so stressful as I am always shouting at my son to watch where he is putting his feet. It is getting to the point where I am now considering driving to and from
school which is something that I did not want to do. I am a dog owner myself and always clean up after my dog, even walking my dog at night is no longer an enjoyable experience as you cannot see the pavement and chances are will walk in dog poo”.
This example shows this issue impacts on families but there are many others I can give from people of all ages in our community. We can also take further action such as publicising just how unacceptable this is and the levels of fines and other actions that can be taken and promoting the numbers for reporting irresponsible dog owners.
I am asking the Community Council to support my campaign to get action on this issue.
Bus Routes
A petition was received from 180 residents of the Great North Road estate asking that a bus be put on to service this part of Kelty. Transport officials have come up with a solution which is to redirect the bus that runs down Bath Street and up the Black Road away from the Black Road and to run up Seafar Drive. I have consulted in that estate and have found that some residents particularly in Seafar Drive are not so keen on a bus. I attended
the meeting of the residents association earlier this week and they have agreed to carry out a consultation throughout the estate and will report back the result to their meeting in January with a recommendation on whether or not the proposed bus should go ahead.
It should also be noted that Seafar Drive has been added to the main priority route for writting as this road on the hill caused particular ice problems last year.
Roads
Transport officials have compiled a carriageway patching programme to include the
following locations: Kingsland Terrace, Drum Road, Blair Street, Blackhall Road, Centre Street, Elmwood Terrace and Bath Street. This has been sent to tender and I will advise when the council have a start date from the contractor. There are other streets such as Keltyhill Avenue that they say requires only minor repairs which the council will action with their own in-house operatives.
It is important that anyone who thinks there are other streets in need of repair report this to the council and to me and I will make representations on those streets as well.
Fencing
We are continuing to see a fence and hedge replacement programme for front gardens for
council houses in streets within the village. We took a decision that to do some fencing was better than doing none and have worked on Blair Street, parts of Centre Street, Blackhall Square, Mossgreen Street and now Dullomuir Drive and Drum Road. As well as making it safer for young children and a barrier to people getting into the gardens, the fencing has also improved the general environment of the streets where it has been erected.
I remain committed to continuing with this programme as resources allow.
Contact
Alex Rowley cllr.alex.rowley@fife.gov.uk 01383
831158 text 07772890560
Willie Clarke cllr.william.clarke@fife.gov.uk 01592
860251
Surgeries are held the first and third Fridays of the month in the Moray Institute Kelty at 6.15 – 7pm
