Good evening. I’ll be writing a column here every Wednesday, so feel I should introduce myself.
My name is Steve Finan. I’ve been a journalist, author, and newspaperman in this city for more than four decades.
I have a great regard for the concept of a newspaper. I think they are valuable things that give a city character, a point of focus, and something to complain about.
And I will focus, complain, and do my best to bring some character to the role, although at times it might be difficult.
Difficult because, if I’m honest, I know that a lot of people despise newspaper columnists.
They read them, but don’t like them.
People think: “Who does he think he is, spouting off in a newspaper? Why does this fellah think his opinion matters? He must think he’s Erchie.”
Erchie or not, I can but carry on and if you like what you read, fair enough.
If not, frankly, there’s not much I can do about it. You’ll make up your own mind.
Right, one way to start something new is with something old. And this is an old argument: Dundee isn’t big enough.
Dundee needs to widen its boundaries
Some years ago, I read that it is government policy in Brazil to encourage population growth.
They want a high birthrate because big countries, the superpowers, have big populations.
The bigger the economy, the bigger the influence on world markets.
Judging from the stories of deprivation in the Brazilian favelas, it’s a policy with some side effects.
However, I’m going to make the same argument for Dundee.
Our town would have more clout in Scotland if it were bigger.
The city is artificially small.
Invergowrie, Monifieth, Newport-on-Tay, Tayport, Muirhead, Birkhill, Bridgefoot, Longforgan, even Inchture, should be part of Dundee.
These places are full of people who work in Dundee, were born in Dundee, socialise in Dundee, pledge allegiance to the city’s football teams, and probably regard themselves as Dundonians.
But they don’t contribute enough to the city’s economy and costs.
The nine suburbs/villages I mention have a combined population of around 24,000.
That’s a lot of houses.
A lot of council tax.
There is a good proportion of high tax band housing in these places.
With inclusion of the satellites a “Greater Dundee” population would swell to around 173,000.
More Dundonians means more chance of success
Once this first land-grab is complete, the next targets should be Carnoustie, Wormit, the Carse settlements and the Angus hinterlands as far towards Forfar and Arbroath as can be pushed.
I don’t understand why Dundee City Council isn’t lobbying hard to have the boundaries redrawn so that all natural Dundonians live in, and properly contribute to, the city.
Big cities the world over are, generally, successful cities.
Dundee should think big.
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