My blethers last week about extending Dundee’s city boundaries to take in surrounding small towns has been chatted about quite extensively.
It has been interesting, and I have been fascinated to hear other points of view.
I have been given food for thought.
I have a confession. I was born in Clement Park Nursing Home in Dundee, but brought up, for the first 24 years of my life, in Monifieth.
But (and this is the important bit) I consider myself a Dundonian.
My father grew up in Gellatly Street (his tenement was demolished long ago to create a car park). My mother lived on South Tay Street.
For several years of my life, Monifieth was part of Tayside Region, as was Dundee.
I have always felt that I come from Dundee. If I am away from the city and anyone asks where I’m from, I answer Dundee. I’m proud to say it.
So I’m not looking out wanting to grab; I’m looking in wanting to be part of it.
Argument for bigger Dundee is clear
I think the economic argument is plainly in favour of a larger Dundee.
Waste management, licensing of taxis, roads, parking, maintenance of public spaces – it makes sense to have shared services, organised consistently, administered from the same place.
People living on the same street have different councils collecting bins. That is ridiculous.
If you live in Invergowrie, your council is miles away in Perth. If you live in Wellbank, your council is miles away in Forfar. It doesn’t make sense.
Tealing is in the Dundee East parliamentary constituency. Birkhill and Muirhead are in Dundee West. They all have Dundee postcodes. There is, especially towards Monifieth, no break in the urban area.
To all intents and purposes, this is all “greater Dundee”. If you are unwell in Tayport, you visit Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. If you live in Inchture and want to attend a football match you visit Tannadice or Dens. If you’re in Carnoustie and want to buy a new coat, you shop in Dundee.
Look at a map of Edinburgh’s sprawling city boundaries, then compare Dundee’s straitjacketed border. Is that consistent? Is that fair?
The smaller villages owe their prosperity to the city. Turning the argument around a bit: if Dundee didn’t exist how would surrounding communities fare?
They would be remote settlements akin to Golspie, Durness, or Machrihanish. They need Dundee. Where would everyone work if not Dundee?
To my mind, while the discussion is interesting, the conclusion is plain.
I challenge the city fathers to approach whoever they need to approach to make this idea a reality. Which Dundee councillor will step forward and take the lead?
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