PK news

WINTER 2008

THE NEWSPAPER FOR THE PEOPLE OF PERTH AND KINROSS

HOW DID WE MEASURE UP? Special report: Pages 6 and 7

www.pkc.gov.uk

READY TO HELP BUSINESSES PLAN AHEAD

OUR MOBILE LIBRARIES ARE ON A ROLL

Page 9

Page 8

POSTERS FOCUS ON CHILD SAFETY A POSTER campaign has been launched to maintain and improve awareness of child protection issues – and bring home the message that we can all play a part in keeping children safe.

Eye-catching posters, which feature a telephone number to call, have been designed by school children to publicise the issue of child protection. They will soon be featured on some Council vehicles across Perth and Kinross.

Bernadette Malone, Chief Executive of Perth & Kinross Council and Chair of the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership, which oversees the

Kids’ designs get the protection campaign rolling work of the Child Protection Committee, said: “The campaign reiterates the need to keep vulnerable children in Perth and Kinross safe, by letting people know what they can do if they are worried about a child.”

Anyone concerned about a child can contact the Council’s Child Protection Team.

The team is based at Pullar House in Perth. They can be contacted on 01738 476768

between 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, when a duty officer can discuss concerns about any child in the local community. Out of hours, call 01382 432270.

You can also voice concerns to a health visitor, teacher, nursery worker, GP, social worker, police officer or children’s reporter.

The local Protection Committee web pages are at www.pkc.gov.uk or the team

can be emailed at childprotection@pkc.gov.uk The posters were chosen following a competition o r g a n i s e d b y t h e Pe r t h a n d K i n ro s s C h i l d Protection Committee.

The winners – Josh (five), Charlie (nine), Eden (10) and Isla (11) – attended a lauch event in the Council buildings and also appeared on television news.

Margaret Muir, lead officer of the Child Protection Committee, said: “The competition was open to children and young people across the area. We received loads of entries and the standard was very high.”

The posters include the Scottish Government message ‘It’s everyone’s job to make sure I’m alright’.

TURN TO PAGE 2

There’s snow business...

■

THE Council’s Winter Roads Maintenance team will be on 24/7 standby for the next few months to ensure that the 2,500km of local roads in Perth and Kinross are free from snow and ice.

■

The team is armed with state-ofthe-art snow-blowers, snow ploughs and footpath clearers and will react to every bad weather warning to help keep our roads free of snow and ice whatever the weather!

TURN TO THE FOUR-PAGE SPECIAL PULL-OUT INSIDE

INSIDE›› PEOPLE • HEALTH • ENVIRONMENT • SCHOOLS • LIBRARIES • AND MORE

2

WINTER 2008 PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS

www.pkc.gov.uk

AT YOUR SERVICE General Enquiries Education & Children’s Services The Environment Service Housing Community Care Chief Executive’s Service Corporate Services Freedom of Information

01738 476200 01738 476476 01738 476000 01738 476700 01738 475053 01738 475000 01738 477933 foi@pkc.gov.uk 0800 232323 01738 450750

Clarence (Roads and Lighting defects) Perth & Kinross Leisure

Emergency Numbers Anti-social behaviour Dangerous Buildings Environmental Health Flooding Homelessness Housing Repairs Roads Social Work

Outwith office hours 8.45am -5pm 01738 476173 01738 625411 01738 625411 01738 625411 01738 623745 0845 30 111 10 01738 625411 0845 30 111 20

Key Contact Numbers Adoption & Fostering Anti-social behaviour Benefit Enquiries Building Standards/Warrants Children’s Services Duty and Child Protection Committee Services Community Alarms Community Care Access Team Community Planning Complaints Councillors Council Tax and Business Rates Countryside, Outdoor Access and Wildlife Criminal Justice Services District Court Drugs and Alcohol Addictions Education Flooding Fraud Hotline Freedom of Information Home Care Homelessness Housing Housing Repairs Learning Disabilities Leisure Centres Libraries Media Office Mental Health Museums Parks and Play Areas Planning Property Enquiries Recycling and Refuse Collections Registrars Births, Deaths and Marriages Roads or Street Lighting Defects Textphone “Traveline” - Public Transport Information Welfare Rights Advice

All Other Enquiries Customer Service Centre

Contact us…

Perth and Kinross News is published by the Chief Executive’s Service.

Scott Watson, Editor email: scottwatson@pkc.gov.uk Tel: 01738 475048 www.pkc.gov.uk Produced by Connect Communications Ltd. Email: info@connectcommunications.co.uk Printed by: Newsquest (Herald & Times) Ltd

com me nt Council Leader Ian Miller and Chief Executive Bernadette Malone

01738 626940 01738 476173 01738 476049 01738 475300 01738 476768 01738 475116 01738 458064 0845 30 111 20 01738 475057 01738 475583 01738 475107 01738 477430 01738 475379 01738 444244 01738 475149 01738 444433 01738 476200 01738 625411 0800 085 8805 01738 477933 01738 476700 01738 458800 01738 476000 0845 30 111 10 01738 553500 01738 450750 01738 444949 01738 475048 01738 562280 01738 632488 01738 476476 01738 475300 01738 475900 01738 476476 01738 475121 0800 23 23 23 01738 442573 0871 200 22 33 01738 646830 8am-6pm 01738 475000 enquiries@pkc.gov.uk

Please recycle this newspaper once you’ve finished with it.

“2008 has been a very positive 12 months for Perth & Kinross Council” WELCOME to your winter 2008 edition of Perth and Kinross News.

The end of the year is always a time for reflection, and 2008 has been a very positive 12 months for Perth & Kinross Council.

Our commitment is to work together with our residents, communities and partners to deliver excellent services. So we were delighted to receive a very positive report from the Accounts Commission in August following a thorough inspection earlier in the year.

The Best Value and Community Planning Audit Report said Perth & Kinross Council is delivering quality services that are performing and improving above the national average.

has been and will continue to be on delivering quality services that meet the needs of our communities, and on securing a sustainable future for our area and our people.

You can find more details of the inspection reports inside this edition of Perth and Kinross News, as well as our latest Performance Indicator results which show how we have performed against our five corporate objectives over the last 12 months.

This edition also contains details of a child protection campaign that sends out an important message to everyone, about how the Council can help and advise small businesses in the current credit crunch, changes to our housing

JOINED-UP LOOK AT EQUALITIES A new Community Equalities Advisory group has been launched in Perth and Kinross.

The group aims to bring together people from all parts of the community to identify and address any equality issues in the area.

They will then help to develop action plans designed to address any issues.

Perth & Kinross Council and Tayside Police have worked together to establish the group.

The Council’s Equality Officer Tawia Abbam, who works in partnership with Tayside Police, said: “We will be planning to consult with the community to give us an accurate picture of the situation.

“There are agencies and services dealing with separate equality fields, but this group will bring each together for the first time.”

Ta w i a b e l i e v e s t h i s joined-up approach will help develop a coordinated response that

Child safety focus FROM PAGE 1

Perth and Kinross News is delivered by Royal Mail and The National Leaflet Company. About 2,500 copies are also posted out. These are sent out in envelopes made from 70 per cent recycled paper stock. Please re-use these envelopes once your copy of the newspaper arrives. If you have any questions about distribution please contact the Editor.

The report praised the Council for strong and effective collective leadership, and said we manage our finances very effectively.

The Best Value report came soon after another very positive inspection, this time

by HMIe on our Community Learning and Development (CLD) services. The report was one of the best ever received for CLD services in Scotland.

We are determined to make Perth & Kinross Council a flagship local authority for Scotland and the findings of these two reports show that we have the vision, the people and the commitment to achieve that aim.

We have worked hard and have had to take difficult decisions to get here. Our focus

“Our focus has been and will continue to be on delivering quality services”

Bernadette Malone said the posters were “part of a wider strategy which has been in place for some years to raise awareness about the importance of child protection to us all”.

As well as the posters,

children and young people will receive leaflets via schools and information about keeping themselves safe.

Council staff and NHS staff will receive information in their payslips.

The Child Protection

addresses the true needs of the community.

EQUALITY INFORMATION There are six fields of equality the group will be looking at: Race Disability Sexual Orientation Belief and Faith Gender Age For more information contact Tawia on 01738 475450 or email Tabbam@pkc.gov.uk Committee brings together the Council, Tayside Police and NHS, Perth College, the Children’s Reporter, the Procurator Fiscal and the voluntary sector.

It acts as a key inter-agency strategy and planning group for monitoring and improving services and for the protection of children and young people.

allocations policy, and how our Investment In Learning schools building programme is progressing.

A round-up of information about the Council’s winter services can be found in a special four-page pull-out.

You can read about the hard work being done to keep our roads and pathways ice-free this winter and how you can reduce, re-use and recycle this Christmas. There is also a handy list of emergency telephone numbers for Council services, as well as details of our office opening hours during the winter break.

We would like to wish you all a prosperous and successful 2009, and hope you enjoy this edition of the Council newspaper.

NEWSBITES Rail option to boost local economy A new hourly fast train service between Perth and Edinburgh is being launched this month.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said the new service was part of a p a c k a g e o f improvements for rail passengers in the east of Scotland. The new service will make travel between Perth and the Capital city a lot easier.

It will provide an alternative to the car, which is good news for the environment.

The new service should also give local businesses and the tourism economy of the area a boost.

www.pkc.gov.uk

PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS WINTER 2008

CALLING PEOPLE TO GET ACTIVE! Schools’ plan to get children up and running ARE you keen on sport and looking to gain a coaching qualification? The Perth and Kinross voluntary activities programme, Active Schools, can help you do it.

The aim of Active Schools is to encourage participation in physical activities among young people. The programme is looking for volunteer co-ordinators to run the coaching sessions that take place after school, in the evenings and at weekends.

Active Schools was launched in 2003 by the Scottish Government to ensure that all children, including children with disabilities, should be physically active in nursery, primary and secondary schools.

The direct effects of physical activity on a child’s health are important.

However, ingraining the attitudes, skills

and behaviours for lifelong physical activity and health are as important.

Strong links to opportunities in the home and community also need to be established.

How much activity do children and young people need?

Children should accumulate at least one hour of moderate activity on most days of the week. One hour a day is the minimum needed to: ■ provide direct health benefits ■ learn and practise a wide range of activities ■ live actively.

Training opportunities are available to volunteers throughout the year. If you would like to take part in informal workshops or gain a national governing body award please contact the Active Schools Manager. In some cases, courses may be provided free of charge.

For more information, please contact: Tammy McKinlay, Active Schools Manager, Blackfriars Development Centre, North Port, Perth PH1 5LU T: 01738 477864 M: 07768 431293

Activity like this could lead a career in coaching

An arial view of how Blairgowrie Community Campus will look

Campus plan on track THE Council’s multi-million pound Investment in Learning programme is taking shape with work progressing well and on schedule at all six of the campus sites.

The move into the Breadalbane Decant Facility was completed successfully during the October break with all staff and teachers ready to welcome the schoolchildren on the first day back after the week long holiday.

Meanwhile, the existing Breadalbane Academy site is being demolished to make way for the new campus.

The main structure and sports pitch

works are well underway at Blairgowrie Campus and works are progressing well at Strathearn, Loch Leven and Glenearn Campuses.

At the North Inch Campus the car park and temporary bus turning area has been completed and work is progressing in the construction of the main secondary school.

For more information about the Investment in Learning programme, visit www.pkc.gov.uk/investmentinlearning

3

Fostering: We need your help IF you have experience of fostering or adoption, Perth & Kinross Council would like to hear from you.

People who have gone through the experience, either as a child or foster or adoptive parent, can help the Council by joining the Fostering and Permanence Panel.

Panel members advise on individual cases; children being approved for adoption; approval of adoptive parents or foster carers; or the matching of children with carers.

These recommendations then go to the agency decision maker for a final decision.

As a fostering and adoption agency, the Council holds panel meetings every fortnight to make recommendations on fostering and adoption, and to help approve foster carers and prospective adopters.

Panel members include social workers, head teachers, medical, educational and legal advisers, and lay members.

The Council wants more voluntary members to join the panel, people who have been through the experience of fostering and adoption.

The meetings take place in Perth and all panel members will go through disclosure checks and will need references. The panel operates on a rota, so members are not needed every fortnight.

Contact Gill Bruce, Senior Social Worker Fostering and Permanence Panel Co-ordinator, on 01738 476747 or e-mail gillbruce@pkc.gov.uk

4

WINTER 2008 PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS

www.pkc.gov.uk

New approach provides more Housing Options THE Council has adopted a new approach to allocating Council housing which will give customers a wider choice of options.

The process will concentrate on providing practical housing solutions for households in need, rather than simply processing applications for Council housing.

It has been devised in response to the continuing decline in the supply of social rented housing in Perth and Kinross and the associated pressures on housing stock.

The review was prompted by the high demand for social rented housing, lengthy waiting times and people’s concerns over social housing prospects that are all associated with the reduction in available housing stock.

Government expectations in relation to homelessness prevention also means the Council has adopted a different approach.

Under the new system an Integrated Housing Options Service will be established, which will provide an Allocations Service to residents with housing needs.

The Housing Options service will replace the traditional approach of simply filling out an application for Council housing with a more proactive and customer-focused approach.

Everyone wishing to apply for social rented housing will first be offered a confidential discussion with housing staff which will aim to clarify the individual’s exact housing needs.

The service will allow applicants to explore a wider range of alternatives to just social rented housing.

Housing Options will also act as the portal for all homelessness applications to the Council, which will allow the quick identification of

housing needs for individuals who present as homeless.

Under the new system, the Scheme of Allocation would be changed from a points systems to a banding system – made up of four bands representing different levels of housing need, from ‘acute’ to ‘low or nil’.

This will make the system of a l l o c a t i o n f a i re r, a s w e l l a s discouraging futile “points chasing” by clients.

The new system will allow the Council to react to the unique housing pressures in Perth and Kinross and to explore a wide range of housing solutions for its clients.

It will also offer clients an expanded and improved service.

For more information, contact Michelle Dow, Housing Allocations Team Leader on 01738 458813

Getting social rented accommodation will be made simpler for those in need

www.pkc.gov.uk

PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS WINTER 2008

IMPROVING TREND FOR OUR SERVICES COUNCIL services for the people of Perth and Kinross are improving – and that’s official.

A recent report from the Accounts Commission on Best Value and Community Planning by Perth & Kinross Council and its partners shows we’re a very effective council with services above the Scottish average.

And a separate assessment of Community Learning and Development services by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIe) also praised the Council and its staff (see story below).

The Best Value report said: “Perth & Kinross Council d e m o n s t r a t e s a s t ro n g commitment to Best Va l u e a n d c o n t i n u o u s improvement and an appetite for better services for the area.”

It goes on: “The Council benefits from strong and effective collective leadership. The Leader of the Council and the Chief

■ YOU can find out more about how Perth & Kinross Council services for local people are improving by turning to our special feature on Service Performance Indicators on the centre pages.

Executive work well together in taking forward corporate priorities and are committed to the involvement of strategic partners in improving services for the area.

It went on: “Council services are performing and improving better than the national average. Good progress has been made in all aspects of housing, education and social work.”

Local people have already seen improvements, including: ● a 34 per cent reduction in antisocial behaviour and a 16 per cent reduction in vandalism ● more older people

receiving care at home ● year-on-year increases in local gross domestic product (GDP), the proportion of people in employment and the number of people gaining vocational qualifications.

The Commission also welcomed the Council’s: ● high level of self awareness ● culture of continuous improvement and focus on what works ● open, clear and balanced public reporting.

The report highlights the significant challenges faced by the Council in meeting its affordable housing targets, and in responding to additional demands anticipated from high population growth projections.

The Commission indicated where further improvements could be made. The Council has developed a plan to address these areas and is already making progress.

Good report card for staff Inspectors have given Perth & Kinross Council’s Community Learning and Development (CLD) services a great ‘thumbs-up’.

The commitment of its staff was praised and the service was judged ‘very good’ in seven categories and ‘good’ in three out of the areas inspected – one of the best reports ever published on CLD services in Scotland.

HMIe inspectors said staff ‘demonstrated high levels of commitment’ and ‘made a significant difference to the lives of learners’.

CLD services work with people in their communities, either in a group or on a one to one basis.

The services aim to raise standards of achievement in learning for adults through community-based activities, engage with young people to help them to gain a voice, influence and a place in s o c i e t y, a n d i m p r o v e communities by helping

people to be confident, skilled and active community members.

The inspectors looked at provision for young people, adults and communities, concentrating on Strathearn and Eastern Perthshire through consultation with staff members, people in local communities and partnership agencies.

Examples of good practice highlighted in the report included the work of Community Link Workers, Youth Council elections held f o r t h e S c o t t i s h Yo u t h Parliament, the setting up of a Skaters Forum for young people and the increased participation in adult learning programmes thanks to the efforts of CLD staff.

Also praised were the building of links with local colleges, employers and community organisations to provide a varied literacy and numeracy programme, the development of an ICT course

for older learners, the development of Community Development trusts in Comrie, Braco and Au c h t e r a rd e r a n d t h e forming of a Health Improvement Network to focus on health priorities such as smoking cessation.

In the smoking cessation work, young people were trained to act as tutors to their peers Wilma McCullough, Service Manager, Cultural and Community Services, said: “This inspection report is very positive indeed and shows the huge amount of excellent work being done by CLD staff and our partners to improve the lives of people, and build confident, active and inclusive communities.

“There are many excellent initiatives already in place, but we are not complacent and will continue working to make sure all of our residents have access to the best services possible.”

Perth and Kinross services were praised by the report

For more information, see www.accountscommission.gov.uk

5

Wardens make a difference TWO new Community Warden services introduced in October to Muirton and North Muirton in Perth and Rattray in Blairgowrie have been warmly welcomed by residents.

The new services complement the existing Community Warden services in Letham and Hillyland in Perth.

Dealing with complaints and engaging with young people are two of the main areas of the wardens’ work.

Last year, a performance review revealed that complaints of youths causing annoyance in Letham and Hillyland had fallen by 46.2 per cent.

Police and local communities agreed that Community Wardens made a major contribution to this by working with young people. For example, youth diversion initiatives such as Street Sports for All and access to leisure facilities have helped in achieving these results.

But antisocial behaviour is not limited to youths, and Community Wardens ensure that their presence on the streets allows them to be aware of local issues.

Liz Cooper, Estates Manager, said: “I am delighted the new services have being welcomed by residents.”

6

WINTER 2008 PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS

www.pkc.gov.uk

www.pkc.gov.uk

PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS WINTER 2008

7

How we measured up in 2007/08 The Council’s Corporate Plan commits us to five key objectives which help us and our partners to improve services, enhance residents’ quality of life and make the best use of public resources.

Here, we give you a flavour of how we have performed over the last year AS a Council, we set ourselves a number of targets to achieve a higher standard of performance.

As you can see, we have performed well in a number of areas. We are committed to delivering high quality services to ensure our performance gets better all the time.

A safe, secure and welcoming environment What we have done ■ We have introduced measures to reduce falls, improve physical activity and promote mental health and wellbeing in older people.

■ We received very positive Care Commission reports in residential, foster care, adoption, through care and day care and for those children who we look after.

■ We published an ambitious joint Community Safety Strategy 20072012 for Perth and Kinross with our Community Planning Partners to ensure our communities will be safe places to live, work and visit.

■ The Council funded a further 12 Community Wardens to work in the regeneration areas of Rattray, Muirton and North Muirton.

■ We worked successfully with persistent young offenders and were one of seven councils in Scotland to achieve a reduction of 10 per cent in offending by young people.

■ We continued with the implementation of Safer Routes to Schools projects.

■ We increased the supply of affordable homes by 155, exceeding our target of 150 for 2007/08.

■ Grant funding was provided to improve or repair 112 houses.

■ We are on our way to achieving the Scottish Housing Quality Standards by our target date of 2 0 1 5 . We ’ v e re p l a c e d 1 , 3 8 8 bathrooms and modernised 1,105 kitchens as well as completed our programme of central heating and double glazing replacements.

■ We increased the number of recycling points to 77 in Perth and Kinross. We also redeveloped four recycling centres at Aberfeldy, Auchterarder, Blairgowrie and Kinross.

Case Study: Etape Caledonia

Our performance against our five key objectives

Case Study Parental Substance Misuse Integrated Working Across Scotland, there has been a substantial rise in drug and alcohol misuse. As a result, the Scottish Executive responded with “Getting Our Priorities Right”. New procedures linked to this have been rolled-out to staff through specific training and basic awareness sessions.

Social workers, support workers, Tayside Substance Misuse Services and NHS health visitors are working together in a more integrated way to improve children’s, and their parents’, lives.

What we plan to do ■ Further develop an Integrated Assessment Framework and care planning in line with Getting It Right for Every Child – a Scottish Government programme to improve outcomes for all children and young people.

■ Review, with our Community Planning Partners, the operation of the Anti-social Behaviour (Noise) team to take our Anti-social Behaviour Strategy forward.

■ Increase availability of accommodation for let by reducing the time taken to re-let our properties and increasing our pool of temporary housing through private sector leasing.

Healthy, caring communities What we have done ■ We worked with Community Planning partners to develop a number of local health initiatives within the regeneration areas.

■ Family Centres introduced a ‘Stride for Life’ walking group for adults and young children.

■ We launched a strategy for Improving Health, Improving Learning to support schools in meeting and maintaining the health promoting school standard.

■ We introduced activities for children and young people with profound disabilities, focusing on

A safe, secure and welcoming environment Child Protection Adult Protection Community Safety Housing Supply & Quality Sustainable Environment

improving balance, co-ordination, motor skills and enhancing self-esteem.

■ We developed and improved our roads and streets to assist older people and people with hearing, visual and mobility impairments.

What we plan to do ■ Improve the time we take to deal with homelessness presentations by setting up a dedicated Access Team.

Case Study: Delivering on the homelessness targets identified by the Government Due to a shortage of housing in the social rented sector and an increase in the number of homeless or potentially homeless households, the Council has had difficulty in meeting demand for temporary accommodation.

In response, we launched a scheme in April 2008 in which the Council leases properties from private landlords on three to five-year terms. So far we have leased 25 homes, increasing temporary accommodation capacity by 15 per cent.

We expect this scheme will significantly increase availability of temporary accommodation for homeless people and reduce the use of, and length of time spent in, bed and breakfast accommodation.

■ Support people to remain in their own homes by increasing the number of adaptations for people with a disability and ensure that people have control over their care arrangements by increasing the numbers receiving direct payments.

■ Increase the number of homecare hours for people aged 65+ and the percentage of home care users receiving services in the evening and/or overnight.

Educated, responsible, informed citizens What we have done ■ We are building six new community campuses under the Investment in Learning programme which will have four new community libraries and a range of other community facilities.

■ We have improved access for all citizens to enjoy our heritage, arts and environmental assets, including libraries and Perth Museum and Art Gallery.

■ We continue to provide young people with access to Youth Achievement Awards and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

■ We have increased the number of young people who, through involvement in Local Youth Fora and the Youth Council, are taking action locally and beyond.

What we plan to do ■ Raise levels of achievement for all. We will do this by:

Case Study: Building links with China The project aims to have a positive impact on learners’ experiences and the development of schools by establishing sustainable links with the culture, people and language of China. It also provides development opportunities for all staff, to enrich the curriculum and to support language awareness and learning.

Kimho Ip of the Intercultural Music and Arts Project said he was “particularly impressed by the high standard set by Perth & Kinross Council with local schools in increasing the awareness of Chinese language and culture in education. I believe that works that have been done in Perth should be recognised nationally as a good example of implementing the Scotland-China Strategy.”

HM Inspectorate of Education has been highly supportive of the Council’s links with China and how this work has extended learners’ experiences. ● Ta r g e t i n g r e s o u r c e s o n improving levels of attainment and achievement for vulnerable learners who live in areas of greatest deprivation ● Developing clear curriculum pathways for all children aged three

to 18 to ensure every child is able to develop their skills for work, life and learning ● Improving the quality of learning and teaching by ensuring our teachers are trained in the latest techniques.

■ Work with Dundee University and Perth College to develop a range of courses which will be delivered in community centres.

A prosperous, sustainable, inclusive economy What we have done ■ Implemented town regeneration p ro g r a m m e s i n B l a i rg o w r i e , Coupar Angus and new tourism development projects in Kinross.

■ A Health and Social Care Academy employment initiative supported 20 disadvantaged people, guaranteeing them an interview with the Council, the NHS and social care providers.

■ Tourism revenues rose by 7 per cent to £416 million between 2006 and 2007.

■ We constructed a new Park and Ride site at Kinross in May 2007 which provides 126 car parking spaces, including eight for disabled badge holders, and 12 cycle lockers.

What we plan to do ■ Implement the new Employability Strategy and Action Plan, ensuring that more individuals are able to take up employment opportunities locally.

Healthy, caring communities Health and fitness Homelessness Independent Living Educated, responsible, informed citizens Attainment & Achievement High Quality Learning A prosperous, sustainable, inclusive economy Economy Employability Marketing and Tourism Business Confident, active and inclusive communities Community Engagement Cultural Events Key to progress Performance has improved Performance has declined Performance remains steady

Perth and Kinross hosted the first Etape Caledonia in June 2007, the UK’s only closed-road mass participation cycle event. Due to the success of the event, the Council approved the staging of the 2008 Etape Caledonia, covering an 81-mile route through some of Perthshire’s most stunning scenery in May 2008.

This is helping to drive growth in tourism and also reinforces the area’s reputation as a leading destination for activities tourism.

■ Continue to investigate the need for additional Park and Ride sites in and around Perth, in addition to potential sites at Inveralmond and Walnut Grove and a possible third site in Edinburgh Road.

Confident, active and inclusive communities What we have done ■ We now have active Parent Councils in almost all our schools with some examples of excellent practice. Our work has received national recognition.

■ We have supported cultural development through a wide range of activities, including Perthshire Visual Arts Forum, Strathmore Arts Festival, Perth Yo u t h T h e a t re , Pe r t h Yo u t h Orchestra, museum outreach, family learning activities, Bookstart and a writer in residence.

■ The Community Link Worker for Polish families has supported young people from 170 Polish families to settle in to schools in Perth and Kinross and access the curriculum.

■ A Chinese Community Lunch Club was established as a pilot project developed in response to consultation with the Chinese Community on housing and social care issues.

■ We have provided information, support and advice on local and external funding to community and voluntary groups through the one stop shop Perth and Kinross Grants Direct.

What we plan to do ■ Roll out the Placecheck initiative across the Council as a method of engaging with local communities.

Placecheck allows us to consult with communities to make positive changes to their environment.

■ Increase participation of adults and young people in their communities by: ● Providing a range of adult learning opportunities including

Our annual performance report sets out a clear picture of how your Council has performed over the last year. You can view the report, along with other performance information, on the Council’s website at www.pkc.gov.uk/performance Alternatively, you can contact Louisa Dott on 01738 475070 to request a copy

Case Study: Visions of Rattray “ Visions of Rattray ” was a photographic project where members of existing local groups and committees in the Rattray area took photographs of their area, discussed what they liked and disliked and how they could make improvements. As well as building a vision of the area, community learning workers were able to engage with local people to identify their adult learning needs. As a result, a number of adult learning opportunities were developed.

The resulting photographic exhibition and scrapbooks were on show in Blairgowrie Library in April 2007 as part of the local stART festival. This led to further activities during Adult Learners Week in May 2007, and has influenced planned activities linking adult learning, arts development, community capacity work and the stART festival.

The project has increased community and agency involvement, building on existing partnerships. It has provided local people with the opportunity to voice their feelings about their community, combating the predominantly negative picture of Rattray. It has also enabled local people to develop new skills and enjoy arts activities as well as be a part of the buzz created in the community and the local media.

literacy and numeracy core skills and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) ● Extending the range of opportunities for young people which addresses their personal and social development and allows them to take an active role in their community ● Developing a wider range of support to community groups/ individuals so they can be active in local decision making.

8

WINTER 2008 PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS

www.pkc.gov.uk

OUR MOBILE LIBRARIES ARE ON A ROLL… EVEN more people can enjoy the services of mobile libraries in Perth and Kinross under a new programme to develop and improve the service.

Three mobile libraries already visit almost 200 communities at least once a fortnight. They carry more than 15,000 books, audio books, CDs and DVDs, and almost 100,000 items are loaned out to the public each year.

A public consultation was carried out earlier this year as part of a review of the service.

Thanks to the public’s response, we found out that 92 per cent of users rated the mobile libraries service as ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’, and could see that people were keen to expand the service.

As a result of the consultation, a number of improvements were approved at a meeting of the Lifelong Learning Committee on Wednesday 29 October.

They include: ■ replacing one of the mobile library vans

■ extending the service to include provision for rural primary schools, playgroups and nurseries ■ improving mobile library access for people who are housebound ■ mobile library activities to bring people in communities together ■ o n - b o a rd c o m p u t e r s a n d internet access ■ providing access to information about Council services ■ additional services for urban areas, initially in Tulloch, Perth.

Adjustments will be made to the mobile service’s timetable of stops to accommodate the expanded range of services, and the Council will continue to review how mobile services are used to deliver a range of other Council services.

Mobile provision during evenings and weekends will also be looked at.

For further information contact: Alan MacDonald Support Services Librarian Tel: 01738 477034 Fax: 01738 475096 Email: AMMacDonald@pkc.gov.uk

Avid readers will be seeing more mobile libraries on the road

...and toy story gets better!

KEEPING up to date with the latest toy fad can be an expensive business for parents, but there is another way…Perth’s Toy Library.

The Toy Library is a great service for families, offering more than 300 toys to choose from. The Toy Library costs £5 to join and for this fee parents can take out up to six new or nearly new toys at a time for three weeks – perfect for junior attention spans!

Each toy costs from between 80p to £2 to take out and are suitable for children aged from one to eight.

Phil Brown helps run the library which is partly funded by the Council. He said: “The £5

membership fee covers the whole family, no matter how many children you have. The library has a really friendly atmosphere and we have a dedicated playroom so parents can drop in for a tea and coffee and let their children play with the toys.”

The library is open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. The organisers also run activity sessions and craft lessons for preschoolers on Thursday afternoons, and Friday mornings and afternoons.

The library is located at Beechgrove Lodge, Hillend Road, Perth. For more information, phone 07814 551184.

www.pkc.gov.uk

PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS WINTER 2008

Business as usual The Council can help you prepare for unexpected disruptions EMERGENCIES IS YOUR business protected? We don’t just mean insurance – we are talking about business continuity planning – making arrangements in advance that will ensure your enterprise can continue to keep operating whatever the situation.

The Council is on hand to advise local enterprises develop their own business continuity plans because it has gone through the process itself, and on a large scale.

The Council’s business continuity plans – raised as a direct result of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 – and we are now in a position to advise local businesses, voluntary agencies and suppliers. The Council has already spoken to local

Does your business plan how it would cope with a major power outage? businesses and agencies about developing business continuity plans.

The Council’s business continuity plans affect Category 1 responders – the police, fire and ambulance crews, Council and NHS workers and SEPA – who are often first on the scene at a major emergency.

Bill Maddox, Emergency Planning Officer at the Council, said: “If an emergency strikes the Perth and Kinross community, we have to be prepared to meet it

head-on. It could be a power outage, or food poisoning.

“We are one of the most advanced authorities in Scotland as far as business continuity planning is concerned. We’ve based it on four key elements: staff, accommodation, IT services and critical supplies, and we’re regularly tested on our ability to recover from an emergency.

“We’ve also taken the decision to continue to work towards BS 25999 – the first British Standard

HOW TO GET THOSE GOOD IDEAS OFF THE GROUND LOCAL businessmen and women now have the chance to talk about their business ideas with experts at Perth & Kinross Council.

The initiative, by the Economic Development team, aims to help potential and new entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground – despite the current credit crunch.

The Council has recruited two new business advisers, Donna Menzies and Andrew Webster, to work with local firms, offering advice and support on a oneto-one basis.

Donna’s area of expertise is finance – she worked with HBOS – and Andrew came from Scottish Enterprise’s Business Gateway.

The Council’s Single Outcome Agreement with the Scottish Government was the catalyst – one of its objectives to encourage a thriving and expanding economy with particular emphasis on encouraging new businesses.

Perth & Kinross Council operates a Business Enterprise Scheme (BES) that provides access to small grant funding.

There are three small business schemes within BES that can be accessed through Economic Development: ■ the Rural Enterprise Growth Grant Scheme – with a maximum 50 per cent grant up to a ceiling of £6,000 ■ the Rural Business Premises Support Grant – up to 50 per cent grant to a maximum £15,000.

(Both of these grants are not available to businesses in Perth City or Scone.)

A Business Start up Grant Scheme is applicable across all of Perth and Kinross, with a maximum grant of £1,500. Another scheme, the Perthshire Investment Fund, offers loans to small businesses.

Ann Marie Sinclair is team leader for Investment and Growth at the Council. She said: “We want to look after the smaller businesses in Perth and Kinross and give them any assistance we can.

“Donna and Andrew will spend time with the business to identify how we can help it.

If the company needs specialist advice, we’ll direct it in the right direction. If a Council service is involved – such as trading standards or environmental health – we can arrange meetings there, too. “ We’re working closely with other partners including E.Net, Business Gateway, Scottish Enterprise, Perth College, and others including the banks, accountants and other advisers.

We want this to be a seamless approach – not another layer of bureaucracy.”

She added: “We’ll act as the conduit, and we’ll always be there for our clients.

We’ll also follow up the contacts we’ve made to make sure that our client has the advice and assistance he or she was looking for. If they don’t, we’ll sort it out for them. We will not pass people on and then forget them.”

Contact Ann Marie Sinclair at Investment and Growth on 01738 476946.

Email: AMSinclair@pkc.gov.uk

for business continuity management. We’re going the extra mile to make sure that we’re prepared, so should you.

“With this wide experience we are well positioned to provide advice to any organisation interested in developing their own business continuity plans.”

Contact Bill Maddox on 01738 477266.

Email: BMaddox@pkc.gov.uk

9

NEWSBITES

Council jobs just a click away SEARCHING for a local authority job is now easier, thanks to a website that brings together vacancies within councils across Scotland. www.myjobscotland. gov.uk gives you quick access to a huge range of jobs, from teachers to trades people, cooks to computer experts.

Perth & Kinross Council, along with a growing number of other Scottish local authorities, is using the site to alert people to jobs that are available.

So whether you are looking to get back into work, move up the ladder, or even change career, the website could be the ideal place to start looking.

For a reminder of some of the services that are available online, go to the Councils’s website www.pkc.gov.uk

10

WINTER 2008 PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS

www.pkc.gov.uk

A YEAR TO CELEBRATE PERTH & Kinross Council and its partners are lining up an exciting range of events for next year’s national Homecoming Scotland 2009.

The Homecoming is a celebration of Scotland’s heritage, culture and greatest contributions to the world.

It will be marked by a national programme of events, festivals and activities, which will start on Burns Night (25 January), on the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns. It will run until St Andrew’s Day (30 November) and is aimed at encouraging people of Scottish descent, as well as anyone who loves Scotland, to come home in 2009 and take part in the celebration.

Events already confirmed are: ■ Scottish Tides Polish Spring: events reflecting the common history of Scotland and Poland,

2009 will be packed full of great events for Homecoming Scotland at Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre between February and April ■ Guildtown Bluegrass Music Festival 2009: Scotland’s only Bluegrass festival will be held between Friday 31 July and Monday 3 August at the Guildtown Village Hall and Perth Concert Hall ■ Perthshire Amber – The

Dougie Maclean Festival 2009: musician Dougie, celebrates the history and culture of Perthshire in a variety of wonderful venues, from historic castles to the atmospheric Dunkeld Cathedral, between Friday 30 October and Sunday 8 November ■ The Etape Caledonia: the only closed road cycle event in the UK, through 81 miles of stunning countryside along the Highland Perthshire route.

Starts and finishes in Pitlochry on Sunday 17 May .

■ J o h n n i e Wa l k e r Championship at Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course in August.

■ I n t e rc o n t i n e n t a l R a l l y Championship in November 2009.

For more information about Homecoming Scotland 2009, visit www.homecomingscotland 2009.com/perthandkinross

A week of music from the RSNO

THE Royal Scottish National Orchestra will be performing next year

THE Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) will present a week of concerts and workshops across Perth and Kinross from 12-17 January.

RSNO musicians will work with children from local schools as well as the Perth Yo u t h O r c h e s t r a , v i s i t hospitals and community groups and perform at a tea dance for local people.

They will give concerts in Crieff, Blairgowrie, Birnam

and, along with the Perth Youth Orchestra, will give a FREE concert in Perth.

The orchestra will give a debut performance at Pitlochry Festival Theatre of Dvorák’s everpopular New World Symphony. v

For details on the full range of concerts and activities, please visit www.rsno.org.uk or call 0141 225 3584

www.pkc.gov.uk

PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS WINTER 2008

WHY IT PAYS TO KNOW YOUR RIGHTS PEOPLE in Perth & Kinross could be missing out on thousands of pounds by not claiming the benefits they are entitled to. Luckily, the Council’s Welfare Rights Team is here to help.

In the last financial year, the team helped residents claim a total of £2.7 million in benefits that were due to them.

And a number of recent

changes to benefit entitlements make it even more important for people to turn to the Welfare Rights Team for assistance.

New claims for pension credit, and housing and Council Tax benefits, will now be backdated for 13 weeks, instead of the previous 52.

And lone parents who are able to work and have

CASE STUDIES: How the team helped THANKS to the help of the Welfare Rights Team, a disabled elderly couple boosted their income from £184 to £379 a week by claiming attendance allowance and pension credits – that’s an extra £9,360 a year. And their outgoings dropped as they qualified for reduced Council Tax. In another case, a man with spina bifida was living on only £85 a week in benefits, and was threatened with eviction due to rent arrears. With the team’s help, he boosted his income by an extra £154 through disability living allowance and income support.

He also qualified for full housing and Council Tax benefits, reducing those outgoings to nothing and crucially, was able to keep his home.

children aged 12 or above will no longer qualify for Income Support.

Nicola Sutherland, Team Leader of the Welfare Rights Team, said: “There will be a new claim form for Employment Support Allowance and we are here to help people get used to it – so it is important that people use our service to claim all of t h e b e n e f i t s t h e y a re entitled to.”

Not only does the team have an advice line, it also takes its advice out into the community through outreach clinics in places such as hostels for the homeless, and hospitals.

For advice and assistance, contact the Welfare Rights Team’s advice line on 01738 646830.

Protection for the consumer New legislation has been passed which gives consumers greater protection against traders who sell goods or services to them in either their home, place of work, or in someone else’s home.

T h e n e w re g u l a t i o n s m e a n t h a t businesses that sell goods or services in this way, must give their customers a seven-day cooling off period, during which time the customer can cancel the contract without any penalties.

This period begins when the customer receives a written notice of their right to cancel the contract. If no such notice is provided, then the cooling off period continues until seven days after one is provided.

Sandy Nicoll, Perth & Kinross Council’s Trading Standards Manager, said: “The regulations were introduced because the Government considered that consumers required additional protection from high pressure salespeople who sold goods and services to them in their homes.

“Finally, I would advise consumers to use the Council’s Trading Standards service, which offers pre-shopping advice to consumers, to help avoid the pitfalls when buying larger items.”

For further information, contact the Council’s Customer Service Centre on 01738 475000 or es@pkc.gov.uk

Ban on outdoor drinking IT is now illegal to consume alcohol in outdoor public places in parts of Dunkeld and Birnam, following the confirmation of the new bylaw by the Scottish Government.

Localised bans on drinking in public places can help limit the possibility of alcohol-related nuisance behaviour and the introduction of bylaws into several areas of Perth and Kinross has

proved both popular and successful.

The Council and its community partners will work to extend the bylaw to other areas at the request of local communities.

11

12

WINTER 2008 PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS

Gorge road is now open ONE of the biggest road projects undertaken by Perth & Kinross Council has been completed on the £5.3m realigning of a 2.4km section of the A93 at Craighall Gorge.

The new road bypasses a section of the A93, which has been restricted to a single lane controlled by traffic lights, since a

Bailey bridge was installed following a landslide in 1985.

The new section of road was officially opened by Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, Stewart Stevenson MSP. A selection of classic cars were the first vehicles to drive along the new carriageway.

www.pkc.gov.uk

MORRIS MEMORABILIA WELCOMED BY COUNCIL The archive of choreographer and artist Margaret Morris, the lifelong partner of Scottish modernist artist JD Fergusson, has been gifted to Perth & Kinross Council.

There are already long-standing links between Fergusson and Perth and Kinross, with the artist’s collection of paintings and sculptures gifted to the Council in 1990.

The Fergusson Gallery was subsequently created in Perth, and has continued to develop since then as the centre for the display and study of his work.

In 1910, Margaret Morris established the dance movement which still promotes her theory of the art to the present day. She ran a series of summer schools in Wales and England before she settled on the French Riviera. Painting and design were an integral part of students’ education at her schools, with JD Fergusson teaching these subjects.

Morris also founded the Celtic Ballet in Glasgow during World War Two. The archive comprises several thousand items, from programmes, tickets and papers covering performances and events, to photographs, letters, sketchbooks, costumes and oil and watercolour paintings.

The acceptance of the Margaret Morris archive has been approved by the Council and the proposal is to house it in the Fergusson Gallery in the future.

Painting, Margaret Morris dans le Chant Hindu, oil by J D Fergusson, 1918

Blooming beautiful PERTH and Kinross is blooming marvellous when it comes to winning awards for looking beautiful! Beautiful Perth and the Council, together with partner organisations and residents, have been very successful in winning a number of prestigious competitions over the years, such as Britain and Scotland in Bloom.

This year Perth was awarded gold in the ‘large town/small city’ category in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom Floral Award, and also won the Best Floral Bedding UK Category.

Britain in Bloom is seen

as a floral competition, but it has now shifted towards recognising sustainable planting as well as e n v i r o n m e n t a l responsibility.

Adam Olejnik, the Council’s Head of Public Space Management, said: “We all have a part to play in keeping our towns and villages clean and tidy – from residents keeping their hedges trim to farmers and construction companies clearing up debris. So let’s all do our bit to put the ‘pride’ in Perth and Kinross create safe, inclusive, positive environments for all to enjoy.”

Online project for youth services YOUNG people across Perth and Kinross are being invited to take part in a study to design the future of youth services across Europe.

Perth & Kinross Council is one of only two local authorities in mainland Britain invited to take part in this European wide consultation.

Organised by the European Youth Information and Counselling Agency, a non-profit association based in Luxembourg, the consultation will involve young people assessing and planning future services.

ERYICA is taking advantage of

technology to engage youths in the study. It is expecting up to 3,000 video clips to be posted on its site from teenagers saying what it is like living in their areas.

James Allan, Youth Services Manager at Perth & Kinross Council, said: “We were invited by ERYICA to take part because Young Scot made them aware of the innovative approach we take to youth services.

“Being a smaller authority, we are arguably more able to engage with our communities and get instant and genuine feedback.”

Colin Hay, also of Youth Services, said: “Two of our young people will be visiting Luxembourg in November to learn how to use the technologies.

“They will then pass on this knowledge to at least six others who will gather the thoughts of those around them and then record and post their video clips.

“This forms part of our ongoing consultation with the young people across Perth and Kinross.

“We are passionate about making sure they inform and shape services now and in the future.”

Take care in churchyards

Council Text Phone Number 01738 442573 All Council Services can offer a telephone translation facility

VISITORS to the Council’s cemeteries and churchyards may have noticed headstones wrapped with yellow warning tape stating that they are unstable and that caution is needed.

These safety warnings are necessary to ensure both the public and grounds maintenance staff are aware of the risks.

Richard Smith, Principal Bereavement Services Officer, explained the issue: “As headstones always remain the property of the grave or lair owner, we hope that families will take action to repair and make safe their family memorial.

“If not, and further deterioration occurs, the Council will be required to lay the headstone flat to remove the danger of it toppling over and injuring someone.”

Local memorial masons registered with the Council are able to fix these unstable memorials onto new concrete

foundations, so they will remain safe and secure for the foreseeable future.

For further information contact Richard Smith, Principal Bereavement Services Officer on 01738 476476

Winter 2008

The Newspaper for the people of Perth and Kinross

www.pkc.gov.uk

WINTER SERVICES: FOUR-PAGE PULL-OUT

Why we must all learn the new three Rs NEW staff are on hand to advise people on how to waste less and recycle more in a new initiative to encourage recycling: Waste Minimisation Officers: They are available to provide information to the public on cutting down the amount of waste produced and ways to reduce and reuse waste.

The officers can provide information on composting, real nappies and re-use of items such as furniture.

Waste Awareness Co-ordinators: Their role involves going into schools and talking to young people, and giving presentations to other interested groups, including community groups, Scouts

and Guides etc about waste and recycling.

Co-ordinators also take groups along to our unique education centre, the WEBWalk, at Friarton Recycling Centre, Perth where the problems and solutions relating to waste can be examined using interactive displays and games.

Community Waste Advisors:

IN Perth and Kinross, we generate around 100,000 tonnes of waste each year - but over the Christmas period waste increases by 30 per cent.

You can help us to reduce the amount of this that is sent to landfill in a number of ways...

REDUCE: ■ Try to buy gifts with less packaging, such as gift vouchers or gift experiences ■ Send e-cards rather than traditional paper Christmas cards ■ Reduce food waste at Christmas by proper planning, preparation and storing of food. For recipe ideas using Christmas leftovers, visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

RECYCLE: ■ If you have a real tree, after

MAKING RECYCLING EASIER OPENING times at Perth & Kinross Council Recycling Centres have been altered recently to make them easier for you to access.

The times below now apply throughout the year...

Aberfeldy, Auchterarder

& Bankfoot Recycling Centres:

Yes we can: together we will cut back drastically on our waste

REUSE: ■ Make an effort to reuse wrapping paper and gift bags instead of throwing them out ■ Use reusable plates and cutlery for parties instead of paper and plastic ones ■ Choose to buy second-hand books, CDs, computer games and DVDs from specialist and charity shops.

They are available to help people with any enquiry they may have regarding waste and recycling.

For example, advisors can provide information to residents on what facilities exist locally for recycling.

They can all be contacted through the Customer Service Centre on 01738 475000 or email recycle@pkc.gov.uk

Christmas, chop it up and add it to your home composter, brownlidded bin or take it to a Recycling Centre ■ Please recycle all the extra cans, plastic bottles, plastic and cardboard that is generated at this time of year ■ If you are part of the Kerbside Recycling Service, you can put

them into your blue-lidded bin, or take them to your nearest Recycling Centre or Point ■ You can take all your extra glass bottles and jars to any Recycling Centre or Point ■ Please don’t put Christmas cards in your blue-lidded bin – visit our recycling centres.

The following retailers accept

Christmas cards for recycling until 31 January 2009: Marks & Spencer, Tesco, TK Maxx and WH Smith.

For further information on how you can reduce, reuse and recycle this Christmas, visit www.pkc.gov.uk/recycle

Tuesday and Thursday 9am-7pm Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm Blairgowrie, Crieff,

Friarton (Perth), Kinross & Pitlochry Recycling Centres: Monday-Friday 9am-7pm Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm Please note that Recycling Centres will be closed on 25 and 26 December as well as 1 and 2 January.

Inside›› SNOW BUSINESS LIKE IT • USEFUL INFO AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS •

2

www.pkc.gov.uk

WINTER 2008 PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS

PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS WINTER 2008

CLEARING THE ROADS

WE’RE READY FOR THE WINTER...

■ With more than 2,500km of local roads to keep clear of ice and snow you would think that the Council’s Winter Road Maintenance team would be glad of the recent trend of ‘warm’ winters.

However, this is not the case as wet and mild winters bring their own problems.

Area Roads Engineer Douglas Kent explained: “While we still have cold spells where snow and ice lies for days, the recent trend is for average temperatures to lie just about freezing point.

“Despite having access to state of the art weather forecasting information, it is sometimes marginal if ice

will form overnight.

“Obviously, when there is a threat we salt but even when it does freeze, a heavy shower of rain the next day can wash all the salt away meaning we have to go out the next night to salt again.”

Last year the Council spent £2.6 million on winter road maintenance, and has a

system in place to prioritise activities to areas of greatest need, moving on to the next area once the high priority areas are clear.

Snow clearing and gritting is organised by the Council’s Environment Service, using the resources of Tayside Contracts and the Council’s Environment Service DSO.

THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SNOW BUSINESS GOING out in all weathers is part of the job for the Council’s Winter Road Maintenance team.

They are on 24/7 standby to hit the road when bad weather is forcast, to salt carriageways and footpaths or, in more serious conditions, clear away heavy snow.

While the team has state-of-theart gritters, snow ploughs and footpath clearers to keep roads and pavements free of ice and snow, the public can play a part in helping the team get the job done quickly and efficiently.

If bad weather is on its way the team would appreciate your help by considering the following: ■ If your footway is cleared by a footway plough, please try to keep your wheelie bin out of its path.

■ Over the years householders

We can all do our bit to help and businesses have cleared footways around their own properties. This type of self-help can make a big contribution to

making areas safer for everyone, especially the elderly.

■ There are about 1,000 grit bins located on minor roads with special difficulties. Sensible use of these by the public will ensure that many minor roads and footways are safer to use - they are there to benefit the whole community.

■ We cannot clear roads that are obstructed by stranded vehicles.

Only make journeys that are absolutely necessary. If there are no abandoned vehicles we can reopen roads much quicker after the snow stops.

■ We cannot treat roads that are obstructed by inconsiderate parking. Snowploughs are large and difficult to manoeuvre, especially when it is slippy.

ALL roads and footways have been assessed by the Council and given a priority based on their usage and importance. Here are the categories of priority:

Carriageway Priority System Motorways and trunk roads: 24/7 cover in accordance with Scottish Government policy (shown in blue on the map).

Category 1: Strategic routes connecting large communities and roads leading to important or sensitive locations such as hospitals and fire stations – seven day extended hours cover – precautionary treatment carried out. (Shown in red on the map above).

Category 2: Other main roads, bus routes and minor rural roads serving small settlements or a significant number of rural properties – weekday working hours only * Category 3: Very minor rural roads and minor residential streets - not normally treated. *On nationally recognised public holidays, only Category 1 carriageways will be treated.

Footway Priority System

CUT THAT SPEED! Speed is a factor in many road accidents, particularly in poor weather conditions.

Remember that while the road you are travelling on may be salted, you do not know the condition of the next one you turn into!

Consider: ■ The road might be slippery on the next corner

Keep on truckin’...the Council has all the latest equipment at its fingertips to deal with the wintry conditions that may visit us this festive season

so SLOW DOWN and avoid sudden braking.

■ Be alert – when you turn on to a side road, remember that it may not have been salted yet.

■ Use dipped headlights if the visibility is reduced.

And only use foglights when visibility is seriously reduced.

Public transport Prepared for anything... salt and sand piled up in readiness

■ For detailed public transport information over the Christmas and New Year period, please contact Traveline, the national information provider on all public transport services, on 0871 200 22 33* or go to www.travelinescotland.com ■ Local bus service information, including Park+Ride operations, is also available from the ‘Transport and Streets’ section of the Council website, www.pkc.gov.uk Alternatively, contact the local transport operator which runs the service you want to use. * calls cost 10p per minute from BT landlines. Charges from mobiles and other landlines may vary.

OFTEN we will treat the footway on one side of the road only, to try to provide as widespread a network as possible.

Category 1: Main shopping areas, main arterial footways, busy feeder footways and footways leading to community centres and workplaces – seven day extended hours cover Category 2: Other footways with significant usage – weekday working hours only * Category 3: Less well used footways and footways where a feasible alternative route exists – not normally treated. Only treated during weekday working hours in prolonged snow and ice after treatment of Category 3 footways is complete. * * On nationally recognised public holidays, only Category 1 footways will be treated.

USEFUL ROADS INFORMATION YOU can get more details of the carriageway and footway priority system by visiting the Winter Service page at www.pkc.gov.uk If you have any queries on road conditions please contact your local area office at: Aberfeldy 01887 820297 Blairgowrie 01250 874661 Perth 01738 625411 Trunk roads M90, A90, A9 south of Perth: THESE roads are managed and maintained by BEAR

Scotland on behalf of Transport Scotland.

For further details call BEAR Scotland Ltd on 0800 587 1107.

Trunk roads A9 north of Perth, A85: THESE roads are managed and maintained by Scotland Transerv on behalf of Transport Scotland. For further details call Scotland Transerv on 0800 128 1414.

■ To report road defects and street lighting faults call Clarence on FREEPHONE 0800 23 23 23.

3

4

WINTER 2008 PERTH AND KINROSS NEWS

www.pkc.gov.uk

FESTIVE OPENING HOURS MOST Council offices close for the festive period at 3.30pm on 24 December and re-open at 8.45am on 5 January 2009.

You can contact your local office directly before 24 December to find out about their arrangements.

Some Council services will continue to run throughout the festive period or have duty teams available for emergencies.

Emergency numbers only ADULT CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 0845 301 11 20 CHILD PROTECTION 01382 432270 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, FLOODING, ROADS 01738 625411.

Please note that during busy periods, you may experience delays in getting through.

PUBLIC TOILETS, REFUSE STREET SWEEPING, WASTE 01738 477129 ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR HELPLINE (VOICEMAIL) 01738 476173

Please telephone and leave a voicemail – a response will be provided as soon as possible. In case of antisocial behaviour emergencies, please telephone Tayside Police on 01738 621141.

EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO COUNCIL HOUSING 0845 301 11 10

Other numbers and opening times All registration offices are closed 25 – 26 and 30 December, and 1 – 2 January. For opening times of your local office please call these numbers: Perth (01738 475121) Auchterarder (01764 662155) Blairgowrie (01250 877002)

Crieff (01764 657540) Kinross (01577 867607) Pitlochry (01796 472323) Aberfeldy (01887 829218) Coupar Angus (01828 628395) Milnathort (01577 862536) Rannoch and Foss (01882 632277) All by appointment only.

In cases of extreme emergency,please contact 07771 666868.

Please note registrations can be carried out in any office in any district within the Perth and Kinross area. Telephone the appropriate office before making your journey.

LIBRARIES Perth and Kinross libraries will be open during their normal hours until 4pm on 24 December and will re-open from 27 – 30 December and then again from 3 January.

SCHOOLS The Christmas holidays are from 22 December until 5 January.

Festive dates for rubbish collection As the Christmas and New Year holidays fall on a weekday this year there will be changes to the collection of domestic general waste in the greenlidded bins.

Unless notified by letter the changes will be as follows: ■Collections on Thursday 25 December will now be on Saturday 27 December.

■ Collections on Friday 26 December will now be

Christmas shoppers crèche The Christmas Shoppers Crèche is available again this festive season to help parents and families during this busy time. The free crèche is being provided by Playstart, part of the Council’s Childcare Strategy Team.

This year the crèche is based at the Fair Maid’s House, 21-23 North Port, Perth (behind the Concert Hall). It is open from 10am to

on Sunday 28 December ■Collections on Thursday 1 January will now be on Saturday 3 January 2009 ■ Collections on Friday 2 January will now be on Sunday 4 January 2009.

5pm Thursdays to Sundays until 21 December 2008, plus Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December.

Tw o - h o u r s e s s i o n s , supervised by trained and experienced childcare professionals, are available for children from four months to eight years old. Places must be pre-booked for children aged between four months and two years, and for children with additional support needs. For further information, or to make a booking, please call Playstart on 07895 415334.