Approval bid before councillors

A PROJECT to build £16m of new schools and community facilities could come a step closer next week.

At a meeting of the city development committee o n M o n d ay, D u n d e e councillors will be asked to approve t he t ender from Wilmott Dixon Construction Ltd to build the new lots on the site of the Alexander Street multis.

Bill Campbell, depute city development convener, said: “With work completed and well under way on similar projects across the city, it is good to see progress being made here.

“This will bring two new single stream primary schools designed over two storeys, a separate nursery area and a dedicated facility for community use that will provide services for people who will live in the adjacent new houses being built.”

Stewart Hunter, children and families service convener, said: “This new build will replace Our Lady’s RC and Rosebank primary schools and the Frances Wright Pre-school Centre with modern custom-designed facilities.”

Ve h i c l e s w i l l g a i n access to the main school, community facility, pupil drop-off and service yard car park from Alexander Street.

The nursery school car park and pupil drop-off facility will be i n Ann Street.

New social housing is currently being built on another part of the site. benefits of healthier eating in later life to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

“The money has been well spent if it ensures the prevention of poor health. It’s hard to think of a better way of spending council money than feeding children to ensure they get the best out of their lessons and eat as well during the holidays as they do during term time.

“I believe eating well as a child can pay dividends in later life too.”

Mr Black also pointed out the success of the summer programme to give children in disadvantaged areas access to around 20,000 lunches through their local schools, saying that this programme had helped to keep the health and social benefits going during the holiday period.

Mr Waddell’s report said that there had been a “general increase” in the numbers of primary school kids taking school meals.

Regarding the drop in secondaries, he added: “Meal numbers in Dundee secondary schools are down against both budget and performance in the same period in the previous year.

“This is mainly due to a reduction in the school roll at Dundee secondary schools.

“Whilst meal uptake has dropped compared to the previous year, meal uptake as a percentage of the school roll has actually increased.

Dinnerladies have been busier this past year as thousands more healthy school meals are being eaten on a daily