Despite being Scotland’s fourth-largest city, Dundee is the country’s smallest local authority by land area; and by quite a considerable margin.
Dundee Civic Trust considers that the city’s boundaries are too small and limiting for efficient government. There are conflicts in education, planning decisions, transport planning, housing policy, social work and even bin collections that must be resolved. The neighbouring local authority areas of Angus and Perth & Kinross contain a significant amount of housing and commercial development immediately adjacent to the city boundary. This, we feel, negatively affects the efficient operation of Dundee City, without contributing to its tax income or business profits. It also denies the residents of those places the opportunity to vote in the local elections for the urban area to which they are physically connected.
The Trust believes the city boundaries should be expanded to come closer to the area covered by the former City of Dundee District under regionalisation between 1975 and 1996. Immediately adjacent built-up villages such as Monifieth and Invergowrie should be incorporated, along with the surrounding areas.
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