Councillor Update, March / April 2023
Spring is finally here, the hedgerows and bluebells are about to blossom and the nights are getting longer. It’s a great time to get out and about more and enjoy the spaces and places on our doorstep in East Kilbride East. I certainly enjoyed helping out at the family outdoor play session at Glen Esk park over the recent school holidays, as part of a Get Outdoors Lanarkshire project to connect people to nature. For more inspiration check out https://www.getoutdoorslanarkshire.com/.
Give me a shout if you’d like me to visit your organisation or if I can help you with anything. This month I’ve been helping people with enquiries on housing, ev charging, fly tipping and Calderglen Park. Contact me to meet when and where it suits you. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates. Look out for my ward newsletter when it pops through your letterbox over the coming months.
Ward action (EK East): With March and April being Spring Clean Months, myself, residents and EK Community Litter pickers tackled litter at Glen Shee. We also cleared paths through the woods, cutting back brambles etc. The area is now litter free and good to walk, play and chill in. Thanks to all, including Rod from East Kilbride Rotary Club, for joining in. EK Community Litter Picking volunteers can help you spruce up your local area https://www.facebook.com/groups/ekcommunitylitterpickers or contact Kirsten.
At Nithsdale, we cleared fly tipping from around this entrance to Calderglen Park and after residents raised the issue with me, the council replaced damaged fencing and cleared paths leading from nearby residential areas to the bus stop. A grateful residents’ son said, “The mulch-mania there was making this stretch pretty perilous and my mum is delighted that the chances of her decking it on the way down from the bus stop have been massively reduced. It’s great that she’s able to see the connection between talking to her local councillor and life getting that wee bit better close to home.”
Calderglen Park: Last winter, Calderglen volunteers and I drafted a report highlighting that the community entrances to the park needed a bit of tlc to remind people where they are. And to make them look inviting and loved. So a huge thank you to South Lanarkshire Countryside Rangers and South Lanarkshire Council Grounds department for putting in these improvements in addition to that at Inch Keith a while back. We hope it will be followed up by some signs on them saying Calderglen or the like and we can do more together into the future. Meanwhile I’ll keep pushing to get a proper masterplan for the park so we plan and prepare for its long term future, including much better promotion of sustainable transport to the park to reduce congestion. Join volunteers on the second Sunday of each month volunteering with the council’s ranger service to improve Calderglen https://search.volunteerscotland.net/opportunity/a0g0800000V7MRZAA3/calderglen-conservation-volunteer.
Burn at Calderglen High: I had a walk about with community litter pickers and local ecologists who highlighted potential improvements to the burn next to Calderglen High School. The council will now reinstate netting to make safe the pipe and catch litter, whilst working with the school, amongst others, to reduce litter. Further activities are planned to improve the burn and areas for nature. Get in touch with me if you are interested in this project.
Bosworth Road area: I had a walk about to check over a few things residents had reported: Good to see the fly tipping cleared at Shaftesbury Court, including new signs to remind folk not to dump. I have asked for and been promised a new bin for the expressway bus stop and checked that the underpass is on the cleaning rota.
Update on Brancumhall Pitch and Putt facility after SLLC have had to remove the staffing at the site to help balance their budget. The facility is now open for the season. Free entry, bring your own clubs and balls. SLC Grounds team will be cutting and maintain the facility as per previous years. The gate will be opened by SLC Grounds staff after playability inspections and maintenance are carried out 7 days per week. Flags will be on greens as and when deemed playable. Approx. 10am daily. Flags will be collected in the evening (830pm latest Monday to Friday, 530pm at weekends) and gates locked https://www.slleisureandculture.co.uk/info/246/brancumhall_golf_development_centre/220/
In other meet ups, I went along to Hunter Primary Parent Council and discussed issues of maintenance and play. It was a total joy to meet everyone at Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire EK network at Moncrieff Parish Church where I was so delighted to hear about the new Connected Calderwood project. It aims to have seamless community supports in place via our local warm welcome hubs for people who need help. For now, search for your nearest hub and find out days, times and services provided at www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/WarmWelcome.
Council-wide action: At the council, I attended a meeting on South Lanarkshire Leisure Assets. Many councillors, including myself, have been raising the concerns of local clubs about price changes and lets. I went along to the EK Area, Executive and Equal Opportunities committees where I’m keeping up my questions on reducing energy use and doing proper climate assessments of projects. I also highlighted the importance of consulting on women and girls safety as part of the open space strategy, got an update on where South Lanarkshire is at with bringing in 20mph speed limits and asked when councillors will be getting equality training.
