Councillor Update Nov-Dec 2023
Wishing you and yours an enjoyable and restful period. I know the days can be dark right now, physically and metaphorically, with all the challenges in the world. But as I said to our wonderful young people at the Youth Sustainability Forum, pictured here, let’s stay hopeful and take comfort from the small and bigger positive action happening all around us if we look. Doing something directly ourselves to sort problems will help too and make you feel better. If I can help you with this, please contact me on Kirsten.robb@southlanarkshire.gov.uk to meet or chat when and where it suits you. Follow me on Facebook and Councillor Kirsten Robb (@krobbGreen) / X (twitter.com) for regular updates.
I’ll be taking some time off over Christmas but here are a few Emergency Contacts you might find useful: www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk. Emergency housing repairs 0303 123 1010 Housing 0303 123 1012 Out of Hours 0800 242024 Money Matters 0300 029 0041 or email me and I’ll pick it up.
East Kilbride East action
Housing: Winter is always a busy time for housing issues and sometimes people need a bit more help sorting their problems. I was looking for advocacy support for my constituent and found out about the charity Equal Say. They are independent of the council, NHS etc. They work with adults who have learning disabilities, mental ill health, addictions, long term conditions or physical disability. Give them a shout if you think they can help anyone you know deal with local services.
Paths: There’s been quite a few path issues too. Good streets are vital to people being independent and active and is one of the priorities you asked me to focus on. The path and steps at Mauchline are now being repaired. And at Old Vic Court, residents had been forced to walk on to the road to avoid an icy path to get to their bus stop. It had been going on for a few years and is likely to be due to a leaky pipe. The repair will now be reinvestigated and authorised and the grit bin filled up. Report a repair required here or contact me.
Skills: I’m passionate about helping children develop the skills and awareness to use public transport, walk and cycle safely as they grow up. This brings independence, healthy exercise, saves money and is sustainable. That’s why I’ve renewed my Bikeability (the old cycling proficiency) training and completed by first set of Bikeability 1 training at a local primary school. Find out if your child’s school does Bikeability here and more about doing the training and volunteering to help here.
Maintenance: After residents asked me for more safe spaces for children to play, the council have promised to regularly ‘spike’ the Cornfoot football cage to try and help improve drainage.
It’s Our Place, so Let’s Make Our Plan! Over the next year, our communities have an amazing opportunity to improve our area for the future by preparing a Local Place Plan choosing projects that local people want to see happen. Let me know if you are interested in finding our more or want to get involved. More info here.
Locally, I went along to the following groups and events: EK Debt Centre (Christians Against Poverty) , Healthy and Active AGM, EK Flower Club, South Lanarkshire Cycling Partnership, Climate and Sustainability committee, Performance and Review Committee, Sustainability Youth Forum, Community Wealth Building Commission (where I asked about plans for the council to generate more income from renewable energy on their land), St Leonards Primary Parent Council and Calderglen High Parent Council.
South Lanarkshire wide: Preparations for next year’s council budget continues. There’s a new round of consultation on more detailed proposals for cuts or ideas to generate income, so please do have your say – https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/budget-consultation
Coming up this month, come along to any of these events or initiatives: In 2024 outdoor volunteering to improve our community is expanding to weekday volunteering. Calderglen Volunteers will continue on the second Sunday of every month clearing away invasive species, opening up paths and creating space for nature. And if you can only volunteer during the week (or want to do more), we are planning something for you too! Follow Incredibly Wild East Kilbride and see the website for the details in the new year. We can all benefit from being outdoors, even in these winter months. Ideas and inspiration to do just that from Get Outdoors Lanarkshire.
