Councillor Update Oct/Nov 2023
As ever, please contact me on Kirsten.robb@southlanarkshire.gov.uk to meet or chat when and where it suits you. Follow me on Facebook and X for regular updates.
East Kilbride East action
Parking & transport: My inbox is full of complaints about pavement parking in all parts of the ward. Parking on pavements, double parking and parking at dropped kerbs for pedestrians / cycle use will be banned from December 11th as it obstructs pavements and makes getting about harder for everyone who walks or wheels, even pushing people onto dangerous roads.
Hot spots: Residents and different organisations have concerns around inappropriate or dangerous parking around Alison Lea. I’m in touch with most organisations involved and trying to work on solutions. In the meantime, I’ve asked the council to repaint the Keep Clear lines and this will now be done. Also please keep reporting parking problems on https://www.scotland.police.uk/secureforms/contact/ to help build up a picture of the problem.
Residents and I have been investigating what action can be taken to address the impact of illegal parking around Brancumhall Pitches. It’s dangerous and illegal and limits access for local buses and emergency vehicles. I have reached out to some football teams to get ideas on what could be done to help. I’ve put these ideas to the council and South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture to see what more can be done to help people travel sustainably or park legally and what enforcement needs to take place, as well as how we could get some disabled parking bays put in at Brancumhall. We have also spoken to the police who will monitor the situation. In the meantime, visitors and residents alike, please park legally and don’t block pavements or junctions.
Speeding: Residents around Morrishall Road and I have been highlighting https://southlanarkshiregreens.scot/20-mph-speed-limits-good-for-your-health-and-well-being/ problems of speeding cars in the local paper, off the back of our community street audits. The council is working up plans to implement 20mph speed limits in appropriate residential areas so please show your support here for a safer, more pleasant place to live and travel around at the petition https://www.change.org/p/introduce-20mph-where-people-live-across-south-lanarkshire.
Maintenance: Keeping the place looking good and functioning is one of your top concerns. It’s always great to see progress on issues you’ve raised with me and thanks to the council workers and residents who are carrying out the work.
At recent St Leonard’s Parent Council meetings, residents wanted the car park (outside the school gate) improved and it will now be power washed to hopefully help show up the different colours of paving stones which indicate where to park. The council will now also survey St Leonards MUGA with a view to costing up anything that can be done to make it more playable all year round for the school and community.
After a wheel about with a local resident, path repairs are now being completed along Maxwelton Rd from Bosworth to Pembroke, starting to make it easier to get around.
The bridge at Horshoe Falls in Calderglen Country Park has been repaired and you can now do a circuit again. The community and I cleaned up new woodlands off Calderside Road on the other side of river. And volunteering with the Countryside Ranger service continues on the second Sunday of every month, clearing away invasive species, opening up paths and creating space for nature. Next session is on Sunday 10th December, more details here or message Kirsten to keep in touch. https://search.volunteerscotland.net/opportunity/a0g0800000V7MRZAA3/calderglen-conservation-volunteer.
After a rep from Glen Esk Pocket Park and I had a walk about with the council and their contractors who manage the site, some action has already been taken on residents concerns to fix a hole in a path and try and tackle the paths that flood. Still some repairs to the wall, the tubes in the wall and removing the tree supports to do. Last Sunday, community volnteers and I gave Glen Esk park a deep clean-up to keep it looking good and safer for people and wildlife. We had a great turn out with 10+ volunteers, removing 27 bags of household and business fly tipping and litter from a drinking area.
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 Kirsten know if you are interested in finding our more or want to get involvedhttps://southlanarkshiregreens.scot/its-our-place-so-lets-make-our-plan/.
Coming up this month, come along to any of these events or initiatives:
Menopause café, Hunter House Coffee Shop on Dec 5th, 7pm, a chance to discuss and get support from others going through the peri menopause or menopause https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/menopause-cafe-east-kilbride-tickets-754125939987.
Again for this winter, Hunter House Coffee Shop are giving away FREE kids jackets, hats, gloves & scarves. Feel free to pop in and browse, they are also looking for donations to add to our rails. Please hand any donations into Hunter House Mon-Sat 9am-4pm.
South Lanarkshire wide:
We are moving into winter now and that means preparations for next year’s council budget is in full swing. Residents are being asked what their priorities for local services are, with 2000 people taking part in recent consultation. There’s another round of consultation on more detailed proposals for cuts or ideas to generate income, so please do have your say – keep an eye out on the council social media for links to this next round of consultation. In the meantime, South Lanarkshire Leisure are also facing budget problems and want to hear from you about the services and facilities you value most – this will inform their decision making.
Local action on climate change means warmer homes, less waste, better transport, improved greenspaces and adapting to more severe weather: Up to 30% of the UK’s transition to zero carbon is within the influence of local councils – that’s why I’m looking over South Lanarkshire Council’s Climate Action Plan to try and ramp up action through my work on the climate committee.
If you are a council tenant, please have your say on rent setting and priorities for council services.
