Councillor update Sep/Oct 2023
It’s been a quick month since my last update. 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: The highlight of the month was definitely the celebration of the new equipment at Long Calderwood Pitch. Hundreds of people came out to enjoy the National Lottery funded new goals and basketball hoops with the Caledonian Gladiators with amazing home baking by the Parent Council. This pitch is a community resource for everyone outwith school hours. The new kit comes off the back of research led by the Parent Council and me that identified peoples wish for more things for young people to do.
We got the feedback from the community and I’s re-audit of Morrishall road. The council have promised to pick up on the outstanding issues: tree trimming around street lamps, bin raising and road markings. They will also deal with our requests for a new bin at a bus stop and do a School Crossing Patrol assessment by the end of November at the roundabout. I’ve written back to them on a few points to clarify misunderstandings about locations, request letters to residents to return their bins off the pavements, check landownership of the overgrown hedge at Glen Prosen and sweep paths opposite Stobo. Please keep reporting inappropriate parking (with registration numbers etc.) and speeding to 101 or Contact Us form | Police Scotland. The police have told me they need reports as evidence to build up a picture of persistent problems. Then resources can be brought to help address the problem by them or the council. A resident also told me about the SpeedcamAnywhere app (via Google playstore) that can help you capture speeds and photos as evidence. If you haven’t signed it yet, please show your support and share the 20mph petition https://www.change.org/p/introduce-20mph-where-people-live-across-south-lanarkshire.
I attended Calderglen Parent Council, learning about the fantastic work they have been doing on mental health as part of this ITV campaign https://www.itv.com/britaingettalking/. I also went along to St Leonards Parent Council. I helped celebrate Libraries Week, which had a green theme this year – up until 21st October, please tell people what your library means to you at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PublicLibrarySurvey23. A Glen Esk volunteer and I did a walkabout in the park with those responsible for maintaining that – more on that to come but some action has been taken already, including filling in a dangerous hole and trying to get paths better drained.
South Lanarkshire wide: At the council’s Executive Committee, I asked the following questions:
- Budget implications of the Strathclyde Pension fund realignment
- In the light of recent flooding, how the Front Line First fund is being used to unblock drains
- How the council are drawing down the Scottish Government playpark renewal fund
- How the council bankers are addressing climate change
- How school refurbishments will include community access to play spaces out with school hours
After the meeting, I attended an event to mark Baby Loss Awareness week – support here http://www.sands.org.uk
Coming up this month, come along to any of these events:
Sat 28th October: Sat 28th Oct, 2-4pm, let’s clean up part of Calderglen Country Park, planted up as new woodland. Come and see how the new woodland is doing, check out the paths and clean up the site for nature and people. Meet https://maps.app.goo.gl/xM55GyuVY5qQXpka9. Dress for the weather and bring gloves. Access the small car park (up to 4 cars) from Calderside Road or walk up from Newhousemill bridge. We will walk down towards the river Calder, cleaning up as we go. A resident has been doing an amazing job tidying up this stretch, let’s get out and support him to tackle this.
Wed 1st November: Full council, watch on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQIgOWnY9OY
Sunday 12th November: Calderglen Volunteers, 1030am (https://search.volunteerscotland.net/opportunity/a0g0800000V7MRZAA3/calderglen-conservation-volunteer )
