Councillor Update – Summer 2023
I hope you’ve had a good summer. I’ve had a wee break but also got on with case work for you and did some street audits with the community. Please contact me to meet or chat when and where it suits you. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates.
Repairs info for residents: The last few weeks I’ve been helping an elderly homeowner to get her back step and handrail fixed – crucial for her safety and ability to get out the house. I’ve now found the council’s Community Repair Advice Service / HomeImprove who can look at the issue, no matter if you are a council tenant, private renter or homeowner. They will identify the best way forward and any support available and give advice. More info: https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/xfp/form/604 and https://careandrepair-sl.co.uk/repairs-and-adaptations/
Do you need help with a community project or helping vulnerable people? I had a brilliant morning visiting the Unpaid work team. The team and clients do so much to give back to the community and they want you to contact them if you think they can help you. From doing up public spaces, to supporting individuals and community groups, check out some of their work and put in a request for help at this link https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/community_payback.
East Kilbride East:
Completed Raeburn Avenue & Morrishall Road Street Audits: The community and I walked along the street and noted down things that could be improved. A report has now been submitted for action on Raeburn Avenue. At Morrishall Road, we checked up on what action had been carried out since last year’s audit and things that are outstanding that I will now follow up. Contact me if you’d like my help to do a street audit in your community.
Got the path along the Expressway re-widened: Thank you to Amey South West Trunk Roads for responding to my request to re-widen this path along the Expressway back to 2m-ish. People use this route to access bus stops, the nearby retail parks and even the end of Calderglen Zoo & Country Park. The path had closed over to less than 1m in places but we now have more space for walking, wheeling and passing each other now.
Allers Allotment Open Day: Every year, on the first Saturday of August, we help out with this fun event. It was a great event with plant stalls, home baking tea room, fundraising, kids activities and a lovely wonder around these plots at Barrie Road. Check it out next year.
Connected – Calderwood: Is a project and online place to connect and discover what is available in the Calderwood area of East Kilbride. There’s a lot going on but we don’t necessarily know about it or share it. Please give this page a like to learn, share your news and enjoy our brilliant community more! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550306783599
New goals have been installed at Long Calderwood pitch: Fundraised for by the community, this new equipment was installed a few weeks ago and loads of people have been enjoying them. However they now need a repair and the decision was taken the decision to close the pitch until this repair is done to protect the equipment we worked so hard as a community to get. We will get a quote for the repair, see how this can be done and work hard to get it reopened as soon as we can.
Volunteering with the Calder Vol team and South Lanarkshire Countryside Rangers: We cleared a log blocking one of the terrace paths at Calderwood Castle, did a spot of litter picking and mowed paths through the long grass. Regular sessions second Sunday of each month. Next one is on September 10th, where we will start creating wildflower meadows https://search.volunteerscotland.net/opportunity/a0g0800000V7MRZAA3/calderglen-conservation-volunteer. Check out the local trails here https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/downloads/file/625/calderglen_country_park_walks_and_trails
I had a great visit with East Kilbride Development Trust (www.ekdt.co.uk based at Calderglen Country Park) to Cadzow Community Corps today (www.cadzowcommunitycorps.org.uk based at Chatelherault Country Park). They are both groups of volunteers who promote mental and physical health by growing, conserving and working with natural materials. Contact either group to find out more if you want to benefit from working outdoors.
I also attended meetings at the council’s Executive, a briefing on EK Town Centre, details on the SLLC Commissioning plan, learning on Trauma Informed Practice, the Calderglen High Befrienders Lunch, the Budget Sounding Board, the Revive Festival, the Fernbrae Meadows event, EK Litter Pickers and the EK Arts Council.
East Kilbride & South Lanarkshire wide action:
At the Employee Issues Forum, in response to statistics on absences, I secured a future report on what more the council can do to promote good health and wellbeing amongst staff.
Have your say on the South Lanarkshire’s Transport Strategy over the next 10 years before 1st September: How easy do you find it is to get around to serve your needs for work, school, leisure, shopping, daily life etc.? Please do have your say if there are things you think need done better to serve your transport needs. The first few pages are just privacy notices but skip through these and have your say! https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200230/public_and_community_transport/2164/local_transport_strategy_2024-2034
Many local people tell me that path maintenance is a huge issue for them – so please highlight this in your responses as I don’t think it gets enough mention in this consultation, which often talks about road maintenance (important too) and not path maintenance. We need to prioritise path maintenance if we want to attract people into walking more.
Three other things – transport in South Lanarkshire is the biggest source of carbon emissions and we also have a target to reduce road miles travelled. We cannot keep building more new roads which lock in high carbon emissions into the future. Transport also has a role in addressing inequalities. The strategy must address these issues too.
Green Win! New tools to assess and improve decision making: Finally, it was full council this week. A busy but enjoyable day, where my motion to assess budgets for impact and action on sustainability passed! It will give councillors the tools to flag up potential negative impacts of their budget proposals, help address them and also make the most of opportunities to improve our residents lives. Check out all the action on South Lanarkshire Committee YouTube.
