South Lanarkshire Council to Vote on Space to Play

Scottish Green councillor, Kirsten Robb (East Kilbride East), is calling for more action on play when she brings the Space to Play campaign to a full meeting of South Lanarkshire Council this Wednesday 8th March.

The campaign arose when community surveys in Kirsten’s ward highlighted the community’s wish for more spaces for young people to play. Since then Kirsten and the campaign have worked together to re-open multi-use games areas adjacent to schools outwith school hours, improve play parks and kickabout areas, secure funding for pitches and litter pick woodlands to improve play spaces.

If the motion passes a full vote of South Lanarkshire Council, it will result in:

• The importance of play and listening to children and young peoples views being understood, valued and acted on in policies and practice on the ground;
• Support for a play strategy to improve play opportunities, after the council completes work with communities to assess the sufficiency of open spaces and local play opportunities;
• Developing a programme to renew play parks, improving accessibility and inclusivity;
• Working with local people to enhance local greenspaces and woodlands for play by improving access, removing hazardous waste and increasing biodiversity;
• Developing other low / no cost and community action to improve play;
• Working with partners, including community-led initiatives, to assess the opportunities and benefits to open up more play assets in a managed way;
• Work with communities and agencies to address any anti-social behaviour affecting play at a local level, bringing local people together to find solutions.

“I’m bringing this motion to the council so the importance of play is understood, valued and acted upon. It’s one of my community’s top priorities and it’s been great to see the difference the campaign has made already to children’s health, learning and development. Play organisations, individuals and families have been involved in the campaign and drawing up the motion so I’m really hoping councillors back it. Taking action to ensure children’s right to play and to be heard on these issues is essential and will result in South Lanarkshire becoming a more play positive area.”

Cllr Kirsten Robb

We can’t do this without your help!

We are asking you to email your councillors to ask them to support the motion. You can find your councillors here. We’ve created an email to make the task as simple as possible (this link will open your email client) all you need to do is enter the address and names.

Come join us

Outside South Lanarkshire Council Headquarters, Almada St, Hamilton, at 9:15 – 9:45am on Wednesday 8th March for some fun and games and to talk to councillors about the importance of play, and to ask them to support the motion.

Or join the South Lanarkshire Branch of the Scottish Greens. Help build our next motion, build support, raise funds and help us work towards a Greener Fairer Scotland