Greenhills youth leader to stand for Solidarity
Community activist and youth group leader John Park has been selected to stand in the local council elections as a candidate for Solidarity.
The 51-year-old grandad will be standing in East Kilbride South’s Ward 6 which incorporates Greenhills, Whitehills, Lindsayfield and the Owen Avenue area of The Murray.
Originally from Calderwood, John moved to Greenhills aged eight and apart from travelling with his work as a shop fitter, has lived in the area ever since.
He has four children and four grandchildren.
John has been involved in youth work for the past 20 years, including football coaching, and is currently the chair and organiser of Greenhills community youth group, Communities United Promoting Inclusion (CUPI).
The group recently led a successful campaign for a state-of-the-art play and climbing facility in the heart of Greenhills.
And last year John received a Lord Provost Award for his work in the community.
He said:“I am delighted to be selected to stand as a candidate to represent my community.
“Working with others I have managed to achieve much-needed improvements to the community and I firmly believe that, if elected, I could do so much more.
“My pledge to the people of this community is that my main focus would be to continually campaign for better services and facilities for all in the community and not just one section.
“I will not engage in political grandstanding to benefit my party when my commitment will be to Greenhills, East Kilbride South, and the people who live there.
“I will also campaign to reverse the cuts to our public services, which are having a devastating impact, while there is a council budget underspend of over £400 million across Scotland.”
John added:“I will be appealing to those who don’t normally engage in elections, the so-called‘silent majority’to use their vote for change to the status quo.
“I find it incredible that approximately only a quarter of the electorate in this ward voted in the last local government elections and the incumbent was elected with only 14 per cent.
“If elected, I will be the community’s voice in the council, not the council’s voice in the community.”