Penny-pinching decision to axe crossing patrols
It was a sad day a couple of weeks ago for the residents of my area of the town.
Our local lollipop man Jim McCulloch safely saw his last schoolchildren across the road at Stewartfield Crescent after nine years of dedicated service.
SNP-led South Lanarkshire Council, in their wisdom, decided that there was no longer a need for Jim’s services in Stewartfied.
This comes just months after it looked like his job had been saved after I helped campaign against the council’s plans to slash over 20 lollipop jobs.
Jim has been an ever-present safety net for the pupils and parents who have crossed the busy road to get to and from school.
Recently I have been contacted by concerned parents about Jim and other crossing patrols being removed from very busy junctions. SLC should remember they were put there for a reason – child safety.
One parent contacted me that within days of their local lollipop man being removed there was a near miss with one of the pupils nearly being hit with a car near the school.
This decision is an accident waiting to happen.
It is just penny pinching from the council. Jim and his fellow patrols are out in all weathers three times a day to make sure that pupils get to and from school safely.
I have contacted SLC on many occasions about this decision; sadly it all appears to have fallen on deaf ears. You have to ask what price do the leaders of the SNP council put on children’s lives.
Meanwhile, housing is an emotive topic – everyone aspires to have a home, be it in the rented sector or buying their own dwelling.
For that to be achievable, the need for new affordable housing has never been more critical. People have a right to expect a roof over their head in Scotland in this day and age.
The First Minister said in 2015 Simpson MSP took part in the ‘Classic Challenge’ recently
that “making sure that everyone has a safe, warm and affordable home is central to our government’s drive to make this country fairer and more prosperous.”
I could count on one hand the amount of times I agree with Nicola Sturgeon, but on this very rare occasion I couldn’t agree more with her.
Sadly, it’s another promise she has failed to keep.
Ruth Davidson has called for more new towns like East Kilbride; not just bolting on more housing estates to towns and cities that are at breaking point with their creaking infrastructure.
We also need to engage with residents. Planning is done TO communities and not BY communities so community engagement has to mean just that.
Also, the construction industry is often the weather vein of how the economy is doing.
It’s simple economics – building houses creates jobs, jobs create disposable income. It really is a win-win situation if done correctly.
Yes, we will always need bricklayers, joiners and plumbers but we also need IT specialists, system networkers, designers, engineers and many more skills that can transfer across many industries.
Again let us be bold, let’s start before further education and engage youngsters – and I mean boys and girls – at school level. Let’s show them what a great trade construction is to make a career of and the rewards it has to offer.
Finally, I, like every politician at one time or another, have been told to get on my bike and recently I did just that when I took part in The Pedal for Scotland bike ride.
Since its inauguration in 1999, it has now become Scotland’s biggest bike event and I proudly finished the ‘Classic Challenge’ 45-mile ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh.
I’m already looking forward to next year so why not join me? It was great fun and also a brilliant way to get out in the fresh air and get fit.
I have contacted SLC.. sadly it all appears to have fallen on deaf ears.