Cleansing and housing issues top of agenda
STRUAN STEWART, 20, is a student living in accommodation close to Blythswood Square.
He said: “The area is good because it’s all pedestrianised. It’s easy to walk around.
“The subway system is really good too, especially for students.
“For people moving here or that don’t know the area very well, I think there should be more information about public transport and information boards suggesting what to do.
“I won’t be voting in the election.” YASMIN FLYNN, 28, a cinema worker, said: “The buzz its got here is great.
“On the other hand, there’s a lot of homeless people. I feel like the number has increased exponentially.
“When it’s getting to the point like this, there’s something wrong.
“I think homelessness needs to be addressed but I don’t know how much control the council has over it, it’s more to do with the economy. Anything they could do to combat that like getting them indoors and making sure they’re warm would be good.”
THE diversity of the Anderston/City Centre war d poses a challenge for those tasked with addressing the needs of constituents.
Spanning from the city centre, Cowcaddens, Garnethill, Townhead, Broomielaw and Finnieston, it includes some of the most and least deprived areas in Glasgow, according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
More than half of the population are aged between 16 and 24-yearsold – more than two and a half times the city average.
Additionally, the area has the highest number of licensed premises in the city, representing just over a third of the city’s total number.
The majority of constituents own or privately rent their homes while around a quarter of the area’s residents live in socially rented accommodation.
Figures, and the influx of student accommodation, has led to calls for more social housing to help the most deprived areas.
MSP Sandra White for North Kelvin has suggested that the city is being “swamped” by developments for student flats while current student residents, are being linked to the already existing cleansing issues.
Lee Grant, of the Yorkhill and Kelvingrove community council, said: “Landlords are illegally fly-tipping and leaving pieces of furniture left behind by students on the street.
“The city council needs a process in dealing with commercial waste and the fact that there’s bins all over. We need a better process for picking up bulk uplifts.
“They need to focus on slowing down the student mix and on getting on more social housing for the families.
“We need more emphasis on services like doctors and dentists.
“We feel like we’re saturated with students so we want to see a shift towards more importance on families.”
Wendy Shaw, of the community council, added: “I would like the City Council to work smarter, lean- er and in a joined up way – Planning, Licensing, DRS, LES etc. I believe that the City Council is not currently achieving its side of the bargain in terms of adequate service provision across the board.”
Cleansing is also a hot topic among locals and business owners.
In Finnieston, waste being left on the street is concerning small businesses who feel like it might have a negative impact on the number of visitors.
Kirsty Webb, owner of the Hidden Lane Tearoom, Argyle Street, said: “There’s a lot of great things about the area.
“People are moving here because of what we have to offer and the variety gives it a buzz but there’s still things that need to be done to make it more inviting.
“The road outside needs resurfaced. There’s a lot that can be done to make it look prettier in terms of flowers, greenery to make it more attractive. The pavements and roads are so ripped up.” MARTYN BELLSHAW, of Anderston Community Action, believes that one of the biggest issues in the ward is a lack of social housing.
He said: “There are still housing waiting lists.
“People are also unable to get on the housing ladder.
“They can’t get a property in the area they grew up in, they have to move away.
“Schools budgets are being cut, local resources are being cut.
“We really need to be addressing that, and the reasons for it.”