New leader plots course
John Ross settles into South Lanarkshire role
The newly-elected leader of South Lanarkshire Council wants to change the local authority’s direction.
Hamilton South SNP councillor John Ross also has plans to allow webcams into council meetings.
He said that there is a perception things are done at South Lanarkshire Council behind closed doors.
The newly-elected leader of South Lanarkshire Council says the local authority needs to“change direction”as he aims to make it more transparent.
Councillor John Ross is hoping to open the council up to residents, with plans even extending to allowing webcams into meetings.
The SNP’S Hamilton South councillor has also set his sights on his party’s administration achieving a gender balance within the local authority, and finding the right mix of newlyelected and experienced councillors on committees.
He said: “There’s a lot we want to achieve in the first 100 days. There is a perception that things are done behind closed doors, and we need to change direction and be completely transparent and accountable. I want to look at opening committee meetings to the public, for example, and installing webcams and doing a lot more on social media.
“We are working on filling around 96 positions in committees at the moment, and I want to find the right gender balance, and the right balance between new and experienced councillors.
“We’ve been looking at particular skill sets and where people wanted to be initially. We might not always have the most experienced person in the role, but they’ll be in the best position to push it forward.”
The SNP won a historic victory in South Lanarkshire at last month’s council elections – their first since the local authority was established. But despite the SNP becoming the largest party, they fell short of the 33 positions required for overall control.
On forming a minority administration, Councillor Ross said: “The very first thing I did when I became leader was write to each party and ask for a chat with them.
“The response I got mostly was that they would look at each issue on an issueby-issue basis. My aim is to get as many of our policies through as possible.”
A Hamilton man at heart, Councillor Ross has lived in the town for four decades, and has been involved with the SNP for just as long.
He said: “I have lived in the Hamilton South ward for 40 years, and my children, both now in their 30s, were born and brought up in the ward too.
“I was the first SNP councillor in South Lanarkshire way back in 1974, having been involved with the party since around 1971/72. I worked initially as an engineer and draftsman in Clydebank, and then I ran two newsagents in Hamilton – one on Silvertonhill Avenue and the other at Cadzow Bridge. We were so busy I had 22 paperboys working for me at one point.
“I was even in a ‘content’ panel in the Hamilton Advertiser back then – I still have a copy of that paper!”
When asked about the SNP group’s promise to review parking charges in Hamilton – a frequently-raised issue among Advertiser readers – Councillor Ross said discussions had started.
He added: “We’ve already had a meeting and set up a sub-group to look at parking in Hamilton town centre. We have also joined our communities and enterprise resources committees, and I hope that will help.
“One of our proposals is to open up the town centre again, but more issues and ideas will be coming forward to planning meetings over the coming weeks. But from a personal point of view, I wouldn’t like to see people having to pay and display in advance.”
Councillor Ross also spoke about the recent Hamilton town centre public consultation, ‘Our Town, Your Voice’, which as well as parking, also highlighted issues with empty shop units.
He commented: “We were all involved in that, so will try hard to bring it to fruition.
“We have new people on the BID (Business Improvement District) and I want to look at positive ways to move forward, perhaps new rates and different ways of bringing people in.”
Councillor Ross was elected into Hamilton South in 2015 after predecessor Angela Crawley stood down following her election as MP for Lanark and Hamilton East in 2015.
Asked if he had aspirations to stand as an MP or MSP one day, Councillor Ross quipped: “I’ve only got aspirations to live! At the age of 70, I’m just deeply honoured to hold this position.
“To be elected as first group leader and then leader of the authority is just over the top, absolutely magnificent.
“I want to do my absolute best, and I believe I can devote myself to it now that I’m retired.”
To be elected as first group leader and then leader of the authority is just over the top, absolutely magnificent