Watson wants pride restored
East Kilbride councillor takes on role
The new chair of East Kilbride’s area committee insists he wants to restore pride in his home town.
Councillors gathered for the first meeting of the new administration following last month’s South Lanarkshire Council elections with East Kilbride West SNP councillor David Watson at the helm.
He outlined the direction he wants to take the area committee and spoke about his hopes for the future as the original new town celebrates its 70th anniversary.
“I was delighted to chair the first meeting of the East Kilbride area committee,” said Councillor Watson after the forum had concluded last Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to chair the first meeting of your home town.
“My first aim is to try and move the area committee forward and generate more interest through greater community involvement and engagement.
“I would like to see more reports come to us about specifically what’s happening in East Kilbride from council departments, outside bodies as well as the third sector.
“This gives councillors more access to information about what groups and organisations in the town are doing.
“That’s very much how I would like to see the area committee function in the future.”
Cllr Watson said he and his colleagues must lead from the front when it comes to promoting East Kilbride – and he hopes to bring the electorate with them.
“It may be a cliché,” he said. “But it’s about having ‘pride in East Kilbride’.
“And as councillors, we need to try and restore some of that feelgood factor in the town – not always feel as if we are in second place.
“But the community has to buy into that as well.”
The long-standing councillor admits there are local authority-wide remits they have to adhere to.
However, he wants to see the area committee become more relevant to the people of East Kilbride.
“The whole council has a challenge with its finances,” Cllr Watson acknowledged.
“But here in East Kilbride we have a fantastic community that can rise to the challenges we face.
“If I am being honest, there are facilities in the town which have become a bit tired and we will look at seeing how we can modernise and improve on them.
“But on the flip side we do have some fantastic modern facilities in the town.”
There has been plenty of time for nostalgia given East Kilbride’s special birthday this summer but Cllr Watson is also keen to look forward.
He said: “Events are happening for East Kilbride’s 70th anniversary which look at the heritage of the town.
“And while it is important to look at the history we have, I also want to very much look to the future and see where that will take us.”