Author: Cllr Cal Johnston-Dempsey
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South Lanarkshire Housing Emergency
South Lanarkshire Council has declared a housing emergency. Housing in a human right and we are at crisis point in the social rented sector. Greater capital funding from the UK Government is VITAL for us to build new council housing. I spoke today in support of a motion, amended by my SNP colleages, declaring this…
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SNP Slam Leisure and Culture Cuts
The SNP Group at South Lanarkshire Council have slammed the announcement that South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) are set to withdraw from 37 community halls and 7 libraries, saying that the cuts will have a devastating effect on communities. The SNP’s alternative budget — proposed in February but voted down by the Unionist parties…
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SNP Alternative Budget 2024
On Wednesday, as the largest party returned at the last South Lanarkshire council elections in 2022, the SNP Group once again presented an Alternative Budget to that of the coalition Administration. Yet again, Labour teamed-up with the Tories, Lib Dems, and independents to vote against the expressed wishes of the electorate. Our Alternative Budget would…
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SNP Blast ‘ANTI-DEMOCRATIC’ Labour Councils Actions
South Lanarkshire Council met on Wednesday 31st January to decide the allocation of committee members after the resignation of Councillor Mark Horsham (Clydesdale South) from the SNP group. Following the resignation, both the Labour and SNP groups have 25 members. At the meeting, the SNP Group proposed that the five vacant positions be allocated by negotiation…
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School Transport Cuts
On Monday 15th January, South Lanarkshire Council launched a consultation on increasing the qualifying distance for high school transport from 2 miles to 3 miles. The result of this is that I believe there are serious equalities risks with this change. For example, a family staying in the centre of Uddingston who send their children…
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20mph Speed Limits and Climate
I spoke this week at South Lanarkshire Road Safety Forum to convey my general support on safety grounds for 20mph speed limits in built up areas. I also raised my specific concerns around the environmental impact of any such change. Council committee reports have a standard section for climate change, sustainability and environmental implications. Too often…
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Never Again
I attended the wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial in Uddingston today where I laid a wreath on behalf of the Council. My colleagues attended to do the same at the Bothwell ceremony. Afterwards, I laid my own mark of remembrance at the Bothwell war memorial and then attended the South Lanarkshire-wide ceremony at Bothwell…
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Labour Block SNP Motion on Israel-Palestine
At a meeting of South Lanarkshire Council today, the Provost Margaret Cooper blocked an emergency motion from the SNP Group on the ongoing Middle East conflict. The SNP motion would have condemned Hamas and called for a release of all hostages and an immediate ceasefire in the region. It noted the right of Israel, in…
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SNP Question Motives for Labour Council Secrecy
Today at a meeting of South Lanarkshire Council, Councillors received a report on the outcome of the Standards Commission’s Hearing into Labour Councillor Monique McAdams. The hearing panel formally censured Councillor McAdams after it found she had leaked confidential information for “party-political or personal advantage.” The Council report detailed seven points of the Hearing Panel’s…
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SNP Blast ‘BETRAYAL’ by South Lanarkshire Labour
The South Lanarkshire SNP Group have blasted the Labour-led Council administration after they recommended the closure and sale of Red Deer Bowling Club and Westwood Community Hall in East Kilbride. Despite the best efforts of the SNP group, this proposal was lodged by the Labour group and supported by Labour and Lib Dem members. Election…