Following the Community Council Elections in October 2002, the Community Council reformed in November 2002. The office bearers were elected at the next meeting and were as follows:
Chair : Joan Highton
Secretary : Tim McLean
Treasurer : Ian Kerry.
We are grateful to our Black Mount Social Group for organising our social calendar in such an efficient and enjoyable way. The Senior Citizen's Christmas Dinner was held in Elsrickle Hall. Everyone had an excellent meal followed by first class entertainment. The Sports Evening was good fun for the energetic and spectators alike. The Sponsored Walk again raised funds in excess of our expectations and the afternoon tea quickly replaced all the calories expended en route. On Wednesday evening we will enjoy the Bonfire and Fireworks display, which I know will live up to all our expectations. We thank every individual for their role in making our events such a success.
The Community Council has been involved
in a number of projects of public interest.
It will come as no surprise that a lot of time and effort have been put into
trying to get South Lanarkshire Council to maintain our rural roads more effectively.
Members of the Community Council met with representatives of Roads and Transportation
Services in September to further this issue. Many subsequent contacts have been
made and will continue until we are satisfied with the condition of our roads.
They also agreed to consult on the replacement of street lights in Elsrickle
and we look forward to this happening in the new financial year.
We now deliver around 400 Bugles. We thank Dr Andrew Highton and Mr Ian Kerry for their commitment and diligence in the production of this.
We continue to play and active part in the Upper Clydesdale Community Alliance. This group which represents the rural Community Councils and Groups has gone from strength to strength during this year. The Chair in Mrs Irene Miller of Carnwath Community Council. Mrs Highton is Vice Chair and is a member of UCCA's Executive Committee.
We continue to press South Lanarkshire Council to produce an up to date Upper Clydesdale Local Plan and have as a statutory consultee responded to many proposed planning issues in our area. We thank the Planning Sub-committee for the thorough and detailed responses they have made on our behalf and in particular Mr Chris Miller who has chaired this sub group in a fair and thorough way.
We have continued to press the appropriate authorities to improve the provision of public transport in our area. We were sorry to see the cessation of the Elsrickle Post Bus in August this year and have on behalf of Elsrickle residents who used the service regularly lobbied both SPT and The Post Office to reinstate this service. We have approached SPT on a number of occasions about the 800 Ring and Ride Service to improve the level of service offered. I am sure this is an issue in which we will remain actively involved in the future.
We were concerned to discover Scottish Water digging holes earlier this year and wrote to request an explanation. On discovering that a significant change was proposed to the water supply for both Dolphinton and Elsrickle, we were pleased that, at short notice, representatives of Scottish Water were willing to come to Black Mount to listen to the concerns of local people at a public meeting held at the beginning if June. Scottish Water agreed that they should consult local communities before changes are implemented and listened carefully as members of the public explained their worries about a chlorinated water supply and the recent flooding in the area. The Community Council will continue to reflect these issues as identified by local residents.
We have been concerned about the speed of Aggregate lorries passing through our villages and have submitted a bid for funding from their Environment Fund to pay for flashing speed signs in our villages. SLC has agreed to install these if we are successful in our bid.
I thank all members of the Community Council, present and retired, for their
support, advice, hard work and commitment over the past year.
Joan Highton
December 2003