East Kilbride Alliance Party Statements of Intent

 

Listening

  • Listen to the people of East Kilbride District.
  • Consider their views and where possible give them full support at all times.
  • Consult people through regular surveys and also encourage them to express their views on our web site,www.ekalliance.org

 

Planning & Industry

  • Return to the original concept of East Kilbride which was sympathetically planned with appropriate provision for industrial development, residential development, green space development, shopping development and adequate and appropriate health facilities in all residential areas of the town.
  • Work with local groups to encourage inward investment in East Kilbride.
  • We will oppose any asset stripping of East Kilbride District.
  • Actively encourage the redevelopment of industrial brownfield sites before developing on the green belt.
  • Support existing industry and encourage it to expand.
  • Encourage and refurbish the modernisation of existing properties to make them more attractive to inward investment.
  • Encourage small business with incentives
  • Encourage environmentally sensitive industrial development

Open Space

  • Preserve & promote a variety of open green spaces and recreational facilities within the town and its surrounding area to benefit all the people of East Kilbride and its surrounding villages.
  • Oppose any loss of green space unless in exceptional circumstances
  • Ensure all leisure & play facilities are properly and safely maintained.

Education

  • Preserve existing schools and special needs schools and their sites as long as it is viable to do so but ensure that the PPI Agreements are fit for purpose.
  • Ensure that there is a primary school in every neighbourhood area of East Kilbride.  At present there are no primary schools in Stewartfield or Lindsayfield.
  • Continue to review the current secondary school provision to ensure that there are adequate places and resources for all pupils.

Housing

  • Encourage various agencies as well as SLC to build affordable housing to buy or rent.
  • Encourage a variety of ways in which young people can acquire property.
  • Give priority to the young people who have lived in East Kilbride District for most of their lives.
  • Up-grade current sheltered housing stock and build more if needed for the older people in the town who helped to make East Kilbride successful.

 Town Centre

  • Oppose any further development of the Town Centre while large areas within in are still under occupied.
  • Encourage a diversity of smaller shops within the Town Centre with greater incentives.  This could include a variety of markets.
  • Sympathetically improve the appearance of the current town centre especially beside the bus station.
  • Campaign for free car parking at Hunter Health Centre for all users of the Health Centre.
  • Campaign for free car parking at the Town Centre as a way of revitalisating the Town Centre.

 Youth Policy

  • East Kilbride Alliance will actively promote a campaign to provide heavily subsidised use of facilities to organised youth groups if they can demonstrate that the money saved would be used to good effect. For instance, offering their resources to more young people, purchasing equipment or training volunteers Kevin to rewrite.

Transport/Rural Affairs

  • Encourage bus companies to use radial routes which are quicker and more efficient so that people will take the bus rather than the car including developing Park & Ride facilities.
  • Develop Park & Ride facilities for train users at both stations.

Carers/ Special Needs/Older People

  • East Kilbride Alliance pledges to review the current situation in sheltered accommodation for the elderly, ensuring that the elderly receive improved support by increasing the number of ALERT responders in each area of the town. We are opposed to any further cut backs in the warden service at sheltered housing.
  • East Kilbride Alliance will consult with families affected by disability or carers of elderly or chronic ill to find out their needs and will instigate the creation of a Carers Forum which would meet regularly with the council to discuss the needs of carers and families.