RURAL communities cannot be ignored as South Lanarkshire Council tackles problems in urban districts.
Councillor Alex Allison, the leader of the county’s Conservative Group, challenged proposals to leave Clydesdale out of new neighbourhood planning arrangements.
At a meeting of the council’s executive committee on Wednesday (28 June), he led opposition calls for the authority to empower rural communities as well as those in bigger towns and cities.
The concerns led to cross-party support for measures to identify and respond to issues holding areas back.
He said: “We need to recognise small and remote communities experience many of the same problems that impact bigger towns and city suburbs.
“Unemployment, poverty, poor quality housing, low education attainment, and ill health all affect people living in rural communities.
“The new neighbourhood planning areas are intended to help places experiencing these sort of issues, so it was disappointing to see that none will be created in Clydesdale.
“There was a very clear message from councillors that rural communities must not miss out on new ways of working just because they are spread over larger distances.”
Neighbourhood planning areas are intended to bring together residents, businesses and officials.
By working together they would be able to identify how people use existing services, with a joined-up approach to help ensure support available from various agencies has a better impact on the ground.
Cllr Allison’s concern that no community in Clydesdale would be included in the new neighbourhood planning areas received cross-party support.
In response, the minority SNP administration proposed the creation of a rural working group to focus on the needs of small and remote communities, which was unanimously approved by the executive committee.
Cllr Allison said: “It’s important this council delivers for the whole of South Lanarkshire.
“I’m glad members from the other parties agreed with our concerns about rural areas potentially missing out, and that the administration responded by proposing a new rural working group to focus on their needs.
“The Conservative Group has been clear we will be an effective and responsible opposition that takes a constructive approach to every issue.
“It is about putting the needs of the public first. This is a clear example of how by working with others we can achieve positive things for our communities.”