Communities and councils working together to tackle Winter!
There has been a great spirit of partnership working this winter in the WAT IF? area, on both the West Lothian and the South Lanarkshire sides!
The ‘Tarbrax Ice Busters’ is a small group of residents from Tarbrax who voluntarily formed themselves to work together to clear the side roads and pavements in the village, alongside the work that the council gritters do to clear the main roads. To help them in their task they applied to WAT IF? (Woolfords, Auchengray and Tarbrax Improvement Foundation), the local community Trust who awarded them a small grant to purchase a manual push gritter, which is now in place and helping to keep the roads clear.
Catherine McClymont, councillor for the Clydesdale North ward was happy with the progress: ‘I am pleased to hear that the WAT IF? group have taken the initiative to purchase equipment to supplement what South Lanarkshire Council can commit to. The Council will be happy to assist in any project where the Community feel they can assist in adverse weather situations. The Council have provided 2 extra grit bins in the area this year alone.’
This is a great example of communities helping themselves with council support. This is also true across the border in West Lothian, where there have been issues with the roads used to travel between the two counties. With many of the local residents travelling into West Lothian for work or leisure, the roads were becoming a major issue as being located in a high area, snow and ice accumulate quickly and the roads, being secondary priority routes, are not treated on a daily basis. WAT IF? worked with the council and a local landowner to come to a solution; WLC provides grit to Chris Pittendreig of North Cobbinshaw farm and Chris uses his own equipment to give additional treatment to the worst affected roads, whilst WLC continue their regular routes.
The WAT IF? Trust is working with both councils to ensure that they achieve the priorities in the Community Action Plan. Further details of WAT IF? and a copy of the Community Action Plan can be found at www.watif.scot.
(February 2015)
There has been a great spirit of partnership working this winter in the WAT IF? area, on both the West Lothian and the South Lanarkshire sides!
The ‘Tarbrax Ice Busters’ is a small group of residents from Tarbrax who voluntarily formed themselves to work together to clear the side roads and pavements in the village, alongside the work that the council gritters do to clear the main roads. To help them in their task they applied to WAT IF? (Woolfords, Auchengray and Tarbrax Improvement Foundation), the local community Trust who awarded them a small grant to purchase a manual push gritter, which is now in place and helping to keep the roads clear.
Catherine McClymont, councillor for the Clydesdale North ward was happy with the progress: ‘I am pleased to hear that the WAT IF? group have taken the initiative to purchase equipment to supplement what South Lanarkshire Council can commit to. The Council will be happy to assist in any project where the Community feel they can assist in adverse weather situations. The Council have provided 2 extra grit bins in the area this year alone.’
This is a great example of communities helping themselves with council support. This is also true across the border in West Lothian, where there have been issues with the roads used to travel between the two counties. With many of the local residents travelling into West Lothian for work or leisure, the roads were becoming a major issue as being located in a high area, snow and ice accumulate quickly and the roads, being secondary priority routes, are not treated on a daily basis. WAT IF? worked with the council and a local landowner to come to a solution; WLC provides grit to Chris Pittendreig of North Cobbinshaw farm and Chris uses his own equipment to give additional treatment to the worst affected roads, whilst WLC continue their regular routes.
The WAT IF? Trust is working with both councils to ensure that they achieve the priorities in the Community Action Plan. Further details of WAT IF? and a copy of the Community Action Plan can be found at www.watif.scot.
(February 2015)