A frustrated councillor has hit out over the pace of progress on a flagship anti-poverty programme in South Lanarkshire, with child poverty rates in his ward running at three times the national average.
Councillor Demands Faster Action on Marmot Place Programme
Hamilton West and Earnock Councillor Allan Falconer voiced his concerns at Wednesday's social work committee, where an update on the Marmot Place Programme was presented. The £5 million multi-agency initiative is jointly funded by South Lanarkshire Council, NHS Lanarkshire and the Integration Joint Board, and targets child poverty and health inequalities. Burnbank in Hamilton has been identified as the area of greatest need.
Councillor Falconer pointed to North Lanarkshire as a model South Lanarkshire should follow, noting that North Lanarkshire Council had introduced free school meals during holidays for children from low-income families.
Questions Over What Has Been Achieved
“The family centre in Burnbank has been there for about 25 years. Prior to that we also had a family centre in Whitehill Civic Centre for young mothers. I’d like to know what’s actually been done,” Falconer told the committee. He added: “I’d like, as a local member, to be more involved in what’s happening.”
He also raised the closure of a foodbank in Hillhouse due to what he described as “exorbitant charges” for the venue, and lamented the loss of community workers. “When we did away with community workers, that’s where we lost it,” he insisted. “Community engagement teams don’t do the same as a community worker who worked with every group in the community — right through from the kids to the elderly.”
Council Response and Next Steps
Cambuslang West Councillor Margaret Walker, chair of the committee, said the report had been brought to the social work committee to keep elected members better informed. Council officer Aileen Murray noted: “There is wider engagement happening just now as part of this work — as part of the early years pilot — and that’s a children’s services and partnership manager and some other officers within the early years service. They’re out just now within these areas speaking to children, young people and families and parents, just to get their views. I’ll take your feedback back to the project leads in terms of maybe more local engagement, maybe specifically with the councillors that are in that area, considering that’s the area that we’re working in.” The committee noted the report.
