Pollokshields Community Council is proud and delighted to support and sponsor the Ready Steady Grow! event in Pollokshields on Sunday 27 July.

This is the first of what will become an annual event celebrating the gardens, community green spaces and the environment of Pollokshields - the first, best and biggest planned garden suburb in the UK.

The event will take place from 12noon until 4.00pm with a ceilidh from 7.30pm in St Albert’s Church, Albert Drive. There will be activities and events all around Pollokshields, including Maxwell Park, Leslie Street, East Pollokshields Quad and the St Andrews Drive Deck-Access flats.

Fancy a guided heritage walk, a hanging basket or window box workshop, plant sales, wildlife conservation, street theatre, face-painting, break-dancing or just a nice cup of tea…then get along this Sunday to Ready Steady Grow!

Click here for more information: Ready Steady Grow!

Local volunteers and I are currently delivering my Annual Report throughout the Pollokshields Ward. As your local Councillor I am keen to regularly keep in touch with local residents through emails, letters and leaflets. I feel one of the best ways to keep in touch is through an Annual Report detailing the major issues I have been working on over the past twelve months. I hope you find my Annual Report interesting, useful and informative. Look out for a copy landing on your doormat soon, but please click below for an electronic version of my latest leaflet.

Pollokshields Intouch Annual Report 

The results are in and the Conservatives gained 256 new councillors and 12 new councils throuhgout England and Wales. Labour lost 331 councillors and 9 councils.

In the London Assembly the Conservatives won 11 seats to Labour’s 8. And, of course, Boris Johnson is the new Mayor of London!

The BBC projects the Conservatives won 44% of the vote and Labour came third with only 24% of the vote. These are the worst results for Labour for forty years. Well done Gordon Brown! If a general election were held tomorrow David Cameron would win by a landslide and we would finally get the change we need.

You may not have heard but the Conservatives won the Abbey ward by-election in Scotland. This is the first victory for the Conservatives under the new STV electoral system. Well done Mike Thomson who gained over 2000 votes and joins the Conservative group on Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Bring on the general election…

Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra will entertain with traditional Scottish fiddle music on Tuesday 22 April 2008 at 7.30pm in Sherbrooke St Gilbert’s Parish Church. Price: £5

Rev Tom Pollock has organised an arts and music festival on the 21st to 23rd of April in Sherbrooke St Gilbert’s Church, Nithsdale Road, Pollokshields.

If you’re in the area pop along on one of these days to hear and see great art. A small charge is payable but well worth it. I will soon post details of the programme but flyers are available in the local shops at Kildrostan St/Nithsdale Road as well as in the library.

Click Save Pollok Park for a copy of the presentation at April 2nd’s public meeting.

Hat tip: Richard Leyton

Hope you like the new look. Felt it was time for a change, as they say. Want it to be easy to read; picture is of Maxwell Park; and links are now on the left.

A meeting is being held on Wednesday April 2 at 8pm in Pollokshields Burgh Hall.

The following fourteen councillors voted to approve the Go Ape planning application:

George Redmond – Lab – Calton

Jonathan Findlay – Lab – Drumchapel/Anniesland

Shaukat Butt – Lab – Govan

Elizabeth Cameron – Lab – Garscadden/Scotstounhill

Frank Docherty – Lab – East Centre

Alex Glass – Lab – Greater Pollok

Jean McFadden – Lab – Garscadden/Scotstounhill

Catherine McMaster – Lab – North East

William O’Rourke – Lab – Greater Pollok

Paul Rooney – Lab – Garscadden/Scotstounhill

George Ryan – Lab – Shettleston

Iris Gibson – SNP – Craigton

Jahangir Hanif – SNP – Southside Central

John McLaughlin – SNP – Shettleston

They don’t listen to 900 formal public objections or a 4000 signature petition or the fact that community councils, MSPs, the National Trust, the Burrell architects and Maxwell family either formally objected or raise concerns. They don’t care about the environmental impact on the North Wood or the negative impact on the Burrell Museum. They don’t care about the impact on natural wild life, plant life or trees.

I would also point out that Councillor Steven Curran (Lab – Newlands/Auldburn) and Councillor Colin Deans (SNP – Newlands/Auldburn), who are both councillors for the ward which covers Pollok Country Park, spoke in favour of the application at the hearing. Councillor Deans’ contribution (more like a rant really) was nothing short of shocking. I was absolutely disgusted by his remarks. I am sure whoever my Party selects as the candidate for Newlands/Auldburn at the next local elections will remind voters of this.

The following councillors voted against the proposal:

David Meikle - Conservative – Pollokshields

Margot Clark - Lib Dem - Linn

Craig McKay - SNP - Anderston/City

James McNally- Lab - Newlands/Auldburn

George Roberts- SNP - Hillhead

Kieran Wild - Green - Canal

Not sure really what to make of Councillor McNally voting against. The cynic in me says it is for purely political reasons, ie to save his skin at the next election. But heh he may just have a brain unlike his 11 Labour colleagues who were going to vote this through come what may. Totally underhand and shows democracy is alive and well in Glasgow City Chambers!!!!!!

I would urge you to now write to your local MSP and regional MSPs. The application will be referred to Scottish Government Ministers.

The Planning Applications Committee voted 14 to 6 to grant the Go Ape planning application. I was one of six councillors to vote against the proposal to erect a high wire adventure facility in the North Wood of Pollok Country Park. I have since resigned from the committee.

My quote to the press in full (March 25 2008):

“Following today’s outrageous decision to approve Go Ape I can no longer sit as a member of the Planning Committee. Go Ape is a fantastic facility but will, in my opinion, have a detrimental impact on the North Wood and the Burrell Collection.

“The proposal my fellow councillors approved today is just a step too far and unlike the 14 councillors who approved this scheme I have listened to my constituents, to the people of Glasgow and the Save Pollok Park group, who made a convincing argument against the application at today’s hearing. This is why I have resigned from the Committee.”