Category: Local interest (Page 4 of 6)

Splitting Strathbungo?

The Boundary Commission for Scotland began its 2023 Review of UK Parliament constituencies in Scotland in January 2021 and published its initial proposals in October 2021. These were open for comment for two months. One proposal directly affects Strathbungo, proposing to redraw the boundary through the middle of the Squares. In their map below, the red lines show their proposed boundary, while the blue represents the existing boundary.

You can find the details at https://www.bcs2023review.com/ – just put in your postcode to go to the relevant part of the map. You will need to use “Boundaries” tab to select the layers you want to see, e.g. old boundaries and constituency names.

The Commission is now inviting further comments  (you can comment on the previous comments, for example) and is holding public meetings in its second consultation, which runs to 23rd March 2022.

You can see the previous comments made here (use the search term “strathbungo” to find the 9 comments made) and add to them. You can attend a public meeting and ask to speak. The Glasgow meeting is at Doubletree by Hilton, 36 Cambridge Street, Glasgow G2 3HN on 23rd February 2022.  Their press release says:

“Each hearing will begin at 10am and include three sessions depending on demand. These sessions will run from 10am – 12pm, 2pm – 4pm and 6pm – 8pm.
The public are asked to email bcs@scottishboundaries.gov.uk to book a speaking slot. Please note that the Commission cannot guarantee you a speaking slot at your preferred time and you may be asked to choose a different slot or submit your representation in writing.”

If you would like to add your voice to views on the splitting of the ‘Bungo, do please contribute comments or book a slot at one of the hearings.

 

 

 

What do you want Strathbungo to look like?

You might have noticed the consultation on the neighbouring Langside, Battlefield, Mount Florida, King’s Park & Toryglen Liveable Neighbourhoods. This year it is likely to be the turn of Strathbungo and Shawlands to be consulted in this way as the Glasgow City Council works its way across the city. This is a key opportunity to tell the council what the current problems are and what our hopes and dreams for the future of Strathbungo and the surrounding area are.

If we submit our best ideas, some of them might get funded and there is also the possibility that this consultation could lead to a Local Place Plan. This would give the agreed hopes and dreams of residents the full force of planning law and so bring them about through future developments.

While this consultation is still unconfirmed and months away, the time to get thinking is now. What do you want fixed? What do you want to change? What do you want to keep? How can we build an even better Strathbungo?

Looking after private lanes

The Strathbungo Society is delighted to learn that that the City Council has made funding available for improvements to privately-owned lanes such as those here in Strathbungo. The Private Lanes Fund will have a total of £700,000 over 4 funding rounds, starting this year.

Over several years, the state of the local lanes has been a cause for concern. During the recent pandemic, they have seen an increase in footfall as pedestrians have used them in preference to our streets, where the constant traffic can make foot travel dangerous. They are also the primary route for the rubbish collection. However, there are problems with them. Many have problems with drainage, with large pools of water making them all but impassable after a few days’ rain (and this is Scotland where a few days’ rain is normal!). Along others, the surface can be very irregular and walking requires a high degree of vigilance.

Previous attempts at repairs have floundered over the level of costs involved. But a dedicated fund could provide us with possible investment in one of our community resources. The Toolkit (available on the Council website) places emphasis not just on surfaces but on protecting biodiversity and encouraging active travel, walking, jogging and cycling. How could our lanes be made safer in those circumstances for such travellers?

We are advised that detailed guidelines on the fund will be available shortly but being prepared to take early advantage of the fund could stand us in good stead. We’d like to start planning now.

The Council has suggested to us that the best approach may be to have application on a lane-by-lane basis rather that making one application covering all lanes. So we are looking to form groups around each lane to take forward making grant applications. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact chair@strathbungo.co.uk

 

Nithsdale Road rubbish

Our stretch of Nithsdale Road is a mess.

Come along to a community meeting to discuss options for keeping the street cleaner.

Saturday 22nd January 2022, 11-11.30am, outside on street at the Pollokshaws Road end of Nithsdale Road. If the weather is bad, it’ll be at The Deep End instead.

Note this is a locally organised meeting, and not a Strathbungo Society event, though the Society will continue to help where it can.

Strathbungo to Shawlands Primary School Bike Bus

A bike bus is a group of people cycling, scooting or wheeling together along a set route. Since 29th October a new bike bus has been taking primary school children from Strathbungo to Shawlands Primary School. It departs from the junction of Thorncliffe Gardens with Titwood Road at 08:30 every Friday. From Friday 3rd December there will be a new first stop at 08:25 at the Nithsdale Road phone box.

This has been loads of fun and hugely successful with about 7 families taking part each week and both children and their parents loving it. By travelling as a bunch parents can work together to keep the children safe while the children have fun with their friends and encourage each other. There is plenty of space for more parents and children from across Strathbungo to join in and we’d love to welcome you aboard the bike bus! The route is shown below and you are also welcome to join us on route.

Map showing route of school bus through Waverley Park

Route of the bike bus

This initiative was inspired by a joyful video of a similar bus in Barcelona, which should give you a good idea of how much fun this is.

It’s good fun in Glasgow too. If you’re not convinced, read more about it on Katherine Cory’s blog.

Cyclists approach the school in a group

Approaching Shawlands Primary School

If you would like to join the coordinating WhatsApp group please email strathbungoecogroup@gmail.com.

You can also follow the bus on Twitter.

Staying warm at higher gas prices

With gas prices hitting £4 a therm and the price cap at 70p a therm you might be wondering how you can improve the insulation of your home in Strathbungo. Loco Home Retrofit CIC is a new local community benefit co-op who are trying to help communities insulate.

Their launch event is at 19:30 on Wednesday 1st December https://bit.ly/loco_launch

The Strathbungo Eco Group is excited about working with Loco Home Retrofit to achieve transformative improvements in insulation and energy in Strathbungo while preserving and maintaining our wonderful architecture.

Disclaimer: In their formative stages Loco Home Retrofit have helped Strathbungo Eco Group with information events and informal advice. Various Eco Group members have benefited from professional advice (sometimes at a discount). Tom Nockolds, a Director of Loco Home Retrofit, is also a Strathbungo Eco Group and Strathbungo Society Committee member.

LocoHomeRetrofit.jpg

The Strathbungo Handbook

After a marvellously busy AGM and book launch last night, we can present to you The Strathbungo Handbook.

We have published this for our 50th anniversary and it is now on sale for £5. All the proceeds will go towards the Society’s events. It’s 32 gorgeous pages of eye-opening stories of the area, amazing photographs, a walking tour and a wonderfully illustrated pull out map. So if you want one as a souvenir or a fantastic Christmas present drop an email to sales@strathbungo.co.uk; we take PayPal, or cash or card on collection.

If you weren’t there last night, you will have missed Andrew Greg (No. 1 Moray Place) launching the book with a fantastic talk about all things Strathbungo, the 15 Minute Neighbourhood and thoughts of how we can make the area more environmentally viable (also in the book).

A huge thank you to all who came to the AGM last night. The Society can’t do the work we do without you. Thanks also to those who offered to join in the work. If you are also interested, come along to one of our meetings in the den at The Bungo on Nothsdale Road; there’s a social meeting on 14 December, and a back to business meeting on 18 January 2022. You don’t need to tell us in advance. See our calendar of events.

Moray Place greenery

A plea has been received by the Society for householders along Moray Place to manage and maintain the foliage and growth on the roadside of the black fence at the railway.

You may recall that Moray Place owners also own up to 1 metre of the ground at the railway side of the road. While this helped us argue for a set-back fence (and a good outcome on the long railings debate with Network Rail), it also means that the Moray Place owners are responsible for maintaining the shrubbery, plants and trees at the roadside, rather than the Council.

As a somewhat frustrated resident told us:

I am out every week cutting back large overhanging branches as well as sweeping and maintaining, not only my area but our whole block.

Many of the residents have said that they had no idea they had to maintain/sweep the areas in front of their own house. The Council no longer sweep Moray Place.

There has been an abundance of damaged cars recently due to vans and other traffic avoiding the railway side and veering towards the residents’ cars.

It would be helpful to all if Moray Place owners would take action to ensure the far side of the road does not restrict drivers and other users of Moray Place.

Bins!

I chatted with the guy emptying our bins this morning (doing it all by himself!), and he said the Council and unions are in discussions about the bin lorries not going down the back lanes from the end of September!!! He had no idea what arrangements would be put in place instead. Has anyone else heard anything like this? Has the Society got a contact in the Council to check this out? 😩

Society Update 21 Sep 2021

We made some enquiries. The following statement has been received from the City Council.

“We are currently reviewing all collection routes across the city, particular attention will be given to properties where the bins are presented to lanes.

This is to assess the bin presentation areas to confirm they are safe for our refuse vehicles and staff. Where issues are identified, control measures will be put in place to reduce the risks.

These measures could be advising residents to present their bins to the end of the lane or at the front of the property.

As yet there has been no decision made however once recommendations have been made, we will consider the alternatives and engage with elected members and residents affected before any changes are implemented.”

The Strathbungo Society has asked what assessments have been made of the hazards that this will produce, particularly in the Squares, with their narrow width and parking hazards, or how the measures will affect elderly or disabled residents. We await a council response.

It is also worth noting this issue has been raised by the council several times over the last 20 years, but nothing has yet come of it.

Society Update 6 Oct 2021

A further clarification was sent by the Council to the Society:

What I mean is that there are assessments done city wide, whenever required. This could be due to the change in the conditions of a lane, resulting in it not being accessible for the workforce. Possibly the underfoot conditions have become slippery, very uneven or inaccessible due to overgrown foliage etc. These are a few examples of why the assessment would be carried out. This does not mean that the service would be withdrawn. It may mean that work is required to ensure the health and safety of our teams. If there is a concern raised by a team, the area would be assessed an relevant information would be passed to whoever it relates to. I do not have any timelines on this as yet. When I say “each property is assessed on its own right” I mean each lane is assessed in its own right and any remedial works needed would be the responsibility of the residents/ owners in each property with a share of ownership of that lane.

The Society has invited a Council representative to the AGM on 16 November 2021.

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