Janet Campbell - Broxburn, Uphall & Winchburgh Ward
UPHALL COMMUNITY WOODLAND IMPROVEMENT
The Uphall Community Woodland, adjacent to Thomson Grove and west of the Ecclesmachan Road, is currently being improved. The improvements will include planting of additional broadleaf trees and species of wild flowers. Paths will be widened and improvements carried out to the entrances to the woodlands.
Cold Calling Control Zones
Uphall is now a Cold Calling Control Zone thanks to the work of the Uphall Community Council who delivered leaflets advising of the scheme to all households in Uphall.
A Cold Calling Control Zone is an area that has been designated by the residents as a zone where they understand and expect an agreed protocol from doorstep callers.
Residents are given leaflets and door stickers that explain what is to be expected and what they can do to reduce the risk from Bogus Callers or Rogue Traders.
Uphall Gala Day
Thanks to the organisers of last years Gala Day for the invitation to take part and to the hundreds of people who turned out to support the Gala.
Hopefully this years weather will be as good as last year when the Gala Day is held on Saturday 13th July 2009.
Uphall to share in £5M Improvement Scheme
Traditional town centres in West Lothian are set to enjoy a £5 million boost.
SNP controlled West Lothian Council has pledged £600,000 this year towards improving the area's five traditional town centres in Armadale, Bathgate, Broxburn/Uphall, Linlithgow and Whitburn.
All five will share a £526,000 budget for 2008/2009 to upgrade their town centres, with local Councillors approving improvement schemes for their own wards.
Council Leader Peter Johnston said: " I'm delighted to announce such a substantial investment in West Lothian's traditional town centres. The traditional town centres are at the heart of local communities, and this investment will play a major role in continuing to improve their environments for the benefit of everyone”.
The funding is the first stage of a significant ten year programme, which will see £5 million invested to help revitalise the towns.
Uphall South Parish Church awarded £1000
SNP led West Lothian Council has approved a grant of £1000 to Uphall South Parish Church to provide accessible toilet and kitchen facilities in a church hall extension. The award will also help audio and visual assistance equipment to be installed in the main hall.
The award is being handed out from the West Lothian Access Fund
More Police Officers for West Lothian
West Lothian Council controlled by SNP/Save St. Johns Councillors have put in place funding for an additional 15 police officers. There will also be another 6 officers transferred to the West Lothian area. As a result there will now be a Neighbourhood Response Team created for each multi member ward throughout West Lothian including the Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh area.
Nearly £200,00 of improvements to School and Community Centre
SNP led West Lothian Council have announced £191,000 to be spent in improvements and repairs to the Uphall Primary school and community centre.
This five-year programme will see the following amounts spent:
Uphall Primary £181,000
Uphall Community Centre £10,000
Capital Credit Union
The Capital Credit Union is open at the Strathbrock Partnership Centre on Thursdays from 10am to 12pm. The service includes advice on credit union benefits, savings, low interest loans and insurance.
Capital Credit Union is a ‘live and work’ credit union and is able to accept membership applications from anyone living or working within Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Scottish Borders.
Democratic, member owned and controlled financial services co-op.
For more information visit www.capitalcreditunion.com/
or telephone 0131 225 9901
Commuters complaints put to First Bus Senior Managers
Myself and a number of fellow councillors including Councillor Martyn Day, who is the Executive Councillor for Transport met with senior mangers of First Bus including Managing Director Jane Desmond to discuss ongoing problems associated with their services . We highlighted especially the problems of commuters on the A89 corridor, high fares, overcrowding, service frequency and reliability. We were assured that most of the problems were in the processed of being resolved and it was agreed that there would be regular dialogue between First Bus and West Lothian Council.
I have also personally written to Mr W. Campbell, Operations Director with Lothian Buses, to request a re-instatement of the service that Lothian Buses provided for commuters in West Lothian in the 1990’s.
Unfortunately, due to the unprofitability of the routes operated at that time, he therefore has no current plans to extend their network into West Lothian. He has, however, indicated and I quote “I will bear your request in mind in case, at some point, commercial prospects are promising enough for us to review our position”.
