Lanark councillors appeal to Scottish Government over threat to town’s heritage

THE rich and ancient heritage of Lanark is now under such dire threat, a direct appeal has been made to the Scottish Government to step in and save it.

By The Newsroom

Published 8th Apr 2013, 09:00 BST

So urgent is the need for rescue, the town’s three councillors have put all political differences aside to write what amounts to a joint `begging letter’ to Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop with a `shopping list’ of nationally-important historic sites in and around the burgh in need of govermnent help.

The minster has now replied, assuring the councillors that she is `on the case’ but offering little, if any, extra assistance.

In what is thought to be an unprecedented show of town unity, the letter to the minister was signed by all three South Lanarkshire councillors for Lanark, namely Vivienne Shaw (SNP), Ed Archer (Independent) and Catherine McClymont (Labour).

They wrote: “As the locally elected councillors, we are writing collectively to ask for support from the Scottish Government in order to conserve and protect a number of buildings and sites within the Lanark and New Lanark areas.”