Readers' letters

SAVE OUR PARKS

Dear Ed, – Although I stay in Biggar, I know from recent stories in your paper that many of your readers enjoy and value their local parks and greenspaces such as Law park and Glenafeaoch Rd skatepark and want to see them in the best possible condition.

I am sure that they will be as dismayed as I am to learn that the council is considering removing funding for maintenance of small parks and play areas in order to channel the money into "honeypot" parks such

as Chatelherault and Calderglen.

While I appreciate that council budgets are currently very tight, the savings (if any) resulting from this change would be small as the total budget for park maintenance is currently only about 300,000 a year (which equates to about 8.50 per child). The main motivation for the proposal seems to be the funds which could be raised by selling off the land occupied by play areas.

This is akin to the Thatcher Government selling off school playing fields which has left a legacy of inactivity and obesi ty with associated health costs.

Poorer families who could not afford to travel to the "honeypot" parks or buy expensive play equipment for their gardens (assuming they have access to gardens large enough to accommodate it) would be disprotionately disadvantaged by the proposal.

The proposal also ignores the various other benefits of good quality parks and greenspace which include: improving mental health, supporting biodiversity, providing a resource for out of classroom learning (which is being promoted by the new Curriculum for Excellence), providing a venue for social interaction, reducing flood risk by soaking up heavy rainfall and cooling urban areas in summer.

A further proposal is to charge for use of parks. Given that many parks or the equipment in them are held for the "common good" or have been purchased by community initiatives it is difficult to see how this charge could be justified, even if it were practical and cost effective to fence off areas and pay staff to collect fees.

Closing parks is not the answer to lack of cash. By working with communities the council can tap into grant funding and harness community effort to ensure that parks are brought up to standard event while budgets are tight.

Parks are important to people and it is important that local residents make their views on this ill-thought out proposal known by contacting their councillor or Ian Guild, Head of Fleet and Land Services in Hamilton.

Perhaps there is also a case for "Friends of the Park" groups across Lanarkshire getting together to campaign on this issue. – Yours etc.,

DR JANET MOXLEY,

Chair Friends of Burnbraes Park,

Biggar.

SCHOOLS CAN'T CLOSE

Dear Ed, – Please add my name to those who are objecting to the closure of rural schools.

My particular interest lies with Libberton Primary School near Biggar, but the arguments in favour of keeping this school open are the same for many.

A primary school attracts families to an area. Libberton Primary School serves the villages of Libberton and Quothquan and the surrounding area.

If the school closes, young families with children are less likely to live in the area.

The long term consequence of this is that the area will have an out-of-

balance population distribution.

The need to subsidise rural areas is well documented to ensure that we do not "sterilise" our countryside and maintain our diversity.

Once a school has closed, it is very unlikely to re-open. We have been able to sustain our rural schools for many years and should not take a "knee-jerk" reaction due to a relatively short-lived public spending deficit.

I know that many in our community feel the same as I do. And it is very frustrating that something like this is being considered which is directly against the wishes of the local community.

I hope that your ability to pull communities together will help influence people in a way which individuals like myself feel powerless to do. – Yours etc,

DR PAUL J DOBIE,

Quothquan,

Biggar.

MAKE SURE OF VOTING

Dear Ed, – Next year will see Scottish Parliamentary elections and a proposed referendum on the voting system for UK Parliament elections taking place on May 5 2011.

Now is the time for readers to make sure they have returned the annual canvass forms sent out in the past few months.

By filling in and returning this form you can ensure you will be on the

electoral register for next year's polls.

It's also a good time to think about whether you will be able to get to the polling place in person on May 5 and apply for a postal or proxy vote if not.

Our website, www.aboutmyvote.co.uk < http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk> , has lots of information about the annual canvass and forthcoming elections and referendums.

I do hope your readers will find it both interesting and informative in the run-up to next year's Scottish Parliament elections. – Yours etc,.

ANDY O'NEILL

Head of Scotland Office,

The Electoral Commission,

Thistle Street,

Edinburgh.