South Lanarkshire SNP

⚖️ The Labour administration have completely abdicated their responsibilities.

👨‍👨‍👦‍👦 The SNP will always stand by the parents, carers and pupils of South Lanarkshire in the face of a dismissive Labour administration that continuously ignores the concerns of our communities.

⚠️ The Labour Leader appeared to accept that pupils may still be at risk.

📃 But his amendment removed reference to the “concerns of parents, carers and young people” and rejected a SLC-specific review of the guidance.

🫴 Instead, it handed the decision to an obscure external body that rarely meets.

🚌 The guidance used to assess ‘safe’ walking routes to school is over 20yrs old and not fit for purpose — it doesn't even require a pavement.

❌ Labour have used that document to remove school transport from over 8,000 kids.

🟡 Today we brought a motion requesting a local review.
🥀 They blocked it.

The latest school transport update 🚌👇
We have tried to get these safe walking route guidelines reviewed before, but have been denied because the process was ongoing.
Now these ridiculous bus cuts have been implemented, that excuse has gone. Follow the link to watch Wednesday's Full Council live.

The SNP in South Lanarkshire requested on multiple occasions that the guidance be reviewed, but Labour were not interested in listening to the concerns of parents and pupils.

On Wednesday, we will force a standalone vote.

CHILDREN’S ROAD SAFETY Background: Child crossing road with parent SNP WORKNG FOR SOUTH LANARKSHIRE

🚌 After cutting school transport from thousands of pupils, the Labour council used road safety guidance that hadn’t been updated since 2004 to assess safe walking routes.

🚸 On Wednesday, the SNP Group will be demanding that this outdated guidance be reviewed with pupil safety as the priority.

🚮 The SNP worked with the Scottish Greens to bring forward and second an amendment to create a ‘Cleaning up South Lanarkshire Fund’ to tackle litter and fly-tipping.

❌ Labour voted this down

📺 Watch SNP Depute Leader Councillor Ross Clark speak about the importance of cleaning up our streets.

🍎 The SNP Scottish Government are expanding free school meals in South Lanarkshire

🟡 SNP Councillor John Anderson welcomed this crucial investment in our mission to end child poverty.

❌ He called out Labour’s refusal to scrap the cruel two child cap but was shut down by the administration.

📺👇

And, this is despite borrowing £7.2million last year, specifically for Roads, which with the £12million in interest will actually cost the Council/South Lanarkshire residents, £19.2million 😡

“ROADS GET WORSE UNDER LABOUR” infront of a picture of potholes on a road with a red overlay “SNP *clootie* WORKING FOR SOUTH LANARKSHIRE” at the bottom with a yellow background

⛔️ The condition of Roads in South Lanarkshire has worsened every year since Labour took office.

🚧 Council figures show that the percentage of the road network that should be considered for maintenance is continuing to increase.

Vote Labour 👉 Get Potholes

The SNP are determined to hold the Labour administration to account as we work as hard as we can every day for the people of South Lanarkshire.

Councillor Chalmers’ election followed Councillor John Ross stepping down as Leader having served the Group in that position since 2017.

We thank John for his immense contribution to the Group and the valued and committed leadership he has shown in that time.

Following our AGM last evening, the SNP Group on South Lanarkshire Council elected the following leadership team.

Leader - @maureenchalmers.bsky.social

Depute Leader - @rossclarksnp.bsky.social

Business Manager - Councillor David Shearer (re-elected)

The four schools benefiting in 2025/26 are:

Calderglen High School
Trinity High School
Lesmahagow High School
Larkhall Academy

📣 Thanks to the SNP ScotGov four schools in South Lanarkshire will benefit from a free school meals pilot for S1-3 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment.

🧒 A crucial step in our mission to eradicate child poverty, the SNP are delivering for children and investing in our future.

We have submitted an urgent business request to discuss Labour’s cuts to school transport at the Executive Committee meeting this morning.

We demand that Councillors have a chance to scrutinise the final details of the cuts before they are introduced - this may be the last opportunity.

Education Resources Committee YouTube video by SL Committees

We also congratulated the fantastic work of our teachers and school staff as well as raising balanced concerns about the use of AI in education.

Watch the meeting here 👇

www.youtube.com/live/QpqFMmH...

✂️ We call on the Labour administration to bring forward a report before the summer recess to allow Councillors to discuss the Labour cuts before they are introduced.

Your SNP Councillors took part in today’s Education Committee holding the Labour administration to account.

🚌 We expressed our disappointment that a report on Labour’s school bus cuts with full costing was not brought to this meeting as requested by the SNP.

A group of South Lanarkshire SNP councillors standing in front of the SNP campaign hub in Hamilton, holding signs.

We have been pounding pavement for the past 2months across Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse.

We want to see our own Katy Loudon elected as MSP for the area, continuing the legacy of beloved friend Christina McKelvie.

If you live in the constituency, please place your X next to Loudon SNP tomorrow.

Better Together pact vote down Hamilton community funding on eve of by-election

NEW: Labour and Tory councillors have voted against funding for community groups in Hamilton and Larkhall on the eve of a crucial by-election in the constituency

Hamilton & Blantyre Labour Councillors Allan Falconer & Mo Razzaq instead proposed much lower grants.

When it came to a vote, Labour were successful with the backing of Tories — including by-election candidate Richard Nelson.

One group applied/eligible for over £1500 were awarded only £300.

At Hamilton Area Committee today, SNP Cllrs Colin Dewar+Helen Toner proposed to disburse over £5000 of Community Grants to 11 groups from Hamilton, Larkhall+Bothwell.

Along with SNP colleagues, they highlighted tens of thousands of pounds in underspend in the Community Grants budget in prev years.

"Labour and Tories Unite to Deny Funding for Community Groups" over a picture of a thumb pointing down. Below: "SNP - Working for South Lanarkshire".

It's disappointing to see Labour and the Tories team-up again to deny Hamilton community groups funding they need+deserve.

£0000s sitting unused specifically for this purpose.

We call on Labour+coalition partners to end their austerity agenda and invest in the people & places of South Lanarkshire.

LABOUR JOIN FORCES WITH TORIES AND REFORM SNP WORKING FOR SOUTH LANARKSHIRE

At today’s Executive Committee the SNP Group proposed Cllr Ross Clark as the Council’s Youth Champion.

However, Labour and the Lib Dems joined forces with the Tories and Reform UK to vote through the Labour candidate.

Labour once again prioritising their unionist pact over good local governance.

Thank you Kirsten

Christina McKelvie MSP, 1968-2025

Christina McKelvie's partner, Keith Brown, along with her sons, Lewis and Jack, are deeply saddened to announce her passing this morning at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Such sad news today 😢 Christina was a force of nature and I'm glad to have known her. Love and strength to Keith, Jack, Lewis and everyone who's grieving today 💔
RIP Christina x

It was devastating to hear this morning that Christina McKelvie MSP had passed away.

She was an absolute gem. Even when I was just some wee guy in the party, she always made every interaction feel like a real conversation, not the usual political patter.

My thoughts are with Keith, Jack and Lewis.

What a friend, support, and inspiration she was to all of us. Rest in peace, Christina, you are going to be so missed 💛