Protest Statement

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We, the undersigned members of our vibrant, fantastic community, are deeply troubled by the recent actions of this South Lanarkshire Council administration regarding it’s bizarre decision to reduce the budget of SLLC, leading to their withdrawal from our cherished local community halls and library.

These public buildings are not just brick-and-mortar structures; they are the very heart and soul of our neighbourhoods, serving as vital spaces for social cohesion, cultural exchange, and grassroots initiatives.

NO Halls have been “saved” in Blantyre. Digging through the self preserving politics, the “fighting fund” referred to in SLC statements this week is merely a stay of execution for these buildings…..of just a few weeks longer, with organisations and clubs already being told they must now leave or cannot book beyond the next few weeks. Staff also significantly impacted learning their fate in the coming days.

The despicable proposal to shutter these community halls reflects a profound disregard for the needs and aspirations of the very people whom this Council is meant to serve. 14,000 people took part in the consultation, yet the Council have not listened to one response, ignored proposals from others about how to fund or keep facilities open and indeed seemingly ignoring the consultation response completely! We’re being dragged BACK to the 1970s, with such lack of amenity, and how very tragic that SLC are directly causing an negative effect on well being, mental health, driving loneliness and depression through their misgivings.

The TACT Hall, June Stewart Centre, High Blantyre Hall and Blantyre library have been centres of community life for generations, providing a venue for a wide array of activities, including but not limited to:

1. Educational programs for children and adults.
2. Support groups for vulnerable populations.
3. Cultural events celebrating our diversity.
4. Meetings for grassroots organizations and civic engagement.
5. Spaces for recreational activities and sports leagues.

The closure of these buildings will have devastating consequences for our community. It will isolate individuals, particularly the elderly and the youth, depriving them of crucial opportunities for social interaction and personal growth. These aren’t just words. It is fact. It will undermine the fabric of our neighbourhoods, weakening the bonds that unite us and eroding our collective resilience in the face of challenge and cost of living crisis.

As a non profit, unbiased news outlet, we would normally stay silent. We CANNOT in this case and siding with the community as a whole, have decided in this instance to be unusually outspoken.

We, Blantyre Telegraph publicly reject the notion that these closures are necessary due to budget constraints by others, lack of maintenance or anything to do with other administrations. Budgets are determined and spent by the Council themselves in the ‘here and now’, who as elected representatives should be well within their capability to prioritise how that budget is apportioned and not misspent.

Our community has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to mobilise resources and volunteer time to ensure the upkeep and sustainability of these halls. BSA has set the bar on that, they themselves the only organisation who has saved Larkfield Hall through asset transfer. The strides taken by authorities to close the other halls represent a gross failure of imagination and leadership on the part of the Council, which has chosen the path of least resistance rather than engaging with us, the Blantyre community, people of all ages in a meaningful dialogue about alternative solutions. We see tens of millions of pounds being spent in vanity projects and wasted endeavours in other towns, yet Blantyre is stripped bare.

We demand that the Council and SLLC reconsider its decision and work collaboratively with our community to find creative ways to keep these halls open and thriving and disregard the frustrating, disrespectful timescale of the next 4 short weeks to do so. We urge our fellow community members and readers of Telegraph to join us in this fight to defend what is rightfully ours: the right to gather, connect, and build a better future together.

This is not over. Together, we can ensure that our community halls and our library remain beacons of hope, learning, togetherness and solidarity for generations to come.

We’ll be taking this to public meetings in the near future. Please add the word “Agree” below in the comments to show your support or maybe you want to add something supportive instead? Then take a second to Click share. Thanks.