As well as representing her constituents on the wide range of issues that they raise with her on a daily basis, Clare has also identified key priority areas that she is working on:

Constituency

Unfair South Lanarkshire Council Let Charges

Alongside parents, carers, local sports and dance coaches, and children, Clare is campaigning against the decision by the Labour/Liberal Democrat administration to hike council lets by upwards of 100%.

In 2022-23, for example, there was a 75% discount on pitch hire in place for clubs. On the 22nd February, at a meeting of the full Council, the leader of the Labour/Liberal Democrat Administration proposed that this 75% discount was slashed to 50% for the coming financial year.

All of the SNP Councillors voted against this cut, asking that the current discount was kept in place.  Unfortunately, this was voted down by the other Parties, leading to the soaring costs which clubs are now facing.

Clare is calling for the Labour-led South Lanarkshire Council leader to get a grip of the chaos he and his party have caused, and scrap the price hikes without further delay.

Need for a School in Cambuslang East ward

Housing developments in the constituency – while welcome – have put increasing pressure on the provision of schools and nurseries in the area, and on transport links to the existing schools.

Even prior to her election in 2016, Clare has campaigned for a new secondary school to be built to serve Halfway, Drumsagard, Newton Farm, Newton and surrounding areas.

The previous Labour council administration refused to invest in a new school in Cambuslang, and instead they decided to spend money to prop up a falling roll in Uddingston. In doing so, they’ve tied South Lanarkshire Council into sending local pupils out of the area.

Clare will continue to fight for the much needed secondary school to be built.

Clyde Gateway Remediation

Clyde Gateway, supported by funding from the Scottish Government, has transformed land across Rutherglen – particularly at Shawfield and with the award winning Cuningar Loop Woodland Park.

Much of the land they have remediated had been contaminated with chromium, and so they work they’ve done to resolve this, build on the land, and in doing so bringing new companies and new jobs to the local area has been incredible.

Clare is working with Clyde Gateway and the Scottish Government to continue with this remediation work to make best use of the land available.

Helms Action Group

The Green Deal was a scheme operated by the UK Government to incentivise people to insulate their homes and install green technologies such as solar panels. This scheme was marketed  by a local company HELMS, who targeted many ordinary people with potentially misleading information about the scheme, before the business went into liquidation. Many people in the constituency – in particular from Blantyre – have had solar panels installed in their homes that are now actually costing them money and have had insulation work done that is not up to standard.

Clare is representing people who have been mis-sold works based on this scheme so that they can be compensated.

Clare has raised several individual cases to the UK Government – whereby some constituent’s have reached settlements and for those who haven’t, continues to fight for them.

On the back of this campaign, Clare established a Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament –  the CPG on Consumer Protection for Home Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy – which brought together stakeholders, for example, Hamilton Citizens Advice Bureau, Citizens Advice Scotland and the HELMS Action Group Central Scotland, in order to work towards a solution for those affected.

Broadband Provision

Many constituents have contacted Clare regarding poor broadband provision across her constituency. The speeds some residents are receiving mean they are often unable to stream TV and movies; video-call family and friends; or even work from home.

At a time when everyone has been spending more time at home due to lockdown restrictions, we are more reliant than ever on high-quality internet provision.

Telecommunications – which includes broadband provision – is wholly reserved to Westminster. However, the Scottish Government has recognised the importance of broadband to Scotland and, rather than waiting, are leading the investment to increase digital connectivity.

As part of this, the Scottish Government’s £600 million R100 programme will make superfast broadband available to every home and business across the country. Scotland still has the only Government in the UK to have guaranteed 100 per cent access to superfast broadband. Work has already started on delivering the central and south of Scotland parts of that programme.

Until then, Clare is continuing to push all relevant bodies – in particular Openreach – to ensure superfast broadband will become accessible to affected constituents as quickly as possible.

Successful Campaigns

Since Clare’s election, she has been involved in and run a number of successful campaigns:

• Alongside many community activists and other SNP elected representatives, Clare helped save the Cambuslang Job Centre from closure.
• Clare obtained external funding to help introduce autism-friendly swimming sessions in Lifestyle Eastfield, Rutherglen.
• With local organisations and volunteers, helped secure the future of a Jobs Club in Rutherglen.
• Supporting local residents who were actively campaigning for better broadband in Newton Farm, ensured Openreach upgraded specific broadband cabinets.
• With Cllr Janine Calikes, campaigned to save the Post Office in Rutherglen.
• Alongside Blantyre Community Council and Hamilton Energy Recovery Action Group, campaigned against a proposed incinerator on Whistleberry Road.