Jan 25 2012 by Douglas Dickie, Rutherglen Reformer
THE sandstone building on the site of the old Gallowflat School is NOT being demolished, according to South Lanarkshire Council.
There had been concerns that the B-Listed building was to be bulldozed when Hamilton Road was shut last week and work was carried out on the building.
However, the council say that it was restoration work after the roof was damaged during the storm at the start of January.
The news came in the same week that it emerged that the council had been forced to ask the Scottish Government for emergency financial assistance to deal with the clear-up.
The sandstone building was part of Gallowflat School until 1970, when it became an annexe for the newly formed Stonelaw High School.
Local members of the Green Party have expressed concern about the future of the building and have called for it to be converted into a community centre.
Former election candidate Susan Martin told the Reformer last week that she was worried demolition of the building would be a “blatant disregard by the powers-that-be to find alternatives for wonderful old buildings.”
However, a council spokesman said there was nothing to worry about.
“The recent storms caused damage to the chimney heads on the roof of the building,” he said.
“Work has been taking place over the past few days to make the building safe.
“The works have now been completed and the road is in the process of reopening.”
With the clean-up of the storm damage still ongoing, the council have been forced to seek financial help through the Bellwin Scheme – a discretionary scheme to give assistance to councils who face undue burdens as a result of large-scale emergencies.
There is no automatic entitlement to assistance and local authorities are expected to include a small amount within their annual budget to deal with unforeseen emergencies.
Finance Secretary John Swinney will consider all eligible expenditure under the terms of the scheme when formal claims have been received from the councils.
South Lanarkshire Council carried out no fewer than 2000 repairs in the seven days after the storm hit on Tuesday, January 3.
As they await a decision, the council have cancelled all non-emergency repairs.
The council’s website states: “Unprecedented numbers of calls have been received by the council since the storms struck this area and we are prioritising our resources to deal with those worst affected.”
A spokesman for South Lanarkshire Council said: “The council have intimated to the Scottish Government that we may be formally requesting assistance from the Bellwin Scheme for the damage caused as a result of the recent storms.
“There is not yet a total for the costs for this damage and, in fact, we are still working through the many repairs that are required to the roofs of council houses.”