Our survey on a proposed 10-year Estates Strategy remains open online until the end of this month – the first of several opportunities to have your say as the plan takes shape.

Residents and other stakeholders will be kept up-to-date and consulted throughout as the council seeks to create and finalise its strategy.

In addition to this initial survey, a wide range of audiences will be given the chance to comment, suggest, and advise over the coming months. Such opportunities will include:

• direct communications with people who actively use properties
• additional online surveys at key points of the process
• in-person community events led by the Property Services team

Engagement will happen across the planned three phases of strategy development, which, when complete, will ultimately go in front of elected members for approval.

Craig Jardine, Head of Property Services, explained the reasons for proposing the new approach and the potential benefits for South Lanarkshire.

He said: “The combination of changing population, the delivery of the Scottish Government’s 'net zero' agenda, and ongoing financial challenges is shaping the approach to creating a potentially smaller, but higher quality, more energy efficient core estate.

"At the heart of that is the desire to effectively balance the needs of people, place, and budget.

“That’s why the key aim is to formulate a strategy that can and will inform and guide our future priorities and decisions to the benefit of all who use and rely on council-owned property."

The current online survey closes at midnight on 30 May, and comments and responses received will be included in a planned report to the council’s Executive Committee in June.