I received a comment from someone who grew up in Westfield, married a Westfield lass and is considering moving back to Westfield. However, on a recent visit to the area they were quite taken aback and decided to pose the comment below:
….we are considering buying house in Westfield and as I visit my parents on a regular basis I can’t help but feel Westfield is going downhill. For example, when I walk the dog I could never remember there being so much litter i.e. Buckfast bottles, the ongoing problems with the bus shelters, and the sad prospects of an outdoor cash machine and telephone box. I feel Westfield needs to change drastically and something has to be done.
The community of Westfield, where are its problems, where the problems are coming from, what action is being done or what action could be done? …
Personally I have lived in Westfield for over 30 years and even though I have thought of moving out to different areas I have never done so. Why, because it is an excellent place to live, to have brought up my children and now my grandson, who also lives here. The people are helpful and supportive and extremely friendly. Yes, the area has gone downhill in those 30 years but that is a reflection of society in all areas and not just a problem within Westfield. However, that does not mean that we should be complacent. We all need to do our bit. Respect each other and be intolerant of those who abuse that respect.
One of the biggest problems within our society is that we turn to others to fix our problems. We pass all responsibility and accountability to anyone else and set up a ‘Nothing to do with me’ culture, sticking our heads out of our little protected cocoon, complain and then pop it back in again before anyone can see who we are. Many are so protectionist that they would rather complain in silence, bemoaning to their friends and colleagues rather than pick up the phone and give power to those in authority to act.
What is the solution? It might sound like an over simplification but GET INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY. Nothing will change until we change ourselves. I know that Westfield Community Council if full of old fogies. And that is not because we designed it that way. It is simply that young people aren’t coming up and taking part.
Be selfish, look after number one and create a community that will stick together and protect us all when we need it. If the Community Council or your politicians are not doing what you want them to do then kick them out. I would like nothing better than to spend the second Wednesday every month in front of the TV but I care about where I live and I care about what happens around me.
What action is being done? It is well known that I am not a fan of North Lanarkshire Council. However, Westfield is now getting a reasonable share of NLC regeneration funding. There are projects going on at the rear of Tomtain and discussions around the inclusion around the school to include the community halls etc. NLC also welcome any other proposals for consideration. That said, we are a small Community Council and we are limited in the support we can give to NLC so again it is about involvement. The greater the activity of the Community Council the greater NLC will provide funds.
There is an old Scottish saying ‘The girnin’ bairn gets fed first”, and in Westfield we don’t girn loud enough.
The upshot, to all reading this posting – If you love Westfield and want to make a difference then come and join us at the Community Council meeting and get heard. We hold our meetings on the second Wednesday of each month.
