The appointment will be a key part of taking forward the Pride in Place Programme in the town’s centre – one of 12 projects across Scotland earmarked for UK Government funding.

The local Pride in Place Plan will be developed by a neighbourhood board, which will outline their vision for change and how they will use their funding to achieve their goals. South Lanarkshire Council is now advertising for a chair of that board.

Council Leader Joe Fagan said: “We have an opportunity to transform Hamilton town centre, which will make a real difference for all the communities that it serves.

“We will work with all those communities to make sure the Pride in Place Plan delivers the best possible results, and the preparations for that start now by finding the right person to chair the neighbourhood board.

“This is going to be a key leadership role for this ambitious project, so we are looking for someone of high calibre, with experience of strategic decision-making and of delivering complex initiatives.”

Hamilton Town Centre was selected to receive Pride in Place funding by the UK Government after applications were made on behalf of eligible South Lanarkshire areas, based on levels of deprivation.

The independent chair of the neighbourhood board will be selected by South Lanarkshire Council’s Chief Executive, in consultation with the Council Leader and Imogen Walker, MP for Hamilton and Clyde Valley.

In the first instance, suitable candidates are invited to write to the council at: Chief Executive, South Lanarkshire Council, Almada Street, Hamilton ML3 0AA. Alternatively, you can send an email. In no more than 500 words, they should set out why they would be a match for this exciting role. 

The deadline for expressions of interest is 15 February 2026. It is hoped that interviews can take place during February and March. Full details of the Pride in Place programme can be found on the UK Government website.

There are already ambitious plans, funded through an initial £8 million of council money, in the Hamilton Town Centre Masterplan, which was subject to public consultation in March 2024. The neighbourhood board is required to undertake additional extensive community consultation to support the development of the Pride in Place plan.