Communities, elected members and council officers have been applauded for working together to breathe new life into run-down Renfrewshire parks.
A host of facilities have been upgraded as a result of investment from a local authority fund, which allows groups and volunteers to make a pitch for cash to improve underused or neglected spaces in the area.
Councillor Robert Innes, an SNP rep for Houston, Crosslee and Linwood, brought forward a motion at full council on Thursday, recognising the work that has been completed recently.
It praised recent improvements at Dunvegan Avenue, Elderlslie, Campbell Street, Renfrew and Ardgryffe Park, Houston, among a number of other projects in Bishopton, Johnstone, Paisley and elsewhere.
Councillor Innes said: “Obviously I’m a new elected member and one thing that’s struck me since becoming a councillor in May is the collaborative effort – the real effort - that’s put in by officers, councillors, schools, community groups, the lot.
“Everybody works together to make things happen and that’s important.
“I just wanted to bring this motion to welcome all the parks and green spaces investment we’ve seen across Renfrewshire recently.”
Councillor Iain McMillan, Labour group leader and rep for Johnstone South and Elderslie, said it would be “churlish” not to agree with the sentiments expressed by Councillor Innes.
However, he stressed the importance of remembering those communities who may not have groups bidding on their behalf.
Councillor McMillan said: “We agree with this motion, it would be churlish not to. There’s no doubt the administration has done some tremendous work in terms of parks. There’s no arguing on this side of the chambers about that one.
“Some areas don’t have the same people who are able to commit themselves to doing the paperwork and wee bit of fundraising, and stuff like that, so if we can just remember them as well.
“But, as I say, it’s been a job well done.”
SNP council leader Iain Nicolson, whose ward covers Erskine and Inchinnan, welcomed the comments from peers about the success of the scheme.
He said: “The green space funding, sitting alongside the village investment fund, they’re all designed to develop community engagement and designed to obviously build community capacity as well, with regards to working with the council, different ways of working, delivering these projects, and the priority was to always try and deliver on the aspirations of the local communities.
“And that meant a wide range of groups and organisations who deliver these, from community councils to playgroups, they could all prioritise their own schemes.”
Councillor Nicolson acknowledged there are some areas that may not have the same level of community activity as others, but added that officers have their own programme of parks where they believe improvement is required.
He explained: “It’s not that parks that sit in areas that don’t have community support or activity there won’t ever get done. They will get done.
“There’s a separate council officer and they list all the parks where they think improvements need to be done.”
Don't miss the latest Renfrewshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
