At the recent meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council on 25^th August, Clydebank Central Councillor, Patrick McGlinchey moved a motion calling on West Dunbartonshire Council to ensure that unmet need in communities such as Mountblow was taken into account when the HEED committee considered the Leisure Trust model. Councillor McGlinchey said: ‘There are a number of communities in West Dunbartonshire which have limited community facilities. In my ward Mountblow is an example of a community which does not have a recogniseable meeting place for local groups and clubs. My motion would have required Council officers to ensure that the plans for the Leisure Trust were taken into account.’ The Leisure Trust model could mean that community centres; sports facilities; and leisure centres could be transferred from local authority control, resulting in a financial saving of around £350,000 per year in VAT. The Leisure Trusts could continue to access external funding sources, as the council aready does. If approved the Leisure Trust model would also result in around 130 council employees being transfered with the facilities to the new Leisure Trust.  Unfortunately the Provost and the SNP administration voted against Councillor McGlinchey’s motion and the Council was split evenly between the Motion and an SNP Amendment and the Provost used his casting vote to vote down Councillor McGlinchey’s Motion. Councillor McGlinchey added: ‘Its always disappointing to lose a vote but I was really  surprised when Provost Agnew voted with his SNP colleagues rather than support the community of Mountblow, as he had spoken in favour of my motion throughout the meeting.’ A copy of Councillor McGlinchey’s motion is reproduced below:

Motion by Councillor Patrick McGlinchey – Community Centre – Unmet Need

Council notes that a leisure trust model is currently being explored by West Dunbartonshire Council, which may include Community Centres.

Council further notes that some communities within West Dunbartonshire, such as Mountblow, have no community centre or community facilities at present.

With this in mind, Council asks that unmet need in communities such as Mountblow is taken into consideration when the leisure trust model is being examined.

In addition, if the leisure trust model proceeds, that a report on unmet need within West Dunbartonshire communities is brought to the appropriate Committee.