Context

The SNP, Conservatives and Independent Councillor [Denis] Agnew voted for Greenspace budget cuts at the budget setting meeting on 05 March 2018. This followed a public survey which did not allow the option of zero cuts, and people participating in the survey were forced to select a cut.

Specifically, Dalmuir Public Park has seen a reduction of flower beds and a reduced grass cutting service as a result. A petition was created asking for the Council to maintain Dalmuir Public Park to the standard prior to the budget cuts approved. The petition received massive support from the public, with 2,172 signatures against any reduction of service at the Park. Furthermore, there have been public meetings/rallies organised by the Joint Trade Unions of West Dunbartonshire, calling for a reversal to all cuts which include the cuts to our Parks.

West Dunbartonshire Council’s Social & Economic Profile 2017 estimates the Clydebank population to be 42,953. Therefore, the petition is statistically significant at 5% of the [Clydebank] population and cannot be ignored.  To put this into perspective, the entire budget consultation [all of West Dunbartonshire] attracted 2,733 responses which is one of the Council’s biggest consultations in its history. This amounted to 3% of the population which the council described as “statistically significant”.

Based on this evidence, I would like to ask the following question:  Will Councillors suspend standing orders and reverse the budget cut to Greenspace, and specifically the flower bed displays, not only at Dalmuir Public Park, but all Parks across the Authority?

Best regards
Craig Edward