NOTEBOOK by BILL HEANEY

Residents are being given the chance to give feedback on the development of landscaping and paths within the former Exxon site at Bowling, according to a media release from West Dunbartonshire Council.

The Council already know what I think which is that they are being taken for mugs by Exxon, a hugely rich multi-national oil company, one of whose brands is Esso, who used to have a tank farm at Bowling.

When Esso pulled out they left the place polluted and it lay that way for years until they had the bright idea of off-loading it off to West Dunbartonshire Council.

Remarkably, the Council agreed to clean up the site, which is the size of a football park and more. Much more. And we’re now paying for it.

One would have thought it wouldn’t be a problem for Esso to fund the project – and it wouldn’t since they are rich as Croesus .

But some smart guy in their operation thought it would be a good idea to ask the Council to contribute to the cost.

How much? Initially it was a cool £6 million. The Council, forever putting the poor mouth on it, and who couldn’t meet the cost of keeping Balloch Library open in one of the most deprived areas – and you have to be really deprived if you are so designated in Dunbartonshire – joined the Glasgow City Region City.

This “deal” is earmarked to make all sorts of changes around the city and in this area including a by-pass road at Dumbuck junction.

But since the Scottish is government is also skint and in the process of cutting £million from anything to do with public services, it’s unlikely they will be able to fund this ambitious project.

According to this week’s Lennox Herald they are holding back £40 million promised for new housing in Dumbarton.

The Council is so skint that it is going around buying up some of the cheapest housing in the district , some of them for around £80,000, to cut the numbers in their ever-lengthening waiting list. Homelessness is a huge problem here.

Anyway, their spin doc tors told us this week that the City Deal project took a major step forward as planning permission was granted for the first phase of works.

On Wednesday 7th February, the consultation will open on the landscaping and path development within the Bowling project area.

They have revealed that this new phase of the project will see public access to the riverside site opened up for the first time in decades and that they are “keen to get feedback from local people on the plans before a separate planning application is submitted for development of landscaping and paths later this year”.

This “in-person consultation event” will take place in Bowling Hall on Wednesday 7th February between 3pm and 7.30pm with a formal presentation happening at 4.30pm.

Even I know, banned and unqualified to do my job as a journalist as the Council perceives me to be, would be doubtful, ney certain, that the Council will not get much of a reaction to their invitation to the public to go to Bowling on a bleak winter’s afternoon for this.

Subject to approval, the site would become accessible once the transport infrastructure project is complete.

The site is currently undergoing a thorough soil remediation process which has been closely monitored by the Council’s Environmental Health Team and SEPA, the Scottish Environmental Agency who have just recruited to their board a woman from another oil company, Shell, which today declared a profit of £ billions.

Three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) overlap and border the site along the River Clyde foreshore and any plans have to consider the impact on wildlife.

Labour councillors Dasvid McBride and LThe whole thing is away with the birds, but the Council intend to press on regardless.

“The proposed planting design will aim to use local native species to create a sustainable parkland habitat and increase the biodiversity of the area,” the spin doctors tell at a time when we would be better served by money being spent on social care, classroom assistant in schools and doing a better all-round job of looking after deprived and and children in care.

Councillor David McBride, Convener of Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “This is another important step in the overall project to develop this site. I would encourage local people who have an interest to make sure their views are known.

“It will be fantastic to see this progress and ultimately to have this site opened up for public access for the first time in decades.”

Fantastic? I don’t think so somehow. I hope this consultation goes down better than the one that was supposed to have been held – and paid attention to by the likes of Cllr McBride for Dumbarton Town Centre.

World’s Strongest Man Tom Stoltman who lifts bollards for a living.

When the world and his granny laughed at the Station Road bollards balls up, Cllr McBride was so engrossed in whatever else councillors do to notice these eyesores in the plans. I’m not making this up.

I don’t subscribe to the view of his Labour Group colleague, Councillor Lawrence O’Neill, Chair of Planning and Vice Convener of Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development, who says: “This is a great opportunity for local people to get involved in what will be a significant development, benefiting the whole of West Dunbartonshire and beyond.

“I hope residents take the opportunity to find out more about these plans and to give their feedback to help shape the project.”

Well, I don’t. I think it’s pie in the sky. And from what I have read from readers reacting to the Station Road bollards balls-up – one of them has already worked its way loose (it’s just as well it’s not set on a hill) – I don’t think it will receive the thumbs up from local residents.

However, paper questionnaires are available and can be returned to Bowling Hall with access to the questionnaire also available online via the West Dunbartonshire Council website.

The consultation will remain open for four weeks with responses collated and a report published on the Council’s website in due course.