Published 13 August 2025
By Bill Heaney
They really are hopeless West Dunbartonshire Council. They have a good news announcement to make about cutting the grass in public spaces right across the area.
But they make it a dull, grudging few words of concession after giving in to a stirring campaign by local council taxpayers led by The Dumbarton Democrat.
Their announcement, which has made their leaders eat craw and shown them up for the amateurs they are, said: “Additional grass cutting could be undertaken across West Dunbartonshire if plans to increase investment and seasonal staffing are approved.”
A motion by Councillor David McBride at today’s Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development committee, who turned and threatened me after a meeting which saw them shut Balloch Library and transfer the facility to a cupboard across the street, “agreed steps which would restore grass cutting in the area to the level undertaken in 2024/25”.
The arrogant and hubristic Labour administration who think they infallible.
“The proposal will now be considered at a meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council and the Housing committee, both taking place later this month,” the press release says.
By that time the grass will just about have stopped growing.
The release ploughs on: “If approved, a one-off investment of £130,000 for 2025/26 will be used to fund additional grass cutting over the rest of the year, subject to available Greenspace operatives.
“A further £150,000 will allow for the retention of 10 seasonal workers who will begin work on cutting back areas with long grass over autumn and winter.
“A further £400,000 would require to be invested from 2026/27 to fund and maintain the same level of grass cutting each year, as well as the reinstatement of twice yearly weed killing and retention of bedding plants in public parks.”
Don’t tell me they were considering doing this in our greatest environmental assets – Levengrove Park, Christie Park and Balloch Park.
Councillor McBride, Convener of Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “In the face of ongoing and significant financial pressure we had to make hugely difficult choices on savings in order to protect the vital services which our residents rely on most.
“However It is clear from feedback received that our communities value well-maintained open spaces. We have listened to our residents and in response are seeking to prioritise and enhance the level of grass cutting going forward.
“In this financial year the funding would be from the Council’s finite reserves and future funding would have to be considered as part of the Council’s budget decisions in March 2026.
“It’s important to be clear that if the motion is approved at subsequent committees, the budget is limited, as is operative capacity, and it may take time to see a difference locally.
“The stepped approach means next year our grass cutting service capacity will be restored to the levels we undertook in 2024 in a planned and achievable way, which focuses on priority open areas and high amenity green spaces.”
It took a long time for the penny to drop for the equivalent of the three wise monkeys who purportedly run this town, but any step forward has to be welcomed.
The motion recommends that the funding (How can they have the brass neck to talk about funding when they are paying their chief comms official who refuses to speak to The Demoicrat the equivalent salary to US President Donald Trump’s press secretary?) is provided from both the general fund and the housing revenue fund, with the IRED committee recommending to Housing Committee that they agree the proposals relating to the Housing Revenue Account, subject to confirmation from the WDTRO in respect of the 2026/27 costs and approval of the General Spending commitment at Council.
Really, the Council cannot be considering abandoning projects such as eradicating sewage spilling into council houses blighted with black damp and swarms of insects which they already refuse to remove because they are “protected” species. Come on.
Just cut the grass and keep your mouths shut. It’s embarrasing.
Embarrassing, imagine turning the district you oversee into an unkempt mess.