£50k to tidy former Port Glasgow Travellers' camp - Inverclyde

From the Greenock Telegraph

COUNCILLORS are set to approve a £50,000 plan to finally sort out the damage caused by unauthorised Gypsy Travellers’ camps at a local beauty spot.

COUNCILLORS are set to approve a £50,000 plan to finally sort out the damage caused by unauthorised Gypsy Travellers’ camps at a local beauty spot.

The cash — previously earmarked for the creation of an official transit camp in Kelburn Park, Port Glasgow — is to be spent on ‘securing and restoring’ that area instead.

Members of Inverclyde’s environment and regeneration committee are expected to ratify the proposal when they meet on 16 January.

The funds were originally allocated for accommodating Travellers but council chiefs backed away from pursuing that course of action in the face of overwhelming public opposition. Concerns had been expressed that Kelburn and other local park areas had already been badly damaged by unauthorised encampments in the past.

Now a proposal to review and update existing security measures at Kelburn, as well as address the overall condition of the area, is expected to be given the green light.

A report prepared for the committee states: “Over the years there have been several unauthorised encampments in Kelburn Park, and more recently on land around Parklea.

“Damage was caused at the time and most of the immediate issues have been dealt with, but not enough to bring the park back to the standard it formerly enjoyed.”

The report adds that any funds remaining from the £50,000 allocation would be spent on resurfacing tarmac areas of the park.

Meanwhile, the same meeting will also consider a recommendation for £200,000 to be spent on local play areas. Councillors will be asked to approve £180,000 for an upgrade to the annex facilities in Fox Street, Greenock, plus £20,000 for new play equipment at Gibshill.

The committee will also be asked to rubber stamp £100,000 worth of investment to repair footpaths and roadways associated with Kilmacolm, Port Glasgow and Gourock cemeteries, as well as Birkmyre Park, Port Glasgow.