Border Telegraph | News | Councillors 'caught with their pants down'

Monday, 8th September, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 7th November, 2007 12:30

Councillors 'caught with their pants down'

By Caitlin Smith

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Pictured from left to right: Bill White, Galashiels & District Community Council leader, Councillor John Mitchell, Keith Nichol, Anti-Social Behaviour Unit field officer, Councillor Sandy Aitchison who chaired the meeting, Jason Headley, Parks manager and SBC Leader David Parker.

A GALASHIELS community has become embroiled in a heated debate over a children’s play area in Victoria Park.

Local residents exchanged angry words at a recent public meeting in the Volunteer Hall about the positioning of the new Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA).

And while the majority of locals approve of the construction of the MUGA, they are at loggerheads about where it should go.

Fuel had been added to the fire last week when diggers moved in to start work before the public meeting had even taken place, leaving Manse Street and Catrail Road neighbours fuming.

Chair of the meeting, Sandy Aitchison later apologised, describing it as a “communication foul-up” at Scottish Borders Council.

Council officials had initially identified the middle of the park as the optimum MUGA site, though this provisional decision was dramatically dropped during the meeting following fervent objections.

And some residents also argued that building the MUGA near Manse Street was unsafe because of lighting and traffic concerns.

But the main complaint at the meeting was that locals claimed they had not been consulted on the MUGA’s location.

This was denied by councillors who insisted leaflets had been delivered through letter boxes.

John Lochrie of Catrail Road blasted: “There has been no consultation on the Manse Street side.

“I commend the residents’ group for organising MUGA funding because I have two children and I think it would be fantastic for them, but a consultation with all the people in the area needed to take place.

“Councillor Mitchell and Councillor Herd have been caught with their pants down because to say all residents have been approached is simply not true.”

Council representative for Tweeddale East, Bill Herd, stood up to congratulate Councillor John Mitchell on helping move the MUGA forward.

He said: “Children want a MUGA. The young people in the area have nowhere to go.

“Everyone has been very well consulted – primary schools, police, planners and the Council.”

But Mr Lochrin protested: “We have never been approached and if the Council has any evidence that we have, I would like to see it.”

Later queries emerged about whether councillors had considered building the MUGA at the bottom of the cricket pitch.

But Council Leader David Parker, who had been drafted in to talk about the local experience of the Tweedbank MUGA, refused to be drawn on the point.

He said: “The option to put it at the bottom of the cricket pitch has been explored and will not go ahead.

“The Council do not own the ground and cannot just buy it.

“There are already plans for the cricket pitch.”

Park managers are now investigating sites at the top and bottom left hand side near Mossilee Road West.

The Eildon Mossilee Residents Group, alongside Councillor Mitchell, had campaigned for a £70,000 grant to build the MUGA, which they said was vital for the area due to lack of children’s play provision.

Following the meeting, member Pauline Ward said: “The meeting was mad and showed a real split in opinion.

“I’ll just be happy if the MUGA goes ahead, though I would have preferred it to be built in the middle, in a more elevated position, so the kids could have been monitored easily.”

Speaking later to the Border Telegraph, Councillor Sandy Aitchison said: “The officers will be investigating these two sites to see if both are suitable or only one or perhaps, heaven forbid, none is suitable from a construction point of view.

“They are the experts and we politicians must await their deliberations.

“When they produce their report councillors will meet with them to discuss the next stage. No action will be taken until the people who were there are consulted again.

“I fervently hope that when it is in place, if we can get one of these sites, those who are for and those who are against will find it a great facility and asset, which is used by all the children in the area - I think it will.”

To retain MUGA funding a final decision on its position must be reached by December.

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