MELROSE Community Council are in disagreements as to whether the town's Gibson Park should be given an upgrade.

Recommendations have been made by Scottish Borders Council that the ageing play-park equipment needs replacing, and it is proposed that work will commence in March 2016 for eight weeks.

SBC are set to provide half of the funds and that pay-parking receipts and the William Hill Trust will provide the rest.

However, speaking at last week's meeting, one councillor said this project was “a waste of money” and that council funding could be put to better use elsewhere.

“I have heard nothing bad said about the state of the park, no body has said there is anything wrong with it, so why is council funding getting put into doing it up when there are other more pressing issues needing funding.”

SBC Parks Staff look at playground across the Borders and prioritise where funding should be invested. After carrying out an inspection on the park, they deemed that the structures were coming to the end of their life.

And some members of the community council are wary of objecting to advice by those authorities who suggest the park needs work.

Community councillor Robin Chisholm said: “The children's safety is paramount and we should not go against experts who say the park equipment needs upgrading. If we overrule the project, and somebody gets hurt from playing on old and deteriorating structures, we would be to blame.

“I don't think we have a choice but to let it go ahead – if it needs work then that is where the council's money should go.”

At the end of last year, five companies submitted designs and the parks team selected the winning one in consultation with the three elected members, on the basis which park provided the most amount of equipment and the best play experience.

Council Leader David Parker said: “The Gibson Park is a very popular play area in a very prominent location and the parks team feel that it needs upgraded and replaced. The work to create the park was carried out nearly 20 years ago so the equipment has done very well.

“Once the park is upgraded it will provide more equipment than is there at the moment and it really is a very good upgrade that will make it a fantastic play park to visit.”