Funding to help elderly communities in Dumbarton has been delayed over question about a separate bid to help a community park group.
West Dunbartonshire Council's Trust Fund committee members received an application from the Friends of Levengrove Park group for £3822 with the remaining amount of £1124 to be distributed to the “older people groups” in Dumbarton. The allocation of money would then close the funding pot down.
The applications were discussed by councillors who agreed to delay the funding, which would help the organisation operate a taxi service to and from the park, to obtain more information from Friends of Levengrove Park who received more than £19,000 last February to purchase trishaws and build a storage container for them.
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During the meeting it emerged that the equipment was still to be secured.
Council officer Adrian Gray said: “As you can see this is a further application. The group was awarded £19,800 in February last year and that award was primarily for storage areas and other equipment at the time to operate.
“In this further application, they seem to have come to a conclusion that people are having difficulty getting transport to the park and they propose to set up a taxi account so that they can bring people to the park at no cost to the person who wants to come to the park.
“What has never been clear to me is that this is not a sustainable account unless they put money of their own further down the line as the funds will eventually be exhausted. They estimate a return trip will cost up to £18 for up to four people a week.
“They have also listed that the money will also go towards motion censored lights, batteries and solar security outdoor lights.
“Given that we have already awarded a substantial amount of money to the group and we very rarely get any applications to this fund, I can see no reason not to recommend payment.”
Committee members also heard that the delay was partly because of the slabbing that needs to be completed within the green space section of the park.
Councillor David McBride said: “It is quite disappointing that there doesn’t seem to have been much progress after a considerable award.”
Councillor Karen Conaghan added: “I was just wondering if we should delay this application until they get the trishaws. If this is to provide transport to allow people to use it, so are we better to hold onto that money just now? That’s not to say we wouldn’t grant the money at a future point but the money isn’t necessary just now. Are we better holding onto it in the meantime?”
Members agreed to delay the funding until a later date.
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