Plans to relaunch a bowling green in Fauldhouse look set to remain in the long grass, after it was suggested there was no demand for it.
The future of the green came up as the local area committee for Fauldhouse the Breich Valley allocated £150,000 of Covid recovery funding.
One suggested project was work to restore the former bowling green, behind the site of the Fauldhouse cinema on the Main street, which has been derelict for many years. It is regularly used for fly tipping.
The area’s Community Development Trust which holds the title for old green, had put in a bid for funds to kick-start a clean up and re establishment of the green to start a new club.
But local councillor David Dodds was sceptical of the proposals, and the amount of money it would take.
He told the committee: “I would love to see the return of a bowling green in Fauldhouse, despite this I don’t think I’d be able to support the requests for funding. Before you do anything you’d need to establish the demand.
“Bowling clubs across the county, and indeed across the country are struggling to keep going.”
He said if there was support for a club in the village it might be in the Community Development Trust’s best interest to sell the site and use the funds to develop a new green.
Councillor Dodds and fellow committee members including Cathy Muldoon and Pauline Clark did agree that the site should be tidied up and made secure with fencing to deter future potential fly tippers.
“I would support the funding required to make it safe. If there are health and safety issues. It has certainly been reported to me because of fly tipping and vermin if we could to address those issues,” said Councillor Dodds.
Despite ruling out the bowling club plan, with information on many schemes too scant and sketchy, and future funding plans unclear on many projects, the struggled to use all of the fund.
Some areas, such as Linlithgow and Bathgate saw councillors swamped with cash requests for community improvements. The Covid spend had proved controversial across the county.
Having agreed projects including a council recommended deep clean in village centres and more bins - including new solar powered compactor bins - the committee realised they had only reached a spend of £104,000.
The remainder of the £150,000 fund will be spent on more bins and extensive cleaning of road signs across the largely rural part of the county. This will include cutting back tree cover and shrubbery which obscures road signs.
Countryside manager Andy Johnston promised to liaise with the committee on the best sites for new bins.
Other areas which received support for funding included environmental works on open land beside Falla Hill Primary in Fauldhouse and help for a community group working to restore the meadow along the Skolie Burn, between Addiewell and Loganlea, funding planting the area with birch trees, yellow rattle and goat willow.
