The convener of Helensburgh Community Council has hit out at how he feels the town has been allowed to “decay” by Argyll and Bute Council.
In a report to go before community chiefs, Norman Muir highlighted what he felt were problems with litter bins, street lighting and cleanliness in the town.
And he also claimed that council tax has been collected from residents “without appreciable benefit” to services delivered by the authority.
The report will be considered by the council’s Helensburgh and Lomond Community Planning Group today.
Mr Muir said in his report: “Maintenance of the infrastructure of the town is a constant element of the work that the Community Council is engaged in.
“Small observations of decay begin to mount up to noticeable issues which can attract the observations of the community and visitors alike.
“It is therefore important that particular emphasis is placed on a maintenance programme which maintains the standards and functions of the town estate.
“Examples include bent cycle stands hit by incompetent drivers, overflowing litter bins caused by inadequate volume and an unsuitable collection regime, the inappropriate procurement of street lighting equipment in which spare parts are difficult to source, leading to long lead times for repair, maintenance and cleanliness of seating benches in the square, CHORD road/pavement repair in the town centre etc.
“Outside the town boundary, the cycle track over the hill to the Arden roundabout has potholes and overhanging vegetation presenting hazards to cyclists.
“A maintenance schedule for the multi-million CHORD project lies dormant and leads to future concerns for the maintenance of the other multi-million investments in the town, the new leisure centre and the Lottery investment in Hermitage Park.”
He concluded: “It is appreciated that budgetary considerations are very much to the fore in this age of austerity.
“But it is difficult to reconcile this argument with the community’s knowledge that a great deal of council tax is collected from the town without appreciable benefit to the maintenance of local services.”
An Argyll and Bute Council spokesperson said: “Helensburgh receives investment and council services that exceed the value of the council tax it pays by millions of pounds. As recognised by the community council, this is a time of austerity.
“Despite that and year on year funding cuts, the council continues to deliver services every day for the benefit of Helensburgh residents and the economy.
“We will continue to listen to communities and invest in what matters most including roads, schools, bins and economic growth for the area.”
