Latest news with #EastRenfrewshireCouncil
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Council gives green light to plans for credit union near Glasgow
The proposal, which will see the service open in Barrhead, was given the green light at a meeting of East Renfrewshire Council's (ERC) Cabinet this morning (May 29). The local authority said the decision follows a long-standing commitment to reinstate a credit union in the area, which had been further strengthened with the closure of the last remaining bank in Barrhead on May 21. The bank also served the broader communities of Neilston and Uplawmoor, and a further bank closure in Newton Mearns was also announced in March. The last bank in Barrhead shut this month (Image: Colin Mearns) ERC Leader, Councillor Owen O'Donnell said: ''I am delighted that this proposal has been approved. "The reintroduction of a credit union in East Renfrewshire was one of my Administration's election manifesto commitments and I am pleased that we are able to deliver on this for residents. 'Although we still have much work to do, in particular in securing a permanent location, I am confident that along with our partners in Pollok Credit Union, East Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau, Barrhead Housing Association, Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire and along with our council colleagues in money advice and rights and housing we will be able to deliver more than just a credit union and provide additional vital support services to members.' READ NEXT: Mum raises concerns about battery storage facility The proposal gives the council the go ahead to work in partnership with Pollok Credit Union Ltd and other community planning partners to re-establish a credit union presence in East Renfrewshire, and provide up to £200,000 of council resource as seed-funding to support the branch until it can cover its costs. On this basis, the credit union would provide a local shop-front branch in Barrhead, open at least three days a week, as well as online and telephone provision and future development of outreach provision across wider areas of East Renfrewshire. Credit unions are not-for-profit savings organisations and members pool their savings to provide each other with credit at a low interest rate. The Pioneer Mutual Credit Union on Main Street closed in 2021 (Image: Newsquest) East Renfrewshire has been without a local service of this kind since the demise of the Barrhead-based Pioneer Mutual Credit Union in 2021, which had 3,500 members at the time of closure. READ NEXT: Residents in 1,500 homes to be left without water 'Having access to in-person financial services, such as a bank or credit union, is critical for many people in our communities,' added Councillor O'Donnell. 'Not everyone has internet access, the confidence to use it, or the means to travel out of the authority, so with the closure of the last bank presence in Barrhead, the need has never been greater. 'We are committed to helping our communities thrive and we can now move forward with our plans and work with our partners to bring back a credit union to East Renfrewshire.'
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Local veterans celebrate Health for Heroes Award at VE Day Event
East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure invited veterans for afternoon tea at Barrhead Foundry to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Veterans were recently invited to an afternoon tea at Barrhead Foundry to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and efforts to support them in East Renfrewshire. The special gathering saw East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure receive the Armed Forces' Covenant Employer Bronze Award, in recognition of its support for the armed forces community. As part of this support, the leisure team developed the Health for Heroes scheme. The initiative launched in 2019 as the first programme of its kind in Scotland, offering free fitness memberships to support local veterans in partnership with East Renfrewshire Council. Veteran Kevin Potts was in the Royal Air Force as a photographic specialist for 22 years. His wife, Fiona, is also a veteran and they are Health for Heroes members. Kevin told the Paisley Daily Express: 'The Health for Heroes initiative is important because there is very little support for veterans when they come out, whether they've served for a short period or had a longer period of service. 'They're left going from a massive family environment to very little, so any support outside is massive to them. It means a lot and makes them feel like they're still part of the veteran family. 'Getting like-minded people together who may have lost touch with the military family gives veterans an opportunity to tell their stories. Having the Health for Heroes environment allows them to pass information on and keep the rhetoric.' James McEwan, from Barrhead, joined the army at the age of 18 and served in Germany and Northern Ireland. The 70-year-old veteran, added: 'There are so many soldiers with so many needs when they come out of the army. I try to push the message that it's not weak to go to combat stress. 'It's not a 'manly' thing to stay away from it - get help if you're struggling with your mental health. 'It's always good if you can do physical exercise. 'I'm just getting back into the gym again and usually come down to use Barrhead Foundry's gym once or twice a week, when I can manage.' Captain David Hanley, 102 Field Squadron's PSAO (Permanent Staff Administration Officer), presented the recognition award at the event, which was attended by veterans, local partners who support the armed forces community and local councillors, including council leader Owen O'Donnell and councillor and veterans champion Kate Campbell. Councillor Campbell said: 'I'd like to congratulate East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure for achieving the bronze award. 'They have been undertaking fantastic work in supporting our local armed forces community, both internally with their employees and across East Renfrewshire. 'Having spoken with a number of veterans, it is clear that the Health For Heroes scheme has been a success and is making a real difference to the lives of local residents. I would encourage anyone from our armed forces community to get involved and see how it could help and support you.' East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure's chief executive Anthony McReavy said: 'We are very proud to receive the Armed Forces' Employer Recognition Bronze Award and for our Health for Heroes programme, recognising the positive impact it has in supporting veterans in our community.'
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Housing association near Glasgow reveals housing plan
The ambitious plan includes building 168 new homes for social rent, 16 mid-market rent homes (part of new developments) and buying 47 existing homes for social rent over the next five years. The plan has been outlined as part of a new strategic agreement launched between Barrhead Housing and East Renfrewshire Council (ERC). The agreement formally recognises how the two organisations will work together to increase and improve housing supply and services, contribute to regeneration, provide support for the most vulnerable and progress carbon reduction in the years ahead. The agreement will also support the development of employees at both organisations. Lorna Wilson, Barrhead Housing chief executive said: 'This agreement will make a real difference in addressing the housing emergency in East Renfrewshire. 'This will include building over 150 new homes for social rent and 16 for mid-market rent, as well as purchasing up to 50 existing homes from the open market. 'These ambitious plans will deliver attractive, modern homes that are energy-efficient and affordable to heat, ensuring we reduce our carbon footprint and meet our fuel-poverty and net zero targets.' READ NEXT: East Renfrewshire Council slammed over Barrhead flat issue Although non-binding, and not a legal document, both parties, through agreeing it, are expressing commitment to the objectives within the agreement. It sets out how they will work together to deliver the strategic housing priorities set out in East Renfrewshire's Local Housing Strategy (2024-29) and more broadly the range of shared objectives set out in 'A Place to Grow', the community planning vision for the area over the next 15 years. Two areas are mentioned in the agreement as identified by ERC as strategic sites for development over the next five years. One of these is Blackburn Square in Barrhead, a vacant site and formerly the base of a local community centre. Through an established partnership, ERC and Barrhead Housing are currently underway with plans to develop this space for sustainably designed, lifetime homes. The project is being used as a pilot to identify sustainable design elements for the building fabric, design and ongoing energy requirements, as well as providing homes adaptable to the households changing needs. READ NEXT: Plans to flatten house with 'extensive rot and damp' Arthurlie Juniors FC's ground in Barrhead is also mentioned as a 'forthcoming site' and a development opportunity with the potential relocation of the ground to another site to support the development of modern facilities for league participation. 'This is a central site in Barrhead, close to existing Barrhead Housing homes and in a key town centre location, making it a preferred location for housing development,' added the agreement. 'ERC and Barrhead Housing will work together to enable this project to proceed with agreement of the club.' Speaking at the agreement's launch event, Councillor Danny Devlin, convener for environment and housing, said: 'Today marks a formal commitment, but Barrhead Housing has long been one of our key partners in the local community. 'This strategic agreement acknowledges the vital role our partnership plays, so I'm delighted it is now in place and we can continue to work together and provide our tenants and the wider community with a service we can all be proud of.'
STV News
4 days ago
- Business
- STV News
MSP urges councillors who greenlit controversial battery storage site to resign
Permission for a controversial plan to store energy in batteries on greenbelt land in Eaglesham could be revoked by East Renfrewshire Council. Two Conservative councillors, Jim McLean and Andrew Morrison, will ask the council's planning committee to back a U-turn at a meeting next week. Initially, councillors rejected a plan from GPC 1337 Ltd, a subsidiary of Apatura, for a 40MW battery energy storage facility on an agricultural site on the east side of Glasgow Road. But the firm's second bid was approved last month, despite over 300 objections, on the casting vote of the chair, Cllr Betty Cunningham, Labour, after a 3-3 vote. Both applications had been recommended for approval by planners. Since the second plan got the green light, a Scottish Government reporter has announced his decision to uphold the original refusal of the first application. He had been considering an appeal by the applicants. More than 3,000 people have signed a petition calling for the planning approval to be overturned. It states: 'Our voices have been ignored and the decision does not reflect the best interest of those who call this area home.' Cllr McLean and Cllr Morrison opposed both proposals when they were presented to the planning committee. They raised concerns over the appropriateness of the site. The aim of the scheme is to store surplus energy from the national grid in the batteries, which would then be returned when required. It has been described as a 'temporary' installation, with the site returned to its previous condition after 40 years. The first application was refused after councillors raised concerns over the risk of fire from lithium-ion batteries. Local MSP Jackson Carlaw, Conservative, has said the greenbelt should be protected and the proposal is 'intrusive and inappropriate'. He also said there were 'very serious concerns and real-life examples of fires that have erupted at battery plants because of the lithium-ion batteries'. Keith Bray, the independent reporter appointed by Scottish Ministers, refused the appeal over the original application earlier this month. He found that 'while the proposal could make a small-scale and indirect contribution to renewable energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, it would entail development that has adverse visual effects in a greenbelt location where strict control over new development is to be exercised'. Mr Bray added: 'When completing my decision, the council approved a revised scheme on the site and the appellant asked to submit it. Given it was late in the appeal process, I did not accept it.' He also said the company had asked to submit drawings which showed the 'installation of two further above-ground water tanks' to align with the proposal's fire safety plan. These weren't accepted as they 'constituted a change to the proposal'. Council officials had reported the second application differed from the original as more information has been submitted on fire safety, and a water tank is now proposed to be underground. They added that the development includes specialised container units for the batteries and fire suppression equipment. Following the reporter's decision, Mr Carlaw added it 'highlights with even greater clarity that people in Eaglesham and Waterfoot have been utterly ignored and failed by the council'. He called on councillors who backed the development to 'consider their position and resign'. GPC 1337 Ltd has said the development will 'support the decarbonisation of the energy industry in the UK' and 28 other sites had been considered, but this is 'the only deliverable, viable' one. The plans were 'accompanied by a suite of technical documents which demonstrate the proposal will not lead to significant adverse harm,' the applicants added. East Renfrewshire's planning applications committee will meet on Wednesday, June 4. The motion asks for planning officials to issue a revocation order under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Glasgow Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Report outlines plans for credit union near Glasgow
A report by East Renfrewshire Council's director of business operations and partnerships (DBOP) outlining the plan for Barrhead was published this morning (May 20) as part of the agenda items for next Thursday's (May 29) cabinet meeting. It will be music to the ears of many residents, particularly the elderly and disabled, who have been left reeling at the prospect of their town turning into a banking desert when the Main Street branch of the Bank of Scotland (BoS) closes tomorrow (May 21) with its cash machine also to disappear. The development has been declared a victory by the founder of the Save the Last Bank campaign who has led a determined fight over the last few months to retain a face-to-face banking presence in Barrhead. Sean Clerkin praised the council for 'saving the day' and said: 'It's absolutely certain that this will go through so this is a clear victory for the people of Barrhead and everyone who was part of the campaign. 'We are very pleased that East Renfrewshire Council (ERC) has taken such a positive approach to saving face-to-face banking in Barrhead and it validates what the campaign was all about. 'Yes there will be a delay between the closure of the bank this week and the establishment of the credit union but we do know now that there will be a face-to-face banking presence," he added. 'It's a community-based initiative based on the needs of local people and vulnerable people, so hopefully the Bank of Scotland in Barrhead will not be missed going forward." READ NEXT: Residents urged to sign petition to save Barrhead's last bank Credit unions are not-for-profit savings organisations or co-operatives whose members pool their savings to provide each other with credit at a low interest rate. East Renfrewshire has been without a local credit union service since the demise of the Barrhead-based Pioneer Mutual Credit Union in 2021, which had 3,500 members at the time of closure. The DBOP's report states: 'There has been a long-standing commitment to reinstating a credit union back into East Renfrewshire and discussions over several years with potential providers, which have struggled to get beyond scope for online-only provision." This commitment, it said, has been further strengthened by the closure of the last remaining bank in Barrhead, which also served the broader communities of Neilston and Uplawmoor. READ NEXT: Concerned community launch campaign to save bank Specifically, the report asks Cabinet members to give the green light to partnership working with Pollok Credit Union Ltd (PCU), one of the largest community-based credit unions in the West of Scotland, and other community planning partners to re-establish a credit union presence in East Renfrewshire. PCU's proposal is to establish a branch in Barrhead which would open between three and five days per week and would look for prominent premises, preferably in the Main Street area of the town. Cabinet members will also be asked to approve 'initial seed-funding of up to £200,000 over three years from the Community Capacity Building Reserve (via the recent top-up from the Investment for the Future Reserve) for the plan. This will support the start-up costs of the credit union until a break-even position is maintained for a local shop-front branch. Subject to Cabinet approval, it is planned that the council will work with PCU to identify a possible site for a local branch in Barrhead, which is likely to be a rental site, either council-owned or by a private landlord. It further states that given pressure on suitable Main Street/central Barrhead locations at the current time, it may be that the credit union is established in temporary premises as soon as possible, but with a view to finding longer-term premises as opportunities arise. West Scotland MSP Paul O'Kane, who has endeavoured to help retain access to critical services since the bank's closure was announced, also welcomed the news. 'I said from the very beginning that if the bitter blow of losing the branch couldn't be reversed then our focus would turn to ensuring that Barrhead residents would still have access to critical banking services – I am very pleased that the provision of a credit union will give access and support,' he said. 'The Barrhead community, campaigners, Councillor Danny Devlin, Blair McDougall MP, council leader Owen O'Donnell and I have all passionately opposed the loss of the last bank and have worked positively together to ensure ERC take this decisive action. 'I will continue to play my part to ensure that the delivery of the credit union is efficient and timely, but also to explore additional ways Barrhead residents can use banking services locally through hub services including via the Post Office.'
