Stewart Stevenson, Scottish Government Minister for Transport, Infrastructure & Climate Change, visited Kirkintilloch to meet the East Dunbartonshire Council's Leader and Deputey Leader and to see for himself the recent investments in the town including the new marina at Southbank.

Council Leader, Rhondda Geekie, said: "This was an excellent opportunity for us to show the Minister how, through the partnership that is Kirkintilloch's Initiative, we have achieved so much in this area. Just on the short trip from the Council HQ to the marina he was able to see many examples of what has been delivered.

"There's the fabulous new leisure centre, celebrating its first year of operation and the brand new integrated care centre being built right next door and set to open next year, then the marina and the canalside with all that is planned there for coming years.

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"Hand in hand with all this investment in development goes our commitment to the green agenda. We have signed up to the Government’s Climate Change Charter and we take our responsibility to the environment and to future generations very seriously. Everything we do is set against a sustainability agenda and is mindful of the need to be as green as possible."

Councillor Billy Hendry, Depute Leader, took the opportunity to raise the issue of roads funding with the Minister. He said: "Travelling through the area, the Minister could have been in no doubt about the scale of the challenge facing this Council in its work to maintain and improve the roads. I was delighted to be able to show the Minister the work that has started on the new Kirkintilloch Link Road and to discuss the benefits we hope it will bring to East Dunbartonshire.

"However, I was also keen to remind the Minister of the need for additional funding to deal with the other 500km of roads across the area. As we are alone in Scotland in having no trunk roads, the whole burden falls upon the Council. The most recent estimate we have is that it would take around £15m to tackle the necessary repairs, maintenance and improvements."

Councillor Hendry asked the Minister to reconsider the request for an all-party meeting and let him know that he would be receiving a letter signed by all group leaders in due course.

(GK/JM)