COUNCILLORS unanimously agreed to consult the public on the number of betting and pay day lending shops in Clydebank town centre.

At last week’s planning committee meeting, councillors were given a report about the number of shops in Clydebank and Dumbarton town centres.

It was said at the meeting “every single” planning application for betting or pay day lending shops which has been refused by the council’s planning committee has been overturned on appeal.

The local authority is hoping to strengthen existing guidance which would prevent more betting shops opening in town centres.

The move has come about after the council and residents expressed concerns about the “clustering” of these kind of shops in town centres.

Clydebank has three betting shops, and four pay day lenders, while in Dumbarton, there are three betting shops and two high-interest lending shops.  A citizens’ panel was consulted ahead of the council report being written.

Through that, residents have already expressed concerns.

One said: “It would be a backwards step to allow too many of these [pay day lenders and betting offices] to be located on the High Street. Even though it might reduce the number of empty premises, it would be detrimental to the wellbeing of our town and the community.”

In addition to the citizens panel survey, Dumbarton Credit Union highlighted issues within the community with people getting into debt difficulty as a result of pay day lending and gambling.

If the public wish to do so, consideration will be given to look at other town centre hubs in Clydebank, Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven.  At the meeting, chairman Councillor Lawrence O’Neill proposed to consult the public.

He added if the public asked about the Vale of Leven then councillors could look at adding that in to the consultation.

Cllr Denis Agnew wanted it put on record that Provost Douglas McAllister and Cllr O’Neill had been “at the forefront” of trying to change the planning guidance.

Cllr John Mooney agreed. He also said: “The other thing I would say is, just to refresh our memory, there have been several applications for betting shops and every single one has been overturned by the Scottish Reporter.”

Unemployment is higher in West Dunbartonshire at 7.7 per cent of economically active residents, compared to the Scottish average of six per cent.