Almost two years ago we revealed how Clare Lally, 33, and her partner Derek, 37, felt their daughter Katie, aged seven, who suffers from bulbar palsy and needs constant care, was trapped after the family were rehoused in a property at the top of three levels of stairs.

In August 2012 a spokesman for West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) told the Post a metal ramp solution had been found and said that “the ramp should be fitted by the end of September [2012]” for the benefit of the family.

However, work didn’t begin for another year and the structure’s finishing touches were only put in place last December.

And although the family are pleased with the new ramp, they have said they feel the authority’s refusal to install a gate at the bottom of it has encouraged anti-social behaviour among some youths in the area.

Last week Clare told the Post: “I’m over the moon, albeit it’s 29 months later than it should have been, it shows you shouldn’t give up hope or give up fighting.

“This has taken up so much time and energy, it would have been easier to say I can’t do this any more, but now we can get Katie outside and get her to the bottom without the use of the stairs.

“The council have now said we are not getting a gate on it.

“It’s so big I can’t see my car and we don’t know who is at the bottom. A couple of times my neighbour has phoned me and said there’s boys on the ramp. The ones I caught last week were urinating on it.

“Another time they were on it with their skateboards and dogs have also been coming out and doing their business on it.” Officers at Clydebank Police Station have said they have not received any recent reports of any anti-social behaviour in the area but have said community officers will be paying extra attention to the area over the coming weeks.

They also encouraged local residents with information to contact their community team to discuss any issues by calling 101 or visiting the My Community page of the Police Scotland website.

However, on Monday a spokeswoman for the council said the authority believed the criticism levelled at it was unjustified.

She added: “As Ms Lally is aware the adaptation to her property was delayed due to a neighbouring boundary issue which needed to be resolved before the works could begin.

“The cost and design of the ramp was the only option open to the council due to the restricted space within the entrance to the property. Ms Lally was informed of the restrictions of this property before she accepted the house.

“As Ms Lally is aware Health and Safety regulations mean we are unable to install a gate at her property as an outward opening gate would present a hazard to the public footway.”