THE SNP-led council is this Thursday expected to pull a U-turn and vote to re-invest £240,000 into grass cutting and park maintenance.

Despite having cut £650,000 over three years from the service in this year’s budget, funding has become available from the Scottish Government to plug the gap.

The administration were previously successful in gaining majority support to fully fund the £100 school clothing grant programme across West Dunbartonshire.

However, at last Friday’s COSLA council leaders’ meeting in Edinburgh, leader of the council, Councillor Jonathan McColl voted to accept a deal from the Scottish Government who have agreed to fund £50 of the cost of school clothing grants throughout Scotland, subject to councils matching that funding to ensure families everywhere have access to a £100 grant.

The funding will become available to councils in time for the start of the new school term in August meaning that families across the country will see the benefits right away.

It is expected that West Dunbartonshire’s share of funding will be approximately £240,000 and since the council has already fully funded the clothing grant scheme, administration councillors intend to reinvest in greenspace services.

Councillor Ian Dickson, finance spokesman, said: “Not one member of the public who filled in our budget consultation or any councillor who voted on the budget wanted to make cuts, and we’ve said all along that when extra money becomes available, we’ll seek to reinvest it in services.

“It’s very clear to us that a significant increase in grass cutting is a public priority and our greenspace teams have also asked for some extra money to enhance their plans for this year’s summer bedding and wildflower displays, particularly within our parks and public open spaces.

“I’m delighted that we have the resources now to deliver on both aspirations thanks to this extra investment from the Scottish Government. We’ll have a motion ready for Thursday’s council meeting and I’m hopeful that the whole council will agree to allow this extra investment to be made.”

Cllr McColl added: “This was a great day for struggling families across Scotland and shows that West Dunbartonshire Council, for many years now, has been leading the country in the right direction with this cross-party policy.

“It’s incredibly helpful that West Dunbartonshire will benefit from extra funding, and the national agreement on a £100 grant level gives families security that the clothing grant is now protected for the foreseeable future.”

Labour are expected to make a forceful attempt to restore full funding for grass cutting in parks and cemeteries in West Dunbartonshire.

At their first budget in March, the SNP cut greenspace workers and cut the budget for the maintenance of common areas throughout the area, including roundabouts, open spaces and other grassed areas in Clydebank. It was one of 16 cuts to council services over the next year to save £1 million.

It included saving £650,000 over the course of three years, by reducing grass cutting in parks and cemeteries, flower planting and litter picking.

Councillor David McBride described the number of complaints he had received from seething residents as “unprecedented”.