Faifley residents have reacted with fury over news their beloved Skypoint is set to close at the end of March – leaving them without a community centre.

West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) informed the area’s community council on Friday they planned to close the multi-functional facility on March 29 as they continue to look at ways to plug a £21 million budget blackhole.

The local authority discussed plans to review community facilities during the budget meeting in March 2023 with the plan to transfer Skypoint services into the new shared campus being built on the current site of St Joseph’s Primary on Faifley Road.

However, fed-up locals have accused the Labour-led administration of breaking promises as they claim they were assured Skypoint would remain open until the new site is ready in 2025.

Tricia Lorimer, who runs the community council, insists she was completely blindsided when she was given just two months' notice of the closure by the council, noting there is widespread "anger" in Faifley about the move.

Speaking to The Clydebank Post, she said: "We are obviously really disappointed especially at the fact we knew nothing about it.

"We were reassured in July that it wasn't going to happen.

"I actually went into the building for another meeting and was told all of the people and groups who use the building had been lettered saying they had to leave.

"We don't have any community buildings in Faifley, so our building is the only place for people to hire for anything.

"The kids up here don't have much, so them taking something else from them is no good when they could have waited another year until our shared campus is open."

The community also fear even when the new campus opens, it will not be a like-for-like replacement, with concerns the new space will be much smaller.

"I would say the majority of the people I speak to are really angry about this," Tricia added.

"That they are losing the place their kids go to, especially all the kid's classes like dancing and art clubs and the like."

Tricia was told the reason for the sudden closure was due to weather damage after the recent storms and the costs it took for the security of the site, amid recent cases of vandalism.

However, a spokesperson for WDC defended the decision to close Skypoint, explaining they are working with the many groups who use the site to find them alternative homes.

They said: “The review of community facilities was agreed as part of the council’s budget setting in March 2023 in response to a £21million funding gap with community groups including at Skypoint notified.

“Community groups which currently use the facility are being supported to secure alternative accommodation with a number planning to relocate to the community space within the new Faifley Campus scheduled to open next year.”

The planned closure is thought to save the council over £450,000 going forward.

But Tony Ercoli from community group Flourishing Faifley, who use Skypoint for their kiddie’s playgroup and an arts and crafts class, admitted if the centre closes, these groups will have to be stopped for the time being.

He said: “Flourishing Faifley are hoping that there can be a possibility of Skypoint remaining open until the new campus is complete as our parent and toddler group and family ceramics and crafts club are thriving and very well attended and are very well supported in our community.

“The centre closing early would mean that we would have to put the groups on hold until a suitable place becomes available for us.”

As Faifley Community Council announced the closure on social media, natives of the area explained their shock and anger.

One wrote: “Can't believe what is happening in our village, so sad.”

Another said: “We deserve better up here we don’t even have a proper library like we used to.”