This summer the SNP administration at West Dunbartonshire, without consultation with the public or golfers, decided to hike up the fees and cost of membership at our municipal golf course at Dalmuir Park.

When the SNP took over from the Labour-run council in 2017 membership cost £280. The SNP have increased membership to £384 in a miserable attempt to increase revenue to the council.

This ill thought-out and hare-brained decision has proved to be self-defeating, as membership has dropped to only 78 and only 13 members have paid the full SNP price hike. The rest of the memberships are withholding their second and final instalment until the SNP councillors have a rethink. They have Labour’s full support.

I tabled a motion last week to demand the increase be reviewed.

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I understand it is becoming more difficult to deliver non-statutory services and with competing priorities on the front line and decreasing finances to West Dunbartonshire from the SNP Scottish Government, additional revenue has to be found from somewhere. But this tax on our golfers has meant a reduction in revenue to the council and risks the very future of our course.

The SNP councillors have agreed to my request for a report to come back to council. Here is what we should do: reduce membership to £250; enhance the facilities by converting the disused bowling greens to a practice putting area; create a short game practice area; reduce the cost of junior membership – we are more expensive than the two local private clubs which is why we have zero junior members at Dalmuir; convert the disused tennis pavilion and closed cafe into a clubhouse – you can’t even buy a cup of tea at Dalmuir.

Why would any member of the public pay £22 for a round of golf at the weekend on the current offering? It simply isn’t good enough.

I am very proud that the council has managed to sustain a course at Dalmuir, which as far as municipal golf courses go, is unrivalled anywhere in the country. However, we must invest in facilities and increase user numbers. We must look again at the unfair price rises or risk the future of our great course.