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Home-help cash worry

WORRIED pensioners were unable to pay for their home-helps after a computer crashed - now they face paying a three-month bill for the service all in one go. A computer failure at Inverclyde Council meant that bills could not be sent for either December or January. Work is still being carried out by computer experts to retrieve the data, and it will be later this month before bills are sent out. OAPs are charged £5.30 for every hour they have a home-help. One Port Glasgow woman, who has a home help but did not want to be named, said: "The council haven't had a penny since November and I feel it is something that should be highlighted. You would think they would collect their money. "I get a home-help twice a week so I don't pay a lot but I know there are people who pay quite a bit of money and I know other people are unhappy about this. I have put the money away but what about people who haven't? They might have to pay a lot of money in one go." Denis Moore, the council's revenues manager, said: "The computer system concerned with billing for the home-helps service had crashed over the festive period. "This means there have been delays in billing and we are aware it will have caused inconvenience to some people. "However, after working flat out to restore the lost data we expect the system to be fully operational by the middle of this month. People can expect bills through their letterboxes after 15 February. "We would expect people to have budgeted for the arrears but, of course, we would be sympathetic to anyone experiencing genuine difficulties paying all due instalments."

Published: Friday, 8th February, 2002 00:00

Post workers may strike next week

POSTAL workers in Inverclyde could be on strike next week over pay. They have been balloted for strike action and the result will be known on Monday. A ballot of employees was undertaken after workers rejected a pay rise of 1.9 per cent. The union is demanding a 5 per cent increase. Norrie Watson, divisional officer with the Communications Workers Union, said: "All Royal Mail staff under Consignia - from postmen, sorting staff, engineers and admin staff - have been balloted. "No-one knows what the result will be, but everyone who has spoken to me feels aggrieved. They've been looking for a pay rise since October. I hope it will go-ahead." He added: "The result of the ballot will be announced on Monday and if it's yes, then it's up to the executive council to decide what action to be taken. It could be all-out action or over one or two days a week." A spokesperson for Consignia said: "We are still waiting for the result of the ballot, but if there is industrial action we'll be pulling out all the stops to make sure that mail will be delivered. There are contingency plans, which will be put in place."

Published: Friday, 8th February, 2002 00:00

Storm topples 20-year-old tree

FORESTERS at Ardgowan Estate, Inverkip, are still clearing away the debris, caused by high winds. A 200-year-old beech tree was uprooted in the storms and toppled over, blocking the road leading up to Ardgowan House, owned by Sir Houston Shaw Stewart. John Wilson has been the estate factor for 30 years and lives at East Lodge at the entrance to the estate, He said: "This has been the worst storm I've experienced since coming here to work. The tree fell just six feet away from my house. It was quite spectacular although I did get a bit of a fright. Said John: "It just depends on the wind and the age of the trees. Trees within Ardgowan Estate are old and therefore are more likely to suffer." He added: "The tops of the larch trees along the road were horizontal with the wind." Three other large trees, including a Spanish chestnut, were also blown over and another 20 smaller trees also came down. Meanwhile at Langbank's Finlaystone Estate, nearly 30 larch and spruce trees were blown down. Ranger Richard Bolton said: "Trees that would have been brought down were blown down in the gales four years ago. We were lucky that the damage affected one or two trees here and there throughout the estate." He added: "We won't need to re-plant the trees as the areas cleared will be left to encourage flora in the woodland."

Published: Friday, 8th February, 2002 00:00

Campaigners get £3,000 from council

PROTESTERS campaigning against a controversial public plan to build houses on an area of natural beauty have been given a cash boost. Inverclyde Council's policy and strategy committee has voted to give Kilmacolm Community Council and Kilmacolm Civic Trust £3,000. The two groups employed expert witnesses at a cost of £20,000 to give evidence at a public inquiry. They managed to raise £17,000 of the money themselves and now the council has agreed to give them the rest of the cash. The inquiry was held into house-builder Manor Kingdom's plan to build homes on the Hydro Dam in Kilmacolm after the council refused planning permission. Residents objected to the plans which involved draining the dam, building four luxury houses costing around £850,000 each and then letting a third of the dam refill naturally. Welcoming the council's decision, Marilyn Stirling, chairman of Kilmacolm Community Council, said: "We are delighted that the council has agreed to pay the shortfall. They have been very supportive all along and we are delighted they have taken on board the fact that both the Civic Trust and the Community Council were the ones who organised the expert witmesses. "We would also like to thank Inverclyde for dealing with our request so promptly." A spokesperson for Inverclyde Council explained that the money had been allocated as a Special Project Grant and the committee considered £3,000 a reasonable sum in light of how much the community had raised itself to pay for the expert witnesses. The result of the inquiry is expected later this month.

Published: Friday, 8th February, 2002 00:00

Heading for 'hell'

SCOTS actor David Hayman will tell Inverclyde firemen heading to Kosovo of the "hellish conditions" in a mental hospital where they are heading later this year to do charity work. The actor, better known for his portrayal of Glasgow hard men such as Jimmy Boyle, and who recently played a UDA leader in a BBC drama, visited the hospital in the city of Pec where disturbed children as young as 10 are housed with adults. Tomorrow night he will show a video at Port Glasgow fire station about his experiences to a group of 14 Port Glasgow and Greenock firemen who are heading to Kosovo in April. The fire fighters will spend a week in the city of Pec, near the capital Pristina, where they will help to refurbish a ward in the mental hospital. Sub Officer Ronnie Leckenby, based in Port Glasgow, is one of the firemen going to Kosovo. "We will be refurbishing a ward so that children from the age of ten do not have to share their accommodation with adults," he said. "David Hayman will be telling us about what he saw and how we will be able to help." The Rev Neil Galbraith, of the charity Glasgow the Caring City, which is organising the trip, said: "Some of the children we will be trying to help are mentally ill, others have physical disabilities or are mentally handicapped. The conditions in the mental institution is like something out of Dante's Inferno." He added: "At the moment children older than ten have to go into the adult wards, where they become easily picked upon. Our aim is the refurbish one of the wards so that children and young adults can have their own, separate accommodation."

Published: Friday, 8th February, 2002 00:00

Four badly hurt in violent weekend

THREE men and a woman were seriously injured during a weekend of violence. Trouble began on Saturday night when a husband and wife were badly beaten by a gang of youths at a taxi rank in Princes Street, Port Glasgow. The group set about the couple sometime between 5pm and 9pm as they stood waiting for a taxi. During the horror attack the woman was struck on the head. The pair were taken to Inverclyde Royal Hospital where the woman received treatment for a suspected fractured skull. The man suffered severe injuries to his face, but was allowed to leave the hospital after treatment. Both were too traumatised by their ordeal to accurately describe their attackers. On Sunday, a 24-year-old man was assaulted outside a post office in Sinclair Street, Greenock, by two teenagers wielding a baseball bat. The man was approached by the youths who smashed the bat into the back of his head before running off. The attackers were described as between 14 and15 years old. One was wearing a white tracksuit with black stripes on the sleeves and legs. The other was wearing a pink shirt and blue jeans. In a separate incident, on the same day, a 35-year-old Glasgow man was struck on the head and stabbed in his back after tensions boiled over during a juvenile football game at Broomhill Football Park, Greenock. The match, between Greenock Morton Boys Club and Hillwood Boys Club, turned ugly when a section of the crowd threw stones. The man, who was believed to be supervising the Glasgow team, was attacked as he tried to lead the players from the field at the end of the match. Police said his attacker was between 15 and 16-years-old and was wearing a grey baseball cap, a white tracksuit top and beige trousers.

Published: Tuesday, 7th May, 2002 00:00

Motorists urged to 'be patient'

MOTORISTS face more disruption throughout Inverclyde because of the council's essential road repair programme. Ronnie Small, head of transport and roads, is appealing to drivers to remain patient as road maintenence work is carried out. Routes affected from tomorrow and Wednesday are the A761 Duchal Road stretch of Lochwinnoch Road, Kilmacolm, where diversions will be operation. Diversions will also be in place at Curlew Crescent, Greenock, from tomorrow until Monday 13 May. Work in Kelly Street between Brisbane Street and Ardgowan Street will be carried out from Tuesday until Friday . Serious delays are expected when repair work is carried out at Dalrymple Street from the High Street westwards between Wednesday and Friday 17 May. Eastbound traffic will be diverted down Patrick Street, along Container Way to the Bull Ring roundabout. On Thursday, re-scheduled maintenance work will be carried out at Regent Street, Greenock. Diversions will be in place. Finally, Sinclair Street between Carwood Street and Grosvenor Road will be closed for repairs and there will be appropriate diversions.  On Friday, thousands of motorists heading for Gourock were stuck in a three-mile traffic jam because of resurfacing work.

Published: Tuesday, 7th May, 2002 00:00

Cigs and booze stolen in shop raid

THIEVES made off with a large quantity of cigarettes and alcohol after they broke into a shop in Tay Street, Greenock. The robbers smashed their way into Singh's greengrocers while it was closed sometime around 7.00 last night. A spokesman for Greenock police said: "We are appealing for any witnesses to this break-in to come forward".

Published: Tuesday, 7th May, 2002 00:00

Three cheers for brainies from brigade

FIVE brainy Gourock lads have battled their way to become UK Boys' Brigade quiz champions. The teenagers travelled to Northern Ireland to win the final of the brigade's Masterteam competition. They answered questions on general knowledge, sport and the Bible to come out top of five other teams from Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland. The team, made up of Andrew MacPherson, Calum McRae, Euan McRae, Craig Whyte and David Middleton, are members of the 3rd Gourock (Old Gourock and Ashton) Company. Minister the Rev Frank Gardner praised their success. “It is very heartening that a group of young men should be willing to make the effort to do something so worthwhile and bring honour to their community,” he said. “They have worked hard for their success.”

Published: Tuesday, 7th May, 2002 00:00

Gala queen pledges to return from Holland

GOUROCK'S Coronation year gala queen has been tracked down following an appeal in the Telegraph. Elizabeth Bisschop, nee Anderson, was crowned gala queen in 1953 as a young girl. She has lived in Holland since the 1970’s. She visits friends and family in Gourock every year and has promised to make this year’s visit coincide with the Jubilee gala queens' re-union in Gourock Park on Saturday 15 June. “The response to our appeal has been great,” garden party committee secretary Sheena Bowman said. “We were delighted to be put in touch with Elizabeth and that she will be able to come. “Several people have phoned to say the 1952 queen, Shirley Russell, sadly died 12 years ago, but we have found out there was also a Crown Bearer in 1952 who we would like to trace. “His name was Ian Ross and we think he may now live in Largs.” Other queens who Sheena and fellow researcher Tom Livingstone have so far failed to contact are Shirley Jamieson (1962), who lived in Staffa Street, Joyce McInnes (1966), who lived in Shore Street where her father had a sub-post office before the family moved to Tarbet, Marion McNeil (1967) of Rodney Road and Julie Montgomery (1978), address unknown. They have no names for the 1993 and 1997 queens. Further information about one of the photographs featured in the Telegraph appeal has come from Elaine Cushnaghan of Fletcher Avenue, Gourock. She recognised her elder sister Marion as one of the grass-skirted girls and has now sent a copy of the picture to her in Ohio. Elaine, nee Brawn, said the family lived in Nelson Road at the time. Marion married an American serviceman when she was 19. “I’ve only very vague memories of the event, and I’ve only seen Marion four or five times since she went to America, so it will be interesting to see what she remembers,” Elaine said. Anyone with further information about Gourock’s gala queens can contact Sheena on 636722.

Published: Tuesday, 7th May, 2002 00:00

Tenant takes rent rise fury to the top

FIRST Minister Jack McConnell was told that Inverclyde's council house rents are too high. The complaint was made to him by a Greenock tenant who feels he is not getting value for money. The tenant, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "I'm so annoyed about continuing rent rises that I wrote to Mr McConnell in January, when the rents went up by 5 per cent, and I've just received a reply." Inverclyde's rents increased by £2.41 a week, taking them to an average of £50.42. The letter was passed by Mr McConnell to the Executive's development department housing section, which replied: "When setting their budgets, councils have to ensure that they will have sufficient rental income to run their housing service. "The main expenditure items for all councils are the management and maintenance of the housing stock, and servicing the housing debt. "As Inverclyde spends more on management and maintenance per house than most other councils, and its housing debt is also higher than average, this is reflected in its rental charges." Councillor Stephen McCabe, convener of Inverclyde's social work and housing committee, agreed rents are too high. He said: "Our management costs are among the lowest in the country, but maintenance bills are high, and so is our debt. "That's why we are exploring the issue of transferring council housing to another landlord." Tenants will be consulted later this year on whether or not they want the council to develop proposals for a transfer.

Published: Tuesday, 7th May, 2002 00:00

West Station petition

SHOPKEEPERS met Provost David Roach to hand over a petition with nearly 3,000 signatures protesting about being moved from near Greenock West Station. Sisters Heather and Caroline Gibson, who own Willie Gibson's Newsagents in Roxburgh Street, were devastated last year after being told they had to leave their council-let premises to make way for the redevelopment of the area. Thousands of concerned customers signed a petition against the move. The women gathered a total of 2,866 signatures and 865 letters of support. But Inverclyde Council have gone ahead with plans to regenerate the area and have put the land up for sale. The women are moving to a privately-rented shop in Union Street at George Square. Said Heather: "The petition hasn't changed anything. Inverclyde Council were determined to go ahead. But we want to thank all our customers for their support. And we are determined to succeed in our new shop." Added Caroline: "We do feel very sad though at leaving the shop because it is our last link with our grandfather" Provost David Roach said: "I willingly accept the petition and, like the many customers, appreciate the service Gibson's has provided over the years. I have frequently used the shop myself." But he added: "I am looking forward to a good development team to come on site to enhance the area.”

Published: Tuesday, 7th May, 2002 00:00