BUDGET day brought about mixed emotions for two Greenock community facilities after one was shut and the other saved.

A majority of Inverclyde councillors voted on Thursday to close Ravenscraig Sports Centre to help balance the books while Crawfurdsburn Community Centre was spared the axe.

The decision was taken during a special council meeting to agree the budget for the next three years.

Council leader Stephen McCabe admitted it was 'not pleasing' taking the decision to shut Ravenscraig but said tough steps had to be taken to help balance the books and plug a �4 million-plus spending gap.

Closing the Larkfield-based centre will save the council �62,000.

But ward councillor Innes Nelson has hit out at the closure.

He said: "After listening carefully to Larkfield, Branchton and Braeside Community Council, the SNP group on Inverclyde Council presented a budget which retained Ravenscraig Sports Centre.

"Despite the community council pleading with Councillor McCabe not to close this valuable facility, Labour went ahead and included the closure in their budget savings.

"The message seems to be 'let them eat cake'."

But the council leader made assurances that there may still be a future for the facility.

Mr McCabe said: "Ravenscraig was a saving which caused great concern within the Labour group.

"There will be reservations about the decision, absolutely.

"That saving is in our budget but we are open to having discussions for the future and alternative plans to make the same saving and potentially save that centre.

"I will give you an assurance that we will look again at Ravenscraig Sports Centre and there could be a future for it.

Inverclyde sports champion, Councillor Ronnie Ahlfeld, expressed his dismay at the closure but said he understood the background to it.

He said: "I'm disappointed at the decision to close Ravenscraig but I do understand why it has been closed.

"I hope we can revisit this decision perhaps through a sports hub initiative."

Meanwhile, in the east end of Greenock, Hugh 'Spud' Burns, who runs the Gibshill Sunshine Club at Crawfurdsburn Community Centre, was delighted to learn that the under-threat facility had been spared.

He said: "I'm really glad it's been saved.

"It's good for the community, the Sunshine Club, the bingo sessions, art classes and kids who use it through the week - now we can get on with things."