News in brief: Friday 14 March

Tickets cost £2 and are available from the Your Voice office in Clyde Square, Greenock.

Multi-million plan for roads and lighting A MULTI-MILLION plan to improve Inverclyde’s roads, paths and street lighting has been given the green light.

The £5.35 million cash boost was approved Inverclyde Council’s environment and regeneration committee.

The investment is part of the council’s three-year, £17 million commitment of improvements which was agreed in February last year.

Councillor Michael McCormick, the committee’s convenor, said: “We recognise that we will need significant investment to be able to address the maintenance backlog and bring our roads up to a good state of repair.

“That is why we have committed to the biggest single investment in road resurfacing and lighting improvements for many years.

“We have a comprehensive and fully-costed programme of improvements in place which really will make a difference.”
Song charge A 19-year-old man is expected to appear at Greenock Sheriff Court today in connection with singing sectarian songs.

The alleged offence took place in the Tesco car park in Greenock at 2am yesterday morning.

Man cleared of assault A GOUROCK man has been cleared of headbutting a woman in a bar in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

Joseph Cannon, 44, of St John’s Road, had denied the assault which was alleged to have taken place at the Green Oak Bar in Inverkip Street.

The Crown decided not to proceed with the case midway through the trial and Cannon, represented by solicitor Aidan Gallagher, was acquitted by Sheriff Ruth Anderson.

Charity car wash event THE 70th Scout Group and Finnart Explorer Unit are holding a charity car wash at Lyle Kirk in Newark Street on Saturday 29 March.

Tea and coffee will be available and proceeds will be used to help meet the costs of those taking part in this year’s Blair Atholl Jamborette and the 2015 World Scout Jamboree in Japan.

The car wash runs from 10am to 1pm.

Hearing aids support VOLUNTEERS are being sought in Inverclyde to help provide life-changing support for people fitted with hearing aids.

Hear to Help will train volunteers to show people how to get the most from their NHS hearing aids. To apply, email katy.green@hearingloss.org.uk or call 0141 341 5338.

Move for Saint Patrick’s kids PUPILS at St Patrick’s Primary will be decanted to the former Sacred Heart school while their new £6m home is built.

St Patrick’s will move to Larkfield while their Broomhill Street base is flattened to make way for a new building.

It’s anticipated that work will begin on the new school next summer and be finished by around October 2016.

The project is being funded by the council and the Scottish Government.

Councillor Terry Loughran, education convener, said: “We are delighted to be able to press ahead with another exciting school project in Inverclyde.”
Electrical fault closes school A GREENOCK school was shut down yesterday and all its pupils sent home early.

Lady Alice Primary was closed just after 1.30pm due to an electrical fault.

An Inverclyde Council spokesman said: “Due to an electrical fault it was decided in the interests of safety to send pupils home.” Engineers from ScottishPower were drafted in to fix the fault.

‘Drug wrap’ man A TEENAGER is to appear in court accused of concealing a suspected drug ‘wrap’ inside his body.

Josh Elkin, 18, of Iona Road in Port Glasgow, is accused of committing the offence while being searched at Greenock police office last August.

Solicitor Gerry Keenan pled not guilty on his client’s behalf at Greenock Sheriff Court.

Teen project ENTERPRISING teenagers have improved the lives of pensioners after taking part in an innovative project.

The big-hearted pupils at St Columba’s in Kilmacolm handed over a bumper £3,000 cheque for Abbeyfield Campbell Snowdon House Care Home, based in Quarrier’s Village.

The donation was the result of the Youth Philanthropy Initiative, where teams of students each choose a local charity and give a presentation in front of a panel of judges.

The winning team were pupils Hamish MacLean, Robbie Espie, Emily Holmes, Anna Campbell and Andrew Dawson.

Drink-driving A GREENOCK man has admitted drink-driving while three-and-a-half times the limit.

Gilbert Griffin, 61, was caught on Inverkip Road on 12 February. A breath test revealed he drove with 126 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Griffin, of Pennyfern Road, pled guilty through solicitor Aidan Gallagher at Greenock Sheriff Court and will be sentenced next month.

Fuel tax plea INVERCLYDE’S MP today called for a cut in fuel tax ahead of next week’s Budget.

Chancellor George Osborne will unveil his latest measures on 19 March, and today Iain McKenzie said the opportunity should be grasped to cut the cost of motoring.

Mr McKenzie, who has campaigned for fuel price reductions in Inverclyde, said: “When the Conservative/LibDem government came to power in 2010, one of the first increases they imposed was to VAT, increasing it to 20 per cent and adding 3p to the price of petrol.

“Now I’d like to see them dropping VAT back to 17.5 per cent, which would see 3p taken off the price of a litre at the pump.”
School open day THE £44m Port Glasgow Community Campus is all set for its open day on Saturday 29 March from 10am to 1pm.

Senior pupils will be on hand to provide tours of the three schools based at the sprawling facility. There will also be refreshments, a Fairtrade stall and tombolas.

Longer hours agreed for town nightclub A GREENOCK nightclub has been granted permission to open longer at the weekend — at the second time of asking.

Red on Cross Shore Street can now serve alcohol and stay open for an extra half an hour on Friday and Saturday nights.

It means the bar can stay open until 3am, with the club closing 30 minutes later.

Nightclub bosses had initially faced objections from people who live near to the town centre venue over problems with noise and disruption.

Councillors were told the problems have now been resolved and new measures introduced to curb any excessive noise, and one of the residents who wrote a letter of complaint withdrew her objection.

Check bills for errors warning INVERCLYDE people are being urged to check their energy bills for possible mistakes.

Local MSP Stuart McMillan says that new research shows as many as a quarter of Scots have been charged the wrong amount in the past two years.

He said: “The problem is caused by energy companies sending customers estimated bills which may be wrong. This can lead to customers paying for more than they actually use, or suddenly owing hundreds of pounds at a later date.

“People can’t rely on the accuracy of estimated bills.”
Workplace health advice ADVICE on making sure local workplaces provide a healthy environment for staff is being offered at an event later this month.

Inverclyde Community Development Trust is organising it on Friday 21 March in Port Glasgow Town Hall.

A spokesperson said: “Employers can find out how their organisation can reap the rewards of a healthier workforce by reducing absence and increasing productivity and staff retention.

“A free, healthy buffet will be provided to everybody that comes along. Drop by anytime between 10am and 2pm.” Email Rebecca.Smith@the-trust.org.uk to register for the event.

Woman on punch charge A PORT woman has appeared in court charged with punching a police officer.

Gemma Collins, 20, is accused of assaulting the male constable on 8 January at her home in Caledonia Street.

She denied the offence through solicitor Derek Buchanan at Greenock Sheriff Court, with matters continued until later this month.

Man on BP threat charge A MAN is to due appear in court charged with making threats at a Greenock garage.

Andrew Barron, 23, of Lansbury Street, is accused of shouting and swearing while at the BP petrol station in Regent Street in November.

He denies the charge and is expected to appear at the sheriff court next month.