Together with my colleague from Argyll and Bute, Brendan O’Hara MP, I met with the new chairman and new chief executive of the health board to discuss services at the Vale of Leven Hospital. 

I asked for the meeting as I was concerned with growing rumours in the community about the future of a number of services at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

I am pleased to say that it was an extremely positive meeting and painted a very different picture from that which some local politicians would have you see.

You can read our joint statement on my website at www.martindocherty.scot, but in brief I can confirm that the dispensing pharmacy and haematology units that are rumoured to be closing, are in fact not under threat.

I can also confirm that while out-of-hours GP services have been affected by issues with GP contracts, the chief executive is working to resolve this. 

I will meet again with the chairman and chief executive later in the year and I am hopeful that I can build on this initial discussion, and develop a good working relationship here that will benefit our community.

There has also been some controversy around the planning application for a new Lidl store in Dumbarton. 

I joined members of the public some months ago at the pre-application consultation and I was impressed with the pitch given by Lidl.

There are clearly benefits to be had from having the store in Dumbarton, but looking at the application they submitted, this unfortunately did not deliver the community’s aspirations.

There was no disabled pedestrian access from the street, where entry to the site was to be via a set of stairs and the entire site was a sea of grey; this being a site that is supposed to be tied in with the scenic walkway and views to Dumbarton Rock and Castle, and they didn’t have a single blade of grass, much less any planting, in their plans.

I understand that the committee were also concerned that the delivery area, where HGVs would be coming and going throughout the day, backs on to the new social housing project and there were no plans for any screening to mitigate the noise.

I think the committee could have approved the application with conditions imposed by the planning authority to ensure the many concerns, including those I’ve highlighted, were dealt with, but their decision to delay ruling on the application will allow Lidl to consider making the necessary changes to the plans themselves.

I’m watching this with great interest and I urge both the council planners and Lidl to work together to deliver the best solution for the people of Dumbarton.