WEST Dunbartonshire Council have backtracked on plans to keep pitches at the new Bellsymre Primary School campus for school use only after they faced backlash from a local football group.

As previously revealed by The Reporter, members of the Renton Craigandro were left "astonished" after they were told they could not use the artificial pitch for training as it was only for use during school hours.

The group's complaints prompted Leven ward Councillor Jim Bollan to motion for the council to grant access "to organised local groups to hire for football matches and training facilities outside of school hours" and to "install an acoustic fence required by the planning permission to allow community use" in a special meeting last week.

But the motion was met with opposition from both the SNP and Labour councillors, who disagreed with the need for an acoustic fence, which could potentially cost around £500,000, with Cllr Marie McNair asking: "Why spend money is it's temporary?".

Both parties put forward amended motions with Labour seeking to carry out a consultation with residents to determine if there is a desire for the council to submit a revised planning application to allow the pitch to be used without an acoustic fence.

Meanwhile, group SNP leader Cllr Jonathan McColl put forward an amendment to Cllr Bollan's initial motion which called for the council allow temporary access to the floodlit state- of-the-art 4G football pitch until work is complete on the all weather pitches at the nearby Bellsymre Our Lady of St Patrick's High School (OLSP) late next year.

However, Cllr McColl also stated council officers are "instructed to find a way to allow temporary use of the pitches" without an acoustic fence and delegates the authority to officers to apply to vary the planning permission for the pitches should they be required to.

The amendment also stated local residents should be consulted on the plans for allowing temporary use and a report should be brought for consultation to the council next month.

But, in a stark contrast, Cllr Bollan took the floor once again to "put to bed" the need for an acoustic fence despite his motion asking the council to erect one.

He said: "We've got a full size 3G pitch in Vale of Leven Academy. The closest house is 20 metres away – no acoustic fence. Bellsmyre's nearest property is 120 metres away.

"Why do we need it for 120 metres away when in Alexandria there's one 60 metres away from a nursing home with no acoustic fence?"

Before holding a vote, councillors sought legal advice to confirm whether members of the planning committee, who will consult on the matter if officers feel a variation to planning permission is necessary after their consultations, were able to vote on the matter – a discussion which saw planning committee chair Cllr Laurence O'Neil excuse himself from voting on those grounds.

Councillors then voted to approve the SNP's amended motion by a majority of two, with even Cllr Bollan opting to vote against his own motion.