A STRUGGLING social enterprise has collapsed into administration plunging more than 100 staff into an uncertain future.

On Friday, Paul Dounis and Steven Ross, of RSM Restructuring Advisory LLP, were appointed joint administrators of Alexandria-based Greenlight Environmental Limited.

The appointment followed a period of marketing the business, with the aim of securing a purchaser to safeguard 109 jobs and allow for the fulfilment of contracts.

Despite several interested parties and advanced negotiations with one group, the offer was withdrawn and Greenlight was placed into administration, resulting in the closure of the business and redundancy of all employees.

Mr Dounis, joint administrator, said: “We are working with local and national organisations including West Dunbartonshire Council, PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment), the Job Centre and the Redundancy Payments Service to support the affected employees at this difficult time.”

Recycling centres in Old Kilpatrick at Erskine Ferry Road, and at Dalmoak in Renton, closed on Friday afternoon.

Hazel Nolan, GMB Scotland organiser, said West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde and Argyll and Bute council taking on Greenlight’s jobs, services and infrastructures into their ownership is “the obvious move”.

She added: “Greenlight’s administration will mean the closure of civic amenities, disruption to collections and ultimately, our members’ responsibilities will be picked-up by other services already under strain.”

Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie echoed the call to bring the jobs in house, saying: “This will ensure that the employees have continued employment and that the service can be provided as normal.”

Council leader Jonathan McColl said that move is being considered – but care must be taken not to burden the council with “extra avoidable costs”.

Cllr McColl said: “It is extremely unfortunate that the administrators could not find a buyer for the Greenlight Environmental company; now 109 people are out of a job through no fault of their own and three councils are having to put alternative arrangements in place for the delivery of important local services.

“We are looking at all options to maintain services and jobs, including taking some or all of the work in-house, however we have a responsibility not to put our current staff or services at risk and so we have to be careful in taking the next steps.”

He added that the council must not be burdened “with avoidable extra costs or liabilities”.