One burning issue for Dumbarton East and Central Community Council, and others, in Dumbarton and the Vale is as important now as it’s ever been – a lack of membership.

So come on, if you’re interested in what’s going on in your local area, and you want to do your bit to make it a better place to live and work, please come along to your community council’s next meeting.

Dumbarton East and Central CC’s meetings are held in the hall at St Augustine’s Church in High Street on the second Tuesday of every month, starting at 7pm.

For details of the date, time and venue of other community council meetings in the area, take a look at West Dunbartonshire Council’s website – west-dunbarton.gov.uk/council/community-councils – where you’ll find all the information you need.

Talking of West Dunbartonshire Council, if you’ve been reading the Reporter in recent weeks you’ll know that we have council elections coming up – across the whole of Scotland, not just West Dunbartonshire. Please do your civic duty and get along to your local polling station on Thursday, May 5 to vote for whichever candidates rock your boat.

Topics up for discussion by members of DE&CCC this month have included a big project in the pipeline for the rejuvenation of Dumbarton East. These plans include the creation of a ‘green corridor’ between Dumbarton East railway station and the Castle, taking in ‘sprucing up’ work at Knoxland Square, involving the community with new planting and so on. Work is ongoing to obtain the funding for this project, but businesses in the area are already on board with the proposals.

Another regular topic for us is the state of Dumbarton’s town centre. This month we specifically discussed the water leak from one of the empty/derelict shops at 133 High Street, where water has been flowing out of the door and on to the pavement.

We believe that West Dunbartonshire Council is making moves to remedy the situation, but so far the owners/landlords have proved a bit difficult to track down.

Staying ‘down the town’, the sorry state of the Leven has also been on the community council’s agenda – specifically the numerous unsightly wrecks of ships and boats that are littering the river and making it less than pleasant to look at.

On the plus side, though, everyone has commented on how beautifully kept Levengrove Park is. The weekly parkrun events have been very well attended and the new sports facility at Posties Park is progressing well.

The next meeting for us should be on Tuesday, May 10, so if you’re free please come along - all welcome.