WEST Dunbartonshire Council has announced its delight in a range of community benefits that have come alongside its recent infrastructure projects.
The local authority said the constituency has benefited from new jobs, training opportunities and funding for local groups, with benefits provided by suppliers being a ‘key’ element of tendering for its contracts.
The new Clydebank Care Home, Queens Quay House, as well as the new council housing developments in Haldane, Bellsmyre and Clydebank were listed by the council as projects which brought about community benefits.
As part of the tendering process for new developments, CCG Scotland Ltd offered employment, training, work experience, curriculum support and community enhancements. The new employment opportunities included five construction apprenticeship places for West Dunbartonshire young people, eight new posts created specifically for unemployed residents and other jobs as tradesmen and labourers.
Further to this, the firm made contributions to community projects and groups – including funding for a new resident garden at a care home, equipment for a football and gymnastics club, fundraising for a food share initiative and contributing to the cost of drainage works at the Mill Cabin in Haldane.
Meanwhile, Skanka Facilities, the firm which provides servicing and maintenance to the council, donated new toys, Christmas gift sets and groceries to West Dunbartonshire community foodshare and Aspire Industrial Services Ltd donated 40 face visors to the local authority.
Councillor Ian Dickson, convener of corporate services at West Dunbartonshire Council, said, “Each of these projects has benefited our residents by providing new modern, purpose built facilities, services, or energy efficient homes. Our procurement team works really hard to ensure every council contract represents best value for our residents and it’s great to hear that over and above this, they are also securing a range of community benefits as a key element of these contracts. These benefits will have made a huge difference in our communities and, in the case of the jobs and apprenticeships, will be life-changing.”
