The most recent meeting of the Helensburgh and Lomond area committee found vocal entry in a report by the Helensburgh Advertiser.

The formal minutes have just been produced for the public, but much remains to be discussed and analysed. The Community Council raised a number of questions concerning local democracy and the future location of the town's skate park.

Argyll and Bute Council have said that they have selected seven out of the nine expressions of interest to take forwards for financial bids.

We are not aware of which bids have been taken forward, but we wait to learn more with interest, so that we can continue to work with A&BC to ensure that the community's voice is heard in the planning for this critical Helensburgh site.

We were surprised and disappointed to read the council's report that suggested the pierhead side was not appropriate for a skate park, given that this is contrary to the council's own Masterplan for the site which the community agreed in 2012.

We support the Helensburgh Skatepark Group's input to the council, which caused them to rethink this direction, and we're pleased that the council have now committed to delivering a skatepark.

In a broader context it is a crying shame that there has been such a dearth of imagination in re-establishing this prime site in the centre of our historic and scenic town.

We have a collective responsibility across all levels of local government to engage in an engagement and decision-making process to resolve this issue, not only for the immediate future of the town but also future generations of townsfolk. It has got to be right.

It is also worth reminding people of the fact that Helensburgh is the largest town in Argyll and Bute, and provides a focus for social interaction with our Lomond friends and neighbours.

Together, Helensburgh and Lomond make up a third of the population of Argyll and Bute, and that also gives them a stake in the process. The imperative of engagement and communication remains an important element as the situation evolves.

Town Issues: Bins

It is a work in progress to replace the ineffectual steel bins in the town centre, and is an example of mutual cooperation and effort between Argyll and Bute, Plastic Free Helensburgh and the Community Council to provide seagull-proof containers and the removal of a greater volume of litter from our streets.

Please bear with us as we seek a solution to permanently remove the static steel bins.

Town Issues: Traffic Regulation Order and the Waterfront Car Park

The procedure to grant the same parking regime concession to the waterfront car park as exists in Sinclair Street shows no sign of resolution due to an objection to the process.

As mere mortals, the machinations of the legal process remain much of a mystery but we are assured that action is taking place. The loss of parking income is significant.