OPPOSITION councillors say Barrhead’s local authority dropped the ball on business in the town and could have done more to prevent poverty.

Last week The News told how Barrhead had been highlighted as containing some of the poorest communities in Scotland.

Barrhead’s own Labour and SNP councillors placed the blame at the feet of housing shortages and unemployment.

However Tory councillors now say more could have been done to prevent the rot setting in.

But despite party opposition, the rivals have agreed on the issues of housing and conceded that ERC had done a good job listening to recommendations.

A Scottish government report recently named parts of the town amongst the 1,000 most deprived communities in the country.

The latest Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) figures reveal sections of Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall are near the top of a table of 6,976 analysis areas that lists the most impoverished places in Scotland.

Factors taken into account include a lack of opportunities or resources, as well as income and unemployment levels, crime and poor health standards.

Although Barrhead is no longer in the top five per cent of Scotland’s poorest places, as was the case when SIMD figures were last published four years ago, certain parts still have serious deprivation issues.

Crossmill – specifically the area around Waulkmill Avenue, Wraes Avenue and Stewart Crescent – were cited as the worse-off parts of Barrhead and the most deprived area nationwide.

Two Tory councillors say more should have been done in the town in order for poverty levels to be reduced and its reputation to be enhanced.

Jim Swift, who represents Newton Mearns South, feels Barrhead missed a trick by failing to build its own business incubator.

He said: “The most important thing we could do as a council is improve communications. That’s a policy we’ve been trying to put in place for a long time.

“There has been a huge amount of money put into Barrhead with the new high school going up just now, the library, the support for getting people into employment. Gordon Wallace (Giffnock and Thornliebank councillor) wanted to put a business incubator in Barrhead focused on catering.

“Scotland has a great reputation for fine food and great whiskies.

“I’m not saying there aren’t good things happening but we could’ve done more things for business.

“To be fair, the council has taken on the recommendation to improve the road infrastructure. It’s not easy to get in and out of Barrhead – you need a good distribution infrastructure.

“That Aurs Road up to the M77 is absolutely awful.

“It’s about improving infrastructure and giving Barrhead a fair crack of the whip. If you don’t encourage people to move to Barrhead, because it’s a good place to locate, then you’re not going to improve people’s lives and employment.”

Barrhead councillors last week insisted high unemployment levels and a lack of affordable housing were the most challenging problems for the area.

While Busby, Clarkston and Eaglesham councillor Stewart Miller also sees housing as the major problem to be overcome.

He said: “There’s £100 million been spent in Barrhead over the last four or five years and I don’t have a problem with spending money if that’s going to help Barrhead.

“I know the East Renfrewshire Renewable Energy Fund is going to help the insulation of houses.

“The one thing that I find every unfair, as far as housing is concerned, is the Levern Valley gets cheaper housing than the Eastwood side.

“Housing everywhere should be brought up to the Scottish Housing standards. Unemployment as well is hopefully going to be improved with the Crossmill Business Park.”

Households in Gertrude Place, Robertson Street, Barnes Street, Cogan Street and Gladstone Avenue were also included among the worse off communities in Scotland and received an overall ranking of 601 in the SIMD standings.

Cllr Swift has claimed the cost of renting a property in the area is too low and impacts on the amount of money that can be spent on improving housing.

“I think housing is almost a more difficult thing to solve,” he said.

“First and foremost, the rents are far too low. Our rents are so low that I’m not sure that’s helpful because you then don’t have the money to invest.

“There’s not the money there to develop housing. They need to do something about the rent harmonisation programme.

“Labour and the SNP believe if you harmonise rent they’re going to lose voters but you probably won’t if you then use those rents to improve the housing stock.”

An East Renfrewshire Council has highlighted increasing employment opportunities and developing education standards as key priorities in its efforts to lessen deprivation levels in Barrhead.

An ERC spokeswoman said: “Tackling inequalities and improving the life chances of our residents is a key priority for the council. Our new employability strategy is helping those in more disadvantaged areas access employment opportunities, and in education a shift in focus towards prevention and early intervention is allowing the best outcomes to be delivered for our children and young people."

“A collaborative early years group which includes key stakeholders from education, the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and the third sector are working closely to improve outcomes for children and families.

“A range of services are also in place through the HSCP, including parenting and family support, as we continue to build on the successful interventions currently in place for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.”