Help us be a village again, says Mossblown

Nov 27 2009 by Edwin Lawrence, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

HELP us be the village we should be.

That’s the plea from community leaders in Mossblown.

But they fear South Ayrshire Council simply isn’t listening.

Mossblown has lost its football park and community centre.

And community councillors believe South Ayrshire has abdicated responsibility on both counts.

Mossblown Community Council secretary Archie Lusk pointed out: “This is a community.

“But we are finding it increasingly difficult to gather as a community.

“Yes, we have a nice new clinic on part of the football park.

“But we were told the pitch would be re-configured.

“And that simply hasn’t happened.

“At the moment all we have is a boggy mess.”

Mr Lusk says the community centre was abandoned several years ago.

The historic building, gifted to the village way back in 1926, now lies derelict.

Community councillors are now deeply suspicious they could lose the activity centre and library.

And they are totally against the idea of taking village kids away from the successful Annbank/St Anne’s shared campus.

Mr Lusk said: “We believe it would be an extremely backward step to bus the St Anne’s pupils to a larger Queen Margaret campus in Ayr.”

Councillor Andy Campbell, a Labour South Ayrshire councillor for the Kyle ward, is backing the Mossblown community leaders.

He said: “No-one would know a football pitch existed. The school sports can’t be held there, never mind amateur games.

“I’m afraid the needs of our children are being totally ignored.

“The community centre has gone, and we’re currently using a local pub for arts and music activities, thanks to the landlord and the community safety team.”

Councillor Campbell admitted: “I am dreading the imminent budget to find out what surprises they have in store for rural communities in 2010.

“What are they going to do when there is nothing left to close?”

But Conservative Councillor Hywel Davies insists that Mossblown has a positive future.

He said: “A Mossblown Regeneration Group has been set up, and we aim to sell the site of the old community centre.

“That would give us the cash to buy the church hall, which could be refurbished as a new community centre.”

Councillor Davies admits village anger over the football park is completely justified, saying the council and the health board must find a solution to a drainage problem.

And he also agrees with villagers that a better site should be found for the war memorial.

He said: “It’s in a very steep place, and only accessible to two or three people at a time.”

Councillor Davies says money is to be spent on a new school hall at Annbank/St Anne’s Primary.

But Councillor Campbell believes that will put Mossblown Activity Centre under threat.