January 11, 2012
No protection for communities
Our defamation laws are designed to protect individuals from being publicly disparaged by others but no such protection is afforded to communities. With little regard for the feelings of those who live there, a design magazine – Urban Realm – has deemed it necessary to declare Linwood to be Scotland’s most dismal town, awarding it the 2011 Carbuncle Award. The community can’t sue for damages but they can fight back and it looks like they’re going to.
11/01/12
Letter from the people of Linwood to the First Minister
Dear Mr Salmond
Linwood has today been awarded the Carbuncle Award for the ‘Most Dismal Town in Scotland’.
After having brought many of these issues to your attention when we met in April, would it now be appropriate for yourself and the Leader of Renfrewshire Council to meet with the Linwood Community Development Trust and supporting organisations?
When we met in April you asked Cllr Derek MacKay to look into the issues being faced in Linwood. You highlighted that, in light of recent policy to support communities to become empowered and involved during major planning developments, you could not forsee that the problems we have been facing could not be resolved and addressed.
The Linwood Community Development Trust has now formed to develop a Community Plan that will meet the needs of Linwood with support from local Community Groups/Organisations, Oxfam UK, Scottish Community Foundation and Development Trust Association Scotland. We recognise that the need for community recreational facilities for our community have not been met during major planning processes such as the future £24m Linwood Sports Hub and the anticipated Tesco Town Centre Development. The Linwood Community Development Trust is committed to improving facilities in the area that will meet the needs of the community and is ready, willing and able to work in partnership to achieve their aim.
The Carbuncle Award is yet another chapter in a long line of disappointments for Linwood however, you will see from the attached report that there have been many issues within Linwood and we feel your attention to this is now of the utmost importance and we look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
Kind regards
Sharon-Anne Ross
On behalf of
Linwood Community Development Trust
For a presentation of Linwood’s plans to fight back click here