Garden service cut

MORE THAN 470 pensioners had become happily accustomed to a regular gardening service provided to their homes.

But cost-cutting East Renfrewshire council says it can no longer provide the high-demand service.

So the Mr Diggit garden tidy scheme will now only available as a single annual visit.

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An ERC spokesman told The Extra: "We are trying to provide what we can with a limited budget.

"We have to restrict the service but we hope in cutting back to once a year we will be able to give more people that little bit of help".

Retired teacher Dorothy Kyle from Clarkston was used to having her grass cut and hedge trimmed once every three weeks.

The 76-year-old — who has spent the last three months undergoing chemotherapy in hospital — thinks having help with her garden only annually is "completely pointless".

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The former Kirkhill primary teacher told The Extra: "The council says it's working for me — it's not at all.

"I've only been out three times since September because of ill health. I'm not able to look after my garden any more.

"A gardener costs about 20 an hour. I don't know how pensioners are supposed to afford that".

The pensioner added: "I wouldn't miss it if they hadn't made the scheme in the first place. They shouldn't get our hopes up with things if they can't live up to it".

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Mrs Kyle says she has little luck when trying to communicate with ERC so instead contacted councillor Gordon McCaskill.

He told The Extra: "I don't think once a week is enough so the time is right to explore alternatives".

Councillor McCaskill says he is will look into the possibility of having pensioners contribute 1 per week to the funds which pay for Mr Diggit.

The existing arrangement is available for council tax payers in bands E and above and funded by three area forums which each contribute 11,000.

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