From the archives

UNDER-fire North Lanarkshire Council Provost Vincent Mathiesonrefused to back down amidst mounting claims he was off to a jolly. The jet-setting provost had already FOUR dates in his diary for foreign trips over the summer - and refused to cancel a trip to Belgium where the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo was being celebrated. Council officials vigorously defended the jaunt by saying that flights and hospitality would be paid for via a sponsorship deal.

PEOPLE power was being tipped as the best means of breaking the deadlock over routes for the planned M80 extension. Costs for the two options – one through the Kelvin Valley and one through the existing A80 – were neck and neck. Residents of both towns were told they could make a difference by submitting their views at a special exhibition being held in Cumbernauld College. This would also feature detailed plans for each route.