Clear-up of eyesore boats blighting River Leven in Dumbarton set to get underway

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A cleanup of eyesore boats rotting in the River Leven is set to begin.Notices appeared on the banks of the river near Dumbarton town centre last month saying that some of the rotting vessels would be removed “if, in the opinion of the harbour authority, they are an obstruction or danger to navigation in the Leven harbour.”Abandoned boats rotting in the Leven have bugged residents for years; with half-sunken vessels, engine parts and decaying ropes litter the moors of the river throughout the approximately 300-metre stretch near West Bridgend.However the long-awaited tidy-up is finally set to begin, with Dumbarton councillor David McBride hailing the progress as “a real community effort” with the local authority, Dumbarton East Community Council and the Town Centre Forum working together on the clear-up operation.The Labour member told the Lennox: “As chair of the Town Centre Forum I have been pursuing the removal of some of the unsightly wrecks in the River Leven for some time.

As you would expect funding was difficult to achieve in the current climate.“I identified some ring fenced Dumbarton Town Centre Common Good Fund and we worked closely with the Dumbarton East Community Council to apply for funding as a host sponsor.“They, very helpfully, met with an expert to identify what wrecks should be prioritised.“Once agreed the council arranged a contractor and now the legal notices have been served the wrecks should be lifted soon.“This has been a real community effort from The Town Centre Forum, Dumbarton East Community Council and the council’s roads officers.“It has taken many months of work on behalf of everyone but we will see the benefits shortly.“I wish to thank everyone involved and I hope everyone who has raised