Montrose councillor David May will fight to make sure increases in rent and maintenance costs will be affordable to the bowling clubs in the town and the surrounding area.
Angus Council was expected to insist that three clubs Hillside, Inch (Rossie Island) and Melville start to meet annual maintenance costs to bring them in line with the other seven council-owned bowling greens in Angus.
At last week’s corporate services committee, however, the clubs were given a partial reprieve, with a decision delayed until a meeting takes place with Angus Council, the four Montrose councillors and representatives from the bowling clubs.
The clubs, which each have fewer than 30 members, have made it clear that they will not be able to afford the estimated £15,000 a year maintenance costs and that they would have to close.
Mr May said: “At this meeting, I will be urging that the changes to be made in the future are affordable to the clubs while at the same time save the council considerable sums.
“In my view, this amendment cannot be just a delaying exercise which will just impose the changes but take another meeting to do so.
“While I can appreciate the need to save money, the way this was conducted leaves a lot to be desired. This was a sham of a consultation.
“Bowling is an activity for mainly the elderly, and, having been to all the clubs in Montrose, many of the people I have listened to are on the basic state pension.
“They simply cannot afford an increase of over £15,000 from what they pay already about £700.”
“This is for most of these bowlers the time they are out during each day for physical exercise as well as being a vital social activity both in summer as well as in winter.
“What was proposed by the council would have had a hugely adverse effect on their quality of life.”
The three clubs have a combined history of almost 300 years Melville Bowling Club was established in 1875, Hillside in 1930 and Inch in 1950.