Brechin residents and community leaders say they fear part of the burgh is becoming the “forgotten corner of Angus”.
People living in the Hillview and East Mill areas say there is a great community feel but have been backed by the town’s community council in calling for what they say is long overdue investment for local families.
The east of the town regularly features high up in Angus inequality and poverty league tables.
Sparse play equipment is decades old and residents who put their own trampolines and toys out on grass in front of their homes have been warned they face a council fine.
Brechin community council chairwoman Jill Scott said: “This is an area which needs investment more than most in Brechin and yet the money just seems to go elsewhere.
“It’s a gateway to the town.
“The play equipment has been the same for years and yet when we asked for town centre money we were turned down.
“There are lots of families here who take a great pride in their homes and the area.
“I think they are being failed by the council.
“This is the neglected part of Brechin and a forgotten corner of Angus,” said Mrs Scott.
She has been promised an urgent repair of a rotting railing on the East Mill Brae path leading to Montrose Street.
And there is to be a re-planting of part of the hill leading to East Mill Road after an environmental improvement scheme partially failed.
“The hill is a complete eyesore. Residents in this area wonder what the difference is with housing areas such as Westwood, with its beautifully planted beds.”
Disparaging comment
The community leader said revelations around a Twitter troll account run by Angus administration councillor Derek Wann left her thinking it was “no surprise” the community feels left out in the cold.
She said: “In one of his many vile and disparaging tweets, he commented on cycling routes in Angus by saying ‘Would anyone want to cycle through Brechin?’
“If that’s the attitude towards Brechin of someone at the top of the administration cowardly hiding behind an anonymous Twitter account, is it any wonder people here feel they are being forgotten about?”
Local mum Tina Cooper, who is mum to four-year-old Jakob, said: “It’s a nice place to live and there is open grass space, but there is just nothing for the children.
“We offered to cut the grass ourselves so we could have the play stuff out there but were told we couldn’t.
“It’s just a few swings and a couple of things to play on that have been there for years.
“There is space where an old block was cleared but they’ve done nothing with it to make it better for kids.”
Agnieszka Sniadach, a Hillview resident for the past 11 years said: “We like living here and I like my daughter, Claudia, to be able to get out in the fresh air when it is nice rather than being stuck inside on a tablet or whatever.
“But there is so little for the children here and they do not seem to want to help us to make it better.”
Council defends provision
An Angus Council spokesperson said: “All Angus play areas have a designated standard adopted in 2013 which is based on the catchment area and population density.
“Hillview is designated a ‘neighbourhood’ play area with between three and six items of equipment. Similar areas in Brechin include Drumachlie and Wards Park.
“Hillview play area had new equipment installed in 2018 and is in very good condition.
“The nearest burgh play area which by our adopted standard will comprise six to twelve play items is at Inch Park, less than a 15-minute walk from Hillview.”
They added: “The Council is working positively with residents to agree how their own trampolines can best be located on communal green spaces so children can play safely.
“There may be occasions when they are asked courteously to move them temporarily when the grass needs to be cut, but that is only so that the green spaces can be maintained for everyone’s pleasure.”