OVER the last few months I've been engaging with community groups across the wee county who are concerned about Clackmannanshire Council's proposals to close a number of highly valued community facilities.

I recently met with the Tullibody Community Development Trust (TCDT) to discuss its exciting and ambitious plans to take the Civic Centre into community ownership. The TCDT grew out of the successful Save Tullibody Public Park campaign, which demonstrated what people power can achieve.

The council has indicated that it will pull the plug on funding for the centre in September. However, the community need until at least spring next year before they will be ready to take control, with any closure in the intervening period threatening the transfer, and thus any future for the centre.

I have also spoken to the Menstrie Community Action Group, who are campaigning to keep the Dumyat Centre open. Unlike the Tullibody campaigners, the Menstrie group are still in the process of establishing themselves as a community trust, they too need time.

Once established the trust would have to establish a business plan and apply for funding to buy the centre, which the council has not yet had valued.

An 18-month timescale would be achievable for a community takeover, but the council has instructed staff not to confirm bookings beyond September, indicating this as the likely closure date here too.

I am also aware that communities in Dollar and Alva have launched similar campaigns and I attended the gathering in support of the Cochrane Hall a couple of months ago.

These facilities sit at the heart of communities and are much more than simply bricks and mortar. I fear that in rushing to close them down, rather than supporting local communities in their efforts to take them over, the council appear as if they know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

I have written to the council about this and they have now promised a review of the transfer programme which will go to a council meeting in August.

If communities are struggling to make the deadline, but have a strong business case for taking over an asset then they may extend the deadline, but there are clearly no promises.

Last week was the launch of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Deal, but at the time of writing this there is little detail beyond the headlines.

It seems that Clacks has got a better deal on paper than was initially thought, with a fair balance of funding between the two areas.

Clacks will also be host to a major project to help people into employment, which I'll look forward to seeing in action. I've been lobbying on both these points so I hope the detail lives up to the welcome launch headlines.

This week is the deadline for applications to the Local Rail Development Fund secured by the Greens on the back of this year's Scottish Government budget.

I was pleased to receive a letter back from the council leader supporting the bid for a feasibility project on the Dunfermline-Alloa re-opening. That's all three councils on board now backing the community bid, so it's full steam ahead.