STIRLING MP Anne McGuire was thrilled to be able to help Blanefield residents on their way to receiving £255,000 from the UK Government to help them deal with contaminated land.

Residents had been caught by the Landfill Tax as a result of finding out that the land on which their houses had been guilt had been contaminated over 100 years ago by Blanefield Printworks, that is no longer in existence.

Anne had originally written to the Treasury Ministers in June last year when the scale of the costs was identified and was told that nothing could be done to waive the Landfill Tax for which the residents would be liable when the land was cleared.

She then raised the issue on the floor of the House of Commons in an Adjournment Debate on 10 September 2013 and was once again told that although sympathetic, the Minister at that time said there was nothing he could do.

Anne said: “I am absolutely delighted that the Ministers saw sense at last and have pledged £255,000 towards the clean-up costs.

“I knew that if the Government wanted to find a way to relieve this unfair burden on the residents they could do so. I therefore asked for a face to face meeting last month with the new Economic Secretary at the Treasury, Nicky Morgan, and accompanied by Martin McGougan, one of the Blanefield residents, we put the case again.” Anne added: “Stirling Council and the UK Government have done their bit. I hope that the Scottish Government will now make its contribution and give the residents peace of mind, so that the land can be cleaned and they can get back to life as normal” Conservative councillor representing Blanefield, Alistair Berrill, welcomed the news.

He said: ”This is tremendous news for all concerned.

“Ever since this difficult situation arose, everybody has worked closely together: members of the community, Stirling Council officials and politicians of all parties. Last year I was successful in persuading my colleagues on the council to provide £125,000 for remediation of the gardens affected. Now the coalition government has added a substantial sum, making £380,000 in total. All we need now is for the Scottish Government to answer calls to make their own contribution, and I have written to local MSP Bruce Crawford to ask for his help in achieving that.”