Council garages: the basics matter

Stephen McNamara · 13 November 2026

Responding to: Majority of council run garages in East Ayrshire are a cause for concern (Daily Record)

I feel the need to respond to reports that the majority of council run lock-ups in East Ayrshire are a cause for concern, with hundreds of them flagged after being assessed during inspections.

A lock-up isn't complicated. It's four walls, a roof and a door. If the council is struggling to look after something that simple, people are entitled to ask how well it's managing the bigger, harder jobs, like the complicated process of filling in a pothole...

I'm not blaming the officers who did the assessments. Flagging the problem is the right thing to do. My concern is how decisions get made.

I want straight answers to some plain questions. Why did these buildings get into this mess? Why, when there is such a high demand for storage facilities, does the council have so many lying empty? It's such a waste of our money.

The council should spend as little as it needs to, not as much as it can get. Nothing should be kept just because it's always been done that way. If a building is worth keeping, look after it properly and get it rented out so it pays for itself and helps fund services rather than being an expensive eyesore.

If you rent a council garage or lock-up locally, I'd like to hear what it's like. Comment below and let me know.