North Lanarkshire Council is delighted to announce that it is now delivering the Garden Assistance Scheme to all eligible applicants formerly on the waiting list.

Changes to the scheme meant an extra £116,000 was allocated earlier in the summer to clear the backlog of applicants on the waiting list and to ensure those most in need of help received it as a matter of urgency.

"The garden assistance scheme is specifically designed to offer those who cannot take care of their own gardens the help and assistance they need," said Monica Patterson, Head of Housing Services with North Lanarkshire Council.

"Demand is extremely high - there are currently more than 9,000 people across North Lanarkshire receiving the service - and over the years it had become increasingly difficult to satisfy that demand, resulting in a lengthy waiting list.

"Since additional funding was approved in June, however, we have completed the process of reviewing that list, and we are now able to provide the garden assistance service to everyone who had been waiting for it."

The news has been welcomed by North Lanarkshire residents who are already seeing the benefits of the change.

"I'm delighted to see such excellent progress in such a short space of time," said Councillor Jim McCabe, Leader of North Lanarkshire Council.

"Garden assistance is an invaluable service to those who are not able to undertake such work for themselves, and makes an incalculable difference to their quality of life."