RENFREWSHIRE villages have been designated “Villages of Culture and Heritage” following an appeal by Councillor Andy Doig.

With the campaign to put Paisley forward as the UK City of Culture 2021 under way, steps have been made to improve the status of villages in the Renfrewshire area.

The bid for Paisley 2021 will use the town’s collection of heritage sites and cultural assets to showcase why it should be given the title.

Lochwinnoch Community Council was the first to put itself forward as a Village of Culture and Heritage but other historic villages have been given the status as well.

A report for the Renfrewshire Tourism Framework outlines the creation of a Renfrewshire heritage trail and flags along the Wallace connection.

Cllr Doig, who represents Johnstone North, Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch said: "We had the presentation of the Renfrewshire Tourism Framework at the Board, which was overdue for launching by three months.

"The report is well intentioned and like the proverbial Curate’s egg – good in parts.

"However, given that it was meant to anchor the Paisley 2021 tourism offer with the wider Renfrewshire area this was hardly mentioned in the main objectives of the report.

"Therefore, my SNP colleague, Cllr Iain Nicolson, and myself, moved an amendment to raise the profile of our historic Renfrewshire villages as Villages of Culture and Heritage.

"Lochwinnoch Community Council came up with this as their take on Paisley 2021, and I am so impressed with it that I think this has wider application to many other villages in Renfrewshire too.

"The final report outlines the creation of a Renfrewshire heritage trail, flags up the Wallace connection, and also refers to the church heritage of Renfrewshire, all amendments I have moved at the Economy and Jobs Board, which Labour voted down over the last few years, but have now subsequently surfaced in the report so I am glad the council officers have listened.

"Villages like Lochwinnoch and Kilbarchan, in my ward, have got so much to offer to a successful Renfrewshire Tourism Framework, but we also need to look to community events in towns like Johnstone too."

Renfrewshire has been building its tourism profile with events like the Brae to Brae and RevialFest music festivals in Johnstone.

Now with cross-party support, it is hoped that boosting the reputation of villages by designating them will help create more opportunities like this.