About Us

The Regional Park traces its roots back to the 1940’s. Read all about its creation and evolution, the staff including any job vacancies, the management and the Regional Park’s Aims and Objectives. Downloadable documents include Annual Reports with Regional Park visitor numbers, the Regional Park Strategy and the Framework Guidance on Windfarms.

Please contact us if you would like any other information.

Visit the downloads page for a list of all our downloadable files.

Park Aims and Objectives

To conserve and enhance the natural beauty. biodiversity and cultural heritage of Clyde Muirshiel Park.

To encourage and enable learning, understanding and enjoyment of Clyde Muirshiel Park.

To promote and foster environmentally sustainable development for the social and economic well-being of the people and communities within the Clyde Muirshiel Park area.

Regional Park Staff

The Regional Park Manager and four senior colleagues form the Senior Management Team. There are also teams of Countryside Rangers, Outdoor Instructors, Visitor Centre Assistants, Estate Workers and Office staff. There are 29 full time members of staff, 21 seasonal or part time staff plus sessional staff and varying numbers of volunteers who take part in work placements, surveys, conservation tasks and the Hen Harrier project for example.

Regional Park Management

The Regional Park is managed by the Clyde Muirshiel Park Authority. The Joint Committee of the Authority meets 4 times a year to set the policies of the Regional Park. The Committee is made up of elected members (Councillors) from Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and North Ayrshire Councils, together with a representative from Scottish Natural Heritage. Officers from the Councils and Scottish Natural Heritage support the committee members.

The Treasurer and Clerk to the Park Authority also attend the Joint Committee meetings. Renfrewshire Council is referred to as the Servicing Authority and it provides officers to act as Treasurer and Clerk and to provide technical, professional and administrative support to the Park Authority. Click here for the details of Committee Reports and Minutes of Meetings

The Regional Park Manager reports to the Park Authority and is responsible for the day to day management of the Regional Park.

Regional Park Creation

Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park was formally designated in 1990. However a Regional Park designation for this part of the Clyde Valley (Greenock to West Kilbride) was actually first proposed in the 1940’s. In 1947, the Clyde Valley Plan (Abercromby 1947) described the Clyde Coast from Greenock to West Kilbride as …“this section of the coast with the hill country behind it is another area of great popularity, apart from it’s holiday significance. It has a number of glens roaming down to the sea, an area of considerable importance to the rambler and natural historian, and its outlook to the Firth of Clyde and the grape-blue jagged peaks of Arran is of the highest order of scenic value…”

20 years later Renfrew County Council proposed the Renfrewshire Regional Park and implemented a programme to manage an area of 30 000 acres (12 500 ha) including the creation of Muirshiel Country Park in June 1970. This was the blueprint for a modern day Park system in Scotland. Castle Semple County Park followed in 1971 and another centre was built at Cornalees in 1973, although it was not designated as a country park. The Regional Park was not formally designated until December 1990 and now covers 28 100 ha (108 mil² or 281 km²).

The enabling legislation for Regional Parks is the Wildlife and Countryside (Scotland) Act 1981. In this Regional Parks are defined as ‘large areas of countryside parts of which are available for informal countryside recreation’. The policy statement on Regional Parks for Scotland by Scottish Natural Heritage points out their aims: “….to facilitate both the appropriate understandings and enjoyment of the countryside and the integration of this with the other uses of the area, such as farming, forestry and other development, with the context of maintaining and enhancing a quality natural heritage setting. This type of approach is fully consistent with thinking about countryside management, as it has development over the last 20 years. Regional Parks have indeed been to the fore in applying this more integrated approach in Scotland”.

Not only is Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park at the forefront of integrated countryside management it also frequently demonstrates business excellence through awards in the Green Tourism Business Scheme and nominations in Chamber of Commerce awards.

Job Vacancies
Due to the seasonal nature of the business the majority of work and employment opportunities occur over the summer months. The positions are therefore mainly advertised in January and February each year at our Visitor Centres, in Job centres, in local press, and other media as appropriate. Full time posts can be advertised at any time of year.

People working for the Park are appointed by the Park Authority. For administration purposes, staff are employed by Renfrewshire Council and their recruitment procedures are followed.

As well as paid employment opportunities, the Regional Park provides a variety of volunteer opportunities primarily as Conservation Volunteers, this can include Biological Recording, as well as conservation tasks such as woodland management, path maintenance, fencing, drainage and drystane dyking.

Contact Us at Regional Park HQ for Application Packs these include a standard Renfrewshire Council application form. Packs can be sent out electronically but can NOT be submitted electronically.

CURRENT VACANCIES

CLEANING OPERATIVE Ref: CMPA/09/08
Grade GRA: £5.90 per hour (P/T) Temp

Post available: 1 post for 26 weeks.
Hours: Minimum 10 hours per week plus weekend allowances if appropriate.

We are seeking to recruit a part –time cleaner to work at our busy Visitor Centre at Cornalees near Loch Thom.
Duties will include cleaning of staff and public areas, including toilets and staff kitchen areas.

The successful candidate must be presentable, have a pleasant manner, be able to work on their own or as part of a team. Previous work/cleaning experience is desirable but not essential, training will be provided. A full current driving licence is essential. Shifts can include weekend work.

The post is subject to a Disclosure Scotland check.

Closing date: 12 May 2008