Glasgow’s Depute Lord Provost, Bailie Philip Braat, has opened new premises for a new local social enterprise company set up by Whiteinch and Scotstoun Housing Association.

WS Estate Services employs eight staff and provides close and back-court cleaning services and multi storey concierge services to a total of 1,300 housing association tenants and 550 owner occupiers in Whiteinch and Scotstoun.

At the official opening Depute Lord Provost Philip Braat said: “My congratulations to Whiteinch and Scotstoun Housing Association and all the team for their vision in setting up this social enterprise providing both employment and services to local tenants and residents.

“Close and back court cleaning services across the city can be patchy and a bit of a lottery. Some people receive a good and reliable service, but others don’t. So it is good to know that this valuable social enterprise is off the ground. I am confident local residents will benefit greatly from a simplified, streamlined and responsive estate service.”

WS Estate Services was established as a social enterprise company last year by the local housing association to handle all its close and back court cleaning and the multi storey concierge services, which had been previously provided by four separate contractors.

It has been based in temporary accommodation, until the move this week to the little-used ground floor of the housing association’s Curle Street multi-storey, which has been extensively renovated to include three large fitted, modern offices, and supporting facilities and a bright, welcoming reception area with concierge station for residents.

Major other improvements included a new entrance canopy to the multi-storey, with viewing window and bright concierge station and the refurbishment completed with new automatic sliding doors, new flooring, lighting and decorative tiled walls.

Ian Morrison, chief executive of Whiteinch and Scotstoun Housing Association, said: “Developing the space in the ground floor of our Curle Street multi-story has been a win, win situation. We have modernised and transformed the multi’s reception area for tenants into a brighter, more welcoming and secure entrance and developed the rest of the space as a first class office bas in the community for our WS Estate Services enterprise company to work from.

“The new enterprise company has already been very well received by local residents and tenants. Having our own team of estate caretakers through our social enterprise company ensures that all our communal closes and back courts are better cleaned and looked after and respond better to local concerns.”

Mr Morrison added: “And there is a bonus, any profits or savings being made by WS Services, our social enterprise company, will be ploughed back into improving services for tenants.”

WS Estate Services was set up with grants from Scottish Government’s Aspiring Communities Fund, backed by the European Union Social Fund and a start-up investment from Whiteinch and Scotstoun Housing Association. The ground floor at Curle Street multi storey was extensively renovated and refurbished by Clark Contracts, while architects for the project were Cormack Gracie.