GLASGOW'S parks are being starved of cash as more of the city is concreted over, it has been claimed today.

Green councillors have slammed moves by Glasgow City Council to raid a fund which collects "fines" from firms removing green spaces.

And while it says the money will be used to improve the appeal of built-up areas between Buchanan Street and High Street, green councillors say neglected parks are missing out.

Nina Baker, councillor for the Anderston/City ward, said: "This fund was set up specifically to maintain and improve green spaces in the city and to create new green space where there was none.

"There are several areas where money needs to be spent, such as Garnethill Park and the walkway from the Hill Street viewpoint. Yet instead of using the money as it was intended, they want to use it to concrete over more of the city centre."

The council defended the move, insisting there was nowhere green in the city centre to spend the money.

And it claimed "public realm" improvements - which include pavements, street cobbling, benches and lighting - were the best alternative way to use the fund.

A spokesman said: "Policy RES3 stipulates the quantity of greenspace required for new residential development.

"Where the standards cannot be met on site a developer is required to make a financial contribution to the council and the council will use the contribution to address the Greenspace deficiency."

But he insisted: "The policy recognises the city centre has very few green spaces and the most effective way of using the contributions is to improve the public realm."

Ms Baker has moved to have the council "call in" the decision by its executive group, in the hope the decision to remove up to £667,000 from the fund will be reversed.

It will now go before a scrutiny committee run by the city's Development and Regeneration Services.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie joined the protest, saying: "The Executive Committee of Glasgow City Council has claimed it was difficult to identify locations for spending green space money appropriately.

"Glasgow is turning into a concrete city.

"We need to protect what little useable public space we have left not put all our resources into pavements in the city centre."

The move to call in the decision is due to be heard later this month.