Upgrade for pathways at Palacerigg

Pupils from Cumbernauld Academy, Kilsyth Academy and Kildrum Primary on a visit to Palacerigg earlier this year

J H Civil Engineering Ltd has been awarded the contract, valued at over £53,000, to complete the work.

Founded by naturalist David Stephen in the 1970s, the park was once well-known for its collections of rare species, most famously its wolves.

Today it still has several rare breeds of farm animals.

Park rangers are also active in promoting environmental education, for school pupils and other groups, as well as demonstrating woodland and other crafts in the Millennium Longhouses.

Meanwhile, the council has set up a new £10 million fund to cover the cost of repair works to be carried out on footpaths and pavements in the authority area.

The council has signed deals with eight companies to carry out the work as needed.

Three of these are based in North Lanarkshire and two are small to medium enterprises.

The fund will cover planned and reactive jobs valued at under £50,000 and it is estimated that no more than £8.5m will need to be spent in this way.

The remaining £1.5m has been reserved for larger works valued at more than £50,000.