WITH a population consisting of people who are born and bred in the area, a large student population and cohorts of young professionals it would be safe to say Partick East is a melting pot of backgrounds and needs.

In the up and coming local elections the ward is one of the newest in Glasgow.

Split from the areas west of the Clyde Tunnel, such as Whiteinch and Jordanhill, the ward now takes in Partick itself with the boundary perimeter containing Hyndland, Kelvinside and Kelvindale.

Landmarks and public spaces in the area include the Gartnavel General Hospital and the Botanic Gardens and the University of Glasgow is just a couple of miles beyond the boundary - resulting in the high number of student flats.

It is a built-up busy area thanks to the cultural hotspots and relatively affordable housing, compared to other areas.

And that is something residents within the ward, such as the John Gilbertson, says has its positives and negatives particularly when it comes to issues surrounding property, environment and parking.

The chairman of the Partick Community Council said: “Partick is a vibrant place to live due to so many demographics living in the area.

“You will see large numbers of students flats next to the homes of people who have lived in the area for up to 50 or 60 years and beyond.

“So there is a lot of tolerance to different backgrounds in the area.

“However, it does raise issues - a couple being untidy streets and closes and the issue of absentee land lords. There is a real need for landlords to keep on top of messy closes. The city’s land and environmental services’ task force also has to be vigilant about the state some streets can get in to.”

“It’s important that the area is kept in a respectable conditions and enforcing cleanliness on the area is very important.”

Keeping the area clean and tidy is of high importance, according to another community council member David Belcher. He said first impressions count - especially when it comes to attracting more people to live in the area.

“For a large number of students who have never visited the city before, Partick is one of the first places they see,” he said.

“Therefore it’s important the area gives the best impression it possibly can. If the right impression is made, students coming to the city from overseas may decide to live and work here which in turn could help boost the economy.”

The appeal of the area also causes issues with parking, added Mr Gilbertson, especially with up and coming areas so close by.

He said: “The likes of Finnieston has become the new West End and the likes of Crow Road and the businesses there all benefit from that. But that has increased the number of cars parking in the area - leaving the area very congested.”