HELENSBURGH’S community councillors have voiced concern the centrepiece of the town’s £7 million CHORD refurbishment is not being looked after as well – or as often – as it should be.

HCC members were told at their latest monthly meeting that the square – which was overhauled during the CHORD redevelopment work – was susceptible to flooding after periods of heavy rain because of the shallow drains in the area.

Community councillor John Tacchi, who leads HCC’s town improvement group, said: “Colquhoun Square is looking very, very sad for the money we spent on it.

“It’s quite clear flooding affects the square. The drains have been incompetently designed.

“I do not blame councillors who approved the work, because they only act on officers’ recommendations, but it’s quite clear to any casual passing person that the drains are inadequate when it’s heaving down with rain.”

Mr Tacchi said the manufacturers of the drains recommended they should be cleared every month – but that Argyll and Bute Council’s operating plan calls only for two cleans of the drains every three years.

He added: “There’s something very, very wrong. How could such an inadequate system come to be installed, and what action are they taking to rectify it?”

HCC convener Norman Muir suggested the community council should ask for an engineering examination of the drainage system installed as part of the CHORD works.

The council’s CHORD project included the installation of wider pavements, new street furniture and artwork in Colquhoun Square and along the West Bay seafront.

The Outdoor Museum in Colquhoun Square itself has won several awards, and been shortlisted for numerous other accolades, since the CHORD works were completed in the summer of 2015.

But the drains weren’t the only aspect of the Colquhoun Square works to come under fire from Mr Tacchi, who also complained weeds were being allowed to flourish and the hedges and plants installed around the square were not being kept under control.

He said: “That’s the centrepiece of our town. Millions were spent on it. We can’t stop people spitting their chewing gum on to the pavements but we can at least clean the drains, cut the hedges and dig the flower beds.”

A spokesman for Argyll and Bute Council said: “We have worked hard to regenerate Helensburgh’s town centre, which has won many prestigious awards, as part of our £30 million pound CHORD scheme.  

“Our officers continually monitor the conditions of the drains and are reviewing the drain cleaning programme for the CHORD area.

“The maintenance manual recommends that standard road gullies and slot drains should be cleaned four times over a two year cycle and Hippo gullies eight times over a two year cycle.

“Grass cutting across the area is about to commence.

“The grass in Colquhoun Square will be cut ahead of the Easter weekend and a maintenance programme for the area is in place.”

Helensburgh and Lomond area councillors agreed in December to spend £650,000 left over from the main CHORD works on improvements to road surfaces, pavements and signage in several locations in the centre of the town.