The Helensburgh Central councillor has stepped down claiming he has not received ‘the support he requires from senior management’.

As revealed in the Advertiser two weeks ago, the project has faced criticism after it was revealed work on phase two of the project — Colquhoun Square, Colquhoun Street and West Princes Street — would be postponed until January 6, 2014.

The first phase of the work currently ongoing on West Clyde Street will not be completed until November 8 — eight weeks behind schedule.

The meeting of the CHORD Project Board taking place today, October 24 will look into all the contributing factors to the project ‘slippage’, but whilst the agenda has published on the Argyll and Bute Council website, the documents to be discussed have not been made public.

In a statement released to the Advertiser on Wednesday, Cllr Robb said: “The CHORD Board has worked well together but as chairman I have not been getting the support I require from senior management.

“I have decided it is in the best interests of the community to let someone else take the chair. “This is no reflection whatsoever on my board colleagues and I thank them all for their support.

“There are some disturbing issues raised around the governance of the CHORD project and beyond.

“This will remain a problem whilst the council is unwilling to address concerns around the boundaries of political, commercial and charity businesses interests in partnership working and their individual and collective relationships with the council.

“The level of detail in attributing the delays and additional costs to the various identified factors in the reports is disappointing.

“There has been no response as to why the papers for Thursday’s board meeting are secret.

“This is a project spending public money and agreed delays and cost increases to the original tender should, in my opinion, be publicly available.” In response to Cllr Robb’s resignation, Cllr Ellen Morton, deputy leader of the council, told the Advertiser: “Thanks are due to Councillor James Robb for all his efforts as chair of the CHORD Project Board. Everyone involved, both members and officers, have been working hard to deliver this programme which will bring real benefits to the local community.

“We are all looking forward to seeing the results of what has been a significant investment in Helensburgh. The board next meets on Thursday, when we will discuss arrangements for chairing meetings. We will also be considering the review report in due course.”