THE move to drop a multi-million-pound bid to bring Helensburgh’s pier back to a state fit for visiting ships has been branded “a real slap in the face” by the town’s MSP.

Jackie Baillie spoke out after a report revealed that plans to submit a bid to the UK government’s Levelling Up Fund on Helensburgh’s pier are set to be abandoned.

Plans to include two other Helensburgh and Lomond projects in the bid – the introduction of electric buses, and the extension of existing cycle paths in the area to create a dedicated route for cyclists all the way to Rosneath – had already been scrapped.

Councillors will finalise the authority’s bid to the Levelling Up Fund today (Thursday).

A report published ahead of the meeting revealed that officers have recommended the pier be removed from the bid - but didn’t explain why, stating only that “this was reported to elected members outwith the committee process”.

Ms Baillie told the Advertiser: “It is incredibly disappointing that all projects which would have benefitted the Helensburgh area through millions of pounds of Levelling Up funding have been dropped by the council.

“This is a terrible blow to the Helensburgh and Lomond economy that key projects in our area have been wiped from the bid.

“There needs to be greater transparency as to why these decisions have been taken on projects which would have been of huge benefit to local people.

“Argyll and Bute Council needs to act to benefit all its people. In this case, it’s a real slap in the face for Helensburgh and Lomond.”

Helensburgh’s pier has been closed to all marine traffic since October 2018 amid concern at the deteriorating state of the wooden section at its southernmost (seaward) end.

Councillor Gary Mulvaney, depute leader of the council and one of the councillors for the Helensburgh Central ward, where the pier is located, told the Advertiser that, while he was disheartened at the news, he remained optimistic about the structure’s future.

He said: “Having previously spoken to UK ministers on this, I am naturally disappointed that the wooden pier has not been included in the UK Levelling Up bid. The business case at this stage requires more work and, if included, could potentially have put the entire Argyll and Bute bid at risk; you’re only as strong as your weakest link.

“On a positive note, both The council and partners are continuing to develop a long-term, sustainable use for the pier and seek the funding it requires. Our work goes on.”

It is understood that the Levelling Up funding bid will instead be focussed on the ‘Whisky Islands’ of Islay and Jura and the ‘North Lorn Economic Growth Zone’.

Vivien Dance, of Helensburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: “I am sure that the news that all Helensburgh bids to the Levelling Up Fund have been removed from the council’s application comes as no surprise to our local community.

“Surely not many people really expected that the biggest town in Argyll and Bute and the largest population would actually receive an equal opportunity to bid for these funds; another lost opportunity for Helensburgh and Lomond, missing out on financial support for a project that would bring a tremendous economic uplift to the area, as well as restoring a valued town centre asset.”

Ms Dance added: “If the remaining bids are successful the funds will develop ‘whisky projects’, all focussed on the leader of the council’s ward on Islay, and connectivity projects in Oban and Dunoon.

“Helensburgh taxpayers will have to come to terms with a further concentration of spend in the west of the local authority area and accept that their local taxes will be directed to these projects – as they all require some element of match funding.”

Liberal Democrat and Helensburgh Central ward councillor, Graham Hardie, said: claimed he had been assured by council bosses that funding for the Helensburgh projects would be found and commented: “I was disappointed when I heard the news but I was reassured by Kirsty Flanagan [executive director at the council] that alternative funding will be secured for the various Helensburgh projects including the pier.”

“Also recently, the council’s policy and resources committee agreed to rubber-stamp the award of almost £90,000 to pier improvement work as part of a package of regeneration funding across the area.”

A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council said: “We are committed to attracting investment that safeguards the long-term economic success of Argyll and Bute. Submitting bids to the Levelling Up Fund is a complex process with strict criteria, timescales and guidelines set by the UK government.

“The council pursued a number of possible initiatives in Helensburgh including repairs to the pier and the installation of a new berthing pier. We have been working with consultants over the last few months to look at feasibility and design works that are required as part of our bid.

“As this work is ongoing, the feasibility work we have carried out in relation to the bid criteria made it advisable to remove the Helensburgh and Lomond elements at this stage of the process.”

“Although this is disappointing, we continue to secure external funding for projects in Helensburgh and deliver improvement works on the pier. The council is investing over £300,000 in surfacing and lighting works to the masonry pier, as a further phase of the Waterfront Development project. In addition, a business case for the timber pier will form part of the Rural Growth Deal for consideration, looking at a wider number of redevelopment options.”

The other two Helensburgh Central ward councillors, Ian MacQuire of the SNP and Labour’s Fiona Howard, have been approached for comment.

Argyll and Bute Council’s Levelling Up Fund bid will be discussed at a full council meeting today (Thursday).