ARGYLL and Bute Council’s chief executive has reportedly declined an invitation to a meeting on the future of Helensburgh’s Waterfront.
The town’s community council is staging a public meeting on Thursday, July 30, with a consultation currently being conducted by the local authority.
The council’s chief executive Pippa Milne, and Councillor Ross Moreland (Liberal Democrat, Dunoon), policy lead for commercial services, were invited to attend the meeting in the Templeton Annexe of Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre.
But an email from the community council, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, said that Ms Milne will not attend due to other commitments, while Councillor Moreland is considering whether to attend.
Argyll and Bute Council said that Ms Milne and Councillor Moreland had responded to the community council directly.
The planned use of Helensburgh’s Waterfront site, in front of the leisure centre, is for a single-storey supermarket along with three retail units, a skatepark area and additional car parking.
The consultation, available through the council website, opened on Monday, June 29 after a decision by the authority’s policy and resources committee in June.
It asks two questions, one asking whether the respondent is a community council, community body or member of the public. The other simply states “Please give your views on the proposal.”
The council said: “The proposal would secure scarce investment that could create local jobs, help keep local customer spend in Helensburgh, and make further private sector investment in the town possible.
“It would bring retail and leisure services together, in a site accessible by public transport, and in addition to that would help deliver facilities already on the Waterfront, so reducing budget risk to other vital council services that people and businesses in the town rely on.
“The proposal would deliver a skatepark, car parking and limit commercial units to single-storey.
“Proposals such as this one can bring differing views. We would welcome hearing the full range of views and thank everyone who has already responded.”
Helensburgh Community Council previously appealed to Argyll and Bute Council to delay the consultation until Monday, August 17, when schools return across the area.
It said: “Helensburgh Community Council has serious concerns about the validity of the public consultation that Argyll and Bute Council announced two days ago, which is to be launched on Monday.
“We write to request the consultation is delayed until August 17 to ensure the public consultation process meets the minimum legal standards set out in the Gunning Principles, to ensure a fair and worthwhile exercise, and adhered to by the Scottish Government.”
In a response on behalf of the council, also seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, executive director Douglas Hendry said: “The council recognises the concerns that have been raised regarding the proposed consultation on the potential sale of common good land at Helensburgh Waterfront, and welcomes the opportunity to provide reassurance on how it is intended to proceed.
“The council is satisfied that the consultation can proceed as planned and that it is capable of meeting the legal standards for a fair consultation.
“While there have been previous decisions regarding the potential disposal of land, no final decision has been taken and the consultation is being undertaken to inform members before any further or final decision is made.
“With reference to the request to delay the consultation to later in the summer, while the council understands the reasons put forward, but must balance these against the need to progress matters in a timely way and in accordance with agreed governance processes. At this stage, the council considers that the proposed timetable remains appropriate.”
The consultation remains open until midday on Monday, August 10 at argyll-bute.gov.uk
