THE non-attendance of any council officers at a public meeting regarding Helensburgh’s Waterfront site has been labelled “a damned insult”.
A member of the public delivered the verdict at a packed Templeton Annexe of Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre, where Helensburgh Community Council held the meeting on Thursday, July 30.
Argyll and Bute Council chief executive Pippa Milne and Councillor Ross Moreland (Liberal Democrat, Dunoon), the authority’s policy lead for commercial services, were invited by the community council but submitted apologies.
Among those in attendance at the meeting were Councillors Maurice Corry (Conservative, Lomond North), Fiona Howard (Labour, Helensburgh Central) and Paul Kennedy (Liberal Democrat, Helensburgh and Lomond South).
Argyll and Bute Council’s proposal for the Waterfront site, in front of the town’s leisure centre, includes a supermarket, three smaller retail units, a skatepark and additional car parking.
A consultation on the proposal remains open through the council’s website until midday on Monday, August 10.
The member of the public said: “Probably 200 to 300 of the electorate of Argyll and Bute are here tonight. It is a damned insult that there is no representation from Argyll and Bute Council.”
The apologies received from Ms Milne and Cllr Moreland were read out by community council convener Dr Peter Brown before the meeting got underway.
Ms Milne’s apology said: “Unfortunately, I am already committed to other engagements that evening and will therefore be unable to attend.
“As you will be aware, the council’s consultation on the proposal remains ongoing. The consultation process is intended to provide an opportunity for residents and stakeholders to consider the proposal and submit their views, all of which will be taken into account before any decisions are made.
“I would encourage anyone with an interest in the proposal to participate in the consultation and ensure their views are formally submitted through that process.
“I hope your meeting is well attended and provides a constructive opportunity for discussion.”
Councillor Moreland said in his apology to the community council: “Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend this evening, I wasn’t able to rearrange things with only one week’s notice.
“Additionally, there would be very little I could add to a panel. We are in the middle of a consultation and would be able to say very little as wouldn’t want to be seen to influence the results in either direction or have a pre-determined position.
“I would be more than happy to attend a future panel, with experts and other invited guest etc at a later stage and a more appropriate time if one were to be organised.”
The consultation is available through the council’s website at argyll-bute.gov.uk
