Concerns over rising cost of historic George VI building

Inverclyde Council has suffered a series of setbacks during the major project to turn the King George VI building on King Street into a community hub.

The estimated cost is currently £1.7 million, but the authority's education and communities committee has been told to note that the final cost will be "an unspecified amount", and that money will have to be found to complete it.

Funding for the project was first agreed six years ago but it remains incomplete.

Now members of the committee have expressed doubts about committing to the project with out knowing the final cost.

Councillor Elizabeth Robertson warned against 'throwing good money after bad'. (Image: Archive) Councillor Elizabeth Robertson, leader of the authority's SNP opposition group, said: "It seems uncomfortable, in the context of where we are with our overspends and restrictions on where our budgets are generally, that can we put our money into this without actually knowing how much it is going to be.

"I don't want to get to position where we are throwing good money after bad. Are we in a position where we are going to do this at all costs?"

She was joined by independent councillor Tommy McVey, who has been a long-time critic of the handling of the project.

He pointed out that the problems with the project have been ongoing and have been raised repeatedly by himself, Cllr Robertson and Cllr Robert Moran.

Councillor McVey said: "I think this is very disappointing. It absolutely cannot go on.

"I hope that by November 5 there will be a lot more information that there is now.

"In the current financial climate, and with what we are facing, we can't just throw money at these projects.

"I can't stress that strongly enough."

Councillor Tommy McVey said the latest update on the project was very disappointing. (Image: George Munro) The committee's chair, Labour councillor Jim Clocherty, stepped in to agree that the committee should seek an update on the project, even in private.

The project originally started under the control of environment and regeneration committee and has now passed onto education and communities.

Inverclyde Council's head of physical assets, Eddie Montgomerie, said: "You will appreciate we have committed legally to a contract to complete the works.

"In terms of any choice about the stopping the works, that would be a significant decision to make, and not something that we have done in any other capital project.

"There are risks in every capital project that you will go beyond your original budget.

"There is a procedure for that, and we have done it on a number of occasions."

He said they were in negotiations with the contractors and would be looking at the different funding pots available for the project.