Helensburgh waterfront bids ‘not all about the money’ says council

The development of Helensburgh’s waterfront site is “definitely not all about the money”, the chair of the council’s area committee has said.

One of Argyll and Bute Council’s officials has also stated that there are several criteria which bids for the site in front of the town’s leisure centre have been measured against.

Five bidders, two of them preferred bidders, are currently in the running to take over the site. Helensburgh Community Council is the only one to be known by the public, but it is unknown if they are one of the two preferred bidders.

The community council’s acting convener, Dr Peter Brown, raised the subject with councillors during a meeting of the council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee today.

He said: “The Disposal of Land by Local Authorities (Scotland) Regulations 2010 makes clear that councils do not need to get the best price for a piece of land.

“Specifically: ‘The circumstances in which a local authority may dispose of land for a consideration less than the best that can reasonably be obtained are that the local authority is satisfied that the disposal for that consideration is reasonable; and the disposal is likely to contribute to the promotion or improvement of economic development or regeneration, health, social wellbeing or environmental wellbeing.’

“The overview document, which is the only one that we can see, says repeatedly that the bids selected are the ‘best value for the council’.

“Can councillors reassure us that they know they are not obliged to accept the best price for this site?”

Gemma Penfold, the committee’s chair, responded: “It is definitely not all about the money – we are aware of that.”

Ross McLaughlin, the council’s head of commercial services, added: “David Allan (estates and property development manager) have worked out quite a lot of this situation.

“We have recognised criteria with five headings that we are using, and it is not just the price. There is community benefit, risks, deliverability and economic benefit to consider.

“You are correct in what you say.”