PRESS RELEASE

March 20th, 2010

Relegated without kicking a ball

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil is demanding answers after Inverclyde missed out on a share of a massive £18 billion renewables programme.

The Inchgreen area had been in the running as one of the sites that would benefit from the investment to support Scotland’s growing offshore renewables industry.

But Scottish Enterprise selected 11 other sites, mostly in the Highlands and North East of Scotland.

As a result, Inverclyde has been downgraded despite a renewables hub being created at Clyde View and the infrastructure being in place at Inchgreen docks.

Riverside Inverclyde has teamed up with Inverclyde Council, Clydeport and Scottish Enterprise to set up Inverclyde Renewables Alliance to capitalise on the opportunities the growing renewables industry presents.

The MSP is furious at the lack of consultation and the suspect scoring system for the selection process and has now written to Enterprise Minister Jim Mather and Communities Minister Alex Neil demanding the area is reassessed.

He said: “We have been relegated without kicking a ball.

“This would have been a massive boost to this area and would build on the work, facilities and skills we already have here.

“I strongly believe that had Inverclyde been allowed to put its case for inclusion to we would have been one of the preferred sites.

“It would appear that the selection process has favoured sites in the Highlands and north east of Scotland while the West of Scotland and Inverclyde has lost out.

“A strategy of this magnitude has to be carried out fairly and transparently and I have asked the minister to explain why Inverclyde has lost out and to reconsider this process.”

ENDS