AN MSP has demanded publication of all reports into a regeneration agency facing criticism for spending almost £60 million whilst missing key targets.
West of Scotland MSP Stuart McMillan has written to the convener of the Scottish Parliament's local government and regeneration committee, requesting it obtain copies of the mid-term review about Riverside Inverclyde and all relevant papers from Inverclyde Council on the issue.
The committee is currently investigating the impact of re-generation in Scotland and both Riverside Inverclyde.
Inverclyde Council will appear before it in September to discuss the seven years of the project.
The Herald has revealed the body, created in 2006 by Inverclyde Council and Scottish Enterprise, has met just 7% of its job target of 2600 in its seven years in existence.
It has built only 5% of the 2285 new homes promised, while securing 1% of the private sector investment expected to be levered from £60m of public funding, according to a review. It also spent in excess of £10m on land it later emerged was worth less than nothing.
Mr McMillan, a member of the regeneration committee, said there were also concerns the report has not been made avai-lable to the public and said even local elected members within Inverclyde Council have not received a copy of the report.
He said: "It is vitally important these reports are made public; this is public money that has been used in the regeneration of Inverclyde and the people of this area and across Scotland have right to know exactly what has happened here.
"It is essential this report is released to allow all members of the committee to be fully informed of the position of Riverside Inverclyde before they give evidence to the committee."
Inverclyde Council said that given the commercially sensitive nature of the report "it was appropriate for initial discussions by partners to be held in private however we anticipate publishing all non-sensitive elements of the review in due course".
Leaders of Riverside Inverclyde said the agency achieved many successes despite the economic downturn. Alf Young, chairman of the agency, Stephen McCabe, Inverclyde Council leader, and senior Scottish Enterprise director Adrian Gillespie said the agency "began operating almost in parallel with the worst economic downturn in living memory".
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