NEW moves are being made to get as much benefit as possible for Inverclyde under the multi-million pound ‘city deal’.

A total of three developments will take place here as part of a £1 billion agreement signed with the UK and Scottish governments and eight councils, including Inverclyde.

Upgrading worth £3.8 million will take place in Inverkip to build a roundabout and also improve the junction into the former power station site, where redevelopment work will take place.

Meanwhile, the Ocean Terminal quayside is to be expanded at a cost of £14.2 million, beginning in 2017.

And final agreement has still to be reached on a further £9.4 million of investment to establish a ‘renewables hub’ at Inchgreen dry-dock, which is due to start in 2021.

Inverclyde Council leader Stephen McCabe has held talks with specialist adviser David Smart, of the Smart Consultancy, who is examining ways of maximising opportunities from the deal’s potential for growth.

Mr Smart said: “This will involve further research on how the local authorities may want to work together in different ways, and the potential to develop new approaches with the relevant services of other partner agencies. As part of this, I am keen to meet with all the council leaders individually to get their thoughts on the various options available.”

Mr McCabe said: “We discussed the local enterprise and regeneration arrangements in terms of the role of the council, Riverside Inverclyde and Scottish Enterprise. We looked at the potential advantages of a regional enterprise partnership, and whether or not this would be a natural evolution of the city deal arrangements.

"We discussed this against the background of the proposal in the SNP manifesto to create regional economic partnerships. I stressed that any new partnership arrangements would need to be bring clear benefits to Inverclyde before I recommended that the council sign up.”

Under the deal, the UK and Scottish governments will each give the Glasgow ‘city region’ £500 million in grant funding, and the councils will borrow a further £130 million to use for capital investment.

Councillor McCabe said: “Inverclyde is making sure we are getting benefit for our local area, while playing a key part in delivering investment and improvements which benefit the west and the rest of Scotland.”