FLOOD row embroiled Inverclyde Council bosses say they STILL haven’t been told precisely why their bid for badly needed government relief cash for the district was rejected.

Frustrated officials had lodged an application for £3.1 million from a fund specifically set up for flood protection schemes in order to tackle problems at 16 vulnerable areas.

But a panel made up of Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and Holyrood representatives threw out the council’s approach because it didn’t match strict funding criteria.

The decision — made earlier this month — has sparked a political fight as well as crisis talks aimed at reviving the failed bid.

However, council chief executive John Mundell has told elected members that the local authority is at a loss to understand the outright rejection of its plans.

He told a full council meeting at the Municipal Buildings: “I have written to the Scottish Government seeking an explanation and a meeting with the appropriate officers to establish exactly why we were rejected.

“I am yet to receive a reply.” The Telegraph revealed last week that senior council official Alan Puckrin was on the panel responsible for overseeing the funding rules — but he stood down from the Inverclyde decision over conflict of interest concerns.

Local SNP MSP Stuart McMillan seized on Mr Puckrin’s involvement and declared that it ‘seemed strange’ that the council didn’t use its employee’s inside knowledge to ensure the bid matched the criteria.

It is understood that money was available for one major flood protection scheme and not the amalgam of individual issues promoted by the council.

But Municipal Buildings boss Mr Mundell has reiterated that Inverclyde is ‘unique’ because flooding in the area can strike from a variety of sources — not just one.

He told councillors: “Our officers sought advice throughout the process and our understanding, still, is that our bid meets the funding criteria.

“Until we hear otherwise that remains the council’s position.

“I have personally reviewed our bid and a large part of the Greenock area is one scheme.

“That in its own right meets the criteria, and that is a £2.2 million scheme.

“We don’t have a river running through our town centre like in Perth.

“There are various watercourses which create problems and we are trying to provoke some sort of positive result here.

“The only way to resolve this is through the partnership approach with the Scottish Government and COSLA.

“And we are committed to getting that result for the people of Inverclyde.” As things stand, Inverclyde must wait a further two years before it can lodge a fresh funding application.