GREENOCK faces an unexpected battle with Clydebank to get a new health centre, it emerged today.

The crumbling building in Duncan Street needs to be replaced because of its £1 million maintenance backlog bill.

It had been thought that both towns would get new facilities, but not enough money was offered in a recent Scottish Government announcement on health funding.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board received £19 million, which is not enough to provide two multi-million-pound centres.

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil said that he is ‘very worried’ Greenock could lose out after receiving assurances from the board that the town was the frontrunner for new facilities.

Mr McNeil said: “It was agreed by the board’s quality and performance committee that Greenock was the top priority based on need.

“The case has been made by Inverclyde Council and the community health and care partnership.

“We have made the case and won the argument.

“I was assured 18 months ago by the health board that we would get a new centre, but now Clydebank is mounting a campaign that would delay or circumvent the fair process for the allocation of funds.” Mr McNeil, who is also convener of the Scottish Parliament’s health committee, has written to the health board to remind them what they said and urged them to ‘stick to procedure’.

As part of Greenock’s campaign for a new centre, Mr McNeil invited NHS Scotland’s chief executive, Paul Gray, to the town in June to meet health officials.

Mr Gray told the Tele at the time that he would not want to interfere in the cash bid process for a health centre, but promised he would discuss it with the health board.

The NHS boss also said he recognised Inverclyde has some ‘very wide gaps’ in health inequalities.

The site of the former Wellington Academy has been put forward as a frontrunner for a new health centre.

It is also hoped that plans for a new facility could incorporate other local health services, including the Centre for Independent Living, currently located in Gibshill.

A spokeswoman for the health board confirmed that there is only enough money for one new health centre.

She said: “There are two options, Clydebank and Greenock, and work is ongoing to decide which option we will take forward.” In a statement, the Scottish Government said it was ‘committed to delivering substantial investment in the infrastructure of the NHS’.

A spokeswoman added: “We have identified £19 million of funding for primary care in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as part of an overall investment of £400 million in NHS facilities.

“NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde are examining the options and will make a decision on which community health project to take forward with this funding in due course.” A decision on the new health centre is expected next month.