A CANOPY to protect Port Glasgow’s cherished Comet paddle steamer from the elements may NOT cover the entire vessel.

The revelation comes after council bosses confirmed they have slashed spending on the project by £45,000.

Funding for the shelter was approved more than a year ago but no work has been carried out yet to have the cover installed.

Municipal Buildings bosses say that options for the canopy have been ‘reviewed’ as part of the council’s capital programme.

But an official told a meeting of the environment and regeneration committee: “We are now looking at a smaller scale canopy which will cover the deck but not the whole vessel. There is no proposal to extend the fencing.” However, there now appears to be some doubt about the span of the finished canopy.

A council spokesman told the Telegraph today: “The update was that there had been a suggestion made that a canopy could be done differently to the one originally proposed.

“The service has asked for more detailed drawings which will give a clearer indication of what can be done. These will be brought back a future committee.

“Until that report comes back with the detail we couldn’t confirm any more than this.” A report to the committee stated that there was now a ‘view to providing a more cost effective option’.

The Tele told in August last year how the Comet was set for a £165,000 cover to protect it from rain, hail and snow after planning permission was granted.

But an updated 2014/15 spending report now carries a cost figure for the canopy of £120,000.

Meanwhile, a number of other projects are said to be subject to a ‘net slippage’ of £1.728 million — relating mainly to council office and depot initiatives.

Acting corporate director for environment, regeneration and resources, Alan Puckrin, said he is currently working with other officials to ‘identify opportunities to improve this position’.

Repair work to coastal defences at Coronation Park, Port Glasgow, costing £190,000, are set to be carried out ‘as soon as possible’, according to the report.

A decision on how to spend an allocation of a further £60,000 within this particular budget will be taken at a later date.

The council is also looking to replace windows and repair rot at the town’s Gamble Halls and officials also want to upgrade emergency lighting within Greenock’s Waterfront building.

Costs for a planned civic amenity site and depot at Kirn Drive are ‘considerably’ over an allocated budget allowance with officials now said to be ‘developing options for consideration’ Councillor Ronnie Ahlfeld commented: “There have been problems regarding the civic amenity site and this appears to be slipping quite a lot.” Official Graeme Blackie said: “At Kirn Drive we looked at a revamp of the traffic management which proved more problematic in terms of cost.

“We would like to come back with further options on that scheme.”