'FLAWED' legal advice which was followed by councillors for years has now been blamed by them for the costly publicly-funded paralysis over the Clune Park housing scheme.

Inverclyde's elected members have finally agreed to negotiate with landlords after losing a string of court battles amid a failed strategy to seize and demolish the estate.

But despite racking up massive costs and a near 100 per cent hike in the pricetag to deliver a proposed regeneration project one councillor insists the local authority has SAVED taxpayers money.

The SNP's Chris Curley — who voted to pursue a strategy recommended by former council legal chief Gerard Malone — declared: "I think we've done what we can to save the public purse."

Since trumpeting plans to regenerate the Clune Park area a decade ago, the council has seen the cost of its plan rise from £2.6m to £4.87m.

The price of failed court action and other expenses in 2016 was in the region of £1m.

The council lost another legal battle earlier this year — and is still £1m short of acquiring the properties it needs.

Port Glasgow councillor Drew McKenzie told a meeting of the environment and regeneration committee how he, along with fellow independent member Ronnie Ahlfeld, consistently questioned the now ditched former strategy.

Cllr McKenzie said: "We were always told that we've taken legal advice and this is the strategy we should follow.

"Now it transpires that perhaps the legal advice we were getting wasn't the best and the strategy that we have followed can best be described as flawed.

"I am pleased that we're now changing tack and engaging with the protagonists at Clune Park, the landlords."

The council's interim director for environment and economic recovery, Stuart Jamieson — who took over the Clune Park remit two months ago — has won praise for his different approach to the problem.

Alba Party councillor Chris McEleny said: "We needed a strategic lead in this and I think that the current acting director has certainly moved this matter on in a matter of weeks more than it's been moved on in years."

Councillor McKenzie however rounded on Mr Curley's assertion that the value for public money had been achieved.

He said: "The money that has been spent on legal expenses over the course of these last 11 years would have paid for the purchase of all these flats and the job would have been done."

To a cry of 'hear, hear' by Conservative David Wilson, Mr McKenzie said: "These will not be easy negotiations at all and we wish Mr Jamieson all the very best in his negotiations.

"I think the word we're looking for here is fairness.

"What we really have to find is a fair settlement for all concerned because it's so important that we get these buildings down as soon as possible."

Cllr Wilson said: "I'm pleased to see that we're moving forward.

"We've not exactly covered ourselves in glory."

Port SNP councillor Jim MacLeod described the saga as 'a sad situation'.

He said: "I was brought up there [at Clune Park] as a child and it's been extremely sad to see the demise of the estate over the years.

"I echo what has been said, we have had advice and we are where we are, but we have to move on and we have to get something done and we want something better moving forward."

Labour's depute council leader Jim Clocherty said: "As elected members, yes we have went by legal advice and as elected members we do, because we've got to follow the advice that [council] officers have given and that proper legal people have given us as well.

"We are spending public money on a private sector failure.

"If these houses had been invested in properly over time then there would have been no reason for the council to intervene."

Councillor Wilson said: "I think that the mistake made early on was we really looked after, quite generously, the owner occupiers but we treated the landlords totally differently and from then on we were in trouble.

"You're not going to go to a private landlord and offer them a pittance for their properties and expect them to accept it.

"We're now being realistic and I would like to echo the word that Councillor McKenzie used earlier on — it's about fairness."

The committee agreed to progress with negotiations with landlords who have portfolios of 20 properties or more at Clune Park.

The current estimated cost for demolishing Clune Park stands at £1m.