Arran Banner Leader: Reading between the lines

Without wanting to downplay the fantastic news of an agreement being reached to purchase Ardrossan Harbour, taxpayers will be anxious to learn how much was paid for the run-down facility that has had to shut twice over the last two-weeks owing to infrastructure failures.

Tellingly, the price paid and finer details of the sale have been as forthcoming as have details about the state of negotiations over the last year. It is fair to say that, while taking into consideration commercial sensitivity during ongoing business deals, the taxpaying public has barely been kept informed during negotiations.

MSPs have had to pry every detail out of the cabinet secretary for transport, with monthly requests for updates receiving only the scantest of details and numerous missed deadlines.

Hopefully, the lack of transparency and willingness to keep the public informed, does not continue with the next stages of the project: repairing, upgrading and improving the harbour. Sadly, recent evidence with regard to an allied project, the nationalising of Ferguson Marine, shows a history of delays, accountability concerns, fat-cat salaries and endless cost overruns.

Effectively, the easiest part was purchasing the harbour, the difficult work only begins now.