Local SNP councillor Jim MacLeod, health spokesman for the SNP council group, today condemned the Labour-led council in Inverclyde for missing an important national health initiative deadline.

Cllr MacLeod said: "This is absolutely astonishing. We were all aware of the £15 million 'Equally Well' initiative created by the SNP Scottish Government and that councils had been invited to apply for a share of this money.

"With our dreadful health record in Inverclyde it had been hoped and anticipated that we might be successful in getting a share of this money to try and further combat some of the issues that affect our area's population. Then we learn that the council's submission was not received by the Scottish Government. It is simply not good enough."

Mr MacLeod continued: "I attended a meeting on the 31st October with councillors McCabe, McIlwee, council officials, the director of the local Community Health Partnership and the chairman of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for one of our quarterly meetings where we discussed a number of agenda items, including our unsuccessful bid for the 'Equally Well' money, and not a peep was mentioned of this bungle.

"Indeed cllr. McCabe told us how ridiculous he felt it was with our district's health problems that we were not getting a share of this health money. Well now we all know the reason why. They did not get their application in and at the end of the day this has fallen under cllr. McCabe's watch and the matter was further compounded by Labour's Duncan McNeil MSP venting his disapproval at the time too. Maybe we should expect a public apology from both politicians? Our one saving grace in the whole sad affair is that the Scottish Government has invited council representatives through to Edinburgh for talks about the initiative."