Tayinloan man’s bark bites council’s pier wood claims

A SUSTAINED campaign by a west Kintyre resident has resulted in Argyll and Bute council agreeing to replace timbers on Tayinloan pier.

John Roney, 66, first raised the issue of rotting pier timbers in October 2015 and last year the council started a £75,000 improvement scheme on the structure which is vital for users of CalMac’s lifeline Gigha ferry.

Mr Roney suspected second-hand timber had been used in the works and following numerous complaints, freedom of information (foi) requests and letters to Argyll and Bute MSP Michael Russell, the council has agreed to replace pier parts. In an email to The

Courier, Mr Roney wrote: ‘As a result of my first foi request the council said all the timber’s were new. Now the truth comes out. Most of the timbers were reused off the pier itself.’

A response from Argyll and Bute council’s chief executive Clelland Sneddon said: ‘The photographs submitted by yourself indicate deterioration at the edges of the deck boards and I can confirm that following advice from officers, a small number are due to be replaced.

‘However, I should point out, as mentioned in previous correspondence, an engineering decision was made by council officers to retain most of the existing timbers at Tayinloan Pier for reuse.

‘The contractor has carried out the works as per their tender. I understand that a stage two complaint response has been issued to you on the subject of timbers at Tayinloan Pier.

‘If you remain unhappy with the responses to your correspondence on the subject, you should contact the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.’