Councillor Gail Casey, spokeswoman for health at the local authority, has said plans to secure funding for the Queens Quay development are progressing.

The announcement comes after NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) said it would not award Clydebank the necessary £19 million to build the centre, stating Inverclyde had a stronger case.

But the Scottish minister for health, Shona Robison, later stepped in and said she would work with NHSGGC “to urgently establish options for taking the project forward”.

Councillor Casey told the Post on Monday: “I remain very optimistic about securing the funding required for a new Clydebank health centre. The cabinet secretary for health has put her support behind our plans and the council’s executive director and his staff are working with the Scottish Government and a progress meeting was held with government officials recently. These are, of course, confidential discussions at this stage but with the clear intention of identifying resources from other projects to fund the new health centre.” A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council added: “The council has put the case forward that a new and enhanced health and care centre within the Queen’s Quay site would not only improve local services, but would also make a substantive contribution to the wider economic development and regeneration plans for Clydebank.”