There should be “confidence” Dundee’s V&A will not again lurch over budget during its behind-schedule construction, according to Scotland’s culture secretary.
Fiona Hyslop also told MSPs an independent inquiry into the cost overrun would only add to “uncertainty and delay”.
She said a “fixed price” deal had been agreed with contractors to ensure the extra £31 million needed to build the design museum on the city’s waterfront would be the last time additional cash is required for the building.
North East Scotland Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone raised the issue and called for an “unequivocal guarantee” the additional £10 million pledged by the Scottish Government towards construction costs would see the idea become reality.
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Ms Hyslop said: “The certainty that Alex Johnstone is looking for has been part and parcel of the discussions that have been taking place about the contract to try to make sure that the council could get the best possible fixed price from the contractors.
“That is why, in committing Scottish Government money, we have made sure during that period that we are confident that the proposals and the figures, which are obviously a significant increase on the original estimate before tenders went out, can be realised in order to give people confidence that the project can go ahead and will be successful.”
When the budget was questioned back in 2011, a spokesman for the project said the original £45 million figure was “the one line that’s been drawn in the sand”, adding the figure “can’t change and it won’t change”.
Mr Johnstone also queried the transparency of the project, pointing out there was no consultation with opposition councillors about the spiralling costs before a press conference took place last Friday.
That point was taken up by Labour’s shadow culture secretary, Claire Baker, who repeated the call made by both her and her party’s leader Jim Murphy for an independent inquiry to be held into the process.
However, the cabinet secretary dismissed the call for anyone outside of Dundee City Council to investigate the issues and blamed her opponents for creating “uncertainty” which could damage the project.
She said: “The issue that I have with an inquiry is that it could cause uncertainty and delay. I am sure that Claire Baker will be familiar with concerns over many years that some opposition members’ attitude and behaviour have caused uncertainty.
“The Dundee project needs at this time not uncertainty but certainty, particularly when we are attracting additional private sector funding.”