A FUND that has provided millions of pounds to kick-start the regeneration of Dundee’s waterfront is to be rolled up in the local authority’s general settlement as part of the Scottish Government’s drive to reduce ring-fencing of cash it gives local councils.

As SNP politicians in the city celebrated what they say is an extension to the Cities Growth Fund, due to end in March, the leader of the administration on Dundee City Council warned, “The devil is in the detail.”

Councillor Kevin Keenan was speaking after Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said that the announcement in John Swinney’s budget of the extension of funding would allow Dundee to finish infrastructure development at the waterfront.

The CGF was launched in 2003 to improve Scotland’s six cities and Dundee is unique in having invested its £9.3 million allocation in a single development—the Central Waterfront Project.

Before Wednesday’s budget, fears had been expressed that the end of the CGF would lead to the down-scaling and delay of the project, with an extra £11 million needed to complete the development infrastructure.

However, Mr FitzPatrick was confident last night that the budget is promising enough to finish the job.

“The waterfront project will deliver a higher quality of life and an improved image for our city, as well as providing new high-quality development opportunities to support economic initiatives,” he said.

“Moreover, the economic potential of Dundee will always be held back unless the problem of, and the opportunity offered by, the waterfront is resolved and realised in a visionary manner.

“The Central Waterfront Project has that vision and will result in a step change, not only for Dundee, but for the whole city region. The extension of the Cities Growth Fund will allow the completion of the infrastructure work,” he maintained.

“Dundee City Council is confident that the rest of the Central Waterfront Masterplan can be self-financing as our vision is realised.”

However, Councillor Keenan warned that it is too early for celebrations.

“We have to know how much Dundee is going to get and we don’t know that yet,” he said. “We have been told that we will know our settlement on December 13 and we can only wait and see until then.”