Decision details

(i)         to note the words of Keith Brown, Minister for Transport and Veterans, who stated in the Scottish parliament on 22^nd May “We have stated on a number of occasions our commitment to funding the design and construction of the road improvement, which will include associated land and compensation costs for the delivery of the Haudagain scheme.  As is the case with all of our schemes, landowners, including the local authority, will be compensated for any land or property that is required to enable the construction of the road improvement”

(ii)        to note paragraph 7.1 of the report which states “There is as yet no detailed information from government on the financial arrangements to be made to purchase assets required to deliver the Haudagain junction improvements” and therefore to instruct officers to enter into negotiations with the Scottish Government within the next 30 days with a  view to agreeing a legally binding contract as soon as possible ensuring the Council and other land owners were suitably and properly compensated for the land or property that was required to enable the construction on the road improvements with a view to starting work on the Haudagain roundabout within the next two years rather than in 2018/2019 as proposed by the SNP;

(iii)       to note with complete disappointment the decision to postpone the arranged meeting between the Council and Transport Scotland on 27 May 2013, and reschedule the meeting until 28 June 2013, a clear sign that the Haudagain roundabout improvements were not a key priority for the Scottish Government;

(iv)       to note the speed in which the Scottish Government were prepared to compensate landowners, including building a brand new International School in Cults, long before the AWPR work had started and questions the Scottish Government’s resolve to fully compensate the people and residents of Middlefield which was the most deprives area of the city in terms of employment, health, income, education and training quickly and efficiently as they did in the most prosperous area of the city; and

(v)        to suspend standing order 3(4)(a) and to instruct officers to bring a report to an additional meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee on 25 July 2013 on the meeting with Transport Scotland, including detailed information from the Government on the financial arrangements to be made to purchase assets required to deliver the Haudagain junction improvements and setting out the Council’s objectives to start this project within the next two years; and

(vi)       to request officers to advise all members, by email, whether a further Equality Human Rights Impact Assessment was required in light of the proposal to shorten the project timescales.

In terms of Standing Order 36(3), this matter was referred to full Council in order for a final decision to be taken.