Issue - meetings

In terms of Standing Order 10(1), and as agreed at the beginning of the meeting (article 3 refers), the Committee received a deputation from Mr George Batchelor and Mr Garry Yule in relation to the recommendations contained within the report on The Bush Peterculter, Aberdeen (Prohibition of Driving Order).

The Committee were advised that Mr Batchelor and Mr Yule would like to be heard as a single deputation.

Mr Batchelor advised that he had concerns with the location of the proposed road closure as outlined in the report, specifically in terms of the safety of the children walking to school.  He indicated that he had not received a copy of the minute of the informal residents’ meeting and was therefore unaware as to who was in attendance.  He asked whether the refuse collection services had been consulted on the proposals.  In his request for a deputation, Mr Batchelor had requested that officers be instructed to carry out a fresh consultation exercise by inviting all residents of the properties who were directly affected by the closure of The Bush to indicate their preference for the two options shown in the appendices to the report.  He also requested that officers submit a further report to the Committee on the outcome of the consultation exercise with a recommendation as to the exact location of the closure based on that outcome.

Mr Yule indicated that he had not been invited to the informal residents’ meeting and was told by officers that they were unable to locate his letter box.  He indicated that the closure as outlined in the report would block his house from his garage, which would result in a one mile round trip to gain access.  He also revealed that the proposal would be detrimental if he were to sell his house.  He explained that he was in support of the closure, but not at the location recommended by officers.  In his request for a deputation Mr Yule had requested that a further meeting be held for all residents, and had asked the Committee not to approve the proposed position of the closure as detailed in the report.

In response to the question by Mr Batchelor as to whether refuse collection services had been consulted, Mr Cheyne, General Manager for Operations, Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure advised that the appropriate services had been consulted as part of the standard consultation process.

Members were invited to ask questions of Mr Batchelor and Mr Yule and then thanked them for their contribution.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure relating to The Bush, Peterculter (Prohibition of Driving Order).

The report recommended:-

that the Committee overrule the objections and approve the Aberdeen City Council (The Bush, Peterculter, Aberdeen) (Prohibition of Driving) Order and agree that this order be made as originally envisaged (as outlined in Appendix A to the report).

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.