Issue - meetings

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to note the Union Street Empty Shops Action Plan provided in Appendix 1 to the report;

(ii)           to note the role of a number of city centre stakeholders in developing the proposals in the plan and the support provided by the Council to some of these organisations;

(iii)          to instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth to support stakeholders to implement the proposed actions in the plan where appropriate;

(iv)          to instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth, in consultation with the Director of Resources, to develop a grant scheme of £500,000 to support the reconfiguration of empty shops on Union Street for confirmed occupancy, subject to the Council’s budget setting process for 2023/24; and

(v)           to instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth to report back on progress of the plan to the Finance and Resources Committee in early 2024.

The Council had before it a report by the Director of Commissioning which sought approval of an Action Plan to support the re-population of empty units on Union Street.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)          note the Union Street Empty Shops Action Plan provided in Appendix 1 to the report;

(b)          note the role of a number of city centre stakeholders in developing the proposals in the Plan and the support provided by the Council to some of those organisations;

(c)          instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth to support stakeholders to implement the proposed actions in the Plan where appropriate;

(d)          instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth, in consultation with the Director of Resources, to develop a grant scheme of £500,000 to support the reconfiguration of empty shops on Union Street for confirmed occupancy, subject to the Council’s budget setting process for 2023/24; and

(e)          instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth to report back on progress of the Plan to the Finance and Resources Committee in early 2024.

Councillor Nicoll moved, seconded by Councillor Yuill:-

That the Council approve the recommendations contained within the report.

Councillor Houghton moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Kusznir:-

That the Council agree the recommendations contained within the report subject to the following change:

(d) instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth, following consultation with the Chief Officer - Finance, to develop a grant scheme of £1m to support the reconfiguration of empty shops on Union Street for confirmed occupancy, subject to the Council’s budget setting process for 2023/24. 

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (34)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Ali, Allard, Alphonse, Blake, Bonsell, Bouse, Hazel Cameron, Clark, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Crockett, Davidson, Fairfull, Graham, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, Macdonald, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Malik, Mennie, Nicoll, Radley, van Sweeden, Thomson, Tissera, Watson and Yuill.

For the amendment  (9)  -  Councillors Boulton, Brooks, Cross, Farquhar, Houghton, Kusznir, McLeod, Massey and Stewart.

Absent from the division  (1)  -  Councillor Grant.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.