Issue - meetings

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to note the update from the Chief Officer - Commercial & Procurement on progress of the Shoreline Regeneration (Phase C) Outline Business Case (OBC).

(ii)           to refer all projects relating to the Beachfront Shoreline Regeneration (Phase C) to the capital planning and budget process for future years’ delivery;

(iii)          subject to the outcome of the budget process, to instruct the Chief Officer - Commercial & Procurement to progress the Beachfront Shoreline Regeneration (Phase C) work to the completion of a Full Business Case (FBC) to Council, reporting back to the October 2025 Committee (on the short-medium interventions) and June 2026 Committee (on the medium-long interventions); and

(iv)          to note that the Chief Officer - Commercial & Procurement would liaise with Councillor Brooks outwith the meeting with regard to the financial breakdown of getting the six projects to Full Outline Business Case and in terms of data for usage of existing cycle lanes at the beach.

With reference to Article 19 of the minute of its meeting of 14 December 2022, the Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Commercial and Procurement which provided an overview of the prepared Beachfront Shoreline Regeneration (Phase C) Outline Business Case (OBC).

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)           note the update from the Chief Officer - Commercial and Procurement on progress of the Shoreline Regeneration (Phase C) OBC;

(b)           refer all projects relating to the Beachfront Shoreline Regeneration (Phase C) to the capital planning and budget process for future years’ delivery; and

(c)           subject to the outcome of the budget process, instruct the Chief Officer - Commercial and Procurement  to progress the Beachfront Shoreline Regeneration (Phase C) work to the completion of a Full Business Case (FBC) to Council, reporting back to the October 2025 meeting (on the short-medium interventions) and June 2026 meeting (on the medium-long interventions).

During the course of questions, Councillor McRae advised that he had a connection in relation to the matter by virtue of being an employee of blue light services, a crew member of RNLI and as a substantive member of the Aberdeen Bar Safety Group, however having applied the objective test he did not consider that he had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting.

Councillor McLellan moved, seconded by Councillor Greig:-

          That the Council approve the recommendations.

Councillor Boulton moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Mrs Stewart:-    

          That the Council -

(1)       agree recommendation (a);

(2)       refer all of the Beach projects to the budget process, including the implications of cancelling the Beach Park, Phase A, contracts that are already in place.

During the course of debate, Councillor Yuill advised that he had a connection in relation to the matter by virtue of his appointment by the Council to the Board of NHS Grampian, however having applied the objective test he did not consider that he had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (33)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Ali, Allard, Alphonse, Blake, Bonsell, Hazel Cameron, Clark, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Crockett, Davidson, Graham, Grant, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, Lawrence, Macdonald, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Nicoll, Radley, van Sweeden, Thomson, Tissera, Watson and Yuill.

For the amendment  (4)  -  Councillors Boulton, Brooks, Farquhar and Mrs Stewart.

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to adopt the motion; and

(ii)           to note that the Chief Officer - Commercial and Procurement would liaise with Councillor Brooks outwith the meeting with regard to the financial breakdown of getting the six projects to Full Outline Business Case and in terms of data for usage of existing cycle lanes at the beach.