Issue - meetings

to take no action.

(i)             to note that the Chief Officer - Commercial and Procurement would circulate an update on the performance of the Generation Aberdeen branding;

(ii)            to note that the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning would circulate updates with regard to (1) the number of consultations that had been carried out with businesses in the city centre and their corresponding views; and (2) progress with the priority actions in the Empty Shops Action Plan since the matter was last reported to committee in March 2024; and

(iii)          to note that the Council agreed to refer a report on the City Centre and Beach Masterplan to the Finance and Resources Committee for consideration on 12 September 2024 and therefore that no action be taken at this time.

The Council had before the wording of the written request for this special Council meeting which had been signed by 12 members in accordance with Standing Order 8.2.2:-

“The business to be transacted relates to the business regarding City Centre and Beach Masterplan.”

Councillor Malik moved, seconded by Councillor Blake:-

          That the Council -

(a)       notes the City Centre Masterplan was unanimously agreed by Council in 2015.

(b)       notes that the City Centre Masterplan outlines a 20 year development strategy for Aberdeen city centre and notes it identifies a series of ambitious but deliverable projects that support future economic growth and will help secure more benefits and opportunities for the communities of Aberdeen.

(c)        notes that the multi-million projects include the creation of a new city market and the revitalisation of the beach area with plans for a pier, new green hub and a state of the art sports area which could include a new stadium for Aberdeen FC.

(d)       agrees that the Beach Development Framework is designed to capitalise on the built and natural assets of the area which is a tourism priority in its own right.

(e)       agrees that the SNP administration has got itself into a complete mess with the City Centre and Beach Masterplan undoing all the good work of the previous administration which worked with citizens, businesses, organisations and cross party to deliver for the people of Aberdeen.

(f)         agrees that the SNP administration are making a huge and expensive mistake by not investing sufficiently in the beach redevelopment.

(g)       agrees that, for the Council to move forward with confidence, officers must provide clarity to citizens of Aberdeen in the budget process on the total cost of projects outlined in Appendix 1 of the report CR&E/24/231 - City Centre and Beach Masterplan that is now destined for Finance and Resources Committee.

Councillor McLellan moved as an amendment, seconded by the Depute Provost:-

Council notes that the Council agreed to refer a report on the City Centre and Beach Masterplan to the Finance and Resources Committee for consideration on 12 September 2024 and therefore that no action be taken at this time. 

After ten Members had spoken, in terms of Standing Order 31.1, Councillor Greig moved as procedural motion, seconded by Councillor Cooke:-  

          That no further debate take place.

On a division, there voted:-

For the procedural motion  (23)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Bouse, Hazel Cameron, Clark, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Davidson, Fairfull, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Radley, van Sweeden and Yuill.

Against the procedural motion  (15)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Boulton, Brooks, Crockett, Farquhar, Graham, Grant, Lawrence, Macdonald, McLeod, Malik, Tissera and Thomson. 

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the procedural motion and therefore proceed to summing up.

In terms of Standing Order 32.8, Councillors Brooks and Crockett intimated their dissent against the foregoing decision.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (13)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Brooks, Farquhar, Graham, Grant, Lawrence,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3

(i)             to welcome the Co-Leaders’ hosting of a round table meeting of business groups, bus operators, and others to discuss the city centre bus priority measures;

(ii)           to reaffirm the City Centre Masterplan objective of turning Union Street into a destination rather than a through route;

(iii)          to agree that successful businesses are vital to the future of Aberdeen city centre;

(iv)          to note that any changes to city centre traffic management arrangements would require equality impact assessments;

(v)           in the context of the ongoing construction works on Union Street and around the New Market development, to instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to introduce a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) to suspend Bus Gates on Union Street (westbound only) / Market Street (southbound only), between its junctions with Adelphi and Hadden Street; this allowing all classes of vehicle to turn left from Union Street onto Market Street, thereafter restricting general traffic to a left only turn at the bottom of Market Street onto Trinity Quay (Virginia Street), this to aid continued access and servicing of the businesses on Market Street and Shiprow throughout the remaining period of construction, with the cost of this being met as part of the Capital budget for “City Centre & Beach Masterplans : Market Redevelopment”;

(vi)          to instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning, using funding from the Bus Lane Enforcement reserve, to report as soon as possible on:

1.    the feasibility and impact of reopening Bridge Street to all vehicles in one or both directions.

2.    the feasibility and impact of removing the ban on right turns from Union Terrace onto Rosemount Viaduct;

(vii)        to recognise the importance of consistent messaging about Aberdeen’s city centre being open for business and instruct the Chief Officer - City Development and Regeneration to work with partner organisations to promote this; and

(viii)       to note that the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning would confirm how much had been spent to date on Aberdeen Rapid Transit.

The Council had before it the wording of the written request for this special meeting which had been signed by 14 members in accordance with Standing Order 8.2.2:-

“The business to be transacted relates to the business regarding THE ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL (CITY CENTRE, ABERDEEN) (TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT) (EXPERIMENTAL) ORDER 2023 - STATUTORY PUBLIC CONSULTATION.”

With reference to Article 15 of the minute of meeting of the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee of 11 June 2024, the Council had before it a report by the Executive Director of City Regeneration and Environment, which had been referred to it by three members of the Committee in accordance with Standing Order 34.1.

The report recommended:-

that the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee -

(a)           note the benefits highlighted, to date, by the bus operators, and recognise the measures would support continuing improvements. Similarly, noting the measures supported active travel by way of walking or cycling. Collectively, the measures were a vital component of the City Centre Masterplan for establishing an attractive and vibrant city centre, with an environment that was conducive to encouraging footfall. Furthermore, choice remained in terms of access, with car parks and on-street parking capacity unaffected, and a network of appropriate distributor roads available, whether for access or through traffic;

(b)           approve the making of “The Aberdeen City Council (City Centre, Aberdeen) (Traffic Management) Experimental Order 2023” as a permanent Order, albeit with continued monitoring in terms of the ongoing City Centre Masterplan; and

(c)           instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to commence the procedure for the Order to be made permanent.

The Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee resolved:-

(i)             to agree the recommendations subject to (ii) and (iii) below;

(ii)           in the context of the ongoing construction works on Union Street and around the New Market development, to instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to introduce a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) to suspend the Bus Gates on Union Street (westbound only) / Market Street (southbound only), between its junctions with Adelphi and Hadden Street; this allowing all classes of vehicle to turn left from Union Street onto Market Street, thereafter restricting general traffic to a left only turn at the bottom of Market Street onto Trinity Quay (Virginia Street), this to aid continued access and servicing of the businesses on Market Street and Shiprow throughout the remaining period of construction; and

(iii)          to instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to report to this Committee in 18 months’ time on the operation and impact of this city centre traffic management regime and to make any recommendations for modifications he considers appropriate.

Following the conclusion of questions to officers, Councillor Yuill advised that he had a connection in relation to the item, in response to the Michie family having been mentioned, having worked for the Michie family many years ago and having maintained contact with them since then, however having applied the objective test he did not consider that he had an interest and would not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2

to take no action.

The Council had before the wording of the written request for this special Council meeting which had been signed by 12 members in accordance with Standing Order 8.2.2:-

“The business to be transacted relates to the decision by the Standards Commission v Councillor Malik, its judgement and the appeal decision by the Sheriff Principal.”

Councillor Malik moved, seconded by Councillor Ali:-

            That the Council -

(1)      notes the decision by the Sheriff Principal of Grampian Highland and Islands to quash the finding of the Standards Commission under Section 22 of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 following a complaint by SNP Councillor Cooke to the Ethical Standards Commissioner;

(2)      agrees the decision by the Standards Commission was draconian in nature and Councillor Malik served a one-month suspension unduly as the Panel did not properly take into consideration his rights under Article 10 of the ECHR;

(3)      agrees that the Ethical Standards Commissioner’s own solicitor pointed out to the panel Councillor Malik’s right of expression under article 10 of the ECHR but this was not properly taken into account by the Panel;

(4)      agrees that the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum’s Executive Committee (LAPFF) remains without ethnic minority representation, thanks to Councillor Cooke; and

(5)      notes that today is a very good day for the city of Aberdeen as the SNP Convener John Cooke’s complaint against Councillor Malik has been rejected by a Scottish Court, however it remains a bad day as well because LAPFF remains without ethnic minority representation and the Pensions Committee remains without Aberdeen Labour members thanks to Councillor Cooke’s actions.

Councillor Allard moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Greig:-

            That the Council take no action.

Councillor Crockett moved as a further amendment, seconded by Councillor Mrs Stewart:-

            That the Council -

(1)      notes the Pensions Committee agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Officer - Finance to nominate an appropriate officer as the Pensions Committee nominee;

(2)      agrees that Councillor Cooke should apologise to Councillor Malik for the way in which he handled LAPFF nomination in 2022;

(3)      agrees that should Councillor Cooke apologise to Councillor Malik then the Labour Group should re-join the Pensions Committee with immediate effect;

(4)      notes that the Lord Provost of Aberdeen reported me to the Standards Commission which decided that I had ECHR Section 10.1 rights so therefore did not take the issue to a hearing unlike the case of Councillor Malik, where they agreed that he had ECHR Section 10 rights to book a hearing;

(5)      notes that Unite the Union has nominated me as a member of the Union to be its substitute member of the Pensions Board, as an employee representative;

(6)      notes that the Council has refused to accept the nomination; and

(7)      agrees that the Council should seek external legal advice on the situation at point 6.

There being a motion and two amendments, the Council first divided between the motion and the amendment proposing no action, in terms of Standing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1