Agenda, decisions and minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be found here.

Please note that if any changes are made to this minute at the point of approval, these will be outlined in the subsequent minute and this document will not be retrospectively altered.

Members were requested to intimate any declarations of interest or transparency statements in respect of the items on today’s agenda, thereafter the following was intimated:-

(1)      Councillor Greig advised that he had a connection in relation to agenda item 2.1 (Notice of Motion by Councillor Boulton - Castlegate Arts) by virtue of him being a Council appointed member to the Aberdeen Performing Arts Board and a Trustee of Great Western Community Trust. Having applied the objective test, he did not consider that he had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting;

(2)      Councillor Henrickson advised that he had a connection in relation to agenda item 2.1 (Notice of Motion by Councillor Boulton - Castlegate Arts) by virtue of him being a Council appointed member to the Aberdeen Performing Arts Board. Having applied the objective test, he did not consider that he had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting; and

(3)      Councillor Grant advised that he had a connection in relation to agenda item 2.1 (Notice of Motion by Councillor Boulton - Castlegate Arts) by virtue of him being an employee of Aberdeen Inspired. Having applied the objective test, he did not consider that he had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting.

That the Committee:-

(1)           Instruct the Chief Officer - City Development and Regeneration to continue to provide support to Castlegate Arts to help them to achieve the cultural investment framework requirements and meet the Council’s criteria for Following the Public Pound, and provide them with a monthly funding stream up to an annual amount in 2025/26 of £100k, to be taken from the General Fund Contingencies budget;

(2)           Note that an offer of a long-term lease remains available to Castlegate Arts on current terms;

(3)           Instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to instruct and update the building condition survey (previous version has been shared with Castlegate Arts) and make these costs available to Elected Members to assist budget setting process for 2026/27. The General Fund Contingencies budget will provide funding of up to £15k to secure any specialist or other works required  in completing the survey work; and

(4)           Agree that the above measures are needed to ensure that the charity Castlegate Arts can continue its good work in the city for a wide range of our citizens.

The Committee had before it a Notice of Motion by Councillor Boulton in the following terms:-

(1)    Instruct the Chief Officer - City Development and Regeneration to continue to provide support to Castlegate Arts to help them to achieve the cultural investment framework requirements and meet the Council’s criteria for Following the Public Pound, and provide them with a monthly funding stream up to an annual amount in 2025/26 of £100k, to be taken from the General Fund Contingencies budget;

(2)    Note that an offer of a long-term lease remains available to Castlegate Arts on current terms;

(3)    Instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to instruct and update the building condition survey (previous version has been shared with Castlegate Arts) and make these costs available to Elected Members to assist budget setting process for 2026/27. The General Fund Contingencies budget will provide funding of up to £15k to secure any specialist or other works required in completing the survey work; and

(4)    Agree that the above measures are needed to ensure that the charity Castlegate Arts can continue its good work in the city for a wide range of our citizens.

Councillor Boulton moved her motion and explained the rationale behind it and was seconded by Councillor Brooks.

Councillor Grant, seconded by Councillor Tissera, moved as an amendment:-

that the Committee:-

(1)    Agree the Lord Provost determined that Councillor Boulton’s notice of motion was urgent on 16th April 2025, the fact that it is being heard 86 days after it was deemed urgent confirms the contempt in which the SNP hold opposition members with and the contempt they hold Standing Orders too;

(2)    Agree the grassroots support from the Arts Community to save Aberdeen Arts Centre is simply overwhelming;

(3)    Agree the campaign to Save Aberdeen Arts Centre has already received backing from a host of famous faces including actors Laura Main, Amy Lennox and Brian Cox; Hollywood director Jon S Baird; magician Barry Jones; and virtuoso percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie;

(4)    Agree Aberdeen Arts Centre is an independent arts venue, operated by a registered charity (Castlegate Arts Ltd) in the heart of Aberdeen. For over 60 years, it has played a crucial role in the north east’s vibrant arts scene through its programme of performances, Creative Learning Programme for children and adults, and an Artist Development Programme to support local professional creatives;

(5)    Agree the SNP Administration has deliberately ignored requests from Castlegate Arts Ltd to help support it, despite previous administrations understanding the need to support the Arts in this city;

(6)    Notes that the Council agreed to provide £8,000 in rent from the Common Good fund to Castlegate Arts Ltd to cover the said rent for the Aberdeen Arts Centre, despite according to the Administration, that Castlegate Arts Ltd currently does not comply with following the public pound regulations; and

(7)    Agree to provide a grant of £100,000 for this year and the two subsequent budgets subject to Council budget approval to be taken this year  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.