Agenda item

With reference to Article 2 of the minute of its meeting of 25 August 2022, the Council had before it a report by the Director of Commissioning which provided an annual update on the City Centre and Beach Masterplan.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)           note the progress made over the last 12 months to advance a wide range of projects contained within the City Centre and Beach Masterplan, and agree the updates provided to Sections 6, 8 and Appendix 1 of the Masterplan report (Appendix 1);

(b)           note the expected activity to be undertaken over the next 12 months, as set out in paragraph 3.19 of the report and within Section 8 of Appendix 1;

(c)           instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to continue to keep the Masterplan report under review, and to provide another progress report to Full Council after 12 months; and

(d)           in relation to Phase 2 of the Beach area, note the summary of comments received on the initial public consultation exercise on how people currently use these areas, and instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to prepare a Development Framework for the Phase 2 areas, which would be reported back to Full Council before the end of 2024.

During the course of questions, Councillor Henrickson advised that he had a connection by virtue of being a very minor shareholder in Aberdeen Football Club, 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 Malik moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Blake:-

          That the Council -

(1)       approve recommendations (a) and (b);

(2)       agree the SNP are famous for dither, defer, delay tactics and note within the financial implications that phase 2 of the Masterplan may not be delivered until 2037/38, which will come as a complete shock to the public;

(3)       agree that Aberdeen city centre residents, businesses, visitors and the people of Aberdeen are being let down by the SNP led Administration. The decision they have made for the city centre, particularly the signage and operation of the bus gate proposals have caused consternation and confusion; they have generated a city centre that is no longer easy to visit because firstly it is not pedestrian friendly for customers and secondly it is not conducive to attracting businesses needed to create a vibrant diverse café culture economy that would attract shoppers and other visitors to the city;

(4)       agree that the enforcement of bus gate penalties on Union Street and neighbouring streets should be suspended until further notice and instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to bring a report back to the next meeting of Full Council outlining the feasibility and costs for exemptions to holders of blue badges;

(5)       instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to bring forward a Masterplan report detailing the expected provisional delivery dates for phase 2 of the Masterplan from now until 2037 to the next Council meeting, to allow members to agree an accelerated programme at the next budget meeting; and

(6)       instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to prepare a Development Framework for the Phase 2 areas, before the next budget meeting in order for Council to move forward with the Masterplan stopping this dither, defer, delay tactics currently being employed by the SNP led Administration.

During the course of debate, Councillor Copland advised that he had a connection by reason of his wife being a blue badge holder, 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  (24)  -  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, Nicoll, Radley, van Sweeden and Yuill.

For the amendment  (18)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Brooks, Crockett, Cross, Farquhar, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Kusznir, Lawrence, Macdonald, McLeod, Malik, Massey, Thomson and Watson.

Declined to vote  (1)  -  Councillor Boulton.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.