Agenda item

That the Council:

1.    Notes the negative impact since 2022 of the South College Street Junction Improvements Project works on the businesses based on and around Palmerston Road, Palmerston Place and The Arches on South College Street;

2.    Believes that small and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of the UK, Scottish and Aberdeen economy; and

3.    Therefore, instructs the Chief Officer - Finance to prepare a report outlining the options available to Councillors in encouraging businesses to remain within the area, including but not limited, to Non-Domestic Rate discounts for approval by Council.

(Deferred from Council meeting of 14 June 2023)

With reference to Article 23 of the minute of its meeting of 14 June 2023, the Council had before it a notice of motion by Councillor Kusznir in the following terms:-

          That the Council:

1.    Notes the negative impact since 2022 of the South College Street Junction Improvements Project works on the businesses based on and around Palmerston Road, Palmerston Place and The Arches on South College Street;

2.    Believes that small and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of the UK, Scottish and Aberdeen economy; and

3.    Therefore, instructs the Chief Officer - Finance to prepare a report outlining the options available to Councillors in encouraging businesses to remain within the area, including but not limited to Non-Domestic Rate discounts for approval by Council.

Councillor Kusznir moved, seconded by Councillor Farquhar:-

          That the Council approve the notice of motion.

Councillor Yuill moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Radley:-

That the Council note that its meeting on 14 June 2023, the Council agreed to:

(i)         note the inclusion of both the King George VI Bridge repairs and the South College Street junction improvements within the Council’s Capital Programme; and acknowledge the impact the works may have had on the businesses based on and around Palmerston Road, Palmerston Place and The Arches on South College Street;

(ii)        acknowledge the South College Street junction improvement project had received £10million funding through the Scottish Government’s Bus Partnership Fund;

(iii)       agree the South College Street junction improvements were an important step to provide a transport network to meet Aberdeen’s needs, including our city centre and bus priority aspirations, as well as improving traffic flow in the area and encouraging more walking and cycling;

(iv)      recognise that the works associated with this investment by the Council and the Bus Partnership Fund in our city’s roads and public transport networks had at times les to frustration and travel delays for both individuals and businesses; and

(v)        instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to report to the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee on lessons learned from delivering these projects.

During the course of debate, Councillors Nicoll and Hutchison advised that they had a connection by reason of knowing Mr Lewis Thomson, the owner of Results Gym which had been referred to, however having applied the objective test they did not consider that they had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting.

Councillor Allard advised that he also had a connection by reason of a family member having taken part in the consultation process in relation to the matter, 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  (18)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Boulton, Brooks, Cross, Farquhar, Grant, Kusznir, Lawrence, Macdonald, McLeod, Malik, Massey, Mrs Stewart, Thomson, Tissera and Watson.

For the amendment  (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.

Declined to vote  (1)  -  Councillor Crockett.

Absent from the division  (2)  -  Councillors Graham and Houghton.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the amendment.