Agenda item

The Committee was advised that a deputation request had been received from Adrian Watson, Chief Executive Officer of Aberdeen Inspired, however Standing Orders would require to be suspended to hear the deputation as the request had been received beyond the deadline contained within Standing Order 14.1

The Committee resolved:-

to suspend Standing Order 14.1 to hear the deputation.

Mr Watson thanked the Committee for the opportunity to speak and advised that he was doing so on behalf of the 700 or so businesses that Aberdeen Inspired represented, but also businesses outside of the city centre and further afield. He added that he was also representing other organisations that could not be here, such as Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses and Our Union Street.

Mr Watson sensed that the Council was driving through the ETRO to make it permanent, which he strongly disagreed with and had made that clear in his letter to the Council of 13 November 2024. He noted that Aberdeen Inspired had identified a flaw in the process, however this should be viewed as an opportunity by the Council to get round the table with key partners to talk things through. He added that the consternation from local businesses was well documented and was evidenced in surveys by the Chamber of Commerce and Aberdeen Inspired, which demonstrated that 93% of businesses were concerned moving forward.

Mr Watson stated that he had taken advice from independent consultants in the field of roadscape and they believed that the Council should consider a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), rather than the ETRO, which would give people and businesses a chance to air their concerns.

Mr Watson observed that people from Aberdeenshire were not visiting the city in the same numbers as they had done previously. He believed that much more than a communications strategy was required - the city needed to be accessible and open to business and it was well documented that businesses were closing. Mr Watson underlined that he walked the streets on a daily basis and could see the pain being felt by businesses, there was deep anxiety and a lot of emotion. Since bus gates were introduced, he stated that there had been between a 15% and 40% downturn for businesses. He acknowledged the viewpoint that footfall was holding firm, however footfall was not the acid test - it was sales that really mattered.

Mr Watson called on the Council to slow things down, to pause and not drive towards the date in January. He believed that it was not healthy to be on opposing sides with regard to such a crucial issue and that the Council was unsighted on the economic ramifications as the economic impact assessment was flawed, having been put in place for previous plans based on pedestrianisation.

Mr Watson concluded that there was no evidence base for making the ETRO permanent and urged the Committee to take the opportunity to move towards a TRO process. He pleaded for healthy engagement with businesses which would lead to working together for a common sense compromise moving forward.

Members asked questions of Mr Watson and thanked him for his deputation.