Agenda item

With reference to Article 35 of the minute of meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee of 4 October 2012, which had been referred to it for consideration by seven members of the Committee, the Council had before it (1) a report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure on progress in the sale of the St Nicholas House site which advised on the range and types of offers received and the process to assess and score these; and (2) the decision of the Finance and Resources Committee as follows:-

(i)                 to instruct the Head of Asset Management and Operations to advise the top six scoring bidders that they have been selected as preferred bidders to move forward to the next stage; and

(ii)               to note the next stage of the bidding process, with a full report to be brought back to a future meeting of the Committee in early 2013.

At this juncture, a further report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure was circulated (which had also been circulated to the Finance and Resources Committee) which explained that the offer submitted by one of the parties had been withdrawn, set out the points available and the range applied by officers in respect of the financial and non-financial scores for each of the offers, gave the monetary difference between the highest and lowest bids submitted and named the top four scoring bidders in alphabetical order. The report reiterated the recommendations contained within the original report (as below), incorporating the names of the top four bidders.

The report recommended:-

that the Finance and Resources Committee -

(a)              instruct the Head of Asset Management and Operations to advise the top four scoring bidders that they have been selected as preferred bidders to move forward to the next stage; and

(b)              note the next stage of the bidding process, with a full report to be brought back to a future meeting of the Committee in early 2013.

At this juncture, Councillor Jackie Dunbar referred to the draft minute extract of the Finance and Resources Committee of 4 October 2012, and queried why it did not record which members were present when the further report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure had been circulated. The Senior Democratic Services Manager explained that the draft minute was consistent with standard practice where a declaration of interest was made during the course of consideration of an item of business, however the Committee Clerk would have noted the information. Councillor Jackie Dunbar requested that this be recorded in the minute this day and this was agreed.

Councillor Noble moved, seconded by Councillor Yuill:-

            That the Council -

(a)               instruct the Head of Asset Management and Operations to advise the top four scoring bidders that they have been selected as preferred bidders to move forward to the next stage; and

(b)               note the next stage of the bidding process, with a full report to be brought back to a future meeting of the Committee in early 2013.

Councillor Crockett moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Boulton:-

            That the Council -

(a)               instruct the Head of Asset Management and Operations to advise the top four scoring bidders that they have been selected as preferred bidders to move forward to the next stage; and

(b)               agree to establish a working group of five members, comprising one representative from each Group, to receive presentations from
short-leeted bidders, and that officers report back to the Finance and Resources Committee.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (19)  -  Councillors Blackman, Cameron, Corall, Cormie, Delaney, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, Greig, Jaffrey, Kiddie, MacGregor, McCaig, May, Noble, Samarai, Jennifer Stewart, Sandy Stuart, Townson and Yuill.

For the amendment  (20)  -  Lord Provost; and Councillors Allan, Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Forsyth, Graham, Grant, Len Ironside CBE, Laing, Lawrence, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison MBE, Nathan Morrison, Taylor and Thomson.

Absent from the division  (1)  -  Councillor Young.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the amendment.

In terms of Standing Order 15(6), Councillors Blackman, Cameron, Corall, Cormie, Delaney, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, Greig, Jaffrey, Kiddie, MacGregor, McCaig, May, Noble, Samarai, Jennifer Stewart, Sandy Stuart, Townson and Yuill intimated their dissent against the foregoing decision.

- GEORGE ADAM, Lord Provost.