Agenda item

Colour copies of the Strategic Infrastructure Plan will be issued to members separately

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Executive which presented the Council’s Strategic Infrastructure Plan (SIP) and the actions required to deliver it.

 

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)               approve the Council’s SIP as at Appendix 1 to the report;

(b)               to deliver Key Goal 1: A step change to the supply of housing:

(1)         instruct officers to take forward a procurement process in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders in Relation to Contracts and Procurement, in order to appoint a Joint Venture partner(s) to deliver the affordable housing element identified in the SIP and report back to Council with the outcomes of the procurement process, and recommending a preferred bidder(s) prior to entering into a contract(s);

(2)         notwithstanding recommendation 1) above, agree to invoke Standing Order 1(6)(a) of the Council’s Standing Orders in Relation to Contracts and Procurement and in doing so agree to dis-apply the provisions of Standing Order 1(3); and

(3)         approve the establishment of a Housing Programme Manager for a fixed term period of three years, which would be met from within existing budgets;

(c)               to deliver Key Goal 2: High quality digital connectivity at home and at work:

(1)         approve the establishment of a Head of Broadband Delivery and Broadband Delivery Project Manager on a fixed term basis to deliver the Accelerate Aberdeen programme, which would be met from within existing budgets;

(d)               to deliver Key Goal 3: Better local transport;

(1)         instruct officers to open discussions with the Scottish Government to investigate proposals for cross-city transport connections, as outlined in the SIP, to establish funding mechanisms for investigation and delivery of proposals; and

(2)         instruct officers to report to the Council budget meeting in February 2014 in respect of proposals to advance the delivery of all phases of the Berryden Corridor as part of the Non Housing Capital Plan and budget process;

(e)               to deliver Key Goal 4: The skills and labour that Aberdeen needs to thrive:

(1)         promote the delivery of the Oil and Gas Academy for Scotland as outlined in the SIP;

(f)                 to deliver Key Goal 5: A better image for Aberdeen:

(1)         approve the establishment of a City Centre Infrastructure Fund and invest £20million into the fund financed through the Non Housing Capital Programme;

(2)         instruct officers to include this fund as part of the Non Housing Capital Plan at the Council budget meeting in February 2014;

(3)         approve the creation of a City Centre Regeneration Board as a working group of full Council, comprising elected members and representatives from appropriate external organisations;

(4)         instruct the Board to report back to Council at its meeting on 25 June 2014 with recommended project(s) to regenerate the city centre, and provide updates on progress to Council each cycle;

(5)         approve the establishment of a Programme Manager and two Project Manager posts to deliver city centre regeneration, which would be met from existing budgets; and

(6)         note the report and decision on the AECC, which was a separate report to this meeting; and

(g)               instruct officers to continue to work on the new ways of funding element of the SIP proposal in association with the Scottish Cities Alliance.

 

The Council received a presentation on the report and the SIP with contributions from the Chief Executive, the Acting Director of Corporate Governance, the Director of Housing and Environment, the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure and the Acting Head of Finance. Upon conclusion of the presentation, members asked a number of questions of officers in relation to the presentation and in connection with the report itself.

 

Councillor Crockett moved, seconded by Councillor Boulton:-

            That the Council -

(1)         approve the recommendations contained within the report subject to obtaining a screening opinion from the consultation authorities on the need for a Strategic Environmental Assessment and instruct officers to undertake that work if required; and

(2)         agree that the City Centre Regeneration Board comprise six elected members (Council Leader, Depute Council Leader, Convener of Finance, Policy and Resources, Vice Convener of Finance, Policy and Resources, Convener of Audit and Risk and Vice Convener of Audit and Risk) and one representative of each of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, ACSEF, Aberdeen Inspired, the Robert Gordon University, Scottish Enterprise, the University of Aberdeen and Visit Aberdeen; and that the Board be chaired by the Depute Leader of the Council.

 

Councillor Yuill moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Jennifer Stewart:-

            That the Council -

(1)         approve the Council’s SIP subject to obtaining a screening opinion from the consultation authorities on the need for a Strategic Environmental Assessment and instruct officers to undertake that work if required, however noting that many of the projects included in the SIP were initiated by the previous Council administration and that others would be delivered by partner organisations;

(2)         to deliver Key Goal 1: A step change to the supply of housing:

(a)          instruct officers to report back on the feasibility of delivery of 2,000 homes for social rent over a five year period; and

(b)          instruct officers to prepare a business case for the establishment of the post of Housing Programme Manager for a fixed term period of three years;

(3)         to deliver Key Goal 2: High quality digital connectivity at home and at work:

(a)          instruct officers to prepare a business case for the establishment of the post of Head of Broadband Delivery and Broadband Delivery Project Manager on a fixed term basis to deliver the Accelerate Aberdeen programme;

(4)         to deliver Key Goal 3: Better local transport:

(a)          instruct officers to open discussions with the Scottish Government, NESTRANS and Aberdeenshire Council to progress delivery of the Regional Transport Strategy; and

(b)          instruct officers to report to the Council budget meeting in February 2014 in respect of proposals to advance the delivery of all phases of the Berryden Corridor as part of the Non Housing Capital Plan and budget process;

(5)         to deliver Key Goal 4: The skills and labour that Aberdeen needs to thrive:

(a)          promote the delivery of the Oil and Gas Academy for Scotland as outlined in the SIP;

(6)          to deliver Key Goal 5: A better image for Aberdeen:

(a)          approve the establishment of a City Centre Infrastructure Fund and to invest £20million into the fund financed through the Non Housing Capital Programme;

(b)          instruct officers to include this fund as part of the Non Housing Capital Plan at the Council budget meeting in February 2014;

(c)          approve the creation of a City Centre Regeneration Board as a working group of full Council, comprising elected members, representatives from appropriate external organisations and others;

(d)          instruct the Board to report back to Council at its meeting on 25 June 2014 with recommended project(s) to regenerate the city centre, and to provide updates on progress to Council each cycle;

(e)          instruct officers to prepare a business case for the establishment of the posts of Programme Manager and two Project Managers to deliver the city centre regeneration; and

(f)            note the report and decision on the AECC, which was a separate report to this meeting; and

(7)         instruct officers to continue to work on the new ways of funding element of the SIP proposal in association with the Scottish Cities Alliance.

 

Councillor McCaig moved as a further amendment, seconded by Councillor Corall:-

            That the Council -

(1)          approve the Council’s SIP appended to the report subject to obtaining a screening opinion from the consultation authorities on the need for a Strategic Environmental Assessment and instruct officers to undertake that work if required;

(2)          to deliver Key Goal 1: A step change to the supply of housing:

(a)          instruct the Director of Housing and Environment to prepare a business plan for the delivery of 2,000 Council houses of varying sizes across the city;

(b)          instruct the Director of Housing and Environment to explore the feasibility and legality of delivering mid-market properties for sale and rent through the City Development Company and report the outcome of this to the Housing and Environment Committee. Should this be deemed viable, consideration should be given to how this model could be used to cross-subsidise the development at (a) above; and

(c)          approve the establishment of a Housing Programme Manager for a fixed term period of three years subject to approval by the relevant committee of a business plan and which would be met from within existing budgets;

(3)         to deliver Key Goal 2: High quality digital connectivity at home and at work:

(a)          approve the establishment of a Head of Broadband Delivery and Broadband Delivery Project Manager on a fixed term basis to deliver the Accelerate Aberdeen programme, subject to approval by the relevant committee of a business plan and which would be met from within existing budgets;

(4)         to deliver Key Goal 3: Better local transport:

(a)          instruct officers to investigate the establishment of a publicly owned bus company to increase competition in the city and reduce bus fares. Discussions should be undertaken with the Scottish Government and European Commission on the utilisation of hydrogen and other low carbon technologies in the proposed fleet;

(b)          instruct officers to explore the options (including the proposals in (a) above) for enhanced public transport connectivity via the introduction of a new bus route linking the north and south of the city via Anderson Drive;

(c)          instruct officers to report to the Council budget meeting in February 2014 in respect of proposals to advance the delivery of all phases of the Berryden Corridor as part of the Non Housing Capital Plan and budget process; and

(d)          instruct officers to report to the Council budget meeting in February 2014 in respect of proposals to deliver a link road from the A93, North Deeside Road and Inchgarth/Garthdee Road as a stand-alone project independent of proposals for a new River Dee crossing;

(5)          to deliver Key Goal 4: The skills and labour that Aberdeen needs to thrive:

(a)          promote the delivery of the Oil and Gas Academy for Scotland as outlined in the SIP; and

(b)          instruct the Director of Education, Culture and Sport to prepare a report in conjunction with the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure on increasing awareness amongst city pupils about career opportunities in the oil and gas industry;

(6)          to deliver Key Goal 5: A better image for Aberdeen:

(a)          approve the establishment of a City Centre Infrastructure Fund and to invest £20million into the fund financed through the Non Housing Capital Programme;

(b)          instruct officers to include this fund as part of the Non Housing Capital Plan at the Council budget meeting in February 2014;

(c)          approve the creation of a City Centre Regeneration Board as a working group of full Council, comprising elected members, representatives from appropriate external organisations and others;

(d)          instruct the Board to report back to Council at its meeting on 25 June 2014 with recommended project(s) to regenerate the city centre, and to provide updates on progress to Council each cycle;

(e)          approve the establishment of a Programme Manager and two Project Manager posts to deliver city centre regeneration, subject to approval by the relevant committee of a business plan and approval by Council of proposals from the City Centre Regeneration Board. This post would be met from within existing budgets;

(f)            note the report and decision on the AECC, which was a separate report to this meeting;

(g)          endorse the work being undertaken by Education, Culture and Sport in conjunction with partner organisations to establish a regional museum based in the city and request that the City Centre Regeneration Board give consideration as to how this may be incorporated in their proposals for the city;

(h)          support in principle and subject to planning approval, Aberdeen Harbour Board’s vision for the development of Nigg Bay as an addition to the city’s port and instruct officers to work with the Harbour Board to identify the infrastructure requirements required to support its delivery and the possibility of using this scheme as a catalyst for the regeneration of Torry/Balnagask; and

(i)            instruct officers to explore what support the Council could give to support new housing in the city centre with specific consideration given to the delivery of additional housing on the upper floors of Union Street; and

(7)         instruct officers to continue to work on the new ways of funding element of the SIP proposal in association with the Scottish Cities Alliance.

 

There being a motion and two amendments, the Council first divided between the amendment by Councillor Yuill and the amendment by Councillor McCaig.

 

On a division, there voted:-

 

For the amendment by Councillor Yuill  (4)  -  Councillors Delaney, Greig, Jennifer Stewart and Yuill.

 

For the amendment by Councillor McCaig  (15)  -  Councillors Blackman, Cameron, Corall, Cormie, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, Jaffrey, Kiddie, MacGregor, McCaig, May, Noble, Samarai, Sandy Stuart and Townson.

 

Declined to vote  (22)  -  Lord Provost; and Councillors Allan, Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Forsyth, Graham, Grant, Ironside, Laing, Lawrence, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison, Nathan Morrison, Taylor, Thomson and Young.

 

The Council then divided between the motion and the amendment by Councillor McCaig.

 

On a division, there voted:-

 

For the motion  (22)  -  Lord Provost; and Councillors Allan, Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Forsyth, Graham, Grant, Ironside, Laing, Lawrence, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison, Nathan Morrison, Taylor, Thomson and Young.

 

For the amendment by Councillor McCaig  (15)  -  Councillors Blackman, Cameron, Corall, Cormie, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, Jaffrey, Kiddie, MacGregor, McCaig, May, Noble, Samarai, Sandy Stuart and Townson.

 

Declined to vote  (4)  -  Councillors Delaney, Greig, Jennifer Stewart and Yuill.

 

The Council resolved:-

(i)                 to adopt the motion; and

(ii)               to thank officers for their work in relation to the SIP, and the accompanying presentation, with particular mention to David Leslie, Housing and Environment Business Manager.