Agenda item

With reference to (i) article 3 of the minute of its meeting of 25 July 2013, and (ii) article 10 of the minute of Council of 21 August 2013, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which provided an update on progress on a way forward for the regeneration of Middlefield in conjunction with the Haudagain junction improvements.

The report recommended –

that the Committee –

(a)       note progress made in discussions with Transport Scotland and their consultants and the structured approach adopted;

(b)       note that the Leader of the Council had written to the Minister for Transport and had subsequently met with him to seek clarity on responsibilities and expedite speedy solutions to enhance delivery timescales;

(c)        note that the Leader of the Council had written to residents affected in the regeneration area of Middlefield to emphasise the Council’s commitment to support them in their housing needs at this time of uncertainty;

(d)       note that the Council had reopened an office in the Manor Logie area to be the basis for a central point of contact for communication available to local residents;

(e)       note the risk evaluation appended to the report;

(f)        note that commitment to the future location of the projects servicing the Logie area and located in premises within the proposed new road alignment was being addressed in the Council’s community facilities audit and Strategic Plan to be delivered to Council early in the New Year by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport; and

(g)       instruct officers to proceed with the project subject to negotiating appropriate financial guarantees from Transport Scotland and for officers to report on this matter at a future meeting of the Committee.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener moved:

that the Committee –

(1)       note the decision taken by Council at its meeting of 21 August 2013, which included an instruction to request a comprehensive risk assessment covering political, business and finance risks to be considered in the form of the Corporate Risk Register, reporting back to the December meeting of the Finance, Policy and Resources Committee;

(2)       note the Risk Evaluation paper contained at appendix 4, which illustrated there was a high risk that the Scottish Government would no longer fund the construction of the Haudagain including all compensation costs;

(3)       note that appendix 4 made it clear that whilst there were verbal and written statements of intent from Scottish Government Ministers and officials there was no formal, legally binding documentation;

(4)       note both that the Council was committed to providing the Scottish Government with £75 million as its share of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route despite Edinburgh and Fife Councils contributing nothing to the new Forth Road Crossing, and that the Council was committed to building a Third Don Crossing, upgrading the Berryden corridor and building a new link road at Dyce at a total cost of £125 million;

(5)       instruct officers to proceed with the project subject to negotiating acceptable financial guarantees from the Scottish Government or one of its agencies by 30April 2014, in order for a report to come forward to this Committee on 6 May 2014;

(6)       instruct officers to prepare a report for the Committee’s meeting on the 6 May 2014, outlining proposals including where appropriate costs for the regeneration of Middlefield without the proposed Haudagain improvements should the Scottish Government or one of its agencies refuse to commit to providing the Council with acceptable financial guarantees as requested; and

(7)       note that a simple legally binding agreement between the present SNP Scottish Government and Aberdeen City Council would bind the newly elected 2016 Scottish Government and the newly elected 2017 Council Administration to take forward the Haudagain roundabout upgrade, and to note that in 2003 the then Scottish Executive and the then Council Administration entered into a legally binding contract for the AWPR which this Administration was adhering to, and to ask why the SNP was reluctant to ask the Scottish Government to bind itself to a contract if as it says the Scottish Government would deliver on the Haudagain roundabout upgrade unless they know what we suspect that any SNP Scottish Government intended to renege on its promise to the people and the businesses of Aberdeen.

Councillor McCaig moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Noble:-

that the Committee approve the recommendations (a) to (e); and instruct officers to proceed with the project and report back on the discussions with Transport Scotland to a future meeting.

Councillor Yuill moved as a further amendment:-

that the Committee approve the recommendations.

The amendment by Councillor Yuill did not attract a seconder, however, and therefore fell.

On a division, there voted:- For the motion (9) - the Convener; the Vice Convener; and Councillors Allan, Crockett, Donnelly, Laing, Milne, Reynolds and Taylor.  For the amendment (6) - Councillors Cameron, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, McCaig, Noble and Yuill.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to adopt the motion; and

(ii)        to instruct officers to provide a response to the following questions from Councillor Reynolds, copied to all members of the Committee (1) did Moray Council have to contribute to the junctions on the new Fochabers Bypass; and (2) is the Scottish Government moving away from funding the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, and are they instead choosing to lease the road from the successful contractor for 35 years?