Agenda item

DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS

During consideration of the following item the following members declared an interest in the matter by reason of their involvement with the North East of Scotland Transport Partnership (Nestrans):- the Convener and Councillor Boulton as Board members of Nestrans, and Vice-Convener and Councillor John West as substitute Board members of Nestrans. None of the members involved considered it necessary to leave the meeting during the Committee’s deliberation on the report before it.

The Vice-Convener also declared an interest during consideration of the following report by virtue of his employment as a researcher for Maureen Watt, MSP.

With reference to article 22 of the minute of the meeting of the Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure Committee of 26 November, 2009, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure which discussed progress of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) and the next steps following the Scottish Ministers’ decision to authorise the construction of the road. 

The report provided a detailed background to the AWPR which included an overview of the statutory process undertaken to date.

Thereafter, it was advised that on 21 December, 2009, following consideration of the Reporters Report of the Public Local Inquiry, the Scottish Ministers’ decision on the AWPR was announced.  The decision being to proceed with the AWPR and make the Schemes and Orders subject to a number of detailed modifications to the published draft Schemes and Orders.  The decision was a significant step forward in the progress towards delivery of the AWPR and had been welcomed by both Councils and the business community.

With regards to moving forward and the next steps in the process for the AWPR, it was advised that the relevant Schemes and Trunk Road Orders were now subject to an affirmative procedure in the Scottish Parliament, which required them to be laid before Parliament for forty parliamentary days.  Thereafter, the Schemes and Orders would be subject to scrutiny by the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee and ultimately a Parliamentary vote.  Subject to a favourable outcome, the Parliament would publish a notice stating that the Orders had been approved by resolution and when the Orders would come into force. 

Finally, it was highlighted that in making their decision on the AWPR the Scottish Ministers’ stated that, subject to completing the necessary statutory procedures, it was planned to seek suitably qualified contractors in 2010/2011 with an expectation that construction would start in 2011.  Assuming Parliamentary approval was given, there would be a need to review the remaining stages of the project, to produce a definitive timetable.  Details of the procurement procedure for the AWPR were provided.

Appended to the report were:- (1) the Memorandum of Understanding;  (2) the report to Scottish Ministers on this matter on 30 June, 2009;  (3) the Scottish Ministers’ decision letter to the Chief Executive of Transport Scotland dated 21 December, 2009;  and the Ministerial Statement on the matter on 13 January, 2010.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to welcome the Scottish Ministers’ decision to proceed with the AWPR;  and

(ii)        to instruct officers to provide a further report to the appropriate Committee during the procurement process providing an updated cost estimate and programme.