Agenda item

The Council had before it a report by the Interim Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure which advised of the outline design, the transformational benefits of the proposal, business case, indicative development costs and procurement strategy for the redevelopment of Union Terrace Gardens (UTG) and sought authority to commence the procurement process for the works.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)          approve the outline design for the redevelopment of UTG (Appendices A and C);

(b)          approve the business case at this stage of the redevelopment (Appendix F);

(c)          approve the estimated capital costs for the project and the associated estimates of operational costs and revenues;

(d)          agree that the capital costs of the scheme as estimated in Appendix B be funded from the City Centre Masterplan budget as approved by the Council in February 2017;

(e)          note that the Head of Economic Development intended to submit a detailed planning application and Listed Building application to the planning authority by the end of April 2017 through the UTG design team’s planning agent;

(f)           agree the procurement strategy, delivery programme and method for the works in the report, and based on this agreement, instruct the Head of Economic Development following consultation with the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services to commence procurement of the works;

(g)          instruct the Head of Economic Development to submit a report to the first available Finance, Policy and Resources Committee with recommendations on the preferred contractor from the procurement exercise and the final costs of the scheme;

(h)         delegate authority to the Head of Public Infrastructure and Environment to commence the statutory consultation for the Stopping Up Order relating to the slip between Rosemount Viaduct and Union Terrace and report back the results to the first available Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee; and

(i)           note that the Head of Public Infrastructure and Environment following consultation with the Head of City Planning would progress transport options for Union Terrace and report back to the first available Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee on a preferred option and associated Traffic Regulation Order recommendations.

Councillor Laing moved, seconded by Councillor Boulton:-

            That the Council -

(1)      approve the recommendations contained within the report;

(2)      note that the Council was already undertaking a robust review of its Capital Programme management arrangements including reporting of Capital Projects into the governance structure;

(3)      note that the City Centre Masterplan Reference Group would receive regular reporting on progress of Capital Projects; and

(4)      agree that it was not appropriate for members to get involved in operational matters in accordance with the Member-Officer Relations Protocol agreed unanimously earlier this day.

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

            That the Council -

(1)       approve the recommendations contained within the report;

(2)       instruct officers to report back on market testing to the first available committee along with the results of the procurement exercise referred to in the key project milestones; and

(3)       establish a Project Board to include elected members.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (21)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Graham, Grant, Ironside, Laing, Lawrence, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison, Nathan Morrison, Taylor and Young.

For the amendment  (20)  -  Councillors Cameron, Copland, Corall, Cormie, Delaney, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Greig, Hutchison, Jaffrey, MacGregor, Malone, Nicoll, Noble, Samarai, Jennifer Stewart, Sandy Stuart, Townson and Yuill.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.