Agenda item

With reference to article 24 of the minute of its meeting of 28 January, 2010, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure which updated members on the progress of the implementation of the Retail Rocks initiative.

The report advised on progress as follows (1) the installation of new CCTV was 85% complete; (2) the installation of new street lighting was 90% complete; (3) the Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure Committee of 31 May, 2010 had approved the completion of a parking and traffic survey for revisions to the parking regime for the Torry central area (article 18 of the minute refers); (4) the assembly of project and franchise documentation was in the process of being finalised; and (5) Ryden (the Council’s agent) had agreed acceptable purchase prices, based on fair market value, for all but one of the properties targeted for acquisition.

The report continued to provide an update on the progress with regards setting up an arm’s length organisation, Retail Rocks Aberdeen Limited; requested that members agree the composition of the proposed new Board, providing two options in this regard; and advised of prospective Directors’ statutory responsibilities.

The report provided a breakdown of acquisition and technical costs in relation to the structural refurbishment of the two tenements owned by the Council at 24 and 30 Menzies Road; and concluded by detailing the timescales associated with the project. Appended to the report was a chart identifying stakeholders in the Retail Rocks project, how they related to each other, and the project documentation required.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to note the progress to date on key aspects of the project including (1) property identification and development of costs for refurbishment; (2) promotion of multi sector partnership working; (3) development of the competition framework within a franchise agreement; and (4) support for the wider business community in Torry Town Centre including CCTV, street lighting and revised parking and traffic management;

(ii)        to agree to the incorporation of Retails Rocks Aberdeen Limited, and to instruct that the overall composition of the Board be five Directors including two administration Councillors (namely Councillors Corall and Fletcher) and one opposition Councillor (to be agreed outwith this meeting), and to authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to sign all appropriate documentation;

(iii)       to note that Retail Rocks Aberdeen Limited would be a wholly owned, limited guarantee company, established at arm’s length to the Council;

(iv)       to note that an additional £50,000 budget provision would be made available from within the current total Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure budget for 2010/2011 for the completion of the Retail Rocks project to cover (a) additional unforeseen costs associated with the property acquisition, (b) refurbishment and associated legal costs, (c) the creation of a new arm‘s length company, Retails Rocks Aberdeen Limited, and (d) community engagement linked to the formal announcement of the competition at the Torry Gala to be held on 19 June, 2010;

(v)        to approve the estimated costs for construction works as prepared by technical officers in the Housing and Environment Service, and to seek open competitive tenders in line with financial regulations;

(vi)       to note the revised project timescales, and to authorise officers to negotiate revisions to the programme dates as identified in the original Town Centre Regeneration Fund award with the Scottish Government; and

(vii)      to instruct that a progress report be submitted on this project at the meeting of this Committee on 28 September, 2010.