BILL CORMIE (Midstocket & Rosemount)

b. Aberdeen. Elected 3 May 2007. DEPUTE PROVOST June 2011 -- .Committees: Enterprise, Planning & Infrastructure; Development Management Sub-Committee; Licensing; Licensing Board; Lord Provost Sub-Committee (Vice-Convener).

For information on surgeries, etc. go to www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ 

  

JACKIE DUNBAR (Northfield)

b. Peterhead, Aberdeenshire. Elected 3 May 2007. Depute Provost Jul. 2009 -- Jun. 2011; SNP GROUP DEPUTY LEADER May 2011 -- . Committees: Corporate Policy & Performance; Finance & Resources; Housing & Environment (Vice-Convener); Audit & Risk; Urgent Business; Zero Waste Management Sub-Committee.  Grampian Joint Police Board.

For information on surgeries, etc. go to www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/

 

MURIEL JAFFRAY (Bridge of Don)

b. Aberdeen. Retired legal secretary. Elected 6 May 1999 (Donmouth). Re-elected 1 May 2003 (Donmouth). Re-elected 3 May 2007. Committees: Enterprise, Planning & Infrastructure; Development Management Sub-Committee; Social Care & Wellbeing;  Licensing Board (Convener); Older Peoples' Advisory Group.

For information on surgeries, etc. go to www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/

 

JIM KIDDIE (Torry & Ferryhill)

b. Kirkcaldy, Fife. Retired manager. Elected 1 May 2003 (Tullos). Re-elected 3 May 2007. Committees: Corporate Policy & Performance; Finance & Resources; Adult Services Sub-Committee (Convener); Children's Services Sub-Committee; Disability Advisory Group; Pensions Panel;  Social Care & Wellbeing (Convener);  Urgent Business.

For information on surgeries, etc. go to www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/

 

ANDY MAY (George Street & Harbour) 

b. Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. Retired head teacher. Elected 1 May 2003 (Sunnybank). Re-elected 3 May 2007. Committees: Education, Culture & Sport; Audit & Risk; Urgent Business.

For information on surgeries, etc. go to www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/

 

  

CALLUM McCAIG (Kincorth & Loirston)

b. Edinburgh.  Elected 3 May 2007.  SNP Group Deputy Leader 2010-11; SNP GROUP LEADER May 2011--. COUNCIL LEADER June 2011--.  Committees: Corporate Policy & Performance (Convener); Education, Culture & Sport; Enterprise, Planning & Infrastructure; Finance & Resources; Housing & Environment;  Social Care & Wellbeing; Audit & Risk; Urgent Business (Convener); Zero Waste Management Sub-Committee.

For information on surgeries, etc. go to www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ 

 

MARK McDONALD MSP  (Dyce, Bucksburn & Danestone)

b. Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. Elected 3 May 2007. SNP Group Deputy Leader 2008 -10.

Elected Regional List MSP for North-East on 5 May 2011.

For information on surgeries, etc. go to www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/

 

 

NEIL MacGREGOR (Dyce, Bucksburn & Danestone)

b. -- .  Retired civil servant. Elected in by-election 19 May 2011. Committees: Development Management Sub-Committee;   Education, Culture & Sport;   Enterprise, Planning & Infra-structure;  Licensing;  Taxi Consultation Group.    

For information on surgeries, etc. go to www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/

 

JIM NOBLE  (Tillydrone, Seaton & Old Aberdeen)

b. Aberdeen. Elected 3 May 2007. Formerly with Harbour Board. Committees: Corporate Policy & Performance; Finance & Resources (Vice-Convener); Audit & Risk;  Licensing.

For information on surgeries, etc. go to www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ 

 

 

KEVIN STEWART MSP  (Northfield)

b. Aberdeen. Elected 6 May 1999 (Auchmill). Re-elected 1 May 2003 (Auchmill). Re-elected 3 May 2007. SNP Group Leader May 1999--May 2011; Depute Council Leader May 2007--Jun. 2011.  Committees: Social Care & Wellbeing. Grampian Joint Police Board.

Elected MSP for Aberdeen Central on 5 May 2011.

For information on surgeries etc. go to www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/  

 

WENDY STUART (Kingswells & Sheddocksley)

b. Aberdeen. Elected 3 May 2007. Committees: Audit & Risk; Housing & Environment; Social Care & Wellbeing; Adult Services Sub-Committee; Disability Advisory Group.

For information on surgeries, etc. go to www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/

Andy May                                     
Callum McCaig
Bill Cormie
Gordon Townson
Jackie Dunbar
Jim Kiddie
Jim Noble
John Corall
John West
Kevin Stewart
Kirsty West
Mark McDonald
Muriel Jaffrey
Neil MacGregor
Wendy Stuart 

 

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WORKING FOR ABERDEEN

The May 2007 Local Government Elections resulted in the SNP Group on ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL increasing to 12 members. The party now has 15 councillors, after victories in three by-elections.

 In a power-sharing arrangement with one of the unionist parties, the administration's achievements include:-- 

 

* Maintaining stable Council FINANCES in the face of unfairly low funding from previous Governments 

* Building new COUNCIL HOUSES --  the first  in Aberdeen for over 30 years

* Building nine new SCHOOLS and refurbishing another, under the "3Rs" project

* Putting FRONTLINE SERVICES first by cutting back on senior management

* Freezing the COUNCIL TAX since 2007

Working within severe financial constraints, the administration has concentrated on the city’s core services by using the priority-based budgeting (PBB) process. The administration is committed to ensuring important capital investments, including the Third Don Crossing, an Olympic-sized Swimming Pool and the Duthie Park restoration. In common with other local authorities, it was necessary to achieve savings in the 2011-12 financial year through a further round of voluntary severance and early retirement. The SNP Group has taken guidance from the Scottish Government's publication of illustrative budget figures for future years. 

Five-Year Business Plan

Aberdeen City Council agreed its draft Five-Year Business Plan for 2011-16 at its meeting on 17 August 2011. It is a first for the city in terms of long-term business and financial planning, and community and stakeholder engagement. Council Leader Councillor CALLUM McCAIG and elected members are keen for the public and the city's key stakeholders to continue to be engaged in the business planning process, and that they are given the opportunity to comment on, and provide input into, the plan.

The Council has now entered Year Two of the plan, which will use priority-based budgeting (PPB) and be updated annually. The next update will be in February. The work carried out previously on PBB and the business plan means the Council is now in a strong position to achieve a balanced budget for the 2012-13 financial year, with the potential for a balanced position in subsequent years. A balanced budget is critical for financing the delivery of the Council's priority services. The Council has commended the commitment and hard work of its staff in achieving spending within the adjusted budget, and managing the impact of budget constraints. External financial pressures mean substantial savings will continue to be required for several more years to fulfil the service redesign and delivery as presented in The Next Five Years. Options already approved and being delivered within the business plan equate to savings of £24million for Year Two.

Changes in the way the Council plans have been vital in ensuring it is able to rise to the economic challenge affecting the entire Scottish and UK public sectors. The anticipated gap in funding for the 2012-13 budget has been projected as £3million, and the PBB report presents new savings options to bridge this gap in funding across the Council. This represents a smaller figure than previous years. However, it is predicated on the delivery of savings options that have been approved. 

View the Five-year business plan 2011-2016 and The Next Five Years:  Our vision, priorities and objectives

Download a copy of the Priority Based Budgeting: Final Draft Report (3 November 2011, Version 1.1)

E-mail your comments, views and feedback to thenextfiveyears@aberdeencity.gov.uk

Following detailed examination, the blueprint for Aberdeen's future development was backed, on 22 December 2011, by independent Reporters appointed by the Scottish Government. The Local Development Plan identifies land to meet the housing and employment land allocations laid out in the most recent Aberdeen City and Shire Structure Plan [2009]. It also contains policies which meet the aims and objectives of the Structure Plan.

### For more details on the Local Development Plan, see the Aberdeen SOUTH page.

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LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN MAY                                             

The SNP's momentum has continued apace since its historic victory in the Scottish General Election on 5 May 2011. In local authority by-elections since the Parliamentary election, the SNP has gained three council seats -- two in ABERDEEN and one in SOUTH LANARKSHIRE; and held five others in FALKIRK, EDINBURGH, PERTH & KINROSS, ARGYLL & BUTE and GLASGOW.  On January 6, the SNP took on the leadership of Clackmannanshire Council after a vote of no confidence removed the Labour administration. Currently, the party has 363 councillors, and is looking forward to substantially increasing this number in the Local Government elections on May 3.

DEREK MACKAY MSP, the SNP's Local Authority Campaign Manager said: "Compared to our 2007 Local Government elections result -- which was a previous high-water mark for the SNP -- support is even higher and, with the local council elections taking place in a few weeks, the support of the public for SNP councillors and candidates is a very encouraging sign. In 2007, we stood just over 400 candidates and saw a record 363 elected. In 2012, we will be putting forward over 600 candidates, and that number is increasing every day as support grows in key cities like ABERDEEN and Edinburgh."

"Our positive message and positive vision for the future has been backed by people all over Scotland. The electorate has chosen to put its faith and trust in the SNP because the SNP has faith and trust in them. People like what the SNP is doing. In local communities across the country we have delivered on the issues that matter to people: support for the economy and jobs, free prescriptions, 1000 extra police and a council tax freeze. In Government and in councils, we will continue to work hard to make Scotland better and repay the trust given to us."                                             

SNP IS THE LARGEST PARTY IN ABERDEEN

In the space of just seven weeks after the Scottish General Election, the  SNP gained two seats in by-elections for Aberdeen City Council.  On 19 May 2011, NEIL MacGREGOR was the runaway winner in DYCE, BUCKSBURN & DANESTONE, followed by GORDON TOWNSON in the AIRYHALL, BROOMHILL & GARTHDEE ward on June 23. 

The by-election wins resulted in the SNP becoming the largest group on ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL for the first time, with 15 councillors. Since then, three unionist councillors have become INDEPENDENTS: a Liberal Democrat in September 2011, and two Labour members in January and February. This means that the SNP now has three more councillors than their current coalition partners, and seven more than Labour.                     

 

*** See foot of page for by-election RESULTS.

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GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES INCREASED FUNDING FOR ABERDEEN

In his Strategic Spending Review speech to the Scottish Parliament on 21 September 2011, Finance Secretary JOHN SWINNEY announced that a "funding floor" of 85% of the Local Government average would be brought in for all Councils in the 2011-13 Budget. Under the previous spending formula administered by COSLA (the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities), ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL received only 82% of the Scottish average.

On February 8, MAUREEN WATT MSP expressed her backing for the 2012-13 Scottish BUDGET, which included the introduction of the funding floor of 85%; and funds to continue the Council Tax freeze and SMALL BUSINESS BONUS scheme -- which has seen local rates abolished or substantially reduced for thousands of Scottish businesses.

KEVIN STEWART, MSP for Aberdeen Central, added his appreciation of the city's funding boost. "I welcome John Swinney's announcement, which comes at a time when Westminster is slashing the Scottish Government's budget. I am gratified that, in these tough times, Mr. Swinney has found the money to start addressing the underfunding that Aberdeen City Council has faced for far too long. I am  sure that the Council will steward these additional funds well, and invest in protecting the frontline services that we all rely on." He was also pleased that extra money had been made available for more affordable new HOUSING in the city, and that a further £11.4million had been committed for TOP COLLEGE STUDENT support. Mr. Stewart said: "I congratulate the students who engaged with MSPs to gain success for their campaign." 

Scottish Cities Alliance created

BRIAN ADAM, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, also welcomed the creation of the Scottish Cities Alliance, to accelerate the pace of investment in all our cities, including Aberdeen. Nicola Sturgeon, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, has established a Cities Investment Fund, which will see cities working together to offer large economies of scale to potential investors. The fund will be shared between Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Dundee and Stirling.

Mr Adam said: "The 'Agenda for Cities' is an excellent opportunity for Aberdeen to benefit from new investment to make our city more attractive to the world. Whether it be installing wi-fi or attracting high profile events, I hope that the Councils will work together to deliver what is best for the whole of Scotland. This £5million investment fund is another example of the Scottish Government's innovative thinking to stimulate investment in Scotland. By bringing together Scotland's cities, we will put forward better investment proposals to private businesses and Europe, increasing our potential for future economic growth. I hope that local businesses can now work with the public sector to make the best use of this fund to drive forward investment in our cities, which will lead to jobs growth and further economic prosperity for Aberdeen." On January 19, Ms Sturgeon announced that a further £2million had been added to the fund.

Council Leader CALLUM McCAIG said: "The announcement of the 85% funding floor is good news in terms of funding at ACC. This funding settlement is better than what we were predicting last year, which formed the basis of our financial strategy. Given the hand that the Scottish Government has been dealt by the Westminster Treasury, local government has come out of things pretty well."  Cllr. McCaig added that EDUCATION and SOCIAL WORK  would be the main services to benefit from the additional funding.

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COUNCIL TAX FROZEN FOR 2012

KEVIN STEWART MSP, Deputy Convener of Holyrood's Local Government and Regeneration Committee, welcomed confirmation that all councils in Scotland have agreed to freeze the Council Tax for another year.

Speaking on 27 December 2011, the councillor for Northfield said: "People like what the SNP is doing. In local communities and across the country we have improved front-line services. 1000 extra police officers are helping bring down crime rates to their lowest level for 35 years. We are also continuing to freeze the Council Tax --  which makes a real difference to people's lives."

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CALLUM McCAIG IS THE NEW COUNCIL LEADER

CALLUM McCAIG became Leader of Aberdeen City Council on 29 June 2011. He replaced John Stewart of the Liberal Democrats, who resigned after the Airyhall, Broomhill & Garthdee by-election and will not be standing for re-election in 2012. Cllr. McCaig said: "I had never expected this to happen, but now that it has, I'm absolutely delighted and I will work hard to ensure my age is not an obstacle. I will rely on experience elsewhere in my group and others to ensure that when I don't know the answers, I find out from someone who does. I think it's an indication of the strong progress the SNP has made in the city. We have gone from 1999 when we had one councillor and no MSPs to having all three MSPs, the largest grouping and the Council Leader."

On 23 May 2011, Cllr. McCaig  was elected as SNP Group Leader in succession to Kevin Stewart. JACKIE DUNBAR replaced Cllr. McCaig as SNP Group Deputy Leader and BILL CORMIE succeeded Cllr. Dunbar as DEPUTE PROVOST. Cllr. McCaig will also be Convener of the Corporate Policy & Performance Committee.

Aberdeen’s new leader is making waves in the Granite City – and shaking up the local government establishment while he’s at it. Callum McCaig, at 26, is the youngest council leader in Scotland. And yet, as head of Scotland’s third city, he faces challenges that would daunt the most time-served elected member. Aberdeen is a tough place to lead – not only because of the city’s critical role in the economic prosperity of Scotland as a whole, but because of the council’s own precarious journey to financial stability. Just two months into the job, McCaig gives every impression of having what it takes. The pounding the council received in the press over its recent difficulties was disheartening, he admits, but going out and speaking to local people and seeing them understand where you’re coming from made the criticism easier to take. "We’ve actually been getting good coverage recently, which is great to see. We seem to have slipped the monicker of ‘cash-strapped council’ and moved onto ‘once-troubled Aberdeen City Council’,” he says with a hint of a smile.  --- HOLYROOD Magazine 19 Sept 2011

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COUNCIL RECEIVES FOUR AWARDS IN ONE WEEK

On 18 November 2011, it was announced that ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL had won four simultaneous awards for best practice -- including one for being the best in Europe. 

* The EUROPEAN PUBLIC SECTOR AWARDS granted the city a best practice certificate for pioneering work to cut carbon emissions. Aberdeen was one of only two councils in the UK to receive this Europe-wide award.

* The EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR was awarded to the Countryside Ranger Service. This was for their work with the Scottish Prison Service and the Bridges project, which helps prisoners receive SVQs and John Muir Awards.

* The HERALD SOCIETY awarded two major prizes to the Social Care & Wellbeing team. The first was for the Youth Justice Development Programme, tackling reoffending and reconviction, in partnership with Grampian Police and NHS Grampian. The second was for the Social Work Children’s Management Team, who were recognised as Team of the Year following the redesign of its services in the city. 

KEVIN STEWART MSP commented: “It is fantastic to see Aberdeen City Council being recognised as a leading light in good practice across so many different fields. This week of awards for the city demonstrates a commitment to a greener, safer and fairer society. Council staff are to be commended for their efforts in these all of these areas, going above and beyond ordinary duty to provide first rate services. This is an excellent chance to show the rest of Scotland what Aberdeen is capable of. I will be sharing these examples of excellent public service delivery with the Local Government and Regeneration Committee in Parliament, and working to ensure the “Aberdeen Model” can be replicated elsewhere in Scotland.” 

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FIRST COUNCIL HOUSING FOR 30 YEARS!

On 15 September 2011, KEVIN STEWART, MSP for Aberdeen Central and councillor for Northfield, welcomed the news that Aberdeen is to benefit from £1,171,116 of Scottish Government funding to build 52 new houses in the city.                                      

Mr Stewart commented: “I am delighted that Aberdeen City Council and the Langstane Housing Association have been successful in their bid to the Innovation Stream and that over £1.1 million will be invested in creating 52 new homes in our city.

Extract: Successful bids to the Innovation Stream (first tranche) :--

Aberdeen City Council; Location - West North Street;   No. of units, in hostel for homeless: 20;  Funding: £600,000                 Langstane Housing Association;    Location - Stockethill (former church);   No. of units: 32;    Funding: £571,116 

Aberdeen City Council is working hard to reduce its waiting lists for affordable homes by building the first council houses in the city for 30 years.

The Scottish Government has already helped Aberdeen City Council's New Build Programme with new council housing in Hayton Road TILLYDRONE (30), Byron Court NORTHFIELD (28), and Rorie Hall CULTS (27).  The council’s BYRON PARK scheme was officially opened in September 2011. This is the first new council housing for a generation and these new monies will lead to even more housing stock being built.

35 new "Homezone" council houses were built on the site of the former Marchmont Infant School in NORTHFIELD at a cost of over £2million. Other recent developments are:  100 properties in Arran Avenue, SHEDDOCKSLEY; almost 50 homes in Greyhope Road, TORRY and 53 flats at the Timmer Market development in EAST NORTH STREET. Half of the properties at this city centre site are available to people on Grampian Housing Association's waiting list, while the other half are allocated to those on the City Council's list. 

Other major housing developments are planned for the former Davidson paper mill site at Mugiemoss Road/Goodhope Road, BUCKSBURN (900), at STONEYWOOD (425) and COVE (737). Aberdeenshire could soon have a new town at Chapelton of Elsick, near NEWTONHILL, with 9,000 homes.

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CITY COUNCIL'S NEW HEADQUARTERS                                                                               

MARISCHAL COLLEGE is the 2nd biggest granite structure in the world. In 2005, Aberdeen City Council decided to convert it into their administrative headquarters. It opened to the public in June 2011.The college's redevelopment was completed "under budget and on time", and has replaced St. Nicholas House -- directly across the road -- as the Council headquarters. There is a new four-storey building surrounding the quadrangle, providing the 1,323 staff with 174,000 square feet of modern open-plan office space and a car park for 200 vehicles. The ornate classical frontage, designed by A. Marshall Mackenzie in 1906, has been carefully stone-cleaned and looks magnificent. Although the Chief Executive will have her office in the building, councillors will continue to meet in the nearby Town House. Most of  the Council's other offices in the city have been disposed of, with their staffs relocating to Marischal College.

The 14-storey ST. NICHOLAS HOUSE was built as the Council HQ in 1967-68. On 6 October 2011, the Council decided that the building should be demolished, at an estimated cost of £2million. Many Aberdonians would then like to see Broad Street widened to become a civic square between Marischal College and the historic Provost Skene's House, alongside which would be a high ornamented wall to screen the square from Flourmill Lane. 

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BRUCE AND GORDONS STATUES

Aberdeen gained two long-awaited statues in 2011, both on the initiative of Northfield SNP councillors.  

An equestrian statue (pictured above) of King Robert I, or ROBERT THE BRUCE, now stands directly in front of Aberdeen City Council's new headquarters in Broad Street.  The monument was unveiled on 9 May 2011 by Cllr. KEVIN STEWART, leader of the SNP Group and Depute Leader of the Council -- just four days after he had been elected as the MSP for Aberdeen Central. Kevin had first suggested that Bruce should be commemorated with a statue in Nov. 2005. Appropriately, the monument was paid for from the city's Common Good Fund, which originated from taxes raised from the Freedom Lands gifted to the city by King Robert, and is now worth nearly £5million. Kevin Stewart said: "This statue was long overdue. King Robert was Aberdeen's greatest benefactor, and I am pleased that, at last, there will be a fitting memorial to him."

A monument to the GORDON HIGHLANDERS Regiment was unveiled in the Castlegate, near its junction with King Street, on 15 October 2011. The Council had agreed to erect the statue on  a motion from Cllr. JACKIE DUNBAR, on 24 June 2009. The regiment traditionally recruited from Aberdeenshire and Banffshire in addition to the city of Aberdeen. The monument, which was also paid for from the city's Common Good Fund, features two soldiers on a granite plinth. One is standing, in the uniform worn by the regiment when it was first formed in 1794. The other wears the battledress in use when the regiment was legislated out of existence by the UK Government on 17 September 1994, and became part of the Highlanders Regiment.

The site for the statue was chosen for its proximity to Castlehill.  This is where the  original Gordon Barracks were built in 1794-96 to house 600 men. The barracks closed in 1935, and the buildings used as civilian accommodation until their demolition in 1965. The regiment moved to a new barracks in Bridge of Don, which is now used by the Territorial Army.

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DUTHIE PARK RESTORATION                                                                                                 

Aberdeen's Duthie Park is being restored to its former glory at a cost of £5.2million.  Of this, £2.67million will be met by Aberdeen City Council, and £2.56million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. 

Major works will include:-- the renovation of the  historic rose mound near Great Southern Road-- the original site suggested for Rosemount Viaduct's Wallace Statue; refilling of three linked ponds and the re-introduction of paddle-boats; the restoration of the settings of the Hygeia (pictured) and McGrigor monuments and of  two fountains; the restoration of the River Dee viewing terraces; and improving all footpaths. New trees and shrubs will also be planted to replace many of those that are  dead or decayed. Over 500,000 people a year visit the 44-acre Duthie Park and its Winter Gardens, making it one of the city's top tourist attractions. Originally a piece of boggy ground called Pulmoor, it was bequeathed to the city by Elizabeth C. Duthie of Ruthrieston, laid out by William R. McKelvie of Dundee, and opened to the public in September 1883.  

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REFERENDUM ON UNION TERRACE GARDENS

The proposal, by Sir Ian Wood, to turn Aberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens into a civic square has met with a mixed response from Aberdonians. The businessman offered to contribute £50million towards the project, which involves "raising" the gardens and covering over the adjacent Denburn Road and railway line.

On 13 September 2011, Cllr. KEVIN STEWART MSP said: "The Union Terrace Gardens issue has caused a huge amount of debate and has polarised opinions of Aberdonians. I have come to the conclusion that the only way to resolve the issue is to hold a REFERENDUM after the design competition is complete. I hope that this can be by a postal ballot so that all Aberdonians are given the opportunity to participate, and my motion also calls on Council officers to investigate whether funding for the referendum can be sourced from bodies other than the Council." Cllr. Stewart's motion was accepted, and Sir Ian Wood will donate £200,000 towards the cost of a postal ballot, with the remainder to be met by the Council.

At a meeting of the Council on 14 December 2011,  a majority of members voted to hold a referendum on March 1. Inexplicably, the Labour Group was strongly opposed to the public having any say on the issue. Voting packs were issued on February 16 to those listed in the electoral register as Local Government electors within the City of Aberdeen, and who will have attained the age of 18 on or before 30 November 2012.   The wording on the ballot paper will be:-- 

You are being asked to choose between retaining Union Terrace Gardens, or replacing them with the proposed City Garden Project Design.  Which action do you support:   (a) Retaining Union Terrace Gardens     (b) The City Garden Project Design.

Cllr. Stewart said that the referendum result should be "morally binding" on Aberdeen City Council;  Sir Ian Wood has declared that he will withdraw support for the project if it doesn't win public backing; and financial assistance for the £140million scheme will only be forthcoming from the Scottish Government if Aberdonians opt for change in the referendum.

On January 25, Council Leader CALLUM McCAIG confirmed that redevelopment of the gardens would not proceed if the public voted against the project. He said: “It is absolutely clear that our decision to put arrangements in place  to progress the scheme depends entirely on the outcome of the referendum on the City Garden Project. If there is a ‘no’ vote, it will not happen.” Many of those (of all political persuasions) who oppose the scheme would prefer Broad Street to become a civic square after the demolition of St. Nicholas House.

(Top) the gardens as they are now.   (Above) the Granite Web design.

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SNP COUNCILLORS TAKE PAY CUT 

In early January 2011 it was announced that all of the SNP's Committee Conveners and Deputy Conveners at Aberdeen City Council would take an immediate cut in their salaries. This is in line with similar cuts proposed for some employees of the Council.  Like many other public authorities, the city is experiencing a severe financial squeeze.  Originally, this was mainly due to overspending by previous administrations, coupled with a low level of funding from the Scottish Government, which itself is grossly underfunded by the Government in London. The situation worsened when the last Labour administration at Westminster left office after being largely responsible for the worst recession in memory. 

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DON'T FORGET LABOUR'S LEGACY -- THEY HAVE                                                    

The Labour Group on ABERDEEN  CITY COUNCIL seems to be suffering from collective amnesia. During the last few years, the avowedly unionist party has cynically used the media to score cheap political points while serious efforts were being made to sort out the city's ongoing financial problems. Indeed, the opposition group has been so intent on criticising the current administration that they have "forgotten" that it was reckless spendthrift policies of previous Labour Councils which have been a major cause of the city's debt.

Maybe they should also try to remember why Labour lost power in 2003 -- after decades of complacent, self-serving and incompetent control of the city. We had to wait until 2008 for the revelation that previous Labour Councils had spent like drunken sailors at the city's expense. For example, in 1997-98 their regime overspent their Government allocation for EDUCATION and SOCIAL WORK by £18.6MILLION. In 1997-2003, their total budget overspend for these services was a staggering £95.5MILLION. With this sorry record, it shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone that Labour in opposition have been consistently unwilling or unable to come up with any kind of budget proposals in the last nine years.

They also need to be reminded of the financial mess left behind by Gordon Brown's Government in London. His successor has admitted that Labour "didn't do enough to control the banks." The UK continues to lurch in and out of recession, and the Scottish Government, which currently has to operate on handouts from Westminster, is grossly starved of funding in consequence. 

Aberdonians should be reminded that the fundamental reason for the "Scottish" Labour Party's existence is to preserve the unequal and undefendable British state at all costs, and everything they say and do -- in Aberdeen or elsewhere -- is intended, first and foremost, towards that end. How can they claim to be Scottish when their emblems are the Union Flag and a rose, not the Saltire and thistle?

It seems reasonable to ask: If Labour are so proud to be British, why don't they call themselves the British Labour Party?  The same applies to the so-called "Scottish" Conservative & Unionist Party and "Scottish" Liberal Democrats. It should be remembered that all three are British unionist parties, completely controlled from London, and adding "Scottish" to their titles isn't going to change that fact. 

 

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ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS

MIDSTOCKET & ROSEMOUNT :  Result on 16 August 2007

John Corall                    SNP            1,258

Fraser Forsyth              Con.           1,122

Steve Delaney         Lib. Dem.            869

Allan McIntosh              Lab.              529

SNP Maj. 136              Turnout 28.9%

 

DYCE, BUCKSBURN & DANESTONE :  Result on 19 May 2011

Neil MacGregor               SNP            2,090

Graeme Lawrence          Lab.               941

Kristian Chapman       Lib. Dem.           446

Ross Thomson                 Con.              352

SNP Maj.  1,149           Turnout:  29.5%

 

AIRYHALL, BROOMHILL & GARTHDEE :  Result on 23 June 2011

Gordon Townson             SNP             1,112

Angela Taylor                  Lab.               783

Bill Berry                          Con.               649

Gregor McAbery          Lib. Dem.           554

SNP Maj. 329                Turnout 29.2%