1 week Ago By Ben Hendry
The councillors accused of “pressuring” officials into justifying Aberdeen’s controversial bus gates are blocking an investigation into the issue. Earlier this week The Press and Journal published a dossier of emails between the council’s head of planning, David Dunne, and coach firm executives. The emails surrounded the rollout of Aberdeen city centre traffic bans – and discussed the negative reaction to them.
Mr Dunne sought favourable statistics from First and Stagecoach to compile reports aimed at preserving the system that brought desperate traders to their knees. Opposition councillors argued Mr Dunne had been put under “undue pressure” to “spin a narrative”, while fuming business leaders were not asked to share their views on the measures. The matter came to a head in a stormy council meeting, with impassioned pleas for a probe into the matter.
What happened at council meeting? Leader of the council’s Conservative group, Richard Brooks, said the findings of our Freedom of Information request warranted a closer look. He asked the SNP and Lib Dem council leaders: “Are you representing the public or a couple of companies?” He added: “I am seeking assurance that protocol was not breached by the administration putting pressure on officers. “I do not expect officers to be pressurised into presenting one-sided viewpoints.
All stakeholders should be engaged with in equal measure. “If it’s spun in a different direction, then it’s not fair. “The city centre is in an economic crisis, and we have a council plagued by controversy.
” ‘Council had already arrived at a position’ Tory Ryan Houghton added that “only the council administration and bus companies” were for the traffic measures. He said our article and the “clear evidence contained within it” damaged the “perception of the council being able to arrive at an objective decision”. Mr Houghton said: “It presents an image of a council that had already arrived at a position.
“Were the being given equal weight? Were the voices of the thousands of people being given equal weight? “Anyone reading the media reporting could not arrive at any answer but ‘no’.” How have traffic bans hit businesses? As talk turned to the controversial traffic bans during this week’s meeting, one councillor demonstrated how they have affected city centre traders. Independent member Jennifer Stewart said she had an emotional encounter with a dismayed shopkeeper recently.
‘Before she knew it, she was crying’ She said: “This was towards the beginning of November, I went into a small shop at the top end of Union Street – and it was quiet. “The person who owned it didn’t know who I was but we got chatting, and before she knew it she started crying..
.” Mrs Stewart said the tearful trader was “going through her order book and cancelling the orders she couldn’t afford to buy before Christmas”. She continued: “The shopkeeper said the main problem was the bus gates stopping people from coming into town.
“I felt embarrassed. But I said to her I would convey her pain. “It seems to be the only people that benefit are bus companies.
Currently the city is being absolutely crucified.” How did they vote on Aberdeen bus gates emails probe? The SNP’s Alex McLellan said that his recent attendance at a business breakfast showed he was listening to the trade community. And he stressed the investment the Nationalist and Lib Dem administration have been making in the city centre.
He added: “We are delivering for the people of Aberdeen. Opposition members can highlight the challenges, but perhaps they can’t see the change.” ‘We don’t get officers to spin a report’ After telling Mr Brooks to “belt up” for “heckling him”, Lib Dem leader Ian Yuill rubbished the accusations against the leading coalition.
He said: “Undue pressure on officers is a very serious charge to make. “If anyone feels they have been put under undue pressure by me or any of my colleagues, I urge them to speak to their manager or the chief executive. “We want professional, impartial advice.
We don’t get officers to spin a report.” Ultimately councillors at the voted 23 to 22 against launching an investigation. The administration won an earlier vote against announcing their votes in person in the chamber, preferring to do so electronically.
Disagreement over ‘spin’ as tempers flare argued that the bus gates had not, in fact, harmed traders in the city centre. He highlighted a recent report showing how Aberdeen city centre had made progress in the last five years. “That’s not spin, that is based on an independent report,” he countered, blasting concerns about trade as “fact-free spin”.
However, Tory leader Mr Brooks pointed out that the Union Square shopping centre was included in these statistics. “Please don’t tell me it’s not spin, the statistics are being propped up by a car-filled, bustling Union Square,” he told the chamber..
