Aberdeen’s council leader has welcomed a new spirit of co-operation as a board set up to oversee city regeneration plans meets for the first time today.
Labour’s Barney Crockett said previously opposing factions were “pulling together” with a common goal of delivering improvements.
Council political group heads will be joined by business chiefs and representatives from the city’s two universities for the inaugural meeting.
The city’s ruling Labour-Conservative-Independent administration has set aside £20million for improvements to the heart of Aberdeen, but as yet there are no firm plans on where it should be spent.
The decision to establish a working group follows a long-running and divisive battle over the abandoned £140million City Garden Project, which was rejected by councillors in August 2012. Mr Crockett said: “The city could not be in a better position at the moment economically, but also in many other respects.
“I think there has been a broad acceptance in terms of the ideas that we are trying to take forward – improving Union Street, looking at the railway station, some sensitive improvements at Union Terrace Gardens while retaining a Victorian park – I think nearly everybody has bought into it.”
The board will be chaired by deputy council leader Marie Boulton, while Labour group secretary Willie Young will also take a seat alongside group leaders Fraser Forsyth (Conservative), Callum McCaig (SNP) and Ian Yuill (Liberal Democrats).
Bob Collier, chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, Tom Smith, chairman of Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future (Acsef), Richard Noble from Aberdeen Inspired and Derek McCrindle, director of growth for Scottish Enterprise, will represent business interests.
Robert Gordon University principal Ferdinand Von Prondzynski and Aberdeen University principal Sir Ian Diamond will also have a place, along with Steve Harris, chief executive of VisitAberdeen.
The board will meet every eight weeks, with a remit to oversee the regeneration of the city centre, reporting back to council on a regular basis, starting in June 2014.