Aberdeen City Council’s Labour leader has urged opponents to work together rather than against her party to help secure multimillion-pound funding for the city.
Jenny Laing made the plea last night after an SNP councillor branded the local authority’s ruling administration “clueless” about how it would spend a £500million award from the Scottish Government.
Councillor Laing had been asked by the Nationalists to provide a breakdown of the projects the council would fund if it was to clinch the investment it has been asking for.
But Torry and Ferryhill member Graham Dickson said he was not satisfied with her response after she said officers were “currently working” on a plan before it submitting it to the council for approval.
Councillor Dickson said they should not be demanding money without revealing what it would be spent on.
But Ms Laing hit back and said the cash would be invested in roads infrastructure, housing projects to enhance proposals for 2,000 affordable homes and city-centre schemes to build on the Marischal Square development.
“These projects will help us to accelerate regeneration in Aberdeen and the north-east of Scotland. The SNP’s focus is on division rather than working for the betterment of the citizens of Aberdeen,” she said.
“Aberdeen is still the lowest funded council in Scotland and deserves a fair deal. That is why I am calling on the SNP to support us in asking for £500million from the Scottish Government rather than reminding Aberdonians why Aberdeen is the SNP’s forgotten city.”
Mr Dickson said he was not convinced the ruling Labour-led council administration had any ideas at all.
“You cannot just demand money and not say what you would spend it on, especially when the administration has performed as badly as this one,” he said.
“Everything we have seen from the administration is that they do not know how to improve Aberdeen.
“Aberdeen deserves better than this Labour administration because they are failing Aberdeen and have no ideas to improve the city, all they have is moans about others.
“They should be able to explain what they would do with £500million before they ask for it.”