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EXCLUSIVE: Leaked email shows council co-leader Alex Nicoll suggested SNP snub Aberdeen FC stadium talks

Aberdeen City Council co-leader Alex Nicoll urged his SNP councillors to "carefully consider" whether to attend the Aberdeen FC stadium briefing. He was "happy" for them to go, despite announcing he would not attend due to potential planning issues further down the line. Image: Chris Donnan/DC Thomson.
Aberdeen City Council co-leader Alex Nicoll urged his SNP councillors to "carefully consider" whether to attend the Aberdeen FC stadium briefing. Image: Chris Donnan/DC Thomson.

SNP councillors defied their boss to attend talks with Aberdeen FC chiefs on a new stadium at the beach, The P&J can exclusively reveal.

Council co-leader Alex Nicoll urged his group members to snub Dons directors in an email leaked to this newspaper.

Around half a dozen ignored his “respectful suggestion” and went to Pittodrie last Friday.

None felt talks reached a point where they had to walk out due to a conflict of interest – as their leader had encouraged them to do.

Mr Nicoll has since told The P&J he was “perfectly happy” for SNP members to go along.

That is despite telling them he had considered it and would not be going, pressing them to “very carefully consider” attending too.

But it “was most certainly not a warning not to attend”, he now insists.

It’s the second time his emails have been leaked in a month, amid mounting speculation some members are unhappy with his leadership.

Why were Aberdeen FC briefing councillors on new stadium plans?

Councillors from all parties were invited for a briefing on Aberdeen FC’s plans for a new £80 million seafront stadium.

A day earlier, club bosses heralded a new report predicting the community-focussed ground could bring a £20m-a-year boost to the city’s economy.

Aberdeen FC chairman Dave Cormack held a press conference on the economic forecasting around his plans for a new stadium at the beach. The SNP co-leader of the council Alex Nicoll later snubbed a briefing held for councillors on the proposals. Image: Wullie Marr/DC Thomson.
Aberdeen FC chairman Dave Cormack held a press conference on the economic forecasting around his plans for a new stadium at the beach last week. That same day, SNP council co-leader Alex Nicoll advised his councillors to snub a similar briefing being held for their benefit. Image: Wullie Marr/DC Thomson.

But Aberdeen FC chairman Dave Cormack told The P&J the local authority would need to support the club’s vision before he’d proceed with the plans.

And earlier this week, hundreds of voters in our poll backed using public money to help build the arena.

Council chiefs first approached the Dons about the site, only metres away from Pittodrie, in 2021.

It is hoped the stadium can act as a centrepiece for a multi-million-pound revamp of the beach.

But the club could yet continue with plans for a stadium at Kingsford, which Mr Cormack claims would be around £25m cheaper.

Nicoll: ‘I respectfully suggest you give very careful consideration to attending’

Worried meeting the chairman and other Aberdeen FC high-ups could put his councillors at risk of losing their vote on any future planning application for the arena, co-leader Nicoll withdrew.

However, with no plans lodged, Town House sources say he is being overly cautious.

In the email, seen exclusively by The P&J, Mr Nicoll told his party colleagues he would not be attending.

The leaked Alex Nicoll email reads: "As you will be aware AFC have invited elected members to attend a briefing at Pittodrie tomorrow. This is now being tied into the club plans for a new stadium with some funding element from ACC. We have a clear position on this and I am very concerned that we do not make any comment that could be interpreted as supportive or otherwise of the proposals. A business case is being reported to the next council meeting in December and this could lead to a formal planning application. I respectfully suggest you give very careful consideration to attending. If you are attending I suggest you do not stray in any way into the club and a new stadium and if drawn or asked on this you consider leaving the meeting as you face a possible conflict further down the line. I have considered this and will not be attending. Please respond to me advising you have read this Kind regards Alex"
A re-creation of the email, seen exclusively by The P&J, from council co-leader Alex Nicoll “respectfully suggesting” councillors give “very careful consideration” to going the Aberdeen FC stadium briefing. Image: Clarke Cooper/DC Thomson.

Neither Mr Nicoll’s co-leader Ian Yuill, or the three other Liberal Democrat councillors, went either.

It is understood they did not even reply to the invitation, having previously opposed council investment in the project.

Opposition Labour and Conservative councillors were there, along with the handful of SNP members.

Council co-leaders held private talks with Aberdeen FC chairman before disputed briefing

Mr Nicoll has since confirmed the co-leaders met with club officials for private talks a week earlier.

He told us: “Councillor Yuill and I, together with officers from Aberdeen City Council, recently attended a meeting with Mr Cormack regarding the Aberdeen FC report.

Aberdeen FC legend Willie Miller with council co-leaders Alex Nicoll (left) and Ian Yuill (right). Finance convenor Alex McLellan and operations convener Miranda Radley keep their eye on the ball behind them. Image: Aberdeen City Council.
Aberdeen FC legend Willie Miller with council co-leaders Alex Nicoll (left) and Ian Yuill (right). Finance convenor Alex McLellan and operations convener Miranda Radley keep their eyes on the ball behind them. Image: Aberdeen City Council.

“Following that meeting I felt it was important to stress to my new members the importance of this project and the consequences of commenting on a possible planning issue.

“To do so may have serious consequences.  I was aware some members were attending and am perfectly happy that they attended in the circumstances.

“It was most certainly not a warning not to attend.”

The club has confirmed the co-leaders met chairman Cormack on October 12, where he updated them on the project and gave a “heads up” on the economic report.

‘Nothing sinister here’: SNP email on Aberdeen FC stadium briefing was ‘simply advice’

Nationalist councillors who did go include finance convenor Alex McLellan, planning committee member Neil Copland and Michael Hutchison.

The latter had his own briefing with club directors as he was cup-tied on Friday morning.

Mr Hutchison, a George Street and Harbour councillor, told us the club and AFC Community Trust play an “important role” in the ward.

He added: “No planning matters were discussed and I felt it was a helpful meeting for me to understand the ambitions of the club and the community trust.”

Meanwhile, finance convener McLellan said the briefing was a “welcome opportunity” to hear from the club, and how the stadium could “relate to the partnership’s aspirations for the beach”.

Highlighting that several councillors – from all parties – were there, he added: “The presentation focused on how a new stadium could allow the AFC Community Trust to do even more of the tremendous work that they do.

“It also outlined how their plans could be beneficial to the city as a whole.”

Meanwhile, Mr Copland challenged The P&J’s “rather interesting interpretation” of the co-leader’s email.

It’s also an interpretation shared by those who leaked it.

SNP councillor Neil Copland challenged The P&J's take on the leaked stadium talks email. "There is nothing sinister here," he told us. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson.
SNP councillor Neil Copland challenged The P&J’s take on the leaked stadium talks email. “There is nothing sinister here,” he told us. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson.

The planning committee member said it was a “personal choice” and that there was “nothing sinister here”.

He added: “Alec’s email was actually a ‘heads up’ for our members to be careful if they did go, and to watch what they say as this could well result in a planning application coming to full council.

“If they express an opinion, they will have to disqualify themselves from deciding the matter. It was simply advice.

“I went along to hear what was being said and know the rules. Alec was aware I was attending.”

Email leak adds to mutterings of unhappiness within Aberdeen SNP

But the leak adds to murmurs of resentment over the concessions the 20-strong SNP group made to secure control of the council.

Lib Dems pledged to keep public cash out of the new Dons stadium at May’s local election.

In striking a power-sharing deal, they and the SNP agreed council funding would only be put towards it “where collaborative working is mutually beneficial” as a compromise.

All 24 members of the ruling administration signed up to the agreement.

Council co-leader Alex Nicoll, pictured here in hi-viz gear, was under fire for refusing a trip to Union Terrace Gardens last month. The reason he gave? He “doesn’t do hard hats and hi-viz”. Image: Scott Baxter/DC Thomson.

But now, sources tell The P&J “clueless” Mr Nicoll is deferring too much authority to the Liberal Democrats.

On that, the SNP group leader said: “I am unaware of any elected member raising any concerns.”

Co-leader Ian Yuill added: “Aberdeen’s Liberal Democrat councillors are focussed on working with our SNP colleagues to deliver the priorities and policies in the partnership agreement signed in May by all 24 Liberal Democrat and SNP councillors.”

Email is Nicoll’s second to be leaked within a month

This email leak is the second to leave the SNP group leader red-faced within a month.

At the end of September, he was widely criticised for refusing a visit to Union Terrace Gardens as he did not “do” the necessary hard hat and hi-viz safety gear.

Before May’s election, Mr Nicoll was accused of being too cosy with Aberdeen FC after he attended post-match hospitality with his wife, Aberdeen South and North Kincardine MSP Audrey Nicoll.

The SNP's Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn said an "overwhelming majority" supported the plans to keep Aberdeen FC in the city centre with a new stadium at the beach. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson.
The SNP’s Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn said an “overwhelming majority” supported the plans to keep Aberdeen FC in the city centre with a new stadium at the beach. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson.

On Thursday, as Mr Nicoll advised his councillors against meeting Dons chiefs, senior city SNP figures were fulsome in praise for the project.

Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn and Aberdeen Central MSP Kevin Stewart spoke of an “overwhelming majority” in favour of keeping the Dons in the city centre.

Aberdeen FC: ‘Incumbent’ on councillors to be ‘fully briefed’ on new stadium plans

Meanwhile, others are questioning why the co-leader would not want his group to be as informed as possible on the Aberdeen FC plans for a new stadium.

That is the viewpoint of the club too, now facing a political shift since being asked by the Conservatives and Labour to stay and regenerate the beach.

A multi-million-pound regeneration project is being planned for Aberdeen beach. The new Dons stadium could play an "anchor" role in the revamp. Image: Aberdeen City Council.
A multi-million-pound regeneration project is being planned for Aberdeen beach. The new Dons stadium could play an “anchor” role in the revamp. Image: Aberdeen City Council.

Asked to comment on the email, a spokeswoman said: “We were unaware of this and don’t want to get drawn into any party politics.

“The purpose of the briefings was to share our vision for a community stadium at the beach, provide an update on the work carried out to date, in conjunction with Aberdeen City Council, and present the findings of the economic impact report, jointly commissioned by the club and the council.

“Given the beach regeneration plans are council policy, included in all party manifestos and not yet subject to any planning process, we see no reason for councillors to be concerned about having attended.”

Councillors from all parties were at the “well attended” briefings on Friday.

Since, individual meetings have been offered to others who were unable to make the date.

The Aberdeen FC spokeswoman added: “It is incumbent on councillors, when making important decisions in the best interests of our city, to be fully briefed.

“The councillors who came along were able to scrutinise the findings and get answers to their questions.”

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