Councillors in Aberdeen were last night gagged from talking about their 20-year vision for the future as concerns emerged about a “huge hole” in the finances.
They were told to keep quiet just hours after the council produced an eagerly-awaited strategy to try to revive the city centre.
But some broke ranks, questioning the decision and asking whether their colleagues were “embarrassed” by the proposals.
The five party leaders at the local authority said they would not comment on the plans until next week amid reports they had been silenced by council chief executive Angela Scott.
The city’s top official has also told councillors they should order a full-scale review of the council’s finances to help pay for the schemes.
But Ms Scott warned that other agencies and businesses would also have to share responsibility and the bill for their delivery.
The masterplan – revealed by the Press and Journal yesterday – contains 49 projects, including pedestrianizing much of Union Street, revamps of the city’s shopping centres, and new bridges linking to Union Terrace Gardens.
The proposals will be considered at a meeting of the full council next week, but the Press and Journal understands several elected members already have concerns about specific plans.
Council leader Jenny Laing and deputy leader Marie Boulton did not return calls about the scheme yesterday.
They later issued a joint statement with Conservative group leader Ross Thomson, SNP group leader Jackie Dunbar, and Liberal Democrat leader Ian Yuill, although it was reportedly written by the council’s PR chief and “happiness tsar” Takki Sulaiman.
It said: “At full council on June 24 councillors will have an opportunity to discuss and debate the proposed city centre masterplan which has been drafted following three rounds of public consultation by independent master planners, BDP, who will also present the proposals.
“Given the importance of the proposals to the future of our City we as group leaders have decided not to comment in advance of the full council meeting as we wish to formally receive BDP’s report and consider their presentation.”
But some councillors questioned the decision last night, with one saying: “I can’t understand it. What are they trying to hide? Are they embarrassed about it or something? It’s in the public domain.”
Another source at the Town House said that Ms Scott had told the group leaders that councillors should not comment on the plans before the council meeting.
The council pledged to produce a vision for the future of the city centre three years ago when they controversially threw out the Sir Ian Wood-backed City Garden Project.
Consultants BDP were asked to carry out the study and consultation, at a cost of £572,070, with a total of £190,690 to be contributed by Scottish Enterprise.
Scott Mackenzie, director of architecture at BDP, said the proposals were “imaginative, transformational and challenging”.
He added: “Councillors on Wednesday have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to back a programme that will transform Aberdeen city centre.
“This project could help deliver an additional 5,500 jobs approximately and add nearly £280million to the city’s gross annual income whilst transforming the way in which Aberdeen is viewed by the outside world, building on its reputation as the UK’s oil capital to become an internationally distinctive business destination anchored by a city centre worthy of a global city.”
Alex Johnstone, Conservative MSP for the north-east, said: “Everybody knows something is needed in Aberdeen, but every big scheme that comes along has left a great deal of dissatisfaction in some quarters.
“It really needs someone to get a grip so that Aberdeen benefits from the wealth it undoubtedly has.
“Aberdeen has missed out on a lot of chances and in the past and that can’t be allowed to happen again.”