Christmas spirit was in short supply at yesterday’s meeting of Aberdeen City Council’s finance committee as members discussed this winter’s festive plans.
A report recommended that members approved the siting of the Christmas Village on Union Terrace for a second year and provided financial support to Aberdeen Inspired of £150,000.
But opposition members questioned making the decision so early in the year, fearing that if Broad Street pedestrianisation plans were approved later this month, two city centre streets could be closed over the festive period leading to “13 weeks of gridlock”.
The SNP group called for the decision to be delayed until after a decision on Broad Street was made.
But this led to angry administration members accusing them of a “delay, dither and defer” approach.
Finance vice-convener Alan Donnelly questioned the opposition’s “Christmas spirit” while convener Willie Young branded them “killjoys”.
Labour member Barney Crockett, quoting Valdimir Lenin, said that the SNP supported the festivities like “the rope supports the hanging man”.
This was met with an angry reaction by other members.
SNP infrastructure spokesman Graham Dickson said: “We aren’t against Christmas or the Christmas village, we just want certainty around whether this will cause gridlock.
“We need more time to consider this and I don’t think a three week delay would cause huge problems considering the last Christmas Village was decided in September.”
The motion was carried.