The Voice of the North: Could a new era of democracy be on the horizon in Aberdeen?

Impressive newly released images of the revamped Aberdeen market emerged this week.

They showed a glossy glass frontage facing onto Union Street, where BHS once served generations of shoppers.

But, more significantly, the designs revealed a huge open-air space encompassing The Green – where initial plans indicated a large canopy would stretch over the area.

This significant change was put down to one thing: people power.

Aberdeen City Council, which is behind the major multi-million-pound construction project, appears to have listened to the residents of the city.

The change came about as a result of public feedback, with many saying they quite liked the large open space created on The Green after the old market was torn down. 

We commend both the efforts to revive the stagnating city centre and the apparent desire to make sure the project is shaped by the people.

That’s something that could become a continuing theme.

The same local authority last week unveiled a new system to reshape its often-controversial budget process.

A rejigged process, initiated after furious protests followed the decisions made this spring, is being driven forward.

Priorities of taxpayers to be considered by Aberdeen City Council going forward

While the details are yet to be finalised, the idea is that the priorities of local taxpayers will be given unprecedented attention in shaping how the local authority spends its money.

Of course, the proposal has been met with cynicism in some quarters.

Is this just a way to shirk the blame, or avoid responsibility, for potentially unpopular cuts thought to be inevitable in the months ahead?

That will all be proven come next March.

But at a time when residents are being energised to bring new life to the city centre under the Our Union Street scheme, this could be the dawn of a new era of democracy.

People felt powerless, robbed of their say in proceedings when they learned that the libraries they held dear were closing – or that the plug was being pulled on a pool where they and their children learned the front crawl.

They quite rightly took the only course they felt open to them – they took to the streets, shouting themselves hoarse in what turned out to be a failed effort to effect some change.

This year, it was all in vain. The decisions they battled so hard against had already been made.

Perhaps allowing people to have their say will make a difference.

Whether that new listening approach, shown in the tweaks to the Aberdeen Market vision, continues will be clear to see.

We will all find out next year. Perhaps the protestors shouldn’t put their placards away just yet.