We have just received the following statement on this matter:
‘In accordance with the Argyll and Bute SNP manifesto commitment to positive community engagement and open and accountable local government, the SNP council candidates group today unanimously agreed to a review of the design of Colquhoun Square within the Helensburgh CHORD Project.
‘This will be one of the first actions of any SNP led administration and will involve minimal delay and cost, if any. There will be an informal referendum based on real choice and council officers are already working on this.
‘SNP Campaign Leader, Councillor Roddie McCuish said “Our team in Helensburgh and Lomond, James Robb, Richard Trail and Ken Smith, made clear to us the strength of local feeling on this matter. We will ensure that the people of Helensburgh are properly consulted on this and given real choices to reflect their views. This should all be completed in a few weeks which is not unreasonable given it is over six months since other local councillors insisted it was too late for change and the already four month delay due to tender failures. With a more acceptable Colquhoun Square proposal agreed the CHORD project will press on without any further delay or impediment to planned events”
Note: Councilor James Robb of Helensburgh had withdrawn a motion he submitted to the Executive committee meeting tomorrow, since it would have automatically have been defeated by an administration block vote. This would have caused post-election problems, with the rule that issues in defeated motions cannot be resurrected for six months. (Councillor Robb’s motion, seconded by Councillor Glen-Lee, is currently Item 25 on the published agenda but has been withdrawn in advance of the meeting,)
LET’S HAVE A PROMISE TO REVIEW CHORD OBAN, as well.
A sure vote winner.
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I’m amazed that the rule that issues in defeated motions can’t be resurrected for six months would still apply after an election. Where’s the democracy in that?
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Am I not correct in saying that this rule only applies for minority motions? If the majority of councillors vote to suspend standing orders then this rule becomes void and the earlier motion can be re-introduced.
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That would make a great deal of sense, let’s hope you’re right.
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I think that was similar to the mechanism used on 5th January 2011 to reverse the 25th November decision to progress consultation on closing 25 schools (albeit with a successful rather than defeated motion).
As well as the ’50% of councillors rule’, I believe there is also a rule allowing the Provost to suspend standing orders, which was the one used on that occasion to the same effect.
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Not like me to disagree with Tim, but I think the decision he is referring to was actually dealt with under the “material change” rule. Basically, if it is felt that information has come to light subsequent to the original decision that would have changed the outcome had it been available at the time then it is appropriate to re-visit that decision.
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So despite there being adequate time for consultations, maps, meetings…the works. If you don’t like the outcome whinge and moan until you get your own way. Ignore those who did comment and do it all on the website equivalent of the Sun or news of the world rags…democracy in action, what a bloody joke
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Why should anyone accept a clearly rubbish outcome? Presumably you think that the scheme is fine, but the problem is surely that it obviously isn’t.
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Yes I think it is okay. What is it that is so obviously wrong with the plan?
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If we’re still talking about Helensburgh CHORD, the initial consultation was minimal and so vague as to be almost impossible to respond to. At no point were anything resembling detailed plans put on the internet. (I understand there were some in a disused toilet down in a basement with a Beware of the Leopard sign on the door…)* It is no wonder that people started protesting once they found out, at the last minute, what was proposed.
Before that I was sufficiently concerned to write quite a long list of questions on the “contact” page on the ABC Helensburgh CHORD mini-site thingey. To which I received no response whatsoever.
The scheme itself is almost wholly concerned with appearances and will do nothing to address the functional problems of Helensburgh town centre.
It pointlessly resurfaces a Colquhoun Square that’s more or less on its original Victorian layout and could be restored in that direction.
It creates quite serious issues with deliveries and traffic circulation in the town centre.
The stuff on the front is pointless window-dressing that doesn’t do anything about the integrity of the seawall or its ability to prevent flooding, and will look just as terrible as the current redevelopment does in ten years or so.
There’s no (so far as I’m aware) proper integration of the plans with whatever is supposed to happen on the pierhead.
The redevelopment stops dead at an arbitrary border round the town centre, and nothing outwith will benefit.
I could go on.
- – -
*Joke/literary reference.
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Surely we will get a wee feedback from Roddy on the Oban Chord project and what were the reasons they bailed out.Was it just councillor Duncan MacIntyre as we were told or is there more.I would love to understand where SNP.councillor Mary Jean Devon fits into this rather bizarre project.Her leader elect has washed his hands of it but she sits side by side with MacIntyre and MacKay on the Chord Board.Surely she is not going to jump ship again.The poor soul must be spinning like a top.
Power to the People.
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Helensburgh CHORD is the curates egg – one can find good bits in it. What is central to this is that so many townsfolk feel disenfranchised. The SNP action is to rebuild that trust and get something more acceptable to more people. The withdrawal of the motion makes it easier for existing Administration councillors to come out of their trenches, defy the informal whip and support a more open, democratic and responsive council after the election.
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Let us hope common sense prevails here. I agree that there are good bits in the Helensburgh proposals but that the Colquhoun Square proposal will kill off Helensburgh town centre. This part of the proposal should be consigned to the dustbin. Any spare money should be spent on a proper leisure centre and improving the pierhead area.
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