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Referendum and opinion poll to be considered for City Gardens Project

Councillors will debate the possibility of carrying out an opinion poll or staging a referendum to gauge public support for the City Gardens Project.

At a meeting of the Full Council on 14 December councillors will discuss the possibility and best method of gauging public support on the future use of Union Terrace Gardens.

Following today’s meeting of the Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure Committee an opinion poll as well as a referendum will now be considered as potential options by Full Council.

A suggestion by committee convener Councillor Kate Dean to refer the report and include a feasibility study into an independently-conducted opinion poll was adopted by Councillor Kevin Stewart MSP and the committee unanimously agreed to refer the report, City Gardens – Possible Referendum, to Full Council.

The report before Full Council will include a detailed cost and feasibility study for an opinion poll as an alternative way of judging the level of public support for the project as well as exploring the possibility of including young people, aged 16 and over, in the poll’s sample.

The report, which will be debated by all 43 elected members, will also discuss the wording of any question or questions to be included in any opinion poll or referendum. The Aberdeen City Gardens Trust Ltd and the Friends of Union Terrace Gardens will be consulted over the wording of the question or questions.

Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure Convener Kate Dean said: “I think it’s very important that we strike a balance on this issue and involve all parties in considering the options available to us as a means of gauging public opinion for the City Gardens Project.

“Ultimately this was a decision that was always going to be made by all 43 elected members and it was right to bring the detailed report and the debate to full council with the option of an opinion poll and a referendum on the table.”

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