Councillor's fury at traffic report removal
Chief executive of Moray Council, Alastair Keddie, caused a storm of protest this week by withdrawing an Elgin road plan issue from a meeting agenda.
A DECISION by Moray Council’s most senior official to pull a controversial report expected to go before councillors this week, has been branded undemocratic.
Elected members of the economic development and infrastructure committee were expecting to make a decision on whether a western distributor road for Elgin should be routed along Wittet Drive. However, chief executive Alastair Keddie decided to withdraw a report due to be submitted.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Elgin South councillor Graham Leadbitter argued that the chief executive’s move had breached standing orders, while Gordon McDonald, councillor for Buckie, called for an explanation.
Mr Keddie did not attend the meeting but legal officer Aileen Scott said the chief executive had taken the view it would be more appropriate to wait until after the Moray Economic Strategy, which takes into consideration RAF withdrawal at Kinloss and the uncertain future of her sister station at Lossiemouth, is complete.
That document is expected to be finalised in June.
Councillor McDonald said: “How can the chief officer override the democratic decision taken by elected members?”
Committee chairman John Russell, councillor for Elgin North, adjourned the meeting for 10 minutes so the council’s chief legal officer Roddy Burns could address the committee.
Mr Burns said it had been a “line manager” decision to withdraw the report so committee could have all the relevant information before them.
He admitted things could have been done better.
Councillor McDonald replied: “I don’t think Mr Burns answered my question.” He added: “Officers have overruled the decision made by members of this committee.”
John Divers questioned why he or his fellow Elgin South ward councillors John Sharp and Councillor Leadbitter were not told of the decision. He said: “What I do find difficult is we have a western distributor group which three local members and you sit on, and there was no discussion.”
Committee members were asked to make a decision on proposals for a western distributor road for Elgin at their meeting on March 8.
Options to improve traffic flow through the town were put out to public consultation before going to councillors. Although members ruled out the two most expensive proposals – the £65 million outer and £24.5 million inner rural routes – a further report was requested on the feasibility of introducing traffic lights at the junction of Wittet Drive and the A96 as well as implications for the Moray Local Plan.
Introducing traffic lights at the junction will not negate the requirement to demolish homes.
Councillor John Russell, committee chairman, said he regretted that the report had been held back. “I understand the reasons cited for delaying it but it is an issue which has dragged on long enough now,” he added.
“However, I respect advice that we cannot take such an important decision without a detailed overview of the implications for the local plan and the emerging economic strategy work.
“Only then can we weigh concerns of residents and environmental issues against any ‘greater good’ considerations and affordability.”
Options still on the table include the route from Edgar Road, across the railway line and along Wittet Drive costing around £12 million, as well as £7 million worth of enhancements to Elgin’s current network.
Whatever is decided, the council will have to provide road access to a proposed affordable housing development at Bilbohall costing around £3 million.
Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Leadbitter said: “A decision not to put up a report to the committee on the Elgin transport management scheme has been done without reference to the people elected to represent the communities affected. This completely undermines the democratic processes installed in the council’s constitution and is completely unacceptable.”
Councillor McDonald added: “It’s a worrying trend that’s been going on for a while. Basically, at the end of the day officers have got to respect the elected members and that appears to be still missing at the moment.”
Mike Looseley, chairman of the Wittet Drive Action Group, said: “I have long been of the view that officers in Moray Council are determined to get the Wittet Drive plan through and have spent the last seven years working to overturn the decision the council made in 2004.”
He added the decision would now be taken during the summer when many people would be on holiday. “It seems the mood of the council was not to go ahead with the Wittet Drive option,” said Mr Looseley. “I quite agree with the local member who said this undermines democracy.”
The main objection Councillor Divers has to the Wittet Drive proposal is the fact it requires homes to be demolished to make way for the road. He added: “We have to question why decisions are being taken without elected member involvement.
“Things are not being dealt with in a very business-like way.”
Councillor Divers criticised a decision to have a press release on the report’s withdrawal before he had the opportunity of reading the agenda for the meeting. He added: “We don’t have the finances to carry this out in this term and I seriously doubt there would be any money available in the next term. It’s my opinion that a decision taken would have thrown out all but the ‘do nothing option’ which involves providing access to affordable housing at Bilbohall.
“I find it difficult to believe that members of the administration were not aware of the chief executive’s decision.”
A similar scheme to direct traffic from the south of the town to the west along the residential street was thrown out by Moray Council following a campaign by the Elgin Link Road Action Group and late councillor Alastair Bisset.
The council’s deputy convener Allan Wright, councillor for Heldon and Laich, said: “With the wonderful benefit of hindsight we might have done it better.”
Councillor Wright added that he had “great sympathy” with Wittet Drive residents and drew similarities with those affected by the uncertainty hanging over RAF Lossiemouth, but that the full facts were required before a decision could be made.
“There will be a draft report next week on the economic plan,” he said. “I need to see that before I can take a judgement.”
A decision on the proposals for a western distributor road for Elgin is expected to be taken at the next meeting of the economic development and infrastructure committee on June 28.
