Macdonald calls on council to apologise to Aberdon objectors

30 July 2010

Aberdeen Central Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald has today call on Aberdeen City Council to apologise to all 132 objectors following the Administration’s decision to drop its appeal against the decision of the council’s own Licensing Committee to not grant a HMO licence for Aberdon Court.

Every single objector, including Lewis Macdonald, was cited in court papers to attend court on 21 July 2010 after the council took its own Licensing Committee to court.

Lewis Macdonald said today:

"It was a farce for the council to take one of its own departments to court. The decision to take Tillydrone residents to court for simply exercising their democratic right to object was scandalous.

"I am pleased the Administration now recognise that their position with regards to this matter was untenable. However, serious questions must now be asked about the decision to appeal and the public funding that was wasted in taking their decision to appeal forward.

"I commend the efforts of the Tillydrone community who defended their objections to the hilt. The City Council now owes them an apology for their reckless actions in this matter.

"There is sadly little evidence that the Administration yet understand how badly they have botched their management of the City Council. Ending a service designed to keep offenders from reoffending in order to turn St Fitticks into a homeless hostel, suggests no lessons have yet been learned."