Nanette Milne, Scottish Conservative MSP for the North East has expressed her disappointment at the First Minister ignoring the Scottish Conservatives’ call on the SNP Scottish Government to place a capped ceiling pegged to current estimated costs to prevent North East Councils being faced with having to find significant additional money to meet any increased costs in the future.
Nanette Milne, Scottish Conservative MSP for the North East said:
“I am sorry that in responding to my call for the SNP Scottish Government to look to place a capped ceiling on the amount both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council have to pay towards the delivery of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route the First Minister has fudged his response not responding to the suggestion.
“The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route is vital to the economy of the North East and residents and businesses across the North East are pleased that work on the construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will soon start after what has been over thirty years of campaigning for the road.
“Under the current arrangements agreed in 2003 the funding mechanism for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) will see both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council having to meet 19 per cent of the cost of the road. The Scottish Government has revised the AWPR costs to an estimated £653m.
“Given the central Council tax freeze Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council are both working hard to deliver value for money for every tax payer pound. They clearly cannot afford for the SNP Scottish Government to potentially revised the AWPR costs again in the future and demand potentially millions of pounds in additional funding for the road.
“I have called on the First Minister and SNP Scottish Government to look to place a capped ceiling on the amount both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council have to pay towards the delivery of the project and for this to be pegged to current estimated costs to prevent North East Councils being faced with having to find significant additional money to meet any increased costs in the future.”
“I will be seeking a cross party meeting with the Transport Minister, Keith Brown MSP, to look to try to secure a capped ceiling on the amount both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council have to pay.