A football club chief has accused councillors of jeopardising millions of pounds of investment in a north-east town – over petty “political loyalties”.
The local authority is plotting a £37million flit from its current Aberdeen base to a new headquarters in Inverurie.
The move would involve Highland League club Inverurie Loco Works – which owns the land at Harlaw Park – part-funding a multimillion-pound community sports development in the town.
But members of the opposition Alliance group put the brakes on the project this week and the relocation deal could now be on the brink of collapse.
Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Aligned Independent members have questioned the strength of the business case behind the scheme and referred the project to full council.
But the hold up has left Locos chairman Eddie Innes furious.
He said: “Local councillors will be letting their constituents down if they refuse the move and the related sports development move.
“They need to set aside political loyalties.
“The council report did not highlight that Inverurie Locos are putting substantial money into this move.
“It’s a huge investment the Locos are putting into the community.
“The town is in need of a boost and the HQ moving to Inverurie is a massive investment.
“The sale of Harlaw Park will mean we can invest a vast amount of cash in the Inverurie Sports Development, that will kick-start more investment.”
Inverurie Sports Trust director, Graeme Hay, echoed Mr Innes’s anger.
He said: “We’re in disbelief. The support locally for what we’re trying to achieve here is overwhelming.
“We find it unbelievably disappointing that an Inverurie councillor voted against a recommendation that will bring hundreds of jobs, millions of pounds of investment, a nationally recognised sports development and an educational benefit to the town.”
He added that delaying a final decision on whether to progress to the next stage of the project was simply “politics”.
The proposals were a key issue during a recent by-election in the town and Conservative candidate Colin Clark snatched the seat from the administration.
Members of Aberdeenshire’s policy and resources committee met at Woodhill House earlier this week to debate the HQ plans.
Councillors were asked to endorse the business case and voted in favour by majority.
But Liberal Democrat leader Karen Clark forced council co-leader and committee chairman Richard Thomson to refer the matter to a meeting of full council.
Inverurie Conservative councillor Richard Cowling was one of six Alliance members to vote against the scheme.
Last night, he defended his position.
Mr Cowling said: “This has all been bundled together and rushed through. It is not a decision to make on the back of a piece of paper.
“It cannot be taken lightly. The rush tends to suggest it’s been pushed through with a political agenda. If it’s a good idea it will carry the full council vote.
“Bringing the HQ to Inverurie sounds great but there will be an impact, particularly on traffic.”
He added: “This is Christmas and Santa Claus and fairy tales are in vogue at the moment.”
Following two by-elections earlier this month the opposition Alliance group is now the largest block of councillors in the Woodhill House chamber and could stop the headquarters plan progressing.
Gary Tolometti from the Garioch Gymnastics Club is backing the new sports development. He said: “The town is in need of a boost and the possibility of the HQ moving to Inverurie is a massive opportunity.
“Also the sale of Harlaw Park, with the reinvestment of a large chunk of the proceeds, kick starting the Inverurie Sports Development project, and the rest in a trust to support the Locos as a community club, will be a massive boost for sport in the area.”
