Aberdeen City Council has refused to publish an e-petition on its website calling for contracts to be scrapped that will bring the Marischal Square project to life.
City resident, Bill Skidmore, had lodged an application to the local authority urging it to host a petition to “cancel” contracts with developer, Muse, and investors, Aviva.
If successful, it could have given opponents – like him – the chance to bring the £107million Muse Developments hotel, office and retail plan to the council’s Petitions Committee, which could have explored his request.
Mr Skidmore said he had ensured all 14 criteria were adhered to in ensuring his application was not turned down, including one which rules that a petition cannot be hosted by the council when a decision has been taken on it in the previous 12 months.
He said that because Muse was accepted as the preferred bidder for the project in May 2013, and the hotel operator picked in June last year, his petition should have been accepted.
But last night, he was told that because the development had been brought to full council in March after the SNP called for a halt to it, his application had been turned down.
A heated debate on the project on March 5 culminated in the Labour-led administration narrowly fending off an attempt from its opponents to force a rethink by 22-21.
Last night, Mr Skidmore said he did not accept the council’s rejection as the full council had not taken any decision on investment in March- which is what his latest petition was focused on.
“The word ‘investment’ does not appear in the minutes of the meeting held on March 5,” he said.
“Therefore, their rejection of the petition is spurious and contrived.”
He also said it had taken the council 22 working days to come up with its “flimsy” reason for rejection, and would be appealing the decision.
“They simply do not want the petition on their website,” he said.
Last night, an Aberdeen City Council spokesman reiterated to the Press and Journal that the petition, quite simply, did not meet the criteria for acceptance.