Issue - meetings

(i)        to approve the international trade and inward investment priorities for 2018-19;

(ii)       to delegate authority to the Chief Officer - City Growth (in consultation with the Co-Leaders) to authorise only necessary and appropriate travel to markets approved by Council/Committee as international trade and inward investment priorities for 2018 – 2019 as opportunities arise, provided the cost of such travel is reasonable and does not exceed the budget envelope set out in the report;

(iii)      to instruct the Chief Officer – Customer Experience to update the Travel Policy in line with approved Scheme of Governance;

(iv)      to instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth to submit an annual service update to the City Growth and Resources Committee on international travel outlining the economic benefits achieved;

(v)       to approve the submission of a bid for Aberdeen to host the World Energy Cities Partnership Annual General Meeting in 2019 up to a cost to the Council of £60,000 and that an appraisal of the submission is provided to the next meeting of the Committee in June 2018; and

(vi)      to note progress with the Invest Aberdeen initiative and current priorities.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which presented the international trade and inward investment priorities for the year ahead.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

(a)       approve the international trade and inward investment priorities for 2018-19;

(b)       delegate authority to the Chief Officer - City Growth (in consultation with the Co-Leaders and Lord Provost) to authorise only necessary and appropriate travel to markets approved by Council/Committee as international trade and inward investment priorities for 2018 – 2019 as opportunities arise, provided the cost of such travel is reasonable and does not exceed the budget envelope set out in the report;

(c)       instruct the Chief Officer – Customer Experience to update the Travel Policy in line with the approved Scheme of Governance;

(d)       instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth to submit an annual service update to the City Growth and Resources Committee on international travel outlining the economic benefits achieved;

(e)       approve the submission of the bid for Aberdeen to host the World Energy Cities Partnership Annual General Meeting in 2019; and

(f)        note progress with the Invest Aberdeen initiative and current priorities.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener moved:-

            that the Committee approve the recommendations contained within the report, subject to (i) removing reference to the Lord Provost at recommendation (b) above; and (ii) to amend recommendation (e) above to read “approve the submission of a bid for Aberdeen to host the World Energy Cities Partnership Annual General Meeting in 2019 up to a cost to the Council of £60,000 and that an appraisal of the submission is provided to the next meeting of the Committee in June 2018”.

Councillor Nicoll, seconded by Councillor Dunbar moved as an amendment:-

that the Committee –

(1)       approve the recommendations contained within the report at (a), (c) and (f) above;

(2)       instruct the Chief Officer – City Growth to provide a report detailing a travel plan for the year 2018/19 and take appropriate measures to have a travel plan in place for future years;

(3)       instruct the Chief Officer – City Growth to submit an annual report to the City Growth and Resources Committee, on international travel detailing the tangible economic benefits achieved; and

(4)       note the proposal to submit a bid to host the Annual General Meeting of the World Energy Cities Partnership in 2019.  Instructs the Chief Officer – City Growth to submit a report on the details of the proposal with full costings ahead of the submission deadline for applications on 1 June 2018.

Councillor Yuill, seconded by Councillor Flynn moved as a further amendment:-

            that the Committee –

(1)       approve the recommendations contained within the report, subject to (i) removing reference to the Lord Provost at recommendation (b) above; and (ii) to amend recommendation (e) above to read “approve the submission of a bid for Aberdeen to host the World Energy Cities Partnership Annual General Meeting in 2019 up to a cost to the Council of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10