Issue - meetings

The Council resolved:-

(i)           to note the current Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with international partner cities that are supported by the Council;

(ii)          to note the support provided to international trade activity led by Scottish Development International (SDI) and the Department for International Trade (DIT);

(iii)         to note the submission of the H2 Twin Cities application under the US Government Clean Energy Ministerial with the city of Kobe in May 2022;

(iv)         to approve international travel as detailed below and subject to the maximum expenditure as detailed in paragraph 4.2 of the report:-

(1)      two officers to attend ONS event in Stavanger, Norway, between 29 August - 1 September 2022;

(2)      the Lord Provost and one officer to attend WECP Annual General Meeting in Esbjerg, Denmark, between 5 - 8 October 2022; and

(3)      up to two officers to attend CERA Week Conference in Houston, USA, between 6 - 10 March 2023;

(v)          to delegate authority to the Chief Officer - City Growth to authorise necessary and appropriate travel documentation and associated expenditure for the travel noted in (iv) above, provided the cost thereof does not exceed the budget referred to in section 4 of the report, and note that all international travel is in line with current Council travel policies and international travel and Covid-19 guidance;

(vi)         to agree that additional international travel will be discussed with the Council Co-Leaders and a report brought to the appropriate committee if a decision to travel is required; and

(vii)       to agree that an annual service update be circulated to members reporting on the outcomes of all the overseas activity proposed in the report.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - City Growth which sought approval for immediate overseas travel required to support relevant City Growth activities in 2022/23.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)           note the current Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with international partner cities that are supported by the Council;

(b)           note the support provided to international trade activity led by Scottish Development International (SDI) and the Department for International Trade (DIT);

(c)           note the submission of the H2 Twin Cities application under the US Government Clean Energy Ministerial with the city of Kobe in May 2022;

(d)           approve international travel as detailed below and subject to the maximum expenditure as detailed in paragraph 4.2 of the report:

(1)       two officers to attend ONS event in Stavanger, Norway, between 29 August - 1 September 2022;

(2)       the Lord Provost and one officer to attend WECP Annual General Meeting in Esbjerg, Denmark, between 5 - 8 October 2022; and

(3)       up to two officers to attend CERA Week Conference in Houston, USA, between 6 - 10 March 2023;

(e)           delegate authority to the Chief Officer - City Growth to authorise necessary and appropriate travel documentation and associated expenditure for the travel noted in recommendation (d) above, provided the cost thereof does not exceed the budget referred to in section 4 of the report, and note that all international travel was in line with current Council travel policies and international travel and Covid-19 guidance;

(f)             agree that additional international travel would be discussed with the Council Co-Leaders and a report brought to the appropriate committee if a decision to travel was required; and

(g)           agree that an annual service update would be circulated to members reporting on the outcomes of all the overseas activity proposed in the report.

Councillor Radley moved, seconded by Councillor Bouse:-

That the Council approve the recommendations contained within the report.

Councillor Crockett moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Houghton:-

That the Council approve the recommendations contained within the report subject to -

(1)       deleting recommendation (d)(1) and replacing with - the Lord Provost (whom failing a political representative nominated by the Lord Provost) and one officer to attend ONS event in Stavanger, Norway, between 29 August and 1 September 2022; and

(2)       deleting recommendation (d)(3) and replacing with - the Lord Provost and one officer to attend CERA Week Conference in Houston between 6 - 10 March 2023.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (23)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Bouse, Hazel Cameron, Clark, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Davidson, Fairfull, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, Mennie, Nicoll, Radley, van Sweeden and Yuill.

For the amendment  (16)  -  Councillors Ali, Bonsell, Boulton, Brooks, Crockett, Cross, Farquhar, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Macdonald, Malik, Massey, Thomson, Tissera and Watson.

Absent from the division  (1)  -  Councillor McRae.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.