Issue - meetings

(i)            to note that the Corporate Strategy and Community Planning Manager would include reference to Sistema within the South Locality Plan;

(ii)          to note the Locality Plans presented at Appendices 1, 2 and 3 of the report; and

(iii)         to note the Locality Plans in conjunction with the refreshed Local Outcome Improvement Plan 2016-2026 at Item 9.2 of the agenda which connected the Locality Plans to city wide priorities for improvement.

The Committee had before it the Refreshed Locality Plans 2021-26 for North, South and Central localities which had been approved by the Community Planning Aberdeen Board on 29 April 2024. The Corporate Strategy and Community Planning Manager introduced the report and responded to questions from Members.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:

(a)          note the Locality Plans presented at Appendices 1, 2 and 3 of the report; and

(b)          note the Locality Plans in conjunction with the refreshed Local Outcome Improvement Plan 2016- 2026 at Item 9.2 of the agenda which connected the Locality Plans to city wide priorities for improvement.

The Convener moved, seconded by Councillor Mennie:-

that the Committee approve the recommendations.

Councillor Tissera, seconded by Councillor Watson, moved as an amendment:- that the Committee:

(1)          agree the recommendations contained within the report;

(2)          agree that the Chief Officer bring forward to the next committee on how exactly priority 3 of support children and young people to achieve their maximum potential if the SNP get their way and St Fittick’s Park becomes a developer’s paradise. Also to consult with friends of St Fittick’s Park as part of this process; and

(3)          agree the Chief Officer confirm in writing why the good work of Sistema is not mentioned within the South locality plan. 

At this juncture, the Legal Adviser reminded Members when debating the amendment not to stray into potentially making comments which could be considered as predetermining any Planning matters which could be considered in the future at either the Planning Development Management Committee or full Council.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (5) – the Convener, and Councillors Davidson, Henrickson, Hutchison and Mennie; for the amendment (3) – Councillors Kusznir, Tissera and Watson; declined to vote (1) – Councillor Brooks.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)           to note that the Corporate Strategy and Community Planning Manager would include reference to Sistema within the South Locality Plan; and

(ii)          to otherwise adopt the motion.

(i)            to note the Fairer Aberdeen Fund Annual Report for 2022-23, at Appendix 1 and the positive impact that has been made to lives of people in Aberdeen;

(ii)          to instruct the Executive Director - Corporate Services, to thank all the Fairer Aberdeen Board members, funded partners, and volunteers for the work they've done and their many successes;

(iii)         to instruct the Interim Executive Director - Families and Communities, to circulate information in respect of the Relationship Resolution project in schools;

(iv)         to instruct the Fairer Aberdeen Coordinator to include comparison of previous years’ indicators in future reports;

(v)          to agree that the video presentations would be circulated to the Committee; and

(vi)         to instruct the Executive Director - Corporate Services, to circulate information in respect of any funding or grants to the new Rolex store being developed on Union Street.

The Committee had before it the Fairer Aberdeen Fund Annual Report 2022-23.  The Fairer Aberdeen Co-ordinator introduced one of the Fairer Aberdeen Board members and they both spoke to the report and introduced video presentations on five of the supported projects.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:

(a)          note the Fairer Aberdeen Fund Annual Report for 2022-23, at Appendix 1 and the positive impact that has been made to lives of people in Aberdeen; and

(b)          instruct the Executive Director - Corporate Services, to thank all the Fairer Aberdeen Board members, funded partners, and volunteers for the work they have done and their many successes.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)           to instruct the Interim Executive Director - Families and Communities, to circulate information in respect of the Relationship Resolution project in schools;

(ii)          to instruct the Fairer Aberdeen Coordinator to include comparison of previous years’ indicators in future reports;

(iii)         to agree that the video presentations be circulated to the Committee;

(iv)         to instruct the Executive Director - Corporate Services, to circulate information in respect of any funding or grants to the new Rolex store being developed on Union Street; and

(v)          to otherwise approve the recommendations.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the report from the external advisers.

The Committee had before it an update report prepared by the Locality Inclusion Manager and External Advisers regarding (1) a joint workshop with the Anti-Poverty Outcome Improvement Group on 19 September 2023 to begin the process of refreshing the Local Outcome Improvement Plan; and (2) a bid led by Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations (ACVO) - which the external advisors had been involved in along with a group of third sector and public partners - to the Scottish Government Cash First fund. The outcome of the bid had been expected to be known by the end of October 2023.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the report from the External Advisers.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the information provided.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the report.

The Committee had before it an update report prepared by the Locality Inclusion Manager on work agreed through the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Department of Work and Pensions.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the report.

The Committee resolved:-

to agree the recommendation.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)                  to instruct the Interim Director - Childrens and Family Services,  to further clarify by way of a Service Update the integration of the Child Poverty Action Plan update report and Child Poverty Action Plan Annual report into the Children’s Services Plan 2023-2026, including the necessity to incorporate an Integrated Impact Assessment in the Plan but not subsequent outcome reports;

(ii)            to congratulate the This is Northfield group on their work to date;

(iii)          to instruct the Locality Manager to invite Dr Flora Douglas - RGU Professor in Public Health, to speak to the Committee in respect of her work on the impact of maternal and household food insecurity on parents’ infant and young children feeding intentions and practices;

(iv)          to note the attached Child Poverty Action Report;

(v)           to note that the Child Poverty Action Report will be considered by the Education and Children’s Services Committee

(vi)          to instruct the Interim Director Children and Families Services to submit the Child Poverty Action Report to Community Planning Aberdeen Board for approval; and

(vii)         to instruct the Interim Director Children and Families Services to publish the Child Poverty Action Plan on the Council’s website following approval by the Community Planning Board.

The Committee had before it a report prepared by the Interim Director – Children’s and Family Services, and Locality Manager seeking delegated authority to submit the draft statutory Child Poverty Action Report for approval by the Community Planning Aberdeen Board.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:

(a)           note the attached Child Poverty Action Report;

(b)           note that the Child Poverty Action Report would be considered by the Education and Children’s Services Committee;

(c)           instruct the Interim Director – Children’s and Families Services to submit the Child Poverty Action Report to the Community Planning Aberdeen Board for approval; and

(d)           instruct the Interim Director – Children’s and Families Services, to publish the Child Poverty Action Plan on the Council’s website following approval by the Community Planning Board.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Interim Director – Children’s and Family Services, to further clarify by way of a Service Update, the integration of the Child Poverty Action Plan update report and Child Poverty Action Plan Annual report into the Children’s Services Plan 2023-2026, including the necessity to incorporate an Integrated Impact Assessment in the Plan but not subsequent outcome reports;

(ii)            to congratulate the This is Northfield group on their work to date;

(iii)          to instruct the Locality Manager to invite Dr Flora Douglas - RGU Professor in Public Health, to speak to the Committee in respect of her work on the impact of maternal and household food insecurity on parents’ infant and young children feeding intentions and practices; and

(iv)          to otherwise approve the recommendations.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Locality Inclusion Manager to bring back a report to Committee regarding the review and uptake of the Family Wellbeing Fund;

(ii)            to instruct the Locality Inclusion Manager to circulate a Service Update in respect of food waste, including information on local supermarkets’ arrangements and feedback from organisations on the current situation through Food Poverty Aberdeen; and

(iii)          to otherwise note the progress in delivery of the outcomes from the Cost of Living Funding.

The Committee had before it an update report prepared by the Locality Inclusion Manager on the outcomes achieved from the allocation of Cost of Living Funding, the provision of Warm Spaces and support for communities visiting them, and any additional resources from the Scottish or UK Governments.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the progress in delivery of the outcomes from the Cost of Living Funding.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Locality Inclusion Manager to bring back a report to Committee regarding the review and uptake of the Family Wellbeing Fund;

(ii)            to instruct the Locality Inclusion Manager to circulate a Service Update in respect of food waste, including information on local supermarkets’ arrangements and feedback from organisations on the current situation through Food Poverty Aberdeen; and

(iii)          to otherwise note the information provided.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, to circulate the Integrated Impact Assessment in respect of the report;

(ii)            to note the progress in the half yearly report;

(iii)          to notes the progress in submitting the annual report and refreshed Child Poverty Action Plan 2022-26 to Scottish Government; and

(iv)          to note the progress in establishing the Child Poverty sub-group of the Anti-Poverty Outcome Improvement Group.

The Committee had before it a half year report by the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, that provided an update on the actions being taken by Community Planning Aberdeen to reduce and eradicate child poverty.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:

(a)           note the progress in the half yearly report;

(b)           note the progress in submitting the annual report and refreshed Child Poverty Action Plan 2022-26 to Scottish Government; and

(c)           note the progress in establishing the Child Poverty sub-group of the Anti-Poverty Outcome Improvement Group.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to circulate the Integrated Impact Assessment in respect of the report;

(ii)            to instruct the Chief Officer – Data and Insights, to circulate information on the Data Observatory including where it was located, along with commentary on how best to navigate it; and

(iii)          to otherwise approve the recommendations.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Locality Inclusion Manager to circulate a link to the Scottish Government’s analysis of Child Poverty Action Plans;

(ii)            to note that the Convenor and Vice Convenor would meet with their counterparts for the Education and Children’s Services Committee; and

(iii)          to otherwise note the progress in developing the Child Poverty Action Plan 2022-2026 and further work being undertaken to finalise and ensure alignment with the Children’s Services Plan by March 2023.

The Committee had before it a report from Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment that provided an update on the progress made in developing the Child Poverty Action Plan for 2022-2026 and the work being undertaken to ensure its alignment with the Children’s Services Plan.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note progress in developing the Child Poverty Action Plan 2022-2026 and further work to finalise and ensure alignment with the Children’s Services Plan by March 2023.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Locality Inclusion Manager to circulate a link to the Scottish Government’s analysis of Child Poverty Action Plans;

(ii)            to note that the Convenor and Vice Convenor would meet with their counterparts for the Education and Children’s Services Committee; and

(iii)          to otherwise approve the recommendation.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to issue a Service Update in respect of library opening hours with regard to warm spaces;

(ii)           to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to issue a Service Update in respect of the information being made available to Community Centres with regard to additional sources of funding; and

(iii)          to otherwise note the activities and progress described in the report.

The Committee had before it a report from Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment that provided an overview of current activity in respect of tackling and alleviating poverty and inequality across Aberdeen, with regard to child poverty, fuel poverty, food, in-work poverty and income and the current cost of living pressures.

The Locality Inclusion Manager – Central, responded to questions from members regarding the number of employees covered by the 74 employers headquartered in the city that were Real Living Wage accredited (section 3.19 of the report), a request for a breakdown of the £9.6m budget on various energy efficiency measures including insulation and heating system replacement (section 3.26 of the report) and the scale of funding for the school day, (sections 3.4 and 3.5 of the report), and undertook to circulate further information in this regard.

The Director of Customer Services undertook to circulate a summary update regarding zero hours contracts for Aberdeen City Council, ALEOS and partners; and information on the city gift card.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the activities and progress described in the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to issue a Service Update in respect of library opening hours with regard to warm spaces;

(ii)           to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to issue a Service Update in respect of the information being made available to Community Centres with regard to additional sources of funding; and

(iii)          to otherwise approve the recommendation.