Issue - meetings

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to note that the next Committee visit would be to Catalyst Vineyard Church following the Committee meeting on 21 June 2023; and

(ii)            to note the proposed ways of working with the External Advisers.

he Committee had before it a report by the External Advisers outlining the agreed ways of working and commitments.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the proposed ways of working with the External Advisers.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to note that the next Committee visit would be to Catalyst Vineyard Church following the Committee meeting on 21 June 2023; and

(ii)            to otherwise note the information provided.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to note the progress on plans to facilitate Citizens’ Assemblies on Poverty and Inequality;

(ii)            to instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention & Community Empowerment in consultation with the Chief Officer - Finance and Chief Officer - Customer Experience to develop a cost profile, explore potential funding mechanisms and report to the Finance and Resources Committee if funding was required;

(iii)          to agree for further detail to be developed on how local Community Empowerment Groups could be facilitated to support a citizen assembly model at locality level; and

(iv)          to agree that the report currently planned for the May 2023 Committee meeting on a final model for Citizens’ Assemblies be submitted for the Committee on 30 August 2023 to allow a final proposal to be brought to the Committee.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment that presented the plans to facilitate Citizens' Assemblies on Poverty and Inequality.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:

(a)           note the progress on plans to facilitate Citizens’ Assemblies on Poverty and Inequality;

(b)           instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment in consultation with the Chief Officer - Finance and Chief Officer - Customer Experience to develop a cost profile, explore potential funding mechanisms and report to the Finance and Resources Committee if funding was required;

(c)           agree for further detail to be developed on how local Community Empowerment Groups could be facilitated to support a citizen assembly model at locality level; and

(d)           agree that the report currently planned for the May Committee meeting on a final model for Citizen Assemblies be submitted for the Committee on 30 August 2023 to allow a final proposal to be brought to the Committee.

The Convener moved, seconded by Councillor Greig:-

that the Committee approve the recommendations.

Councillor Watson moved an amendment, seconded by Councillor Kusznir:-

that the Committee:-

(1)  Delete recommendations (b), (c) and (d); and

(2)  Replace with:

(b)  Takes no further action on setting up a Citizen Assembly on Poverty, as there are already a huge number of existing forums, and tackling poverty will not be helped by setting up yet more.  Discussions can happen at this committee, its proposed new working group, Priority Neighbourhood Partnerships, Locality Empowerment Groups, Community Planning Partnerships, and elsewhere.

(c)   Requests that the Finance and Resources Committee reallocate any funds previously committed to Citizens Assembliesto alleviate poverty by allocating the £50,000 set aside in the budget (for the provision of Citizen Assemblies poverty mitigation measures) for the continuation of library services and libraries as warm hubs in Aberdeen. 

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (7) – the Convener, Vice Convener, and Councillors Clark, Davidson, Greig,  Hutchison and Radley; for the amendment (6) – Councillors Bonsell, Brooks, Graham, Houghton, Kusznir and Watson.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Empowerment, to circulate information regarding work that had been carried out in respect of tackling stigma to assist those seeking to access services and support;

(ii)            to agree the principles for a Citizens’ Assembly described in the report;

(iii)          to instruct the Chief Officer Early - Intervention and Community Empowerment, to further develop plans for a Citizens’ Assembly including potential topics for the Assembly to consider which may include looking at gender inequality, and report back to the Committee on 10 May 2023, noting that any budget requirements would need to be considered by the Finance and Resources Committee; and

(iv)          to approve the draft Terms of Reference for a Citizens’ Assembly as attached at Appendix 1 of the report.

The Committee had before it a report from Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment that presented an approach to developing a Citizens’ Assembly in Aberdeen with a particular focus on gender inequality and other inequalities all arising from poverty.

The Locality Inclusion Manager – Central, and Solicitor – Governance, responded to questions from members regarding comparative work, reflecting the demographic of the city and how to ensure participants were reimbursed for any loss of earnings and childcare or carer costs.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:

(a)           agree the principles for a Citizens’ Assembly described in the report;

(b)           instruct the Chief Officer Early - Intervention and Community Empowerment, to further develop plans for a Citizens’ Assembly including potential topics for the Assembly to consider which may include looking at gender inequality, and report back to the Committee on 10 May 2023, noting that any budget requirements would need to be considered by the Finance and Resources Committee; and

(c)           approve the draft Terms of Reference for a Citizens’ Assembly as attached at Appendix 1 of the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Empowerment, to circulate information regarding work that had been carried out in respect of tackling stigma to assist those seeking to access services and support; and

(ii)            to otherwise approve the recommendations.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to welcome the external advisers report, with recognition and thanks for the ongoing contribution by our external advisers in shaping our work;

(ii)            to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, to produce a report for the next meeting of the committee, providing further information on the clawback of benefits payments by the Council and Department for Work and Pensions;

(iii)          to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to consult with partners and produce a report for the meeting on 8 March 2023 of the committee with demographic information on child poverty, in-work poverty and other forms of poverty in the city; and

(iv)          to otherwise note the report.

The Committee had before it a report from the External Advisers.  The report explained that on 13 October 2022, Council had agreed the appointment of five external advisers to the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee, with a sixth position being left vacant for now. A request had been made to the external advisers to provide a report on the issues they felt were important for the Committee to address.  That report was attached at Appendix 1.

Maggie Hepburn – Chief Executive, Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations (ACVO) introduced the report and the External Advisers spoke in furtherance of the report, responding to questions from Members.  In respect of a question regarding the Approved Mileage Allowance Payment for volunteer drivers, Ms Hepburn undertook to circulate the information to Members.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to welcome the external advisers report, with recognition and thanks for the ongoing contribution by our external advisers in shaping our work;

(ii)            to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, to produce a report for the next meeting of the committee, providing further information on the clawback of benefits payments by the Council and Department for Work and Pensions;

(iii)          to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to consult with partners and produce a report for the meeting on 8 March 2023 of the committee with demographic information on child poverty, in-work poverty and other forms of poverty in the city; and

(iv)          to otherwise approve the recommendation.

-                COUNCILLOR CHRISTIAN ALLARD, Convener