Issue - meetings

(i)            to note the LOIP presented at Appendix 1 of the report; and

(ii)          to note the LOIP in conjunction with the Locality Plans at agenda Item 9.3 which connected the LOIP to community priorities and assets.

(i)            to note the report; and

(ii)          to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to liaise with the Department of Work and Pensions and update the Memorandum of Understanding in line with current priorities and submit it back to Committee for approval.

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

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:

(a)          note the report; and

(b)          instruct the Chief Officer - Housing to liaise with the Department of Work and Pensions and update the Memorandum of Understanding in line with current priorities and submit it back to Committee for approval.

The Vice Convener in the Chair moved, seconded by Councillor Radley:-

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)          note Appendix 1 and the progress against each aspect of the MOU;

(3)          note despite the fine words agreed by ACC and the Department for Work and Pensions, homelessness is up, Child poverty is up, Drug deaths are up, Fuel poverty is up, Food poverty is up, in work poverty is up, and the common denominator in all of these deplorable facts is the unwillingness of the Scottish government to support local authorities and other agencies with proper financial support. Agree we can have all the agreements we like with the Department of Work and Pensions and other government agencies but until the SNP Scottish government get serious about tackling homelessness, drug deaths and all forms of poverty, the benefits to those most in need from the MOU will be miniscule.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (5) – the Vice Convener in the Chair, and Councillors Allard, Davidson, Hutchison, and Radley; for the amendment (4) – Councillors Brooks, Kusznir, Tissera and Watson.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to note that Councillor Yuill advised that he had a connection in relation to the item as he was a Board Member of NHS Grampian however, having applied the objective test he did not consider that his connection amounted to an interest which would prevent him from participating in the discussion on the item;

(ii)          to note the Population Needs Assessment 2023 as contained at appendix 1; and

(iii)         to note from the report that, while all households in Scotland will be affected by increases in the cost of living, a report by the Scottish Government suggests that it is those with lower incomes and little or no savings who will be most impacted as they spend a higher proportion than average on energy, food and transport and they therefore have less flexibility in their budget to cope with price rises. Therefore, agrees a Council Tax freeze can only be supported if it is fully funded by the Scottish Government.

The Committee had before it a report presenting the 2023 Population Needs Assessment for Aberdeen City.

At this juncture, Councillor Yuill made a transparency statement by virtue of his position as an NHS Grampian Board Member, however, having applied the objective test he did not consider that his connection amounted to an interest which would prevent him from participating in the discussion on the item.

The Corporate Strategy and Community Planning Manager introduced the report and responded to questions from Members.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the Population Needs Assessment 2023 as contained at Appendix 1 of the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to note from the report that, while all households in Scotland will be affected by increases in the cost of living, a report by the Scottish Government suggests that it is those with lower incomes and little or no savings who will be most impacted as they spend a higher proportion than average on energy, food and transport and they therefore have less flexibility in their budget to cope with price rises. Therefore, to agree that a Council Tax freeze can only be supported if it is fully funded by the Scottish Government; and

(ii)          to otherwise note the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to note that a longer version of the video presentation would be circulated to members;

(ii)          to instruct the Locality Manager to issue a Service Update in respect of the Infant Food Security Pilot Improvement Project;

(iii)         to convey the Committee’s thanks to Professor Douglas for the presentation; and

(iv)         to otherwise note the content of the video presentation.

The Committee received a video presentation from Professor Flora Douglas -Research Professor of Public Health at the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedic Practice at the Robert Gordon University.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to note that a longer version of the video presentation would be circulated to members;

(ii)          to instruct the Locality Manager to issue a Service Update in respect of the Infant Food Security Pilot Improvement Project;

(iii)         to thank Professor Douglas for the presentation; and

(iv)         to otherwise note the content of the video presentation.