Issue - meetings

That Council: 

(1) Acknowledges that the Partnership, comprising the SNP Group and Liberal Democrat Group, hold a majority of seats within the Aberdeen City Council chamber.  

(2) Acknowledges that as per Standing Order 47.9, "Council will set the membership for each Committee and in doing so should have regard to the political composition of the Council."

(3) Agrees to amend the number of elected members on all committees as detailed [in attachment].

The Council resolved:-

to approve the notice of motion on the basis of the committee compositions circulated separately.

The Council had before it a notice of motion by Councillor Allard in the following terms:-

            That Council:

(1)      Acknowledges that the Partnership, comprising the SNP Group and Liberal Democrat Group, hold a majority of seats within the Aberdeen City Council chamber.

(2)      Acknowledges that as per Standing Order 47.9, “Council will set the membership for each Committee and in doing so should have regard to the political composition of the Council.”

(3)      Agrees to amend the number of elected members on all committees as detailed below.

Councillor Allard moved, seconded by the Depute Provost:-

            That the Council approve the notice of motion.

Councillor Blake moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Macdonald:-

            That the Council -

(1)      notes the proposals contained within the notice of motion, remembers when the previous Administration introduced the exact same size of committees as Councillor Allard is now proposing, the SNP and Lib Dems accused the previous Administration of being undemocratic;

(2)      agrees that in line with Standing Order 47.9, and to better reflect the political composition of the Council, the SNP Group and Liberal Democrat Group should be accounted for separately when determining Committee Places; and

(3)      agrees to the proposals with the exception of the Finance and Resources Committee and the Education and Children’s Services Committee, where Labour should have 3 places on the Finance and Resources Committee and 2 places on the  Education and Children’s Services Committee with the Conservatives having 1 place on the Finance and Resources Committee and Independents having 2 places on the Education and Children’s Services Committee as per the table appended.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (22)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Hazel Cameron, Clark, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Davidson, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Nicoll, Radley, van Sweeden and Yuill.

For the amendment  (13)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Boulton, Brooks, Crockett, Farquhar, Graham, Grant, Lawrence, Macdonald, Thomson and Watson.

Absent from the division  (2)  -  Councillors Mrs Stewart and Tissera.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.