Issue - meetings

(i)            to note the Fairer Aberdeen Fund Annual Report for 2023-24, at Appendix 1 of the report and the positive impact that had been made to lives of people in Aberdeen; and

(ii)          to 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.

(i)            to note that the Council, on 3 July 2024 (1) approved the allocation of funds agreed by the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee on 12 June 2024; and (2) agreed that the remaining funding balance be allocated by the Anti -Poverty and Inequality Committee without the need for further approval from the Finance and Resources Committee or Council;

(ii)          to approve the proposed allocation of remaining funds from the £1million provided by Council to support people with the cost of living crisis during 2024/25 as described in paragraph 3.7 of the report;

(iii)         to instruct the Corporate Strategy and Community Planning Manager to include information on how CFINE procured and distributed food to partner organisations in the report on Supporting People through the Cost of Living Crisis scheduled for consideration at the next Committee meeting; and

(iv)         to instruct the Corporate Strategy and Community Planning Manager to investigate the possibility of a Committee visit to Abernecessities.

The Committee had before it a report seeking approval for the allocation of the remaining funds from the £1million provided by the Council to support people with the cost of living.  The Corporate Strategy and Community Planning Manager introduced the report.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:

(a)          note that the Council, on 3 July 2024 (1) approved the allocation of funds agreed by the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee on 12 June 2024; and (2) agreed that the remaining funding balance be allocated by the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee without the need for further approval from the Finance and Resources Committee or Council; and

(b)          approve the proposed allocation of remaining funds from the £1million provided by Council to support people with the cost of living crisis during 2024/25 as described in paragraph 3.7 of the report.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener, moved:-

that the Committee approve the recommendations.

Councillor Kusznir, seconded by Councillor Brooks moved as an amendment:-

that the Committee:

(1)         note that 'outcome reports' from each funded organisation are required as part of the funding agreements to demonstrate best value for taxpayers;

(2)         note that an update on outcomes will be provided as part of the report scheduled for the next Committee meeting and instruct the Executive Director – Corporate Services to provide a full evaluation report to Committee in June 2025 which will include details of (a) a breakdown of how taxpayers’ money has been spent by each organisation, (b) the ultimate spend on staffing and (c) the considered impact of the spend on reducing poverty;

(3)         decline to allocate additional funds to (a) CFINE/Food Poverty Action Aberdeen and (b) SCARF (SC094819) until Committee considers their outcome reports, especially given funding was only approved by Council on 3 July 2024 and no assessment of the spend to date has been provided in the report;

(4)         note reported increase in staffing costs from 2022 to 2023 for both Community Food Initiatives North East Limited (SC262156) and SCARF within their Companies House filings; and

(5)         approve:

5.1 £100,000 for funded work experience placements for long term unemployed individuals, the employing organisations to receive such funding to be determined by the Executive Director - Corporate Services, given the positive impact of supporting return to work and its impact on reducing poverty and improving social mobility; and

5.2 the proposed allocations at 3.7, excluding those relating to (a) CFINE/Food Poverty Action Aberdeen and (b) SCARF.

Councillor Tissera, seconded by Councillor Watson, moved as a further amendment:-

that the Committee:

(1)          note the contents of the report;

(2)          note that the committee has not been provided with a detailed rationale for how the funds should be allocated between different areas of need, or how the specific organisations receiving funds have been identified. Little information has been provided about expectations around monitoring the spending of these funds;

(3)          note that each funded organisation must complete a monitoring report detailing how intended deliverables have been met and instruct the Executive Director  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7

(i)            to instruct the Executive Director – Corporate Services, in conjunction with the Executive Director –  Families and Communities,  to provide a Service Update on the costs and potential benefits of providing free school meals to Primary 6 and Primary 7 pupils;

(ii)          to note the Food Poverty Action Aberdeen Action Plan attached as Appendix 1 of the report; and

(iii)         to note the Food Poverty Action Aberdeen - Action Plan Update attached as Appendix 2 of the report.

The Committee had before it the Food Poverty Action Aberdeen Action Plan 2024 prepared by the External Advisers and Locality Manager.

The Chair of the Outcome Improvement Group introduced the Chief Executive of CFINE who spoke to the report. The Chief Executives of Instant Neighbour and CFINE responded to questions from members in respect of partnership working and the many organisations involved, food income versus food requirements and the impact of free school meals.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:

(a)         note the Food Poverty Action Aberdeen Action Plan attached at Appendix 1 of the report; and

(b)         note the Food Poverty Action Aberdeen - Action Plan Update attached at Appendix 2 of the report.

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;

(2)          note CFINE has been mentioned 30 times within the reports and agree the SNP seem obsessed with CFINE as the only show in town, therefore instruct the Executive Director – Corporate Services to bring forward a food poverty action plan from at least one other source to compare and contrast the proposed actions contained within the report;

(3)          agree the Scottish Government's Annual Progress Report on Child Poverty is nothing short of a national scandal noting that time after time the SNP voted against Labour’s right to food bill and the consequences of the SNP’s actions are highlighted within Appendix 2; and

(4)          request the Corporate Strategy and Community Planning Manager to present an annual report to the committee on progress being made. 

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (5) – the Convener, and Councillors Davidson, Henrickson, Hutchison and Mennie; for the amendment (2) – Councillors Tissera and Watson; declined to vote (2) – Councillors Brooks and Kusznir.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to instruct the Executive Director – Corporate Services, in conjunction with the Executive Director –  Families and Communities,  to provide a Service Update on the costs and potential benefits of providing free school meals to Primary 6 and Primary 7 pupils; and

(ii)          to otherwise adopt the motion.

(i)             to note the report with information provided by Aberdeen Cyrenians;

(ii)            to thank all those at Aberdeen Cyrenians, including the many staff and volunteers, who welcomed the Committee and provided an informative and interesting visit; and

(iii)          to instruct the Executive Director - Corporate Services, to formally write to Aberdeen Cyrenians expressing the Committee’s thanks for the visit.

The Committee had before it a report prepared by the Locality Inclusion Manager providing an update on the Committee visit to Aberdeen Cyrenians on 31 January 2024.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:

(a)          note the report with information provided by Aberdeen Cyrenians; and

(b)          thank all those at Aberdeen Cyrenians, including the many staff and volunteers, who welcomed the Committee and provided an informative and interesting visit.

The Vice Convener in the Chair moved, seconded by the Councillor Radley:- that the Committee approve the recommendations.

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

That the Committee:

(1)          Note the contents of the report; and

(2)          Agree the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee should recommend to the Finance and Resources Committee to provide Aberdeen Cyrenians with £250,000 out of the £1m budget allocated from the 2024/25 Budget for Anti Poverty Measuresto help them and VSA deliver a fuel poverty scheme for citizens in Aberdeen who are suffering with Fuel poverty based on the Fuel Poverty Foundation principles.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (7) – the Vice Convener in the Chair; and Councillors Allard, Brooks, Davidson, Hutchison, Kusznir and Radley; for the amendment (2) – Councillors Tissera and Watson.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to instruct the Executive Director - Corporate Services, to formally write to Aberdeen Cyrenians expressing the Committee’s thanks for the visit; and

(ii)          to otherwise adopt the motion.

- COUNCILLOR DESMOND BOUSE, Vice Convener.