Issue - meetings

Carried forward from 3 July Council meeting

(i)             to note the recommendation at section 3.12 of the report to support the development of access to money advice services in Aberdeen; and

(ii)           to note that the Executive Director of Corporate Services had submitted a report to the next Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee meeting which considered the provision of other advisory services in the city with partners.

With reference to Article 10 of the minute of meeting of the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee of 12 June 2024, the Council had before it a report by the Executive Director of Corporate Services which presented the work undertaken to determine issues faced by people in poverty in relation to accessing advice services and financial services, and which had had been referred to it by four members of the Committee in accordance with Standing Order 34.1.

The report recommended:-

that the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee note the recommendations at section 3.12 of the report to support the development of access to money advice services in Aberdeen.

The Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Executive Director of Corporate Services to bring a report to a future committee to consider with partners the provisions of other advisory services in the city; and

(ii)           to otherwise approve the recommendation.

Councillor Allard moved, seconded by Councillor Bouse:-

That the Council -

(1)       note the recommendations at section 3.12 of the report to support the development of access to money advice services in Aberdeen; and

(2)       note that the Executive Director of Corporate Services had submitted a report to the next Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee meeting which considered the provision of other advisory services in the city with partners.

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

          That the Council:-

(1)       agree the recommendation contained within the report;

(2)       agree the SNP give a whole new meaning to dither, delay and defer given the Committee instructed a report on 30 August 2023, with the report due no later than summer 2024, noting that there are no specific recommendations contained within the report on the actual issues faced by people in poverty in relation to accessing advice services and financial services and the impact this had; on the services available in Aberdeen; on the unmet need; and no specific recommendations for Council services and other organisations to address this unmet need; and

(3)       instruct the Executive Director - Corporate Services to bring a report to the next Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee detailing exactly what was asked for on 30 August 2023 in order to give confidence to those who may need help in this matter.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (23)  -  Lord Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Bouse, Hazel Cameron, Clark, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Davidson, Fairfull, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Nicoll, Radley, van Sweeden and Yuill.

For the amendment  (15)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Brooks, Crockett, Farquhar, Graham, Kusznir, Lawrence, Macdonald, McLeod, Malik, Thomson, Tissera and Watson.

Absent from the division  (4)  -  Depute Provost; and Councillors Boulton, Grant and Massey.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.