Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

The Lord Provost expressed his congratulations to Aberdeen City Council officers for their efforts in the great success of the Tall Ships festival last month, with almost 50 tall ships and in excess of 400,000 people in the city over the five days of the festival. The Lord Provost expressed his thanks to the Port of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Inspired and all of the sponsors for helping to make such a memorable event.

The Lord Provost also wished to thank the citizens of Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland for embracing the occasion. The Lord Provost added that at the Captain’s Dinner, many of the race participants had specifically commented on how friendly the welcome had been from the people of Aberdeen and they were fulsome in their praise of the city and how they had been received.

Councillor Grant added his own thanks and praised the Lord and Lady Provost for how visible they had been throughout the festival, meeting partners and attending a number of different events.

The Lord Provost advised that he had accepted the urgent notice of motion by Councillor Houghton onto the agenda as a matter of urgency in terms of Section 50B(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, as this was the first Council meeting since the passing of John Alexander Cruickshank VC and it was important it was recognised.

Councillor Macdonald advised that she had a connection in relation to item 10.1 (Notice of Motion by Councillor Nicoll on Energy from Waste) as the Chair of Aberdeen Heat and Power Ltd, however having applied the objective test she did not consider that she had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting.

Councillor Henrickson advised that he had a connection in relation to item 10.1 as a Council appointed member of the Board of Aberdeen Heat and Power Ltd, however having applied the objective test he did not considerthat he had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting.

The Council had before it the minute of meeting of Aberdeen City Council of 2 July 2025.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the minute.

The Council had before it the minute of meeting of the Urgent Business Committee of 26 June 2025.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the minute.

The Council had before it the business planner as prepared by the Chief Officer - Governance.

Councillor Malik moved as a procedural motion, seconded by Councillor Tissera:-

That the Council do not remove item 15 (Revised Council Climate Change Plan) from the Council business planner and that the report be submitted to Council.

On a division, there voted:-

For the procedural motion   (20)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Boulton, Brooks, Crockett, Cross, Farquhar, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Kusznir, Lawrence, Macdonald, McLeod, Malik, Massey, Nicoll, Thomson and Tissera.

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

The Council resolved:-

to reject the procedural motion.

The Council further resolved:-

(i)             to remove item 15 (Revised Council Climate Change Plan) as it was on the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee business planner;

(ii)           to request officers to provide more regular briefings on progress with the City Centre Masterplan; and

(iii)          to otherwise note the business planner.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Data Insights which presented a refreshed Performance Management Framework which reflected proposals for the capture, scrutiny and reporting of Council performance, aligning with the Council’s commissioning intentions, Service Standards, and approach to evidencing and evaluating improvement as outlined within the Council Delivery Plan 2025-26.

The report recommended:-

that the Council approve the revised Performance Management Framework for 2025-26 as detailed in Appendix A.

During the course of questions, Councillor Yuill advised that he had a connection in relation to the item as the Council’s appointed member of the Board of NHS Grampian, however having applied the objective test he did not considerthat he had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting.

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to approve the recommendation; and

(ii)           to request the Chief Officer - Digital and Technology to provide a service update on the Council’s approach to Artificial Intelligence to provide assurance with regard to the use of data and ethics.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Governance which sought approval of the Council diary for 2026.

The report recommended:-

that the Council approve the Council diary for 2026 appended to the report, making any changes as appropriate.

Councillor Radley moved, seconded by Councillor Buchanan:-

That the Council -

1.      approve the Council diary for 2026 appended to the report; and

2.      schedule an additional Council meeting for 3 December 2025 at 10.30am, for the primary purpose of considering the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget, as per the budget protocol.

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

That the Council approve the Council diary for 2026 appended to the report, subject to the following changes to reflect better governance following the Standing Order changes:-

·         January - move Communities, Housing and Public Protection from 13 January to 14 January

·         February - move Education and Children’s Services from 17 February to 18 February

·         March - move Communities, Housing and Public Protection from 10 March to 11 March

·         March - move Anti-Poverty and Inequality from 11 March to 10 March

·         April - move Education and Children’s Services from 28 April to 29 April 

·         May - move Communities, Housing and Public Protection from 26 May to 27 May

·         June - move Education and Children’s Services from 23 June to 24 June

·         September - move Net Zero, Environment and Transport from 8 September to 9 September

·         September - move Community Planning Aberdeen Board from 9 September to 8 September 

·         September - move Education and Children’s Services from 15 September to 16 September

·         November - move Communities, Housing and Public Protection from 10 November to 11 November

·         November - move Education and Children’s Services from 17 November to 18 November

·         November - move Community Planning Aberdeen Board from 18 November to 17 November

·         November - move Net Zero, Environment and Transport from 24 November to 25 November

·         November - move Anti-Poverty and Inequality from 25 November to 24 November

On a division, there voted:-

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

For the amendment   (20)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Boulton, Brooks, Crockett, Cross, Farquhar, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Kusznir, Lawrence, Macdonald, McLeod, Malik, Massey, Nicoll, Thomson and Tissera.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.

That Council:

1.    Notes with concern the Energy from Waste facility (NESS) operated on behalf of Aberdeen City Council in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council and Moray Council has recently had to shut down out with the planned maintenance programme.

2.    Notes that this shut down, while an operational matter, was not reported to elected members and that the situation came into the public domain via social media.

3.    Notes that the Aberdeen City Council, 2024/25 Annual Audit Report prepared by Audit Scotland and passed by an Urgent Business Committee on 26 June 2025 with less than 2.5 hours notice, of the circa 266 pages in the business papers, made a clear recommendation in the section Best Value at Recommendation 4,

“It would be more transparent if criteria were developed to provide a framework for officers in considering the circumstances when consultation and/or a report to elected members would be appropriate in respect of delegated matters deemed to be politically sensitive.”

4.    Considers that issues affecting the operation and maintenance of the Energy from Waste facility are matters of considerable public interest and to the elected members of Aberdeen City Council and agrees all material or major issues affecting the operation and maintenance of the plant should be shared with elected members timeously, subject to the Council’s contractual confidentiality obligations.

5.    Instructs the Chief Officer - Operations to bring a report, to be shared with all elected members, to the 18 November 2025 meeting of the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee detailing all occasions when the unscheduled shut downs of the facility have taken place and the amount of Aberdeen City Council’s waste which has been diverted to alternative disposal facilities.  Further to provide an estimate of the carbon footprint such shut downs incur with details of the additional road miles incurred to dispose of all such waste in landfill or alternative disposal facilities.

6.    Instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to also advise of the risk to Aberdeen City Council should this facility become non operational for any reason, together with any lessons learned  to mitigate any future disruption and report the outcome to the 27 November 2025 meeting of the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Committee.

7.    Instruct the Chief Officer, - Operations to report to the 18 November 2025 meeting of the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee, the details of the loss of any revenue attributable to the shut down as well as any additional costs incurred by Aberdeen City Council in providing replacement energy normally supplied by the plant.

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

“That Council:

1. Notes with concern the Energy from Waste facility (NESS) operated on behalf of Aberdeen City Council in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council and Moray Council has recently had to shut down out with the planned maintenance programme.
2. Notes that this shut down, while an operational matter, was not reported to elected members and that the situation came into the public domain via social media.
3. Notes that the Aberdeen City Council, 2024/25 Annual Audit Report prepared by Audit Scotland and passed by an Urgent Business Committee on 26 June 2025 with less than 2.5 hours notice, of the circa 266 pages in the business papers, made a clear recommendation in the section Best Value at Recommendation 4,

“It would be more transparent if criteria were developed to provide a framework for officers in considering the circumstances when consultation and/or a report to elected members would be appropriate in respect of delegated matters deemed to be politically sensitive.”

4. Considers that issues affecting the operation and maintenance of the Energy from Waste facility are matters of considerable public interest and to the elected members of Aberdeen City Council and agrees all material or major issues affecting the operation and maintenance of the plant should be shared with elected members timeously, subject to the Council’s contractual confidentiality obligations.
5. Instructs the Chief Officer - Operations to bring a report, to be shared with all elected members, to the 18 November 2025 meeting of the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee detailing all occasions when the unscheduled shut downs of the facility have taken place and the amount of Aberdeen City Council’s waste which has been diverted to alternative disposal facilities.  Further to provide an estimate of the carbon footprint such shut downs incur with details of the additional road miles incurred to dispose of all such waste in landfill or alternative disposal facilities.
6. Instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to also advise of the risk to Aberdeen City Council should this facility become non operational for any reason, together with any lessons learned  to mitigate any future disruption and report the outcome to the 27 November 2025 meeting of the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Committee.
7. Instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to report to the 18 November 2025 meeting of the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee, the details of the loss of any revenue attributable to the shut down as well as any additional costs incurred by Aberdeen City Council in providing replacement energy normally supplied by the plant.”

During the course of questions, Councillor Cooke advised that he had a connection in relation to the item as his wife worked for Energy Voice which had been mentioned, however having applied the objective test he did not consider that he had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting.

Councillor Nicoll moved, seconded by Councillor Malik:-

            That the Council -

1.    approve the notice of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

That the Council:

1.    Notes the continued persistent pavement weed growth across Torry/Ferryhill, as per Appendix A below, despite the biannual weed spraying carried out by Council contractors.

2.    Believes that this persistent weed growth is unsightly and does not represent best value for Aberdeen taxpayers.

3.    Acknowledges that the Council’s contractor currently sprays a solution of acetic acid (i.e. vinegar) and alcohol in May and September each year, which is wilting the weeds and some die but sees perennial and persistent weeds regrowing.

4.    Believes that the current contract does not reflect best value, as the existing treatment appears ineffective - evidenced by the presence of knee-height weeds and persistent weed growth throughout Torry/Ferryhill.

5.    Instructs the Chief Officer - Operations to work with the current contractor to explore options within the scope of the contract for more effective weed control that will significantly reduce weed growth.

6.    Further instructs that, should it not prove possible to implement a more effective treatment under this contract, the contract be allowed to expire at its natural end date and the Chief Officer - Operations procure a new contract which can deliver a solution that is more effective and provide best value for the good people of Aberdeen.

7.    Agrees that any additional costs associated with a revised weed control approach be met from the Common Good.

[Appendix A at page 75 of the agenda]

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

“That the Council:

1.    Notes the continued persistent pavement weed growth across Torry/Ferryhill, as per Appendix A below, despite the biannual weed spraying carried out by Council contractors.

2.    Believes that this persistent weed growth is unsightly and does not represent best value for Aberdeen taxpayers.

3.    Acknowledges that the Council’s contractor currently sprays a solution of acetic acid (i.e. vinegar) and alcohol in May and September each year, which is wilting the weeds and some die but sees perennial and persistent weeds regrowing.

4.    Believes that the current contract does not reflect best value, as the existing treatment appears ineffective - evidenced by the presence of knee-height weeds and persistent weed growth throughout Torry/Ferryhill.

5.    Instructs the Chief Officer - Operations to work with the current contractor to explore options within the scope of the contract for more effective weed control that will significantly reduce weed growth.

6.    Further instructs that, should it not prove possible to implement a more effective treatment under this contract, the contract be allowed to expire at its natural end date and the Chief Officer - Operations procure a new contract which can deliver a solution that is more effective and provide best value for the good people of Aberdeen.

7.    Agrees that any additional costs associated with a revised weed control approach be met from the Common Good.”

The Council resolved:-

to refer the notice of motion to the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee.

That Council:

1.    Notes that Burnbutts Crescent, Cove, Aberdeen, is a cul-de-sac providing access to over 36 dwellings and around a dozen lock up style garages.  The road is adopted and maintained by Aberdeen City Council.

2.    Notes that in 2024, severe flooding  in the street resulted in damage to the road surface that necessitated an area being completely resurfaced.  The cause of the flooding was reported as contributed to by a blocked culvert under the main Aberdeen to Dundee railway line.

3.    Understands the culvert is the responsibility of Network Rail and that water draining from the roadway from Burnbutts Crescent empties into the culvert.

4.    Notes during May, June and July 2025, weather has again caused Burnbutts Crescent to experience severe flooding impacting householders’ property including cars and the aforementioned lock up garages.

5.    Notes that the north end of Burnbutts Crescent is a private lane with bollards to restrict vehicular access.

6.    Instructs the Chief Officer - Operations to work with Network Rail to establish the likely timeline for any remedial works to be undertaken to resolve this issue; and in the meantime instructs that Chief Officer to consider what options or measures can be put in place to allow residents to mitigate the effects of the flooding on their property and to report the results to the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee in early course.

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

“That Council:

1.    Notes that Burnbutts Crescent, Cove, Aberdeen, is a cul-de-sac providing access to over 36 dwellings and around a dozen lock up style garages.  The road is adopted and maintained by Aberdeen City Council.

2.    Notes that in 2024, severe flooding  in the street resulted in damage to the road surface that necessitated an area being completely resurfaced.  The cause of the flooding was reported as contributed to by a blocked culvert under the main Aberdeen to Dundee railway line.

3.    Understands the culvert is the responsibility of Network Rail and that water draining from the roadway from Burnbutts Crescent empties into the culvert.

4.    Notes during May, June and July 2025, weather has again caused Burnbutts Crescent to experience severe flooding impacting householders’ property including cars and the aforementioned lock up garages.

5.    Notes that the north end of Burnbutts Crescent is a private lane with bollards to restrict vehicular access.

6.    Instructs the Chief Officer - Operations to work with Network Rail to establish the likely timeline for any remedial works to be undertaken to resolve this issue; and in the meantime instructs that Chief Officer to consider what options or measures can be put in place to allow residents to mitigate the effects of the flooding on their property and to report the results to the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee in early course.”

The Council resolved:-

to approve the notice of motion.

Council -

Notes the growing support for grassroots and professional Women’s football right across the United Kingdom.

Congratulates England on successfully defending and winning UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 and congratulates Wales for their efforts in the group stages.

Agree these successes are a catalyst for woman empowerment noting Women in Aberdeen, football fans or otherwise, can look at the Lionesses’ success as breaking barriers in what was once seen as a Men’s game only.

Instruct the Chief Executive, following consultation with Aberdeen Football Club and/or Cove Rangers Football Club and provided they are in agreement, to write to the President of the Scottish Football Association asking them to consider holding a Women’s International Football Match in Aberdeen to allow aspiring girls and ladies to watch our national team in the granite city rather than having to travel to Dundee, Edinburgh or Glasgow.

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

“Council -

Notes the growing support for grassroots and professional Women’s football right across the United Kingdom.

Congratulates England on successfully defending and winning UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 and congratulates Wales for their efforts in the group stages.

Agree these successes are a catalyst for woman empowerment noting Women in Aberdeen, football fans or otherwise, can look at the Lionesses’ success as breaking barriers in what was once seen as a Men’s game only.

Instruct the Chief Executive, following consultation with Aberdeen Football Club and/or Cove Rangers Football Club and provided they are in agreement, to write to the President of the Scottish Football Association asking them to consider holding a Women’s International Football Match in Aberdeen to allow aspiring girls and ladies to watch our national team in the granite city rather than having to travel to Dundee, Edinburgh or Glasgow.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the notice of motion.

That the Council:

1.    Notes with deepest regret the passing of John Alexander Cruickshank VC, the last surviving Second World War Victoria Cross recipient from the UK;

2.    Acknowledges his extraordinary gallantry during a raid on a German U?boat in July 1944, when, despite sustaining severe wounds, he refused medical attention until his mission was complete and safely returned his crew to base, as detailed in his VC citation:

“Though bleeding profusely and suffering intense pain, he refused medical aid until he had completed his task. In spite of his wounds he insisted on remaining at his post to direct the withdrawal of his aircraft. By his extreme devotion to duty, fortitude and disregard for his personal safety, Flying Officer Cruickshank was able to bring back his aircraft to its base and save the lives of his crew.”

With reference to Article 2 of the minute, the Council had before it an urgent notice of motion by Councillor Houghton in the following terms:-

“That the Council:

1.    Notes with deepest regret the passing of John Alexander Cruickshank VC, the last surviving Second World War Victoria Cross recipient from the UK;

2.      Acknowledges his extraordinary gallantry during a raid on a German U?boat in July 1944, when, despite sustaining severe wounds, he refused medical attention until his mission was complete and safely returned his crew to base, as detailed in his VC citation:

“Though bleeding profusely and suffering intense pain, he refused medical aid until he had completed his task. In spite of his wounds he insisted on remaining at his post to direct the withdrawal of his aircraft. By his extreme devotion to duty, fortitude and disregard for his personal safety, Flying Officer Cruickshank was able to bring back his aircraft to its base and save the lives of his crew.””

The Council resolved:-

to approve the notice of motion.