Agenda and minutes

In terms of Standing Order 4(2) the following eleven members of the Council had called for a Special Meeting of the Council to meet this day to discuss the motion set out in article 2 to this minute:-  Councillors Adam, Allan, Cassie, Collie, Cooney, Crockett, Graham, Hunter, Ironside, Laing and Young.

“This Council notes with concern the contempt with which this SNP/Lib Dem administration are treating Aberdeen City Council employees, urges SNP, Lib Dem and other Councillors to listen to the Edinburgh Government Finance Secretary who advises that those tactics are quite unnecessary and that Councillors should be working towards voluntary redundancies with all interested parties.

Council also encourages all Councillors who have expressed an interest in standing for the Scottish Parliament to condemn the proposals put forward by the SNP/Lib Dem administration at the Council meeting of the 15^th December.”

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

            Prior to the Council considering the article detailed below, the following Councillors declared interests as members of Unison:-  Councillors Kiddie, Kevin Stewart and Yuill.  None of the councillors deemed it necessary to leave the Council Chamber.

With reference to article 32 of the minute of meeting of the Council of 15^th December, 2010, the Lord Provost invited the eleven members who had requisitioned the Special Meeting to put forward their proposal.

Councillor Crocket moved, seconded by Councillor Graham:-

            This Council notes with concern the contempt with which this SNP/LibDem administration are treating Aberdeen City Council employees, urges SNP, LibDem and other Councillors to listen to the Edinburgh Government Finance Secretary who advises that those tactics are quite unnecessary and that Councillors should be working towards voluntary redundancies with all interested parties.

            Council also encourages all Councillors who have an expressed an interest in standing for the Scottish Parliament to condemn the proposals put forward by the SNP/LibDem administration at the Council meeting of 15^th December, 2010”.

Councillor John Stewart moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Donnelly:-

            “That this Council condemns the Labour Party for abrogating their responsibility by persistently failing to participate in the City Council’s budget setting process in recent years and further condemns the Labour Party for failing to identify and share their priorities for the City and Council with the citizens of Aberdeen, the Council and staff”.

Councillor Kevin Stewart moved as a further amendment, seconded by Councillor McCaig:-

            “Council notes the decision taken on 15^th December, 2010 and instructs officials to continue dialogue with staff and unions”.

During the summing up process, Councillor John Stewart accepted the terms of Councillor Kevin Stewart’s amendment into his own amendment.

On a division, there voted:-  for the motion (11) – Councillors Adam, Allan, Cassie, Collie, Cooney, Crockett, Graham, Hunter, Ironside, Laing and Young;  for the amendment (25) – Lord Provost Stephen;  Depute Provost Dunbar; and Councillors Corall, Cormack, Cormie, Dean, Donnelly, Fletcher, Greig, Jaffrey, Kiddie, Leslie, McCaig, McDonald, May, Noble, Penny, Reynolds, Jennifer Stewart, John Stewart, Kevin Stewart, Wendy Stuart, John West, Kirsty West and Yuill.  Declined to vote (3):- Councillors Boulton, Farquharson and Milne.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the amendment.

- PETER STEPHEN, Lord Provost.