Agenda, decisions and minutes

(A)       The Depute Provost advised that the Lord Provost was unable to be in attendance due to the recent passing of his mother, and expressed his deepest sympathy on behalf of the Council.

            (B)       The Depute Provost extended his congratulations to Councillor Jackie Dunbar on becoming Leader of the SNP Group, and wished her well in her new role.

The Chief Executive advised that she had appeared before the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland on 12 May 2015 alongside Pete Leonard, Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure, and Mark Reilly, Head of Public Infrastructure and Environment, in the latest stage of a public inquiry into the Council’s goods operator’s licence.

She explained that Joan Aitken, the Traffic Commissioner, recognised that the Council had made significant progress since an earlier hearing in December 2014 but she noted that more needed to be done.  The Council was asked to present evidence to demonstrate that vehicles were being maintained and that measures were in place to meet the requirements of the licence.

The Commissioner had been told that a root and branch review of the service had been carried out since the initial inquiry and that an external team of experienced consultants had been appointed at the outset of the process.  At the time of the initial inquiry, the Traffic Commissioner reduced the number of vehicles on the Council's licence from 124 to 111, and this restriction remained in place.

A number of improvements were already in place, and steps had been taken to ensure that the Council continued to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service at a rapid pace.  All procedures and policies had been reviewed to ensure that the Council was compliant with its operator’s licence, that the procedures were fit for purpose and to ensure appropriate checks and audit systems were in place.  The Council would continue to review and monitor those procedures to ensure that they were working effectively.

At the conclusion of the session, the Traffic Commissioner advised that no further action would be taken but that she would continue to monitor progress in the future.  The Chief Executive welcomed the Commissioner’s findings, however it was not her intention for the Council to become complacent.

The Chief Executive concluded by putting on record her personal thanks to all staff for the significant progress that had been made in a short period of time.  She also thanked the trade unions for their co-operation and support, and Mark Reilly in particular for his significant leadership, adding that he had not only driven forward the compliance issues but had also been striving to realise the goal of making the service an exemplar of best practice.

The Council resolved:-

(i)         to note the position; and

(ii)        to thank the relevant officers and trade unions for their work in this area.

(A)       The persons undermentioned were admitted into the presence of the Council and passed as Burgesses of Guild in respect of their respective Acts of Admission in the Guild Burgess Book:-

Duncan Fraser, Chartered Accountant, Aberdeen

William John McCafferty, Chartered Financial Planner, Aberdeen

Colin F Morgan, Financial Adviser, Aberdeen

Mark Shaw, Funeral Director, Aberdeen

David Anderson Suttie, Retired Banker, Aberdeen

(B)       The persons undermentioned were admitted into the presence of the Council and passed as Burgesses of Guild by right of their father’s/mother’s status as a Free Burgess:-

Ian Alexander McKinnon, Police Inspector, Aberdeen

James Alexander Stuart Reid, Maintenance and Reliability Analyst, Aberdeen

(C)       The person undermentioned was admitted into the presence of the Council and passed as a Burgess of the Burgh of Aberdeen of his own craft only:-

Neil Anthony Armour, Weaver, Aberdeen

The Council had before it the minute of meeting of Aberdeen City Council of 5 February 2015.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the minute.

The Council had before it the minute of meeting of Aberdeen City Council of 4 March 2015.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the minute.

The Council had before it the minute of the special meeting of Aberdeen City Council of 5 March 2015.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the minute.

The Council had before it the minute of the special meeting of Aberdeen City Council of 12 March 2015.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the minute.

The Council had before it the minute of meeting of the Urgent Business Committee of 2 April 2015.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the minute.

The Council had before it a statement of Council business which had been prepared by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services.

The Council resolved:-

(i)         to instruct officers to submit reports to Council on the Corporate Parenting Champions Board and Sistema Partnership Board (item 3) before the matter could be removed from the business statement; and

(ii)        otherwise to note the statement.

The Council had before it a list of outstanding motions which had been prepared by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services.

The Council resolved:-

to note the motions list.

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

Councillors Thomson and Young declared interests in relation to the following item of business, and considered that the nature of their interests required them to leave the meeting and take no part in the deliberations thereon.

Planning Reference - 141026

The documents associated with this application can be found at:-

http://planning.aberdeencity.gov.uk/PlanningDetail.asp?ref=141026

The Council had before it a report by the Head of Planning and Sustainable Development which recommended:-

That the Council express a willingness to approve the application for planning permission in principle for the proposed development of a country house hotel comprising approximately 200 bedrooms, spa, swimming pool, function and conference facilities, restaurants and equestrian centre on the Hayfield site, associated car parking and alterations to access roads, subject to the conditions listed below, and also subject to referral to Scottish Ministers and permission to be withheld pending the securing of developer contributions towards upgrading of access roads and paths, recreational and wildlife enhancements to Hazlehead Park, public bus services and the Strategic Transport Fund.  This would also ensure the provision of facilities including the swimming pool, spa, restaurants, banqueting/conference facilities and equestrian centre and that these facilities be open to the public as well as hotel guests.

(1)  That no development on either site A or site B pursuant to the planning permission in principle hereby approved shall be carried out until such time as a further application or applications has/have been made to the planning authority for approval of the matters specified in the conditions attached to this planning approval relating to that site that require the further agreement of the planning authority prior to the commencement of development and such approval has been granted; (2) That this planning permission in principle shall lapse unless all further application(s) for approval of the matters specified in conditions attached to this grant of planning permission in principle have been made before whichever is the latest of the following (i) the expiration of three years from the date of this grant of planning permission in principle; (ii) the expiration of six months from the date on which an earlier application for the requisite approval of matters specified in conditions was refused; or (iii) the expiration of six months from the date on which an appeal against such refusal was dismissed; (3) That this planning permission in principle shall lapse on the expiration of two years from the approval of matters specified in conditions being obtained (or, in the case of approval of different matters on different dates, from the requisite approval for the last such matter being obtained) unless the development to which the permission relates is begun before that expiration; (4) That no development pursuant to the planning permission in principle hereby approved shall be carried out for either site A or B until such time as further applications have been made relating to that site to the planning authority for approval of the matters specified in the conditions relating to (i) means of access; (ii) siting; (iii) design and external appearance of the building(s); and (iv) the landscaping of the site; (5) That the development shall not take place unless a traffic management plan for access to the development at site A and B has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Executive which presented the recommendation of the Electoral Boundaries Task Group in relation to the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland’s proposals for wards in the Aberdeen City Council area under the 5^th Reviews of Electoral Arrangements.

The report recommended:-

that the Council agree the proposals for wards in the Aberdeen City Council area presented in March 2015 by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.

The Council had before it a report by the Interim Director of Corporate Governance which presented the diary of meetings for 2016 for approval.

The report recommended:-

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

The Council resolved:-

to approve the Council diary for 2016 as appended to the report.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Executive which advised of changes to previously agreed appointments and sought new appointments.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)       note Councillor Jennifer Stewart’s resignation from the board of Aberdeen Performing Arts and agree the appointment of a replacement representative;

(b)       note former Councillor Blackman’s resignation from the Aberdeen International Football Festival Trust and agree not to appoint a replacement representative; and

(c)        note the two vacancies on the Aberdeen International Youth Festival Trust and agree the appointment of replacement representatives.

There was circulated an addendum to the report which noted former Councillor McCaig’s resignation from the Council and sought the appointment of a Convener of the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Committee.

The Council resolved:-

(i)         to note Councillor Jennifer Stewart’s resignation from the board of Aberdeen Performing Arts and to appoint Councillor Malone in her place;

(ii)        to note former Councillor Blackman’s resignation from the Aberdeen International Football Festival Trust and agree not to appoint a replacement representative; and

(iii)       to note former Councillor McCaig’s resignation from the Council and to appoint Councillor Jackie Dunbar as Convener of the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Committee.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Executive which sought permission to approach the Scottish Government to confirm the suspension of the operation of the Aberdeen City Council Drinking in Public Places Byelaw 2009, to permit the responsible consumption of alcohol within the boundaries of the Duthie Park for BP Big Screens, Don Giovani, on 3 July 2015.

The report recommended:-

that the Council instruct the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to carry out the necessary advertising of the proposed suspension, and request confirmation from the Scottish Government that the Aberdeen City Council Drinking in Public Places Byelaw 2009 be suspended within the boundaries of the Duthie Park.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.

With reference to Article 11 of the minute of its meeting of 25 June 2014, the Council had before it a report by the Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure which advised of a letter that had been sent to Michael Matheson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice, requesting financial support for an outreach worker to tackle the issue of street begging and to further assist with the comprehensive street begging strategy.

The report recommended:-

that the Council note the content of the letter sent to the Scottish Government, and the approaches being taken by the Council and its partners to address street begging.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.

There was circulated a revised version of the report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which set out the proposed roles, remit and membership of a short life working group to be established to commission a memorial to the fishing industry.

The Council resolved:-

to note that the report had been withdrawn.

The Council had before it a report by the Interim Director of Corporate Governance which put forward proposals for the reorganisation of the John Murdoch Henderson Bequest managed by the Council within a charitable trust.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)       adopt the revised constitution, as at appendix A to the report, for the future operation of the John Murdoch Henderson Bequest;

(b)       appoint the Head of Finance as treasurer and the Head of Legal and Democratic Services as secretary to the trust;

(c)        agree to the subscription of the Freegal Music Service for two years at a cost of approximately £19,000 and the Naxos Music Service for three years at a cost of approximately £7,200;

(d)       agree for the remaining trust funds to be used for the purchase of music selected by the Library and Information Services Manager; and

(e)       agree to wind up the trust once trust funds had been expended on the above purposes.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

- JOHN REYNOLDS, Depute Provost