Agenda, decisions and minutes

(A)          Councillor Alex Nicoll noted that one of the Town Sergeants had been in hospital getting major surgery and was due to be getting out soon; and requested that the Council pass on its good wishes.

The Council resolved:-

to concur with the remarks of Councillor Alex Nicoll.

(B)          The Lord Provost acknowledged the recent passing of former Councillor Norman Collie and advised that he hoped to attend his forthcoming funeral.

The Council resolved:-

to express condolences to the family of former Councillor Collie.

Councillor Duncan declared an interest in relation to agenda item 10.1 (Notice of Motion by the Lord Provost) by virtue of her employment by the National Health Service. Councillor Duncan did not consider that the nature of her interest required her to leave the meeting.

Councillor Houghton also declared interests in relation to agenda item 10.1 by reason of his position as a Council appointed Non Executive member of the Board of NHS Grampian, and as the spouse of a doctor. Councillor Houghton did not consider that the nature of his interests required him to leave the meeting.

Councillor McRae also declared an interest in relation to agenda item 10.1 by virtue of his employment by the Scottish Ambulance Service. Councillor McRae did not consider that the nature of his interest required him to leave the meeting.

The Council had before it the minute of meeting of Aberdeen City Council of 21 June 2021.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the minute. 

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

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to note that the Gaelic Language Plan 2021-2026 was being dealt with by officers under delegated powers, and to therefore delete the item from the business planner; and

(ii)           otherwise to note the business planner.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Executive which presented the Accounts Commission’s report published on 24 June 2021 following Audit Scotland’s Best Value Audit of the Council.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)           note that the Accounts Commission’s scheduled full Best Value audit of the Council was not delayed due to the pandemic and thank officers for supporting the audit, whilst also dealing with the Council’s response to the pandemic;

(b)           note the progress made with the recommendations from the 2015 Best Value Assurance Report, outlined in exhibit 14, and welcome the positive commentary in relation to the Council’s:-

·       robust financial management arrangements, including effective monitoring and reporting and medium-term financial planning;

·       strong, effective, and well-established governance arrangements receiving external recognition;

·       ongoing transformation programme including the adoption of a new operating model;

·       reflection of the clear and ambitious vision for Aberdeen articulated in the Local Outcome Improvement Plan within the annual planning cycle; and

·       delivery of key services and savings targets concurrent with the delivery of major capital projects;

(c)           further welcome the positive commentary contained within the Best Value audit and the external audit of the Council’s financial statements (2020/21), considered by the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Committee at its most recent meeting, in terms of the Council’s response to the pandemic;

(d)           accept the findings of the Accounts Commission and note the action plan at appendix A which included both existing and emerging actions, to be monitored by the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Committee in accordance with its Terms of Reference; and

(e)           note that extensive improvement and transformation activity was underway as detailed in the report, for both education and housing and note that the 2021 SQA attainment data evidenced significant improvement as detailed in the report appendix.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Council had before it a report by the Director of Commissioning which advised of the applicants for the vacancy of Third Religious Representative on the Education Operational Delivery Committee and requested that an appointment be made to the role.

The report recommended:-

that Council -

(a)           note the details of the five applications contained in section 3.6 of the report; and

(b)           having regard to the comparative strength of all the churches and denominational bodies having duly constituted charges or other regularly appointed places of worship within the city, and taking into account the two appointments already made, make an appointment from those applications to the vacancy of third religious representative on the Education Operational Delivery Committee with immediate effect, subject to a satisfactory Disclosure Scotland check being undertaken.

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to note the details of the five applications contained in section 3.6 of the report; and

(ii)           having regard to the comparative strength of all the churches and denominational bodies having duly constituted charges or other regularly appointed places of worship within the city, and taking into account the two appointments already made, to appoint Mr Madhav Regmi to the vacancy of third religious representative on the Education Operational Delivery Committee with immediate effect, subject to a satisfactory Disclosure Scotland check being undertaken.

That this Council records its support for the UK’s annual national ‘Emergency Services Day’ which is held on 9^th September and which is supported by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; and that this Council places on record its sincere appreciation for the two million people who work and volunteer in the NHS and emergency services today. That this Council agrees to fly the official flag of the ‘Emergency Services Day’ above the Town House on 9^th September each year to mark 999 Day.

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

“That this Council records its support for the UK’s annual national ‘Emergency Services Day’ which is held on 9^th September and which is supported by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; and that this Council places on record its sincere appreciation for the two million people who work and volunteer in the NHS and emergency services today. That this Council agrees to fly the official flag of the ‘Emergency Services Day’ above the Town House on 9^th September each year to mark 999 Day.”

The Council resolved:-

to approve the notice of motion.