Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor Mason MSP declared a general interest by virtue of his position as Member of the Scottish Parliament for North East Scotland.

The Council had before it the minute of meeting of Aberdeen City Council of 10 September 2018.

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 transfer item 5 (Foster Care Fees and Allowances) to the Operational Delivery Committee;

(ii)          to note that item 7 (The Final Straw) would be delayed to the Council meeting on 4 March 2019; and

(iii)         to otherwise note the content of the business planner.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Governance which presented a proposed calendar of Council and Committee meetings for May to December 2019 for approval.

The report recommended:-

that the Council approve the proposed calendar of meetings from May to December 2019 as set out in Appendix 1.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the calendar of meetings from May to December 2019, as set out in Appendix 1, subject to amending the Public Protection Committee meetings to reflect a 10.00am start, and noting that the Council meeting on 24 June 2019 would start at 10.30am.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Governance which sought a nomination to the Visit Aberdeenshire Board for a substitute Aberdeen City Council member.

The report recommended:-

that the Council nominate one substitute member to be appointed to the Visit Aberdeenshire Board as the Aberdeen City Council named substitute.

The Council resolved:-

to nominate Councillor Boulton to be appointed to the Visit Aberdeenshire Board as the Aberdeen City Council named substitute.

The Council had before it a report by the Director of Resources which provided an update on the Treasury Management activities undertaken to date during the financial year 2018/19.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)          consider and note the Treasury Management activities undertaken in the 2018/19 financial year as detailed in the report; and

(b)          approve the Council’s Counterparty list as detailed at Appendix 1.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Council had before it a report by the Director of Customer Services which presented the Fairer Aberdeen Fund Annual Report 2017-18.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)          note the Annual Report for 2017-18 at Appendix 1 and instruct the Director of Customer Services to report the Council’s feedback to the Fairer Aberdeen Board as appropriate; and

(b)          note that the Fairer Aberdeen Board had carried out a further Participatory Budgeting event during 2018-19.

Councillor Laing moved, seconded by Councillor Lumsden:-

            That the Council -

(1)      approve the recommendations contained within the report;

(2)      commend the work of organisations supported by the Fairer Aberdeen Fund who are providing advice and guidance to those who have been impacted by the roll-out of Universal Credit;

(3)      note that the full roll-out of Universal Credit in Aberdeen took place on 31 October 2018;

(4)      further note that prior to the full roll-out commencing, 462 Council tenants were already in receipt of Universal Credit, with 358 (77.5%) in rent arrears;

(5)      agree that the implementation of Universal Credit presents a risk to the financial security of recipients; and

(6)      instruct the Director of Customer Services to report to the Operational Delivery Committee on 14 March 2019 detailing how many Council tenants are in arrears stating the reasons and whether additional support is necessary in order to prevent those individuals from falling further into financial insecurity.

Councillor Flynn moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Jackie Dunbar:-

            That the Council -

(1)      approve the recommendations contained within the report;

(2)      commend the work of the Tillydrone Community Flat in supporting users who have been impacted by the roll-out of Universal Credit;

(3)      note that the full roll-out of Universal Credit in Aberdeen took place on 31 October 2018;

(4)      further note that prior to the full roll-out commencing, 462 Council tenants were already in receipt of Universal Credit, with 358 (77.5%) in rent arrears;

(5)      agree that the implementation of Universal Credit presents a substantial risk to the financial security of recipients, not least due to the five week delay in claimants being issued with their first payment; and

(6)      instruct the Director of Customer Services to report to the Operational Delivery Committee on 17 January 2019 detailing how many Council tenants, in receipt of Universal Credit, are in arrears and whether additional support is necessary in order to prevent those individuals from falling further into financial insecurity.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (22)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Bell, Boulton, Lesley Dunbar, Duncan, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Imrie, John, Laing, Lumsden, Macdonald, Avril MacKenzie, Malik, Mason MSP, Reynolds, Sellar, Jennifer Stewart and Wheeler.

For the amendment  (22)  -  Councillors Allard, Alphonse, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, Catriona Mackenzie, McLellan, McRae, Nicoll, Noble, Samarai, Sandy Stuart, Townson and Yuill.

There being a tied vote, in terms of Standing Order 31.6, the Lord Provost exercised his casting vote  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which highlighted changes in the licensing requirements for mobile home sites with permanent residents and the need to approve a charging scheme for new applications and site licence renewals.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)          note the new licensing regime; and

(b)          approve the scheme of charges for licence fees detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership (ACHSCP) which presented the ACHSCP Draft Strategic Plan 2019-2022 and invited the Council to contribute to the public consultation on the draft plan.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)          note the Aberdeen City Integration Joint Board Draft Strategic Plan 2019-2022; and

(b)          instruct the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, to submit a consultation response on the draft plan to the Aberdeen City Integration Joint Board on behalf of Aberdeen City Council within the stated timescale.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

“That this Council notes:

1.         The mounting popular concern at the prospect of leaving the EU with either a bad deal or no deal at all.

2.         That 61.1% of people in Aberdeen who voted in the EU referendum voted to remain in EU.

3.         That in May 2018 the Bank of England estimated that households in the UK are already around £900 a year worse off because of lower growth due to Brexit.

4.         The participation of hundreds of thousands of people in “Marches for a People’s Vote” across the UK this year.

5.         That jobs are already moving from the UK to other parts of the EU.

6.         The uncertainty caused for the 2.9 million EU citizens living in the UK and the 1.2 million UK nationals who live elsewhere in the EU.

7.         The support for a “People’s Vote” - a referendum on the terms of any Brexit deal including an option to remain, by organisations including Prospect, TSSA, the Royal College of Midwives, the Royal College of Nursing, the BMA and the NUS.

8.         That, in November 2018, the Scottish Parliament overwhelmingly backed the campaign for a People’s Vote.

That this Council therefore:

1.      Supports the call for a People’s Vote on any final Brexit agreement, with that referendum to include an option to remain in the EU.

2.      Instructs the Chief Executive to write to Aberdeen’s MPs, MSPs and MEPs, asking them to support a People’s Vote for the above reasons.”

The Council had before it the following notice of motion by Councillor Yuill:-

            “That this Council notes:

1.      The mounting popular concern at the prospect of leaving the EU with either a bad deal or no deal at all.

2.      That 61.1% of people in Aberdeen who voted in the EU referendum voted to remain in the EU.

3.      That in May 2018 the Bank of England estimated that households in the UK are already around £900 a year worse off because of lower growth due to Brexit.

4.      The participation of hundreds of thousands of people in “Marches for a People’s Vote” across the UK this year.

5.      That jobs are already moving from the UK to other parts of the EU.

6.      The uncertainty caused for the 2.9 million EU citizens living in the UK and the 1.2 million UK nationals who live elsewhere in the EU.

7.      The support for a “People’s Vote” - a referendum on the terms of any Brexit deal including an option to remain, by organisations including Prospect, TSSA, the Royal College of Midwives, the Royal College of Nursing, the BMA and the NUS.

8.      That, in November 2018, the Scottish Parliament overwhelmingly backed the campaign for a People’s Vote.

That this Council therefore:

1.      Supports the call for a People’s Vote on any final Brexit agreement, with that referendum to include an option to remain in the EU.

2.      Instructs the Chief Executive to write to Aberdeen’s MPs, MSPs and MEPs, asking them to support a People’s Vote for the above reasons.”

Councillor Yuill moved, seconded by Councillor Delaney:-

            That the Council approve the notice of motion.

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

            That the Council -

(1)          note Aberdeen City Council supported remaining in the European Union on 11 May 2016;

(2)          agree that Aberdeen is stronger now and will be stronger in the future economically, politically and socially as a partner within the European Union;

(3)          agree that a no deal scenario would not be in the best interests of the people in Aberdeen, Scotland and the UK;

(4)          instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister and all other Party Leaders at Westminster today, setting out the Council’s position as noted above, asking them to support an immediate general election as a means of resolving the House of Commons impasse on Brexit; and

(5)          agree that, should the House of Commons fail to support the holding of a general election, the Council supports the call for a people’s vote on any final Brexit agreement with that referendum to include an option to remain in the European Union.

Councillor Flynn moved as a second amendment, seconded by Councillor Allard:-

            That the Council approve the notice of motion, subject to the following:-

(1)      insert after 2. -

That a report by the Centre for Cities and the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics states that Aberdeen will be more negatively affected  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.