Agenda, decisions and minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be found at the following link: http://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=144&MId=2913&Ver=4

Please note that if any changes are made to this minute at the point of approval, these will be outlined in the subsequent minute and this document will not be retrospectively altered.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which presented the vision statement for the Hazlehead Grove Nursery Project which would be used in various campaigns, promotions and media statements as the project progressed.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve the vision statement for the project.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee are asked to approve the Community Engagement Plan for the Hazlehead Grove Nursery Project.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which provided details of the Community Engagement Plan for the Hazlehead Grove Nursery Project which aimed to generate interest city wide from community groups and to encourage them to be involved with the development and use of the site.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve the Community Engagement Plan for the Hazlehead Grove Nursery Project.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to request officers to provide a report in twelve months time (1) outlining the lessons learnt with the project and (2) to identify whether there were other areas across the City to expand on the project;

(ii)      to otherwise approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee are asked to approve the proposals for dividing the current site at Hazlehead Grove Nursery.  Please note that a map showing the areas will be available at the meeting.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which presented the proposals for dividing the Hazlehead Grove Nursery Site.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve the site division proposals contained within the report and the supporting site plans.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation in the report.

With reference to article 9 of the minute of its meeting of 14 January 2014, the Committee had before it a joint report by the Director of Housing and Environment and the Director of Corporate Governance which provided a status report for the 2013/14 Housing Capital Programme as at 31 December 2013 and summarised both income and expenditure in this regard.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

(a)      note the financial information contained within the report;

(b)      instruct that the Head of Finance continues to update the Committee in consultation with the Director for Housing and Environment on the actual outturn position for 2013/14 following completion of the year end statutory accounts; and

(c)      approve the virements outlined in appendix 2 to the report.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

With reference to article 10 of the minute of its meeting of 14 January 2014, the Committee hade before it a joint report by the Director of Housing and Environment and the Director of Corporate Governance which advised on the current year revenue budget performance to date for the services which relate to this Committee and any areas of risk management action.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee-

(a)      note the report and the information on management action and risks that is contained therein;

(b)      instruct officers to report the year end position to the appropriate committee; and

(c)      approve the request to earmark £400k from the 2013/14 under spend for 2014/15 to spend on environmental improvements linked to Aberdeen’s Greenspace Strategy and In Bloom agenda.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that the money earmarked as at recommendation (iii) would be used for improving areas across the city and that the suggestions made from elected members and the local community would be considered as part of the improvement plan for the projects; and

(ii)      to otherwise approve the recommendations contained in the report.

With reference to article 11 of the minute of its meeting of 14 January 2014, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure which advised on the capital spend to date for the Housing and Environment projects included in the Non-Housing Capital Programme.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the current position.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

Declaration of Interest

Councillor Delaney declared an interest in the subject matter of the following article by virtue of his position as Chairperson of Grampian Housing Association and chose to withdraw from the meeting during this item of business.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which sought agreement on the provision of grant assistance to Grampian Housing Association to help deliver a housing development at Hopetoun Grange.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)        approve a grant of up to £261,734 to enable the provision of 16 social rent units;

(b)        approve that the grant be paid from developer contributions received from Section 75 obligations; and

(c)        note that the approval of the grant would contribute to the Strategic Infrastructure Plan target of 2,030 new affordable houses by 2017.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

With reference to article 12 of the minute of its meeting on 14 January 2014, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which provided an update on the actions being taken to implement targets for the management of rent arrears and in particular those tenants with 13 weeks or more of rent arrears.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the content of the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         that a letter be submitted to the Justice Minister expressing the concerns of the Committee relating to the number of cases currently being heard in court in any one week and the potential that this number is reduced and the effect that this would have on tenants incurring further debt; and

(ii)        to otherwise approve the recommendation in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which sought approval to set the revised Houses in Multiple Occupation Licensing Fees from 1 April 2014.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee implement the new fee structure for the period of 2014/15 as set out in the following table, which shows a 10% reduction on the 2013/14 fees:

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which provided information on the review of priorities for Response Repairs.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve the proposed changes to the priorities for response repairs as set out in the Review of Priorities for Response Repairs as contained in appendix A and allow the allocation of each priority to the corresponding repair categories, those being:

·        Amendment of the repair priorities

-        Emergency (4 hours)

-        Urgent (24 hours) – New

-        High (3 days)

-        Non-Emergency (5 days) – New

-        Routine (10 days)

·       Allocate relevant repair categories to each of the priorities listed above to ensure each priority reflects the level of priority required i.e. emergency means anything which may affect tenants’ safety or cause significant damage to the fabric of the building.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which sought approval for the procurement of 200 handheld devices (smartphones) under an appropriate framework agreement which were to be used by trades operatives within Building Services as a replacement for the current devices being used.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve the procurement of 200 handheld devices (smartphones) under an appropriate framework agreement or other appropriate tendering process to be used by trades operatives within the Council’s Building Services in replacement of existing devices which would entail a total estimated expenditure of up to £148,000.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which (1) presented the revised Food Regulatory Service Plan as contained in Appendix A as required by the Food Standards Agency’s Framework Agreement and (2) contained the improvement plan for the forthcoming year.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

(a)      approve in principle the maintenance and development of food regulatory services necessary to satisfy the requirements of the Food Standards Agency Framework Agreement;

(b)      approve the Food Regulatory Service Plan 2014/15 as set out in appendix A to the report; and

(c)      note the review of the 2012/2013 Food Regulatory Service Plan as set out in appendix A to the report.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which presented the Occupational Health and Safety Intervention Plan which outlined the Environmental Health Service’s proposals for delivering the occupational safety and health regulatory service for 2014/15.

The report recommended:

that the Committee approve the Occupational Health and Safety Intervention Plan for 2014/15 and to instruct the Director of Housing and Environment to make arrangements for its implementation.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which presented the revised Aberdeen City Waste Strategy 2010-2025.

The report recommended:

that the Committee approves the revised Aberdeen City Waste Strategy 2014-2025 and recommends it to the Finance, Policy and Resources Committee for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which provided an update on existing recycling services, proposed schemes over the next year and the impact they would have upon the effective messaging of increasing recycling performance.

The report recommended:

that the Committee note the implications of the report and instruct officers to arrange a members’ briefing session to explain the changing services.

Councillor Finlayson requested whether clear signage or other methods could be provided at recycling centres to indicate what can and cannot be recycled, whereupon the Head of Service advised that this would be looked into.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to request officers to consider the use of clear signage or other methods to assist people to know what they could or could not recycle; and

(ii)      to otherwise approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which established the legal positioning of Aberdeen Coty Council in relation to installation of food waste and recycling facilities on land not owned by the Council.

The report recommended:

That the Committee approve the use, as a last resort, of legislative notices to ensure all residents are treated equally in the provision of food waste collection and recycling services.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which advised on the progress of the first year of the Programme of Play Area Refurbishment Works.

The report recommended:

That the Committee -

(a)      acknowledge the success of this year’s refurbishment programme; and

(b)      agree that the Service should continue the rolling programme of play area refurbishment as detailed within the report.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which provided an update on Aberdeen’s In Bloom campaign for the year ahead which included participation in Britain in Bloom 2014.

The report recommended:

that the Committee -

(a)      note the content of the report; and

(b)      request a further report to Committee at its meeting in Autumn 2014, with an update on Aberdeen in Bloom campaigns in 2014.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

- NEIL COONEY, Convener.