Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be found at:-

https://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=334&MId=6062&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 Council minute and this document will not be retrospectively altered.

In terms of Standing Order 28(6)(vi) of the Council’s Standing Orders from 2014, which had been retained, and in accordance with Section 50(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the Committee was informed that it had to determine (1) that the items on the agenda were of an urgent nature; and (2) that the Committee required to consider the items and take decisions thereon.

The Committee resolved:-

to agree that all items on the agenda were of an urgent nature and required to be considered this day to allow decisions to be taken at the earliest opportunity.

The Committee was requested to determine that the following item of business, which contained exempt information as described in Schedule 7(A) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, be taken in private:-

·           Waste Management Services Contract - Management Board and Third Party Recyclate

The Committee resolved:-

in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the aforementioned item so as to avoid disclosure of exempt information of the class described in paragraph 9 of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

Councillor Duncan declared an interest in relation to the Year of Young People Cultural Award Programme item (Article 4 of this minute refers) by virtue of having been a Council appointed Trustee to Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF), however she had recently resigned. Councillor Duncan did not consider that the nature of her interest required her to leave the meeting.

Councillor Boulton declared an interest in relation to the same item by virtue of her position as a Council appointed Trustee to AIYF. Councillor Boulton considered that the nature of her interest required her to leave the meeting and take no part in the Committee’s deliberations thereon.

In accordance with Article 3 of this minute, Councillor Boulton left the meeting prior to consideration of the following item of business, and Councillor Malik joined the meeting as her substitute.

With reference to Article 12 of the minute of meeting of Council of 11 December 2017, and Article 13 of the minute of meeting of the Finance, Policy and Resources Committee of 6 December 2017, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which sought approval to commit £100,000 for a Year of Young People funding Award Programme for the financial year 2018/19.

The report had been referred to Council for consideration by eight members of the Finance, Policy and Resources Committee in terms of Standing Order 31.1 following its decision to approve a sum of £100,000 from contingencies or reserves within the Council’s 2017/18 budget for a Year of Young People Cultural Award Programme to be made available from 1 January 2018 to coincide with the event.

The Vice Convener moved, seconded by Councillor Houghton:-

That the Committee approve a sum of £100,000 from contingencies or reserves within the Council’s 2017/18 budget for a Year of Young People Cultural Award Programme to be made available from 1 January 2018 to coincide with the event.

Councillor Flynn moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Nicoll:-

            That the Committee -

(1)      note that the AIYF has been an important part of Aberdeen’s cultural offering for many years;

(2)      note the long term relationship that exists between Aberdeen City Council and AIYF and the importance of maintaining the good brand name of the organisation and the close cultural aspirations of both organisations that have promoted many decades of local, national and international acclaim;

(3)      recognise that AIYF faces substantial reorganisation in the transition to operate as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) to assist in improving the governance and delivery of the organisation’s ambitious aspirations for the future;

(4)      note the AIYF draft Business Plan and additional documents submitted to the Head of Education and Inclusion on 29 September and ask that a final Business Plan, taking account of the above, is resubmitted to the Head of Education and Inclusion once approved by the AIYF Board of Trustees;

(5)      note that the Council is supportive of continued funding being made available to AIYF as part of the budget setting process for the year 2018/19 in the sum of £100,000 in order to assist the organisation to transition to a SCIO and seek alternative funding streams that will ensure their continued success as a self-sufficient model;

(6)      note that the Council is supportive of continued funding being made available to AIYF as part of the budget setting process for the year 2019/20 in the sum of £75,000 for the reason outlined at (5) above;

(7)      recognise that AIYF must move to a position where it does not rely on funding from the Council to support its core activities;

(8)      should the Chief Executive of AIYF be agreeable, to invite them to a future meeting of the Finance, Policy and Resources Committee in order that they may provide feedback of the completed transformation of the organisation;

(9)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

With reference to Article 21 of the minute of meeting of Council of 21 June 2017, the Committee had before it a report by the Interim Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure which advised of progress in the development of a Low Emission Feasibility Study and the national Low Emission Zone (LEZ) regime.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

(a)          instruct the Interim Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure to continue to progress the Low Emission Feasibility Study in accordance with the methodology detailed in the Technical Guidance and prescribed timescales and continue to inform the Council of the study outcomes at prescribed stages of the assessment process; and

(b)          instruct the Interim Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure to inform the Council of the implications of any new legislation, national policy and guidance relating to LEZs and air quality as they are published.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

With reference to Article 23 of the minute of meeting of Council of 14 December 2016, the Committee had before it a report by the Interim Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure which sought approval for a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to be made to facilitate the construction of the Berryden Corridor Improvement and for the necessary consents to deliver the project.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

(a)          resolve to make a CPO and instruct the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to implement the statutory procedures following on from the making of the Order; and

(b)          instruct the Head of Planning and Sustainable Development to apply for all necessary consents to progress the project.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)           to approve recommendation (a); and

(ii)          to instruct the Roads Projects Team Leader to apply for all necessary consents to progress the project.

“That this Council (1) pledges its support to the Active Aberdeen Partnership’s campaign to Activate the City making 2018 the Year of an Active City; and (2) underlines its commitment to helping people take part in physical activity and sport, creating better lifestyles and improving wellbeing through being active more often.

For the Activate the City campaign to succeed, the commitment of everyone with the power to support transformational change is needed.

Local leaders and champions are needed to help transform physical activity and sport engagement in their city, neighbourhood and workplace; from strategic leaders to parents, teachers, friends and colleagues in every community.

Leaders across the system, in all sectors, can support the ambition to Activate the City and make Aberdeen the most active city in Scotland by 2020, by helping establish an active culture and making personal and organisational commitments to change.

Activate the City is set to be a transformational campaign; the beginning of a ground-breaking strategy that sets to improve the health and wellbeing of the local population for years to come.”

#activatethecity

The Committee had before it the following notice of motion by Councillors Laing and Lumsden:-

“That this Council (1) pledges its support to the Active Aberdeen Partnership’s campaign to Activate the City making 2018 the Year of an Active City; and (2) underlines its commitment to helping people take part in physical activity and sport, creating better lifestyles and improving wellbeing through being active more often.

For the Activate the City campaign to succeed, the commitment of everyone with the power to support transformational change is needed.

Local leaders and champions are needed to help transform physical activity and sport engagement in their city, neighbourhood and workplace; from strategic leaders to parents, teachers, friends and colleagues in every community.

Leaders across the system, in all sectors, can support the ambition to Activate the City and make Aberdeen the most active city in Scotland by 2020, by helping establish an active culture and making personal and organisational commitments to change.

Activate the City is set to be a transformational campaign; the beginning of a ground-breaking strategy that sets to improve the health and wellbeing of the local population for years to come.”

#activatethecity

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the notice of motion.

In accordance with the decision recorded under Article 2 of this minute, the following item was considered with the press and public excluded.

The Council had before it a report by the Interim Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure which sought approval of various matters relating to the Waste Management Services Contract between the Council and Suez Recycling and Recovery North East Ltd to enable the effective and efficient management of the contract, and for commercial opportunities to be pursued in relation to the Materials Recycling Facility plant at Altens East.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

(a)          appoint the Head of Public Instructure and Environment to fill a vacancy on the management board established under the Waste Management Services Contract between the Council and Suez Recycling and Recovery North East Ltd, effective immediately, and note the Interim Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure will continue to represent the Council on the management board with both representatives acting in line with their existing delegated powers;

(b)          approve the delegations of authority to the Head of Public Infrastructure and Environment as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report for the duration of the Waste Management Services Contract between the Council and Suez Recycling and Recovery North East Ltd;

(c)          delegate authority to the Head of Public Infrastructure and Environment following consultation with the Head of Finance, the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services and the Convener of the Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee, to negotiate and conclude the variations necessary to the Waste Management Services Contract in relation to the acceptance of third party recyclate at Altens East Plant provided that the nature of those variations results in a net reduction of the Council’s operational costs of the Altens East Plant; and

(d)          delegate authority to the Head of Public Infrastructure and Environment following consultation with the Head of Finance, the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services and the Convener of the Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee, to give Suez consent to bid for (i) the inclusion of the Altens East Plant on framework agreements for waste recycling services; and (ii) individual contracts to provide waste recycling services to third parties (i.e. other local authorities or commercial entities) using the Altens East Plant to process the recyclate, as and when such opportunities arise, contingent upon the variation to the Waste Services Contract mentioned in (c) above having been concluded.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

- JENNIFER LAING, Convener.