Agenda and minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be located at the following link:

http://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=439&MId=3583&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 Convener proposed that the Sub Committee consider the report identified on the agenda as being for determination in private with the press and public excluded.

The Sub Committee resolved:-

in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for Article 5 of this minute on the grounds that it was likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the public or press were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 9 of the Act.

The Sub Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 2 December, 2014.

The Sub Committee resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

With reference to article 7 of the minute, Councillor Donnelly advised that the Council was no longer a member of the Zero Waste Task Force due to the withdrawal of the Council as a member of COSLA.  Councillor Donnelly explained that he would keep in touch with any progress on the Zero Waste Strategy and report back as necessary.

Councillor Donnelly also highlighted that he has received various complaints in regards to smell issues in Torry, and he advised that residents were questioning why the new waste site was being built in Torry.  Ros Baxter explained that officers had offered to visit Community Councils in regards to the new site but the offer had not been taken up.  The Convener asked that officers contact Community Councils again in regards to their offer to visit Community Councils to explain the situation and for them to have a site visit to a working plant the same size as the proposed one in Aberdeen.  Councillor Finlayson highlighted his concern in regards to the citizens of Torry and intimated he felt that they had been disillusioned in the past.  In summary, the Convener asked that (1) an offer be made to the Community Councils for an officer from the Council attend to answer any questions, and (2) an offer be made for the Community Council to visit a plant in another area of the country, which would be the same size as the proposed one in Altens.

The Sub Committee had before it a report by the Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure, which sought feedback on the proposed report on Waste Enforcement which was going to the Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee in August 2015.

Members asked a number of questions and asked whether city wardens could be seconded to the proposed positions to avoid further training being undertaken with external candidates.

Members were then asked to feedback to Ros Baxter before the beginning of August with any comments on the report.

The report recommended:-

That the Sub Committee –

(a)       considers the contents of the report; and

(b)       provides feedback to officers on the report in advance of the Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee meeting.

The Sub Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

In accordance with the decision taken at article 1 of this minute, the Sub Committee considered the following item of business with the press and public excluded.

With reference to article 4 of the minute of meeting of 7 October 2014, the Sub Committee had before it a report by the Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure, which provided an update on the progress of the Altens East Element of the Zero Waste Project.

Michael Riley spoke in furtherance of the report and explained that planning applications had been submitted for the site.  He advised that an update would be submitted in due course.

The Convener conveyed her thanks to officers for sticking to the timeline and for all of their hard work and efforts.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the content of the report.

The Sub Committee noted that the next meeting was scheduled for Tuesday 6 October 2015 at 2pm.

- Councillor Jean Morrison MBE – Convener