Agenda, decisions and minutes

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

http://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=504&MId=3458&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 advised that Councillor May had been replaced with Councillor Stuart on the Committee and thanked Councillor May for his contribution on the Committee.

The Convener proposed that items 8.1 and 8.2 of today’s agenda (article 16 of this minute onwards refers) be considered with the press and public excluded.

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 for items 8.1 and 8.2 of the agenda (article 16 of this minute onwards) so as to avoid disclosure of information of the classes described in paragraph 6 of Schedule 7(A) to the Act.

The Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 29 January 2015.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

The Committee had before it a statement of pending and outstanding committee business which had been prepared by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services.

With regards item 1 (Adventure Aberdeen – Fairley Road Field), the Committee heard from Mr Couperwhite who provided an update on the current status of the project.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         in relation to item 1 (Adventure Aberdeen – Fairley Road Field), to note the verbal update provided by the Head of Policy, Performance and Resources; and

(ii)        to otherwise note the updates provided.

With reference to article 4 of the minute of its previous meeting of 29 January 2015, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services and the Head of Finance which advised members of the current year revenue budget to date for the former Education, Culture and Sport service, and outlined any areas of risk, and management action being taken in this regard.

The report recommended –

that the Committee –

(a)       note the report on the near actual figures on the revenue budget and the information on areas of risk and management action that was contained therein; and

(b)       instruct officers to continue to review budget performance and report on service strategies.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which provided information relating to the performance of the Children’s Social Work Service against its agreed indicators.  Appended to the report was an update on associated performance measures.

The report recommended –

that the Committee –

(a)       approve the Children’s Social Work Service performance report; and

(b)       note that work was ongoing to develop a new suite of performance indicators, aligned to the outcomes in the Service’s Business Plan 2014-17.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

(i)                     The proposal by Aberdeen City Council to rezone ground to the north and east of the River Don currently within the Brimmond School zone to a new zone to be created to serve primary education provision in the Grandhome development, with effect from August 2015; and

(ii)                    The proposal to rezone ground within the Middleton Park School zone which lies to the west and north of the current limit of the built up area of Middleton Park to a new zone to be created to serve primary education provision in the Grandhome development, with effect from August 2015.

With reference to article 3 of the minute of the meeting of the former Education, Culture and Sport Committee of 7 February 2013, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which detailed the outcome of the statutory consultation on the proposals to (a) rezone ground to the north and east of the River Don currently within the Brimmond School zone to a new zone to be created to serve primary education provision in the Grandhome development, with effect from August 2015; and (b) rezone the ground within the Middleton Park School zone which lies to the west and north of the current limit of the built up area of Middleton Park to a new zone to be created to serve primary education provision in the Grandhome development, with effect from August 2015.

The report recommended –

that the Committee agree to implement proposals (a) and (b) above and to instruct officers to make the necessary arrangements to ensure successful implementation in time for the start of the academic session 2015/2016 in August 2015.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

With reference to article 13 of the minute of the meeting of the former Education, Culture and Sport Committee of 21 November 2013, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which sought approval to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the SEEMiS Group LLP (the provider of our schools’ Management Information System) and South Lanarkshire Council, and a subsequent legally-enforceable guarantee to South Lanarkshire Council, which required the Council to commit to contributing to any unfunded costs in relation to the LLP’s membership of the Local Government Pension scheme.

The report recommended –

that the Committee approve the Council’s entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with South Lanarkshire Council and the SEEMiS Group LLP, and a subsequent legally-enforceable guarantee to South Lanarkshire Council, which MOU and guarantee would require the Council to indemnify South Lanarkshire Council on a proportionate basis in relation to any unfunded costs (exit liabilities) which might arise with regard to the LLP’s membership of the Local Government Pension scheme (LGPS).

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.

Full Council approved the recommendations contained in the report.

With reference to article 9 of the minute of the meeting of Council of 4 March 2014, the Committee had before it, by way of a remit, a report from the Director of Education and Children’s Services which provided a summary of the outcome of the Care Inspectorate’s report on the Joint Inspection of Services for children and young people in the Aberdeen City Community Planning Partnership area.

The report recommended:-

that Council note the outcome of the Care Inspectorate’s report on the Joint Inspection of Services to children and young people.

The Council resolved:-

(a)       to approve the recommendation;

(b)       to congratulate all staff involved for their work; and

(c)        to refer the report to the Education and Children’s Services Committee for further consideration.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to note the outcome of the Care Inspectorate’s report on the Joint Inspection of Services to children and young people;

(ii)        to congratulate the Director and all staff involved for their work; and

(iii)       to request the service to report back on progress on the joint action plan to the Committee at its meeting on 3 September 2015.

At this juncture the external members of the Committee departed.

With reference to article 5 of the minute of its previous meeting of 29 January 2015, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which presented applications for financial assistance from various sporting organisations and individuals.

The report recommended –

that the Committee –

(a)       consider the applications through the club development grants and approve the following recommendations:

(b)       consider the applications through the talented athletes grant programme and approve the following recommendations:

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Councillor Lesley Dunbar declared an interest in the subject matter of the following article of business by virtue of her involvement with Aberdeen Woman’s Alliance and withdrew from the meeting prior to consideration of this item.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which presented recommendations for the allocation of cultural awards- project funding.

The report recommended –

that the Committee approve the allocation of cultural awards – project funding as detailed within the report.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which sought approval for the proposed changes to the charging methodology for Adventure Aberdeen to come into effect from 1 April 2015.

The report recommended –

that the Committee -

(a)       approve the charging methodology as set out in Appendix 1 of the report;

(b)       agree that the new charges be implemented from 1 April 2015; and

(c)        note the contents of the report.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

With reference to article 7 of the minute of its previous meeting of 29 January 2015, the Committee had before it a report by the transitional Director of Social Care and Wellbeing and the Head of Finance which advised members of the current year revenue budget to date for the former Social Care and Wellbeing service, and outlined any areas of risk, and management action being taken in this regard.

The report recommended –

that the Committee –

(a)       note the report on the forecast outturn on the revenue budget and the information on areas of risk and management action that was contained therein; and

(b)       instruct officers to continue to review budget performance and report on service strategies.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Committee had before it a report by the transitional Director of Social Care and Wellbeing which provided information relating to the performance of the Adult Social Work Service against its agreed indicators.  Appended to the report was an update on associated performance measures.

The report recommended –

that the Committee –

(a)       approve the Adult Social Work performance report; and

(b)       note that work was ongoing to develop a new suite of performance indicators, aligned to the outcomes in the Service’s Business Plan 2014-17.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

EXEMPT INFORMATION

In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1988 (principle 1), the press and public were excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item.

With reference to article 10 of this minute, the Committee had before it an appendix which contained further details of the applications for financial assistance from individuals under the age of 16.

The Committee resolved:-

to note that this item was considered earlier on today’s agenda (article 10 refers).

EXEMPT BUSINESS

In accordance with the decision taken at article 2 of this minute, the following item of business was considered with the press and public excluded.

DECLARATIONs OF INTEREST

The Convener declared an interest in the subject matter of the following article by virtue of her position as a Council appointed Board member of Garthdee Alpine Sports Board.  The Convener chose to remain in the meeting as Garthdee Alpine Sports had a specific exclusion in terms of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct.

Councillor Boulton declared an interest in the subject matter of the following article by virtue of her position as a Council appointed Board member of Sport Aberdeen.  Councillor Boulton chose to remain in the meeting as Sport Aberdeen had a specific exclusion in terms of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which sought approval for the Garthdee Alpine Sports Business Plan for 2015/2016.

The report recommended –

that the Committee –

(a)       note the contents of the report; and

(b)       approve the Garthdee Alpine Sports Business Plan for 2015/2016.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Councillor Boulton declared an interest in the subject matter of the following article by virtue of her position as a Council appointed Board member of Sport Aberdeen.  Councillor Boulton chose to remain in the meeting as Sport Aberdeen had a specific exclusion in terms of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which sought approval for the Sport Aberdeen Business Plan for 2015/2016.

The report recommended –

that the Committee –

(a)       note the contents of the report; and

(b)       approve the Sport Aberdeen Business Plan for 2015/2016.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

- COUNCILLOR ANGELA TAYLOR, CONVENER