Agenda and minutes

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

https://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=546&MId=6305&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 Clerk sought nominations for Chairperson of the Joint Committee, whereupon:-

Councillor Argyle, seconded by Sir Ian Wood, moved:-

that Councillor Jenny Laing be appointed as Chairperson of the Joint Committee.

The Joint Committee resolved:-

to appoint Councillor Laing as Chairperson.

At this juncture, Councillor Laing assumed the chair.

The Chairperson then sought nominations for Vice Chairperson of the Joint Committee, whereupon:-

Councillor Lumsden, seconded by Councillor Boulton, moved:-

that Councillor Jim Gifford be appointed as Vice Chairperson of the Joint Committee.

The Joint Committee resolved:-

to appoint Councillor Gifford as Vice Chairperson.

No declarations of interest were submitted in respect of the items on today’s agenda.

The Chairperson proposed that the Committee consider item 10 (Oil and Gas Technology Centre – 18 Month Checkpoint Report – Exempt Appendix) and an additional report at item 11 (City Region Deal Digital Resourcing) 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 from item 10 of the agenda so as to avoid disclosure of information of the classes described in the following paragraphs of Schedule 7(A) to the Act:- article 11 (paragraph 6) and article 12 (paragraph 8) of this minute.

The Joint Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 9 February 2018, for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

Please note that appendix 2 is located within the Exempt Section of this agenda

The Joint Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – City Growth, Aberdeen City Council which provided an update on the progress of the Oil and Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) against its original 18 month checkpoint.

The report recommended:-

That the Joint Committee note the content of the report and its appendix, and the progress made.

The Joint Committee heard Nicola McIntosh (OGTC) make reference to key milestones including that a total of £22m had been invested by the private sector in match funding which was significantly higher than the original expectation of £8.5m.  She also provided information in relation to (a) the Solution Centres advising that five were established and more than 80 projects were underway; (b) two Centres of Excellence being established in the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University; (c) the establishment of a Network Collaboration Zone with over 5000 visitors to date; and (d) the governance policy.

The Joint Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.

The Joint Committee had before it a report by David Torrance, Transport Scotland on the progress of projects being taken forward through the additional Scottish Government investment announced alongside the Aberdeen City Region Deal, including the progress on the Laurencekirk junction improvements work and the investment in the rail network to improve services between Aberdeen and the Central Belt.

The report recommended:-

that the Joint Committee note the content of the report and the progress made.

Mr Torrance provided information on (a) the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges stage 2 assessment to identify a preferred junction layout and the move to stage 3 assessment involving the development and detailed assessment of the preferred option; (b) the partnership group with Aberdeenshire and Angus Councils along with Nestrans which has been set up to support the project which next meets in Summer 2018; and (c) the appointment of ARUP to undertake a comprehensive assessment and analysis in relation to the Aberdeen to Central Belt Rail investment.

It was acknowledged that following the publication of the ARUP report, there was a need to request details of the timescales and the programme plan from the Minister for Transport at his earliest convenience.

The Joint Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.

The Joint Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – City Growth, Aberdeen City Council on the progress of the City Region Deal and its constituent workstreams.

The report recommended:-

that the Joint Committee –

(a)       acknowledge that an interim special meeting of the City Region Deal Joint Committee may be required; and

(b)       note the content of the report and its appendices, and the progress made.

John-Paul Cleary, Senior Programme Manager, Aberdeen City Council presented the report and provided information in relation to Agri-Food and Nutrition Hub for Innovation, Fibre Infrastructure Projects, the Duct Network, the Transport STAG Appraisal and the Harbour Travel Plan.

Sir Ian Wood expressed concern in relation to the timeline for the transport plan for the new harbour, stressing that delays should be avoided at all costs.

Paul Finch, Strategic Transport Manager, Aberdeenshire Council updated the Committee in terms of the ongoing work and the timelines for phase 2 of the new harbour.

Richard Sweetnam, Chief Officer – City Growth, Aberdeen City Council made reference to a desktop analysis which would be undertaken in relation to movement and modes of travel for cruise liner passengers and the work regarding a marketing strategy.

The Joint Committee resolved:-

(i)         that a special meeting of the Joint Committee be held on 22^nd June 2018 at 9.30am to consider reports relating primarily to the digital programme;

(ii)        that a presentation on the roads infrastructure network and travel plan in relation to the new harbour be arranged for the August meeting of the Joint Committee, and in the meantime, that the existing work undertaken by Visit Aberdeenshire and the Harbour Board in relation to the Travel/Transport Plan be circulated to members of the Joint Committee; and

(iii)       to otherwise approve recommendation (b) above.

The Joint Committee had before it a report by the Head of Finance, Aberdeenshire Council which provided details on the finances of the Aberdeen City Region Deal for financial year 2017/18.

The report recommended:-

that the Joint Committee note the content of the report.

John-Paul Cleary, Senior Programme Manager, Aberdeen City Council made reference to the underspends in the Bio-Therapeutic Hub for Innovation, Digital Infrastructure and Strategic Transport Appraisal.

The Joint Committee resolved:-

(i)         to approve the recommendation; and

(ii)        to note that any underspend from the 2017-18 grant allocation would be available to draw down as part of the 2018-19 grant allocation.

The Committee received a request from Councillor Gifford to reschedule the meeting on 31 August at 9.30am to 30 August 2018 at 9.30am due to a diary conflict with the COSLA Leaders meeting. It was noted that Councillor Lumsden would also be attending the COSLA Leaders meeting on 31 August 2018.

The Joint Committee resolved:-

to approve the request and to instruct the Clerk to make the necessary arrangements to reschedule the meeting to 30^th August 2018 at 9.30am.

In accordance with the decision recorded under article 4 of this minute, the following items of business were considered with the press and public excluded.

The Joint Committee had before it an exempt appendix relating to the Oil and Gas Technology Centre – 18 Month Checkpoint report (article 6 of this minute refers).

The Joint Committee resolved:-

to note the details contained within the appendix.

MATTER OF URGENCY

The Chairperson intimated that she had directed in terms of Section 50(B)(4)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, that the following item be considered as a matter of urgency as this would alleviate the very real risk of serious delays to a critical City Region Deal project, and also allow the process to fill the vacant Digital Lead post to begin.  Neither action could wait three months until the next Joint Committee meeting.

The Joint Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – City Growth, Aberdeen City Council which sought approval to fund resources and other costs required to support the Digital Infrastructure workstream of the Aberdeen City Region Deal.

The report recommended:-

that the Joint Committee –

(a)       approve the funding of the amount outlined in the report from Aberdeen City Council’s and Aberdeenshire Council’s contributions to the City Region Deal to fund the identified project resource and project costs for the deployment of fibre infrastructure, subject to approval by Aberdeenshire Council for their share of the funding;

(b)       approve the funding from Aberdeen City Council’s and Aberdeenshire Council’s contributions to the City Region Deal to fund the post of CRD Digital Lead for a period of up to five years, subject to approval by Aberdeenshire Council for their share of the funding; and

(c)        note that officers will submit a report to the next meeting of the Joint Committee on the delivery of the digital programme of the City Region Deal.

The Joint Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations, subject to amending recommendation (b) to read:- “subject to approval by Aberdeenshire Council for their share of the funding, approves funding from Aberdeen City Council’s and Aberdeenshire Council’s contributions to the City Region Deal to fund the post of CRD Digital Lead for a period of up to five years with a higher financial ceiling than recommended in the report, delegating authority to Chief Officer City Growth Aberdeen City Council and the Director of Infrastructure Services, Aberdeenshire Council to investigate the optimum way to recruit and employ the CRD Digital Leader and to proceed to do so, reporting  back to this committee with the detail to its meeting of 22 June 2018.”

- COUNCILLOR JENNY LAING, Chairperson