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Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Venue: Committee Room 2 - Town House. View directions

Contact: Stephanie Dunsmuir, email  sdunsmuir@aberdeencity.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be viewed here.

 

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.

1.

Announcement

Minutes:

The Convener welcomed Jacqueline Munro, the new EIS adviser to the Committee, who had replaced Zemeta Chefeke.  He added that he also wished to record his thanks to Ms Chefeke for her contributions during her time on the Committee.

2.

Minute of Previous Meeting of 18 November 2024 pdf icon PDF 122 KB

Minutes:

The Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 18 November 2024 for approval.

 

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

3.

Committee Business Planner pdf icon PDF 113 KB

Minutes:

The Committee had before it the business planner as prepared by the Interim Chief Officer – Governance.

 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to agree to remove item 8 (Equality and Diversity Policy) as no changes were required to the policy at present, however to note that if the work in respect of the Equality and Diversity staffing outcomes or Equality, Diversity and Inclusion action plan led to any changes being required, a report would be brought to Committee at that time;

(ii)       to note that the Chief Officer – People and Citizen Services had advised that item 33 (Zero Tolerance Policy) would be reported to the April 2025 meeting; and

(iii)      to otherwise note the planner.

4.

Flexible Working Policy and Guidance Update - CORS/25/010 pdf icon PDF 510 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director – Corporate Services which sought approval for the new Flexible Working Policy and updated guidance to replace the Smarter Working – Flexible Working in Aberdeen City Council Guidance (Version 4, January 2015).

 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the extensive engagement which had taken place across a range of stakeholder groups as part of the development of the policy and the refresh to the guidance;

(b)      approve the introduction of the Flexible Working Policy attached as Appendix 1 to the report; and

(c)      note the accompanying guidance document (Appendix 2) which supported the application of the policy and superseded the existing Smarter Working – Flexible Working in Aberdeen City Council Guidance (Version 4, January 2015).

 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       in relation to the query as to whether there would be any update to the lone working policy, to note that officers had undertaken to discuss this with the Corporate Health and Safety Lead outwith the meeting and circulate information to Members and Trade Union Advisers; and

(ii)       to approve the recommendations.

5.

Volunteers Policy - CORS/24/294 pdf icon PDF 254 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director – Corporate Services which provided an update on the progress of the Volunteer project and sought approval for a new Volunteers policy which set out how any volunteering activity for Aberdeen City Council (ACC) would be managed to ensure uniformity of processes and to mitigate against any potential risks to the Council through the use of volunteers.

 

The Committee heard from Steven Shaw, Environmental Manager, who was in attendance to provide information in respect of the volunteers who helped his service.

 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the content of the report and the progress made to date with the Volunteer Project; and

(b)      approve the Volunteers Policy for implementation with effect from 1 February 2025.

 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that officers were working to include information in respect of recognition of volunteers in the guidance, as well as working to develop a single webpage which would include information on all volunteering opportunities available with the Council, and the application process;

(ii)       to thank the Environmental Manager, his team and the many volunteers for their hard work on various projects; and

(iii)      to approve the recommendations.

-                COUNCILLOR NEIL COPLAND, Convener