Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be located 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.

The Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 3 November 2025 for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

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

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to agree to remove items 4 (Volunteers Policy) and 7 (Managing Performance Policy) for the reasons outlined in the business planner;

(ii)       to note the reasons outlined in the planner for the delay to items 6 (Mortuary Staff Move) and 8 (Leadership and Management Development Update); and

(iii)      to otherwise note the planner.

The Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director – Families and Communities which presented an update on the development of an integrated staffing model to deliver Aberdeen City’s Bairns Hoose.

The report recommended:-

that Committee –

(a)    note the update of progress made by the Aberdeen City Pathfinder to deliver a Bairns Hoose for Aberdeen City’s children and young people;

(b)    note the integrated staffing model being utilised to deliver the Bairns Hoose Service;

(c)    note the University of Edinburgh would continue to evaluate the Partnership’s delivery of a Bairns Hoose, at least, until 31 March 2027; and

(d)    note the Chief Officer – Children’s Social Work and Family Support had been instructed to provide a service update to the Education and Children’s Services Committee in June 2026.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to note that the Chief Officer – Children’s Social Work and Family Support was liaising with SHMU (Station House Media Unit) to  produce a walkthrough video of the Bairns Hoose, and this would be circulated to Members when available; and

(ii)        to approve the recommendations.

The Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director – Corporate Services which sought approval for a revised Family Leave Policy as well as amendments to the Special Leave Policy.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      approve the updated Family Leave Policy, with an implementation date of 1 April 2026 to allow for necessary training to be arranged, communications to be undertaken and other administrative arrangements to be completed;

(b)      note the accompanying guidance documents to the Family Leave Policy which provided employees and managers with relevant information on the range of family leave options, including details on the available provisions, eligibility criteria, application requirements and support options; and

(c)      approve the updated Special Leave Policy, amended to account for changes to the Family Leave Policy and in response to the requirements of the Council’s gold accreditation of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to approve recommendations (a) and (b); and

(iii)      to approve the updated Special Leave Policy, amended to account for changes to the Family Leave Policy and in response to the requirements of the Council’s gold accreditation of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, and instruct the Chief Officer - People and Citizen Services to bring a report to a future meeting of the Committee reviewing the Special Leave Policy (including the Guidance for Situations of Adverse Weather) and the expectations of staff.

-      COUNCILLOR NEIL COPLAND, Convener