Agenda, decisions and minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be found 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 Convener proposed that the Committee consider items 10.1 (Roads and Transport Related Budget Programme 2018-2019 – Exempt Appendix) and 10.2 (Shaping Aberdeen Housing LLP) 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 during consideration of items 10.1 and 10.2 so as to avoid disclosure of exempt information of the classes described in paragraph 8 (article 12) and paragraphs 6 and 9 (article 14) of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

Members were requested to intimate any declarations of interest in respect of the items on today’s agenda, thereafter, the following declaration of interest was intimated at this stage in the meeting:-

(i)         Councillor Flynn declared an interest in item 10.2 (Shaping Aberdeen Housing LLP) by virtue of being a Council appointed Board member of Shaping Aberdeen Housing LLP. Councillor Flynn considered that the nature of his interest required him to leave the meeting and he took no part in the consideration of this item.

The Committee had before it the committee business planner as prepared by the Chief Officer – Governance.  Members asked questions in respect of items on the planner.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)           to note that the following items (Review of Sports Organisations – Long Term Future Viability) and (Review of Sports Organisations –Sport Aberdeen Contract) had been delayed to enable the new Commissioning Directorate to review the options and would now be submitted to the Committee on 7 June 2018;

(ii)          to note that the item on the submission of a Participatory Budgeting Policy had been delayed to the Committee’s meeting on 13 September 2018; and

(iii)         to otherwise note the content of the business planner.

The Committee noted that the exempt Shaping Aberdeen Housing LLP report which had referred by City Growth and Resources Committee of 24 April 2018 was to be considered at item 10.2 on today’s agenda (article 14 of this minute refers).

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Commissioning which provided an overview of commissioning and outlined the benefits which would be achieved by the introduction of the commissioning approach as described in the new target operating model of the Council.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       instruct the Director of Commissioning to complete a population needs assessment and to agree that as part of its development that this be raised at the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) so as to encourage partners to engage and to build upon previous needs assessments;

(b)       note that the Committee would receive reports on key aspects reflecting the development of the commissioning approach as reflected in the committee business planner and Terms of Reference; and

(c)       instruct the Director of Commissioning to undertake discussions with other Public Sector partners to see if there were opportunities for more joint or integrated options to be developed as a means of improving outcomes and value for money.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener moved:-

            That the Committee approve the recommendations contained within the report.

Councillor Flynn, seconded by Councillor Cameron, moved as an amendment:-

That the Committee agree that as the Commissioning model was developed moving forward, there would be no attempt to outsource further council services.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (6) – the Convener, the Vice Convener and Councillors Duncan, Sellar, Wheeler and Yuill; for the amendment (3) – Councillors Cameron, Flynn and Nicoll.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which (1) advised on the progress of the 2017/18 Environmental Services programme of Play Area Refurbishment Works; and (2) requested authority to spend up to £470,000 to deliver the 2018/19 Play Area Refurbishment Works.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       acknowledge the success of the 2017/18 refurbishment programme; and

(b)       agree that Environmental Services should continue the rolling programme of play area refurbishment and to approve the total estimated expenditure of £470,000 for this programme in 2018/2019. This being subject to the service having the capacity to deliver and subject to the industry suppliers having the capacity to supply within the 2018/19 financial year.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Committee had before it a report by the interim Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning which provided an update on the status of the 2017/18 Bus Lane Enforcement (BLE) programme and sought approval for a new programme of projects to be delivered from 2018/19, using the net surplus from the BLE system.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)          note the progress on the projects funded from the BLE programme up to 2017/18, as detailed in Appendix 1;

(b)          approve the proposed expenditure detailed in relation to the Proposed Bus Lane Enforcement Programme Projects 2018/19, as detailed in Appendix 2;

(c)          approve the implementation of the Proposed Bus Lane Enforcement Programme of Projects 2018/19, including the instruction of procurement procedures therefore, as appropriate and as funding becomes available; and

(d)          delegate authority to the Chief Officer for Strategic Place Planning to carry out those procurements.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which sought approval to provide grant funding and enter into grant funding agreements in relation to the community projects. Funding had been allocated within the Council’s general fund budget 2018-19.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       approve the provision of grant funding for community projects for 2018-19 as set out in the financial implications section (4.1) of the report;

(b)       agree that a grant funding agreement should be made with each of the projects confirming funding for 2018-19; and

(c)       delegate authority to the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services in consultation with the Chief Officer - Finance to approve the terms and conditions of the grant funding agreements.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

Addendum to the report

The Committee had before it (1) a report by the interim Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning which advised of a number of external funding opportunities that had become available or would soon become available to the Council for transportation projects and, where these were successful, sought approval to accept and spend the funds obtained; and (2) an addendum to the report which advised of updates regarding the funding allocations to the Bridge of Dee Programme and the bus stop improvement budget following the NESTRANS Board meeting on 18 April 2018.

The report recommended:

that the Committee

(a)       note that Aberdeen City Council:-

(a)        had been awarded funding from Paths for All to deliver projects

outlined in the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places 2018/19 Programme (See Appendix 1);

(b)        had been awarded funding from NESTRANS Revenue Programme 2018/19 to deliver projects outlined in the report (See Appendix 2A);

(c)        was bidding to the NESTRANS Capital 2018/19 funds to deliver projects outlined in the report (See Appendix 2B);

(d)        was bidding to the SUSTRANS Community Links 2018/19 fund to deliver projects outlined in the report (See Appendix 2C); and

(e)        intended to use staff time, Civitas Portis works, existing Developer Contributions and Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route Non-Motorised User (AWPR) (NMU) Offset Mitigation funding as part of the match funding mechanism (See Appendix 3);

(b)       approve the estimated expenditure and procurement exercises in respect of each of the projects detailed in the appendices to the report for any contract with estimated expenditure of £250,000 and above (Works) and £50,000 and above (Goods or Services); and

(c)       note that permission to authorise the Developer Contributions and the AWPR NMU offset mitigation funds to be used as Match Funds and spent in accordance with the relevant legal agreement, had been reported to the City Growth and Resources Committee at its meeting on 24 April 2018.

The addendum to the report advised of two changes to the list of bids, following the NESTRANS Board meeting namely:-

·         The allocation for the Bridge of Dee, in Appendix 2A of the report, had reduced from £100,000 to £10,000. This was to reflect the delays to the Western Peripheral Route opening; and

·         The Bus Stop improvements budget, in Appendix 2B of the report, had increased from £100,000 to £165,000 on the Capital Funded Schemes list. The extra funding had been brought forward from the reserve list, Appendix 2C of the report, which originally showed an additional £100,000 for Bus Stop Improvements. The reserve list fund for this had now been reduced to £35,000 to reflect this.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations noting the revised figure in Appendices 2A and 2B as detailed in the addendum to the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which presented an opportunity for the Committee to consider alternative mechanisms to deliver Council Housing and sought approval to invite proposals from landowners in Aberdeen for the construction of Council housing on their land.

The report recommended:

that the Committee

(a)       agree to the strategic commissioning principle that the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) could exercise the right to purchase completed units from land owner/developers or enter into other agreements where such units could be delivered on commercially viable rates at best value and in accordance with an approved specification, financial model, procurement/legal model, business plan and to meet a recognised need; and

(b)       authorise the Chief Officer Corporate Landlord working with the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services to undertake market engagement with landowners in Aberdeen in relation to proposals for the construction of Council housing on their land in an open, transparent, non-selective and non-discriminatory manner.

The Committee resolved:

to approve the recommendations.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

During consideration of the following item of business Councillor Cameron declared an interest business by virtue of his home address. Councillor Cameron considered that the nature of his interest required him to leave the meeting and he took no part in the Committee’s deliberations thereon on this item or in respect of item 9.7 (Roads and Transport Related Budget Programme 2018-2019) on the agenda (article 12 refers). Councillor Dunbar substituted for Councillor Cameron for these items of business only.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which (1) presented the proposed roads and transportation programme from the approved Capital budgets for 2017/18; and (2) sought approval for the specific schemes where detailed and the budget heading for the remainder.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee -

(a)          approve the schemes listed in the Appendices as the detailed proposals for expenditure within budget heading;

(b)          instruct the Chief Officer of Operations and Protective Services to implement the detailed programme;

(c)          delegate authority to the Chief Officer of Operations and Protective Services, to undertake or instruct appropriate procedures in accordance with the Council’s Procurement Regulations to procure the works referred to in the exempt Appendices for the Roads Capital Budget programme for the financial year 2018/19 and award contracts relating thereto;

(d)          delegate authority to the Chief Officer of Operations and Protective Services in consultation with the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services to award contracts on receipt of a valid tender submission subject to necessary funding in the approved revenue and capital budgets; and

(e)          approve as estimated expenditure in terms of the Procurement Regulation 4.1.1, in order for work to commence on the capital programme, the sums shown against each heading of the Roads Capital Budget for the financial year 2018/19 set out in Exempt Appendices to the report.

The Roads Manager advised that at appendix M the figure for carriageway resurfacing programme should be £2,788,00 rather than £2,758,000 and the figure for drainage programme should be £120,000 rather than the £127,000 detailed in the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)        to note the updated figures advised verbally;

(ii)       to approve the schemes listed in the Appendices as the detailed proposals for expenditure within budget heading under exception of last two items in Appendix G;

(iii)      to approve spending of £500,000 the year of the £10m additional investment in roads approved within the Administration’s budget on 6 March to be spent on Repairs to Junctions, poor Utility Tracks and areas of recurring pothole repairs;

(iv)      to instruct the Chief Officer of Operations and Protective Services to implement the detailed programme;

(v)       to delegate authority to the Chief Officer of Operations and Protective Services, to undertake or instruct appropriate procedures in accordance with the Council’s Procurement Regulations to procure the works referred to in the exempt Appendices for the Roads Capital Budget programme for the financial year 2018/19 and award contracts relating thereto;

(vi)      to delegate authority to the Chief Officer of Operations and Protective Services in consultation with the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services to award contracts on receipt of a valid tender submission subject to necessary funding in the approved revenue and capital budgets; 

(vii)    to approve as estimated expenditure in terms of the Procurement Regulation 4.1.1, in order for work to commence on the capital programme, the sums shown against each heading of the Roads Capital Budget for the financial year 2018/19 set out in Exempt Appendices to this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

In accordance with the decision recorded under article 1 of this minute, the following items of business were considered with the press and public excluded.

With reference to article 11 of this minute, the Committee had before it the full version of the report by the Chief Operating Officer which contained exempt information.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the information contained in the exempt appendices in relation to item 9.7 (Roads and Transport Related Budget Programme 2018-2019) on the agenda (article 11 of this minute refers).

The Convener advised that this was Mr Cheyne, Roads Manager, last committee meeting and last day of employment before retiring from the Council after 24 years of service. She expressed her sincere thanks for his professionalism, diligence and determination to deliver services for the citizens of Aberdeen in all of the roles which he undertook throughout his employment.

The Committee resolved:-

to concur with the remarks of the Convener.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

In accordance with article 2 of this minute, Councillor Flynn left the meeting prior to consideration of the following item of business. Councillor Dunbar substituted for Councillor Flynn for this item of business only.

With reference to article 16 of the minute of the meeting of the City Growth and Resources Committee of 24 April 2018, the Committee had before it by way of referral a minute extract and report from the City Growth and Resources Committee of 24 April 2018, which provided details in relation to the Council’s involvement with the Housing LLP and addressed an earlier action opportunity for new build Council housing.

The City Growth and Resources Committee had resolved, amongst other things to refer the report to the Strategic Commissioning Committee on 30 April 2018 for approval of the following recommendations subject to approval to proceed with the Summerhill site as outlined within the report at section 2.8 by the Capital Programme Committee on 23 May 2018:-

(1)       agree to tender for the development and construction works for the Summerhill project by making use of either a suitable existing OJEU compliant framework e.g. Procurement Hub (part of Places for People Group) Development Contractors framework or via the undertaking of an alternative fully compliant procurement process and approves the total estimated expenditure as detailed in the report; and

(2)       delegate authority to the Director of Resources, following consultation with the Head of Commercial and Procurement Services and the Chief Officer – Governance, to undertake the tender process and award the necessary contracts on behalf of the Council for the Summerhill project.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations as referred from the City Growth and Resources Committee.

-       COUNCILLOR LAING, Convener