Agenda, decisions 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=619&MId=6182&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 proposed that the Committee consider item 11.1 (Use of Plastic Based Materials in Roads Construction) with the press and public excluded.

The Committee resolved:-

in terms of Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to exclude the press and public from the meeting for item 11.1 of the agenda (article 10 of this minute refers) so as to avoid disclosure of information of the class described in paragraph 6 of Schedule 7A to the Act. 

Councillor Lumsden declared an interest in relation to item 15 on the Committee Business Planner, Gray Street and Salisbury Terrace, as a resident of Gray Street.  Councillor Lumsden noted that there was not a substantive report on the agenda and as such, would remain in the meeting during consideration of the planner.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the declaration of interest from Councillor Lumsden.

The Committee had before it the minute of the previous meeting of 6 November 2018, 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 (Countryside Ranger Service Five Year Plan); 5 (Autism Strategy and Action Plan); 6 (Various Small Scale Traffic Management and Development Associated Proposals Stage 3); 8 (Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan); 9 (Payment to Foster Carers, Adopters and Associated Services); 10 (Performance Report); 11 (Notice of Motion by Councillor Delaney on plastic roads); and 12 (Enforcement of the Private Rented Housing Sector);

(ii)          to transfer item 23 (Roads Hierarchy) to the City Growth and Resources Committee;

(iii)         to remove item 32 (Review of Broad Street Partial Pedestrianisation) as this will be combined with the report on Broad Street Partial Pedestrianisation and Safety Review;

(iv)         in regard to item 7 (Bedford Area Traffic Management Proposals), to request that information on when taxis will be allowed to operate through the bus gate be included in the Service Update and that the item be removed from the planner once the Service Update is issued;

(v)          to agree that an item be added on the planner for the March Committee which would detail the outcome of the proposed works and any further remedial action that may be required to alleviate flooding on the identified safe routes to Lochside Academy; and

(vi)         to otherwise note the information on the Business Planner.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Customer Services, which provided members with a summary of the key performance measures relating to the Operations Function.  Appended to the report were the performance summary dashboard and the performance analysis of exceptions.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee provide comments and observations on the performance information contained in the report and highlight any indicators or areas of service they would like to see featured in future reports.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained within the report with no further observations made.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which considered objections that had been lodged with respect to proposed Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) at the public advertisement stage.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)          acknowledge the objections received as part of the statutory consultation in relation to “The Aberdeen City Council (Westerton Road, Cults, Aberdeen) (Prohibition of Waiting) Order 210X” and considers the contents of the objections; and

(b)          approve the making of “The Aberdeen City Council (Westerton Road, Cults, Aberdeen) (Prohibition of Waiting) Order 210X” produced in Appendix 4.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to approve recommendation (a); and

(ii)          to instruct the Chief Operating Officer to delay the proposals for two Committee cycles to allow officers to carry out further traffic volume and speed surveys now that the AWPR has opened and report these results to the May meeting of Operational Delivery Committee.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Customer Services, which sought approval for the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan document, which was submitted in draft form to the Scottish Government for their deadline of 31 December 2018.

The Committee heard from Kay Diack, Housing Access and Support Manager, who spoke in furtherance of the report and answered various questions from members.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve the Draft Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2019-2024.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to approve the Draft Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2019-2024;

(ii)          to request that officers provide an update to members on the feedback that was due to be received from the Scottish Government on the Transition Plan; and

(iii)         to thank officers for the tremendous amount of work that had gone into the production of the Plan and the Committee report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer, which sought approval of the revised Autism Strategy and Action Plan for Aberdeen City.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee –

(a)          approve the Autism Strategy and Action Plan, which would take effect from 1 April 2019;

(b)          note that the Autism Strategy and Action Plan had been approved by the Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership Integration Joint Board in December 2018; and

(c)          note that progress reports on implementation would be provided to the Operational Delivery Committee annually.

The Committee heard from Jenny Rae, Strategic Development Officer, who spoke in furtherance of the Autism Strategy and Action Plan and answered questions from members.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to approve the recommendations as contained within the report; and

(ii)        to thank officers for all of their efforts and hard work in producing the Autism Strategy and Action Plan.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer, which sought agreement for the payments paid to foster carers, adopters, kinship carers and carers who provide supported lodgings and set out the fees paid to Curators-ad-litem, Reporting Officers and Panel Chairs.  The report provided details on the proposed increases/changes to the fees and allowance.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve, subject to the City Growth and Resources Committee of 7 February 2019 agreeing that any additional funding required shall be committed from the Council Contingencies as per paragraph 4.4 of the report, the following, with effect from 1 January 2019:-

(a)          A 3% increase in the level of Fostering and Kinship Allowance, Payment for Skill Fees and Adoption Allowance;

(b)          Supported Lodgings Allowance 1% increase;

(c)          Curator-ad-litem/ Reporting Officer 1% fee increase;

(d)          That there be no change to the level of fee charged for Inter-Country Adoptions; and

(e)          That there be no change to the level of fee for Independent Chairs of Adoption and Permanence/Fostering Panels.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations as contained within the report.

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

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer, which informed the Committee of the findings of investigations into the use of plastic materials in roads construction following Councillor Delaney’s notice of motion of 6 September 2018.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee agree that further evidence and consideration was required before committing to using recycled plastic in road construction within Aberdeen.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to thank officers for the work which has gone into this comprehensive report;

(ii)          to acknowledge that whilst significant benefits may be possible from the currently available product, additional evidence is required prior to committing budget; and

(iii)         to instruct the Chief Operating Officer to bring back a report to this committee when there is sufficient evidence on the benefits of conducting a trial of this product in Aberdeen.

Councillor John Wheeler, Convener