Agenda, decisions and minutes

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

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 the previous meeting of 13 January 2021, for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)              to note that a Service Update in relation to Smart Bins is still to be circulated to members;

(ii)             to note the update provided by officers in relation to the Urgent Motion by Councillor Audrey Nicoll in regards to the Balnagask Energy Centre and the information on how to mitigate the additional heating costs incurred by residents using alternative costly heating options during the outage period; and

(iii)            to otherwise 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 (Performance Report), 5 (Domestic Abuse Policy), 6 (Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Report) and 7 (Payment to Foster Carers, Adopters, Kinship Carers and Associated Services), subject to the decisions taken in respect of items 4, 5, 6 and 7 later on the agenda;

(ii)             to agree to remove item 29 (Cycle Path for Ferryhill School Children), as this would now be considered through the Safe Routes to School and would be prioritised alongside works required at all schools in the city; and

(iii)            to otherwise note the information provided in the planner. 

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Customer Services, which presented Committee with the status of key performance measures relating to the Operations function. 

Members discussed the performance report in detail and offered various observations. 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee provide comments and observations on the performance information contained in the report Appendix.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)              to agree that the target for Child Protection conferences held within 21 days, be amended from 100% to 80%;

(ii)             to request that the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, send information to members by way of email in regard to the satisfaction surveys completed by tenants who move properties; and

(iii)            to otherwise note the information provided in the Performance Report. 

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Integrated Children’s and Family Services, which sought agreement to increase the allowances paid to foster carers, adopters, kinship carers and carers who provided supported lodgings.  It also proposed a new Payment for Skills levels scheme for foster carers and set out proposals to increase the fees paid to Curators-ad-litem, Reporting Officers and Panel Chairs.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve the following -

(a)      A new Payment for Skills Levels scheme (3.1)

(b)      With effect from 1st April 2021 a 1.5% increase in the level of:

·       Fostering Allowance (3.2)

·       Adoption Allowance (3.3)

·       Kinship Allowance (3.4)

·       Supporting Lodgings Allowance (3.5)

(c)       An increase in the level of fee charged for Inter-Country Adoptions (3.6);

(d)       An increase in the fee paid to Independent Chairs of Adoption and Permanence/Fostering Panels (3.7); and

(e)       With effect from 1st April 2021 a 1% increase in the fees paid to Curators-ad-litem/Reporting Officers (3.8)

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, which sought approval for the Council Housing Domestic Abuse policy and approval of changes to the Delegated Powers under the Housing Allocations Policy.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

(a)            approve the Domestic Abuse Council Housing Policy; and

(b)            approve the following new Delegated Power - “to offer alternative accommodation to perpetrators of Domestic Abuse providing they are engaging with housing staff and are willing to move on a voluntary basis.  This should be accommodation of appropriate size and in an area of similar letting demand, as determined by the Chief Officer Early Intervention and Community Empowerment”

The Committee resolved:-

(i)    to request that officers provide updates to members on the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Bill, which was currently going through the Scottish Parliament; and

(j)    to otherwise approve the recommendations. 

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, which provided an update on the Council’s progress and plans for further mainstreaming Equality within the organisation.  It also sought agreement for the proposed Equality Outcomes for 2021-25.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

(a)            note the ongoing work to mainstream equality in the Council as detailed in the Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Progress Report 2021- 2025;

(b)            note the progress of the Equality Outcomes 2017 – 2021 as contained in Appendix 1 of the Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Progress Report 2021- 2025; 

(c)             note the report findings from engagement with communities as contained in Appendix 5;

(d)            approve the Equality Outcomes for Aberdeen City Council for 2021 to 2025 including:

·       Corporate Equality Outcomes,

·       Equality Outcomes for the Council as an employer,

·       Education Equality Outcomes

all as detailed in the Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Progress Report 2021- 2025;

(e)            approve that the Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Progress Report 2021-2025 (in so far as it relates to Aberdeen City Council) be published on the Aberdeen City Council website; and

(f)              approve that the Council’s Employee Information, as contained in Appendix 2 to the Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Progress Report 2021- 2025, be published on the Aberdeen City Council website. 

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

-        Councillor Philip Bell, Convener