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.

Councillor Macdonald declared an interest in relation to item 10.4, Community Learning and Development Plan 2021-24 as a member of WEA but did not feel it necessary to withdraw from the meeting during consideration of the item. 

Councillor Lesley Dunbar declared an interest in relation to item 10.12 on the agenda, Food Insecurity report, due to being a board member of CFINE and also the Chairperson for Sustainable Food Places but did not feel it necessary to withdraw from the meeting during consideration of the item.

Councillor McLellan also declared an interest in relation to item 10.12 on the agenda, Food Insecurity report, as he was a member of the Fair Trade Board, but did not feel it necessary to withdraw from the meeting during consideration of the item.

The Committee had before it the minute of the previous meeting of 27 May 2021, 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:-

to note 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 report Appendix A.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)              to request that the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services, liaise with the performance team and amend the target for delivering school meals for the next committee meeting to show the target was being met;

(ii)             to request that officers provide information on the two formal complaints that were received in relation to Environmental Services for quarter 1, 2021/22 and to report back to members on what the lessons learnt were, as detailed in the appendix; and

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

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services, which sought approval for the draft Tree & Woodland Strategic Implementation Plan and associated Strategic Environmental Assessment to go out to public consultation.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)            approve the draft Tree & Woodland Strategic Implementation Plan (Appendix A) and associated Strategic Environmental Assessment (Appendix B);

(b)            instruct the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services to carry out an 8-week public consultation on the Tree & Woodland Strategic Implementation Plan and associated documentation; and

(c)             instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services, to report back to Operational Delivery Committee in January 2022 detailing;

(a)       The findings of the public consultation; and

(b)       A final draft of Aberdeen City Tree & Woodland Strategic Implementation Plan for approval and publication.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)              to request that officers look at the policy of not removing healthy trees even though they are older and may deliver a cost saving and to investigate if this can be incorporated into the final version of the plan;

(ii)             to request that officers consider replanting where diseased trees had to be removed; and

(iii)            to otherwise approve the recommendations contained in the report. 

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Integrated Children’s and Family Services, which provided members with an update on the implementation of the scheme to support the digital needs of care leavers.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the progress and activities outlined in the report. 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)              to request that a report be brought back to this committee in Autumn 2022, providing details on the impact the funding has had on the support for care leavers; and

(ii)             to otherwise approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, which sought approval for the Council’s Annual Assurance Statement for the year 2021/22, to be submitted to the Scottish Housing Regulator by 31 October 2021. 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve the Annual Assurance Statement appended to the report for submission to the Scottish Housing Regulator by 31 October 2021.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, which presented the requirements placed on Local Authorities by the Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013, Regulation 4, to produce a plan that would cover a three year period from 1 September 2015 and to publish further plans every three years.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve the Community Learning and Development Strategic Plan 2021- 2024 contained in Appendix 1 as required under the Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, which presented details of the package developed to support those whose employment opportunities had been hardest hit by COVID-19 and how that was being implemented. 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

(a)            note the details of the programme developed (appendix 1) and the implementation plan; and

(b)            note that the programme is included within the Community Learning & Development Strategic Plan 2021 – 2024 and progress will be monitored via the arrangements in place for that plan.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)              to request that officers liaise with NHS link workers in regard to the targeted learning; and

(ii)             to otherwise approve the recommendations contained in the report. 

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services, which updated Members on the road safety statistics for the Council over the past year and the progress made towards the targets.

The report also introduced Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030, published by the Scottish Government, setting out a vision for road safety in Scotland to 2050 where no one died or was seriously injured, with interim casualty reduction targets for 2030.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the casualty figures and actions undertaken during 2020.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services, which sought approval for the Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC) policy.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve the proposed Household Waste and Recycling Centre Policy.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services, which presented Members with the Roads Winter Service Plan for the coming winter and highlighted any significant changes.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)            approve the Roads Winter Service plan for 2021-22, at appendix 1; and

(b)            delegate authority to the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services, following consultation with the Chief Officer – Finance, to continue to deliver the Winter Maintenance Service.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)              to request that officers investigate any historic accidents in Heathryfold Circle, by checking statistics and liaising with Police Scotland and report back to members in this regard; 

(ii)             to otherwise approve the recommendations contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, which sought approval for the Aberdeen City Council’s Empty Homes Policy.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

(a)            approve the Aberdeen City Council’s Empty Homes Policy at Appendix 1; and

(b)            instruct Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to provide an annual update report to this Committee in relation to empty homes.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report. 

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services which considered objections and comments received during the statutory consultation period with respect to three proposed Traffic Regulation Orders.  The orders were for:-

·       The Aberdeen City Council (Macaulay Drive, Aberdeen)(Redetermination of Means of Exercise of Public Right of Passage) Order 202;

·       The Aberdeen City Council (Disabled Persons’ Parking Places in Aberdeen City) (Regulatory Parking Places) (Ref.B) Order 202; and

·       The Aberdeen City Council (Burnbutts Crescent, Aberdeen) (Prohibition of Waiting) Order 202_.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee-

(i)              acknowledge the objections received as a result of the public advertisements for the proposed Traffic Regulation Orders;

(ii)             in principle, approve “The Aberdeen City Council (Macaulay Drive, Aberdeen) (Redetermination of Means of Exercise of Public Right of Passage) Order 202_” be made, however, in terms of the statutory process, instruct the Chief Officer, Operations and Protective Services, to refer the matter to the Scottish Ministers for a final decision on the proposed order;

(iii)            approve “The Aberdeen City Council (Disabled Persons’ Parking Places in Aberdeen City) (Regulatory Parking Places) (Ref.B) Order 202_” be made and brought into effect; and

(iv)           approve “The Aberdeen City Council (Burnbutts Crescent, Aberdeen) (Prohibition of Waiting) Order 202_” be modified to the lesser extent specified by the plan in Appendix 5 and brought into effect.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor John, moved as a motion, that the Committee –

(a)            approve the recommendations contained in the report; and

(b)            instruct the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services to consult with local members and the community council after 12 months of the operation of the Macaulay Drive redetermination; and, if issues are raised through the consultation processfrom a pedestrian safety perspective, that a report be brought back to this committee by that Chief Officer, identifying whether any further measures may be needed.

Councillor Radley, seconded by Councillor McLellan, moved as an amendment, that the Committee approve recommendations (i), (ii) and (iii) as set out in the report; and the additional recommendation (b) proposed as part of the motion.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (7) – the Convener, Vice Convener John, Vice Convener Macdonald and Councillors Dunbar, Graham, MacKenzie and Stewart, the Depute Provost; for the amendment (6) Councillors Al-Samarai, Cormie, Delaney, McLellan, Radley and Townson.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, which provided an update on the progress of managing Void Housing. 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee notes the current position regarding Void Housing performance.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)              to request that the Director of Customer Services provide members with a Service Update providing details on the types of people who were currently on the waiting list for housing;

(ii)             to request that the Director of Customer Services clarify and email members with details on the way voids were categorised;

(iii)            to instruct a report be brought back to this committee by the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment after two cycles to allow further monitoring of progress of the improvement plan in reducing the number of void properties; and  

(iv)           to otherwise approve the recommendation contained in the report.  

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, which informed the committee of developing interventions to address food insecurity and poverty, with £175,000 allocated at the Council budget meeting. 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee support the developing proposals for use of the funding and the actions to address food insecurity.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

-        Councillor Philip Bell, Convener