Agenda, decisions and minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be found here

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 Lumsden declared a personal interest in relation to item 10.2 on the agenda, Gray Street and Salisbury Terrace, as a resident of Gray Street.  Councillor Lumsden intimated that he would leave the meeting at that point and take no part in the deliberation of the item.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the declaration of interest from Councillor Lumsden.

The Committee had before it the minute of the previous meeting of 17 January 2019, 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 remove items 4 (Carers Strategy), 5 (Detrunking of the A90/A96), 6 (Gray Street, Salisbury Terrace), 7 (Lochside Academy flooding issues around safe routes to school), 10 (Alive @ 5), 11 (Council Tenants Arrears) and 12 (Performance Report);

(ii)          to agree to transfer items 8 (SUDS Section 7) and 9 (Alexander Ogston Plaque) to City Growth and Resources Committee;

(iii)         to note that a report on the implementation of the full service of Universal Credit will be reported to the November meeting; and

(iv)         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 status of 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 appendices and highlight any indicators or areas of service they would like to see featured in future reports.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to agree that a Service Update be issued with details on voids and what was currently being done to assist residents;

(ii)          to request that the Director of Customer Services circulate details of benchmarking with other local authorities in regard to absences; and

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

With reference to article 8 of the minute of the meeting of 29 May 2018, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer, which provided an update on the Young Carers Service.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the update within the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to approve the recommendation contained within the report; and

(ii)          to thank officers for the positive work that had been undertaken in regard to the Young Carers strategy.

At this juncture, Councillor Boulton replaced Councillor Lumsden for the following item.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer, which considered objections that had been lodged with respect to the proposed Traffic Regulation Order titled “The Aberdeen City Council (Gray Street and Salisbury Terrace, Aberdeen) (One Way) Order 201 (X).

The report recommended:-

That the Committee -

(a)             note the objections received as a result of the statutory consultation in relation to the “The Aberdeen City Council (Gray Street and Salisbury Terrace, Aberdeen) (One-Way) Order 201(X)” and consider the contents of the objections; and

(b)             instruct officers to take no further action and leave Gray Street and Salisbury Terrace as they are in terms of current accessibility by motor vehicles.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener Councillor Graham, moved:-

That the Committee approve the recommendations contained within the report.

Councillor Yuilll, seconded by Councillor Townson, moved as an amendment:-

            That the Committee -

(1)  note the objections received as a result of the statutory consultation in relation to the “The Aberdeen City Council (Gray Street and Salisbury Terrace, Aberdeen) (One Way) Order 201 (X)” and consider the contents of the objections;

(2)  in relation to Salisbury Terrace, instruct officers to take no further action and leave Salisbury Terrace as it is in terms of current accessibility by motor vehicles;

(3)  in relation to Gray Street and subject to the City Growth and Resources Committee approval of budget spend:-

(a)  agree to progress the introduction of an experimental 18-month order and instruct officers to further engage with local members over the scope and directions of the system;

(b)  agree that the experimental 18-month order should maintain two-way access between Great Western Road and Great Western Lane so as to maintain existing access and exit arrangements for the Mariner Hotel;

(c)  instruct officers to closely monitor the impact of the experimental 18-month order, including seeking feedback from residents and businesses, and to report back to this Committee on this with recommendations on whether to replace the experimental order with a permanent order; and

(d)  agree to fund this from the Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets capital budget.

On a division there voted:- for the motion (7) – the Convener, and Councillors Bell, Boulton, Graham, Donnelly, Duncan and Macdonald; for the amendment (6) – Councillors Alphonse, Cormie, Jackie Dunbar, Nicoll, Townson and Yuill.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion and therefore approve the recommendations contained within the report.

At this juncture, Councillor Lumsden returned to the Committee and participated in the remaining items of business.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, which provided an update on the resolution of the localised flooding issue on South Loirston Road which formed part of the safe walking routes to Lochside Academy.

The Committee heard from Gale Beattie, Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, who provided an update to members.  Mrs Beattie explained that work had recently been undertaken by Stewart Milne Homes to rectify the situation, which included the grass verge height being reduced at the flooding point and that a pipe had also been fitted to drain water away from the corner and under the wall.  Mrs Beattie advised that officers had assessed the impact and the work undertaken had been successful.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the contents of the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to note that work had now been carried out by Stewart Milne Homes to alleviate the flooding problems and officers would continue to monitor the situation by means of inspection of the route;

(ii)          to thank officers for the work that had been undertaken in regard to this issue; and

(iii)         to otherwise approve the recommendation contained within the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer, which provided an update on the progress of the first three months of the trial period of the “Alive @ 5” scheme.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)          note the content of the report and the positive steps taken to introduce the Alive @ 5 scheme;

(b)          acknowledge that the change to the structure of parking charges in off street car parks had not impacted significantly on the aspirations of the Alive @ 5 scheme;

(c)          instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to return parking charges at the 5 car parks involved back to the original charging rates, on completion of the trial period; and

(d)          instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to investigate appropriate means of supporting the Alive @ 5 scheme through engagement with local transport providers and continue to engage with Aberdeen Inspired.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener Councillor Bell, moved:-

That the item be approved, in line with the recommendations contained in the report.

Councillor Yuill, seconded by Councillor Jackie Dunbar, moved as an amendment:-

            That the Committee -

·         to note the content of the report and the positive steps taken to introduce the Alive 5 scheme

·         to agree to extend the trial period by six months and so maintain free parking from 5pm until 8am in the Denburn, Chapel Street, Frederick Street, West North Street and Marischal College car parks until 30^th September 2019

·         to instruct the Chief Officer of Strategic Place Planning to investigate additional means of supporting the “Alive @ 5” scheme through engagement with local transport providers and continue to engage with Aberdeen Inspired.

On a division there voted:- for the motion (7) – the Convener, and Councillors Bell, Donnelly, Duncan, Graham, Lumsden and Macdonald; for the amendment (6) – Councillors Alphonse, Cormie, Jackie Dunbar, Nicoll, Townson and Yuill.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion and therefore approve the recommendations contained within the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, which provided details on how many Council tenants were in arrears, stating the reasons and whether additional support was necessary in order to prevent those individuals from falling further into financial insecurity.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the contents of the report and agree that no additional support measures are required at this time.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to note that a report would be brought back to the November meeting on the progress being made, which would also provide details on what was being done to support tenants; and

(ii)          to otherwise approved the recommendation contained within the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer, which brought together the estimated costs that would have to be met by the Council to continue the maintenance operations of the de-trunked A92 and A96.  The report also stated that negotiations were ongoing with Transport Scotland in regard to the asset and recompense for outstanding work.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee –

(a)          instruct the Chief Officer -Operations and Protective Services to include the de-trunked lengths in the Council’s list of Adopted Roads, update the Roads Asset Management Plan and include any future works to the de-trunked sections within the annual Roads Capital Programme;

(b)          approve the expenditure required to maintain the de-trunked roads, as described in the A90 Trunk Road (Charleston to Blackdog) Detrunking Order 2010, in accordance with the Council’s relevant policies and procedures;

(c)          note that Revenue and Capital expenditures for the maintenance of the de-trunked road would be an annual requirement;

(d)          authorise the Chief Officer -Operations and Protective Services to implement the required maintenance programme; and

(e)          approve that appropriate officers may award contracts for the repair and maintenance of the de-trunked sections of road on receipt of a valid tender submission and subject to the necessary funding being in place, such monies to come from either Transport Scotland or the approved revenue and capital budgets.

At this juncture, the Committee heard from the Chief Operating Officer, who explained that revised recommendations were now being put forward to be considered. 

Revised Recommendations

(i)            to note that the de-trunked lengths will become part of the Council’s list of Adopted Roads;

(ii)          to note that the Roads Asset Management Plan will be updated:

(iii)         to note that any future works to the de-trunked sections will be included within the annual Roads Capital Programme, all in accordance with the Traffic orders made by Transport Scotland in 2010, copy contained in Appendix F; and

(iv)         to instruct the Chief Officer -Operations and Protective Services to maintain the road, described in The A90 Trunk Road (Charleston to Blackdog) Detrunking Order 2010, in accordance with the Council’s relevant policies and procedures, subject to approval of required expenditure by the Strategic Commissioning Committee or the City Growth and Resources Committee, as appropriate.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the revised recommendations.

-       Councillor John Wheeler, Convener