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 welcomed Councillor Audrey Nicoll to her first meeting of the Operational Delivery Committee. 

The Convener had determined that item 10.2, on the agenda, Review of Leased Centres and Learning Centres, be considered as a matter of urgency in terms of Section 50(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, as there were a number of late changes requested from officers which impacted on the recommendations. 

The Committee resolved:-

to note the decision of the Convener.

The Convener proposed that the Committee consider item 10.3 (Review of Leased Centres and Learning Centres – Exempt Appendices) 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 item 10.3 so as to avoid disclosure of exempt information of the classes described in paragraphs 2 and 6 of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

The Convener advised that there were three requests for deputations in regard to item 10.2 – Review of Leased Centres and Learning Centres. 

The Convener sought the agreement of the Committee to suspend Standing Order 14.1 to allow the deputations to be heard, as the substantive report had been published late and therefore the deputation requests did not comply with the deadline set out.

The Committee resolved:-

to agree to suspend Standing Order 14.1 to enable the deputations to be heard. 

Councillor Alex Nicoll replaced Councillor Jackie Dunbar to hear the deputation requests and the substantive report, agenda item 10.2, Review of Leased Centres and Learning Centres. 

The Committee heard from Alexander Mess, who was involved with various community groups in his local area.  Mr Mess advised that as a taxpayer and also representing three various community models, he wanted to speak in regards to the review of leased centres and learning centres.

Mr Mess explained that a lot of work had gone into the report but he had lots of questions regarding the report.  He advised that social capital had not been looked at and felt that this was very important.  He stated that there had been no increase in existing funding to centres and no cost of living increase.  He also explained that he felt it was unfair that volunteers had to apply for grants for the centres.

Mr Mess also highlighted that volunteers carried out a vast amount of tasks within the centres and he urged members to look closely at all of the work that was undertaken and to investigate social capital in order to make centres more successful.

Member asked a number of questions of Mr Mess.

The Committee then heard from Andy Finlayson, who was representing Altens and Cove Community Association (ACCA).  Mr Finlayson explained that he was a board member of ACCA and noted his extreme concern regarding the lateness of the report being published.  He also stated that this was the third review in the last few years and centres relied on volunteers.  He intimated that the amount of reviews had a negative impact on the volunteers.  Mr Finlayson suggested that if the report was to be agreed, that centres would close as a result and noted how it was very difficult for centres to get funding from charitable organisations or grants if they were on a short term lease.  He informed members that centres needed a ten year lease in order to be successful in getting grants. 

Mr Finlayson concluded that the money spent on doing the review would be more than the money saved, and it had caused extreme anxiety with volunteers.  Mr Finlayson also questioned why the responses to the questionnaire which was issued to all centres, were not published along with the report. 

Member then asked a number of questions of Mr Finlayson.

The Committee then heard from Paul O’Connor, who was representing Inchgarth Community Centre.  Mr O’Connor explained that he had been involved with the community centre for 20 years.  He advised that he was delighted to hear that after the budget meeting in 2019, there were no cuts to the centres, however a review was to be carried out.  Mr O’Connor noted that centres were not told about the review.  He also highlighted that leased centres were not managed by the Council and as a result a management agreement should not be in place. 

In regard to finance, Mr O’Connor advised that each centre received £11,000 in direct funding from the Council, however if it was not for volunteers running the centres, this cost would be in excess of £500,000.

Mr O’Connor also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

At this juncture, Councillor Jackie Dunbar replaced Councillor Alex Nicoll. 

The Committee had before it the minute of the previous meeting of 12 November, 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 agree to remove items 6 (Scottish Road Works Commissioner Annual Performance), 8 (Community Learning Centre and Leased Community Centre provision) and 9 (Performance Report) subject to the decisions taken later on the agenda;

(ii)            to note that item 5 (Policy that Specifies the Existing Granite Sett and Lock Block Streets) was being removed from this planner and transferred to Council;

(iii)          to note that further information would be circulated to members by means of email, in regard to item 27 (Use of Plastic Based Materials in Roads Construction); and

(iv)          to otherwise note the information on the business planner. 

The Committee had before it, by way of referral from the Disability Equity Partnership (DEP), a revised Constitution for the DEP, for endorsement and agreement as parent Committee. 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to request that when consulting the Disability Equity Partnership (DEP) on infrastructure projects, that the Council do so at as early a point as possible so that the DEP’s input could influence the initial design of projects; and

(ii)            to otherwise approve the revised Constitution of the Disability Equity Partnership.

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 Director of Customer Services advised that with the transition to the new data system, data had only recently been finalised.  As a result, the sickness absence figures were not included in the report, however a Service Update was issued with the figures for information to members.

In regards to voids and the time taken for the re-let of housing properties, it was noted that a report was due to go to Audit, Risk and Scrutiny in February 2020. 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee provide comments and observations on the performance measures relating to the Operations function.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             in regards to Welfare Right - % of Successful Appeals, to note that officers would report back to members by way of email, to clarify the figures contained in the report; and

(ii)            to otherwise note the information contained in the Performance Report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer, which updated the Committee on the performance of Aberdeen City Council’s Roads Maintenance and Roadworks Coordination sections following the publication of the annual performance report by the Scottish Roadworks Commissioner.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)           notes the contents of the Commissioner’s report, dated 4 September 2019;

(b)           acknowledges the updated information as contained within the report, following the joint meeting between representatives of Aberdeen City Council and the Commissioner’s office on 31 October 2019; and

(c)           instructs the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services to provide a service update, in late January or early February 2020, regarding the Commissioner’s decision relating to the removal of the improvement plan. 

At this juncture, Councillor Alex Nicoll replaced Councillor Jackie Dunbar.

MATTER OF URGENCY

The Convener accepted the following item as a matter of urgency in terms of Section 50(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, which reported on the outcome of a review of leased centre and learning centre provision and made recommendations to ensure best value and scrutiny of service provision. 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

In relation to Leased Centres -

(a)           recommend to City Growth and Resources Committee that they instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to replace the existing lease and management agreement arrangements with a new lease only; such lease to give the Council the power to terminate the lease at any time by providing 12 months notice and otherwise to contain such provisions as will, in the opinion of the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord following consultation with the Chief Officer – Governance, protect the Council’s interests;

(b)           note that future development grants, as may be agreed via the Council’s budgetary process, will be provided by means of condition of funding letters from the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, as detailed in section 9 of the report; and

In relation to Learning Centres –

(c)           instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to review the Council’s Operational Agreements with learning centre associations over the next 12 months and thereafter to report back to this Committee with the outcome and findings of the review. 

The Committee resolved:-

In relation to Leased Centres:-

(i)             to recommend to the City Growth and Resources Committee that they instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to replace the existing leases and management agreements with ten year leases (or leases for such shorter periods as the tenants may wish) only; such leases to give the Council the power to terminate the leases at any time by providing 12 months’ notice, on specified grounds, and otherwise to contain such provisions as are agreed with the tenants;

(ii)            to note that future development grants, as may be agreed via the Council’s budgetary process, will be provided by means of funding letters from the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, as detailed in section 9 of this report;

(iii)          to agree that the funding for leased community centres should be agreed as part of the Council’s annual budget setting process and recommends to the Council, for 2020/21, there should be no reduction in the direct and indirect financial support provided to leased community centre management committees;

(iv)          to note that the leased community centre management committees will require to seek independent legal advice during the negotiation of new leases and recommends to the City Growth and Resources Committee that they instruct that the Council will meet the reasonable costs of this and that the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord report to the relevant committee on how this can be facilitated; and

In relation to Learning Centres:-

(v)           to instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to review the Council’s Operational Agreements with learning centre associations over the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.