Agenda, decisions and draft 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.

Members were requested to intimate any declarations of interest in respect of the items on the agenda.

The Committee resolved:-

to note that no declarations of interest were intimated.

The Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 24 March 2021.

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)       in relation to item 9 - Countesswells Primary School, to note that there were financial implications associated with the project which required a decision from the City Growth and Resources Committee; and

(ii)      to otherwise note the content of the business planner.

With reference to article 4 of the minute of its meeting of 28 January 2021, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which provided an update on the progress of works being undertaken as part of the Aberdeen City Council’s directly delivered new build Council housing sites and developer led schemes to meet the political commitment of 2000 new homes.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee notes the progress to deliver the programme of social housing sites across the City as referred to in Appendix 1.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note the progress to deliver the programme of social housing sites across the city per Appendix 1;

(ii)      to note the Council had submitted planning applications for developments at Craighill, Kincorth and Tillydrone and would shortly undertake the same for Kaimhill;

(iii)      to note that subject to receipt of said planning application approvals (within resolution (ii) above), agree to instruct the Chief Officer - Capital to take all necessary arrangements for Contractors to be on site within 16 weeks, taking account of the significant challenges arising within the procurement process;

(iv)      to note the decision of the City Growth and Resources Committee on 28th October 2020 regarding the Granitehill site;

(v)      to instruct the Chief Officer Capital to pause negotiations around the Granitehill site immediately in order for the Council to concentrate on progressing the developer led sites at Auchmill Road, Cloverhill and Grandhome as noted at 3.22 of the report; and

(vi)      to instruct the Director of Resources to stop any further housing developer led procurement exercises to concentrate on prioritising the current developer led sites that are underway as per resolution (v) above.

With reference to article 5 of the minute of its meeting of 28 January 2021, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which provided an update on the progress of works being undertaken at Summerhill new build Council housing project.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee note the progress achieved in the housing project at Summerhill.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

With reference to article 6 of the minute of its meeting of 28 January 2021, the Committee had before it a report by thew Director of Resources which provided an update on the progress of the Wellheads Road new build Council housing project.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee note the progress achieved in the procurement of the new build Council housing project at Wellheads Road.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to instruct the Chief Officer – Capital to circulate a response by email to give assurance that the commitment set out in the Armed Forces Covenant relating to housing was still being progressed; and

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

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which provided an update on the progress of the B999 Shielhill Road Junction Improvement Project.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee note the update to the programme milestones and the associated financial implications.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Houghton moved:-

          that the Committee approve recommendation contained in the report.

Councillor Cameron, seconded by Councillor Alphonse moved as an amendment:-

          that the Committee -

(1)            agree the recommendation contained in the report ;

(2)            Instruct officers to investigate the feasibility of bringing forward design works at the earliest opportunity for the B999/ Shielhill Road Junction Improvement; and

(3)            and following that, establish who the relevant landowner(s) of any necessary pieces of land required to complete the project and enter into discussions to acquire the land at the earliest opportunity for market value.

On a division there voted:- for the motion (5) the Convener, the Vice Convener, and Councillors Houghton, Ling and MacKenzie; for the amendment (4) Councillors Alphonse, Cameron, Hutchison and Yuill.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to adopt the motion; and

(ii)      to note that the Chief Officer – Capital would circulate by email a response relating to when the developer contributions had to be used by for this project.

With reference to article 11 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which provided an update on the progress of ELC Capital Projects. These projects would help to meet Aberdeen City Council’s Early Learning and Childcare Delivery Plan objectives by working with the Education Operations teams to help meet the Councils commitment to expand funded early learning and childcare from 600 hours to 1,140 hours.  The timeline for delivery was originally in 2020, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the timeline had been extended to August 2021.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee -

(a)      note that the Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Programme of Works formed part of the overall Aberdeen City Council Capital Plan; and

(b)      note the progress made with the overall delivery of projects in lieu of the Covid-19 pandemic impact.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

-        MARIE BOULTON, Convener