Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Convener opened the meeting and welcomed members to the first meeting of the Public Protection Committee. She highlighted the importance of members, officers and the wider public and third sectors working collaboratively together to achieve the broadest sense of public protection for the people of Aberdeen. Thereafter she thanked the Vice Convener and officers for their ongoing support in the Committee’s establishment and continued development.

The Committee resolved:-

To note the information provided.

There was no urgent business.

There was no exempt business.

No declarations of interest were intimated.

There were no requests for deputation.

The Committee had before it the committee business planner as prepared by the Chief Officer Governance. 

The Committee resolved:-

To note the Committee Business Planner.

There were no notices of motion.

There were no referrals from Council, Committees and Sub-Committees.

The Committee had before it a report by Detective Superintendent Alex Dowall which informed the Committee about human trafficking in Aberdeen City.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee note the report.

Chief Superintendent Campbell Thomson advised the Committee that section 3.5.1 of the report referred to the Aberdeenshire Council area and asked Detective Inspector Alan Armit  to provide clarity on the Aberdeen City  context in relation to human trafficking, which was given verbally.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to request that an update be circulated to members on Police Scotland’s approach towards the Duty to Notify;

(ii)          to ask members to contact the Clerk if they had any suggestions for future thematic reports; and

(iii)         otherwise note the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service which presented the local performance report to provide assurance on progress against local priorities, outcomes and actions as set out in the Aberdeen City Local Fire and Rescue Plan.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee note the report.

The Committee resolved:-

To note the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which provided an introduction to the services delivered by Aberdeen City Council that are designed to protect the public, and the assurance regimes and arrangements in place for these services to ensure that the Council is meeting its statutory duties in terms of public protection.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee note the report.

The Convener proposed that the Chief Executive liaise with organisers of the Great Get Together with a view to arranging Aberdeen City Council’s participation in this year’s event in support of Jo Cox’s message that “we have more in common than that which divides us”. The Committee unanimously endorsed the Convener’s proposal.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)           to note the report;

(ii)          to request that an update report on Adult Protection referrals, as outlined in para 3.2.9.1 be presented to Committee on 10 October 2018;

(iii)         to note that the Great Get Together was set up in 2016 after Jo Cox’s death and that it will be held again this year from 22-24 June, to coincide with Jo’s birthday;

(iv)         to note that the organisers hope to build on last year’s success, which saw thousands of events across the UK, and to extend the reach of the event in Scotland by involving as many cities, towns and communities as possible;

(v)          believes that Jo Cox’s message that “we have more in common than that which divides us” has relevance today and demonstrates the spirit that politics and public service should embody; and

(vi)         to agree to participate in the Great Get Together 2018 and asks the Chief Executive to liaise with the organisers and with appropriate Conveners on proposals for the event.

There was no business under this item.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer Governance which provided detail of a self-assessment process carried out during 2017 that was designed to give the organisation an understanding of its resilience preparedness.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee note the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)           to request that periodic performance reports on progress against resilience standards be presented to Committee; and

(ii)          otherwise note the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer Governance which provided members assurance that arrangements were in place to ensure that Aberdeen City Council have at all times, a Chief Officer on-call and available to co-ordinate the Council’s response to any major incident or emergency.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee note the report.

The Committee resolved:-

To note the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Customer Services which asked the Committee to note the findings of the recent Scottish Government Peer Review of compliance with statutory PREVENT duties.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee approve the recommendations made during the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)           to endorse the 18 recommendations made by the Scottish PREVENT peer review as outlined in para 3.14; and

(ii)          to request that a progress report be presented to the Committee’s meeting on 10 October 2018.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which presented the revised Food and Feed Regulatory Service Plan for approval and the review of the 2016-17 Protective Service Plan.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee:-

(a)          Approve the maintenance and development of food and regulatory services necessary to satisfy the requirements of the Food Standards Agency’s Framework Agreement;

(b)          Approve the Protective Services Food and Feed Regulatory Service Plan 2018-19; and

(c)          Note the review of the 2016-17 Protective Services Food and Feed Regulatory Service Plan.

The Committee resolved:-

To approve the recommendations.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which outlined the Protective Services proposals for delivering the occupational safety and health regulatory service for 2018-19.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee approve the Occupational Health and Safety Intervention Plan for 2018-19.

The Committee resolved:-

To approve the recommendation.

There was no business under this item.

There was no business under this item.

10:30am, 4 July 2018.

-           COUNCILLOR JENNIFER STEWART, Convener