Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Convener welcomed Cllr Alphonse onto the Committee and thanked Cllr McLellan for his previous contribution to the Committee. She also advised that this would be Iain Robertson’s last meeting as Clerk before taking up a new role within the Council, and she thanked him for his support during the Committee’s development and wished him well for the future.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to welcome Cllr Alphonse onto the Committee;

(ii)           to thank Cllr McLellan for his contribution to the Committee; and

(iii)          to thank Iain Robertson for his support during the Committee’s development and to wish him well in his new role with the Council.

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 minute from its previous meeting of 4 July 2018 for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to approve the minute as a correct record; and

(ii)          to thank Police Scotland for providing useful information on how it supports the Ask Angela Campaign as requested by Committee at its previous meeting.

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

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to note that the Building Standards; PREVENT; and National Child Protection Improvement Review reports would be reported to the Committee’s next meeting on 5 December 2018;

(ii)          to note that the Adult Protection Referrals would be incorporated within a broader report which would be presented to Committee on 20 February 2019, following the publication of the Care Inspectorate report on Adult Social Care;

(iii)         to note that the Self-Assessment Resilience Standards Performance report would be incorporated into an Annual Report which would be presented to Committee on 24 April 2019; and

(iv)         otherwise 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 the Chief Officer Governance and Campbell Thomson (Chief Superintendent, North East Division, Police Scotland) which presented the Police Scotland thematic report on hate crime.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee note the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to instruct the Clerk to identify a date for Members to receive an on-site briefing from Police Scotland on armed policing and police dogs;

(ii)          to request that an update be circulated to Members via email from the North East Division, on the recruitment of LGBT+ candidates; and the delivery of training programmes which aimed to increase awareness of LGBT+ issues for all serving police officers; and

(iii)         otherwise endorse the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer Governance and Campbell Thomson (Chief Superintendent, North East Division, Police Scotland) which presented the Police Scotland thematic report on Police Scotland youth volunteers.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee note the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to endorse the report; and

(ii)          to commend Superintendent Innes Walker for his 30 years of service as a Police Officer, and to wish him well in his retirement.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer Governance and Bruce Farquharson (Local Senior Officer Aberdeen City, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service) which presented the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) thematic report on reducing accidental dwelling fires for the Committee’s information.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee consider and note the information provided in Appendix A in relation to the reduction of accidental dwelling fires.

The Committee resolved:-

To endorse the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which presented the Chief Social Work Officer’s Annual Report for the 2017/18 financial year. The purpose of the report was to inform Members of the role and responsibilities exercised by the Chief Social Work Officer; to provide information on statutory decision making in the period; and to give a progress report on key areas of social work provision within Aberdeen City.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee note the content of the Annual Report, as attached at Appendix 1.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to endorse the content of the Annual Report, as attached at Appendix 1;

(ii)          to request the Chief Social Work Officer to circulate to Members via email, further information on the performance framework adapted from the Care Quality Commission; and

(iii)         to request the Chief Social Work Officer to circulate to Members via email, further information on lessons learned in terms of complaint handling.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which advised of the intention to appoint a joint Independent Chair of Aberdeen City’s Adult Protection Committee and Child Protection Committee.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee endorse the proposal to appoint a joint Independent Chair of Aberdeen City’s Adult Protection Committee and Child Protection Committee.

Graeme Simpson (Chief Social Work Officer) updated the Committee that all three Grampian councils had agreed to appoint a single Chairperson who could chair all the Adult and Child Protection Committees throughout the Grampian region. He added that a recruitment advert would be published later this week, and following a competitive recruitment process, it was hoped that a preferred candidate would be identified before the end of 2018.

The Committee resolved:-

To note the proposal to appoint a joint Independent Chair of Aberdeen City’s Adult Protection Committee and Child Protection Committee.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which provided an update on how the Council have addressed and continued to meet its Corporate Parenting responsibilities under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, Part 9.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee –

(a)           Agree that elected members who have not attended Corporate Parenting training commit to doing so within the next twelve months;

(b)           Request an annual update on the Council’s progress in meeting its Corporate Parenting responsibilities during the past year;

(c)           Agree to continue to promote the Corporate Parenting agenda within Council business, by raising awareness of the issues affecting Care Experienced Young People (CEYP) and promoting service improvements which will benefit our care experienced young people; and

(d)           Note the Life Changes Trust commitment to provide the Council with £50,000 per annum for the next two years subject to match funding. 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to encourage elected members who had not attended Corporate Parenting training to commit to doing so within the next twelve months; and

(ii)            otherwise approve recommendations (b), (c) and (d).

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which sought Committee approval of the draft Grampian Joint Health Protection Plan for the period 2018-2020.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee -

(a)           Approve the Grampian Joint Health Protection Plan appended to this report;  and

(b)           Note that the plan will be reviewed in 2020.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to approve the recommendations; and

(ii)           to instruct the Chief Operating Officer to report to Committee in October 2019 with a progress update on the implementation of the Plan.

10:00am, 5 December 2018.

-             COUNCILLOR JENNIFER STEWART, Convener