Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

The Committee had before it the minute of the previous meeting of 11 November 2025, 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 item 43 (Annual Effectiveness Report Service Update) as this was due to be published in January 2026; and

(ii)            to otherwise note the committee business planner. 

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer Adult Social Work, which shared the Justice Social Work Service Annual Performance Report and Community Payback Order Annual Report for 2024-25 in line with the Committee’s remit.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the Justice Social Work Service Annual Performance Report and Community Payback Order 2024-25 report (at Appendix 1 and Appendix 2), which provided assurance about progress made over the period.

The Committee heard from Val Vertigans, Strategic Service Manager, who spoke in furtherance of the report and answered various questions from Members. 

The Committee resolved:-

to note the report. 

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Data Insights, which presented Committee with the status of appropriate key performance measures relating to services falling within its remit. 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the report. 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to note that the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord would ascertain whether the Community Payback Team could be utilised to assist with Voids; and

(ii)            to note the performance report. 

With reference to article 17 of the minute of Council of 2 July 2025, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Operations, which provided an update on the current challenges in dealing with removing graffiti in Aberdeen and also what steps were required to be taken to help reduce the graffiti problem.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)           note the demand being placed on, and the work being carried out by, Environmental Services to remove graffiti in Aberdeen;

(b)           note the current work being undertaken by the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) to reduce graffiti and the steps being proposed to gather data and evidence to help tackle the problem; and

(c)           instruct the Chief Officer - Operations, following consultation with the Community Safety Manager, to bring a report to the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee in the Summer 2026 to give an update on the progress being made.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to note that Mr Shaw would find out more information from his team in relation to responses from utility companies around graffiti and report back to the Vice Convener;

(ii)            to note that a Service Update would be issued to Members in relation to progress ahead of the next report coming back to Committee in August 2026;

(iii)          to note that Mr Shaw would compose a briefing note for circulation to all Community Councils in relation to graffiti; and

to approve the recommendations. 

The Committee had before it a report by Police Scotland, which presented the Police Scotland Performance Report covering April to September 2025 for Committee scrutiny.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee discuss, comment on, and endorse the report.

The Committee heard from Chief Superintendent Kate Stephen and Chief Inspector Darren Bruce, who spoke in furtherance of the report and also answered various questions from Members.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             in relation to the use of a safe consumption room, to note that Police Scotland would provide an informed response to Members outwith the meeting;

(ii)            in relation to Group 2 figures for Sexual Crimes, to request that Police Scotland break down the figures by gender for future reports; 

(iii)          to endorse the report;

(iv)          to agree Police Scotland polices by consent with the public; note the report where it states “We know that Hate Crime continues to impact individuals and communities, particularly those most vulnerable in society”; and agree Police Scotland were doing a good job in ensuring asylum seekers and refugees were protected from the rise in anti-immigration protests, noting Hate Crime was not a legitimate protest; and

(v)           to agree Police Scotland should continue to respond to protect Council workers who face intimidation and threats as they take down the flags from the lampposts right across the city, noting that ensuring public safety was a key element of policing by consent.

With reference to article 13 of the minute of the meeting of 17 January 2023, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord, which noted that the report was provided in response to a previous committee instruction to provide an update on the non-traditional housing stock including city centre multi storey buildings. The report provided Members with further information on these property types, works done to date and an indication of the next steps required.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

In relation to the non-traditional low-rise stock

(a)          note the work undertaken with condition surveys for non-traditional properties and instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to develop a programme of structural inspections of non-traditional constructed properties on a prioritised basis;

(b)          instruct the Chief Officer - Capital to procure technical and economic reports on the long-term investment options (all as noted in 3.5 of this report) for each type of non-traditional building and to include the findings of these in the 30 year business plan;

In relation to the city centre multi storey properties:

(c)          instruct the Chief Officer - Capital to instruct full condition surveys of the city centre multi storey buildings covered by this report; and thereafter to review the previous options appraisal to reflect these updated surveys, and changes and proposed changes to regulation, along with investment requirements over differing timeframes for each group of buildings, all as noted in this report; and to provide updates through the 30 year business plan;

(d)          instruct the Chief Officers – Capital, Strategic Place Planning and City Development and Regeneration to engage with Historic Environment Scotland with regard to the technical, economic and habitability issues associated with the listed city centre blocks, so as to identify any potential technical solutions and/or funding sources in relation to investment required in the buildings;

(e)          due to the fragmented nature of the ownership in the buildings, instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord and Chief Officer - Housing to investigate any funding options for private owners, but also the implications of offering a ‘buy-back’ or sell to rent scheme for city centre multi-storey buildings, reporting on this to committee in August 2026;

(f)            instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord and Chief Officer - Housing to undertake further engagement with owners once further costings and options information are available; and

(g)          instruct the Chief Officer - Housing, following consultation with the Chief Officer - Capital, to manage the scheme decisions required to allow the surveys and reports noted in recommendations to be undertaken, and to share these reports, once available, with those private owners having a shared interest in these properties.

The Convener moved, seconded by the Vice Convener:-

That the Committee approve the recommendations as contained in the report. 

Councillor Ali, seconded by Councillor Lawrence, moved as an amendment:-

          That the Committee -

1.          note the report;

2.          agree the SNP have their priorities all wrong by bringing forward a report that is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

That the Committee:

Instruct the Chief Executive to write on behalf of Aberdeen City Council to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the First Minister of Scotland:

(i)             calling on them to work together, to share information on grooming gangs as part of any national inquiries or reviews, thus ensuring that no evidence of cross border activity by grooming gangs is missed; and

(ii)            stating that we owe it to all victims of grooming by gangs or individuals to have all politicians work collaboratively to give the victims the assurance that they will finally get the answers, actions and support they need, and their voices heard; and stating that victims need us to collectively make this happen sooner rather than later.      

The Committee had before it a Notice of Motion from Councillor Boulton, in the following terms:-

That the Committee:-

Instruct the Chief Executive to write on behalf of Aberdeen City Council to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the First Minister of Scotland:

(i)             calling on them to work together, to share information on grooming gangs as part of any national inquiries or reviews, thus ensuring that no evidence of cross border activity by grooming gangs is missed; and

(ii)            stating that we owe it to all victims of grooming by gangs or individuals to have all politicians work collaboratively to give the victims the assurance that they will finally get the answers, actions and support they need, and their voices heard; and stating that victims need us to collectively make this happen sooner rather than later.

Councillor Boulton spoke in furtherance of her Notice of Motion.

Councillor Boulton moved, seconded by Councillor Mrs Stewart:-

          That the Committee approve the Notice of Motion.

Councillor Ali, seconded by Councillor Lawrence, moved as an amendment:-

          That the Committee –

1.            Instructs the Chief Executive to write on behalf of Aberdeen City Council to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the First Minister of Scotland:

(i)             calling on them to work together, to share information on grooming gangs as part of any national inquiries or reviews, thus ensuring that no evidence of cross border activity by grooming gangs is missed, noting the UK Government has agreed to an Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs and noting the Scottish Government has agreed to a National review of group-based child sexual abuse response, the work of which review will be undertaken alongside that of the ongoing Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry; and

(ii)            stating that we owe it to all victims of grooming by gangs or individuals to have all politicians work collaboratively to give the victims the assurance that they will finally get the answers, actions and support they need, and their voices heard; and stating that victims need us to collectively make this happen sooner rather than later;

2.            Agrees the Chief Executive should also express in her letter to the First Minister the Committee’s concerns relating to his Justice Secretary Angela Constance who broke the ministerial code after making controversial comments about a grooming gangs expert in parliament. The SNP minister was accused of misrepresenting Prof Alexis Jay's position on public inquiries into child sexual abuse and exploitation; and

3.            Calls on the Justice Secretary to resign.

On a division, there voted – for the motion (6) – the Convener, the Vice Convener and Councillors Greig, McLellan, Mennie and Mrs Stewart – for the amendment (2) – Councillors Ali and Lawrence.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion.

-       Councillor Miranda Radley, CONVENER