Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Vice Convener and Councillor McLellan advised that in relation to item 11.1 on the agenda, Local Housing Strategy, that they were both registered landlords and as a result they declared an interest and advised that they would both leave the meeting during consideration of the item.

Councillor Nicoll also noted a transparency statement in relation to the same item as he was the Power of Attorney for a close family member and noted that as part of that, he rented out a property on their behalf.  Councillor Nicoll did not consider that this connection amounted to an interest which would prevent him from participating in the consideration of that item.

The Committee had before it a report by Police Scotland, which presented the Police Scotland performance report which covered April 2024 to March 2025, for scrutiny. 

The report advised that it provided a detailed account of Police Performance in Aberdeen City in support of agreed priorities, both local and national for April 2024 to March 2025 and much of the content of the report reflected on the collaborative methods in which Police Scotland operated across the city. The report demonstrates how communities benefitted when Community Planning Partners worked within both the Local Outcome Improvement Plan and Locality Plans.

The report recommended:-

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

The Committee heard from Divisional Commander Kate Stephen and Chief Inspector Darren Bruce  who provided an overview of the report and answered various questions from Members.

The Committee resolved:

(i)            to note the report;

(ii)           to agree that Police Scotland police by consensus and it is pleasing to see that the vast majority of citizens in the recent feedback underpins that consensus;

(iii)         to note the 3-year average increase in crimes against society regarding knife crime, noting the increase in possession of offensive weapons in schools used in criminal activities;

(iv)         to instruct the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning to bring a report to Education and Children’s Services Committee as soon as possible outlining an analysis of both Council and Police Scotland data with regard to use of offensive weapons in schools and what actions our schools are taking to reduce incidents involving weapons;

(v)          to note that the Divisional Commander would ensure that all Community Councils had a point of contact within Police Scotland;

(vi)         to note that Police Scotland would investigate the possibility of providing more raw data statistics in future performance reports rather than a percentage which would make the information more digestible;

(vii)        to note that Police Scotland would ascertain whether there was the potential for there to be an increase in the amount of road policing officers and to report back in due course; and

(viii)      to request that Police Scotland produce a short thematic report on the police station hubs in Aberdeen, which would provide details on the new model for police stations in the city. 

In accordance with article 1, the Vice Convener and Councillor McLellan left the meeting when the first deputation was heard and were replaced by Councillors Copland and McRae. 

The Committee received one deputation request in relation to item 11.1 on the agenda (Local Housing Strategy) and two requests for deputation in relation to item 11.5 (RAAC update).

The first deputation request was from Lee Matthews on behalf of Myla Corvidae.  Lee explained that the first part of the deputation was from Myla’s perspective, noting that Myla had been living in Aberdeen as a private tenant for 16 years and how the impact of rent increases had directly impacted Myla’s ability to live in good quality, safe, affordable housing. 

Myla noted that within the Local Housing Strategy, there was a lot of focus on social housing, whilst private housing had been almost completely ignored and Myla proposed that rent control in Aberdeen would significantly shift the focus from buildings to people. 

Lee noted that Myla’s rent had increased from between 25 to 50% and he had struggled to remain in housing as a result of the sudden and unjustified rental increases.  Lee stated that having a well managed private renting sector in Aberdeen would not only be a benefit to people like Myla but it would encourage others to move to and remain in the city.

Lee advised that for Myla, he had been trying to get basis things like water and wind tight windows installed in his current property, to address mould issues and broken bathrooms repaired.  However these conversations with his landlord had been ongoing from when he first moved in to the property in 2017.  He was regularly informing his landlords of the issues and had been met with vague promises of solutions.  Sometimes he would receive no response at all and eventually took matters into his own hands with regards to having the work completed.  However Myla was then faced with the threat of illegal eviction because he was complaining about the state of disrepair.  Lee advised that fortunately, Living Rent was able to step in and resolve the issue within a matter of weeks.

Lee indicated that Myla believed that if a rental control agreement was in place, it would ensure that the rates within Aberdeen remained at a level that was consistent with the quality of living that this strategy set out to implement.  Lee noted that as someone who was unable to work consistently, Myla had been unable to meet increasing demands on the cost of living and had often gone without food or heating, due to high costs of rental agreements.

Lee advised that Myla had considered moving from Aberdeen as there were other places with more affordable housing options.

Lee then spoke about some testimonies from other members of the tenant union to ensure that the voices of private renters in the city were heard.  The first testimony was from Lauren whose bathroom ceiling started pouring with water as the roof was in need or urgent repairs.   She had spent 8 months begging the landlord and the letting agency to fix the leak, however it was not until she contacted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

The Committee had before it the minute of the previous meeting of 27 May 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 note the reasons for delay for items 12 (Aberdeen City Strategic Housing Investment Fund) and 33 (Cost Neutral Environmental Enforcement); and

(ii)           to note the committee business planner. 

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 and provide comments and observations on the performance information contained in the report Appendix.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to request that the Chief Officer – Housing provide details to Councillor Graham outwith the meeting in relation to page 80 of the report and the year to date figure for repossessions and how this figure compared with previous years; and

(ii)            to note the performance report. 

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Housing and Chief Officer – People & Citizen Services, which presented the evaluation findings from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 of the pilot Rent Assistance Fund funded from the 2024/25 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget. 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee

(a)           instruct the Chief Officer – Finance to refer the Rent Assistance Fund to the 2026/27 HRA budget process, with a recommendation to adopt as a permanent, business-as-usual provision following the success of the pilot;

(b)           approve the updated criteria and management procedure of the Rent Assistance Fund for 2025/2026 detailed in Appendix 1; 

(c)           authorise the Chief Officer – Housing to make such changes to the criteria and management procedure of the Rent Assistance Fund as they consider appropriate from time to time and to inform members of any such changes through Service Updates; and

(d)           instruct the Chief Officer – Housing to formally evaluate and report the impact of the Rent Assistance Fund every two years to the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

With reference to article 9 of the minute of the meeting of 28 March 2024, the Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director – Families & Communities, which presented the Cluster Risk Registers and Assurance Maps in accordance with Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee Terms of Reference to provide assurance that risks were being managed effectively within the Clusters as detailed in 3.2 of the report.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the Cluster Risk Registers and Assurance Maps set out in Appendices A to I.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             in relation to the identified risk of non-compliance with Interventions/food Law code of practice due to lack of qualified officers on page 163 of the agenda pack, to note that the Executive Director – Families & Communities, was aware that discussions with other authorities in relation to shared services were ongoing and would report back to Councillor Nicoll in this regard; and

(ii)            to note the report. 

In accordance with article 1, the Vice Convener and Councillor McLellan left the meeting during consideration of the item and were replaced by Councillors Copland and McRae. 

With reference to article 14 of the minute of the meeting of 30 May 2024, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Housing, which sought approval of the Aberdeen City Local Housing Strategy 2025 – 2030

The report advised that all local authorities were required under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, as amended, to develop and implement a Local Housing Strategy which covered all tenures of housing. The Aberdeen City Local Housing Strategy also included an assessment of homelessness and the approach to preventing and alleviating homelessness. The Local Housing Strategy sets out the strategic priorities which the Council, together with its partners, would work towards over the next five years.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)           approve the Aberdeen City Local Housing Strategy 2025 – 2030, as detailed at Appendix 1;

(b)           note the Consultation Feedback, as detailed in Appendix 2;

(c)           note the Housing Supply Target Methodology which forms part of the Aberdeen City Local Housing Strategy 2025 – 2030, as detailed at Appendix 3;

(d)           instruct the Chief Officer – Housing to submit the Local Housing Strategy to the Scottish Ministers and publish the Local Housing Strategy on the Council’s website;

(e)           instruct the Chief Officer - Housing to report progress, towards each of the strategic priorities to the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee on an annual basis;

(f)             approve the refreshed Scheme of Assistance Statement, as detailed at Appendix 4, which aligns with the Local Housing Strategy; and

(g)           instruct the Chief Officer – Housing to publish the Scheme of Assistance Statement on the Council’s website.

The Convener moved, seconded by Councillor Greig:-

          That the Committee approve the recommendations. 

Councillor Graham, seconded by Councillor Watson, moved as an amendment:-

          That the Committee

1.    notes the Aberdeen City Local Housing Strategy 2025 – 2030, as detailed at Appendix 1;

2.    notes the Consultation Feedback, as detailed in Appendix 2;

3.    notes the Housing Supply Target Methodology which forms part of the Aberdeen City Local Housing Strategy 2025 – 2030, as detailed at Appendix 3;

4.    agrees the Local Housing Strategy falls short of what Aberdeen City requires, noting the SNP failure to deliver one new additional council home from the legacy they were left from the previous administration;

5.    agrees that, despite the SNP saying there is a housing emergency, the SNP have rejected Aberdeen Labour’s previous proposals at the Housing Revenue Budget to build more Council homes, in addition to the 2,000 council homes built and procured by the previous administration; 

6.    notes that Aberdeen has a disproportionately large private rented sector, that the average rent in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire has increased by 22.6% since January 2021, and while rents have been rising in Aberdeen, wages have been stagnating. In 2022, it was reported that Aberdeen saw the lowest wage growth in the UK at only 5.2% since 2014;

7.    further notes that current aspirations to support a “well-managed private rented sector” are adequate for landlords who wish  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

With reference to article 15 of the meeting of 5 September 2024, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Housing, which sought approval for the Council’s Annual Assurance Statement for the year 2025/26, which must be submitted to the Scottish Housing Regulator by 31 October 2025.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)           approve the Annual Assurance Statement (Appendix A) for submission to the Scottish Housing Regulator by 31 October 2025; 

(b)           note the self-assessment against regulatory standards contained in Appendix B; and

(c)           note the work undertaken to address areas listed in the Housing Regulator Engagement Plan (April 2025) to date.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations. 

With reference to article 8 of the minute of the meeting of 14 March 2023, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Housing, which sought approval of the refreshed Housing Allocations Policy.

The report noted that as a social housing provider, the Council was required to comply with the legislative and regulatory framework governing the allocation of social rented housing. As such, the Council had a duty to make, and publish, a Housing Allocations Policy detailing how the allocation of homes, transfers, and exchanges would be allocated, and must clearly set out how it would determine an applicant’s priority for housing.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)          approve the refreshed Housing Allocations Policy as detailed in Appendix 1; and

(b)          instruct the Chief Officer – Housing to implement the revised Housing Allocations Policy.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations. 

With reference to article 17 of the minute of the meeting of 5 September 2024, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Capital, which summarised progress of the delivery of key capital expenditure projects identified within the approved Capital Programme from the Housing Revenue Account.  The report also highlighted matters of particular note in relation to Council-led new build housing sites at Summerhill, Craighill, Kincorth, Tillydrone, Kaimhill, Clinterty and Greenferns, and the Developer-led new build housing site at Cloverhill.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)           note the progress in the delivery of the programme of social housing sites across the city;

(b)           note that this would be the final reporting for the completed developments at Summerhill, Tillydrone, Kaimhill and Clinterty; and

(c)           agree that future updates regarding the New Housing Capital Programme Delivery would be reported to the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee through the Housing Board Bi-Annual Report. 

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.  

 With reference to article 2 of the minute of the meeting of 27 May 2025, the Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director – Families & Communities, which advised that at the Council meeting on 21 August 2024, the Chief  Officer - Corporate Landlord in consultation with the Chief Officer - Capital, Chief Officer - Housing and the Chief Officer - Finance, were instructed to assess the ‘building new homes’ option.  At the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee meeting of 27 May 2025, the Council noted the feasibility, benefits and risks associated with each alternative option for RAAC-affected properties in Balnagask. The Committee instructed officers to write to all homeowners to advise them of the alternative options presented, and ask homeowners, having considered the information, to formally identify by the end of June 2025 which option they would be willing to consider.  This report aimed to provide an update on both of these instructions. 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)           recognise that this continues to be a difficult situation for homeowners and welcome the continued offer of mental health support from SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) for those affected by this situation;

(b)           note the outcome of the engagement with homeowners in June 2025;

(c)           note the next steps in relation to the Property Swap option;

(d)           instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to withdraw Option 3 (roof on – roof off) given that no responding party was interested in this option;

(e)           instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to continue to engage with homeowners in relation to Voluntary Acquisition and to review this and report back to this Committee in early 2026 on whether this option should remain open into future financial years;

(f)             note that the demolition plans for Council-owned blocks have been suspended whilst engagement was undertaken with homeowners and instruct the Chief Officer – Capital to recommence the planning, preparation, engagement and mitigation works for this with immediate effect;

(g)           note that engineering inspections of properties continue and that all properties inspected so far have been identified as having a high risk (as per the IStructE guidance); and note that the Council, as an enforcement authority, continues to monitor this professional advice and will continue to advise all homeowners of their responsibilities under the relevant legislation; and

(h)           instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to take forward master planning of the site, considering the scenario of a fully cleared site and any alternative scenarios.

The Convener moved, seconded by the Vice Convener

That the Committee approve the recommendations contained in the report.

Councillor Watson, seconded by Councillor Graham, moved as an amendment:-

          That the Committee –

1.       notes the report;

2.       agrees the SNP have acted shamefully in dealing with RAAC;

3.       agrees the SNP should have listened to Labour back in February 2024 and, if they had, those affected by RAAC would not be in the position they currently find themselves in; 

4.       agrees that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.