Agenda and decisions

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to agree to remove item 7(Public Engagement);

(ii)          to note the reason for the delay for item 6 (Busking Code of Practice); and

(iii)         to otherwise note the information contained in the business planner. 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to note the performance report; and

(ii)            to request that the clerk recirculate the information on the consultation being undertaken by Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to all Elected Members. 

1.      Muhammad Azizul Islam – item 11.2 – Anti-Modern Slavery

2.    Hannah Chowdhry – item 11.5 – RAAC

3.    Paula Fraser – item 11.5 – RAAC

Three deputations were heard and these will be recorded in the minute. 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to approve the Anti-Modern Slavery statement as contained in Appendix 1; and

(ii)          to agree that a report be brought back to this Committee in 2 years time, to provide an evaluation of the implementation of the statement.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to note that Cllr Miranda Radley, Convener of Housing, Communities and Public Protection has written to both the Scottish Government and UK Government to seek assistance;

(ii)            to instruct the Chief Executive to write to both the Scottish Government and UK Government reiterating the points raised by the Convener to seek assistance to ease the burden from the Housing Revenue Account and/or the General Revenue Account;

(iii)          to agree any Option Appraisal must include the consideration of options available to support private owners, including the potential of compulsory purchase orders and their implications;

(iv)          to explore availability of Council stock within Torry and Balnagask area and ask the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to consider whether Council buy back policy may be a vehicle that can be considered to support the rehoming programme where there is a need;

(v)           to instruct the Chief Officer – Housing to recirculate information on the options available to Council tenants when relocating, including support available from the Council towards relocation costs;

(vi)          to instruct the Chief Officer – Housing to continue their engagement with the Health and Social Care Partnership and Third Sector Organisations to explore opportunities to widen mental health and wellbeing support for the community;

(vii)         to request that the Chief Officer – Housing, (1) explore the possibility of responding in writing to tenants/home owners following meetings with what was discussed and (2) make paper copies of the information leaflet which was produced available to private owners; and

(viii)       to request that the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord, circulate to members by way of email, available areas of green space in the Torry area for residents.

That the Council:-

1.             Notes the Scottish Government's unwillingness, confirmed in Parliamentary Questions, to provide financial support to Council to assist in its handling with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) affected properties in Torry;

2.             Considers this is an unsustainable position given the cost to Council and to private owners in Balnagask, Torry in carrying out remedial works;

3.       Notes the decisions of the Urgent Business Committee of 29 February 2024 and instructs the Chief Officer - Finance to report to the meeting of Finance and Resources on 7 August 2024 with options to provide financial assistance to those private homeowners affected by RAAC given the present lack of financial support from the Scottish Government; and

4.       Instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Scottish Government:

a.       requesting that the Council be a participant in the RAAC Cross Sector Working Group due to the Council's high level of affected property; and

b.       asking for reconsideration of the current non existent financial support to both the Council and private homeowners.

Councillor Kusznir withdrew his Notice of Motion at the meeting, following the earlier decision in regards to the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to approve the Protective Services Food Regulatory Service Plan 2024/2025 as detailed in Appendix A; and

(ii)          to note the review of performance against the Protective Services Food Regulatory Service Plan 2023/2024 contained within Appendix 2 of the Service Plan 2024/2025.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the Occupational Health and Safety Service Plan for 2024/25 at Appendix 1.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to note the updates and achievements in relation to the Grampian Joint Health Protection Plan (“the Plan”); and

(ii)          to note that the Plan will be reviewed again in 2026

The Committee resolved:-

to note the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to note the contents of the report and appendix and

(ii)          to agree to receive a further Building Standards Activity Report at the meeting of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee on 21st November 2024.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to approve the timeline for the review of the Aberdeen City Local Housing Strategy at 3.2;

(ii)          to approve the vision and strategic outcomes for the revised Aberdeen City Local Housing Strategy outlined at 3.3 and 3.4;

(iii)         to approve the prioritisation methodology for the affordable housing supply programme at 3.7;

(iv)         to approve implementation of the hybrid model of care and support at Provost Hogg Court as detailed at 3.11 – 3.15;

(v)          to note that the Chief Officer – Housing, in collaboration with the Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership  will engage with tenants in Provost Hogg Court to understand details of the likely impact on existing and prospective sheltered housing and very sheltered tenants of the implementation of the proposed hybrid model of care and support at Provost Hogg Court;

(vi)         to instruct the Chief Officer – Housing in collaboration with the Chief Officer – Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership, to report back to the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee within 12 months on the implementation of the hybrid care and support model at Provost Hogg Court to evaluate the effectiveness before considering potential implementation in other parts of the city; and

(vii)        to instruct the Chief Officer – Housing to liaise with the Chief Officer – Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership to ensure the hybrid care and support model at Provost Hogg Court provides the best possible outcome for tenants from a care perspective as well as a housing perspective and report back to the relevant committee.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to note that the Housing Improvement Group was replaced by the Housing Board, established on 26th March 2024 to oversee all improvement activity relating to Housing, including capital works;

(ii)          to instruct the Executive Director Families and Communities to bring back to this Committee bi-annual reports providing oversight on Housing Improvement Activity;

(iii)         to instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to pause any new applications under the Council House buy-back scheme (with the exclusion of any properties in Torry that may meet the requirements of RAAC affected tenants) in light of wider resource pressures, accelerated by RAAC in Torry, and the funding and voids impact and bring a report on the Acquisition and Disposal policy and buy-backs progress to a future meeting of this Committee, no later than 21 November 2024; and

(iv)         to request that the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord, let members of the Committee know by way of email, how many buy back properties there are currently in the void stock.