Agenda and decisions

there was no Urgent Business.

in terms of Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of item 14.1 (Operation of a Future Aberdeen eBike Hire Scheme), item 15.1 (Condition and Suitability 3 Year Programme – Exempt Appendices) and item 15.2 (Work Plan and Business Cases – Exempt Appendices).

(1)      Councillor Cooke advised that he had a connection in relation to agenda item 8.1 (City Centre and Beach Masterplan – Annual Update) by virtue of him being an observer on Sport Aberdeen Board. Having applied the objective test, he did not consider that he had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting; and

(2)      Councillor Malik advised that he had a connection in relation to agenda item 9.1 (Capital Programme Delivery: Projects Update) by virtue of him being the Captain of Bon Accord Cricket Club. Having applied the objective test, he did not consider that he had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting.

there were no deputations.

to approve the minute.

(i)       to note the reasons for deferral in relation to item 6 (District Heating – Network Expansion/Waste Heat Utilisation (City Centre Link), item 9 (Fleet Replacement Programme (Annual Report) and item 13 (School Estate Plan: Denominational Primary Schools);

(ii)      to note the reason for transferring item 13 (Housing Revenue 30 Year Account Business Plan) to Council;

(iii)      to remove item 23 (Denis Law Trail) for the reason outlined within the planner; and

(iv)     to otherwise note the Committee Planner.

That the Committee:-

(1)        Notes the resignation of the Rt Hon Humza Yousaf MSP as First Minister of Scotland;

(2)       Considers that as First Minister Humza Yousaf spent little time in Aberdeen beyond attending SNP Conference and never formally met with the Council Co-Leaders; and

(3)       Therefore agrees to instruct the Chief Executive to write to the new First Minister of Scotland:-

(i)      reconfirming the Council’s willingness to work with the devolved administration in delivering projects of benefit to the people of Aberdeen;

(ii)      outlining the contribution of Aberdeen to Scotland and the UK’s economy;

(iii)     noting the historic underfunding of Aberdeen City Council by Holyrood and calling for remedial action; and

(iv)    asking them to meet with the Co-Leaders at the earliest opportunity, given the failure of both previous First Ministers to meet the Co-Leaders.

(1)      note that the Co-Leaders wrote to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer MP, making the case to locate GB Energy’s headquarters in Aberdeen (see attached);

(2)      note that the Chief Executive, Angela Scott, also wrote to Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, reinforcing that it is the view of Aberdeen City Council that GB Energy should be headquartered in Aberdeen (see attached);

(3)      acknowledge the response received from UK Government’s Minister for Energy, Michael Shanks MP, from within the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) (see attached);

(4)      agree that Aberdeen, with its offshore engineering expertise, concentration of supply chain companies, world class Universities, and highly skilled work force, is the only sensible option for the UK Government to locate the headquarters of GB Energy;

(5)      instruct the Chief Executive, Angela Scott, to write to UK Government’s Minister for Energy, Michael Shanks MP, inviting him to meet with Co-Leaders and Opposition Group Leaders, and any other relevant stakeholders the Chief Executive may deem appropriate, so the case for Aberdeen can be made directly to the Minister, to ensure the UK Government make the right decision and locate GB Energy in Aberdeen; and

(6)      agree to instruct the Chief Executive to write to the new First Minister of Scotland:-

(a) reconfirming the Council’s willingness to work with the devolved administration in delivering projects of benefit to the people of Aberdeen; and

(b) outlining the contribution of Aberdeen to Scotland and the UK’s economy.

That the Committee:-

(1)        Notes with concern Stagecoach's announcement on 13 June 2024 of the proposed cancellation of its 22A and 22B bus routes which service Torry and Lochside Academy with the 21A bus route from Cove to Lochside Academy also facing being scrapped;

(2)        Recognises that this follows on from Aberdeen City Council cutting its subsidy of the route for pupils;

(3)        Instructs the Chief Executive to (a) write to Stagecoach's North Scotland Managing Director David Beaton noting the impact on local pupils; and (b) respond to the consultation noting the negative impact on the Torry community; and

(4)        Instructs the Executive Director of Families and Communities to prepare an impact report to be submitted to the Education and Children's Services Committee with proposed actions to ameliorate.

The Committee were advised that the Notice of Motion had been withdrawn by Councillor Kusznir following the circulation of this Service Update

(1)      note the progress made to advance a wide range of projects contained within the City Centre and Beach Masterplan (Appendix 1);

(2)      agree that Officers report future activity and updates on projects through the Council’s Capital Planning process through the Finance & Resources Committee;

(3)      note, in relation to city centre mobility and accessibility, the roundtable meeting hosted by the Co-Leaders with key stakeholders in July 2024, and instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to arrange for a programme of similar roundtable meetings with key stakeholders, in addition to the ongoing regular Masterplan engagement and consultation programme;

(4)      agree the need for continued understanding of perceptions, insights, attitudes and experiences on City Centre Masterplan objectives, particularly around mobility and accessibility, and instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to use Bus Lane Enforcement surplus (capped at £20,000) to set up a professionally facilitated bi-annual focus group to collect data on opinions and personal experiences on this topic;

(5)      in relation to the Beach, and in line with the Budget decisions taken by Council in March 2024, note the update provided in paragraphs 3.5 - 3.6 and agree that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning pause the preparation of a Development Framework for the Beach Phase 2 area, until such a time as additional resources can be identified through future Budget setting processes; and

(6)      to note that the Masterplan Manager would circulate to members, the link to the Generation Aberdeen website showing details of the successful application.

(1)      Note this report and the updated risk section in relation to progress with the Project;

(2)      agree that all future updates on Aberdeen Market should be reported through regular Capital Programme update reports, as already happens with updates on other capital projects; and

(3)      agree that any future matters relating to Aberdeen Market, which require decisions, should be reported to the Finance and Resources Committee for determination.

(a)      note the status of delivery of the Section 3.0 highlighted programmes/projects contained within the approved Capital Programmes: 2.2 Note that this report aligns with the Council Budget report COM/24/061 as reported on 6 March 2024 to Council, and the Q1 update report to Finance & Resources committee on 7 August 2024 (CORS/24/223);

(b)      instruct the Chief Officer – Finance to vire the necessary monies from the General Fund Capital Programme as shown in Appendix B; and

(c)      note that, following the virement as indicated in Appendix B, the General Fund Capital Programme budget spend has not increased.

(1)      note the draft 2025/26 Common Good Budget detailed in Appendix 1;

(2)      note the proposal from officers to amend the grant application criteria, as detailed in section 3.20; and

(3)      agree to maintain the status quo and reject the amended grant application criteria as detailed in section 3.20 of the report.

(1)      note the Fair Tax Mark accreditation application process as detailed at paragraph 3.3 and the current monitoring processes of existing exclusion criteria detailed in paragraph 3.8 of the report;

(2)      instruct the Chief Officer - Commercial & Procurement Services to insert clauses into the Council’s formal tender documentation that actively promote to all bidders the application for Fair Tax Mark accreditation;

(3)      to note that the Chief Officer – Commercial and Procurement Services would circulate the response from the Federation of Small Businesses regarding their view of the Fair Tax Mark to members of the Committee and Councillor Thomson.

note the report and the performance information contained in the Appendix.

There is an exempt appendix in the Exempt Appendices Section below.

(a)      note the projects completed or legally committed to date in 2024/25 as shown in Appendix A;

(b)      note the currently approved projects and approves the amended estimated budgets for each project as shown in Appendix B;

(c)      approve the new projects listed in Appendix C for inclusion in the Condition & Suitability Programme, approves the estimated budget for each project, and delegates authority to the Chief Officer - Capital, following consultation with the Chief Officer - Commercial and Procurement Services, to: consider and approve procurement business cases for each of these projects for the purposes of Procurement Regulation 4.1.1.2; and thereafter to procure appropriate works and services, and enter into any contracts necessary for the projects without the need for further approval from any other Committee of the Council;

(d)      approve the removal of the projects listed in Appendix D; and

(e)      delegate authority to the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord, following consultation with the Capital Board and the Convener and Vice-Convener of this Committee, to amend the C&S Programme should priorities change due to unforeseen circumstances during the year, with such changes to be reported retrospectively to the Committee.

There are exempt appendices in the Exempt Appendices Section below.

(a)      review the workplan as detailed in the Appendices for the Corporate Services, City Regeneration & Environment and Families and Communities Functions;

(b)      approve the procurement business cases, including the total estimated expenditure for the proposed contract; and

(c)      notes the content of Appendix 3 – 3.10 Memo Approvals.

instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to undertake a procurement exercise to identify a private partner to enter into a public/private partnership model with the Council to deliver a new eBike hire scheme for the city, with public funding to support the programme identified as being taken from the Bus Lane Enforcement surplus.

to note the information contained within the exempt appendices.

to note the information contained within the exempt appendices.