Agenda, decisions and minutes

(A)       The Lord Provost led tributes to Sandy Stuart who very sadly passed away in July whilst a serving Councillor. The Lord Provost underlined that Sandy had been held in very high esteem by all members and officers; he was very personable and had a good sense of humour. The Lord Provost highlighted the excellent work that Sandy had achieved in Bridge of Don but also across the city in terms of his involvement with various football teams covering a variety of ages over the years; it was well documented that Sandy was an avid football fan and a staunch member of the Tartan Army. The Lord Provost added that his thoughts were with Sandy’s family at this sad time.

Councillor Flynn thanked members from across the Chamber for their good wishes and humility at such a difficult time but particularly the Lord Provost for sending Sandy’s family a personal letter which had been very well received. Councillor Flynn thanked officers for the very diligent work they had undertaken following Sandy’s passing which had been a great help to Sandy’s family and the SNP Group as a whole. Councillor Flynn stated that he loved having conversations with Sandy, especially about football and the various trips they had been on. He added that Sandy was a lovely man with a heart of gold, and he was missing him greatly.

Councillors Laing, Yuill, Lumsden and Boulton each paid their own personal tributes, recollecting many conversations they had enjoyed with Sandy and expressed their condolences to his family.

(B)       The Lord Provost noted that former Councillors Hunt and Catriona Mackenzie had submitted their resignations since the last Council meeting and thanked them for their contributions to the Council. The Lord Provost highlighted that they both had outstanding futures ahead of them, however their departures underlined the difficulties that people often encountered in terms of balancing a career with the work involved with being a Councillor.

(C)       The Depute Provost made reference to the tragic death of Alice Farquharson who was a constituent but also a friend, as well as a highly valued Pupil Support Assistant at Hazlehead Primary. The Depute Provost underlined that Alice would be a huge loss to the community and her family, she touched so many people’s lives and was a wonderful mother. The Depute Provost extended her sympathies and condolences to Alice’s family.

(D)       The Lord Provost welcomed the recent opening of TECA and the P&J Live Arena, which he stated was a fantastic addition to the city’s infrastructure and would bring a lot of additional events and investment to the city starting with Offshore Europe and related events this week.

The Council resolved:-

to concur with the remarks of the Lord Provost, Depute Provost and the various Councillors.

The persons undermentioned were admitted into the presence of the Council and passed as Burgesses of Guild in respect of their respective Acts of Admission in the Guild Burgess Book:-

David Frederick Fryer, Project Manager and Community Entrepreneur, Aberdeen

Very Reverend Doctor Isaac Poobalan, Provost of St Andrews Cathedral, Aberdeen

The Lord Provost advised that he had accepted the notice of motion by Councillors Laing and Lumsden as a matter of urgency in terms of Section 50B(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

The Council resolved:-

to note the position.

Councillor Mason MSP declared a general interest by virtue of his position as a Member of the Scottish Parliament for North East Scotland.

Councillor Allard MEP declared a general interest by virtue of his position as a Member of the European Parliament for Scotland.

The Council had before it the minute of meeting of Aberdeen City Council of 24 June 2019.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the minute subject to the removal of MEP after Councillor Allard’s name as Councillor Allard had not been sworn in as an MEP at that point.

The Council had before it the business planner as prepared by the Chief Officer - Governance.

The Council resolved:-

to note the business planner.

With reference to Article 11 of the minute of its meeting of 24 June 2019, the Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Governance which sought final approval for the list of polling districts and polling places following public consultation.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)          approve the recommended changes to polling districts as outlined in section 3.8 of the report and in Appendix 1 and note that the changes would come into effect when the Boundary Commission for Scotland’s final report and recommendations for the 2018 Review of UK Parliament Constituencies was approved by the Westminster Parliament; and

(b)          approve the recommended changes to polling places as outlined in section 3.9 of the report and in Appendix 2 and note where these were dependent on the Boundary Commission for Scotland’s final report and recommendations for the 2018 Review of UK Parliament Constituencies being approved by the Westminster Parliament.

The Council resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - City Growth which provided an update on funding awards for the Smart HyAware and Fuel Cell Cargo Pedelecs (FCCP) projects and sought procurement approval including overseas travel for officers.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)          note the successful application and award for the Interreg Europe ‘Smart Hy-Aware’ (Smart solutions for Hydrogen potential AWAReness Enhancing) project for €217,000, and match funding from ONE and Scottish Enterprise;

(b)          approve total project costs for Smart HyAware as detailed in the report;

(c)          delegate authority to the Chief Officer - City Growth to procure the appropriate goods and services necessary to undertake the Smart Hy-Aware project, including appropriate travel and associated spend for up to two officers to attend partner meetings and annual conferences connected with the project;

(d)          note the successful application and award of grant for the Interreg North West Europe (NWE) FCCP project for €458,392, and match funding from Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government;

(e)          approve total project costs for the FCCP project as detailed in the report; and

(f)           delegate authority to the Chief Officer - City Growth to procure the appropriate goods and services necessary to undertake the FCCP project, including appropriate travel and associated spend for up to two officers to attend partner meetings and annual conferences connected with the project.

The Council resolved:-

(i)           to approve the recommendations; and

(ii)          to congratulate officers for their work in securing funding for the projects.

Fast Track Cities

“Council notes that Fast Track Cities is a global partnership and initiative, focusing on developing a network of cities pledged to achieve the commitments in the Paris Declaration on HIV prevention, diagnosis and treatment; that Glasgow City Council signed up to be a fast track city at the end of 2018 and the aim is to have all 7 Scottish cities signed up, making Scotland the first country in the world to have all cities signed up to the Fast Track Cities initiative by signing the Paris Declaration. 

The Paris Declaration commitments are:

(a)   90-90-90 targets:

- To ensure that 90% of people living with HIV know their status

- To improve access to antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV to 90%

- To increase the proportion of people living with HIV on ART with an undetectable viral load to at least 90%; and

(b)   To reduce stigma and discrimination related to HIV to zero with long term goals by 2030:

- Zero new HIV transmissions

- Zero HIV-related deaths

- Zero HIV-related stigma

Council welcomes the fact Aberdeen City meets the 90-90-90 targets already but acknowledges that there is more work to do to reach the 2030 goals and reduce stigma and notes that there are issues in Aberdeen in particular with reducing the incidence of late diagnosis of HIV, maintaining the number of people who are on treatment with antiretroviral treatment, which is a particular challenge in our city due to a transient population, and ensuring that ‘harder to reach’ groups are engaging with treatment and support.

Council agrees that tackling HIV stigma and maintaining and improving the treatment rates in Aberdeen meets the aims of the Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership’s Strategic Plan 2019 - 2022 which promotes person-centred care and peer support and also the Resilient, Supported and Included aims of the Local Outcome Improvement Plan. 

Council therefore recommends that the Lord Provost signs the Paris Declaration on behalf of the Council and instructs the Chief Officer of the Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership to work with Community Planning partners to produce an action plan which will improve performance on the 90-90-90 targets and make progress towards the 2030 goals and report back to Community Planning Aberdeen and the Integration Joint Board on implementation of the Action Plan and work done as part of the Fast Track Cities initiative.”

The Council had before it the following notice of motion by Councillor Duncan:-

            “Council notes that Fast Track Cities is a global partnership and initiative, focusing on developing a network of cities pledged to achieve the commitments in the Paris Declaration on HIV prevention, diagnosis and treatment; that Glasgow City Council signed up to be a fast track city at the end of 2018 and the aim is to have all 7 Scottish cities signed up, making Scotland the first country in the world to have all cities signed up to the Fast Track Cities initiative by signing the Paris Declaration. 

The Paris Declaration commitments are:

(a)      90-90-90 targets:

- To ensure that 90% of people living with HIV know their status

- To improve access to antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV to 90%

- To increase the proportion of people living with HIV on ART with an undetectable viral load to at least 90%; and

(b)      To reduce stigma and discrimination related to HIV to zero with long term goals by 2030:

- Zero new HIV transmissions

- Zero HIV-related deaths

- Zero HIV-related stigma

Council welcomes the fact Aberdeen City meets the 90-90-90 targets already but acknowledges that there is more work to do to reach the 2030 goals and reduce stigma and notes that there are issues in Aberdeen in particular with reducing the incidence of late diagnosis of HIV, maintaining the number of people who are on treatment with antiretroviral treatment, which is a particular challenge in our city due to a transient population, and ensuring that ‘harder to reach’ groups are engaging with treatment and support.

Council agrees that tackling HIV stigma and maintaining and improving the treatment rates in Aberdeen meets the aims of the Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership’s Strategic Plan 2019 - 2022 which promotes person-centred care and peer support and also the Resilient, Supported and Included aims of the Local Outcome Improvement Plan. 

Council therefore recommends that the Lord Provost signs the Paris Declaration on behalf of the Council and instructs the Chief Officer of the Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership to work with Community Planning partners to produce an action plan which will improve performance on the 90-90-90 targets and make progress towards the 2030 goals and report back to Community Planning Aberdeen and the Integration Joint Board on implementation of the Action Plan and work done as part of the Fast Track Cities initiative.”

The Council resolved:-

to approve the notice of motion.

Please see the enclosed paper for details

The Council had before it the following notice of motion by Councillor Yuill:-

            “This Council notes:

1.         Human activity has already caused irreversible climate change, the impact of which is felt around the world, that global temperatures have increased by over 1 degree Celsius from pre-industrial levels that atmospheric CO₂  levels are over 406 parts per million (ppm), far exceeding the 350 ppm deemed a ‘safe’ level for humanity, and that the world is on track to overshoot the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C temperature increase limit before 2030; 

2.         The IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C published in November 2018 describes the harm that a 2°C rise is likely to cause, and tells us that limiting Global Warming to 1.5°C may still be possible with ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector, indigenous peoples and local communities;

3.         In order to reduce the chance of runaway Global Warming and limit the effects of Climate Breakdown, it is imperative that each of us reduces our CO₂ eq.  (carbon equivalent) emissions from their current 6.5 tonnes per person per year to less than 2 tonnes without delay;

4.         Individuals can accept responsibility for living in a more sustainable way but cannot be expected to make these changes on their own, that carbon emissions result from both production and consumption, and so Governments - national, regional and local - must change legislation, standards and their approach to meet the need to reduce our CO₂ eq. emissions and make low carbon living easier to achieve and the new ‘norm’;

5.         Local authorities and councils across the world are responding by declaring a ‘Climate Emergency’ and committing to address this emergency.

This Council believes that:

1.         All governments have a duty to limit the negative impacts of Climate Breakdown, and local government recognises it cannot and should not wait for national governments to act;

2.         It is important for the residents of Aberdeen that the council and other public authorities commit to reducing CO₂ eq. emissions and work towards carbon neutrality as quickly as possible;

3.         Bold climate action can deliver economic benefits by way of new jobs, economic savings, market opportunities and improved well-being. 

This Council agrees to:

1.            Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;

2.            Pledge to work proactively with others to make Aberdeen carbon neutral by 2030;

3.            Continue to work with partners and community groups across Aberdeen to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans;

4.            Assist communities to become more resilient to the impacts of global warming, particularly to flooding and to drought;

5.            Instruct the Director of Resources to report to Full Council before the end of 2019 on how carbon budgeting could be introduced into the council’s budget setting processes; and

6.            Instruct the Chief Executive to report to Full Council before the end of 2019 with the actions the Council has taken, and proposals for action to be taken, to address this emergency.”

Councillor Yuill moved,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

“That this Council has no confidence in the new UK Prime Minister and Government to act in the best interests of the citizens of Aberdeen, Scotland and the UK and instructs the Chief Executive to write to Aberdeen’s MPs urging them to support any no confidence motion in the UK Government that is tabled in the House of Commons.”

The Council had before it the following notice of motion by Councillor Yuill:-

            “That this Council has no confidence in the new UK Prime Minister and Government to act in the best interests of the citizens of Aberdeen, Scotland and the UK and instructs the Chief Executive to write to Aberdeen’s MPs urging them to support any no confidence motion in the UK Government that is tabled in the House of Commons.”

Councillor Yuill moved, seconded by Councillor Delaney:-

            That the Council approve the notice of motion.

Councillor Laing moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Duncan:-

            That this Council -

(1)      Condemns the decision by the Conservative Government to use royal prerogative powers to suspend Parliament;

(2)      Believes the action taken by the Conservative Government supports the proposition that there is a danger that the royal prerogative is being set directly against the wishes of a majority within the House of Commons;

(3)      Supports the attempts being made by Labour, SNP, Plaid Cymru, Green, Change UK, Independent MPs and others to ensure our Parliament has enough time to discuss Brexit and the implications a no deal Brexit will have on the UK and out economy;

(4)      Notes the Supreme Court decision that it is in the interest of justice and the public interest that Scotland’s highest Court should determine a position on any abuse of power orchestrated by the Prime Minister and/or the Conservative Government; and

(5)      Instructs the Chief Executive to write to Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition; Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish First Minister; Ian Blackford, Leader of the SNP at Westminster and Jo Swinson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats urging them to support any motion tabled by the Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition and others to stop this blatant abuse of power.

Councillor Lumsden moved as a further amendment, seconded by Councillor Donnelly:-

            That Council -

(1)      Has confidence in the new UK Prime Minister and Government to act in the best interests of the citizens of Aberdeen, Scotland and the UK;

(2)      Welcomes the new £14billion in educational funding announced by the UK Government on Friday 30 August 2019 from 2020/21 to 2022/23;

(3)      Notes that Scotland is estimated to receive £1.9billion of extra funding as a result of the Barnett Formula;

(4)      Instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work and Alison Evison, President of COSLA, requesting a guarantee that all additional funding received as a result of the spending announcement is ring fenced for spending on education spending; and

(5)      Notes the higher £1,661 per person spend for people in Scotland than other parts of the United Kingdom on public services, only made possible by Scotland being part of the UK and benefitting from the Union dividend.

Councillor Boulton moved as a further amendment, seconded by the Depute Provost:-

That Council condemns the use of Council time and resources to further political party point-scoring. Condemns attempts to draw the Chief  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

The Lord Provost intimated that he had directed in terms of Section 50B(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, that the following item be considered as a matter of urgency to enable the Council to consider the matter at the earliest opportunity in light of the consultation and the impact the proposals would have on the citizens of Aberdeen.

“This Council notes -

(1)  That the proposed sale of First Bus Aberdeen is imminent;

(2)  That First Bus Aberdeen has recently started a one-week consultation on axing some of its services; and

(3)  That many in our communities rely on a quality bus service to get to work, doctors’ appointments etc.

This Council agrees to -

(a)  Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, highlighting the present situation with First Bus Aberdeen and urging him to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen putting profit before passengers by cutting the bus services on which the public of Aberdeen rely;

(b)  Instruct the Chief Executive to meet with the management of First Bus Aberdeen, and at which meeting to urge them to maintain the same level of service until the sale of the First Bus Aberdeen business and to then report to Group Leaders with the details of the discussion and result of that meeting; and

(c)  Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the 3 constituency MSPs and 7 Regional List MSPs urging them to lobby the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen cutting the bus services on which the public of Aberdeen rely whilst the business is up for sale.” 

The Council had before it the following notice of motion by Councillors Laing and Lumsden:-

            “This Council notes -

(1)      That the proposed sale of First Bus Aberdeen is imminent;

(2)      That First Bus Aberdeen has recently started a one-week consultation on axing some of its services; and

(3)      That many in our communities rely on a quality bus service to get to work, doctors’ appointments etc.

This Council agrees to -

(a)      Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, highlighting the present situation with First Bus Aberdeen and urging him to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen putting profit before passengers by cutting the bus services on which the public of Aberdeen rely;

(b)      Instruct the Chief Executive to meet with the management of First Bus Aberdeen, and at which meeting to urge them to maintain the same level of service until the sale of the First Bus Aberdeen business and to then report to Group Leaders with the details of the discussion and result of that meeting; and

(c)       Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the 3 constituency MSPs and 7 Regional List MSPs urging them to lobby the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen cutting the bus services on which the public of Aberdeen rely whilst the business is up for sale.” 

The Council resolved:-

to approve the amended notice of motion in the following terms:-

“This Council notes -

(1)      That the proposed sale of First Bus Aberdeen is imminent;

(2)      That First Bus Aberdeen has recently started a one-week consultation on axing some of its services; and

(3)      That many in our communities rely on a quality bus service to get to work, doctors’ appointments etc.

This Council agrees to -

(a)      Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, highlighting the present situation with First Bus Aberdeen and urging him to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen putting profit before passengers by cutting the bus services on which the public of Aberdeen rely;

(b)      Instruct the Chief Executive to meet with the management of First Bus Aberdeen along with Group Leaders, and at which meeting:

(i)        To urge them to maintain the same level of service until the sale of the First Bus Aberdeen business; and

(ii)       To urge them to hold public meetings in the communities affected by the proposed changes to allow residents to express directly to First Bus Aberdeen their views and concerns about the proposed changes to services; and

(c)      Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the 3 constituency MSPs and 7 Regional List MSPs urging them to lobby the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity to use any power at his disposal to stop First Bus Aberdeen cutting the bus services on which the public of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

The Lord Provost advised that in terms of Standing Order 7.3 he was bringing forward the date of the next Council meeting by one week to 9 December at 10.30am.

The Council resolved:-

to note the position.