Agenda item

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord which provided a formal update on the progress being made implementing Council instructions relating to RAAC in Balnagask, including the options available to the Council to compulsorily acquire properties, and provided an indicative timeline for the completion and reporting of outstanding instructions. 

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)           note the list of instructions from the meeting of Council in August 2024 and agree the proposed reporting method for each of these as noted in the report;

(b)           note that the Health and Safety of residents remains a priority and that inspections continue to be carried out as part of our mitigation strategy;

(c)           note the progress with the voluntary acquisition process of privately owned accommodation, the next steps in the process;

(d)           note the options available for CPO and agree that the measures were not in place at this time to support a CPO and that the voluntary acquisition process remained the preferred option;

(e)           note the alternative options proposed by the Torry RAAC Campaign Group Management Committee and instruct officers to explore the feasibility, benefits and risks associated with each option, alongside any other identified opportunities to support owners, and report the findings to a future meeting of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee; and

(f)            note that further reports on the subject would be brought to the budget meeting and the next meeting of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee as outlined from paragraph 3.2 of the report.

Councillor Radley moved, seconded by Councillor Henrickson:-

That the Council approve the recommendations contained within the report.

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

          That the Council -

(1)       note the list of instructions from the meeting of Council in August 2024 and agree the proposed reporting method for each of these as noted in the report;

(2)       note that the Health and Safety of residents remains a priority and that inspections continue to be carried out as part of our mitigation strategy;

(3)       agree Aberdeen Labour set out the position of Compulsory Purchase Order on 29 February 2024 at the Urgent Business Committee and 21 August 2024 at Council; and that whilst voluntary acquisition of properties is the preferred option at this time, instruct Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to take forward the necessary steps for the Council to make a decision on a Compulsory Purchase Order. To also note that the Council has powers under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 which they have not used despite claiming this matter is urgent;

(4)       note the alternative options proposed by the Torry RAAC Campaign Group Management Committee and instruct officers to explore the feasibility, benefits and risks associated with each option, alongside any other identified opportunities to support owners, and report the findings to a  meeting of Council within 2 cycles;

(5)       note that further reports on the subject will be brought to the budget meeting and the next meeting of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee as outlined in paragraph 3.2 of the report;

(6)       agree the SNP have made a complete “dog’s’ dinner” of their handling of RAAC and rather than helping those affected by RAAC they have hindered the process by their cavalier attitude towards owner occupiers of RAAC affected properties; and

(7)       agree to instruct the Chief Executive to write to the First Minister of Scotland asking for funding to help the Council meet the range of costs associated with RAAC, including a support fund for homeowners along with other costs incurred by the Council’s General Fund and Housing Revenue Account. 

Councillor Kusznir moved as a further amendment, seconded by Councillor

          That the Council -

(1)       agrees the recommendations contained within the report;

(2)       recognises that on 21 August 2024, when the decision on the future of RAAC affected properties was made in Council, the only Group to propose an offer to homeowners at a historic market valuation (1 April 2023), pre public knowledge of RAAC, was the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Group;

(3)       welcomes the belated political support of others to the plight of homeowners;

(4)       further notes the self-evident lack of influence that the Administration has on the Scottish Government who continue to decline requests for funding to assist either homeowners or Aberdeen City Council; and

(5)       instructs the Chief Executive to write to (a) the First Minister for Scotland; and (b) the Minister for Housing, outlining the steps Aberdeen City Council has undertaken in handling RAAC, requesting financial support to meet the Council’s costs, financial support for homeowners and inviting both ministers to visit RAAC hit Balnagask and its community.

There being a motion and two amendments, the Council first divided between the two amendments.

On a division, there voted:-

For the amendment by Councillor Malik   (13)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Crockett, Graham, Grant, Lawrence, Macdonald, Malik, Nicoll, Thomson, Tissera and Watson. 

For the amendment by Councillor Kusznir  (6)  -  Councillors Boulton, Brooks, Cross, Kusznir, McLeod and Mrs Stewart.

Declined to vote  (22)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Bouse, Hazel Cameron, Clark, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Davidson, Fairfull, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, Mennie, Radley, van Sweeden and Yuill.

The Council then divided between the motion and the amendment by Councillor Malik.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (27)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Boulton, Bouse, Brooks, Hazel Cameron, Clark, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Cross, Davidson, Fairfull, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, Kusznir, MacGregor, McLellan, McLeod, Mennie, Radley, van Sweeden and Yuill.

For the amendment by Councillor Malik   (14)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Crockett, Graham, Grant, Lawrence, Macdonald, Malik, Nicoll, Mrs Stewart, Thomson, Tissera and Watson. 

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to adopt the motion; and

(ii)           to note that officers would liaise with their counterparts at Dundee City Council with regard to RAAC and provide any updates as appropriate.