Agenda item

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officers – Capital, Housing and Corporate Landlord, which advised that at the Council meeting of 21 August 2024, the Council considered the findings from an options appraisal of various RAAC mitigation actions and agreed that the optimum option was the demolition and rebuild of homes on site.  There was an instruction for the Chief Officer - Capital to proceed with the demolition aspect of this, and report back to the next appropriate meeting of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee on the proposed initial phasing of demolition and landscape details.  This report outlined the proposed initial phasing of demolition and landscaping.

Council also instructed the Chief Officer - Capital, following consultation with the Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee, and the Chief Officer - Procurement, to procure appropriate works and services, and enter into any contracts necessary for the delivery of the demolition, masterplanning and landscaping works without the need for further approval from any other Committee of the Council subject to due diligence, consistency with the financial model and affordability and regular update on progress of project delivery to the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee.   This report provided an update on that instruction.

Finally at the meeting of 5^th February 2025, Council noted the alternative options proposed by the Torry RAAC Campaign Group Management Committee and instructed 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.  The recommendations in this report reflected the flexibility required to both respond to the instruction from the 21^st August 2024 around demolition and landscaping and fully explore the viability of options with the Torry RAAC Campaign Group Management Committee.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee

(a)          note that officers continue to try and find the balance between applying our professionalism to the workstreams associated with the Council's response to the discovery of RAAC in properties and our empathy for those tenants and homeowners, in particular affected by the discovery of RAAC in their homes. The proposed plans included within this report will continue to adapt in light of changing circumstances. Throughout the process officers will continue to endeavour to respond to the needs of residents and homeowners wherever possible;

(b)          note that AtkinsRéalis have been procured to manage and deliver the demolition phase;

(c)          approve the indicative demolition proposals and sequence of phases, noting that only vacant terraces/blocks will be demolished;

(d)          agree that to deliver the demolition in the indicative sequence there are interdependencies on items such as utility disconnections, property ownership and asbestos surveys. As a result, the indicative sequence may be subject to change and will not commence until all interdependencies are resolved;

(e)          note the budget in relation to RAAC at Balnagask forms part of the Council budget held on Wednesday 5 March 2025;

(f)            agree that any changes to the indicative phases of demolition be shared with Elected Members via a Service Update and of course, with the affected communities;

(g)          approve the ‘Demolition Engagement Plan’ as shown in Appendix F;

(h)          note the landscaping options available in Appendix E and instructs the Chief Officer Capital to engage with the community on the landscaping options;

(i)            instruct Chief Officers Housing, Capital and Corporate Landlord to consider the landscaping options more fully when they report back to Committee on the outcomes of the viability of the alternative options presented by the Torry RAAC Campaign Group Management Committee; and

(j)            agree that no more verbal reports are required to be presented by the Chief Officer – Housing at this Committee, regarding rehoming numbers, given the current stage of delivery.

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.    note that officers continue to try and find the balance between applying our professionalism to the workstreams associated with the Council's response to the discovery of RAAC in properties and our empathy for those tenants and homeowners, in particular affected by the discovery of RAAC in their homes. The proposed plans included within this report will continue to adapt in light of changing circumstances. Throughout the process officers will continue to endeavour to respond to the needs of residents and homeowners wherever possible;

2.    note that Atkins Réalis have been procured to manage and deliver the demolition phase and calls for future works / contracts to be procured through an open tender procurement process;

3.    instruct that no further work is progressed on the indicative demolition proposals and sequence of phases, until:

·       The Committee are satisfied as to the health and safety implications

·       A full Environmental Impact Assessment is carried out and reported back to this Committee.

·       There is a full report to this Committee on the RAAC campaign group’s proposals

·       All cost implications of the full demolition process are presented to this Committee.

·       the Chief Officer – Capital investigates whether any damage was caused to the existing roofs when the ‘Mansard Roof’ works were carried out and what (if any) contractual liabilities exist, and reports back to this Committee with his findings.

·       A legal opinion is provided or obtained, as detailed below;

4.    note the funding mechanism in relation to RAAC at Balnagask formed part of the Council budget agreed on Wednesday 5 March 2025;

5.    note the ‘Proposed Demolition Engagement Plan’ as shown in Appendix F;

6.    note the landscaping options available in Appendix E and instructs the Chief Officer - Capital to engage with the community on the landscaping options;

7.    instructs the Chief Officers Housing, Capital and Corporate Landlord to consider the landscaping options more fully when they report back to this Committee on the outcomes of the consideration of the viability of the alternative options presented by the Torry RAAC Campaign Group Management Committee;

8.    instruct the Interim Chief Officer - Governance to provide or obtain a legal opinion on any legal duty the Council may have had to disclose the presence of RAAC or problems associated with RAAC when the council houses were sold by the Council under Right to Buy;

9.    instruct the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee, to write to the Scottish Government requesting they obtain permission from the UK Government around fiscal flexibility in order that the Council may have the option of being able to borrow for revenue purposes to fully compensate RAAC owners; and

10. agree that written reports are to be presented by the Chief Officer – Housing at each meeting of this Committee, regarding rehoming numbers, given the current stage of delivery.

On a division, there voted – for the motion (5) – the Convener, the Vice Convener and Councillors Bouse, Davidson and McLellan – for the amendment (3) – Councillors Cross, Graham and Watson. 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to note that the Chief Officer – Housing was currently working on literature in regards to the establishment of a local service for assisting individuals affected by RAAC and this would be shared with the Torry Community RAAC Campaign Group in due course;

(ii)            to note that an update would be circulated to Members via the clerk from the Chief Officer – Finance in relation to any update with the request for fiscal flexibility from the UK Government;

(iii)          to note that details on acceptable level of vibrations during demolition would be included in the tender documents;

(iv)          to request that the Executive Director – Families and Communities, provide an update to Members via the clerk in regards to the workshop to be held with affected residents; and

(v)           to adopt the motion, therefore approve the recommendations in the report.