Agenda item

Carried forward from March Council meeting

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Data Insights which presented the Council Delivery Plan for 2025/26.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)           note the content of the Council Delivery Plan 2025/26 as detailed in Appendix 1;

(b)           instruct the Chief Executive to realign any of the delivery commitments set out in the Plan that may be required, as a result of budget decisions made at the Council budget meeting, to meet Council’s instructions;

(c)           instruct all Chief Officers to report performance improvement priorities for 2025/26 and progress towards improvement through the arrangement set out within the Council’s Performance Management Framework; and

(d)           instruct the Chief Officer - Data Insights (HDRCA) to liaise with University College London’s Institute of Health Equity, led by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, and Public Health Scotland, who are in partnership with the Council, through the “Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland”, on further embedding the wider determinants of health and the application of preventative planning as outlined in the Delivery Plan.

Councillor Allard moved, seconded by Councillor Greig:-

That the Council approve the recommendations contained within the report.

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

          That the Council:- 

1.    agree recommendations (a) to (c) of the report;

2.    agree to instruct the Chief Executive to bring forward the report relating to Statutory Function Review instructed by Council in December 2022 on any specific opportunities proposed to be progressed. Note we are still none the wiser regarding the BBC being in a position to deliver public services for and on behalf of the Council;

3.    agree that the Statutory Function Review instructed the Chief Executive to discuss with the Scottish Government opportunities to transfer functions through legislative change; given the Council Delivery Plan 25/26 does not mention anything about this within it, instruct the Chief Executive to report back to Council in April on any opportunities proposed to be progressed;

4.    agree despite the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee’s best intentions, poverty within the city is on the rise due mainly thanks to SNP austerity with the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee being reduced to a talking shop rather than a stimulus for change;

5.    note improvement projects were established in response to underperformance, on matters including Housing Rent Arrears and Repair and Letting of Empty Housing (Voids);

6.    note recommendation (d), the launch of “Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland” with the aim of reducing health inequalities in Aberdeen and two other Scottish local authority areas. Note this is a collaboration of Public Health Scotland (PHS) and Professor Sir Michael Marmot,  Director of University College London's Institute of Health Equality (IHE) with council and health board;

7.    note Public Health Scotland highlight that reducing health inequity requires action on eight key objectives. These are referred to as the Marmot 8. They are to:?

·       tackle discrimination and racism, and their outcomes? 

·       give every child the best start in life? 

·       enable all children, young people, and adults to maximise their capabilities and control their lives? 

·       create fair employment and good work for all? 

·       pursue environmental sustainability and health equity together

·       ensure a healthy standard of living for all? 

·       create and develop healthy and sustainable places and communities? 

·       strengthen the role and impact of ill health prevention?

8.    agree the SNP has failed in each of these eight key principles and that the Council Delivery Plan fails the citizens of Aberdeen.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (23)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Bouse, Hazel Cameron, Clark, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Davidson, Fairfull, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Radley, van Sweeden and Yuill.

For the amendment   (21)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Boulton, Brooks, Crockett, Cross, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Kusznir, Lawrence, Macdonald, McLeod, Malik, Massey, Nicoll, Mrs Stewart, Thomson, Tissera and Watson. 

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.