Agenda item

That Committee note the visit of Paul McLennan MSP to meet residents affected by RAAC on Friday 2 May 2025. At this he clarified that the Scottish Government had received no requests from Aberdeen City Council to provide funding to assist owner occupiers. It was also reported that the Aberdeen City Region Deal contains an unspent “£20million in infrastructure funding to unlock housing sites that are of strategic importance to the local authorities”. The scale of RAAC and the disaster facing its victims means that this is a strategic priority for Aberdeen City Council, and we instruct the Chief Officer – Housing, Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord  and Chief Officer – Finance to report to the next meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee on any option(s) to utilise  these funds.

The Committee had before it an urgent Notice of Motion by Councillor Watson in the following terms:-

that the Committee note the visit of Paul McLennan MSP to meet residents affected by RAAC on Friday 2 May 2025. At this he clarified that the Scottish Government had received no requests from Aberdeen City Council to provide funding to assist owner occupiers. It was also reported that the Aberdeen City Region Deal contains an unspent “£20million in infrastructure funding to unlock housing sites that are of strategic importance to the local authorities”. The scale of RAAC and the disaster facing its victims means that this is a strategic priority for Aberdeen City Council, and we instruct the Chief Officer – Housing, Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord and Chief Officer – Finance to report to the next meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee on any option(s) to utilise these funds.

Councillor Watson moved his motion and explained the rationale behind it and was seconded by Councillor Malik.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Greig, moved as an amendment:-

that the Committee –

(1)    agree that Cllr Allard, Co-leader at Aberdeen City Council, moved a motion (25 October 2024) at CoSLA Leaders which was unanimously agreed, containing:-

“viii.  Recognised the concern surrounding Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) present in various council and former council housing stock alongside the significant financial implications to both local authorities and homeowners who had purchased a property previously owned by a local authority;

ix.?Noted that the previous UK Government had committed to consider the approach to any RAAC funding in other public sector estates on a case-by-case basis;  and

x.?  Agreed to CoSLA engaging with both UK and Scottish Governments on:

1.          The establishment of funding mechanisms that might be available to support housing providers in meeting costs to resolve the issue and that local authorities were best placed to administer such funds.; and

2.          That any establishment of a UK wide RAAC Fund support affected tenants as well as, homeowners who had purchased previously council owned properties affected by RAAC with associated costs, such as remedial works or a financial support package that would alleviate the financial devastation caused by RAAC, by, at minimum, mitigating the gap between market value and any mortgage shortfall resulting from voluntary or compulsory purchase.”

(2)    agree that Aberdeen City Council adopts the above as its policy position with regards to RAAC funding, including but not limited to support for private owners;

(3)    instruct the Chief Executive to continue engagement with Scottish Government, UK Government, and CoSLA, to outline Aberdeen City Council’s position with regards to RAAC funding and the need to establish a UK RAAC Fund for the purposes set out above;

(4)    instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Scottish Government, UK Government, and CoSLA, to outline the position of private owners due to the RAAC crisis and outline the need for the establishment of a UK RAAC Fund for the purposes set out above;

(5)    note the Scottish Government’s Housing Minister, Paul McLennan MSP, met with residents in Torry whose properties are affected by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) on Friday 2 May 2025. Further notes that the Housing Minister met with Co-leader, Councillor Christian Allard and Councillor Martin Greig at Marischal College with Council officials to discuss the impact of RAAC on Aberdeen City Council;

(6)    note that the Aberdeen City Region Deal contains a £20 million Housing Infrastructure Fund to unlock housing sites that are of strategic importance to the local authorities; and

(7)    instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to consider the options and possibilities that may be available through the Housing Infrastructure Fund as part of the Balnagask Masterplanning exercise that has previously been instructed.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (4) – Councillors Brooks, Farquhar, Malik and Watson; for the amendment (5) – the Convener and Councillors Allard, Cooke, Greig and Henrickson.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to adopt the amendment; and

(ii)      to note that the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord would circulate to members, Housing Infrastructure Fund guidance and information relating to UK Government funding requests.

-         COUNCILLOR ALEX MCLELLAN, Convener.