Agenda item

The Council had before it the wording of the written request for this special Council meeting which had been signed by 12 members in accordance with Standing Order 8.2.2:-

“The business to be transacted related to the failure of the administration members of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee on 26 August 2025, to consider seeking advice on financial flexibilities to achieve a just and equitable settlement for RAAC homeowners in line the Scottish Government position expressed most recently by the Cabinet Secretary for Housing Mairi McAllan on 27^th August 2025.”

Councillor Nicoll moved, seconded by Councillor Watson:-

            That the Council -

(1)      Notes at the meeting of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee on 26 August 2025, amendments were moved by opposition Councillors to address the unjust and inequitable motion being proposed by the SNP and Liberal Democrat administration.

(2)      Notes the proposals in amendments included, but were not limited to:-

·           Agreeing that the roof on - roof off option was presented in a way that would be unaffordable to residents, according to the views of the Torry Community RAAC Campaign

·           Agreeing that demolition work whilst many residents were living on site would represent a cavalier disregard for residents' safety by the SNP

·           Master planning for the site would waste public funds while the future of the site remained uncertain

·           Seeking approval from the Scottish Government regarding unlocking the £20M Housing Infrastructure Fund as a funding source for a just and equitable settlement

·           Seeking additional funding to secure the additional sum required to meet a non-RAAC estimated value for home owner properties in addition to the current financial package on offer or alternatively calculate the sum required to deliver the alternative proposals put forward by home owners that would remove the need for them to find any additional funding costs should they be implemented

(3)      Notes the cavalier attitude of the Convener to refuse to refer the matter to a meeting of Council stating "l will be blocking that, we're moving forward".

(4)      Notes that within 24 hours of the administration decision, the SNP Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Mairi McAllan met with Dundee RAAC tenants and homeowners as part of a series of face-to-face meetings. Following the meeting she stated to media outlets "l am currently in the final stages of considering the reprofiling of funding from Aberdeen City Council. That was a request from them. I have been clear this morning that I will consider any request for flexibility that Councils wish to put."

(5)      Expresses deep concern that the SNP led administration on Aberdeen City Council not only fails to listen and help those impacted by this situation, but also clearly fails to properly engage with Scottish Government colleagues, to reach just and equitable settlement outcomes for those affected by RAAC, preferring instead to place homeowners with a choice of RAAC or ruin.

(6)      Notes that on 29 August 2025, the SNP/Liberal Democrat administration placed Aberdeen City Council in a position of ridicule and derision and treated homeowners with contempt with their offer to RAAC homeowners under a house swap proposal.

(7)      Agrees to instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to immediately reduce the number of properties offered for house swap by withdrawing properties that are uninhabitable in line with existing Council tenancies, and which may leave RAAC homeowners having to find additional funding to repair or upgrade properties to an acceptable standard.

(8)      Instructs the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to urgently bring forward proposals for any future property swaps to the first available meeting of Council on the basis that only houses which meet the standard of properties which would be acceptable to Council tenants are offered and that any outstanding major repairs are concluded ahead of any transaction. The value of the properties offered by the Council to be commensurate with the pre RAAC valuation of homeowners' properties.

(9)      Instructs the Chief Officer - Finance to urgently contact officials at the Scottish Government to identify possible funding streams that could be considered as fiscal flexibilities and be diverted to bridge the gap in loss of value due to the presence of RAAC in line with the Cabinet Secretary's statement and to bring a report to Council, at the earliest opportunity, outlining how any additional funding will be allocated.

(10)   Apologises to the homeowners affected by RAAC for the delays in reaching a just and equitable funding solution to this issue and leaving them facing a choice of RAAC or ruin.

Councillor Radley moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Greig:-

            That the Council -

(1)      acknowledges the efforts of Council officers throughout the rehoming exercise which has seen all affected tenants accept an offer of alternative housing.  

(2)      notes that homeowners have been offered a number of options by Aberdeen City Council, including voluntary acquisition, property swap, and the offer of a council tenancy, supported throughout the process by officers. 

(3)      agrees to continue to work to help the people of Balnagask through the RAAC situation and agrees that, in addition to the voluntary acquisition offer to home owners:

·                The Council will pay any professional fees reasonably incurred for property  advice.

·                The Council would also cover any reasonably incurred legal fees.

·                In addition, home owners would receive a home loss payment equal to 10% of their current property's market value.

·                The Council will also meet other reasonable costs, such as moving expenses and early mortgage surrender fees.

(4)      notes the decision of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee on 26 August 2025 which instructed officers to recommence with immediate effect the planning, preparation, engagement and mitigation works in respect of demolition of only Council-owned blocks. 

(5)      notes that no other local authority or Government is offering the level of financial support to affected tenants and homeowners that Aberdeen City Council has to date.

On a division, there voted:-

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

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

The Council resolved:-

(i)           to adopt the amendment;

(ii)          to note that the Executive Director - Children and Families would request Building Standards to pull together information regarding the eviction process in relation to dangerous properties with regard to the Housing (Scotland) Act and circulate to all Councillors;

(iii)         to note that the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord was putting together an advice note in response to an instruction from the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee with regard to issues such as security patrols, fly tipping, vandalism and missed bin collections in the affected area and that this would be circulated to all Councillors and would include the name of the security contractor; and

(iv)         to note that the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord would circulate links to all Councillors with information regarding property swaps and accompanying values.