Agenda item

With reference to article 4 of the minute of its meeting of 31 January 2013, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which provided an update on the ongoing discussions at the Rubislaw Field Committee in relation to a new Field Agreement to replace the existing 1923 version.  The report advised that at the January meeting of the Committee, officers had been tasked with making further efforts to obtain the agreement of the Field Committee to implement a revised Agreement.  Officers had also been asked to seek details of the finances and sports development contributions of the various sections of the Aberdeen Grammar Former Pupils’ Club (FP Club) and to advise on the financial implications to the Council, in order that a balanced view of the overall financial contributions and implications could be presented to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee.

Appended to the report were the minutes from the two meetings of the Rubislaw Field Committee that had been held since the January meeting of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee, and the financial information which had been provided by the Council and the FP Club.

The report recommended –

that the Committee –

(a)       note the current position, that the Rubislaw Field Committee had been unable to reach agreement on replacing the existing 1923 Agreement for the reasons outlined in the report and the appended minutes;

(b)       note the requested information provided, as available;

(c)        note the previous recommendation that if agreement could not be reached, officers be instructed to issue Conditions of Let restricted to the terms of the existing 1923 Agreement with effect from 31st March, thereby preventing any additional, unauthorised usage from that date;  and

(d)       instruct officers to issue Conditions of Let restricted to the terms of the existing 1923 Agreement with effect from the new school session, thereby preventing any additional, unauthorised usage from that date.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Crockett, moved an amended set of recommendations, namely:-

To approve recommendations (a) to (c), and to add recommendation (d) to instruct officers to issue Conditions of Let restricted to the terms of the existing 1923 Agreement with effect from the new school session, thereby preventing any additional, unauthorised usage from that date.

Councillor Greig, seconded by Mr Nicoll, moved as an amendment:-

In order to inform future decisions, to agree that the Rubislaw Field Committee will consider and agree the relative contribution of the Former Pupils Club to sport at Rubislaw Field with a report back to the next meeting of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (12) – the Convener; Councillors Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Lesley Dunbar, Forsyth, Malik, Jean Morrison MBE and Taylor; and Mr Duncan and Mr Paul; for the amendment (12) – Councillors Cameron, Greig, May, McCaig, Noble, Samarai, Stuart and Townson; and Mr Maclean, Mr Nicoll, Mrs Tree and Mrs Wischik.  Absent from the division – Councillor Yuill.

In terms of Standing Order 15(5), there being an equality of votes, the Convener had a casting vote on the matter. The Convener used her casting vote in favour of the motion.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the motion.