Agenda item

With reference to Article 19 of the minute of its meeting of 31 October 2013, the Council had before it a joint report by the Director of Housing and Environment and the Director of Corporate Governance which presented a proposed byelaw for consideration to prohibit street begging in Aberdeen city centre.

The report recommended:-

that the Council decide whether to approve a begging byelaw and the area to which it would apply as set out in appendix A to the report, and instruct officers to complete the statutory process for seeking confirmation of such a byelaw from the Scottish Government.

Councillor Crockett moved, seconded by Councillor Boulton:-

            That the Council -

(1)      approve the wording of the byelaw as set out in the appendix to the report;

(2)      approve the designated area as set out in the appendix to the report;

(3)      instruct officers to take all necessary steps to complete the statutory process to seek confirmation of the byelaw from the Scottish Government.

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

            That the Council -

(1)      write to the Scottish Government to ask for detailed legal reasons for the Justice Minister’s stance;

(2)      recognise that joint work had been effective in tackling problems associated with beggars from the UK and from overseas;

(3)      continue to develop evidence-based partnership strategies on homelessness, rooflessness and substance abuse to identify and assess reasons for street begging;

(4)      support and encourage continued ongoing partnership work between Council, Police, Fire Service, NHS, third sector and other organisations; and

(5)      instruct officers to produce a report on whether the begging legislation in England and Wales had been effective with an explanation of any problems or issues that the Police had encountered with enforcement of the legislation.

Councillor Townson moved as a further amendment, seconded by Councillor McCaig:-

            That the Council agree not to implement the street begging byelaw.

There being a motion and two amendments, in terms of Standing Order 12(9) the Council first divided between the motion and the amendment by Councillor Townson.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (23)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Forsyth, Graham, Grant, Ironside, Laing, Lawrence, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison, Nathan Morrison, Taylor, Thomson and Young.

For the amendment by Councillor Townson  (18)  -  Councillors Blackman, Cameron, Corall, Cormie, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, Greig, Jaffrey, Kiddie, MacGregor, McCaig, Malone, May, Noble, Samarai, Sandy Stuart, Townson and Yuill.

Declined to vote  (1)  -  Councillor Delaney.

The Council then divided between the motion and the amendment by Councillor Greig.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (23)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Forsyth, Graham, Grant, Ironside, Laing, Lawrence, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison, Nathan Morrison, Taylor, Thomson and Young.

For the amendment by Councillor Greig  (4)  -  Councillors Delaney, Greig, Malone and Yuill.

Declined to vote  (15)  -  Councillors Blackman, Cameron, Corall, Cormie, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, Jaffrey, Kiddie, MacGregor, McCaig, May, Noble, Samarai, Sandy Stuart and Townson.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.