Agenda item

The Council had before it a report by the Interim Director of Corporate Governance which sought approval for the establishment of a Joint Committee with Aberdeenshire Council to oversee the implementation of the Aberdeen City Region Deal.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)          establish a Joint Committee in terms of sections 56 and 57 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 with Aberdeenshire Council to be known as the Aberdeen City Region Deal Joint Committee;

(b)          approve the Joint Committee’s Terms of Reference outlined in appendix 1 to the report;

(c)          approve the Joint Committee’s Standing Orders outlined in appendix 2 to the report;

(d)          appoint three named members and up to three named substitute members to the Aberdeen City Region Deal Joint Committee; and

(e)          note that any decision to accept the provisions and terms of a City Region Deal will be a decision reserved for the respective Councils and is not a matter that is delegated to the proposed Joint Committee.

Councillor Laing moved, seconded by Councillor Boulton:-

            That the Council -

(1)      approve recommendations (a), (b), (c) and (e); and

(2)      agree to suspend Standing Order 29(1) and appoint the Council Leader, the Convener of Finance, Policy and Resources and the Vice Convener of Finance, Policy and Resources as members of the Aberdeen City Region Deal Joint Committee; and

(3)      agree to appoint the Depute Leader, the Convener of Audit, Risk and Scrutiny and the Vice Convener of Audit, Risk and Scrutiny as substitute members of the Aberdeen City Region Deal Joint Committee.

The Council was advised that the suspension of Standing Order 29(1) should be considered as a procedural motion in the first instance.

On a division, there voted:-

For the procedural motion  (22)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Graham, Grant, Ironside, Laing, Lawrence, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison, Nathan Morrison, Taylor, Thomson and Young.

Against the procedural motion  (21)  -  Councillors Cameron, Copland, Corall, Cormie, Delaney, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Greig, Hutchison, Jaffrey, Kiddie, MacGregor, Malone, Nicoll, Noble, Samarai, Jennifer Stewart, Sandy Stuart, Townson and Yuill.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the procedural motion, and thereby suspend Standing Order 29(1).

Councillor Jackie Dunbar moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Cameron:-

That the Council approve the recommendations subject to the appointment of two members of the administration and one member of the opposition within recommendation (d).

Councillor Yuill moved as a further amendment, seconded by Councillor Malone:-

That the Council approve recommendations (a), (b), (c) and (e), and agree to approach Aberdeenshire Council with a view to changing the membership of the Aberdeen City Region Deal Joint Committee so that each authority has five members, and to appoint three members of the administration and two members of the opposition to those five places.

There being a motion and two amendments, the Council first divided between the amendment by Councillor Jackie Dunbar and the amendment by Councillor Yuill.

On a division, there voted:-

For the amendment by Councillor Jackie Dunbar  (16)  -  Councillors Cameron, Copland, Corall, Cormie, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Hutchison, Jaffrey, Kiddie, MacGregor, Nicoll, Noble, Samarai, Sandy Stuart and Townson.

For the amendment by Councillor Yuill  (5)  -  Councillors Delaney, Greig, Malone, Jennifer Stewart and Yuill.

Declined to vote  (22)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Graham, Grant, Ironside, Laing, Lawrence, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison, Nathan Morrison, Taylor, Thomson and Young.

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

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (22)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Graham, Grant, Ironside, Laing, Lawrence, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison, Nathan Morrison, Taylor, Thomson and Young.

For the amendment by Councillor Jackie Dunbar  (21)  -  Councillors Cameron, Copland, Corall, Cormie, Delaney, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Greig, Hutchison, Jaffrey, Kiddie, MacGregor, Malone, Nicoll, Noble, Samarai, Jennifer Stewart, Sandy Stuart, Townson and Yuill.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.