Agenda item

The Lord Provost highlighted that this was the last Council meeting of the term and thanked all staff for serving the people of Aberdeen with such pride and dedication. He added that it had been a privilege to work alongside staff in what was a huge team effort.

The Lord Provost paid tribute to the voluntary sector in Aberdeen and emphasised that he could not begin to describe the magnitude of what went on within the city’s third sector. He commented that he had made it a priority to recognise the hard work of volunteers and he was so proud of what he had seen in Aberdeen, with so many people giving up their time, talents and often their own resources for the benefit of others which never failed to amaze him.

The Lord Provost thanked all members for their service during the past five years, particularly those members not seeking re-election, who he wished good luck. He also expressed his sincerest best wishes to Councillor Kiddie who had been suffering from ill health in recent months.

Lastly, the Lord Provost thanked all members for giving him their support in his role of office. He concluded that it had been an enormous privilege and a huge honour to serve as Lord Provost and he would be leaving with a whole new outlook on Aberdeen and a great sense of positivity about the city’s future.

Councillor Laing thanked the Lord Provost for the work he had carried out during the past five years as Lord Provost and as an elected member for eighteen years in total. Councillor Laing highlighted that so many people in the city had been overwhelmingly positive about the Lord Provost, and emphasised that he had worked tirelessly to promote Aberdeen and its citizens. She added that the Lord Provost had shown the utmost professionalism but also good humour and had chaired Council meetings very effectively despite the stresses that members occasionally brought to meetings. Councillor Laing underlined that the city had been honoured and privileged to have the Lord Provost in the role and wished him every success in his future away from the Council.

Councillor Flynn echoed Councillor Laing’s comments and recalled that the Lord Provost had invited him to his office within his first week after being elected, which made him feel very welcome. He added that the Lord Provost had been a pillar of strength in the role for the Council. Councillor Flynn thanked his own members who were not seeking re-election, namely Councillors Corall, Dickson, Jaffrey and Kiddie. He also thanked Councillor Laing for her leadership as Council Leader, adding that although they disagreed on many things she had not held back when representing the city. He also extended his thanks to Councillor Crockett for his time as Council Leader and the various Conveners for their hard work during the past five years, particularly Councillors Cooney and Ironside who were not seeking re-election.

Councillor Yuill echoed the remarks of Councillors Laing and Flynn, and added his own thanks to Council staff for their professionalism and good advice. He advised that only one of his members was retiring and thanked Councillor Malone for her service. He also added his good wishes to Councillor Kiddie and was pleased to hear his health was improving. Councillor Yuill concluded by wishing all members who were not seeking re-election good luck for the future.

Councillor Boulton expressed her own thanks to the Lord Provost, particularly in respect of his work with the third and cultural sectors, highlighting the high esteem in which he was held in those fields. She also thanked Councillor Laing for her efforts as Council Leader, all members who were not seeking re-election and Council staff.

Councillor Donnelly paid tribute to the Lord Provost and wished him well in his endeavours outwith the Council. He also expressed his good wishes towards Councillor Kiddie and wished all members well for the future.

Lastly, Councillor Laing thanked members for their kind words and added that despite the robustness of politics she had enjoyed working with all members during her time as Council Leader. She paid her own tributes to those members not seeking re-election, particularly Councillors Carle, Cooney, Jean Morrison and Nathan Morrison in her own group, as well as Councillor Ironside who she had paid tribute to earlier in the meeting. Councillor Laing hoped that members would be able to move Aberdeen forward as much in the next five years as they had done in the past five years.

The Council resolved:-

to concur with the remarks of the various members.