Agenda item

With reference to Article 13 of the minute of meeting of the Finance, Policy and Resources Committee of 6 December 2017, which had been referred to it for consideration by eight members of the Committee in terms of Standing Order 31.1, the Council had before it (1) a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which sought approval to commit £100,000 for a Year of Young People funding Award Programme for the financial year 2018/19; and (2) the decision of the Committee, which was to approve a sum of £100,000 from contingencies or reserves within the Council’s 2017/18 budget for a Year of Young People Cultural Award Programme to be made available from 1 January 2018 to coincide with the event.

Councillor Lumsden moved, seconded by Councillor Lesley Dunbar:-

            That the Council -

(1)      agree that the Year of Young People 2018 is an opportunity for Aberdeen City Council to celebrate the amazing young personalities, talents and achievers by providing positive opportunities and pathways for young people;

(2)      agree in celebration of the 2018 designated Year of Young People, to establish a new funding programme to support the delivery of youth-led creative activity in the city and that the primary benefactors will be young people groups (age 0-25) based within Aberdeen City;

(3)      note the Council’s commitment to delivering on the Local Outcome Improvement Plan ‘Children are our future’ including the new Aberdeen Cultural Strategy ambition ‘Releasing our Creativity’; and

(4)      agree a sum of £100,000 from contingencies or reserves within the Council’s 2017/18 budget for a Year of Young People Cultural Award Programme to be made available from 1 January 2018 to coincide with the event.

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

            That the Council -

(1)      note that the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF) has been an important part of Aberdeen’s cultural offering for many years;

(2)      note the long term relationship that exists between Aberdeen City Council and AIYF and the importance of maintaining the good brand name of the organisation and the close cultural aspirations of both organisations that have promoted many decades of local, national and international acclaim;

(3)      recognise that AIYF faces substantial reorganisation in the transition to operate as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) to assist in improving the governance and delivery of the organisation’s ambitious aspirations for the future;

(4)      note the AIYF draft Business Plan and additional documents submitted to the Head of Education and Inclusion on 29 September and ask that a final Business Plan, taking account of the above, is resubmitted to the Head of Education and Inclusion once approved by the AIYF Board of Trustees;

(5)      note that the Council is supportive of continued funding being made available to AIYF as part of the budget setting process for the year 2018/19 in the sum of £100,000 in order to assist the organisation to transition to a SCIO and seek alternative funding streams that will ensure their continued success as a self-sufficient model;

(6)      note that the Council is supportive of continued funding being made available to AIYF as part of the budget setting process for the year 2019/20 in the sum of £75,000 for the reason outlined at (5) above;

(7)      recognise that AIYF must move to a position where it does not rely on funding from the Council to support its core activities;

(8)      should the Chief Executive of AIYF be agreeable, to invite them to a future meeting of the Finance, Policy and Resources Committee in order that they may provide feedback of the completed transformation of the organisation;

(9)      agree that the Year of Young People 2018 is an opportunity for Aberdeen City Council to celebrate the amazing young personalities, talents and achievers by providing positive opportunities and pathways for young people;

(10)   agree in celebration of the 2018 designated Year of Young People, to establish a new funding programme to support the delivery of youth-led creative activity in the city and that the primary benefactors will be young people groups (age 0-25) based within Aberdeen City;

(11)   note the Council’s commitment to delivering on the Local Outcome Improvement Plan ‘Children are our future’ including the new Aberdeen Cultural Strategy ambition ‘Releasing our Creativity’; and

(12)   agree a sum of £100,000 from contingencies or reserves within the Council’s 2017/18 budget for a Year of Young People Cultural Award Programme to be made available from 1 January 2018 to coincide with the event.

After eight members had spoken in the debate, Councillor Houghton moved as a procedural motion, seconded by Councillor Graham, that no further debate take place in terms of Standing Order 28.1.

On a division, there voted:-

For the procedural motion  (22)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Bell, Lesley Dunbar, Duncan, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Hunt, Imrie, John, Laing, Lumsden, Macdonald, Avril MacKenzie, Malik, Mason MSP, Reynolds, Sellar, Jennifer Stewart and Wheeler.

Against the procedural motion  (22)  -  Councillors Allard, Alphonse, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, Catriona MacKenzie, McLellan, McRae, Nicoll, Noble, Samarai, Sandy Stuart, Townson and Yuill.

Absent from the division  (1)  -  Councillor Boulton.

There being a tied vote, in terms of Standing Order 29.6, the Lord Provost exercised his casting vote for the procedural motion.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the procedural motion.

Councillor Laing moved as a procedural motion, seconded by Councillor Lumsden:-

That the Council suspend Standing Order 37.2 to enable the meeting to continue beyond four hours.

On a division, there voted:-

For the procedural motion  (22)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Bell, Lesley Dunbar, Duncan, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Hunt, Imrie, John, Laing, Lumsden, Macdonald, Avril MacKenzie, Malik, Mason MSP, Reynolds, Sellar, Jennifer Stewart and Wheeler.

Against the procedural motion  (19)  -  Councillors Allard, Alphonse, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, Catriona MacKenzie, McLellan, McRae, Nicoll, Noble, Samarai, Sandy Stuart and Townson.

Declined to vote  (3)  -  Councillors Delaney, Greig and Yuill.

Absent from the division  (1)  -  Councillor Boulton.

The Senior Democratic Services Manager advised the Council that the procedural motion had failed to attract the necessary two thirds of the members present and entitled to vote in terms of Standing Order 38.1. The meeting therefore concluded in accordance with Standing Order 37.2, with all remaining business to be considered at a later date.

- BARNEY CROCKETT, Lord Provost.