Minutes:
In accordance with the decision recorded under article 1 of this minute, the following items were considered with the press and public excluded.
Reference was made to article 34 of the minute of meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee of 11 May, 2010 when a report by the Director of Housing and Environment had been considered and it had been agreed to refer matters pertaining to the budgets within the Housing and Environment Service to this Committee for consideration.
The report before the Finance and Resources Committee had amongst other things, requested that the £70,000 of savings (previously proposed to be made from the cessation of funding to Aberdeen Citizens’ Advice Bureau) be found from elsewhere within the Environment Service as follows (recommendation (i) of the report):
(a) £15,000 from Private Landlord Registration fees (the projected saving was £96,000 on average for the next three years, but it was anticipated that there would be much more than that in 2010/11, given the characteristics of the renewal cycle);
(b) £15,000 from the disestablishment of one trainee Environmental Health Officer post;
(c) £10,000 from street cleansing (over and above the savings already set for 2010/11);
(d) £10,000 from the public toilets budget; and
(e) £20,000 from street sweeping trading account (over and above the savings already set for 2010/11).
The above recommendation had been referred to this Committee for consideration, and members had before them on this day the report that had been presented to the aforementioned meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee, and were circulated a copy of the relevant minute extract from the said meeting.
The Committee raised concerns at the proposal to save £10,000 from the street cleansing budget, and £20,000 from the street sweeping account, but were assured by officers that this would not result in any downgrading of the service currently provided.
On hearing that the Convener intended to move the recommendation as a motion, Councillor Cooney intimated that he would like to move an amendment to the effect that the Committee do not approve recommendation (i) as contained within the report; and agree that the £70,000 required, be funded from the Council’s contingencies.
The Committee were advised that the Housing and Environment Committee could only take decisions regarding its own Service budgets, and that if such a decision were to be made, it would have to be referred back to the Finance and Resources Committee for their further view on the matter.
On hearing the above advice, Councillor Cooney withdrew his amendment.
The Committee resolved:-
to agree that the required £70,0000 of savings (previously proposed to be made from the cessation of funding to Aberdeen Citizens’ Advice Bureau) be found from elsewhere within the Environment Service as follows:
(a) £15,000 from Private Landlord Registration fees (the projected saving was £96,000 on average for the next three years, but it was anticipated that there would be much more than that in 2010/11, given the characteristics of the renewal cycle);
(b) £15,000 from the disestablishment of one trainee Environmental Health Officer post;
(c) £10,000 from street cleansing (over and above the savings already set for 2010/11);
(d) £10,000 from the public toilets budget; and
(e) £20,000 from street sweeping trading account (over and above the savings already set for 2010/11).