Agenda item

With reference to article 22 of the minute of meeting of the Council of 15 March 2017, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – City Growth which provided information on the publication and main findings of the first annual report by the Economic Policy Panel, an independent panel formed to advise on the city region’s economic performance.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       note the policy panel’s first annual report;

(b)       instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth, following consultation with the Panel, to undertake a review of the first annual report with a view to identifying scope for the future development of the report;

(c)       note the recommendations of the policy panel and to approve the officers proposed response to each recommendation in 3.7;

(d)       instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth, following consultation with the other Panel members, to recruit a new member immediately; and

(e)       instruct the Chief Executive to explore how Scottish local government pension funds could invest locally, with specific reference to the strategic infrastructure priorities identified in the Regional Economic Strategy, City Region Deal and City Centre Masterplan.

The Chief Officer – City Growth sought approval to amend recommendation (c) above to read as follows:-

(c)     note the recommendations of the policy panel as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report and to approve the officers proposed response to each.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the amendment to recommendation (c).

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener moved:-

            that the Committee:-

(a)          note the policy panel’s first annual report and agree to the Council holding an economic policy conference each year in November;

(b)          instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth, following consultation with the Panel, to undertake a review of the first annual report with a view to identifying scope for the future development of the report;

(c)          note the recommendations of the policy panel in appendix 1 and to approve the officers proposed response to recommendations, with a Service Update being provided by the Chief Officer - City Growth, by the 25th April 2019 to members of the City Growth and Resources Committee noting progress on each recommendation;

(d)          instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth, following consultation with the other Panel members, to recruit a new member immediately;

(e)          instruct the Chief Executive to explore how Scottish local government pension funds could invest locally, with specific reference to the strategic infrastructure priorities identified in the Regional Economic Strategy, City Region Deal and City Centre Masterplan with the Chief Officer - Finance providing a report on this matter to the 7th February 2019 City Growth and Resources Committee;

(f)           to instruct the Chief Executive to forward the Economic Panel’s first annual report to the Secretary of State for Scotland, The First Minister, The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work, to the Leaders of all other political parties at the Scottish Parliament and MP’s and MSP’s who represent Aberdeen and the North East Region at the UK and Scottish Parliaments; and

(g)          to instruct the Chief Executive to forward the report to the President and Resources Spokesperson of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

Councillor Nicoll, seconded by Councillor Mackenzie moved as an amendment:-

            that the Committee –

(a)          note the policy panel’s first annual report;

(b)          instruct the Chief Officer – City Growth following consultation with the panel to undertake a review of the first annual report with a view to identifying scope for the future development of the report and bring a report back for approval by the City Growth and Resources Committee at its meeting on 7 February 2019;

(c)          note the recommendations detailed in the appendix and the responses of officers detailed in 3.7 of the report, with a report being provided by the Chief Officer – City Growth to the 25th April 2019 meeting of the City Growth and Resources Committee, noting progress on each recommendation. Expresses concern that many of the panel recommendations are already points which have been actioned by Aberdeen City Council or partner organisations and, in respect of recommendation 18, instructs the Chief Executive to write to the UK Government, as immigration is a reserved matter, expressing our view that the flow of key skills to the North East must not be impacted by Brexit;

(d)          note with concern that the City Growth and Resources Committee was not informed of the resignation of a panel member during 2018.  Instructs the Chief Officer – City Growth, to commence an advertising and recruitment process to recruit a new panel member as soon as practically possible;

(e)          instruct the Chief Executive to explore how Scottish local government pension funds could invest locally, with specific reference to the strategic infrastructure priorities identified in the regional economic strategy, city region deal and city centre masterplan and that the Chief Officer - Finance bring a report back to the City Growth and Resources Committee on 7 February 2019;

(f)           to instruct the Chief Executive to forward the Economic Panel’s first annual report to the Secretary of State for Scotland, The First Minister, The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work, to the Leaders of all other political parties at the Scottish Parliament and MP’s and MSP’s who represent Aberdeen and the North East Region at the UK and Scottish Parliaments; and

(g)          to instruct the Chief Executive to forward the report to the President and Resources Spokesperson of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (5) – the Convener, the Vice Convener and Councillors Boulton, Donnelly and Laing; for the amendment (4) – Councillors Flynn, Catriona Mackenzie, Nicoll and Yuill.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)        to adopt the motion; and

(ii)       that officers provide all elected members with a copy of future Economic Policy Panel’s annual reports (by way of email) on the day that they are published.