Agenda item

The Council had before it a report by the Director of Customer Services which presented the Fairer Aberdeen Fund Annual Report 2017-18.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)          note the Annual Report for 2017-18 at Appendix 1 and instruct the Director of Customer Services to report the Council’s feedback to the Fairer Aberdeen Board as appropriate; and

(b)          note that the Fairer Aberdeen Board had carried out a further Participatory Budgeting event during 2018-19.

Councillor Laing moved, seconded by Councillor Lumsden:-

            That the Council -

(1)      approve the recommendations contained within the report;

(2)      commend the work of organisations supported by the Fairer Aberdeen Fund who are providing advice and guidance to those who have been impacted by the roll-out of Universal Credit;

(3)      note that the full roll-out of Universal Credit in Aberdeen took place on 31 October 2018;

(4)      further note that prior to the full roll-out commencing, 462 Council tenants were already in receipt of Universal Credit, with 358 (77.5%) in rent arrears;

(5)      agree that the implementation of Universal Credit presents a risk to the financial security of recipients; and

(6)      instruct the Director of Customer Services to report to the Operational Delivery Committee on 14 March 2019 detailing how many Council tenants are in arrears stating the reasons and whether additional support is necessary in order to prevent those individuals from falling further into financial insecurity.

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

            That the Council -

(1)      approve the recommendations contained within the report;

(2)      commend the work of the Tillydrone Community Flat in supporting users who have been impacted by the roll-out of Universal Credit;

(3)      note that the full roll-out of Universal Credit in Aberdeen took place on 31 October 2018;

(4)      further note that prior to the full roll-out commencing, 462 Council tenants were already in receipt of Universal Credit, with 358 (77.5%) in rent arrears;

(5)      agree that the implementation of Universal Credit presents a substantial risk to the financial security of recipients, not least due to the five week delay in claimants being issued with their first payment; and

(6)      instruct the Director of Customer Services to report to the Operational Delivery Committee on 17 January 2019 detailing how many Council tenants, in receipt of Universal Credit, are in arrears and whether additional support is necessary in order to prevent those individuals from falling further into financial insecurity.

On a division, there voted:-

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

For the amendment  (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.

There being a tied vote, in terms of Standing Order 31.6, the Lord Provost exercised his casting vote for the motion.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.