Agenda item

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer of Governance which presented recommendations to facilitate and enable decision-making in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and UK and Scottish Government advice for people to restrict social contact.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

(a)       agrees that all Full Council, Committee, Sub-Committee and Working Group meetings be cancelled from 23 March to 21 August 2020 (inclusive), with the exception of the:-

- Planning Development Management Committee;

- Appointments Panel; and

- the Sub-Committees listed in recommendations (d) and (e) below;

(b)       agrees that Urgent Business Committee meetings be arranged between 23 March and 21 August 2020, as required, to determine business of an urgent nature which might otherwise have been reported to Full Council, other Committee or Sub-Committee meetings;

(c)       revises the membership of the Urgent Business Committee from 9 members to members, consisting of each Group Leader;

(d)       appoints a Convener to the Appeals Sub-Committee and confirms the membership number for the Sub-Committee as 5 members with a quorum of 3, noting that the pool of Members would be drawn from the membership of the Staff  Governance Committee on the basis that names could be provided to the Chief Officer - Governance after the meeting and that he be authorised to finalise membership where required;

(e)       in respect of the following Sub-Committees: (1) appoints a Convener; (2) confirms the membership number for each as 5; and (3) sets a composition and

appoints members on the basis that names could be provided to the Chief Officer Governance after the meeting and that he be authorised to finalise membership where required:-

- Business Rates Appeals;

- Community Asset Transfer; and

- Licensing;

(f)        approves a new temporary Standing Order 16 with immediate effect (with the existing Standing Order 16 becoming Standing Order 17 and so on) as contained within paragraph 4.1 of the report, and instructs the Chief Officer - Governance to make the relevant amendments to Standing Orders as a result of this change, and agrees that the temporary Standing Order be reviewed by the Urgent Business Committee in accordance with recommendation (h) below;

(g)       agrees to amend the Powers Delegated to Officers - General Delegations to Chief Officers 33 (regarding Duty Emergency Response Coordinator), and Chief Executive 1 (regarding emergencies etc) - and approve an additional General Delegation to Chief Officers, all as outlined within paragraph 5.2 of the report with immediate effect; and

(h)       notes that the Urgent Business Committee would review whether Full Council, Committee, Sub-Committee and Working Group meetings should proceed from 24 August 2020 and delegates authority to the Chief Officer – Governance to determine any necessary arrangements.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)           to approve recommendations (b), (f), (g) and (h) as contained above;

(ii)          to agree that all Full Council, Committee, Sub-Committee and Working Group meetings be cancelled from 23 March to 21 August 2020 (inclusive), with the exception of the Planning Development Management Committee, Appeals Sub-Committee, Business Rates Appeals Sub-Committee, Community Asset Transfer Review Sub-Committee and Licensing Sub-Committee;

(iii)         to revise the membership of the Urgent Business Committee from 9 members to 5 members, with a composition of 1 (Aberdeen Labour) +1 (Conservative) +1 (Independent Alliance) +1 (Liberal Democrat) +1(SNP) and agreed to keep this under review from the next meeting of Urgent Business Committee;

(iv)         to appoint Councillor Allan as Convener to the Appeals Sub-Committee and confirms the membership number for the Sub-Committee as 5 members with a quorum of 3, noting that the pool of Members would be drawn from the membership of the Staff Governance Committee and that names be provided to the Chief Officer - Governance after the meeting and that he be authorised to finalise membership where required; and

(v)          to agree the appointments of Conveners, membership number and compositions for appoints for the Sub-Committees as set out in the table below and that names be provided to the Chief Officer - Governance after the meeting and that he be authorised to finalise membership where required;