Agenda item

That Council notes the Policy Statement considered at its meeting on 18 May 2022, and instructs the Chief Officer - Governance to bring forward proposals to the meeting of Full Council on 24 August 2022 with recommended changes to the Scheme of Governance [Full details are contained within the attachment within the agenda at page 757]

The Council had before it a notice of motion by Councillors Nicoll and Yuill in the following terms:-

“That Council notes the Policy Statement considered at its meeting on 18 May 2022, and instructs the Chief Officer - Governance to bring forward proposals to the meeting of Full Council on 24 August 2022 with recommended changes to the Scheme of Governance to incorporate the following:-

Terms of Reference

• Dis-establish the Capital Programme Committee and transfer the remit to the City Growth and Resources Committee
• Dis-establish the Strategic Commissioning Committee and transfer the remit to Full Council and any other committee as appropriate
• Extend the scope of the Education Operational Delivery Committee to include children’s services and rename it Education and Children’s Services Committee to reflect its expanded remit
• Dis-establish the Operational Delivery and Public Protection Committees, and create:

• Establish an Anti Poverty Committee for addressing poverty in the city
• Rename the City Growth and Resources Committee as the Finance and Resources Committee

Powers Delegated to Officers

• To review the Planning Scheme of Delegation with a view to exploring the possibilities for ward members to direct that applications be determined by the Planning Development Management Committee rather than be determined under officer delegation.

Standing Orders

• Amend Standing Order 13 to remove Administration Leaders from the list of people to whom draft reports must be submitted except for reports to the Council and City Growth and Resources Committee
• Amend Standing Order 16 to reflect that any local member can speak at a committee without the need for consent from the Convener
• Amend Standing Order 34 to reflect that where one third of committee refers a matter to Full Council, and the next Full Council meeting is too late, the matter can be considered at a meeting of the Urgent Business Committee
• Amend Standing Order 40 regarding the length of meetings to reflect that meetings cannot last any longer than 6 hours (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any adjournments), unless Standing Orders are suspended

Scheme of Governance

• Remove all references to Business Manager and Depute Business Manager

Council Diary

• Meetings to be on an eight-week cycle, including Full Council, other than those which meet more frequently (e.g. PDMC) or less frequently (e.g. Pensions Committee)
• Change all committee start times to 10.00am

Webcasting

• Bring forward a proposal on how all Full Council and committee meetings could be made hybrid and webcast from the Chamber or Committee Room 2.”

Councillor Nicoll moved, seconded by Councillor Yuill:-

          That the Council -

(1)       approve the notice of motion;

(2)       note that at the Budget Meeting in March 2022 as noted in the Business Planner, Council agreed to instruct the Chief Executive to bring forward a refreshed Target Operating Model to the August Council meeting; and

(3)       agree the Chief Executive’s refreshed Target Operating Model report should set out in a manner which allows for the discharge by the Council of its different functions taking into consideration the financial climate the Council finds itself in and taking into consideration the agreed Partnership’s Council 2022-2027 policy document adopted at the May 2022 Council meeting.

Councillor Grant moved, seconded by Councillor Macdonald:-

          That the Council -

(1)   Terms of Reference

(a)       Agree to dis-establish the Capital Programme Committee and transfer the remit to the City Growth and Resources Committee;

(b)       Note that both the 2021 Strategic Commissioning Committee’s Annual Effectiveness Report and the Audit Scotland 2021 Best Value Assurance Report highlight the importance of the committee and its functions in developing and progressing local priorities as well as in helping to align the Council’s transformation programme and delivery plans with the Local Outcome Improvement Plan and local priorities.

Welcome the important role that the Strategic Commissioning Committee has played in giving elected members the chance to scrutinise procurement processes as well as internal and external work plans and business cases.

Note with concern proposals to remove this committee and the associated risk that the commissioning-led function could be compromised as a result.

Agree therefore to retain the Strategic Commissioning Committee along with its remit and functions in order to continue to drive the change and transformation required to deliver services for the people of Aberdeen;

(c)        Extend the scope of the Education Operational Delivery Committee to include children’s services and rename it Education and Children’s Services Committee to reflect its expanded remit;

(d)       Agree to dis-establish the Operational Delivery and Public Protection Committees, and create:

-       Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee; and

-       Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee;

(e)       Establish a Poverty Reduction Committee for addressing poverty in the city;

(f)         Rename the City Growth and Resources Committee as the Finance and Resources Committee;

(2)       Scheme of Governance

(a)       Remove all references to Business Manager and Depute Business Manager;

(3)       Council Diary

(a)       Meetings to be on an eight-week cycle, including Full Council, other than those which meet more frequently (e.g. PDMC) or less frequently (e.g. Pensions Committee);

(4)       Standing Orders

(a)       Amend Standing Order 13 to remove Administration Leaders from the list of people to whom draft reports must be submitted except for reports to the Council and City Growth and Resources Committee;

(b)         Amend Standing Order 16 to reflect that any local member can speak at a committee without the need for consent from the Convener;

(c)         Amend Standing Order 34 to reflect that where one third of committee refers a matter to Full Council, and the next Full Council meeting is too late, the matter can be considered at a meeting of the Urgent Business Committee;

(d)         Amend Standing Order 40 regarding the length of meetings to reflect that meetings cannot last any longer than 6 hours (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any adjournments), unless Standing Orders are suspended; and

(5)       Webcast

(a)       Bring forward a proposal on how all Full Council and committee meetings could be made hybrid and webcast from the Chamber or Committee Room 2.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (24)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Boulton, Bouse, Hazel Cameron, Clark, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Davidson, Fairfull, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, Mennie, Nicoll, Radley, van Sweeden and Yuill.

For the amendment  (15)  -  Councillors Ali, Bonsell, Brooks, Crockett, Cross, Farquhar, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Macdonald, Malik, Massey, Thomson, Tissera and Watson.

Absent from the division  (1)  -  Councillor McRae.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.