Agenda item

The Council had before it a notice of motion by Councillor Kusznir in the following terms:-

That the Council:

(a)  Notes the decision of Full Council on 1 March 2023 to terminate the agreement with SISTEMA Scotland, who deliver Big Noise Torry in partnership with Aberdeen City Council, following a reduction in Aberdeen City Council’s contribution by £738,000;

(b)  Further notes that Sistema Scotland’s budget was protected by the previous Administration in their 2022-23 Budget, following the extension of the partnership for 6 years from 2020;

(c)  Acknowledges the funding announced by Neil Gray, Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development to be provided to Sistema Scotland by the Scottish Government, which should protect Big Noise Torry;

(d)  Believes that Big Noise Torry is about much more than music. Music is a tool that is utilised to deliver early intervention and improve life chances. The Council recognising this in 2013, when it first approached Sistema Scotland to delivery Big Noise Torry, said “that Sistema Scotland’s operation will be an integral aspect of the City Council’s regeneration work in Torry”;

(e)  Notes that the decision to cut Sistema Scotland’s funding was supported by the following Aberdeen City Councillors:

a.    SNP: Gill Al-Samarai; Christian Allard, Torry/Ferryhill; Alison Alphonse; David Cameron; Hazel Cameron; Donna Clark; John Cooke; Neil Copland; Bill Cormie; Derek Davidson; Lee Fairfull, Torry/Ferryhill; Dell Henrickson; Michael Hutchison; Neil MacGregor; Alexander McLellan; Ciarán McRae; Jessica Mennie; Alex Nicoll; Miranda Radley; and Kairin van Sweeden; and

b.    Liberal Democrat: Desmond Bouse; Steve Delaney; Martin Greig; and Ian Yuill.

(f)   Further notes that these same Councillors unanimously supported a Notice of Motion on 14 December 2022 by Cllr Kusznir congratulating Big Noise Torry on their side-by-side concert with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra;

(g)  Is aware of the previous support, during his time as a Member of the Scottish Parliament, for Sistema Scotland and Big Noise Torry from Cllr Christian Allard where he tabled a parliamentary Motion on 30 June 2015 which said:

That the Parliament recognises what it considers the crucial work that Sistema Scotland does by inspiring young people to get involved in symphony orchestras as well as the huge social benefits in doing so; notes the broad age range who benefit from this work, from nursery to secondary school pupils; commends the launch of a new Big Noise orchestra centre in Torry in Aberdeen; considers that this will have a positive social impact for the local community, and encourages the formation of more organisations that aim to include young people in creative activities, bringing recreational and social fulfilment.

(h)  Further notes Cllr Christian Allard’s comments during the Budget debate on 1 March 2023 when he said that Big Noise Torry has had “no impact whatsoever”;

(i)    Condemns Cllr Christian Allard for his perceived rank hypocrisy as Convener of the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee for voting to remove the funding of an integral aspect of the City Council’s regeneration work in Torry;

(j)    Can no longer support Cllr Christian Allard remaining as Convener of the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee given his disingenuous manner in publicly supporting Big Noise Torry and then voting to cut their funding; and

(k)  In terms of Standing Order 5 removes Cllr Allard from his aforesaid Convener appointment at the Full Council Meeting on 26 April 2023.

Councillor Kusznir moved, seconded by Councillor Watson:-

            That the Council approve the notice of motion.

Councillor Allard moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Fairfull:-

            That Council:

(a)      Notes the decision of Full Council on 27 March 2023 to remove funding for Sistema Scotland to deliver the Big Noise Torry programme based on the evidence published on 24 March 2023 and to support the transition of Sistema to the Scottish Government;

(b)      Notes that the previous Labour/Conservative/Independent Administration extended the £4m contract for 6 years from 2020 with a caveat that services would be shared and spread across the city;

(c)      Notes the following from the evaluation commissioned by the previous Administration:

1.    The first recommendation of the 2021 report was to note the limited impact of Big Noise Torry on educational attainment based on quantitative data (page 139)

2.    There is no evidence that Big Noise Torry is improving general attendance at Walker Road (page 144)

3.    There is no evidence that Big Noise Torry has improved level of attendance at Tullos Primary (page 146)

4.    Young people at Lochside continue to operate below the virtual comparator. The gap between the school and its virtual comparator has grown over time (page 146)

5.    Summary of findings - there isn’t conclusive proof of the positive impact of Big Noise Torry on the attainment and engagement of all learners in the Torry area (page 147);

(d)      Notes the aims of Big Noise Torry is about much more than music but notes that the analysis undertaken by the Chief Education Officer in February 2022 found no direct impact on educational attainment directly from the Big Noise Torry project; and

(e)      Instructs the Director of Children’s and Family Services to share the evaluation commissioned by the previous Administration in 2021 with the Scottish Government.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (21)  -  Councillors Ali, Blake, Bonsell, Boulton, Brooks, Crockett, Cross, Farquhar, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Kusznir, Lawrence, Macdonald, McLeod, Malik, Massey, Mrs Stewart, Thomson, Tissera and Watson.

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

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the amendment.