Issue - decisions

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Housing’s invitation to the Council to bid for £10 million, note the Cabinet Secretary’s meeting with Co-leaders on 22 October 2025, and note the Cabinet Secretary’s verbal assurance of additional resources;

(ii)           to agree in principle, and subject to compliance with the Council’s statutory duties, to make improved and final offers to affected homeowners for the voluntary acquisition of their properties, using the Capital Fund, the Council approved funding solution, such offers to comprise the following:-

(a) market value of the property

(b) legal and professional fees

(c) an additional payment to homeowners on the following basis:

(i) 4 bedroom properties - £44,000

(ii) 3 bedroom properties - £37,000

(iii) 1 bedroom properties - £20,000

(d) the above in (c) will include all other disbursements and claims including but not restricted to moving costs and home loss payments.

In addition to agree in principle, and subject to compliance with the Council’s statutory duties, a balancing payment to those who have already concluded missives or sold their property to the Council to ensure that they are in an equivalent financial position (reflecting payments that have already been made) to those who have not already concluded missives or sold their property to the Council; and

(iii)          to instruct the Chief Executive to seek advice from External Audit around Best Value (BV) considerations relating to the proposal outlined above, and to report to the Finance and Resources Committee, 5 November 2025, or Urgent Business Committee at the earliest opportunity, such report to include:-

a.      the implications and full costs of offering affected homeowners the offer at point (ii) above including the mechanism and a recommended timescale for making such offers; and

b.      the External Audit advice referred to above.

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to acknowledge the efforts of Council officers throughout the rehoming exercise which had seen all affected tenants accept an offer of alternative housing;

(ii)            to note that homeowners had been offered a number of options by Aberdeen City Council, including voluntary acquisition, property swap, and the offer of a council tenancy, supported throughout the process by officers;

(iii)          to agree to continue to work to help the people of Balnagask through the RAAC situation and agree that, in addition to the voluntary acquisition offer to home owners:

·       the Council would pay any professional fees reasonably incurred for property advice

·       the Council would also cover any reasonably incurred legal fees

·       in addition, home owners would receive a home loss payment equal to 10% of their current property's market value

·       the Council would also meet other reasonable costs, such as moving expenses and early mortgage surrender fees;

(iv)          to note the decision of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee on 26 August 2025 which instructed officers to recommence with immediate effect the planning, preparation, engagement and mitigation works in respect of demolition of only Council-owned blocks; 

(v)           to note that no other local authority or Government was offering the level of financial support to affected tenants and homeowners that Aberdeen City Council had to date;

(vi)          to note that the Executive Director - Children and Families would request Building Standards to pull together information regarding the eviction process in relation to dangerous properties with regard to the Housing (Scotland) Act and circulate to all Councillors;

(vii)         to note that the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord was putting together an advice note in response to an instruction from the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee with regard to issues such as security patrols, fly tipping, vandalism and missed bin collections in the affected area and that this would be circulated to all Councillors and would include the name of the security contractor; and

(viii)       to note that the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord would circulate links to all Councillors with information regarding property swaps and accompanying values.

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to welcome the statement of 10^th September 2025 below, signed by the SNP Group Leader Councillor Allard, the Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Yuill and the Labour Group Leader Councillor Malik:

“Aberdeen has a long tradition to welcoming people from all over the world. In recent years our city has welcomed refugees fleeing war and violence from Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.

“Many in Aberdeen, volunteers across all sectors and all walks of life, are supporting people fleeing wars and persecution and doing an amazing job on our behalf.

“We urge everyone thinking of joining gatherings in front of hotels being used by the Home Office to accommodate asylum seekers to respect one another and to respect the rights of the people seeking asylum.

“We condemn the false claims and hateful rhetoric that are threatening community cohesion.

“We will work to ensure that Aberdeen remains a city that welcomes newcomers and treats them with dignity and respect.”; and

(ii)           to note that the Executive Director - Families and Communities would circulate a log of all communications between Aberdeen City Council and the Home Office since the beginning of discussions in relation to the relevant properties with regard to asylum accommodation.

The Council resolved:-

to note that the Convener had not accepted the motion as it had not been submitted in accordance with Standing Order 8.2.3.

to take no action.