Minutes for Council meeting, Jun 13 2012, 10.30AM official page

The first two pages of the report have been amended, with changes indicated in bold text.

Members are requested to note that the draft annual accounts will be circulated separately

Members are requested to note that the draft accounts (Appendix A) will be circulated separately

“Council agrees to develop a youth employment strategy for Aberdeen in consultation with relevant public and private organisations.”

“Council notes with concern the decision by the UK Government to close the Remploy site in Aberdeen, given the work being done to establish a social enterprise hub at the site, and instructs the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure to enter into discussions with Remploy UK and the UK Government over the possibility of purchasing the Remploy building on St Machar Road using the Common Good Account which would allow the work to establish a social enterprise hub to continue.”

“That this Council produces a report with recommendations for identifying any possible financial sources and fundraising opportunities in order to create a permanent commemoration in the city of the Diamond Jubilee and of the Queen’s reign.”

“To instruct the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure to support the request by the International School of Aberdeen and install a safe pedestrian crossing similar to other crossings on North Deeside Road at the entrance of the School. At present there is no safe crossing and pupils and community members must negotiate a very busy road.”

(This notice of motion was submitted within the timescales prescribed in Standing Order 21(1), however was omitted in error from the principal agenda)

(1)               Does the Convener of Finance and Resources agree with his party colleague Councillor Ramsay Milne who was quoted in the Evening Express on Tuesday 15 May saying, ‘If we are to apply a TIF a better use would be the AWPR’? If so can he give an indication of how Tax Increment Finance would be used to fund such a project, and given that the economic benefit of the AWPR is set to be felt across the whole of the North East, where would the ‘red line’ be drawn for the purposes of collecting the incremental Non-Domestic Rates?

(2)               Does the Convener of Finance and Resources wish to see the AWPR funded through TIF?

(3)               To the Convener of Finance and Resources - is the administration obliged by statute to pay Conveners £28,410 per annum or is this the maximum amount payable?

(4)               Can the Convener of Finance and Resources confirm that the salary paid to administration Conveners is £28,410 and that that is a greater amount than was paid to administration Conveners last year, which I believe to have been £26,990. If this is correct would he consider this increase in pay to be a pay rise?

(5)               Given that the pay cut that was taken by all Conveners (5%) and Vice-Conveners (reduction to £21,000) with the exception of the former Convener of Audit and Risk, is the Council Leader aware that this saved the Council £12,079, and would he like to reconsider his statement that the pay cut was an ‘empty populist gesture’ as he was quoted in the press saying?

(6)               Can the Council Leader confirm what the lowest salary paid by this Council to a full time employee was last financial year, and this financial year following the introduction of the living wage?