The Communities Committee of Aberdeenshire Council met on Thursday, 16 April 2026, to discuss a range of important issues, including the allocation of funds to tackle poverty and inequality, updates on the Live Life Aberdeenshire Estates Plan, and the re-establishment of a working group for the Live Life membership scheme. Key decisions included the approval of the proposed budget allocation for tackling poverty and inequalities for 2026-27, with delegated authority for the remainder of the budget.

Tackling Poverty and Inequalities Budget Allocation 2026-27

The committee considered and agreed the proposed budget allocation for tackling poverty and inequalities for the 2026-27 financial year. A significant decision was made to delegate the approval of the allocation of the remaining £695,608 to the Buchan Area Manager, Mrs. Rowe, in her capacity as chair of the Tackling Poverty and Inequality strategic partnership. This delegation will be made in full consultation with the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Opposition Spokesperson.

Annette Johnson, the lead officer for Tackling Poverty and Inequalities, presented the report, highlighting that the budget allocation builds upon the existing strategic investment framework. She noted the successes of the 2025-26 budget, which supported 1,899 young people and children with services including financial advice, and assisted over 8,000 households in reducing food and fuel poverty. Specialised pathways have proven particularly effective, with 95% of over 1,000 families and individuals supported no longer requiring further assistance.

The proposed allocations for 2026-27 continue to prioritise key areas such as reducing child poverty, financial inclusion, food security, digital inclusion, and information and advice services. Annette Johnson explained that while other areas like employability and health and wellbeing are still important, they are now best led by partners with dedicated resources, reducing duplication and fostering collaboration.

A slight delay in the follow-up report, now anticipated for September 2026 instead of June, was explained as necessary to align with the new Scottish Government's Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2026-2031 and to allow for a thorough analysis of recently released child poverty figures. Councillor Glen Reynolds commended the team's work, particularly highlighting the net financial gain of over £9 million for individuals, which benefits the local economy. He also raised concerns about the impact of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East on fuel poverty and energy needs. Annette Johnson assured the committee that fuel poverty remains a priority, with ongoing work with housing colleagues on specialised energy advice and continued support through commissioned services like SCARF. She also mentioned a pilot project with the credit union to help with initial fuel top-ups.

Councillor Neil Baillie inquired about ensuring best practice and cost efficiency across the various groups delivering services. Annette Johnson explained that the financial inclusion and fairer foods Aberdeenshire partnerships facilitate the sharing of good practice and collaboration to avoid duplication. She also addressed the significant differences in cost per household delivery by explaining that factors such as large rural areas, home delivery for vulnerable individuals, and the provision of wrap-around support contribute to higher costs in some instances. Councillor Iain Taylor praised the 95% success rate in helping individuals out of poverty and the efforts to secure external funding. Councillor Iris Walker asked about the added value of the specialist debt service, and Annette Johnson explained that community-based services, such as those provided by the CAB consortium, offer a trusted local relationship for individuals who may not wish to access online services. Councillor Anouk Kloppert sought further clarification on the D-side Compassion Project, noting its higher delivery cost. Annette Johnson explained that this project operates as a social supermarket with a focus on home delivery to rural areas and includes social interaction activities to combat isolation, thus incurring higher costs than a mobile van service.

Live Life Aberdeenshire Estates Plan 25/26 - Update

The committee received an update on the Live Life Aberdeenshire Estates Plan for 2025-26, focusing on the disposal of surplus assets. Mr. Ray presented the report, providing context on the asset disinvestment process and outlining the progress made since September. A visual representation was shared to illustrate the stage of each building within the process. He clarified that the end of the graphic signifies handover to property services, with further steps taken by the council, which could lead to the venue being transferred to another service or put on the market for capital receipts.

Councillor Glen Reynolds raised two key points: community asset transfer and the savings budget. He welcomed the report's acknowledgement that a holding service should not declare an asset surplus if there is community asset transfer interest. However, he noted the report's mention that some community asset transfer processes take longer due to the capacity of community organisations. Councillor Reynolds questioned whether there might be a resourcing issue within the council for managing these transfers and asked about the process for determining the staggered approach to asset disposal and anticipated savings. Mr. Wood, Director of Business Services, addressed the community asset transfer process, explaining the established procedures, including informal contact with area managers, expressions of interest, and formal asset transfer requests. He offered to circulate the current policy on asset transfer to ensure councillors are fully informed.

Councillor Neil Baillie inquired whether the council considers groups of assets collectively to provide an overall community benefit, rather than just individual disposals. Mr. Ray confirmed that the service does consider assets in a place-specific context, looking at the overall needs and how different assets can be enhanced or their necessity reduced based on community and service requirements. He also confirmed engagement with other services, such as property, regarding public conveniences.

The committee agreed to note the progress made in relation to the disposal of assets and that further properties will be presented as part of the 2026-27 Estates Plan.

Live Life Aberdeenshire Member Officer Working Group (MOWG) - Terms of Reference

The committee agreed to re-establish the Member Officer Working Group on the Live Life membership scheme and pricing. The revised terms of reference were presented and agreed, with an allocation of eight members: five from the administration, two from the main opposition, and one from other representatives. Councillors Reynolds and Knight were asked to ensure that names for the opposition representatives are sent to Mr. Rey and Mr. Stokoe by Monday next week, with the administration providing their nominations similarly.

Public Sector Equality Duty

The committee considered and adopted the resolution regarding the Public Sector Equality Duty. This duty requires the council to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, and victimisation, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between those who share protected characteristics and those who do not. The committee also agreed to consider the contents of any integrated impact assessment when making decisions.

Consultation Response - Police Scotland Annual Police Plan 2026-27

The committee noted the consultation response submitted by the Head of Customer and Digital Services regarding the Police Scotland Annual Police Plan 2026-27. The response had been submitted under delegated authority following consultation with the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Opposition Spokesperson. Councillor Neil Baillie expressed interest in seeing further details on specific aspects of the plan, such as the policing course model and mobile resilience solutions. Councillor Glen Reynolds also commented on the response, noting the clarity on strategic shifts and expressing interest in the process for further engagement with the evolving plan. The Chair confirmed that the Chief Superintendent would typically bring forward a local plan for consideration in due course. Michelle Milne, Customer Service Lead, was thanked for her work on the response.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The minutes of the Communities Committee meeting held on 12 February 2026 were agreed as a correct record.