The Appeals Sub Committee of Aberdeen City Council is scheduled to meet on Monday, 29 September 2025, to discuss an appeal and review the committee's procedure. Due to the confidential nature of the appeal, the majority of the meeting will be held in private.

Here's a breakdown of the topics listed on the agenda:

Appeal 25-03

The committee is scheduled to review an appeal, referred to as Appeal 25-03, along with the appellant's submission. These items are marked as confidential under Section 50A(3)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973¹.

Appeals Sub Committee Procedure

The Appeals Sub Committee Procedure document outlines how the Appeals Sub Committee operates, including its composition, training requirements, and procedures for handling individual appeals and disputes raised by recognised Trade Unions of the council.

The procedure for individual appeals includes:

• Pre-hearing procedure: Appeals must be lodged within 10 working days of the decision being appealed. The Chief Officer- People and Organisation will appoint an HR officer to facilitate informal mediation.

• Appeal Hearing: Hearings will be within 12 weeks of the appeal letter, but this can be varied.

  • The appellant can be accompanied by a trade union official or another council employee.
  • The Management Officer can be accompanied by a Human Resources officer.
  • Legal and Human Resources officers will be present to provide advice to the Sub Committee.

• Role of Sub Committee: The role of the Appeals Sub Committee is to review the fairness of decisions of Officers of the Council.

  The Appeals Sub Committee will only decide whether the Officer's decision was fair and reasonable in the circumstances, and, if not, what decision is appropriate.

• Order of Hearing: The Appeals Sub Committee Procedure document details the order in which the hearing will proceed, including preliminary points, management and appellant presentations, HR/Legal clarification, and summing up.

• Conclusion/Deliberations: The Appeals Sub Committee will deliberate in private and is authorised to revoke, confirm or to vary the decision being appealed against.

• Decision: The Sub Committee will normally recall the parties and issue its decision in the presence of the parties.

The procedure for formal dispute hearings involving Trade Unions includes:

• A dispute hearing will be heard as soon as is practicably possible after the submission of Form 1 to the Sub Committee Clerk by a recognised Trade Union of the Council.

• The role of the Appeals Sub Committee is to review the remedy sought by the Trade Union(s).

• Attendees include representatives of the employees concerned and the Union representatives, representatives of management and management's legal representative, and Legal and Human Resources officers who will be present to provide advice to the Sub Committee.

• The Hearing will follow a set format, including preliminary points, presentations from Union and Management representatives, and questions from the Sub Committee and its advisers.

• The Sub Committee is authorised to:

  • Uphold the Dispute in full
  • Uphold the Dispute in part
  • Not uphold the Dispute

List of Attendees and Witnesses

A list of attendees and witnesses for the meeting is included in the report pack. This information is to be treated as confidential.