City Assembly 2005
City Assembly 2005 - 10th November 2005
The City Assembly Debate was held on the 10th November 2005, 7.30-10.30pm in the Music Hall, Aberdeen. People from throughout the city were invited to debate…“What do we need to do to make Aberdeen a continuing success for people, communities, business and our future?”
City Assembly Programme
The City Assembly is one way for you to have your views heard by the Civic Forum and the Aberdeen City Alliance (the community planning partnership). It gives different communities a chance to listen to and exchange views and their vision for the city. Read the City Assembly Programme for the 10th November 2005.
A report on the City Assembly follows…
The Aberdeen City Alliance
CITY ASSEMBLY 2005 - Summary Report
Introduction
The second Aberdeen City Assembly was held in the Music Hall on Thursday 10 November 2005. 50 people attended along with a number of officers from the community planning partnership. Bruce Cameron, Episcopal Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, chaired the meeting.
Debate
Six proposals were debated and voted on:
They were as follows
Proposal 1: We propose that the most important thing to make Aberdeen a continuing success is to recognise that the oil fuelled economy of the City is changing and that we must plan now for continued growth and prosperity in the years to come.
Proposal 2: We propose that the most important thing to make Aberdeen a continuing success is that those responsible for planning facilities and services should seek and listen to the views of both children and older people and that to enhance the quality of life in Aberdeen the contributions of both young people and older people should be used.
Proposal 3: We propose that the most important thing to make Aberdeen a continuing success is Aberdeen sorely needs a vibrant, dynamic and co-ordinated approach to comedy and the other arts.
Proposal 4: We propose that the most important thing to make Aberdeen a continuing success is to urgently make local services more responsive to the needs of the people who use them.
Proposal 5: We propose that the most important thing to make Aberdeen a continuing success is to put sustainable development of communities at the top of the agenda for the whole of the Aberdeen City Region.
Proposal 6: We propose that the most important thing to make Aberdeen a continuing success is greater and more effective community involvement in deciding what needs to be done and doing it. Initiatives to be investigated include teaching school pupils civic responsibility and the value of community activities as part of the education curriculum, exploring with the public and private sectors in Aberdeen and encouragement of time off for employees to pursue volunteering activities, encouraging the business community to supply more information on social responsibilities/ethical matters and requesting Aberdeen City Council to rationalise/merge its various websites.
The first four proposals were supported unanimously and the remaining two were supported by a majority of those present.
Follow-up
The full record of the City Assembly will be reported to the Civic Forum. The Civic Forum will take account of the views of the City Assembly when representing the community view on The Aberdeen City Alliance and its Challenge Forums.
The outcome of each proposal will be reported to the appropriate Challenge Forum as follows
Proposal 1: Aberdeen, City and Shire Economic Forum
Proposal 2: Getting Involved Forum and all Challenge Forums
Proposal 3: Culture Forum
Proposal 4: Locality Planning Forum
Proposal 5: all Challenge Forums
Proposal 6: Getting Involved Forum, Being Informed Forum
They will each be asked to respond by indicating the extent to which the proposals already feature in current action and otherwise how the views of the City Assembly will be taken into account.
These responses will be posted on the TACA website (www.communityplanningaberdeen.org.uk) , reported to the Civic Forum and to individuals who attended the City Assembly and asked to be kept informed.
A Planning Group has already been convened to plan the 2006 City Assembly.
Feedback
Of those attending the City Assembly, 22 people returned feedback sheets. Most people enjoyed the meeting and commented favourably on the quality of the debate and the format of the meetings.
A Summary of Feedback is available.
The Planning Group will be considering the detailed feedback and making amendments to further improve next year’s event.
For Further information contact:
Dave Valentine (Getting Involved Forum, Convenor), Principal Development Officer, Aberdeen City Council, Office of Chief Executive, Community Development, St Nicholas House, Broad Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1GZ, Tel: 01224 523036, Fax: 01224 522832, Email: davev@aberdeencity.gov.uk