Committee Information

Glasgow City Council Agenda - 15 May 2025, 11:00

A meeting to be held at City Chambers, Glasgow at 11:00 on 15 May 2025.

Number	Item
1	Minutes of Council meeting on 3rd April 2025 (Print 1, pages 1 to 38). View Papers
2	Committees' minutes - Submitted for information and approval as a correct record only (page 39 onwards).
3	Proposed Changes to Committee Terms of Reference - Report by Director of Legal and Administration. View Papers
4	Proposed Changes to Scheme of Delegated Functions - Report by Director of Legal and Administration. View Papers
5	Changes to committees etc.
(a)	Operational Performance and Delivery Scrutiny Committee - Remove Feargal Dalton and appoint Alex Kerr.
6	Representation on outside bodies.
(a)	Glasgow East Arts Company - Remove Sharon Greer and appoint George Redmond; and
(b)	Wheatley Homes Glasgow Board - Remove Frank McAveety and appoint Ann Jenkins.
7	Correspondence.
8	Questions. View Papers
9	Notice of motions.
(a)	Motion by Councillor Malcolm Mitchell:- "Council notes the importance of the River Clyde's past and future to Glasgow and Scotland: and recognises the desire of Glaswegians to have our river placed back at the heart of our city's life and economy once again. Council agrees that the river should play a central part of our 850th anniversary celebrations and welcomes Clyde Chorus, a three-day music featuring performances across multiple venues highlighting Glasgow's vibrant music scene and celebrating its status as a UNESCO City of Music. Council further notes the Clyde has been a crucial waterway for trade and transportation from pre Roman through to medieval times, facilitating connections between Scotland and Europe and the wider world, being both connected to periods of inequity like slavery and empire, and innovation, welcoming migrants many of whom were Irish, and the means of exporting Scottish innovation and people across the globe. Council acknowledges that communities close to the river are among the most disadvantaged in Scotland, with 18% of the population living within the 500 metre buffer in the top 5% SIMD areas, and that these communities also face issues with connectivity and proximity to Vacant and Derelict Land, but that after decades of neglect the Clyde has been recognised as an asset critical to the health and wellbeing of riverside communities living well locally, the economic potential of the region, and vital to Scotland' sustainability and goals. However, Council also recognises the strides that the riverside has made in recent years, with investments made in the Govan / Partick bridge that has reconnected two of our most ancient burghs; the Renfrew bridge that connects close to Yoker and the new Yoker Wharf development; plans for the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District that will see our future economy literally built on the site of our industrial past in Govan; the Barclays Tradeston Campus that brough hundreds of millions of pounds of investment and thousands of jobs into the city while also unlocking development in that part of the city; investments by BAE Systems in a ship build hall and Applied Shipbuilding Academy on either bank; and the upgrading the tidal weir at Glasgow Green spanning the Calton and Gorbals areas - vitality and investment returning to the river for its whole Glaswegian course. Council commends the interest in the Clyde being raised through the work of writer & University of Glasgow Professor Louise Welsh and architect and director at Collective Architecture Jude Barber in their podcast "Who owns the Clyde". Council notes its examination of river ownership, exploring how privatisation of formerly public assets has created a disconnect with the interests of local people. Council welcomes the inclusion of Clyde Mission in National Planning Framework 4 by the Scottish Government as advocated for by Climate Ready Clyde, the Council and others as a national, place based Mission a collective, cross-sector effort and partnership working to take forward assets and sites that are ready for repurposing, reinvigorating brownfield and supporting local living as well as adapting the area to the impacts of climate change, where nature-based solutions are particularly supported. Council notes also that NPF4's overarching spatial principles include an emphasis on 'compact urban growth' and 'rebalanced development' that the River Clyde is able to provide in abundance: acknowledging that the surest way to regenerate and revitalise our river is to make it as liveable, as productive and as sustainable a place for as many people as possible. Council further notes the publication of Scottish Government guidance on Masterplan Consent Areas (MCAs) from January this year, which provides a broader framework and expanded powers to work within NPF4: Council hope that these will allow GCC and our partners in the City Region and neighbouring municipalities to show place leadership, taking a proactive approach, streamlining consenting and facilitating investment in existing and new communities along the river. Council further recognises that this strategic approach to the river is being taken by Clyde Mission, a £40 million regeneration programme by the Scottish Government, which recognises the river as a national, strategic asset, and administration of which is now led by Glasgow City Region. Council welcomes this handover to the eight local authorities of the responsibility to progress what it believes is the greatest untapped development opportunity in western Europe, provides many of the levers we need to address growth, productivity and the wellbeing of the 1.8 million citizens of the City Region like the city and region's Innovation Districts, to tackle the ingrained social and economic inequalities within many of Scotland's most deprived communities. Council notes that Glasgow City Region is currently moving at pace in discussions with Scottish and UK Governments around devolution and city deals that will place Clyde Mission and our river back at the heart of spatial planning and development of our city. Council hopes that in progressing discussions, both Scottish and UK Governments' ambitions will match those of our City and our City Region partners. Council therefore instructs the Executive Director for Neighbourhoods and Regenerations Services to report to the Economy, Housing, Transport and Regeneration Committee on delivery of the River Strategic Development Framework in due course, including an update on use of Masterplan Consent Areas to facilitate rebalanced development and compact urban growth along our river."
(b)	Motion by Councillor Jon Molyneux:- "Council recalls its motion of 28 March 2024 which expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine, reaffirmed its calls for peace in the region, and mandated the Council to take steps to ensure it complies with the interim judgment of the International Court for Justice. Council expresses deep disappointment at the failure to, so far, secure a lasting ceasefire and condemns the Israeli government's ongoing blockade of Gaza and its resumption of air strikes which have continued the killing of innocent Palestinians. Council also condemns the 'Trump Plan' for Gaza and Israel's plans to seize territory in Gaza, which, if enacted, would amount to an egregious breach of international law. Council commends those who have continued to campaign for peace and justice. Council supports the call of the Muslim Council of Britain, supported by the Labour Muslim Network, for the Prime Minister to recognise Palestinian statehood and demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Council supports the Glaswegian LGBTQI+ collective, No Pride in Genocide, who stand for the complete liberation of Palestine, and who have campaigned against mainstream pinkwashing. Council calls on Glasgow's Pride to establish ethical partnerships and sponsors which adhere to the Palestinian led Boycott, Divestment Sanctions (BDS) guidelines and the Fossil Free Pride pledge, commiting to social and environmental justice. Council notes the trials of several people in Glasgow relating to their involvement in pro-Palestinan protest. Council reaffirms the rights of citizens to lawful protest as a vital part of our democracy and calls on the UK Government to repeal the Conservative's draconian anti-protest legislation. Council also asks the Safe Glasgow partnership to urgently undertake a review of the policing of protest in Glasgow, as previously agreed in the Council's Strategic Plan, and for this to include taking evidence from those involved in protests. Council expresses its concern about the reaction to Irish musical act Kneecap's performance at California's Coachella Music Festival and the resulting smear campaign, which has included calls by politicians for Kneecap to be removed from this year's TRNSMT festival on Glasgow Green. Council considers this reaction is a direct result of Kneecap's outspoken support for Palestine and should not be indulged. Council acknowledges that some Glaswegians will choose not to support an act with views that Kneecap hold, just as others will not support acts which support violence within their music or who have convictions for violence, specifically domestic violence. Council notes that such acts are scheduled to play in Glasgow this summer and have received no similar condemnation."
(c)	Motion by Bailie Paul McCabe:- "Council notes the publication of the landmark 'Living with Rain - Planning for Everyday Life in Glasgow' report by Dr Andrew Hoolachan and Dr Victoria Lawson of the University of Glasgow, and funded by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI); further notes the astonishing finding that despite being technically within the zone of what meteorologist would classify as a temperate rainforest, rain and wetness has never featured prominently in planning and other spatial and cultural strategies for our City. Council is pleased to note the report's acknowledgement of the way that direct impacts of rain and flooding are taken seriously in the Council's work; likewise the positive impact the widespread adoption of 'Blue-Green' infrastructure like Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDs) in planning policy across the city; the pursuance of high-quality urban realm transformation projects like that of the Argyll St West Avenue at Heilanman's Umbrella that provides high-quality and free dry public space; and the acknowledgement of Glasgow's precipitative climate in the Golden Z spatial strategy. Council commends the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Glasgow City Region Deal funded flood risk management and greenspace improvement project in Cardonald flats, as part of the work of the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership, which won the Building with Nature National Award at the Landscape Institute Awards in 2021. Council further commends the significant community co-design and creation at Queensland Court and Gardens transforming underused greenspace and creating a community park and a dedicated toddler and children's play spaces, food growing spaces and a community orchard, and another informal woodland featuring local flora and fauna ensuring the enjoyment for residents. Council recognises that our Open Space Strategy already sets out as an outcome the need for a Resilient Glasgow as more of the City will be exposed to flood risk associated with an increased intensity of rainfall and with sea level rise, and people, nature and infrastructure can all be vulnerable to a changing climate, and how the European Commission Horizon 2020 Connecting Nature project ensured Glasgow was at the forefront of Nature Based Solutions. However, Council agrees that it is not enough to simply mitigate the effects of our climate: and notes the conclusion of the report that 'there is a general absence of an explicit understanding of Glasgow as a distinctively wet city, that could benefit from a holistic set of plans, programmes and developments to improve and enhance the urban experience in the city'. In a setting that receives 1370mm of rainfall each year and was accepted to be a wet place even before climate related changes, Glasgow must learn to better 'live with rain'. Council notes with approval the examples of cities around the world that have adopted 'living with rain' principles: from the example of Bergen, Europe's wettest city with 2495mm p/a rainfall: something that it has embraced in many of its own socio-cultural practices, emphasising the necessity of being able to live an outdoor lifestyle in all weathers; Vancouver, where specific design guidance has been developed, along with public and active travel infrastructure; or Singapore, where rain has been used to inform world-leading and distinctive urban design. Council also instructs officers to further engage with other cities either bilaterally and through our participation in networks like UN Generation Restoration Cities, Cities with Nature to engage in further knowledge exchanges to living with rain and delivering large scale nature-based solutions and explore further funded partnership opportunities. Council agrees that there must be a deeper and more comprehensive acknowledgement of itself as a rainy city in the new City Development Plan and attempt to bring spatial coherence to these disconnected programmes in relation to the experience of rain - and ensure Living with Rain is reflected in future supporting guidance. Council resolves to adopt a living with rain approach to planning, to ensure that we create a resilient urban environment that does not repeat the mistakes of the past and acknowledges Glasgow's distinct climate with the context of these islands; this includes investigating weather protection, shelter and other rain-friendly design features where appropriate in future public realm improvements, including the use of permeable materials where appropriate, working with urban rainfall is not limited to traditional policies on managing water but cuts across policy domains like public transport and active travel, and ensure living with rain is considered in the future Climate Plan update, new City Development Plan and other plans."
(d)	Motion by Councillor Dan Hutchison:- "Hayfever, also known as allergic rhinitis, affects an estimated 1 in 4 people at some point in their lives. Symptoms can significantly impact daily life, causing discomfort and reducing quality of life. While hayfever cannot be cured, a range of measures including medications, nasal sprays, and alternative approaches such as consuming local honey can help manage symptoms. The timing of hayfever season often coincides with exam periods, adding stress to students and impacting their performance. The Council will recognise the impact of hayfever on students during exam season and supports moves to rely less on high-stakes exams and more on continuous assessment. This approach can help reduce stress and provide a fairer evaluation of student performance. Council agrees to increase awareness of the help available to hayfever sufferers through the Pharmacy First Scotland services. This includes promoting the availability of over-the-counter treatments and the benefits of consulting local pharmacists for advice and support. The health board incurs substantial costs in managing hayfever. Council notes that pollen allergy prevalence is on the rise and already affects up to 40% of the European population. The severity of symptoms experienced by those with pollinosis is directly influenced by the concentration of airborne pollen. Changes to plants used in urban landscaping, such as the introduction of Birch trees, has contributed to a rise in allergen sensitivity. The Council will explore how low pollen planting could be integrated into the city's biodiversity strategy. This initiative aims to reduce pollen levels in public spaces, thereby alleviating symptoms for hayfever sufferers while promoting biodiversity. Low pollen planting deprioritises the planting of wind-pollinated plants such as grasses, and promotes multispecies plant communities, so is beneficial for wildlife and small pollinators such as bees and other insects. Consideration should also be given to avoiding "botanical sexism" where pollen-intensive 'male' plants, historically favoured by planners as they do not shed seeds or fruit and thus require less street cleansing, are not the only plants installed, and that 'female' fruit-producing plants are planted alongside. 'Female' trees will help to trap the excess pollen produced by 'male' trees, as well as other airborne pollution. The Council will support local honey producers as part of the local food plan. This includes encouraging the consumption of local honey, which may help some individuals manage hayfever symptoms and supports local agriculture and sustainability. Council further agrees that a paper will be brought to the Net-Zero Climate Monitoring and Progress Committee within two cycles to report on the beehives on the roof of the City Chambers and Kelvingrove Museum and how the Council can use our buildings and estate to support local honey production."
(e)	Motion by Councillor Elaine McSporran:- "Council notes World Hunger Day, which falls on May 28th each year, and the 2025 theme of "Right to foods for a better life and a better future." emphasizing the importance of ensuring everyone has access to adequate food for a healthy and fulfilling life, highlighting that even with enough global food production, hunger persists for many. Council additionally notes that the Food Foundation 2025 Food Insecurity survey report shows that for far too many households across the UK, hunger continues to be a reality: 14% of UK households - an estimated 7.3 million adults - are affected by food insecurity, 5% of households reported not eating for a whole day due to lack of access or affordability, including 3 million children, and numbers are set to rise without urgent action due to the ongoing austerity and refusal to lift the Two Child Benefit Cap amongst other punitive policies. Council agrees with the Trussel Trust hunger is not a food problem, but an income problem and the 58% of the Scottish public that the UK social security system is not doing a good job of protecting people from poverty. Council joins the Call by the Trussel Trust that failing to act on hunger and hardship is costing the UK's public finances and economy £75.6bn each year, and it needs to urgently abolish the two-child limit, rethink planned cuts to support for disabled people and update Universal Credit so that it protects people from hunger and hardship. Council further notes that the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Professor Michael Fakhri, requested to visit the UK in August 2022 and that the UK Government initially denied the request, and, whilst it has now agreed to facilitate a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur it has not yet specified the exact date or timeframe for the visit and must do so urgently as hunger rises due to a continued commitment to austerity by the Labour UK Government. Council recognises that the theme for 2025 also underscores the need for sustainable food systems and equitable access to nutritious food worldwide, and encourages efforts to innovate in agriculture, reduce food waste, and promote equitable access to nutritious food, ultimately aiming to achieve long-term food security for all, aligning with Glasgow's Food Plan. Council commends the work of the Glasgow Food Policy Partnership which coordinates a range of partners involved in the Food Plan including the Council who believe that a fairer, healthier, more sustainable and resilient food system would make Glasgow an even better city to live in. Council believes that this is exampled by initiatives ranging from the £2.2m investment in the Glasgow Holiday Programme supporting nearly 59 organisations covering all wards in the city to deliver this vital work benefiting an estimated 19,000 plus children over the next year, and, to Taste the Place, created by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Glasgow 850 and partnering with over 40 eateries representing 23 cuisines, as part of the city's 850th anniversary celebrations celebrating Glasgow's rich cultural heritage and diverse food scene. Council also commends the range of community groups across Glasgow like Turf Youth & Community project working with children, young people, adults and families providing a range of opportunities to take part in activities encourage local people to Connect, Learn and Grow. Council further commends Glasgow City Council School Catering, for winning a Special Award at the Scottish School Food Awards in March 2025 for encouraging pupils to eat more beans and pulses, highlighting their benefits for both health and sustainability as part of the "Full of Beans" campaign, a collaborative initiative by the Glasgow Food Policy Partnership and Glasgow Community Food Network. Council notes the internal work by Officers to accelerate relevant Food Plan actions to match the energy, enthusiasm and innovation of communities and stakeholders across Glasgow and instructs the Chief Executive to action an online resource for the public and communities providing them with a one stop shop to engage with the Council in a user friendly, streamlined way to support action from food waste to food growing as noted recently at the Environment Committee . Council further agrees to instruct the Chief Executive to write to the UK Government to highlight the negative impact of their austerity policies on hunger and Glasgow's communities and the need to reverse them, the need to improve food systems, and to confirm a visit date for the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. Council also instructs the Chief Executive to write to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food welcoming him to visit Glasgow and meet the Council, communities and stakeholders who are tackling hunger in Glasgow."
10	Emergency motion by Councillor Allan Casey:- "Council notes the publication this week of the UK Government's White Paper 'Restoring Control over the Immigration System' and expresses concern at the rhetoric used by the Prime Minister including references to the UK becoming an "island of strangers" describing legal migration as an "open borders experiment" and, saying that high net migration has done "incalculable harm" to the country. Council rejects this divisive language and affirms that migration has been overwhelmingly positive for Glasgow-enriching our diversity, supporting public services, increasing our working age population and strengthening our economy. Council notes with alarm the impact of the proposals on the social care sector, where hundreds of vacancies currently exist both within and beyond the HSCP. Council agrees with Scottish Care's assessment that the White Paper is "reckless and inhumane." Council rejects the assertion that social care roles are "low-skilled" and affirms that these roles are essential to the functioning of society. If the UK Government wishes to address low pay in the sector, the appropriate route is through improving wages and conditions, not closing off vital migration pathways. Council further notes concerns raised by universities, businesses, and civic society regarding the impact of the White Paper on international students and skilled workers. Council also shares the deep concern of those whose settled lives in the UK have been thrown into uncertainty by sudden changes to migration and citizenship routes. Council believes this White Paper represents an ill-considered and politically motivated reaction to the recent election results in England. Its impact will be far-reaching in Glasgow - disrupting key sectors, including the Council workforce-and will be unworkable without significant investment in domestic skills and training. Council therefore reaffirms its support for a tailored Scottish Visa system to meet Scotland's specific demographic and economic needs. Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the UK Government and to Glasgow's MPs to set out our opposition to the White Paper and to seek their support for a Scottish Visa."
11	Emergency motion by Bailie Rashid Hussain:- "Council notes with deep concern the recent escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan, which has resulted in violence, civilian casualties, and widespread fear within the region. Council recognises the deep personal and emotional impact such international developments can have on Glasgow's Indian, Pakistani, and wider South Asian communities, many of whom have family and cultural ties to the region. Council reaffirms Glasgow's proud tradition of international solidarity and peacebuilding, and condemns all forms of hatred, violence, and community division. Council calls for: - An immediate de-escalation of conflict and a return to peaceful dialogue in line with international law and UN resolutions. - The UK Government and international partners to support diplomatic efforts and humanitarian assistance to those affected. - Glasgow City Council to continue working with community organisations to promote cohesion and offer support to those distressed by the current situation. Council expresses solidarity with all those affected by the conflict and commits to ensuring that Glasgow remains a place of safety, unity, and mutual respect for all communities."