The Procedures Committee of Aberdeenshire Council met on Friday, 4 September 2026, to discuss proposed changes to the council's Scheme of Governance and its pre-determination hearing procedures. The committee reviewed various areas for potential amendments to officer and committee powers, as well as the council's financial regulations and guidance on policy development. A programme of work was also discussed, outlining upcoming reports and reviews.

Annual Review of the Scheme of Governance

The committee considered proposals for the annual review of Aberdeenshire Council's Scheme of Governance. This review aims to update and clarify various aspects of the council's operational framework. Key areas identified for further consideration include:

• Committee Powers: Proposed reviews encompass Area Committee powers related to economic development, community councils, and community place plans. There is also a proposal to review property disposal thresholds, potentially setting officer delegation for disposals up to £149,999.99, with committee powers applying to disposals of £150,000 and above.
• Officer Powers: Several officer powers are slated for review, including those of Area Managers concerning community council complaints, the management of external funds, and the Head of Customer and Digital Services' remit regarding the council's intellectual property and brand. The Head of Finance's powers concerning the write-off of irrecoverable debts will be reviewed to align with current Financial Regulations. Additionally, the powers of the Head of Legal and People concerning developer obligations funds and the Head of Housing and Building Standards regarding tenancy enforcement will be examined for clarity.
• Planning Delegations: The review will look at planning delegations for energy consents to ensure decision-making processes are proportionate and efficient. The treatment of consultation responses within the planning delegation framework will also be examined, as will the governance arrangements for planning policy development to improve efficiency and member oversight.
• Financial Regulations and Guidance: Minor reviews of financial regulations are proposed to align with any revised approach to managing external funds. The Policy Development and Review Framework will be reviewed to better embed the council's place-based approach, and the Glossary of Terms will be updated to reflect any new terminology, such as that related to Community Place Plans.

Councillor David Keating raised a point regarding the review of standing orders, suggesting an examination of the rules of debate across all committees, including comparisons with other local authorities. Councillor Anne Stirling cautioned against overly prescriptive arrangements, emphasising the importance of maintaining custom and practice. Provost Judy Whyte suggested looking at opportunities for questions after reports are presented at full council meetings. The committee agreed to ask officers to explore these aspects.

Programme of Work

The committee reviewed its programme of work, which included the annual review of the Scheme of Governance, the consideration of pre-determination hearing procedures, and the Member Promoted Issue Procedure. It was agreed to add an item to the programme to ensure the area scheduling review report comes back to the committee before going to full council in April 2027. Councillor Gwyneth Petrie sought clarification on the scheduling of a meeting for the Member Officer Working Group (MOWG) for the Member Promoted Issue Procedure, noting that proposed dates had not been confirmed. Officers confirmed they were working to find a mutually convenient date.

Pre-Determination Hearing Procedures

A review of the council's pre-determination hearing procedures was discussed, with initial scoping work including benchmarking against other Scottish planning authorities and engagement with officers. The review aims to ensure the procedures are clear, fair, legally robust, and consistent with current legislation and guidance. Key areas for consideration include the invitation process, the requirement for speakers to request to speak, the role of planning officers, the recording of hearings, and the distinction between prescribed and discretionary hearings.

Officer feedback indicated that while the current process is somewhat effective, there are areas for improvement, particularly concerning scheduling, member availability, managing a high number of speakers, and ensuring sufficient time for officer presentations. Councillor Keating sought clarification on the distinction between prescribed pre-determination hearings and discretionary hearings, and whether the review would address potential duplication of points made by objectors at both pre-determination hearings and area committee meetings. Officers confirmed that addressing duplication and ensuring fairness were key aims of the review.

The committee was asked to comment on these proposed areas for review, with a note that engagement with elected members would follow before detailed proposals are developed and reported back to a future meeting.