New four weekly cycle trial for Area Committee meetings

Aberdeenshire Council has agreed to introduce a new four weekly cycle for its Area Committees, following a review.

The trial change, approved at today’s (Thursday) meeting of Full Council, will come into effect after the summer recess, with a revised schedule of dates adopted for the remainder of the 2026/27 period. 

The move follows detailed consideration by the Procedures Committee, which examined how the current three weekly cycle was operating.

The review found that the existing timetable placed sustained pressure on officers and elected members, with tight deadlines for preparing reports, undertaking consultation and ensuring appropriate legal and financial input. This, in turn, risked impacting the quality and timeliness of decisions.

Councillors heard that under the new four weekly cycle, there will be additional time between meetings to allow for more thorough report preparation and improved cross service collaboration.

The revised approach is also expected to give councillors greater capacity to engage with communities and progress other responsibilities between committee meetings.

The council noted that while a longer cycle could be seen as slowing decision making, safeguards are already in place. Urgent matters will continue to be progressed, when necessary, through existing provisions, including special meetings and urgency powers.

The decision is intended to support a more sustainable and effective approach to governance, particularly as the organisation responds to increasing service demands and reduced staffing capacity.

An amendment was put forward by Cllr John Cox to not alter the cycle and seconded by Cllr Ann Ross. Following a vote, the motion was carried by 50 votes to seven.

An evaluation of the new arrangements will be carried out in early 2027, with a further report to be presented to council in April 2027.

The change underpins the council’s wider priorities by ensuring its decision making structures remain robust, responsive and capable of supporting communities across Aberdeenshire.

The new dates for the meetings can be viewed by clicking here.