City Development Committee - 15/04/2002

At a MEETING of the ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 15th April 2002.

Present: -

COUNCILLORS

Councillor ROLFE, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 11th March 2002 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I SCOTTISH COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRY

There was submitted Agenda Note AN16-2002 advising that the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities had recommended that support for the SCDI should be renewed for the coming year at rates agreed, which in Dundee City Council's case would be 1,797.

The Committee agreed to continue Council membership of the SCDI for the year 2002/2003.

II E-CITIES INDEX

There was submitted Agenda Note AN17-2002 reporting that Dundee as one of the five Scottish Cities had been invited by Business Lab Limited, a research company in electronic and new business, to participate in a three year 'E-Cities Index Project' which would determine how Dundee compared to the other Scottish Cities and to best practice worldwide on the themes of E Business, E Learning, E Communities and E Government. Each city had been asked to contribute 10,000 and to recruit theme partners for each of the four themes who would between them contribute 50,000 per annum. To date, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Compaq and BT had confirmed their participation and interest had been expressed by Scottish Enterprise as a possible theme partner with two other private sector companies invited to join as sponsors. St Andrew's University would provide the academic research underpinning the work to be done.

It was reported for the information of the Committee, that as it had not been possible to place this matter before the Economic Development Committee before the end of March 2002, a Chief Officer's approval had been necessary to enable the funding to be committed in financial year 2001/2002 and that Business Lab and the partners had been advised that the City Council's participation beyond the first year would be dependent on the results obtained and the availability of finance in the years ahead.

The Committee noted that the Director of Economic Development had agreed that the City Council would participate in the project after consultation with the Convener and the appropriate Opposition spokespersons.

III THE FORMER NEWTYLE RAILWAY LINE - THE MILEY WILDLIFE RESERVE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN18-2002 intimating that in March 1992 Tayside Regional Council had entered into an informal agreement with the Scottish Wildlife Trust for the latter to manage and maintain, at no cost to the Authority, approximately one mile of the former Newtyle Railway Line between Clepington Road and Loons Road. This site was then reserved for road purposes and it was clearly stipulated by the former Regional Council that a green corridor could not be considered as a permanent feature. The agreement expired on 28th February 1997 and was renewed for a further five years, expiring on 28th February 2002, and the Scottish Wildlife Trust had applied for an extension of the facility.

The Director of Economic Development reported that provisional agreement had been reached with the Scottish Wildlife Trust as a result of which he recommended that the existing informal agreement continue for a further period of five years from 1st March 2002 but subject to the City Council being able to regain possession of all or part of the Miley at any time during the currency of the agreement, on giving six month's written notice of intention to terminate.

The Committee approved accordingly.

IV DUNDEE AIRPORT - RUNWAY STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIP CONTRACT

The City Engineer submitted Report No 265-2002 requesting approval for the proposed Partnership Contract to carry out strengthening works to the centre section of the runway at Dundee Airport.

The Committee approved acceptance of Tayside Contracts as the Partnership Contractor for the strengthening works subject to satisfactory funding from the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) and noted that the 2002/2003 capital plan for Dundee Airport under the heading Central Runway Overlay included a provision of 915,000 to be split as undernoted:-

2001/2002 - 25,000

2002/2003 - 875,000

2003/2004 - 15,000

The Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

V COMMERCIAL LEASES

There was submitted and approved Report No 254-2002 by the Director of Economic Development detailing commercial leases in respect of the undernoted premises:-

Site at Whinnybrae, Broughty Ferry

The Rock Public House, Dickson Avenue

Site at Smeaton Road

Unit 3, Marybank Lane

Unit 7, Miln Street

479 Balunie Drive

167 Strathmartine Road

Dolphin Bar, Fintry Road

1/0, 18 Dock Street.

In the case of the decision on the site at Smeaton Road the Committee agreed to formally suspend Standing Order 38 to allow an alteration to the original decision within the six month period.

VI RENT REVIEWS

There was submitted and approved Report No 253-2002 by the Director of Economic Development detailing the review of rent in respect of the undernoted premises:-

Unit 15, Alexander Street

Downfield Park, Balgowan Avenue

145 Kingsway East

VII SITES AT PIPER STREET, BALDOVIE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN19-2002 advising that the tenant of two sites at the above industrial estate had requested the opportunity to purchase both sites from the City Council and a purchase price had provisionally been agreed subject to the Council's usual terms and conditions and payment of the Council's reasonable legal expenses.

The Committee agreed to the sale of the two sites to the interested party on the terms and conditions stated.

MERVYN ROLFE, Convener.