Policy And Resources Committee - 13/08/2001

At a MEETING of the PERSONNEL AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 13th August, 2001.

 

Present:-

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

Andrew DAWSON

Dave BEATTIE

George de GERNIER

Willie W SAWERS

C D P FARQUHAR

Helen WRIGHT

Joe FITZPATRICK

Jim BARRIE

Betty WARD

George REGAN

Julia M STURROCK

Jill SHIMI

Bruce D MACKIE

Neil GLEN

Neil I C POWRIE

Roderick A J WALLACE

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Ian BORTHWICK

Kenneth J N GUILD

Fiona M GRANT

Robin PRESSWOOD

Derek J SCOTT

David BOWES

Richard BEATTIE

John CORRIGAN

Mervyn J ROLFE

 

 

Lord Provost Letford, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 18th June, 2001 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I REDEPLOYMENT OF STAFFING RESOURCES - CHILDREN AND YOUTH WORK

 

Consideration of this Report was deferred to allow for further consultation.

 

II EXTENDING THE SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE RESIDENTIAL RESPITE CARE UNIT FOR CHILDREN WITHDISABILITIES

 

There was submitted Joint Report No. 446-2001 by the Director of Social Work and the Director of Personnel and Management Services asking the Personnel and Management Services Committee to approve the new staffing establishment in order to extend the residential respite care service provided at Gillburn Road for children with disabilities.

 

The Committee approved the new staffing establishment outlined in Appendix 1 of the report.

 

This report also to be considered by the Social Work Committee on 20th August, 2001.

 

III SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT - REVIEW OF THE MANAGEMENT AND STAFFING STRUCTURE AT THE ELMS

 

There was submitted Joint Report No. 442-2001 by the Director of Social Work and the Director of Personnel and Management Services seeking approval to change the management structure and increase the staffing establishment at The Elms in order to better meet operational requirements.

 

The Committee approved the deletion and establishment of posts as outlined in Appendix 1 of the report.

 

This report to be considered by the Social Work Committee on 20th August, 2001.

 

IV ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT - ESTABLISHMENT OF POSTS

 

City Centre Ambassadors currently exist through a training programme run by Dundee Vocational Training Initiative. Their role is to assist visitors to the City in awareness of facilities and to provide first rate customer reception and care. Following the success of this programme, the Committee was asked to approve the establishment of two posts of City Centre Ambassador graded GS1/2 SCP3-12 (9,180-12,399) effective from 1st January, 2002.

The costs, including employer costs, for the above posts amount to 12,500 for the financial year 2001/02 and 21,428 for an entire financial year. These costs to be met from the City Centre Management Budget included within the Economic Development Department's mainstream revenue budget for this and future years.

 

The Committee approved the establishment of the two additional posts.

 

V SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT - ESTABLISHMENT OF FIXED TERM POST

 

The Committee was asked to approve the establishment of the post of Care Manager, graded SCP27/35 (18,378-23,430) until 31st March, 2002. Based at Ninewells Hospital, the Care Manager would work with hospital staff to assess client need. The post would allow for an early response to clients helping facilitate their discharge from hospital.

 

The cost of establishing those posts to be fully funded by new monies provided to the Social Work Department by the Scottish Executive to tackle delayed discharge from hospital.

 

The Committee approved the establishment of the post of Care Manager.

 

VI PROCEDURE - APPLICATIONS FOR RE-GRADING SUBMITTED BY EMPLOYEES

 

The current procedure for applications for re-grading submitted by employees was as follows:-

 

(i) Employee submits application.

 

(ii) Director of Personnel and Management Services considers the application.

 

(iii) The Director of Personnel and Management Services submits recommendation to Personnel and Management Services Committee.

 

(iv) Personnel and Management Services Committee considers recommendations and makes a decision.

 

(v) If application is upheld, re-grading is applied.

 

(vi) If application is not upheld, employee is advised by Director of Personnel and Management Services of right to appeal to Personnel Appeals Sub-Committee.

 

This procedure has been operated by the City Council since 1996. Identical procedures operated within Dundee District Council and Tayside Regional Council.

 

However, the Director of Personnel and Management Services considered that there would be merit in considering a revised procedure as follows:-

 

(i) Employee submits application to Director of Personnel and Management Services.

 

(ii) Director of Personnel and Management Services considers application.

 

(iii) If Director of Personnel and Management Services considers that the applicant's post should be re-graded, he will submit an agenda note to the Personnel and Management Services Committee with a recommendation to that effect. If the Committee does not approve the recommendation, the Director of Personnel and Management Services will advise the employee of his/her right of appeal to the Personnel Appeals Sub-Committee.

 

(iv) If the Director of Personnel and Management Services considers that the applicant's post should not be re-graded, he will advise the employee accordingly and also advise him/her of the right of appeal to the Personnel Appeals Sub-Committee.

The Director of Personnel and Management Services would monitor the effectiveness of this arrangement and, if necessary, may report back to the Committee in due course.

 

The Committee approved the new proposals.

 

VII ICT SUPPORT IN SCHOOLS - ESTABLISHMENT OF POSTS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIVISION

 

Consideration of the Joint Report was deferred to allow for further consultation.

 

The Committee agreed under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public and press from the meeting during consideration of the undernoted item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 79(A) of the Act.

 

VIII CORPORATE PLANNING DIVISION - RE-GRADING OF POST

 

At the request of the Chief Executive, the Director of Personnel and Management Services had examined the range of duties and responsibilities undertaken by the postholder and recommended that the post be re-graded. The cost of this proposal to be contained within the Corporate Planning Division's revenue budget.

 

The Committee approved the re-grading of the post.

 

 

 

 

JOHN R. LETFORD, Convener.