Dundee City Council - 15/05/2003

At the STATUTORY MEETING of the DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL held at Dundee on 15th May 2003.

Present:-

COUNCILLORS

Mr Alex Stephen, Returning Officer, in the Chair.

I DECLARATION OF POLL

The Returning Officer reported for information and record purposes that following the counting of votes on 1st May 2003, the undernoted members had been declared to have been duly elected to serve as Councillors for the Wards shown:-

II APPOINTMENT OF LORD PROVOST (CONVENER OF THE COUNCIL)

The Returning Officer called for nominations for the appointment to the Office of Lord Provost.

Councillor Sawers, seconded by Councillor Beattie, moved that Councillor Borthwick be appointed.

Council Macpherson, seconded by Councillor Shimi, moved that Councillor Letford be appointed.

On a division, there voted for Councillor Borthwick - Councillors Don, Duncan, Beattie, Andrew Dawson, Sawers, FitzPatrick, Roberts, Corrigan, Barrie, William Dawson, Fordyce and Borthwick (12); for Councillor Letford - Councillors Letford, Shimi, Keenan, Regan, Farquhar, Sturrock, Grant, Hind, Morrow, Wright, Powrie, Mackie, Wallace, Webster, Scott, Macpherson and Dick (17) - whereupon Councillor Letford was appointed and he subscribed the Declaration de fideli administratione officii prior to taking the Chair.

III APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTE LORD PROVOST, CONVENERS AND DEPUTE CONVENERS OF STANDING COMMITTEESAND SUB-COMMITTEE ETC

Councillor Hind, seconded by Councillor Wright, moved suspension of Standing Orders.

Councillor Sawers, seconded by Councillor FitzPatrick, moved that Standing Orders be not suspended and each appointment be considered individually.

On a division, there voted for suspension - Lord Provost Letford and Councillors Shimi, Keenan, Regan, Farquhar, Sturrock, Grant, Hind, Morrow, Wright, Powrie, Mackie, Wallace, Webster, Scott, Macpherson and Dick (17); and for no suspension - Councillors Don, Duncan, Beattie, Andrew Dawson, Sawers, FitzPatrick, Roberts, Corrigan, Barrie, William Dawson, Fordyce and Borthwick (12) - whereupon the motion was declared carried.

Thereafter Councillor Hind, seconded by Councillor Macpherson, moved that the undernoted appointments be made:-

Councillor Sawers, seconded by Councillor FitzPatrick, moved on behalf of the Majority Group that the undernoted appointments be made:-

On a division, there voted for the motion - Lord Provost Letford and Councillors Shimi, Keenan, Regan, Farquhar, Sturrock, Grant, Hind, Morrow, Wright, Powrie, Mackie, Wallace, Webster, Scott, Macpherson and Dick (17); and for the amendment - Councillors Don, Duncan, Beattie, Andrew Dawson, Sawers, FitzPatrick, Roberts, Corrigan, Barrie, William Dawson and Fordyce (11) - Councillor Borthwick declining to vote - whereupon the motion was declared carried and the appointments detailed therein made.

IV MEMBERSHIP OF STANDING COMMITTEES AND SUB-COMMITTEE

The Council agreed that membership of committees comprise all members of the Council with the exception of the Licensing Committee which shall comprise 14 members on the basis of 5 members of the SNP Group, 5 members of the Labour Group, 2 members of the Conservative Group, one member of the Liberal Democrat Group and the Independent Member; the Best Value Sub Committee which shall comprise of 6 members on the basis of 2 members of the SNP Group, 2 members of the Labour Group, one member of the Conservative Group and one member of the Liberal Democrat Group; and the A T Cathro Bequest which shall comprise of 9 members on the basis of the Lord Provost as Convener, 2 members of the Labour Group, 3 members of the SNP Group, 2 members of the Conservative Group and one member of the Liberal Democrat Group.

V LICENSING BOARD

The Council agreed that the membership of the Licensing Board comprise 12 members on the basis of 5 members of the SNP Group, 4 members of the Labour Group, 2 members of the Conservative Group and one member of the Liberal Democrat Group.

VI APPOINTMENT OF EX OFFICIO JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

The Council agreed to appoint 7 Ex Officio Justices of the Peace on the basis of the Lord Provost, 2 members of the Labour Group, 2 members of the SNP Group, one member of the Conservative Group and one member of the Liberal Democrat Group.

VII APPOINTMENTS TO OUTSIDE BODIES

The Council made the undernoted appointments:-

Councillor Hind, seconded by Councillor Wright, moved that the Social Work Convener and one member of the Liberal Democrat Group be appointed.

As an amendment, Councillor Sawers seconded by Councillor FitzPatrick, moved that the Social Work Convener and one member of the SNP Group be appointed.

On a division, there voted for the motion - Lord Provost Letford and Councillors Shimi, Keenan, Regan, Farquhar, Sturrock, Grant, Hind, Morrow, Wright, Powrie, Mackie, Wallace, Webster, Scott, Macpherson and Dick (17); and for the amendment - Councillors Don, Duncan, Beattie, Andrew Dawson, Sawers, FitzPatrick, Roberts, Corrigan, Barrie, William Dawson, Fordyce and Borthwick (12) - whereupon the motion was declared carried.

With regard to the remaining 33 bodies the Council noted that the Director of Support Services was seeking information from the Standards Commission on the circumstances when members of these bodies might speak and vote and agreed to defer decisions on membership until this information was to hand. The Director of Support Services advised the Council that existing membership may continue until replacements are appointed and that members will require to check the constitution of these bodies to establish the position.

VIII THE ETHICAL STANDARDS IN PUBLIC LIFE ETC (SCOTLAND) ACT 2000

The Director of Support Services submitted Report No 326-2003 advising the Council about a Guidance Note and Dispensations Note issued by the Standards Commission and of the action being taken as a result.

The Committee noted the contents of the report and appointed the Director of Support Services as Proper Officer for the purposes of Regulation 3 of the Ethical Standards in Public Life Etc (Scotland) Act 2000 (Register of Interests) Regulations 2003 as amended.

IX CHURCH AND TEACHER REPRESENTATION ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN213-2003 reporting that the Council was required to appoint to its Education Committee three Church representatives, two of whom are to be nominated by the Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, the third to be selected by the Authority from other Churches and denominational bodies in their area.

In addition, it had been the practice both under Tayside Regional Council and Dundee City Council to appoint two teacher representatives.

The Council confirmed the above practice and remitted to the appropriate officers to make the appropriate arrangements to seek nominations for these appointments in the usual way.

In addition it was agreed that the previous Church and Teacher Representatives continue in their present capacity for a period of up to six months to allow arrangements to be made for new representatives to be appointed to the Committee.

The Council also noted that the Director of Support Services would seek confirmation from the appointing bodies that they would require their appointees to comply with the Code of Conduct in accordance with the Standards Commission's Guidance on this matter.

MR ALEX STEPHEN, Returning Officer LORD PROVOST JOHN R LETFORD, Convener.