Policy And Resources Committee - 09/12/2002

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 9th December 2002.

Present:-

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Julia STURROCK, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 2nd December 2002 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I SUPPLY OF IT COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

On a reference to Article I of the minute of meeting of the Neighbourhood Resources and Development Committee of 9th December 2002 there was submitted Report No 868-2002 by the Head of Information Technology relative to the above.

The Committee:-

(i)approved acceptance of the Tender ITD/2002/03 amounting to 32,149.00 from ntl: business for the purchase of IT communications equipment detailed in Appendix 1; and

(ii)approved ongoing engineering maintenance costs of 2,203 per annum.

II IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BETTER NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES FUND

There was submitted Report No 867-2002 by the Director of Neighbourhood Resources and Development and the Director of Corporate Planning providing the Committee with an update on progress with the implementation of the co-ordinated Neighbourhood Management element of the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund.

The Committee approved the funding proposals set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

III REPRESENTATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AT CIVIC EVENTS

There was submitted agenda note AN345-2002 reporting that this item had been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Sawers.

Councillor Sawers, seconded by Councillor Corrigan, moved that Standing Order No 57(3) be amended to read:

"the Lord Provost and Depute Lord Provost may attend meetings, functions and events associated with the performance of their civic duties. In the event that they are unable to attend they may nominate a member of the Administration, whom failing, a member of the Major Opposition Group to attend and act on their behalf."

As an amendment, Councillor Sturrock, seconded by Councillor Petrie, moved that no amendment be made to Standing Order 57(3).

"Standing Order 57(3) authorises the attendance at civic functions of the Lord Provost, Depute Lord Provost or any Member deputising on their behalf. There is no provision in Standing Orders or elsewhere regulating the selection of the Member deputising. This has, as a matter of custom and practice, been left to the Lord Provost and Depute Lord Provost to determine. It would be both inappropriate and impractical to introduce a Standing Order regulating this situation as flexibility is needed to secure replacements at short notice."

On a division, there voted for the motion - Councillors Barrie Richard Beattie, Dawson, Sawers, FitzPatrick, Guild, Corrigan, Dave Beattie. Fordyce and Bowes (10); and for the amendment - Lord Provost Letford, Councillors Sturrock, de Gernier, Wright, Ward, Shimi, Presswood, Regan, Farquhar, Grant, Mackie, Wallace, Scott, Macpherson and Petrie (15) - whereupon the amendment was declared carried.

IV PROPOSAL TO INTRODUCE TOP-UP FEES IN SCOTTISH UNIVERSITIES

There was submitted agenda note AN346-2002 reporting that this item had been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Corrigan.

The Committee approved the undernoted resolution:

"Dundee City Council does not support any university top-up fees.

Dundee City Council fears that this action could:

(i)produce elite universities acceptable to only the richest in society;

(ii)lead to a biased approach by employers offering work only to those students who attend such universities, with students from less affluent backgrounds not able to afford to attend these institutions and therefore losing out;

(iii)deter students altogether from joining university due to the mark up on the fees.

Dundee City Council should write to the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning opposing any introduction of "top up" fees to the Scottish University system and welcoming the First Minister's reassurance to the Scottish Parliament on 28th November 2002 that there are no plans by the Scottish Executive to introduce such a system in Scotland."

V SMARTCARD - MODERNISING GOVERNMENT FUND

On a reference to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 14th January 2002 there was submitted Report No 842-2002 by the Chief Executive advising the Committee of the funding sought for the Smartcard Initiative from the Modernising Government Fund.

The Committee:-

(i)noted the funding sought from the Modernising Government Fund for the Smartcard project;

(ii)approved the project plans set out in the report;

(iii)approved membership of the National Smartcard Consortium as required by the MGF Fund; and

(iv)approved the invitation of tenders being issued for the supply of goods and services required to implement the project.

VI SCOTTISH PUBLIC SERVICES OMBUDSMAN

On a reference to Article V of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 19th August 2002 there was submitted Agenda Note AN323-2002 intimating that the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002 had received Royal Assent and the new Ombudsman, Professor Alice Brown, had taken up her duties.

The Committee noted the information detailed in the note.

The Convener agreed that the undernoted item be considered as a matter of urgency in terms of Standing Order No 51(3)(b) to inform the Committee of contingency plans.

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 item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

VII FIRE SERVICE DISPUTE - CONTINGENCY PLANS

There was submitted Report No 824-2002 relative to the above.

The Committee noted that the measures outlined in the report had been approved by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Convener and Spokespersons from the Majority and Minority Groups.

JULIA STURROCK, Convener.