Policy And Resources Committee - 17/11/2003

At a MEETING of the PERSONNEL AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 17th November, 2003.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Lord Provost JOHN LETFORD, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 10th November, 2003 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

It was reported that the Convener had agreed that the undernoted item be considered as a matter of urgency in terms of Standing Order No 17(b) in view of the timescales involved.

I NURSERY NURSE DISPUTE

The Committee acceded to a request received for a deputation to be heard on behalf of the nursery nurses. After the deputation had stated its case and answered questions from members of the Committee it was thanked for its attendance and withdrew.

Thereafter, the Committee agreed to joint informal talks.

II SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT - REMUNERATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN416-2003 advising that the workload of the Council's Mental Health Officers (MHOs) under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 was becoming increasingly demanding due to new legislation.

A review of the service was on-going and it seemed likely that, in the future, a team of dedicated MHOs would be required to undertake longer term work, supported by a rota of MHOs undertaking emergency and short term work.

Until the new model of service delivery was agreed and implemented, the current practising MHOs would continue to carry out their MHO duties in addition to the duties of their substantive posts and the Director of Social Work and the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) recommended that these employees receive the equivalent of 2 additional increments in full recompense until a new model of service delivery was introduced.

The Committee approved this proposal, having noted that the cost of this recommendation in the current financial year would be 9,900, inclusive of employer's costs, and this would be met from the department's Revenue Budget.

III ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND TRADING STANDARDS - ESTABLISHMENT OF TEMPORARY POST

There was submitted Agenda Note AN417-2003, advising that in August 2002, Environmental Health had appointed a graduate as a Trainee Environmental Health Officer who had now qualified as an Environmental Health Officer.

When the traineeship began, the intention was that, upon qualifying, the student would be appointed to any Environmental Health Officer vacancy which existed at that time. However, no such vacancy exists at present and the Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards and the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) propose that a temporary post be established to accommodate the student, this appointment to be made permanent when a permanent post became vacant.

The Committee approved the establishment of a temporary post of Environmental Health Officer, grade AP5 - PO6, 22,398 - 28,578, for a period of one year having noted that if a permanent vacancy did not become available during that period, a further proposal would be submitted to Committee.

IV FINANCE DEPARTMENT - REVENUES DIVISION - REDESIGNATION OF POST AND REGRADING OF POSTS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN418-2003 advising that the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) had reviewed the duties and responsibilities of a number of posts in the Liaison Section, Revenues Division.

The Committee approved the following recommendations:-

?                                             the redesignation of one post of Administrative Assistant to Senior Liaison Officer, and the regrading of this post from AP3 (17,340 - 19,029) to AP3/4 (17,340 - 21,732);

?                                             the regrading of 7 posts of Liaison Assistant from AP1 (14,211 - 15,204) to GS3/AP2 (13,650 - 16,866);

?                                             the regrading of one post of Investigation Officer from GS3 (13,650 - 14,211) to AP1 (14,211 - 15,204).

It was further noted that in addition, the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) had reviewed the duties and responsibilities of other posts in the Division and the Committee approved the following further recommendations:-

?                                             the regrading of one post of Administrative Assistant, Income Control (Cashiers) from AP3 (17,340 - 19,029) to AP3/4 (17,340 - 21,732);

?                                             the regrading of 5.5 posts of Administrative Assistant (Recovery/Non Domestic Rates) from AP2 (15,582 - 16,866) to AP3/4 (17,340 - 21,732);

?                                             the regrading of one post of Administrative Assistant (Overpayments) from AP2 (15,582 - 16,866) to AP3/4 (17,340 - 21,732).

LORD PROVOST JOHN R LETFORD, Convener.