Policy And Resources Committee - 12/01/2004

At a MEETING of the FINANCE COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 12th January 2004.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor George REGAN, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 8th December, 2003 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I CAPITAL EXPENDITURE MONITORING

After considering Report No 34-2004 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) appraising members on the latest position regarding the Council's Expenditure Programme for 2003/04, the Committee noted the contents of the report.

II REVENUE MONITORING

After considering Report No 40-2004 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) providing the Committee with an analysis of the 2003/04 Projected Revenue Outturn as at 30th November 2003 monitored against the adjusted 2003/04 Revenue Budget, the Committee:-

(a) noted that the overall General Fund 2003/04 Projected Revenue Outturn as at 30th November 2003 showed an overspend of 37,000 against the adjusted 2003/04 Revenue Budget;

(b) noted that the Housing Revenue Account Projected Outturn was in line with the adjusted 2003/04 Revenue Budget;

(c) instructed the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) to take every reasonable action to ensure that the 2003/04 Revenue Expenditure was in line with the adjusted Revenue Budget; and

(d) instructed the Depute Chief Executive (Finance), in conjunction with all Chief Officers of the Council, to continue to monitor the Council's 2003/04 Projected Revenue Outturn.

III FINANCE GENERAL SERVICE PLAN 2003/2007

After considering Report No 21-2004 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance), the Committee approved the Finance General Service Plan 2003/2007.

IV LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN SCOTLAND ACT 2003 - STATUTORY TRADING ACCOUNTS

There was submitted Report No 786-2003 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) intimating that the legislation governing compulsory competitive tendering had been repealed with effect from 1st April 2003 by the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003.

The Committee:-

(a) agreed that this Council would publish Statutory Trading Accounts as required by the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 for those services currently provided by Dundee Contract Services;

(b) instructed the Head of Waste Management to investigate and implement new billing arrangements to replace the current CCT Schedule of Rates contract rates which would eliminate the Cleansing DSO's contribution to the General Fund which would subsequently be subsumed within the Waste Management Department's Revenue Budget; and

(c) instructed the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) to carry out an annual evaluation beyond financial year 2003/04 to demonstrate the Council's assessment of the need to prepare Statutory Trading Accounts against CIPFA guidance reflecting any new operational and service delivery arrangements.

V THE PRUDENTIAL CODE

There was submitted Report No 53-2004 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) providing elected members with background information on the legislation and implementation of the Prudential Code and in particular how the code would impact on Dundee City Council.

The Committee:-

(a) instructed the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) and Director of Economic Development, in consultation with other Chief Officers, to bring forward a Corporate Asset Management Strategy;

(b) instructed the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) to develop an Option Appraisal Process for capital expenditure projects;

(c) approved the Prudential Indicators for the financial year 2004/05 which were detailed in Appendix 1 to the report; and

(d) instructed the Depute Chief Executive (Finance), in medium to long term, to move towards implementing the definition of capital expenditure as contained in the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting by liaising with Chief Officers to review future Capital Plans.

The Convener 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.

IV CIPFA IN SCOTLAND - ANNUAL CONFERENCE

There was submitted agenda note AN24-2004 intimating that the CIPFA in Scotland Annual Conference entitled "Raising Standards" would be held in Edinburgh on 2nd and 3rd March 2004.

The Committee authorised the attendance of one member of the Administration, one member of the SNP Group and one member of the Conservative Group at an estimated cost of 450 (residential) per delegate excluding travel and subsistence.

The Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the 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 Paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7(a) of the Act.

VII RELIEF OF NON-DOMESTIC RATES ON THE GROUNDS OF HARDSHIP

After considering Report No 103-2004 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) relative to the above, the Committee approved the recommendations detailed therein.

GEORGE REGAN, Convener.