Policy And Resources Committee - 15/08/2005

At a MEETING of the PERSONNEL COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 15th August 2005.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Lord Provost John R LETFORD, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 13th June 2005 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I HOUSING DEPARTMENT - REVIEW OF HOUSING DEPARTMENT STRUCTURE (HOUSING SERVICES UNIT)

There was submitted Report No 343-2005 by the Director of Housing and the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) setting out proposals for the Housing Services Unit as part of the review of the structure of the Housing Department.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to redesignate and regrade the post of Senior Investigation Officer, graded AP4 (20,808 - 23,034), to Anti Social Behaviour Team Co-Coordinator, AP5 (23,739 - 25,857);

(ii) to redesignate the post of Principal Housing Officer (Housing Services), graded PO5-8 (29,541 - 31,860), to Housing Services Team Leader;

(iii) to redesignate the post of Principal Officer Housing Support, graded PO7-10 (31,068 - 33,423), to Housing Support Team Leader;

(iv) to redesignate the post of Special Needs Housing Officer, graded AP5 (23,739 - 25,857), to Special Needs Coordinator;

(v) to redesignate the post of Applications Team Leader, graded AP5 (23,739 - 25,857), to Applications Coordinator;

(vi) to redesignate the post of Contact Centre Supervisor, graded AP5 (23,739 - 25,857), to Housing Repairs Centre Supervisor;

(vii) to redesignate the 7 posts of Contact Centre Adviser, graded GS3/AP2 (14,466 - 17,877), to Housing Repairs Centre Adviser;

(viii) to delete one post of Clerical Assistant (Anti Social Behaviour Team and Housing Support Team), graded GS3 (14,466 - 15,063);

(ix) to redesignate the post of Assistant Housing Officer (Anti Social Behaviour Team and Housing Support Team), graded GS3 (14,466 - 15,063), to Clerical Assistant; and

(x) to delete the vacant post of Assistant Housing Officer (Applications), graded GS3 (14,466 - 15,063).

II SICKNESS ABSENCE MANAGEMENT

There was submitted Report No 485-2005 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) providing the Committee with statistics and information relating to sickness absence within the Council and providing details of actions agreed recently by the Council Management Team to tackle this problem.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) note the statistics and information contained within this report;

(ii) note the content of the Action Plan which was formally approved by the Council Management Team in June 2005;

(iii) note that a further report on absence levels would be submitted to this Committee in August 2006; and

(iv) note that the Director of Education and the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) were consulting with the teaching trade unions on the Dundee Negotiating Committee for Teachers on the introduction of the same processes and procedures for teaching staff.

III ANNUAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REPORT 2004/05

There was submitted Report No 447-2005 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) and Council Health and Safety Co-Coordinator seeking approval of the Council's Annual Health and Safety Report.

The Committee approved the Annual Report which would help to promote the management of health and safety across the Council and provide information regarding the further development of health and safety management throughout the Council.

IV HOUSING DEPARTMENT - REDESIGNATION OF POSTS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN305-2005 whereby the Committee was asked to approve the redesignation of the post of Housing Officer (Quality and Performance Unit), graded AP1, to Information Assistant, and the post of Housing Officer (Finance and Corporate Services Unit), grade AP4, to Housing Revenues Officer, in order to better reflect the duties and responsibilities of the posts.

The Committee approved accordingly.

V LEISURE AND ARTS DEPARTMENT - COMMUNITY SPORTS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

There was submitted Agenda Note AN306-2005 whereby reference was made to Article III of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 9th February 2004, wherein the Committee, inter alia, had approved the establishment of a post of Community Sports Development Officer, graded AP3/4, 18,381 - 23,034, on a four year fixed term basis.

It was reported that this post had contributed to the aims of the department and increased community capacity through working with sports clubs in Dundee, along with the creation of a successful Club Development programme Club Dundee.

The Committee agreed to approve the establishment of this post on a permanent basis and to confirm the present incumbent into post, having noted that the cost of this proposal would be 14,614 in 2005/06 and 23,396 in a full financial year and could be met from the Leisure and Arts Department's Revenue Budget.

VI LEISURE AND ARTS DEPARTMENT - YOUTH SPORT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN307-2005 whereby reference was made to Article XIII of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 13th January 2003 and Article V of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 13th June 2005, where the proposals to extend the posts of the Youth Sport Development Project were approved. It was reported that the Director of Leisure and Arts had been successful in securing further Community Regeneration and sportscotland funding to extend this project until 31st March 2008. The Committee was therefore asked to approve the extensions to the following posts:-

In addition, and to assist with the increased administration work of this Project, the new funding would include an amount to establish a post of part-time Senior Clerical Assistant (18.5 hours), grade GS3, 14,466 - 15,063 pro-rata, on a fixed term basis until 31st March 2008.

The Committee approved these proposals, having noted that the cost of implementing them would be 129,147 in a full financial year, inclusive of employers costs, and would be met in total by confirmed funding from the Community Regeneration Fund, sportscotland, the Leisure and Arts Department and fee income.

VII ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT - TAYSCREEN PROJECT - ESTABLISHMENT OF POST

There was submitted Agenda Note AN308-2005 whereby reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of the Economic Development Committee of 8th November 2004, wherein the Committee approved proposals for extending funding for the TayScreen Project for a further three years until 2007.

The Tayscreen Project is the lead body in the East of Scotland that aims to attract more film and TV productions to use the Tayside area for filming and post-production. This complements other activities in this area promoting digital media and creative industries.

The Committee agreed that, in order to provide administrative assistance to enable project officers to concentrate on activities which would add further value, the establishment of a post of Senior Clerical Assistant, grade GS3 (14,466 - 15,063), be approved for a fixed term period until 31st December 2007, having noted the financial implications.

VIII INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT - APPLICATION FOR REGRADING

There was submitted Agenda Note AN309-2005 wherein it was noted that in accordance with the agreed procedure an IT Team Leader (Support) in the Information Technology Department had submitted an application that the post should be regraded from PO7-14, 31,068 - 36,624, to PO11-18, 34,173 - 40,098.

It was reported that following a review of the application and the duties and responsibilities of the post, the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) had confirmed that the application had been substantiated and recommended that the post be redesignated IT Section Leader (Support) and regraded to PO11-18, 34,173 - 40,098.

The Committee approved accordingly.

IX COMMUNITIES DEPARTMENT - ESTABLISHMENT OF FIXED TERM POSTS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN324-2005 whereby reference was made to Article IV of the Policy and Resources Committee of 18th April, 2005 wherein approval was given to a report on Community Regeneration Fund - Allocation of Resources 2005/2006. Accordingly, the Committee agreed to approve the establishment of the following posts which would be fixed term until 31st March 2008:-

Access to Learning Project

(i) Project Support Worker, graded AP3/4 (18,381-23,034), 25 hours per week; and

(ii) Clerical Assistant, graded GS1/2 (10,671-14,220), 18.5 hours per week.

Hilltown Outreach Translation Minority Ethnic Advice Link

(i) Urdu/Punjabi Bi-lingual Worker, graded AP2/3 (16,515-20,169), 30 hours per week; and

(ii) Clerical Assistant, graded GS1/2 (10,671-14,220), 10 hours per week.

It was noted that the additional cost of these posts would be 20,163 in financial year 2005/06 and 40,326 in a full year, inclusive of employer's costs, and would be funded from the Community Regeneration Grant Fund.

LORD PROVOST JOHN R LETFORD, Convener.