Policy And Resources Committee - 12/09/2005

At a MEETING of the PERSONNEL COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 12th September 2005.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

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

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 22nd August 2005 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I MINUTE OF MEETING OF PERSONNEL APPEALS SUB-COMMITTEE OF 29TH AUGUST 2005

The minute of meeting of the Personnel Appeals Sub-Committee of 29th August 2005, a copy of which is appended hereto, was submitted and noted.

II MERGER OF COMMUNITIES DEPARTMENT AND LEISURE AND ARTS SERVICES DEPARTMENT

There was submitted Report No 552-2005 by the Chief Executive and the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) proposing the merger of the Communities Department and the Leisure and Arts Department.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) the merger of the Communities Department and the Leisure and Arts Department;

(ii) that the new department be named the Leisure and Communities Department;

(iii) that the posts of Head of Communities and Director of Leisure and Arts, both graded CO34, 68,205, be deleted;

(iv) that a new post of Director of Leisure and Communities, grade CO38, 74,283, be established and that the present Head of Communities be appointed to this new post;

(v) that the following senior management posts in the Communities Department be deleted:-

Senior Manager, Communities, SCP59-62, 47,178 - 50,457

Manager, Communities, SCP56-59, 43,947 - 47,178

Manager, Communities Support Services, SCP54-57, 41,946 - 44,985;

(vi) that the following senior management posts in the Leisure and Arts Department be deleted:-

Operations Manager, SCP59-62, 47,178 - 50,457

Development Manager, SCP56-59, 43,947 - 47,178

Leisure and Arts Services Manager, SCP47-50, 35,748 - 38,295;

(vii) that the following senior management posts in the new department be established:-

Head of Parks, Sports and Leisure, CO22, 51,125

Head of Libraries, Information and Cultural Services, CO22, 51,125

Head of Community Learning and Development, CO22, 51,125

Head of Business Development and Support Services, CO18, 46,323;

(viii) that the present postholders of the posts referred to in paragraphs (v) and (vi) above be invited to apply for the posts referred to in paragraph (vii) above and that appointments be made after competitive interview by the Director of Leisure and Communities, the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) and the Assistant Chief Executive (Management);

(ix) that the employees appointed to the posts of Head of Parks, Sports and Leisure, Head of Libraries, Information and Cultural Services and Head of Community Learning and Development be invited to apply for the position of Designated Depute and that an appointment be made after competitive interview by the Director of Leisure and Communities, the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) and the Assistant Chief Executive (Management); and

(x) that the employee appointed as Designated Depute receive an additional two increments in recognition of this additional responsibility.

The Committee further agreed to note:-

(xi) that the Director of Leisure and Communities and Assistant Chief Executive (Management) will, in the near future, submit a further report back to this Committee regarding the final organisational structure of the department and the full financial implications; and

(xii) that the existing Communities Committee and Leisure and Arts Services Committee will continue to operate as normal in the meantime.

III SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT - REVIEW OF SOCIAL WORK CARE MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT SERVICES - SENIOR PRACTITIONERS

There was submitted Joint Report No 518-2005 by the Director of Social Work and the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) outlining a proposal arising from a detailed review of roles, responsibilities, skills mix and structures within social work care management and assessment services and recommending the introduction of a new post of Senior Practitioner within the Social Work Department.

The Committee approved:-

(i) the establishment of 27 posts of Senior Practitioner, graded PO1-4, 26,378 - 28,632;

(ii) the deletion of 14 posts of Social Worker, graded AP4/5 +1, 20,808 - 26,379;

(iii) the deletion of 13.5 posts of Care Manager, graded AP4/5 + 1, 20,808 - 26,379; and

(iv) a review of the operation of the Senior Practitioner role be undertaken as outlined in paragraph 8.5 of the report.

IV SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT - REVIEW OF SOCIAL WORK CARE MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT SERVICES - SUPPORT WORKERS ANDSOCIAL WORK ASSISTANTS

There was submitted Joint Report No 524-2005 by the Director of Social Work and the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) outlining a proposal arising from a detailed review of roles, responsibilities, skills mix and structures within social work care management and assessment services. The report concentrated on the arrangements required to assist professionally qualified staff in care management and assessment.

The Committee approved:-

(i) the establishment of 25 posts of Support Worker, graded SCP19-24, 16,515 - 18,966;

(ii) the deletion of 17 posts of Social Work Assistant, graded GS3/AP1, 14,466 - 16,116;

(iii) the deletion of six posts of Social Care Officer, graded SCP16-23, 15,404 - 18,381; and

(iv) a review of the operation of the Support Worker role be undertaken as outlined in paragraph 8.6 of the report.

V PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT - EXTENSION TO FIXED TERM CONTRACT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN357-2005 advising that in October 2004 the Chief Executive granted approval to appoint a Clerical Assistant, graded GS1/3, 10,671 - 15,063, for a fixed term period of six months within the Planning and Transportation Department to assist with the collection of income for parking fines. This contract was subsequently extended up to 30th September 2005 in April 2005.

It was reported that parking fines were presently being processed using a paper based system but would become fully computerised by the end of the current financial year. In order to cope with the current processes and the transfer over to the new computerised system approval was sought to extend the post until 31st March 2006.

The Committee approved the extension of this fixed term post, until March 2006, having noted that the costs of this proposal would be 12,081 in a full financial year inclusive of employer costs and would be met from the Planning and Transportation Revenue Budget.

VI HOUSING DEPARTMENT - ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR UNIT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN358-2005 wherein reference was made to Article II of the minute of meeting of the Personnel Committee of 15th March 2004, wherein the Committee approved the establishment of three posts of Assistant Investigation Officer, graded AP1, 15,063 - 16,116, for a temporary period of two years as part of a wider review and restructure of the Anti Social Behaviour Unit. The provision of these posts had been met through specific Scottish Executive Anti Social Behaviour funding. It had also been agreed that these posts be reviewed after twelve months.

It was reported that the Director of Housing, in conjunction with the Assistant Chief Executive (Management), had now reviewed the posts and concluded that service delivery would be enhanced by increasing the levels of responsibility of the posts of Assistant Investigation Officer.

The Committee therefore approved the redesignation and regrading of two posts of Assistant Investigation Officer, graded AP1, 15,063 - 16,116, to Investigation Officer, graded AP3, 18,831 - 20,169.

The Committee also approved the deletion of one vacant post of Assistant Investigation Officer, graded AP1, 15,063 - 16,116.

VII SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT - REGRADING OF POST

There was submitted Agenda Note AN359-2005 advising that, at the request of the Director of Social Work, the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) had reviewed the duties and responsibilities of the post of Lead Officer (Drug and Alcohol Team) and as a consequence of this review, to reflect the level of duties and responsibilities, approval was sought to regrade the post of Lead Officer (Drug and Alcohol Team) from PO7-10, 31,068 - 33,423, to PO11-14, 34,173 - 36,624.

The Committee approved this regrading, having noted that this proposal would cost 4,020 in a full financial year inclusive of employer's costs and that there would be no net cost to Dundee City Council as this post was funded from the Dundee City Drug and Alcohol Action Team Budget held by NHS Tayside.

VIII PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT - EMPLOYMENT DISABILITY UNIT - REQUEST FOR PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH NETWORK

There was submitted Agenda Note AN361-2005 advising that the Employment Disability Unit (EDU) had received a formal request to be part of an International Research Network to investigate the barriers which disabled people encounter when trying to secure employment through the open labour market.

A request had been made by the Work Research Institute in Oslo, Norway, for funding through the Norwegian Research Council and, if approved, the project would commence in 2006. The partnership would consist of five European Research Institutes and the EDU would be the only UK representative and the only partner who were active practitioners. All costs for travel, subsistence and wages would be funded by the Norwegian Research Council.

The Committee approved the participation of the EDU.

IX EDUCATION DEPARTMENT - EXTENSION TO TEMPORARY POST

There was submitted Agenda Note AN362-2005 seeking approval for the extension of one temporary post of Education Welfare Officer, graded AP2, 16,515 - 17,877, until 30th June 2006.

It was reported that this post was originally approved on a temporary basis in August 2004 by the Chief Executive, following recommendations by Her Majesty's Inspectorate, regarding the behaviour of an identified group of pupils. The postholder had become a "key worker" to targeted pupils and had formed links with pupils, parents and the local community towards integrating the behavioural gains in schools within the broader areas of personal and social responsibility.

The Committee approved the extension to the post having noted that the cost of implementing the proposal would be 9,600 in the current financial year and 4,800 in financial year 2006/07, both figures being inclusive of employer's costs, and would be met from the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund.

X PROPOSED CHANGES TO HOME COMPUTING INITIATIVE (HCI) PROVIDER

There was submitted Agenda Note AN365-2005 whereby reference was made to Article III of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 17th January 2005 where approval was given to the implementation of an HCI Scheme for Dundee City Council employees. It was reported that the scheme had been very successful and, in order to minimise Council costs and administration it was proposed that the scheme be made available to employees in twice yearly six week long ordering periods.

It was further reported that since Dundee City Council tendered for the above scheme in January 2005, the Scottish Executive had launched a National HCI Framework Agreement whereby any Scottish public sector body could take advantage of the greater procurement buying power of the National Framework Agreement. Employees would be able to obtain computer equipment at the lowest competitive cost and future administration would be reduced.

The Committee approved the utilisation of the Scottish Executive HCI Framework over the next three years.

XI FINANCE DEPARTMENT - REVENUES DIVISION - CHANGES TO ESTABLISHMENT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN366-2005 advising that, as a result of a review of duties, responsibilities and workloads within the Fraud Section of the Revenues Division, a number of changes to establishment had been proposed.

To recognise the level of duties and responsibilities carried out it was proposed to redesignate a post of Fraud Supervisor to Fraud/Liaison Supervisor and to regrade the post from AP5, 23,739 - 25,857, to PO1-4, 26,379 - 28,632, and to regrade the post of Fraud/Liaison Manager from PO1-4, 26,379 - 28,632, to PO3-6, 27,822 - 30,288.

The Committee approved the changes to the establishment, having noted that the cost of implementing these changes would be 1,430 in the current financial year and 5,540 in a full financial year, both figures being inclusive of employer's costs, and costs would be met from the Finance Department's Revenue Budget.

The Committee resolved, in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, that the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the undernoted items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

XII FINANCE DEPARTMENT - REVENUES DIVISION - EARLY RETIRAL (ER9/05)

There was submitted Agenda Note AN360-2005 seeking agreement that ER9/05, an employee within the Finance Department, be retired early in the interest of the efficiency of the service, in accordance with the Local Government Pensions Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 1988, with effect from 1st April 2006.

The Committee approved accordingly, having noted the financial implications.

XIII SUPPORT SERVICES DEPARTMENT - REDESIGNATION AND REGRADING OF POST

There was submitted Agenda Note AN363-2005 making reference to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 30th June 2003 whereby the Committee considered and approved Report No 433-2003 (Modernising Management Structures - Redesignation of Chief Officer Posts) by the Chief Executive.

The Committee approved the regrading of the post of Legal Manager as detailed in the agenda note, in order to recognise the change in role and increase in legal of responsibility.

XIV CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S DEPARTMENT - REGRADING OF POST

There was submitted Agenda Note AN364-2005 whereby reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 30th June 2003 where the Committee considered and approved Report No 433-2003 (Modernising Management Structures - Redesignation of Chief Officer Posts) by the Chief Executive.

The Committee approved the regrading of the post of Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) in order to more accurately reflect the nature of the role undertaken by this officer, as detailed in the note.

LORD PROVOST JOHN R LETFORD, Convener.

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