Policy And Resources Committee - 17/10/2005

At a MEETING of the PERSONNEL COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 17th October 2005.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Bailie FARQUHAR, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 12th September 2005 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF PERSONNEL APPEALS SUB-COMMITTEE

The minutes of meetings of the Personnel Appeals Sub-Committee of 12th September 2005, 14th September 2005 and 26th September 2005, copies of which are appended hereto, were submitted and noted.

II LEISURE AND COMMUNITIES DEPARTMENT - DELETION OF POSTS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN404-2005 advising that the Director of Leisure and Communities had undertaken a review of the staffing requirements of his department and considered that a number of efficiency measures could be taken. Accordingly, in the interests of efficiency and the effective deployment of staffing resources, the Committee was requested to approve the deletion of the following posts:-

(i) three posts of Local Management Support Worker graded AP2 (16,515-17,876);

(ii) one post of SIP Support Worker graded AP2 (16,515-17,876);

(iii) three posts of Community Worker graded CEW (18,379-23,739).

The deletion of these posts would require the redeployment of existing postholders to other vacant posts in the department.

The Committee approved accordingly, having noted that the financial implications of these proposals would result in a saving of 63,000 in 2005/06 and 170,000 in 2006/07, inclusive of employer's costs.

III SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT - THROUGHCARE SERVICE FOR EX-PRISONERS - ESTABLISHMENT OF POSTS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN405-2005 wherein reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 20th October 2003 wherein a report on Throughcare Service for Ex-Prisoners was approved, and the Resettlement Team within Criminal Justice was established.

In order to manage the provision of support to ex-prisoners released from short-term prison, additional funding had now been identified, and the Committee was asked to approve the establishment of a post of Senior Criminal Justice Assistant, graded AP3, 18,381-20,169 and a post of Criminal Justice Assistant, graded AP2, 16,515-17,877. Also, in order to provide clerical support to the Resettlement Team and to provide cover for the clerical/administrative function in East Port House, the Committee was asked to approve the establishment of a post of Senior Clerical Assistant, graded GS3, 14,466-15,063.

In addition, approval was sought to establish one post of part time (18.5 hours) Planning Officer, graded AP5, 20,808-25,857, which would support the provision of information to departmental managers to enable them to meet corporate requirements and undertake submissions to the Scottish Executive.

The Committee approved the establishment of the abovementioned posts, having noted that the costs of the above proposals were 75,600 in a full financial year, inclusive of employer's costs, and would be fully funded from ring fenced funding from the Scottish Executive.

IV ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT - WORKING FOR FAMILIES FUND - CHANGES TO ESTABLISHMENT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN406-2005 wherein reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 21st June 2004, when approval was granted for the establishment of one temporary post of Working for Families Co-ordinator, grade AP5, 22,398-24,396, and one temporary post of Working for Families Finance/Administrative Officer, graded AP2, 15,582-16,866, until 31st March 2006.

Reference was also made to Article VIII of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 18th October 2004 wherein approval was granted for the deletion of one Working for Families Co-ordinator post and the establishment of one additional temporary post of Working for families Finance/Administrative Officer, graded AP2, 15,582-16,866, until 31st March 2006.

In 2004 Working for Families was a new initiative in the City, and the role of the Finance/Administrative Officer and the initial job description was based on expectations of what would be needed. As the project had developed, the reality of the support required had altered considerably. The Finance/Administrative Officers were now more involved in supporting the development of new project ideas, working on behalf of clients to access services such as childcare and co-ordinating the roles of the Link Workers employed by a number of external organisations.

As a result the Director of Economic Development and the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) had reviewed the duties and responsibilities of these posts and approval was sought to regrade the posts of Working for Families Finance/Administrative Officers to AP3, 18,381-20,169 and to extend these posts to 31st March 2008.

The costs, including employer's costs, of these regradings would amount to 1,166 for the current financial year and 3,236 and 4,232 for the full financial years 2006/07 and 2007/08 respectively, and would be completely funded from the grant received from the Scottish Executive for the Working for Families initiative.

The Committee approved the regradings as detailed above.

V PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT - EMPLOYMENT DISABILITY UNIT - ESTABLISHMENT OF POST

There was submitted Agenda Note AN407-2005 advising that in conjunction with the Council's Economic Development Department, the Employment Disability Unit had secured funding from the Working for Families project to provide support for people with health problems, disabilities or child care issues to secure and retain employment.

The Committee approved the establishment of one post of Support Worker, grade AP3, 18,381-20,169, for a fixed period until 31st March 2008, having noted that the costs including employer's costs, of establishing this post would amount to 9,442 for the current financial year and 24,269 and 26,092 for the financial years 2006/07 and 2007/08 respectively. These costs would be met from the funding secured by the Employment Disability Unit from the Working for Families Project.

VI PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT - REDESIGNATION AND REGRADING OF POST

There was submitted Agenda Note AN409-2005 advising that at the request of the City Engineer, the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) had reviewed the duties and responsibilities of one post of Clerk of Works.

As a consequence of this review, to reflect the duties and responsibilities, approval was sought to redesignate the post to Public Safety Officer and regrade it from Tech 2-4, 15,699-23,034, to Tech 5 23,739-25,857.

The financial implications of this proposal would be 866 in a full financial year, inclusive of employer's costs.

The Committee approved the redesignation and regrading of the post as detailed above.

VII PUBLIC HOLIDAYS - CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR

There was submitted Agenda Note to AN410-2005 advising the Committee that when the Council came into existence in 1996, it was agreed, in the main, to continue the public holiday arrangements of the former Dundee District Council. These arrangements included a two day closedown at Christmas (Christmas Day and Boxing Day) and a three day closedown at New Year (first three days of the New Year).

Since 1996, the Council has received considerable criticism from the public in respect of the public holiday taken on the third day at New Year as the vast majority of other organisations are open for business on that day.

To address these public concerns, adjustments have been made over the years and, for the 2004/05 Festive Period, the third public holiday at new year was transferred to Christmas Eve. This decision was made after an employee survey and was for one year only.

To assist in the introduction of a longer term arrangement, a further employee survey was conducted in August and September of this year. Employees were advised that the Council could not sustain a third public holiday at New Year and were asked to indicate their preference for one of three options, ie transferring that public holiday to Christmas Eve, Hogmanay or annual leave. The result of the survey was as follows:-

Christmas Eve 48.8%

Hogmanay 15.7%

Annual Leave 35.4%

The Committee approved the transfer, until further notice, of the third public holiday at New Year to Christmas Eve, or to the last working day before Christmas Eve if Christmas Eve falls at the weekend, having noted that the Public Relations Department would ensure that this change was communicated to the public well in advance of the 2005/2006 Festive Period. The Committee also noted that there

would be a number of major services which must be provided by departments to the people of Dundee throughout the year, regardless of when public holidays are set, and the Chief Officers of the following departments had concluded local agreements with the trade unions in relation to the following groups of employees at Christmas and New Year:-

Economic Development - Dundee Airport employees;

Leisure and Communities - Grounds Maintenance employees and Community Wardens;

Planning and Transportation - Parking Attendants;

Social Work - employees in residential homes for the elderly and in children's units, and other employees who, by the nature of the service, are required to work on public holidays;

Contract Services - all employees;

Waste Management - all employees other than administrative and clerical employees at Marchbanks;

Education - all employees in schools;

In addition, there may be other services where Chief Officers and trade unions agree that local agreements would be beneficial.

VIII HOUSING DEPARTMENT - REGRADING OF TEMPORARY POSTS

Reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 20th June, 2005, wherein the Committee considered a Report on the Housing Quality and Performance Unit, Housing Investment Unit and Housing Finance and Corporate Services Unit and, inter alia, agreed to the regrading of the 5.5 posts of Project Officer from AP4, 20,808 - 23,034, to AP5, 23,739 - 25,857.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN408-2005, advising that this report had omitted consideration of the grade of two Temporary (to 30th June, 2006) Project Officers. The Committee therefore agreed that in order to bring the grade of these temporary posts into line, they should also be regraded from AP4 to AP5, noted that the cost of this proposal, including employer's costs, would be 2,600 in the current financial year and 1,150 in the 2006/07 financial year, and would be met from the Housing Capital Projects budget.

CONFIDENTIAL ITEMS

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 for the undernoted items of business on the grounds that they would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

IX IMPLEMENTATION OF A CHILDCARE VOUCHER SCHEME

There was submitted Report No 627-2005 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) and Assistant Chief Executive (Management) advising Elected Members of the financial and other implications of implementing a Childcare Voucher Scheme, and recommending the implementation of such a scheme.

The Committee approved:-

(i) the implementation of a Childcare Voucher Scheme;

(ii) the contracting with ACCOR Services to deal with the administration of the Scheme; and

(iii) a "salary sacrifice" scheme as a method of payment by those who are eligible to participate in the Childcare Voucher Scheme;

(iv) the proposal that the City Council should register with all major suppliers of Childcare Vouchers to ensure that the citizens of Dundee receive the tax and National Insurance benefit wherever they are employed with an employer who has instituted a Childcare Voucher Scheme.

X EDUCATION DEPARTMENT - EARLY RETIREMENT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN424-2005, requesting approval for ER10/05, Secretary within the Education Department, to be retired with effect from 31 October 2005, in the interests of the efficiency of the service. The Committee approved this early retiral in accordance with the Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 1998, and having noted that the employee would also receive enhanced benefits in accordance with The Local Government (Discretionary Payments and Injury Benefits) (Scotland) Regulations 1998 (as amended) and in accordance with the decision of the Personnel Committee of 14 March 2005, and having noted the financial implications.

Bailie FARQUHAR, Convener

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