Policy And Resources Committee - 13/02/2006

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 13th February, 2006.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Jill SHIMI, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 13th February, 2006 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I MINUTE OF MEETING OF THE BEST VALUE SUB-COMMITTEE

The minute of meeting of the Best Value Sub-Committee of 26th January, 2006, a copy of which is appended hereto, was submitted for information and record purposes.

II DESIGN COMPETITION FOR YOUNG ARCHITECTS - CONTEMPORARY AFFORDABLE HOUSING - GAP SITES PUBLIC CONSULTATIONEXERCISE

On a reference to Article XI of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 15th August, 2006, there was submitted Report No 16-2006 by the Director of Planning and Transportation reporting on the outcome of consultations with local representative groups and surrounding residents regarding draft briefs for various sites proposed as part of a Design Competition for Young Architects.

The Committee:-

(i) agreed to promote for development two sites at Stobswell (Victoria Street and Lower Princes Street), the majority of a site at Rosebank Street, a site at Forebank Road and a site at City Road;

(ii) approved the Site Brief Plans contained in Appendix 2 to the report for the sites listed above;

(iii) remitted to the Director of Planning and Transportation to bring forward detailed proposals for a Design Competition for Young Local Architects;

(iv) remitted to the Director of Planning and Transportation to investigate with Communities Scotland a means of achieving the development of affordable housing as part of any Design Competition; and

(v) remitted to the Director of Planning and Transportation to report back to Committee on these matters within four months.

III CORE PATH PLANNING

On a reference to Article IV of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 15th August, 2005, there was submitted Report No 71-2006 by the Director of Leisure and Communities and the Director of Planning and Transportation relative to the above.

The Committee approved the procedures and timescales outlined for Core Path Planning and approved the commencement of the Core Path Planning Process.

IV A PLAN FOR DUNDEE'S CHILDREN 2005-2008

There was submitted Report No 51-2006 by the Chief Executive relative to the above.

The Committee agreed to the publication and circulation of "A Plan for Dundee's Children, 2005-2008" and remitted to the Children's Services Executive Group to provide an update on progress by October 2006.

V DIGITAL INCLUSION POLICY

There was submitted Report No 74-2006 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) relative to the Scottish Executive consultation paper on Digital Inclusion.

The Committee agreed that the completed questionnaire appended to the report and the contents of section 7 of the report be submitted to the Scottish Executive as this Council's response to the consultation paper.

VI COMMUNITY REGENERATION FUND ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES 2005-2006

Councillor Sturrock declared a non-financial interest in the Dundee Furniture Project by virtue of being the Council's representative on the Board.

There was submitted Report No 112-2006 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) and the Director of Leisure and Communities relative to the above.

The Committee noted the process for allocating funding through Local Community Regeneration Forums as agreed by the Dundee Partnership and endorsed the funding proposals detailed below:-

VII COMMUNITY REGENERATION FUND SMALL GRANTS ALLOCATION 2005/2006

There was submitted Report No 113-2006 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) and the Director of Leisure and Communities relative to the above.

The Committee noted the process for allocating small grants through the Local Community Regeneration Forums as agreed by the Dundee Partnership and endorsed the funding proposals detailed below:-

VIII ICT BUSINESS CONTINUITY/DISASTER RECOVERY PLANS 2006/07

There was submitted Report No 151-2006 by the Head of Information Technology outlining ICT Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans.

The Committee approved the proposals in section 8 of the report to develop a second secure computer facility at 8 City Square for the purpose of ICT Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery.

IX EQUALITIES AND DIVERSITY POLICY - UPDATE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN59-2006 relative to the above.

Reference was made to Article VI of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 8th November, 2004 wherein it was remitted to Departments to produce equality action plans for submission to this Committee by August 2005 and to annually report thereafter. Revised guidelines from the Commission for Racial Equality requiring equality impact assessment to be an integral part of equality action planning resulted in a revision of this strategy.

Reference was also made to Article XI of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 14th November, 2005 wherein the Committee approved updated Generic and Race Equality and Diversity Schemes for 2006/2008.

It was noted that during 2005 Departments had progressed equality impact assessment reviews and, as relevant, Department Action Plans to comply with legislation. All Departments now had a detailed Race Equality Action Plan and this would be followed by the other equality strands by December 2006. This review of existing policy was currently being monitored as a separate item through the Corporate Strategic Monitoring Database.

Departments would continue this process of equality screening of new policies for inclusion within their Service Plan at the next review point and report thereafter within the Council's Strategic Monitoring Database. Departments would be asked to provide progressive reports on equality action in August of each year in accordance with the original report in order to meet legislative timescales.

The Committee approved accordingly.

X CONFERENCE - TRANSFORMING PUBLIC SERVICES IN SCOTLAND

It was reported that the above conference would be held in Edinburgh on 28th March, 2006.

The Committee authorised the attendance of the Convener or her nominee at an estimated cost of 175 excluding travel and subsistence.

JILL SHIMI, Convener.