Policy And Resources Committee - 12/06/2006

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 12th June, 2006.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Jill SHIMI, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 15th May 2006 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I COMMUNITY REGENERATION FUND SMALL GRANTS ALLOCATION 2006/2007

There was submitted Report No 360-2006 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 arrangements detailed below:-

II COMMUNITY REGENERATION FUND ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES 2006/2007

There was submitted Report No 358-2006 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) and Director of Leisure and Communities relative to the above.

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

III DUNDEE VOLUNTARY ACTION - COUNCIL LEAD DEPARTMENT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN212-2006 intimating that the Social Work Department and Communities Department had both been represented on the Management Committee of Dundee Voluntary Action and the lead department for the purposes of assessing annual grant and liaison with Dundee Voluntary Action had been the Social Work Department.

However, more recently the balance of functions of Dundee Voluntary Action had shifted more towards those carried out by the Leisure and Communities Department and having reviewed relationships, it was recommended that the lead department role should be transferred from Social Work to Leisure and Communities.

It was noted that the Leisure and Communities Department would continue to maintain the Directory of Voluntary Organisations and the Social Work Department would continue to be the primary department with whom core sector contracts were negotiated.

The Committee approved accordingly.

IV HOUSING CAPITAL ESTIMATES 2006-2009

There was submitted Report No 343-2006 by the Director of Housing relative to the above.

The Committee:-

(i) approved the Housing Capital Budget for 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09;

(ii) approved the action as detailed in paragraph 6 of the report;

(iii) Instructed the City Architectural Services Officer and City Engineer, in conjunction with the Director of Housing, to invite offers for the projects included in these Capital and Planned Maintenance estimates, and authorised the Director of Housing, City Architectural Services Officer and City Engineer to implement alternative methods of procurement with contractors where these were necessary to achieve the value for money that would be required to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard; and

(iv) authorised the Director of Housing to accept offers as detailed in paragraph 6.3 of the report.

V INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIVISION SERVICE PLAN - PERFORMANCE REPORT

There was submitted Report No 382-2006 by the Head of Information Technology reporting the performance for the year ended 31st March, 2006 in accordance with the Information Technology Division Service Plan 2003-2007.

The Committee approved accordingly.

VI RECESS SUB-COMMITTEE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN213-2006 intimating that the Council's Recess commenced on 1st July, 2006 and ended on 13th August, 2006.

The Committee agreed that in order to facilitate the smooth continuous conduct of the Council's business, a Recess Sub-Committee of the Council be set up to deal with matters of an urgent nature which the Chief Executive or Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) believed could not wait for the next ordinary meeting of the Committee concerned during that period and that its operating arrangements be as follows:-

(i) Membership - Two members of the Administration, two members of the SNP Group, one member of the Conservative Group;

(ii) Chair - Leader of the Administration and Depute Chair - Deputy Leader of the Administration;

(iii) Substitutes - in terms of Standing Order No 46(3) it shall be competent for substitutions to be intimated and effected for individual meetings;

(iv) Quorum - three members;

(v) Dates - to be arranged on a Monday when required;

(vi) Remit - to deal with any urgent business arising during the recess period;

(vii) Power - full delegated powers to deal with business laid before it.

VII LOCAL CODE ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

On a reference to Article III of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 13th May 2002, there was submitted Report No 62-2006 by the Chief Executive relative to the above.

The Committee noted the implementation of the recommendations previously reported to this Committee and approved the updated Local Code of Corporate Governance appended to the report.

VIII SUPPLY OF IT EQUIPMENT -GCAT

There was submitted Report No 359-2006 by the Head of Information Technology providing details of IT equipment purchased under the GCAT Government procurement scheme.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the IT purchases amounting to 421,248 for the period 7th April to 24th May, 2006; and

(ii) approved ongoing engineering costs of 13,469 per annum.

IX BEST VALUE IMPROVEMENT PLAN - REVIEW OF THE COUNCIL'S STRUCTURE

On a reference to Article X of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 17th October, 2005, there was submitted Report No 338-2006 by the Chief Executive regarding a review of the Council Structure to ensure a better fit with Corporate Objectives, the needs of service users and organisational efficiencies.

The Committee agreed that the Council Structure be reviewed by the new Administration after the Local Government Elections in May 2007 based on a continual review of Council structures being operated by local authorities throughout Scotland.

X COUNCIL PLAN 2003-2007 - PROGRESS REPORT

On a reference to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 20th October, 2003, there was submitted Report No 346-2006 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) reporting on progress to date with the objectives, projects and reviews contained in the Council Plan 2003-2007.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the contents of the report, including the tables detailing the progress made on the Council Plan 2003-2007; and

(ii) agreed that, as part of the commitment to Public Performance Reporting, information on progress be added to the copy of the Council Plan which appeared on the Council website, and copies of this report be made available to partner organisations and local groups on request.

XI DUNDEE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GUIDE FOR CONSTRUCTION AND SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTIONPROFILE

There was submitted Report No 392-2006 by the City Architectural Services Officer advising the Committee on the contents of the Dundee Sustainable Development Guide for Construction and the Sustainable Construction Profile.

The Committee recommended that:-

(i) the Dundee Sustainable Development Guide for Construction and the Sustainable Construction Profile be included on the Council website;

(ii) it be remitted to the Planning and Transportation Department to issue copies of the Guide and Profile to prospective Developers or refers them to the website;

(iii) the list of Developers Agents currently held by the Council be contacted and provided with copies of the Guide and Profile for future reference and use;

(iv) any completed profiles be logged by the Architectural Services Division and a database of sustainable initiatives proposed by Developers be compiled; and

(v) a further report on progress be submitted to Committee for consideration in approximately one year.

XII FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC POUND

On a reference to Article IV of the minute of meeting of the Finance Committee of 14th June 1999, there was submitted Report No 61-2006 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) updating the Council's Guidance on Funding External Bodies and Following the Public Pound.

The Committee noted the excellent performance of the Council in being only one of nine Councils to obtain a high overall performance level in the Audit Scotland report "Following the Public Pound - A Follow up report". Only three of the other 32 Scottish Councils had obtained higher gradings.

The Committee approved the improvements suggested by Audit Scotland which would enable the Council in future to be 100% compliant with the requirements of the Guidance on Funding External Bodies and Following the Public Pound and approved the updated guidance appended to the report.

XIII COST OF CRIME

This item was withdrawn.

XIV CORPORATE PLANNING DEPARTMENT SERVICE PLAN

This item was withdrawn.

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.

The Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted item of business on the grounds that involved the likelihood of disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

XV GARDYNE'S LAND, HIGH STREET

On a reference to Article VI of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 20th December, 2004 and after considering a note by the Director of Economic Development, the Committee approved the proposals outlined therein.

JILL SHIMI, Convener.