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Policy And Resources Committee - 25/06/2007

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 25th June, 2007.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

 

 

 

BAILIES

 

George REGAN

Willie SAWERS

Derek J SCOTT

Helen WRIGHT

Roderick A J WALLACE

Ian BORTHWICK

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Kevin KEENAN

Fraser MACPHERSON

Andrew DAWSON

Mohammed ASIF

Helen DICK

Will DAWSON

Laurie BIDWELL

Ken GUILD

Nigel DON

Tom FERGUSON

Jim BARRIE

Bob DUNCAN

Brian GORDON

Jimmy BLACK

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Richard McCREADY

David BOWES

Ken LYNN

Joe MORROW

 

Donald HAY

 

Councillor Kevin KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 11th June, 2007 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I CONTAMINATED LAND STRATEGY - UNIT RATE CONTRACT FOR GROUND INVESTIGATION - APRIL 2007 TO MARCH 2009

 

Reference was made to Article III of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 14th March, 2007 which approved the existing Unit Rate Contract and to Article I of the Environmental Services and Sustainability Committee of 16th April, 2007 which extending its use until the end of June 2007.

 

Reference was also made to Article II of the minute of meeting of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee of 17th September, 2001 when the Strategy for Contaminated Land was agreed.

 

There was submitted Agenda Note AN184-2007 intimating that as part of this strategy the City Engineer recommended that a Unit Rate Contract be utilised to obtain rates from a number of specialist contractors experienced in contaminated land site investigation. This contract had since been further updated to reflect current testing methods and practices.

 

Tenders for the Unit Rate Contract for the period July 2007 to March 2009 had been submitted by the undernoted specialist contractors:

 

7         Aitken Laboratories Limited, Castlehill House, Slamannan

7         Raeburn Drilling & Geotechnical Ltd, Whistleberry Road, Hamilton

7         Ritchies, Glasgow Road, Kilsyth, Glasgow

7         Soil Mechanics Ltd, Askern Road, Carcroft, Doncaster

 

The Committee authorised the use of the most favourable tender for any future contaminated land site investigation work on a project by project basis.

 

II BEST VALUE AUDIT - IMPROVEMENT PLAN

 

After considering Report No 336-2007 by the Chief Executive updating the Committee on the implementation of the Best Value Improvement Plan, the Committee noted the contents of the report.

III CORPORATE PLANNING DEPARTMENT SERVICE PLAN

 

After considering Report No 353-2007 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) relative to the above, the Committee noted the contents of the report including the tables detailing progress made on the service plan.

 

IV 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 319-2007 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) detailing progress to date with objectives, projects and reviews contained in the Council Plan 2003-2007.

 

The Committee:-

 

(i) noted the contents of the report, including the tables appended thereto which detailed the progress made on the actions set out in the Council Plan 2003-2007.

 

(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 that copies of this report be made available to partner organisations and local groups on request.

 

V FINANCE REVENUE SERVICE PLAN 2003-2007 - PERFORMANCE REPORT FOR 2006/2007

 

There was submitted Report No 296-2007 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) relative to the above.

 

The Committee noted the progress in 2006/2007 towards the performance target set for each service in the Finance Revenues Service Plan 2003-2007.

 

VI FINANCE GENERAL SERVICE PLAN 2003-2007 - PERFORMANCE REPORT FOR 2006/2007

 

There was submitted Report No 295-2007 by the Head of Finance relative to the above.

 

The Committee noted the progress in 2006/2007 towards the performance targets set for each service in the Finance General Service Plan 2003-2007.

 

VII TERMS OF REFERENCE - AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE

 

After considering Report No 368-2007 by the Head of Finance, the Committee approved the purpose and remit of the Audit and Risk Management Sub-Committee as contained in the Terms of Reference appended hereto and noted the framework included therein which had previously been approved by the Council at its Statutory Meeting held on 24th May, 2007 (Article III refers).

 

The Convener agreed that the undernoted items be considered as a matter or urgency in terms of Standing Order No 17(b) in view of the timescales involved.

 

VIII UNAUDITED STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR 31ST MARCH, 2007

 

There was submitted Report No 371-2007 by the Head of Finance providing some additional background and commentary on the City Council's Unaudited Statement of Accounts appended thereto.

 

The Committee:-

 

(i) noted the contents of the report;

 

(ii) noted the Unaudited Statement of Accounts appended to the report; and

 

(iii) instructed the Head of Finance to submit the Unaudited Statement of Accounts to the Controller of Audit, Accounts Commission for Scotland.

 

IX DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL'S SCHEME OF DECENTRALISATION

 

There was submitted Report No 352-2007 by the Director of Leisure and Communities and Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) relative to the above.

 

Councillor Keenan, seconded by Councillor Morrow, moved approval of the undernoted:-

 

(i) the re-alignment of the Council's Decentralisation Areas with the Local Community Planning Partnerships (LCPPs) Areas and the new multi-member electoral wards.

 

(ii) the establishment of LCPPs to replace Neighbourhood Partnership Networks as the structure responsible for delivering, the Council's Decentralisation Scheme and the development of local community plans.

 

(iii) the LCPPs draft remit and membership proposed in the report.

 

(iv) the proposed arrangements for servicing and supporting the development of the LCPPs.

 

(v) to remit the draft content of paragraph 2.3 to the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) and Director of Leisure and Communities to discuss and finalise with the Council's community planning key partners.

 

As an amendment, Councillor Guild, seconded by Councillor Duncan, moved that consideration of this report be deferred.

 

On a division, there voted for the motion - Lord Provost Letford, Bailies Regan, Wright, Wallace and Scott, Councillors Keenan, Asif, Bidwell, Ferguson, Gordon, McCready, Morrow, Macpherson, Dick and Hay (15); and for the amendment - Bailies Sawers and Borthwick, Councillors Guild, Barrie, Black, Bowes, Andrew Dawson, Will Dawson, Don, Duncan, Fordyce and Lynn (12) - whereupon the motion was declared carried.

 

 

 

 

Kevin KEENAN, Convener.

APPENDIX

 

 

TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE OF THE AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE

 

Purpose

 

 

The Audit and Risk Management Sub-Committee is a key component of corporate governance. The purpose of the Sub-Committee is to provide independent assurance of the adequacy of the risk management framework and the associated control environment and independent scrutiny of the Councils financial and non-financial performance to the extent that it affects the Councils exposure to risk and weakens the control environment.

 

Framework

 

1.       The Audit and Risk Management Sub-Committee is a Sub-Committee of the Councils Policy and Resources Committee.

 

2.       The Sub-Committee will meet three times per year with the timetable for such meetings being mid-May, mid-September and mid-January.

 

3.       The Sub-Committee will comprise of six Elected Members and the representation from the political groups will be three from the Administration, two from the SNP Group and one from the Conservative Group.

 

4.       The Depute Convener of the Policy and Resources Committee will be the Convener of the Sub-Committee.

 

5.       A minimum of three Elected Members of the Sub-Committee require to be present for the meeting to be deemed quorate.

 

6.       The Chief Executive, Head of Finance, Chief Internal Auditor, Risk and Business Continuity Manager and External Auditor should normally be in attendance at the Sub-Committee.

 

7.       Any other Officer of the Council may be requested to attend the Sub-Committee to assist with the discussion of any particular matter.

 

Remit

 

To consider the effectiveness of the Councils risk management arrangements, the control environment and associated anti-fraud and anti-corruption arrangements and to seek assurances that action is being taken on risk related issues that have been identified. The assessment of effectiveness and the provision of assurance will be gathered from a number of sources. These include the following:

1.       To consider and monitor the strategy, plan and performance of the Councils risk management arrangements and seek assurances that action is being taken on risk related issues

 

2.       To consider and monitor the strategy, plan and performance of the Councils Internal Audit Service.

 

3.       To consider the strategy and plans of the Councils External Auditor.

 

4.       To consider internal and external audit reports and seek assurance that appropriate action has been taken.

 

5.       To monitor the implementation of internal and external audit recommendations agreed with Management.

 

6.       To receive the Annual Report of the Chief Internal Auditor.

 

7.       To consider and monitor the effectiveness of the Councils anti-fraud and anti-corruption arrangements and receive reports on an exception basis.