Policy And Resources Committee - 14/01/2008

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 14th January, 2008.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Kevin KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 10th December, 2007 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I MINUTES

(a) SUPERANNUATION INVESTMENT SUB-COMMITTEE OF 19TH NOVEMBER, 2007

(b) PERSONNEL APPEALS SUB-COMMITTEE OF 10TH DECEMBER, 2007

(c) BEST VALUE PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY SUB-COMMITTEE OF 12TH DECEMBER, 2007

The above minutes, copies of which are appended hereto (Appendices I to III), were submitted for information and record purposes.

II DISCLOSURE SCOTLAND

There was submitted Report No 39-2008 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) and Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) relative to the above.

The Committee approved the updated Policies appended to the report on the Secure Handling, Use, Storage and Retention of Disclosure Information and on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders.

III SUPPORT SERVICES SERVICE PLAN 2007/2011

There was submitted Report No 45-2008 by the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) relative to the above.

The Committee approved the report and the Support Department Services Service Plan 2007/2011.

IV COMMUNITY REGENERATION FUND SMALL GRANTS ALLOCATION 2007/2008

There was submitted Report No 663-2007 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 Forms as agreed by the Dundee Partnership and endorsed the funding proposals detailed below:-

V EFFICIENCY DIAGNOSTIC STUDY

There was submitted Report No 17-2008 by the Chief Executive setting out the Council's approach to delivering a diagnostic study of the opportunities for the Council achieving its efficiencies savings target.

The Committee accepted a grant of 150,000 from the Scottish Government to conduct a diagnostic study, and approved the secondment of staff from the Chief Executive's Department on a temporary basis and the engagement of an external consultant.

VI REVENUE MONITORING

There was submitted Report No 12-2008 by the Head of Finance providing the Committee with an analysis of the 2007/2008 Projected Revenue Outturn as at 30th November, 2007 monitored against the adjusted 2007/2008 Revenue Budget.

The Committee:-

(i) noted that the overall General Fund 2007/2008 Projected Revenue Outturn as at 30th November, 2007 showed an overspend of 550,000 against the adjusted 2007/2008 Revenue Budget;

(ii) noted that the Housing Revenue Account was projecting an underspend of 141,000 against the adjusted HRA 2007/2008 Revenue Budget;

(iii) instructed the Head of Finance to take every reasonable action to ensure that the 2007/2008 revenue expenditure was below or in line with the adjusted Revenue Budget; and

(iv) instructed the Head of Finance in conjunction with all Chief Officers of the Council to continue to monitor the Council's 2007/2008 Projected Revenue Outturn.

VII CAPITAL MONITORING

There was submitted Report No 11-2008 by the Head of Finance, appraising members of the latest position regarding the Council's Capital Expenditure programme for 2007/2008.

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

VIII REVENUE BUDGET 2008/2009 - HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT

There was submitted Report No 23-2008 by the Head of Finance relative to the above.

The Committee:-

(i) approved the 2008/2009 Revenue Budget for the Housing Revenue Account; and

(ii) remitted further consideration of this matter to the Housing Committee in order that it may set the 2008/2009 rent levels.

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 items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

IX EXERCISE RIGHT OF PRE-EMPTION ON SPRINGFIELD SCHOOL SITE, WHITFIELD

There was submitted Report No 31-2008 by the Director of Housing relative to the above.

The Committee noted that to enable the right of pre-emption to be exercised within the stipulated timescale, this report had been approved by the Director of Housing in consultation with the Convener of Housing and group spokespersons.

X EDUCATION DEPARTMENT - FLEXIBLE RETIREMENT REQUEST

There was submitted Agenda Note AN7-2008 intimating that that an application had been received from the Parents' Services Co-ordinator to exercise her right to request flexible retirement under the terms of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations.

It was proposed to reduce the working hours of the post of the Parents' Services Co-ordinator from 37 to 21.75 per week from 1st February, 2008 and to approve the release of accrued pension benefits.

The Committee approved accordingly.

XI HOUSING DEPARTMENT - EARLY RETIREMENT

Reference was made to Article XIX of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 10th December, 2007, wherein the Committee approved the early retirement on 31st December, 2007 of a Housing Officer (ER7/07) in accordance with the Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 1998, and enhanced in accordance with the Local Government (Discretionary Payments and Injury Benefits) (Scotland) Regulations 1998, and the decision of the Personnel Committee of 14th March, 2005.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN8-2008 advising the Committee that in this case, the decision of the Personnel Committee of 14th March, 2005 did not apply.

The Committee noted accordingly.

Kevin KEENAN, Convener.