Policy And Resources Committee - 10/03/2008

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 10th March, 2008.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Kevin KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 25th February, 2008 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I MINUTES

(a) PERSONNEL APPEALS SUB-COMMITTEE OF 11TH FEBRUARY, 2008

(b) SUPERANNUATION INVESTMENT SUB-COMMITTEE OF 18TH FEBRUARY, 2008

The minutes of meetings of the above Sub-Committees, copies of which are appended hereto (Appendix I and Appendix II), were submitted for information and record purposes.

II REVENUE MONITORING

There was submitted Report No 175-2008 by the Head of Finance providing the Committee with an analysis of the 2007/2008 Projected Revenue Outturn as at 31st January, 2008 monitored against the adjusted 2007/2008 Revenue Budget.

The Committee:-

(i) noted that the overall General Fund 2007/2008 Projected Revenue Outturn as at 31st January, 2008 showed an overspend of 7,000 against the adjusted 2007/2008 Revenue Budget;

(ii) noted that the Housing Revenue Account was projecting an underspend of 135,000 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.

III CAPITAL MONITORING

There was submitted Report No 170-2008 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.

IV RELIEF OF RATES - CHARITY RELIEF

Councillor Lynn declared a non-financial interest in this item by virtue of his employment with Dundee Cyrenians.

There was submitted Report No 157-2008 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) seeking authorisation to grant charity relief on the undernoted non-domestic properties.

The Committee approved accordingly.

V RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATION PAPER - SCOTTISH FUTURES TRUST

There was submitted Report No 135-2008 by the Head of Finance seeking approval for the proposed response to the consultation document issued by the Scottish Government entitled "Scottish Futures Trust".

The Committee approved the proposed response to the Consultation Paper outlined in the completed respondent information form at Sections 13 and 14 of the Consultation Paper and agreed that it be returned to the Scottish Government as this Council's views on the Consultation Paper.

VI REVIEW OF PERSONNEL APPEALS

There was submitted Report No 132-2008 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) reviewing the role and remit of the Personnel Appeals Sub-Committee and proposing changes to streamline the process to enable appeals to be dealt with more quickly and effectively.

The Committee approved the proposals described in paragraphs 5.2 to 5.3 of the report and their incorporation, as appropriate, in the existing Council Discipline and Grievance Procedures and that a Regrading Appeals Procedure be discussed and agreed with the trade unions.

VII SINGLE STATUS - ESTABLISHMENT OF GRADE

Reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 27th August, 2007, wherein amongst other issues, the Committee approved the establishment of a new grading structure from 1st April, 2008 comprising 13 grades.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN47-2008 intimating that the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) wished to advise the Committee that the assimilation of employees to the new grading structure had gone well but, in view of the fact that appeals had been received from employees in the highest grade (grade 13), it was necessary to recommend the establishment of a further grade in the event that appeals were upheld. This would also formalise the assimilation of employees who were currently graded PO19-22 (spinal column points 19, 20, 21 and 22 - (43,074, 44,070, 45,117 and 46,170).

Accordingly, it was recommended that the Committee approved the establishment of an additional grade (grade 14, new spinal column points 90 (interim), 92, 93, 95 and 97 - 42,198 (interim), (43,463, 44,116, 45,441 and 46,825)) with effect from 1st April, 2008.

The Committee approved accordingly.

VIII FAIRER SCOTLAND FUND

There was submitted Report No 161-2008 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) setting out the Dundee Partnership's recommendations for the allocation of the Fairer Scotland Fund.

The Committee endorsed the Dundee Partnership's recommendations for the allocation of the Fairer Scotland Fund as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.

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, 8 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

IX RELIEF OF NON-DOMESTIC RATES ON THE GROUNDS OF HARDSHIP

There was submitted Report No 163-2008 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) relative to the above.

The Committee approved the recommendation detailed therein.

X EDUCATION DEPARTMENT - SENIOR MANAGEMENT

There was submitted Report No 36-2008 by the Chief Executive and Assistant Chief Executive (Management) outlining proposals to change the senior management structure of the Education Department.

The Committee approved the recommendations detailed therein.

XI EDUCATION DEPARTMENT - EARLY RETIREMENT

After considering Agenda Note AN42-2008, the Committee approved the early retirement of a Nursery Head Teacher (ER62-08) on the grounds of efficiency of the service with effect from 17th August, 2008 in accordance with the Teachers (Compensation for Premature Retirement and Redundancy) (Scotland) Regulations 1996.

XII DUNDEE LEISURE - REVENUE SUPPORT 2007/2008 AND 2008/2009

The Lord Provost, Bailie Wallace and Councillors McCready, Asif and Duncan declared a non-financial interest in this item by virtue of being Council representatives on the Trust.

There was submitted Report No 178-2008 by the Head of Finance and Director of Leisure and Communities relative to the management fee to Dundee Leisure for 2007/2008 and 2008/2009.

The Committee approved the recommendations detailed therein.

Kevin KEENAN, Convener.