Housing, Dundee Contract Services And Environment Services Committee - 14/09/2009

At a MEETING of the HOUSING, DUNDEE CONTRACT SERVICES AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 14th September, 2009.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Jimmy BLACK, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 24th August, 2009 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I CONTRACT SERVICES FINANCIAL OPERATING STATEMENT AND OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED 30TH JUNE, 2009

There was submitted Joint Report No 366-2009 by the Head of Finance and Director of Contract Services on the financial position and operational performance of Contract Services for the three months ended 30th June, 2009.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) note the current financial position and operational performance of Contract Services; and

(ii) note that Contract Services should exceed the statutory requirement of break even for the third year of the current three year rolling period, which commenced at the start of financial year 2007/2008.

II PLAY AREA IMPROVEMENTS 2009/2010

There was submitted Report No 403-2009 by the Director of Contract Services seeking approval for improvement works identified to play areas across the City.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) note the progress made in undertaking the play area improvements;

(ii) the proposed improvement works to play areas as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report; and

(iii) authorise the Director of Contract Services to undertake the relevant identified works.

III SUPPLY OF SPECIALIST GROUNDS MAINTENANCE PLANT

There was submitted Report No 429-2009 by the Director of Contract Services seeking approval to purchase new specialist grounds maintenance plant required by the Contract Services Department.

The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offers with Specialist Suppliers as detailed within Appendix A to the report as follows:-

IV LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS (LPG) - FEES FOR HIRE OF TEST METER

There was submitted Agenda Note AN193-2009 from Environmental Health and Trading Standards advising they were seeking to better utilise existing test equipment and had sought interest from other Scottish local authorities, who may wish to hire a meter for testing LPG pumps on petrol filling station forecourts. The meter would be operated by a member of Trading Standards staff and appropriate insurance cover was in place. It was proposed to charge a daily rate based on existing LACORS [Local Authority Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services] fee guidance. This fee guidance was adjusted annually by LACORS and was used as the basis for the majority of Trading Standards and Weights and Measures fees. Any other costs associated with any tests would be recharged in full to the hiring authority.

The Committee approved accordingly.

V SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT £25M FUNDING TO KICK START COUNCIL HOUSE BUILDING 2010/2011 - DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL BID

There was submitted Agenda Note AN194-2009 intimating that the City Council had submitted a bid to the initial round of funding made available by the Scottish Government in January 2009 and was subsequently awarded 800,000 towards the provision of 32 wheelchair houses. These would be built on sites at Alloway Place, Mains Loan and Ettrick Crescent and a number of smaller sites where the new build units could meet the demand for wheelchair housing.

It was also intimated that the Scottish Government had announced that a further 25M would be available for new Council house building for 2010/2011. Bids were invited from Councils by 25th September, 2009.

It was reported that the Council was finalising the bid for this second round of funding. In outline, the bid was for funding to contribute towards the building of 20 new build units at Ann Street, Hilltown. The regeneration of the Hilltown area was a key priority for the Council and the provision of new build social rented housing by registered social landlords was constrained by the affordable housing investment programme.

The bid, if successful, would contribute towards the regeneration strategy within the Hilltown area and provide new social rented housing to assist with re-housing of households from properties scheduled for demolition.

A meeting would be held with the Housing spokespersons of the other groups to discuss the bid prior to submission to the Scottish Government and a full report would be submitted to the Committee on 28th September, 2009.

The Committee noted accordingly.

Jimmy BLACK, Convener.