Policy And Resources Committee - 25/06/2012

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 25th June, 2012.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Ken GUILD, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 11th June, 2012 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I FINAL REPORT ON PROGRAMMES AND INDICATORS IN THE COUNCIL PLAN 2010/2012

There was submitted Report No 194-2012 by the Chief Executive providing the final report on the key programmes and performance indicators set out in the Council Plan 2010/2012.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the progress which had been made on the programmes and indicators included in the Council Plan 2010/2012; and

(ii) noted that a new Council Plan for 2012/2017 was being prepared and would be brought to Committee for approval after the recess.

II IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MODEL COMPLAINTS HANDLING PROCEDURE FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES

There was submitted Report No 214-2012 by the Head of Democratic and Legal Services advising the Committee of guidance from the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman on the implementation of a model Complaints Handling Procedure.

The Committee agreed:-

(a) that the Council adopt the model Complaints Handling Procedure with effect from 1st September, 2012, with the key differences from the current procedure being a change from a three-stage to a two-stage complaints process, more rigorous recording of complaints resolved at the frontline stage, more frequent monitoring of complaints statistics and more systematic recording of lessons learned from complaints;

(b) that the Head of Public Relations and Corporate Planning Officer be remitted to adapt the standard customer and staff guidance produced by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman into appropriate leaflets for the public and staff and content for the Council's website and intranet;

(c) that the Head of Information Technology and the Corporate Planning Officer be remitted to arrange the necessary changes to the electronic complaints recording and monitoring system;

(d) that departments be asked to identify staff who would benefit from e-learning training modules on the complaints handling procedure and more detailed training on the skills required for complaints investigation;

(e) that the Corporate Planning Officer be nominated to take part in the SPSO's complaints handlers' network and to share information and good practice from the network across the Council; and

(f) that relevant Chief Officers be asked to ensure that arms length external organisations and trusts for which they had responsibility were meeting the requirements of the model complaints handling procedure.

III SINGLE OUTCOME AGREEMENT FOR DUNDEE 2012/2017

There was submitted Report No 247-2012 by the Chief Executive regarding the Dundee Partnership's Single Outcome Agreement for Dundee 2012/2017.

The Committee endorsed the Single Outcome Agreement for Dundee 2012/2017 appended to the report.

IV FAIRNESS STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN FOR DUNDEE

There was submitted Report No 249-2012 by the Chief Executive regarding the Dundee Partnership Fairness Strategy and Action Plan.

Councillor Guild, seconded by Lord Provost Duncan, moved approval of the Fairness Strategy and Action Plan appended to the report.

As an amendment, Councillor Bidwell, seconded by Councillor Brennan, moved that the Committee endorses the For Fairness in Dundee Strategy and Action Plan but is concerned that already swamped advice services will be unable to cope when they are hit with a huge increase in demand as changes to the welfare system are introduced.

Accordingly, it instructs the Leader of the Administration to write to the Cabinet Finance Secretary, John Swinney MSP, to request that he releases the 3.2 million in Barnett consequentials received by the Scottish Government from the UK Government to support free advice services during the period covering major social security benefit changes. This would provide additional resources to support front line advice services in Scotland including our own city.

On a division, there voted for the motion - Councillors Guild, Alexander, Black, Bowes, Campbell, Cordell, Dawson, Hunter, Lynn, McDonald, Melville, Murray, Ross, Bailie Sawers, Lord Provost Duncan and Depute Lord Provost Roberts (16); and for the amendment - Councillors Keenan, Asif, Bidwell, Brennan, Cruickshank, Ferguson, Gordon, McCready, McGovern, Macpherson, Bailies Wright, Borthwick and Scott (13) - whereupon the motion was declared carried.

V COLDSIDE - NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES

On a reference to Article V of the minute of meeting of the Education Committee of 25th June, 2012, there was submitted Report No 257-2012 by the Director of Education and Director, Leisure and Communities briefing the Council on proposals for improvements to primary school and community facilities in the Coldside area and setting out the options under consideration.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the report and instructed the Project Team to progress with consultation on the options; and

(ii) agreed that the outcome of the informal consultation be reported back to the Education and Policy and Resources Committees in due course and a preferred option identified. The Education Committee would, at that stage, be asked to instruct the Director of Education to consult formally on the preferred option under the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

VI MENZIESHILL - NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES

On a reference to Article VI of the minute of meeting of the Education Committee of 25th June, 2012, there was submitted Report No 258-2012 by the Director, Leisure and Communities and Director of Education briefing the Council on proposals for improvements to the primary school and community centre in the Menzieshill area and setting out options under consideration for the consultation process.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the report and instructed the Project Team to progress with consultation on the options; and

(ii) agreed that the outcome of the informal consultation be reported back to the Education and Policy and Resources Committees in due course and a preferred option identified. The Education Committee would, at that stage, be asked to instruct the Director of Education to consult formally on the preferred option under the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

VII SCOTTISH FUTURES TRUST

On a reference to Article IV of the minute of meeting of the Education Committee of 25th June, 2012, there was submitted Agenda Note AN104-2012 informing the Committee that Dundee City Council had been invited, along with all other local authorities, to bid for the development of new school buildings as part of Phase 3 of the Scottish Schools for the Future programme. Applications had to be submitted to the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) by 23rd July, 2012.

The Committee agreed that a bid be made to SFT as part of Phase 3 for a new build programme and shared campus in the Strathmartine area to include:-

- a new Baldragon Academy; and

- a new Sidlaw View Primary School, integrated with Jessie Porter Nursery School.

In principle, if the bid was successful, SFT would commit two-thirds of the cost of the secondary part of the agreed project, and potentially half of the primary and nursery part, and would expect the local authority to provide the balance of funding.

The Committee noted that the outcome of the bid and a more detailed proposal would be reported back to Committee in due course.

VIII PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT SERVICE PLAN REVIEW

There was submitted Report No 226-2012 by the Head of Human Resources reviewing the performance of the Personnel Department in relation to its Service Plan 2010/2012 and adding new actions flowing from this review and assessments carried out in the past year.

The Committee:-

(i) approved the contents of the Personnel Department Service Plan review and instructed the Head of Human Resources to continue to seek improvement on the level of performance; and

(ii) approved the actions identified in the review to be included in the Corporate Services Department's Service Plan.

IX DUNDEE FESTIVAL AND EVENTS STRATEGY 2012/2017

There was submitted Report No 251-2012 by the Director, Leisure and Committees advising the Council on the development of the Festival and Events Strategy for the period 2012/2017.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the draft strategy; and

(ii) referred the strategy to the Dundee Partnership Management Group for their approval.

X SPORTDUNDEE - APPLICATION FOR GRANT 2011/2013

Lord Provost Duncan, Councillors Campbell and McCready declared non-financial interests in this item by virtue of being Council representatives on SportDundee.

Reference was made to Article XI of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 16th December, 1996, where approval was given to allow SportDundee (previously Dundee City Sports Council) to administer the grant aid scheme on behalf of Dundee City Council.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN105-2012 requesting that 7,714 be allocated to SportDundee for the administration of the SportDundee grant aid scheme for the year 2012/2013.

The Committee approved accordingly.

XI TRANSFER OF GRANT FUNDS FOR MISCELLANEOUS ORGANISATIONS

Lord Provost Duncan, Councillors Hunter, Gordon and McCready declared non-financial interests in this item by virtue of being Council representatives on Leisure and Culture Dundee.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN106-2012 requesting the transfer of the grant funds for miscellaneous organisations amounting to 44,214 to Leisure and Culture Dundee.

The fund included grants for musical organisations such as the RSNO Artists, such as Dundee Visual Arts Award and Sports Grants for Dundee City Sport Council and Dundee City Disability Sports. Leisure and Culture Dundee, in its charitable purposes, was given a remit to support and assist musical, artistic and sporting organisations and individuals. The staff whose role it was to manage these funds and the relationship with partners transferred to Leisure and Culture Dundee when it was established. The Director, Leisure and Communities, in his capacity of Managing Director, Leisure and Culture Dundee had the authority to ensure safe custody and control of the administration of grant funds allocated to Leisure and Culture Dundee. The allocation of the grant fund would be reported to the Leisure and Culture Dundee Board.

The Committee approved accordingly.

XII FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC POUND

After considering Report No 187-2012 by the Director of Corporate Services regarding the Council's guidance on funding, external bodies and Following the Public Pound, the Committee approved the updated guidance and associated appendices relative thereto.

XIII LOCAL CODE OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

There was submitted Report No 188-2012 by the Chief Executive reviewing and updating the Council's Local Code of Corporate Governance.

The Committee:-

(i) approved the review and updated the Local Code of Corporate Governance as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report;

(ii) approved the implementation of the improvements listed in Appendix 2 of the report;

(iii) noted the scores recorded against the guidelines in Appendix 3 of the report; and

(iv) agreed that the Code be updated as a project on the internet.

XIV CORPORATE PLANNING DEPARTMENT SERVICE PLAN REVIEW

There was submitted Report No 250-2012 by the Chief Executive relative to the above.

The Committee approved the contents of the Corporate Planning Department Service Plan Review and noted that new service plans were being drawn up based on the Council's new plan and departmental structure.

XV NATIONAL PERFORMANCE CENTRE FOR SPORT IN DUNDEE - APPOINTMENT OF ECONOMIC CONSULTANTS

On a reference to Article IV of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 28th November, 2012, there was submitted Report No 260-2012 by the Chief Executive seeking approval to appoint a consultant to assist in the Economic Assessment and business model development for the City Council's bid for the National Performance Centre to be established in Dundee.

The Committee approved the expenditure of up to 30,000 on the appointment of external consultants to provide specialist expertise not available in the City Council or the other partners.

XVI MEMBERS SALARIES, PENSIONS AND EXPENSES

There was submitted Report No 183-2012 by the Director of Corporate Services seeking the Committee's approval to a Scheme of Salaries and Expenses for elected members, with the Scheme to be effective from 21st May, 2012.

The Committee:-

(i) approved the contents of the report, including salaries proposals detailed in Appendix C of the report; and

(ii) agreed that a Scheme of Salaries and Expenses based on this report be prepared and issued to all elected members.

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 it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

XVII DOVETAIL ENTERPRISES

There was submitted Report No 259-2012 by the Director of Environment regarding future joint working arrangements between Dundee City Council and Dovetail Enterprise Ltd.

The Committee approved the recommendation detailed therein.

Ken GUILD, Convener.