Policy And Resources Committee - 27/09/2021

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held remotely on 27th September, 2021.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor John ALEXANDER, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 6th September, 2021 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

II RENT ARREARS, MOBYSOFT - RENTSENSE SOFTWARE

There was submitted Report No 232-2021 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services seeking approval to enter into a two year contract with Mobysoft integrating its RentSense IT software product into the Councils Housing management system and rent arrears recovery process.

The Committee:-

(i) agreed to enter into a two year contract with Mobysoft RentSense; and

(ii) remitted the Head of Customer Services and IT to purchase Mobysoft RentSense software to be compliantly procured through an appropriate framework.

III CAPITAL EXPENDITURE MONITORING 2021/2022

There was submitted Report No 225-2021 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services appraising members of the latest position regarding the Council's Capital Plan 2021/2026.

The Committee noted the latest position regarding the Council's Capital Plan 2021/2026.

IV REVENUE MONITORING 2021/2022

There was submitted Report No 233-2021 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services providing members with an analysis of the 2021/2022 projected revenue outturn as at 31st July, 2021 monitored against the adjusted 2021/2022 Revenue Budget.

The Committee:-

(i) noted that the overall General Fund, as at 31st July, 2021, was projecting an underspend of 3,582,000 against the adjusted 2021/2022 Revenue Budget;

(ii) noted the position on COVID-related expenditure and COVID funding, as set out in Appendix E and paragraph 3.1 of the report;

(iii) noted that the Housing Revenue Account, as at 31st July, 2021 was projecting an overspend of 137,000 against the adjusted HRA 2021/2022 Revenue Budget;

(iv) agreed that the Council Management Team would take every reasonable action to ensure that the 2021/2022 revenue expenditure was below or in line with the adjusted Revenue Budget; and

(v) instructed the Executive Director of Corporate Services, in conjunction with the Council Management Team, to continue to monitor the Councils 2021/2022 projected revenue outturn to assist with the cost pressures resulting from COVID-19.

V HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE - AFGHAN CITIZENS

There was submitted Report No 264-2021 by the Chief Executive reporting the Councils response to the urgent request for assistance from the UK Home Office to accommodate Afghan former Locally Employed Staff (LES); and further reporting that the UK Home Office were devising a second relocation scheme for Afghan citizens displaced by the fall of the Afghan government and withdrawal of US and UK Forces, and that Dundee City Council and its partners, would actively engage with this scheme once further details had been provided on its operation.

The Committee noted that, in view of the timescales involved, the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Convener, Labour Group Spokesperson, Conservative Group Spokesperson, Liberal Democrat Group Spokesperson, the Lord Provost and the two Independent members had:-

(i) approved the proposed involvement in the Afghan Locally Employed Staff Scheme, as outlined in the report; and

(ii) agreed that officers should engage with the proposed Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme, once details were available and had been reviewed.

John ALEXANDER, Convener.