Policy And Resources Committee - 15/05/2023

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held remotely on 15th May, 2023.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Bailie Willie SAWERS, Depute Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 24th April, 2023 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

II IMPROVING SERVICES THROUGH LISTENING TO CUSTOMERS AND SERVICE USERS

There was submitted Report No 138-2023 by the Chief Executive, highlighting the improvements which had been made to Council Services as a result of a wide range of feedback over the past year including listening to the views of customers and service users.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the contents of the report and that similar reports would continue to be submitted annually;

(ii) that highlights from the report, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, were published on the We Listened, We Acted page of the Councils website; and

(iii) to encourage services to maintain their efforts to listen to and respond to feedback, and to identify any further customers who should be consulted with a view to ensuring that services continued to be improved in response to the views of users.

III LOCAL GOVERNMENT BENCHMARKING FRAMEWORK PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 2021/2022

There was submitted Report No 71-2023 by the Chief Executive advising of the performance of Dundee City Council, for the financial year 2021/2022, as defined by the performance indicators compiled by the Improvement Service for the Local Government Benchmark Framework (LGBF). It also explained how reporting was to be aligned to the priorities as set out in the Council Plan 2022/ 2027 and described the Councils performance in relation to their comparator authorities (ie Family Group).

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the results contained in the report;

(ii) to remit the report to the Scrutiny Committee for further consideration; and

(iii) to remit the Council Leadership Team to review the selected areas of improvement in Section 6 of the report.

IV DIGITAL STRATEGY 2023/2027

There was submitted Report No 141-2023 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, presenting the Committee with the 2023/2027 Digital Strategy for review and approval.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to approve the adoption of the Digital Strategy for 2023/2027;

(ii) to note the Digital Strategy was designed to support the Councils priority to become a modern Council; and

(iii) to note the development of a detailed delivery plan and timeline to be reported back to Committee.

V OLDER PEOPLES ADVICE SERVICE

There was submitted Report No 142-2023 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, requesting approval for continuation of the Older People's Advice Service for the period April, 2023 to March, 2026. The projects continuation provided an improved opportunity to help meet the goals of the Advice Strategy (Article XI of the minute of the Policy and Resources Committee of 27th June, 2022 refers) and reduced pensioner poverty and indebtedness through income maximisation, benefit take up and debt advice.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to the increase of funding for the Older People's Advice Service provided to Dundee Citizens Advice Bureau;

(ii) to the continuation of funding for a period of three years and thereafter delegated authority to the Head of Customer Services and IT to extend funding subject to the programme continuing to meet objectives;

(iii) to note the intention to more closely link the work of the Older People's Advice Service to the Dundee Advice Strategy;

(iv) that reporting on programme outcomes would be included within the Annual Advice Strategy updates; and

(v) to note that the Older People's Advice Service would play a key part in the 2023/2024 Older People's take up campaign which looked to increase claims for Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance and Council Tax Reduction across Dundee.

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 3, 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

VI DUNDEE AIRPORT

There was submitted Report No 146-2023 by the Executive Director of City Development, seeking approval of proposal as indicated in the report.

The Committee agreed to note that in view of the timescales involved, this report had been approved by the Executive Director of City Development in consultation with the Convener of the Policy and Resources Committee, Labour Group Spokesperson, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson and the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Member.

Willie SAWERS, Depute Convener.