Best Value Performance & Efficiency Sub-committee Of The Policy & Resources Committee - 11/09/2000

At a MEETING of the BEST VALUE SUB-COMMITTEE of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 11 September, 2000.

 

Present:-

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Julia STURROCK

Mervyn J ROLFE

Allan PETRIE

George REGAN

Elizabeth FORDYCE

 

 

Councillor Julia STURROCK, Convener, in the Chair.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I BEST VALUE REVIEW OF ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES

 

There was submitted Report No 560-2000 by the Chief Executive reporting on the Best Value Review of the remaining services carried out by the Architectural Services Division of the Support Services Department which were not reviewed in 1998/99.

 

The review accounted for 17% of the Architectural Services Division's total annual revenue budget which was estimated at 3.6m for 1999/2000. The remaining 83% had already been reviewed in 1998/99.

 

The Sub-Committee approved the following recommendations:-

(i) to agree the outcome of the review as contained within the report and approve the implementation of the proposed action as detailed in Section 13 of the report;

(ii) to note the progress achieved in those areas identified for continuous improvement in Report No 238-1999 submitted to Committee on 1 April, 1999 and detailed in Section 11.3 and Appendix 6 of the report;

(iii) to note further areas identified for continuous improvement in Section 14 and Appendix 6 of the report.

 

II BEST VALUE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC SERVICES WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSUMER PROTECTION DEPARTMENT

 

There was submitted Report No 567-2000 by the Chief Executive reporting on the Best Value Review into Scientific Services provided by the Environmental & Consumer Protection Department.

 

The review accounted for 5.07% of the Department's 1999/2000 revenue budget of 14,748,000 amounting to 747,700.

 

The Sub-Committee agreed the outcome of the review as contained in the report and noted those areas for continuous improvement as detailed in Section 13 of the report.

 

III ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSUMER PROTECTION DEPARTMENT - BEST VALUE REVIEW ON STREET CLEANSING

 

There was submitted Report No 586-2000 by the Chief Executive setting out the findings of the Best Value Review of the Environmental & Consumer Protection Department's Street Cleansing Service.

 

The Review accounted for 19.42% of the Departments budget in financial year 1999/2000 and 79% of the total expenditure planned for review by the Department this year.

The Sub-Committee agreed the outcome of the review as contained in the report; and noted those areas identified for continuous improvement in Section 13 of the report.

 

IV BEST VALUE REVIEW OF ESTATE REGENERATION, HOUSING DEMOLITIONS

 

There was submitted Report No 394-2000 by the Chief Executive setting out how the demolitions of Dundee City Council housing, implemented and monitored by the Housing Renewal Unit of the Housing Department, had been reviewed in financial year 1999/2000 as part of the Best Value Review process.

 

The Review accounted for 0.08% (36,197 - Housing Renewal Costs) of the Housing Departments revenue budget in financial year 1998/99 (47,900,000) and 0.18% of the total expenditure to be reviewed by the Housing Department this year.

 

The Sub-Committee agreed that the functions should continue to be carried out by the Housing Renewal Unit of the Housing Department and approved those areas identified for continuous improvement in Section 13 of the report.

 

V FINANCE DEPARTMENT PURCHASE LEDGER SECTION BEST VALUE REPORT 1999/2000

 

There was submitted Report No 576-2000 by the Chief Executive reporting the outcome of a Best Value Review into the Finance Department Purchase Ledger Section. This section controls all payments to suppliers for the Authority.

 

This Review accounted for 2% of the Finance Department's revenue budget at a budget cost examined of 174,000. The Review accounted for 10% of the Finance Department's Best Value Review 1999/2000.

 

The Sub-Committee approved the following recommendations:-

 

(i) to agree that the Finance Department Purchase Ledger Section, having implemented the changes outlined in Section 12(d) of the report, continues to control all payments to suppliers for the authority;

 

(ii) to agree the Director of Finance's continuous improvement proposals as outlined in Section 13 of the report with particular emphasis on:

 

(a) maximising the payment of suppliers by BACS;

 

(b) review of the management information provided;

 

(c) training of department staff.

 

VI BEST VALUE REVIEW OF PROPOSAL FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL RAPID RESPONSE TEAM

 

There was submitted Report No 568-2000 by the Chief Executive reporting on the outcome of a Best Value Review into a proposal to establish a Rapid Response Team which could deal quickly with city-wide complaints in respect of environmental problems such as litter, graffiti, dog fouling and weeds on roads and paths.

 

The expenditure accounted for 0.5% of the Environmental & Consumer Protection Department's revenue budget for 2000/01 and could be met from savings on leasing costs within that budget. The cost of implementing these recommendations was estimated at 61,125 in a full year and therefore 30,563 for a six month pilot during 2000/01. This included staff and vehicle costs as detailed in Appendix I of the report.

 

The Sub-Committee approved the following recommendations:-

 

(i) that a Rapid Response Team be established, as detailed in the report, on a pilot basis for a six month period beginning in October 2000;

 

(ii) that details of how the Team can be contacted be widely publicised to the public, community groups, elected members and council officers;

 

(iii) that the success of the pilot be evaluated from a Best Value perspective on the basis of the extent to which it has addressed the critical success factors set out in the report;

 

(iv) that, as well as monitoring the work carried out by the Team, the evaluation should also consider whether the scope of such an initiative required to be expanded to include other services not in the remit of the proposed pilot project;

 

(v) that, during the course of the pilot, the scope for integrating the Environmental "Hotline" with a similar service being developed by Planning and Transportation to deal with complaints relating to street lighting, roads and pavements be explored.

 

VII BEST VALUE REVIEW - LOCAL BUS SERVICE SUBSIDY

 

There was submitted Report No 226-2000 by the Chief Executive reporting on the Best Value Review of the Local Bus Service subsidies of the Planning and Transportation Department.

 

The Review accounted for 4.89% of the Planning and Transportation Department's revenue budget for 1998/99 and was 21.32% of the total expenditure reviewed in the Department in financial year 1998/99.

 

The Sub-Committee agreed the outcome of the reviews as contained in the report noting those areas identified for continuous improvement in Section 12 of the report.

 

VIII BEST VALUE REVIEW OF KINGSPARK SCHOOL

 

There was submitted Report No 599-2000 by the Chief Executive reporting the outcome of a Best Value Review into Kingspark School provided by the Education Department as part of the Council's Best Value Review process.

 

The Review accounted for 3.5% (2,538,000) of the Department's revenue budget and was 15.7% of the total expenditure (16,170,000) reviewed in the Department in 1999/2000.

 

The Sub-Committee approved the following recommendations:-

 

(i) to agree the outcome of the review as contained in the report that Kingspark currently provides Best Value educational provision for pupils with severe, complex and profound special educational needs;

 

(ii) to note the key areas identified for continuous improvement as detailed in Paragraph 14 of the report;

 

(iii) to remit the Director of Education to communicate and disseminate the findings of the review to all relevant stakeholders.

 

IX BEST VALUE REVIEW - EDUCATION DEPARTMENT STAFFING SERVICES

 

There was submitted Report No 598-2000 by the Chief Executive reporting the result of a Best Value Review into the Education Staffing Services provided by the Education Department as part of the Council's Best Value process.

 

The Review accounted for 0.2% of the Department's revenue budget at a budgeted cost of 171,000 and was 8.5% of the total expenditure reviewed in the Department in 1999/2000.

The Sub-Committee approved the following recommendations:-

 

(i) to agree the outcome of the review as contained in the report;

 

(ii) to note the key areas identified for continuous improvement;

 

(iii) to agree to the piloting of arrangements to improve availability and quality of supply teachers;

 

(iv) to remit the Director of Education to continue development of benchmarking arrangements with other education authorities.

 

 

 

Julia STURROCK, Convener.