Policy And Resources Committee - 18/06/2001

At a SPECIAL MEETING of the PERSONNEL AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 18th June, 2001.

 

Present:-

 

COUNCILLORS

 

George de GERNIER

Joe FITZPATRICK

C D P FARQUHAR

John R LETFORD

Allan PETRIE

Iain M LUKE

Betty WARD

George REGAN

Jim BARRIE

Jill SHIMI

Bruce D MACKIE

Julia M STURROCK

Ian BORTHWICK

Roderick A J WALLACE

Neil GLEN

Robin PRESSWOOD

Kenneth J N GUILD

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Richard BEATTIE

Derek J SCOTT

Fiona M GRANT

Andrew DAWSON

John CORRIGAN

David BOWES

Willie W SAWERS

Dave BEATTIE

Mervyn J ROLFE

 

Councillor LETFORD, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 11th June, 2001 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I HEALTH AND SAFETY

 

There was submitted Report No. 65-2001 by the Director of Personnel and Management Services to review existing health and safety arrangements within the Council, to consider the implications of external factors and to make recommendations for the future.

 

The Director of Personnel and Management Services advised the Committee that the Director of Finance had further reviewed the financial implications (paragraph 3 of the report) and was now of the opinion that any additional expenditure attributable to the report would be contained within Departments' Revenue Budgets.

 

The Committee noted the contents of the report and approved the recommendations contained therein.

 

II EDUCATION DEPARTMENT - ESTABLISHMENT OF PERMANENT POST - EDUCATION OFFICER (SUPPORT FOR LEARNING)

 

The Committee was asked to approve the establishment of the post of Education Officer at Grade PO19/22 (36,693-39,369). Funding in 2001/2002 for this post would come from the Excellence Fund for Schools (Inclusion Programme) and thereafter from the Education Department revenue budget.

 

The recommendation had arisen from the need for a Senior Manager to co-ordinate strategies to promote the inclusion of pupils in mainstream education as far as possible and to take responsibility for specific themes for the Inclusion Programme in Dundee such as New Community Schools, educational provision for autistic youngsters and aspects of work with challenging pupils.

 

The establishment of this post would make permanent a current temporary arrangement which was highlighted in the recent inspection report by Her Majesty's Inspectors as making significant contributions to the improvement of quality. It would assist in the delivery of one of the main points for action identified i.e. the review of arrangements for the education of pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and their development of quality assurance mechanisms for off-site centres. The trade unions had been consulted regarding this matter.

 

The Committee approved the establishment of the post.

 

III INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIVISION - ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

 

There was submitted Report No. 388-2001 by the Director of Personnel and Management Services recommending changes to the organisational structure of the Information Technology Division following consultation with the trade unions.

 

The Committee approved the revised organisational structure outlined in the appendices to the report.

 

IV FORMATION OF NEW DEPARTMENT OF LEISURE AND ARTS

 

There was submitted Joint Report No. 363-2001 by the Chief Executive and Director of Personnel and Management Services recommending the merger of the Leisure and Parks and Arts and Heritage Departments into a new Leisure and Arts Department, the transfer of certain Ground Maintenance Work to Dundee Contract Services and to agree an organisational structure for the new department.

 

The Director of Personnel and Management Services advised the Committee that UNISON and GMB had expressed concerns about several personnel issues. These would be discussed further in accordance with normal procedures and, if necessary, further reports would be submitted to this Committee in due course.

 

The Committee approved the following recommendations:-

 

(a)to approve the revised grades shown at Section 10 and the organisational structure and grades outlined in the appendices to the report

 

(b)to note that the appointment of the Director of Leisure and Arts will be made by the Personnel Appointments Sub-Committee, the first meeting of which will be held prior to the Council Recess to agree the job description, person specification and advertisement for the post.

 

(c)to instruct the Chief Executive and the Director of Personnel and Management Services to initiate consultations with the appropriate trade unions on the filling of all other posts in the new structure as outlined in paragraph 11.2 of the report.

 

This report was also approved by the Policy and Resources Committee on 18th June, 2001.

 

V SUPPORTING PEOPLE

 

There was submitted Joint Report No. 300-2001 by the Director of Housing, Director of Social Work and the Director of Personnel and Management Services informing the Committee of the implications of the Supporting People Policy and framework for the Council, service users who rely on support services and providers of services. In addition the report recommended actions to be taken by the Council to ensure that it is adequately prepared for the implementation of the scheme.

 

The Committee approved the recommendations in the report so far as they applied to the Personnel and Management Services Committee.

 

This report was also approved at meetings of the Housing Committee and Social Work Committee on 18th June, 2001.

 

Undernoted items V(A) and V(B) were included as urgent items under Standing Order 51(3)(b) in view of the timescales involved.

 

V(A) ESTATE SUPERVISION OFFICERS

 

There was submitted Joint Report No. 260-2001 by the Director of Housing and the Director of Personnel and Management Services seeking approval for the establishment of dedicated Estate Supervision Officers within Area Housing Offices.

The Committee approved the establishment of six posts of Estate Supervision Officer (ESO), graded AP2, SCP 19-22 (14,484-15,717) and the deletion of six posts of Housing Officer, graded AP2, SCP 19-22 (14,484-15,717).

 

V(B) ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR SPECIALIST TEAM

 

There was submitted Joint Report No. 261-2001 by the Director of Housing and Director of Personnel and Management Services seeking approval for the creation of a specialist Housing Department Team to better match the expectations of service users with regard to Anti-Social Behaviour.

 

The Committee approved the establishment of the following posts:-

 

(a)one post of Team Leader (Anti-Social Behaviour Team), Graded PO 1-4, SCP 35-38, (23,430-25,476).

 

(b)three posts of Investigation Officer (Anti-Social Behaviour Team), Graded AP2, SCP 19-22 (14,484-15,717).

 

(c)one post of Temporary Investigation Officer (Anti-Social Behaviour Team), Graded AP2, SCP 19-22 (14,484-15,717).

 

(d)one post of Housing Assistant (Anti-Social Behaviour Team), Graded GS3, SCP 13-15 (12,624-13,164).

 

The Committee resolved in terms of Section 50(C)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the undernoted item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

 

VI DUNDEE CONTRACT SERVICES - REGRADING OF POSTS

 

There was submitted Joint Report No. 263-2001 by the Chief Executive and Director of Personnel and Management Services seeking approval for changes and grades within Dundee Contract Services resulting from the transfer of Grounds Maintenance Work from the Leisure and Parks Department (Parks DSO) to Dundee Contract Services.

 

The Committee approved the regrading of the posts detailed in the report - increases to take effect from the date of transfer of responsibilities.

 

 

 

 

JOHN R. LETFORD, Convener.