Policy And Resources Committee - 12/06/2000

At a MEETING of the POLICY and RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 12th June, 2000.

 

Present:-

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Lord Provost Helen WRIGHT

Willie W SAWERS

Dave S BEATTIE

George de GERNIER

Joe FITZPATRICK

C D P FARQUHAR

John R LETFORD

Allan PETRIE

Iain M LUKE

Betty WARD

George REGAN

John D KEMP

Jill SHIMI

Bruce D MACKIE

Julia M STURROCK

Neil I C POWRIE

Roderick A J WALLACE

Neil GLEN

Ian BORTHWICK

Kenneth J N GUILD

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Robin PRESSWOOD

Derek J SCOTT

Fiona M GRANT

Richard BEATTIE

John CORRIGAN

David BOWES

Andrew DAWSON

 

Mervyn J ROLFE

 

Councillor Julia STURROCK, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 15th May 2000 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I APPLICATIONS ASSESSMENT PANEL - MILLENNIUM COMMUNITY CHEST

 

The minute of meeting of the above Panel of 6th June, 2000, a copy of which is appended hereto, was submitted and approved.

 

II BAIL, JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ETC (SCOTLAND) BILL

 

It was reported that a letter dated 4th May, 2000 had been received from the Scottish Executive Justice Department together with a copy of the Bail, Judicial Appointments Etc (Scotland) Bill.

 

The Committee remitted to the Chief Executive to respond to the Scottish Executive as follows:-

 

(a) express the Council's concern that no consultation or planning took place between the Scottish Executive and local authorities before the Bill was published;

 

(b) confirm that the City Council have no objection to the removal of its right to prosecute in the District Court;

 

(c) express its concern that if ex officio and councillor Justices can perform signing duties only the judicial expertise which they have built up over many years will be lost and there will be difficulties for the proper functioning of the District Court;

 

(d) suggest that such restrictions are in any event unnecessary given that measures are proposed which would provide security of tenure for Justices which would mean that Councillors could continue to sit as Justices in the District Court without infringing the European Convention on Human Rights.

 

III DUNDEE MILLENNIUM JOINT TWINNING EVENT

 

It was reported that the Dundee Millennium Joint Twinning Committee had been established under the chairmanship of the Lord Provost and consisted of two representatives from each of the four City's Twinning Associations.

 

The Joint Twinning Committee had proposed a Millennium Twinning event which entailed inviting six representatives (of which two would be young persons) from all Twin Cities to participate in series of events between 31st August and 5th September, 2000.

The Committee approved the Joint Twinning event at an estimated cost of 10,000 of which 7,500 would be met from the City Council's Millennium Events Fund and the balance of 2,500 from the 2000/01 revenue budget for twinning in the Support Services Department.

 

IV RECESS SUB-COMMITTEE

 

It was reported that the Council's Recess commenced on 1st July, 2000 and ended on 12th August, 2000.

 

To facilitate the smooth, continuous conduct of the Council's business it was proposed that a Recess Sub-Committee be set up to deal with matters of an urgent nature which the Chief Executive or Director of Support Services believe cannot wait for the next ordinary meeting of the Committee concerned during that period and that its operating arrangements be as follows:-

 

1. Membership - 3 members of the Majority Group, 2 members of the Major Opposition Group, one member of the Minority Group and the Independent Member.

 

2. Chair - Leader of the Majority group and Depute Chair - Deputy Leader of the Majority Group

 

3. Substitutes - in terms of Standing Order No.44(3) it shall be competent for substitutions to be intimated and effected for individual meetings.

 

4. Quorum - 3 Members.

 

5. Dates - to be arranged on a Monday when required.

 

6. Remit - to deal with any urgent business arising during the recess period.

 

7. Power - full delegated powers to deal with any business laid before it.

 

The Committee approved accordingly.

 

V SELECT TENDER LIST

 

Reference was made to Article IV of the Minute of meeting of this Committee of 9th June, 1997 wherein the Select Tender List of Contractors for the period 1997 - 2001 was approved.

 

It was noted that work should now start on the preparation of a revised Select Tender List for the period 2001-05. However, as a key part of the Government's drive to improve efficiency and public sector procurement procedures, all public sector clients had a duty to examine how the Country's largest register of contractors, Constructionline, can be incorporated into their own procedures, it being noted that all firms registered on Constructionline were qualified to work in the public sector.

 

The Committee agreed to continue the existing Select Tender List for a further year until 2002 to assess the benefits of using Constructionline.

 

VI HOUSING CAPITAL ESTIMATES 2000/2001

 

On a reference to Article VII of the Minute of meeting of this Committee of 11th October, 1999, there was submitted Report No. 368-2000 by the Director of Housing relative to the above estimates.

 

The Committee;

 

(a) approved the revised Housing Capital Budget for 2000/2001

 

(b) approved the action detailed in para 6 of the report

 

(c)instructed the City Architectural Services Officer and City Engineer to invite offers for the projects included in these estimates

(d)authorised the Director of Housing to accept offers detailed in paragraphs 6.3 of the report.

 

VII WORKING FOR DUNDEE'S CHILDREN IN NEED - CORPORATE PARENTING

 

There was submitted Report No. 291-2000 by the Director of Social Work regarding the needs of vulnerable children including those who were looked after by the local authority.

 

The Committee approved the undernoted:-

 

(a)adopted a policy framework which would enhance the decision-making and scrutiny by elected members of services for children in need in the City. The framework would have the collective title of "Working Together for Dundee's Children in Need" which was the theme of Dundee City Council's Children's Services plan and would become an integral part of future plans.

 

(b)delegated responsibility to the Director of Social Work, as Chair of the Strategic Planning Group, to ensure that the corporate parenting responsibilities of the Council were addressed through the Children's Services Planning process, including the development of an Action Plan and the publication of baseline data on children in need.

 

VIII CONFERENCE - COMMONWEALTH AND MAGISTRATES

 

It was reported that the above Conference would be held in Edinburgh from 10th to 15th September, 2000.

 

It was agreed that one permanent Justice of the Peace be authorised to attend on 12th September, 2000 at an estimated cost of 75 excluding travel and subsistence.

 

IX AREA WIDE REVIEWS OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG SERVICES IN TAYSIDE

 

There was submitted Report No. 300-2000 by the Chief Executive and Director of Social Work seeking endorsement of the Area Wide Review of Alcohol Services in Tayside and Area Wide Review of Drug Services in Tayside.

 

The Committee endorsed the reviews and the recommendations detailed therein and remitted to the Chief Executive to write to the Chair of the Tayside Alcohol and Drugs Alliance expressing the Council's support.

 

X FLOOR COVERING WORK TO COUNCIL PROPERTIES (EXCLUDING HOUSING) SCHEDULE OF RATES CONTRACT FOR FLOOR COVERING WORK 2000/2001

 

After considering Report No. 335-2000 by the City Architectural Services Officer detailing offers received for the above work. The Committee agreed to accept the schedule of rates submitted by the undernoted firms;

 

James A Cargill, Arbroath

G D Harrow, Forfar

Hawkhill Carpets & Flooring, Dundee

Nordskan Ltd, Dundee

Scott & Swan, Dundee

John Swan, Dundee

 

XI PURCHASE OF COMPUTER FACILITIES - SECONDARY SCHOOLS

 

There was submitted Report No. 396-2000 by the Director of Information Technology relative to the above.

 

The Committee approved acceptance of Tender ITD/2000/2 amounting to 84,390 from CRS Computers Limited for the purchase of I T equipment and ongoing engineering costs of 2,500 per annum.

 

 

 

 

Julia STURROCK, Convener.