Policy And Resources Committee - 10/09/2001

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 10th September, 2001.

 

Present:-

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

Andrew DAWSON

C D P FARQUHAR

George de GERNIER

Joe FITZPATRICK

Fraser MACPHERSON

Helen WRIGHT

Allan PETRIE

Jim BARRIE

Betty WARD

George REGAN

Julia M STURROCK

Jill SHIMI

Bruce D MACKIE

Neil GLEN

Neil I C POWRIE

Roderick A J WALLACE

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Ian BORTHWICK

Kenneth J N GUILD

Fiona M GRANT

Robin PRESSWOOD

Derek J SCOTT

David BOWES

Richard BEATTIE

John CORRIGAN

Mervyn J ROLFE

 

Dave BEATTIE

 

 

Councillor STURROCK, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 13th August, 2001 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I ENFORCEMENT CONCORDAT - COSLA GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE (TOWARDS ADOPTION)

 

There was submitted Report No 557-2001 by the Director of Environmental and Consumer Protection seeking the support of the Council for the corporate adoption of the "good enforcement" principles of the Enforcement Concordat.

 

The Committee approved the undernoted recommendations:-

 

(i)the Council adopts the principles in paragraph 6.9 of the report in line with COSLA's Enforcement Concordat and Good Practice Guide;

 

(ii)the Chief Executive invites key representatives of the business community and others with a regulatory interest, to secure their engagement in the regulatory policies of the Council and share the commitment to see the Concordat adopted and implemented; and

 

(iii)the Director of Environmental and Consumer Protection be appointed Lead Officer for the purpose of adopting and implementing the Enforcement Concordat.

 

II ANNUAL CONSUMER SURVEY 2001

 

There was submitted Report No 592-2001 by the Director of Corporate Planning summarising the main findings from the 2001 Annual Consumer Survey and explaining their use.

 

The Committee approved the undernoted recommendations:-

 

(i)noted the results contained in this report and agreed that the issues raised should continue to be addressed as part of the Council's commitment to continuous improvement;

 

(ii)authorised officers to publish the report on the Council's website and distribute copies to partner organisations and representative bodies as part of the Council's commitment to Public Performance Reporting;

(iii)noted the points which emerged from qualitative research carried out after last year's survey; and

 

(iv)noted the benchmarking comparisons from other surveys.

 

III BETTER NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES

 

There was submitted Report No 593-2001 by the Director of Corporate Planning recommending proposals for the use of the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund.

 

The Committee approved the undernoted recommendations:-

 

(ii)the draft proposals outlined in the Appendix to this report be agreed; and

 

(ii)consultation take place with community planning partners and local communities regarding the development of Local Outcome Agreements.

 

IV PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING AUDIT 2001/2002

 

It was reported that Audit Scotland and the External Auditor would be assessing the Finance and Environmental and Consumer Protection Departments. Trading Standards would also be assessed by the External Auditor as would all Trading Standards services in Scotland. The Performance Management and Planning Audit looked at management arrangements, performance reporting and Best Value achievements.

 

Furthermore, to date more than 70% of the Council's services had been externally assessed in this way and received highly satisfactory audit reports. Several areas of the Council's approach had been highlighted as Best Practice by Audit Scotland and Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools. The Architectural Services Division's submission to the External Auditor last year had been circulated by Audit Scotland in its entirety to all Scottish Local Authorities as the best practice example.

 

The Committee noted accordingly.

 

V PUBLIC PROTECTION FRAMEWORK

 

There was submitted Report No 603-2001 by the Chief Executive informing members of the development of a framework which was designed to reinforce the commitment of Dundee City Council, Tayside Police and other agencies to tackling the shared problem of potentially dangerous offenders who were living in the community.

 

The Committee:-

 

(i)approved the content of the framework document and requested a further update on the work of the Public Protection Forum within a year; and

 

(ii)authorised the Chief Executive to sign the framework document on behalf of Dundee City Council.

 

VI LICENSING APPLICATIONS

 

It was reported that recently there had been occasions for officers of the Council to lodge objections to licensing applications and questions had been raised as to the effectiveness of such action if there was not specific, formal delegation of authority for them to do so.

 

Accordingly, to formalise the position, the Committee agreed that the following delegated power be added to the list of powers delegated to the Chief Executive and all Chief Officers:

 

"(xii) Licensing Applications

 

Heads of Departments/Divisions of the Council shall be authorised to lodge objections to applications for licences being considered by the Council's Licensing Committee and/or the Licensing Board for the City of Dundee."

 

 

 

 

JULIE STURROCK, Convener.