Policy And Resources Committee - 12/01/2004

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 12th January, 2004.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor SHIMI, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 15th December, 2003 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I THE SCOTTISH FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE - PROPOSALS FOR LEGISLATION

There was submitted Report No 13-2004 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) informing members that the Scottish Executive had issued a consultation paper on proposed legislation for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

The Committee:-

(i) welcomed the emphasis on a planned and risk-managed approach to fire and rescue services and the recognition of the wider community safety responsibilities of the service;

(ii) expressed the view that local government, through COSLA, should be closely involved in the development of any national framework for the priorities and performance of the service, and that any such framework should not be unnecessarily prescriptive but should allow local elected members the flexibility to determine needs and solutions for their area within an agreed broad strategic direction;

(iii) expressed the view that the current structure of eight authorities and brigades remained effective;

(iv) suggested that charging for non-core services should be based on a full cost recovery;

(v) agreed to reiterate the Council's view that its representation on the Tayside Fire Brigade should be increased to more equitably reflect the contribution which the Council made to the Board's expenditure, it being noted that the Council met 52% of the Board's expenditure but only had 39% of the Board's members.

II COUNCIL POLICY ON MANAGEMENT OF ASBESTOS IN BUILDINGS

There was submitted Report No 11-2004 by the City Architectural Services Officer and Assistant Chief Executive (Management) relative to the above.

The Committee approved the policy appended to the report to enable compliance with the Control of the Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002.

III SUPPLY OF IT EQUIPMENT - G-CAT

There was submitted Report No 36-2004 by the Head of Information Technology relative to the above.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the I T purchases amounting to 172,326 detailed in appendix 1, for the period 12th August to 12th December, 2003;

(ii) approved ongoing engineering maintenance costs of 13,866 per annum for the above purchases.

IV PURCHASE OF ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE

There was submitted Report No 46-2004 by the Head of Information Technology detailing offers received for the supply of I T Anti-Virus Software for Corporate and Education sectors within the City Council.

The Committee:-

(i) approved acceptance of the Tender amounting to 21,170 from Foursys Limited (Sophos) for the purchase of I T Software for the Education sector detailed in Appendix 1;

(ii) approved acceptance of the Tender amounting to 29,385 from Pheonix Software (Symantec) for the purchase of I T Software for the Corporate sector detailed in Appendix 1.

The Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the 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 6 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

V DUNDEE ICE ARENA GENERAL MANAGER

The Lord Provost, Bailies Farquhar and Mackie and Councillor FitzPatrick being Council representatives on the Dundee Ice Arena Board declared a non-financial interest in this item.

Reference was made to Article X of the minute of meeting of the Leisure and Arts Services Committee of 15th December, 2003.

After considering Agenda Note AN539-2003 the Committee noted the action taken by the Director of Leisure and Arts after consultation with the Conveners of the Policy and Resources and Leisure and Arts Services Committees and spokespersons from other Groups.

JILL SHIMI, Convener.