Policy And Resources Committee - 14/03/2005

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 14th March, 2005.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Jill SHIMI, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 17th January, 2005 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I FIRE (SCOTLAND) BILL - CONSULTATION ON CHARGING, ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS AND ADVISORYSTRUCTURE

There was submitted Report No 172-2005 by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) setting out comments on the Fire (Scotland) Bill for submission to the Scottish Executive.

The Committee agreed to the comments set out in the report being submitted to the Scottish Executive as the Council's response to the consultation exercise on the Fire (Scotland) Bill.

II SUPPLY OF IT EQUIPMENT - GCAT

There was submitted Report No 176-2005 by the Head of Information Technology reporting the IT equipment purchased under the GCAT Government procurement scheme.

The Committee

(i) noted the IT purchases amounting to 152,536 detailed in appendix 1 for the period 26th October 2004 to 24th February 2005 and

(ii) approved ongoing engineering maintenance costs of 11,282 per annum.

III APPLICATION FOR BETTER NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES FUNDING - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS INHILLTOWN PARK

There was submitted Report No 144-2005 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) and the Head of Communities seeking approval for a funding proposal to be met from the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund.

The Committee approved the programme of environmental improvements in Hilltown Park that would create a place of specific identity to attract residents and visitors to use the area.

IV POLICY ON DATA AND INFORMATION SECURITY

After considering Report No 192-2005 by the Head of Information Technology the Committee approved the Data and Information Security Policy appended to the report and its implementation throughout the Council.

V UNIT RATE CONTRACT FOR GROUND INVESTIGATIONS - APRIL 2005 - MARCH 2007

Reference was made to Article III of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 8th December 2003 wherein the Committee approved the existing Unit Rate Contract and to Article II of the minute of meeting of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee of 17th September 2001, wherein the Strategy for Contaminated Land was agreed.

As part of this strategy the City Engineer recommended that a Unit Rate Contract be utilised to obtain rates from a number of specialist contactors experienced in contaminated land site investigation and the Contract had been further updated to reflect current testing methods and practices.

It was noted that tenders for the Unit Rate Contract for the period April 2005 to March 2007 had now been submitted by the undernoted specialist contractors.

Aitken Laboratories Limited, Castlehill House, Slamannan

Raeburn Drilling & Geotechnical Ltd, Whistleberry Road, Hamilton

Ritchies, Glasgow Road, Kilsyth, Glasgow

Soil Merchants Ltd, Askern Road, Carcroft, Doncaster.

The Committee authorised the use of the most favourable tender for any future contaminated landsite investigation work.

VI ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR (SCOTLAND) ACT 2004 - CONSULTATION ON THE INTENSIVE SUPPORT ANDMONITORING (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN103-2005 intimating that as part of the drafting of the final guidance on separate sections of the above Act the Scottish Executive was releasing consultative papers for comment from a wide variety of stakeholders. The above section dealt with a proposed support mechanism through the Children's Hearing System and had been compiled in consultation with the key stakeholders involved in the process.

The Committee noted the response which had been submitted to the Scottish Executive by the Head of Communities in order to meet the consultation deadline of 4th February, 2005.

VII OLDER PEOPLE'S CHAMPIONS NETWORK

After considering Report No 116-2005 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) the Committee agreed to participate in the Older People's Champions Network established by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and that the Convener of Social Work be appointed as the Older People's Champion with a remit to act as a link with older people's organisations and ensure that the needs of older people were taken into account in the strategic planning process.

VIII DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL WEBSITE AND DUNDEE.COM

There was submitted Report No 69-2005 by the Chief Executive recommending a three year plan for the development of the Council's website dundeecity.gov.uk.

The Committee

(i) approved the objectives set out in the report;

(ii) approved the creation of three two-year temporary posts to accelerate the corporate customer self service transactions projects;

(iii) agreed that the remaining monies within the dundee.com project be allocated to resolve the issues of the transfer of dundee.com to Dundee City Council IT facilities and to resolving the technical issues around the Box Office function. Any residual funds to be directed at the further development of the dundeecity.gov.uk website as proposed in the report.

(iv) authorised the invitation of tenders for a content management system.

IX DUNDEE TSUNAMI APPEAL FUND

There was submitted Agenda Note AN104-2005 intimating that an appeal fund had been set up to give Dundee citizens an opportunity to contribute to the relief work going on both now and in the longer term in the areas affected by the Tsunami which followed the earthquake in the Indian Ocean on 26th December, 2005.

The Dundee Tsunami Appeal Fund had been set up as a company limited by guarantee to administer the funding and its activities. Mr S Brymer of Thorntons W.S., was a director and the Lord Provost and Councillor Shimi had also accepted invitations to become Directors of the company as had the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) Mr David Dorward.

All three would be acting in a private capacity and not in their City Council roles but the Committee was asked to note that the fund would be given limited assistance in managing the appeal fund and in servicing its meetings by the Finance and Support Services departments.

The Committee noted accordingly.

X TENDERS RECEIVED - NEW PA SYSTEM FOR THE MAIN COUNCIL CHAMBER

After considering Report No 191-2005 by the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) detailing offers received for the supply and installation of a PA System for the Main Council Chamber, the Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer being that from Auditel Ltd, Gloucester, amounting to 8,745.18.

The Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

XI RELOCATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND TRADING STANDARDS DEPARTMENT

After considering Report No 188-2005 by the Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards regarding the relocation of the department, the Committee approved the recommendations detailed in the report.

XII GARDYNE'S LAND - 71 HIGH STREET

On a reference to Article VI of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 20th December, 2004 and after considering Agenda Note AN105-2005 it was noted that the Director of Economic Development in consultation with the Convener and Spokespersons for the other Groups had approved the information detailed in the note.

JILL SHIMI, Convener.