Policy And Resources Committee - 13/02/2006

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 13th February 2006.

 

Present:-

 

At the meeting held on 9th February 2006.

 

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

 

 

 

BAILIES

 

C D P FARQUHAR

John CORRIGAN

Bruce D MACKIE

Helen WRIGHT

Neil I C POWRIE

Ian BORTHWICK

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Jill SHIMI

Fraser MACPHERSON

Christina ROBERTS

Kevin KEENAN

Helen DICK

Jim BARRIE

George REGAN

Nigel DON

Will DAWSON

Julia M STURROCK

Bob DUNCAN

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Fiona M GRANT

Richard BEATTIE

Roderick A J WALLACE

Christopher HIND

Andrew DAWSON

Charles A WEBSTER

Joe MORROW

Willie W SAWERS

Derek J SCOTT

 

Joe FITZPATRICK

 

 

At the meeting held on 13th February 2006:

 

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

 

 

 

BAILIES

 

C D P FARQUHAR

John CORRIGAN

Bruce D MACKIE

Helen WRIGHT

Neil I C POWRIE

Ian BORTHWICK

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Jill SHIMI

Fraser MACPHERSON

Christina ROBERTS

Kevin KEENAN

Helen DICK

Jim BARRIE

George REGAN

Nigel DON

Will DAWSON

Julia M STURROCK

Bob DUNCAN

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Fiona M GRANT

Richard BEATTIE

Roderick A J WALLACE

Christopher HIND

Andrew DAWSON

Charles A WEBSTER

Joe MORROW

Willie W SAWERS

Derek J SCOTT

 

Councillor JILL SHIMI, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 9th January 2006 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I REVENUE BUDGET 2006/2009

 

Reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 16th January, 2006 and to Article I of the minute of meeting of the Education Committee of 9th February 2006.

 

The Committee had before them the following:-

 

(i) PROVISIONAL REVENUE BUDGET VOLUME 2006/2009 (REPORT NO 90-2006)

 

(ii) REVIEW OF CHARGES 2006/07 (REPORT NO 91-2006)

(iii) REPORT NO 92-2006 BY THE DEPUTE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (FINANCE).

 

The Committee gave consideration to the recommendations in Report No 92-2006 as far as its interest was concerned and

 

(i) noted the procedure for setting the 2006/07 Revenue Budget and Council Tax as previously agreed by the Policy and Resources Committee on 16th January 2006 and set out in the appendix to the report;

 

(ii) noted the contents of the Provisional 2006/2009 Revenue Budget Volume;

 

Thereafter the Committee noted the undernoted amendments submitted by the Administration, SNP Group and Councillor Borthwick.

 

(i) Administration

 

 

 

ItemNo

in Order of Priority

 

 

 

 

Department/Item

Provisional

Revenue

Budget

2006/07

000

 

Estimated

Saving in

2006/2007

000

1

Leisure & Communities

Swimming and Leisure Facilities

- Establishment of a Leisure Company with Charitable Status

 

 

1,337

 

 

640

 

 

 

 

2

Finance/Support Services

Overseas Travel for Elected Members and Officers to be Undertaken at Economy Class, Rather Than Business class

 

4

 

3

 

 

 

 

3

Planning & Transportation - Car Parking Charges

 

Hours Present Proposed

Off Street Variable Stay 0 - 2 1.00 1.30

2 -3 1.80 2.20

3 - 4 2.80 3.00

4 - 5 3.50 3.70

5 - 6 4.00 4.50

over 6 5.50 6.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,602

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

Off Street Long Stay 0 - 4 2.30 2.50

over 4 4.50 5.00

 

2,602

 

27

 

 

 

 

 

Off Street Monthly Season Ticket 60.00 65.00

2,602

10

 

 

 

 

4

Support Services - Underground Garage Car Parking Charges

 

Present Proposed

Elected Members (with SRA over 4,500) 26.00 39.95

Other Elected Members 15.60 39.95

 

 

 

 

51

 

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

5

Social Work

Exemption from Community Alarm Charges for People over 70 and in Receipt of Council Tax Benefit

 

 

122

 

 

(30)

 

 

 

 

6

Finance

Freeze Special Responsibility Allowances

 

260

 

7

 

 

Total

686

 

 

(ii) SNP Group

 

 

 

ItemNo

in Order of Priority

 

 

 

 

Department/Item

Provisional

Revenue

Budget

2006/07

000

 

Estimated

Saving in

2006/2007

000

1

Leisure & Communities

Freeze Grant to Dundee Rep

 

347

 

12

 

 

 

 

2

Finance/Support Services

No First Class Rail Travel or Business Class Air Travel for Councillors

 

 

4

 

 

3

 

 

 

 

3

Finance

Reduce all Special Responsibility Allowances by 11.9%

 

260

 

31

 

 

 

 

4

Education

Reduce School Music Fees and Instrument Hire Charges by 5%

 

56

 

(2)

 

 

 

 

5

Social Work

Do Not Introduce Community Alarm Service Charges to Service Users

 

 

122

 

 

(122)

 

 

 

 

6

Planning & Transportation - Car Parking Charges

 

Hours Present Proposed

Off Street Variable Stay 0 - 2 1.00 1.30

2 - 3 1.80 2.20

3 - 4 2.80 3.00

4 - 5 3.50 4.00

5 - 6 4.00 4.50

over 6 5.50 6.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,602

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

32

 

 

 

 

 

Off Street Long Stay 0 - 4 2.30 2.70

over 4 4.50 5.00

 

2,602

 

34

 

 

 

 

 

Off Street Monthly Season Ticket 60.00 65.00

2,602

10

 

 

 

 

7

Leisure & Communities

Freeze Seasonal Charges and Clatto Country Park Charges

Freeze Charges for Football, Hockey, Rugby & Cricket and for Caird Park Stadium and Garden Allotments

Freeze Charges for Countryside Rangers Service and at Ancrum Centre

 

28

 

45

 

59

 

(1)

 

(1)

 

(1)

 

 

 

 

8

Support Services - Underground Garage Car Parking Charges

 

Present Proposed

Elected Members (with SRA over 4,500) 26.00 43.00

Other Elected Members 15.60 33.50

 

 

 

 

51

 

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

9

Leisure & Communities

Swimming and Leisure Facilities - Establishment of a Leisure Company with Charitable Status

 

 

1,337

 

 

640

 

 

Total

640

 

(iii) Bailie Borthwick

 

 

 

ItemNo

in Order of Priority

 

 

 

 

Department/Item

Provisional

Revenue

Budget

2006/07

000

 

Estimated

Saving in

2006/2007

000

1

Social Work

Do not increase Meal Charges

 

284

 

(36)

 

 

 

 

2

Social Work

Do not increase Non-Residential Care Charges

 

965

 

(9)

 

 

 

 

3

Finance

Reduction in Members Special Responsibility Allowances of 43,865 (approx 16.9%)

 

 

260

 

 

44

 

 

 

 

4

Finance

Voluntary Reduction in Bailie Borthwick's Basic Allowance of 1,135 (approx 16.9%)

 

 

7

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

5

Leisure & Communities

Freeze Grant to Dundee Rep

 

347

 

12

 

 

 

 

6

Finance/Support Services

No First Class Rail Travel or Business Class Air Travel for Councillors

 

 

4

 

 

3

 

 

 

 

7

Education

Reduce School Music Fees and Instrument Hire Charges by 5%

 

56

 

(2)

 

 

 

 

8

Planning & Transportation - Car Parking Charges

 

Hours Present Proposed

Off Street Variable Stay 0 - 2 1.00 1.30

2 - 3 1.80 2.20

3 - 4 2.80 3.00

4 - 5 3.50 4.00

5 - 6 4.00 4.50

over 6 5.50 6.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,602

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

32

 

 

 

 

 

Off Street Long Stay 0 - 4 2.30 2.70

over 4 4.50 5.00

 

2,602

 

34

 

 

 

 

 

Off Street Monthly Season Ticket 60.00 65.00

2,602

10

 

 

 

 

9

Leisure & Communities

Freeze Seasonal Charges and Clatto Country Park Charges

Freeze Charges for Football, Hockey, Rugby & Cricket and for Caird Park Stadium and Garden Allotments

Freeze Charges for Countryside Rangers Service and at Ancrum Centre

 

28

 

45

 

59

 

(1)

 

(1)

 

(1)

 

 

 

 

10

Support Services - Underground Garage Car Parking Charges

 

Present Proposed

Elected Members (with SRA over 4,500) 26.00 43.00

Other Elected Members 15.60 33.50

 

 

 

 

51

 

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

11

Leisure & Communities

 

Swimming and Leisure Facilities - Establishment of a Leisure Company with Charitable Status

 

 

 

1,337

 

 

 

640

 

 

 

 

 

12

Social Work

 

Do Not Introduce Community Alarm Service Charges to Service Users

 

 

 

122

 

 

 

(122)

 

 

Total

609

 

At this point of the meeting the Committee adjourned to give further consideration to the above proposals and when the meeting resumed later that day it was agreed that a further meeting be held on 13th February 2006.

 

At the meeting held on 13th February 2006, the Committee agreed to suspend Standing Order No 39 to allow new proposals contained in a report by the Depute Chief Executive (Finance) to be considered outwith the procedure approved by the Policy and Resources Committee on 16th January, 2006.

 

There was submitted and noted Report No 158-2006 by the Chief Executive and Depute Chief Executive (Finance) asking the Committee to consider the additional savings options detailed in paragraph 6 of the report amounting to 1,100,000 and detailed below.

 

 

 

ItemNo

in Order of Priority

 

 

 

 

Department/Item

Provisional

Revenue

Budget

2006/07

000

 

Estimated

Saving in

2006/2007

000

1

Social Work

Transfer of Sheltered Wardens from Social Work to Housing Department with the Majority of These Costs Being Met by Housing Benefit

 

 

840

 

 

 

840

 

 

 

 

2

Loan Charges

Savings Arising from Recent Borrowing at Historically Low Interest Rates

 

 

21,294

 

 

260

 

 

Total

1,100

 

It was agreed that further consideration be remitted to the Finance Committee.

 

 

 

JILL SHIMI, Convener.