Policy And Resources Committee - 26/06/2006

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 26th June, 2006.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

 

 

 

BAILIES

 

C D P FARQUHAR

Neil I C POWRIE

Bruce D MACKIE

Helen WRIGHT

 

Ian BORTHWICK

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Jill SHIMI

Fraser MACPHERSON

Jim BARRIE

Kevin KEENAN

Helen DICK

Will DAWSON

George REGAN

Nigel DON

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Julia M STURROCK

Bob DUNCAN

Roderick A J WALLACE

Fiona M GRANT

Joe FITZPATRICK

Charles A WEBSTER

Joe MORROW

 

Derek J SCOTT

 

 

Councillor Jill SHIMI, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 12th June, 2006 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR STRATEGY - LOCAL OUTCOME AGREEMENTS MONITORING REPORT 2005-2006

 

On a reference to Article II of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 17th October, 2005, there was submitted Report No 398-2006 by the Director of Leisure and Communities, Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) and Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) advising the Committee on the progress on achieving the Local Outcome Agreements 2005/2006 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy 2005/2008.

 

The Committee -

 

(i) noted and approved the 2005/2006 Outcome Agreements Monitoring Report;

 

(ii) approved public access to the Monitoring Report in accordance with the arrangements outlined in paragraph 8.2 of the report; and

 

(iii) noted the submission of this report to the Scottish Executive.

 

II CORPORATE PLANNING DEPARTMENT SERVICE PLAN

 

There was submitted Report No 365-2006 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) relative to the above.

 

The Committee noted the contents of the report including the tables appended to the report which detailed the progress made on the Service Plan and specific targets for the year ahead and agreed the new Section Plan for the Dundee Discovery Card Team set out in Appendix 2 of the report.

III ENFORCEMENT AND REGULATIONS

 

There was submitted Report No 412-2006 by the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) intimating that from time to time, the Chief Executive received complaints arising from the enforcement activities of various departments which were difficult to deal with using the current complaints procedure and therefore it was proposed that there should be an internal review process in respect of all enforcement activities of the Council which would then become part of the formal Council complaints procedure.

 

The Committee -

 

(i) agreed that a Panel of Senior Officers be established to be led by the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) and to include representatives from Finance, Planning and Transportation, Environmental Health and Trading Standards and Waste Management Departments;

 

(ii) agreed that the Panel would consider complaints or referrals from the Chief Executive regarding any of the regulatory or enforcement responsibilities referred to in paragraph 6.2 of the report and carried out by officers acting under delegated powers;

 

(iii) agreed that the Panel be chaired by the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) or nominee who would meet with a maximum of two other Panel Members at any one time to consider cases on an ad hoc basis. In the interests of natural justice, the three Panel Members considering any case be drawn from those of the aforementioned Departments which had not previously been involved in the complaint or referred case;

 

(iv) authorised such delegated powers as are necessary to allow the Panel to investigate cases referred, to consult with appropriate parties and identify options and any action;

 

(v) agreed that where the Panel consider that the decision complained of should remain in force or that the complaint should not be upheld there be no further action and the Panel's decision be final;

 

(vi) agreed when the Panel consider that there should be a review of any decision a report be prepared for a meeting of the appropriate Committee, if necessary, and relevant parties be invited to attend; and

 

(vii) agreed that decisions of the Panel be conveyed in writing to the complainant by the Chief Executive and be treated as the final stage in the Council Complaints Procedure.

 

IV EU FUNDED PROJECT FOR WIDENING THE SETTING PROCESS FOR ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES

 

There was submitted Report No 370-2006 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) seeking Committee approval for the Council to participate in a European Union Funded Project testing, a European standard approach for digital certificates.

 

The Committee approved accordingly.

 

V COST OF CRIME 2005/06

 

There was submitted Report No 378-2006 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Community Planning) providing details of the cost of crime to the Council in 2005/06.

 

The Committee:-

 

(i) noted the information in the report, in particular that the overall cost of crime to the Council had reduced by 20.66% in the past year; and

(ii) remitted to Chief Officers to continue to investigate any cost-effective ways in which the cost of crime to their departments can be reduced.

 

VI SUPPORT SERVICES DEPARTMENT - ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES DIVISION - SUSTAINABILITYCO-ORDINATOR

 

There was submitted Report No 423-2006 by the City Architectural Services Officer relative to the above.

 

The Committee -

 

(i) agreed to part fund the post of Sustainability Co-ordinator, to be appointed by Solar Cities Scotland;

 

(ii) approved expenditure of 10,000 per annum for each of the next three financial years;

 

(iii) agreed the Sustainability Co-ordinator be located in, and operate from, the Renewable Energy Demonstration House project at Whitfield Primary School;

 

(iv) approved the Service Level Agreement relating to the post of Sustainability Co-ordinator, appended to the report.

 

The Convener agreed that the undernoted item be considered as a matter of urgency in terms of Standing Order No 17(b) in view of the timescales involved.

 

VII PROPER OFFICER OF THE COUNCIL (FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION)

 

One a reference to Article V of the minute of meeting of the Finance Committee of 26th June, 2006, there was submitted Agenda Note AN243-2006 intimating that in terms of Standing Order No 3, the Proper Officer for the Administration and Financial Affairs of the Council in accordance with Section 95 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 was the Depute Chief Executive (Finance).

 

Following discussions between the Chief Executive, Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) and Depute Chief Executive (Finance), it was now proposed that these duties be performed by the Head of Finance.

 

The Committee approved accordingly and remitted to the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) to make an appropriate amendment to Standing Order No 3.

 

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 item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 6, 9 and 10 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

 

VIII DUNDEE SCHOOLS PPP PROJECT - FINAL BUSINESS CASE AND CONCLUSION OF PROJECT AGREEMENT

 

There was submitted Report No 369-2006 by the Chief Executive and Director of Education outlining the main provisions of the Dundee Schools PPP Project Agreement negotiated with the company involved, describing the procedure for reaching financial close and seeking approval of the Final Business Case.

 

The Committee agreed:

 

(i) to approve the contents of the draft Final Business Case;

 

(ii) the proposed programme of events leading to financial close of the Project as detailed in the report;

(iii) that the Chief Executive be authorised to negotiate and agree the final terms of the documents to be entered into by the Council in respect of the Project (the "Project Documents"), approve any necessary amendments to the Project Documents and carry out all such other steps necessary to bring the Project to financial close;

 

(iv) the Proper Officers in terms of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 in accordance with Standing Orders and the Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995 (the "Authorised Signatories") be authorised to sign on behalf of the Council the Project Documents and any other documents, certificates, notifications or other communications which the Authorised Signatories may consider (without limitation) necessary in terms of the Project.

 

(v) the Proper Officers be authorised, in relation to those Project Documents required to be certified for the purposes of the Local Government (Contracts) (Scotland) Regulations 1997, to issue certificates for the purposes of the Local Government (Contracts) Regulations 1997 with regard to such Project Documents, such certificates to be executed in accordance with recommendation (iv) above;

 

(vi) the Council's financial undertaking as outlined in the report;

 

(vii) an advanced works agreement be entered into with the company involved, whereby works would be carried out on the existing Brackens, Powrie and St Columba's sites prior to financial close; and

 

(viii) a further report be made to Committee following financial close detailing any material changes in the final financial or commercial position for information.

 

IX RELOCATION OF SCIENTIFIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT, DUNDEE

 

On a reference to Article VIII of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 8th May 2006, there was submitted Report No 421-2006 by the City Architectural Services Officer relative to the above.

 

The Committee approved the recommendations detailed therein.

 

 

 

 

JILL SHIMI, Convener.