Policy And Resources Committee - 12/01/2009

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 12th January, 2009.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Kevin KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 8th December, 2008 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I MINUTE OF BEST VALUE, PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY SUB-COMMITTEE

The minute of meeting of the above Sub-Committee of 16th December, 2008, a copy of which is appended hereto, was submitted for information and record purposes.

II REVENUE MONITORING

There was submitted Report No 25-2009 by the Head of Finance, providing the Committee with an analysis of the 2008/2009 Projected Revenue Outturn as at 30th November, 2008 monitored against the adjusted 2008/2009 Revenue Budget.

The Committee:-

(i) noted that the overall General Fund 2008/2009 Projected Revenue Outturn as at 30th November, 2008 showed an overspend of 483,000 against the adjusted 2008/2009 Revenue Budget;

(ii) noted that the Housing Revenue Account was projecting an overspend of 160,000 against the adjusted HRA 2008/2009 Revenue Budget;

(iii) instructed the Head of Finance to take every reasonable action to ensure that the 2008/2009 revenue expenditure was below or in line with the adjusted Revenue Budget; and

(iv) instructed the Head of Finance in conjunction with all Chief Officers of the Council to continue to monitor the Council's 2008/2009 Projected Revenue Outturn.

III CAPITAL MONITORING

There was submitted Report No 9-2009 by the Head of Finance, appraising members of the latest position regarding the Council's Capital Expenditure Programme for 2008/2009.

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

IV PLANNING AND TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT - REVIEW OF ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

There was submitted Report No 589-2008 by the Director of Planning and Transportation and Head of Personnel, proposing interim changes to the organisation of the Transportation Division within the Planning and Transportation Department following a review by the Director of Planning and Transportation and the Assistant Chief Executive (Management).

The Committee:-

(i) approved the establishment of a post of Head of Transportation, Grade CO27, 62,004 to be filled from within the Team Leader's posts in the Transportation Division;

(ii) noted the Director of Planning and Transportation and Head of Personnel would progress the undernoted establishment changes:-

(a) the establishment of a post of Assistant Head of Transportation, Grade SCP 13, 38,605 to 42,193 to be filled from within the Team Leader's posts in the Transportation Division and the deletion of the resultant vacant Team Leader post, Grade 12;

(b) the deletion of a post of Senior Engineer, Grade 11, 35,305 to 38,605 following the appointment of the vacant Team Leader post in the Network Management Team;

(c) the deletion of the vacant post of Assistant Engineer, Grade 3 - 9, 13,601 to 27,781 in the Transportation Team; and

(d) the establishment of a post of Senior Transport Officer, Grade 11, 31,331 to 35,305 in the Sustainable Transport Team.

V AMENDMENTS TO THE SCHEME OF DELEGATION ON DEVELOPMENT QUALITY MATTERS

On a reference to Article II of the minute of meeting of the Development Quality Committee of 17th November, 2008, there was submitted Report No 8-2009 by the Director of Planning and Transportation, making recommendations regarding the Council's Standing Orders and the Council's Scheme of Delegation of Powers to Officers.

After discussion, it was remitted to the Director of Planning and Transportation to discuss this matter with members with a view to reaching an agreement and report back to this Committee.

VI CHILD PROTECTION IN DUNDEE - CHIEF OFFICERS MEETINGS

There was submitted Report No 19-2009 by the Chief Executive, seeking approval for plans to enhance and strengthen governance arrangements in relation to the multi-agency management of child protection in Dundee.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the content of the report;

(ii) instructed the Chief Executive to develop enhanced governance arrangements in respect of child protection and to report back on the details of these arrangements to Committee; and

(iii) instructed the Director of Social Work to extend these interim governance arrangements, in the longer term, to include adult protection, domestic abuse and Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA).

VII DUNDEE DISCOVERY CARD - RE-BRANDING

After considering Report No 22-2009 by the Assistant Chief Executive relative to the above, it was agreed that the DUNDEEdiscovery card team be renamed the Dundee National Entitlement Card Office and all branding be replaced over the next two years as part of the normal process.

VIII POLICY ON COMMERCIAL SPONSORSHIP

There was submitted Report No 23-2009 by the Assistant Chief Executive, recommending the adoption of a policy on Commercial Sponsorship based on guidelines published recently by Consumer Focus Scotland.

The Committee:-

(i) adopted the policy on Commercial Sponsorship which was appended to the report;

(ii) agreed that the policy be placed on the Council's website and comments be invited from the public; and

(iii) remitted to the Director of Education to ensure that, in addition to the Council-wide policy, sponsorship activity relating to schools conformed to the specific guidelines published in 2006 by the Scottish Consumer Council and available on the Consumer Focus Scotland website.

IX REVIEW OF OMBUDSMAN AND COMMISSIONER BODIES SUPPORTED BY THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

There was submitted Report No 28-2009 by the Assistant Chief Executive, advising members of a "call for evidence" by a Scottish Parliament Committee which was reviewing the structure of the Ombudsman and Commissioner bodies supported by the Scottish Parliament's Corporate Body, and seeking guidance on a response.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to support changes to the structure of the six bodies listed in the report, with the aim of providing better value for money and a clearer structure for the public to access; and

(ii) in principle, to support the proposals of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to bring together the functions of the six bodies into three, focusing on Complaints and Standards, Rights and Information, subject to a detailed consideration of the costs and savings and subject to assurances that the quality of services to the public will be maintained.

X CIPFA IN SCOTLAND - ANNUAL CONFERENCE

It was reported that the CIPFA in Scotland Annual Conference would be held in Edinburgh on 19th and 20th March, 2009.

The Committee authorised the attendance of the Convener or nominee at an estimated cost excluding travel and subsistence of 395.

XI REVISED LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE SETTLEMENT 2009/2010 AND REVENUE BUDGET/COUNCIL TAX SETTING PROCEDURE

There was submitted Report No 26-2009 by the Head of Finance, advising members of the recent announcements made by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in respect of the revised Local Government Finance Settlement for 2009/2010.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the Council's revised Revenue Funding Allocation for 2009/2010, as recently announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth;

(ii) noted the current position on the Revenue Budget for the three year period 2009/2012; and

(iii) approved the procedures to be followed for setting the 2009/2010 Revenue Budget and Council Tax level, as set out in Section 8 and Appendix A of the report.

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 paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

XII SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT - FLEXIBLE RETIREMENT REQUEST

There was submitted Agenda Note AN6-2009 intimating that an application had been received from a Clerical Assistant (postholder 333486) to exercise the right to request flexible retirement under the terms of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations.

It was proposed to reduce the working hours of the current postholder from 37 to 18.5 hours per week on a reduced working year and reduced salary, and to approve the release of accrued pension benefits accordingly.

The Committee approved accordingly.

XIII FINANCE DEPARTMENT - REGRADING OF POST

There was submitted Agenda Note AN7-2009 intimating that the Chief Executive had reviewed the duties and responsibilities of a post in the above department.

The Committee approved the recommendation detailed therein.

XIV EDUCATION DEPARTMENT - RETIRAL

After considering Agenda Note AN12-2009, the Committee approved the early retirement of a Head Teacher in terms of the Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme Regulations.

The Committee approved accordingly.

Kevin KEENAN, Convener.