Policy And Resources Committee - 28/09/2009

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 28th September, 2009.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Ken GUILD, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 14th September, 2009 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I MANDATORY PRE-DETERMINATION HEARINGS AND PLANNING DECISIONS BY FULL COUNCIL

There was submitted Report No 364-2009 by the Director of City Development and Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) making recommendations concerning the requirement under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended by Section 38A of the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 that for certain categories of planning application a mandatory pre-determination hearing shall be required.

The Committee:-

(i) approved Option A as set out in paragraph 5.3 of the report in respect of decisions on planning applications which required to be taken by the full Council;

(ii) approved the proposals for the convening of mandatory pre-determination hearings as set out in Annex A of the report; and

(iii) remitted to the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) to make arrangements to amend the Council's Standing Orders.

II CHILD PROTECTION

(a) BEST VALUE REVIEW GROUP ON CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES - MEMBERSHIP

It was reported that this item had been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Keenan.

It was agreed that the membership of the Best Value Review Group on Child Protection Services be extended to include the Leader of the Administration and the Leader of the Major Opposition Group.

(b) CHANGE OF POLICY

It was reported that this item had been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Keenan.

This item was withdrawn.

III ANNUAL TREASURY MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY 2008/2009

After considering Report No 447-2009 by the Head of Finance reviewing the Treasury Management activities for the period 1st April, 2008 to 31st March, 2009, the Committee noted the information contained in the report and approved the limits detailed in Appendices I and II of the report.

IV PERFORMANCE REPORT 2009

There was submitted Report No 459-2009 by the Head of Finance informing elected members of the Council's performance for the financial year 2008/2009.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the Council's performance for 2008/2009 and, in particular, the improved overall performance on the previous year of comparable Statutory Performance Indicators. Based on Accounts Commission data, 79% of these indicators either maintained or improved performance level;

(ii) noted that 51% of the indicators finished in the top half of the Accounts Commission's data tables compared to an ambitious target of 70%. This performance was better than the Council's main city rivals, and maintained last year's performance level; and

(iii) noted the Efficiency Statement for the Council which identified savings of almost 3.5 million in the 2008/2009 financial year.

V CORPORATE ELECTRONIC RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

There was submitted and noted Report No 467-2009 by the Director of City Development intimating that in view of the timescales involved, the Director of City Development authorised acceptance of the undernoted in consultation with the Convener, spokesperson from the Labour Group, Councillor Keenan and the spokesperson from the Conservative Group, Councillor Wallace.

VI MANAGING OCCUPATIONAL ROAD RISKS

There was submitted Report No 472-2009 by the Head of Personnel relative to the requirements for driver training and competencies and making recommendations in support of the Council's Occupational Road Risk Policy.

The Committee approved the undernoted:-

(a) A system should be introduced whereby all employees whose core job function responsibilities includes driving Council vehicles, will receive additional driver training if they have six penalty points or more, or have had three "at fault accidents at work" within 24 months.

(b) The type of additional training provided is described in (c) and (d) below.

(c) Departments are to check employees' driving licences on an annual basis. Where resources exist within a department, the department will provide practical driver training/coaching/assessment, and this should be undertaken within two months of a trigger (described in (a) above) being reached. The Risk Management Section will notify departments when the "at fault accidents at work" trigger is reached.

(d) Where resources are not available within a department, then a psychometric based online risk assessment will be issued to establish the driver's risk profile. The results will be discussed with a nominated person within the employee's department and shared and discussed with their line manager/supervisor. The cost of providing this training would be absorbed by Risk Management.

(e) An e-learning driver training package will be developed in-house for other specific groups of drivers.

(f) All departments will need to ensure that any employee who wishes to drive a minibus holds the appropriate classification of licence to permit the employee to drive it. In addition, the driver must have passed the Council's Minibus Test.

(g) A Council employee using a minibus, his or her own vehicle including any leased car with six or more penalty points on their licence may not transport members of the public or employees without receiving additional driver training.

(h) Additional wording is included on the Council's mileage claim form for the driver to sign, stating that their own vehicle is maintained in a road worthy condition, where appropriate has a valid MOT certificate and that they undertake to advise their line manager immediately if the penalty points on their licence are six or more.

(i) Where departments use or operate fleet vehicles, a senior manager is nominated to act as the fleet manager for the department, who will be responsible for checking on an annual basis the driving licences of drivers who drive fleet vehicles.

VII ANNUAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REPORT 2008/2009

There was submitted Report No 473-2009 by the Head of Personnel relative to the above.

The Committee approved the Annual Health and Safety Report appended to the report which helped promote the management of health and safety across the Council and provide information regarding the further development of health and safety management throughout the Council.

VIII FUTURE PAY STRATEGY

The Committee agreed to hear a deputation from Rory Malone, UNISON, relative to the above and after he had stated his case and answered questions, he was thanked for his attendance and withdrew.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN212-2009 intimating that this item had been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Keenan.

Councillor Keenan, seconded by Councillor Gordon, moved approval of the undernoted:-

Dundee City Council recognises that these are particularly difficult economic times and we accept the trade unions right to free collective bargaining whilst looking for a future pay settlement.

This Council also recognises that a large section of the public sector, including Council employees have already settled a pay deal for 2010.

Dundee City Council therefore recommends to COSLA that a financial offer be made to employees not as yet settled for 2010. This offer and hopefully agreement should be in place on the anniversary date of the previous settlement.

The position and Dundee City Council's policy should be relayed to the negotiator within COSLA via the Leader of the Administration and the Chief Executive through SOLACE.

As an amendment, Councillor Guild, seconded by Councillor Duncan, moved approval of the undernoted.

As the Committee will be aware, the City Council has, since its inception in 1996, been a member of COSLA and the National Negotiating Committees for Pay Awards.

The pay negotiations for 2010 referred to in the Motion have commenced and I am confident that a resolution will be achieved through these negotiations.

Accordingly, I would move that the City Council, as a member of COSLA, allows the national negotiations to continue without any direct recommendation from the City Council.

On a division, there voted for the motion - Councillors Keenan, Asif, Bidwell, Ferguson, Gordon, McCready, Hay, Macpherson, Dick, Bailies Regan, Wright, Wallace, Scott and Depute Lord Provost Borthwick (14); and for the amendment - the Convener, Councillors Black, Bowes, Andy Dawson, Will Dawson, Duncan, Fordyce, Hunter, Lynn, Melville, Roberts, Ross, Bailie Sawers and Lord Provost Letford, (14) - there being a parity of the votes, the Convener gave his casting vote in favour of the amendment, and the amendment was declared carried.

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

IX FAIRER SCOTLAND FUND SMALL GRANT TO CHARLESTON ARTS AND CRAFTS GROUP

The Committee agreed to the award of 325 to the Charleston Arts and Crafts Group to meet the transport costs of attending a national crafts fair in Glasgow on 24th October, 2009.

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

X EARLY RETIREMENT

After considering Agenda Note AN216-2009, the Committee approved the early retirement of an Education Adviser, a former Primary Head Teacher (ER08-09) on the grounds of the efficiency to the service with effect from 15th January, 2010 in accordance with the Teachers (Compensation for Premature Retirement and Redundancy) (Scotland) Regulations 1996.

Ken GUILD, Convener.