Policy And Resources Committee - 19/12/2011

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 19th December, 2011.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Ken GUILD, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 12th December, 2011 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I PUTTING LEARNERS AT THE CENTRE - CONSULTATION RESPONSE

Councillor Hunter declared a non-financial interest in this item by virtue of being the Council representative on Dundee College Board of Management.

On a reference to Article XII of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 12th December, 2011, there was submitted Report No 559-2011 by the Director of Education setting out a response to the "Putting Learners at the Centre - Delivering Our Ambitions For Post 16 Education" consultation paper published by the Scottish Government.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Duncan, moved that the Committee:-

(i) note the contents of the report;

(ii) agree the consultation response;

(iii) instruct the Director of Education to submit the consultation response;

(iv) instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education requesting that he explore the possibility of additional funding for the non-university tertiary education sector.

As an amendment, Councillor Bidwell, seconded by Councillor Keenan, moved that the Committee:-

(i) note the contents of the report;

(ii) agree the consultation response;

(iii) instruct the Director of Education to submit the consultation response;

(iv) instruct the Leader of the Administration, with cross party Leaders' support, to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Mike Russell, MSP, making the case for the restoration of funding to Dundee College in future financial years by drawing on some of the additional funding for spending in Scotland announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his recent Autumn Statement.

On a division, there voted for the motion - the Convener, Lord Provost Letford, Bailie Sawers and Councillors Barrie, Black, Bowes, Andy Dawson, Will Dawson, Duncan, Fordyce, Hunter, Lynn, Melville, Roberts and Ross (15); and for the amendment - Depute Lord Provost Borthwick, Bailies Wright, Wallace and Scott, and Councillors Keenan, Bidwell, Ferguson, Gordon, McCready and Hay (10) - Councillor Asif declining to vote as he had been absent during part of the deliberations - whereupon the motion was declared carried.

II POSITION STATEMENT FOR PHOTOVOLTAICS TENDER RETURN AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE REVIEW ON FEED-IN TARIFF

Councillor Will Dawson declared a non-financial interest in this item by virtue of the fact that he was employed by one of the companies who had submitted a tender.

On a reference to Article XIV of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 22nd August, 2011, there was submitted Report No 558-2011 by the Director of City Development relative to the above.

The Committee:-

(i) noted that the three tender submissions received relative to the photovoltaic project had now been withdrawn, as a direct result of the DECC Review of the feed-in tariff;

(ii) noted the introduction and potential impact of the DECC Review of the feed-in tariff and instruct the City Architect to submit the document appended to this report as the City Council's response to the review; and

(iii) instructed Council Officers to continue to explore the possibilities of utilising Council properties in the generation of renewable energy, recognising the potential to deal with issues such as fuel poverty through such schemes.

Ken GUILD, Convener.