Policy And Resources Committee - 09/02/2015

At a MEETING of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 9th February, 2015.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Ken GUILD, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 26th January, 2015 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Lord Provost Duncan, Councillors Hunter, McCready and Gordon declared a non-financial interest in Article VIII by virtue of being Council representatives on Leisure and Culture Dundee.

II DUNDEE COMMUNITY REGENERATION FUND 2014/2015

There was submitted Report No 54-2015 by the Chief Executive relative to the above.

The Committee noted the allocations to the Community Regeneration Fund for 2014/2015 and approved the funding proposals contained in Section 5.2 of the report appended hereto (Appendix I).

III ANNUAL CONSUMER SURVEY 2014

There was submitted Report No 20-2015 by the Chief Executive summarising the main findings from the 2014 consumer survey.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the results contained in the report and agreed that the issues raised should continue to be addressed as part of the Council's commitment to continuous improvement using the Public Sector Improvement Framework model;

(ii) remitted to the Chief Executive to disseminate the customer contact results to departments for use in staff training on customer care;

(iii) invited each Local Community Planning Partnership to consider the key results for their area which would be sent to Chairs and Communities Officers for distribution; and

(iv) authorised officers to publish the full survey report on the Council's website and make available copies, on request, as part of the Council's commitment to Public Performance Reporting.

IV REVENUE MONITORING

There was submitted Report No 46-2015 by the Director of Corporate Services providing an analysis of the 2014/2015 Projected Revenue Outturn as at 31st December, 2014 monitored against the adjusted 2014/2015 Revenue Budget;

The Committee:-

(i) noted that the overall General Fund 2014/2015 Projected Revenue Outturn as at 31st December, 2014 was projecting an underspend of 45,000 against the adjusted 2014/2015 Revenue Budget;

(ii) noted that the Housing Revenue Account as at 31st December, 2014 was projecting a breakeven position against the adjusted HRA 2014/2015 Revenue Budget;

(iii) instructed the Director of Corporate Services to take every reasonable action to ensure that the 2014/2015 revenue expenditure was below or in line with the adjusted Revenue Budget; and

(iv) instructed the Director of Corporate Services, in conjunction with all Chief Officers, to continue to monitor the Council's 2014/2015 Projected Revenue Outturn.

V CAPITAL MONITORING

There was submitted Report No 44-2015 by the Director of Corporate Services appraising members of the latest position regarding the Council's Capital Expenditure Programme for 2014/2015.

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

VI INSURANCE TENDER REPORT

After considering Report No 32-2015 by the Director of Corporate Services providing elected members with an overview of the 2014 insurance procurement exercise and the 2015/2020 Insured and Self‑Insured arrangements, the Committee noted the content of the report and ratified the insurance programme for the period 2015/2020.

VII REVIEW OF GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS - TAYSIDE PENSION FUND

There was submitted Report No 447-2014 by the Director of Corporate Services providing an overview of the new governance arrangements required by the 2015 Pension Scheme. The report provided members with a proposal to create a local pension board for the Tayside Pension Fund and to amend the current constitution of the Pension Investment Sub-Committee to accommodate these new requirements.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the contents of the report;

(ii) approved the Terms of Reference and operating arrangements for the Tayside Pension Board;

(iii) agreed the name change of the Pension Investment Sub-Committee to the Pension Sub-Committee;

(iv) agreed to revise the Terms of Reference and operating arrangements for the Pension Sub-Committee to incorporate Pension Administration;

(v) remitted to the City Council to make the necessary appointments to the Pension Board; and

(vi) remitted to the Head of Democratic and Legal Services to make any necessary changes to the Council's Standing Orders and Scheme of Administration for Financial Regulations.

VIII RELIEF OF RATES - CHARITY RELIEF

There was submitted Report No 47-2015 by the Director of Corporate Services relative to the above.

The Committee approved the recommendations detailed in the report.

IX DRAFT GAELIC LANGUAGE PLAN

On a reference to Article XII of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 27th October, 2014, there was submitted Report No 30-2015 by the Chief Executive reporting back to Committee following consultation on a draft Gaelic Language Plan for Dundee City Council.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the changes being proposed as a result of consultation on the Council's draft Gaelic Plan as outlined in paragraph 4.5 of the report; and

(ii) agreed that the revised draft Plan appended to the report be submitted to Bord na Gaidhlig for assessment.

X REPLACEMENT OF BALDRAGON ACADEMY

Reference was made to Article VIII of the minute of the meeting of this Committee of 10th November, 2014, wherein the Committee agreed to proceed to Financial Close of the contract to replace Baldragon Academy and also approved the making of advance payments and the early commitment of expenditure up to a maximum cost of 250,000.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN10-2015 intimating that at this stage, the projected date for achieving financial close on Baldragon Academy was likely to be around mid-March which coincided with the programmed construction start date for works on site. Prior to Financial Close, the Construction Contractor (Robertson Construction Group Ltd) was not in a position to commence works without an agreement being in place with Dundee City Council.

To avoid the works being delayed, an increase in the level of advance payments and early commitment of expenditure from 250,000 to 2,500,000 would be required to cover the projected cost of additional works up to the end of April, 2015. The 2,500,000 was not additional expenditure but came within the total cost of the project and the provision included in the Capital Plan.

In terms of Dundee City Council entering into an advance works agreement, the risk profile was low since essentially the delay related to the timing of financial close rather than a contractual issue. At this stage of the pre-contract process, all financial costs had been agreed with Hubco. The standard contract and schedules to the contract were also well advanced with no outstanding contractual issues.

Accordingly, the Committees authority was sought to entering into a Letter of Intent with Robertson Construction Group Ltd whereby Dundee City Council would increase the maximum expenditure in advance of Financial Close to 2,500,000.

The Committee approved accordingly.

XI INTEGRATED CARE FUND

There was submitted Report No 42-2015 by the Chief Executive advising the Committee of the Integrated Care Fund and how this would be used within Dundee to support the implementation of the Integration of Health and Social Care and to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes for adults.

The Committee noted the Integrated Care Fund Plan.

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 paragraphs 8 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

XII DEVELOPER INTEREST IN SITE 2, DUNDEE WATERFRONT PROJECT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN7-2015 relative to the above.

The Committee approved the note.

XIII DEVELOPER INTEREST IN SITE 12, DUNDEE WATERFRONT PROJECT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN8-2015 relative to the above.

The Committee approved the note.

Ken GUILD, Convener.

APPENDIX I