Fair Work, Economic Growth & Infrastructure Committee - 09/06/2025

At a MEETING of the FAIR WORK, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 9th June, 2025.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost Bill CAMPBELL

 

Depute Lord Provost Kevin CORDELL

 

BAILIES

 

Will DAWSON

Willie SAWERS

Helen WRIGHT

Christina ROBERTS

Kevin KEENAN

Derek SCOTT

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Jimmy BLACK

Lynne SHORT

George McIRVINE

Nadia EL-NAKLA

Roisin SMITH

Wendy SCULLIN

Stewart HUNTER

Siobhan TOLLAND

Pete SHEARS

Ken LYNN

Georgia CRUICKSHANK

Daniel COLEMAN

Lee MILLS

Dorothy McHUGH

Michael CRICHTON

Steven ROME

 

Craig DUNCAN

 

Councillor Steven ROME, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 21st April, 2025 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

 

There were no declarations of interest.

 

II ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT WORKS 2025/2026

 

There was submitted Report No 171-2025 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services, asking approval for further Environmental Improvements as part of the 2025/2026 programme.

 

The Committee agreed to approve the projects below:-

 

Project Reference and

Project Description

Contractor

Amount

Fees

Total Amount

 

Project No. C250001

 

Citywide Fencing

Improvements

 

 

Construction Services

 

Ballantine Castings Ltd.

 

 

71,907

 

6,900

 

78,807

 

Project No. C250002

 

Public Toilet Improvements

 

 

Construction Services

 

 

 

118,546

 

18,800

 

137,346

 

Project No. C250003

 

Cemetery infrastructure

works

 

 

Tayside Contracts

 

 

83,130

 

8,313

 

91,443

 

III SOURCING STRATEGY FOR THE PROVISION OF HEADSTONE SAFETY WORK IN CEMETERIES

 

There was submitted Report No 170-2025 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services, presenting a summary of a sourcing strategy as outlined in Section 5 of the Report and seeking approval to award a tender for the provision of Cemetery Headstone Safety Works to ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation.

 

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Tolland, moved that Committee:-

 

(i) approves the Sourcing Strategy as outlined in Section 5 of this Report;

 

(ii) delegates authority to the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services to follow an open tender process to award a contract where the tender price is less than 250,000; and

 

(iii) notes that if the outcome of the open tender process is greater than 10% above this amount, then the outcome will be brought back to Committee for consideration.

 

As an amendment, Councillor Coleman, seconded by Councillor Duncan, moved that recommendation 2.1 be altered to read:

 

(i) approves the Sourcing Strategy as outlined in Section 5 of this Report;

 

(ii) delegates authority to the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services to follow an open tender process to award a contract where the tender price is less than 200,000; and

 

(iii) notes that if the outcome of the open tender process is greater than 10% above this amount, then the outcomes will be brought back to Committee for consideration.

 

On a division, there voted for the motion the Convener, Lord Provost Campbell, Depute Lord Provost Cordell, Bailies Dawson, Roberts, Sawers, Keenan and Wright and Councillors Black, El-Nakla, Hunter, Lynn, Mills, Short, Smith, Tolland, Cruickshank, McHugh, McIrvine, Scullin and Shears (21); and for the amendment Councillors Coleman, Crichton, Duncan and Bailie Scott (4) whereupon the motion was declared carried.

 

IV TENDERS RECEIVED BY CITY DEVELOPMENT

 

There was submitted Report No 108-2025 by the Executive Director of City Development, detailing tenders received and requesting decisions thereon.

 

(a) VARIOUS PROPERTIES INSPECTION, TESTING AND MAINTENANCE OF AIR HANDLING AND CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

 

The Committee agreed to approve the tender from Lovats Group in the sum of 782,939.70, together with allowances of 78,294, giving a total expenditure of 861,233.70.

 

(b) ARDLER COMMUNITY CENTRE REPLACEMENT OF FLAT ROOF COVERING PHASE 1

 

The Committee agreed to approve the tender from Construction Services in the sum of 361,708.54, together with allowances of 65,870.85, giving a total expenditure of 427,579.39.

 

(c) LOCHEE POCKET PARK

 

The Committee agreed to accept the offer from Tayside Contracts in the sum of 112,255.56, together with allowances of 30,000, giving a total expenditure of 142,255.56.

 

(d) UPGRADE AND MAINTENANCE OF PARKING METERS

 

The Committee agreed to accept the tender with the highest-ranking score for cost and quality from IPS Group in the sum of 374,500.

 

V BUS REAL TIME INFORMATION SYSTEM OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE CONTRACT PROCUREMENT

 

There was submitted Report No 154-2025 by the Executive Director of City Development, presenting a sourcing strategy for the procurement of bus real time information system operation and maintenance services and seeking approval to participate in a collaborative award through a national framework contract.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to approve the sourcing strategy detailed in Appendix 1 of the Report and delegate authority to the Executive Director of City Development to participate in a collaborative contract award.

 

VI DUNDEE TRANSIENT VISITOR LEVY

 

There was submitted Report No 155-2025 by the Executive Director of City Development, providing an overview of the powers granted to local authorities by the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024. It also set out the process involved in considering whether to implement a visitor levy in Dundee. Approval was sought to commence early engagement on a potential visitor levy scheme, recognising the growing importance of tourism to the local economy and the needs for engagement with interested parties.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to the approach and timeline for early engagement on a potential visitor levy scheme for Dundee; and

 

(ii) to remit the Executive Director of City Development and Executive Director of Corporate Services to report back on the results of early engagement and produce a draft Dundee Visitor Levy Scheme for Dundee for a final Committee decision on whether to proceed to formal consultation stage.

 

Bailie Scott intimated his dissent from the foregoing decision.

 

VII BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT DUNDEE CITY CENTRE

 

There was submitted Report No 156-2025 by the Executive Director of City Development, providing an update on emerging proposals for a Business Improvement District (BID) in Dundee City Centre and outlining a timetable, future anticipated finance and resource commitments required to support the proposed BID to an anticipated ballot in March 2026.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note the early discussions on the proposed establishment of a Business Improvement District in Dundee City Centre and the timetable of key stages before an anticipated ballot in March 2026;

 

(ii) that the Executive Director of City Development and Executive Director of Corporate Services would engage in the BID process and provide support and guidance on technical aspects, including collection and management of the levy; and

 

(iii) to note that as part of the BID process, the Council would need to provide a Baseline Services Agreement (Service Level Agreement) setting out the services the Council would commit to deliver.

 

VIII DEVELOPMENT PLAN SCHEME 2025

 

There was submitted Report No 162-2025 by the Executive Director of City Development, seeking approval of the Development Plan Scheme 2025 that sets out the programme for reviewing the Dundee Local Development Plan.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note the responses from consultees to the Participation Statement as summarised in Appendix 1 of the Report;

 

(ii) to approve the Development Plan Scheme 2025 as set out in Appendix 2 of the Report; and

 

(iii) to remit the Head of Planning and Economic Development to publish and implement the Development Plan Scheme 2025 and send two copies to the Scottish Government and make copies available via the public libraries in Dundee.

 

IX DUNDEE CITY EVENTS

 

There was submitted Report No 173-2025 by the Executive Director of City Development, seeking approval of the proposal for the Council to deliver two signature events in Dundee as part of the Christmas and St Andrews Day celebrations. In addition, it sought approval of a sourcing strategy for a concession contract that would allow additional activities aimed at families in the city centre over the four weeks leading up to Christmas.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to approve the proposal for Council delivered events in 2025 focusing on Christmas and St Andrews Day;

 

(ii) to approve the sourcing strategy offering a concession contract opportunity for festive City Square activities;

 

(iii) to delegate authority to the Executive Director of City Development to award the concession contract to the successful bidder following a tender process carried out in compliance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015; and

 

(iv) to note that due to resources being focused on Christmas an St Andrews Day, the Dundee Food Festival would not take place in 2025.

 

X SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT CORRIDORS

 

There was submitted Report No 174-2025 by the Executive Director of City Development, detailing tenders received and requesting decisions thereon.

 

The Committee agreed to note that in view of the timescales involved, this report had been approved by the Executive Director of City Development in consultation with the Convener of the Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee, Labour Group Spokesperson, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson and the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Member.

 

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 3, 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

 

XI SALE OF LAND IN EAST END WARD

 

There was submitted Report No 157-2025 by the Executive Director of City Development, seeking approval for the sale of a Development Site as detailed in the report.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to the sale on the terms and conditions outlined in the report.

 

XII SALE OF LAND IN COLDSIDE WARD

 

There was submitted Report No 158-2025 by the Executive Director of City Development, seeking approval for the sale of land as detailed in the report.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to the sale on the terms and conditions outlined in the report.

 

XIII SALE OF LAND IN EAST END WARD

 

There was submitted Report No 159-2025 by the Executive Director of City Development, seeking approval for the sale of the site as detailed in the report.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to the sale on the terms and conditions outlined in the report.

 

XIV SALE OF LAND IN WEST END WARD

 

There was submitted Report No 160-2025 by the Executive Director of City Development, seeking approval for the sale of the site as detailed in the report.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to the sale on the terms and conditions outlined in the report.

 

 

 

 

Steven ROME, Convener.