City Governance Committee - 22/09/2025

At a MEETING of the CITY GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 22nd September, 2025.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost Bill CAMPBELL

Depute Lord Provost Kevin CORDELL

 

BAILIES

 

Will DAWSON	Kevin KEENAN	Helen WRIGHT
Willie SAWERS		Fraser MACPHERSON

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Heather ANDERSON	Lee MILLS	George McIRVINE
Jimmy BLACK	Steven ROME	Wendy SCULLIN
Nadia EL-NAKLA	Lynne SHORT	Pete SHEARS
Mark FLYNN	Roisin SMITH	Daniel COLEMAN
Stewart HUNTER	Siobhan TOLLAND	Michael CRICHTON
Ken LYNN	Georgia CRUICKSHANK	Craig DUNCAN
	Dorothy McHUGH

 

Councillor Mark FLYNN, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 1st September, 2025 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

 

There were no declarations of interest.

 

II PALESTINE

 

The Committee acceded to a request for a deputation to address the Committee relative to this item of business by Mike Whitehead of Dundee Nablus Twinning Association. After the deputation stated their case and answered questions, they were thanked for their attendance and withdrew.

 

This item was placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Scullin who asked the Council to condemn the attacks on Dundees twin city of Nablus and call for a ceasefire, a peace agreement and access for aid workers in Palestine

 

Thereafter, the Committee resolved as follows:-

 

This Council condemns the increasing attacks on our twin city of Nablus at the hands of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) and adds to the calls for a wider ceasefire in Gaza and all of Palestine.

 

Council calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and for a negotiated lasting peace agreement to be reached in order to bring lasting peace and stability to our twin city of Nablus.

 

Council condemns the increasing number of attacks by the IDF, the displacement of people and the loss of civilian lives.

 

Council condemns the holding of both Palestinian and Israeli hostages and looks to unite families across the region.

 

Council calls for access to Gaza for aid workers to distribute aid safely to prevent further famine.

 

Council instructs the Chief Executive of the Council to write to the Foreign Secretary and ask him to write to his Israeli counterpart condemning these attacks.

 

To instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister and ask him to acknowledge the UN Commission of Inquiry report that declares Israel has committed genocide in Gaza; calling on his Government to immediately halt all arms sales to the state of Israel; and to impose economic and cultural sanctions on the state of Israel.

 

III OLYMPIA

 

There was submitted Report No 246-2025 by the Chief Executive, enabling the Committee to scrutinise the report by Burness Paull, Solicitors, regarding the closure of the Olympia Swimming and Leisure Centre in 2024 following 6.1m of capital investment by Dundee City Council.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note and scrutinise the report by Burness Paull, Solicitors, regarding the closure of the Olympia Swimming and Leisure Centre in 2024 following 6.1m of capital investment by Dundee City Council as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report; and

 

(ii) to remit the report by Burness Paull to the Scrutiny Committee for their further consideration.

 

IV STRATEGIC REVIEW OF LEISURE AND CULTURE DUNDEE

 

There was submitted Report No 289-2025 by the Chief Executive, presenting the strategic review of Leisure and Culture Dundee (LACD), conducted by EKOS. This comprehensive review was commissioned by Dundee City Council (DCC) to ensure that LACD met the current and future needs of our local communities, aligned with best practices, maximised resource utilisation, was financially sustainable, and provided value for money.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to consider the contents of the full report as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report;

 

(ii) to note the proposed key actions summarised in Appendix 1 to the report which would be discussed and developed more fully in conjunction with LACD; and

 

(iii) to remit officers (DCC and LACD) to develop a prioritised action plan with timescales and include any additional recommendations proposed by LACD.

 

V STANDING ORDERS AND SCHEMES OF ADMINISTRATION FOR FINANCIAL REGULATIONS, TENDERPROCEDURES AND DELEGATION OF POWERS TO OFFICERS

 

There was submitted Report No 293-2025 by the Chief Executive, reviewing the Councils Standing Orders and Schemes of Administration for Financial Regulations, Tender Procedures and Delegation of Powers to Officers.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to approve the Standing Orders which were attached to the report;

 

(ii) to remit to the Head of Democratic and Legal Services to make any further consequential amendments to the Standing Orders; and

 

(iii) to authorise the Chief Executive to undertake a consultation with all elected members, external members of the Children, Families and Communities Committee and the wider public regarding the timing of meetings, which are currently held at 5pm on Mondays, including consideration of holding meetings on other weekdays during daytime hours. A report to be brought back to a future Committee no later than the end of January 2026.

 

VI MEMBERS SALARIES

 

There was submitted Report No 281-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, recommending a revised scheme of salaries for Elected Members following changes to Council Committee structure.

 

The Committee agreed to suspend Standing Order 39(1) in terms of Standing Order 42 to consider this report and approved the Members salaries as set out in Appendix A to the report, effective from 1st October, 2025.

 

VII BUDGET STRATEGY AND FINANCIAL OUTLOOK 2026/2027

 

There was submitted Report No 235-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, presenting the medium-term financial projections and to recommend a strategy to address the projected budget shortfall for 2026/2027.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note the financial projections and risks set out in the report and their impact on the future ability of the Council to carry out its statutory functions;

 

(ii) to note that a review of the assumptions included in the budget forecast is being undertaken and the outcome of this review will be reflected in an updated provisional revenue budget for 2026/2027 that would be presented to members in due course;

 

(iii) to note that a separate report on budget consultation for 2026/2027 would be presented to a future meeting of the Committee;

 

(iv) to the budget strategy set out in Section 5 of the report; and

 

(v) to note the outline timetable set out in Section 7 of the report.

 

VIII CAPITAL EXPENDITURE MONITORING 2025/2026

 

There was submitted Report No 237-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, appraising the Committee of the latest position regarding the Council's Capital Plan 2025-2030.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note the latest position regarding the Council's Capital Plan 2025-2030; and

 

(ii) to extend the delegated authority of the Head of Sustainable Transport and Roads, as approved at Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee on 21st August, 2023 (Report 222-2023 Article V refers) to cover the additional 0.916m, as detailed in paragraph 5.2.1, of the report. The vehicles would be purchased through the relevant national framework contract to ensure market competition and best value.

 

IX REVENUE MONITORING 2025/2026

 

There was submitted Report No 240-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, providing the Committee with an analysis of the 2025/2026 projected revenue outturn as at 30th June, 2025 and the impact on the Councils overall revenue budget position.

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note that as at 30th June, 2025, the General Fund is projecting an overall overspend for the year of 6.8m against the adjusted 2025/2026 Revenue Budget, the impact this has on the projected Councils General Fund Balances and the actions being taken to address the forecast budget shortfall;

 

(ii) to note the budget adjustments totalling 2.317m and detailed in the second column of Appendix A and (summarised in Appendix B) as adjustments to the previously approved Revenue Budget;

 

(iii) to note that as at 30th June, 2025, the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is projecting an overspend of 2.637m against the adjusted HRA 2025/2026 Revenue Budget and the impact this has on the element of the projected Renewal and Repair Fund balance earmarked to HRA;

 

(iv) to note the information included in paragraph 3.4 in relation to financial recovery and authorise the Executive Director of Corporate Services to continue to take actions to address any overspends with an objective of achieving a balanced budget;

 

(v) to authorise the Executive Director of Corporate Services to:-

 

(i) take steps to control in year spend to reduce the projected overspends including by limiting overtime, ceasing avoidable expenditure on supplies and services;

 

(ii) further review earmarked balances; and

 

(iii) in consultation with Corporate Leadership Team identify further financial recovery options.

 

X SOURCING STRATEGY AND PROPOSED TENDER AWARD FOR PENSION ADMINISTRATION SERVICES

 

There was submitted Report No 282-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, providing an update on the development of a sourcing strategy for the tender process for pension administration services to undertake GMP (Guaranteed Minimum Pension) reconciliation, and the rectification of Tayside Pension Funds records to HMRC records to ensure accurate reflection of the Funds contracted out liability, and to seek approval to commence a compliant tender process, leading to the award of a contract.

 

The Committee agreed to approve the commencement of a direct award to Equiniti in respect of the provision of GMP reconciliation, based on the sourcing strategy summarised in the report.

 

 

 

 

Mark FLYNN, Convener.