City Governance Committee - 01/12/2025

At a MEETING of the CITY GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 1st December, 2025.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost Bill CAMPBELL

 

Depute Lord Provost Nadia EL-NAKLA

 

BAILIES

 

Will DAWSON

Kevin KEENAN

Christina ROBERTS

Willie SAWERS

Helen WRIGHT

Derek SCOTT

 

Fraser MACPHERSON

 

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Heather ANDERSON

Lee MILLS

Dorothy McHUGH

Jimmy BLACK

Steven ROME

Wendy SCULLIN

Kevin CORDELL

Lynne SHORT

Pete SHEARS

Mark FLYNN

Roisin SMITH

Daniel COLEMAN

Stewart HUNTER

Siobhan TOLLAND

Michael CRICHTON

Ken LYNN

Georgia CRUICKSHANK

Craig DUNCAN

 

Councillor Mark Flynn, Convener in the Chair for Articles I and III to IX.

 

Bailie Willie Sawers, Depute Convener, in the Chair for Article II.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 17th November, 2025 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

 

Councillor Flynn declared an interest in the item of business at Article II of this meeting by virtue of being a member of the NHS Board and took no involvement in the discussion and withdrew from the Chamber during its consideration, whereupon the Chair was taken by Bailie Sawers, Depute Convener.

 

II NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (NICU), NINEWELLS HOSPITAL

 

This item was placed on the agenda at the request of Bailie Keenan who asked the Committee to agree to oppose any downgrading of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Ninewells Hospital.

 

Thereafter, Bailie Keenan seconded by Councillor Cruickshank moved:-

 

Dundee City Council strongly objects to the proposed down-grading of the services provided by the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Ninewells Hospital.

 

It is wholly unacceptable for parents with a newly born child who has complex medical needs, to have to consider the additional emotional upheaval of that care being delivered in Aberdeen, Glasgow or Edinburgh.

 

Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Chief Executive and the Board of NHS Tayside, Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health along with the First Minister, John Swinney MSP firmly expressing Councils opposition to these proposals.

 

As an amendment Councillor Tolland seconded by Councillor Lynn moved that:-

 

Dundee City Council welcomes the improvements made to neonatal care across Scotland over the last 8 years. The implementation of the Best Start; 2017 recommendations have built strong, localised, family-centred care, centralising the voice of mothers in their journey to birth and motherhood. We welcome the support and guidance of the neonatal charity, BLISS, who have offered support and guidance in these changes, helping NHS Scotland offer the best care for all newborn babies.

 

We ask the Chief Executive to write to NHS Tayside and Cabinet Secretary for Health & Social Care, Neil Gray MSP to offer further reassurance to families that the Ninewells Neonatal Care Unit will continue to offer local high-level care for most babies. For our sickest and smallest babies, however, highly specialised national intervention may be necessary to secure their best chances of survival and healthy development.

 

On a division there voted for and for the motion Bailies Keenan, Wright, Macpherson, Roberts and Scott and Councillors Cruickshank, McHugh, Scullin, Shears, Coleman, Crichton and Duncan (12); and for the amendment - the Depute Convener, Lord Provost Campbell, Depute Lord Provost El-Nakla, Bailie Dawson and Councillors Anderson, Black, Cordell, Hunter, Lynn, Mills, Rome, Short, Smith and Tolland (14); whereupon the amendment was carried and became the finding of the meeting.

 

III PROTECTING PEOPLE ANNUAL REPORT 2024/2025

 

There was submitted Report No 350-2025 by the Protecting People Committee Independent Chairs, presenting to the Committee the annual report published by the Protecting People Committees for the period 2024/2025.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note the content of the annual report for the Dundee Protecting People Committees

as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report;

 

(ii) to note the progress made in developing an effective partnership response to the needs of at-risk children and adults during 2024/2025 as detailed in Section 4.2 of the report; and

 

(iii) to note the challenges and priority areas for action identified across the annual reports for focus during 2025/2026 and beyond as detailed in Section 4.3 of the report.

 

IV CHIEF EXECUTIVES SERVICE PLAN 2023/2028 MID YEAR PROGRESS REPORT FOR 2025/2026

 

There was submitted Report No 328-2025 by the Chief Executive, providing an update on the progress made so far during financial year 2025/2026 (Year 3) of the Chief Executives Service Plan for 2023/2028.

 

The Committee agreed to note the progress summarised in Section 5.0 of the report and approved the detailed progress report attached as an Appendix to the report.

 

V CAPITAL EXPENDITURE MONITORING 2025/2026

 

There was submitted Report No 333-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, appraising of the latest position regarding the Councils Capital Plan 2025/2030.

 

The Committee agreed to note the latest position regarding the Council's Capital Plan 2025/2030.

 

VI REVENUE MONITORING 2025/2026

 

There was submitted Report No 343-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, providing an analysis of the 2025/2026 projected revenue outturn as at 30th September, 2025 and the impact on the Councils overall revenue budget position.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note that as at 30th September, 2025, the General Fund was projecting an overall overspend for the year of 3.404m against the adjusted 2025/2026 Revenue Budget, the impact this had on the Councils General Fund Balances and the actions being taken to address the forecast budget shortfall;

 

(ii) to note the budget adjustments totalling 5.223m and detailed in the second column of Appendix A of the report and summarised in Appendix B of the report as adjustments to the previously approved Revenue Budget;

 

(iii) to note that as at 30th September 2025, the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) was projecting an overspend of 2.600m against the adjusted HRA 2025/2026 Revenue Budget and the impact this had on the projected Renewal and Repair Fund balance earmarked to HRA;

 

(iv) to note the information included in Section 3.6 of the report in relation to financial recovery and authorise the Executive Director of Corporate Services to continue to take actions to address forecast overspends with the objective of achieving a balanced budget; and

 

(v) to note that as outlined in Section 3.3 of the report it did not reflect projections and costs associated with the Voluntary Severance and Early Retirement (VSER) scheme and these would be reflected in future monitoring reports.

 

VII CHIEF SOCIAL WORK OFFICER ANNUAL REPORT

 

There was submitted Report No 247-2025 by the Chief Social Work Officer, bringing forward for information the Chief Social Work Officers Annual Report for 2024/2025, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.

 

The Committee agreed to note the content of the report and the Chief Social Work Officers Annual Report for 2024/2025, which was attached to the report as Appendix I.

 

VIII DUNDEE INTEGRATION JOINT BOARD PERFORMANCE AND STRATEGIC PLANNING DEVELOPMENTS 2024/2025

 

There was submitted Report No 344-2025 by the Executive Director of Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership, informing the Committee of the publication of the Dundee Integration Joint Boards statutory Annual Performance Report 2024/2025, and of the key developments in relation to strategic planning for adult health and social care.

 

The Committee agreed to note the content of the report, including the achievements throughout 2024/2025 in the commissioning and delivery of integrated health and social care services as detailed in Sections 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 of the report.

 

IX DEVELOPING A WHOLE FAMILY SUPPORT APPROACH

 

There was submitted Report No 349-2025 by the Chief Executive, providing an overview of Whole Family Support (WFS) approach, including initial assessment of where this more focussed and integrated approach should be prioritised in Dundee. 

 

The Committee agreed:- 

 

(i) to note the contents of the report and the WFS approach in principle; 

 

(ii) to officers engaging with communities in the East End and North East wards to develop this approach and how it should be coordinated; and

 

(iii) to further updates being brought forward as the approach develops. 

 

 

X AUDITORIUM HIRE DRUMGEITH COMMUNITY CAMPUS 2025/2026

 

There was submitted Agenda Note AN38-2025 reporting that the Committee was asked to approve the following rates to be applied for auditorium hire at Drumgeith Community Campus.

 

The Review of Charges outlined all terms and conditions for hiring Dundee City Council facilities, Committee Report 57-2025 Provisional Revenue Budget and Review of Charges refers. This was reviewed annually as part of the budget-setting process.

 

Drumgeith Campus opened to the public on Monday, 25th August 2025, and the auditorium is now available for hire. As the Drumgeith auditorium was a unique resource, offering conferencing, performance and event space, there was no direct equivalent in the Review of Charges agreed for 2025/2026. This had necessitated bespoke arrangement being put in place for this resource.

 

Following local benchmarking with other similar events and conferencing spaces, it was proposed to set the following hourly rates:

 

- 100 for commercial hires

- 85 for standard hires

- 50 for concession hires

 

All Drumgeith Campus charges would be reviewed as part of the 2026/2027 Review of Charges process and the auditorium would be included as part of that process.

 

The Committee agreed to the terms of the Note.

 

 

 

 

Mark FLYNN, Convener.