Last night's City Council meetings lasted around two and a half hours and there was a substantial amount of important business discussed, including :* The HMIE inspection report on child protection services in Dundee and the Council's proposed improvement plan was debated, aimed at swiftly improving services to protect children and young people in the city. The HMIE report is of great concern and, having met with the inspectors earlier yesterday along with other council group leaders and spokespersons, it is clear that the City Council must act promptly and comprehensively to address all issues. At the Policy & Resources Committee, I asked questions of council officers about the sharing of good practice from other local authorities and about securing funding. I also asked the Council Leader to confirm earlier agreement to an all-party meeting with the Minister for Children and Early Years to discuss the funding concerns and received a reluctant and fairly non-commital response. Scottish Government is under-funding children's services - that is clear and obvious and the matter must be discussed with Ministers.
I was supportive of the improvement plan but also spoke in favour of a sensible amendment from the Labour Group that would have improved transparency and provided greater detail on the outcomes expected from the 34 point plan. My comments are reported in today's 'Courier' - see http://tinyurl.com/childprotectiondundee. It is unfortunate that the SNP administration voted down the amendment; transparency and maximum information is vital.
* My attempt to cut all Dundee councillor salaries failed at the City Council’s Policy and Resources Committee but may be revisited after a review of the legal position regarding the setting of such salaries. Tonight's "Evening Telegraph" covers the issue - click on the headline above to view.
My motion to committee last night would have cut back 2009/10 councillor salaries to 2008/9 levels, but council officers ruled such a moved out of order, believing that the Council could not alter the basic salary of a councillor and the of the Council Leader and Lord Provost.
The principle behind my attempt to freeze salaries for all councillors at last year’s levels was simple – that the City Council faces significant financial challenges and I and my colleague Cllr Helen Dick feel that councillors should be taking a lead by freezing the amount spent on councillor salaries at 2008/9 levels and forgoing any rise for the new financial year. This would have led to a budget underspend of over £16 000, which would be returned to General Fund Balances to assist with expenditure on services.
Council officials said at committee last night that it was not within the power of the council to alter certain salaries. I have since spoken with two senior council officers regarding this ruling. It is my understanding that whilst the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee (SLARC) has set salaries in its guidance, the document from SLARC is only that – guidance – and I remain unconvinced that it is not within the power of local authorities to set their own salary levels. At a time of very significant economic difficulties, this was exactly the sort of time when councils should be cutting back on councillor salary levels.
My motion to committee last night would have cut back 2009/10 councillor salaries to 2008/9 levels, but council officers ruled such a moved out of order, believing that the Council could not alter the basic salary of a councillor and the of the Council Leader and Lord Provost.
The principle behind my attempt to freeze salaries for all councillors at last year’s levels was simple – that the City Council faces significant financial challenges and I and my colleague Cllr Helen Dick feel that councillors should be taking a lead by freezing the amount spent on councillor salaries at 2008/9 levels and forgoing any rise for the new financial year. This would have led to a budget underspend of over £16 000, which would be returned to General Fund Balances to assist with expenditure on services.
Council officials said at committee last night that it was not within the power of the council to alter certain salaries. I have since spoken with two senior council officers regarding this ruling. It is my understanding that whilst the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee (SLARC) has set salaries in its guidance, the document from SLARC is only that – guidance – and I remain unconvinced that it is not within the power of local authorities to set their own salary levels. At a time of very significant economic difficulties, this was exactly the sort of time when councils should be cutting back on councillor salary levels.
I have been given an assurance by officers that contact will be made with Scottish Government to secure clarity of the legal position on the setting of councillor salaries. It would indeed be a ridiculous position if local authorities could not choose to lower all its councillor salary levels.
* I attempted to have the City Council's response to the Scottish parliamentary boundary review to oppose the renaming of Dundee West and Dundee East to "Dundee City West" and "Dundee City East" - a pointless complication - unfortunately a pointless complication supported by the Tories and SNP - I lost the vote 17-9. The winner was bureaucracy.
* I sought assurances for community councils with regard to the new scheme for community councils - helpful responses from the council officers.
* Air quality - my question regarding my concerns about progress on this matter in Dundee were answered by e-mail this morning, although I have sent some follow up questions about NO2 assessments in Dundee.
* Allotments - I welcomed a consultation document on allotments in Dundee but raised with the Director of Leisure & Communities the issue of security fencing - an issue I have discussed with many allotment holders.
* Planning Local Review Body - I end this update on a positive note. I moved an amendment to the officers' report on the new planning appeals system to ensure that local ward councillors did not determine appeals in their own wards, to ensure neutrality and fairness in the process. I am pleased that the Council Leader seconded my amendment and this was unanimously approved. This will assist the new Planning Local Review Body to determine appeals that are seen as fair and acceptable to the wider community.