Find the agenda for these meetings here: https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/calendar
Online and joining us on live streaming and best wishes to everyone for 2024 this is city council Roger thank you Lord proest welcome to this meeting of dundy city council which is being held remotely in terms of section 43 of the local governments in Scotland act 2003 all members and attendance are able
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The same as in a face-to-face meeting standing orders will apply to the proceedings and the terms of the counselor’s code of conduct will also apply in the normal way does any member have any queries regarding this procedure there are no queries Lord provest so I’ll now ask the committee
Services officer to take a roll call for the minute thank you thank you as indicated I will now take a rooll call for the minute I would asate members confirm their presence when I call their names Lord provest present councelor Alexander evening I’m here councelor Anderson present Deputy Lord provis Cardell present Billy
Dawson I’m here ccor El nlar hi I’m present councelor Flynn counselor Flynn I can screen same councelor Hunter good evening I’m here coun ly present Bailey robberts Robert seems to be having connection issues to get into the meeting Al Mark is absent at the moment thank you councelor Rome I’m here thank
You Aly SS and I’m here caner short good evening here thank you councelor Smith I’m here councelor toand hello Happy New Year I’m here Al Keenan present councelor krook shank present councelor finan councelor finan could you put her apologies in please if she’s not here I will do thank
You councelor mcure present councelor McAn councelor McAn present thank you I’ve received apologies for councelor Malone councelor scullin present councel shears present Aly D present Aly mcferson good evening present councelor colan good evening councelor Katon present councelor Duncan here IL Scott here thank you that concludes the rooll call thank you elain
Roger thank you again Lord provest Lord provest members of the council there is one item of business this evening the minutes for information and record purposes are there any question well reticent as I am to actually ask a question myself here I’m going to find May Roger because in the minutes I
Appear to be at two of the meetings on the 20th of November and not at two and I wasn’t there at all actually in the 20th I was so can I just flag that up thank you very much for confirming that Lord proest I’ll ass sure that the
Minutes are suitably amended thank you very much is this a agreed thank you very much that city council thank you Lord provest the next committee is the fairw work economic growth and infrastructure committee thank you Roger and welcome to the fairwork economic growth and infrastructure committee and happy New
Year for me as well can we have the first item please thank you convenor item one Declaration of Interest are there any declarations to the agenda as it stands can’t see any currently do we have any I’m not seeing any messages so I take that as a no so next item please
Thank you there being no declarations item two Civic government Scotland act 1982 street names a is a new residential development at n Grove D do we have any questions or or comments on item me I’m not seeing any at this time uh can that be agreed think that agreement thank you
And Item B please is new residential development at Tom Johnson Road dunde any questions or comments on this one I’m not seeing any can that be agreed thank you I’ll take that as agreement next item please Alim thank you item three dundy city council Millan stopping up of access roads foot paths
And foot B ways order 2024 commit asked to re approve the commencement of this order condition upon the current application for planning permission being granted and to Grant delegate authority to the executive director of State development to instruct the making of the order once planning permission has been granted and
Thereafter if no objections are received to instruct the order be confirmed do I have any questions or comments on this item from anyone don’t see any hands or any comments I’ll take that as agreed then thank you next item please item four is environmental Improvement Works 2023 24 and this is for
Approval so this item seeks approval for further environmental Improvement works as part of the 2023 2024 program includes a range of projects which will be undertaken across the city designed to improve and enhance open spaces and make them safer and more attractive places for residents to enjoy across
Dundee um ccor K I believe you got a question here thank you actually a comment and a question if that’s all right um convenor I just want to take the opportunity um to thank officers um for the proposed works at greater BG including the new fence um at Rose
Garden and the cemetery wall repairs um B mcferson and I were recently contacted about the fencing repairs required about the boundary fence um to the cemetery and Royal Victor Hospital immediately north of Elli Road and we’re really grateful um of officers efforts and the prompt action um to raise these um order
Repairs but can I ask um that local elected members are send details of the precise locations of the Pro’s ball ards um on B Hill please thank you K thank you k k I’m sure officers will appreciate those comments I think Mr Bo is on the call tonight I’m sure he can
Pick that up with you if you could confirm Please Mr Bo thanks good thanks for the kind comments coun c yeah I can confirm I can provide those details as a new um black steel Palace fans going in will’ll get the details around the boards and the stuff you’ve asked for thank
Great thank you thank you Mr um does that satisfy your question Mr Kon yeah great thank you I’ll take it thank youly thank you H next item please Denine item five City Center Strategic investment Plan update and next steps so this report provides the committee with an update following the
Approval of the city center Strategic investment plan uh which is easier to see written than say uh the report sets out progress across the five key themes of the document as well seeking approval to prioritize and focus the next phase of capital and revenue investment in the
Eastern quarter of the city center uh b m first please uh thanks conven and Happy New Year to everyone um you may recall that at the time we discussed uh improvements in Union Street our group did make the point that we felt that there was a real need a real need for
Focus on the muray gate given the number of units uh that are now empty the loss of for example at chbc and the impend loss of the M&S store um and a number of uh longer term empty units so we’re very pleased indeed to see this therefore
Coming forward um I would make uh the point that um Street skate works are very welcome and this is potentially a substantial investment in Commercial Street and Murray gate um however what we would want and I’m sure officers will confirm that they will do be doing this
Um is is to ensure that there is good engagement with uh unit owners um not just in relation to uh encouraging them um to uh look at innovative ways to try to fill empty units but also to look at um improving the street skate by frankly
The removal of graffiti now I and I know councelor Duncan has also reported City Center uh graffiti I’ve reported graffiti and I’m sure the local members um uh in the area have as well now walking along uh the murate today you will see the former HSBC unit now that’s
A big company with um frankly uh you know a a very healthy financial position and I think some engagement with them on removing the graffiti mess on the empty unit and also there’s a unit directly opposite atbc uh a much smaller unit but nonetheless looks pretty awful to be
Perfectly Frank and I noticed that some cities and towns across the country have working in partnership with uh private sector owners managed to get empty units to look a lot more tidy and perhaps put something in the front of the shop to make it look as though it may be you
Know looking a little bit less unoccupied a good example of that locally actually the wellgate center uh management have done a little bit of that within the wellgate center and I think that’s a good thing so I’m I’m hoping that we will see not just the streetcape works that this um report
Alludes to and seeks Rec you know recommends uh that we approve which I’m sure we will want to but I think ongoing engagement with uh unit owners um in not just the muray gate but specifically and particularly the muray gate given uh the current situation there H would be very
Very welcome thank you convener thank you B MC Thon for your support of comments and uh totally understand where you’re coming from I can understand as well the frustration with graffiti and I know that’s something that the city center manager has had a particular focus on um I’ll bring in Mr Hamilton
For your comments regarding the city center and then perhaps uh Mr Bo might be able to say something about and the work that uh are done across Department to combat graffit in the city center but Mr Hamilton please thank you convenor um I would give Billy uh Billy mcon the
Assurance that we will engage with uh Property Owners Traders uh in the mate in the wide area area and I think it’s important to note that we work very closely with colleagues in Neighborhood Services Under the tap pride in your uh City initiative to improve and work with
Stakeholders in the city center and not withstanding the the capital investment that uh we’re seeking approval for tonight I think a lot of the the small scale housekeeping measures that the Traders and businesses in the city them Center themselves can take responsible uh responsibility for they will make a
Difference uh so we work very closely uh with uh Mr Bo’s team on on those matters um in relation to the units themselves we have worked with some uh Property Owners to try and ensure that where shops are vacant we give the best possible appearance uh there are a
Couple of un units on uh reform Street where we’ve used vinyls uh sometimes just to uh promote uh the city central Strategic investment plan itself or the dundy loves local initiative on others we have um covered the shop front and we work with a local company just to use uh
That shop front for uh promoting local events and activities it’s a shortterm temporary measure but I think we recognize that unless we keep on top of these matters it can lead to uh problems within the city center so I think we take the comments that Billy mcferson
Has made uh and we’ll continue to to promote uh the investment and work with owners uh to try improve the City Center thank you Mr Hamilton and Mr Bo ni good yeah just to confirm what Mr Hamilton said we have a very good working relationship and we’re in top of
The graffiti management across the city as best we can there’s been quite a number of incidences recently in City Square particularly the pening down to Castle Street think over a dozen times in the last three months but um the aim is to try and get to keep in top of that
To to to kind of zero tolerance coach thanks K thank you Mr Bo um next question is from if that’s okay Bailey mcon I’m presume that’s very helpful comments from both Mr Bo Mr Hamilton I’m grateful to them both thank you thank you H biley Scott please thanks convenor um I wanted to
Ask about the section that deals with prominent buildings that are in a poor and deteriorating physical condition particularly the king’s theater and I’ve corresponded with the Department recently about that so I’m pleased to see that it’s included in the report in in in the way the is but when it talks
About encouraging the maintenance and reuse of these buildings I just wondered what form of encouragement will that that take and how will we um uh compel the owners to bring it back to its former glory and will the council be using its powers available to it in
Respect of listed buildings to make sure something happens there thanks Billy Scott Mr Hamilton thank you convenor um the council has various stat powers that it can use um and it’s uh ensuring that we use the right power in the right circumstance so under the building Scotland act there are Provisions uh
Where we can serve notice um for defective buildings and if uh situation is more serious it can be a dangerous building’s notice um in situations where the terms of a dangerous building notice are not complied with we can actually undertake Works themselves uh and seek to recover the cost costs from the
Building owner um but sometimes we try and get in ahead of those statutory notices and work with property owners to remind them of their responsibilities to keep buildings in good standards of repair uh but there are powers that we can use where they fail to do so I think
Bailey Scott you mentioned uh powers under the listed building and conservation areas legislation and in appropriate circumstances we can also use those but often they don’t do enough to bring the building back to its full Glory they may just deal with the the uh the particular issues with the building
Itself so I think we’re trying to use the city center Strategic investment plan to ensure that there is a long-term plan not just for the maintenance of the exterior fabric but to ensure that these important buildings that are part of Dundee’s Heritage are brought back into future use uh and they make a
Contribution not just uh they look better but they actually are driving footfall encouraging vibrancy okay thank you thank you Mr Hamilton thank you V Scott uh next I’ve got councelor short please good evening convener um I was just a couple of things uh first of all
Um I think Gregor picked up on what I was going to say about the um the decals um one of the more minable ones is the old registar um in uh Commercial Street um I know it well because that’s where I get my bus um and I know that that decal
There are making it look more attractive has meant that there’s a new tenant going in there soon so that’s quite exciting so these decals do make a difference I genuinely believe um we’re also fighting um against a massive um change in Direction when it comes to um
Our city centers obviously and uh I’m I’m I’m proud to say not that I get for that many people but I managed to get all my Christmas shop in on the High Street and I made a point of doing that because ultimately uh we’ve got to vote with our feet as
Well and lead by example um but I did I I do think that what’s going to happen in the overgate is another reason why we have to be especially aware of what’s happening in the money gate so I’m really pleased to see this investment coming along and again it’s a little bit
Of um it’s a little bit like if you if you don’t see something no one actually notices the difference and some of us may have noticed that they’re doing a consult at the moment about the retail bins that have disappeared from our city center and they’ve done a brilliant
Project between City development and Neighborhood Services and the bins that you would see as you work towards the Arctic Bar which were 5 six s which were belonging to various businesses around the area are no no longer out like that and cuties wind is another one so I
Think although we get often um chastised for our city centers and how Bleak they are I think sometimes we’re very um unwilling to praise actually the great things that are happening as well so I’d like to thank the work that sometimes goes on unseen um and what’s been
Happening with that and I’m really pleased to see that we’re going to do additional stuff going forward so thank you for bringing this and thank you to everybody that’s been involved thank you Council sh for your comments and and again I mentioned the city center manager earlier and um gner
Has done a power of work in in that specific project of of getting those commercial BS Offer Street so um you can only be commended for that as you say it’s it’s the things that are unseen that that make that difference so thanks for highlighting that again um councelor scullin
Please hello um I’ve just got a we comment uh to make on the part where it says the event strategy has been approved it says it’s the event strategy 25 to 30 but the event strategy was actually dated 24th to 29 um and also just a we question about the
Lighting on Exchange Street although it looks great I think it looks fantastic I just feel like it’s a shame it sort of ends halfway down the street I wondered if there was any plans to continue that lighting or maybe go out onto Commercial Street or out Castle Street with
It thank you for that con scullin we’ll get that double checked um I’ll bring in Mr Hamilton because my understanding was that works and Exchange Suite were in progress I’m not sure if it’s now finished or not and there was one C train that was up and there was a second
To Du up so I don’t know if it is finished but Mr Hamilton you can maybe confirm whether those Works have been completed convenor I think you are right that there’s further works that have been done in the last couple of days I do I think the the last of the lighting
Has now been installed within the budget that we had available and the approvals that we secured previously uh but I think that’s a project that um brought the traders in Exchange Street together to discuss what they think uh they would like to do that would improve Exchange
Street and it’s an example that we would look to follow in other streets in the city center where we have budget that would allow those types of intervention to be made uh and streets like Castle Street I think would be ideal opportunities for that in the
Future thank you for that and thank you for your comment councelor scullin H last I’ve got Bailey Kenan please right thanks can can obviously we’re a cast strapped Council and we’re going to spend considerable money on on the streetcape and you know I’m not going to
Stand in the way of that but wondering you know if if offers have given officers have given any consideration to pressure washing areas within the city given that you know come the summer most people in taking up their Garden will start by pressure washing their mono block and their driveways uh you know
The the you know the the paving slabs round about to remove moss might the place look a bit tidier and it would appear that in some areas of the city a sort of pressure wash would lift that area enough to I’m wondering if there’s any consideration being given to that
And and and if not why we not doing it uh because I mean there’s some areas look quite tired in Mankey washing them a bit would make a difference thanks Bailey Kenan I totally understand your point of view and uh thanks for support comments about the
Stre set Works uh which are welcome I think probably we’re still in in in Winter and going into the spring and I would imagine there’d be those kind of clear up work you describe but I’m May bringing Mr Bo to um see if there’s anything on the on the horizon
That’s conven thanks Billy K that that’s a very relevant point about the the jet washing of the um the heart standing throughout the city I can update committee that we actually have recently brought in a deck scrubber it’s a very specialist bit of um kit that allows us
To do that detailed scrubbing and anyone who may have noticed City Square for example over the last four months has been treated continuously so much so that it actually come up as almost a different color been scrubed so well we’ve been continuing that work through the nether gate and muray gate over the
Last couple of months it was on higher for three months the piece of equipment and we’re looking to get that back in again uh because it’s obviously made a a great Improvement to the uh the kind of the public realm within the city and we will take on board other locations
Across the city if we’re able to get that in the future thanks K thank you Mr B that’s really interesting to know um there being no other comments can this item be agreed thank you I’ll take that as agreement next item then please alen thank you convenor item six dundy food
And sustainability event 2024 so this report seeks approval for the development and delivery of a new Festival focused on food and sustainability if approved the festiv will take place at the end of May uh or the beginning of June 2024 will princip be focused in the uh base in the city
Center sorry but there’ll be opportunities for a range of community groups businesses and wider stakeholders to participate in events across the city uh I believe uh councelor Coleman you’re first with questions and a comment as well I believe please yeah thank you Mr G as
You recall our group um view the loss of the longstanding flu Flav and food event at campan Park is quite unfortunate and you know greater effort should be made to retain it but we are where we are uh whilst I would agree that some event is
Better than no event at all we are concerned that both this report at 4.8 and the media messaging has emphasized modest and scale and the scoping document is quite short and lacks any real detail in light of this could I ask the director if once the working group is established regular updates on
Progress are given to given by the group or the department to all elected members please uh I think that as you say there’s a bit of work still to be done on this but I’ll bring in Mr Hamilton just to elucidate that Mr Hamilton thank you convenor um as noted
In the report I think this is a new event um in the city and in some ways we want to test various things before uh we see how things progress uh and the hope would be that over time the the scale and the scope of the event will increase
But building on where we achieve success and where we try new things that maybe a less successful we can adapt uh year on year um I think the the suggestion from councelor Coleman uh about providing an update to members we’re happy to do that once the proposed Steering group has met
And we have a little bit more of the detail uh that he referred to I think that’s something that officers would be willing to do thank you Mr Hamilton and thank you councelor colan sorry you finished yes as we say thank you thank you thank you sorry that
Didn’t come through very clearly uh councelor shears I think you’re next thanks canina um I’ve got one small question one a bit more substant anal I think Greg has touched on it h the first question would be in terms of the financial outlay from the council what’s
The difference in terms of what we’ll be spending on this one compared to the old event at camper down and secondly it would be good to know what the justification is to take it away from camper down we know that camper down has the ability to hold these big events um
It’s proven with a flower and food fesal in the past and with big weekend but I think Gregor has touched on it a bit there with the aiming to try something new as a new thing rather than a direct replacement I think you put the nail on
The head councelor Shear is this this is something very new and it’s very much about partnership working with different agencies and that may not be particularly suited to being in the same venue also there’s the accessibility angle but I’ll bring in uh Mr Hamilton again sorry that’s my laptop Mr
Hamilton thank you convenor um I’m maybe need to get back to councelor shears on the the budget that previously uh was used used unless uh Mr Bo or Miss swirling can answer uh for the former flow and food festival um I think it was a significantly higher sum uh and
Obviously that event there was much that depended on the weather that impacted on the number of people that attended and bought tickets um the event that we’re proposing um in the city center um the vast majority of activity we anticipate being free uh so there will be no
Ticketed element to the parts that the council uh is responsible for but of course we’re suggesting that there may be other partners that will come in and provide activities under the banner of this event and it may be that some of those events May have uh a charge for
That but that would be for those organizers to to be responsible for the thinking behind bringing something into the city center is because of the benefit that businesses and the accessibility of the city center brings so so for many people getting to camper down uh if they didn’t have access to a
Car could be more challenging uh whereas a lot of the public transport routes coming into dundy come into the city center and if we can bring an event into uh a very accessible location uh there is benefits to all those who may wish to attend that’s uh true also for a lot of
The active travel routes um and because of the the focus of the event on sustainability as well as food I think it’s important that we try and make sure that we uh we live those values through the organization of the event there is also the potential to um as I said have
Benefits to the retailers the the hospitality businesses in the city center by driving that footfall into the the center of dundy encouraging them to stay uh so we’re thinking that this will be initially at least a two-day event uh and it may be that if people are
Encouraged to travel to dunde for the event they might stay overnight eat out in the evening and other things so that’s the thinking behind uh bringing it into the city center some of the analysis I think that was done of the event in camper down a lot of people
Traveled to the event uh and then left and went home again and and there was no wider benefit to the city from that activity so that’s that’s the thinking that we have behind behind the location thank you Mr Hamilton I I think that’s very helpful and I hope you agree
Councelor shares yeah that’s great thank you thank you uh Bill Fon please H thanks convenor I agree with the point that councelor Coleman made in relation to the our group viewed the loss of the camperon event as unfortunate but I think as he said we are where we are we
Need to make the best of what we now have and I just want to make and I don’t want you to appear negative but I do want to make two comments regarding uh the comments H sorry the content of the report and also the media messaging that went out regarding
Uh the launch of this as it were I would be grateful if maybe this modest and scale bit is dropped because it read to me in the media stuff like it was a little event in the corner don’t expect too much and I think that’s not a
Messaging that we really we don’t you know this isn’t a simply a another doors open day for Community Gardens it has to be more than that and I think it’s important that the modest bit is not taken forward and that we view this as a very positive thing whether or not we H
Um um viewed the the loss of the event at camper down is unfortunate the other thing is and I fully accept that the title The Working title Food For Thought is not um the final title uh we will all have different views my view is I didn’t
Think that sounded exactly upbeat if I’m being perfectly honest it sounded more like the Reverend IM am Jolly Sunday sermon title to be perfectly honest and I and I really feel that something a bit more upbeat I mean I would prefer dundy food festival 2024 to that to be honest
Now we’ll all have our views and at the end of the day we’re admitted to the working group to move this all forward and I’m grateful to Mr Hamilton for his confirmation to councelor Coleman that we’ll all be kept updated I think that’s welcome but as I say just a couple of
Points about the modest and scale in the working title and we’ll look forward to updates from the working group in j cour thank you conven thank you Bailey with first I’m sure we’ll I’ll take that on board and and have to say um I don’t think I particularly disagree with with
Much of that um Billy Scott thanks I wanted to ask about the working group and what stage are the stakeholders will be pulled in to ask for input into it and I’m thinking in particular of Bry fery Traders Association who have a a proven track record of of um
Facilitating uh really good events and they’ll have lots of businesses that want to take part uh in this Festival so uh would he be invited to take part in the working group Mr Hamilton thank you commer um I think we’re at a very early stage uh at the
Moment so we’ve had some tentative discussions with uh organizations that we think will want to play a part in this event but it’s something that we are open to involving many others and if they want to do something under that Banner of the event I think we would be
Very supportive of that so I’ll I’ll make note and pass on to colleagues uh the potential interest of the Traders Association in Bry fery and and make sure that appropriate contact is made thank you thank Mr thank you Bailey Scott Council sh up please uh thank you very much um I just
Wanted to come in and say that obviously it’s wetted the appetite sorry Fraser that’s merely as bad as Food For Thought um of some of the organizations within the Maryfield W who’ve already been in touch to say that they’re champion the bit to get involved so hopefully that’s
Something that we’ll see across the board and people will want to get involved um in something as um exciting as this um as modest as modest as we can be as dundy be bold be ambitious be d d so we’ll just see how modest it can be
And as long as we all get behind it and not be too negative about it I’m sure it can be as cracken as some of the other things that we put on like 16 days of activism and women’s festival and all the other things that focus on all the
Great things in and around our community so thank you for bringing this forwards thank you again councelor sh I see no further comments Co so can this item be agreed please thank you I’ll take that as agreement next item then please Al thank you item seven dosing monitoring and
Maintenance of water feature active travel travel Hub fiveyear contract uh thank you this item seeks approval of a sourcing strategy for the dozing monitoring and maintenance of the water feature and Associate equipment of the active travel Hub as alen has just said do you have any questions or comments on this
Item just give it a few seconds I can’t see any raised hands or comments so can this be agreed thank you next item please thank you item eight inspection testing and maintenance of f extinguishing equipment seven-year contract this item six approval for the commencement of a sour sourcing strategy
To the inspection testing and maintenance of Fire extinguishing Equipment in Council properties across the city do have any questions or comments on this item no can I take that as agreed then thank you next item please alen item nine is inspection testing and maintenance of air handling and air conditioning units seven-year
Contract this item seeks approval for the commencement of a sourcing strategy to provide the inspection testing and maintenance of air handling and air conditioning units and Council properties across the city do I have any questions or comments on this item no can that please be agreed then thank you I’ll take that as
Agreement next item please item 10 inspection testing and maintenance of roller shutter doors five-year contract this item seeks approval for the commencement of a sourcing strategy to provide the inspection testing and maintenance of r shut doors and Council properties across the city um and I
Think you may be seeing a theme Here do you have any questions or comments on this this item Al Keenan yeah I just really one for officers I’m wondering given the number of these contracts that we’ put out uh for maintenance whether any consideration was to uh to bring some of
These inh housee and uh obviously use dundy contracts to to do them you know it’s not I don’t think an over own his task to to be testing for Legionella uh within some of the Water Systems within the council but why why didn’t we look towards some of these things being inh
House and uh you know the ability to bring on apprentices uh and train individuals up uh so that we’re sustaining a Workforce of our own with skills thank you Billy Kenan uh Mr Martin I believe that your name is to this report maybe you can explain I
Believe it’s to do with the workor but perhaps you can explain better yeah thanks convenor thanks uh Bailey Keenan obviously there’s a vast array of uh health and safety contracts that we utilize uh across the council and uh Construction Services are involved with some of those periodic
Testing and such like and uh some of the items you see tonight are obviously uh quite specialized but um where there is appropriate opportunity to utilize construction service or as you uh allude to develop and expand and look at a younger Workforce those opportunities are looked at in conjunction um when
We’re putting these reports together so it may be as we go forward there are other areas that uh do come in House at the appropriate time thank you Mr Martin does that answer your question Billy Kenan you know I suppose when we put contracts out for seven years it it
Looks a bit unlikely we’ bring it back in but I mean would like these things kept under review because I believe that we could be training up good skilled individuals uh and and doing the type of work like that roller shutter doors are obviously used uh extensively throughout
The council and shot premises and the like and and no doubt you know we’d be training up the workforce for Dundee because there as many other places have them so that’s just one example of uh the the the potential of having an apprentice in there that uh that could G
Gain good skill in in a future by way of uh you know earning earning wages through that skill set for the rest of their life thanks Bailey Keenan uh Bailey Scott please I had a similar question to Bailey Keenan but it’s more to do with item
11 uh well shall we can I have agreement for item 10 first of that’s that’s all right I don’t see any disagreement so i c item 10 is agreed then uh I’ll skip the introduction this time as you’re it’s clear it’s about water hydren monitoring program and very
Similar to um previous ones it’s a seven-year contract so um Bailey Scott your question yeah I heard what Mr Martin said about the reasons why these have gone uh out for tender um but for something like water monitoring I’d have thought that we would have had that availability the speciality within our
Own environmental health or scientific services to to do that so can maybe explain a bit more as to why this particular one has gone out to to Tender and not being done inhouse Mr Martin in terms of this there obviously is a lot to do with water hygiene uh and
And it’s not just the testing and monitoring and the resources and the lab it’s also um in terms of doing some on the spots repairs maintenance uh any further dozing and what have you so there’s quite a bit of infrastructure that’s in at the back of some of the
Companies that are involved in this it’s not just there a case of actually doing the test and then that’s fine and recording it it’s it’s then having the proactive infrastructure um labor plant materials available if um any reactive maintenance is required okay thank you thanks for that that’s really helpful to
Have that better context thanks Mr Martin um next item please well assuming that that is agreed I didn’t see any further questions or descent the cont so I assume this item is agreed thank you next item please El thank you convenor item 12 is tenders received so this item is seeking
Approval to accept the following two tenders Improvement of surface works the seven arches Viaduct uh bra and S View and t w to receive core wood and path improvements and Welfare planting uh and secure staff cycle parking installations at Groove Morgan B Dragon Mains uh and Rockwell do you have any questions on
This item councelor Duncan uh question and comment please uh yeah thanks uh convenor just uh first of all to welcome the uh forthcoming Improvement Works to the seven arches Viaduct I I understand its historical structure and UH responsibilities for this upkeep Hawai between dunde and also Angus so pleased
To see that it’s it’s it’s going to be improved and upgraded uh not always because it’s a very popular walking spot um which brings me to my question because in in recent um well two three weeks really I’ve heard a number of inquiries from residents about um the
The the accumulation of fallen leaves and other detrus particularly on top of the Walk uh which presents a bit of a Swip Hazard and it’s just really the a plea to officers that going forward although I’m glad to see uh the arch is being upgraded in some way with a better
Surface can we just maybe ensure that the leaves Etc are are quer cered up periodically thanks that’s K Duncan Mr Bole can you give that assurance that that will that be looked at in the context of of that problem thanks convener thanks coun Duncan yes we’re actually we’ve got that
Programmed in just now but I think it will be much easier as councel Duncan alludes in terms of the new Surface going down it be much easier to manage in the future thanks to thank you uh coun Coleman you’re next please thank you Mr K um I welcome the networks at s love
View brackens uh Templeton Woods I would just ask if it’s possible for for the plans and drawings uh of the details proposed to be shared with local members elected members please and uh also given the usual weather issues that we invariably have in the early part of the
Year is completion by the end of March deliverable Mr Bo are you able to answer those two questions thanks can and Council colan yeah that that is very much uh the program to have the The Works complete and I’ll certainly ensure that members are provided with details of the
PL thank you thank you uh councelor scullin please hi um I just got a question about the secure cycle parking is that going to be similar to the ones that we now have in other places in the town and if so do we have any figures on how many of those are being
Used Mr mcon yes thank you very very much convina thank you for the question um I don’t have figures to hand on usage um but what we will do is I’ll um I’ll ask one of our officers to share those figures with you and also the the design
Specifications for what’s proposed to be installed thank you Mr MN does that um answer your question councel scullin it does yeah thank you thank you councelor Flynn please thanks just do follow up on the cycle storage are we got plans to roll this out over other schools within the
City with the support from cycl Scotland uh going forward yeah thank you for the the question um it’s very much budget dependent so we are utilizing um external grant funding um certainly it’s our atttention to continue with this program um however that is subject to continuing uh national funding um externally to do
So thanks very much for that because I think it’s really important that we lead by example convener and giving the teachers the opportunity to use cyclon and actually store their bikes here I’m sure cyclon forum for example will be delighted to hear that and fellow cyclos
Within the city so thanks very much for that and I think we should continue to work with Cy Scotland knowing that there’s a budget set aside to support active travel and sustainable transport in the coming years thank you absolutely um thanks for pointing that out and and as you are well aware
We’re always Keen to to bid for external funding for that and cycle in Scotland have been extremely supportive of the project that we’ve done in the city uh and hopefully we’ll continue to do so um as long as we apply and so it’s something we’ll very much keep keep at
It and keep doing canoun short please so it’s just a we lobby as soon as we’re looking at the school and uh the uh buildings across the school campus can we also look at leisure and culture because there’s nothing better than cycling up to do your uh various
Bits of um keep fit and Leisure and then leaving on your bike as well um I don’t know if there’s conversations that exist between City development and Leisure culture with regards to active travel but if there’s not can we open up that dialogue because I think that would be
Really useful between uh those different uh buildings within the footprint as well please thanks counc short uh Mr mcon are you aware of any such conversations or yeah thank you very much convina um yes we do Le with departments including Leisure and culture and um we have got
Some proposals um which will be likely reporting at next committee um in regard to um uh cycle infrastructure at uh Leisure and culture uh facilities thank you mron um that answer your question councelor Shar good thank you um I see no further questions so can the site be agreed
Thank you I’ll take that as agreement next item please then alen thank you convenor that concludes the public part of the agenda can the confidential item be dealt with in the usual way can this item be dealt with in the usual manner I see no questions or comments so
I’ll take that as agreement thank you and I believe that’s the last item of the fairwork economic growth and infrastructure committee thank you thank you convenor the final committee this evening is the city governance committee good evening folks we’ll just go straight to the agenda so I’ll pass
Over to you willly yeah thanks very much firstly are there any Declarations of Interest see no one rushing for the keyboard so we’ll take that as a not yeah thank you very much the be no declarations takes you on item two the CH sector service plan which is for
Noting so this is the uh regular update receive in terms of the chief executive service and you’ll see that there’s a range of statistics and information quite comprehensive in terms of the performance against the uh outcomes that we had anticipated 11 of the 18 indicators in the plan have improved or
Been maintained which again is to be welcome but of course there’s always room for improvement and I know uh speaking to officers that they are very much focused on continuing to see Improvement across all 18 of those indicators as well so just open up for questions uh B
Ken thanks convenor convenor sort of looking at this uh report and taking account the last report that we’ve got on this evening that P paints a serious picture about how Bleak the finances in the city are and how underfunded we are from government uh but just looking at
Obviously the tools that we may have available and that mean that there’s a potential for tourist tax uh there is a number of things within the report that would lead me to ask whether there is any information that would suggest that the city is ready and you know needs to
Start seriously looking at whether a tourist tax is something that we need to introduce uh you know for hotels are starting to be full and whether you know it’s uh it’s going to d d the city’s recovery if it wasn’t reduced because there’s reference made to obviously visit
A recovery plan you know a real time dashboard for the center marketing strategy so I’m wondering whether the out of that what’s coming up on what was likely to come up on the dashboard and is there any indication that now would be the time for dundy to be thinking
About uh you know adding adding a small fee onto each of the the tourist beds in the City by way of uh covering the shortfall for government thanks for the question bil and I’ll I’ll offer a response initially and then go to officer so I think this was
Actually raised I’m sure last month if not the month before an officers did give an initial response cly Robin pres I recall give an initial response to say that it’s under Act of consideration and officers are uh engaging with colleagues in Edinburgh who are significantly more advanced given the scale of the tourism
And Hospitality sector in particular in Edinburgh um should also say that it’s been part of a body of work that’s been undertaken through the scotch City’s Alliance of which I’m the chair um so this amongst a whole series of other asks and discussions around other leveraging powers and Taxation powers
And being uh devolved further to local government particularly the cities uh where this is most relevant so there a whole uh spectrum of work that is behind that I suppose and again as I say edinb have been leading the charge and very much kind of learning from them I’m also
On the record to saying I absolutely agree with you I support um the introduction of uh transer visitor Levy as it’s called under the legislation what we’ve got to make sure is we’ve got all of the available information uh and the sums to make sure uh that we do that
At the right time as you rightly suggest and that we’re clear on what that Revenue will generate it isn’t necessarily free money if that’s the term to use in the sense that it must uh under the leg legislative tools that have been set out um relates to expenditure um which has some connection
Uh to tourism of course so it can’t necessarily just go into any old budget and be subsumed into something else there’s a lot of other work that needs to go alongside that and but I’ll perhaps in the first instance H come to Robin and given that I do recall he
Offered a response previously Robin chair many thanks um and I would certainly endorse everything you you’ve said I think it’s right to be cautious about this legislation it hasn’t yet been passed by Scottish uh Parliament but we anticipate it’ll be passed in August of this year um it then requires
A significant consultation period and engagement with the industry and as you can imagine I think there will be real caution in the industry not just about the principle and level of it but also the practicalities and cost of administering uh such a scheme I think
It’s clear to say although we uh can see the end of Co there are a few hotels that are actually confidently saying they’re exceeding the the pre-2019 turnover yet um and I think members are very aware of uh the conference Market not having returned to normal um we we
Have seen some fairly bullish figures but again I think we clarified that um some of the uh the refugees and Asylum Seekers were potentially distorting that though it’s obviously hard to separate out that data so we shouldn’t be too uh uh bullish about seeing this as being an
Easy win um we think the consultation and engagement process with the accommodation providers will require to be about 18 months uh and we specifically need to understand what the legislation covers um so for example Does it include Airbnb and similar platforms and certainly my um view would
Strongly be that it should include those because we’re seeing such a growth in that sector there’s no doubt that it’s undermining the traditional um Hotel uh guest house and bed and breakfast type Market um so we need to to understand whether the Scottish Parliament is giving us the powers um to enforce that
Increasingly what the root to secure that funding is um I think the idea of a voluntary levy on the providers is is is very difficult I think it would need to be administered at Central level so we could secure the payments directly from Airbnb and the similar operator so
That’s a key uh part of the discussion um the the levy will take part of the percentage of the rate charged by accommodation providers per night and obviously we need to see the the guidance in the final act as approved on that but the percentage can
Be set locally um we uh can look at any exemptions as we see appropriate um as part of the setting of a local scheme so you understand that there will be uh a considerable amount of dialogue and work on that the cost to the council should not be underestimated and that’s a key
Part of our discussion with colleagues in corporate finance is we will require to recruit an additional team to administer this depending on the form uh of um the the levy payments and how they’re going to be calculated and what the proposals from uh Scottish Parliament is around that so it’s not um
A particularly easy way it’s not an easy way of generating General funds as Council Alexander has highlighted it does require to be invest in local facilities and services uh used by visitors and obviously there’s there’s different ways of interpreting that but I think uh they’re very clearly our
Restrictions on how we can use it and I think certainly the intention of the Act was to improve facilities rather than to substitute for reductions and funding elsewhere thanks Robin I think in summary it’s an act of uh uh work piece and I think what would be helpful I
Think Kevin not only for yourself and and probably all other elected members is at some point over the the coming weeks Robin a briefing note that sends out sets out some of that context in terms of where we are at the present time because obviously the legislation I
Think was laid out in May of 2023 so just understanding where we’re at what Provisions might look like and then also uh some narrative from a dundy perspective I think would be incredibly helpful but Kevin do you want to come back in can I should probably put on the
Record it’s something that I’m not overly keened of uh but just see that dundy city council was just less absolutely cash strapped by the lack of funding that’s coming for government coming away with things like we’re fully funded council tax when we’re looking at the last paper this evening that just is
Not true uh so you know I think that we need to look at every Avenue you that brings a bit of money in the city uh and that being one of them without hurting the individuals that live here thanks for your comments Kev I’m sure we’ll have more of a discussion on
The financial Outlook when we come to that item um and I think in summary you’re for it but not for it and looking at all measures possible so again we’ll get that brief and Note and again uh we’ll consider that and then it will come back at the appropriate time uh k m
Dorthy thank you um I have a question on page 11 of this bundle relating to uh integrated impact assessments and I’m very pleased to see that refresher training uh sessions are underway um I’m a we bit concerned about the time scale um for this action um it’s not going to be completed it’s
Planned to be completed 2 years over two years from now um considering that an integrated impact assessment is it’s a very important tool and it’s attached to report you know proposing changes to policy or strategy um really useful for for us as decision makers to know the implications um of any decisions that
We’re making at Council um and I would I wonder if there’s any possibility um that this could be speeded up a little we have already had I believe a review of integrated impact assessments um I I have some concerns that I have relay to officers around them so I
Wonder if you know this could be fast-tracked if uh you know in any way possible because I think it’s really important for elected members to have good information when they’re making their decisions yeah wholeheartedly agree with that and I’ll come to Andre had service in just two seconds I think
The important thing is to say that it needs to be an ongoing piece of work so even after the completion date of course there’ll be new staff that are coming in that require that refresher training Etc so it will be an ongoing piece of work but Andre I’ll bring you
In yeah I think you you’ve just answered and convener so the training is underway at the moment we’ve done training last year so there’s training in place for this year um and that will be in place the following year and the following year so it’s a continuous process so the
Training is already in place and a lot of officers have gone through recent training over the last couple of months um so we’ve been progressing that fairly quickly and the continuous review is just to keep looking at the process to make sure is working for elected members and officers and to make any
Improvements as we go along um we had some teeth and problems with the tool so it was um a lot of that has been ironed out and making things a bit better and we’re happy to take any feedback um from any of the assessments people
See thanks and thank you you okay Joy MH perfect thank you very much I see no further questions on this so can I take this item as agreed please thank you very much Willie back to you yeah thank you very much item three then Capital H thanks convenor uh
Members will recall that last month I expressed uh a view that I wasn’t happy with the way under spins uh were being um reported in the financial implications and I just want to place on record my thanks to officers the chief executive said uh at the time the
Officers would reflect on my comments and they’ve been as good as their word and the wording has been altered and I’m grateful for officers taking that on board and we’d like to thank them thanks for that I’m sure officers are very receptive to those thanks so uh
Thanks for your comment I see no other questions on the report so can I take this as agreed thank you very much will yeah thank you item four then is revenue monitoring this is also for noting and hopefully self-explanatory so I’ll just go straight to questions uh councelor
Coman Daniel thank you Mr G uh with regard to the flooding costs information at 3.3 have the council’s costs uh from October you finalized if so what’s the total and will any support through the bellwind scheme be likely with regard to support for individuals how much is the
Level of funding and has it yet been paid to all eligible households thanks very much for the question Daniel I know that colleagues um in particular a couple of wards have been asking similar questions so happy for officers to come in uh offer a response to that I
Think I’ll go to uh Robert in the first instance and then perhaps uh others me want to come in Robert so thank you cenus I’m happy to share um details about the costs we think we’ll incur on the back of bwin we’re still in discussion um with the Scottish
Government about what support um we will get from from in due course um I think the officers who are involved in that are also involved in the budget so um I just got a response today from um Scottish government officials I’m happy to share further information in relation
To what we’ll get in relation to BWI then um in due course um conven just in relation to payments um to individuals we’ve had about 70 applications so far and payments made I think to about 50 of those um going forward and we’re just we’re just going to have a final shot at
Making sure that everyone who wishes to apply has the opportunity um to do so thanks Robert just on the back of that then so can you confirm that there’ll be I suppose uh a further uh opportunity to highlight that through comms is that something that you’re lazing with comms
To ensure that that messaging does reach those that may well want to apply that hav’t done so so far and yes conv and we reached out directly to I think over 100 I think 140 or so properties um so we’d rather than putting out a general com’s message we’d reached out to the
Individual properties that we knew were affected but um Jackie capella and her team are looking at the best way to make sure everyone’s had the opportunity to respond and if that requires uh wider communication then we’ll look at doing that excellent thank you very much and
Thanks to the team for uh their hard work on that as well um I’ll go to the next question which I think is councel Duncan Craig uh yeah thanks uh convener uh yeah it’s just uh on the same topic to be honest um I’m re reassured you know workers all obviously in progress
To make sure that people who might benefit from the scheme are being contacted uh I’m aware that there were several spots throughout the city not just my w but uh and I’m not expecting uh chapter in vers tonight certainly not but I’m just Keen that contact either
Has been made or will be made with the residents in my w at panfield den and also balal Mill and I’ll just leave that to officers that perhaps provide details later thanks Craig that’s really helpful and I can see officers taking notes so H that’s appreciated okay with that is this item
Agreed thank you very much move on to the last item really yeah thank you very much final item item five is local government Finance settlement financial implications for the D city council You’ ask agree the recommendations so I think it’s worth saying thank you uh to officers who have
Worked extensively over uh the Christmas period to finalize this report and of course thank you to members because you have been patient and awaiting the report and I know officers have kept everyone a breast in terms of the work that was ongoing in order to get it to
Commit tonight so I think with all of that said uh I really uh again appreciate the efforts of quite a number of people uh in that regard uh the report offers details of the 2045 Financial settlement for local government uh and the implications for the city council and of course there is
A number of uh pieces of information that come together to inform this report and of course it isn’t set in stone at this stage either so we need to be mindful of the fact that things can uh change further as uh the bill moves through the Parliamentary
Process and there may well be amendments or or changes as it moves through that process section three of the report sets out the financial implications and again I think you’ll all be live to that and Billy Billy Kenan has already referenced some of the significant challenges that
We face as a local Authority and I don’t think anyone is shying away from that there is Broad acknowledgement of the fact that ultimately there is not enough money in the system to do everything that we certainly would want it h to do as elected members and more broadly and
Of course that doesn’t just go for local government that’s across the board when we think about our colleges or universities I’m a board member of nhst side uh there is uh a Quantum that’s required to sustain to grow each and every element of public service and it’s incredibly challenging as a result of
The financial Outlook uh that the country faces and of course not helped by uh more than a decade of austerity and I was reflecting very recently uh with the deput leader of the Council on the fact that since I was elected uh in 2012 we’ve had to make uh a series of
Challenging decisions over that entire period as a result of the uh austerity that was introduced post banking crisis in 2009 none of which has made life any easier for local government uh the Scottish government circular is about the settlement and of course there’s ongoing dialogue between KLA and the
Scottish government of which I will be involved in some of that uh in future coal leaders and I’m happy to abast keep members abast of those discussions as they move forward but with all that said I will open up to uh comments and questions from colleagues so I’ll go to
H b mcferson first thanks convenor and I also would like to thank officers um because obviously the settlement lands just at the f Ive uh period And the fact that we have a report before us tonight I think is is testimony to the hard work of officers and and the ongoing work
They’re undertaking um to help uh us deliver a budget um next month um I’m also aware that there there they’re slightly one hand tied behind their back in the sense that some aspects of the settlement are not yet taped down and it’s with that I have a question I’ve
Absolutely no doubt the answer and obviously we don’t have detail as yet as to the precise distribution of the 144 million relative to the council tax freeze and I assume and I have no doubt that he will the director of corporate services will advise all elected members immediately officers are given the exact
Figure he’s done a pretty reasonable calculation of what we’re likely to get but it’ be good to know because it’s pretty crucial to the uh final budget um um H exactly how much of that 144 million dundy city council actually receives perhaps more substantially and I’m hoping we’ll hear that this week but
Um I’m sure Mr EMT will keep us updated more substantially uh over and above the very challenging Revenue position uh the capital position is also concerning now as I understand officers will bring forward um a report on the implications for the capital situation going forward in 2425 and subsequent years but I was
Wondering if tonight officers can give any detail of the likely impact of the settlement on projects that are approved within the capital program both those legally committed and those yet to commence thank you convenor thanks very much FR I’ll go to Robert in the first instance Robert thank you convenor um so
B first in relation to the first question question kenina the um we don’t yet know the distribution of the 144 million we’ve asked kler um to find out we haven’t you get a response to that and I will keep members updated when we get that and and and let you all know in
Relation to the capital you see in the report there’s around about a million pounds reduction we are also looking at how the capital pan will Shape Up um for the forthcoming period giving the changes that are known at this time there’s no impact um on committed projects but obviously if there’s less
Money available we are having to look at what the options are to deliver the aspirations of the council within the resources that are available in the next 5year plan we had hoped to bring that forward in January now we’re thinking that will come forward in February um
Probably just ahead of the budget so you can have a look at the options and you can see how we might set a plan going for but it is challenging um having a reduction in capital and and members will know we did quite a difficult exercise not long ago really looking uh
Cutting back on what was in the plan so there’s more work to be done and we’ll come back to Committee in due course canina thanks grateful I’m grateful for that response mrit thank you thanks very much uh Fraser we’ll go to Kevin yeah just a similar question for
Officers uh considerable cut in housing uh Grant and wondering how that will affect projects that we’ve got either in the pipeline or or du a come council’s got ambition of x amount of houses being uh although they’ve never made the targets but amount of houses over uh
Each year so how do we how do we see this going forward is it a case the house building for the social rented sector will just uh just cease uh where do we think we are uh I think I’ll bring in elain in just a moment but of course I don’t
Think elain will have a definitive out respon skipping what Robert has already outlined in the fact that the budget has not yet been settled but Alain bring you in at this point um thank you very much convenor as far as I’m aware um anything that’s already been committed so that that has been
Approved by the Scottish government will continue so we we do have a healthy program and that will continue um in terms of what’s been approved what we don’t know is those projects that are in the pipeline and the approval process for those and we’re certainly in discussions with Scottish government
Just to understand the implications of that for dund City do do we do we know what s stage things are up because we obviously must be backlogging considerably within the plan given that the the Derby Street things have taken over seven or eight year to to come to fruition and only
Have got there through the intervention of the chief executive scin lean do you want to come back in on that well certainly um if you look at the ship that was approved um at previous committee we we’ve got subsis chunk of of our program Scottish government on that
Yeah thanks El and again it goes without saying that of course we’re incredibly ambitious in terms of the level of house building that we want to see particularly uh social and Council uh properties as well and of course we need to bring back information once everything crystallizes and we’re
Absolutely clear on what the position is so thanks for the question Kevin I’m sure officers will keep us a breast as things continue to move forward uh and develop uh and of course we’ll be discussing the budget uh very soon uh it’s not going to be without it
Challenges I think we all recognize that and I’m also uh minded to well certainly recall uh the recent statement from the ifs who said that it was Ain or broadly the same scale of uh cuts at UK level uh under uh the current government as it was under George Osborne between 27 2010
And 2017 which is deeply concerned I think for all of us uh given what we know the challenges and the demands on Services across the board um with all of that said um can I take this uh update report as agreed thank you very much that is all
The business thank you very much for your participation your questions and I shall see you all very soon take care good night good night thank you that