The way councillors in Dundee oversee services provided by the local authority is to be overhauled.
Councillors voted last night to approve the creation of new committees to oversee education, social work and children and families services in Dundee.
The move will lead to several existing committees being reorganised.
From April 1, the education, social work and health committees will be combined into a children and family services committee, while scrutiny of integrated health and social care will be carried out by the policy and resources committee.
The move is being implemented because it was believed the existing committee system no loner reflects the way services are delivered in Dundee.
According to the report on committee structures presented to councillors: “The creation of the new children and families service is designed to improve the integration of services for children, young people and families.
“In particular, children’s social work and community justice services have been integrated, the chief social work officer is now part of the children and families services senior management team and there are no longer freestanding education and social work departments.
“Children and family services are very important for the council and the early implementation of the revised service structure was therefore a matter of priority.”
The environment, housing and policy and resources committees (police, fire and community safety) will now be reorganised into two new committees: the community safety and public protection committee and the neighbourhood services committee.
Current education convener Stewart Hunter has been appointed convener for the children and family services committee, Alan Ross will be convener of the community safety and public protection committee and current housing convener John Alexander will be convener of neighbourhood services.
A motion by Labour group education spokesman Laurie Bidwell to remove a clause regarding decisions affecting non-teaching staff being taken by the policy and resources was defeated by 16 votes to 11.
Liberal Democrat councillor Fraser Macpherson backed the administration’s plans.
He said: “I welcome that the structure is being modernised.”