Authority’s pledge on waterfront positions

Dundee City Council has revealed contract stipulations designed to ensure Waterfront jobs go to local people.

Local authority leader Ken Guild said companies looking to move into the prime new site would be pushed to pay the living wage and employ a “significant percentage” of Dundonians.

That means developers signing contracts for plots could be forced to shell out £7.20 per hour rate for staff aged over 25 or not in a first-year apprenticeship.

Three community benefit agreements have been set out.

The first centres on construction, with building firms told to provide equal opportunities for local sub-contractors, and deliver minimum targets for apprenticeships and work experience opportunities.

The second stipulates the living wage should be paid to employees on the site.

The third, which relates to the employers who will occupy the plots, asks for a minimum number of jobs for local people and/ or guaranteed interviews for local people who have undertaken appropriate pre-employment training.

Mr Guild said: “A significant percentage of the workforce will be local employees and now that the most complex part of the development is coming to completion, we will see a large number of local personnel being involved in the project.”