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THE INVERCLYDE COUNCIL

HOUSING COMMITTEE

TUESDAY. 15 APRIL 1997 - 3.00pm

Present:- Provost Allan, Councillors Robertson (A), Morrison (D), Clocherty, O’Rourke, Jackson, Nimmo, Mulholland and Mitchell, Councillor Morrison (D), Convener, in the Chair.

In attendance:- The Depute Chief Executive, the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and

Community Development), the Director of Central Services, Mr A Puckrin (for the Director of

Finance), the Director of Housing and Customer Services, Mr H McNeilly (for the Director of

Legal Services) and Mr M Barclay (for the Director of Property and Technical Services).

With the exception of the decision marked “C” which is open for confirmation or otherwise. the following paragraphs are submitted for information only. having been dealt with under the powers delegated to the Committee.

462 ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEM 462

The Director of Central Services referred to a report by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on proposed new build housing at Gibshill. The Convener indicated that consideration of the item was urgent to allow preparation for the works, if agreed, to be progressed without delay and he moved that the item be added to the Agenda. This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

463 REVENUE BUDGET 1996/97 463

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 March 1997 by the Director of Finance on the position of the

Revenue Budget 1996/97 as at 28 February 1997 and advising of the projected balance on the

Housing Repairs and Renewals Fund as at 1 April 1997.

DECIDED: That the current position of the Revenue Budget 1996/97 and the Housing Repairs

and Renewals Fund be noted.

464 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1996/97 - FINANCIAL POSITION 464

SUBMITTED: Report dated 25 March 1997 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the HRA Capital Programme 1996/97.

NOTED

465 BRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1996/97 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 465

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 March 1997 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on the technical progress of the HRA Capital Programme 1996/97.

DECIDED:

(a) That the technical progress of the HRA Capital Programme 1996/97 be noted;

(b) That the Committee approve, in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations, a reduction in expenditure of £8,730 in respect of water main connection works associated with Phase 5 of the Old Park Farm modernisation project; and

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(c) That the following accumulated variations which are in excess of 10% of the accepted tender amount be approved in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations:

Project Effect on Expenditure

Old Park Farm. Port Glasgow. Phase S

Anticipated final account 14.7 1% less than accepted tender £35,741 reduction

20-22 East Crawford Street. Greenock - Rewiring

Anticipated final account 15.51% less than accepted tender £2,294 reduction

4~6 NON-BRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1996/97 - FINANCIAL POSITION 466

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 April 1997 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the Non-HRA Capital Programme 1996/97.

NOTED

467 NON-HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - NEW FUNDING 467

SUBMITTED: Report dated 25 March 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer

Services on a proposed apportionment of the private sector housing general provision of

£750,000 for 1997/98 agreed by the Policy and Strategy Committee at its meeting on

4 February 1997 (para 169).

DECIDED:

(a) That the apportionment of the £750,000 new funding allocated by the Policy and Strategy

Committee be as follows:

Belville Street Housing Action Area, Phase 2- £415,000

Two commercial units within Victoria Housing Association

Scheme (Brachelston Street/Murdieston Street/Dempster Street) £39,000

Disabled Improvement Grants £50,000

Discretionary Improvement Grants £246,000

TOTAL £750000;

(b) That a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee on proposed projects to

be funded from the Discretionary Improvement Grant budget; and

the 1998/99 Non-HRA Capital Programme for expenditure to be incurred in that year to allow

the Council to enter into a commitment leading to the completion of Phase 2 of the Belville

Street Housing Action Area programme.

468 ROOF REPAIRS -4 SIR MICHAEL STREET. GREENOCK 468

SUBMITTED: Report dated 28 February 1997 by the Director of Central Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure as set out in Standing Order 66 to accept the lowest tender received for roof repairs at 4 Sir Michael Street, Greenock, that by McNellis & McLaughlan in the corrected sum of £7,891.83.

NOTED

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469 HOUSE CONDITION SURVEY 1997/98 469

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 March 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on proposals for a house condition survey for which provision of £75,000 has been made in the 1997/98 HRA Capital Programme. The report also advised of the Council’s responsibilities under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 which included the carrying out of a survey of its area and the formulation of proposals to reduce energy consumption and suggested how this could be done in the most economical and efficient manner.

DECIDED

(a) That the report be noted;

(b) That the broad aims and objectives of the house condition survey as outlined in the report be agreed including the following:

(i) That the survey comprise properties within both the public and private sectors; (ii) That enhanced samples be taken to find additional information on the Council’s multi-storey housing stock and the larger inter-war estates where, as yet, there are no proposals for investment;

(iii) That questions necessary to meet the Council’s responsibilities under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 be included within the survey; and

(c) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to seek tenders from experienced firms to carry out the house condition survey and that delegated authority be granted to the Director of Central Services in the usual manner to make an appointment.

470 INTRODUCTION OF STAIR AN]) BACK-COURT LIGHTING CHARGE 470

SUBMITTED: Report dated 25 March 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the stair and back-court lighting service currently provided free of charge by the Council, examining the implications of the introduction of a charge on the Housing Revenue Account and on affected residents in the private sector and proposing a charging system for 1997/98 as agreed by the Council at its meeting on 10 March 1997 (para 309). Councillor Nimmo declared an interest in this item and took no part in its deliberation or decision.

DECIDED:

(a) That agreement be given to the introduction of a flat rate charge of £20 plus VAT in respect of each flat within a property from 1 April 1997 and on the following basis:

(i) The charge to be invoiced to the factor of the property;

(ii) The charge to be subject to an annual review;

(iii) Owner occupiers within Council properties served by a lighting system and who pay a factoring fee to be invoiced the flat rate charge with their annual factoring fee;

(b) That the Housing Revenue Account Repairs and Renewals Fund contribution for 1997/98 be increased by £140,000 to £588,250; and

(c) That the specification for stair, close and back-court lighting installations set out in Appendix 1 to the report and the level of service set out in Appendix 2 be adopted.

471 ASSISTANCE TO TENANTS DISPLACED DURING MAJOR WORKS 471

SUBMITTED: Report dated 26 March 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the assistance offered to Council tenants who are temporarily or permanently displaced from their homes during modernisation/rehabilitation schemes or as a result of a

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decision by the Housing Committee and requesting the Committee to determine whether it would wish to review the current practice.

DECIDED:

(a) That the current method of providing assistance to tenants displaced during major works be noted; and

(b) That, in future, tenants be given the choice of either receiving the allowances currently provided or having the Council arrange for the removal.

472 THE CHILDREN (SCOTLAND) ACT 1995 472

SUBMITTED: Report dated 26 March 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the implications for the housing service of the provisions of The Children (Scotland) Act 1995.

DECIDED:

(a) That the implications of The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 for the housing service be noted;

(b) That a review of temporary accommodation provided be undertaken to ensure that this is appropriate and that there also be an evaluation of alternative provision, to be the subject of further reports to the Committee in due course; and

(c) That the Implementation Group comprising Officers from various Departments continue to develop a joint strategy to respond to the requirements of The Children (Scotland) Act 1995, for approval in due course.

473 ROUGH SLEEPERS INITIATIVE 473

SUBMITTED: Report dated 26 March 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services advising that following the issue in December 1996 of a consultation circular containing draft guidelines for schemes to apply for Challenge Funding under the pilot Scottish Rough Sleepers Initiative being introduced by the Scottish Office, revised guidelines had been issued on 28 February 1997 which indicated that any bids for schemes required to be submitted to the Secretary of State by 31 July 1997.

DECIDED:

(a) That a Working Group consisting initially of representatives of the Housing and Social Work Departments be established to:

(i) Review any existing statistical information on the prevalence of rough sleeping in Inverclyde;

(ii) Enter into discussions with the Scottish Office on an acceptable methodology for evaluating need and specifically whether a count will require to be carried out; (iii) Enter into discussions with other relevant agencies on possible bids; and

(b) That the Working Group report to the next meeting of the Committee on the outcome of these discussions and with specific recommendations as to the form any bid should take.

474 ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 474

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 April 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the findings of the Working Group established to examine ways of responding to complaints of anti-social behaviour and neighbour disputes and appending a first draft of a

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revised tenancy agreement, the purpose of which will be to state clearly the tenant’s obligations and responsibilities towards his/her neighbours.

DECIDED:

(a) That the draft revised tenancy agreement be progressed in consultation with the Director of Legal Services;

(b) That any Members with comments on the proposed tenancy agreement, notify these to the Director of Housing and Customer Services;

(c) That the final draft of the tenancy agreement be submitted to the Committee for approval together with a proposed timescale for consultation; and

(d) That agreement be given to implementation of a proposed programme of staff training during June and July 1997.

475 AWARD OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY GRANTS 475

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 April 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services advising that the Council had been successful in bidding for grant to the value of £45,740 from the “Energy Efficiency Grants for Social Housing” scheme administered by Scottish Power which would be used to facilitate the installation of energy efficiency improvement measures within 115 houses in Port Glasgow during 1997.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders to carry out the energy efficiency improvement measures described in the report within 115 houses in Port Glasgow; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to commence work on an entry for the 1998 competition.

476 SOUTH CRAIGIEKNOWES - FAIRRIE STREET/GILMOUR STREET AREA 476

SUBMITTED: Report dated 4 April 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the current occupancy rates in the South Craigieknowes area, Greenock which comprises the properties in Fairrie Street, Gilmour Street, McPhail Street and 56 Sinclair Street and outlining a number of options for the future of the properties.

DECIDED:

(a) That agreement in principle be given to targeted development of the area by disposal to the private sector of the existing properties at 15- 19 Gilmour Street and 6- 14 Fairrie Street shown as sites E and F on the map appended to the report and that consultations take place with the affected tenants;

(b) That a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee on the outcome of the consultations with the tenants and on options for the marketing of the properties; and

(c) That, in the meantime, it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the replacement of the windows in the remaining areas of South Craigieknowes at a revised estimated cost of £236,700.

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477 REFURBISHMENT OF PROPERTIES IN BROWN STREET/BAXTER STREET. 477
GREENOCK

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 April 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services requesting the Committee to agree a specification for the refurbishment of the properties in Brown Street/Baxter Street, Greenock.

DECIDED: That the specification for the Brown Street/Baxter Street refurbishment project as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be agreed.

478 NEW BUILD - GIBSHILL 478

SUBMITTED: Report dated 11 April 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on proposals for the construction of new build houses in Gibshill together with the estimated costs.

DECIDED:

(a) That agreement be given to the construction of 19 units on the site at Shankland Lane, Greenock at an estimated cost of £1,685,000 including fees and that it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the work; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to negotiate with its partners in the regeneration of Gibshill for the provision of further social rented housing there.

479 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AN]) PRESS 479

On the motion of the Convener, it was agreed unanimously that, in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the undernoted items of business on the grounds that consideration of the items involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the respective paragraphs of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act as are set opposite each item:

Item Paragraph(s)

62/64 Grieve Road, Greenock 8

Belville Street Roofs-Phase 2 6&9

Strone Farm Regeneration 6&9

3-Way Mutual Exchange 2

480 62/64 GRIEVE ROAD. GREENOCK 480

SUBMITTED: Report dated 26 March 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services advising of structural cracking which has developed in two semi-detached houses at 62/64 Grieve Road and requesting the Committee to agree to the necessary underpinning work being undertaken.

DECIDED:

(a) That approval be given to the necessary underpinning work to the properties at 62/64 Grieve Road, Greenock, at an estimated cost of £35,000 including fees to be funded from the 1997/98 HRA Capital Programme;

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(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the works; and

(c) That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers and after consultation with the Convener, Vice-Convener and a Member of the Minority Groups to accept the lowest tender received for the work provided that this is no more than 10% greater than the final approved estimate.

481 BELVILLE STREET ROOFS - PHASE 2 481

SUBMITTED: Report dated 25 March 1997 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on proposals for Phase 2 of the Belville Street roofing project which will comprise works to one further roof and seeking authority to negotiate a price from the contractor engaged to undertake Phase 1 of the project.

DECIDED:

(a) That agreement in principle be given to negotiate a price for Phase 2 of the Belville Street roofing project with the contractor engaged to undertake Phase 1 of the works; and

(b) That the outcome of the negotiations be reported to the next meeting of the Committee for consideration.

482 STRONE FARM REGENERATION 482

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the results of the consultations with the tenants of 2/10 Clydeview Road regarding the future of the properties, advising of the current position relative to the acquisition of the shops at Glenbrae Road/Crescent and requesting permission to invite tenders for the demolition of both the houses at 2/10 Clydeview Road and the shops.

DECIDED:

(a) That agreement be given to the demolition of the houses at 2/10 Clydeview Road and the shops at Glenbrae Road/Crescent at an estimated total cost of £40,000; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the demolition works.

483 3-WAY MUTUAL EXCHANGE 483

There was submitted a report by the Director of Housing and Customer Services providing information in respect of a proposed 3-way mutual exchange together with letter from Councillor Roach requesting that the proposal be considered by the Committee. Following a vote, the Committee agreed to refuse the exchange but to remit it to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to assist one of the parties in finding suitable accommodation, all as detailed in the Appendix.