THURSDAY 13 NOVEMBER 1997 - 4.00 pm

 

Present:-  Provost Allan, Councillors Calvert, Robertson (A), Morrison (D), Morrison (M), O'Rourke, Jackson, Roach, Robertson (Y), Mulholland, Sir Simpson Stevenson, Rebecchi, Mitchell, Finnie, Welch, Hunter and Campbell, Provost Allan in the Chair.

 

In attendance:-  The Depute Chief Executive, the Assistant Chief Executive (Economic Development and Urban Regeneration), the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development), the Assistant Chief Executive (Contract Services), the Director of Central Services, Mr C Clelland (for the Director of Legal Services), the Director of Finance, the Director of Education Services, the Director of Property and Technical Services, Mr W Wilson (for the Director of Leisure and Recreation), the Director of Social Work, Mr A Moore (for the Director of Personnel Services), the Chief Environmental Services Officer and the Chief Consumer Protection and Trading Standards Officer.

 

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Clocherty, McGhee and Nimmo.

 

1241      ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS                                                                                                         1241

 

The Provost referred to (a) a report by the Director of Central Services requesting that the Council consider the establishment of an Advisory Committee on Inspection for Residential Care Establishments and, if so approved, recommend nominations thereto and (b) a Notice of Motion from Councillor Mulholland circulated to Members at the meeting, requesting that the Council appoint an Ad-hoc Committee to deal with all arrangements for filling the vacancy of Chief Executive of the Council.  The Provost indicated that with regard to (a) consideration of the item was urgent to allow arrangements for the Advisory Committee to proceed as soon as possible and with regard to (b) consideration of the item was urgent to allow arrangements for filling of the vacancy to proceed without delay and moved that both items be added to the Agenda.  This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

 

MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF

THE INVERCLYDE COUNCIL, COMMITTEES AND SUB-COMMITTEES

 

1242      THE INVERCLYDE COUNCIL - 2 OCTOBER 1997                                                                         1242

 

APPROVED on the motion of Provost Allan seconded by Councillor Mulholland.

 

1243      SOCIAL WORK AND HOUSING COMMITTEE - 7 OCTOBER 1997                                             1243

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor O'Rourke seconded by Councillor Morrison (D).

 

1244      LEISURE AND CULTURAL SERVICES COMMITTEE - 9 OCTOBER 1997                                   1244

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Morrison (M) seconded by Councillor Robertson (A).

1245      LICENSING AND REGISTRATION PANEL - 14 OCTOBER 1997                                                  1245

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Morrison (D) seconded by Councillor Roach.

 

1246      FINANCE SUB-COMMITTEE - 16 OCTOBER 1997                                                                        1246

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Mulholland seconded by Councillor Jackson.

 

1247      EDUCATION SERVICES COMMITTEE - 21 OCTOBER 1997                                                         1247

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Robertson (Y) seconded by Councillor Welch.

 

1248      ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE - 23 OCTOBER 1997                                                1248

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Roach seconded by Councillor Morrison (M).

 

1249      CORPORATE BUSINESS COMMITTEE - 28 OCTOBER 1997                                                        1249

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson seconded by Councillor O'Rourke.

 

1250      POLICY AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE - 30 OCTOBER 1997                                                      1250

 

Approval of the minute as a correct record was moved by Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson seconded by Councillor Robertson (Y).

As an amendment to the minute, Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson seconded by Councillor Robertson (Y) moved with reference to paragraph 1215 (the Best Value Regime and the Accounts Commission Audit of Management Arrangements:  Business Excellence and the Path to Quality) that:-

 

At paragraph (d) delete the words "the framework and foundation within and upon which the overall Corporate Development Plan" and insert "one of the key elements upon which the Best Value Regime", so that the paragraph reads:

 

(d)  That the Council agrees in principle as an approach the adoption of the European Foundation of Quality Management, Self Assessment and related/supporting quality models as one of the key elements upon which the Best Value Regime will be developed and that the support/facilitation services of the Quality Scotland Foundation and COSLA's Quality Network be used in developing these processes.

 

At paragraph (e) delete everything after the words "the two JCC's" and at paragraph (f) delete everything after the words "Minority Groups)" and re-number and re-word as follows:

 

(e)  That the Council establish a Members' Steering Group (comprising the Leader, the Depute Leader, the five Conveners and two Members of the Minority Groups) to co-ordinate the establishment of a Best Value Regime in accordance with the key principles and essential elements set out in the joint Task Force Report and, as required, consider matters relating to CCT to be supported by an Officers' Working Group and to co-ordinate the submission of recommendations on all of these matters to the Policy and Strategy Committee or the Finance Sub-Committee as appropriate.

 

(f)  That the Council approve in principle, as an approach, the establishment of inter-service/departmental Business Excellence Task Groups, including participation by trade unions represented on the two JCC's the number of such task groups and their remit to be determined by the Members' Steering Group.

 

At paragraph (g) delete the words "would no longer be required" and re-word as follows:

 

(g)  That, as a result, the Working Groups established by the Policy and Strategy Committee on 10 December 1996 (para 1212) and 10 June 1997 (para 727) be abolished.

 

The amendment was approved unanimously.

 

As a further amendment, Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson seconded by Councillor Robertson (Y) moved with reference to paragraph 1216 (Decentralisation:  Adoption of Scheme) that the matter be taken back for further consideration and that a further report be submitted to the Policy and Strategy Committee in due course and this was approved unanimously.

 

As a further amendment, Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson seconded by Councillor Robertson (Y) moved with reference to paragraph 1225 (Conduct of Local Government in Scotland:  Nolan Committee Report) that, arising from the amendment to paragraph 1215 (the Best Value Regime and the Accounts Commission Audit of Management Arrangements:  Business Excellence and the Path to Quality) as detailed above, paragraph (b) be deleted and this was approved unanimously.

 

As a further amendment, Councillor Mulholland seconded by Councillor Jackson moved with reference to paragraph 1222 (Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Challenge Competition 1998/99) that the provision for the Council's contribution to the capital costs be increased from up to £100,000 to between £154,000 and £184,000, the actual sum being dependent on contributions received from other sources, and that such provision be included in the Capital Programme and this was agreed unanimously.

 

1251      THE INVERCLYDE COUNCIL (SPECIAL) - 4 NOVEMBER 1997                                                  1251

 

APPROVED on the motion of Provost Allan seconded by Councillor Mulholland subject to correction at paragraph 1234 (a) (The Council's Management Structure) by inserting the designation of Mr Bettison as Chief Executive and this was agreed unanimously.

 

1252      PLANNING AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE - 5 NOVEMBER 1997            1252

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Roach seconded by Councillor Robertson (Y).

1253      SWITCH-ON OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS                                                                                            1253

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 4 November 1997 by the Director of Leisure and Recreation advising the Council of arrangements which had been made for the annual switch-on of Christmas lights in Greenock, Gourock, Port Glasgow, Inverkip, Wemyss Bay and Kilmacolm on Thursday 4 December and requesting that the cost of these events amounting to £6,000 be provided from the Common Good Fund.

DECIDED:  That the report be noted and that the costs amounting to £6,000 be provided from the Common Good Fund.

 

1254      SOCIAL WORK AND HOUSING COMMITTEE:  ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON                         1254

INSPECTION

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 7 November 1997 by the Director of Central Services on a recommendation from the Social Work and Housing Committee (paragraph 1084) that the Council establish an Advisory Committee on Inspection for Residential Care Establishments, that Councillors O'Rourke and Morrison (D) be appointed as Convener and Vice-Convener of the Committee respectively together with Councillor Nimmo, such Members to have powers to nominate substitutes when necessary.

RESOLVED on the motion of Councillor O'Rourke seconded by Councillor Morrison (D) that:-

THE INVERCLYDE COUNCIL, incorporated under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994, RESOLVE TO MAKE as they HEREBY MAKE a Resolution under Section 57 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to appoint an Advisory Committee on Inspection comprising elected Members of The Inverclyde Council, service providers, service users and representatives of interested bodies for the purpose of advising the Council on the discharge of its function of inspection of residential care establishments within Inverclyde and other matters connected therewith.

DECIDED:

(a)  That the Council agree to nominate Councillor O'Rourke as Convener, Councillor Morrison (D) as Vice-Convener and Councillor Nimmo as a Member of the Minority Groups of the Social Work and Housing Committee to serve on the Advisory Committee with powers to nominate substitutes when necessary;  and

(b)  That the Director of Central Services, in consultation with the Director of Social Work, be authorised to take all necessary action in connection with the establishment, including the periods of appointment for co-opted members and running of the Advisory Committee on Inspection.

 

1255      APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE                                                                                          1255

 

SUBMITTED:  Notice of Motion by Councillor Mulholland seconded by Councillor Finnie in the following terms:-

That, with reference to the vacancy of the post of Chief Executive resulting from the Council's decision on Tuesday 4 November 1997 and its further decision to fill the vacancy as soon as possible:-

(1)  That the Council appoint an Ad-hoc Committee comprising Councillors Mulholland, Jackson, McGhee, Sir Simpson Stevenson and Robertson (Y) with provision for Councillors O'Rourke and Welch to act as substitutes in the event of unavailability of nominated Members; and Councillors Finnie and Mitchell with power to nominate substitutes in their respective steads in the event of unavailability with a remit to:-

(a)  Select a short leet of candidates for interview;  and

(b)  Interview candidates and make a final recommendation on the appointment of a candidate for the post of Chief Executive of the Council;  and

(2)  That the Council approve the incurring of the necessary and reasonable expenditure arising out of the appointment of any external adviser to assist that Committee in discharging the terms of its appointment.

DECIDED:  That the motion be approved.

 

1256      RESOLUTION:  EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS                                                                  1256

 

On the motion of the Provost 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 remainder of the meeting on the grounds that consideration of the remaining items involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the respective paragraphs of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act, the nature of which is set out in the Minute of the Committee which considered each respective item in the Appendix to the Minute.

 

 APPENDICES TO MINUTES

 

1257      SOCIAL WORK AND HOUSING COMMITTEE - 7 OCTOBER 1997                                             1257

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor O'Rourke seconded by Councillor Morrison (D).

 

1258      POLICY AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE - 30 OCTOBER 1997                                                      1258

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson seconded by Councillor Robertson (Y).