THURSDAY 25 JUNE 1998 - 4.00 pm

 

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

 

In attendance:-  The Chief Executive, the Assistant Chief Executive (Economic Development and Urban Regeneration), the Assistant Chief Executive (Contract Services), the Director of Central Services, Mr H McNeilly (for the Director of Legal Services), the Director of Finance, the Director of Economic Development, the Director of Education Services, Mr I Taylor (for the Director of Property and Technical Services), the Director of Leisure and Recreation, the Director of Transportation and Roads, the Director of Social Work, the Director of Housing and Customer Services and the Director of Information Technology.

 

An apology for absence was intimated on behalf of Councillor Clocherty.

 

   688      ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEM                                                                                                             688

 

The Provost referred to a report by the Director of Central Services on a Resolution submitted by Councillor Mulholland relating to the accumulated deficit in the final accounts of Strathclyde Regional Council.  The Provost indicated that the item was urgent as, if agreed, it would allow representations to be made by the Council to the Secretary of State for Scotland without delay and moved that the item 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

 

   689      THE INVERCLYDE COUNCIL - 14 MAY 1998                                                                                  689

 

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

 

   690      SOCIAL WORK AND HOUSING COMMITTEE - 19 MAY 1998                                                      690

 

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

 

   691      LEISURE AND CULTURAL SERVICES COMMITTEE - 21 MAY 1998                                            691

 

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

 

   692      LICENSING AND REGISTRATION PANEL - 26 MAY 1998                                                             692

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Morrison (D) seconded by Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson.

        

693 FINANCE SUB-COMMITTEE - 28 MAY 1998                                                                                            693

 

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

 

   694      EDUCATION SERVICES COMMITTEE - 2 JUNE 1998                                                                     694

 

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

Councillor Robertson (Y) seconded by Councillor Welch moved with reference to paragraph 610 (Capital Programme Allocation) that the decision of the Committee as minuted be approved.  As an amendment, Councillor Mitchell seconded by Councillor Campbell moved with reference to paragraph 610 that the Capital Sum not be spent on converting St Kenneth's Primary School but be used to upgrade the PE facilities at Greenock Academy.  On a vote, 7 Members voted for the amendment and 12 for the motion which was declared carried.

DECIDED:  That the minute be approved.

 

   695      PLANNING AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE - 3 JUNE 1998                           695

 

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

 

   696      ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE - 4 JUNE 1998                                                            696

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor McGhee seconded by Councillor Roach.

 

   697      CORPORATE BUSINESS COMMITTEE - 9 JUNE 1998                                                                     697

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson seconded by Councillor Welch subject to correction at paragraph 653 (Vehicle Replacement Programme) confirming that the tender from Wylies Ltd amounted to the sum of £84,164.

 

   698      POLICY AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE - 11 JUNE 1998                                                                 698

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Jackson seconded by Councillor O'Rourke subject to the addition at paragraph 665 (Grants to Voluntary Organisations 1998/99) and paragraph 666 (PPA Expenditure Proposals 1998/99), following the recommendation of the Sounding Board of approvals for payment of grants of £2,500 and £2,000 respectively in respect of the Gibshill/Weir Street Caravan Project in terms of the Standing Order 66 procedure and also, with reference to paragraph 665, that further grants of £400 and £500 had been made to the Gibshill 5/12 Year Old Playscheme and Larkfield Youth Café Playscheme respectively as approved by the Sounding Board.

 

   699      PERSONNEL (APPEALS AND APPLIED CONDITIONS OF SERVICE)                                          699

SUB-COMMITTEE - 15 JUNE 1998

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson seconded by Councillor Morrison (M) subject to correction by the deletion of the name of Councillor McGhee from the sederunt of the meeting.

   700      LICENSING AND REGISTRATION PANEL (SPECIAL) - 16 JUNE 1998                                         700

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Morrison (D) seconded by Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson.

 

   701      CORPORATE BUSINESS COMMITTEE (SPECIAL) - 23 JUNE 1998                                               701

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson seconded by Councillor Jackson subject to the suspension of the relevant Standing Order in respect of paragraph 684 (Revenue Budget 1997/98:  Contract Services Division) to allow alteration of the previous decision of the Policy and Strategy Committee at its meeting on 5 February 1998 (paragraph 140(d)).

 

   702      SOCIAL WORK AND HOUSING COMMITTEE (SPECIAL) - 24 JUNE 1998                                  702

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor O'Rourke seconded by Councillor Welch.

 

   703      RESOLUTION:  PROPOSED COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER, GREENOCK                          703

WATERFRONT, EAST INDIA HARBOUR

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 16 June 1998 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Economic Development and Urban Regeneration) on a recommendation by the Economic Development Committee relating to the proposed making of a Compulsory Purchase Order in respect of land at Greenock Waterfront, East India Harbour.

RESOLVED:  On the motion of Councillor McGhee seconded by Councillor Roach that:

"The Inverclyde Council as Planning Authority for the area of Inverclyde RESOLVE TO MAKE as they HEREBY MAKE in terms of Section 189 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland)  Act 1997 and the Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) (Scotland) Act 1947, a Compulsory Purchase Order entitled 'Greenock Waterfront - East India Harbour Compulsory Purchase Order 1998' authorising them to purchase compulsorily the subjects at the Victoria Filling Station, Rue End Street, Greenock which subjects are described in the Schedule to the Order and shown outlined in red on the plan marked 'Map referred to in the Greenock Waterfront - East India Harbour Compulsory Purchase Order 1998', all as detailed in a copy of the Order forming a supplement to the principal Minute hereof";  and that the Director of Legal Services be instructed to submit the said Compulsory Purchase Order to the Secretary of State for Scotland for confirmation and to deal with all matters arising from or in consequence of the making and confirmation of the said Order.

 

   704      RESOLUTION:  STRATHCLYDE REGIONAL COUNCIL DEFICIT                                                  704

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 25 June 1998 by the Director of Central Services advising of a Resolution submitted by Councillor Mulholland relating to the accumulated deficit in the final accounts of Strathclyde Regional Council.

Councillor Mulholland seconded by Councillor Jackson moved:-

"That Inverclyde Council is concerned at the latest increase in the accumulated deficit from Strathclyde Regional Council.  We regret that the audit report demanded by this Council is still not available, but Council notes that the draft report refers to material errors.  Inverclyde Council does not accept that Council taxpayers in this area should be penalised for errors made by another Authority.  Inverclyde Council has properly managed its financial affairs and it is unacceptable that a further burden is imposed on the Council through no fault of its own.  Inverclyde Council therefore demands:-

(i)  A full investigation by The Scottish Office and Controller of Audit to determine who was responsible for the total debt and, in particular, the latest reported increase and any other debt subsequently disclosed;  and

(ii)  Financial support to the 12 successor authorities from The Scottish Office to cover this latest increase and any other debt subsequently disclosed in the accumulated debt."

DECIDED:  That the Resolution be approved and the Chief Executive instructed to make immediate representations to the Secretary of State for Scotland.

 

   705      RESOLUTION:  EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS                                                                    705

 

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 as amended, 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

 

   706      SOCIAL WORK AND HOUSING COMMITTEE - 19 MAY 1998                                                      706

 

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

 

   707      ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE - 4 JUNE 1998                                                            707

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor McGhee seconded by Councillor Roach.

 

   708      POLICY AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE - 11 JUNE 1998                                                                 708

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Jackson seconded by Councillor O'Rourke.

 

   709      PERSONNEL (APPEALS AND APPLIED CONDITIONS OF SERVICE)                                          709

SUB-COMMITTEE - 15 JUNE 1998

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor Sir Simpson Stevenson seconded by Councillor Morrison (M).