THURSDAY 2 DECEMBER 1999 - 4.00 pm

 

Present:-  Provost Roach, Councillors Calvert, Robertson (A), Morrison (D), Moody, Morrison (M), McCabe, O’Rourke, Jackson, McGhee, Nimmo, Robertson (Y), McCormick, Rebecchi, Mitchell, Blair, Hunter and Campbell, Provost Roach in the Chair.

 

In attendance:-  The Chief Executive, the Depute Chief Executive, the Director of Community and Protective Services, Mr J Sutherland (for the Director of Education Services), Mr C Clelland (for the Director of Legal and Support Services), the Director of Resource Services, the Director of Social Work and Housing Services, the Director of Central Services, the Director of Information Services, the Head of Personnel Services, the Head of Economic Development Service and the Head of Property Services.

 

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

 

Prior to the commencement of business, the Council observed one minute's silence as a mark of respect following the recent deaths of former Provost Cathie Allan and Lady Jean Stevenson.  The Provost paid tribute to Mrs Allan's many years of service as a Councillor of Inverclyde District and Inverclyde Councils, most recently as Provost and in particular to her work with young people.  He referred also to the unwavering support which Lady Jean Stevenson had provided to her husband, Sir Simpson Stevenson, during his long period in office and in particular during his terms as Provost.

 

Councillor Jackson praised those employees of the Council who had been called upon to respond to the emergencies resulting from the recent flooding and the Council joined with him in expressing its appreciation to the employees concerned for their efficiency during a difficult time.

 

MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF

THE INVERCLYDE COUNCIL, COMMITTEES AND SUB-COMMITTEES

 

1210      THE INVERCLYDE COUNCIL - 7 OCTOBER 1999                                                                         1210

 

APPROVED on the motion of Provost Roach seconded by Councillor Jackson.

 

1211      EDUCATION SERVICES COMMITTEE - 12 OCTOBER 1999                                                         1211

 

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

 

1212      LICENSING AND REGISTRATION PANEL - 14 OCTOBER 1999                                                  1212

 

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

1213      SOCIAL WORK AND HOUSING COMMITTEE - 19 OCTOBER 1999                                           1213

 

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

 

1214      CORPORATE BUSINESS COMMITTEE - 21 OCTOBER 1999                                                        1214

 

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

 

1215      LICENSING AND REGISTRATION PANEL (SPECIAL) - 25 OCTOBER 1999                               1215

 

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

 

1216      ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE - 26 OCTOBER 1999                            1216

 

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

 

1217      PERSONNEL (APPEALS AND APPLIED CONDITIONS OF SERVICE)                                        1217

SUB-COMMITTEE - 27 OCTOBER 1999

 

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

 

1218      EDUCATION SERVICES COMMITTEE (SPECIAL) - 27 OCTOBER 1999                                     1218

 

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

 

1219      COMMUNITY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE - 28 OCTOBER 1999                     1219

 

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

 

1220      FINANCE SUB-COMMITTEE - 2 NOVEMBER 1999                                                                       1220

 

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

 

1221      PLANNING AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE - 3 NOVEMBER 1999            1221

 

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

 

1222      POLICY AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE - 4 NOVEMBER 1999                                                     1222

 

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

1223      PERSONNEL (APPEALS AND APPLIED CONDITIONS OF SERVICE)                                        1223

SUB-COMMITTEE - 10 NOVEMBER 1999

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor McCormick seconded by Councillor Nimmo.

 

1224      MOTION FROM COSLA - LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE AND RESPONSIBILITIES         1224

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 8 November 1999 by the Director of Legal and Support Services advising of a request received from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities that the Council consider support for a motion calling on the Government to resource the costs of pay awards and to relax financial controls on Councils.

DECIDED on the motion of Councillor Jackson seconded by Councillor Robertson (Y) that the Council agree its support for the following motion:-

"Local Government calls on the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Parliament:-

(i)  to make provision in the local government settlements to fund pay awards;

(ii)  to allow Councils more discretion and more freedom in setting their budgets;

(iii)  to provide, as a matter of urgency, additional capital resources to enable Councils to improve the structure and fabric of their schools, infrastructure and other community facilities; and

(iv)  to make a commitment to the early introduction of legislation granting Councils a power of general competence to act in the overall interests of their communities."

 

1225      RESOLUTION:  COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER - SITE AT REGENT/                                  1225

TRAFALGAR STREET, GREENOCK - DEVELOPMENTS FOR COMMUNITY CARE SERVICES

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 10 November 1999 by the Director of Legal and Support Services recommending that the Council make a Compulsory Purchase Order in respect of the site at Regent Street/Trafalgar Street, Greenock to be transferred at no cost to "Inverlink" for the purposes of a residential development.

RESOLVED on the motion of Councillor Jackson seconded by Councillor Robertson (Y) 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 1987 and the Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) (Scotland) Act 1947, a Compulsory Purchase Order entitled "Trafalgar Street/Regent Street, Greenock Compulsory Purchase Order 1999" authorising them to purchase compulsorily the subjects at Regent Street/Trafalgar 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 Trafalgar Street/Regent Street, Greenock Compulsory Purchase Order 1999" a copy of which is appended to the principal minute hereof;  and that the Director of Legal and Support Services be instructed to submit the said Compulsory Purchase Order to the Scottish Ministers for confirmation and to deal with all matters arising from or in consequence of the making and confirmation of the said Order."

1226      REVEREND ANDREW McLELLAN                                                                                                   1226

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 10 November 1999 by the Director of Legal and Support Services advising that Provost Roach had requested that the Council consider marking the recent appointment of the Reverend Andrew McLellan as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in view of his association with and work in the Council and the Inverclyde area by recording formally its approval of that appointment.

DECIDED on the motion of Provost Roach seconded by Councillor Jackson that the following statement be recorded in the minutes:-

“This Council places on record its appreciation and congratulations to The Reverend Andrew McLellan becoming Moderator of the Church of Scotland.  We are delighted that a former Councillor of Inverclyde and Minister within Inverclyde has had the highest honour that the Church of Scotland can place bestowed upon him.  We also express our appreciation of the Moderator's acknowledgement of the contribution that his period in office in Inverclyde made in formulating the person that he is today.  We thank him for the service here both through the Council and in his Ministry locally, that he rendered to this community and subsequently to those elsewhere.  We wish him all the best in his period of office as Moderator of the Church of Scotland.”

 

1227      APPOINTMENT TO OUTSIDE BODY:  INVERCLYDE CHILDREN'S PANEL ADVISORY          1227

COMMITTEE

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 8 November 1999 by the Director of Legal and Support Services on applications from three persons made in response to the Council's advertisement for the appointment by the Scottish Executive to the Children's Panel Advisory Committee and who it was suggested could be considered for appointment to fill the existing Council vacancy.

DECIDED on the motion of Councillor Jackson seconded by Councillor Robertson (Y) that consideration of the applications be remitted to the Child Care Sub-Committee with delegated powers to make an appointment to fill the existing vacancy.

 

1228      COSLA LIQUOR LICENSING MEMBERS’ NETWORK                                                                  1228

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 15 October 1999 by the Clerk to Inverclyde Licensing Board advising of an invitation received from COSLA for The Inverclyde Council to nominate a Member to join the Liquor Licensing Members' Network.

DECIDED on the motion of Councillor Jackson seconded by Councillor Robertson (Y) that Councillor Morrison (M) be appointed as the Council's representative to join the Liquor Licensing Members' Network with Councillor Rebecchi as substitute, provided the latter is otherwise eligible.

 

1229      PAYROLL OVERTIME REQUIREMENT:  USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS                                 1229

PROCEDURE

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 12 October 1999 by the Director of Resource Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure in terms of Standing Order 66(a) and (b) to authorise a supplementary estimate of up to £10,000 in respect of payroll overtime.

NOTED

1230      RESOLUTION:  EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS                                                                  1230

 

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 following item 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, and on the grounds that consideration of the item thereafter involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 6 of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

 

APPENDICES TO MINUTES

 

1231      CORPORATE BUSINESS COMMITTEE - 21 OCTOBER 1999                                                        1231

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor McCabe seconded by Councillor O’Rourke.

 

1232      LICENSING AND REGISTRATION PANEL (SPECIAL) - 25 OCTOBER 1999                               1232

 

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

 

1233      ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE - 26 OCTOBER 1999                            1233

 

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

 

1234      PERSONNEL (APPEALS AND APPLIED CONDITIONS OF SERVICE)                                        1234

SUB-COMMITTEE - 27 OCTOBER 1999

 

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

 

1235      PERSONNEL (APPEALS AND APPLIED CONDITIONS OF SERVICE)                                        1235

SUB-COMMITTEE - 10 NOVEMBER 1999

 

APPROVED on the motion of Councillor McCormick seconded by Councillor Nimmo.

 

1236      GREENOCK TALL SHIPS 1999 LTD                                                                                                 1236

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 8 November 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(b) to authorise the release of payments in connection with Greenock Tall Ships 1999 Ltd.

NOTED