POLICY AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE

TUESDAY 29 APRIL 1997 - 3.00 pm

Present:- Provost Allan, Councillors Calvert, Clocherty, Morrison (M), O'Rourke, McGhee, and Mulholland, Councillor Mulholland, Convener, in the Chair.

In Attendance:- The Chief Executive, the Depute Chief Executive, the Assistant Chief Executive (Economic Development and Urban Regeneration), the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development), Mr A Barnes (for the Assistant Chief Executive (Contract Services)), the Director of Central Services, the Director of Finance, Mr J Sutherland (for the Director of Education Services), the Director of Property and Technical Services, the Director of Leisure and Recreation, the Director of Housing and Customer Services, 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 Jackson and Finnie.

546.

ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEM

546

The Convener referred to a report by the Director of Central Services on a remit from the Personnel Committee concerning the financial implications of a proposed Employee Secondment Scheme. The Convener indicated that consideration of the item was urgent to enable implementation of the scheme without delay and moved that the item be added to the Agenda. This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

547.00

REVENUE BUDGET 1996/97

547

SUBMITTED: Report dated 9 April 1997 by the Director of Finance on the position of the Revenue Budget 1996/97 for the Chief Executive's Department as at 28 February 1997.

NOTED

548.00

REVENUE BUDGET 1996/97: SUMMARY

548

SUBMITTED: Report dated 15 April 1997 by the Director of Finance on the position of the Revenue Budget 1996/97 showing the projected expenditure for the full financial year. The report indicated that as at 28 February 1997, after taking account of costs totalling approximately £2,100,000 in respect of the cost to the Council of the voluntary severance trawl and the Council's share of the deficit inherited from the former Strathclyde Regional Council, there would be a projected surplus at the year end of £190,720.

DECIDED: That the overall position of the 1996/97 Revenue Budget be noted.

549.00

GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS 1997/98

549

SUBMITTED: Report by the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) advising of the outcome of the evaluation of various categories of Local Voluntary

Organisations funded by the Council and setting out the recommendations of the Sounding Board on requests from organisations for grant aid during 1997/98.

DECIDED:

(a) That the grants to various voluntary organisations as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report amounting in total to £114,552 be approved; and

(b) That, in addition, grants be made to Greenock Ladies Speakers Club (£100) and Greenock Musical Association (£3,500).

550.00

NON-HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1996/97

550

SUBMITTED: Report dated 10 April 1997 by the Director of Finance on the current position of the 1996/97 non-HRA Capital Programme drawing particular attention to (a) requests for additional funding from the Community Services and Housing Committees and (b) the unsuccessful outcome of bids for Challenge Funding to the Scottish Office. Based on the latest information provided by Technical Officers and Client Departments, the report indicated that there was a potential under-utilisation of allocation amounting to £1,164,000 on approved projects in 1996/97 due to several major sales being settled in March and to significant slippage having occurred in the last weeks of the current financial year. It was noted however that the under-utilised sum would be carried forward to 1997/98.

DECIDED:

(a) That the request by the Community Services Committee for a total additional provision of £303,000 be approved;

(b) That the request by the Housing Committee for provision of £473,000 in 1998/99 be approved; and

551.00

BYE-LAWS PROHIBITING CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL IN PUBLIC PLACES

551

SUBMITTED: Report dated 24 March 1997 by the Director of Central Services advising that the Secretary of State for Scotland had now confirmed his approval in principle to have the built-up areas within Inverclyde covered by new Bye-laws (to supersede the existing Bye-laws) prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in public places.

DECIDED: That The Inverclyde Council be recommended to make new Bye-Laws prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in public places in the built-up areas within the Local Government area of Inverclyde.

552

CIVIL MARRIAGES: PROPOSAL TO EXTEND VENUES

552

SUBMITTED: Report dated 10 April 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services together with copy of letter from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities seeking the comments of the Council on a proposal to extend the venues available for Civil Marriages in Scotland similar to the current practice in England. The report drew attention to a number of implications on the Council if legislation were introduced to allow Civil Marriages to be celebrated by Registrars outwith Registration Offices including issues of staffing, loss of accommodation revenue and the necessity for determination of approved premises in which ceremonies could be held.

DECIDED: That the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities be informed of the Council's agreement in principle to extend the venues at which Civil Marriages can be celebrated subject to more detailed consideration being given to the practical issues involved in providing this additional service as detailed in the report.

553.00

EMPLOYEE SECONDMENT SCHEME

553

SUBMITTED: Report dated 25 April 1997 by the Director of Central Services advising of a request from the Personnel Committee that the Committee consider the financial implications as the result of the proposed introduction of an internal Employee Secondment Scheme.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the appropriate officers to deal with requests for secondments in terms of the Scheme but on the basis that any financial implications be met from the existing budget.

554.00

BALROSSIE RESIDENTIAL UNIT: ESTABLISHMENT OF POST OF ASSISTANT

SERVICE MANAGER

554

SUBMITTED: Report dated 21 April 1997 by the Director of Central Services advising of a request received from the Social Work Committee that the Committee approve the necessary funding to enable the establishment of the post of Assistant Service Manager to undertake the external management at Balrossie Residential Unit on the basis that the post be filled, if appropriate, by a suitably skilled and qualified member of staff of the Social Work Department on a secondment basis for a period of one year.

DECIDED: That following completion of an internal trawl of suitable candidates within the Social Work Department, it be remitted to the Convener, Vice-Convener, one Member of the Minority Groups of the Social Work Committee with the Chief Executive and appropriate Officers, to take such action as necessary on the understanding that any financial implications will be met from within existing budgets.