NOTED

310 REVENUE BUDGET 1997/98: SUMMARY 310

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 March 1998 by the Director of Finance on the position of the Revenue Budget 1997/98 showing the projected expenditure for the full financial year.

The report indicated that the current projected position at 31 March 1998 showed an anticipated balance of £3,518,730, an increase of £2,155,950 on the projected balance intimated to the Committee at its meeting on 5 February 1998 (para 132). This was mainly due to a projected saving of £2,722,000 this year by the conversion of the Council's Loan repayment method to annuity partly off-set by the decision to transfer £412,000 loan charges to the General Fund from the Housing Revenue Account and also to an increase of £636,000 in Spend to Save expenditure largely cancelled out by a £500,000 reduction in the provision for contingency items. Attention was drawn however, to a number of factors which could have a negative effect on the projected balance by 31 March.

The report emphasised that those departments which are currently projecting underspends, should endeavour to achieve the latest figures projected while those projecting overspends should minimise the level of any such overspend and indicated that if all departments spend up to the exact amount in their amended budgets, the projected balance of £3,518,730 would reduce by approximately £1,383,000 to £2,135,000.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted; and

(b) That the Director of Finance submit a report to the June meeting of the Committee highlighting variances from the current projections to the actual out-turn.

311 REVENUE BUDGET 1997/98: SPEND TO SAVE INITIATIVE - PROVISION OF 311

TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES: USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 9 February 1998 by the Director of Central Services detailing the full circumstances of the use of the emergency powers procedure as set out in Standing Order 66 to authorise expenditure of approximately £850,000 as a Spend to Save initiative from the Revenue Budget 1997/98 as an investment in telecommunication facilities within and between Council properties.

NOTED

312 SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY ALLOWANCES 312

SUBMITTED: Report dated 23 February 1998 by the Director of Finance setting out revised guidance received from COSLA on the level of Special Responsibility Allowances payable to Elected Members and advising that they would be considering the scope for the future determination of allowances using the principles of job evaluation.

DECIDED: That the guidance received from COSLA be implemented as follows:-

(a) That the annual uprating of Special Responsibility Allowances be linked to the annual percentage pay award made to local government employees (APT & C and Manual Workers) with effect from 1997/98 and an uprating of 2.5% should therefore apply from 1 August 1997 with subsequent upratings applying from 1 April in each year thereafter;

(b) That basic membership payments made to a Councillor as a member of any publicly funded organisation should not result in any abatement being made to any Special Responsibility Allowance Payment which the Councillor receives;

(c) That payments made to a Councillor as the Chair or Vice-Chair of any publicly funded organisation should result in the abatement of any Special Responsibility Allowance which the Councillor receives. This abatement should reflect the time commitment required as Chair or Vice-Chair of the organisation. An abatement of 10% of the Special Responsibility Allowance should be made for each half day per week the Councillor commits as Chair or Vice-Chair of the organisation; and

(d) That the intention of COSLA to examine the future determination of allowances using the principles of job evaluation be noted.

313 GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS 1997/98: PORT GLASGOW 313

JUNIORS FC - USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 17 February 1998 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure as set out in Standing Order 66 to authorise a grant of £2,600 to Port Glasgow Juniors FC.

NOTED

314 GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS 1997/98: THE WILDERNESS 314

EXPERIENCE - USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 March 1998 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure as set out in Standing Order 66 to authorise a grant of £200 to The Wilderness Experience.

NOTED

315 GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS 1997/98 AND 1998/99 315

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 February 1998 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 certain organisations for grant aid for the remainder of the current year and for 1998/99. The report also advised that the Sounding Board recommended that the Committee do not adhere to the per capita allowance recommended by COSLA in respect of certain national organisations.

DECIDED:

(a) That the grants to various Voluntary Organisations amounting in total to £14,048 as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report be approved;

(b) That the grants to various Voluntary Organisations amounting in total to £629,006 (including an amended sum of £1,500, previously £1,000, in respect of the grant to Bow Farm Community Caravan Project) as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report be approved; and

(c) That it be agreed not to adhere to the per capita allowance recommended by COSLA in respect of certain national organisations.

316 PRIORITY PARTNERSHIP AREAS (PPA): URBAN PROGRAMME 1997/98 316

SUBMITTED: Report by the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) requesting the authority of the Committee to utilise the remaining Priority Partnership Areas Revenue balance for 1997/98 of £55,703 as reported to the Committee at its meeting on 5 February 1998 (para 136(b)) by meeting total staff costs of the Partnership Implementation Team inclusive of employer's costs, superannuation, travel etc. (£37,770) and rent arrears to date (£17,500), a total cost of £55,270 leaving a balance of £433 for the current year. In addition, the report recommended that costs of £39,320 and £10,000 respectively be provided in 1998/99 uprated accordingly for future years.

DECIDED:

(a) That the total running costs of £55,270 of the Partnership Implementation Team be met from the Urban Programme Revenue Budget for the year 1997/98 and 1998/99 only; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Assistant Chief Executive to take steps to ensure that as much as possible of the Programme's Capital Budget is spent in this financial year.

317 BEST VALUE REGIME 317

SUBMITTED: Report dated 3 March 1998 by the Chief Executive on the current position regarding the formal submission made to the Scottish Office on the Best Value Regime, indicating that the Council had been granted exemption from Compulsory Competitive Tendering for a further year and requesting the Committee to set a date for the first meeting of the Best Value Regime Members' Steering Group.

DECIDED:

(a) That the current position be noted; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Chief Executive to fix the date of the first meeting of the Best Value Regime Members' Steering Group.

318 COMMUNITY SERVICES REVIEW (PROPERTY) 318

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 March 1998 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) advising that a review of all Council property was currently in progress for submission to the Corporate Business Committee and recommending that the Community Services Review (Property) be included in the review.

DECIDED: That the results of the Community Services Review (Property) be included in the overall review of Council property to be submitted to the Corporate Business Committee.

319 COMMUNITY COUNCIL SCHEME: REVIEW 319

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 March 1998 by the Director of Central Services referring to the decision of the Committee at its meeting on 11 December 1997 (para 1391) during consideration of the Council's Decentralisation Scheme, to review both the areas and the funding arrangements for Community Councils as they currently stand in the Approved Scheme for Community Councils in Inverclyde.

The report advised the Committee of the statutory requirements for the drawing up of a new scheme for Community Councils, drew attention to the requirement in terms of the present scheme for the Council to organise election arrangements this year and recommending that should the Committee agree to proceed with the review, consideration be given to extending the current term of the Community Councils due for election this year for a further year which would allow the review to proceed and to avoid the possibility of implementing 2 election procedures within a short period of time.

DECIDED:

(a) That an intention to revoke the existing Approved Scheme for Community Councils in Inverclyde be agreed and that it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to take all necessary action in connection therewith including comprehensive consultation with the public, existing Community Councils and existing Forums as to the areas and composition of the Community Councils under the new scheme; and

(b) That an approach be made to the existing Community Councils to request their co-operation in extending their current terms of office for a further period of approximately 1 year and that it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to liaise with the Community Councils in appropriate terms on this matter.

320 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: INVERCLYDE MEGAWATT FESTIVAL 320

SUBMITTED: Report dated 2 March 1998 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) on an application from the organisers of the Inverclyde Megawatt Festival to be held from 23 to 30 May 1998 for financial assistance of £25,800 in cash and in kind to cover the use of Council premises, facilities and manpower and also requesting whether the Council would agree to offer Megawatt funding for a 3 year period rather than the submission of annual requests for financial assistance.

The report also requested the Committee to consider the appointment of 3 Members to the Board of the Megawatt Company (Inverclyde Festival Limited) as previously agreed at the meeting of the Policy and Strategy Committee on 18 March 1997 (para 361(a)).

DECIDED:

(a) That a grant of up to £25,800 be made available from the Common Good Fund to the Inverclyde Megawatt Festival including the cost of the use of Council facilities and manpower;

(b) That the request for funding for a 3 year period be deferred pending the outcome of a review of Council support for Inverclyde events currently being undertaken by the Director of Leisure and Recreation; and

(c) That Provost Allan, Councillor McGhee and 1 Member of the Minority Groups the latter to be intimated to the Director of Central Services be nominated to serve as representatives of the Council on the Board of Inverclyde Festival Limited.

321 CCTV PROJECT: THREE TOWN CENTRE AREA - PROPOSED INVITATION OF 321

TENDERS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 3 March 1998 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) requesting the authority of the Committee to invite tenders for a CCTV project at an estimated cost of £500,000 involving the transmission of pictures from 28 Cameras positioned in the Town Centre areas of Gourock, Greenock and Port Glasgow to a control station located in Greenock Police Headquarters.

It was noted that £250,000 of this sum would be provided from the CCTV Challenge Fund, that the Council's contribution to the balance would be approximately £160,000 it being anticipated that the remainder would be provided by other bodies identified in the report.

DECIDED:

(a) That authority be granted to proceed to invite tenders for the CCTV project; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) to submit a report to the Committee on the proposed management arrangements for the project in due course.

322 IMPLEMENTATION OF FORMAL COUNCIL DECISIONS 322

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 March 1998 by the Chief Executive advising the Committee of the existing practice of ensuring implementation of formal Council decisions as agreed by the Committee at its meeting on 5 February 1998 (para 136).

DECIDED: That the procedures being developed to ensure implementation of formal Council decisions be noted and that it be remitted to the Senior Management Team to supervise the monitoring process.

323 SOCIAL EXCLUSION IN SCOTLAND: SCOTTISH OFFICE CONSULTATION PAPER 323

SUBMITTED: Report dated 9 March 1998 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) together with copy of Scottish Office Consultation Paper "Social Exclusion in Scotland" and requesting the Committee to consider a paper appended to the report with a view to the contents forming a basis of the Council's response to the Scottish Office.

DECIDED: That Members wishing to make comments on the draft response for submission to the Scottish Office submit these to the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) in order that the response be finalised in consultation with Councillors Mulholland, Jackson and Finnie for submission to the Scottish Office.

324 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: GOUROCK HIGHLAND GAMES 324

SUBMITTED: Report dated 2 March 1998 by the Director of Central Services advising that the Leisure and Cultural Services Committee recommended that a sum of £10,000 be provided from either the mainline budget or the Common Good Fund towards the costs of organising the 1998 Gourock Highland Games to be held on Sunday 10 May 1998. It was noted that the Director of Leisure and Recreation would be submitting a report on all forthcoming events indicating priorities and the financial implications on the budget to the Leisure and Cultural Services Committee.

DECIDED:

(a) That a contribution of £10,000 be made from the Common Good Fund towards the cost of organising the 1998 Gourock Highland Games; and

(b) That the remit of the Leisure and Cultural Services Committee to the Director of Leisure and Recreation on Council support for events be noted.

325 RESOLUTION : EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 325

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 as amended 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)

Purchase of Property in Central Gourock 2, 6 & 9

Asset Utilisation 8 & 9

326 PURCHASE OF PROPERTY IN CENTRAL GOUROCK 326

There was submitted a report by the Director of Central Services advising that the Economic Development Committee requested provision of funding to meet the cost of the proposed acquisition of premises in Central Gourock, and the Committee agreed to provide funding and to remit the taking of necessary action all as detailed in the Appendix.

327 ASSET UTILISATION 327

SUBMITTED: Report dated 18 March 1998 by the Director of Central Services advising that the Corporate Business Committee recommended that expenditure on the redevelopment of a site in Greenock be met from the Capital Programme 1997/98, and the Committee agreed to the proposed funding arrangements all as detailed in the Appendix.

328 NON-HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 328

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 March 1998 by the Director of Finance on the current position of the 1997/98 Non-HRA Capital Programme. The report advised that, despite the decision of the Committee at its meeting on 5 February 1998 (para 133(c)) that all service Committees take all possible steps to ensure that existing Capital Programmes are progressed as quickly as possible in order to avoid any underspend in 1997/98, the current indication was that there would be a significant underspend by 31 March 1998.

DECIDED:

(a) That the potential of a significant underspend in the Non-HRA Capital Programme for 1997/98 be noted; and

(b) That the Chief Executive submit a report to the Committee detailing the reasons for the underspend.

329 CONDUCT OF COUNCIL MEETINGS 329

Arising from the failure of a member of the public to refrain from interjecting during consideration of Council business, the Committee agreed that it be remitted to the Chief Executive to write to that member of the public advising that such conduct is totally unacceptable and seeking an assurance that no repetition would occur at any future meeting of the Council or meetings held under its auspices.