1359 REVENUE BUDGET 1998/99: MONITORING REPORT - CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S 1359

OFFICE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 25 November 1998 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the position of the Revenue Budget 1998/99 for the Chief Executive’s Office as at 14 October 1998.

NOTED

1360 REVENUE BUDGET 1998/99: SUMMARY 1360

SUBMITTED: Report dated 3 December 1998 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the position of the Revenue Budget 1998/99 as at 14 October 1998. The report advised that the current projection showed an overall underspend of £254,130, a decrease of £424,920 since the last report to the Committee on 24 September 1998 (para 1017) and detailed the various significant items which had resulted in the present position. The report also advised of requests received from the Corporate Business Committee and the Economic Development Committee for supplementary revenue estimates.

DECIDED:

(a) That the request made by the Corporate Business Committee at its meeting on 15 December 1998 for a supplementary revenue estimate of £13,870 in respect of a projected overspend in overtime payments and an under-recovery in payroll advertising income within Financial Services be approved;

(b) That the request made by the Economic Development Committee at its meeting on 10 December 1998 for a supplementary revenue estimate of £20,310 in respect of the preparation of the Local Plan and a further sum of £15,060 for incorporation in the Revenue Budget 1999/2000 to cover costs for the final stage of consultation in respect of the Local Plan be approved; and

1361 STRATHCLYDE REGIONAL COUNCIL DEFICIT 1361

SUBMITTED: Report dated 3 December 1998 by the Chief Executive together with copy of report by the Controller of Audit to the Accounts Commission regarding the Strathclyde Regional Council 1995/96 deficit and drawing attention to the conclusions of the report highlighting the impact of local government reorganisation on the deficit and requesting the Committee to consider whether or not a response should be made.

The report advised that the Chief Executive had made representations to the Secretary of State for Scotland in terms of the Resolution adopted by the Council at its meeting on 25 June 1998 (para 704) and that following meetings with representatives of successor authorities, the Minister for Home Affairs, Devolution and Local Government had indicated that he was currently considering the possibility of paying Councils grant to cover their share of deficit in lieu of issuing capital allocations. The Committee were reminded however that, in terms of previous budget decisions, provision had already been made for the deficit and consequently, there was no possibility of change in the Council’s overall position.

DECIDED: That the Chief Executive submit responses to the Controller of Audit and the Minister for Home Affairs, Devolution and Local Government in terms reflecting the position already adopted by the Council.

1362 NON-HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 1362

SUBMITTED: Report dated 3 December 1998 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the financial position of the Non-HRA Capital Programme 1998/99. The report advised that the latest estimated shortfall in the Capital Allocation in 1998/99 was £4,007,000, a decrease of £1,033,000 since the last report to the Committee and set out the reasons for the decrease in the projected shortfall. The report indicated that projected expenditure on legally committed projects in 1998/99 was currently £10,830,000, approximately £1,478,000 above the estimated allocation which, with the addition of professional fees of up to £300,000 resulted in an overall projected shortfall in Capital Allocation of £1,778,000.

It was noted that in response to an approach to the Scottish Office requesting either an increase in basic allocation or an increase in the overspend limit for 1998/99, the Council had been advised that no increase in allocation will be granted.

There was also submitted a supplementary report dated 8 December 1998 by the Executive Director Resource Services confirming that in response to a letter issued to all Scottish Local Authorities with a view to the Council entering an agreement for an exchange of Non-HRA capital consent, Edinburgh City Council had indicated their willingness to participate in such an arrangement in the sum of £2,000,000 and that consequently, approval had been granted for the exchange with that Council under Standing Order 66 procedure.

The report also advised of remits from:-

(i) the Social Work and Housing Committee that further sums of £20,000 and £34,000, increases in the cost of the McPherson Centre, and an increase of £46,000 in the Private Sector Housing Capital Programme in respect of an overspend in Aids and Adaptations expenditure be added to the Capital Programme and also that a sum of £17,500 be made available in the Capital Programme to allow inclusion for the demolition of Danny’s Place and Garage in the first phase of Gibshill housing demolitions; and

(ii) the Education Services Committee for an increase in the Education Services Capital Budget in the sum of £316,000 to meet estimated increases in the cost of the new Gourock Primary School.

DECIDED:

(a) That the action taken under Standing Order 66 procedure to agree an exchange of Non-HRA capital consent of £2,000,000 with Edinburgh City Council and the subsequent agreement, be noted;

(b) That the request by the Social Work and Housing Committee that its capital provision be increased by £20,000 and £34,000 respectively relative to the McPherson Centre be funded from the Social Work and Housing Revenue Budget and that provision for a sum of up to £17,500 to allow demolition of Danny’s Place and Garage be approved;

(d) That the request by the Education Services Committee that its capital provision be increased by £320,000 in respect of costs of the new Gourock Primary School be approved;

and

(e) That the report be otherwise noted.

1363 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99: TECHNICAL PROGRESS 1363

SUBMITTED: Report dated 19 November 1998 by the Head of Technical Services on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1998/99.

NOTED

1364 NON-HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99: FINANCIAL POSITION 1364

SUBMITTED: Report dated 26 November 1998 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the financial position of current and proposed projects in both the Non-HRA Capital Programme 1998/99 and the Urban Programme 1998/99.

NOTED

1365 INVERCLYDE REGENERATION PARTNERSHIP 1365

SUBMITTED: Report by the Executive Director Community and Protective Services on the current progress of Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership including an update on the Urban Programme budget position and seeking approval of recommendations for Urban Programme Funding from the Partnership Forum. Attention was drawn to the redesignation of the Partnership by the Scottish Office as a Social Inclusion Partnership and the report incorporated a note detailing the response submitted by Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership to the Scottish Office on social inclusion issues.

The report indicated that there was a current balance of £140,288 (revenue) and a projected balance of £132,000 (capital) and, following approval of the latest applications and proposals as detailed in Appendix 2(a) of the report, the balance would be £90,527 (revenue) and would commit the remaining capital balance for the current financial year.

DECIDED:

(a) That approval be granted to award Urban Programme funding for 1998/99 in respect of the schemes detailed in Appendices 2(a) and 2(b) and as summarised in Appendix 3(a) of the report;

(b) That the redesignation of the Partnership by the Scottish Office as a Social Inclusion Partnership be noted;

(d) That current developments in relation to Partnership priorities, programmes and projects as detailed in the report be noted.

1366 GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS 1998/99 1366

SUBMITTED: Report dated 16 October 1998 by the Executive Director Community and Protective Services 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 1998/99.

The Executive Director orally asked the Committee to note that the application from Gourock Football Club had been withdrawn.

DECIDED: That the grants to various voluntary organisations as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report amounting in total to £2,665 be approved.

1367 REVIEW OF COMMUNITY COUNCILS’ SCHEME 1367

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 November 1998 by the Director of Central Services together with copies of responses received from the public and existing Community Councils following the public consultation exercise requesting views as to the areas and composition of Community Councils under a new Scheme.

The report detailed a number of options for a new Scheme for consideration by the Committee and recommended that arrangements be made for a meeting between representatives of the Council and representatives from each of the 19 existing Community Councils to consider and discuss their assessment of and view on participation by the public in the work of those bodies and to discuss how a new Scheme for Community Councils could assist in such public participation.

DECIDED: That arrangements be made for a meeting between representatives of the Council and representatives from each of the 19 Community Councils for the purpose described above and that the Council be represented at such a meeting by two Members of the Majority Group and a Member from the Minority Groups, to be intimated to the Director of Central Services, together with appropriate Officers and that it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to make all necessary arrangements.

1368 THE COMMISSION ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT: 1368

CONSULTATION PAPER 2

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 December 1998 by the Chief Executive requesting the Committee to consider arrangements for a meeting or meetings, as appropriate, to consider Consultation Paper 2 issued by the Commission on Local Government and the Scottish Parliament (copies of which had been previously circulated to Members) and to agree a response to the Commission.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Chief Executive to arrange meetings as appropriate to determine the Council’s response to Consultation Paper 2 and that an invitation be extended to all Members to attend such meetings.

1369 OVERVIEW OF DLOs AND DSOs IN SCOTLAND 1369

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 December 1998 by the Chief Executive together with copy of report by the Controller of Audit to the Accounts Commission setting out an overview of DLOs and DSOs in Scotland and also a report on the findings by the Accounts Commission following consideration of the overview and drawing attention to a number of issues arising therefrom.

The report indicated that the Council had, prior to the publication of the Commission’s findings progressed a number of matters as part of the Council’s approach to the Best Value Regime, the overall review of client and contractor activities and the management restructure and indicated that other matters such as business plans and commitment accounting are currently being addressed.

DECIDED: That the Committee note the action already taken and endorse the preparation of business plans for DLOs and DSOs and the introduction of a commitment accounting system as part of the development of the financial ledger.

1370 STANDING ORDERS, FINANCIAL REGULATIONS, CONTRACT REGULATIONS 1370

AND SCHEME OF DELEGATION

SUBMITTED: Report dated 10 December 1998 by the Director of Central Services together with proposed revised versions of the Council’s Standing Orders and Scheme of Administration and the Financial Regulations and Operating Procedures following consideration by the Standing Orders Working Group and also advising the Committee of the current position regarding the Contract Regulations and Scheme of Delegation.

DECIDED:

(a) That recommendation be made to Inverclyde Council to adopt, subject to minor amendment, the proposed Standing Orders and Scheme of Administration and the Financial Regulations and Operating Procedures as detailed in Appendices 1 and 2 of the report respectively, to replace both existing documents; and

(b) That the report be otherwise noted.

1371 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 1371

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)

Election Arrangements for 1999 1

Clune Park Primary School Community Facility, Robert Street,

Port Glasgow:

Report on Tenders 6 & 8

1372 ELECTION ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1999 1372

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 November 1998 by the Chief Executive referring to the election for the new Scottish Parliament and The Inverclyde Council to be held on 6 May 1999 and the elections for the European Parliament on 10 June 1999 and requesting the Committee’s authority to, if deemed necessary, obtain external assistance from a person or persons with sufficient experience in these areas to provide training and active help to existing staff employed by the Council.

DECIDED: That the Chief Executive, as Returning Officer, be authorised to seek and appoint on suitable terms and conditions a person or persons as consultants to assist in the administration of elections to be held in 1999 as detailed above.

1373 CLUNE PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL COMMUNITY FACILITY, ROBERT STREET,

PORT GLASGOW: REPORT ON TENDERS 1373

SUBMITTED: Report dated 9 December 1998 by the Executive Director Community and Protective Services on 5 tenders received for alteration works to Clune Park Primary School Community Facility, Port Glasgow.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the tender submitted by W H Kirkwood Ltd in the amended sum of £47,281.53.