POLICY AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE

 

THURSDAY 18 MARCH 1999 - 3.00 pm

 

Present:-  Provost Allan, Councillors Calvert, Clocherty, O'Rourke, Jackson, McGhee, Robertson (Y), Mulholland, Mitchell and Finnie, Councillor Mulholland, Convener in the Chair.

 

In Attendance:-  The Chief Executive, the Depute Chief Executive, Mr C Clelland (for the Executive Director Legal, Information and Support Services), the Executive Director Resource Services, the Executive Director Education Services, Mr D Robin (for the Executive Director Social Work and Housing Services), the Director of Central Services, the Director of Leisure and Recreation, the Director of Personnel Services, the Director of Transportation and Roads and the Head of Property Services.

 

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Morrison (M) and Sir Simpson Stevenson.

 

   316      REVENUE BUDGET 1998/99 - MONITORING REPORT:  CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S                            316

              OFFICE                                                                                                                                                        

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 26 February 1999 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the position of the Revenue Budget 1998/99 for the Chief Executive’s Office as at 6 January 1999.

NOTED

 

   317      REVENUE BUDGET 1998/99:  SUMMARY                                                                                          317

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 4 March 1999 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the position of the Revenue Budget 1998/99 as at 6 January 1999.  The report advised that the current projection showed an overall underspend of £922,280, an improvement of £508,930 since the last report to the Committee on 4 February 1999 (para 171), detailed the major variances which had resulted in the present position and also indicated that the projected General Fund balance at 31 March 1999 is estimated at £5.2m.

Attention was also drawn to a request from the Community and Protective Services Committee for a Supplementary Revenue estimate of £16,750 in the current Revenue Budget to meet a shortfall in the Leisure Services DSO Revenue Budget.

DECIDED: 

(a)  That provision of an additional sum of £16,750 to meet a shortfall in the Leisure Services DSO Revenue Budget be approved; and

(b)  That the report be otherwise noted.

 

   318      NON-HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99                                                                                     318

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 3 March 1999 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 1998/99 was £1,215,000, a decrease of £431,000 since the last report to the Committee and set out the

reasons for the decrease in the projected shortfall which was mainly due to the result of increases in projected receipts and expenditure slippage.  The report indicated that the projected expenditure on legally committed projects in 1998/99 was currently £11,656,000, approximately £213,000 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 £513,000.

The report also advised of requests from:-

(i)  The Social Work and Housing Committee that a sum of £25,000 be made available in respect of further increases in the costs of the MacPherson Centre refurbishment on the basis that this be funded from the projected Social Work Revenue underspend 1998/99; and

(ii)  The Economic Development Services Committee that a sum of £160,000 be provided in the current Capital Programme in respect of necessary inspections/works to bridges not in the ownership of the Council.

DECIDED:

(a)  That appropriate Officers continue to monitor carefully Capital Expenditure to ensure that the Scottish Office limits are not exceeded;

(b)  That the request by the Social Work and Housing Committee that its Capital provision be increased by £25,000 in respect of the MacPherson Centre refurbishment on the basis that the sum be provided from the projected Social Work revenue underspend in 1998/99 be approved;

(c)  That the request by the Economic Development Services Committee for an additional sum of £160,000 for necessary inspections/works to bridges not in the ownership of the Council be approved; and

(d)  That the report be otherwise noted.

 

   319      CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99:  TECHNICAL PROGRESS                                                           319

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 22 February 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1998/99.

NOTED

 

   320      CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99:  FINANCIAL POSITION                                                             320

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 2 March 1999 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

 

   321      INVERCLYDE REGENERATION PARTNERSHIP:  URBAN PROGRAMME 1998/99                      321

 

SUBMITTED:  Report by the Executive Director Community and Protective Services requesting approval of various bids for Urban Programme funding for 1998/99 as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report which, if approved, would commit the remaining revenue balance of £38,132 for 1998/99.

The report also sought further 6 month extensions of funding in respect of the following projects, viz:- Threshold Printing, GEAG Special Needs and Elderly and Disabled Resource Centre and in addition, requested approval for the creation of 2 new projects from the integration of certain existing projects commencing 1 April 1999 as follows:-

 

 

DECIDED:

(a)  That approval be granted to award Urban Programme funding in respect in the schemes in Appendix 1 of the report amounting in total to £38,132;

(b)  That approval be granted to extensions of funding for the following projects, viz:- Threshold Printing and GEAG Special Needs (both to 30 September 1999) and the Elderly and Disabled Resource Centre (extension to 31 December 1999); and

(c)  That approval be granted to the creation of 2 new projects commencing 1 April 1999 namely Enterprise Childcare and Youth Council on the basis of the proposed Urban Programme Budgets as detailed above.

 

   322      “INVEST IN INVERCLYDE” PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN                                                             322

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 1 March 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive setting out a proposed operational plan and structure for the “Invest in Inverclyde” promotional campaign, requesting that provision be made for a sum up to £30,000 to resource the campaign such sum to be offset by savings made in terms of the existing promotional spend and that the project be implemented on this basis by the Working Group comprising appropriate Officers of the Council and representatives from future partner organisations from the public and private sectors as previously agreed by the Committee at its meeting on 4 February 1999 (para 175).

DECIDED:

(a)  That the “Invest in Inverclyde” promotional campaign proceed on the basis of the operational plan and structure detailed in the report; and

(b)  That the request for funding of up to £30,000 be continued pending submission of a further report by the Depute Chief Executive including a more accurate assessment of the budget for the project and identifying the commitment and practical support in cash or kind from partner organisations.

 

   323      MEMBERS’ BASIC ALLOWANCES:  PROPOSED INCREASE                                                         323

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 9 February 1999 by the Executive Director Resource Services advising that the maximum basic allowance payable to Members had been increased by 3% from £5,286 pa to £5,445 pa with effect from 14 January 1999.

Councillor Jackson moved that no action be taken to implement the increase in Members’ Basic Allowances.  As an amendment, Councillor Calvert moved that the matter be continued for further consideration following the Statutory Meeting of the new Council in May 1999.  On a vote, 1 Member voted for the amendment and 9 for the motion which was declared carried.

DECIDED:  That no action be taken to implement the revised Members’ Basic Allowance.

 

   324      GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS 1998/99 AND 1999/2000                                       324

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 1 March 1999 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 certain organisations for grant aid for the remainder of the current year and for 1999/2000.  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 for 1998/99 as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report amounting in total to £11,376 be approved;

(b)  That the grants to various Voluntary Organisations for 1999/2000 as  detailed in Appendix 2 of the report amounting in total to £508,529 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.

 

   325      FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:  INVERCLYDE MEGAWATT FESTIVAL                                             325

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 12 March 1999 by the Executive Director Community and Protective Services on an application from the organisers of the Inverclyde Megawatt Festival to be held during May 1999, for financial assistance of up to £28,000 in cash and in kind to cover the use of Council premises, facilities and manpower.

DECIDED:  That a grant of up to £28,000 be made available from the Common Good Fund to the Inverclyde Megawatt Festival including the cost of the use of Council premises, facilities and manpower.

 

   326      RESOLUTION:  EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS                                                                    326

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)

Outstanding Improvement Grant Applications - Allocation of Funding               4

Janitors’ Projected Overspend 1998/99                                                           1 & 8

Operating Leases                                                                                             8 & 9

 

   327      OUTSTANDING IMPROVEMENT GRANT APPLICATIONS                                                            327

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 2 March 1999 by the Executive Director Legal, Information and Support Services on a request from the Social Work and Housing Committee that the Policy and Strategy Committee establish an allocation on an annual recurring basis to allow a programme to improve Category A Improvement Grant Applications which had been agreed by the former Inverclyde District Council in November 1995 to be produced.

DECIDED:  That consideration of the request be deferred meantime.

 

   328      JANITORS’ PROJECTED OVERSPEND 1998/99                                                                                328

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 18 March 1999 by the Executive Director Legal, Information and Support Services on a request from the Corporate Business Committee that the Policy and Strategy Committee approve a budget increase of £26,430 for Janitors in 1999/2000.

DECIDED:  That provision be made in the 1999/2000 Revenue Budget of a sum of £26,430.

 

   329      OPERATING LEASES                                                                                                                           329

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 4 March 1999 by the Executive Director Resource Services seeking the approval of the Committee to purchase assets contained in 2 leases due to expire at 31 March 1999 as detailed in the report at a total one-off payment of £52,650 on the basis that this would result in a Revenue Budget saving of £39,330 in 1999/2000.

DECIDED:  That the Executive Director Resource Services be authorised to purchase assets currently contained in 2 leases as detailed in the report at a total cost of £52,650 and that savings of approximately £39,330 arising therefrom be allocated to the Contingency Fund.