Policy and Strategy Committee

Thursday 17 August 2000 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Provost Roach, Councillors Blair, Calvert, McCabe, Mitchell, Morrison (M), O'Rourke, Rebecchi, Robertson (A) and Robertson (Y).

Chair:  Councillor O’Rourke presided.

In attendance:  Chief Executive, Depute Chief Executive, Director of Community & Protective Services, Director of Education Services, Mr H McNeilly (for Director of Legal & Support Services), Director of Resource Services, Director of Social Work & Housing Services, Head of Property Services and Support Services Manager.

710

Garden Tidy Service

710

There was submitted a report dated 11 August 2000 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on a request from the Community & Protective Services Committee of 10 August 2000 to make available supplementary funding in the sum of £58,400 to cover the balance of funding for the Garden Tidy Scheme.

Decided:  that supplementary funding in the sum of £58,400 be agreed for this financial year only.

711

Skillseekers' Scheme within Leisure Services

711

There was submitted a report dated 11 August 2000 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on a request from the Community & Protective Services Committee of 10 August 2000 that the Committee consider the financial implications with regard to the Skillseekers' Scheme and provide additional funding in the sum of £32,480.

Decided:  that a budget of £32,480 be established for the Scheme to operate for this financial year only.

712

Chief Executive/Miscellaneous/SIP Revenue Monitoring Report - Period 3

712

There was submitted a report dated 27 July 2000 by the Director of Resource Services on the position of the Chief Executive/Miscellaneous/SIP Revenue Budget as at 28 June 2000.

Decided: 

(a)  that it be remitted to the Director of Resource Services to prepare a detailed report for the next Finance Sub-Committee setting out the reasons for the latest Internal Resources figures; and

(b)  that the contents of the report be noted.

713

General Fund Revenue Summary 2000/2001

713

There was submitted a report dated 28 July 2000 by the Director of Resource Services on the projected position of the 2000/2001 General Fund budget at 28 June 2000.  Councillor A Robertson declared an interest in 3the part of the report relating to Greenock Waterfront Leisure Complex and took no part in its decision.

Decided:-

(1) that the request from the Corporate Business Committee for a supplementary estimate in the sum of £18,000 be agreed;

(2) that it be remitted to the Director of Resource Services to submit a report on the final position relating to Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority's assumption of debt;  and

(3) that the contents of the report be noted.

714

Capital Programme 2000/2001 - Financial Position

714

There was submitted a report dated 25 July 2000 by the Director of Resource Services on the financial position of current and proposed projects in both the Non-HRA Capital Programme 2000/2001 and the Social Inclusion Partnership 2000/2001.

Noted

715

Non-HRA Capital Programme 2000/2001

715

There was submitted a report dated 1 August 2000 by the Director of Resource Services on the current position of the 2000/2001 Non-HRA Capital Programme and advising that the latest estimated shortfall in capital allocation is £3,387,000 due to the re-phasing of projects partially offset by £116,000 reduction in projected receipts.  It was noted that £1,370,000 of the £2,400,000 of revenue balances agreed to fund capital in 1999/2000 was carried forward to 2000/2001.

Decided:

(a) that the report be noted;  and

(b) that it be remitted to the Director of Resource Services to monitor and review the Programme to take account of slippage in the course of the year.

716

Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership

716

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community & Protective Services advising of the  progress on Partnership developments and seeking the Committee’s approval to funding proposals from the Partnership Forum.

Decided:

(a)  that the Partnership Strategy for 2000/2003 be endorsed;

(b)  that it be agreed that details of its operational plan be submitted to a future Committee;

(c)  that the developments of the Community Safety Strategy be noted;

(d)  that the annual report for 1999/2000 be noted;

(e)  that the relocation of the support team to James Watt College Waterfront premises and the contribution this year of £38,000 SIP funds towards refurbishment costs be approved;

(f)  that the developments with the monitoring plan and area renewal studies be noted; and

(g)  that the project proposals for SIP capital and revenue expenditure for 2000/2001 be approved.

717

Area Renewal Funding - Parent Support and Education Centre

There was submitted a report dated 28 July 2000 by the Director of Education Services seeking approval for an allocation of £150,000 from the area renewal capital funding to contribute to the overall funding package for the development of the Parent Support and Education Centre and related developments in Gibshill Children's Centre.

717

Decided:  that £150,000 of the area renewal capital funding be allocated to contribute to an overall package of funding for the provision of a new Parent Support and Education Centre and the related upgrading of Gibshill Children's Centre.

718

The Intermediate Labour Market

718

There was submitted a report dated 22 July 2000 by the Partnership Co-ordinator setting out the current position and making a number of recommendations for implementing the ILM strategy.

Decided: 

(a)  that the site at Coves Reservoir be substituted for the site at Strone Farm Phase 3;

(b) that the virement of £50,000 allocation from the Strone Farm Phase 3 ILM new Programme be approved;

(c)  that subject to the suspension of Standing Orders, a £50,000 allocation for Strone Farm Phase 3 in the Council's capital budget for the financial year 2001/2002 be made;

(d)  that  a Sounding Board be established comprising 2 Members of the Majority Group and 1 Member of the Minority Groups which will identify ILM sites and to provide the necessary guidance for future activity; and

(e) that  authority be delegated to the Director of Community & Protective Services in consultation with the Sounding Board to agree any changes to proposed works within the overall ILM Programme in a particular financial year.

719

Youth Strategy

719

There was submitted a report dated 22 July 2000 by the Director of Community & Protective Services advising of the development of the Inverclyde Youth Strategy and seeking Committee's approval of the Strategy.

Decided: 

(a)  that the background to the development of Inverclyde Youth Strategy be noted; and

(b)  that the Strategy document be approved.

720

Port Glasgow Comet Festival Group

720

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community & Protective Services requesting an allocation of £4,000 from the Common Good Fund towards the Comet Festival 2000.

Decided: that an allocation of £4,000 from the Common Good Fund be granted to the Port Glasgow Comet Festival Group to help pay for an enhanced programme as a way of celebrating the Millenium 2000.

721

Audit Action Plan

There was submitted a report dated 3 August 2000 by the Director of Resource Services on an action plan detailing the implementation of the required improvements in financial controls by March 2001.

721

Decided:  that the contents of the report be noted and the action plan relating to the issues raised in respect of the 1997/98 audit of accounts exercise be endorsed and that the Director of Resource Services submit progress reports to each future Policy & Strategy Committee meeting.

722

Political Management Arrangements

722

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive outlining options for consideration for the political management of the Council.  Following discussion Councillor O’Rourke moved that a further detailed report on the options of an Executive Model or a revised Committee system be submitted taking into account (i) the function of Area Committees, (ii) the place and implementation of the Community Plan and Community Plan Themes and (iii) any necessary changes to the current Standing Orders and Scheme of Delegation.

As an amendment, Councillor Blair moved that there be added a commitment for two additional points viz (i) that with regard to decision making, all Councillors be entitled to vote and take part in the decision making process in line with the present arrangements  and (ii) that all matters be discussed in public unless the subject matter determined that discussion had to be in private.

On a vote 4 Members voted for the amendment and 6 for the motion which was declared carried.

Decided:  that a further detailed report on the options of an Executive Model or a revised Committee system be submitted taking into account (i) the function of Area Committees, (ii) the place and implementation of the Community Plan and Community Plan Themes and (iii) any necessary changes to the current Standing Orders and Scheme of Delegation.

723

Impact of Early Retirements on Inverclyde Council

723

There was submitted a report dated 29 June 2000 by the Director of Resource Services on the impact of early retirements on the Council and identifying projected costs together with options for varying the scheme currently applying to employees of the former Inverclyde District Council.

Decided:

(a) that the increasing financial pressure of early retirement costs on the budgets be noted;

(b) that it be agreed that budgetary provision should be made in future years for all anticipated costs associated with early retirals; and

(c) that it be remitted to the Director of Resource Services to submit a further report on the outcome of consultations with the Trade Unions regarding a review of the existing Scheme.

It was agreed in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended, that the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that the business 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)

Waterfront Leisure Complex - Electricity Consumption                           6, 8 & 9

Special Waterfront Working Group Minute                                               6 & 12

724

Waterfront Leisure Complex - Electricity Consumption

724

There was submitted a report dated 11 August 2000 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on a request from the Community & Protective Services Committee to make a supplementary estimate to cover additional energy costs in respect of the Waterfront Leisure Complex for this financial year.  Councillor A Robertson declared an interest in this matter and took no part in the decision. It was decided that the request be agreed, all as detailed in the Appendix.

725

Special Waterfront Working Group Minute

725

There was submitted the minute of the Special Waterfront Working Group held on 15 June 2000.

Noted