Policy and Strategy Committee

Thursday 15 March 2001 at 3.00 pm

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

Chair:  Councillor Jackson presided.

In attendance:  Chief Executive, Depute Chief Executive, Director of Community & Protective Services, Director of Education Services, Director of Legal & Support Services, Mr C Struthers (for Director of Social Work & Housing Services), Head of Accountancy Services, Head of Property Services, Head of Customer Services and Managing Solicitor (Committees/Contracts).

Apologies:  Councillor McCabe.

258

Voluntary Managed Community Halls

258

There was submitted a report dated 8 March 2001 by the Director of Legal and Support Services on a request from the Community and Protective Services Committee of 8 March 2001 that the Policy and Strategy Committee (1) allocate £1,000 on an annual basis to each voluntary group which manages a community hall and (2) underwrite the debts burden in the current financial year in respect of the community halls at Kelburn and Grieve Road.

The Director of Community and Protective Services orally advised the Committee that Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership’s Key Fund Committee had now allocated £2,000 in respect of Kelburn and Grieve Road community halls and that the remaining deficit of £1,500 could be absorbed within Leisure and Community Support Services budgets.

Decided:

(1) that funding of £1,000 be allocated for 2001/2002 to each voluntary group managing a community hall;  and

(2) that the position in respect of Kelburn and Grieve Road community halls be noted.

259

Chief Executive/Miscellaneous/SIP Revenue Monitoring Report - Period 10

259

There was submitted a report dated 22 February 2001 by the Head of Accountancy Services on the position of the Revenue Budget 2000/2001 as at Period 10 (10 January 2001).

Noted

260

General Fund Revenue Summary 2000/2001 - Period 10

260

There was submitted a report dated 22 February 2001 by the Head of Accountancy Services on the projected position of the General Fund Revenue Budget as at Period 10 (10 January 2001).

Decided:  that the improved position of the General Fund Revenue Budget 2000/2001 be noted.

261

Capital Programme 2000/2001 - Financial Position

261

There was submitted a report dated 28 February 2001 by the Head of Accountancy 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

262

Non-HRA Capital Programme 2000/2001

262

There was submitted a report dated 1 March 2001 by the Head of Accountancy Services (1) on the financial position of the non-HRA Capital Programme 2000/2001 and (2) advising that the latest estimated shortfall in the Capital Allocation for 2000/2001 was £706,000 representing a reduction of £1,395,000 since the last report to the Committee, together with a supplementary report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services requesting the Committee to homologate the decision of officers to proceed with the scheme of works at 56-60 Kelly Street/9 South Street, Greenock.

Decided:

(1) that the position in respect of the significant capital receipts still outstanding be noted;

(2) that it be noted that action continues to be taken to endeavour to keep within Scottish Executive expenditure limits;  and

(3) that the decision of officers to proceed with the scheme of works at 56-60 Kelly Street/ 9 South Street, Greenock be homologated.

263

Non-HRA Capital Programme 2001 Onwards

263

There was submitted a report dated 8 March 2001 by the Chief Executive (1) requesting the Committee to consider proposals submitted by the Corporate Management Team in respect of the Capital Programme for the next three years as requested by the Committee at the meeting held on 13 February 2001 (para 138),  (2) appending details of the three year draft Capital Programme approved by the Committee at the meeting held on 6 March 2000 (para 210) and (3) outlining the position in respect of  capital spending consent, estimated capital receipts and other sources of funding.

Decided:

(1) that the Capital Programme for the next three years as detailed in Appendices 3 and 4 of the report be approved;

(2) that it be remitted to the Director of Community and Protective Services to report to the Community and Protective Services Committee on the various options and present position regarding the provision of a swimming pool in Port Glasgow;

(3) that it be remitted to the relative Officers to progress the projects and programmes agreed, with reports being submitted to the appropriate Committees on project details as required;  and

(4) that the three-year Capital Programme be reviewed when further information becomes available.

264

Grants to Voluntary Organisations

264

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community and Protective Services (1) on grants to voluntary organisations made in 2000/2001 and (2) setting out the recommendations of the Sounding Board on requests from voluntary organisations for grant aid during 2001/2002.

Decided:

(1) that the awards from the 2000/2001 budget for grants to voluntary organisations be noted and that it be further noted that evaluation of these awards was now under way;

(2) that an award of £588, being the outstanding balance of the 2000/2001 budget, be awarded to Woodhall Tenants’ Association;

(3) that the grants to various voluntary organisations as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report totalling £553,130.84 be approved;

(4) that the request from Inverclyde Arts Forum, that the Forum be given delegated authority to award grants out of a set budget to applicants from an arts background, be noted;  and

(5) that the continuation of consideration of the review of the grants to voluntary organisations system be noted.

265

Megawatt

265

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community and Protective Services (1) advising that the organisers of the Inverclyde Megawatt Festival had indicated that the Festival for 2001 will comprise principally the Megastars competition and a Park Day event and (2) requesting the Committee to consider an application from the organisers of Megawatt for financial assistance of £9,582 in respect of the Megastars competition.

Decided:

(1) that, subject to satisfactory clarification of the expenditure set against consultation, a grant of £9,582 from the Common Good Fund be made to the Inverclyde Megawatt Festival;  and

(2) that it be noted that any additional request for funding for the Park Day event would be submitted within the context of an events weekend which was still being considered within the Council.

266

Citizens Advice Bureau

266

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive setting out background information on the establishment or otherwise of Citizens Advice Bureaux by other Councils and the provision of services similar to that provided by a Citizens Advice Bureau within the Council and requesting the Committee to decide whether funding should be allocated to establish a Citizens Advice Bureau in Inverclyde, consideration of which had been continued from the meeting of the Committee held on 1 February 2001 (para 121).

Decided:  that no action be taken.

267

Polling Schemes - General Election

Greenock & Inverclyde and West Renfrewshire Constituencies

267

There was submitted a report dated 27 February 2001 by the Chief Executive as Returning Officer on proposed polling stations to be used in the event of an election being called in the near future.

The Chief Executive orally advised the Committee that the accommodation to replace the stations at St Stephen’s High School was to be within Struthers Church Hall, Arran Avenue and portakabin facilities at Southfield Avenue, Port Glasgow.

Decided:  that the polling schemes detailed in the Appendix to the report, including the polling places at Arran Avenue and Southfield Avenue, Port Glasgow, be approved and that the appropriate Returning Officers be empowered to amend the schemes, subject to consultation with the local Member, in the event of premises becoming unavailable prior to the election.