Policy and Strategy Committee

Thursday 22 November 2001 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Provost Roach, Councillors Calvert, Jackson, McCabe, McGhee, Morrison (M), Rebecchi, Robertson (A) and Robertson (Y).

Chair:  Councillor Jackson presided.

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

Apologies:  Councillors Blair, Mitchell and O’Rourke.

1032

Major Repairs Budget 2001/2002

1032

There was submitted a report dated 19 November 2001 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on a request from the Corporate Business Committee of 8 November 2001 that approval be given to accept a tender to be funded from the Major Repairs Budget 2001/2002.

Decided:  that authority be granted to the Director of Legal & Support Services to accept the lowest tender received for the replacement of the windows at Gourock Municipal Buildings subject to the resolution of issues outstanding with Historic Scotland as outlined in the report to the Corporate Business Committee.

1033

Revenue Monitoring Report - Period 6

1033

There was submitted a report dated 11 October 2001 by the Director of Finance Services on the position of the Revenue Budget 2001/02 as at period 6 (19 September 2001).

Noted

1034

General Fund Revenue Summary 2001/2002 - Period 6

1034

There was submitted a report dated 30 October 2001 by the Director Finance of Services on the position of the General Fund Revenue Budget 2001/2002 as at period 6 (19 September 2001).

Noted

1035

Capital Programme 2001/2002 - Technical Progress

1035

There was submitted a report dated 26 October 2001 by the Depute Chief Executive on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 2001/2002.

Noted

1036

Capital Programme 2001/02 - 2003/04 - Financial Position

1036

There was submitted a report dated 2 November 2001 by the Director of Finance Services on the financial position of current and proposed projects in the Capital Programme 2001/02 - 2003/04.

Noted

1037

Non-HRA Capital Programme 2001/2002

1037

There was submitted a report dated 31 October 2001 by the Director of Finance Services on the current position of the Non-HRA Capital Programme 2001/2002.

Decided:

(1) that the current position of the Non-HRA Capital Programme 2001/2002 be noted; and

(2) that it be noted that the Corporate Management Team would submit proposals to the Committee to ensure that the capital consent limits were not exceeded.

1038

3 Year Revenue Budget

1038

There was submitted a report dated 15 November 2001 by the Director of Finance Services providing an update on the 3 Year Revenue Budget position as preparation for the production of a balanced budget to be set on Thursday 14 February 2002, the national budget setting date.

Noted

1039

Amendment to Delegated Authority

1039

There was submitted a report dated 24 October 2001 by the Director of Legal & Support Services addressing concerns raised at the meeting of the Committee on 11 October 2001 (para 904) in connection with a report submitted by the Director of Finance Services which requested that authority be delegated to her to object to applications for licences in terms of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 from persons who persistently fail to pay local taxes.

Councillor Rebecchi declared an interest in this item and took no part in its consideration or decision.  He did however, raise a point for clarification which was answered by the Director of Legal & Support Services.

Decided: 

(1) that the terms of the report be noted; and

(2) that delegated authority be granted to the Director of Finance Services to object to applications for licences in terms of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 from persons who persistently fail to pay local taxes.ý

1040

Proposals to Improve the A8 Entranceway to Inverclyde from the East - “The Clydeside Corridor Concept”

1040

There was submitted a report by the Depute Chief Executive and the Director of Community & Protective Services seeking the Committee’s support in principle for proposals to improve the A8 Entranceway to Inverclyde from the east, “The Clydeside Corridor Concept”, for the allocation of funds for fees to enable a feasibility study to be undertaken and for the redevelopment of Parklea Playing Fields as the first stage of the improvements.

Decided: 

(1)  that approval in principle be given to the Clydeside Corridor Concept as outlined in the report and in the exhibition material displayed prior to the meeting;

(2)  that it be agreed to allocate £20,000 for fees from the fund set aside for that purpose to enable a feasibility study to be undertaken and the preparation of detailed proposals for the scheme in due course;

(3)  that in addition, it be remitted to the appropriate Officers to investigate the position with regard to ownership of Kelburn Park, the implications generally in respect of security and ongoing maintenance and the feasibility of providing a small scale housing development as part of the scheme;

(4)  that it be agreed to allocate a further £5,000 for fees from the fund outlined in (2) above to enable detailed feasibility proposals, including funding proposals, to be prepared relative to Parklea Playing Fields; and

(5)  that the various sources of funding which may be available for the scheme as detailed in the report be noted and that it be remitted to the appropriate Officers to enter into negotiations with the various funding bodies in order to progress the proposals.

1041

Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership

1041

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community & Protective Services on the progress of Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership developments and seeking the Committee’s approval of recommendations from the Partnership Forum held on 1 October 2001.

Decided:

(1)  that the developments made relative to the review of the Partnership’s project appraisal processes be noted and the decisions of the Partnership Forum in relation to the evaluation of projects and new bids for funding as identified in Appendix 1 to the report be endorsed;

(2)  that the development of the Action Plan reports in response to the Partnership’s Interim Evaluation and in particular the recommendations agreed by the Partnership Forum in relation to the involvement of the community and voluntary sectors in the Partnership as set out in Appendix 2 be noted; and

(3)  that the Partnership’s Annual Report for 2000/01 be circulated to all Elected Members.

1042

Best Value and Performance Review Panel - 25 October 2001

1042

There was submitted minute of meeting of the Best Value and Performance Review Panel of 25 October 2001.

Approved

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)

Social Work Information System                                                                6 & 8

Special Waterfront Working Group - 22 October 2001                             6

Application for Relief of Rates on Grounds of Hardship                           6

1043

Social Work Information System

1043

There was submitted a report dated 19 November 2001 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on a request from the Social Work & Housing Committee of 6 November 2001 relative to the funding arrangements for the procurement of a replacement Social Work Information System.

Decided: 

(1)  that it be agreed that funding for the replacement Social Work Information System be obtained either from the funds set aside within the Information Services allocation for corporate/common systems within the Capital Programme or from identified savings within the Social Work Revenue Budget with any balance of funding, if required, being met from the Capital Programme; and

(2)  that authority be delegated to the appropriate Officers to determine the detailed arrangements for financing the replacement Social Work Information System in line with (1) above.

1044

Special Waterfront Working Group - 22 October 2001

1044

There was submitted minute of meeting of the Special Waterfront Working Group of 22 October 2001.

Councillor Robertson (Y) declared an interest in this item and took no part in its consideration or decision.

Approved

The Convener, being of the opinion that the undernoted item was relevant, competent and urgent, moved its consideration to allow the Committee to consider the application at the earliest opportunity.  This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

1045

Application for Relief of Rates on Grounds of Hardship

1045

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance Services on an application received from a local company for relief of non domestic rates on grounds of hardship.

Councillor McCabe declared an interest in this item and took no part in its consideration or decision and thereafter left the meeting. 

The Committee decided to refuse the application and instruct the Director of Finance Services to advise the applicant to recommence paying the monthly instalments of non domestic rates, all as detailed in the Appendix.