Policy and Strategy Committee

Thursday 31 January 2002 at 3.00 pm

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

Chair:  Councillor Jackson presided.

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

Apologies:  Councillors McGhee, Morrison (M) and Robertson (Y).

102

Revenue Monitoring Report - Period 8

102

There was submitted a report dated 17 December 2001 by the Director of Finance Services on the position of the Revenue Budget 2001/2002 as at period 8 (14 November 2001).

Noted

103

General Fund Revenue Summary - 2001/2002

103

There was submitted a report dated 10 January 2002 by the Director of Finance Services on the position of the General Fund Revenue Budget 2001/2002 as at period 8 (14 November 2001).

Decided:  that the position of the General Fund Revenue Budget 2001/2002 be noted, in particular the areas of concern including the predicted Nil balance on the General Fund Reserve which are all being taken account of as part of the current process for setting the 2002/03 budget.

104

Capital Programme 2001/2002 - Technical Progress

104

There was submitted a report dated 10 January 2002 by the Depute Chief Executive on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 2001/2002.

Noted

105

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

105

There was submitted a report dated 10 January 2002 by the Director of Finance Services on the financial position of current and proposed projects in the Non-HRA Capital Programme 2001/02 - 2003/04.

Noted

106

Non-HRA Capital Programme 2001/2002

106

There was submitted a report dated 9 January 2002 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 authority be delegated to the Chief Executive and the Director of Finance Services to control the issue of tender acceptances to ensure the Council does not exceed capital expenditure consent limits.

107

3 Year Revenue Budget

107

There was submitted a report dated 9 January 2002 by the Director of Finance Services providing an update on the 3 Year Revenue Budget position resulting from the Local Government Finance Settlement 2002/03 and 2003/04 issued by the Scottish Executive on 6 December 2001.

Decided:

(1) that the revised budget position resulting from Scottish Executive Finance Circular 8/2001 be noted;

(2) that the revised funding gap of £4.851 million for 2002/03 and the current indications of a further funding gap of £1.423 million to be addressed in 2003/04 be noted; and

(3) that it be agreed to continue the work being carried out by Directors in providing relevant information to assist in identifying ways of bridging the funding gap.

108

Treasury Management - Borrowing Strategy 2001/02

108

There was submitted a report dated 9 January 2002 by the Director of Finance Services requesting that the Committee approve the Borrowing Strategy 2001/02 as set out in the report and as required in terms of the Council’s Treasury Policy Statement.

(Provost Roach entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Decided:

(1)  that the Borrowing Strategy 2001/02 be approved; and

(2)  that the following limits identified in the Treasury Policy Statement be extended for the year 2001/02 in line with the Borrowing Strategy:-

(i)    maximum proportion of debt restructure in 1 year - 50%; and

(ii)   maximum proportion of portfolio repayable in any 1 year - 35%.

109

Treasury Management Monitoring Report

109

There was submitted a report dated 9 January 2002 by the Director of Finance Services on matters relating to the Treasury Management Function for the 3 quarters from 1 April 2001 to 31 December 2001.

Noted

110

Request for Financial Assistance:  Kilmacolm Community Council and Kilmacolm Civic Trust

110

There was submitted a report by the Director of Legal & Support Services on a request from Kilmacolm Community Council and Kilmacolm Civic Trust for financial assistance towards the cost of engaging specialist advisers and consultants in respect of the planning inquiry for the proposed development at the Hydro Dam, Kilmacolm.

Decided:  that a grant of £3,000 be made to Kilmacolm Community Council and Kilmacolm Civic Trust towards the costs incurred at the planning inquiry at the Hydro Dam from the Community Councils budget.

111

Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Act 2000

111

There was submitted a report dated 11 January 2002 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on the provisions of Part 5 of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Act 2000 which came into effect from 1 January 2002.

Noted

112

Local Government Bill - Consultation Proposals

112

There was submitted a report dated 22 January 2002 by the Director of Legal & Support Services (1) on the Scottish Executive’s proposals for a Local Government Bill and (2) appending proposed response to the consultation proposals.

Decided:

(1)  that the consultation paper issued by the Scottish Executive relative to the proposed Local Government Bill be noted; and

(2)  that the response appended to the report be approved for submission to the Scottish Executive.

113

Multi-Agency Strategy to Tackle Domestic Abuse against Women and Children in Inverclyde

113

There was submitted a report dated 20 December 2001 by the Director of Community & Protective Services recommending the adoption of a multi-agency strategy to tackle domestic abuse against women and children in Inverclyde.

Decided: 

(1)   that the strategy to tackle domestic abuse against women and children in Inverclyde be approved and adopted and that Members’ comments relative to the inclusion of domestic abuse against men be noted;

(2)   that it be remitted to the Director of Community & Protective Services to organise an official launch for the strategy;

(3)   that it be remitted to the Zero Tolerance Working Group to develop an implementation plan and monitoring and evaluation system; and

(4)   that the strategy be placed within the broader agenda of community safety in Inverclyde.

114

Gibshill Regeneration Steering Group

114

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community & Protective Services on proposals put forward by Communities Scotland (formerly Scottish Homes) following the decision of the Committee at the meeting held on 14 December 2000 (para 1078) to seek in partnership with Scottish Homes the provision of further new socially rented houses required in Gibshill, with Council land being made available at no cost (with the Scottish Executive’s permission) to an appropriate development.

Decided:

(1)   that it be agreed to note and implement the proposals put forward by Communities Scotland;

(2)   that it be remitted to the Chief Executive in consultation with Communities Scotland to set up a Task Group, to appoint a Gibshill champion and to secure appropriate membership on the Task Group to deliver the key physical, social and economic aspects of regeneration; and

(3)   that Communities Scotland’s offer of the development of up to 20 further new houses for social rent be supported and that it be remitted to the Chief Executive to secure this development.

115

Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership

115

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 10 December 2001.

Decided:

(1)   that it be noted that further discussions will be taking place regarding the establishment of appropriate links between the management and co-ordination of the Partnership and community planning processes and structures;

(2)   that the developments relative to the resubmission of the Healthy Living Centre bid be noted;

(3)   that the forthcoming evaluation of the Inverclyde Youth Pathfinder Initiative be noted and that the outcome of the evaluation be reported to the Committee;

(4)   that the proposals to improve the Partnership’s monitoring ability and in particular the proposal to develop the Citizens Panel jointly with the Council be noted;

(5)   that the funding decisions of the Partnership Forum on the basis of the recommendations from its Appraisal Group be noted; and

(6)   that the arrangements being put in place to commit any remaining SIP funds in the current financial year be noted.

116

Grants to Voluntary Organisations - Project Evaluations

116

There was submitted a report dated 25 January 2002 by the Director of Community & Protective Services on evaluations of 7 of the 11 projects which received a grant in excess of £10,000 for the year 2001/02 carried out by the Sounding Board as required in terms of the Grants to Voluntary Organisations Scheme.

Decided:

(1)   that the outcome of the evaluations which had been completed be noted; and

(2)   that it be noted the 4 outstanding evaluations will be completed prior to the financial year 2002/03.

117

Review of Grants to Voluntary Organisations

117

There was submitted a report dated 25 January 2002 by the Director of Community & Protective Services on a review of the Grants to Voluntary Organisations Scheme and setting out a number of proposals for consideration.

Decided:

(1)   that it be agreed to introduce separate application forms for grants up to £5,000 and for those in excess of £5,000, in accordance with the drafts appended to the report, and that the guidance notes incorporate a requirement for suitable publicity for the Council’s support;

(2)   that from 2002/03 all applications be submitted to a Grants Working Group for assessment prior to consideration by the Sounding Board, to provide an opportunity for applications to be scored on the basis of the information supplied and to assist in the provision of clear reasons in circumstances where applications are not recommended for approval;

(3)   that from 2004/05 grants be awarded for a maximum period of 3 years, where appropriate;

(4)  that the outcome of Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership’s review of monitoring and supervising arrangements be awaited prior to any adjustment of the Council’s monitoring arrangements for Grants to Voluntary Organisations; and

(5)   that consideration be given to transferring some of the large projects to mainstream funding as part of the Budget process and having service level agreements with certain organisations in due course.

118

DLO/DSO Performance Reports

118

There was submitted a report dated 23 January 2002 by the Director of Finance Services seeking Members’ agreement to a new format and procedure for the reporting of DLO/DSO performance in line with guidance produced by the Accounts Commission for Scotland in December 1999.

Decided: 

(1)  that it be agreed to present DLO and DSO business plans to Service Committees as part of the budget setting process prior to 31 March each year;

(2)   that, for the current year only, it be agreed to submit DLO and DSO business plans to Service Committees later in the Committee cycle; and

(3)   that DLO/DSO monitoring information be presented to Service Committees on a regular basis in accordance with the template appended to the report.

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)

Corporate Data Centre Extension                                                              6, 8 & 9

Application for Relief of Rates on Grounds of Hardship                           6

Gourock Pool Sloping Foreshore Works                                                    6 & 8

119

Corporate Data Centre Extension

119

There was submitted a report dated 23 January 2002 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on a request from the Corporate Business Committee of 17 January 2002 seeking agreement for the financial commitment required for the corporate data centre extension project.

Decided:  that it be agreed to release the funding of £100,000 included within existing budgets to allow the project to proceed.

120

Application for Relief of Rates on Grounds of Hardship

120

There was submitted a report dated 17 December 2001 by the Director of Finance Services on a request received from a local company for relief of non-domestic rates on grounds of hardship.

Councillors Blair and Robertson (A) declared an interest in this matter and took no part in its consideration or decision.

The Committee decided to refuse the application and to remit it to Officers to provide any appropriate support and assistance to the company, all as detailed in the Appendix.

121

Gourock Pool Sloping Foreshore Works

121

There was submitted a report dated January 2002 by the Director of Community and Protective Services on a request from the Community and  Protective Services Committee relative to tenders received for works to form a new sloping foreshore at Gourock Pool, advising of the current position with regard to consultation with regulatory bodies and setting out options for consideration.  The Committee agreed to delay commencement of the works and to seek fresh tenders, all as detailed in the Appendix.