Policy and Strategy Committee

Tuesday 7 February 2006 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Provost Rebecchi, Councillors Blair, Forbes, Fyfe, Hill, McCabe, McCormick (M), Mitchell,  Roach,  Robertson, Snoddy and White.

Chair:  Councillor Blair presided.

In attendance:  Interim Chief Executive, Depute Chief Executive, Director of Community Services, Director of Education Services, Head of Pre Five and Children’s Services, Mr G Douglas (for Solicitor to the Council), Chief Financial Officer, Head of Community Care and Strategic Planning, Head of Property Services and Mr R Blackburn (Interim Change Management Support).

117

Education Services:  Early Years Review - Remit from Education & Lifelong Learning Committee

117

There was submitted a report dated 17 January 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a request from the Education and Lifelong Learning Committee of 10 January 2006 that the Committee consider and approve the range of recommendations made in the Early Years Review.

Decided:  that the recommendations contained within the Early Years Review be approved.

118

Financial Strategy Report by Audit Scotland - Remit from Audit Committee

118

There was submitted a report dated 24 January 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a request from the Audit Committee of 19 January 2006 that the Committee consider the recommendations contained within the Financial Strategy Report by Audit Scotland dated December 2005.

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

Decided:  that the Committee accept the conclusions and endorse the recommendations contained within the Financial Strategy report by Audit Scotland and that the actions contained therein be monitored through the Policy and Strategy  Committee.

119

Glasgow and Clyde Area Waste Group - Strategic Outline Case - Remit from Waste Strategy Sub-Committee

119

There was submitted a report dated 2 February 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a request from the Waste Strategy Sub-Committee of 26 January 2006 that the Committee note the report by the Director of Community Services on the completion of the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Strategic Review Group Waste Management Strategic Outline Case.

Decided:  that the Committee note the report by the Director of Community Services and the decision to provide a letter of support to the Scottish Executive for the Waste Management Strategic Outline Case and taking the project forward towards an Outline Business Case.

120

Participation in Collaborative Buying - Remit from Best Value & Corporate Services Committee

120

There was submitted a report dated 31 January 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a request from the Best Value and Corporate Services Committee of 26 January 2006 relative to the Council’s participation in Collaborative Buying.

Decided:  that The Inverclyde Council be requested:

(1)   to authorise the Solicitor to the Council to instruct acceptance on behalf of the Council by another local authority, or to accept tenders, or to adopt the existing contract between another local authority or public sector body and a supplier to take advantage of Collaborative Buying always provided that best value and value for money are evident in the terms of the contract;  and

(2)   to authorise the Solicitor to the Council to extend the application of the Standing Orders relating to Contracts to contracts issued on behalf of Inverclyde Council and other local authorities or public sector bodies and to take all necessary action in connection therewith.

121

Revenue Budget 2005/06 - Period 8

121

There was submitted a report dated 10 January 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer on the position of the 2005/06 Revenue Budget as at Period 8 (30 November 2005).

Noted

122

General Fund Revenue Budget 2005/06 - Period 8

122

There was submitted a report dated 23 January 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer (1) on the position of the General Fund Revenue Budget 2005/06 as at Period 8 (30 November 2005) and (2) appending a position statement in respect of earmarked reserves.

Decided:

(1)   that approval be given to the discounting of the recharges from Building Services to the Housing Revenue Account in 2005/06 to a sum not exceeding £200,000;

(2)   that approval be given to the action proposed in respect of earmarked reserves as detailed in appendix 3 to the report;  and

(3)   that otherwise, the position of the 2005/06 General Fund Revenue Budget be noted.

123

Chief Executive’s Capital Programme 2005/06 to 2007/08

123

There was submitted a report dated 13 January 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer on the position of the Chief Executive’s Capital Programme 2005/06 to 2007/08.

Decided:

(1)   that the Committee note the progress of the specific projects detailed in the appendix to the report;  and

(2)   that the report be otherwise noted.

124

Non-HRA Capital Programme 2005/08

124

There was submitted a report dated 19 January 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer (1) on the current position of the 2005/08 Non-HRA Capital Programme and (2) comparing projected expenditure against available resources.

Noted

125

Progress Report - Better Neighbourhood Services Fund

125

There was submitted a report by the Depute Chief Executive on the progress of the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund (BNSF) since September 2005.

During the course of the discussion, the Depute Chief Executive advised the Committee of the intention to reconvene the Clyde URBAN Waterfront Regeneration Zone Sub-Group to review allocations of funding.

Noted

126

Progress Report - Community Regeneration Fund

126

There was submitted a report by the Depute Chief Executive on the progress of the Community Regeneration Fund (CRF) between April and December 2005.

(Provost Rebecchi left the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Noted

127

Scottish Executive Financial Inclusion Fund:  Financial Inclusion Strategy

127

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive (1) on the action being taken to secure Scottish Executive funding through the Financial Inclusion Fund and (2) seeking approval of the Financial Inclusion Strategy appended to the report which is a key element of the Council’s approach to financial inclusion.

Decided:

(1)   that the Committee note and approve the action contained in the report; 

(2)   that the Financial Inclusion Strategy appended to the report be approved;  and

(3)   that a further detailed report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.

128

Changing Children’s Services Fund

128

There was submitted amended report by the Director of Community Services (1) advising of changes in the arrangements for the distribution of the Changing Children’s Services Fund by the Scottish Executive and (2) setting out proposals for its deployment during financial year 2006/07.

Decided:

(1)   that deployment of the GAE element of funding as set out in section 3 of the report be approved;

(2)   that it be remitted to the Head of Personnel Services to prepare job descriptions and recommended grades for the establishment of permanent posts of Child Protection Lead Officer and Children’s Rights and Information Officer and that these be the subject of a report to the Best Value and Corporate Services Committee;

(3)   that the proposals for the deployment of the Specific Grant element of funding as set out in section 4 of the report be agreed as the submission to the Scottish Executive on behalf of the multi-agency children’s services planning partnership;  and

(4)   that a further report be submitted towards the end of the financial year 2006/07 setting out detailed proposals for use of the funding in 2007/08.

129

Management of Change

129

There was submitted a report by the Interim Chief Executive on an 18 month plan for the management of change within Inverclyde Council which directly addressed the points raised by Audit Scotland in their follow-up report of November 2005 and which had a practical value in monitoring the progress which Inverclyde Council was making to address the areas of concern.p

(Councillors Roach and Mitchell left the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Decided:

(1)   that the Committee approve and adopt the 18 month plan for the management of change within Inverclyde Council;  and

(2)   that action be taken to conclude the recovery phase of the process including a final meeting of the Recovery Group.

130

Trading Activities:  A Policy Framework for Inverclyde Council

130

There was submitted a report by the Interim Chief Executive proposing a general policy framework which would apply to those activities described by Audit Scotland as “former trading activities”.

Decided:

(1)   that approval be given to the 14 point policy framework for “former trading activities” as outlined in section 5 of the report;  and

(2)   that it be remitted to the relevant Officers to prepare three year plans for each activity for the March cycle of meetings to include:-

(a)   the core business policy, its rationale and underlying analysis;

(b)   recommended key performance measures, with baseline information and targets for Years 1, 2 and 3;

(c)   narrative to explain why these measures have been chosen against other options, and on what basis targets have been set;

(d)   analysis of income and expenditure;

(e)   commentary on cost structure and proposed action to realign costs where the pattern is seen to deviate from good practice;

(f)    commentary on management capacity to deliver change;

(g)   commentary on workforce issues, including training and opportunities;

(h)   customer feedback and proposals to keep the service listening and responsive;

(i)     identified business risks and strategies to deal with these;

(j)     any other relevant contextual information.

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 during consideration of the following item on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 6 of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

131

Inverclyde Leisure - Annual Review of Operations

131

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Services on the performance of Inverclyde Leisure during the period 1 April 2004 - 31 March 2005 following the fourth Annual General Meeting of the Board of Directors which was held on 3 October 2005.

Councillors Blair, Forbes, Robertson and White declared an interest in this item as Directors of the Board of Inverclyde Leisure.

Decided:  that the satisfactory performance of Inverclyde Leisure during financial year 2004/05 be noted.