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41 |
POLICY & STRATEGY COMMITTEE - 6
FEBRUARY 2007
_______________________________________________________________________
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Policy and Strategy Committee |
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Tuesday 6 February 2007 at 3.00 pm |
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Present: Provost Rebecchi, Councillors Blair, Forbes, Fyfe, Hill, McCormick (M), Mitchell, Robertson, Snoddy and White. |
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Chair: Councillor Blair presided. |
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In attendance: Chief Executive, Corporate Director Education & Social Care, Corporate Director Environment & Community Protection, Corporate Director Improvement & Performance, Corporate Director Regeneration & Resources, Head of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Head of Finance, Mr H McNeilly (for Head of Legal & Administration) and Head of Property Services. |
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Attending also: Mr R Blackburn, PSBA Ltd. |
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Apologies: Councillors McCabe and Roach. |
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127 |
Decant
Arrangements for |
127 |
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There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Regeneration & Resources on a remit from the Education & Lifelong Learning Committee of 9 January 2007 requesting the Committee to consider the total financial implications of £442,000 in relation to the decant of pupils from Wemyss Bay Primary School. |
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Decided: that approval be given to the funding
of £442,000 in relation to the decant of pupils from |
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128 |
Revenue
Budget 2006/07 - Period 8 |
128 |
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There was submitted a report by the Head of Finance on the position of the 2006/07 Revenue Budget as at Period 8 (30 November 2006) which showed a projected underspend of £954,000. |
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Decided: |
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(1) that the current projected underspend of £954,000 for 2006/07, as at 30 November 2006, be noted; and |
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(2) that congratulations be extended to the Head of Finance and his staff for securing a saving in insurance contributions with no impact on service. |
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129 |
General
Fund Revenue Budget 2006/07 - Period 8 |
129 |
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There was submitted a report by the Head of Finance (1) on the position of the General Fund Revenue Budget 2006/07 as at Period 8 (30 November 2006) and (2) appending position statements in respect of earmarked reserves and deferred income projects. |
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Noted |
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130 |
Non-HRA
Capital Programme 2006/08 |
130 |
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There was submitted a report by the Head of Finance (1) on the current position of the 2006/08 Non-HRA Capital Programme and (2) bringing a number of relevant matters to the Committee’s attention. |
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Decided: |
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(1) that the current position of the Non-HRA Capital Programme 2006/08 be noted and that the action taken by the Corporate Management Team to ensure a fundamental review of processes and capacity in relation to the creation and delivery of the Capital Programme be approved; and |
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(2) that a report outlining proposals for future management, delivery and reporting of the Capital Programme be presented to the next meeting of the Committee. |
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131 |
Statutory
Performance Indicator - Public Access |
131 |
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There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Regeneration & Resources on the level of compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 achieved by Inverclyde Council for access to public properties in comparison with the other Scottish Local Authorities. |
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Noted |
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132 |
Riverside
Inverclyde Admission to Strathclyde Pension Fund |
132 |
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There was submitted a report by the Head of Finance on the admission of Riverside Inverclyde to Strathclyde Pension Fund and setting out a number of options for consideration. |
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Decided: that approval be given to the provision of an open-ended guarantee for all current/future employees of Riverside Inverclyde, for the lifetime of the company, for the pension liabilities of all Riverside Inverclyde employees in the event of Riverside Inverclyde defaulting and that it be delegated to the relevant Officers to progress the necessary arrangements including the approach for splitting assets and liabilities if required. |
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133 |
Changing
Children’s Services Fund 2007/08 |
133 |
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There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Education & Social Care (1) on the arrangements for the distribution of the Changing Children’s Services Fund by the Scottish Executive and (2) submitting proposals agreed by the multi-agency Children’s Services Plan Strategic Group for the deployment of funding in 2007/08. |
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Decided: |
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(1) that approval be given to the deployment of the additional consolidated funding for 2007/08, subject to decisions made as part of the budget setting process and confirmed on 15 February 2007, as set out in section 5.1 of the report and that it be remitted to the Head of Organisational Development & Human Resources to prepare the required job descriptions and recommended grades and to submit these to the Best Value & Corporate Services Committee to establish the consequent permanent posts; and |
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(2) that approval be given to the proposed deployment of the Specific Grant element as set out in section 5.2 of the report and that it be remitted to the Corporate Director Education & Social Care to submit these to the Scottish Executive. |
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134 |
Mr Dennis
Stoddart |
134 |
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Councillor Blair referred to the forthcoming retirement of Mr Stoddart, Head of Property Services, and on behalf of the Committee thanked him for his service to the Council and extended best wishes for a long and happy retirement. |
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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 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. |
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Item |
Paragraph(s) |
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Synthetic
Football Pitch and Associated Accommodation at Battery Park - Remit from
Community Committee |
6 and 12 |
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Inverclyde
Leisure: Review of Performance for
2005/06 |
6 |
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Restructure
of Building Services |
1 |
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Review of
Members’ Services |
1 |
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135 |
Synthetic
Football Pitch and Associated Accommodation at Battery Park - Remit from
Community Committee |
135 |
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There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Regeneration & Resources on a remit from the Community Committee of 11 January 2007 requesting the Committee to identify funding relative to the legal dispute which had arisen in respect of the synthetic football pitch and associated accommodation at Battery Park and the Committee agreed to take action, all as detailed in the appendix. |
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136 |
Inverclyde
Leisure: Review of Performance for
2005/06 |
136 |
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There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Environment & Community Protection on the performance of Inverclyde Leisure during the period 1 April 2005 - 31 March 2006 following the fifth annual general meeting of the board of directors which was held on 2 October 2006. |
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(Provost Rebecchi entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business). |
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Decided: that the satisfactory performance of Inverclyde Leisure during the year 2005/06 be noted. |
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137 |
Restructure
of Building Services |
137 |
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There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive setting out proposals for the restructure of Building Services involving the creation of a Housing Repairs Unit and a Building Services Unit. There was also circulated letter of representation from the TGWU which Members of the Committee read prior to their consideration of the matter. |
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(Councillor Mitchell left the meeting during consideration of this item of business). |
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Decided: |
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(1) that the Business Plan for the Housing Repairs Unit appended to the report be approved for final consultation; |
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(2) that the Business Plan for the Building Services Unit appended to the report be approved for final consultation; |
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(3) that it be remitted to the Chief Executive to implement the changes, including arrangements with the relevant Trades Unions; |
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(4) that it be agreed, in principle, to support raising the threshold for tendered works from the current £10,000 to £25,000 as part of the review of Financial Regulations, subject to review as appropriate; and |
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(5) that it be agreed that the current review of Standing Orders, etc give particular attention to creating a sound operating environment for Trading Organisations, allowing them the right degree of freedom of action to compete for and win work. |
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138 |
Review
of Members’ Services |
138 |
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There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive setting out proposals for a review of Members’ Services, to assist future Council Members in the discharge of their duties, as part of the Council’s 18 month change management plan. |
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During the course of discussion, Councillor Robertson expressed the view that accommodation be made available for up to 20 surgeries per annum rather than 10 as set out in the Review of Member Support document appended to the report. |
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Decided: |
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(1) that a handbook be prepared for Members of the new Council, to be available immediately following the May 2007 elections, issued initially in hard copy but kept updated in electronic format; |
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(2) that the list of support services which all Members of the Council can expect, as set out on page 8 of the Review of Member Support document appended to the report be approved; |
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(3) that consideration of the changes to the accommodation on the first floor of the Municipal Buildings as set out in the Review, together with decisions relative to accommodation for surgeries and phone allowances, be deferred until the new Council has had an opportunity to reach its own conclusions; |
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(4) that the priority list for use of meeting rooms as set out on page 11 of the Review be adopted as working practice, on the basis of the existing layout of the Council Chambers and not as set out in the proposals detailed on pages 196-199 of the agenda; |
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(5) that Members of the new Council be allowed to select the equipment they require to meet their individual needs from the list on page 12 of the Review and that this list be updated in line with technological developments and compatibility with Council ICT systems; |
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(6) that a new post of Member Services Manager be created, that the job description for the post be approved and that the position be filled on a secondment basis as proposed in the report, subject to no alteration to Members’ accommodation; |
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(7) that the job descriptions for Council Officer and Assistant Council Officer be amended as set out in the report; and |
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(8) that the Provost’s car be retained, with the second vehicle being available for use by other Members and Officers. |
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