procedure at the earliest opportunity as set out in Standing Order 66 and he moved that the item be added to the Agenda. This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

162 SOCIAL WORK AND OTHER HOUSING AND CUSTOMER SERVICES (NON-HRA) 162

REVENUE BUDGET 1997/98

SUBMITTED: Report dated 18 February 1998 by the Director of Finance on the position of the Social Work and other Housing and Customer Services (Non-HRA) Revenue Budget 1997/98 as at 7 January 1998.

NOTED

163 SOCIAL WORK (NON-HRA) CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 163

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 January 1998 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on the technical progress of the Social Work (Non-HRA) Capital Programme 1997/98.

NOTED

164 SOCIAL WORK (NON-HRA) CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - FINANCIAL POSITION 164

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 February 1998 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the Social Work (Non-HRA) Capital Programme 1997/98.

NOTED

165 DAY CARE REGISTRATION - NEW APPLICATION - THE COTTAGE, MARCUS 165

HUMPHREY HOUSE, QUARRIERS VILLAGE, BRIDGE OF WEIR

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work seeking the Committee's approval for registration of the premises known as The Cottage, Marcus Humphrey House, Quarriers Village, Bridge of Weir in terms of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 as amended by the Registered Establishments (Scotland) Act 1987.

DECIDED:

(a) That the registration be approved; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to issue a Certificate of Registration to the Grand Lodge of Scotland of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons incorporating the information detailed in the report.

166 REVISED LIST OF AUTHORISED PROVIDERS 166

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work requesting the Committee to approve a revised List of Authorised Providers for Inverclyde Council.

DECIDED: That the revised List of Authorised Providers appended to the report be approved.

167 REVISED MAINTENANCE RATES FOR ESTABLISHMENTS OUTWITH INVERCLYDE 167

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work requesting the Committee to approve maintenance rates for persons from Inverclyde who are currently or who may in the future be resident in registered residential establishments outwith Inverclyde.

DECIDED: That approval be given to the recommended rates applying to residents in establishments outwith Inverclyde funded by Inverclyde Council.

168 RESOURCE TRANSFER - APPOINTMENT OF A RESOURCE WORKER : DOMICILIARY 168

AND HOME CARE SERVICES

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work requesting the Committee to approve for its interest the establishment of a new post of Resource Worker (Domiciliary and Home Care Services) within the Department of Social Work. The report advised that the cost of the proposed post, including employer's contributions, could be met from Resource Transfer monies already allocated to the Council on a permanent basis.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee approve in principle the establishment of a post of Resource Worker at Grade AP 4/5/QSW (£16,281 - £20,337) within the Domiciliary and Home Care Services Section of the Department of Social Work; and

(b) That the proposed post be referred to the Corporate Business Committee for approval.

169 COMMUNITY CARE IMPLEMENTATION UNIT VISIT - 21-22 OCTOBER 1997 169

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work appending a draft report prepared by the Community Care Implementation Unit of the Scottish Office following its visit to Inverclyde on 21-22 October 1997 together with a paper prepared by the Director of Finance raising concerns regarding the accuracy of certain aspects of the draft report.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the appropriate Officers to make comments on the draft report prepared by the Community Care Implementation Unit which will include the Council's strong representations regarding the accuracy of the information contained in the report on the level of Council expenditure on Social Work services;

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Social Work to submit a further report to the Committee on the response made on behalf of the Council and the form of the finalised report by the Community Care Implementation Unit; and

(c) That it be remitted to the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) to write to the Secretary of State for Scotland to ensure that the Council's commitment to expenditure on Social Work is made clear.

170 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT BUDGET 1997/98 170

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 February 1998 by the Director of Finance on the position of the HRA Revenue Budget 1997/98 as at 7 January 1998.

NOTED

171 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 171

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 February 1998 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on the technical progress of the HRA Capital Programme 1997/98.

DECIDED:

(a) That the technical progress of the HRA Capital Programme 1997/98 be noted; and

(b) That the remeasurement in the contract for the provision of new housing at Gibshill, resulting in an increase in cost of £13,000 for additional excavation and concrete works, be noted.

172 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - FINANCIAL POSITION 172

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 February 1998 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the HRA Capital Programme 1997/98.

NOTED

173 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 173

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 February 1998 by the Directors of Finance and Housing and Customer Services advising that the Scottish Office had now notified the Council that the net HRA Capital Allocation for 1998/99 had been set at £3,965,000 which was £61,000 more than the 1997/98 Allocation. In addition, it was noted that the amount which Councils were required to utilise from Council house sales receipts to redeem debt would remain at 75% which, based on estimated net useable receipts of £1,485,000, resulted in an estimated gross Allocation of £5,450,000 in 1998/99. The report advised that to complete the 1997/98 Capital Programme would utilise approximately £4,300,000 of the Allocation for 1998/99, and it was therefore recommended that new projects be identified at a cost not exceeding £2,200,000 which would make allowance for slippage, increases in the Capital Allocation or increases in capital receipts.

Following discussion Councillor O'Rourke moved:-

(a) That, in addition to the projects brought forward from the 1996/97 Capital Programme, the following projects be carried forward from the Capital Programme 1997/98:-

Window Replacement; Peat Road Refurbishment; Brown Street/Baxter Street Refurbishment; Heather, Thistle and Rowan Courts Heating; Gibshill New Build Housing; Various Demolitions; Lift Replacement; Strone Pylon Removal; Grieve Road Underpinning; and

(b) That the following new projects be added to the Capital Programme 1998/99:-

Window Replacement £ 750,000

Ad-Hoc Heating Replacement £1,000,000

Gibshill Regeneration £ 250,000

Belville Street Multi-Storey Roof

Replacement £ 500,000

Broadfield Insulation and Render Works £ 250,000

Brown Street/Baxter Street Future Phase £ 310,000

Rewiring Works £ 50,000

Door Entry Systems £ 100,000

TOTAL £3,210,000

As an amendment, Councillor Nimmo moved that the allocation for the Peat Road refurbishment works carried forward from the Capital Programme 1997/98 be increased from £450,000 to £700,000 by reducing from £500,000 to £250,000 the provision for roof replacement works at the Belville Street multi-storey flats.

On a vote, one Member voted for the amendment and six for the motion which was declared carried.

C DECIDED:

(a) That, in addition to the projects brought forward from the 1996/97 Capital Programme, the following projects be carried forward from the Capital Programme 1997/98:-

(b) That the following new projects be added to the Capital Programme 1998/99:-

Window Replacement £ 750,000

Ad-Hoc Heating Replacement £1,000,000

Gibshill Regeneration £ 250,000

Belville Street Multi-Storey Roof

Replacement £ 500,000

Broadfield Insulation and Render Works £ 250,000

Brown Street/Baxter Street Future Phase £ 310,000

Rewiring Works £ 50,000

Door Entry Systems £ 100,000

TOTAL £3,210,000

174 PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSING (NON-HRA) CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - 174

FINANCIAL POSITION

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 February 1998 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the Private Sector Housing (Non-HRA) Capital Programme 1997/98.

NOTED

175 DEMOLITION OF 6/8 AND 10/12 MANSION AVENUE, PORT GLASGOW - USE OF 175

EMERGENCY POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 2 February 1998 by the Director of Central Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure as set out in Standing Order 66 to authorise the acceptance of the lowest tender received for the demolition of 6/8 and 10/12 Mansion Avenue, Port Glasgow, that by Whiteinch Demolition Ltd in the sum of £18,455.25.

NOTED

176 DEMOLITION OF 1-95 WOODSTOCK ROAD, GREENOCK - USE OF EMERGENCY 176

POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 20 February 1998 by the Director of Central Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure as set out in Standing Order 66 to authorise the acceptance of the lowest tender received for the demolition of 1-95 Woodstock Road, Greenock, that by Burnthills Demolition Ltd in the sum of £99,030.80.

NOTED

177 RESOLUTION : EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 177

On the motion of the Convener it was agreed unanimously that in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the undernoted items of business on the grounds that consideration of the items 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)

Financial Support to Foster Carers to Acquire

Transport Appropriate to their Needs 4, 6 & 8

Kingston Business Park, Port Glasgow -

Rent Review 2, 6 & 9

Lynedoch Street ATC - Security Installation -

Report on Tenders 6 & 8

Peat Road Upgrading Programme 6, 8 & 9

Weir Street, Greenock - Repainting Works, Phase 1 -

Report on Tenders 6 & 8

Possible Repossession of House 2

Glenhuntly House, Highholm Avenue, Port Glasgow 6 & 13

178 FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO FOSTER CARERS TO ACQUIRE TRANSPORT APPROPRIATE 178

TO THEIR NEEDS

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work requesting the Committee to approve the provision of financial assistance to foster carers to purchase a vehicle of a size that would safely meet the transport needs of the children in their care.

DECIDED: That the Committee approve the making of a discretionary fostering payment of approximately £7,000 to the foster carers to allow the safe transportation of children who are looked after by Inverclyde Council.

179 UNIT 6, KINGSTON BUSINESS PARK, PORT GLASGOW - RENT REVIEW 179

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 January 1998 by the Director of Property and Technical Services advising that following review, the rental of Unit 6, Kingston Business Park, Port Glasgow which is utilised by the Director of Social Work for the purpose of providing accommodation for the Community Service Order Scheme had been increased with effect from 16 September 1997.

NOTED

180 LYNEDOCH STREET ATC - SECURITY INSTALLATION - REPORT ON TENDERS 180

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 February 1998 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on four tenders received for security works at the Lynedoch Street ATC comprising the installation of CCTV surveillance cameras and security fencing to the front and rear of the site and setting out options for the carrying out of the works.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the lowest tender received for the CCTV installation works only, that by ADT Fire and Security plc in the sum of £19,745.00; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Property and Technical Services to report to the next meeting on the requirement for security fencing at the premises.

181 PEAT ROAD UPGRADING PROGRAMME 181

SUBMITTED: Report dated 11 February 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services advising that there were currently five owner occupiers within the properties comprising Phase 2 of the Peat Road Upgrading Programme and setting out a number of options available to the Council to allow the works to progress.

DECIDED:

(a) That the terms of the report be noted; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to carry out further negotiations with the owner occupiers and that the outcome of these negotiations be reported to the Committee in due course.

182 WEIR STREET, GREENOCK - REPAINTING WORKS, PHASE 1 - REPORT ON TENDERS 182

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 January 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on four tenders received for Phase 1 of the repainting works in the Weir Street area, Greenock.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the lowest tender, that by Brawley Bros Ltd in the sum of £23,526.00.

183 POSSIBLE REPOSSESSION OF HOUSE 183

There was submitted a report by the Director of Housing and Customer Services requesting the Committee's authority to seek vacant possession of a house on the basis of breaches of the conditions of tenancy and this was agreed, all as detailed in the Appendix.

184 GLENHUNTLY HOUSE, HIGHHOLM AVENUE, PORT GLASGOW 184

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 February 1998 by the Director of Legal Services advising that following the decision of the former Inverclyde District Council to make the Glenhuntly House, Highholm Avenue, Port Glasgow Housing Action for Demolition Final Resolution 1991, it had not been possible to acquire the remaining flat on a voluntary basis and recommending that authorisation be sought from the Secretary of State for Scotland in terms of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 to acquire the property compulsorily.

Following discussion Councillor O'Rourke moved that The Inverclyde Council be recommended to make a Compulsory Purchase Order to secure the acquisition of the remaining flat at Glenhuntly House, Highholm Avenue, Port Glasgow. As an amendment, Councillor Mitchell moved that no action be taken. On a vote, two Members voted for the amendment and six for the motion which was declared carried.

DECIDED: That The Inverclyde Council be recommended to make a Compulsory Purchase Order under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 in order to secure the acquisition of the remaining flat at Glenhuntly House, Highholm Avenue, Port Glasgow which it had not been possible to acquire on a voluntary basis.