544 INVERCLYDE COUNCIL AND SCOTTISH HOMES STRATEGIC AGREEMENT 544

Under the terms of the relevant Standing Order, the Convener decided that this item should be considered at the start of the meeting.

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 May 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services requesting the Committee to approve the proposed Inverclyde Council and Scottish Homes Strategic Agreement 1998-2001 which was appended to the report.

DECIDED: That the Committee approve the contents of the Inverclyde Council and Scottish Homes Strategic Agreement 1998-2001 as set out in the Appendix to the report.

The Convener welcomed representatives of Scottish Homes to the meeting and the Agreement was formally signed by him on behalf of the Council. Mr W McKelvie, Board Member, signed the Agreement on behalf of Scottish Homes.

545 SOCIAL WORK (NON-HRA) CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - 545

TECHNICAL PROGRESS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 24 April 1998 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on the technical progress of the Social Work (Non-HRA) Capital Programme 1998/99.

NOTED

546 SOCIAL WORK (NON-HRA) CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - FINANCIAL POSITION 546

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 May 1998 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the Social Work (Non-HRA) Capital Programme 1998/99. The report advised that the latest total estimated cost of projects in the Capital Programme was £908,000, £46,000 in excess of the sum of £862,000 approved by the Policy and Strategy Committee in December 1997, the increase being in respect of additional works at the McPherson Centre Phase 3.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Policy and Strategy Committee be requested to provide funding of £46,000 in respect of additional works associated with Phase 3 of the refurbishment of the McPherson Centre, Gourock; and

(b) That the report be otherwise noted.

547 MCPHERSON CENTRE, PHASE 3 - ADDITIONAL WORKS - USE OF 547

EMERGENCY POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 May 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 additional expenditure estimated at £46,072 inclusive of fees for various additional works associated with Phase 3 of the refurbishment of the McPherson Centre, Gourock.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted; and

(b) That it be agreed to increase the funding request to the Policy and Strategy Committee as detailed in the previous item from £46,000 to £50,000 to allow the installation of a full tanking system to the underfloor of the building at a cost of £5,000, an increase of £4,000 over the limited improvements to the ventilation agreed through the emergency powers procedure.

548 SECOND ANNUAL REPORT ON INSPECTION 548

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work appending a report on the work since April 1997 of the Registration, Inspection and Contract Compliance Unit responsible for inspecting all residential and day care services provided in Inverclyde, including services operated by the local authority and within the private and voluntary sectors.

DECIDED: That the annual report on inspection 1997/98 prepared by the Registration, Inspection and Contract Compliance Unit be approved for submission to the Scottish Office.

549 HOME CARE CHARGING POLICY - INCOME BANDINGS 549

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work requesting the Committee to agree to revisions to the current home care charging income bands in order that home help clients are not disadvantaged by inflationary increases in DSS benefit levels.

DECIDED:

(a) That the retention of all paying clients at the current levels as set out in the report be approved; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Social Work to undertake a full review of the home care charging policy and to report thereon to a future meeting of the Committee.

550 PROFESSIONAL FOSTERING SCHEME 550

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work requesting the Committee to approve the implementation of a professional fostering scheme within the Council.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee approve in principle the establishment of a professional fostering scheme as detailed in the report; and

(b) That it be noted that the Director of Social Work will submit a further report to the Committee outlining more detailed aspects of the scheme.

551 CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES - SCOTTISH OFFICE GRANT 551

OFFER 1998/99

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work advising that the Scottish Office had made an offer of grant of £836,723 to Inverclyde Council for the provision of criminal justice services in 1998/99.

DECIDED:

(a) That the offer of grant of £836,723 made for the year 1998/99 be noted; and

(b) That the national context of criminal justice funding within which the offer had been made be noted.

552 REVISED MAINTENANCE RATES FOR ESTABLISHMENTS OUTWITH 552

INVERCLYDE

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.

553 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 553

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 May 1998 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on the technical progress of the HRA Capital Programme 1998/99.

DECIDED:

(a) That the technical progress of the HRA Capital Programme 1998/99 be noted;

(b) That the Committee approve, in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations, an expenditure reduction of £20,000 in the window replacement works at Finneston Street/Finneston Lane, Greenock as a result of the deletion of a number of houses from the contract;

(c) That the accumulated variations in the window replacement contract at Finneston Street/Finneston Lane which are outwith the accepted tender amount by more than 10% (being 33.43% (£39,250) below the accepted tender) be approved in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations; and

(d) That the report in respect of the demolition works at Glenbrae Crescent and Clydeview Road, Greenock be noted.

554 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - FINANCIAL POSITION 554

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 May 1998 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the HRA Capital Programme 1998/99.

NOTED

555 PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSING (NON-HRA) CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - 555

FINANCIAL POSITION

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 May 1998 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the Private Sector Housing (Non-HRA) Capital Programme 1998/99.

NOTED

556 RIVERSIDE GARDENS, GOUROCK, PHASE 2 - ADDITIONAL WORKS - 556

USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 May 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 additional expenditure estimated at £11,500 associated with Phase 2 of the works at Riverside Gardens, Gourock for the replacement of corroded cold water pipework and valves.

NOTED

557 MAJOR REPAIRS PROGRAMME 1998/99 557

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 April 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on a suggested allocation of the £650,000 funding available for the major repairs programme 1998/99 and setting out proposals to control major or significant repairs funded through the Housing Revenue Account Repair Budget.

DECIDED:

(a) That the major repairs programme 1998/99 be as follows:-

Project	Expenditure 1998/99
Riverside Gardens - Heating	£ 15,650 (Balance of Work)
Riverside Gardens - Replacement Windows	£ 67,000
King Street - Conversion of Library	£ 90,000
Kelburn Phase 1 - Conversion of Bedsits	£ 28,000
Various Multi Storeys - Repair/Replacement of Fans and Pumps	£110,000
Monkton Place - Replacement of Warden Call System	£ 25,000
Hawick Court - Laundry Access	£ 6,000
Bute Court - Concierge Office	£ 10,000 *
Estate Repairs - Roughcast, Walls, Fences, Footpaths	£260,000
Total	£611,650;

* No works to be undertaken to the Bute Court Concierge Office at the present time;

(b) That jobs estimated to be in excess of £2,500 be now added to the major repairs programme and priority be assessed throughout the year to ensure that only those jobs which are judged to be inescapable are dealt with first;

(c) That works estimated to be in excess of £2,500 which are considered to be desirable or which can be "queued" be retained on a holding list on the major repairs programme to be carried out when funding is available;

(d) That jobs with a final cost in excess of £3,500 be charged to the major repairs programme;

(e) That the Committee agree that the sum of £310,000 (being the estimated balance of funding of £50,000 together with the £260,000 allocated for estate repairs) be nominally split between estate repairs - £200,000 and major repairs - £110,000; and

(f) That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to report on the position of the major repairs programme in six months time.

558 WINDOW REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME 1998/99 558

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 April 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services advising that the sum of £750,000 had been allocated within the Capital Programme 1998/99 for window replacement works which would be augmented by £500,000 Capital Funded from Current Revenue giving a total of £1.25 million for projects in the current year and setting out proposals for the 1998/99 programme.

DECIDED:

(a) That the window replacement programme 1998/99 as detailed in appendices 1 and 2 to the report be approved;

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the works; and

(c) That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers and after consultation with the Convener, Vice-Convener and a Member of the Minority Groups to accept the lowest tenders received in each case.

559 DOOR ENTRY SYSTEM PROGRAMME 1998/99 559

SUBMITTED: Report dated 23 April 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services advising that the sum of £100,000 had been allocated within the Capital Programme 1998/99 for the provision of door entry systems and setting out proposals for the 1998/99 programme.

DECIDED:

(a) The door entry system programme 1998/99 as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the various works; and

560 ELECTRICAL REWIRING PROGRAMME 1998/99 560

SUBMITTED: Report dated 23 April 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services advising that the sum of £50,000 had been allocated within the Capital Programme 1998/99 for rewiring works and setting out proposals for the 1998/99 programme.

DECIDED:

(a) That the electrical rewiring programme 1998/99 comprise the 27 houses at Blairmore Road, Greenock, Kilmacolm Road, Greenock and Benview Road, Port Glasgow as detailed in the Appendix to the report;

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the works;

(d) That agreement be given to the installation of a carbon monoxide detector in the house described in the report where the Council has a responsibility for the gas heating system, at an additional cost of £150.

561 AD-HOC GAS REPLACEMENT PROJECT 1997/98 561

SUBMITTED: Report dated 28 April 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the final position of the project to replace gas appliances on an ad-hoc basis during 1997/98.

DECIDED:

(a) That the final position of the ad-hoc gas replacement project 1997/98 be noted;

(b) That it be agreed that where a tenant requires a replacement heating system as a result of their having painted the fire casing, they be charged the cost for a replacement casing up to a maximum of £200; and

(c) That the Committee consider at the appropriate time a further planned gas replacement programme to be financed from the Capital Programme 1999/2000.

562 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT - PAINTING PROGRAMME 1998/99 562

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 May 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services advising that the sum of £230,000 was available within the 1998/99 Revenue Budget for painting projects and outlining the current position of the programme.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the remainder of the projects detailed in paragraph 2.2 of the report and that no further tenders be invited in the meantime;

(b) That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers and after consultation with the Convener, Vice-Convener and a Member of the Minority Groups to accept the tenders received for the remaining projects provided that these are no more than 10% greater than the estimates provided; and

(c) That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to report on the progress of the painting programme 1998/99 in six months time.

563 STRONE FARM REGENERATION - PROPOSED DEMOLITION OF 1-9 CLYDEVIEW 563

ROAD, AND 23-33 DARNDAFF ROAD, GREENOCK

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 May 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on proposals for the demolition of 1-9 Clydeview Road and 23-33 Darndaff Road, Greenock as part of the Strone Farm Regeneration Project.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the demolition of 1-9 Clydeview Road and 23-33 Darndaff Road, Greenock; and

564 THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TENANT INVOLVEMENT STRATEGY FOR INVERCLYDE 564

COUNCIL TENANTS

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the concept of tenant involvement, outlining existing practices within Inverclyde, providing a cost benefit analysis of the use of tenant involvement and setting out proposals for the development of a tenant involvement strategy based on good practice.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee note the contents of the report and in particular the current arrangements within Inverclyde to ensure tenant involvement and participation in the housing service; and

(b) That agreement be given to the development of a tenant involvement policy and strategy based on the measures outlined in paragraph 5 of the report.

565 HOUSING BENEFIT ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES 565

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 May 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the Council's performance during 1997/98 in detecting housing and council tax benefit fraud in comparison to the fraud detection target set by the Department of Social Security and advising of the inspection of the Council's benefit administration service to be carried out by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate. The report also provided information on recent developments relative to the introduction of the verification framework which could introduce more stringent checks on the processing and payment of council tax and housing benefit and advised of the recent successful Challenge Fund bid 1998/99 in the sum of £17,600 to finance in part a post of visiting officer and to finance overtime costs associated with the out of hours work of the Council's seconded fraud officer.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Chief Executive to submit a bid for funding to implement the housing benefit verification framework and to report to the Policy and Strategy Committee in due course on any additional costs to the Council.

566 GROUND AT GRIEVE ROAD/OLD INVERKIP ROAD, GREENOCK - REQUIREMENT 566

TO PURCHASE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 April 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services advising that in 1976/77 the former Inverclyde District Council had built houses on land which included undeveloped ground at the corner of Old Inverkip Road/Grieve Road previously sold by the former Burgh of Greenock to the Second Scottish National Housing Company (Housing Trust) Ltd and requesting the Committee to approve the entering into negotiations with the Trust's successors, Scottish Homes, for the repurchase of the ground.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services in consultation with the Director of Legal Services to enter into negotiations for the repurchase of the ground at the corner of Old Inverkip Road and Grieve Road, Greenock as shown hatched on the plan appended to the report at a price to be negotiated with the District Valuer and that he report thereon to the Committee for approval; and

(b) That the associated costs and expenses be funded from the Capital Programme 1998/99.

567 BELVILLE STREET CONCIERGE SYSTEM 567

SUBMITTED: Report dated 7 May 1998 by the Directors of Housing and Customer Services and Property and Technical Services on the present position with regard to the Belville Street concierge system. The report set out the various problems which have been experienced in the operation of the system together with action proposed with a view to resolving the faults.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be noted that the Director of Property and Technical Services will be working in association with the contractor to resolve the various problems in the operation of the concierge system as set out in the report;

(b) That it be noted that at the present time, an experiment is being conducted utilising a full length piano type hinge to ascertain whether this hinge will give the door the necessary rigidity to keep it within the tolerances required to ensure successful operation of the door lock;

(c) That it be noted that a further report will be submitted to the Committee advising on whether the measures detailed above have been successful together with proposals and associated costs for any new door/screen arrangement; and

(d) That it be remitted to the Chief Executive to submit a comprehensive report to the Committee on the whole background to the contract and the liability for the additional costs incurred as a result of the faults which have been discovered in the system.

568 NEW HOUSING PARTNERSHIPS 568

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 May 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services advising that following the bid made to the Scottish Office for New Housing Partnership Funding in 1998/99, the Council had been advised that resources would be made available in the current financial year to undertake a feasibility study for stock transfer and independent advice to tenants. It was reported that two other bids made by the Council in respect of the regeneration of the Strone Farm and Gibshill areas had been unsuccessful.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to write to the Scottish Office requesting information on the criteria used for determining the successful bids.

569 INVERCLYDE CENTRE - ADDITIONAL COSTS 569

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 May 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on proposed variations to the charges at the Inverclyde Centre with a view to meeting the estimated additional cost of £50,000 for the provision of further staff as agreed by the Committee at its meeting on 7 April 1998.

DECIDED: That the charges for accommodation at the Inverclyde Centre be varied in accordance with the recommendations set out in the report and that these be implemented at the earliest possible date.

570 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 570

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 as amended, 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)

Request to Write Off Debt Owing to the Council 3 & 12

Lynedoch Street ATC - Security Installation 6 & 8

Lift Maintenance - Proposal to Invite Tenders for a

Comprehensive Maintenance Contract 6, 8 & 9

Peat Road Upgrading Programme - Phase 2 6

Cathcart Street/Cathcart Buildings, Greenock - Repainting

Works - Report on Tenders 6 & 8

Kelburn Phase 3 - Claim for Direct Loss and/or Expense 6, 8, 9 & 12

Belville Street Roof Conversion, Phase 3 6 & 8

Heat Leasing - Report on Tenders 6 & 8

571 REQUEST TO WRITE OFF DEBT OWING TO THE COUNCIL 571

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work requesting the Committee to write off a debt owing to the Council in respect of residential and home care services.

DECIDED: That the debt totalling £1,332.00 owing to the Council in respect of residential and home care services be written off without prejudice to any future recovery of the debt should that prove possible.

572 LYNEDOCH STREET ATC - SECURITY INSTALLATION 572

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 April 1998 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on a revised scheme for providing security fencing at the Lynedoch Street ATC following the decision of the Committee at its meeting on 24 February 1998 (Para 180) and advising of discussions carried out in this regard with the fencing firm which had provided the original quotation as a sub-contractor to the company engaged to undertake the main security works.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the quotation received from Wright and MacLennan in the sum of £9,321.90.

573 LIFT MAINTENANCE - PROPOSAL TO INVITE TENDERS FOR A 573

COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT

SUBMITTED: Report dated 7 May 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the present arrangements for the servicing and maintenance of lifts located in various multi storey and sheltered housing properties owned by the Department of Housing and Customer Services, identifying the costs associated with maintaining and repairing the lifts and seeking the Committee's approval for an all inclusive maintenance and repair tender.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted;

(b) That it be remitted to the Directors of Housing and Customer Services and Property and Technical Services to prepare an all inclusive tender document covering the 76 lifts owned by the Department of Housing and Customer Services for issue by the Director of Central Services to lift maintenance contractors on the Council's Approved List of Contractors;

(c) That the target start date for any new contract be 1 September 1998 (or earlier) and the contract period be 5 years; and

(d) That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to report on the results of the tender exercise, the report to include a comparison with the likely cost of providing an in-house maintenance and repair service.

574 PEAT ROAD UPGRADING PROGRAMME - PHASE 2 574

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 April 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the result of the negotiations carried out with owners occupiers within those properties which it was proposed should comprise Phase 2 of the Peat Road upgrading programme.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted; and

(b) That Phase 2 of the Peat Road upgrading programme comprise the properties at 1/3, 5/7 and 85 Kenilworth Crescent, Greenock and that it be remitted to the Director of Property and Technical Services to prepare tender documents on this basis, with a view to having the work commenced on site by Autumn 1998.

575 CATHCART STREET/CATHCART BUILDINGS, GREENOCK - REPAINTING 575

WORKS - REPORT ON TENDERS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 April 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on five tenders received for repainting works at Cathcart Street/Cathcart Buildings, 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 £13,252.00.

576 KELBURN PHASE 3 - CLAIM FOR DIRECT LOSS AND/OR EXPENSE 576

There was submitted a report by the Director of Property and Technical Services on the current position with regard to a claim for direct loss and/or expense submitted by the contractor engaged to undertake Phase 3 of the Kelburn Housing Special Project and the Committee agreed to authorise the negotiation of a settlement in respect of a part of the claim, all as detailed in the Appendix.

577 BELVILLE STREET ROOF CONVERSION - PHASE 3 577

SUBMITTED: Report dated 15 May 1998 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on the results of the negotiations undertaken with MacKenzie Construction Ltd, the contractors engaged to undertake Phases 1 and 2 of the Belville Street roofing project, to ascertain their price for Phase 3 of the works (Peebles Court, Greenock).

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the offer made by MacKenzie Construction Ltd in the sum of £475,688.79.

578 HEAT LEASING - REPORT ON TENDERS 578

SUBMITTED: Report dated 19 May 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services requesting the Committee's approval to accept the most favourable tenders received in respect of a heat leasing project involving the replacement of gas heating systems at Eastern View, Gourock and Royal Court, Greenock.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the tender submitted by Scottish Gas for the heat leasing project at Eastern View, Gourock and Royal Court, Greenock in the sum of £171,206.48; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the leasing rate of £138.63 per £1,000 offered by Mileshield Commercial Funding Ltd to cover the leased specification within the Scottish Gas tender.