the Head of Technical Services seeking approval of increased costs in respect of further internal decoration works associated with Phase 3 of the works at the McPherson Centre, Gourock. The Convener indicated that consideration of item (i) was urgent to allow the Committee to approve the proposed project without delay and that consideration of item (ii) was urgent to enable the additional works, if agreed, to be implemented as soon as possible and he moved that the items be added to the Agenda. This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

907 SOCIAL WORK AND OTHER HOUSING AND CUSTOMER SERVICES 907

REVENUE BUDGET 1998/99

SUBMITTED: Report dated 19 August 1998 by the Director of Finance on the position of the Social Work and other Housing and Customer Services Revenue Budget 1998/99 as at 22 July 1998.

NOTED

908 SOCIAL WORK CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 908

SUBMITTED: Report dated 7 August 1998 by the Director of Property & Technical Services on the technical progress of the Social Work Capital Programme 1998/99.

DECIDED

(a) That the report be noted;

(b) That the accumulated variations in the McPherson Centre Phase 3 contract which are 13.15% (£63,482) greater than the accepted tender amount be approved in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations; and

(c) That it be remitted to the Executive Director Legal, Information and Support Services to report to the next meeting of the Committee on the Council's legal position with particular regard to the various delays which have been experienced in completing the works under the above contract.

909 SOCIAL WORK AND PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSING CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - 909

FINANCIAL POSITION

SUBMITTED: Report dated 18 August 1998 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the Social Work and Private Sector Housing Capital Programme 1998/99.

DECIDED:

(a) That any decision on action to be taken relative to the projected overspend in the Social Work and Private Sector Housing Capital Programme 1998/99 be deferred until the next meeting of the Committee;

(b) That it be remitted to the Executive Director Social Work and Housing Services to report to the next meeting of the Committee on the number of grant applications outstanding and the funds available within the Private Sector Housing Capital Programme; and

910 SOCIAL WORK CAPITAL BUILDING PLAN 1999/2000 AND FUTURE YEARS 910

It was noted that this item had been withdrawn.

911 REGISTRATION: VARIATION - QUARRIERS SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH 911

EPILEPSY

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work seeking the Committee's approval of changes in the registration information under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, Section 62, in respect of Quarriers Services for People with Epilepsy, 156 Finnart Street, Greenock.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted and the variation approved; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to issued a new Certificate of Registration to Quarriers.

912 REVISED MAINTENANCE RATES FOR ESTABLISHMENTS WITHIN INVERCLYDE 912

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

DECIDED: That the recommended maintenance rates be approved and the Director of Social Work be authorised to make appropriate payments for residents' care in the event of placements being made.

913 REVISED MAINTENANCE RATES FOR ESTABLISHMENTS OUTWITH INVERCLYDE 913

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.

914 ACCOMMODATION STANDARDS IN RESIDENTIAL ESTABLISHMENTS 914

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work requesting the Committee to agree a timescale within which registered residential establishments will be expected to achieve minimum accommodation standards as described in the Council's Guidelines for Registration.

DECIDED: That it be agreed to adopt the recommended standard as described in the Council's Guidelines for Registration within all residential establishments by 31 March 2002.

915 NCH CHILDREN'S HEARING PROJECT 915

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work requesting the Committee to approve the establishment of a children's hearing project to be managed in partnership with NCH (Scotland) Action for Children.

Following discussion, Councillor O'Rourke moved that subject to full satisfactory consultations and negotiations with the relevant Trades Unions, approval be given to the establishment of a children's hearing project to be managed in partnership with NCH (Scotland) Action for Children. As an amendment, Councillor Nimmo moved that no action be taken. On a vote, 1 Member voted for the amendment and 8 for the motion which was declared carried.

DECIDED:

(a) That subject to full satisfactory consultations and negotiations with the appropriate Trades Unions, approval be given to the establishment of a children's hearing project to be managed in partnership with NCH (Scotland) Action for Children; and

(b) That it be noted that the objectives of the project are in accordance with the principles of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and that the new service contributes to the implementation of Inverclyde Council's Children's Services Plan.

916 LINK CARERS' SCHEME 916

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work on the background to the establishment of the link carers' scheme which is designed to allow some financial support to be provided to families who are caring for relatives' children in certain circumstances and requesting the Committee to agree to continuation of the scheme.

DECIDED: That approval be given to continuation of the link carers' scheme on the basis detailed in the report.

917 WOMEN'S ROYAL VOLUNTARY SERVICES IN INVERCLYDE: FUNDING 917

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work advising of a request received from the Women's Royal Voluntary Service that additional funding be provided to support its activities within Inverclyde.

DECIDED:

(a) That the expectation that the Women's Royal Voluntary Service would develop its volunteer programme to provide a uniform meals delivery service across Inverclyde, thus in due course permitting the release of paid staff for other duties be noted;

(b) That it be noted that the management fee will be set at 6% and not 7.5% as requested; and

(c) That it be agreed that the increased payment in 1998/99 be contained within the Social Work Department's Care Element Transfer Development Budget.

918 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT - MONITORING STATEMENT 1998/99 918

SUBMITTED: Report dated 19 August 1998 by the Director of Finance on the current position of the Housing Revenue Account Budget 1998/99 as at 22 July 1998.

NOTED

919 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 919

SUBMITTED: Report dated 13 August 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 accumulated variations in the contract for the demolition of 6/8 and 10/12 Mansion Avenue, Port Glasgow which are 12.29% (£2,268) less than the accepted tender amount be approved in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations; and

(c) That a detailed report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee on the present position with regard to the Belville Street concierge system and setting out measures proposed to resolve the various faults experienced in the system.

920 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - FINANCIAL POSITION 920

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 August 1998 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the HRA Capital Programme 1998/99.

NOTED

921 BAY AREA HEATING PROJECT - ADDITIONAL COSTS - USE OF EMERGENCY 921

POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 21 August 1998 by the Director of Housing & Customer Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure in terms of Standing Order 66 to approve additional expenditure estimated at £103,523 in respect of the Heather, Thistle and Rowan Courts heating project and to the issuing of competitive tenders on the basis of the revised cost.

DECIDED:

(a) That the use of the emergency powers procedure be noted; and

(b) That it be noted that when the report on tenders received is submitted to the Committee, the Department of Property and Technical Services will, if required, provide a detailed explanation of the difference between the estimate and the actual cost of the works.

922 HEALTH AND SAFETY - DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND CUSTOMER SERVICES 922

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 August 1998 by the Director of Housing & Customer Services appending a draft Health and Safety Policy for his Department.

DECIDED:

(a) That the draft Health and Safety Policy for the Department of Housing and Customer Services appended to the report together with the policy and procedure document in relation to violence towards staff be endorsed; and

(b) That it be noted that a further report will be submitted with detailed proposals including the implications of complying with the guidance for the Housing Service.

923 PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSING CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 -

PROGRESS OF PROJECTS 923

SUBMITTED: Report dated 14 August 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the progress of the various projects within the current Private Sector Housing Capital Programme.

NOTED

924 IBM CALL CENTRE - ALLOCATION OF ACCOMMODATION TO EMPLOYEES 924

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 September 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work and Housing Services advising that IBM Greenock were to employ 320 personnel of various nationalities to staff a Call Centre located at their headquarters in Spango Valley, and giving details of a proposed initiative to provide accommodation for a number of these employees within the multi-storey properties at Grieve Road and Upper Bow Farm where occupation levels are currently low. It was noted that the action proposed would not affect other applicants on the Council's House Waiting List.

DECIDED:

(a) That the action taken to date by the Department of Housing and Customer Services be approved; and

(b) That a report on the progress of the initiative be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.

925 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 925

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)

Registration of Glenpark House, Port Glasgow 6, 12 and 13

Strone Farm Phase 1: Gabriel Street, Greenock -

Contractor's Claim for Direct Loss and/or Expense 6, 8 and 9

McPherson Centre, Phase 3 - Variation in Cost of Decoration 6 and 8

926 REGISTRATION OF GLENPARK HOUSE, PORT GLASGOW 926

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work seeking the Committee's approval for the termination of the registration of Glenpark House, Glenpark Drive, Port Glasgow as a residential home for older people.

DECIDED: That approval be given to the termination of the registration of Glenpark House, Port Glasgow as a residential home for older people.

927 STRONE FARM PHASE 1: GABRIEL STREET, GREENOCK - CONTRACTOR'S 927

CLAIM FOR DIRECT LOSS AND/OR EXPENSE

There was submitted a report by the Director of Property and Technical Services on a claim submitted by the contractor engaged to undertake Phase 1 of the works at Strone Farm for direct loss and/or expense and the Committee agreed to approve a payment and to remit it to the Department of Property and Technical Services to negotiate a commercial settlement in respect of a part of the claim, all as detailed in the Appendix.

928 MCPHERSON CENTRE, PHASE 3 - VARIATION IN COST OF DECORATION 928

SUBMITTED: Report dated 31 August 1998 by the Head of Technical Services requesting approval of additional expenditure estimated at £6,706 for further internal decoration works associated with Phase 3 of the works at the McPherson Centre, Gourock.

DECIDED: That approval be given for the additional cost of £6,706 and that an instruction be issued to Contract Services to carry out the specified works.