1226 SOCIAL WORK AND OTHER HOUSING AND CUSTOMER SERVICES 1226

REVENUE BUDGET 1998/99

SUBMITTED: Report dated 16 November 1998 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the position of the Social Work and other Housing and Customer Services Revenue Budget 1998/99 as at 14 October 1998.

NOTED

1227 SOCIAL WORK CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 1227

SUBMITTED: Report dated 2 November 1998 by the Head of Technical Services on the technical progress of the Social Work Capital Programme 1998/99.

NOTED

1228 SOCIAL WORK AND PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSING CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - 1228

FINANCIAL POSITION

SUBMITTED: Report dated 13 November 1998 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the financial position of the Social Work and Private Sector Housing Capital Programme 1998/99.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Policy and Strategy Committee be requested to approve an additional capital allocation of £20,000 in respect of the projected overspend in the Social Work Capital Programme 1998/99 as a result of increased costs relating to Phase 3 of the works at the McPherson Centre, Gourock, but in considering this matter the Policy and Strategy Committee take account of the significant projected underspend in the 1998/99 Social Work Revenue Budget; and

(b) That the report be otherwise noted.

1229 AIDS AND ADAPTATIONS 1229

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 November 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services advising that the sum of £100,000 had been allocated within the Non-HRA Capital Programme 1998/99 to fund aids and adaptations within Council housing but that to address the outstanding cases which have been assessed as being of high priority, a further £46,000 was required in the present year.

DECIDED: That the Policy and Strategy Committee be requested to approve an additional capital allocation of £46,000 to enable the outstanding cases which have been assessed as being of high priority to be dealt with in the current financial year.

1230 OUTSTANDING REPAIR/IMPROVEMENT GRANT APPLICATIONS 1230

SUBMITTED: Report by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services on the number of outstanding repair/improvement grant applications and the funding available within the Private Sector Housing Capital Programme for such applications.

An amended Appendix 1 to the report was circulated to the Committee.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services to submit a further report to the next meeting of the Committee following a detailed appraisal of the outstanding applications with particular emphasis on possible ways in which the Council can deal with the outstanding discretionary improvement grant applications which form in total 32 major voluntary rehabilitation projects.

1231 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CARE AND REPAIR SERVICE IN INVERCLYDE 1231

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 November 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services on proposals for the development of a Care and Repair service in Inverclyde for which central government was providing encouragement through Scottish Office funding available for competitive bidding and which was included for examination in the Strategy Agreement with Scottish Homes.

DECIDED:

(a) That agreement be given to the establishment of a Care and Repair project within Inverclyde;

(b) That it be remitted to the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services to carry out further negotiations with Scottish Homes, Argyll & Clyde Health Board and Cloch Housing Association relative to the revenue funding arrangements for the proposed project; and

(c) That it be agreed to add £50,000 to the Non-HRA Capital Plan for 1999/2000 to ensure sufficient capital investment in the first year of operation.

1232 REVISED MAINTENANCE RATES FOR ESTABLISHMENTS WITHIN INVERCLYDE 1232

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.

1233 REVISED MAINTENANCE RATES FOR ESTABLISHMENTS OUTWITH INVERCLYDE 1233

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.

1234 DEVELOPMENT OF FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, 1234

YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work on a proposal to develop and extend the current family support services for children, young people and their families which are designed to reduce the need for children and young people to be looked after and accommodated by the Council or to be brought into the Child Protection System.

DECIDED:

(a) That the extension of the current family support services for children, young people and their families as detailed in the report be approved;

(b) That it be noted that the developments are in accordance with the principles of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and that the proposed development of the services contributes to the Council's Children's Services Plan; and

1235 LOOKED AFTER AND ACCOMMODATED CHILDREN - IMPLEMENTATION OF 1235

SCOTTISH OFFICE REVIEW PACKAGE

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work on the current position in respect of the implementation of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 as it relates to Looked After Children. The report advised that the Scottish Office had introduced a new review package for Looked After Children entitled "Good Parenting, Good Outcomes" which was being piloted in eleven local authorities and that Inverclyde Council, along with other authorities, had been invited to participate in the second phase commencing in January 1999.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee endorse the involvement of Inverclyde Council in the second phase of the Scottish Office development for Looked After Children commencing in January 1999; and

(b) That the staffing implications be remitted to the Corporate Management Team for consideration.

1236 SOCIAL WORK SERVICES INSPECTORATE : SENSING PROGRESS 1236

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work on the contents of the report "Sensing Progress" prepared by the Social Work Services Inspectorate of the Scottish Office which makes certain recommendations to local authorities relative to services to people with sensory impairments, setting out the proposed response to the report and providing background information on the services provided by Social Work Services within Inverclyde for people with sensory impairments.

DECIDED:

(a) That the recommendations of the Scottish Office report "Sensing Progress" be noted;

(b) That the comments on the report's recommendations be approved as the Council's response to the Scottish Office;

(c) That it be agreed to consider in due course any further reports on resource implications for Social Work Services arising from the recommendations of the report "Sensing Progress";

(d) That it be remitted to the Chief Executive to address the recommendations in the report which relate to his responsibilities in respect of the Children's Services Plan and its implementation; and

(e) That it be remitted to the Director of Social Work to address the recommendations in the report relative to the Community Care Plan and its implementation.

1237 WELFARE RIGHTS DEVELOPMENT UNIT : STAFFING 1237

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work on the workload since 1994/95 of the Welfare Rights Development Unit within Social Work Services and advising that to maintain the current level of service provision within the Unit, additional staffing was required. It was noted that the increased costs would be funded from care element transfer monies.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Personnel Services to determine the appropriate level of additional staffing.

1238 RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION: FESTIVE ALLOWANCES 1238

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work recommending a review of festive allowances for the purchase of gifts for clients living in residential establishments operated by Social Work Services.

DECIDED: That approval be given to the revised festive allowances within residential accommodation as follows:-

Residential Accommodation - Elderly £50.00

Residential Accommodation - Learning Disability £50.00

Residential Accommodation - Children Age 0-4 £50.00

Age 5-11 £65.00

Age 12-18 £76.50

1239 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT - MONITORING STATEMENT 1998/99 1239

SUBMITTED: Report dated 11 November 1998 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the current position of the Housing Revenue Account Budget 1998/99 as at 14 October 1998.

NOTED

1240 LIFT MAINTENANCE WITHIN COUNCIL HOUSING : USE OF EMERGENCY 1240

POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 October 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure in terms of Standing Order 66 to accept the lowest tender received for the comprehensive maintenance of lifts throughout the Council's housing stock, that by Express Evans Lifts in the sum of £107,300 per annum index linked for five years. The report also advised that the possibility of the work being carried out in-house had been investigated but this had revealed that at the present time, the Direct Labour Organisation does not have the expertise required to carry out this type of work.

NOTED

1241 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT - PAINTING PROGRAMME 1998/99 1241

SUBMITTED: Report dated 22 October 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services on the present position of the painting programme 1998/99. The report advised that tenders for all painting projects to be undertaken by private contractors had been returned, resulting in a small underspend of approximately £15,000 and it was recommended that in the circumstances, the balance of work to be undertaken by the Direct Labour Organisation be re-assessed at £80,000.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted; and

(b) That projects to the value of £80,000 be identified and ordered directly through the Council's Direct Labour Organisation.

1242 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 1242

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 November 1998 by the Head of 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) The Committee approve, in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations, an expenditure increase of £12,347 in the Rewiring Project 1998/99 for the inclusion of additional houses in order to utilise fully the available budget provision of £48,000; and

(c) That the accumulated variations in the Rewiring Project 1998/99 which are 39.69% (£10,547) greater than the accepted tender amount be approved in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations.

1243 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - FINANCIAL POSITION 1243

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 November 1998 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the financial position of the HRA Capital Programme 1998/99.

NOTED

1244 HEATING REPLACEMENT PROJECT - BAY AREA, PORT GLASGOW - 1244

USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 19 November 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure in terms of Standing Order 66 to authorise the acceptance of the lowest tender received for the replacement of the heating and hot water systems at Heather, Thistle and Rowan Courts and 2-40 Court Road, Port Glasgow, that by G D Chalmers Ltd in the corrected sum of £293,371.40.

NOTED

1245 GIBSHILL NEW HOUSING - ADDITIONAL COSTS 1245

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 October 1998 by the Head of Technical Services providing a detailed breakdown of the additional costs incurred in relation to the Gibshill New Building Housing Project.

NOTED

1246 MAJOR REPAIRS PROGRAMME 1998/99 1246

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 November 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services on the present position of the major repairs programme 1998/99 and advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure in terms of Standing Order 66 to approve the issue of competitive tenders for the renewal of the flat roof at Cumberland Court, Greenock which had now moved to the inescapable category of works.

NOTED

1247 AUCHENDARROCH STREET/CARWOOD STREET AREA, GREENOCK 1247

SUBMITTED: Report dated 11 November 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services on the current levels of occupancy and demand for the properties at 32-40 Carwood Street, 1 Auchendarroch Street and 4-12 Auchendarroch Street, advising of consultations which had taken place with the existing tenants and making recommendations for the future of the area.

DECIDED:

(a) That the properties at 32-40 Carwood Street, 1 Auchendarroch Street and 4-12 Auchendarroch Street, be declared surplus to the Council's requirements and designated for demolition, and that the tenants be rehoused on the basis outlined in the report;

C (b) That qualifying tenants receive Home Loss Payments and Displacement Allowances and

that provision of £10,000 be made within the HRA Capital Programme 1998/99 to fund these payments;

(c) That it be remitted to the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services to submit a report on the anticipated cost of demolition with a view to the project being added to the Capital Plan for the year 1999/2000; and

(d) That discussions take place in the first instance with Scottish Homes to determine the feasibility of an alternative development for socially rented housing or a mixture of owner-occupied and socially rented housing on the site.

1248 GIBSHILL REGENERATION - DEMOLITION STRATEGY 1248

SUBMITTED: Report dated November 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services on a proposed demolition strategy for Gibshill's traditional tenemental stock, excluding Lansbury Street.

DECIDED:

(a) That approval be granted to the three-strand demolition strategy detailed in the report to be carried out during the current financial year 1998/99 and the next two financial years 1999/2001;

(b) That approval be granted for the issuing of competitive tenders for the first phase of the demolition strategy comprising the properties at 6, 8 and 10 Whitelees Road, 4 and 6 Mitchell Street and 12 and 14 Mitchell Street at an estimated cost of £170,000 including fees and for the sum of £74,000 to be added to the allocation for the Gibshill Regeneration in the HRA Capital Programme, to allow these works to be undertaken;

(c) That permission be granted to negotiate a price for demolition of other blocks if these become available for demolition before April 1999, as described in the report; and

(d) That the demolition of Danny's Place and Garage, which were part of the overall strategy for Gibshill, be included within the first phase of the demolition at an estimated cost of up to £17,500 including fees, subject to the approval of the Policy and Strategy Committee.

1249 NEW HOUSING BENEFITS SYSTEM - PROGRESS REPORT 1249

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 November 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services on the progress which has been made towards the introduction of the new Housing Benefit and Council Tax system, identifying the action taken to address a number of the concerns raised by tenants and landlords and advising the Committee of the impact which the introduction of the new system has had on the rent arrears of Council tenants. The report also advised that significant progress had been made in dealing with the problems encountered as a result of implementation of the system and that Council staff were continuing to make considerable efforts to clear the backlog of claims.

NOTED

1250 GREEN PAPER - BEATING FRAUD IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS 1250

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 November 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services on the contents of the Green Paper "Beating Fraud is Everyone's Business" and advising the Committee of the proactive measures being taken by the Council to detect and prevent fraud.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee note and endorse the aims identified in the Green Paper "Beating Fraud is Everyone's Business" and the positive steps which have been taken by Inverclyde Council to detect and prevent fraud; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services to make representations to the Secretary of State requesting that consideration be given at an early date to legislative reform to remove the obligation placed on Councils to pay Housing Benefit to former Council house tenants who had arrears of rent or other sums due and owing to the Council.

1251 INVERCLYDE COUNCIL HOUSING PLAN 1998-2003 1251

SUBMITTED: Report by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services appending the draft Inverclyde Council Housing Plan 1998-2003.

DECIDED: That the Inverclyde Council Housing Plan 1998-2003 appended to the report be approved for submission to the Scottish Office subject to amendment at the appropriate points to reflect the Council's intention to address positively the predicted population decline within Inverclyde.

1252 WINDOW REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME 1998/99 1252

SUBMITTED: Report dated 23 November 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services advising of an increase in the estimated cost of Phase 1 of the window replacement works at Woodhall, Port Glasgow from £159,000 to £229,000, inclusive of fees.

DECIDED:

(a) That the increase in the estimated costs of Phase 1 of the window replacement works at Woodhall, Port Glasgow be noted and that appropriate provision be made within the Capital Programme 1998/99;

(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 at the revised estimated cost; 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 tender received.

1253 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 1253

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)

Rewiring Works 1998/99 - Use of Emergency Powers Procedure 6 & 8

Landscaping of Cleared Site - 1-95 Woodstock Road, Greenock -

Report on Tenders 6 & 8

Purchase of Ground at Belville Street, Greenock 6 & 8

Office Accommodation - Housing Services 14

18-20 Mearns Street, Greenock Housing Action Area for Improvement 4 & 6

Brown Street Refurbishment, Phase 1 6 & 8

Increased Contract Costs 6, 8 & 9

1254 REWIRING WORKS 1998/99 - USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS PROCEDURE 1254

SUBMITTED: Report dated 13 November 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure in terms of Standing Order 66 to negotiate a price for works at 11 additional houses with the contractor engaged to carry out rewiring works at Blairmore/Kilmacolm Roads, Greenock and Benview Road, Port Glasgow.

DECIDED: That approval be granted to add 11 flats/cottages at Benview Road, Port Glasgow to the rewiring project 1998/99 and that the necessary variation in the sum of £11,298.86 be issued to the contractor.

1255 LANDSCAPING OF CLEARED SITE - 1-95 WOODSTOCK ROAD, GREENOCK 1255

SUBMITTED: Report dated 22 October 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services on two tenders received for the landscaping of the cleared site at 1-95 Woodstock Road, Greenock.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the lower tender, that by Stewart Landscapes in the sum of £28,923.40.

1256 PURCHASE OF GROUND AT BELVILLE STREET, GREENOCK 1256

There was submitted a report by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services with proposals for the purchase of ground at Belville Street, Greenock and the Committee agreed to request the District Valuer to value the ground in question and negotiate a price for the purchase of the ground and also to make appropriate provision in the Capital Programme for 1999/2000, all as detailed in the Appendix.

1257 OFFICE ACCOMMODATION - HOUSING SERVICES 1257

SUBMITTED: Report dated 28 October 1998 by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services reviewing the current office accommodation within Housing Services and making recommendations in this regard.

DECIDED: That consideration be continued for further information on the proposals set out in the report.

1258 18-20 MEARNS STREET, GREENOCK HOUSING ACTION AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT 1258

SUBMITTED: Report by the Executive Director Social Work & Housing Services on the present position with regard to the 18-20 Mearns Street, Greenock Housing Action Area for Improvement.

DECIDED: That consideration be continued for a further detailed examination of the prospective costs of the improvement works and for further discussions with Scottish Homes regarding financial assistance for the project.

1259 BROWN STREET, REFURBISHMENT PHASE 1 1259

SUBMITTED: Report dated 18 November 1998 by the Head of Technical Services advising of the requirement to carry out piling works at 48 Brown Street, Greenock, which is included in Phase 1 of the Brown Street refurbishment works, in order to stabilise the house foundations and prevent further subsidence and requesting the Committee to agree to the acceptance of a quotation received for the work.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be agreed that, in order to stabilise the house foundations at 48 Brown Street and to prevent further subsidence, piling works be carried out; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Head of Technical Services to accept the quotation received from Buillivant Ltd in the sum of £2,250, excluding VAT.

1260 INCREASED CONTRACT COSTS 1260

The Committee resumed consideration of the Council's position in relation to contracts which exceed their budget costs, with particular reference to Phase 3 of the works at the McPherson Centre, Gourock and the Gibshill New Build Housing Project.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Depute Chief Executive to submit a detailed report on the various factors which result in contracts exceeding their budget costs and recommended procedures to be put in place to ensure that cost increases are minimised in the future.