1025 SOCIAL WORK CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1999/2000 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 1025

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services on the technical progress of the Social Work Capital Programme 1999/2000.

NOTED

1026 SOCIAL WORK AND PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSING CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1026

1999/2000 - FINANCIAL POSITION

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 September 1999 by the Director of Resource Services on the financial position of the Social Work and Private Sector Housing Capital Programme 1999/2000.

NOTED

1027 SOCIAL WORK SERVICES - REPORT ON COMPLAINTS RECEIVED IN 1998/99 1027

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services analysing the nature and management of complaints received from users of Social Work Services in 1998/99.

NOTED

1028 UK NATIONAL STANDARDS IN FOSTER CARE 1028

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services advising the Committee of the publication of the document entitled UK National Standards in Foster Care and recommending that the Council adopt the Standards.

DECIDED: That the Committee agree to adopt the Standards as the basis for good practice in foster care within Inverclyde.

1029 CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES - SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE GRANT OFFER 1999/2000 1029

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services advising that the grant offered by the Scottish Executive amounted to £925,128 for the year 1999/2000 and advising of the indicative figures for core funding received for the two following financial years.

NOTED

1030 RESIDENTIAL AND DAY CARE ESTABLISHMENTS 1030

ANNUAL INSPECTION REPORT 1998/99

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services together with the Annual Inspection Report for the year 1998/99 setting out the activities and findings of the Registration and Inspection Team within Social Work and Housing Services.

NOTED

1031 REVISED MAINTENANCE RATES FOR ESTABLISHMENTS OUTWITH INVERCLYDE 1031

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services 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.

1032 SOCIAL WORK SERVICES: COMMUNITY CARE DEVELOPMENTS 1999/2000 1032

AND BEYOND

SUBMITTED: Report dated 21 September 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services setting out the proposed developments for community care in 1999/2000 and beyond. The report also detailed sources of additional funding such as Care Element Transfer, the Challenge Fund and Resource Transfer.

DECIDED: That the Committee approve the proposals set out in the report and remit the staffing implications of the proposals relating to infrastructure for consideration by the Corporate Business Committee after consultation has taken place with Trade Union representatives.

1033 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT MONITORING REPORT 1999/2000 1033

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 September 1999 by the Director of Resource Services on the position of the Housing Revenue Account Budget 1999/2000 as at 15 September 1999.

NOTED

1034 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1999/2000 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 1034

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 September 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services on the technical progress of the HRA Capital Programme 1999/2000.

DECIDED:

(a) That the technical progress of the HRA Capital Programme 1999/2000 be noted; and

(b) That the Committee approve the following expenditure reduction in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations:-

Project Effect on Expenditure

Window Replacement - Prospecthill Area, Greenock £6,723 reduction

1035 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1999/2000 - FINANCIAL POSITION 1035

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 September 1999 by the Director of Resource Services on the financial position of HRA Capital Programme 1999/2000.

NOTED

1036 INVERCLYDE HOUSING MARKET - LOCAL ECONOMY - DEPOPULATION 1036

SUBMITTED: Report dated 23 September 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services putting forward for the approval of the Committee research work being commissioned through Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership to investigate the role of the local housing market in the continuing development of the local economy and the associated issue of reversing the depopulation of the area at a total maximum estimated cost of £30,000 to which the Committee was asked to contribute a maximum of £10,000.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee agree to make a maximum contribution of £10,000 towards the research project; and

(b) That the expenditure be met by approving virement in the maximum sum of £10,000 from the Major Repairs Budget 1999/2000.

1037 DEVELOPMENT OF TENANT INVOLVEMENT STRATEGY FOR INVERCLYDE 1037

COUNCIL TENANTS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 September 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services advising the Committee on the progress of the research into the need for tenant participation within Inverclyde and recommending that the Committee agree, in principle, a draft policy statement and suggested strategy.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee agree, in principle, the draft policy statement and suggested strategy, which must incorporate an additional requirement for the training of Elected Members in tenant participation and remit for a further report once the policy statement and strategy have been finalised; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Social Work and Housing Services to identify the necessary resources to employ a Tenant Participation Officer and other support required to bring about tenant participation in Inverclyde.

1038 HOUSING ALLOCATION POLICY 1038

SUBMITTED: Report dated 22 September 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services setting out the current position with regard to implementing the changes to the Housing Allocation Policy agreed by the Committee at its meeting on 25 August 1998 (Para 878). The report detailed changes that could be implemented after the previous Committee decision, those requiring a further report and those that could only be implemented following alterations to the computerised housing allocation system, which third category had to await the application of IT resources.

NOTED

1039 MAJOR REPAIRS: GREENOCK EAST/CENTRAL AREA 1039

SUBMITTED: Report dated 28 September 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services outlining projects comprising the renewal of the flat roof at Charles Place, Greenock and the replacement of the lead water mains at Grosvenor Road/Grosvenor Lane, Greenock.

DECIDED: That approval be given for the invitation of competitive tenders for the renewal of the flat roof at Charles Place at an estimated cost of £37,000 including fees, and the replacement of the mains at Grosvenor Road/Grosvenor Lane at an estimated cost of £10,000 including fees, always provided that tenders would only be accepted in each case once the relevant owner-occupiers had agreed to participate and pay their share of the cost of the works.

1040 AIDS AND ADAPTATIONS - MEDIUM PRIORITIES 1040

SUBMITTED: Report dated September 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services setting out the current position and proposing a short-term solution to the funding of medium priority cases for aids and adaptations for Council tenants.

DECIDED:

(a) That virement of £100,000 from Social Work Services to the existing aids and adaptations budget be approved; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Social Work and Housing Services to investigate alternative sources of funding to be the subject of a further report.

1041 PERFORMANCE INDICATORS - 1998/99 AND QUARTERS 1 AND 2 1999/2000 1041

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services providing information and analysis on a number of key performance indicators within housing services for 1998/99 and for the first two quarters of 1999/2000.

NOTED

1042 INITIATIVES TO SAFEGUARD HOUSING BENEFIT AND COUNCIL TAX 1042

BENEFIT PAYMENTS

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services setting out a number of measures intended to improve the security and accuracy of the Housing and Council Tax Benefit system and advising of the potential impact on claimants within Inverclyde.

NOTED

1043 HOUSING AND COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT ANTI-FRAUD UPDATE: 1043

QUARTER 2 1999/2000

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services setting out management information on the performance of the Housing and Council Tax Benefit Anti-Fraud Section.

NOTED

1044 RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION - FESTIVE ALLOWANCES 1044

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services setting out proposed festive allowances, calculated to reflect the increase in the cost of living, for the purchase of gifts for those living in residential establishments managed by Social Work Services.

DECIDED: That the following festive allowances in residential accommodation be approved:-

Residential Accommodation - Elderly £41.00

Residential Accommodation - Learning Disability £41.00

Residential Accommodation - Children - Age 0 - 4 £46.50

Age 5 - 11 £66.00

Age 12 - 18 £78.00

1045 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 1045

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)

Demolition of 9-19 Mansion Avenue Port Glasgow -

Use of Emergency Powers Procedure 6 & 8

Supply and Delivery of PVC-U Units: Report on Tenders 6 & 8

Major Repairs Programme 1999/2000: 11 Hole Farm Road, Greenock 6 & 8

Building Services Revenue Budget 1999/2000 - Monitoring Report 8

Building Services Revenue Budget 1999/2000: Request for

Rebate to HRA Repairs Account 8

Building Services: Position Statement 8

Interim Gas Maintenance Contract - Contract for Replacement of

Gas Appliances - Use of Emergency Powers Procedure 6 & 8

Adaptation of Accommodation for Disabled Person 2

Provision of Residential Care - Request for Additional Supplementation 3

1046 DEMOLITION OF 9-19 MANSION AVENUE, PORT GLASGOW - 1046

USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 13 October 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services advising the Committee of the use of emergency powers for the demolition of properties at 9-19 Mansion Avenue, Port Glasgow by Reigart Contracts Ltd for the negotiated sum of £75,000 (inclusive of fees).

NOTED

1047 SUPPLY AND DELIVERY OF PVC-U UNITS: REPORT ON TENDERS 1047

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 October 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services on the results and analysis of the tenders received for the supply of pvc-u units required by Building Services.

DECIDED: That the tender submitted by Sovereign Group Ltd for a period of twelve months be accepted.

1048 MAJOR REPAIRS PROGRAMME 1999/2000: 11 HOLE FARM ROAD, GREENOCK 1048

SUBMITTED: Report dated 15 October 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services setting out the tenders received to carry out remedial work to a property at 11 Hole Farm Road, Greenock.

DECIDED: That the lowest tender from W H Kirkwood Ltd, in the sum of £14,597.41 be accepted.

1049 BUILDING SERVICES REVENUE BUDGET 1999/2000 - MONITORING REPORT 1049

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 September 1999 by the Director of Resource Services setting out the position of the Building Services Revenue Budget as at 4 November 1999.

NOTED

1050 BUILDING SERVICES REVENUE BUDGET 1999/2000: 1050

REQUEST FOR REBATE TO HRA REPAIRS ACCOUNT

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services proposing that a request be made to the Policy and Strategy Committee that a projected surplus of £350,000 to be generated within the Building Service Revenue Budget be reflected by a rebate of a similar sum to the HRA Repairs Account.

DECIDED: That it be recommended to the Policy and Strategy Committee that a rebate of £350,000 during 1999/2000 be made to the Housing Revenue Repairs Account from the projected 1999/2000 Building Services surplus.

1051 BUILDING SERVICES: POSITION STATEMENT 1051

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services outlining the progress made to date in improving the operational and financial management performance of Building Services.

DECIDED: That the terms of the report be noted and that it be further noted that a detailed report on options for a new management information system will be submitted to the Committee early in 2000.

1052 INTERIM GAS MAINTENANCE CONTRACT 1052

CONTRACT FOR REPLACEMENT OF GAS APPLIANCES

USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 2 September 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services advising of the use of emergency powers to accept (a) the lowest tender in the sum of £67,390 from Trolhurst Ltd for the maintenance of gas appliances during an interim period of three months and (b) the lowest tender from British Gas plc on a deduction of 18% from the Schedule of Rates for a period of twelve months.

NOTED

1053 ADAPTATION OF ACCOMMODATION FOR DISABLED PERSON 1053

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 October 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services proposing that the Council provide a Council house at 55 Montrose Avenue, Port Glasgow with substantial internal and external alterations to meet the requirements of the proposed disabled tenant.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee agree to the adaptation of 55 Montrose Avenue, Port Glasgow to provide reasonably suitable accommodation for the tenant and her family at an estimated total cost of £26,000 inclusive of fees;

(b) That the cost of the contract works be met from the Aids and Adaptations budget; and

1054 PROVISION OF RESIDENTIAL CARE - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL 1054

SUPPLEMENTATION

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services outlining the circumstances of a particular individual with highly specialised needs and the need to obtain Committee approval for additional expenditure to meet those needs.

DECIDED: That the necessary financial provision be increased by the sum of £46,975 per annum to be funded from Resource Transfer.