1171 CRIMINAL JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK PROJECT 1171

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services advising of funding provided by the Justice Department of the Scottish Executive for a new Criminal Justice Social Work project to be run jointly by Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire Councils and managed by Renfrewshire Council as the lead authority, with the main objective of reducing the risk to the community posed by those who have committed sex offences.

DECIDED: That the new funding provided by the Justice Department of the Scottish Executive to establish a joint criminal justice project in partnership with East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire Councils be noted.

1172 RADIO CLYDE - CASH FOR KIDS APPEAL 1172

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services seeking the Committee’s approval for Inverclyde Council to make a contribution to the Radio Clyde Cash for Kids Appeal.

DECIDED: That it be agreed to make a contribution of £3,538 to the Cash for Kids Appeal from existing Children and Families budgets.

1173 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT MONITORING REPORT 1999/2000 1173

SUBMITTED: Report dated 11 November 1999 by the Director of Resource Services on the position of the Housing Revenue Account Budget 1999/2000 as at 13 October 1999.

NOTED

1174 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1999/2000 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 1174

SUBMITTED: Report dated 10 November 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services on the technical progress of the HRA Capital Programme 1999/2000.

NOTED

1175 HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1999/2000 - FINANCIAL POSITION 1175

SUBMITTED: Report dated 10 November 1999 by the Director of Resource Services on the financial position of the HRA Capital Programme 1999/2000.

NOTED

1176 NEW HOUSING PARTNERSHIPS 1176

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 November 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services on the progress of the Options Appraisal Study of the Council’s housing stock funded from New Housing Partnership monies. The report advised that consultants had now been appointed to undertake the study and that this was on target for completion by March/April 2000.

NOTED

1177 GIBSHILL - SURVEY OF RETAINED STOCK 1177

SUBMITTED: Report dated 10 November 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services on proposals for a survey of the retained housing stock within Gibshill as requested by the Policy and Strategy Committee at its meeting on 4 November 1999 (Para 1133).

DECIDED:

(a) That the sum of £30,000 be allocated from the Housing Revenue Account Major Repairs Budget to commission a survey of the retained housing stock in Gibshill;

(b) That the general brief for the survey outlined at Paragraph 2.2 of the report be approved; and

(c) That the survey be subject to competitive tender and that the Council’s Property Services be given an opportunity to tender provided that they are able to meet the timetable set for completion of the works.

1178 ARRAN AND BUTE COURTS, GREENOCK - REHOUSING OF REMAINING TENANTS 1178

SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 November 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services advising that the occupancy levels at Arran and Bute Courts, Greenock were below 50% and that, accordingly, in terms of the scheme of delegation, the Director of Social Work and Housing Services had arranged for the closure of the blocks and for the rehousing of the remaining tenants.

DECIDED:

(a) That the decision of the Director of Social Work and Housing Services to close Arran and Bute Courts, Greenock, in terms of the scheme of delegation and to rehouse the remaining tenants be noted;

(b) That the cost of providing home loss and disturbance payments/displacement allowances

C to the qualifying tenants, estimated at £56,000, be met from the HRA Capital Programme; and C

(c) That it be noted that a further comprehensive report on options for the future of the properties, including a strategy for Cumbrae Court, will be submitted to the Committee in early course.

1179 BROWN STREET/BAXTER STREET REFURBISHMENT - PHASE 3 1179

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 November 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services on proposals for Phase 3 of the refurbishment works at Brown Street/Baxter Street, Greenock.

DECIDED:

(a) That authority be granted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of tenders for the refurbishment of 22 units at Brown Street/Baxter Street, Greenock on the basis detailed in the report at an estimated cost of £514,000, including fees and allowances;

(b) That the Policy and Strategy Committee be requested to provide £79,000 from the Non-HRA Capital Programme 2000/2001 in respect of the anticipated grants to affected owner-occupiers;

(c) That authority be granted to the Director of Central Services in the usual manner to accept the lowest tender received provided that the necessary funds for the grants are in place and that the owner-occupiers have signed the appropriate documentation; and

(d) That the Director of Social Work and Housing Services be authorised to seek approval from the First Minister to increase the maximum grant approval limit to the necessary level and thereafter issue formal approval of the grant applications.

1180 OFFICE ACCOMMODATION - HOUSING SERVICES 1180

SUBMITTED: Report dated 2 November 1999 by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services providing information on the current use of housing services offices, the consequences of closure and the results of a customer survey of existing facilities taking into account the Council’s plan for one stop shops which had been requested by the Committee at its meeting on 3 August 1999 (Para 719).

DECIDED:

(a) That agreement be given to the closure of the existing Housing offices at Cartsdyke Court, Aberfoyle Road and Broomhill Court, Greenock;

(b) That authority be granted to the Director of Central Services to arrange for the invitation of tenders for the expansion of the Dubbs Road office and the creation of a new office at Belville Street on the basis detailed in the report; and

(c) That it be noted that telephone contact points will be installed at suitable locations as described in the report for the further convenience of those wishing to access Council services including housing services offices throughout the day.

1181 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 1181

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)

Heat Leasing Project, Group 3 - Report on Tenders 6, 8 & 9

Door Entry Systems, Phase 1 - Report on Tenders 6, 8 & 9

Building Services Revenue Budget 1999/2000 8

Maintenance of Fans and Pumps 6 & 8

Ground: Florence Street, Greenock 8 & 9

Empty Homes Initiative - Update on Proposed Supported

Accommodation Project 8 & 9

Garvald Street, Greenock 4, 8 & 13

Request for Dispensation from Registration Standards 6

Children (Scotland) Act 1995, Section 41 - Appointment

of Safeguarders 6

1182 HEAT LEASING PROJECT, GROUP 3 - REPORT ON TENDERS 1182

SUBMITTED: Report dated 25 November 1999 by the Director of Social Work

and Housing Services on the results of the tendering process for the installation of

gas combi boiler systems in approximately 350 properties which comprise

Group 3 of the heat leasing project.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the tender

submitted by D Campbell & Co Ltd in the total sum of £711,878.52 including the

leasing charges for ten years and that a leasing arrangement be entered into with

Mileshield Commercial Funding Ltd for the leasing element of the contract.

1183 DOOR ENTRY SYSTEMS, PHASE 1 - REPORT ON TENDERS 1183

SUBMITTED: Report dated 19 November 1999 by the Director of Social Work and

Housing Services on six tenders received for Phase 1 of the Door Entry System Programme.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the lowest tender,

that by G D Chalmers Ltd in the corrected sum of £105,332.85; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Social Work and Housing Services to report on the

pricing of door entry installation projects and the current condition of the tender market.

1184 BUILDING SERVICES REVENUE BUDGET 1999/2000 1184

SUBMITTED: Report dated 10 November 1999 by the Director of Resource Services

on the position of the Building Services Revenue Budget 1999/2000 as at 13 October 1999.

NOTED

1185 MAINTENANCE OF FANS AND PUMPS 1185

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 October 1999 by the Director of Social Work and

Housing Services on proposals for the future maintenance of communal fans and

pumps throughout the Council’s housing stock and advising of an offer received from the existing contractor for continuation of the service for a further period of twelve months.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the offer

from William Lafferty & Co Ltd for the maintenance of fans and pumps for a period

of twelve months from the date of practical completion of the existing contract in the sum

of £2,731 per quarter; and

(b) That authority be granted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the

appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of tenders for the routine maintenance of the

fan and pump equipment throughout the Council’s housing stock following the expiry of the

negotiated contract with William Lafferty & Co Ltd.

1186 GROUND: FLORENCE STREET, GREENOCK 1186

There was submitted a report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services on the results of the discussions with the District Valuer and Scottish Homes relative to the proposed terms of the transfer of ground at Florence Street, Greenock and the Committee authorised further negotiations, all as detailed in the Appendix.

1187 EMPTY HOMES INITIATIVE - UPDATE ON PROPOSED SUPPORTED 1187

ACCOMMODATION PROJECT

There was submitted a report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services on the present position in respect of proposals for a supported accommodation project to be funded under the Government’s Empty Homes Initiative and the Committee agreed to take action to progress the project, all as detailed in the Appendix.

1188 PROPERTIES IN GARVALD STREET, GREENOCK 1188

There was submitted a report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services recommending action in respect of a number of properties in Garvald Street, Greenock. Councillor McCabe declared an interest in this item and took no part in its consideration or decision. The Committee agreed, following a vote, that the properties be included within the Capital Plan as a proposed Housing Action Area for Demolition, all as detailed in the Appendix.

1189 REQUEST FOR DISPENSATION FROM REGISTRATION STANDARDS 1189

There was submitted a report by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services on a request made by an organisation for dispensation from registration standards which was refused, all as detailed in the Appendix.

1190 CHILDREN (SCOTLAND) ACT 1995, SECTION 41 - APPOINTMENT 1190

OF SAFEGUARDERS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 October 1999 by the Director of Legal and Support Services requesting the Committee’s approval of two applications for appointment as Safeguarders on the Council’s current list for the purposes of children’s hearings and proceedings in the Sheriff Court.

DECIDED: That approval be granted to appoint the two applicants listed in the Appendix to the report for inclusion in the Council’s current list of Safeguarders to 31 March 2000 in the first instance to ensure that their appointments coincide with the existing Safeguarders.