Community & Protective Services Committee

Thursday 23 August 2001 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Provost Roach, Councillors Blair, Calvert, Hunter, Jackson, McCabe, McGhee, Morrison (M), O'Rourke, Robertson (A) and White.

Chair:  Councillor Morrison (M) presided.

In attendance:  Director of Community & Protective Services, Miss M McKnight (for Director of Legal & Support Services), Mr M Thomson (for Head of Accountancy Services), Head of Environmental & Consumer Services, Head of Property Services, Head of Grounds, Transport & Cleansing Services and Head of Leisure & Community Support Services.

The following paragraphs are submitted for information only, having been dealt with under the powers delegated to the Committee.

715

Capital Programme 2001/2002 - Technical Progress

715

There was submitted a report dated 27 July 2001 by the Director of Community & Protective Services on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 2001/2002.

Noted

716

Capital Programme 2001/2002 - 2003/2004 - Financial Position

716

There was submitted a report dated 31 July 2001 by the Head of Accountancy Services on the financial position of the Capital Programme 2001/2002 - 2003/2004.

717

Noted

Waste Disposal - First Quarter Tonnages

717

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community & Protective Services (1) on the quantities of waste disposed during the first quarter of 2001/2002 and (2) providing a comparison with the same period in 2000/2001.

Noted

718

Revenue Monitoring Report - Period 3

718

There was submitted a report dated 3 August 2001 by the Head of Accountancy Services on the position of the Community & Protective Services Revenue Budget as at Period 3 (27 June 2001).

Noted

719

Waterfront Leisure Complex - Update

719

There was submitted a report dated 31 July 2001 by the Director of Community & Protective Services on the current position with regard to the Waterfront Leisure Complex.

Decided: that the contents of the report and the action taken to promote and develop the Complex be noted.

720

Leisure Management Facilities - Statistical Information

720

There was submitted a report dated 31 July 2001 by the Director of Community & Protective Services (1) advising of the number of users of facilities included in the leisure management contracts operated by Leisure Services on behalf of the Council for the period 7 May 2001 to 29 July 2001 and (2) providing comparisons with the corresponding periods in previous years.

(Councillor Jackson entered the meeting during consideration of this item of  business).

Decided: 

(1)  that the contents of the report be noted; and

(2)  that the action taken to ensure that target attendances are achieved be approved.

721

Waterfront Leisure Complex  - Development Proposal

721

There was submitted a report dated 31 July 2001 by the Director of  Community & Protective Services making a number of proposals with regard to redevelopment works at the Waterfront Leisure Complex.

(Provost Roach entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Decided:

(1)  that the report be noted;

(2)  that approval be given to redevelopment of the leisure rink and existing fitness gym as detailed in the report;

(3)  that Inverclyde Leisure be granted approval to progress the redevelopment proposal at no cost to the Council;

(4)  that Inverclyde Leisure liaise with the Director of Community & Protective Services and other Service Directors to ensure that all statutory requirements are met; and

(5)  that Inverclyde Leisure progress the proposals as soon as is practicable.

722

Football Development Scheme

722

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community & Protective Services advising of changes made to the funding of the Football Development Scheme by the Scottish Football Association.

(Councillor Blair entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Decided:

(1)  that the report be noted; and

(2)  that the Policy & Strategy Committee be requested to approve the additional £5,000 required to fund the scheme during 2001/2002.

723

Skillseekers Scheme within Leisure Services

723

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community & Protective Services on the financial position of the skillseekers training scheme operating within Leisure Services.

Decided: 

(1)  that the report be noted;

(2) that the skillseekers training scheme be continued under the control of Leisure & Community Support Services; and

(3)  that the financial performance of the scheme be reviewed on a regular basis and that a report be submitted to the Committee later in the financial year.

724

Adult Literacy and Numeracy in Scotland Report

724

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community & Protective Services advising of the recent publication by the Scottish Executive of the Adult Literacy and Numeracy in Scotland Report and the announcement of new funding to support the initiative from 2001 to 2004.

Decided:

(1)  that the report and the actions required to co-ordinate the new initiative be noted; and

(2)  that further reports be submitted to the Committee on the progress of the initiative.

725

Waivers of Lets for Campaigns

725

There was submittted a report by the Director of Community & Protective Services (1) advising of a request for a waiver of let received from the Save the Rankin Campaign which, as a general campaign, does not fall into any of the categories of organisation covered by the Council's current fees and charges policy, (2) outlining options for dealing with the request and (3) recommending that an updated policy be drafted.

Decided:

(1)  that the Save the Rankin Campaign be awarded 100 per cent waivers of let for any  events which it holds within Council premises; and

(2)  that a report be submitted to the Committee at the earliest possible date on proposals for an updated policy for the granting of waivers of let in respect of Council premises.

726

The Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991

726

There was submitted a report dated 31 July 2001 by the Director of Community & Protective Services (1) advising of the duty placed on the Council under Section 8 of the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 to carry out an appropriate enforcement programme and to review this programme at least once a year, (2) detailing the Council's enforcement strategy in relation to the sale of tobacco products and (3) recording the level of enforcement activity carried out by Trading Standards Officers during the period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001.

Decided:

(1) that the report be noted; and

(2) that the enforcement strategy set out in paragraph 2.1 of the report be endorsed.

727

Pilot of New Menu System in Primary Schools

727

There was submitted a report dated 31 August 2001 by the Director of Community & Protective Services seeking approval of a pilot project to evaluate a new menu system for primary schools which offers  balanced menu options and a simplified pricing structure.

The Head of Environmental & Consumer Services confirmed that a short questionnaire would be issued to pupils included in the pilot project and  their parents.

Decided:

(1)  that approval be given to a pilot project which will introduce a new menu system to primary schools based on nutritionally balanced meal choices, subject to full consultation with Education Services, Head Teachers and School Boards; and

(2)  that the Committee be informed of the schools included in the project.

728

Extension of Dog Warden Contract

728

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community & Protective Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) to extend the dog warden contract with SDK (Kilsyth) until the end of January 2003 subject to a performance review of the contract in January 2002.

Noted

729

Inverclyde Action Against Fly Tipping Working Group - Review of Strategy and Actions

729

There was submitted a report dated 2 August 2001 by the Director of Community & Protective Services (1) on the work of the former Inverclyde Action Against Fly Tipping Working Group and the current Waste Strategy Group, (2) appending the Inverclyde Action Against Fly Tipping Strategy and the review of that strategy and associated actions which was carried out in January 2001 and (3) recommending that the Waste Strategy Group adopt and implement this strategy.     

Decided:

(1)  that the successful work of the Inverclyde Action Against Fly Tipping Working Group  be noted; and

(2)  that it be recommended to the Waste Strategy Group that the Inverclyde Action Against Fly Tipping Strategy contained in the appendices to the report be adopted and implemented.

730

Contaminated Land Identification Strategy

730

There was submitted a report dated 17 August 2001 by the Director of Community & Protective Services (1) advising that the consultation period relative to the draft Contaminated Land Identification Strategy had ended on 16 August 2001 and (2) recommSending adoption of the strategy which had been altered to reflect the valid comments received from consultees.

Decided:

(1)  that the Committee agree to adopt the Contaminated Land Identification Strategy for Inverclyde; and

(2)  that it be remitted to the Head of Environmental & Consumer Services to arrange for publication of the strategy prior to 14 October 2001.

731

Community Development Seminar

731

There was submitted a report dated 12 July 2001 by the Director of Community & Protective Services advising of arrangements for a community development seminar, which it was proposed should be hosted jointly by Inverclyde Council and the Scottish Community Development Network, to be held on 20 September 2001 within Boglestone Community Centre.

Decided:

(1) that agreement be given to the continued involvement of appropriate staff from Leisure & Community Support Services in the planning, organisation and resourcing of the proposed seminar;

(2) that it be agreed that the seminar be hosted jointly by Inverclyde Council and the Scottish Community Development Network; and

(3)  that Members participate in the seminar as appropriate.

It was agreed in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended, that the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 8 of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

732

Leisure Management Facilities - Income Information

732

There was submitted a report dated 31 July 2001 by the Director of Community & Protective Services advising of the income from facilities which are included in the leisure management contracts operated by Leisure Services for the period 7 May 2001 to 29 July 2001.

Decided:

(1)  that the contents of the report be noted; and

(2)  that the action taken to ensure that target income is achieved be approved.

733

DSO Revenue Monitoring Report - Period 3

733

There was submitted a report dated 3 August 2001 by the Head of Accountancy Services on the position of the DLO/DSO Revenue Budget as at Period 3 (27 June 2001).

Noted