Community Committee

Thursday 24 August 2006 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Provost Rebecchi, Councillors Hill, Moran,  Robertson, Stewart, Tucker and White.

Chair:  Councillor White presided.

In attendance:  Director of Community Services,  Mr H McNeilly (for Solicitor to the Council),  Ms M McCabe (for Chief Financial Officer), Head of Environmental & Consumer Services, Head of Grounds, Transport & Cleansing Services, Head of Property Services, Community Support Services Manager and Co-ordinator, Cleaner, Greener, Safer and Stronger Inverclyde.

Apologies:  Councillors Blair, Fyfe, Hunter, McCormick (M) and Roach.

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

530

Revenue Budget 2006/07 - Period 3

  530

There was submitted a report by the Chief Financial Officer on (1) the out-turn of the 2005/06 Revenue Budget and (2) the 2006/07 Revenue Budget position as at Period 3 (30 June 2006) which showed a projected overspend of £36,000.

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

Decided:

(1)  that the 2005/06 Revenue Budget out-turn and the current projected overspend of £36,000 for 2006/07 as at 30 June 2006 be noted; 

(2)   that it be remitted to the Director of Community Services to report to the next meeting of the Committee showing that projected expenditure has been brought back on budget or identifying proposals to bring the projections to within budget; and      

(3)   that a further report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee  comparing expenditure on Waste Disposal in the previous and current financial years.

531

Capital Programme 2006/07 to 2007/08 - Progress

        531 

There was submitted a report dated 26 July 2006 by the Director of Community Services on the current position of the Capital Programme 2006/07 to 2007/08.

Decided:

(1)   that the progress of the specific projects detailed in the appendices to the report be approved; and

(2)   that the report be otherwise noted.

532

Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006

        532

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Services (1) advising that the Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006 had come into force on 3 July 2006 which, in conjunction with associated sets of regulations covering notices and grants, introduced a new sampling and enforcement regime for private water supplies and (2) setting out the possible implications for Environmental & Consumer Services  in both financial and workload terms.

Decided:

(1)   that delegated authority be granted to the Head of Environmental & Consumer Services to introduce a scheme of charging for samples in accordance with the regulations and forthcoming guidance from the Scottish Executive; and

(2)   that the administration of the grant scheme to be introduced by the Scottish Executive be delegated to the Head of Environmental & Consumer Services.

533

Request for Loan of Painting from the McLean Museum and Art Gallery

(the James McLean Trust)

533

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Services advising of a request received for the loan of a painting from the McLean Museum and Art Gallery (the James McLean Trust).

Decided:  that agreement be given to the loan of the painting “Broom - A June Day” by William McTaggart to the Fleming-Wyfold Foundation from September to December 2007, subject to matters of transport, security and insurance being arranged to the satisfaction of the Libraries Manager.

534

Cleaner, Greener, Safer and Stronger Inverclyde Budget 2006/07

534

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Services listing proposed projects to be funded from the Cleaner, Greener, Safer and Stronger Inverclyde Budget for 2006/07.

Decided:

(1)   that approval be given to the proposed projects to be funded from the Cleaner, Greener, Safer and Stronger Inverclyde Budget 2006/07; and 

(2)   that a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee on the areas covered by the chewing gum removal programme.

535

Progress on Community Learning and Development in Inverclyde

    535

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Services (1) advising of the publication of a summarised “plain English” version of the Community Learning & Development Strategy and (2) requesting the Committee to note and endorse the Community Learning and Development in Inverclyde Annual Report 2005-06. 

Decided:

(1)   that the publication of the summarised “plain English” version of the Community Learning & Development Strategy be noted; and  

(2)   that the Committee endorse the Community Learning & Development Strategy in Inverclyde Annual Report 2005-06.

536

Whinhill Golf Course Junior Golf Practice Area

536

There was submitted a report dated 4 August 2006 by the Director of Community Services requesting approval to invite tenders for the construction of a junior golf practice area on Whinhill Golf Course.

Decided:  that it be remitted to the Solicitor to the Council to arrange for the invitation of tenders for the construction of a junior golf practice area on Whinhill Golf Course, at an estimated cost of £58,800.

537

Former Janitor’s House at Gourock High School

537

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Services providing an update on the investigations by staff in Community Support Services on the possible future use of the former janitor’s house at Gourock High School.   The report advised that it was the view of staff that it would not be appropriate to seek funding for any refurbishment project from the Young People’s Fund taking into account the lack of success with similar projects from other organisations in the area and it was noted that other options were now available to supplement the youth work in that area of Inverclyde.

Decided:

(1)   that it be agreed not to proceed with a bid to the Young People’s Fund towards the refurbishment of the former janitor’s house at Gourock High School; and

(2)   that it be remitted to the Solicitor to the Council to arrange for the invitation of tenders for the demolition of the property.

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 during consideration of the following item on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 2, 6 and 8 of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

538

Lease of Workshop Unit - Kingston Industrial Estate, Port Glasgow

538

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Services seeking approval for the Council to enter into a lease for a workshop unit at Kingston Industrial Estate, Port Glasgow, which was agreed all as detailed in the appendix.