1057 YEAR 2000 PROGRESS REPORT 1057

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Information Services advising the Committee on progress in relation to the Council’s preparations for the Year 2000.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee note that blue status has been achieved from the Accounts Commission Y2K assessment exercise carried out in September 1999; and

(b) That the report be otherwise noted.

1058 IT CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1999/2000 1058

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Information Services advising the Committee (i) on the progress of projects continued from the IT Priority Programme 1998/1999 and (ii) on projects proposed in the IT Priority/Development Programme 1999/2000.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee approve the list of projects as follows:-

Value

Year 2000 Work

Replacement of AB7000 Netbuilder £25,000

Communications Business Continuity £30,000

Operational Audit AS400 £12,000

Corporate Information Systems

RAD Tools/Training & Development £53,000

Development of Council Internet/Intranet Presence £60,000

Provision of Commitment Accounting System - Phase 1 £32,000

Provision of HR Management System £30,000

Service-Related Systems

Making SWIS System Y2K Compliant £40,000;

(b) That the Committee note the progress to date of the IT Capital Programme 1998/2000; and

(c) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to invite competitive tenders for the projects and that authority be delegated to him in the usual manner to accept the lower tender received for each project detailed, subject to funding.

1059 MILLENNIUM HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS FOR TEACHING STAFF 1059

SUBMITTED: Report dated 4 October 1999 by the Director of Resource Services recommending arrangements for the taking of the Millennium public holiday on a date other than 31 December 1999 by teaching staff.

DECIDED: That the Committee agree that the date for the Millennium public holiday for teaching staff be set subject to consultation between the Council, School Boards and the Trade Unions in order to ensure that the selected date takes account of the other holidays and minimises disruption in schools.

1060 EDUCATION SERVICES: SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES WITH VERY YOUNG 1060

CHILDREN - STAFFING PROPOSALS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 4 October 1999 by the Director of Resource Services recommending staffing requirements in respect of the Council’s services to families with very young children.

DECIDED: That the Committee approve the establishment of:-

(i) five posts of Nursery Officer on Day Grade 2 (£11,406-£14,028); and

(ii) two posts of Nursery Officer (Family Support) on Day Grade 3 (£12,405-£16,242).

1061 ACCOMMODATION WORKS PROJECTS 1061

SUBMITTED: Report dated October 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive requesting that the Committee homologate the decision to enter into a financial commitment for the Nicolson Street Social Work Office Relocation Works in the amount of £20,000.

DECIDED: That the decision by the Head of Property Services be homologated.

1062 ST MARY’S PRIMARY SCHOOL - EMERGENCY WORKS 1062

SUBMITTED: Report dated October 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive (i) advising the Committee of emergency action taken in accordance with the Financial Regulations in relation to concerns as to the integrity of the building structure at St Mary’s Primary School, the consequential closure of the school and the relocation of pupils and (ii) requesting approval to proceed to tender in respect of the works at St Mary’s Primary School.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee note the emergency actions taken;

(b) That the request to provide a Capital Allocation for £100,000 in respect of the work at St Mary’s Primary School and £75,000 in respect of the relocation costs be remitted to the Policy & Strategy Committee; and

(c) That the Committee grant approval to proceed to tender in respect of the works at St Mary’s Primary School and that authority be delegated to the Director of Central Services to accept the lowest tender in accordance with the Financial Regulations and the Standing Orders Relating to Contracts, subject to confirmation of a Capital Allocation and further approval of funding by the Chief Executive and the Director of Resource Services.

1063 EAST INDIA HARBOUR - MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS 1063

SUBMITTED: Report dated 7 October 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive advising of the issues concerning the short-term management and operation of East India Harbour and the measures which may be necessary to ensure that the short-term arrangements meet the Council’s longer-term aspirations for the Harbour.

DECIDED:

(a) That the proposed management arrangements for the operation of East India Harbour be approved; and

(b) That it be agreed that a charging regime for East India Harbour be introduced but that the charges for berthing comprise 50% of the scale of charges levied at the Largs Marina as detailed in the report with a further 50% deduction for owners of leisure vessels resident in Inverclyde.

1064 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1999/2000 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 1064

SUBMITTED: Report dated 27 September 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1999/2000.

NOTED

1065 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1999/2000 - FINANCIAL POSITION 1065

SUBMITTED: Report dated 7 October 1999 by the Director of Resource Services on the current position of the Capital Programme 1999/2000.

NOTED

1066 REVENUE BUDGET 1999/2000 1066

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 October 1999 by the Director of Resource Services on the current position of the Revenue Budget 1999/2000 as at 15 September 1999.

DECIDED:

(a) That the contents of the report be noted; and

(b) That the Policy & Strategy Committee be requested to agree supplementary revenue estimates for £62,000 to fund the security costs at Hector McNeil Baths/Balrossie School and £114,220 to fund the projected office accommodation overspend.

1067 PAYROLL OVERTIME REQUIREMENT 1067

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 October 1999 by the Director of Resource Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure as set out in Standing Order 66(a) to approve the increase in the Financial Services overtime budget in order to ensure that 1999/2000 pay awards were applied as quickly as possible.

NOTED

1068 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 1068

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)

Proposed Disposal: Wellington Street, Greenock 2, 6 & 9

Community & Protective Services: Review of Gradings of

Community Work Posts 1

Social Work & Housing Services - Building Services: Review of

Stores Function 1

Resource Services - Review of Posts of Audit Assistant 1

Shop Premises - Bay Street, Port Glasgow 2, 6 & 9

Proposed Disposal: Ground at Heggies Avenue, Port Glasgow 2, 6 & 9

Kingston Industrial Estate CCTV 6

Hector McNeil Baths/Balrossie School CCTV Systems 6

Term Contract - Drain Cleaning 6

Proposed Disposal - Former St Saviour’s Primary School, Greenock 2, 6 & 9

Proposed Acquisition: Baker Street, Greenock 2, 6 & 9

Janitorial Staff 1, 8 & 12

Ardgowan Hospice, Greenock 2, 6, 9 & 12

New Lease: Roof of Prospecthill Court, Greenock 2, 6 & 9

Refurbishment of Inverclyde Workshops 6 & 8

1069 PROPOSED DISPOSAL: WELLINGTON STREET, GREENOCK 1069

There was submitted a report by the Depute Chief Executive on the disposal of premises in Wellington Street, Greenock and the Committee agreed to take action, all as detailed in the Appendix.

1070 COMMUNITY & PROTECTIVE SERVICES: REVIEW OF GRADINGS OF 1070

COMMUNITY WORK POSTS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 October 1999 by the Director of Resource Services recommending proposals for revised grades for posts of Senior Community Worker and Community Workers within Community & Protective Services.

DECIDED:

(a) That the posts of Senior Community Worker and Community Workers be regraded in accordance with the proposals previously agreed by the Committee in March 1998 (para 283);

and

(b) That the vacant posts of Senior Community Worker (Post No 14792) and Community Workers (Post Nos 14487, 14489 and 14490) be deleted from the establishment.

1071 SOCIAL WORK & HOUSING SERVICES: BUILDING SERVICES - REVIEW OF 1071

STORES FUNCTION

SUBMITTED: Report dated 7 October 1999 by the Director of Resource Services recommending revisions to the existing structure of the stores function for Building Services within Social Work & Housing Services.

DECIDED:

(a) That the post of Senior Stores Person (Post No 04047) be redesignated to Stores Manager;

(b) That a post of Assistant Stores Manager (Post No 04049) graded AP2 (£13,650-£14,811) be established, the new post to be filled from the two existing Storekeepers graded GS3 (£11,898-£12,405);

(d) That the remaining post of Storekeeper (Post No 04049) graded GS3 (£11,898-£12,405) be deleted from the establishment.

1072 RESOURCE SERVICES - REVIEW OF POSTS OF AUDIT ASSISTANT 1072

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 October 1999 by the Director of Resource Services recommending the regrading of posts of Audit Assistant within Resource Services, in respect of which representations had been received from UNISON disagreeing with the recommendation.

DECIDED:

(a) That the posts of Audit Assistant be regraded from AP3/4 (£15,240-£19,224) to AP4 (£17,332-£19,224) with effect from 1 April 1999; and

(b) That the matter be remitted to the Personnel (Appeals and Applied Conditions of Service) Sub-Committee to consider the representations from UNISON.

1073 SHOP PREMISES - BAY STREET, PORT GLASGOW 1073

SUBMITTED: Report by the Head of Property Services on an application from Mr S McPherson for the lease of 14 Bay Street, Port Glasgow. The report advised of the use of the emergency powers procedure as set out in Standing Order 66(a) to authorise the lease of the premises to Mr McPherson at a rental of £3,600 for a period of 10 years on the appropriate terms and conditions.

NOTED

1074 PROPOSED DISPOSAL: GROUND AT HEGGIES AVENUE, PORT GLASGOW 1074

There was submitted a report by the Depute Chief Executive on the disposal of ground at Heggies Avenue, Port Glasgow and the Committee agreed to take action, all as detailed in the Appendix.

1075 KINGSTON INDUSTRIAL ESTATE CCTV 1075

SUBMITTED: Report dated 29 September 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive seeking authority to invite tenders in respect of the CCTV installation at Kingston Industrial Estate to specialist contractors.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee approve the seeking of competitive tenders from the contractors detailed in the report; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the lowest tender subject to funding.

1076 HECTOR McNEIL BATHS/BALROSSIE SCHOOL CCTV SYSTEMS - AUTHORITY TO 1076

ISSUE TENDERS TO SPECIALIST CONTRACTORS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 October 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive seeking authority to issue tenders in respect of CCTV installations at Hector McNeil Baths/Balrossie School to specialist contractors.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee approve the seeking of competitive tenders from the contractors detailed in the report; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the lowest tender subject to funding.

1077 TERM CONTRACT - DRAIN CLEANING 1077

SUBMITTED: Report dated 28 September 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive seeking authority to issue tenders in respect of drain cleaning works within Property Services Central Repairs Revenue Account 1999/2000.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee approve the seeking of competitive tenders in the form of a term contract from the contractors detailed in the report; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the lowest tender subject to funding.

1078 PROPOSED DISPOSAL - FORMER ST SAVIOUR’S PRIMARY SCHOOL, 1078

BURNS ROAD, GREENOCK

There was submitted a report by the Depute Chief Executive on the disposal of premises at the former St Saviour’s Primary School and the Committee agreed to take action, all as detailed in the Appendix.

1079 PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF 700m² - BAKER STREET, GREENOCK 1079

There was submitted a report by the Depute Chief Executive on a proposed acquisition of land at Baker Street, Greenock and the Committee agreed to take action, all as detailed in the Appendix.

1080 JANITORIAL STAFF OVERPAYMENTS 1080

SUBMITTED: Report dated October 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive setting out the legal position in respect of the overpayments made to janitorial employees as previously reported to the March Committee (para 314).

DECIDED: That the Committee agree that no further action be taken in respect of recovering the overpayments made to janitorial employees.

1081 ARDGOWAN HOSPICE, ARDGOWAN STREET, GREENOCK 1081

SUBMITTED: Report dated 29 September 1999 by the Depute Chief Executive advising that at the meeting of the January Committee (para 1382) it had been agreed that the subjects at Ardgowan Street be sold to Ardgowan Hospice at a price negotiated by the Head of Property Services in consultation with the District Valuer, with a condition restricting the use of the subjects to hospice-associated purposes; the agents for the Hospice had requested that the Council agree to the removal of this condition, given that the price represented the full market value of the subjects.

DECIDED: That the Committee agree to the removal of the condition restricting the use of land at 2 Ardgowan Street, Greenock to hospice-associated purposes.

1082 ROOF OF PROSPECTHILL COURT, GREENOCK: NEW LEASE 1082

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 October 1999 by the Director of Legal & Support Services advising that at the meeting of the September Committee (para 914) a 20-year lease of an area of the roof of Prospecthill Court to Mercury One-2-One was approved. The agreed rental was in the sum of £5,000 per annum subject to five-yearly reviews, with the tenant paying the first five years’ rent in advance of entry and an additional payment of £3,000 on the signing of an early-access agreement. Subsequently at the Council meeting on 7 October 1999 Standing Orders were suspended and the decision to grant a lease was referred back to the Corporate Business Committee for re-consideration. When the matter was considered by the Council, Members were not aware that the Corporate Business Committee’s decision of 9 September had been acted upon and that an early access agreement had already been concluded.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be noted that a lease had been entered into with Mercury One-2-One for an area of the roof of Prospecthill Court, Greenock; and

(b) That a report be submitted by the Chief Environmental Services Officer to the Policy & Strategy Committee in respect of the issues within the Greater Glasgow Health Board Study.

1083 REFURBISHMENT OF INVERCLYDE WORKSHOPS 1083

SUBMITTED: Report by the Depute Chief Executive advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure as set out in Standing Order 66(a) to approve the invitation of tenders from four companies identified in the report for the refurbishment of the Inverclyde Enterprise Workshops.

NOTED