Corporate Business Committee

Thursday 13 March 2003 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Provost Roach, Councillors Hill, Hunter, McCormick, Morrison (M), Nimmo, O'Rourke and Robertson (Y).

Chair:  Councillor Robertson (Y) presided. 

In attendance:  Chief Executive, Depute Chief Executive, Director of Community & Protective Services, Director of Finance, Mr H McNeilly (for Director of Legal & Support Services), Head of Personnel Services, Head of Property Services and Acting Head of Information Technology.

Apologies:  Councillors Jackson and White.

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

264

Managing Attendance

Absence Statistics - 30 September to 31 December 2002 (4th Period)

Audit Scotland - Absence Statistics 2001/2002

264

There was submitted a report dated 12 February 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services advising the Committee of (1) absence statistics for the period 30 September to 31 December 2002 and (2) Audit Scotland statistics for the period 2001/2002.

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

Noted

265

COSLA - Scottish Office Joint Staffing Watch - December 2002

265

There was submitted a report dated 4 February 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services advising the Committee of the workforce profile of Inverclyde Council as at 7 December 2002.

Noted

266

Investors in People - Employee Opinion Survey

266

There was submitted a report dated 21 February 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services advising the Committee of the results of the Employee Opinion Survey which was carried out in October 2002.

Decided:  that the Committee note the results of the Employee Opinion Survey.

267

Social Work & Housing Services - Implementation of Free Personal and Nursing Care - Staffing Implications:  Use of Emergency Powers Procedure

267

There was submitted a report dated 28 February 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) to approve staffing requirements arising from the implementation of free personal and nursing care, remitted from the January 2003 Health Improvement Committee (para 80).

Noted

268

Social Work & Housing Services - Recruitment and Retention of Social Work Employees:  Use of Emergency Powers Procedure

268

There was submitted a report dated 28 February 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services advising the Committee of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) to approve measures for the recruitment and retention of Social Work employees, remitted from the January 2003 Health Improvement Committee (para 81).

Noted

269

Social Work & Housing Services - Supporting People Programme - Staffing Implications:  Use of Emergency Powers Procedure

269

There was submitted a report dated 28 February 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) to approve staffing requirements arising from the Supporting People Programme/ Commissioning Structure, remitted from the January 2003 Health Improvement Committee (para 82).

Noted

270

Capital Programme 2002/03 to 2003/04 - Progress

270

There was submitted a report dated 18 February 2003 by the Depute Chief Executive on the progress of the Capital Programme 2002/03 to 2003/04.

Decided:

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

(2)   that the Committee note that the overspend within IT Services budget would be funded from current revenue budgets.

271

Revenue Budget 2002/03 - Period 11

271

There was submitted a report dated 25 February 2003 by the Director of Finance on the position of the Revenue Budget as at Period 11 (5 February 2003).

Noted

272

Dalrymple Street, Greenock - New Lease of Premises

272

It was noted that this item had been withdrawn from the Agenda.

The Convener, being of the opinion that the undernoted report by the Depute Chief Executive was relevant, competent and urgent, moved its consideration to enable the projects to proceed at the earliest opportunity.  This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

273

Essential Large Maintenance Works 2003/2004

273

There was submitted a report dated February 2003 by the Depute Chief Executive outlining essential large maintenance works to address health and safety matters to be carried out and listing the projects in order of priority with estimated costs.

273

Decided:

(1)   that the Committee approve the list of essential large maintenance works in order of priority as follows:-

273

273

Priority

Location

Description

Value

   1.

Minor Repairs

(At Discretion of Head of Property Services)

£100,000

Projects currently under consideration for this Minor Repairs allocation

a.    Greenock Municipal Buildings

Fit safety bars to windows

£10,000

b.    Coves Reservoir

Create french drain to improve area drainage.

£10,000

c.    Ravenscraig Stadium

Improvements to changing facilities

£12,000

d.    Blairmore Centre

New heating system

£7,000

e.    Wallace Place Housing Office

Renewal of Fire Alarm System (Part Contribution)

£18,000

2.

Reservoirs

General Maintenance

£50,000

3.

Various Properties

Safety Escape Signage

£20,000

4.

Various Properties

Electrical Installation Testing

£100,000

5.

Various Properties

Works arising out of Electrical Installation inspections. (Allowance)

£20,000

6

Various Properties

Gas Pipework Installation Testing

£35,000

7.

Various Properties

Works arising out of Gas Installation inspections. (Allowance)

£10,000

8.

Various Properties

Water Quality Management

£50,000

9.

Various Properties

Works arising out of Water Quality Installation inspections. (Allowance)

£20,000

10.

Various Properties

Asbestos Surveys

£50,000

11.

Various Locations

Non T&R Lighting Maintenance

£25,000

12.

Greenock Municipal Buildings

Window repairs/Replacement

£25,000

13.

Greenock Municipal Buildings

Masonry Restoration & Recording

£20,000

14.

Greenock Municipal Buildings

Town Hall H & S Measures

£50,000

15.

Highlanders Academy

Central Flat Roof Recover

£50,000

16.

Dalrymple House

Window replacement & Ventilation improvements

£30,000

17.*

Coronation Park & Battery Park

Gabion & Walkway Repairs

£80,000

Sub Total

£735,000

* Extent of Available Funding.

273

(2)   that all projects listed be developed to tender stage as appropriate with a view to their completion throughout the financial year 2003/2004, subject to a cost limit of £750,000;

(3)   that authority be granted to the Director of Legal & Support Services in the usual manner to accept the lowest tender received in each case in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Standing Orders Relating to Contracts;  and

(4)   that authority be delegated to the Head of Property Services to adjust the priority of those individual projects on the list by maintaining continuous assessment of the said priorities in pursuance of the requirements of the Council and Best Value.

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 the respective paragraphs of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act as are set opposite each item.

Item                                                                                                                            Paragraph(s)

Community & Protective Services                                                                 1

Environmental Services - Review of Establishment

Strategic Waste Fund - Approval to Seek Tenders:                                    6

Use of Emergency Powers Procedure

Birkmyre Trust                                                                                                  6

Term Contracts for Signs and Road Markings 2003/2005:                          6

Use of Emergency Powers Procedure

Lease of Land at McLeod Street, Greenock:                                               2, 6 & 9

Craigend Resource Centre

Update on Vacancy Levels within Inverclyde Industrial Estates               2, 6 & 9

274

Community & Protective Services

Environmental Services - Review of Establishment

274

There was submitted a report dated 4 March 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services recommending revisions to the establishment of Environmental Services.  The report advised that the Director of Community & Protective Services had indicated that the financial implications of the proposals would have no detrimental impact on his Service's ability to achieve employee and other savings targets agreed as part of the 2003/04 budget.

Decided:

(1)   that the Committee approve the following alterations to the establishment of Environmental Services subject to consultation with the Trades Unions:-

(i) the establishment of two posts of Senior Environmental Health Officer on salary grade PO6 (£27,479-£29,603);

(ii) the establishment of one post of Fair Trading Officer on salary grade AP1/4 (£13,664-£20,897);

(iii) the establishment of one post of Senior Clerical Assistant on salary grade GS3 (£13,124-£13,664);

(iv) the establishment on a substantive post basis of the post of Contaminated Land Officer on salary grade AP5-PO3 (£21,536-£27,479);  and

(v) that the grades of the two posts of Principal Environmental Health Officer be revised from salary grade PO11 (£31,004-£33,224) to salary grade PO14 (£33,224-£35,531);  and

(2)   that the following posts be deleted from the establishment:-

(i) one post of Environmental Health Officer on salary grade AP5-PO2 (£21,536-£26,801) (Post No 05041);

(ii) one post of Student Environmental Health Officer on salary grade AP1 (£13,664-£14,618) (Post No 05042);

(iii) one post of Trainee Trading Standards Officer on salary grade AP2 (£14,984-£16,217) (Post No 45005);

(iv) one post of Enforcement Assistant on salary grade GS1/2 (£9,680-£12,899) (Post No 45021);

(v) one post of Clerical Assistant (20 hours) on salary grade GS1/2 (£9,680-£12,899) (pro rata) (Post No 05018); and

(vi) one post of Clerical Assistant (17 hours) on salary grade GS1/2 (£9,680-£12,899) (pro rata) (Post No 45018).

275

Strategic Waste Fund - Approval to Seek Tenders:  Use of Emergency Powers Procedure

275

There was submitted a report dated 25 February 2003 by the Director of Community & Protective Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) to invite tenders from suppliers not on the Council's Standing List of Approved Contractors.

Noted

276

Birkmyre Trust

276

There was submitted a report dated 25 February 2003 by the Director of Community & Protective Services updating the Committee on progress made with regard to the future of the Birkmyre Trust and recommending  further action in this regard.

Decided:

(1)   that the Committee agree to retain the Birkmyre Trust under the present arrangements and that no further discussion be entered into with the Inverclyde Leisure Trust regarding the transfer of the Birkmyre Trust;  and

(2)   that it be remitted to the Director of Community & Protective Services to submit a report to a future meeting of the Committee outlining how the project will be progressed.

277

Term Contracts for Signs and Road Markings 2003/2005:  Use of Emergency Powers Procedure

277

There was submitted a report dated 21 February 2003 by the Depute Chief Executive advising the Committee of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) to invite tenders for signs and road markings to specialist contractors.

Noted

278

Lease of Land at McLeod Street, Greenock:  Craigend Resource Centre

278

There was submitted a report dated February 2003 by the Depute Chief Executive requesting the renewal and extension of the lease of land at McLeod Street, Greenock to Craigend Resource Centre.

Decided:

(1)   that the Committee grant landlord's consent to the extension of the Craigend Resource Centre subject to the tenant obtaining all statutory and other necessary consents;

(2)   that the Committee give approval to the lease of land (extending to 1,120m² or thereby) to Craigend Resource Centre on a 25-year lease at a ground rent of £2,400 per annum, subject to review every five years;  and

(3)   that the cost of the lease be met by the Grants to Voluntary Organisations budget which will receive virement of £1,650 per annum, being the increase in rent from the Industrial and Commercial Rents budget, which will result in a neutral impact on the individual budgets and the transaction as a whole.

279

Update on Vacancy Levels within Inverclyde Industrial Estates

279

There was submitted a report dated February 2003 by the Depute Chief Executive updating the Committee on the progress made in addressing the shortfall in rental income of £129,000 due to the increase in the level of voids in the larger factories within Inverclyde Council's three industrial estates at Lynedoch, Drumfrochar and Larkfield.

Decided:  that the Committee note the current circumstances relating to the Council's industrial portfolio and in particular the improvement in the letting prospects of the larger factory units at Lynedoch Industrial Estate.