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CORPORATE BUSINESS COMMITTEE - 4 SEPTEMBER 2003
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Corporate Business Committee Thursday 4 September 2003 at 3.00 pm |
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Present: Provost
Rebecchi, Councillors Blair, Fyfe, Hill, Hunter, McCabe, McCormick (M),
McCormick (P), Moran and White. |
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Chair: Councillor
White presided. |
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In attendance: Chief
Executive, Depute Chief Executive, Director of Finance, Ms L Brabender
(for Director of Legal & Support Services), Head of Financial Services,
Acting Head of Information Technology, Head of Personnel Services and Head of
Property Services. |
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Apologies:
Councillors Gallacher and Nimmo. |
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It was noted that
items 17 and 18 had been withdrawn from the Agenda and would be submitted to
the Economic Regeneration Committee on 9 September 2003. |
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The following paragraphs are
submitted for information only having been dealt with under the powers
delegated to the Committee. |
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618 |
Remit from Education and Lifelong
Learning Committee - Education Services: Staffing Implications of the
Expansion of Support for Families with Very Young Children through Sure Start
Funding |
618 |
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There was submitted a report dated 29 August 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services on a recommendation from the Education & Lifelong Learning Committee on 26 August 2003 that a number of posts be established within Education Services to implement the policy decision to expand support for families with very young children through Sure Start Funding. |
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Decided:
that subject to approval of the budgetary requirements by the Policy
& Strategy Committee, approval be given to the establishment of the
following posts:- |
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New Developments Family
Support 1 Senior Nursery
Officer (Family Support) - Day grade 4 (£16,005 - £21,045) 2 Nursery Officers
(Family Support) - Day grade 3 (£14,211 - £18,441) Rainbow
Family Centre 1 Nursery Officer -
Day grade 2 (£13,110 - £16,005) Pilot Developments Support to
Vulnerable Families 2 Nursery Officers
(Play) - Day grade 2 (£13,110 - £16,005) Additional
Support Needs 6 Early Years
Support Workers - Grade GS1/2 (£10,410 - £13,416) Wellpark
Children’s Centre 1 Catering
Assistant - Manual grade 1 (£193.10 pw) |
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619 |
Absence Statistics - 1 January to 31
March 2003 (Period 1) 1 April to 30 June 2003 (Period 2) |
619 |
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There was submitted a report dated 15 August 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services advising the Committee of the Council’s absence statistics for the period 1 January to 31 March 2003 (Period 1) and 1 April to 30 June 2003 (Period 2). |
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Noted |
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620 |
COSLA - Scottish Executive Joint
Staffing Watch - June 2003 |
620 |
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There was submitted a report dated 3 July 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services advising the Committee of the workforce profile of Inverclyde Council as at 7 June 2003. |
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Decided:
(1) that the report be noted; and (2) that it
be remitted to the Head of Personnel Services to provide comparative
information on the major employers within Inverclyde to the next meeting of
the Committee. |
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621 |
Economic Development Services:
Planning Services Amendments to Establishment - Use of
Emergency Powers |
621 |
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There was submitted a report dated 17 July 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services advising of the use of the powers delegated to the Chief Executive to approve (1) the establishment of a post of Planning Officer at Salary Grade AP4/5 (£19,632 - £24,396) and (2) the deletion of the posts of Senior Planner, Salary Grade PO1/3 (17.5 hours) (£23,430 - £26,979 pro rata) Post No. 67015 and Senior Technician, Salary Grade Tech 3/4 (17.5 hours) (£16,866 - £21,732 pro rata) Post No. 67028. |
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Noted |
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622 |
Policy on the Recruitment of
Ex-Offenders |
622 |
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There was submitted a report dated 31 July 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services seeking approval of a Policy on the Recruitment of Ex Offenders. |
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Decided: that the Policy on the Recruitment of Ex Offenders appended to the report be approved. |
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623 |
Employment Act 2002 - Family Friendly
Provisions |
623 |
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There was submitted a report dated 7 August 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services seeking approval of the arrangements being put in place by the Council in order to implement the terms of the Employment Act 2002 which introduces a number of new family friendly rights as well as making changes to existing rights such as maternity leave and pay. |
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Decided:
that approval be given to the various schemes contained in the
Appendix to the report. |
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624 |
Capital Programme 2003/04 to 2005/06
- Progress |
624 |
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There was submitted a report dated 13 August 2003 by the Depute Chief Executive on the progress of the Capital Programme 2003/04 to 2005/06. (Provost Rebecchi entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business). |
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Decided: (1) that the progress of the specific projects
detailed in Appendices 1 and 2 of the report be noted; and (2) that it be noted that no overspend or underspend
is projected in the original Budget agreed for 2003/04. |
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625 |
Revenue Budget 2003/04 - Period 4 |
625 |
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There was submitted a report dated 15 August 2003 by the Director of Finance on the position of the Revenue Budget 2003/04 as at Period 4 (23 July 2003). |
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Noted |
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626 |
Revenue Section Performance to 30
June 2003 |
626 |
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There was submitted a report dated 7 August 2003 by the Director of Finance (1) on the Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates performance for the quarter to 30 June 2003 and (2) highlighting other relevant issues. (Councillor Blair entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business). |
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Decided: (1) that the Committee note the current in-year
collection performance and the improved prior years collection performance by
the Council’s Debt Management Partners; and (2) that the report be otherwise noted. |
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627 |
ICT Services |
627 |
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There was submitted a report dated 19 August 2003 by the Director of Finance on the action taken in respect of the development of the appropriate ICT framework for the Council. |
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Decided: (1) that the Committee note the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers
on a consultancy basis to be responsible for providing ICT professional
support and advice to the Director of Finance to assist in the development of
the appropriate ICT framework for the Council at a cost of £48,450; and (2) that agreement be given to virement of
£50,000 from staff turnover to consultancy fees. |
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628 |
Treasury Management Monitoring Report
2003/04 - Q1 |
628 |
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There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance (1) on the Treasury Management function for the period 1 April to 30 June 2003 and (2) recommending the relaxation of limits approved within the Treasury Policy. |
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Decided: (1) that the quarterly monitoring report on the
Treasury Management function for the period 1 April to 30 June 2003 be noted;
and (2) that the following limits approved within
the Treasury Policy be relaxed for the financial year to the following
limits: Variable rate exposure - 65% Restructuring exposure - 55% Repayable exposure limit - 45% and
that this be remitted to the Policy & Strategy Committee for approval. |
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629 |
Debt Recovery Performance 2002/03 |
629 |
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There was submitted a report dated 21 August 2003 by the Director of Finance (1) on the progress made in respect of debt recovery in the financial year 2002/03 and (2) advising of development work in the area of debt recovery proposed in 2003/04. |
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Decided:
that the Committee note the report and the future debt recovery
development plans. |
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630 |
Scotland’s Health at Work (SHAW) Bronze
Award |
630 |
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There was submitted a report dated 12 August 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services advising the Committee that the Council has achieved the Bronze Award under Scotland’s Health at Work (SHAW). |
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Decided: (1) that the Committee acknowledge the
achievement of the SHAW Bronze Award; and (2) that it be noted that work is progressing
towards meeting the Silver Award criteria. |
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631 |
Christmas and New Year Holidays 2003 |
631 |
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There was submitted
a report dated 29 August 2003 by the Head of Personnel Services recommending
arrangements for the Christmas and New Year holidays in 2003. The Head of Personnel Services advised the Committee of representations received from UNISON and UCATT in respect of the proposed arrangements. |
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Decided:
that delegated authority be granted to the Personnel (Appeals &
Applied Conditions of Service) Sub-Committee to hear the submissions from
UNISON and UCATT and thereafter make a decision in respect of the Christmas
and New Year holiday arrangements in 2003. |
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Provost Rebecchi
left the meeting at this juncture. |
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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. |
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Item Paragraph(s) Insurance Tender Renewal and
Future Strategy 6
& 8 Standing Restricted List of
Contractors 6 Standing Restricted List of
Tenderers 6 |
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632 |
Insurance Tender Renewal and Future
Strategy |
632 |
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There was submitted a report dated 21 August 2003 by the Director of Finance seeking approval to accept the Council wide insurance tender to cover the period 1 October 2003 to 30 September 2008 and to agree to the change in the insurance strategy proposed. |
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Decided: (1) that agreement be given to accept the
insurance premium recommendations contained in Appendix 1, Page 2 of the
report; (2) that it be remitted to the Head of
Personnel Services to progress the creation of posts as necessary to deal
with the operation of the greater level of self insurance; (3) that the Director of Finance report to the
Committee on the outcome of the actuarial review; and (4) that the Director of Finance monitor the
success of the new insurance strategy and report thereon to the Committee by
September 2004.
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633 |
Standing Restricted List of
Contractors |
633 |
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There was submitted a report dated 19 August 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on the progress made in respect of the Council’s Standing Restricted List of Contractors. (Councillor Blair left the meeting during consideration of this item of business). |
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Decided: (1) that the contents of the report be noted;
and (2) that authority continue to be delegated to
the Director of Legal & Support Services in the usual manner to add
companies to the list. |
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634 |
Standing Restricted List of Tenderers |
634 |
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There was submitted a report dated 1 August 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services seeking approval for the adoption of a Standing Restricted List of Tenderers for the supply of general goods, materials and services compiled in accordance with the Standing Orders relating to Contracts. |
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Decided: (1) that the Standing Restricted List of
Tenderers for the supply of goods, materials and services detailed in the
Appendix to the report be approved; (2) that authority be granted to the relevant
Officers to add to the List companies which have provided a satisfactory
application and that a report be submitted to the Committee on a six monthly
basis providing details of all amendments to the List; and (3) that the intended procedure concerning use
of the List be noted. |
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CORP-04SEP03/4