NOTED

1165 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS: 1165

Economic Development, Environmental Services and Planning

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 October 1997 by the Director of Property & Technical Services on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1997/98.

NOTED

1166 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS: 1166

TRANSPORTATION AND ROADS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 October 1997 by the Director of Transportation & Roads on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1997/98.

NOTED

1167 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - FINANCIAL POSITION 1167

SUBMITTED: Report dated 9 October 1997 by the Director of Finance on the current position of the Capital Programme 1997/98.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee agree to defer a decision on whether to refer the current projected overspend on Transportation & Roads projects to the Policy & Strategy Committee until later in the financial year; and

(b) That otherwise the position of the Capital Programme 1997/98 be noted.

1168 COVES RESERVOIR COMMUNITY PARK 1168

SUBMITTED: Report dated 26 September 1997 by the Director of Planning on proposals for Phase 2 of the works at Coves Reservoir Community Park which forms part of the Capital Programme 1997/98. The total cost of the project was estimated at £75,000 which it was anticipated would be funded by equal contributions from the Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Authority in conjunction with Clyde Valley Community Woodland.

DECIDED:

(a) That the total sum available for Phase 2 of the works at Coves Reservoir Community Park, including a contribution of £25,000 from the Council, be utilised;

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the works; and

(c) That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers and after consultation with the Convener, Vice-Convener and a Member of the Minority Groups to accept the lowest tender received up to a maximum sum of £75,000, subject to confirmation of appropriate contributions from the other funding partners and subject to a maximum contribution of £25,000 from the Council.

1169 COMMUNITY WOODLAND PILOT PROJECT 1169

SUBMITTED: Report dated 1 October 1997 by the Director of Planning on proposals for the Community Woodland Pilot Project which forms part of the Capital Programme 1997/98. The total cost of the project was estimated at £40,000 which it was anticipated would be funded by equal contributions from the Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Forestry Authority and Clyde Valley Woodland Trust. The Director of Planning reported orally, however, that Scottish Natural Heritage had now intimated that it would be unable to contribute to the project and, accordingly, the total cost of the works had now been reduced to £30,000.

DECIDED:

(a) That the total monies available for the Community Woodland Pilot Project be utilised;

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the works; and

(c) That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers and after consultation with the Convener, Vice-Convener and a Member of the Minority Groups to accept the lowest tender received up to a maximum sum of £30,000, subject to confirmation of appropriate contributions from the other funding partners and subject to a maximum contribution of £10,000 from the Council.

1170 WEST OF SCOTLAND LOAN FUND 1170

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Economic Development on the current position relative to the West of Scotland Loan Fund and advising that the company was likely to become fully operational by the end of 1997. Following negotiations, the Fund had attracted over £2 million of retrospective European Regional Development Fund support for business loans schemes and had, in addition, benefited from a remission in the rate of tax due on capital allowances. The report advised that Inverclyde's allocation of these monies, available for distribution, was £119,496.79.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee note the progress in the formation of the West of Scotland Loan Fund; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Economic Development to report further in 6 months time on the application of the loan fund in supporting business growth within Inverclyde.

1171 FUTURE OF EUROPEAN STRUCTURAL FUND 1171

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Economic Development on proposed changes to the European Social Fund Programme and highlighting the potential impact on the ongoing economic and social regeneration of Inverclyde, together with analysis of the current level of support received by projects in the area. It was estimated that as a result of the proposals £3.4 million in respect of existing and proposed projects within Inverclyde would be lost and that other funding of £5.4 million could be jeopardised should European Social Fund support not be available.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Council organise a programme of information sessions to raise awareness of the range of European issues and the potential impact on local businesses and the ongoing economic regeneration of the area;

(b) That the Council continue to lobby and campaign on the issue of the proposed changes to the European Structural Fund, with a view to influencing the Scottish, United Kingdom and European debate; and

(c) That it be remitted to the Director of Economic Development to prepare and submit a detailed funding strategy, outlining the necessary measures to be introduced to maximise investment from the Structural Funds before the end of 1999, to the next meeting of the Committee.

1172 ANNUAL STATISTICAL RETURN TO DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY 1172

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 September 1997 by the Chief Consumer Protection & Trading Standards Officer on the Annual Statistical Return for 1996/97 required under Section 70 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985 submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry.

NOTED

1173 PROTECTION FROM HARASSMENT ACT 1997 1173

SUBMITTED: Report dated 17 October 1997 by the Chief Consumer Protection & Trading Standards Officer on the provisions of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and seeking authority to add the Statute to the list of Statutes affecting the work of his Department. It was noted that any advice work involved with the Act could be accommodated within current establishment and resources.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee recognise the role of the Trading Standards Officers and enforcement/advisory staff in relation to the Protection from Harassment Act 1997; and

(b) That the Act be added to the list of Statutes affecting the work of the Consumer Protection & Trading Standards Department approved by the Community Services Committee at the meeting held on 29 February 1996 (para 129).

1174 WINTER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES AND RESOURCES DOCUMENT 1997/98 1174

SUBMITTED: Report dated 2 October 1997 by the Director of Transportation & Roads requesting the Committee to approve the Winter Maintenance Procedures and Resources Document 1997/98, a copy of which was appended to the report.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Winter Maintenance Procedures and Resources Document 1997/98 be approved; and

(b) That approval be given to distribution as detailed in Appendix D of the document.

1175 PENNINGTON INTERIM AND FINAL REPORTS: ADDITIONAL FUNDING 1175

SUBMITTED: Report dated 9 October 1997 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer on additional funding available for 1997/98, 1998/99 and 1999/2000 to help meet the cost of full implementation of the recommendations of the Pennington Report on E. Coli 0157 and setting out for consideration proposals to utilise the additional funding.

DECIDED:

(a) That the allocation of the additional funding be remitted to the Policy & Strategy Committee with the Committee's recommendation that this be fully utilised for the purpose of implementing the recommendations of the Pennington Reports over the financial years 1997/98, 1998/99 and 1999/2000 as described in paragraph 3 of the report;

(b) That the Committee recommend the appointment of an additional Environmental Health Officer to the Corporate Business Committee, part funded by the allocation of the additional monies and part funded by utilising the vacant job share post already included in the Environmental Health Department's establishment; and

(c) That approval be given to the outline proposals for expenditure of the funds awarded for the current financial year as detailed in the report, subject to the approval of the Policy & Strategy Committee as detailed in (a) above, and that the Chief Environmental Services Officer submit a full report thereon to the next meeting of the Committee.

1176 PROPOSED HOME AUTHORITY PARTNERSHIP WITH 1176

CALEDONIAN MACBRAYNE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 3 October 1997 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer on proposals for the establishment of a Home Authority Partnership with Caledonian MacBrayne. The report explained that Home Authority Partnerships allow enforcement authorities to co-ordinate their approach to food businesses operating in more than one area and that the establishment of such a partnership would improve enforcement in respect of food hygiene matters. It was noted that the proposals were likely to involve minimal resource implications.

DECIDED: That approval be given to the Home Authority Partnership with Caledonian MacBrayne.

1177 PROVISION OF DOMESTIC WHEELED REFUSE CONTAINERS 1177

SUBMITTED: Report dated 7 October 1997 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer providing detailed information on the current stock of domestic wheeled refuse containers and future requirements and requesting that £93,000 be added to the Capital Plan for the purchase of bins to meet demand over the next 3 years, consideration of which had been continued from the meeting of the Committee held on 11 September 1997 (Para 1003).

DECIDED:

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

(b) That £93,000 be included within the Capital Plan for the purchase of 6000 domestic wheeled refuse containers to meet anticipated demand over the next 3 years.

1178 MONITORING AND INCIDENCE OF FLY TIPPING IN INVERCLYDE 1178

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 October 1997 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer providing details of fly tipping in Inverclyde during the first quarter of 1997/98 in comparison with the first quarter of 1996/97, advising that the reduction and subsequent removal of the peripatetic skip service has had no discernible effect on the incidence of fly tipping, which has been contained, and that the situation is being monitored closely.

NOTED

1179 RENEWAL OF DOG WARDEN CONTRACT 1179

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 October 1997 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer seeking authority to invite competitive tenders for the provision of the dog warden service following expiry of the current contract on 31 January 1998.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for the service; and

(b) That a report on tenders received be submitted to the Committee for consideration in due course.

1180 REVOCATION OF CLOSING ORDERS 1180

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 September 1997 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer on the condition of two properties at 105 Wellington Street, Greenock and 13 Ashton Road, Gourock which are presently the subject of Closing Orders. The report advised that the dwellinghouses had been improved to a satisfactory condition and now met the tolerable standard and accordingly it was recommended that the Closing Orders be revoked.

DECIDED: That the Closing Orders in respect of the properties at 105 Wellington Street, Greenock and 13 Ashton Road, Gourock detailed in the report be revoked and that the Director of Central Services be authorised to serve the appropriate Notices.

1181 MINUTE OF MEETING OF THE STRATHCLYDE PASSENGER 1181

TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

SUBMITTED: Minute of meeting of the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority of 15 August 1997.

NOTED

1182 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 1182

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, 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)

Trunk Road Agency Agreements 6

Bus Shelter Advertising Contract 6 & 10

1183 TRUNK ROAD AGENCY AGREEMENTS 1183

SUBMITTED: Report dated 2 October 1997 by the Director of Transportation & Roads on proposals from the Scottish Office in respect of formalising the interim agency agreement relative to the A78 trunk road which has been in force since 1 April 1996. The report indicated that the proposed agreement would cover all routine maintenance and emergency operations on the A78.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Director of Transportation & Roads, in consultation with the Directors of Legal Services and Finance and the Chief Executive, be authorised to negotiate and accept the terms of the agreement which will be signed by the appropriate Officers of the Council; and

(b) That the Director of Transportation & Roads, in consultation with the Directors of Legal Services and Finance and the Chief Executive, be authorised to agree and accept any minor alterations to the terms of the agency agreement as and when they occur.

1184 BUS SHELTER ADVERTISING CONTRACT 1184

SUBMITTED: Report dated 2 October 1997 by the Director of Transportation & Roads seeking approval to an extension of the present bus shelter advertising contract by a period of one year with an option for a further 6 months, should circumstances require.

DECIDED:

(a) That approval be given to the extension of the present bus shelter advertising contract administered by Strathclyde Passenger Transport by a period of one year with an option for a further 6 months, should circumstances require; and

(b) That authority be delegated to the Director of Transportation & Roads to agree the format of the tender document for provision of the service following expiry of the current contract in association with other Local Authorities within the Strathclyde Passenger Transport area and the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive.