opportunity if the view expressed was supported by the Committee and moved that the item be added to the Agenda. This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

80 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS: 80

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AND PLANNING

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 January 1998 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1997/98.

NOTED

81 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS: 81

TRANSPORTATION AND ROADS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 January 1998 by the Director of Transportation and Roads on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1997/98.

NOTED

82 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - FINANCIAL POSITION 82

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 January 1998 by the Director of Finance on the current position of the Capital Programme 1997/98.

NOTED

83 RIVER VALLEY SCHEME 83

SUBMITTED: Report dated 14 January 1998 by the Director of Planning on proposals for the provision of quality interpretative signs at key Waterfront locations as part of the River Valley Scheme which forms part of the Capital Programme 1997/98. The total cost of the project was estimated at £30,000 and it was anticipated that funding of £28,000 comprising contributions from the Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and Renfrewshire Enterprise would be available for the works, including fees.

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 works;

(b) That the total sum available for interpretative signs for key Waterfront locations and related fees, including a contribution of £10,000 from the Council, be utilised; 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, subject to confirmation of appropriate contributions from the other funding partners and subject to a maximum contribution of £10,000 from the Council.

84 STRATHCLYDE STRUCTURE PLAN: 1997 ALTERATION - LARGE 84

SINGLE USER HIGH AMENITY INDUSTRIAL SITES

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 January 1998 by the Director of Planning on the implications for Inverclyde of the Single User Site Search study initiated by the Scottish Office and Locate in Scotland, including the classification of the former Scott Lithgow Shipyards, Port Glasgow as a "Potential Opportunity" site as part of the proposed Alteration to the Strathclyde Structure Plan 1995 together with report submitted to the meeting of the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan Joint Committee held on 8 December 1997.

DECIDED: That the terms of the report and the Joint Committee report be noted and that the Committee endorse the Joint Committee decision to approve the Alteration to the Strathclyde Structure Plan 1995 detailed in the reports.

85 PUBLIC LOCAL INQUIRY: LEVAN FARM, GOUROCK 85

SUBMITTED: Report dated 13 January 1998 by the Director of Legal Services advising that notification had been received from the Secretary of State that the Public Local Inquiry into the application for planning permission by Westminster Investments Ltd for residential development in outline at Levan Farm, Gourock (IC/95/35) was to be re-opened and was due to commence on 10 March 1998. The Council had been asked to participate in the Inquiry to provide specific information and the report outlined the issues in respect of which it was intended to present evidence.

DECIDED: That the proposals detailed in the report for responding to the Reporter's request for the Council's participation at the re-opened Inquiry and for asserting the Council's continuing support for the development of the application site be approved.

86 WELFARE TO WORK - NEW DEAL 86

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Economic Development on the introduction of the Government's Welfare to Work programme outlining the main elements of the programme, the implementation arrangements for the first phase which was due to be introduced on 1 April 1998, a number of key issues which require to be addressed, the role of local authorities and Inverclyde Council's involvement.

DECIDED:

(a) That approval be given to the Council's continued participation in the Strategic Planning Group for New Deal and that the implementation of the programme through this forum be progressed;

(b) That an Officer Working Group with representatives from appropriate Council Departments be established to progress the specific involvement of the Council in offering placements under the employment option and acting as lead agency for the environmental option; and

(c) That it be remitted to the Director of Economic Development to monitor the implementation of New Deal within Inverclyde and the progress made in addressing the key issues outlined in the report.

87 NATIONAL CONSUMER WEEK 1997 87

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 January 1998 by the Chief Consumer Protection and Trading Standards Officer on the activities undertaken by his Department during National Consumer Week 1997.

DECIDED: That the Committee acknowledge the importance of participating in National Consumer Week and that it be remitted to the Chief Consumer Protection and Trading Standards Officer to include National Consumer Week as a specific topic when reviewing the Department's information and media strategy.

88 SCOTTISH POWER - SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT 88

SUBMITTED: Report dated 9 January 1998 by the Director of Transportation and Roads on a service level agreement between Scottish Power plc and Lighting Authorities together with copy of the agreement.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee note and endorse the key points in the service level agreement; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Transportation and Roads to continue discussions with Scottish Power to achieve the best possible response times for Inverclyde Council.

89 OUT OF HOURS ROADS AND LIGHTING FAULT REPORTING (RALF) 89

SUBMITTED: Report dated 7 January 1998 by the Director of Transportation and Roads advising that, to comply with statutory obligations, the Council requires to provide a fault reporting and recording system and requesting the Committee to consider whether it wishes to continue utilising the Roads and Lighting Faults (RALF) reporting system. It was noted that the Clyde Local Authority Consortium, of which the Council is a member, intended to retain RALF to comply with the terms of the trunk road contract.

DECIDED:

(a) That approval be given to the continued use of the Roads and Lighting Fault (RALF) service until an alternative Inverclyde Council system is established; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Transportation and Roads to discuss with the Chief Executive and appropriate Directors the establishment and operation of out of hours emergency cover for all Departments within the Council.

90 ASSESSMENT OF PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS 90

SUBMITTED: Report dated 29 December 1997 by the Director of Transportation and Roads on the criteria used for the assessment of the provision of pedestrian crossings and the guidance relative thereto contained in Local Transport Note 1/95 issued by the Scottish Office.

DECIDED:

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

(b) That the use of the PV² formula as the initial criterion for the assessment of proposed pedestrian crossings be approved; and

(c) That, thereafter, the use of the methodology set out in "Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings" contained in Local Transport Note 1/95 be approved.

91 PROVISION OF SCHOOL PATROLS 91

SUBMITTED: Report dated 29 December 1997 by the Director of Transportation and Roads on the criteria used for the assessment of the provision of school crossing patrols.

DECIDED:

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

(b) That the continued use of the "Guidelines for the Management and Operation of the School Crossing Patrol Service" agreed between the Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents be approved; and

(c) That it be remitted to the Director of Transportation and Roads to carry out a review of the current provision of the school crossing patrol service.

92 THE FLOOD PREVENTION AND LAND DRAINAGE (SCOTLAND) ACT 1997 92

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 January 1998 by the Director of Transportation and Roads seeking approval to publish a report on flooding/watercourse management, a copy of which was appended to the report, in terms of the Flood Prevention and Land Drainage (Scotland) Act 1997.

DECIDED: That the contents of the report be approved and that it be remitted to the Director of Transportation and Roads to publish the report on flooding/watercourse management and to make it available for public inspection at suitable locations.

93 CARRIAGEWAY RECONSTRUCTION: EAST STEWART STREET/ 93

SPRINGKELL STREET, GREENOCK - USE OF EMERGENCY POWERS PROCEDURE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 26 November 1997 by the Director of Central Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure set out in Standing Order 66 to authorise acceptance of the lowest tender for carriageway reconstruction at East Stewart/Springkell
Street, Greenock, that by the Contract Services Division, Inverclyde Council in the sum of £63,249.66.

NOTED

94 MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF THE STRATHCLYDE PASSENGER TRANSPORT 94

AUTHORITY

SUBMITTED: Minutes of meetings of the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority of 15 August and 3 October 1997.

NOTED

95 CONTRACT PERFORMANCE MONITORING REPORT 95

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 December 1997 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer commenting on complaints monitoring, requests for service and inspection analysis relative to the refuse collection and street cleansing contracts and non-CCT activities carried out by his Department during the period July - September 1997 in comparison with the period April - August 1997.

NOTED

96 INSTALLATION OF AUTOMATIC PUBLIC CONVENIENCE - KILMACOLM 96

SUBMITTED: Report dated 16 January 1998 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer recommending that the automatic public convenience removed from the Wellpark, Greenock in 1994 as a result of high levels of vandalism and presently stored at the suppliers' premises be located in Kilmacolm where there is currently no public convenience provision. The report outlined the options available and the financial implications thereof.

DECIDED: That the automatic public convenience be located in Kilmacolm at a total cost of £59,250 over the 3 year period until the expiry of the lease in 2001, the costs for delivery, site preparation and annual maintenance to be referred to in the 1998/99 budget process.

97 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 97

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)

Waste Disposal Contract and Future Strategies for Waste Transfer,

Transportation and Disposal in Inverclyde 6

Renewal of Dog Warden Contract - Report on Tenders 6&8

Scottish Power - Alternative Supply Agreement for Road

Lighting and Traffic Signs 6&9

Role of Renfrewshire Enterprise - Request from Councillor

Rebecchi 6

98 WASTE DISPOSAL CONTRACT AND FUTURE STRATEGIES FOR WASTE 98

TRANSFER, TRANSPORTATION AND DISPOSAL IN INVERCLYDE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 23 January 1998 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer advising that the current waste disposal contract was due to expire at the end of March and outlining future strategies for waste transfer, transportation and disposal operations. The report recommended that indicative quotations be invited from interested companies on the basis of the three options detailed in the report to allow an assessment to be carried out to ensure that best value is achieved.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Chief Environmental Services Officer to obtain indicative quotations on the basis of (i) the disposal of waste only; (ii) the transport and disposal of waste; and (iii) the operation of the transfer station, transport and disposal of waste;

(b) That it be remitted to the Chief Environmental Services Officer, in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Head of Outdoor Services (Contract Services), to examine the quotations and to review the existing arrangements for delivery of the service and to report further thereon, recommending a course of action for the future provision of the service;

(c) That the Chief Environmental Services Officer, in consultation with the Directors of Finance and Legal Services, negotiate an extension to the existing waste disposal contract with Pattersons of Greenoakhill; and

(d) That an advertisement be placed in the European Journal (OJEC) inviting contractors to register an interest in any prospective tender which may be issued.

99 RENEWAL OF DOG WARDEN CONTRACT - REPORT ON TENDERS 99

SUBMITTED: Report dated 22 January 1998 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer on tenders received for the provision of the dog warden service.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the tender submitted by SDK (Kilsyth) Ltd for the provision of the dog warden service in the sum of £24,850.

100 SCOTTISH POWER - ALTERNATIVE SUPPLY AGREEMENT FOR ROAD 100

LIGHTING AND TRAFFIC SIGNS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 7 January 1998 by the Director of Transportation and Roads on negotiations with Scottish Power in respect of an alternative supply agreement for road lighting and traffic signs for the period 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1999.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Director of Transportation and Roads, in consultation with the Directors of Finance and Legal Services, to conclude negotiations with Scottish Power in respect of a discount on the published tariff for road and traffic lighting supplies until 31 March 1999;

(b) That the projected annual savings of £6,221 be noted; and

(c) That it be remitted to the Director of Transportation and Roads, in consultation with the appropriate Departments, to prepare a comprehensive public lighting (unmetered) energy supply tender with an effective date of 1 April 1999 for all Council Departments in accordance with the Public Supply Contracts Regulations 1995, for issue after 1 November 1998.

101 ROLE OF RENFREWSHIRE ENTERPRISE - REQUEST FROM 101

COUNCILLOR REBECCHI

SUBMITTED: Report dated 23 January 1998 by the Director of Central Services on a request from Councillor Rebecchi that the Committee consider the role of Renfrewshire Enterprise.

Councillor Rebecchi was present and spoke on the matter.

DECIDED: That, following receipt of written details on specific issues relative to the role of Renfrewshire Enterprise from Councillor Rebecchi, it be remitted to the Chief Executive on behalf of the Council to pursue the matters raised.