the item be added to the Agenda. This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

1127 REVENUE BUDGET 1998/99 - MONITORING REPORT 1127

SUBMITTED: Report dated 16 October 1998 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the position of the Revenue Budget 1998/99 as at 16 September 1998 and advising of a number of items which it is anticipated will significantly increase the current projected overspend of £19,480.

DECIDED:

(a) That the current position of the Revenue Budget 1998/99 be noted; and

(b) That it be noted that the various items set out in the report which it is anticipated will significantly increase the level of overspend in the Revenue Budget will be clarified and incorporated into future reports to the Committee.

1128 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 1128

SUBMITTED: Report dated 2 October 1998 by the Head of Technical Services on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1998/99.

DECIDED:

(a) That the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1998/99 be noted;

(b) That the Committee approve, in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations, an expenditure increase of £5,500 for the provision of a new heating control system in connection with the alteration and extension works at St Joseph's Primary School, Greenock; and

(c) That the accumulated variations in the contract comprising Phase 4C of the works at Port Glasgow High School which are 11.60% (£13,850) greater than the accepted tender amount be approved in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations.

1129 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1998/99 - FINANCIAL POSITION 1129

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 October 1998 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the financial position of the Capital Programme 1998/99. The report advised that the latest total estimated cost of projects was £7,424,000, £75,000 more than the estimated total project costs of £7,349,000 approved by the Policy and Strategy Committee in December 1997.

DECIDED:

(a) That the projected overspend of £75,000 in the Capital Programme 1998/99 be remitted to the Policy and Strategy Committee for consideration; and

(b) That the report be otherwise noted.

1130 EXCEPTIONAL SCHOOL CLOSURE: HIGHER STILL 1130

SUBMITTED: Report by the Executive Director Education Services requesting the Committee to approve the closure of secondary schools within Inverclyde on Friday 27 November 1998 and Tuesday 4 May 1999 for the purpose of providing additional preparation time to support the introduction of Higher Still.

DECIDED: That approval be given to the closure of secondary schools within Inverclyde on Friday 27 November 1998 and Tuesday 4 May 1999 to allow two additional in-service days.

1131 AGE AND STAGE RESTRICTIONS AT STANDARD GRADE AND HIGHER - 1131

CONSULTATION RESPONSE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 October 1998 by the Executive Director Education Services advising that the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department had issued a consultation document entitled "Age and Stage Restrictions at Standard Grade and Higher" which invited comments on changes to the conditions governing the entry of candidates for Higher and Standard Grade examinations, and setting out a proposed response to the document.

DECIDED: That the report and its appendix which set out a proposed response to the Scottish Office consultation document "Age and Stage Restrictions at Standard Grade and Higher" be both noted and approved.

1132 LARKFIELD FAMILY CENTRE 1132

SUBMITTED: Report dated 16 October 1998 by the Executive Director Education Services on the existing funding arrangements for Larkfield Family Centre which provides pre-5 and child care services to the communities of Larkfield and Branchton, seeking the Committee's approval to increase the Council's contribution to the Centre to meet a projected shortfall in running costs and also to increase the level of grant funding for 1999/2000 and future years in line with increases in staff costs due to wage rises.

DECIDED:

(a) That the existing funding arrangements for the Larkfield Family Centre be noted;

(b) That approval be given to increase the Council grant in 1998/99 by £10,000 from £127,760 to £137,760, this sum to be contained with the existing education budget; and

(c) That it be agreed that for future years, the level of grant funding be increased in line with the level of wage rises for APT&C staff based on 80% of the final 1998/99 level of £137,760.

1133 EDUCATION CAPITAL BUILDING PROGRAMME 1999/2000 AND BEYOND 1133

SUBMITTED: Report dated 22 October 1998 by the Executive Director Education Services (an amended copy of which had been circulated to Members) on the present position of the Education Capital Building Programme and seeking the Committee's approval for the submission of the Education Capital Plan to the Policy and Strategy Committee with a view to the provision of funding for 1999/2000 and beyond.

DECIDED: That the report be noted and remitted to the Policy and Strategy Committee for consideration.

1134 LIBRARY SAVINGS 1134

At the request of the Convener, it was agreed that this item be withdrawn from the Agenda.

1135 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 1135

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)

Inverkip Primary School, Phase 2 - Update following

Receivership of Main Contractor 6 & 8

School Transport: Withdrawal from Contracts 6, 8 & 12

1136 INVERKIP PRIMARY SCHOOL PHASE 2 - UPDATE FOLLOWING RECEIVERSHIP 1136

OF MAIN CONTRACTOR

SUBMITTED: Report dated 22 October 1998 by the Head of Technical Services advising of the receivership of A C Moir Ltd, the main contractor appointed to undertake Phase 2 of the improvement works at Inverkip Primary School, and recommending action to progress the works and complete the contract.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted; and

(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 completion of works at Inverkip Primary School.

1137 SCHOOL TRANSPORT: WITHDRAWAL FROM CONTRACTS 1137

There was submitted a report by the Executive Director Education Services advising of the withdrawal of operators from a number of school transport contracts, providing details of the cost implications of the temporary contracts arranged by Strathclyde Passenger Transport, the legal position relating to the liability of the operators as a result of their withdrawal and setting out the position of the contracts held by another operator whose licence had recently been revoked by the Traffic Commissioners. The Committee agreed to note the report, accept the recommendations made by Strathclyde Passenger Transport for the award of temporary contracts following the revocation of the operator's licence and homologate the placing of temporary contracts following the withdrawal of the other operators, all as detailed in the Appendix.