FINANCE SUB-COMMITTEE

THURSDAY 22 JANUARY 1998 - 3.00 pm

Present:- Councillors O'Rourke, Jackson, Robertson (Y), Sir Simpson Stevenson, Mitchell and Finnie, Councillor Jackson, Vice-Convener, in the Chair.

In attendance:- The Chief Executive, Mr A S Grant (for the Director of Central Services), the Director of Finance, the Director of Housing and Customer Services, the Director of Legal Services and the Director of Property and Technical Services.

An apology for absence was intimated on behalf of Councillor Mulholland.

69 REVIEW OF GENERAL CHARGES MADE TO HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT 69

SUBMITTED: Report dated January 1998 by the Director of Finance reviewing general charges made to the Housing Revenue Account and setting out certain options as to ways in which a number of these charges might be transferred to the General Fund together with implications on the General Fund, Capping and the Council Tax, as agreed at the October meeting of the Sub-Committee (Para 1141).

DECIDED: That it be recommended to the Policy and Strategy Committee:-

(a) That the approval of the Scottish Office be sought for the transfer of capital debt in respect of vacant sites previously occupied by Council housing from the Housing Revenue

(b) That the Directors of Housing and Customer Services and Leisure and Recreation review the treatment of open space maintenance charges and that they submit a joint report to the Finance Sub-Committee;

(c) That tenants' effects insurance commission estimated at approximately £65,000, after adjustment for Central Support recharges be credited to the Housing Revenue Account subject to equivalent savings being made in the General Fund in order to remain within the 1998/99 capping limit; and

(d) That the Contract Services surplus deriving from Council housing be utilised in setting the 1998/99 rents.

70 RESOLUTION : EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 70

On the motion of the Vice-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)

Analysis of HRA Jobbing Expenditure and HRA

Capital Expenditure 8

Kelburn Phase 3 - Claim for Loss and Expense 6, 8 & 9

71 ANALYSIS OF HRA JOBBING EXPENDITURE AND HRA CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 71

SUBMITTED: Report dated 29 December 1997 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services advising the Committee of (i) costs included within the housing jobbing repairs expenditure, (ii) details of levels of spend across the 15 housing repair zones over the past 4 years, (iii) the level of HRA capital expenditure over the past 5 years and (iv) the relationship between this capital expenditure and the trend in jobbing repairs expenditure.

DECIDED:

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

(b) That the Social Work and Housing Committee when considering Revenue Budgets be requested to take cognisance of the need to examine the position regarding vacant housing stock with particular reference to vandalism and security with a view to the Council formulating a general policy.

72 KELBURN PHASE 3 - CLAIM FOR LOSS AND EXPENSE 72

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance on the circumstances concerning a contractor's claim for loss and expense arising from Phase 3 of the works at Kelburn, Port Glasgow, all as detailed in the Appendix.