POLICY AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE

TUESDAY 10 JUNE 1997 - 3.00 pm

Present:- Provost Allan, Councillors Calvert, Clocherty, O'Rourke, Jackson, McGhee, Robertson (Y), Mitchell and Finnie, Councillor Jackson Vice-Convener, in the Chair.

In attendance:- The Chief Executive, the Depute Chief Executive, the Assistant Chief Executive (Economic Development and Urban Regeneration), the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development), the Assistant Chief Executive (Contract Services), the Director of Central Services, the Director of Legal Services, the Director of Finance, the Director of Economic Development, the Director of Education Services, the Director of Property and Technical Services, the Director of Planning, Mr N Buchan (for the Director of Social Work), Mr D Robin and Mr B J Purdie (for the Director of Housing and Customer Services), the Director of Personnel Services, the Director of Information Technology, the Director of Transportation and Roads, the Chief Environmental Services Officer and the Chief Consumer Protection and Trading Standards Officer.

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

724

ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEM

724

The Chairman referred to a report by the Chief Executive setting out proposals for consideration regarding the Council's corporate and strategic planning into the next Millennium. The Chairman indicated that consideration of the item was urgent to enable preliminary consideration of the proposals along with the review of the Council's Management and Organisation Structure without delay and he moved that the item be added to the Agenda. This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

725.00

COUNCIL COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AND CYCLE OF MEETINGS

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SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 June 1997 by the Chief Executive recommending the establishment of the following Committees and Sub-Committees (to replace the existing Committees and Sub-Committees) the memberships and specific remits of which were set out in detail in the proposed Standing Orders and Scheme of Administration forming Appendices 1 and 2 of the report respectively:-

Policy and Strategy Committee (11 Members)

Corporate Business Committee (9 Members)

Economic Development Committee (9 Members)

Education Services Committee (9 Members)

Leisure and Recreation Committee (9 Members)

Community Services Committee (9 Members)

(Corporate Business Committee)

Planning Sub-Committee (Economic Development Committee) (7 Members)

Education Services (Appeals) Sub-Committee (Education Services (7 Members)

Committee)

Licensing and Registration Committee (7 Members)

The report also set out for consideration, proposals for a schedule of meetings and Committee cycles to accommodate the revised Committee Structure on the basis that Committee and Sub-Committee meetings commence at 3 pm and The Inverclyde Council at 4 pm.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be remitted to the Director of Central Service to report to the Council with a proposal to ensure, as far as possible, that the Committee for licensing and registration has no higher status than a Sub-Committee but that its membership be drawn from the Council's 20 elected Members;

(b) That the revised structure of Committees and Sub-Committees of the Council as detailed above, subject to the previous sub-paragraph (a), be approved and that recommendation be made to The Inverclyde Council to adopt the proposed Standing Orders and Scheme of Administration of the Council to replace the existing Orders and Scheme; and

726.00

MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATION STRUCTURE OF THE COUNCIL: REVIEW

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SUBMITTED: Report dated 5 June 1997 by the Chief Executive reviewing the current management and organisation structure of the Council, recommending proposals for the continued development of the organisation and structure, in-service relationships and the roles of the Chief Executive's Team, the Divisional Teams and the wider Management Team and submitting for consideration in principle, options for the redeployment and management of certain functions and resources.

Councillor Jackson moved that the Council agree to proceed in accordance with the recommendations in the report and agree that further detailed reports on the various options detailed in Appendix 4 of the report be submitted to the Committee following full consultation with Chief Officers, Staff and Trade Unions as appropriate, with the use by the Chief Executive of a Sounding Board comprising Councillor Mulholland, Councillor Jackson, one Member of the Minority Groups together with any Convener of a Committee where a specific option affects the remit of that Committee.

It was agreed unanimously to accept an amendment by Councillor Finnie relative to paragraph 10.4 of the report which is detailed in sub-paragraph (d) of the decision below.

As a further amendment, Councillor Finnie moved the following:-

Option 1 (Committee Services to Chief Executive's Office)

1.1 The personnel resources within the Committee Services function and the secretarial provision within the Chief Executive's Department and within the divisions under the respective control of the Depute Chief Executive, the Assistant Chief Executive (Social/Community Development) and the Assistant Chief Executive (Economic Development and Urban Regeneration) should be reviewed and proposals developed to provide each of the Depute and two Assistant Chief Executives with an appropriate and effective level of administrative and secretarial support.

1.2 Responsibility for the provision of Committee and Members' services be retained by the Director of Central Services but the operation of the function be restructured in line with the outcome of 1.1 above.

1.3 Guidelines should be developed which would give the Director of Central Services the authority to refer any report, prior to it being issued to Members, back to its author on the grounds, for example, that the report as drafted did not support the conclusions and recommendations, contained inconsistencies and did not comply with the regulations or previous decisions of the Council.

On a vote, 3 Members voted for the amendment and 6 for the motion which was declared carried.

As a further amendment, Councillor Finnie moved the following:-

Option 3 - Customer and Support Services

3.1 To agree, in principle, that Customer Services be taken out of Housing but that any move be deferred until the potential for developing the library service as a public information service is fully examined.

3.2 Concurrent with 3.1 consideration be given to utilising all public library premises as public information and advice locations and that the "one stop shop" principle be developed through library premises.

OPTION 5 - PROPERTY AND TECHNICAL SERVICES

5.1 That the Department of Property and Technical Services remain unaltered.

OPTION 6 - CREATE LEISURE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

6.1 Defer transfer of Libraries, Arts and Museums until:

6.1.1 the integration of the public and schools library services has been fully integrated; and

6.1.2 the potential for developing the library service as a public information service has been fully examined as per Amendment 3.1.

OPTION 8 - CONTRACT COMPLIANCE UNIT

8.1 Consideration also be given to putting the contract compliance unit under the control of the Director of Central Services.

OPTION 9 - TRANSFER OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

9.1 The Department of Environmental Services should become part of the Social/Community Services Division instead of the Economic and Urban Regeneration Division.

On a vote 3 Members voted for the amendment and 6 for the motion which was declared carried.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee note the terms of reference for the management review referred to in the minute of the Policy and Strategy Committee of 14 November 1996 as set out in Section 2 of the report;

(b) That the Committee reaffirm the general principles relating to the organisation and structure, together with the divisional allocation of services, and continue to use them as the basis on which the Council's organisation and structure is developed and reviewed;

(c) That the Committee note that Inverclyde Council is not significantly different from other similar authorities and certainly is not the smallest authority with the largest senior management establishment;

(d) That the Council affirms:- (i) the role of the Chief Executive as a "stand alone" position with no specific operational or service related responsibilities attached to it; (ii) the divisional approach to corporate policy development and the roles of the Depute Chief Executive - Corporate Resources Division, the Assistant Chief Executive - Social/Community Services Division and the Assistant Chief Executive - Economic Development & Urban Regeneration Division as having line management responsibility for the operation of their respective divisions; (iii) the responsibilities of the Chief Executive, the Depute and the three assistant Chief Executives as the central (and senior) management team; and (iv) the functional and operational management roles and responsibilities of the Directors and Chief Officers within their respective divisions and in addition, agrees to a redesignation of titles and structures within the respective divisions to reflect better the corporate and divisional management style of the Council; and

(e) That the Council agree to proceed in accordance with the recommendations in the report and agree that further detailed reports on the various options detailed in Appendix 4 of the report be submitted to the Committee, following full consultation with Chief Officers, Staff and Trade Unions as appropriate, with the use by the Chief Executive of a Sounding Board comprising Councillor Mulholland, Councillor Jackson, one Member of the Minority Groups together with any Convener of a Committee where a specific option affects the remit of that Committee.

727.00

CORPORATE AND STRATEGIC PLANNING INTO THE NEXT MILLENNIUM

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SUBMITTED: Report dated 4 June 1997 by the Chief Executive together with draft vision and mission/core values statements and draft Corporate Development and Strategic Plans together with proposals to progress these plans and supporting Divisional and Service Plans.

DECIDED:

(a) That the key issues and objectives set out in the report be approved in principle and that a Working Group be established to consider the specific objectives of the draft statements and plans; and

(b) That the Working Group comprise 5 Members from the Majority Group and 2 from the Minority Groups to be notified to the Director of Central Services.

728.00

NON HRA CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98

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SUBMITTED: Report dated 19 May 1997 by the Director of Finance on the current position of the 1997/98 Non-HRA Capital Programme drawing particular attention to a request for additional funding from the Community Services Committee.

Based on the latest information provided by Technical Officers and Client Departments there was a current estimated shortfall in allocation of £2,541,000 which represented a decrease of £969,000 since the Committee agreed its programme in February 1997, which was the result of increased Capital Receipts.

DECIDED:

(a) That the request by the Community Services Committee for additional provision of a sum of £31,000 to meet further increases in costs at the Waterfront Leisure Complex be approved; and

(b) That the report be otherwise noted.

729.00

GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS 1997/98

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SUBMITTED: Report dated 28 May 1997 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) with recommendations from the Sounding Board on a number of issues and also setting out the recommendations of the Sounding Board on requests from organisations for grant aid during 1997/98.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Council do not accept proposals submitted by COSLA for a per-capita allocation in respect of Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Scottish Ensemble and take the view that all applications should be dealt with on their individual merits;

(b) That the Council agree to the introduction of a Decentralisation Scheme in respect of grants of less than £1,000 for 1998/99 on the basis that proposals for such a scheme be submitted to the Policy and Strategy Committee by December 1997;

(c) That the "National Lottery's Small Grants for Small Groups" scheme be noted and that the Council encourage participation in this by local qualifying groups as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report;

(d) That it be remitted to the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) in consultation with the Sounding Board to deal with any "appeals" arising from the above Grants scheme;

(e) That the grants to various voluntary organisations as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report deferred from the last meeting of the Committee amounting in total to £4,650 be approved;

(f) That the grants from various voluntary organisations as detailed in Appendix 3 of the report amounting in total to £66,022 be approved; and

(g) That authority be delegated to the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) in consultation with the Sounding Board to determine applications for grant for Summer Playscheme Groups for 1997/98.

730.00

STRATEGIC AND CORPORATE PLANNING FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND

THE CHILDREN (SCOTLAND) ACT 1995

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SUBMITTED: Report dated 28 May 1997 by the Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development) summarising the implications of the Strategic and Corporate Planning for Children's Services and the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, advising of action currently being taken to ensure that the terms of the Act are fully implemented across all Council services and recommending the establishment of a Sounding Board of Members to oversee and co-ordinate the implementation of the legislation.

DECIDED:

(a) That the report be noted; and

(b) That the establishment of a Sounding Board of 6 Members be approved namely the Conveners of the Policy and Strategy, Community Services (viz. Housing and Social Work), Education and Leisure and Recreation Committees (amended to take account of the new Committee structure referred to earlier at paragraph 673) and 1 Member of the Minority Groups.

731.00

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION 1 MAY 1997 AND FUTURE ELECTION ARRANGEMENTS

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SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 May 1997 by the Chief Executive reviewing the general organisation arrangements for the Parliamentary Election held on 1 May 1997 and recommending a number of courses of action in respect of future arrangements.

DECIDED:

(a) That training and accreditation of election staff be examined in consultation with the Director of Personnel Services;

(b) That it be agreed to continue the use of the Contract Services Division for the erection and fitting out of Polling Stations and delivery/return of ballot boxes subject to best value criteria and the Council's Financial Regulations;

(d) That following determination by the Local Government Boundary Commission of Electoral Ward Boundaries, a report reviewing polling places be submitted for consideration to the Committee in due course.