EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE'S MINUTES. Glasgow, 6th February 2009. Executive Committee. Present: Steven Purcell (Chair), Shaukat Butt, James Coleman, Aileen Colleran, Stephen Curran, Stephen Dornan, Archie Graham, Graeme Hendry, Allison Hunter, Billy McAllister, Elaine McDougall, Gordon Matheson, George Ryan, Ruth Simpson, Grant Thoms and Martha Wardrop. Also present: Ruth Black, Philip Braat, Frank Docherty, Kenneth Elder and Jonathan Findlay. Apologies: James Dornan and Tom McKeown. Attending: N Lyttle (Clerk); I Drummond, Solicitor to the Council; L Brown, Executive Director of Financial Services; F Chambers, Executive Director of Direct and Care Services; M Doran, Executive Director of Children and Families; D Crawford, Executive Director of Social Care Services; M McKenna, Service Director of Education; G Gormal, Assistant Director of Development and Regeneration Services; and T McDonald, Assistant Director of Land and Environmental Services. Monitoring report noted. 1 Councillor Curran, City Treasurer, presented a monitoring report on the investment programme 2008/09 for the period from 1st April to 19th December 2008. After consideration, the committee noted the report. Local Housing Forums – Re-establishment, membership and remit approved. 2 With reference to the minutes of the Housing Development Committee of 8th June 2006 (Print 2, page 223) approving the membership and working arrangements for Local Housing Forums, Councillor Ryan, Executive Member for Development and Regeneration, presented a report regarding proposals for a revised structure for Local Housing Forums, advising (1) that when the Local Housing Forums were established the Community Planning structures had not been fully developed and due to a number of developments there was now a need to improve the integration of Local Housing Forums with Community Planning; (2) of the current membership of Local Housing Forums and their workload; (3) that it was proposed that Local Housing Forums be re-established as fully integrated bodies within the structures of each of the 10 Local Community Planning Partnerships (LCPP) and the Forums would be primarily officer groups working within the Vibrant Glasgow Theme as a sub-group of each LCPP, with all local elected members also being invited to attend; and (4) of the proposed membership, remit and relationship to other structures of the Local Housing Forums. Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU After consideration, the committee approved (a) the re-establishment of Local Housing Forums and their integration with Community Planning structures; and (b) the membership and remit of the new Local Housing Forums as detailed in the report. East End Regeneration Route and Camlachie Burn Overflow – Funding and tender process approved - Dissent. 3 Councillor Simpson, Executive Member for Land and Environment, presented a report regarding contracts for the East End Regeneration Route (EERR) and the Camlachie Burn Overflow (1) advising that (a) the EERR was a new road proposal in the East End of the city which would bring development and employment opportunities to the city and was a key piece of infrastructure associated with the regeneration of the Clyde Gateway and the Commonwealth Games; (b) the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Plan was a 25 year plan aimed at dealing with drainage, waste water and flood alleviation in the city and the Camlachie Overflow Sewer was a vital component of that plan; and (c) one of the aims of the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Plan was to alleviate the flooding caused when high flows occured in the Camlachie Burn and part of the solution was to construct an alternative outfall for the burn from Camlachie Street to the River Clyde; and (2) proposing that the procurement of the works for the EERR and the Camlachie Burn Overflow be delivered jointly in phases as detailed in the report. After consideration, the committee, Councillor Wardrop dissenting, (i) agreed that (A) the construction of the section of the EERR from Rutherglen Bridge to Biggar Street be combined with the construction of the Camlachie Burn Overflow and tendered as a single contract; and (B) a tender be issued for the section of the EERR from Biggar Street to Provan Road with the stated intention of awarding the design package in 2009/10 and the construction package at a later date; and (ii) approved a capital budget of £57m for the works, subject to tender. Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU Development of specialist services for adults with physical impairments – Authority to Executive Director of Social Care Services. 4 Councillor McDougall, Executive Member for Social Care, presented a report regarding the development of specialist services for adults with physical impairments, advising that (1) there was a shortage of adult specialist services within the city and as a result CHCPs were finding it difficult to source suitable services for adults with physical impairments and many had had to be placed in general care homes; (2) there was an opportunity to develop a specialist service within a care home in the South West Glasgow (Applecross Nursing Home Ltd, previously known as Manor Park) and accommodation could be provided for up to 11 places in a dedicated unit; and (3) a commissioning strategy was being developed which would result in a tender for further specialist services for adults with physical disabilities requiring nursing care across the city. After consideration, the committee (a) authorised the Executive Director of Social Care Services to negotiate a rate with an existing provider for the development of a specialist service for younger adults on a call off basis; and (b) noted that the Executive Director of Social Care Services would report back to this committee at the conclusion of the work to develop a commissioning strategy for specialist services for adults with physical disabilities requiring nursing care across the city. Homelessness Services - Review of accommodation charges for 2009/10 approved. 5 Councillor McDougall, Executive Member for Social Care, presented a report regarding the current service developments within Homelessness Services, the effects on budgets and the impact on charges for temporary homeless accommodation for 2009/10, (1) advising that (a) in developing charges for homeless accommodation, a number of factors had been considered, including the use of Hostels Repairs and Renewal Fund balances and Hostel Deficit Grant from the Scottish Government; (b) in arriving at charges that were both reasonable and legitimate for homeless accommodation, elements of 2009/10 expenditure had been identified which would be funded by rent charges, a claim on Hostels Deficit Grant to the Scottish Government, hostels repairs and renewals funding and recovery of costs from external providers; and (c) accommodation charges had been pooled and had calculated to a weekly accommodation (rent) charge of £274.14, with this charge having limited adjustments for different sized properties and representing a 6.2% increase on the 2008/09 levels; and Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU (2) outlining the main reason for the rent increase for 2009/10. After consideration, the committee approved the revised temporary homeless accommodation charges as detailed in the report, with effect from 30th March 2009. Housing Information and Advice Services – Shelter (Scotland) - Funding approved. 6 With reference to the minutes of 25th September 2008 (Print 4, page 417) approving funding to voluntary organisations providing Housing Information and Advice, Councillor McDougall, Executive Member for Social Care, presented a report regarding funding for Shelter (Scotland), advising that (1) Shelter (Scotland) provided a key service for people affected by homelessness and in the provision of housing information and advice and the Shelter Housing Aid Centre provided a city centre-based drop-in service as well as outreach surgeries with a specific focus on the private rented sector, minority ethnic communities and A8 Nationals; (2) it was proposed that Shelter (Scotland) be granted a quarter of its £122,367 per year funding to enable the service to continue until the end of June 2009 thereafter the contracts awarded for Financial Inclusion and Housing Information and Advice would provide this service; (3) this proposal fitted with actions taken for similar projects subject to the same tendering process as agreed by this committee on 23rd January 2009 (page 640 hereof); and (4) it was proposed that the funding of £122,367 per annum allocated to Shelter (Scotland) be transferred to Development and Regeneration Services as part of the realignment of Housing Information and Advice Services. After consideration, the committee approved (a) the allocation of £30,590 to Shelter (Scotland) to enable this service to continue until the end of June 2009; and (b) the transfer of funding for Shelter (Scotland) to Development and Regeneration Services as part of the realignment of Housing Information and Advice Services. National procurement of electricity supply – Agency Agreement approved – Instruction to Chief Executive. 7 There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive regarding proposed arrangements to procure electricity through a national contract and for the supply contract to be formalised by an Agency Agreement. After consideration, the committee (1) approved the signing of an Agency Agreement with Procurement Scotland for the national electricity supply; and (2) instructed