Property Services Committee

17 June 2003





IRVINE, 17 June 2003 - At a meeting of the Property Services Committee of North Ayrshire Council at 2.00 p.m.

Present
Samuel Taylor, John Bell, Jacqueline Browne, Margie Currie, Drew Duncan, Jane Gorman, Margaret McDougall, Elizabeth McLardy, Margaret Munn, John Reid, Nan Wallace and Richard Wilkinson


In Attendance
T Orr, Corporate Director (Property Services); O Clayton, Head of Housing; J Currie, Head of Cleansing, Grounds Maintenance and Transport; N Buchan, Head of Roads; C. Nelson, Head of Catering and Cleaning; I Grice, Head of Building Services; M Cashmore, Principal Officer (Property Services); G. Wallace, Principal Officer Design Services and R. Wardrope, Resource Manager, Technical Services (Property Services); L Morton, Finance Manager (Finance); S Bale and J Bannatyne, Corporate and Democratic Support Officers (Chief Executive's).


Chair
Councillor Taylor in the Chair.

Apologies for Absence
Stewart Dewar and David O'Neill


1. Minutes
    The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 4 March 2003, copies of which had previously been circulated, were confirmed.
2. Local Housing Strategy
    Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Property Services) on progress towards the preparation of the Local Housing Strategy and on issues surrounding the possible transfer of the management of Development Funding to Councils.

    The provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 require all Councils to produce a Local Housing Strategy for their area, a fundamental change which will shift the responsibility for housing planning to Councils. The Council's strategy will be submitted to the Scottish Executive for approval in April 2004.


    The Scottish Executive has issued guidance to Councils on the content and development of the strategy and provided a quality assessment framework. The strategy must take into account the housing needs and circumstances of Council tenants and all other housing tenures, including the private sector, incorporate identified housing priorities and highlight issues of national and local relevance. It must be developed in consultation with the local community and other partner organisations and take into account measures to alleviate fuel poverty and energy matters, incorporate existing key housing strategies and link to the Corporate Plan and Community Plan. The Council is currently developing a Home Energy Conservation Strategy which will link closely with the Local Housing Strategy. The Scottish Executive awarded a grant of £58,500 to the Council last year, with a further £50,000 awarded in the current financial year, to assist with the cost of preparing the LHS including research and consultation.

    The Scottish Executive, working jointly with CoSLA, has also drawn up proposals for the possible transfer to Councils of the management of Development Funding awarded to Housing Associations for new housing, which is currently managed by Communities Scotland. Although a national framework for the transfer of this funding has been put in place, it requires to be further developed to cover issues such as the transfer of the staff who currently administer the process. In North Ayrshire, Development Funding currently amounts to £3.5 million annually.

    The Committee agreed (a) to approve the development of the Local Housing Strategy as detailed in the report; and (b) that the Corporate Director (Property Services) submit further reports on proposals for the transfer of the Development Funding and the progress of Home Energy Conservation Strategy to a future meeting.

3. Irvine Cable TV Network
    Councillor Duncan declared an interest in the following item of business.

    Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Property Services) on proposals to ensure the continuity of the Irvine Cable TV Network.

    On 27 August 2002 the Committee was advised that agreement had been reached between British Telecom and Metro Cable TV to continue to provide a cable TV service to approximately 3,000 houses in the Irvine New Town area. The service was originally due to expire in September 2002 and was extended until September 2003.


    The Council together with Irvine Housing Association, each have approximately 1,500 tenants who receive their television signals through this system, and who currently pay an annual service charge of £59.80 per subscriber per annum. These costs are met through general rental income with no specific amenity charge added to individual rents. Since no alternative service provider has shown an interest to date, Metro Cable TV and British Telecom have reached a provisional agreement to extend the current contract for a further 12 months, till 30 September 2004. This will be based on an annual cost increase related to the retail price index together with guarantees from the Council and Irvine Housing Association of a fixed customer base for the extended period. No firm commitment has been given by the providers on the continuity of the service beyond September 2004. The rental charges will continue to be met through the Housing Revenue Account.

    The Committee agreed (a) to approve the proposals to ensure the continuity of the Irvine Cable TV Network till the end of September 2004; and (b) that the Corporate Director (Property Services) report further on this matter early in 2004.
4. Scottish Executive Consultation Document on Wardens and other Community Based Initiatives to Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour

    Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Property Services) on the implications of the Scottish Executive's proposals for tackling anti-social behaviour and the poor quality of the environment

    In March 2003 the Executive issued a consultation document entitled "Building Strong, Safe and Attractive Communities", setting out proposals on the ways that £30m of funding committed in 2002 to tackle anti-social behaviour and the poor quality of the environment should be spent. The funding will be allocated over two years viz 2004/05 and 2005/06. Taking into account factors such as deprivation, population and crime rates, the Council has provisionally been allocated £200,000 for community warden schemes and £62.5k for other initiatives to address anti-social behaviour in each of the two financial years. It is a condition of the funding, that a clear framework is established for tackling anti-social behaviour and establishing co-operation between relevant agencies. Proposals on how the funding will be used require to be submitted to the Scottish Executive by November 2003.

    A copy of the Council's formal response to the consultation was attached as an appendix to the report. The main areas of concern highlighted in the Council's response to the consultation are (i) the implication that the costs of the new services will require to be absorbed within mainstream budgets from April 2006 which could affect future rent/Council Tax levels, (ii) the unrealistic expectations within communities about the ability of the Council, the Housing Association landlords and the Police to provide swift and effective responses to complaints given the lengthy timescales for pursuing court action, (iii) the potential conflicts with Local Authorities' new duties under the Homelessness Etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 and (iv) the difficulties in taking action against owner-occupiers and private tenants in sold houses. These concerns were shared by the Committee.


    It is proposed to establish an inter-agency Officers Working Group to develop the Council's strategy on anti-social behaviour incorporating relevant Council Services and outside bodies. This group will also prepare proposals for submission to the Scottish Executive on how the funding will be used.

    The Committee agreed (a) that the Corporate Director (Property Services) investigate the possibility of the proposed Inter-Agency Officers Working Group being extended to include Members; and (b) to note the Council's response.

5. Cost Recovery System for Speed Camera Enforcement
    Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Property Services) on the progress of the Strathclyde Safety Camera Partnership Operational Case for speed camera locations within North Ayrshire.

    On 17 September 2001 the Corporate Policy Committee noted proposals to allow fine income from traffic speed cameras to be used to fund additional cameras and agreed to participate in the joint scheme proposed by Strathclyde Police. The Strathclyde Safety Camera Partnership (SSCP), formed to reduce speed, accidents and casualties on roads within its geographical area through additional speed and red light camera enforcement, commenced on 1 April 2003. Under the criteria for fixed camera static sites the following four sites within North Ayrshire have qualified for inclusion in the Operational Case:-
  • Irvine Road, near Smith Crescent, Kilwinning
  • Saltcoats Road, near Auchenharvie Academy, Stevenston
  • Dalry Road, near Grahamfield Place, Beith
  • Stevenston Road, near Segton Avenue, Kilwinning, Route A738 (trunk)
    Members of the Committee expressed the view that the introduction of traffic calming measures at certain of the above locations has removed the need to introduce speed cameras and that there may be other sites which would meet the criteria.

    The Committee agreed to continue consideration of this item to enable the Corporate Director (Property Services) to seek further clarification from the SSCP and report.
6. Tender: Ardrossan Short Stay Hostel
    Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Property Services) on tenders received for the extension and upgrading of the Ardrossan Short Stay Hostel, 87 Princes Street, Ardrossan.

    The Committee agreed to accept the lowest tender in the amount of £592,975.09 submitted by James Anderson (Builders) Ltd, Irvine.

7. Adoption of Roads from 1st April 2002 to 31st March 2003
    Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Property Services) on a number of roads adopted by the Council during the period 1st April 2002 to 31st March 2003, resulting in additional maintenance responsibility for 823 lineal metres.

    Noted.

8. Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the Landfill of Wastes: Arran: Brodick Landfill Market Road
    Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Property Services) on the service of a notice by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency advising of its intention to require the Council to have the Landfill site at Market Road, Brodick, Isle of Arran, closed and restored with appropriate aftercare procedures in place no later than 31st August 2006, ready for inspection by the agency.

    The Council previously submitted a site conditioning plan to SEPA indicating its intention to close the site by 31 August 2020. In view of the Notice serviced by SEPA, the Council intends to explore the possibility of fully engineering the site in accordance with the Landfill (Scotland) Regulations 2003 or alternatively the provision of a transfer station at Brodick to enable the transfer of waste to the mainland. As the result of an approach by the Council to CoSLA on this matter, CoSLA will hold discussions with SEPA on the implications of their intention to serve Closure Notices. The local member for Arran expressed the view that the transfer of waste by ferry to the mainland would be inappropriate, it was likely that proposals for any other coastal landfill site on Arran would meet opposition and that other options should be explored. She further requested that she be involved in any meetings on the matter.

    The Committee (a) noted the current position; and (b) agreed that a further report on the implications of SEPA's intention to serve Closure Notices be submitted to a future meeting.

9. Largs New Cemetery
    Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Property Services) on a proposal to name the new cemetery in Brisbane Glen, Largs, "Brisbane Glen Cemetery".
    The Committee agreed to approve the naming of the new cemetery as Brisbane Glen Cemetery.

10. Demolition Order: West Kilbride: 12 Thirdpart Holdings
    Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Property Services) on the proposed service of a Demolition Order on the owner of the property at 12 Thirdpart Holdings, West Kilbride.

    The Committee agreed to authorise the service of the Demolition Order.

11. Gas Maintenance Contract
    Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Property Services) on the outcome of the retendering process for the Council's Gas Maintenance Contract for heating systems.

    In April 2002 the three year gas maintenance contract, operated by James Frew Ltd., Stevenston, was extended by a further year to 30th September 2003. This was to allow an investigation of the availability of qualified and experienced contractors in the gas maintenance market from whom tenders could be invited.

    From a total of 18 expressions of interest to tender for the renewal contract, 8 companies were invited to tender and valid tenders were subsequently received from 6. The current contract has, for tendering purposes, now been divided into three areas namely A - Irvine New Town, B - The Three Towns and C - The North Coast/Garnock Valley. The lowest tender for all 3 areas submitted by James Frew Ltd, Stevenston is approximately £450,000 per annum greater than the cost of the current contract which represents an increase of 60%.

    After evaluation of the 6 tenders received, James Frew Ltd, Stevenston and Gas Call Services Ltd, Glasgow were interviewed by officers of the Council and a quality assessment undertaken in each case. On completion of the assessment process the following two broad options are available to the Council:-

    Option 1
    -
    		Approve the Tender from James Frew Ltd of £1,194,066.50 per annum.
    Option 2
    -
    		Approve the Tenders from James Frew Ltd for Areas A and C and the tender from Gas Call Services Ltd for Area B resulting in a total tender price of £1,312,314.25 per annum.

    Option 1 is the lowest cost option by a margin of £118,000.00 per annum, while Option 2 has the advantage that the Council would no longer be wholly dependent on the performance of one contractor. This option would also allow comparison of performance levels and would assist with continuity of service in the event of the necessity to terminate one of the contracts.

    The Committee agreed to approve Option 2 being (i) the tender from James Frew Ltd in respect of Areas A (Irvine New Town) and C (North Coast/Garnock Valley); and (ii) the Tender from Gas Call Services Ltd in respect of area B (3 Towns) on the basis of a total tender price amounting to £1,312,314.25 per annum.

12. Business and Service Plans 2003/2006
    Submitted reports by the Corporate Director (Property Services) on the Business/Service Plans for Property Services.


    The Committee agreed to approve the Business/Service Plans for Property Services for 2003/2006 in relation to (i) Building Services, (ii) Catering and Cleaning, (iii) Cleansing, Grounds Maintenance and Transport, (iv) Housing Services, (v) Roads Services, (vi) Roads Operations (DLO), and (vii) Technical Services.

    The meeting ended at 3.15 p.m.