Okay so i checked template index.php and interestingly it has nothing to do with my php.ini (i run a vps) - its the code in the index.php file!
// No direct access.
defined('_JEXEC') or die;
// enable showing errors in PHP
ini_set('error_reporting', E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors','On');
// include framework classes and files
require_once('lib/gk.framework.php');
// run the framework
$tpl = new GKTemplate($this, $GK_TEMPLATE_MODULE_STYLES);
// EOF
I just changed error_reporting to off from on, but then went further and deleted the ini_set lines, as if you have access to the php.ini or if in my case your running plesk and can run individual php.ini files for each website you dont need this in the index.php.
Any reason why this is hardcoded like this??