Agenda Document Pack - Council - 25/06/2026
North Lanarkshire Council · 25 June 2026
Back to Council — 25 June 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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16 June 2026 Members of the Council Chief Executive’s Office Rachel Blair Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell ML1 1AB www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk Notice is given that a Meeting of the Council is to be held in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, ML1 1AB on Thursday, 25 June 2026 at 16:00 PM which you are requested to attend. The agenda of business is attached. Des Murray Chief Executive Members : Clerk Name: Mark Hamill Clerk Telephone: 07811294702 Clerk Email: committee@northlan.gov.uk D Ashraf, A Ballinger, C Barclay, B Baudo, A Beveridge, M Boyd, H Brannan-McVey, G Brennan, B Burgess, A Bustard, J Cairns, A Campbell, T Carragher, C Costello, M Coyle, S Coyle, D Crichton, G Currie, P Di Mascio, K Docherty, K Duffy, A Duffy-Lawson, H Dunbar, T Fisher, F Fotheringham, W Goldie, H Gray, K Harmon, M Hughes, J Hume, L Jarvie, D Johnston, T Johnston, J Jones, P Kelly, J Keltie, A Khan, K Larson, J Leckie, G Lennon, J Logue, H Loughran, F MacGregor, A Masterton, M McBride, B McCluskey, A McCrory, B McCulloch, M McCulloch, P McDade, F McKay, R McKendrick, J McLaren, C McManus, M McPake, J McPhilemy, A McVey, L Mitchell, L Nolan, P Patton, C Quigley, J Reddin, L Roarty, D Robb, G Robinson, N Shevlin, W Shields, A Smith, A Stubbs, L Stubbs, R Sullivan, A Thomas, J Toner, S Watson, C Williams, N Wilson, G Woods. Page 1 of 100
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Agenda 1 Declarations of Interest In Terms of the Ethical Standards In Public Life Etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 2 Minutes of Meetings of Committees, Sub-Committees and Panels - Cycle Two Submit volume of minutes of meetings of Committees, Sub- Committees and Panels for Cycle Two 2026 for approval in terms of standing order number 21. (copy to follow) 3 Membership of Committees, Sub-Committees, Panels, Working Groups and Outside Bodies Submit proposed amendments to Membership of Committees, Sub-Committees, Panels, Working Groups and Outside Bodies (copy to follow) 4 £10M Capital Fund Update Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) setting out the proposed allocation and delivery of the £10 million total one-off investment programme across 19 projects outlined within the report. 7 - 18 5 Appointment of Teacher Representative to the Education, Children and Families Committee Submit report by the Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) seeking approval for the appointment of a Teacher Representative for the Secondary and Additional Support Needs sector to the Education, Children and Families Committee. 19 - 24 6 North Lanarkshire Local Licensing Forum – Changes to Membership and Appointments Submit report by the Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) seeking approval for changes to the membership of North Lanarkshire Local Licensing Forum in accordance with the requirements of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. 25 - 30 7 Electronic Voting and Hybrid Meeting System – Operational Arrangements and Member Responsibilities Submit report by the Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) providing an update on the implementation and operation of the Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System and the governance and procedural expectations associated with the use of the system. 31 - 40 Page 3 of 100
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8 The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025: Extension of Integration Joint Board Voting Rights Submit report by the Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) informing of forthcoming changes to Integration Joint Board governance arrangements arising from the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025. 41 - 52 9 Work Related Death Protocol - Adoption and Signatory Status Submit report by the Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) seeking approval in principle for the Council become a signatory to the Work Related Death Protocol, subject to appropriate internal review and professional advice. 53 - 60 10 Long Service Recognition Submit report by the Chief Officer (People Resources) setting out proposals for the introduction of a Long Service Recognition Scheme recognising employees of the Council. 61 - 80 11 Redevelopment of Time Capsule Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) providing an update and proposals for further development at the Time Capsule, Coatbridge. 81 - 98 NOTICE OF MOTION 12 Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Beverige and Councillor Watson "Council recognises that existing Monklands hospital in Airdrie is in a deteriorating condition and requires significant remedial investment, and therefore supports the development of a new, modern, fit for purpose replacement facility at the Western Moffat site in Airdrie. However, it is alarming to read recent reports indicating that the full business case for the replacement hospital has not yet been approved by the Scottish Government and that funding for the project remains unconfirmed. Accordingly, the Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Scottish Government seeking urgent assurance that the business case is approved and full funding made available to enable the new hospital to be delivered and fully operational by 2031 to provide the modern healthcare facility required and deserved by residents of North Lanarkshire and beyond." Page 4 of 100
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13 Questions Received in Terms of Standing Order 51 - None Received 14 Committee Questions Log - Cycle Two 2026 Submit the Questions Log for Cycle Two of 2026 outlining the questions asked at Committee Meetings during the cycle together with the officer responses. 99 - 100 Page 5 of 100
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Council Does this report require to be approved? ☐ Yes ☒ No Ref LR/LON Date 25/06/26 £10m Capital Fund Update From Lyall Rennie E-mail renniely@northlan.gov.uk 1 Background 1.1 Following the Council meeting on 26 February 2026, a total one-off investment of £10 million was agreed to support a number of projects across the local authority area. A list of these projects is attached as Appendix 1. 1.2 This report provides additional information in relation to the projects that have been identified and the timeline for investment. Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to provide members with an update in respect of the 19 project areas outlined at Council on the 26 February in relation to the agreed £10million total one- off investment monies. The report also provides further detail on the specific elements contained in relation to town centre improvements. Recommendations It is recommended that Council: (1) Notes the proposed allocation and delivery of the £10 million total one-off investment programme across the 19 projects outlined in this report. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve the health and wellbeing of our communities Ambition statement (17) Ensure we keep our environment clean, safe, and attractive Programme of Work Transforming Places Item 4 Page 7 of 100
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2 Report Sports Pitch Strategy – Pitch Replacement 2.1 The Sports Pitch Replacement Project has successfully progressed through the Route 1 Plus Procurement Journey (CPT: NLC-SLP-25-158). A Single Award approach was taken to secure economies of scale and ensure consistent delivery across the estate. Active & Creative Communities are currently liaising directly with the individual educational estates to develop the final program of works, which will be delivered on a staggered basis to minimise service disruption, with onsite delivery officially commencing on Monday 1 June 2026. 2.2 Following the successful conclusion of the Invitation to Tender (ITT) process, the contract has been awarded to Sportex Group. The contractor is now fully positioned to begin the delivery phase in alignment with the staggered program schedule. 2.3 Active & Creative Communities is adopting a pioneering ‘first-mover’ approach by transitioning to 100% natural cork infill for these synthetic sports pitch upgrades. This bold shift away from traditional microplastic-based rubber crumb (SBR) is a proactive response to impending environmental regulations and positions the Council as a leader in sustainable community sports pitches within the UK. By utilising this regenerative and naturally sustainable infill, the Council is actively future-proofing its 3G sports pitches against the potential 2031 ban on SBR while directly aligning its sports estate with Net Zero targets and public health priorities. Sports Pitch Strategy – Pavillion Demolitions 2.4 Work is ongoing to finalise demolition warrants and associated costs for replacement pavilion units. To ensure effective resource management and coordination with other programmes, demolition works are scheduled to begin in October 2026. Cleland Pavilion has been prioritised for an earlier start due to its technical complexity. Time Capsule Service Development The works relevant to the Time Capsule are subject to a separate report to Full Council. Following approval by Full Council, the works will commence in accordance with the agreed proposals. Colzium House, Kilsyth, Restoration 2.5 Stage 1 of the project, delivering the ground floor community room, has been successfully completed. Phase 2, comprising the entrance and corridors, is currently at cost plan stage. Remaining phases have progressed to RIBA Stages 3 and 4, with all relevant building warrants already approved. 2.6 Main contract works are scheduled to resume on 21 September 2026. In advance of this, smaller enabling phases and primary works commenced on 2 May 2026. These works will be managed to ensure there is no impact on current service delivery Page 8 of 100
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Four Isles Community Centre, Airdrie 2.7 The project is currently at RIBA Stage 2 (Concept Design). Subject to completion of design development and approvals, works are expected to commence later in 2026, with completion anticipated before March 2027. Country Park Investment 2.8 A total of £510k has been allocated to support additional infrastructure, features and signage across the country parks estate. As part of this investment, the service is exploring the potential introduction of a splash park. 2.9 Site visits have been undertaken to existing splash play facilities at Helix Park to inform the development of a specification and to better understand operational and maintenance requirements. Drumpellier Country Park is currently being assessed for suitability, and procurement route options are under consideration. 2.10 The market for splash park delivery remains limited in Scotland. However, engagement is underway with both Scottish-based and wider UK contractors with relevant experience to mitigate market capacity risks. Environmental Enhancements 2.11 An investment of £400k has been approved to enhance roundabouts and arterial routes across North Lanarkshire, improving the overall appearance of key gateways into the area. A total of 46 roundabouts and six arterial routes have been identified across Motherwell, Cumbernauld, Airdrie, Coatbridge and Bellshill. A summary is provided at Appendix 2. 2.12 The majority of these locations require general clean-up and refresh works, including scraping back and renewal of central reservation materials such as slate and stone. Significant works have already commenced at Holytown Crematorium roundabout. 2.13 Discussions have been undertaken with Corporate Communications and Roads Assets to agree appropriate associated signage and placement in support of the works. Public Parks and Open Spaces Enhancement 2.14 A total of £240k has been allocated to support additional investment in public parks and open spaces. The funding will deliver a range of targeted enhancements aimed at improving the quality, appearance and overall visitor experience of these spaces, including improvements to play areas, maintenance of war memorials, and refurbishment of council-owned benches and other assets. Cost of Living Financial Supports 2.15 An allocation of £200k in 2026/27 will support the continuation of a refreshed Cash First cost-of-living offer. This builds on learning from an 18-month pilot that provided small crisis payments to reduce reliance on foodbanks and support households awaiting Scottish Welfare Fund decisions. The pilot demonstrated strong value for money, Page 9 of 100
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generating over £3.3m in income gains for individuals supported. Demand was primarily from young single adults with limited alternative support. 2.16 To balance impact with service capacity, it is proposed that the £200k is split between direct interim payments and staffing resource (either 80/120 or 100/100), ensuring delivery complements core income maximisation activity without undermining wider team performance. As this is non-recurring funding, work will continue alongside delivery to improve sustainability, including strengthening referral pathways, reducing reliance on crisis bridging payments, and better understanding demand from single young adults. Town Centre Improvement 2.17 The approved allocation of £1.375m will support additional investment to enhance the appearance and quality of town centres, contributing to regeneration and inclusive growth. A scoping exercise is currently underway to identify key issues and potential improvement opportunities across town centres. A summary is provided at Appendix 3. 2.18 Engagement has taken place with City Deal and Regeneration and Community Partnership Teams to ensure alignment with existing and planned regeneration initiatives. This includes consideration of Local Outcome Improvement Plans, Town Action Plans, and other investment programmes such as Local Development Programme (LDP) funding and Neighbourhood Board Pride in Place funding. 2.19 This activity will inform the development of a detailed and prioritised schedule of works, ensuring that new investment complements areas where significant improvements are already planned or in delivery. 2.20 The proposed programme is expected to include targeted measures such as enhanced cleansing, minor physical interventions and visual improvements. Community engagement will take place to inform delivery where appropriate 2.21 Funding will also support additional staffing resources, the purchase or hire of vehicles and equipment, materials, and the use of external contractors where required to deliver the programme at pace. 2.22 Discussions have taken place with Restorative Justice to explore opportunities for available resources to support elements of delivery, where appropriate. Next Steps 2.23 The majority of these projects remain at an early stage. Further updates will be brought to Committee as delivery progresses, providing assurance that all projects remain on track to be completed within the agreed timeline. 3 Measures of success 3.1 Delivery of projects on time and within approved budgets, resulting in clear and lasting improvements to local facilities, public spaces and town centres. 3.2 Minimal disruption to services during delivery, effective partnership working, and positive feedback from communities and elected members. Page 10 of 100
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4 Supporting documentation Appendix 1 – Project Summary Appendix 2 – Roundabouts and arterial routes Summary Appendix 3 – Town Centre Improvement Summary Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 11 of 100
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5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The changes will be managed in line with Council Policies 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ Page 12 of 100
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If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? Project Risk Registers will be in place for each project and monitored monthly by the Project Board. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☐ Page 13 of 100
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Appendix 1 – Project Summary Page 14 of 100
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Appendix 2 – Roundabouts and Arterial Routes Summary Site Code Class Area Ward ROUND15 Roundabout Airdrie Town Centre Airdrie Central ROUND14 Roundabout Clarkston Airdrie North ROUND16 Roundabout Chapelhall Airdrie South ROUND65-69 Arterial Route Bellshill East - Motherwell Rd Bellshill ROUND31 Roundabout Woodlands And Viewpark Bellshill ROUND32 Roundabout Bellshill Central And North Bellshill ROUND70 Roundabout Bellshill East Bellshill ROUND17 Roundabout Shawhead Coatbridge South ROUND19-24 Arterial Route Bargeddie - Glasgow Rd Coatbridge West ROUND27-28 Arterial Route Bargeddie - Coatbridge Rd Coatbridge West ROUND18 Roundabout Bargeddie Coatbridge west ROUND25 Roundabout Bargeddie - Glasgow Rd Coatbridge West ROUND26 Roundabout Bargeddie - Glasgow Rd Coatbridge West ROUND29 Roundabout Bargeddie Coatbridge West ROUND01 Roundabout Westfield Cumbernauld North ROUND02 Roundabout Westfield Cumbernauld North ROUND03 Roundabout Westfield Cumbernauld North ROUND04 Roundabout Westfield Cumbernauld North ROUND05 Roundabout Westfield Cumbernauld North ROUND07 Roundabout Carbrain (CDC) Cumbernauld North ROUND08 Roundabout Carrickstone Cumbernauld North ROUND09 Roundabout Carrickstone Cumbernauld North ROUND10 Roundabout Carrickstone Cumbernauld North ROUND11 Roundabout Westerwood/Old Inns Cumbernauld North ROUND12 Roundabout Wardpark Cumbernauld North ROUND64 Roundabout Dullatur Cumbernauld North ROUND13 Roundabout Town Centre Environments Cumbernauld South ROUND63 Roundabout Shotts Fortissat ROUND06 Roundabout Gartcosh Gartcosh, Glenboig and Moodiesburn ROUND33 Roundabout Chapelhall Mossend and Holytown ROUND34 Roundabout New Stevenston Mossend and Holytown ROUND35 Roundabout New Stevenston Mossend and Holytown ROUND36 Roundabout New Stevenston Motherwell North ROUND37 Roundabout New Stevenston Motherwell North ROUND38 Roundabout Newarthill & Carfin Motherwell North ROUND39 Roundabout Newarthill & Carfin Motherwell North ROUND45-48 Arterial Route North Lodge - Airbles Rd Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig ROUND53-56 Arterial Route Muirhouse - Shields Rd Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig ROUND40 Roundabout Brandon Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig ROUND41 Roundabout Brandon Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig ROUND42 Roundabout North Lodge Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig ROUND43 Roundabout North Lodge Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig ROUND44 Roundabout North Lodge Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig ROUND57 Roundabout Craigneuk Wishaw Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig Page 15 of 100
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Site Code Class Area Ward ROUND58 Roundabout Central Wishaw Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig ROUND49-52 Arterial Route Ladywell - Airbles Rd Motherwell West ROUND50 Roundabout Ladywell Motherwell West ROUND60 Roundabout Newmains & Allanton Murdostoun ROUND61 Roundabout Newmains & Allanton Murdostoun ROUND62 Roundabout Cleland Murdostoun ROUND30 Roundabout Tannochside Thorniewood ROUND59 Roundabout Central Wishaw Wishaw Page 16 of 100
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Appendix 3 – Town Centre Improvement Summary Town Centre Indicative Budget Tasks Airdrie £150,000 Remove old style litter bins Paint existing street furniture Removal of metal tree grilles, clear weed growth relay grills Paint existing street furniture Remove black square planters Supply and Plant New Tiered Planters Clean statue above entrance to old Airdrie Savings Bank (1) Support re-paint and mural of building front (1) Improve building front of vacant building in Alexander St (1) Replace trees (2) Tree lighting (2) Hallcraig Street and Airdrie Health Centre car park improvements (2) Clean war memorial (2) Clean flagpole (2) Bellshill £120,000 Remove old style litter bins Removal of redundant signage Removal of existing Shrubbery Lay new turf Plant bulbs Wishaw £120,000 Remove old style litter bins Remove black square planters Removal of flyposting/old posters on street light columns Paint benches Clean or Replace Bus Shelters Removal of redundant BT phone box Removal of vegetation growth from building roof lines Removal of redundant signage Removal of Old damaged fencing Remove moss Paint Fencing Repair Wall Cutting back of existing shrubs Motherwell £120,000 Remove old style litter bins Clean natural stone street paving Remove damaged street bollards Repair damaged street furniture (1) Paint handrails Paint Fencing Remove and replant trees at train station (1) Coatbridge £200,000 Remove old style litter bins Remove black square planters Supply and Plant New Tiered Planters (1) Paint shop canopies Cutting back of existing shrubs Plant new bulbs Lay bark mulch Cutting back of existing shrubs Paint Street Lighting columns Clean stone street paving (1) Clean Fountain Repaint feature railings (1) Range of works to improve appearance of South Circular Road Bridge (1) Repaint flagpole in West End Centenary Park (2) Page 17 of 100
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Town Centre Indicative Budget Tasks Shotts £90,000 Removal of metal tree grilles, clear weed growth relay grills Top up golden gravel at Hunter St open space Re-edge path and relay tar path at Hunter Street Re-pair retaining wall at Hunter Street Cutting back of existing shrubs Lay bark mulch Removal of metal tree grilles, clear weed growth relay grills Kilsyth £120,000 Remove old style litter bins Paint Fencing Remove Planting on building roof lines Paint existing street furniture repair paving in car park Lay bark mulch Remove moss Cutting back of existing shrubs Supply and Plant New Tiered Planters Remove black square planters Cumbernauld Cumbernauld (Village) £100,000 Refresh underpasses (2) Paint existing street furniture (1) Paint Fencing (cemetery) (1) Clean Signage (1) Paint railings (1) Repair / replace cobblestones or slabs (1) Remove tree guards (1) Lay bark mulch Plant new bulbs Repair pathways and heritage walls (1) Northern Corridor £80,000 Supply and plant new planters (2) Other works TBC Contingency £275,000 The contingency sits across the whole programme. It is not guaranteed to individual projects. TOTAL £1,375,000 (1) Tasks agreed in consultation with City Deal and Regeneration Team (2) Tasks agreed in consultation with Community Partnership Team Page 18 of 100
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Council Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref REB Date 25/06/26 Appointment of Teacher Representative to the Education, Children and Families Committee From Rachel Blair, Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) E-mail BlairR@northlan.gov.uk Executive Summary This report seeks Council approval for the appointment of a Teacher Representative for the Secondary and Additional Support Needs (ASN) sector to the Education, Children and Families Committee. Following the resignation of the previous post holder in September 2025, officers in Legal Democratic and Strategy undertook a nominations and ballot process amongst eligible teaching staff employed within the Secondary and ASN sector. The Education, Children and Families Committee, at its meeting of 26 May 2026, considered the outcome of the process and agreed to recommend the appointment of Stuart Winning to Council for formal approval. The report now seeks Council approval to appoint Stuart Winning as Teacher Representative for the Secondary and ASN sector. Recommendations It is recommended that Council: (1) Acknowledge the outcome of the nominations and ballot process undertaken for the appointment of a Teacher Representative for the Secondary and Additional Support Needs sector; (2) Approves the appointment of Stuart Winning as Teacher Representative for the Secondary and Additional Support Needs sector on the Education, Children and Families Committee; and (3) Acknowledge that the appointment will take effect from 1 September 2026. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Support all children and young people to realise their full potential Ambition statement (10) Engage with children, young people, parents, carers, and families to help all children and young people reach their full potential Item 5 Page 19 of 100
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1. Background 1.1 While there is no longer a statutory requirement for local authorities to appoint teacher representatives to education committees, North Lanarkshire Council has continued this practice in recognition of the important contribution that professional teaching representatives make to education policy, governance, and decision-making. 1.2 Teacher representatives should be appointed through a nominations and ballot process amongst eligible teaching staff, with the outcome reported to Committee and thereafter submitted to Council for formal approval. 1.2 Following the resignation of the previous Teacher Representative for the Secondary and Additional Support Needs (ASN) sector in September 2025, a vacancy arose on the Education, Children and Families Committee. 2. Report 2.1 Officers in Legal, Democratic and Strategy undertook a formal nominations process amongst eligible teaching staff employed within the Secondary and ASN sector. Two valid nominations were received within the nomination period and, as a result, a secure electronic ballot was conducted amongst eligible teaching staff. 2.2 The ballot resulted in the following outcome: 2.2.1 Stuart Winning – 83% of valid votes cast; and 2.2.2 Elaine Haldane – 17% of valid votes cast. 2.3 The Education, Children and Families Committee considered the outcome of the ballot process at its meeting on 26 May 2026 and agreed to recommend to Council that Stuart Winning be appointed as Teacher Representative for the Secondary and ASN sector. 2.4 The appointment of a Teacher Representative supports the continued inclusion of professional educational experience and operational insight within the work of the Education, Children and Families Committee. Conclusion 2.5 The nominations and ballot process has now concluded in accordance with the arrangements previously agreed by the Council. Council is therefore asked to approve the appointment of Stuart Winning as Teacher Representative for the Secondary and ASN sector on the Education, Children and Families Committee with effect from 1 September 2026. 3. Measures of success 3.1 Continued effective governance arrangements for the Education, Children and Families Committee. 3.2 Ongoing engagement of professional teaching representatives in the work of the Committee. Programme of Work Statutory / corporate / service requirement Page 20 of 100
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3.3 Transparency and fairness in the appointment process for teacher representatives.. 3.4 Strengthened educational decision-making through the inclusion of professional educational experience and operational insight within Committee discussions and scrutiny. 4. Supporting documentation None. Rachel Blair Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) Page 21 of 100
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5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? While there is no longer a statutory requirement to appoint teacher representatives to education committees, the report relates to governance arrangements previously agreed by the Council regarding the continued appointment of teacher representatives through a nominations and ballot process. The report also relates to the Council’s wider governance and committee arrangements in connection with the discharge of its statutory education functions. 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Page 22 of 100
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Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The report requires communication of the outcome of the appointment process to teaching staff, elected members, Committee members, and relevant stakeholders following Council approval. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The report relates to representation on the Education, Children and Families Committee, which has an indirect impact on decision-making affecting children and young people’s education and wellbeing. A CRWIA is not required as the measure has an indirect, positive effect on children’s rights and wellbeing through improved decision-making, but it does not create or remove entitlements, rights, or services. Page 23 of 100
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If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☒ Page 24 of 100
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Council Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref REB Date 25/06/26 North Lanarkshire Local Licensing Forum – Changes to Membership and Appointments From Rachel Blair, Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) E-mail blairr@northlan.gov.uk Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for changes to the membership of the North Lanarkshire Local Licensing Forum in accordance with the requirements of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. The Local Licensing Forum is a statutory advisory body which provides independent advice and recommendations to the Licensing Board on matters relating to the operation of the licensing system and the promotion of the licensing objectives within North Lanarkshire. The report proposes amendments to the Forum's membership to reflect retirements, changes in professional roles and the appointment of additional members whose expertise and experience will support the effective discharge of the Forum's functions. The proposed appointments will ensure that the Forum continues to maintain a balanced representation of relevant interests, including community safety, public health, licensing administration, regulatory enforcement and the licensed trade. Approval of the recommendations within this report will support the continued effectiveness of the Local Licensing Forum in providing informed, evidence-based and representative advice to the Licensing Board. Recommendations It is recommended that Council: (1) Acknowledge the statutory requirement under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to establish and maintain a Local Licensing Forum to provide advice to the Licensing Board; (2) Acknowledge the retirement of E Baillie and approves their removal from the membership of the North Lanarkshire Local Licensing Forum; (3) Approves the appointment of R Edgar and D McNeilly as representatives of Police Scotland; (4) Acknowledge the retirement of M Duffy from Police Scotland and approves their Item 6 Page 25 of 100
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1. Background 1.1 The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 requires each Licensing Board to establish a Local Licensing Forum for its area. The Forum’s statutory functions are to: • Keep under review the operation of the licensing system within the area; • Provide advice and recommendations to the Licensing Board; and • Facilitate communication between the Licensing Board and stakeholders with an interest in licensing matters. 1.2 Membership of the Forum must, so far as reasonably practicable, reflect a balance of interests including licence holders, community representatives, regulatory bodies and relevant public sector agencies. 1.3 The Council is responsible for the appointment and maintenance of Forum membership to ensure it remains representative and capable of fulfilling its statutory role. 2. Report Police Scotland Representation 2.1 On account of the retirement of E Baillie, their removal from the Licensing Forum is proposed. It is proposed that R Edgar and D McNeilly be appointed as representatives of Police Scotland. Their inclusion ensures continued operational policing input to the continued appointment to the Forum in the capacity of Licensing Standards Officer; (5) Approves the appointment of S Morgan and C Cumming as Licensing Standards Officers, the continued appointment of K Johnstone, redesignated as Licensing and Registration Manager and P Prentice as Licensing Administration Supervisor; (6) Approves the appointment of M McKenna as Regulatory Services Manager, incorporating responsibility for Trading Standards, Business Regulation (Environmental Health), Private Sector Housing, Pollution Control and Building Standards; (7) Approves the appointment of the following licence holder representatives to the Local Licensing Forum: • J Armstrong; • M Armstrong; and • G P Hood; and (8) Acknowledge that the above appointments ensure the Forum continues to maintain a balanced representation of relevant interests and expertise necessary to support its statutory advisory role. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement All ambition statements Programme of Work Statutory / corporate / service requirement Page 26 of 100
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Forum, supporting consideration of crime prevention, public safety, enforcement activity and wider community safety matters relevant to the licensing objectives. North Lanarkshire Council Representation 2.2 It is proposed that M Duffy continues to participate in the Forum in their capacity as Licensing Standards Officer, reflecting their operational role in licensing compliance, inspection and enforcement activity. 2.3 It is further proposed that S Morgan and C Cumming be appointed as additional Licensing Standards Officers. Their inclusion strengthens regulatory expertise within the Forum, ensuring a robust understanding of compliance monitoring, enforcement practice and licensing standards across the authority area. 2.4 It is proposed that K Johnstone be designated as Licensing and Registration Manager within the Forum, reflecting responsibility for oversight of licensing administration and statutory registration functions. 2.5 It is proposed that P Prentice be designated as Licensing Administration Supervisor, supporting operational delivery of licensing processes and committee administration. 2.6 It is proposed that M McKenna be appointed as Regulatory Services Manager, representing a broad regulatory function including Trading Standards, Environmental Health, Private Sector Housing, Pollution Control and Building Standards. This appointment strengthens the Forum’s access to specialist regulatory expertise. 2.7 These services play a central role in supporting the licensing objectives, particularly in relation to public health, prevention of crime and disorder, and ensuring compliance with legislative standards. Trading Standards contributes to enforcement activity including age-restricted sales interventions, test purchasing operations in partnership with Police Scotland, and investigations into counterfeit or illicit goods. Environmental Health services contribute expertise in public safety, nuisance control and the investigation of premises-related risks. Collectively, these functions provide a comprehensive regulatory perspective on the operation of licensed premises. Licensed Trade Representation 2.8 It is proposed that the following individuals be appointed as representatives of the licensed trade: • J Armstrong; • M Armstrong; and • G P Hood. 2.9 These members bring extensive operational and strategic experience from within the hospitality and licensed trade sector. Their combined input provides valuable insight into the practical application of licensing policy, operational compliance challenges, customer safety considerations, and the economic and community impacts of licensing decisions. This depth of experience provides a comprehensive understanding of licensed premises operations, workforce management, regulatory compliance and customer safety within large-scale hospitality environments. Conclusion 2.10 The proposed membership updates ensure that the North Lanarkshire Local Licensing Page 27 of 100
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Forum continues to operate with a balanced and representative membership, incorporating expertise from policing, regulatory services, Council officers, and the licensed trade. These changes strengthen the Forum’s capacity to provide informed, evidence-based advice to the Licensing Board and support the effective delivery of the licensing objectives. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The effectiveness of the Forum following these changes will be measured through: • Consistent attendance and participation across meetings; • Maintenance of balanced representation across all required stakeholder groups; • Quality and relevance of advice provided to the Licensing Board; • Evidence of cross-sector collaboration on licensing and public safety issues; • Improved responsiveness to emerging licensing and regulatory challenges • Continued compliance with statutory requirements under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. 4. Supporting documentation None. Rachel Blair Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) 5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ Page 28 of 100
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If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The report ensures compliance with the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, which places a statutory duty on the Council to establish and maintain a Local Licensing Forum. The proposed changes ensure that membership remains consistent with statutory requirements and supports the effective operation of the Licensing Board. The report also supports lawful governance arrangements by ensuring appropriate representation of key stakeholder groups involved in licensing and regulatory oversight. 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Page 29 of 100
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5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). No new or additional impacts on children and young people arise from this report. The proposed amendments relate solely to changes in membership of the North Lanarkshire Local Licensing Forum and do not alter the Forum’s remit, functions, or approach. The Forum’s existing arrangements, as last reviewed and approved in October 2025, already take account of children and young persons’ rights and wellbeing through its statutory advisory role in relation to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, including consideration of the fifth licensing objective: protecting children and young persons from harm. These established arrangements remain unchanged and continue to provide the framework within which children’s rights considerations are addressed. If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☐ Page 30 of 100
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Council Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref REB Date 25/06/26 Electronic Voting and Hybrid Meeting System – Operational Arrangements and Member Responsibilities From Rachel Blair, Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) E-mail BlairR@northlan.gov.uk Executive Summary This report provides Council with a further update on the implementation and operation of the Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System following the successful deployment of the system within the Council Chamber and associated hybrid meeting environments. The report outlines the operational arrangements now in place, the training and support provided to Elected Members, and the governance and procedural expectations associated with use of the system. Since implementation, training sessions have been offered to all Elected Members and officers, with positive engagement across political groups and Committee participants. Guidance notes and operational instructions for use of the system have also been circulated. In light of the increasing use of hybrid and remote meeting arrangements, it is necessary for Council to formally acknowledge and endorse a number of operational expectations and governance requirements relating to use of the system, participation in meetings, electronic voting arrangements, remote attendance, and compliance with the Council’s Information Security and Acceptable Use of IT Policy approved by the Finance and Resources Committee on 27 May 2026. Recommendations It is recommended that Council: (1) Acknowledge the successful implementation and operational deployment of the Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System; (2) Acknowledge that training and operational guidance has been offered to all Elected Members and relevant officers; (3) Agrees that, where Elected Members attend meetings remotely, cameras should remain switched on during electronic voting processes, except in exceptional circumstances, in order to support verification of attendance, integrity of the electronic voting process, and public confidence in hybrid democratic governance arrangements; Item 7 Page 31 of 100
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1. Background 1.1 The Council previously approved the implementation of an Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System as part of its wider programme of democratic modernisation, governance improvement, and digital transformation. The introduction of the system supports improved accessibility, resilience, transparency, and participation in Council and Committee decision-making and forms part of the wider Review of Democratic, Committee and Decision-Making Governance Procedures. 1.2 Since implementation, the system has been deployed within the Council Chamber and has been utilised for a range of Council and Committee meetings incorporating electronic voting and hybrid attendance functionality. Training sessions, demonstrations, and operational support have been made available to all Elected Members and relevant officers. In addition, guidance notes and supporting instructions have been circulated covering the operation of the electronic voting system, hybrid meeting arrangements, and practical meeting management procedures. 2. Report Operational Requirements 2.1 The operation of hybrid meetings and electronic voting arrangements requires clear and consistent governance arrangements to ensure transparency, accuracy of voting (4) Agrees that Elected Members physically attending meetings within the Council Chamber should access Microsoft Teams chat functionality only and should not join the live meeting itself as a remote participant in order to avoid duplication of attendance records, participant confusion and any potential duplication or compromise of electronic voting capability and meeting governance controls; (5) Acknowledge that all use of the Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System remains subject to compliance with the Council’s Acceptable Use of IT Policy and associated Information Security procedures approved by the Finance and Resources Committee on 27 May 2026; (6) Acknowledge that access to the Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System, and associated democratic systems, shall be undertaken using Council- issued and managed ICT equipment only and that personal devices, including personal mobile phones, tablets and laptops, must note be used for meeting participation, remote attendance, electronic voting or access to associated Council systems; and (7) Agrees that operational guidance and training materials continue to be reviewed and updated as the system develops and further hybrid meeting arrangements are implemented. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement All ambition statements Programme of Work Statutory / corporate / service requirement Page 32 of 100
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records, meeting integrity, and compliance with the Council’s procedural and information governance requirements. 2.2 Where Elected Members participate remotely in meetings, the use of cameras during electronic voting supports: • Verification of attendance and participation at the point votes are cast; • Integrity and transparency of the electronic voting process • Appropriate governance, procedural compliance and meeting management during formal decision-making; and • Public confidence in hybrid democratic arrangements and the robustness of Council decision-making processes. 2.3 It is therefore proposed that Elected Members attending meetings remotely should keep cameras switched on during electronic voting processes, except where temporary operational, connectivity, welfare, or other exceptional circumstances arise. This requirement is intended to support verification of participation, the integrity of electronic voting processes, and effective governance of hybrid meetings, whilst minimising intrusion into Members' participation during other aspects of proceedings. Use of Teams within the Chamber 2.4 During implementation and testing of the system, it has become apparent that logging simultaneously into the live Microsoft Teams meeting whilst physically present within the Council Chamber may create operational risks including: • Duplication of attendance records; • Unnecessary audio interference and feedback; • Confusion regarding participant management; and • Potential duplication of electronic voting access. 2.5 To mitigate these risks, Elected Members physically attending within the Chamber should access Microsoft Teams chat functionality only where required and should not separately join the live meeting as an online participant. This is necessary to avoid duplication of attendance records, reduce operational and audio disruption, and protect the integrity and assurance of electronic voting and meeting participation arrangements. Information Governance and Acceptable Use of IT 2.6 The use of the Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System remains subject to the Council’s wider Information Governance framework, including the Acceptable Use of IT Policy approved by the Finance and Resources Committee on 27 May 2026. Members are reminded that the policy includes requirements relating to: • Use of Council-issued devices and systems; • Restrictions on use of personal devices to access Council systems; • Restrictions on use of personal software, cloud services, and recording devices; • Information security obligations when working remotely; and • Compliance with remote access and hybrid working arrangements. 2.7 In particular, the policy confirms that personal devices must not be used to access Council systems except in the limited circumstances expressly permitted within the policy, and that personal devices must not be used to photograph, record, or otherwise Page 33 of 100
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capture proceedings, information, or material within the work environment. The policy also sets out specific requirements relating to remote access, VPN use, hybrid working arrangements, and information handling obligations designed to protect Council systems, information assets, and democratic processes. 2.8 Given the governance, security, authentication and assurance requirements associated with electronic voting and hybrid democratic participation, access to the Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System, associated platforms and Council democratic systems should be undertaken using Council-issued and managed ICT equipment only. Accordingly, personal devices, including personal mobile phones, tablets and laptops, should not be used to access live meetings, participate remotely, undertake electronic voting activity, or otherwise access associated democratic systems. This supports: • Integrity and assurance of voting arrangements; • Information security and cyber resilience requirements; • Authentication and access management controls; • Compliance with the Council’s Acceptable Use of IT Policy and Information Governance Framework; and • Protection of the integrity, transparency and public confidence associated with democratic decision-making processes. Training and Support 2.9 Positive engagement has taken place with Elected Members during the implementation phase, with Members participating in training sessions, testing exercises, and familiarisation arrangements. Operational guidance notes have been circulated and officer support remains available during meetings and training sessions to assist Members with operation of the system. 2.10 The Council will continue to review operational arrangements, guidance materials, and member support requirements as the use of the system evolves and additional hybrid and community-based meeting arrangements are implemented. Conclusion 2.11 The successful implementation of the Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System represents a significant advancement in the modernisation, accessibility, resilience and transparency of the Council’s democratic and governance arrangements. 2.12 As hybrid participation and electronic decision-making arrangements become increasingly embedded within Council operations, it is essential that clear governance controls, operational expectations and information security requirements are maintained to protect the integrity of meetings and electronic voting processes. The measures outlined within this report support effective democratic governance, secure and transparent decision-making, robust information governance compliance, and continued public confidence in the Council’s hybrid meeting and electronic voting arrangements. 3. Measures of success 3.1 Stable and secure operation of the Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System across Council and Committee meetings. Page 34 of 100
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3.2 Consistent and compliant use of the system by Elected Members and officers. 3.3 Positive engagement by Elected Members with training, guidance, and support arrangements. 3.4 Effective governance and transparency within hybrid and remote meeting arrangements. 3.5 Compliance with the Council’s Information Governance and Acceptable Use of IT requirements. 3.6 Increased accessibility and resilience in democratic participation and decision-making arrangements. 4. Supporting documentation None. Rachel Blair Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) Page 35 of 100
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5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The report supports inclusive participation in democratic decision-making by enabling elected members to attend meetings remotely where appropriate and by improving accessibility through hybrid and mobile meeting arrangements. The continued use of hybrid technology may assist members with caring responsibilities, temporary illness, disability, or mobility issues to participate more effectively in Council business. The enhanced webcasting and community venue functionality may also improve public accessibility and engagement with Council decision-making processes across North Lanarkshire. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The report relates to the operational implementation and governance arrangements associated with the Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System previously approved by Council. Financial implications associated with procurement, licensing, support, maintenance, training, and infrastructure were approved as part of earlier reports. Ongoing operational management will continue within existing approved budgets. 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The report supports lawful and transparent decision-making arrangements for Council and Committee meetings through the use of electronic voting and hybrid participation technology. The governance arrangements assist compliance with the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, relevant standing orders, access to Page 36 of 100
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information requirements, and principles of transparency and accountability in local government decision-making. The report reinforces expectations regarding member conduct, remote participation, and appropriate use of Council-issued technology. The implementation arrangements align with existing hybrid working principles, officer support arrangements, and digital governance procedures. Training and guidance have been provided to elected members and relevant officers to support effective and compliant use of the system. The report also reinforces compliance with the Council’s Acceptable Use of IT Policy approved by the Finance and Resources Committee on 27 May 2026, including restrictions relating to the use of personal devices, remote access arrangements, authentication requirements, and appropriate use of Council ICT systems. 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The report relates directly to the operational implementation and governance arrangements for the Council’s Electronic Voting and Mobile Hybrid Meeting System. The system forms part of the Council’s wider digital transformation and democratic modernisation programme, supporting hybrid participation, electronic voting, mobile webcasting capability, and improved resilience for democratic decision-making. The report also establishes operational expectations for elected members regarding the use of Microsoft Teams, remote attendance, authentication arrangements, and the use of Council-issued ICT equipment. Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The increased use of hybrid and remote attendance arrangements may reduce travel requirements for some meetings and training sessions, contributing to reduced Page 37 of 100
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vehicle usage and associated carbon emissions. The use of community venues may also reduce travel distances for some participants and attendees. 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The implementation of the system supports improved transparency and public engagement through enhanced webcasting and accessibility of Council meetings. Guidance notes and training materials have been circulated to elected members to support consistent communication and operational use of the system. The rollout of community-based hybrid meetings may also require ongoing communication and public engagement activity. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? The report identifies a range of operational, governance, information security, and reputational risks associated with hybrid meeting arrangements and electronic voting processes. These include: • Risks relating to unauthorised access or use of personal devices; • Risks of duplicate participation or voting if members improperly access meetings through multiple devices; • Connectivity or technical failures affecting participation; • Data protection and cyber security risks associated with remote access arrangements; and • Risks to transparency or public confidence arising from inconsistent use of cameras or meeting protocols. These risks are managed through: • Compliance with the Council’s Acceptable Use of IT Policy; • Mandatory use of Council-issued devices and approved authentication methods; • Training and operational guidance for elected members and officers; • Technical support and monitoring arrangements; • Established governance procedures and standing orders; and • Oversight through the Council’s ICT, Democratic, and governance frameworks. Relevant risks are monitored through service and project governance arrangements associated with the digital transformation and democratic modernisation programme. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Page 38 of 100
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Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☐ Page 39 of 100
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North Lanarkshire Council
Report
Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No
Ref REB/FE Date 25/06/26
From Rachel Blair, Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy)
E-mail blairr@northlan.gov.uk
Executive Summary
The purpose of this report is to inform the Council of forthcoming changes to Integration
Joint Board (IJB) governance arrangements arising from the Public Bodies (Joint Working)
(Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025 ("the 2025 Order"), which
will take effect on 1 September 2026.
The 2025 Order extends voting rights on IJBs to members appointed to represent the third
sector, service users and unpaid carers. It also introduces provisions relating to proxy
arrangements for these members and clarifies the notice requirements for the resignation
of members appointed by local authorities and Health Boards.
As a result, minor amendments may be required to the North Lanarkshire Integration
Scheme 2024 to ensure its provisions align with the requirements of the 2025 Order. Any
such amendments will require agreement with NHS Lanarkshire.
Scottish Government has advised that it is reviewing and updating statutory guidance
relating to Integration Joint Board roles, responsibilities and membership to support
implementation of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland)
Amendment Order 2025. The Council, NHS Lanarkshire and the Integration Joint Board
will have regard to any guidance issued prior to the commencement date of 1 September
2026.
Recommendations
It is recommended that Council:
(1) Acknowledge the introduction, from 1 September 2026, of voting rights for third
sector, service user and unpaid carer members of Integration Joint Boards,
including provision for proxy arrangements, in terms of the Public Bodies (Joint
Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Order 2014, as amended by the
Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment
Order 2025; and
(2) Delegates authority to the Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy), following
consultation with the Chief Executive and the Convener of the Health and Social
Council
The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards)
(Scotland) Amendment Order 2025: Extension of IJB Voting
Rights
Item 8
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Care Committee, to agree and implement, in conjunction with NHS Lanarkshire,
any consequential or technical amendments required to the North Lanarkshire
Integration Scheme 2024 to ensure compliance with the Public Bodies (Joint
Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025, having
regard to any guidance issued by Scottish Ministers or the Scottish Government in
relation to the implementation of the Order, and to undertake all associated actions
required by the statutory amendment process, including notification to Scottish
Ministers.
The Plan for North Lanarkshire
Priority All priorities
Ambition statement All ambition statements
Programme of Work Statutory / corporate / service requirement
1. Background
1.1 The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 established the legislative
framework for the integration of health and social care services in Scotland, with the
aim of improving outcomes for the population. In response, the Council and NHS
Lanarkshire adopted the body corporate model of integration, creating the North
Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board (IJB). The scope of delegated functions was set out
within an Integration Scheme which came into effect on 1 April 2016.
1.2 The Integration Scheme agreed between the Council and NHS Lanarkshire is subject
to review every five years. It sets out the agreement through which the Council and
NHS Lanarkshire integrate planning for, and delivery of, specified adult health and
social care services. The North Lanarkshire Integration Scheme 2024 was approved
by the Scottish Ministers and subsequently reported to Policy and Strategy Committee
on 13 March 2025.
1.3 The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Order 2014
("the 2014 Order") sets out governance requirements for Integration Joint Boards,
including provisions relating to membership and voting arrangements.
1.4 The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment
Order 2025 ("the 2025 Order") amends the 2014 Order to extend voting rights to
members appointed to represent the third sector, service users and unpaid carers. It
also introduces provisions relating to proxy arrangements and clarifies notice
requirements concerning the resignation of members appointed by local authorities and
Health Boards. The 2025 Order comes into force on 1 September 2026.
2. Report
Legislative Position
2.1 The 2025 Order amends the 2014 Order by extending voting rights on Integration Joint
Boards to members appointed to represent the third sector, service users and unpaid
carers, in addition to existing voting members appointed by the NHS Board and local
authority.
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2.2 The 2025 Order does not alter the statutory accountability of local authorities or Health Boards, nor does it amend the wider integration framework established by the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014. In addition to extending voting rights, the 2025 Order introduces provisions relating to proxy arrangements for voting and non- voting members and clarifies notice requirements relating to the resignation of local authority and Health Board appointed members. 2.3 Scottish Government has advised that it is reviewing and updating statutory guidance relating to IJB roles, responsibilities and membership to support implementation of the new arrangements. This work is being undertaken collaboratively through a short-life working group involving relevant partners. Further guidance may therefore be issued prior to the commencement date of 1 September 2026 and will be considered as part of the implementation process. Current IJB Voting Arrangements 2.4 Under the North Lanarkshire Integration Scheme 2024, provision is currently made for eight voting members on the North Lanarkshire IJB, comprising four Elected Members appointed by the Council and four representatives appointed by NHS Lanarkshire. 2.5 The Integration Scheme also provides for a number of non-voting members, including: • the Chief Officer of the Integration Joint Board; • the Council's Chief Social Work Office; • the Chief Finance Officer; • a registered primary care medical practitioner; • a registered nurse; and • a registered medical practitioner employed by the Health Board who does not provide primary medical services. 2.6 The IJB must also appoint at least one member representing each of the following groups, none of whom currently hold voting rights: • staff engaged in the provision of integrated services; • third sector bodies carrying out activities related to health or social care in North Lanarkshire; • service users residing in North Lanarkshire; and • persons providing unpaid care in North Lanarkshire. Changes to IJB Voting Arrangements 2.7 From 1 September 2026, members appointed to represent the third sector, service users and unpaid carers will become voting members of the Integration Joint Board. 2.8 Whilst the extension of voting rights increases the number of voting members participating in IJB decision-making, the statutory accountability of the Council and NHS Lanarkshire for delegated functions remains unchanged. The amendments are intended to strengthen participation and representation of lived experience within integrated governance arrangements. Current Proxy Arrangements 2.9 Under the North Lanarkshire Integration Scheme 2024, where voting members are unable to attend meetings of the IJB, the relevant appointing authority uses best Page 43 of 100
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endeavours to arrange for a suitably experienced proxy to attend and exercise voting rights on behalf of that member. 2.10 Non-voting members may similarly arrange for suitably experienced proxies to attend meetings on their behalf. However, such proxies are not currently entitled to vote. Changes to Proxy Arrangements 2.11 From 1 September 2026, members representing the third sector, service users and unpaid carers may arrange for suitably experienced proxies to attend meetings of the IJB on their behalf. In accordance with the 2025 Order, such proxies will also be entitled to vote on matters before the IJB. Amendment of the Integration Scheme 2.12 The statutory process for revising Integration Schemes is set out in section 44 of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014. Scottish Government guidance advises that, where existing Integration Schemes include specific provision relating to voting and non-voting membership arrangements, partner authorities should amend those provisions where necessary to ensure consistency with the legislative requirements introduced by the 2025 Order. 2.13 The North Lanarkshire Integration Scheme 2024 currently reflects the membership arrangements in force prior to the introduction of the 2025 Order. Although the legislative changes apply directly from 1 September 2026, amendments to the Integration Scheme may be required to ensure consistency between local governance documentation and the revised statutory framework. Any amendments are anticipated to be technical and limited to those necessary to reflect the legislative changes. 2.14 Any amendments to the Integration Scheme will require agreement between the Council and NHS Lanarkshire, supported by the Integration Joint Board. Updated Integration Schemes should be submitted jointly to Scottish Ministers as soon as reasonably practicable following agreement by the integration partners. 2.15 Given the limited and technical nature of the anticipated amendments, it is proposed that authority be delegated to the Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) to work jointly with NHS Lanarkshire and the Integration Joint Board to agree and implement any amendments required to the North Lanarkshire Integration Scheme 2024 arising from the 2025 Order. This approach will facilitate timely compliance with the revised statutory framework without requiring a further report to Council for minor consequential amendments. Conclusion 2.16 The 2025 Order represents a significant development in Integration Joint Board governance by extending voting rights to representatives of the third sector, service users and unpaid carers. Although the changes do not alter the fundamental accountability arrangements between the Council and NHS Lanarkshire, they require consideration of consequential amendments to the North Lanarkshire Integration Scheme 2024. 2.17 Delegated authority will support the timely implementation of any necessary changes to ensure compliance with the revised legislative framework by 1 September 2026 and maintain effective governance arrangements within the North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board. Page 44 of 100
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3. Measures of success 3.1 The North Lanarkshire Integration Scheme 2024 is reviewed and, where necessary, amended by 1 September 2026 to ensure consistency with the requirements of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025. 3.2 Any required amendments are agreed jointly with NHS Lanarkshire and notified to Scottish Ministers in accordance with statutory requirements and Scottish Government guidance. 3.3 The North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board successfully implements the revised voting and proxy arrangements from 1 September 2026. 3.4 Measures of success for Integration Authorities continue to be assessed through the national health and wellbeing outcomes framework and associated outcome indicators. 4. Supporting documentation Appendix 1 - Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025. Rachel Blair Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) 5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025 extends voting rights to members appointed to represent the third sector, service users and unpaid carers. The changes are intended to strengthen participation and representation within Integration Joint Board decision- making, ensuring that the perspectives and lived experiences of individuals who use services and those who provide unpaid care are more directly reflected in governance arrangements. The Scottish Government has undertaken an Equality Impact Assessment in relation to the legislation, which recognised the positive impact of increasing the involvement of underrepresented groups in integrated health and social care governance. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Page 45 of 100
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As this report relates to the implementation of national legislation and does not introduce a new Council policy or service change, a separate Equality and Fairer Scotland Impact Assessment has not been undertaken. Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The report advises Members of changes introduced by the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025, which come into force on 1 September 2026. The legislation extends voting rights to specified categories of Integration Joint Board members and introduces changes relating to proxy arrangements and member resignations. The Council, as a partner authority to the North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board, requires to consider whether consequential amendments are necessary to the North Lanarkshire Integration Scheme 2024 to ensure alignment with the revised legislative framework. 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Page 46 of 100
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Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The report may result in minor amendments to governance documentation and administrative processes associated with Integration Joint Board membership arrangements. However, no significant technology changes or digital transformation activity is required as a consequence of the legislative changes. Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Any amendments to the North Lanarkshire Integration Scheme 2024 will require to be communicated to relevant stakeholders, including NHS Lanarkshire, the Integration Joint Board and affected IJB members, to ensure awareness of the revised voting and proxy arrangements prior to implementation on 1 September 2026. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? There is a risk that the North Lanarkshire Integration Scheme 2024 may not fully reflect the revised legislative framework introduced by the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025. Failure to review and implement any necessary amendments could create uncertainty regarding local governance arrangements and decision-making processes within the Integration Joint Board. This risk will be managed through early engagement with NHS Lanarkshire and the Integration Joint Board, consideration of any guidance issued by Scottish Government, and the proposed delegation of authority to implement any necessary technical amendments in advance of the commencement date of 1 September 2026. The risk will be monitored through existing governance arrangements within Legal, Democratic and Strategy and the Integration Joint Board. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Page 47 of 100
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Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☐ Page 48 of 100
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legislation.gov.uk Home Explore our collections Research tools Help and guidance What's new About us English Cymraeg Title: Year: Number: Type: Advanced Search All UK Legislation (excluding originating from the EU) Search The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025 Table of Contents Content Policy Note ? More Resources ? Plain View S C O T T I S H S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S 2025 No. 405 PUBLIC HEALTH SOCIAL CARE The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025 Made 17th December 2025 Laid before the Scottish Parliament 19th December 2025 Coming into force 1st September 2026 The Scottish Ministers make the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 12(1)(a) and (b) and 69(1) of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014(1) and all other powers enabling them to do so. In accordance with section 12(3) of that Act, they have consulted with each local authority, Health Board and integration joint board. Citation and commencement 1. This Order may be cited as the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025 and comes into force on 1 September 2026. Amendment of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Order 2014 2. —(1) The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Order 2014(2) is amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4). (2) In article 1(2) (citation, commencement and interpretation), for the definition of “voting member” substitute— Previous Next Print Options Instrument Status: only available in its original format. Page 49 of 100
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““voting member” means a member appointed by virtue of article 3(1)(a) or (b), article 3(7)(b), (c) or (d), article 5(2)(a) or (b) or article 5(7)(b),(c) or (d).”. (3) In article 9(2) (resignation of members), after “voting member” insert “, referred to in article 3(1)(a) or (b) or article 5(2)(a) or (b),”. (4) For article 12 (proxies) substitute— Proxies 12.—(1) If a voting member, referred to in article 3(1)(a) or (b) or article 5(2)(a) or (b), is unable to attend a meeting of the integration joint board the constituent authority which nominated the member is to use its best endeavours to arrange for a suitably experienced proxy, who is either a councillor or, as the case may be, a member of the Health Board, to attend the meeting in place of the voting member. (2) If a voting member, referred to in article 3(7)(b), (c), or (d) or article 5(7)(b), (c) or (d), is unable to attend a meeting of the integration joint board that member may arrange for a suitably experienced proxy to attend the meeting in place of the voting member. (3) If a member who is not a voting member is unable to attend a meeting of the integration joint board that member may arrange for a suitably experienced proxy to attend the meeting. (4) A proxy attending a meeting of the integration joint board by virtue of paragraphs (1) or (2) may vote on decisions put to that meeting. (5) If the chairperson or vice chairperson is unable to attend a meeting of the integration joint board, any proxy attending the meeting may not preside over that meeting.”. St Andrew's House, Edinburgh, 17th December 2025 TOM ARTHUR Authorised to sign by the Scottish Ministers EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Order) This Order amends the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Order 2014 (the 2014 Order). Article 2(2) provides that integration joint board members, appointed under articles 3(6) or 5(6) of the 2014 Order to represent third sector bodies, service users and unpaid carers, can vote at board meetings. Article 2(3) and (4) make corresponding amendments relating to the resignation of members and proxy voting. An Equality Impact Assessment and a Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment have been prepared and are available online at legislation.gov.uk. (1) 2014 asp 9. (2) S.S.I. 2014/285. Back to top The data on this page is available in the alternative data formats listed: HTML5 HTML snippet PDF XML Akoma Ntoso HTML RDFa RDF/XML Previous Next Page 50 of 100
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All New site design Help About us Site map Accessibility Contact us Privacy notice Cookies © Crown and database right content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. This site additionally contains content derived from EUR-Lex, reused under the terms of the Commission Decision 2011/833/EU on the reuse of documents from the EU institutions. For more information see the EUR-Lex public statement on re-use. Page 51 of 100
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Council Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref REB/FE Date 25/06/26 Work Related Death Protocol – Adoption and Signatory Status From Rachel Blair, Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) E-mail blairr@northlan.gov.uk Executive Summary The Work Related Death Protocol in Scotland (“the Protocol”) (attached as Appendix 1) establishes a national, multi-agency framework for the effective investigation of deaths arising out of or in connection with work. It is jointly agreed by key investigative and regulatory bodies to ensure that such incidents are investigated thoroughly, consistently, and with appropriate consideration of potential criminality. The Protocol places particular emphasis on early, structured liaison between agencies with distinct but complementary statutory responsibilities, including the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), Police Scotland, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the British Transport Police, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Office for Nuclear Regulation, and the Office of Rail and Road. This coordinated approach supports the safeguarding of evidence, avoids unnecessary duplication, and promotes effective and timely investigative decision-making. Work related deaths are often complex, involving multiple agencies and overlapping jurisdictions. COPFS retains overall responsibility for the investigation of deaths in Scotland and determines whether criminal proceedings or a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) should follow. The Protocol supports this role by ensuring that potential criminality, whether arising from health and safety breaches, organisational failings, or individual conduct, is identified and assessed on a robust evidential basis. The Protocol was updated and republished on 8 May 2025, incorporating learning from major incidents and strengthening inter-agency communication and governance arrangements. Its core principles remain unchanged: robust investigation, effective liaison, transparency, professionalism, and appropriate consideration for those affected by workplace fatalities. COPFS has requested that all Scottish local authorities become signatories to the Protocol. This report outlines the purpose of the Protocol, the implications of the Council becoming a signatory, and the governance arrangements that will be applied prior to formal adoption. It is important to note that the Council will only become a signatory to the Protocol following appropriate internal consideration and professional advice. This will include input from Legal, Democratic and Strategy, Safety and Wellbeing, and other relevant officers to ensure that the Council fully understands and can meet the obligations arising from participation. Item 9 Page 53 of 100
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1. Background 1.1 A work related death is defined as a fatality resulting from an incident arising out of or in connection with work. The Protocol provides a formal, national framework designed to ensure that such deaths are investigated in a consistent, coordinated, and effective manner. 1.2 The Protocol establishes clear expectations for joint working, information sharing, and the coordination of investigative activity across agencies. Its purpose is to support a thorough and transparent approach to determining the circumstances of a death, particularly where potential criminality may arise across multiple jurisdictions. 1.3 This coordinated approach strengthens public confidence by demonstrating that relevant authorities work collectively in the interests of safety, accountability, and justice. 1.4 The Protocol brings together a range of organisations with statutory responsibilities for investigation and regulation, including COPFS, Police Scotland, HSE, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Office of Rail and Road, British Transport Police, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and the Office for Nuclear Regulation. 1.5 Each organisation contributes specialist expertise and operates within its own statutory remit. The Protocol ensures that these roles are aligned and coordinated, minimising duplication and preserving the integrity of evidence. 1.6 COPFS has overall responsibility for the investigation of deaths in Scotland. It Recommendations It is recommended that Council: (1) Acknowledges the publication of the updated Work Related Death Protocol, issued on 8 May 2025 (Appendix 1); (2) Endorses the principles of the Protocol as a means of strengthening public protection, supporting alignment with national investigative standards, and enhancing accountability in the Council’s response to work related fatalities; (3) Agrees in principle that the Council should become a signatory to the Protocol, subject to appropriate internal review and professional advice; and (4) Delegates authority to the Leader of the Council to sign the Protocol, or otherwise confirm the Council’s participation through COSLA, following confirmation that all necessary advice and governance requirements have been satisfied. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement All ambition statements Programme of Work Statutory / corporate / service requirement Page 54 of 100
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determines whether criminal proceedings or a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) is appropriate. The Protocol supports COPFS by ensuring that all relevant evidence is identified, secured, and assessed in a structured and timely manner, enabling informed decisions in the public interest. 1.7 COPFS has requested that all local authorities in Scotland become signatories to the Protocol. As a signatory, the Council would formally participate in the multi-agency framework, contributing to coordinated investigations and fulfilling its role as a Specialist Reporting Agency where appropriate. Prior to becoming a signatory, the Council will seek and consider appropriate professional advice, including from Legal, Democratic and Strategy (in relation to statutory duties, evidential requirements, and governance), Safety and Wellbeing (in relation to regulatory responsibilities and investigative practice) and relevant senior officers within affected Services. This will ensure that the Council is fully satisfied that it can meet the expectations and obligations arising from participation in the Protocol. 2. Report 2.1 The Protocol is founded on a structured approach to multi-agency collaboration. It ensures that organisations with investigative and regulatory responsibilities work in a coordinated manner, sharing information effectively and aligning their respective roles. This approach supports robust evidence gathering, reduces duplication, and enables timely and well-informed decision-making. 2.2 The Protocol establishes key principles for liaison and cooperation. It does not replace operational procedures but provides a framework within which agencies coordinate their activity. The objectives of a work related death investigation are to: 2.2.1 eliminate the risk of undetected homicide or other criminality; 2.2.2 protect public safety and prevent further harm; 2.2.3 provide reassurance to the public; 2.2.4 secure and preserve evidence to support COPFS in determining appropriate action, including prosecution or FAIR; and 2.2.5 support the accurate recording of data and statistics. 2.3 The underlying principles include: 2.3.1 comprehensive and proportionate investigation; 2.3.2 clear delineation of responsibilities between police and specialist reporting agencies; 2.3.3 early and effective liaison between all relevant parties; 2.3.4 timely decision-making by COPFS; 2.3.5 appropriate communication with bereaved families; and 2.3.6 coordinated media handling. 2.4 The Protocol requires early engagement between agencies to establish roles, responsibilities, and investigative scope, ensuring a coordinated and efficient response. Investigations are led initially by Police Scotland and relevant specialist reporting agencies, with COPFS directing and determining whether criminality can be excluded or proceedings should follow. All signatories are required to support public inquiries, Fatal Accident Inquiries, or other formal processes by providing relevant evidence and assistance. Decisions on prosecution are taken by the Procurator Fiscal following a full assessment of the evidence. Communication of outcomes is managed in accordance with agreed strategies. Page 55 of 100
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2.5 As a signatory, the Council would be expected to: 2.5.1 participate fully in multi-agency investigations; 2.5.2 ensure that relevant evidence is identified, secured, and shared appropriately; 2.5.3 operate in accordance with the principles and expectations set out in the Protocol. 2.6 These responsibilities align with the Council’s existing duties in relation to health and safety, regulatory enforcement, and public protection. Conclusion 2.7 The Work Related Death Protocol provides a robust, nationally recognised framework for the investigation of deaths arising out of or in connection with work. It promotes effective multi-agency collaboration, strengthens evidential integrity, and supports consistent and transparent decision-making in complex and sensitive circumstances. 2.8 Becoming a signatory to the Protocol would align the Council with national best practice, reinforce its commitment to public protection, and enhance its ability to contribute effectively to multi-agency investigations. The expectations placed on the Council through the Protocol are consistent with its existing statutory responsibilities in relation to health and safety, regulation, and enforcement. 2.9 The Council will only proceed to formal signatory status following appropriate internal consideration and professional advice, including from Legal, Democratic and Strategy Safety and Wellbeing, to ensure that all obligations are clearly understood and can be fully met. Subject to this assurance, participation in the Protocol represents a proportionate and positive step in strengthening governance, accountability, and collaborative working in relation to work related deaths. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The effectiveness of the Scheme of Delegation will be demonstrated through: 3.1.1 Timely and proportionate decision-making at the appropriate level; 3.1.2 Clear alignment between delegated authorised and organisational responsibilities; 3.1.3 Consistency, transparency, and auditability of decisions across services; 3.1.4 Ongoing compliance with statutory and governance requirements; and 3.1.5 Reduction in delays or escalations arising from unclear or outdated delegations. 3.2 Collectively, these outcomes will support a robust governance environment, enabling the Council to deliver services efficiently while maintaining strong accountability and oversight. 4. Supporting documentation None. Rachel Blair Page 56 of 100
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Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) 5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Becoming a signatory to the Protocol formalises the Council’s participation in a national multi-agency framework for the investigation of work related deaths. This has legal implications in terms of compliance with statutory duties, evidential standards, and cooperation with investigative authorities, including the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The Council will only become a signatory following appropriate legal advice to ensure that all obligations are fully understood and can be met. 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ Page 57 of 100
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If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The Protocol may require the Council to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place for the secure management, sharing, and retention of information as part of multi-agency investigations. This aligns with existing data management and governance processes and does not require significant system changes. Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The Protocol includes expectations regarding coordinated communication and media handling in relation to work related deaths. This may require alignment with corporate communications processes to ensure consistent and appropriate messaging in liaison with partner agencies. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? There is a governance and operational risk associated with becoming a signatory, including the need to ensure compliance with the Protocol and effective participation in multi-agency investigations. Failure to meet these expectations could result in reputational risk and potential legal challenge. These risks will be mitigated through: • obtaining appropriate professional advice (including Legal, Democratic and Strategy and Safety and Wellbeing) prior to becoming a signatory; • aligning existing procedures with Protocol requirements; and • managing risks through existing Service risk registers and governance arrangements. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Page 58 of 100
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Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☐ Page 59 of 100
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Full Council Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref FW/LC Date 25/06/26 Long Service Recognition Scheme From Fiona Whittaker, Chief Officer (People Resources) E-mail whittakerf@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07973 728628 Executive Summary Following a motion by Full Council and in recognition of the valuable contributions made by long-serving employees, North Lanarkshire Council is proposing to introduce a Long Service Recognition Scheme. As this year also marks the 30th anniversary of North Lanarkshire Council, since its inception on 1 April 1996, it is intended to launch the scheme in line with our wider celebration of this historic milestone, and to recognise all the many employees who have contributed to the Council’s success in the intervening years. As of the 1st April 2026, the council has approximately 1,208 employees who have 30 years’ service or more across a range of services and at all levels of the organisation. Currently, the majority of these staff sit between 30 and 39 years, with less between 40 and 49 years and one employee within the 50 years category. Several other public sector organisations currently operate long service recognition schemes, including comparator local authorities, and such initiatives are well known to foster a culture of appreciation and respect. Accordingly, the Council is keen to progress with the establishment of its own Long Service Recognition Scheme to ensure that we are contributing positively to staff morale and retention and fully recognising the considerable dedication and loyalty of our long serving employees. The remainder of this report sets out the rationale for introducing the scheme, outlines the proposed approach and presents the preferred scheme for approval and implementation. Recommendations It is recommended that Full Council: 1. Agree to the introduction of a Long Service Recognition Scheme within North Lanarkshire Council that recognises loyalty and commitment, fosters a sense of value among employees, and supports engagement and retention across the organisation. 2. Acknowledge that a range of different options have been carefully evaluated, drawing on best practice, with additional consideration given to all financial, motivational, and operational implications. Item 10 Page 61 of 100
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1. Background 1.1 On 2nd October 2025, at Full Council, a motion was agreed to research and establish a long service scheme to recognise employees for their loyalty and commitment to the Council and the communities of North Lanarkshire. The motion was well supported by Elected Members and requested as follows: “North Lanarkshire Council acknowledges and values the dedication of our staff, many of whom have given long and committed service to the residents of North Lanarkshire through the wide range of services delivered by the Council. Council agrees that consideration be given to the formal recognition of long-serving employees, with the appropriate length-of-service milestones to be determined as part of this and reflecting common practice, as appropriate, across the public sector.” 1.2 Prior to the establishment of North Lanarkshire Council in 1996, it is known that some long service schemes did operate within antecedent local authorities including Monklands District Council, Cumbernauld & Kilsyth District Council, Motherwell District Council and Cumbernauld Development Corporation. Notably Strathclyde Regional Council did not operate a long service recognition scheme. 1.3 Although North Lanarkshire Council itself has never operated such a scheme since its establishment in April 1996, a small number of employees who joined previous antecedent authorities did transfer, under local agreements, with contractual long service entitlements and they continue to receive milestone awards in line with these contractual entitlements. Previous scheme recognition periods typically ranged from 20 to 40 years and awards varied in nature, ranging from financial gifts to the purchase of items of a specified value. 1.4 In drafting the proposed scheme set out within this report, and as per the wording of the motion, we have fully considered other more current local authority schemes to establish how these are structured, and to determine what type and level of recognition awards are typically applied. A key part of the scheme is also the requirement to clarify what scope of continuous service should be applied to determine eligibility, particularly for those in the categories at 30 years and above, reflecting on how other local authorities have approached this and acknowledging the history and evolution of the Council’s own workforce. Eligibility and Continuous Service 1.5 Establishing eligibility for long service recognition requires first determining the right scope and nature of continuous service that should be adopted. In doing this it is important to pay due regard to how the Employment Rights Act 1996 defines the way in which continuous service must be calculated. The principal rule is that every week, running from Saturday to Sunday, in which there is a contract of employment between The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve North Lanarkshire's resource base Ambition statement (23) Build a workforce for the future capable of delivering on our priorities and shared ambition Programme of Work All Programmes of Work Page 62 of 100
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the employee and employer counts as continuous service. Weeks can also count towards continuous service without a contract in place if: • The employee cannot work because of illness or injury. • There is a temporary cessation of work. • There is an arrangement or custom that regards the period as counting towards continuous service. 1.6 One example of this is an employee who is employed in a school until the end of a school term and is then given another contract at the start of the next term. Under the Employment Rights Act, the entire period of employment under both contracts, and the school holiday period between contracts, counts as continuous service. 1.7 Furthermore, the Red Book and the associated Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government, etc.) (Modification) Order “the Order”1999, both determine the Council’s usual method of calculating continuous service and set out a clear consistent definition across local government in Scotland. This mandates for all SJC aligned staff that employees who have joined from other councils or any other organisation specified in “the Order” have the right to have their previous service recognised by the Council for specific purposes, namely redundancy, sick pay, annual leave and maternity pay. 1.8 Additionally, North Lanarkshire Council’s Schedule A Local Agreement, provides that: “for the purpose of calculating entitlement to redundancy, occupational sickness, occupational maternity payments and annual leave includes all continuous service with any employer contained within the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government, etc) (Modification) Order 1999 as amended”. 1.9 With regards to staff on SNCT terms and conditions, where it is more common for individuals to have worked for more than one local authority in the course of their career, North Lanarkshire’s Schedule of Terms and Conditions of Employment for Teachers and Associated Professionals in Education and Families requires that: “For the purpose of Section 1 (3) and Section 211 of the Employment Rights Act, 1996, the Council does not recognise service with any previous employer(s) as being continuous service with the Council. However, it does recognise continuous local government service for the purpose of, and as defined in, the Redundancy Payments (Local Government) (Modification) Order 1983 and subsequent Amendments Orders thereto.” 1.10 Although none of these definitively or legally specify that standard definitions of continuous service should automatically apply for the purposes of recognising of long service, they are known and understood by staff and trade unions to be the council’s normal approach to continuous service. They also define the information held within our HR systems as applied to all other employment matters outlined above and encompass the primary definition on which we normally report staff length of service to Committee. 1.11 We have also reviewed the scope of continuous service eligibility position taken by other local authorities who have long service awards, including within our comparator group, and have established that there are some differences between local authorities who have long service awards in place, however in the main their approach tends to specify one of the following: Page 63 of 100
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• all continuous service under a contract of employment between the Council and the employee including continuous local government service for the purpose of, and as defined in, the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government, etc) (Modification) Order 1999 as amended”. • all continuous service under a contract of employment between the Council and the employee including service with that Council and any of its predecessor (antecedent) authorities. • in recognising antecedent authorities, some specify a particular geographic boundary, such as Highland Council who specify that only predecessor local authorities within the boundary of the Highland Council area will qualify and service with associated public bodies or local authorities out with the Highland Council boundary do not count towards continuous service within their scheme. • others specify only predecessor authorities that transferred on 1 April 1996 for example West Dumbartonshire recognises Strathclyde Regional Council, Dumbarton District Council, and Clydebank District Council. Similarly, Argyll and Bute Council recognise its predecessor authorities that transferred in 1996 (Argyll and Bute District Council, Dumbarton District Council and Strathclyde Regional Council). • it is also common to specify ALEO’s or other relevant public body entities who are associated with or may have transferred into the Council since its inception and to recognise the prior service of these. Importantly, where these are specified, they are likely to be linked to TUPE transfers or other local trade union agreements, for example, Aberdeenshire recognises The North East of Scotland Water Board Prior to 16 May 1975. 1.12 A material workforce consideration for North Lanarkshire Council, would be the importance of recognising the service of staff from previous ALEO’s which have now transferred into the Council including former CLNL staff, some of whom remain on legacy terms and conditions under TUPE, or have already been harmonised with their service recognised under normal provisions for continuous service entitlements under the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government, etc) (Modification) Order 1999 as amended. 1.13 Taking into account all of the above, it is recommended that eligibility for the proposed North Lanarkshire Council Long Service Recognition Scheme is based on all unbroken service under the employee’s current contract of employment with North Lanarkshire Council and/or any previous employer contained within the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government, etc) (Modification) Order 1999 as amended. Recognition Levels 1.14 With regards to recognition levels and types, our review of other relevant local authority long service recognition schemes has established that the most common features are: • a two or three stepped milestone structure for long service recognition, starting at either 25 or 30 years and rising to 40 and 50 years. • an increasing award for each of these milestones, which differs in nature between councils but increases in size or value with each milestone. Page 64 of 100
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• awards which range from annual leave to monetary gift or voucher values that vary widely between different local authorities in terms of maximum value. • a certificate and/or celebration event for all staff who qualify. 1.15 The remainder of this report outlines the options considered and provides a recommendation on the preferred approach for the newly established scheme. A draft scheme has also been included for review and approval. 2. Report 2.1 A Long Service Recognition Scheme offers significant benefits by recognising and rewarding employee loyalty, which helps improve retention and reduce turnover costs. It fosters a sense of value and appreciation, boosting morale and motivation while promoting a positive workplace culture. 2.2 Additionally, such a scheme enhances the organisation’s reputation as an employer of choice, supporting recruitment efforts and reinforcing the message that long-term commitment is valued. The scheme must, however, be meaningful, cost-effective, and sustainable for both the Council and the employees it serves and therefore several different types of recognition award have been given full consideration in the preparation of the proposed scheme set out below. 2.3 It is understood through recent dialogue with Trade Union colleagues that for long service awards to be seen as meaningful, they must reflect genuine appreciation, offer tangible value, and be perceived as fair and relevant to the level of commitment shown over many years. 2.4 Additionally, recent feedback through the staff survey has indicated that staff greatly appreciate the many benefits and rewards that the Council offers and would like to see more of these. Trade Unions have also indicated their view that staff are likely to react most favourably to a scheme that provides a tangible benefit either through a financial reward or additional time off. 2.5 Our review of other local authority schemes has established that financial awards (including vouchers) vary widely, with maximum awards for the longest service ranging from £250 to £800. Given the Council’s known financial challenges, and the risk in this context that any award may be perceived as too little or too much, it is thought that additional time off would be a better approach for the Council to take at this time. Informal consultations with Trade Unions have also indicated that this approach would be received favourably by employees. 2.6 Whilst full consideration has been given to other low-cost approaches to recognising service milestones, such as commemorative pins, badges for each milestone year, or certificates, these options alone are not considered attractive to employees, and they are unlikely to significantly encourage engagement or convey meaningful appreciation. 2.7 It should be noted that any Long Service Recognition Scheme introduced by the Council will be applicable to all employees who are currently on North Lanarkshire Council contracts of employment. This includes staff on both SJC and SNCT terms and conditions. Page 65 of 100
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Recognition Award Structure 2.8 Based on all of the considerations set out above, and to align with the Council’s celebration of its 30th year anniversary it is proposed that long service recognition awards be given as annual leave across a three-milestone structure and as follows: 30 years’ service – 1 day of additional leave 40 years’ service – 2 days of additional leave 50 years’ service – 5 days of additional leave 2.9 The numbers of staff currently at and between categories as of 1st January 2026 is as follows: Service 30-39 yrs 40-49 yrs 50 plus TOTAL Adult Health and Social Care 117 10 0 127 Chief Executives 143 27 0 170 Education and Families 322 23 1 346 Enterprise and Comms 462 102 0 564 NL Properties 1 0 0 1 TOTAL 1045 162 1 1208 2.10 All numbers are based on milestone eligibility for continuous service as recommended above (and aligned to the Red Book and SNCT Handbook) and it is recommended that this is the eligibility criteria adopted for the reasons outlined in paragraph 1.5 –1.12 above. 2.11 All leave awarded will be non-contractual and deemed as special leave and will not be added on a permanent basis to the employee’s annual leave entitlement. Additionally, the leave must be taken in the year in which it is awarded and cannot be exchanged for pay or carried into the next leave year. 2.12 It should be noted that in the first year of implementation, and as outlined in the above numbers, there will be staff who technically qualify, but fall between the agreed categories. It is proposed that all staff who fall between categories are given the award at the lower end of the category in the first year of implementation which will be deemed as eligible from the 1st January 2026. 2.13 There will be some staff at the top end of the category (e.g. 39 years) who will be subsequently awarded additional leave in year two from 1st January 2027 (e.g. at 40 years) however this cannot be avoided, and expected numbers of staff in this position are likely to be very small. The same principle would apply in the event that a financial award was being proposed for staff in these categories. 2.14 Additionally, as any long service award scheme must apply to all Council employees, consideration needs to be given to how those on term-time contracts, such as teachers, school cleaners, clerical, and catering staff, will accommodate additional leave when their working patterns are already fixed and do not allow for self-selected annual leave days. 2.15 Given the numbers between categories as outlined above, including a substantive number of term time workers, and the fact that the Council is implementing the scheme part way through the year, there will be an impact expected in the first year, and this will need to be managed in agreement with key services during the remainder on 2026. Thereafter the impact of numbers of staff moving into categories is expected to be significantly smaller. Page 66 of 100
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2.16 It is also recognised that there will be an impact in some service areas with known workforce pressures who already find it difficult to accommodate regular annual leave without there being additional leave to consider and accommodate. As outlined above, however, the main impact will occur in the first year, with the requirement to accommodate all staff between categories, with much smaller numbers thereafter reaching milestones on an annual basis. Certificates for Milestones 2.17 Work has been undertaken in partnership with the Council’s communications team to develop certificates for employees who reach milestone service anniversaries of 30, 40, or 50 years by 31 December of the preceding year. These certificates will be issued in January. 2.18 Wherever possible, certificates will be hand-delivered by a senior member of the relevant management team, accompanied by a letter of appreciation from the Chief Executive thanking employees for their long service and outlining how their reward will be applied. Chief Officers may also choose to recognise these milestone achievements at team meetings or other appropriate forums. Sample certificates are provided as Appendix 2 of this report. 2.19 In a similar vein, to ensure that all employees who retire from the Council are appropriately recognised and thanked for their service, regardless of length, a retirement card will be issued from the Chief Executive. This card will convey the Council’s appreciation and acknowledge the individual’s contribution during their time in service. A sample card is provided at Appendix 3 of this report. Additional Considerations 2.20 As with any new policy, scheme, or initiative, consideration must be given to the wider legal and equality context. In particular, long service recognition schemes may give rise to differential impacts in relation to age and potentially other protected characteristics where employees with longer service are more likely to qualify for benefits or recognition. It is also important to confirm that the awards do not inadvertently create contractual obligations or affect existing terms and conditions of employment. 2.21 The Council nevertheless considers that the proposed scheme pursues legitimate organisational aims, including recognising loyalty and commitment, improving employee engagement and morale, supporting workforce retention, encouraging long- term service, and positively reinforcing organisational culture and values. The proposed scheme has been designed to represent a proportionate means of achieving these aims, having regard to the modest and non-contractual nature of the awards, the relatively limited financial value of the benefit, the consistency of application across all employee groups, and established practice across the wider local government sector. 2.22 Therefore, while options have been considered and a preferred approach identified, rigorous checks will be carried out before the scheme is finalised and published to ensure full compliance with legislative requirements and to minimise any risk to the Council and its reputation. 2.23 It is anticipated that the one-off cost to implement the Long Service Recognition Scheme could be in the region of c. £0.150m to £0.250m (Financial Year 2026/27). However, as conveyed within preceding sections of the report, the actual Page 67 of 100
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costs associated with the scheme will be wholly dependent on the nature of the service, and any cover-based requirements resultant from employees utilising their award allocation. 2.24 Notwithstanding, it is anticipated that costs of the scheme can be managed and accommodated within existing employee cost budgets of respective services. This pertains to both the one-off costs of implementing the scheme coupled with the limited effects of such thereafter. In addition, via established practice in managing contractual annual leave entitlement, and indeed other entitlements, the operational and financial impacts of the scheme can be further mitigated. Next Steps 2.25 Upon approval, the Long Service Recognition Scheme will be implemented with immediate effect. Trade unions and employees will be notified accordingly, and appropriate measures will be taken to ensure all eligible employees are informed of their award and how it can be accessed and utilised. 3. Measures of success 3.1 Employees feel valued and view North Lanarkshire Council as an employer of choice that recognises loyalty, dedication and service in a meaningful way. 3.2 There is an increase in average length of service and reduction in turnover rates allowing employees to reach milestone years. 3.3 The scheme is delivered within budget constraints and demonstrates savings through reduced recruitment and training of new employees. 3.4 The scheme is administered successfully, and all eligible employees are able to access and benefit from the scheme. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 – Long Service Recognition Scheme 4.2 Appendix 2 – Long Service Certificates 4.3 Appendix 3 – Retirement Card Fiona Whittaker Chief Officer (People Resources) Page 68 of 100
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5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☒ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Discussion has still to take place regarding the financial impact of any long service award scheme and how this will be funded. 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? This is a new scheme for the Council and will need to be assessed to ensure compliance with legislation and equalities. 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ Page 69 of 100
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5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☐ Page 70 of 100
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Long Service Recognition Scheme May 2026 Page 71 of 100
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Long Service Recognition Scheme 2 Document control Title Long Service Recognition Scheme Owner Fiona Whittaker, Chief Officer (People Resources) Contact whittakerf@northlan.gov.uk Governance Group Council Author Linda Cullen, Employment and Policy Manager Contact CullenLi@northlan.gov.uk Revision History Number Originator Date Review Commenced Revision description/record of change 1 Linda Cullen May 2026 New Scheme being introduced to Council Document Approvals Number Governance Group Date approval granted Date approval to be requested (if document still draft) 1 Council Consultation Record (for most recent update) Status of document consulted upon Stakeholders consulted/date CMT, Recognised Trade Unions, Council Strategic Alignment Improving the Council’s Resource Base – A Workforce Strategy that is built around the needs of the council (as a single resource base) to deliver the priority outcomes, ensuring future workforce requirements, new skills and innovative approaches, and succession planning are recognised. Next review date Review Date The scheme will be subject to regular review to ensure continued alignment with the Council’s culture and business requirements. Page 72 of 100
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Long Service Recognition Scheme 3 INTRODUCTION North Lanarkshire Council is committed to recognising and valuing the contribution of employees who demonstrate long-term commitment and service to the Council. This Long Service Recognition Scheme has been introduced to acknowledge and celebrate employees who reach significant service milestones, reflecting the importance of loyalty, experience and dedication to the Council. The scheme provides a consistent and meaningful approach to recognising long service and reinforces the Council’s commitment to valuing its workforce. SCOPE This Scheme applies to all Council employees, except for casual workers; agency staff and those who remain on TUPE terms and conditions with organisations that are out with the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government, etc) (Modification) Order 1999 as amended. Staff who have existing contractual long service entitlements that transferred to the Council in 1996, will continue to receive these entitlements as specified in their antecedent authority contract provisions. The Scheme does not form part of an employee’s contract of employment and may be amended or withdrawn at the Council’s discretion. ELIGIBILITY Employees who have completed 30, 40 or 50 years’ continuous service as at 31 December in any given year will be recognised by North Lanarkshire Council, with the award being granted in January of the following leave year. All awards must be used within the year in which they are granted. Awards will not be granted to employees who are suspended from duty or who have an active disciplinary warning on their personnel record. Once the suspension has been lifted or the disciplinary warning has expired, the award may be granted, subject to the circumstances and the approval of the Chief Officer (People Resources). Employees on long-term sickness absence will continue to receive their award. However, depending on the circumstances, it may be appropriate to extend the period during which the award can be used. Page 73 of 100
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Long Service Recognition Scheme 4 CONTINUOUS SERVICE For the purposes of eligibility for the scheme, continuous service will be recognised as all unbroken service under the employee’s current contract of employment with North Lanarkshire Council and any previous employer contained within the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government, etc) (Modification) Order 1999 as amended. Staff who have transferred to the Council and remain on the terms and conditions of their previous employer under TUPE, are eligible for the scheme if their previous employer was listed on the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government, etc) (Modification) Order 1999 as amended. The following will not be regarded as a break in service for the purposes of this scheme: • Sick leave, annual leave or public holidays • Authorised leave of absence or secondment • Maternity leave, adoption leave or special leave Full-time and part-time employees will receive the same recognition under the scheme. Where an employee works part time, the value of the award will be applied on a pro-rata basis in accordance with their contracted hours. Any concerns regarding the eligibility of an employee for an award should be directed to the Chief Officer (People Resources). AWARD Employees who have achieved the required continuous service milestone as at 31 December in any year will receive the corresponding award in January of the following leave year. On achieving 30 years continuous service at the 31 December in any year, employees will be given a certificate and granted one additional day of leave to take in the following leave year. On achieving 40 years continuous service at the 31 December in any year, employees will be given a certificate and granted two additional days of leave to take in the following leave year. Page 74 of 100
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Long Service Recognition Scheme 5 On achieving 50 years continuous service at the 31 December in any year, employees will be given a certificate and granted five additional days of leave to take in the following leave year. All additional leave granted under this scheme must be taken within the leave year in which it is awarded. There is no entitlement to a payment in lieu of this additional leave and, where the leave cannot be taken for any reason, the entitlement will be forfeited. PROCESS In November each year, the Employee Service Centre will produce a report identifying employees who have met the required service milestones by 31 December. This report will be issued to Service Managers, who will be asked to review the information and highlight any potential inaccuracies, including identifying employees who may be eligible but are not listed. Once this review has been completed, the verified list will be submitted to the relevant Chief Officer for approval. Employees who have reached a service milestone under the scheme as at 31 December will be contacted in January of the following year. They will be issued with a certificate, notified of the corresponding award, and advised that the award must be used within that leave year. Any employee who believes they have attained the required length of service to qualify for an award, but has not been contacted, should write to the Chief Officer (People Resources) outlining the reasons why they consider they have met the relevant service milestone. Employees who qualify for a recognition award but leave the service of the Council before the award has been processed will not receive the award. However, in recognition of their service, they will be issued with a certificate. Requests for additional leave days will be subject to the normal authorisation process and must be approved by the employee’s line manager, taking account of service requirements. Additional leave awarded under this scheme will not be consolidated or represent a permanent increase in the employee’s contractual annual leave entitlement and as such will not show on the employee normal leave balance on iTrent. Each award must be recorded separately under the appropriate Special Leave category and must be used within the leave year that it is awarded. REVIEW The scheme will be subject to regular review to ensure continued alignment with the Council’s culture and business requirements. Page 75 of 100
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CERTIFICATE OF LONG SERVICE APPRECIATION This certificate is proudly presented to In recognition of 50 years of dedicated service, commitment, and outstanding contribution to North Lanarkshire Council. Your loyalty, professionalism, and hard work have been invaluable to the successful delivery of services. Your commitment to the Council, and the passion and integrity you bring to your role every day, are greatly appreciated. With heartfelt thanks and best wishes for your continued success. YEARS SERVICE Des Murray Chief Executive Page 76 of 100
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CERTIFICATE OF LONG SERVICE APPRECIATION This certificate is proudly presented to In recognition of 40 years of dedicated service, commitment, and outstanding contribution to North Lanarkshire Council. Your loyalty, professionalism, and hard work have been invaluable to the successful delivery of services. Your commitment to the Council, and the passion and integrity you bring to your role every day, are greatly appreciated. With heartfelt thanks and best wishes for your continued success. YEARS SERVICE Des Murray Chief Executive Page 77 of 100
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CERTIFICATE OF LONG SERVICE APPRECIATION This certificate is proudly presented to In recognition of 30 years of dedicated service, commitment, and outstanding contribution to North Lanarkshire Council. Your loyalty, professionalism, and hard work have been invaluable to the successful delivery of services. Your commitment to the Council, and the passion and integrity you bring to your role every day, are greatly appreciated. With heartfelt thanks and best wishes for your continued success. YEARS SERVICE Des Murray Chief Executive Page 78 of 100
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Happy Retirement Page 79 of 100
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Wishing you all the very best in your retirement and a heartfelt thank you for the many years of dedicated service. Your hard work, loyalty, and positive influence have meant a great deal to the organisation and to those who have had the pleasure of working alongside you. You leave with our genuine gratitude and warmest wishes for a happy, healthy, and fulfilling retirement. Enjoy every moment of the well‑deserved time ahead. Des Murray Chief Executive Page 80 of 100
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Council Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref LR/HL Date 25/06/26 Redevelopment of Time Capsule From Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) E-mail liddleh@northlan.gov.uk Executive Summary This report provides an update on work undertaken in the Time Capsule, Coatbridge to date and sets out a proposal for further redevelopment, taking cognisance of the recent decision taken by council to invest a further £2.5m on modernisation with a view to further increasing footfall and ensuring long-term community and commercial viability. At the Communities Committee on 27 April 2026, the council made the decision to pause the decision on the future redevelopment of the area currently used as the ice rink to allow for wider public engagement with a range of stakeholders. The key points from the engagement confirm that whilst 78% of respondents wish to retain the ice rink, 57% of those respondents stated that they do not / have never used the ice rink. In addition, only 4% of respondents felt that the current financial deficit of the ice rink and the subsidy required should form part of the council’s consideration Recommendations It is recommended that council: 1. Notes the recent redevelopment work undertaken in the Time Capsule and the current operating costs, usage and challenges. 2. Notes the result of the recent engagement exercise with stakeholders, members of the public, customers and young people. 3. Approves the proposal to redevelop the ice rink area into a fully accessible and inclusive play and activity zone. This will include communicating with existing users and working with young people to shape development of the new facilities. 4. Otherwise, note the contents of the report. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve the health and wellbeing of our communities Ambition statement (15) Encourage the health and wellbeing of people through a range of social, cultural, and leisure activities Item 11 Page 81 of 100
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Appendix One – Proposed design layout of redeveloped space. Appendix Two – Summary of Engagement Results 1. Background 1.1 The Time Capsule opened in 1991, quickly becoming one of Scotland’s top tourist attractions. With a waterpark (Waterworld), 25m swimming pool, ice rink and dry fitness facilities, at its height in popularity, the venue received around 900,000 visitors per annum. 1.2 Over the years, primarily linked to an ageing pool plant room, many of the attractions within Waterworld were no longer available. For example, the spa pools, lazy river and wave machines. Corrosion of steelwork also led to the closure of both flumes. As a result, while the Time Capsule remained popular for families, we were aware that the facility was not meeting the needs of many, with visitor numbers dropping to around 550,000. 1.3 The Time Capsule received significant funding during 2025 which ultimately allowed for complete redevelopment of the pool plant room, repairs to the steelwork which in turn allowed for the full reinstatement of all waterpark features. 1.4 In addition to the above works on the waterpark area, both lifts within the building have now been replaced providing accessibility for all, the gym area has been completely refurbished further reinforcing the Time Capsule as the gym with the highest membership in North Lanarkshire and we are in the process of developing plans to replace both flumes later in 2026. 1.5 The result of these improvement works has been significant and bookings for Waterworld have been consistently high since re-opening. With the council decision in February 2026 to allocate a further £2.5m towards further modernisation of the venue, the council now has the opportunity to consider re-development/renewal of the offering to increase footfall and ensure long-term community and commercial viability. 1.6 In relation to overall direction of sport and leisure within North Lanarkshire Council, the council has recently launched its whole systems approach to physical activity which is a joint strategic approach between the council, NHS Lanarkshire, sportscotland and Public Health. This project is a Scottish Government led initiative which supports a commitment to supporting and enabling people to be more active by understanding how policy and social structures both promote and prevent choices to be active. Activity is defined in its broadest sense and based on an understanding that people choose to be active in a variety of different ways. A key feature of this work is understanding how we encourage people to participate in a range of initiatives that allow for social interaction and support. Ultimately, this approach underpins a comprehensive and cohesive support for health and wellbeing and sportscotland’s ambition for a Scotland where people move more and more often. 1.7 We are also delighted to participate in the forthcoming Summer of Sport, a Scottish Government funded programme which provides free and low-cost activities to young people – again the focus is based on an acceptance that people choose to be active in a variety of ways, both through play and structured activity. Programme of Work Statutory / corporate / service requirement Page 82 of 100
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2. Report 2.1 During 2024, members will be aware of work undertaken by the Coatbridge Neighbourhood Board to understand the priorities of a range of key stakeholders in redevelopment plans for the area. From this work, a clear priority emerged around a wish to “Invest in What We Have”, and specifically to provide improved opportunities to address health inequalities and to access local culture and sport offerings. The Time Capsule was a clear priority for many within the area, and it was recognised that work was required to make significant improvements. The first phase of this work was the councils’ commitment to refurbishment of the plant room to allow for the return of all water features in the waterpark. With the support from the Neighbourhood Board, external clean-up of the building is the current priority. 2.2 However, beyond the improvements made to date, it is clear that there remains many areas of the Time Capsule which require further consideration and attention. The challenge of managing high quality leisure provision is generally around balancing limited resources with high expectations and flexing the facilities so that we recognise and adapt to the changing demands of our customer base. We are aware that not all areas of the Time Capsule are well used and do not meet the expectations of the general population. Unfortunately, the service offering designed in 1991 does not reflect the preferences of many when accessing leisure services today. Research now shows a number of key preference areas: • Making more use of neighbourhood facilities. • There is a focus on shared experience, with a wish to try out a range of new activities in a safe environment. • Social, communal experiences have renewed importance. • For children, a wish to focus on physically active, social and exploratory activities. Adventurous play is especially important for preschool and school-age children, supporting physical activity, exploration, and mental wellbeing. These preferences fit within an overall shift in trends in how young people choose to socialise and spend leisure time. Preferences include greater emphasis on spending time with peers in settings which allow them to participate in activity, share experiences and promote wellbeing. These key factors were taken into account when considering options for the use of space within the Time Capsule. 2.3 In looking at both our income levels and footfall rates within the Time Capsule, it was felt that there was potential to consider other options to make best use of the space within the facility. As a result, we worked on a feasibility study to determine our options for redevelopment which would assist in enhancing services to meet current consumer needs, while also addressing some of the key priorities of the Neighbourhood Board and continuing to reinforce the key council ambition to improve the health and wellbeing of our community through the provision of a range of social, cultural and leisure activities. The feasibility was undertaken by Alliance Leisure - the UK’s leading leisure development partner, supporting local authorities that want to improve or expand the leisure, sport, recreation and culture facilities and services provided to their local communities. Page 83 of 100
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2.4 Current Usage of the Ice Rink 2.4.1 The ice rink operates on a peak and off-peak schedule to reflect periods where interest in using the ice rink tends to be lower. During this period, public skating sessions are reduced, while usage by clubs remains consistent. Taken on average, use can be broken down as follows: 2.4.2 Use of the ice rink overall fell by -6.5% or -5,525 visits during 2025/26 . However, Club participation increased by +12% year on year and learn to skate participation has remained stable. Public skating has fallen considerably, down -16% or -8,848 visits between 2024/25 and 2025/26 to 45,777 visits in 2025/26. This equates to 170 fewer visits per week. 2.4.3 There are currently seven clubs using ice rink facilities within the Time Capsule. Club Activity Hours Per Week North Lanarkshire Figure Skating Club Figure Skating 6 Lanarkshire Lightening Hockey 16.75 Coatbridge Coyotes Hockey 1.5 Coatbridge Red Wings Hockey 1 Monday Night Hockey Club Hockey 1 Starlight Synchro Synchronised Skating 1 Inclusive Skating Club Figure Skating 2.5 2.4.4 Ice sports are not widely popular in the UK compared to mainstream sports, but they have small and dedicated audiences. The Office of National Statistics estimate that 0.017% of the UK population play ice hockey with British Skating advising participation levels to be 0.01% - includes people involved across all ice disciplines. 2.4.5 Ice rinks are particularly challenging to operate as they are not a major or universal pastimes compared to other activities. Those ice rinks which appear to operate most successfully are generally based within shopping centres where users have broader 29.75 21 Average Weekly Usage Hours Club Usage Public Usage Page 84 of 100
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access to a range of other services, including a more enhanced hospitality offer. Unfortunately, North Lanarkshire Council’s experience has been mirrored in other areas and we have seen closure of ice rinks in other areas – most recently Elgin Ice Rink in 2025 and Ayr Ice Rink in 2023. Ice rinks in both Aberdeen and Inverness have advised they are struggling to survive, with Inverness recently launching a crowd funding campaign to assist with their costs. The Scottish Ice Rinks Association reports energy cost increases up by 600%, putting many rinks at risk nationwide. 2.5 Feasibility Study 2.5.1 The initial focus of the feasibility study was a request to consider the ice rink area and the options the council may have if we chose to convert this space. 2.5.2 The ice rink attracted just under 60,000 visitors to the Time Capsule during 2025/26 representing around 12% of all visitor numbers (which fell during the same period due to a four month closure of the Waterpark for major refurbishment). Users are primarily from ice skating and hockey clubs with very limited public use. We know from our analysis of data that those visiting the Waterpark do not tend to also be users of the ice rink. 2.5.2 Taking into leisure preferences as outlined in paragraph 2.2 and both the council and national focus on broad, general activity the option for development focused on active/adventure play and padel. An analysis of the services available locally showed very little adventure play within a 15-minute drive. 2.5.3 Padel is the fastest growing sport in the United Kingdom, popular with all ages and abilities with Tennis Scotland, its governing body, recognising the great opportunity it Page 85 of 100
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offers for communities and clubs to engage more people in physical activity. There is currently only one padel court within a 20-minute drive: 2.5.4 The council recognises that padel can be considered expensive for some users of other facilities and, subject to approval, it would be our intention to keep costs as low as possible to ensure this is not an additional barrier to participation and physical activity. 2.5.5 Ultimately, an option which represents both formal and informal activity through play underlines the council’s key role in supporting a Health for All approach, which seeks to use a whole-system lens to improving opportunities for more people to be physically active. Taking into account the decreasing footfall (as outlined in paragraph 2.4.2) and the overall net deficit in providing the ice rink provision, it would be the intention of the service to repurpose this area to reflect the changing demands of the public and to deliver a trading profit which in turn will deliver an ongoing improvement in the overall financial position of the facility and the ACC service as a whole. 2.6 Financial Impact 2.6.1 Operating within an overall deficit, the current operating position for the Ice Rink shows the following: Page 86 of 100
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. 2.6.2 Appendix one shows an image of the proposed space we hope to develop within the Time Capsule should a decision be made to remove the ice rink facility. Overall, the development seeks to provide fully accessible and inclusive play and adventure/activity zone. The approach introduces a more diverse mixed-use configuration, comprising approximately 50% active play, 25% padel courts, and 25% alternative fitness provision. This approach seeks to broaden the range of activities available within the space and appeal to a wider demographic of users. Incorporating party rooms is a key feature of a self-contained play facility, as it provides additional revenue opportunities, as highlighted in paragraph 2.4.8. 2.6.3 It is recognised that the redevelopment model represents a significant departure from the existing facilities and while it is anticipated that the new approach will meet the needs of a more diverse group of the users, we have based anticipated footfall and income levels on a more cautious approach for the first year of operation. Cautiously, we anticipate visitor numbers of around 80,000 in year one of operations. Should this redevelopment proceed, we will work closely with Corporate Communications to ensure promotion of the new facilities is a key focus for 2026/27. £241,500 £260,308 Current Operating Costs Utilities Employee costs Page 87 of 100
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From analysis of the market, taking into account experience of similar projects across the UK, it is anticipated that year one income will meet approximately £477,951). Of greater interest is the potential impact on expenditure costs. We know that operating an ice rink is one of the most energy-intensive activities in the sports and leisure sector. Multiple systems—refrigeration, heating, ventilation, dehumidification, lighting, and circulation pumps—all run simultaneously and often continuously. These challenges are magnified within the Time Capsule where we have the challenge of keeping one side of the building warm (waterpark) alongside the need to keep the ice rink cold. From an overall expenditure of £501,808 in 2025/26, utility costs amounted to £241,500. It is projected that utility costs will decrease to £38,000. Further details on HR implications are outlined within paragraph 2.6 below, but we anticipate that employee costs will reduce from £260,308 to £176,866. Taken together, a move to the new operating model would reduce expenditure from £501,808 to £214,866, delivering an overall saving of £286,942. From operating at a current deficit, we anticipate income levels to reach £477,951 in year one. 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 Utilities Employee Costs Expenditure Ice Rink (Current) Redevelopment £177,885 £4,091 £156,972 £138,643 Projected Income Analysis Softplay Birthday Parties Adventure Play Padel Page 88 of 100
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2.6.4 An equality impact assessment and a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing impact assessment have been undertaken. It is noted that those directly affected will include a significant proportion of young people within the ice hockey and ice-skating clubs. The new proposal is likely to positively impact on larger number of young people, providing opportunities for those not currently met by the ice rink. The new development will cater from toddlers to age 12-14 in the soft play/adventure play, with padel courts open to residents from age 4+. New facilities will provide activity areas for families and young people to socialise and get active, providing places for young people to spend time and come together. A trauma informed approach will be applied to the project as it develops, using the views of young people to shape the end result. 2.7 Engagement Exercise 2.7.1 Appendix two provides a summary of the feedback received during the engagement exercise which was primarily led by CJM Research – an independent market research consultancy. 2.7.2 Results show a strong preference to retain the ice rink – 78% - this figure includes all ice rink members and clubs in addition to non-customers of both the ice rink and the Time Capsule. 2.7.3 The consultation included representatives from 8 clubs using the ice rink facilities at The Time Capsule as well as 1,130 survey respondents including The Time Capsule customers, icer rink users and the general public as well as two focus groups with 21 young people. A petition of 14,500 names was set up – although the final report was not formally submitted. Key themes from the petition were around the ice rink’s community and emotional value. There is a clear perception that closure would be short-sighted, prioritising short-term financial considerations over long-term social and sporting benefits. 2.7.4 Overall, it is clear that there is a clear preference to retain the ice rink, with a wish for investment which complements rather than competes with the ice rink. Ultimately, the ice rink operates at a loss and serves a relatively small section of the community. 2.8 Investment Profile 2.8.1 The investment to achieve the proposed redevelopment of the ice rink area can be broken down as below: Construction cost plan £2,700,335 Fixtures and fittings £750,000 Project management and delivery fees £235,614 Client contingency risk (7.5%) £202,525 UK Leisure Network Access Fee £16,942 Total £3,905,416 It is anticipated that the cost of redevelopment will be covered by the agreed £2.5m investment from the council and additional costs by agreed service capital plans. 2.8.2 Alliance Leisure are a key partner on the UK Leisure Framework (UKLF) which allows for the direct appointment of a Development Partner for scoping, design, refurbishment, construction and the development of leisure centres, theatres, play facilities, recreation facilities and sports facilities across the UK public sector. The Framework is available Page 89 of 100
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to all UK public sector organisations. Subject to approval, we will begin work with Procurement colleagues immediately. 2.9 HR Implications 2.9.1 There are currently 3.99 FTE working in the ice rink at the Time Capsule. We would anticipate all posts will be redesignated or realigned to other venues (as appropriate). We do not anticipate any compulsory redundancies. Trade unions have been advised. 3. Measures of success 3.1 Ongoing development of a future proof and sustainable leisure facility, providing spaces for social interaction, accessible design and inclusive service delivery. Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 90 of 100
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5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Financial Solutions are involved in discussions around this matter. 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? All affected staff will be redesignated or relocated to another venue as appropriate. 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Page 91 of 100
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Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? We anticipate significantly reduced energy usage. 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? If approved, we will work with Corporate Communications to manage the messaging around this decision. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? There is likely to be some negative feedback on the decision to close the ice rink. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☒ No ☐ Page 92 of 100
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Appendix One Page 93 of 100
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Appendix Two Time Capsule Engagement Summary The engagement exercise was undertaken during May 2026, primarily led by CJM Research. Engagement with schools and young people was led by North Lanarkshire Council. In total, the engagement featured: • 1130 survey respondents • Meetings with 8 stakeholder clubs. • 2 focus groups. Overall key messages/facts: • Use of the ice rink overall fell by -6.5% or -5,525 visits. However, Club participation increased +12% year on year and learn to skate participation has remained stable. Public skating has fallen -16% between 2024/25 and 2025/26. • CJM Research analysis of Council financial records shows the ice rink continued to operate at a deficit during 2025/26. This is driven by two specific factors: First a -16% fall in public skating visits and corresponding income/skate hire and +13.7% rise in staffing costs. • 78% of overall respondents support retaining rink ranging from 57% of those customers not using rink to 89% of ice rink club members and 100% of clubs. 60% support retention even with subsidy. • The majority of respondents believe the Council’s priority should be to maintain existing facilities (e.g. ice rink) even if used by fewer people to protect it. Only 11% prioritise facilities that benefit the largest number of users, while just 4% prioritise facilities being financially sustainable without subsidy. • Support for maintaining existing facilities is strongest among respondents most closely connected to the ice rink - this is 91% among club-associated rink users, 86% among users or families of ice rink users, and 83% among respondents interested in ice activities. These groups consistently place preserving the current rink offer above financial sustainability or broader participation considerations. • Support for the proposed development varies considerably by demographic group. Female respondents under 25 show the lowest support at 50% and the highest opposition at 34%, making them the most divided audience. In contrast, males aged 35 to 55 are among the most supportive groups at 79%, while females aged 55 and over also show strong support at 81%. Younger and middle-aged male groups remain broadly supportive but with higher levels of opposition than older respondents. • There is an interest in new activities at the Time Capsule, but this is in addition to, and not at the expense of the ice rink. Padel Interest in padel is highest among non-customers (21%), current racquet sport users at the centre (59%), and younger male audiences particularly males under 25 (35%) and males aged 25 to 34 (21%). Interest is very low among ice rink users and their families (8%) and among club members (4%). Active Play Interest in active play is strongest among current soft play users (49%) and customers who do not use the rink (28%). Among the general public it reaches 20%. It attracts primarily family and Page 94 of 100
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child-focused audiences and has limited overlap with ice rink users. Soft Play Interest in soft play is most concentrated among current soft play users (60%) and customers who do not use the rink (21%). It is very low among ice rink users and their families (9%) and negligible among club members (3%). The consultation suggests that interest in new activities points to a complementary rather than competing relationship. There is a real but modest market for padel, active play and soft play, primarily among non-rink customers, non-customers and younger male audiences. Views on proposals for development of the Time Capsule When asked to identify the most important priority for the Council, 66% of all respondents said maintaining existing facilities (including the ice rink) even if used by fewer people. Financial sustainability as a standalone priority was selected by only 4% of all respondents indicating that cost arguments alone are unlikely to build public acceptance for closure of the ice rink. Customers of The Time Capsule, particularly those associated with clubs using the ice rink and families of ice rink users, show by far the highest interest in ice related activities. Interest in ice skating peaks among customers associated with clubs using the ice rink (83%) and families of ice rink users (79%), while ice hockey interest is highest among club-associated customers (58%) and families of ice rink users (43%). Interest in ice hockey is 5% amongst the public and 13% for non-customers and interest in ice skating is higher at 15% amongst the pubic and 18% for non-customers. Amongst the public there is most interest in racquet sports followed by ice skating, Active Play, Soft play and then ice hockey. All of the consulted clubs were in favour of investment in The Time Capsule and many actually supported this, so long as it did not impact the ice rink or was investment for the ice rink. While clubs broadly support investment in the Time Capsule, are willing to see new activities added, and have practical ideas about how this could be achieved provided it does not come at the expense of the ice rink. The results of the consultation survey suggest there is generally strong support for investing in The Time Capsule with 72% of all those surveyed supporting investment, 13% unsure and 15% not supporting investment due to concerns over it being at the expense of the ice rink, or feeling money could be better invested elsewhere. Page 95 of 100
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When respondents were informed that the rink runs at a deficit, overall support changes. Public survey respondents are notably less supportive than existing customers but still the majority favour retention. Support begins at 61%, falls slightly to 59% after information about the deficit, and then declines further to 53% once alternative facilities are discussed. Summary of Feedback by Group CJM Research met with 8 clubs and 27 representatives – the consultation also gathered the views of 557 people connected to a club using the ice rink. Overall, impact on the clubs of a potential closure was described as “devastating”. All but two of the eight consulted clubs said they would have to cease operating entirely if the ice rink closed. The remaining two said they could continue only in a significantly reduced form. Several clubs described the prospect as "devastating", "disastrous" or "terrible" for their club, their members and the wider ice sports community. Just under half believe they could not find a suitable alternative facility due to travel distance and lack of ice time at other rinks. Clubs argue that the deficit reflects operational issues rather than falling demand specifically below-market pricing, restricted timetabling, limited opening hours, an absence of marketing, and the summer closure of the waterpark (ice rink remained open), rather than a lack of underlying demand. Key messages include: • The deficit reflects passive management of the rink rather than a lack of demand. • The view of the clubs is that the Time Capsule ice rink has been operated as though it were a general leisure facility or sports hall rather than a specialist commercial facility that requires active and consistent development. • Another club also suggested the deficit was due to a lack of senior management oversight. Public consultation found that around half of public are aware of ice skating at The Time Capsule and 9% aware of ice hockey. The consultation survey suggests that 48% of the public are aware that The Time Capsule has ice skating and 9% ice hockey compared to 61% aware it has swimming, 19% softplay and 15% racquet sports. Consultation with young people in school showed a preference for retaining the ice rink but suggested more marketing and changes to make it more appealing to young people. Contradictorily, other respondents felt that it was not a marketing issue but a lack of public skating due to “public skating being squeezed out of the timetable by club use”. School 78% 87% 86% 80% 60% 57% 14% 10% 13% 13% 30% 22% 8% 3% 1% 7% 10% 21% ALL RESPONDENTS USER OR FAMILY OF ICE RINK USER CLUB MEMBER CUSTOMER OF TIME CAPSULE NON CUSTOMER CUSTOMER OF TIME CAPSULE BUT NOT … Summary of Views on Proposal Options Retain the Ice Rink No preference Replace the Ice Rink Page 96 of 100
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participants highlighted “a lack of activities for young people” and suggested activities such as trampolining and clip and climb – but only as an addition to the ice rink. The Young leaders focus group (supported by CLD) specifically mentioned that the opening hours and timetabling were not suitable for them. They felt that the opening times for the ice rink “completely excludes young people at school” and they suggested that before considering closure the Council need to give it more of a chance to with more accessible opening hours. The overall view from both clubs and users is that The Time Capsule ice rink functions as far more than a sports venue. It is the training base for nationally and internationally competitive athletes across multiple disciplines; the home of a world-recognised disability sport programme with no equivalent anywhere in the country; a community anchor for children, families and adults; and, for a significant number of vulnerable individuals, a lifeline with no alternative. Context for Completion of Survey – provided by CJM Research Ice skating and ice hockey are well established but niche activities within the UK and Scottish sporting landscape. Participation levels remain steady but are consistently low relative to mainstream sports, with evidence indicating that both activities are constrained primarily more by geographical access to facilities rather than demand alone. Children’s participation in ice skating is measurable but limited at around 3.5%, while adult participation across both activities is minimal and less than 1%. Scottish-specific data reinforces this position, showing low participation rates and a heavy reliance on a limited number of ice rinks. The available evidence consistently indicates that participation trends for ice activities are relatively stable rather than growth or decline, and that future participation will be closely tied to the availability, accessibility and sustainability of specialised ice facilities. The available evidence across the UK and Scotland supports several conclusions: • Ice skating and ice hockey are niche but established activities, with participation levels remaining low but fairly consistent over time. There is no evidence of significant latent demand translating into rapid future growth in participation. • Participation is strongly influenced by infrastructure, with a limited number of ice rinks constraining both capacity and accessibility. This is the single most important structural factor affecting participation levels. • There is a clear distinction between participation and spectatorship, particularly in ice hockey, where audience engagement significantly exceeds active participation and is one of the fastest growing in the UK. • Engagement is skewed towards younger age groups, with children more likely to participate in ice skating, while adult participation remains minimal. • In Scotland, participation is geographically concentrated and facility dependent, meaning that changes to individual rinks can have disproportionate impacts on overall participation. • Overall, the evidence indicates that future participation trends will depend less on demand and more on the sustainability, accessibility and distribution of ice rink facilities. There are 28 ice rinks in Scotland – British Skating suggest that the limited scale of participation is linked to infrastructure provision. Page 97 of 100
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Committee Cycle Date Item and Title Question Responsible Officer Answer Status Reported to Council Date Policy and Strategy Cycle 1 - 2026 19 March 2026 5 - Social Value Framework Can examples of the work contained within the £27k in support of local community groups be provided? Chief Officer (People Resources) Incomplete 25 June 2026 Council Cycle 2 - 2026 02 April 2026 8 - Scheme of Delegation to Officers On whose authority was 15.7 removed from the Scheme of Delegation to Officers and when can we expect it to be reinstated? (Councillor Brennan) Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) The removal of paragraph 15.7 formed part of the revised Scheme of Delegation to Officers approved by full Council on 27 March 2025. The revised Scheme of Delegation was considered as part of Agenda Item 5 at that meeting, namely the report relating to updated governance documentation, including the revised Scheme of Delegation to Officers. While the appendix originally published with the report was subsequently replaced, the operative version considered by Council was the document entitled "Correct Version of Scheme of Delegation to Officers", which was circulated in advance of the meeting and remains available through CMIS. The removal of paragraph 15.7 was included within the version approved by Council. Accordingly, the removal of paragraph 15.7 occurred by virtue of the decision of full Council on 27 March 2025 when approving the revised Scheme of Delegation. The amendment formed part of a wider review and consolidation of the Council's governance documentation to ensure that delegations accurately reflected current operational practice, legislative requirements and the practical operation of existing Council procedures. In relation to the Rule of 85 specifically, it is important to distinguish between: • the statutory Rule of 85 pension protections contained within the Local Government Pension Scheme; and • the Council's employer discretions relating to early retirement and the application of those protections prior to normal pension age. The Rule of 85 itself is a statutory pension protection contained within the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations. It is not created by, nor dependent upon, the Council's Scheme of Delegation. The current position is broadly as follows: • Rule of 85 protections become an automatic entitlement where a member is aged 60 or over and meets the relevant qualifying criteria; • Members born before April 1960 who were members of the Local Government Pension Scheme before December 2006 generally retain full Rule of 85 protection; • Members born after April 1960 who were members before December 2006 generally retain partial Rule of 85 protection, principally in relation to benefits accrued before April 2008; and • Benefits accrued after March 2020 remain subject to actuarial reduction if taken before normal pension age. Separately, employees retain the ability to seek voluntary early retirement from age 55, rising to age 57 from April 2028. The Council also maintains a formal Pension Discretions Policy in accordance with the relevant Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations and the Local Government (Discretionary Payments and Injury Benefits) (Scotland) Regulations. This policy sets out the Council's approach to: • early payment of benefits before age 60; • flexible retirement arrangements; • the waiver of actuarial reductions; • compassionate grounds considerations; and • the financial implications and pension strain costs associated with the exercise of employer discretions. Under Regulation B30(2), the Council's policy confirms that there is no general policy of granting early payment of benefits before age 60. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, supported either by a sound business case or on compassionate grounds. Similarly, under Regulation B30(5), the Council's policy confirms that actuarial reductions will not generally be waived, although individual cases may be considered on compassionate grounds. The practical operation of employer discretions associated with Rule of 85 protections therefore continues to be governed through the Council's Pension Discretions Policy and the underlying statutory pension regulations, rather than solely through the Scheme of Delegation. There are currently no proposals before Council to reinstate paragraph 15.7 within the Scheme of Delegation to Officers. Any future amendment to the Scheme of Delegation would require consideration and approval by full Council. Complete 25 June 2026 Communities Cycle 2 - 2026 27 April 2026 7 - Community Council Scheme Review Can you clarify whether Community Council members require to be a member of PVG scheme? (Councillor McBride) Chief Officer (Legal, Democratic and Strategy) Community Council members do not require PVG membership solely for their role on a Community Council. Since April 2025, PVG scheme membership is mandatory for anyone carrying out a “regulated role” with children, or protected adults as defined in the schedules to the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (“the 2007 Act”), as amended by the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020. Community Council activities are advisory and representative, do not involve direct responsibility for care, welfare, or safety, and do not include decision-making power over individuals’ outcomes. Interaction with children or protected adults (e.g. consultations or events) can likely be considered incidental or occasional and not a core part of the role therefore, in the ordinary course of their functions, Community Council roles do not meet the legal definition of a “regulated role.” A Community Council member would require to have PVG scheme membership if they took on additional duties that brought them into a regulated role with children or protected adults within the meaning of the 2007 Act. Complete 25 June 2026 Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Cycle 2 - 2026 01 May 2026 2 - Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023-26 Can clarification be provided whether Officers are asking everyone, not just pregnant women, about their smoking habits at all income maximisation or routine contacts, where it is relevant, as smoking affects Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice and Integrated Practice) Incomplete 25 June 2026 Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Cycle 2 - 2026 01 May 2026 2 - Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023-26 Can further details of the Help to Save account be provided? Councillor Watson. Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice and Integrated Practice) Incomplete 25 June 2026 Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Cycle 2 - 2026 01 May 2026 4 - Revised Equality and Diversity Strategy How many complaints or challenges does the Council receive against these policies on a regular basis, and Chief Officer (People Resources) Incomplete 25 June 2026 Housing Cycle 2 - 2026 13 May 2026 7 - Revenue Monitoring Report - Enterprise and Communities Do we know why there is a downturn in the demand for the waste trading activity? Councillor Sullivan. Chief Officer (Finance and Technology) The downturn in demand reflects market conditions rather than service performance. There is no requirement to use the Council’s waste trading service, and customers have alternative providers available in a competitive market. As a result, some organisations are choosing alternative options leading to reduced demand for the Council’s service. Complete 25 June 2026 Housing Cycle 2 - 2026 13 May 2026 7 - Revenue Monitoring Report - Enterprise and Communities Can there be an explanation on why there is a significant variation in regard to sub-contractor and agency fees? Councillor Sullivan. Chief Officer (Finance and Technology) The variation in these costs is driven by operational pressures within specific service areas. • Sub contractor costs: These relate primarily to pest control services. There has been an increase in demand, and as this work is delivered through external contractors, higher activity levels have directly resulted in increased costs. • Agency fees: The service is currently managing a number of vacancies in front line roles. To maintain service continuity, this has been addressed through the use of agency staff, leading to higher agency expenditure. Complete 25 June 2026 Audit and Scrutiny Panel Cycle 2 - 2026 14 May 2026 Internal Audit: Follow Up of Implementation of Audit Recommendations Had there been any conflict-of-interest declarations made by officers involved in making decisions on CAT applications? (Councillor Robinson) Chief Officer (Housing and Communities) Incomplete 25 June 2026 Enterprise and Fair Work Cycle 2 - 2026 15 May 2026 3 - External Funding Report Can a timeline be provided for the works scheduled to be undertaken in Gartcosh? Councillor McPake Chief Officer (Place) Incomplete 25 June 2026 Enterprise and Fair Work Cycle 2 - 2026 15 May 2026 5 - Routes to Work Ltd - Performance and Financial Monitoring Report Can you provide an up to date balance sheet for periods two and three as the appendix refers to period one up to 30 June 2025? Councillor Robinson Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice and Integrated Practice) Incomplete 25 June 2026 Adult Care and Social Work Cycle 2 - 2026 19 May 2026 2 - Supporting Reslience Across our Communities: Unpaid Carers Which three locations will provide carer sitter services, and will the other three locations be considered in future? Councillor Wilson. Chief Officer (Planning, Performance and Quality Assurance) The one carer sitter service in place prior to the very recent expansion of Carer Breather has been operated by Glenboig Development Trust and covers their catchment area. The two newly agreed Carer Sitter Services will be delivered by GBT Shotts and Befriend Motherwell. The hope is that we reach a position where all 6 localities have a Carer Sitter option. Given financial pressures, it may be necessary to establish how this can be achieved within existing resources. Shared Care is another model that is currently in development, which will augment Carer Breather, Carer Sitter and Carer Short Break options that are already in place. In terms of direct consultations with carers, the concept and demand for a person-centred Sitter Service have come up as a priority every time. It is clearly the type of break that carers need and want to help them to care for longer and in better mental and physical health. Complete 25 June 2026 Item 14 Page 99 of 100
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Adult Care and Social Work Cycle 2 - 2026 19 May 2026 2 - Supporting Reslience Across our Communities: Unpaid Carers Can further information on the carer sitter service through Carer Breather be provided? Councillor Toner Chief Officer (Planning, Performance and Quality Assurance) North Lanarkshire Carers Together (NLCT) are already funded around Whole Family Support and have established excellent relationships with families who support neurodivergent young people. Identification of the need and demand for Carer Sitter services, arose largely through engagement with this group of carers and supported people. The requirements around Carer Sitter services are quite stringent, and we are confident that NLCT are ideally placed to oversee and manage this option, given their wider experience and innovation around Carer Breather and around Neurodivergence. Although NLCT services are commissioned through 2 separate contracts, they operate as one team, often co-working together to better support families in respect of neurodivergence and accessing their rights as carers. This allows for seamless wraparound support tailored to individual families which often includes considering Carer Breather options. The NLCT consultation for Carer Breather identified that over one third of carers who responded were supporting someone with Autism and Neurodivergence, and many highlighted the need for more autism-informed and sensory-aware short break opportunities. Carers described challenges around accessing mainstream activities, particularly for children and young people with complex or sensory needs and stressed the importance of flexible family-based support, trained sitter services, quieter environments, and activities suitable for neurodivergent individuals. In response to this feedback, NLCT specifically recommended that future Carer Breather applicants should include targeted outreach and improved accessibility for carers of children and individuals with complex needs if their project bid was for this, alongside more flexible and inclusive activity models. These recommendations were then considered as part of the Phase 3 application process, with projects scored by a multi-agency assessment panel that included representation from three unpaid carers to ensure lived experience remained central to decision- making. The updated projects can be found here: https://www.carerstogether.org/support-network/ If it is of interest, NLCT can extend an invite for their Annual Conference on Monday 8th June 10-1 in The Alona Hotel, Strathclyde Park, which will be themed on Whole Family Support and how it dovetails to wider carer supports. Registration can be placed here: https://form.jotform.com/261154132241039 Complete 25 June 2026 Adult Care and Social Work Cycle 2 - 2026 19 May 2026 3 - Charges for Non- Residential Services, Community Alarms, Meals Provision, Independent Sector Care Homes and Respite Care “How many service users receive the Community Alarm Service free of charge?” Councillor Wilson. Chief Officer (NL Health and Social Care Partnership) Incomplete 25 June 2026 Adult Care and Social Work Cycle 2 - 2026 19 May 2026 5 - Progress Report on Trauma Informed Practice “In relation to the 70 organisations who have signed the Leadership Pledge of Support, what percentage is this of the number of organisations who are eligible to sign the pledge and what work is being undertaken to encourage organisations to sign the pledge?” Chief Officer (Adult Social Work Services) Incomplete 25 June 2026 Adult Care and Social Work Cycle 2 - 2026 19 May 2026 5 - Progress Report on Trauma Informed Practice “In respect of trauma informed practice does the Council liaise with organisations who specialise in autism and ADHD to ensure that the language used is clear and easy to understand?” Councillor Toner. Chief Officer (Adult Social Work Services) Across the partnership, including our whole family support and mental health and wellbeing delivery, a coordinated multi-agency approach is in place to support individuals affected by Autism and ADHD. This brings together expertise from NHS Neurodevelopmental (ND) Teams, Educational Psychology, Education, Social Work, VANL, and specialist third sector organisations. All partners are a valued component of this wider system, complementing statutory services and strengthening the overall offer. All activity aligns with the national Neurodevelopmental Specification. • The Council based Fairer Futures Senior Officer engages routinely with VANL, NL Carers Together, ADHD Network Scotland, Hope for Autism, NHS services, carers Services, Education, Early years, Social work, families, young people and others, ensuring learning and feedback are captured and applied. • Within Education, the Health and Wellbeing Framework provides a clear structure for inclusive language and environments across universal and targeted provision. • Trauma-informed practice underpins delivery. For example, our commissioned family support service for Neurodiversity, the ND Family Support Service (NL Carers Together), supported by NHS colleagues, has adapted the LIAM (Intervention for anxiety- Lets introduce anxiety management) approach to better meet the needs of neurodivergent families through simplified processes, adjusted communication, and flexible delivery. • In schools, Fairer Futures funding has supported targeted input from ADHD Network Scotland, strengthening staff understanding and practice, other commissioned services such as Budding engineers and Achieve More Scotland provide a range of interventions tailored to meet different learning needs, understanding and social requirements. • Community Mental Health and Wellbeing funding has enabled targeted interventions in some schools through Hope for Autism, supporting staff and families to respond effectively to individual needs, including group-based support where appropriate. CLD have adapted delivery to ensure that people with a range of needs can fully engage, such as in Duke of Edinburgh. • In 2025, the Trauma Lead delivered briefings to Self-Directed Support providers to strengthen understanding of trauma-informed approaches and their impact on outcomes. Using a cascading model, sessions included facilitated discussion and practical resources, such as the Trauma Walkthrough Tool, to support organisational development and action planning. This built on a similar programme delivered to commissioned services in 2024, with a continued emphasis on relationship-based practice, understanding lived and living experience, and improving communication to reduce the risk of re-traumatisation. Complete 25 June 2026 Finance and Resources Cycle 2 - 2026 27 May 2026 7 - Provision of Builkding - Facilities Management Services How much notice was given to the Council by Equans S Chief Officer (Asset and Procurement) The council were notified of Equans intention to terminate their contract on 18 January 2026. Complete 25 June 2026 Finance and Resources Cycle 2 - 2026 27 May 2026 9 - Revenue and Benefits Update Can you provide details of where the £0.570m for expenditure available on activities not associated with the bedroom tax or benefit cap has been spent? Councillor D Johnston Chief Officer (Finance and Technology) The additional Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) funding allocated by the Scottish Government to address pressures not associated bedroom tax mitigation provides the Council with flexibility to support households experiencing housing-related financial hardship. In line with Scottish Government guidance, this funding has been used to assist with rent shortfalls where Housing Benefit or Universal Credit does not fully cover rental liability, as well as one-off housing costs such as rent deposits, rent in advance and removal expenses. It has also been used to help sustain tenancies and prevent homelessness, including support for households facing temporary financial difficulties or at risk due to changes in circumstances or income. Complete 25 June 2026 Finance and Resources Cycle 2 - 2026 27 May 2026 11 - Revenue Budget Monitoring Report; Chief Executive’s Service 1 Apil 2o025 – 27 February 2026 (Period 12) In respect of the £0.547m in voluntary severance costs, linked to previous approved savings, how many employees did this represent? Councillor Nolan Chief Officer (Finance and Technology) The costs referenced in the report related to 5 employees. Complete 25 June 2026 Finance and Resources Cycle 2 - 2026 27 May 2026 11 - Revenue Budget Monitoring Report; Chief Executive’s Service 1 Apil 2o025 – 27 February 2026 (Period 12) Can you advise why is there an income variation in relation to the NLP Financial guarantee? Councillor D Johnston Chief Officer (Finance and Technology) The income expected from the NLP Financial Guarantee reduces slightly each year. While the budget is set at £100,000, the actual income decreases year on year. We’ve kept the budget at this level rather than increasing it for higher income in earlier years because the guarantee is reducing overall and it’s not clear what will happen after the agreement ends. Taking this approach avoids relying on income that won’t continue in the longer term. Complete 25 June 2026 Finance and Resources Cycle 2 - 2026 27 May 2026 12 - Capital Programme 2025/26 Monitoring Report Can further details be provided on (a) the adjustment for contractor defects for the Motherwell Town Centre project and (2) the contractor performance for the project at the Old Town Hall, Motherwell be provided? Councillor Watson Chief Officer (Finance and Technology) Motherwell Town Centre Project The adjustment reflects delays in agreeing the final account due to a number of defects identified in the contractor’s work, including issues with drainage, lighting and road signage not meeting the required specification. These elements are critical for the safe operation and long-term maintenance of the asset. The works cannot be formally signed off or adopted by the Roads Authority until these defects are fully corrected, and therefore the final account remains outstanding until this is resolved. Old Town Hall, Motherwell The performance issues experienced for this project relate to slower progress than initially expected which had impacted the spend profile at that point in time. Performance has improved and the project is on track to meet its original key performance indicator objectives. Complete 25 June 2026 Page 100 of 100