Agenda Document Pack - Environment and Climate Change Committee - 20/08/2025
North Lanarkshire Council · 20 August 2025
Back to Environment and Climate Change Committee — 20 August 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Clerk Name: Karen Swan Clerk Telephone: 07919 730272 Clerk Email: committee@northlan.gov.uk 11 August 2025 Members of the Environment and Climate Change Committee Chief Executive’s Office Rachel Blair Chief Officer (Legal & Democratic) Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell ML1 1AB www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk Notice is given that a Meeting of the Environment and Climate Change Committee is to be held in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, ML1 1AB on Wednesday, 20 August 2025 at 14:00 PM which you are requested to attend. The agenda of business is attached. Rachel Blair Chief Officer (Legal & Democratic) Members : H Loughran, J McPhilemy, T Carragher, P Di Mascio, K Duffy, A Duffy-Lawson, F Fotheringham, W Goldie, K Harmon, J Leckie, F MacGregor, A Masterton, M McBride, B McCulloch, M McCulloch, F McKay, C McManus, J Reddin, L Roarty, G Robinson, A Smith, A Thomas, S Watson, C Williams, N Wilson. Page 1 of 166
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Agenda 1 Declarations of Interest In Terms of the Ethical Standards In Public Life Etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 Operational 2 Business Regulation Service Plan 2025-2026 Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) providing a summary of the Service Plan 2025/26 of the Council's Business Regulation Service in respect of food law and health and safety law. 5 - 52 3 Sustainable Futures - Burial Space Strategy and Cemeteries Creation Projects Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) providing an update on burial space needs within North Lanarkshire, progress on current burial space improvement projects and further proposed actions. 53 - 62 4 Successful External Funding Applications for Greenspace Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) providing an update on successful applications to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. 63 - 68 5 Winter Service Policy and Procedures 2025 - 26 Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) seeking approval of the proposed Winter Service Policy and Procedures for 2025/26. 69 - 90 6 Review of options to reduce fire setting in parks and open spaces Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) providing an update on the request for management rules for country parks and open spaces to be reviewed, with a view to revising them to include fire raising. 91 - 98 7 Garden Waste Permit Scheme Petition Report Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) providing a response to the petition received in respect of the introduction of a charge for North Lanarkshire's garden waste collection. 99 - 104 Page 3 of 166
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Performance 8 Annual report on the performance of North Lanarkshire Council from the Scottish Roadworks Commissioner Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) providing details of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner's Performance Review in relation to road works undertaken by the Council during 2024/25. 105 - 124 9 Strategic Performance Framework - latest performance results for Community Operations Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) providing a high-level performance overview of Community Operations. 125 - 142 Contracts 10 Contract Award for the Provision of Waste Management & Recycling Services for Bulky Waste Material Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) seeking approval to award a contract for the Provision of Waste Management & Recycling Services for Bulky Waste Materials to Diverse Investments Scotland Ltd T/A Newtown Waste Solutions. 143 - 152 11 Contract Award for Traffic Signal Maintenance & Inspection Services Submit report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) advising of action taken to award a contract for Traffic Signal Maintenance and Inspection Services to Yunex Limited. 153 - 160 12 Contract Awards Below Committee Approval Threshold Submit report by Chief Officer (Assets and Procurement) advising of contracts awarded since the last meeting of the Committee. 161 - 166 Page 4 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment & Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☐ Yes ☐ No Ref LR/PB Date 20/08/25 Business Regulation Service Plan 2025-2026 From Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) E-mail RennieLy@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07855193500 1. Background 1.1 The Business Regulation Service is a team with Community Operations’ Protective Services and is responsible for the delivery of the statutory enforcement and advisory service for: • Food law within all food establishments within North Lanarkshire; and • Occupational health and safety law in those premises within North Lanarkshire for which they have an enforcement responsibility (health and safety enforcement within premises being split between local authorities and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) depending upon the nature of the business). 1.2 The Service is required to prepare an annual plan which clearly maps out specific aims and objectives for each financial year. Executive Summary All local authority regulators of food law and occupational health and safety law must plan their enforcement and advisory activities and, in accordance with independent auditor preference, present that plan before a relevant committee for its approval. The report provides a summary of the service plan for the Council’s Business Regulation Service which fulfils the Council’s obligations in respect of food law and health and safety law. A copy of the service plan is enclosed as Appendix 1. Recommendations It is recommended that the Environment & Climate Change Committee: (1) Approve the Business Regulation Service Plan 2025-2026. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve the health and wellbeing of our communities Ambition statement (14) Ensure the highest standards of public protection Programme of Work Statutory / corporate / service requirement Item 2 Page 5 of 166
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1.3 Food Standards Scotland (FSS) advocates that transparency is best achieved by seeking and obtaining the approval of elected members. FSS has the primary objective of protecting the health and other interests of consumers in relation to all food related issues. 1.4 HSE’s national ‘Local Authority Enforcement Code’ requires us to be accountable to the public and businesses for our actions. This can be achieved by the publication of our service plan. 1.5 A copy of the Business Regulation Service Plan 2025-2026 is attached as Appendix 2. Report Food Law Code of Practice Recovery Plan 2.1 FSS granted dispensation to local authorities to deviate from their annual food inspection plans from 30/03/2020 due to the restrictions imposed during the Covid pandemic, and to enable re-tasking of Environmental Health officers to undertake wider public health duties related to Coronavirus legislation. This dispensation ended on 31 August 2021, at which point local authorities commenced 5-year planned work recovery intervention programmes. 2.2 During this financial year we will continue to implement the inspection recovery plan, from year 4 into the final year of the 5-year rolling plan. We have undertaken extensive risk rating and forward planning to ensure that FSS remain satisfied that we are adopting an appropriate recovery plan to ensure that all premises receive the required inspection visits within a practicable and programmed timeframe. Food Law Performance Targets 2.3 The service plan details resources and targets for inspections and interventions in respect of food law, including: • Achieving a target of completing at least 85% of all our programmed food law inspections of risk rated premises within agreed timeframes established via the Food Law Code of Practice Deviation Recovery Plan. This is an increase on last years’ target which was set at 80%. • Ensuring at least 93% of our food business operators’ premises achieve a ‘Pass’ status in accordance with the national Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS). This is an increase on last years’ target which was set at 90%. • Commence investigation of at least 90% of high-risk food and food premises complaints within 2 working days of receipt and commence investigation of at least 90% of low-risk food and food premises complaints within 5 working days of receipt. (This maintains the targets from last year, which was the first time that we had distinguished annual performance measures between high-risk and low- risk.) • Achieving a target of at least 95% of infectious disease cases being responded to in accordance with the NHS Lanarkshire Epidemiological Investigation Protocol. This is an increase on last years’ target which was set at 94%. • Continue to respond to at least 93% of high-risk requests for assistance / advice within 2 working days of receipt. Page 6 of 166
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• Continue to respond to at least 93% of low-risk requests for assistance / advice within 5 working days of receipt. 2.4 An important principle of the Food Law Rating Scheme (FLRS) is to allow local authorities to target resources on high-risk and non-compliant businesses. The food law intervention scheme rating is based upon a food business performance model that targets resources on high to medium risk and non-compliant businesses. This impacts upon the calculation used to determine the frequency of inspection of food business establishments for both the ‘hygiene’ and ‘standards’ components of a food law inspection. The FLRS takes account of a food business operator’s track record of compliance and where this is good, the business will receive an ‘earned recognition’ status influencing the risk rating to reduce the frequency of inspections. This assists the Service by enabling resources to be targeted towards non-compliant businesses which are subjected to more frequent inspections and enforcement actions where required. Occupational Health and Safety Law 2.5 The HSE’s national ‘Local Authority Enforcement Code’ sets out a risk-based approach to targeting health and safety interventions to be followed by local authority regulators. A key component is to ensure that appropriate interventions are focussed upon specified high-risk sectors. 2.6 In accordance with the national enforcement code, the Service will continue to respond to requests for advice, investigate complaints, accidents, dangerous occurrences, and other incidents reported to us and we will undertake appropriate interventions, particularly relevant to North Lanarkshire, wherever possible. 2.7 The service plan details activities which are planned to be undertaken throughout the financial year in respect of our regulation of occupational health and safety matters. 2.8 Additional projects may also be added where appropriate, having been highlighted by the HSE, regionally by the West of Scotland Health & Safety Liaison Group or through local intelligence, complaint, notification, or other direct referral to the Service. 2.9 The HSE requires local authorities to submit enforcement returns by the end of May each year, detailing the occupational health and safety work undertaken in the previous financial year. We submitted the return of data for 2024-2025 on 19 May 2025. 3. Measures of success 3.1 Performance is monitored in several ways, including on a quarterly basis by update and review at the Protective Services Management Team (PSMT). If under performance or deviation from the plan is identified, corrective action is promptly implemented. 3.2 The performance outcomes for all participant food businesses in respect of the ‘Pass’ and ‘Improvement Required’ standards stipulated in the national FHIS are reported locally to populate key performance indicator requirements. These are published on FSS’ website and are accessible via the Council’s website: Food Hygiene Information Scheme | North Lanarkshire Council. Page 7 of 166
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3.3 The quality of the performance and professional conduct of the Council’s Business Regulation service enforcement staff during inspections of businesses (both food and non-food based) is monitored, in part, using post-intervention customer service questionnaires. A QR code and online survey link have been added to the templates of our standard letters so that they are included in correspondence issued to all food establishments after routine interventions. Survey links are also now available on our website. Business responses will inform the perceived levels of customer service and afford the recipients of our service an opportunity to make their views on the level of customer service we provide known to us. By doing so, we also commit to improve our standards where we can. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 - Business Regulation Service Plan 2025-2026. Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 8 of 166
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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? 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 9 of 166
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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? 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 10 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 1 Appendix 1 - Business Regulation Service Plan 2025-2026 Community Operations Protective Services (Business Regulation Service) Food Safety/Occupational Health & Safety Service Plan 2025/2026 Page 11 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 2 STATUTORY AND GENERAL OBLIGATIONS ON FOOD AUTHORITIES Legal Obligation on Food Authority Compliance with statutory guidance ‘Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) 2019’ (the Code) and ‘Interventions Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) 2019’ (the Interventions Code) is an important requirement to safeguard and ensure proper and consistent administration of food law across Scotland. In delivery of Official Food Controls, North Lanarkshire Council is legally required to ensure: a) The effectiveness and appropriateness of Official Controls. b) That Official Controls are applied at an appropriate risk-based frequency. c) That there are a sufficient number of suitably qualified and experienced competent staff and adequate facilities and equipment to carry out duties properly. d) That staff are free from conflicts of interest. e) That there is access to an adequate laboratory capacity and capability for testing. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) seeks to work in partnership with Local Authorities to help them deliver on official control policies and Codes, and to assist them in implementing the Codes. Effects of Failure to Comply with these Statutory Obligations Section 40(2)(a) of the Food Safety Act 1990 requires a local authority to have regard to the relevant provisions of the Codes. Section 40(3) allows FSS to consult Scottish Ministers in relation to non- compliance with the Codes to order the issue of a direction to a local authority requiring it to take steps to comply with the Codes. Failure to comply with a ministerial direction by a local authority may be sanctioned by order of the Court of Session. Where Scottish Ministers are satisfied that a Food Authority has failed to discharge any duty imposed by or under the Act, and where that failure affects the general interests of consumers of food, they may by Order empower another Food Authority or officer of the Ministers to discharge that duty in place of the Authority in default and recover costs from the defaulting Authority. Requirement to Prepare an Annual Service Plan Each Food Authority should complete an Annual Service Plan which details the Interventions programme for the coming year. They should ensure such a programme is adequately resourced and that the overall plan is subject to approval timeously at the appropriate governance level within the Local Authority. The Service Plan should include: - • A statement in relation to the Food Authority’s approach or policy on Interventions, Enforcement, and Service Delivery. • A Food Authority’s approach to Interventions out-of-hours. • Details on how new Food Business Establishments are to be included in the Authority’s planned Intervention Programme. • Effective routine sampling. • Strategies for maintaining surveillance of “low-risk” establishments where the LA has decided these will be subjected to alternative enforcement strategies in either their Food Service Plan or Enforcement Policy. Page 12 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 3 The Service Plan or Enforcement Policy should include: - • The Food Authority’s approach to revisits and enforcement action - North Lanarkshire’s approach to enforcement is included within the Enforcement Policy. Its approach to revisits and enforcement action is incorporated within Food Policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which are an extension of the Enforcement Policy. • Strategies for maintaining surveillance of “low-risk” establishments where the LA has decided these will be subjected to alternative enforcement strategies in either their Food Service Plan or Enforcement Policy. North Lanarkshire has included these within both the Service Plan and the Interventions SOP which are an extension of the Enforcement Policy. The Interventions Programme should include: - • The Food Business Establishment profile. • The number of Interventions programmed. • An estimate of the number of revisits that will be made. • An estimation of resources required. • Resource for new businesses. • Detail any targeted Intervention activity that the Food Authority intends to carry out including any extra resources this may require. • Identification of any priorities relating to nationally or locally driven outcomes, such as compliance with new legislation or improved compliance with existing legislation and other central government initiatives, including compliance with the Code and the Interventions Code. SECTION 1: SERVICE AIMS AND OBJECTIVESCE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.1 Aims and Objectives North Lanarkshire Council is committed to delivering customer excellence for all its service users to maximise the benefits of North Lanarkshire’s geographical location, creating prosperity, achieving social justice and fulfilling local needs by providing best value. The following aims and objectives have been identified as being fundamental to this process: 1. To place the safety, health and well-being of the employed and the general public foremost. 2. To protect public health and affirm the continuing commitment to assist businesses in their recovery from the pandemic. 3. To inspect businesses for food safety law and/or health and safety law compliance within at least the minimum targets which have been set for inspection purposes and ensure that a proportionate and consistent enforcement policy is adhered to. 4. To commit to the national Regulators’ Code for reserved matters and the Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code of Practice for devolved matters. 5. To undertake a programme of effective routine food sampling to ensure that food is of the nature, quality and substance demanded by the public and to take appropriate action to remove any unsatisfactory foodstuffs identified during this process. 6. To respond appropriately to relevant food alerts as required by FSS. 7. To investigate food and food premises complaints and report to the Crown, recommending that they initiate legal proceedings where this is deemed to be in the public interest. 8. To offer advice and guidance to the public, voluntary organisations and the food and health & safety businesses within North Lanarkshire for the purposes of achieving compliance with statutory requirements and assisting in developing and promoting competence in food and workplace health & safety awareness. Page 13 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 4 9. To prepare reports and other related data for other Services within the Authority, FSS, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and other relevant Agencies to demonstrate transparency, ensure compliance with legislation and to provide a coordinated approach to food law and occupational health & safety law. 10. To investigate instances of food and water borne diseases within North Lanarkshire in a coordinated approach with the relevant Health Authorities. 11. To fully and promptly investigate notifications of work-related accidents, dangerous occurrences and ill health and take enforcement action in accordance with guidance to prevent harm and secure justice, where appropriate. 12. To respond promptly and courteously to requests for assistance and commit to the delivery of customer service excellence for all our service users. 13. To aim to deliver public confidence in the way food safety and health & safety issues are monitored and enforced within North Lanarkshire. 14. To respond appropriately and effectively to public health emergencies which impact on public safety. 1.2 Links to Corporate Ambition Statements and Priorities This Operational Plan is linked with the Protective Services Operational Plan and is made in accordance with aspirations and objectives contained within the Plan for North Lanarkshire. For example, from The Plan for North Lanarkshire: ‘Improve economic opportunities and outcomes’ The growth and sustainability of local business is actively supported. We work in partnership with the Enterprise Team who award Business Improvement Grants to help identify new or existing businesses with which we may have an interest and provide advice as appropriate. ‘Improve the health and wellbeing of our communities’ In accordance with the Code and the Interventions Code, formal, unannounced inspections of North Lanarkshire’s food businesses are undertaken to ensure operators make or sell foods which meet compositional and declaration legal standards, are safe to eat and will not cause illness or disease. Where food businesses are found operating unsafely, they may be compulsorily closed or prohibited from undertaking specific activities to safeguard public health, reported to the Crown and the unfit foods seized for destruction (as appropriate). The only food businesses which would not be subjected to proactive inspections are low risk Group 3 Band A premises which, following initial or subsequent intervention or where the food registration form gives sufficient information to make determination that there is minimal inherent risk, and the Lead Food Officer determines either to place the business on a 60-month intervention frequency or choose not to undertake a proactive intervention. We respond quickly to consumer concerns about food business operators, whether that is the condition of their premises, the state of the food products or the malpractices allegedly conducted there. The Service investigates outbreaks of infectious disease in conjunction with NHS Lanarkshire and acts over concerns of poor public or private water supplies. The Service implements a monitoring programme for each regulated supply and each private water supply zone. For regulated supplies, we undertake risk assessments, where applicable, in relation to water introduced into, and supplied through and from, each private water supply system to premises in its area, to establish if there is Page 14 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 5 any risk that the water could pose a potential danger to human health. Regulated supplies are those which supply more than 50 people, provide more than 10m3 or more of water per day or are supplying premises that are part commercial or performing a public activity. A similar service exists for occupational health & safety where the local authority is the relevant enforcement body. Plan for North Lanarkshire The Plan for North Lanarkshire identifies 25 high level ambition statements aligned into five priorities and the Business Regulation’s Food Safety /Occupational Health & Safety Service Plan links with these priorities as follows: Improve the health and wellbeing of communities • Programme of targeted interventions to determine compliance with statutory requirements along with proportionate enforcement action, as required. • A commitment to the prevention of death, injury and ill health arising out of or in connection with a work activity. • Food sampling programme. • Partnership working with NHS Lanarkshire to locate the source and prevent the further spread of infection. • Focusing on specific health & safety issues. • Working in partnership with NHS Lanarkshire, FSS, the HSE and other agencies to promote and deliver health improvements for the employed within North Lanarkshire and its citizens. Improve North Lanarkshire’s Resource Base • We will direct enquirers to online food safety literature, also available in a range of ethnic minority languages, and we include within our correspondence an advisory comment in a range of ethnic minority languages. We also have access to interpreters to promote social inclusion where required. • Updating and maintaining enforcement officer competence. • FHIS (Food Hygiene Information Scheme). • Online publication of food law intervention letters and of register of notices served under The Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006, Regulations 6 to 9 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Sections 21 and 22. • BS ISO 45001: 2018 (the occupational health and safety management standard). Business Regulation regards high quality public service as its key value and this commitment is reflected in that the Service achieved ISO 45001 accreditation. Key food safety and health & safety policies and procedures are in line with ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Management System and are periodically reviewed to reflect procedural changes. Business Regulation aims to support and work alongside various organisations including FSS, HSE, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire & Rescue, NHS Lanarkshire and Public Health Scotland to deliver common objectives which prevent or mitigate against illness, disease or injury and to deliver better health outcomes for residents, consumers and employees by sharing and promoting best practice for food safety, public health and occupational health & safety interventions. Where appropriate we will link service provision to any national and local updated plans and strategies relevant to the recovery process post pandemic. Page 15 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 6 S SECTION 2: BACKGROUNDACKGROUND 2.1 Profile of the Local Authority North Lanarkshire is the 4th largest authority in Scotland with a population of 341,400 and an area of 47,222 hectares (2021). It is situated approximately halfway between the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh and many of its residents live in the six main towns of Airdrie, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Bellshill, Wishaw and Motherwell. North Lanarkshire is in the midst of a process of major social, economic and environmental change. This has required a process of regeneration which is perhaps best illustrated in the Ravenscraig initiative whereby work has been proceeding with large commercial and residential developments on the former steelwork’s site. This process of economic regeneration will continue and is assisted by the strategic location of North Lanarkshire with regard to links to the South via the M73 and M74 and to Glasgow and Edinburgh via the A8/M8 motorways. Extensive improvements to the local motorway network and various arterial roads, recently completed, following a massive infrastructure investment and upgrade. Here is a plan of North Lanarkshire Council’s catchment zone. Page 16 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 7 Page 17 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 8 2.2 Organisational Structure The configuration of the Business Regulation Service for 2025/2026 (at July 2025). Chief Officer (Community Operations) Protective Services Manager (Responsibilities include Business Regulation, Pollution Control & Public Assistant Business Manager (Business Regulation) Senior EHO (North) North Division 4.5 X FTE EHOs + 1 X FTE FSO South Division 5 X FTE EHOs + 1 X FTE FSO Senior EHO (South) Senior EHO (Central) Central Division 4.5 X FTE EHOs + 0.5X FTE FSO Vacancy Page 18 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 9 2.3 Scope of the Business Regulation Service The services which are provided include: - • Advice/Guidance to Voluntary Groups as well as to business. • Compilation of Performance Indicator Data (e.g., NLC PI data, LAE1, FSS Audit returns etc.). • Disposal/Seizure of Unfit Foodstuffs. • Eat Safe Initiative. • Export Health Certificates. • Attestations & Food Premises Compliance Certificates for Export. • Food Law Interventions. • Food Safety Alerts. • Food Safety/Health & Safety Promotional Initiatives. • Approval of Premises under Regulation EC No 853/2004. • Official Control Verification (OCV) audit process of Premises Approved under EC No 853/2004. • Food Hygiene and Food Standards Inspections of Primary Producers. • Food Standards Inspections of Meat Plants Approved under EC No 853/2004 by FSS. • Formal/Informal Food Sampling. • Frequent Liaison with FSS and NHS Lanarkshire Public Health. • Health & Safety Interventions. • Originating Authority Responsibilities. • Infectious Disease Investigations. • Enforcement within Skin Tanning Premises. • Investigation of Complaints Regarding Workplaces. • Investigation of Food Complaints and Food Premises Complaints. • Investigation of Workplace Accidents, Dangerous Occurrences and Occupational Ill Health. • Licensing and Inspection of Skin Piercing & Tattooing Premises. • Licensing of Venison Dealers. • Monitoring of Compliance with the National Tobacco Smoking Ban in Public Places. • Precognition/Reports to the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service. • Private Water Supply Register, Risk Assessments, Sampling, Grant Assistance & Water Scarcity. • Promoting Healthier Food in Catering. • Public Mains Water Sampling. • Licensing Consultation Responses. • Reports to Licensing Boards. • Representation on the West of Scotland Health & Safety Liaison Group. • Representation on West of Scotland Food Liaison Group. • Responses to Building Warrants and Planning Enquiries. • Shared maintenance of the FHIS Website at a local input level. • Work in Partnership with the HSE on National Campaigns & Initiatives. • Shared maintenance of Scottish National Database (SND) at local input level. • Advisory and enforcement role in respect of Public Health including pandemic legislation, incorporating busi compliance visits and outbreak investigations. Chemical analysis and microbiological examination of food samples is undertaken by Glasgow Scientific Services (GSS) on behalf of the Service. The Service has access to translation services for documentary purposes and to facilitate routine inspections and other food and health and safety enquiries where this is required. Page 19 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 10 The approach to the Code and the Interventions Code focuses predominantly on intervention and audit of premises to the 4 Es approach of Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce. Feed issues are dealt with exclusively by FSS. Our Service headquarters is located at Station House, 950 Old Edinburgh Road, Bellshill ML4 3FG. We have offsite storage facilities at Souterhouse Depot, Souterhouse Road, Coatbridge ML5 4AA. 2.4 Demands on the Business Regulation Service Food establishments are grouped as 1 to 3 depending on the nature of the food business, with Group 1 businesses including e.g. manufacturers of high risk foods down to Group 3 businesses including licensed premises not providing catering. Within each of the groups the food establishment is risk rated in Bands A to E, dependent upon the business performance and compliance, with Band A being sustained compliance and E being serious non-compliance, which includes any non-compliances that are an immediate risk to consumer health, allow consumers to make unsafe food choices or could give rise to fraudulent gain. The data relating to the food premises profile is in the following tables. Food Law Business Groups and Risk Ratings 1A 28 1B 14 1C 4 1D 0 1E 0 Awaiting Inspection 2 Food Standards Only* 3 Total 51 2A 415 2B 702 2C 410 2D 10 2E 0 Awaiting Inspection 47 Total 1584 3A 144 3B 771 3C 104 3D 1 3E 0 Awaiting Inspection 17 Total 1037 Total 2,672 Page 20 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 11 SND Category & Premises Count Mobile Food Unit 157 Primary Producers 22 Manufacturers & Packers 82 Distributors/Transporters 70 Retailers 477 Supermarket/Hypermarket 65 Small Retailer 6 Retailer-Other 10 Restaurant &Caterers 260 Restaurant/Café/Canteen 216 Restaurant/Caterer- Others 599 Hotel & Guest house 29 Pub/Club 225 Takeaway 478 Caring Premises 49 School/College 144 Total 2,889 Note: Food Standards Only*- Included within the figures above are 3 meat plants which are approved by FSS but for which we enforce Food Standards legislation. In addition to numbers referenced within the Food Law Business Groups and Risk Ratings table above, there are: • 19 separate establishments currently approved under EC No 853/2004; • 14 primary producers (dairy farms); and • 7 Premises on our MIS without Food Law Intervention Codes. Our Management Information System (MIS) is a live system with information being automatically uploaded to the SND on a weekly basis, which accounts for some disparity in totals. We are also investigating the reason for the disparity which may be in relation to closed premises. Over the last couple of years, we have undertaken housekeeping exercises of our MIS as we had identified premises without Food Law Intervention Codes (189 premises in 2023/2024 and 30 premises in 2024/2025). A number of these were duplicate premises, but some weren’t and resulted in additional interventions being programmed in throughout the year. We have repeated this housekeeping exercise and have identified 7 premises without Food Law Intervention Codes, which is a continued reduction. These will be incorporated into the intervention programme. The number of Group 2 Band A premises has increased from 261 last year to 418. This is in part the result of sustained compliance whereby any food business rated as a Band B on three consecutive occasions is promoted automatically to a Band A. We have approximately 3,500 businesses at present for which we have responsibility for the enforcement of occupational health & safety law. The current Food Law Rating System (FLRS) ensures that the profile of food standards is raised whilst reducing duplication and bureaucracy caused by two inspection regimes. Importantly, Local Authorities can target resources on high risk and non-compliant businesses. Even as an early adopter, the pause in the intervention programme brought about by the pandemic meant that not all Page 21 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 12 premises within North Lanarkshire had undergone a food law intervention, and as such had not been banded. We changed from Annex 5 rating scheme to the FLRS based on guidance provided by the Scottish Food Law Enforcement Committee (SFELC) Covid-19 Recovery Working Group using a formula based on Annex 5 food hygiene scores for hygiene, structure and confidence in management alone, as it was assessed that a number of the other elements previously contained in Annex 5 had been taken into account at the ‘Group’ stage, and that confidence in management scores were, in the vast majority of cases, consistent between food hygiene and food standards scoring systems. In order to ensure, however, that food standards were given an appropriate level of consideration during the desktop premises ratings transfer, at the end of the process we conducted a final check to ensure that any establishment which had previously been given a poor rating for ‘Level of Compliance’ in Annex 5 Food Standards Scoring System would be given a ‘Band D’ in FLRS. Within NL, none were identified. Whilst this exercise had a significant impact on officer time, it assisted in identifying priorities for the food law recovery process. One of the Key Performance Indicators for the Service is the percentage of food establishments which achieve the Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS) ‘Pass Award’. Our target for 2019/20 was set at 90%, with an overall rate achieved of 94.09%. It was anticipated there will be a greater number of Improvements Required due to the pause in programmed interventions due to the Covid- 19 pandemic and the authorised deviation from the Code from 30 March 2020 to 31 August 2021. Our target for each year was gradually increased as was the overall rate achieved. For 2024/2025 our target was 90%, which was the same as the target set pre-Covid in 2019/2020, and an overall rate of 96% achieved. Our target for 2025/2026 has been set at 93%. Our normal business hours are 0845 hrs to 1645 hrs, Monday to Thursday with a 1615 hrs closure on Friday. However, a standby service is available to respond to emergencies including Food Alerts for Action (FAFA), outwith normal business hours. EU exit impacted on the Service due to preparation for food exports and in particular fish exports to the EU. Further detail is provided on this in Section 3.9 ‘’EU Exit’’. 2.5 Enforcement Policy North Lanarkshire Council has a documented enforcement policy which was approved by Elected Members at the Infrastructure Committee in September 2018 and is available on the NLC website to businesses and consumers. The policy was updated to reflect: - • Changes in legislation; • The effect of the Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code of Practice (SRSCoP) on food safety matters; • Due regard to the general principles of the Regulators' Compliance Code in respect of health and safety matters; • Advice issued by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the HSE; and • Relevant provisions of the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Food Standards Scotland’s direction is that enforcement policies last reviewed 8 to 10 years ago will again be reviewed and approved. The NLC enforcement policy is due to be reviewed in 2026. All Authorised Officers with responsibility for inspecting premises and/or dealing with other food and health and safety issues are aware of the enforcement policy. Authorised Officers are also aware that it is the Council’s policy to offer advice where this is appropriate or requested, particularly in regard to small and medium sized businesses. Page 22 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 13 Arrangements will be made to inspect and register any food premises found to be trading but which have not registered with the Authority. It will not normally be the policy of the Authority to submit a report to the Crown regarding failure to register alone unless a food business operator habitually refuses to do so or in combination with the discovery of unregistered premises in a serious state of non-compliance with food law. The enforcement policy for Council operated food businesses will be as detailed within the Code however the standards expected and required are no different to those demanded in private sector premises. The Service will adhere to the HSE’s enforcement policy statement in relation to matters of occupational health & safety. SECTION 3: SERVICE DELIVERY 3.1 Food and Health & Safety Premises Interventions Food Safety Previously we had a target of achieving at least 96% of all our programmed food inspections. In 2018/19, which was the last complete year we had pre-pandemic we reached this target. When the Food Law Recovery started in 2021/22, our target was revised as it was dependent on staff resource available to undertake the Food Law Recovery Process (FLR). The Interventions Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) requires that establishments receive an Intervention no more than 28 days after the scheduled date, unless they are rated Band E, the lowest possible rating. The scheduled dates for FLR visits are the latest date by which those interventions should be undertaken and do not have a 28-day grace period. Years 1 and 3 were lighter in terms of food law recovery and the associated scheduled dates for intervention which allowed us to bring forward some Interventions from Years 2 and 4, the two heaviest years forecast in terms of FLR, into Years 1 and 3 respectively. The targets for programmed inspections and performance achieved are as follows: Year Target for Programmed Inspection to be undertaken by due date Performance 2023/2024 75% 94.8 % 2024/2025 80% 95.0% The target for 2025/26 for programmed food inspections has been set at 85%. The Food Law Rating System (FLRS) combines the rating systems for Food Hygiene and Food Standards into one Food Law Intervention scheme based upon a Food Business performance model that targets resources on high to medium risk and non-compliant businesses. This impacts upon the frequency of inspection of food establishments for both hygiene and standards components of what is now known as a ‘food law’ inspection. The FLRS takes account of a food business operator’s track record of compliance and where this is good, they will receive ‘earned recognition’ influencing the risk rating to reduce intervention Page 23 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 14 frequency. This will assist resources to be targeted towards businesses which consistently fail to achieve satisfactory standards, and which will be subjected to sustained and intense enforcement activity. This links into our policy for working more efficiently, effectively ensuring that resources are always targeted where they are most needed. In addition, new premises will receive an initial inspection to check that everything is in order and will be risk rated in accordance with the Interventions Code or the Code, as appropriate for the type of business. The only food businesses which would not be subjected to proactive inspections are low risk Group 3 Band A premises which following initial or subsequent intervention or where the food registration form gives sufficient information to make determination that there is minimal inherent risk, and the Lead Food Officer determines either to place the business on a 60-month intervention frequency or choose not to undertake a proactive intervention. Questionnaires may be used to assess compliance with Group 3 Band A premises, with inspections being carried out only where deemed necessary. Food Law Code of Practice deviations: Given the unprecedented nature of the Covid-19 pandemic and national infection control measures introduced in March 2020, and the anticipated disruption caused by staff shortages, it was recognised that deviation from certain elements of the Code, and the Interventions Code, would be necessary to ensure Local Authority Environmental Health Services had the ability to undertake wider public health duties related to Covid-19. LAs received written confirmation (FSS/ENF/20/006) from FSS that the Minister for Public Health and Sport agreed to allow LAs to deviate from the Code and the agreement covered the following areas which are considered to be reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances. Food Law Code of Practice deviations included: a) Food Law interventions to all care facilities including hospitals, care homes, nurseries, and childminders. b) Planned programmed Interventions at all lower risk Group 2 and 3 businesses within the Food Law Rating System (FLRS), and all Crown Establishments. c) Low risk primary production activities - exception for dairy farms supplying raw milk for the manufacture of raw milk cheese. This includes on farm inspection to assess compliance against primary production controls. d) Approved establishments and other high risk manufacturers may limit access to high risk production areas. Therefore, it is recommended that Interventions at Approved establishments, and higher risk FLRS Group 1 businesses, are based on an initial Food Safety Management System and associated documentation audit followed up by physical inspection only if public health concerns are identified. e) Intelligence driven Interventions at all food business establishments regardless of category should continue where possible. Intelligence will include information that suggests fraudulent activity or imminent risk to public health, e.g. consumer complaints, credible allegations of food poisoning, failed samples of a serious nature that suggest fraud or health risk. The Food Law Code of Practice deviations were then revised and extended to 31 August 2021: Page 24 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 15 a) Food Law interventions to all care facilities including hospitals, care homes, nurseries, and childminders. Restricting interventions in this sector will assist with maintaining physical distance requirements and acknowledges the associated risks to these vulnerable groups. b) Planned programmed Interventions in all risk levels above a C band across all business groups within the FLRS and all Crown Establishments. c) Low risk primary production activities - exception for dairy farms supplying raw milk for the manufacture of raw milk cheese. This includes on farm inspection to assess compliance against primary production controls. It was confirmed with FSS that for interventions of C, D & E premises which were no longer included in deviations from the Code that we could continue with established practice during the pandemic, i.e., initial remote assessment (Official Control Verification letter or business questionnaire) with follow up visit being carried out only where deemed necessary to protect public health. Ongoing demands on Service meant that we adopted this approach for Band D & Es but did not have the capacity to also adopt for Band Cs due the increased time resource required for remote assessments and other demands on the Service. Food Law Code of Practice deviations recovery plans FSS and SFELC agreed broad principles on which Local Authority Covid-19 Recovery Plans would be based. A project to deliver the framework for each Scottish Local Authority to reconfigure or reset its intervention programme was undertaken by the SFELC Covid-19 Recovery Working Group. The desired outcome of this project was to assist LAs devise their work programme and help the authority recover from the pandemic. This includes adaption of Intervention Plans to accommodate not only those establishments/interventions which were ‘missed’ during the Covid-19 lockdown phase but also those which had previously fallen out of scope as a consequence of being missed. The estimation of staffing resources required was originally based on the SFELC Covid-19 Recovery Working Group guidance for calculating staffing resources. The project was designed to facilitate the following by defined completion dates: • Local Authorities will present a revised Intervention Programme which will operate from a defined date; • The Intervention Programme shall include all food establishments, each being accorded a revised due intervention date; • Every food establishment on the Intervention Programme shall be risk-rated in accordance with the Interventions Code 2019 Food Law Rating Scheme, except for approved premises and primary producers which remain under Annex 5 Risk Rating Systems; • Every Local Authority shall present a Service Plan, incorporating the revised Intervention Programme in addition to all other responsibilities, in accordance with the current service planning guidance (Note the forthcoming Administration and Service Planning, Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) 2020, which had been expected to be published by December 2022 has been on hold pending a wider project to review and update the FLCoP as well as the mechanism for updating the Code to support the launch of the Scottish Authority Food Enforcement Rebuild (SAFER) programme. A draft revised Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) was anticipated in summer of 2024 but is still awaited). • Local Authorities shall calculate the total FTE resource required to satisfy the Intervention Programme and the remainder of the Service Plan by means of an agreed calculation methodology. Page 25 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 16 It was acknowledged that the project outcomes would highlight some shortfall in available resources at some Local Authorities. While clear sight of these shortfalls was an essential deliverable of the project, the project scope does not extend to addressing these deficits in any practical sense. Methodology SFELC convened a short-life working group which delivered the key requirements. All Scottish Local Authorities were invited to participate and NLC was represented. A FSS Project Team was assembled to support the SFELC Working Group and provide oversight of progress. The SFELC Working Group had 4 work streams: 1. Desktop Transfer: The initial formula to convert premises on Annex 5 to FLRS. 2. Creation of an intervention programme: Ensuring all FLRS premises are within the revised Inspection Programme with due intervention dates included. 3. Resource Calculation: Based on the SFELC resource methodology on FSS/SFELC website and refining this to accommodate current circumstances. 4. Service Planning Guidance: Revising the Service Planning Guidance and using the draft Administration and Service Planning Food Law Code of Practice. The outcome of the SFELC Working Group was published in December 2020 ‘Local Authority Recovery Project Recovery Process Guidance’. Information relating to the Food Law Code of Practice Deviation Recovery Plan is detailed in Appendix 2. • Appendix 2 Table 1 - Annual Breakdown of Food Law Recovery Plan Interventions Required to Be Carried Out - details the total number of planned food law recovery interventions to be undertaken within the maximum time frame after the Intervention Start Date, including Approved Premises and Group 1 Manufacturers. Note there are further details of how these should be spread within that time frame depending on Priorities within FSS and SFELC Recovery Process Guidance. • Appendix 2 Table 2 - Estimate of Timescales and Numbers for Food Law Recovery Intervention and First Next Programmed Intervention After Food Law Recovery Intervention - this is a breakdown of the number of food law recovery interventions and first recurring risk assessed intervention per group and band which require to be scheduled across the five years of the recovery period. Food Premises Inspections At July 2025, we are still within Year 4 of the Intervention Programme Start Date. Food Law interventions are combined interventions covering both food hygiene and food standards interventions. The FLRS places more emphasis on previously under enforced food standards matters and is therefore more resource intensive. Due to Years 2 and 4 being heavier in terms of food law recovery inspections than Years 1 and 3, we brought forward interventions due within them, where capacity existed. Due to environmental health vacancies and recruitment issues within another part of Protective Services, officers within Business Regulation provided assistance with public health service requests for 8 months from September 2023 to April 2024, and which affected capacity for Year 4 FLR visits to be brought forward. Page 26 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 17 A total of 1,586 food law programmed interventions are projected for the 12 months commencing 1 April 2025, as detailed below. Food Law Programmed Interventions for 2025/2026 Group Rating Number 1 A 18 1 B 16 1 C 3 1 D 0 1 E 0 Total 37 Group Rating Number 2 A 112 2 B 471 2 C 392 2 D* 24 2 E* 24 Total 1023 *Numbers are based on Remedial Action Notices and Intense Interventions over a 3-year average. Group Rating Number 3 A 1 3 B 477 3 C 47 3 D 1 3 E 0 Total 526 The above does not take account of 294 new premises inspections estimated to be undertaken, based on a 3-year average. Year Number of New Premises Inspections 2022/2023 300 2023/2024 308 2024/2025 274 Average 294 In addition, 6 of the primary producers (dairy farms) are due a food hygiene and food standards inspection and an OCV cycle will commence for each of the 19 Approved establishments. The Service has continued with the OCV audit process for approved premises. The OCV approach has been developed to ensure that the verification of a food control management system (FCMS) during an official control inspection is systematic, structured and scientific. It also ensures that the FCMS is verified both in terms of its validation and implementation. Implementation of this new process has significantly increased the time spent on official controls at approved establishments. Page 27 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 18 Food law interventions undertaken for the high risk Group 1 manufacturers during 2024/2025 did not utilise the OCV audit process, except where deemed appropriate. Food law interventions undertaken for the high risk Group 1 manufacturers during 2025/2026 will not utilise the OCV audit process, except where deemed appropriate. When a food premises registration form (FPRF) is received by the Service, it is recorded as a Service Request. From that Service Request, the establishment will be created on the Service’s MIS and a Scheduled Inspection for it created 28 days from the date the FPRF is received. As such the scheduled inspections for new establishments are incorporated into the Service’s monthly inspection plans. As many register in advance of the 28 days statutory period, new premises inspections cannot be undertaken when the business isn’t yet trading. The total numbers of inspections undertaken since FLR commenced on 1 October 2021 (notionally started 1 September 2021) are: Year FLR Dates Food Law Food Hygiene Food Standards Total 1 01/09/2021-30/09/2022 1291 31 23 1345 2 01/10/2022-30/09/2023 1723 42 38 1803 3 01/10/2023-30/9/2024 1486 26 27 1539 4 01/10/2024-31/03/2025 (6 months only) 751 9 10 770 TOTAL 5457 With regard to the inspection of food premises outwith normal working hours, our policy is to ensure that, where premises are only open outwith normal hours, appropriate provision is made for them to be inspected in accordance with at least the minimum number of visits determined by their risk rating. Revisits The majority of revisits now undertaken are for food law, which covers both food hygiene and food standards. During 2024/2025 we undertook 441 revisits. We expect to carry out a similar number during 2025/2026. The number of revisits undertaken since FLR commenced on 1 October 2021 (notionally started 1 September 2021) is summarised below. Year FLR Dates Total Revisits- Food Law/Food Hygiene/Food Standards 1 01/09/2021-30/09/2022 573 2 01/10/2022-30/09/2023 588 3 01/10/2023-30/9/2024 476 4 01/10/2024-31/03/2025 (6 months only) 210 Page 28 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 19 TOTAL 1847 This does not include the number of revisits undertaken in response to service requests. Health & Safety Section 18 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 puts a duty on Local Authorities, as Enforcing Authorities, to make adequate arrangements for enforcement. There is a Statement of commitment between Local Authority and HSE Regulatory Services which sets out our shared vision for an ongoing LA/HSE co-regulatory partnership available via https://www.hse.gov.uk/lau/statement.htm and which is appended to this Service Plan. In our interventions, we will respect the key provisions of the National Local Authority Enforcement Code. Priority action is resource dependent and will focus on matters pertinent locally. Fuller details of the occupational health & safety targets and objectives are prescribed in the report’s Appendix 1 and are subject to adequate resources. Other projects may be added where they present nationally via the HSE, regionally from the West of Scotland Health & Safety Liaison Group meetings or within North Lanarkshire through local intelligence. During 2024/2025, we restarted our project which had commenced in 2023/2024 involving pro- active inspections based on local intelligence involving tanning salons focussing on measures in place to monitor and validate that the necessary control measures are being implemented to minimise the risk to the health of persons using the tanning equipment or in the immediate vicinity of tanning equipment while it is operating. When food inspections are carried out, where relevant, gas safety, electrical safety and solid fuel appliance checks are undertaken. We have incorporated within our food safety letter templates information relating to health and safety topic information relating to: • Welfare provision for delivery drivers; • Work related road safety; • The need to prevent injury to members of the public from accessing large commercial waste and recycling bins; • Work related stress and mental health campaign ‘Working Minds’. This has resulted in an excess of 1,700 letters being sent containing this information to raise awareness of these key topics. This included 55 new food premises visits where health and safety would be targeted in addition to matters of evident concern. We noticed an increase in service requests relating to the non- surgical aesthetics industry. We undertook a mailshot to 20 hotels across North Lanarkshire highlighting the potential for aesthetics practitioners using their facilities for ‘’pop up’’ treatment clinics following incidents in other local authorities within Scotland, which were widely publicised. We use Council social media channels to raise awareness of some relevant health and safety topics highlighted in HSE bulletin e.g. stress awareness, gas safety week. It is estimated that 2.85 FTE of warranted officers time is spent on Health and Safety (based upon previous years’ intervention findings). Page 29 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 20 3.2 Food and Food Premises Complaints The Authority’s policy regarding the investigation of food complaints and food premises complaints is detailed in the Service’s Food and Food Premises Complaints Policy and Food Complaints Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) are within scope of the Service Delivery Procedure QAP 5.3 (Business Regulation) within the ISO 45001 compliant Occupational Health and Safety System. The Service intends to seek to maintain the performance target for investigating food and food premises complaints by commencing the investigation of a minimum of 90% of high risk food and food premises complaints within two working day’s notification and 90% of low risk food and food premises complaints within 5 working days. Food and Food Premises vary in complexity and the time required to complete our enquiries and can require corroboration increasing resource demand. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many food businesses changed their operation, now having a greater presence on social media/digital platforms and therefore wider distribution. It is difficult to predict the number of food and food premises complaints anticipated during 2025/2026. Figures below are based on an anticipated 10% increase. Service Request Category 2023/2024 2024/2025 Estimated Requests 2025/2026 Food & Food Premises Complaints -High Risk 217 211 232 Food & Food Premises Complaints-Low Risk 20 30 33 Food Other Service Requests -High Risk 302 479 526 Food Other Service Requests -Low Risk (excluding Business Advice Requests) 394 436 479 Total 933 1156 1270 Food and Food Premises Complaints are only a fraction of the overall Service Requests dealt with by the Service. 3.3 Home Authority Principle/ Primary Authority Partnerships We do not act as Home Authority for any businesses within the food sector. Home Authority agreements exist with other UK local authorities and for which we continue to liaise with those authorities where appropriate. There are currently no Primary Authority Partnerships in place in North Lanarkshire. Where businesses have Primary Authority Partnerships (PAPs) with other local Authorities, inspection plans and guidance published by the PAP will be considered and as a matter of course there will be liaison with the PAP if formal enforcement action is considered. Page 30 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 21 The Primary Authority Scheme does not apply in Scotland with regard to Food Law. Collaboration and a good working relationship between local authorities and the Primary/Home Authority is encouraged by FSS and is undertaken by this Authority as per the Code. As such matters of legal interpretation and consistency in relation to enforcement of a business within NLC and which may have implications for their business premises outwith our area will be discussed with colleagues in the appropriate regional or local food liaison group and the Home Authority and / or Originating Authority, if appropriate. Unilateral decisions on interpretations will be avoided without first seeking the views of other Food Authorities, the Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee (SFELC) or in relation to England the Local Government Association (LGA). Notwithstanding this, advice and guidance is given freely, where requested, to food traders and numerous enquiries are dealt with from other Authorities throughout the UK in accordance with the following broad principles: • Special emphasis is placed on the monitoring of goods and services originating from this area. • Guidance and advice are given to businesses on food safety matters. • Enforcement action makes provision for liaison with Other Authorities, where appropriate. 3.4 Advice to Businesses Free advice is normally given to food safety and occupational health & safety businesses following routine interventions and/or in response to separate enquiries. We work in partnership with the Enterprise Team who award Business Improvement Grants to help identify new or existing businesses with which we may have an interest and provide advice as appropriate. We regard the advice given by our Officers as being an important part of our role as a regulator in helping businesses to understand what is required and what good practice looks like. We are keen to ensure that all this work is undertaken to the highest possible standard and, wherever possible, improve the level of customer service. As part of this process, customer satisfaction questionnaires were previously sent to all businesses following a routine intervention. This has been reviewed to digitise the process. The new digitised process, commenced during 2024/2025 includes a QR code and online survey link being added to templates of our standard letters so they will be included in correspondence issued to all food establishments after routine intervention. This will ascertain the perceived level of customer service and afford the recipients of our service an opportunity to make their views on the level of customer service we provide known to us. By doing so, we also commit to improve our standards where we can. Page 31 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 22 Business Regulation use mailshot email communications with business for relevant matters arising, examples included below. Year Examples of Mailshot Email Communications by Service 2021/2022 Introduction of new legislation relating to food prepacked for direct sale (Natasha’s Law) 2022/2023 To raise awareness of Listeria monocytogenes in cold cuts of meat and smoked fish amongst butcher's premises and care homes respectively 2023/2024 To raise awareness amongst relevant businesses of industry guidance relating to the sale of slush ice drinks in response to adverse health effects experienced by young children after consuming slush iced drinks 2024/2025 To raise awareness of training opportunity for businesses to attend FSS Preventing Food Crime Webinar which included FSS online Risk Profiling Tool which helps food businesses to identify and address their vulnerabilities to food crime We also use Council website and social media channels to raise awareness of food safety issues, where appropriate. Business Advice Requests vary in complexity and time required to complete. As such it is difficult to accurately assess resource implications. The number of food and food premises complaints anticipated during 2025/2026 detailed below is based on an anticipated 10% increase. Service Request Category 2023/2024 2024/2025 Estimated Requests 2025/2026 Business Advice Requests 62 86 94 Customer service satisfaction questionnaires were previously dispatched to a proportion of all other service users where a request has been logged on our computer system. This included food product and food business premises complaints, infectious disease investigations, health & safety issues and complaints and enquiries from members of the public. This was stood down during the Pandemic and has since been reviewed to digitise the process. The new digitised process, commenced during 2024/2025, and included an online survey link on the NLC website. This will ascertain the perceived level of customer service and afford the recipients of our service an opportunity to make their views on the level of customer service we provide known to us. By doing so, we also commit to improve our standards where we can. 3.5 Food Inspection and Sampling The policy of this Authority is to have an effective routine sampling programme where the principal aim is to assist in protecting the public and to meet relevant statutory obligations. The main thrust of the sampling programme is to focus on high risk food premises and on local manufacturers. The Council also participates in sampling initiatives agreed by the West of Scotland Food Liaison Group. The analysis or examination of food and water samples is conducted by Glasgow Scientific Services who are also consulted with regard to the nature and range of samples proposed to be taken each year in accordance with the requirements of the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland). Page 32 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 23 Our annual Sampling Programme for 2025/2026 will continue to be a risk based approach and will be undertaken in accordance with our Sampling Policy. It will focus on high risk premises within North Lanarkshire and is based on local priorities, as well as national priorities recommended by FSS, SFELC and projects agreed within West of Scotland Food Liaison Group. The FSS funded sampling programme co-ordinated by GSS across LAs within the West of Scotland Food Liaison Group and which focuses on potentially emerging issues has commenced. Note: The number of samples taken will be determined by resource availability and priorities for the year. 3.6 Control and Investigation of Communicable Disease including Outbreaks and Food Related Infectious Disease This Authority works with NHS Lanarkshire Public Health to the national guidance by Scottish Health Protection Network on management of public health incidents and management of foodborne illness for the investigation of public health incidents and control of food poisoning. This is an important document which acts as a reference point for assisting in the investigation and control of public health outbreaks and incidents. Desktop exercises to ‘test’ plans, working in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council and NHS Lanarkshire Public Health have been useful in the past and are likely to be repeated. Our average annual number of confirmed cases of food poisoning notified was 106 based on three years prior to 1 April 2020. After the Pandemic there was a significant drop in annual cases reported to this Authority by NHS Lanarkshire. The number of notifications was anticipated to increase to pre- pandemic average levels due to the return of international travel. In 2023/2024, 114 cases of food poisoning were reported to this Authority by NHS Lanarkshire seeing a return to around the pre- pandemic annual average. In 2024/2025, 141 cases of food poisoning were reported to this Authority by NHS Lanarkshire, a 33 % increase on the pre-pandemic average. The Service seeks to maintain that a target of a minimum of 94% of infectious disease cases will be responded to within the time frames stated within the NHSL Epidemiological Investigation Protocol. During 2024/2025, we responded to 100% of these within timeframe. 3.7 Food Safety Incidents These are dealt with in accordance with the procedures detailed in the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland). An out of office hours stand by service is maintained to respond to emergencies including Food Alerts for Action (FAFA) issued through Food Standards Scotland’s warning system. The number of FAFA received in recent years and in first quarter of 2025/2026 is detailed below. These are an intense use of officer resource which can require input from multiple officers and management working in partnership with FSS Incidents Unit. Year Number of FAFA 2023/2024 1 2024/2025 3 2025/2026 (Q1) 1 It is estimated that that we will receive no more than 5 Food Alerts for Action from FSS during 2025/2026. In addition to FAFAs we also deal with Food Safety Incidents and Investigations in partnership with FSS. These are also an intense use of officer resource which can require input from multiple officers Page 33 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 24 and management working in partnership with the FSS Food Crime and Incidents Unit, and which can have implications across Scotland and UK. Year Number of Food Safety Incidents and Investigations in partnership with FSS 2023/2024 5 2024/2025 6 2025/2026 (Q1) 4 It is estimated that in 2025/2026 we will deal with no more than 10 Food Safety Incidents and Investigations in partnership with FSS. Food Safety Incidents may be linked with Food Crime and Fraudulent Activities, Paragraph 3.10. 3.8 Liaison with Other Organisations To ensure a consistent approach to enforcement action with neighbouring local authorities, North Lanarkshire is represented in the West of Scotland Food Liaison Group (WSFLG) and the West of Scotland Health & Safety Liaison Group (WSHSLG). During 2023/2024, North Lanarkshire was also a WSHSLG representative on the Health and Safety Co-ordinating Group Scotland (HASCOG), a group which co-ordinates health and safety enforcement. NLC was represented at SFELC Seafood Working Group for a Scottish solution to Export Health Certification requirements for Scottish Seafood Industry in preparation for our exit from EU in respect of fish exporters. Internally, the Service liaises with Planning and Building Standards to ensure responses to planning and building warrant consultations are responded to within timeframe. This Service also liaises with Licensing to ensure the same for licensing consultations and provides Section 50 Certification for premises confirming they meet with the structural requirements of food legislation. The Service is also represented on NLC’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) which co-ordinates and considers event applications to NLC. As previously stated, NLC works in partnership with NHS Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Council and has produced a Joint Health Protection Plan for the Lanarkshire area. This is an important document which acts as a reference point for assisting in the investigation and control of public health outbreaks and incidents. Although the pandemic greatly increased our level of interaction with NHS Lanarkshire Public Health, liaison meetings with NHS Lanarkshire were always held on a regular basis and will continue to be so. 3.9 EU Exit Of greatest concern in respect of the impact of EU exit was the Scottish food export market and in particular fish and shellfish. North Lanarkshire has two major fish exporters within its boundary. Prior to 1 January 2021 there was no need for export health certificates (EHCs) for export of such produce to the EU, however this changed due to EU exit which in short means that each individual consignment of fish / shellfish requires an individual EHC. Export Certification Hubs such as those within North Lanarkshire reduced the impact of EHCs required and therefore associated charges. This was foreseen to place a significant burden on those LAs in which they are situated and who were unable to resource it from current staffing resources without a significant and detrimental impact to other public health roles and to the Local Authorities statutory functions. In July 2020, Scottish Government determined that provision of EHCs at the Hubs would be overseen by FSS and not LAs. Page 34 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 25 North Lanarkshire Council formally offered mutual aid to FSS in respect of fish export hubs located within the district, effective from 1 January 2021. This was to ensure adequate resource was in place at the hubs to issue Export Health Certificates and thereby prevent exports being adversely hampered by the pandemic. Although this has not been called upon, the mutual aid for other agency partners remains in place. The Hub model requires risk-based certification of fishery products and live bivalve molluscs which required originating authorities, including North Lanarkshire, to provide attestations of compliance of supplier premises, at the request of the supplier premises, for use by Official Veterinarians at the exporting hubs. These are done in at least 6 monthly intervals and require ongoing OCV audit of supplier premises. We have also provided support and guidance to other approved premises and manufacturing premises which export to assist with the complex EU exit rules which now exist. These can involve complex considerations following export issues at Border Control Posts and can require liaison with both FSS and Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The Windsor Framework has alleviated the potential impact of the original NI Protocol in respect of exports of Products of Animal Origin to Northern Ireland. The impact that the UK-EU reset will have on risk-based certification of fishery products and live bivalve molluscs exported to the EU has still to be determined. Following the UK’s departure from the EU, GB became an approved Third Country exporter to the EU. To maintain approval to export to the EU, GB is now subject to periodic audits of our official controls by EU auditors to provide assurances that these are sufficient to ensure that our exports of food and drink continue to meet EU import requirements. Within the first quarter of 2025/2026, NLC were audited as part of the EU LBM (Live Bivalve Molluscs) audit, which was undertaken across Great Britain (GB). The audit focussed on how LAs undertake Official Controls at approved establishments which export LBMs. 3.10 Food and Health & Safety Promotion We aim to continue to give our full support in 2025/2026 to Food Standards Scotland’s Eat Safe Initiative. The scheme consists of an award granted by Councils to specific categories of food businesses within the scheme which meet standards of hygiene in excess of that required by current food hygiene legislation. This scheme provides a recognisable sign of excellence in food hygiene. It is intended to promote the scheme, wherever possible, to encourage as many food businesses as possible to attempt to obtain and retain the award thus helping to drive up food safety standards within North Lanarkshire. We had worked in partnership with the Scottish Government and NHS Health Scotland to promote the Healthy Living Award via our website. The Healthy Living Award was paused due to Covid-19 Pandemic and is not being restarted. A new eating out, eating well framework is being developed by Public Health Scotland to help businesses offer healthier food options. In 2024 this was piloted by a range of food outlets to inform next steps. We work in partnership with the Enterprise Team who award Business Improvement Grants to help identify new or existing businesses with which we may have an interest and provide advice as appropriate. We will also continue to work with the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives to promote health & safety in small and medium sized businesses within North Lanarkshire. (This was stood down due to the pandemic, but we will resume liaison as part of business recovery.) Page 35 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 26 We work with the HSE to promote national priority topics and campaigns, including use of Council social media channels to raise awareness of some relevant health and safety matters. We use the Council website and social media channels to raise awareness of food safety issues, where appropriate. We have the assistance of Corporate Communications for releasing important information via social media. It is difficult to accurately assess resource implications for the initiatives and promotional work which we aim to undertake during 2025/2026. It is also difficult to identify measures that will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of these. 3.10 Food Crime and Fraudulent Activities Activity that is classed as Food Fraud and / or Food Crime can be described as serious dishonesty that impacts detrimentally on either the safety or the authenticity of food. Food Fraud is a dishonest act or omission, relating to the sale or preparation of food, which is intended for personal gain or to cause loss to another party. Food Crime (serious Food Fraud) is considered to be serious or complex fraud or serious and dishonest regulatory non-compliance in relation to food, drink and animal feed. Upon suspicion of Food Fraud, action shall be taken as set out within the Service Food Incidents, Alerts, Food Fraud & Food Crime Policy and Standard Operating Procedure, which are aligned with the Code. There is an anticipated increase in food crime and fraudulent activities as a result of our exit from the EU. These are an intense use of officer resource requiring input from multiple officers and management working in partnership with Food Standards Scotland Food Crime and Incidents Unit, and across other local authorities. An example of this is the well-publicised incident relating to counterfeit vodka in 2024 which required close partnership working between NLC Officers, FSS Food Crime Team and Glasgow Scientific Services and which resulted in a FAFA for all LAs in Scotland, with implications for LAs elsewhere in the UK. Food Crime and Fraudulent Activities may be linked with Food Safety Incidents, Paragraph 3.7. 3.12 Other Demands on Service During 2024/2025, Business Regulation dealt with a total of 2,346 service requests, 16% more than 2023/2024 and 20% more than the annual numbers received in a typical year pre-Covid (2018/2019 – 1,954 Service Requests). In October 2022, FSS announced the launch of the Scottish Authority Food Enforcement Rebuild (SAFER) programme to develop the future model for delivery of official controls. It is to be a collaborative approach involving FSS, Local Authorities and Scottish Government. It is recognised that, for a number of years, across Scotland there has been a decline in FTE Food Officers but an increase in demands placed upon them due to changes in food premises and increased demands due to the new Food Law Rating Scheme. Local Authorities are being asked to free up resource to assist with its development. Page 36 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 27 The SAFER themes and workstreams include: • Resourcing- Qualifications and Competency • Digitalisation-Centralised Database & Dynamic Delivery • Food Law Delivery-Interventions & Charging North Lanarkshire Council Business Regulation staff have already attended SAFER events to contribute to the programme and are already engaging with FSS. To assist with succession planning, North Lanarkshire Council continue to train student Environmental Health Officers and have committed to offer a training position each year to a student studying Environmental Health at University of the West of Scotland (UWS), during their 3rd year and following graduation, to provide the practical training required for them to be presented for examination for the professional REHIS qualification required for Environmental Health Officers. During 2025/2026 we will be training 6 individuals towards achieving the full qualification to be EHOs. At July 2025, we are training 3 students EHOs and 2 employees on the Alternative Pathway for qualification. We are due to commence training for a further 3rd year UWS student in September 2025. We also contribute to the training of 2 Modern Apprentices in Regulatory Services, which is led by Trading Standards colleagues. EIRESOURCES SECTION 4: RESOURCES 4.1 Financial Allocation The cost of operating the food safety service is estimated at £1238,281. This is based on 80% of Business Regulation staff resource being spent on Food Safety (and is inclusive of the annual SLA charge for GSS which is utilised across other NLC services and is £304,546 this financial year). 4.2 Staffing Allocation The current Business Regulation Service staff establishment is as follows: • Protective Services Manager (Non-operational and shared with the Pollution Control & Public Health and Trading Standards teams) • Assistant Business Manager (Business Regulation) who is also the Council’s Lead Food Officer • 3 Senior FTE Environmental Health Officers • 14 FTE Environmental Health Officers • 2.5 FTE Food Safety Officer (FSO) (includes 0.5 FTE vacancy) The main changes to staffing allocation since the 2024/2025 Service Plan is: • Following unsuccessful recruitment campaigns to fill a 0.5FTE EHO Post, the part time post was changed from that of an EHO to an FSO, to try to fill it. Unfortunately, recruitment campaigns for this were also unsuccessful and the 0.5 FTE vacancy remains on the establishment. There is a national shortage of Environmental Health Officers which impacts on the success of recruitment campaigns, particularly for temporary or part time posts. As an alternative, to recruitment consideration may be given to the use of agency staff for inspections, if required, albeit Page 37 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 28 any enforcement action will require to be handed back to NLC staff to implement. Costings of agency inspections will need to be undertaken before a final decision is taken on this. The Service is jointly responsible for food safety and occupational health & safety issues. Consequently, staff have a dual role, but flexibility is applied whereby staff resources will be used wherever there is most need and this will be kept under review. The Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) 2019 details competency and authorisation levels of Authorised Officers of Food Authorities who carry out interventions, in line with Regulation (EC) No 882/2004. Authorisation Levels are published on NLC’s website. EHO and FSO competency and authorisation levels in July 2025: Designation Number of FTE Officers Certifying Support Officer Competency EHO >2 Years Food Experience 14 N/A EHO <2 Years Food Experience 0 N/A FSO >2 Years Food Experience 2 N/A Total 16 0 Programmed food law Interventions resumed on 1 September 2021 following the Desktop Transfer and revised Intervention Programme. However, for performance monitoring and reporting purposes, the Intervention Programme Start Date for North Lanarkshire was 1 October 2021 as this will keep all quarterly reports aligned with normal Service planning and reporting. FSS Resource Methodology Guidance was utilised to identify any potential shortfall in our staffing complement and has been under ongoing review. In the Business Regulation Service Plan 2024-2025, we reported that the estimate of frontline staffing resources required to deliver the service across the Food Law recovery period (October 2021 to September 2026) was 20.07 FTE per annum (average). This has subsequently been reviewed, and it is estimated that the frontline staffing resources now required to deliver the service is 18.3 FTE per annum (average). 4.3 Staff Development Plan The Service is committed to ensuring that staff receive sufficient training in order to properly conduct their statutory duties. The key aim of the performance review & development scheme (PRD) is to provide a means of identifying training which meet their professional requirements and help reach the targets of the Operational and Service Plans as well as the Single Outcome Agreement Framework. It is ensured that all Business Regulation staff undergo a minimum of 10 hours of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in food related matters, in line with requirements of the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) 2019. This was achieved on an annual basis from 2019/2020 to 2024/2025. In addition, all Environmental Health Officers within Business Regulation aim to undergo a minimum of approximately 3 hours of health and safety CPD annually, however this has not always been achieved due to competing demands. PRDs within business Regulation recommenced during 2024/2025. During 2022/2023, 21 Business Regulation staff underwent Food Competent Certifying Officer (FCCO) training and successfully completed the examination. This is a requirement for BR Staff to act as FCCOs to provide and validate export health certificates and attestations for the purpose of international food exports post EU exit. Certificates are valid for 4 years. It is still to be determined if this training will require to be repeated on expiry of the certificates following the UK-EU reset. Page 38 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 29 During 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, the majority of Business Regulation staff attended a 2 day Enforcement Sanctions training course through Food Standards Scotland. The purpose of these courses was to provide officers with the scientific, legal, theoretical and practical knowledge, in order to competently serve a range of enforcement notices. These courses included workshop participation alongside enforcement colleagues from other local authorities. E-learning courses from Food Standards Scotland were undertaken by most officers in 2023/2024. These included three 7- hour courses on Ready to Eat Food, Game and Fish. This was extended in 2024/2025 for remaining officers who did not complete them last year due to competing demands. SECTION 5: QUALITY ASSESSMENT 5.1 Quality Assessment and Internal Monitoring Key food law and occupational health & safety law policies and procedures are within scope of an ISO 45001: 2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management System and are periodically reviewed to reflect on-going legislative and procedural changes. Reviews have recommenced following being stood down during the pandemic due to other demands placed on the Service. In response to the 2018 Audit by FSS, we reviewed our internal monitoring, which had previously formed part of the ISO System, and implemented an Internal Monitoring Policy and Procedure to ensure that the nature and quality of food law interventions undertaken by officers are, so far as is reasonably practical, carried out to a uniform high standard and that interpretation and action taken by officers is consistent. This Internal Monitoring Policy and Procedure was stood down due to the pause in food law interventions and the additional pressures placed on the Service in response to the pandemic. This Internal Monitoring Policy and Procedure was reviewed in 2023 and recommenced during 2024/25, however was not fully implemented due to competing demands. SECTION 6: REVIEW 6.1 Review against the Operational Plan The Service Plan will be reviewed quarterly by the Assistant Business Manager (Business Regulation) and details of reviews will be documented in the minutes of the Protective Services Management Team by exception and any decisions taken to address deficiencies shall be recorded therein. Annual performance reports of Key Performance Indicators shall be published on North Lanarkshire Council’s website at: www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk. Review and reporting delivery of the 2021/2022 Service Plan was not concluded due to pressures placed upon the Service due to the pandemic. Review against the Operation Plan was resumed during 2022/2023 and has continued since that time. 6.2 Identification of any Variation from the Operational Plan Variances from the Operational Plan will be highlighted at the time of the review and any reasons for the variance will be noted along with any corrective action, if appropriate. 6.3 Areas for Improvement Any areas identified as requiring action will be detailed as part of the audit and review process. These will be addressed by the Protective Services Manager and the Assistant Business Manager (Business Regulation) as part of the review process and action taken shall range from immediate action to inclusion in the Operational Plan for future years. Page 39 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 30 Review and upgrade of our MIS will require a resource capacity which is difficult to determine, and which will add to the demands placed on the Service. A new MIS solution has not yet been selected. In addition to the above there are Business Regulation Service Improvement Working Groups which are set up, as required. SECTION 7: PERFORMANCE PLANNING 7.1 Performance Plan The Performance Plan for 2025/2026 details the targets which have been set for key areas of work. Monitoring against these key areas will be undertaken on a quarterly basis as part of the review process and reasons will be recorded for any non-conformance together with the appropriate corrective action. Inspections resumed on 1 September 2021 following the Desktop Transfer and revised Intervention Programme. However, for performance monitoring and reporting purposes, the Intervention Programme Start Date for North Lanarkshire was 1 October 2021 (with the agreement and approval of FSS) to keep all quarterly reports aligned with normal Service planning and reporting. At 1 April 2025, we were 6 months into Year 4 of a 5 Year Food Law Recovery Plan. The details are listed in the Appendix 1 Business Regulation Performance Plan below. Page 40 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 31 Appendix 1 - BUSINESS REGULATION PERFORMANCE PLAN Note: The Intervention Programme Start Date for North Lanarkshire’s food law recovery was 1 October 2021 to keep all quarterly reports aligned with normal Service Planning and Reporting. The food law recovery plan is programmed for a 5 year period from 1 October 2021. Note the Scottish Authority Food Enforcement Rebuild (SAFER) being led by Food Standards Scotland could impact on the performance targets below. Core Activities Target Start & Stop Dates Projected Achievements/ Outcomes Lead Team Other Teams Monitoring Arrangements BR1 Food Law Code of Practice Deviation Recovery Plan 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Continue the Food Law Code of Practice Deviation Recovery Plan in accordance with FSS and Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee broad principles BR Service None Quarterly review BR 2 Food Law Inspections of all risk rated premises. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Undertake 85% of inspections within deadlines set from FLCoP Deviation Recovery Plan. BR Service None Monthly – Assistant BR Manager / Quarterly review. BR 3 Sampling in Food Premises. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Review sampling programme and take samples within scope of sampling agreement with GSS & FLCoP Deviation Recovery Plan. Priority given to samples from Approved or manufacturing premises located within North Lanarkshire. BR Service None Sample numbers monitored by PS Manager. Assistant BR Manager to monitor follow-up of reports of sample failures. Page 41 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 32 BR 4 National Food Sampling Programme. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Seek to conduct food sampling in partnership with other agencies, in accordance with national programmes & FLCoP Deviation Recovery Plan. BR Service FSS, WOSFLG Quarterly review of programmes/ sample types by BR Managers. BR 5 Investigation of Food and Food Premises Complaints. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Commence investigation of 90% of high risk food and food premises complaints within 2 working days of receipt. BR Service None BR Managers monitor progress of investigation. BR 6 Investigation of Food and Food Premises Complaints. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Commence investigation of 90% of low risk food and food premises complaints within 5 working days of receipt. BR Service None BR Managers monitor progress of investigation. BR 7 Sampling from Public Water supply. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Limited to domestic complaint samples after referral to SW has not resolved issue and sampling of relevant commercial premises (manufacturers and approved premises), or if issues arise. BR Service None Quarterly review by BR Managers. BR 8 Investigation of Infectious Disease Reports. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Respond to 95% of notifications in accordance with the NHSL Epidemiological Investigation Protocol. BR Service None BR Managers BR 9 Requests for assistance and advice. 1 April 2025 to 31 Respond to 93% of high risk requests for assistance/advice within 2 working days of receipt. BR Service None BR Managers to conduct random checks. Page 42 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 33 March 2026 BR 10 Requests for assistance and advice. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Respond to 93% of low risk requests for assistance/advice within 5 working days of receipt. BR Service None BR Managers to conduct random checks. BR 11 Ongoing review of food safety policies and procedures in line with Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland). 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Review policies and update where required. BR Service None BR Managers. BR 12 Professional Training. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Ensure all BR Officers meet professional development targets including that required by the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) and FCCO training, as required by APHA. BR Service Yes BR Managers ongoing review. Monitoring for non BR Standby Officers undertaken by Protective Services Manager. BR 13 Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS). 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Maintain and supply data for FHIS BR Service None BR Managers BR 14 Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS). 1 April 2025 to 31 93% of food premises achieve the FHIS ‘Pass’ award. It is anticipated there will be a greater number of Improvement Required due to pause in programmed interventions. BR Service None Assistant BR Manager Quarterly review. Page 43 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 34 March 2026 BR 15 Food Premises Registration Form 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Continue to develop online registration of food establishments as Digital NL Sprint progresses BR Service IT BR Managers BR 16 Applications for approval under Regulation EC No 853/2004 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Ensure that all applications for approved premises are processed within the legislative time frame BR Service None Quarterly review by Assistant BR Manager. BR 17 Audit of Premises approved under Regulation EC No 853/2004 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Continue to progress implementation of the Official Control Verification (OCV) audit process for Approved Premises in line with FSS OCV Implementation Guide. BR Service None Ongoing overview by BR Managers. BR 18 Private Water Supplies 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Update and maintain register of Private Water Supplies and investigate opportunity for online publication. Continue to implement a monitoring programme for each regulated supply and each private water supply zone. For regulated supplies, continue to undertake risk assessments, where applicable, in relation to water introduced into, and supplied through and from, each private water supply system to premises in its area, to establish if there is any risk that the water could pose a potential danger to human health. BR Service None BR Managers. Page 44 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 35 BR 19 Process all applications for Private Water Supply Grant Assistance 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Ensure that all applications for grant assistance are processed within the legislative timescale. BR Service None BR Managers. BR 20 Attestation and Export Health Certification Requirements and other certification relating to exports. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Continue to provide Attestations, Export Health Certificates, and other certification relating to exports as required. BR Service None BR Managers. BR 21 Health and Safety Enforcement. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Implement the provisions of the National Local Authority Enforcement Code. Priority with regard to implementation will be dependent on resources and will focus on those provisions which are particularly relevant to North Lanarkshire Council. BR Service HSE BR Managers/ Quarterly Review. BR 22 Gas Safety and electrical safety in catering establishments. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Undertake surveillance in catering premises visited during food inspections for matters of evident concern relating to gas safety and electrical safety. A recent trend being reported is catering premises switching from mains gas to LPG. As well as the requirements for proper installation, maintenance and inspection by a competent Gas Safe registered engineer, visits should also check the nature of any fuel supplies to gas fired appliances. Where LPG is used as a fuel supply, checks should include its safe use and storage. Useful resources: Catering Information Sheets (CAIS23) - Gas safety in catering and hospitality - (CAIS10) – Ventilation in catering kitchens BR Service None BR Managers/ Quarterly Review. Page 45 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 36 BR 23 Hospitality Establishments- electrical safety 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 To improve standards of compliance, increase awareness of legislative requirements to ensure electrical equipment with potential to cause injury is maintained in a safe condition. Remind duty holders to ensure both the fixed installation and electrical appliances are inspected by competent persons at appropriate intervals. Pubs, restaurants and cafés are urged to ensure outdoor electrical equipment such as lights and heaters are specifically designed for outdoor use, installed by a competent person and checked regularly for damage or water ingress. Useful guidance Electrical safety at work BR Managers/ Quarterly Review. BR 24 Duty to Manage Asbestos 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Raise awareness amongst duty holders in premises likely to contain asbestos (i.e. built before 2000) and determine how they are complying with their Duty to Manage BR Service HSE/ WSH&SLG BR Managers/ Quarterly Review. BR 25 Health & Safety projects (subject to adequate resources and which will be dependent on FLCoP Deviation Recovery Plan). 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 (i) Proactive inspection of High Volume Warehousing/Distribution in respect of poorly managed workplace transport/work at height/cutting machinery/lifting equipment. (iii) Raise awareness within retails premises, the risk of physical harm from violence and aggression towards sales staff at work can be a cause of work- related stress, and good management arrangements for avoiding serious or persistent verbal abuse or threats can significantly support better mental health of workers. BR Service HSE/ WSH&SLG BR Managers/ Quarterly Review. Page 46 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 37 (iv) incorporate into interventions of commercial catering premises using solid fuel cooking equipment, that appropriate measures are taken to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning from lack of suitable ventilation and/or unsafe appliances. (v) Incorporate into interventions of commercial catering premises that badly installed or faulty appliances; lack of suitable ventilation resulting in lack of make-up air to support combustion; and/or inadequate extraction systems. (v) Visitor attractions to prevent or control ill health arising from animal contact-awareness raising, education or proactive intervention. (vi) Inflatable Amusement Devices-awareness raising of safety measures via PEL; (vii) Inflatable Jump Parks-highlight with local duty holders improved information provision and supervision of users; (viii) Investigation of any patterns of accidents. (xi) Raising awareness of the work related stress and mental health campaign ‘Working Minds’ with businesses. (xii) Legionella-Raise awareness within hotels and of the risk of spa pools and hot tubs in the holiday sector. Page 47 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 38 (ix) Continue local project regarding compliance within tanning salon sector. (x) Nailbar project in conjunction with other LA within WSHSLG. (xi) Places of worship project incorporating key health and safety and food safety topics, including Duty to Manage asbestos. Officers to continue to deal with any MEC arising whilst carrying out other interventions, including e.g. • ‘Slips, Trips & Falls’ • handling hot liquids in catering premises Additional projects will be added to those detailed above if they become relevant having been highlighted nationally by the HSE, regionally by the WSHSLG or by local intelligence. BR 26 Licensing Applications 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Ensure licensing responses to high priority consultations are made either as a full response or as a holding response within 5 working days. BR Service Licensing BR Managers BR 27 Licensing Applications 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Ensure licensing responses to low priority consultations are made either as a full response or as a holding response within 10 working days. BR Service Licensing BR Managers Page 48 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 39 BR 28 Process all applications for skin piercing and tattooing licences. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Ensure that all applications are processed within the legislative timescale. BR Service None BR Managers/ Quarterly Review BR 29 Skin Piercing & Tattooing Licenses 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Develop Licences incorporating photograph of licence holder for Skin Piercers and Tattooists BR Service None BR Managers BR 30 Investigation of reported accidents 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Commence 88% of investigations required by HSE incident selection criteria within 3 working days. BR Service None BR Managers/ Quarterly Review BR 31 Maintain ISO 45001: 2018 Standard Accreditation. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Implement any action plan provisions following an internal and/or external audit. BR Service EH & BI PS Manager/Assistant BR Manager BR 32 Review Business Regulation Procedures and Work Instructions relevant to internally audited ISO 45001 standards. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Where resources allow, review BR Procedure and Work Instructions relevant to ISO 45001 standards. BR Service EH & BI BR Managers Page 49 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 40 BR 33 Joint Public Health Protection Plan. 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Participate in training events and work in partnership with NHS Lanarkshire Health Board and South Lanarkshire Council, as appropriate. BR Service NHS LHB PS Manager/ Assistant BR Manager. BR 34 Planning and building control consultations 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Ensure all planning and building control Service Requests are actioned as appropriate within the 21 day consultation period. BR Service Built Env BR Managers. BR 35 Management Information Systems 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Data management in line with Retention Schedule BR Service None PS Manager/ BR Managers. BR 36 Extant Notices 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Review of Extant Notices BR Service None BR Managers. BR 37 Template Notices 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Review of Template Notices used by Business Regulation BR Service None BR Managers. BR 38 Digital NL 1 April 2025 to 31 Participate with Digital NL Sprint for Protective Services as required BR Service CE Dept PS Manager/BR Managers. Page 50 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 41 March 2026 BR 39 Scottish Authority Food Enforcement Rebuild (SAFER) 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Participate in FSS SAFER and other working groups as appropriate BR Service None Assistant BR Manager BR 40 Internal Monitoring 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Undertake Internal Monitoring in line with Internal Monitoring Policy & Procedure BR Service None BR Managers BR 41 Public Entertainment Licence Events 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 Monitor PEL events and undertake site visits as appropriate subject to adequate resources and in response to concerns BR Service None BR Managers APPENDIX 2- TABLES OF CALCULATIONS AND INFORMATION RELATING TO STAFF RESOURCES (Revised) Contents • Table 1 - Annual Breakdown of Food Law Recovery Plan Interventions Required to Be Carried Out • Table2 - Estimate of Timescales and Numbers for First Next Programmed Intervention After Food Law Recovery Intervention Appendix 2 2025-2026.pdf Page 51 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council 42 APPENDIX 3- STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT BETWEEN LOCAL AUTHORITY AND HSE REGULATORY SERVICES Appendix 3 Local Authority and HSE Reg Page 52 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment and Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref LR/VA/CM Date 20/08/25 Sustainable Futures - Burial Space Strategy and Cemeteries Creation Projects From Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) E-mail Renniely@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07855193500 Executive Summary This report provides committee with an update on burial space needs within North Lanarkshire, gives progress reports on current burial space improvement projects, and outlines further actions proposed to provide sufficient new burial space for each community. Information is provided on new data to refine future forecasting of burial space need. Proposals are outlined for community consultation on the Burial Space Strategy including areas such as grounds maintenance, types of burial plot, approaches to localised burial space vs larger cemeteries. All currently available and in construction burial space within North Lanarkshire, with the exception of the new cemetery at Pather Farm, and Eastfield and Cambusnethan Muslim burial areas, is projected to be utilised within approximately nine years. The estimated average time to construct a new cemetery is seven and a half years highlighting the importance of prioritising ongoing burial space development projects. Recommendations It is recommended that the Environment and Climate Change committee: (1) Acknowledges the significant progress made to meeting burial space demand since the last report in 2024 through delivery of three successful projects. (2) Recognises the future impact of other run out dates presented in the Burial Space Strategy and (3) Approves the service proposal that public consultation on the Burial Space Strategy is planned and undertaken. 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 Statutory / corporate / service requirement Item 3 Page 53 of 166
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1. Background 1.2 The main options for increasing burial space, in order of decreasing cost effectiveness are: 1. Development of unused or under-used areas within existing cemeteries. 2. Extension of existing cemeteries into adjoining land. 3. Creation of a nearby ‘satellite’ site if no suitable adjacent land exists for extension. Satellite sites are those with burial space but no staff welfare or equipment storage which are serviced from an existing nearby cemetery with these facilities in place. They are more cost effective and quicker to create. 4. Development of new standalone cemeteries on council owned land. 5. Development of new cemeteries on land which requires to be purchased. 1.3 For options 2-5 it is increasingly difficult to find suitable land which can accommodate burials close to communities. This has prompted the service to propose several innovative approaches to both site selection and the type of burials plots on offer. 1.4 A cross-service Cemeteries Projects Team is in place to identify, investigate, design, procure and manage the construction of new burial spaces. A report to committee in August 2024 detailed improvements undertaken in existing cemeteries during the previous 12 months and outlined those planned for the coming year. A further update is included in this report. 2. Report Burial Space Strategy – New approaches to forecasting demand 2.1 To prioritise capital spend on cemetery development the service has always monitored available lairs, tracked lair usage, and forecast burial space demand. Recent insights on North Lanarkshire’s demographic data have highlighted a risk from high proportions of the population currently in their 40s-60s increasing demand more quickly in the coming years. Work is now underway to contextualise this data which is key to accurate long-term forecasting. Working with the council’s Strategy, Performance and Data team, we are developing models to utilise population data and mortality rates at a Community Board level to forecast 5, 10, 15 and 20 years ahead and gain early awareness of any likely periods of high lair demand. The initial results of this work are expected autumn 2025.The service will use these results to consider likely impact on burial space demand and develop an approach to take area by area to meet this medium term need. As more demographic data becomes available, we will work collaboratively across the council to include it in the forecasting and improve accuracy of future lair demand. 1.1 There are currently seven operational cemeteries in North Lanarkshire which offer new lairs, and a further eleven cemeteries closed for new lair sales, of which seven are regularly providing burials and have a dedicated or shared on-site team. A new cemetery under construction at Pather Farm, Wishaw will provide new lairs from the beginning of 2026. The Burial Space Strategy monitors annual changes in lair capacity at each cemetery allowing the council to plan ahead with the aim of providing sufficient space before capacity runs out. Previously demand has been forecast using lair sales trend data and available lair counts from each cemetery. The last report to this committee was August 2024 Page 54 of 166
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Burial Space Strategy – Progress Report 2.2 Since the last report in 2024 the following works have taken place. a) Pather, The development of a new cemetery for Wishaw at Pather Farm was started in 2019, as reported to committee in August 2024 Document.ashx. Construction works on site are forecast to finish by the end of 2025.The works will create 1051 new lairs in Phase 1, a further approx. 2000 lairs would be available in a future Phase 2. b) Coltswood Phase 1 Works to create new lairs within existing underused parts of the cemetery started in Autumn 2024 and concluded May 2025 creating 287 lairs. The cost of all works was £155,456.10 This project has extended the forecasted run out date by 2 years providing much needed burial space capacity for Coatbridge. c) Cambusnethan cemetery . Works to create a small extension on a previously undeveloped part of the cemetery, as well as extend headstone foundations to fully utilise the existing Muslim burial area within the cemetery started with design work in 2024and construction finishing mid-summer 2025. The works have cost £98,274.81 and created 222 standard lairs and 150 Muslim burial lairs, extending runout dates by over 2 years and 10 years respectively. There is very limited space to further extend within this site and any further extension is not currently cost effective and therefore has not been included in the proposed future works plan. Burial Space Strategy – Planned works 2.3 The following works are planned to take place over the next 2 years. a) Coltswood Phase 2 Extension into underused landscaped land within the existing cemetery is planned, creating 537 lairs. Tenders have not yet been issued for the works but costs are likely to be in the region of £350,000. Works are expected be achievable by May 2026. b) New Monklands, Extension into adjacent land purchased for burial space. Intrusive surveys have been carried out and a preliminary design for Phase 1 developed. Over the next two years the team will apply for planning permission, create detailed technical drawings, tender the works, and go on to manage the project through construction to create in the region of 1000 lairs. Burial Space Strategy – New Sites 2.4 The following sites are being investigated to determine whether they could be suitable for burial space. Community Board area served Project Existing burial space run-out date Estimated time of replacement launch Project stage Coatbridge Coltswood Cemetery replacement/satellite site Sep-2028 Unknown Site identification, an extensive search of land around Coatbridge is being undertaken to identify potentially viable sites. Cumbernauld Eastfield Cemetery extension May-2029 Jun-2028 Site investigation of several areas adjacent to the existing cemetery underway. Page 55 of 166
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Cumbernauld Eastfield Cemetery replacement May-2029 Unknown Site identification – an area of council owned land at Blairlinn is undergoing initial screening for viability as burial space. Kilsyth Kilsyth Cemetery extension Mar-2030 Apr-2029 Site investigation of privately owned land to the south of the existing cemetery underway. 2.5 Based on forecast runout dates for burial space (shown in appendix 1), work will now start to identify additional capacity at Benhar cemetery in 2026, and to commence development of phase 2 of Bothwellhaugh cemetery in 2027. Burial Space Strategy – Challenges in securing sites 2.6 Development of land for burial space is complex and requires detailed site investigation. As such, it can take 5-10 years from project inception to new burial space being available for use. Suitable land for burial space development is becoming more and more difficult to identify, due to factors including the historic land use in North Lanarkshire, wetter weather (and therefore changes in groundwater table ) due to climate change, and competing demand for housing development. Burial Space Strategy – Cost Effective Approaches 2.7 Developing burial space opportunities within the existing cemetery boundary is by far the most cost-effective approach and avoids many potential development issues as ground conditions are known and planning permission is often not required and is therefore prioritised. Extension onto adjacent land is the next most cost effective as no new welfare facilities are required. New cemeteries are by far the most costly and time- consuming to develop, however can yield the biggest return in terms of future burial capacity. To permit the development of smaller sites that could not accommodate a full new cemetery, development of ‘satellite’ sites is being considered where the site is near an existing cemetery which can remain the base for operational staff. Burial Space Strategy – Consultation 2.8 The following section lays out proposals for how the service will consult with the public on a range of issues relating to our provision of burial space which are important in steering our further development of the strategy. Areas proposed for consultation include: a) Grounds maintenance; use of wildflower areas in closed cemeteries and sections yet to be developed. b) Types of burial plot, options for widening out the range of plots on offer to account for smaller and more cost effective options such as cremation plots, columbariums and woodland burial options c) Approaches to localised burial space vs larger cemeteries. What is important to communities about their burial space including barriers to access, acceptable travel times, availability of staff and facilities. 2.9 The format for burial space strategy consultation will be developed by the service over the next few months with a view to commencing in Q4 of 25/26. The results will be brough back to this committee during 2027. Page 56 of 166
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3. Measures of success 3.1 Sufficient burial space to meet the council’s statutory obligation to bury the dead. 3.2 Enough burial space in each locality to ensure funeral poverty is minimised. 3.3 Additional burial space developed as economically as possible. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 – Burial Space Strategy Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 57 of 166
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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? This report covers the award of a contract of significant value which is covered by the current capital programme. 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? 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 58 of 166
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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? 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? Risks associated with each individual project referenced in the report are managed through the risk register for each project as part of the council’s standard project management process. 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 59 of 166
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Appendix 1 – Burial Space run-out dates by Cemetery Cemetery Area served Runout Date of Developed Lairs (April 2025) Runout Date of Lairs being Developed During 2025/26 Potential Additional Life Span Runout Date of Developed Lairs + Potential lairs Bedlay Cemetery Northern Corridor closed at present time for new lairs - Extension being developed, subject to section 75 agreement with developer, currently redirecting burials to other cemeteries Approx 20 years capacity, once developed Pather Farm Cemetery Wishaw and surrounding area in development 2036 Construction is underway. New lairs available from Dec 2025 Approx 11years capacity in Phase 1, Cambusnethan Cemetery Wishaw and surrounding area March-2026 Nov- 2028 Small internal extension underway Nov 2028 Coltswood Road Cemetery Coatbridge and surrounding area Sept 2028 Phase 2 internal extension Feb-2033 Cambusnethan Cemetery Muslim Burial Space Southern area July-2027 April 2038 Further development of remaining Muslim area April - 2038 Eastfield Cemetery Cumbernauld and surrounding area May-2029 TBC Area to east, requires geotechnical investigation TBC New Monkland Cemetery Airdrie and surrounding area Jan 2031 - Area to north July 2068 Kilsyth Cemetery Kilsyth and surrounding area March 2030 - Development of lairs along northern wall of existing cemetery. April 2034 Bothwellhaugh Cemetery Motherwell, Bellshill and Jan 2034 - Phased development Jan 2049 Page 60 of 166
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surrounding area within cemetery boundaries Benhar Cemetery Shotts and surrounding area Nov-2033 - Potential extension into council- owned land to north Jul-2080 Eastfield Cemetery Muslim Burial Space Northern area Sept 2116 - Potential to include in wider cemetery extension above Sept 2116 Page 61 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment and Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref LR/VA/HA Date 20/08/25 Successful External Funding Applications for Greenspace From Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) E-mail renniely@northan.gov.uk Telephone 07855193500 Executive Summary This report updates committee on two successful applications to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It provides details of the Nurturing Natural Connections project, which is a partnership application led by Scottish Wildlife Trust to continue work on greenspaces across Cumbernauld. The report also provides details of the offer of grant from the Nature Towns and Cities programme, which is a UK wide initiative. The NL Nearer to Nature project has been awarded revenue funding of £639,053 to develop a Greenspace Infrastructure plan with local communities. Recommendations It is recommended that the Environment and Climate Change Committee: (1) Acknowledge the considerable efforts of the Community Greenspace team in continuing the successful partnership working to secure grant funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) for the Cumbernauld Living Landscapes Project. (2) Recognise the significant positive benefits that will be gained across multiple Cumbernauld greenspace sites over the 5-year delivery programme. (3) Approve the acceptance of £639,035 revenue funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Nature Towns & Cities programme to deliver the NL Nearer to Nature programme which will invest in research and co-creation of a Greenspace Infrastructure 10 year plan to prioritise and drive improvements to the quality of and access to urban green spaces in North Lanarkshire. (4) Acknowledge the upcoming recruitment of 2 FTE temporary posts to enable work on the Nature Towns & Cities NL Nearer to Nature programme to begin as soon as possible. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Enhance participation, capacity, and empowerment across our communities Ambition statement (16) Transform our natural environment to support wellbeing and inward investment and enhance it for current and future generations Programme of Work Sustainable Futures Item 4 Page 63 of 166
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1. Background 1.1 North Lanarkshire Council has worked as a partner in the Cumbernauld Living Landscape Project, delivering improvements for people and wildlife across a number of council owned sites in Cumbernauld since 2011. In 2018 the Partnership was awarded £1.4m. 1.2 Since 2019 the Cumbernauld Living Landscape partnership (North Lanarkshire Council, Scottish Wildlife Trust, the Conservation Volunteers and Sanctuary Scotland) through the Creating Natural Connections project has delivered peatland restoration, tree planting, wildflower meadow creation, installation of bird and bat boxes and improvements to enable better access to our greenspace sites. The project has also provided many opportunities for voluntary work encouraging the local community to be involved in enhancing their local environment. 2. Report 2.1 The Creating Natural Connections project was an ambitious 4-year initiative, delivered between 2019 and 2023, with the aim of connecting people to the nature on their doorstep and engaging communities in improving the quality of their local greenspace for people and wildlife. The final report is available: 202310_CNC_Final-report-for- funder_FINAL.pdf 2.2 A report to this committee in cycle 4 2024 noted the Partnership’s intention to apply for further funding to support a new project. The £2.7m award from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to the Partnership shows confidence in the strength of the new Nurturing Natural Connections project, which sets to build on the success of the original work. This will bring investment to a number of council sites around Cumbernauld as well as improving partners sites and connecting with local communities and volunteers. Planned outcomes: Nurturing Natural Connections 2.3 Across the next 5 years our involvement in this partnership project will see: • The delivery of phases 3 & 4 of the Long-Term Forest Plan at Palacerigg Country Park, promoting native species and biodiversity and helping to create a safer and more sustainably managed woodland. • Woodland management in the woodland around Abronhill to create a more ecologically diverse and resilient woodland habitat. • 2,000 new trees planted to mitigate any negative impacts and enhance the resilience of trees within greenspaces, as a result of the 1,000 diseased ash trees removed as part of the Ash Dieback Action Plan in 2022 and 2023. • Access improvements in Westfield & Cumbernauld Community Park and • A project across multiple sites, restoring and improving the connectivity of the grassland network through Cumbernauld to further our work to improve Nature Networks across the Glasgow City Region in line with the GCR Green network blueprint. NL Nearer to Nature (NHLF Nature Towns & Cities) 2.4 In October 2024 a new partnership initiative was established, with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the National Trust and Natural England working together to enable greenspaces and nature to be at the heart of plans and priorities for Councils and communities. Page 64 of 166
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2.5 North Lanarkshire Council submitted an Expression of Interest to the fund in November 2024, which we were advised had been successful in January this year. A full application was submitted requesting grant funding of £639,035 for a 30-month project. Planned Outcomes 2.6 We are delighted to report that North Lanarkshire Council is one of only 2 Scottish projects to be awarded funding. The secured funding of £639,035 will enable us to co- create with our communities a 10-year Greenspace Infrastructure Plan to deliver improvements to the quality of and access to urban greenspace in our most deprived areas. 2.7 One of the outcomes of the project will be to identify and demonstrate the economic value of our greenspaces, considering health and social benefits. This knowledge will allow the exploration of funding and management models to enable us to sustainably maintain, expand and improve green and blue spaces in the long-term. 2.8 The funding will also help to establish a programme of Greenspace Ambassadors to develop a volunteering resource, with a bespoke training programme to improve community capacity and connections with local greenspaces. 3. Measures of success 3.1 An increased positive public perception of the green and open spaces in North Lanarkshire. 3.2 Opportunities for sustainable funding models to enhance and maintain greenspaces are explored. 3.3 A long term Greenspace Infrastructure Action Plan is co-created with local communities. 4. Supporting documentation N/A Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 65 of 166
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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? Spending on projects will be via a spend and recoup method through identified individual project cost centres. 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? Creation of 2 temporary FTE posts for the Nature Towns & Cities project, which have had the relevant approvals at workforce change steering group. 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 Page 66 of 166
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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? Projects will have a positive impact on carbon storage (tree planting and reduced mowing regimes), also projects will contribute to the delivery of actions in the Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan. Co-creation with communities in North Lanarkshire to design improvements to the quality of greenspace will in turn improve the environment and we will seek to plan enhancements that have adaption at their forefront. 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). Right to be heard – We will engage with our young people as part of these projects. Page 67 of 166
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If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☒ Page 68 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment and Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref SW/LR Date 20/08/24 Winter Service Policy and Procedures 2025/26 From Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) E-mail renniely@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07855193500 Executive Summary This report presents Elected Members with details of the proposed Winter Service Policy and Procedures for 2025/26. The council has an obligation under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to take such steps as it considers reasonable to prevent snow and ice endangering safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles over public roads. This obligation is discharged through the council’s term maintenance contractor. To ensure that these obligations are met the council is required to annually review its processes and procedures and approve an annual refresh of its policy. Recommendations It is recommended that the Environment and Climate Change Committee: (1) Considers the contents of this report and accompanying appendix. (2) Agrees the proposed Winter Service Policy and Procedures 2025/26 as the base for winter service delivery in the coming year. (3) Agrees that the footpath and secondary routes are reviewed to ensure treatment is applied in accordance with the council Winter Service Policy and Procedures. (4) Agrees that consideration is given to options for treatment relating to active travel and proposals are developed for inclusion within the Winter Service Policy and Procedures for 2026/27. (5) Approve the proposals for reducing the strategic salt stock at Bellshill Depot. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve North Lanarkshire's resource base Ambition statement (17) Ensure we keep our environment clean, safe, and attractive Programme of Work Statutory / corporate / service requirement Item 5 Page 69 of 166
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1. Background 1.1 Under Section 34 of the Roads (Scotland) Act, 1984, North Lanarkshire Council has a statutory obligation to take such steps as it considers reasonable to prevent snow and ice endangering the safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles over their public roads which by definition includes carriageways, footways and footpaths. 1.2 This does not mean that all roads and footways must be treated as soon as ice formations or snow accumulations exist. To do so would be impossible and out with the limit of the resources available, and the Courts have recognised that it would not be reasonably practical to do so. Nevertheless, to deal efficiently and effectively with winter events, operations need to be planned in a systematic manner, and it is therefore essential that a policy with clearly defined priorities is established. 1.3 The policy outlines how the winter service will be delivered across the council and how the road network has been prioritised for carriageways, footway, footpaths, and cycle routes. The policy also details the levels of service that are to be achieved and procedures around the winter decision making process. 2. Report 2.1 The Winter Service provided by the council takes cognisance of the recommendations in the document Code of Practice ‘’Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure (2018)’’ for Highway Maintenance Management. Winter Service reviews are undertaken annually to determine how the service can be improved with the resources available. A contingency plan has been prepared for extreme weather events, and this has been updated to incorporate flooding and heavy winds given the change in climatic conditions. 2.2 Details of the Primary and Secondary roads that are treated can be found on the council’s website, this is updated when any changes / additions to routes are established. Copies of the document will also be distributed to those listed in Appendix C of the document. Overview of Weather Conditions Over Previous Year 2.3 Overall, October 2024 was very mild with a mean monthly temperature of 10.0C, this 1.0C above the seasonal norm when compared to the 1991-2020 climate period. Whilst the mean minimum temperatures were 1.1C above the average, air frosts were only slightly below the October average with it also being a drier than usual month, with a rainfall anomaly of -23.4%. Storm Ashley arrived on the 20th, this resulting in very strong winds being recorded widely across Scotland. 2.4 November 2024 can be split into two halves. The first half of the month was mostly dry, settled and mild with temperatures above the 1991-2020 climate average bringing an overall temperature anomaly of +0.3C. However, temperatures fell significantly below average during the second half of the month, resulting in a frost anomaly of 80.1% above average. Rainfall was 43.6% below average. 2.5 A colder start to the month, with the lowest temperatures recorded in the second week before temperatures generally remained above the average. Yet even with this colder spell, the overall monthly mean air temperature was 2.2C above the 1991-2020 climate average, mainly due to the higher mean minimum temperature of 2.9C for the month. Frosts were 46.4% below average whilst the monthly mean rainfall was 48.8% above average. Page 70 of 166
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2.6 January was a variable month, with temperatures well below the 1991-2020 climate average through the first half, before they rose and then fluctuated around average through the second half. Overall, temperatures were -0.5C below average, with 28 days recording a frost. Rainfall was also 40.5% below average. There was a particularly disruptive period around Storm Éowyn, which brought a peak gust of 100.1mph at Drumalbin on the 24th with most of Scotland recording gusts in excess of 70mph. 2.7 February saw a significant number of days where the mean daily air temperatures were below the 1991-2020 climate average. However, the start and end of the month saw notable jumps in the mean temperature, resulting in a mean temperature anomaly of +0.8C. Overall, there were 30.6% fewer frosts at the stations in the region compared to the norm. A drier than average month too, with the monthly mean rainfall 25.2% below the average. 2.8 March 2025 was a fairly settled but mild month, with temperatures well above average at the beginning and end of the month. Overall, temperatures were 1.9C above the 1991-2020 climate average, with frost 11.8% below average. Rainfall was also 30% below average too. 2.9 A largely settled month with temperatures fluctuating around or a little above average, yet the final few days of April saw very warm conditions. Overall, the mean temperature anomaly was 1.7C above the 1991-2020 climate average, this mainly due to the daytime maxima being 2.9C above normal. Air frosts were 13.3% below the norm, and rainfall totals ended up 46.7% below the monthly average. Winter Service Review 2.10 Winter Service reviews are undertaken annually to determine how the service can be improved with the resources available. A review of the winter period was undertaken on the 23 May 2025 in conjunction with the council’s Term Service Contractor, Hochtief, which covered a range of items such as fleet, operations, monitoring of service, resources, health, and safety etc. The key points are detailed further below. 2.11 Due to the start of the new Term Service Contract, Hochtief carried out the Winter Service for North Lanarkshire Council using PMG (Permanently Fixed Gritters) which meant that the fleet could only be utilised for gritting operations. For season 2025/26 Hochtief have commissioned a multi-functional fleet meaning that the vehicles will be used for both traditional road works and winter services. Hochtief will continue to renew older fleet as it reaches end of life. 2.12 During mobilisation of the new Contract for 1st October 2024, Hochtief sought to commission 16 new footpath gritting tractors. The tractor delivery was staggered and the fleet was not fully functional until the beginning of December, meaning additional hand casting crews temporarily supplemented footpath gritters. The new tractor unit replacement program was completed prior to the start of 2025. Hochtief have provided additional access to tracking information for these units. While overall performance was good, there were concerns expressed in some locations when snow had solidified on footpaths. Other treatments are currently being investigated for these situations. 2.13 Hochtief continue to maintain a sufficient driver resource and reported a positive upturn in the recruitment of qualified drivers. They also continue to maintain high standards of driving via their Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) training program and are looking in to further Winter training options such as SVQ’s. Page 71 of 166
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2.14 During the winter period there were no systems failures with the forecasting information from MetDesk. However, there was still a variance in the predicted forecast and the actual forecast temperature which MetDesk will be addressing over the summer period. In these instances, a worst-case scenario forecast was delivered and actioned. In addition to this, the MetDesk forecasts are delivered at 12 noon and on a couple of occasions they were delivered slightly late, however this did not affect the treatment, outcome, or delivery. This matter was immediately brough to the attention of our providers and was discussed at the West of Scotland Local Authority weather consortium meeting and assurances given by the provider that measures were put in place to avoid a reoccurrence. Over the 2024 summer period MetDesk working closely with the West of Scotland’s Local Authority Weather Forecasting Partnership and successfully introduced the 72-hour rolling forecast which assisted in planning treatments during the 2024/25 winter season. Weather Stations 2.15 As part of the winter service and to assist in the forecasting of conditions, the council operates five weather stations at the A803 Kilsyth, B7066 Hirst, A73 Brownshill, A73 Stand, and Sikeside Street, Coatbridge. The weather stations provide a range of information including road surface temperature, road condition, wind speed etc. and real time information can be viewed by decision makers. 2.16 In December last year the weather station was struck by a vehicle which caused significant damage and as a result this station was not operation for a period of time. This did not impact service delivery as the decisions are predominately taken from the forecast information provided. The replacement of the station was around £8,900 and this was met from the roads winter budget. 2.17 Due to the ramp down of 3G we have one site on the A73 stand that requires to be upgraded and this will come at a cost of £1,850 and will be met from the roads winter budget. Policy Adjustments 2.18 A number of minor adjustments have been made in terms of terminology, the reference to cycle way and contractor have been replaced by active travel and service provider respectively. 2.19 A section has been added to the primary routes that will see primary routes being treated when road surface temperatures are forecast to drop below 0.5 degrees and when the confidence in the forecast is low. 2.20 Providing support to emergency services, funerals, NHS etc. during the winter period is undertaken as business as usual. In the previous policies this appeared to only be done during certain circumstances. Therefore, this section has been separated from the main text and included as a standalone section within the policy. 2.21 Roads that are not included on a primary or secondary route would not normally treated, unless providing support to the organisations above. This has been made clearer within the policy. 2.22 Secondary footpath routes include everything not covered as part of a primary route. Given the extent of the footpath network the council do not have the resources to treat every part of this network, this has been made clearer within the policy. Page 72 of 166
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Route Review 2.23 Over the years the Primary gritting routes have been reviewed to ensure that treatment is applied consistently against the Winter Service Policy and Procedures. The footpath and secondary routes have not been reviewed for over ten years and there are some inconsistencies against the policy. There has also been a drive towards promoting active travel and this has not been fully incorporated within recent policies. It is therefore proposed to undertake a review of the existing footpath and secondary routes to ensure that the policy is applied consistently and consider how active travel routes should be incorporated within a future policy. The results of this review would be reported as part of the Winter Services Policy and Procedures for 2026/2027. Salt Stocks 2.24 Winter maintenance activities are undertaken using salt stored at the contractor’s depots in Blairlinn and Bargeddie. Stocks are monitored and the barns are replenished in advance of October each year and as required throughout the winter treatment period. 2.25 The Council has an additional strategic salt stock of 10,000 tonnes, stored in our barn at Bellshill Depot, to enhance corporate resilience for the delivery of all services during periods of prolonged severe winter weather. The barn was damaged during Storm Eowyn and requires to be emptied in order repairs can be undertaken. 2.26 The barn was installed as a resilience measure after the ‘Beast from the East’ winter event in 2010/11. There have been other measures introduced by the Scottish Government and salt suppliers since that event, resulting in very little demand for the 10,000 tonnes of salt purchased at the time. The Service estimate that only a few hundred tonnes have been used by other parts of the Council since. 2.27 This Service is utilising our term maintenance contract with Hochtief, to enable the salt to be transferred to the contractor’s depots for use during the 2025/26 season. The cost of moving this volume of salt is significant. The Service will replenish the barn at Bellshill once the repairs have been completed. Given the limited use of this facility previously, the Service proposes to limit the amount of salt retained going forward to 5,000 tonnes. Grit Bin Provisions 2.28 To supplement gritting operations undertaken on priority routes, Community Operations currently provides around 2,820 grit bins across the Council area. This enables residents access to salt to self-treat non priority areas during periods of adverse weather. 2.29 Grit bins are only provided at locations that meet the minimum scoring criteria set out in the Winter Service Policy - Appendix D. These are typically at known trouble spots including steep gradients or sharp bends, where agreement can be reached with the adjacent property owner/ occupier. Bins are not provided on roads treated as priority gritting routes. 2.30 The Service has been gathering and analysing data in relation to usage / refilling of grit bins over the last 3 years, as requested following the establishment of a member officer working group in 2023. 2.31 The Service has transitioned to digitally recording when bins have been refilled. This will enable much improved reporting going forward, hence it is proposed that a further Page 73 of 166
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is undertaken after winter season 2025/26 and incorporated into the full review outlined above. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The road network is generally available for residents, commerce, and blue light services to use safely throughout the winter period enhancing North Lanarkshire as the place to live, learn, work, invest and visit. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 – Winter Service Policy and Procedures 2025/26 Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 74 of 166
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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? 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 75 of 166
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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? 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 76 of 166
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APPENDIX 1 Contents Page No 1. INTRODUCTION 2 2. POLICY 2.1 Treatment of Roads 3 2.2 Salt Stock Levels 5 2.3 Level of Service 5 3. PROCEDURES 3.1 Preparation of Routes 6 3.2 Meteorological Reports 6 3.3 Decision Making Process 7 3.4 Resources 8 3.5 Road Condition Reports 8 3.6 Liaison with Police 9 3.7 Warning Signs 9 3.8 Road Closures 9 3.9 Salt Bins 9 3.10 Community Salt Stocks 10 3.11 Keeping and Retention of Records 10 Appendix 'A' - Plan of Council Areas 11 Appendix 'B' - Office and Contact Details 12 Appendix 'C' - Distribution List 12 Appendix 'D' - Salt bin decision matrix 13 Page 77 of 166
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NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL WINTER SERVICE 1. INTRODUCTION Under Section 34 of the Roads (Scotland) Act, 1984, North Lanarkshire Council has a statutory obligation to take such steps as it considers reasonable to prevent snow and ice endangering the safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles over their public roads which by definition includes carriageways, footways, footpaths and active travel routes The A725, A8 trunk roads and the M73, M8, M80 and M74 motorways are the direct responsibility of the Scottish Government. It is the aim of North Lanarkshire Council as the local Roads Authority to:- (i) provide a standard of service on public roads which will permit safe movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions; (ii) establish a pattern of working which will keep delays, diversions or road closures to a minimum during adverse weather conditions; (iii) conduct operations having regard to the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974. This winter service policy has been developed taking account of Well Managed Highway Infrastructure A code of Practice (2018)’. This document is supplemented by a Winter Service Operational Plan developed in conjunction with our service provider and updated annually. The provision of the service is supported by the Council’s Customer Services Hub. 2. POLICY 2.1 TREATMENT OF ROADS North Lanarkshire Council has the following priorities for treatment of carriageways and footways/footpaths and active travel routes that has been formulated on a hierarchical basis: CARRIAGEWAY PRIORITIES Page 78 of 166
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Primary Road Network These roads are treated on a Precautionary Salting basis All ‘A’, ‘B’ and some ‘C’ classified roads, main distributor roads; main roads in the vicinity of schools; access roads to hospitals, ambulance depots, main police stations and fire stations, and main bus routes. Other main roads steeper than 1 in 10 gradient (10%) and roads that are of local or national importance for the delivery of essential services. Where severe weather conditions are predicted these roads will be pre- salted and this will normally be carried out before the morning peak. Depending on weather conditions this could also involve an evening pre-salt. Where severe conditions such as snow persist, resources will remain concentrated on these roads. When marginal forecasts predict temperatures dropping below 0.5 degrees and when forecasters are low in confidence about their predictions, precautionary treatment may take place. Secondary Road Network These are treated on a Post Salting basis, except as described for schools. Secondary distributor roads; access to isolated villages and rural communities; a main access road to each school; rural through routes not included above; spine roads into residential and industrial areas. Residential areas with road gradients steeper than 1 in 12.5 (8%), where the length of gradient exceeds 100m and where specific difficulties have been identified and where it is practical to do so. Secondary roads will be post treated when road surface temperatures are forecast to stay below zero for a significant period beyond 12 noon the following day, following the precautionary treatment of the primary road network. Where road surface temperatures are forecast to stay below zero for a significant period beyond 12 noon the following day and when resources are available secondary routes may be pre-treated to improve travel to school. Directed support for emergency services etc. During a period of prolonged severe weather conditions forecast to last longer than 7 days, blue light enquiries will be prioritised, and priorities will also take into account funerals, weddings, births and anyone requiring immediate hospital treatment (the council will coordinate this element of operations with NHS Lanarkshire). Other Roads These are treated on a Post Salting basis. Those roads that are not contained within a primary or secondary route will not be treated under normal winter circumstances. Following a period of severe weather and upon the satisfactory completion of the primary and secondary routes, winter treatment will be directed to other roads to support the recovery of the network back to normal conditions, as and when resources allow. Page 79 of 166
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FOOTWAY, FOOTPATH AND ACTIVE TYRAVEL PRIORITIES Primary Path Network Urban Shopping areas, precincts, and main pedestrian routes remote from carriageways which link major residential /commercial / industrial / educational facilities. The treatment of primary path network will normally be carried out before the morning peak. Secondary Path Network Footways and Footpaths not covered above and Active Travel Routes. Given the extent of the network in many cases, footways, footpaths and active travel routes will remain untreated until weather conditions ease. The Secondary path network and other paved areas shall only be considered for treatment in times of persistent ice or snow 2.2 SALT STOCK LEVELS In extreme conditions salt stock levels can fall significantly in a very short period. In certain rare and unusual circumstances normal re-stocking of salt has in the past been prevented by external forces out with the control of the Council and its partners. If such an occurrence is repeated in the future, to conserve limited salt stocks, the winter service provision will be dedicated to the treatment of the primary networks only. The Council’s service provider has covered storage areas that hold a maximum of 10,000 tonnes of salt. The salt held in stock is monitored on a weekly basis to ensure that the average stock level of 7,500 tonnes is maintained during the high season. This average stock level is reduced to 4,500 tonnes at the end of February. The Council also has a covered strategic salt stock of 10,000 tonnes to enhance corporate resilience for the delivery of all services during periods of prolonged severe winter weather. Depending on the continued weather conditions, treatment of the remaining network may take several days from onset of severe weather as priority will be given to, and concentrated on, the above stated road hierarchy. In some cases, roads may remain untreated until weather conditions ease. Snow Clearing Operations Following the onset of heavy snowfalls the maximum available fleet of ploughing vehicles will be utilised. These operations will continue whilst snow is still falling with resources targeted to keep arterial routes open. After snow has stopped falling but is still lying, routes will be treated in line with salting priorities as resources permit. During prolonged events forecast to last more than 7 days additional resources supplied by Land Management or other resources will be deployed. Page 80 of 166
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2.3 LEVEL OF SERVICE The decision to initiate winter service operations will normally be based upon the forecast received from the council’s weather service provider during the winter period. These forecasts will be provided every day at 0600hrs, 1200hrs and 1800hrs (including weekends and public holidays) to staff providing the winter service. In addition, the weather service provider will contact the Council’s service provider, if there is any major change in the projected weather conditions. Winter service operations will also be initiated by the council’s service provider on confirmed reports of adverse weather conditions. As the decision to initiate winter service operations will normally be based on the weather service forecast, it is proposed where possible to treat primary roads out with the hours of peak traffic flows. Therefore, it is intended that the treatment of all primary roads will be completed prior to the morning peak (0730 hrs). Where forecasts indicate adverse conditions in the evening, all reasonable effort will be made to treat primary roads out with the evening peak, but this will not always be practicable. Primary Footpath Network salting operations will be generally undertaken between the hours of 0500 hrs and 0800 hrs. Following prolonged periods of cold dry weather salting may not be undertaken if it is considered that sufficient residual salt is present. If severe weather is forecast in the evening, treatment of footpaths will be undertaken during daylight hours where there is no residual salt present and heavy precipitation is not forecast. Carriageway treatment will normally be undertaken within the following timescales. • Primary Road Network – completed within 3.5 hours of commencement of treatment. • Secondary Road Network – completed within 3.5 hours of the completion of Primary roads network, subject to weather conditions and the need to repeat treatment on the primary road network. • Other Roads – these are dependent on weather conditions and resource availability and may be measured in timescales of several days from onset of severe weather. In the past several attacks on the winter fleet have been perpetrated by individuals throwing missiles. This has caused damaged to vehicles and had the potential to seriously injure winter service operatives. Where such instances occur, the service will be withdrawn / restricted until a risk assessment considers it is safe to reinstate the normal level of service. 3. PROCEDURES 3.1 PREPARATION OF ROUTES Prior to the commencement of the winter service period, the council’s roads winter service provider will prepare a list of priority routes based on the carriageway, footway, Page 81 of 166
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footpath and active travel priorities shown in section 2. However, to minimise unproductive mileage some roads in a lower category may be treated out of sequence. A full set of priority routes will be kept by the Chief Officer (Community Operations). The winter service provider will also have a full set of routes. Any alterations to the carriageway, footway and footpath priorities will be notified in writing to the roads winter service contractor who will make the necessary adjustments to the routes. 3.2 METEOROLOGICAL REPORTS Arrangements shall be made by the Chief Officer (Community Operations), through the West of Scotland Weather Consortium, for the weather forecast to be provided for the North Lanarkshire Area from early October to the middle of May each year. The weather service provider will provide the Council and it’s roads winter service provider with the forecast each day at 0600hrs, 1200hrs and 1800hrs and any other weather warnings out with these times throughout the winter service period. The Council will ensure that weather service provider is provided with the telephone numbers of the members of staff responsible, on a rota basis, for initiating action out with normal working hours. The roads winter service provider and the Council’s staff have the facility at any time to contact the weather service provider’s duty forecaster to discuss/clarify the forecast. All staff involved in decision making for the delivering of the Winter Service shall be trained in the interpretation and comprehension of climatic, temperature and weather conditions and forecasts. Page 82 of 166
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3.3 DECISION MAKING PROCESS The topography of North Lanarkshire is such that three distinct geographical areas of potential climatic variation have been identified. The weather forecast provides information for these geographical areas to reflect different climatic conditions. These forecasts will be used by the council’s roads winter service provider to determine and plan the scope of work necessary and to minimise unnecessary treatment and action. The winter service period is split into a High and a Low Period. During the High Period, mid-October to mid-April, the council’s roads winter service contractor has resources on standby to react to prevailing weather forecast. During the Low Period, between early October and mid-October and mid-April to mid-May the council’s roads winter service provider may not be on standby and therefore reaction times may be greater. These periods can be altered as required to reflect longer term weather forecast. When the staff member of the council’s roads winter service provider receives the weather forecast at 1200 hours they shall make a decision on whether or not action is required. All proposed actions will be acknowledged by the Client standby officer. Further, the Client reserves the right to amend the proposed action if deemed necessary. The Client standby officer will approve all actions. The Council has access to 5no. weather stations to assist the decision-making process. When updates to the forecast are received out with normal working hours the staff member on standby for the council’s roads winter service provider shall take appropriate action based on the update. If there is a significant change to the weather forecast and / or proposed actions the appropriate Client staff will be informed. During periods of low temperature, if there is uncertainty about the course of action required by the update, consultation will take place with trained members of staff and /or the duty forecaster from the weather service provider. The provision of an internet Weather Consortium Message Board for posting of decisions taken by North Lanarkshire Council and by adjacent Authorities will allow continuity of service to be monitored and action taken where it is considered appropriate. North Lanarkshire Council actions will be posted together with updates to proposed actions. Decisions taken regarding North Lanarkshire routes will be recorded on the Winter Service electronic management system. . Page 83 of 166
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3.4 RESOURCES (a) Salt Under the Roads and Infrastructure Maintenance and Improvement contract, it is the responsibility of the council’s roads winter service provider to organise the provision of salt to each depot and ensure the levels of salt do not fall below the prescribed minimum levels. At main recycling centres within the Council Area, a single quantity of 20kg or less of sand salt mix will be available for issue free of charge to the public, subject to them supplying a suitable container. (b) Personnel The council’s roads winter service provider will provide a stand-by rota of supervisors and manual operators for the winter service period. Standby will commence in mid-October and continue until the middle of April. However, this period may commence earlier or finish later should conditions warrant. During moderate winter weather it is envisaged that resources from the council’s roads winter service provider will be able to provide the level of service described in section 2.2. In extreme conditions, however, additional labour may be required from other sources, including other services of the Council. (c) Plant During the summer period, all equipment for salting roads and clearing snow will be maintained to ensure it is in working order prior to the start of the winter service period and where appropriate ensure that ancillary items can be fitted to vehicles without difficulty. The council’s roads winter service provider will provide a communications system between the depot and all the winter service fleet. The winter fleet is fitted with data logging and a Geographic Positioning System (GPS). 3.5 ROAD CONDITION REPORTS Each working day throughout the winter service period, a daily report of the operations that have taken place during the previous 24 hours will be available on the electronic manager system. The report shall provide information on routes treated, salt used, time operations started, roads closed, additional resources used and details of any other major problem. The report is available to the Chief Officer (Community Operations) and the Roads Teams, any major incident will be reported immediately to Client staff. Page 84 of 166
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3.6 LIAISON WITH POLICE In recognition of the role of the Police during difficult weather conditions, the council’s roads winter service provider shall advise the Police of all adverse forecasts relating to winter operations. The council’s roads winter service provider shall also request appropriate assistance from the Police when moving equipment, arranging road closures, and dealing with abandoned vehicles. Where appropriate, the council’s roads winter service provider shall advise the Police at the Force Control Room of all extreme adverse road conditions, including roads closed or conditions which may lead to roads being closed. The Police may report such matters to the broadcasting authorities. Such communications will be followed up by reports on progress and clearance, particularly when conditions are returning to normal. On request to their Group Traffic Superintendent, the Police have agreed to assist the movement of ploughs and salting vehicles on principal traffic routes. The council’s roads winter service provider shall issue out of hours rotas (including amendments) to the Chief Constable, Divisional Commander's Office and local Police Offices. Reports from the Police regarding dangerous road conditions shall be acted upon by the council’s roads winter service provider’s designated staff on stand-by as soon as practicable, having regard to priorities in this document and the conditions pertaining throughout the Council's area. 3.7 WARNING SIGNS The Chief Officer (Community Operations) shall at appropriate locations arrange for the erection of signs giving warning of sections of road liable to icing. 3.8 ROAD CLOSURES Where a road is closed, the council’s roads winter service provider is responsible for ensuring that the Police and Council staff are advised and that appropriate signs are erected. When the road continues into an adjoining Council area that Council shall be kept informed. 3.9 SALT BINS Salt bins will be provided in the vicinity of all schools. They may also be provided at specific locations to assist the local community in areas not on priority routes or at known trouble spots including steep gradients and sharp bends. Bins will only be provided at those locations that meet the minimum scoring criteria set out in appendix D and where agreement can be reached with the adjacent property owner/ occupier. It is intended that these salt bins are for the self-use of the public as an enhancement to the service provided by the Council. Records of existing salt bin locations are held by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) and detailed on the Council’s winter service webpage. Page 85 of 166
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3.10 COMMUNITY SALT PILES • Community Salt Piles will be provided at the following locations. Coatbridge - Time Capsule Coatbridge • Airdrie – Airdrie leisure Centre • Bellshill – Matt Busby Centre • Motherwell – aquatec • Wishaw – sports centre • Kilsyth – sports centre • Cumbernauld – Broadwood stadium • Shotts – sports centre • Northern Corridor – Ian Nicholson Centre • Salsburgh - Community Centre • Viewpark – Car park at Burnhead CC • Croy – area at hub • Newmains – NCT Centre • Moodiesburn – Pivot Centre 3.11 KEEPING AND RETENTION OF RECORDS Appropriate records will be kept of the following by the council’s roads winter service contractor :- (a) The weather forecasts, including updates. (b) Decisions taken based on the weather forecasts. (c) Decisions taken based on other reports. e.g. police reports. (e) Details and timings of routes salted. The council’s roads winter service provider will be responsible for preparing and retaining the above records for a minimum period of 7 years. Records from the Council weather stations are held by the service provider. Page 86 of 166
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APPENDIX A PLAN OF NORTH LANARKSHIRE AND WEATHER DOMAINS Page 87 of 166
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APPENDIX B – CONTACT INFORMATION It should be noted that the service cannot react to individual requests for streets to be treated/ cleared therefore individual requests are no longer logged. All enquiries relating to the filling of and request of new salt bins should be directed to the following New or refill of an existing grit bin - Request a new grit bin, refill, or report damage | North Lanarkshire Council Website: www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk In the event of an emergency Police Scotland should be the first point of contact. APPENDIX C – DISTRIBUTION LIST Internal :- North Lanarkshire Local Elected Members Chief Executive Depute Chief Executive Chief Officer (Legal and Democratic) External :- Trunk Road Operators Hochtief Automobile Association (AA) Chief Executives of Adjacent Councils :- (East Dunbartonshire, South Lanarkshire, City of Glasgow, West Lothian, Falkirk, Stirling) Community Councils Grid Controller, Scottish Gas Road Haulage Association Royal Automobile Club (RAC) Scottish Ambulance Service Scottish Government Scottish Fire & Rescue Service – Service Delivery Director - West Scottish Fire & Rescue Service – Chief Officer Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (Local Bus Companies distributed via SPT) Police Scotland - Divisional Commanders Scottish Road Partnership Project Ltd Page 88 of 166
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APPENDIX D – SALT BIN DECISION MATRIX Road name and number Is there a grit bin within 300m of the location* If yes do not proceed with assessment Would this bin be placed on a public road If not do not proceed with assessment Is there a suitable hardstanding location for a salt bin If not do not proceed with assessment Is there agreement from the adjacent property owner/ occupier If not do not proceed with assessment Characteristic Severity Standards Score Assessed Score Gradient Gradient (>1 in 20) Gradient (<1 in 20) 20 0 Bend Bend (> 90 degrees) Bend (< 90 degrees) 10 0 Close proximity to and falling towards A or B class Roads Unclassified/ residential roads 10 0 On a treated route Primary carriageway -10 Vertical traffic calming measures Yes No 10 0 Any special features (Hospital, doctors surgery) Yes No 20 0 Total of 20 or above qualifies *The 300m distance would be the walking distance using the existing footways/ footpaths, shared surface, and shared spaces. Page 89 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment and Climate Change Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref LR/VA Date 20/08/25 Review of options to reduce fire setting in parks and open spaces From Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) E-mail renniely@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07855193500 Executive Summary This report details the service review of measures in place to reduce the risk of wildfire in country parks and open spaces. The service keeps the management rules under review and has been liaising with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service since the spring heatwave to consider best practice. The service is working with SFRS to review and update fireplans for all the country parks. The service has also consulted with Legal services and other council departments to provide further information to committee on how the council can tackle fire hazard and fire raising. No changes to the management rules have been recommended. Recommendations It is recommended that the Environment and Climate Change committee: (1) Acknowledge that provision exists in current management rules and Civic Government Act to tackle fire nuisance therefore there are no changes to the current management rules advised. (2) Agrees with the proposal to enhance regular seasonal communications campaigns highlighting fire risk, seek further external funding to improve habitat resilience, and develop fire plans for all country parks. (3) Acknowledge the council's statutory duty to promote the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (4) Recognises the limited resources to enforce management rules regarding nuisance particularly outside normal working hours and in rural locations 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 Sustainable Futures Item 6 Page 91 of 166
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1. Background 1.1 The council has a statutory duty to review management rules every ten years, however the service keeps management rules under review and regularly considers if changes are required to address emerging issues. 1.2 The following motion was passed at full council on 19th June 2025 Council notes with concern the recent spate of fires which have occurred locally, including the significant wildfire in Cumbernauld in April. Council also notes the current Country parks and open spaces management rules do not mention fires, with no guidance or prohibition around fire setting. Council therefore agrees to request that a review of the management rules be undertaken, with a view to revising them to explicitly address the issue of fire raising. This review should also consider the resource implications of implementing and enforcing such changes. A report outlining proposed revision, along with an assessment of associated resources requirements, should be brought to a forthcoming Environment and Climate Change Committee meeting for consideration and approval.” 1.3 Management rules for country parks and open space were last reviewed in 2023 Document.ashx The review was in accordance with the council’s duty under Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. Management rules remain in force for ten years; a review would normally be undertaken in 2033. 2. Report 2.1 The hot and dry period during May 2025 resulted in a number of wildfires across Scotland including a large fire at Palacerigg on 10 April necessitating deployment of a number of Scottish Fire and Rescue appliances overnight and into the next day. Partnership with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service 2.2 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) were contacted regarding the likely causes of the recent Palacerigg fires. As these are classed as secondary fires (smaller outdoor fires that do not involve property, casualties, or rescues) they do not record how these fires were started and would be unable to say if deliberate fire raising or a barbeque was a contributing factor. 2.3 SFRS actions – The council receive alerts from the Scottish Wildfire Forum, which gives guidance on the Wildfire Danger Assessments. SFRS recommend that before igniting any flames in a rural or outdoor setting, we encourage everyone to check which area of Scotland may be at threat of wildfires. If a threat is in place, please refrain from igniting any flames. Where there is a Wildfire Danger Assessment in place within the park area SFRS strongly encourage this to be communicated to the public within the park not to ignite any flames. Page 92 of 166
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Further advice on wildfires and barbeque safety is promoted to the public by SFRS and can be accessed in the links below. https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/outdoors/wildfires/wildfire-danger-assessments/ https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/outdoors/guide-to-safer-barbecues/ History of wildfire at Palacerigg 2.4 Unfortunately, there have been repeated instances of wildfire at Palacerigg in warm dry weather, particularly from April to August and at the more distant areas of the park. Causes of these fires have not been proven but it is considered likely that many of these have been wilful fire raising. The Countryside Rangers have previously worked on wildfire planning with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. 2.5 There are substantial areas of peat in the park that can ignite easily and once alight fire spreads rapidly. Work to improve peatland habitats at Palacerigg has been underway for many years, including an EU Life and Wren funded project in 2015 that brought together partners to improve 168 hectares of peatland. Unfortunately, it can take many years to achieve a wetter active peat habitat that is much more resilient to wildfire. However, that continues to be a management goal in suitable areas of the park. 2.6 Palacerigg country park is the only council woodland that benefits from a long-term forest plan. This has resulted in long term management of the tree resource ensuring that the risk of fire from poorly managed woodland has been reduced. Through our developing Woodland operational framework, we are rolling out proactive management across the woodland estate. Wild fires and Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 2.7 Responsible lighting of fires is permitted under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. The Scottish Outdoor Access code also gives guidance on how to exercise rights responsibly. Small fires and barbeques that are set and managed responsibly are covered by these rights. In consultation with Legal services the opinion is that the Council would not be permitted to ban fires and contravene the 2003 Act and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Publication 2005 - Scottish Outdoor Access Code.pdf Other Current Legal provisions 2.8 Current management rules include provision to manage persistent anti-social behaviour in parks and large barbeques or fires in inappropriate locations could be tackled under this provision No person shall willfully obstruct, disturb, interrupt or annoy any other person in the proper use of a Facility or willfully obstruct, disturb the proper execution of any work in connection with the maintenance of a Facility. 2.9 Other legislation creates a criminal offence of dangerous fire raising, and the Police have the powers to bring charges. The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Section 56) Page 93 of 166
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Any person who lays or lights a fire in a public place so as to endanger any other person, or to give reasonable cause for alarm or annoyance, or so as to endanger any property is guilty of an offence. A public place is any place to which the public have unrestricted access. Resources to review Management Rules 2.10 The legal basis for making new management rules is set out in s.112 (4) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 at least one month before making management rules, a local authority shall — (a) give notice in accordance with subsection (5) below of— (i) their intention to do so; (ii) the general purpose of the proposed rules; (iii) the place where a copy of the proposed rules may be inspected; (iv) the fact that and time within which objections may be made; and (v) the address to which objections may be sent; and (b) make copies of the proposed rules available for public inspection without payment at their offices and so far, as the authority consider practicable at the land or premises to which the rules are to apply. 2.11 To recap, it is necessary for notice of the rules to be given in local newspapers and for objections to be received within one month of publication and for any objections to be taken into consideration before the making of the rules. As such, in order to ensure that any objections are being considered the proposed rule would need to be published for the prescribed period of time and objections received. 2.12 The Business Intelligence team co-ordinated the last review of Management Rules in 2023, with service input, supported by colleagues within Legal Services, Corporate Communications, Active and Creative Communities (libraries) and Equalities. Financial resources would be required for notices for public consultation and signage. The review would take an estimated nine months to allow for preparation and the statutory periods of consultation. Enforcement resources 2.13 The council currently employs 6 Countryside rangers on a shift pattern over 7 days from 8 am to 4pm. Generally, there are 3-4 rangers on shift each day. Their duties include biodiversity projects, wildlife recording, school and volunteer groups, habitat and site improvements as well as site patrols. There are also Countryside stewards in Strathclyde Park and Drumpellier Country Park working mainly in and around the visitor centres and watersports areas. It is likely that many of the issues around fire raising, or irresponsible barbeques take place outside these hours and in the remoter areas of the parks, so would be unlikely to be detected and prevented by staff. Sufficient resources to patrol resources all areas of fire risk would be prohibitively expensive. Designated areas for barbeques 2.14 Designated barbeque areas which people are encouraged to use, assist in managing fire risk as fire safe surfaces can be provided. However, they also suggest that the council is encouraging barbeques and fires in public parks. While we recognise people’s rights, we may not want to encourage the behaviour due to the environmental Page 94 of 166
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and health risks. The service contacted other authorities who have offered this service and found very mixed experiences, with some authorities withdrawing the service due to the resources required to administer and ensure cleanliness and some undertaking significant capital outlay to develop bespoke barbeque areas. 2.15 Disposable barbeques can have a high environmental impact with charcoal often sourced from unsustainable forest exploitation sometimes in sensitive rainforest environments. Recycling of barbeques is difficult with the tray, charcoal/ash and grill all in different waste streams. 2.16 The hot surfaces created by barbeques risk burns to the user or to other visitors who may be unaware that a barbeque has recently been used. The health risks of particulates in barbeque smoke are becoming increasingly recognised. 2.17 Due to its mainly woodland and peatland habitat and the history of extremely damaging wildfires, it is not recommended that any area is promoted for barbeques or fires at Palacerigg Country Park. The focus will remain on discouraging any fire use through signage, social media campaigns and work with schools and community groups. 2.18 At Strathclyde Country Park and Drumpellier Country Park it is also not recommended to promote specific barbeque areas but rather promote information on safe barbeque behaviour provided by SFRS and also the health risks and environmental impacts to allow people to exercise their rights in an informed manner. When site furniture is replaced, we will include some furniture that has fire safe facilities Reducing fire risk 2.19 The service will continue to seek resources to make habitats resilient to wildfire, particularly peatland restoration and long-term forest planning. We will also work with SFRS to review and update the fire plan for Palacerigg and the other country parks. Actions in the fire plans will be linked to the Wildfire Alert system and will also build on recommendations in a recent report on fire risk in the Cumbernauld area undertaken by the Nurturing Natural Connections project in 2024. Contact has been made with Scottish Fire and Rescue service and plan review is underway. SFRS have confirmed they have also been undertaking outreach work in schools in Cumbernauld including the dangers of wildfire. 2.20 The council is committed to developing a Climate Adaptation plan as part of the Sustainable Futures Programme of Work agenda. This will also look at wildfire risk across the area and the actions that can be taken to reduce this risk. Communications strategy 2.21 The service will work with colleagues in Corporate Communications to develop a seasonal fire risk communications plan for spring 2026. This will include sharing wildfire alerts widely and providing guidance on what they mean for responsible behaviour. Developing both permanent and seasonal signage for Palacerigg Country Park reminding people of fire risk and the wildfire alert service. Proposals for work with schools where possible in partnership with SFRS. Highlighting the significant risks to people, property and wildlife of wildfire. 3. Measures of success Page 95 of 166
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3.1 Communications plan developed and implemented by spring 2026 3.2 Fire plans in place for all country parks by spring 2026 4. Supporting documentation N/A Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 96 of 166
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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? The proposals would ensure our management rules remaining in line with our duties under Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 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 97 of 166
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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? Reducing wildfire risk and improving habitat resilience would have a positive carbon and biodiversity 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 proposals would require input from Corporate Communications to run seasonal targeted campaigns on fire risk 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? Wildfire is a service risk, these proposals would mitigate that risk 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 98 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment and Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref LR Date 20/08/25 Garden Waste Permit Scheme Petition From Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) E-mail renniely@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07855193500 Executive Summary The purpose of the report is to advise Committee of the investigations carried out in response to the petition to reverse the decision to introduce a charge for North Lanarkshire’s garden waste collection. Recommendations It is recommended that the Environment and Climate Change Committee: (1) Acknowledges the investigations undertaken in response to the petition received on 30th June 2025. (2) Agrees that, based on the evidence gathered with reference to the introduction of the garden waste permit scheme, the council is unable to support the petition to reverse this decision. 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 Sustainable Futures Item 7 Page 99 of 166
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1. Background 1.1 The council received a petition from Councillor Greg Lennon on 30th June 2025, containing 2,656 signatures. The petition called for the removal of charges associated with the brown bin (garden waste) collection service. 1.2 The Council introduced a combined food and garden kerbside waste collection service as part of the move to a three-weekly collection cycle in October 2017. This change was in line with the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012, which placed a statutory obligation on local authorities to provide a separate food waste collection service to households. 1.3 Although there is a statutory duty to provide a food waste collection service, there is no such duty for garden waste. In October 2024, the Environment and Climate Change Committee approved a proposal to introduce a garden waste permit scheme. This was aimed at reducing budgetary pressures associated with the non-statutory garden waste collection service. 1.4 Prior to its introduction, North Lanarkshire Council was one of only four local authorities providing a free garden waste collection service in Scotland with 26 authorities having already introduced a charge. 1.5 It is important to note that the charge applies to garden waste collections only. Residents will continue to receive a free food waste collection service through the brown bin service. 2. Report Statutory and Financial Position 2.1 Under the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012, local authorities are legally required to provide a food waste collection service, however, there is no statutory obligation to provide a garden waste collection service. 2.2 The cost of providing the combined food and garden waste collection service in 2023/24 was £4,009,118. The £40 annual permit fee contributes towards this cost, with projected income of approximately £1.5 million. 2.3 Budget reallocation has been completed in line with the introduction of the scheme, therefore, should a decision be taken to reverse the introduction of the scheme, an additional £1.5m funding will need to be identified to support this. Uptake and Implementation 2.4 At the date of this report, approximately 59,000 permits have been issued to residents, including both homeowners and tenants. Council tenants have the cost incorporated into their rent, while private homeowners have a one off £40 charge. 2.5 Direct Debit payments were considered for private households, however when reviewing best practice amongst other local authorities who had previously introduced a charge, such a step would incur significant administrative support to manage. This would include setting up payments, cancelling permits when people move houses, removing permits from bins, direct debits being cancelled when service in operation etc. Page 100 of 166
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2.6 Over 35,000 homeowners have ordered and paid for permits which has been higher than the anticipated number of participants. This amounts to around 30% of all private homeowners. In contrast, 2656 individuals have signed the petition which amounts to 1.9% of all private homeowners – assuming a single signature represents a single house and that all signatures were from private households. 2.7 Further to the above, there was a lower than anticipated number of complaints associated with the introduction of the scheme. Complaints relevant to the charge before and during its introduction amounted to 10% of all corporate household bin complaints and the majority of such complaints were in relation to the online process and delivery of permits. 2.8 While there was no public consultation prior to the introduction of the scheme, the Council is not legally obliged to consult on charges for non-statutory services, such as garden waste collection. However, we recognise the importance of communication and a full communication plan advising of the charge was put in place well in advance of its commencement. Environmental Considerations 2.9 The Council remains committed to promoting recycling. Residents who do not wish to participate in the Garden Waste Permit Scheme still have the option to dispose of garden waste free of charge at any of the Council’s Household Waste Recycling Centres. The food waste service remains free of charge. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The request from Councillor Lennon has been assessed in accordance with the impact of the introduction of the scheme, including higher than anticipated uptake, low number of complaints and relatively smooth implementation of the scheme. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 – Petition Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 101 of 166
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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? Should the decision to introduce the scheme be reversed, additional funding will require to be identified. 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? 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 102 of 166
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Continued use of the councils CRM system to management the payment. 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? There is a risk that there of budget deficit should the decision be overturned. 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 103 of 166
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Appendix 1 Petition Page 104 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment & Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☐ Yes ☒ No Ref LR/SW Date 20/08/25 Annual report on the performance of North Lanarkshire Council from the Scottish Roadworks Commissioner From Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) E-mail renniely@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07855193500 Executive Summary The Scottish Road Works Commissioner oversees improvements to the planning, coordination and quality of road works by both local authorities and statutory undertakers in Scotland. The Council has a Duty under section 118(1) of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, to co-ordinate the execution of works of all kinds in roads for which they are responsible. This report presents Elected Members with details of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner’s Performance Review in relation to Road Works undertaken by North Lanarkshire Council during 2024/25. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 introduced new legislative reform measures to further improve the regulation of road works in Scotland. These new measures are now implemented following delays, mainly due to Covid Recommendations It is recommended that the Environment and Climate Change Committee: (1) Acknowledge the Service’s operational performance between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 as outlined within the Scottish Road Works Commissioner’s Annual Report and; (2) Recognise the resource implications due to the ongoing implementation of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 (3) Acknowledge the arrangements for securing an improved level of performance from all utility companies. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve North Lanarkshire's resource base Ambition statement (17) Ensure we keep our environment clean, safe, and attractive Programme of Work Statutory / corporate / service requirement Item 8 Page 105 of 166
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1. Background 1.1 The Scottish Road Works Commissioner is an independent public official established under section 16 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 and is accountable to the Scottish Ministers and ultimately the Scottish Parliament. The Commissioner's aim is to improve the planning, coordination, and quality of road works throughout Scotland. 1.2 This Report updates the Committee on the performance of North Lanarkshire’s Roads Service following the publication of the annual performance report by the Scottish Road Works Commissioner for 2024/25. 1.3 The Scottish Parliament voted to pass the Transport (Scotland) Bill on Thursday 10 October 2019. The Bill received royal assent on 15 November 2019 and became the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019. The Act consists of 10 Parts and introduces new measures across a range of transport related disciplines. The current and future implications of Part 9 (Road Works) are outlined within this Report. 2. Report 2.1 The Commissioner monitors performance, promotes and encourages good practice across both utility companies and roads authorities. The Commissioner also has powers to impose financial penalties on roads authorities who systematically fail in their duty to co-ordinate and upon statutory undertakers who systematically fail to co-operate when undertaking road works. 2.2 Responsibility for the day-to-day management and co-ordination of works undertaken on roads is as follows: • North Lanarkshire Council, as the Roads Authority, has a duty to co-ordinate all road works carried out on any road for which they are responsible; • The reinstatement of road surfaces remains the responsibility of the party undertaking the works. The roads authority has powers to inspect road works to ensure that statutory undertakers (typically utility companies) fulfil their obligations; • Traffic management at road works (cones, signs and barriers) is the responsibility of the party undertaking the works; and • The roads authority is responsible for any decisions related to the repair and maintenance of their roads. 2.3 All works undertaken within the Public Road in Scotland require to be noticed in accordance with the conditions and timescales as set out in the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and associated Codes of Practice. All works must be recorded on the Scottish Road Works Register (Aurora). Any proposed works entered onto the Aurora system without the requisite information, or out-with the prescribed timescales (both prior to and after the works are undertaken) will incur a ‘noticing failure’. 2.4 The Office of the Scottish Roadworks Commissioner issues annual performance review letters to all works promoters in Scotland. Any organisation that fails to meet the identified performance figures may be required to meet with representatives from the Commissioner’s office to discuss the figures in greater detail. Page 106 of 166
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2.4.1 The aim is to balance the statutory rights of road works authorities and undertakers to carry out works, with the expectation of road users that disruption from works shall be kept to a minimum. 2.4.2 The Commissioner has the Power to issue a Penalty of up to £100,000 to organisations who persistently fail to comply with the requirements of the Act and / or secondary legislation. 2.5 The Plan for North Lanarkshire outlines the council’s ambition for large-scale regeneration and infrastructure projects that bring fresh opportunities. The provision of new utilities is fundamental to many of the improvement schemes which contribute to the success of The Plan. The Service has continued to note an increase in the number of requests for work, resulting in higher competition for road-space. 2.5.1 The telecommunications sector has seen a significant increase in installation of new services. This includes the replacement of copper cables with fibre optic services and within North Lanarkshire, the roll out of the digital infrastructure transformation project. 2.6 Performance levels in recent years have generally been to a high standard. In 2019/20 the Report stated that in relation to works planning and operational functions, ‘North Lanarkshire’s performance sets an example to other roads authorities’. 2.7 Performance in 2023/24 was summarised as: ‘Overall, the road works performance of North Lanarkshire Council was satisfactory during 2023/24. I expect to see increased efforts to deliver a well-managed performance in 2024/25.’ 2.8 Performance in 2024/25 was summarised as: ‘Overall I find North Lanarkshire Council’s performance to be satisfactory.’ 2.9 The primary reason for the reduction in overall performance (since 2020) is due to the more stringent requirement in noticing regulations implemented through the Transport (Scotland) Act 2109 on 1 April 2023. 2.9.1 The Transport (Scotland) Act 2109 also implemented the requirement for statutory compliance with ‘Safety at Street Works and Road Works – A Code of Practice’. While the Service has generally worked in accordance with this Code of Practice for many years, one significant change is the statutory requirement to provide full pedestrian segregation at all road works. 2.9.2 This initiated a change of standard practice at carriageway and footway resurfacing sites, where the provision of traffic management had been through risk assessment at each site. The changes introduce increased safety measures to protect the public and workforce, but at additional cost and supervision. 2.9.3 The Commissioner introduced Compliance Officers in 2024 to assist in ensuring that all organisations working on the Public Road network are fully compliant with the relevant legislation. Recent North Lanarkshire Council Performance Page 107 of 166
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2.9.4 This Service provided training to internal officers and the strengthened requirements were outlined to all contractors. However a repeat (significant) failure by one contractor at a site in August 2024 resulted in the Commissioner issuing a Compliance Notice to the Council. Action was taken to address the failure, resulting in the Commissioner highlighting: ‘I was reassured by the positive response to the compliance notice and would like to acknowledge the efforts made to significantly improve your management of road works sites in 2025‘. 2.9.5 Overrunning Works are identified as an area requiring improvement. These occur when the works take longer than anticipated due to unforeseen circumstances, and where the responsible officer fails to apply for a notice extension within the required timeframe. The Service noted performance issues in Q1 resulting in further training being undertaken. Performance improved significantly for this indicator in the second half of the year and is expected to continue. 2.9.6 The Commissioner introduced an additional indicator in 2024/25 to review the numbers of ‘final inspections’ being recorded in relation to defects notified by an authority. Where Roads Inspectors find defective works, they notify the defect to the responsible utility, requiring a repair to be undertaken within a timescale defined by the risk that the defect presents. 2.9.7 The Commissioner noted 318 defects where North Lanarkshire Council inspectors have not recorded follow-up inspections to confirm that the remedial works were completed satisfactorily. This does not mean that the remedial works have not been completed or inspected. An action plan is being implemented to address this measure going forward, ensuring the correct administration process is followed. 2.10 The Service has faced significant challenge to ensure stability of noticing performance during the transition from the Amey Public Services LLP, to the Roads and Infrastructure Contract, delivered through Hochtief. Significant work has been undertaken by all parties involved to minimise the risk presented during the contractual changes. 2.11 In depth analysis of the Council’s performance is detailed in Appendix 2 and includes the following key indicators:- • Noticing failures; • Works stated and completed; • Overrunning Works; • Fixed Penalty Notices issued to Statutory Undertakers; • Sample inspections undertaken on Statutory Undertakers works. 2.12 The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 was designed to help make Scotland’s transport network cleaner, smarter and more accessible than ever before - aiming to empower local authorities and establish consistent standards to tackle current and future Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 – Road Works Page 108 of 166
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challenges, while delivering a more responsive and sustainable transport system for everyone in Scotland. The Act consists of 10 Parts although only Part 9 (Road Works) is considered within this Report. 2.13 The Act amends the 2005 Transport (Scotland) Act and strengthens the status of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner. The Commissioner now has powers of direction through compliance notices, power to issue increased fixed penalty notices, an inspection function and new inspection powers. The provisions also cover signing, lighting and guarding at road works sites, safety measures, the qualifications of roads authority workers, reinstatement quality plans, information about apparatus and commencement and completion notices. 2.14 Significant changes included the mandatory requirement for Roads Authorities to fully comply with the Code of Practice for Safety at Street Works and Road Works and a mandatory requirement that roads authorities’ supervisors and officers have relevant qualifications. Training has been provided for all relevant Officers to ensure compliance. 2.15 From 1 April 2024, the Act makes provision for the Commissioner to issue Compliance Notices where specific duties under NRSWA and Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 have been breached (see table below). In practice, these will generally be issued on the Commissioner’s behalf by Compliance Officers. 2.15.1 The Scottish Road Works Commissioner has directed that Compliance Notices will be issued to address both: • Systematic failings, i.e. those where a pattern of non-compliance is identified and; • One-off failings of a suitably serious nature; o Safety breaches where an identifiable danger exists to life and limb; o High profile non-compliances where media or political interest exists. 2.15.2 Failure to comply with a Compliance Notice is an offence under the Act, which can be subject to various financial penalties: Page 109 of 166
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• Upon summary conviction, a fine of up to £100,000 • Upon conviction, an unlimited • A Fixed Penalty Notice (it is anticipated that this will be the preferred means of dealing with failures). 2.16 Further changes in relation to Fixed Penalty Notices are scheduled to be introduced to allow the Commissioner to issue a wider range of FPN’s. The Council’s Role in Public Utility Works 2.17 The Council endeavours to balance the needs of the utility companies, supporting them to complete the works in the shortest practical time, against the overall needs of those who live, work, visit and travel in the area. 2.18 Statutory Inspections are a method by which a Roads Authority can regularly establish the performance of utility companies It involves inspection of a random sample of sites at various stages during the works and the guarantee period following completion. 2.19 There are three key stages of work for inspections and 10% of each utility’s works are inspected at each stage: • Cat A - while it is being carried out (live sites); • Cat B - once a reinstatement is complete; and • Cat C - up to the end of their guarantee period. Prior to 1 October 2023, the guarantee period lasted for a period of two years. This has now been increased to six years for most reinstatement types. 2.20 Typically, inspections of utility providers work will consider, but are not limited to, the following: • Safe and proper traffic management used; • Ramps and correct information signs used; • Correct materials used; • Surface profile and condition; • Compaction of materials; • Sealing of joints, joints that have begun opening up; and • All markings been replaced. 2.21 Fees are payable to road works authorities for each sample inspection undertaken, as prescribed by regulations. The current fee is set by the Scottish Government at £36 per inspection. 2.22 The number of sample inspections undertaken is based on the average number of works by each utility during the previous three years. In 2024/25, the total number of Sample Inspections carried out was 1,473. The breakdown of inspections on the major utility company sites carried out is shown in Table 1. Page 110 of 166
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2.23 The average pass rate for sample inspections for all public utility reinstatements was 96.0%. The Commissioner’s target pass rate for each utility is 90%. 2.24 The extension of the guarantee period for public utility reinstatements to six years will require changes to the Cat C inspection process going forward. Table 1 – Performance of Major Statutory Undertaker 2.25 An additional process of defect inspections is carried out on reinstatements where failures are found until remedial works are undertaken. This is supplemented by additional target inspections on those utilities where performance is deemed not to be acceptable. 2.26 The Council issue Fixed Penalty Notices whenever there is a clear breach of noticing requirements in line with the Code of Practice. Each Fixed Penalty Notice is for £120, discounted to £80 if payment is made within 29 days. The objective of the Fixed Penalty Notices is to improve the quality and timeliness of utility companies notices, and ultimately the coordination of roadworks. 2.27 The Service issued 230 FPN’s to utility companies during 2024/25. Table 2 provides a breakdown of the organisations to whom the majority of the FPN’s were issued. 2.28 While the Commissioner’s Report highlights that the performance of the Council is satisfactory, the Service recognises the need for ongoing improvement in our noticing practices, the quality of road reinstatements and in minimising inconvenience during future works. 2.29 Council officers will continue to coordinate all works requested by public utilities and implement procedures to ensure conformity with the legislative changes outlined above. Further training will be provided to ensure readiness. Page 111 of 166
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2.30 The majority of FPN’s issued at present are system generated. These FPN’s are detected by the Scottish Road Works Register and issued by council officers where the offences are substantiated. In line with the role out of the additional FPN’s highlighted in 2.16 above, the Service will develop awareness and capability across the Teams to increase compliance monitoring. 2.31 Partnership working with all relevant stakeholders and utilising all available innovation and technology to better coordinate road works and minimise disruption on the network will continue. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The service continues to perform at or beyond the levels identified within the Office of the Scottish Road Works Commissioners Report and adapts to the legislative changes contained within the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 SRWC Performance Review Data 2024-25 Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 112 of 166
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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? 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 113 of 166
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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? 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 114 of 166
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Appendix 1 SRWC Performance Review Data 2024-25 North Lanarkshire Council Scottish Road Works Commissioner Annual Performance Review (April 2023 to March 2025) Noticing Activity and FPNs Noticing Failures The Commissioner wishes to measure the accuracy of the information held on notices and that the appropriate timescales are being met. This report measures the number of error messages generated by the Scottish Road Works Register (SRWR) which would flag a potential Fixed Penalty Notice offence were the same error made by a utility company. The failure rate is based on a comparison with the number of Actual Start Notices which are issued. 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Number of Noticing Failures Report 2A 17 60 41 17 135 35 14 15 14 78 Percentage of Works Started with Failures Report 2A 3% 10% 7% 3% 6% 6% 2% 4% 2% 3% Roads Authority Overall Average [6%] [6%] [5%] [4%] [6%] [5%] [4%] [5%] [3%] [4%] Utility Overall Average [9%] [8%] [7%] [5%] [9%] [5%] [5%] [6%] [5%] [5%] Page 115 of 166
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Noticing Management Information The Commissioner wishes to determine if roads authorities are meeting their duty to enter notices for all of their works on the SRWR. This is done by measuring the number of Actual Start Notices and Completion Notices entered on to the SRWR. The Commissioner also wishes to keep under review the designations given to works. 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Works Started Report 9A 629 596 619 511 2355 631 712 415 653 2411 Works Completed Report 9B 625 572 654 495 2346 639 717 419 641 2416 Permits, Consents and Works Under Licence Report 9C 349 223 209 316 1097 294 198 180 298 970 Emergency, Urgent or Remedial Dangerous Works Report 9A 3 1 3 3 10 2 5 5 22 34 Minor, Standard, Major Works, Remedial Other and Road Restrictions Report 9A 626 595 616 508 2345 629 707 410 631 2377 Fixed Penalty Notices The Commissioner is monitoring the number of roads authorities which are issuing Fixed Penalty Notices. This is included for information only as the issuing of FPNs is at the discretion of the roads authority. 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Potential Undertaker FPNs in this authority area Report 1 95 78 91 56 320 100 82 75 80 337 Actual FPNs given Report 1 58 69 36 72 235 54 63 56 47 220 FPNs given for Road (Scotland) Act Offences Report 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Page 116 of 166
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Contact Details Contact Details The Commissioner wishes to ensure that all roads authorities are entering accurate contact details to ensure good communication. The SRWR triggers a warning if a notice is created without contact details for the Originator of the notice and the Contractor carrying out the works. Data is presented as a percentage of R9A. Report 30 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Number of works missing contact details 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Percentage of Works Started without contacts 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Page 117 of 166
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Management and Timing of Works Timing of Works The Commissioner wishes to review the use of RAUC(S) agreed procedures relating to Early Starts, Late Starts, Overrunning Works and Works Extensions. Early Starts, Late Starts and Work Extensions are presented as a percentage of all works phases started. Overrunning works are presented as a percentage of all works phases finished. 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Number of Early Starts Report 10 67 58 66 47 238 43 54 57 45 199 Percentage of Works Started with Early Starts 11% 10% 11% 9% 10% 7% 8% 14% 7% 8% Roads Authority Early Starts Average [5%] [6%] [6%] [6%] [5%] [6%] [6%] [8%] [9%] [7%] Number of Late Starts Report 10 8 4 3 9 24 2 9 5 5 21 Percentage of Works Started with Late Starts 1% 1% 0% 2% 1% 0% 1% 1% 1% 1% Roads Authority Late Starts Average [1%] [1%] [0%] [0%] [1%] [1%] [1%] [1%] [1%] [1%] Number of Works that Overran Report 6 7 23 13 2 45 14 10 0 3 27 Percentage of Works Completed that overran 1% 4% 2% 0% 2% 2% 1% 0% 0% 1% Roads Authority Overrunning Works Average [1%] [1%] [1%] [1%] [1%] [0%] [0%] [0%] [0%] [0%] Number of Work Extensions Report 12 36 60 40 43 179 17 26 18 36 97 Percentage of Works Started with Extensions 6% 10% 6% 8% 8% 3% 4% 4% 6% 4% Roads Authority Works Extensions Average [4%] [6%] [9%] [6%] [4%] [5%] [6%] [8%] [7%] [6%] Works Awaiting Closure Report 16 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 Works Awaiting Final Site Reinstatement Details Notice Report 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Page 118 of 166
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Traffic Management Type Misuse of "Not Yet Known" Traffic Management Type The Commissioner wishes to monitor the misuse of this category. The SRWR triggers a warning if Traffic Management "Not Yet Known" is still selected at the follow-up notice stage (7 days before the start of the works). Data presented as a percentage of all Works Started. Please note accurate data is not available prior to 2014/15 Q4. Report 29 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Number of works input as "Traffic Management not yet known" 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 Percentage of Works Started misusing “Not Yet Known” 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Page 119 of 166
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Sample Inspections Undertaken Sample Inspections The Commissioner wishes to ensure that all roads authorities are undertaking their sample inspections as required. 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Category A Inspections Qrtly Insp 179 165 66 45 455 175 138 75 49 437 Category A Passed 174 157 62 44 437 166 129 67 35 397 Category A Pass Rate Percentage 97% 95% 94% 98% 96% 95% 93% 89% 71% 91% Category B Inspections Qrtly Insp 130 125 119 88 462 145 136 131 104 516 Category B Passed 125 119 116 87 447 140 136 129 100 505 Category B Pass Rate Percentage 96% 95% 97% 99% 97% 97% 100% 98% 96% 98% Category C Inspections Qrtly Insp 138 125 87 85 435 121 141 158 100 520 Category C Passed 134 124 85 85 428 118 137 156 95 506 Category C Pass Rate Percentage 97% 99% 98% 100% 98% 98% 97% 99% 95% 97% Sample Inspection Target Ann. Insp 348 348 348 348 1392 384 384 384 384 1536 Sample Inspection Done Qrtly Insp 447 415 272 218 1352 441 415 364 253 1473 Percentage of Samples Done 128% 119% 78% 63% 97% 115% 108% 95% 66% 96% Page 120 of 166
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Works Notices per 100km Works Notices per 100km The Commissioner wishes to ensure that all roads authorities are entering all their notices. To this end the number of notices issued by each authority has been analysed to give a figure representative of works per 100km. This figure is being used as a benchmark to compare information for each authority from the same SCOTS grouping. 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year North Lanarkshire Council [1622 km] Report 26 38.97 36.93 38.35 31.66 145.91 38.90 43.90 25.59 40.26 148.64 Urban - Clackmannanshire Council [299 km] Report 26 13.65 19.45 15.36 18.43 66.89 14.05 16.05 13.71 24.41 68.23 Urban - West Dunbartonshire Council [383 km] Report 26 19.26 16.09 20.58 11.87 67.81 13.58 13.32 15.40 15.93 58.22 Urban - East Dunbartonshire Council [531 km] Report 26 28.92 32.89 25.90 26.47 114.18 20.90 37.29 33.15 25.80 117.14 Urban - East Renfrewshire Council [489 km] Report 26 13.76 9.24 10.27 9.45 42.71 10.84 13.29 10.84 15.34 50.31 Urban - Falkirk Council [990 km] Report 26 11.03 10.43 5.36 8.50 35.32 15.66 16.46 9.29 13.13 54.55 Urban - Inverclyde Council [376 km] Report 26 16.09 12.60 10.46 17.69 56.84 20.48 19.68 13.56 10.64 64.36 Urban - Renfrewshire Council [840 km] Report 26 10.32 14.17 9.84 10.20 44.54 20.00 10.60 10.60 13.81 55.00 SCOTS Group Average Report 26 19.00 18.98 17.02 16.78 71.78 19.30 21.32 16.52 19.92 77.06 Page 121 of 166
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Compliance Notices Compliance Notices The Commissioner wishes to monitor the number of Compliance Notices issued against each organisation. Compliance Notices Issued 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 1 0 0 1 Inspections Late/Outstanding Inspections Late/Outstanding The Commissioner wishes to ensure that all roads authorities are carrying out and reporting their inspections in a timeous manner. Results must be recorded within 24 hours of the inspection and follow up inspections should not be more than 6 months after the last inspection. 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Inspection Results Recorded Late Report 32 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 10 2 1 6 19 Outstanding Final Inspections Report 33 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 137 189 252 318 318 Gazetteer Updates Gazetteer Updates The Commissioner wishes to monitor the frequency the Gazetteer was updated on the SRWR. These updates should be made every quarter. Gazetteer Updates 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 4 Page 122 of 166
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Vault Updates Vault Updates The Commissioner wishes to monitor the frequency of Vault updates made to the SRWR. These updates should be made at least once every quarter. Vault Updates 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year 1 1 1 1 4 2 1 2 1 6 Attendance at Area RAUC Meetings Area RAUC Attendance To Commissioner wishes to monitor organisations representation at the relevant Area RAUC meetings. It is important organisations attend all areas where they are working or have assets. WRAUC 2023/24 2024/25 Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year Apr - Jun Jul - Sep Oct - Dec Jan - Mar Year 1 1 N/A 1 3 1 1 N/A 1 3 Page 123 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment and Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref LR Date 20/08/25 Strategic Performance Framework - latest performance results for Community Operations From Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) E-mail RennieLy@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07855193500 Executive Summary Following the structural realignments in the One Place One Plan - Governance update report approved at Policy and Strategy Committee in December 2022, a single Community Operations service was created to strengthen the council’s delivery of community operations and put people and communities at the heart of the change that The Plan for North Lanarkshire aims to achieve. This realignment brought a wide range of community facing services in relation to the council’s environmental assets (i.e. Street Cleaning, Grounds Maintenance, Cemetery Services, Roads Maintenance Operations, and Country Parks for the Future) together with regulatory services (i.e. Environmental Health and Trading Standards), and services in respect of Waste Solutions, Fleet Resources, and the Built Environment. A subsequent realignment of specific service functions across the council (which was approved at the Policy and Strategy Committee in December 2023), added further services within the remit of Community Operations (i.e. Facility Support Services and School Transport which sit within the remit of the Education and Families Committee, and Active and Creative Communities which sits within the remit of the Communities Committee). Creation of a single community operation through the Chief Officer (Community Operations) has seen the integration of environmental services and enhancements to natural environments and green spaces to further support general wellbeing, social inclusion, physical and mental health, and connectivity with the local environment. The creation of a single front-line community operation that supports the day-to-day maintenance and management of the resources, services, and assets required to deliver a wide range of environmental services, as well as many culture, sport, and leisure pursuits, is key to bringing about environmental enhancements and the health benefits they bring. A substantial range of performance indicators are in place within Community Operations to assess efficiency and effectiveness in terms of service delivery and case management on a day-to-day basis. A suite of statutory indicators also enables costs and satisfaction to be assessed and compared nationally. The service monitors performance in various ways, including subject matter specific review meetings as well as regular management meeting discussions. These meetings make use of the evidence provided by the performance results to inform discussions around the best Item 9 Page 125 of 166
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use of resources, to decide priorities in this respect, to highlight areas requiring improvement, and to agree remedial actions which require to be implemented. For strategic overview and scrutiny purposes, this report provides Members of the Environment and Climate Change Committee with an update of the latest results for the suite of performance indicators within Community Operations. Recommendations It is recommended that the Environment and Climate Change Committee: (1) Review the high-level performance overview presented in Appendix 1 and identify where further information is required to understand or investigate performance further. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement All ambition statements Programme of Work Statutory / corporate / service requirement Page 126 of 166
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1. Background 1.1 There are six inter-related strategic frameworks which are key to evaluating the success of The Plan for North Lanarkshire and assessing delivery towards achieving the overall vision by ensuring each stage is appropriately aligned, planned, guided, implemented, monitored, and governed. 1.2 The six frameworks focus on ensuring a corporate one council approach in respect of Policy, Governance, Performance, Self-Evaluation, Project Management, and Demonstrating Improved Outcomes for Communities. 1.3 The Strategic Performance Framework comprises performance measurement at three levels (as per the diagram on the right). This aims to collectively provide an overview of performance to help understand the impact of council activities on improving services and outcomes for the people and communities of North Lanarkshire. The measures in this Framework allow for day-to-day activities, and progress towards achieving the long-term vision set out in The Plan for North Lanarkshire, to be regularly monitored, reported, assessed, and scrutinised. 1.4 The Strategic Performance Framework is aligned to the Accounts Commission’ Statutory Direction which places a requirement on councils to report a range of information in terms of (1) improving local services and outcomes, and (2) demonstrating Best Value. Key points of note in this respect are that the Accounts Commission also expect to see: (a) A balance in terms of reporting that captures highlights of good performance as well as areas of performance requiring improvement. (b) Reporting that is undertaken in a timely manner. (c) Easy access to performance information for all citizens and communities. (d) Comparisons of performance (i) over time (e.g. compared to previous years), and (ii) with others (e.g. other local authorities or the national average (where available and appropriate). The council’s comparative performance in Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) indicators can be viewed through the Improvement Service’s online dashboard: https://www.improvementservice.org.uk/benchmarking/explore-the-data 1.5 A Performance Reporting Schedule supports the timely submission of a range of performance information to ensure fully informed review, reporting, scrutiny, and decision-making processes by Elected Members and senior management. This Schedule, endorsed by the Audit and Scrutiny Panel each year, includes Chief Officer’s individual Performance Reviews at Service Committees in line with the Strategic Performance Framework. 1.6 This report therefore presents the Environment and Climate Change Committee with the latest performance results for Community Operations for Members’ further review and scrutiny. Page 127 of 166
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2. Strategic Performance Framework Environment and Climate Change Committee responsibilities 2.1 In line with the terms of reference outlined in the Scheme of Administration, the Environment and Climate Change Committee is responsible for monitoring and reviewing performance information for the following Ambition Statements from The Plan for North Lanarkshire. 14. Ensure the highest standards of public protection. 16. Transform our natural environment to support wellbeing and inward investment and enhance it for current and future generations. 17. Ensure we keep our environment clean, safe, and attractive. 2.2 The high-level performance overview in Appendix 1 presents Members with a summary of the latest results for performance indicators relating to the services that sit within the remit of the Chief Officer (Community Operations) - with the exception of Active and Creative Communities which sits within the remit of the Communities Committee. 2.3 The information in Appendix 1 comprises the undernoted. Appendix 2 provides additional context in respect of the council’s approach to the measurement of indicators and setting of targets. • An ideal direction arrow - this indicates whether a higher or lower figure is the preferred direction of travel. • Measurement unit - for example whether the result is a %, a number, a unit cost (in £), or a ratio. • Performance results for the most recent financial years (depending on availability of data) along with the latest year’s target and corresponding RAG status (for indicators where it is appropriate to set targets). • The most recent quarterly results, along with the corresponding target and RAG status. Note the inclusion of this information is dependent on the measurement frequency of the indicator and availability of data as at the time of reporting. • A trend graph - this captures the direction of travel achieved over the years and includes the most recent monthly or quarterly results where available. • Comments - narrative summarising the current position and providing an explanation for any significant variations in performance. Where applicable, this narrative also highlights any internal or external factors impacting on service delivery as well as any residual effects of the pandemic, e.g. any increase or decrease in the volume of transactions or enquiries processed. Current context 2.4 The performance information presented in Appendix One should be considered within the context of the following: A higher figure is better A lower figure is better Key to RAG status Green Performance is on target and/or within acceptable thresholds Red Performance does not meet target and is outwith acceptable thresholds Blue Performance surpasses the target and exceeds expectations Page 128 of 166
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• As per the Internal Audit review reported to the Audit and Scrutiny Panel in May 2025), this performance report reflects implementation of one of the recommendations identified therein, i.e. reporting performance information to senior management and elected members. To address the second recommendation (in respect of improving compliance with corporate processes and procedures in relation to the description, calculation, and recording of performance indicators), a workshop was held with the Chief Officer and Service Managers in July 2025 to reiterate the corporate processes and procedures and service roles and responsibilities and deadlines therein. This workshop also involved discussions regarding future measures to add to the suite for Community Operations. As such, the existing suite of performance indicators is currently under review to ensure these remain effective in assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery and case management on a day-to-day basis as well as being able to contribute to assessing progress in delivering The Plan for North Lanarkshire. This review includes future years targets and thresholds to ensure these remain fit for purpose and can contribute positively to continuous service improvement. • In the meantime, data is being collated in respect of a new measure to support oversight of instances where residents’ bins are lost or damaged during collection (as agreed at the Council meeting in June 2025). This will be incorporated into the next six-monthly Community Operations performance report to the Environment and Climate Change committee (i.e. cycle 1 of 2026). • A significant rationalisation exercise across the waste service has allowed consolidation of the service within key depot facilities and overall efficiencies for the service space being freed up for other service areas to consolidate their own facilities and ultimately provide a capital receipt for the council through the sale of any depot deemed surplus to requirements. • The extent to which the service has supported the council in terms of responding to and recovering from the pandemic over the three years from 2020 to 2022, while maintaining service delivery of critical areas of public health and safety in line with legislation. Resuming business as usual activities at pace thereafter involved dealing with significant volumes in terms of backlogs in particular areas of service - the latest results for these areas now show demand to be stabilising and performance levels back on track. • In resuming business as usual activities as noted above, the subsequent increase in the volume of business experienced by some areas of service that added to the caseloads which require to be dealt with included in environmental health, while the food law recovery plan and related inspection regime implemented in the aftermath of the pandemic impacted on food business inspection visits and required changes to processes and ways of working. Recent performance highlights 2.5 The council’s performance in respect of A class roads (i.e. major and strategic roads) and B class roads (i.e. roads serving a local purpose and connecting to strategic roads) which are considered to require maintenance treatment continues to remain lower than the averages for Scotland and the family group of similar councils: • Less than a quarter (24.7%) of A class roads in North Lanarkshire are considered to require maintenance treatment compared to the Scottish average (28.9%) and the family group of similar councils (26.1%). • 27.2% of B class roads in North Lanarkshire are considered to require maintenance treatment compared to the Scottish average (32.5%) and the family group of similar councils (26.9%). Page 129 of 166
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2.6 Overall, the latest figures show that 32.6% of all of North Lanarkshire's roads are considered to require maintenance treatment; this is a small increase from previous years but still maintains the consistent trend over the years of less than a third of all roads requiring maintenance treatment. Performance also remains below (and therefore better than) target. 2.7 The latest costs in respect of cost of maintaining roads per kilometres of length show a decrease from the previous year and continue to remain lower than the family group of similar councils (which comprises the eight most densely populated council areas. The location of North Lanarkshire’s roads in central Scotland makes them very heavily used, with the heavier volume and density of traffic having a greater impact on wear and tear of the road network compared to a council in a rural area for example. 2.8 Performance for the council’s refuse service shows a positive picture in the round with refuse disposal costs remaining below target, satisfaction levels in terms of the refuse collection service showing improvement, and recycling rates increasing. 2.9 Previous performance reports to the Environment and Climate Change Committee had noted performance in completion certificates and building warrants continuing to remain below target, however both these service areas have experienced a significant improvement in recent years. This follows a prolonged period of high demand volumes combined with increased customer expectation around the completion of projects and extent of on-site activities as well as challenges around the recruitment process, long- term absences, support issues, and system outages all contributing to lower than target performance. It is anticipated this level of improved performance will continue but it continues to be monitored. Areas of performance requiring improvement 2.10 Overall, performance results in relation to unit costs available through the LGBF suite of indicators represent a mixed picture across all councils in Scotland. This LGBF overview publication recognises general trends across Scotland, for example, it notes that some nonprotected service areas have seen recent uplifts in their spend, after a long-term pattern of reducing budgets. This largely reflects the resumption in activity, which was deferred during the pandemic, including in relation to significant capital programmes. For example, culture and leisure, environmental services, roads, planning services, and corporate support services have all seen an increase in expenditure in recent years. However, unit costs should never be considered in isolation and a full picture of performance should be reviewed, for example public satisfaction levels with environmental related services show a clear improvement in the latest results as does the level of performance achieved. Page 130 of 166
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Next steps 2.11 As noted in paragraph 1.5, the Strategic Performance Framework is supported by a Performance Reporting Schedule. This sets out the arrangements for service, statutory, and Strategic Performance Framework reporting to committee. In this respect the relevant Committee can expect to receive the following reports in respect of Active and Creative Communities areas of work during 2025 to 2026. Report Description Committee Committee cycle for next report Business regulation service plan All local authority regulators of food law and occupational health and safety law must plan their enforcement and advisory activities and, in accordance with independent auditor preference, present that plan before a relevant committee for its approval. This includes a summary of the service plan for the council’s Business Regulation Service (and latest performance achievements) to fulfil obligations in respect of food law and health and safety law. Latest report in August 2024: link to report Environment and Climate Change Committee Cycle 3 in 2025 Building Standards performance There is a statutory requirement to produce and publish on the council website an Annual Building Standards Verification Performance Report. The report includes a broad range of performance and service improvement information, and it looks back at the previous 12 months, as well as looking forward to the next period. Latest update for 2024/25 (May 2025): link to website. n/a, published on the council’s website each year n/a, next annual report will be published May 2026 Scottish Road Works Commissioner annual road works performance review The Scottish Road Works Commissioner oversees improvements to the planning, co- ordination, and quality of road works by both local authorities and statutory undertakers in Scotland. The council has a statutory duty under section 118(1) of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, to co-ordinate the execution of works of all kinds in roads for which they are responsible: (a) In the interests of safety. (b) To minimise inconvenience to persons using the road. (c) To protect the structure of the road and integrity of apparatus in it. This report will present details of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner’s annual performance review in terms of how well the council is meeting its statutory obligations. Latest report in August 2024: link to report Environment and Climate Change Committee Cycle 3 in 2025 3. Measures of success 3.1 Measures of success include: • Regular oversight and monitoring of performance across the organisation to gain assurances in terms of governance and accountability. • Regular review and challenge processes to scrutinise the performance of the council to ensure effective use of resources and that resources are directed in accordance with agreed policy and according to priorities, while ensuring sound decision making and clear accountability for the use of resources in achieving improved outcomes for service users and the local community. Page 131 of 166
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• Performance monitoring, management, and reporting arrangements that support the demonstration of improved performance in local services and outcomes, and the delivery of Best Value. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 - High-level performance overview. 4.2 Appendix 2 - Note for information in respect of performance indicators and targets. Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 132 of 166
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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? 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 ☐ Page 133 of 166
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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? Monitoring and managing service performance supports the ongoing review of the service’s risk register. 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 134 of 166
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Appendix 1 Community Operations High-level performance overview - as at July 2025 Note, for the majority of the benchmarking indicators the most up to date data that is available nationally relates to 2023/24 (https://www.improvementservice.org.uk/benchmarking/explore-the-data) Page 135 of 166
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Roads - % customer enquiries / requests for service closed off within council own response times i069 higher figure is better % 88.3 91.5 88.5 82.0 80.8 90.1 78.1 90.0 red red A new contractor was appointed at the start of quarter 3 2024/25, a new maintenance management system (different to the previous contract) was introduced. This sytem is new to both parties. This has caused some teething issues and potentially had a direct impact on the latest performance figures. Roads - number of third party claims received i068 lower figure is better number 171 195 70 97 192 194 215 300 blue blue 215 third party claims for roads were received during 2024/25; higher than previous years. This follows a decrease in the volume of claims during the pandemic as there were less vehicles on the road network at the height of the lockdown and surface defects were remedied where possible as all planned works were suspended at the outset of the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic this indicator had shown consistent year on year decreases in the number of third party claims made against the council relative to roads and footways; this reflected the introduction, and continued operation, of the safety inspection regime undertaken on the road and footpath network. Street cleaning - net cost per 1,000 population ENV3a lower figure is better £ £17,882 £15,805 £15,182 £13,315 £14,581 £17,061 n/a; indicator for benchmarking purposes only Latest cost figures for NL (£17,061) show an increase from the previous year and remain higher than the Scottish average (£15,961) and the family group of similar councils (£16,072). The increase in costs in this indicator from the previous year to the most recent year is reflected both in the NL figures as well as the family group average and the national average. Satisfaction - % of adults satisfied with street cleaning services ENV7b higher figure is better % 63.4 56.4 52.7 51.3 51.7 53.7 n/a; indicator for benchmarking purposes only Satisfaction indicators in the LGBF are drawn from the Scottish Household Survey as this is the only source of comparable information for all 32 councils in this respect. It has some limitations when used at individual council level as the survey questions do not fully distinguish views of the whole adult population from views of the direct users of services and the sample size at council level becomes a subset of the overall national sample - to improve the robustness of the information data at a council level is therefore presented as 3 year rolled averages. The methodology for this indicator changed for the 2018/21 data and this approach as well as data collection methods in subsequent years were impacted by the pandemic. Recent comparisons should therefore be viewed with caution. Recent satisfaction levels in NL show a gradual improving trend up to 53.7% as at 2024 from 51.7% as at 2023. This improvement in NL is noted against a slight decrease in satisfaction recorded both in the national average (which decreased from 58.3% to 58%) and the family group average (which increased from 56.1% to 55.8%) over the same period. Street cleanliness score - % areas assessed as clean ENV3c higher figure is better % 88.8 87.7 86.2 84.5 86.1 91.2 90.1 n/a; indicator for benchmarking purposes only Latest published figures for NLC (90.1%) continues to show an improvement from the pandemic years, albeit a small dip from the previous year. This slight decrease from last year to this year is also reflected in the average for the family group of similar councils (from 90% to 88.9%) over the same period, as well as the national average (from 92.1% to 91.7%). NLs performance remains in line with the family group average (which comprises the 8 most densely populated council areas and are a more comparable figure than the average across Scotland which includes many rural councils). trend commentsIndicator id ideal direction unit of measure- ment 2018/19 2024/25 RAG status2022/232019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2024/25 target2023/24 2024/25 10,000 12,500 15,000 17,500 20,000 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 23/24 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 16-19 17-20 18-21 19-22 20-23 21-24 80.0 85.0 90.0 95.0 100.0 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 0 50 100 150 200 250 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 Page 139 of 166
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Appendix 2 Note for information in respect of performance indicators and targets It should be noted that the nature of particular areas of service being measured in order to assess and manage performance do not always lend themselves to a traditional approach to either measuring performance or setting targets, for example: • Some indicators (and targets) are required to monitor performance against a commitment or minimum standard the council has made in advance to achieve a stated level of performance when delivering a service. • Some indicators (and targets) are required to assess compliance with legislative requirements. • Some targets represent the level of performance that the council aims to achieve from a particular activity in either the short, medium, or long-term. • Some indicators are needed to help present a complete picture of performance in the round, as a single performance indicator used in isolation rarely tells the whole performance story and a range of indicators are required to reflect the economic, efficient, and effective aspects of demonstrating best value. • Some indicators and targets can help to support accountability to the public in terms of demonstrating best value and an efficient and effective approach to the delivery of services. • Some indicators are monitored to ensure the council complies with specific requirements, such as information governance or health and safety. • Some indicators are monitored to provide added context in order to help interpret performance results or supplement other existing measures. Information such as this can be critical to enhance knowledge and decision making in terms of demand to help determine priorities and allocate resources. • For some indicators it is not appropriate to set targets as it is the trend in the data (i.e. the direction of travel) that provides more meaningful information to allow for an assessment in relation to whether performance has improved. • Some indicators are national benchmarking indicators where their purpose is to allow for comparisons with other councils and the national average. These benchmarks are, in essence, can openers designed to focus questions on why variations in cost and performance are occurring between similar councils. • Some indicators are proxy measures, particularly in the case of measuring outcomes, as without directly measurable data for a desired outcome the only alternative is to use a proxy that is an indirect measure of the desired outcome but which is itself strongly correlated to that outcome. Page 142 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environmental & Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref: NLC-CPT-24-141 Date: 20 August 2025 Contract Award for the Provision of Waste Management & Recycling Services for Bulky Waste Material (including POPs) From Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) E-mail Renniely@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07855 193500 Executive Summary In accordance with the councils General Contract Standing Orders (GCSOs), the Committee is asked to approve the award of a contract for Provision of Waste Management & Recycling Services for Bulky Waste Material (including POPs) (the ‘Agreement’) following the undertaking of a procurement procedure as detailed within this report below. Recommendations It is recommended that the Environment & Climate Change Committee: (1) Approves the award of the Agreement to Diverse Investments Scotland Ltd T/A Newtown Waste Solutions (the “Contractor”) at the approximate value of Fifteen Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty Thousand, and Twenty Two Pounds Sterling (£15,720,020.00) exclusive of VAT for an initial period of 12 months anticipated to commence on 14 October 2025 with the council reserving the right to extend the Agreement for additional periods up to a maximum of a further 36 months. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition Statement (17) Ensure we keep our environment clean, safe, and attractive Programme of Work All Programmes of Work Item 10 Page 143 of 166
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1. Background 1.1 The requirements within the Agreements for the Bulky Waste and the Bulky Waste containing POPs are both currently under contract with Dow Group Limited. Both contracts are due to expire on 13 October 2025 with the Agreement detailed within this report due to supersede this. 1.2 The council are responsible for waste management facilities to sort, treat and dispose/recycle items of bulky waste and bulky waste including pops collected as shown below: Bulky Waste Contract; • The Council’s “Special Uplift” service excluding items of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE); • Dumped waste from the Council’s “Removal of Fly Tipping” service; • Bulky waste removal from the Councils housing stock. Bulky waste (containing POPs) • WUDs containing POPs from bulky household waste from the Council’s “Special Uplift Service.” • WUDs containing POPs dumped waste from the Council’s “Removal of Fly Tipping” Service. • Bulky household waste from the “Housing Bulky household waste removal” service. • WUDs containing POPs from Household Waste Recycling Centres. 1.3 The Special Uplift Service is one of several services offered and operated by the Council’s Waste Solutions Section and compliments the weekly domestic kerbside collection services and Household Waste Recycling Centres, (HWRC), that are strategically located throughout the North Lanarkshire area. 1.4 The landfill ban is due to be implemented in Scotland from 01 January 2026. Accordingly, the council is due to be impacted by this via bulky waste collected and disposed of at the councils Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC). Whilst there is currently contract provision for these services, the arrangement will not satisfy the requirements of the landfill ban. Therefore, to ensure the council complies with landfill ban, this contract shall end on 31 December 2025 with the bulky elements of this contract being included within this new contract whilst “black bag” shall be processed via the residual waste contract managed by the Clyde Valley Waste Partnership. 1.5 As of 1 February 2024, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) introduced significant changes in waste management services in Scotland for Waste Upholstered Domestic Seating (WUDS) containing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) items such as sofas, pillows & cushions etc. Accordingly, the council mobilised a contract to meet this new obligation which shall expire on 13 October 2025. 1.6 Accordingly, this new arrangement will be greater in terms of scale to those previously procured and awarded. The new arrangement is anticipated to provide appropriate waste and recycling services for the waste streams and estimated tonnage below: • circa 3000 tonnes of bulky household waste is collected annually via the Council’s “Special Uplift Service”. • circa 6000 tonnes of dumped waste from the Council’s “Removal of Fly Tipping” Service • circa 1400 tonnes of bulky household waste is collected annually via the “Housing Bulky household waste removal” service • circa 15,000 tonnes of bulky household material (excluding black bags) from HWRC general waste. Page 144 of 166
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• circa 500 tonnes of WUDs containing POPs from bulky household waste from the Council’s “Special Uplift Service”. • circa 200 tonnes of WUDs containing POPs dumped waste from the Council’s “Removal of Fly Tipping” Service. • circa 400 tonnes of bulky household waste from the “Housing Bulky household waste removal” service. • circa 1000 tonnes of WUDs containing POPs from Household Waste Recycling Centres. 1.7 As part of the new Agreement, it is anticipated that Diverse Investments Scotland Ltd T/A Newtown Waste Solutions should achieve a recycling target of circa 40% from the Council’s bulky waste material (including WUDs containing POPs), processed. Diverse Investments Scotland Ltd T/A Newtown Waste Solutions shall also work with the council to maximise recycling opportunities and diversion rates. Both parties shall also work in partnership to meet the requirements of the European Union Landfill Directive (Council Directive) 1999/31/EC, Waste Scotland Regulations 2012 and all aspects of the Zero Waste Plan for Scotland concerning waste minimisation and recycling. 1.8 To enable appropriate development and execution of the procedure required to form the Agreement, a panel of technical and procurement representatives (the “User Intelligence Group (UIG)”) was formed. 1.9 The UIG were responsible for developing the required internal contract strategy (the “Contract Strategy“) for the Agreement. The Contract Strategy sets out the parameters and approaches the council would apply within the procurement, tendering, contracting and end of life stages of the Agreement following appropriate analysis, research and investigation to ensure the council achieves maximum benefit where possible. In accordance with GCSO 4.4, the Contract Strategy for the Agreement was approved on. 2. Report 2.1 The procurement procedure was undertaken as a “Mini Competition”. A Mini Competition is a streamlined competitive procurement procedure where an overarching dynamic purchasing system (DPS) is already in situ thus allowing the council access to companies that have already went through a full competitive procurement procedure to gain appointment to the overarching DPS. Accordingly, a Mini Competition enables the council to award from the overarching DPS in a more efficient manner whilst enabling competition. 2.2 Based on the evaluation criteria and scoring methodology set out in the procurement procedure, an evaluation of tenders received was completed by members identified by the UIG as having the technical knowledge and experience to evaluate tenders in a professional and fair manner. 2.3 Following completion of the procurement procedure in accordance with the overarching DPS, the recommended Contractor has been evaluated as submitting the most economically advantageous tender. 2.4 Appendix 1 provides a summary of the procurement procedure undertaken including the key considerations and outcomes. Page 145 of 166
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Financial/Budget Considerations 2.5 The pre-tender wholelife estimate budget for the Agreement was £11,405,372.00 exclusive of VAT. The costs associated with delivery of the Agreement will be contained within the budget for the Waste Solutions, Land Maintenance and Housing Solutions teams. 2.6 The initial budget allocation of £11,405,372.00 for the contract was based on historic expenditure and current prices for each waste stream per tonne. However, the successful tender submission from the lowest cost bidder is £15,720,020.00. Key reasons for the increased cost include significant increases in operational costs across the waste sector, including fuel, labour and processing charges, especially for WUDs containing POPs material, which have directly impacted pricing. These impacts are being experienced throughout all Scottish Local Authorities. SEPA is actively working to try and address the issues created by the enactment of the regulations around WUDS containing POPs in relation to the lack of capacity in Scotland to treat this waste stream to ensure service continuity. Price Stability 2.7 Prices shall be firm for the first 12 months of the Contract. Subsequent to that initial period, there is provision within the Contract for the successful tenderer to request annual price review however these will require to be no greater than the current National Retail Price Index & any statutory amendments to landfill tax. The decision to accept or reject any price review will be at the sole discretion of the Council. Community Benefits 2.8 The Council is committed to maximising the delivery of community benefits. The procurement included a community benefit requirement, this approach is designed to deliver local community benefits where possible. 2.9 Within their tender, the recommended Contractor committed to deliver community benefits as detailed within Appendix 1 of this report: 2.10 The community benefits committed as part of the Agreement includes the creation of jobs or apprenticeships. Fair Work First and Payment of the Living Wage 2.11 Within their tender submission, the recommended contractor intimated that they would commit to the 7 areas within the Scottish Governments “Fair Work First” initiative: 2.12 Further information on the Living wage status of the recommended contractor is detailed in Appendix 1. Contract Management 2.13 Officers from Waste Services team within Community Operations will be responsible for managing the Agreement which will be undertaken in accordance with the contract and supplier management Conditions applied within the Agreement. Page 146 of 166
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3. Measures of success The Contract will deliver the following outcomes; 3.1 The appointment of a contractor who has the experience and capability to deliver an innovative, high quality and responsive waste disposal and recycling service that will deliver the minimum delivery targets within the Contract. 3.2 The contract award procedure is compliant with the procurement legislation and internal procedures. 3.3 That best value is both demonstrable and achieved. 3.4 That the Agreement secures a range of community benefits. 3.5 That the Agreement secured a number of “Fair Work First” initiatives. 3.6 That the Contract performance is proactively managed against a number of local Key Performance Indicators and national targets. 4. Supporting documents 4.1 Appendix 1 Summary of Procurement Procedure Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 147 of 166
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5. Impacts ( http://connect/report-template-guidance ) 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? North Lanarkshire Council has a statutory obligation to provide the Bulky Waste Services for Special Uplifts, Fly Tipping removal & Housing Bulky removal. This has been built into the revenue budget for Waste & Land Services and Housing. 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? 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 148 of 166
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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? The successful bidder will explore ways to extract material for recycling. They have a commitment to meet the ban on all non-household biodegradable waste from entering landfill by 31 December 2025. Both will have a positive impact on the carbon emissions. 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? Low risk as there are contingency opportunities if the successful contractor was unable to fulfil the contract. This can be achieved either by using the second-place tenderer who is the incumbent supplier, via Scotland Excel Framework or negotiated tender process for a temporary period. 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). Page 149 of 166
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If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☐ Page 150 of 166
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Appendix 1 – Summary of Procurement Procedure Overview Reference NLC-CPT-24-141 Title Provision of Waste Management & Recycling Services for Bulky Waste Material (including POPs) Classification Services - Standard Responsible Chief Officer and Position Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Competition Governance by Value Overarching DPS's terms and condition in accordance with the Councils General Contract Standing Orders Route to Market Mini Competition from a Third-Party DPS “DPS “Title, Ref and Lot Info Dynamic Purchasing System (“DPS”) -Treatment and Disposal of Recyclable and Residual Waste - Lot 11 – Treatment and Disposal of Bulky Waste Interest No. of Lot / DPS Contractor 32 Date Invitation to Tender Package Published 29 May 2025 Tenders Received Total No. of Tenders Received 2 No. of Tenders From SME’s 2 No. Tenders from NLC Based Businesses 2 No. of Tenders from Supported Businesses 0 Reasons for Single Tender Response Award Criteria Quality Weighting 20% Price Weighting 80% Evaluation Scoring Contractor(s) Score 92.76% Unsuccessful Tenderer Scoring Range 75.85% How Has “Best Value” Been Demonstrated? Although the final contract value exceeds the initial budget, best value has been demonstrated through a competitive procurement process. Evaluation was based on a combination of cost and quality criteria, ensuring the selected contractor not only offered the lowest price but also demonstrated capability and experience in delivering this contract. The mini competition, carried out from the Scotland Excel Recyclable and Residual waste DPS is less resources intense, saving time and administrative costs. Page 151 of 166
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Additional Comments Award Details General Overview Total / Maximum Value £15,720,020.00 Contract Duration (Months) 48 (12 +12+12+12) Contractor Registered Name(s) Diverse Investments Scotland Ltd T/A Newtown Waste Solutions Contractor Overview Registered Local Authority Area North Lanarkshire Contractor(s) Size Medium Living Wage Paying the Living Wage Yes Living Wage Accredited Yes Overview of Community Benefits New Job for an Individual from a Priority Group (Full Time) x 6 Additional Comments Impacts Summary, Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty ☐ HR Policy Impact ☐ Data Protection Impact ☐ Environment / Carbon Impact ☒ Risk Impact ☒ Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact ☐ Financial Impact ☒ Legal Impact ☐ Technology / Digital Impact ☐ Comms impact ☐ Armed Forces Covenant Duty ☐ Page 152 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment & Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☐ Yes ☒ No Ref: NLC-CPT-23-085 Date: 20 August 2025 Contract Award for Traffic Signal Maintenance & Inspection Services From Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) E-mail RennieLy@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07855193500 Executive Summary This report is to advise Committee of the decision taken in accordance with condition 21.3.2 of the Councils General Contract Standing Orders (GCSO’s) where in the absence of committee, the Depute Chief Executive approved the award of a contract for Traffic Signal Maintenance & Inspection Services (the ‘Agreement’) on 17 June 2025 to Yunex Limited. Permission to award outwith the committee cycle in accordance with GCSO 21.3.2 was sought given the route to market applied (as detailed below), there was a risk to operational delivery / traffic safety if a new agreement was not established at the earliest possible opportunity. Therefore, it was not possible to seek committee approval given the timescales required to be facilitated. Additionally, the previous contract expired in June 2024 and given the importance of requirements within the Agreement, an expedited award process was required to ensure compliance with relevant regulations, standards and continued assurance of road safety conditions. The Agreement was formally awarded on 02 July 2025 and is for an initial period of 36 months with the council reserving the right to extend the Agreement for additional periods up to a maximum of a further 24 months. The maximum value of the Agreement is SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING (£750,000) exclusive of VAT. Recommendations It is recommended that the Environment and Climate Change Committee: (1) Acknowledges the award of the Agreement to Yunex Limited at a maximum value of SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING (£750,000) exclusive of VAT over the entire proposed contract period. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve North Lanarkshire's resource base Ambition Statement (17) Ensure we keep our environment clean, safe, and attractive Programme of Work Transforming Places Item 11 Page 153 of 166
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1. Background 1.1 The agreement is for the supply of traffic signal inspection and maintenance services within the boundary of North Lanarkshire. Including the inspection and maintenance (including repair) of North Lanarkshire Council’s existing traffic signal infrastructure inspection and maintenance (including repair) of these assets. In terms of maintenance, the infrastructure included will include poles, signal units, lamps, all pedestrian and vehicle aspects, detection units push buttons etc. and damage to installations due to road traffic accidents, which require civils assistance. 1.2 The primary objective of the agreement is to appoint a competent and experienced contractor to inspect and maintain the Council's traffic signal infrastructure resulting in smoother, quicker and safer traffic flow throughout North Lanarkshire whilst providing value for money to the Council. 1.3 Works completed under this agreement will support the safe movement of road users on the Council's road network, decrease congestion on the road network and improve safety and accessibility. 1.4 To enable appropriate development and execution of the procedure required to form the Agreement, a panel of technical and procurement representatives (the “User Intelligence Group (UIG)”) was formed. 1.5 The UIG were responsible for developing the required internal contract strategy (the “Contract Strategy“) for the Agreement. The Contract Strategy sets out the parameters and approaches the council would apply within the procurement, tendering, contracting and end of life stages of the Agreement following appropriate analysis, research and investigation to ensure the council achieves maximum benefit where possible. In accordance with GCSO 4.4, the Contract Strategy for the Agreement was approved on 20 March 2024. 1.6 The previous contract expired June 2024. Competing Service priorities including the implementation and mobilisation of the Roads and Infrastructure Contract, resulted in a delay to renewing this contract and a temporary extension being issued. 1.7 To prevent any further delays and mitigate any risk of being unable to provide the service, the Depute Chief Executive approved the award of the contract in June 2025, in accordance with condition 21.3.2 of the Councils General Contract Standing Orders (GCSO’s). 2. Report 2.1 The initial estimated value of the Agreement dictated that the opportunity be considered as a “Higher Threshold Regulated” procurement procedure. On 10 March 2025, a Contract Notice for the opportunity was published on the Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) and the UK Find a Tender (FTS) website. 2.2 As determined within the Contract Strategy, the procurement procedure was undertaken as an “Open Procedure”. The Open Procedure is a single stage competitive procurement procedure where following the publication of the Contract Notice, any interested party could submit a tender. 2.3 Based on the evaluation criteria and scoring methodology set out in the procurement procedure, an evaluation of tenders received was completed by members identified by the Page 154 of 166
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UIG as having the technical knowledge and experience to evaluate tenders in a professional and fair manner. 2.4 Following completion of the procurement procedure in line with the terms, conditions and processes contained within, the recommended Contractor has been evaluated as submitting the most economically advantageous tender. 2.5 Appendix 1 provides a summary of the procurement procedure undertaken including the key considerations and outcomes. Financial / Budget Consideration 2.6 The pre-tender whole life estimated budget for the Agreement was £750,000. The costs associated with delivery of the Agreement will be contained within the Revenue budget for the Roads & Asset Services team within Community Operations. 2.7 The maximum value of the agreement is £750,000. Pricing was evaluated in accordance with the procurement evaluation procedure. Price Stability 2.8 Fixed pricing for 12 months with annual review points throughout agreement lifetime. Community Benefits 2.9 The council is committed to maximising the delivery of community benefits. The procurement included a community benefit requirement. This approach is designed to deliver local community benefits where possible. 2.10 Within their tender, the recommended Contractor committed to deliver community benefits as detailed within Appendix 1 of this report. 2.11 The community benefits committed as part of the Agreement does not include the creation of jobs or apprenticeships. Fair Work First and Payment of the Living Wage 2.12 Within their tender submission, the recommended Contractor intimated that they would commit to key areas of the Scottish Governments “Fair Work First” initiative. 2.13 Further information on the Living Wage status of the recommended Contractor is detailed in Appendix 1. Contract Management 2.14 Officers from the Asset Management team within Community Operations will be responsible for managing the Agreement which will be undertaken in accordance with the contract and supplier management conditions applied within the Agreement. Page 155 of 166
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3. Measures of success The Agreement will deliver the following outcomes; 3.1 Best Value will be demonstrated as outlined in Appendix 1; 3.2 The appointment of a Service Provider who has the experience and capability to deliver a high quality and responsive service. 4. Supporting documents 4.1 Appendix 1 Summary of Procurement Procedure Lyall Rennie Chief Officer (Community Operations) Page 156 of 166
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5. Impacts ( http://connect/report-template-guidance ) 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? Repeating procurement with ongoing budget allocated within the Roads revenue budget. 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? 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)? Page 157 of 166
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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 158 of 166
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Appendix 1 – Summary of Procurement Procedure Overview Reference NLC-CPT-23-085 Title Traffic Signal Inspection and Maintenance Classification Services - Standard Responsible Chief Officer and Position Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) Competition Governance by Value Higher Threshold - Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 Route to Market Open Procedure Interest Total Expression of Interest (EoI) 6 EoI from NLC Based Businesses 0 Tenders Received Total No. of Tenders Received 2 No. of Tenders From SME’s 0 No. Tenders from NLC Based Businesses 0 No. of Tenders from Supported Businesses 0 Reasons for Single Tender Response Not applicable Award Criteria Quality Weighting 40.00% Price Weighting 60.00% Evaluation Scoring Contractor(s) Score 95.40% Unsuccessful Tenderer Scoring Range 88.72% How Has “Best Value” Been Demonstrated? Most Economically Advantageous Tender assessment. A 60% price and 40% quality split was used. The evaluation supported the selection of a competent and experienced contractor to improve traffic safety and flow throughout North Lanarkshire whilst providing value for money offering to the Council. Additional Comments Retrospective paper to committee. Page 159 of 166
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Award Details General Overview Total / Maximum Value £750,000 Contract Duration (Months) 36 + 12 + 12 Contractor Registered Name(s) Yunex Limited Contractor Overview Registered Local Authority Area Bournemouth Contractor(s) Size Large Living Wage Paying the Living Wage Yes Living Wage Accredited Yes Overview of Community Benefits Community Benefit Outcome Qty Offered Community Benefit Outcome Qty Offered Work Experience Placement for an individual aged 14 to 16 years of age 6 Work Experience Placement for an individual16+ years of age 6 Additional Comments Impacts Summary, Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty ☐ HR Policy Impact ☐ Data Protection Impact ☐ Environment / Carbon Impact ☐ Risk Impact ☐ Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact ☐ Financial Impact ☒ Legal Impact ☐ Technology / Digital Impact ☐ Comms Impact ☐ Armed Forces Covenant Duty ☐ Page 160 of 166
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment and Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☐ Yes ☒ No Ref JMcK/CPT Date 20/08/25 Contracts awarded below Committee approval threshold From James McKinstry, Chief Officer (Assets and Procurement) E-mail McKinstryJ@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07939 281 102 Executive Summary In accordance with the Council’s General Contract Standing Orders (“GCSOs”), GCSO 21.10 requires a summary report be presented to members with details of contracts awarded since last committee, specifically for the spend range: • over £50,000 but below £500,000 for supplies or services; and, • over £500,000 but below £2,000,000 for works. Recommendations It is recommended that the Environment and Climate Change Committee: (1) Acknowledge the contract awards made since last committee reporting cycle. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement All ambition statements Programme of Work Statutory / corporate / service requirement Item 12 Page 161 of 166
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1. Background 1.1 The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 section 81 requires local authorities to “…make standing orders with respect to the making by them or on their behalf of contracts for the supply of goods or materials or for the execution of works.”. 1.2 The Council’s General Contract Standing Orders (“GCSOs”) set out the council’s specific procurement procedures and responsibilities at all spend levels, and include the reporting requirements of procurement activity, including contracts awards, to committee for either approval or acknowledgement. 2. Report 2.1 In accordance with GCSO 21.10, this report summarises the contract awards since last committee, specifically for the spend range: • over £50,000 but below £500,000 for supplies or services; and, • over £500,000 but below £2,000,000 for works. 2.2 If you require further information regards the contract awards reported, please refer to the lead service area / Chief Officer detailed in the appendix. 3. Measures of success 3.1 All requirements contracted contribute to either the council’s programme of work and/or fulfil a statutory requirement. 3.2 All contract awards secure best value for the council in accordance with their evaluation criteria. 3.3 All necessary diligence has been undertaken in the evaluation and appointment of contractors. 3.4 All contract awards are logged in the council’s contract register. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 Summary of contracts awarded. James McKinstry Chief Officer (Assets and Procurement) 5. Impacts 5.1 Impacts considered as part of the contract award procedures are recorded in the individual contract award reports held by the lead service area. Page 162 of 166
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Appendix 1 – Summary of Contracts Awarded Contract Ref NLC-CPT-23-110 Title Purchase of Refrigeration Catering Equipment Classification Supplies Chief Officer, Service Area Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) Competition Governance by Value The Framework terms & conditions, with adherence to the council’s GCSO 13 on 3rd party frameworks Procurement Route Call-off following Direct Award using Third Party Framework No. of Framework Contractors 12 Award Criteria Best Value assessment, in accordance with the Framework Information Comments This has been procured via Direct Award approach, considering the relevant information on Framework Contractors technical and commercial proposals available through Scotland Excel Commercial Catering Equipment Framework Agreement (1322) - Lot 3 - Refrigeration Equipment. Award Details Value £480,000 Contract Duration 16 months with option to extend for up to 12 months (16 + 6 + 6) Contractor Name Merchant City Refrigeration (Scotland) Ltd Contractor Size Micro Contractor Location Glasgow Status - Payment of Living Wage? Yes Status - Living Wage Accredited? No Impacts this section highlights which impacts were considered for this contract award procedure Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty ☐ HR Policy Impact ☐ Data Protection Impact ☐ Environment / Carbon Impact ☒ Risk Impact ☒ Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact ☐ Financial Impact ☒ Legal Impact ☐ Technology / Digital Impact ☐ Communications Impact ☐ Armed Forces Covenant Duty ☐ Further details regarding these impacts can be obtained from the Lead Service Area / Chief Officer Page 163 of 166
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Contract Ref NLC-CPT-24-101 Title Landfill Leachate Removal Services Classification Services Chief Officer, Service Area Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) Competition Governance by Value The Dynamic Purchasing System (“DPS”) terms & conditions, with adherence to the council’s GCSO 13 on 3rd party frameworks/DPS Procurement Route Mini Competition using a Third Party DPS No. of Expressions of interest 13 No. of Bids Received 4 Award Criteria Most Economically Advantageous Tender Evaluation Scores – Successful 96.00% Evaluation Scores – Unsuccessful 56.01%-87.80% Comments This has been procured via a mini competition from the Scotland Excel Dynamic Purchasing System - Treatment and Disposal of Recyclable and Residual Waste: Lot 18 - Removal and Treatment of Leachate and Interceptor Waste Award Details Value £438,360 Contract Duration 12 months with option to extend for up to 24 months (12 + 12 + 12) Contractor Name Scottish Water Horizons Limited Contractor Size Medium Contractor Location North Lanarkshire Status - Payment of Living Wage? Yes Status - Living Wage Accredited? Yes Impacts this section highlights which impacts were considered for this contract award procedure Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty ☐ HR Policy Impact ☐ Data Protection Impact ☐ Environment / Carbon Impact ☒ Risk Impact ☐ Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact ☐ Financial Impact ☒ Legal Impact ☐ Technology / Digital Impact ☐ Communications Impact ☐ Armed Forces Covenant Duty ☐ Further details regarding these impacts can be obtained from the Lead Service Area / Chief Officer Page 164 of 166
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Contract Ref NLC-SLP-25-026 Title Purchase of 15 x Electric Cars Classification Supplies Chief Officer, Service Area Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) Competition Governance by Value The Framework terms & conditions, with adherence to the council’s GCSO 13 on 3rd party frameworks Procurement Route Call-off following Direct Award using Third Party Framework No. of Framework Contractors 24 Award Criteria Best Value assessment, in accordance with the Framework Information Comments This has been procured via Direct Award approach, considering the relevant information on Framework Contractors technical and commercial proposals available through Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Framework for Purchase of Standard and Specialist Vehicles (RM6244), Lot 1: Purchase of Passenger Cars (including 4x4 variants). Award Details Value £129,069 Contract Duration One-off purchase Contractor Name Renault UK Limited Contractor Size Large Contractor Location South West Hertfordshire Status - Payment of Living Wage? Yes Status - Living Wage Accredited? No Impacts this section highlights which impacts were considered for this contract award procedure Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty ☐ HR Policy Impact ☐ Data Protection Impact ☐ Environment / Carbon Impact ☒ Risk Impact ☐ Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact ☐ Financial Impact ☒ Legal Impact ☐ Technology / Digital Impact ☐ Communications Impact ☐ Armed Forces Covenant Duty ☐ Further details regarding these impacts can be obtained from the Lead Service Area / Chief Officer Page 165 of 166
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Contract Ref NLC-SLP-25-024 Title Purchase of 5 x 17 Seat Accessible Minibuses Classification Supplies Chief Officer, Service Area Lyall Rennie, Chief Officer (Community Operations) Competition Governance by Value The Framework terms & conditions, with adherence to the council’s GCSO 13 on 3rd party frameworks Procurement Route Call-off following Direct Award using Third Party Framework No. of Framework Contractors 12 Award Criteria Best Value assessment, in accordance with the Framework Information Comments This has been procured via Direct Award approach, considering the relevant information on Framework Contractors technical and commercial proposals available through Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Framework for Purchase of Standard and Specialist Vehicles (RM6244) - Lot 7: Minibuses (9-17 Seats), including Accessible and Patient Transport. Award Details Value £411,065 Contract Duration One-off purchase Contractor Name Taxi & Bus Conversion Limited Contractor Size Small Contractor Location Dungannon Status - Payment of Living Wage? Yes Status - Living Wage Accredited? No Impacts this section highlights which impacts were considered for this contract award procedure Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty ☐ HR Policy Impact ☐ Data Protection Impact ☐ Environment / Carbon Impact ☒ Risk Impact ☐ Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact ☐ Financial Impact ☒ Legal Impact ☐ Technology / Digital Impact ☐ Communications Impact ☐ Armed Forces Covenant Duty ☐ Further details regarding these impacts can be obtained from the Lead Service Area / Chief Officer Page 166 of 166