Agenda Contents
Renfrewshire Council · 26 September 2024
Back to Council — 26 September 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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19/09/2024 Notice of Meeting and Agenda Council Date Time Venue Thursday, 26 September 2024 09:30 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Membership Provost Lorraine Cameron (Convener): Councillor Iain Nicolson (Leader): Councillor Cathy McEwan (Depute Convener): Councillor Jacqueline Cameron (Depute Leader): Councillor Jennifer Adam: Councillor Fiona Airlie-Nicolson: Councillor Alison Ann-Dowling: Councillor Stephen Burns: Councillor Michelle Campbell: Councillor Graeme Clark: Councillor Carolann Davidson: Councillor Eddie Devine: Councillor Andy Doig: Councillor Audrey Doig: Councillor Chris Gilmour: Councillor Edward Grady: Councillor Gillian Graham: Councillor Neill Graham: Councillor John Gray: Councillor Anne Hannigan: Councillor John Hood: Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes: Councillor Robert Innes: Councillor Alec Leishman: Councillor Bruce MacFarlane: Councillor James MacLaren: Councillor Kenny MacLaren: Councillor Mags MacLaren: Councillor Colin McCulloch: Councillor Janis McDonald: Councillor David McGonigle: Councillor Jamie McGuire: Councillor Marie McGurk: Councillor Iain McMillan: Councillor John McNaughtan: Councillor Kevin Montgomery: Councillor Sam Mullin: Councillor Will Mylet: Councillor Jim Paterson: Councillor Emma Rodden: Councillor John Shaw: Councillor Ben Smith: Councillor Andy Steel: Members of the Press and Public Members of the press and public wishing to attend the meeting should report to the customer service centre where they will be met and directed to the meeting. MARK CONAGHAN Head of Corporate Governance
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19/09/2024 Further Information This is a meeting which is open to members of the public. A copy of the agenda and reports for this meeting will be available for inspection prior to the meeting at the Customer Service Centre, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley and online at http://renfrewshire.cmis.uk.com/renfrewshire/CouncilandBoards.aspx For further information, please email democratic-services@renfrewshire.gov.uk Hybrid Meeting Please note that this meeting is scheduled to be held in the Council Chambers. However, it is a hybrid meeting and arrangements have been made for members to join the meeting remotely should they wish. Webcasting of Council Meeting This meeting will be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site – at the start of the meeting the Provost will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed. Generally the public seating areas will not be filmed. The cameras focus on the main participants. If you have any queries regarding this please contact Committee Services on democratic-services@renfrewshire.gov.uk. To find the webcast please navigate to: https://renfrewshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home and select the meeting from the calendar. Information Bulletin To reduce the reporting of routine operational matters to Policy Boards, to allow Boards to focus on major policy issues and to streamline business for Members’ consideration and determination, a Bulletin, issued in line with the Council meeting timetable, is produced. The Bulletin is intended to provide members with a concise summary of significant decisions and action taken by officers in the exercise of their delegated powers, and details of issues which do not require a decision. A copy of the Bulletin has been attached under separate cover to this agenda.
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19/09/2024 Items of business Apologies Apologies from members. Declarations of Interest and Transparency Statements Members are asked to declare an interest or make a transparency statement in any item(s) on the agenda and to provide a brief explanation of the nature of the interest or the transparency statement. 1 Minutes of Meetings of Council, Boards and Panels Placing Requests and Exclusions Appeals Panel, 27 June 2024 Council, 27 June 2024 Special Regulatory Functions Board, 11 July 2024 Personnel Appeals and Applied Conditions of Service Appeals Panel, 15 August 2024 Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board, 19 August 2024 Communities and Housing Policy Board, 20 August 2024 Regulatory Functions Board, 21 August 2024 Education and Children's Services Policy Board, 22 August 2024 Economy and Regeneration Policy Board, 27 August 2024 Planning and Climate Change Policy Board, 27 August 2024 Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, 28 August 2024 Appointment Board - Head of Education (Strategy and Improvement), 29 August 2024 Regulatory Functions Board, 5 September 2024 Placing Requests and Exclusions Appeals Panel, 11 September 2024 Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board, 12 September 2024 Personnel Appeals and Applied Conditions of Service Appeals Panel, 17 September 2024 Leadership Board, 18 September 2024 Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board, 23 September 2024 Appointment Board - Head of Education (Strategy and Improvement), 24 September 2024 Appointment Board - Head of Facilities and Property Services, 25 September 2024 2 Presentation by SSAFA Presentation by SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity 3 Provost's Update Hear from Provost 4 Financial Outlook and Medium-Term Financial Plan Report by Director of Finance & Resources 1 - 22
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19/09/2024 5 Chief Social Work Officer Report 2023/24 Report by Chief Social Work Officer 23 - 50 6 Renfrewshire Community Protection Chief Officers Group – Annual Report 2023/24 Report by Chief Executive 51 - 90 7 Accounts Commission Section 102 Follow-up Report (S.102) – School Accommodation for Dargavel Village Report by Chief Executive 91 - 116 8 Park Lane Developments (Renfrewshire) LLP Report by Director of Finance & Resources 117 - 144 9 Governance Arrangements Report by Director of Finance & Resources 145 - 148 10 Notice of Motion 1 by Councillors Steel and McDonald “New Roads and Streetworks Act 1991, updated 2003 Act” amendment “Council notes the condition of many pavements in Renfrewshire which have been affected by works carried out by utility companies and their contractors. Council further notes the present situation, where reinstatement is to the detriment of pedestrians and the local authority who are expected to maintain and resurface. This is unsustainable, unfair & potentially discriminatory to constituents. Council therefore agrees to write to the Secretary of State for transport to seek the following amendment to the New Roads and Streetworks Act 1991, updated 2003 Act. Replace Section 8.1.2 which states “The excavation shall be reinstated to a permanent standard at the first visit.” To “The full width of the footpath, encompassing the full length of the excavation, shall be reinstated to a permanent standard at the first visit or, if not possible, within 3 months.”" 11 Notice of Motion 2 by Councillors McMillan and Gilmour "Rats Within Communities Council recognises the concerns that local people have had over the apparent rise in the sighting of rats over within our communities.
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19/09/2024 Council therefore instructs officers to bring a report to the appropriate board that will produce evidence of the issue locally and provide possible solutions on how the council, partner organisations and residents can manage the situation." 12 Notice of Motion 3 by Councillors Devine and Mylet "Ban on Limited Companies Registering as Political Parties Renfrewshire Council takes its role in facilitating the electoral process very seriously and wishes to see the widest expression of political choice available to the people of Renfrewshire, of all parties and none, at every election in which it has an organisational role. Council, however, believes it is inimical to the tradition of parliamentary democracy to allow limited companies, such as Reform UK, to register as political parties and resolves to write to the Electoral Commission calling for them to enforce such a ban." 13 Notice of Motion 4 by Councillors J Cameron and Adam "Winter Fuel Payments Council is dismayed and saddened by the recent vote on the Winter Fuel Payment and the UK Government’s plans to cut the payment leaving almost 900,000 Scottish pensioners without the vital financial support they need this winter. Council notes that the Labour UK Government pledged ‘no austerity measures under a Labour Government’ during the 2024 General Election Campaign. Council notes that this policy was devolved to the Scottish Parliament just weeks after an almost 90 per cent cut. Council agrees to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall demanding that the UK Government scraps its plans to cut the Winter Fuel Payment and restore this funding to Scotland’s at-risk pensioners." 14 Notice of Motion 5 by Councillors Shaw and Hughes “Renfrewshire Council congratulates Kirklandneuk Primary School and One Ren’s Active Schools team on their success in winning the Corporate Parent Positive Partnership category at the Who Cares? Scotland Corporate Parent Awards. Council commends Kirklandneuk Primary’s staff and the Active Schools team for their partnership work in supporting Care Experienced young people to be more active through their weekly club, and the children for getting involved.” 15 Notice of Motion 6 by Councillors Andy Doig and Devine “The Establishment of a UK Housing Commission Renfrewshire Council is proud of its role as a historic housing provider
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19/09/2024 but notes with increasing concern the crisis which is engulfing the UK with regards to the lack of social housing for all those who need, and want it. Council further states its belief that intelligent state expenditure on social housing is an investment in a brighter future which benefits the social fabric of society as a whole. Council recognises efforts by central government in recent years, both in Holyrood and Westminster by all parties, to meet social housing demand, but sadly recognises that radical action is required. Council therefore resolves to write to the UK Minister of State for Housing and Planning to call for the immediate establishment of a UK Housing Commission, composed of the national housing charity, Shelter, representatives of COSLA and the Local Government Association in England, and representatives of all the devolved administrations as well as the UK Government. Council believes the remit of this Commission should examine, not exclusively but primarily: • The repeal of the right to buy legislation in England. • Looking at giving local authorities as much fiscal freedom as possible to borrow to build new social housing. • Examining the need for land reform to maximise brownfield sites in urban areas to build upon. • Examining the need to reform the planning system to prioritise sites to build social housing on.” 16 Notice of Motion 7 by Councillors Leishman and N Graham "Free School Meals for All Primary School Pupils That this Council opposes and condemns the Scottish Government’s abandonment of its pledge to expand free school meals to all primary school pupils. This Council is dismayed that the SNP-led Scottish Government will renege on a promise of assistance to Scotland’s families that had received cross-party endorsement in Parliament. This Council accepts the claim of Nicola Killean, the Children and Young Person’s Commissioner Scotland, that this welfare cut will cost families with P6 and P7 pupils a further £400 approximately per child per year. This Council also acknowledges that a very real benefit of universal school meals is in the reduction of shame and stigma for those schoolchildren in receipt of welfare assistance. This Council agrees to write to the Scottish Government, expressing its disappointment and shock at this decision. Furthermore, this Council agrees to urge the Scottish Government to make good its broken promise and to continue the expansion of free school meals to all primary school pupils."
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19/09/2024 17 Notice of Motion 8 by Councillors Leishman and J MacLaren "Peak-time ScotRail Fare Scheme That this Council opposes and disapproves of the Scottish Government’s decision to end the pilot scheme scrapping peak-time fares for ScotRail passengers. This Council agrees that ending this scheme will lead to at least two harmful consequences: firstly, that the prospect of Scotland meeting its climate targets will be delayed, and; secondly, this will further punish Scotland’s commuters, many of whom are already labouring under hardship imposed by the SNP’s financial mismanagement. This Council agrees to write to Transport Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, expressing its disappointment at her decision and urging her to reconsider the continuation of this scheme, in order to ease the burden on commuters, to help maintain our precious environment, and expedite the realisation of Scotland’s climate targets." 18 Notice of Motion 9 by Councillors Innes and MacFarlane “End Food Poverty Council recognises that in a rich country such as Scotland the need for food banks or the existence of food poverty should not be part of our welfare system. Council notes that food banks have become an essential and necessary part of the welfare system due to failings in the UK benefits system to support people in need. Council agrees to write to Prime Minister Keir Starmer asking him to produce a plan of action for how he is going to eradicate food poverty and end the need for food banks in Renfrewshire once and for all.” 19 Notice of Motion 10 by Councillors Andy Doig and Hood "Amendment of Business Leases Across Renfrewshire Renfrewshire Council notes the economic importance of encouraging the growth of the small business sector across the county, and believes that it makes a crucial contribution to creating local sustainable jobs, which is especially important in sustaining and maintaining our town centres. Council therefore resolves that para 70 of section Five A of the Scheme of Delegations should be amended to increase the period the Head of Economy & Development can approve leases or licences to occupy, or renewal of such leases or licences, to a period of ten years. The revised delegation would read as follows:-
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19/09/2024 “In consultation with the Head of Corporate Governance to approve the terms and conditions of and to sign missives for leases or licences to occupy by or to the Council for periods not exceeding ten years and to approve the renewal of leases or licences to occupy by the Council for up to a maximum overall term of 10 years.”" 20 Notice of Motion 11 by Councillors Leishman and Gray "Winter Fuel Payment Reform/ PAWHP Deferral This Council opposes and condemns the UK Government’s cuts to the Winter Fuel payment passed by the House of Commons on 10th September 2024. This Council believes that the Winter Fuel Payment should remain a universal benefit to those of pension age. This Council opposes and condemns equally the Scottish Government’s decision to defer the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment until 2025/26 and for following the UK Government’s lead in withdrawing this assistance from approximately 860,000 Scottish pensioners. This Council agrees to write to both governments, as a matter of urgency, expressing its disappointment at this measure and encouraging both to reverse it. Furthermore, this Council agrees to disseminate targeted literature towards Renfrewshire’s pension-age population encouraging the maximum uptake of Pension Credit and offering assistance and guidance on how to apply for it. This Council hopes that this action will go some way to mitigate the harshness of these welfare cuts this winter."