Agenda Document Pack - Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board - 20/01/2025
Renfrewshire Council · 20 January 2025
Back to Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board — 20 January 2025 and its agenda
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Notice of Meeting and Agenda Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board Date Time Venue Monday, 20 January 2025 15:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN MARK CONAGHAN Head of Corporate Governance Membership Councillor Andy Doig (Convener): Councillor Janis McDonald (Depute Convener): Councillor Jennifer Adam: Councillor Gillian Graham: Councillor John Gray: Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes: Councillor Robert Innes: Councillor James MacLaren: Councillor Ben Smith: 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 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. 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.
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Webcasting of Meeting This meeting will be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site – at the start of the meeting the Convener will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed. To find the webcast please navigate to https://renfrewshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home
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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. AUDIT 1 Summary of Internal Audit Reports for period 1 October to 31 December 2024 Report by Chief Auditor. 1 - 12 2 Internal Audit and Counter Fraud Progress and Performance for Period to 31 December 2024 Report by Chief Auditor. 13 - 20 MONITORING & REVIEWING SERVICE DELIVERY PERFORMANCE POLICIES AND PRACTICE 3 Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) Annual Report 2023/24 Report by Director of Finance & Resources. 21 - 28 4 2023/24 Complaints Handling Performance Report by Chief Executive. 29 - 42 5 Summary of Recent Audit Scotland Report on Transformation in Councils Report by Director of Finance & Resouorces. 43 - 50 6 Audit Scotland Report - Alcohol and Drugs Services Report by Chief Executive. 51 - 58
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AUDIT EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC The Board may by resolution exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that if members of the press and public are present, there could be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1973. Exempt Item Exempt documents are no longer available in print format. You will require to log in to the Audit, Risk & Scrutiny Exempt Items to access documents. Please note that access to exempt documents is now restricted. 7 Summary of Internal Audit Investigation/Review Reports for period 1 October to 31 December 2024 Report by Chief Auditor.
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board On: 20 January 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Auditor ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Summary of Internal Audit Reports for period 1 October to 31 December 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 In line with the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards, Internal Audit must communicate the results of each engagement to the Board. To comply with this requirement, Internal Audit submits regular reports on the findings and conclusions of audit engagements to the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board. 1.2 Appendix 1 provides details of audit engagements completed during the period 1 October to 31 December 2024 with the overall assurance rating and the number of recommendations in each risk category. The committee summary for each report is also attached. For each audit assignment where recommendations have been made, the relevant managers have put action plans in place to address the issues raised. 1.3 In addition to the reports listed in the Appendix, Internal Audit has an ongoing commitment to: • A range of corporate and service initiatives; • Progressing of information security matters in partnership with ICT and Legal Services; • The regular provision of advice to departmental officers; • The provision of internal audit services to the associated bodies for which Renfrewshire Council is the lead authority and to OneRen and Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Integrated Joint Board; Item 1 Page 1 of 58
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• Co-ordination of the Council’s corporate risk management activity; • Management of the counter fraud team; • Management of the risk management and insurance team. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 Members are invited to consider and note the Summary of Internal Audit Reports finalised during the period from 1 October to 31 December 2024. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - None 2. HR & Organisational Development - None 3. Community Planning – Safer and Stronger - effective internal audit is an important element of good corporate governance. 4. Legal - None 5. Property/Assets - None 6. Information Technology - None 7. Equality & Human Rights – None 8. Health & Safety – None 9. Procurement - None 10. Risk - The summary reported relates to the delivery of the risk-based internal audit plan. 11. Privacy Impact – None 12. COSLA Implications – None 13. Climate Risk – None 14. Children’s Rights - None ________________________________________________________________ Author: Karen Campbell, Interim Chief Auditor– 07768354651 Page 2 of 58
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Appendix 1 Renfrewshire Council Internal Audit Service Update for Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board Final Audit Reports issued from 1 October – 31 December 2024 Category Service Engagement Assurance Rating Recommendation Ratings Critical Important Good Practice Service Improvement Assurance Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Housing Assurance Statement Substantial 0 0 0 0 Management of Allergens in Schools Limited 3 1 0 1 Children’s Services Unpaid Work Procedures Reasonable 0 1 2 0 Governance Finance & Resources Recruitment Processes Reasonable 0 0 2 1 Note – No assurance rating can be given in respect of investigation assignments Assurance Level Substantial Assurance • There is a sound system of internal control designed to achieve the objectives of the area being reviewed. • The control processes tested are being consistently applied. Reasonable Assurance • The internal control processes are generally satisfactory with some areas of weakness being identified that could put some objectives of the area being reviewed at risk. • There is evidence that the level of non-compliance with some of the control processes may put some of the objectives of the area being reviewed at risk. Limited Assurance • Weaknesses in the system of internal controls are such as to put the objectives of the area being reviewed at risk. Page 3 of 58
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• The level of non-compliance puts the objectives of the area being reviewed at risk. No Assurance • Control processes are generally weak with significant risk to the achievement of the objectives of the area being reviewed. • Significant non-compliance with control processes leaves the processes/systems open to error or abuse. Recommendation Rating Service Improvement Implementation will improve the efficiency / housekeeping of the area under review. Good Practice Implementation will contribute to the general effectiveness of control. Important Implementation will raise the level of assurance provided by the control system to acceptable levels. Critical Addresses a significant risk, impacting on the objectives of the area under review. Page 4 of 58
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Internal Audit Report Finance & Resources Recruitment (B008/2024/001) Date: November 2024 COMMITTEE SUMMARY Audit Objectives The objectives of the review were to:- a) Ensure that the recruitment processes are efficient, specifically in relation to:- • Notification to the preferred candidate. • Vetting and pre-employment checks. • Notification to the service to negotiate a start date. • Official notification of start date/ offer of employment. • Appointment within 5 weeks of being notified as the preferred candidate. • Issue of contracts b) Confirm that each stage in the process is completed within a reasonable timescale where there is an exchange of information between service departments and the candidate and there is adequate follow up for each stage in the process. c) Evaluate the arrangements in place for monitoring and oversight of the recruitment processes including KPIs and reporting to management. Audit Scope 1. Interviewed the relevant officers to obtain the required information and documentation relating to recruitment processes. 2. Prepared and carried out a series of tests on appropriate sample groups to meet the detailed audit objectives. Key Audit Assurances 1. The stages in the recruitment process under review have been amended in recent months to ensure that each stage is as efficient as possible. 2. Each stage in the process is generally completed within the target timescales and where required, the recruitment team follow up any issues that arise. Key Audit Risks The auditor did not identify any key risks in the course of the audit review. Overall Audit Opinion Audit testing in the areas of the recruitment process under review noted that generally target timescales were met for each part of the process and that where targets had not been met, these were followed up through management checking processes. It was also noted that although there are good monitoring and oversight arrangements in place, these could be improved by establishing Key Performance Indicators that could be reported at a higher level than the current processes dictate. The auditor has therefore provided a reasonable level of assurance in relation to the area reviewed. Page 5 of 58
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Internal Audit Report Finance & Resources Recruitment (B008/2024/001) Date: November 2024 Management Commentary N/A as no key risks identified. Page 6 of 58
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Internal Audit Report Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Housing Assurance Statement (A0116/2025/001) Date: October 2024 COMMITTEE SUMMARY Audit Objectives The objectives of the audit were as follows: 1. Environment, Housing and Infrastructure are complying with the requirements of the Annual Assurance Statement to the Scottish Housing Regulator. 2. There is sufficient evidence held by the Service to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the Annual Assurance Statement. Audit Scope 1. Reviewed the Annual Assurance Statement to the Scottish Housing Regulator and through sample testing, ensured that appropriate evidence was held to confirm that Environment, Housing and Infrastructure are complying with the requirements of the Annual Assurance Statement. 2. Ensured that appropriate evidence was available to support a sample of performance indicators and management information outlined in the Social Housing Charter submitted to the Scottish Housing Regulator. Key Audit Assurances 1. Satisfactory evidence was available to demonstrate that Environment, Housing & Infrastructure are complying with the requirements of the Annual Assurance Statement. 2. For the sample of outcomes tested, satisfactory evidence was available to support the actual outturns reported in the Social Housing Charter. Key Audit Risks There were no key risks identified during the audit. Overall Audit Opinion Based on a sample check of the evidence used to demonstrate compliance, we would confirm that the Council complies with the requirements of the Housing Assurance Statement. Management Commentary N/A as no key risks were identified. Page 7 of 58
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Internal Audit Report Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Housing Assurance Statement (A0116/2025/001) Date: October 2024 Page 8 of 58
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Internal Audit Report ENVIRONMENT, HOUSING & INFRASTRUCTURE Management of Allergens in Schools (A0023/2025/001) Date: October 2024 COMMITTEE SUMMARY Audit Objectives This audit was undertaken in relation to Environment, Housing & Infrastructure (EH&I) staff being informed of pupils with allergies. The objectives of the audit were to ensure that:- a) There are adequate processes in place to enable parents/guardians to inform schools of pupil allergens and which facilitate the sharing of this information with all appropriate parties including all staff within catering units. b) There are easily accessible written procedures in place for the management of allergens in school catering units including ensuring that these reflect the legislative requirements where applicable. c) All relevant staff have received appropriate training regarding allergens and implementation of the documented procedures. d) There is evidence available to support that the recorded procedures are being followed in line with the laid down guidance. Audit Scope 1. Interviewed the relevant officers and ascertained the procedures in place for the management of allergens in schools. 2. Prepared a series of tests to meet the detailed audit objectives and selected a sample from pupil information from 4 schools. Key Audit Assurances 1. There are adequate processes in place to allow parents and guardians to inform schools of pupils’ food allergies and to communicate these to the relevant parties involved. 2. The necessary legislative requirements are being met in school catering units. Key Audit Risks 1. Relevant staff within Environment, Housing & Infrastructure may not be aware of the risks involved and importance of managing food allergens if they have not completed or received adequate training in this area. 2. Pupils are at risk of receiving allergens if their records are incomplete and bespoke menus are not approved by parents or guardians when requested. Overall Audit Opinion Although there are procedures and guidelines available regarding food allergies and food safety, improvements could be made regarding implementation of these. Furthermore, Page 9 of 58
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Internal Audit Report ENVIRONMENT, HOUSING & INFRASTRUCTURE Management of Allergens in Schools (A0023/2025/001) Date: October 2024 the uptake of training relating to food allergies and food safety is unsatisfactory among Facilities Officers in catering roles. Recommendations have been made within the report to increase the assurance in this area. For these reasons, the level of assurance provided by the auditor was found to be limited. Management Commentary All actions highlighted within the audit have now been completed. Soft FM have now made the relevant training courses mandatory for our staff involved in the catering process and completion rates will be monitored by Management. This will be updated annually between August and October. We have also worked with Finance And Resources management responsible for school administration, to strengthen the process for recording pupil allergens and approving bespoke menus. This action has also been completed. Page 10 of 58
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Internal Audit Report Children’s Services Unpaid Work Procedures (A0095 2024 001) Date: November 2024 COMMITTEE SUMMARY Audit Objectives The objectives of the review were to ensure that: a) Adequate documented procedures are in place to govern the administration of community service orders and these reflect the legislative requirements where appropriate. b) Arrangements are in place to verify that all individuals subject to a community service order are identified and allocated to an appropriate case worker. c) Community service order tasks commence timeously. d) Arrangements are in place to monitor and evidence the compliance with the community service order. e) The appropriate action is taken where there is evidence of non-compliance with the order. f) On completion of the community service orders the appropriate parties are notified. Audit Scope 1. Interviewed the appropriate officers and examined the documented procedures to ascertain the system in place for the administration of community service orders, identifying any areas for improvement and ensuring that legislative requirements are reflected where appropriate. 2. Prepared and carried out a programme of tests to check that the processes in place for administering and monitoring the implementation of community service orders are operating effectively. Unpaid work orders and unpaid work orders with supervision were tested during the audit. Key Audit Assurances 1. Arrangements are in place to verify that all individuals subject to an unpaid work order that are identified by the courts are allocated to an appropriate case worker. 2. The sample of unpaid work order tasks tested commenced timeously, except for those that were outside social work staff’s control. 3. Arrangements are in place to monitor and evidence the compliance with unpaid work orders. 4. The appropriate action is taken where there is evidence of non-compliance with the unpaid work order. 5. On completion of the unpaid work orders the courts are notified. Key Audit Risks Following the implementation of the new social work recording system, some aspects of development were identified to ensure all tasks and reporting for unpaid work is available. As the development work is outstanding, manual processes and Page 11 of 58
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Internal Audit Report Children’s Services Unpaid Work Procedures (A0095 2024 001) Date: November 2024 spreadsheets have been introduced, which increases the risk of errors when monitoring unpaid work orders and calculating performance indicators Overall Audit Opinion The sample testing undertaken indicates that unpaid work orders are adequately monitored. The courts are notified on completion of unpaid work orders or in cases on non – compliance. There are still some ongoing issues with recording unpaid work orders and other community service order information on the Eclipse system and work is ongoing with the developer to fix these. This has resulted in manual processes and spreadsheets being prepared to meet operational needs. We have recommended that management continue to monitor the development of Eclipse so that it is fully operational for unpaid work orders as soon as possible. Management Commentary We have put processes in place to ensure that performance data is consistently submitted on time to the appropriate personnel and board and are fully contextualised to maintain transparency and continuity in reporting. Page 12 of 58
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board On: 20 January 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Auditor ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Internal Audit and Counter Fraud Progress and Performance for Period to 31 December 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Internal Audit Annual Plan was approved by the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board on 18 March 2024. Internal Audit measures the progress and performance of the team on a regular basis using a range of performance indicators. This report monitors progress from 1 April 2024 to 31 December 2024, in terms of the delivery of the Audit Plan for the year and compares actual performance against targets set by the Director of Finance and Resources. 1.2 In terms of Counter Fraud, no formal performance targets for fraud investigation have been established for the following reasons. A major part of their work involves being the single point of contact (SPOC) for the Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) Single Fraud Investigation Service and the Service Level Agreement for this work contains time targets for completing this work. The types of fraud referrals received to date are wide ranging and the team’s objective is to concentrate on investigating those referrals considered to contain the greatest fraud risk. They are also involved in promoting fraud awareness and assisting with the implementation of adequate fraud prevention measures within the Council. 1.3 All of the Internal Audit Team and Counter Fraud Team are currently working on a hybrid basis and also undertake home/site visits when the need arises. We also provide advice and support where necessary to council services. Item 2 Page 13 of 58
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1.4 The report details progress against local and national initiatives involving Internal Audit and the Counter Fraud Team from 1 April 2024 to 31 December 2024. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 Members are invited to note the Internal Audit and Counter Fraud Team progress and performance to 31 December 2024. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The progress and performance of the Internal Audit Team is subject to regular monitoring using a number of performance measures. The Director of Finance and Resources has set annual targets for the team to demonstrate continuous improvement. In terms of the Counter Fraud team, there are time targets in place for responding to requests from the DWP’s Single Fraud Investigation Service. Due to the diverse nature of fraud referrals no formal performance targets have been established and the outcomes from investigations is regularly monitored by management. 3.2 Internal Audit and the Counter Fraud Team support a variety of local and national initiatives through participation in professional practitioner groups and co-ordination of national initiatives such as the National Fraud Initiative. 3.3 This report measures the progress and performance of both the Internal Audit and Counter Fraud Team for the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 December 2024. 4. Internal Audit Team Performance (a) Percentage of audit plan completed as at 31 December 2024 This measures the degree to which the Audit Plan has been completed. Actual 2023/24 Annual Target 2024/25 Audit Plan Completion Target to 31 December 2024 Audit Plan Completion Actual to 31 December 2024 92.0% 90.0% 66% 71.2% Actual performance is ahead of target. Page 14 of 58
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(b) Percentage of assignments complete by target date This measures the degree with which target dates for audit work have been met. Target 2024/25 Actual to 31 December 2024 95.0% 100% Actual performance is ahead of the target set for the year. (c) Percentage of audit assignments completed within time budget This measures how well the time budget for individual assignments has been adhered to. Target 2024/25 Actual to 31 December 2024 95.0% 100% Actual performance is ahead of the target set for the year, although this may reduce over the remainder of the year. (d) Percentage of audit reports issued within 6 weeks of completion of audit field work This measures how quickly draft audit reports are issued after the audit fieldwork has been completed. Target 2024/25 Actual to 31 December 2024 95.0% 97.3% Actual performance is ahead of the target set for the year, although this is likely to reduce over the remainder of the year. 5. Review of the 2024/25 Internal Audit Plan 5.1 Our 2024/25 Audit Plan is subject to ongoing review in light of any organisational risks arising, and also to determine whether any assignments will have to be amended or cancelled as result of us being unable, for any reason, to undertake the work planned. At this stage we are not recommending any further amendments to the plan. 5.2 However, some of the assignments have taken longer than anticipated and some of the next quarter’s assignments commencement dates are likely to be delayed as the team have been involved in a number of audit investigations which are given priority. Each investigation will be reported to the Board as soon as any disciplinary proceedings have been concluded. These investigations have also resulted in most of our contingency budget being utilised. 5.3 In addition, the team is also carrying a vacancy since the retiral of the Chief Auditor in June and the Assistant Chief Auditor is covering this post. A vacancy factor was built into the Plan but the majority of this Page 15 of 58
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time has now been utilised. One of the Senior Auditors has just been appointed to cover the Asst. Chief Auditors role on a temporary basis. 5.4 Discussions are still ongoing with the Chief Financial Officers (Section 95 Officers) of Inverclyde Council and West Dunbartonshire Council to consider the resilience risks facing Internal Audit and Counter Fraud Teams and to explore possible options which would address the resilience issues all three councils are facing. As all the teams work differently, this is taking some time to collate the information required. This work should be concluded, early in 2025 and a report detailing the outcomes of this work and any recommended action will be considered at a future Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board. 5.5 It should be noted that the delivery of financial savings is not an objective of this exercise, and each Chief Financial Officer is committed to maintaining the current level of resource. 5.6 As the team’s main focus is on completing assignments, it should be noted that we are forecasting at this stage that there will be some underspend in areas of non-operational time. However, the Audit Plan progress will be closely monitored over the next period and any changes required to the Internal Audit Plan will be brought to this Board for approval. 5.7 In January 2025, we will be commencing our annual planning process and consulting with all the Council’s Senior Management Teams to enable us to prepare our 2025/26 Internal Audit Plan. 6 Counter Fraud Team Progress and Performance 6.1 In line with the Service Level Agreement, the Counter Fraud Team act as the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to route potential housing benefit fraud referrals to the DWP, liaise with the Council’s Housing Benefit Team and DWP Fraud Officers and retrieve the necessary evidence for the DWP Fraud Officers from the Housing Benefit System. Where a suspicion of fraud arises, the team investigate and report their findings to management. Where appropriate, follow-on action is taken, such as reporting the matter to Police Scotland for further investigation, or directly to the Procurator Fiscal. In addition, they also work jointly with DWP Fraud Officers on criminal fraud investigations which focuses on the investigation and prosecution of the Local Authority administered Council Tax Reduction Scheme and Social Security benefit fraud. In addition to investigation work the team also undertake fraud prevention work. 6.2 During this quarter, we have mainly been working on various fraud referrals received which we have determined to be suitable for further investigation and we are continuing to validate any bank account or remittance contact changes received from the Council’s suppliers and contractors. However, we do have a long-term absence within the team and this is resulting in a slight delay in investigations being completed. Page 16 of 58
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6.3 The financial and non-financial results for the period (April 2024 to December 2024) are noted in the table below. Financial Outcomes Period to 31 December 2024 (£) Cash savings directly attributable to preventative counter fraud intervention 2,720 Cash recoveries in progress directly attributable to counter fraud investigations 59,037 Notional savings identified through counter fraud investigation, (e.g. housing tenancy and future council tax) 360,907 Housing Benefit Savings Attributable to Joint Working by Counter Fraud and DWP Counter Fraud Officers 46,520 Other DWP Benefit or Tax Credit Savings identified through other Counter Fraud work or through joint working with DWP 63,385 Non-Financial Outcomes Period to 31 December 2024 Housing properties recovered 4 Housing applications amended/cancelled 52 Housing Allocation Priority Changed 0 Blue badge misuse warning letters issued 25 Blue Badges Cancelled 2 Supplier/Contractor Checks Undertaken 155 6.4 Our notional savings are based on the methodology prepared by the Cabinet Office. 7. Local and National Initiatives Scottish Local Authorities Chief Internal Auditors Group 7.1 The Local Authorities Chief Internal Auditors Group met 3 times during this quarter. The primary focus of these meetings was to submit a joint response to CIPFA on the following two consultation documents :- a) Application Note- Global Internal Audit Standards in the UK Public Sector b) Code of Practice for the Governance of Internal Audit in Local Government 7.2 Both these documents have now just been formally issued and the intention is that they should be implemented from 1 April 2025. CIPFA have stated that they expect any required changes to working practices to be implemented throughout 2025/26 in stages. Page 17 of 58
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7.3 A review will be undertaken in the next quarter to assess what amendments are required to our current internal audit processes to enable us to fully conform to the new Global Internal Standards and these associated documents. A report detailing the recommended actions required will be brought to this Board. Scottish Local Authorities Investigation Sub-Group 7.4 The Local Authorities Investigation Sub-Group also met in December and we received a very useful presentation regarding a major council tax fraud by an employee which occurred at another local authority. National Fraud Initiative 7.5 All of the required data sets to date have been submitted on time to the Cabinet Office and in late December 2024 we have received some of the data matches. Work will commence on these matches by Counter Fraud Staff and Service Staff in January 2025. Implications of the Report 1. Financial - The Council has in place arrangements to recover the any overpayments identified from the work of the Counter Fraud Team and the National Fraud Initiative. 2. HR & Organisational Development - None 3. Community Planning – Safer and Stronger - effective internal audit is an important element of good corporate governance. 4. Legal - None 5. Property/Assets - None 6. Information Technology - None 7. Equality & Human Rights - None 8. Health & Safety – None 9. Procurement - None 10. Risk - The progress and performance reported relates to the delivery of the risk-based internal audit plan and the mitigation of the risk of fraud and error. 11. Privacy Impact – None Page 18 of 58
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12. COSLA Implications – None 13. Climate Risk – None 14. Children’s Rights - None ________________________________________________________________ Author: Karen Campbell – 07768354651 Page 19 of 58
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To: Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board On: 20 January 2025 Report by: Director of Finance & Resources Heading: Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) Annual Report 2023/24 1 Summary 1.1 Rosemary Agnew, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) has issued the SPSO Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023-24 2023/24. This report can be found on the SPSO’s website and by clicking the link below at https://www.spso.org.uk/sites/spso/files/communications_material/annual_report/S PSO%20Annual%20Report%20and%20Financial%20Statements%202023-24.pdf. 1.2 The SPSO is the final stage for complaints about councils, the National Health Service, housing associations, colleges and universities, prisons, most water providers, the Scottish Government and its agencies and departments and most Scottish authorities. 1.3 The report advised that Public Service cases received in 2023/24 increased in comparison to 2022/23. 1.4 It was noted that the health sector was the sector about which the SPSO received most complaints, with local authority cases receiving the second highest number. 1.5 The statutory functions of the Ombudsman, together with the complaints process and a look forward to the coming year are set out within the SPSO’s report. 2 Recommendations 2.1 That the SPSO’s 2023/24 Annual Report be noted; and 2.2 That it be noted that 54 complaints were determined by the SPSO against Renfrewshire Council in 2023/24 and none went to public investigation. Item 3 Page 21 of 58
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3 Background 3.1 SPSO Role and Function The SPSO has a wide remit which covers a variety of functions and services. There are four distinct statutory functions: • the final stage for complaints about most devolved public services in Scotland; • powers and responsibilities to publish complaints handling procedures and monitoring and supporting best practice in complaints handling; • independent review service for the Scottish Welfare Fund with the power to overturn and substitute decisions made by councils on Community Care and Crisis Grant applications; and • Independent National Whistleblowing Officer for the NHS in Scotland; the final stage for complaints about how the NHS considers whistleblowing concerns and the treatment of individuals concerned. 4 Complaints Overview 4.1 The report advised that case numbers received in 2023/24 increased by 33% in comparison to 2022/23. This significant increase in cases received meant that complaint numbers were now above pre-pandemic levels. While the SPSO could not attribute this rise to any specific issue, they advised it was likely the impact of several factors; pressures on public service resources, cost of living pressures, general dissatisfaction with public services (particularly delays), and a greater awareness of the SPSO as they developed and implemented their engagement and communication strategy and visibly contributed to public consultations. 4.2 Despite the substantial increase in cases received, there was only a small increase in the number of cases carried forward from the previous year, as a proportion of the total caseload for the year. This was largely as a result of increased productivity by the SPSO and a focus on continuing to plan and structure their approach to reducing unallocated and older cases. There had been a 21.5% increase in complaints output over the year and the SPSO was successful in continuing to reduce both the number of unallocated cases and the waiting time for allocation. The report also advised that they were also successful in reducing the number of older cases at assessment and investigation stages. 4.3 The report noted that nationally, in 2023/24 the SPSO received 4,686 complaints (5,735 in total when including complaints carried over from last year) compared with 3,527 complaints received in 2022/23 and 3,665 in 2021/22. Page 22 of 58
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Public Service Complaints received and carried forward 4.4 There were 4,651 cases closed in 2023/24, 201 went to investigation stage compared to 192 in 2022/23. A breakdown of Public Service complaints which were closed at assessment and after investigation is outlined in table below: 4.5 Cases closed overall rose by a 21.5% following on from a 9.7% rise in 2022/23. The significant increase in complaints output reflected the changes to their process to improve efficiency at the early stage of the SPSO’s assessment and investigation process, and the impact of the additional temporary staffing resources during 2022/23 which came to an end during 2023/24. 5 Public Service Complaints Received 5.1 The table below shows the breakdown of public service complaints by sector and remains generally consistent with previous years. Once again, health is the highest subject of complaint followed by local authorities. Nearly two-thirds of cases received were about health and local authorities. Page 23 of 58
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Cases determined by sector 5.2 Of the investigations completed in Scotland as a whole, three cases were reported in full as public investigation reports (down from seven the previous year). These were cases where the SPSO decided to publish the investigation in full because there was evidence of significant personal injustice or hardship, systemic failure, significant complaints handling failures, or it is a test/precedent case. None of these cases involved Renfrewshire Council. 5.3 Cases that are not published in full as public investigation reports are usually published as decision summaries. Public reports and decision summaries can be found in the 'Our findings' section of the SPSO website. 6 Premature Public Service Complaints Rate 6.1 A premature complaint is one that has been submitted to the SPSO before the organisation’s complaint process has been completed. Normally these are returned to complainants offering them advice on how to progress their complaint. There was a significant increase in premature public service complaints this year. The actual number of premature complaints received increased by 50.1% (918 in 2023/24 compared to 460 in 2022/23). This was due to complainants attempting to navigate the public service complaints process over a number of months and not being updated in line with the organisation’s complaints handling procedures and the SPSO statement of complaint handling. 7 Complaints in relation to Renfrewshire Council 2023/24 7.1 No complaint details for specific organisations were included in the report. However, information received separately from the SPSO, indicated that the number of complaints determined by the SPSO relative to Renfrewshire was 54 compared with 35 in 2022/23 and 43 in 2021/22. Of the 54 cases 14 reached the advice stage, 39 were completed at the early resolution stage and one was resolved at the investigation stage. A copy of the investigation report is attached as Appendix 1. Page 24 of 58
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7.2 Complaints Determined in relation to Renfrewshire Council 2023/24 7.3 7.4 8 8.1 There were 58 cases received in 2023/24 relative to Renfrewshire, the main subjects of these are as follows, with 2022/23 figures in brackets. The subjects are the SPSO’s and may not relate directly to the way Renfrewshire Council services are organised: Education 7 (5); Environmental Health & Cleansing 15 (6); Finance 6 (3); Housing 14 (7); Legal & Admin 1 (2); Other 1 (no data available); Personnel 0 (0); Planning 2 (3); Roads & Transport 2 (0); Social Work 8 (7); Subject Unknown/Out of Jurisdiction 2 (2); and Welfare Fund – Community Care Grants 0 ( 0) It should be noted that received and determined numbers do not tally as complaints received include cases carried forward from previous years. Looking Forward The SPSO has commenced the year with a new strategic plan. While their values remain the same, they have updated their strategic themes and strategic objectives. Stage Outcome Group Renfrewshire Council Advice A&G - Complaint submissions - mature 3 A&G - Complaint submissions - premature 6 A&G - Enquiries 5 Organisation not in jurisdiction 0 Total 14 Early Resolution Cause and impact test not met (s 5 (3)) 1 Discretion – Insufficient benefit would be achieved by investigation 10 Discretion – alternative action proposed 1 Discretion – Alternative route used or available 1 Discretion - Good complaint handling 19 Discretion – referred back 1 Discretion - Resolved - both parties satisfied with proposed outcome 4 Member of the public test not met (s 5 (6)) 0 Organisation not in jurisdiction 0 Premature 0 Right of appeal to court/tribunal/Scottish ministers (s 7 (8)) 1 Subject matter not in jurisdiction 0 Time limit (s 10) 0 Unable to proceed 1 Total 39 Investigation Fully upheld 0 Not duly made or withdrawn 0 Not upheld 0 Resolved 1 Some upheld 0 Total 1 Total 54 Page 25 of 58
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8.2 The SPSO is continuing their journey in improving complaint handling times and the number of cases awaiting allocation. In particular, they have advised that they will continue to reduce both the age and number of unallocated public service complaints. 8.3 The report advised that, as with previous years, they had set themselves an ambitious business plan which, although ambitious, was achievable if resources and workload remained constant and as planned, although increasing public service complaint volumes were of a concern. 8.4 The report highlighted that while the SPSO would continue with agile projects to improve efficiency and find new ways of delivering their service, the risk of being unable to absorb increasing case numbers was growing. The report noted that significantly, 2024/25 would see a shift towards more rights-based approaches to complaint handling as they implemented and monitored the Child Friendly Complaints Principles and case handling approaches. Page 26 of 58
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Implications of the Report Financial – None HR & Organisational Development – None Community Planning – None Legal – None Property/Assets – None Information Technology – None Equality & Human Rights – The recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. Health & Safety – None Procurement – None Risk - None. Privacy Impact – None COSLA Policy Position Implications – None Climate Risk – None Children’s Rights - None List of Background Papers (a) Background Paper 1 - SPSO Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023- 24 2023/24. SPSO’s website https://www.spso.org.uk/sites/spso/files/communications_material/annual_re port/SPSO%20Annual%20Report%20and%20Financial%20Statements%202 023-24.pdf. (b) Background Paper 2 - Data tables for the 2023/24 annual statistics - Statistics 2023-24 | SPSO website (c) Background Paper 3 – SPSO database – Investigation Reports - Investigation Reports | SPSO (d) email from SPSO (5/12/24) detailing confidential data list for closed complaints for Renfrewshire Council for 2023/24 ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Carol MacDonald, Senior Committee Services Officer Email: carol.macdonald@renfrerwshire.gov.uk Page 27 of 58
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SPSO decision report Case: 202203947, Renfrewshire Council Sector: Local Government Subject: Kinship care Decision: resolved, no recommendations Summary C complained on behalf of their client (A), who has looked after their grandchildren since the sudden death of the children's parent (B) but never received kinship care allowance. A kinship care assessment commenced and the outcome was that A was not suitable to be approved as kinship carer. However, a Children's Hearing panel decided that both children should remain in the care of A (contrary to the recommendation of social work). A couple of years later the children's other parent (D) died (and it was stated by C that D would not have been able to look after the children prior to that). After this, C states a regular payment was given to A, albeit less than the kinship care rate. C states that the children had previously had a social worker involved and A had worked with social work regarding the care of the children, and that they had asked A to look after them following their parents (B) death. C considered that A was eligible for an allowance because the children are 'looked after' as they were cared for under a Section 25 arrangement Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and then a Compulsory Supervision Order. C refers to Regulations 36, 38 & 39 in The Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009. C was concerned about the length of time taken to commence a kinship care assessment and that this was not commenced at the point that the council asked C to look after the children. The council stated that there is a new kinship care assessment in progress. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) page 1 / 1 APPENDIX 1 Page 28 of 58
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board On: 20 January 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: 2023/24 Complaints Handling Performance ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Renfrewshire Council’s complaint handling procedure (CHP) helps the Council to improve services and processes based on customer feedback. It is one of a range of methods to help the Council understand how well it is delivering its services. 1.2 Introduced in 2013, the Council’s CHP complies with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman’s (SPSO) guidance and aims to help ‘get it right first time’. The expectation is to have quicker, simpler and more streamlined complaints handling with early response by capable, well-trained staff. As part of the procedure, all complaints are recorded and monitored. 1.3 This report provides information on complaints closed during the year from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 and performance on key indicators, as well as highlighting improvements made to the complaints handling procedure (CHP) to ensure that complaints are handled well, and the organisation learns from them and improves service delivery where appropriate. Data is taken from the Council’s DASH system, which is used by all services and allows for consistency in recording and reporting of complaints information. 1.4 The key messages highlighted in the report are as follows: Item 4 Page 29 of 58
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• 10,025 complaints were received in 2023/24, compared with 9,155 in 2022/23 (please note changes to methodology noted at section 4.2; • Over 91% of our complaints are dealt with as a frontline response, demonstrating the Council’s commitment to getting it right first time in response to complaints (87.9% in 2022/23); • 85.7% of frontline complaints and 94% of investigation complaints received were completed within target timescales (83.8% and 89.5% respectively in 2022/23); • the average time to respond to frontline complaints increased to 8.5 days, against a target of 5 days and is a decrease from the previous year’s performance of 4 days and is partly attributable to a housekeeping exercise as detailed in 4.5; • the average time to respond to an investigation complaint was 15.2 days, slightly longer than the 14 days reported for 2022/23, however still well within the SPSO target of 20 days; and • the 2023/24 breakdown of complaints received by services continues to be broadly reflective of the volume of services provided, with Environment, Housing and Infrastructure delivering the highest volume and widest scope of frontline Council services and consequently receiving the highest volume of customer interactions and complaints 1.5 A performance scorecard has been included within the appendix of this report to provide additional data for 2023/24 performance against SPSO indicators. 1.6 All indicators will continue to be monitored regularly and support and guidance will be provided to all services to assist with analysing and improving performance where required. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that members of the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board: • Note the content of this report. 3. Background 3.1 Renfrewshire Council’s Complaint Handling Procedure (CHP) was implemented in 2013 and complies with the model complaints handling procedure for local authorities introduced by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman at that time. It is regularly reviewed to include updated guidance. The most recent guidance was implemented in 2023/24. 3.2 The CHP reflects Renfrewshire Council’s ongoing commitment to the provision of high-quality complaints handling. The CHP operates to ensure Page 30 of 58
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that complaints are processed and responded to consistently within target timescales, with a particular focus on working to resolve customer dissatisfaction as close as possible to the point of contact or service delivery. 3.3 Services are required to record, analyse and monitor complaints performance and use the information gathered through the CHP to improve service delivery wherever possible. 3.4 In line with the SPSO complaints handling procedure, Renfrewshire Council’s CHP uses a two-stage process, Frontline Response and Investigation (also referred to as Stage 1 and Stage 2). 3.5 The frontline response stage aims to quickly resolve straightforward customer complaints that require little or no investigation. Any member of staff may deal with complaints at this stage, and these are often dealt with ‘on the spot’ – an explanation, apology or an action to put something right may all be appropriate responses to a frontline complaint. 3.6 The main principle is to seek an early response, resolving complaints at the earliest opportunity and as close to the point of service delivery as possible. This may mean a face-to-face discussion with the customer or asking an appropriate member of staff to deal directly with the complaint. The Council has 5 working days to respond to these complaints. 3.7 An example of a complaint which may be addressed at the frontline response stage is where a customer complains that a staff member failed to attend a scheduled appointment. When this is reported, the service should provide an apology and reschedule the appointment at a suitable time for the customer. 3.8 Not all complaints are suitable for frontline response and not all complaints will be satisfactorily resolved at this stage. Investigation complaints are typically complex or require a detailed examination before resolving. These complaints may already have been considered at the frontline response stage, or they may have been identified from the start as needing investigation. In these cases, the customer should receive an acknowledgement of their complaint within three working days and be advised that it is being dealt with as an investigation. 3.9 An investigation aims to establish all the facts relevant to the points made in the complaint and to give the customer a full, objective and proportionate response that represents the final position. The Council has 20 days to respond to these complaints. 3.10 An example of an investigation complaint may relate to the standard or nature of a repair within a Council property which requires an inspection or visit to Page 31 of 58
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investigate. As a supervisor or manager might need to examine the repair to assess this and agree with the customer the corrective work required, it may require the 20-day timescale. Services may also agree an extension to the timescale with the customer. The SPSO procedures allow councils to extend an investigation for a further 10 working days. 3.11 In line with the model complaints handling procedure provided by the SPSO and with practice in other local authorities, Renfrewshire’s complaints policy does not include a number of service areas that are processed through other means. Some examples include: the right to appeal a refusal of planning permission or to appeal planning conditions (this is made to the Local Review Body or the Scottish Ministers); allegations of bullying in schools (these are treated and investigated as bullying incidents by the education establishment); and a compensation claim for personal injury, loss of or damage to property (these are processed through the Council's standard 'Public Liability Claim Form'). 4. 2023/24 Council Performance 4.1 Complaints are crucial in identifying areas or processes that need to be improved for our customers and Councils are required to report their complaints handling performance against a range of key performance indicators related to the SPSO complaints handling procedure. This report provides information on the complaints closed during the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 and Appendix 1 details Renfrewshire Council’s complaints performance for 2023/24 against these key SPSO performance indicators. The SPSO publishes all local authority complaints annual reports on its website. 4.2 A new complaints system was launched in April 2020 and has now been fully rolled out with all Council services excluding schools logging their complaints on the same system. This means that for reporting purposes, all performance data is now taken from a single source. In previous years, the data includes all issues raised by customers through our complaints process, even where they are reviewed and found not to be a complaint (such as when someone used our complaints system to raise an issue about another organisation, or to make a service request). From 2023/24, these will be excluded from reporting wherever an item has been closed with the status “Closed, not a complaint”. This brings reporting more in line with other local authorities. 4.3 In 2023/24 we received 10,025 complaint cases, an increase of over 800 cases from the previous year, reported at 9,155 which was consistent to the 9,193 cases received during 2021/22. Page 32 of 58
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4.4 All Council services strive to ensure that complaints are answered correctly first time and that customers are responded to quickly. During 2023/24, 91.5% of complaints were addressed through a frontline response, with 85.6% of frontline complaints and 94% of investigation complaints received completed within target timescales. This compares with 83.8% and 89.5% respectively in 2022/23. 4.5 Councilwide, the average time to respond to a frontline investigation was 8.5 days, over the target of 5 days by 3.5 days. This increase was due to services undertaking a one-off housekeeping exercise to close off historic frontline cases, as the complaints system does not currently allow closures to be backdated and a number had not been closed on the system timeously. Reminders have been issued to all relevant staff reminding them of the issue in order to reduce future incidences. If historic cases open for more than nine months were excluded from the figures then the average time to respond to a frontline complaint would drop to 4.1 days. Investigation complaint average time in working days remains consistent at 15.2 days, slightly higher than the 14 days reported for 2022/23 and still within the SPSO target of 20 days. 4.6 Figures 1 and 2 below show the service breakdown of total complaints received and those closed within the timescales, during the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. This is for frontline response and investigation complaint cases. Figure 3 shows the breakdown by service of investigations which were granted an extension. The complaints for social work services are included in services provided by Children’s Services, whilst the data for the Chief Executive’s Service also includes those complaints sent directly to the Chief Executive but which can relate to any service area within the Council. Page 33 of 58
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9 83 7136 452 7688 24 85 8331 509 8967 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 Chief Executives Children's Services Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Finance & Rescources Total Complaints Figure 1: Frontline Complaints Closed 2023/24 Frontline complaints closed within 5 days Total Frontline complaints closed 10 115 477 139 741 12 125 505 146 788 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Chief Executives Children's Services Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Finance & Rescources Total Complaints Figure 2: Investigation Complaints Closed 2023/24 Investigation complaints closed within 20 days Total Investigation complaints closed 1 28 1 4 34 1 31 1 5 38 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Chief Executives Children's Services Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Finance & Rescources Total Complaints Figure 3: Investigation Extension Complaints Closed 2023/24 Investigation Extension complaints closed within 5 days Total Investigation Extension complaints closed Page 34 of 58
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4.7 Scrutiny of complaints data and performance continues to be carried out on a regular basis at service-level management team meetings and has been supported by improvements in both data analytics and access to management information. This focus is having a positive impact with response rates for frontline resolutions completed within timescale improving from 83.8% in 2022/23 increasing to 85.7% during 2023/24. 4.8 Similar improvements have also been seen in terms of investigation response rates, having improved from 89.5% in 2022/23 to 94% during 2023/24. 4.9 Overall the breakdown of complaints received by services is broadly reflective of the volume of services provided. Environment, Housing and Infrastructure delivers the highest volume of frontline Council services, and the most diverse, covering over 250 council premises, 91,000 households and businesses, oversees a further 600 assets, supports more than 847 km of roads and transport infrastructure, collects more than 155,000 bins weekly and manages over 12,300 Council houses. It is to be expected therefore that the service will receive the highest volume of customer interactions. 4.10 Environment, Housing and Infrastructure dealt with over 8,800 complaints during 2023/24, accounting for over 90% of all cases received during the reporting year. (In 2022/23, E&I and Housing together accounted for 85.7% of all complaints). Waste remains the top subject category with a number of other categories featuring as the most common categories used Council-wide including responsive repairs, building services, Neighbourhood Services followed by roads repair. Despite the number of complaints received the service continues to demonstrate strong performance during the reporting year with the average investigation taking 15.7 days to complete under the target of 20 days. 4.11 Complaints received by the Chief Executive’s Service mainly relate to the Environmental Taskforce operated through the Communities team within Policy and Partnerships (as customers use the Dash complaints module to log fly tipping reports), and to delays with planning applications and building warrants, with the average complaints investigation taking 18.5 days to complete, well within the SPSO 20 day target. The process has been amended so that flytipping reports will be recorded and responded to as a service request going forward, rather than through the complaints system. 4.12 The majority of complaints made to Finance and Resources related to Council Tax or benefits, with complaints relating to delays in processing (benefits, revenues, SWF). The service responds to almost 7% of all complaints received Council-wide and showed strong performance when dealing with Page 35 of 58
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investigation cases, the average number of days when processing these reported as 14.9 days. 4.13 Complaints in Children’s Services are often complex as they typically relate to people rather than processes. The service makes every effort to respond to complaints in a timeous manner, taking cognisance of any sensitivities or complexities related to the child/young person, or associated provision. Current complaints data relates to social work services for children and families, to justice social work, and to those complaints made directly to senior managers about early years and education; it does not yet include frontline complaints dealt with directly by schools and early years establishments. Work is underway to roll out the system with schools with a pilot currently underway. 4.14 Children’s Services dealt with 266 complaint cases during 2023/24 with the majority dealt with as investigations due to complexity, with the average timescale 12.2 days. The main reason for complaints relates to schools, the most common complaints are around Additional Support Needs, bullying incidents and parents /carers being unhappy about how a schools has dealt with incidents such as these. 4.15 In 2023/24, 54 matters were escalated to the SPSO relating to Renfrewshire Council. Of these, 10 were seeking advice and a further 39 moved to an early resolution without the need for an investigation. Those 39 included 23 cases where the SPSO found that there had been good complaints handling practice and a further 10 where they ruled there would be insufficient benefit from conducting any investigation. Only 1 complaint was progressed to an investigation and the matter was resolved with no requirement for a decision as to whether the complaint be upheld or not. Ten other local authorities had a higher number of issues escalated to the SPSO. 4.16 As part of the functionality of the complaints system, customers can also provide comments and compliments, with 111 cases recorded during 2023/24 (93 comments and 18 compliments). A few examples of these compliments are provided below: - “Customer arranged an uplift, staff were very professional and goods uplifted this morning…job well done.” - “Customer called to advise staff who attended to cut grass most recently were outstanding and really pleased with how it was done - “Thank you very much for removing the household waste very promptly” - “A big thanks to your team .for de-weeding along the walls and the cleaning of the pavements, this has made a huge noticeable difference” - “I called to report a repair, the adviser could not have been any more helpful. Page 36 of 58
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This was very much appreciated, and the adviser was also very clear, polite & courteous - a credit to Renfrewshire Council” - “I would like to thank and commend your operative for the efficient clearing of the leaves and general rubbish” - “I have spoken to several of the staff in your customer services department, but on the two occasions the lady I spoke to was magnificent. Not only did she sort out my issues efficiently, but when I suggested that I phone back as it was approaching closing time, she said, "No. That won't be necessary. We're here to help. What a treasure!” - “I would like compliment the Neighbourhood Services Team on its prompt and professional response to my concerns regarding litter...well done!!” - “Thank all staff in Renfrewshire Council particularly Council Tax section” - “Please give a Compliment to the lovely girl Vicki in Paisley South Areas call centre, she was very helpful to me today on my call and put me at ease. Much appreciated x” 5. Learning from complaints and improving the Council’s complaints procedure 5.1 The complaint system, Dash, went live on 1st April 2020. It is part of the MyAccount platform, allowing current MyAccount users to log, track and receive a response to their complaint or compliment on this single system. Customers can also still log a complaint online using an online form or by writing, phoning or emailing the Council. As mentioned above, the system was configured to address some of the new national complaints procedure, such as the renaming of frontline complaints and adding the new outcome of resolved complaints. 5.2 As the roll out of the new system was carried out during the pandemic, it was supported by online training materials, webinars and a system helpdesk for relevant officers using the new system. Work will continue with schools to progress a roll-out there. 5.3 In preparation for the implementation of the SPSO’s revised complaints procedure, additional training materials were developed, highlighting the key changes to the procedure, as well as updated staff guides. 5.4 Services have access to live data from the complaints system to support them in understanding trends and performance, the data also supports services to identify opportunities for improvement. In October 2024, an audit of complaints (based on a random sample from each service) was undertaken to measure our approach against the SPSO’s Quality Framework. The audit was carried out by a group of officers drawn from all four service areas, and the learning from the audit has been reported back to services to support Page 37 of 58
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continuous improvement. The audit showed broadly strong performance across services particularly in the tone and quality of information provided to customers in the response. It is intended that such audits will be carried out on an annual basis. It is also intended that some benchmarking will be done against other local authorities. __________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none 2. HR & Organisational Development - none 3. Community/Council Planning – We consider our services performance against a number of strategic outcomes to measure how we are delivering better outcomes for our local communities: Living our Values – complaints are monitored under this outcome of the Council Plan and service improvement planning process. 4. Legal - none. 5. Property/Assets - none 6. Information Technology - none. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because it is for noting only. 8. Health & Safety – none 9. Procurement – none 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy Impact – none 12. COSLA Policy Position – none Page 38 of 58
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13. Children’s Rights – this report is for noting and has no direct implications on children’s rights. However, the Council is reviewing the new guidance on child-friendly complaints and will look to identify how this can be adopted within our current complaints process. 14. Climate Risk- none _______________________________________________________ List of Background Papers: none __________________________________________________________________ Author: Pamela McDonald, Chief Executive’s Service Page 39 of 58
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Appendix 1: Renfrewshire Council Annual Complaints Report SPSO Indicators (due to rounding, percentages may not total 100) Total number of complaints received, frontline and investigation 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Total number of complaints received (open and closed) 9,193 9,155 10,025 Number of complaints closed at Frontline Response 8,082 8,084 8967 Complaints closed at Frontline Response as a percentage of all complaints closed 84.1% 87.9% 91.5% Number of complaints closed at Investigation 1,212 892 788 Complaints closed at Investigation as a percentage of all complaints 13.2% 13.2% 8.0% Number of complaints closed at Investigation after escalation 81 60 38 Complaints closed at Investigation after escalation as a percentage of all complaints 1.31% 0.6% 0.4% Page 40 of 58
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Average time in working days for a full response to complaints at each stage 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Average time in working days to respond to complaints at Frontline Response 5 4 8.5 Average time in working days to respond to complaints at Investigation 16.5 14 15.2 Average time in working days to respond to complaints after escalation 9.2 9 5.3 Percentage of complaints at each stage which were responded to in full within the set timescales 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Complaints closed at Frontline Response within 5 working days as a percentage of the total number of Frontline Response complaints 80.6% 83.8% 85.7% Complaints closed at Investigation within 20 working days as a percentage of total number of Investigation complaints 76.7% 89.5% 94% Page 41 of 58
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Number and percentage of complaints where an extension to the timescale has been authorised 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Complaints closed at Frontline Response where extension was authorised, as a percentage of all complaints at Frontline Response 0.0% 0.0% 0% Complaints closed at Investigation where extension was authorised, as a percentage of all complaints closed at Investigation 4.89% 0.77% 4.56% Page 42 of 58
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board On: 20th January 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Finance and Resources ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Summary of recent Audit Scotland Report on Transformation in Councils ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Audit Scotland publish regular national reports covering matters related to local government. In October 2024 Audit Scotland published ‘Transformation in Councils’. This report has been prepared by officers for Board members and summarises the findings of the Audit Scotland report. 1.2 The report summarises the current progress of transformation within local government and the challenges that may impact the delivery of the required changes. Audit Scotland have set out the barriers to Transformation Programmes and the actions that should be taken to mitigate any issues. 1.3 Elected Members are asked to note that as part of the national programme of thematic best value reviews applicable to local government, the Accounts Commission has agreed the focus for Best Value thematic work in 2024/25 should cover how councils are redesigning services to maintain outcomes and deliver services more efficiently. The Council’s external auditors will explore this theme in Renfrewshire as part of the annual audit programme, and will prepare a report on this matter later in 2025. The findings will also feed into a national report which will be published by the Accounts Commission. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations Item 5 Page 43 of 58
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2.1 It is recommended that members of the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board: • Note the content of the Audit Scotland report and the local activity relating to transformation, change and financial sustainability within Renfrewshire Council. _________________________________________________________ 3. Key Messages 3.1 Within this report, Audit Scotland gives an overview of the current financial challenges faced by Scottish councils and the increasing pressures on services caused by demographic changes. The report emphasises that the impacts of these challenges will affect individual councils to different extents and that there needs to be a flexible approach to meeting each council’s situation. To adapt to the different local factors, Audit Scotland has developed a set of principles that they believe should be used by councils to gauge their progress in transformation. These principles are broken down into five key themes: vision, planning, governance, collaboration, and innovation. 3.2 Audit Scotland notes within the report that councils need to be more ambitious with their transformation aims while ensuring that their aims remain achievable. Audit Scotland highlight that continued efficiency savings will not be enough to overcome the scale of challenges facing local authorities. These barriers include: ring-fenced funding; cost of living; workforce pressures; public perception; increased service demand; short term thinking; willingness and capacity; demographic changes; lack of coordinated decision making; appetite for risk and increasing costs. 3.3 Audit Scotland identifies that councils face both external and internal barriers to enacting transformative change. The report suggests that these barriers necessitate that councils work closely with local communities and partners to create a sustainable transformation and to continue to provide services in the future. 3.4 The report sets out a need for a programme of extensive coordinated transformation between Scottish councils in contrast to the individual transformation programmes that have been undertaken by councils up until this point. 3.5 The report highlights that the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and the Improvement Service have been working on developing proposals for what local authorities in Scotland should look Page 44 of 58
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like in the future. These build on the findings of the Improvement Service’s report on ‘Delivering a future for Scottish Local Authorities’. 3.6 Audit Scotland reports that while this programme is in its initial stages, contact has been made with almost all councils and a group of other public sector organisations. Work is still ongoing on developing a process for engaging the public in decision-making. 3.7 The Improvement Service transformation programme has initiated six 12–18-month projects with a focus on fostering collaboration between local authorities, budget savings, and longer-term solutions to the financial challenges. Work is ongoing to ascertain the required resources and timescales for each project. The six projects are: • Collaboration within the local government sector on procurement; • Analysis of local governments’ statutory and discretionary services; • Full implementation of the Crerar Review for Local Government; • Development of a digital‘to-be’ state for Scottish Local Government; • Identification of new digital shared services that could be delivered nationally or regionally; • Repository of examples of active communities/participatory design. 3.8 Audit Scotland provides an update on various programmes that have been started to foster transformation in local authorities. One such programme was the Leadership Practitioner Forum which was set up to build capacity in leadership positions within the council. Thirty of the thirty-two councils have engaged with the programme so far including Renfrewshire where several officers have participated. The forum covers topics such as the Verity House Agreement, budget positions, and current challenges facing local authorities. Audit Scotland suggests that it is too early to properly gauge the effectiveness of the forum. 3.9 Audit Scotland highlights potential risks to the delivery of the Improvement Service’s Transformation Programmes. One risk they discuss is that councils are not resourced to enact the changes that are required as part of the Transformation Programme—namely, that council staff are currently working on top of their main duties rather than having staff dedicated to transformation. 3.10 In the report Audit Scotland sets out suggested actions to mitigate any potential risks to the Transformation Programme. The first mitigation is to gain a greater understanding of the needs of local communities to be Page 45 of 58
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able minimise demand. The second suggestion is that councils should create a culture that fosters ideas and innovative thinking so that transformation can take place at a faster rate. The third mitigation is that councils should encourage greater coordination between services to increase the effectiveness of preventative measures. 3.11 The report also calls for the signatories of the Verity House Agreement (VHA) to recommit to the goals of the agreement and to have greater collaboration between partners going forward. Audit Scotland describes the current progress as limited. They indicate that work on a shared fiscal framework, accountability and assurance framework, and the local governance review all need additional support and resources for them to be established. The report reiterates that delivering the commitments set out in the VHA will be a catalyst to the Transformation Programme. 3.12 Audit Scotland also highlight the role that COSLA has in facilitating collaboration between public sector organisations, local authorities, and the Scottish Government. It also suggests that the organisation can be used to improve the public engagement required for transformation. 3.13 Audit Scotland asserts that, while transformation is a long-term project, the need for change is urgent and that any delays will make it more difficult to resolve the financial challenges facing local authorities. 3.14 Within Renfrewshire Council, there is a well-established approach to supporting transformation and change, closely aligned to the Council’s financial sustainability programme. The Council’s Programme Management Unit works alongside a range of corporate support services to support change and transformation programmes across all Council services and at a corporate level. Robust governance is in place across Council programmes, with regular updates both at a project and programme board level, as well as to Corporate Management Team and to relevant Policy Boards. 3.15 The Director of Finance’s regular reports to the Council on the organisation’s financial outlook and medium-term financial planning have also given progress updates on the transformation, change and financial sustainability programmes. The update to Council in September 2024 outlined the measures the Council has taken to deliver substantial savings in recent years from transformation programmes, financial sustainability workstreams and corporate financing measures such as adjustments to the Council’s long term debt smoothing strategy. The report also noted that since 2011/12 Page 46 of 58
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cumulative savings of £182 million have been secured from a combination of service savings and also through corporate financing options. Progress with the financial sustainability workstreams has highlighted the challenges involved in driving out significant savings that do not impact on service delivery. The report also noted that some workstreams will take longer to deliver savings, or in some cases, while not delivering significant savings in their own right, the work is important to undertake as it is a critical enabler in the delivery of other service changes or savings. The Council has agreed a number of financial sustainability workstreams which continue to be progressed, including the strategic property review, a connected communities review, updates to employee terms and conditions, strategic procurement measures and a strategic review of the services commissioned from OneRen. 3.16 A refreshed approach to managing transformation and change is currently being developed to ensure that the Council continues to deliver Best Value through these programmes, that resources are allocated effectively, and the organisation has a clear prioritisation of key projects, deliverables and associated financial or other resource savings and benefits. 3.17 The organisation also has a strengthened focus on understanding the impacts of our transformation, change and financial sustainability activity, recently undertaking a review of the equalities impact assessment process and a stock-take across key priorities and projects. The organisation is also seeking to recruit an officer to support this work at a corporate level. 3.18 To support effective transformational change, an organisational culture open to learning, innovation and creativity is essential. As part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and self- evaluation, a bespoke model to self-assess organisational culture has been developed in partnership with the Improvement Service. Based on the well-established Public Service Improvement Framework which has been used in Renfrewshire Council for over 15 years, the Model explores organisational culture across four key themes – Leadership; People (employees); Collaborating, Learning and Listening; and Ethics and Governance. Key priority actions emerging from this work will be progressed through the Council’s Corporate Improvement Plan and any specific-service level actions through Service Improvement Plans for 2025/26. Page 47 of 58
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3.19 Elected Members are asked to note that as part of the national programme of thematic best value reviews applicable to local government, the Accounts Commission has agreed the focus for Best Value thematic work in 2024/25 should cover how councils are redesigning services to maintain outcomes and deliver services more efficiently. The Council’s external auditors will explore this theme in Renfrewshire as part of the annual audit programme, and will prepare a report on this matter later in 2025. The findings will also feed into a national report which will be published by the Accounts Commission. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – While Renfrewshire is not directly mentioned in the report reference is made to the need for councils to adapt to the changing financial landscape. 2. HR & Organisational Development – While not directly mentioned in the report, Audit Scotland do highlight the need for dedicated staff working on transformation. 3. Community/Council Planning – None 4. Legal - None 5. Property/Assets – None 6. Information Technology – None 7. Equality & Human Rights – None – an equality impact assessment is not required for this report as it is a summary of a national report for noting only. 8. Health & Safety – None 9. Procurement– None 10. Risk – None 11. Privacy Impact – None 12. Climate Risk – None. 13. Children’s Rights – None. Page 48 of 58
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14. Cosla Policy Position – None _______________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Audit Scotland report: Transformation in councils ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Andrew Voysey, Assistant Policy Officer andrew.voysey@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 49 of 58
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board On: 20 January 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Audit Scotland Report - Alcohol and Drugs Services ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 In October 2024 Audit Scotland published a report on ‘Alcohol and Drug Services’, looking at how effectively Scotland’s alcohol and drug services are delivering the Scottish Government’s strategies. The audit considers: • how well are current leadership and accountability arrangements supporting the effective delivery of the Scottish Government’s drug and alcohol strategies? • how responsive are drug and alcohol services to the needs of people using services, and is this evidenced in outcomes and performance data? • how effective are the funding arrangements for drug and alcohol services for achieving objectives in national strategies, and what is the balance of investment across different types of services? 1.2 This paper summarises the report, and provides an overview of activity in Renfrewshire to mitigate the risk of alcohol and drug-related harms. 1.3 Elected Members are asked to note that updates in relation to local recovery related activities are reported through updates provided on Fairer Renfrewshire and the HSCP to the Leadership Board, with the Fairer Renfrewshire sub-committee hearing a more detailed update on local statistics and activities at its meeting on 13 November 2024. Detailed presentations on alcohol and drug related harm are also provided at least annually to the Member Officer Group and Chief Officer Group. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that members of the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board: • Note the content of this paper Item 6 Page 51 of 58
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3. Background 3.1 Audit Scotland have published a number of briefings on alcohol and drug services, in 2009, 2019, and 2022. Key findings from the 2022 briefing included: concerns around leadership from the Scottish Government on this issue; a perceived lack of transparency over how much is invested in alcohol and drug services, the sources of funding, and where that funding is directed to; and, a conclusion that there was a need for an integrated plan that sets out how investment in evidence-based strategies and interventions can improve outcomes. 3.2 In undertaking the 2024 audit, the fieldwork focused on three Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) areas, to better understand local challenges and pressures: Clackmannanshire and Stirling; Glasgow City; and, North Ayrshire. Auditors also engaged with a range of stakeholders, including national organisations across the public and third sector. The scope of the audit does not include the justice system’s approaches to preventing drug harm through the supply of drugs. 4. Key Messages from Report 4.1 The report provides data on the numbers of people dying in Scotland relating to alcohol and drug use, over the period 1999 – 2023, which continue to be high compared with other parts of the UK and Europe. The report notes that this is despite its assessment of improved national leadership, and increased investment in alcohol and drug services. 4.2 Scottish Government progress to address previous Audit Scotland recommendations is noted, including increasing residential rehabilitation capacity, and implementing treatment standards. However, the report highlights that progress relating to putting in place key national strategies into practice, such as implementing a workforce plan, and alcohol marketing reform, is viewed as being slow. The paper asserts that alcohol consumption is a deep-seated part of Scottish culture, and that the Scottish Government’s focus on drug harm through the National Mission shifts the balance of attention from tackling alcohol harm. 4.3 The report recognises that alcohol and drug services are complex and are delivered by a wide range of partners. It notes that ADPs have limited powers to influence change and direct funding, and that accountability requires to be clearer across partnerships, including how partners contribute towards improving outcomes. With most funding directed at specialist services treating people at crisis point, it is highlighted that investment in prevention is limited. Auditors believe that better information to inform service planning and funding prioritisation is required. 4.4 Funding for tackling alcohol and drug harm has more than doubled over the last ten years, and there has been increased funding through the National Mission. However, the paper notes that ADPs have experienced a decrease in real terms funding due to inflationary pressures, and that short term funding makes it difficult to plan and deliver long term, and invest in prevention. It is highlighted that the Scottish Government has not yet undertaken evaluation to determine costs and effectiveness Page 52 of 58
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of alcohol and drugs services, and the importance of directing available funding in the most effective way, particularly given the uncertainty around how services will be sustained after the National Mission ends in 2026. 4.5 The paper notes that the provision of person-centred services is mixed, and that not everyone can access the services they need, or is aware of their rights. The barriers noted to accessing support include stigma, limited access to services in rural areas, high eligibility criteria, and long waiting times. It is also noted that those already facing disadvantage experience additional barriers to accessing support, and there is more to do to tailor services to individual needs. 4.6 The immense strain on the alcohol and drug workforce is highlighted as a concern, with staff often feeling undervalued and at risk of burnout, and lacking job security. The report notes the Scottish Government workforce plan to address this, but believes urgent action is required to address these challenges, as well as better joined up working and data sharing between partners, and further involving those with lived and living experience. 5. Recommendations from Report 5.1 The report notes recommendations for the Scottish Government to undertake by mid- 2025, as well as recommendations for ADPs, Integration Authorities, and key partners. These are summarised below: Scottish Government Recommendations, by mid-2025 • Work with key stakeholders to identify and agree actions to increase focus and funding for tackling alcohol-related harm, while continuing to tackle drug-related harm. • Develop a transition plan for the ongoing funding and sustainability of alcohol and drug services after the National Mission ends in 2026. • Clarify accountability of alcohol and drug service providers and other statutory service providers that are collectively responsible for improving outcomes for people facing alcohol and drug harm. • Set out ambitious but realistic timescales for delivering key national supporting strategies and work collaboratively with stakeholders to put in place robust monitoring and transparent reporting on progress. • Identify ways of developing more preventative approaches to tackling Scotland’s long history of alcohol and drug problems, to target people at risk of harm before problems with substance use develop. ADPs, Integration Authorities, and Key Partners – Recommendations • Work together, along with people with lived and living experience, taking a person-centred, rights-based approach to identifying joint solutions for addressing the barriers that people face in accessing services. Page 53 of 58
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6. 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Renfrewshire Context The below provides a summary of the work taking place across Renfrewshire to mitigate the risk of drug and alcohol related harms, including an overview of the data in Renfrewshire relating to drug-related and alcohol-specific deaths in 2023, as well as current actions supported by partners in the Renfrewshire ADP. Further detail was recently provided as part of an update to the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee on 13 November 2024, relating to data available and activity currently being progressed and planned across Renfrewshire. Drug-Related Deaths 2023 The National Records for Scotland published Drug-Related Deaths in Scotland in 2023 in August 2024. The figures showed that 44 people in Renfrewshire lost their lives in 2023 with drug use as a factor. This is a 13% increase on the previous year. Opioids remain the most common type of substance implicated, and men continue to be more likely than women to have a drug-related death, although in Renfrewshire there was an increase in female drug related deaths compared with 2022. This is in line with national trends, as is the rising average age of those dying from a drug- related death. Alcohol-Specific Deaths 2023 The National Records for Scotland published Alcohol-Specific Deaths 2023, in September 2024. In Renfrewshire, 52 people died as a direct result from alcohol use in 2023, an increase of 24% from 2022. As with drug-related deaths, the average age of those dying from an alcohol-specific cause is increasing, and men are significantly more affected. Those living in the most deprived areas are also more likely to be affected. Renfrewshire Council and Renfrewshire HSCP Services and Projects The below provides a summary of a number of current services, activities, programmes, and projects delivered by the Council and HSCP : • The Alcohol and Drugs Change Programme was developed to progress the response to the recommendations of the Renfrewshire Alcohol and Drugs Commission on a partnership basis, with the Council agreeing to allocate funding to support a range of projects, aiming to pilot new ways of working across the community planning partnership, with the opportunity to use this learning to transform the way in which people receive support across Renfrewshire. As well as providing supplementary funding to a number of projects, the Programme has supported projects, including: o MyLA (MyLife Ahead) – This housing-led project provides holistic support for families/individuals affected by alcohol and drugs, and who may be in danger of losing their home. o Safeguarding Vulnerable Young People Partnership Programme – Schools – this project provides targeted support in a Renfrewshire school, Page 54 of 58
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for pupils experiencing significant challenges, and are identified as at risk of missing out on education. o Alcohol and Substance Awareness Resources – Children’s Services, in partnership with I Am Me Scotland, have developed a digital, interactive and progressive curricular programme in substance use for early years to senior phase, aligned to the principles of Curriculum for Excellence, and reflecting the context of alcohol and drug use within Renfrewshire. In September 2023, the programme won the COSLA Excellence Award in the Tackling Inequalities and Improving Health and Wellbeing category and in December 2023 was the winner of a Scottish Public Service Award - The Campbell Christie Public Service Reform. o Trauma Informed and Responsive Renfrewshire – this programme initially arose from the recommendations of the Renfrewshire Alcohol and Drugs Commission, but widened in scope to have a broader focus on reducing inequalities arising from experience of trauma. The programme aligns with the national work on trauma as set out in the National Trauma Transformation Programme. o Stigma/Language Matters – Resources for the workforce have been co- developed with people with lived experience of alcohol and drug stigma, and I Am Me Scotland, with the aim of improving the understanding, awareness, and confidence of the workforce in relation to stigmatising language, and the impact of stigma on individuals and communities, in particular in relation to alcohol and drugs. It is anticipated that these will form part of a wider programme of work, launching in spring 2025. • The Alcohol and Drugs Change Programme is in its final phase, with an evaluation process being progressed to inform future recommendations in relation to service funding/developments. • RADAR works with young people aged 12-20 who have issues with alcohol or drugs, or other substances. It aims to help young people make safe choices through individualised flexible support as well as group work. • The Alcohol and Drug Recovery Service (ADRS) continues to provide a range of care and treatment options for people affected by alcohol and drug use. This includes harm reduction interventions, detoxification and protective medications, support for social issues, psychological therapy, support for family members, access to the CIRCLE Recovery Hub and access to residential rehabilitation. • The Acute Addiction Liaison Service continues to work with colleagues in the Royal Alexandra Hospital. The service will assess the nature and degree of alcohol and drug use experienced by patients admitted to hospital. • CIRCLE supports people in their recovery from both Alcohol, Drugs and Mental Health. It has strongly developed links and pathways with the HSCP core Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Recovery Service, as well as key partners across Renfrewshire. CIRCLE currently facilitates a wide range of support-focused groups. This is inclusive of holistic, therapeutic and mutual aid/peer groups, to support individuals to further develop a range of skills that will aid them in their Page 55 of 58
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recovery, and further build confidence and learning techniques to support recovery from addiction-related and/or mental health issues. • The Harm Reduction Response Team (HaRRT) is a mobile assertive outreach service which has been developed to deliver a harm reduction service to individuals who are not in contact with treatment and care services. The key aim of the service is to reduce the risk of overdose and other drug related harms, and provide timely care and support. • RAMH FIRST Crisis drug and alcohol specific service component was launched in April 2022 as a test of change project, and is now embedded in service delivery. • The Renfrewshire Family Support Service offers support to families impacted by alcohol and drugs. The service also continues to facilitate the Bereavement Support Group which helps people to process their grief after losing loved ones due to substances. 6.5 Third Sector Delivery In addition to the provision from the public sector, there are a wide range of third sector organisations in Renfrewshire providing support to those impacted by alcohol and drug harms. These include, but are not limited to: • RCA Trust – a local charity focused on community-based prevention and treatment and offering group work, advice, education, Alcohol Brief Interventions, counselling and providing supported accommodation in Renfrewshire for those who have been homeless or are at risk of homelessness due to their alcohol use; • Kairos Women+ - a community-led women’s space for all women and non-binary people in Renfrewshire offering a range of supports and services including a peer-led recovery support group; • Street Connect – a Scotland-wide charity offering drop-in services and one-to-one support in Paisley; • Barnardo’s Family Support Recovery Service - offering support for family members affected by another’s alcohol or drug use; • Kickin’ On – a peer support group supporting those with mental health challenges as well as harm from alcohol and drugs, and focused on exercise and talking therapies; • Youth Inspired - a multi-disciplinary team working with young people aged 11-25 including workshops, therapeutic recovery and tailored support for young people using drugs and/or alcohol. The ADP website provides has more information on available support, including from national organisations. 6.6 Multi-agency Working Partners work in collaboration across Renfrewshire to tackle harm from drugs and alcohol, including through: • Renfrewshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership Page 56 of 58
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• The Renfrewshire Drug Deaths Prevention Group • The Drug Death Review Group • The Alcohol Harms Group • The promotion and supply of Naloxone, alongside training for anyone who would like to carry a kit 6.7 Lived Experience The Renfrewshire Lived Experience Forum (LEF) brings together people with lived or living experience of alcohol or drug use, including loved ones affected. The purpose of the group is to give members the opportunity to share their views and experiences to help inform the work of Renfrewshire Alcohol Drug Partnership and in turn improve services in Renfrewshire. The Forum is currently developing a Stigma Action Plan In response to feedback from people with lived experience, a number of trauma informed improvements are being progressed within ADRS at Back Sneddon Street. These are being delivered by a working group which includes input from psychology colleagues and CIRCLE Recovery Hub. 6.8 Additional Resources Renfrewshire ADP recruited an Alcohol Deaths Prevention Lead Officer post for a period of 12 months and will focus on carrying out an audit of alcohol specific deaths which occurred in Renfrewshire. This will identify any trends or risk factors that could point towards areas of focus for harm reduction. In conjunction with the ADP, Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership has recently recruited a Health Improvement Lead and Health Improvement Practitioner with a dedicated capacity for alcohol and drugs. 7. Next Steps 7.1 Partners continue to work together to mitigate the risk of drug and alcohol-related harms in Renfrewshire. Below is a number of activities and actions that will be progressed throughout 2025, including: • ADP Needs Assessment, which will inform the refresh of the ADP Strategy. • Volunteers within CIRCLE have been supporting the growth of the service, including starting Recovery Cafes in other Renfrewshire areas. • A Non-Fatal Overdose Audit conducted by the ADP between October 2022 and September 2023 to be shared with partners. • Work to develop a series of Naloxone videos to educate the wider community about Naloxone, as well as a Harm Reduction campaign aiming to promote service provision available from ADRS and key harm reduction messages will take place. • Workforce development activities such as training for staffing groups on the Impact of Parental Substance Use, a resource developed by the Drug Death Prevention Group outlining risk factors and harm reduction messages, as well as Page 57 of 58
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resources relating to alcohol and drug stigma and how this impacts individuals, families and communities. • A joint pilot is being established between ADRS and Liver nurses from Royal Alexandra Hospital. The pilot will aim to deliver essential fibro scanning of the liver in a community setting where the person is familiar with, to increase detection of early liver disease/fibrosis in people drinking alcohol harmfully. • The ADP Support Team will continue to develop improved data around those at risk of alcohol and drug related harms, including quarterly reports, a thematic review, and an audit of alcohol-specific deaths to inform service developments and local provision. • A working group is currently being established to investigate and address women-specific issues. • Continue the roll out of Trauma Informed training to staffing groups. • Roll out of resources to support the workforce to think about stigma and its impact on individuals and communities, as part of a wider strategic campaign. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None 2. HR & Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – None 4. Legal - None 5. Property/Assets – None 6. Information Technology – None 7. Equality & Human Rights – None – an equality impact assessment is not required for this report as it is a summary of a national report, with an overview of relevant activity in Renfrewshire, for noting only. 8. Health & Safety – None 9. Procurement– None 10. Risk – None 11. Privacy Impact – None 12. Climate Risk – None. 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None _______________________________________________________ Page 58 of 58