Environment, Housing and Infrastructure (EHI) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025–2028 - Annual Report
Renfrewshire Council · 19 May 2026
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 19 May 2026 and its agenda
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PUBLIC _____________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19th May 2026 _____________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure _____________________________________________________________________ Heading: Environment, Housing and Infrastructure (EHI) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025 – 2028: Annual Report _____________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Council’s Health and Wellbeing Plan, a key priority within the Council’s People Strategy 2021 – 2026, promotes a positive Health and Safety culture to ensure compliance with relevant Health and Safety legislation and supports the Council Plan in Working together to achieve a thriving and connected Renfrewshire, creating opportunities for all. 1.2 In May 2025 the Board approved the Health and Safety Plan 2025 - 2028. It should be noted that “Wellbeing” was added to the Plan title to reflect the broader nature of this work and ensure that employee wellbeing is recognised as a key aspect of this work. 1.3 This report provides an annual update on the work undertaken by Environment, Housing and Infrastructure to implement the actions contained in the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025 - 2028 (Appendix 1) as it relates to remit of the Communities and Housing Policy Board. 1.4 It should be noted that this annual update will be considered by the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 19th May 2026, the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board on 27th May 2026 and the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board on 11th June 2026 in respect of the elements covered by those Boards’ remits. _____________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Approves the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure (EHI) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025-2028 annual update (Appendix 1) as specific to the areas of activity delegated to this Policy Board; and
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PUBLIC 2.2 Notes that the annual update on the 2025 – 2028 Plan is also being presented to the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Board and the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board to approve the elements covered within those Boards’ remits. _____________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1. The Environment, Housing and Infrastructure (EHI) Department is responsible for the provision of everyday essential services, directly to the public of Renfrewshire, to other services within the Council and to community planning partners. These services are delivered by around 1,800 Full Time Equivalent (FTE), with an estimated net expenditure of £61.925m (excluding Housing Revenue Account) for 2025/26. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget and Rent Levels for total rental and other income for 2025/26 is £65.492m. 3.2. The Department provided the following key frontline services in 2025/26: • Operational Services including Neighbourhood Services comprising Cemetery Service, Grounds Maintenance, Street Cleaning and CountryParks; Fleet and Social Transportation, Waste and Recycling to over 92,000 households. • Climate, Public Protection and Roads: supporting our communities through our Regulatory and Community Safety Services and supporting more than 862 km of roads and transport infrastructure in 2025/26. • Facilities and Property Services: (Hard and Soft Services) including PPP schools, cleaning/catering/janitorial services, public building (repairs, maintenance and compliance), Building Services and Technical Services, a multi-disciplinary design team. • Housing Services: Management and investment in housing stock (12,078 properties) and providing a wide range of advice and support to our tenants. 3.3 Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Services deliver universal services in 2025/26 for over 186,000 Renfrewshire residents, helping to run our schools and care homes, providing 12,078 homes for social rent, protecting and enhancing our local environment though a wide range of initiatives and work to make Renfrewshire a great place to live and work. 3.4 Our services are delivered by a diverse, skilled and committed workforce of around 1,800 FTE* who deliver services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. The health, safety and wellbeing of all our employees is of paramount importance. 3.5 Governance for Health, Safety and Wellbeing is provided through monthly discussions at the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Senior Leadership Team meetings and quarterly CRMT (Crisis Resilient Management Team).
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PUBLIC 4 Environment, Housing & Infrastructure (EHI) Annual Health, Safety & Wellbeing Plan 2025/28 – Annual Update 4.1 A wide range of work has been undertaken between 1st April 2025 – 31st March 2026 to promote and address health, safety and wellbeing areas or concerns and a high-level summary of this is outlined below: • Relevant employees within Public Protection, Housing Services and Civil Contingencies Service are now registered to use the Peoplesafe App which is a tool to assist in the protection of lone working employees. • To augment conflict resolution training already delivered to Community Support Officers in Community Safety, the coverage of body worn video has been extended. Each officer is now equipped with a device in addition to a personal radio link to our public space CCTV. • To date 107 Officers across EHI have completed the IOSH Managing Safely course during 2025/26. A further 19 Senior Leadership Managers completed the IOSH Leading Safely course in 2025/26. • The Operational Services Workforce Development Officer attended a Management and Prevention of Violence and Aggression course and has subsequently delivered a number of courses to employees in Soft FM, Building Services and Operations. • During Men’s Mental Health Awareness week in November 2025 a number of well attended events were held at Underwood Road Depot to increase the awareness of the importance of mental health and what support is available. • A Health and Wellbeing event, held in March 2026 at Underwood Road Depot, welcomed over 70 attendees to connect with a range of local groups including OneRen Membership Team, St Mirren Charitable Foundation, Renfrewshire Council supporting Menopause at Work, the Start Project (providing information on Me’s Shed and Pantry Plus) and Renfrewshire Council Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA). • The number of Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) in Environment, Housing and Infrastructure services has increased by 12 from 26 in March 2025 to 38 in March 2026. These employees provide a vital support to colleagues across the Council through listening in confidence without any judgement and provide help to access any support that may be required. _____________________________________________________________________ 5 Monitoring and Support Services 5.1 The ongoing health, safety and wellbeing of employees and service users continues to be a priority for EHI. The focus to promote an open, positive health and safety culture and to encourage employees and management to report all incidents, accidents and occurrences.
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PUBLIC 5.2 All reported incidents, accidents and occurrences are reviewed on a weekly basis, resulting in more accurate date. Every incident, accident or occurrence is investigated and associated risk assessments reviewed and amended where necessary. 5.3 From 1st April 2025 – 31st March 2026 across EHI there were 174 incidents, accidents and near misses reported. The table below (Figure 1) shows the breakdown of these incidents by Head of Service area. Figure 1: EHI 2025/2026: Total number of Incidents/Accidents and Near Misses Reported per Service Area (01/04/2025 – 31/03/2026) 5.4 Figure 2 below shows a comparison between 1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025 and 1st April 2025 – 31st March 2026. The total number of number of incidents/accidents and near misses has decreased/ from 216 in 2024/2025 to 174 in 2025/2026). It should be noted that there has been a significant decrease in reported incidents, primarily violence and aggression, particularly across Climate, Public Protection and Roads. This reduction is attributed to the conflict resolution training provided to employees last year, which has supported them to better manage any situations involving violence and aggression in combination with an extension to the use of body worn cameras. .
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PUBLIC Figure 2: EHI 2025: Total number of Incidents/Accidents and Near Misses Reported per Service Area (01/04/2025 – 31/03/2026 compared to 01/04/2024 – 31/03/2025) 5.5 Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) there were 11 accidents across EHI between 1st April 2025 – 31st March 2026 comprising 1 dangerous occurrence, 2 specified injury and 8 “over 7-day absences” compared to 18 accidents across EHI between 1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025 comprising 1 dangerous occurrence, 4 specified injury and 13 “over 7-day absences”.
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PUBLIC 5.6 Supporting our employees and attendance is a key priority for EHI and arrangements are in place to utilise the services of the Council’s Occupational Health provider. To date a number of referrals have been made by manager or employee self-referrals to the Occupational Health Service or employee counselling service (“Time for Thriving”) including for early intervention, counselling, physiotherapy, cognitive behaviour therapy as well as Statutory Occupational Health benchmarking. ___________________________________________________________________ 6 EHI Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025 – 2028: Year-end Actions Update 6.1 The Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Health, Safety and Wellbeing Action Plan 2025 - 2028 set out a range of key actions to be undertaken in 2025/26. A short annual update on each of these actions is set out as Appendix 1 to this report. 6.2 As this Plan set out work to be undertaken over a 3-year period (2025 – 2028) it should be noted that for some actions work may not be complete given that it may be scheduled within this longer timeline and will be included in the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2026 – 2029. _____________________________________________________________________
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PUBLIC Implications of the Report 1. Financial – Potential exists for financial liability from property damage, civil or criminal prosecutions through the outcome of accidents and/or ill-health. This report demonstrates Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Services compliance and commitment to Health and Safety policies and procedures. 2. HR & Organisational Development – This report supports Renfrewshire Council’s commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of employees. 3. Community/Council Planning • Our Renfrewshire is well – EHI will improve the physical and mental health and wellbeing of employees through participation in the “Healthy Working Lives” and “Your Health Matters” Programmes and any other corporate initiatives promoting wellbeing. • Our Renfrewshire is safe – EHI will provide training and support to employees to allow them to develop within the organisation and to gain the skills and experience necessary to provide a quality service to our customers. 4. Legal – Environment, Housing and Infrastructure will continue to comply with all current statutory Health and Safety legislation and Renfrewshire Council Corporate Health and Safety policies and guidance. 5. Property/Assets – The maintenance of appropriate registers (e.g. Asbestos Register with respect of domestic Council properties) and an obligation to conduct workplace inspections. 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. 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. 8. Health & Safety – This report supports and demonstrates Environment, Housing and Infrastructure’s commitment to ensuring effective Health and Safety management across Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 9. Procurement - None
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PUBLIC 10. Risk – This report supports the overarching management of risk within Renfrewshire Council. 11. Privacy Impact- None. 12. COSLA Policy Position – None. 13. Children’s Rights – This report is for noting and has no direct implications on children’s rights. 14. Climate Risk – None. _____________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Background Paper 1: Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board (18th May 2026), Risk Report The foregoing background papers will be retained within Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Department (Service Development) for inspection by the public for the prescribed period of four years from the date of the meeting. The contact officer within the service is Gill Darbyshire, Senior Service Development Manager - gill.darbyshire@renfrewshire.gov.uk. _____________________________________________________________ Author: Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Gill Darbyshire, Senior Service Development Manager E-mail: Gordon.mcneil@renfrewshire.gov.uk Gill.darbyshire@renfrewshire.gov.uk