Minutes of meeting
Renfrewshire Council · 19 May 2026
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 19 May 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Minute of Meeting Communities and Housing Policy Board Date Time Venue Tuesday, 19 May 2026 13:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Present: Councillor Fiona Airlie-Nicolson, Councillor Jacqueline Cameron, Councillor Graeme Clark, Councillor Carolann Davidson, Councillor Gillian Graham, Councillor John Hood, Councillor Robert Innes, Councillor James MacLaren, Councillor Kenny MacLaren, Councillor Mags MacLaren, Councillor Janis McDonald, Councillor Cathy McEwan, Councillor Marie McGurk, Councillor Iain McMillan, Councillor John McNaughtan, Councillor Kevin Montgomery, Councillor Emma Rodden Chair Councillor McGurk, Convener, presided. In Attendance G McNeil, Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure; L McIntyre, Head of Policy & Partnerships, A Walter, Connected Communities Manager, and A Johnson, Estates Lead (all Chief Executive’s); L Feely, Head of Housing Services, G Hannah, Head of Climate, Public Protection & Roads, G Darbyshire, Senior Service Development Manager, C Hunter, Environmental Health Public Health Manager, T Irvine, Homeless & Housing Support Services Manager, J Murdoch, Housing Regeneration Manager, K Sillars, Housing Asset & Investment Manager, R Walkinshaw, Housing Regeneration & Development Manager, P McLean, Housing Lead Officer (Participation, Performance & Policy), A Andrews, Area Housing Manager (Council Housing), G Heaney, Climate & Public Protection Manager, I MacKinnon, Housing Investment Programme Manager and F Wilson, Lead Officer (Trading Standards) (all Environment, Housing & Infrastructure); and J Kilpatrick, Finance Business Partner, E Gray, Senior Committee Services Officer and D Cunningham, Committee Services & Licensing Officer (all Finance & Resources). Webcasting of Meeting Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Policy Board would be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site. Declarations of Interest There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.
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Transparency Statements Councillor J MacLaren indicated that he had a connection to items 6, 7, 13 and 14 by reason of him being a private landlord. However, he indicated that he had applied the objective test and did not consider he had an interest to declare. Councillor McMillan indicated that he had a connection to items 6, 7, 13 and 14 by reason of him being a private landlord. However, he indicated that he had applied the objective test and did not consider he had an interest to declare. 1 Service Update Report There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to key service activities since the last Policy Board report on 10 March 2026. DECIDED: (a) That the contents of the report be noted; and (b) That the decision by the Head of Service, in consultation with the Convener, to accept Scottish Government grant funding totalling £1,221,074.22 to support the delivery of housing-led regeneration programme open market purchases, as set out in paragraph 3.2.4 pf the report, be homologated. Sederunt Councillor Rodden joined the meeting during consideration of the following item of business. 2 Environment, Housing and Infrastructure - Service Improvement Plan 2025/28 - Outturn Report There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the outturn position for the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2025/28. DECIDED: (a) That the contents of the report be noted; (b) That the progress to date on delivering the actions contained within the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure – Service Improvement Plan be noted; and (c) That the current performance of the service as measured by the scorecard indicators be noted.
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3 Environement, Housing and Infrastructure (EHI) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025/28: Annual Report There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the annual update on the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025/28. DECIDED: (a) That the annual update of the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025/2028, as specific to the areas of activity delegated to this Policy Board. be approved; and (b) That it be noted that the annual update would also be submitted to the Infrastructure, Land & Environment Policy Board and the Finance, Resources & Customer Services Policy Board to approve the elements covered within those Policy Boards’ remits. 4 Environment, Housing and Infrastructure - 2026/29 Service Improvement Plan There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2026/29. DECIDED: (a) That the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2026/29 be approved; (b) That it be noted that mid-year progress of this Service Improvement Plan would be reported to this Policy Board in the Autumn of 2026, with updates to the performance indicators and action plan; and (c) That it be noted that the plan and covering report would also be submitted to both the Finance, Resources & Customer Services Policy Board and the Infrastructure, Land & Environment Policy Board for approval of the areas within the respective remits of those Policy Boards. 5 Environment, Housing & Infrastructure (EHI) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2026/29 There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2026/29. DECIDED: (a) That the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2026/29 and associated Action Plan as set out at Appendices 1 and 2 of the report,
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as specific to the areas of activity delegated to this Policy Board, be approved; and (b) That it be noted that this Plan would also be submitted to the Infrastructure, Land & Environment Policy Board and the Finance, Resources & Customer Services Policy Board to approve the elements covered within those Policy Boards’ remits. 6 Social Housing Charter Performance 2025/26 and 2026 Engagement Plan There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to Social Housing Charter performance, outlining annual performance outcomes and proposed tenant engagement activity. DECIDED: (a) That the 2025/26 report on Scottish Social Housing Charter Performance, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, be noted; and (b) That the 2026/27 Engagement Plan from the Scottish Housing Regulator be noted. 7 Housing Landlord Compliance – Bi-annual Performance Report There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to housing landlord compliance, providing an update on statutory compliance across key areas. DECIDED: That the content of the landlord compliance performance report and the suite of key performance indicators, as detailed at Appendix 1 to the report, be noted. 8 Housing Asset and Investment Programme 2025/26 Update There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the Housing Asset and Investment Programme, outlining delivery progress across planned works. DECIDED: (a) That the progress with the Housing Asset and Investment Programme during 2025/26 be noted; and (b) That the 2026/27 Housing Asset and Investment Programme, which aligned with the Housing Revenue Account Capital Investment Plan approved at the meeting of Council held on 26 February 2026, be noted. 9 Homelessness in Renfrewshire – Action Plan There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the Homelessness Action Plan, setting out actions to address homelessness pressures and improve outcomes across Renfrewshire.
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DECIDED: (a) That the Homelessness Action Plan for Renfrewshire 2026/28, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved; and (b) That it be noted that six-monthly updates on progress relating to implementation of the plan would be submitted to this Policy Board. 10 Conclusion of Single Voids Team Pilot There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the outcome of the Single Voids Team pilot, outlining performance improvements achieved during the pilot period. DECIDED: (a) That the impact of the Single Voids Team pilot in reducing void numbers, void rent loss and average re-let times be noted; (b) That the targets that had been set for 2026/27 be noted; and (c) That the actions taken to make the working practices developed during the pilot “business-as-usual” be noted. 11 YouDecide Tenant Fund – Year 1 Update There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the year 1 update on the YouDecide Tenant Fund, outlining delivery and outcomes achieved through participatory budgeting. DECIDED: (a) That the content of the report in relation to year 1 of the YouDecide Tenant Fund, as detailed in section 4 of the report, be noted; and (b) That the timeline for the various stages within year 2 of the YouDecide Tenant Fund, as set out in section 6 of the report, be noted. 12 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Acquisitions and Disposals Update 2026 There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure providing an update on progress on acquisitions and disposal of properties held under the Housing Revenue Account in financial year 2025/26. DECIDED: (a) That the progress made to date in the acquisition and disposal of properties held under the Housing Revenue Account be noted; and
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(b) That it be noted that further updates on this topic would be submitted on an annual basis. 13 Private Sector Housing Investment Programme 2026/27 There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the Private Sector Housing Investment Programme, outlining proposed investment priorities for 2026/27. DECIDED: That the Private Sector Housing Investment Programme for 2026/27, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved. 14 Standard Security and Payment Arrangements to Support Owner Participation in Mixed-Tenure Housing Investment There was submitted a joint report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure and the Director of Finance & Resources relative to standard security and payment arrangements, outlining proposals to support owner participation. DECIDED: (a) That the use of standard securities for owners of property in mixed tenure blocks that were subject to investment programmes be authorised to increase owner participation where necessary and in line with agreed budget provisions; and (b) That the revised operational payment arrangements that would be put in place to support owner participation, as set out in section 4 of the report, be noted. 15 Surplus declaration of land at Arkleston Road, Paisley There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the proposed declaration of land at Arkleston Road, Paisley as surplus to requirements to enable its future disposal. DECIDED: That the land at Arkleston Road, Paisley, detailed on the plan appended to the report, be declared surplus to requirements to then enable its sale to Scottish Power for the purposes of installing a new substation. 16 Prevent Update 2026 There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to Prevent activity, providing an update on delivery of statutory duties. DECIDED: That the content of the report be noted and that it be noted that regular updates on any changes in the Prevent landscape would be reported back to this Policy Board.
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17 Community Funding Update There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to community funding, outlining current allocations and available balances in respect of the Sustainable Communities Fund and Villages Investment Fund. DECIDED: That the allocation of funding in relation to applications received to the Sustainable Communities Fund and Villages Investment Fund, as detailed in section 4 and summarised in Appendix 1 of the report, be approved. 18 Connected Communities Six Month Progress Report There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the work undertaken by the Council's Connected Communities team, providing an update on progress and delivery. DECIDED: That the content of the report be noted. Exclusion of Press and Public The Board resolved that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 9 of Part I of schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. 19 Proposed Sale – 42 Fauldshead Road, Renfrew There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the proposed sale of 42 Fauldshead Road, Renfrew. DECIDED: That the recommendations in the report be approved.