4. Environment, Housing and Infrastructure - 2025-2028 Service Improvement Plan
Renfrewshire Council · 13 May 2025
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 13 May 2025 and its agenda
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 13 May 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Environment, Housing and Infrastructure - 2025-2028 Service Improvement Plan ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Service Improvement Plan for Environment, Housing and Infrastructure is a three-year plan covering the period 2025-2028. The purpose of the Plan is to identify the priorities being addressed, the key tasks to be implemented, the implementation timetable and our measures of success. 1.2 The Service Improvement Plan is part of a suite of documents which describe the strategic direction for the Service and the Council, and also includes the Council Plan, Community Plan, Risk Management Plan, and the Workforce Plan. 1.3 The Service Improvement Plan is appended to this report and includes performance indicators, and an action plan grouped under the Council Plan themes. A mid-year progress update on the Service Improvement Plan will be submitted to the Communities and Housing Policy Board in the autumn of 2025. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Approves the attached Service Improvement Plan; and 2.2 Notes that mid-year progress of this Service Improvement Plan will be reported to this Board in the Autumn of 2025, with updates to the performance indicators and action plan. ___________________________________________________________________
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3. Background 3.1 Environment, Housing, Infrastructure delivers a wide range of vital services to the people, communities and businesses of Renfrewshire, including environmental health services, trading standards and public protection. We manage 12,078 Council houses and support vulnerable people experiencing homelessness and those threatened by homelessness. Our service has also played a critical role in supporting the Council’s response to the asylum and refugee programmes over the last three years. 4. Service Improvement Plan 2025-2026: What do we want to achieve? 4.1 Council services continue to operate in a challenging context. The Council and services remain ambitious for our people and our place, and the Service Improvement Plan process ensures a clear focus on delivering our priorities. The Service Improvement Plans process allows us to describe where activity is targeted, and through the 6-monthly updates described below, provide a balanced view on progress. 4.2 Our Service Improvement Plan sets out actions for the next three years, and in 2025/26 our particular areas of focus for those areas under the remit of the board will be: • Continue to deliver the £400m housing investment including a £100m Housing-led regeneration programme across 8 areas in Renfrewshire. • Invest in current housing stock to ensure that stock continues to meet SHQS and other legislative or regulatory standards. • We will support and advice on the new Housing (Scotland) Bill which will be introduced during 2025/2026 with new duties in relation to homeless prevention, ‘ask and act’. • Develop and implement the range of measures in place to mitigate the impacts from the increased homeless pressures, especially in relation to changes in national migration and resettlement policies and programmes. • We will ensure the lessons learned from the independent assessment of MyLA (My Life Ahead) are incorporated to the support provided to those whose settled housing may be affected by drug/alcohol use. • Deliver repairs and maintenance to 12,078 Council housing properties, including re-letting/void properties and produce a robust business plan that looks at the short, medium and long term. • Support Council services to implement the proposed Protect Duty once it becomes law. The proposed legislation will ensure parties are prepared, ready to respond and know what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. • Further develop training and communications in which tenants can choose to report Anti-Social Behaviour using the ASB App online reporting accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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• Implement the NEC Housing Management System as part of the Housing Innovations Project in 2 phases – which will incorporate Rents, Repairs, Service Charges, Allocations, Tenancy Management, ASB, Customer Relationship, Customer Services, Property Lifecycle, Servicing, Homelessness and Support Services modules. • Complete the review of animal licence conditions across all licences. • Supporting the local economy towards Net Zero; ensuring proper and informed consumer choice, both through effective advice and regulation. • Continue to support the Council's various refugee and asylum programmes including the provision of settled accommodation. • Through workforce and succession planning, we will support our staff to ensure they have the right skills to deliver our services now, and in the future. • Modernisation of business processes and more efficient use of management data, steering the focus of service delivery. • Explore how modern technologies and innovations could improve service delivery, such as the use of robotics. 5. Monitoring progress 5.1 Progress on the implementation of the Service Improvement Plan is regularly monitored by the Senior Management Team and will be reported to the Communities and Housing Policy Board on a six-monthly basis. A mid-year review of progress will be brought to this Board in Autumn 2025 and an annual outturn report in Spring 2026. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – Any financial elements referenced in this report will be progressed through the Council’s financial & budget planning process. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – Service Improvement Plans reflect the contribution of each service to the Council and Community Plans. 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.
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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 – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. Climate Risk – there are a range of actions and activities throughout the Service Improvement Report which support the Council’s Plan for Net Zero. 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None. __________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers: None. _______ __________________________________ Author: Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Email: Gordon.mcneil@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Environment, Housing, Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2025 -28
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Welcome to our Service Improvement Plan As Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure,I’mdelighted to introduceour new Service Improvement Plan which covers the period 2025 to 2028. This plan describes how our team will focus our efforts to deliver thestrategic outcomes described in the Council Plan of Place, Economy, Fair,Green and LivingOur Values. Environment, Housing & Infrastructure delivers a wide range of vital services to the people, communities and businesses of Renfrewshire. This includes universal provision such as waste collection, road maintenance, environmental health services and facility management across our housing stock and public buildings. We manage 12,078 Council houses and support vulnerable people experiencing homelessness and those threatened by homelessness. Our service has also played a critical role in supporting the Council’s response to the asylum and refugee programmes over the last three years. This is a challenging time for local governmentand we are committed to delivering the Reshaping Renfrewshire transformation programme and financial savings required to support the Council achieve to maintain financial sustainability. However, we are still ambitious for Renfrewshire and our service lead on the over £100m Housing led regeneration programme, which forms part of our £400m investment in our housing stock across all of Renfrewshire over the next 30 years. We will alsoinvest £90m in our roadsinfrastructure over the next ten years and we lead on the council’s Plan for Net Zero, which sets out how the area will work towards net zero by 2030. Environment, Housing & Infrastructure also supports strategic Council projects such as the City Deal programme, the refurbishment and new school build programmes and town centre projects including the new museum. We will have a particular focus on Workforce development during 2025/26 and I know the dedication of our colleagues across all areas of the service will ensure the ambitious agenda outlined within the Service Improvement Plan is delivered to support individuals, communities and businesses across Renfrewshire to flourish.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level About us • Climate, Public Protection & Roads responsibilities include the Council’s Roads, Public Transport, Parking & Active Travel services, as well as leading the response to Climate Change and Ren Zero, along with Energy Management, Regulatory & Public Protection services. This includes partnership working with police, fire and other multiagency partners. • Operations & Service Development responsibilities include Waste Services, Fleet & Social Transport, Neighbourhood Services, Grass, Grounds & Cemeteries Maintenance, Burials & Country Park Management, Civil Contingencies and Service Development. Environment, Housing & Infrastructure is responsible for the provision of every day essential services, directly to the public of Renfrewshire, to other services within the Council and to community planning partners. • Facilities Management & Property Services covers four key service areas: soft facilities, hard facilities, support services and property services. Soft facilities cover janitorial, cleaning, catering, housekeeping and school crossing patrollers. Hard services cover building services operations, repairs and maintenance for housing and public buildings and streetlighting maintenance. Support services is responsible for compliance in schools and public buildings, life cycle maintenance in schools & public buildings, PPP contract management. Property Services is a multi- disciplinary design consultancy commissioned by Council Departments to deliver projects. • Housing Services responsibilities include managing and investing in our housing stock of 12,078 properties and providing services to Council tenants, alongside housing advice and support, assisting homeless people and those threatened with homelessness and ensuring people have safe and healthy places to live, and supports the council’s response to migration and asylum.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Environment, Housing and infrastructure -Our service
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Facts and Figures The Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Services revenue budget for 2025/26 is approximately £61.925m (excluding HRA). Income and expenditure in relation to a local authority's direct provision of housing must be recorded separately within a Housing Revenue Account (HRA). TheHRA Budget and Rent Levels was presented to Council on 27 February 2025 with total rental and other income for 2025/26 of£65.492m. The gross value of the Housing Capital Investment Plan for the 5-year period from 2025/26 to 2029/30 is £292.432m. We provide Waste and Recycling collection to over 92,000households and businesses. Supporting more than 862kmof roads and transport infrastructure across the whole of Renfrewshire –and we will be investing £90m in this infrastructure over the next ten years. Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Services deliver universal services for over 186,000Renfrewshire residents, helping to run our schools and care homes, providing 12,078homes 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. Our services are delivered by a diverse, skilled and committed workforce of around1,800 (FTE)* who deliver services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. *Please note this doesn’t include casual/sessional staff
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Renfrewshire Council’s Service Improvement Context Reflecting our values Delivering financially sustainable services Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion Delivering Best Value Aligning to our Council Plan and the Community Plan
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Supporting Renfrewshire Council’s objectives Along with the other Services within the Council, Environment, Housing and Infrastructure will support continuous improvement through a number ofkey strategic areas detailed in the following slides including - Transformation–supporting the Reshaping Renfrewshire programme -to ensure the Council continues to address the ongoing financial challenge but also to ensure the Council continues to respond proactively to new and emerging opportunities to develop, modernise and change how the Council delivers for Renfrewshire’s communities Our workforce –We will build on the work already done across the service to date and use the outputs from Workforce Survey and the Cultural Assurance Model to inform further improvements during 2025/26. Data Strategy -Local data strategies will be developed and aligned with the development of the new Digital Strategy in 2025. Risk Management –proactively managing our Corporate, Strategic and Service risks to minimise negative impact on the service and the council.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Transformation Following on from the Right for Renfrewshire programme the next phase of transformation, to be branded ‘Reshaping Renfrewshire’, will continue to deliver progressive internal transformation, maintaining the long- term journey to adapt and reshape the organisation and how the Council delivers services. Environment, Housing and Infrastructure will support the Reshaping Renfrewshire programme, especially within the following key areas of transformation- • Digital – we will utilise current and future data and digital technologies, including the Internet of Things, robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analysis to transform services. • Income Generation - growing existing sources of income and generating new income streams, to ensure the Council continues to secure financial stability. • Transformation of our Placed Based Assets – which includes the Strategic Property Review and the Strategic Learning Estate Strategy. • Transport Infrastructure – including the £90m investment in our roads and footways and implementing the Local Transport Strategy for Renfrewshire. • Economic Regeneration – including the work to deliver the housing regeneration investment programme. • Net Zero - with the focus on ‘Heat and Fleet’ to transform the approach to the provision of clean energy and sustainable transport in Renfrewshire.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Our Workforce Our People Strategy has three priorities – improving our employee experience; workforce planning; equality, diversity and inclusion. The strategy covers the period 2021-2026 and work will begin this year to develop a new strategy. In early 2025, Audit Scotland published the results of their Scotland-wide thematic Best Value review on workforce innovation. The report on Renfrewshire Council had many examples of good practice and presented us with three areas for improvement, which our People and OD will progress in partnership with other Council services. Each service will now include some key performance indicators relating to the workplace experience in their Service Improvement Plans and will agree specific actions on workforce challenges in their service area which align to the priorities of the People Strategy and the improvement actions from the Best Value review. For Environment, Housing and Infrastructure (EHI), our focus will be to roll out Personal Development Plan (PDP) for all EHI employees, to widen our Employee Engagement Forum to provide opportunities for all employee groups to participate and to improve visibility of Senior Management and Leadership across the Department.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Data Strategy • The Council's Digital Strategy includes a Smart Data Workstream tasked with improving the management and exploitation of data in a consistent way across all our services, leading to the improvement of the Council's capabilities around data. EHI are a key part of this work • As part of the Smart Data Workstream an organisation-wide data governance group has been created which includes data specialist representatives from all services. Service data strategies are being developed across Environment, Housing and Infrastructure to address gaps and improve the management and exploitation of business-critical data. • Action plans will be developed to progress strategy implementation at a service level and local data strategies will be aligned with the development of the new Digital Strategy in 2025.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Our risks RISK MANAGEMENT - The Council’s risk management arrangements are well established with all strategic, corporate and service risks being reported to the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board with the last update being in May 2025. Here is a list of the Risks sitting within EHI reported to the board. All risks are evaluated using the Council’s adopted risk matrix; this involves multiplying the likelihood of a risk event occurring by its potential impact. Risks are then evaluated as either ‘low’ (green), ‘moderate’ (yellow), ‘high’ (amber) or ‘very high’ (red).
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Key Priorities Ensure implementation of legislative changes, with appropriate strategies and plans Deliver the agreed priorities within the Council’s Costed Delivery Plans for Net Zero Better use of data and technology to improve service performance and delivery Deliver the 2025/26 capital investment Asset Management programmes across Public Buildings, Housing, Roads, Fleet and Open spaces. Continue to develop our service models to support the Council’s ”Reshaping Renfrewshire” transformation programme including financial sustainability and to maximise income Support staff and apprenticeship development to ensure they have the right skills and training to meet the needs of the service, now and in the future Deliver the improvement actions resulting from the Improving our Workplace Employee Survey and the Cultural Assurance Model Supporting the most vulnerable members of our communities, including people experiencing and those threatened by homelessness
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level • We will focus on delivering the improvement actions arising from the Employee Survey Results and the Cultural Assurance Model, ensuring mandatory training for frontline employees is delivered and working with Soft FM around “job characteristics”. • Provide a focus on training, absence management, PDP’s/appraisals and workforce planning across EHI. • Continue to deliver a “right first time” approach across all services, delivering key capital projects and delivering on investment made as part of the 2025/26 Council budget. • We will continue to deliver investment in schools and public buildings across Renfrewshire including the new Paisley Grammer School. • Continuing with housing-led regeneration and housing investment programmes • Continuing implementation of replacement housing management systems • We will finalise and implement our new Local Transport Strategy. • New Sustainability team in place – will drive the focus of “Fleet and Heat” across all areas of the Council. • Deliver year 1 of the £90m 10 year roads investment strategy. • We will review and implement a revised waste collection rerouting programme aiming to have full implementation by autumn 2025. • Expand our workforce training and development and improve our customer correspondence response times to meet targets. • EHI & Council -We will shape the delivery of our services, in line with the council Net Zero aspirations. Our focus for 2025-26
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Appendix: Actions and Performance Indicators relevant to the remit of the Communities and Housing Policy Board
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan -PLACE When will we do it by? What difference will we make?What will we do? March 2026 There are likely to be new duties on a range of public bodies to ‘ask and act’ and support homeless prevention. We will be required to provide support and advice to these public bodies on the steps they can take. It is very likely that the new provisions will result in a significant increase in referrals to Homeless Services. The new Housing (Scotland) Act will be introduced during 2025/26, and this will include new duties in relation to homeless prevention. March 2026 Ensure the Council : can meet legal duties towards those who are statutorily homeless, assess housing support needs and ensure those needs are met, minimise the use of B&B This may require additional temporary accommodation. Continuing to meet the challenges of the local/ national pressures around homelessness. April 2026 New charges and recovery procedure will be applied for everyone provided with temporary accommodation Implement new rent charging policy for temporary accommodation
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan -PLACE When will we do it by? What difference will we make?What will we do? March 2026Tailored support being provided to those who require assistance to ensure they can access / sustain settled housing. Review the findings from independent assessment of MyLA (My Life Ahead) project, and ensure the lessons learned are incorporated in the support provided to those whose settled housing may be affected by drug / alcohol use. March 2026Ensure those who have nowhere to stay are provided with suitable temporary accommodation, are provided with the support they need, and are assisted to transition into settled accommodation – including the use of Housing First wraparound support and decommission of Thrushcraigs staffed accommodation. Deliver the key outputs from the 7th year of Renfrewshire’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) and ensure the supply of temporary accommodation, provision of support to those in need, and the number of social rented housing lets meets the homeless pressures and the Council plays its part in relation the provision of accommodation in response to changes in national migration and resettlement policies and programmes. June 2025An extension of the ways in which tenants can choose to report Anti-social behaviour, the ‘ASB app’ enables on-line reporting and is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Further develop training and communications on the ASB App based on learning from the pilot project and extend use across all Local Area Housing Teams.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan -PLACE When will we do it by? What difference will we make?What will we do? The Housing Asset Management Strategy is currently being reviewed and will be brought to a future meeting of the policy board for approval. An effective strategy for managing housing assets will ensure that decisions relating to management and investment in the housing stock are based on sound principles which take account of stock condition, sustainability and value for money. The revised Housing Asset Management Strategy will be presented to the Communities and Housing Policy Board this year. Review to be completed in 2025. Actions may continue beyond this timescale. The review leads to options being presented to EHI Directorate for consideration. The self-assessment exercise which is underway will assist in identifying areas for improvement. The void review is already well established with a new single void team being piloted. Ongoing work on the housing repairs operating model. March 2026 Investment will ensure that stock continues to meet SHQS and other legislative or regulatory standards. Improvements in energy efficiency will contribute to reducing fuel poverty and tenants’ will be positively impacted by overall improvements to their living conditions. Improved stock should lead to a reduction in reactive maintenance. Investment in current housing stock including for 2025/26 • Kitchen, bathroom, and rewiring replacement – 600 properties • Window and door improvement programme – 250 properties • Heating renewals – 750 properties • External improvements – 500
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan -PLACE When will we do it by? What difference will we make?What will we do? March 2026 Achieve Statutory Approvals ahead of commencement of construction of new build projects at Gallowhill and Howwood Road. Commence and progress construction with a view to initial handovers Spring 2026. Howwood Road (70 units) and Gallowhill (65 units) new build developments on site and underway March 2026 The Housing-Led Regeneration and Renewal Programme continues positively against the approved timeline for acquisition of private properties approved for demolition, tenant rehousing and phased delivery of demolition across several regeneration areas as programmed. In terms of the acquisition of the 89 private properties identified for demolition, 61 have been acquired by the Council to date, with 12 others agreed and with legal services to conclude. Demolition is progressing well within the Auchentorlie, Springbank, Thrushcraigs and Waverley Road areas. Continue with year 4 of the 10-year Housing-led regeneration programme. The Single Voids Team pilot has been extended until 30 June 2025 We will drive down the number of void properties, the void rent loss and the average nett number of days taken to re-let. Officers will work together to review the delivery and turnaround of void properties across Renfrewshire to minimise times, wherever possible, to allow properties to be re-let. March 2026 This work remains ongoing to review and refresh the approach to tackling dog fouling. Officers from relevant service are participating with the review. This action will be supported by the provision of £30,000 for a dog fouling awareness campaign through 2025/2026 budget settlement. Review our current approach to dog fouling enforcement and use community engagement and data to map out ‘hot spots’ to target enforcement
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan -PLACE When will we do it by?What difference will we make? What will we do? Ongoing review of council owned lock-up estate to be completed in 2025. Actions emerging from review may continue beyond this timescale. Vacancy levels within lock-ups will be reduced. Rental charges will reflect the costs of managing and investing in lock-ups. Lock-ups will be managed in line with revised policies and procedures. A review of Council owned lock ups and associated policy and procedures is being undertaken The Participatory Budgeting will be utilised over the next three years. Details of this initiative are set out in a report to the May 2025 meeting of the Communities and Housing Policy Board. Provide Tenants with opportunity to influence expenditure for environmental and neighbourhood projects Through the HRA, £600k will be used for Participatory Budgeting for environmental and neighbourhood projects. This will be split with £150k for each of the local area housing teams
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –PLACE FrequencyTargetPerformance Indicator Annual100%Private Water Supplies – 100% of type A supplies risk assessed and sampled Annual18ug/m3Air Quality - Annual average PM10 value across all continuous monitoring sites Annual40ug/m3Air Quality - average nitrogen dioxide value of monitoring sites, within AQMA(s) exceeding limits Annual93%Percentage of reactive repairs carried out in the last year completed right first time (Housing Services) Quarterly95%Percentage of Overall Repairs Completed Within Target (Housing Services) Quarterly15 daysAverage length of time taken to complete non-emergency repairs (days) (Housing Services) Quarterly26 daysAverage time from households presenting themselves as homeless to completion of duty (number of weeks)
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan - ECONOMY When will we do it by? What difference will we make?What will we do? June 2025 Improved targeting of environmental improvements in areas surrounding Council Housing Work in partnership with teams across the Council to expand the Neighbourhood Environment Trainee Teams - increasing capacity from 2 squad to 4. March 2026 This work remains ongoing and will be carried forward to 2025/26 which will also include proposed new animal licensing requirements Complete the review of animal license conditions across all licences. March 2026 Implementation date has been moved by law to 1 June 2025 to allow for a harmonised date across the Four Nations. Work has commenced to advise businesses on the incoming legislation, and Officers have been undertaking training as well as preparing documentation for the delivery of new powers. Implement the proposed ban on the sale and supply of single use nicotine vaping products.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Deliveringthe Council Plan -FAIR When will we do it by? What difference will we make?What will we do? March 2026 and on-going Compliance with resettlement programmes, refugees provided with the support they need, with a strong focus on integration, and a new range of health and wellbeing measures / events / activities. Ensure effective participation and support for all refugee programmes. March 2026 Care Inspectorate registration completed, and service being provided will meet the Health & Social Care Standards Obtain Care Inspectorate registration for Refugee Resettlement team March 2026 Keep sheltered tenants informed, enhance the methods used to advise and assist tenants and their families on the services available. Pilot the installation of ‘digital noticeboards’ at the reception areas of sheltered complexes and obtain feedback from tenants. March 2026 Entitlement to benefits and other financial / household assistance schemes is maximised. Work with Advice Services to maximise opportunities for Council tenants to access specialist income advice. March 2026Tenants feel supported through changes and potential loss of housing cost contributions is prevented as far as possible. Work with relevant stakeholders and Council Tenants scheduled to migration to Universal Credit to mitigate against avoidable delays and loss of housing cost contributions. The strategy will be complete by Dec 2027 Maximise consultation and participation. Provide opportunities for consultation that suits tenants. Deliver the Action Plan outcomes outlined in the Tenant Participation Strategy 2022‐2027
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan - FAIR When will we do it by?What difference will we make?What will we do? Phase 1 May 2026 Phase 2 and 3 to be complete by 2027. Stock condition survey information will ensure that decisions on future investment are based on accurate and up to date information on stock. Continue with next phase of stock condition survey. The SHIP is a rolling programme that covers a five- year period and is refreshed annually. This annual review takes account of Scottish Government funding availability and progress in delivering existing affordable housing sites and provides an opportunity to add new sites in order to meet the housing needs of Renfrewshire’s residents. Each year a draft SHIP is prepared and submitted to the Communities and Housing Policy Board in August for approval for public consultation. The final SHIP is presented back to Board in October for approval before being submitted to the Scottish Government. The SHIP supports the delivery of new build affordable homes, predominantly for social rent across Renfrewshire. These homes are owned and managed by registered social landlords such as the Council or its housing association partners. New homes delivered through the SHIP will add to the affordable housing supply and provide high quality energy efficient homes that meet people’s current and future housing needs. Over the last 5 years (2019/20 to 2023/24), 1,054 new affordable homes were delivered through the SHIP which includes 315 new council homes. Update the SHIP to set out Renfrewshire’s new build affordable housing investment priorities utilising grant funding made available from the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme’
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan -FAIR When will we do it by? What difference will we make?What will we do? Phase 1 May 2026 The current Housing Management system has reached end of life, the replacement NEC Housing System will be cloud based. Once fully implemented NEC Housing will replace the repairs and maintenance system, AVD, Prevent 1 and the Asset Management System (APEX). • The solution will be fully integrated and provide resident information to staff from wherever they are working. This will enable a more personalised service for demographic groups and individuals. The Council’s aim is to deliver a more proactive service that costs less and yields higher resident satisfaction. Implement NEC Housing Management System as part of the Housing Innovations Project in 2 phases – which will incorporate Rents, Repairs, Service Charges, Allocations, Tenancy Management, ASB, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Services, Property Lifecycle, Homelessness and Support Services modules. Phase 1 will comprise of Rents, Service Charges, Allocations, Tenancy Management, ASB, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Services, Property Lifecycle, Servicing and Support Services modules. Phase 2 July 2027 The current Housing Management system has reached end of life, the replacement NEC Housing System will be cloud based. Once fully implemented NEC Housing will replace the repairs and maintenance system, AVD, Prevent 1 and the Asset Management System (APEX). • The solution will be fully integrated and provide resident information to staff from wherever they are working. This will enable a more personalised service for demographic groups and individuals. The Council’s aim is to deliver a more proactive service that costs less and yields higher resident satisfaction. We will implement Phase 2 of the NEC Housing Management System.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan -GREEN When will we do it by? What difference will we make?What will we do? 31 March 2026 This action will continue into 2025/26 with renewed focus on enforcement activity to support the work of the Team Up to Clean Up team. Deliver a programme of enhanced operational environmental and community support activities for environment and place. March 2026Increased recycling tonnages leading to reduction in emissions and cost savings for the Council as well as behaviour change and leading by example in the workplace Implement full recycling facilities within Renfrewshire House March 2026Expansion of renewables will deliver reduction in the Councils emissionsExploring expansion of solar PV and other renewables on council buildings including schools. Summer 2025Investment Grade Business Cases will identify the optimum technical solution to deliver low carbon heat, as well as the preferred delivery model, including collaboration and partnership working opportunities to deliver large-scale heat networks to provide low carbon heat and cost saving and revenue generation opportunities for the Council. Development of investment grade business cases for 2 potential district heating networks. 1 Paisley central, 1 expansion of AMIDS. March 2026Drive efficiencies within utility usage and therefore have a positive impact on the Councils carbon emissions Looking to expand Building Management Systems to reduce energy use and water use. March 2026 Adaptation Plan - will help to respond to and address the local impacts of climate change and prepare for future climate risks across Renfrewshire area Circular Economy Strategy – will set out a transformational approach to accelerate more sustainable use of resources across the waste hierarchy to reduce emissions associated with resources and waste, and identifying and optimising associated opportunities. Carbon Management Plan - a strategic document outlining RCs approach to reducing carbon emissions. The decisions within the plan will have a significant impact on our ability to meet stated reduction targets and working towards net zero. Develop the following strategies and plans - • Renfrewshire’s Adaptation Plan • Renfrewshire’s Circular Economy Strategy • Renfrewshire Council’s Carbon Management Plan March 2026 A support tool to provide value in determining how decision making will impact emissions, the main climate impacts and benefits of any given decision and measure how these decisions align with our net zero commitment principles in practice and the impact on our targets and progress. Develop Climate Change Impact Assessments process across appropriate projects.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –GREEN FrequencyTargetPerformance Indicator Annual100%Percentage of Council housing stock which meets the Scottish Housing Quality Standard.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –LIVING OUR VALUES When will we do it by? What difference will we make?What will we do? March 2026 The Service Development Team will support EHI services through: A focus on mandatory training for frontline employees through “toolbox talks” A focus on mandatory training for those accessing the network learning platform i-learning Working with Soft FM to develop the pilot project around “job characteristics” to identify training needs within the service We will continue to develop and support our workforce through training and development demonstrating our value as a learning organisation. March 2026 Work, as directed by the Director and Heads of Service, to deliver the improvement actions resulting from the Employee Survey 2024. Lead wider work and promote health and wellbeing across EHI though the Health & Wellbeing Group We will support wider employee health and wellbeing across Environment, Housing, Infrastructure. March 2026 Conduct a thorough review and revision of the EHI Quality, Health and Safety manual and all related documentation to ensure continued alignment with current standards. Roll out a training programme for IOSH Managing Safely to key managers, supervisors and employees across EHI. Conduct six quality, health and safety Internal Audits across Operations and Service Development. We recognise that Health & Safety is an integral part of our business. We will deliver our actions outlined in the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure (EHI) Health & Safety Plan 2025 – 2028.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –LIVING OUR VALUES FrequencyTargetPerformance Indicator QuarterlyTBCAverage number of workdays lost through sickness absence per employee (FTE) (cumulative) Quarterly85%% of Members enquiries completed within timescale Quarterly85%% of frontline resolutions dealt with within timescale Quarterly85%% of complaint investigation completed within timescale Quarterly100%% of FOI request completed within timescale Quarterly100%Training – Percentage of staff training undertaken in relation to qualifications (Public Protection) Quarterly7.5%Gross rent arrears (all tenants) as at 31 March each year as a percentage of rent due for the reporting year Quarterly98%Rent collected as percentage of total rent due in the reporting year Quarterly45 daysAverage length of time taken to re-let properties in the last year (in days) Quarterly1.5%Percentage of rent loss due to voids
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –LIVING OUR VALUES FrequencyTargetPerformance Indicator Annual *see note below % of corporate induction completed within 30 days of starting employment with the Council * Annual *see note below % of mandatory training courses for frontline employees completed * Annual *see note below % of mandatory training courses for employees with access to the Council’s network completed * Annual *see note below % of Personal Development Plans completed * * These are four new indicators. Evaluation of progress will take place midway through 2025/26and this will help inform the creation of targets/ timescales across the whole service. Progress will be reported annually.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Data Strategy: Priority Activities When will we do it by? What difference will we make?What will we do? March 2026 Senior Management visibility ensures data activities will be prioritised. Strategic: We will align service data activities with the Digital Strategy for Renfrewshire objective: Data is a critical asset. Ensure visibility of data activities at Directorate (Director & Head of Service Level) March 2026 Ensure the workforce has appropriate capabilities to improve the effectiveness of our data. Skills: We will identify skills gaps (eg data input, data analysis) and training needs across EHI and address through our Workforce Development plan in line with the Renfrewshire Council People Strategy. December 2025 Increase in data accuracy and improved data available to support services to make data driven decisions. Data Quality: We will review data quality in key business systems and processes and develop an improvement plan. December 2025 Improve how data is presented to decision makers.Analysis: We will further define analysis requirements to improve decision-making and build capabilities locally within services where required. March 2026 Improve access to data within the ERP.ERP: We will work with Corporate Teams to promote and increase the use of standard dashboards as business as usual. March 2026 Our representation at the DAG will ensure data is used collaboratively across services to support the Council’s strategic outcomes. Ensure consistency of approach to data improvement activities. Data Advisory Group (DAG): We will ensure EHI representation at the DAG to ensure our data activities align with the Data Strategy Framework; cross-service data sharing opportunities are identified and that data improvement activities are carried out in a consistent manner across the organisation.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Cross cutting theme When will we do it by? What difference will we make?What will we do? 31 March 2026 We along with our partners will continue to work towards Housing pathways for Care Experienced young people that will include a range of affordable options that are specifically tailored to their needs and preferences. Our overall aim is that all youth homelessness will be eradicated. As a service we will continue to support the work of Renfrewshire’s Promise, the work of Renfrewshire’s Promise Team, Renfrewshire’s Promise Oversight Group and provide active representation on appropriate groups and workstreams. We are committed to raise awareness of ‘The Promise’ within the homeless service and across our teams. Across EHI we will raise awareness and promote Renfrewshire’s “Promise Keeper Network”, “Renfrewshire’s Language Policy”, and encourage our team members to complete “The Promise i-learn” module. As part of our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement we will review our arrangements and practices to ensure we are informed by the needs of our Care Experienced Community We will create opportunities to obtain feedback on our services from existing service users who are Care Experienced. We will support, where applicable, council initiatives around the recruitment of Care Experienced young people into our service. EHI will work towards Keeping The Promise and support our Care Experienced Community. IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ‘Across all of our work and all of our efforts, we hope for loving and happy lives for Renfrewshire’s children – working together to get it right for children, families and communities – protecting, learning, achieving and nurturing. Every priority of this Council Plan will contribute to improving the lives of Renfrewshire’s children and their families. It is our fundamental duty as an organisation and our shared responsibility as citizens of this place to ensure that our children inherit a Renfrewshire where their wellbeing is nurtured, their futures are bright, and their environment is safe and healthy.’
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2025 –28 For more information, please contact: douglas.morrison@renfrewshire.gov.uk