Agenda Document Pack - Communities and Housing Policy Board - 19/08/2025
Renfrewshire Council · 19 August 2025
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 19 August 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
13/08/2025 Notice of Meeting and Agenda Communities and Housing Policy Board Date Time Venue Tuesday, 19 August 2025 13:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Membership Councillor Marie McGurk (Convener): Councillor Robert Innes (Vice Convener): Councillor Jacqueline Cameron: Councillor Graeme Clark: Councillor Carolann Davidson: Councillor Gillian Graham: Councillor John Hood: Councillor James MacLaren: Councillor Kenny MacLaren: Councillor Mags MacLaren: Councillor Colin McCulloch: Councillor Janis McDonald: Councillor Cathy McEwan: Councillor Iain McMillan: Councillor John McNaughtan: Councillor Iain Nicolson: Councillor Emma Rodden: 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. 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 MARK CONAGHAN Head of Corporate Governance
Page 2
13/08/2025 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 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.
Page 3
13/08/2025 Items of business Apologies Apologies from members. Declarations of Interest and Transparency Statements Members are asked to declare an interest or make a transparency statement in any item(s) on the agenda and to provide a brief explanation of the nature of the interest or the transparency statement. 1 Police and Fire & Rescue Services Sub-committee Submit Minute of meeting of the Police and Fire & Rescue Services Sub-committee held on 13 May 2025. 1 - 4 2 General Services Revenue, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Capital Budget Monitoring as at 27 June 2025 Joint report by Director of Finance and Resources & Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 5 - 16 3 Service Update Report Report by Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 17 - 30 4 Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire – Year 4 Update Report by Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 31 - 46 5 Housing Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2025/26 Award of Funding Report by Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 47 - 52 6 Draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026/31 Report by Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 53 - 90 7 Update on Single Voids Team - Year 1 Report by Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 91 - 98 8 Housing Landlord Compliance – Water Safety Policy Report by Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 99 - 120
Page 4
13/08/2025 9 Regulation of Social Housing: Assurance Statement 2025 Report by Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 121 - 154 10 Scottish Government Consultations on the Draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations and the Draft Scope for a Heat & Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment Report by Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 155 - 176 11 Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board Joint Health Protection Plan 2025/27 Report by Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 177 - 250 12 Renfrewshire Council Business Continuity Policy 2025/28 Report by Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 251 - 276 13 Justice Social Work - Care Inspectorate National Review Self-evaluation of performance, quality and outcomes Report by Director of Children’s Services. 277 - 322 14 Community Funding Report by Chief Executive. 323 - 336
Page 5
Minute of Meeting Police and Fire and Rescue Scrutiny Sub-Committee Date Time Venue Tuesday, 13 May 2025 15:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Present: Councillor Mags MacLaren, Councillor Colin McCulloch, Councillor Janis McDonald, Councillor Marie McGurk, Councillor Iain Nicolson Chair Councillor McGurk, Convener, attended. In Attendance G Hannah, Head of Climate, Public Protection & Roads (Environment, Housing & Infrastructure); and Robert Devine, Senior Committee Services Officer and Donna Cunningham, Committee Services and Licensing Officer (both Finance & Resources). Also in Attendance Chief Superintendent R Fraser, Chief Inspector A Marshall and Inspector M Fletcher (all Police Scotland); and Area Commander K Murphy and Group Commander G Hoey (both Scottish Fire and Rescue Service). Webcasting of Meeting Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Sub-committee would be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast on the Council’s internet site. Declarations of Interest and Transparency Statements There were no declarations of interest or transparency statements intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting. Item 1 CHPB190825 Page 1 of 336
Page 6
Police and Fire and Rescue Scrutiny Sub-committee Meeting Updates Prior to the commencement of the meeting, the Head of Climate, Public Protection & Roads advised Members of the Sub-committee that it had been agreed at the meeting of the Council, held on 1 May 2025, that the number of meetings of the Police and Fire and Rescue Scrutiny Sub-committee would be reduced from 5 meetings per year to 4 meetings with the scheduled March meetings no longer taking place. The Convener welcomed Group Commander Gary Hoey, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, to his first meeting of the Police and Fire and Rescue Scrutiny Sub- committee. 1 Police Scotland Spotlight - Hate Crime There was delivered a presentation by Inspector M Fletcher, Police Scotland, Policing Together Division relative to Hate Crime. The presentation included the governing legislation, the legal definition of hate crime and a distinction between hate crime and non-crime hate incidents. DECIDED: That the presentation be noted. 2 Police Scotland - Performance Report There was submitted a report by the Chief Superintendent, Police Scotland, relative to service performance and activities in the Renfrewshire area for the reporting period 1 April 2024 to 28 February 2025. The report summarised the key performance indicators and provided statistics and updates in terms of Renfrewshire’s Policing Priorities 2023/26 and Police Scotland’s Policing Priorities 2023/26. It was highlighted that a series of forthcoming prevention initiatives were planned to be delivered across multiple Renfrewshire schools to highlight awareness of cybercrime and internet safety, equality, diversion and inclusion, adult protection and antisocial behaviour alongside continued efforts on fraud and theft protection. Renfrewshire road policing officers would continue to support national road safety campaigns such as the 2 Wheels Campaign in June, a Summer Drink Drug Drive campaign in June and July and the Drug Driving Week campaign in August 2025. The Chief Superintendent and Chief Inspector were heard in answer to report queries. DECIDED: That the contents of the report and verbal updates be noted. Page 2 of 336
Page 7
3 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service - Performance Report There was submitted a report by the Area Commander, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) relative to SFRS performance and local fire and rescue service plan priorities in the Renfrewshire area during the period 1 January to 31 March 2025. The report provided updates in relation to the Local Fire and Rescue Service Plan Priorities; Renfrewshire activity which included trends and statistics on accidental dwelling fires, deliberate fires, non-domestic fires, unwanted fire alarm signals, home fire safety visits, fire safety enforcement, community safety and road traffic collisions. DECIDED: That the contents of the report and verbal updates be noted. 4 Local Issues There were no local issues raised. DECIDED: That it be noted that there were no local issues raised. Page 3 of 336
Page 8
Page 4 of 336
Page 9
___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Finance and Resources & Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: General Services Revenue, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Capital Budget Monitoring as at 27 June 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 At the close of reporting Period 3 on 27 June 2025, the projected revenue outturn at 31 March 2026 for those services reporting to the Communities and Housing Policy Board, including the Housing Revenue Account, is break-even against the revised budget for the year in General Services and a break-even position in the HRA. 1.2 The projected capital outturn at 31 March 2026 for projects reporting to the Communities and Housing Policy Board, is a break-even position. 1.3 This is summarised over the relevant services in the table below and further analysis is provided in the report and appendices. Revised Annual Budget £000 Projected Outturn £000 Budget Variance (Adv)/Fav £000 Budget Variance % Revenue Housing Revenue Account (HRA) 0 0 0 0.0% Housing – General Services (Non-HRA) 4,653 4,653 0 0.0% Communities and Public Protection 4,711 4,711 0 0.0% Criminal Justice 3,477 3,477 0 0.0% Total 12,841 12,841 0 0.0% Item 2 CHPB190825 Page 5 of 336
Page 10
Revised Annual Budget £000 Projected Outturn £000 Budget Variance (Adv)/Fav £000 Budget Variance % Capital Housing Revenue Account (HRA) 52,836 52,836 0 0.0% Other Housing PSHG 833 833 0 0.0% Total 53,669 53,669 0 0.0% 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: i) notes the projected Revenue outturn break-even position. ii) notes the projected Capital outturn break-even position. iii) notes the budget adjustments detailed at sections 6.3 and 7.2. 3. Revenue Budget Projection – break-even by 31 March 2026 3.1 The tables in Appendix 1 present the projected year-end position for all services reporting to this board, by both subjective analysis (what the budget is spent on) and objective analysis (which division is spending the budget). Significant variances affecting the projected position are analysed further below. 3.2 It should be noted that the projected outturn position reported here is based on the latest information available, which is subject to change during the financial year. Budget holders are obliged to seek mitigating action to minimise significant budget variances. 4. Objective Analysis – Significant Variances 4.1 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) - break-even by 31 March 2026 The HRA is projected to break-even overall in 2025/26. Demand for repairs to HRA premises, including void properties, is still currently expected to be managed within the revised budget levels. 4.2 Housing – General Services (Non-HRA) – break-even by 31 March 2026 The projected outturn for Homelessness within Housing – General Services (Non-HRA), continues to be a challenge in this financial year. Demand on services is currently being managed within existing resources, including additional dedicated staff, being supported through migration and asylum funding streams allocated to the Council by the UK and Scottish Governments. Page 6 of 336
Page 11
The increase in homeless applications during the current year in Renfrewshire continues to create additional, potentially longer-term, financial pressures for Council services. The service has had to increase the number of available temporary accommodation rooms, though the increased costs are currently being managed within the income recovered. Projections of these pressures will continue to be reviewed and reported to future Communities and Housing Policy Boards as required. 4.3 Communities and Public Protection - break-even by 31 March 2026 A minor overspend on trainee costs will be offset by various minor underspends across the service. Overall, the service is projected to break even at year-end. 5. Subjective Analysis – Significant Variances GENERAL SERVICES (excluding HRA) 5.1 Premises Related – (£0.260m) overspend by 31 March 2026 The overspend is because of the continuing high demand for Homeless Services and the requirement for more properties than expected. However, this extra cost is managed within the overall budget by additional rental income recoveries. The number of people needing help from Homeless Services will continue to be closely monitored throughout the year. If the demand continues to remain high, the expenditure and income budgets will be adjusted accordingly. 5.2 Transfer Payments – (£0.133m) overspend by 31 March 2026 The projected overspend is mainly due to a likely increase in bad debt within the Homeless Service by the end of the year. This is partly because more properties are being used, as mentioned above. The cost of empty properties (known as voids) is also included in this budget and will continue to be carefully tracked throughout the year. 5.3 Income – £0.353m over-recovery by 31 March 2026 As more temporary accommodation properties are being used than originally forecast, the amount of income recovered is expected to go up. If this trend continues, the expenditure and income budgets will require to be updated during the year to reflect the changes in demand for properties as noted above. Page 7 of 336
Page 12
HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) 5.4 Employees – £0.365m underspend by 31 March 2026 The projected underspend in Employee costs reflects the level of turnover, timing of recruitment and the level of vacancies across the service, in particular within the Housing Management Area. Additional costs associated with the Single Voids Team are being managed within the overall budget this year. This underspend is assisting with managing the pressures within the overall budget. This will continue to be closely monitored, and budget adjustments will be considered for the next report. 5.5 Premises Related costs – (£0.530m) overspend by 31 March 2026 The level of demand for Repairs and Maintenance of HRA Properties remains high, especially within Void properties. Additional focus continues on this area to analyse ongoing demand levels. All premises related costs, including utilities and estate management, are subject to demand fluctuations, and will continue to be closely monitored throughout the year. 5.6 Income – £0.130m over-recovery by 31 March 2026 Interest received on HRA Reserves has been above budget in recent years and is expected to over-recover again this year. While this is subject to many external factors, this will assist with managing the pressures within the overall budget. 6. Revenue Budget Virements 6.1. Under the Council’s financial regulations, Directors, and their nominated officers, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Resources, have certain delegated authority to transfer sums between subjective budget headings within a service division to enable budget management throughout the financial year. This is known as ‘budget virement’. 6.2. Transfers between divisions of the same service / department in excess of £100,000, and transfers between services / departments must be authorised by the respective service Director and the Director of Finance and Resources for submission to the relevant policy board for approval. 6.3. The Policy and Partnerships division of the Chief Executives Service is delivering the Connected Communities service redesign under the Transforming Renfrewshire programme. The division delivers services which report to both the Communities and Housing Policy Board and Leadership Board. Page 8 of 336
Page 13
For reporting purposes, the employee costs of the former Community Learning and Development (CLD) team have been consolidated into the Policy and Partnerships employee costs, which will continue to report to the Leadership Board with the remit of the CLD team and the Community Partnerships team continuing to report to this board, as per the CLD update reported to this board on 13 May 2025 and as part of the Reshaping Renfrewshire update reported to Leadership Board on 18 June 2025. The Board is therefore asked to note the following virement to reflect this realignment of budgets into the Policy and Partnership team. Revenue Budget Adjustments Objective Heading Subjective Heading Amount (£m) Reason Communities and Public Protection Employees (1.134) Transfer of employee costs budgets under the Connected Communities service restructure to Policy and Partnership team. Transfer Payments (0.009) (1.143) 7. Capital Budget Projection – break-even position by 31 March 2026 7.1 The Non-Housing Capital Investment Programme 2025/26 to 2029/30 was approved by the Council on 27 February 2025. For Communities and Housing Service the revised capital spend for 2025/26 is £53.669m. 7.2 The in-year Capital budget is forecast to break even by 31 March 2026, following a budget adjustment between years that has taken place to reflect revised programming of some capital projects. Details of the £8.417m adjustment are as follows: Capital Budget Adjustments Project Amount (£m) Reason Improvements to Existing Properties (4.100) Reprofiling to 2026/27 due to later than originally anticipated start dates for two projects. Regeneration (3.400) Reprofiling to 2026/27 to reflect revised start dates for refurbishments within the regeneration areas in particular works for Broomlands and Howard Street. Page 9 of 336
Page 14
Capital Budget Adjustments Project Amount (£m) Reason Council House New Build (1.000) Reprofiling to 2026/27 due to later than originally anticipated start dates no change to the overall construction cost. Private Sector Housing Grant 0.083 Budget adjustments between years has taken place, to reflect revised profiling mainly in relation to Disabled Adaptations. Total (8.417) Implications of the Report 1. Financial The projected budget outturn position for the Communities and Housing Revenue budget is break-even at 31 March 2026. Income and expenditure will continue to be monitored closely for the rest of the financial year and as far as possible, steps will be taken to mitigate any overspend. The projected outturn position for Communities and Housing Services Capital budget is break-even, after the adjustments outlined in section 7. 2. HR & Organisational Development While staffing budgets form a significant proportion of the Council’s revenue budgets, there are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 3. Community/Council Planning Community Plan Our Renfrewshire is thriving The Council’s revenue and capital spend ensures that its facilities are fit for purpose and safe for the community, to maximise accessibility. Our Renfrewshire is well Our Renfrewshire is fair Our Renfrewshire is safe Council Plan Reshaping our place, our economy, and our future The Council’s revenue and capital spend ensures that its facilities are fit for purpose and safe for the community, to maximise accessibility. Building strong, safe, and resilient communities Page 10 of 336
Page 15
Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all Creating a sustainable Renfrewshire for all to enjoy Ongoing revenue and capital budget monitoring is a tool to enable good financial management so that the Council has resources now and in the future for continued service delivery. Working together to improve outcomes 4. Legal There are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 5. Property/Assets The capital expenditure noted in this report will result in lifecycle maintenance improvements to existing properties and replacement of ICT assets and infrastructure. 6. Information Technology ICT assets and revenue costs are included within these reported budgets, and the costs associated with the replacement of the Housing Management system will have both an ongoing revenue and capital budget impact. 7. Equality & Human Rights While new areas of spend may impact on particular groups, any such impact would be assessed prior to the spend being incurred, therefore there are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 8. Health & Safety The capital expenditure noted in this report will result in lifecycle maintenance improvements to existing properties and replacement of ICT assets, which may in some cases rectify health and safety issues. 9. Procurement While Procurement is an important consideration prior to the Council incurring any revenue or capital spend, there are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 10. Risk The potential financial risk that the Council will overspend its approved revenue budgets for the year is managed at a Council-wide level by the Chief Executive and Directors. Page 11 of 336
Page 16
11. Privacy Impact There are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 12. Cosla Policy Position N/a. 13. Children’s Rights There are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 14. Climate Change The Council aims to reduce its carbon and other emissions to net zero by 2030, however there are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. List of Background Papers Housing Revenue Account Budget & Rent Levels 2025/26 and Housing Capital Investment Plan 2025/26 to 2029/30, Council 27 February 2025. Non-housing Capital Investment Programme, Prudential Framework and Treasury Management Strategy, and Capital Strategy 2025/26 – 2029/30, Council 27 February 2025. Author: John Kilpatrick, Finance Business Partner; Geoff Borland, Finance Manager. Page 12 of 336
Page 17
RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING STATEMENT 2025/26 1 April 2025 to 27 June 2025 POLICY BOARD: COMMUNITIES AND HOUSING - All SERVICES Objective Summary Approved Annual Budget Budget Adjustments Revised Annual Budget at Period 3 Projected Outturn Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 % Housing Revenue Account (HRA) 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Housing - General Services (Not HRA) 4,606 47 4,653 4,653 0 0.0% Communities and Public Protection (including Regulatory Services) 5,861 (1,150) 4,711 4,711 0 0.0% Criminal Justice 3,405 72 3,477 3,477 0 0.0% NET EXPENDITURE 13,872 (1,031) 12,841 12,841 0 0.0% Page 13 of 336
Page 18
RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING STATEMENT 2025/26 1 April 2025 to 27 June 2025 POLICY BOARD: COMMUNITIES AND HOUSING - GENERAL SERVICES (excluding HRA) Subjective Summary Approved Annual Budget Budget Adjustments Revised Annual Budget at Period 3 Projected Outturn Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employees 10,992 414 11,406 11,385 21 0.2% Premises Related 2,482 88 2,570 2,830 (260) (10.1%) Transport Related 179 31 210 204 6 2.9% Supplies and Services 4,236 683 4,919 4,904 15 0.3% Third Party Payments 87 0 87 87 0 0.0% Transfer Payments 4,026 200 4,226 4,359 (133) (3.1%) Support Services 53 0 53 55 (2) (3.8%) Depreciation and Impairment Losses 52 0 52 52 0 0.0% GROSS EXPENDITURE 22,107 1,416 23,523 23,876 (353) (1.5%) Income (8,235) (2,447) (10,682) (11,035) 353 3.3% NET EXPENDITURE 13,872 (1,031) 12,841 12,841 0 0.0% Page 14 of 336
Page 19
RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING STATEMENT 2025/26 1 April 2025 to 27 June 2025 POLICY BOARD : COMMUNITIES, HOUSING AND PLANNING SERVICES - Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Only Subjective Summary Approved Annual Budget Budget Adjustments Revised Annual Budget at Period 3 Projected Outturn Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employees 12,279 (46) 12,233 11,868 365 3.0% Premises Related 24,143 127 24,270 24,800 (530) (2.2%) Transport Related 54 0 54 59 (5) (9.3%) Supplies and Services 944 25 969 955 14 1.4% Third Party Payments 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Transfer Payments 6,719 20 6,739 6,719 20 0.3% Support Services 3,333 (46) 3,287 3,281 6 0.2% Depreciation and Impairment Losses 18,205 0 18,205 18,205 0 0.0% GROSS EXPENDITURE 65,677 80 65,757 65,887 (130) (0.2%) Income (65,677) (80) (65,757) (65,887) 130 0.2% NET EXPENDITURE 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% Page 15 of 336
Page 20
Prior Years Approved Budget Revised Projected Total Approved Projected Expenditure Budget Adjustments Budget Outturn Budget Outurn to 31/03/2025 2025-26 2025-26 2025-26 to 31-Mar-30 to 31-Mar-30 Project Title £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 HOUSING(HRA) Improvements To Existing Properties 0 27,777 (4,100) 23,677 23,677 0 0% 119,092 119,092 0 0% Regeneration 14,434 19,264 (3,400) 15,864 15,864 0 0% 128,128 128,128 0 0% Other Assets 0 3,779 0 3,779 3,779 0 0% 16,133 16,133 0 0% Non Property Expenditure 0 700 0 700 700 0 0% 700 700 0 0% Council House New Build 43,297 7,641 (1,000) 6,641 6,641 0 0% 75,001 75,001 0 0% Professional Fees 0 2,175 0 2,175 2,175 0 0% 11,109 11,109 0 0% Total Housing (HRA) Programme 57,731 61,336 (8,500) 52,836 52,836 0 0% 350,163 350,163 0 0% HOUSING(PSHG) Private Sector Housing Grant 0 750 83 833 833 0 0% 4,433 4,433 0 0% Total Housing (PSHG) Programme 0 750 83 833 833 0 0% 4,433 4,433 0 0% TOTAL COMMUNITIES, HOUSING & PLANNING BOARD 57,731 62,086 (8,417) 53,669 53,669 0 0% 354,596 354,596 0 0% *Rolling programmes have a prior year year expenditure of £0 as the expenditure is not directly linked from one year to the next as a singular project. Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY 1st April to 27th June 2025 POLICY BOARD: COMMUNITES & HOUSING Current Year 2025-26 Full Programme - All years Page 16 of 336
Page 21
____________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 _________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure __________________________________________________________________ Heading: Service Update Report __________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report provides and overview of key service activities, an operational performance update since the last Policy Board meeting on the services and key projects and updates on any other relevant changes to service areas covered within the remit of this Board. __________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: - 2.1 Note the contents of this report. Updates for Communities and Housing Policy Board 3. Housing Services 3.1 Housing Management Neighbourhood Environmental Training Team (NETT) 3.1.1 The Neighbourhood Environmental Training Team (NETT) are now fully operational, following the successful expansion from two to four squads earlier this year. 3.1.2 All four squads are now active and delivering environmental support across the four council housing areas: Paisley North, Paisley South, Renfrew, and Johnstone with a flexible, responsive approach. Item 3 CHPB190825 Page 17 of 336
Page 22
3.1.3 The new 4 on / 4 off shift pattern has been implemented, enabling 7-day service delivery across neighbourhoods, enhancing visibility, responsiveness, and overall impact. 3.1.4 An initial review is scheduled for mid – August to evaluate the progress of the service expansion. This review will focus on identifying initial benefits, challenges ad insights gained. We will gather feedback from officers, key services and tenants as part of the process. 3.1.5 The increase in the number of NETT trainees from 20 to 38 has resulted in positive employability outcomes. All trainees have received training and certifications in Health and Safety, Manual Handling, and First Aid along with gaining hands-on- experience with maintenance equipment. This programme supports individuals in their career journeys while improving the community’s environment. The model continues to be effective, allowing for ongoing entry of clients from Invest in Renfrewshire. 3.1.6 An award application has been submitted to COSLA on behalf of the NETT in the category of ‘Improving Partnership Working’. This submission highlights the collaboration between Housing Services, Neighbourhood Services, and Invest in Renfrewshire. It also demonstrates how these teams have successfully worked together to improve outcomes for the local community. Income Advice 3.1.7 Information from advice interviews at the end of June 2025 confirms that over 1,824 income advice cases involved households from Council tenancies this financial year. During these interviews staff assess any entitlements to assistance that are due and support people to access benefits they are eligible for, alongside giving advice on all money matters and budgeting. 3.1.8 There are several sources of additional assistance accessed which can include universal credit/housing benefit attendance allowance and disability payment, food vouchers and many more, full details of which were shared with members of the policy board following the meeting in March. 3.1.9 In monetary terms this equates to £3,133,025 between April 2025 and June this year. 3.1.10 Between April 2025 and June 2025 there have been 52 tenants referred for Tenant Support Fund assessment, which have the added value of full income assessment and advice provision. Of the referrals 30 have engaged with Specialist Income Advisors and 30 have qualified for assistance from the fund. Anti-Social Behaviour App 3.1.11 The ASB App is a digital method of reporting and recording antisocial behaviour in real time and offers an additional means of reporting, particularly out with office hours. This is not a standalone tool but is intended to complement existing resources and appropriate evidence can be used to strengthen investigations nor is it a replacement for agencies that are available to witness and tackle antisocial behaviour in the communities e.g. Police Scotland, Community Safety Wardens, Noise Enforcement Officers. Page 18 of 336
Page 23
3.1.12 Housing Services, following the initial pilot, can now offer use of the Anti-Social Behaviour app (the ASB app) to our tenants across Renfrewshire. 3.1.13 Cases are assessed on an individual basis with strict criteria applied for use of the app. Housing Officers will consider whether there are ongoing issues that have been slow to resolve, whether the layout of the building would restrict the number of potential witness and if neighbours are unwilling to offer corroboration, for a variety of reasons. Complainers are still encouraged to report antisocial behaviour using the agencies available to witness disturbances as and when they occur, e.g. Community Safety Wardens. 3.1.14 Each of the four local area housing teams has a trained “super-user” who will support Housing Officers using the app. Guidance has been issued on criteria, managing customer expectations and handling audio/visual images, as agreed with Legal Services. 3.1.15 As the local housing area teams are now using the ASB app at an operational level, the Council’s website has been updated to reflect this, thus ensuring we are being transparent and using the system overtly. 3.1.16 A demonstration of the ASB app for elected members will be conducted over Teams on 8 September 2025. Invites will shortly be issued to elected members. 3.2 Housing Innovation Project (HIP) 3.2.1 The Housing Innovation Project to replace the housing management ICT systems continues to progress well. The project team have participated in a steady stream of workshops alongside the system supplier (NEC) as we continue to design and build the modules to Renfrewshire’s requirements. 3.2.2 The Project remains on track to complete our solution build for Phase 1 by September 2025. This build incorporates the Allocations, Anti-Social Behaviour, Customer Services, Estates, Housing Advice, Property Lifecycle, Rents, Service Charge and Support Services modules. 3.2.3 A short life working group has been set up to fully assess the needs for Phase 2, with the expectation being that this working group concludes by September 2025. 3.3 Homeless & Housing Support Services Homeless Services 3.3.1 As reported to the Policy Board meeting in May, the number of homeless applications remained the same in 2024/25 as in the previous year. 3.3.2 The first 4 months of this financial year however has seen a further increase in homelessness with 22% more applications compared to the same period last year. The main reasons for homelessness continue to be ‘relationship breakdown’ and ‘friends/ family no longer willing to accommodate’. Page 19 of 336
Page 24
Other influencing factors behind both the increase and the reasons for homelessness include : the impact of the cost of living crisis, the pause placed on the ‘local connection’ test which previously prevented households presenting to Council areas they had no connection with, a reduction in the size / accessibility / affordability of the private rented sector, as well as an increase in the number of people granted refugee status or humanitarian protection rights. This increase in applications is understandably again presenting significant challenges in terms of the provision of temporary accommodation 3.3.3 Our stock of furnished temporary accommodation is therefore now being further increased in order to minimise the use of hotel accommodation, and homeless services are working closely with local area housing teams and RSL’s to match applicants to suitable tenancies as quickly as possible. 3.3.4 Officers will continue to monitor the number of homeless applications to establish whether the increase experienced in the first 4 months of this financial year is going to be a continuing trend and a full detailed report on homelessness in Renfrewshire will be brought to the next Policy Board meeting. Sheltered Housing 3.3.5 A full programme of events and activities are in place for the summer months, and a new hub / office has been established at Gallacher Court in Paisley for the Sheltered & Amenity Housing Manager and her team, which also provides a private meeting space for discussions with sheltered residents and/or their relatives. Refugee Resettlement Team 3.3.6 The Refugee Resettlement Team is now registered with the Care Inspectorate - an important milestone in ensuring good service standards, quality assurance checks and service development. 3.3.7 The new Health and Wellbeing team which has now been established within the service is co-designing a wellbeing programme to support holistic integration and mental health, with proposed activities including: Maternal Mental Health Group Open Art Studio Men’s and Women’s Groups Befriending Support One-to-One Sessions International Lunch Clubs 3.3.8 To mark Refugee Week, a successful ‘Community Connect’ event was held on Saturday, 12 June at The Lagoon. The event brought together a wide range of local organisations - including The Scouts, Boys Brigade, Girls Brigade, St Mirren FC Juniors, arts and gardening groups, and ethnic minority support services alongside members of the refugee community. Page 20 of 336
Page 25
Housing Support Update 3.3.9 Demand for housing support remains consistently high, with a 10% increase during Q1 of 2025/26 compared to the same period last year, and a 30% increase from Q1 of 2023/24. The team is currently receiving an average of over 100 new referrals per month. 3.3.10 A newly commissioned service launched in June in partnership with the RCA Trust. ‘Opening Doors’ will provide enhanced support for individuals affected by gambling and alcohol that impact their ability to maintain tenancies. The RCA Trust was formerly known as the Renfrewshire Council on Alcohol. 3.4 Housing Asset and Investment Externals Improvement Works 3.4.1 The focus of the external improvement works programme continues to be targeted at the housing regeneration areas as well as 230 properties requiring roof replacement and standard render in Johnstone Castle, Foxbar and the Villages (Lochwinnoch and Bridge of Weir). Improvements to a further 169 “crosswall (i.e. hard to treat non-traditional construction)” properties are also being developed. ‘Crosswall’ is an archetype of non-traditional construction which requires a particular approach to any external improvements. 3.4.2 A separate window installation programme is also running in parallel with these programmes in seven of the eight regeneration areas and in other investment areas across our housing stock. Gallowhill and Glencairn Courts – Ground Source Heat Array 3.4.3 All tenants at the above blocks have now been informed that the contractor Kensa have been appointed to commence works to install ground source heating. Over the coming year this installer will replace gas heating at all properties and upgrade radiators and install new heat pumps. This is one of the first projects of its kind in Scotland which has been supported with a Scottish Government grant of £1.8m. Houston Place Elderslie – Air source heating 3.4.4 Eight terraced houses at Houston Place have had air source heating systems installed as well as new roofs, rainwater goods, porches and high levels of external wall insulation and new kitchens. These modern, environmentally efficient heating systems have replaced gas central heating systems which will result in tenants saving on standing charges. The Scottish Government provided grant support of £254k for this project. Internal Improvement Works 3.4.5 Our appointed contractor Bell Group have completed surveys for 157 properties identified for kitchen/bathroom/rewire upgrades. 53 properties have now had one or more of these installations completed to date with the remaining properties due to complete towards the end of the year. Page 21 of 336
Page 26
3.4.6 Building Services have been recruiting staff to deliver a planned annual programme of 360 kitchen installations and 720 boiler upgrades over the next four years and initial survey assessments of properties are expected to commence in the next few months. 3.4.7 A tender was issued on 26 June to procure a contractor to deliver a larger contract to install approximately 3,200 kitchens, bathroom, rewire installations over the next four years. Housing Repairs Service Re-design 3.4.8 Housing Services have engaged the Project Management Unit to carry out a review of the housing repairs service, particularly the functions undertaken by the repairs team within housing services, which include property inspections, issuing work, owner processes, damp and mould processes, planned maintenance, complaint and enquiry handling, The transformation model will go through 5 stages within a targeted 18-week period. 1. Prepare 2. Diagnose 3. Design 4. Implement 5. Sustain and Control. 3.4.9 The transformation model will focus on the streamlining of the repairs and maintenance operations, maximise value and encourage continuous improvement. This will be achieved by performing a series of activities within each stage through the perspectives of: Tenant Experience Process Efficiency and End to End Flow Performance Management Service and Skills Mindset and Behaviours 3.4.10 An update on progress will be provided to the Policy Board in the next Service Update report. 3.5 Regeneration Update Newbuild Projects 3.5.1 The new build housing development at Gallowhill commenced on site on Monday 4 August, following receipt of Scottish Water technical approval on 18 July. The project will see 65 units being constructed on the site adjacent to Glencairn Court which will be a mix of cottages flats and houses which will include 5-bedroom properties. The development is expected to take 18 months to complete with first handovers anticipated Spring 2026. 3.5.2 Discussions are ongoing with Scottish Water for the Technical Approvals for the Howwood Road new build housing development, with surveys and calculations being carried out and provided as requested by Scottish Water. Page 22 of 336
Page 27
4 Public Protection PREVENT Assurance Process 4.1 PREVENT is the UK government strategy aimed at stopping people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It focuses on early intervention and safeguarding to divert individuals away from radicalisation and extremism. The Council has had partnership arrangements in place for a number of years to ensure a coordinated approach to this area with colleagues in Police, NHS and HSCP in particular. 4.1.1 Each Council across the UK has been audited by the Home Office with Renfrewshire receiving very positive feedback from an audit carried out in the Summer of 2025. The audit highlighted that the Council is meeting all requirements of legislation and guidance and is actually exceeding the standard in some criteria. The following strengths were highlighted as part of the audit process. Senior oversight and Prevent partnership – there are strong governance structures in place to ensure the Local Authority senior management is well informed and Prevent features in multiple organisational and multi-agency forums allowing for appropriate reporting. Training – Prevent training is mandatory for all staff and hosted on the Local Authority learning platform ensuring the workforce is aware of their statutory duty, with other authorities now adopting our training model. Additional training is delivered to staff in schools, children’s homes, charities and community organisations and dedicated training to school staff will be extended out over 2025/2026 to all teaching staff Referral pathway – there is clear information available to staff about how to put a referral in utilising internal web pages and an external webpage to direct members of the public on how to report concerns. This includes contact details for the Local Authority. 4.1.2 The Home Office has recommended formalising arrangements in relation to a venue hire policy to ensure Council and partner venues continue to adopt best practice, and also to further enhance risk assessment methods and ensure recording around risks which are recorded dynamically. 4.2 Environmental Health Radon Compliance Monitoring Programme 4.2.1 Officers have been progressing the radon monitoring programme, as detailed within the Board Paper approved at the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board on 21 May 2025. 4.2.2 Radon monitors were sent, direct from the UK Health Security Agency to 292 Council tenancies during mid-June with monitors also being deployed by Environmental Health staff within a number of Council buildings and schools located within radon affected areas (monitors have also been deployed within relevant One Ren premises). Page 23 of 336
Page 28
4.2.3 Staff within Housing Services contacted tenants to confirm they have received the monitors, have deployed them within their home and assisted tenants who requested this. Feedback from the calls indicated the majority of tenants have deployed the monitors within their homes and it is anticipated that a strong rate of return will be achieved. 4.2.4 The monitors require to be left in place for three months, thereafter, being returned to the UKHSA for analysis with results being issued six to eight weeks after this. Upon receipt, the results will be evaluated, with appropriate follow up actions being undertaken as required. Results of the monitoring will also be communicated to tenants and duty holders within Council buildings. Dried up Private Water Supply support 4.2.5 There are 97 private water supplies within Renfrewshire. These supplies draw water from wells, boreholes, springs, and surface sources to serve rural homes and commercial premises where access to the main Scottish Water network is limited or unfeasible. Some private water supplies, particularly springs and surface water supplies, are susceptible to running dry through periods when there is a lack of rainfall. When this happens, residents are left with no water to drink, cook with, wash or flush toilets. In recognition of this, the Scottish Government have, over recent years, operated a scheme with Scottish Water to supply local authorities with bottled water for distribution to residents should their supply run dry. This was brought into operation earlier this year following the driest start to a year since 1964. As per guidance issued by the Scottish Government, letters were issued to all residential properties that use a private water supply to make them aware that bottled water would be available if their supply dried up. Commercial users of affected private supplies were specifically excluded from this support. 4.2.6 Throughout May, bottled water was delivered to 5 properties that had run dry, providing a source of water for cooking, drinking and washing to 10 adults and 6 children. Each property was supplied with 240 litres of water, resulting in more than 1,200 litres of water being delivered. 4.2.7 Two pallets of bottled water are currently held by the Service should there be any further periods of drought which impacts private supplies. However, the latest water scarcity report from SEPA indicates Renfrewshire is currently under “normal conditions” and is not likely to experience any further water scarcity in the short term. 4.3 Trading Standards 4.3.1 The Single Use Vapes ban came into force on Sunday 1 June 2025. As outlined in the Board Paper in March 2025, this legislation is the first in a staged process to restrict the sale and use of tobacco and vaping products across the UK. This first piece of legislation bans the supply of singe use vaping products, primarily to mitigate the environmental impact of these products, which – while recyclable – have been treated as disposable. This has resulted in littering, environmental contamination, wasted limited resources (lithium) and fires in waste vehicles/sites due to improper disposal. Page 24 of 336
Page 29
4.3.2 While the legislation does not impose a statutory duty on the Local Authority to enforce the provisions, the Trading Standards Team have nevertheless prioritised this activity alongside their existing duties. All 240 businesses registered to sell vaping products were provided with business advice by email prior to the implementation date. This includes online sellers, and trade suppliers. 4.3.3 The bulk of products on the market were engineered to comply well ahead of the ban. The team have only had 5 complaints to date, and all have been unsubstantiated, e.g. consumers have mis-identified legal products as single use products. 4.3.4 Legislation around the safety and description of all vaping products is unaffected by this ban, and as such the Team continue to recover re-usable product which is illegal for the UK market. Identified non-compliance is followed up, and compliance is sought through advice, support and enforcement where necessary. Community Support 4.3.5 Three days of action took place by officers from The Wardens Service. One took place around cemeteries in Elderslie where complaints had been received regarding dog walkers using the grounds to exercise dogs often resulting in dog fouling being reported. Officers from our Open Spaces & Parks teams joined enforcement officers explaining that dogs are not permitted off-lead in any of our cemeteries and the negative impact of dog fouling on families and visitors. 4.3.6 The second day of action took place across Renfrewshire, with Officers from the Warden Service working in conjunction with officers across Regulatory Services to focus on issues of environmental crime. Officers focused their efforts in areas identified through intelligence and three fixed penalties were issued. 4.3.7 Alongside colleagues from Finance & Resources, Officers targeted the misuse of disabled blue badges within Paisley Town Centre and several additional areas. It is intended that these exercises will continue throughout the rest of this year. 5 Connected Communities Service Update Volunteers’ Event 5.1.1 Adult and Family Learning Services held their first Volunteer Recruitment Event at Southend Action Centre on Wednesday 4th June 2025 which coincided with Volunteers’ Week. 30 members of the public came along to find out what volunteering opportunities were available in the Renfrewshire area. Adult and Family learning Services, Bipolar Scotland, Community input, Engage Renfrewshire, Invest Renfrewshire, One Ren, Paisley Thread Museum, Renfrewshire Carers Centre, Roar, Stronger Communities Glenburn, Team up to Clean up, Wise Group, White Cart Credit Union and West College Scotland all spoke to members of the public and highlighted what volunteering opportunities were on offer as well as providing additional support when required. Science Centre Visits 5.1.2 Glasgow Science Centre once again kindly gifted the Adult and Family Learning Team some tickets, transport and lunch at their venue in July. Page 25 of 336
Page 30
A group of 15 men from the Mens’ Groups in Johnstone and Glenburn attended one day and families from Bargarran attended on another. All participants had a chance to take part in scientific workshops and have a good look around the Centre. It is something that the adults in particular would be unlikely to do without this support. Family Learning Summer Sessions 5.1.3 Summer Family Learning Sessions took place in Bargarran, West Johnstone, Foxlea, Southend and Moorpark. This particularly targeted low income and ESOL families and a variety of activities were enjoyed by all participants including STEM, nature and sports. Nutritious lunches were also provided with the parents and children preparing these together to learn about food sustainability. Partnership with St Charles Primary 5.1.4 Adult and Family Learning Services have been working in collaboration with St. Charles Primary School staff, parents, and children. The staff, children and parents visited Southend Action Centre and took part in a wide variety of topics. International Women’s Day, aspects of the world and their own environment, expression of art, intergenerational work, creative and physical challenges. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) were demonstrated on a weekly basis. 218 children, 20 parents and staff. This was made possible with our previous work with parents from the school taking part in the Talk Learn and Do Course. As a direct result of this partnership working, families are now participating in a range of events at Southend Action Centre. ESOL 5.1.5 The Adult Learning team have continued to work with partners to support ESOL delivery and resettlement over the summer period. This include delivery of ESOL sessions as part of Sewing 2Gether All Nations Language Café sessions. Work was also undertaken to support local groups including the Glencairn ESOL Conversation Group who enjoyed a trip to the Kelpies. Safe Kids Event 5.1.6 The Youth Team successfully delivered the annual Safe Kids event over a three- week period from 13th to 29th May. This community safety initiative is aimed at all Primary 6 pupils across Renfrewshire. This year, the event was hosted at St Mirren Football Club and welcomed over 1,900 children. Based on feedback from previous years, we brought together a wide range of partners to deliver engaging and informative workshops. These included. British Transport Police Police Scotland Scottish Fire & Rescue Alcoholics Anonymous Road Safety ASB Youth Team Civil Contingencies NHS 24 Page 26 of 336
Page 31
St Andrew’s First Aid / Heart Start Youth Services (Young & Equally Safe) Celebrating Renfrewshire Youth Fund 5.1.7 CLD continued to support the Celebrating Renfrewshire Youth Fund, working closely with the Youth Steering Group to promote the voting process. Young people were encouraged to vote for the projects they felt deserved funding. Voting closed on 2nd July, followed by an announcement event that showcased all the successful projects from across Renfrewshire. Youth Summer Camps 5.1.8 Over the summer holidays, CLD Youth Services partnered with Street Stuff to deliver free summer camps, funded through Fairer Renfrewshire. A total of 700 spaces were made available across six venues over five weeks. The camps were initially offered to low-income households or from service referrals, with remaining spaces opened to the wider public. 5.1.9 Children and young people took part in a mix of sports and youth work and arts activities at the following venues: 5.1.10 Gallowhill Primary, Glencoats Primary, St Paul’s Primary, Linwood High School, West Johnstone Campus and St James Primary (Renfrew) 5.1.11 An evaluation of the programme will be undertaken as part of the wider Summer of Fun project and will be reported to board at a later date. P7–S1 Transition Events 5.1.12 The CLD ASB Youth Team delivered transition day events for P7 pupils moving into S1 at Johnstone High, Paisley Grammar, and Castlehead. These sessions focused on key issues such as knife crime and the impact of antisocial behaviour in schools and local communities. 5.1.13 The content was tailored to reflect local concerns, including in relation to public transport issues. The sessions also addressed discrimination particularly racial discrimination and highlighted the importance of mutual respect among pupils. Young and Equally Safe 5.1.14 Young and Equally Safe in Renfrewshire is delivered by Renfrewshire Council’s Youth Services in partnership with Children’s Services and Education Scotland hosted “Action for Change” Youth Assembly in Paisley Town Hall on 3rd June. The event brought together 235 young people, youth workers and education professionals from local authorities across Scotland to engage in interactive sessions around gender-based violence. Young people formed practical strategies to advance gender equity and community safety and inspire peer-led action and community engagement. The Keynote speaker was Jackson Katz, co-founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention and leading educator/activist on positive masculinity, who emphasises the critical role of everyone, but especially men and boys in preventing gender-based violence. Page 27 of 336
Page 32
The Climate Change Champions 5.1.15 The Climate Change Champions won in environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Young Reporters for the Environment competition. They won the top prize in the environmental journalism competition in the 15 to 18 yrs category for their “Closed loop recycling, a visit to ENVA”. 5.1.16 Young people and local partners from across Renfrewshire came together in June for EcoNet, a one-day climate action and sustainability event being held at the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley. Organised by the Climate Change Champions in Renfrewshire, the event explored key themes including green careers, sustainability, and climate action networking. The young organisers worked with Renfrewshire Council’s Youth Services, Keep Scotland Beautiful and the RenCan Hub to co-design the day of workshops, a learning marketplace, and a green careers panel. West Partnership Youth Voice Ambassadors 5.1.17 West Partnership Youth Voice Ambassadors is a collaboration supported by Community Learning and Development Youth Work Teams from local authorities across the West of Scotland: Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire, Glasgow City and East Dunbartonshire. This approach is underpinned by the youth work outcomes and UNCRC. They held an inspiring exhibition showcasing the work of the dedicated young people who researched important local issues, with a focus on social justice and equality. The young people presented their final projects and received their Participatory Democracy Certificates in recognition of their hard work and commitment. Promise Champs 5.1.18 Youth Services continue to support the Promise Champs to design and deliver their Youth-Led Programmes which have included re-designing spaces, gardens and rooms for young people who are care-experienced. There have been arts projects with Mary Russell pupils attending the Sculpture House, and the Soundplay Studio in Glasgow, and the community murals in Seedhill. 5.1.19 The summer programme has also included trips including to the Zoo, picnics in the park and seaside. The first Youthy Fest was held for children and young people and their families which provided ice-cream, food stalls, workshops, “animal man”, laser quest, and other exciting workshop activities. EVOLVE Ukrainian group 5.1.20 The EVOLVE Ukrainian group have taken part in bike maintenance and taking part in a cycle trip on refurbished bikes and looking forward to the summer DofE expedition training. They also held a stall exhibiting their work with the Evolve programme at the Resettlement Team’s Refugee event ‘Community as a superhero’ in June at the Lagoon Centre. The young people spoke to the families and young people and recruited for their group They have gained the confidence to host their own Folk and Art event in Paisley for young people and families. Activities included traditional Ukrainian arts and crafts: motanka doll making, clay crafting, jewellery, badgemaking and T-shirt making. Page 28 of 336
Page 33
5.2 Team Up to Clean Up 5.2.1 Team Up to Clean Up was recognised as having recorded the highest number of litter picks during Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Big Spring Clean 2025 campaign. Of the 2,763 litter picks carried out across Scotland by 34,027 participants, 262 took place in Renfrewshire, with 312 local volunteers taking part. Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Chief Executive visited Renfrewshire to present the award, which was warmly welcomed on-site by the relevant personnel, and by the Team Up to Clean Up online community. 5.2.2 Renfrewshire also delivered its own Big Spring Clean from 22 April (following the Easter school holidays) to 30 May. During this period, 601 volunteers took part in 505 events, collecting 1,587 bags of litter and vegetation. Participants included 23 schools and six local businesses. 5.2.3 This year Team Up to Clean Up will launch a new alternative to Spotless September, through a joint initiative with Renfrewshire’s Community Safety Partnership aimed at reducing litter across the area. Working in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful. ___________________________________________________________________ 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 – The report details a range of activities which reflect local community and council planning themes. 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. 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. Page 29 of 336
Page 34
12. Climate Risk – there are a range of actions and activities throughout the Service Update 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 Page 30 of 336
Page 35
___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire – Year 4 Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Renfrewshire Council’s Housing-Led Regeneration and Renewal Programme was approved by the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 18 January 2022 with amended proposals for three of the eight regeneration areas also approved on 15 March 2022. 1.2 This programme continues to be delivered as a key Council priority, designed to deliver maximum benefits for residents and with the active involvement of services across the Council and with partners to deliver modern, high quality, energy efficient, affordable Council housing that will not only significantly enhance the Council’s housing stock but is also contributing to the wider transformation of communities across Renfrewshire. 1.3 This report provides members with an update on the progress made to date with regard to improvement programmes, rehousing initiatives, demolition, newbuild and community engagement across each of the areas within the ten- year Regeneration and Renewal programme. 1.4 As consultation with owners for investment in retained stock continues across 7 of the 8 areas within the programme, it is to be noted that meeting Scottish Government Energy Efficiency targets continues to be extremely challenging in blocks where the Council does not have full ownership. __________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Policy Board: (i) Notes the positive progress made in each of the eight regeneration and renewal areas within this ambitious ten-year programme. Item 4 CHPB190825 Page 31 of 336
Page 36
(ii) Notes that challenges are being presented in mixed tenure blocks where owners are not in agreement to proceed with proposed investment works. ___________________________________________________________________________ 3. Progress Summary 3.1 Each regeneration area has a dedicated Housing Regeneration Officer and Development Officer with responsibility to deliver key actions, including the effective communication with tenants, residents, and private owners. The Council’s website has a dedicated Housing Regeneration and Renewal section, and this is updated in line with the delivery timeframe to ensure that residents can access current and up to date information for their area, as and when they require it. 3.2 The scope of regeneration activity and timescales for delivery differ in each of the regeneration areas across this ten-year programme, with some more complex than others. A phasing strategy was developed to take account of a number of factors including, delivery timescales, rehousing requirements, contractor availability, maximising grant support for owner participation and consideration of wider development constraints. The timeline for the Housing- Led Regeneration and Renewal programme was presented to the Board in August 2023 and has been broken down into each area’s update in section 4 of this report with a vertical line added to highlight the position as at the end of July 2025. 3.3 A new approach to Community Neighbourhood Renewal will incorporate the voice of community representatives, Council Services and third-party partners operating in parallel with the physical regeneration plans for each regeneration and renewal area. The approach is tailored to the needs and circumstances of each area, going beyond housing and the immediate external environment, and taking account of broader issues such as links to health and wellbeing, access to outdoor space and sustainable travel and employment or training opportunities that maximise the benefits achievable for local residents. The aim of this approach is to strengthen community voices and improve place-based decision making across all regeneration areas in Renfrewshire to enhance and measure the offering and impact of the renewal programme. 4. Regeneration and Renewal Area Update 4.1 The annual Regeneration and Renewal update report provides an opportunity to highlight the progress that has been made in each of the 8 regeneration areas across the programme. Some minor delays to the overall programme have been experienced with regard to the investment side, mainly due to design, specification and the building warrant process. In general, all areas therefore remain as previously reported, with the exception of the delivery of newbuild homes for the first phase of the Broomlands area as detailed further in paragraph 4.5.4 below. Page 32 of 336
Page 37
4.2 Positive discussions continue with owners across seven of the eight regeneration areas, where acquisition is required to facilitate demolition. Of the 89 privately owned properties identified for acquisition at the outset, 64 have been acquired by the Council, a further 12 are agreed and with legal services to conclude, 9 are at various stages of the negotiation process and 4 remain to be valued. Table 1 below highlights the current position across the seven areas where demolition has been approved. Table 1 4.3 Demolition has been carried out on a phased basis, in line with the rehousing and acquisition strategy for each regeneration area. Where newbuild housing is proposed on the cleared sites, a key objective of this programme is to deliver homes of a suitable type and size that will meet current and future needs and to enable existing households to remain in the area where they choose to do so. 4.4 As previously reported, all Council tenants affected by demolition will be offered suitable alternative accommodation in line with the Council’s housing allocation policy and will be entitled to apply for home-loss and disturbance payments, subject to qualification criteria, where the move is in accordance with the phasing strategy that facilitates this regeneration initiative. 4.5 Officers continue to review the mixed tenure nature of blocks within retention and investment areas having identified a number of opportunities where consideration has been given to a number of acquisitions that would increase the Councils ownership position in some blocks, where this could allow investment works to proceed for an increased number of blocks and/or improve the likelihood of future repairs and maintenance being delivered. More information on the current ownership profile in each retention area is contained in the area updates detailed further below. Total at Outset Acquired With Legal Services to conclude Valued and neg cont. Valuation to be instructed Auchentorlie 1 0 0 1 0 Howard Street 11 8 2 0 1 Thrushcraigs 6 3 0 3 0 Broomlands 16 12 3 1 0 Waverley 4 3 1 0 0 Springbank 36 27 5 1 3 Howwood Road 15 11 1 3 0 89 64 12 9 4 Page 33 of 336
Page 38
4.5.1 Auchentorlie, Paisley Investment & Retention Properties The Auchentorlie investment area includes 3 blocks in full Council ownership and 7 mixed tenure blocks where the investment proposals were subject to owner consultation and agreement to participate. The Housing Investment team consulted with owners in this area, having discussed the costs for fabric improvements and associated grants that are currently available to owners to encourage owner participation. Despite 7 of 16 owners agreeing to participate in works, this has only allowed one additional mixed tenure block to have full agreement as at least one ownership interest refused to participate in each of the other blocks. Discussions are now ongoing with regard to the possible acquisition of a number of privately owned properties that could allow works to progress in additional blocks in the future. At present, there is agreement for four of the ten blocks to receive enhanced investment as per the plans proposed for this area at this time. We remain open to further discussion should there be a change of direction or ownership in the six blocks not currently proceeding with fabric improvement works. The window installation programme for Council properties in this area has commenced and at the time of writing, 11 tenants have received their new windows. A separate commission for landscaping design has been carried out, taking account of boundary treatments, bin storage and recycling requirements along with the design of open areas/amenity spaces. This draft landscaping design was discussed with tenants and residents at the pop-up event held on 13th August within this locality. Demolition Properties The blocks at 5, 7 and 9 Auchentorlie Quadrant have been demolished and the privately owned flat at 9 Auchentorlie Quadrant will be subject to a Compulsory Purchase Order in the coming months as per previous authority approved by this Board. Page 34 of 336
Page 39
4.5.2 Howard Street Area, Paisley Investment & Retention Properties There are 18 flatted blocks within the investment programme for the Howard Street area. Six are fully Council owned and 12 are of mixed tenure. The owners within these mixed tenure blocks were recently consulted and advised of the specification, price of works and grant availability and unfortunately only one completed return was in support of the works proceeding. However, given the mix of ownership in this block, this did not provide full agreement to proceed with works in any mixed tenure blocks in the Howard Street area. Discussions are ongoing with regard to the possible acquisition of a number of privately owned properties that could allow works to progress in the future. This area will therefore see four of the six blocks within Council ownership receiving enhanced investment at this time, with the two sandstone blocks having works carried out at a later date as this will involve a separate specification of work. We remain open to further discussion should there be a change of direction or ownership in the mixed tenure blocks not currently proceeding with fabric improvement works. The window installation programme for Council properties in this area has commenced and at the time of writing, 18 tenants have received their new windows. A separate commission for landscaping design has been carried out in this area, taking account of boundary treatments, bin storage and recycling requirements along with the design of open areas/amenity spaces. This information was shown to tenants and residents at a pop-up event held within the Howard Street area on 11th August. Demolition Properties Significant progress has been made with acquisition of private properties for demolition, with 8 of 11 properties now acquired by the Council and a further 2 owners agreed to the voluntary sale of their property (subject to suitable alternative housing being identified). This leaves only one owner where agreement has not yet been reached. This owner is in active dialogue with officers at this time, however, should voluntary agreement not be reached and a Compulsory Purchase Order be considered necessary, authority will be sought in this regard from a future meeting of this board. Page 35 of 336
Page 40
A number of tenants remain with active rehousing priority across several blocks at this time, in line with the rehousing strategy for the area. A number of blocks will be progressed for demolition when they are within full Council ownership and have been fully vacated. 4.5.3 Waverley Road, Paisley Investment & Retention Properties The Waverley Road investment area is majority Council owned with only one block in mixed tenure, however, discussions are ongoing with a view to the Council acquiring the property so that we have full ownership of all blocks within the investment programme at this location. The Housing Investment team have been reviewing design options for the blocks being retained, including options for new balconies where applicable. Once the specification of works for this area is agreed and costed, tenants and residents will be invited to a neighbourhood renewal event where the programme of works will be discussed in more detail and partner organisations can take the opportunity to offer their services and find out what residents would like to see included as part of the enhanced environmental improvements surrounding their homes. The window installation programme for Council properties is progressing well, with 30 of the 47 Council tenants within the regeneration boundary having received their new windows to date. Landscaping proposals will be developed once we are in receipt of the information gathered from tenants and residents as part of the neighbourhood renewal process which will also look at the possible future use of the cleared sites on Waverley Road. Demolition Properties The Council have acquired 3 of the 4 privately owned properties within the demolition blocks on Waverley Road with the 4th private property agreed and with legal services to conclude. Demolition is progressing well with 8 of 12 blocks now demolished. A further 2 blocks were added to the original programme of works and this demolition is currently ongoing. Work continues to ensure further demolition can be progressed when the last remaining block comes into Council ownership. Page 36 of 336
Page 41
Officers continue to make regular visits to the area, reporting any identified incidents of fly tipping or other suspicious or anti-social behaviour in the area. This includes joint visits with Police and Fire Scotland representatives as necessary. 4.5.4 Ferguslie/Broomlands, Paisley Newbuild Housing Following a reduction in the Affordable Housing Supply Programme grant awarded for Renfrewshire and the relatively high tendered costs for the Carbrook Street development, this project was reprofiled within the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan for 2025 – 2030. Tender options for the development of the Carbrook Street site have been reviewed further and are included in the draft SHIP being presented to this meeting of the Board for approval. If approved, the revised newbuild proposal will see an increased number of units (20 units) being developed on the former Nursery site, creating a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bed modern affordable properties for the area. Demolition Properties It had originally been planned that a first phase of newbuild development at Carbrook Street would be delivered in advance of demolition within this area. The Ferguslie/Broomlands area includes the demolition of 5 blocks of flats. 12 of the 16 privately owned properties required to facilitate demolition have already been acquired by the Council, with 3 others agreed and with legal services to conclude. Discussions are ongoing with the other remaining owner to facilitate acquisition and future demolition of these blocks when the newbuilds have been completed and the properties are vacated in line with the rehousing strategy for the area. Investment & Retention Properties As previously advised, the Ferguslie/Broomlands investment area includes a very high proportion of privately owned properties (82) across 16 blocks. Only 3 blocks on the Ferguslie Walk side of the regeneration area are in full Council ownership. The remaining 13 blocks are of mixed tenure, this includes 6 blocks where the Council are a minority owner. Page 37 of 336
Page 42
The design team have commenced review of the external fabric of the deck access blocks on the Broomlands Street side of this regeneration area and will separately look at the blocks on Ferguslie Walk at a later date as they are of traditional sandstone construction and require additional consideration as to the proposed improvements that may be necessary to meet the required Energy Efficiency standards. Once the specification of works for this area is agreed and costed, tenants and residents will be invited to a neighbourhood renewal event where the programme of works will be discussed in more detail and partner organisations can make themselves available to offer their services and find out what residents would like to see included as part of the enhanced environmental improvements for the areas surrounding their homes and around the entrance of Ferguslie Gardens. 4.5.5 Howwood Road Area, Johnstone Investment & Retention Properties There are 45 blocks within the retention addresses within the Howwood Road investment area (122 Council properties and 74 privately owned). Investment proposals in mixed tenure blocks remain subject to owner consultation and agreement to participate in the scheme of improvements. The Housing Investment team have been reviewing design options for the blocks being retained in this area, including consideration of options for enclosing the balconies to make the homes more energy efficient. Once the specification of works for this area is agreed and costed, tenants and residents will be invited to a drop in event locally to discuss the proposed programme of works in more detail. The boundary for the Howwood Road area includes an additional 5 blocks that are not included within our investment proposals, as although they are within the regeneration and renewal boundary for the area, the Council has no ownership interest in these blocks as they are wholly privately owned. Private Sector Housing Grant from the Council is only available to owners within communal blocks where the Council also owns property within the block (mixed tenure). Owners within the solely privately owned blocks have been made aware that they are unable to access PSHG assistance and officers will work with these owners to signpost them to advice and assistance from partner agencies where they indicate they would like this assistance. Page 38 of 336
Page 43
Neighbourhood Renewal Event A further Neighbourhood Renewal meeting for this area is currently being arranged. The event will give tenants and residents an opportunity to meet the teams involved with the investment and newbuild work programmes, to see the developing plans for the area and to ask questions relating to their own individual circumstances. It also provided a further opportunity for tenants and residents to input their ideas and suggestions for the plans being developed for environmental improvements for garden areas and open space land, including the vacant former St. David’s primary school site within the wider Howwood Road area. Howwood Road Drop in surgery The Howwood Road Area drop-in continues to be operated from a property within the heart of the Howwood Road area on a Tuesday afternoon and Thursday morning and is being frequently attended by residents. The closed Facebook group has also grown to represent over 160 individuals across the area and is actively used by residents and Council officers. Newbuild Housing As previously reported, McTaggart Construction have been appointed to design and build 70 new homes on the site of the former Cochrane Castle school and land adjacent to the Highcraig Avenue shops. The development will provide a wide range of property types and sizes including a number of wheelchair-accessible homes with property sizes ranging from 1 to 5- bedrooms. These new homes are part of the first phase of newbuild planned for this area and will be built to meet the highest standards in energy efficiency, coming complete with air source heat pumps and solar panels. Rehousing of tenants displaced in this area will take place on a phased basis following completion of the first set of newbuild homes, with phased demolition and at least one further phase of newbuild thereafter. Officers will soon commence the housing application process for households within the first demolition phase to understand their housing needs and identify those who choose to remain within the Howwood Road area as part of the regeneration programme. A similar exercise will take place in due course for phase 2 demolition tenants and residents in line with the rehousing strategy for the area. Commercial Premises The local community had previously expressed concerns about the condition and appearance of the retail units on Highcraig Avenue. Two of the four retail units are privately owned with one currently remaining operational. Page 39 of 336
Page 44
The Assets and Estates team have approached the private owners of both units with a view to voluntarily acquiring these commercial units, however, negotiations have been unsuccessful to date, and it is likely voluntary acquisition of these units will not be possible in the short to medium term. Negotiations to voluntarily acquire these properties will continue in the meantime and any potential requirement for CPO will be presented to a future board for consideration. As part of the overall regeneration of this area and, ahead of Phase 2 of the newbuild programme, the Council have procured a market feasibility & overview report which assesses the suitability of demolishing the existing retail parade and replacing these with 1-2 new retail units. Officers are aware that a planning application is currently being considered for the former petrol station site on Beith Road and await the outcome of this application in consideration of the retail requirements that may be necessary for this area going forward. 4.5.6 Springbank/Mossvale, Paisley Demolition Properties The acquisition of properties approved for demolition in the Springbank/Mossvale area is progressing well with 27 of 36 properties now within Council ownership across the nine demolition blocks. Five of the nine blocks are within the first phase of development, with all but one of the owners in these blocks now acquired and the last remaining owner agreed on price, awaiting suitable rehousing. The rehousing programme for this area continues to operate successfully and in line with the phasing strategy set out for the area. One block has been demolished, and a small number of tenants and one owner await rehousing to allow the clearance of the remaining blocks classed as being within the first phase of demolition. Officers from the regeneration and development team are working collaboratively with the wardens and neighbourhood service teams and Police and Fire Scotland to highlight and address any concerns raised regarding vacant dwellings as they await demolition within this regeneration area. Page 40 of 336
Page 45
Newbuild Housing A feasiblity study has been instructed which will be followed with site investigations to assess the site ahead of a tender being issued for the first phase of new build construction in this area. Due to the larger size and scale of development proposed for the Springbank area, re-housing of tenants and private acquisitions have been phased to provide priority on a phased basis to clear blocks required for the first phase of newbuild development in advance of acquiring and rehousing from the blocks highlighted for the next phase. Investment & Retention Properties The Springbank/Mossvale investment area includes 31 Council properties and 66 privately owned properties across 6 mixed tenure blocks and one block where the Council have no ownership interest. Investment proposals are subject to owner consultation and agreement to participate and like the Howwood Road area, where we have a fully privately owned block, officers will work with these owners to signpost them to advice and assistance from partner agencies, where they indicate they would like this assistance. Once the specification of works for this area is agreed and costed, tenants and residents will be invited to a neighbourhood renewal event where the programme of works can be discussed in more detail and partner organisations can make themselves available to offer their services and find out what residents would like to see included as part of the enhanced environmental improvements for the common areas surrounding their homes. Drop in Surgery Officers have recently moved the weekly drop-in surgeries from the Beechwood Community Centre to the local Mossy Café and continue to be available for tenants and residents to answer any questions or queries they have regarding the regeneration programme for this area. 4.5.7 Thrushcraigs, Paisley Demolition Properties The Thrushcraigs area includes the demolition of all 16 blocks of flats within the regeneration boundary. Page 41 of 336
Page 46
3 of the 6 privately owned properties required to facilitate demolition have been acquired by the Council and discussions are ongoing with the remaining owners with a view to voluntarily acquiring these properties prior to demolition. A contract to demolish 3 wholly Council owned and vacant tenement blocks at this location commenced on 9th June 2025. Tenants and residents of the remaining blocks continue to receive rehousing priority in line with the rehousing strategy agreed for this regeneration area. The remaining blocks will be taken forward for demolition as they become fully Council owned and vacant. Members will be aware that a number of properties within the Thrushcraigs area continue to be utilised by Homeless Services as temporary accommodation. Given the high level of demand for this type and size of accommodation at this time, the rehousing strategy for this area continues to be updated to reflect the ongoing use of this facility. This position continues to be reviewed regularly by officers to ensure everyone is kept up to date of the rehousing, acquisition and demolition progress as to when these properties may require to be vacated for future site clearance to allow the newbuild development to take place. Newbuild Housing A feasibility study has now been instructed which will be followed with site investigations on completion of the demolition, to assess the site ahead of a tender being issued for new build construction. 4.5.8 Moorpark, Renfrew The Moorpark area has a high proportion of private owners with 144 private flats across 75 blocks. 175 properties are Council owned within this area which includes full ownership in only 8 of the 75 blocks. The Council have no ownership interest in 16 blocks. To ensure the successful delivery of any proposed investment works, it will be essential to reach agreement with owners to deliver improvements in mixed tenure blocks. To assist with this, officers will soon begin to explore funding opportunities that will be available to owners from next year that could assist them to participate in the improvement scheme. It is worth noting that where owners have previously received funding for energy improvements, it cannot be claimed again for further improvement works to the same address. Page 42 of 336
Page 47
As the regeneration team considers the environmental plans for the wider Moorpark area including enhancements to the areas surrounding each block and any open space or path networks around the area to assist resident discussion and engagement at future Neighbourhood Renewal events, the investment team are reviewing the works that may be required to further improve the energy efficiency and appearance of the Council owned and mixed tenure blocks. ______________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – The financial background to this investment programme was detailed in the report to Council on 17 December 2020 by the Chief Executive, Director of Communities and Housing and Director of Finance and Resources highlighting that it will be funded through financial sustainable borrowing on the HRA. A strategic review of the 30-year HRA business plan model confirmed there was sufficient headroom to support this investment programme. The review identified £100 million of additional investment capacity which can be relied upon for long term planning and investment purposes, and this is subject to ongoing review as part of the annual update of the HRA 30-year business plan. The acquisition of private homes to add to Council stock will be funded from the income received from the sale of last in the block properties, as previously approved by the Board. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning Our Renfrewshire is well – this investment programme is contributing to improved wellbeing and quality of life for residents. Our Renfrewshire is thriving – this investment programme will deliver a diverse range of economic and community benefit packages over the lifetime of the project. Our Renfrewshire is safe – ensuring our neighbourhoods are safe and attractive places to live. 4. Legal – work will be required with respect to acquisitions, disposals, conveyancing, and title changes as necessary. 5. Property/Assets – as we progress through the phases of the investment programme, there is an element of property acquisitions and disposals and demolition of some existing properties as approved by the Board. 6. Information Technology – N/A. Page 43 of 336
Page 48
7. Equality & Human Rights – (a) 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 – N/A. 9. Procurement – a Procurement Strategy has been developed to ensure the delivery of the investment, demolition and newbuild programmes include locally deliverable community benefits from each contract. 10. Risk – a risk register has been developed to consider various risks including those relating to financial and procurement as referred to in the implications section of this report. This risk register is monitored and regularly updated throughout the delivery of the Housing led Regeneration and Renewal programme. 11. Privacy Impact – N/A. 12. COSLA Policy Position – N/A. 13. Climate Risk – the investment programme will contribute towards meeting the Council’s targets on climate change. 14. Children’s Rights – N/A. _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Report to the Communities and Housing Policy Board, 20 August 2024, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire – Year 3 Update’. Report to the Communities and Housing Policy Board, 22 August 2023, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire – Year 2 Update’. Report to the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 16 August 2022, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire – Year 1 Update’. Report to the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 15 March 2022, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire’. Report to the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 18 January 2022, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire’. Page 44 of 336
Page 49
Report to the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 18 May 2021, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire’. Report to Council, 17 December 2020, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire’ ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Jennifer Murdoch, Housing Regeneration and Development Manager (acting), Jennifer.murdoch@renfrewshire.gov.uk 07811 053038. Page 45 of 336
Page 50
Page 46 of 336
Page 51
___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Housing Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2025/26 Award of Funding ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Renfrewshire Council has been awarded £1,163,400 for qualifying projects under the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Schemes (EES: ABS) programme for 2025/26. 1.2 The report updates members on the funding process that has secured this investment and the projects which will be supported. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Homologate the decision of the Head of Housing Services, in consultation with the Convenor, to accept grant funding of £1,163,400 from the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Schemes (EES:ABS) programme, for qualifying projects within the Renfrewshire Council area for 2025/26; and 2.2 Authorise the Head of Housing Services to oversee the delivery and operational management of the programme and notes an update on the outcomes delivered from the programme will be provided to a future meeting of the Policy Board. Item 5 CHPB190825 Page 47 of 336
Page 52
3. Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Schemes (EES:ABS) 2025/26 3.1 The Scottish Government’s EES:ABS programme was formerly known as the Home Energy Efficiency Programme Scotland: Area Based Schemes (HEEPS: ABS) which was introduced in 2013/14. The programme is targeted at private sector homeowners to assist their participation and ensure projects to improve energy efficiency can proceed. The key objectives are to address fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions and demonstrate an appropriate strategic fit and approach to improving energy efficiency. 3.2 The potential benefits of EES: ABS support a wide range of social housing initiatives including maintaining stock at the levels required by the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) as well as the requirements of the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) and the proposed Social Housing Neet Zero Standard (SHNZS), and local authorities act as coordinating agents for all EES: ABS programmes for their area. 3.3 The Council has been allocated funding of £1,163,400 for 2025/26 for qualifying projects as set out below: 3.4 As in previous years, the Council has secured the services of a Managing Agent with the intention of offering support to private homeowners in areas where the Council has previously carried out investment programmes, but where houses and/or blocks were not included in our programme due to them being wholly privately owned. This project will provide the largest spend of the grant funding this year and the costs of the Managing Agent role will be met in full by the EES:ABS funding. 3.5 The remainder of the projects focus on mixed tenure blocks of solid wall construction type to support the Council in meeting the requirements of the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) and the proposed Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS). 4. EES:ABS Programme 2024/25 Update 4.1 In 2024/25 the Council was awarded £2,061,138 in EES:ABS grant funding to support the delivery of energy efficiency works to eligible private owners. Project Value of EES:ABS Renfrewshire Council Mixed Tenure Blocks External Wall Insulation and Solar PV throughout Renfrewshire £64,800 Managing Agent for Wholly Privately Owned Properties £1,080,000 Renfrewshire Council Regeneration Area Mixed Tenure Blocks in Auchentorlie and Howard Street £18,600 Total £1,163,400 Page 48 of 336
Page 53
4.2 A total of £1,462,357.68 of the EES:ABS grant funding was drawn down and used to support private owners across Renfrewshire. While this was less than anticipated, there were unforeseen challenges throughout the year which impacted on projects and resulted in less grant requirement over the course of the year. 4.3 The majority of grant expenditure in 2024/25 came via the Council’s mixed tenure blocks investment project. £956,883.68 of EES:ABS grant funding was allocated to owners to support improvement works, including external wall insulation and associated measures to 184 flatted properties in projects across Renfrewshire. The grant funding allowed 85 private owners to benefit from these works, whilst works to a further 96 Council homes were funded by the Council through the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme. 4.4 The anticipated grant expenditure within the housing regeneration areas of Auchentorlie and Howard Street was not realised, due to low owner participation levels. However, the option remains to apply to Scottish Government for funding to support participating owners in this area should there be additional uptake from owners at a later date and subject to funding availability. 4.5 During the course of 2024/25, the appointed managing agent, The Wise Group, ceased offering a managing agent service after the grant funding had been awarded, withdrawing from the contract at short notice. This impacted the Council’s ability to increase the amount of grant available to this project to ensure full expenditure of the total grant award. 4.6 Action was taken to procure a replacement managing agent and Warmworks were appointed on a short-term contract in January 2025. Working in the Lochfield area where the Council has previously carried out investment programmes, and targeting eligible residents, they were able to install external wall insulation and associated measures to 26 wholly private houses, utilising £505,474 of EES:ABS funding. 5. EES:ABS Programme 2025/26 5.1 Members should note that there are a number of complexities with delivering works in line with the grant funding requirements and the tight timescales to complete works and draw down funding. Owner consultations, prevalence of private landlords, requirement to achieve technical and quality standards and increasing cost of works may also impact on the scheduling of works and the timetable and ability to fully draw down all of the allocated EES:ABS funding for 2025/26. However, this will be managed by the Head of Housing Services in line with the Scottish Government’s funding criteria timescales. 5.2 An update on the outcomes of the 2025/26 programme will be provided to the Policy Board on completion of the programme. ___________________________________________________________________ Page 49 of 336
Page 54
Implications of the Report 1. Financial – EES:ABS allocation of £1,163,400 for 2025/26 to support owner participation in a range of energy efficiency projects within the Renfrewshire area. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – Our Renfrewshire is thriving – assisting private owners to participate in programmes to improve housing conditions, making Renfrewshire a great place to live Our Renfrewshire is well – improving housing conditions benefitting tenants and private owners. Addressing fuel poverty. Reshaping our place, our economy, and our future – investment in the refurbishment of social rented and private dwellings will create jobs and contribute to the economy. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – Improvements in the energy performance of both social rented and private dwellings. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights (a) 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 – None. 9. Procurement – Procurement of suppliers to deliver some elements of this programme of work. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. Climate Risk – Projects will contribute to reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency of both social rented and private dwellings. Page 50 of 336
Page 55
13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. COSLA Policy Position – None. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 20 August 2024 – Home Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2024/25 Award of Funding (b) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 22 August 2023 – Home Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2023/24 Award of Funding (c) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 16 August 2022 – Home Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2022/23 Award of Funding (d) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 17 August 2021 – Home Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2021/22 Award of Funding (e) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 20 August 2020 – Home Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2020/21 Award of Funding (f) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 20 August 2019 – Home Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2019/20 (g) Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 12 March 2019 – Home Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Programmes: 2019/20 ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Mark Brown, Housing Asset & Energy Strategy Manager Email: mark.brown@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 51 of 336
Page 56
Page 52 of 336
Page 57
___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 (attached at Appendix 1) sets out the housing investment priorities for projects across Renfrewshire that will be supported by Scottish Government funding through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme. 1.2 Renfrewshire’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan is reviewed and updated each year in partnership with developing Housing Associations and the Scottish Government. 1.3 The draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 will be subject to a four-week public consultation. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Approves the draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031, as set out in Appendix 1, for consultation, before a finalised Plan is presented to the October Communities and Housing Policy Board. _________________________________________________________ Item 6 CHPB190825 Page 53 of 336
Page 58
3. Background 3.1 The draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan outlines how Scottish Government funding for affordable housing will be targeted to achieve the priorities set out in Renfrewshire’s Local Housing Strategy and support the delivery of a range of affordable housing projects across Renfrewshire. 3.2 As part of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme process, the Scottish Government allocate grant funding, known as Resource Planning Assumptions, to individual Council areas. 3.3 The Scottish Government allocated Renfrewshire a Resource Planning Assumption allocation of £17.311 million in 2025/26, which includes £0.171 million from the National Acquisitions Fund to support affordable housing providers to acquire suitable homes for social rent on the open market. 3.4 Resource Planning Assumptions support the delivery of new affordable homes across Renfrewshire by providing grant support at benchmark rates. The Scottish Government benchmark grant rates are set at £87,763 for newbuild Council homes and £95,741 for newbuild social rented homes delivered by housing association partners. These benchmark rates are flexible to allow projects to be eligible for higher grant award per property following detailed assessment. 3.5 Additional grant funding is also available on top of the grant benchmark rates where affordable housing developers include specific qualitative design features related to zero emissions; the installation of automatic fire suppression systems; electric vehicle charging points; space for home working; provision of balconies and digital connectivity. 4. Draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 4.1 The draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan includes a range of housing projects that aim to deliver affordable homes of different types and sizes throughout Renfrewshire to meet people’s housing needs, including smaller and larger homes for both general and particular needs. 4.2 The draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan includes an affordable housing programme to be delivered by the Council and its Housing Association partners supported by Scottish Government grant funding. 4.3 The Resource Planning Assumption for Renfrewshire has only been confirmed for one year and there remains uncertainty over the future level of future funding allocations for Renfrewshire. This funding uncertainty means that delivery timescales for projects may be subject to change. Page 54 of 336
Page 59
4.4 The draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan has built in capacity to accelerate affordable housing projects within the programme to take advantage of any additional funding that may become available to Renfrewshire or to mitigate any slippage on projects to ensure that all available funding is fully utilised in supporting the delivery of the right homes in the right places. 4.5 The draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan also contains funding provision for the Council’s own ambitious newbuild development programme in the Councils Housing Regeneration and Renewal areas. 4.6 In preparing the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan, Housing Association partners proposed projects for consideration which could add to the programme of affordable housing sites. 4.7 These sites were considered in relation to amount of funding likely to be available during the five-year period of the plan, alignment with Renfrewshire Local Housing Strategy strategic priorities and deliverability of the projects. 4.8 Provision has been included in the programme to deliver approximately 100 new affordable homes in Paisley town centre. A number of development opportunities in and around Paisley Town Centre are currently being reviewed in terms of their viability and deliverability with new projects likely to be progressed over the next five-year period. 4.9 One new site has also been added to the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan. The site will deliver approximately 30 affordable homes at Rannoch Road, Johnstone. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Next Steps 5.1 Consultation on the draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 will take place between August and September 2025. This will involve further engagement with all developing housing associations operating in Renfrewshire, local stakeholder groups such as Community Councils and tenants and residents’ associations, community planning partners, other stakeholder groups and Renfrewshire’s residents. In addition, paper copies of the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan will be made available at the Customer Service Centre in Renfrewshire House and local libraries during the consultation. 5.2 Following the consultation and taking account of feedback received the Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 will be finalised and presented to the October meeting of Policy Board for consideration. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - Provision has been made within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Budget in relation to the projects where the Council is the developing organisation. Page 55 of 336
Page 60
2. HR & Organisational Development - None. 3. Community/Council Planning – Renfrewshire Community Plan 2017-2027 – the SHIP is considered to align with the Renfrewshire is Thriving priority as additional housing supply will encourage people to stay in Renfrewshire and attract new people to settle in Renfrewshire, and by making sure the infrastructure is in place to support growth in the local economy and population. Renfrewshire Council Plan – the SHIP is considered to align with the Place outcome by contributing to Renfrewshire having a supply of green, high-quality, affordable, cross-tenure homes in the right places to meet current and future demands. 4. Legal - Conveyancing work associated with land disposals, and any site assembly and title changes or checks. All new Council contracts for new build affordable housing will require input from the contracts and project legal sections at the pre and post tender stages through to award. 5. Property/Assets - None. 6. Information Technology - None. 7. Equality & Human Rights (a) 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 - None. 9. Procurement - None. 10. Risk - Scottish Government funding for affordable housing development does not carry forward into the next financial year. There is therefore a risk that funding could be lost to Renfrewshire if there is slippage in the delivery of any of the projects. This is mitigated by ongoing monitoring of projects and the prior identification of alternative projects for funding to be spent on if slippage occurs. 11. Privacy Impact - None. 12. Cosla Policy Position - None. Page 56 of 336
Page 61
13. Climate Risk - The Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan aims to deliver high quality, energy efficient homes in sustainable locations across Renfrewshire. 14. Children’s Rights – None. _________________________________________________________ (a) Appendix 1 – Draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Alan Williamson, Strategy and Place Manager Tel: 07811 053968; Email: alan.williamson@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 57 of 336
Page 62
1 Draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 Page 58 of 336
Page 63
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 2 Renfrewshire’s draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan The Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) sets out a national framework to support the development of new affordable homes. As part of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme process, local authorities are required to prepare a Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) each year that outlines where grant funding provided to Councils by the Scottish Government will be used to the support delivery of new affordable homes. This draft Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 has been informed by discussions with the Scottish Government and housing association partners operating in Renfrewshire. The Council are inviting local communities, housing associations and other stakeholders to comment and provide feedback on the draft plan to help shape the finalised Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Once finalised the Strategic Housing Investment Plan is submitted to the Scottish Government and a Strategic Local Programme Agreement (SLPA) for Renfrewshire will form the basis of individual agreements between the Scottish Government, Renfrewshire Council and housing association partners on funding for specific affordable housing projects. This draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan can be viewed on the Council’s website by visiting: https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/4232/Strategic-Housing- Investment-Plan The Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026-2031 will be available on the Renfrewshire Council website for four weeks for interested parties to review and comment on. Public consultation on this Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan will open on 20st August 2025 with the consultation closing on 19th September 2025. Comments should be returned by email or by post to: Email: strategyandplace@renfrewshire.gov.uk Place Strategy Team, Chief Executives Service, Renfrewshire Council, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1WB Page 59 of 336
Page 64
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 3 Aligning with Renfrewshire’s Local Housing Strategy and Development Plan The draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan takes account of the Scottish Government’s Housing and Planning Delivery Framework (HPDF) which promotes more efficient collaboration between Housing and Planning Services in relation to the Local Housing Strategy, Housing Need and Demand Assessment and national planning policies. The draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan provides details of affordable housing projects in Renfrewshire that will assist in meeting the strategic priorities of Renfrewshire’s Local Housing Strategy and support the delivery of the Renfrewshire Local Development Plan 2. These projects are expected to be supported by Scottish Government grant funding over the short, medium and longer term. Projects included within the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan will assist in providing the right homes in the right places and contribute to providing safe, warm and energy efficient homes that meet people’s housing needs and contribute to the creation of thriving sustainable communities. Renfrewshire’s Local Housing Strategy The fourth Local Housing Strategy for Renfrewshire was approved at the Council’s Communities and Housing Policy Board in October 2023. The Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 looks to build on past successes whilst aiming to meet need and demand for both housing and housing related services. The Local Housing Strategy includes 5 strategic priorities as shown below: 1. The supply and delivery of housing is increased across all tenures to meet the housing needs of different groups and create attractive and sustainable places. 2. People live in high quality, well managed homes in sustainable neighbourhoods. 3. Address the challenges of the climate emergency, delivering homes that are warm, energy efficient and fuel poverty is minimised. 4. Prevention of homelessness and providing support for those in housing need. 5. People can live independently for as long as possible in their own home and the different housing needs of people across Renfrewshire are being met. Page 60 of 336
Page 65
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 4 Development Plan for Renfrewshire Renfrewshire’s current Development Plan consists of National Planning Framework 4 and the Renfrewshire Local Development Plan 2021 (LDP2). Renfrewshire’s Development Plan supports the development of new homes that improve affordability, choice, accessibility and adaptability, including the provision of wheelchair accessible homes. When the Council is assessing projects included as part of this draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan, it will consider proposals against the policies in the National Planning Framework 4 and Renfrewshire LDP2. Link/C~urb Housing Association, social rented development, Hawkhead, Paisley Sanctuary Scotland, social rented development, Sutherland Street, Paisley Page 61 of 336
Page 66
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 5 The Scottish Government’s Housing Programme The Scottish Government ‘Housing to 2040 Strategy’ includes a target to provide 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 with at least 70% of these homes to be developed for social rent. The Scottish Parliament declared a national housing emergency in May 2024 recognising a range of challenges facing the housing sector including pressures on homelessness services, high levels of people in temporary accommodation and a lack of affordable homes compared to high waiting lists. Renfrewshire Council are committed to contribute to addressing the national housing emergency and affordable housing supply targets. The Council will continue to work in partnership with the Scottish Government, our housing association partners, private developers and the construction industry to increase the delivery affordable homes throughout Renfrewshire in line with available funding. Resources for Affordable Housing Delivery The national funding position for the delivery of affordable homes improved in 2025. In 2025/26, Renfrewshire will receive a funding allocation in line with past allocations prior to 2024/25. Funding for 2025/26 is confirmed at £17.311 million compared to £13.181 million allocated in 2024/25. Prior to 2024/25, the Scottish Government provided Councils with multi-year Resource Planning Assumptions (RPA’s) to support longer term planning and delivery of projects within the Strategic Housing Investment Plan, providing some degree of certainty to facilitate longer term planning by housing providers. Due to pressures on national budgets, RPA’s in 2024/25 and 2025/26 were issued on a single year basis rather than as multi-year RPA’s. Scottish Government funding allocations beyond 2025/26 are still to be confirmed. It is likely that funding awards will continue to be made on a single year basis over the next few years. For the purpose of programming a five-year plan, the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan estimates that an RPA of £15m will be available each year from 2026/27 to support the delivery of new affordable homes in Renfrewshire. Page 62 of 336
Page 67
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 6 Scottish Government Grant Benchmarks New affordable homes developed as part of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan are funded through a combination of Scottish Government grant and the developers own financial resources. Scottish Government grant support is provided at flexible benchmark rates for each affordable home developed. The Scottish Government benchmark grant rate is currently set at £87,763 for new build social rented Council homes and £95,741 for new build housing association homes. These grant rates are flexible which means projects may be eligible for a higher grant award per property following a detailed assessment of property mix, needs group, project viability and development costs. Affordable housing providers who develop affordable homes through a Section 75 Agreement on a larger private sector housing site are required to deliver homes at the benchmark rate. Funding Additional Design Features In addition to the basic flexible benchmark grant, additional grant may be provided from the Councils existing Resource Planning Assumption to support inclusion of specific quality and design features in new affordable homes, these features include: o The delivery of homes to Silver Level of the 2019 Building Regulations in respect of Energy for Space Heating; o The provision of balconies within flatted developments where the provision of private or communal outdoor space is not possible; o The provision of space for home working or study where it is not possible to incorporate such space within the design of the homes under current space standards; o Digitally enabled homes with tenants able to arrange for an internet connection without the internet service provider having to provide additional cabling to the premises; o The installation of ducting infrastructure for electric vehicle charge point connectors; o Installation of electric vehicle charge points; o The installation of automatic fire suppression systems; and o Installation of heating systems which produce zero direct emissions at the point of use. Page 63 of 336
Page 68
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 7 Any additional grant required to support inclusion of any of these features is met from existing funding allocations from the Scottish Government - this can have an impact on the number of new affordable homes being delivered as the level of grant funding required per property increases. Funding for Acquisition of Private Housing (Rental Off the Shelf) and the National Acquisition Programme Provision has been included within the Strategic Housing Investment Plan in recent years to assist affordable housing providers to purchase appropriate properties for social rent on the open market by utilising Scottish Government Grant. The Scottish Government announced a two-year £80 million National Acquisitions Fund in April 2024, with additional funding allocations made to Councils to support open market acquisitions over the period 2024/25 and 2025/26. Renfrewshire Council received £171,000 from this national fund in 2025/26 which was supplemented by funding from the confirmed Resource Planning Assumption to provide over £1m to support affordable housing providers to acquire suitable homes for social rent on the open market. This allowance is subject to continuous review depending on the level of funding made available to Renfrewshire. Scottish Government Charitable Bond Funding (ALLIA) In addition to funding made available to Renfrewshire through the confirmed Resource Planning Assumption for 2025/26, Renfrewshire projects have previously successfully accessed Allia funding which is funding derived from the Scottish Governments Charitable Bonds investments programme. This is managed by Allia, a social investment charity. Each year income is generated from bonds which is then used by the Scottish Government’s More Homes Scotland team to support increasing the supply of homes by providing one off grants to affordable housing providers who have projects that align with the funds criteria. These additional funds have been used by Link/C~urb Housing Association on their development of 68 social rented homes in Johnstone Castle which are due to complete in June 2026. Page 64 of 336
Page 69
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 8 Council Tax on Empty and Second Homes In Renfrewshire, no direct funding is allocated to the affordable housing programme from revenue raised from empty or second homes with any revenue raised allocated to the Council’s General Fund to support wider Council priorities. This approach will continue due to ongoing pressures on overall Council budgets with any ring fencing of funds only likely to be considered when it is sustainable to do so. Williamsburgh Housing Association, social rented development, Albert Road, Renfrew Meeting Renfrewshire’s Affordable Housing Needs and LHS Strategic Priorities The draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan aims to deliver a range of new affordable homes across Renfrewshire to meet housing needs and support the delivery of strategic priorities set out in the Renfrewshire Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028. When developing proposals for new affordable homes, the Renfrewshire Local Development Plan (LDP2) requires development to include a range of property types and sizes to meet different housing needs, including smaller one bedroom homes and larger three and four bedroom family homes throughout Renfrewshire. This also includes the delivery of accessible homes and homes designed to wheelchair accessible standards. All affordable housing must be built to Housing for Varying Needs standards with flexibility built into the design to allow for future adaptation and reconfiguration to meet tenant and resident’s current and future needs. Page 65 of 336
Page 70
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 9 This draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan supports the development of high quality energy efficient affordable homes, recognising that good quality affordable housing can positively impact peoples’ lives and enhance Renfrewshire’s places. The Council will continue to work with housing association partners to determine the most appropriate property mix on a project by project basis taking account of Council and housing association waiting list data and the findings from the Glasgow Clyde Valley Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA3) and the Renfrewshire Housing Need and Demand study. A breakdown of property sizes for recently completed developments and those that have planning consent is included in Appendices 1 and 2. In recent years, Strategic Housing Investment Plans have primarily focused on adding to the supply of new build affordable homes for social rent, this will continue with this new draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Whilst the focus will remain on adding to the supply of social rented homes in Renfrewshire, there is also a recognised need for alternative affordable housing options such as shared equity provision and Mid-Market Rent on larger affordable housing sites. The inclusion of new affordable homes, other than homes for social rent, will be considered on a site by site basis taking account of project viability and the availability of grant funding from the Scottish Government. The delivery of new affordable homes on private sector sites will continue through the application of Renfrewshire’s Affordable Housing Policy included in LDP2. Williamsburgh Housing Association, social rented development, Cartha Crescent, Paisley Page 66 of 336
Page 71
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 10 Particular Housing Needs The Local Housing Strategy emphasises the importance of providing homes that meet the particular needs of different groups with a focus on enabling people to live independently for as long as possible in their own homes and also in preventing homelessness. In recent years, Link/C~urb Housing Association completed a mixed general and particular needs social rented development in Paisley Town Centre that included 20 amenity standard homes and 5 fully wheelchair accessible homes. In March 2025, Loretto Housing Association also completed 4 fully wheelchair accessible homes as part of their East Lane development in Paisley. This draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan includes projects that will continue to contribute to meeting identified particular needs in Renfrewshire with mixed amenity housing and purpose built particular needs homes expected to be included across projects supported by grant funding. Link/C~urb Housing Association, social rented General and Particular Needs, Paisley Town Centre When planning new developments, early stage discussions will take place with Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to ensure that projects are viable, sustainable and capable of meetings tenants and residents’ needs. Wheelchair Accessible Housing When preparing proposals for new build developments, housing providers will be required to design homes that are able to meet occupants changing needs over time as well as the needs of an ageing population by incorporating design features that promote accessible and adaptable homes. Page 67 of 336
Page 72
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 11 Targets for the inclusion of wheelchair accessible homes as part of new build developments have been agreed and are included within the current Local Housing Strategy. The Local Housing Strategy requires that: New residential proposals must provide a minimum 10% of all dwellings designed to be easily adaptable for residents who are wheelchair users; and 5% of all new homes must be designed to wheelchair accessible standards. Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans Renfrewshire Council’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) details how those who are homeless will be provided with settled accommodation more quickly; spend reduced time in temporary accommodation and have more access to up-scaled support. The Strategic Housing Investment Plan aims to support the delivery of homes to meet the requirements of different needs groups, household types and sizes. The Council together with Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership employ the Housing First Initiative to support those with multiple and complex needs, who are socially excluded and who have experienced repeat homelessness, with the Housing First Initiative an integral part of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan, delivered by Turning Point Scotland’s Support Workers to provide tenancies, in conjunction with wrap-around support packages and provide assistance to access Health and Social Care Services. Within Renfrewshire, both the Council and its housing association partners continue to prioritise lets to homeless households with 52% of all available Council social rented homes and 39% of all available housing association homes let to homeless households in 2024/25. This includes lets to both existing and new build social rented housing with available properties allocated in line with applicant housing need and the housing providers allocation policy. Page 68 of 336
Page 73
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 12 Child Poverty New housing development has a key role in tackling child poverty through supporting the delivery of a range of property types and sizes that meet the needs of families, and the creation of high quality energy efficient homes in sustainable communities that support health, wellbeing and educational attainment. This draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan aligns with the priority actions of Renfrewshire’s Local Child Poverty Action Report which aims to support the next generation to thrive within high quality affordable and accessible housing. Early discussions with housing association partners ensure that the housing mix proposed for each project takes account of housing waiting lists with this information reflected in terms of house sizes and any agreed property mix. This approach should ensure that smaller homes are included to meet the housing needs of individuals and smaller households as well as larger family homes that meet the needs of larger families and households with children to help address the needs of low- income families. It is recognised that a wide range of property types and sizes are required to meet identified housing needs on new affordable housing developments. As plans progress on individual sites and it becomes clearer what individual sites can accommodate, the importance of including larger family homes will be central to discussion with affordable housing providers in receipt of Scottish Government grant funding. This approach will support the aims of Renfrewshire’s Local Child Poverty Action Plan. Key Worker Housing Renfrewshire Council does not have a key worker policy in relation to access to affordable housing and has no specific identified housing need for key worker housing locally. Projects delivered through the Strategic Housing Investment Plan process are accessible to all households with homes allocated in line with the developing landlords local allocation policy. Page 69 of 336
Page 74
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 13 Refugee Resettlement Renfrewshire Council continues to work with the Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) to determine what Renfrewshire may provide in terms of housing stock to support resettlement and asylum dispersal programmes. So far, most of the accommodation required has been smaller with one or two bedroom properties being used due to the arriving household size. Renfrewshire has continued to play its part in the national response by providing ongoing support. The number of homes required to support Renfrewshire’s contribution towards the national resettlement scheme will be kept under review. Gypsy/Travellers Provision The Council continues to review the need to allocate land or identity and progress appropriate projects to meet any identified housing needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community in Renfrewshire taking account of the Scottish Government’s Improving the lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers 2 Action Plan 2024-2026 published in September 2024. The Council notes the Scottish Government’s decision to manage potential Gypsy/Traveller sites and associated funding allocations alongside the existing Resource Planning Assumption model traditionally used to support settled development. This approach will support longer term planning and delivery of Gypsy/Traveller sites in Renfrewshire should a need be identified. At present, no projects are included within the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Should a requirement for accommodation/sites be identified, future updates of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan will include details of these projects. Travelling Showpeople Provision There are currently no permanent Travelling Showpeople sites in Renfrewshire. Through delivery of the strategic priorities included within the Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 and the use of the Scottish Governments Accommodation Needs Toolkit (when available), the Council will identify if there is a need to allocate land to meet the housing needs of Travelling Showpeople with any identified need addressed through the Renfrewshire Local Development Plan/Action Delivery Programme. Page 70 of 336
Page 75
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 14 Renfrewshire Council Regeneration and Renewal Programme This draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan continues to support the Council’s new build programme following the completion of new Council homes in Bishopton, Johnstone and at Ferguslie Park in Paisley. Over the period of the next Strategic Housing Investment Plan, Renfrewshire Council will continue to invest in its own new build social rented development programme to deliver high quality energy efficient homes to replace existing low demand housing or to add to the supply of Council housing with plans progressing to deliver homes in identified regeneration areas. This draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan includes these new build Council projects with Scottish Government grant funding expected to be made available to supplement the Council’s own investment in these new homes for social rent. As well as adding to the supply of new Council housing, the Council will make best use of its existing housing stock through targeted and enhanced investment – including works to the external fabric of properties as well as environmental improvements. More information on the Council’s Regeneration and Renewal Programme can be found on the Council’s website by visiting: Housing regeneration in Renfrewshire – Renfrewshire Website Town Centre Living As with previous Strategic Housing Investment Plans, investing in town centre residential development remains a key objective of this draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Investment in affordable housing to support the wider regeneration of our town centres helps deliver population growth, improve the vitality and environment of town centres and can help support the creation of sustainable communities. Significant cross tenure new build development has taken place in town centres in recent years. In preparing the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan there has been significant interest expressed by Housing Association partners to deliver new affordable homes primarily in and around Paisley Town Centre. A project line is included within Appendix 3 of this draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan in order to support further affordable housing development in Paisley town centre. Page 71 of 336
Page 76
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 15 Provision is included in the programme to deliver approximately 100 new affordable homes in and around the town centre should funding be confirmed by the Scottish Government. A number of development opportunities are currently being reviewed in terms of their viability and deliverability with new projects likely to be progressed over the next five-year period. Delivering New Affordable Homes in North and West Renfrewshire Affordable housing development in the North and West Renfrewshire villages can be challenging as most of the available land is in private ownership. The Council recognises that there is an unmet demand and limited supply of affordable housing in these areas. The Council will continue to pursue all opportunities to increase the supply of affordable housing in both North and West Renfrewshire, working with housing association partners and private developers to include social rented housing as either standalone developments or as part of mixed tenure private sector developments. Affordable housing provision within Dargavel Village will continue with 138 affordable homes completed so far by the Council and Loretto Housing Association for social rent. Loretto Housing Association are currently progressing a two stage development of a further 62 social rented homes in partnership with Dundas Homes. The first stage of development includes 46 homes which are due to complete in March 2027 with a further 16 homes also to be progressed at this location. Discussions are ongoing with Loretto Housing Association, Sanctuary Scotland and private developers to deliver a further 43 homes for social rent within Dargavel Village across two sites. In West Renfrewshire, three private sector sites that are allocated for residential use in the Renfrewshire Local Development Plan 2021 (LDP) offer the potential to deliver new social rented homes in Houston, Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch through utilising the LDP’s affordable housing policy, subject to planning approval. Page 72 of 336
Page 77
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 16 The Council will continue to work with our housing association partners to increase the supply of social rented housing in West Renfrewshire, taking account of housing waiting list data and the outputs from the Renfrewshire Housing Need and Demand study prepared in support of the current Renfrewshire Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028. Tackling the Climate Crisis in Renfrewshire Tackling the Climate Crisis continues to be a priority for Renfrewshire Council with work progressing as part of Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero and Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy. It is acknowledged that the changing climate has a direct impact on Renfrewshire’s housing and that some residents will be more vulnerable to this than others. Both Renfrewshire Council and its housing association partners are incorporating additional energy efficiency measures as part of new build design which will actively target reduced carbon emissions from new build development. Projects included within this draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan aim to tackle fuel poverty by maximising opportunities for innovative energy efficient development, with greener measures included within new build developments. Bringing Empty Homes Back into use The Council has a dedicated ‘More Homes Officer’ who works with owners of long-term empty properties to provide advice and assistance to support owners to bring long term empty properties back into productive use. The Council’s More Homes Officer also manages the Councils buy back and acquisitions scheme where properties that meet strategic objectives may be purchased and added to the Council’s lettable housing stock. Over the last five years, the Council’s More Homes Officer has successfully helped to bring more than 60 long term empty homes back into the effective housing supply with these homes adding to the supply of available homes in the affordable and private sectors. Page 73 of 336
Page 78
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 17 Link/C~urb Housing Association, mixed tenure development, Houston Programme Management and Project Prioritisation This draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan splits projects into three groups: (i) ‘Core Projects’; (ii) ‘Shadow Projects’ and (iii) ‘Longer Term Projects’. Projects within each group are shown in Appendix 3. The methodology used to prioritise projects is based on the potential availability of Scottish Government grant funding as well as the developers’ ability to progress each project at key milestones in term of site acquisition, design work, planning approval, procurement and potential site start date. This approach supports the programming of individual projects in terms of anticipated grant availability and the potential delivery timescales. These projects together form the proposed Strategic Housing Investment Plan with projects being delivered as funding becomes available. Delivery timescales are dependent on future funding allocations from the Scottish Government and the developer’s own capacity to progress sites. Projects included within the ‘Core Projects’ group will be progressed in the earlier years of the programme. Page 74 of 336
Page 79
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 18 Projects included within the ‘Shadow Projects’ group will be progressed as ‘Core Projects’ complete or as any additional funding becomes available or where the developing landlords has the capacity to ‘front fund’ projects to allow projects to proceed earlier than otherwise possible. Projects included in the ‘Longer Term Projects’ group are expected to progress over the longer term with grant funding only likely to become available towards the end of or indeed beyond the current five year Strategic Housing Investment Plan period. In terms of front funding, the Council or housing association partner may initially fund project development costs from their own resources, with grant being paid to developing organisation at the first available opportunity as funding becomes available. The use of a three tier project priority approach supports the effective management of available resources whilst permitting some flexibility that assists in addressing any slippage of projects in any given year. Projects in the ‘Shadow Projects’ group and in particular the ‘Longer Term Projects’ group may require extended lead in times to allow for site investigation works, value engineering works, site assembly or to arrange the necessary private finance to enable a development to proceed. All of which influence how projects are prioritised within the programme with all projects subject to regular review. The Strategic Housing Investment Plan development programme must be capable of adapting and responding to both delays in the delivery of projects and new affordable housing development opportunities to ensure that all funding available to Renfrewshire can be fully utilised. This may result in existing project delivery timescales changing or new opportunities being added to the programme between annual Strategic Housing Investment Plan updates. Any additional projects brought forward must align with the strategic priorities of the Local Housing Strategy with a clear funding mechanism in place that does not impact other ‘Core Projects’. Page 75 of 336
Page 80
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 19 Delivery Both the Council and its housing association partners will continue to look for efficiencies in construction methods and work with design teams to determine the suitability of non- traditional construction methods for projects included within this draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan. The Council will continue to explore options for joint working around innovative delivery mechanisms that support the delivery of affordable homes throughout Renfrewshire. Projects included within the ‘core’ element of the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan are either currently progressing on site or are due to start on site soon with site investigation works already completed for these projects. Site investigation works for the majority of projects in the ‘shadow’ and ‘longer term’ programme have still to take place with the results of these investigations informing project viability. Housing Infrastructure Fund The Housing Infrastructure Fund provides Councils and housing association partners with additional grant to support the unlocking of challenging sites where the scale and nature of infrastructure costs would prevent these sites from being progressed as part of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan. In recent years, a number of Renfrewshire projects have successfully accessed the Housing Infrastructure Fund with housing association partners continuing to look at options to bid for support from the Housing Infrastructure Fund as and when required. At present, no project developer within this draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan is looking to access Housing Infrastructure Fund support, however this may change as developments conduct more detailed site investigations. Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme At present, no project within this draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan is currently utilising or been identified to seek funding from the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme. Page 76 of 336
Page 81
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 20 Monitoring Project Progress To monitor progress in delivering individual projects and ensure that resources are managed effectively, a range of project management activities are employed. This includes: ongoing liaison between services within the Council and between the Council and housing association partners on specific projects; quarterly tripartite meetings between the Council, individual housing association partners and the Scottish Government; regular internal officer group meetings to review progress in delivering the overall development programme; and, a monthly review of project progress with all developers of affordable housing. Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan Appendices Appendix 1 details progress with projects currently on site as well as proposals for future projects identified as part of this draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Appendix 2 shows recent affordable housing completions with a breakdown of property size delivered on each site. Appendix 3 lists projects that are currently progressing and/or expected to require grant funding as part of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan process. Page 77 of 336
Page 82
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 21 Equalities This draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026-2031 includes housing provision for a range of different needs groups including housing for older people and those with physical disabilities. This draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan has been informed by ongoing partnership working with the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to ensure that projects take account of opportunities to deliver housing that meets the needs of a range of households with specific needs. In line with The Equality Act 2010 and the associated protected characteristics, an Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment has been prepared alongside the preparation of this draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan to identify the likely or actual effects of it on people. The assessment includes identifying where there will be a positive impact and further opportunities to promote equality. The assessment did not identify any negative impacts on people in relation to this draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Appendix 1: Renfrewshire Affordable Housing Project Updates 1A: Projects completed in financial year 2024/25 Development Units Status Comment Napier Street, Linwood 51 Completed October 2024 51 social rented homes from Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association that add to the affordable housing supply in Linwood. This project completed in October 2024. Property sizes included 37 x 2 Bed, 14 x 3 Bed properties. East Lane, Paisley Town Centre 48 Completed March 2025 48 social rented homes by Loretto Housing Association which add to the affordable housing supply in central Paisley. Property sizes included 16 x 1 Bed, 32 x 2 Bed properties. Page 78 of 336
Page 83
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 22 Development Units Status Comment Hawkhead, Paisley 5 Completed March 2025 5 New build terraced house acquisitions by Link/C~urb Housing Association as part of a large mixed tenure development. These complement 30 new social rented flats being developed at this location by Link Group. Property sizes included 5 x 3 Bed properties. 1B: Projects completed in financial year 2025/26, currently on site or due to start on site Development Units Status Comment Hawkhead, Paisley 30 Completed May 2025 30 social rented homes by Link/ C~urb Housing Association which add to the affordable housing supply in Paisley. Property sizes include 30 x 2 Bed properties. Paisley West End, Sutherland Street 35 Completed June 2025 35 social rented homes Sanctuary Scotland which add to the affordable housing supply in central Paisley. Property sizes include 28 x 2 Bed, 7 x 3 Bed properties. Cartha Crescent, Paisley 33 Completed July 2025 33 social rented homes by Williamsburgh Housing Association which add to the affordable housing supply in central Paisley. Property sizes include 12 x 2 Bed, 21 x 3 Bed properties. Johnstone Castle Phase II 68 On site, due to complete June 2026 Link/C~urb Housing Association are onsite delivering the second phase of affordable housing in Johnstone Castle. This development will provide 68 homes for social rent as well as infrastructure and green spaces. Property sizes include 40 x 2 Bed, 28 x 3 Bed properties. Page 79 of 336
Page 84
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 23 Development Units Status Comment Orchard Street, Paisley 50 On site, due to complete September 2026 Work is progressing on the Comprehensive Tenement Improvement (CTI) project at Orchard Street/Causeyside Street, Paisley following 5 blocks of flats being designated as a Housing Renewal Area (HRA) in March 2017. The overall development is expected to complete in September 2026. Property sizes include 37 x1 bed, 13 x 2 bed properties Bishopton, Phase 3A 46 On site, due to complete March 2027 Loretto Housing Association are now on site developing 46 new homes for social rent that will add to the affordable housing supply in Dargavel Village, Bishopton. This site is expected to provide 62 new homes for social rent across two phases (3A & 3B) with Phase 3B expected to include 16 additional homes for social rent following completion the 46 new homes that comprise Phase 3A. Property sizes include 12 X 1 bed, 27 x 2 bed, 7 x 3 bed properties Gallowhill, Paisley 65 On site, due to complete December 2026 Renfrewshire Council commenced on site in August 2025 and developing 65 new Council homes for social rent that will add to the affordable housing supply in the Gallowhill area. The overall development is expected to complete in December 2026. Property sizes include 9 x 1 bed, 23 x 2 bed, 26 x 3 bed, 4 x 4 bed, 3 x 5 bed properties Howwood Road, Johnstone (Site 1 of 2) 70 Off site, Due to start on site in August 2025 Renfrewshire Council regeneration area. Plans are being progressed to deliver 70 new Council homes in this first phase of development in the Howwood Road Area Johnstone with a site start expected around August 2025. Property sizes include 11 x 1 bed, 29 x 2 bed, 19 x 3 bed, 11 x 4 bed properties Bishopton, Phase 4 20 Off site, Due to start on site in September 2025 Loretto Housing Association are progressing plans for 20 new social rented homes that will add to the affordable housing supply in Dargavel Village, Bishopton. Property sizes include 20 x 2 bed properties Page 80 of 336
Page 85
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 24 1C: Projects expected to start on site in 2026/27 or later or when a projected site start date has still to be confirmed Development Units Status Comment West End - Remaining Sites 120 Off site, Start date tbc Sanctuary Scotland are progressing plans for approximately 120 affordable new homes developed as part of the regeneration of Paisley’s West End. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Bishopton, Phase 3B 16 Off site, Due to start on site around January 2027 Loretto Housing Association will progress development of 16 new homes for social rent following the completion of Bishopton Phase 3A which will provide an initial 46 new homes for social rent. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Bishopton, Phase 5 23 Off site, Start date tbc Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association are progressing plans for 23 new social rented homes that will add to the affordable housing supply in Dargavel Village, Bishopton. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Springbank, Paisley (Phase 1 of 2) 65 Off site, Due to start on site around January 2027 Renfrewshire Council regeneration area. Plans are being progressed to deliver around 65 new Council homes in this first phase of development in the Springbank Road Area of Paisley. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Foxbar Rivers, Paisley 45 Off site, Due to start on site around January 2027 This social rented development of around 45 homes by Renfrewshire Council will add to the affordable housing supply in the Foxbar area of Paisley and bring vacant sites back in to use. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Broomlands & Carbrook Street, Paisley 43 Off site, Due to start on site around January 2027 Renfrewshire Council regeneration area. Plans are being progressed to deliver around 43 new Council homes in Paisley’s Broomlands and Carbrook Street area. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Page 81 of 336
Page 86
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 25 Development Units Status Comment Thrushcraigs, Paisley 50 Off site, Due to start on site around July 2027 Renfrewshire Council regeneration area. Plans are being progressed to deliver around 50 new Council homes in the Thrushcraigs Area of Paisley. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Howwood Road, Johnstone (Site 2 of 2) 60 Off site, Due to start on site around January 2028 Renfrewshire Council regeneration area. Plans are being progressed to deliver around 60 new Council homes in this second phase of development in the Howwood Road Area of Johnstone. Property sizes still to be confirmed. West Renfrewshire Villages 62 Off site, Start date tbc Three potential sites identified in Lochwinnoch, Houston and Kilbarchan for progression by Housing Association partners for approximately 62 social rented homes as part of mixed tenure developments proposed in West Renfrewshire. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Flourish Road, Erskine, Older Persons Housing Reprovisioning 18 Off site, Due to start on site around August 2026 Bridgewater Housing Association are progressing plans for a new purpose built older persons housing development of around 18 units that will replace existing scattered older persons housing provision across Erskine. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Gibson Crescent, Johnstone 28 Off site, Start date tbc Options are being explored for this social rented development of around 28 social rented homes by Williamsburgh Housing Association in Johnstone. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Springbank, Paisley (Phase II) 35 Off site, Due to start on site around January 2030 Renfrewshire Council regeneration area. Plans are being progressed to deliver around 35 new Council homes in this second phase of development in the Springbank Road Area of Paisley. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Page 82 of 336
Page 87
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 26 Development Units Status Comment Stirling Drive, Linwood 65 Off site, Start date tbc Options are being explored for this social rented development of around 65 homes by Linstone Housing Association that will add to the affordable housing supply in Linwood. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Ryefield, Johnstone 36 Off site, Start date tbc Options are being explored for this social rented development of approximately 36 homes by Linstone Housing Association in Johnstone. Property sizes still to be confirmed. MacDowall Street, Johnstone 35 Off site, Start date tbc Options are being explored to identify an affordable housing provider to develop this gap site for affordable housing. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Rannoch Road, Johnstone 30 Off site, Start date tbc Options are being explored for this social rented development of around 30 homes by Loretto Housing Association in Johnstone. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Garthland Lane, Paisley 32 Off site, Start date tbc This social rented development of around 32 homes by Renfrewshire Council will add to the affordable housing supply in central Paisley. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Foxbar Rivers, Paisley 45 Off site, Start date tbc This social rented development of around 45 homes by Paisley Housing Association will add to the affordable housing supply in the Foxbar area of Paisley and bring vacant sites back in to use. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Westburn Avenue/Blackstoun Road, Ferguslie Park, Paisley 22 Off site, Start date tbc This social rented development of around 22 homes by a developer still to be identified will add to the affordable housing supply in the Ferguslie Park area of Paisley and bring a vacant site back in to use. Page 83 of 336
Page 88
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 27 Development Units Status Comment Property sizes still to be confirmed. East Lane, Paisley (Site 2 of 2) 30 Off site, Start date tbc Site identified for longer term development. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Supported Housing, Paisley (Site tbc) 14 Off site, Start date tbc Efforts will continue to identify a potential site for supported housing in Paisley Town Centre. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Paisley Town Centre (including edge of centre locations, future sites tbi) 100 Off site, Start date tbc A number of opportunities in and around the town centre are currently being reviewed in terms of their viability and deliverability with new projects likely to be progressed over the next five-year period West Renfrewshire Villages tbc Off site, Start date tbc Efforts will continue to identify additional potential site(s) for affordable housing in West Renfrewshire to promote mixed tenure communities. North Renfrewshire Villages tbc Off site, Start date tbc Efforts will continue to identify additional potential site(s) for affordable housing in North Renfrewshire to promote mixed tenure communities. Local Development Plan Affordable Housing Policy Future Requirements Subject to the availability of Scottish Government grant, this draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan will support the development of new affordable homes within private sector sites as part of Renfrewshire’s Affordable Housing Policy. Page 84 of 336
Page 89
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 28 Completions between 2020 and 2025 & estimated completions 2025/26 Appendix 2 2020/21 Link/C~urb Smithhills Street, Paisley 26x 2 Bed 26 Renfrewshire Council Bishopton Phase I 10x 1 Bed, 34x 2 Bed, 34x 3 Bed, 2x 4+ Beds 80 Williamsburgh HA Milliken Road, Kilbarchan 14x 1 Bed, 4x 2 Bed 18 124 2021/22 Renfrewshire Council Johnstone Castle, Johnstone 4x 1 Bed, 67x2 Bed, 20x 3 Bed, 4x 4+ Beds 95 Link/C~urb Amochrie Road, Foxbar, Paisley 34x 2 Bed, 2x 3 Bed 36 Link/C~urb Thrushcraigs Phase II (St Ninians), Paisley 12x 2 Bed, 11x 3 Bed 23 Paisley HA Westerfield House, Paisley 16x 1 Bed 16 170 2022/23 Sanctuary/Paisley HA Glenburn, Paisley 8x 1 Bed, 73x 2 Bed, 50x 3 Bed 131 Link/C~urb Millarston, Paisley 16x 1 Bed, 62x 2 Bed, 2x 3 Bed, 19x 4+ Beds 99 Renfrewshire Council Auchengreoch Road, Johnstone 8x 1 Bed, 17x 2 Bed, 12x 3 Bed, 2x 4+ Beds 39 Loretto Bishopton Phase II 12x 1 Bed, 14x 2 Bed, 32x 3 Bed 58 Williamsburgh HA Albert Road, Renfrew 13x 2 Bed, 29x 3 Bed 42 369 2023/24 Renfrewshire Council Ferguslie Park, Paisley 22x 1 Bed, 67x 2 Bed, 10x 3 Bed, 2x 4+ Beds 101 Link/C~urb Abbey Quarter Phase 4 (AQP4), Paisley 10x 1 Bed, 71x 2 Bed 81 Link/C~urb Woodend House, Houston 14x 2 Bed 14 196 2024/25 Sanctuary Napier Street, Linwood 37x 2 Bed, 14x 3 Bed 51 Loretto East Lane, Paisley 16x 1 Bed, 28x 2 Bed 48 Link/C~urb Hawkhead, Paisley 5x 3 Bed 5 104 963 2025/2026 - Estimated Completions Link/C~urb Hawkhead, Paisley 30 x 2 Bed 30 Sanctuary Sutherland Street, Paisley 28x 2 Bed, 7x 3 Bed 35 Williamsburgh HA Cartha Crescent, Paisley 12x 2 Bed, 21x 3 Bed 33 98 Page 85 of 336
Page 90
29 Appendix 3 £ Million Homes Total Est Grant Req (£M) Est Spend by of End March 2026 Est Grant Req Est Grant Req Est Grant Req Est Grant Req Core Projects (Yr 1) 2026/27 (Yr 2) 2027/28 (Yrs 3-5) 2028/29- 2030/31 (Yrs 6+) 2031/32 & Beyond Johnstone Castle Phase II* 68 £1.864 £1.864 N/A N/A N/A N/A Cartha Crescent 33 £3.233 £3.233 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 Orchard St/Causeyside St (HRA) 50 £5.003 £5.003 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 Bishopton Phase 3A 46 £5.475 £5.475 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 Bishopton Phase 4 20 £1.915 £1.915 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 Gallowhill, Paisley 65 £9.634 £4.227 £5.407 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 Howwood Road, Johnstone (Site 1 of 2) 70 £10.431 £3.106 £7.325 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 West End - Remaining Sites 120 £11.489 £6.341 £1.764 £1.764 £1.620 £0.000 Open Market Acquisitions tbc £1.400 £1.400 tbc tbc tbc tbc Affordable Housing Policy Future Reqs tbc tbc tbc tbc tbc tbc tbc *Funded without Grant from RPA 472 £50.444 £32.564 £14.496 £1.764 £1.620 £0.000 Page 86 of 336
Page 91
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 30 Homes Total Est Grant Req (£M) Est Spend by of End March 2026 Est Grant Req Est Grant Req Est Grant Req Est Grant Req Shadow Projects (Yr 1) 2026/27 (Yr 2) 2027/28 (Yrs 3-5) 2028/29- 2030/31 (Yrs 6+) 2031/32 & Beyond Bishopton Phase 3B 16 £1.532 £0.000 £1.532 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 Bishopton Phase 5 23 £2.500 £0.000 £2.500 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 Springbank, Paisley (Phase 1 of 2) 65 £5.706 £1.194 £0.000 £0.500 £4.012 £0.000 Foxbar Rivers, Paisley 45 £3.949 £0.050 £0.000 £0.500 £3.399 £0.000 Broomlands & Carbrook Street, Paisley 43 £6.130 £0.412 £0.000 £0.000 £5.718 £0.000 Thrushcraigs, Paisley 50 £4.388 £0.119 £0.000 £0.500 £3.769 £0.000 Howwood Road, Johnstone (Site 2 of 2) 60 £5.266 £0.444 £0.000 £0.500 £4.322 £0.000 West Renfrewshire Villages (3 sites) 62 £5.936 £0.000 £0.000 £5.936 £0.000 £0.000 Older Persons Housing, Erskine 18 £2.455 £0.000 £0.000 £2.000 £0.455 £0.000 Gibson Crescent, Johnstone 28 £2.681 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 £2.681 £0.000 Springbank, Paisley (Phase II) 35 £3.072 £0.351 £0.000 £0.000 £2.722 £0.000 Rannoch Road, Johnstone 30 £2.872 £0.000 £0.000 £2.000 £0.872 £0.000 Paisley Town Centre(including edge of centre) - sites tbc 100 £9.580 £0.000 £0.000 £3.000 £6.580 £0.000 Stirling Drive, Linwood 65 £10.818 £0.859 £0.000 £0.000 £9.959 £0.000 Ryefield, Johnstone 36 £5.983 £0.150 £0.000 £0.000 £5.833 £0.000 676 £72.868 £3.579 £4.032 £14.936 £50.322 £0.000 Page 87 of 336
Page 92
Draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 31 Homes Total Est Grant Req (£M) Est Spend by of End March 2026 Est Grant Req Est Grant Req Est Grant Req Est Grant Req Longer Term Projects (Yr 1) 2026/27 (Yr 2) 2027/28 (Yrs 3-5) 2028/29- 2030/31 (Yrs 6+) 2031/32 & Beyond Foxbar Rivers, Paisley 45 £4.308 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 £4.308 £0.000 MacDowall Street, Johnstone 35 £3.351 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 £3.351 £0.000 Garthland Lane, Paisley 32 £3.033 £0.225 £0.000 £0.000 £2.808 £0.000 Westburn Avenue, Ferguslie Park, Paisley 22 £1.931 £0.143 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 £1.788 East Lane, Paisley (Site 2 of 2) 30 £2.872 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 £2.872 Supported Housing, Paisley (Site tbc) 14 £1.340 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 £1.340 £0.000 West Renfrewshire Villages Opportunities tbc £tbc £tbc £tbc £tbc £tbc £tbc North Renfrewshire Villages Opportunities tbc £tbc £tbc £tbc £tbc £tbc £tbc 178 £16.835 £0.368 £0.000 £0.000 £11.807 £4.660 1326 £140.147 £36.511 £18.528 £16.700 £63.749 £4.660 Page 88 of 336
Page 93
32 Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1BR Page 89 of 336
Page 94
Page 90 of 336
Page 95
___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Update on Single Voids Team, Year 1 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide the Policy Board with a one-year update on the progress of the work of the Single Voids Team, which is implementing a series of recommendations made by Savills following their appointment to carry out an end-to-end review of void processes. This builds on the interim update provided to the Policy Board at its meeting of 29 October 2024. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Note the improvement in Void Rent Loss and Average Re-let Time targets. 2.2 Note the targets that have been set for 2025–2026. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 As a result of the restrictions that had to be put in place during Covid-19 (effectively stopping void repair works and the re-letting of homes), the number of voids held by RSLs and local authorities including Renfrewshire Council increased significantly. The challenges in driving down this backlog were exacerbated by other factors including a shortage of resources across the construction sector and difficulties in dealing with utilities suppliers. 3.2 As part of its response to reducing the backlog the Council appointed Savills to carry out an end-to-end review of void processes, who subsequently made a series of specific recommendations which officers have since been working to implement. Item 7 CHPB190825 Page 91 of 336
Page 96
3.3 The single most significant recommendation was the establishment of a Single Voids Team under the leadership of a Single Voids Team Manager, bringing together officers from both Housing Services and Building Services. A pilot started on 1 April 2024. 3.4 An interim report on progress was presented to the Policy Board at its meeting on 29 October 2024. At that time good progress had already been made: By Monday 23 September 2024 we had reduced void rent loss on a week-to-week basis to our target of 3.75% and by Monday 9 September 2024 we had reduced it on a year-to-date basis to our target of 4.50%; The number of voids had been reduced from 518 to 383 at the end of September 2024; and Our average re-let time had been reduced from 50.4 calendar days in 2023–2024 to 38.7 in July and August 2024 (against a target of 53.0). 3.5 The pilot has streamlined void property management processes. The team are concentrating on reducing the numbers of voids, thereby directly reducing void rent loss and indirectly ensuring that re-let times will reduce. As shown below we have seen improvements in all of these areas and will continue to focus on driving further improvement, especially on reducing the number of “management voids.” These are void properties which cannot immediately be made ready-to-let because of – for example – major repairs (including fire damage reinstatement, heating installation, rot works and SHQS works), utilities issues or use as decant accommodation. The number of these was reduced from 320 on 26 March 2024 to 235 on 1 April 2025. 3.6 It was previously agreed that the Single Voids Team pilot should continue throughout the financial year 2024–2025. It has now been agreed to continue until 31 March 2026 and a further report will be brought to the Policy Board meeting of 19 May 2026. 4. Performance Measures 4.1 We set specific targets for a number of metrics and measured progress towards our achieving these on a weekly basis. They were as follows. 4.1.1 Void rent loss As explained in the report to the Policy Board of 29 October 2024 the target was by 31 March 2025 to reduce void rent loss to a maximum of 4.50%. Page 92 of 336
Page 97
Graph 1 – void rent loss By Monday 9 September 2024 we had already achieved our target of reducing void rent loss to 4.50% and by the end of the year the figure was 3.97%. Excluding Homeless Persons’ Unit void rent loss, the figure was 3.60%. The figure for void rent loss reported via the Annual Return on the Charter to the Scottish Housing Regulator – which is related to but not identical to the figure for Operational voids – was 1.30%. 4.1.2 The number of voids As explained in the report to the Policy Board of 29 October 2024 the target was to reduce the number to no more than 306 by 31 March 2025. The graph below shows progress against this target, with 334 voids at the end of the year. 0.00% 1.00% 2.00% 3.00% 4.00% 5.00% 6.00% Void rent loss (Homeless Persons' Unit voids) Void rent loss (Management voids) Void rent loss (Operational, not including Homeless Persons' Unit voids) Target void rent loss - 4.50% Percentage of rent lost (as reported to the Scottish Housing Regulator) Page 93 of 336
Page 98
Graph 2 – void numbers As can be seen from the graph, until as late as 11 February 2025 it appeared likely that the target would be met. In the event it was only exceeded by 28 voids and the number of voids was nonetheless significantly reduced. 4.1.3 Average re-let time Our average re-let time as reported to the Scottish Housing Regulator last year and in each of the previous four financial years is shown in the table below. Our target for 2024–2025 was 53 days. Year Average re-let time (calendar days) 2020–2021 85.7 2021–2022 66.0 2022–2023 60.6 2023–2024 50.4 2024–2025 37.3 The figure for 2020–2021 was distorted by Covid-19 restrictions and there was significant and steady improvement in the three subsequent years, culminating in the 2023–2024 figure of 50.4 calendar days. 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 26/03/2024 02/04/2024 09/04/2024 16/04/2024 23/04/2024 30/04/2024 07/05/2024 14/05/2024 21/05/2024 28/05/2024 04/06/2024 11/06/2024 18/06/2024 25/06/2024 02/07/2024 09/07/2024 16/07/2024 23/07/2024 30/07/2024 06/08/2024 13/08/2024 20/08/2024 27/08/2024 03/09/2024 10/09/2024 17/09/2024 24/09/2024 01/10/2024 08/10/2024 15/10/2024 22/10/2024 29/10/2024 05/11/2024 12/11/2024 19/11/2024 26/11/2024 03/12/2024 10/12/2024 17/12/2024 24/12/2024 31/12/2024 07/01/2025 14/01/2025 21/01/2025 28/01/2025 04/02/2025 11/02/2025 18/02/2025 25/02/2025 04/03/2025 11/03/2025 18/03/2025 25/03/2025 01/04/2025 Operational Management Total Target Page 94 of 336
Page 99
We have significantly outperformed against the target, reducing the turnaround time to 37.3 days. This is the best performance that the Council has achieved since the current reporting regime was introduced. 4.2 Summary of Performance Measures and 2025-2026 Performance Targets The table below summarises performance figures achieved at the end of 2023–2024 and at the end of 2024–2025 and sets out the targets for the end of 2025–2026: Metric 31.03.24 actual 31.03.25 actual 31.03.26 target (max) Void rent loss (excluding HPU) 4.47% 3.60% 2.75% Number of voids 518 334 227 Average re-let time (calendar days) 50.4 37.3 45.0 4.2.1 Void rent loss –the target for 2025-2026 is a maximum of 2.75%, which now excludes Homeless Persons’ Unit void rent loss. 4.2.2 The number of voids – we aim to reduce overall Operational and Management void numbers to a maximum of 2.00% of lettable units, which based on current numbers is 227. This aligns with the target for void rent loss. 4.2.3 Average re-let time – the target for the figure reported to the Scottish Housing Regulator is 45.0 calendar days. In the current year, with the emphasis on reducing the number of Management voids, it is likely that a significant number of properties will be re-let after a void period of several months or in some cases years. While this is to be welcomed it does have the effect of driving up the turnaround time as these periods are only counted when the property is let, not while it remains void. Consequently, the figure of 37.3 calendar days achieved in 2024–2025 will be difficult to match. The Scottish local authority average for the period was 77.5 days, more than double our figure. _____________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – additional costs associated with the development of the Single Voids Team are being managed within the overall Housing Revenue Account budget. 2. HR & Organisational Development – the position of Single Voids Team Manager has been filled on a temporary basis by an existing third-tier manager and his duties have been backfilled as described above by his direct reports’ taking on additional responsibility. Two other Interim positions were created and filled (following the submission of expressions of interest and a competitive process) by existing members of staff – the posts of Interim Facilities Manager (Voids) and Interim Single Voids Team Officer. Page 95 of 336
Page 100
The former has now been superseded by the appointment of the officer concerned as one of a number of Senior Facilities Managers, but with his still being dedicated to void work. 3. Community/Council Planning – Working together to improve outcomes – the Single Voids Team brings together and co-locates key personnel from Housing Services and Building Services so that they can work closely together to improve performance on void rent loss, void numbers and void turnaround time. 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. 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 – all procurements, namely the extension of the appointments of temporary staff through an employment agency, the ongoing procurement of a Preferred Utility Provider, the extension of City Gate Construction (Scotland) Ltd’s contract to carry out works to bring houses to the Scottish Housing Quality Standard and the use of a Scotland Excel Framework for the supply of “Décor Packs” to new tenants have all been done in conjunction with Procurement colleagues. The appointment of a supplier of 360o virtual tours was for an amount not exceeding £25,000 and was carried out by the Single Voids Team following a competitive process. In all cases officers have ensured that the Council meets its statutory requirements, its Standing Orders Relating to Contracts 1 January 2024, The Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016, The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulation 2015 and the Council’s Financial Regulations. 10. Risk – none. 11. Privacy Impact – none. 12. Climate Risk – not applicable. 13. Children’s Rights – not applicable. Page 96 of 336
Page 101
14. Cosla Policy Position – not applicable. _______________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Background Paper 1 – Service Update Report to the Communities and Housing Policy Board of 16 January 2024. Background Paper 2 – Single Voids Team Update Report to the Communities and Housing Policy Board of 29 October 2024. The foregoing background papers will be retained within the Housing Service 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 Ray Walkinshaw, Housing Regeneration and Development Manager (and Single Voids Team Manager), telephone 0141-487 2189 or 07483 146814 and e-mail ray.walkinshaw@renfrewshire.gov.uk. ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Ray Walkinshaw ray.walkinshaw@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 97 of 336
Page 102
Page 98 of 336
Page 103
___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Housing Landlord Compliance – Water Safety Policy ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 All social landlords must ensure they meet all duties in relation to tenant and resident safety and have an effective system in place to ensure compliance with statutory, legislative, and regulatory responsibilities. 1.2 The Housing Landlord Compliance Strategy 2025-2028, which sets out the strategic approach to compliance across the six key areas of compliance relating to Council Housing assets (gas safety, electrical safety, fire safety, lift safety, asbestos management and water safety) was approved at the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 11th March 2025 along with the first two of six policies – the Gas and Carbon Monoxide Safety Policy and the Electrical Safety Policy. The Fire Safety Policy and Lift Safety Policy were approved at Board on 13th May 2025. 1.3 This report presents a further one of the six policies associated with the Strategy; the Water Safety Policy, which describes how Renfrewshire Council will meet the statutory, contractual, and regulatory requirements in relation to Water safety relating to our housing assets. 1.4 Details of an independent external review of the policies by the Social Housing Safety Network Scotland are included within the report. Item 8 CHPB190825 Page 99 of 336
Page 104
__________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Approves the Water Safety Policy, set out at Appendix A of this report. Background 3.1 The Housing Landlord Compliance Strategy and associated policies were completed in 2021 and are subject to 3 yearly reviews. An internal review of the Water safety policy (note this is Appendix 5 of the Landlord Compliance Strategy) was completed which was followed up with an independent external review. 3.2 The independent external review has been undertaken by Ryan Hodgson of the Social Housing Safety Network Scotland, who provided feedback in July 2025. Mr Hodgson is suitably qualified to conduct such a review and is the appointed policy and procedure specialist providing policy reviews, feedback and updates, re-writes, development, and support for a number of other social housing providers across Scotland. The following documents were sent to the network to be reviewed: Water Safety Policy Minor changes were noted and incorporated within the revised document. Expanding and referencing all of the relevant legislation. Updating voids procedures. Updating of Thermostatic Mixing Valve (TMV) procedures. 4. Housing Landlord Compliance Policies 4.1 The Water Safety Policy is set out in Appendix A of this report, outlining how the commitment to water safety will be met and how assurance of compliance will be provided to the duty holder. The policy sets out the scope, processes, data management and performance monitoring. Page 100 of 336
Page 105
Implications of the Report 1. Financial – Employee costs associated with the Housing Landlord Compliance team and maintenance costs associated with carrying out statutory and regulatory compliance works are included within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) approved budget each year. 2. HR & Organisational Development - None. 3. Community/Council Planning – Our Renfrewshire is safe – ensuring tenants have a safe place to live. To manage risk to for staff, contractors, or members of the public within council housing properties. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets - Ensuring assets are protected from risk. 6. Information Technology - None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - (a) 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 - The strategy and policies align with the Council’s Corporate Health and Safety Policy. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk - The absence of policies could put the Council at risk of failing to comply with statutory duties for landlord compliance and could be reputationally damaging. . 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. Climate Risk – None. 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None. _______________________________________________________ Page 101 of 336
Page 106
List of Background Papers Appendix A – Housing Water Safety Policy ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Karen Sillars, Housing Asset & Investment Manager Email: karen.sillars@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 102 of 336
Page 107
1 HOUSING LANDLORD COMPLIANCE STRATEGY Appendix 5 Water Safety Policy Page 103 of 336
Page 108
Water Safety Policy 2 Table of Contents 1. Introduction .......................................................................................... 4 2. Statement of Intent ............................................................................... 4 3. Legislation ............................................................................................. 5 4. Policy ..................................................................................................... 8 5. Process .................................................................................................. 9 6. Delivery .................................................................................................. 9 7. Contractors Competency .................................................................... 10 8. Internal Competency ........................................................................... 10 9. Data ..................................................................................................... 11 10. Assurance ............................................................................................ 11 11. Communication .................................................................................. 12 12. Implementation .................................................................................. 12 13. Consultation ........................................................................................ 13 14. Equality Analysis (EIA) ......................................................................... 13 15. Monitoring Performance ..................................................................... 14 16. Positive Legionella Counts .................................................................. 15 17. Emergency Actions .............................................................................. 15 Page 104 of 336
Page 109
Water Safety Policy 3 18. Policy Review ....................................................................................... 16 19. Amendment Log / Version Control ...................................................... 16 Page 105 of 336
Page 110
Water Safety Policy 4 1. Introduction At the time of policy approval, Renfrewshire Council (Renfrewshire) owns and manages 12,078 residential properties for let. Water systems within blocks and individual dwellings must be risk assessed, kept safe for use, and maintained, as necessary. This policy outlines how (Renfrewshire) will meet its commitments to water safety. It is supported by a Water Safety Management Plan, which provides detailed guidance and procedures. Legionella bacteria can cause several diseases, including Legionnaires’ disease—a potentially fatal form of pneumonia. While the bacteria are commonly found in natural water sources (e.g., rivers, lakes, reservoirs), they can also thrive in purpose-built systems such as cooling towers, evaporative condensers, hot and cold-water systems, and spa pools. Everyone is susceptible to infection, with increased risk among older individuals and other vulnerable groups, as detailed in the Management Plan. If conditions are favourable, the bacteria can multiply, increasing the risk of infection. Therefore, controlling these risks is essential. This policy describes how Housing will meet statutory, legislative, and regulatory requirements related to water safety. Specific procedures and processes are detailed in the associated Water Safety Management Plan. It also explains how the Director of Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure, as Duty Holder, will be assured of compliance with all relevant obligations. 2. Statement of Intent This policy covers the management of water safety risks, including: Legionella control Scalding prevention Unadopted water systems The delivery of the commitments within this Policy will ensure that the requirements of other legislation, such as the Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA) 1974 and the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 will also be met. In addition, Landlords and providers of Social Housing must meet the requirements of the Scottish Housing Regulator’s (SHR) Regulatory Standards. Page 106 of 336
Page 111
Water Safety Policy 5 It is essential to ensure that customers, tenants, residents, employees, contractors and visitors remain safe in housing properties. Failure to properly discharge our statutory, legislative or regulatory responsibilities may also result in: Prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive under HASAWA 1974. Prosecution under Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. SHR’s scrutiny and potential determination of a breach of the Regulatory Standards and serious detriment having been caused/potentially caused. Reputational damage to the Authority and staff. Loss of confidence by stakeholders in the Organisation. 3. Legislation Renfrewshire will comply with all relevant and current legislation, including but not limited to: The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 section 3, sets out the duty for every employer to make a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the risks to health and safety of all of their employees whilst at work and other people not in their employment. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 place a duty on employers to protect their employees by undertaking an assessment of the risks to health arising from hazardous substances (this includes Legionella bacteria) in the workplace, this also extends to others that could be affected in the workplace such as contractors, tenants, neighbours, owners, visitors, and members of the wider general public. COSHH includes: • Preventing or controlling exposure. Maintaining, examining and testing control measures. • Monitoring exposure and providing health surveillance where appropriate. • Providing information, instruction and training; and • Ensuring arrangements are in place to deal with accidents, incidents, outbreaks and emergencies. Page 107 of 336
Page 112
Water Safety Policy 6 The L8 Approved Code of Practise (ACoP L8) – ‘The Prevention or Control of Legionellosis (including Legionnaires’ disease) Approved Code of Practice’ was approved by the Health and Safety Commission under Section 16 of the Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA) 1974 and was published in 1991 and came into effect on 15 January 1992. The fourth edition was published in 2013 and split the document into the ACoP L8 and HSG274 parts one, two and three: Part one: The control of Legionella bacteria in evaporative cooling systems o Not Referenced Part two: The control of Legionella in hot and cold-water systems Part one: The control of Legionella bacteria in evaporative cooling systems Part two: The control of Legionella in hot and cold-water systems Part three: The control of Legionella bacteria in other risk systems. Part three: The control of Legionella bacteria in other risk systems. o Not Referenced Renfrewshire does not contain any evaporative cooling systems or other risk systems (e.g. water features or spa pools), therefore HSG274 parts 1 and 3 do not apply. Part 2 applies to Renfrewshire’s hot and cold-water systems and is guidance which we will use to manage the risks. While following health and safety guidance is not strictly a legal requirement, it is considered good practice to adhere to it as it can help demonstrate compliance with the underlying health and safety legislation, which does have legal enforceability; essentially, Renfrewshire by following guidance, can show that we are taking reasonable steps to protect our residents and others from harm. The Health and Safety Guidance document HSG 274 and The Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) L8, gives practical guidance on the requirements of HASAWA and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulation 2002 (COSHH), concerning the risk from exposure to Legionella bacteria. In particular it gives guidance on Section 2, 3, 4 and 6 (as amended by the Consumer Protection Act 1987) of HASAWA, and Regulations 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 of COSHH. The Code also gives guidance on compliance with the relevant parts of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999). Renfrewshire will adopt the principles of control and management identified in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publication: Approved Code of Practice and Guidance (ACoP) document ‘The Control of Legionella bacteria in Water Systems (ACoP L8)’ and the supporting guidance document, HSG 274 Part 2: the control of legionella bacteria in hot and cold-water systems. Page 108 of 336
Page 113
Water Safety Policy 7 Full list is: Housing Scotland Act 2006 The Tolerable Standard (under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006) Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 2016 The Water Supply (Water Fittings) (Scotland) Byelaws 2014 INDG458 - Legionnaires’ disease: A brief guide for duty holders BS 8580-1:2019 Water Quality – Risk assessments for legionella control. Code of practice Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 2014 Right to Repair Regulations (under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006) Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR 2013) The Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992 Construction, (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 Scottish Health Technical Memorandum 04-01 Scottish Housing Regulator’s (SHR) Regulatory Standards Ensuring the safety of tenants, residents, staff, contractors, and visitors is essential. Failure to meet statutory, legislative, or regulatory responsibilities may result in: Legal action by the Health and Safety Executive under HASAWA 1974 Prosecution under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 Regulatory scrutiny and potential findings of serious detriment by the SHR Reputational damage to the Council and its staff Loss of stakeholder confidence in the organisation Page 109 of 336
Page 114
Water Safety Policy 8 4. Policy To comply with statutory, legal, and regulatory standards—and to ensure the safety of tenants, residents, employees, contractors, and visitors—Renfrewshire will undertake the following commitments: Establish and maintain clear lines of responsibility for water safety management, supported by written guidance in the Water Safety Management Plan. Implement a consistent process for gaining access to properties to conduct water safety checks, including legal enforcement where necessary. Use available customer data (e.g., disability, vulnerability, local connections) to support access efforts. Conduct regular reviews of existing properties and assess risks in new stock through desktop evaluations to identify high-risk properties. Carry out Legionella Risk Assessments (LRAs) for properties with communal stored water systems or identified risks. Remove communal storage tanks and associated pipework where all dwellings are supplied directly from the mains water supply. Apply a risk-based approach to determine the frequency of future LRAs, as assessed by a competent person. Establish a Water Safety Management and Monitoring Programme based on LRA findings. Include a sample of domestic properties without LRAs in an annual assessment programme to evaluate risk and take necessary action. Access and inspect all domestic properties on a program. Flush and disinfect or replace shower heads and hoses in void properties, and sheltered housing properties. Install Thermostatic Mixer Valves (TMVs) to reduce the risk of scalding, as outlined in the Water Safety Management Plan. The Thermostatic Mixing Valve (TMV’s) shall be maintained as per the risk assessment. Remove lead pipework from housing stock when identified. Page 110 of 336
Page 115
Water Safety Policy 9 Maintain unadopted water systems to the standards defined in the Water Safety Management Plan. 5. Process To ensure effective implementation of water safety measures, Renfrewshire will: Define clear responsibilities for managing water safety, supported by written procedures outlined in the Water Safety Management Plan. Establish a consistent access process to carry out water safety checks in properties. This includes: Engaging with tenants and residents to gain access. Taking legal action where necessary to ensure compliance. Use customer data (e.g. disability, vulnerability, local connections) to support access efforts and tailor engagement strategies. 6. Delivery To ensure effective implementation of water safety measures across the housing stock, Renfrewshire will: Review and assess risk Carry out a desk top Risk Assessment on all blocks and domestic property and characterise them as either Higher, Medium or Low risk. In both existing and new properties through desktop evaluations to identify those at potential high risk of Legionella. Conducting Site Legionella Risk Assessments (LRAs) for: Any properties flagged as medium and higher risk following the desktop review. Remove communal storage systems where all domestic dwellings are supplied directly from the mains water supply. This includes removing associated pipework. Full details are provided in the Water Safety Management Plan. Apply a risk-based approach to determine the frequency of future LRAs, as established by a competent person during the initial assessment. Page 111 of 336
Page 116
Water Safety Policy 10 Establish a Water Safety Management and Monitoring Programme based on LRA findings. Include a sample of domestic properties without LRAs in an ongoing annual programme to assess risk and ensure no exposure to Legionella bacteria. Manage void properties by: Isolating water systems for the duration of the void. Disinfecting or replacing shower heads and hoses. Install Thermostatic Mixer Valves (TMVs) to reduce the risk of scalding, as outlined in the Water Safety Management Plan. The TMV’s shall be maintained as per the risk assessment and manufacturer’s instructions. Remove lead pipework from the housing stock when identified. Maintain unadopted water systems to the standards defined in the Water Safety Management Plan. 7. Contractors Competency To ensure that all water safety-related work is carried out to the highest standards, Housing Services will: Engage only qualified contractors: All Legionella and water treatment contractors must be registered with, the Legionella Control Association. Ensure contractor competence: Trained and competent contractors must undertake all water safety-related works. A formal competence assessment will be conducted based on the nature of the work to be performed. Conduct regular reviews: Contractor competencies will be assessed: Annually, or At the point of contract renewal or change of contractor. These requirements are further detailed in the Water Safety Management Plan. 8. Internal Competency To ensure that all staff involved in water safety are appropriately skilled and knowledgeable, Renfrewshire will: Page 112 of 336
Page 117
Water Safety Policy 11 Maintain a Skills and Training Matrix through the Individual Development Plan (IDP) process. Ensure all staff in key roles related to this policy receive appropriate and up- to-date training relevant to their responsibilities. This approach supports continuous professional development and ensures that internal teams are competent to deliver water safety obligations effectively. 9. Data To ensure accurate record-keeping and effective monitoring of water safety compliance, Renfrewshire will: Maintain a Master Database of all properties where Housing has responsibility for water safety checks and maintenance. Record detailed system information for each relevant property, including: The presence or absence of water systems and appliances within the scope of this policy. The organisation’s responsibilities for each system or appliance. Store maintenance records electronically within the Master Database or another designated system, as specified in the Water Safety Management Plan. In some cases, hard copies may be kept on-site, and these instances will also be documented in the Plan. Retain all water safety data and test certification for a minimum of five years. Document evidence where a water safety requirement does not apply to a property. 10. Assurance To ensure ongoing compliance and quality in water safety management, Renfrewshire will: Ensure all personnel involved in water safety are properly trained and accredited for their roles. Conduct quality assurance and control (QA/QC) activities, including: Page 113 of 336
Page 118
Water Safety Policy 12 Verification of certification. Post-inspection of on-site works. A proportion of these checks will be carried out by an independent third party to ensure impartiality. Monitor performance utilising key performance Indicators (KPI’s). Establish a review timetable for both the Water Safety Policy and the associated Water Safety Management Plan to ensure they remain current and effective. 11. Communication To support compliance and foster cooperation from residents and stakeholders, Renfrewshire will: Encourage customer engagement by providing clear and accessible information about the importance of water safety. Distribute publicity materials to promote awareness and cooperation, including: Access for water safety checks Scheduled inspections Required remedial works Use multiple communication channels, such as: Tenant newsletters Council website updates On-site notices Direct correspondence (letters, emails, or texts) This proactive communication approach aims to build trust, improve access rates, and ensure that all parties understand their role in maintaining water safety. 12. Implementation To ensure effective rollout and operational delivery of water safety measures, Renfrewshire will: Activate this policy from the date of approval by the CHAPS Policy Board. Page 114 of 336
Page 119
Water Safety Policy 13 Inform staff through priority training sessions, ensuring they understand the policy’s requirements and their roles in its implementation. Make the policy accessible by: Uploading it to the Renfrewshire Council intranet. Publishing it on the Renfrewshire Council website. Align this policy with the Housing Landlord Compliance Strategy and the Water Safety Management Plan to ensure consistency across all compliance activities. Provide appropriate training for all staff involved in delivering and implementing water safety obligations under this policy. 13. Consultation This policy is based on statutory, legislative, and regulatory requirements. As such, formal consultation with customers has not been undertaken. However, internal consultation has taken place with relevant teams within Renfrewshire to ensure the policy is practical, aligned with operational needs, and compliant with legal obligations. 14. Equality Analysis (EIA) We believe all people should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of: Age Disability Gender Gender reassignment Race Religion or belief Pregnancy and maternity Marriage and civil partnership Sexual orientation Association with someone with any of these characteristics Perception of having any of these characteristics An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) was undertaken to evaluate the likely or actual effects of this policy. This included: Page 115 of 336
Page 120
Water Safety Policy 14 Identifying areas where the policy will have a positive impact. Highlighting opportunities to further promote equality. Recognising any potential negative impacts and outlining actions to eliminate or mitigate them. For full details, please refer to the complete EIA document. 15. Monitoring Performance To ensure the effectiveness of water safety measures and maintain regulatory compliance, the following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be subject to reporting: % of Priority Scheme Properties (against the total landlord requirement) with a valid Legionella Risk Assessment (LRA). % of General Needs Properties with a valid desktop risk assessment. % of Properties with a valid written scheme where a requirement has been identified. % of Properties within a Legionella maintenance regime where testing has been completed. % of Remedial Works completed within target timescales. Total number of outstanding and overdue remedial actions. Additional reporting will include: Commentary on properties with overdue assessments or actions, including: The date they became overdue. Number of days overdue. Their current status within the legal access process. Contextual commentary on the proportion of activities completed before and after their due dates. A detailed performance indicator suite will be defined in the Water Safety Management Plan. Quality Assurance (QA) activities will also be undertaken and reported, including: Internal audits Strategic reviews Independent third-party assurance Page 116 of 336
Page 121
Water Safety Policy 15 16. Positive Legionella Counts In the event a sample returns a positive count for the legionella bacteria between the values of 100cfu/l and 1000 cfu/l then the following actions will be taken: The LCA approved contractor will contact contract manager or named person and advise of the positive count and the value of that count. That person will then instruct a contractor to carry out the appropriate level of work to remove the bacteria. if the minority of samples are positive, the system should be resampled. If similar results are found again, a review of the control measures and risk assessment should be carried out to identify any remedial actions necessary or if the majority of samples are positive, the system may be colonised, albeit at a low level. An immediate review of the control measures and risk assessment should be carried out to identify any other remedial action required. Disinfection of the system should be considered. Where the value of the sample is greater than 1000cfu/l then: The system should be Disinfected and then resampled, and an immediate review of the control measures and risk assessment carried out to identify any remedial actions, including possible disinfection of the system. Retesting should take place a few days after disinfection and at frequent intervals afterwards until a satisfactory level of control is achieved. In the event the bacteria count is extremely high, or the lab has an extremely high presumption count the LCA approved contractor would immediately contact the named person, phone, and advise of the predicted value. In this event senior staff would be advise of the count, site location and what actions are recommended. The site would be immediately notified and instructed what to do. An instruction would be issued to carry out urgent remedial works (full Clean and Disinfection of the site (chemical), Pasteurisation of hot water and all outlets, calorifiers (thermal)) an investigation as to how and why the bacterial count managed to infect and grow in the system would also take place. 17. Emergency Actions In the event of an outbreak or suspected outbreak the HSE will liaise with the council’s Civil Contingencies team who have a separate set of procedures to be followed. Page 117 of 336
Page 122
Water Safety Policy 16 An outbreak is defined as two or more cases where the onset of illness is closely linked in time (weeks rather than months) and where there is epidemiological evidence of a common source of infection, with or without microbiological evidence. 18. Policy Review This policy will be reviewed every 36 months, or earlier if required based on findings from performance monitoring, legislative changes, or operational needs. The review process will ensure that: The policy remains aligned with current legislation and best practice. Operational procedures continue to be effective and relevant. Feedback from audits, inspections, and internal reviews is incorporated. Any amendments will be documented in the Amendment Log/Version Control section of this policy. 19. Amendment Log / Version Control Date of Revision Record of Amendments Reason for Revision By Whom (Name and Title) 12/04/21 Original Policy N/A Karen Sillars 06/02/24 Update of regulations and responsible persons Review due as per policy Karen Sillars 17/07/25 Update of regulations and responsible persons/ external audit Policy Revision and seeking Board approval Gary Harris Statutory Compliance Manager (Housing) Page 118 of 336
Page 123
17 Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1BR Page 119 of 336
Page 124
Page 120 of 336
Page 125
___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 __________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Regulation of Social Housing: Assurance Statement 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Council is required to submit an Annual Assurance Statement to the Scottish Housing Regulator by 31 October 2025 demonstrating compliance with the regulatory requirements for local authorities and Registered Social Landlords (RSLs). 1.2 Appendix 1 lists the requirements as set out in Chapter 3 of the Scottish Housing Regulator’s Regulatory Framework and provides evidence to demonstrate Renfrewshire Council’s compliance. The proposed Annual Assurance Statement 2025 for Renfrewshire Council is attached at Appendix 2 for approval by the Policy Board. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Policy Board: (i) notes the Regulatory Requirements and evidence of Renfrewshire Council’s compliance as set out in Appendix 1; and (ii) approves Renfrewshire Council’s Annual Assurance Statement 2025 for submission to the Scottish Housing Regulator as attached in Appendix 2. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 All social landlords are required to prepare and submit an Annual Assurance Statement to the Scottish Housing Regulator each year. The first Annual Assurance Statement from Renfrewshire Council was approved by the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board and submitted to the Scottish Housing Regulator in October 2019, with subsequent statements being submitted annually thereafter. Item 9 CHPB190825 Page 121 of 336
Page 126
3.2 The regulatory requirements for all social landlords include: Meeting all duties, obligations and responsibilities placed on landlords by legislation and through statutory guidance. Achieving the standards and outcomes in the Scottish Social Housing Charter. Duties to help people who are homeless, including a statutory duty to prevent and alleviate homelessness. Duties relating to the safety of tenants’ homes and promoting equality and human rights. Meeting the requirements and adhering to relevant guidance from other regulatory bodies; and Adhering to statutory guidance from the Scottish Housing Regulator and taking account of regulatory advice. 3.3 The Scottish Housing Regulator lists the regulatory requirements for local authorities under five headings in its Regulatory Framework. Appendix 1, which is attached to this report, shows how Renfrewshire Council meets each of these requirements and gives details of current evidence which demonstrates compliance. 1. Assurance and notification 2. Scottish Social Housing Charter performance 3. Tenants and service user’s redress 4. Whistleblowing 5. Equality and Human Rights 3.4 Arrangements are in place to report regularly to the Policy Board on a range of matters relevant to the above requirements. This includes tenant and resident engagement, service improvement planning, service performance and financial and risk management. Where appropriate, these reports address areas for improvement as well as highlighting areas where the service is performing well. The normal annual cycle of reports is detailed in the table below: Page 122 of 336
Page 127
Table 1. Annual Cycle of Reports Subject Month Housing Revenue Account Budget and Rent Levels (report to Council) February/March Private Sector Grant Investment Programme February/March 3-year Service Improvement Plan March Annual Return on the Charter (and management information on allocations, repairs, homelessness and rent collection) May Housing Bi-annual compliance report May and October Housing Asset and Investment Programme Update May Housing Led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire August Service Improvement Plan Mid-Year Monitoring October Charter Half Year Update (and management information on allocations, repairs, homelessness and rent collection) October Tenant Participation Strategy Progress Report January Homelessness and Housing Support Report Every second cycle Budget reports (including Housing Revenue Account) Each cycle Service Update report Each cycle Performance 3.5 Performance against the Scottish Social Housing Charter Indicators was reported to Board in May. The Charter data for 2024/25 displayed improved or stable performance in most indicators, with seventeen indicators improving from last year and eight indicators remaining stable. There have been significant levels of improvement particularly notable in relation to void property management, rent arrears performance, emergency repairs and adaptations. 3.6 The ARC Board report in May highlighted also four indicators where performance declined, reflecting the challenges faced by the Council in continuing to provide core housing services, notably in relation to complaints handling. Page 123 of 336
Page 128
Engagement with Scottish Housing Regulator 3.7 Our engagement plan for April 2025 to March 2026 was reported to Board in May this year. This year the Engagement plan has asked the Council to: Homelessness Services Send information required in relation to its homelessness service; tell the Regulator about any emerging issues preventing it from fulfilling its statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation when it should and comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order. Tenant Safety Complete the outstanding electrical and fire safety work as quickly as possible. The Regulator had required that by 30 April 2025 we submit a plan outlining how we would complete the outstanding electrical and fire safety work, including timescales, and how we would maintain future compliance – this has been done. Monthly updates on progress on achieving compliance with electrical safety and fire detection requirements should be sent to the Regulator. Following receipt of information raising concerns about Renfrewshire’s approach to handling asbestos management cases, it is engaging with us to seek further information and assurance about our asbestos management processes and planned improvements. By 30 September 2025 we will provide the Regulator with an update on the actions we are taking in relation to asbestos management. The Council as been engaging with the regulator around asbestos management, following concerns raised by elected members direct to the regulator around our asbestos management arrangements. The regulator is assured by our arrangements and Council set out the works it is undertaking to enhance asbestos management arrangements across the housing stock and communal areas, with details on the arrangements and progress being sent to the regulator by 30th September. Tenant & Resident Safety, Landlord Compliance 3.8 The Scottish Housing Regulator has asked that, this year, landlords confirm whether they meet all duties in relation to tenant and resident safety, and that appropriate assurance about compliance has been obtained. Gas safety Electrical safety Water safety Fire safety Asbestos Damp and Mould Page 124 of 336
Page 129
Lift safety The Service has taken steps to review and consolidate its responsibilities in relation to tenant and resident safety. A Housing Landlord Compliance team was established in 2023, a comprehensive Landlord Compliance Strategy was developed and this year compliance policies have been revised and approved by the Policy Board for Gas safety, Electrical safety, Fire safety and Lift safety. The Water Safety policy is presented to this meeting of the Policy Board and the Asbestos Management policy will be brought to Board in 2025. The Board received a report in October 2024 on Dampness, Mould and Condensation. This report outlined the processes in place to deal with reports of dampness and mould and detailed the actions which were taken to review these, as well as setting out further actions to be undertaken. A landlord policy covering this area is currently being developed and will be brought to Board this year. The Board receives updates on progress with tackling reports of dampness and mould and other compliance matters within the Service Update reports which are presented each cycle. In February this year members of the Communities and Housing Policy Board received training from an independent Health and Safety specialist on landlord compliance and Tenant and Resident Safety. The presentation slides from the training session were also shared for those members who were unable to attend. The training covered a range of topics, including: General introduction to health and safety, the law and responsibilities under the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974, including regulations relevant to the sector Tenant & resident safety – responsibilities held by social landlords to ensure the safety of tenants – a focus on the ‘Big 6’ The importance of managing contractors Good governance & assurance The requirements of the Assurance Statement Equalities and Human Rights 3.9 On Equalities and Human Rights, we can provide assurance that we comply with all of the regulatory requirements and standards, including the requirement on equalities and human rights. Section 5 of Appendix 1 provides full details of our approach and how we comply and adapt service to meet these requirements. 3.10 Social landlords are required to advise the Scottish Housing Regulator of any material changes to Council’s Annual Assurance Statement during the year. Members should note that there were no material changes to our Assurance Statement last year. __________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None. Page 125 of 336
Page 130
2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – Our Renfrewshire is thriving – Providing housing and homelessness services which meet regulatory standards. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights – (a) 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 – 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. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Report to Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 15 January 2019 – Regulation of Social Housing – Response to Consultation by The Scottish Housing Regulator. Report to Communities and Housing Policy Board on 29 October 2024 – Regulation of Social Housing: Assurance Statement 2024. Report to Communities and Housing Policy Board on 13 May 2025 - Social Housing Charter Performance: 2024/25, 2025 Engagement Plan. The foregoing background paper will be retained within the Housing Service for inspection by the public for the prescribed period of four years from the date of the Page 126 of 336
Page 131
meeting. The contact officer within the service is Ray Walkinshaw, Housing Regeneration and Development Manager, telephone 0141-487 2189 or 07483 146814 and e-mail ray.walkinshaw@renfrewshire.gov.uk. ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Ray Walkinshaw ray.walkinshaw@renfrewshire.gov.uk ___________________________________________________________________ Attachment(s): Appendix 1: Regulation of Social Housing Assurance Statement Appendix 2: Renfrewshire Council Assurance Statement 2025 Page 127 of 336
Page 132
45 ANNUAL ASSURANCE STATEMENT 2025 Appendix 1 Page 128 of 336
Page 133
1 Checklist of Regulatory Requirements/Standards 1. Assurance and Notification AN1 Prepare an Annual Assurance Statement in accordance with SHR published guidance, submit it to the SHR between April and the end of October each year, and make it available to tenants and other service users. How We Comply Evidence Account has been taken of the SHR’s guidance on Annual Assurance Statements in preparing this report. Some areas for improvement have been idenƟfied and these are detailed within this report and in other reports to the Policy Board. All Annual Assurance Statements have been approved by Policy Board since 2019 and submiƩed to the SHR thereaŌer, with the SHR providing feedback as appropriate. The 2025 Annual Assurance Statement was discussed with the Tenant representaƟves at the joint tenant meeƟng held on 3 July 2025. A briefing session and presentaƟon on the Annual Assurance Statement 2025 was provided to members of the Policy Board. Following Board approval, the Annual Assurance Statement 2025 will be available to tenants and other service users with a link to the Council’s website. CAH Policy Board Report 19 August 2025 - RegulaƟon of Social Housing Assurance Statement Updated Guidance on Regulatory Framework from SHR Published February 2024 Scoƫsh Housing Regulator Engagement Plan 2025-2026 CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Social Housing Charter Performance: 2024/25, 2025 Engagement Plan Note of meeƟng with tenant representaƟves (3 July 2025) Annual Assurance Statement PresentaƟon to members of the Policy Board 19 August 2025 Page 129 of 336
Page 134
2 AN2 NoƟfy the SHR during the year of any material changes to the assurance in the Council’s Assurance Statement. How We Comply Evidence There were no material changes to the Councils Assurance Statement for 2024. If there are any material changes for the Assurance Statement 2025, we will advise the SHR and the CommuniƟes and Housing Board. To accommodate this during the year we provide a number of reports: Annual report to the Charter was presented to the CommuniƟes and Housing Board in May 2025 noƟng performance in gas safety cerƟficaƟon and electrical and smoke detector performance and subsequently submiƩed to SHR at the end May 2025 Housing Bi-annual Compliance Report Service Update reports, each cycle SHR Engagement Plan 24/25 asks for monthly return on EICR and Smoke detector compliance, as such we have kept the SHR updated monthly on our compliance with Electrical tesƟng and Fire safety. CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Social Housing Charter Performance: 2024/25, 2025 Engagement Plan CAH Policy Board Report 19 August 2025 - RegulaƟon of Social Housing Assurance Statement CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Housing Bi-annual compliance report Service Update Reports to CommuniƟes and Housing Policy Board Monthly Returns to SHR for 2024/25 Engagement Plan Page 130 of 336
Page 135
3 AN3 Have assurance and evidence that the Council is meeƟng all its legal obligaƟons associated with housing and homelessness services, equality and human rights, and tenant and resident safety How We Comply Evidence Customer Engagement and Service Improvement We conƟnue to engage with customers to review the strategic prioriƟes of the Local Housing Strategy 2023–2028. When developing new policies or procedures, officers consult with Legal Services to ensure legal compliance, with key issues highlighted for Elected Members. In line with the Tenant ParƟcipaƟon Strategy, tenants are consulted on all major policy decisions, including the annual rent increase. Performance across housing services is regularly monitored and benchmarked, both over Ɵme and against other social landlords. This helps idenƟfy areas for improvement, which are then addressed as part of our commitment to conƟnuous service enhancement. Council and Housing Strategies, Plans, Policies and Procedures. Service Update Reports to the CommuniƟes and Housing Policy Board. Each cycle since January 2024. CAH Policy Board Report 31 October 2023 - Local Housing Strategy– Update CAH Policy Board Report 29 October 2024 - Annual progress update for the LHS (2024) CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2025-2028 CAH Policy Board Report 11 March 2025 - Tenant ParƟcipaƟon Strategy Update CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Social Housing Charter Performance: 2024/25, 2025 Engagement Plan Annual Rent ConsultaƟon 2025-2028 LeƩer to all tenants Annual Rent ConsultaƟon 2025-2028 Rent ConsultaƟon MeeƟng Homelessness and Access to Housing The Council uses a range of measures to minimise homelessness and provide support to vulnerable people: Housing First Scotland Annual Check Up Renfrewshire Common Housing AllocaƟon Policy Page 131 of 336
Page 136
4 AN3 Have assurance and evidence that the Council is meeƟng all its legal obligaƟons associated with housing and homelessness services, equality and human rights, and tenant and resident safety How We Comply Evidence Temporary AccommodaƟon: The number of temporary accommodaƟon units has increased to 279, including Council, RSL, and Supported AccommodaƟon. B&B use is a last resort, with 261 placements since November 2022. Housing First: The Council conƟnues to support vulnerable individuals through the Housing First approach, using the Housing Support and RRTP budget effecƟvely. Service Planning: A Service Development Plan outlines strengths, challenges, and key acƟons to improve homelessness services and meet statutory duƟes. Housing OpƟons Toolkit: Promotes person-centred service delivery, staff consistency, and awareness of support resources. AllocaƟons: The Common Housing AllocaƟon Policy ensures fair access to housing, with targets and outcomes reviewed annually by the Policy Board. Tenant Support Fund (TSF): Provides financial relief to tenants in hardship, helping to prevent rent arrears and sustain tenancies. Unsuitable AccommodaƟon: There were 99 breaches of the Unsuitable AccommodaƟon Order between April 2024 and March 2025. CAH Policy Board Report 11 March 2025 - Renfrewshire Common Housing AllocaƟon Policy – Council AllocaƟon Targets for 2025/2026 CAH Policy Board Report 11 March 2025 - Common AllocaƟon Policy Review Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support joint commissioning of a Housing OpƟons Training Toolkit Housing OpƟons Advice – Housing OpƟons Form CAH Policy Board Report 29 October 2024 - Homelessness in Renfrewshire and Review of Rapid Rehousing TransiƟon Plan CAH Policy Board Report 19 May 2025 - Homelessness and Housing Support Homeless Services Development Plan CAH Policy Board Report 19 May 2025 - Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2025-2028 Service Update Reports (Each Cycle) Tenant Support Fund Policy Page 132 of 336
Page 137
5 AN3 Have assurance and evidence that the Council is meeƟng all its legal obligaƟons associated with housing and homelessness services, equality and human rights, and tenant and resident safety How We Comply Evidence EqualiƟes & Human Rights We conƟnue to collect and analyse data on new and exisƟng tenants to provide a beƩer understanding of the needs and requirements for all equality groups. CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Environment, Housing & Infrastructure - Service Improvement Plan 2025-2028 Housing OpƟons ApplicaƟon Form Tenant & Resident Safety The Council takes Tenant and Resident Safety seriously, the measures we take, and our performance are reported to Board on a regular basis. Comprehensive Compliance Coverage There is a dedicated team covering: Gas, Electrical, Fire, Water, Asbestos, LiŌs, Damp & Mould Bi-annual performance reporƟng to CAH Policy Board Governance & Oversight CAH Policy Board Members were provided with training on landlord compliance in February 2025 Regular reports to CAH Policy Board on safety and compliance Housing Landlord Compliance Strategy 2025–2028 in place Gas & Electrical Safety There were five gas safety fails since April 2025 Electrical safety compliance progressing; there are 45 properƟes with overdue Electrical InstallaƟon CondiƟons Report (EICR). 23 of these have environmental issues which require input from the housing neighbourhood offices who were tasked with invesƟgaƟng and providing feedback to the compliance team to enable new appointments to be Corporate Health and Safety Policies and Procedures. Fire Safety Guidance for ExisƟng High Rise domesƟc Buildings Scoƫsh Government Guidance on Sprinkler Systems for all newbuild home building warrants submiƩed on or aŌer 1 June 2022 Internal Audit Statement of Compliance. Compliance CerƟficates – e.g. Gas Safety, EICRs Housing AdaptaƟons within Council Stock Policy CAH Policy Board Report 29 October 2024, Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Annual Health and Safety Plan (2024/25) – Mid-year (6 month) Update CAH Policy Board Report 11 March 2025 - Housing Landlord Compliance 2025 CAH Policy Board Report Housing Landlord Compliance 13 May 2025 - Bi-annual Performance Report Housing Landlord Compliance Strategy, March 2025 Housing Landlord Compliance Policy – Gas Safety (CAH Policy Board 11 March 2025) Page 133 of 336
Page 138
6 AN3 Have assurance and evidence that the Council is meeƟng all its legal obligaƟons associated with housing and homelessness services, equality and human rights, and tenant and resident safety How We Comply Evidence scheduled. The remaining 22 are either already appointed, have been completed but paperwork not submiƩed or are sƟll to be scheduled. The target is to have all 45 completed by mid October. Over the past year monthly compliance updates were provided to SHR AddiƟonal contractors and forced access process in place Damp & Mould Monitoring Stock condiƟon survey underway will gather informaƟon on mould issues We have introduced sensor installaƟon in properƟes with damp and mould to enable properƟes to be monitored before and aŌer remediaƟon has been carried out. Sensors are also used to highlight potenƟal issues before they are reported. Policies and procedures in place for remediaƟon External Review PosiƟve feedback from Social Housing Safety Network Scotland (Jan 2025) Reviewed key safety policies and strategy Senior staff met with the SHR to discuss handling asbestos management cases. It is engaging with us to seek further informaƟon and assurance about our asbestos management processes and planned improvements and by 30 September 2025 we will provide the Regulator with an update on the acƟons we are taking in relaƟon to asbestos management. Housing Landlord Compliance Policy – Electrical Safety (CAH Policy Board 11 March 2025) Housing Landlord Compliance Policy - Fire Safety (CAH Policy Board 13 May 2025) Housing Landlord Compliance Policy - LiŌ Safety (CAH Policy Board 13 May 2025) Housing Landlord Compliance Policy - Water Safety (Presented to CAH Policy Board 19 August 2025) Housing Landlord Compliance Policy - Asbestos Safety (currently being reviewed for presentaƟon to CAH Policy Board later in 2025) CAH Policy Board Report 17 January 2023 - Tackling Dampness, Mould & CondensaƟon CAH Policy Board Report 22 August 2023 - Tackling Dampness, Mould & CondensaƟon – Changes Implemented Monthly reports to SHR on Electrical tesƟng and fire safety Service Update Reports (each cycle) Elected Members training on landlord compliance, presentaƟon to CAH Policy Board Members (11 February 2025) Page 134 of 336
Page 139
7 AN3 Have assurance and evidence that the Council is meeƟng all its legal obligaƟons associated with housing and homelessness services, equality and human rights, and tenant and resident safety How We Comply Evidence ARC ReporƟng (2025/26) will advise on: Gas & electrical compliance failures Fire detecƟon equipment coverage Damp & mould resoluƟon Ɵmes and reopen rates AN4 NoƟfy the SHR of any tenant and resident safety maƩers which have been reported to or are being invesƟgated by the Health and Safety ExecuƟve, or reports from regulatory or statutory authoriƟes, or insurance providers, relaƟng to safety concerns How We Comply Evidence During the past year there was one occasion where the Council received a request for informaƟon from the Health and Safety ExecuƟve (HSE). The request for informaƟon related to an incident on 2nd March 2025, when Scoƫsh Gas Networks (SGN) were called out by a housing tenant regards a smell of gas. During the visit the SGN engineer idenƟfied no gas readings and carried out a Ɵghtness check – the engineer then proceeded to test the boiler, on igniƟon the boiler caught fire - the fire service was called, and the boiler was made safe. SGN raised a RIDDOR (DO) report and submiƩed to the Health and Safety ExecuƟve. The Health and Safety ExecuƟve requested the GSL3 from the Council as the duty holder – this was completed and issued on 30th Apr 2025. No further acƟon taken by HSE. GSL3 Emails from HSE E Mail from Scoƫsh Housing Regulator Page 135 of 336
Page 140
8 AN4 NoƟfy the SHR of any tenant and resident safety maƩers which have been reported to or are being invesƟgated by the Health and Safety ExecuƟve, or reports from regulatory or statutory authoriƟes, or insurance providers, relaƟng to safety concerns How We Comply Evidence We reported this to the Scoƫsh Housing Regulator as a NoƟfiable Event. The SHR were saƟsfied with our approach and closed the case without any further evidence required. AN5 Make the Council’s Engagement Plan easily available and accessible to tenants and service users, including online How We Comply Evidence The Council’s current Engagement Plan is publicised on the Council’s website and any subsequent plans will be made available online for tenants and service users. The Engagement plan is also promoted to tenants in the Annual Review for Tenants. Council website which includes link to Regulator website People’s News (Re draŌed as Annual Review for Tenants) SHR Engagement Plan from 31 March 2024 – 31 March 2025 CAH Policy Board Report 19 August 2025 – RegulaƟon of Social Housing Assurance Statement People’s News (Re draŌed as Annual Review for Tenants) Page 136 of 336
Page 141
9 2. Scottish Social Housing Charter Performance CH1 Submit an Annual Return on the Charter (ARC) to the SHR each year in accordance with published guidance. How We Comply Evidence The Annual Return on the Charter (ARC) was submiƩed to the Scoƫsh Housing Regulator in May 2025. A robust internal data checking framework is in place, with sample data independently verified by the Scoƫsh Housing Network. Each year Internal Audit select a number of indicators to ensure that the correct process are being followed, and the returns are accurate. Charter performance is reported bi-annually to the CommuniƟes and Housing Policy Board. An annual benchmarking exercise carried out with the Scoƫsh Housing Network (SHN) compares performance against previous years and other local authoriƟes. CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Social Housing Charter Performance: 2024/25, 2025 Engagement Plan Internal Audit report Page 137 of 336
Page 142
10 CH2 Involve tenants, and where relevant other service users, in the preparaƟon and scruƟny of performance informaƟon. This must include: Agreeing the approach with tenants Ensuring that it is effecƟve and meaningful – that the chosen approach gives tenants a real and demonstrable say in the assessment of performance Publicising the approach to tenants Ensuring that it can be verified and be able to show that the agreed approach to involving tenants has happened Involve other service users in an appropriate way, having asked and had regard to their needs and wishes.. How We Comply Evidence Tenant ParƟcipaƟon & Performance Engagement Performance CommunicaƟon Tenants are consulted on how performance data is presented and benchmarked. This is shared in the Charter supplement of the People’s News and on the Council’s website. Annual Charter Return Officers and tenant reps reviewed the Council’s performance and ARC submission in an online session. The 2024/25 Tenant Report and ARC presentaƟon were discussed at the Joint Tenants MeeƟng on 3 July 2025. Tenant ParƟcipaƟon Strategy Adopted in October 2022, with annual progress updates to the CommuniƟes and Housing Policy Board. Ongoing Engagement Tenant groups are consulted regularly, through face-to-face meeƟngs and on line meeƟngs. PresentaƟon and Minutes of Joint Tenant RepresentaƟve Group MeeƟngs. (3 July 2025) CAH Policy Board Report 11 March 2025 - Tenant ParƟcipaƟon Strategy Update Tenant ScruƟny Panel acƟvity Quality Circle InspecƟons 2025 - 2028 Rent ConsultaƟon Report to Council 27 February 2025 – HRA Budget and Rent Levels 2025/26 – 2027/28 and Housing Capital Investment Plan 2025/26 – 2029/30 CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2025-2028 Council Wide Forum Tenant & Resident AssociaƟon MeeƟngs RegeneraƟon & Renewal Area Pop-Up Events AƩendance Log CHAPS Policy Board Report 18 January 2022 - Housing-led RegeneraƟon & Renewal Programme ConsultaƟon Update Page 138 of 336
Page 143
11 CH2 Involve tenants, and where relevant other service users, in the preparaƟon and scruƟny of performance informaƟon. This must include: Agreeing the approach with tenants Ensuring that it is effecƟve and meaningful – that the chosen approach gives tenants a real and demonstrable say in the assessment of performance Publicising the approach to tenants Ensuring that it can be verified and be able to show that the agreed approach to involving tenants has happened Involve other service users in an appropriate way, having asked and had regard to their needs and wishes.. How We Comply Evidence Tenant SaƟsfacƟon In 2024, 83.6% of tenants were saƟsfied with opportuniƟes to parƟcipate in decision-making. ParƟcipaƟon OpportuniƟes Tenants engage through surveys, forums, associaƟons, scruƟny panels, and Quality Circles. A new Quality Circle for Estate Management was introduced this year. Neighbourhood Renewal Groups established in 2 of 8 regeneraƟon areas, enabling local input on area improvements. Link to Council website for eight RegeneraƟon & Renewal areas Housing RegeneraƟon NewsleƩers CAH Policy Board Report 20 August 2024 - Housing-led RegeneraƟon & Renewal Programme Year 3 Update CAH Policy Board Report 19 August 2025 – Housing-led RegeneraƟon & Renewal Programme Year 4 Update Quality Circle MeeƟngs (Reports) CH3 Report performance in achieving or progressing towards the Charter outcomes and standards to its tenants and other service users (no later than October each year). The format of performance reporƟng must be agreed with tenants, ensuring that it is accessible for tenants and other service users, with plain and jargon-free language. How We Comply Evidence Each year tenant representaƟves are consulted on how performance informaƟon should be presented; what indicators should be highlighted and how performance is benchmarked. PresentaƟon and Minutes of Joint Tenant RepresentaƟve Group MeeƟngs. (3 July 2025) People’s News (Re draŌed as Annual Review for Tenants) Page 139 of 336
Page 144
12 CH3 Report performance in achieving or progressing towards the Charter outcomes and standards to its tenants and other service users (no later than October each year). The format of performance reporƟng must be agreed with tenants, ensuring that it is accessible for tenants and other service users, with plain and jargon-free language. How We Comply Evidence The annual Report to Tenants is delivered to all Council tenants as a supplement to the People’s News each year. The Councils performance against charter indicators is also publicised on the Council Website – Annual Return on the Charter Tenant Supplement. Council website. CH4 When reporƟng performance to tenants and other service users, this must: Include providing them with an assessment of performance in delivering each of the Charter outcomes and standards which are relevant to the Council Include relevant comparisons – these should include comparisons with previous years, with other landlords and with naƟonal performance. Set out how and when the Council intends to address areas for improvement Give tenants and other service users a way to feed back their views on the style and form of the reporƟng. How We Comply Evidence Using Tenant Feedback to Improve Services Annual Report to Tenants is shaped by tenant feedback and includes: Performance comparisons with previous years Benchmarking against Scoƫsh averages Highlights of successes and areas for improvement Charter InformaƟon shared with tenant groups includes: Year-on-year performance data Comparisons with other social landlords Policy Board ReporƟng includes: IdenƟfied improvement areas such as re-let Ɵmes, adaptaƟons, void management, and gas safety CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Social Housing Charter Performance: 2024/25, 2025 Engagement Plan Tenant SaƟsfacƟon Survey 2024 CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2025-2028 People’s News (Re draŌed as Annual Review for Tenants) - Annual Return on the Charter Tenant Supplement PresentaƟon and Minutes of Joint Tenant RepresentaƟve Group MeeƟngs (3 July 2025) Page 140 of 336
Page 145
13 CH4 When reporƟng performance to tenants and other service users, this must: Include providing them with an assessment of performance in delivering each of the Charter outcomes and standards which are relevant to the Council Include relevant comparisons – these should include comparisons with previous years, with other landlords and with naƟonal performance. Set out how and when the Council intends to address areas for improvement Give tenants and other service users a way to feed back their views on the style and form of the reporƟng. How We Comply Evidence People’s News invites tenant feedback on newsleƩer format and content Council website CH5 Make the report on performance easily available to tenants, including online. How We Comply Evidence The annual Report to Tenants is delivered to all Council tenants as a supplement to the People’s News each year. The Councils performance against charter indicators is published on the Council Website. People’s News (Re draŌed as Annual Review for Tenants) – Annual Return on the Charter Tenant Supplement Council website 3. Tenants and Service Users Redress TS1 Make informaƟon on reporƟng significant performance failures, including the SHR’s leaflet, available to tenants. How We Comply Evidence InformaƟon for tenants on reporƟng significant performance failures, including the SHR’s leaflet, is available from the Council website. A link to the SHR’s website is also publicised on the Councils website. Council website includes a link to the Scoƫsh Housing Regulator’s website. SHR Significant Failures Leaflet Page 141 of 336
Page 146
14 TS2 Provide tenants and other service users with the informaƟon they need to exercise their right to complain and seek redress and respond to tenants within the Ɵmescales outlined in the Council’s service standards, in accordance with guidance from the Scoƫsh Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). How We Comply Evidence InformaƟon on how to complain is publicised widely, including online and in tenant newsleƩers. The Council adheres to the SPSO guidance in relaƟon to complaint Ɵmescales. The Council monitors complaints handling, and this is reported to the Scoƫsh Housing Regulator through the Annual Return on the Charter. Complaints performance informaƟon is covered in the Annual Report to Tenants. Complaints Handling Procedures: Customer Guide Complaints Form People’s News (Re draŌed as Annual Review for Tenants) Council website CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Social Housing Charter Performance: 2024/25, 2025 Engagement Plan TS3 Ensure the Council has effecƟve arrangements to learn from complaints and from other tenant and service user feedback, in accordance with SPSO guidance. How We Comply Evidence Complaints Process InformaƟon on how to complain is widely publicised (online and in newsleƩers). The Council follows SPSO guidance on complaint Ɵmescales. Complaints are analysed for recurring themes, with officer meeƟngs held for insight. Tenant SaƟsfacƟon Survey (2024) noted: 90% of tenants had not made a complaint. Corporate Complaints Handling Procedures Complaints by Service Area Spreadsheet People’s News (Re draŌed as Annual Review for Tenants) SMT meeƟngs SPSO – Link on Council website Page 142 of 336
Page 147
15 TS3 Ensure the Council has effecƟve arrangements to learn from complaints and from other tenant and service user feedback, in accordance with SPSO guidance. How We Comply Evidence 79% found it easy to make a complaint CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2025-2028 2024 Tenant SaƟsfacƟon Survey TS4 Provide tenants, residents and service users with easy and effecƟve ways to provide feedback and raise concerns, and ensure that it considers such informaƟon and provides a quick and effecƟve response.. How We Comply Evidence Tenant Feedback & ParƟcipaƟon Surveys Conducted: Point-of-service and repairs saƟsfacƟon surveys Annual survey for property owners Tenant saƟsfacƟon survey (every two years) Tenant Involvement: Tenant ScruƟny Panel: Reviews and suggests service improvements Tenant Quality Circles: Inspect and receive reports on estate management and other services A “Good News” secƟon is included in the Sheltered Housing and Housing Support newsleƩers. Tenant SaƟsfacƟon Survey 2024 Repairs saƟsfacƟon survey Owners Survey Tenant ParƟcipaƟon Strategy TSP minutes Quality Circle reports Sheltered Housing NewsleƩers & Sheltered Housing Good News Housing Support NewsleƩers Page 143 of 336
Page 148
16 4. Whistleblowing WB1 Have effecƟve arrangements and a policy for whistleblowing by staff and elected members which the Council makes easily available and which it promotes. How We Comply Evidence The Council’s Staff Code of Conduct includes informaƟon on Whistleblowing. This is available for staff and elected members on the Councils intranet site. Following the local government elecƟons in 2022 all councillors in the new administraƟon were provided with a briefing pack which contains key aspects of services. Elected members must comply with the Councillors’ Code of Conduct which is available on the Standards Commission website. Staff Code of Conduct Councillors’ Code of Conduct Convenor Pack New Councillor IntroducƟon to Wards 1- 12. New Councillor PresentaƟon 2022 Page 144 of 336
Page 149
17 5 Equalities and Human Rights EH1 Have assurance and evidence that the Council considers equality and human rights issues properly when making all of its decisions, in the design and review of internal and external policies, and in its day-to-day service delivery. How We Comply Evidence Equality, Accessibility & Inclusive Housing – Summary Equality & Human Rights All Board reports are reviewed for equality and human rights implicaƟons. Equality Impact Assessments are conducted for all policy changes. The Service Improvement Plan includes an annual equaliƟes statement. Tenant SaƟsfacƟon & Engagement High saƟsfacƟon with service access and parƟcipaƟon opportuniƟes (2024 survey). Strategic Housing Investment Plan includes annual consultaƟon with individuals and groups. Inclusive Housing Design Newbuild SpecificaƟon ensures compliance with Housing for Varying Needs standards. Includes wheelchair-accessible and future-proof homes. Our regeneraƟon programme supports social transformaƟon in SIMD areas. Flexible & Accessible Services Hybrid working model supports service delivery in offices and remotely. Council Guide for Assessing Equality and Human Rights Impacts CollecƟng Equality InformaƟon: NaƟonal guidance for Scoƫsh social landlords, June 2022 Progress Report on Equality Mainstreaming Equality 2023 Housing InformaƟon & Advice for People with DisabiliƟes Digital Support for Council Tenants – Digital ParƟcipaƟon Overview 2022-2023 Link to Language Line translaƟon service & AlternaƟve formats are available on request. Wheelchair accessible customer service centre with Loop hearing systems in place. Renfrewshire Common Housing AllocaƟon Policy Housing OpƟons, mobility, Sheltered and HSPC housing applicaƟon process. Housing OpƟons On Line applicaƟon, hƩps://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/arƟcle/14207/Apply-for- council-housing Page 145 of 336
Page 150
18 EH1 Have assurance and evidence that the Council considers equality and human rights issues properly when making all of its decisions, in the design and review of internal and external policies, and in its day-to-day service delivery. How We Comply Evidence “Near Me” video plaƞorm used for tenant appointments (46 booked, 32 aƩended since April 2024). All customers seeking housing are offered tailored housing opƟons discussions. Specialist Support A Housing & DisabiliƟes Advisor supports complex cases (e.g., hospital discharge, housebound individuals). Care Experienced Support The Service is commiƩed to Keeping The Promise and supporƟng care-experienced individuals. Close collaboraƟon with Social Work with our Throughcare policy for care leavers. High housing priority for young people leaving care; ongoing review of pracƟces to meet their needs. Strategic ReporƟng Rapid Rehousing TransiƟon Plan Review 2022 submiƩed to the Scoƫsh Government. Tenant InformaƟon Booklet & Tenancy Agreement Polish TranslaƟon Annual Re-registraƟon process for housing applicants Rapid Rehousing TransiƟon Plan Review 2022 Renfrewshire Homeless Partnership mulƟ-agency approach Housing Providers Forum Renfrewshire Common Housing AllocaƟon Policy EqualiƟes Impact Assessment. Housing-led RegeneraƟon and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire - EqualiƟes Impact Assessment Tenants SaƟsfacƟon Survey 2024. Near Me Plaƞorm DraŌ Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 ConsultaƟve draŌ Renfrewshire Council Newbuild SpecificaƟon Environment, Housing & Infrastructure - Service Improvement Plan 2025-2028 Homeless PrevenƟon Officers to link in with Throughcare Page 146 of 336
Page 151
19 EH1 Have assurance and evidence that the Council considers equality and human rights issues properly when making all of its decisions, in the design and review of internal and external policies, and in its day-to-day service delivery. How We Comply Evidence Throughcare Partnership Agreement between Housing Services and Social Work Page 147 of 336
Page 152
20 EH2 To comply with these duƟes, landlords must collect data relaƟng to each of the protected characterisƟcs for their exisƟng tenants, new tenants, people on waiƟng lists, governing body members and staff. Local authoriƟes must also collect data on protected characterisƟcs for people who apply to them as homeless. Landlords who provide Gypsy/ Traveller sites must also collect data on protected characterisƟcs for these service users. How We Comply Evidence Equality Monitoring & Strategic Alignment Protected CharacterisƟcs InformaƟon is collected from housing applicants, tenants, and waiƟng list applicants (where provided), and anonymised in the Tenant SaƟsfacƟon Survey. Strategic Planning The Service Improvement Plan (SIP) aligns with the 5 strategic outcomes of the Council Plan 2023–2028, with acƟons grouped accordingly. Gypsy/Traveller CommuniƟes While there are currently no sites in Renfrewshire, the Council uses Scoƫsh Government resources and research to understand and respond to the evolving needs of Gypsy/Traveller communiƟes, parƟcularly around accommodaƟon and services. CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Social Housing Charter Performance: 2024/25, 2025 Engagement Plan CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 - Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2025-2028 CAH Policy Board Report 13 May 2025 – Scoƫsh Social Housing Charter Annual Return 2024/25 Unauthorised Encampments Procedures (Gypsy/Travellers) DraŌ Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 ConsultaƟve draŌ Page 148 of 336
Page 153
21 Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1BR Page 149 of 336
Page 154
APPENDIX 2 Renfrewshire Council Assurance Statement 2025 This Assurance Statement covers the period from the date of the last Assurance Statement (October 2024) to the date of approval of this one (August 2025). Renfrewshire Council complies with the regulatory requirements set out in Chapter 3 of the Regulatory Framework. We achieve the standards and outcomes in the Scottish Social Housing Charter for tenants, people who are homeless and others who use our services. Equalities and Human Rights In relation to equalities data collection and human rights, the Council has established policies and procedures in these areas which are embedded in service delivery. We review and adjust our approach in the collection of equalities and human rights information along with any other changes in accordance with statutory requirements or regulatory guidance. Homelessness The Council uses a range of measures to minimise homelessness and provide support to vulnerable people. Over the past year the number of temporary accommodation units has increased to 279, including Council, RSL, and supported accommodation. B&B use is a last resort, with 261 placements since November 2022. Between April 2024 and March 2025 there were 99 breaches of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order. Tenant and Resident Safety The Service continues to take steps to review and consolidate its responsibilities in relation to tenant and resident safety. The Housing Landlord Compliance team is embedded within the service and the Housing Landlord Compliance Strategy 2025-2028, which sets out the strategic approach to compliance across the six key areas of compliance relating to Council Housing assets (gas safety, electrical safety, fire safety, lift safety, asbestos management and water safety) was approved at the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 11th March 2025. Five landlord compliance policies have been reviewed in 2025 and presented to the Policy Board as follows: Gas and Carbon Monoxide Safety Policy – approved on 11th March 2025 Page 150 of 336
Page 155
Electrical Safety Policy – approved on 11th March 2025 Fire Safety Policy – approved on 13th May 2025 Lift Safety Policy – approved on 13th May 2025 Water Safety Policy presented for approval on 19th August 2025 The Asbestos Management policy is currently under review and will be presented to the Policy Board this year. The Board received updates in October 2024 and March 2025 on Dampness, Mould and Condensation. A landlord policy covering this area is currently being developed and will be presented to the Policy Board this year. An update on Electrical testing (EICR) compliance was provided in the Housing Landlord Compliance-Biannual Performance report in May. The Council provides regular returns to the Scottish Housing regulator on Electrical testing and Smoke detector installation. In January 2025 the Scottish Housing Regulator published updated indicators for the Annual Return on the Charter (ARC) which included new indicators on fire and electrical safety and damp and mould which landlords will report on by the end of May 2026. From May 2026 the SHR will therefore receive assurance about fire and electrical safety and damp and mould via the ARC. There are policies and a Compliance Strategy in place to address matters of tenants and residents’ safety. Specific details on these areas are as follows: Gas safety Since April 2025 there were five instances where a gas certificate was not renewed by its anniversary date. Two have been completed and the remaining three are in the process of being completed. Electrical safety We are currently 99.6% compliant. The number of properties without a valid EICR certificate is 45, with action underway to complete these. Water safety There have been no incidents where water safety has been compromised. Fire safety Fire risk assessments continue to be reviewed annually for High Rise and Sheltered housing complexes with a 6 monthly review taking place. There is an ongoing 3 yearly programme for communal areas of domestic properties. Page 151 of 336
Page 156
Asbestos Common area surveys have been undertaken and are in place for all sites. Re-inspections are required for some sites and will be undertaken on appointment of a suitably qualified contractor. The Asbestos Management Plan is currently under review and an asbestos action plan is being developed for submission to the Regulator by 30th September, as required by our Engagement Plan 2025/26. Damp and Mould As at the end of July 2025 o There were 53 resolved cases that took on average 36.6 days to resolve. o There were no cases re opened o There were 80 ongoing cases under investigation Lift safety There have been no incidents of lift safety issues. (Waiting for relevant narrative if any Service Performance With regards to service performance there are areas that the Board have been advised that the Charter data for 2024/25 displayed improved or stable performance in most indicators, with seventeen indicators improving from last year. There have been significant levels of improvement particularly notable in relation to void property management, rent arrears performance, emergency repairs and adaptations. There has been a decline in complaints handling performance which was reported to Board in May. Members were advised that work is ongoing to address Stage 1 complaints performance, including, additional training focusing on complaints handling and using the complaints system, support to officers where required; and a regular summary overview of Stage 1 complaints to help with focus on those nearing the target timescale. Similarly work to improve performance against more complex stage 2 complaints is underway. As well as additional training, work to address current performance will include new reporting to increase the visibility of ongoing performance so that additional support can be provided where necessary. To address tenant satisfaction levels, we are working with the Quality Circles to identify areas for attention and address stock condition through our SHQS and Investment programme. Page 152 of 336
Page 157
The background papers that support our Assurance Statement for 2025 note that there was one incident reported to the Health and Safety Executive, which, following investigation, it was concluded that no action was required. The Council’s Communities and Housing Policy Board regularly receives reports which provide information and evidence to support assurance. The Annual Assurance Statement 2025 was considered and approved by the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 19 August 2025. Signed _________________________________ Councillor Marie McGurk Convener of the Communities and Housing Policy Board Date: __________ Page 153 of 336
Page 158
Page 154 of 336
Page 159
To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Heading: Scottish Government Consultations on the Draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations and the Draft Scope for a Heat & Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment 1. Summary 1.1 The Scottish Government is currently consulting on draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations and a proposal setting out the scope of a Heat & Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA). 1.2 The draft energy efficiency regulations propose a Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard for the private rented sector, requiring all such properties to meet an Energy Performance Certificate Heat Retention Rating of band C. It is proposed this standard will apply to new tenancies from 2028 and to all privately rented properties by 2033. 1.3 The Scottish Government are currently reforming the Energy Performance Certificate framework, with the intention the new certification will be introduced in 2026 (subject to the UK Government timetable for development of the Home Energy Model) and features new Heat Retention Ratings, Energy Cost Ratings and Heating System Rating. 1.4 The HEETSA is intended to provide assurance for building owners when choosing measures to improve energy efficiency and change heating systems. This provides mechanisms to ensure the most appropriate measures are implemented. The intention is this will be underpinned by legislation and updating the current Energy Performance Certification scheme. 1.5 Both consultations objectives aim to improve energy efficiency, reducing emissions from buildings and support the Scottish Government’s Net Zero and fuel poverty reduction commitments. Item 10 CHPB190825 Page 155 of 336
Page 160
1.6 The consultations will close on 29 August 2025 and Officers have prepared responses which broadly support the introduction of both the Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations and a HEETSA. If approved, by this Board, these will be submitted prior to the consultation closing date. 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Approves the draft responses to both consultations, and 2.2 Authorises the Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure to submit the responses prior to the closing date of 29 August 2025. 3. Background 3.1 The Scottish Government is consulting on two areas aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions from buildings to ensure that these fall in line with the net zero target date of 2045. The proposals further aim to achieve a good level of energy efficiency, in a way that is fair and which reduces fuel poverty. The first consultation relates to proposed Draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations, with the second consultation seeking views on the scope of a potential HEETSA. The Draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations 3.2 The Draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations propose to make provision for the introduction and enforcement of minimum standards of energy efficiency (MEES) within the domestic privately rented sector. This will address the least energy-efficient properties and propose that all private rented properties meet Heat Retention Rating (HRR) band C within the Energy Performance Certificate. Landlords will be prohibited from letting properties which fall below this minimum standard until they have made any relevant energy efficiency improvements which apply to the property. 3.3 It is proposed this standard will apply to new tenancies from 2028 and to all privately rented properties by 2033. 3.4 The Scottish Government are currently reforming the Energy Performance Certificate framework so that they have a clearer focus on the energy efficiency of the building fabric and give better information on the emissions and efficiency of the heating system. The new certification will be introduced in 2026 (subject to the UK Government timetable for development of the Home Energy Model), introducing a new Heat Retention Rating which focuses on the fabric of the building and will directly measure how well it retains heat to maintain a comfortable internal temperature, so it would not be affected by changes to the heating system. Page 156 of 336
Page 161
Alongside this rating, the EPC would also show the efficiency and running costs of its heating system, and the cost of energy to run the home to standardised conditions. 3.5 Basing a minimum energy efficiency standard on this new rating will allow a more accurate assessment of the direct impact of poor energy efficiency on fuel poverty than the current cost-based EPC rating. Given the importance of also being able to understand how much it costs to heat a home, the existing cost- based rating will be retained on the EPC and renamed as the ‘Energy Cost Rating’. This will allow the EPC to support fuel poverty policy by continuing to provide a rating for the cost of energy, whilst enhancing this through a direct measure of the fabric energy efficiency of a property. The EPC will also include a Heating System Rating (HSR) which will show whether the installed heating system is polluting, hybrid or clean, and its emissions and efficiency. 3.6 Under the draft regulations for the minimum energy efficiency standard proposals, a number of exemptions would apply to the requirements to meet it. No landlords will be required to install measures which are technically unsuitable for the type of property they own, for which they cannot attain the required consent from tenants, neighbours or planning authorities, or which would be prohibitively expensive. A cost cap exemption of £10,000 is proposed within the draft regulations. It is anticipated that a landlord will require to evidence the requirement for an exemption and where successful in obtaining the exemption, it will have a finite lifespan. Short Term lettings will be specifically excluded from the scheme. 3.7 It is being proposed that local authorities will carry out enforcement and compliance duties however, Officers are of the opinion that the scheme would be more appropriately regulated through the landlord registration regime and can be enforced in such a way that a landlord will not be given a registration if they do not meet the standard. Enforcement of the regulations would, in Officers’ opinion be most appropriate through the Housing and Property Chamber, First Tier Tribunal for Scotland, as is currently the case where landlords are failing to comply with their duties under Repairing Standard. There are a range of financial penalties for non-compliance with the proposed regulations, ranging from £600 to £3,000. 3.8 The consultation also seeks views on changes to the Energy Act 2011, ensuring consistency in powers across the UK. This will future proof Scottish Ministers powers to make further regulatory changes and will not impact the fine proposals within this current consultation, as mentioned at 3.7 above. 3.9 The Scottish Government established a PRS Landlord Loan Scheme in 2020 providing financial support for landlords to make energy efficiency improvements and install clean heating systems The consultation is seeking views on whether this scheme is appropriate to support the proposed regulations. Heat & Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) – Scoping Consultation 3.10 In parallel with the consultation on the Draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations, the Scottish Government is also consulting on the scope of a potential HEETSA. Page 157 of 336
Page 162
3.11 The proposal establishes a framework for assessing retrofit suitability of energy efficiency and clean heating measures, offering tailored advice beyond EPCs, especially for complex buildings like tenements and traditional properties. 3.12 The HEETSA intends to provide safeguards for consumers by ensuring that retrofit measures are technically appropriate for individual buildings; avoid unintended consequences, such as damp, mould, or ineffective heating, that can result from installing unsuitable measures and to complement EPCs, which are standardised and limited in scope, by offering a more detailed, building-specific assessment. 3.13 The retrofit assessment market has seen significant growth in recent years, driven by a combination of commercial, professional, and governmental influences. Installers have played a key role in promoting clean heating systems and insulation products, while professional bodies such as RICS and AECB have introduced new standards like the Residential Retrofit Standard and the EnerPHit Standard. Government responses to past programme failures—such as the Green Deal—have also shaped the market, leading to the creation of the TrustMark scheme and the development of standards like PAS 2035, PAS 2038, and more recently, BS40104. independent reports published in 2019 and again in 2025 have recommended that the Scottish Government take a more active role in overseeing this emerging market. These recommendations reflect a growing recognition of the need for consistent quality assurance and consumer protection as the demand for retrofit services increases. The evolution of the market is seen as a positive step toward improving the technical accuracy and relevance of retrofit advice provided to homeowners and landlords. 3.14 However, there is a recognised risk that commercial interests—particularly from businesses promoting specific products or systems—could compromise the impartiality of assessments. Ensuring that retrofit advice remains independent and technically sound is essential to maintaining public trust and delivering effective outcomes. As the market continues to grow, there is a clear need for robust oversight and governance to manage potential conflicts of interest and support the delivery of high-quality, unbiased retrofit assessments. 3.15 The Scottish Government are seeking stakeholder views on establishing government-led approval of methodologies of assessment, approval of professional standards relating to assessor skills and qualifications to undertake this, specification of the format for certification / reporting results of the assessment and the specification of circumstances in which an assessment is required. 3.16 Powers available under Part 10 of the Energy Act 2023, provide a legal basis for regulations covering the production of Energy Performance Certificates and the assessment methodology and assessor skills requirements which underpin them. These powers could also be used to specify the circumstances in which a Heat & Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment is required and the Scottish Government is seeking stakeholder views on what, if any, legal basis is needed to establish a HEETSA, along with views on the potential impacts of it being a statutory or non-statutory process. Page 158 of 336
Page 163
3.17 There is a timeline setting out the development of Heat & Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment within the consultation document, which seeks to have the guidance or regulations being in force from the beginning of 2028, which aligns with (and supports) the timeline for the proposed minimum energy efficiency standard in the private rented sector being introduced. 3.18 The consultations will close on 29 August 2025 and Officers have prepared responses which broadly support the introduction of both the Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations and a HEETSA. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none. 3. Community Planning Our Renfrewshire is safe – the introduction of regulations and technical assessment of home energy efficiency improvements will improve the living standards of tenants within the private rented sector, reducing fuel poverty and providing warm homes free of condensation and dampness. Creating a sustainable Renfrewshire for all to enjoy- the introduction of HEETSA will work toward Net Zero targets for emissions from homes and whilst this is in part designed to align with improvements in the private rented sector, it will be more widely available for all property owners to ensure they are provided with sound technical advice on energy efficiency improvements to their homes. 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 8. Health & Safety – where staff are required to visit premises, all risk assessments and safe working procedures have been developed. 9. Procurement – none. 10. Risk – none. 11. Privacy Impact – none. 12. CoSLA Policy Position – None. Page 159 of 336
Page 164
13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Climate Risk- The proposed regulations align with local climate related targets, through minimising energy demand and maximising energy efficiency, thus contributing to reduced emissions and limiting climate related impacts. List of Background Papers None. Author: Colin Hunter, Environmental Health and Community Safety Manager e-mail: colin.hunter@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 160 of 336
Page 165
Appendix 1 – Proposed Response to Consultation on Draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations Questionnaire Question 1 Do you agree that the PRS MEES should be EPC HRR band C? X Yes No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer. Question 2 Do you agree that only new reformed EPCs should be used as a basis for the proposed MEES? X Yes No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer. For the reasons detailed within the consultation document, it is necessary for all private rented properties to have a sufficient standard of EPC/HRR for both carbon reduction for climate change and for improving standards in properties with the aims of better health and reducing fuel poverty. Band C represents a standard which landlords should generally be able to meet, ensuring rental properties provide tenants with a basic level of comfort. This includes reducing issues with mould and condensation, which are common problems in many homes within the private rented sector. The new EPC/HRR will modernise the certificates and bands and would make older certificates obsolete. A single way of compliance should support all stakeholders including property owners and those responsible for monitoring and enforcement. Page 161 of 336
Page 166
Question 3 Do you agree that the backstop date for all PRS homes to comply with MEES should be 2033? Yes X No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer. Question 4 Do you agree that the MEES should apply to properties being let to new tenants from 2028? X Yes No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer. Question 5 Do you agree that, regardless of changes to the repairing standard, that crofters, small landholders and agricultural holdings should be excluded from PRS MEES? Yes No X Don’t Know Renfrewshire Council is of the opinion this process should be linked with the landlord registration regime. As part of renewing their registration as a private landlord, they require to confirm that they are meeting certain standards by completing the prescribed information, relating to having up to date gas safety certificate, Electrical Installation Condition Report, property meets housing standards, etc. This should be added to the prescribed information with landlords having to confirm that they meet these standards when they renew. As renewal is every 3 years, all landlords would need to confirm their compliance with this between 2028 and 2031. Renfrewshire Council supports this proposal. It is reasonable that all new tenants from 2028 should have a property that meets EPC/HRR band C Page 162 of 336
Page 167
Please give reasons for your answer. Question 6 Do you agree that the regulations should exclude short-term holiday lets from the PRS MEES? Yes X No Please give reasons for your answer. Question 7 Do you agree with the proposed exemptions covering consent, the fabric requirements of the home and temporary exemptions? X Yes No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer. Renfrewshire Council supports this proposal. Given that the standard will prohibit the letting of a property where the standard is not met, and meeting this standard would not be appropriate for the nature of many of these tenancy agreements, which can be lifelong, intergenerational or legally required, it appears reasonable for the proposed types of property to be exempt from the requirements. While the issues of fuel poverty will not be a concern for tenants within the Short Term Let sector, there will still be an impact on carbon reduction/climate change if this was rolled out to such property. In addition to this, landlords may see it as a further incentive to convert their property into a Short Term Let rather than keeping it within the PRS further reducing the availability of housing. Renfrewshire Council supports this proposal. These are valid reasons where an exemption would be appropriate. However, it will be necessary to have appropriate checks in place for landlords to verify any exemption. With regards to communal repairs that are required to comply with the Repairing Standard, landlords have looked to quickly use a lack of consent as a reason to not carry out works and be compliant, and there will need to be a robust process in place for landlords to be able to show that they have made sufficient efforts to gain consent before an exemption should be granted/accepted. Page 163 of 336
Page 168
Question 8 Do you agree that HEETSA should be available as an option to evidence potential negative impacts on the fabric of a property and to support an exemption? X Yes No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer. Question 9 Do you agree that the cost cap level should be £10,000? X Yes No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer Question 10 Do you agree with the proposed 12 month lead in time period for works to contribute to the total cost cap? X Yes No Don’t Know Renfrewshire Council supports this proposal. HEETSA will help to establish and define where any works may not be beneficial or even detrimental and would therefore, be a valuable assessment tool. Renfrewshire Council supports this proposal. An appropriate value requires to be set and £10000 appears reasonable. The consultation makes reference to further planned analysis which is welcomed to further inform the most suitable and realistic cost cap. Information provided to Local Authorities requires to be sufficiently robust to demonstrate (and be verifiable) that the cost of any works exceed the cost cap. It is Renfrewshire Council’s position that the cost cap should be exclusive of Value Added Tax as in most cases landlords will be in a position to reclaim VAT paid on goods and services purchased for use in their business. Another option of setting a limit to the cap would be linking this to the value of rent paid monthly or the value of the property; this would perhaps be fairer, but may be difficult to establish/enforce. Page 164 of 336
Page 169
Please give reasons for your answer Question 11 Do you agree that that all actual costs, and the cost of an EPC, should count towards the cost cap? X Yes No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer Question 12 Do you agree that landlords should receive Scottish Government support to make the required changes? X Yes No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer Renfrewshire Council supports this proposal. It is reasonable for works done (in advance of any regulations being amended) to be considered as it would not be fair on landlords who are proactive and trying to improve the energy efficiency earlier than they are legally required to. Without such a lead-in period, the regulations could act as a deterrent for landlords to be proactive. Renfrewshire Council supports this proposal for landlords who currently hold an EPC and will require a new certificate, post any improvement works undertaken. this additional cost is unlikely to significantly influence landlords reaching the cost cap level of £10,000. Renfrewshire Council supports this proposal on the basis that providing support will encourage landlords to be more accepting of the changes and will increase the likelihood of compliance with the regulations Page 165 of 336
Page 170
Question 13 Do you agree that this should be in the form of a loan? X Yes No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer Question 14 Do you agree that Local Authorities should be responsible for monitoring and compliance of these regulations? If no, please provide details of an alternative with your reason(s) as to how this would support the delivery of these regulations. Yes X No Don’t Know Renfrewshire Council supports this proposal. While support should be available, it’s not appropriate for money to be given as a grant to landlords to improve their private properties. Therefore, a loan system would be most suitable where landlords can use their profits from the rent of the property to pay for the repairs over an appropriate period of time. Renfrewshire Council is concerned that this will place additional burden on Services responsible for enforcement work, without the provision of funding to support this. The proposed scheme would be more appropriately regulated through the landlord registration regime and can be enforced in such a way that a landlord will not be given a registration if they do not meet the standard. However, any complaints from tenants or decisions regarding exemptions would be better provided by the Housing and Property Chamber who already enforce the Repairing Standards and other issues such as deposits. The suggested proposal would not have any impact of programmes such as Area Based Schemes which can continue to encourage landlord engagement to deliver improvements within mixed tenure blocks. Page 166 of 336
Page 171
Question 15 Do you agree with the proposed level of financial penalties to support compliance with the regulations? If no, please provide detail on suggested amendments that should be made, outlining how the changes would increase the impact of penalties to achieving compliance with the Regulations. X Yes No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer Question 16 Do you agree that the Scottish Government should seek to amend the Energy Act 2011 to increase in maximum financial penalties that could be imposed up to £30,000 in future, should this be deemed necessary? X Yes No Don’t Know Please give reasons for your answer Renfrewshire Council supports the proposed levels of financial penalties which should act as a deterrent for landlords to disregard their legal obligations under the legislation. Renfrewshire Council notes that the level of fines imposed for non-compliance would be for the Courts to determine but having the financial penalty up to £30,000 would act as a significant deterrent for landlords to disregard their legal obligations under the legislation. Page 167 of 336
Page 172
Question 17 In what way could these regulations have a specific or different impact, positive or negative, on a particular group of people? This could be based on protected characteristics, such as age or disability, or geography, such as island communities. Please provide further views or information A large number of properties in the PRS within Renfrewshire Council are pre-1919 tenement buildings with poor energy performance and heat retention. The tenants in these buildings are generally on low income and living in, or near, fuel poverty. Having a home that retains heat more efficiently will ensure tenants are more likely to use their heating, providing warmer and healthier environments, where issues such as condensation and mould will be less likely. RC welcome the proposed refresh of impact assessments to support delivery of the proposed regulations and to identify any potential impacts on protected characteristic groups. Page 168 of 336
Page 173
Appendix 1 – Proposed Response to Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) Scoping Consultation Consultation Questions: Summary 1. To what extent to you agree or disagree that it would be valuable for the Scottish Government to develop a HEETSA (a government-led approval and accreditation mechanism to provide oversight and standardisation of the retrofit assessment market)? Strongly agree Mostly agree Neither agree nor disagree Mostly disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Please give reasons for your view. 2. If the Scottish Government develops a HEETSA, which of the following should it cover (select all that apply): Retrofit assessment (i.e. identifying whether measures are present or can be installed) Retrofit design (identifying the types of measures (e.g. loft insulation) that can be installed) Retrofit specification (identifying the products or materials (e.g. mineral wool) that can be installed) Installation (identifying the relevant installation standards) Renfrewshire Council welcome the proposal to develop a Scottish Government-led HEETSA. Such a framework should help to ensure the consistent and effective delivery of retrofit measures for building owners, thus supporting wider national and local objectives relating to reducing carbon emissions from homes and buildings, consumer protection, fuel poverty and energy efficiency. Consumers / building owners in many cases will require technical expertise and support to identify and install the most effective and technically suitable improvement measures to avoid any unnecessary or unforeseen implications. A standardised and consistent approach to this through HEETSA should support this requirement. The limitations of current Energy Performance Certifications (EPCS) are recognised, and therefore the reformation of EPCs due later this year is welcomed alongside the proposed introduction of HEETSA. HEETSA will also provide timely support to property owners who may require to take action as part of the proposed Private Rented Sector Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (PRS MEES). Page 169 of 336
Page 174
Evaluation (planning an approach to evaluating the impact of measures) Occupancy (including factors related to the building’s current occupancy in assessment of suitable measures) Other – please specify Please give reasons for your view. 3. Which delivery model do you think would be most appropriate for HEETSA? Direct Government accreditation of assessors Government accreditation of assessor organisations who in turn accredit assessors HEETSA as guidance only without Government accreditation of assessors Other – specify Please give reasons for your view. 4. What methodologies would be needed to meet the requirements of a HEETSA? Please name existing methodologies that could be used and highlight any gaps that you think should be filled with new methodologies. 5. There are a range of ways that identified gaps could be filled – by the market, or by the Scottish Government procuring and developing methodologies to do this. What do you think is the best approach to filling identified gaps in the methodologies required for HEETSA? Renfrewshire Council recommends that all aspects listed are covered as part of a HEETSA to provide consumers/building owners with as much information and guidance as possible as part of a full and robust assessment. Renfrewshire Council propose a structure in which Scottish Government accredits assessor organisations who in turn accredit assessors. This ensures quality assurance and allows for scalability and local delivery. The potential role of local authorities in the process should be considered and any potential resource implications, given our statutory role in housing and energy planning. Existing methodologies such as those listed in the consultation including PAS: 2030, PAS:2035, PAS:2038 and BS40104 should be most suitable. However, the Scottish Government may wish to consider any identified gaps or challenges associated with existing methodologies including the assessment of hard-to-treat properties (e.g. older buildings, stone buildings, tenements) and any local contexts. Page 170 of 336
Page 175
Please give reasons for your view. 6. What skills and qualifications should be required to undertake a HEETSA? Please name existing qualifications that would be relevant and highlight any gaps that you think should be filled by new skills or qualification requirements. 7. Which of the following statements comes closest to your view: It is feasible for an individual assessor to have sufficient skills and knowledge to complete a HEETSA A HEETSA would require input from multiple specialists and could not be completed by an individual Don’t know Other - please specify Please provide reasons for your view. There may be some instances in which an individual assessor may have sufficient skills and knowledge to complete a HEETSA. However, we believe multidisciplinary teams will often be required to deliver full HEETSA, especially in large or complex projects. In these instances, multiple specialist inputs may be required such as surveyors, ventilation experts etc. Renfrewshire Council recommend that the Scottish Government invest in developing or adapting methodologies to address any gaps, in collaboration with key stakeholders including local authorities, market leaders and academic institutions. This should ensure a collaborative and consistent approach to developing and implementing methodologies. HEETSA assessors should have qualifications aligned with the methodologies previously outlined including PAS:2030/PAS:2035 Retrofit Coordinator and Domestic Energy Assessor Standards (required for EPC Assessors). The Scottish Government may wish to consider additional training in relation to building typologies and fuel poverty. Page 171 of 336
Page 176
8. To what extent do you agree or disagree that non-personal data gathered through a HEETSA should be stored to form part of a ‘building logbook’ or ‘green building passport’? Strongly agree Mostly agree Neither agree nor disagree Mostly disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Please give reasons for your view. 9. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the HEETSA assessor should be required to be independent of the outcome of the assessment? E.g. they could not financially gain from the outcome if a measure is stated as technically suitable. Strongly agree Mostly agree Neither agree nor disagree Mostly disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Renfrewshire Council strongly support the creation of a digital ‘green building passport’ or logbook which captures comprehensive building information, a bespoke plan for renovation guidance and key supporting information for energy efficiency improvements. This is especially important when required improvements are more complex or larger in scale. The introduction of a GBP or logbook would support improved continuity of information across tenures and ownership changes and provide supporting evidence for adhering to required standards or targeting public funding. It will be important to provide clear distinction on personal data and property data, who has ownership of the data and who should have access. This will support robust data governance and protection and good practice. Suitable pathways and processes for data being shared or made publicly available should also be considered. Page 172 of 336
Page 177
Please give reasons for your view. 10. Thinking about the relationship between the EPC and HEETSA, which of the following statements comes closest to your view: The results of a HEETSA should result in the production of a revised EPC as part of its output The results of a HEETSA should be made available to inform the production of a revised EPC and should be considered acceptable ‘documentary evidence’ to override default values. The results of a HEETSA should not have any influence on the EPC and its ratings Don’t know Other – please specify Please provide reasons for your view. 11. Thinking about presenting the results of a HEETSA, please give your view on: (a) HEETSA should result in a standardised certificate or report? Strongly agree Mostly agree Neither agree nor disagree Mostly disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Assessors should require to be independent of the outcome of the assessment to avoid any potential conflicts of interest and to ensure consumer trust and confidence in the outcome of the assessment. It is important that the results of a HEETSA closely align and link to the EPC of a property. This ensures a full, detailed technical assessment which provides precise property related data, that an EPC may not provide. Therefore, a revised EPC should provide more detailed and robust recommendations for improvements in energy efficiency supported by a technical assessment. Page 173 of 336
Page 178
(b) What information should be included when presenting the results? Please provide reasons for your view. 12. Please provide details of any circumstances in which you think a HEETSA should be required, and the reasons for your view. Please provide reasons for your view 13. Do you think it is necessary to develop a legal basis for HEETSA (i.e. should HEETSA be underpinned by regulations in a similar manner to EPCs)? Yes Don’t know No A standardised certificate or report should include: An overview of the property a summary of the assessment including the date, it’s purpose and the outcome (current energy performance, recommended/identified suitable measures based on technical findings). Details of the accredited assessor Supporting documentation This captures the relevant detail within a consistent format for all completed assessments. HEETSAs should be required in some instances as part of an application for public funding to ensure it is being invested in the most suitable and effective measures. However, it is worth noting that some application processes have short timescales for providing extensive information to support an application, and this additional step may prove challenging to potential applicants. HEETSAs may be required prior to the commencement of major retrofit projects or programmes and for complex or hard to treat buildings, ensuring the most effective and suitable measures are identified for those building types. Page 174 of 336
Page 179
Please give reasons for your view. Introducing a legal basis for HEETSA may be necessary for some specific, targeted circumstances to protect consumers and support other regulation adherence and compliance. However, the potential challenges and implications of doing so must be carefully considered. Introducing a legal requirement for assessments could place additional pressure on households and landlords which risks resistance or non-compliance. Developing and enforcing new regulations requires significant resource, both at national and local government level. There may also be initial challenges relating to the quantity of accredited assessors and identifying the most appropriate approach for complex or unique buildings or projects. Therefore, the Scottish Government may wish to consider a phased approach to regulation with a focus on priority areas initially. Page 175 of 336
Page 180
Page 176 of 336
Page 181
To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Heading: Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board. Joint Health Protection Plan 2025-2027 1. Summary 1.1 The Public Health etc (Scotland) Act 2008 enables Scottish Ministers, health boards and local authorities to protect public health in Scotland. 1.2 The Act separates out the responsibilities of local authorities and health boards. Typically, local authorities are responsible for all public health regulation in relation to premises and property. The National Health Service (NHS) is responsible for all public health regulation in relation to persons. 1.3 This report highlights the requirements under Part 1 of the Public Health Etc. (Scotland) Act 2008, specifically that each Health Board in Scotland must lead on the preparation of a Joint Health Protection Plan for its area. 1.4 The Health Board must consult with the relevant local authorities within its area in so doing. The nature and scope of plans are covered in Guidance issued by Scottish Ministers. 1.5 The Local Authorities within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board area are: - East Dunbartonshire Council, East Renfrewshire Council, Glasgow City Council, Inverclyde Council, Renfrewshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Council. 1.6 The Joint Health Protection Plan requires to be formally submitted to the NHS Board and relevant local authority committee for sign-off, via clinical governance/risk management committees. Item 11 CHPB190825 Page 177 of 336
Page 182
2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 notes that the Greater Glasgow & Clyde Joint Health Protection Plan 2025- 2027 as attached in appendix 1, has been approved by the NHS GGC Board, and 2.2 approves the content of the Greater Glasgow & Clyde Joint Health Protection Plan 2025-2027. 3. Background 3.1 The purpose of joint health protection plans is to provide an overview of health protection (including communicable disease and environmental health) priorities, provision and preparedness for the Health Board area. 3.2 The Geographical extent of the plan extends the territorial area of the health board viz; Greater Glasgow and Clyde. 3.3 There is a statutory responsibility under Part 1 of the Public Health Etc (Scotland) Act 2008, which specifies that each health board in Scotland must lead on the preparation of a Joint Health Protection Plan for its area, in consultation with relevant local authorities. 3.4 The period which the plan covers is two years, but discretion may be exercised to review on a more frequent basis if desired. This Plan will cover the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027 but will be reviewed after one year. 3.5 The Joint Health Protection Plan 2025-2027 has been approved by the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Board and has been circulated to partner local authorities for approval by their relevant committee. 3.6 The Joint Health Protection Plan is a public document. A Statutory duty is placed on NHS Boards to publish plans and any variations to those plans. The plans should be available to the public on the NHS Board website and upon request. Variations to approved plans require be subject to consultation with relevant local authorities. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none 2. HR & Organisational Development - none 3. Community Planning - Renfrewshire is well – the creation and implementation of the Joint Health Protection Plan aims to ensure the safety of residents and communities in Renfrewshire. Page 178 of 336
Page 183
4. Legal – Renfrewshire Council has a legal obligation to comply with the Public Health etc (Scotland) Act 2008 by continuing to make provision, or ensure that provision is made, for the purpose of protecting public health in its area. 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 8. Health & Safety – none 9. Procurement – none. 10. Risk – none. 11. Privacy Impact – none. 12. CoSLA Policy Position – None. 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Climate Risk- None. List of Background Papers None. Author: Colin Hunter, Environmental Health & Community Safety Manager e-mail: colin.hunter@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 179 of 336
Page 184
1 Greater Glasgow and Clyde Joint Health Protection Plan 2025-2027 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde East Dunbartonshire East Renfrewshire Glasgow Inverclyde Renfrewshire West Dunbartonshire Page 180 of 336
Page 185
2 Contents 1 Foreword ............................................................................................................. 4 2 Signatories ........................................................................................................... 5 3 Purpose ............................................................................................................... 6 4 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 7 4.1 Public health ................................................................................................. 7 4.2 Health protection ........................................................................................... 7 4.3 Environmental health ..................................................................................... 7 5 Overview of NHS Board and local authorities ....................................................... 8 5.1 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde .................................................................. 8 5.2 East Dunbartonshire ...................................................................................... 8 5.3 East Renfrewshire ........................................................................................ 8 5.4 Glasgow City................................................................................................. 9 5.5 Inverclyde ..................................................................................................... 9 5.6 Renfrewshire .............................................................................................. 10 5.7 West Dunbartonshire ................................................................................... 10 6 Health protection: planning infrastructure ........................................................... 12 6.1 Scottish Health Protection Network .............................................................. 16 7 Health protection activities ................................................................................. 17 7.1 Local and national priorities ......................................................................... 17 7.2 Local authority environmental health ............................................................ 34 7.3 Health protection risks and challenges within NHSGGC .............................. 35 7.4 Significant events, incidents and outbreaks in recent years ............................ 41 8 Health protection: resources and operational arrangements ............................... 44 8.1 Staffing and ICT resources .......................................................................... 44 8.2 Out of hours/on-call arrangements ............................................................... 44 8.3 Standard Operating Procedures ................................................................. 45 8.4 Maintaining knowledge and skills ................................................................. 47 9 Health protection services: capacity and resilience ............................................. 48 9.1 Public health workforce ............................................................................... 48 10 Health protection: public involvement and feedback ....................................... 50 11 Outline work plan............................................................................................ 52 Annex: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde summary population profile ....................... 54 Key points ................................................................................................................. 54 1 Population distribution ............................................................................................ 55 2 Period life expectancy ............................................................................................ 62 Page 181 of 336
Page 186
3 3 Burden of disease .................................................................................................. 65 4 Population projections ............................................................................................. 69 Page 182 of 336
Page 187
4 1 Foreword The Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008 requires NHS Boards, in consultation with Local Authorities, to produce a Joint Health Protection Plan (JHPP) which provides an overview of health protection (communicable disease and environmental health) priorities, provision and preparedness for the NHS Board area. Guidance on the content of JHPPs has been published by the Scottish Government. This plan covers the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027. The intention is to update the plan every two years, in line with government guidance. The last plan, published in 2024, covered the period 2023-2025. Over recent years the JHPP has been an invaluable resource to enable, and advocate for, the joint working and mutual support that allowed our teams to deliver new, expanded and adapted services in the context of unprecedented demand, changing policy direction, and during the pandemic, unparalleled restrictions on society. Since the pandemic, and time of writing the last plan, we have been able to progress a proactive health protection work plan through our joint working. This plan updates on this work, in addition to updating on the status of existing and emerging health protection priorities. Although this document concentrates on health protection activity, it should be seen in the context of our other strategic work, including “Turning the Tide”, our 10 year public health strategy. The plan is a public document and is available to members of the public on the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde website and on request. We hope that you will find this plan to be of interest, and of value, and that its production will contribute to protecting the health of the people who visit, work and live in Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Dr Emilia Crighton Director of Public Health NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Page 183 of 336
Page 188
5 2 Signatories Authority Authorised signatory Position Approving committee Date NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) Emilia Crighton Director of Public Health Population Health & Wellbeing Committee (endorsement) NHS GGC Board 17 June 2025 24 June 2025 East Dunbartonshire Evonne Bauer Executive Officer Place Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets Committee TBC East Renfrewshire Caitriona McAuley Director of Environment Cabinet TBC Glasgow City George Gillespie Executive Director, Neighbourhoods, Regeneration & Sustainability Environment and Liveable Neighbourhoods City Policy Committee TBC Inverclyde Martin McNab Public Protection Manager Environment& Regeneration TBC Renfrewshire Gordon McNeil Director of Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure Communities and Housing policy board 19 August 2025 West Dunbartonshire Alan Douglas Chief Officer, Regulatory & Regeneration Signed on delegated authority, and elected members briefed TBC Page 184 of 336
Page 189
6 3 Purpose This plan has been prepared following the requirements set out in the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008. The seven signatory organisations have prepared this plan in collaboration and consultation. This plan is herewith referred to as the Joint Health Protection Plan (JHPP). The purposes of the plan are:- i. To provide an overview of health protection priorities, provision and preparedness for NHSGGC and partner Local Authorities. ii. To outline the joint arrangements which NHSGGC and partner Local Authorities have in place for the protection of public health. iii. To improve the level of “preparedness” to respond effectively to a health protection incident and emergency. iv. To clarify the priorities for the period of the plan 2025-2027. v. To develop learning across the agencies. vi. To provide a mechanism for reviewing and recording outcomes and achievements. In addition to content relating to the above purposes, the JHPP also includes an Annex providing relevant contextual information on the population of Greater Glasgow and Clyde, including demographics and population projections, life expectancy and burden of disease. The plan will be reviewed annually by representatives from environmental health and health protection and any necessary changes made and reported to the JHPP signatories. The plan will only be formally changed and updated every 2 years in accordance with legislative requirements. Page 185 of 336
Page 190
7 4 Introduction 4.1 Public health Public health, as defined by Acheson, and adopted by the Faculty of Public Health is “the science and art of promoting and protecting health and well-being, preventing ill- health and prolonging life through the organised efforts of society”1. Traditionally public health has been divided into three domains – health protection, health promotion and health services public health, supported by public health intelligence. Though the JHPP deals only with the first of the domains, the domains overlap, interact and provide mutual support in improving and protecting the public’s health. 4.2 Health protection Health protection is a term used to encompass a set of activities within the Public Health function. It involves: Ensuring the safety and quality of food, water, air and the general environment Preventing the transmission of communicable diseases Managing outbreaks and the other incidents which threaten the public health. The Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008 defines the duties of health boards and local authorities to protect public health including the designation of competent persons, cooperation and planning, and legal powers and functions. Core health protection functions within NHSGGC Health Board are undertaken by the Public Health Directorate Public Health Protection Unit (PHPU), while environmental health departments are responsible for local authority health protection functions. A range of organisations, stakeholders and services contribute to wider health protection functions. These range from clinicians with responsibility for the notification of cases of infectious disease, laboratories undertaking diagnostic or environmental testing, and those working in local, regional and national organisations with the remit of contributing to activities outlined above, including surveillance and epidemiology. The profile of health protection has increased significantly in recent years with issues such as immunisation, food borne infections, pandemic flu, COVID-19, healthcare associated infection and other communicable diseases regularly being in the public eye. The quality of public protection from hazards demands a workforce, educated and trained to the highest standards2. 4.3 Environmental health Environmental health has been defined as: "... that area of Public Health activity which strives to improve, protect and maintain health and wellbeing through action on the physical environment and on life circumstances”3. 1 Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health: Report; The Stationery Office; 1998 Independent inquiry into inequalities in health - GOV.UK 2 NHSEducation Scotland Health protection | NHS Education for Scotland 3 Old Report; 2006 (commissioned by Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland) What is Environmental Health? - REHIS Page 186 of 336
Page 191
8 5 Overview of NHS Board and local authorities Descriptions of the seven partner organisations are included below. Detailed population statistics, including population trends, deprivation and life expectancy of the population for NHSGGC and by local authority, as well as key indicators of health and social determinants of health are contained in an appendix to this plan. 5.1 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHSGGC Health Board is responsible for the health needs of the population resident within its catchment area. Its purpose is to: “Deliver effective and high quality health services, to act to improve the health of our population and to do everything we can to address the wider social determinants of health which cause health inequalities." The Health Board provides strategic leadership and performance management for the entire local NHS system in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area and ensures that services are delivered effectively and efficiently. It is responsible for the provision and management of the whole range of health services in this area including secondary and primary care, and public health. NHSGGC works alongside partnership organisations including Local Authorities and the voluntary sector. NHSGGC serves a population of 1.3 million and employs around 41,000 staff. It is the largest NHS organisation in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK. 5.2 East Dunbartonshire East Dunbartonshire lies to the north of Glasgow City and is bounded by the Campsie Fells and Kilpatrick Hills. East Dunbartonshire’s main settlements are Bearsden, Milngavie, Lenzie, Kirkintilloch and Bishopbriggs. It also has a number of small rural commuter villages including Twechar, Milton of Campsie, Lennoxtown, Torrance and Balmore. It covers an area of 67 square miles and has a population of approximately 109,000 people as well as around 3,000 businesses. The Forth and Clyde Canal as well as the River Kelvin flow through the area attracting recreational visitors as does Scotland’s best-known long-distance footpath, the West Highland Way, that begins in Milngavie before traversing through Mugdock Country Park and the Campsie Fells. Although East Dunbartonshire, as a whole, is less deprived than other authorities in Scotland, there are a number of specific areas within East Dunbartonshire that fall below the Scottish average. More information can be found at https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/about/ 5.3 East Renfrewshire East Renfrewshire is situated to the south of the city of Glasgow and its significant town centres include Barrhead, Clarkston, Giffnock and Newton Mearns. It is a relatively affluent area with approximately half of residents working in managerial, professional or technical professions. The majority of residents work in Glasgow and less than a fifth of residents live and work in East Renfrewshire. East Renfrewshire has a population of approximately 99,000 people, with an increasing Page 187 of 336
Page 192
9 pattern of more people settling in the area than leaving which has an impact on the demographic profile and the challenges that this brings. The quality of East Renfrewshire's built and natural environment is high with low levels of air pollution and over three quarters of residential properties within 200m of greenspace. The Council’s strategy is to consolidate and regenerate the urban areas focussing upon delivering the 3 objectives of: 1. Creating Sustainable Places and Communities; 2. Promoting Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth; and 3. Promoting a Net Zero Carbon Place. 5.4 Glasgow City Glasgow is a city with a great history and heritage built around the River Clyde. The City Council is Scotland’s largest local authority and provides services to more than 600,000 residents, as well as those who work, visit and do business in the city on a daily basis. The Council’s current Strategic Plan sets out four Grand Challenges for the Council to deliver against, which are to: Reduce poverty and inequality in our communities; Increase opportunity and prosperity for all our citizens; Fight the climate emergency in a just transition to a net zero Glasgow; Enable staff to deliver essential services in a sustainable, innovative and efficient way for our communities. Glasgow remains a city with unacceptable and long-standing contrasts. Healthy lives, good jobs and access to opportunities are not spread equitably across our communities. Tackling health and social inequalities will therefore inform all of our work. The Council believes that all Glaswegians have the right to enjoy healthy lives free from poverty, discrimination and inequality. 5.5 Inverclyde Inverclyde covers an area of 61 square miles stretching along the south bank of the estuary of the River Clyde. With a population of approximately 78,000, Inverclyde is one of the smaller local authorities in Scotland. The main towns of Greenock, Port Glasgow and Gourock sit on the Firth of Clyde. The towns provide a marked contrast to the coastal settlements of Inverkip and Wemyss Bay, which lie to the southwest of the area, and the villages of Kilmacolm and Quarrier’s Village which are located further inland. The Council recognises that there are a number of challenges for the area, including population decline. Inverclyde has had one of the largest population declines of all Scottish Council areas over the past 20 years. Fewer births than deaths is the major driver of population decline locally, however a more positive picture is emerging with regard to migration with official estimates showing that overall net migration has been positive in the previous four years (mid 2018-19 to mid-2022-23). Levels of in- migration however have not been high enough to address the population decrease caused by negative natural change. Page 188 of 336
Page 193
10 The age profile of Inverclyde’s population is similar to that of Scotland, with an ageing population that is predicted to grow, particularly in the over 75 age group. In common with many areas in Scotland, particularly where there has been a decline in traditional industries, Inverclyde suffers from areas of deprivation and inequality, with estimates showing that more than 1 in 4 children in Inverclyde are living in poverty. 5.6 Renfrewshire Renfrewshire Council is situated to the west of Glasgow on the south bank of the River Clyde and covers around 103 square miles. Renfrewshire borders Inverclyde Council to the West, North Ayrshire Council to the south and East Renfrewshire is located to the southeast. Renfrewshire has a population of over 179,000, making it the tenth largest council in Scotland in terms of its population. Paisley has the largest population of around 77,000 and forms the commercial and transport hub for Renfrewshire. The town of Renfrew lies to the north of Paisley and Johnstone to the west. Glasgow International Airport is located to the north of Paisley and is easily accessed from the M8 Motorway and Paisley Town Centre. It is one of Scotland’s busiest airports. It is a key part of the transportation infrastructure of Scotland and is a major contributor to Renfrewshire’s economy. Renfrewshire Council is committed to its role as a health improving organisation and recognises its responsibility in working with partners to improve the health of local communities. This focus is essential due to the significant health inequalities that exist in Renfrewshire, linked often to levels of deprivation within communities. The Renfrewshire Council Plan for 2022-2027 identifies five strategic outcomes which aim to create a fairer, more innovative, and opportunity-rich Renfrewshire. These include enhancing community infrastructure and safety to create vibrant places, building a strong and inclusive economy with job opportunities, reducing inequalities and promoting social justice, committing to environmental sustainability by reducing carbon emissions and promoting renewable energy, and fostering a culture of integrity, respect, and continuous improvement in council activities. Together, these outcomes are designed to achieve lasting positive change across Renfrewshire. 5.7 West Dunbartonshire West Dunbartonshire is a diverse area with a rich industrial heritage still evident in the local communities today. Across the three main areas of Clydebank, Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven we see diversity from the densely populated urban centre of Clydebank to the more rural setting of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, sitting in and beyond the northern edge of the Authority. With a population of 88,750 in 2023, between 2018 and 2028, the population of West Dunbartonshire is projected to decrease from 89,130 to 87,141. A further decrease is projected, with the population at 82,537 by 2043. This is an overall decrease of 7.4%, which compares to a projected increase of 2.5% for Scotland as a whole in the same time period. Page 189 of 336
Page 194
11 The Council’s Strategic Plan 2022-2027 identifies a number of key priorities. A common theme across all the priorities is stronger integration of strategies and interventions aimed at addressing key challenges and realising opportunities. This is particularly true in promoting health and wellbeing, where those factors, often described as key determinants, influence options, choices and patterns of behaviour, which in turn shape health and wellbeing outcomes. Page 190 of 336
Page 195
12 6 Health protection: planning infrastructure Locally, the Public Health (Health Protection) Liaison Working Group (the “Med-Vet”) provides an area-wide forum for discussion of the surveillance and investigation of infectious diseases (including outbreaks) and environmental hazards affecting, or with the potential to affect, the health of the general population, and to ensure that appropriate procedures are carried out during this process. The group’s remit is: To provide an area wide multidisciplinary forum to monitor, report, discuss and recommend actions to protect the health of our population Sharing of intelligence on infectious intestinal disease in humans and animals, and surveillance of environmental hazards in air, water and land which have the potential to impact, or are already damaging to, the health of our population To agree basic minimum standards for the investigation of infectious gastrointestinal disease in the human population, and ensure that appropriate follow up action takes place To monitor our performance against agreed standards To ensure Incident Management Plans are fit for purpose To participate in exercises to ensure that all partners are familiar with appropriate responses To provide a forum for discussion of issues raised by the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland and other relevant bodies which have potential to impact on the above To monitor untoward events and outbreaks and ensure that our systems are modified appropriately Membership is drawn from: Public Health Protection Unit (PHPU) Consultant, Nursing and Epidemiology Staff Local Authority environmental health departments Public Health Scotland Diagnostic, reference and public analyst laboratories Infection Prevention and Control Scottish Water Drinking Water Quality Regulator Scottish Environment Protection Agency Animal and Plant Health Agency Scotland’s Rural College Veterinary Consulting Service The JHPP is not a standalone document and existing plans relevant to health should be considered incorporated into the JHPP and are not reiterated here. There is a series of health protection plans that are prepared by the Health Board, singly or in partnership with Local Authorities and other agencies detailed in Table 1. Additionally, there is a further series of plans maintained or adopted by each Local Authority which follow in Table 2, with further detail given in the accompanying footnotes. These plans complement documents produced at a national level which guide health protection response, including Management of Public Health Incidents, Scottish Waterborne Hazards Plan, and the Scottish Exotic animal disease contingency framework plan. Page 191 of 336
Page 196
13 Table 1: Summary of health protection plans Plan Owner Last updated Review date Exercised Incident Management Plan Med-Vet Group 2022 2025 2023. Next exercise planned for 2026 Blue-green algae plan Med-Vet Group 2017 2025 (Main plan) Annually (inland waters risk assessment) N/A – as the plan is used regularly during the algal bloom season, exercising is not required. NHSGGC Board Pandemic Response Plan NHSGGC February 2025 Every three years or sooner if required Exercised 2020 used during COVID 19 Multi-agency Resilience Partnership Pandemic Plan Resilience Partnership November 2021 Due for review 2020 Major incident NHSGGC July 2024 June 2025 Elements of the plan were tested in 2024. In addition, NHSGGC activated its Major Incident response arrangements in 2024. Mass casualty SG Health Resilience 2021 Ongoing (6 monthly reviews) The plan was tested in 2024. A debrief report was issued to boards in Nov 24 with a recommendation to fully review the national mass casualty plan Glasgow Airport Port Health Procedures4 Glasgow Airport ltd 2022 September 2025 Joint training session at Glasgow Airport in September 2023. Operation Waypoint Procedures Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Inverclyde Council, NHSGGC and partners Under development February 2025 4 In addition to Glasgow Airport Port Health Procedures, NHSGGC and Renfrewshire local authority maintain internal guideline documents relating to Port Health responsibilities and procedures for Glasgow Airport. A similar document is maintained by Inverclyde local authority relating to sea ports. These have not been reviewed and exercised during the course of the 2023-2025 JHPP. Page 192 of 336
Page 197
14 Table 2: Summary of Local Authority plans applicable to health protection East Dunbartonshire East Renfrewshire Glasgow City Inverclyde Renfrewshire West Dunbartonshire 1. Official Food Controls Service Plan 2. Pandemic influenza5 3. Rabies5 X 4. Contaminated land strategy Under development Under development 5. Health and safety enforcement service plan X X X 6. Council emergency plan6 7. River Clyde flood management strategy 8. Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP) 9. Locality/ Place Plans requirement under the LOIP for deprived areas Under development 10. Local Development Plan Under development Under development Under development 11. Local Housing Strategy, including action plans for: -Private sector -Fuel Poverty 12. Air Quality Strategy/ Progress Report/ Management Area Plans Under development 5 Local Authorities have adopted regional and/or national plans for pandemic influenza and rabies rather than maintaining individual plans. 6 Local authorities in the Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire Civil Contingencies Service area (West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, and Inverclyde) maintain a suite of emergency procedure documents along with some incident specific plans and business continuity plans in place of a single emergency plan. Page 193 of 336
Page 198
15 13. Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES), superseding Sustainability & Climate Change Framework / Action Plan7 and including as applicable: - Carbon management strategy - Sustainability strategy - Green network strategy Under development 14. Open Space Strategy X 7 East Dunbartonshire Council maintains a separate climate change action plan, in addition to a Green space strategy and Community Food growing strategy. Page 194 of 336
Page 199
16 6.1 Scottish Health Protection Network The parties to the JHPP also participate through the Scottish Health Protection Network (SHPN). Since 2015, the SHPN obligate network has provided a national forum of professionals working in health protection from different professional backgrounds, working in different organisations (local and national), and having a range of responsibilities for public health functions. Members of the Med-Vet group contribute to nationally led work via membership of SHPN topic and coordination groups. In 2022 the SHPN underwent an independent review, that found whilst the network is highly valued, and has well regarded and used outputs, it could increase its impact and required further resource to do so. The headline conclusion of the independent review team was: The Scottish Health Protection Network is unique. It must not be lost, diluted or allowed to disintegrate. Instead, it should be cherished, strengthened and widely publicised. The signatories to the plan fully support these conclusions and commit to continuing to support the network through the implementation of the review’s findings, recognising the SHPN as the lynchpin in the national health protection planning infrastructure. It is recognised that to do this requires staff resource to participate in relevant groups and supporting the development of health protection guidance. More detail on the SHPN can be found on the Public Health Scotland website. Page 195 of 336
Page 200
17 7 Health protection activities 7.1 Local and national priorities The Public Health Priorities for Scotland as published in 2018 highlight the continuing importance of protecting the health of the population from serious risks and infectious diseases through vaccination, infection control and incident response, and the ability to respond to emerging threats, but do not identify specific priority areas for health protection. 8 The Health Board and Partners are also cognisant of the priorities as stated from time to time by Scottish Government and chief professional officers. Key priority areas include: Pandemic response Healthcare associated infections Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Vaccine preventable diseases Gastro-intestinal and zoonotic infections Blood borne viruses Tuberculosis (TB) Environmental exposures which have an adverse impact on health 9 Climate and sustainability Migration and health The ongoing consequences of UK withdrawal from the European Union Food safety In addition, the following were considered to be important to improve the delivery of health protection services by both the NHS and Local Authorities: Capacity and resilience of health protection services in responding to actual or potential significant threats to public health Developing means to assure the quality of health protection services Continuing professional development especially with regard to strengthening evidence based good practice Improving communications with the public on risks to health and securing a greater degree of involvement in health protection services In addition to reporting on the above key priority areas, our 2025-2027 Joint Health Protection Plan also includes information on housing and fuel poverty, and food security as emerging population health issues that interplay with several of the key priority areas. Actions on the key priority areas, and other health protection responsibilities include: 8 The Scottish Government (2018) Public Health Priorities for Scotland. Edinburgh https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-public-health-priorities/ 9 These are referred to as “non-communicable hazards” in the reminder of the JHPP. Page 196 of 336
Page 201
18 7.1.1 Pandemic disease/Covid-19 A comprehensive suite of pandemic flu plans based on national and international guidance, and frequent flu planning “exercises”, are continually updated to ensure readiness for future pandemics. These plans support the West of Scotland multi- agency pandemic influenza planning process, which is led by the Local Resilience Partnerships, and in which close working with key partners ensures a consistent and collaborative approach to planning. The ongoing UK and Scottish Covid Inquiries, and the new Scottish Committee on Pandemic Preparedness will influence how these plans are developed in the future. The Covid-19 pandemic, the most significant health shock worldwide since the 1919 influenza pandemic. Covid has impacted on every aspect of our lives – individual and community health, delivery of services, education, and economic growth. The signatories to the plan worked together, along with other partners, including police, fire, and other statutory and voluntary organisations, through resilience partnerships to respond to the Covid pandemic, by for example: delivering the Test and Protect (contact tracing) services providing information, advice and support to businesses, industry and communities on Covid mitigation measures Joint working through incident management process Visits to commercial, industrial and public sector buildings and workplaces, to assess, advise and enforce control measures Setting up of temporary mortuary facilities Supporting education departments and head teachers to manage Covid in schools Care for people for those shielding or isolating – including welfare checks, assistance with food / shopping arrangements, prescription deliveries, utilities issues, financial matters, welfare issues, library materials, and general household / property matters Support for calls to most socially isolated Administration of isolation support and business grants Two areas of work deserve being highlighted further – work undertaken to deliver the largest mass vaccination drive in living memory, and the design, set up and running of community testing services. The latter included innovative models for delivery, including being among the first community asymptomatic testing pilots (Renfrewshire), combined asymptomatic and symptomatic testing sites (West Dunbartonshire) and mobile testing buses (East Renfrewshire). This work was facilitated through an operational subgroup of the NHSGGC area pandemic resilience partnership. 7.1.2 Healthcare associated infections Prevention and control of infection continues to have the highest priority within NHSGGC and the Board Infection Control Committee (BICC), in conjunction with clinical service providers and estates and facilities colleagues, develops an annual infection prevention and control programme and associated work plan to co- ordinate and monitor all the activity of the infection control teams and committees in preventing and controlling infection through effective communication, education, audit, surveillance, risk assessment, quality improvement and development of local Page 197 of 336
Page 202
19 guidance and procedures. The programme addresses the national and local priorities for infection prevention and control. PHPU and environmental health departments work alongside and support the Infection Prevention and Control Teams (IPCT). NHSGGC’s progress against the programme of work is reported at each committee meeting. The most up to date version of the IPC annual report, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) can be accessed on the Infection Prevention and Control section of the NHSGGC website. Good practice in Infection Prevention and Control does not rest solely within the remit of our IPCT. Every member of staff has a professional responsibility to prevent healthcare associated infection and is accountable for their actions in relation to this. This plan recognises that cases of infectious disease and outbreaks in healthcare settings and cases and outbreaks in the community may be linked and require a cross-boundary response. The Scottish Infection Prevention Workforce: Strategic Plan 2022 – 2024 was published December 2022. This strategy covers IPCT, Antimicrobial Stewardship, and IPC aspects of health protection teams. We will work together to support the strengthening of infection prevention and control through this framework. In addition, the following Directors’ Letter, DL(2024)29, listed the New Deliverables for the Second Phase of the ‘Healthcare Associated Infection Strategy 2023-2025’10 which requires NHS Boards to "ensure that there is clarity around roles, remit and responsibility between IPC/ Health Protection Teams (HPT) in relation to primary, secondary and social care" work is ongoing within NHSGGC to establish this. 7.1.3 Antimicrobial resistance Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the ability of microbes to develop resistance to antimicrobials, rendering infections more difficult and in some rare instances, impossible to treat. It is recognised as a global public health threat, compounded by the current lack of new antibiotics being developed.11 The scale of the AMR threat, and the need to contain and control it, is widely acknowledged by country governments, international agencies, researchers and private companies alike. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant and ongoing impact on antibiotic prescribing across healthcare and not least in primary care. The exact relationship is unclear however the last two years has also seen a resurgence of Group A Streptococcal infections, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Bordetella pertussis as well as significant outbreaks of RSV infection and Influenza in addition to ongoing COVID- 19 infections all of which have driven antibiotic prescribing increases. There has also been a significant shift in primary care practice towards more remote consultations with some evidence that these are associated with higher prescribing rates. All of these present significant and ongoing challenges to antimicrobial stewardship in primary care. Confronting antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029 – The UK’s updated national action plan was published in May 2024.12 It sets out the UK’s national action plan 10 https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-healthcare-associated-infection-hcai-strategy-2023-2025/ 11 https://www.nss.nhs.scot/media/5717/arhai-sonaar-annual-report-2023-v12.pdf 12 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-5-year-action-plan-for-antimicrobial-resistance-2024-to- Page 198 of 336
Page 203
20 to tackle AMR within and beyond our own borders. The plan was designed to ensure progress towards the 20-year vision on AMR, in which resistance is effectively contained and controlled. It has nine strategic outcomes organised under 4 themes. Action will be taken across human and animal health, agriculture and the environment. The 4 themes are as follows: Reducing need for, and unintentional exposure to, antimicrobials; Optimising use of antimicrobials; Investing in innovation, supply and access; and Being a good global partner These are underpinned by actions across different areas, ranging from reducing infection (through healthy living, immunisation and infection prevention and control) and strengthening antibiotic prescribing stewardship (underpinned by behaviour change strategies) to improving surveillance and boosting research. Initiatives that are being taken forward out with the acute setting nationally and within NHSGGC include: Board level initiatives to identify and address variations in prescribing practice between community health partnerships including provision of bespoke educational activity when required Guidelines are in regularly updated and available in various formats, and utilised in GP system prescribing support including electronic prescribing prompts to promote shorter duration antibiotic therapy for respiratory tract and urinary tract infections Promotion of antibiotic prescribing targets in line with the 2024-2029 NAP to: i. Reduce total antibiotic use by 5% from a 2019 baseline. ii. Increase the proportion of first line (WHO Access) antibiotic use to 70% of all antibiotics prescribed. GP practices receive data reports from National Services Scotland on their antimicrobial prescribing twice a year, which supports discussion and review. This compliments other local and national data access. Promotion and utilisation of the Scottish Reduction in Antimicrobial Prescribing (ScRAP) and Royal College of General Practitioners’ Treat Antibiotics Responsibly, Guidance, Education and Tools (TARGET) resources. The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group and NHSGGC Antimicrobial Management Team is engaged in various initiatives to further support and promote antimicrobial stewardship in primary care. At the time of writing, this includes development of supplementary prescribing targets to focus on shorter duration of therapy and use of WHO Access antibiotics for specific indications; targets for dental prescribing are also under evaluation. 7.1.4 Vaccine preventable diseases Information on national immunisation programmes, including the timetable of routine childhood immunisations, can be found by visiting Vaccination schedule - Immunisations in Scotland | NHS inform. Uptake rates for routine childhood, HPV and teenage booster vaccines in the 2029/confronting-antimicrobial-resistance-2024-to-2029 Page 199 of 336
Page 204
21 national programme are available from Public Health Scotland’s Childhood Immunisation Statistics release. The ongoing challenge is to encourage and maintain high uptake of vaccines, including covid and ‘flu, in target groups across the Health Board area. Immunisation programmes in NHSGGC are coordinated by the Public Health team, through the multi-partner Strategic Immunisation Group, providing leadership, programme management, education and training and support to primary care, children and families teams and school immunisation teams who administer the vaccines. Scottish Government announced a Vaccination Transformation Programme (VTP) in early 2017, with the aim of ensuring the health of the Scottish public through the modernisation of the delivery of vaccinations, empowering local decision making and supporting the transfer of vaccination from General Practice to alternative models of delivery, was completed in April 2022. The Scottish Vaccination & Immunisation Programme (SVIP), has taken the learning from the VTP and the coronavirus vaccination programme into a new operational and performance framework. SVIP is a tripartite partnership between PHS, Scottish Government and territorial boards, led by Public Health Scotland. 7.1.5 Gastro-intestinal and zoonotic infections (GIZ) There is close joint working between NHSGGC and local authority environmental health professionals on GIZ, including through an agreed enteric investigation protocol, the Incident Management plan, and training events and exercises. Gastro- intestinal infections are the largest single group of infectious diseases that benefit from the joint working between the signatories of this plan, in the investigation of cases and clusters of notifiable enteric disease, and in supporting settings experiencing outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness. The health board and local authority environmental health professionals work closely with colleagues from national agencies such as Food Standards Scotland, Public Health Scotland, and animal health in responding to incidents and outbreaks, and the development of guidelines, including via the SHPN topic groups. Whole genome sequencing of isolated pathogens by national reference laboratories has increased the potential for identifying whether cases of gastrointestinal illness are part of wider clusters. NHSGGC and environmental health colleagues have contributed to investigation of UK-wide clusters through completion of enhanced surveillance questionnaires. The West of Scotland Regional Resilience Partnership has reformed their animal health sub-group to aid in the co-ordination of resilience activities in relation to zoonotic disease. In addition, national plans are available e.g. rabies, which are regularly exercised, and which support local preparedness for zoonotic infections. Escherichia coli O157 and other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) STEC (also known as verotoxic E. coli, VTEC) is the most serious enteric infection that is regularly notified to health protection services, with approximately 40 cases a year notified to PHPU. STEC require a rapid co-ordinated response to minimise risk of further transmission and to identify the potential source. The revised Scottish Page 200 of 336
Page 205
22 STEC public health guidance13 was published in January 2025. Parties to the JHPP were involved in the development of this guidance, which aims to reduce the risk of STEC across Scotland and ensure the best evidence based response from all agencies. 7.1.6 Bloodborne Viruses (BBV) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Prevention, control and elimination of BBVs (HIV, Hepatitis B and C) and STIs (syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia) remains a priority for NHSGGC, in line with both global and national priorities. NHSGGC’s approach to BBVs is guided by the Scottish Government's Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus (SHBBV) action plan and their targets to eliminate Hepatitis C and HIV transmission in Scotland. Programmes in place within NHSGGC to support delivery of these priorities include: Education and awareness raising (public and staff) Prevention/Harm Reduction (Injecting equipment provision, free condoms, vaccination, HIV pre and post exposure prophylaxis) Case finding (testing and partner notification/contact tracing) Treatment PHPU provides strategic direction; maintains an overview of SHBBVs needs in our population and relevant national developments; monitors progress at board-wide level; and engages with services to deliver an optimal and coordinated response with the resources that are available. Delivery of prevention, testing and treatment programmes take place across a range of NHSGGC services including but not limited to primary care, specialist sexual health services, drug treatment and harm reduction services, prison health and acute services. An outbreak of HIV amongst people who inject drugs in NHSGGC was identified and declared in 2015, and an Incident Management Team (IMT) has been in place since then to oversee the ongoing response to this outbreak. Following a recent comprehensive assessment, the IMT has concluded that the outbreak is under control and has decided to stand down. However, the IMT has noted there is a risk of a recurrence of the outbreak and made a number of recommendations for maintaining control of the outbreak, and for making further progress towards elimination of HIV transmission. 7.1.7 Tuberculosis (TB) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is proud to have the most ethnically diverse community out of all the Scottish NHS Board areas. We have a record for embracing minority groups and tackling inequalities, but this does not come without its challenges. NHSGGC continues to have the highest burden of TB in Scotland, representing around half of all cases nationally. 72.2% of active TB patients were born outside of the UK. A high proportion of asylum applicants and refugees come from countries where the incidence of TB is 40 cases per 100,000 or greater. Refugees may also come from these countries and both groups move through very congested 13 Public health management of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection - version 2 - Public health management of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection - Publications - Public Health Scotland Page 201 of 336
Page 206
23 travel routes with frequent and often prolonged stays in overcrowded refugee camps, crossing multiple countries. According to population’s studies, in 2019, economic migrants who came here legally to study and work made up 80.2% of all the new entrants to Scotland. These individuals will also have come from countries with a higher risk of exposure to TB. In 2023/2024, there was a sharp increase in TB cases across all the four nations, including 43% increase across Scotland. Some smaller Health Boards borne the brunt of this escalation and saw over 100% increase in cases in comparison to the local increase in cases at around 16% which were mainly made up from migrant communities. This national increase had prompted a raised concerns within national groups including the Scottish Government and we continue to work with our partner organisation to identify and treat active cases. TB is a challenging and complex condition to manage, with an increasing number of cases requiring enhanced case management (ECM), large contact tracing exercises and additional support to ensure drug adherence. However, the TB Nursing Team have managed to secure over 90% treatment compliance rates in active TB cases. 7.1.8 Non-communicable hazards Environmental health is concerned with the effects of the physical environment on health status. This is mediated by a wide range of chemical and physical risk factors which may operate either in the indoors or out of doors environment. Exposures to chemical or physical agents differ in a number of other ways from exposures in association with lifestyle or occupation, as follows: Concern is usually with acute or chronic low-level exposures which are difficult to measure and may also be difficult to link to disease Examples of important indoor exposures include carbon monoxide, radon, moulds, oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic vapours Exposures often occur to complex mixtures rather than just to a single agent It may be difficult to estimate historical levels of exposure Measurement of small increases in risk for different diseases associated with low-level exposures may be difficult and may be beyond the capability of conventional epidemiology Pathways of exposure may be uncertain or difficult to establish. The principal pathways are the inhalational, ingestion and dermal contact pathways. Certain well established environmental hazards continue to be important in environmental health protection. An example would be the prevalence of lead hazard in housing and elsewhere. Risks associated with traditional hazards may undergo radical reappraisal. For example, the risk associated with lead, particularly in children and pregnant women, is now recognised to be much greater than previously thought. Attention also needs to be given to novel sources of environmental emissions and new hazards. Technological advances in transport and other areas may present entirely novel hazards in environmental health protection. An example would be the advent of the widespread use of lithium ion batteries. There is evidence of increasing public awareness of possible Page 202 of 336
Page 207
24 environmental hazards. One strand of evidence for this is the number of requests which emanate from public groups about perceived clusters of disease which require epidemiological investigation. In addition to the hazards outlined above, environmental health Departments manage issues including noise pollution and odours, which may be defined as public health nuisances. While not presenting significant hazards to health, it is important to acknowledge the detriment these nuisances may have on wellbeing. Issues in non-communicable hazards in the area of NHSGGC include the following: Air pollution is an example of an environmental exposure with a well-known epidemiology, particularly in relation to particulate matter (PM10 and PM 2.5). Other pollutants of concern include nitrogen oxides (NOx) and the “greenhouse gas”, carbon dioxide. All Local Authorities have a duty to regularly review and assess air quality within their area and report the findings to the Scottish Government on an annual basis. Local Air Quality Monitoring reports, including results from specific air monitoring sites from each NHSGGC local authority are available from the Scottish Government’s Air Quality website. Statutory air quality objective levels for specified pollutants are set out in the Air Quality (Scotland) Regulations 2000 and subsequent amendments. Where objective levels are not being achieved the area must be designated an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) published, outlining action measures the Council are taking forward to improve air quality in those areas, leading to higher overall standards of air quality. East Dunbartonshire In East Dunbartonshire, as is the case in much of Scotland, the main pollutants of concern affecting air quality are nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5). The primary local sources of this pollution are related to road traffic and congestion, and while traffic flows have returned to pre-pandemic levels, pollutant levels have generally improved significantly. East Dunbartonshire Council operate four continuous automatic analysers in our urban centres; one each in Bishopbriggs, Bearsden, Kirkintilloch and Milngavie. These monitors measure NO2, PM10 and PM2.5 with pollutant levels viewable by the public via the Scottish Air Quality website. Nitrogen dioxide levels are additionally monitored by a network of diffusion tubes throughout the Council area. There is currently one Air Quality Management Area in Bishopbriggs which will be kept under review in light of improvements. An annual progress report is published each year summarising the results of monitoring and detailing ongoing progress to further reduce air pollution. The most recent report (2024) indicated that all monitoring stations and diffusion tubes showed comfortable compliance with Scottish air quality objectives for all pollutants of concern. NO2 levels have generally followed a downward trend at all monitoring sites in recent years, however particulate matter trends are less clear. All monitoring sites have shown distinct improvement in PM10 levels compared to Page 203 of 336
Page 208
25 2019 levels, however PM2.5 levels have largely remained static in the same timeframe. East Renfrewshire Air quality remains good and continues to improve. There are no major industrial or commercial sources of air pollutants within the area and road traffic is therefore the main source of local air pollution. No air quality management areas have been declared. 2023/24, has shown a decrease in pollution levels from those measured in 2022 and remain down on pre-covid levels (2018-2019). NO2 Levels at 13 of the 23 monitoring locations were down by more than 50% of the levels noted in 2019 (pre- Covid). Actions to improve air quality: 2023/24 saw the full return of planned proactive work. Home working, virtual meetings and online training are now accepted as a means to complement the traditional work place. This change in work culture is likely to have a significant impact on air quality and levels of transport generated pollutants. The move away from vehicles fuelled by fossil fuels will also be playing a part in the reduction of NO2 levels. East Renfrewshire Council continues to arrange joint initiatives between environmental health, community safety, education, culture and leisure, and the communications team to increase the profile of how air quality can be affected by vehicle idling especially around local schools, local transport hubs and taxi ranks. Two large digital displays were purchased in 2024/25 and placed at school gates, inside schools at Parents’ evenings, induction days, social events, Christmas Fayres and in libraries during the summer reading challenges, amongst other places. These rotate key air quality messages and lamppost / bollard collars are erected when Idling Enforcement is taking place in the area. Air quality worksheets and competitions are run in schools and libraries to design and name an Air quality Champion / superhero and have over two hundred entries, annually. Air Quality monitoring work around school gates is supported by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) who have provided Air quality monitors and designed and established an accessible digital platform to explain the work being done. Installation of 6 low-cost air monitors provide real time data to empower the local school communities. Production of banners allowed the schools to display their own artwork at their school gates. We continue to support a wider anti-idling awareness campaign in conjunction with 5 neighbouring Local Authorities. Glasgow City The Scottish Government announced in 2017 that there would be Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in four Scottish cities, including Glasgow, and the City Council introduced Scotland’s first LEZ for the city centre area at the end of 2018. The LEZ has been introduced in two phases, with the first phase targeting improvements in emissions arising from scheduled bus journeys through the city centre. The second Page 204 of 336
Page 209
26 phase of the LEZ came into effect in May 2022, with a statutory one-year grace period, before enforcement began on 1 June 2023. Glasgow’s LEZ is an intervention directed at protecting and improving public health, with the main objective being to improve the health of residents and visitors to the city by contributing towards meeting the air quality objectives prescribed under the Environment Act 1999. It is also now part of a broader approach to enhancing the amenity and attractiveness of the city centre through providing cleaner air. Priorities for 2024 / 2025 have included the continuing enforcement of the LEZ, and ongoing communications and engagement to increase compliance rates. Initial monitoring results from 2023 are positive, with significant reductions in the monitored levels of NO2 recorded across the city and particularly within the area of the LEZ. Levels of NO2 pollution have been on a downward trend in recent years as a result of improvements in vehicle emissions and the phased introduction of the Glasgow LEZ since 2018. NO2 levels fell further in 2023 with an average reduction of 19.9% from 2022 recorded by diffusion tubes in the LEZ area. Inverclyde Inverclyde Council reviews and assess air quality in relation to seven key pollutants which have an impact on human health. The levels are measured against national standards. There is an automatic air monitor on the main A8 dual carriageway in Greenock which continuously monitors for the main traffic pollutants of NO2, PM10 & PM2.5. This site has been assessed as having the highest traffic flow in Inverclyde and should therefore be indicative of the maximum levels of these pollutants experienced in the area. There is also a series of passive diffusion tubes located within the district which measure levels of NO2. Since the introduction of annual progress reports to the Scottish Government reports in 1998, data from all of our monitoring sites have consistently shown that Air Quality Objectives are being met for all measured pollutants. Results from the Greenock A8 monitoring site are available at the Scottish Air Quality website. Renfrewshire There are currently three Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) within Renfrewshire located in Paisley, Johnstone and Renfrew, declared for both nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM). A Renfrewshire Council Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) was produced in 2019 containing measures aimed at improving air quality within the council area. Since implementation of the 2019 AQAP and the action measures contained therein, there has been a steady improvement of air quality across Renfrewshire Council with the last exceedance of any air quality objective being in 2019. The 2024 Annual Progress Report reviewed air quality monitoring data from 2023 and confirmed there continues to be no exceedances and that monitored concentrations of both NO2 and PM continue to show a downward trend across Renfrewshire. As such, the Council’s Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board approved the revocation of all three Air Quality Management Areas at its meeting on 19 March 2025. A Revocation Report, which Page 205 of 336
Page 210
27 provides evidence in favour of the revocations, was approved by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in November 2024. It is the intention of Renfrewshire Council to develop a Renfrewshire Council Local Air Quality Strategy, demonstrating the Council’s ongoing commitment to improving air quality within the council area, thereby positively impacting on the health and quality of life of residents, workers and visitors to the area. West Dunbartonshire The main pollutants of concern within West Dunbartonshire Council area are nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. Monitoring in West Dunbartonshire is undertaken using automatic monitoring at two sites and the use of a diffusion tube network. Dumbarton unit monitors Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and is part of the Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN). No exceedances of the short and long term NO2 limit have been registered at the continuous monitoring locations. The annual average level continues to fall at the Clydebank location and the Dumbarton location remains statistically steady. All NO2 Diffusion Tubes are consistently below the national annual mean for this pollutant. The Annual mean PM10 and PM2.5 levels at the Clydebank station are below the objective levels with only minor annual fluctuations. Waste disposal: Landfill has historically been a common way of disposing of domestic, industrial and hazardous waste, although the use of landfill for this purpose will decrease dramatically in the near future. The Scottish Government Zero Waste Strategy, first published in 2010, includes targets for waste reduction and for 70% of the remaining waste to be recycled, with a maximum of 5% going to landfill, by 2025. In total, 462,944 tonnes of household waste were generated in the NHSGGC Health Board area in 2023. Most of this waste was generated in Glasgow City. Overall, 36.4% of the waste generated in NHSGGC Health Board was recycled. The recycling rate varied from 58.2% in East Renfrewshire to 27.2% in Glasgow City. Overall, 19.7% of the waste generated in NHSGGC Health Board was sent for landfill. The landfill rate varied from 61.1% in West Dunbartonshire to 2.4% in East Dunbartonshire. The Glasgow Recycling & Renewable Energy Centre (GRREC) is a state-of-the-art residual waste treatment facility located at Polmadie in Glasgow, which became operational in 2019. The GRREC is a key component of the Council's response to the climate emergency and designed to help drive Glasgow towards becoming a more sustainable city. Historically, all residual waste (waste that cannot be re-used or recycled) would have been landfilled. The environmental challenges associated with landfill are well- documented; in particular their impact on climate change through the release of greenhouse gases as biodegradable waste breaks down. Several studies of possible health risk in populations resident close to landfill sites have been carried out. These have included studies of the risk of cancers, respiratory disease, reproductive Page 206 of 336
Page 211
28 outcomes and effects on general health. No definite evidence for proximity to landfill as a risk factor for health has been found. As the Council moves away from landfill as the main way to manage residual waste, the GRREC provides a modern and sustainable treatment solution that is aligned to the Council's ambition of becoming a carbon neutral city. Efforts to increase recycling and sustainable processing of waste have the additional objective of diverting waste from incineration. Incineration of waste results in carbon dioxide emissions and air pollutants. Disposal of waste by incineration is now more contentious and is likely to be taxed going forward. The Clyde Valley Project is an innovative partnership between five local authorities, including East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire with Viridor to transform how their household waste is managed. The Clyde Valley Project (first of its type in Scotland at the time), commenced in January 2020 and is having a huge impact in saving natural resources through the increased recycling and energy recovery programme, emphasising the need that waste should be seen as a resource and not waste. The 25-year contract will see up to 190,000 tonnes of residual waste processed each year at the state-of-the-art residual Materials Recycling Facility (in Bargeddie), diverting non-recyclable waste from landfill and instead generating low carbon energy. Using cutting edge technology, residual black bag waste is collected and processed at the Bargeddie facility and, after the recyclate is extracted for further processing, the remaining non-recyclable waste is sent for energy recovery at Viridor’s Dunbar Energy Recovery Facility. The Clyde Valley Waste Partnership non-recyclable material generates enough electricity to power the equivalent of 32,391 homes, on average each year. Under this partnership, Viridor has committed to providing a variety of community benefits to support the local Clyde Valley communities, including employment opportunities, with a particular focus on the recruitment and training of young-people and long-term unemployed. Figures on domestic waste disposal are published by SEPA and are available at: https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/waste/waste-data/waste-data- reporting/household-waste-data/. Lithium Ion Batteries – recycling, storage and import An important aspect of environmental health protection is the need to constantly accommodate new information about new sources of emissions. The advent of Lithium Ion batteries and growth in use of batteries of this kind are an example of an entirely new source of emissions. Batteries of this kind have rapidly become ubiquitous in society but the issue of electric cars is particularly important. The issues concerning new technology of this kind and its applications for environmental health protection include the following: The chemistry of Lithium Ion batteries is novel and entirely different from the electrochemistry of traditional batteries. The chemistry is still incompletely understood and differs for different manufacturers. Page 207 of 336
Page 212
29 One aspect of the electrochemistry of Lithium Ion batteries is the propensity for thermal runaway. This is a novel thermal process in which a large amount of heat is generated and toxic chemical substances emitted. This novel thermal process may be complicated by the onset of conventional combustion as a secondary process. This means that conventional water-based methods of control may be ineffective in dealing with thermal runaway. There is some evidence that addition of water may in fact promote thermal runaway. The public health risk assessment in the case of thermal events in cars is complicated by the fact that, in electric cars, the frequency of thermal events is much less than in conventional vehicles although the consequences may be more severe. Within the NHSGGC area there are several sites with Battery Energy Storage Systems or where lithium batteries are stored for recycling. Government planning policy means that local authorities have limited say on where future sites may be located. Environmental asbestos exposure: Asbestos is well established as an environmental risk factor with a widely accepted epidemiological framework for risk assessment. Asbestos has been widely used in the urban built environment and exposures may occur in a range of situations, including factory fires and demolition of blocks of flats. A study of the possible health effects of asbestos from the demolition of high rise flats in Glasgow has demonstrated that risks from such activities are extremely low, though precautionary environmental monitoring during works has been carried out. Smoke free hospitals: Scotland has been a leader in removing smoking from public places, and this continues to require support through the work of signatories to this plan. The implementation of legislation in 2022, making it an offence to smoke outside hospital buildings remains challenging, and Local Authority and NHS Health Improvement teams require to work together to promote and enforce the legislation more effectively. Variation in both the capacity of environmental health departments and the size and complexity of hospital sites across NHSGGC have meant that efforts to promote and enforce legislation have been more challenging in some local authority areas. 7.1.9 Climate and sustainability The 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took place in November 2021, in Glasgow, UK. The Glasgow Agreement provides an opportunity to build on the legacy of COP26, and to embed sustainability and climate adaptation and mitigation into all work streams. The signatory local authorities to this Plan maintain local plans and strategies relating to this work, including Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies and climate action plans. NHSGGC’s Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy 2023-202814 was developed in response to the Scottish Government launching ‘A Policy for NHS Scotland on the Climate Emergency and Sustainable Development’15. 14 https://www.nhsggc.scot/downloads/climate-change-and-sustainability-strategy-2023-2028/ 15 https://www.publications.scot.nhs.uk/files/dl-2021-38.pdf Page 208 of 336
Page 213
30 Climate change will bring new challenges to Scotland including increased occurrence of adverse weather events and changes to the prevalence and distribution of vectors such as mosquitos and ticks. The health protection system will need to prepare for and respond to these challenges. Members of Med-Vet contribute to SHPN topic groups scoping this work. Changes to weather as a result of climate change, particularly increases in frequency of extreme weather events, and storms, temperature rises, increased rainfall and flooding are likely to result in increased service requests to environmental health and pest control teams from both properties and businesses. In addition to leading to an increase in some pests, these conditions also increase the likelihood of mould and damp in properties. 7.1.10 UK withdrawal from the European Union The impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU will directly affect the work of environmental health. Export Hubs have been set up to facilitate Scottish businesses exporting their trades and commodities. Both port and inland local authorities continue to monitor compliance of foodstuffs which are imported and exported. After an initial delay the UK Government published its Border Target Operating Model for the import of foodstuffs in August 2023. This laid out a timetable for the imposition of controls on food entering the UK from the EU. This ultimately involved the use of digital certification, initially for plant products then for animal products coming into the UK through Border Inspection Posts. It had been expected that Greenock Ocean Terminal would have applied to become a Border Inspection Post but as yet no application has been made under the new Target Operating Model. Should this occur, it would involve a potentially significant workload for Inverclyde’s environmental health service in checking compliance. Glasgow Airport is not expected to become a Border Inspection Post. The majority of legislation enforced by environmental health is derived from European legislation including food law, occupational health and safety, water quality, air quality, contaminated land etc. Most laws and regulations have now been amended for domestic purposes whilst maintaining previous standards however implementation of these have at times been delayed due to the conflict in Ukraine and the impact on consumer markets. There may further changes to the legislative landscape in the coming years. 7.1.11 Migrant health There is a long history of migration into the West of Scotland, with communities developing over many decades and generations. This inward movement continues, and Greater Glasgow and Clyde includes some of the most ethnically diverse communities in Scotland, with an increase in the BME population from 7.5% in 2011 to 13.1 in 2022, well above the Scottish national average. Some of the migrant groups and the communities they live in are more vulnerable than the general population, due to a number of factors including deprivation and living conditions, prior access to healthcare (including vaccination), barriers to accessing services (such as culture, language, stigma), limited social networks and isolation, and their own lived experiences. These vulnerable communities require additional support of public health services compared to more settled populations. Page 209 of 336
Page 214
31 Over recent years, ongoing conflict in Syria and the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan have increased the number of new migrants into the West of Scotland through planned resettlement routes. The war in Ukraine has also increased the number of new migrants, supported by the Scottish Government’s role as a visa “super sponsor”. Local Authorities have led on the inspection and licensing of accommodation and the wider dispersal of asylum seekers. Work streams across a whole range of services with joint working between local government and health and social care partnerships will continue to require significant resource from partners during the period of this plan. 7.1.12 Food safety and food security Food safety Scottish Authorities Food Enforcement Rebuild (SAFER) has been launched by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) as a collaborative approach to modernise the national approach to managing the public health risk from food safety. It has been recognised that there is significant risk of the capacity in local environmental health services failing to provide the resource to meet all aspects of the statutory requirements of the Food Law Code of Practice. To mitigate this risk FSS are seeking to work with local authorities to redefine and develop a framework for Food Law that will deliver the following aims: Public health protection & assurance Sufficient, sustainable and dynamic resource Alternative qualification pathways A Food Law delivery model focused on risk and non-compliance Vital training and practical guidance Technological and digital solutions This is essentially starting with a blank sheet of paper and is the biggest change to food law delivery since the Pennington Report. It will require significant resource to complete and FSS have asked local authorities to: Release environmental health staffing resource to help design and deliver the SAFER programme Continue to deliver core functions whilst the programme is developed. FSS will provide relaxations during the process. Re-invest the resources saved through SAFER back into food law enforcement Protect existing resources for food law enforcement to ensure public health protection and assurance in the food industry How this impacts the wider EH resource and capacity is unknown at present but should become apparent as the SAFER projects moves forward in 2023. A programme plan is being worked on which should give an indication of the pathways and timescales to completion. Food security Ensuring food security for individuals and communities is an important determinant of health outcomes. Increases in the cost of living and food prices specifically have Page 210 of 336
Page 215
32 meant more households are experiencing food insecurity. The Scottish Government published the Good Food Nation Plan in January 2024, defining a Good Food Nation as one where everyone has access to safe, nutritious, affordable, sustainable, and age and culturally appropriate food. Colleagues working within the Public Health Directorate will be supporting the implementation of the plan, working alongside local authority environmental health teams in regulation and promotion. 7.1.13 Housing and fuel poverty The evidence supports poor housing as a risk factor for respiratory diseases including asthma, cardiovascular diseases, injuries, mental health and infectious diseases including tuberculosis and influenza. Housing conditions such as lack of heating, over-crowding or cluttered space and accessibility have been identified by the World Health Organisation as playing a role in the health impact of housing16. Across society, people that may not have experienced money worries before are now cutting back due to arrears, rental increases above inflation and rising food and fuel costs17. The 2022/23 Health and Wellbeing Survey starkly presents the impact of financial insecurity on ‘essentials for living’, with increases in the proportion of the population having trouble in meeting basic costs (Figure 1). Figure 1: Summary of proportion of people having trouble paying bills (Source: Health and Wellbeing Survey, 2022-23 as cited by Crighton, 2024) Just under two in five people said they had difficulty meeting food and/or home energy costs at least occasionally, rising to one in two in the most deprived areas with 16 WHO (2018) WHO Housing and Health Guidelines, in Environment Climate Change and Health Team: Guidelines Review Committee (eds.) Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organisation, pp. 172. 17 Earwaker, R. and Bestwick, M. (2021) Dragged down by debt: Millions of low-income households pulled under by arrears while living costs rise | Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Available at: https://www.jrf.org.uk/cost-of-living/dragged-down-by-debt-millions-of-low-income-households-pulled- under-by-arrears-while. Page 211 of 336
Page 216
33 those under 25 years old, women, and people with a limiting condition most likely to have difficulties. This rise in meeting the costs of essentials is of significant concern, as lack of funds for one or more essentials is a risk factor for destitution18. The Scottish Household Survey 2023 report has noted a rise from 31% to 34% of respondents indicating they were in fuel poverty when compared to 2022 with 61% of those who are fuel poor in social housing and 25% in the private sector. A cold home or home in disrepair can cause damp through condensation on walls and windows exacerbating respiratory and circulatory problems. Dampness predisposes to internal growth of fungal mould and release of airborne spores and exposure to mould spores internally is a risk factor for respiratory ill-health, especially allergic ill- health, rhinitis and asthma. PHPU works collaboratively with environmental health teams to address individual cases where housing condition is impacting on health. The health improvement team have a range of support pathways in place for fuel and food poverty and for money and debt advice for people accessing hospital services or if lack of home energy is identified in preparation for discharge home from hospital. Support available includes dedicated home energy services to assist with account arrears, reconnection of supply, where appropriate securing registration on the priority services register and access to home energy grants for those eligible. Within primary care, community link workers act as the first port of call for non-clinical support and social prescribing. Local authorities offer initiatives aimed at preventing and addressing fuel poverty such as advice services, support and signposting. In areas of particularly high fuel poverty, where properties are suitable, property improvements such as external wall insulation and photovoltaic cells can be facilitated via the Scottish Government’s Area Based Schemes (ABS) funding. Wider issues about overall housing standards, supply and condition are addressed in Local Authorities’ Local Housing Strategies (LHS). These are formal documents required every 5 years under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 with annual reviews on progress. Each LHS is obviously unique to the circumstances of the housing market and stock in the individual Authority but will typically cover the following: Overall supply of housing Access to affordable housing including how the authority will address homelessness Access to specialist housing and aids and adaptations to allow people to remain in their homes The condition of the housing stock in the area including energy efficiency and its impact on fuel poverty Separately local authorities have powers to address housing issues causing nuisance and serious disrepair under a number of statutes and this work forms a significant aspect of the work of environmental health. 18 Fitzpatrick, S., Bramley, G., Treanor, M., Blenkinsopp, J., McIntyre, J., Johnsen, S. and McMordie, L. (2023) Destitution in the UK 2023 | Joseph Rowntree Foundation. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Available at: https://www.jrf.org.uk/deep-poverty-and-destitution/destitution-in-the-uk-2023. Page 212 of 336
Page 217
34 7.2 Local authority environmental health Examples of local health protection priorities carried out within Local Authorities by Environmental Health Officers and other professional staff, are outlined below. Many are requirements of statute, in order to protect the health of individuals living and working in our communities. In addition to specific priorities listed below, Local Authorities work to prepare for and respond to emerging threats in collaboration with NHSGGC and PHS. Reducing harmful air pollutants, such as particulate matter and NO2. Statutory Nuisance (including controlling environmental noise, odours, drainage/sewage problems, waste water spillage, housing disrepair, etc.). Communicable disease control. Investigation and control of contaminated land; including actively promoting contaminated land remediation using the Councils’ planning and development processes. Housing standards (including private sector, housing conditions, building disrepair). Drinking water quality. Pest control. Protecting health and consumer interests in relation to food by working with partner organisations and local business, implementing nationally set standards and minimising the risk of food poisoning incidences and outbreaks through inspection, training and initiatives; these activities include tackling the problem of food fraud, and an increasing focus on improving diet and nutrition. Maintaining the health of the working population through regulation of workplace safety and through inspection, awareness raising, training etc., and minimising the risk of ill health caused by occupational health exposures including stress. Minimising the risk of exposure to environmental incivilities such as abandoned vehicles, dog fouling, litter, illicit tipping, graffiti – there being a growing body of evidence that links stress to aspects of mental health and wellbeing, but also to physical disease- psychosocial dimension. Minimising the risk of environmental exposure to tobacco smoke, including secondary exposure, and illicit tobacco products which extends to vaping products, through inspection, enforcement (e.g. preventing sale of tobacco to under 18s with colleagues from Trading Standards), awareness raising of smoking in public places legislation. Activities concerning alcohol consumption regulation through licensing standards legislation – including enforcement, education and awareness raising work. Protecting the health, welfare and safety of the public through raising standards of premises licensed for the sale of alcohol together with premises licensed for other purposes, e.g. sunbeds, tattooists and skin piercers. Protecting the health, welfare and safety of the public through regulating standards at events licensed for public entertainment. Promoting community health and well-being by protecting public health through educational and advisory services. Working with Scottish Water on public water supplies and with the Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) on standards of private water supplies. Activities related to animal health and welfare, including tick-borne Page 213 of 336
Page 218
35 diseases and the risk of rabies in imported animals, which remains very low due to existing control programmes At the time of writing, a Scottish Government consultation is in progress on the regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures. This is an industry that has undergone significant growth over recent years without corresponding regulation. Health risks associated with these procedures include infections. A likely outcome of this consultation will include a model for local authority licensing of certain premises carrying out specific categories of non-surgical cosmetic procedures. 7.3 Health protection risks and challenges within NHSGGC 7.3.1 Contaminated land Contaminated land issues are an important aspect of environmental health protection in the West of Scotland. The number and range of contaminated land issues reflects the industrial past of the area. There is a statutory definition of Contaminated Land as “any land which appears to the local authority in whose area it is situated to be in such a condition, by reason of substances in, on or under the land, that either significant harm is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such harm being caused (SPOSH) or pollution of controlled waters is being, or is likely to be caused”. A designation of land as contaminated would usually result in need for some form of remediation. The aim would be to return land to productive use. The issue of contaminated land causes considerable public anxiety not only because of effects on health but because of possible effects on housing markets. Contaminated land may represent a risk factor for health in local populations, although the nature and scale of the risk depend on the type of contamination. In Glasgow, parts of the southeast of the city and into South Lanarkshire are contaminated with chromium as a result of the operations of the former chromium industry in the area. Several epidemiological studies have been carried out in the affected areas, and to date no detrimental effects on health have been demonstrated. In 2019, Clyde Gateway carried out remediation works with the aim of reducing hexavalent chromium contamination in the West Burn and Polmadie Burn, linked to historic chemical works in the area. These works are part of a wider strategy to deal with historic contamination and bring about the development and regeneration of the area. Similarly, West Dunbartonshire have addressed areas of contamination through local development plans, redeveloping sites along the Clyde waterfront, including the former John Brown’s shipyard and adjoining sites, collectively identified as Queens Quay in Clydebank, the Carless site in Old Kilpatrick, the Exxon site in Bowling and Dumbarton waterfront. Inverclyde also continue to address contaminated land and brownfield sites. In east Glasgow, there was public concern about an allegedly increased risk of cancer in the population resident close to Greenoakhill Landfill site. An epidemiological investigation was carried out to investigate the incidences of different types of cancer in the index population compared to that of NHSGGC generally. No significant differences were detected in the risks of cancer in the Page 214 of 336
Page 219
36 populations of the index area and NHSGGC. 7.3.2 Glasgow Region City Deal The Glasgow City Region City Deal is an agreement between the UK Government, the Scottish Government and eight Local Authorities across the Glasgow City Region comprising: East Dunbartonshire; East Renfrewshire; Glasgow City; Inverclyde; North Lanarkshire; Renfrewshire; South Lanarkshire; and West Dunbartonshire Councils. The Glasgow City Region City Deal is funding infrastructure projects, facilitating business growth and the development of new jobs, as well as improving skills development, educational and health opportunities for people within local communities. Some City Deal projects are also helping to improve public transport and connectivity by incorporating new safer walking and cycling infrastructure, which should help to encourage active travel. Overall, the City Deal will provide: Improved infrastructure – £1.13 billion fund to support the delivery of improved transport and connectivity across Glasgow and the Clyde Valley and key development and regeneration sites. Growth in life sciences – establishment of world class research and development and commercialisation facilities. Supporting business innovation – providing additional business incubator and grow-on space for entrepreneurs across the Region enabling more small and medium enterprises to grow. Tackling unemployment – creation of thousands of new jobs and establishment of programmes to provide targeted support to 16-24 year olds and vulnerable residents, and testing new ways of boosting the incomes of people on low wages to make them more self-reliant. 7.3.3 Port health Within NHSGGC, there is a large international airport (Glasgow International airport) and a large seaport (Greenock), as well as smaller seaports. Glasgow Airport has direct flights to many international destinations including Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. Port of Greenock operates year-round as a major freight terminal, and between April and October has increasing numbers of cruise ships. A new cruise berthing facility was opened in Greenock in 2021 with a new terminal building opened in 2023. Both of these developments were supported by the Glasgow City Deal. West Dunbartonshire provides for Port Health at its Clydebank port location at Rothesay Dock, receiving commercial shipping. Glasgow City has one seaport at King George V Docks on the southwestern boundary of the city, operated by Peel Ports Group. Environmental health activities include carrying out ship sanitation inspections and the issuing of certificates. Every vessel on an international voyage requires to have a valid ship sanitation certificate, which are valid for 6 months. This is not a statutory function, and the Council charges for this service, the charge being based on the gross tonnage of the vessel. Page 215 of 336
Page 220
37 The inspection process is based on International Health Regulations and guidance from World Health Organisation (WHO) and involves inspecting all areas of the vessel including accommodation, galley, medical facilities, engine room, holds and deck. An assessment will also be made of controls in place in relation to food safety, potable water, waste management and infection and vector control. The dock can on occasion be used for more unusual purposes and was host to the cruise ship Ambition in 2022/2023 to house Ukrainian refugees. Other vessels will visit, such as those involved in deep sea operations in the North Sea and military of defence vessels. However, the majority of the vessels using the port are bulk cargo or container vessels carrying such commodities as cement, wood, scrap metal, grain, and wind turbine components to all parts of the world. There are on average only around four inspections carried out per year. There are long established plans between NHSGGC and Renfrewshire Council for Glasgow Airport, and with NHSGGC and Inverclyde for dealing with incidents involving the Port of Greenock. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated. Plans will be reviewed to ensure contingency and public health resilience for the Clydebank port. Inverclyde Council, NHSGGC and other partners have engaged with the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency on Operation Waypoint. This procedure is to identify and prepare designated landing points for large vessel incidents in coastal waters. The Operation Waypoint procedures have been successfully exercised in February 2025. There has been an expectation for some years that aircraft and port regulations would be updated after the introduction of the International Health Regulations 2005 The desire to develop these alongside updates in other UK jurisdictions, has delayed this review. Current plans and arrangements will be reviewed and updated if necessary as a result of any changes to the regulations. For the time being port and airport health, with the exception of food imports, is governed by the heavily amended Public Health (Ship)s (Scotland) Regulations 1971 and Public Health (Aircraft) (Scotland) regulations 1971 which give local authorities and health boards powers to deal with public health risks arising from ships and aircraft. Renfrewshire Council, NHSGGC, and Glasgow Airport have worked with PHS to provide the necessary assurance for the necessary returns to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and WHO that the airport meets the requirements of a designated port of entry under the International Health Regulations. 7.3.4 Impact of tourism and cultural events There has been an increase in the number of visitors to Scotland generally but specifically to locations in the NHSGGC area. This is through an increase in cruise ships arriving through the Port of Greenock in Inverclyde as well as the increase in international flights at Glasgow airport in Renfrewshire. The number of hotels rooms in the area has increased. There has been a number of large events, including music and international sporting events, held within the city; this has resulted in an influx of UK and international visitors. In summer 2026 Glasgow will host the Commonwealth Games. This can present particular health protection challenges such as the importation of Page 216 of 336
Page 221
38 unfamiliar or non-endemic communicable diseases, opportunities for transmission during mass gatherings, and the potential for mass exposure to point source environmental hazards. It also requires maintenance of good relationships across health board boundaries, across the 4 Nations, and, via the International Health Regulations National Focal Point, further afield. 7.3.5 Water quality and safety issues The DWQR is responsible for regulating public water supplies. Lead in drinking water within Schools and nurseries Lead does not occur naturally in any significant quantities in water supplies. However higher than normal lead levels can occur when pipes in properties – particularly if built pre-1970 – come into contact with lead supply pipes. Scottish Water provides the public water supply in Scotland and it has responsibility for the part of the service pipe and connection within the street. Where they encounter lead pipes within their ownership, they automatically replace those with modern materials. All school and nursery premises constitute public buildings where members of the public may consume drinking water. There are established mechanisms, as required by the Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2014, between Scottish Water and environmental health teams, to enforce remedial works. Over recent years, a team of Scottish Water, NHS and local authority staff have been checking water supplies are lead-free at more than 1500 independent nurseries, after school club and schools, and worked to resolve any issues identified. Testing in public sector schools is carried out by relevant local authorities. At time of writing, investigations are 93.65% complete with a total of 4,476 samples at 886 properties having been taken. Some work is still ongoing with a small number of properties. A small number of properties who have refused to engage with Scottish Water/local authorities despite repeated attempts will not have their full investigations completed. When the scheme has been completed, drinking water supplies at independent schools and private nurseries in Scotland will meet the standard for lead, supporting the health and educational attainment of pupils. Private water supplies Environmental health teams are responsible for regulating private water supplies. Private water supplies are those which are not provided by Scottish Water. The source of the water may be from springs, wells, boreholes, rivers, surface waters or lochs. Supplies fall into two main categories, Regulated Supplies which cover either commercial properties or a number of domestic properties and Type B supplies which tend to serve individual or small numbers of domestic properties. The regulatory requirements are obviously more stringent on regulated supplies for which annual sampling and risk assessment is required. Enforcement action is taken where necessary to secure improvements to failing supplies and follow up cases of waterborne disease or contamination in the supply. For Type B supplies, local authorities work with individuals who have raised concerns about their supply, but do not undertake routine sampling or assessment. The Scottish Government also runs a Page 217 of 336
Page 222
39 grant scheme for improvements to private water supplies which is administered by environmental health departments. More information on private water supplies can be found in the DWQR for Scotland’s 2023 report on private water supplies. The below table contains a summary of private water supplies by local authority, where applicable. Local Authority Number of regulated supplies Number of Type B Supplies East Dunbartonshire 1 (serving approx. 40 persons) 15 (serving approx. 93 persons) East Renfrewshire 17 (serving approx. 102 residential properties) 117 (serving approx. 158 properties) Inverclyde 14 (covering 38 properties) 48 (covering 76 properties) Renfrewshire 15 83 West Dunbartonshire 5 (34 properties serving 142 persons) 15 (23 properties serving 60 persons) Raw water Domestic properties across Scotland that have historically received water from Scottish Water’s raw water infrastructure will be considered “public supplies” from early 2025. Scottish Water will be undertaking surveys and sampling from these domestic properties with the intention of developing improvement measures that ensure they comply with the Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations. Waste and sewage effluent, agricultural runoff Over the past few decades there has been a significant increase in industrial, commercial and sewage effluents entering local rivers, lochs and the sea, along with agricultural run-off from farming practices. Pollution events have increased in numbers, especially when the effluent has not been treated adequately, with possible causes for this being breakdown of equipment at treatment plants, inadequate network capacity or bursts in the ageing infrastructure, high rain weather events possibly linked with climate change to name a few. The increase in nutrients damages the natural flora and fauna in the water receptor and allows for over stimulation of some organisms such as algae that can choke the waterway and dramatically increase the biological and chemical oxygen demand, which is damaging for the natural inhabitants. Many of these waters are used by humans and pets for sports and recreational activities such as the significant increase in ‘cold water swimming’ in recent years and this exposes the user to potential higher levels of pathogens and chemicals which can cause illness and disease. Authorities and agencies are aware of this increased risk and action plans are starting to be implemented to help mitigate the risks but there will be a long way to go to clean up the waterways. Bathing and recreational water quality There is one Designated Bathing Water in the NHSGGC area at Lunderston Bay in Page 218 of 336
Page 223
40 Inverclyde. Designated Bathing Waters are sampled regularly during the Bathing Season (May to September) and the results for Lunderston Bay can be found at SEPA’s bathing water webpage. Lunderston Bay has been consistently rated “Good” for bathing water quality over recent years. The system of Bathing Water Designations, including the Bathing Water season, which is defined by Government, has clearly not kept up with the trend for a significant expansion in year-round wild swimming, often in inland waters not covered by a Bathing Water designation and therefore not sampled for water quality under the regime. An example of this is the significant swimming activity at the White Loch in East Renfrewshire since the Covid Pandemic. The UK Government concluded a consultation on the Bathing Water regulations in England and Wales in December 2024 to reflect these changes. It is not known at the time of writing whether the Scottish Government intends to follow suit. In all local authority areas in NHSGGC, bodies of water used for recreational purposes including fishing and wild swimming are risk assessed and monitored for blue-green algae, with appropriate measures such as advisory signage put in place when indicated. Signatories to this Plan also collaborate on the local Blue Green algae action plan, in the process of being updated at the time of writing. 7.3.6 Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Sites Within the NHSGGC boundary there are six upper tier COMAH sites. In accordance with COMAH legislation, each of these sites has a multi-agency off-site incident management plan. These plans are developed by resilience partners, which include the Health Board and relevant Local Authorities, as well as emergency services and other agencies. These plans are updated and tested on a regular basis in accordance with the relevant legislation. The sites are Provan gasworks (Glasgow) EXOLUM Clydebank terminal (West Dunbartonshire) Chivas Brothers Dumbuck (West Dunbartonshire) Chivas Brothers Dalmuir (West Dunbartonshire) Beam Suntory and John Dewar and Sons Ltd, Westthorn Site (Glasgow) Diageo, Blythswood (Renfrewshire) Page 219 of 336
Page 224
41 7.4 Significant events, incidents and outbreaks in recent years Table 3: Significant events, incidents and outbreaks with joint health protection response from January 2023 to January 2025 (not otherwise covered in the plan). Situation Dates Description UCI Cycling World Championships 2023 From 3-13 August 2023 Glasgow hosted the multi-discipline cycling world championships with more than 2600 athletes from across the globe. NHSGGC and environmental health departments were involved in preparedness for potential health related incidents. Clusters of gastrointestinal pathogens identified through Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) 2018-2019 Following the introduction of routine whole genome sequencing (WGS) of gastrointestinal pathogens in Scotland, a number of case clusters were identified, (with isolates of identical/ near identical sequences indicating a common source), with cases spread across different Scottish NHS boards, and/ or across the UK. The investigation of several clusters involving NHSGGC residents (for a range of pathogens including e-coli, salmonella and shigella), were supported jointly by the respective environmental health teams and NHSGGC PHPU, through case interviews (including trawling questionnaires to identify potential food sources), and inspection and environmental sampling at implicated food premises where indicated. Outbreaks of enteric illness 2003 2024 PHPU and Glasgow City Environmental Health Department investigated a reported outbreak of foodborne illness following a wedding. Inspection of implicated food suppliers were undertaken with Remedial Action notices put in place. Following identification of a cluster of cryptosporidium cases in children who had visited a farm park attraction, PHPU and Inverclyde environmental health team worked to investigate and place appropriate measures in place to prevent further cases. Page 220 of 336
Page 225
42 Incidents in childcare, school and higher education settings 2023-2024 NHSGGC PHPU and environmental health and other Local Authority colleagues routinely collaborate to investigate and manage incidents in childcare, school and higher education settings. Examples of such incidents in the last two years include: Hepatitis A diagnosis of a child attending a nursery: Mass vaccination arranged for children and staff at the nursery, and environmental health advice was provided to the school regarding hygiene measures. 3 separate incidents relating to diagnosis of Hepatitis A in primary school pupils. Each of these incidents involved diagnosis in a single pupil with mass vaccination arranged for pupils and staff in each of the three schools, and environmental health advice was provided to the schools regarding hygiene measures. Following diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in a university student, contacts were identified and advice provided in line with public health guidance in collaboration with the university. Norovirus outbreaks in schools and nurseries: Support and infection control advice by environmental health and NHSGGC PHPU is routinely given to schools and nurseries experiencing norovirus outbreaks (with increases in norovirus activity in such community settings usually seen over the winter months). Page 221 of 336
Page 226
43 Situation Dates Description Incidents in residential settings 2024 2023- 2024 Hepatitis A diagnosis of a care home worker: mass vaccination of residents and staff members. Scabies outbreaks in care home and asylum accommodation settings. PHPU have coordinated assessment and treatment of cases and exposed people in line with public health guidance. Environmental health departments have provided support to settings as required relating to implementation of environmental measures. Measles 2024- 2025 Against a backdrop of increased incidence of measles in England, since early 2024 PHPU have led on the public health management of several cases of measles in NHSGGC. Many of these cases are believed to have acquired their infection from overseas travel. Where applicable, environmental health departments have worked with PHPU to support the risk assessment and dissemination of information to relevant community settings. Zoonotic incidents 2023 and 2025 Following detection of avian influenza in deceased wild birds at two separate sites, PHPU provided advice to exposed people. Environmental health teams worked with relevant landowners to ensure appropriate signage was in place in line with government guidance. Linwood Lithium battery fire 2024 During the initial hours of the lithium battery fire at an electricals recycling plant in Linwood Renfrewshire, PHPU worked with PHS and SEPA to advise on air monitoring. PHPU and Renfrewshire Environmental Health team contributed to the multiagency response through Resilience Partnership meetings. Exposures to environmental hazards 2023- 2025 Examples of enquiries relating to potential environmental hazards where PHPU and relevant local authorities have investigated or advised: Concern was expressed by local residents regarding alleged increases in cancer incidence in the population resident close to the Greenoakhill Landfill facility. An epidemiological investigation was carried out to investigate this possibility. No differences were found in incidence of cancer in the local population and the population of NHSGGC Health Board generally. Advice was given to colleagues in Inverclyde Council regarding an area of possibly contaminated land at Ravenscraig Hospital. Advice was given to colleagues in Inverclyde Council regarding risk associated with raised levels of copper ion in a private water supply in a rural area. Epidemiological analysis was carried out in support of provision of public information about radon exposure in new housing in Renfrewshire. Advice was given to colleagues in a council regarding safety of recreational artificial turf in use in council facilities. Of note, there were no Port Health callouts over this time period. Page 222 of 336
Page 227
44 8 Health protection: resources and operational arrangements 8.1 Staffing and ICT resources “Competent person” is a designation under the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008 and subsequent regulations and indicates an individual designated by the Health Board or Local Authority, who is empowered to use the relevant powers listed under the Act. In NHSGGC there are 17 individuals who are designated as competent persons, supported by a further nine staff members (including TB specialist nurses, epidemiology and analytics staff, civil contingencies planning unit and other senior staff). Table 4 demonstrates the numbers of competent persons and other staff in each organisation as full-time equivalents. Staffing resource may fluctuate during the period covered by the plan. Table 4: Competent persons and other staff contributing to the public health protection function by Local Authority Competent persons designated under the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008 (FTE) Others who contribute to public health protection functions (FTE) NHSGGC 15.2 15.4 Glasgow City 22.5 66 East Dunbartonshire 9 + 1 vacant 2 West Dunbartonshire 10.6 + 2 vacant 4 + 1 vacant East Renfrewshire 5.6 3.1 Renfrewshire 7.5 13 Inverclyde 8 8 All partners have access to IT equipment relevant to their roles, including desktop and laptop computers, mobile telephones and email. In common with all other NHS territorial boards, PHPU uses the HP Zone case and incident management system to manage workflow and to act as the formal record of PHPU response. Additional statistical and epidemiological software and tools are available in PHPU to assist in outbreak response. 8.2 Out of hours/on-call arrangements 8.2.1 NHSGGC NHSGGC maintain a 24/7 public health service. During office hours (Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm) duty Health Protection Nurse Specialist (HPNS) or Consultant in Public Health (Medicine) (CPH(M)) can be contacted via the PHPU office. Outside office hours the on-call public health services can be accessed via the NHSGGC switchboard. There is a CPH(M) available at all times, and they are able to mobilise additional resource in accordance with incident management plans. It is anticipated that ongoing organisational change work will provide increased weekend daytime capacity. 8.2.2 East Dunbartonshire During office hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) Environmental Health staff can be contacted on 0300 123 4510 and by email on environmental.health@eastdunbarton.gov.uk. Out of hours a member of the Page 223 of 336
Page 228
45 management team can be contacted by telephoning the above number. 8.2.3 East Renfrewshire The Council has no specific out-of-hours environmental health provision. However, the Council is part of the Civil Contingencies Service which has on-call officers and, within the Council’s Emergency Plan, there are arrangements that enable the Council’s 24-hour Contact Centre to contact key environmental health staff should there be an emergency. 8.2.4 Glasgow City A call centre responds to calls 24/7 and during office hours (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) information will be forwarded to Environmental Health Officers. An Environmental Health Officer may be available at weekends (9am-5pm) and there may be one EHO available between 5pm and 3.00am every night (excluding public holidays). The call centre will forward information to the appropriate officers at weekends and after 5pm. Between 3.00am and 9am the call centre will direct all emergency calls to one of four Assistant Managers or the Group Manager. 8.2.5 Inverclyde Office hours are 8:45 – 16:45 Monday to Thursday and 8:45-16:00 on Friday. Out of hours contact in the event of an outbreak or incident is by direct contact with the Public Protection Service Manager, the Health Protection Team Leader or the Public Health & Housing Team Leader. For emergencies and incidents which extend beyond a single service response the council’s Civil Contingency Service provide a 24/7 response which would include the activation of a Council Incident Officer (CIO) to manage the council’s response. 8.2.6 Renfrewshire Renfrewshire Council Environment & Communities operates an emergency on call service. Outside of office hours a mobile telephone number is manned 24 hours for response to health protection emergencies. This is staffed by EHOs on a rotational basis and all officers are listed as Competent Persons. The on call service covers Port Health emergencies at Glasgow Airport which are responded to jointly by Renfrewshire Council EHOs and Consultants in Public Health (Medicine) from NHSGGC. Renfrewshire Council has an Emergency Contacts Directory which lists all appropriate persons in Renfrewshire Council for contact in an emergency. 8.2.7 West Dunbartonshire Contact with WDC environmental health during normal working hours is via phone or email (0141 951 7957 environmental.health@west-dunbarton.gov.uk). WDC has a system of emergency contact (phone and email) for Environmental Health in the event of public health incidents and emergencies arising out-of-hours through the Civil Contingencies Service. This system provides for contact of senior officers with capacity to initiate a service response. WDC Emergency Controller – Council Out of Hours Emergency Contact 0141 562 2384/ 0800 197 1004. 8.3 Standard Operating Procedures The PHPU within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the six Local Authorities have Standard Operating Procedures (or similar) which are subject to regular review. Many of these relate to health protection, food safety and food hygiene. SOPs are Page 224 of 336
Page 229
46 subject to regular audit. The Med-Vet Group has produced a joint protocol for the epidemiological investigation and surveillance of infectious intestinal diseases which is followed by NHSGGC and the Local Authorities. It describes how PHPU and colleagues in the Local Authorities deal with cases of infectious intestinal diseases such as salmonella and STEC. Page 225 of 336
Page 230
47 8.4 Maintaining knowledge and skills 8.4.1 NHSGGC All consultants and registrars who take part in duty rota are required to maintain their skills and record continuing professional development (CPD) activities with the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) or alternative Royal College. FPH carry out random audits of members’ CPD returns. Maintenance of CPD records is also checked at yearly appraisals. This is in keeping with current General Medical Council (GMC) requirements on revalidation and appraisal for doctors. Similar arrangements are in place for HPNS, in accordance with the Agenda for Change Knowledge and Skills Framework process and nursing revalidation. 8.4.2 Local Authorities Local authority environmental health professionals generally have a Performance Development Review, or equivalent, on an annual basis. The majority of EHOs undergo ongoing training to maintain the necessary skills and competencies on a wide range of public health and environmental matters, including health protection. In addition, there are specific requirements in terms of ongoing CPD and experience required for food enforcement. Many environmental health professionals also take part in the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) scheme of CPD, and can gain and maintain Chartered Status as an Environmental Health Officer. Local Authority environmental health services participate in a number of liaison groups, e.g. West of Scotland Food Liaison Group, West of Scotland Health and Safety Liaison Group, Public Health and Housing Working Group and the Central and West of Scotland Pollution Control Group. At these liaison groups, new legislation, guidance, consultation documents, common issues of interest and difficulties that authorities are experiencing are discussed and common approaches determined. These groups also provide a network where environmental health professionals can contact other group members out with meetings for advice and information. 8.4.3 Joint training The Med-Vet Group routinely shares details of relevant training opportunities and conferences, and arranges joint visits to appropriate site visits (i.e. water treatment works, waste management). Joint training sessions between NHSGGC PHPU and Local Authority environmental health staff are also held. Page 226 of 336
Page 231
48 9 Health protection services: capacity and resilience In the NHSGGC area there are a number of emergency plans that are reviewed, exercised and updated on a regular basis, which are detailed earlier in this plan. PHPU works closely with the NHSGGC Civil Contingencies Planning Unit. All signatories to this plan are members of the multi-agency West of Scotland Regional Resilience Partnership and the appropriate Local Resilience Partnership(s). Four Local Authorities are members of a Joint Civil Contingencies Service (CCS). This is based in Paisley and covers East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire Council areas. The CCS provided the secretariat and supported a number of working groups covering the whole NHS Board area during the pandemic. A memorandum of understanding exists between the West of Scotland NHS Boards (NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Dumfries & Galloway, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, NHS Highland (for Argyle and Bute) and NHS Lanarkshire) to provide mutual aid in public health emergency situations. In addition, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Dumfries & Galloway, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire have agreed to work together to provide appropriate personnel to form a Scientific and Technical Advice Cell (STAC) to advise the West of Scotland Regional Resilience Partnership in emergency situations. A similar memorandum of understanding exists between the thirteen Local Authorities of the West of Scotland Regional Resilience Partnership. This enables councils to support each other during emergencies if required. 9.1 Public health workforce It is recognised locally and nationally that there have been both historic and current challenges in recruiting and retaining specialist health protection workforce, across all partners and agencies. There has been some legacy benefit from the pandemic response, with Scottish Government providing support for there to be an improved resilience and capacity in health protection teams. Though the structures across Test, Trace, Isolate and Support programmes have now been stood down, there have been a small number of additional permanent staff, for example new nursing and data analyst roles in PHPU. However, this needs to be seen in the context of historical under-resourcing of health protection teams, remaining gaps in consultant level staffing across Scotland, and the very tight financial position, which is affecting all public services. Prior to the pandemic a number of short-, medium- and long-term actions were proposed to increase the resilience of the environmental health workforce which was suffering from an ageing staff demographic and a fall off of new entrants to the profession. Although there was support for a number of these at varying levels the impact of the pandemic together with the subsequent stresses on the Scottish Government budget has meant that there has not been as much progress in some areas as might have been hoped for. The previous JHPP highlighted the development of a degree course in environmental health with practical training included as a “sandwich” element which Page 227 of 336
Page 232
49 it was hoped would lead to a more straightforward way into the profession. Entry to that course has since been suspended and discussions are ongoing about its future, separately discussions are ongoing about the potential to develop a master’s degree to allow easier entry to the profession for those with an appropriate science degree. In the last couple of years REHIS, the professional Institute for Environmental Health in Scotland, has been developing an alternative route into the profession for those with appropriate degrees which involves assessing the gaps in an individual’s qualifications and addressing these through a selection of suitable modular courses. It is hoped that this will assist in the transition of technical staff in local authorities through to becoming qualified EHOs. Details of the process can be found on the REHIS website. Page 228 of 336
Page 233
50 10 Health protection: public involvement and feedback There are a number of different ways that the Health Board and Local Authorities consult and engage regularly with the public. These include follow up telephone calls regarding public satisfaction with services; customer feedback questionnaires - such as pest control or environmental health premise inspections; Citizens’ Panel surveys, online methods of feedback for patients (Care Opinion and NHSGGC Online Feedback), carer audits, patient interviews etc. In line with the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011, NHSGGC seeks patient feedback, comments, complaints and concerns on an ongoing basis and through a range of different methods, to improve patients’ experience of using health services, and to support people to become more involved in their health and health care. The range of different methods used to elicit feedback and the governance structure, as well as findings on common themes and actions taken in response are published annually.19 Whilst many interactions with public health only comprise one phone call, certain situations do arise for which ongoing support for the affected individuals is necessary. As such, key points to assess are not only the clarity of the information provided, but also the usefulness of the support given and how this can be improved. In Autumn 2024, with support from the NHSGGC Patient and Public Involvement Team (PPIT), PHPU administered an online survey to seek feedback from patients and other stakeholders who engaged with PHPU over a given 2-week period. As this survey resulted in very limited engagement from recipients, PHPU intends to work further with PPIT with the intention of gathering feedback with a view to improving service delivery. A future approach may include the use of survey software or a phone call using interpretation services for those who do not speak English, and establishment of governance processes to incorporate feedback into service quality improvement activities. Key actions to undertake in the coming year include: o Identification of acceptable means of communication to seek feedback in-keeping with staffing, IT and budget constraints. o Agreement amongst PHPU staff regarding questions to be included in any feedback exercise. o Maintaining an ongoing relationship with the PPIT. o Establishment of governance processes to incorporate feedback into service quality improvement activities Differences in the resources available to environmental health teams, such as access to local authority customer service teams, and team capacity, has meant that it can be challenging to gather feedback from members of the public or businesses engaging with their service. Some of the local authorities participate in the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) scheme for collecting feedback. Below are some examples of public involvement and feedback exercises within the 19 https://www.nhsggc.scot/downloads/feedback-comments-complaints-and-concerns-annual-report- 2023-2024/ Page 229 of 336
Page 234
51 signatories to this plan. A sample of service users are contacted and their views on the level of satisfaction obtained. The Council’s Facebook page is also used to provide information on Council services, including environmental health. Residents can then use this to raise local issues with the Council Environmental health consults, engages and encourages participation in service improvement, and satisfaction levels are gauged through direct face to face contact, community engagement events, directed survey and open invite though web services and social media. Peer support and patient engagement programme for adults attending for HIV Treatment and Care. The HIV Prevention Treatment and Care group is planning to co-opt a patient representative onto its steering group. The Stigma Reporting process allows those living with HIV to feedback if they have experienced HIV related Stigma and Discrimination within the NHS. Waverley Care is commissioned by NHSGGC to deliver HCV Patient Information and Support services and also the African Health Project. Both of these contracts include user engagement to help understand the needs of the population and target interventions/services effectively. Direct public involvement through lay representatives on formal bodies and working groups, for example infection control committees. To ensure effective and appropriate communication with the public on perceived and actual risks to health, the communication teams of the Health Board and the respective Local Authorities form an important part of problem assessment groups and incident management teams. As part of the Vaccine Transformation Programme, and to ensure that the public were involved from the outset in the discussions on service design for vaccine delivery, a national study was carried out in 2018 to explore the public views of vaccination delivery.20 Eighteen extended focus groups were conducted across six NHS Health Board areas including NHSGGC. The NHSGGC PHPU team and the Local Authority environmental health teams, interview members of the public who are affected by notifiable infections to identify the likely source of infection, to organise any required prophylaxis and control measures, and to provide infection prevention and control advice to ensure that the infection is not passed on. Any questions and concerns by these individuals are addressed during these conversations, and individuals are encouraged to get back in contact through phone or email (details provided on pathogen information leaflets) if they have any follow up questions. In addition to responding to immunisation enquiries from healthcare professionals, the NHSGGC PHPU team routinely respond to enquiries from members of the public (via email as well as through telephone conversations), including recording and addressing any issues with access to immunisations. Governance sign off for the JHPP involves public representation by councillors as elected officials, through the relevant Local Authority committees (see p.2). The JHPP is a public facing document and the JHPP 2023-25 document on the NHSGGC website was downloaded 1027 times from April 2024-April 2025. 20 http://www.healthscotland.scot/media/2492/exploring-public-views-of-vaccination-service-delivery.pdf Page 230 of 336
Page 235
52 11 Outline work plan In addition to the day-to-day strategic and reactive health protection work undertaken by the partner agencies, which have been outlined in this plan, an action plan of specific activities is developed and taken forward over the life of each plan by the partner agencies and the wider “Med-Vet” group. Highlights of progress against the work plan for 2023-2025: - The Incident Management Plan (IMP) was tested in a full scale incident management exercise in October 2023. Following review of the IMP in 2024, at time of writing the IMP is currently undergoing revision - The enteric investigation protocol was reviewed and revised in 2023 to align with practice and outcomes of audits of performance of the management of enteric cases - Following publication of updated national guidance on blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) in summer 2024, at time of writing the NHSGGC Blue Green algae Plan is undergoing review and update - Joint training on Port Health procedures at Glasgow Airport was held in September 2023 - A structured patient and stakeholder feedback exercise was undertaken in November 2024 with support from NHSGGC PPIT - Joint public health training sessions between partner organisations have been resumed, including both departmental visits and ad hoc CPD An outline of key areas of work to be undertaken during the course of the 2025-27 plan are summarised below. The Public Health (Health Protection) Liaison Working Group (the Med-Vet Group) are commissioned by, and have delegated responsibility on behalf of, the Director of Public Health to develop detailed action plans for each of these areas of work. Many of these key areas of work reflect priority topics or emerging issues in health protection as detailed in the Plan, with a focus on strengthening health protection capabilities and enabling healthy living to prevent ill health. 1. Following completion of review and revision in 2025, we will test the Incident Management Plan in a full-scale incident management exercise in autumn 2026. 2. Following publication of updated national guidance for enteric pathogens including STEC and Hepatitis A, we will review and revise documentation and procedures to ensure local practice remains in line with national guidance. 3. Given the growing threat from avian influenza to commercial flocks, wild birds and the potential for transmission to mammalian species, and following the preparation of single Scottish guidance on zoonotic influenza, we will further progress and finalise joint zoonotic influenza response plans in 2025. Page 231 of 336
Page 236
53 4. The Greenock Port Health Plan will be reviewed, updated and subject to exercise. 5. Following a pilot exercise to gather structured patient feedback in 2024, we will continue to work with the NHSGGC PPIT to develop and trial methods for gathering feedback from patients and stakeholders. 6. After resuming joint training sessions between partners over the course of the last Plan, we will continue to explore and promote opportunities for joint training and CPD. 7. We will work with partners and colleagues in our respective organisations to support the implementation of the Good Food Nation Plan, promoting food security and healthy food environments for our local population. 8. We will work with partner organisations to produce and share communications aimed at supporting our population to understand health benefits and minimise risks from animal contact and outdoor activities. These may include but not be limited to animal visitor attractions, countryside visits, wild swimming and other recreational water use. Finally, with increasing recognition of the intersect between planetary and human health, there are many programmes of work and research ongoing and planned in organisations within the NHSGGC area. Areas of work relating to climate and sustainability currently being supported by Med-Vet members include the following: Routine air quality monitoring, in addition to specific projects engaging members of the public with the impacts of air pollution on health. With increasing recognition of the impact climate change may have on the distribution of vectors and prevalence of vector-borne disease, members of Med-Vet have supported local stakeholders with mosquito surveillance projects and contributed to the newly formed SHPN topic subgroup for vector-borne diseases. The impact of climate change presents new hazards and changing priorities for those working in health protection. Over the course of this Plan, Med-Vet members will continue to horizon scan and identify further opportunities to support and add value to work in this area. Page 232 of 336
Page 237
54 Annex: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde summary population profile Data correct as of 21 February 2025 Contents 1 Population distribution ....................................................................................................... 38 1.1 NHSGGC trend in total population over time, by Local Authority .............................. 38 1.2 NHSGGC population distribution by age ................................................................... 40 1.2.1 Population by age over time, 2023 versus 2013 ................................................ 40 1.2.2 Population distribution by age and Local Authority, 2023 ................................... 41 1.3 Population distribution by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020 ...................... 42 1.4 Population distribution by ethnicity ............................................................................. 44 2 Period life expectancy ....................................................................................................... 45 2.1 Period life expectancy over time and by Local Authority ........................................... 45 2.2 Period life expectancy (2019-2023) by Local Authority and SIMD quintile ................ 47 3 Burden of disease ............................................................................................................. 48 4 Population projections ....................................................................................................... 52 4.1 Population projections for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to 2043 ...................... 53 Key points The population of NHSGGC increased by nearly 7% over the last 15 years, though the most recent mid-year estimates saw a stagnation in growth. Demographic challenges for health services include an upward shift in age distribution over time and a high proportion of the NHSGGC population living in deprived data zones. NHSGGC is home to a substantial proportion of residents from ethnic minority groups. Period life expectancy at birth decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has now risen slightly since 2020-22, although it remains lower than before the pandemic. In the most recent period (2021-2023), life expectancy has increased across all local authorities. Life expectancy is lower among residents living in more deprived areas, i.e. lives are being cut short. Scottish burden of disease estimates for NHSGGC residents illustrate the difference in health loss across age groups and the shift with age in conditions most influential for health losses. There are significant differences in the population distribution by age, deprivation and ethnicity between and within the six partnership Local Authorities – this heterogeneity of the population needs to be taken into account to achieve equity in health service provision and access. Current population projections show continued growth and ageing of the NHSGGC population over the next 10-25 years for NHSGGC. The reliability of projections decreases over time, and projections tend to be less reliable in periods of rapid change. Page 233 of 336
Page 238
55 1 Population distribution The latest available population data for Scotland is based on 2023 mid-year population estimates as released by National Records Scotland (NRS), which was published in October 2024. Data from mid-2011 to mid-2021 has been revised following Scotland’s Census 2022. 1.1 NHS GGC trend in total population over time, by Local Authority Data source: Population Estimates Time Series Data | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) NHSGGC health board has a total population of 1,193,420 residents, according to the latest available NRS mid-year population estimates for 2023. Glasgow City accounts for more than half of the population of NHSGGC (53%) and thus heavily influences all statistics for NHSGGC overall (Table 1). The population of NHSGGC increased by 6.9% over the 15 year period from 2008 to 2023. Glasgow City and East Renfrewshire saw the largest relative increase in their respective population over this time (9.7% for both), whereas the population of Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire decreased (-4.5% and -2.7% respectively). In the year to mid-2023, the population of NHSGGC increased by 14,220 (1.2%) compared to previous year. Migration was the main driver of population growth over the last year. All six partnership Local Authorities (LA) saw a negative natural change (more deaths than births recorded) from the 2022 to 2023 mid-year estimates. The overall increase in the population for East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City and Renfrewshire for the 2023 compared to 2022 estimates was due to net inwards migration exceeding the negative natural change in these LAs (see Figure 10 in Mid 2023 Population Estimates, Scotland, NRS Report). More detail on changes in population over time can be found in the NRS interactive dashboard21, which at time of writing contains data up to 2022. This shows the underlying components of population change (natural change, net migration and others) which drive these changes. Between 2011 and 2021, the increase in population for East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire was mainly driven by positive net migration from within Scotland. The main driver of population increase for Glasgow City over that time period was international migration (net within Scotland migration was negative for Glasgow City over that period). The most influential driver for the population decrease in Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire over this period was natural change (fewer births than deaths), and negative net migration within Scotland (the latter was a more influential contributor to population decrease in West Dunbartonshire than Inverclyde). Table 1: NHSGGC mid-year population estimates 2023, and changes compared to 2008 and 2022 (source: NRS) Local Authority mid-year population estimate 2023 (% of NHSGGC population) percentage change in population over 15 years (2023 v 2008) percentage change in population over last year (2023 v 2022) East Dunbartonshire 109,230 (9.2%) 4.1% 0.2% East Renfrewshire 98,600 (8.3%) 9.7% 1.5% Glasgow City 631,970 (53.0%) 9.7% 1.6% Inverclyde 78,330 (6.6%) -4.5% 0.0% Renfrewshire 186,540 (15.26%) 8.1% 1.2% 21 Population Estimates of Scotland - National Records of Scotland (shinyapps.io) Page 234 of 336
Page 239
56 West Dunbartonshire 88,750 (7.4%) -2.7% % 0.5% NHSGGC total 1,193,420 (100.0%) 6.9% 1.2% Figure 1: NHSGGC population mid-year estimates by Local Authority over time, 1981 to 2023 (source: NRS). Figure split to allow visualisation of trends through different y-axis scales 1a) NHSGGC total, Glasgow City and Renfrewshire; 1b) East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire 1a) 1b) 1.2 NHSGGC population distribution by age Data source: Population Estimates Time Series Data | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) 1.2.1 Population by age over time, 2023 versus 2013 Figure 2 shows the population distribution of NHSGGC by age group in 2023 compared to 2013. This shows that the majority of the NHSGGC population remained in the working age groups. The population for 0-15, 16-24 and 45-64 year old age groups stayed stable between 2013 and 2023. The largest absolute increase (~32,300 persons, 10.4%) occurred in the 25 to 44 year olds. Whilst the number of people 85 years and over increased by only ~3,400 individuals over that time, this poses the largest relative increase by age group (15% 0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1000,000 1200,000 1400,000 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 mid-year population Glasgow City Renfrewshire GGC total 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 mid-year population East Dunbartonshire East Renfrewshire Inverclyde West Dunbartonshire Page 235 of 336
Page 240
57 increase). Figure 3 shows a population pyramid by age and sex, which further illustrates this shift in age distribution over time. Figure 2: NHSGGC population distribution as a percentage by age group, mid-year estimates for 2023 compared to 2013 (source: NRS) Figure 3: NHSGGC population pyramid by age and sex, 2023 compared to 2013 (source: NRS) 1.2.2 Population distribution by age and Local Authority, 2023 Figure 4 shows the differences in population by age group between the partnership LAs, based on the 2023 mid-year estimates. East Dunbartonshire has the highest proportion of residents aged 65 years or older (25%), East Renfrewshire has the highest proportion of children 15 years or younger (20%), but also a relatively high proportion of residents aged 65 years and older (22%). Glasgow City has the highest proportion of those aged 16 to 64 years (71%), and the lowest proportion of those aged 65 or older (14%). Page 236 of 336
Page 241
58 Figure 4: NHSGGC population distribution in 2023, by age group and Local Authority (source: NRS) Page 237 of 336
Page 242
59 1.3 Population distribution by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020 Data source: Population estimates by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) - National Records of Scotland (NRS) Deprivation in Scotland is measured using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). The SIMD is a relative measure of deprivation across 6,976 small areas (called data zones). The ranking is updated at intervals, most recently in 2020 (SIMD 2020v2). If an area is identified as ‘deprived’, this can relate to people having a low income, but it can also mean fewer resources or opportunities. SIMD looks at the extent to which an area is deprived across multiple (seven) domains: income, employment, education, health, access to services, crime and housing. Data zones are ranked from 1 (most deprived) to 6,976 (least deprived) according to the SIMD. Each SIMD quintile contains 20 per cent of Scotland’s data zones, with Quintile 1 containing the 20% most deprived zones, and Quintile 5 the 20% least deprived zones. This section uses the 2021 annual mid-year population estimates for SIMD 2020v2 areas in Scotland (2011 Data Zone based). Based on 2021 mid-year estimates, over a third (34%) of the population of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are resident in the most deprived quintile of Scottish data zones (Quintile 1). Figure 5 shows the differences in deprivation profile across the six partnership LAs. Glasgow City, followed by Inverclyde have the highest proportion of residents who live in the most deprived quintile of data zones (44% and 43% respectively). Glasgow City continues to have a higher proportion of residents in the most deprived quintile of data zones than other Scottish cities22. In East Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire more than half of residents live in the most affluent quintile of Scottish data zones (55% and 52% respectively), with only a small proportion (5% and 4% respectively), living in the most deprived quintile of data zones. Figure 6 shows the heterogeneous distribution of deprivation across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, as a map. Within Glasgow City, the North East Locality has the highest proportion of residents in the most deprived data zones23. Interactive maps are also available via the Scottish Government on https://simd.scot/#/simd2020/ Figure 5: Mid-year 2021 population estimates by Local Authority and percentage distribution across SIMD2020 quintile (source: NRS) 22 Health in a changing city: Glasgow 2021 23Glasgow City HSCP Demographics & Needs Profile August 2023 Page 238 of 336
Page 243
60 Figure 6: Map of SIMD quintiles 2020v2 attribution of data zones (data zone 2011) for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Page 239 of 336
Page 244
61 1.4 Population distribution by ethnicity Data source: https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ According to the most recent published Scottish census estimates (2022), 75.7% of the NHSGGC population identified as white Scottish, ranging from 67.1% in Glasgow City, to 91% in Inverclyde. Figure 7 shows the distribution by LA over ethnic groups which accounted for 0.5% or more of the NHSGGC population (other than white Scottish). NRS mid-year population estimates show international migration as the main driver of population increase for Glasgow City between 2011 and 2021 (see section 1.1). Figure 7: Proportion of the population by LA, for ethnic groups accounting for 0.5% or more of the NHSGGC population (excluding white: Scottish), based on census 2022 results (source: NRS) Page 240 of 336
Page 245
62 2 Period life expectancy Data source: Life Expectancy in Scotland, 2021-2023 | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) Period life expectancy is often described as how long a baby born now could expect to live if they experienced today’s mortality rates throughout their lifetime. This does not take into consideration future changes that may affect how long a person will live, e.g. developments in medicine or changes in legislation. Period life expectancy is thus not an accurate prediction of how long a person born today will actually live, but it is a useful measure of population health at a point in time and is most useful for comparing trends over time, between areas of a country and with other countries. This section uses data from the most recent available NRS estimates of life expectancy (2021-2023), which was published in October 2024. 2.1 Period life expectancy over time and by Local Authority Figure 8 shows the period life expectancy at birth in NHSGGC and Scotland by sex over time, from 1991- 1993 up to 2021-2023 estimates. It shows that life expectancy for NHSGGC residents was consistently lower than for Scotland overall, and life expectancy was higher for females than for males. Life expectancy increased over time and there was a gradual decrease in gap between females and males over this period. The graph also illustrates a plateauing of life expectancy from 2012-2014 to 2017-2019, and it fell during the COVID-19 pandemic for both NHSGGC residents, as well as Scotland overall. Life expectancy has now risen slightly since 2020-2022 although it is still lower than before the pandemic. Scotland level data shows that the most important driver for the life expectancy for the two periods (2018-2020, 2019-2021) were COVID-19 deaths. There was also some contribution to the fall from increases in other causes of death, particularly circulatory conditions24. Figure 9 shows the differences in period life expectancy at birth between the partnership LAs. Life expectancy at birth for East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire was consistently higher over time, than in other partnership LAs, for both males and females. Life expectancy for males for these two LAs is comparable to the life expectancy in females in the other four LAs. Glasgow City has the lowest life expectancy for women and men respectively. Most LAs have seen a decline in life expectancy compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, with a decline in life expectancy in Inverclyde for both males and females started earlier. In the most recent period (2021-2023), life expectancy has increased across all the local authorities, with biggest recover seen for males in West Dunbartonshire (up by 40 weeks) compared to previous estimates. 24 https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/media/pslb0evx/life-expectancy-2021-2023-report-corrected.pdf Page 241 of 336
Page 246
63 Figure 8: Period life expectancy at birth in NHSGGC and Scotland by sex over time (periods labelled: 2012-2014, 2017-2019, 2021-2023; source: NRS) Figure 9: Period life expectancy at birth in NHSGGC by sex and partnership Local Authority over time (source: NRS) Page 242 of 336
Page 247
64 2.2 Period life expectancy (2017-2021) by Local Authority and SIMD quintile Within each LA, period life expectancy decreases, meaning lives are being cut short, with increasing deprivation.25 Figure 10 shows that for the most recent available data break down by partnership LA and SIMD quintile (2019-2023), the lowest life expectancy was consistently seen for residents of SIMD quintile 1 (most deprived), and the highest in SIMD quintile 5 (least deprived) in both males and females. The gap in life expectancy between most (Quintile 1) and least deprived quintile (Quintile 5) was generally bigger for males than females. For males, life expectancy was over a decade shorter in the most compared to the least deprived quintile in Glasgow City, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire (shorter in most v least deprived quintile by 13.6 years, 12.8 years and 12.6 years respectively). For females, life expectancy was over a decade shorter in the most compared to the least deprived quintile in Renfrewshire (shorter in most v least deprived quintile by 10.3 years), and almost a decade shorter in the most compared to the least deprived quintile for Glasgow City (shorter in most v least deprived quintile by 9.7 years). The gap in life expectancy between most and least deprived quintile was smallest for females in East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire (shorter in most v least deprived quintile by 4.5 years and 4.8 years respectively), and for males in East Dunbartonshire (shorter in most v least deprived quintile by 8.7 years). Figure 10: Period life expectancy at birth (2019 to 2023) by sex and partnership Local Authority and most (Quintile 1) versus least (Quintile 5) deprived SIMD Quintile (source: NRS) 25 Life expectancy estimates at the health board level by SIMD quintile are not included in the routine NRS outputs. Page 243 of 336
Page 248
65 3 Burden of disease Data source: Scottish burden of disease study: https://scotland.shinyapps.io/phs-local- trends- scottish-burden-diseases/ The Scottish Burden of Disease (SBoD) study monitors how diseases, injuries and risk factors prevent the Scottish population from living longer lives in better health. The Burden of disease (BOD) assessment standardises estimates of ill-health (years lived with disability - YLD) and early death (years of life lost - YLL) in a composite measure called Disability- Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), also referred to as health loss. The BoD assessment thus provides a summary measure about which diseases and injuries have the greatest impact on population health and wellbeing, by combining data on deaths and ill health to estimate the total impact of health loss. This approach also allows comparison of the population level impact of very different diseases and conditions, and it is worth considering the contribution of incidence, duration and severity of a condition to the overall estimated burden. High estimates of DALY may for example arise from a small number of deaths, if they occur at a young age (more years of life lost compared to the best case scenario of life expectancy, than deaths occurring in older age groups). High estimates of DALY may also arise from conditions with a comparatively low severity for each individual affected, but with a very high incidence (and or a long duration), leading to a large overall estimate of health loss at the population level. There are a number of caveats to the burden of disease estimates, including that the methodology does not account for co-morbidities, and thus overall estimates of burden of disease need to be interpreted with caution. The latest published Scottish burden of disease estimates (2019) do not as yet account for the impact of COVID-19. Figure 11 shows the leading causes of health loss for NHSGGC in 2019, as an age adjusted rate per 100,000 population. This shows the increasing burden of disease with age, as well as the shift in the most important causes of health loss by age group, and how this differs by sex. For those aged 65 or older, Alzheimer’s and dementia, ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, lower respiratory tract infections, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and lung cancer are the leading causes of health loss for males and females. For the working age population (25-44 years and 45-64 years), drug use disorders, and depression are amongst the leading causes of health loss for males and females in both of these age groups. For females, lower back and neck pain, as well as anxiety disorders are also leading causes of health loss for 25-44 and 45-64 year olds, and headache disorders and lung cancer in the 25-44 year old and the 45-64 year old age group respectively. For males, alcohol disuse disorders and cirrhosis and liver disease are amongst the leading causes of health loss for 25-44 year olds and 45-64 year olds respectively. Self-harm and interpersonal violence, and lower back and neck pain are also amongst the leading causes of health loss for the 25-44 year old males, with ischaemic heart disease and other cancers contributing as leading causes of health loss for 45-64 year old males.26 Figure 12 shows the leading causes of health loss in absolute number of DALYs, by age group and sex for NHSGGC in 2019. It demonstrates that a high proportion of the absolute burden of disease is currently attributable to those in the working age groups and those 65 to 84 years of age. As the population ages, the high rate of burden of disease seen in the older age groups in Figure 10, combined with increasing numbers of individuals in an older age group, will increase the proportion of the burden of disease attributable to the older age groups, and is likely to increase the overall burden of disease. Table 2 shows the 26 “other cancers” refers to cancers other than: Oesophageal cancer, Stomach cancer, Colorectal cancer, Liver cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Lung cancer, Breast cancer, Ovarian cancer, Prostate cancer, Kidney cancer, Bladder cancer, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Multiple myeloma and Leukaemia. Page 244 of 336
Page 249
66 corresponding data to Figure 11 and Figure 12 on number and age adjusted rates of DALYs for the leading causes of health loss for NHSGGC by age group and sex. Figure 11: Leading causes of health loss as age adjusted rate of DALYs per 100,000 population, by age group and sex in NHSGGC, 2019 (source: PHS) Figure 12: Leading causes of health loss as number of Disability adjusted life years (DALYs) by age group and sex in NHSGGC 2019 (source: PHS) Page 245 of 336
Page 250
67 Table 6: Leading causes of health loss as number of Disability adjusted life years (DALYs)and as age adjusted DALY rate per 100,000 population by age group and sex in NHSGGC 2019 (source: PHS) males females age group (years) leading causes of health loss age adjusted DALY rate per 100,000 population number of DALYs leading causes of health loss age adjusted DALY rate per 100,000 population number of DALYs 0-14 Neonatal disorders 923.8 918.8 Congenital birth defects 711.4 654.7 Congenital birth defects 785.2 769.4 Sudden infant death syndrome 480 453.2 Other unintentional injuries 400.7 372.8 Neonatal disorders 434.9 410.2 Asthma 390.8 370.2 Skin and subcutaneous diseases 401.4 364.5 Skin and subcutaneous diseases 363.1 348.6 Asthma 372.2 331.6 15-24 Drug use disorders 2751.5 2055.9 Headache disorders 1548.2 1137.9 Self-harm and interpersonal violence 1429.5 1088.4 Drug use disorders 1381.1 977.1 Depression 800 623 Low back and neck pain 1077.3 788.7 Headache disorders 737.3 542.9 Depression 861.1 648.9 Low back and neck pain 682.2 508.8 Self-harm and interpersonal violence 763.7 573 25-44 Drug use disorders 6511.7 10159.5 Drug use disorders 2883.2 4699.1 Self-harm and interpersonal violence 2026.9 3314.3 Headache disorders 2022.2 3435.4 Depression 1967.5 3267.1 Low back and neck pain 1776.6 2926.8 Low back and neck pain 1214.9 1992.6 Depression 1686.2 2753.2 Alcohol use disorders 1034.4 1628.5 Anxiety disorders 1402.7 2289.8 45-64 Ischaemic heart disease 5186.1 7817.8 Drug use disorders 2037.2 3218.6 Drug use disorders 4682.3 6720.6 Depression 1978.7 3225.3 Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases 2526.4 3780.5 Lung cancer 1927.7 3185.7 Depression 2044.5 3014.5 Low back and neck pain 1865.4 3029.3 Other cancers* 1903.8 2837.4 Anxiety disorders 1727 2818 65-84 Ischaemic heart disease 12682 9620.7 Lung cancer 7079 6599.8 Lung cancer 7933.1 6064 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 6288.7 5911.4 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 5986.6 4496.9 Alzheimer's disease and other dementias 6102.2 6168.6 Cerebrovascular disease 5709.2 4253.2 Ischaemic heart disease 6095 5829.3 Page 246 of 336
Page 251
68 Alzheimer's disease and other dementias 5616.3 4138.7 Cerebrovascular disease 4132.6 4029.3 85+ Alzheimer's disease and other dementias 31010.8 2460 Alzheimer's disease and other dementias 39004.8 6560.2 Ischaemic heart disease 18718.7 1526.1 Cerebrovascular disease 13114.9 2209.8 Cerebrovascular disease 13077.2 1050.5 Ischaemic heart disease 10686.8 1817.2 Lower respiratory infections 12579.4 984.6 Lower respiratory infections 8692.9 1466.3 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 8123.3 668.3 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 7163.7 1236.1 *“other cancers” refers to cancers other than Oesophageal cancer, Stomach cancer, Colorectal cancer, Liver cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Lung cancer, Breast cancer, Ovarian cancer, Prostate cancer, Kidney cancer, Bladder cancer, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Multiple myeloma and Leukaemia Page 247 of 336
Page 252
69 4 Population projections Data source: Population Projections | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) NRS produces population projections at regular intervals to support planning and provision of public services as well as policy development. Population projections have limitations that need to be taken account of in their application. They are calculated based on a set of underlying assumptions, which build on current trends. The reliability of projections decreases over time, and projections tend to be less reliable in periods of rapid change. Projections for areas with small populations tend to be less reliable than those for areas with large populations. Projections of the number of adults (particularly elderly people) are usually more reliable than those for children because they are based on people who are already living in Scotland. Migration tends to fluctuate more than fertility or mortality, and it is harder to measure, so there tends to be more uncertainty around the migration figures. The 2022-based Scotland projected population of Scotland was published in January 2025. It looks at the projected future population of Scotland over the 25 years to mid-2047. It presents the first set of projections to be based on Scotland’s Census 2022. No variant projections were produced, and they were not followed by sub-national population projections. Therefore, the latest set of sub-national population projections remain 2018- based and form the basis of this section. It is noted that a higher population is projected by the 2022-based projections for Scotland compared with the previous three sets of projections by the end of the 25-year period (Figure 13). This is likely due to higher projected net migration over this period, following increases in long-term international migration in recent years. The 2022-based projections for Scottish areas are planned for publication in summer 2025, which breaks down the national projections to council areas, health board areas, and other special areas. Figure 13: Comparison of 2022-based population projections for Scotland with previous projections (source: NRS). Page 248 of 336
Page 253
70 2.2 Population projections for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to 2043 The 2018 based sub-national population projections showed a continuing growth in the population of NHSGGC with the population increasing by ~2% over the 10 years to 2028 (1,200,718) and by ~4% over the 25 year projection time frame to 2043 (1,220,659). They showed a continuing upward shift in the age distribution over this time period (Figure 14). The proportion of the population aged 85 years or older was projected to increase to 3.3% by 2043, and 18% of the population was projected to be in the 65-84 year old age group by then. The proportion of the population aged 15 years or younger, and the proportion aged 16-24 years, was projected to progressively decrease to 15% and 10% respectively to 2043 (Figure 14). Figure 14: Population pyramid showing 2018 based population projections for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to 2028 and 2043 (source: NRS) Figure 15: NHSGGC population distribution for as a percentage by age group, 2018 mid-year estimates and projections to 2028 and 2043 (source: NRS) Page 249 of 336
Page 254
71 The most recent estimates for the 2021 mid-year population overall (1,185,040) diverged only minimally from the population projections for 2021 (1,185,013) that were made as part of the longer term 2018 base year projections. The most recent estimates for the 2021 population show a slightly smaller proportion of the population of children aged 15 years or younger, and for adults age 45-64 years and 65-84 years, and a slightly higher proportion of adults aged 25-44 years old, compared to the 2018 based projections for 2021 (Figure 16). Based on this comparison, there was no reason to reject the use of the 2018 based projections. Figure 16: NHSGGC population distribution for as a percentage by age group, 2021 mid-year estimates versus 2018 based projections for 2021 (source: NRS) Page 250 of 336
Page 255
________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Renfrewshire Council Business Continuity Policy 2025 - 2027 ___________________________________________________________________ 1 Summary 1.1 The Business Continuity Policy 2025 – 2027 outlines how Renfrewshire Council will ensure the continuity of critical services during emergencies or disruptions. This Policy sets out to ensure that all requirements on the Council as a “Category 1 Responder” under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 are met and that this work aligns with the Business Continuity Institute’s Good Practice Guidelines, and British Standards Institute ISO 22301 standard. ___________________________________________________________________ 2 Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: Approves the Renfrewshire Council Business Continuity Policy 2025 – 2027 (Appendix 1) Notes the Renfrewshire Council Business Continuity additional documents list (Appendix 2) ___________________________________________________________________ 3 Background 3.1 As defined in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the Council is a “Category 1 Responder”, meaning that the Council is at the core of the response to most emergencies. This classification emphasis the critical role the Council plays in emergency preparedness. 3.2 The Council’s ability to respond to a significant or disruptive event, and the continued delivery of critical services at an acceptable level, is addressed by maintaining a robust and effective suite of Business Continuity Plans (BCPs), Emergency Plans and Incident Response Procedures. Item 12 CHPB190825 Page 251 of 336
Page 256
3.3 The Corporate Management Team (CMT) provides leadership in matters of Business Continuity Management with the Chief Executive having overall responsibility for this area. The Council Resilience Management Team (CRMT) will provide coordination and control for all aspects of business continuity and particularly during periods of service disruption. 3.4 This Policy sets out how Renfrewshire Council will conduct its Business Continuity Management arrangements and provides a governance framework to support Council decision making on service prioritisation during significant disruptions. 3.5 The Policy outlines the roles and responsibilities of key personnel actively involved in business continuity across the Organisation to ensure that arrangements are effective, up to date and regularly tested and validated. 3.6 The work of this Policy and wider business continuity arrangements, including reviewing Business Continuity Plans, testing, exercising and training, will be supported by the Civil Contingencies Service Manager and Civil Contingencies Service Officer aligned to Renfrewshire Council. 3.7 The Policy will be reviewed every two years, as a minimum, or earlier should a significant change in legislation require this. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – This report demonstrates the Council’s commitment to ensure that appropriate Business Continuity arrangements are in place across the organisation to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place to minimise costs and financial impact during an incident or event. 2. HR & Organisational Development - This report supports Renfrewshire Council’s commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of employees at all times. 3. Community/Council Planning – Our Renfrewshire is safe - This Policy sets out the Council’s approach to meet the requirements as a “Category 1 Responder” as defined in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. Building strong, safe and resilient communities - This Policy sets out how critical council services will be supported to continue to deliver services when the Service is subject to an interruption to normal delivery and operating. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. Page 252 of 336
Page 257
6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - (a) 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 – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk - This Report sets out the Council’s approach to Business Continuity to reduce the risk that governance and arrangements are not clear, particularly in an emergency situation. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. COSLA Policy Position – Not applicable. 13. Climate Risk – Not applicable. 14. Children’s Rights – Not applicable. _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Background Papers: None. ___________________________________________________________________ Authors: Gill Darbyshire, Senior Service Development Manager: gill.darbyshire@renfrewshire.gov.uk Charlotte McCallum: Civil Contingencies Services Manager: charlotte.mccallum@renfrewshire.gov.uk Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure: Gordon.mcneil@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 253 of 336
Page 258
1 Business Continuity Policy 2025 - 2027 August 2025 Page 254 of 336
Page 259
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 2 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................... 3 2. Policy Statement ............................................................................................... 5 3. Aim of Business Continuity Policy ..................................................................... 6 4. Civil Contingencies Service (CCS) ...................................................................... 7 5. Legal Compliance and Best Practice ................................................................. 7 6. Business Continuity Management Process ....................................................... 9 7. Renfrewshire Council’s Business Continuity Arrangements Lifecycle ............. 11 8. Decision Making ............................................................................................... 13 9. Review and Approval ....................................................................................... 16 10. Further Information ......................................................................................... 16 Appendix 1 ................................................................................................................... 17 Appendix 2 ................................................................................................................... 20 Page 255 of 336
Page 260
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 3 1. Introduction 1.1. Renfrewshire Council delivers many critical services across the area that have a huge impact on the lives of our residents. It is imperative that The Council continue to deliver services at an acceptable level when faced with an interruption (any challenge which effects the way in which services are normally delivered). 1.2. As defined in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the Council is a Category 1 Responder, meaning the Council is at the core of the response to most emergencies. This classification emphasis the critical role the Council plays in emergency preparedness and response. 1.3. Under this legislation the Council has a legal duty to prepare for, respond to and recovery from emergencies. This includes assessing risks, development of contingency plans, ensuring business continuity, and coordinating with other agencies. The Council must also warn, inform and advise the public of risk before an emergency and to keep the public informed in the event of and during emergencies. 1.4. The Civil Contingencies Service (CCS) Team, who provide 24/7 duty cover, are the identified initial point of contact during an incident or emergency and, as outlined in the Council’s Incident Response Procedure, can act as Council Incident Officer (CIO) until an appropriate Officer is appointed. The CCS is responsible for the selection, appointment and briefing of a CIO. A CIO will be chosen from the available trained officers and, where possible, will come from an area not directly involved in the incident. 1.5. To assist in the continued delivery of services to an acceptable level, the Council maintains a suite of business continuity documents and contingency plans which can be activated by services when they are facing a significant disruption. The Chief Executive is ultimately responsible for Business Continuity arrangements in terms of the Statutory duty as a Category 1 responder but responsibility for maintaining and updating the suite of Business Continuity documents lies with the Director of each Department, supported by the appropriate Head of Service and Service Manager, depending on subject matter. Page 256 of 336
Page 261
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 4 1.6. In order to meet this duty, the Council jointly funds the Civil Contingencies Service (CCS) as a partnership arrangement with Inverclyde Council, East Renfrewshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Council. The Civil Contingencies Service employs 4 Civil Contingencies Officers, 1 Civil Contingencies Service Assistant and 1 Civil Contingencies Service manager, all of whom are trained by the Business Continuity Institute to provide guidance to services on how to build a robust Business Continuity System in line with the Business Continuity Institute’s Good Practice Guidelines and British Standards Institute ISO 22301. Note: In order to meet the Council’s statutory duty, it is supported by a number of wider organisations including the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), OneRen and voluntary/faith groups. These organisations have a longstanding commitment to support both the Council and the wider Renfrewshire community and work in close partnership with the Council in responding to local and national emergencies. Page 257 of 336
Page 262
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 5 2. Policy Statement 2.1. Renfrewshire Council accepts its responsibility to meet its statutory duty, as defined in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, to create and maintain Business Continuity Management Arrangements and Emergency Plans. 2.2. The Council’s ability to respond to a significant or disruptive event, and the continued delivery of critical services at an acceptable level, is addressed by maintaining a robust and effective suite of Business Continuity Plans, Emergency Plans and Incident Response Procedures. 2.3. The Chief Executive has responsibility for Business Continuity, as set out in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, and will be supported by the Corporate Management Team (CMT) will provide leadership in matters of Business Continuity Management. The Council Resilience Management Team (CRMT) will provide coordination and control during periods of service disruption. Council Teams will provide advice to the Council Resilience Management Team on their area of expertise, depending on the situation. 2.4. The Council’s Business Continuity Management Arrangements seek to identify the time- critical activities that Council services undertake, to determine how long services can feasibly continue without aspects of functionality and to identify practical back-ups and workarounds that will allow the Council to continue to deliver critical services at an acceptable level. 2.5. Although emergencies can arise from various causes, their impacts often result in identical or similar outcomes, therefore the Council follows a ‘Consequences not Causes’ ethos for Business Continuity Planning. As a result, many aspects of preparation may be generic in nature, concentrating on reducing the impacts of an emergency while, from a planning standpoint, giving relatively little consideration to the cause of the disruption. Page 258 of 336
Page 263
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 6 2.6. The Council recognises that its workforce is central to the delivery of critical services. During periods of disruption, contingency arrangements will be in place to support staff availability, redeployment, and wellbeing. This includes the activation of remote and flexible working protocols where feasible, identification of critical roles and cross- training to ensure service continuity, provision of mental health and wellbeing support for affected employees, use of temporary staffing solutions, including agency staff or redeployment from other services. 3. Aim of Business Continuity Policy 3.1. The purpose of the Business Continuity Policy is to outline how Renfrewshire Council will conduct its Business Continuity Management arrangements. 3.2. The Policy defines the roles and responsibilities of those responsible for Business Continuity Plans and work (including Service Managers, Heads of Service and Directors) across the organisation to ensure that arrangements are effective, up to date, and regularly tested and validated. 3.3. This policy provides a broad framework to support the Council's decision-making on service prioritisation during significant disruptions. It is important to note that this process will be influenced by the specific circumstances, so the rationale provided in this document is intended as guidance rather than a substitute for experience and dynamic decision-making which will be used if/when the situation arises. The decision to invoke Business Continuity arrangements will be made as outlined in Section 7 of this Policy. Page 259 of 336
Page 264
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 7 4. Civil Contingencies Service (CCS) 4.1. The Council has a dedicated Civil Contingencies Service (CCS), in partnership with Inverclyde Council, East Renfrewshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Council. The team consists of a Civil Contingencies Service Manager, four Civil Contingencies Service Officers and one Assistant Civil Contingencies Service Officer. Together they provide governance, management and support covering all aspects of civil contingencies work. 4.2. The Civil Contingencies Service Manager leads the delivery of a wide range of work to support the mission and vision of Renfrewshire Council in relation to Business Continuity and emergency planning arrangements through compliance to regulations, risk management and organisational policies, including supporting Services to have appropriate, robust and meaningful BCPs in place. 4.3. The Civil Contingencies Service Manager and Civil Contingencies Service Officer (aligned to Renfrewshire Council) will offer support, advice and guidance to services specifically with all Business Continuity work including preparing Business Continuity Plans (BCPs), testing and exercising and the ongoing implementation of this Policy. 5. Legal Compliance and Best Practice 5.1. In order to comply with the legal requirements as set out in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and in line with the Business Continuity Institute’s Good Practice Guidelines and British Standards ISO 22301, the Council's overall Business Continuity Management arrangements will: Comply with the duties of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, aiding our emergency response while continuing to deliver critical services to the public. Establish objectives, targets, controls, processes and procedures in relation to Business Continuity Management in order to deliver results that align with the needs of the Council. Support decision-making, communication mechanisms, and provide guidance to enable the prioritisation of key services during disruptions. Page 260 of 336
Page 265
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 8 Consider the interdependencies and resource requirements that departments rely on. Develop strategies and understand what services will do in the event of a disruption. Clearly define roles and responsibilities under our Business Continuity Management approach. Monitor Business Continuity Management performance through reviews, testing and exercising and validation to support Services to identify areas that require improvement. Maintain and improve upon the Business Continuity Management arrangements by taking any relevant corrective action based on the results of reviews and validation; and Promote knowledge of Business Continuity Systems at all levels of management; and Ensure that its People policies are reviewed and aligned with Business Continuity arrangements. This includes policies on health and wellbeing, flexible working, special leave, pay during disruption, deployment and emergency resourcing. These policies will be regularly reviewed to reflect operational needs and legal compliance during emergencies. Page 261 of 336
Page 266
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 9 6. Business Continuity Management Process 6.1. Business continuity is integral to our operations across all three phases of the Incident Management Cycle: Planning, Response, and Recovery. It influences all levels of coordination and response, including Strategic, Tactical, and Operational. Our business continuity framework, as set out in Section 6.4 below, is designed to coordinate responses effectively during disruptions. 6.2. Our Business Continuity Plans and documentation support various dedicated, incident- focused arrangements within the Council. These arrangements can be specific to certain incidents or consequences (e.g., Support Centre Guidance) or more general for handling any incident (e.g., Incident Response Procedures). 6.3. Appendix 1 sets out, in detail, the roles and responsibilities in relation to Business Continuity Process Management. 6.4. Renfrewshire Council’s Coordination and Response Tiers (as illustrated in Diagram 1) are: Strategic (Gold): Managed by the Corporate Management Team (CMT). Tactical (Silver): Overseen by the Council Resilience Management Team (CRMT). Operational (Bronze): Involves front-line Service Delivery Managers, including Business Continuity Plan Owners (Service Managers). Diagram 1: Renfrewshire Council Incident Response Structure Page 262 of 336
Page 267
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 10 6.5. Communication will be between the Strategic, Tactical and Operational Tiers, each having an equal role with clear remit (rather than a hierarchical approach), to ensure appropriate decision making and governance in any incident situation. The Chair of the CRMT will liaise between the CRMT (Silver) and CMT (Gold) with the CCS Manager/Officer liaising between CRMT (Silver) and Operational Services (Bronze). 6.6. Where appointed, the Council Incident Officer (CIO) provides a focal point of communication between the Council and other responding agencies – and supports the activities of the CMT / CRMT. 6.7. Clear and timely communication with the workforce during incidents is essential. The Council will maintain internal communication protocols to: Inform staff of service changes, expectations, and support available. Provide updates through established channels (e.g. intranet, email, team briefings). Enable feedback mechanisms to capture staff concerns and lessons learned. 6.8. Renfrewshire Council’s business continuity arrangements consist of a wide range of documents including those created specifically for a particular scenario to allow a deeper focus on that area where a specific high risk scenario has been identified. Full details are included in Appendix 2 to this Policy. 6.9. Although this Policy relates to Renfrewshire Council is it recognised that in addition to the documents outlined above that several key Partners and organisations (including voluntary and faith groups), the Health & Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and OneRen, work closely with the Council on many occasions to offer mutual aid, where necessary, subject to operational efficiencies, in shared responsibility for the resilience of the wider Renfrewshire community. Page 263 of 336
Page 268
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 11 7. Renfrewshire Council’s Business Continuity Arrangements Lifecycle 7.1. Policies & Programmes (Embedding) 7.1.1. This Policy sets out key responsibilities for implementing business continuity. All Services across the Council have the offer of a range of support from the Civil Contingencies Service (CCS) Team and are equipped and empowered through available Business Continuity Plan (BCP) templates and ongoing training and testing to understand and fulfil their roles in business continuity. 7.1.2. Training and testing of Business Continuity arrangements will be undertaken with individual Services, Departments and wider groups and will be scenario based created to focus on the highest risks identified in the National Risk Register, to assess resilience based on “consequences not causes”. 7.1.3. A standard corporate Business Continuity Plan (BCP) template, as agreed by the CRMT, and training will be regularly reviewed and enhanced by the CCS Team to support Services and to reflect feedback or industry standard changes and improvements. 7.1.4. Relevant and regular updates and information are shared with CRMT as appropriate both as part of the regular planned CRMT meeting cycle and outwith if required. Page 264 of 336
Page 269
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 12 7.2. Plans: Review and Maintenance (Analysis, Design and Implementation) 7.2.1. The wide range of functions provided by Services, the constraints they face, and the support required for effective delivery when faced with a range of situations are thoroughly considered as part of Business Continuity Plans (BCPs). 7.2.2. Service-level Business Continuity Plans should be reviewed and updated at least annually, as required due to service changes, or when required due to lessons identified during utilisation. 7.2.3. Oversight of all Renfrewshire Council BCPs is retained by the CRMT as outlined in the CRMT Terms of Reference, Section 2.1 which states “Ensure appropriate arrangements/procedures and protocols are in place to enable Renfrewshire Council to fully discharge the statutory duties conferred upon it by relevant legislation including the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and Contingency Planning (Scotland) Regulations 2005” while the Chief Executive has overall responsibility for this area of work. 7.2.4. Critical services will be prioritised, in discussion with CRMT and CMT, while recognising that this prioritisation may change depending on the nature of the incident at the time. The minimum resources needed to sustain these priority services will be identified. Strategies and solutions to manage a range of disruptions are outlined clearly in Service BCPs. 7.2.5. The Service Manager, or owner of the Service Level BCP, is responsible for ensuring an annual review and updating of any information is undertaken as a minimum requirement. 7.2.6. All relevant sections of the Business Continuity Plan (BCP) standard template must be completed with full and accurate information included to ensure that details are included against each possible scenario. 7.2.7. The Service Manager/Owner of the Service Level BCP, is responsible for ensuring that an accurate and up to date copy of the current BCP is retained and accessible at all times (noting that any hard copy documents much be stored in a secure location). A copy of this document must be shared with the CCS Team who will also retain a copy. A suitable digital solution, as agreed with ICT, will be in place for storing a further digital copy of the documentation. Page 265 of 336
Page 270
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 13 7.3. Validation following invocation of Business Continuity arrangements in a “live or training situation.” 7.3.1. Learning from real incidents or dedicated training and exercise programs within the Service is integral to validating Business Continuity arrangements. After any incident or training exercise a review of the current BCP will be undertaken by the Service involved and any actions identified will be recorded and the necessary steps taken to update arrangements outlined in the BCP. This approach ensures BCPs meet required standards, provide the details required and can support the business during an incident while offering the opportunity to identify areas for improvement. 7.3.2. The Civil Contingencies Service will oversee a wide range of training opportunities and exercise activities, offering guidance and support for the validation of Service-Level Business Continuity Plans. 8. Decision Making 8.1. Decision Making in Single Service Disruptions 8.1.1. When a single Service faces service delivery disruptions, the ultimate decision-making authority rests with the BC Plan Owner/Manager of the impacted Service, in conjunction with the appropriate Head of Service, if circumstances permit. All decisions must be accurately recorded including a clear outlined of the decision, who took this decision, why this decision was taken and the timing of this. 8.1.2. Owners of individual Service Level Business Continuity Plans are empowered to invoke the BC Plans based on managerial experience, knowledge, and understanding. The Service Manager/Owner will determine the appropriate response to the disruption, focusing on effectively delivering critical priorities. Examples of resource allocation include: Reassigning team members to cover essential functions. Allocating emergency funds to maintain critical service delivery. Utilising backup systems and equipment to ensure continuity. Page 266 of 336
Page 271
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 14 8.2. Decision Making in Single Department Disruptions 8.2.1. When a single Department faces service delivery disruptions, the ultimate decision- making authority rests with the Director (or their deputies) of the impacted Department. All decisions must be accurately recorded including a clear outlined of the decision, who took this decision, why this decision was taken and the timing of this. 8.2.2. The Director (or Deputy) will decide which services should be prioritised for continuation and which may be suspended. This decision-making process will include identifying resource and support requirements and potentially reallocating resources. Examples of resource allocation include: Assigning additional staff to critical projects within the Department. Shiȅing financial resources to support urgent needs. Moving essential equipment to areas experiencing the highest demand. 8.2.3. The Director (or Deputy) will be supported by the Departmental Management Team or other appropriate senior officers, depending on the circumstances. 8.3. Decision Making in Cross/Multiple Service Disruptions 8.3.1. In the event of widespread service delivery interruptions across the Council, the Corporate Management Team (CMT) and the Council Resilience Management Team (CRMT) will serve as the decision-making bodies for the Council as outlined above in Section 6.4 of this Policy. All decisions must be accurately recorded including a clear outlined of the decision, who took this decision, why this decision was taken and the timing of this. 8.3.2. A suggested prioritisation, based upon knowledge and potential business impact analysis is outlined in each service Business Continuity Plan. This information is reviewed annually as a minimum, as part of the annual update of Business Continuity Plans, and feeds into the Renfrewshire Council Business Continuity Plan, maintained by the CCS Team on behalf of the Chief Executive, and outline of prioritised services. Page 267 of 336
Page 272
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 15 8.3.3. The CMT/CRMT will determine which services should be prioritised for continuation and which may be suspended. This decision-making process will include identifying resource and support requirements and potentially reallocating resources across the Council. Examples of resource allocation include: Redirecting staff from non-critical services to support critical operations. Reallocating budget funds to ensure essential services have the necessary financial support. Deploying equipment and technology to areas with the highest need. 8.3.4 The frequency of meetings during a Business Continuity disruption will be determined by the CMT and CRMT members. 8.3.5 Contact details for CMT and CRMT members are maintained in the Council’s Incident Management Contacts Directory (IMCD) which is reviewed and updated monthly and held securely by the CCS Manager. 8.3.6 During any significant disruption, the Council will engage with recognised trade unions to ensure transparency and collaboration in workforce-related decisions. This includes: Engagement on changes to working conditions, deployment, or service delivery. Joint communication planning to ensure consistent messaging to the workforce. Page 268 of 336
Page 273
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 16 8.4. Decision Making in Disruption – Prioritisation of Services 8.4.1. It is recognised that depending on the scenario and nature of the incident, the decision on the prioritisation of service may be different. The appropriate governing body (e.g. CMT) will ultimately decide which services should be prioritised for continued delivery, considering the circumstances of any Business Continuity incident. 8.4.2. Services that impact the protection of “Life & Limb” will be given greater precedence and priority over other impacts, including combinations of impacts, during the initial stages of a disruptive event. 8.4.3. If an event becomes prolonged and as more information becomes available, greater emphasis may be placed on other types of service impacts. This will be done in consultation with CMT and CRMT. All decisions must be accurately recorded including a clear outlined of the decision, who took this decision, why this decision was taken and the timing of this. 9. Review and Approval 9.1. The Head of Operations and Service Development, as Chair of the CRMT, will have ongoing responsibility to maintain the accuracy and currency of this Policy, based on any changes to legislation, national guidance or Council policy. 9.2. This Policy will be reviewed every two years, as a minimum, or earlier should a significant change in legislation require this, by the Corporate Resilience Management Team (CRMT). 9.3. The Communities and Housing Policy Board has overall responsibility for Civil Contingencies and will consider this Policy. 10. Further Information 10.1. Further information regarding any aspect of this policy can be obtained from the Civil Contingencies Service (ccs@renfrewshire.gov.uk). Page 269 of 336
Page 274
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 17 Appendix 1 Roles and Responsibilities Corporate Management Team (CMT) / Council Resilience Management Team (CRMT) responsibilities The CMT and CRMT are responsible for overseeing this Business Continuity Policy and ensuring the adequacy of Business Continuity arrangements across Renfrewshire Council. Business Continuity will be a standing agenda item at CRMT meetings. This ensures discussions across Council Services on best practice, keeps arrangements up to date, and provides the opportunity to address training and exercise needs identified. Any escalations or concerns will be reported by the CRMT Chair (or Deputy CRMT Chair) to the CMT. CRMT Representatives will ensure that any concerns or updates relating to Business Continuity arrangements are raised at CRMT and will appoint a Business Continuity Coordinator (see details below) for their respective Services where appropriate for that Department. Individual CMT members may request additional information, such as gap analysis or status updates, for their service areas to support assurance with Business Continuity arrangements. Civil Contingencies Service (CCS) Responsibilities The CCS is responsible for ensuring that Renfrewshire Council’s business continuity model is effective and aligns with best practices. This includes: Reviewing and updating the Council’s Business Continuity Policy in collaboration with the CRMT. Developing templates that enable Services to take ownership of their business continuity arrangements, with regular reviews to reflect the current risk landscape. Providing training and guidance as required, ensuring that relevant officers are equipped to fulfil their business continuity roles. Assisting in the development of exercises and tests to validate Department and Service Business Continuity Plans upon request. Ensuring Council-wide exercises are conducted to test and validate Business Continuity arrangements. Maintaining oversight of Departmental and Service arrangements. Page 270 of 336
Page 275
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 18 Sharing feedback on best practices in relation to Business Continuity arrangements. Facilitating ICT access to relevant business continuity data to support Disaster Recovery efforts. Head of Service Responsibilities All Renfrewshire Council Heads of Service are primarily responsible for overseeing Service Level Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) within their areas of responsibility. Additionally, Heads of Service may choose to participate in Corporate, Departmental, or Service-level exercises to test business continuity arrangements. Director Responsibilities Directors are responsible for overseeing Departmental documentation within their areas of responsibility and assigning appropriate officers to coordinate activities. Directors may choose to participate in Corporate or Departmental exercises to test business continuity arrangements. Business Continuity Coordinator Responsibilities The Business Continuity Coordinator should be a manager or officer within each Department, responsible for coordinating updates to Service Level Business Continuity Plans for that Department. Although recommended that Departments identify a Business Continuity Coordinator for this type of work it is recognised that some Departments may choose not to do so and the responsibility will then lie with the individual Business Continuity Plan Owner. Business Continuity Coordinator responsibilities include: Working with Service Managers, reminding them to update their plans annually and offering support in the process, Liaising with the Civil Contingencies Service to ensure the use of up-to-date templates, identifying training needs, and assisting with audits. Individual Business Continuity Plan Owner Responsibilities Owners of individual service-level Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) are expected to maintain the BCP for their Service Area as a “live” document. Responsibilities include: Periodically reviewing the Business Continuity Plan, at least annually and aȅer every occasion that the BCP is invoked. Page 271 of 336
Page 276
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 19 Updating the BCP to reflect any major or significant changes in service provision, such as (but not limited to): o Introduction of new services or programs. o Significant changes in staffing levels. o Relocation of services to new premises. o Implementation of new technology or systems. o Changes in regulatory requirements affecting service delivery. Page 272 of 336
Page 277
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 20 Appendix 2 Renfrewshire Council supplementary Business Continuity Documentation Document Description Approved By Maintained By Business Continuity Management Policy Document outlining the Council’s approach to business continuity management, with roles and responsibilities. Communities and Housing Policy Board (CAHB) Head of Operations and Service Development Service Business Continuity Plan Document outlining decision making and providing key guidance for service disruptions. Head of Service Service Business Continuity Co- ordinator/ Service Manager ICT Disaster Recovery Arrangements Document which sets out how/when and in what priority order the Head of Digital, Transformation & Customer Services will seek to recover systems in the event of a loss / outage. Head of Digital, Transformation & Customer Services. It should be noted, however, that Service Level Business Continuity Plans will be a key element in this work and requirements must be linked. Head of Digital, Transformation & Customer Services. Page 273 of 336
Page 278
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 21 Document Description Approved By Maintained By Incident Response Procedures Document designed to assist Council Incident Officers in their role in on-scene incident response. Provides support and guidance. Council Resilience Management Team Civil Contingencies Service Incident Roles and Responsibilities Document which outlines what each Council Service is responsible for throughout the incident response process, and the plans they have authority over. Council Resilience Management Team Civil Contingencies Service Incident Management Contact Directory Contacts directory for use during an incident. Council Resilience Management Team Civil Contingencies Service Power Resilience Framework Document detailing planning arrangements for the response to, and recovery from, a major power outage in Renfrewshire. Council Resilience Management Team Civil Contingencies Service Disruptive Weather Guidance Document which provides guidance for the Council’s role in preparing for, and responding to, the threat presented by disruptive weather conditions. Council Resilience Management Team Civil Contingencies Service Page 274 of 336
Page 279
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 22 Document Description Approved By Maintained By Care for People Guidance Document which provides guidance on the role of the Council and key officers in providing welfare for those affected by an emergency. Council Resilience Management Team Civil Contingencies Service Mass Fatalities Guidance Document which provides guidance to officers should an extensive emergency take place, such as a pandemic influenza, where Renfrewshire Council may have to consider the care of the deceased. Council Resilience Management Team Civil Contingencies Service Security Threats Guidance A number of protocols which consider potential attacks faced by a Renfrewshire Council building. Council Resilience Management Team Civil Contingencies Service Major Accident Hazard Pipelines Emergency Plan (Part 2) A document detailing the plan for managing an emergency relating to a major gas pipeline in Renfrewshire. Council Resilience Management Team Civil Contingencies Service Page 275 of 336
Page 280
Business Continuity Policy 2025 -2027 23 Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1BR Page 276 of 336
Page 281
___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Justice Social Work - Care Inspectorate National Review Self-evaluation of performance, quality and outcomes ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 On 13 May 2025 the Care Inspectorate published a national self- evaluation review Report on performance, quality and outcomes of community sentences in Justice Social Work. 1.2 To inform this national review all 32 local authority justice social work services, including Renfrewshire Council, submitted its own self-evaluation during November 2025. These returns were augmented with on-site validation activities in six, selected local authority areas, early in 2025. Renfrewshire Council was not a selected site. 1.3 The Report found that Justice Social Work (JSW) services are committed to driving improvement and generally are confident and capable in planning and implementing self-evaluation. It noted however that across Scotland quality and outcomes data are not systemically gathered, consequently limiting the ability to demonstrate the effectiveness of community based sentences. 1.4 Both local and national barriers were highlighted in the Report. Locally, these included resource constraints, staffing shortages and challenging reporting requirements. Nationally, it highlighted strategic gaps including a need to overcome infrastructure limitations within current national data gathering and information sharing activities. Item 13 CHPB190825 Page 277 of 336
Page 282
The report concluded a need to establish a shared, national framework that employs nationally agreed measures and tools which link better current quantitative reporting demands with the gathering and collation of qualitative data. 1.5 The Care Inspectorate highlighted how these conclusions contrast the consistently positive messages it heard from service users about their experiences of their involvement with JSW. 1.6 The Report’s general conclusions are not unexpected and reflect some of the challenges already identified locally within Renfrewshire JSW. Developing a more structured approach to quality assurance for JSW was a priority identified within the wider children and justice social work service’s redesign programme. 1.7 A quality assurance and improvement framework for JSW was produced in January 2025. This provides a systemic and structured approach for reviewing local performance and effective service development. It embeds different evidence gathering systems to better assure, evidence and develop practice quality. Underpinning the framework is a principle to learn better from the experience of those who use and directly practice within the service. This learning will be integrated within the evidence used to inform future service improvement and effective resource management. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 To note the Care Inspectorate’s recently published review report on performance, quality and outcomes of community sentences in Justice Social Work. 2.2 To note the progress to date made locally by Justice Social Work against the national Report’s conclusions. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 Findings from the Care Inspectorate’s previous scrutiny work of JSW have highlighted its view that performance management and quality assurance were areas for national improvement. In 2021, Social Work Scotland’s (SWS) Justice Standing Committee recognised this. It established a working group with a remit for performance, quality assurance, service user feedback and continuous improvement. The Care Inspectorate advised that its national review sought to build on previous scrutiny activity and add value to the work of the SWS sub-group by: evaluating the extent to which justice social work services were able to evidence performance, quality and outcomes in relation to community- based sentences. Page 278 of 336
Page 283
exploring the factors that impacted justice social work services’ ability to confidently and robustly demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of community support and supervision. using a self-evaluation approach to building capacity for improvement across the sector. 3.2 The Care Inspectorate state its conclusions are intended to “meaningfully inform specific improvement work planned by the national SWS Justice Standing Committee, wider national stakeholders, and improvement priorities of wider national and local leadership”. Nationally, the progression of the report’s conclusions is under active consideration by SWS. 3.3 Within Renfrewshire, the Children’s Services’ redesign process had identified an improvement priority for JSW to more systematically develop quality assurance and performance activities. Similar to the findings in the Report, the redesign process found that ongoing local planning and improvement activity did take place. However, this could be ad hoc and specific activities were often in response to a current emerging national or local policy priorities. The service redesign identified specific limitations in strategic management capacity in JSW as a key barrier. 3.4 During 2024 JSW incrementally implemented its service redesign. This brought a tangible increase in strategic management capacity to lead on a more robust sustainable approach to quality assurance, best value and improvement work. In implementing this there was no reduction to frontline staff delivery which has continued to perform very well throughout the change period of the redesign. 3.5 During this same period JSW started to progress and complete its improvement framework. Shaped by national / local priorities, available data, staff and service user views, it frames a planning structure that methodically approaches quality assurance to better inform service improvement and resource management. This framework is now embedded within the service. It will be reviewed regularly and adapted as necessary, to any specific areas including those that may evolve from the national Report’s conclusions in the future. 3.6 The improvement framework’s application is supported by an oversight group and two ongoing delivery groups. It is directed by a current JSW service plan. Specialist sub team plans also have their own plans that correlate to the same shared priorities. As staff connectivity and a learning culture, embracing shared values and goals are integral to improvement, officers of all grades are actively involved. 3.7 Learning from the service users and other stakeholders about their experiences and what works for them is a key component underpinning the framework. Activity is now underway to better gather this information more systematically and directly influence future service planning. Page 279 of 336
Page 284
Some innovative examples have recently been undertaken in partnership with two third sector providers, Open Aye and Braveheart Industries. Working together but independently these small projects have provided both support and learning experiences for service users whilst simultaneously collating their observations and views of both JSW and the wider justice system it works within. The qualitative information this offered is being integrated into future service planning. 3.8 In terms of the broader nationally based conclusions Renfrewshire JSW will continue to actively participate and support the work of SWS and other national stakeholders in the activities required to achieve a national, shared framework. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - None. 2. HR & Organisational Development - None. 3. Community/Council Planning • Building strong, safe and resilient communities – Effective justice social work achieving the best outcomes for people in the justice system helps build safer and more resilient local communities. 4. Legal - None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology - None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - (a) 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 as 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 280 of 336
Page 285
13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Climate Risk – None. _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Appendix A. “Justice Social Work – Self-evaluation of performance, quality and outcomes. A national review” by the Care Inspectorate ___________________________________________________________________ Author: David Wilson, Justice Services Manager Email : david.wilson@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 281 of 336
Page 286
Justice Social Work Self-evaluation of performance, quality and outcomes A national review Page 282 of 336
Page 287
Page 1 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Contents Introduction 2 Key messages 6 National context 8 Findings - Performance - Quality - Outcomes - Organisational drivers - Learning from a self-evaluation approach 11 11 14 17 21 29 Conclusions 31 Considerations for the sector 32 Appendix 1 - Quality Improvement Framework 33 Appendix 2 - The terms we use in this report 36 Published: May 2025 Page 283 of 336
Page 288
Page 2 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Introduction The Care Inspectorate is the independent body tasked with undertaking scrutiny, providing assurance and supporting improvement in justice social work. Between 2018 and 2021 we focused on the inspection of Community Payback Orders (CPOs) delivered by justice social work services. In recent years, often in partnership with other scrutiny bodies, we have undertaken broader, thematic work focused on other justice priorities such as Throughcare, Diversion from Prosecution and Prison-Based Social Work. Informed by the current national aims and objectives of the National Strategy for Community Justice, and in light of the current pressures created by prison overcrowding, the time is now right to renew our focus on the delivery of community sentences by local authority justice social work services. Aim 2 of the National Strategy for Community Justice is to “Ensure that robust and high-quality community interventions and public protection arrangements are consistently available across Scotland”. In relation to community sentences, there is an associated priority action to “Ensure that those given community sentences are supervised and supported appropriately to protect the public, promote desistence from offending and enable rehabilitation by delivering high quality, consistently available, trauma-informed services and programmes.”1 Key to delivering on these intentions, and the overarching aim, is the ability of justice social work services to demonstrate that the supervision and support offered to those on community sentences is of a high quality. Building confidence in community sentences is also a vital component in addressing the systems issues relating to prison overpopulation. The findings of this review are deliberately detailed to meaningfully inform the considerations of all stakeholders on these issues. Background The findings from our previous justice scrutiny work undertaken between 2018 and 2021 highlighted that performance management and quality assurance were key areas for improvement 2. They revealed that, in general, there was no consistency in the format of performance frameworks, the measures being captured, or the frequency of reporting. Some local authorities had yet to clearly define a range of strategic priorities for the justice service or fully embed approaches to measuring performance. Accessing timely and reliable data to aid analysis of performance was often challenging as information management systems could be difficult to interrogate. Services were often limited in their ability to demonstrate the difference that CPOs were making in people’s lives. Most services had yet to agree a set of clearly identified, person-centric outcomes against which progress or change could be demonstrated. This was exacerbated by an absence of consistent data or standardised mechanisms to capture the necessary information. Services were not consistently gathering feedback from stakeholders or people using their services. In 2021, Social Work Scotland’s (SWS) Justice Standing Committee recognised this as an area of priority which prompted the establishment of a sub-group with a remit 1 National Strategy for Community Justice, Priority Action 5, p12 2 Justice Overview Report 2018-2021 Page 284 of 336
Page 289
Page 3 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation for performance, quality assurance, service user feedback and continuous improvement. Aim and approach of the review This review sought to build on previous scrutiny activity and add value to the work of the SWS sub-group by: • evaluating the extent to which justice social work services were able to evidence performance, quality and outcomes in relation to community-based sentences. • exploring the factors that impacted justice social work services’ ability to confidently and robustly demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of community support and supervision. • using a self-evaluation approach to building capacity for improvement across the sector. We developed a two-part self-evaluation approach in order to gain a national picture of what was working well and where improvement was required. In the development phase, we engaged with national stakeholders and piloted the approach with two local authorities: South Lanarkshire and City of Edinburgh. Phase 1 took place between September and November 2024 during which all 32 local authorities completed a structured self-evaluation template in which they considered: • their current approaches to gathering, reporting and responding to performance, quality and outcome data • the extent to which organisational drivers were supporting the effective gathering, reporting and use of data to provide assurance and drive improvement For each element, services were asked to rate themselves using a scale of ‘fully’, ‘mostly’, partially’ and ‘not at all’. All 32 submissions were analysed to identify key themes, strengths and areas for improvement. Page 285 of 336
Page 290
Page 4 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Phase 2 of the review took place between January and March 2025. Informed by the emerging themes from the national submissions, we used a validation approach to better understand the strengths and challenges at a local level. A further four local authorities - Aberdeenshire, East Dunbartonshire, Fife and Perth and Kinross - were chosen to ensure the review included a range of service delivery models, governance structures and a broad geographic spread. We deliberately chose areas that had not previously been subject to justice scrutiny activity. Selection was not based on concerns regarding any perceived service delivery risk. Throughout the review a mix of methods were used. These included: • semi-structured interviews with national stakeholders • a review of documentary evidence referenced within the six local authority self-evaluations • in-person focus groups with leaders, managers, staff and people using services in each local authority, held over two days During the phases of the review we spoke to and heard from a total of 193 people and four national stakeholder organisations: 47 people using justice services 56 front-line staff 46 operational managers 22 strategic managers 12 senior leaders 10 performance staff Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services Social Work Scotland Justice Standing Committee leaders Community Justice Scotland Risk Management Authority Page 286 of 336
Page 291
Page 5 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Acknowledgements We are extremely grateful to all 32 local authorities and their staff who made time to analyse and reflect on their practice during their self-evaluation. In addition to the people and organisations noted above we would like to thank: • the people using justice services who took the time to share their views and experiences with us • the pilot areas for their proactive interest in testing new ways of working • the co-ordinators and support staff from the six local authority areas for the extremely well-organised in-person validation activities All six services that participated in the validation activities took full ownership of the process and staff at all levels actively engaged in discussions. Page 287 of 336
Page 292
Page 6 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Key messages Justice social work services are committed to driving improvement. • Services have a clear sense of their strengths and areas for improvement. • Services are working hard to consistently meet their statutory reporting responsibilities and are making good use of frameworks, where these exist. Important organisational drivers are supporting improvement across services. • Services demonstrate strong leadership, a reflective learning culture and robust governance structures. • Services are investing in developing and sustaining specialist knowledge and expertise. People using justice services consistently report that the support and supervision they receive is having a positive impact on their lives. • People describe the experience of being on an order as ‘transformational’ and ‘life-saving’. They feel supported, safe, and encouraged to progress. • Staff are noted to be responsive to needs, appropriately challenging of offending behaviour, and non-judgemental in their approach. Services are not systematically gathering and reporting quality or outcomes data. This limits capacity to demonstrate the effectiveness of community sentences. • There is a disproportionate focus on gathering and reporting performance metrics. Much of what is gathered and reported is not informing local improvement. • Many services lack a systematic quality assurance framework. • There is no agreement or shared language about quality and outcome measures. Tools are not consistently applied to support reliable data gathering and reporting. Significant barriers are hindering services’ efforts to evidence the quality and impact of their service delivery. Local barriers include: • Restrictive information management systems which limit and complicate data gathering. • Resource constraints, staffing issues and onerous reporting demands which limit capacity for quality assurance and improvement activities. National barriers include: • The lack of a shared strategic approach which articulates agreed measures, tools, processes and priorities for data gathering and reporting Page 288 of 336
Page 293
Page 7 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation • The lack of shared leadership and clarity regarding collective roles and responsibilities • The need to overcome the limitations of the national data gathering and information sharing infrastructure Page 289 of 336
Page 294
Page 8 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation National context Justice Social Work Justice wocial work services across Scotland are enabled by Section 27 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. Although services are delivered as part of a local authority or Heath and Social Care Partnership (depending on the governance arrangements) the bulk of justice social work service funding is in the form of a ‘ring- fenced’ grant from the Scottish Government. Additional money is also transferred to local authorities from the Scottish Government Community Justice budget. Local authorities may also support justice-related activities from their overall budget allocation. The Grant Aided Expenditure details the allocation of funds across the 32 local authority areas using the justice social work funding formula. Understanding the type and amount of work undertaken by the justice social work service is crucial to this process. Key to determining these figures is the production of statistical returns required by the Scottish Government at regular points throughout the year. The production of this data is a significant undertaking for every local authority and it is essential to get it right in order to avoid being financially disadvantaged. Each April Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services issues all the data forms to be returned by the local authority during the course of the coming year. The annual collection is split into two delivery processes. The aggregate return includes data in relation to: • Diversion from prosecution • Fiscal work orders • Bail supervision • Justice social work reports • Structured deferred sentences • Statutory and voluntary throughcare • Pre-release reports • Home detention curfew assessments • Court-based services The second part of the process, the unit level return focuses on: • Community payback orders • Drug treatment and testing orders Significant checks and balances are incorporated into these processes to ensure accuracy, with Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services and local authorities communicating routinely throughout the process. The Local authority social work Page 290 of 336
Page 295
Page 9 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation statistics (LASWS) justice group chaired by Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services is crucial to supporting the efficient and effective collection and monitoring of justice social work data. The data requested by the Scottish Government is analysed and assured by Justice Analytical Services and then published as Justice Social Work Statistics. Following a comprehensive review of Justice Social Work Statistics in 2024 the publication was split into two which allows certain data to be in the public domain earlier than was previously the case. With more than half of the data indicators within the National Community Justice performance framework reliant on this national data-set, the statistics are critical to informing national policy, strategy and direction as well as supporting local performance reporting. The Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services team valued the significant efforts made by local authorities to submit the required data by the due dates. They recognised that the size and complex nature of the submissions can cause difficulties for local authorities. Additional challenges arise if experienced staff leave or are unavailable. The most significant issue impacting efficiency is the lack of standardisation, with different local authorities using a variety of information management systems, some of which are more effective than others. Any updates to often outdated systems can be costly financially and in terms of staff time and expertise. These challenges become more pressing as the Scottish Government attempts to shift the balance from custody to community and the range of community options managed by justice social work services increases. Other reporting systems The Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI) is the comprehensive general offending assessment and management planning method used by all community and prison-based justice social work services in Scotland. It is used to aid decisions on the level and focus of intervention with people (aged 16+) who have been involved in offending. The LS/CMI method was adapted for use in Scotland by the Risk Management Authority (RMA) to enable an evaluation of the pattern, nature, seriousness and likelihood of offending and helps structure professional decision-making in a manner that is consistent and understandable regardless of the nature or complexity of the case. As such the method aligns with the principles of FRAME (Framework for Risk Assessment, Management and Evaluation). Training in the use of the method is delivered by Community Justice Scotland with additional training provided by the RMA to support risk assessment and management practice with individuals who present a risk of serious harm Owned by the Scottish Government, the electronic LS/CMI portal is used by justice social workers in the community and in prison to record assessment and case/risk management information. Additionally, the portal is used to record key data about accredited programme delivery. The national electronic system for supporting the efficient, effective and consistent application of the LS/CMI method is hosted and supported by an externally commissioned supplier. While LS/CMI is invaluable to professional decision-making in individual cases, local aggregated reporting from this aspect of the system is limited, and there are no national reporting requirements currently in place to utilise the rich data within the system to inform national reporting of performance, quality and outcomes. Page 291 of 336
Page 296
Page 10 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Community Justice The Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 provides the legislative framework for the model of community justice in Scotland. A National Strategy for Community Justice was published in 2022 followed by a revised Community Justice Performance Framework (CJPF) comprising nine nationally determined outcomes and ten national indicators used in measuring local and national performance against the national outcomes. As statutory partners within community justice partnership arrangements, local authorities, including justice social work services, contribute performance data as required by the Act. This reporting is expressed in their respective Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plans, aligned with the CJPF, with reports returned to Community Justice Scotland annually for assessment and analysis of performance. There is also a statutory requirement for local authorities to report specifically on the delivery of CPOs by justice social work services in their area. This reporting is delivered using a national Community Payback Order Annual Returns template and returned to Community Justice Scotland and the Scottish Government. Community Justice Scotland collates these returns and summarises them in a report which is laid before the Scottish Parliament. This report is then published nationally as the annual Community Payback Order: Summary Of Local Authority Annual Reports. Public Protection Local authorities are a defined Responsible Authority, amongst others, within the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in Scotland. Justice social work services are responsible for the assessment and management of certain categories of people in accordance with the national MAPPA guidance. Section 11 of the Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 sets out the statutory requirement for each MAPPA region in Scotland to produce and publish an annual report, and to provide information to the Scottish Government, on the delivery of MAPPA in their area. Justice social work services report information on performance via their local MAPPA Co-ordinator and MAPPA Strategic Oversight Group which informs annual reporting. The Scottish Government compiles and publishes an annual National Overview Report informed by the annual reports from the ten MAPPA regions in Scotland. Page 292 of 336
Page 297
Page 11 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Findings We asked local authority justice social work services to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of their arrangements for gathering and reporting performance, quality and outcome data. This was done using a four-point scale: ‘fully’, ‘mostly’, ‘partially’ and ‘not at all’. Using a structured template, services were also asked to evaluate the extent to which key organisational drivers were impacting their ability to gather and report data. These included a culture of learning and improvement, leadership, governance, knowledge/expertise and resources. The findings that follow are reported against the key elements of the self-evaluation template. They include a summary of the themes arising from the 32 self-evaluation reports and validation activity in the six local authority areas. Related findings from discussions with national stakeholders are included at relevant points. To guide the reader, key themes are highlighted in bold throughout. Performance: Learning from the 32 local authority self-evaluations Services rated how effectively they were measuring their performance in delivering support and supervision for people on community sentences. In reaching their conclusions they were asked to specifically evaluate the extent to which they: • had a clear and comprehensive performance management framework • had a set of clearly articulated key performance indicators (KPIs) relating to their core functions • had processes and tools in place to ensure routine gathering and collation of data relating to their core functions • were able to evidence improvement initiatives informed by performance data From the 32 responses, two local authorities rated their performance management arrangements as ‘fully’, 15 as ‘mostly’, and 15 as ‘partially’. This indicated that almost half of the services identified the measurement of performance as an area for improvement. This finding reflected the fact that the majority of services indicated they did not have a clear justice performance framework in place. While some services made reference to elements of a framework, only two services were ‘fully’ confident they had a robust framework in place. Most services recognised the need to ensure that performance improvement priorities were clearly identified, actioned and monitored. Encouragingly, almost all services had clear key performance indicators (KPIs) relating to the core functions of justice social work, though the range and number of indicators varied. Some KPIs were limited to statutory reporting requirements for the Scottish Government returns. This statistical overview was widely agreed to be Page 293 of 336
Page 298
Page 12 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation providing a helpful, common national baseline and services were noted to be working very hard to provide the required data. Where additional local indicators were tracked, these related to Serious Incident Reviews, staff sickness absence and complaints. Services that rated themselves ‘partially’ for this question were keen to extend their range of reported KPIs and acknowledged a need to review their current indicators to ensure these were aligned with local and national priorities. Over half of services were confident they had processes and tools to support routine performance monitoring. The range of processes and tools to support local and national performance monitoring varied significantly. They included a mix of locally developed data platforms, dashboards and Excel spreadsheets and some nationally developed checklists on the delivery of accredited programmes. Although all services provided the same data to meet Scottish Government Justice Analytical Service’s reporting requirements, there was no common approach to generating that data at a local level. Although the majority of areas were confident they had tools to monitor performance data, challenges were noted in relation to time, resource and data quality. These were compounded by laborious manual data extraction methods, a lack of training in data interrogation and a reliance on social work information management systems which some areas felt had limited functionality. Almost half of all services noted significant issues with the reliability and functionality of their IT and information management systems. Some services had adopted manual and cumbersome ‘workarounds’, and over a third of services were investing in new information management systems. Those in the early stages of implementation expressed optimism that the new systems would support better data gathering and reporting. However, several services indicated significant problems following implementation of new systems which meant they were no longer able to reliably report on data at all. All services indicated that supporting the development of new systems significantly limited capacity for service delivery and improvement work. Positively, the majority of services felt able to evidence improvement initiatives informed by performance data. This was particularly noted in services where staff had been trained in quality improvement and systematic processes and the monitoring of trend data was supporting improvement activity. In other services, performance improvement initiatives were more reactive; driven by developments in national strategy or practice, rather than local performance data. Performance: Learning from local validation activity The self-evaluations for the six validation areas reflected mixed confidence levels in performance management arrangements, ranging from ‘partially’ to ‘fully’. Arrangements to capture and report on performance varied. Where a performance management framework was in place it was not always underpinned by a coherent system for gathering, analysing, reporting and evaluating performance data. In other instances there was a data dashboard but no corresponding framework. Page 294 of 336
Page 299
Page 13 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Spotlight on Practice – Performance Services that had developed a data dashboard had also established a corresponding forum in which key staff reviewed, interrogated, and analysed performance data to consider practice implications. Although operational leaders and managers acknowledged varying levels of confidence in analysing and interpreting data, these arrangements worked best where staff with expertise in performance management and data analysis were included. This suggested that a structured approach to the review of data, which involved dedicated time, relevant expertise and focused discussion was helpfully contributing to the identification and development of evidence-led improvement initiatives. As we found nationally, beyond the measures in the Scottish Government annual and quarterly returns, there was little consistency in the key performance indicators being gathered and reported, despite the relatively standardised functions of the justice social work role. There was very limited data on performance metrics in relation to the completion of LS/CMI assessments and case management plans. Approaches to monitoring the delivery of statutory reviews in accordance with national outcomes and standards varied. Most services gathered some form of workload monitoring data, although the focus was not consistent. Very little of this wider performance data was routinely reported through governance structures or wider national forums. Managers and leaders conveyed a clear appetite for greater national clarity and consistency around meaningful performance measures for their service. The tools, processes, systems and staff generating performance data also varied significantly. Most services acknowledged that, in order to overcome the limited functionality of local information management systems, they had developed an often complex and sometimes cluttered set of spreadsheets, checklists and manual processes to enable them to capture and collate performance data. To successfully develop, populate and maintain these systems, services were often critically reliant on dedicated or specialist performance or business support staff. While these staff were considered a vital resource, the specialist nature of the skill-set required meant they also represented a single point of failure in the event of absence or diminishing resource. All local validation areas used performance data to drive improvement initiatives which included some excellent examples of innovative and person-centred practice development. However, no service had consistent processes in place to capture performance improvement activity and track progress and outcomes. Page 295 of 336
Page 300
Page 14 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Quality: Learning from the 32 local authority self-evaluations Services rated how effectively they were measuring the quality of their work to support and supervise people on community sentences. In reaching their conclusions they were asked to specifically evaluate the extent to which they: • had a clear and comprehensive quality assurance framework • had a set of clearly articulated quality measures relating to their core functions • had processes and tools in place to ensure they routinely gathered and collated data regarding the quality of their work • could evidence improvement initiatives informed by quality assurance data Thirteen local authorities gave themselves an overall rating of ‘mostly’ for their quality assurance arrangements, with 17 rating themselves as ‘partially’ and one as ‘not at all’. Only one service felt they were ‘fully’ confident in their quality assurance arrangements. In services where quality assurance activity was robust, common elements included: a clear articulation of expected quality standards; policy guiding the tools to be used, frequency of use, and by whom they should be applied; and agreed processes for the collation, review and oversight of quality assurance data. However, the majority of services lacked a systematic quality assurance framework, relying instead on ad hoc or reactive activities. This limited their ability to promptly identify and respond to areas for improvement. Encouragingly, almost all self-evaluations identified the development of a robust and systematic quality assurance framework as an improvement priority. The range of tools and frequency of their application to provide local assurance about core elements of practice varied significantly. The majority of areas reported using national templates produced by the Care Inspectorate and Scottish Government to audit court reports, case files and serious incidents. A smaller number were either using, or intending to use, other national tools to review risk assessments and plans. A very wide range of locally developed tools was used to review the quality of core functions including statutory reviews, CPO closure and completion processes and breach proceedings. There were also varied approaches to the review of MAPPA, Drug Treatment and Testing Orders and the delivery of accredited programmes. While many services had clear performance targets, they were not routinely setting or monitoring equivalent targets in relation to the quality of practice. Although quality standards, linked to national standards and local policies and procedures, were in place, there were no clearly articulated examples of the high-level quality measures that services were aiming to achieve. Instead, consideration of quality measures was dominated by reference to performance indicators relating to the completion, frequency and timeliness of core functions. Page 296 of 336
Page 301
Page 15 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation The self-evaluations provided limited information about how quality assurance data was being collated and reported to inform local service development. A small number of services generated specific operational management reports but these were not routinely reported to senior managers. All services provided annual reports on the delivery of CPOs which were shared with governance groups, however, the data within those reports was not routinely being analysed to inform local improvement activity. Services recognised the importance of quality assurance, and almost all referenced how audit activity and feedback from stakeholders contributed to improvement initiatives. However, a third noted that staffing pressures and wider system demands made meaningful quality assurance activity ‘unfeasible’. Quality: Learning from the local validation activity Validation activities around quality assurance broadly mirrored the themes from the national self-evaluation reports. Across the six services, levels of confidence about quality assurance arrangements varied from ‘partially’ to ‘mostly’. None of the six services had a clear quality assurance framework which outlined their process, tools, standards, measures, frequency or reporting arrangements for assuring service quality. All services highlighted this as an improvement priority. In spite of the absence of clearly articulated quality measures, staff were clear and confident about the standard of practice expected of them and most were able to access clear policies, procedures and guidance on the quality standards for their service. Strategic and operational leaders recognised an absence of agreed quality measures within existing national reporting frameworks and noted annual reporting on CPO delivery asked for selective qualitative examples of the impact and benefits of services for individuals and communities. Given the lack of, or demand for, nationally agreed quality measures, they found it hard to justify the development of quality assurance mechanisms as a priority. Almost all services noted quality assurance activity had been paused or interrupted by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Efforts to resume routine quality assurance had been hindered by widespread staff shortages, the backlog resulting from the pandemic and wider system demands including efforts to support the early release of prisoners. There was a clear appetite to undertake more quality assurance activity, but an honest admission that the capacity to undertake the necessary development and consistently apply tools was very limited. Across services, a range of routine processes helped first-line managers to feel assured about the quality of support and supervision. These included staff supervision, counter-signing of reports and informal case discussions with staff. Statutory reviews on the progress of people subject to community orders provided an important opportunity for managers to check the progress and quality of work and gather feedback from people using services. That said, these were not consistently taking place in line with national outcomes and standards across all services. Other than some periodic reviews of case files and other ad hoc activities, formal and consistent audit and quality assurance activity, supported by the use of tools was intermittent. Given that supervision requirements are a key feature of many CPOs, not reviewing the content and quality of this aspect of practice presented a Page 297 of 336
Page 302
Page 16 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation significant missed opportunity to better understand and build on the strengths of community-based sentences and to evaluate their effectiveness. Stronger audit performance was evident in a few services. Most were reviewing the quality of court reports, although a variety of tools were being used despite the recent development of a national template. Processes around MAPPA audit and the reporting of Serious Incident Reviews were much more robust, suggesting that, when applied consistently, agreed national tools, frameworks and reporting structures were providing helpful clarity around quality assurance practice. Spotlight on Practice – Quality Assurance A number of services had developed clear internal processes to maximise learning and drive improvement following the completion of Serious Incident Reviews (SIRs). SIRs were undertaken collaboratively with staff and any identified learning, including feedback from the Care Inspectorate, was shared with staff across the service. Where improvement actions were identified, processes were in place to capture and monitor the progress in delivering these. By involving staff in the learning process and establishing a process to follow up on learning arising from serious incidents, services were able to demonstrate that they were both quality assuring practice and building their culture of shared continuous learning and improvement. Services were alert and committed to improving quality. Gathering qualitative feedback from stakeholders and people using services enabled services to take timely action to address quality concerns and respond to suggestions for improvement initiatives. While there were examples of this feedback being shared in local and national reports, this data was not thematically analysed to inform local or national improvement. Page 298 of 336
Page 303
Page 17 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Outcomes: Learning from 32 local authority self-evaluations Services rated how effectively they measured the impact of their work and the difference their delivery of services was making for people on community sentences. In reaching their conclusions they were asked to specifically evaluate the extent to which they: • had a set of clearly articulated outcome measures which reflected local and national priorities. • had a set of clearly articulated outcome measures to capture improved wellbeing and life chances for people who use their services. • had processes and tools in place to ensure they routinely gather and collate data regarding the difference their services are making. • could evidence improvement activity informed by outcome data. Ten local authorities rated their outcome gathering arrangements as ‘mostly’, 21 as ‘partially’, and one as ‘not at all’. None felt they were ‘fully’ measuring the outcomes of their work. Collectively, the self-evaluation responses suggested a lack of clarity and confidence across services on local, national and individual outcome measures relating to the provision of community sentences. Most services referenced national outcomes and indicators within the Community Justice Performance Framework. The language used to describe this framework and the associated reporting requirements was very inconsistent suggesting a lack of shared understanding and consistent terminology across the sector. A number of services gathered and reported against wider national outcomes informed by National Outcomes and Standards (NOS), national practice guidance, and delivery standards for accredited programmes. However, this was not universal and, again, there was no consistency in the language used to describe these wider national outcomes. Together this created the sense of a confused and disjointed understanding of the national outcomes that services were working to deliver. Local outcomes measures also varied significantly and reflected a cluttered, and at times, outdated reporting landscape. Services variously reported against measures from historic Community Justice Authorities, the previous national Outcomes, Performance and Improvement Framework for Community Justice (2016), Local Outcome Improvement Plans, HSCP strategic plans, local performance frameworks, local strategic needs assessments, justice service plans, individual outcome tools (e.g. Justice Outcome Star), LS/CMI indicators and the indicators that are derived from Scottish Government statistical returns. While a number of services had updated their local outcomes to better reflect the Community Justice Performance Framework this was not consistent. Page 299 of 336
Page 304
Page 18 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation This pattern was mirrored in relation to capturing outcomes for people on community sentences. Fewer than half of services had a clearly defined set of outcome measures to capture improved wellbeing and life chances for people using services. While services clearly recognised the importance and value of capturing the outcomes and experiences of people using services, the collection, analysis and reporting of personal outcomes was variously described as ‘difficult to achieve, ‘challenging’, ‘ad hoc’, ‘inconsistent’, ‘limited’ and ‘disparate’. This lack of a shared, national focus on outcomes and the experience of people using services was also noted as a gap in our discussions with national stakeholders. They reflected that nationally reported KPIs did not have a clear focus on outcomes. Equally, the outcome data submitted by local authorities to Community Justice Scotland in the annual Community Payback Order reports was narrative in form. This made it difficult to aggregate and analyse to identify themes and patterns to support national learning around outcomes. In recognition of this, in 2021 the SWS Justice Standing Committee established a sub-group jointly chaired by Community Justice Scotland, with a remit for performance, quality assurance, service user feedback and continuous improvement. Although there were aspirations to develop shared approaches to gathering and reporting on data, there was an honest acknowledgement that very little progress had been made in this area. Across Scotland, standard processes were in place which offered the potential to gather outcome data. These included exit interviews, statutory reviews and the LS/CMI assessment process. However, these processes were not providing consistent or reliable outcome data. Nationally, there were no standard tools for gathering outcome data. Although the case management progress record within LS/CMI had capacity to capture and report on changing outcomes, most self- evaluations were silent on the use of this, suggesting it was not used as originally intended. Moreover, services reported issues with the functionality and accessibility of reporting from the LS/CMI system indicating that even where data was being captured, it could not be easily or routinely extracted to inform monitoring or improvement. Services also expressed concern that disjointed oversight arrangements and lack of ongoing investment in the system threatened the sustainability of the tool, and risked diluting the underlying FRAME practice principles embedded in the approach. While statutory reviews were referenced in all self-evaluations, there was no nationally consistent template, nor agreed set of outcomes routinely considered in statutory reviews. This limited opportunities for benchmarking. Additionally, the use of exit interviews was inconsistent and most services noted low response rates. A small number of services had linked entry and exit questionnaires which enabled them to capture and demonstrate change over time. Many services used manual or ‘paper-based’ forms for these processes which limited capacity for easy analysis. Gaps in information management systems, business support and staff capacity also limited services’ ability to collate, analyse and report on any data captured. Despite these challenges and limitations, a number of services highlighted efforts to innovate and invest in improving how outcomes were gathered and reported. Almost half of services referenced use of Justice Outcome Star to gather data on a small, but clear set of individual outcomes. Other services were taking steps to implement locally developed tools, but these were in the early stages of testing. Several services were exploring opportunities to utilise technology to help them Page 300 of 336
Page 305
Page 19 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation more effectively gather outcome data through the use of applications like Microsoft Forms and QR codes. In the absence of reliable systems and processes to gather outcome data, most services were limited in their ability to demonstrate how they used outcome data to drive improvement initiatives. A small number of services noted examples of how they had used feedback from exit interviews and statutory reviews to identify and address staff training needs. Others had made improvements to their CPO unpaid work ‘Other Activity’ provision on the basis of feedback from people using services. However, many services acknowledged that, in the main, improvement activities were isolated projects prompted by individual and ad hoc feedback. One self- evaluation summarised this well, noting their improvement efforts were more reflective of “isolated decisions rather than a system informed by outcome data [that was] being routinely captured and actioned.” A number of services gathered feedback on outcomes through lived experience panels, service user participation groups or capturing people’s stories. Where feedback was gathered through direct engagement with people using services, it was effectively driving improvement activity. Almost all services noted that listening to the experiences and voices of people using services was a critical but underdeveloped aspect of their culture and practice and noted it as an improvement priority. Outcomes: Learning from local validation activity The key messages from the self-evaluation reports regarding the gathering and reporting of outcomes were confirmed through validation activities. Across the six areas, levels of confidence about their ability to evidence outcomes varied from ‘mostly’ to ‘partially’. All services reflected a good awareness of the National Outcomes and Standards, and the associated measures and it was clear that Community Justice Partnerships had taken steps to identify local actions mapped against the priorities of the National Strategy for Community Justice. Within justice services though, most had not yet aligned their service delivery plans to reflect the new national priorities and local outcome measures were not well defined. Leaders at all levels expressed some frustration about the Community Justice Performance Framework, noting that a number of the priorities had limited or no outcome measures representing a missed opportunity to capture the impact of services. They felt this conveyed a lack of clarity at a national level about what services are trying to achieve. There was a clear focus on identifying and measuring outcomes for people using services in all six services. Frontline staff had a good understanding of what constituted a positive outcome in the context of their work. They cited public safety, reducing offending and social inclusion as important outcomes alongside a clear commitment to supporting individual change and addressing wider support needs for people on CPOs. However, managers and leaders noted the complex nature of outcomes and, in the absence of a national ask, admitted a lack of clarity and confidence on the outcome measures they should be gathering and reporting on for people using services. This lack of clarity was reflected in the very wide range of tools and processes used to capture outcomes for people using services. Mirroring the findings of the national self-evaluation submissions, a wide range of exit questionnaires were used Page 301 of 336
Page 306
Page 20 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation across services. Most were completed on paper, with no capacity to aggregate and report the data, and all services acknowledged very poor rates of return. None of the services had an associated ‘initial’ questionnaire to enable them to capture change over time. Although statutory review processes considered outcomes, they did not include a mechanism to allow services to reliably report on them. Only one service routinely expected staff to complete the LS/CMI progress record with others citing the need to ‘double-key’ as a barrier to its use. Some services had commissioned Justice Outcome Star, but in practice, this was inconsistently applied and the data not routinely reported anywhere. One service had developed a bespoke tool but did not yet have the capacity to collate and report on the outcome data it generated. Given that systems to capture and report on individual outcomes were underdeveloped, outcome data was not being routinely shared in local and national reports. This limited services ability to demonstrate the impact of their service delivery and celebrate success. However, services were much more able to report on individual stories and positive examples of feedback from stakeholders and people using services. This rich qualitative data was shared in Chief Social Work Officer (CSWO) reports and was being collated and reported to Community Justice Scotland via the Community Payback Order Annual Reports. While the subsequent national Summary Report highlighted examples of the positive impact of community sentences for both people and communities, services felt the limited thematic analysis of this data represented a missed opportunity to support collective learning and continuous improvement.3 The limited capacity to capture and report on individual outcomes stood in stark contrast to the very clear messages we heard from people about the positive impact of the support they received from services. They described the experience of being on an order as ‘transformational’ and ‘life-saving’. People described staff who ‘stick with you’, ‘support your progress’ and ‘help you feel safe’. Staff were noted to be responsive to needs, appropriately challenging of offending behaviour, but non- judgemental in their approach. This was confirmed in the person-centred values that characterised our discussions with staff across all services. Spotlight on Practice - Outcomes Some services had developed improvement initiatives to address needs and support compliance for people on community orders. These included the provision of specialist support to young men on CPOs, the development of additional support for people on unpaid work with high levels of need, and the creation of a peer navigator service for people engaging in substance use. In each instance, consideration of performance and outcome data enabled services to identify barriers to the successful completion of orders for people with particular needs. In turn, this prompted action to develop and implement evidence-led support initiatives, with the aim of improving outcomes for people on orders. National stakeholders agreed the lack of standardised, consistently applied tools related to key processes including exit interviews and statutory reviews limited the opportunity to gather and report on service wide and individual outcomes. All four stakeholders also reflected there were limits around their ability to gather, aggregate and report on outcome data for justice social work services. This was variously 3 It is noted that, to support shared learning, the Community Payback Order: Summary of Local Authority Annual Reports 2023 – 24 published in March 2025 contains a thematic summary of key improvements, persistent challenges, and innovative practices identified from local authority reports. Page 302 of 336
Page 307
Page 21 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation connected to their lack of capacity, remit or the limits of their legislative authority. In the absence of a collective focus, means and mandate, there was no established or growing evidence base on outcomes associated with community sentences from which to identify and drive national development and improvement. This was a source of frustration for all stakeholders. Organisational drivers Services evaluated the extent to which the five organisational drivers enabled and supported their performance monitoring and quality assurance activity. The organisational drivers were: A Culture of learning and improvement; Leadership; Governance; Knowledge/Expertise and Resources. Culture of Learning and Improvement: Learning from 32 local authority self- evaluations Services rated the extent to which their organisational culture was characterised by: • reflective practice. • promotion of accountability at all levels. • investment in learning. • a focus on involving people who use services. • an evidence led approach to change. Most services were confident about their organisational culture. The extent to which the key elements noted above were present varied. Almost all services saw supervision and formal training as the key vehicles for learning and reflective discussion and it was clear that services had prioritised and invested in those opportunities for staff. Beyond the use of supervision and formal training wider learning and development opportunities were less consistent or clearly defined within self-evaluations. While staff training was a high priority, only a handful of services referenced specific investment in training for managers and leaders. Very few reflected on the important role that managers and leaders hold in modelling a strong culture and promoting shared ownership for learning. While reflective practice was noted as a critical learning tool, mechanisms to support this were not well articulated. Only a small number of services routinely hosted practitioner forums, or group supervision, and only two services specifically mentioned a ‘peer review’ process. Almost all submissions reflected that opportunities to gather and learn from the views of people using services was a critically important but underdeveloped aspect of the learning culture. Page 303 of 336
Page 308
Page 22 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Culture of Learning and Improvement: Learning from local validation activity A culture of learning and improvement was a clear strength across all six justice services. However, their self-evaluation ratings suggested that services had not taken full account of the positive elements of their organisational culture. Where the culture was strongest, there was a clearly articulated vision for the justice service which was communicated to, and understood by, staff at all levels. This fostered a clear sense of purpose and shared ownership across the staff group which was promoting shared accountability. Similarly, a strong culture of reflective practice was evident in all six services. This was underpinned by clear investment in regular professional supervision and investment in a range of formal and informal learning opportunities. A variety of helpful reflective practice opportunities were empowering and enabling staff to propose and develop change ideas. This included the provision of access to clinical supervision, although this was becoming much harder for services to resource. A widespread commitment to supporting student placements reflected the ethos of practice learning, and robust processes to support newly qualified social workers were in place across services. All services reflected a commitment to hearing from people who used services, and people we spoke to confirmed that feedback they provided was generally acted on. However, formal processes and forums to support the participation and involvement of people with lived experience in service review and development were limited. Leadership: Learning from 32 local authority self-evaluations Services rated the extent to which leadership within their service was characterised by: • a focus on performance and quality • ownership over QA processes • modelling a commitment to improvement • actively celebrating strengths and addressing performance issues Services were generally confident in their leadership skills and processes. Leaders used supervision, team meetings and staff appraisal processes to maintain oversight of performance and teams. Most services had regular processes in place to enable operational (and sometimes strategic) managers to review service-wide performance data. Quality assurance data was less consistently reported, indicating that not all aspects of service delivery were subject to ongoing interrogation by leaders. Because data Page 304 of 336
Page 309
Page 23 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation gathering and reporting were not always systematic, efforts to promote and celebrate success tended to be ad hoc, although the importance of this as a means of boosting morale and service visibility was well recognised. Gaps in data gathering and reporting also meant that opportunities to consistently provide feedback to staff about performance, and engage them in discussions about improvement were not as robust as services would have liked. Leadership: Learning from local validation activity Leadership was a strength across the six services. Levels of confidence about leadership varied from ‘partially’ to ‘mostly’. Staff experienced oversight from operational managers as supportive, encouraging and empowering. This was reflected in the wide range of change ideas identified and led by front-line staff. This demonstrated services’ commitment to innovation and encouragement of leadership at all levels. Many of the improvement initiatives required creative leveraging of scarce resources reflecting leaders and managers ability to draw on strong partnership working to drive change. Staff understood their responsibilities and felt their work was valued by managers. Regular supervision provided routine opportunities for feedback on the quality of their work, as well as time to focus on professional development and personal wellbeing. A leadership commitment to improvement was clear in each service, but presented differently across services. Some services invested in dedicated roles to support development and improvement initiatives related to performance, quality and outcomes. Other, smaller services, created a culture in which staff had permission and freedom to test change ideas and adapt service delivery approaches in response to the specific and emerging needs of people using services. Governance: Learning from 32 local authority self-evaluations Services rated the extent to which governance arrangements within their service were characterised by: • Agreed reporting structures for performance, quality and outcome data • Engaged and informed senior leaders • Established levels of accountability • Data that is integrated into wider planning and performance systems Page 305 of 336
Page 310
Page 24 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Services were broadly confident about governance arrangements. Almost all services described reporting structures within services and upwards to relevant oversight groups although the range of oversight groups varied significantly across the country. Reported information predominantly focused on performance measures, with limited consideration of quality and outcome data. While justice data was captured in wider planning and performance systems in most services, the extent of the data reported was often limited. In contrast to other aspects of the self-evaluation submissions, reflections on governance were largely descriptive. This provided little insight into how well governance arrangements operated or the extent to which leaders and elected members were sighted and engaged in the work of justice services. This reflected the findings of our recently published social work governance report which noted that justice social work was not consistently given an ‘equal voice’ compared to adult and children’s social work.4 A number of services made positive reference to the oversight provided by Community Justice Partnerships and public protection forums. These groups provided more meaningful opportunities to reflect on the work of justice services beyond consideration of a small number of key performance metrics. Governance: Learning from local validation activity Validation activities presented a mixed picture in relation to governance arrangements. Across the six services, levels of confidence about governance oversight varied from ‘partially’ through to ‘fully’. While oversight arrangements differed across the six services, all had clear governance and lines of accountability in place. As noted nationally, the extent of formal reporting about the work of justice services varied. There were examples of a range of routine performance reports and service updates submitted to committees and governance groups which supported good visibility and oversight of justice services. In general reporting was limited. The focus of reporting was largely characterised by a narrative summary of activity. Where aggregated data was included, this was limited to a handful of high- level performance indicators, and in some services no performance data was shared. Beyond the inclusion of some individual case studies and practice examples, there were almost no instances of aggregated quality or outcome data reported in any governance report. While leaders felt assured about the performance and quality of services they acknowledged that much of this was reliant on self- report from managers rather than objective data reporting. Engagement from strategic leaders and elected members tended to focus on specialist provisions such as unpaid work and women’s services which were noted 4 Review of social work governance and assurance across Scotland, p16. Page 306 of 336
Page 311
Page 25 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation to be more visible. Most services recognised scope to enhance oversight and visibility of service delivery – particularly in relation to CPOs – through more consistent and broad-ranging data reporting. Knowledge/Expertise: Learning from 32 local authority self-evaluations Services rated the extent to which the knowledge and expertise within their service reflected that: • Staff were equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and behaviours • Dedicated performance and quality assurance expertise were in place • Clearly defined methodologies and metrics to support performance and quality assurance activity were evident More than half of services indicated that they were only ‘partially’ confident that their service had the necessary knowledge and expertise to support them to confidently gather and report on performance, quality and outcomes. Almost all services noted the critical importance of formal training in supporting staff to develop the required knowledge and expertise. Commitment to investing in this was clear across all services. However, the infrastructure supporting learning and development was less consistent. Only three services noted that they had (or were in the process of developing) a specific learning pathway for justice staff. Processes to identify and monitor staff training needs and attendance varied, and some services noted barriers in accessing national training. Leadership development pathways were not clearly articulated and approaches varied significantly across the country. A number of skill gaps for managers were also noted. Across services, managers were not confident or trained to undertake data gathering or analysis. One self-evaluation observed that 'services lack the level of knowledge or training in respect of interrogating systems and producing meaningful reports'. Reflecting this point, just under half of submissions indicated they had, or had recently created a dedicated resource to support performance reporting. A further third indicated that they accessed performance support from wider corporate services. While support around reporting was welcomed, services noted that it did not always include a sufficient level of analysis to enable them to drive improvement. There were conflicting messages about knowledge, expertise and training of managers in relation to quality assurance and quality improvement skills. Although most services identified that team managers were skilled in quality assurance, very few services referenced any formal training in quality assurance and audit. Additionally, a number identified that their plans to develop a quality assurance framework would include the need to provide additional quality assurance training to staff. Page 307 of 336
Page 312
Page 26 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Knowledge/Expertise: Learning from local validation activity Across the six services, levels of confidence about knowledge and expertise varied from ‘partial’ to ‘mostly’. Validation activities indicated that half of services underestimated the knowledge and expertise held within their service. There was a clear commitment to formal training, despite the associated resource challenges for services with a high level of staff turnover. Staff felt well equipped to undertake the core functions of their role. In particular, the impact of the local implementation of trauma-informed approaches was apparent in all services. While necessary access to core training was viewed as adequate, the move towards online training delivery had diminished opportunities for reflective discussion. Managers felt this had diluted the quality of training resulting in a noticeable impact on practitioners’ levels of confidence. As noted earlier, all six services had access to some form of specialist support to meet statutory reporting requirements and assist their gathering, reporting and analysis of data. Services were clearly wrestling with the tension between investing in dedicated roles versus embedding data management responsibilities within the service by upskilling existing staff. They were alert to the potential risk of a single point of failure in the event of staff loss or absence. As noted within the national self-evaluations, local validation activities confirmed that managers lacked confidence and training in quality assurance, data analysis, quality improvement and leadership of change. Leaders in some services had made concerted efforts to source suitable training for managers, with limited success. Where staff had been trained in quality improvement science they were introducing helpful systems and processes to support learning and improvement. Page 308 of 336
Page 313
Page 27 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Resources: Learning from 32 local authority self-evaluations Services rated the extent to which their access to, and use of, resources equipped the service with: • tools to support key processes • IT systems and technology to support data gathering and analysis • capacity to undertake performance and quality assurance activity Almost two-thirds of services indicated partial confidence that they had the resources needed to effectively undertake performance management and quality assurance activities. Services referenced a wide range of tools, templates and processes supporting the gathering of performance, quality and outcome data. Notably, the language used to describe these was very inconsistent which impacted our ability to reach clear conclusions on the extent to which tools are consistently and meaningfully applied. The development of national quality assurance templates to support the introduction of revised practice processes was welcomed and these were reported to be widely used. A significant number of services also used file reading templates developed by the Care Inspectorate suggesting an appetite for clear and consistent, nationally developed tools. The limited functionality of information management systems was the most commonly cited barrier to improving performance management and quality assurance activity. Almost half of services noted that current information management systems were not fit for purpose, and a third of services were investing in new systems. This was noted to be a significant resource drain. Services described little or no access to digital tools and platforms to support innovation and efficiency, and most services were resigned to pursuing ‘workarounds’ due to these digital and technological barriers. One service noted: “The general landscape of social work and justice information management systems, and the lack of communication between them presents a continued issue requiring staff to manually enter information gathered from one system to another…”. The impact of Covid-19 and budgetary pressures limited staff capacity and resilience to meet an increasing volume of demands. Additionally, work arising from critical practice developments, such as the early release of prisoners, had drawn managers away from strategic functions, into operational delivery. Considered in combination, these pressures had made meaningful quality assurance work unfeasible and limited capacity for wider service development. Despite these challenges, services worked hard to boost their data gathering and reporting capacity. For example, almost half of services indicated they had, or Page 309 of 336
Page 314
Page 28 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation were in the process of appointing, dedicated staff to support performance reporting. Further self-evaluation will enable services to gauge whether the creation of dedicated posts has delivered the intended improvement. Most services reflected that a re-balancing of resources was required to support a focus on quality and outcomes. Resources: Learning from local validation activity Validation activities reflected varied levels of confidence across services about the adequacy of their resources with half rating themselves as ‘mostly’ and half as ‘partially’. In considering their resources, services drew confidence from their positive culture, and the presence of a strong cohort of dedicated and values-driven staff, committed to delivering high-quality services. Nevertheless, despite these strengths, wider system issues prevented services from consistently evidencing the performance, quality and outcomes of their service delivery, highlighting barriers to be addressed. In services where confidence in available resources was lower, two key issues were apparent. Firstly, recruitment and retention issues had limited capacity and resilience in a number of services. Although services were working hard to support and upskill new staff through robust induction and training programmes, they acknowledged that this would take time. In the interim, existing staff and managers carried increased workloads which limited capacity to undertake wider development and improvement work. Secondly, the impact of implementation of new information management systems had been seismic for some services. Staff time to deal with these issues diverted critical resources away from planned development and improvement work. In addition, services’ ability to accurately report data regarding key functions had been detrimentally affected. While services were hopeful the situation would improve, the impact on capacity over a period of several years had been enormous. All services reflected on a range of significant resource challenges largely outwith their control. Aspirations to develop digital tools to enhance data gathering capacity and improve efficiency were hindered by system issues relating to IT access and permissions. All services noted the impact of the increasingly complex nature of their work, both in terms of the presenting needs of the people they worked with and the evolving demands of justice policy and procedure. Services were frustrated that the complexity of need within a local authority area was not taken into account in the allocation of Section 27 funding. Additionally, all services reported the volume of reporting requests from across the sector had a material impact on their ability to take forward local improvement activity. National reporting demands from a range of stakeholders were noted to be onerous, cumbersome and duplicative. Strategic and operational managers felt that much of the data gathered was unnecessary and very little of it came back to them in any meaningful form that would support improvement. Despite the significant reporting demands placed on services, no resource provision was made to support data reporting within the annual funding grants, although each area has some autonomy to allocate spending to address local priorities. This burden of reporting demands was echoed in interviews with national stakeholders. This was despite significant efforts from Scottish Government Justice Page 310 of 336
Page 315
Page 29 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Analytical Services to streamline reporting processes. The limitations associated with local information management systems and staff capacity were noted as major barriers to expansion of the national data-set, with stakeholders reporting that it could take upwards of two years to implement changes, which also often incurred additional, unfunded costs for local authorities. Learning from a self-evaluation approach All 32 local authorities completed and submitted their self-evaluation within the allocated timescale. This reflected a sector-wide commitment to developing a shared understanding of the subject matter and to continuous improvement. The majority of submissions reflected proactive engagement and used the opportunity to reflect on and evaluate key areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. In the main, submissions were concise and presented a range of relevant information. Stronger examples demonstrated a reflective and analytical consideration of the available evidence, supported by useful reference to practice examples. A small number of responses were extremely limited or provided descriptive lists of activity, or unqualified statements about performance which were not supported by evidence. A number of services had elected to directly replicate the wording from the practice exemplar provided which limited their ability to showcase the uniqueness of their service. The documentary evidence submitted by the six services was relevant, appropriate and provided a helpful picture of practice. It was well organised and referenced against the key domains of the self-evaluation, demonstrating that services had undertaken a thorough review of their systems and records in support of the task. The volume of evidence submitted was broadly proportionate indicating that services knew themselves well and had a good sense of what was required. The in-person validation activity was characterised by strong representation and buy-in from staff at all levels of the service. Those who participated showed an interest in, and commitment to improving practice, and this was confirmed by the genuine and reflective nature of focus group discussions. Collectively, the self- evaluation activities demonstrated that most services were confident and capable in planning and implementing self-evaluation and that the appetite for reflection was well developed across the sector. Within the self-evaluation template, services were asked to rate themselves for each element using a scale of ‘fully’, ‘mostly’, partially’ and ‘not at all’. Although the validation activities did not highlight any significant discrepancies between the evidence and the locally identified ratings, there were some areas of deviation. While ratings around performance management arrangements were broadly found to be accurate, in several services, arrangements for gathering and reporting on quality and outcomes were less robust than services initially perceived. The opposite was true in relation to the evaluation of organisational drivers. We found that services consistently underestimated their performance in these areas. This was particularly true in relation to the culture of learning and improvement and levels of knowledge and expertise where half of services had underrated themselves. Two services had also underrated the strength of their leadership and governance arrangements. Page 311 of 336
Page 316
Page 30 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation This review has demonstrated that self-evaluation is a robust approach to gathering relevant information on specific themes at a national level within a relatively short timeframe. Feedback from services indicated that although there was a time cost to undertaking the exercise, in the main it had provided a timely, focused and helpful opportunity to take stock of their current strengths and had usefully highlighted or confirmed priority areas for improvement. A number of services noted that the exercise had acted as a catalyst for improvement activity and had been an encouraging activity overall. Feedback on the approach from the six local authority areas was very encouraging with services noting the approach as proportionate and transparent. The approach had added value to their work and helped to build confidence in undertaking future self-evaluation. Engagement with justice staff had helped to reduce anxiety about the Care Inspectorate role, and the quality of engagement with people using services was highly rated within feedback forms. Respondents variously noted: ‘Self-evaluation... focused our attention on areas which we knew required work but hadn’t prioritised… We have now produced an action plan to implement and progress these areas.’ ‘(This) has given (us) the confidence to progress self-evaluation … using quality indicators…’ ‘We found the self-evaluation collaborative and supportive. The process was appropriately challenging, made us think, supported wider participation and engagement from service… This will be a real boost for all colleagues in the service.’ ‘This has been an excellent exercise in supporting us to develop our journey in performance management, auditing and outcomes. The areas highlighted were all known areas for change so it was reassuring this was also recognised by the review.’ Page 312 of 336
Page 317
Page 31 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Conclusions This review set out to evaluate the extent to which justice social work services could confidently evidence the performance, quality and outcomes of community sentences. It also sought to explore the factors that were supporting or hindering services’ ability to demonstrate effectiveness and impact. These questions align with wider policy objectives for the justice sector, and the findings have implications for national stakeholders and justice social work services. The Scottish Government’s current strategic priorities include reducing the prison population by shifting the balance between custodial sentences and community disposals. However, as the Scottish Sentencing Council’s 2021 consultative exercise noted, this requires confidence in the availability, quality, and effectiveness of community sentences. Additionally, the Scottish Government recently announced an independent review of sentencing and penal policy 5 to identify the most effective ways of addressing offending behaviour, reducing crime, and lowering the number of victims. All this work requires a robust evidence base on the quality and effectiveness of community sentences. Our previous scrutiny activities found that justice social work services faced challenges in telling a cohesive, comprehensive story about how the services they deliver helped people to change and positively impacted communities. Performance management and quality assurance were identified as key areas for improvement. The findings from this review confirm this remains the case. This stands in stark contrast to the consistently positive messages we heard from people who use justice services about the impact of community sentences. There is a clear appetite across services to go beyond the numbers which inform statistical returns in order to demonstrate outcomes and the real difference community sentences make in people’s lives. There was therefore a sense of frustration from services that the collective efforts of the SWS Justice Standing Committee sub-group on Performance and Quality Assurance had not made progress in delivering improvements. The findings of this review are deliberately detailed to meaningfully inform specific improvement work planned by the SWS Justice Standing Committee, the digital intelligence and analysis work of Community Justice Scotland, and improvement priorities of wider national and local leaders. Reaching shared agreement about what justice services are seeking to deliver and how this will be meaningfully measured will be an important starting point. The development of a shared strategic approach, underpinned by consistent frameworks and systems to measure quality and outcomes, are indicated as clear priorities. However, delivering transformational change to robustly evidence the impact and value of community sentences is beyond the scope and best efforts of individual justice social work services working on their own. There are also risks and resource implications associated with 32 services developing ‘local’ solutions to national issues. A systematic and co-ordinated approach to working together offers greater opportunities for consistency and standardisation in identified areas of improvement. This will require a strong vision for justice, underpinned by investment and effective leadership at all levels. The Care Inspectorate remains committed to working with partners to support improvement informed by self-evaluation or other forms of scrutiny as appropriate. 5 Independent Review of Sentencing and Penal Policy Page 313 of 336
Page 318
Page 32 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Considerations for the wider justice sector The conclusions point towards a number of key areas of consideration for justice social work services and wider justice stakeholders: Developing a shared strategic approach to performance, quality and outcomes • Collective work to establish a shared framework for justice social work services, with agreed measures and tools is worthy of consideration. The current evidence base is limited to performance data, with outcome measures not well defined. Services are not consistently able to gather and report on quality and outcomes. Critically, there is no coherent national strategy or system to support them to do so. Building this robust evidence base is crucial for justifying shifts in investment from custodial sentences to community-based interventions. Clarifying leadership and stakeholder responsibilities • Development of a shared, strategic approach requires clear leadership and agreement about social work services and stakeholder responsibilities. Reflecting the findings of the recent National Care Service: Justice Social Work Research, services echoed the suggestion that “the Scottish Government could provide more national leadership in terms of the direction of travel for the sector.” 6 Respondents also expressed a lack of clarity about Community Justice Scotland’s role in supporting development in justice social work. Understanding the role and contribution of the forthcoming National Social Work Agency is also important. Optimising the national data infrastructure • Enhancing capacity for developing and sustaining the national data infrastructure is crucial. Services value the overview provided by the national justice statistics and support from Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services. However, there were requests to streamline quantitative reporting demands and address resource challenges linked to the gathering and reporting of qualitative data. • There was wide agreement that the LS/CMI system has the potential to provide valuable insights about the justice service population and the measures that are proving effective in supporting risk reduction and reduced reoffending. However services were concerned that disjointed oversight arrangements, inaccessible reporting functionality and lack of ongoing investment in the system threatened the tool’s sustainability, and risked diluting the FRAME practice principles which are embedded in the approach. • Building a robust evidence base for the effectiveness of community sentences will require access to broader and richer data than can be provided by justice services alone. Combining re-conviction data with unit-level data in the national justice dataset would allow for a much more meaningful understanding of the impact and outcomes of community sentences. At present, there is no mandate or framework to support this and services and stakeholders lack clarity about who has the responsibility or resources to address these gaps nationally. 6 National Care Service: Justice Social Work research, p34 Page 314 of 336
Page 319
Page 33 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation APPENDICES Appendix 1 - Quality Improvement Framework The Care Inspectorate team use this model to reach conclusions on the quality and effectiveness of justice social work services. This review focused specifically on Quality Indicator 6.4 – Performance Management and Quality Assurance. Page 315 of 336
Page 320
Page 34 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation The report summarises the overall findings of the review in relation to the adapted version of QI 6.47. 7 Quality Indicator 6.4 – Performance management and quality assurance Page 316 of 336
Page 321
Page 35 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Page 317 of 336
Page 322
Page 36 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Appendix 2 - The terms we use in this report Assurance – processes for ensuring the quality and effectiveness of services. Case Management Plan – risk and needs are actively addressed through a case management plan of intervention in which the person actively participates. Any strengths identified by the assessment process (using LS/CMI) should be promoted within the plan. Community Justice Scotland – Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) with statutory responsibilities to promote, support and improve the provision of services by community justice partners, in line with the National Strategy for Community Justice. Community Payback Order (CPO)– a type of community sentence available to courts in Scotland. CPOs are supervised by justice social work services in accordance with Community Payback Order Practice Guidance. Culture – organisational culture – refers to values, beliefs, behaviours and norms shared by all members of an organisation or service. Data – a collection of statistical information that conveys quantity, quality or other units of meaning. Desistance - the process by which people who have engaged in a pattern of criminal or antisocial behaviour cease or reduce their involvement in offending behaviour. Focus group - a qualitative research method where a small group of people discuss a topic guided by a moderator. FRAME – Framework for Risk Assessment, Management and Evaluation (FRAME): a framework developed in partnership with justice agencies which aims to develop a consistent and evidence-based approach to risk assessment and management. Framework – a structured approach to monitor and improve efficiency and effectiveness. Governance - a system that provides a framework for managing organisations. It identifies who can make decisions, who has the authority to act on behalf of the organisation and who is accountable for how an organisation and its people behave and perform. HSCP - integrated arrangements for health and social care across Scotland. All partnerships are responsible for adult social care, adult primary health care and unscheduled adult hospital care. Some are also responsible for children's services, homelessness, and justice social work services. Information Management System - a software solution designed to help social work services manage and record case information, ensure compliance with regulations, improve communication, and enhance the delivery of social services. Common examples include Liquidlogic, Mosaic, and CareFirst. Indicator – specific and measurable standard used to assess performance, quality or effectiveness. Page 318 of 336
Page 323
Page 37 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Justice social work – local authority statutory justice social work services. Previous Care Inspectorate reports refer to justice services. Terminology varies across the 32 local authorities including justice social work services and community-based justice social work, to distinguish from prison-based social work. Justice Outcome Star - The Outcomes Star is an evidence-based tool for both supporting and measuring change. The Justice Star is designed for use with people serving a sentence, approaching release from prison or in the community. Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI) - a comprehensive risk/need assessment and management planning method for general offending. In Scotland, the approach has been developed to combine the robustness of an actuarial approach with an evaluation of the pattern, nature, seriousness, and likelihood of offending. The LS/CMI system supports the input of data. Lived experience - knowledge and understanding gained through direct, first-hand, and personal experiences, rather than through second-hand accounts or theoretical knowledge. MAPPA - Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements established to manage the risk posed by registered sexual offenders and other individuals who pose a serious risk of harm to people and communities. National Outcomes and Standards (NOS) – Known formally as National Outcomes and Standards for Social Work Services in the Criminal Justice System – they provide detailed Scottish Government quality assurance guidance for justice social work services. National Social Work Agency - The Scottish Government plans to establish a National Social Work Agency as part of the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill, aimed at improving social care support and workforce standards across Scotland. Other Activity - as part of a community payback order unpaid work requirement, a person can use a small proportion of their hours to undertake activities to help with the development of skills to support long-term desistance from offending. Outcome – the result or the effect of an action, an intervention or a specific situation or set of circumstances. Used in this report’s context to refer to impact on people, communities or the justice system. Outcome tools – tools used to assess the effectiveness of interventions or programmes by tracking changes in a person's health, well-being, behaviour or functioning over time. Key Performance Indicator – specific quantitative measures that evaluate performance. Quality assurance – a systematic process that ensures services meet or exceed established quality standards. Quality measures – measures by which services assess and quantify the effectiveness and impact of interventions and services. They typically focus on outcomes, processes, and organisational structures to ensure high-quality support. Page 319 of 336
Page 324
Page 38 of 38 Justice social work self-evaluation Risk Management Authority – A Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) providing expertise in risk assessment and risk management for the justice system in Scotland. Scottish Government Annual Aggregate Return – justice social work statistical return relating to various aspects of justice social work Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services – Justice Analytical Services within Scottish Government has multi-disciplinary analytical teams which include statisticians, social researchers, economists, operational researchers and performance analysts. The teams provide statistics and research support relating to a range of policy areas including police and community safety, court affairs and people accused or convicted of offences, victims, prisons and matters relating to civil and international law. Scottish Government Unit Returns – Justice social work annual statistical returns collection unit level data on CPOs and Drug Treatment and Testing Orders only. Self-evaluation – process of self-assessing, and monitoring performance and abilities. Serious Incident Reviews (SIRs) - are undertaken by local authority justice social work services when someone subject to statutory supervision has caused or been subject to serious harm. SIRs are submitted to the Care Inspectorate to evaluate the quality of the local authority’s review of the supervision of the person involved. Social Work Scotland (SWS) – social work professional leadership body for the social work and social care professions. Statutory reviews – National Outcomes and Standards determine that case management plans should be reviewed by the social work service and, where necessary, revised at regular intervals during the period of statutory supervision. Trauma-informed practice - a strengths-based approach grounded in an understanding of, and responsiveness to, the impact of trauma, that emphasises physical, psychological, and emotional safety for everyone, and that creates opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment. Validation – process of checking or proving validity or accuracy. Page 320 of 336
Page 325
Headquarters Care Inspectorate Compass House 11 Riverside Drive Dundee DD1 4NY Tel: 01382 207100 Fax: 01382 207289 Website: www.careinspectorate.com This publication is available in alternative formats on request. © Care Inspectorate 2025 I Published by: Communications I COMMS-0425-553 @careinspect careinspectorate Page 321 of 336
Page 326
Page 322 of 336
Page 327
___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19th August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Community Funding Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 A report is submitted to the Communities and Housing Policy Board each cycle which sets out officer recommendations in relation to a number of specific community funding mechanisms including the Sustainable Communities Fund and the Villages Investment Fund. An officer panel meets on a monthly basis to assess applications received in advance of this report being submitted. 1.2 As Elected Members will be aware, the guidance for both the Sustainable Communities Fund and Villages Investment Fund was updated over the winter period, and formally approved by the Leadership Board on 19 February 2025. Applications for both funds have since relaunched and are considered in line with the refreshed guidance and processes. 1.3 Recommendations relating to these applications are set out in sections 4 and 5 for Elected Member consideration and summarised within Appendix 1 of this report. 1.4 Regular reports in relation to community funding applications will continue to be developed and submitted to the board for consideration. The next update to board will also include an update on some of the projects that have been funded through projects supported through these funding routes. 2. Recommendations Item 14 CHPB190825 Page 323 of 336
Page 328
2.1 It is recommended that members of the Board: Approve the recommendations detailed in Sections 4 and 5 and summarised in Appendix 1 and 2 of this report, in relation to applications received to the Sustainable Communities Fund and Villages Investment Fund. 3. Background 3.1 To strengthen monitoring and oversight of funding recommendations made in relation to a number of specific Council funding streams, the Policy and Partnerships service now submits a community funding paper to each cycle of the Communities and Housing Board. This includes recommendations from officers in relation to funding awards through the Greenspaces Fund, Villages Investment Fund and the Sustainable Communities Fund. This has been supported by the establishment and development of a cross-service officer panel which provides corporate oversight of grant applications in advance of making recommendations for elected members to consider. 3.2 On 19 February 2025, revised guidance for both the Sustainable Communities Fund and Villages Investment Fund was approved by the Leadership Board, and the funds were then reopened for applications, following the temporary pause that was introduced whilst the guidance was being reviewed. 3.3 Initial feedback from the reviewed guidance indicates that it provides more clarity for applicants when applying, and officers when assessing applications. Feedback has been received about the flexibility of the new guidance, particularly relating to groups seeking to make multiple applications to the fund over its life. Officers will continue to assess the effectiveness of the revised guidance, reviewing this after one year of operation. 3.4 The officer panel met during June and July 2025 to consider applications in relation to both the Sustainable Communities Fund and Villages Investment Fund with key recommendations set out in Sections 4 and 5 of this report. The officer panel now meets on a monthly basis. 4 Sustainable Communities Fund – Recommendations 4.1 The aim of the Sustainable Communities Fund is to support infrastructure and place-based projects across all areas of Renfrewshire which improve the lives of local people and build resilient communities. 4.2 In line with the revised guidance approved by the Leadership Board in February 2025, the Sustainable Communities Fund uses a tiered funding Page 324 of 336
Page 329
model to reflect different-sized community projects as well as the varying levels of support required at different stages of development as follows: Level of funding Overview Applications up to £9,999 Applications for both capital and revenue funding aimed at enabling small community projects to be undertaken, for example, the purchase of small pieces of equipment, community engagement initiatives, volunteer development programmes. Applications between £10,000 and £24,999 Applications for both capital and revenue funding focused primarily on costs to enhance community infrastructure, for example, feasibility studies, business/project plans for community asset transfer, and project management costs. Applications above £25,000 up to a max of £100,000 applications invited for capital costs only aimed at supporting communities that aspire to take ownership or redevelop land or buildings in their local communities. 4.3 A cross service officer panel met in June and July 2024 to assess 3 applications against the refreshed guidance. 4.4 In summary the panel recommends that: Approve an award of £33,100 to Linwood War Memorial Group to develop the community gardens of the memorial space. This award will allow the Linwood War Memorial Group to develop the community gardens of the memorial space. The funding award will allow them to clear all the fly tipping waste from the site and complete a grounds condition survey. The funding will also support the removal of dead and dying trees along with overgrown ivy, which are currently restricting the ecological potential of the area. This clearance work will enable the group to begin redeveloping the site with a focus on improving biodiversity, allowing native species to re-establish and will enhance the overall environmental value of the community garden space. This project will establish the first community garden in Linwood, providing a safe, accessible, and inclusive space for residents. A dedicated wildlife area will enhance local biodiversity and support educational use, particularly horticulture and ecology lessons, delivered in partnership with the group’s ecologist and involving all schools in the area. Extensive community engagement has been carried out with local schools and community groups. Each school will have an allocated growing space Page 325 of 336
Page 330
within the gardens, and students will contribute to the design of the Obelisk and entrance archway through a schools’ competition. Improvement works will be delivered by local contractors, supporting the local economy. Contractors and suppliers will also be encouraged to offer knowledge exchange and work placement opportunities for schools and community groups. The group have been very successful in developing a range of partnerships which are supporting the development of the project. The group have been successful with their own fundraising efforts accruing approximately £70k, with £32k of work secured in-kind. The group have also secured many sponsors for various aspects of the project, which will contribute to the overall costs of the delivery of the project. 4.5 It is further recommended that: the application from the Life Church be deferred to allow for further exploration of alternative funding streams, specifically town centre funding recently allocated through the Council’s budget earlier in 2025. the application from Friends of Barshaw Park be deferred to allow for further development of the proposal to take account of recent report from a structural engineer. 4.6 The Sustainable Communities Fund currently has £450,877 of funding available for future allocation (£300,380 capital and £150,497 revenue). This does not include the recommendations detailed within this report. A small number of applications are in the pipeline for review by the officer panel, and recommendations will be brought to board as we move forward. 5. Villages Investment Fund 5.1 The Villages Investment Fund supports investment in infrastructure and place- based projects supporting and strengthening the identity, heritage, uniqueness and integrity of villages across Renfrewshire. Supported projects are required to demonstrate tangible outcomes for our communities. 5.2 In line with the guidance, projects should have a core focus on: Making physical and environmental improvements to villages across Renfrewshire Promoting sustainable community use of spaces across villages Increasing levels of external funding being attracted into Renfrewshire to develop spaces and infrastructure across villages Encouraging the development of new partnerships across villages Page 326 of 336
Page 331
5.3 Seven applications have been considered by the officer panel since the last Board in May 2025. In summary the panel recommends that the following awards are approved: Approve an award of £25,000 to the Houston Old School Trust for improvements to the Carrick Centre (£25,000) The Trust is seeking to ensure the Carrick Centre’s appeal to local groups, organisations and clubs continues by offering access to warm, welcoming spaces for their many community projects. The Trust will install a range of physical improvements to the building to improve energy efficiency as identified in recommendations from a recent carbon baseline report. These will be focussed in the two rooms most heavily used by the community to improve usage and experience of the spaces. Approve an award of £4,150 to Howwood Community Council for new local trail notice boards and planters Approve an award of £5,000 to Inchinnan Community Council for the final phase of their Christmas lights project Approve an award of £3,000 to Bishopton Community Development Trust to facilitate the dredging of Holmpark culvert Approve a partial award of £1,600 to Kilbarchan Community Council to install a further two defibrillators in Kilbarchan 5.4 It is further recommended that the application from LEAP is deferred to allow for further information to be gathered on the proposal, and the application from Inchinnan Development Trust for the removal of trees is not awarded. 5.5 During this funding cycle one further application has been approved through the delegated authority process. Inchinnan Development Trust received £2,000 to pay legal fees incurred through the transfer of land to the Trust at the old Beardmore Cottages site in the village. 5.6 £240,955 remains available to support future applications made through the Villages Investment Fund, which is broadly split 60% capital 40% revenue. This does not include the recommendations detailed within this report. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – the paper sets out recommendations relating to funding awards within the body of the report and at Appendix 1. Page 327 of 336
Page 332
2. HR & Organisational Development – none. 3. Community/Council Planning – community funding supports engagement and collaboration with local communities on a range of activities which align with the new Council Plan 2022-2027; Our Renfrewshire Community Plan and/or Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero. 4. Legal - none. 5. Property/Assets – there are a number of applicants to this fund seeking to pursue community asset transfers, and where there are relevant property or asset issues these are covered as part of discussions at the officer panel. 6. Information Technology – none. 7. Equality and Human Rights – the Recommendations included within this report are considered to have a positive impact on equality and human rights. The fund continues to attract applicants seeking to make community assets more accessible for communities, for example in this round there are recommended awards to support disabled access and facilities in community venues, dedicated projects for older people, as well as a number of projects seeking to address poverty and socio- economic disadvantage faced within some local communities. 8. Health and Safety – none. 9. Procurement – none. 10. Risk – none. 11. Privacy Impact – none. 12. Climate Risk – the Sustainable Communities Fund aligns with the themes within Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero and the delivery of relevant projects will assist the local response to the climate emergency. 13. Childrens Rights – while there are no specific children’s rights implications associated with the recommendations, there are applications in the pipeline which seek to widen opportunities for children and young people to actively participate within their communities. 15. COSLA Policy Position – none. Appendix 1: Summary of applications with Officers recommendations ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers: Sustainable Communities Fund Guidance Author: Laura McIntyre, Head of Policy and Partnerships Page 328 of 336
Page 333
Appendix 1 – Sustainable Communities Fund APPLICATIONS RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD Name of organisation Project description Tier Grant Application Amount Recommended Award Comments Linwood War Memorial Group The Linwood War Memorial Group aims to create a living memorial space to the 142 people from Linwood who gave their lives in war and conflict. The group are applying for money to develop the gardens of the memorial space. The gardens will provide a safe and relaxing space to visit – there are no community gardens in Linwood. The wildlife area will provide a safe, accessible space for school use for the purposes of horticulture and ecology lessons, while improving the biodiversity of the area. The community will benefit from improving an area of neglect, derelict since 1966 and used for fly- tipping. It is overgrown and unsafe. The group are seeking to contract to local businesses to benefit the local economy and their supply chain will be asked to support local schools and community groups through sharing knowledge and providing opportunities such as work placements. Large £33,100 £33,100 APPLICATIONS DEFERRED Page 329 of 336
Page 334
Name of organisation Project description Tier Grant Application Amount Recommended award Comments Life Church The Lighthouse Project aims to transform the 1929-30 Henry Wilson Art Deco building at Paisley Cross, Paisley, Scotland, into a vibrant community hub featuring a café and public worship space. The funding sought from the Sustainable Communities focus on repairs to roofing of this historic town centre building and making it wind and watertight. This will enable Phase 1 of the project, which will deliver a vibrant, accessible community café and meeting space on the ground floor. The benefact fund have written a letter of support for the project and suggest that they will match the £100k investment from the Council. The organisation also raised the funds themselves to purchase the Henry Wilson Art Deco building. Large £100,000 Defer It is noted that the group have been working with officers to provide all relevant information about this project. It is recommended this application is deferred in order to explore the potential of Town Centre Regeneration Funding to support this project. Friends of Barshaw Park The aim of the Garden Wall Project is to restore the yard behind the historic Walled Garden, ensuring the structural integrity of the wall and repurposing the space for meaningful use. The restored yard and buildings will create a vibrant, accessible space linked to the Walled Garden and Barshaw Park. Improved facilities will cater to diverse physical needs, fostering Large £49,945.80 Defer It is noted that officers have been working alongside the group on this project as it continues to develop. A structural engineer has reviewed the site, and this has now given the Group Page 330 of 336
Page 335
inclusivity and encouraging exploration. The Project is a response to clear and practical needs, rooted in volunteer and visitor feedback, as well as the structural requirements of the garden. The total project cost is estimated at around £150,000, the group have broken it down into more manageable phases. Phase one is focused purely on securing and making the buildings watertight, as well as ensuring the perimeter of the site is safe. The long-term goal is a Community Asset Transfer (CAT) for permanent community ownership. This will empower locals to shape its future, ensure sustainability, and unlock funding opportunities for continued development. a steer on what needs done with regards to structure of buildings. It is recommended that this application is deferred to allow for further consideration of the implications of this work. Appendix 2 – Villages Improvement Fund APPLICATIONS RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD Name of organisation Project description Tier Grant Application Amount Recommended Award Comments Houston Old School Trust (trading as The Carrick Centre) Carrick Centre Essential Maintenance The Trust seeking to replace the windows of the listed building in these rooms used by local community groups and organisations. Large £25,000 £25,000, subject to appropriate planning consents The premises is a B listed building, and although improvements are internal it is recommended that the group engage with Page 331 of 336
Page 336
The Trust will install a range of physical improvements to the building to improve energy efficiency as identified in a recent carbon baseline report. These will be focussed in the two rooms most heavily used by the community to improve usage and experience of the spaces. It is noted that the group have raised funds from other sources to contribute to this project. planning regarding any relevant consents. For this reason, the award is subject to engagement with planning. Howwood Community Council Replacement Wayfinding Board and Planter Project The community notice board outside Howwood Village Hall details local scenic walks in and around the village as well as the popular link to Semple Trail and National Cycle Route 7. The Notice Board was damaged by Storm Eowyn earlier in the year. The group are seeking to replace this as well as install 2 large planters onsite to increase the appeal of the area. Local volunteers will maintain the planters, ensuring they are attractive and welcoming for visitors to the Village Hall. Small £4,150 £4,150 Inchinnan Community Council Christmas Lights Inchinnan CC received funding in 2024 for Phase 1 of their Christmas Lights project. The village lights were very well received however it was agreed a second phase would bring into line Inchinnan’s offering with other villages. Small £5,000 £5,000 It was noted IDT have had the relevant discussions with Environment, Housing and Infrastructure who have approved the installation. Page 332 of 336
Page 337
Bishopton Community Development Trust Dredging of Holmpark Culvert The Trust seek to lower the depth of the silt to facilitate flow to the new culvert under the community centre carpark. This will improve the drainage, lowering the water table on Churchill Drive and Castle Crescent as well as present a more available Holm Park field for use by the community. The Trust arranged for the installation of the new culvert as a first step to these improvements. Small £3,000 £3,000 Kilbarchan Community Council Village Defibrillator Project The Community Council have identified 3 areas across Kilbarchan to offer a good chance of supply where demand for a defibrillator is required. The Community Council will promote the areas the equipment is installed to ensure local people are aware and know how to use them. This will offer residents a greater sense of safety. Small £3,800 £1,600 It was noted that there are already a number of defibrillators within Kilbarchan. It is proposed that a partial award is made to support installation of an additional two defibrillators. APPLICATIONS DEFERRED Name of organisation Name of organisation Tier Grant Application Amount Recommended award Comments LEAP The Old Bank – Community Hub, Charity Shop & Events Space LEAP is seeking to creating a multi-use hub in the centre of their village. The purpose is to educate and advance environmental protection and Large £25,000 Defer It is recommended this application is deferred for further information from the group. Page 333 of 336
Page 338
sustainable practices, develop a thriving community though development and address mental health. The hub will generate an ongoing income for the group through launching a charity shop for furniture/clothes, offering a space for hire for local makers and workshops where local makers can also sell produce. This will also incorporate an online shop. LEAP will also hire out their event equipment, rent the kitchen to local vendors, and hire the halls . APPLICATIONS RECOMMENDED NOT TO APPROVE Name of organisation Project description Tier Grant Application Amount Recommended award Comments Inchinnan Development Trust Removal of trees IDT secured a Community Asset Transfer of the Teucheen Woods in 2021. A number of trees within the woodland, notably on the boundary area between newly constructed homes, were wilfully poisoned in 2023 and require to be removed. £7,650 Medium No award The panel considered this application not a fit with the criteria of the fund. Page 334 of 336
Page 339
Page 335 of 336
Page 340
Page 336 of 336