Agenda Document Pack - Communities and Housing Policy Board - 28/10/2025
Renfrewshire Council · 28 October 2025
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 28 October 2025 and its agenda
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21/10/2025 Notice of Meeting and Agenda Communities and Housing Policy Board Date Time Venue Tuesday, 28 October 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: Further Information This is a meeting which is open to members of the public. A copy of the agenda and reports for this meeting will be available for inspection prior to the meeting at the Customer Service Centre, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley and online at http://renfrewshire.cmis.uk.com/renfrewshire/CouncilandBoards.aspx For further information, please email democratic-services@renfrewshire.gov.uk Members of the Press and Public Members of the press and public wishing to attend the meeting should report to the customer service centre where they will be met and directed to the meeting. MARK CONAGHAN Head of Corporate Governance
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21/10/2025 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. Webcasting of Meeting This meeting will be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site – at the start of the meeting the Convener will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed. To find the webcast please navigate to https://renfrewshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home
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21/10/2025 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 Scrutiny Sub-committee Submit Minute of meeting of the Police and Fire & Rescue Scrutiny Sub- committee held on 19 August 2025. 2 General Services Revenue, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Capital Budget Monitoring as at 19 September 2025 Joint report by Director of Finance & Resources and Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 1 - 12 3 Service Update Report Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 13 - 24 4 Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure – Service Improvement Plan 2025/28 Mid-Year Monitoring Report Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 25 - 64 5 Environment, Housing and Infrastructure (EHI) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025/28: Mid-year (6 month) Update Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 65 - 76 6 Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026/31 Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 77 - 122 7 Local Housing Strategy 2023/28 – Year Two (2024/25) Progress Update Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 123 - 156
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21/10/2025 8 Social Housing Charter Performance: 2025/26 Half Year Update Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 157 - 166 9 Housing Landlord Compliance – Bi-annual Performance Report Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 167 - 186 10 Homelessness update Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 187 - 196 11 Housing Asset Management Strategy Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 197 - 246 12 Housing Landlord Compliance – Asbestos Management Policy Report by Director of Environment, Housing& Infrastructure. 247 - 260 13 Building at Blackstoun Road, Paisley, PA3 1NB Report by Chief Executive. 261 - 264 14 Allocation of property to staff, elected member or committee members: Housing Rule 2.5 Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 265 - 268 15 Housing (Scotland) Act 1987- Representation in Respect of a House Failing to Meet the Tolerable Standard Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 269 - 276 16 Environmental Health Business Regulation Service Plan 2025/26 Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 277 - 318 17 Prevent Multi Agency Panel Revised Guidance – Protecting people susceptible to radicalisation Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 319 - 388 18 Community Funding Update Report by Chief Executive. 389 - 404
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21/10/2025 19 Connected Communities - Six Monthly Update Report by Chief Executive. 405 - 416 20 Community Justice Update and Annual Return 2024/25 Report by Director of Children's Services. 417 - 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 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 19 September 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 At the close of reporting Period 6 on 19 September 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) 5,167 5,167 0 0.0% Communities and Public Protection 4,910 4,910 0 0.0% Criminal Justice 5,192 5,192 0 0.0% Total 15,269 15,269 0 0.0% Item 2 CHPB281025 Page 1 of 450
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PUBLIC Revised Annual Budget £000 Projected Outturn £000 Budget Variance (Adv)/Fav £000 Budget Variance % Capital Housing Revenue Account (HRA) 46,546 46,546 0 0.0% Other Housing PSHG 1,100 1,100 0 0.0% Total 47,646 47,646 0 0.0% 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Notes the projected Revenue outturn break-even position. 2.2 Notes the projected Capital outturn break-even position. 2.3 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 overall 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 2 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 Delays to the ongoing staffing restructure has generated projected underspends within employee costs and under-recoveries in income targets. Overall, the service is projected to break even at year-end. 5. Subjective Analysis – Significant Variances GENERAL SERVICES (excluding HRA) 5.1 Employees – £0.388m underspend by 31 March 2026 Underspends within Communities and Public Protection are largely driven by an ongoing staffing restructure, alongside unfilled vacancies within the Criminal Justice Service. 5.2 Transfer Payments – (£0.73m) overspend by 31 March 2026 Minor overspends have been identified in payments within both Communities and Public Protection, and Community Learning and Development. These are being offset by underspends in employee costs across the wider service area. 5.3 Income – (£0.122m) under-recovery by 31 March 2026 The under-recovery in income within Communities and Public Protection is offset by underspends within employee costs in this section. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) 5.4 Premises Related costs – (£0.066m) 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 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. Page 3 of 450
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PUBLIC 5.5 Supplies and Services – £0.078m underspend by 31 March 2026 The underspend forecast is primarily attributable to minor underspends in a combination of expenditure lines including ICT services, consultancy fees, and telephony costs. 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 Board is asked to note the following virements to reflect this realignment of budgets within Housing General Services. Revenue Budget Adjustments for noting Objective Heading Subjective Heading Amount (£m) Reason Housing – General Services (Non-HRA) Employees 0.274 Grant Funding Received from Refugee Moving-On Fund Housing – General Services (Non-HRA) Transfer Payments 0.162 Adult Social Care Pay Award and Early Prisoner Release Funding Criminal Justice Payroll Third Party Payments Transfer Payments 1.524 0.035 0.016 Additional Funding out with Settlement. All Services Employees 0.388 Pay Award 2025/26 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 £47.646m. 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. Page 4 of 450
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PUBLIC Details of the £6.023m adjustment are as follows: Capital Budget Adjustments Project Amount (£m) Reason Improvements to Existing Properties (1.500) Reprofiling to 2026/27 due to revised timescales for completion of kitchen, boiler and rewiring programmes. Regeneration (4.790) Profiling to 2026/27 largely as a result of the Howwood Road Area new build housing project. Project delayed due to the Scottish Water Technical approval taking longer than anticipated. The local area suffers from historical surface water flooding; accordingly, the development has required complex assessment in order to demonstrate and ensure there will be betterment of water management in the local area by this development. Private Sector Housing Grant 0.267 Budget increase to reflect Private Housing Investment Programme 2025/26 approved on 13 May 2025. Total (6.023) 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. Page 5 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 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. Page 6 of 450
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PUBLIC 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. 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 7 of 450
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PUBLIC RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING STATEMENT 2025/26 1 April 2025 to 19 September 2025 POLICY BOARD: COMMUNITIES AND HOUSING - All SERVICES Objective Summary Annual Budget at Period 3 Budget Adjustments Revised Annual Budget at Period 6 Projected Outturn Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Previous Projected Outturn Variance Movement £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% 0 0 Housing - General Services (Not HRA) 4,653 514 5,167 5,167 0 0.0% 0 0 Communities and Public Protection (including Regulatory Services) 4,711 199 4,910 4,910 0 0.0% 0 0 Criminal Justice 3,477 1,715 5,192 5,192 0 0.0% 0 (0) NET EXPENDITURE 12,841 2,428 15,269 15,269 0 0.0% 0 (0) Page 8 of 450
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PUBLIC RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING STATEMENT 2025/26 1 April 2025 to 19 September 2025 POLICY BOARD : COMMUNITIES AND HOUSING - GENERAL SERVICES (excluding HRA) Subjective Summary Annual Budget at Period 3 Budget Adjustments Revised Annual Budget at Period 6 Projected Outturn Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Previous Projected Outturn Variance Movement £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Employees 11,406 1,893 13,299 12,911 388 2.9% 21 367 Premises Related 2,570 327 2,897 2,938 (41) (1.4%) (260) 219 Transport Related 210 15 225 263 (38) (16.9%) 6 (44) Supplies and Services 4,919 83 5,002 5,047 (45) (0.9%) 15 (60) Third Party Payments 87 35 122 169 (47) (38.5%) 0 (47) Transfer Payments 4,226 695 4,921 4,994 (73) (1.5%) (133) 60 Support Services 53 (1) 52 51 1 1.9% (2) 3 Depreciation and Impairment Losses 52 (75) (23) 0 (23) (100.0%) 0 (23) GROSS EXPENDITURE 23,523 2,972 26,495 26,373 122 0.5% (353) 475 Income -10,682 (544) (11,226) -11,104 (122) (1.1%) 353 (475) NET EXPENDITURE 12,841 2,428 15,269 15,269 0 0.0% 0 0 Page 9 of 450
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PUBLIC RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING STATEMENT 2025/26 1 April 2025 to 19 September 2025 POLICY BOARD : COMMUNITIES, HOUSING AND PLANNING SERVICES - Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Only Subjective Summary Annual Budget at Period 3 Budget Adjustments Revised Annual Budget at Period 6 Projected Outturn Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Previous Projected Outturn Variance Movement £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Employees 12,233 682 12,915 12,921 (6) 0.0% 365 (371) Premises Related 24,270 3,202 27,472 27,538 (66) (0.2%) (530) 464 Transport Related 54 0 54 58 (4) (7.4%) (5) 1 Supplies and Services 969 150 1,119 1,041 78 7.0% 14 64 Third Party Payments 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% 0 0 Transfer Payments 6,739 -2,333 4,406 4,406 0 0.0% 20 (20) Support Services 3,287 0 3,287 3,315 (28) (0.9%) 6 (34) Depreciation and Impairment Losses 18,205 1,267 19,472 19,464 8 0.0% 0 8 GROSS EXPENDITURE 65,757 2,968 68,725 68,743 (18) 0.0% (130) 112 Income -65,757 (2,968) (68,725) (68,743) 18 0.0% 130 (112) NET EXPENDITURE 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% 0 0 Page 10 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 23,677 (1,500) 22,177 22,177 0 0% 119,092 119,092 0 0% Regeneration 14,434 15,864 (4,790) 11,074 11,074 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 6,641 0 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 52,836 (6,290) 46,546 46,546 0 0% 350,163 350,163 0 0% HOUSING(PSHG) Private Sector Housing Grant 0 833 267 1,100 1,100 0 0% 4,700 4,700 0 0% Total Housing (PSHG) Programme 0 833 267 1,100 1,100 0 0% 4,700 4,700 0 0% TOTAL COMMUNITIES, HOUSING & PLANNING BOARD 57,731 53,669 (6,023) 47,646 47,646 0 0% 354,863 354,863 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 19th September 2025 POLICY BOARD: COMMUNITES & HOUSING Current Year 2025-26 Full Programme - All years Page 11 of 450
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PUBLIC ____________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 _________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure __________________________________________________________________ Heading: Service Update Report __________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report provides an overview of key service activities since the last Policy Board report on 19 August 2025 and an update on the services and key projects delivered during this period. __________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: - 2.1 Note the contents of this report. 2.2 Authorise the Head of Housing Services to accept Scottish Government grant funding of £800,000 from the Scottish Government’s Cladding Remediation Fund as set out in paragraph 3.4.17 of this report. 2.3 Authorise the Head of Housing Services to oversee the operational management and delivery of the project. Updates for Communities and Housing Policy Board 3. Housing Services 3.1 Housing Management Income Advice 3.1.1 Information from advice interviews at the end of September 2025 confirms that over 3,202 income advice cases involved households from Council tenancies this financial year. Item 3 CHPB281025 Page 13 of 450
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PUBLIC 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. 3.1.2 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. 3.1.3 In monetary terms this equates to £6,618,958 between April 2025 and September this year. 3.1.4 Between April 2025 and September 2025 there have been 106 tenants referred for Tenant Support Fund assessment, which have the added value of full income assessment and advice provision. Of the referrals 71 have engaged with Specialist Income Advisors and 60 have qualified for assistance from the fund. Anti-Social Behaviour App 3.1.5 A demonstration of the ASB app to elected members was held on 8th September and a recording of the session has been shared with all Elected Members. 3.1.6 An evaluation of the ASB app will be carried out early 2026. The evaluation will assess the app’s impact on service delivery, user experience and operational efficiency. 3.2 Housing Innovation Project (HIP) 3.2.1 The Housing Innovation Project to replace the housing management ICT systems remains on target to go live in April 2026 which encompasses Rents, Housing Applications/Allocations and Servicing. The Phase 1 workshops are now largely complete and other works over this period have included mail merging over 200 standard letters in NEC Housing, specifying and testing our financial interfaces such as housing benefit, and cash receipting/swipe cards, and also testing system integrations to Electronic Document Management (EDM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and bulk printing outlets. 3.2.2 We welcomed a new Training Workstream Lead to the Project in September. Initially the focus will be on provision of a training needs analysis (TNA) for each specific job role/system user. 3.2.3 Preparation for Phase 2 (commencing February 2026) of the project continues, and preparatory work undertaken to identify resource requirements; data migration; project timelines etc have been agreed. 3.3 Housing Support Services Housing Support and Refugee Resettlement Team 3.3.1 The ‘Opening Doors’ service was established in June 2025 to support vulnerable individuals at risk of homelessness or those struggling to maintain a tenancy - due to challenges linked to alcohol, drugs or gambling. Page 14 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.3.2 The service is delivered in partnership with the RCA Trust and provides practical help, including welfare checks, support to access benefits, tenancy management, budgeting, attendance at key appointments and referrals to wider statutory and voluntary services. 3.3.3 The service has already supported 23 individuals / families to stabilise their housing situation, access wraparound care and achieve personal goals. 3.3.4 Early positive outcomes include a pending eviction being cancelled, helping a mother and child move into appropriate housing, and supporting individuals in recovery to thrive within supported accommodation before then moving on to a settled tenancy. Office Space 3.3.5 Additional office space and meeting rooms for the Refugee Resettlement team and Housing Support service is now being provided at George Street in Paisley, which reflects the additional resources and expanding roles within the teams and will help with the delivery of the broader provision of advice, support and well-being- based activities for service users. Sheltered Housing 3.3.6 Our sheltered housing service continues to promote independent living while addressing tenants individual support needs and encouraging active, healthy lifestyles. 3.3.7 In September 2025, the core team of 11 Sheltered Housing Officers carried out over 5,000 ‘welfare’ checks for our 284 tenants. Alongside this, work with tenants, families and stakeholders is progressing on a “Kindness Statement” to promote wellbeing, reduce stress and anxiety and strengthen the feeling of inclusion within the communal living setting. 3.3.8 Tackling loneliness remains a key priority across the 10 sheltered complexes. A programme of meaningful activities, including parties and theatre trips was delivered throughout the summer, and our autumn/ winter programme already underway. 3.3.9 Digital Notice Boards have been introduced at two larger complexes, and early feedback has been positive, highlighting improved communication, tenant engagement, and accessibility. 3.3.10 Our in-house Befriending Service continues to support tenants who do not have family or friends, and a joint initiative with St. Mirren Football Club - Buddy Big Scran - has resumed for the winter months. This brings older people from across Renfrewshire together for a hot meal, games and social interaction, helping to strengthen social connections and reduce the risk of feelings of isolation. Page 15 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.4 Housing Asset and Investment External Improvement Works 3.4.1 Investment works are progressing across several key areas: • Johnstone Castle, Foxbar, and the Villages (Lochwinnoch and Bridge of Weir) continue to benefit from ongoing external improvement works. • External block refurbishments have commenced in Auchentorlie and Howard Street regeneration areas. • A window replacement programme is actively underway in: o Auchentorlie o Howard Street o Waverley Road (Foxbar) o With plans to begin in Howwood Road within the next eight weeks. Gallowhill and Glencairn Courts – Ground Source Heating 3.4.2 The Council’s appointed contractor has commenced groundwork borehole drilling in the car park area, as the first phase of the installation of ground source heating. Tenants are being kept updated on the project through regular newsletters and staff from both the Council and the contractor are available to respond to any individual enquiries tenants may have. Internal Improvement Works 3.4.3 The Council’s appointed contractor has completed 75 installations to date. These include: • Kitchen, Bathroom & Rewire (KBR) – 13 • KBR + Heating – 5 • Kitchen & Bathroom – 6 • Kitchen, Bathroom + Heating – 3 • Kitchen + Heating – 5 • Kitchen only – 34 • Bathroom only – 3 • Kitchen & Rewire – 6 3.4.4 The performance of the appointed contractor has been below expected standards with outputs falling short of those expected. Efforts have been made by Housing Services to bring about improvements in the contractor’s performance, however, these have proved unsuccessful. The contract ended on 30th September 2025. Options for the delivery of works to the remaining properties where works have yet to be carried out are currently being considered with a view to minimising delays as far as is practicably possible. 3.4.5 Building Services have commenced their programme of kitchen and boiler installations, and, to date, 6 kitchens and 39 boilers have been completed. 3.4.6 Tender evaluation is underway for a larger contract to deliver approximately 3,200 kitchens, bathrooms and rewire installations over the next four years. Page 16 of 450
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PUBLIC Stock Condition Survey Programme 3.4.7 Stock condition surveys are being carried out to meet the Scottish Housing Regulator’s requirements for review every five years and to validate our SHQS compliance rates. Whilst the surveys to date have had little impact on overall SHQS compliance rates, the overall accuracy of data held on condition of individual blocks and properties has been improved. This helps to define the future investment requirements and informs our business plan. Year 1 3.4.8 The number of stock condition surveys and Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) completed in Year 1 are as follows: External Surveys 4086 740 Common Blocks surveyed covering 3398 units, plus 688 Houses/Bungalows Internal Surveys 2101 EPCs 1384 Completed for properties with no valid EPC or where due within 2 years. 3.4.9 The data from year 1 surveys has been interfaced into our asset management database system Apex and analysed. For external building condition, the main areas of change to data held in Apex are in relation to the condition of communal doors, door entry systems and communal windows. 3.4.10 Internally it’s a similar pattern with some changes to data for kitchens, bathrooms, heating, smoke and heat detection. Any identification of specific repairs from the surveys, including the identification of mould, will be followed up by our repairs team. 3.4.11 Surveyors are also conducting energy surveys to update EPCs where there is no valid EPC or where there are less than 2 years validity remaining. Year 2 3.4.12 The stock condition survey is now in Year 2 of a 5-year programme, focusing on Paisley and Renfrew across two phases: • Phase 1: Completed (June – September) • Phase 2: Scheduled (October – December) 3.4.13 Year 2 data will be integrated into our asset management system (Apex) to update the SHQS score for the next ARC return. 3.4.14 Whilst access for external surveys is close to 100%, access rates for internal surveys remain lower than expected at around 50% (target: 67%), despite tenant notifications and follow-up calling cards. Surveyors attempt access three times before marking a property as ‘no access’. Optional Years 4 and 5 will allow revisits to be made for these properties. Page 17 of 450
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PUBLIC Single Building Assessments 3.4.15 The Scottish Government has developed a Single Building Assessment (SBA) survey. SBAs are a comprehensive, whole-building safety evaluation, for multi- residential buildings in Scotland with external cladding, to assess risks to human life from the building's external wall system and any necessary remediation work. This standardised assessment evaluates the entire building's fire safety, including internal measures, and structural soundness, providing a consistent report to determine what work is needed to reduce any safety concerns to an acceptable level. 3.4.16 SBAs are required to be undertaken by suitably qualified individuals, such as chartered fire engineers, chartered building surveyors or structural engineers, and require to be peer reviewed. Only a small number of consultants have been assessed as being competent by the Scottish Government to carry out SBAs. 3.4.17 The Council has been notified it will be awarded funding of up to £800,000 plus a possible additional 7% for reasonable costs incurred, from the Scottish Government’s Cladding Remediation Programme to conduct Single Building Assessments of each of its 14 multi storey blocks plus two other blocks which are over 11 metres in height. 3.4.18 The first two SBAs will be undertaken at Nethercraigs Court and Gleniffer Court. This will allow the Council to complete two reviews early and provide opportunities for any lessons learned before initiating the main contract for the remaining blocks. It is anticipated that each SBA will take around 8-12 weeks to complete. 3.4.19 Whilst the funding is solely for the SBA surveys to be carried out, the Scottish Government has provided another fund for any high risk remedials that may be identified and need urgently rectified, which the Council can access. A second open call of funding for all remedial actions from an SBA, has been proposed by the Scottish Government and it has been confirmed that social landlords will be able to apply. We await further details. 3.4.20 The Board is asked to authorise the Head of Housing Services to accept grant funding of £800,000 from the Scottish Government’s Cladding Remediation Programme and authorise the Head of Housing Services to oversee the delivery and operational management of the project. Renfrewshire Private Landlord Forum 3.4.21 Housing Services with assistance from Council Licensing (Landlord Registration team) will host an annual event for registered private landlords in Renfrewshire on the 29 October in Renfrew Town Hall. 3.4.22 This event provides an opportunity for landlords to receive updates from both the Council and partner organisations who also provide training opportunities and information throughout the year. 3.4.23 The event will include updates on the proposed new Housing Bill and new energy efficiency standards affecting the private rented sector; the Council Housing investment programme; training opportunities for landlords available through Landlord Accreditation Scotland and general information updates from Under One Roof on tenement repairs and working with other owners. Page 18 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.5 Regeneration and Development Update Housing-Led Regeneration and Renewal 3.5.1 Owner acquisitions continue to progress well across each of the areas where acquisition is necessary to allow demolition to take place. 64 of the 89 privately owned properties identified for demolition are now within Council ownership and a further 13 owners have agreed to the sale of their properties. 3.5.2 Tenant rehousing continues on a phased basis and has allowed several phases of demolition of vacant blocks to progress in line with the delivery strategy. 3.5.3 As detailed in section 3.4 above, the window installation programme is underway in several regeneration areas and external works are being progressed on site at Auchentorlie and Howard Street areas at this time. 3.5.4 Several neighbourhood pop up events have taken place in the Auchentorlie and Howard Street areas and further events are being planned for late October for the Howwood Road area and mid-November in the Waverley Road areas before officers reach out to tenants and residents in each of the other regeneration areas in line with the project delivery timeline. Participatory Budgeting – Tenants Decide 3.5.5 Officers from the Housing and Chief Executive’s services have been working with the tenant scrutiny panel and COSLA to develop our participatory budgeting (PB) approach including a new online PB platform that will be used to assist in the delivery of the Tenants Decide Fund. Elected member and staff briefing sessions took place throughout October in advance of the project launch events being planned for early November. 3.5.6 The total allocation for the 3-year Tenants Decide project is £600,000. The initial funding allocation for year one (2025/26) is £150,000 which will be split equally across the four local housing area teams to encourage participation and project delivery across Renfrewshire. Further updates will be provided to the Communities and Housing Policy Board as this initiative develops. 4 Public Protection 4.1 Environmental Health Local Authority Food Law Enforcement Actions Audit 4.1.1 Renfrewshire Council was selected for a Local Authority Food Law Enforcement Actions Audit by Food Standards Scotland. The audit aim was to assess and verify the arrangements in place to ensure the adequate and effective delivery of Official Controls (regulatory activities carried out to ensure food businesses comply with food safety, hygiene, and animal welfare laws) in Local Authority enforced establishments. They included verifying that official controls are carried out in compliance with planned arrangements and assess whether these are suitable to achieve the objectives of the relevant legislation. Page 19 of 450
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PUBLIC The audit took place between July and September; reviewing management systems, documented policies and procedures, enforcement procedures, Officer authorisation and competency (qualifications, training & experience), the Food Enforcement Database, and legal notices issued. The results of the audit were positive, noting that enforcement taken by the Service was appropriate and effective. Some discrepancies between information on the Scottish National Database and our internal database were noted (primarily due to uploading issues) and these are being investigated. Food Standards Scotland also noted innovative working methods including electronic file storage, use of tablets, emailing inspection reports and use of Power BI to facilitate data- driven decision-making and improve efficiency. It was noted that staff were qualified and appropriately trained, and work to improve staffing levels within the Service are ongoing. Health and Safety Interventions 4.1.2 As part of ongoing efforts to protect health and improve safety standards within the catering industry, Officers are undertaking targeted interventions to address two significant risks: 4.1.3 Carbon Monoxide poisoning where risks arise from the use of solid fuels in environments with inadequate ventilation, as well as from gas systems that are either faulty or poorly installed. In both cases, insufficient ventilation can lead to the accumulation of carbon monoxide, posing serious health risks to staff. 4.1.4 Explosion Risks from LPG Cylinders. A growing number of businesses are opting to use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders as a cost-effective alternative to mains gas. However, examples have been identified where they have been either incorrectly installed or used to supply appliances which are not designed for LPG. 4.1.5 Where risks from carbon monoxide or LPG cylinders are identified, appropriate enforcement action is taken to remove these risks. Recruitment 4.1.6 The Public Protection service is currently completing a phase of recruitment to bring in three new Technical Officers who will support the Environmental Health team. In addition, there is also a trainee Environmental Health Officer and a trainee Food Safety Officer working toward professional qualifications. The service has recently taken on a third-year Environmental Health student from the University of the West of Scotland, currently undertaking their placement year with the Council. The student will return to full-time study to complete their Honours degree in September 2026, before rejoining the service in summer 2027 to complete their practical training and sit their professional exams to qualify as an Environmental Health Officer. 4.1.7 The service continues to review recruitment (and development) opportunities for professional staff within the challenges faced by both Environmental Health and Trading Standards to successfully recruit into these professions. Page 20 of 450
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PUBLIC 4.2 Trading Standards 4.2.1 Following a small number of consumer complaints, Officers from Trading Standards have taken action to remove suspected counterfeit “Labubu” toys and fashion items from sale in retail shops across Renfrewshire. Around 150 items have been recovered so far, including dolls, plushies, keyrings and phone cases. These items are tending to be sold outwith the normal outlets for toys, such as newsagents, corner shops or other standalone retail outlets. While these items breach the intellectual property rights on the brand holder, PopMart, they also pose a significant safety risk to end users who are primarily children. Items have been found to breach toy safety requirements as to markings and labellings as well as choking hazards, or fire safety risks. 4.2.2 Formal warning letters have been issued to premises found to be supplying these items, who have also been provided detailed business advice on compliance. Premises will be monitored to ensure they remain compliant – particularly in the approach to Christmas. 4.2.3 Colleagues in Communications worked with the Team to create a “reel” to raise awareness of the risks of these products, and this has been shared across social media platforms to ensure our citizens are better informed to make safe purchasing choices. 5 Connected Communities Service Update 5.1.1 Information in terms of Community Learning and Development provision is reported in each of these service updates as elected members will be aware. Every 6 months, the service provides a standalone paper on the agenda for consideration by members which summarises the key activities being progressed by our local teams. The most recent 6 monthly update is therefore provided as a separate item on the Board’s agenda and provides a more detailed summary of the work of the Connected Communities Service. 6 Justice Social Work Update 6.1.1 On 8 September the Scottish Government advised local authorities on changes to the national funding formula for Justice Social Work Section 27 ring fenced grant funding to be introduced from 1 April 2026. For Renfrewshire, based on previous activity information, this has indicated a potential reduction of 3.2% (approximately £140,000). The new formula calculates share according to the amount of crime in the area (85.2%), the population (12.2%) and how rural the area is (2.6%). It is indicated that the data that informs the formula will be updated annually, and the funding should be allocated accordingly. Although any potential reduction in funding will provide its challenges, if it does fall to the indicated level, it can be managed without any critical impact on any particular part of the service. 6.1.2 Justice Social Work (JSW) continues to progress well in terms of supporting national justice priorities and meeting trends of growing demand. This was reflected in the Chief Social Work Officer’s report which was presented at the Council Board on 25 September. For example, in comparison to the preceding year in 2024 /25 diversion from prosecution cases rose by 44%, bail supervision cases rose fivefold and the number of same day reports for Court rose by 62%. The service completed 869 Justice Social Work Reports (background reports for sentencers) in 2024/25 which was 19 more than last year and a 24% increase compared to 2022/23. Page 21 of 450
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PUBLIC There was also a 16% increase for new Community Payback Orders with 522 made in 2024/25, compared to 450 the previous year. 372 of these Orders included an unpaid work and other activity requirement, again a sizeable increase from 338 the previous year. This tangible increase in community-based sentences and activities clearly evidences Renfrewshire’s active commitment to delivering on the national community justice “Vision for Scotland” to shift the balance between the use of custody and justice in the community, where it is safe to do so. 6.1.3 The last Communities and Housing Policy Board was advised of JSW improvement framework now being in place to support areas of quality assurance and improvement. This framework is continuing to strengthen its approach to effective practice. A key priority is developing our workforce. Over the last few months, a Professional Supervision and Development Policy has been implemented across JSW, aligning with the approach in both children and adult social work. As well as providing structured workload and professional supervision to employees it also provides and in-depth quality assurance of casework professional standards, competencies and workloads. The supervision policy has also been recently complemented by a new, comprehensive induction pack for new employees joining Renfrewshire Council’s JSW. Work to establish a specific learning and development pathway for JSW is also well underway. In terms of other quality assurance activity a peer led practice review, via a case sampling approach is being planned for the end of October. This will explore cases where service users did not successfully complete their Court orders and highlight any service barriers and practice learning areas. Work to improve how JSW further embeds the gathering and analysis of qualitative information, in terms of service user voice and experience is also a current focus of a working group. All this work’s progress is overseen and monitored by the JSW core improvement group. Community Justice Update 6.1.4 Our multi-agency approach to supporting individuals returning to Renfrewshire from custody has been strengthened. Monthly pre-release planning meetings are now established to support coordinated planning and explore/resolve any agency barriers together. This forum now includes a range of community justice partners and enables collective oversight, better coordination and demarcation of our local resources. Benefits are demonstrating more efficient communication, collaborative problem solving and strengthened professional relationships among justice partners. This in turn provides better joint up planning for those leaving custody. The key focus is on housing, employability and social supports. 6.1.5 The pre-release planning meetings have also helped identify shared challenges and opportunities for improvement between the partners. One current focus is enhancing how Renfrewshire’s service information and pathways are better communicated to prison establishments. As part of this further visits to different prisons to engage directly with agencies operating within them are ongoing. These aim to develop more complementary and integrated approaches with the prisons that will support a more joined up experience for the prisoner being released. Page 22 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ 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. 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 23 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure – Service Improvement Plan 2025-28 Mid-Year Monitoring Report ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2025- 2028 was approved by the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 13 May 2025. The plan sets out the priorities for the development of the service over a three-year period. 1.2 The Service Improvement Plan is part of a suite of documents which describe the strategic direction of the Service and the Council, and also includes the Council Plan, Community Plan, Risk Management Plan and the Workforce Plan. 1.3 The Service Improvement Plan sets out the actions which will ensure continuous improvement across the service and the performance indicators which ensure the impact can be measured. These reflect the priority themes of the new Council Plan which was approved by Council on 29 September 2022. 1.4 This report contains details of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure performance and achievements over the period 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025. The main purpose of the report is to provide: • details of the key achievements of the service over the period. • a progress update on implementing the action plan linked to the 2025-28 Service Improvement Plan. • an assessment of performance in relation to the service scorecard of core performance indicators; and • an overview of priorities for the service over the next six months. 1.5 Over the past six months, the service has made good progress in delivering positive outcomes for Renfrewshire and its residents. Item 4 CHPB281025 Page 25 of 450
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PUBLIC 1.6 To complement the six-monthly update on the Service Improvement Plan, a Service Update report will be presented to each cycle of the Communities and Housing Policy Board. This report will provide an overview of key service activities, an operational performance update on the services and key projects and updates on any other relevant changes to service areas covered within the remit of the Board. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Note the contents of this report, including updated performance information and progress to date on delivering the actions contained within the Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure - Service Improvement Plan. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Service Improvement Plan is a comprehensive statement of the outcomes the service aims to achieve, and the actions it will take to achieve these. It fits within the wider planning framework of the Council by taking account of Community Planning themes and Council priorities as set out in the new Council Plan. It enables elected members to have oversight of developments within the service and to consider and develop policy options which reflect customer need and resource availability. The Service Improvement Plan also provides a mechanism by which elected members can evaluate the performance of the service. The appendix to the plan contains an action plan and performance indicators against which progress can be measured. This mid-year monitoring report provides an update on progress against the 2025-2028 Plan. 3.2 Section 4 of this report gives details of service activity and achievements over the period 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025. Section 5 discusses actions delayed or cancelled since the Service Improvement Plan was approved. Section 6 provides a narrative on performance against the scorecard included as appendix 1, section 7 highlights the main priorities of the service over the next six months. 3.3 An outturn report detailing full-year performance will be brought before this board in spring 2026. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Service Update and Key Achievements 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025 4.1 Housing Services • Positive progress is being made across all areas of the Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme within the agreed timeline for works scheduled in year 4 of this 10-year programme. Page 26 of 450
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PUBLIC • The acquisition and rehousing strategy is performing as planned and various phases of demolition are being taken forward as blocks become fully council owned and vacant. • The percentage of stock meeting SHQS has increased significantly to 80.02% in 2024/25 from 68.6% in 2023/24. • New rent charging policy for temporary accommodation which was approved by Policy Board in January 2025 has been implemented from April 2025. • The findings from the independent assessment of MyLA (MyLife Ahead) project has been reviewed, Complex Cases Working Group (which was established via MyLA) continues to meet, and discussions now taking place during August and September with Alcohol & Drug Partnership on how to build upon the success of MyLA, and any funding opportunities. • Each of the four Local Area Housing Teams now has a trained “super- user” in place to support Housing Officers in using the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) app. Guidance has been issued covering key areas including: • Criteria for use • Managing customer expectations • Handling audio/visual images The guidance has been developed in consultation with Legal Services. All elected members attended the demonstration on 8th September 2025. The Council’s website has been updated to reflect this. • Stock of temporary accommodation has been increased in response to demand pressures, and the letting target is being met. Renfrewshire’s Rapid Rehousing Transition funding continues to be utilised to deploy staff to assist with resettlement from temporary to settled accommodation, and upscaling of the use of the Housing First approach. • Care Inspectorate registration for Refugee Resettlement team has been achieved. • We are continuing to deliver the Action Plan outcomes outlined in the Tenant Participation Strategy 2022-2027, with the following results: • The new Quality Circle focusing on Estate Management has undertaken six inspections. • The Tenant Scrutiny Panel has completed an exercise on TRA funding. • A new TRA has been established in Paisley; and • We have acquired a further three hand-held devices to assist tenants with the Quality Circle inspections. • A review of all lockups has been undertaken, and initial proposals are the subject of a separate report to this meeting of the Policy Board. Page 27 of 450
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PUBLIC • We are continuing to work in partnership with teams across the Council to expand the Neighbourhood Environment Trainee Teams and have increased capacity from 2 squads to 4. 4.2 Public Protection • Exploring the expansion of solar PV and other renewables on council buildings is now approved as part of a 25/26 Climate Capital Programme. Energy Team is currently liaising with procurement as a first step in the project. • The Single Use Vapes ban came into force on Sunday 1 June 2025. While the legislation imposes no statutory duty on the Authority, Officers from Trading Standards contacted all 240 approximately registered suppliers of vapes in the area with email advice and followed up any ‘bouncebacks’ (current email addresses are mandatory aspect of registration). This includes online sellers, and cash and carries. • To date 6 complaints have been received and none have been found to be justified upon investigation. Compliance levels therefore appear to be high, with these requirements is now ‘business as usual’, and implementation is considered complete. • The Carbon Management Plan is 90% complete and will be submitted to the ILE Board in November 2025 with the final project details for each service area. • There are currently several Officers completing training: • one to qualify as an Environmental Health Officer, • one as a Food Safety Officer and • two others who are undertaking training to complete the Modern Apprentice in Regulatory Services qualification. 5. Areas where actions have been delayed or cancelled. 5.1 As detailed in Appendix 1. • We will deliver any new duties with partners in relation to prevention of homelessness following the introduction of the new Housing (Scotland) Act during 2025/26, and this will include new duties in relation to homeless prevention. This legislation has still to be enacted by the Scottish Government. • New animal licensing requirements have not been progressed to date by the Scottish Government. Officers are continuing to review and modernise where appropriate, conditions on animal licenses to ensure these remain fit for purpose and in accordance with relevant legislation and guidance. • We are awaiting final approvals for Howwood Road Area (70 units) from Scottish Water, prior to commencement on site. Page 28 of 450
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PUBLIC 6. Progress against performance measures 6.1 Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure Services reports on 22 performance indicators, 9 are reported annually and 13 reported quarterly. This report contains data pertaining to Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2025 with annual figures referring to 2024/25. 6.2 The following indicators show areas which are currently performing better than their respective targets. • The average length of time taken to complete non-emergency repairs continues to improve. For Q2 it was an average of 6.1 days, which is an improvement from Q1 and also an improvement on the overall figure for 2024/25 which was 6.9 days. • Average length of time taken to re-let properties in the last year (in days) continues to improve. For Quarter 2 it was 30.1 days which is an improvement from Quarter 1 and also an improvement on the overall figure of 2024/2025 which was 37 days. • Percentage of rent loss due to voids for Q2 was 0.92% which continues to be better than the target of 1.5%. • In the first six months of 2025/26 Environment, Housing & Infrastructure received 4,934 elected member enquiries of which 87%% were responded to within timescale. This was against a target of 85%. 6.3 The following Performance indicators are showing as areas which are not on target. • In the first six months of 2025/26 Environment, Housing & Infrastructure received 5,240 front line resolutions of which 68% were responded to within timescale. • In the first six months of 2025/26, Environment, Housing & Infrastructure received 289 investigations of which 56% were responded to within timescale. 7. Priorities over the next six months 7.1 Housing Services • There is ongoing work on the housing repairs operating model. • We will continue to ensure effective participation and support for all refugee programmes. Page 29 of 450
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PUBLIC • Implement NEC Housing Management System as part of the Housing Innovations Project in 2 phases. Phase 1 will comprise of Rents, Service Charges, Allocations, Tenancy Management, ASB, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Services, Property Lifecycle, Servicing and Support Services modules. • Deliver the key outputs from the 7th year of Renfrewshire’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) and ensure the supply of temporary accommodation, provision of support to those in need, and the number of social rented housing lets meets the homeless pressures and the Council plays its part in relation the provision of accommodation in response to changes in national migration and resettlement policies and programmes. We will continue to use RRTP funding to deploy staff to assist with resettlement from temporary to settled accommodation, and upscaling of the use of the Housing First approach. • We will continue investment in current housing stock for 2025/26, which includes: • Kitchen, bathroom, and rewiring replacement – 600 properties • Window and door improvement programme – 250 properties • Heating renewals – 750 properties • External improvements – 500 • Continue to progress with year 4 of the 10-year Housing-led regeneration programme. • Officers are progressing to deliver the Action Plan outcomes outlined in the Tenant Participation Strategy 2022-2027. We anticipate the Strategy will be complete by December 2027. • Year 2 of the stock condition survey is scheduled to be completed by May 2026. • Stakeholder and public consultation responses on the Strategic Housing Investment Plan will be considered, and a finalised version will be presented to the Board on 28th October 2025. • Officers from both Housing Services and the Chief Executive’s service are working with COSLA to develop a new online participatory budgeting platform that will be used to assist in the delivery of environmental and neighbourhood projects. Elected member and staff briefing sessions are being prepared for roll out over the coming weeks. The initial funding allocation for 2025/26 has been divided across the four local area housing teams to encourage participation across Renfrewshire. Further updates will be reported to the Communities and Housing Policy Board as this fund develops. Page 30 of 450
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PUBLIC 7.2 Public Protection • We will implement full recycling facilities within Renfrewshire House. Sustainability Team is progressing with scoping of work required including completing a bin audit within Renfrewshire House and liaising with key colleagues including Facilities Management and Procurement. • We will continue to explore the expansion of solar PV and other renewables on council buildings is now approved as part of a 25/26 Climate Capital Programme. Energy Team is currently liaising with procurement as a first step in the project. • Developing Climate Change Impact Assessments process across appropriate projects. Currently being piloted across a number of Project Management Unit led projects to help inform further development of the process and criteria prior to being finalised and rolled out across the Council. • We are currently reviewing our current approach to dog fouling enforcement and use community engagement and data to map out ‘hot spots’ to target enforcement in addition to the awareness campaign which is being developed with input from our Marketing team and new signage to be used within advertising space over the coming months to highlight dog fouling issues. • Deliver a programme of enhanced operational environmental and community support activities for environment and place. • The Energy Team is liaising with procurement as a first step to expansion of solar PV and other renewals on council buildings as part of the 2025/2026 Climate Capital Programme. • We are developing the following strategies and plans: • Renfrewshire’s Adaptation Plan • Renfrewshire’s Circular Economy Strategy • Renfrewshire Council’s Carbon Management Plan (CMP) • A part of our cross-cutting theme EHI will work towards Keeping The Promise and support our Care Experienced Community. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial -The Service Improvement Plan highlights resourcing pressures arising from increasing demand for services and the current financial environment. 2. HR & Organisational Development – The Service Improvement Plan also highlights workforce development and wellbeing considerations. Page 31 of 450
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PUBLIC 3. Community/Council Planning – The report details a range of activities which reflect Council and Community Planning themes and direct link to the delivery of the Council Plan. 4. Legal – none. 5. Property/Assets – none. 6. Information Technology – Service Improvement relating to information technology are key enablers of service improvement and modernisation and support service – level and corporate objectives. 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– Risks related to the delivery and management of services are regularly monitored and included in Renfrewshire Council’s Corporate and Strategic Risk Registers. 11. Privacy Impact – none. 12. Climate Risk – A section of the actions and performance indicators within the SIP covers the ‘Green’ theme of Renfrewshire’s Council Plan which highlights activities across the Council to tackle climate change. 13. Children’s Rights – none. 14. Cosla Policy Position – none. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers: Communities and Housing Policy Board, 13 May 2025, Agenda Item 4: “Environment, Housing and Infrastructure – 2025-2028 Service Improvement Plan” ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure, Email: gordon.mcneil@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 32 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level ENVIRONMENT, HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2025-2028 Six monthly progress update October 2025 Communities and Housing Policy Board Page 33 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level WELCOME TO OUR SIX-MONTHLY UPDATE • This update reflects on the first six months of our Service Improvement Plan, highlighting areas where we are already making progress and some areas we want to focus on more, perhaps because performance isn’t moving in the direction we anticipated or because of other pressures or factors that makes this even more of a priority for us. • The following pages shine a spotlight on some great projects or practice and highlight areas where we’d like to improve or develop further. At a service level, there is a stronger focus on some of the Council Plan Strategic Outcomes than others. Towards the end of this document, you’ll find a full update against all the actions and performance indicators we use to measure progress. • We report on 22 performance indicators, 9 are reported annually and 13 reported quarterly. This report contains data pertaining to Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2025/26 with annual figures referring to 2024/25. Page 34 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level ABOUT US This update covers the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure service areas within the remit of the Communities and Housing Policy Board. These are: • Housing Services • Responsibilities include: • As at, 31 March 2025 the housing stock being managed is 12,078 • Providing services to Council tenants, alongside housing advice and support • Assisting homeless people and those threatened with homelessness • Ensuring people have safe and healthy places to live Public Protection • Responsibilities include: • Regulatory and Public Protection services including partnership working with police, fire and other multiagency partners • Helping to keep people safe through the Community Safety Hub • Safeguarding the public and protecting consumers through Trading Standards and Environmental Health Civil Contingencies • Responsibilities include: • Providing support to all services across the Council to ensure they have robust arrangements in place for the continued delivery of essential services in the event of significant incidents such as disruptive weather or widespread power outage. • Civil Contingencies service has provided emergency planning for Renfrewshire, and on behalf of East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire council areas Page 35 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DELIVERING THE COUNCIL PLAN Place Green • The first 6 months of this financial year has seen a further increase in homelessness with 13% more homeless applications compared to the same period last year. This increase in applications is understandably again presenting significant challenges in terms of the provision of temporary accommodation. • The homeless services are working closely with local area housing teams and Registered Social Landlords to match applicants to suitable tenancies as quickly as possible. • Positive progress is being made across all areas of the Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme within the agreed timeline for works scheduled in year 4 of this 10- year programme. The acquisition and rehousing strategy is performing as planned and various phases of demolition are being taken forward as blocks become fully council owned and vacant. • The percentage of stock meeting SHQS has increased significantly to 80.02% in 24/25 from 68.6% in 23/24. • We will implement full recycling facilities within Renfrewshire House. Sustainability Team is progressing with scoping of work required including completing a bin audit within Renfrewshire House and liaising with key colleagues including Facilities Management and Procurement. • Exploring expansion of solar PV and other renewables on council buildings is now approved as part of a 25/26 Climate Capital Programme. Energy Team is currently liaising with procurement as a first step in the project. Page 36 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level PLACE: WORKING TOGETHER TO ENHANCE WELLBEING ACROSS COMMUNITIES Achievements Priorities and areas for improvement • The new rent charging policy for temporary accommodation has been implemented from April 2025 • The Complex Cases Working Group (which was established via MyLA) continues to meet, and discussions now taking place during August and September with Alcohol & Drug Partnership on how to build upon the success of MyLA, and any funding opportunities. • Each of the four Local Area Housing Teams now has a trained “super-user” in place to support Housing Officers in using the Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) app. The Council’s website has been updated ensuring transparency and confirms that the system is being used overtly in line with agreed procedures. • A review of all lockups has been undertaken and initial proposals are the subject of a separate report to this meeting of the Policy Board. • The new Housing (Scotland) Act will be introduced during 2025/26, and this will include new duties in relation to homeless prevention. This legislation has still to be enacted by the Scottish Government. • There is ongoing work on the housing repairs operating model. Page 37 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level ECONOMY: BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE, GREEN AND RESILIENT ECONOMY Achievements Priorities and Areas for Improvement • Work in partnership with teams across the Council to expand the Neighbourhood Environment Trainee Teams - increasing capacity from 2 squad to 4. • New animal licensing requirements have not been progressed to date by the Scottish Government. Officers are continuing to review and modernise where appropriate, conditions on animal licenses to ensure these remain fit for purpose and in accordance with relevant legislation and guidance. The Single Use Vapes ban came into force on Sunday 1 June 2025. • While the legislation imposes no statutory duty on the Authority, Officers from Trading Standards contacted all 240 approximately registered suppliers of vapes in the area with email advice and followed up any ‘bouncebacks’ (current email addresses are mandatory aspect of registration). This includes online sellers, and cash and carries.’ • To date 6 complaints have been received and none have been found to be justified upon investigation. Compliance levels therefore appear to be high, with these requirements is now ‘business a usual’, and implementation is considered complete. Page 38 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level FAIR: NURTURING BRIGHT, HAPPY AND HEALTHY FUTURES FOR ALL Achievements Priorities and areas for improvement • Care Inspectorate registration for Refugee Resettlement team has been achieved. • Ensure effective participation and support for all refugee programmes. Delivering the Action Plan outcomes outlined in the Tenant Participation Strategy 2022‐2027. The new Quality Circle focusing on Estate Management has undertaken six inspections; The Tenant Scrutiny Panel has completed an exercise on TRA funding; A new TRA has been established in Paisley; and We have acquired a further three hand-held devices to assist tenants with the Quality Circle inspections. • We will now monitor the effectiveness and popularity of Digital Noticeboards the new method for keeping tenants informed • Implement NEC Housing Management System as part of the Housing Innovations Project in 2 phases. Phase 1 will comprise of Rents, Service Charges, Allocations, Tenancy Management, ASB, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Services, Property Lifecycle, Servicing and Support Services modules • The project remains on target, workshops and solution design/build are largely complete as anticipated by end of September 2025. • Reconfiguration of letters (c200) to be built within NEC Housing has commenced; and integrations to software systems continues to progress well. • New Training Manager in post from September 2025 and work has commenced for Training Needs Analysis (TNA) to be in place for all system users. Page 39 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level GREEN: LEADING RENFREWSHIRE TO NET ZERO • The Carbon Management Plan is 90% complete and will be submitted to the ILE Board in November 2025 with the final project details for each service area. • The full recycling facilities within Renfrewshire House will be implemented. Sustainability Team progressing with scoping of work required including completing a bin audit within Renfrewshire House and liaising with key colleagues including Facilities Management and Procurement. • Exploring expansion of solar PV and other renewables on council buildings. This is now approved as part of a 25/26 Climate Capital Programme. Energy Team is currently liaising with procurement as a first step in the project. • Develop Climate Change Impact Assessments process across appropriate projects. Currently being piloted across a number of Project Management Unit led projects to help inform further development of the process and criteria prior to being finalised and rolled out across the Council. Achievements Priorities and areas for improvement • The percentage of stock meeting SHQS has increased significantly to 80.02% in 24/25 from 68.6% in 23/24. Page 40 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Priorities and areas for improvement Living our Values: making a difference together Achievements • We continue to maintaining the commitment to eradicating youth homelessness, aligning with strategic priorities and local initiatives. • There are 380 Renfrewshire Promise Keepers across the network, and we are continuing to raise awareness and promote awareness of The Promise across homeless and housing services, embedding/aligning its principles where appropriate. • Public Protection - There are currently several Officers completing training • one as a Food Safety Officer and • two others who are undertaking training to complete the Modern Apprentice in Regulatory Services qualification • Our new Environmental Health Officer qualified in October 2025. • Direct support by the EHI senior leadership Team to the Renfrewshire Promise Team. • Ongoing support for Renfrewshire’s Promise Approach through active participation in: Renfrewshire’s Promise Oversight Group Relevant workstreams and strategic groups. • The service has continued collaboration with partners to develop tailored, affordable Housing Pathways for Care Experienced young people. • Actively raise awareness of Renfrewshire’s Promise Keeper Network and Renfrewshire’s Language Policy. • Encouraged team-wide completion of The Promise i-learn module across EHI. • Supported council-led initiatives to recruit Care Experienced young people, including: The Guaranteed interviews for Care Experienced applicants meeting essential criteria. Page 41 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level ACTIONS AND INDICATORS C&H Policy Board October 2025 Page 42 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN– PLACE What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update The new Housing (Scotland) Act will be introduced during 2025/26, and this will include new duties in relation to homeless prevention. March 2026 This legislation has still to be enacted by the Scottish Government. Continuing to meet the challenges of the local/ national pressures around homelessness. March 2026 Regular updates provided to Policy Board on the measures being taken in relation to lets to homeless applicants, the establishment of new temporary accommodation and the support being provided to homeless applicants. A detailed report on progress and the key challenges for the Council and partners is being submitted to Policy Board in October 2025. Implement new rent charging policy for temporary accommodation April 2026 New policy implemented from April 2025 Review the findings from independent assessment of MyLA (My Life Ahead) project, and ensure the lessons learned are incorporated in the support provided to those whose settled housing may be affected by drug / alcohol use. March 2026 Evaluation has been reviewed, Complex Cases Working Group (which was established via MyLA) continues to meet, and discussions now taking place during August and September with Alcohol & Drug Partnership on how to build upon the success of MyLA, and any funding opportunities. Deliver the key outputs from the 7th year of Renfrewshire’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) and ensure the supply of temporary accommodation, provision of support to those in need, and the number of social rented housing lets meets the homeless pressures and the Council plays its part in relation the provision of accommodation in response to changes in national migration and resettlement policies and programmes. March 2026. Stock of temporary accommodation being increased in response to demand pressures, and lettings target being met. Continuing to use RRTP funding to deploy staff to assist with resettlement from temporary to settled accommodation, and upscaling of the use of the Housing First approach. Policy Board regularly updated, with further progress report being submitted in October. Page 43 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update Further develop training and communications on the ASB App based on learning from the pilot project and extend use across all Local Area Housing Teams. June 2025 Each of the four Local Area Housing Teams now has a trained “super-user” in place to support Housing Officers in using the Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) app. The Council’s website has been updated ensuring transparency and confirms that the system is being used overtly in line with agreed procedures. The revised Housing Asset Management Strategy will be presented to the Communities and Housing Policy Board this year. The Housing Asset Management Strategy is currently being reviewed and will be brought to a future meeting of the policy board for approval. Draft asset management strategy and action plan has been completed and will be presented at the October board. Ongoing work on the housing repairs operating model. Review to be completed in 2025. Actions may continue beyond this timescale There is ongoing review on the housing repairs operating model. DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN– PLACE Page 44 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update Investment in current housing stock including for 2025/26 • Kitchen, bathroom, and rewiring replacement – 600 properties • Window and door improvement programme – 250 properties • Heating renewals – 750 properties • External improvements – 500 March 2026 180 properties have been completed to date by contractors and Building Services. Poor performance has resulted in Housing closing their contract with Bell Group who failed to complete the target outputs. 370 properties have benefitted from replacement windows in regeneration areas and across the wider authority. Further installations are continuing. 111 Boiler/heating installs have been completed by Building Services and contractors to date. 234 properties have had external improvements completed in their property to date DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN– PLACE Page 45 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update Howwood Road (70 units) and Gallowhill (65 units) new build developments on site and underway March 2026 Statutory approvals are now in place at Gallowhill which enabled a site start on the 4 August 2025. We are still awaiting final approvals for Howwood Road Area prior to commencement on site. Continue with year 4 of the 10-year Housing-led regeneration programme. March 2026 Overall, the ten-year programme is running as per the agreed timeline with the exception of the Ferguslie/Broomlands area, where the delivery of the newbuild homes on the cleared Carbrook Street site has had to be retendered. Owner acquisitions are progressing well with 64 of the 89 privately owned properties identified for acquisition for demolition now within Council ownership. A further 13 owners have agreed to the sale of their properties and are with legal services to conclude. Tenant Rehousing programmes and demolition of vacant blocks is progressing well across each area as per the delivery timeline set out. Several neighbourhood pop up events have taken place in the Auchentorlie and Howard Street areas and further events are being planned for each of the other regeneration areas in line the project delivery timeline. Officers will work together to review the delivery and turnaround of void properties across Renfrewshire to minimise times, wherever possible, to allow properties to be re-let. The Single Voids Team pilot has been extended until 31st March 2026 Performance against targets for 2024–2026 is so far: Void rent loss (excluding Homeless Persons’ Units) reduced from 4.45% to 2.93% (target 2.75%) – success rate 89%; Void numbers reduced from 518 to 350 (target 227) – success rate 57%; and Turnaround time reduced from 50.40 to 30.49 (target 45.00) – success rate 100% Review our current approach to dog fouling enforcement and use community engagement and data to map out ‘hot spots’ to target enforcement March 2026 Planned days of action have been taking place over recent months to focus on dog fouling and these will continue for the rest of the year. Staff across Public Protection are supporting this work. The awareness campaign is being developed with input from our Marketing team and new signage will be used within advertising space over the coming months to highlight dog fouling issues. DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN– PLACE Page 46 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update A review of Council owned lock ups and associated policy and procedures is being undertaken Ongoing review of the Council’s owned lock- up estate, Consultation is expected to be undertaken in late Spring/early summer 2025, and a plan for the implementation will be prepared A review of all lock-ups has been undertaken. Initial proposals for the retention / demolition of lock-ups are being further reviewed for presentation to a future Communities and Housing Policy Board. This Board report will also consider a proposal to review rent levels based on a Business Plan for lockups that has been developed. A lockups policy has been drafted and will also be covered in the report. Through the HRA, £600k will be used for Participatory Budgeting for environmental and neighbourhood projects. This will be split with £150k for each of the local area housing teams The Participatory Budgeting will be utilised over the next 3 years. The full details of this initiative will be developed and brought to the Policy Board for approval prior to implementation Officers from both Housing Services and the Chief Executive’s service are working with COSLA to develop a new online participatory budgeting platform that will be used to assist in the delivery of environmental and neighbourhood projects. Elected member and staff briefing sessions are being prepared for roll out over the coming weeks. The initial funding allocation for 2025/26 has been divided across the four local area housing teams to encourage participation across Renfrewshire. Further updates will be reported to the Communities and Housing Policy Board as this fund develops. DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN– PLACE Page 47 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Indicator Current Status 2024/25 2025/26 Q1 Q2 Explanation of performance Value Target Target Value Value Private Water Supplies – 100% of type A supplies risk assessed and sampled 100% 100% 100% Not measured for quarters Not measured for quarters All regulated private water supplies have been sampled and risk assessed as is required by the Regulations during the year Air Quality - Annual average PM10 value across all continuous monitoring sites 13.2ug/m3 18ug/m3 18ug/m3 Not measured for quarters Not measured for quarters The average value is significantly below the target for the year. Air Quality - average nitrogen dioxide value of monitoring sites, within AQMA(s) exceeding limits 0ug/m3 40ug/m3 40ug/m3 Not measured for quarters Not measured for quarters There were no exceedances of the target value of 40ug/m3 at any monitoring location and as this has been the case for several years, all AQMAs across Renfrewshire have now been revoked. DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN– PLACE Page 48 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Indicator Current Status 2024/25 2025/26 Q1 Q2 Explanation of performance Value Target Target Value Value Percentage of reactive repairs carried out in the last year complete right first time (Housing) 90.1% 93% 93% Not measured for quarters Not measured for quarters The value for 2024/2025 is slightly below target of 93% Percentage of Overall Repairs Completed Within Target (Housing Services) 93.2% 95% 95% 93.36% 94.24% Please note this is 5-month position and just under annual target. Average length of time taken to complete non-emergency repairs (days) (Housing Services) 6.9 days 15 days 15 days 6.68 days 6.1 days This indicator has improved since year end. Please note this is 5-month position. Average time from household presenting themselves as homeless to completion of duty (number of weeks) 21.96 weeks 26 26 21.38 weeks 22.51 Similar to the national picture the demand for Homeless Services in Renfrewshire remains consistently high, however Renfrewshire Council are continuing to deliver on their commitment to allocate 55% of their lets to Homeless families, but due to increasing demand we expect to the time to conclude duty to come under increasing pressure in the short to medium term. DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN– PLACE Page 49 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN – ECONOMY What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update Work in partnership with teams across the Council to expand the Neighbourhood Environment Trainee Teams - increasing capacity from 2 squad to 4. June 2025 The Neighbourhood Environmental Training Team (NETT) is now fully operational following the successful expansion from two to four squads earlier this year. A new shift pattern has been implemented, enabling seven-day service delivery across neighbourhoods. This enhancement has significantly improved visibility, responsiveness, and overall impact within our communities. An initial review is scheduled for mid August to evaluate the progress of the service expansion. The review will focus on: • Identifying early benefits • Highlighting any challenges • Gathering insights from implementation Feedback will be collected from officers, key services, and tenants as part of this process to ensure a well-rounded evaluation. An award application has been submitted to COSLA on behalf of the NETT under the category of ‘Improving Partnership Working’. This submission highlights the strong collaboration between Housing Services, Neighbourhood Services, and Invest in Renfrewshire, showcasing how these teams have worked together effectively to improve outcomes for the local community. Complete the review of animal license conditions across all licences March 2026 New animal licensing requirements have not been progressed to date by the Scottish Government. Officers are continuing to review and modernise where appropriate, conditions on animal licenses to ensure these remain fit for purpose and in accordance with relevant legislation and guidance. Implement the proposed ban on the sale and supply of single use nicotine vaping products. March 2026 The Single Use Vapes ban came into force on Sunday 1 June 2025. While the legislation imposes no statutory duty on the Authority, Officers from Trading Standards contacted all 240 approximately registered suppliers of vapes in the area with email advice and followed up any ‘bouncebacks’ (current email addresses are mandatory aspect of registration). This includes online sellers, and cash and carries.’ To date 6 complaints have been received and none have been found to be justified upon investigation. Compliance levels therefore appear to be high, with these requirements is now ‘business a usual’, and implementation is considered complete. Page 50 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN – FAIR What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update Ensure effective participation and support for all refugee programmes. March 2026 and on-going Range of support and integration events / activities has been broadened, and Health & Wellbeing Co-ordinator appointed. Consultation with user groups and individuals carried out May – August, and feedback now being used to inform our next steps Obtain Care Inspectorate registration for Refugee Resettlement team March 2026 Registration achieved. Pilot the installation of ‘digital noticeboards’ at the reception areas of sheltered complexes and obtain feedback from tenants. March 2026 Digital Noticeboards now installed at Monkdykes and Speirsfield Gardens complexes. We will now monitor the effectiveness and popularity of this new method for keeping tenants informed Work with Advice Services to maximise opportunities for Council tenants to access specialist income advice. March 2026 The referral process is monitored monthly to ensure: • All available support is being utilised • Support is effective and beneficial Over the past six months, a total of 341 referrals have been made on behalf of council tenants to various agencies including: Advice Works – Employability Services (invest in Renfrewshire, Energy Management Unit, Citizens Advice Bureau, Social Work and Housing Support. Work with relevant stakeholders and Council Tenants scheduled to migration to Universal Credit to mitigate against avoidable delays and loss of housing cost contributions. March 2026 Universal Credit (UC) Migration Support Process • Housing Benefit colleagues provide details of tenants expected to migrate to UC in the next financial year. • Officers attempt to contact identified tenants to confirm if they’ve received a migration letter from the DWP, make them aware of process and make appropriate referrals • The process is working effectively, with officers successfully identifying and supporting tenants through the UC migration. • As the number of tenants on UC increases, there is also a rise in tenants making direct rent payments to landlords, helping to minimise the impact on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). Deliver the Action Plan outcomes outlined in the Tenant Participation Strategy 2022‐2027 The strategy will be complete by Dec 2027 Officers are working through the specific actions detailed in the Action Plan. Since the last update: The new Quality Circle focusing on Estate Management has undertaken six inspections; The Tenant Scrutiny Panel has completed an exercise on TRA funding; A new TRA has been established in Paisley; and We have acquired a further three hand-held devices to assist tenants with the Quality Circle inspections. Page 51 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN – FAIR What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update Continue with next phase of stock condition survey. Year 1 - May 2025 Year 2 – May 2026 Year 3 - May 2027. Year 1 completed; half of Year 2 has been completed by September 2025. On schedule to complete Year 2 by May 2026. Access rate is at circa 50% but additional years in 2028 and 2029 can be used to return to ‘no access’ properties. Update the SHIP to set out Renfrewshire’s new build affordable housing investment priorities utilising grant funding made available from the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme’ The SHIP is a rolling programme that covers a five-year period and is refreshed annually. This annual review takes account of Scottish Government funding availability and progress in delivering existing affordable housing sites and provides an opportunity to add new sites in order to meet the housing needs of Renfrewshire’s residents. Each year a draft SHIP is prepared and submitted to the Communities and Housing Policy Board in August for approval for public consultation. The final SHIP is presented back to Board in October for approval before being submitted to the Scottish Government. An updated draft SHIP 2026-2031 was presented to the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 19th August 2025. The draft was approved and is subject to stakeholder and public consultation for the period 20th August to 19th September 2025. Responses will be considered, and a finalised version will be presented to the Board on 28th October 2025 Implement NEC Housing Management System as part of the Housing Innovations Project in 2 phases – which will incorporate Rents, Repairs, Service Charges, Allocations, Tenancy Management, ASB, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Services, Property Lifecycle, Homelessness and Support Services modules. Phase 1 will comprise of Rents, Service Charges, Allocations, Tenancy Management, ASB, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Services, Property Lifecycle, Servicing and Support Services modules Phase 1 May 2026 The project remains on target, workshops and solution design/build are largely complete as anticipated by end of September 2025. Reconfiguration of letters (c200) to be built within NEC Housing has commenced; and integrations to software systems continues to progress well. New Training Manager in post from September 2025 and work has commenced for Training Needs Analysis (TNA) to be in place for all system users. Page 52 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN – FAIR What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update We will implement Phase 2 of the NEC Housing Management System. Phase 2 July 2027 Commences February 2026. Preparatory work has commenced – set up of Phase 2 Working Group in May 2025 to assess fully the needs/requirements to ensure successful completion of Phase 2 by July 2027. Page 53 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update Deliver a programme of enhanced operational environmental and community support activities for environment and place. March 2026 Team Up to Clean Up facilitates almost 8,400 community members to actively discuss environmental issues and promote responsible behaviours. At the conclusion of Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Big Spring Clean, the Renfrewshire Campaign was recognised as delivering the highest level of litterpicking events across the country. The Spotless September initiative facilitated engagement with almost half of Renfrewshire’s school estate, empowering young people to take a pride in their surroundings by cleaning up their local communities. New materials and infographics are being shared across social media platforms to reduce flytipping and raise awareness of “white van man” activity, offering practical tips to encourage the responsible disposal of waste. The Environmental Taskforce’s suite of cameras were redeployed to new locations in response to data analysis of local flytipping hotspots. To date footage has offered evidence to facilitate Fixed Penalty Notices, as well as highlighted the level of ongoing issues with unregistered vehicles illegally depositing waste. Implement full recycling facilities within Renfrewshire House March 2026 Sustainability Team progressing with scoping of work required including completing a bin audit within Renfrewshire House and liaising with key colleagues including Facilities Management and Procurement. Exploring expansion of solar PV and other renewables on council buildings March 2026 This is now approved as part of a 25/26 Climate Capital Programme. Energy Team is currently liaising with procurement as a first step in the project. Development of investment grade business cases for 2 potential district heating networks. 1 Paisley central, 1 expansion of AMIDS. Summer 2025 The development of Business Cases for both networks continues and has now progressed to a key final phase of the project. The programme timeline has been extended from the initial agreed plan due to the requirement for further exploration and analysis activity. Delivering the Council Plan - GREEN Page 54 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update Looking to expand Building Management Systems to reduce energy use and water use. March 2026 This was approved as part of a 25/26 Climate Capital Programme. The project has been planned into 3 phases of building installations, and phase 1 implementation is nearing completion. Phase 2 is planned to begin in September/October 25. Develop the following strategies and plans - • Renfrewshire’s Adaptation Plan • Renfrewshire’s Circular Economy Strategy • Renfrewshire Council’s Carbon Management Plan (CMP) March 2026 • Sustainability Strategy Lead Officer now in post and will lead on the development of this plan. Key themes have been identified through previous engagement, with further external, community engagement to follow. • Sustainability Strategy Lead Officer now in post and will lead on the development of this plan. Key themes have been identified through previous engagement, with further external, community engagement to follow. • The CMP is currently being finalised with the final project details for each service area. The plan will be submitted to the next ILE board for approval. Develop Climate Change Impact Assessments process across appropriate projects. March 2026 Currently being piloted across a number of Project Management Unit led projects. This will help to inform further development of the process and criteria prior to being finalised and rolled out across the Council. Delivering the Council Plan - GREEN Page 55 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level GREEN Indicator Current Status 2024/25 2025/26 Q1 Q2 Explanation of performance Value Target Target Value Value Percentage of Council housing stock which meets the Scottish Housing Quality Standard 80.02% 71.15% 82.23% Not measured for quarters Not measured for quarters The percentage of stock meeting SHQS has increased significantly to 80.02% in 24/25 from 68.6% in 23/24. Performance for this indicator changed to include compliance with the 5-yearly Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), as well as the new smoke and heat detector standard. Page 56 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN – LIVING OUR VALUES What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update We will continue to develop and support our workforce through training and development demonstrating our value as a learning organisation. March 2026 • The Service Development Team continue to support employees to undertake a range of training including mandatory training. • To date 49% of frontline employee have completed mandatory toolbox talks and 85% of network staff have completed mandatory training on iLearn. • Training courses have included driver training, First Aid, Health & Safety and specific role specific training such as Chainsaw training. • Soft FM “job characteristic” project is still at an early stage and will be progressed subject to further discussion with Corporate Teams, in the second half of 2025/26. Longer term this work will be used to inform identification of training requirements across EHI. We will support wider employee health and wellbeing across Environment, Housing, Infrastructure. March 2026 • In response to the Employee Survey 2024 to support the opportunity fore more regular time and engagement between managers/ supervisors and employees a “Personal Development Plan” (PDP) for networked staff has recently been launched. This template supports employees to reflect on achievements and challenges, agree objectives and identify training support required. • Work is ongoing to promote health and wellbeing across EHI and more front-line staff are trained as Metal Health First Aiders. • The NHS Wellbeing Calendar themes will be considered to deliver more focussed and appropriate activities to increase awareness and offer support to the health and wellbeing of staff. We recognise that Health & Safety is an integral part of our business. We will deliver our actions outlined in the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure (EHI) Health & Safety Plan 2025 – 2028. March 2026 • The review of the EHI Quality, Health and Safety manual and related documentation will be undertaken in the second half of 2025/26. • IOSH Managing Safely has been rolled out to 56 managers, supervisors and employees across EHI. An additional 9 Senior Managers undertook IOSH Leading Safely. Further courses will be run during 2025/26, and Housing Services are progressing similar training focused on that service needs. • Work to undertake health and safety internal audits will be undertake in the second half of 2025/26. Page 57 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN – LIVING OUR VALUES Indicator Current Status 2024/25 2025/26 Q1 Q2 Explanation of performance Value Target Target Value Value Average number of workdays lost through sickness absence per employee (FTE) (cumulative) 15.41 13.7 13.7 3.25 TBC Awaiting Quarter 2 from HR. % of Members enquiries completed within timescale 89.2% 85% 85% 86% 87% In the first six months of 2025/26 Environment, Housing & Infrastructure received 4,934 members enquiries of which 87% were responded to within timescale. % of frontline resolutions dealt with within timescale 62% 85% 85% 58% 79% In the first six months of 2025/26 Environment, Housing & Infrastructure received 5,240 front line resolutions of which 68% were responded to within timescale. Please note for September there are 14 frontline complaints still outstanding but are within timescale – and have not been included in Q2 figure. % of complaint investigation completed within timescale 50% 85% 85% 45% 67% In the first six months of 2025/26, Environment, Housing & Infrastructure received 289 investigations of which 56% were responded to within timescale. Please note for September there are 62 complaint investigations still outstanding but are within timescale – and have not been included in Q2 figure. % of FOI request completed within timescale 99% 100% 100% 97% 95% In the first six months of 2025/26 Environment, Housing & Infrastructure dealt with 498 Freedom of Information requests of which 96% were responded to within timescale. 85 of these requests were cross departmental and 413 were departmental. Training – Percentage of staff training undertaken in relation to qualifications (Public Protection) 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Staff training is provided on a structured basis as needs are identified to ensure that they have the correct skills and qualifications to undertake their duties. There are currently several Officers completing training: one to qualify as an Environmental Health Officer, one as a Food Safety Officer and two others who are undertaking training to complete the Modern Apprentice in Regulatory Services qualification. Page 58 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN – LIVING OUR VALUES Indicator Current Status 2024/25 2025/26 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Target Value Value Gross rent arrears (all tenants) as at 31 March each year as a percentage of rent due for the reporting year. 7.10% 7.5% 7.5% 6.2% 7.34% Gross Arrears are £4,306,175 as a percentage of rent due of £58,694,728. Rent collected as percentage of total rent due in the reporting year. 100.7% 98% 98% 99.1% 98.9% Performance remains similar to this point last year. Average length of time taken to re-let properties in the last year (in days) 37 53 45 30.6 30.1 There was a total of 387 relets between April and the end of September. Percentage of rent loss due to voids 1.3% 1.8% 1.5% 0.92% 0.92% Improvement in this indicator reflects improvement in voids performance. Page 59 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DELIVERING THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN – LIVING OUR VALUES Indicator Current Status 2024/25 2025/26 Q1 Q2 Explanation of performance Value Target Target Value Value % of corporate induction completed within 30 days of starting employment with the Council N/A TBC Not measured for quarters Not measured for quarters These are four new indicators. Evaluation of progress will take place midway through 2025/26, and this will help inform the creation of targets/timescales across the whole service. Progress will be reported annually. Although these will be reported annually, for information, as of 30 September 2025 49% of frontline employee have completed mandatory toolbox talks and 85% of network staff have completed mandatory training on iLearn. % of mandatory training courses for frontline employees completed N/A TBC Not measured for quarters Not measured for quarters % of mandatory training courses for employees with access to the Council’s network completed N/A TBC Not measured for quarters Not measured for quarters % of Personal Development Plans completed N/A TBC Not measured for quarters Not measured for quarters Page 60 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DATA STRATEGY: PRIORITY ACTIVITIES What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update Strategic: We will align service data activities with the Digital Strategy for Renfrewshire objective: Data is a critical asset. Ensure visibility of data activities at Directorate (Director & Head of Service Level) March 2026 The Directorate (Director and 4 Heads of Service) regularly consider a range of data which is used to inform decision making. There is ongoing support for data activities and training to enhance this capability across the Department. Skills: We will identify skills gaps (eg data input, data analysis) and training needs across EHI and address through our Workforce Development plan in line with the Renfrewshire Council People Strategy. March 2026 Information on skills gaps and training needs will be identified as part of the Personal Development Plan (PDP) currently being rolled out for networked employees. Internal training on data analysis tools has been undertaken to support knowledge and understanding of our data. Data Quality: We will review data quality in key business systems and processes and develop an improvement plan. December 2025 As part of wider projects data for Roads and Waste Services has been reviewed and the quality of data (accuracy, completeness and up to date) will be improved, supporting data driven decision. Further work to review data quality in key systems will be undertaken in the second half of 2025/26. Analysis: We will further define analysis requirements to improve decision- making and build capabilities locally within services where required. December 2025 Work is ongoing to improve how data is presented including using standard tools. Although at an early stage it is hoped this work will improve how our data is presented to Services allowing them to make more informed decisions ERP: We will work with Corporate Teams to promote and increase the use of standard dashboards as business as usual. March 2026 Work is underway to support services to ensure that the data held in the ERP in accurate. This has included asking employees to review their personal details and update as required. Data Advisory Group (DAG): We will ensure EHI representation at the DAG to ensure our data activities align with the Data Strategy Framework; cross-service data sharing opportunities are identified and that data improvement activities are carried out in a consistent manner across the organisation. March 2026 The Senior Service Development Manager represents EHI at the DAG and will continue to ensure that data is used collaboratively across services where appropriate. Page 61 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level DELIVERING THE COUNCIL PLAN – CROSS CUTTING THEME IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES “Across all of our work and all of our efforts, we hope for loving and happy lives for Renfrewshire’s children - working together to get it right for children, families and communities – protecting, learning, achieving and nurturing. Every priority of this Council Plan will contribute to improving the lives of Renfrewshire’s children and their families. It is our fundamental duty as an organisation and our shared responsibility as citizens of this place to ensure that our children inherit a Renfrewshire where their wellbeing is nurtured, their futures are bright, and their environment is safe and healthy.’ What we will do Due Date Status Progress Update EHI will work towards Keeping The Promise and support our Care Experienced Community. March 2026 • The service has continued collaboration with partners to develop tailored, affordable Housing Pathways for Care Experienced young people. • Maintained commitment to eradicating youth homelessness, aligning with strategic priorities and local initiatives. • Ongoing support for Renfrewshire’s Promise Approach through active participation in: Renfrewshire’s Promise Oversight Group Relevant workstreams and strategic groups. • Direct support by the EHI senior leadership Team to the Renfrewshire Promise Team. • Promoted awareness of The Promise across homeless and housing services, embedding/aligning its principles where appropriate . • Actively raised awareness of Renfrewshire’s Promise Keeper Network and Renfrewshire’s Language Policy. • Encouraged team-wide completion of The Promise i-learn module across EHI. • Supported council-led initiatives to recruit Care Experienced young people, including: The Guaranteed interviews for Care Experienced applicants meeting essential criteria. Page 62 of 450
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level EHI SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN For more information, please contact: Douglas.morrison@renfrewshire.gov.uk 6 Monthly Progress Update October 2025 Page 63 of 450
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To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Heading: Environment, Housing and Infrastructure (EHI) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025 – 2028: Mid-year (6 month) Update 1. Summary 1.1 The Council’s Health and Wellbeing Plan, a key priority within the Council’s People Strategy 2021 – 2026, promotes a positive Health and Safety culture to ensure compliance with relevant Health and Safety legislation and supports the Council Plan in Working together to achieve a thriving and connected Renfrewshire, creating opportunities for all. 1.2 In May 2025 the Board approved the Health and Safety Plan 2025 -2028. It should be noted that “Wellbeing” has been added to the Plan title to reflect the broader nature of this work and ensure that employee wellbeing is recognised as a key aspect of this work. 1.3 This report provides an update on the work undertaken by the Department of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure to implement the actions contained in the Department’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025 - 2028 approach to Health and Safety with a Health and Safety Plan 2025 - 2028 (Appendix 1) as it relates to remit of the Communities and Housing Policy Board. 1.4 It should be noted that the Report and Plan will be considered by the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 28th October 2025, the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board on 5th November 2025 and the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board on 20th November 2025 in respect of the elements covered by those Boards’ remits. 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: (I) Approves the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure (EHI) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025-2028 update (Appendix 1) as specific to the areas of activity delegated to this Policy Board; and (II) Notes that the Report and update on the Plan is also being presented to the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Board and the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board to approve the elements covered within those Boards’ remits. Item 5 CHPB281025 Page 65 of 450
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3. Background 3.1. The Environment, Housing and Infrastructure (EHI) Department is responsible for the provision of everyday essential services, directly to the public of Renfrewshire, to other services within the Council and to community planning partners. These services are delivered by around 1,800 Full Time Equivalent (FTE), with an estimated net expenditure of £61.925m (excluding Housing Revenue Account) for 2025/26. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget and Rent Levels for total rental and other income for 2025/26 is £65.492m. 3.2. The Department provides the following key frontline services: • Operations: Neighbourhood Services, Fleet and Social Transportation, Waste and Recycling (to over 92,000 households and businesses). • Climate, Public Protection and Roads: supporting our communities through our Regulatory and Community Safety Services and supporting more than 862 km of roads and transport infrastructure. • Facilities and Property Services: (Hard and Soft Services) including PPP schools, cleaning/catering/janitorial services, public building (repairs, maintenance and compliance), Building Services and Technical Services, a multi-disciplinary design team. • Housing Services: Management and investment in housing stock (12,078 properties) and providing a wide range of advice and support to our tenants. 3.3 Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Services deliver universal services for over 186,000 Renfrewshire residents, helping to run our schools and care homes, providing 12,078 homes for social rent, protecting and enhancing our local environment though a wide range of initiatives and work to make Renfrewshire a great place to live and work. 3.4 Our services are delivered by a diverse, skilled and committed workforce of around 1,800 FTE* who deliver services 24/7 over 365 days a year. The health, safety and wellbeing of all our employees is of paramount importance. 3.5 Governance for Health, Safety and Wellbeing is provided through monthly discussions at the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Senior Leadership Team meetings and quarterly CRMT (Crisis Resilient Management Team). 4 Mid-year (6 month) Update on Environment, Housing & Infrastructure (EHI) Annual Health and Safety Plan 2025/28 4.1 A wide range of work has been undertaken between 1st April – 30th September 2025 to promote and address health and safety areas or concerns and a high-level summary of this is outlined below: • Relevant staff within Public Protection are now registered to use the People safe App which is a tool to assist in the protection of lone working staff. • To augment conflict resolution training already delivered to Community Support Officers in Community Safety, the coverage of body worn video has been extended. Each officer is now equipped with a device in addition to a personal radio link to our public space CCTV. Page 66 of 450
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• To date 56 Officers across EHI have completed the IOSH Managing Safely course with additional courses planned for later in 2025/26. A further 9 Senior Managers have completed the IOSH Leading Safely course to date. • The Operational Services Workforce Development Officer has attended a Management and Prevention of Violence and Aggression course with the intention of offering/delivering this course to Services. 5 Monitoring and Support Services 5.1 The ongoing health, safety and wellbeing of employees and service users continues to be a priority for EH&I. The focus to promote an open, positive health and safety culture and to encourage employees and management to report all incidents, accidents and occurrences. 5.2 All reported incidents, accidents and occurrences are reviewed on a weekly basis, resulting in more accurate date. Every incident, accident or occurrence is investigated and associated risk assessments reviewed and amended where necessary. 5.3 From 1st April 2025 – 30th September 2025 across EHI there were 76 incidents, accidents and near misses reported. The table below (Figure 1) shows the breakdown of these incidents by service area. Figure 1: EHI 2025: Total number of Incidents/Accidents and Near Misses Reported per Service Area (01/04/2025 – 30/09/2025) 5.4 Figure 2 below shows a comparison between 1st April – 30th September 2024 and 1st April – 30th September 2025. The total number of number of incidents/accidents and near misses has decreased (96 in 2024/2025 and 76 in 2025/2026) and it should be noted that there has been a significant decrease in reported incidents, primarily violence and aggression, particularly across Climate, Public Protection and Roads. This reduction is attributed to the conflict resolution training provided to staff last year, which has supported them to better manage any situations involving violence and aggression. 37 28 9 2 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Facilities & Property Services Operations & Service Development Housing Services Climate, Public Protection & Roads Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Total Incidents/Accidents & Near Misses 1st April 2025 to 30th September 2025 Page 67 of 450
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Figure 2: EHI 2025: Total number of Incidents/Accidents and Near Misses Reported per Service Area (01/04/2024 – 30/09/2024 compared to 01/04/2025 – 30/09/2025) 5.5 Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) there were 4 accidents across EHI between 1st April – 30th September 2025 comprising 1 dangerous occurrence, 1 specified injury and 2 “over 7-day absences”. 5.6 Supporting our employees and attendance is a key priority for EHI and arrangements are in place to utilise the services of the Council’s Occupational Health provider. To date a number of referrals have been made by manager or employee self-referrals to the Occupational Health Service or employee counselling service including for early intervention, counselling, physiotherapy, cognitive behaviour therapy as well as Statutory Occupational Health benchmarking. 6 EHI Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan 2025 – 2028: Actions Update (Mid-Year) 6.1 The Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Health, Safety and Wellbeing Action Plan 2025 - 2028 set out a range of key actions that will be undertaken in 2025/26. A short update on these actions is set out as Appendix 1 to this report. It should be noted that for some actions work is not due to be undertaken until the second part of 2025/26 or beyond and that, for many, work will be ongoing throughout the year. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – Potential exists for financial liability from property damage, civil or criminal prosecutions through the outcome of accidents and/or ill-health. This report demonstrates Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Services compliance and commitment to Health and Safety policies and procedures. 2. HR & Organisational Development – This report supports Renfrewshire Council’s commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of employees. 3. Community/Council Planning • Our Renfrewshire is well – EHI will improve the physical and mental health 27 2 36 37 26 28 7 9 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 2024/2025 2025/2026 2024/2025 2025/2026 2024/2025 2025/2026 2024/2025 2025/2026 Climate, Public Protection & Roads Facilities & Property Services Operations & Service Development Housing Services Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Total number of incidents/accidents & near misses reported 1st April -30th September 2024 & 1st April -30th September 2025 Page 68 of 450
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and wellbeing of employees through participation in the “Healthy Working Lives” and “Your Health Matters” Programmes and any other corporate initiatives promoting wellbeing. • Our Renfrewshire is safe – EHI will provide training and support to employees to allow them to develop within the organisation and to gain the skills and experience necessary to provide a quality service to our customers. 4. Legal – Environment, Housing and Infrastructure will continue to comply with all current statutory Health and Safety legislation and Renfrewshire Council Corporate Health and Safety policies and guidance. 5. Property/Assets – The maintenance of appropriate registers (e.g. Asbestos Register with respect of domestic Council properties) and an obligation to conduct workplace inspections. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – This report supports and demonstrates Environment, Housing and Infrastructure’s commitment to ensuring effective Health and Safety management across the Department. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – This report supports the overarching management of risk within Renfrewshire Council. 11. Privacy Impact- None. 12. COSLA Policy Position – None. 13. Children’s Rights – This report is for noting and has no direct implications on children’s rights. 14. Climate Risk – None. List of Background Papers (a) Background Paper 1: Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board (10th May 2025), Risk Report – May 2025 The foregoing background papers will be retained within Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Department (Service Development) for inspection by the public for the prescribed period of four years from the date of the meeting. The contact officer within the service is Gill Darbyshire, Senior Service Development Manager, gill.darbyshire@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 69 of 450
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Author: Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Gill Darbyshire, Senior Service Development Manager E-mail: Gordon.mcneil@renfrewshire.gov.uk Gill.darbyshire@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 70 of 450
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Appendix 1 Environment, Housing and Infrastructure (EHI) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Action Plan 2025/2028 Context Leadership, Management and Inspections Statement Owned by EHIH&S.01 – Leadership, Management and Inspections The Senior Leadership team are committed to spending more time with all employees, communicate their safety expectations and model safe behaviour. Workplace Inspections Workplace Inspections play an important role in active monitoring. The aim of workplace inspections is to prevent work related accidents and ill health by identifying new hazards and checking that preventative and protective control measures are implemented and effective. Internal Audits This is a systematic process of evaluating and examining our Health and Safety policies, procedures, documentation and workplace practices. Re-active Monitoring Taking a pro-active approach to monitoring incidents/accident a departmental incident/accident report will be developed in 2025/2026. This will be an interactive report which our Senior Management Team (SLT) and other managers/supervisors within Environment, Housing & Infrastructure will be able to utilise to monitor incidents/accidents within their service area and ensure a healthier and more productive environment. Directorate (Director & Heads of Service) Developing a culture of trust that empowers our employees. Action Codes Actions Latest Note Assigned To Overall Target Target 2025/2026 Year Status EHIH&S01.01 The Senior Leadership Team (Directorate) are committed to conducting at least six visible felt leadership visits over the next three years. The Senior Leadership Team (Directorate) have undertaken a number of felt leadership visits including working at the Depot. Director and 4 Heads of Service 100% 35% March 2028 EHIH&S01.02 We will conduct comprehensive workplace inspections across all Environment, Housing and Infrastructure over a three-year cycle. This work will be undertaken in the second half of 2025/26. All 100% 35% March 2028 Page 71 of 450
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EHIH&S01.02 Create an interactive incident/accident report for managers, enabling data-driven decision making based on reactive monitoring insights. Work has started to create an interactive incident/accident report for managers which will be available later in the year. Senior Service Development Manager 100% 100% Dec 2025 Page 72 of 450
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o Leadership, Management and Inspections Statement Owned by Content Health and Safety Owned By EHI.002 – Health and Safety Our health and safety philosophy is built on the principles of prevention. We understand that a resilient workplace is one where potential hazard are identified and addresses before they can cause harm. Directorate (Director & Heads of Service) Reducing the risk of error and increasing resilience through prevention Action Codes Actions Latest Note Assigned To Overall Target Target 2025/2026 Year Status EHIH&S.02.01 Design a dedicated health and safety Share Point site to facilitate the comprehensive review and monitoring of incidents/accidents, enabling the implementation of targeted preventative actions. This work will be undertaken in the second half of 2025/26. Senior Service Development Manager 100% 100% March 2026 EHIH&S.02.02 Conduct a thorough review and revision of the departmental quality, health and safety manual and all related documentation to ensure alignment with current standards. This work will be undertaken in the second half of 2025/26 or early 2026/27. Senior Service Development Manager 100% 100% July 2025 EHIH&S.02.07 Review and complete the Asbestos Management Plan for Environment, Housing & Infrastructure duty holders which include Housing Services and Technical Services and incorporates Building Services. Work is ongoing to review the Asbestos Management Plan. Asbestos Working Group 100% 50% March 2027 EHIH&S.02.15 Review all risk assessments across the business and update as required. This action is complete. Environmental Health & Community Safety Manager 100% 100% Sept 2025 EHIH&S.02.16 Complete specific risk assessment for handling XL Bully Dogs. This action is complete. Environmental Health & Community Safety Manager 100% 100% March 2026 Page 73 of 450
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Context Health and Wellbeing Statement Owned by EHI.003 - Health and Wellbeing We prioritise the preventative measures necessary to ensure both occupational health and safety, and the overall well-being of our employees. We are committed to creating a work environment where potential hazards are mitigated, and employees feel supported in all aspects to their well- being. Directorate (Director & Heads of Service) Focusing on occupational health and safety and enhancing employee wellbeing Action Codes Actions Latest Note Assigned To Overall Target Target 2025/2026 Year Status EHIH&S.03.01 To meet legal requirements, several display screen assessments (DSE) will be refreshed during 2025/26. Quarterly compliance will be monitored using the Council’s Business World reporting system. Work is ongoing to ensure Display Screen Assessments (DSE) are undertaken across the Department. 78% of DSE courses were completed across Q1 and Q2. Health and Well- being Group 100% Q1 – 34% Q2 – 27% Q3 – 11% Q4 – 28% March 2026 EHIH&S.03.03 EH&I will focus on the implementation of key priorities within the Corporate Health and Wellbeing Plan 2024/2029. EHI continue to support the key priorities within the Corporate Health and Wellbeing Plan 2024/2029. SLT 100% 35% March 2028 Page 74 of 450
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Context Compliance & Training Statement Owned by EHI.004 – Compliance & Training We are committed to unwavering legal and regulatory compliance. Through targeted training and development, we empower our employees to uphold the highest standards. Directorate (Director & Heads of Service) Strengthening our legal and regulatory compliance through training and development Action Codes Actions Latest Note Assigned To Overall Target Target 2025/2026 Year Status EHIH&S.04.01 Roll out a training programme for IOSH Managing/Leading safely to all managers and supervisors within Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. IOSH Managing Safely has been rolled out to 56 managers, supervisors and employees across EHI. To date 9 Senior Managers have undertaken the IOSH Leading Safely. Further courses will be run during 2025/26. Housing Services are progressing similar training focused on their particular service needs. Senior Service Development Manager 100% 50% March 2027 Page 75 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Following consultation, the Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026-2031, attached at Appendix 1, has been finalised for submission to the Scottish Government. 1.2 The Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 sets out a development programme of affordable housing projects across Renfrewshire that will be supported by Scottish Government funding through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Approves the Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031, set out in Appendix 1, for submission to the Scottish Government. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan outlines how Scottish Government funding for affordable housing will be targeted to help achieve the priorities set out in Renfrewshire’s Local Housing Strategy, supporting 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 allocates grant funding, known as Resource Planning Assumptions, to individual Council areas. Item 6 CHPB281025 Page 77 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.3 The Scottish Government confirmed on 10th October 2025 that Renfrewshire Council has received an additional £0.175 from the National Acquisitions Fund to support affordable housing providers to acquire suitable homes for social rent on the open market. This additional funding increases Renfrewshire’s Resource Planning Assumption allocation for 2025/26 to £17.486 million. 3.4 The Resource Planning Assumption for Renfrewshire is only confirmed for one year and there remains uncertainty over the future level of future funding allocations. This funding uncertainty means that delivery timescales for projects may be subject to change. 3.5 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. 3.6 Additional grant funding may be made 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. 3.7 The Strategic Housing Investment Plan contains funding provision for the Council’s own newbuild development programme and projects being delivered by housing association partners. 3.8 The number of new homes and timescales for the delivery of individual projects will be refined as development proposals are finalised and as actual grant requirement is confirmed. All projects within the Strategic Housing Investment Plan are kept under review to ensure that resources made available to Renfrewshire can be fully utilised to add to the supply of high-quality affordable homes. 4. Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 4.1 The draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026-2031 was approved for consultation by the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 19 August 2025. A 4-week consultation period followed which included all housing associations operating in Renfrewshire, the Health and Social Care Partnership, local stakeholder groups such as Community Councils and tenants’ and residents’ associations, community planning partners and Renfrewshire’s residents. 4.2 The Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026-2031 attached at Appendix 1 takes account of feedback received from respondents and from individual meetings with housing association partners during the consultation period. 4.3 A total of 4 representations were received during the consultation period. A summary of the representations and associated amendments made in finalising the Strategic Housing Investment Plan are attached at Appendix 2. Page 78 of 450
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PUBLIC 4.4 Renfrewshire Council continue to work closely with the Scottish Government and Registered Social Landlords in the delivery of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan. This includes quarterly tripartite meetings with developing partners, the Scottish Government and Renfrewshire Council to monitor progress and seeking monthly updates on individual projects. In addition, there are opportunities for partners to engage at the Housing Provider Forum to discuss any emerging housing strategy and development issues. 4.5 Officers have met both Paisley Housing Association and Linstone Housing Association to discuss their comments and any issues raised and to reinforce that the Council welcome and support all Registered Social Landlords delivering new affordable homes across Renfrewshire. 4.6 The Strategic Housing Investment Plan has been updated to include: • A new site which will see Paisley Housing Association deliver 8 social rented units at 123 Neilston Road, Paisley in 2026/27; and, • Minor programming changes to projects to reflect updates received from Housing Association partners. 4.7 The Council continues to work closely with the Scottish Government, Housing Associations and other developing partners to manage and deliver the development programme and facilitate delivery of the affordable homes throughout Renfrewshire. ___________________________________________________________________ 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. An important assumption on this is that the Scottish Government Grant will be allocated according to the Resource Planning Assumptions outlined in the current plan. 2. HR & Organisational Development - None. 3. Community/Council Planning – The Local Housing Strategy is considered to support the Renfrewshire Community Plan 2017-2027, particularly the theme of Our Renfrewshire is thriving through encouraging people to stay here and attracting new people to settle here; and making sure infrastructure (such as housing) is in place to support growth in the local population. It is considered to support the Council Plan 2022-2027 (June 2024 refresh) particularly the Place priority of ensuring Renfrewshire has a supply of green, high-qulaity, affordable, cross-tenure homes in the right places to meet current and future demands; and the Green priority of working towards a new zero Renfrewshire by 2030. Page 79 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 - There is a potential risk to these plans associated with the availability of Scottish Government Grant in the absence of multi-year Resource Planning Assumptions. 11. Privacy Impact - None. 12. Climate Risk - The Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan aims to deliver high quality, energy efficient homes in sustainable locations across Renfrewshire. 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Cosla Policy Position - None. _________________________________________________________ (a) Appendix 1 – Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 (b) Appendix 2 – Summary of consultation responses and amendments to SHIP ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Alan Williamson, Strategy and Place Manager Tel: 07811 053968; Email: alan.williamson@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 80 of 450
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1 PUBLIC Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 Page 81 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 2 PUBLIC Renfrewshire’s 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. The 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 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. Aligning with Renfrewshire’s Local Housing Strategy and Development Plan The 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. It 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 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. Page 82 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 3 PUBLIC 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. Link/C~urb Housing Association, social rented development, Hawkhead, Paisley 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. Page 83 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 4 PUBLIC When the Council is assessing projects included as part of this Strategic Housing Investment Plan, it will consider proposals against the policies in the National Planning Framework 4 and Renfrewshire LDP2. 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. Sanctuary Scotland, social rented development, Sutherland Street, Paisley 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 £17.486 million compared to £13.181 million allocated in 2024/25. Page 84 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 5 PUBLIC 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 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. 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; Page 85 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 6 PUBLIC 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. 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 £346,000 from this national fund in 2025/26 which was supplemented by funding from the confirmed Resource Planning Assumption to provide over £1.5m 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. Page 86 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 7 PUBLIC 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. 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. Meeting Renfrewshire’s Affordable Housing Needs and LHS Strategic Priorities The 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. Page 87 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 8 PUBLIC Williamsburgh Housing Association, social rented development, Albert Road, Renfrew 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. This 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 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. Page 88 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 9 PUBLIC 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 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 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. 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. Page 89 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 10 PUBLIC Link/C~urb Housing Association, social rented General and Particular Needs, Paisley Town Centre 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. 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, Page 90 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 11 PUBLIC 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. 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 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. Page 91 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 12 PUBLIC 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. 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 this plan. Should a requirement for accommodation/sites be identified, future updates of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan will include details of these projects. Page 92 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 13 PUBLIC 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. Renfrewshire Council Regeneration and Renewal Programme This 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 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 t 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. Page 93 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 14 PUBLIC Significant cross tenure new build development has taken place in town centres in recent years. In preparing the 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 Strategic Housing Investment Plan in order to support further affordable housing development in Paisley town centre. 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. Page 94 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 15 PUBLIC 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. 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 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. Page 95 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 16 PUBLIC 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. Programme Management and Project Prioritisation This 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. 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. Page 96 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 17 PUBLIC 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’. 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 Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Page 97 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 18 PUBLIC 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 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 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 Strategic Housing Investment Plan is currently utilising or been identified to seek funding from the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme. 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; Page 98 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 19 PUBLIC • 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. Strategic Housing Investment Plan Appendices Appendix 1 details progress with projects currently on site as well as proposals for future projects identified. 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. Equalities This 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. It 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 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 Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Page 99 of 450
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20 PUBLIC 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. 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. Page 100 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 21 PUBLIC 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. 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. Page 101 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 22 PUBLIC Development Units Status Comment 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 November 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 later in 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 102 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 23 PUBLIC 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. Page 103 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 24 PUBLIC Development Units Status Comment 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. 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 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 February 2027 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. Page 104 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 25 PUBLIC Development Units Status Comment 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. Stirling Drive, Linwood 65 Off site, site start 2027 subject to future grant application being approved by SG. 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, site start 2029 subject to future grant application being approved by SG. 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. Page 105 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 26 PUBLIC Development Units Status Comment 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. 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. Page 106 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 27 PUBLIC Development Units Status Comment Neilston Road, Paisley 8 Off site, Start date tbc. Due to complete 2026/27. Paisley Housing Association will deliver 8 units at benchmark grant rate. Property sizes still to be confirmed. Local Development Plan Affordable Housing Policy Future Requirements Subject to the availability of Scottish Government grant, this 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 107 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 28 PUBLIC 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 108 of 450
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29 PUBLIC 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 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 Neilston Road, Paisley 8 £0.770 £0.000 £0.770 £0.000 £0.000 £0.000 Open Market Acquisitions tbc £1.575 £1.575 tbc tbc tbc tbc Affordable Housing Policy Future Reqs tbc tbc tbc tbc tbc tbc tbc *Funded without Grant from RPA 519 £55.421 £32.739 £19.298 £1.764 £1.620 £0.000 Page 109 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 30 PUBLIC 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 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 £2.000 £3.936 £0.000 Older Persons Housing, Erskine 18 £2.455 £0.000 £0.455 £2.000 £0.000 £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 - 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 £5.000 £4.959 £0.000 Ryefield, Johnstone 36 £5.983 £0.150 £0.000 £0.000 £5.833 £0.000 637 £68.836 £3.579 £0.455 £16.000 £48.803 £0.000 Page 110 of 450
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Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026 to 2031 31 PUBLIC 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 1334 £141.092 £36.686 £19.753 £17.764 £62.230 £4.660 Page 111 of 450
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32 PUBLIC Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1BR Page 112 of 450
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PUBLIC Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2026-2031 Consultation Responses Respondent Summary of representation Renfrewshire Council Response/Changes required to Strategic Housing Investment Plan Houston Community Council Houston Community Council feels that the Strategic Housing Investment Plan requires to take far greater cognisance of: 1. Specific demographic needs of communities when determining housing. 2. Consider needs of ageing population. 3. Make provision for private sector downsizer homes within West Renfrewshire Villages. 4. Consider measures to enable older residents in private and rented accommodation to move to smaller homes to free up larger homes by building affordable homes for them to downsize to. 5. Support reuse and refurbishment of existing stock particularly for families by supporting downsizing. 6. Agree with town centre living and brownfield development. All new developments should give greater consideration to active travel connectivity and access to local amenities. Officers from Renfrewshire Council will arrange a meeting with Houston Community Council to discuss their comments. The Community Council’s comments are welcomed however they relate more to the Local Housing Strategy or Local Development Plan process than the Strategic Housing Investment Plan, in that they are mostly planning matters. Therefore we will consider these up in future reviews of the Local Housing Strategy and Local Development Plan process. Page 113 of 450
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PUBLIC Respondent Summary of representation Renfrewshire Council Response/Changes required to Strategic Housing Investment Plan The Community Council believe that the Council’s support for edge of centre retail development undermines this. 7. The Strategic Housing Investment Plan requires to be driven by needs rather than securing numbers. Requires to move to a local place making agenda and cognisance of the demographics of individual communities to create ‘whole life towns and villages’. 8. Recognition to be given to the specific spatial qualities of communities with less generic volume housing design and a Places for People place led approach. 9. Significant planning applications over 50 units should be accompanied by an EIA. Paisley Housing Association 1. Role of local providers: Paisley Housing Association feel the Strategic Housing Investment Plan is weighted towards national Registered Social Landlords and Renfrewshire Council to the detriment of local Registered Social Landlords. They feel that the Strategic Housing Investment Plan should have explicitly recognise the role of local Registered Social Landlords and given a stronger role in project delivery. 1. There are a number of projects in the programme for both local and national Registered Social Landlords. The focus of development projects in the Strategic Housing Investment Plan is to meet housing needs and the priorities of the Local Housing Strategy taking into account the deliverability of projects. Page 114 of 450
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PUBLIC Respondent Summary of representation Renfrewshire Council Response/Changes required to Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2. Section 75 sites: Paisley Housing Association feel the Strategic Housing Investment Plan does not give enough detail to Section 75 sites and requires a clear approach to be set out and showing how they will be programmed and allocated. The Association want to see more explicit detail in the Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Paisley Housing Association wish the Strategic Housing Investment Plan to set out a pipeline of anticipated Section 75 sites linked to the Local Development Plan and introduce a transparent process for allocating these sites to Registered Social Landlord partners ensuring local Registered Social Landlords are prioritised. 3. Programme balance – core, shadow and longer term projects: Paisley Housing Association feels that the Strategic Housing Investment Plan is heavily weighted towards core projects that are already committed, with delivery dominated by national Registered Social Landlords and Renfrewshire Council sites and that this structure leaves little space for new local projects to feature in the early years of the programme. 2. The Strategic Housing Investment Plan refers to the opportunity provided by Section 75 agreements to deliver affordable homes on larger private sites. We note Paisley Housing Association’s comments, however Renfrewshire Council are not in the position to identify a pipeline of future Section 75 sites until they have been through the planning process. Through the planning process the Council will determine the appropriate provision of affordable housing on a site-by-site basis in accordance with the Local Development Plan. 3. The development programme is based around three time periods that reflects the anticipated availability of funding, project delivery and current status of projects. The Strategic Housing Investment Plan programme includes a degree of over-programming to ensure Renfrewshire Council can maximise grant spend wherever possible. Page 115 of 450
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PUBLIC Respondent Summary of representation Renfrewshire Council Response/Changes required to Strategic Housing Investment Plan Paisley Housing Association are concerned that this approach risks locking out deliverable local projects and fails to make full use of the capacity of community based providers and heightens the risk of grant underspend if core projects slip. Paisley Housing Association recommend the Strategic Housing Investment Plan introduces a formal mechanism that allows deliverable local Registered Social Landlord projects to be promoted to the core if: * Other core projects are delayed *Additional funding becomes available *A local provider can evidence readiness to process more quickly 4. Funding certainty and benchmarks: Paisley Housing Association acknowledge the single year Resource Planning Assumptions and uncertainty around this. Paisley Housing Association state that if funding is constrained in future years that the Strategic Housing Investment Plan should explicitly prioritise local providers. In relation to benchmark rates, Paisley Housing Association acknowledges that these are set by the Scottish Government. 4. Projects within the Strategic Housing Investment Plan are programmed at benchmark rates until the point when an offer of grant is issued by the Scottish Government. The Council do not decide the level of grant that will be provided to support the delivery of projects. Above benchmark rates may be provided by the Scottish Government to deliver specific quality and design features, however, it is up to the Registered Social Landlord to submit detailed costs with their application of grant to the Scottish Government and the Government will decide on the level of grant that will be provided following a value for money assessment. Page 116 of 450
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PUBLIC Respondent Summary of representation Renfrewshire Council Response/Changes required to Strategic Housing Investment Plan However they note that the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan states that flexibility is available for higher grant support where justified. Paisley Housing Association wants Renfrewshire Council to strengthen the Strategic Housing Investment Plan by being more transparent about how the flexibility will be applied in practice. 5. Town centre living and regeneration: Paisley Housing Association reference the line in the Strategic Housing Investment Plan for 100 affordable homes in Paisley Town Centre and that no delivery partner is noted. Paisley Housing Association wish to be considered for the delivery of these homes and feel that it should be a local provider that takes this forward. The Scottish Government require that any site that is being delivered as part of a Section 75 legal agreement on a larger private housing site must be delivered at benchmark rates. 5. In preparing the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan, all Registered Social Landlords were offered the opportunity to submit proposed sites to the Council. A number of proposals have been submitted for Paisley Town Centre. A project line is included within Appendix 3 of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan in order to support further affordable housing development in Paisley town centre. 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. Page 117 of 450
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PUBLIC Respondent Summary of representation Renfrewshire Council Response/Changes required to Strategic Housing Investment Plan 6. Neilston Road, Paisley – omission from the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan: Paisley Housing Association state that they are extremely concerned that this site has been left out of the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan. They state that their site is ‘oven ready’ and aligns with the Strategic Housing Investment Plan’s priority for town centre and edge of centre regeneration. Paisley Housing Association are unhappy that they have worked with the developer and kept Renfrewshire Council updated on progress over recent months. Paisley Housing Association wish this site to be added to the Strategic Housing Investment Plan. 7. North and West Renfrewshire villages: Paisley Housing Association note that the Strategic Housing Investment Plan acknowledges unmet need in North and West Renfrewshire villages but offers little detail on how this will be addressed. They state that whilst larger Registered Social Landlords may prioritise major urban sites, smaller scale village developments are often overlooked despite clear housing need and that Paisley Housing Association are well placed to contribute to this agenda. 6. Following discussion with Paisley Housing Association regarding this site since the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan was prepared, the Council has now included the site at 123 Neilston Road, Paisley in the Strategic Housing Investment Plan programme for 8 units for an anticipated 2026/27 delivery. 7. A number of sites are identified within North Renfrewshire and social rented housing is being delivered in this area via the Strategic Housing Investment Plan. The Strategic Housing Investment Plan also includes funding to deliver future affordable housing projects in West Renfrewshire but these sites will only be identified following the outcome of the planning process, should planning permission be granted. Renfrewshire Council are continuing to look at any other opportunities in West Renfrewshire. We would also welcome any Registered Social Landlord who wish take a proactive role in enabling more affordable housing delivery in these locations. Page 118 of 450
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PUBLIC Respondent Summary of representation Renfrewshire Council Response/Changes required to Strategic Housing Investment Plan Paisley Housing Association state that they believe the Strategic Housing Investment Plan should set out a clear pathway for enabling local associations to play a more proactive role in delivering affordable sites in these locations. 8. Rental off the shelf (ROTS) – strategy and refurbishment funding: Paisley Housing Association acknowledge the funding for Rental Off the Shelf and National Acquisitions Fund but state the delivery is currently ad-hoc. They feel that given the volume of vacant homes in Paisley Town Centre and surrounding areas that the Strategic Housing Investment Plan should establish a clear, strategy led Rental Off the Shelf programme with priority given to local Registered Social Landlords. Paisley Housing Association state that the Rental Off the Shelf budgets must cover acquisition and also essential refurbishment costs required to properties that typically require investment before they can be relet to the Scottish Housing Quality Standard and their letting standard. However we note that no opportunities were identified in the recent call for sites process that was asked of all Registered Social Landlord in Renfrewshire as part of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan consultation. No changes are required to the Strategic Housing Investment Plan to address comments. 8. Funding is currently allocated within the programme to support the delivery of Rental Off the Shelf. Should future funding allocations be made available by the Scottish Government, we will consider with all Registered Social Landlords operating within Renfrewshire whether a strategy or guiding criteria in terms of need, is required to support the delivery of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan. At present we do not intend to change the Strategic Housing Investment Plan. Page 119 of 450
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PUBLIC Respondent Summary of representation Renfrewshire Council Response/Changes required to Strategic Housing Investment Plan Paisley Housing Association recommend that Rental Off the Shelf is fully integrated with the Council’s empty homes and buy-back work and subject to quarterly review alongside Strategic Housing Investment Plan delivery, ensuring ready acquisitions can backfill any core project slippage and project grant spend. 9. Strategic Housing Investment Plan and monitoring: Paisley Housing Association note the monitoring arrangements in place but feel that this approach risks excluding local providers unless they already have a project in the programme. Paisley Housing Association state that to ensure the Strategic Housing Investment Plan remains flexible and inclusive that they believe that there should be a more structured role for local Registered Social Landlords in programme monitoring and pipeline development. This would allow potential new opportunities to be identified early, help safeguard grant spend if core projects slip and ensure that delivery is not concentrated in the hands of a small number of national providers. 9. Renfrewshire Council continue to work closely with the Scottish Government and Registered Social Landlords in the delivery of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan and the delivery programme. This includes quarterly tripartite meetings with developing partners, the Scottish Government and Renfrewshire Council to monitor progress and monthly updates on individual projects. In addition, there are opportunities for Housing Associations to engage at the Housing Provider Forums where the Strategic Housing Investment Plan is a standing agenda item. Council officers met with Paisley Housing Association during the consultation period of the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan and on 08/10/25 to discuss their comments and liaison going forward. The Council welcome Paisley HA wanting to take a more prominent role in the delivery of social housing across Renfrewshire. Page 120 of 450
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PUBLIC Respondent Summary of representation Renfrewshire Council Response/Changes required to Strategic Housing Investment Plan Paisley Housing Association states they are committed to playing a constructive role in this process and would welcome greater involvement in programme oversight. CALA Homes CALA are progressing the site and planning application for Lochwinnoch, Burnfoot Road is currently subject to a live application 24/0892/PP. The nominated RSL is Link HA. A site start is anticipated in Summer 2026, with first private units in late summer/autumn 2027 and all the affordable homes delivered in 3 phases in early 2028. CALA purchased the site in Erskine, Sandielands Road in July 2025. There is currently a live application 22/0178/PP going through the system, targeting the November 2025 Board. CALA are actively engaging with Bridgewater HA to deliver 18 older person homes for social rent. This would allow a spring 2026 site start, with first private units around easter 2027 and the affordable delivered over two phases from autumn 2027. Provision has been included within the Strategic Housing Investment Plan programme for sites within West Renfrewshire. Should the site at Burnfoot Road be granted planning consent it will be identified within the programme. The site at Sandielands Road (Northbar Phase 2), is included within the Strategic Housing Investment Plan programme. Linstone Housing Association Linstone Housing Association request clarification on the following: • Stirling Drive: This is listed as “TBC” for proposed start date. We welcome the update from Linstone Housing Association and have amended as requested the previous timescales provided by Linstone Housing Association for the delivery of sites at Stirling Drive, Linwood and Ryefield, Johnstone. The Council have updated the Strategic Housing Investment Plan to identify anticipated site start for Stirling Drive to 2027 subject to a future application of grant being approved by the Scottish Government. Page 121 of 450
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PUBLIC Respondent Summary of representation Renfrewshire Council Response/Changes required to Strategic Housing Investment Plan We are actively in the process of acquiring the additional land from Renfrewshire Council this financial year, with a view to commencing on site in 2027 pending some final clarifications. Can you clarify why this date has been omitted? • Ryefield: We expect to commence on site in 2029 as per previous update, yet the draft shows “TBC.” • Station Road: The project has been removed entirely from the draft. Please note that Springfield submitted a planning pre application enquiry, and the project remains very much on the agenda for the SHIP period. The Council have updated the SHIP to an anticipated site start for Ryefield to 2029 subject to a future application of grant being approved by the Scottish Government. The Station Road site is not currently within Strategic Housing Investment Plan programme, however this will be revised should planning permission be obtained for the site. Council officers met Linstone Housing Association on 16/10/25 to discuss their comments and updated timescales for their projects. Page 122 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 – Year Two (2024/25) Progress Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report presents the second annual progress update of the Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028. It highlights progress in the delivery of the five strategic priorities and supporting actions within the Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Notes the progress made in implementing the actions of the Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 for the period 2024/25. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 places a duty on local authorities to prepare a five-year local housing strategy which is informed by an assessment of housing provision and related services within the area. 3.2 Renfrewshire’s Local Housing Strategy was approved at the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 31 October 2023. 3.3 The Local Housing Strategy sets out the strategic approach of the Council and its partners to delivering high quality housing and housing related services across all tenures to meet identified housing need in Renfrewshire. It also seeks to provide a clear direction for strategic housing investment. Item 7 CHPB281025 Page 123 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.4 The Local Housing Strategy links with a number of key plans and strategies for Renfrewshire (e.g. Local Development Plan, Health and Social Care Partnership Strategic Plan and the Community Plan). 3.5 The Local Housing Strategy contains five Strategic Priorities that take account of current national and local policy priorities. Progress in delivering the five strategic priorities and related actions within the Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 is reported annually to this Board. 3.6 The Local Housing Strategy Year Two (2024/25) Progress Update is contained in Appendix 1. Following consideration by the Board, the Progress Update will be published on the Council’s website. 4. Summary of Delivery 4.1 A summary of progress against each of the Local Housing Strategy Strategic Priorities is set out below. Strategic Priority 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. 4.2 The Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 identified an estimated housing need of 902 new affordable homes over the 5-year period of the strategy. During 2024/25 104 new social rented homes were completed across Renfrewshire, with a total of 310 new affordable homes delivered since the LHS was published 2 years ago. 4.3 Housing association partners and the Council continue to deliver new affordable housing projects as well as acquiring properties from the open market for use as social rented homes. Forward planning discussion for new sites continued with partners and the Scottish Government to ensure an ongoing pipeline of new development projects. 4.4 During 2024/25, planning approval was obtained for new build Council homes at Gallowhill in Paisley and Howwood Road in Johnstone which will deliver 135 council homes across both sites. 4.5 The focus for new build sites is on brownfield and previously used land, with 88% of the current all tenure housing land supply in that category. 4.6 Supporting town centre residential development is a priority of the LHS. Eleven town centre residential sites are identified in the 2024 housing land audit, the development of which will help support town centre living. 4.7 Communities are being supported to develop Local Place Plans through the Council’s Local Place Plan Fund. Nine community groups are currently using this funding to prepare plans for their areas. Page 124 of 450
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PUBLIC Strategic Priority 2: People live in high quality, well managed homes in sustainable neighbourhoods. 4.8 Paisley Housing Associations’ Orchard Street project started on site in 2024/2025 and will see the refurbishment of 5 poor quality tenement blocks into affordable housing units in a key town centre location. 4.9 The Council’s Housing Regeneration and Renewal programme continued to make good progress during 2024/25. Neighbourhood Renewal Groups were established in Howwood Road, Johnstone, and Aucthentorlie and Howard Street, both Paisley, to provide a multi-disciplinary approach to developing neighbourhood renewal plans that consider wider issues than just housing and the immediate environment, to ensure maximum benefits from housing regeneration are delivered. The rates of financial grant support to owners participating in investment works within regeneration and renewal programmes were increased during 2024/25 to encourage maximum participation. 4.10 Work continues to support private sector owners to take responsibility for their property condition. The Scheme of Assistance which sets out advice and support given to private sector homeowners was updated and approved in May 2024. This included an extension to the successful Missing Shares pilot to include all tenement property types. During 2024/25, 11 missing shares were paid to enable owners in 4 tenement blocks to progress essential repair works. Almost 1,000 private sector owners were provided with advice and assistance on property conditions in 2024/25 and 170 private homeowners were awarded grant support for major capital investment works. 4.11 Where property owners and private sector landlord do not meet required standards, the Council act where appropriate. In 2024/25 this including the granting of a demolition order on a Below Tolerable Standard property in the Tannahilll area of Fergusle, the investigation of 76 privately rented properties and the refusal of registration of 4 landlords. Strategic Priority 3: Address the challenges of the climate emergency, delivering homes that are warm, energy efficient and fuel poverty is minimised. 4.12 Work progresses to support those households most at risk of fuel poverty and to improve the energy efficiency of existing housing. 4.13 The Council’s Energy Advocacy Service support residents of all tenures within Renfrewshire. This includes fuel debt, supplier disputes, priority service provision, supplier switching and energy use. During 2024/25 the service received 610 referrals resulting in £134,340 in savings. 4.14 As of 31 March 2025, 2,670 council homes had external wall insulation retrofitted, up from 1,943 in March 2023 and 582 council homes had solar photovoltaic panels retrofitted, up from 95 in 2023. Page 125 of 450
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PUBLIC 4.15 Just under £1.6m of funding from the Scottish Government Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Schemes (EES:ABS),was utilised during 2024/25 to support home owners to make energy efficiency improvements such as external wall insulation. 4.16 In relation to new housing, all newbuild affordable homes with a building warrant applied for from 1 April 2024 will meet the Scottish Government New Build Heat Standard. The specification for new build Council homes has been updated to include improved airtightness standards, air source heat pumps, solar photovoltaic panels and wastewater recovery. 4.17 Government policy continues to evolve in this area, with an announcement in April 2025 that a revised Heat in Buildings Bill is to be brought to Parliament later in 2025/26, the content of which may influence some of the Local Housing Strategy actions in this area in the future. Strategic Priority 4: Prevention of homelessness and providing support for those in housing need. 4.18 The Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan was extended for a further year into 2025/26 allowing the continuation of established initiatives with a focus on homelessness prevention and provision of a Housing First approach. 4.19 During 2024/25, 658 homeless applicants moved into a social rented tenancy, many of whom were supported by the Council’s Homeless and Housing Support services. 4.20 Homelessness pressures continued throughout 2024/25 and to help ease this pressure Registered Social Landlords supported an increase in their lets to homeless applicants, to 207 lets (compared to 171 in 2022/23). The Council also increased the number of lets to homeless applicants to 451. Temporary accommodation provided by the both the Council and Registered Social Landlords increased with a current supply of 291 at September 2025, which is helping Renfrewshire to meet the legal duty to provide temporary accommodation for everyone who requires it. 4.21 During 2024/25, the Housing (Scotland) Bill made its way through parliamentary processes. This proposed a new “Ask and Act” duty in relation to homelessness prevention which would place duties on certain public bodies to prevent people from losing their homes by asking about their housing situation and taking action. Strategic Priority 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. 4.22 The provision of the right type of home and aids and adaptions can help people stay independent in their own home. During 2024/25, 555 adaptation jobs were completed in private sector and council homes. Page 126 of 450
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PUBLIC Care and Repair Renfrewshire completed 558 repair jobs through their Small Repairs Service for older and disabled people, ensuring a safe living environment. 4.23 Of the 104 new affordable homes delivered in 2024/25, 7 were fully wheelchair accessible. Joint working between the Council and Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership continues in relation to specialist housing requirements to explore where this can be met be met through the delivery of new build development in the Strategic Housing Investment Plan. 4.24 The Council continues to support refugees, and during 2024/25 a new post of Health and Wellbeing Coordinator was created within the Resettlement Team to further develop, promote, and deliver a variety of health, wellbeing and integration based activities and events. The Resettlement Team currently support 244 refugee households across Renfrewshire. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – The financial implications of implementing this strategy are incorporated into the Council and the Housing Revenue Account plans. No new financial implications are introduced by this report. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – The Local Housing Strategy is considered to support the Renfrewshire Community Plan 2017-2027, particularly the theme of Our Renfrewshire is thriving through encouraging people to stay here and attracting new people to settle here; and making sure infrastructure (such as housing) is in place to support growth in the local population. It is considered to support the Council Plan 2022-2027 (June 2024 refresh) particularly the Place priority of ensuring Renfrewshire has a supply of green, high-quality, affordable, cross-tenure homes in the right places to meet current and future demands; and the Green priority of working towards a net zero Renfrewshire. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - (a) The Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 was subject to Equality, Children’s Rights and Wellbeing and Fairer Scotland Duty Impact Assessment. This assessment found no negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights. Page 127 of 450
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PUBLIC While the recommendations included in this annual report are for noting only, if required, the impact of implementing Local Housing Strategy actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of any additional 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 – N/A. 13. Children’s Rights – This report does not cover a new policy, function or strategy or a substantive change to an existing policy, function or strategy which will have an impact on children’s rights. 14. Cosla Policy Position – N/A. _______________________________________________________ Appendix 1 Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 - Year Two (2024/25) Progress Update List of Background Papers (a) Background Paper 1 Report to Communities and Housing Policy Board 31 October 2023: Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028. The foregoing background papers will be retained within Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Services 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 Alan Williamson, Strategy and Place Manager, alan.williamson@renfrewshire.gov.uk ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Alan Williamson: alan.williamson@renfrewshire.gov.uk, Page 128 of 450
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PUBLIC Local Housing Strategy Action Plan 2023-2028 – Year Two (2024/25) Progress Update Strategic Priority 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. Action Baseline Indicator/ Measure October 2025 update 1 Identify and maintain a continuous supply of housing land in sustainable locations across Renfrewshire to support delivery of a mix of housing types and tenures to meet housing need and demand. Local Development Plan Action Programme agreed 2021 Actions implemented The Renfrewshire Local Development Plan 2021 Delivery Programme 2024 Update was approved by the Council’s Planning and Climate Change Policy Board on 21st January 2025. The Delivery Programme includes estimated 10-year programming for housing sites in Renfrewshire informed by the 2024 Housing Land Audit. The existing housing land supply is currently being reviewed in preparing the Housing Land Audit 2025 in line with new housing land audit guidance published by the Scottish Government in January 2025. Once published, the new housing land audit will help inform the preparation of Renfrewshire’s next Local Development Plan. Page 129 of 450
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PUBLIC 2 Support development of previously used and brownfield sites making best use of existing and planned infrastructure. 29.19 hectares of land identified in the Vacant and Derelict Land Strategy brought back into productive use in 2022. Land identified in the Vacant and Derelict Land Strategy brought back into productive use In 2024/25, development commenced on sites in the vacant and derelict land register totalling 4.83 hectares, with 1.79 hectares being developed for housing. 88% of the current housing land supply (based on 2024 Housing Land Audit) is on brownfield and previously used sites. 3 Deliver the rolling affordable housing supply programme set out in the Strategic Housing Investment Plan to deliver new energy efficient and digitally enabled homes and identify new projects that contribute to meeting the strategic priorities of this Local Housing Strategy. Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2023 - 2028 approved at Communities and Housing Policy Board October 2022 Annual update of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) In 2024/25, 104 new affordable homes were completed across three Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) sites. This includes a Sanctuary Scotland development at Napier Street, Linwood consisting of 51 homes, a Loretto development of 48 homes at East Lane Paisley and 5 units for Link at Hawkhead Paisley. These new homes contribute to expanding the supply of affordable high quality energy efficient homes. 4 Make use of the Affordable Housing Policy to increase the supply of affordable housing and help create mixed sustainable communities. N/A Number of sites that include units delivered through the new Affordable Housing Policy The Local Development Plan Affordable Housing Policy has successfully been used to deliver new affordable homes. Although no units were delivered in 2024/25 using this policy, discussions are ongoing around the application of the policy in relation to several new sites that will come forward in future years. Page 130 of 450
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PUBLIC 5 Deliver local regeneration strategies providing new affordable, energy efficient and digitally enabled homes in sustainable places that reflect Renfrewshire Council’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions’. N/A Progress agreed area strategies following public consultation Positive progress is being made across all areas in the 10-year programme timeline. The acquisition and rehousing strategy is performing as planned and various phases of demolition are being taken forward as blocks become fully council owned and vacant. Planning approval has been obtained for new build Council homes at Gallowhill, Paisley (65 homes) and Howwood Road Area, Johnstone (70 homes) with the Gallowhill project commencing on 4 August 2025. Tenders are being prepared and issued for the Carbrook Street and Foxbar Rivers projects with feasibility studies being carried out at Springbank Phase 1 and Thrushcraigs (all Paisley). 6 Continue to support town centre action plans and support housing investment and development projects in Renfrewshire’s town centres. N/A Town Centre action plans to be progressed Work is continuing to deliver major regeneration projects in Paisley Town Centre as set out in Paisley Vision 2030. A Johnstone Town Centre Vision Framework was created by the Council and a specialist consultant team in collaboration with residents, businesses and community groups and published in May 2024. The purpose is to set out a vision for the future of Johnstone town centre; creating a place that is ‘vibrant, sustainable, connected, green and resilient’. The Erskine Town Centre Enhancements Framework was also prepared in 2024 and sets out short-, medium- and long-term enhancements for the town centre as a basis for future development, funding bids and delivery. Renfrewshire’s Housing Land Audit 2024 has a total of 11 sites that are located in town centre locations. Page 131 of 450
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PUBLIC The emerging LDP and updates of the SHIP will continue to identify new opportunities for residential development in town centres to support an increase in town centre living. 7 Support owners of empty properties to bring these homes back into productive use. 5 Empty Homes brough back into use through direct engagement with owners 2022/23 Number of empty homes brough back into use Positive progress continues in the work with owners of long term empty private properties to bring them back into use. Through the offering of advice and assistance to owners, 21 long-term empty properties were brought back into use during the 2024/25 financial year. 8 Support local communities in the preparation of community led Place Plans. N/A Indicator only Renfrewshire Council launched a Local Place Plan Fund of £100,000 to support communities to prepare and develop a plan for their area. Communities who were interested in the fund were invited to submit a funding application during May 2025. The fund is currently supporting 10 community groups to prepare a Local Place Plan for their area. The Council has asked communities to prepare their Local Place Plan by 31 March 2026 to ensure that they can be taken into account in preparing the new Local Development Plan. Page 132 of 450
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PUBLIC Strategic Priority 2: People live in high quality, well managed homes in sustainable neighbourhoods. Action Baseline Indicator/ Measure October 2025 update 9 Develop approaches to maximise investment in Council homes and privately owned homes within the Council’s regeneration and renewal areas. RC Housing Led Regeneration and Renewal Programme approved January 2022 Strategies implemented. Regeneration programme progress The regeneration and development team have continued to actively engage with owners of private properties within mixed tenure blocks to encourage owner participation in energy improvement works in common blocks. Levels of Private Sector Housing Grant have been accelerated within Housing Regeneration areas to further assist owners to participate in the proposed programme of work. Acquisition initiatives have also been rolled out where this would increase the Council’s ownership position to a majority or full ownership position. 10 Develop and implement a multi- disciplinary approach to neighbourhood renewal plans. Neighbourhood Renewal Group meetings have taken place in two of the eight areas (as at August 2023) Neighbourhood Renewal Groups established and meeting Plans produced A Neighbourhood Renewal approach has been developed which will be tailored to the needs and circumstances of each area, going beyond housing and the immediate external environment, taking account of broader issues such as links to health and well- being, access to outdoor space, sustainable travel and employment/training opportunities to maximise the benefit achievable for local residents. This has been further developed across 3 of the 8 Neighbourhood Renewal Areas (Howwood Road, Aucthentorlie and Howard Street areas) and will be progressed for the Waverley Rd area later this year. Page 133 of 450
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PUBLIC 11 Continue to address Below Tolerable Standard properties across Renfrewshire. Scottish House Condition Survey (2015-2017) estimated that 1% of properties in Renfrewshire were Below Tolerable Standard Scottish House Condition Survey statistics During 2024/25 Renfrewshire Council’s Communities and Housing Board approved the promotion and use of Demolition Orders on a privately owned Below Tolerable Standard property at Tannahill Road to facilitate the regeneration works in this area. Officers within Environmental Health have regulatory responsibility for enforcement of housing legislation within the private sector and are involved in supporting regeneration works through the use of statutory powers to have Below Tolerable Standard property demolished. The process of utilising Demolition Orders within the remaining regeneration areas will continue, where there is a need to do so. The Scottish House Condition Survey (2015- 2017) estimated that 1% of properties in Renfrewshire were BTS. Due to methodological changes in the SHCS, local authority level data is not currently available. Estimates from the SHCS based on a 3- year average from 2022-2024 are expected to be published in early 2026. Nationally, 2022 figures show a sharp increase in the proportion of below tolerable standard dwellings from 2% in 2019 to 29% in 2022, primarily due to two new below tolerable standard criteria introduced that year. (assessing the presence, type, and condition of smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide alarms). Considering only the 12 pre-existing criteria, in 2022 the share of dwellings below tolerable standard across Scotland was 2% in both private and social sector, similar to previous years. Page 134 of 450
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PUBLIC 12 Continue to provide advice and assistance to private homeowners through the Scheme of Assistance. 587 owners provided with information and advice on common repairs (2021/22) No. of households provided with advice or assistance. No. of grants provided to owners to participate in repairs/investme nt schemes In 2024/25, 994 owners were assisted with information and advice. 122 homeowners were awarded grant support for adaptations following referral from the Health & Social Care Partnership who work closely with Housing Services and Care & Repair Renfrewshire. 170 private homeowners were also awarded grant support for major capital investment works. 13 Undertake a review of the Council’s Scheme of Assistance for private homeowners taking into account legislative changes. Scheme of Assistance last reviewed 2018 Scheme of Assistance reviewed An updated Scheme of Assistance was approved by the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 21 May 2024. 14 Continue the Missing Shares pilot for older tenement property and review its effectiveness. 7 tenement block repair projects supported to date, with value of Missing Shares in the region of £50,000 (as at April 2023) No. of Missing Shares approved Over 100 enquiries were received regarding the missing shares scheme during 2024/25 and Housing Services funded 11 missing shares for owners who were in in 4 different tenement blocks to progress essential repairs.. We continue to promote and encourage private owners to use the scheme. 15 Increase uptake of factoring services providing a co- ordinated maintenance Renfrewshire Council provides factoring service for 2,417 properties including for repairs, laundrettes and heating services (2022/23). Increase by 1% annually** Factoring services were provided to 2,245 properties by Renfrewshire Council in 2024/25. Housing Services continue to review factoring services and engage with owners and monitor properties registered. Page 135 of 450
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PUBLIC regime for mixed tenure blocks. We report annually to the Scottish Housing Regulator on customer satisfaction levels among private owners receiving these factoring services. 16 Implement Revised Council Housing Asset Management Strategy. N/A Council Housing Asset Management Strategy approved and implemented Revision of the Housing Asset Management Strategy 2025-2030 commenced in 2024/25, with the intention to report to the Communities and Housing Policy Board in 2025, with implementation thereafter. 17 Monitor the operation of the private rented market in Renfrewshire. Analysis of PRS market contained within this LHS Updated analysis The Council’s annual snapshot of privately sector properties advertised for rent in April 2025 showed the average rent of a 2- bedroom flat was £800 per month, an increase of 3.5% compared to the previous year’s snapshot. The Scottish Housing Network provided a Renfrewshire summary of their national landlord survey which was undertaken in 2024. 194 Renfrewshire landlords responded. The survey looked at landlord composition, reasons for becoming a landlord and their future intentions relating to their property and rent. Of note is that almost one-third of landlords reported they intend to reduce their portfolio, which could further increase pressure on social rented stock. 18 Provide additional support, advocacy and representation for people living in private rented tenancies. N/A Number of service users assisted 51 private sector tenants were provided with support in 2024/25. Funding for the 2 temporary frontline posts which enhance access to support and housing options advice for tenants in the private rented sector will now remain in place for 2025/26. Page 136 of 450
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PUBLIC The officers have successfully built strong and effective connections across Council services, improving collaboration and information sharing between support services, housing options, advocacy, and enforcement teams. A full review will now be carried out in early 2026. 19 Continue to make effective use of enforcement actions against private landlords who fail to meet the required standards in relation to the management and maintenance of their property. Around 7,500 landlords with 10,169 properties registered (Jan 23) 453 Rent Penalty Notices issued 2021/22 Actions taken As at 01/09/25, there were in excess of 7,039 registered private landlords in Renfrewshire with at least 10,977 private rented properties. Between 01/04/24 and 31/03/25, 4 landlords were refused registration at the Regulatory Functions Board. From 01/04/2024 to 31/03/25: • 76 investigations of private rented properties undertaken. • 283 Rent Penalty notices were issued to private landlords Work continued through 2024/25 to investigate complaints about both the condition of privately rented property within this sector and to pursue landlords who have failed to register as private landlords. This work ensures that privately rented properties are safe and fit for tenants and that landlords are fit and proper persons to rent property. Page 137 of 450
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PUBLIC Strategic Priority 3: Address the challenges of the climate emergency, delivering homes that are warm, energy efficient and fuel poverty is minimised. Action Baseline Indicator/ Measure October 2025 update 20 Implement the housing-related actions within Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero that contribute towards Renfrewshire’s net zero targets. N/A Annual progress towards full implementation Work continues to implement the housing-related actions as outlined in the Plan for Net Zero, centred around the transition to clean energy. Progress is demonstrated through the associated measures of success within the Plan for Net Zero, including the following that relate to housing where data is drawn from ‘Home Analytics’ as at March 2025 (latest release): • % of households with an EPC of Band C and above is 54%. By tenure this figure is broken down as: Housing Association: 80.6%; Renfrewshire Council: 67.8%; Owner Occupier: 48.6% and Private Rented: 52.3% (*note achieving an EPC of Band C applies where it is technically and financially feasible). • % of households with renewables/low carbon heat supply: 8%. This includes solar PV, solar thermal, heat pumps, biomass and wind turbines that have been installed on Renfrewshire households. By tenure this figure is broken down as: Housing Association: 4% of stock; Renfrewshire Council: 7% of housing stock; Owner Occupier: 9% of properties and; Private Rented: 6% of properties. • Average CO2 emissions per household per year: 3.6 tonnes CO2/year. Page 138 of 450
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PUBLIC By tenure this is: o Housing Association: average of 2.4tCO2 per annum; Renfrewshire Council: average of 2.7tCO2 per annum; Owner Occupier: average of 3.9tCO2 per annum and; Private Rented: average of 3.3tCO2 per annum Fuel poverty statistics are reported under Action 25 Renfrewshire Council are implementing measures in Council housing stock to reduce carbon emissions by 68% (from 2020 levels) and work towards ensuring all Council housing stock has an EPC of B by 2030 where feasible. Where possible we will work with private homeowners within mixed tenure blocks to help them to participate and benefit from Council energy efficiency improvement programmes and will work with owner-occupiers and the private rented sector to share learning and identify opportunities to reduce costs for all through economies of scale. 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. Page 139 of 450
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PUBLIC Renfrewshire Council recently responded to the Scottish Government’s Consultation on the proposed introduction of Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) and Draft Energy Efficiency (Domestic private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations. 21 In newbuild affordable homes, the Council and housing associations will use renewable technology and other measures to provide energy efficient, well- ventilated homes that are low or zero emissions and meet the Scottish Government’s New Build Heat Standard Regulations effective from 1 April 2024. N/A Number of new affordable homes delivered through the SHIP that meet zero emissions heat standard in relation to gas boiler alternatives All newbuild affordable homes with a warrant post April 2024 will meet the Scottish Government New Build Heat Standard. The specification for new build Council homes has been updated to include an improved airtightness (1.5m3/hr/m2), air source heat pumps, solar pv and waste water recovery Page 140 of 450
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PUBLIC 22 Where feasible, retrofit existing social rented homes with renewable technology and other measures to improve aspects including energy efficiency, heating, ventilation and carbon emissions; including alternatives to gas boilers such as heat pumps and assessing suitability of properties to connect to heat networks if within a heat network zone. Up to 31 March 2023 Renfrewshire Council had delivered (cumulative): 400 homes fitted with Environmental Air Quality Sensors (3 per property) 1,947 homes with EWI retro fitted (1881 flats and 66 houses) 95 homes with solar PV retrofitted (84 flats and 11 houses) 6 homes with air source heat pumps retro fitted (a) 281 homes with Quantum storage heaters (a) Number of homes retrofitted with renewable technology and other measures per year. (b) Progress towards establishing suitability for social rented homes to connect to heat networks when available locally. As at 31 March 2025: • Around 1,000 council homes are fitted with environmental air quality sensors • 2,670 council homes have external wall insulation retrofitted • 582 council homes have solar PV retrofitted • 9 council homes have air source heat pumps retrofitted • Quantum storage heaters are in 266 council homes The Council was successful in its funding bid from the Scottish Government, for the ground source loop array at Gallowhill and Glencairn Court. Works have now commenced to replace gas heating at those two multi story blocks, with completion scheduled for the summer of 2026. This will result in 180 new heat pumps within the flats. The Council continues to investigate opportunities for council housing to decarbonise its heating, whilst considering any fuel poverty implications. Page 141 of 450
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PUBLIC 23 Encourage and support owners and private landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their properties to meet specific targets, reduce fuel bills and carbon emissions; accessing funding opportunities as appropriate, to achieve this. N/A Annual SHCS The Council’s Energy Management Unit manage the Energy Company Obligation ECO Flex 4 funding which is a UK Government energy efficiency scheme administered by Ofgem. It aims to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. ECO Flex 4 applies to: private housing in Renfrewshire; fuel-poor households that do not meet criteria for other schemes; low- income or vulnerable households that are vulnerable to the effects of the cold, energy inefficient homes who may benefit form heating and energy saving measures. It does not apply to council housing or Registered Social Landlords. The energy efficiency measures being installed within Renfrewshire under this scheme include boilers, loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, air source heat pumps, solar panels, heating controls, first time central heating etc. The table below highlights the savings ECO4 Flex has achieved to date based on annually recurring savings: 24 (a) Private housebuilders will be required to meet the New Build Heat Standard N/A Number of new private homes built with alternatives to a) Building Regulations were amended as of 1 April 2024 to reflect the New Build Heat Standards, meaning that direct emission heating systems (like gas and oil boilers) will not be allowed in new buildings applying for a building warrant from this Page 142 of 450
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PUBLIC Regulations effective from 1 April 2024 for new buildings that apply for a building warrant. (b) Where feasible, new developments will connect to heat networks where developments are within heat network zones to provide energy efficient homes that reflect Renfrewshire Council’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions gas boiler systems Number of newbuild private homes connecting to heat networks. date. Therefore all new dwellings have an alternative to gas boiler systems. Part A of Action 24 is now complete. b) Internal LHEES Officer Working Group meetings are still ongoing held every 8 weeks and we have introduced spotlight presentations from Officers within the group to spread awareness of projects which will continue to identify and optimise opportunities. 25 Work towards meeting the national fuel poverty targets and reducing the amount of people affected by fuel poverty across Renfrewshire. 2017-2019 SHCS ‘Fuel Poor Households’ in Renfrewshire - 22% Annual SHCS At the time of this update, the SHCS local authority based data was not available and therefore no update can be provided against the baseline Energy Efficiency Ratings (SAP). Therefore, in the interim Renfrewshire’s Home Analytics data provides us with the following detail in relation to fuel poverty at March 2025: Page 143 of 450
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PUBLIC % of households in Renfrewshire with a probability of fuel poverty (more than 10% of the household’s net income required to pay for reasonable fuel needs to maintain an acceptable standard of living after housing costs have been deducted): 22% % of households in Renfrewshire with a probability of extreme fuel poverty (more than 20% of the household’s net income required to pay for reasonable fuel needs to maintain an acceptable standard of living after housing costs have been deducted): 8% As per Action 23, the Council’s energy advocates continue to support residents of all tenures within Renfrewshire. This includes fuel debt, supplier disputes, priority service provision, supplier switching and energy use. In addition, the work of the LHEES will address fuel poverty. 26 The Council and housing associations operating in Renfrewshire will continue to provide good quality fuel poverty advice, income maximisation and information to tenants, owners and private tenants. 1,500 referrals received by Renfrewshire Council’s Advocacy Service for advice from Renfrewshire residents in 2022/23. This resulted in £475,028 in savings Number of referrals received by Renfrewshire Council’s Energy Advocacy Service from Renfrewshire residents and resultant savings achieved The Council’s energy advocates support residents of all tenures within Renfrewshire. This includes assistance with fuel debt reduction, help with supplier disputes, priority service provision, advice on insulation and heating upgrades, supplier switching and energy use. Meetings have taken place with the Communications Team and new pamphlets have been produced to issue to libraries etc to advertise the service to the public. The Advocacy figures for 2024/25 are: 24/25 - Quarterly referrals & savings: Q1 - 165 referrals with £39,115 in savings Q2 - 136 referrals with £28,962 in savings Q3 - 170 referrals with £40,359 in savings Q4 - 139 referrals with £25,904 in savings Year total: 610 referrals with £134,340 in savings in 2024/25. Page 144 of 450
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PUBLIC 27 Support the preparation and implementation of a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) that sets out a long term energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation strategy for Renfrewshire. N/A LHEES developed and approved Following the conclusion of two funded feasibility studies we have progressed with two part funded Outline Business Cases for the potential development of a district heat network in Paisley Central and the potential extension at AMIDS with Glasgow Airport. We have and will continue to maintain a positive relationship with our partners and stakeholders throughout these projects and engagement processes. The Delivery Plan will continue to be progressed with the aim to deliver the actions within and future updates will be provided. 28* The Council and housing associations operating in Renfrewshire will work towards meeting the requirements and milestones of the emerging Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS) for social rented housing. N/A Strategies developed and implemented Earlier in 2025 the Scottish Government announced that the draft Heat in Buildings Strategy (HiBS) had been revised prior to becoming a Bill and beginning its passage through the Scottish Parliament. We await the final agreed Scottish Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS) which will form part of this new legislation. Renfrewshire Council’s current retrofit design programme is ensuring there will be a bank of properties ready for next year’s investment programme that will ensure the council are meeting the energy efficiency standards immediately. Careful consideration of the replacement of fossil fuel heating will be required and we await the interim targets up to 2045, before a costed plan can be prepared. Page 145 of 450
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PUBLIC 29 All Council newbuild homes meet or exceed Section 7, Silver Level Aspects 1 and 2 of the 2011 Building Regulations – energy for space heating. Silver Level achieved at Council development in Ferguslie Park for all 101 units of affordable housing built 2023/24 SHIP completions Ahead of issuing the tenders for Carbrook Street and Foxbar River a review of our new build specification was undertaken. The updated specification now exceeds Silver Aspect Levels and meets Gold Aspects 1–8. This enhanced standard is being applied to the Council’s new build projects at Gallowhill (65 units) and the Howwood Road area of Spateson (70 units). 30 The Council and housing associations operating in Renfrewshire will maximise the number of privately owned or privately rented properties who participate in energy efficiency and low carbon improvement activities, including Scottish Government Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Schemes (EES:ABS), as part of the wider Renfrewshire Council final ABS funding draw down for 2022/23 was £1,259,033.26 allowing 91 owners to participate in external improvement works. 58 Council tenants within mixed tenure blocks benefited benefit from these works, funded by the Council N/A In 2024/25 a total of £1,462,357.68 of the EES:ABS grant funding was drawn down and used to support private owners across Renfrewshire. The majority of grant expenditure is 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. During the course of 2024/25, the appointed managing agent 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. Page 146 of 450
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PUBLIC improvements to improve the energy efficiency of homes. 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. 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. 31* Engage with private landlords to provide support and encourage energy efficiency improvements in line with proposals set out in the Heat in Buildings Bill. The 2017-2019 SHCS shows the Energy Efficiency Rating (% of Dwellings with an Energy Efficiency Rating (SAP 2012) of B or C) for privately rented homes as too small a sample to show. The Renfrewshire average for all tenures is 58% Annual SHCS The Heat in Buildings Bill is a key element of a strategy to decarbonise buildings and contribute towards Scotland’s net zero targets. The Bill, intended to progress the Heat in Buildings Strategy, was revised ahead of being considered by the Scottish Parliament later in 2025/26. The revised Bill will now include: • A target for decarbonising heating systems by 2045, which the Scottish Government said will send a strong signal to homeowners, landlords and other building owners on the need to prepare for change while outlining collective actions to help do this. • Provisions to boost heat network development by developing requirements for large, non-domestic premises, including powers to require public sector buildings to connect to district heating when available. Page 147 of 450
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PUBLIC • Powers to set minimum energy efficiency standards for owner/occupier and non-domestic properties, subject to further consideration. Regulations will be progressed under existing powers to introduce a minimum energy efficiency standard in the private rented sector. Currently no local authority-based data from the SHCS is available to provide updated Energy Efficiency Ratings (SAP). 32 Promote and support available energy efficiency measures to both private owners and private landlords, including obtaining financial support. 2017-2019 SHCS average SAP of 71 for Council stock and 68.2 for owner occupied stock Annual SHCS annual reporting Please see action 23 for update as both actions cover energy efficient measures and financial support. Strategic Priority 4: Prevention of homelessness and providing support for those in housing need. Action Baseline Indicator/ Measure October 2025 update 33 Review the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2019-2024 and make recommendations on future approaches to homelessness in Renfrewshire. N/A RRTP reviewed Scottish Government extended the delivery of RRTPs for a further year in 2025/26 with associated funding to local authorities along the same lines as previous years. This has allowed the continuation of established initiatives: • 3 x temporary frontline posts which focus on resettling homeless applicants transitioning from temporary accommodation to new tenancies, Page 148 of 450
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PUBLIC these 3 posts were extended for 2024/25 and the postholders supported many of the 658 homeless applicants who moved into a social rented tenancy during the year (there were 490 social rented lets in 2019/20). • upscaling and developing the Housing First approach both in- house with our Housing Support team and with partners such as Turning Point Scotland and Blue Triangle Housing Association. The number of service users being supported via the Housing First approach at any one time increased from 13 in 2019 to 92 by September 2025. 34 Increase the number and proportion of social housing lets being let to homeless applicants. 41% of Council lets to homeless applicants, 2022/23 Total lets to homeless applicants from Council and RSL: 171 to RSLs 318 to RC (as per ARC return) % of Council lets to homeless applicants No of Council and RSL lets to homeless applicants In 2024/25 52% of general Council lets were to Statutory Homeless applicants and 39% of RSL general lets were to homeless applicants. Whilst the target of 55% of Council lets to homeless applicants in 2024/25 was not quite met, the increase in the number of actual lets from the Council to 451 in 2024/25, and RSL lets to 207 in 2024/25 has significantly helped to ensure those in housing need were provided with settled housing as early as possible. 35 Continue to strengthen the approach to prevention and repeat homelessness by providing holistic wraparound support to households in Renfrewshire. Housing First model can support 65 individuals at any one time via 3 different support providers (2021/22) No. of individuals supported via Housing First models The RRTP has supported the upscaling of a Housing First approach to support those who are homeless from 13 at any one time in 2019 to 100 August 2025, as well as minimising the time those who are homeless have to spend in temporary accommodation, and supporting a stepped increase in the number of lets to homeless applicants from the Council and RSL’s. A full update on the MyLA project is provided at 37, below. Page 149 of 450
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PUBLIC 36 Continue to assess requirements for temporary accommodation and provide appropriate supply, in light of aims set out in the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan and current trends in homelessness. 257 temporary accommodation units (2023) No. of temporary accommodation units Renfrewshire continues to experience higher levels of homelessness, and Homeless and Housing Support services and partners continue to face significant challenges in providing both temporary and permanent accommodation and providing the support those who are homeless require, in line with our statutory duties. The demand for temporary accommodation has substantially increased in line with the increase in homeless applications and as a response the stock of furnished temporary accommodation has been increased from 233 in 2019 to 291 properties by September 2025 across Renfrewshire Council and RSL stock. The strong focus on lets to homeless applicants from the Council and RSLs has supported the effort to minimise both the use of hotels/B&B as a form of temporary accommodation and the length of time people are without settled accommodation. 37 Build on the rapid rehousing approach to ensure access to specialist services is readily available via robust pathways for homeless people with complex needs, including mental health and harmful alcohol and/or drugs use. My Life Ahead (MyLA) established in May 2022 – 39 individuals supported in first year of operation Initiatives implemented The My Life Ahead project (MyLA ) came to a planned end in March 2025. Launched in 2022 using funding from the Alcohol and Drug Commission Programme Board, MyLA was for individuals and families living in Renfrewshire whose daily lives were impacted by drug and alcohol use and would benefit from support to sustain/access settled housing. MyLA provided enhanced housing support to some of the most complex, challenging, and vulnerable people within Renfrewshire, who at times could be hard to reach. Page 150 of 450
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PUBLIC A ‘Complex Cases Working Group’ was established as part of MyLA with membership including representatives from Housing Support, Addictions Services, and Mental Health Services. This group is now well established and has become a highly effective example of partnership working, and developing staff knowledge and understanding of the challenges MyLA service users are facing. 89 people received support from the MyLA service, and an independent assessment found strong evidence of service users reporting a reduction in alcohol and drug use, improved access to health care, reduction in anti-social behaviour complaints, improved income maximisation and reduction in rent arrears. Those who were being supported via MyLA at March 2025 continued to have their support needs met via the Council’s Housing Support team whilst the next steps are being assessed for building on the success of the project. Building on the foundations laid in 2024, the Housing Support Initiatives and Complex Cases Group has now been formally established. This multi-agency forum strengthens the rapid rehousing approach by ensuring individuals with complex needs— particularly those affected by mental health issues and harmful alcohol and/or drug use—have clear and supported pathways into specialist services. The group operates with a clear remit to promote person-centred service delivery, ensure effective service user engagement, and support staff governance and development. It provides a structured space to review complex cases, share information, monitor risks and incidents, and ensure consistency in care practice. Page 151 of 450
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PUBLIC The group meets every six weeks via Microsoft Teams and includes representatives from housing support, addiction recovery, and mental health services. Standing agenda items include service updates, concerns, waiting times, protection issues, and harm reduction. The group also maintains key relationships with Housing Support Services, ADRS, and CMHT, and liaises regularly outside formal meetings to ensure continuity of care. CIRCLE, Renfrewshire’s recovery hub, continues to provide a unique mental health and addiction service with a strong recovery focus. It offers improved opportunities for individuals and maintains active links with housing and homelessness services through the Complex Cases Group. Both CIRCLE and the Housing Support Initiatives and Complex Cases Group are currently exploring ways to strengthen collaborative working. This includes reviewing referral pathways, enhancing joint working practices, and identifying opportunities for shared training and development to improve outcomes for individuals with complex needs. Strategic Priority 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. Action Baseline Indicator/ Measure October 2025 update 38 Work with partners and stakeholders to provide housing RC completed 184 adaptations in RC stock 2022/23 Adaptations completions In 2024/25, Care and Repair Renfrewshire: completed 131 adaptations in privately owned homes Page 152 of 450
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PUBLIC and housing related support opportunities for older and vulnerable people to help them live independently and healthily in their own home. Approx 130 installations of adaptations to private homes per year. Care and Repair small repairs service – 1,398 small repairs completed 2022 Care and Repair Support provided completed 1,558 repair jobs through their Small Repairs Service for older and disabled people dealt with 166 advice cases In 2024/25, Renfrewshire Council completed 424 adaptations within 318 council homes. Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership have worked closely with the council to increase resilience with occupational therapy support being supplied when housing OT on annual leave to prevent critical delays in void property being allocated. 39 Support partners in the development and implementation of a Renfrewshire Dementia Action Plan reflecting the objectives and priorities of the Dementia Strategy for Scotland 2023 N/A Action Plan Developed A local multi-agency dementia planning group has now been established and will develop a delivery plan to reflect the priorities within the national strategy. 40 Increase the supply of new housing that meets the needs of older people and those with mobility difficulties. New target for wheelchair and accessible new build homes included within this LHS Number of accessible homes completed. The following housing meeting the needs of older people and those with mobility difficulties were delivered in reporting year 2024/25: • Of the 51 new properties within the Napier Street development in Linwood, 3 were wheelchair accessible. • Of 48 new flats within the East Lane development in Paisley, 4 were wheelchair accessible. Page 153 of 450
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PUBLIC 41 Work in partnership with the Housing and Social Care Partnership to identify specialist housing and housing related support opportunities for people with particular needs in Renfrewshire and in taking specific initiatives forward. Discussions ongoing with HSCP to establish the needs of particular groups Housing and housing support needs identified and met Liaison with Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership is ongoing regarding specialist housing and housing related support requirements within both existing and new build social rented homes. This will include the delivery of two semi-detached homes within a Renfrewshire Council newbuild development in the Paisley area. Partnership work continues to explore future opportunities through the Strategic Housing Investment Programme and other opportunities. 42 Continue to support the various refugee and asylum programmes including the provision of settled accommodation. Actions taken to support programmes and no. of tenancies provided Range of support provided The Council’s Refugee Resettlement Team are currently supporting 244 households across Renfrewshire, with a small increase in Afghan arrivals in 2025 via the consolidated Afghan Resettlement Programme. A new post of Health and Wellbeing Coordinator was created within the Resettlement Team to further develop, promote, and deliver a variety of health, wellbeing and integration based activities and events. 43 Following the publication of the Scottish Government’s June 2023 Action Plan and the emerging associated toolkit, we will consider Number of unauthorised encampments in Renfrewshire: 2021/22: Zero 2022/23: 5 N/A Estimating the housing need and demand of the community has been problematic and the Council has found it challenging to fully engage with the communities to understand future accommodation needs. There is also a lack of a consistent way for Gypsy/Travellers and Travelling Showpeople communities to indicate their need for a site. Page 154 of 450
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PUBLIC options to best meet the housing needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community. Other Council’s face similar issues and in recognition of this the Scottish Government Action Plan sets out an action to, “commission research to help Local Authorities identify Gypsy/Traveller accommodation needs and include them in their Housing Needs and Demand Assessments (HNDA), Local Housing Strategies (LHS) and Development Plans” by Winter 2025/26. To establish better contacts with the Gypsy/Traveller community in Renfrewshire, an information leaflet has been prepared which can be distributed at any unauthorised encampment when they arrive in Renfrewshire and encourages the community to contact the Council’s Place Strategy team to discuss their housing needs. Contact has also been established with owners of the existing privately owned Gypsy/Travellers site in Renfrewshire. Initial discussions were positive and one of the owners has offered to help the Council establish wider contacts with the community, which could include them circulating a survey on housing needs to members of the community across Renfrewshire. Further engagement will take place to build connections with the community to better understand their housing needs and whether there is demand for a new site in Renfrewshire. In 2024/25 there were no recorded unauthorised encampments within Renfrewshire. * denotes action has been updated since 2023 Local Housing Strategy was approved. ** denotes indicator/measure has been added since 2023 Local Housing Strategy was approved. Page 155 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 __________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Social Housing Charter Performance: 2025/26 Six Month Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords are required to submit an Annual Return on the Charter relating to service performance to the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) by the end of May each year. 1.2 This report provides an update on performance against the Charter indicators for the first six months of 2025/26 and includes the new indicators as determined by the Regulator. 1.3 We only report on seventeen indicators for the six-month report, as opposed to 33 for the Annual Return on the Charter. Three of these are new indicators and as such there is no trend information for comparison, and in another case comparison is not applicable (in connection with court actions leading to eviction). Of the remainder ten have improved since April 2024, whilst three have remained relatively stable. 1.4 This report also provides a summary of benchmarking performance for the 2024/25 ARC return. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Policy Board: (i) notes the 2025/26 Six Month Update Report on Scottish Social Housing Charter Performance attached as Appendix 1. Item 8 CHPB281025 Page 157 of 450
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PUBLIC 3. Six Month Update on Charter Report for 2025/26 3.1 The six month update on Scottish Social Housing Charter Performance provides information on the first two quarters of 2025/26: • Section 1 provides performance information against the Charter indicators along with comparative data for the last three years. For ease of reference, indicators which are only reported on an annual basis are not included in this report (these annual indicators were reported to the Policy Board in May 2025). This report contains three new indicators to be reported to the SHR for the first time in May next year, these are: • Indicator 29: The number of times in the reporting year did you not meet the requirement to complete an electrical installation condition report (EICR) within five years of the last EICR. • Indicator 30: Number of homes that do not have ‘satisfactory equipment for detecting fire and giving warning in the event of fire or suspected fire installed at the year end. • Indicator 31: Average length of time taken to resolve cases of damp and/or mould. There are two additional damp and mould indicators which will be reported on an annual basis, and as such are not included in this report: • Indicator 32: Percentage of cases of damp and/or mould resolved during the reporting year that were reopened by cause. • Indicator 33: Number of open cases of damp and/or mould at the year end. 3.2 The six-month data for 2025/26 displays improved performance in ten of the indicators, the key areas of improved performance being: • The average time to complete emergency repairs has improved from 5.2 hours to 4.9 hours (Indicator 8). • The average time to complete non-emergency repairs has also improved to 6.1 days from 6.9 days (Indicator 9). • Repairs Satisfaction has improved to 79.7% from 77.2% (Indicator 12). • Percentage of rent lost to properties becoming empty continues to improve (Indicator 17). • Sustainment levels have improved across all categories from the year end position. (Indicator 15). • Percentage of lettable houses that became vacant in the last year, has improved compared to the same point last year. (Indicator 16) • Letting activity, there is further improvement in the average days to re-let a property, which is now sitting at 30.1 days, which reflects the ongoing focus on this service area (Indicator 26). • Percentage of anti-social behaviour cases resolved has improved slightly and is better than this time last year, (Indicator 14). Page 158 of 450
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PUBLIC • Complaints performance has remained stable with regard to the percentage responded to at Stage 1, and there was a slight improvement in the average length of time to respond for Stage 1. For Stage 2 complaints the percentage responded to improved slightly and there was a ten day improvement in the average number of days to respond (Indicators 3 & 4). Whilst marginal improvements are noted here, we are continuing to target complaints as an area for further improvement. 3.4 The following indicators have remained stable since April or this point last year: • There were five occasions where the gas service was not carried out before the anniversary date (Indicator 11). All of these have subsequently been carried out and there are no further outstanding services. • Rent collected as a percentage of rent due, (Indicator 22) • Gross rent arrears as a percentage of rent due, same as this point last year. (Indicator 23). 3.5 2024/25 Annual return on the ARC, Benchmarking In May 2025 we submitted our return to the Scottish Housing Regulator to demonstrate our performance against the Annual Return on the Scottish Social Housing Charter. Following publication of all the data from all local authorities and RSLs, our performance demonstrated improvements in rent collection, arrears management, repairs, and re-let times. Rent collection reached 100.7%, and arrears dropped to 7.1%, outperforming most local authorities. Re-let times improved significantly to 37.3 days, placing Renfrewshire among the top ten performers nationally. Emergency and non- emergency repair times also improved, with non-emergency repairs completed in just 6.9 days—well ahead of national averages. The Council’s compliance with the Scottish Housing Quality Standard rose to 80%, and satisfaction with repairs increased slightly. Medical adaptations were completed more quickly, and tenancy sustainment improved to 91.5%. Notably, referrals of homeless households to Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) rose to 31.6%, more than double the national average. However, some areas require attention, notably complaints, where volumes were high, with response times above national averages. This could be attributed to a robust complaints system that ensures all issues are logged and addressed. Looking ahead, the service will focus on enhancing complaints handling, streamlining repairs processes, and continuing efforts to improve anti-social behaviour responses (we have recently introduced a new reporting app to improve engagement and outcomes in this area). Page 159 of 450
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PUBLIC These priorities aim to build on the year’s successes and address areas where performance has dipped. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning Building strong, safe, and resilient communities – Improving and maintaining neighbourhoods and homes. Working together to improve outcomes – Increasing resident satisfaction with neighbourhoods and communities. 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 – None. 10. Risks – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. COSLA Policy Position – N/A. 13. Climate Risk – None. 14. Childrens Rights – None. _________________________________________________________ Page 160 of 450
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PUBLIC Background Papers • Report to the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 19 August 2025, ‘Scottish Social Housing Charter: Annual Return 2024/25’. The foregoing background papers will be retained within Housing Services for inspection by the public for the prescribed period of four years from the date of the meeting. Author: Ray Walkinshaw, Housing Regeneration and Development Manager E Mail: ray.walkinshaw@renfrewshire.gov.uk ___________________________________________________________________ Page 161 of 450
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1 PUBLIC Scottish Social Housing Charter 2025 – 2026 Six Month Update Page 162 of 450
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Scottish Social Housing Charter 2024/25 Six Month Update 2 PUBLIC OUTTURN REPORT (April-September 2025-2026) No. Indicator 23/24 24/25 Six Month position 24/25 25/26 Six Month position Notes Complaints 3/4 The percentage of all complaints responded to in full at Stage 1 93.1% 84.6% 90% 89.2% Out of 619 Stage 1 complaints received, 552 were responded to in full, in an average of 13.3 days The average time in working days for a full response at Stage 1 7.6 days 10.9 days 14.4 days 13.3 days The percentage of all complaints responded to in full at Stage 2. 71.7% 70.7% 88% 89.4% Out of 94 Stage 2 complaints received, 84 were responded to in full, in an average of 18.4 days. The average time in working days for a full response at Stage 2. 18.9 days 30.2 days 28.9 days 18.4 days Repairs, maintenance, improvements and Tenant Safety 8 Average length of time taken to complete emergency repairs. (hours) 5.6 4.65 5.2 4.9 This indicator has improved since year end. 5 month position 9 Average length of time taken to complete non- emergency repairs. (days) 7.9 6.25 6.9 6.1 This indicator has improved since year end. 5 month position 11 How many times in the reporting year did you not meet your statutory obligations to complete a gas safety check within 12 months of a gas appliance being fitted or its last check? 11 1 5 5 Renfrewshire Council has at all times followed the Scottish Government guidance and the more detailed guidance from Gas Safe and HSE. All the cases have been completed. 5 month position 12 Percentage of tenants who have had repairs or maintenance carried out in last 12 months satisfied with the repairs and maintenance service. 76.7% 76.63% 77.2% 79.7% This indicator has improved since year end. 5 month position 29 The number of times in the reporting year did you not meet the requirement to complete an electrical installation condition N/A N/A N/A 45 This is ongoing and the compliance team are working with the housing officers to gain access to address the outstanding installations. Page 163 of 450
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Scottish Social Housing Charter 2024/25 Six Month Update 3 PUBLIC No. Indicator 23/24 24/25 Six Month position 24/25 25/26 Six Month position Notes report (EICR) within five years of the last EICR 30 Number of homes that do not have ‘satisfactory equipment for detecting fire and giving warning in the event of fire or suspected fire’ installed at the year end N/A N/A N/A 45 Work to install this equipment is being undertaken at the same time as the EICR works. 31 Average length of time taken to resolve cases of damp and/or mould (working days) by Structural issues N/A N/A N/A 34.1 5 month position Condensation issues N/A N/A N/A 32 5 month position Other issues N/A N/A N/A 32 5 month position Total Resolved Cases N/A N/A N/A 75 5 month position Estate management, anti-social behaviour, neighbour nuisance and tenancy disputes 14 Percentage of anti-social behaviour cases which were resolved. 98.0% 94.9% 96.8% 97.5% 197 cases of ASB were resolved from a total of 202 Tenancy sustainment and tenancy turnover 15 Percentage of new tenancies sustained for more than a year, by source of let. Existing tenants 94.1% 95.0% 95.6% 95.7% Overall, 1039 properties let with 946 having sustained for more than a year. These figures relate to tenancies which commenced between October 2023 and September 2024. Sustainment across all tenant types has increased over this period by 0.7 percentage points. Homeless applicants 86.5% 87.4% 85.4% 86.1% Housing List applicants 91.8% 92.5% 91.6% 93.8% Other 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% OVERALL 90.5% 91.4% 90.3% 91.0% 16 Percentage of lettable houses that became vacant in the last year. 7.8% 3.99% 7% 3.46% This is a slight improvement on the same point last year. 17 Percentage of rent due lost through properties being empty during the last year. 1.45% 1.53% 1.3% 0.92% Improvement in this indicator reflects improvement in voids performance. 20 Percentage of the court actions initiated which resulted in eviction and the reasons for eviction. Non-payment of rent 34.0% 21.4% 21.3% 30.43% The increase in court booking can be attributed to removing the arrears threshold before a case goes to court. Anti-social behaviour 1.4% 0 2.2% 0% Other 0.0% 0 0 0 All 35.5% 21.4% 23.5% 30.43% Page 164 of 450
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Scottish Social Housing Charter 2024/25 Six Month Update 4 PUBLIC No. Indicator 23/24 24/25 Six Month position 24/25 25/26 Six Month position Notes Rents and service charges 22 Rent collected as percentage of total rent due in the reporting year. 100.4% 98.4% 100.7% 98.9% Performance in this remains similar to this point last year. 23 Gross rent arrears (all tenants) as at 31 March each year as a percentage of rent due for the reporting year. 8.3% 8.89% 7.1% 7.34% Gross Arrears are £4,306,175 as a percentage of rent due of £58,694,728 26 Average length of time taken to re-let properties in the last year. (days) 50.4 38.5 37.3 30.1 There were a total of 387 re- lets between April and the end of September. Page 165 of 450
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5 PUBLIC Environment Housing and Infrastructure Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1BR Page 166 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Housing Landlord Compliance – Bi-annual Performance Report 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 was approved by the Policy Board on 11th March 2025 and Section 7 of the strategy provided details of the internal governance arrangements for performance management, which includes a bi-annual report to be presented to the Communities and Housing Policy Board. 1.3 This report is the bi-annual performance report for the six-month period from April 2025 to September 2025. 1.4 The report also includes details of the Asbestos Management Action Plan as requested by the Scottish Housing Regulator within the 2025/26 Engagement Plan. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Notes the content of the Landlord Compliance Performance Report and the suite of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) at Appendix 1 of the report. 2.2 Notes the Asbestos Management Action Plan which has been provided to the Scottish Housing Regulator as required as part of our Engagement Plan for 2025/26. Item 9 CHPB281025 Page 167 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 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 by the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 11th of March 2025. 3.2 There are six landlord compliance policies in place to support the Housing Landlord Compliance Strategy, each with a suite of key performance indicators and detailed performance reporting arrangements which include a bi-annual report to the Communities and Housing Policy Board. Each of the policies is reviewed on a regular basis and further policies will be created for any new areas of compliance regulation that are introduced. 4. Housing Landlord Compliance Performance Report 4.1 The bi-annual housing Landlord Compliance Performance Report covering the period April – Sept 2025 is set out in Appendix 1 of this report. There are 26 key performance indicators covering the six compliance areas. 23 indicators are showing greater than 99% compliance, demonstrating an improved position on the year-end report for 2024/25. 1 performance indicator is designated amber status indicating a compliance level between 85% and 99% (an improvement from year end position of 5 at amber status) and 2 performance indicators are designated as a red status, indicating a compliance level lower than 85% (an improvement from year end position of 3 at red status). All compliance indicators at amber and red status have actions in place for improvemen and the report will update on progress made The indicators at red and amber status are: • Properties with automated doors, gates, and barriers where Maintenance visits have been completed (amber) • Common Area Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) (red) • Re-inspections of common areas with Asbestos Containing Materials (red) These areas are prioritised for improvement during 2025/26 with actions already underway to achieve full compliance which are set out in each of the relevant paragraphs below in section 4.2. 4.2 The key points to note for each area of compliance are as follows: • Gas Safety The Council are required to carry out annual gas safety inspections on all 10574 residential properties that have a gas supply. There were 5 properties where the gas service was not completed within the 12-month timescale during the 6-month period from April – Sept. All five are now complete. Page 168 of 450
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PUBLIC All communal heating systems with gas boilers have had their annual safety checks completed within timescale. • Electrical Safety 1005 EICRs were completed within the first six months of 2025/26 with a further 539 properties due to have their EICR checks by 31st March 2026. With the backlog of inspections now cleared, there are robust processes in place to ensure that future EICRs are scheduled to be complete within timescale. There are currently 52 EICRS overdue; 26 of these are due to environmental issues, 3 are due to meter issues and the remainder are either booked in or in the process of having access arranged. The compliance team continue to engage with colleagues in the wider housing team and other service areas to support tenants to ensure EICRs can be completed as quickly as possible. Follow on work classed as C1(danger present) is always addressed immediately to make safe. Follow on work classed as C2 (potentially dangerous) is, in the majority of cases, carried out at the same appointment as the electrical check with just a small number that require a new appointment to be arranged. There were 2 properties with outstanding C2 work at the end of August requiring additional appointments. Work has been undertaken in conjunction with ICT to introduce automated letter production for EICRs. This went live on 1st September and will streamline the previously manual labour-intensive process. The success of this will be monitored over the coming months. The programme of common area electrical checks which commenced in November 2024 is being carried out by our in-house Building Services team and is running in line with agreed timescales indicating an improvement from 21% at year end to 40% of the 953 common areas completed to date. The remainder are programmed over 2025/26 to ensure full compliance with this indicator by March 2026. There is one property where we are awaiting confirmation that door automation is no longer required. • Fire Safety All Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs) required for multi-storeys, sheltered complexes, HMOs and common areas of all blocks are up to date. Ongoing review will continue with some requiring 6 monthly review and others 12 monthly. Actions identified from FRAs are followed up promptly with repairs instructed where required. Along with the EICR programme, the rollout of the fire safety detection interlinked alarms in domestic properties has been ongoing. Page 169 of 450
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PUBLIC Robust processes have been introduced to ensure that detectors are checked during the annual gas service and that expiry dates are updated to enable future replacement programmes to be programmed. Feedback is also provided from surveyors carrying out stock condition surveys where missing or faulty detectors are identified. There is a quarterly meeting with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and other Council teams to discuss fire safety. There are major capital investment works planned within the multi storey blocks over the next five years. The Scottish Government have provided grant funding to carry out Single Building Assessments (SBAs) in multi storey blocks which will identify fire safety measures that may be required. A cross departmental thematic group has been established to consider and prioritise the future investment requirements which will be further informed by the findings from the SBAs. The SBAs will be carried out on a phased basis with the first two already procured. A larger procurement exercise is underway for the remainder. Updates on this will be provided within future service update reports. The compliance team continue to deliver fire safety training to staff across Housing Services. • Lift Safety All lifts examinations and maintenance are fully up to date. The compliance team have been pro-active in ensuring that access is ensured for all regulatory lift examinations carried out by our appointed insurance contractor. • Water Safety Statutory legislation requires Legionella Risk Assessments (LRAs) to be in place with water safety management plans and monitoring in place for those identified as high risk. This includes carrying out temperature checks where communal water tanks or heating cylinders are present such as in sheltered complexes and multi-storeys. There is a contract in place for water sampling and LRAs for multi storeys, sheltered housing and non-domestic premises. Building Services carry out the monthly, quarterly, six-monthly and annual monitoring of all sites as prescribed within the guidance. There is also a requirement to carry out LRAs within all domestic properties. Current performance indicators show full compliance with water safety management with LRAs for domestic properties currently in place by archetype. The intention is to update these LRAs on an individual property basis which will require a procurement exercise to be undertaken. • Asbestos Safety Housing Services have contracts in place for asbestos surveying, asbestos removal and analytical services within domestic properties. Page 170 of 450
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PUBLIC There are currently two short term contracts, one for void properties and general repairs and the other for capital investment external works. Longer term contracts are in the process of being procured. A contract for common area asbestos management will be procured following the outcome of an ongoing external review which is described below. Housing Services have engaged external consultants to assist with the review of current asbestos management documentation, carry out a gap analysis, review asbestos management working practices, review training provisions and requirements and associated roles and responsibilities. Housing Services continue to participate in a corporate Health and Safety-led asbestos working group which oversees the council’s approach to asbestos to ensure consistency and good practice. 5. 2025/26 Key Actions • The 2025/26 Scottish Housing Regulator engagement plan notes that in October 2024 in our annual assurance statement that we said were taking steps to review and consolidate our tenant and resident safety responsibilities. In addition to further updates on EICR and fire detection compliance, the Regulator is seeking further information and assurance about our asbestos management processes and planned improvements. An Asbestos Management Action Plan was provided to the Regulator 25th Sept September and is appended to this report at Appendix 2. Actions 1 and 2 are now complete. • Ongoing review of policies, procedures and processes including the identification of new policy requirements. A Damp and Mould policy is being developed and will be brought to Board in early 2026. • Longer term contracts will be put in place for asbestos surveys. The contract awards for both external and internal surveys is targeted for Spring 2026. • A contract will be put in place for domestic legionella risk assessments, with contract award targeted for April 2026. • A contract will be put in place for common area asbestos management following the conclusion of the external review of asbestos management arrangements described above. _________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – Compliance costs are met from the HRA budget. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. Page 171 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 - Failing to meet KPIs 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. COSLA Policy Position – None. 13. Climate Risk – None. 14. Children’s Rights – None. _____________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Appendix A – Housing Landlord Compliance Performance Report April – Sept 2025/26 Appendix B – Asbestos Management Action Plan ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Karen Sillars, Housing Asset & Investment Manager Email: karen.sillars@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 172 of 450
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P a g e | 1 PUBLIC Performance Monitoring Report Housing Landlord Compliance April 2025 – September 2025 Page 173 of 450
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P a g e | 2 PUBLIC Contents 1. Position summary for year 2025 - 2026. ................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 2. GAS .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 3. ELECTRICAL .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5 4. ASBESTOS ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7 5. FIRE .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 6. WATER ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 7. LIFTS ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Page 174 of 450
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P a g e | 3 PUBLIC 1. Position summary for year 2025/26 at September 2025. Category Total Number of KPI’s Gas 3 3 0 0 Electrical 8 6 1 1 Asbestos 2 1 0 1 Fire 4 4 0 0 Water 4 4 0 0 Lifts 5 5 0 0 26 23 1 2 >99% Pass rate 85-99% Pass rate <85% Pass rate Page 175 of 450
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P a g e | 4 PUBLIC 2. GAS Cat Indicator Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 25/26 24/25 Notes KPI G.01 Number of times in current reporting year Housing failed to meet statutory obligation to complete a Gas Safety Check within 12 months of a gas appliance being fitted or last checked (Charter Indicator 11) 0 5 5 5 Q2 Administrative errors. Officers have now implemented revised procedures and will keep under review. KPI G.02 Landlord’s Gas Installations with a valid LGSR (CP12) within its due date in the last 12 months as a % of Total Landlord Requirement 100% 99.69% 99.84% 99.9% KPI G.03 Number of Communal / District Boilers with valid certification as a % of Total Landlord Requirement 100% 100% 100% 100% Page 176 of 450
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P a g e | 5 PUBLIC 3. ELECTRICAL Indicator Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 25/26 24/25 Notes KPI E.01 Domestic properties with a satisfactory EICR within its due date as % of total dwellings requiring an EICR. 80% 97% 97% 94% Of those outstanding 1.8% are due for demolition. 0.6% are void and will be complete before let. 0.6% are tenanted and are in progress. KPI E.02 Non-domestic properties (including Common Areas) with a satisfactory EICR within its due date as % of total non-Dwellings requiring an EICR 27% 40% 40% 21% Programme commenced November 2024. To be completed by March 2026. KPI E.03 Percentage of domestic properties with no outstanding C1, C2, F1 works. - 99.8% 99.8% 99% 2 properties with outstanding C2s at time of report. KPI E.04 Percentage of non-domestic properties with no outstanding C1, C2, F1 works 100% 100% 100% 100% Sheltered Housing, High Rise and Launderettes KPI E.05 Percentage of Sites with Portable Appliance Tests (PAT) completed. 100% 100% 100% 100% Covers Housing owned appliances in Sheltered Housing & High Rise Page 177 of 450
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P a g e | 6 PUBLIC Indicator Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 25/26 24/25 Notes KPI E.06 Percentage of properties with Lightning Protection Systems (LPS) inspected and tested. 100% 100% 100% 100% KPI E.07 Percentage of properties with automated doors, gates, and barriers with a valid Risk Assessment. 100% 100% 100% 82.14% FRA takes account of equipment KPI E.08 Percentage of properties with automated doors, gates, and barriers where Maintenance visits have been completed. 96% 96% 96% 96% One domestic property outstanding – awaiting confirmation that door automation is no longer required. Page 178 of 450
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P a g e | 7 PUBLIC 4. ASBESTOS Cat Indicator Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 25/26 24/25 Notes KPI A.01 Non-Dwellings (common areas) with a valid asbestos survey and re-inspections of all ACMs (where required) within its due date as a % of non- Dwellings requiring one. 0% 0% 0% 75% All sites have been surveyed with some sites requiring reinspection. New contract to be procured following external review of asbestos management plan and processes. KPI A.02 Number of safety occurrences - including any reported asbestos related occurrence reporting (e.g., to the HSE or Regulator) during the reporting period. 0 0 0 0 Page 179 of 450
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P a g e | 8 PUBLIC 5. FIRE Cat Indicator Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 25/26 24/25 KPI F.01 % Of Properties with a Completed and In Date Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) where required. 100% 100% 100% 100% All High flats, Sheltered, HMOs and common areas are completed and reviews ongoing. KPI F.02 Total No. of Fire Risk Assessment Actions Outstanding (but In Date) and total number of actions overdue 2 0 0 252 16 repair actions were identified through the fire risk assessments during 2025/26. All 16 are now complete. KPI F.03 % Of Buildings with Fire Safety Systems/Equipment present where all Systems/Equipment has been Tested/Maintained in accordance with Policy 100% 100% 100% KPI F.04 Number of Notices received from the Fire and Rescue Services with actions required Number of outstanding 3 1 2 3 5 4 10 Outstanding actions to be picked up in capital investment programme. Page 180 of 450
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P a g e | 9 PUBLIC 6. WATER Cat Indicator Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 25/26 24/25 KPI W.01 % of Priority Scheme Properties (against the stated Total Landlord Requirement) with a valid Legionella Risk Assessment 100% 100% 100% 100% There are 41 priority schemes all of which have a valid risk assessment. KPI W.02 % of General Needs Properties (against the stated Total Landlord Requirement) with a valid desktop Risk Assessment. 100% 100% 100% 100% Tender for domestic LRA’s to be prepared and procured. KPI W.03 % of Properties (against the stated Total Landlord Requirement) with a valid Written Scheme where a requirement has been identified. 100% 100% 100% 100% KPI W.04 % of Properties (against the stated Total Landlord Requirement) within a Legionella Maintenance Regime 100% 100% 100% 100% 41 properties have a maintenance regime in place. Page 181 of 450
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P a g e | 10 PUBLIC 7. LIFTS Cat Indicator Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 25/26 24/25 KPI L.01 Assets with a Passenger Lift having valid Thorough Examination within its Due Date as a % of total assets with a Passenger Lift 100% 100% 100% 100% KPI L.02 Assets with a Passenger Lift where all Maintenance and Inspection activity is within its Due Date as a % of total assets where a Passenger Lift is present 100% 100% 100% 100% KPI L.03 Assets with Vertical Through Floor Lifts that have valid Thorough Examination within its Due Date as a % of total assets with other Lifts 100% 100% 100% 100% KPI L.04 Assets with Vertical Through Floor Lifts where all Maintenance and Inspection activity is within its Due Date as a % of total assets where other Lifts are present 100% 100% 100% 100% KPI L.05 Assets with Actions arising from Thorough Examinations, Inspection or Maintenance activity that are Overdue as a % of total assets where a Lift is present 100% 100% 100% 94% Page 182 of 450
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Page 1 of 4 PUBLIC Renfrewshire Council Housing Landlord Compliance ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN Page 183 of 450
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Page 2 of 4 PUBLIC Item no Action required Responsible officer(s) Date for Completion Comments/ update 1 Appointment of ACS Learning and Consultancy to assist identifying opportunities of improvement & assist in implementing any changes. K Sillars Housing Asset & Investment Manager 31 August 2025 Meetings ongoing. ACS assisting with all actions within the Action Plan. 2 Review of Current Asbestos Management Documentation (i) A detailed review of the current Asbestos Management Plan, Policy and Internal Guidance document for the Department. (ii) Comparison with the Corporate policy on Asbestos Management. (iii) Identification and repair of any anomalies S Reid Statutory Compliance Coordinator (Asbestos) 30 September 2025 Review of current documentation is underway 3 Gap Analysis (i) Comparison of action 2 (iii) with requirement of CAR 2012. (ii) Carry out Gap Analysis and amend documents where necessary. S Reid Statutory Compliance Coordinator (Asbestos) 31 October 2025 Page 184 of 450
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Page 3 of 4 PUBLIC Item no Action required Responsible officer(s) Date for Completion Comments/ update 4 Review of Asbestos Management Working Practices (i) Carry out a detailed review of current asbestos working practises in relation to domestic properties. (ii) Compare with 3.0 (ii) with particular emphasis on data collection, storage, dissemination to planners/operational staff, updating of Asbestos Register after work. S Reid Statutory Compliance Coordinator (Asbestos) 31 October 2025 5 Review of Training Provision and Requirements (i) Training needs analysis for all staff in the communications chain for planned and unplanned work. (ii) Comparison with existing training. (iii) Identify additional training requirements as necessary. S Reid Statutory Compliance Coordinator (Asbestos) 30 November 2025 Page 185 of 450
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Page 4 of 4 PUBLIC Item no Action required Responsible officer(s) Date for Completion Comments/ update 6 Review of Elected Members’ Roles and Responsibilities (i) Review Elected Member’s roles and responsibilities. (ii) Review and strengthening of policy/procedures to reflect above. (iii) Identify training requirements for Elected Members. A McGuire Housing Maintenance Manager 30 November 2025 7 Assist in the development of the Asbestos Management module in the computerised system (NEC) for property management. ALL ongoing Page 186 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Homelessness update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report provides the Policy Board with a summary of the homeless and housing support pressures across Renfrewshire and an update on the measures that have been taken in response to the increase in homelessness in recent years and the associated increase in demand for housing support. 1.2 Details on the homelessness related issues in the recently announced Scottish Government Housing Emergency Action Plan are also provided as well as a summary of the 2024/25 performance statistics on homelessness, which were published by the Scottish Government in September. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Note the continuing local and national pressures in relation to the increase in homeless applications and demand for housing support, and the impacts these currently have and may have in the future. 2.2 Note the measures being taken by the Council and partners to mitigate the impacts of these pressures. 2.3 Note the homelessness related issues within the Scottish Government’s Housing Emergency Action Plan announced in September and the possible impact this may have in Renfrewshire, as well as the recently published homeless performance indicators for 2024-2025. Item 10 CHPB281025 Page 187 of 450
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PUBLIC _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 As previously reported to the Policy Board, the annual number of statutorily homeless households in Renfrewshire generally remained consistent up until 2021. 3.2 There has however been a steady, stepped increase in homeless applications since 2020/21, with the annual number of applications in both 2023/24 and 2024/25 exceeding 1,000, and the likelihood of this occurring again in the current financial year. See Table 1 and 3.7, below: Table 1 – annual number of homeless applications Year Total annual number of homeless applications in Renfrewshire To end Sept 2025 579 2024/25 1027 2023/24 1026 2022/23 935 2021/22 909 2020/21 834 2019/20 874 3.3 This has led to a position where the current number of households being supported by Homeless Services (‘live cases’) is 489 - this figure was 340 at the same point in 2023 and 386 in 2024. 3.4 264 of these current homeless households have been provided with temporary accommodation, and the number of individuals currently in B&B is in single figures. The comparative figure for those requiring temporary accommodation at the same point in 2023 was 210 and 255 in 2024. (Note - not all of those who are statutorily homeless need to be provided with temporary accommodation; a proportion tend to be able to stay with friends/relatives until the Council sources settled accommodation for them). 3.5 It is a constant challenge to minimise the number placed in hotels (and the length of stay), and it can take up a considerable amount of officers’ time seeking to secure hotel accommodation on a day-to-day basis. Page 188 of 450
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PUBLIC The Scottish Government’s ‘Unsuitable Accommodation Order’ requires no- one to be placed in a hostel or B&B for more than 7 days, and, in line with many local authorities, we unavoidably breach this Order on occasions due to these demand pressures, as noted in previous reports to the Policy Board and within our Annual Assurance Statement. 3.6 The Policy Board has been provided with regular updates throughout the past three years which have detailed the reasons behind the increase in homelessness and social housing pressures, which all largely stem from: • the impacts during the COVID recovery years, • pressures on households arising from the cost-of-living crisis, • impact of the various migration and asylum humanitarian programmes – see section 6 of this report, • a general overall slowing down in the turnover rate of social rented housing, particularly in some RSLs, • pressures in the private rented sector, and • the impact on some local authorities (including Renfrewshire) since the suspension of the ‘local connection’ criteria for homeless applicants in December 2022. 3.7 Whilst the number of homeless applications has steadily increased - the first 6 months of 2025/26 has seen a 13% increase in applications compared to the first 6 months of 2024/25 - the most common reasons given for becoming homeless have remained the same, which are ‘asked to leave accommodation’ and ‘relationship breakdown (non-violent)’ which together account for over half of all applications in Renfrewshire. 3.8 13 local authorities declared local housing emergencies during 2023 and 2024, and the Scottish Government declared a National Housing Emergency in May 2024. 3.9 There are local authorities across Scotland who are continuing to experience significant pressures in meeting the demand for social housing. This has been reflected within the national homeless performance statistics published by the Scottish Government on 16 September 2025. Some of the key homelessness statistics which tend to have a higher profile are: • The number of households in temporary accommodation at 31 March 2025 in Renfrewshire was 254 which was an increase of 3% compared to 31 March 2024. Nationally there was an increase of 8%. • The number of children in temporary accommodation at 31 March 2025 in Renfrewshire was 25, which was a decrease of 29% from 31 March 2024. Nationally there was an increase of 1% from 2023/24 to 2024/25. • The average length of time spent in temporary accommodation for all homeless households in Renfrewshire was 131 days, compared to a national average of 238 days. Page 189 of 450
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PUBLIC • The number of homeless households moving into a social housing tenancy in Renfrewshire increased from 573 in 2023/24 to 658 in 2024/25. 3.10 A full report summarising all benchmarking information based on the published statistics and how we compare to other local authorities will be provided to the Policy Board later this year following an independent analysis of the data by ‘Scotland’s Housing Network’ which we are members of. 4 Scottish Government’s Housing Emergency Action Plan 4.1 The Cabinet Secretary announced the Scottish Government’s Housing Emergency Action Plan on 2 September 2025 which had three key objectives: ending children living in unsuitable accommodation, supporting the housing needs of vulnerable communities and maximising investment in Scotland’s housing sector. 4.2 Alongside measures which were more Planning related, the main homeless focussed actions included: • reducing the time children spend living in unsuitable temporary accommodation • consider ‘flipping’ temporary accommodation to permanent tenancies for families, with funding being made available to help replenish the stock of temporary accommodation • Further support for the use of the Housing First approach • the provision of funding for pilot schemes to use private sector leasing to reduce the use of B&B • controls to keep private rent affordable • increase in support for women experiencing domestic abuse • extending Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans into 2026/27 – see 5, below 4.3 More detail is required on how the Scottish Government propose to implement these recently announced actions in partnership with local authorities and other stakeholders, and the availability / apportionment of related funding. There is a degree of comfort however that within Renfrewshire we already have considerable experience in preventing children spending time in unsuitable temporary accommodation, applying the Housing First principles, flipping tenancies as well as piloting the use of private sector leasing. The steps taken here in Renfrewshire in relation to the homelessness measures within the national Action Plan and the impact they have will be covered in a future report to the Policy Board. Page 190 of 450
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PUBLIC 5. Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan for Renfrewshire 5.1 Progress with the implementation of Renfrewshire’s initial 5-year Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) 2019 – 2024 has been regularly reported to the Policy Board, and our RRTP has supported the upscaling of a Housing First approach to support those who are homeless from 13 at any one time in 2019 to 92 by September 2025, as well as minimising the time those who are homeless have to spend in temporary accommodation, and supporting the stepped increase in the number of lets to homeless applicants from the Council and RSL’s. 5.2 A previous Policy Board report advised that the Scottish Government were continuing to provide RRTP funding along the same lines as previous years to support the delivery of RRTPs for a further year in 2025/26, and the Scottish Governments Action Plan mentioned above advises that funding will again be provided in 2026/27. This should allow the continuation of established initiatives here in Renfrewshire which have been detailed in previous Policy Board reports and are in line with the RRTP guidance. These initiatives specifically focus on: • the deployment of temporary frontline posts to help resettle homeless applicants transitioning from temporary accommodation to new tenancies, • Upscaling and developing the Housing First approach both in-house with our Housing Support team and with partners such as Turning Point Scotland and Blue Triangle Housing Association. 6 Impact of migration / resettlement programmes 6.1 As previously reported, Renfrewshire has a strong track record in terms of supporting people who have come to live and settle in the area through different humanitarian programmes or routes, such as the resettlement schemes for Syrian and Afghan nationals and those displaced from Ukraine. 6.2 The Council, HSCP and partners have all played key roles in supporting people who arrived in Renfrewshire and there have now been a significant number of social rented tenancies provided to Ukrainian Displaced Persons (UDP) in particular by the Council and Registered Social Landlords, as well as UDP households being supported to access private rented sector tenancies or to live with hosts. 6.3 More people are now also being served with positive decisions on their refugee status whilst being accommodated in hotels across the UK. This is positive for the individuals concerned but has led to an increase in the number of people then presenting as homeless and / or seeking support and who are entitled to be provided with temporary accommodation and the right to apply for a social rented tenancy. Page 191 of 450
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PUBLIC 6.4 This has resulted in there being 78 homeless applications in Renfrewshire from refugees in 2024/25 – for context there were only 11 in 2020/21. 7 Housing (Scotland) Bill, 2024 7.1 A new Housing Bill was published by the Scottish Government in March 2024 which aims to, amongst other things, help prevent homelessness. The Bill was finally passed on 30 September 2025. 7.2 The new Act once implemented will introduce an ‘ask and act’ duty on public bodies, such as health boards, Police Scotland and RSL’s to ask about a person’s housing situation and act to avoid them becoming homeless wherever possible. 7.3 There remains a degree of concern that some of the provisions in the new Act may lead to an increase in referrals for help, advice, information and temporary accommodation to local authority homeless teams. 7.4 A report on all the new duties and any associated Guidance will be provided to a future Policy Board. 8 Renfrewshire’s Response to the housing pressures 8.1 As highlighted in both Table 1 and paragraph 3.7 above, Renfrewshire clearly continues to experience higher levels of homelessness and demand for housing support, and our Homeless and Housing Support Services and partners will continue to face significant challenges in providing both temporary and permanent accommodation for everyone in housing need on a timely basis and providing the support they require in line with our statutory duties. 8.2 Whilst the challenges are significant and are likely to remain so, there are still some positive steps being taken across Renfrewshire in terms of how the changes in the nature and scale of homelessness are being tackled. These are summarised in table 2, below: Table 2 ACTION TAKEN : IMPACT : Target of 55% of general lets by the Council to go to homeless applicants. This is on target for 2025/26, and has helped the Council to have annual stepped increases in the number of lets to those who are homeless, and respond in a way that was proportionate and minimised the impact on waiting list applicants Page 192 of 450
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PUBLIC ACTION TAKEN : IMPACT : Strong focus on lets to homeless applicants by RSL’s. The increase in the number of lets from RSL partners – despite lower turnover rates for some - has helped in the response to the increase in homelessness. This issue is reviewed at regular meetings with key RSL’s and at quarterly Housing Providers Forum meetings chaired by Head of Housing Services. Increase in stock of furnished temporary accommodation. The increase in the number of properties being used as temporary accommodation from 233 in 2019 to the current stock of 290 has helped to ensure the use of B&B is minimised and households with children are provided with furnished flats. Paused the closure of Thrushcraigs ‘staffed’ accommodation The planned closure of this facility as part of the Council’s regeneration programme would have had an adverse impact on our ability to provide furnished temporary accommodation. Implementation of a new rent charging policy for temporary accommodation. This has helped the Council to continue to provide good quality furnished temporary accommodation, set rents at an affordable level for all, and meet the actual costs of providing all the accommodation and related services. Outputs from the Single Voids Team The success to date of the Single Voids Team and the on-going focus on the void processes is helping to ensure properties are returned for let as quickly as possible. Additional temporary posts in Homeless Services and Housing Support team The deployment of additional frontline temporary staff focussing on co-ordinating temporary accommodation, providing housing options advice and housing support has helped to make best use of Page 193 of 450
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PUBLIC ACTION TAKEN : IMPACT : temporary accommodation, minimising the length of time people stay in temporary accommodation, and support those resettling from temporary accommodation into a settled tenancy Regular joint review meetings chaired by Head of Housing Services This has helped to maintain a strong focus across Housing Services on meeting the homelessness challenges and consider options to support the Council’s response. Actions following Scottish Government Housing Emergency Action Plan These are being developed as more information and details are provided from The Scottish Government, as mentioned in section 4 of this paper. 8.3 To date, the measures in table 2, above have largely enabled Renfrewshire to avoid being unable to respond properly to the needs of all of those who have nowhere to stay, however as this report and previous Policy Board Reports have highlighted this has been challenging and there remains a high degree of strain in the local social rented housing system. 8.4. Some local authorities have put in place time-limited adjustments to their allocation policies and / or implemented limits on the options for homeless applicants in terms of their choice of areas, number of offers and so on. This is a matter that is being kept under review whilst we closely monitor the impact of the measures outlined in Table 2, above. Further proposals may be brought forward for consideration at a future Policy Board meeting should the level of homelessness increase beyond a level that can be managed. 9. Summary 9.1 The demand for homeless and housing support services remains very high. 9.2 The reasons for this are varied, with no single cause or solution. 9.3 The range of actions which have been taken by the Council and partners to date have all helped to ensure that we continue to generally respond positively and promptly to those in housing need during the current pressures. Page 194 of 450
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PUBLIC 9.4 Renfrewshire’s RRTP and the continued funding from the Scottish Government helps to ensure a continued strong focus on: • providing suitable temporary accommodation, • giving the support that’s needed to those who are homeless, and • transitioning homeless applicants from temporary to settled accommodation as quickly as possible. 9.5 The Policy Board will continue to receive regular updates on the homelessness challenges in Renfrewshire, the implementation of the Scottish Government Housing Emergency Action Plan, and the impacts of the new Housing Act in relation to homeless prevention. _________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – • Our Renfrewshire is fair - those who are homeless will be provided with housing options. • Building strong, safe and resilient communities – meeting the needs of those who are homeless and providing access to settled housing helps to support communities. • Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all – those who are in housing need will be provided with settled housing options. • Working together to improve outcomes – we will be working with partners to improve outcomes for those in housing need. 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 and it is for noting only 8. Health & Safety – None. Page 195 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 (a) Background paper 1 ‘Homelessness & Housing Support – 2024/25’ Communities & Housing Policy Board on 13 May 2025 (b) Background paper 2 ‘Homelessness in Renfrewshire and Review of Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan’ Communities &Housing Policy Board on 29 October 2024 (c) Background paper 3 ‘Homelessness in Renfrewshire – Update ’Communities &Housing Policy Board on 21 May. 2024. (d) Background paper 4 ‘Homelessness in Renfrewshire – Update ’Communities & Housing Policy Board on 16 January 2024. (e) Background paper 5 ‘RRTP and Homelessness Update’, Communities & Housing Board on 25 October 2022. (f) Background paper 6 ‘ Homelessness Update’ Communities, Housing & Planning Policy Board on 15 March 2022. (g) Background paper 7 ‘Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan and Homelessness Update’ Communities, Housing & Planning Policy Board on 17 August 2021. (h) Background Paper 8 ‘Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan – funding update’ Communities, Housing & Planning Policy Board on 19 January 2021. ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Tom Irvine, Homeless & Housing Support Services Manager. Tom.irvine@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 196 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Housing Asset Management Strategy ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Council has a wide range of responsibilities in relation to its housing stock and associated assets which must be delivered in a manner which ensures that resources associated with the assets are used in the most cost effective way possible. An effective strategy for managing housing assets will ensure that decisions relating to management and investment in the housing stock are based on sound principles which take account of stock condition, sustainability and value for money. 1.2 This report presents the Housing Asset Management Strategy 2025 –2030 and associated Action Plan as attached at Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 to this report. 1.3 The Housing Asset Management Strategy sets out the strategic approach to managing housing assets and seeks to provide direction for investment in Council housing stock. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Approves the Housing Asset Management Strategy 2025-2030 and associated Action Plan Item 11 CHPB281025 Page 197 of 450
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PUBLIC 3. Housing Asset Management Strategy 2025-2030 3.1 The Housing Asset Management Strategy takes account of recommended good practice and advisory guidance from the Scottish Housing Regulator with the key aim of ensuring that our housing assets are sustainable and remain fit for purpose in the short, medium, and long term. 3.2 Key drivers of the Housing Asset Management Strategy are the current UK and Scottish Government Acts and guidance on housing, energy efficiency and fuel poverty, the most recent of these being the Scottish Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS) which has yet to be finalised by the Scottish Government and the Housing(Scotland) Bill 2025. The strategy also takes account of other key council strategies including Renfrewshire Council’s Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 and Renfrewshire Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2025- 2030. 3.3 The six core housing asset management objectives within the strategy are as follows: • Ensure our housing stock and estates are suitable for current use and supports efficient and effective service delivery both now and in the future. • Ensure homes are improved and maintained to a high standard, meet tenant aspirations and are compliant with relevant legislation. • Ensure future decisions about housing assets are based upon robust data with reviews or option appraisals of stock causing concern. • Develop the digital infrastructure to provide accurate management and performance information. • Demonstrate value for money in the delivery of our reactive repair service, cyclical maintenance services and capital improvement programmes. • Ensure tenant involvement in the development and monitoring of our services and improvement programmes. 3.4 The Housing Asset Management Strategy Action Plan (Appendix 2) sets out the key actions that Housing Services will take over the next 5 years to assist in achieving these objectives. An annual update of the Action Plan will be brought to the Communities and Housing Policy Board. 3.5 Following policy board approval, the Housing Asset Management Strategy will be circulated to key stakeholders and partners. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – The Housing Asset Management Strategy will be a key driver for the Business Plan and budget setting for future capital investment. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. Page 198 of 450
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PUBLIC 3. Community/Council Planning – • Our Renfrewshire is thriving – improving housing conditions encouraging people to live in Renfrewshire. • 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 – Ensuring assets are sustainable and fit for purpose. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - Following a comprehensive Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) of Renfrewshire Councils Housing Asset Management Strategy, a detailed review of both primary and secondary data, stakeholder engagement and consultation feedback has been found to suggest no negative impacts on equality groups or indicate any potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights. The assessment has considered possible impacts on all protected characteristics groups in line with the Equality Act 2010 and upholds principles of fairness, diversity, and accessibility to ensure the strategy promotes equal opportunities, prevents discrimination, and supports the diverse needs of the Renfrewshire community. If required, a monitoring process will be applied to review and address any unforeseen impacts during the Housing Asset Management strategy implementation. The results of this assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. COSLA Policy Position – None. 13. Climate Risk – The Housing Asset Management Strategy aims to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency in our social rented homes. 14. Children’s Rights - ______________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Appendix 1 – Housing Strategic Asset Management Strategy 2025- 2030 Appendix 2 – Housing Strategic Asset Management Strategy Action Plan ___________________________________________________________________ Page 199 of 450
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PUBLIC Author: Mark Brown, Housing Asset & Energy Strategy Manager Email: mark.brown@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 200 of 450
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2 | P a g e PUBLIC Contents 1.INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Housing Asset Management Objectives ........................................................................... 4 2. BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................... 4 3. ASSET PROFILE ............................................................................................................................ 7 3.1 Core Operational Assets ....................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Commercial Assets ............................................................................................................... 11 3.3 Environmental Assets .......................................................................................................... 12 3.4 Lockups and Ground sites.................................................................................................. 13 4. NET-ZERO CARBON & SUSTAINABILITY ............................................................................. 13 4.1 What is Climate Change ...................................................................................................... 14 4.2 Social Housing and Climate Change ................................................................................ 14 4.3 Net-Zero as the solution to Climate Change .................................................................. 14 4.4 What does net-zero mean for Social Housing ............................................................... 15 4.5 Renfrewshire Council Housing and Net-Zero ................................................................ 15 4.6 Economies of Scale and Financing of net-zero............................................................. 18 4.7 Net-zero and Fuel Poverty ................................................................................................... 19 4.8 Sustainability .......................................................................................................................... 20 5. ASSET CONDITION ..................................................................................................................... 20 5.1 Meeting the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) ............................................ 21 5.2 Condition - Mixed Tenure Blocks ...................................................................................... 22 5.3 Condition – Multi Storey Blocks ........................................................................................ 23 5.4 Asset Condition Data ........................................................................................................... 24 5.5 Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) ....................................................... 25 6. DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT.............................................................................................. 25 7. ASSET PERFORMANCE ............................................................................................................ 27 8. PROPERTY INVESTMENT ......................................................................................................... 28 8.1 Investment ............................................................................................................................... 28 8.2 Responsive Repairs .............................................................................................................. 30 8.3 Dampness & Mould ............................................................................................................... 31 8.4 Void works............................................................................................................................... 32 8.5 Cyclical Planned Maintenance ........................................................................................... 32 8.6 Compliance ............................................................................................................................. 34 8.7 Medical Adaptations ............................................................................................................. 35 Page 202 of 450
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3 | P a g e PUBLIC 9. TENANT CONSULTATION & PARTICIPATION ..................................................................... 35 10. GOVERNANCE & RISK ............................................................................................................. 36 10.1 Governance Arrangements .............................................................................................. 36 10.2 Risk Management ................................................................................................................ 37 11. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION & MONITORING .............................................................. 37 Page 203 of 450
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4 | P a g e PUBLIC 1.INTRODUCTION Renfrewshire Council’s housing assets are managed by Housing Services Asset and Investment team, within the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Directorate. This Housing Asset Management Strategy aligns with other housing strategies within the service, wider council strategies and national government aims and objectives. 1.1 Housing Asset Management Objectives The housing asset management objectives have been aligned with the core aims and objectives of housing services, the Council and with government policies.. They have been translated into the following set of Core Asset Management Objectives (CAO), also referred to in the Action Plan. Ensure homes are improved and maintained to a high standard, meet tenant aspirations and are compliant with relevant legislation. Ensure future decisions are based on robust data with reviews or option appraisals of cause for concern stock. Develop our digital infrastructure to provide accurate asset management and performance information. Ensure our housing stock and estates are suitable for current use and supports efficient and effective service delivery both now and in the future. Demonstrate value for money in the delivery of our reactive repair service, cyclical maintenance services and capital improvement programmes. Ensure tenant involvement in the development and monitoring of our services and improvement programmes. There are many areas of housing asset management that are evolving. The longer- term strategies of government in respect of; net zero carbon, heating fuels and taxation, will have a direct impact on this strategy over its five-year life. 2. BACKGROUND The Housing Asset Management Strategy was first formulated over ten years ago, and an asset performance review was carried out in 2018/19, helping to identify areas for regeneration. Since then, extensive work has been carried out on defining housing archetypes with a high degree of accuracy, and on improving energy efficiency data. CAO.2 CAO.3 CAO.4 CAO.5 CAO.6 CAO.1 Page 204 of 450
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5 | P a g e PUBLIC This has resulted in a strong understanding of energy efficiency requirements and the recognition to refer to PAS2035* when carrying out retrofit works1. Processes to provide detailed energy efficient net-zero designs for the housing stock, have also been put in place. This strategy starts from that basis but is also influenced by: Renfrewshire Councils Local Housing Strategy (LHS) 2023-2028 Five strategic priorities identified. • 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. • People live in high quality, well managed homes in sustainable neighbourhoods. • Address the challenges of the climate emergency, delivering homes that are warm, energy efficient and fuel poverty is minimised. • Preventing and addressing Homelessness with vulnerable people getting the advice and support they need; and • 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. Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2026-2031 Plan to increase housing supply in Renfrewshire with a focus on: • Affordability • Regeneration and renewal • Expanding supply for older people and those with complex needs • Climate change and fuel poverty Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) LHEES is a long-term strategic framework for: • The improvement of the energy efficiency of buildings in the local authority’s area. • The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the heating of such buildings. Renfrewshire Council have produced their initial LHEES plan, which will have an impact on the delivery of heat and energy efficiency projects for council housing stock. 1 PAS2035 is a standard introduced in 2019 as part of the UK government’s initiative to enhance energy efficiency in buildings. It outlines a whole building approach to retrofitting ensuring that specific standards are met improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. Page 205 of 450
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6 | P a g e PUBLIC Scottish Government Heat in Buildings Strategy (HiBS) Sets out actions to decarbonise Scotland’s building stock in line with legislated climate change targets. The strategy refers to owner occupied, private rented housing stock and commercial buildings. This strategy impacts mixed tenure council housing stock and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) shops. Scottish Government Heat Networks Act 2021 Aims to accelerate the deployment of heat networks in Scotland through the introduction of a regulatory system. The 2021 Act sets statutory targets for the amount of heat to be supplied by heat networks: • 2.6 Terawatt hours (TWh) of output by 2027. • 6 TWh of output by 2030. Scottish Government Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) Act 2019 Sets statutory obligation for Scotland to have net-zero carbon emissions by 2045 and is the overall framework for Energy Efficient Scotland and thus energy efficiency, environmental impact and zero emission’s heating/hot water within homes. Scottish Government Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) The initial EESSH was to be attained by 2020, with a higher standard setting out energy efficiency targets for social housing to be met by 2032. However, this has been suspended since 2022, and the review of 2023/24 introduced the proposed Scottish Housing Net Zero Standard. Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS) Proposed replacement for EESSH2, confirmation of the standard is expected to be announced during 2025. Currently the draft proposals are: • Reduce space heating demand of each house by 2033 to under 121kWh/m2/year. • Replace fossil fuel heating with clean heating alternatives by 2045. Scottish Government Fuel Poverty Act 2019 Sets statutory obligation to effectively remove fuel poverty from Scotland by 2040, with interim targets in 2030 and 2035. Scottish Government Housing to 2040 Outlines a long-term vision for all housing in Scotland. Page 206 of 450
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7 | P a g e PUBLIC Recommended Practice Document from the Scottish Housing Regulator on Integrated Asset Management (2023) Provides advisory guidance ensuring that the organisation can make strategic asset decisions based on an understanding of Asset Performance. The principles are: • Principle 1 - Governing bodies and committees lead the strategic response to asset management and should be assured that assets are managed effectively. • Principle2 - Social landlords should have a comprehensive understanding of their assets. • Principle 3 - Social landlords should develop an approach to understanding the value of their assets. • Principle 4 - Integrated asset management outcomes should be understood and used as evidence to inform future investment decisions. • Principle 5 - Social landlords should use the integrated asset management outcomes to inform their asset management strategies. The following parts of this strategy examine typical housing asset management areas and assesses our assets current position. Some recommended actions will be made from the current identified position, taking into consideration the outlined asset management approach, core asset management objectives, and the background information. The recommendations are set out in an action plan covering the period 2025-2030, categorised by the core asset management objectives. 3. ASSET PROFILE Assets held on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) are categorised by the following distinct types: Core Operational Assets This comprises the housing stock of currently 12,078 which directly supports the delivery of a housing service. A more detailed breakdown can be found at point 3.1 Non-Core Operational Assets This comprises a range of different asset classes such as: offices, homeless person units (HPUs), launderettes, community centres. Commercial Assets These assets provide an income to the HRA outwith social rented homes. It comprises a range of different assets, but the vast majority are shops. More detail can be found at point 3.2. Page 207 of 450
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8 | P a g e PUBLIC Environmental Assets These assets can be development sites, open areas within housing estates or items such as trees, car parking areas, pathways and retaining walls on HRA land. Lockups and Ground sites Lockups located within housing estates and rented by tenants or owner occupiers. Ground sites are leased by tenants or owner occupiers, and they are responsible for erecting and maintain any structures on their ground lease area. 3.1 Core Operational Assets As of 2025, Renfrewshire Council has 12,078 domestic properties, spread over 10 main localities: Locality Number Percentage of stock Paisley 6,986 57.85% Johnstone 2,379 19.70% Renfrew 1,626 13.46% Linwood 453 3.75% Bridge of Weir 208 1.72% Lochwinnoch 168 1.39% Bishopton 146 1.21% Howwood 67 0.55% Crosslee 44 0.36% Erskine 1 0.01% Total 12,078 100% The stock is mainly located in the towns of Paisley, Renfrew, and Johnstone with 91% of stock, and the remaining 9% in Linwood and villages. Renfrewshire council housing stock spans from pre first world war to the present new build programme. The table below shows stock in age bands corresponding to major housing legislation, as requested by the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) in the Annual Charter Return (ARC). Age Band Number Percentage of stock Before 1919 31 0.26% 1919 – 1929 1,331 11.02% 1930 – 1949 2,793 23.12% 1950 – 1964 4,046 33.50% 1965 – 1975 2,750 22.76% 1976 – 1983 477 3.95% 1984 – 1991 215 1.78% Page 208 of 450
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9 | P a g e PUBLIC Age Band Number Percentage of stock 1992 – 1998 84 0.70% 2008 – 2011 37 0.31% 2012 onwards 314 2.60% Total 12,078 100% Over 90% of the stock is at least 50 years old. This impacts on likely condition, base standards of energy efficiency, requirements to meet modern standards and suitability for future tenants needs and demands. The built form of Renfrewshire’s stock is shown in the table below: Build Form Number Percentage of stock 4 in a block Flat 2,674 22.14% Tenement Flat 4,578 37.91% Multi-storey Flat 1,005 8.32% Other Flat 712 5.90% Bungalow 388 3.21% House 2,359 19.53% Maisonette 347 2.87% Prefab 15 0.12% Total 12,078 100% Over 77% of Renfrewshire’s council housing stock is in a common block of one form of another, a particularly high figure, especially when compared with the Scottish national figure of 36.4% and the average across all Local Authorities of 54%. Renfrewshire Council has demolished around 2500 properties over the last twenty years and has currently designated a further 886 for demolition as part of approved housing regeneration programmes. Whilst the Council’s new build programme will be adding more houses over the next 5 years, the rate of demolition and new build will still mean that the council will have a high percentage of common blocks to maintain. A high concentration of mixed tenure common blocks has a significant impact on the council’s ability to manage its stock, as any owners need to be consulted on works and can potentially block investment. The table below shows the number of blocks and the breakdown of tenure within them. Tenure of Blocks Number of Blocks Percentage of Blocks Fully Council 716 25.53% Council Majority 656 23.40% 50/50 Ownership 764 27.25% Council Minority 668 23.82% Page 209 of 450
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10 | P a g e PUBLIC Tenure of Blocks Number of Blocks Percentage of Blocks Total 2804 100% The council fully controls only a quarter of its common blocks. Private ownership within the remaining 75% of blocks amount to almost 5200 households (with a proportion of those being private landlords). The Housing Investment Team (HIT) has responsibility for consulting with private owners for repairs and major capital programme works. The Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 is the main legislation used to manage mixed tenure stock. Other sections of this strategy; Net-zero, Asset Condition, and Property Investment, will discuss the impact of mixed tenure and the use of this Act. Through previous Right to Buy legislation almost 17,000 council homes were sold. The vast majority of those being houses and bungalows rather than flats, resulting in a high proportion of mixed tenure blocks remaining within the stock profile. Whilst the sold houses and bungalows are situated within housing estates, there is little impact on the maintenance of our housing stock. However, there are potential issues with common land, boundaries, common footpaths, and trees within the estates which will be outlined later in this document. Future net-zero carbon requirements is another issue with the sold houses and bungalows, that may impact on future investment of Council stock, this will be discussed in section 4 on net-zero carbon and sustainability. The council’s stock by accommodation size is shown below: No. of Bedrooms Number Percentage of stock 0 (bedsit) 418 3.46% 1 3,597 29.78% 2 5,772 47.79% 3 2,077 17.20% 4 211 1.75% 5 or greater 3 0.02% Total 12,078 100% The built construction type can impact on investment requirements. Below is a breakdown of main wall type: Page 210 of 450
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11 | P a g e PUBLIC Main Wall Construction Number Percentage of stock Cavity 5,736 47.49% Sandstone 462 3.83% Solid Wall 2,908 24.07% System Built 2,437 20.18% Timber Frame 535 4.43% Total 12,078 100% The solid wall, sandstone, timber frame and system-built construction types can cause issues with attaining high energy efficiency levels. Net-zero carbon requirements are likely to be challenging for all construction types but some of the system built are of a particular concern. Excluding ‘No-Fines’ type, the system-built category can be broken down into non-traditional constructions as shown below: Non- traditional build type Number Athol 4 B.I.S.F 42 Blackburn 74 Lawrence 20 Miller 60 Orlit 40 Perm Aluminium 15 Scotcon 16 Swedish Timber 16 Weir 41 Whitson Fairhurst 40 Wimpey 163 Total 530 These properties are of particular concern with some issues over long-term structural integrity and potentially higher than normal cost to meet net-zero carbon targets. This is further complicated by owners within non-traditional common blocks and in adjoining properties in terraces or semi-detached properties. Re-evaluate non-trad stock for structural condition and investment required to meet net-zero, considering mixed tenure or adjoining owners 3.2 Commercial Assets These assets generate an income for the HRA but are not directly involved with provision of housing. These assets are currently managed on behalf of Housing Services by the Principal Estates Surveyor within the Chief Executives Department. Most of these assets are shops, generating an annual rental income of around £1m per annum. Page 211 of 450
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12 | P a g e PUBLIC The shops are normally leased on commercial full repairing and insurance (FRI) leases, where the shop tenant is made responsible for all maintenance and insuring. The majority of shops are situated within the ground floor of common blocks that have council housing above them and many repairs are common to the block. These assets will be incorporated into the housing asset management system (Apex) to enable any planned investment requirements. These shops also need to meet net- zero carbon by 2045 and as they are almost all within communal housing blocks, it is recommended that they are invested in at the same time as the housing units. As well as generating income, the HRA’s 152 shops provide local facilities to residents and could play a role in the Housing to 2040 vision. They also play a role in a local economy and provide some local employment opportunities. Incorporate shops into cost base within Apex. An asset performance review of these assets is underway, considering wider issues than net present value alone 3.3 Environmental Assets These assets are mainly located within the housing estates and play an important role in providing amenity and improving the look of a local area. If not maintained, they can diminish an area or even be a health and safety risk to residents. These assets are often seen as liabilities but with net-zero carbon requirements, areas of grass and trees can be seen as a carbon positive. Areas of ground could potentially be used as heat sinks in the future, to provide heating and hot water to homes. When properties were sold under RTB, little cognisance was taken of the liabilities within the housing estate that the owner should have been made aware of. Title feu plans only refer to the building and garden areas and this has resulted in some housing schemes having limited numbers of tenants paying rent but the HRA being responsible for maintaining the estate. There is potential to rectify some of this disparity if areas are used for net-zero heating solutions and therefore benefit owners, via service charging. Information on these assets is limited. Most HRA grounds maintenance areas have been captured on our GIS (Geographic Information system) but trees, footpaths, roads, car parking, retaining walls, railings have not. Trees require to be managed to ensure they don’t damage buildings or risk injuring people if they fall or branches fall off, the Health and Safety Executive advises that a tree management plan should be in place by owners to mitigate the risk of serious injury or death, it is also a requirement from insurers. This applies to trees on common HRA land in estates and within gardens of tenanted properties. With the increasing use of Solar PV on roofs, maintaining suitable tree heights and crown width to prevent shading will be an increasing burden. Page 212 of 450
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13 | P a g e PUBLIC Determine HRA tree information held by Neighbourhood Services, consider carrying out a tree survey to create a tree management plan Footpaths, roads, car parking and retaining walls can often be adopted by the Roads Service, thereby meaning although owned by the HRA, they will be maintained by Roads. However, many areas within the housing estates are not adopted and the HRA is liable to maintain them. The unadopted assets require to be captured using GIS. These assets require to be added to APEX and managed on condition with typical replacement spans and schedule of rates, producing cost projection outputs as required. Capture extent of unadopted HRA assets on GIS and carry out a condition survey to provide a baseline for adding to APEX Create a strategy to manage non-housing estate assets effectively Once survey information is collated, regular estate inspections will be required to ensure the areas are maintained effectively. These inspections can identify issues that require a reactive response and update condition data. 3.4 Lockups and Ground sites These assets will be incorporated into the housing asset management system (Apex) to enable any planned investment requirements. A review of lockups and ground sites is currently underway. Act on outcomes from the lockup & ground sites review 4. NET-ZERO CARBON & SUSTAINABILITY Net-zero carbon is an emerging area of policy that will affect housing asset management. This section will not be an extensive explanation of climate change or net-zero but instead will outline briefly why we have net-zero, what the term means and what the impacts are for social housing. The remaining sections of this strategy look at standard asset management areas and appropriate reference will be made in each of them, of the influence that net-zero carbon will likely have. Page 213 of 450
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14 | P a g e PUBLIC 4.1 What is Climate Change Climate change is the long-term shift in global temperatures and weather patterns. High levels of greenhouse gases (mainly carbon dioxide and methane) in the atmosphere are deemed to be driving current climate change, causing global temperatures to rise sharply. Although climate change can occur from natural sources, the rapid high level of greenhouse gases currently in the atmosphere can be attributed to relatively recent human actions, with the burning of fossil fuels, modern farming and deforestation being the main activities. 4.2 Social Housing and Climate Change Social housing has been contributing to climate change through the use of fossil fuels for heating and hot water (operational carbon) and from embodied carbon due to the use of concrete, bricks, blocks, steel etc for construction and ongoing maintenance. New social housing may also contribute to the loss of ‘green space’ which were once carbon sinks. Operational carbon emission from all UK housing amount to around 15-20% of all emissions, although social housing is generally considered more energy efficient. Social housing is also suffering some consequences due to climate change. Different weather patterns are increasing the risk of flooding, overheating during summer, fires, structural damage from soil shrinkage during droughts, increased fabric weathering from wetter winters and damage from increasing wind speeds. 4.3 Net-Zero as the solution to Climate Change Stopping the increase of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere is the solution identified by science. ‘Net-zero’ is the ambition, where any man-made greenhouse gases are offset by removing the same amount. Achieving net-zero globally is expected to limit earth’s temperature increases and thereby limit climate change. The Scottish Government has set the year 2045 as the target for Scotland to be net- zero. Net-zero is easier to achieve if the amount of man-made greenhouse gases being created are vastly reduced in the first place, making the offsetting of those gases a less onerous and feasible task. The reduction and eventual elimination of using fossil fuels is considered the primary concern. Fossil fuels will be replaced primarily by renewable energy such as wind, solar and geothermal. As these sources increase, the amount of carbon required to produce electricity decreases and will eventually be almost nil. Therefore, electricity is seen as the main energy fuel to help achieve net-zero. Nuclear, hydro and possibly hydrogen will be other forms of energy used. Page 214 of 450
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15 | P a g e PUBLIC 4.4 What does net-zero mean for Social Housing Social housing needs to follow the same principle as other areas of the economy to reach net-zero and reduce carbon output as much possible. Where any residual carbon output exists, it needs to be balanced by ‘negative carbon’ from elsewhere, this could be from some homes creating more energy than they use (new builds have potential in this area, although embodied carbon must be accounted for) or offsetting by for example planting trees to capture carbon. To remove carbon from social housing, fossil fuel based heating and hot, water needs to be replaced by a renewable source. Renewable heating such as heat pumps are seen as the primary method. District heating is also a viable option, especially if the heat source is from a body of water or the ground. The additional capital cost of installing renewable heating and of increasing fabric insulation to accommodate this form of heating, is a concern for possible future borrowing levels and future rent levels. 4.5 Renfrewshire Council Housing and Net-Zero Net-zero carbon has been an emerging government policy area, the Housing Investment and Housing Regeneration teams have been adapting to these policy announcements. The Housing Regeneration team are responsible for new build housing and created a plan to gradually increase the specification of their new build to meet the exacting passivhaus standard, and to have renewable heating/hot water. Recent policy updates for new build housing in Scotland has resulted in the Scottish Government looking to create a ‘Scottish Passivhaus’ standard. Future new build developments will reflect new standards as they are announced. The Housing Regeneration team to follow policy announcements on ‘Scottish Passivhaus’ and determine impact on the council new build programme Housing investment team to follow policy announcements on ‘Scottish Passivhaus’ and determine the impact on components in Apex and 30yr cost profile The Housing Investment team have been increasing the quality of their retro fit specification over the last few years. They were also early adopters of the PAS2035 standard to ensure that the retro fitting of energy measures is considered in a ‘whole house’ approach, rather than one off standalone measures, which can lead to performance issues and wasted efforts. Page 215 of 450
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16 | P a g e PUBLIC Our Housing Investment team took the decision to look at deep retrofit design using PAS2019 and PAS2035 on an archetypal basis and appointed a consultant to design around 3500 ‘blocks’ to a high quality retrofit standard. The designs will have high thermal efficiency, airtight with cold bridging minimised and designed using a software tool called the Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP). This approach is more accurate than using SAP or RdSAP or Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’s). As a result, the modelled energy and carbon savings from PHPP help close the performance gap between design and reality. It is expected the above approach will ensure our housing stock meets SHNZS, however once the exact requirements of SHNZS are confirmed our specification of works will be reviewed. Analyse costs from early projects, to determine impact on cost projections for stock to meet SHNZS Housing Investment Team to follow policy announcements on net-zero and energy efficiency to adapt designs and plan progress to 2045 We are adopting a fabric first approach to net-zero. The main reasons for this approach are: 1. Although heat pumps are very efficient, if the houses are not insulated to a high standard, there is a danger of increasing heating costs for tenants and increasing fuel poverty, due to the cost differential between electricity and gas. 2. Heat pumps have a high capital cost compared to renewing a gas boiler however costs may reduce in the future as the market matures and there is an increase in the number of competent installers. 3. Renfrewshire’s housing stock being 78% communal block, makes it more difficult to install air source heat pumps, due to lack of outdoor space and complexities around ownership. 4. Communal air source heat pumps are an alternative option, but they would still require communal garden space, and the council may then need to bill each flat in a block for the energy used. The regulatory implications for being a major heat provider with billing responsibilities need to be considered. 5. Heat pumps perform better as a low water temperature system, rather than ‘flash’ heating a property like gas systems, they work to maintain an even temperature throughout the day. Tenants who are in fuel poverty often opt not to heat or they are on pre-payment meters and may often go through periods of no credit. Page 216 of 450
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17 | P a g e PUBLIC This results in a heat pump not being used, the temperature dropping inside the home and when the heat pump is eventually turned on, it is at its least efficient trying to heat a home from cold and end up costing tenants more to run. 6. Over 90% of Renfrewshire’s housing stock is on the mains gas grid and as a result many have gas cooking facilities. One of the benefits of removing gas is the saving of a standard charge on a gas meter but if a gas cooker is present, then it may need to remain, or the tenant may be required to purchase an electric cooker. 7. A mass switching to electric heating would require the Distribution Network Operator (DNO), SP Energy Networks, to upgrade the electric network to meet that demand. Currently the Council would need to pay for that to be done. Currently there is no obligation on the DNO to upgrade an area to meet our proposed projects and there is no plan available from the DNO to show their intentions. Heat pump types can be air, ground, or water sourced. They all use electricity but exchange heat via those three different elements. Ground and water heat pumps are considered more efficient than air source but have a higher capital cost. As Renfrewshire’s housing stock is mainly urban, concentrated in three main towns and there are two large rivers nearby, there is potential for consideration of large district wide communal water heat pumps. The Council’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) was approved in early 2024 and has identified possible Heat Network Zones. The Housing Investment team contributed to the development of LHEES and ensured the council housing stock was considered as part of the initial plan. Although electrification is considered the most likely strategy to replace fossil fuels, there are potential options to use other sources, utilising the current mains gas network with other gases, such as hydrogen. The UK and Scottish Governments are currently funding trials and the blending of some hydrogen into the mains gas may start relatively soon. The UK government is set to decide on the viability of using hydrogen within the main gas network in 2026, but its own Climate Change Committee is clear they don’t see widespread use of hydrogen for domestic heating and the Scottish Government’s draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan of 2023, indicated a similar position. This is an emerging area with many decisions yet to be made by governments, local authorities and the DNO’s. Changes to legislation, regulation, taxation policies and external events may all converge to change the current thinking and result in changes to any initial strategies. Page 217 of 450
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18 | P a g e PUBLIC Create a strategy for energy efficiency and ‘clean’ heating & hot water Liaise with the LHEES team to provide input from a council housing perspective, to help shape their LHEES action plan 4.6 Economies of Scale and Financing of net-zero The cost of achieving net-zero for our housing stock cannot be fully determined until the requirements of SHNZS are confirmed and a clearer plan emerges from the LHEES strategy, but early indications are that costs will be substantially higher than current investment levels. The extra investment will be due to the higher standard of building components, greater complexity levels of workmanship and the higher capital cost of renewable clean heating alternatives, compared to existing fossil fuel heating. It is also evident that the costs to maintain the standard over a normal 30- year life cycle, will be greater than previous business assumptions. Those predicted extra costs could be reduced by economies of scale and tackling whole streets or even estates at the one time. Net-zero is a requirement for all homes, irrespective of tenure and it would be cost effective to include all homes in a project. The map below shows a typical council estate within Renfrewshire and the mix of council stock shown as cyan squares, in amongst private owners shown as blue points. © Crown Copyright and database Rights 2024. Licence number AC0000815792 For this model to operate, owners would have to fund their own costs, which could be substantial. The Scottish Government has set up the Green Heat Finance Taskforce, which is looking at options for private finance to provide capital to owners. Page 218 of 450
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19 | P a g e PUBLIC The Scottish Government has also setup a national energy agency, Heat & Energy Efficiency Scotland (HEES), where one of its main roles is to co-ordinate the delivery of clean heat and energy efficiency across Scotland. Renfrewshire Council are part of the Glasgow City Region Housing Retrofit Delivery Group, which is investigating the possibility of an area-based scheme throughout the region. The Council’s LHEES remit includes improving the energy efficiency of housing of all tenures throughout the local authority area. To follow and report on the Green Heat Finance Taskforce findings to help determine future investment policy within mixed tenure estates Make applications to the Social Housing Net Zero fund for retrofit projects and EES:Abs for owners, aiming for at least £10m over the life of the asset management strategy Investigate the support available from the Heat & Energy Efficiency Scotland agency to help determine future investment strategies Where the Council still retains an interest in a common block, we will look to invest in the block to meet net-zero and owners within the block will be asked to contribute their share of costs. All funding opportunities will be explored to support and encourage owner participation; however, it is expected owners will need to pay a contribution. The Tenements (Scotland) Act does not have the powers to force owners to pay for all net-zero works. The Scottish Government would need to provide a framework which assists the Council to proceed with net-zero investment to mixed tenure blocks. Most of the income generated for the HRA is via rental charges, so any increased investment will put pressure on the level of rent charged to tenants. Rent increases are a sensitive area of social housing policy and decisions on rent levels take in many factors. Increased capital will be required to meet net-zero, the Housing Investment Team will continue to apply for grant funding to compliment the current investment budget, but additional funds will be required. Renfrewshire Council Housing Services must determine how that will be achieved and plan to meet the net zero by the backstop date of 2045. Renfrewshire Council Housing to consider net-zero within an updated 30-year business plan 4.7 Net-zero and Fuel Poverty The Scottish Governments Fuel Poverty Act 2019 sets a statutory obligation to effectively eliminate fuel poverty from Scotland by 2040. Page 219 of 450
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20 | P a g e PUBLIC In terms of housing asset management, our fabric first approach to investment is helping to reduce energy costs for our tenants and contributing to the elimination of fuel poverty If renewable district heating is introduced in the future, this combined with the lower heat demand due to deep retrofit, will help protect tenants from high energy costs and contribute to eliminating fuel poverty. Monitor deep retrofit projects and determine actual fuel usage and costs for heating and hot water. Information provided to assist meeting the Fuel Poverty Act 4.8 Sustainability When considering net-zero as well as operational carbon, whole life carbon (WLC) has also to be taken into account. This includes elements such as- • Mining of base material such as aggregates, cement etc • Manufacturing of insulation products • Transporting materials to site • Machinery and energy used to carry out works Although WLC has not been mandated, it seems inevitable that this will come in from the UK or Scottish Government. The Council will require to ensure its processes reflect sustainability. It is likely the procurement process will require contractors to demonstrate they are working towards carbon neutrality. As a result, it is anticipated that natural products will be increasingly used for insulation, and this may increase the costs of retrofit further. Consider WLC in HRA projects and operations, developing an initial plan to achieve full sustainability 5. ASSET CONDITION Regulatory standard of asset condition is measured through the Scottish Government’s Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS). The SHQS has five main criteria that social rented properties must satisfy, plus sub-criteria within each. It states our properties must- • Meet the tolerable standard • Be free from serious disrepair • Be energy efficient • Have modern facilities and services • Be healthy, safe, and secure Page 220 of 450
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21 | P a g e PUBLIC Until recently the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH), was another Scottish Government standard which social housing had to meet but it has now been incorporated into the SHQS, element 35 within the energy efficient criteria. EESSH was enhanced beyond initial 2020 targets, with a 2032 target of social housing needing to meet an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of Band B for energy efficiency (or as high as practically possible within the limits of cost, technology, and necessary consent). The EESSH 2032 target however is currently suspended pending review to ensure it aligns with net-zero carbon. 5.1 Meeting the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) Having achieved compliance with the SHQS in 2015, compliance rates declined in 2020/21 across the social housing sector due to the inclusion of EESSH into the standard. Compliance also fell dramatically in 2021/22 with the introduction of new standards for smoke and heat detectors and electrical testing being included within the assessment of SHQS compliance. Those changes adversely affected the majority of social landlords and whilst works to comply with the new standards were introduced, the pandemic was a factor which affected landlords’ ability to access properties at volume. In Renfrewshire, a remedial plan was put in place during 2023/24 for both smoke/heat detector upgrades and electrical testing and significant progress has made in this area. The EESSH figure included within the SHQS is the original standard which was to be achieved by 2020. The Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS) is expected to be announced during 2025 and may replace EESSH within the SHQS, which would lead to an initial increase in fails. Most other cases of non-compliances are covered by abeyance or exemption in line with published guidance. The majority of them are due to no access or refusal to allow works to be carried out. Due to the council having a high proportion of common blocks with mixed tenure, many of those SHQS failures are due to owners refusing to engage or participate in common works. Over the life of this strategy, aim for SHQS compliance to be a minimum of 90% (excluding the possible inclusion of the SHNZS into the SHQS) SHQS Compliance over previous 5 years 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 80.10% 57.10% 67.90% 68.55% 80.02% Page 221 of 450
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22 | P a g e PUBLIC 5.2 Condition - Mixed Tenure Blocks For component condition and state of dis-repair, the SHQS is not an exacting standard and although a property is compliant, it may not meet tenant expectations. In mixed tenure blocks where the council is a minority owner, the council cannot enforce works to common areas unless the building is considered a health and safety risk. Even then, the council can only carry out remedial works to make it safe. Over time, this is leading to common blocks not having major component parts like roof or wall finishes replaced and it has a detrimental effect on the look and performance of the building. More reactive repairs need carried out over time as a result of these blocks being missed from planned programmes due to lack of owner participation. This goes against the principle of good asset management practice, as planned preventative maintenance is not possible in these situations, which can be to the detriment of council tenants within these blocks. When Right to Buy legislation was enacted, the division of owner responsibilities was not always detailed in the titles and as a result, the Council must try and force common works, via the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004. The council does offer some financial support to private owners through the provision of Private Sector Housing Grant (PSHG) and can provide credit facilities to owners in order to encourage works, however the grant levels do not meet the full cost of works, and many owners refuse to commit to contributing to the balance. The Scottish Government’s Energy Efficiency Area Based Scheme (EES:Abs) funding provides grants to owners in connection with energy works, but this funding stream is limited to certain archetypes and there is a disconnect between need for major investment and a block being eligible for area based grant. Within the Council’s approved eight regeneration areas, an enhanced percentage of PSHG is being offered to owners, with additional options to help owners pay their share of investment works as well as the option of transferring ownership of their property to the Council in some limited circumstances. Whilst the regeneration areas account for less than 10% of Council stock, any increased success of owner uptake within these areas could be a model for expanding into non regeneration areas, should funding become available to support this. The Scottish Government is aware of the difficulties all local authority landlords are facing in maintaining mixed tenure blocks and has previously indicated their intention to bring forward legislation to support landlords, however to date this has not been delivered. With net-zero being a statutory requirement, it could mean that net-zero will be the vehicle to provide a legal framework that forces owners to agree to investment works. The Communities and Housing Policy Board approved a ‘last in block’ policy where council stock that is alone amongst owners in a block is considered for sale when void, and the receipts from any such sales are then used to purchase a privately owned property in blocks where the purchase leads to the council gaining a majority or outright ownership of the block. Page 222 of 450
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23 | P a g e PUBLIC This policy does assist the council to maintain stock levels and address the balance of ownership in some mixed tenure blocks, the policy will be considered within the lifetime of this strategy, with consideration of whether it should be extended to increase the rate of sales and purchases to help the council maintain more of its stock or amended to consider net-zero and the needs of the council’s LHEES strategy. Last in block policy to be reviewed for possible extension, must consider net-zero and the council’s LHEES plan The Scottish Government has published some proposed policies around mixed tenure and has recognised the issue of fabric condition. A tenement working group looking at maintenance and energy efficiency has made recommendations, and the government has announced proposals about compulsory owners’ associations being formed for each common block. The potential for legislation to impact this area is noted and the Council will continue to monitor developments. Housing Services to keep abreast of Scottish Government policy announcements in relation to mixed tenure 5.3 Condition – Multi Storey Blocks Renfrewshire Council has fourteen multi storey blocks, constructed between 1959 and 1976. All have had external cladding added, with the majority of them installed within the last fifteen years. In 2020/21 detailed condition surveys were completed on all the blocks, and these identified a range of short-, medium- and long-term works required to maintain the blocks and update them to meet current fire safety and energy efficiency requirements. As a result, £27m has been allocated within the capital investment programme over the life of this strategy. Deliver investment of at least £27m on the multi storeys over the life of this strategy After the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, there has been increased scrutiny and legislation in relation to fire safety within multi storey blocks. The detailed surveys in 2020/21 of Renfrewshire Councils multi’s only commented on certain elements of fire safety related to condition, they were not fire safety surveys completed by a fire safety engineer. The Scottish Government has accepted all the recommendations from the public enquiry into the Grenfell Tower and this signals significant changes ahead for building and fire safety regulations. As part of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024, the Scottish Government established a Cladding Safe Building Register, this will be populated with information gathered through Single Building Assessments (SBAs). The SBAs are fire safety surveys carried out by specialist fire engineers that will also appraise the external walls to PAS 9980. The Scottish Government has offered funding to carry out SBAs and Renfrewshire Council has been awarded funding in principle for all fourteen multi storey blocks and two further blocks between 11m-18m in height that have external cladding. Page 223 of 450
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24 | P a g e PUBLIC Complete SBA’s and assess any resulting recommendations as part of the multi storey investment programme As a result of the projected investment levels and the increasing fire safety requirements, the council has created a thematic working group for the multi storeys. Bringing together representatives from various departments, the Multi Storey Thematic Group serves as a collaborative forum designed to facilitate and promote discussion surrounding the refurbishment of multi storey housing across the asset estate. Its primary role is to ensure that all relevant perspectives, expertise, and resources are considered in the planning and implementation of improvements. Five of the multi’s are currently heated by mains gas and Scottish Gas have recently made the council aware for the need to replace the gas supply pipes to all five. Net- zero will require the eventual replacement of mains gas with a renewable form of heating. Two of the multi’s, Gallowhill Court and Glencairn Court, will have gas removed in 2025/26, having a ground source loop array heat pump system installed. This will be the largest such system in Scotland when it is completed in 2026. Two other multi’s, Camphill Court and Speirsfield Court, have been zoned in the first proposed district heating network from Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES). The Housing Asset & Investment team are part of the LHEES Officer Working Group and will monitor progress towards the proposed district heating network. Asset & Investment team to progress net-zero heating proposals for the multi storeys 5.4 Asset Condition Data Stock condition data is the basis for evidencing compliance with the SHQS, providing information to the Annual Return on the Charter (ARC) of the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) and deriving the investments plans required over a thirty-year period. The SHR expects social landlords to complete a full SHQS compliant survey of 100% of its stock, at least every five years. Renfrewshire Council carried out a full stock condition survey over a decade ago, using external surveyors, and maintained the data thereafter using their own internal surveyors. A decision was taken in 2023/24 to carry out another full stock condition survey by external consultants. In 2024 John Martin Partnership Surveyors were appointed on a five-year contract, with a third of stock to be surveyed for the first three years and the last two optional years used to try and access refusals from the first three years. Data is being interfaced into Apex at the end of each survey year. To enable costed investment projections to be produced, the stock condition data requires to be paired with an accurate cost base, known as a schedule of rates (SOR), based on typical costs to replace components. Page 224 of 450
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25 | P a g e PUBLIC The initial SOR was based on costs from the stock condition of over a decade ago and although some costs have been amended, there is a danger that future cost projections will not be sufficiently robust if costs aren’t reviewed on a more regular basis. The scope of component and attribute data currently held in the housing asset management database (Apex), will need reviewed to ensure it covers all elements of HRA assets. Complete Stock Condition Survey and interface data into Apex Review scope of components in APEX, ensure its SOR is updated 5.5 Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) RAAC is a lightweight form of concrete which may have been used in buildings between the 1950’s to the1980’s. The concrete has limited durability, especially when exposed to water and is now of an age where failure of the product is possible. A desktop survey of our housing construction and archetype data was undertook in 2023, to identify stock where RAAC may be more likely to be present. From the results, intrusive site surveys were undertaken and no RAAC was identified. The desktop survey method and site surveys were validated by an external structural engineer. We continue to be vigilant to identify any possible RAAC in our housing stock during surveys and whilst carrying out repairs or investment works. 6. Digital Asset Management Digital asset management in social housing is crucial for storing, organising, and processing stock condition data to prove compliance with regulations or standards. It also helps to make effective decisions on investment. Renfrewshire Council’s Housing Systems- • Open Housing Management System (OHMS) – Used for lettings, tenant information, rental charges, historic repairs, some cyclical maintenance regimes, void management, and holds component information. Accessed by all of Housing Services. • Apex housing asset management – Used for detailed component storage, costs, investment projections, SHQS compliance, document storage and energy information for EPC’s. Accessed by the asset management team within Housing Services. Page 225 of 450
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26 | P a g e PUBLIC • Enterprise document management System (NECDM) – Used to store and manage documents. Accessed by all of Housing Services. • ArcGIS – Geographic Information System used to display housing assets and associated information spatially. Other council departments data can also be displayed at the same time as Housing Services and the GIS can be interrogated to provide new data. Accessed by a small number in Housing. • AutoCAD – Computer aided drawing tool mainly used in Housing for creating basic house floor plans. Accessed by a small number in Housing. • Workhub – Used for repairs. Accessed by housing staff involved in repairs. • CAMIS – A corporate asset management system for non-domestic properties but some housing information is contained within CAMIS that traditionally Property Services maintained on behalf of Housing Services An integrated single housing and asset management system has been procured, and implementation is scheduled on a phased basis from 2026 to replace OHMS, Apex and Workhub. The new system will have the ability to directly access the document management system and play a role in project management of investment delivery. Asset & Energy team to take responsibility for accuracy of property data within Apex and associated data in OHMS ArcGIS provides enhanced ways to interrogate property data and display information to others. It can also be used remotely for survey work, such as estate management and there will be opportunities to expand the use of this with the introduction of the new housing and asset management IT system. Asset & Energy team to explore increasing the use of GIS and expand the users accessing it for information Digital asset management is an evolving area. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is becoming increasingly popular with asset management. BIM merges CAD and GIS capabilities to provide a 3D model of a building with a database of attributes, enabling users to track changes to a building and its services easily, ensuring data is maintained very accurately. New build housing could see BIM becoming standard use within the lifetime of this strategy; however, it is larger residential buildings that could see the most benefit. Building such as high rises and sheltered housing complexes have many communal areas, complicated and varied mechanical & electrical components and often greater health and safety requirements, that can be better asset managed in BIM systems. Page 226 of 450
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27 | P a g e PUBLIC The Internet of Things (IoT) is another emerging area of digital asset management. IoT for housing asset management can currently be used for monitoring component failures before they fail, such as lifts and boilers, and for environmental condition monitoring within homes. It will be increasingly used for monitoring the performance of energy efficiency, net-zero products and identifying fuel poverty. As of 2025, the Housing Investment team currently have around 8% of stock with environmental sensors. The sensors collect data on temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels within a home. The data is used to monitor the success of energy projects, and an Energy Advocate is directed by the data to try and intervene where fuel poverty is suggested or high levels of condensation are present, that may indicate a damp and mould risk. Our reactive repairs service can also request the installation of sensors where a tenant has raised concerns over damp or mould in a property without existing sensors. The sensors will provide additional data for possible reasons leading to damp conditions and provide evidence of the efficacy of any subsequent intervention. The Council is investigating opportunities for funding towards ‘Smart Social Housing’, where a mass install of sensors using fibre broadband in their housing stock is proposed. This could be in partnership with Health and Social Care. Asset & Energy team to explore increasing the use of environmental sensors across the stock Asset & Energy team to explore developments of BIM and IoT within housing asset management and make recommendations 7. Asset Performance Asset performance for social housing is normally based on two metrics, financial value expressed as a net present value (NPV) and non-financial social value. NPV is determined by taking 30 years of rental income, less 30 years of projected costs in the form of planned, cyclical, servicing, reactive repairs, an allowance for void periods, and a housing management cost. Social value elements can vary but normally revolve around tenant perception of house quality, estate quality and type of housing provision on offer in an area. Renfrewshire council carried out an asset performance review (APR) in 2018, using the findings to identify stock with concerns. Regeneration areas were created to deal with underperforming stock and those areas make up the majority of the current demolition and new build programme. The asset management guidance of 2023 issued by the Scottish Housing Regulator, placed a high importance on carrying out an APR to inform asset management decisions. Page 227 of 450
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28 | P a g e PUBLIC Construction costs have greatly increased since the last APR exercise and combined with the new stock condition survey, which is underway, another APR will be carried out. The impact of net-zero and whole life carbon will also need to be considered within the APR and any option appraisal process thereafter. Asset Performance Review to be undertaken 8. Property Investment This strategy is primarily focussed on managing and maintaining our social rented housing stock. To meet standards and regulations, other areas in addition to planned investment are required. The following section outlines all those areas, and the projected capital spend estimated over the life of this strategy. 8.1 Investment Total capital investment in the housing stock over the life of this strategy is projected to be over £290m. A breakdown of the of the investment is shown in the following table – Please refer to section10 of this document for governance arrangements of the HRA capital investment plan. Deliver at least £292m of HRA capital investment, over the life of this strategy Regeneration and Renewal Investment Programme As previously outlined, special regeneration areas were created as a result of the last asset performance review. HOUSING INVESTMENT 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 2029-30 5 Year Totals £m £m £m £m £m £m Total Existing Housing Stock 34.431 31.375 33.225 21.522 26.481 147.034 Regeneration and Renewal Investment Programme 19.147 24.682 31.999 16.976 20.773 113.577 New Supply Programme Excluding Regeneration Projects 7.758 11.563 2.500 4.000 6.000 31.821 Capital Expenditure Total 61.336 67.620 67.724 42.498 53.254 292.432 Page 228 of 450
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29 | P a g e PUBLIC These areas are Housing Services led but do involve other departments within the Council and liaison with the Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership. The Housing stock in these areas will be offered retrofit investment of a high standard to help eradicate fuel poverty for the residents and increase the desirability of the area, with increased incentives for owners to participate. Demolition and new build housing are also part of the regeneration project. As well as investing in the housing stock, improvements to the surrounding environment are being made with landscaping works, new ideas around communal refuse storage and visual improvements to communal areas such as stairwells. New Supply Programme Our new builds will be designed to meet future net zero requirements, with very high energy efficiency, high levels of air tightness, MVHR and clean heating. Over the life of this strategy, circa 340 new homes are projected to be built. Existing Housing Stock There are currently three key housing investment programme workstreams • External Housing Investment • Internal Housing Investment • Investment in High-Rise Blocks External Housing Investment The external housing investment programme continues to focus on improving energy efficiency across Renfrewshire homes with the installation of External Wall Insulation (EWI) that reduces heat loss and lower carbon emissions, contributing to the national Net-Zero ambitions set out by the Scottish Government. This programme also involves essential works that may include all or some of the following: roof and gutter replacement, replacement rendering, solar PV, loft insulation and common windows and doors. Over the life of this strategy, over 2000 homes are projected to receive external investment. The current contract with our external contractor ends in 2026 and a new contractor will be procured covering the remaining life of this strategy. Internal Housing Investment Internal investment in Renfrewshire’s housing stock includes the replacement of kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems and electrical rewiring where required. Kitchen, bathroom, heating replacements and rewires may also be carried out by Building Services and external appointed contractors on a reactive basis through the void works programme and other ad hoc reactive works including because of fire damage, rot works or heating failures. Page 229 of 450
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30 | P a g e PUBLIC Over the life of this strategy, over 5000 homes are projected to receive some form of internal investment. Investment in High Rise Blocks Refer to section 5.3 for details of the investment requirements to the multi storey blocks. 8.2 Responsive Repairs Repairs are a crucial part of asset management, ensuring we maintain standards and helping to retain or extend the expected life span of components. The majority of responsive repairs are undertaken by Renfrewshire Council’s own internal service provider, Building Services, supplemented by external contractors where required or for works of a specialist nature. Where repairs are no longer viable and a major component needs replaced urgently, such as a failing roof finish, it is not always possible to have that roof added to an existing planned contract. As a result, there can be delays in progressing with these major repairs, leading to more decants and increased void loss. A review of alternative options for progressing such works should be undertaken. Agree a process in the Housing Investment Team where urgent major repairs are dealt with effectively Performance, satisfaction and best value with our reactive repairs service, can be shown by some key performance indicators and benchmarking performance against other Local Authorities. (source: Scottish Housing Network – benchmarking data) Repairs Right First Time Page 230 of 450
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31 | P a g e PUBLIC Average Days to Complete Non-Emergency Repairs Although these two important KPI’s shows an improving reactive repairs service, with KPI’s better than our peer group, tenant satisfaction levels with the service have been falling. Over the life of this strategy improve tenant satisfaction with the repairs service 8.3 Dampness & Mould Dealing with dampness and mould is a key priority for all social housing landlords and monitoring performance in this area will be a requirement for the annual return to the Scottish Housing Regulator from 2025/26. In line with other landlords, Renfrewshire has experienced an increase in the volume of reports for dampness and mould from tenants, and our procedures have been updated to reflect this. The Housing (Scotland) Bill introduces Awaab’s Law which mandates social landlords to address damp and mould within a set timeframe to ensure tenants’ health and safety. It is expected to be implemented from March 2026 subject to Parliament’s agreement. As deep retrofit progresses with suitable ventilation measures, and with the increasing use of environmental sensors (please refer to section 6 on Digital Asset Management), the likelihood of dampness and mould occurring is expected to decrease. However, a review of the ventilation in the housing stock, across all the main archetypes prior to a retrofit, is recommended. Monitor mould and damp frequency and the use of environmental sensor data Page 231 of 450
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32 | P a g e PUBLIC Review ventilation currently used and develop a ventilation strategy that is integrated with retrofit and SHQS requirements 8.4 Void works General void works are carried out by Building Services, supplemented by external contractors for SHQS works. The impact of Net zero requirements needs to be considered in reviewing the Void Property Standard with additional works such as underfloor insulation or changing heat/hot water provision, likely to be required. Review void letting standard to include requirements to meet the SHNZS Improving the void process and reducing the void turnaround timescales has been a key priority for Housing Services and a pilot of a new ‘Single Voids Team’ has been underway since March 2024. Review impact of single voids team pilot Performance, satisfaction and best value with our voids service, can be shown by key performance indicators and benchmarking performance against other Local Authorities. (source: Scottish Housing Network – benchmarking data) Void Re-Let Days 8.5 Cyclical Planned Maintenance Cyclical maintenance is required to help ensure asset components attain or exceed their expected life span. This should lead to improved business planning and enable efficient use of resources. Page 232 of 450
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33 | P a g e PUBLIC Current cyclical regimes include – • Gutter Cleaning • Door and Window Servicing • Lift Servicing • Boiler Servicing • Communal Boilers and Controls • Fire Alarm Panel Servicing • Fire Detection and Suppression systems • Roof Anchor Checks • Emergency Lighting Servicing • Decoration within Sheltered Complexes • CCTV Servicing • Timber Painting • Cleaning • Smoke Vent Servicing • Laundry Servicing The introduction of new technologies to support meeting net zero requirements mean there are a range of planned programmes to be developed to service these new components, these include- • Heat Pump Servicing • Mechanical Ventilation & Heat Recovery Servicing • Solar Panel Array Inspections • Battery Storage Inspections • Ventilation Filter Replacements Consideration should also be given to extending planned maintenance regimes to include the following, subject to analysis of cost / benefits. • Decoration of Common Areas • Door Entry System Servicing • Hot Water Cylinder Inspections • External Wall Insulation Inspections • Multi Storey Inspections • Defect Period Inspections • Estate Inspections Add new cyclical maintenance regimes within the lifetime of this strategy for new technologies Conduct cost/benefit analysis of extending planned maintenance regimes Page 233 of 450
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34 | P a g e PUBLIC 8.6 Compliance Housing asset management compliance is the process of following laws, rules, regulations, and industry standards to manage assets. The main areas of compliance for social housing are: • Asbestos Management • Gas Safety • Legionella and Water Hygiene • Electrical Safety • Fire Safety • Mechanical and Lifting Equipment Safety Compliance is a key social landlord responsibility, with a risk to the organisation of reputational damage. Following a review of housing compliance which was undertaken by Savills consultancy in 2020/21, it was recommended that a dedicated compliance team be established within Housing Services. Prior to this team being created, responsibility for housing compliance was complex, with various services across the Council having different elements of responsibility. The housing compliance team structure was developed and the majority of posts filled during 2023/24. Renfrewshire Council joined the Social Housing Safety Network (Scotland) in November 2023 which, as an organisation dedicated to tenant and resident safety in Scotland, provides a forum for keeping members updated and aware of changes to legislation, regulations or regulatory requirements, with the opportunity to share resources and knowledge. The housing compliance team also actively engage with the Council’s Health and Safety Team and participate in corporate compliance related working groups. The introduction of a new housing management system within the life of this strategy is expected to significantly enhance and assist the data management for compliance with this phase of the system anticipated to go live in mid-2027. The compliance team carry out their own audits on data and are seeking to engage external agencies to carry out further audit checks. The Housing Landlord Compliance Strategy 2025-2028 was approved by the Policy Board in March 2025, which contains a commitment to provide a compliance performance report bi-annually. Compliance team to ensure all Policies, Procedures and Guidance is in place for each compliance regime Compliance team to ensure effective monitoring and reporting is in place Page 234 of 450
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35 | P a g e PUBLIC 8.7 Medical Adaptations Housing Investment carry out disabled adaptations to Council homes, enabling tenants to stay in their homes longer. Total spend in 2024/25 was around £750k. Performance, satisfaction and best value with our adaptations service, can be shown by key performance indicators and benchmarking performance against other Local Authorities. (source: Scottish Housing Network – benchmarking data). Medical Adaptations – Average days to complete Average days to complete approved adaptations to be under 30 days within the lifetime of this strategy 9. Tenant Consultation & Participation Our current Tenant Participation Strategy was adopted in 2022. In that we acknowledge that when consulting with tenants, we will listen to tenants and make sure their views and priorities are considered before decisions are reached. To accommodate this, we have a wide range of consultative methods that makes it easy for tenants and residents to give their views, these are: • Tenants and Residents Associations • The Tenants Scrutiny Panel • Tenant Quality Circles • The Council Wide Form The Service carries out surveys to ascertain tenants’ views on service delivery and general satisfaction. In addition to this a Service Development Officer specialises in tenant participation and supports and encourages tenants to be involved in service delivery decisions. Page 235 of 450
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36 | P a g e PUBLIC Our Regeneration Team also provide a wide range of consultation events for residents within the regeneration areas. To help deliver the new Investment programme, the Housing Investment Team will work with colleagues and tenants in line with the principles of our Tenant Participation Strategy to shape investment priorities and the delivery of these priorities over the next five years. Working with the Development Officers and tenant groups we will establish a monitoring system whereby tenants can review the progress of the Investment programme Establish a process where tenants can review proposed investment programmes 10. Governance & Risk 10.1 Governance Arrangements Renfrewshire Council Communities and Housing Policy Board is where housing strategy and performance is reported to the council’s elected members. Decisions on policy and scrutiny of performance are presented to the policy board, with senior officers available to answer questions from elected members. Contract awards for housing investment related works are presented for approval by procurement to the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board. In addition to the Policy Boards, two programme boards chaired by the Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure meet regularly to oversee the delivery of investment in the housing stock and the regeneration areas. A structured framework has been established that defines decision making authority, accountability and oversight of the Housing Asset and Investment Programme chaired by the Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure and comprising of Chief Officers and Senior Officers. Clear roles and responsibilities are assigned across the project team and regular governance reviews, risk management and performance monitoring are embedded within each project. It should be recognised that the Housing Asset and Investment Team are also responsible for the delivery of regeneration projects in existing housing stock within the designated regeneration areas, and these are governed by the Regeneration and Renewal Programme Board. The governance structure incorporates thematic groups, bringing together representatives from various council departments, serving as a collaborative forum designed to facilitate and promote discussion. The housing asset management thematic group’s primary role is to ensure that all relevant perspectives, expertise, and resources are considered in the planning and implementation of improvements Page 236 of 450
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37 | P a g e PUBLIC A mixed tenure block thematic group was established by the Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme Board and due to the shared interest in this area, it is now a joint thematic group. 10.2 Risk Management The large levels of investment involved in the housing investment programme and the regeneration area programme, led to a risk register being created for both work streams. The risk registers highlight risk areas that could affect the programmes, with each risk scored according to impact and likelihood. Any mitigations to lower or eliminate risk are also outlined. At each Programme Board, the risk registers are updated and scrutinised. 11. Strategy Implementation & Monitoring Each action created within the strategy document has been added to an Action Plan, with target dates, leads identified and expected outcomes. Action plan progress will be reported annually to the Housing Investment Programme Board and to the Communities and Housing Policy Board. Page 237 of 450
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38 | P a g e PUBLIC Overall progress with the action plan will be commented upon in the next asset management strategy of 2030-2035, and its effectiveness in achieving the core asset management objectives. Action plan progress to be reported annually to the Housing Investment Programme Board Page 238 of 450
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PUBLIC CORE ASSET OBJECTIVE 1 - Ensure our housing stock and estates are suitable for current use and supports efficient and effective service delivery both now and in the future: ACTION LHS PRIORITIES SHR GUIDANCE PRIORITIES TARGET DATE OUTPUTS Determine HRA tree information held by Neighbourhood Services, consider carrying out a tree survey to create a tree management plan SP2 P2 2026 -2027 Recommendation if HRA tree survey is required Tree asset and condition on GIS Tree management plan Capture extent of unadopted HRA assets on GIS and carry out a condition survey to provide a baseline for adding to APEX SP2 P2 2025-2026 Dataset on GIS Information provided to the Roads Section on roads and paths Create a strategy to manage non-housing estate assets effectively SP2 P3 2026-2027 Plan for maintaining and developing to meet resident needs Act on outcomes from the lockup & ground sites review SP2 P2 2026 Data amended in Apex Planned maintenance regime in place Increased demand for lockups Housing Investment team to follow policy announcements on ‘Scottish Passivhaus’ and determine impact on Repairs (main contractor training), components in Apex and 30yr cost profile SP2 P2 2025-2030 Report on Policy announcements Determine impacts Last in block policy to be reviewed for possible expansion, must consider net- zero and the Councils LHEES plan SP2 P4 2026-2027 Review and report with recommendations made Asset & Investment team to progress net- zero heating proposals for the multi storeys SP2 2026-2028 Report provided recommending clean heating solution for each block Page 240 of 450
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PUBLIC Review void letting standard to include requirements that help meet the SHNZS SP3 2025 New lettings standard integrated into retrofit requirements for SHNZS Average days to complete approved adaptations to be under 30 days within the lifetime of this strategy SP5 2025-2030 Top quartile of Local Authorities for days to complete adaptations. Increased tenant satisfaction with homes Action plan progress to be reported annually to the Housing Investment Programme Board P1 2025-2030 Annual report showing progress CORE ASSET OBJECTIVE 2 - Ensure homes are improved and maintained to a high standard, meet tenant aspirations and are compliant with relevant legislation: ACTION LHS PRIORITIES SHR GUIDANCE PRIORITIES TARGET DATE OUTPUTS Deliver at least £292m of HRA capital investment SP2, SP3 2025-2030 Existing standards met. Working towards new standards Legislative compliance High tenant satisfaction of quality of home Deliver investment of £27m to the multi storey flats SP2, SP3 2025-2030 High tenant satisfaction of quality of home Legislative compliance Re-evaluate non-trad stock for structural condition and investment required to meet net-zero, considering mixed tenure or adjoining owners SP2 P2 2027-2028 Condition Report and evaluation Net-zero design cost and evaluation Over the life of this strategy, aim for SHQS compliance to be over 90% (excluding the possible inclusion of the SHNZS into the SHQS) SP2 2025-2030 Existing standards met High satisfaction from tenants Housing Services to keep abreast of Scottish Government policy announcements in relation to mixed tenure SP2 P4 2025-2030 Report on any changes of ability to maintain mixed tenure blocks Page 241 of 450
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PUBLIC Agree a process in the Housing Investment Team where urgent major repairs are dealt with effectively SP2 2025-2026 Process created for Delivery team to follow Monitor mould and damp frequency and the use of environmental sensor data. SP2 2025-2030 Mould and damp cases falling. Less severe instances of mould and damp Service Standards met Review ventilation currently used and develop a ventilation strategy that is integrated with retrofit and SHQS requirements SP2 2025-2026 Strategic ventilation plan covering all archetypes for repairs, void, retrofit and new build Compliance team to ensure all policies, procedures and guidance is in place for each compliance regime SP2 P1 2025-2030 Policies, Procedure and Guidance in place for review CORE ASSET OBJECTIVE 3 - Ensure future decisions are based on upon robust data with reviews or option appraisals of cause for concern stock: ACTION LHS PRIORTIES SHR GUIDANCE PRIORITIES TARGET DATE OUTPUTS Incorporate shops into cost base within Apex. Asset performance review of these assets considering wider issues than net present value alone SP2, SP3 P2 2025-2027 Shops integrated into APEX. Cost base added to APEX SOR. Net-zero design/cost of blocks with shops Evaluate costs with income and plan Analyse costs from early projects, to determine impact on cost projections for stock to meet SHNZS SP3 P3 2026-2027 Report provided on ramifications of costs for future years Housing Investment Team to follow policy announcements on net-zero and energy efficiency to adapt designs and plan progress to 2045 SP3 P2 2025-2030 Updates provided yearly on any changes and horizon scan for future Page 242 of 450
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PUBLIC Regeneration Team to follow policy announcements on ‘Scottish Passivhaus’ and determine impact on the council’s new build programme SP1, SP3 P2 2025-2030 Evaluation provided of impact on new build programme Create a strategy for energy efficiency and ‘clean’ heating & hot water SP3 2026-2027 Plan produced for stock that meets SHNZS requirements Liaise with the LHEES team to provide input from a council housing perspective, to help shape their LHEES action plan SP3 2025-2030 Attend LHEES meetings and provide Social Housing Perspective to LHEES delivery Report on progress and any changes required to investment plan. To follow and report on the Green Heat Finance Taskforce findings to help determine future investment policy within mixed tenure estates SP3 2025-2030 Report on findings and any changes required to investment plan. Renfrewshire Council Housing to consider net-zero within an updated 30-year business plan SP3 2025-2030 Updated Business Plan. Monitor deep retrofit projects and determine actual fuel usage and costs for heating and hot water. Information provided to assist meeting the Fuel Poverty Act SP3 2025-2030 Produce report to evidence findings Assist Council to meet Fuel Poverty Act Consider WLC in HRA projects and operations, developing an initial plan to achieve full sustainability SP3 2027-2028 Report recommending changes to operation, procurement, and specifications Complete full stock condition survey and interface data into APEX SP2 P2 2025-2029 Report on findings and any changes required to investment plan. Asset Performance Review to be undertaken P3 2026-2027 Asset Performance Review report provided. APR model should be a tool to allow yearly updates in- house Complete SBA’s and assess any resulting recommendations as part of the multi storey investment programme SP2 P2 2025-2027 SBAs completed and blocks on safe cladding register. Any actions added to the investment programme Page 243 of 450
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PUBLIC CORE ASSET OBJECTIVE 4 - Develop the digital infrastructure to provide accurate asset management and performance information: ACTION LHS PRIORTIES SHR GUIDANCE PRIORITIES TARGET DATE OUTPUTS Review scope of components in APEX, ensure SOR is updated P3 2025-2029 Apex provides all HRA property data for complete and accurate cost projections Asset & Energy team to take responsibility for accuracy of property data within Apex and associated data in OHMS P2 2025-2027 Apex and OHMS aligned and ready for replacement system Asset & Energy team to explore increasing the use of GIS and expand the users accessing it for information 2025-2030 GIS used by wider number of Housing staff GIS applications created for service improvement GIS awareness sessions Asset & Energy to explore increasing the use of environmental sensors across the stock SP3 2025-2027 Report on current usage and advise on improvements Asset & Energy team to explore developments of BIM and IoT within housing asset management and make recommendations P2 2026-2030 Yearly update and horizon scan report CORE ASSET OBJECTIVE 5 - Demonstrate value for money in the delivery of our reactive repair service, cyclical maintenance services and capital improvement programmes: ACTION LHS PRIORITIES SHR GUIDANCE PRIORITIES TARGET DATE OUTPUTS Make applications to Social Housing Net Zero funds for retrofit projects and EES:Abs for owners, aiming for at least £10m over the life of this strategy SP5 SP3 2025-2030 Report on successful funding bids Over the life of this strategy improve tenant satisfaction with the repairs service. SP2 2025-2030 Renfrewshire to be in top quartile for this KPI amongst other authorities Page 244 of 450
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PUBLIC Review impact of the single voids team pilot SP2 2025-2026 Void targets achieved with cost savings Increased satisfaction in home quality for new tenancies Add new cyclical maintenance regimes within the lifetime of this strategy for new technologies SP2 2025-2030 New cyclical programmes created Conduct cost/benefit analysis of extending planned maintenance regimes SP2 2026-2027 Report produced with recommendations Compliance team to ensure effective monitoring and reporting is in place SP2 2026 Reports to SMT provided on overall compliance OHMS replacement system utilised CORE ASSET OBJECTIVE 6 - Ensure tenant involvement in the development and monitoring of our services and improvement programmes: ACTION LHS PRIORITIES SHR GUIDANCE PRIORITIES TARGET DATE OUTPUTS Investigate the support available from the Heat & Energy Efficiency Scotland agency to help determine future investment strategies SP3 2025-2026 Report on contact with agency Establish a process where tenants can review proposed investment programmes 2025-2026 Output from tenants involvement shown to impact investment decisions Page 245 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Housing Landlord Compliance – Asbestos Management 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. The Water policy was approved on the 19th of August 2025. 1.3 This report presents the sixth policies associated with the Strategy; the Asbestos Management Policy, which describe how Renfrewshire Council will meet the statutory, contractual, and regulatory requirements in relation to asbestos management relating to our housing assets. 1.4 Details of an independent external review of the policies by a specialist consultant are included within the report. ___________________________________________________________________ Item 12 CHPB281025 Page 247 of 450
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PUBLIC 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Approves the Asbestos Management Policy, set out at Appendix A of this report. (note this is Appendix 3 of the Landlord Compliance Strategy). 3. 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 Asbestos Management Policy was completed which has been followed up with an independent external review. 3.2 The independent external review of the Asbestos Management Policy has been undertaken by ACS Learning and Consultancy led by Professor Willey who along with his team are highly qualified, knowledgeable and experienced in asbestos management in both domestic and commercial properties in Scotland. 3.3 The Scottish Housing Regulator Engagement Plan for 2025/26 states that the Regulator is “engaging with Renfrewshire to seek further information and assurance about its asbestos management processes and planned improvements.” Renfrewshire Council are required to send the Regulator an update on the actions they are taking in relation to asbestos management by 30th September 2025. 3.5 ACS Learning and Consultancy have been engaged to provide external support and expertise with, not only the review of the Asbestos Management Policy document but also with the following: • Review of the Asbestos Management Plan and Asbestos Operational Guidance • Gap Analysis • Review of Asbestos Management Working Practices • Review of Training Provision and Requirements • Review of Elected Members’ Roles and Responsibilities The Scottish Housing Regulator have been notified of these actions. 4. Housing Landlord Compliance Policies 4.1 The Asbestos Management Policy is set out in Appendix A of this report, outlining how the commitment to asbestos management 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 248 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 249 of 450
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PUBLIC List of Background Papers Appendix A – Housing Asbestos Management Policy ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Karen Sillars, Housing Asset & Investment Manager Email: karen.sillars@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 250 of 450
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1 PUBLIC Housing Landlord Compliance Strategy Appendix 3 HOUSING SERVICES ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT POLICY Page 251 of 450
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2 PUBLIC Table of Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Policy Statement 3 3. Asbestos Risk 5 4. Duty to Manage Asbestos 6 5. Roles and Responsibilities 6 6. Competence – Information, Instruction and Training 7 7. Document Control 7 8. Implementation 7 9. Consultation 7 10. Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment 8 11. Monitoring Performance 8 12. Review 8 13. Amendment Log/Version Control 9 Page 252 of 450
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3 PUBLIC 1. Introduction 1.1 This document sets out the Asbestos Management Policy for Renfrewshire Council’s Housing Services who have responsibility for the management of domestic premises owned and managed by the Council. 1.2 This Policy, along with the associated Asbestos Procedure documents and Operational Guidance documents, are intended to facilitate compliance with the asbestos related duties defined and implied in the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR12). 1.3 This Policy, along with the associated Asbestos Procedure documents form part of Renfrewshire Council’s Health and Safety Management arrangements. Therefore, this document should be read in conjunction with the organisation’s Corporate Health and Safety Policy. 1.4 This policy describes how Renfrewshire Council’s Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Services, as duty holder, will receive assurance of statutory, legislative and regulatory compliance. 1.5 At the time of policy approval, Renfrewshire Council (Renfrewshire) owns and manages 11,992 residential properties for let. There are 2783 blocks which contain domestic properties, and approximately 1900 common areas. 11,727 of these properties were built prior to the year 2000 (when all asbestos was banned in the UK) and may have been built or refurbished using asbestos containing materials (ACMs). 2. Policy Statement 2.1 It is recognised that the Council has a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, as supported by subordinate legislation, to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of its employees, service users, contractors, the general public and others who may be affected by its undertakings. 2.2 It is also recognised that the management of asbestos related risk falls within the organisation’s general responsibilities set out in point 2.1, above. 2.3 To this end, the organisation will comply with the Asbestos Management duties defined and implied in the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. It is the policy of the Council to ensure that, as far as is reasonably practicable, no persons will be exposed to risks to their health due to exposure to any asbestos containing materials that may be present in any of the properties it owns, manages or occupies. 2.4 Renfrewshire aims to: (i) ensure the prevention of exposure to risks associated with asbestos containing materials; Page 253 of 450
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4 PUBLIC (ii) ensure that any asbestos containing materials that may be present in any of its buildings are maintained in a condition so as to prevent the possibility of any harm to health occurring; (iii) promote awareness of the risks from asbestos containing materials and asbestos management procedures, through training and induction of relevant staff; (iv) provide adequate resources to ensure the provision of appropriate information, instruction and training; (v) ensure a commitment to comply with all relevant asbestos legislation, Approved Codes of Practice, Health and Safety Executive Guidance Notes and to commit to the safe disposal of any asbestos waste in accordance with relevant legislation; (vi) ensure that a representative proportion of properties built pre 2000 are subject to an Asbestos Management Survey Programme and an Asbestos Register for these buildings is prepared and maintained. This Register will undergo regular reviews and will be updated after any remediation and/or removal works have been undertaken; (vii) ensure that an appropriate system is installed, maintained and implemented for the management of all asbestos containing materials identified in the Register. Such a system is to be capable of recording the risk and also the needs and priorities for treatment and/or removal; (viii) ensure that a clear and consistent process, including front-line engagement and enforcement, is in place to obtain access to properties to conduct asbestos surveys and any subsequent remedial works, which shall include taking legal action and forcing entry when required; (ix) ensure only UKAS accredited asbestos consultancies are used for asbestos surveying works, asbestos air testing and asbestos analysis work; (x) implement an effective asbestos management strategy in order that appropriate measures for the remediation or removal of asbestos containing materials can be carried out without risk to tenants, staff or the general public; (xi) ensure that all Contractors and Sub Contractors engaged to carry out work on any Council owned buildings are provided with adequate information on asbestos which may be disturbed by their works; (xii) ensure Licensed Contractors and/or Sub Contractors carry out Asbestos Licensable Works and Competent Contractors carry out Asbestos Minor Works; (xiii) ensure all Non–Licensed Contractors carrying out Asbestos Non- Licensable Works are trained in safe working procedures and have appropriate insurance cover for the work being carried out; Page 254 of 450
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5 PUBLIC (xiv) ensure that relevant staff and local contractors are provided with appropriate training in this Policy and associated Procedures; (xv) regularly review the Asbestos Management Policy and Procedures. 3. Asbestos Risk 3.1 It is important to differentiate between the REAL risks associated with asbestos materials and the PERCEIVED risks, as incorrect perception of risk can often result in unwarranted concern over health risks. The perceived risk for asbestos is that ‘one fibre can kill’. The real risk, as shown by the work of Prof Seaton at Aberdeen and Prof Gibb at Cardiff, is that lungs from victims of mesothelioma related deaths contain in excess of 100 million asbestos fibres at the point of death. In lungs associated with lung cancer and asbestosis the loading is respectively some 10x and 100x higher. 3.2 The serious diseases associated with asbestos are all diseases of the deep lung. To contract these diseases, fairly substantial quantities of asbestos have to be inhaled .This means asbestos fibres have to be present in the air and they have to be inhaled. Modern research work has indicated that the risk of disease is related to the total number of fibres in the lung (the lung load). The important factor is, therefore, the cumulative exposure i.e. what is breathed in (f/cc) multiplied by how long it is breathed in for (yrs). The real risks associated with asbestos materials would not, therefore, simply depend upon its presence but on the airborne concentration of fibres in the atmosphere and the duration of exposure. 3.3 Clearly, the presence of an asbestos containing material in itself does not constitute a danger. However, there is a potential risk to health if such material is disturbed and/or damaged. An isolated accidental exposure to asbestos fibres for a short duration is extremely unlikely to result in the development of asbestos related diseases. However, regular exposure, even at relatively low levels, can present a risk as ‘cumulative exposure’ develops over time. As well as people employed in the building trades, inadvertent exposure of this type can occur in other groups of people e.g. installers of I.T. systems, burglar alarms, smoke detectors, etc. Risk can also occur if asbestos containing material is damaged and is not remediated or removed. 3.4 In developing this policy, cognisance was taken of the legislative requirements and good practice set out in the following documents: • Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974; • Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999; • The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992; • Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012; • Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR); • The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM); • Special Waste Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004; Page 255 of 450
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6 PUBLIC • HSE Document L143 Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. Approved Code of Practice and Guidance; • HSE Guidance HSG264 Asbestos: A survey guide; • HSE Guidance HSG227 Managing Asbestos in Premises. 4. Duty to Manage Asbestos 4.1 Renfrewshire recognises the duty imposed by Regulation 4 of CAR12 to ‘manage’ asbestos risks associated with normal occupancy in non-domestic premises and, in particular, the following duties set out in HSG264: • To take reasonable steps to determine the location of materials likely to contain asbestos; • To presume materials to contain asbestos, unless there are good reasons not to do so; • To make and maintain a written record of the location of the ACMs and presumed ACMs; • To assess and monitor the condition of ACMs and presumed ACMs; • To assess the risk of exposure from ACMs and presumed ACMs and prepare a written plan of actions and control measures; • To take steps to see that these actions are carried out. 4.2 Renfrewshire also recognises the wider duties set out in CAR12, particularly in Regulations 5 and 6, in respect of maintenance, repair, refurbishment and demolition work in premises and the need to carry out appropriate, suitable and sufficient inspection/surveys, risk assessments and planning prior to any works on the fabric of premises. 4.3 To ensure compliance with these broad duties, specific roles and responsibilities have been defined, including procedures for addressing joint duties with third parties (e.g. in ‘mixed tenure’ premises) and all relevant personnel will hold the requisite levels of competence to properly discharge their responsibilities. 4.4 This Document, together with the Asbestos Procedures Document defines the Renfrewshire’s policies and procedures to ensure the risks associated with asbestos containing materials are properly addressed, assessed and managed and, in so doing, ensure that all relevant legal duties are discharged. 5. Roles and Responsibilities Key roles within Renfrewshire Housing Services that have responsibility for asbestos management are set out in the “Roles and Responsibilities” section of the Asbestos Procedure Document. This document can be found in the suite of Asbestos Procedures that accompany and support this Policy. Page 256 of 450
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7 PUBLIC 6. Competence – Information, Instruction and Training 6.1 For a full outline of asbestos specific training required for each role outlined in this Policy and the associated “Roles and Responsibilities” procedure document, please see the “Information, Instruction and Training” procedure document. However, all roles will receive, as a minimum, Asbestos Awareness training may be provided internally by suitably qualified staff or by a UKATA approved training organisation (or equivalent). Training will cover this Policy and the associated Procedure Documents and will highlight specific roles and requirements. 7. Document Control 7.1 The successful management of asbestos relies upon the maintenance of a range of documentation, for which the ARP is responsible. The following summarises the principal components of the system: 1. Asbestos Register 2. Survey Reports Folder 3. Asset Register – incorporating property list / relevant premises (i.e. post 2000) 4. Approved Asbestos Contractors and Consultants List 5. Asbestos Works Records 6. Training Records 7. Incident Records 8. Implementation 8.1 This Policy will be effective from the date of approval by the Communities and Housing Policy Board. 8.2 Staff will be made aware of the Policy through internal staff training and a copy will be available on the Intranet. The Policy will also be uploaded to the Renfrewshire Council website. 8.3 This Policy should be read in conjunction with the Asbestos Procedures and Operational Guidance documents. 8.4 All employees shall co-operate in the implementation of this Policy. 9. Consultation 9.1 This Policy is based on statutory, legislative and regulatory requirements and, as such, consultation with customers has not taken place. There has been consultation with internal teams within Renfrewshire and suitably qualified external asbestos consultants. Page 257 of 450
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8 PUBLIC 10. Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment 10.1 This policy has been impact assessed in line with the Council’s obligation to comply with the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty. 11. Monitoring Performance 11.1 Performance Indicators 11.1.1 To ensure effectiveness of asbestos management measures and maintain regulatory compliance, the following key performance indicators (KPIs) will be subject to reporting: • Non-domestic areas with a valid asbestos survey and re-inspections of all ACMs (where required) within its due date as a % of non-domestic areas requiring one; • Individual dwellings with a valid asbestos survey and re-inspections of all ACMs (where required) within its due date as a % of dwellings requiring one; • Asbestos remedial actions that are overdue as a % of total outstanding remedial actions (non-domestic); • Buildings with no outstanding and overdue remedial actions as a % of total buildings subject to an asbestos survey; • Number of safety occurrences - including any reported asbestos related occurrence reporting (e.g. to the HSE or Regulator) during the reporting period. 11.1.2 Commentary will be provided for any properties out of date to include the date they became overdue, days overdue and the action proposed to bring them back into a compliant position. Commentary will also be provided if any properties have outstanding overdue actions. Additional context commentary will include information on the proportion of activities within the reporting period that were undertaken before and after their due date. 11.1.3 A detailed performance indicator suite will be defined within the Asbestos Procedures. 11.1.4 The following quality assurance (QA) activities will be undertaken and reported in line with the Asbestos Procedures: • Internal Audit; • Strategic Review; • 3rd Party Assurance. 12. Review 12.1 This Policy will be reviewed at least once every 36 months and/or if there is any change in Legislation or HSE Guidance or advice from the Housing Regulator. Page 258 of 450
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9 PUBLIC 12.2 The review may be carried out internally or by an external consultant. However, the reviewer must be deemed to be competent by the ARP. 12.3 The review will consider this Policy, Procedures and, in particular, the components highlighted in Section 7.1 above. 12.4 The Corporate Health and Safety team will monitor the effectiveness of this policy, and its associated documentation, to ensure alignment with current Renfrewshire Council plans. 13. Amendment Log/Version Control Date of Revision: Record of Amendments: Reason for Revision: By Whom: Name and Title 03/09/2025 Minor amendments held on file Policy review overdue Asbestos Co-ordinator 25/09/2025 New Policy document drafted External Asbestos Consultant Appointed ACS Learning and Consultancy Page 259 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Building at Blackstoun Road, Paisley, PA3 1NB ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek authority to declare that the building at Blackstoun Road, Paisley, as shown on the attached plan E3669 is surplus to requirements. The building has been marketed for sale and offers have been received. In order to consider these offers, the Council must first formally declare the building as surplus. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Board: 2.1 declare the former community centre building at Blackstoun Road as surplus to operational requirements. 2.2 authorises that the Head of Economy and Development and head of Corporate Governance progress the disposal of the property in order to obtain a capital receipt. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The property was constructed in 1993 in the grounds of St Fergus’ Primary School on Blackstoun Road and was let in that year to C.A.R.I.N.G. project charity and used as a community centre. 3.2 In 2015, a new St Fergus’ primary school was to be constructed. A surplus site on Bankfoot Road, held by the HRA, was the preferred location. Item 13 CHPB281025 Page 261 of 450
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PUBLIC To facilitate this, the Housing and Community Safety Board approved an exchange between the HRA and General Fund of the St Fergus Primary School site on Blackstoun Road for the site on Bankfoot Road. 3.3 HRA acquired the Blackstoun Road site including the building in question, which was by then vacant. The school building was demolished, and new housing was developed on the site, completed in 2023. The former community centre was retained during the build in order to provide welfare facilities for the construction workers on site. 3.4 The building has been vacant since the completion of the housing. There is no requirement for HRA to retain the building and no possibility of it being redeveloped into the new housing scheme. There are no Council operational requirements for the building and early community interest did not produce any formal interest. 3.5 The building was therefore marketed for sale in July 2025 with a closing date being set at the end of August 2025. Several offers were received however before progressing with any of these, confirmation is required that the building is to be confirmed as surplus. 3.6 Approval is sought, therefore, to declare the building surplus to housing requirements. 3.7 Due to the level of offers received any decision on whether any of the current offers are to be accepted will be made under the Scheme of Delegated Functions. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – A capital receipt is expected when the building is sold. 2. HR & Organisational Development. – None 3. Community/Council Planning – Not applicable. 4. Legal – Conveyancing of the land required. 5. Property/Assets – As per report. 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. Page 262 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 – Not applicable. 9. Procurement – Not applicable. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. Climate Risk – None. 13. Children’s Rights – Not applicable. 14. Cosla Policy Position – Not applicable. _______________________________________________________ List of Background Papers – None. ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Aileen Johnston, Estates Lead. Email – aileen.johnston@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 263 of 450
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I Faithers Club, Blackstoun Road, Paisley Report / Disposal Plan Ref. E3669 Notes: Date: 16/09/2025User: howardhaughj2 Scale: 1:1,250 Legend Area to be sold extends to 1682 sqm or thereby © Crown copyright and database rights 2025 OS 100023417 Page 264 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Allocation of property to staff, elected member or committee members: Housing Rule 2.5 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to notify the Communities and Housing Policy Board of housing allocations which involve Council members or their immediate families or members of staff of the Housing Service and their immediate families. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 Members of the Communities and Housing Policy Board are asked to note the contents of this report for information. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 In terms of the Renfrewshire Common Housing Allocation Policy Rule 2.5, the Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure is required to notify the relevant Policy Board of all housing allocations which involve either Council members or their immediate families or members of staff of the Housing Service or their immediate families. 3.2 The following four allocations have been made during the period November 24 to September 25 Address Flat 2/1, 3F Ferguson Street, Johnstone, PA5 8SY Size 1 Bedroom Allocated to Stepson Housing Services employee Date Let 4th February 2025 Item 14 CHPB281025 Page 265 of 450
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PUBLIC Address 2/2 15E Macdowall Street, Johnstone, PA5 8QH Size 2 Bedroom Allocated to Daughter Housing Services employee Date Let 25th March 2025 Address 41 Crags Crescent, Paisley, PA2 6QX Size 2 Bedroom Allocated to Employee of Housing Services Date Let 28th April 2025 Address 210 Lochfield Road, Paisley, PA2 7QX Size 2 Bedroom Allocated to Daughter of Housing Services employee Date Let 12th March 2025 __________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none. 3. Community/Council Planning – none. 4. Legal – none. 5. Property/Assets – none. 6. Information Technology – none. 7. Equality & Human Rights (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 because it is for noting only. 8. Health & Safety – none. 9. Procurement – none. 10. Risk – none. 11. Privacy Impact – n/a. 12. COSLA Policy Position – n/a. 13. Climate Risk – n/a. Page 266 of 450
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PUBLIC 14. Children’s Rights – n/a. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers None. _________________________________________________________________ Author: Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure – gordon.mcneil@renfrewshire .gov.uk Page 267 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Housing (Scotland) Act 1987- Representation in Respect of a House Failing to Meet the Tolerable Standard ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Renfrewshire Council’s Housing Led Regeneration and Renewal Programme aims to deliver modern, high quality, energy efficient, affordable Council housing that will not only significantly enhance the Council’s housing stock but will also contribute to the wider transformation of Renfrewshire as a place and will be central to the economic and social recovery of Renfrewshire. 1.2 The Council meeting of 17th December 2020 approved additional funding from the Housing Revenue Account to provide in excess of £100m of investment in the regeneration of Council housing over the next 10 years. Phase 1 covers eight communities across Renfrewshire including the Waverley Road area of Foxbar. 1.3 Proposals were developed for all eight areas after extensive consultation and in the Waverley Road area these proposals included the demolition of 72 properties in the area and targeted investment in the remaining 48 properties. 60 of 72 of the properties approved for demolition have now been demolished with the exception being the 12 flats within the blocks at 54 and 56 Waverley Road. 1.4 The flat identified as 1/2 56 Waverley Road, Paisley is the only property within the block at 56 which remains in private ownership, despite efforts to engage the owner in agreeing voluntary acquisition of this flat. The flat (and building generally) is in poor condition and is considered to fail to meet the Tolerable Standard, as defined within the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, as amended and approval is being sought from this Board to issue a Demolition Order in terms of Section 115 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 for the whole blocks at 54 and 56 Waverley Road, Paisley. Item 15 CHPB281025 Page 269 of 450
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PUBLIC 1.5 Authorisation is also sought to promote a Compulsory Purchase Order to compliment the Demolition Order process and bring the remaining privately owned property into Council ownership once the block, including Flat 1/2 56 Waverley Road has been demolished. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Policy Board: 2.1 approves a Demolition Order being issued for the properties at 54 and 56 Waverley Road, Paisley PA2 0AB. 2.2 approves the Council carrying out the demolition of the blocks at 54 and 56 Waverley Road, Paisley PA2 0AB in the event that, subject to their right to appeal, the owners fail to demolish the block within the prescribed period. 2.3 authorises the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure to promote, and submit to the Scottish Ministers for approval, a Compulsory Purchase Order to compulsorily acquire the property at 1/2 56 Waverley Road, Paisley, after conclusion of the Demolition Order process in the event that further efforts to acquire the property voluntarily are unsuccessful. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 18 January 2022 approved regeneration proposals for the Waverley Road area of Foxbar in Paisley as part of the Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme. These proposals included targeted demolition of 72 properties at 34 to 56 Waverley Road, Paisley with four privately owned properties to be acquired to allow demolition to proceed. Three of out the four privately owned properties have now been acquired with the remaining privately owned property being Flat 1/2 56 Waverley Road, Paisley. 3.2 The blocks at 54 and 56 Waverley Road are, apart from Flat 1/2 56 Waverley Road, under full ownership of the Council (all are vacant). The Housing Regeneration team have engaged with the owner of Flat 1/2 56 Waverley Road for some time with the intention of acquiring the property. The owner has advised that they would sell their flat to the Council however this has never materialised with the outcome that whilst the remainder of the properties in the area approved for demolition have now been demolished, the demolition of the blocks at 54 and 56 Waverley Road has been delayed. 3.3 As there has been limited progress to date regarding the Council acquiring this property and given the delays in the regeneration programme arising from this, authorisation is being sought to promote a Compulsory Purchase Order to compulsorily acquire the property Flat 1/2 56 Waverley Road, Paisley to complement the promotion and service of the Demolition Order and, subject to the rights of appeal, subsequent demolition of the blocks at 54 and 56 Waverley Road, Paisley. The Housing Regeneration Team will continue to seek voluntary acquisition of the property in tandem with preparing for promotion of a Compulsory Purchase Order if necessary. Page 270 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.4 The Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 places a duty on local authorities to secure that all houses within their district are closed, demolished or brought up to the Tolerable Standard within a period which is reasonable in the circumstances. 3.5 Section 115 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, as amended makes provision for a local authority to issue a Demolition Order where it is satisfied that a house, or houses, do not meet the Tolerable Standard and ought to be demolished, further requiring that the building shall be demolished within six weeks after the expiration of a 28 day period (which is to allow for the properties to be vacated). The owner of any property has a period of 21 days to appeal to the Sheriff Court against the Demolition Order. 3.6 All properties within the buildings at 54 and 56 Waverley Road, Paisley are vacant and there is no requirement to specify within the Demolition Order any period for the properties to be vacated. 3.7 The Tolerable Standard, as defined within Section 86 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 is a basic minimum standard which all properties are required to meet and is reproduced for information within Appendix 1. As this is a condemnatory standard a property only requires failing to meet one element of it to fail the Tolerable Standard overall. 3.8 The flats within 56 Waverley Road are generally in a very poor condition, there is no supply of electricity or water to the building and Officers are therefore satisfied that the property, Flat 1/2 56 Waverley Road Paisley fails the Tolerable Standard on the following grounds: • It does not have satisfactory provision for artificial lighting and heating (due to there being no electricity supply); • It does not have an adequate supply of wholesome water available within the house; • It does not have a sink provided with a satisfactory supply of both hot and cold water; • It does not have a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water at any fixed bath, shower and wash hand basin; • It does not have satisfactory facilities for the cooking of food (due to there being no electricity supply) • It does not have satisfactory equipment installed for detecting, and for giving warning of, fire or suspected fire. 3.9 Authorisation is therefore sought to issue a Demolition Order in respect of all flats within the blocks at 54 and 56 Waverley, Paisley and to demolish the blocks. Demolition of this block is in accordance with the approved Housing- led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for the Waverley Road area. 3.10 The Council would seek to recover the expenses of demolition via the statutory powers available to it. Page 271 of 450
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PUBLIC _________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – The costs associated with the demolition of these blocks is included within the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme budget and efforts will be made to recover the associated proportion of these costs from the sole private owner. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – Creating a sustainable Renfrewshire for all to enjoy- Improving and maintaining neighbourhoods and homes. 4. Legal – The Demolition Order may require input from Legal Services in relation to valid service and promotion of the Order and any appeal. There will be a requirement for Legal Services to carry out conveyancing work to voluntarily or compulsorily acquire the property at, Flat 1/2 56 Waverley Road Paisley. 5. Property/Assets – Eleven of the twelve flats in the blocks at 54 and 56 Waverley Road Paisley are Council owned. 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 because for example 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 – None. 10. Risk – The owner of the property, Flat 1/2 56 Waverley Road, Paisley has a right of appeal against the Demolition Order which, if exercised, could delay the works for a significant period. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. Cosla Policy Position – not applicable. 13. Climate Risk – None. 14. Children’s Rights – None. Page 272 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Background Paper 1 - Report to Council, 17 December 2020, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire’. (b) Background Paper 2 - Report to the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on 18 January 2022 titled, Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme. ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Colin Hunter, Environmental Health and Community Safety manager - Email: colin.hunter@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 273 of 450
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PUBLIC Appendix 1 – Tolerable Standard Definition Tolerable Standard as Defined in S.86 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, as amended. (1) Subject to subsection (2), a house meets the tolerable standard for the purposes of this Act if the house— (a) is structurally stable; (b) is substantially free from rising or penetrating damp; (c) has satisfactory provision for natural and artificial lighting, for ventilation and for heating; (ca) has satisfactory thermal insulation; (d) has an adequate piped supply of wholesome water available within the house; (e) has a sink provided with a satisfactory supply of both hot and cold water within the house; (f) has a water closet, or waterless closet available for the exclusive use of the occupants of the house and suitably located within the house; (fa) has a fixed bath or shower and a wash-hand basin, each provided with a satisfactory supply of both hot and cold water and suitably located within the house; (g) has an effective system for the drainage and disposal of foul and surface water; (ga) in the case of a house having a supply of electricity, complies with the relevant requirements in relation to the electrical installation for the purposes of that supply; “the electrical installation” is the electrical wiring and associated components and fittings, but excludes equipment and appliances; “the relevant requirements” are that the electrical installation is adequate and safe to use; (h) has satisfactory facilities for the cooking of food within the house; (i) has satisfactory access to all external doors and outbuildings; (j) has satisfactory equipment installed for detecting, and for giving warning of, fire or suspected fire; Page 274 of 450
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PUBLIC (k) has satisfactory equipment installed for detecting, and for giving warning of, carbon monoxide present in a concentration that is hazardous to health, and any reference to a house not meeting the tolerable standard or being brought up to the tolerable standard shall be construed accordingly. Page 275 of 450
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PUBLIC To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ______________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Heading: Environmental Health Business Regulation Service Plan 2025/2026 1. Summary 1.1 Renfrewshire Council is required by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) to produce an annual Service Plan which details the work being undertaken in respect of Food Law across the Renfrewshire Council area. 1.2 The Business Regulation Team, within Environment, Housing & Infrastructure undertake this work and lead on workplace health and safety; in addition to other areas of Environmental Health work which are included within the plan. 1.3 The Service Plan sets out the objectives, service delivery, resources, work undertaken and quality assurance for the team. 1.4 The Business Regulation Service Plan 2025/26 is attached to this report as appendix 1. 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Approves the Business Regulation Service Plan 2025/26, as detailed within Appendix 1. 3. Background 3.1 In terms of food law enforcement, Renfrewshire Council is a statutory food authority under the Food Safety Act 1990 for all food businesses within Renfrewshire. 3.2 The Business Regulation team forms part of the Climate, Public Protection and Roads Service within Environment, Housing and Infrastructure, providing an effective regulatory service for food law and occupational health and safety at work on behalf of Renfrewshire Council, ensuring the Council’s statutory responsibilities are met. 3.3 The objective of the service is to improve the quality and effectiveness of these Item 16 CHPB281025 Page 277 of 450
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PUBLIC regulatory activities, and in so doing, ensure public health and safety are maintained. 3.4 Under Section 18 of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and as specified in the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998, the Council is the enforcing authority for health and safety legislation in designated premises across Renfrewshire. This is determined by the main activity being undertaken within any premises, as prescribed in the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998. 3.5 The Health and Safety at Work etc, Act 1974 places a duty on the HSE and Local Authorities (LAs), as Enforcing Authorities, to make adequate arrangements for enforcement. The Section 18 Standard sets out the arrangements that LAs and the HSE’s Field Operation Directorate should put in place to meet this duty. 3.6 The Business Plan 2025/26 highlights the work undertaken by the Business Regulation Team, the current position with regards to premises (as of 1 April 2025) and the planned work for the coming 12 months. 3.7 Overall, Food Law and Health & Safety Performance within the Business Regulation Team remained high during the period (1/4/24 to 31/3/25). Work included: 147 in- depth Health & Safety Interventions carried out within a range of businesses and 1356 Food Law interventions. Of these Food Law interventions, 98.1% (1330) were completed within the 28 days specified in the Food Law code of practice. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none. 3. Community Planning Renfrewshire is safe – Implementing the attached Service Plan, Environment, Housing and Infrastructure will make Renfrewshire a safer place to live, work within and visit by ensure that food that is prepared and consumed in Renfrewshire is safe and that workplace Health & Safety is regulated. 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. Page 278 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 and Community Safety Manager e-mail: colin.hunter@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 279 of 450
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PUBLIC Business Regulation Service Plan 2025-2026 Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Page 280 of 450
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PUBLIC Contents 1. Service Aims and Objectives .............................................................................. 5 1.1. Aims and Objectives .............................................................................. 5 1.2. Links to Corporate Objectives and Plans .............................................. 5 1.3. Overview ................................................................................................ 6 2. Background ....................................................................................................... 6 2.1. Organisational Structure ....................................................................... 6 2.1.1. Role of Public Protection within Climate, Public Protection and Roads ... 6 2.1.2. Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ................................................. 7 2.2. Scope of the Service .............................................................................. 7 2.3. Demands on the Service ....................................................................... 8 2.4. Performance Management ................................................................. 12 2.5. Enforcement Policy & Procedures ....................................................... 12 3. Service Delivery ............................................................................................... 13 3.1. Food and Health & Safety Premises Inspections ................................ 13 3.2. Food and Health and Safety Service Requests ................................... 16 3.3. Investigation of Accidents ................................................................... 19 3.4. Enforcement Management Model (EMM) ............................................ 19 3.5. Home Authority Principle & Primary Authority Scheme ...................... 19 3.6. Advice to Business ............................................................................... 21 3.7. FHIS & EatSafe ..................................................................................... 21 Page 281 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.8. Sampling ............................................................................................. 22 3.9. Control and Investigation of Outbreaks and Food Related Infectious Diseases ........................................................................................................... 22 3.10. Food Incidents ..................................................................................... 23 3.11. Health and Safety Interventions .......................................................... 23 3.12. Liaison with Other Organisations ........................................................ 24 4. Resources ........................................................................................................ 24 4.1. Financial Allocation ............................................................................. 24 4.2. Staffing Allocation ............................................................................... 25 4.3. Employee Development Plan .............................................................. 25 5. Quality Assessment ......................................................................................... 26 5.1. Quality Assessment & Internal Monitoring .......................................... 26 6. REVIEW 2024-25 ............................................................................................... 27 6.1. Review of Food Law Activity ................................................................ 27 6.2. Sampling 2024/25 ............................................................................... 28 6.3. Review of Health and safety activity. ................................................... 30 6.4. Areas for Improvement ........................................................................ 31 7. Emerging Issues 2025/26 ................................................................................. 31 8. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 34 9. Approach to Sampling ..................................................................................... 34 9.1. Informal Samples ................................................................................ 34 Page 282 of 450
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PUBLIC 9.2. Formal Samples .................................................................................. 34 9.3. Sampling Priorities .............................................................................. 35 9.4. Manufacturing/Approved Premises .................................................... 35 9.5. Sampling Plan 2025/26 ....................................................................... 35 9.6. Complaints and Food Borne Disease Investigations .......................... 35 9.7. Co-ordinated Sampling ....................................................................... 35 9.8. Imported Food .................................................................................... 35 9.9. Special Investigations ......................................................................... 36 9.10. Sampling Priority Actions .................................................................... 36 9.11. Routine Sampling ................................................................................ 37 Appendix 1 - BUSINESS REGULATION FOOD SAMPLING PROGRAMME Appendix 2 - Structure Page 283 of 450
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PUBLIC 1. Service Aims and Objectives 1.1. Aims and Objectives The Food and Health & Safety Service is delivered by the Environmental Health, Business Regulation Team. This team forms part of the Climate, Public Protection and Roads Service within Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. The aim is to provide an effective regulatory service for food law, and occupational health and safety at work on behalf of Renfrewshire Council, ensuring the Council’s statutory responsibilities are met. The objective of the Service is to improve the quality and effectiveness of these regulatory activities, and in doing so, ensure public health and safety are maintained. In order to achieve this aim, Environment, Housing and Infrastructure will: Apply the relevant legislation at premises regulated by the Local Authority in line with the Scottish Regulators Code of Practice, Work in partnership with agencies such as Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to achieve nationally agreed strategic aims, Ensure that all staff undertaking enforcement activity are properly qualified and competent to undertake their duties, Operate a risk based approach to inspection and regulation, Carry out a programme of specific, targeted and appropriate interventions in order to improve food safety, quality and health & safety standards, Work with local businesses in an open and transparent manner, Investigate and take appropriate action upon receipt of accident notifications, service requests, food borne infection notifications and complaints. 1.2. Links to Corporate Objectives and Plans The Environmental Health, Business Regulation Service Plan 2025-26 contributes to Climate, Public Protection and Roads outcomes as well as Renfrewshire Council’s Corporate Objectives and Plans. Page 284 of 450
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PUBLIC In particular, the service has a critical role to play in supporting sustainable economic development, ensuring the health and safety of the public, addressing the impact of poverty and the protection of both the public and legitimate businesses from criminal activities. 1.3. Overview In terms of food law enforcement, Renfrewshire Council is a statutory Food Authority under the Food Safety Act 1990 for all food businesses within Renfrewshire. The Council is also an Enforcing Authority in terms of Section 18 of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974; the Service is the enforcing authority for health & safety legislation in certain types of premises within Renfrewshire. This is determined by the main activity being undertaken at the premises as laid down in the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998. Section 18 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 puts a duty on the Health & Safety Executive ( HSE) and Local Authorities (LAs), as Enforcing Authorities, to make adequate arrangements for enforcement. The Section 18 Standard sets out the arrangements that LAs and HSE’s Field Operation Directorate should put in place to meet this duty. 2. Background 2.1. Organisational Structure The Food Safety and Health & Safety service is delivered by suitably qualified officers within the Business Regulation Team operating in Environment, Housing and Infrastructure as part of Climate, Public Protection and Roads. (Appendix 2) 2.1.1. Role of Public Protection within Climate, Public Protection and Roads Public Protection within Climate, Public Protection and Roads, consists of the Business Regulation, Community Safety, Public Health and Trading Standards teams. Their combined role is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the local community and to safeguard public health, the quality of the local environment and to enhance economic, social and environmental welfare by improving and maintaining standards of fair trading in terms of safety, quality, quantity and price. Page 285 of 450
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PUBLIC 2.1.2. Environment, Housing and Infrastructure The Service is based at: Climate, Public Protection and Roads Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1BR The Service can be contacted by: email: b-serv.es@renfrewshire.gov.uk, or phone: 0300 300 0380 2.2. Scope of the Service The main role of Environmental Health, Business Regulation is to undertake regulatory functions of relevant legislation in terms of Food Law and Occupational Health and Safety at Work on behalf of Renfrewshire Council. The aim is to secure compliance with the standards laid down in primary legislation, associated regulations and codes of practice. The key activities of Environmental Health Business Regulation are based on the implementation of inspection/intervention, survey and sampling programmes and other appropriate monitoring and investigative activities, including responding to, and learning from food complaints, accidents and incidents at work. Under Section 5 of the Food Safety Act 1990, Renfrewshire Council is a statutory Food Authority, responsible for delivery of official controls under the Act and associated Regulations. Statutory appointments of Head of Food Service and Lead Officer for Food Safety are detailed in the Council’s Scheme of Delegated Functions. Enforcement of the legislation, under Section 6 of the Food Safety Act 1990, includes food hygiene and food standards covering the safety, quality, presentation and labelling of food. To this end, a programme of food business inspections and the surveillance of food is carried out by co-ordinated food sampling and a food standards inspection programme. Food and premises hygiene complaints are investigated where required. The investigation and control of food-borne infections within food premises is carried out in conjunction with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The Service acts as the Originating Authority to those large-scale food manufacturers within the area, co-ordinating and assisting in complaints and enquiries from other Food Authorities within the UK and third Countries. Page 286 of 450
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PUBLIC As an Enforcing Authority, the Service also has responsibility for the provision of health & safety enforcement services in a range of business activities covering approximately 2500 premises and an estimated 10,000 employees. The enforcement of health & safety legislation is split between the Local Authority (Renfrewshire Council) and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), depending on the main activity being undertaken at the premises as laid down in the Health & Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998. The HSE are responsible for the more traditional “factory” or industrial premises. The premises within the remit of the Council include: offices, shops, warehouses, leisure, hotel and catering premises. The principal activities of the service, outlined above, have relevance to the Planning, Building Standards, Civic Licensing and Alcohol Licensing services of the Council. The Service also delivers official controls in relation to Food Law in all Renfrewshire Council food operations. The Service provides advice and guidance to all businesses to ensure compliance with statutory requirements. The 2025/26 Business Regulation Service plan provides data and information for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. All information and data figures are correct as of 1 April 2025. 2.3. Demands on the Service Table 1: Profile of food businesses in Renfrewshire Premises Number Caring Establishment 144 Hotels and Guest Houses 27 Mobile Traders 44 Primary Food Producers 10 Pubs/Clubs 145 Restaurant/ Caterer 411 Takeaway Premises 213 Retail 339 Schools and Colleges 83 Manufacturers and Packers 41 Importers/Exporters 7 Page 287 of 450
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PUBLIC Premises Number Distributors/Transporters 25 TOTAL 1489 Table 2: Profile of Businesses for Health & Safety Enforcement Premises Number Retail 786 Wholesale 126 Offices 321 Catering 534 Hotels etc 24 Residential Care 19 Leisure 196 Consumer Services 423 Others 66 Total 2495 The Food Law and Health & Safety Services provided by Renfrewshire Council operate solely from Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1BR. The Service’s standard working day is 8.45am - 4.45pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.45am - 3.55pm on Friday, with an out of hour’s service also being provided in cases of emergency. Officers operate a hybrid model where they are operating from home, in the office and in the field e.g. inspecting premises and investigating incidents. The Service works in a number of complex areas, which include: Glasgow International Airport As Glasgow International Airport lies within the Authority, this adds further elements of work to the Environmental Health, Business Regulation Team. Consignments of food, particularly fruit and vegetables come through Glasgow Airport from third Countries. These foods are subject to controls administered by Environmental Health, Business Regulation. The Service is also involved in the surveillance of exports from the Airport and provides export certificates to those businesses exporting foodstuffs from Renfrewshire. Page 288 of 450
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PUBLIC The Business Regulation Team provides a port health role at the airport. Renfrewshire Port Health Authority was originally set up with the primary objective of preventing dangerous epidemic diseases entering the country. Although this can still occur, if a person is patently unwell, this function is now more realistically aimed at contacting and monitoring persons who may be carrying a communicable disease and preventing further cases arising from environmental contamination of aircraft. There are also currently two businesses which operate flight catering within the airport estate and these are subject to inspection by the service. Environmental Health Officers operate a duty rota, with one officer allocated for each day of the working week. The officer carries out all imported food functions at the airport on his/her allocated day. In addition, on weekends and public holidays an emergency call out service is in place to deal with port health incidents. Communication and Language The Council area has several food businesses operating for whom English is not a first language. This can introduce communication challenges during the course of inspection and enforcement visits. In order to address this issue, information leaflets translated into other languages have been produced. A translation service is available to officers if required during inspections and other meetings. Council Operated Food Businesses The control of food enforcement in Local Authority catering operations provided by Facilities and Property Services is a complex and sensitive area of work. These premises include catering in residential establishments such as those run by the Council’s Social Work Services as well as schools and nurseries. The service employs the same approach to enforcement in these premises. Approved/Authorised Premises There are 13 Approved/Authorised Businesses operating within Renfrewshire, all of which are Approved/Authorised under Regulation (EC) 853/2004. These are: DNATA Airline Catering Arran Avenue, Paisley, PA3 2AY Gate Gourmet Airline catering Campsie Drive, Paisley, PA2 8DP Gormac Foods Sandyford Road, Paisley, PA3 3HP CFPU RAH Hospital Corsebar Road, Paisley, PA2 9PJ Scottish Leather Group Seedhil Road, Paisley, PA1 1JL Page 289 of 450
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PUBLIC Scottish Leather Group Baltic Works, Bridge of Weir Gleddoch Family Butchers Glasgow Road, Paisley, PA1 3PW Lomond Cold Store Blackstoun Road, Paisley, PA3 3AF Rice and Spicy Eddison street, Hillington, G524JW Muirhead Foods Ltd Lomond Coldstore, Blackstoun Road, Paisley, UHU Scotland Limited 1 Lyon Road, Linwood, Paisley, PA3 3BQ M J Stark LTD Sandyford Abbatoir, Sandyford Road, Paisley, PA3 4HP Bidfood Glasgow 30 Bramwell Street, Paisley, PA3 2EU Events A significant number of events are held throughout Renfrewshire on an annual basis, particularly, but not exclusively, during the summer months. These events require a food law enforcement presence in response to the level of external food retailers and caterers providing food for the large number of visitors and this can result in a minor short-term impact on the food service. The Service also works closely with Renfrewshire Council’s Events Team. Health & Safety Enforcement The review of Health & Safety enforcement activities by the UK Government has influenced the approach in this area. HSE priority planning guidance directs the work of Local Authorities in relation to Health & Safety, with an emphasis on targeting resources on higher risk activities and reducing the number of routine inspections. An Intervention Plan based on this guidance has been developed which takes into account local conditions and priorities. Enforcement within Arm’s Length Organisations - Renfrewshire Leisure Health & Safety enforcement in arm’s length organisations connected with Renfrewshire Council presents a challenge to the Local Authority. In 2019, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) advised Renfrewshire Council that enforcement within Council owned leisure facilities operated by arm’s length organisations is, in accordance with The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the enforcement responsibility of the Local Authority. This presents significant challenges and burdens as there are close relationships between the Council and One Ren including the corporate control as the Council is the sole shareholder of the Company. Page 290 of 450
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PUBLIC The Council does not have outright control of One Ren, as the charity has an independent board of directors, but it does have the right to appoint and remove some of the directors. As a result, strategic decisions affecting the operation of One Ren are at the very least influenced, and could (in some instances) be directed, by the Council. Further to this, staff from Renfrewshire Council Facilities and Property Services may be involved in the maintenance of buildings and installations. The buildings and assets themselves are still within the ownership of the Council and although the liabilities reside with One Ren, should an incident/accident occur this could cause a further conflict of interest. In addition, the transfer of enforcement responsibility has the potential to add a significant burden to the workload of the Environmental Health Business Regulation Team. 2.4. Performance Management Through this Service Plan, Elected Members receive annual performance information relating to key areas of service provision, including Food Safety and Health & Safety enforcement, with Managers reviewing performance data provided within the Microsoft Power Bi application on a monthly basis. Certificates of Compliance and formal notices are reported to elected members via the Regulatory Functions Board and Information Bulletin reports. Performance reviews are carried out on a six-monthly basis with staff involved in Food Safety and Health & Safety enforcement, to maintain performance. 2.5. .Enforcement Policy & Procedures An Integrated Enforcement Policy is in place to ensure the consistency of enforcement across all areas of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. The Policy sets standards clearly outlining the level of service which the public and businesses can expect to receive. It encourages fair and open regulation and commits the Service to ensuring our enforcement service works with businesses to assist them in complying with the law. Information Systems Premises records are held on the Authority Public Protection (APP) system, which is used to manage the inspection programme and record details of inspections, accidents, complaints and enquiries. The database is regularly reviewed and updated to facilitate the planning of inspection programmes and production of management reports. Page 291 of 450
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PUBLIC We moved to SharePoint in 2022 to store our e-files, this has been built on this year where tablets have been introduced to the team so that documents can be uploaded to SharePoint directly. This has improved efficiency in the team, reduced paper waste and support required from the Business Services team. Progress towards local, regional and national outcomes is monitored on a monthly basis using the reporting functions of the system. Statutory returns are made using data from the APP system. 3. Service Delivery 3.1. Food and Health & Safety Premises Inspections In accordance with the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland), all food premises are risk-assessed for food law. Risk assessments are entered in the Services database, which generates a target inspection date. A report is generated from the database of visits due for each officer. The Service undertakes a full inspection programme based on the risk category of premises. Regulatory activity in relation to Health and Safety at Work is determined in accordance with the HSE priority planning guidance. The tables below illustrate the number of premises in Renfrewshire in each risk category for Food Law and Health & Safety. Table 3 - Total premises (Food Law) with Group & Rating as of 1 April 2025 GROUP RATING NUMBER 1 A 17 1 B 12 1 C 6 1 D 0 1 E 0 TOTAL 35 GROUP RATING NUMBER 2 A 200 2 B 405 2 C 266 2 D 16 2 E 0 TOTAL 887 Page 292 of 450
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PUBLIC GROUP RATING NUMBER 3 A 78 3 B 405 3 C 56 3 D 1 3 E 0 TOTAL 540 Table 4: Premises per group Rating Category Group Number of Premises 1 35 2 887 3 540 Food Standards Only 5 Approved/Authorised 13 Farms 8 Sub Total 1489 Unrated 221 Total 1510 The Food Law risk rating of a food business is based on a number of elements. Hygiene, structure, food safety management and food standards are assessed to determine the risk posed by an establishment and the frequency of intervention by the local authority. These are numerically scored and used to derive the rating that is presented as the 'score', A-E; Category E posing the highest risk. Table 5: Profile by Health & Safety risk category Risk Category Total number in category A 4 B1 38 B2 763 C 1334 Unrated 6461 Total 2785 The tables below illustrate the number of inspections programmed for 2025/26 in each risk category for Food Law. 1 Unrated premises have not yet been risk rated (new businesses) Page 293 of 450
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PUBLIC A total of 813 food law programmed interventions are projected for the 12 months commencing 1 April 2025. Table 6: Food Law Programmed Interventions for 2025/2026 GROUP RATING NUMBER Frequency 1 A 12 18 months 1 B 12 12 months 1 C 6 6 months 1 D 0 3 months 1 E 0 1 month TOTAL 30 GROUP RATING NUMBER Frequency 2 A 40 24 months 2 B 289 18 months 2 C 264 12 months 2 D 13 3 months 2 E 0 1 month TOTAL 606 GROUP RATING NUMBER Frequency 3 A 3 No proactive inspections 3 B 120 36 months 3 C 22 24 months 3 D 1 3 months 3 E 0 1 month TOTAL 146 The inspection programme for 2025/26 has been developed to comply fully with the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) and LAC Circular 67/2 (Rev 7) Health & Safety priority planning. Page 294 of 450
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PUBLIC So far as the inspection of premises outwith normal working hours is concerned, our policy is to ensure that, where premises are only open outwith normal hours, then appropriate provision is made for them to be visited in accordance with at least the minimum number of visits determined by their risk rating. 4.8 full time equivalent officers carry out the work of the Business Regulation team, including 2 Senior EHOs. A trainee FSO also supports the work of the team. The staffing allocation to Food Law enforcement is 75% of 4.1 FTE’s, with the other 25% allocated to Health & Safety enforcement. Officers are allocated premises within specific geographical areas. It is considered that the Service has adequate expertise to provide a competent and full portfolio of enforcement and educational roles in relation to Food Law and Health & Safety. However, where necessary, we are able to draw on expertise from Food Standards Scotland, Glasgow Scientific Services – the Public Analyst, Health Protection Scotland, the Director of Public Health, Animal and Plant Health Authority (APHA), The Health & Safety Executive and other local authorities. There has been a reduction in the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) officers from 6.8 in 2024/25. Despite proactive recruitment efforts, attracting qualified officers has proven challenging, a trend mirrored across other Local Authorities due to a national shortage of suitably trained personnel. To support future capacity, a trainee Food Safety Officer (FSO) has been appointed and is expected to be fully qualified by 2026. In consultation with Food Standards Scotland (FSS), and in light of current staffing levels, the team has temporarily deferred a small number of inspections for Group 2 premises. These premises have been carefully risk assessed and identified as low risk, with a strong track record of compliance. This approach is reviewed on a monthly basis and reported to senior management. As staffing levels improve, the team remains committed to ensuring that all deferred inspections are completed in a timely manner. 3.2. Food and Health and Safety Service Requests Complaints and Service Requests are dealt with either by the duty Environmental Health Officer or the officer responsible for the premises which are the subject of the complaint/request. All service requests are logged in the APP database against the premises concerned. The Service has documented policies relating to the investigation and handling of complaints and service requests which ensure that all complaints are investigated in accordance with the appropriate Code of Practice. All complaints are recorded and their risk evaluated to distinguish between those which require an on-site investigation and others which may be resolved by telephone or written advice. Page 295 of 450
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PUBLIC The numbers of complaints and service requests are detailed by category, for 2024/25 and estimated for the year 2025/26 are shown in the tables and charts below: Table 7 – Food Complaints and Service Requests 2024/2025 Service Request Category 2024/2025 Advice to Consumer 29 Advice to Business 294 Food Hygiene Complaint 54 Food premises Complaint 35 Food Standards Complaint 32 Section 50 Certificates/ Building warrant 13 Licensing Consultation 145 Imported Food 0 Export Certificate 12 New Food Business Advice 83 other 15 Total 715 Chart 1- Summary of Complaints and Service Requests for Food Page 296 of 450
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PUBLIC Table 8- Health and Safety Complaint and Service Requests 2024/25 Service Request Category 2024/25 Leisure 9 Consumer 6 Retail 1 Catering 3 Hotel 3 Offices 1 Animal Licensing 0 Wholesale 0 RIDDOR 4 Other 18 TOTAL 45 Chart 2- - Summary of Complaints and Service Requests for Health and Safety Page 297 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.3. Investigation of Accidents A procedure is in place for the investigation of notified accidents designed to ensure consistency and quality of the accident investigation service. It is not possible or appropriate to investigate all incidents and a systematic approach has been adopted to ensure that the more serious incidents are investigated. 3.4. Enforcement Management Model (EMM) The Guidance in the LAC22/18 along with detailed guidance that was issued for use by Environmental Health Officers is used to promote consistency of enforcement between individual officers, LAs and with HSE. All officers in the team have been trained in the use of the Enforcement Management Model. The model is used by officers when considering the most appropriate action to take in more complex situations which are occasionally encountered, including serious accident investigations. It is also used as a monitoring tool by the Lead Officer- Environmental Health. 3.5. Home Authority Principle & Primary Authority Scheme For companies operating under two or more local council jurisdictions, Primary Authority provides reliable and consistent regulatory advice from a single source when dealing with key aspects of Environmental health, Trading Standards, Health & Safety, and Licensing services. Renfrewshire Council currently has no partnerships in relation to health & safety advice and enforcement. The Primary/Home authority principle is applied when dealing with food complaint investigations and also routinely in relation to food standards and labelling issues. It is considered to be an aid to good enforcement practice. The Council has no formal agreements in place to act as a Home Authority with any specific business, but has listed the following significant establishments as ones which are considered as home authority/originating authority premises: Page 298 of 450
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PUBLIC Table 9- Originating Authority Businesses A&A Bakers Moss Road Linwood PA3 3HR DNATA Arran Avenue Paisley PA3 2AY AP Jess Sandyford Road Paisley PA3 4HP Aulds Delicious Desserts Barnsford Avenue Inchinnan PA4 9RG Bidfood Barnwell Street Renfrew PA3 2EU Big Bear Bakery 15 Edison Street Hillington Park G52 4JW Buon Giorno 11A Queen Street Renfrew PA4 8TR Davidson Butcher Mossedge Paisley PA3 3HR Diageo Global Supply 1 Argyll Avenue Renfrew PA4 9EA Diageo Global Supply 500 Renfrew Road Renfrew G51 4SP Filshill Westway Renfrew PA4 8DJ G Porrelli & Co Ltd 25 Lacy Street Paisley PA1 1QN G&A McHarg Dalziel Road Hillington Park G52 4NN Gate Gourmet Glasgow Airport Paisley PA2 8DP Gleddoch Family Butchers 60 Glasgow Road Paisley PA1 13W Hannah's of Johnstone 18-20 Walkinshaw Street Johnstone PA5 8AB Henderson Meats Hillington Glasgow PA8 6BS Ingram Brothers 15 East Lane Paisley PA1 1QA Jenier Limited Earl Haig Road Hillington G52 4JU John Scott Meats Sandyford Paisley PA3 3HR Kismet Lyon Road Linwood PA3 3BQ Kerry Foods (UK) Ltd) 55-59 Kelvin Avenue Hillington Park G52 4LT MacSpice/McAusland Crawford 79/81 Abercorn Street Paisley PA3 4AS Scottish Leather Ltd Kilbarchan Road Bridge Of Weir PA11 3RL Rice 'n' Spicy 15 Edison Street Hillington Park G52 4JW Sutherland Cakes 15-17 Earl Haig Road Hillington G52 5JU Glasgow Distillery Company Deanside Road Renfrew G52 4XB The Elderslie Scottish Tablet Co 37 Glenpatrick Road Elderslie PA5 9AE W P Tulloch 22a Skye Crescent Paisley PA2 8EL Rise and Grind Roastery 104 Abercorn Street Paisley PA34AY Page 299 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.6. Advice to Business The Environmental Health, Business Regulation Team undertakes an on-going advisory role to all businesses in Renfrewshire. A range of information and promotional material is made available for businesses by Environmental Health Officers during visits. 3.7. FHIS & EatSafe The Food Hygiene Information Scheme continues to operate in Renfrewshire with around 1300 food premises who sell food to the public being included within the scope of the scheme. Currently 99% of premises within Renfrewshire have a pass certificate. There are 12 premises with Eat Safe Awards within Renfrewshire. This is the highest award in the scheme. These are: Table 10 -Eat Safe Award Recipients Premises Name Premises Address Accord Hospice Morton Avenue, Paisley, PA2 7BW Mosswood Care Home Moss Road, Linwood, PA3 3FA Capability Scotland Wallace Court, 191 Main Road, Elderslie, PA5 9EJ Erskine mains Care Home Meadow drive, Erskine, PA8 7ED Hanover(Scotland) Housing Association Newton Court 23 Maree Road, Paisley, PA2 9DH Hanover(Scotland) Housing Association, Ailsa Court 23 Walkinshaw Street, Johnstone, PA5 8AF Hanover(Scotland) Housing Association Orchard Court "Orchard Court", Orchard Street, Renfrew, PA4 8RZ Hanover(Scotland) Housing Association, Walikinshaw Court Walkinshaw street, Johnstone, PA5 8AF Kibble Education & Care Centre Goudie Street, Paisley, PA3 2LG Holiday Inn Caledonia Way, Glasgow Airport PA3 2TE Cochrane Care Home Quarrelton Road, Johnstone, PA5 8LQ Rashilee Care Home Little Inch, 8 Rashilee Avenue, Erskine, PA8 6HA Page 300 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.8. Sampling Renfrewshire Council, along with nine other local authorities have a Service Level Agreement with Glasgow City Council for the provision of analytical services. The analyst service is provided by Glasgow Scientific Services, Colston Laboratory, 64 Everard Drive, Glasgow G21 1XG. Glasgow Scientific Services are this Authority’s appointed Public Analyst for chemical analyses of all food samples, Food Examiner for all microbiological examination of food samples and Agricultural Analyst for all feeding stuffs samples taken. The sampling programme for 2025/26 is attached as Appendix 1 to this Service Plan. The programme will focus on high-risk premises in Renfrewshire, whilst reflecting national priorities recommended by FSS and the Scottish Food enforcement Liaison Committee (SFELC). Food sampling will also be undertaken at Glasgow International Airport to monitor the quality, composition and labelling of foods imported through the airport as part of the Service’s imported food controls. It is not possible to estimate sample numbers or types for such sampling due to the variability of volumes of imported foods which come through the airport. 3.9. Control and Investigation of Outbreaks and Food Related Infectious Diseases Environment, Housing and Infrastructure works closely with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board Consultants in Public Health Medicine in outbreak control situations and the routine investigation of infectious disease. In addition, the Health Board has produced an outbreak control plan for dealing with major outbreaks of food related illness to which Renfrewshire Council has had a major input. The Business Regulation Team work in partnership with the Public Health Protection Unit at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board to ensure the plan is adhered to. In addition, an outbreak control and investigation of notifications of food borne disease procedure is in place. Present resources within Environment, Housing and Infrastructure are adequate to meet current levels of notification; however, in the event of a major outbreak, any required additional resources would be made available by seconding Environmental Heath Officers and other staff within the service. Page 301 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.10. Food Incidents Food incidents are dealt with in accordance with the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland). Notifications of incidents are received from Food Standards Scotland (FSS) by e-mail, phone or through the online system CLIO. In case of emergencies, an Officer is on stand-by and has contact details for all relevant members of staff. Procedures for food safety incidents are in place and are available to all staff. This allows for alerts to be appropriately actioned, investigations set in motion and warnings issued if necessary. Any enforcement activity which is required in support of an incident is carried out within the terms of the relevant legislation and the Council’s enforcement policy for assuring the safety of food. In addition to responding to notified incidents, Renfrewshire Council will, where necessary, initiate Food Alerts in accordance with Code of Practice Guidance and will liaise with Food Standards Scotland in such situations. 3.11. Health and Safety Interventions The Health and Safety programme for 2025/26 has been drawn up having cognisance to Local Authority Circular, LAC 67/2 (Rev 12) Health & Safety priority planning. (See Table 11) The LAC provides LAs with guidance and tools for priority planning and targeting of interventions taking a proportionate and consistent risk-based approach to enable Renfrewshire Council to meet the requirements of the National Local Enforcement Authority Code (hse.gov.uk) (the Code). Planned regulatory activity is focused on improved outcomes and reduced injuries to employees or members of the public. The Code provides flexibility for LAs to address local priorities alongside the national priorities set by HSE. Table 11 - Health and Safety Priorities 2025/26 Special Interventions Electrical Safety at Hospitality venues with outdoor facilities. Crowd management at large scale public gatherings. Intervention at commercial catering premises using solid fuel cooking equipment where there may be a risk of carbon monoxide exposure due to poor ventilation and unsafe appliances. Intervention in catering establishments using LPG appliances due to risk of explosion. Page 302 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.12. Liaison with Other Organisations To ensure enforcement and other activities carried out by the Service are consistent with neighbouring Authorities and to ensure best practice, Renfrewshire Council actively participates in the West of Scotland Food and Health & Safety Liaison Groups. The groups meet regularly throughout the year and comprise representatives from the fourteen authorities, which previously made up Strathclyde Regional Council, together with representatives from Glasgow Scientific Services, Food Standards Scotland and the Health & Safety Executive. The groups are attended by the Lead Officer- Environmental Health, or a suitable deputy. The Service also has formal and informal links to a range of other organisations and agencies. These Include: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board Association of Port Health Authorities Royal Environmental Health Institute for Scotland Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health in Scotland Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee Health Protection Scotland Food Standards Scotland Health & Safety Executive Glasgow Scientific Services Animal and Plant Health Agency Marine Scotland Border Force H.M. Revenue and Customs APP Scottish Users Group 4. Resources ` 4.1. Financial Allocation The budget detailed below indicates the level of resources available 2025/26 to deliver the necessary services. As highlighted at 3.1 above the resource allocation within the Business Regulation Team is 75% on Food Law enforcement and 25% on Health & Safety enforcement. This split is at the discretion of the Lead Food Officer and can be amended to meet service demands. Page 303 of 450
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PUBLIC Budget 2025/26 Employee Costs £489,000 Supplies and Services £177,000 Travel and Subsistence £0 Training £1600 Total £667,600 Projected Income Source 2025/26 Export Health Certificates £2400 Sales, Fees and Charges £7600 Miscellaneous Income £150 Total £10,150 4.2. Staffing Allocation Within the context of this plan, the allocation of staff is designed to provide an effective enforcement service for Food Law and Occupational Health and Safety at Work on behalf of Renfrewshire Council. All Environmental Health Officers and Food Safety Officers are authorised in accordance with the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) commensurate with their training and experience. A range of additional relevant qualifications are held including: the REHIS Certificate in the Inspection of Meat and Other Foods, Certificate in Nutrition & Health and the REHIS Advanced HACCP or equivalent. Two officers have completed the ISO 9000 Lead Assessors course and 4 current Food Law officers have attended and passed the Official Controls verification Course. In addition, all Environmental Health Officers are authorised under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 due to having obtained the REHIS Diploma in Environmental Health, which is recognised as a suitable qualification for inspectors. One Environmental Health Officer has obtained the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety. The Service secures administrative support from a pool of administrative and support staff in the Council’s Business Support Service. 4.3. Employee Development Plan The Service is committed to ensuring all officers are suitably qualified, trained and remain competent in terms of the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) and in terms of Section 18 of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. This is facilitated by the provision of in-house training, and all employees have the opportunity on a rotation basis to attend relevant external training events. Page 304 of 450
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PUBLIC Any employee attending such a course is required to “cascade” the relevant information accrued as a result of their attendance to other officers. Business Regulation Team meetings are held weekly, where performance, enforcement and other relevant issues are discussed. Matters arising from the quality assessment model for inspections, consistency issues and interpretation issues are discussed. Liaison Group minutes are stored in the staff manual for all officers to use. Relevant points from the Liaison Groups are also discussed at Team meetings. In addition, all staff have full access to, and are trained in the application of policies and procedures, which are a requirement of the framework agreement on local authority food law enforcement. Training records are maintained for each officer. All officers have completed a training needs analysis and will have individual development plans prepared for 2025/26. 5. Quality Assessment 5.1. Quality Assessment & Internal Monitoring The Service has a documented “Internal Monitoring Procedure – Internal Checks” quality assessment model for inspections. The Lead Officer- Environmental Health has primary responsibility for carrying out quality assessments within the Service. The Environmental Health and Community Safety Manager has a secondary responsibility to oversee the performance of the Lead Officer- Environmental Health and to ensure that quality assessments are being carried out consistently throughout the Service. The Internal checks include file checks, one-to-one discussions, team discussions and accompanied inspections. Records of these are retained by the Lead Officer- Environmental Health and the Head of Climate, Public Protection and Roads. This quality assessment model facilitates the Service’s requirement in accordance with annex 2 of the Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) and the Section 18 guidance issued by the HSE to ensure that all staff engaged in enforcement activities retain their competence. The Lead Officer- Environmental Health reviews a monthly report on the performance indicators to ensure that the targets are met. The monthly report also details performance information relating to inspection deadlines, complaints and service requests received and food sampling activity are also monitored. Page 305 of 450
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PUBLIC 6. REVIEW 2024-25 6.1. Review of Food Law Activity Group Band Estimated Total Interventions Actual Interventions 1 A 6 12 1 B 12 9 1 C 7 12 1 D 0 1 1 E 0 0 Total 25 34 Group Band Estimated Total Interventions Actual Interventions 2 A 13 164 2 B 291 175 2 C 276 214 2 D 9 19 2 E 0 15 Total 589 577 Group Band Estimated Total Interventions Actual Interventions 3 A 5 36 3 B 184 115 3 C 65 18 3 D 0 1 3 E 0 0 Total 254 170 Group Actual Interventions Food Standards Only N/A 3 Farms N/A 6 Approved Premises N/A 12 New Business Inspections Group1- Group2- Group3- 5 105 51 Advice visits (new businesses etc) n/a 23 Page 306 of 450
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PUBLIC Group Actual Interventions Food Complaint visit n/a 51 Businesses Ceased Trading Group1- Group2- Group3- 1 141 100 REVISITS 122 Table 9 - Formal Enforcement Notices Type of Notice Total Remedial Action Notice 19 Hygiene Improvement Notice 16 Voluntary Closure 0 TARP Regulation 17 Notice 1 Programmed Food Hygiene Inspections: The Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) states that” Intervention programmes should be planned so that establishments receive an intervention no later than 28 days after the scheduled date as detailed in Annex 5”. During the period 1/4/24 to 31/3/25 1356 Food Law interventions were carried out. Of these 781 were programmed interventions which need to be completed within 28 days specified in the code of practice. 98.1% of these programmed interventions were completed within the 28 days. 1.9% interventions were not completed within the 28 and this was mainly due to access difficulties for example seasonal operation and issues relating to security access for Glasgow Airport. All outstanding visits have now been completed or rescheduled for their operational season. 6.2. Sampling 2024/25 A total of 94 samples were taken during the period 2024/25: 51 for microbiological examination, of which 7 failed and 43 for chemical/ compositional analysis of which 6 failed to meet compositional standards. (See below): Page 307 of 450
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PUBLIC Sample detail Chemical Analysis/Micro biological Examination Reason for failure Sweet Chilli Chicken Breasts chemical Presence of gluten was undeclared Lamb Tikka Burger chemical Presence of gluten was undeclared Roast Beef micro Borderline for Enterobacteriaceae Beef Link chemical Excess fat not labelled Beef Sausage chemical Excess fat not labelled Chicken Mayo Roll micro Borderline for Enterobacteriaceae and borderline for Aerobic bacteria Scotch Pie chemical Below labelled meat content Red Velvet Cheesecake micro Borderline for Enterobacteriaceae Ham & Cheese Sandwich micro Borderline for Enterobacteriaceae Sausage Ready Meal micro Borderline for Enterobacteriaceae Bridie chemical Low meat content Minced Beef micro Borderline for Aerobic bacteria Beef Curry micro Borderline for Aerobic bacteria Where samples were found to be unsatisfactory, visits to the businesses concerned were undertaken by officers, the results discussed, and advice given in respect of how the sample may have failed and how to ensure compliance in future. Where available, resamples were taken. The Sampling Programme including the priorities for 2025/26 are in Appendix 1. Page 308 of 450
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PUBLIC 6.3. Review of Health and safety activity. Review of Health and safety activity. In the year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, the following Health and Safety interventions were undertaken: Intervention Category 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 Accident / incident/Complaint investigations 22 New Premises Interventions 87 Advice visits to Businesses 2 Interventions 147 Revisits 14 Licensing Visits 37 RIDDOR reportable notifications received 76 Total 385 Total number of Health and Safety Notices served 2024/25 Improvement Notices 7 Prohibition Notices 5 Specific Health and Safety Projects/Interventions carried out 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025: Hotel Interventions Interventions were carried out at hotels within the area with the aim of minimising the risk of health and safety incidents. A total of 19 Hotels were visited as part of the intervention. General levels of compliance were satisfactory with three Improvement Notices being served. The first was served on a lack of window restrictors in rooms above ground level. The second was served on the spacing between spindles on stairwells being wider than those provided for in regulation. The final improvement notice was served on an inoperable light within the electrical cupboard. All notices were complied with, requiring no further action. Page 309 of 450
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PUBLIC Craft Bakeries where loose flour is used: Bakeries where staff are at risk of frequent inhalation of loose flour particles were visited in an effort to reduce the risk of occupational asthma. The intervention took place within three bakeries in the area and overall standards were found to be generally satisfactory with no enforcement action required. Legionella controls in hotel water systems: The interventions focused on the control of Legionella within the water systems within hotels. Due to the scope of this subject, it was decided to carry it out as a standalone intervention rather than being combined with the hotel interventions. The three hotels chosen for this intervention were done so on a risk based basis. Recommendations and advice were given to all businesses and follow up checks where defects were noted, were carried out. Residential Care Homes: Residential Care homes received interventions to minimise the risk of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) arising from moving and handling of residents. Recommendations and advice were provided with no formal action being taken. 6.4. Areas for Improvement Officers have been provided with tablets for use whilst carrying out their duties. This is to allow for more efficient processing of administration work during and post visits. The use of the Power BI system will continue during 2025/26 to assist in performance monitoring and review. The electronic filing system continues to be used with more efficient ways of using it being explored. 7. Emerging Issues 2025/26 Food Crime This continues to be a focus for FSS and Food Authorities. It is expected that due to the challenges post pandemic, Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis that there will be an increase in Food Fraudulent activity. This in turn will have resource implications for the service. Food Crime erodes confidence and disempowers consumers. This leads in turn to financial losses, negative economic impact and poses a threat to jobs and exports. Tackling food crime is so Nationally/Internationally important that The Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit (SFCIU) was established and the Business Regulation Team already work closely with this team and will continue to build on the established working relationships with them and other partner Agencies. Page 310 of 450
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PUBLIC Brexit The challenges and uncertainties relating to the UK exit from the EU remain. Officers regularly attend meetings in relation to port issues and discussions continue into inland import checks and the impacts that this may have on the service. Page 311 of 450
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PUBLIC Appendix 1 Climate, Public Protection and Roads BUSINESS REGULATION FOOD SAMPLING PROGRAMME 2025/26 Page 312 of 450
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PUBLIC 8. Introduction The annual sampling programme for 2025-26 is designed to fulfil aims and objectives in line with the Services Food Sampling Policy. The programme outlines the sampling priorities for the year, however it is recognised that circumstances and priorities may change, which require the programme to be flexible in order to respond to these changing circumstances. Most samples are taken informally for the purpose of monitoring, surveillance and information gathering however; formal samples will be taken where enforcement action is anticipated. Environmental Health Officers, Food Safety Officers and other authorised officers are responsible for undertaking the food sampling functions of the Council. At present there is a Service Level Agreement in place with Glasgow City Council to provide analytical services to Renfrewshire Council. The analyst is: Glasgow Scientific Services, Colston Laboratory, 64 Everard Drive, Glasgow, G21 1XG. 9. Approach to Sampling Renfrewshire Council complies with the requirements of the Food Safety (Sampling and Qualifications) Regulations 1990 and the Food Law Code of Practice. The sampling programme for 2025/26 is designed to be more focused on high risk/high value products which are manufactured in Renfrewshire. Focussing on these items will ensure that those which pose the greatest risk to the public of Renfrewshire are adequately controlled. 9.1. Informal Samples An informal sample may be taken covertly, however; the food business operator will always be informed of the results of the sample where this fails. For enforcement purposes formal sampling must be undertaken overtly. 9.2. Formal Samples In accordance with the Council Integrated Enforcement Policy, which promotes action which is consistent, fair and proportionate, formal samples will generally be taken after routine samples have been found to fail statutory requirements and no satisfactory remedial action has been taken. Page 313 of 450
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PUBLIC 9.3. Sampling Priorities Food Standards Scotland and The Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee have identified, through intelligence, the areas deemed to be priorities in terms of sampling. The priority plan considers the Scottish perspective but also takes account of the UK. FSA. priorities. In addition to National priorities, Renfrewshire Council will focus on areas of particular interest to the authority. 9.4. Manufacturing/Approved Premises Renfrewshire Council will continue to concentrate on sampling from manufacturers and approved premises in our area. These premises will be sampled at least annually. Where possible, samples will be taken in advance of Food Hygiene/Food Standards inspections in order to discuss sample results with the food business operator. 9.5. Sampling Plan 2025/26 The sampling plan for 2025/26 outlines the project work to be undertaken by Renfrewshire Council in high-risk areas. The sampling plan is outlined at point 4.0. 9.6. Complaints and Food Borne Disease Investigations In response to complaints and notifications of food borne disease received the service may opt to take samples in order to resolve any issues arising as a result of any investigations. 9.7. Co-ordinated Sampling Where appropriate, the Service will participate in food surveillance programmes arranged by regional and national bodies such as Food Standards Scotland, SFELC and the West of Scotland Food Liaison Group. 9.8. Imported Food In order to monitor the quality, composition and labelling of imported foods, samples of foods imported through Glasgow Airport will be submitted to the Public analyst for examination. Page 314 of 450
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PUBLIC 9.9. Special Investigations There may be circumstances whereby an incident will require special investigation and resources may have to be directed towards dealing with the investigation. In addition, this may involve liaison with other partners including Health Protection Scotland and Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board. 9.10. Sampling Priority Actions The following topics have been identified as priority actions by FSS and will be the subject of sampling activity during 2025/26, along with other local surveillance activities. Description Premises Type Analysis Required Samples agreed Tomatoes Retail Salmonella 1 Ready to eat salad leaves Retail Salmonella, L. mono (detection and enumeration), STEC 1 Beansprouts Retail Salmonella, L. mono (detection and enumeration), STEC 1 Unpasteurised French cheese Retail and Caterers Salmonella, L. mono (detection and enumeration), STEC 1 Sunflower, sesame and chia seeds Retail Salmonella 2 Oat ‘milk’ Retail Bacillus cereus 1 Vegan cheese alternatives Retail Salmonella, L. mono (detection and enumeration) 1 Imported tomatoes and peppers Retail Cadmium 1 Eggs Retail PFAS 1 Dried Figs Retail Aflatoxins, Ochratoxin A 1 Fresh or frozen tuna or mackerel Retail Histamine 2 Page 315 of 450
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PUBLIC Description Premises Type Analysis Required Samples agreed Flaxseed (linseed) Retail Cadmium 2 Magnesium, calcium or iron supplements Retail Accuracy of declaration, Labelling, Health claims 1 Sunflower or rapeseed oil Retail FAME (for authenticity) 1 Garlic powder or granules Retail Peanut and Gluten 1 Dairy-free Indian takeaway meals Caterers Milk 1 9.11. Routine Sampling The project sampling initiatives listed above will be the focus of sampling activities however, in the course of routine work, officers will take samples as appropriate. This sampling will focus on locally produced foods and manufacturing businesses within Renfrewshire. Page 316 of 450
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PUBLIC Appendix 2 Page 317 of 450
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PUBLIC Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1BR Page 318 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Prevent Multi Agency Panel Revised Guidance – Protecting people susceptible to radicalisation ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Prevent Multi Agency Panel (PMAP) is Scotland’s multi-agency process (the England & Wales equivalent is Channel) to provide early, safeguarding- led support to people at risk of being drawn into, supporting, or committing terrorism. It operates under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (CTSA). PMAP sits within the UK wide Prevent duty, which is a legal obligation on specified public bodies such as local authorities to have due regard to the need to prevent individuals from being drawn into terrorism. 1.2 The Prevent agenda is one that has attracted high levels of interest given a number of recent domestic terror linked incidents and as such revised guidance on the application of the PMAP process has been developed by the Home Office and published in August 2025. The revised guidance is attached at Appendix 1 to this report. 1.3 There is no single pathway to being radicalised. There are many factors which can, either alone or combined, lead someone to subscribe to extremist ideology, and thereafter be drawn into terrorism. These factors often include exposure to radicalising influences, real and perceived grievances, and a person’s own susceptibility. One objective of Prevent is to intervene early to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. This means providing bespoke interventions for people who are susceptible to radicalisation. Item 17 CHPB281025 Page 319 of 450
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PUBLIC 1.4 PMAP remains a cornerstone of Prevent in providing early intervention to those who meet the Prevent threshold. While there is no fixed profile of a terrorist, thresholds for accessing Prevent support should be applied to determine whether a person is on a pathway that could lead to becoming a terrorist or supporting terrorism. Only referrals that are subsequently assessed by police as meeting this threshold should be progressed to PMAP. 1.5 The PMAP process is led by local authorities with support from a number of different partner agencies including Police Scotland who assess any initial referral in to the Prevent process. 1.6 The purpose of the revised guidance is to: • Provide guidance for the process and for panel members of PMAP’s • Explain why people may be susceptible to being radicalised into terrorism, committing acts of terrorism or supporting terrorism and describe indicators that suggest terrorism; • Provide guidance on the support that can be provided to safeguard those at risk of being drawn into terrorism; • Explain how a Prevent referral is assessed to ensure only those meeting the Prevent threshold, as met by the Prevent Assessment Framework (PAF) are progressed for support through PMAP. 1.7 Council Officers have reviewed the revised guidance and have incorporated this and updated appropriate procedures to reflect the updated information provided within the guidance. 1.8 Members of the Board will note from the update provided to the Board at its August meeting that the Council received a positive report from the Home Office as part of our annual Prevent self assurance process which commended the Council on areas of good practice. ___________________________________________________________________________ 2 Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 notes the revised guidance and that officers have incorporated the guidance into our PMAP procedures. ______________________________________________________ 3 Background 3.1 Section 36 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 places a duty on local authorities to ensure that a Prevent Multi Agency Panel is in place for their area. This should constitute a single panel, with a single chair, and a single deputy chair covering the needs of both adults and children. 3.2 The panels are likely to be held in relation to one specific individual at a time, where this is manageable, and membership of the panel should be tailored accordingly to cater for the unique susceptibilities associated with those who may be at risk of supporting terrorism or committing terrorist acts. Page 320 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.3 The revised guidance provides a range of partners that the local authority chair may consider as part of the panel process, including; • Social work (including child and adult services and justice social work) Where a child or an adult is in receipt of PMAP support, a social worker from the relevant local authority should be present at the PMAP and be involved in all decision-making • Local NHS Board • Education, including schools, further education, higher education and independent schools • Youth services • Public Protection services (such as child protection and adult support and protection services) • Local authority safeguarding managers In the case of child protection, the Lead Professional should perform the coordination role between any child protection process and PMAP. • Local authority Early Intervention Services • Home Office Border Force and Immigration Enforcement • Housing • Scottish Prison Service, and • Secure accommodation providers 3.4 The revised guidance also provides greater clarity around the roles of each of the PMAP participants and what is expected from each of the members in their role. 4. The PMAP Process 4.1 There is no single way of identifying who is at risk of being radicalised into terrorism or supporting terrorism. Factors may include but are not limited to: • peer or family pressure • influence to support an ideology from other people or via the internet • bullying • being a victim or perpetrator of crime • anti-social behaviour • family tensions • hate crime • lack of self-esteem or identity and • personal or political grievances. 4.2 Prevent referrals are often likely to be made by people who come into contact with those who appear to be at risk of radicalisation, usually following a degree of deliberation on the part of the referrer. Individuals making a referral should follow the ‘Notice, Check, Share’ procedure before making a referral to the police, and should use the national referral form, where possible. Page 321 of 450
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PUBLIC 4.3 Once a referral has been submitted this referral then undergoes a gateway assessment by Police Scotland before considering whether the referral should be considered through the PMAP process. The full process is outlined on page 23 of the revised guidance. This ‘gateway assessment’ draws upon police databases and other information held by partners to determine the level of susceptibility and risk around the referred person, and whether the referral or case is appropriate for Prevent. 4.4 When a PMAP is convened there is a clear expectation that PMAP cases remain open until either of the following: • the panel deems that the terrorism susceptibility has sufficiently reduced to warrant exit, • the terrorism risk has increased, and the case is escalated to the police for consideration, or • consent to access support is not secured or is withdrawn. 4.5 Every case adopted onto PMAP is kept under review and routinely reassessed for any changes to identified susceptibilities and risks in relation to terrorism connected offending. Where the panel has decided to close a case, the person receiving support should receive notification that their case is being closed and that they will no longer receive support through PMAP. This should include confirmation that ongoing support received through mainstream services will be unaffected by this decision. 4.6 All cases which have been adopted by a PMAP must, as a minimum, be reviewed by the panel at least 6 months and 12 months from the point of case closure. 5. Support Mechanisms and Services 5.1 As part of agreeing a full wrap-around package of support for an individual under PMAP, the panel must decide how to connect the person with the support providers. All decision making should be clearly documented and aligned to identified susceptibilities. 5.2 The type of activities that are included in a support package will depend on risk factors, vulnerabilities, and local resource. The support offered should be directly aligned to needs and risks identified within the Prevent assessment, which should include consideration of wider contextual and transitional safeguarding needs. 5.3 The following kinds of support might be considered appropriate: • theological/ideological support – structured sessions using a Home Office approved IP to understand, assess or challenge ideological, theological or fixated thinking, which must be considered for all cases • life skills – work on life skills or social skills generally, such as dealing with peer pressure. • anger management sessions – formal or informal work dealing with anger. Page 322 of 450
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PUBLIC • cognitive/behavioural contact – cognitive behavioural therapies and general work on attitudes and behaviours. • constructive pursuits – supervised or managed constructive leisure activities. • education skills contact – activities focused on education or training. • careers contact – activities focused on employment. • drugs and alcohol awareness – substance misuse interventions. • mentoring – work with a suitable adult as a role model to provide personal guidance or pastoral care. 5.4 The panel takes a collective responsibility approach to ensuring the support packages offered as part of case management are appropriate and decide whether the service provider giving the support is a suitably placed organisation to do so. 5.5 Regular monitoring takes place to ensure that the support package offered continues to be effective and provides the necessary results including the continuation of consent of the individual to stay engaged with the process. 5.6 Officers from the Council will now engage in updated training modules which reflect the revised guidance and incorporate any new learning into our practices and procedures going forward. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – Nil. 2. HR & Organisational Development – Nil. 3. Community/Council Planning – Our Renfrewshire is safe – The revised guidance aims to ensure that vulnerable people are not drawn into terrorism or terrorism related activities by those seeking to exploit those vulnerabilities. 4. Legal – Legal context is outlined in the report. 5. Property/Assets -.Nil. 6. Information Technology – Nil. 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 because for example it is for noting only. Page 323 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 – N/A. 10. Risk – N/A. 11. Privacy Impact – N/A. 12. COSLA Policy Position – N/A. 13. Climate Risk – N/A. 14. Children’s Rights – N/A. _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers – N/A. ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Gerard Hannah, Head of Climate, Public Protection and Roads Email: gerard.hannah@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 324 of 450
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Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance: Protecting people susceptible to radicalisation Page 325 of 450
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© Crown copyright 2025 This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is available at www.gov.uk/official-documents Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at: Home Office Press Office Telephone: 020 7035 3535 ISBN 978-1-916594-10-4 E03417985 05/25 Page 326 of 450
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iiiPrevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance: protecting people susceptible to radicalisation Guidance for Prevent multi-agency panels and partners of local panels. Page 327 of 450
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vPrevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Contents 1. Prevent 2 2. Prevent multi-agency panels 6 Monitoring Prevent multi-agency panel duty compliance 8 Disclosure and confidentiality 10 3. Requirements for Prevent Multi-Agency Panels and partners of a panel 12 Requirements for panels 12 Determining the lead authority for PMAP 14 Governance 15 4. Prevent Multi-Agency Panel roles 16 The Counter Terrorism Case Officer 16 The local authority chair 17 Panel members 19 5. The Prevent Multi-Agency Panel process 20 Identifying people at risk of radicalisation 20 Referral stage 22 Screening and information gathering stage 24 Co-operation by partners of a panel 24 The PMAP process 25 Information sharing 26 Prevent assessment framework 28 Transferring Prevent Multi-Agency Panel cases 28 Case closure 30 Reviewing Prevent Multi-Agency cases 30 Exit reviews 31 Targeted support and case management of people serving custodial sentences 31 Prisons 31 TACT Offenders 31 Children and young people 32 Multi-agency public protection arrangements 32 Desistance and disengagement 32 Police-led partnerships 32 Police investigations 33 Justice social work and youth justice 33 Links with extremist groups 33 6. Prevent Multi-Agency Panel functions 34 Panel meetings 34 Support plans 35 Risk 36 Consent for support 37 Capacity to provide consent 39 When parental consent cannot be obtained 39 Support to address identified susceptibilities 39 Page 328 of 450
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vi Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Monitoring Prevent multi-agency panel support 41 Accessing specialist support 41 Intervention providers 41 Intervention support fund 42 Immigration Enforcement Services 43 Onward referrals to alternative forms of support 43 Sharing good practice 43 7. Training 44 Other local training 45 8. Information requests 46 Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act requests 46 Subject access requests 47 Other information requests 47 Enquiries 47 Participation in research 47 9. Annexes 49 Annex A: Safeguarding 49 Annex B: Sharing information with partners 53 Annex C: Partners required to co-operate with local panels 56 Annex D: Other relevant guidance 57 Annex E: Glossary of Terms 58 Page 329 of 450
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1Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Guidance for members of a panel and partners of local panels in Scotland on the duties under sections 36 and 38 Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and the provision of support for people at risk of radicalisation. Status and scope of the duty 1. This revised guidance replaces the guidance issued in February 2021. It is issued under sections 36(7) and 38(6) of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (the CTSA 2015) to support Prevent multi-agency panel (PMAP) members and partners of local panels. Panel members and partners of local panels must have regard to this guidance. 2. Section 36 of the CTSA 2015 sets out the duty for local authorities and partners of local panels to provide support for people vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. In Scotland, this duty is met through Prevent multi-agency panels. For the purpose of this guidance, the term ‘Prevent multi- agency panels’ (or ‘PMAP’) refers to the local authority led support and the duty as set out in section 36 of the CTSA 2015. This is separate and distinct from police-led Prevent case management. 3. This guidance is specifically aimed at members and partners of local panels involved in the PMAP process. The list of authorities who are ‘partners’ of local panels can be found in Part 2 of Schedule 7 of the CTSA 2015 (and is replicated at Annex C of this guidance). Those authorities are required to co-operate with PMAP in the carrying out of its function under section 36 of the CTSA 2015. The requirements of PMAP are statutory duties and it is recommended that they should be reflected in relevant local policy and guidance. 4. The purpose of this document is to: a. provide guidance for PMAP b. provide guidance for panel partners on PMAP delivery c. explain why people may be susceptible to being radicalised into terrorism, committing acts of terrorism or supporting terrorism and describe indicators that suggest terrorism; d. provide guidance on the support that can be provided to safeguard those at risk of being drawn into terrorism; e. explain how a Prevent referral is assessed to ensure only those meeting the Prevent threshold, as met by the Prevent Assessment Framework (PAF) are progressed for support through PMAP.1 1 The PAF is a new tool used to assess a person’s risk and susceptibilities to radicalisation, their risks of supporting terrorism or committing a terrorist act and their suitability to access Prevent support. United Nations Conventions for Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 5. Section 6 of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 makes it unlawful for a public authority to act, or to fail to act, in a way that is incompatible with the UNCRC requirements. This duty only applies in the context of a “relevant function”2 which does not include functions conferred by Acts of Parliament. The prevent duty and duties on local authorities to set up PMAP are therefore not captured by the requirement to comply with the UNCRC. 2 Under section 6(2) of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, a “relevant function” means a function that is within the competence of the Scottish Parliament to confer on a public authority, which is conferred by an Act of the Scottish Parliament, a Scottish statutory instrument made wholly or (in certain circumstances) partly, under a relevant enabling power or a rule of law not created by an enactment. Page 330 of 450
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2 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Section 1: Prevent 6. The aim of Prevent is to reduce the threat to the UK from terrorism by stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Delivery of Prevent is grounded in early intervention and safeguarding. 7. The UK government remains absolutely committed to protecting freedom of expression, but preventing terrorism will mean challenging extremist ideas that are part of a terrorist ideology, including instances where there is an interest in extreme violence or mass casualty attacks. Prevent also facilitates interventions to stop people moving from extremist activity to terrorist- related activity. 8. Prevent addresses all forms of terrorism and we continue to prioritise our response according to the threat posed to our national security. The most significant of these threats is currently from terrorist activity associated with Islamist extremism. Extreme right–wing ideology is a growing threat. Other ideologies are less present, but still have the potential to motivate and/or be used to justify terrorism. The dominance of individuals or small groups acting without direction or material support from an organised terrorist group, the increasing diversity of terrorist groups overseas, and the societal impacts of technological change remain a concern.3 3 This list is not exhaustive. Risk and threat to the UK is subject to constant review and updated accordingly. 9. Prevent has three objectives in CONTEST:4 4 Counter-terrorism strategy (Contest) 2023 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counter-terrorism- strategy-contest-2023. a. to tackle the ideological causes of terrorism; b. to intervene early to support people to stop them from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism; and c. to rehabilitate those who have engaged in terrorist activity. 10. Prevent continues to monitor emerging radicalisation trends and ideologies to establish whether they represent a terrorism risk or play a role in radicalising people. Practitioners should not only be alert to extremism including certain divisive or intolerant narratives which can be reasonably linked to terrorist ideologies. Information and analysis Page 331 of 450
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3Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance on extremism and terrorist ideologies is available from the Commission for Countering Extremism.5 5 https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/commission-for-countering-extremism/about. 11. Section 26 of the CTSA 2015 places a duty (“the Prevent duty”) on certain bodies in the exercise of their functions to have ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. Separate guidance has been issued on the Prevent duty.6 6 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance-for-specified-authorities-in-scotland/ prevent-duty-guidance-for-scotland-accessible 12. Radicalisation is the process of a person legitimising support for, or use of, terrorist violence. Most people who commit terrorism offences do so of their own agency and dedication to an ideological cause. 13. There is no single pathway to being radicalised. There are many factors which can, either alone or combined, lead someone to subscribe to extremist ideology, and thereafter be drawn into or become an advocate of terrorism. These factors often include exposure to radicalising influences, real and perceived grievances (often created or exacerbated through grievance narratives espoused by extremists), and a person’s own susceptibility. 14. One objective of Prevent is to intervene early to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. This means providing bespoke interventions for people who are susceptible to radicalisation. People might be susceptible to radicalisation due to a number of circumstances, needs, or other underlying factors. It should be noted that there is no single model of a person’s radicalisation journey or single profile of a radicalised person. 15. A person’s susceptibility to radicalisation may be linked to their specific vulnerabilities. A person can be vulnerable if they are in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, risk of abuse or neglect. In many cases, these factors or characteristics are relevant to their susceptibility to radicalisation and to the early intervention approach that is required to divert them away from radicalisation. 16. In other cases, such specific vulnerabilities may not be present or be relevant to their general vulnerability, or susceptibility to being drawn into terrorism or to the early intervention approach required. Not all people susceptible to radicalisation will be a vulnerable person as a result of such factors, and there are other circumstances, needs, or other underlying factors that may make a person susceptible to radicalisation. 17. PMAP remains a cornerstone of Prevent in providing early intervention to those who meet the Prevent threshold. While there is no fixed profile of a terrorist, thresholds for accessing Prevent support should be applied to determine whether a person is on a pathway that could lead to becoming a terrorist or supporting terrorism. Only referrals that are subsequently assessed by police as meeting this threshold should be progressed to PMAP. Page 332 of 450
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4 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance 18. Prevent has adopted three pillars across the Prevent system to ensure consistency across the range of ideologies we deal with: firstly, ensuring that all activity is in support of Prevent objectives; secondly ensuring that activity takes account of the current threat picture; and finally, focussing on training and guidance for Prevent experts and practitioners. For PMAP, this means the adoption of strengthened safeguards at each stage of the Prevent pathway to ensure the application of thresholds is consistently applied. This includes: • At referral stage - the provision of training for frontline professionals and promotion of the national referral form to raise awareness and understanding of what constitutes an appropriate quality referral and how to progress this. This form can be accessed via the Police Scotland Prevent Delivery Unit Contact. • At assessment – the PAF (detailed in paragraphs 97-99) will provide clear standards with routes for progression against which all referrals are assessed by Police Scotland, with training for case officers improving standards and consistent practice. • At case management stage – The PAF extends through the life of PMAP case management so that those in receipt of PMAP support are routinely assessed to ensure they remain appropriate for PMAP or are signposted elsewhere for support where this is not the case. 19. At operational level, the PMAP quality assurance is incorporated into the overall framework for Prevent assessment in Scotland. The framework (detailed in paragraphs 28 to 33) will provide strengthened oversight in the consistent application of thresholds, with direction or targeted support deployed to address identified disparities in operational practice.7 7 A recently commissioned Channel and PMAP outcome evaluation, set to report in 2025 will provide clear evidence of the effectiveness of Channel and PMAP and identify recommendations for improvement. 20. To ensure all Prevent delivery and activity are guided by the threat, decision- making at the strategic leadership level within Homeland Security and Counter Terrorism Policing will be informed by the Security Threat Check (STC). The STC is a series of principles as set out below: a. is this action mindful of the UK’s current terrorism and extremism threat picture? b. is this action proportionate when placed against the UK’s current terrorism and extremism threat picture? c. is this action likely to reduce the threat of terrorism or terrorist-adjacent narratives?8 8 While the Security Threat Check is recommended for Strategic Prevent Boards in the Home Office’s Homeland Security Group (HSG) and for Counter Terrorism Policing, HSG believe that the adoption of these principles could be helpful to inform the decision making of other strategic Prevent Boards, such as, when developing action plans in response to local risk assessments or Counter Terrorism Local Profiles. See guidance on counter-terrorism local profiles – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counter-terrorism-local-profiles-ctlps 21. In Scotland, the STC will be used to guide decisions made within the Prevent Sub Group, a multi-agency governance group providing strategic leadership for Scotland’s approach to diverting people at risk of becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Page 333 of 450
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5Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance 22. A Clear distinction should be made between people who present with a ‘terrorism susceptibility’ requiring PMAP support, and those who pose a ‘terrorism risk’ requiring management by the police. The process for undertaking assessments of risk and vulnerability informs this determination and is kept under review. Should there be an escalation of risk, the police may remove a case from PMAP if appropriate. Practice example 1: ‘supporting those at risk of becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism’ The factors indicating that someone meets the threshold for Prevent and would benefit from PMAP support can be hugely variable. Whilst not exhaustive, this could include cases where people: • are accessing extremist materials; • are espousing scripted ideological narratives; • are demonstrating acute and concerning behaviour changes; • have had potentially traumatic exposure to conflict zones; • are acutely intolerant towards people from different ethnic backgrounds, cultures or other protected traits as defined in the 2010 Equality Act. Other complex needs can play a part in amplifying grievance narratives. The gateway assessment undertaken by police will ultimately determine whether a person is appropriate for consideration by a PMAP. Case study 1: interest in extreme violence or mass casualty attacks • A young person is receiving treatment for depression, which has included suicidal thoughts. • Child and adolescent mental health services support has identified concerns regarding an increasing interest with committing mass casualties at their school, which seems to have increased since receiving an exclusion for violent behaviour. • The young person recently disclosed that they have been engaging in chat rooms where they have been receiving encouragement to carry out these acts. • The desire to cause harm to self and others, interest in mass casualty attacks and potential external influences would make this a suitable case for referral into Prevent. Page 334 of 450
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6 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Section 2: Prevent multi-agency panels 23. The PMAP process was placed on a statutory footing by the CTSA 2015. It focuses on providing support at an early stage to people who are at risk of radicalisation, supporting terrorism or committing terrorist acts. Each local authority in Scotland must ensure that a PMAP is in place, having the specific functions as set out in section 36(4) of the CTSA 2015.9 PMAP uses a multi-agency approach to: 9 See requirement set out in sections 36(1)(a) and (b), and 36(4) of the CTSA 2015. • identify people at risk • assess the nature and extent of that risk • develop the most appropriate support plan for the person concerned 24. The PMAP process provides early support to anyone who is at risk of radicalisation, supporting terrorist organisations, or committing acts of terrorism regardless of age, faith, ethnicity or background. People can receive support before they begin on, or once they are on a trajectory towards participating in terrorist-related activity. Cases should not be adopted onto PMAP where no such terrorism concerns exist.10 10 Terrorism relates to any terrorism connected offending, as per the breadth of UK terrorism legislation (including, but not limited to, the CTSA 2015, the Terrorism Act 2000 and amendments, the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011 and the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019) 25. The success of the PMAP process is dependent on the co-operation and coordinated activity of partners. It works best when the person and their families engage and are supported consistently. Further information relating to consent for PMAP support and engaging the individual can be found in Section 6 of this guidance. Page 335 of 450
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7Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance 26. The local authority and/or police coordinate activity by requesting relevant information from panel partners about a referred person. The police will use this information to make an initial assessment of the nature and extent of the concerns. The information will then be presented to a PMAP once the Section 36 decision has been made. 27. The PMAP duty is intended to secure effective local co-operation and delivery of the PMAP process in all areas and to build on the good practice already operating in many areas. In practice this means: • local authorities will have a PMAP in their area • the local authority will appoint the PMAP chair and deputy chair • the panel will develop a support plan for people accepted as PMAP cases • there will be a need to ensure that the PMAP process is linked in with any safeguarding arrangements that the individual is being supported/ managed with • where a child has been accepted as a PMAP case there must be a Child’s Plan in place to provide comprehensive support to them and their family, ensuring that any interventions delivered through PMAP are integrated into the Child’s Plan where appropriate. This should not extend to the storing of PMAP documentation (e.g. IP reports) on safeguarding systems • where PMAP is not appropriate, the panel will consider alternative forms of support, including health and social work services (with reference to any arrangements that the individual is being supported/managed with, where in place) • the panel will ensure that other public protection processes, such as, child protection or adult protection (which can run in parallel with, but not instead of, PMAP) are linked to the PMAP process where appropriate • the panel will ensure accurate records are kept detailing the support plan, agreed actions, decision-making and outcomes and ensure these are securely stored according with local practices • all partners of a panel (as specified in Part 2 of Schedule 7 of the CTSA 2015), as far as is appropriate and reasonably practicable, will co- operate with the police and the panel in the carrying out of their functions Page 336 of 450
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8 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Monitoring Prevent multi-agency panel duty compliance 28. Sections 36(7) and 38(6) of the CTSA 2015 require panels and partners to have regard to this guidance in both the exercising of panel functions and in cooperation with the panel and the police in carrying out their functions. Under section 30 of the CTSA 2015, where a specified authority has failed to discharge the duty imposed on it by section 26(1), (the Prevent duty) the Secretary of State has a power to give directions to that authority for the purpose of enforcing the performance of the duty. 29. National learning has highlighted the importance of compliance with PMAP processes to reduce the risks of people being radicalised or supporting terrorism. Monitoring and oversight responsibilities should sit as part of local governance arrangements within the local authority. These requirements are detailed further in Section 3 of this guidance. 30. Support and direction to panels and panel members will be provided by the UK and Scottish Governments to strengthen the consistency of operational practice across the UK. The framework for this support and direction includes: • undertaking PMAP observations • providing section 30 directions in exercising panel functions11 11 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/6/section/30 • providing advice and support • panel member or chair training • undertaking Prevent learning reviews to identify national learning and implement recommendations for improvement 31. Where Prevent activity has fallen short of the standards set out in this guidance, practitioners and the public may raise concerns through existing sector processes or the independent complaints function.12 12 The establishment of a Prevent standards and compliance unit was recommended in the Independent Review of Prevent. This recommendation was accepted and the new complaints function – now live. Make a complaint about Prevent - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 32. Local authorities can be supported in establishing regional PMAP peer networks, to share good practice and provide an additional source of advice and mutual support. 33. Where a review is commissioned involving a person supported through PMAP, input from local Prevent practitioners, including the PMAP chair and Police Scotland should be sought to support the identification of practice improvements and shared learning. In these instances, the Home Office and Scottish government should be notified (via Police Scotland).13 Report findings, detailing recommendations and any identified learning should also be forwarded. Where terrorism offences or incidents of serious violence are committed by people with a Prevent history and the statutory review process is not triggered, a Prevent learning review may be undertaken by the Home Office to identify national learning and drive system improvement. Those leading on conducting the Prevent learning review should, as far as possible, ensure that it aligns with other reviews taking place and does not duplicate. 13 Pathways for commissioning can include: Significant Case Review, Child or Adult Protection Committees undertaking learning reviews, serious incident review, serious adverse events review for health etc. Page 337 of 450
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9Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Practice example 2: monitoring compliance • A newly appointed employee has adopted PMAP chair responsibilities in a local authority area and has observed that panel processes do not align with the national guidance. • A self-assessment is completed with input from panel members and external input is sought from the Scottish Government and Home Office Quality Assurance team to observe the PMAP meeting. • Recommendations for improvement are made which, along with identified areas for development within the assurance statement, are used to agree an improvement plan. Practice example 3: monitoring compliance An area has had no live PMAP cases for 10 months, although data checks highlight that referrals are in line with the national average. A member of the Home Office Channel Quality Assurance team attends a PMAP meeting to observe and identifies that the referrals presented for panel consideration generally met the threshold for accessing PMAP support, however, there is a reluctance from panel members to adopt cases due to perceived stigmatisation of people. Referrals are instead re-directed to alternative case management forums for discussion. The Home Office observer makes recommendations for immediate application and suggests access to available training. The progression of referrals is monitored at the Home Office for a period with a view to offering further support if needed. An audit of non-adopted referrals is undertaken where these did not progress to police management. The Home Office works with Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters to share any concerns and agree necessary steps for improvement in partnership with the local authority and police. Page 338 of 450
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10 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Disclosure and confidentiality 34. The PMAP process is a voluntary programme where the person consents to receive support to address their terrorism susceptibilities and reduce the risk to them. People should not be subject to any negative consequences as a result of their involvement in the PMAP process (unless criminality subsequently becomes apparent). Where a Prevent referral is adopted onto PMAP, insofar as possible, details of those interventions should remain confidential and should not be routinely disclosed outside the partners involved in the PMAP process. 35. While PMAP is a confidential and voluntary process, information shared for the purposes of PMAP may be subject to disclosure to a third party when it is legal and proportionate to do so, e.g. to a Sheriff court. This must be judged in the individual case. 36. Where a case also triggers safeguarding thresholds or where concerns arise involving people in positions of trust, the relevant onward referral to local safeguarding processes should be made. For cases involving people in positions of trust, the chair will need to balance confidentiality with wider safeguarding concerns and may consider on a case- by-case basis whether there is a need to notify relevant contacts (including a person’s employer) when it is appropriate and necessary. 37. Information relating to a person’s PMAP support package, for example PMAP minutes or Intervention Provider (IP) reports, may be subject to disclosure where there is a legal requirement to do so or the law enables the disclosure to be made and the necessary conditions are met. Requests for disclosing PMAP documentation can come from several sources, including: • courts and tribunals • the Police Investigations & Review Commissioner • the Procurator Fiscal • the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) Appropriate and relevant information can be shared with SCRA where it meets data protection requirements; consideration also needs to be taken in relation to confidentiality. • individuals (as Subject Access Requests) 38. While documents such as the PAF will be controlled by the Counter Terrorism Case Officer (CTCO), members of the PMAP who receive this document may need to disclose it if required. Document disclosure should be with the agreement of the authoring organisation on advice from local information governance and legal teams. Local authorities should only hold a record of the PMAP minutes and safeguarding plan. The PAF, IP reports and all other relevant documents should not be stored on internal systems. These will all be stored securely by Police Scotland and when shared will be clearly marked that these must not be retained and stored by any other partner. The PMAP chair is responsible for ensuring that anything generated from a PMAP is managed and stored appropriately and securely and for ensuring this is clear to all panel members. Page 339 of 450
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11Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance 39. Where a request to disclose information is received, the purpose of the disclosure should be specified and recorded in all cases. Before disclosure is made, the request should be carefully considered to establish whether it is appropriate to disclose all or some of the information sought in all the circumstances. An informed decision should be made about how much information to disclose. In conjunction with local information governance and legal teams, consideration should be given as to what information would be lawful and appropriate to share. There should be a lawful basis for sharing information and it must be necessary and proportionate to do so. Further details are provided in Annex B. 40. PMAP partners should read a confidentiality declaration at the start of each meeting to ensure they understand and agree these principles of confidentiality. The minutes must reflect the panel members’ agreement to the confidentiality statement, which should include those partners inputting virtually. Page 340 of 450
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12 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Section 3: Requirements for Prevent multi-agency panels and partners of a panel Requirements for panels 41. Section 36 of the CTSA 2015 places a duty on local authorities to ensure that a PMAP is in place for their area. This should constitute a single panel, with a single chair, and a single deputy chair covering the needs of both adults and children. In Scotland, panels are likely to be held in relation to one specific individual at a time, where this is manageable, and membership of the panel should be tailored accordingly. The local authority PMAP chair and panel members should have confidence that their arrangements are appropriate to cater for the unique susceptibilities associated with those who may be at risk of supporting terrorism or committing terrorist acts. 42. As a minimum, the local authority should ensure these meetings are attended and administrated appropriately. The PMAP chair should have the contact details of relevant local partners within their area to aid their ability to call meetings at short notice if required. 43. Section 37(5) of the CTSA 2015 requires PMAP to be chaired by the responsible local authority (that is, the authority responsible for ensuring a panel is in place). Chairs and deputy chairs should therefore both be a senior local authority officer with the capacity to chair regular meetings as required. Members of the panel must include the responsible local authority and a police officer from a police area in whole or in any part of that local authority. 14 14 See section 37(1) of the CTSA 2015 The local authority and the police have shared responsibility for the PMAP process in their area. For these purposes, a local authority Page 341 of 450
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13Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance in Scotland is defined as a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994.15 15 See section 41(1) of the CTSA 2015 44. Section 38 of the CTSA 2015 places a duty on all partners of a panel, as far as is appropriate and reasonably practicable, to cooperate with the police and the panel in carrying out their functions under the CTSA 2015.16 The local authority chair and the police must be present at each panel as will other members as determined by the responsible local authority (see section 37(4)). Part 2 of Schedule 7 of the CTSA 2015 lists the partners required to cooperate with the panel. If the responsible local authority chooses one of the Schedule 7 partners to be a member of the panel, there is an expectation that the partner will agree to sit on the panel if requested to do so. 16 Partners required to co-operate with the panel are set out in Part 2 of Schedule 7 of the CTSA 2015 and replicated at Annex C of this guidance. 45. A panel may also include such other persons as the local authority considers appropriate.17 Depending on the nature of the referral, representatives from the following groups may be requested to sit on the panel (this is not exhaustive): 17 Section 37(4) of the CTSA 2015 • Social work (including child and adult services and justice social work)18 18 Where a child or an adult is in receipt of PMAP support, a social worker from the relevant local authority should be present at the PMAP and be involved in all decision-making. • Local NHS Board • Education, including schools, further education, higher education and independent schools • Youth services • Public Protection services (such as child protection and adult support and protection services) • Local authority safeguarding managers19 19 In the case of child protection, the Lead Professional should perform the coordination role between any child protection process and PMAP. • Local authority Early Intervention Services • Home Office Border Force and Immigration Enforcement • Housing • Scottish Prison Service • Secure accommodation providers 46. Organisations that are not panel partners or specified authorities under CTSA 2015 may also be expected to engage with the PMAP for the area if required. 47. Throughout the PMAP process, alignment and coordination with other safeguarding processes should be considered by the panel to address any wider safeguarding needs. Details of additional safeguarding processes are provided at Annex A of this guidance. Page 342 of 450
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14 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Determining the lead authority for PMAP 48. If a case involves two or more local authority areas (for example, if the person lives in one authority but works or attends education in another or, if a looked-after child,20 is the responsibility of one authority but housed in another), it is expected that the lead authority for the purposes of PMAP is the authority in which the person is living, as the person will draw on services local to their place of residence. Policing responsibilities include managing risk in their respective policing area. However, there may be exceptions to this, where the child is in secure care accommodation, but has no connection to the local area so an element of discretion can be afforded in these instances. 20 Looked-after children includes those children and young people on Compulsory Supervision Orders who may reside at home. 49. This should not be affected by the person being temporarily absent from the area. Where people are temporarily placed outside of their normal place of residence, the placing authority should retain responsibility for convening the panel, including where the individual is in the prison estate outside of the area where they are ordinarily resident.21 Where an adult is deemed to be of no settled residence, the lead authority for PMAP is then the authority where they are physically present. 21 Temporary or accidental absences, including for example holidays or hospital visits in another area, or if the person is accommodated in another area (including within the prison estate), do not necessarily break the continuity of ordinary residence, and local authorities should take this into account. Case study 2: residency and lead authority example • A 12-year-old child is the subject of a Compulsory Supervision Order with the implementing authority named as area A, but has been placed in accommodation in area B. • The accommodation provider has submitted a referral following concerns that the child is being influenced by radicalisers at school. • The referral is progressed in area B, where the child now resides and is adopted by a PMAP. Social work services in area A provide consent for the child to receive PMAP support. • The child’s social worker in area A attends or reports into the PMAP meetings and ensures the care plan is revised and updated, progressing any social work actions as needed. • Other interventions, such as input from school and mental health support, are provided through area B. • Area B can raise any concerns it has about the care plan direct with social work services in area A. • Contact was made with the school to consider additional referrals and school support in relation to tackling the radicalising influences present there. Page 343 of 450
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15Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Governance 50. PMAPs are most effective when clear governance processes are in place to provide local oversight and ensure accountability. Each local authority area should determine the most appropriate governance arrangements for its PMAP. 51. Governance may include assessing compliance with PMAP duty requirements, overseeing implementation of development plans and assessing referral data and anonymised case studies to monitor performance. To ensure clear lines of accountability are maintained, it is recommended that the chair for strategic governance must not hold responsibility for elements of PMAP oversight or delivery. A process of escalation (usually to the local authority Chief Executive, who should have ultimate oversight of the functioning of PMAP), should also be agreed and disseminated to panel members, enabling concerns relating to the form or function of the PMAP in the area to be raised. 52. Details of how to raise Prevent concerns or refer someone for assessment and to receive support should be promoted locally by the local authority and partners. Where there are concerns that someone is either being radicalised or may be at risk of radicalisation, or there is a risk of them supporting terrorism or committing a terrorist act, a referral should be made to the police using the National Prevent Referral Form for assessment to determine whether support is required.22 Questions or queries about Prevent- related concerns can be directed to the local authority Prevent Single Point of Contact (Prevent SPOC). 22 Additional information can also be found on the ACT website (www.actearly.uk) and Get help for radicalisation concerns – GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-if-youre-worried-about-someone-being-radicalised Page 344 of 450
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16 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Section 4: Prevent multi-agency panel roles The Counter Terrorism Case Officer 53. For the purpose of this guidance, any reference to the ‘Counter Terrorism Case Officer’ (CTCO) refers to a police officer from the Prevent Delivery Unit (PDU) within Police Scotland, who is responsible for the management of PMAP cases. 54. All CTCOs are responsible for: • managing referrals and cases through the PMAP process in accordance with the PMAP guidance and case management principles • ensuring that referrals are dealt with swiftly and, where appropriate, brought to the attention of the PMAP as soon as possible • ensuring case information is kept up to date, accurately recorded and retained • completing the initial PAF and sharing it with PMAP partners • regularly reviewing and amending the PAF as a case progresses to accurately reflect all relevant Prevent concerns and terrorism risk. • assessing any escalating risk associated with the person’s potential involvement in terror related activity and transferring cases to the police-led partnership or into Pursue, where appropriate23 23 Pursue is a strand of CONTEST 2023 aimed at stopping terrorist attacks in this country and against UK interests overseas. Further information on police-led partnerships is detailed in paragraph 121. 55. The CTCO should attend every PMAP meeting. The chair should also consider the value of having local policing as standing members to add local context and provide local support and tactical options. Page 345 of 450
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17Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance The local authority chair 56. Section 37(2) of the CTSA 2015 stipulates requirements relating to the local authority and police representatives. The local authority representative, the PMAP chair, should be a single designated officer within the responsible local authority. 57. The function of chairing a PMAP is a significant responsibility and as such the local authority chair should be a person that has the required skills and experience.24 In practice, the local authority Chief Executive should be satisfied of this and ensure that the PMAP chair has sufficient capacity and resources to fulfil their functions. There is no expectation that the PMAP chair be a subject matter expert in child or adult protection, but they should be an officer with the appropriate authority to facilitate the engagement of multi-agency partners and the direction of their resources to help deliver the support plan. To build resilience into the process, a deputy chair role should also be designated to a local authority officer of similar standing to the chair. Assurance will be requested from the local authority via a process coordinated by the Home Office and Scottish Government. This process will seek to confirm who the local authority chair/deputy chair is and to confirm suitable arrangements are in place to meet the requirements set out in this guidance. Any changes to the officers fulfilling these roles should be notified to the Home Office and Scottish Government. Providing assurance may require the local authority PMAP lead to engage with different agencies to ensure appropriate awareness and capability to meet requirements of the duty. 24 See section 37(2) of the CTSA 2015, which stipulates that both the local authority and police must be represented on the PMAP by an individual with the required skills and experience. 58. To enable the chair and deputy chair to take full ownership of the PMAP process and apply appropriate challenge where necessary, neither role should hold line management responsibility for officers leading PMAP case management delivery, nor hold responsibility for strategic governance to which PMAP is accountable. As a minimum, when appointing the Chair and deputy Chair, the following core competencies should be applied to ensure PMAP and chair responsibilities are fulfilled to a consistently high standard: • holding sufficient authority to direct multi-agency delivery • having previous experience in chairing multi-agency meetings • having a sound understanding of the PMAP process, within the context of Prevent and CONTEST • not holding responsibility for PMAP strategic governance • a commitment to complete training as required • having capacity to hold regular meetings when required 59. While not mandatory, it is recommended that chairs and deputy chairs of PMAP acquire UK National Vetting clearance at ‘Security Check’ (SC) level to enable the police to share more sensitive information with them as part of their PMAP responsibilities and to strengthen local authority involvement in police-led partnership case management. Requests for security clearance vetting should be directed to the Scottish Government, which will liaise with the Home Office regarding such requests. Page 346 of 450
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18 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance 60. The PMAP chair is responsible for: • having oversight of all PMAP cases in their area • ensuring that the appropriate representatives are invited to each meeting as panel members • establishing effective relationships to ensure effective cooperation over information sharing, attendance at panel meetings and delivery of support 25 25 This includes ensuring that where the person is in education, the education setting is invited to be a participant in the PMAP process. Additionally, when a participant is involved in education and then changes education setting, the new education setting is invited to join the panel and contribute to the support. • ensuring a person (independent of PMAP membership) is available at each panel meeting to take minutes • establishing the appropriate support plan for identified people, which takes account of wider family context and needs by using the expertise of the panel • ensuring that susceptibility of people at risk of radicalisation are assessed by the panel and accurately reflected in PMAP minutes • putting an effective support plan in place and ensuring consent is sought from the person (or their representative) before PMAP support is accessed • tasking the most appropriate panel member to update the person and families on progress, where appropriate; • ensuring people and/or organisations on the panel carry out their elements of the support plan, holding partners to account where necessary through proactive management of actions, enquiries and interventions • ensuring all panel discussions, decisions and the rationale for decisions are accurately reflected within the PMAP minutes • ensuring draft minutes are circulated to all core panel members for review and are approved by the panel at the next scheduled meeting • ensuring appropriate information exchange occurs where people transfer between services • ensuring the panel functions effectively to address identified susceptibility • actively addressing or escalating issues of non-engagement within partner organisations or concerns relating to local PMAP form or function through local governance arrangements where needed • applying professional judgment and providing the casting vote on the adoption of cases and panel decisions where there is no consensus and no clear majority among panel members • highlighting and requesting that identified gaps in local service provision are considered by Commissioners; • putting information sharing arrangements in place for the panel in compliance with the Data Protection legislation, in partnership with local information governance and legal teams26 26 The UK GDPR and DPA 2018 are the principal pieces of legislation governing the processing of data relating to individuals. Further details can be found in Annex B of this guidance. • liaising with other local authority teams (such as child and adult protection) if appropriate, to ensure that PMAP support is aligned and coordinated with other safeguarding processes Page 347 of 450
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19Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance • where the PMAP chair is not the local authority Prevent SPOC, ensuring close liaison with the Prevent SPOC 61. The chair should be briefed by the CTCO before the panel to aid agenda setting, support meeting preparations and identify which panel members should be in attendance. The pre-brief must only be used to provide a summary of referrals for consideration at the panel. It should be concise, brief and must not be treated as a decision-making forum or a filter for considering PMAP referrals. Panel members 62. Multi-agency involvement in the PMAP process is essential to ensure that people at risk of radicalisation have access to a wide range of support, from specialist services to diversionary activities. It also ensures the full range of information is accessible to the panel, so that ideological drivers, risk, vulnerabilities and support needs can be fully assessed. 63. Panel members have a responsibility to work collaboratively with the chair and panel partners to help mitigate identified risk and susceptibilities. This will include attending panel meetings as required, contributing towards the support plan, and sharing information as necessary and proportionate to the effective working of the panel (in line with the panel’s locally agreed information sharing agreement). Panel members should ascertain what other multi-agency involvement is already in place to support the person or their immediate family and ensure that these processes are coordinated. Where possible, membership of PMAP for a particular person should be consistent to ensure effective management of cases. 64. Panel members attend the local PMAP not as experts in counter-terrorism, but as experts in their respective profession and the local service and support provision. Membership should be tailored to the individual case. 65. Part 2 of Schedule 7 of the CTSA 2015 sets out the partners required to cooperate with local panels in Scotland (see Annex C), though membership of panels should be tailored to reflect local provision. Practitioners should draw on sector-based guidance where this exists. 66. Where the case involves a serving member of the armed forces, an appropriate representative from that service, familiar with the person’s circumstances, may be invited to attend. This would be subject to getting consent from the person receiving support. Where the case involves an individual convicted of a crime, and made subject to supervision the relevant Justice Social Worker should attend. Page 348 of 450
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20 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Section 5: The Prevent multi-agency panel process Identifying people at risk of radicalisation 67. There is no single way of identifying who is at risk of being radicalised into terrorism or supporting terrorism. Factors may include: • peer or family pressure • influence to support an ideology from other people or via the internet • bullying • being a victim or perpetrator of crime • anti-social behaviour • family tensions • hate crime • lack of self-esteem or identity • personal or political grievances 68. All CTCOs and local authorities should develop effective links between services, such as the education sector, social work services, health, children and youth services, justice services and credible community organisations, so services are well placed to identify and refer people at risk of being radicalised into committing terrorist acts or supporting terrorism. 69. CTCOs and local authorities should use their existing networks to highlight the importance of protecting those who are susceptible to radicalisation and raise awareness about how PMAP can offer support. Details of available training for practitioners are provided in section 7 of this guidance. It is not expected that panel members, or professionals making a referral, are experts in terrorism or radicalisation, however, they should be experienced practitioners in their own field. 70. When assessing terrorism susceptibility, consideration should be given to wider safeguarding principles, and the full range of relevant indicators, influencing factors and relationships that may have Page 349 of 450
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21Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance an impact on a person’s level of risk, individual agency and any associated vulnerabilities. This may include direct contact with extremists, community, family influences or the influence of wider networks, or materials sourced via online or social media platforms. The panel should consider alignment and coordination with other support structures available to address wider safeguarding needs. 71. PMAP can run in parallel with, but must not be replaced by, other safeguarding meetings if relevant safeguarding thresholds have been met. The PMAP chair should ensure that there is sufficient information available about the safeguarding process to ensure that the PMAP process is aligned with it. It is likely that in most cases this will be achieved by the PMAP chair ensuring that appropriate individuals involved in the safeguarding process attend the PMAP.27 Details of additional safeguarding guidance are provided in Annex A. 27 For Child Protection issues, the individual attending PMAP would be the allocated social worker and team lead. Case study 3: wider safeguarding and variation in support package • A 15-year-old pupil began receiving support through PMAP following a Prevent referral from their school. • The pupil had disclosed making plans to travel to continental Europe after becoming fixated on an extreme right-wing group based there. • Further discussions revealed the pupil was being influenced by a third party with known links to this group. • Enquiries were ongoing with police to identify the third party. • Initial support centred on reducing the immediate risk of travel with an emergency PMAP meeting convened between the PMAP chair, social work services and police to consider the necessary legal safeguards to do this. • The resulting support plan accounts for changes in situation, with the sequencing of interventions informed by need and responsiveness to the support provided.28 28 There is no time limit linked to the provision of PMAP support. Cases should remain open until the panel is satisfied that the terrorism concerns have been sufficiently reduced or managed. • Parents were engaged with planned support and were updated on progress. Page 350 of 450
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22 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Risk indicators/ protective factors Intervention Provider Sequencing Over-identification with group, cause or ideology Travel restrictions put in place Social work services/ police First Susceptibility to indoctrination Ideological support provided Home Office approved Intervention Provider (IP)29 29 Information about Home Office Intervention Providers (IPs) are detailed in paragraphs 163 to 166. Second Strengthen parental protective factors Parental training provided on internet awareness Early Intervention Services Third Grievance/injustice Advice on Further Education options Education/ social work services Fourth Grievance/injustice Pastoral support provided School Fifth Susceptibility to indoctrination IP sessions resumed for a short period to re-assess ideological drivers and identify potential disguised compliance after third party influence resumed Home Office approved IP Sixth Referral stage 72. Prevent referrals are often likely to be made by people who come into contact with those who appear to be at risk of radicalisation, usually following a degree of deliberation on the part of the referrer. Individuals making a referral should follow the ‘Notice, Check, Share’ procedure before making a referral to the police, and should use the national referral form30, where possible.31 30 The National Referral Form can be accessed on the Scottish Knowledge Hub Page. 31 ‘Notice, Check, Share’ is the initial procedure applied when there is a concern that someone might be at risk of radicalisation. Details are provided in the Home Office training accessed via https://www.elearning.prevent. homeoffice.gov.uk/ 73. Where a Prevent referral is made, it is good practice for the referrer to be contacted by the CTCO where it is appropriate to do so. This may be in instances where clarification is needed on aspects of the referral or to be advised on the outcome of their referral. 74. A Prevent referral can only be considered if it is progressed through the pathway detailed in diagram 1.0. Page 351 of 450
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23Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Diagram 1.0 Exit route Signposting to other services OR Increase in risk escalated to Police-led space OR Non-consent OR No susceptibility/ reduction in risk Notice Check Prevent referral Decision to adopt or reject at first panel Information gathering ~ 5 working days from request pre-panel Consent visit undertaken by most appropriate agency no later than at point of offering support Formal act of directing Prevent referral to PMAP Share Police decision PMAP case officer decision PMAP decision All adopted cases will be subject to review at least 6 and 12 months from closure PMAP meetings held monthly ~ referrals for consideration, live case, or cases for review Consent secured in advance of support being accessed Counter terrorism intelligence assessment and deconfliction Police Gateway Assessment (PGA) Multi-agency information gathering Section 36 decision Consideration at panel Gain consent to receive support 6 and 12 month review PMAP support plan developed PMAP support provided Impact of support and vulnerability reviewed Handover to lead professional Closure notification to individual/ family (where appropriate) Interventions completed Risk mitigated Case closed Prevent Assessment Framework (PAF) in use throughout Amends made, client to check alt-text Page 352 of 450
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24 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Screening and information gathering stage 75. The primary route for individuals identified as having Prevent relevant concerns is support through PMAP. 76. All Prevent referrals are triaged in the first instance by specialist police officers. These officers determine whether there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a person is at risk of radicalisation, and therefore appropriate for support through Prevent. This ‘gateway assessment’ draws upon police databases and other information held by partners to determine the level of susceptibility and risk around the referred person, and whether the referral or case is appropriate for Prevent. 77. If the initial information received through the referral shows there is not a susceptibility that puts the person at risk of radicalisation or supporting terrorism, then the case is not suitable for PMAP. The CTCO will refer the person to other more appropriate support services. The reasons for that referral and details of onward signposting must be recorded appropriately. This will ensure that only those referrals where there is a genuine concern of this kind are progressed to a PMAP. 78. Those whom the police reasonably suspect pose a serious or imminent risk of terrorism offending are unlikely to be recommended for support through PMAP. Depending upon the type and level of terrorism risk identified by police, these cases may be accepted for management in the police-led partnership or escalated into the Pursue space. 79. The gateway assessment should determine the most appropriate forum to discuss the referral. Those that are appropriate for consideration at PMAP are subject to a further, more detailed Prevent assessment led by the CTCO. The PAF is informed by information sharing with wider PMAP partners and must be circulated to PMAP members in advance of the meeting. As part of this more detailed assessment, the local authority should ascertain to what extent services are already involved with the person, including through immediate family, and liaise with relevant teams to ensure other public protection processes are aligned with the PMAP process, where appropriate. 80. If, following completion of the gateway assessment and multi-agency information gathering, the referral is deemed to be appropriate for consideration at PMAP, a decision under section 36(3) is made to refer the person to the panel (the ‘section 36 decision’).32 Once the section 36 decision is made, the referral should be treated as a local authority led PMAP case and be recorded accordingly. The CTCO should be in receipt of, or as a minimum, sighted on, partner responses to the request for information. All minutes of PMAP meetings must be recorded appropriately. There will be an expectation that the local authority will cooperate with these requests. 32 The Section 36 decision is normally delegated to a designated officer. Co-operation by partners of a panel 81. Partners of a panel may be requested to provide information about the person to the CTCO during the information gathering stage. It is considered good practice for the panel to draft a local information sharing agreement to expedite the appropriate sharing of information. A template for local Page 353 of 450
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25Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance adaptation is available on the Knowledge Hub. Membership of the Knowledge Hub can be requested through Scottish Government. 82. Section 38 CTSA 2015 requires the partners listed in Schedule 7 to co-operate with the panel and police including providing any relevant information so that they can determine whether a person is at risk of committing or supporting terrorism.33 Partners are expected to respond to the CTCO within five working days of receipt of any information requests. 33 See section 38 of the CTSA and Part 2 of Schedule 7 for the list of statutory partners. The PMAP process 83. The PMAP must decide whether or not to adopt the case for every referral presented for consideration. This should include adopting cases while an approach is made to source an individual’s consent for support or where further information gathering is undertaken. A decision on case adoption must be made. Decisions must not be deferred, nor referrals held for a period of ‘monitoring’ by panels without adoption. 84. Where a decision is made to adopt, the most appropriate agency should be identified to seek consent34 to access PMAP support (as outlined in paragraphs 146 to 151), and the panel can begin considering the provision of support aligned with factors identified within the PAF. Where this involves under 18s, the consent of their parent or guardian is required. 34 Further information on consent is detailed in paragraphs 146-154. 85. Where consent is secured, the panel will develop a support plan (in line with requirements detailed within paragraphs 135 to 136), and sequence support interventions to reflect both need and risk. There is a clear expectation that PMAP cases remain open until either of the following: • the panel deems that the terrorism susceptibility has sufficiently reduced to warrant exit • the terrorism risk has increased, and the case is escalated to the police for consideration • consent to access support is not secured or is withdrawn 86. The panel may also determine whether contact with the referee is needed during the provision of case support, to advise them on either the outcome of their referral or provided with advice on any continuing engagement with the person concerned. In these instances, the panel should determine which professionals are best placed to have those discussions. Assurances should be given that re- referrals can be made where concerns continue or escalate. 87. Every case adopted onto PMAP is kept under review and routinely re- assessed for any changes to identified susceptibilities and risks in relation to terrorism connected offending. If there is an escalation of risk, where deemed appropriate, the police may transfer a case from PMAP into the police-led partnership management or escalate it into Pursue. 88. Where consent is not secured within three months, the case will need to be closed to PMAP. Police will need to consider whether sufficient concerns remain for escalation to police-led partnership (see paragraph 121) or for an onward referral to appropriate services. Page 354 of 450
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26 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Information sharing 89. The partners of a panel must co-operate with the panel and the police in carrying out their functions for PMAP. The duty to co-operate extends only as far as is compatible with the partners’ functions provided by law. Compliance with the duty does not require or authorise the making of a disclosure that would contravene the data protection legislation and it is important to consult local organisational information governance leads and legal advisors as appropriate. 90. The data protection legislation is not a barrier to justified information sharing, but instead provides a framework for sharing personal data lawfully, securely and appropriately. Under the data protection legislation, there must be a lawful basis to process (e.g. share) personal data – for example, when fulfilling a statutory function such as that set out in section 36 CTSA 2015. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website provides guidance on the data protection legislation and, for convenience, a copy of its guidance on lawful basis can be found in Annex B. 91. When requesting information from or sharing information with partners, the basis for making the request should be stated clearly. When responding to a request to share information, the grounds for doing so must be legitimate and in accordance with the law (see Annex B). Information should only be used for a purpose compatible with the purpose for which it was processed originally. 92. Information shared for the purposes of PMAP will often include special category data. There are further requirements for the lawful processing of such data under the data protection legislation. Further information is detailed in Annex B. 93. Consent to share information is distinct from consent to receive support. These two issues should not be conflated or treated as a single consent. Even where it seems that consent to share personal data has been given, a public authority should consider whether it provides an appropriate lawful basis (see ICO’s guidance). 94. Processing authorities must be aware of the individual rights of the data subject and the data controller must take steps to ensure the subject’s individual rights are respected. More information on individual rights can be found on the ICO website and is detailed further in Annex B of this guidance.35 35 https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/individual-rights/individual-rights/ 95. If a panel partner has any concerns about the appropriateness of sharing the requested information, they should consult with the CTCO, the local authority PMAP chair, legal advisers and their own information governance teams for assurance as to its lawfulness. 96. If panel partners have provided information for PMAP, it is highly likely that they will be invited to attend the meeting to discuss the individual case. Panel partners invited to meetings should attend to discuss the full range of a person’s susceptibilities and seek expert advice from attendees. Page 355 of 450
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27Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Practice example 4: cross-sector information sharing • An employer referred an employee after Islamist extremist-materials were left on a work photocopier and staff had reported their increased intolerance towards non-Muslim colleagues. • Following the Prevent referral, information was requested and the following responses were received from panel partners: – Children, young people and families services: family had accessed domestic abuse and parenting advice but disengaged from services – Mental Health: previously received services but case closed due to non-attendance – Housing: individual is sole tenant and lives with spouse and two children – Anti-social behaviour team: neighbours report as abusive; tenant is threatening to staff. Tenancy enforcement pending and individual is on the ‘potentially violent persons’ register – Local policing: attended to reports of domestic abuse and previous conviction for violent disorder with use of a weapon linked to Islamist extremist group activity • An established PMAP panel information sharing agreement set out the appropriate lawful basis for sharing, with an appropriate framework ensuring compliance with the other data protection principles, to allow the swift exchange of relevant and proportionate information, once it was determined that the case met the necessary conditions. • A comprehensive picture of the person and family circumstances was developed and context was provided for their spouse’s service disengagement and potential coercion. • The panel identified the most appropriate agency to discuss the PMAP process with the person and seek consent for support. • Risk to their spouse, children and staff was factored into these discussions and mitigating actions agreed. Support was reopened to the family. • Actions, decision-making rationale, progress and outcomes were accurately recorded within the PMAP minutes. Page 356 of 450
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28 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Prevent assessment framework 97. PMAP will assess people using the PAF, which will provide an overview of a person’s susceptibility to radicalisation, and their risks of committing or supporting terrorism, from the police gateway assessment stage and throughout their time on PMAP. 98. The PAF will support the triaging of a person and ensure that their case is progressed appropriately based on the level of counter-terrorism concern.36 When progressed into PMAP the PAF will provide a tiered approach to support and decision making based on the identification of any relevant counter- terrorism factors or susceptibilities and will require a corresponding support plan to be in place to address each identified factor. 36 Counter terrorism concern includes an assessment of harm to self, others or the wider public. It incorporates escalation towards non-violent terrorism-related offences (as per the breadth of the UK’s terrorism legislation), in addition to plans or attempts to commit any relevant acts of violence. 99. There is no single route to terrorism, nor is there a simple profile of those who become involved. For this reason, any attempt to derive a ‘profile’ can be misleading. It must not be assumed that these characteristics and experiences will necessarily lead to people becoming terrorists, or that these indicators are the only source of information required to make an appropriate assessment. The PAF will serve as a live document that keeps each factor closely under review to monitor progress effectively, allowing for a change in approach to case management as necessary. Transferring Prevent Multi-Agency Panel cases 100. Where a case has been adopted by a PMAP in one area and the person relocates to another area within Scotland, the case should be transferred to the PMAP of the new local authority (‘the receiving panel’). It should be assumed that the case would be automatically adopted at the receiving panel, or as a minimum, a panel discussion held to discuss closure and a rationale for the decision recorded in the minutes. Consent to access support will not be needed again. In these instances, the receiving panel will lead reviews post-case closure. Where a panel has closed a case, but the person has since relocated to a different area, the closing panel will conduct the review, but may contact agencies in the panel of relocation for any information to inform the review discussion. 101. The PMAP CTCO in the original local authority area (‘the transferring area’) should ensure that all the case information and documentation is passed over to the receiving panel. This should be accompanied by a notification by Police Scotland to the receiving PDU area (if this is different). The PMAP chair in the transferring area should request contact details for the PMAP chair of the receiving panel from the Scottish Government. The transferring PMAP chair, in partnership with the PMAP CTCO, should have a discussion with the receiving PMAP chair to provide some context and rationale to the case, and follow up in writing. The lead authority should always be the authority Page 357 of 450
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29Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance where the person lives; details relating to determining the lead authority are provided in paragraphs 48-49 of this guidance. 102. Where a case has been adopted by a PMAP in Scotland and the person relocates to England or Wales, the case should be transferred to the relevant local authority Channel panel. The transferring PMAP chair should request contact details for the receiving Channel chair from the Scottish Government and ensure that the receiving police force area is notified. In addition, where a person who has been adopted by Channel, relocates to Scotland, the relevant PMAP chair and CTCO will be notified. 103. Where the panel decides liaison with authorities abroad is required, these discussions will be led by police. Case study 4: case transfer • A 19-year-old had been receiving PMAP support for six months after being targeted by an Islamist extremist group. • The person received support from an IP and a third-party organisation and has been exploring employment options. • After being thrown out of the family home they began ‘sofa-surfing’ and eventually decided to move to a different location with their partner. • As their risk of radicalisation remained, the case was transferred to the PMAP in their new location. • The PMAP chair sent a secure email to the receiving PMAP chair with an overview of the person’s circumstances and support plan. • A PMAP was arranged in the receiving local authority area to discuss the person, and the case was subsequently adopted. The decision and rationale were recorded in the minutes. • After a review of the PAF and support plan housing and employment were identified as areas requiring particular focus. Page 358 of 450
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30 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Case closure 104. Where the panel has decided to close a case, the person receiving support should receive notification that their case is being closed and that they will no longer receive support through PMAP. This should include confirmation that ongoing support received through mainstream services will be unaffected by this decision. 105. Designating oversight to a lead professional at the point of case closure where ongoing support is being provided through mainstream services, provides continued assurance that a person can be brought back to panel attention quickly should concerns re-emerge. The panel is best placed to identify which agencies will be continuing to engage with the person beyond the point of PMAP case closure and to identify a lead professional to which ongoing oversight can be designated. Frontline practitioners involved in providing continuing support must be informed that PMAP no longer has case oversight and advised on how to re-refer the person in for Prevent re-assessment should concerns materialise. 106. In cases where family has been identified as a protective factor for the person, a letter will be sent to the designated family contact. For under 18s, this is likely to be a parent or guardian. For adults, permission to liaise with a family contact must be captured on the consent form at the point of getting consent to access PMAP support. Where no permission for an adult has been given to keep a family contact up to date, a letter cannot be issued. The family letter must include confirmation that the person is no longer being supported through PMAP, and that while some mainstream service provision will continue beyond this point, PMAP no longer has case oversight to monitor Prevent-related concerns. The letter must include advice on the steps to re-refer the person in for Prevent re-assessment where concerns continue, return, or escalate. 107. The appropriateness of engaging family members as part of the support plan and as part of the strengthened oversight following the end of PMAP support will need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. This will, in part, be determined by the extent to which family are a protective factor. This will not be appropriate if there are concerns that family may be a radicalising influence. Reviewing Prevent Multi-Agency cases 108. All cases which have been adopted by a PMAP must, as a minimum, be reviewed by the panel at least 6 months and 12 months from the point of case closure. At the point of closure, it is the responsibility of the CTCO to accurately record the closure on the relevant database to ensure review triggers are flagged at the appropriate time. This review process must be undertaken for all Prevent referrals that are adopted by the panel. This includes those PMAP cases that are adopted but are subsequently referred elsewhere or offered support under PMAP. The review process should be informed by relevant information from PMAP partners to the CTCO. Information should be submitted within five working days of the request being made and should include police checks, relevant service involvement, change of circumstances, current social work involvement, any concerns since case closure and contact with the initial referrer. Chairs have discretion to Page 359 of 450
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31Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance accept partner information updates as part of the panel meeting where these arrangements have been agreed in advance. The review should also include checking with the designated family contact (where appropriate) that Prevent concerns have not re-emerged. 109. Where new information that may have an impact on risk comes to light regarding a closed case pending review at 6 or 12 months, the PMAP chair will be notified and the case subject to reassessment by the police. 110. Panels will have discretion to undertake more frequent reviews within the 12-month period and to include a further review (at a specified period) beyond the 12-month period if there are still concerns that the person may be at risk of radicalising influences or is facing a life change which may place them at risk (e.g. bereavement, loss of employment, or relationship breakdown). This should be determined on a case-by-case basis.37 CTSA 2015 makes provision for further panel assessments to be conducted under section 36 (4) (e). 37 Where panel determines the need for reviews beyond the initial 12-month period, these should not exceed a further 12 months. Where concerns remain 24 months following case closure, a re-referral into Prevent must be made. Exit reviews 111. Panels should strive to improve their practice and effectiveness in reducing terrorism susceptibility and tailoring support plans to needs identified in the PAF. To enable panels to gain greater insight into their practice, consideration should be given to capturing the experience of individuals exiting the PMAP process, which could be used to highlight good practice or areas requiring improvement. Targeted support and case management of people serving custodial sentences Prisons 112. Individuals serving custodial sentences for non-terrorism offences who are referred as part of prison risk management processes will initially be managed by the prison CT case management process. At the pre-release stage where appropriate to support people at risk of committing or supporting terrorism as a consequence of radicalisation can be referred for consideration to PMAP as part of their community risk management plan. PMAP can only apply in cases where people are due to be released from prison and need some form of intervention or support before or following release to address identified terrorism susceptibilities. Scottish Prison Service (SPS), Police and Prison based Social Work will continue to have a role in assessing risk, vulnerability and the influence of potential radicalising sources. TACT Offenders 113. Individuals serving custodial sentences in prison for offences under the Terrorism Act cannot be adopted into PMAP. These individuals should be considered for referral to MAPPA or other case management processes. 114. Where people who have been adopted onto PMAP are subsequently held on remand, the case can be retained on PMAP for the period of remand until it is determined that release back into the community is not a viable option. At this point, prison CT case management Page 360 of 450
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32 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance would provide oversight of the case until pre-release stage. Children and young people 115. In cases involving a child/young person (under 18), where they are placed in secure accommodation services for criminal (both terrorism and non-terrorism related offences) or safeguarding purposes, PMAP can commence or continue. The local authority should establish engagement with the secure unit and with the relevant social work officer to allow for effective information sharing and awareness. These cases should also be considered on a case-by- case basis. 116. On release from secure accommodation the PMAP process can continue, and they can be re-referred to Prevent. Should they be transferred to prison on turning 18, the PMAP process should cease, as outlined above, and prison case management processes be established. Information should be shared with SPS on this transfer. 117. Should the secure accommodation services require further details, these can be requested from Police Scotland Prevent Delivery Unit. Multi-agency public protection arrangements 118. Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) are reserved for those who present the highest risk of harm in their local community. Most people are managed within MAPPA because of the nature of their offending. In some cases, agencies may determine that a person’s risk and vulnerability is so high that it is best managed through the MAPPA process. 119. Where this is the case, the multi-agency public protection panel can, if necessary, seek the advice of the CTCO. It should be noted that all offenders convicted of TACT offences will be managed through MAPPA and will not be suitable for PMAP. Where a registered terrorist offender is being considered for MAPPA, please refer to the Scottish MAPPA Guidance.38 38 MAPPA Guidance, Scotland, Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA): national guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Desistance and disengagement 120. The Scottish Government and partners are currently developing the Desistence and Disengagement Programme for Scotland. In the interim period, access to Home Office Intervention providers can be requested to support case management on a case-by-case basis. Police-led partnerships 121. Police-led partnerships cover the management of people, groups or institutions that are not suitable for PMAP, but which have identified Prevent- relevant issues requiring support or mitigation. Police-led partnerships are led by police but working in partnership with other agencies and employ many of the same type of approaches used within the multi-agency processes of PMAP. Therefore, some of the options taken will likely be considered in consultation with partner agencies. Page 361 of 450
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33Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Police investigations 122. Circumstances may arise where a person receiving PMAP support is the subject of an investigation by police for a non-terrorism related offence. In this instance, the person is not prevented from accessing PMAP support. A PMAP can continue to provide support, with any information shared between PMAP partners used to assess a person’s susceptibilities, risk and support needs. However, where information is exchanged which suggests criminal activity, the police are duty bound to investigate. 123. Whilst access to PMAP support would ordinarily stop or be closed to people who are subject to a Terrorism Act investigation, there may be instances where continued support would be beneficial as long as it does not impede the ongoing investigation or affect the integrity of a person’s informed consent. The Home Office and Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters are developing parameters to determine the suitability of PMAP support in these instances. Under no circumstances should cases subject to Pursue investigation for Terrorism Act offences be held on PMAP outside of these arrangements. Practitioners will be notified of any subsequent change in policy once agreed. Justice social work and youth justice 124. People who are supervised in the community by justice social work or youth justice services and at risk of committing or supporting terrorism may be managed by both the appropriate social worker and a referral to Prevent. In those circumstances, the allocated Justice Social Worker should attend PMAP meetings. 125. There will also be circumstances where children under 18 will have involvement with social work services and/or be subject to supervision for reasons other than offending behaviour; and in such cases children’s social work should also attend PMAP meetings. Links with extremist groups 126. Membership and inviting or expressing support for a proscribed group are criminal offences under Terrorism Act 2000.39 It may be appropriate in some cases to refer someone on the periphery of proscribed organisations to Prevent for support. Professionals at a local level should contact the police where there are concerns that a proscription offence may have been committed. Where these concerns come to light within PMAP discussions, it is the role of the CTCO to escalate them. 39 A list of proscribed groups can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proscribed-terror- groups-or-organisations--2 127. If professionals at a local level determine that someone attracted to the ideology of proscribed groups also shows additional behavioural indicators that suggest they are moving towards terrorism, then it would be appropriate to make a referral. The presence of additional behavioural indicators would inform whether a referral should be made and considered for adoption at PMAP Page 362 of 450
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34 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Section 6: Prevent multi-agency panel functions Panel meetings 128. PMAP meetings must be held monthly where there are referrals forwarded to panel for consideration, where a live case is held or where cases are scheduled for review, though there may be occasions where meetings need to be held more frequently. As a minimum, there should be a minuted discussion between the chair, relevant partners and the CTCO to review progress and actions. In the absence of live cases, it is good practice to meet at least quarterly for learning and development. These meetings can be used to review practice, conduct audits, develop or monitor PMAP workplans of support as part of their assurance return, or plan and deliver panel training. It is good practice for panels to schedule an annual development day to inform improvement plans for the coming year. 129. The composition of the panel is a decision that should be made based on the nature of individual cases and time bound actions that may be required. The PMAP chair should keep the CTCO informed of any changes to panel membership. 130. Where partner input is required, the chair has discretion to allow the virtual input from partners through systems such as video- or tele-conferencing provision, though this should not be the default method of convening panel meetings. Where meetings are held via video or tele-conferencing, recording is not advised. While recording can aid the accuracy of panel minutes, it also raises issues concerning security and confidentiality, that should be borne in mind. The chair will need to be satisfied that the confidentiality and integrity of the meeting is maintained and that the minutes reflect the panel’s agreement to the confidentiality statement, which should include those partners inputting virtually. Persons under consideration for PMAP or receiving support, and their family members or representatives, must not attend PMAP meetings. 131. An anonymised PAF should be circulated in full to panel members relevant to the case by the CTCO before meetings so Page 363 of 450
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35Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance that all relevant panel members can contribute their knowledge, experience and expertise.40 The CTCO will provide a verbal summary of the referral to the PMAP based on the information gathered from panel partners and the outcome of the Prevent assessment. Further detail on use of the PAF is provided in paragraphs 97 to 99. 40 Where possible, it is preferable for the PAF to be issued 48 hours in advance of panel meetings to allow partners to review documents. 132. Panel members should satisfy themselves of their compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty and be sensitive in their considerations. The panel must fully consider all the information available to them to make an objective decision on the support to be offered, without discriminating against the person based on their protected characteristics and must make any reasonable adjustments to meet their needs.41 The panel must first decide whether to adopt the referral at the first meeting. A decision to adopt will be made because the panel agrees there is a susceptibility to radicalisation or a risk of committing or supporting terrorism that may be reduced through PMAP support. This decision is often distinct from decisions on the nature of the support plan which do not always occur during a single panel meeting. An auditable record of decision-making (including the rationale for decisions taken) should be kept for quality assurance purposes, as accurate and agreed minutes provide an important account of this process. Following case closure, PMAP minutes should be kept in line with the local authority’s agreed data retention period. The Police Scotland PMAP Data Privacy Information Notice and Retention schedule can be found on the Police Scotland webpage42 41 Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 places a responsibility on public authorities to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and foster good relations. This applies generally, but also to the assessment of need and risk faced. 42 Privacy Notice – https://www.scotland.police.uk/access-to-information/data-protection/privacy-notice- prevent-multi-agency-panels-for-safeguarding-and-wellbeing-purposes/ 133. To help structure efficient practice for PMAP, standardised templates are available for local adaptation if appropriate. These include terms of reference, information sharing agreements, and consent forms. A bank of templates is available on the Knowledge hub site.43 43 Library - Scottish Prevent - Knowledge Hub (khub.net). 134. The chair should aim to reach panel consensus on all decisions. Where this cannot be achieved, the decision should be based on the panel majority, with the chair holding the casting vote where no majority exists.44 Local governance arrangements, which should include the process for escalating concerns regarding the form or function of PMAP, should be clearly communicated to panel members. 44 See section 37(6) of the CTSA 2015. Support plans 135. Each case is handled separately. People deemed appropriate to receive support will have a tailored package developed for them, according to their identified needs. Using the Prevent assessment and their professional expertise, the panel should develop a package to support the needs of the person and use the information to inform the assessment and mitigation of any risk posed to Page 364 of 450
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36 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance potential support providers. The wider family context must be considered as part of this assessment, and the panel should agree on arrangements for updating families on progress where it is appropriate to do so. 136. Section 36(4) of CTSA 2015 requires panels to: • prepare a plan for someone for the purpose of reducing their vulnerability to being drawn into terrorism (i.e. addressing identified radicalisation or terrorism susceptibility and concerns) • make arrangements for support as described in the plan where consent is given • keep the support given under review • revise or withdraw a support plan if at any time the panel considers it appropriate • carry out further assessments, after periods as the panel considers appropriate, of a person’s vulnerability to being drawn into terrorism where: – the necessary consent to the provision of support is refused or withdrawn – the panel has determined that support should be withdrawn • prepare subsequent support plans if considered appropriate Risk 137. Risk is a theme that runs through the entire PMAP process; risk to the person, risk to the public and risk to partners or organisations providing support to the person, including any IPs. The PMAP holds responsibility for the terrorism- related susceptibilities of a case, meaning the adequate provision and review of supportive interventions around the complex needs and causes of the terrorism-related concern. Statutory partners are responsible for safeguarding around a person’s intrinsic and contextual vulnerabilities that can be exploited by others, or that may exacerbate the complex needs of a person, to the extent that they may be drawn increasingly towards terrorism offending. 138. The police are responsible for identifying and mitigating imminent risks of people mobilising towards any terrorism offences, and the desistance of such high risk and criminal behaviours. 139. Support offered for some people could span several agencies and each agency involved will own the element of risk they are responsible for addressing through the support plan. 140. The risk of a person’s involvement in terrorism offending lies with the police. This is the risk posed by the person to themselves and to society through their escalating or potentially active involvement in terrorism-related offending. The police are the most appropriate agency throughout the entire life of each PMAP case to assess and manage this risk. 141. PMAP brings together a wider network of support available to reduce a person’s terrorism or radicalisation risk. The terrorism risk for the case is kept under review by police and the case may be removed from PMAP if the risk escalates to a level that police believe cannot be safely managed by the panel. 142. In assessing the terrorism susceptibility, consideration should be given to: • the risk posed to the person of being radicalised and exploited • the degree of individual agency and the extent to which ideology is a contributing factor • the wider needs of the person Page 365 of 450
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37Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance 143. At this point, panel members in attendance at a meeting should collectively assess the risk and decide whether the person: • is susceptible to radicalisation or at risk of committing or supporting terrorism and, therefore, appropriate for PMAP • should be referred to a different support mechanism or • should exit the process 144. There is a clear expectation that PMAP cases remain open until one of the following occurs: • the panel deems that the terrorism susceptibility has sufficiently reduced to warrant exit • the terrorism risk has increased, and the case is escalated to the police for consideration • consent to access support is not secured or is withdrawn 145. If consent to receive support is not ultimately secured, or consent is withdrawn, the case will be closed to PMAP. Information sharing should also highlight any wider risks posed which professionals need to be aware of before any visits are undertaken. This could include, but is not limited to, recording where there is a history of violence, threatening behaviour or use of weapons. Partners of the PMAP must satisfy themselves that their own processes for doing risk assessments to ensure the safety of staff and others are in place and adhered to while fulfilling their PMAP duty. Practice example 5: risk-based, auditable decision-making • A case had been supported through PMAP for three months and had a support plan in place aligned to the susceptibilities captured on the PAF. Action updates were provided at each meeting and all decisions relating to the support were accurately recorded in the minutes. • The PAF and support plan were reviewed at each meeting by the panel. • When the person established links to others who were part of an ongoing police investigation, it was deemed that the risk had increased, and the police decided to close the case to PMAP and manage it within the police-led partnership. • The case was subject to review at 6- and 12-months following closure. Consent for support 146. As support received through PMAP remains voluntary, consent is required from the person (or their parent or guardian, when aged under 18), subject to capacity considerations detailed below.45 Everyone who receives support through PMAP must be made aware why they are receiving this support, what the aims of the programme are and what to expect. 45 See section 36(4)(b) of the CTSA 2015 147. Consent to receive support should take the form of a signed agreement to support the auditable decisions of the panel and received no later than at the point of accessing support. Page 366 of 450
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38 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance When seeking consent, consideration should always be given to who is the most appropriate professional to do so. Consent should be informed, explicit and freely given, without coercion or duress. The offer of support through PMAP should be fully explained alongside written information which details what provision is available and how their personal data will be used to determine vulnerabilities, risks and the support package. The circumstances around getting a person’s consent should be captured and recorded within the minutes. Where consent has been provided but there is no written record, the rationale must be captured and recorded within the panel minutes. We are keen to capture equalities monitoring data to better understand the cohort of people accessing PMAP support. An update to the PMAP consent template will include a voluntary survey on age, ethnicity, religion, and sex. 148. This communication should be in an appropriate language and explained in terms fitting to individual needs, to ensure the person understands the aims of the programme and gives informed consent. Paragraphs 152 - 153 provide further details on capacity to consent. Where someone does not wish to continue with the process, it may be appropriate to close the case to the PMAP but provide alternative support by signposting the referral to other mainstream services, such as children or adult social work services. 149. Where consent to receive support is initially refused or withdrawn, further assessments may be carried out by the panel, as is deemed appropriate.46 Where a terrorism risk remains, this could be passed to the CTCO for management by the police. 46 See section 36(4)(e) of the CTSA 2015. 150. Information discussed at PMAP may be sourced from a variety of partners but will be controlled and processed by the local authority as the lead agency for PMAP. Personal data will be processed for each person referred to PMAP. Local authorities, therefore, should comply with any responsibility under the data protection legislation to inform the person that their data is being processed as well as other requirements of that legislation. This notification will best form part of the informed consent required to access PMAP support as outlined above. An example consent form which incorporates this notification can be accessed on the Knowledge Hub.47 47 https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/individual-rights/individual-rights/ right-to-be-informed/ 151. In instances where the person is not considered appropriate for support, is not adopted and is therefore not approached for consent, the right to be informed is met through the Police Scotland Data Protection Information Notice, which is available on the Police Scotland website. Local authorities may wish to consider the requisite level of notification on a case-by-case basis. The responsibility to inform does not apply to counter- terrorism police, who process data under Part 3 of the DPA 2018. Page 367 of 450
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39Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Capacity to provide consent 152. A person’s right and capacity to make decisions about issues that affect them is always assumed. Where the capacity of a person to make a specific decision is brought into question, the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 provides safeguards within a statutory framework to protect the rights of those who may not be able to make their own decisions.48 Where there is consideration of PMAP support for an adult who is deemed not to have capacity to make an informed decision regarding that support, that individual may have a guardian or welfare attorney who can consent on their behalf, but if not, then consent may be sought from the local authority.49 48 Codes of practice for the Adults with Incapacity Act are available at https://www.gov.scot/collections/adults- with-incapacity-forms-and-guidance/ 49 https://www.gov.scot/publications/adults-incapacity-scotland-act-2000-code-practice-local-authorities- exercising-functions-under-2000-act/pages/5/ 153. Where the consent to receive support from PMAP is being sought in relation to a person under 18, the consent of the parent or guardian will be needed in line with requirements under section 36(4)(b) and the meaning of “necessary consent” at section 41(1) CTSA 2015. Consent to continue receiving support should be sought after a person already in receipt of PMAP support reaches the age of 18. When parental consent cannot be obtained 154. In the case of a child, there may be certain circumstances when a parent or guardian does not give consent for their child to be supported through PMAP. If the child is thought to be at risk from significant harm,50 whether that is physical, emotional, mental, intellectual, social or behavioural harm, then social work services for the relevant local authority area must be involved in decisions made about the child. There may be circumstances where the PMAP and social work services determine that a child is in need.51 In instances where compulsory intervention might be required, referral to the Children’s Reporter or Police Scotland should be considered. More information on protecting children can be found in the National Guidance for Child Protection.52 50 See paragraphs 40 – 45 of the National Guidance for Child Protection 2014. 51 A child in need will be determined using the definitions within section 93(4) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. 52 https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-guidance-child-protection-scotland/ Support to address identified susceptibilities 155. The involvement of the correct panel partners ensures that those at risk have access to a wide range of support from mainstream services, such as health and education, through to specialist guidance from an IP to increase theological understanding and challenge the claims of violent ideologies. It can also include wider diversionary or developmental activities such as appropriate training courses. The partners involved should be tailored to the identified susceptibilities of the person getting support. When dealing with children, support considered must take account of any Compulsory Supervision Order and the terms of any Child’s Plan that may be in place. Page 368 of 450
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40 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance 156. As part of agreeing a full wrap-around package of support, the panel must decide how to connect the person with the support providers. All decision- making should be clearly documented and aligned to identified susceptibilities. 157. The type of activities that are included in a support package will depend on risk factors, vulnerabilities, and local resource. To illustrate, a diversionary activity with lower-level support may be sufficient for someone who is in the early stages of radicalisation. The support offered should be directly aligned to needs and risks identified within the Prevent assessment, which should include consideration of wider contextual and transitional safeguarding needs. The following kinds of support might be considered appropriate: • theological/ideological support – structured sessions using a Home Office approved IP to understand, assess or challenge ideological, theological or fixated thinking, which must be considered for all cases • life skills – work on life skills or social skills generally, such as dealing with peer pressure • anger management sessions – formal or informal work dealing with anger • cognitive/behavioural contact – cognitive behavioural therapies and general work on attitudes and behaviours • constructive pursuits – supervised or managed constructive leisure activities • education skills contact – activities focused on education or training • careers contact – activities focused on employment • family support contact – activities aimed at supporting family and personal relationships, including formal parenting programmes • health awareness contact – work aimed at assessing or addressing any physical or mental health issues • housing support contact – activities addressing living arrangements or accommodation provision • drugs and alcohol awareness – substance misuse interventions • mentoring – work with a suitable adult as a role model to provide personal guidance or pastoral care 158. The panel is collectively responsible for ensuring delivery of the overall package of support, but not for managing or funding the support providers. Where support is provided by a panel partner, they should be present at the panel meeting to provide an update on progress and are responsible for the delivery of that element of the overall support package. Support offered should be met from existing local services. 159. Providers of support to people at risk of committing or supporting terrorism (including providers who are not specified as panel partners), need to be credible with the person receiving support and to understand the local community. Given their important role, their reliability, suitability to work with people at risk of supporting terrorism or committing terrorist acts, and commitment to shared values need to be established. If non-public sector provision is being considered as part of PMAP support, Chairs and police must satisfy themselves that the potential support provider is suitable, and does not pose a risk, before commissioning them. Partners should conduct their own due diligence to establish suitability before appointment. Any concerns raised by panel members should be discussed at the panel. Page 369 of 450
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41Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Monitoring Prevent multi-agency panel support 160. The CTCO is responsible for regularly liaising with the support provider(s), updating the PAF and assessing progress. Where there is a live case or referrals presented for consideration, a PMAP should be held at least monthly but may be held more regularly if required to effectively manage and mitigate the risk and vulnerabilities. The PAF will run in parallel to assessment through the entire period of support. The CTCO should update the PAF every three months as a minimum, to capture the progress being made in supporting the person. Prevent assessments should be reassessed more frequently to inform a key panel meeting, where the provision of support has reached a particular milestone or there have been significant changes to circumstances or levels of risk. 161. If the panel is satisfied that the terrorism concerns have been successfully reduced or managed, they should recommend that the case then exits the process. The PAF should be completed by the CTCO as soon as possible, setting out the reason for the panel’s recommendations. The recommendations will need to be endorsed by the PMAP chair and the CTCO. If the panel is not satisfied that the terrorism concerns have been reduced to an acceptable level the case should be reconsidered. A new support plan should be developed and alternative support put in place. If the terrorism risk has increased, the CTCO must consider escalating the case through existing police mechanisms. The panel must determine whether the case remains suitable for PMAP. 162. The Prevent assessment captures changes in risk, situation and vulnerability while panel minutes must record agreed decisions and rationale aligned to this assessment. Together, they inform PMAP decision-making and risk management and must be retained for future reference. The PAF should only be retained by Police Scotland. Accessing specialist support Intervention providers 163. Intervention providers (IPs) are ideological and theological specialists. They are experienced in assessing ideological drivers and possess a high level of understanding of radicalising extremist narratives and have the ability to counter them. They receive comprehensive training to support their roles through the IP Professionalisation programme. IPs are also subject to a rigorous recruitment process and must receive ministerial approval to work on the programme. 164. Where the person has a need for theological/ideological support, to address extremist views, there are multiple ideologies or the ideological drivers are unclear, Home Office approved IPs must be commissioned. No other interventions must be commissioned as part of the support plan to address ideological concerns. The IP aims to increase theological understanding and challenge extremist ideas or fixated thinking where they are used to legitimise terrorism, or to otherwise understand the extent of concerns relating to ideology. Use of a Home Office IP must always be a consideration for live cases and kept under review where not commissioned. A record must be kept detailing the panel’s decision and its basis. Where Page 370 of 450
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42 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance the PMAP identifies that the person would benefit from an IP, the CTCO will be responsible for arranging the provision of that service. While it remains best practice for the CTCO to present three potential IPs to the panel for its consideration, this may not always be feasible. The priority will always be to match the specific IP skill sets to the requirements of the person receiving support. 165. Where a Home Office IP has been commissioned, written reports on progress will be prepared and returned to the CTCO within five working days of the intervention session being completed. The CTCO will use this report to provide a verbal update to the PMAP and update the PAF when needed. IP reports should be made available to the PMAP chair. Whilst standing panel members should not need routine access to IP reports, they may be viewed on request via the CTCO. The IP reports are produced for the specific purpose of informing PMAP of the risks of radicalisation and the susceptibilities present. Therefore, they should not be shared beyond standing panel members. Further details on disclosure are referenced in paragraphs 34 to 40. IP reports should only be stored by Police Scotland. 166. In Scotland, IPs must first have been approved by the Home Office. With all other non-public sector services provided as part of the support package, the chair and police must be satisfied that these providers are suitable to deliver the interventions. Individuals and organisations holding extremist views used to legitimise or support terrorist-related activity of any kind, or to radicalise others into terrorism, in this country or overseas, have no place in delivering support through PMAP, nor will they be given public funding to do so. This applies irrespective of the source of the funding: central government, local government, policing or other publicly funded bodies. Where support is through Home Office approved IPs, the CTCO is responsible for liaison with the support provider and for funding and monitoring the delivery of that element of the support package. Intervention support fund 167. Most support available to PMAP is funded by the statutory bodies that provide it. The major exception to this is ideological and theological mentoring through IPs, which are funded by the Scottish Government through the CTCO. 168. Additional funding by way of the Channel Intervention Support Fund (also available for PMAP) can be used in instances where provision from statutory partners, IPs or third sector organisations is not appropriate to reduce identified Prevent susceptibility. These funds are intended to be used flexibly for activity or costs that take place alongside other PMAP interventions and should be linked to identified susceptibilities and should not be used to deliver services already provided by statutory partners. Use of these funds must be pre-approved by the Home Office to cover non-theological or non-ideological support, training or one-off purchases to support the effectiveness of an intervention. For details of eligibility and how this fund can be accessed please contact the Scottish Government.53 53 Contact SVT@gov.scot Page 371 of 450
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43Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Immigration Enforcement Services 169. Specialist advice and support regarding immigration is available to PMAP for addressing queries, sourcing information and advice, and where appropriate, seeking immigration representation on PMAP. PMAP chairs will be notified by Police Scotland of arrangements for accessing this service. Onward referrals to alternative forms of support 170. Information sharing between partners will sometimes reveal no evidence that the person is at risk of being drawn into terrorism. It may identify other personal vulnerabilities that need to be addressed, such as substance misuse or mental health issues. Under section 36(6) of the CTSA 2015, where it is determined that support via PMAP is not appropriate, the panel must consider whether someone should be referred to support from health providers or social work services and, if so, make such arrangements as the panel considers necessary. It is good practice for the PMAP chair to consider inviting these partners to panel meetings. Once a decision on non-adoption has been reached by the panel, the PMAP chair should confirm the recommendation and ensure that the decision is properly recorded, and that arrangements are made to refer the person. Sharing good practice 171. Local authorities and the police may find it useful to form regional PMAP chair networks which should come together to share good practice in running PMAP, discuss case studies and provide mutual support and advice. These networks can be a useful resource for those local authority areas that have few PMAP cases in order to learn from more experienced areas, or for new PMAP chairs to observe practice. PMAP chairs also have the opportunity to attend regular national forums to share good practice more widely. Practice example 6: sharing good practice • Where PMAP chairs networks have formed they have found value in coming together to share practice and learning, provide mutual support and coordinate training. • These networks provide an excellent platform to review anonymised cases, share good practice and understand ineffective practice across local authority areas. Page 372 of 450
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44 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Section 7: Training 172. The successful delivery of Prevent is dependent on the engagement of national, regional and local partners across multiple sectors, including the community and voluntary sector. Public sector frontline staff have been identified as a key group that can make an important contribution to identifying and referring people who may be at risk of committing or supporting terrorism as a consequence of radicalisation. 173. Alongside sector-specific training, panel members and partners should complete the GOV.UK Prevent duty training courses available at www.gov.uk/prevent-duty-training. Each course has specific learning outcomes to support awareness of Prevent and radicalisation; making a referral; and the PMAP programme. The PMAP course has tailored content for chairs and for those who are new to attending PMAP panels. 174. In addition to the GOV.UK Prevent duty training, as an introduction to Prevent, face-to-face training sessions may be made available. This is designed to help attendees understand what may make people susceptible to radicalisation and understand more about the local context. For more information, speak to Home Office Quality Assurance Lead or an equivalent. 175. The Home Office has commissioned a range of additional training to meet the needs of PMAP chairs, deputy chairs and panel members in fulfilling the requirements set out within this guidance and to understand the national risk and threat picture. PMAP chairs and deputy chairs are required to complete mandatory delivering PMAP locally training within six months of starting these roles. Information regarding available training will be sent directly to PMAP chairs and CTCOs. Page 373 of 450
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45Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Other local training 176. There may be other training available within local authority or regions that cater for the specific needs of sectors. Clarification on this should be sought in the first instance from local authority SPOC or through individual organisations. Panel members and panel partners are not expected to become experts in countering radicalisation however, all should have completed the relevant training to ensure they understand Prevent, PMAP, the radicalisation process and how to intervene to prevent someone from being drawn into terrorism. The Home Office and Scottish Government may commission additional training to meet the needs of PMAP nationally. Page 374 of 450
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46 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Section 8: Information requests 177. When considering information requests, it is important that local organisational information governance leads, and legal teams are consulted and are satisfied that there is compliance with legal requirements and organisational policy. Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act requests 178. All recorded information held by a public authority is covered by the right to information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA). Within FOISA, there is a presumption in favour of disclosure to enhance greater openness in the public sector to enable members of the public to better understand the decisions of public authorities and ensure that services provided by the public sector are seen to be efficiently and properly delivered. We want, as far as possible, to be open and transparent about the PMAP process. 179. It is good practice to consider the implications of releasing information on third parties when complying with FOISA legislation. In the context of PMAP, third parties may include local and national delivery partners. The Codes of Practice of FOISA facilitate consideration by public authorities of the interests of third parties and stakeholders who may be affected by any decision to disclose information by setting standards for consultation. All public authority partners involved in PMAP may receive FOISA requests. If a FOISA request is made, all information will need to be assessed against FOISA legislation to see if it is disclosable or not in line with relevant exemptions (such as for personal data and health and safety). All requests for the release of information held must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. 180. To achieve a consistent approach in responding to FOISA requests relevant to PMAP and assessments of individuals, and to protect third parties, all local partners who receive such FOISA requests should bring them to the attention of their local panel. The chair should notify the CTCO and the Scottish Government, who will advise if any further consultation is necessary, for instance with other UK Government departments. Further information about FOISA is available from the Scottish Information Commissioner.54 54 Available here: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/home/ScottishInformationCommissioner.aspx Page 375 of 450
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47Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Subject access requests 181. Under section 45 of the DPA 2018, individuals can also make a subject access request (SAR) to see data held about them, or children they have parental responsibility for.55 The person can request information on any records held about them and any organisation holding personal data can be subject to these requests. The right to make a SAR is described in the UKGDPR Article 15,56 Rights of Access by the data subject. Exemptions to these rights are found in the DPA 2018 Schedule 2 Part 4.57 55 The cut-off age for requests such as this in Scotland is 12 years old. 56 https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/individual-rights/individual-rights/ right-of-access/ 57 Guidance on exemptions can be found here: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and- resources/exemptions/a-guide-to-the-data-protection-exemptions/ 182. There are a limited number of exemptions, and not all personal information needs to be released in all circumstances. Exemptions to these rights are listed and described in the DPA 2018 Schedule 2 Part 4.58 58 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/12/schedule/2/part/4/enacted 183. As with Freedom of Information Act requests, to achieve consistency in responses, any requests for SAR should be brought to the attention of the PMAP chair. Other information requests 184. Other requests which an individual can make under data protection law include the right of rectification and the right to be forgotten. In addition, individuals have the right to be informed that their data is being processed, restrict processing and object to processing, in certain circumstances. They also have the right not be subject to automated decision-making. 185. All such requests must be recognised and formally responded to by the organisation holding their personal data. Any requests relating to data processed as part of the functioning of PMAP should be brought to the attention of the PMAP chair. Enquiries 186. Please note that national, international and specialist media queries about PMAP are managed by the Home Office Press Office and the Scottish Government and should be referred to directly on the following contact details: Home Office Press Office 020 7035 4848 Scottish Government SVT@gov.scot 187. It is also helpful if you can make the Home Office Press Office and the Scottish Government aware, at an early stage, of any local media interest you receive. Participation in research 188. PMAP chairs and panel members do not participate in external research linked to their Prevent role, except in exceptional circumstances. This applies to Prevent policy staff, IPs, Prevent co-ordinators, Home Office and Scottish Government staff. In some cases, the Home Office may offer to provide written input to a research project instead of participating in interviews or other data collection methods. These written submissions Page 376 of 450
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48 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance will be coordinated by the Home Office and will be provided on the understanding that the content is likely to be published in any research output. 189. Exceptional circumstances are defined as those where the research would fill a priority evidence gap for the Home Office, where the research design is robust and high quality, and where the research team has a track record of producing high quality, published research. All new research requests must be considered by the Home Office. Page 377 of 450
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49Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Section 9: Annexes ANNEX A Safeguarding 1. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults is everyone’s responsibility. Whilst safeguarding thresholds do not need to be met to make a Prevent referral there will be occasions where the assessment and support provided through PMAP to prevent people at risk of supporting terrorism or committing terrorist acts will run alongside safeguarding processes.59 A brief overview of the safeguarding frameworks for adults and children is outlined here for reference. 59 In Scotland these are more commonly known as Child and Adult Protection processes. Child Protection 2. All agencies, professional and public bodies and services that deliver adult and/or child services have a responsibility to recognise and actively consider potential child abuse and neglect. They are required to identify and consider the person’s needs, share information where appropriate to do so, share concerns with other agencies and work collaboratively with other services to improve positive outcomes. They must all treat the need to safeguard and promote the wellbeing of the child as a primary consideration. 3. The Scottish approach to child protection is based upon children’s rights. Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC)60 is the national approach in Scotland to improving outcomes for children through promoting, supporting, and safeguarding their wellbeing so that they can become confident individuals, effective contributors, successful learners, and responsible citizens. Safeguarding sits within a continuum which seeks to provide early support to prevent children from harm or the risk of harm. Where safeguarding is required, the GIRFEC approach is consistently applicable to those processes. Within this framework there will be range of support from universal, additional and intensive services which can work as single agencies or jointly through an integrated approach; whereby support should be proportionate within this continuum. 60 https://www.gov.scot/policies/girfec/ Page 378 of 450
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50 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance 4. Child Protection refers to measures which protect a child from abuse, neglect, maltreatment and exploitation. Child protection is part of a continuum of collaborative duties upon agencies working with children. The GIRFEC approach promotes and supports planning for such services to be provided in the way which best safeguards, supports and promotes the wellbeing of children and ensures that any action to meet needs is taken at the earliest appropriate time to prevent acute needs arising. 5. Where children and adults are particularly vulnerable and/or have complex needs, services must work together to take a collective and coordinated approach. Any identified child protection concerns must be the subject of immediate response by reporting through documented formal procedures.61 On the basis of the assessment of risk, social work services and police will decide whether any immediate action should be taken to protect the child and any others in the family or the wider community. 61 See National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2014 and https://www.gov.scot/policies/girfec/ 6. Where information is received that a child may have been abused or neglected and/or is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm an Inter-agency (or Initial) Referral Discussion (IRD) must be convened as soon as reasonably practical. IRDs are required to ensure coordinated inter-agency child protection processes up until the point of a child protection case conference. An IRD discussion can be initiated by police, health or social work services. 7. A lead professional who will be a qualified social worker is required, within a child protection investigation, to ensure coordination of assessment and next steps within a developing but coherent single plan. They provide a point of contact for family/ carers/ advocates/ guardians and professionals who need support to gain sufficient understanding of what is happening stage by stage. They may provide a signpost for additional advice and support. The IRD record should identify this person before closure. 8. Consideration will always be given to the needs and potential risks to other children in the same household and children who are likely to become members of the same household. 9. The legal duty to investigate and report issues in relation to child protection is derived from two sources: the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, which provides the mandate for police officers; and the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011, which sets out the duties and powers of local authorities, constables, courts and other persons. In the case of the local authorities and the police, section 60 of the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 places a duty on them to refer to the Principal Reporter where it is likely that a child is in need of protection, guidance, treatment or control and that a compulsory supervision order is necessary.62 This Act also requires that, if the Principal Reporter considers that a ground of referral applies and that compulsory measures of supervision are necessary, they must refer the case to a Children’s Hearing. 62 Scottish Children’s Reporters’ Administration Page 379 of 450
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51Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Adult Protection 10. Part 1 of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 provides measures to identify, and provide support and protection for those people, aged 16 and over, who are vulnerable to being harmed, whether as a result of their own or someone else’s conduct. These measures include placing a duty on local authorities to make necessary inquiries and investigations to establish whether or not an adult is at risk from harm and whether further action is required to protect the adult’s well-being, property or financial affairs. The 2007 Act places a duty on particular public bodies (i.e. the bodies listed in section 5(1) of the 2007 Act) to co-operate with local authorities and each other where harm is known or suspected. While local authorities have the lead role in adult protection, effective intervention will only come about as a result of productive cooperation and communication between a range of agencies and professionals. Good practice should be that all relevant public bodies would cooperate with assisting inquiries and investigations, not only those who have a duty to do so under the Act. 11. A Council Officer, who is an individual appointed by a local authority under section 64 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, is required for an adult protection investigation. Where it is known or believed that an adult is at risk from harm and the local authority might need to intervene, there is a duty on the local authority to make the necessary inquiries to establish whether or not action is required to stop or prevent harm occurring. Council Officers have rights of entry to places where adults are known or believed to be at risk of harm. If, following inquiries or investigations, a Council Officer believes that action is required, the local authority can apply to the sheriff for a Protection Order. The range of protection orders include Assessment Orders (which may be to carry out an interview or medical examination of a person), Removal Orders (removal of an adult at risk) and Banning Orders or Temporary Banning Orders (banning of the person causing, or likely to cause, the harm from being in a specified place). Where an adult experiences abuse or neglect, support can be provided at the same time as, or instead of, using court powers. 12. A public body or office holder authorising an intervention or carrying out a function under the 1973 Act must be satisfied that this will benefit the adult and is the least restrictive option available. They must take into account the adult’s wishes and feelings, past and present, insofar as these can be ascertained, and the views of the nearest relative, primary carer, or other relevant parties. They should provide information and support to enable the adult to participate as fully as possible. 13. It is essential that PMAP members, partners to local panels and other professionals ensure that children, young people and adults are protected from harm. While the PMAP provisions in Chapter 2 of Part 5 of the CTSA 2015 are counter-terrorism measures (since their ultimate objective is to prevent terrorism), the way in which PMAP will be delivered may often overlap with implementation of wider safeguarding duties, especially where vulnerabilities have been identified that require intervention from social services, or where the individual is already known to social services. Page 380 of 450
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52 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance 14. It is imperative that Prevent referrals are considered by the local authority and panel partners alongside their work to safeguard vulnerable people. Key links should be established with social services and other panel partners to ensure that an individual receives the most appropriate support available. Where a child or an adult is in receipt of PMAP support, the social worker relevant to that local authority should be present at the panel and be involved in all decisions. PMAP can run in parallel with safeguarding meetings where relevant safeguarding thresholds have been met. Page 381 of 450
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53Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance ANNEX B Sharing information with partners 1. The UK GDPR63 and DPA 201864, and subordinate legislation under the latter, form the data protection legislation that governs the processing of personal data (i.e. information relating to an identified or identifiable living individual). 63 GDPR – https://gdpr-info.eu/ 64 DPA 2018 – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/12/contents/enacted 2. The ICO’s guide to the UK GDPR can be found on the ICO website.65 Article 5 of the UK GDPR sets out six key principles which lie at the heart of the general data protection regime. 65 ICO guide to UK GDPR – https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/lawful- basis/special-category-data/what-are-the-rules-on-special-category-data/ 3. Article 5(1) requires that personal data66 shall be: 66 Personal data is defined by the UK GDPR as ‘any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural (living) person’ a. processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to individuals (‘lawfulness, fairness and transparency’) b. collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes (‘purpose limitation’) c. adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed (‘data minimisation’) d. accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date; every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that personal data that are inaccurate, having regard to the purposes for which they are processed, are erased or rectified without delay (‘accuracy’) e. kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed (‘storage limitation’) f. processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures (‘integrity and confidentiality’) 4. The lawful bases for processing include (as replicated from the ICO website)67 67 https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/lawful-basis/a-guide-to-lawful- basis/ a. Consent: the person has given clear consent for you to process their personal data for a specific purpose. b. Contract: the processing is necessary for a contract you have with the person, or because they have asked you to take specific steps before entering into a contract. Page 382 of 450
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54 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance c. Legal obligation: the processing is necessary for you to comply with the law (not including contractual obligations). d. Vital interests: the processing is necessary to protect someone’s life. e. Public task: the processing is necessary for you to perform a task in the public interest or for your official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law. f. Legitimate interests: the processing is necessary for your legitimate interests or the legitimate interests of a third party, unless there is a good reason to protect the person’s personal data which overrides those legitimate interests. (This cannot apply if you are a public authority processing data to perform your official tasks.) 5. It is the responsibility of PMAP partners to consider their role in relation to data sharing as part of the PMAP process. Information governance and legal teams should be engaged where deemed appropriate to ensure data sharing is necessary, proportionate and lawful. Organisations should also document the nature, basis and agreement of data sharing in line with the UK GDPR principle of accountability (Article 6(2)). This will include having data sharing agreements in place among all the parties involved, that are regularly updated and signed off at the appropriate level. Lawful bases for processing to consider 6. You must have a valid lawful basis to process personal data. The ICO website provides information on identifying and, importantly, documenting the lawful bases your panel identifies.68 When processing special category data, you must identify both a lawful basis for general processing and an additional condition for processing that type of data. There are six available lawful bases for processing. 68 ICO guide to lawful basis for processing – https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and- resources/lawful-basis/special-category-data/what-are-the-rules-on-special-category-data/ Article 6 UK GDPR, section 8 DPA 2018 7. Under Article 6(1)(e) UK GDPR and section 8 of the DPA 2018, personal data may be shared if it is necessary for the purpose of a statutory function. The PMAP process is a statutory function as per section 36 of the CTSA 2015. Article 9 UK GDPR, Part 2 Schedule 1 DPA 2018 8. Under Article 9(2)(g) UK GDPR and paragraph 6 of Part 2, Schedule 1 DPA 2018, special category data may be shared where there are reasons of substantial public interest on the basis of domestic law, such as for the discharge of a statutory function as under section 36 of the CTSA 2015. 9. Your panel may deem it of substantial public interest to share special category data for the purposes of PMAP. Page 383 of 450
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55Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance Special category data 10. Special category data is personal data that needs more protection because it is sensitive. It is listed at Article 9(1) UK GDPR, including – for example – information about an individual’s religious or philosophical beliefs. It is likely that PMAP will require certain special category data to make an informed decision regarding the nature of support required for people referred to PMAP. More information about special category data can be found on the ICO website.69 69 https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/lawful-basis/special-category-data/ what-are-the-rules-on-special-category-data/ Page 384 of 450
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56 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance ANNEX C Partners required to co-operate with local panels (Part 2 of Schedule 7 of the Act – Partners of local panels) Criminal Justice • The governor of a prison in Scotland (or, in the case of a contracted out prison, its director). • The governor of a young offenders institution (or, in the case of a contracted out young offenders institution, its director). Education, childcare, etc. • The proprietor or governing body of an independent school within the meaning given by section 135(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. • The proprietor or governing body of a grant-aided school within the meaning given by that section. • The proprietor or governing body of a post-16 education body within the meaning of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005. Health and social care • A Health Board constituted under section 2(1)(a) of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978. • A Special Health Board constituted under section 2(1)(b) of that Act. • Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Page 385 of 450
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57Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance ANNEX D Other relevant guidance Counter terrorism strategy (Contest) 2023 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counter-terrorism-strategy-contest-2023 Prevent duty guidance for Scotland Prevent duty guidance: for Scotland (accessible) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2023 Supporting documents - National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021 - updated 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) Adult Support and Protection Code of Practice 2022 Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007: Code of Practice (www.gov.scot) Adults with incapacity: code of practice for local authorities https://www.gov.scot/publications/adults-incapacity-scotland-act-2000-code-practice- local-authorities-exercising-functions-under-2000-act/pages/5/ Information Commissioner’s Office Guide to Data Protection https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection-1-1.pdf Page 386 of 450
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58 Prevent multi-agency panel duty guidance ANNEX E Glossary of Terms CTSA 2015 Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 CTCO Counter Terrorism Case Officer DDP Desistance and Disengagement Programme DPA 2018 Data Protection Act 2018 FOISA Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 HRA 1998 Human Rights Act 1998 ICO Information Commissioner’s Office IP Intervention Provider ISA Information Sharing Agreement MAPPA Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements PAF Prevent Assessment Framework PDU Prevent Delivery Unit, Police Scotland PMAP Prevent multi-agency panel SAR Subject Access Request SC Security Check SPOC Single Point of Contact TACT Terrorism Act UK GDPR UK General Data Protection Regulation Page 387 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28th October 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. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that members of the Board: Item 18 CHPB281025 Page 389 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 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. 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 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. Page 390 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 August and September 2025 to assess 4 applications against the refreshed guidance. 4.4 In summary the panel recommends that: Approve an in principle award of £100,000 to The Life Church in support of the Lighthouse Project (subject to stated conditions) This funding will contribute to the completion of Phase 1 of the project, which involves restoring the roof of the 1929–30 Henry Wilson Art Deco building at Paisley Cross. These essential works will make the building wind and water- tight, enabling its safe use and further development. Once complete, the project will deliver a vibrant, accessible community café and meeting space on the ground floor. This space will offer a welcoming environment for the public, residents, community groups, and organisations to gather, connect, and deliver activities. The funding is not provided to support the church organisation itself and the project must demonstrate the agreed and ongoing benefits to the wider community of Renfrewshire in terms of the community hub facility. The project aims to support social inclusion, reduce isolation, and provide new opportunities for volunteering, training, and community-led events. It is anticipated that Life Church will invest £140,000 of its own funds alongside £155,000 from the Benefact Trust to support the fit-out of the ground floor for the purposes of the agreed community hub. The application had been deferred at a previous Communities and Housing Policy Board to allow for further exploration of potential funding from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund. While it was felt this application potentially could meet identified criteria for Town Centre funding, it is not yet operational and in a position to award for several months. Therefore an in principle award from the Sustainable Communities Fund is now recommended in line with the conditions prescribed in Appendix 1. It is intended that this contribution to the project funding required, will allow the Life Church to access identified match funding for the community hub element of the project. Approve an award of £31,878.91 to Active Communities to launch and pilot a mobile pantry service within Gallowhill, Paisley. Page 391 of 450
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PUBLIC Active Communities, commissioned by Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership, undertook a community needs assessment in Gallowhill (July 2024–January 2025) which highlighted limited local facilities, limited access to fresh food, and the impact of reduced transport links on residents. To address these challenges, Active Communities will pilot a refitted mobile banking van as a food van, bringing affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food directly into the community. Beyond food provision, the food van aims to serve as a community space promoting social cohesion, well-being, and wider support. Alongside affordable food, the project will introduce financial resilience support, offering advice on issues such as utility bills and debt. Building on the successful model at Station 7 pantry, partners like Citizens Advice Bureau will be invited to deliver services directly through the van, bringing vital support into the heart of the Gallowhill community. The group have recently received notice from the Robertson Trust, that they have been successful in securing 3 years’ funding to carry this project forward once the pilot has been carried out. This money will include staff costs for 3 years, and cost for the ongoing maintenance of the food van. Approve and award of £8,769.00 to Renfrew Association of Growers and Gardeners (RAGG-SCIO) to install an accessible composting Toilet. The need for an accessible toilet at Broadloan Gardens was identified through direct community feedback. Visitors, including families, elderly residents and people with disabilities, highlighted the lack of facilities as a barrier to participation. Plans were shaped with input from volunteers and local groups at open meetings and through community updates, with feedback influencing both design and location. A sustainable, waterless toilet was chosen to meet environmental and inclusion goals of the organisation. A steering group of residents and volunteers will oversee delivery, while ongoing user feedback will guide maintenance and improvements. Applications not recommended for approval 4.5 The officer panel considered an application from Johnstone Baptist Church for £6,000 to install solar panels to the roof of their building. An energy audit was carried out by officers on behalf of the organisation to support the assessment of this application. Whilst it was recognised that installation of solar panels could provide opportunities for the applicant to improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs, thereby increasing potential usage by the wider Page 392 of 450
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PUBLIC community, concerns were raised regarding the installation of solar panels on a single-storey building. The council has a policy of not installing solar panels on single-storey buildings due to the risk of vandalism, and as such the application is not recommended for award as it does not meet best value considerations. Deferred applications 4.6 The panel considered an initial application that had been submitted by Ferguslie Development Trust for the refurbishment of the St Ninian’s Church Hall. As set out in Appendix 1, the officer panel recommends that this application is deferred to allow for further development of the application and engagement with the group, and progress with their Community Asset Transfer application due to be considered later in 2025. 4.7 Members are asked to note that the currently deferred application from Friends of Barshaw Park for the Walled Garden has been withdrawn to allow for a feasibility study to be carried out, following a structural engineer’s report on the condition of the outbuildings which requires the project to be reprofiles, 4.8 The Sustainable Communities Fund currently has £411,534 of funding available for future allocation. 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 5.3 Two applications were considered by the officer panel since the last Board in August 2025. In summary, the panel recommends the following: Page 393 of 450
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PUBLIC Approve an award of £25,000 to LEAP (Local Environmental Action Plan) to deliver a Community Hub, Charity Shop and Events Space in the High Street, Lochwinnoch. LEAP seeks to redevelop The Old Bank on Lochwinnoch’s High Street into a vibrant multi-use community hub. The Hub will provide opportunities for learning and skills development in areas such as repairing and repurposing goods, upcycling, cooking, and sustainable living practices. A key focus embedded throughout their approach will be to support local mental health and wellbeing, creating a thriving, connected, and greener community. The Community Hub will provide LEAP with a sustainable income stream through an on-site charity shop selling furniture and clothing. In addition, flexible spaces will be available to hire for local projects and workshops, including soap making, sewing, cooking, and other community-led activities. The group have already secured £44,000 to support the project from the Scottish Local Action Group’s Community Led Local Development fund (LAG CLLD). Not to approve an award of £4,800 to Inchinnan Development Trust to fund legal fees for the conclusion of the asset transfer of an area of land at East Beardmore, on the edge of Teucheen Wood. It is further recommended not to award funding to Inchinnan Community Development Trust for legal fees associated with the Community Asset Transfer of land neighbouring the community owned Teucheen Wood. The group had applied for £4,800 to cover their legal fees of their Community Asset Transfer. While it was recognised that the wider project relating to the communal greenspace and increased accessibility has wider community benefits, the panel considered an application for legal costs for an agreed Community Asset Transfer to not meet best value considerations. 5.4 £195,505 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 – None 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. Page 394 of 450
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PUBLIC 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 395 of 450
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PUBLIC Appendix 1 – Sustainable Communities Fund APPLICATIONS RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD Name of organisation Project description Tier 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 proposed funding relates to the works required for the public and community spaces within the building, with worship spaces forming part of latter phases of the project. The benefact fund have written a letter of support for the project and suggest that they will at least 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 £100,000 This application was previously deferred in order to explore the potential of the Council’s Town Centre Regeneration Funding being utilised to support this project. As that funding is not currently operational, it is recommended to award SCF funding in principle to allow the group to progress their project and secure their match funding. It is recommended for award subject to this external funding being secured to complete the initial phases of the project which will deliver a community hub which can evidence ongoing impact for the wider community, Page 396 of 450
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PUBLIC and will not be utilised to support faith based provision. This award is subject to the development of a Strategic Partnership Agreement, and a payment schedule will be agreed with the organisation based on agreed project milestones. Active Communities The group are seeking funding from the Sustainable Communities Fund to launch and pilot a mobile pantry service within Gallowhill. The Food Van will serve as a social supermarket and community services space, offering a mobile solution to address food insecurity, reduce food waste, and tackle wider social and cost of living challenges. A recent community needs assessment highlighted that access to food provision (particularly healthy food) was challenging, as shops are not easily accessible, either to walk to or to get around for those who are disabled. Due to constraints in bus provision, people need to get taxis to do their food shopping, which adds to their financial burden. There is also no current provision for community pantries. Large £31,878.91 (£24,978.91 Revenue, £6,900 Capital) £31,878.91 Page 397 of 450
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PUBLIC To address these challenges, Active Communities will pilot a refitted mobile banking van as a food van, bringing affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food directly into the community. Beyond food provision, the food van aims to serve as a community space promoting social cohesion, well-being, and wider support. Alongside affordable food, the project will introduce financial resilience support, offering advice on issues such as utility bills and debt. Building on the successful model at Station 7 pantry, partners like Citizens Advice Bureau will be invited to deliver services directly through the van, bringing vital support into the heart of the Gallowhill community. It was noted that Active Communities have been successful in assembling a range of external funding sources to support this project, including the provision of the van and fit out, as well as significant ongoing running costs from Robertson Trust. Renfrew Association of Growers and Gardeners Broadloan Gardens Accessible Composting Toilet Installation The project will deliver a sustainable, fully accessible waterless toilet at Broadloan Gardens, addressing the current lack of facilities. This will enable more Small £8,769 £8,769 It is noted that the group have made enquiries to planning regarding the installation of the toilet, and award will be subject Page 398 of 450
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PUBLIC visitors – including families, elderly people, and those with disabilities – to enjoy the gardens comfortably and for longer periods. The installation will be carried out by professionals, supported by local volunteers to ensure smooth integration with the existing site. The new facility will remove a key barrier to participation, encouraging wider community use of the gardens for recreation, education, and wellbeing. Local schools, community groups, and visitors of all ages will benefit, while increased accessibility will promote social inclusion. The wider benefits include improving equality of access to green space, supporting outdoor events, and fostering a stronger, more welcoming community hub that reflects local needs and values. to any relevant planning conditions being met. APPLICATIONS - RECOMMENDED NOT TO APPROVE Name of organisation Project description Tier Grant Application Amount Recommended award Comments Johnstone Baptist Church Solar Panels Project Johnstone Baptist Church are seeking £6,000 funding to install solar panels in order to expand the opening hours of their building for a range of different community activities including their Wednesday foodbank and expanding to include after school activities for children and young people. Small £6,000 £0 An energy audit was carried out by officers on behalf of the organisation, but concerns were raised regarding the installation of solar panels on a single story building. The council has a policy of not Page 399 of 450
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PUBLIC Heating their premises is the problem as the electricity bills are extremely expensive despite a new wet electric central, new insulation and double glazing the cost to heat the building this last year was over £4,000 to be open two days a week. It should be noted the group revised the amount of their application down following a successful funding application to another external funder. installing solar panels on single storey buildings due to the risk of vandalism, and as such the application is not recommended for award as it does not meet best value considerations. APPLICATIONS WITHDRAWN 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. A structural engineer has reviewed the site, and this has now given the Group a steer on what needs done with regards to structure of buildings. Large £49,945.80 Withdrawn At the last Board it was recommended that this application was deferred to allow for further consideration to be given to the report of a structural engineer relating to the structure and condition of the buildings. Further to this, the group have withdrawn their application to allow for a more detailed feasibility study to be carried out including the rescoping of the project. Page 400 of 450
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PUBLIC The group are exploring potential alternative external funding in order to progress this. Officers will continue to keep in contact with the group, who may choose to make a future application at a more appropriate time. Appendix 2 – Villages Improvement Fund APPLICATIONS RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD Name of organisation Project description Tier Grant Applicatio n Amount Recommended Award Comments LEAP The Old Bank – Community Hub, Charity Shop & Events Space LEAP aim to create a vibrant multi-use hub at the heart of the village. The hub will serve as a space to Large £25,000 (£15,000 capital, £25,000 LEAP have a Letter of Comfort from the current owner of The Old Bank to proceed with a long-term lease and have appointed Page 401 of 450
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PUBLIC educate and promote environmental protection and sustainable practices, while also strengthening community connections and supporting positive mental health and wellbeing. To ensure long-term sustainability, the hub will generate income through a range of activities. These include operating a charity shop for furniture and clothing, providing hireable spaces for local makers, workshops, and community events, and developing an online shop to showcase local produce and crafts. LEAP will further hire out event equipment, rent the kitchen to local vendors, and offer the area for wider community use. £10,000 revenue) a solicitor to conclude the contract upon securing the necessary Funds. APPLICATIONS RECOMMENDED NOT TO APPROVE Name of organisation Project description Tier Grant Applicatio n Amount Recommended award Comments Page 402 of 450
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PUBLIC Inchinnan Development Trust Inchinnan Development Trust (IDT) is seeking to adopt an area of land bordering their community- owned historic woodland. The group requests funding to cover legal fees associated with the Community Asset Transfer of the area of land neighbouring the Woodland. The vision for the site is the creation of a new communal greenspace with accessible infrastructure and biodiversity improvements. The area will further offer wheelchair and pram users the opportunity to enjoy the community woodland. Medium £4,800 (revenue) £0 The Panel noted that the Community Asset Transfer was agreed on 11th November 2024. While it was recognised that the wider project relating to the communal greenspace and increased accessibility has wider community benefits, the panel considered an application for legal costs for a previously agreed Community Asset Transfer to not meet best value considerations. Page 403 of 450
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OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE _________________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28th October 2025 _________________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive _________________________________________________________________________ Heading: Connected Communities - Six Monthly Update _________________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. The Council’s Connected Communities team delivers a range of services across Renfrewshire which aim to improve outcomes for local people and communities. These services are a core element of the work of our local Community Learning and Development Partnership, and in delivering on the priorities which are set out in our Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan. 1.2. Section 4 of the paper provides an overview of activity across the Connected Communities team over the past 6 months, aligned to the priorities of Renfrewshire’s Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan. 1.3. Section 5 of the paper provides an overview of progress within the “Good Vibes Only” initiative, including recommendations for the next phase to include a dedicated programme of creative social enterprise opportunities funded by Future Paisley, and the piloting of some locality- based youth activity in four areas in response to emerging demands and issues identified. 1.4. Section 6 of the paper highlights key priorities for the service over the course of the next 6 months. ________________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that Elected Members: Note the content of the report Item 19 CHPB281025 Page 405 of 450
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OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE Award grant funding of £9,300 to Social Enterprise Academy and £5,000 to Create Paisley to pilot the delivery of targeted creative social enterprise opportunities to young people identified through the Good Vibes Only programme. ________________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 As reported to the Leadership Board in February 2025, a key transformation priority for the organisation over the next 3-5 years will be the development of the Connected Communities model and approach, which at its heart, will aim to strengthen the relationships that the Council has with local communities in Renfrewshire, including the ambition to make it easier for local people to access the support they need from different services, significantly aligned with the principles of early intervention and prevention. 3.2 In order to ensure a strong core central function is in place within the Council to support the delivery of the programme, a service redesign has recently been progressed to establish the Connected Communities function within the Chief Executive’s Service. This function brings together officers working together on our community empowerment, poverty and inequality programmes such as Fairer Renfrewshire and our community and learning and development teams, and will ensure that we have the right resources in place to build capacity across communities, encourage participation and involvement, and strengthen the relationships that our services have with communities and citizens. Completion of this internal service redesign is an important building block for the wider Connected Communities programme. 3.3 As noted in the Leadership Board paper, significant strides have been made in recent years in terms of supporting community capacity and participation, progressing innovative and inclusive new approaches such as participatory budgeting, Local Partnerships, new community grants, regeneration programmes, Lived Experience Panels and youth engagement initiatives. The COVID pandemic and cost of living crisis more recently have further strengthened our local approach, but our learning during this period has identified the opportunity to develop this further. 3.4 As previously reported to this board, the Community Learning and Development function now sits within the Connected Communities Service in the Chief Executive’s Service. This ensures community learning and development is closely aligned to wider strategic and community planning activities, which is very important given the role that the Council’s skilled and experienced team play in delivering positive outcomes for people and communities. 4. Six monthly progress update 4.1 The Connected Communities team delivers a range of services designed to support and nurture Renfrewshire’s communities: Page 406 of 450
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OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE Provide a programme of high-quality lifelong learning, accessible to all 4.2 A full programme of Adult and Family Learning classes has now resumed after the summer break. Classes include ESOL, Literacies, Personal Development, Family Learning, Mens’ Groups and IT. Recent developments in the Adult and Family Learning programme include: o The Literacies programme is offering the Talk, Learn, Do financial capacity programme which involves teaching parents basic budgeting and financial literacy skills to share with their young children through a range of activities which engage parents and children together. This Money and Pensions Advice Service programme is well evaluated. o A SafeTalk suicide awareness course was hosted in conjunction with the NHS for members of staff and other external agencies where participants were given tools to help support service users having suicidal thoughts. Fifteen participants attended across a range of Council services and partners. o A new Invent Your Future programme of adult learning classes was piloted with existing learners and a full programme launched to new learners in the new term. This programme is an update to the STEPS to Excellence programme which allows participants to explore barriers they have faced to learning and achievement. o Crafting Groups continue to be very popular as part of our Learning for Sustainability programme and run successfully at Johnstone, Bargarran and Foxlea locations. Many unused household articles have been re-purposed into new items and saved from landfill. o The crafting specialist organisation Re-mode facilitated a nature inspired embroidery workshop at Bargarran in October. This crafting session involves 12 people with an age range up to 90. o The ESOL partnership with the Resettlement Team has been expanded in response to demand. There are currently two groups running at Moorpark for complete beginners, with the ESOL programme overall currently providing 7 classes throughout Renfrewshire. 4.3 As part of Employability Month, three workshops were run for service users in conjunction with Skills Development Scotland. A presentation on ESOL provision to support asylum seekers and refugees was given at the Local Employability Partnership Conference. 4.4 The Duke of Edinburgh Award programme has seen strong activity across Renfrewshire during this period, particularly throughout the May to October ‘expedition season’. Key highlights include: o There are 545 young people currently taking part and working towards their award. (exceeding pre-Covid participation figures) Page 407 of 450
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OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE o 23% of participants come from areas where young people may face additional barriers to opportunities. o Overall there have been 42 expeditions taking place during 2025 - 32 Bronze and 10 Silver. o DofE Award participants in Renfrewshire spent 5,226 hours volunteering in their communities between April 2023-March 2024. o On 4 July 2025, Renfrewshire Gold Award recipients were invited to Holyrood Palace to celebrate their achievements. This year, we have supported the successful delivery of three bronze and two silver expeditions and provided technical advice and assistance for several High School expeditions across the authority. Build strong connected communities where people can participate and influence in their local area 4.5 Renfrewshire hosted the 83rd National Sitting of the Scottish Youth Parliament at Paisley Town Hall in early September 2025. o The event brought together approximately 160 young people from across Scotland for debates, workshops, and networking, showcasing the area’s commitment to youth voice and participation. As part of the programme, Renfrewshire staff delivered an Introduction to Gender Based Violence Training for support workers from across Scotland in response to the SYP national campaign calling for the end of Gender Based Violence. o The 83rd Sitting was opened by Janie O’Neill, Director of Children’s Services and Renfrewshire MSYPs welcoming everyone to Renfrewshire and highlighting the achievements of young people locally. o Renfrewshire hosted two social evenings with the first held on the Friday evening at UWS with an informal session promoting Community Learning & Development courses and the youth voice programme on offer for young people within Renfrewshire. Local youth voice groups were invited to attend the social evenings linking with other MSYPs from local authorities and national charities across Scotland. o Our MSYPs successfully hosted a social evening on the Saturday within Paisley Town Hall with a DJ, photo booth, food from a local caterer and a silent disco. 4.6 Renfrewshire Youth Voice successfully delivered a summer programme, including a free band night at The Bungalow attended by 175 young people. The group also met with the Provost to discuss opportunities for youth engagement with decision-makers. Upcoming highlights include a Youth Voice Expo in November and the Positive About Youth Awards on 12th November at Paisley Town Hall. 4.7 The Climate Change Champions programme continues and included: Page 408 of 450
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OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE o Outreach in local primaries in Glenburn led to the recruitment of P7 volunteers for the third year. The S1 group is working on a mural with The Promise, due for completion in October. o A well-established group in Erskine delivered a climate networking event in June which will conclude in September, with a focus on completing their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards by December. o Plans are in place for a Wednesday climate group (October–March) in partnership with Active Travel and Global Citizenship organisations, alongside a Saturday Eco Volunteers programme starting in October. 4.8 As a follow up to the annual Safekids programme delivered to P6 pupils across Renfrewshire the youth safety team continued delivering anti- social behaviour awareness sessions in 50 primary schools and 11 secondary schools, focusing on P7 and S1 pupils. Tailored sessions were also provided for Additional Support Needs schools to ensure inclusivity. The team also delivered Respect Days for S2 pupils in schools such as Paisley Grammar, Gleniffer High, Linwood High, and St Andrews Academy. These sessions were delivered in partnership with Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, addressing key issues including anti-social behaviour, fire-related offences, violence, and knife crime. 4.9 Daily operations for the youth safety team included responding to ASB complaints from Police Scotland and the public and engaging directly with young people. The team also attend Partnership Early Intervention Screening Group (EISG) meetings, conduct home visits and provide 12- week support plans where required. They also worked closely with Police Scotland to discuss and prevent issues impacting on Paisley town centre and surrounding areas. Deliver targeted opportunities across the CLD Partnership to reduce barriers and tackle inequalities 4.10 Over the summer period, officers from across the Connected Communities service worked together to coordinate and deliver another successful ‘Summer of Fun’ in Renfrewshire, funded through the Fairer Renfrewshire programme. It comprised a community programme, summer camps, a OneRen programme delivered through the library network and Skoobmobile and targeted programmes through Adult and Family Learning programme and the Promise Champs. It is estimated that 8,812 attendances were recorded across the programme in 2025. A full evaluation will be reported to the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee and to Leadership Board in November/December 2025. 4.11 Work is being progressed to explore the development and expansion of the Council’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESoL) provision, which is a key priority of Renfrewshire’s CLD Partnership Plan. Survey work has been undertaken with ESoL learners locally to inform the development of this work, with a view to offering a more flexible and responsive ESoL offer locally alongside partners. Further information on this will be provided at a future Communities and Housing Board. Page 409 of 450
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OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE 4.12 The Evolve New Scots group, made up of Ukrainian displaced persons aged 15–22, has recently constituted as Bring Unity to Communities (B.U.C.) in partnership with Renfrewshire’s Resettlement Team. The group has applied for funding through Engage Renfrewshire’s InRen network and is planning youth-led multicultural events across Renfrewshire to promote anti-racism through music, dance, and food. 4.13 Building on the Promise’s established work, the service continues to deliver a programme aimed at amplifying youth voices, promoting inclusion, and creating safe, welcoming spaces where young people feel loved, respected, and empowered. 4.14 With funding from the Corra Foundation, the team delivered a range of youth-led projects and supported care-experienced young people. Key achievements include: o Youth Spaces: Funding supported the redesign of two Youth Spaces, with work on two additional spaces currently underway. o Events & Activities: Delivered a range of mini youth events such as self-care sessions, fashion shows, and the popular Boo-Fest. o Community Art: Over 60 young people collaborated to design and install five vibrant murals across the Seedhill area. 4.15 In partnership with Children’s Services, a ‘Fund Your Fun’ scheme was launched for children and young people. This provides items and experiences for children and young people looked after at home. 4.16 Young and Equally Safe - in August, a girls’ group was launched in response to concerns raised in relation to behavioural trends and potentially harmful online interactions. The group aims to build confidence and encourage positive choices. A boys’ group at Renfrew High also continued, challenging misogynistic and homophobic attitudes while promoting respect and empathy. o The team also engaged with the Active Schools network to promote the upcoming 16 Days of Action campaign. The project expanded through school-based workshops and community sessions focused on gender-based respect, while detailed planning for the 16 Days of Action campaign is underway. o Young and Equally Safe takes a lead role in organising the Reclaim the Night march in Renfrewshire working in partnership with a range of different organisations such as Barnardo’s, Whole Family Wellbeing, The Soroptimists, Student Unions, Police and local businesses to ensure it is not only a visible protest, but a coordinated effort to support survivors, raise awareness, and push for lasting change. o 16 Days of Action begins on 25th November to the 10th December with the Reclaim the Night march taking place on Thursday 27th November 2025. 4.17 Children and young people aged 5–21 living in Scotland are entitled to free bus travel, but they need a National Entitlement Card (NEC) to use it. Children aged 5–10 receive a Junior NEC, and those aged 11 and over get a Page 410 of 450
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OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE Young Scot NEC, which also works as recognised proof of age and gives access to Young Scot discounts. Renfrewshire were recently audited on their processes for supporting the distribution of NEC cards for children and young people and received strong recognition for the processes and work undertaken locally. 4.18 The Street Stuff programme continues to be delivered as follows: o Community Sessions: Activities are run in the areas that have been identified as needing them most through analytical information, mainly in the evenings. These sessions focus on sports and games to give young people a safe and positive way to spend their time. New cheerleading classes are now being offered in the Southend Action Centre in Paisley with over 50 Young people participating. The cheerleaders will also form part of this year's Halloween Parade. o School Sessions: Work continues across the school network in Renfrewshire with 6 secondary schools and flexible learning bases, and 6 primary schools also being supported through Street to School. The team builds relationships with young people who need additional support with their learning, working with schools to plan activities to help close the attainment gap and maximise attendance. Opportunities are also provided to access experiences that young people might not normally get, helping to complement their school learning. Strengthening our partnership and developing the workforce 4.19 Officers have continued to support and develop the new governance arrangements agreed as part of the Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan and have been working closely with the CLD Partnership Executive Group and the Partnership Forum to report on Year 1 of our shared Renfrewshire CLD Plan and show evidence of joint working towards our shared priorities. The CLD Partnership Annual Report will be reported to the next Communities and Housing Policy Board cycle. 4.20 A shared calendar of events and meeting cycles has been developed, including opportunities for training and CLD workforce development. 4.21 Education Scotland is providing a programme of professional learning to CLD partners in Renfrewshire called ‘Self-Evaluation for Continuous Learning’ which covers outcomes-focused planning, data handling, interpretation, analysis, effective self-evaluation and using toolkits. The training has helped raise awareness and understanding of CLD across the partnership with partners having a clearer understanding on the role that they play, and the ‘train the trainer’ approach will allow this to be rolled out more broadly to practitioners across Renfrewshire. 4.22 Procurement is underway for a new Management Information System for Community Learning and Development, shared with Children’s Services. The system will enable the recording and tracking of relevant outcomes, Page 411 of 450
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OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE participation and achievements with the potential to extend usage to partner organisations to collate CLD activities across the Community Learning and Development Partnership and support reporting on the wider CLD Plan. 5 Good Vibes Only 5.1 Elected members will be aware that £100k of funding was allocated by Council in its budget in 2024 to support initiatives which support youth engagement and wellbeing in Renfrewshire, with a strong focus in getting young people involved in a positive way with things going on in their community. This led to the development of the “Good Vibes Only” youth engagement programme, which has built strong momentum following successful outreach from summer 2024 in Linwood, Gallowhill, Paisley Town Centre and surrounding areas. Delivered in partnership with Street Stuff, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and British Transport Police the initiative focuses on early intervention and prevention around risk taking behaviour and creating positive opportunities for young people. 5.2 Phase 1 Developments included: o Outreach work has continued 2 nights per week since the outset of the programme based on analytical information and intelligence from Police Scotland. Most young people advise that they are getting involved in risk taking behaviour and choose travelling to other areas in Renfrewshire because they feel that there is nothing affordable for them to do in their own neighbourhoods. o Safe Kids 2025 was delivered at St Mirren Football Stadium this year as part of the ‘Good Vibes Only’ programme with a range of community safety partners. Workshops covering issues such as antisocial behaviour, internet safety, alcohol and drugs awareness, environmental crime, rail safety and water safety. All Primary 6 pupils, approximately 1800 across Renfrewshire attended the workshops over a 3-week period and were given an information booklet reinforcing the learning that took place and can be shared with family members. Follow up activities in P7 and S1 will be provided on matters such as Water Safety in the lead up to the spring and summer holiday periods as well as Fire Safety in the lead up to Bonfire night. o The Community Learning and Development team lead coordination and monitoring to ensure the programme remains youth-led and responsive to local needs. 5.3 The next phase will build on three key pillars: Outreach: Engaging young people at risk and offering positive alternatives. Targeted Youth Work: Focused delivery in areas such as Paisley Town Centre, Linwood, Renfrew, Bishopton and Gallowhill to respond to feedback from young people through the outreach work. Page 412 of 450
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OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE Partnership Sessions: Multi-agency collaboration to provide education, support, and opportunities. 5.4 Additional funding has been secured from Future Paisley to support the Community Learning and Development Team to offer a range of targeted creative and cultural opportunities to young people across Renfrewshire through the Good Vibes programme. 5.5 Officers have been working with partners to develop options to deliver this element of the programme, and have identified and scoped an opportunity to work with a national organisation the Social Enterprise Academy and Create Paisley to give around 25 young people from across Renfrewshire, practical skills and creative outlets. Participants will also have the option to work towards a National Progress Award (NPA) in Enterprise and Employability (Level 4). 5.6 In order to progress this pilot within the Good Vibes programme, it is recommended that the Future Paisley funding is allocated as follows: o £9,300 of grant funding is awarded to Social Enterprise Academy to develop and progress entrepreneur activities turning risk taking behaviour into something more positive. o £5,000 of grant funding is awarded to Create Paisley to support young people with their ideas, development and progression into entrepreneur type activities or just to have fun. Locality based youth activity 5.7 As outlined above young people have highlighted as part of the Good Vibes outreach work as having fewer affordable activities available for them to do within their local neighbourhoods, resulting in them travelling to other areas and often tempted to get involved in risk taking behaviour. Officers from the service are keen to explore some new areas of development to be provided through the Council to complement existing activities being delivered by wider community groups and organisations in these areas as follows: o In terms of Council provision, Linwood already benefits from a strong arts and drama heritage through the CLD Class Acts group, which is a busy and well-established group focussed on dance and drama. Building on this, we will introduce cheerleading sessions in partnership with Street Stuff, as this activity has proven highly popular in other areas. This will also provide a free indoor activity in the area over the winter period. The aim is to create a vibrant, inclusive programme that combines physical activity with creative expression. Local young people will co-design the sessions, ensuring the offer reflects their interests and aspirations. o Gallowhill has limited youth provision beyond Street Stuff’s Sports Zone sessions and one Active Schools evening for families and younger children. Working with partners and local young people, we will explore demand for youth activities in the short term, and then Page 413 of 450
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OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE work to explore opportunities for a safe, structured environment for young people and reduce the need for them to travel into Paisley Town Centre, where risk taking behaviour is higher. o Whilst youth work opportunities are provided by well-established organisations such as Renfrew YMCA in the Renfrew area, potential gaps have been identified in terms of activities for older young people. Further work is required to identify the gaps in provision and work with young people to identify the most appropriate space for meaningful activities, helping to build confidence and community pride. o Bishopton has also been identified as an area where there are potentially limited current youth work opportunities available and there is strong interest from local parents in creating opportunities for children and young people. We will work with partners to develop options that can be delivered with the community. 5.8 Progress will be reported to the next Communities and Housing Policy Board. 6 Key priorities for the next six months 6.1 The following key priorities will be progressed over the next 6 months: Progressing the key actions detailed in the CLD Partnership Plan including mapping youth provision locally and wider engagement with local people, learners and partners. Implementing a new management information system in partnership with other key services. Continuing to work with the Resettlement Team and other partners to support New Scots, in particular developing Renfrewshire’s offer of learning and support for English for Speakers of other Languages. Finalisation of the new service structure as part of the overall Connected Communities programme. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – The report recommends the allocation of £14,300 of funding from existing Future Paisley allocation to pilot creative and social enterprise opportunities as part of the Good Vibes Only programme. 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 Page 414 of 450
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OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE 6. Information Technology –None 7. Equality & Human Rights – The report details a number of activities carried out across the Connected Communities service which seek to tackle inequalities across a range of protected characteristics, and in particular advancing equality of opportunity for a number of equality groups who face additional barriers. 8. Health & Safety – None 9. Procurement – None 10. Risk – None 11. Privacy Impact – No ne 12. COSLA Policy Position – None 13. Children’s Rights – The activities of the service play an important role in terms of working with children and young people to understand their rights and to achieve positive outcomes in relation to these rights in practice. 14. Climate Risk – there are a range of actions and activities throughout the Service Update Report which support the Council’s Plan for Net Zero __________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers: None Page 415 of 450
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Community Justice Update and Annual Return 2024/25 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report details Community Justice Renfrewshire’s progress towards national justice outcomes, in accordance with statutory requirements. 1.2 The report describes how Community Justice Renfrewshire will deliver improvement work in response to latest learning and emerging opportunities. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 The Communities and Housing board is asked to: (a) approve the Reporting Template for the Community Justice Renfrewshire Annual Report 2024/25, attached as an appendix to the report; and (b note that the Community Justice Renfrewshire Annual Report Template 2024/25 has been submitted to Community Justice Scotland in draft format and, subject to approval and/or amendment by this Policy Board, the finalised report will be submitted and published. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background Item 20 CHPB281025 Page 417 of 450
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PUBLIC 3.1 Community Justice Renfrewshire is required to report on local progress towards national justice outcomes. Our achievements are relayed to Community Justice Scotland who combine with those of other justice partnerships to create a national report. 3.2 Community Justice Scotland supply community justice partnerships with a reporting template. Partnerships use this template to describe the local community justice activity delivered over the preceding financial year which has contributed to national justice outcomes. Community Justice Renfrewshire received this template in May 2025, and it covers the 2024/25 financial year. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Community Justice Renfrewshire Annual Outcome Activity Return 2024/25 4.1 Community Justice Renfrewshire’s Annual Outcome Activity Return is attached to this report (Appendix 1). The return outlines partnership work progressed over the period 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025. Highlights include: • Expanded early intervention supports within justice social work, increasing capacity for diversion from prosecution and other community-based measures • Full implementation of bail supervision as a robust alternative to remand, with strong uptake and low breach rates • Improved understanding of health and social care needs for individuals liberated from custody • Strengthened housing support for prison leavers, including face- to-face engagement and assistance with tenancy sustainment • Specialist employability support delivered through core and commissioned services, including provision for people with sexual convictions 4.2 In accordance with guidance, the return emphasises collaborative activity rather than detail that progressed by individual teams, services, or organisations. This reduces duplication of reporting and focuses on the partnership’s added value. 4.3 A draft of Renfrewshire’s Community Justice Annual Outcome Activity Return was sent to Community Justice Scotland in advance of the submission deadline (26 September 2025). A final report will be sent to Community Justice Scotland following this board’s review. Page 418 of 450
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PUBLIC 4.4 We will continue to work closely with Community Justice Scotland and review any learning from national report when it is published early next year. We will apply relevant learning to improve our local approach to reducing reoffending and improving outcomes for those with living experience of the justice system. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - None 2. HR & Organisational Development - None 3. Community/Council Planning – • Our Renfrewshire is thriving – working with people with justice experienced to improve their readiness for employment • Our Renfrewshire is well – supporting the health and care needs of this population • Our Renfrewshire is fair - addressing stigma and taking a person- centred approach to address root causes of offending behaviour • Our Renfrewshire is safe – helping people accused or convicted of offences rehabilitate and reintegrate in their communities decreases the chances of further offending 4. Legal – None, this report meets the Council’s statutory community justice requirements 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 Page 419 of 450
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PUBLIC 13. Children’s Rights – Although there are no direct implications the rights and wellbeing of children and young people is at the heart of our Service. We will continue to work together to promote equality and raise awareness of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to make sure children and young people’s rights are promoted and reflected in all that we do. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Jamie Gardyne, Community Justice Lead Officer Page 420 of 450
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PUBLIC April 2025 Appendix 1 Community Justice Scotland Ceartas Coimhearsnachd Alba Community justice outcome activity across Scotland: Local area annual return template Reporting year April 2024 – March 2025 Page 421 of 450
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PUBLIC 1. Background This reporting template has been developed in discussion with community justice representatives from local areas. This template is designed to enable local areas to gather information and report on progress towards the community justice outcomes. 2. Statement of Assurance and Data Usage The information submitted to CJS using this template will be used by CJS in its role to monitor, promote and support improvement in, and keep the Scottish Ministers informed about, performance in the provision of community justice. In line with provisions in the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), CJS will use appropriate data to ensure that there is continuous reporting, development and progress towards the national outcomes. By providing data to CJS you are consenting to its use by CJS as indicated. Community Justice Partnerships should be aware that any information held by CJS is subject to statutory Freedom of Information obligations. Completion of the template can help local partnerships to fulfil their requirements under s23 (1b) of the Act by using the developed content to inform the production of the publicly facing summary statement of annual progress. 3. General principles of the template The template and guidance have been developed using the following principles: • Support CJS in developing the evidence base for local community justice activity and progress across Scotland within the reporting year • Support CJS to comply with their duties set out in the Act, Sections 26-30 • Support local partners to comply with their local reporting requirements set out in section 23 of the Act. Page 422 of 450
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PUBLIC 4. How to fill in the template The return should be completed and consulted on with partners involved in community justice in your local area. In line with the Act this includes statutory partners, third sector bodies involved in community justice in the area, and such community bodies or other persons as partners consider appropriate. CJS expects that completion of this template will be a collaborative effort. This template incorporates guidance to support completion, with the text (in blue) providing reflective prompts to consider when developing your answer, which can be deleted and replaced with your response. These should be considered together through the development of your answer rather than addressed individually. There is no expectation that areas will return substantial numerical data. It is likely that local areas will not have the national data indicators set out by the Community Justice Performance Framework at the time they are completing this template. It is not anticipated that CJS will routinely use or refer to local level national indicator data in the context of the national outcome activity annual report. If in developing the national report it becomes apparent that local-level data may support further analysis of particular outcomes, for example in identifying potential recommendations, exploring data outliers, or areas for further development, we expect this to be taken forward in discussion with the relevant local areas and partners. Instead, we want partners to focus on the qualitative evidence drawn from their activity and insights about impact. Relevant local supporting evidence from the CJS improvement tool that will supplement the national indicator data has been specified under each national outcome in this template. We would encourage partners to develop the response to this template in conversation with each other and view it as an opportunity to reflect on your strengths and needs in partnership. Where the template asks for evidence, a written response will suffice and there is no expectation that you send additional supporting documentation – if there are any aspects CJS is unclear on, it will be our responsibility to request clarification where necessary. If any response or evidence requires details about people with lived experience (e.g. evidence in respect of someone’s life story) please DO NOT include any identifiable personal or sensitive information (as outlined in Schedules 2 & 3 of the Data Protection Act 1998) as CJS does not require such information. If this is unavoidable then please ensure that the data is fully anonymised. If you have any queries about completing the template, then please email CJSImprovement@communityjustice.scot. Page 423 of 450
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PUBLIC 1. Community Justice Partnership / Group Details Name of local authority area/s Renfrewshire Council Name and contact details of the partnership Chair Name: John Trainer Email: john.trainer@renfrewshire.gov.uk Telephone: n/a Name: Jamie Gardyne Name: Jamie Gardyne Email: Jamie.gardyne@renfrewshire.gov.uk Telephone: n/a 2. Template Sign-off from Community Justice Partnership / Group Chair Enter the name of the chair to confirm that the local community justice partnership representatives have agreed this return as an accurate record. It should be returned to CJS by 26 September 2025. For the purpose of submitting this return to CJS ensure you have agreement from community justice partners. Date: 25 September 2025 Name: John Trainer Page 424 of 450
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PUBLIC 3. Governance Arrangements Last year, we asked partnerships to describe their governance structure for community justice arrangements and include links to wider community planning. Please describe any substantive changes since your previous answer. No change The governance structure continues to reflect strategic alignment with Renfrewshire’s Promise Strategic Oversight Group, ensuring justice-related activity supports The Promise’s aims. 4. The year overall This section should be used to reflect some of the a) challenges/negative implications and b) opportunities/positive implications from the reporting year on the community justice partnership. This can include impact on the improvement activity, partner collaboration, delivery of services, or other as relevant. Challenges / Negatives Delivering change and improvement in Scotland’s community justice agenda is challenging, particularly in the context of wider local improvement activity such as eradicating poverty, growing the economy and reducing health inequality. While these agendas share common goals, their operational frameworks, funding streams, and performance measures often differ. This can create potential for competing priorities and missed opportunities for integration. Achieving meaningful progress in community justice requires a collaborative approach that aligns efforts across sectors, leverages shared outcomes, and ensures that improvement is included within the broader landscape of public service transformation. The sheer scope of Scotland’s community justice agenda presents resource and capacity challenges. Its improvement focus starts at early and preventative interventions and continues throughout the justice system’s processes and requirements to the point of successful reintegration following a custodial sentence. Effectively supporting each juncture throughout this process is important. However, the unique nature of an individuals’ experiences and their interface with the system means it is challenging to identify and support opportunities for change within a complex set of inter dependant factors and influences. This places considerable responsibility on justice partnerships to be insight-rich and have extensive understanding of local systems and service users experiences. Our justice partnership shares these same challenges in delivering improvement activity across a broad, but rightly ambitious community justice agenda. Developing and sustaining Page 425 of 450
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PUBLIC progress across both specific and broad justice priorities requires clear integration within wider strategic priorities such as those focussed on poverty, mental health improvement, and recovery from addiction. These interlinked areas require significant le vels overarching alignment within differing governance structures, funding streams, and timing priorities. These factors do stretch committed local partnerships where internal organisational capacity can at times also be stretched. The focus therefore is not on anticipating resolution of these macro factors but concentrates on various achievable activities and outcomes, some of which are detailed below. Most significant of events during the course of 2024/25 was the prison population continuing to rise, bringing resulting pressures across the justice system. Accommodation pressures within the national prison estate intensified during this period. These prompted emergency release measures in mid-2024 and early 2025, resulting in the release of nearly 800 individuals. Changes implemented by the Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Act 2025 meant prisoners serving certain short-term sentences would be released at 40% of their sentence, down from 50%. These developments received considerable media attention, heightening public awareness and scrutiny of the prison system’s capacity and response. Our justice partnership promotes the Vision for Scotland and messaging that promotes community justice as an early and effective approach to addressing the needs and behaviours of people who offend. The partnership has sought to do this where it can, albeit available resources and limited reach do restrict this proactive activity. Educating and where possible persuading that community-based interventions offer a more sustainable and rehabilitative alternative to short-term custody in a proactive, structured communication approach is and will likely remain for the next period a longer-term aim. Positives / Opportunities Renfrewshire’s justice partners have demonstrated our ongoing commitment to Scotland’s community justice priorities. By sharing learning and information, pooling resources and co- designing solutions to problems, we work together to better serve the needs of our local population. To support better outcomes for service users we have continued to jointly develop new community justice-based projects and system processes. These have also enhanced clearer involvement of local third sector organisations. The partnership recognise this sectors’ non statutory value in providing effective delivery of community justice outcomes. The independence, community relationships and respect mean less barriers for some wary of statutory services as well as bringing different expertise and strong, respected voices who advocate for community-based support for people who have offended. Page 426 of 450
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PUBLIC Together, our partnership has embraced improvement approaches to strengthen our joint working. Sharing information, reviewing collectively, formulating change ideas and testing new approaches has helped facilitate creative solutions to known problems. Page 427 of 450
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Community Justice Outcome Activity Across Scotland Local Area Annual Return Template PUBLIC Priority Action One Enhance intervention at the earliest opportunity by ensuring greater consistency, confidence in and awareness of services which support the use of direct measures and diversion from prosecution Nationally determined outcome: More people successfully complete diversion from prosecution1 Local Evidence • Mechanisms are in place to understand the views of people undertaking diversion from prosecution and are used to support improvement. • Mechanisms are in place to understand the views of people supporting the delivery of diversion from prosecution and are used to support improvement. 5. What activity has taken place to increase successful completion of diversion? What impact has there been as a result? Diversion from prosecution offers a person-centred response when prosecution isn’t in the public interest. It aims to address the root causes of offending such as substance misuse, mental health or lack of pro-social influence, before they escalate. Diversion requires close collaboration with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), justice social work, Police Scotland, and other public and third sector partners. Our partnership has a good relationship with the Procurator Fiscal for the North Strathclyde, facilitated regular through Sheriffdom meetings. These allow for collaboration between partners and the opportunity to problem solve through sharing of learning and resources. The partnership has continued to improve the coordination and targeting of partners resources to create capacity in the third sector, providing additional support to justice clients in the areas they need. Examples include new targeted mental health and wellbeing interventions and early “enabling conversations” for people at the early stages of their employability journey. Service user and staff feedback formed a key part of employability partners’ planning in the latter part of 2024. This influenced and helped shape the direction of some commissioning activity for the 2025/26 delivery period. Local data from 2024/25 shows our justice social work staff received 228 referrals from the Procurator Fiscal. Of these, 70% progressed to commenced cases, which sits above the average progression rate of 59% recorded across Scotland in the latest published justice social work statistics for 2023/24. 1 National Indicator: Number of diversion from prosecution: • assessments undertaken • cases commenced • cases successfully completed Page 428 of 450
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PUBLIC In 2024/25, 137 diversion cases were fully completed. This considerable increase from last year reflects excellent performance in terms of service user retention and meeting wider policy aims. People who undertake diversion from prosecution are referred on to other sources of support where appropriate. Based on our provisional data for 2024/25, 21% of commenced cases are referred for mental health support, whilst drug and alcohol referrals sit at 15% and 11% respectively. These rates broadly reflect those at a national level. We have made good progress in improving how people both undertaking and delivering diversion can support improvement. Within our justice social work service, a newly developed improvement framework has mapped out how client feedback will be regularly and consistently gathered from people open to justice interventions, including diversion from prosecution. Qualitative information will support performance management and qualitative feedback will be used to identify opportunities for change. This will be supplemented alongside a refreshed approach to reviews of targeted practice areas in priority justice areas. Planning has started and this approach will be fully implemented over 2025/26. Additionally, Justice social work had employed Justice Officers on a temporary basis to offer greater support to before sentencing activities such as Diversion. Due to the evidenced positive impact these targeted posts have had and its commitment to community justice priorities it has recently made these posts permanent. Priority Action Two Improve the identification of underlying needs and the delivery of support following arrest by ensuring the provision of person-centred care within police custody and building upon referral opportunities to services including substance use and mental health services Nationally determined outcome: More people in police custody receive support to address their needs2 Local Evidence: • There is an effective relationship between community justice partners, Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) and police custody centre for local population. • Referral pathways and support are in place from police custody centre for local population 6. What activity has taken place to support people in police custody to access support? What impact has there been as a result? 2 National Indicator: • Number of referrals from custody centres Page 429 of 450
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PUBLIC Renfrewshire does not have a police custody centre within its boundary, meaning individuals from the area typically enter custody in Glasgow or Greenock. Recognising this, our Community Justice Partnership has engaged in dialogue with Police Scotland’s national custody team to explore how local support services can better connect with individuals from Renfrewshire at the point of arrest. This, and raising the profile of this improvement area among our Renfrewshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership colleagues has helped build effective relationships between relevant partners. Renfrewshire has a wide range of support services—particularly in areas such as substance use, mental health, and housing. However, current referral pathways from custody are limited to services commissioned by local authorities, Integrated Joint Boards, or NHS Boards. We have reflected on these protocols to identify services that are compliant with these criteria, and shared information on pathways to relevant support. We are committed to working with the national Police Scotland custody team to understand our scope to refine our referral pathways. We have established regular meetings with police custody colleagues to develop our improvement agenda and will do this over the course of 2025/26. A critical part of this understanding data to ensure we have current and future capacity aligned to the presenting needs of people in custody. We engaged in local discussions with public protection partners to understand how we might gather and analyse this and related information, so that we may be able to prioritise support to people we consider at most risk of negative outcomes. Our partnership is eager to explore opportunities for collaboration with other authorities both in terms of learning and models of delivery. Whilst we will bolster local relationships and pathways where we can, we will stay alert to ways we can overcome some of the challenges around geography and resource availability. Page 430 of 450
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PUBLIC Priority Action Three Support the use of robust alternatives to remand by ensuring high quality bail services are consistently available and delivered effectively Nationally determined outcome: More people are assessed for and successfully complete bail supervision3 Local Evidence • Mechanisms are in place to support a high quality bail assessment. • Referral pathways are in place that support identified needs of people on bail supervision. 7. What activity has taken place to increase the use of bail, and support people to access services to address needs while on bail? What impact has there been as a result? Scotland’s approach advocates for bail as a default position, requiring courts to grant bail unless there is a compelling reason to refuse. Our partnership supports the effective use of bail supervision rather than an individual being remanded in custody wherever possible to prevent the disruptive and damaging impact short-term imprisonment can have on individual’s family, housing and employment. Renfrewshire’s justice social work enhanced its before sentencing support and implemented full bail supervision services in February 2024. Given its relatively recent implementation, data and evaluation activity to measure effective implementation and robustness around suitability assessment, uptake and breach outcomes will take time to gather longitudinally. However, the positive impact since its implementation is clear. From 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 justice social work staff completed 280 suitability assessments for bail supervision in 2024/25. Bail, in some form, was recommended in 235 cases, equating to almost 84% of all assessments. Only 16% were deemed unsuitable for bail, demonstrating strong alignment with the national default-to-bail principle, with remand only being recommended for individuals who present too high a risk for community safety. 79 bail supervision cases commenced for 68 unique individuals. The vast majority (66 cases) held only supervisory conditions, while 13 combined supervision with electronic monitoring. Over the period, 41 bail cases were successfully completed, with 43 still in progress as at 31 March. A relatively low number of 15 cases reported to breach the conditions supports highlights effective monitoring and compliance measures. 3 National Indicator: Number of: • assessment reports for bail suitability • bail supervision cases commenced • bail supervision cases completed Page 431 of 450
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PUBLIC These figures indicate strongly we are making good progress towards the national outcome. We have recommended bail in most assessments, combining electronic monitoring and tailored supervision to manage the individuals’ assessed risks in the community, where it is safe to do so. We continue to monitor outcomes closely, particularly breach and completion rates, and will undertake further assurance around our identification, assessment and support processes to ensure we’re maximising every opportunity for bail supervision, successfully and safely. We will sustain and expand our range of local support services so that each service user receives the support from other relevant partners to complement their bail conditions and promote long-term rehabilitation. Page 432 of 450
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PUBLIC Priority Action Four Strengthen options for safe and supported management in the community by increasing and widening the use of electronic monitoring technologies No nationally determined outcome. Progress in delivering this priority action should be evidenced with reference to any relevant local activity. 8. What activity has taken place in your area to increase the use electronic monitoring technologies? What impact has there been as a result? Electronic monitoring is a critical component of the national drive to reduce the number of people subject to remand. Electronic monitoring of bail was introduced in Renfrewshire in May 2023, and as is the case with bail supervision, we are in the early stages of learning and development. In 2024/25, electronic monitoring featured in 168 of our 280 bail suitability assessments (60%): • Bail with EM only: 35 cases (12.5%) • Bail with supervision plus EM: 133 cases (47.5%) 79 bail supervision cases were commenced. Of these, 13 cases (16.5 %) incorporated electronic monitoring alongside supervision. These 13 cases involved 11 unique individuals (16.2 % of the 68 people who started supervised bail). At present there is no local information on the number of individuals who following assessment were placed under electronic monitoring with no social work supervision. In these instances, there is little involvement between partners, with conditions being monitored by G4S. This lack of available local information makes it difficult for partners to consider its contribution to this particular aim locally. This conversion rate from assessments to final bail decisions will be subject to court decisions, client choice and or/capacity. We will continue to track these figures closely, ensuring that every client assessed as suitable for electronic monitoring has both the opportunity and support – from a range of sources - to pursue it where appropriate. Priority Action Five Ensure that those given community sentences are supervised and supported appropriately to protect the public, promote desistance from offending and enable rehabilitation by delivering high quality, consistently available, trauma-informed services and programmes Page 433 of 450
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PUBLIC Nationally determined outcome: More people access services to support desistance and successfully complete community sentences4 Local Evidence • Availability of local programmes to support desistance from domestic abuse and sexual offending. • Availability of referral pathways to support the needs of local population on community disposals. • Mechanisms are in place to understand better the views of people with experience of community disposals • Mechanisms are in place to understand the views of the community justice workforce with regard to supporting the needs of people subject to community disposals to support improvement. 9. What activity has taken place that will support people serving sentences in the community to desist from offending, address their needs, and help them successfully complete their sentence? What impact has there been as a result? Effective collaboration among our justice partners is critical to helping people on community sentences desist from offending and rebuild their lives. By pooling expertise, sharing information and creating seamless, person-centred pathways that address varied and complex needs, we are netter placed to tackle the root causes of offending behaviour and help people achieve positive outcomes. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, Renfrewshire’s community payback order (CPO) caseload fell from 534 in 2019/20 to 344 in 2020/21, before rebounding to 395 (around 74% of the pre-pandemic level) in 2022/23 and 305 (57%) in 2023/24. Completion rates, which averaged roughly 65% between 2015/16 and 2019/20, peaked at 85% in 2020/21 and have since stabilised at 73% in both 2022/23 and 2023/24, slightly above the long-term trend. Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTOs), while far fewer in number, have shown greater variation. Pre-pandemic completion averaged 34% (2015/16–2019/20), increased to 67% in 2020/21, then dipped to 44% in 2021/22 and 35% in 2022/23. 2023/24 figures indicate a fall to 11%, marking the lowest rate in the series. For context, across Scotland 2023/24 saw the second lowest level of DTTOs imposed across Scotland in the last 10 years, with an overall completion rate of 51%. Given Renfrewshire’s rate sits below this, there is merit in more fully investigating the reasons for this 4 National Indicator: Percentage of: • community payback orders successfully completed • drug treatment and testing orders successfully completed Page 434 of 450
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PUBLIC In Renfrewshire, people serving community sentences can access a wide range of services. These are being regularly reviewed and shaped through the partnership to make sure people benefit from all available supports. More detail of these can be found here Previous engagement with justice staff and our third sector highlighted a drive to improve activity, awareness and coordination of justice-specific support services and community- based opportunities. Our partnership found that sometimes local groups and organisations do not see justice-experienced individuals as potential beneficiaries of their support, even though they are well placed to help tackle the root causes of offending such as poverty, isolation, poor health and unemployment. In response, our partnership designed a pilot Third-Sector Grant Scheme to unlock the potential of local charities, social enterprises and community groups in supporting people on community sentences. We invited local organisations to help us shape the direction of the scheme by asking them to submit their views and experiences, helping us identify where we had local gaps and opportunities and providing a robust evidence base. Reassigning some resource from the justice social work s.27 funding, 3rd sector organisations bid for small grants (up to £10k) for projects they would develop to support this. In February 2025 the justice partnership collectively reviewed and awarded grants to 7 projects, each to be delivered throughout 2025/26. The scope of agreed projects is broad and heavily involves some creative approaches. These includes digital mental health and trauma support, creative led approaches to supporting addiction recovery, volunteering and music skills and confidence building. Their Impact and own evaluations will be reviewed early in 2026. In the latter half of 2024 we delivered a participatory photography project with clients subject to unpaid work requirements. Funded by our Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, the project aimed to gather service users voices and experiences a bit differently and independently, to support improvement. Over six weeks participants were guided through creative photo exercises and digital storytelling techniques. Small, trauma-informed workshops were facilitated to share images and reflections on participants’ unpaid work experience. At the end of the project, participants noted that they had learned new skills, confidence and benefitted from peer support. Outputs have been used to support our communications and engagement activity, serving as powerful prompts to challenge ideas and opinions. It is also being used by the unpaid service work to inform its own improvement planning. Putting lived experience at the heart of this project has helped identify practical ideas for improving unpaid work delivery and strengthened our commitment to co-designing services that truly aid rehabilitation and desistance. We plan on building on this during 2025/26, using these outputs as a starting point for staff to reflect on and add to as a means of securing their ideas for improvement. Another example of how we adopted a novel approach to support clients subject to community orders was through a short-term peer-navigator project, which coupled person- centred support with a secondary output of independent feedback around client experience. The project provided clients with supplementary support out with that provided by statutory partners, creating wraparound assistance that focused on removing many of the barriers that prevent clients from participating fully in their communities. The Page 435 of 450
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PUBLIC project also provided clients with advocacy, amplifying their voices and building resilience so that they were better able to problem solve and engage confidently with other services. Priority Action Six Ensure restorative justice is available across Scotland to all those who wish to access it by promoting and supporting the appropriate and safe provision of available services No nationally determined outcome. Progress in delivering this priority action should be evidenced with reference to any relevant local activity. 10. What activity has taken place to make restorative justice available to people and support them to access it, and what impact has there been as a result? We recognise that there may be value in progressing this further, particularly where it supports the victims’ need. Although not actively pursuing local approaches currently we recognise and would actively support future developments where the evidence base of it supporting change and victim support and demand for this is clearer. It also requires to complement best value in terms of supporting the substantial resource investment that is required to deliver. Page 436 of 450
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PUBLIC Priority Action Seven Enhance individuals' access to health and social care and continuity of care following release from prison by improving the sharing of information and partnership-working between relevant partners Nationally determined outcome: More people have access to, and continuity of, health and social care following release from a prison sentence5 Local Evidence • Health and social care circumstances/care plans are reflected in collaborative plans for release. • Referral pathways and information sharing arrangements are in place to support timely access to health and social care supports upon release. 11. What activity has taken place to support people to access health and social care support after release from prison, and what impact had there been as a result? Over 2024/25 we have collaborated with our health and social care colleagues to improve individuals’ access to health and social care following release from prison. Our participation in health board wide-community justice planning meetings involving health improvement, prison healthcare and prison staff ensures we remain alert to emerging health and social care needs. We know that mental health, substance misuse and poor physical health are prevalent in the prison population, with the custodial environment often compounding such issues. Our pathways for people accessing support remain unchanged from previous years, whereby people who require opioid substitution therapy are referred into local alcohol and drug recovery services (ADRS). Processes are in place to ensure people who undergo planned liberations are provided with community appointments prior to liberation dates, supported by allocated and duty workers as required. People who are liberated following court appearances are contacted by court and other workers and encouraged to attend ADRS or the relevant third sector providers. We are still aware of instances where people who require ADRS support when leaving custody are not referred into local services. This negatively impacts their rehabilitation, often placing the person at greater risk of engaging in negative and damaging behaviours. As has been the case previously, we know there are issues around people leaving custody from remand due to sporadic information sharing. 5 National Indicator: Number of transfers in drug/alcohol treatments from: • custody to community Page 437 of 450
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PUBLIC Accessing mental health support can be particularly challenging as local pathways often depend on GP referral. This means that people leaving custody must be registered or seek registration with a GP when back in the community. Through our community justice grant scheme pilot, we have sought to create options for pro-social opportunities, including some mental health specific supports, providing accessible, threshold-free opportunities. These will be delivered throughout 2025/26, integrated as part of wider throughcare development work. We appreciate that individual choice plays a key part of engagement in such services, whilst in custody and in the community. Often environmental and circumstantial factors prevent individual’s from recognising the extent of their health and social care issues and their willingness to accept help. As part of the process to facilitate emergency early release of prisoners during 2024/25, our local services participated in pre-release planning meetings with prison staff to support the timely and effective release of people serving some short- term sentences. This enabled us to advocate for our local social care and support services, and ensure pathways were shared and promoted among relevant staff. This work has led to a more general local approach to pre-release throughcare planning in Renfrewshire which will be further developed throughout 2025/26. Page 438 of 450
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PUBLIC Priority Action Eight Ensure that the housing needs of individuals in prison are addressed consistently and at an early stage by fully implementing and embedding the Sustainable Housing on Release for Everyone (SHORE) standards across all local authority areas Nationally determined outcome: More people have access to suitable accommodation following release from a prison sentence6 Local Evidence • SPS admissions and liberations information is shared with relevant partners to support suitable accommodation planning. • Proportion of admissions where housing advice was provided. • Percentage of people leaving prison who have been housed by the local authority and have maintained tenancy for more than 1 year 12. What activity has taken place to support people to access suitable accommodation following release from prison, and what impact had there been as a result? Our partnership recognises housing as a critical need for people leaving custody. Safe and dependable accommodation helps reduce the likelihood of offending by providing stability and routine, whilst providing a platform from which to access wider support services. Like many other authorities across Scotland, Renfrewshire faces significant housing pressures. Since 2023/24 the number of homeless applications has exceeded 1000 per year, with this increase due to a variety of factors such as the impact of the cost-of-living crises, pressure arising from migration and asylum resettlement, reduced turnover of local housing and the suspension of ‘local connection’ criteria’ in late 2022. The demand means that aspirations around justice experienced individuals exist within a wider policy context. In 2023/24, the number of homelessness applications in Renfrewshire where prison was recorded as the last address fell to 60 – the lowest in the nine-year series and a 43% reduction from the 2016/17 peak of 105. This continues a steady downward trend, with a 20% drop in the last three years. However, national data shows that the total number of people leaving prison across Scotland has also reduced over the longer term – from over 15,800 in 2009/10 to just under 9,000 in 2023/24, with a particularly sharp fall in 2020/21 linked to pandemic-related factors. Fewer departures from custody naturally reduce the pool of people at risk of making a homelessness application on liberation. This means that part of the reduction in 6 National Indicator: Number of: • homelessness applications where prison was the property the main applicant became homeless from Page 439 of 450
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PUBLIC Renfrewshire’s figures may reflect a smaller prison-leaver population, rather than service improvements alone. Over the course of 2024/25 we implemented an enhanced pathway to people in custody, offering face to face appointments to people in Low Moss prison in addition to phone-based support offered previously. This approach aims to encourage early relationship building and minimise the instances of people seeking last minute support or leaving custody with no accommodation in place. We continue to offer support to people who arrive into custody and need support and advice with existing tenancies. When notified by Scottish Prison Service, our housing staff work closely with people new to custody who require help with housing related benefits to prevent or mitigate the accrual of arrears. For people who are sentenced, we take time to understand their circumstances and longer-term intentions. We also work closely with private rented tenants who understand the impact of their custodial period on their housing arrangements, supporting them with the necessary documentation if they need to declare their change in circumstances. Housing support services in Renfrewshire play a vital role in promoting stability and reducing risk for individuals with complex needs, including those who have experienced the justice system. These services offer tailored, person-centred support that addresses underlying issues such as mental health, substance use, trauma, and social isolation. By providing practical assistance with tenancy sustainment, budgeting, access to health and social care, and emotional support, individuals are aided to build their resilience and reintegrate into the community. For justice-experienced individuals, this support is especially critical in the transition from custody, where the risk of homelessness and reoffending is particularly acute. We know we have further scope to improve interfaces between Scottish Prison Service, our housing and homelessness services, justice social work and third sector providers. Local efforts to coordinate a response around emergency early release has promoted aspirations to maintain a similar model of multi-agency pre-release planning for people returning to Renfrewshire. This will be developed across 2024/25, complementing the work delivered by the new nationally commissioned throughcare providers. Priority Action Nine Enhance individual's life skills and readiness for employment by ensuring increased access to employability support through effective education, learning, training, career services and relevant benefit services Nationally determined outcome: Page 440 of 450
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PUBLIC More people with convictions access support to enhance their readiness for employment7 Local Evidence • Effective links between the Local Employability Partnership (LEP) and Community Justice Partnership supports: i. local employment, education and training providers to respond to the needs of those with convictions ii. local employment, education and training providers are confident and competent in providing effective conviction disclosure support iii. local employers to develop more inclusive recruitment processes and employ people with convictions. • Referral pathways are in place to connect people to appropriate services and support: i. at commencement of, during and at the end of a CPO ii. following release from custody. 13. What activity has taken place to support people to access employability support, and what impact had there been as a result? During 2024/25, Renfrewshire’s Local Employability Partnership (LEP) Justice Sub-Group worked to strengthen pathways into employment for people with convictions, recognising employability as a key factor in reducing reoffending and supporting reintegration. The group is chaired by our Community Justice Lead Officer to maximise alignment between employment and community justice outcomes. The Justice Sub- Group brings together statutory partners, third sector organisations and education providers to coordinate employability support and look for improvement opportunities. Identifying and approaching joint issues in an integrated way has supported service developments across the partnership. Between April 2024 and March 2025, 287 people with convictions accessed LEP provision. The majority were male (256), with the largest age group being 25–40 years (122 individuals). followed by those aged 18–24 and 41–50. A substantial number (232) were unemployed, and 42 had never worked. Our core employability service – Invest - have skilled and specialist staff who specifically work with this population. Their involvement with people spans from early measures such as diversion from prosecution and bail supervision, people who have been sentenced and serving community orders, people who are nearing liberation from custody (including face to face outreach) and those who live with historic convictions. 7 National Indicator: Percentage of: • those in employability services with convictions Page 441 of 450
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PUBLIC The Justice Sub-Group takes a lead role in outlining the commissioning requirements for justice-specific employability provision in Renfrewshire. This involves extensive work with partners and clients to gauge greatest areas of need. Over 2024/25 we commissioned Apex to deliver specialist support to people with sexual convictions to bring them closer to employment, acknowledging the complex and resource-heavy support often required for this group. At the same time, Apex were tasked with establishing relationships with local employers and training providers to increase their receptiveness to people with sexual convictions, promoting awareness of disclosure processes and good practice approaches to inclusive recruitment. In total, 19 people were moved closer to employment through this project. Over the year The Lennox Partnership and West College Scotland were commissioned to deliver pre-employment support to individuals who did not identify as ready to participant in core provision. This enabling work focused on improving participant’s resilience and confidence whilst instilling employability aspirations. In total, 17 participants successfully completed these projects. While these projects were underway, a significant amount of work took place over 2024/25 to identify commissioning priorities for 2025/26. These priorities are designed to address persistent barriers to employment for people with convictions and to strengthen the role of employability in reducing reoffending. Our detailed needs assessment revealed an ongoing requirement to engage with local employers and increase awareness of the potential of the justice experienced workforce. Stigma and misunderstanding around criminal convictions remain significant barriers to employment. Many employers lack awareness of disclosure legislation and how to apply it fairly. Our work also identified the need for targeted support for women in the justice system, following withdrawal of the Shine provision previously administered through national arrangements. We considered there to be a gap in tailored employability support (and lack of representation by women in our core offer) pointing to benefit in women-specific pre-employability resilience and confidence building and to facilitate a warm handover to core Invest services. Both areas of work will progress over the course of 2025/26. As reported in previous years, a major strength of our local employability provision is the efficiency of our referral pathways. Justice social work staff report having good knowledge of the core and commissioned employability support available to clients and trust in outcomes. Our staff make recommendations for employability provision at court report stage and make onward referrals into Invest for people who are sentenced (or subject to diversion). Invest coordinate the client’s support, utilising core and/or commissioned services where appropriate. Sideway referrals are made to our LEP’s other priority population subgroups, such as people who require mental health support, people who have disabilities, and young families, all of whom receive targeted help Page 442 of 450
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PUBLIC alongside employability supports. Monitoring takes place though employability measures and in accordance with the client’s case management. Priority Action Ten Enhance community integration and support by increasing and promoting greater use of voluntary throughcare and third sector services Nationally determined outcome: More people access voluntary throughcare following a short term prison sentence8 Local Evidence • Mechanisms are in place for partners to support people serving short term sentences. • Proportion of people liberated from short term custody: i. made aware of support ii. accepting support offer iii. with a co-ordinated pre-release plan in place. • Mechanisms are in place to understand the views of people accessing voluntary throughcare to support improvement. • Mechanisms are in place to understand the views of community justice partners in delivering voluntary throughcare to support the needs of people leaving short term custody. 14. What activity has taken place to support people to access voluntary throughcare? What impact had there been as a result? Throughout 2023/24 Renfrewshire’s justice social work staff have continued to offer voluntary throughcare to eligible people liberated from custody, in accordance with guidance. Improvement work was paused given that new national throughcare provision was due to be implemented in April 2025, and it was prudent to wait until these arrangements were better understood so that responsibilities for improving outcomes for people serving short-term sentences could be better delineated. Analysis of available data has shown a general decrease in the number of voluntary throughcare cases commenced in Renfrewshire since 2015/16, although most recent data does show evidence of recovery (from 98 in 2022/23 to 160 in 2023/24). More extensive analysis is required to account for this number as a proportion of people leaving custody over this time, and the impact of other factors such as early measures like diversion from prosecution. 8 National Indicator: Number of: • voluntary throughcare cases commenced Page 443 of 450
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PUBLIC Despite a direct offer to all of voluntary support, Justice staff responsible for voluntary throughcare acknowledge a relatively low uptake of the offer. Often other services such as housing and employability receive more interest from people leaving short-term sentences, with these likely to be view as more critical enablers of rehabilitation and reintegration. Although information sharing between services takes place, it does not happen in a coordinated manner, as it is not always possible to have oversight of the provision an individual is in receipt of. The advantages of this more rounded approach were highlighted during periods of emergency early release, where pre-release meetings were organised to ensure people leaving custody on this basis had identified supports available. We know we need to critically review our voluntary throughcare offer and see it through the eyes of our clients. We need to know if our offer comes at the right time, through the right means, and promotes the right things. We are acutely aware we have huge potential to better involve and/or signpost our local third sector organisations who can be viewed as more accessible and approachable source of help. Page 444 of 450
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PUBLIC Priority Action Eleven Deliver improved community justice outcomes by ensuring that effective leadership and governance arrangements are in place and working well, collaborating with partners and planning strategically No nationally determined outcome. Progress in delivering this priority action should be evidenced with reference to any relevant local activity. Local evidence: • Mechanisms are in place to support engagement in each local authority, specifically: o a community justice outcomes improvement plan (CJOIP) o a participation statement o an annual report on progress towards nationally and locally determined outcomes. • Mechanisms are in place to support an effective interface between national partner organisations and their local representatives within Community Justice Partnerships. • Evidence of mechanisms to engage non-statutory partners in strategic planning • Use of the Care Inspectorate 'self-evaluation guide to support quality improvement for community justice in Scotland', with focus on Leadership and Direction 15. How has your partnership worked to develop local leadership and enhance strategic planning and collaboration? What impact had there been as a result? Our partnership has built on the strategic reset initiated in 2023/24 and strengthened local leadership and strategic planning throughout 2024/25. Our Renfrewshire Community Justice Strategic Group, with its approved terms of reference, has provided a clear framework for collaborative leadership, embedding the Care Inspectorate’s quality indicators for ‘Leadership and Direction’ at the heart of its approach. The group is supported by operational sub-groups tasked with gathering population insights and identifying improvement opportunities, ensuring that strategic decisions are informed by lived experience and service impact. The partnership remains committed to The Promise, with strategic alignment driven by joint leadership between the Community Justice Strategic Group and Renfrewshire’s Promise Strategic Oversight Group. This collaboration supports a coordinated approach to mitigating the impact of parental imprisonment and enhancing support for justice affected families. In 2024/25, the partnership has moved from planning to delivery, using insights from the Community Justice Improvement Tool and Performance Framework to target areas for change. This includes improving employability outcomes for people with convictions, enhancing service visibility, and reducing system friction through better handovers and coordination. Engagement with non-statutory partners has deepened, with co-location trials Page 445 of 450
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PUBLIC and shared service mapping helping to build trust and improve access. These developments reflect a maturing partnership that is increasingly outcome-focused, inclusive, and aligned with both national expectations and local community planning priorities We have worked hard to deepen our integration with other strategic partnerships, including the Local Employability Partnership and the Alcohol and Drug Partnership. This collaboration has enabled shared contributions to needs assessments and priority setting, ensuring that justice-experienced individuals are considered within broader service planning. By aligning justice improvement activity with employability and health priorities, the partnership has maximised resource use and reduced duplication, while enhancing the visibility of justice messaging across sectors. This cross-cutting approach allows more stakeholders to view the justice population through different lenses—such as recovery, skills development, and community wellbeing—strengthening the case for inclusive, trauma-informed support. It also reinforces the Council’s Best Value principles by promoting joined up working and ensuring that justice outcomes are embedded within Renfrewshire’s wider strategic landscape Our Partnership took a significant step toward strengthening transparency and accountability by integrating community justice performance reporting into Renfrewshire Council’s corporate reporting system. This alignment ensures that justice outcomes are monitored alongside wider strategic priorities, enabling clearer oversight and more consistent scrutiny. The move reflects the Council’s commitment to Best Value, as highlighted in the 2023/24 Annual Audit Report, which commends the Council’s governance arrangements and emphasis on robust performance management. By embedding justice metrics into corporate systems, the partnership has improved visibility of progress, supported evidence-based decision-making, and reinforced the strategic importance of community justice within Renfrewshire’s broader public service landscape. Throughout the year our Partnership has actively engaged with Local Partnerships to promote justice-related projects and raise awareness of community justice priorities. These Local Partnerships provide a vital platform for residents, elected members, and community stakeholders to shape local decision-making and influence service delivery. This work has helped embed community justice within broader local planning structures, ensuring that justice outcomes are shaped by and accountable to the communities they serve. Our work to develop our Community Justice Grant Scheme to support local organisations deliver justice-related activity has strengthened engagement with the third sector and community groups, enabling grassroots contributions to justice outcomes. The scheme provides targeted funding to support projects that align with Renfrewshire’s Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan, including those focused on rehabilitation, reintegration, and reducing reoffending. By investing in community-led solutions, the partnership has expanded its reach, built local capacity, and created new opportunities for Page 446 of 450
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PUBLIC collaboration. The grant scheme also supports strategic alignment by encouraging funded organisations to contribute to shared priorities and evaluate impact. Priority Action Twelve Enhance partnership planning and implementation by ensuring the voices of victims of crime, survivors, those with lived experience and their families are effectively incorporated and embedded No nationally determined outcome. Progress in delivering this priority action should be evidenced with reference to any relevant local activity. 16. How has your partnership worked to understand and incorporate the voices of victims of crime, survivors, those with lived experience and their families into partnership planning and implementation? What impact has there been as a result? Our Partnership has enhanced planning and implementation by embedding the voices of those with lived experience through the Community Payback Order (CPO) Photo Project. Through a participatory photography approach, individuals on CPOs were given a creative and structured platform to share their perspectives on the justice system, their experiences of unpaid work, and ideas for improvement. The project created safe, trauma-informed spaces that encouraged open dialogue and trust, enabling participants to express their views visually and verbally. Insights gathered—such as the importance of respect, the desire for meaningful work, and the impact of public perceptions—have prompted us to take further action. We now plan to build on this by engaging staff to capture their feedback and experiences, ensuring a more holistic understanding of the system. The findings have also made us reflect on how we can improve the quality and visibility of the work undertaken, so participants see the positive impact on communities rather than viewing CPO as a process without outcomes. Additionally, the project highlighted the need to review our facilities and the types of work offered, to ensure they are safe, purposeful, and contribute real benefits to the community. By amplifying lived experience and using these insights to drive change, the project has laid the foundation for continuous improvement in community justice practice Over the course of the year, we also commissioned and delivered a third sector initiative Community Navigator Pilot with Braveheart Industries. This creatively provided a dual purpose of providing practical, person-centred support to justice service users and generated independent evidence on how a service user experiences support when in the justice system in Renfrewshire. The project adopted a service user-led model, where “navigators” from a third sector organisations worked alongside individuals to co-produce support plans tailored to their personal identified needs. These covered areas such as practical help with tasks, signposting /confidence building, general mental health support, Page 447 of 450
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PUBLIC housing, addiction recovery, welfare, and employability. This approach ensured that participants were not passive recipients but active partners in shaping their own recovery journey. The pilot embedded a reflective evaluation process to capture authentic user feedback. Navigators gathered insights through ongoing conversations and structured exit interviews, exploring what worked well, what barriers remained, and what improvements were needed. This feedback informed real-time adjustments to support delivery and provided a robust evidence base for system-level recommendations, such as the need for transitional support after statutory supervision, improved access to mental health and addiction services, and more locality-based provision. By combining direct support with independent assurance, the pilot delivered both immediate benefits for individuals and strategic learning for the wider justice system, ensuring that lived experience is central to service design, quality assurance, and continuous improvement. Our commitment to The Promise has reinforced our focus on embedding the voices of children, young people, and families affected by justice involvement into the design and improvement of services. This approach is directly shaped by The Promise’s emphasis on listening to those with lived experience. Priority Action Thirteen Support integration and reduce stigma by ensuring the community and workforce have an improved understanding of and confidence in community justice Nationally determined outcome: More people across the workforce and in the community understand, and have confidence in, community justice9 Local Evidence • Community justice partner contribution to joint activity across policy areas to tackle stigma. 17. What partnership-driven activity has taken place to improve understanding of and confidence in community justice across the workforce and local community? Our partnership has progressed activity in accordance with our Engagement and Communications Plan, helping our workforce and our community understand and have confidence in community justice. This work aims to address the issue of stigma and make it 9 National Indicator: Percentage of people who agree that: • people should help their community as part of a community sentence rather than spend a few months in prison for a minor offence Page 448 of 450
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PUBLIC easier for individuals subject to community justice interventions to access and benefit from available supports. We have worked hard to integrate community justice in broader local strategies. Advocating for the needs or Renfrewshire’s justice population and sharing relevant insight has helped other thematic areas of work – such as health, housing and employability – has helped partners and decision makers view our justice population as a core part of their community rather than an isolated population. Our Community Justice Grant Scheme pilot launched over the course of 2024/25 has meaningfully advanced our integration objective by making the justice-experienced population more visible, familiar and accessible to local third sector organisations. Grant awards have supported local organisations to broaden or adapt their services (examples include trauma-informed mentoring, personal and social development and creative opportunities to support reintegration and alcohol and drug recovery – help shift the narrative away from conviction labels and instead on the complex needs, strengths and aspirations of participants. Projects are due to conclude at the end of 2025/26, at which point funded organisations will showcase back participant feedback, service data and lessons learned to a wider audience of third sector partners and justice stakeholders. This will serve as a powerful platform to highlight shifts in perception or knowledge based on each organisations’ experience, leading to a network of local organisational champions who can help challenge misconception and stigma. Another example of where our partnership has made progress against this outcome has been the publication of the staff news story “Championing fairness nurtures employability,” which showcased our Invest employability team’s work with people subject to justice interventions. By centring on staff’s personal journeys, the piece moved beyond promotion of community justice as a standalone concept and instead and used narrative to promote relatable needs and challenges of people who are justice experienced. This article was promoted via our intranet and monthly email bulletin and achieved strong engagement while generating staff comments and interest around the work of the team. In March 2024, we worked with Community Justice Scotland and our partners at Blue Triangle Housing Association to record and film an interview with one of their justice experienced residents. This project was developed to directly address and challenge stigma associated with justice. The resulting conversations and insights explored the complex circumstances and decisions that can lead to individuals to engage in offending behaviour, and how these can often be impacted by inequity of opportunity. The outputs will be shared with justice partners during 2025/26 to help challenge misconceptions around our justice population and promote the benefits of community-based rehabilitation where it’s safe to do so. Our employability-focused work with Apex provides a further example of how our partnership as sought to challenge stigma through our approach to employer engagement. Throughout 2024/25 and continuing into 2025/26, Apex are commissioned to build relationships with local and national employers to promote conviction-friendly recruitment Page 449 of 450
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PUBLIC practices and create opportunities such as work placements, job trials and sector-specific training. Examples of work being undertaken and successful outcomes will form the basis of wider communications activity among local employers to raise awareness and support a shift in attitudes among Renfrewshire’s workforce and community. 18. Looking ahead for your local area. Please tell us what the next steps are for your partnership. Our partnership will continue with improvement planning across the priority areas identified by our strategic group. This direction is important as it is not possible to deliver equal progress against all community justice improvement outcomes given the breadth of coverage. We will continue to deliver a robust approach to improvement, taking time to understand our complex systems and engage with stakeholders to understand where we might make positive and impactful changes for our justice experienced population. We will work with organisations funded through our grant scheme pilot to promote their approaches and celebrate their impact among our wider third sector. This will help more organisations understand our local justice-experienced population and inspire others to reflect on how their services might adapt or respond to the multi-layered needs of people we work with. Our partnership is committed to further integrating client voice across our work, recognising that lived experience is essential to shaping effective, compassionate, and responsive justice services. We aspire to create more inclusive opportunities for individuals with justice experience to actively contribute to decision-making, service design, and evaluation. By embedding client perspectives into our planning and delivery, building on work already underway though our justice services, we aim to be more sensitive to the real-world impacts of our interventions. This approach reflects our belief that meaningful engagement leads to better outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. We will continue to work with Renfrewshire’s Promise team and local stakeholders to ensure justice improvement activity contributes meaningfully to the national ambition, particularly in supporting children and families impacted by justice involvement. We are conscious that we are dependent on the input form partners, and that we are fortunate to have secured the commitment from key influencer and decision makers at a strategic level. However, we are mindful that resource pressures and stemming from policy decisions, legislative requirements, and the resulting impact of service demand can have a bearing on the amount of discretionary resource that exists to support further change and improvement. Page 450 of 450