Service Update Report CaH 12 03 24
Renfrewshire Council · 12 March 2024
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 12 March 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 12 March 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ 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, an operational performance update since the last Policy Board meeting on the services and key projects and updates on any other relevant changes to service areas covered within the remit of this Board. 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board 2.1 Note the contents of this report. 2.2 Note the progress of the Orchard Street tenement rehabilitation project and the signing of a Minute of Agreement between the Council and Paisley Housing Association Ltd as set out in paragraph 3.1.14 of this report. Updates for Communities and Housing Policy Board 3. Housing Services 3.1 Housing-Led Regeneration and Development Regeneration 3.1.1 As reported to the Board at its meeting of 16 January 2024, good progress continues to be made on the rehousing of Council tenants and the acquisition of privately-owned homes in order to progress demolition in regeneration areas. To date 44 of 89 properties have been acquired. Table 1 below illustrates the situation as of 31 January 2024.
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Table 1 Regeneration & Renewal Area Council Demo Props Props to be acquired Props acquired to Date Total for demo Demo void end Jan 24 %age void Auchentorlie 17 1 0 18 17 94% Ferguslie/Broomlands 64 16 6 80 30 38% Howard Street Area 55 11 7 66 41 62% Howwood Road Area 163 15 9 178 38 21% Springbank/Mossvale 118 36 17 154 71 46% Thrushcraigs 90 6 2 96 37 38% Waverley Road Area 68 4 3 72 62 86% 575 89 44 664 296 44% More Homes Service 3.1.2 The More Homes Service offered by the Regeneration and Development Team is actively promoted on the Council website, on social media channels and with local estate and letting agents. The service includes offering advice and assistance to owners of private properties that have been vacant for over 6 months and are classed as long-term empty throughout Renfrewshire. 3.1.3 Bringing private properties back into productive use helps to increase the supply of homes to meet housing needs and assists in improving local amenity. Scottish Government housing statistics show that up to December 2023, there were 796 private properties within Renfrewshire classed as long-term empty (for a period of 6 months or more) that were not classed as a second home. The More Homes service has assisted in bringing 22 long-term empty properties back into use this financial year, with advice and assistance ranging from information on discounts, the matchmaker service, selling/letting advice and looking at the possibility of the Council purchasing properties that meet its acquisition criteria. 3.1.4 The Regeneration and Development team manage the Council’s property acquisition scheme, approved by the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board in 2019. The buy-back scheme has been designed to prioritise former Council owned properties, within areas where we have existing Council-owned lettable stock and where purchasing another property would increase the majority or give the Council full ownership. Properties have been acquired with vacant possession to allow works to be carried out to bring the properties to the Council’s letting standards before being offered to applicants from the Council’s housing waiting list. 3.1.5 From a property acquisition perspective, 37 offers to purchase have been made this financial year as part of the acquisition scheme. Twelve of these have resulted in the successful acquisition by the Council and a further eight are in progress. Since the introduction of the scheme in 2019, a total of 28 properties have been acquired this way (this figure does not include any properties acquired to enable demolition within Regeneration areas).
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3.1.6 One recent example of where the two roles combine is where a property that had been privately owned and empty for over ten years was recently acquired by the Council. This positive outcome has led the team to focus in on other potential long term empty properties that may be of interest to the Council to meet specific needs or are in areas where we have higher demand and lower stock levels. 3.1.7 The continued work of the More Homes Service is invaluable to the work we are carrying out in reducing the number of empty homes across Renfrewshire and increasing the Council’s lettable stock to tackle increasing demand from the housing waiting list. Paisley West End 3.1.8 There has been positive progress made to date by the Council’s delivery partner Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association Ltd in acquiring private properties in the Paisley West End Masterplan Area on a voluntary basis and works are now on site for the construction of the first phase of newbuild housing. Sanctuary have been working with architects Anderson Bell + Christie to refresh the masterplan for the regeneration of the area and held public consultation events to showcase these plans on 8 and 9 August and 26 October 2023. Sanctuary’s application for Planning Permission in Principle for a further proposed residential development was registered on 20 February 2024. 3.1.9 As previously reported to the Policy Board, a Compulsory Purchase Order was successfully promoted for the dangerous building at 22 Well Street/1 Underwood Lane, Paisley. Following a competitive tender exercise George Beattie and Sons Ltd was appointed to carry out the demolition of the dangerous building and work started on 29 January 2024. On 1 March 2024 the contractor was able to re-open the junction between Underwood Lane and Well Street. 3.1.10 An update on Compulsory Purchase Orders in relation to Paisley West End is the subject of a separate report to the Policy Board. Johnstone Castle Regeneration Area 3.1.11 On 22 August 2023, the Communities and Housing Policy Board authorised the issue of a Demolition Order and the demolition of the blocks in respect of the properties at 24A – 24F and 26A – 26F Cedar Avenue, Johnstone and the promotion of a Compulsory Purchase Order to acquire the property at 26E Cedar Avenue, Johnstone. 3.1.12 A Demolition Order in respect of the full blocks at 24 and 26 Cedar Avenue, Johnstone has been served and arrangements are now being made to demolish these blocks. A Compulsory Purchase Order will now be promoted to acquire the remaining private interest in the block.
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Orchard Street 3.1.13 As approved at the 14 March 2017 meeting of the Housing and Community Safety Policy Board, the Council is supporting Paisley Housing Association Ltd to carry out a comprehensive tenement rehabilitation project at 33 Causeyside Street and 3–9 Orchard Street, Paisley. To date the Association has acquired all of the residential properties in the five closes except for three flats in 9 Orchard Street, where negotiations continue for the voluntary acquisition of these properties. There are also two commercial owners remaining within these addresses, those of a public house and a shop. 3.1.14 Significant progress has been made towards the delivery of this project, with the Association appointing a contractor and works anticipated to commence on site in Spring. The cost of delivering this project will be met by the Association, supported with grant funding from the Scottish Government and by Private Sector Housing Grant from the Council. To ensure that the project can progress and as agreed by the Housing and Community Safety Policy Board the Council will underwrite the costs of essential common repairs due from the private owners if they do not pay and the Council will then seek to recover those costs. The Council and Paisley Housing Association signed A Minute of Agreement to that effect on 13 February 2024. Newbuild projects 3.1.15 The Scottish Government has completed its review of the Council’s applications for above-benchmark grant finance for Howwood Road Area Phase 1 (the former Cochrane Castle Primary School site) and Gallowhill and has confirmed the level of Affordable Housing Grant that will be provided for both projects. Officers are satisfied that the grant funding levels are suitable and following receipt of the formal offer of grant from Scottish Government, arrangements will be made to award contracts as authorised by the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board at its meeting on 23 November 2023. Service Improvement 3.1.16 Renfrewshire Council has a statutory duty to consult tenants before increasing rents. To help inform the decision on rents for 2024/25, consultation was undertaken in December 2023 and January 2024 involving discussion with tenant representatives at the annual Council Wide Forum and via online and telephone surveys of Council tenants. All tenants were advised of the surveys by a letter which included information on service priorities and around 5,000 tenants also received this information by email where contact information had been provided. 3.1.17 1,449 tenants took part in the consultation. 609 tenants were asked their views by a telephone survey, with a further 840 participating online. The results of the consultations were broadly similar regardless of the method of consultation. The outcome of the consultation exercise was reported to Council.
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3.2 Housing Management Income Advice 3.2.1 Information from income advice interviews at the end January confirms that over 2,200 income advice cases involved households from Council Tenancies this financial year. 3.2.2 During these interviews staff assess any entitlements to assistance that are due and support people to access entitlement alongside giving advice on all money matters and budgeting. There are several sources of additional assistance accessed which can include universal credit / housing benefit, attendance and disability allowances, financial insecurity funds, food vouchers and many more. 3.2.3 Since commencement of the Tenant’s Support Fund in October to the end of January, there have been 222 Tenants referred for Tenant Support Fund assessments, which will have the added value of full income assessment and advice provision. Of the referrals 107 have engaged with Specialist Income Advisors and 93 qualify for assistance from the fund. Officers continue to engage with tenants to maximise access to any underlying entitlement to benefits and funds available. Housing Advice 3.2.4 There has been continued take-up of the option to apply to join the Council’s housing waiting list since the introduction of the online system in November 2023. The online housing application is available alongside existing ways to apply, such as telephone, video conferencing (Near Me), email and in person as requested. 3.2.5 Housing staff are still available to assist in completing on-line forms and all applicants still have the opportunity for housing options advice, to assist those making a housing enquiry to gain a realistic understanding of the choices available to suit their circumstances. At the end of January 2024, 140 applications had been received online. Estate Management 3.2.6 Joint work with colleagues in Digital Services continues to progress with the aim of piloting the use of an online Anti-social behaviour (ASB) reporting system – the ‘ASB App’. Existing alongside the other reporting methods, telephone, email, in writing and in person, the App will extend the ways tenants impacted by ASB can make reports and log incidents. If following the necessary system checks, the ‘App’ can be integrated to the Council’s system and devices, it will be piloted in one of the housing neighbourhood teams prior to evaluation and roll-out. 3.3 Homelessness and Housing Support 3.3.1 As is the case across most of Scotland just now, there continues to be increased demand for assistance from our Homeless and Housing Support Services.
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3.3.2 A detailed report to the Policy Board in January 2024 on the scale of these homeless pressures identified a number of measures which continue to be implemented in order to ensure those who require somewhere to stay are provided with temporary accommodation and the support they need. These measures include an increase in the stock of temporary accommodation, meeting the target for lets to those who are homeless by the Council, recruitment of additional frontline staff on a temporary basis, and RSL partners increasing their targets for lets to those who are homeless. 3.3.3 The number of those being supported via Housing First at any one time now exceeds 70, and the MyLA project (My Life Ahead) has received additional funding from the Alcohol & Drug Programme Board to allow the initiative to support those with alcohol / drug issues and who are at risk of losing their settled home. 3.3.4 A further full report on the homelessness and housing support pressures in Renfrewshire will be presented to the Policy Board in May 2024. Sheltered Housing 3.3.5 Our sheltered housing service continues to promote independent living and seeks to address our tenants individual support needs, by encouraging them to remain active and live well. 3.3.6 The strong focus on tackling the threat of loneliness continues across the 10 sheltered complexes and a range of meaningful activities, parties and trips to theatre were organised throughout the winter months as well as themed Burns Night and Valentine’s Day activities, and local community initiatives with Get Creative arranged at the Tannahill Centre. 3.3.7 Our in-house Befriending Service continues to support 9 tenants who do not have family or friends who are able to visit via 1-2-1 support in their own homes and taking trips into the community. 3.3.8 Our ‘Fit and Fed’ sessions in partnership with St Mirren Football Club have been well received, and each Monday, St Mirren open their doors to create a warm space where there is always an activity for tenants to take part in or watch, followed by dinner. We now have 40 tenants who currently attend on a fortnightly basis and St Mirren have secured funding to continue this worthwhile activity for the foreseeable future. 3.3.9 The AGM of ‘Forever Young’, the sheltered housing constituted tenants’ group recently took place with 14 members attending to discuss their plans for the year ahead, and our Quality Circle ‘inspections’ have now fully re- started following the recovery from COVID, with tenants involved in inspection and improvement discussions at every complex. 3.3.10 Digital support continues to be provided to assist tenants to access services, media and activities online, and funding is being sought for digital notice boards to be placed in each complex to update tenants live with information, support and advice.
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Refugee Resettlement 3.3.11 The number of Ukrainian Displaced Persons being supported at our Welcome Hub at hotels near Glasgow Airport continues to reduce. 3.3.12 There are now 44 individuals staying in the hotels from a high of over 400 in Autumn / Winter 2022. 3.3.13 The number of Ukrainian households who have been supported to resettle in social rented tenancies in Renfrewshire has now reached 158, and a range of integration events are now regularly taking place, as well as activities with partners such as Impact Arts. 3.3.14 The Refugee Resettlement team continues to also support those Syrian and Afghan families who have resettled in Renfrewshire. 3.4 Housing Asset and Investment Housing Investment Programme External Works 3.4.1 The Housing investment Team is currently on-site at several locations, improving the external fabric and reducing residents’ fuel costs by installing various energy saving measures including external wall insulation/cavity wall insulation, roughcasting, roof replacement, triple glazed windows, loft insulation & solar PV. The programme for 2024/25 will include approximately 700 homes in the following areas: Johnstone, Elderslie, Renfrew, Villages, Paisley & Linwood. 3.4.2 In addition to this, the Housing Investment team are currently re-visiting circa 480 properties throughout Renfrewshire, which have already had some external works to further enhance their energy efficiency through the installation of additional measures solar PV, triple glazed windows & loft insulation. This is to further improve the energy efficiency of these dwellings, reduce carbon and more importantly, reduce fuel costs for our tenants. We anticipate completion by the end of the calendar year. EICR Compliance Update 3.4.3 Following changes made by the Scottish Government, a programme to carry out EICR’s (Electrical Installation Condition Reports) every five years was implemented to ensure Renfrewshire Council achieves SHQS compliance for electrical safety. All tenants have received 3 letters inviting them to make an appointment and those that did not respond had a 4th letter issued with a pre-arranged appointment date. Despite these efforts, at the end of December 2023 there were circa 1000 properties still outstanding due to access not being granted. 3.4.4 To ensure compliance with this element of SHQS, a ‘forced access’ programme commenced in February 2024 which will run for approximately 7 months. All tenants will have a final (5th) letter hand delivered 7 days before their pre-arranged appointment date and time and advised access will be
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gained by our Building Services team if no one is at home to allow this important safety check to be carried out. 3.4.5 A further circa 1,500 properties have EICRs due to expire in 2024. To ensure SHQS compliance for these properties, three external contractors have been appointed to carry out EICRs over a five month period starting late February. Any properties where the EICR remains outstanding after three letters have been issued will be added to our forced access programme. 3.4.6 Successful completion of these programmes will ensure full compliance with regards to EICRs by the end of the calendar year. Thereafter the intention is for all EICRs to be undertaken by Building Services. There are circa 600 properties due to expire in 2025 and the programme for these will commence from mid-2024. Dampness and Mould Update 3.4.7 The volume of requests for inspections in relation to dampness and mould increased during the Winter months. The initial inspection is usually carried out by our repairs and maintenance officer who will arrange any follow up repairs required. Cases that are more complex including severe cases of mould, which require specialist treatment are handed over to our rotworks contractor as noted in Table 1 below. Table 1: Dampness and Mould inspections April – Dec 2023. 2023/2024 Inspections completed Passed to rotworks contractor Quarter 1 44 8 Quarter 2 52 8 Quarter 3 93 33 3.4.8 As advised in the report to Policy Board in August 2023, consultation was underway with a specialist decontamination and disinfecting company which was followed up with a pilot case. To date the specialised ‘misting’ treatment has been utilised in 24 cases. Feedback from tenants who have had this undertaken has been positive. 3.4.9 This ‘misting’ process is carried out in conjunction with other measures to minimise the possibility of the mould returning which may include improving ventilation, providing advice on heating and referring tenants for energy advice. In some cases environmental sensors are installed to allow ongoing monitoring of humidity and temperatures within the home. Sensor Installation Update 3.4.10 The Housing Investment team have contracted IOPT, who are specialists in remote property monitoring, to monitor the conditions within properties by supplying environmental sensors, operating a radio network to extract the data, and reporting where data suggests the conditions create a potential for damp mould and condensation to occur in the future.
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3.4.11 Environmental sensors are currently being installed in every void property prior to being relet, and in selected properties to monitor the impact of energy efficiency measures which are being installed, or occasionally on request from the repair and maintenance team to help understand and resolve specific issues. 3.4.12 At the end of January, sensors have been installed in circa 600 properties, with the temperature, humidity and air quality being monitored in the living room and all bedrooms. 3.4.13 IOPT continually monitor conditions through their online platform, and on a monthly basis highlight any properties which show concern and require intervention. The highlighted properties are passed to our housing energy advocate, who over the last 12 months has accessed 114 properties to engage with tenants in properties which are showing concern, to gain further information and offer advice and support on how to heat and ventilate their home to reduce the risk moving forwards. As part of these interventions, advice on how to make best use of heating and ventilation, signposting to any debt and funding support, help to switch tariffs and help to report any repairs is offered. 3.4.14 Three Case Examples are noted below:
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Private Landlord Forum Event 3.4.15 Housing Services, in conjunction with Licensing, organised a private landlord forum event in Paisley on 15 February. Renfrewshire Landlord Forum saw over 65 landlords and agents attend the event in the Town Hall. 3.4.16 Topics covered at the event included an update from the Council on investment plans and programmes including the regeneration areas as well as providing information to attendees on Council energy efficiency targets and the need to work with over 5200 landlords and private owners who will be involved in Council capital programmes over the coming years. 3.4.17 Partner organisations Landlord Accreditation Scotland and Under One Roof also updated landlords on major legislative changes to the Repairing Standard affecting the private rented sector and discussed issues around organising common repairs in flatted property. This event was oversubscribed, and the Council is now looking to arrange a further online event to update landlords who were unable to secure a place on the day. Repairs & Maintenance Team Resources 3.4.18 The repairs and maintenance team have been working under challenging circumstances due to staff shortages. The normal staffing complement within the reactive repairs team is 8 officers and currently, due to a combination of vacancies and unplanned illness absences, there are 3.5 FTE officers. This is having an impact on the timescale for inspections and the timescales for responding to complaints and enquiries. Recruitment has taken place and 2 permanent officers are due to start at the end of March, with further temporary posts advertised for recruitment. 3.4.19 To address the current demand on the service, a number of management actions have been put in place. A wider pool of staff is assisting and there have been ongoing reviews of future inspections resulting in some works being passed directly for repair works without pre-inspection. The process for arranging follow on works has also been streamlined in conjunction with Building Services, reducing the demands on officers’ time. We are focussed on maintaining the delivery of the inspection service for our customers and are doing everything we can to ensure that waiting times are reduced and the most urgent cases, such as dampness and mould, are prioritised. 3.5 Review of Void Property Management 3.5.1 The Single Voids Manager continues to develop and implement the action plan for improvement in conjunction with colleagues from all teams involved in the void process.
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3.5.2 A new temporary structure for the Single Voids Team has been designed bringing together key personnel from Housing Services and Building Services. The team will be co-located at Underwood Road, working closely together to identify areas for improved efficiency across the void process and the Policy Board will continue to receive updates on progress in this key area for improvement. 4. Public Protection 4.1 Community Safety CONTEST & Serious Organised Crime CONTEST 4.1.1 Following its revision by the Scottish Government Strategic Board it has been agreed that there will be a three-year Local CONTEST Delivery Strategy for each local authority. 4.1.2 Work is now ongoing with stakeholders within Renfrewshire Community Protection Prevent Steering Group to consider the Terms of Reference including a list of all partners, both statutory and non-statutory who form part of the membership. The group will commence by reviewing the key objectives and performance indicators used to measure success in the delivery of the 4 P’s, Prevent, Pursue, Protect and Prepare. 4.1.3 Whist the document strategy covers a three-year period, a return to the Contest Secretariat from each Local Authority will be submitted at the end of each year. This will also inform the Annual Assurance Statement in relation to Prevent delivery. Serious Organised Crime Cannabis Edibles 4.1.4 The National Serious Organised Crime interventions unit has presented the current picture on cannabis edibles that contain cannabis oils which holds high amounts of “THC” – the psychoactive component of cannabis which is currently on the streets in forms of sweets, cakes, chocolate, biscuits etc which are appealing to young people. Environmental Health Officers, Trading standards and the Community Development team are working closely together around awareness raising of these and what packaging to look out for to try and mitigate harm to young people.
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Prevent Prevent Training 4.1.5 Prevent training continues to be rolled out to frontline services. Within the recent Annual Assurance Statement, it was identified the need for Counter Terrorism Awareness including Prevent Awareness to our colleagues within OneRen and Renfrewshire’s Janitorial colleagues. This has now been completed. 4.1.6 Training for Mental Health Services and Adult Social Workers will be carried out during the remainder of 2024. 4.2 Trading Standards Tobacco and Nicotine Vapour Products 4.2.1 Work around Tobacco and Nicotine Vapour Products (NVPs or Vapes) continues to be of a high priority for the Team. 4.2.2 There are around 290 premises registered for the sale/supply of Tobacco and/or Nicotine Vapour Products in Renfrewshire. Compliance activity is being out on a rolling 3-year programme utilising the “4 Es” model to engage with traders, explain the requirements, encourage compliance then enforce only when necessary. 4.2.3 Nicotine Vapour Products account for a significant portion of this activity, with Officers recovering non-compliant products on the majority of visits. Non-compliant for these purposes includes mis-labelled, unsafe or counterfeit products. Visits have been targeted around Secondary Schools, as young persons are known to be an increasing user group of these products. In around 50% of cases, the trader is aware that the products are non-compliant. Businesses are given enhanced advice and guidance on compliance, as well as information around underage sales. The non- compliant products are signed over to the service for destruction, in order that they can be removed from the supply chain. This is likely to be a growth area in terms of demand, with the recent Four Nations Consultation outcome recommending enhanced controls on NVPs 4.2.4 The Team receive intelligence through a number of sources around the alleged sale and supply of illicit tobacco products. Operation CECE is a UK- wide partnership initiative between HMRC and Trading Standards services, to remove illicit tobacco products from the marketplace. A number of premises have been subject to repeat visits from the Team, and consideration is now being given to how to best progress enforcement action against those not brought into compliance.
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4.3 Environmental Health Short Term let Application Consultations 4.3.1 Short term lettings are now required to be subject to a licensing process following the introduction of legislation by the Scottish Government, with the intention that this will ensure properties are safe for paying guests but also affords neighbours and other interested parties the opportunity to object to premises being used for short-term letting purposes. The Environmental Health team are amongst a number of consultees and to date have been consulted on 119 short term let applications. Inspections having been undertaken of 68 of these (predominantly secondary lettings). There are a small number of properties which have still to be inspected at this time with arrangements being made to progress these. 4.3.2 There have been 26 consultations for home sharing/home letting properties and whilst these are not routinely subject to inspection, Officers are reviewing these applications and where concerns arise, are requesting various pieces of evidence to ensure the property is fit for purpose and safe for guests. Slush Ice Drinks 4.3.3 The Environmental Health Business Regulation Team carried out a recent intervention to business businesses selling “slush” ice drinks. This is due to reports of children becoming ill following consumption of these products. 4.3.4 Glycerol is a permitted additive in food products and has the E number (E422). It is widely used in the food industry as a sweetener, thickening agent and preservative. It is a key ingredient in the production of slush ice drinks due to it serving the function of maintaining the “slush” properties prevent the liquid freezing solid. 4.3.5 Although glycerol is generally of low toxicity, there are concerns about the effect on young children when large quantities are consumed over a short period of time. 4.3.6 As body weight is a factor in the adverse effects of glycerol on the body, Food Standards (Scotland) have issued guidance that, slush ice drinks should not be sold to children under 4 years old and free refills should not be offered to under 10’s. Those above the age of four are considered unlikely to suffer ill effects from drinking one slush drink. 4.3.7 Given that these products are widespread throughout Renfrewshire, officers have Initially visited businesses identified as likely to be serving higher numbers of children within the target age. These included indoor soft play, cinemas and those premises located near to schools and nurseries. This will be followed up with further visits to other businesses.
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Meat and meat products 4.3.8 Following intelligence and a product recall from Food Standards Scotland (Food Crime Unit), the Environmental Health Business Regulation Team carried out visits to a number of food businesses in Paisley. The recall related to imported animal by products including beef masks, cow feet and turkey wings originating from a Company based in London. 4.3.9 During visits to premises, including an unregistered food business, a total of 724.69 Kg of meat, fish and animal by products from 3 premises, were removed and destroyed. Enforcement Action has been taken where necessary and follow up visits carried out to each business and advice given in relation to food provenance, labelling, packing, etc. 5. Community Development 5.1 Team Up to clean Up 5.1.1 Team Up to Clean Up partners SEPA, Zero Waste Scotland and Keep Scotland Beautiful are delivering 5 events across Scotland to gather the views of communities in accordance with the new Scottish Litter & Flytipping Strategy. Renfrewshire House hosted the Renfrewshire Community Litter Workshop on 21 February. The 25 places offered were acquired after the event was advertised on the Team Up platform. Attendees had an opportunity to share ideas, learn about behaviours and attitudes and what they can do to help. 5.1.2 Zero Waste Scotland has partnered with UCL Centre for Behaviour Change to investigate the complex causes of littering and flytipping behaviours. Renfrewshire responded to the survey issued which aims to generate a new approach to preventing items becoming litter/flytipping and tackle behaviours through effective intervention. 5.1.3 The Big Spring Clean was launched on 1 March and will run across March and April. Schools are registering their ongoing interest in delivering local litter picks and/or receiving a school presentation. The Team is further working with local retail parks to encourage take up there, presenting a more attractive area for customers. So far Linwood fast Food retailers have agreed to join the event. 5.1.4 Three further Wildflower Workshops will be delivered over the course of the Big Spring Clean, one in Elderslie, hosted by Evergreen Elderslie, one in Paisley at the West End Growing Ground Association (WEGGA) Sanctuary Gardens, and the final workshop in Renfrew at Broadloan, hosted by Renfrew Association of Growing Grounds (RAGG). Groups and individuals will be treated to a workshop then attend an onsite area for a demonstration.
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5.2 Environmental Taskforce 5.2.1 The Environmental Taskforce continues to deliver intervention to reduce instances of flytipping. Key statistics for the most recent period are: Action 2023 total 1 Jan – 29 Feb Proactive visits to identified hotspot areas 2,258 506 Number of reports investigated 1,321 378 Tonnes of flytipping removed 436 48 Number of sites secured to prevent further flytipping 11 1 Letters to private landowners re flytipping 85 7 Visits to businesses to ensure Waste Disposal Arrangements in place 126 17 Fixed Penalty Notices Issued 93 11 5.2.2 Using captured footage, the first £500 Fixed Penalty Notice was issued in January to a company who flytipped in Paisley however is based out with the authority. Duke of Edinburgh Programme 5.3 On 21 February, an event was held in Paisley Town Hall to celebrate the success of the young people of Renfrewshire engaged in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme. As part of the celebration it was recognised that by taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, young people have contributed over 4,000 hours of volunteering in their local communities. 5.4 The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is an internationally recognised personal development programme, open to any young person from aged 14 to 25. Renfrewshire is very much to the fore in supporting DofE with a record breaking 450 young people starting their DofE journey this year so far, whilst across Scotland there are 21,000 who have newly engaged with DofE. 5.5 Youth Services, Renfrewshire Council’s youth work team, co-ordinates and drives the development of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme on behalf of the local authority, working in partnership with schools and a wide variety of community -based open groups, supporting young people so they can benefit from taking part. 5.6 The celebration event is the first time Renfrewshire has held such a big awards ceremony, with over five hundred guests attending that included young people, their family and friends, DofE Leaders, Head Teachers and wider Renfrewshire supporters. All gathered to see and hear participants talk about their experiences and receive their Bronze, Silver and Gold certificates and badges recognising their achievement.
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Recognition awards were also provided to staff members that have been so committed to making the programme a success in Renfrewshire. 5.7 The whole evening was presented young people themselves and it was really motivational to hear just how much DofE has meant to them and how they have developed through their personal experiences in taking part. 6. Justice Social Work 6.1.1 Staff have been recruited within the fieldwork service, the women’s justice service and Whole Systems, to ensure that these services can be developed. All will be in post by February 2024. Extended diversions and Structured Deferred Sentences are now being undertaken by those staff with a plan for them to undertake voluntary throughcare and commence Bail Supervision in February 2024. This is in line with East Renfrewshire Council, so that similar services are available to the court for all areas covered. (Paisley Sheriff Court is the court that covers East Renfrewshire). 6.1.2 Good progress has been made to re-establish Renfrewshire’s Community Justice Partnership. The partnership is responsible for coordinating local improvement activity in pursuit of national justice improvement outcomes. Recent efforts have focused on strengthening relationships between stakeholders and promoting the partnership’s alignment with other strategic priorities. 6.1.3 Employability provision for people with convictions has been an early focus, progressed through Renfrewshire’s Local Employability Partnership. Work is ongoing to gather insight into the breadth, depth, and quality of support on offer to Renfrewshire’s justice experienced population, with a particular focus on statutory and voluntary throughcare for people leaving custody and reintegrating back into the community. 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 – The Minute of Agreement between the Council and Paisley Housing Association Ltd referred to at 3.1.14 was prepared by the Council’s legal team and the Association’s solicitors. 5. Property/Assets – None
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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. COSLA Policy Position – None 13. Climate Change – 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 ___________________________________________________________________ Author Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Email: gordon.mcneil@renfrewshire.gov.uk