Minutes of meeting
Renfrewshire Council · 26 August 2025
Back to Economy and Regeneration Policy Board — 26 August 2025 and its agenda
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Minute of Meeting Economy and Regeneration Policy Board Date Time Venue Tuesday, 26 August 2025 10:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Present: Councillor Stephen Burns, Councillor Michelle Campbell, Councillor Graeme Clark, Councillor Andy Doig, Councillor Neill Graham, Councillor Robert Innes, Councillor Janis McDonald, Councillor Marie McGurk, Councillor Iain McMillan, Councillor John McNaughtan, Councillor Sam Mullin, Councillor Iain Nicolson, Councillor Jim Paterson, Councillor Andy Steel Chair Councillor Steel, Convener, presided. In Attendance A Morrison, Head of Economy & Development, E Shearer, Senior Manager for Regeneration and Place, R Cooper, Economic Development Manager, C Begg, Economic Regeneration Officer, B Walker, City Deal and Infrastructure Programme Director, S Inrig, Programme Manager – Community Asset Transfer and Regeneration and H Stephen, Information, Communication and Policy Assistant Officer (all Chief Executive’s); and V Howie, Finance Business Partner, R Devine, Senior Committee Services Officer and J Barron, Committee Services Officer (all Finance & Resources). Webcasting of Meeting Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Policy Board would be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council's internet site. In addition, the Convener took the opportunity to welcome Councillor Mullin to his first meeting of the Policy Board since his appointment as a member. Apology Councillor Alison Ann-Dowling.
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Declarations of Interest There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to commencement of the meeting. Transparency Statements Councillor N Graham declared a connection to Item 2 by reason of being a volunteer with Barnados. However, he indicated that he had applied the objective test and did not consider he had an interest to declare. 1 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring 2025/26 as at 27 June 2025 There was submitted a joint revenue and capital budget monitoring report by the Chief Executive and Director of Finance & Resources for the period 1 April to 27 June 2025. The report intimated that the projected revenue outturn at 31 March 2026 for those services reporting to this Policy Board was an underspend position of £0.018 million (0.6%) against the revised budget for the year. The projected capital outturn at 31 March 2026 for projects reporting to the Board was a break even position. Section 6 of the report detailed a budget adjustment relative to funding awarded from the Scottish Government Employability Grant and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. DECIDED: (a) That the projected Revenue outturn underspend position of £0.018m be noted; (b) That the projected Capital outturn break even position be noted; and (c) That the budget adjustment detailed at section 6 of the report be noted. 2 Employability Services Update There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the Council's employability services. The report provided an end of year report for the delivery of Renfrewshire Council's employability services during 2024/25, including an overview of delivery, client breakdown and performance during that period; an overview of the 2025/26 Local Investment Plan for employability; and plans for Renfrewshire Employability Month to be held in September 2025. DECIDED: (a) That the end of year report for the performance and delivery of employability services in 2024/25 including 100% grant claims across both UK and Scottish Government funding allocations be noted; (b) That the Local Employability Partnership Annual Investment Plan for employability delivery in 2025/26 be noted; and
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(c) That the plans in Renfrewshire for Employability Month, September 2025, be noted. 3 DFN Project SEARCH Renfrewshire - Annual Update There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the annual update for the DFN Project SEARCH Renfrewshire. The report provided updates on progress in terms of the 2024/25 programme and confirmed continued delivery of the programme into 2025/26. DECIDED: That the report and continuation of programme delivery into 2025/26 be noted. 4 Renfrewshire Council Community Benefits (Community Wealth Building) There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the Council’s community benefits programme. The report provided background to the Council’s community benefits programme and summarised current economic development activity supporting the delivery of community added value from Council contracted spend. In addition, the report detailed how community benefits linked to the Council’s Community Wealth Building [CWB] agenda for Renfrewshire and highlighted some of the opportunities that community benefits could create for local organisations, people and places to thrive and prosper because of the added value created. DECIDED: (a) That the current activity undertaken to maximise community added value for local people, communities and organisations from the Council’s community benefits programme be noted; and (b) That it be noted that further updates on the Council’s community benefits programme would be reported to a future meeting of this Policy Board. 5 Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Community Led Local Development (CLLD) Update There was submitted an update report by the Chief Executive relative to the completed delivery of the Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde (GRI) Community Led Local Development (CLLD) programme for 2024/25. The report outlined an increased allocation of funding from the Scottish Government and the proposed approach for delivery during 2025/26, which had been agreed with the Local Action Group (LAG) and partner local authorities, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Council, to meet CLLD requirements. DECIDED: (a) That the range and depth of rural based projects which were funded and
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successfully delivered during 2024/25 be noted; and (b) That the updated offer from Scottish Government to award £233,225.25 to the Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde area, an increase of £58,139 from the previous report, for the delivery of the Community Led Local Development programme for 2025/26 be noted. 6 Renfrewshire Economic Strategy - Mid Term Review There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the mid-term review of the Renfrewshire Economic Strategy. A copy of the revised report on the Economic Strategy was attached as Appendix 1 of the report and reviewed progress made since the original 2020 Strategy, assessed the evolving economic context, and set out a refreshed action plan and performance indicators for 2025/30. DECIDED: (a) That the mid-term review of Renfrewshire’s Economic Strategy 2020/30 be noted; (b) That the revised targets and action plan be agreed; and (c) That it be agreed that an annual update against targets be provided to a future meeting of this Policy Board. 7 Making of Ferguslie - Update There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to progress in terms of delivery of the ‘Making of Ferguslie’ framework and Place Plan, including early phases of the Ferguslie ‘Green Line’. DECIDED: (a) That the strong progress in actions supporting delivery of the Making of Ferguslie and the Ferguslie Green Line, as set out in sections 4 and 5 of the report, be noted; (b) That it be noted that the Head of Economy and Development would continue to undertake appropriate consultation and publicity with the local community to support delivery of the plan; and (c) That it be noted that further progress on delivery of the plan would be reported to the Board as appropriate. 8 Regeneration Funding Bids Update 2025 There was submitted an update report by the Chief Executive relative to progress achieved in terms of external funding bids and the delivery of key regeneration projects, In addition, the report outlined the programmes currently being developed for 2025/26.
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DECIDED: (a) That the list of proposed projects for the 2025/26 allocation of the Place Based Investment Programme and Shared Prosperity Fund be approved; (b) That the grant funding of £650,000 from the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme to develop the Belltrees regeneration project be accepted; (c) That the submission be approved of a Stage 2 Regeneration Capital Grant Fund application for the Houston Court regeneration project in Johnstone if invited by the Scottish Government; (d) That the grant funding of £240,000 from Visit Scotland’s Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund to develop the Castle Semple Visitor Facility project be accepted; and (e) That the progress and continuing actions to deliver from the range of regeneration funds identified in the report be noted. 9 AMIDS South Update There was submitted an update report by the Chief Executive relative to progress achieved in relation to the AMIDS South Project and its links with AMIDS and Paisley Town Centre DECIDED: (a) That the contents of the progress update be noted; and (b) That it be noted that the Chief Executive had approved the award of the construction contract and the final business case under delegated authority, authorised at the meeting of the Council held on 26 June 2025, and that the construction contract would be submitted to the meeting of the Finance & Customer Services Policy Board to be held on 11 September 2025 for noting. 10 Paisley Museum – update on construction progress There was submitted a update report by the Chief Executive relative to construction progress. The report provided an update on the construction progress as Kier Construction Ltd entered the final stages of the first major refurbishment in the building’s 150-year history neared completion. It was stated that the construction period was progressing towards completion, which was expected by the end of 2025, and would be followed by a complex fit-out period to ready the Museum for the official reopening in the second half of 2026.
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DECIDED: (a) That the contents of the progress update be noted; and (b) That it be noted that a further update report will be submitted to a future meeting of this Policy Board to provide further detail on the fit-out process.