Agenda Document Pack - Economy and Regeneration Policy Board - 20/01/2026
Renfrewshire Council · 20 January 2026
Back to Economy and Regeneration Policy Board — 20 January 2026 and its agenda
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13/01/2026 Notice of Meeting and Agenda Economy and Regeneration Policy Board Date Time Venue Tuesday, 20 January 2026 10:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Membership Councillor Andy Steel (Convener): Councillor Michelle Campbell (Depute Convener): Councillor Alison Ann-Dowling: Councillor Stephen Burns: 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: 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. 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. MARK CONAGHAN Head of Corporate Governance
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13/01/2026 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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13/01/2026 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 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring 2025/26 as at 14 November 2025 Joint report by Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Resources. 1 - 8 2 Buildings at Risk Register (BARR) Update Report by Chief Executive. 9 - 14 3 Regeneration Capital Grant Fund – Expression of interest form Report by Chief Executive. 15 - 18 4 Renfrewshire Economic Profile (January 2026) Report by Chief Executive. 19 - 34 5 Start Up Street Update Report by Chief Executive. 35 - 42 6 UK Shared Prosperity Fund 2025/26 Update Report by Chief Executive. 43 - 46 7 New UK Funds - Transition from UK Shared Prosperity Fund Report by Chief Executive. 47 - 54 8 Paisley Centre Redevelopment - Update Report by Chief Executive. 55 - 58
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 20 January 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Resources ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring 2025/26 as at 14 November 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 At the close of reporting Period 8 on 14 November 2025, the projected revenue outturn at 31 March 2026 for those services reporting to the Economy and Regeneration Policy Board was an underspend position of £0.057m (1.8%) against the revised budget for the year. 1.2 The projected capital outturn at 31 March 2026 for projects reporting to the Economy and Regeneration Policy Board is a break even position. 1.3 This is summarised 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 Economy and Development 3,168 3,111 57 1.8% Capital Economy and Development 18,450 18,450 0 0.0% 2. Recommendations 2.1 Members are requested to: a) Note the projected Revenue outturn underspend position of £0.057m; and b) Note the projected Capital outturn break-even position. Item 1 EAR200126 Page 1 of 58
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PUBLIC 3. Revenue Budget Projection – underspend of £0.057m 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. The impact of any change on this projection will be updated at each board cycle until the close of reporting Period 10. 4. Objective Analysis – Significant Variances 4.1 There are no significant objective analysis variances to report at this stage in the financial year. 5. Subjective Analysis – Significant Variances 5.1 There are no significant subjective analysis variances to report at this stage in the financial year. 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/Chief Executive and the Director of Finance and Resources for submission to the relevant policy board for approval. Future reports may therefore ask the board to approve budget adjustments that are deemed necessary for good budget management. There are no such requests this period. 7. Capital Budget Projection – break even position by 31 March 2026 7.1 The approved Capital Investment Programme 2025/26 to 2029/30 for Economy and Regeneration was £18.850m. The revised capital spend for 2025/26 is £18.450m. Page 2 of 58
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PUBLIC 7.2 The in-year Capital budget is forecast to break even by 31 March 2026 after a number of budget adjustments between years have taken place, to reflect revised programming of some capital projects. Details of these adjustments, which amount to (£0.400m) are as follows: Project Amount (£m) Budget carried forward into 2026/27 Town Centre Regeneration (0.500) New Budget awarded in 2025/26 Candren Burn Restoration – E&R Board 26 August 0.100 Total (0.400) Implications of the Report 1. Financial The projected budget outturn position for Finance, Resources and Customer Services’ Revenue budget is an underspend of £0.057m (1.8%) 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 the Economy and Regeneration Capital budget is break-even, after the adjustments outlined at section 7. 2. HR & Organisational Development While staffing budgets form a significant proportion of the Council’s revenue budgets, there are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 3. Community/Council Planning Community Plan Our Renfrewshire is thriving The Council’s revenue and capital spend ensures that its facilities are fit for purpose and safe for the community, to maximise accessibility. Our Renfrewshire is well Our Renfrewshire is fair Our Renfrewshire is safe Page 3 of 58
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PUBLIC 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 improvements to Culture and Heritage assets and delivery of strategic place-shaping and regeneration. 6. Information Technology There are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 7. Equality & Human Rights While new areas of spend may impact on particular groups, any such impact would be assessed prior to the spend being incurred, therefore there are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 8. Health & Safety There are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 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. Page 4 of 58
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PUBLIC 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. 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. 14. Children’s Rights There are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. List of Background Papers • Revenue Budget and Council Tax 2025/26, Council 27 February 2025 • The Capital Investment Programme 2025/26 to 2029/30, Council 27 February 2025 Author: Valerie Howie, Finance Business Partner; and Linsey McGregor, Capital Accountant. Page 5 of 58
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PUBLIC Appendix 1 RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING STATEMENT 2025/26 1 April 2025 to 14 November 2025 POLICY BOARD: ECONOMY AND REGENERATION Objective Summary Approved Annual Budget Budget Adjustments Revised Annual Budget at Period 3 Projected Outturn Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Previous Projected Outturn Variance Movement £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Economy and Regeneration Management 113 0 113 112 1 0.9% 1 0 Economic Development 1,280 (3) 1,277 1,277 0 0.0% 0 0 Regeneration 1,779 (1) 1,778 1,722 56 3.1% 21 35 NET EXPENDITURE 3,172 (4) 3,168 3,111 57 1.8% 22 35 Subjective Summary Approved Annual Budget Budget Adjustments Revised Annual Budget at Period 3 Projected Outturn Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Previous Projected Outturn Variance Movement £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Employees 4,881 0 4,881 4,823 58 1.2% 22 36 Premises Related 57 0 57 57 0 0.0% 0 0 Transport Related 3 0 3 4 (1) (33.3%) (1) 0 Supplies and Services 82 0 82 81 1 1.2% 1 0 Third Party Payments 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% 0 0 Transfer Payments 1,610 (4) 1,606 1,607 (1) (0.1%) 0 (1) Support Services 26 0 26 26 0 0.0% 0 0 Depreciation and Impairment Losses 630 0 630 630 0 0.0% 0 0 GROSS EXPENDITURE 7,289 (4) 7,285 7,228 57 0.8% 22 35 Income (4,117) 0 (4,117) (4,117) 0 0.0% 0 0 NET EXPENDITURE 3,172 (4) 3,168 3,111 57 1.8% 22 35 Page 6 of 58
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PUBLIC Appendix 2 Prior Years Approved Budget Revised Projected Expenditure Budget Adjustments Budget Outturn Total Approved Projected Project Title to 31/03/2025 2025-26 since previous 2025-26 2025-26 Budget Outurn Board report to 31-Mar-30 to 31-Mar-30 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 ECONOMY & DEVELOPMENT Paisley Museum 50,420 13,861 0 13,861 13,861 0 0% 68,641 68,641 0 0% Place Based Investment Fund 2,150 1,107 0 1,107 1,107 0 0% 3,980 3,980 0 0% Town Centre Capital Fund 771 105 0 105 105 0 0% 876 876 0 0% Town Centre Regeneration 105 645 (500) 145 145 0 0% 2,550 2,550 0 0% Retail Improvement Scheme 13 107 0 107 107 0 0% 120 120 0 0% Shared Prosperity Fund 0 482 0 482 482 0 0% 482 482 0 0% West Tandlemuir 179 61 0 61 61 0 0% 240 240 0 0% Oakshaw Public Realm Works 0 30 0 30 30 0 0% 30 30 0 0% Ferguslie Belltrees 0 650 0 650 650 0 0% 650 650 0 0% Newton Road Playing Field 0 100 0 100 100 0 0% 100 100 0 0% Castle Semple Visitor Centre Improvements 0 240 0 240 240 0 0% 240 240 0 0% Candren Burn Restoration 0 0 100 100 100 0 0% 100 100 0 0% Paisley Art Centre Redevelopment 3,730 20 0 20 20 0 0% 3,750 3,750 0 0% Paisley Town Hall Redevelopment 25,034 231 0 231 231 0 0% 25,265 25,265 0 0% Paisley Learning & Cultural Hub 6,716 284 0 284 284 0 0% 7,000 7,000 0 0% Paisley Junctions and Charging Hub 763 209 0 209 209 0 0% 972 972 0 0% Sports Development - St James Playing Fields Redevelopment 3,111 388 0 388 388 0 0% 3,500 3,500 0 0% Sports Development - Ferguslie Pavillion Upgrade 719 273 0 273 273 0 0% 992 992 0 0% Sports Development - Hockey Pitch at On-X 557 43 0 43 43 0 0% 600 600 0 0% Townscape Heritage CARS 2 4,085 14 0 14 14 0 0% 4,099 4,099 0 0% Total Economy & Development 98,353 18,850 (400) 18,450 18,450 0 0% 124,187 124,187 0 0% TOTAL ECONOMY & DEVELOPMENT 98,353 18,850 (400) 18,450 18,450 0 0% 124,187 124,187 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. RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY - NON-HOUSING SERVICES 1st April to 14th November 2025 POLICY BOARD: ECONOMY & REGENERATION Current Year 2025-26 Full Programme - All years Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Page 7 of 58
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 20 January 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Buildings at Risk Register (BARR) Update Report ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to update members on the status of the Buildings at Risk Register (BARR) and its relevance to buildings in Renfrewshire. The BARR is currently paused pending evaluation; however, progress is being made to secure the future of many heritage buildings in Renfrewshire that are currently deemed at risk. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Notes the status of Renfrewshire’s BARR-listed buildings, including those that remain ‘at risk,’ are under restoration, have been demolished, or have active or recently approved planning applications for development. (ii) Notes officer progress on the previous BARR listings within Renfrewshire Council’s ownership. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Historic Environment Scotland (HES) Buildings at Risk Register (BARR) remains paused, pending consideration of the five options outlined in the last update report presented to the Economy and Regeneration Policy Board on 18 March 2025. Members should note that, as the BARR is no longer being updated, it cannot be relied upon as an accurate representation of building status. Over time, it will become increasingly outdated until an alternative system is adopted. Item 2 EAR200126 Page 9 of 58
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PUBLIC 3.2 3.3 In the interim, Council officers have continued to use the BARR to monitor Renfrewshire’s heritage buildings until HES decides on next steps for the register. Officers have maintained dialogue with HES regarding its future; however, no further information on the preferred option has been released to date. As the BARR has been paused for some time, there have been no new additions (or removals). Spiersfield House and the former Chivas Building are two potential entries which would have likely been nominated for BARR inclusion - due to their known condition and vacancy. Officers have included them within the entries contained at Appendix A and will incorporate these entries into reporting in the next update. Should the BARR be reactivated prior to the next board report, officers would seek to nominate these buildings with HES for inclusion. _________________________________________________________ 4. Renfrewshire’s Buildings at Risk Summary 4.1 Table 1 below provides a summary of the BARR by location, category, condition and ownership. A more detailed summary of the status of Renfrewshire buildings listed on BARR can be found in Appendix A of this report. 4.2 Two listings recommended for removal from the BARR (Former TA building in Paisley and K6 Phonebox in Lochwinnoch) in the last update to Board have now been removed from the update table. Table 1: Summary of Renfrewshire BARR 4.3 It is important to note that of Renfrewshire’s BARR listings, 23 out of the 25 listings are privately owned. Only two properties - Kelvin House/Forbes Place (former council social work offices) and the former Renfrew Police Station are within Renfrewshire Council’s ownership. The latter is held as part of the Renfrew Common Good Fund. Both have remained vacant for several years. BARR listings within Renfrewshire Council’s ownership 4.4 Kelvin House and Forbes Place were marketed for sale in November 2024. Despite a robust marketing campaign, no credible offers were received for the property. This reflects the number of site constraints and the market’s perception of its development value. Page 10 of 58
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PUBLIC 4.5 Officers instructed structural surveys of the buildings in late 2025 to support the commissioning of a conservation-accredited architect. The architect is currently appraising the site, and a report outlining potential development options is expected in February 2026 for the Council’s consideration. It is hoped that this appraisal and the proposed options will provide sufficient information to guide an appropriate way forward for the site. The current intention is to report the outcome of this analysis to the March 2026 Board cycle. 4.6 Renfrew Police Station was granted listed building consent in November 2024 for the demolition of the cells to the rear of the building as well as the removal of rotten wood at the front of the building. Asbestos removal is currently underway on site. Timber strip-out will commence early in the new year, and demolition of the cells is expected early summer 2026, depending on the number of surveys required. It is hoped that these works will make the building a more viable option for refurbishment / development. BARR listings in private ownership 4.7 Since the last update to the Board in March, three BARR listings ringfenced for demolition—Leethland House (Elderslie), St Joseph’s Missionary College (Lochwinnoch), and the partial demolition of the RAI main building (Paisley)— remain in situ pending implementation of approved planning applications. 4.8 Since obtaining planning consents, work is awaited on the conversion of St Joseph’s Missionary College Chapel (Lochwinnoch) into retirement flats, 44 High Street (Paisley) into flats, and Lochwinnoch Parish Church into a village community hub. Furthermore, planning permission was granted for the conversion of Priory Park on Main Road, Paisley, to form 17 flats, which has not yet commenced. _________________________________________________________ 5. Assessment and Next Steps 5.1 A major challenge in addressing Renfrewshire’s BARR listings is that only two are owned by Renfrewshire Council or Renfrew Common Good Fund, while the vast majority are privately owned - some by multiple separate owners. 5.2 For privately owned buildings showing a poor state of repair in their external appearance, officers have the following options in contacting the owner (if known): 1. Informally ask the owner to consider maintenance to improve the appearance. 2. Serve an Amenity Notice [authority delegated to officers] to the owner of the building (if details known). 3. Compulsory purchase of the property - in practice this is a very length process and is often the last resort. 5.3 As previously reported, the Council have continued to take positive steps to influence change: Page 11 of 58
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PUBLIC • Non-domestic rates relief previously offered to listed buildings has been significantly reduced by Renfrewshire Council (in 2023) from 100% to 10% with an aim of stimulating market activity. o Following agreement on a Council motion in December 2025, a formal assessment of the effectiveness of non-domestic rates relief will be carried out Officers will carry out this assessment in 2026 and report back to Board findings at a later date. • Facilitating grants for historically important properties in the villages through the Historic Buildings in Villages Grants Scheme, which supports numerous owners in restoring and preserving listed buildings. • There is also scope for owners of listed buildings to benefit from the new Town Centre Regeneration Fund (an update on which was reported to the Board on 20 May 2025). This fund will be promoted in the new year with the aim of stimulating stalled projects. • Continuing dialogue with private owners to stimulate development, including site visits to understand future plans for important buildings and how the Council can assist. 5.4 Officers will continue to engage with private owners to encourage positive development, respond to potential grant opportunities as they arise, maintain and preserve Renfrewshire’s historical assets, and monitor the BARR and all of Renfrewshire’s listed buildings to ensure accuracy. Officers will also provide timely reports to the relevant Council Boards. _________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial. – None at present. Monitoring and engagement costs are met from existing budgets. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community Planning – • Our Renfrewshire is thriving / Reshaping our place, our economy and our future – Restoration on buildings listed on the BARR supports significant investment in Renfrewshire. 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 Page 12 of 58
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PUBLIC recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None . 12. Climate Risk – None. 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None. ________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Investment criteria for Renfrewshire Town Centre Regeneration Fund, Economy and Regeneration Policy Board, 20 May 2025 (b) Built Heritage – Buildings at Risk Register (BARR) Update, Economy and Regeneration Policy Board,18 March 2025 (c) Listed Buildings and Built Heritage; Communities, Housing and Planning Board, 17 August 2021 ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Euan Shearer, Regeneration and Place Manager Page 13 of 58
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OFFICIAL# # Settlement Settlement Cat. of Listing Ownership Condition Category of Risk BARR Status RC Opinion Development Status Action 1 Mannequins II (Former), 13, Old Sneddon Street Paisley N/A Private Poor Low REST. REST. Phase 1 works complete. Seeking funding for next phase. Retain as REST. 2 11 Lawn Street Paisley N/A Private Fair Low AT RISK AT RISK No recent planning activity and further degradation. Retain as AT RISK 3 Old Paisley Fire Station, 10-14, Gordon Street Paisley B Private Fair Low REST. REST. Development started with internal works, sandstone restoration to outside and new windows. Development now stalled. Retain as REST. 4 1 High Street Paisley B Private Fair Low AT RISK AT RISK No recent planning or development activity Retain as AT RISK 5 18, High Street Paisley B Private Fair Low REST. REST. Recent planning activity for internal alterations to groundfloor and shopfront. Retain as REST. 6 20, High Street Paisley B Private Fair Low AT RISK AT RISK No recent planning activity or evidence or development to upper floors. Retain as AT RISK 7 44 High Street Paisley N/A Private Fair Moderate AT RISK AT RISK Recent planning consent acquired for conversion to five flats. Retain as AT RISK. Change to REST on start of works8 44 Causeyside Street Paisley N/A Private Fair Moderate REST. REST. Façade renovations completed in October 2023. Building warrant for interior fit out approved July 24. Retain as REST. Remove on completion of works9 13 Moss Street Paisley Paisley N/A Private Fair Low AT RISK REST. Ground floor commercial completed, units occupied. Consents acquired for upper floor conversion to residential. Change to REST. 10 Kelvin House, 15-17 Marshall's Lane Paisley C RC Poor High AT RISK AT RISK Recently remarketed for sale. The Council is currently working with a conservation architect to consider options for the site. Retain as AT RISK 11 Paisley Coats Girls Club (Former), 27, Ferguslie Paisley B Private Poor Low REST. REST. Planning approved for residential conversion. Works started. Retain as REST. 12 Royal Alexandra Infirmary: Main Building, Calside Paisley B Private Poor High AT RISK REST. Planning and building warrant approved for partial demolition and conversion to residential. Some works have been undertaken - demolition of entrance building (not listed) and some site clearance albeit works appears to have halted again. Changed to REST. Due to commencement of works. 13 Dykebar Hospital Superintendant's House (Former) Paisley B Private Ruinous Moderate AT RISK AT RISK No recent planning or development activity. Retain as AT RISK 14 Hawkhead House Farm Steading, Ben Alder Drive Paisley B Private Very poor High AT RISK AT RISK No recent planning or development activity. Retain as AT RISK 15 Hawkhead House Farmhouse, Ben Alder Drive Paisley C Private Poor Moderate AT RISK AT RISK No recent planning or development activity. Retain as AT RISK 16 Priory Park, 21 Main Road, Paisley Paisley N/A Private Fair Low AT RISK AT RISK Recently attained consents for conversion to form 17 flats with associated parking and landscaping. Currently being marketed with consents. Retain as AT RISK. Change to REST on start of works 17 Sanctuary House, 8, Stanely Road, Paisley Paisley B Private Poor Moderate AT RISK REST. Some works carried out to shore up the building. Change to REST. 18 Leethland House, Glenpatrick Road Elderslie N/A Private Ruinous High AT RISK AT RISK Recent consents attained for the demolition of Leethland House and replacement dwelling subject to conditions. Retain as AT RISK and remove following demolition. 19 Kilbarchan Old Parish Church, Church Street Kilbarchan B Private Fair Low AT RISK REST. Works underway including new window repairs, replacement and recent planning application for solar panels. Change to REST. 20 St Joseph's Missionary College (Former): Chapel, Kilbirnie Road Lochwinnoch C Private Poor Moderate AT RISK AT RISK Recent planning permission attained for conversion of the formal chapel to form 5 retirement flats (part of 30 on wider site). Retain as AT RISK. Change to REST on start of works21 St Joseph‘s Missionary College (Former): Dormitory Building, Kilbirnie Road Lochwinnoch C Private Poor Moderate AT RISK AT RISK Planning and listed building was recently granted for the redevelopment of the site. If implemented, former dormitory building would be demolished to make way for a walled garden relating to the development of retirement flats on wider site. Retain as AT RISK. Remove following demolition. 22 Calderhaugh House Stables, Main Street Lochwinnoch B Private Fair Low AT RISK AT RISK No recent planning or development activity. Retain as AT RISK 23 Lochwinnoch Parish Church, Church Street Lochwinnoch A Private Fair Moderate AT RISK AT RISK Local community recently received two grants to assist with purchase, building restoration and conversion to community hub. Nocurrent development activity. Retain as AT RISK. Change to REST on start of works. 24 Renfrew Police Station (Former), Inchinnan Road, Renfrew B RC Fair Low AT RISK AT RISK Recent listed building consent approved for demolition of cells and clearance or dry rot. Asbestos removal on site. Timber strip starts in new year. Demolition will be sometime after May dependant on required wildlife surveys . Retain as AT RISK 25 Renfrew Equitable Cooperative Society, 24, High Street, Renfrew B Private Poor Low AT RISK AT RISK No recent planning or development activity. Retain as AT RISK # Speirsfield House, Stevenson Street Paisley B Private Poor High N/A AT RISK Recently granted LBC consent for demolition. Retain as AT RISK # Chivas Building, Renfrew Road Paisley C RC Poor High N/A AT RISK Currently being marketed for sale Retain as AT RISK APPENDIX A Page 14 of 58
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 20 January 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Regeneration Capital Grant Fund – Expression of interest form ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to request the establishment of a more formal process to allow organisations to express interest in any upcoming rounds of the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF). __________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Approves officers to create a dedicated webpage on the Renfrewshire Council website that enables organisations to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form for future rounds of the RCGF. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The RCGF is a long running Scottish Government capital fund designed to support locally developed regeneration projects that deliver large-scale transformational change with strong regeneration outcomes. The fund combines previous streams, including the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP), into a single mechanism aimed at: • Providing new infrastructure and enhancing existing infrastructure. • Tackling persistent vacant and derelict land. • Supporting place-based regeneration initiatives across Scotland. 3.2 Applications are open to all Scottish local authorities. At present grant funding is only open to bids approved by local authorities. The Funding is subject to Scottish Government budget approval. Renfrewshire Council has previously secured support from this fund for projects such as the Russell Institute, Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub, and Paisley Museum. Item 3 EAR200126 Page 15 of 58
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PUBLIC 3.3 The RCGF has also supported projects led by community organisations (with the grant administered by the Council), including initiatives promoted by Linwood Community Development Trust, Active Communities in Johnstone, as well as the recent PACE Youth Theatre project in Paisley. _________________________________________________________ 4. Programme Requirements 4.1 Project proposals are assessed through a two-stage process. At Stage 1, applicants must demonstrate that their project: • Meets the programme aims. • Can spend or commit funding by certain date (defined by the Scottish Government) • Has involved the community in its design. • Contributes to achieving net-zero targets. 4.2 Projects can apply for up to 100% of costs, although those with match funding will be prioritised. _________________________________________________________ 5. Eligibility and Exclusions 5.1 The fund is for capital expenditure only. Ineligible costs include feasibility studies, early design work, and future running costs. The fund is not intended for: • Major transport infrastructure. • Purchase of moveable items (e.g., furniture). • Hotel or retail-only developments. • Public realm improvements or roads/paths as standalone projects. • Flood protection works. 5.2 Housing-led projects are generally excluded but may be eligible where unlocking vacant/derelict land for future housing forms part of a wider regeneration initiative. _________________________________________________________ 6. Proposed approach 6.1 It is expected that any funding announcement for the RCGF will be made as part of the Scottish Government’s January 2026 budget. It is therefore prudent to compile a list of potential projects in advance of any formal request for applications (typically issued around April/May). Assuming funding is confirmed for future rounds, it is proposed that officers create a dedicated webpage on the Council’s website inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) from local groups, community organisations, and individuals for capital projects deliverable in 2027/28 that: • Focus on areas of high deprivation and disadvantage. • Demonstrate strong community involvement. • Deliver large-scale transformational change. Page 16 of 58
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PUBLIC • Encourage additional investment and address market failure. 6.2 EOIs will be submitted using a RCGF EOI Form, with a submission deadline set by officers. Potential applicants will also have access to the Scottish Government’s RCGF Stage 1 Guidance and Project Proposal Template to assist in completing the form. 6.3 All EOIs will be evaluated by officers in line with the key project criteria identified in paragraph 6.3 above and outcomes will be communicated to applicants by a specified date. Only the strongest proposals that best meet the RCGF criteria will progress to Stage 1 submission. _________________________________________________________ 7 Next Steps 7.1 If approved by Members and subject to confirmation of RCGF funding by the Scottish Government, officers will launch the EOI process at an appropriate point in 2026 through the Council website and direct engagement with community partners. Officers will also provide support and guidance to potential applicants. 7.2 An update on any Stage 1 applications submitted will be provided to Board at a future date. _______________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial. – None at present. The engagement process will be resourced from existing Regeneration and Place team budget. Should there be financial commitments required from the Council in terms of any specific project approved at Stage 1 this will be brought to the attention of the relevant Council Board. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community Planning – • Our Renfrewshire is thriving / Reshaping our place, our economy and our future – The RCGF supports significant investment in Renfrewshire. 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. Page 17 of 58
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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 – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. Climate Risk – None. 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None. ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Euan Shearer, Regeneration and Place Manager Page 18 of 58
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 20 January 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Renfrewshire Economic Profile (January 2026) ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report contains the eleventh edition of the Renfrewshire Economic Profile. These updates allow members to track changes in the local economy through a set of key statistical indicators. The last update on the Economic Profile was brought to the board in January 2025. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Notes the content of the January 2026 Renfrewshire Economic Profile update. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The purpose of the economic profile update is to describe and track local demographics and economic indicators for Renfrewshire on an annual basis. The data and analysis presented provides a context and a baseline to assess how well the Renfrewshire economy has performed over time. 3.2 In terms of the profile, as with previous versions of this reports, officers have selected Scotland and the Glasgow City Region (GCR) as the most appropriate comparators. The national average is a commonly used guide by most local authorities in terms of relative performance. 3.3 Data used which forms the basis of the update is taken from a variety of sources including the Office for National Statistics (ONS), National Records of Scotland (NRS) and the Scottish Government. Officers also use statistical information collated by the Glasgow City Region Intelligence Hub. Item 4 EAR200126 Page 19 of 58
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PUBLIC 3.4 Members comments are welcomed on the format and content of the economic profile. The profile will be shared with stakeholders and become a key source of data relating to the performance of the local economy. The profile aligns with the approved Renfrewshire Economic Strategy. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Key issues arising from the Renfrewshire Economic Profile. 4.1 Renfrewshire’s population continues to grow steadily, a trend expected to continue. This growth is driven by net migration into the area, as the rate of natural change (births minus deaths) remains negative. Renfrewshire has the fourth-highest net migration rate in the Glasgow City Region (GCR). 4.2 Since the last update, Renfrewshire’s overall employment rate has decreased, accompanied by an increase in economic inactivity; however, its rates remain comparable to those of the City Region as a whole. Encouragingly, there has been a decrease in the number of residents of working age with no qualifications, with the rate of school leavers entering positive destinations increasing and continuing to exceed the national average. 4.3 The average weekly income of Renfrewshire residents has increased again since the last reporting period. However, the average wage for those working in Renfrewshire is the third-lowest in the City Region. This highlights a disparity between the earnings of residents and those employed within the local authority area. The analysis suggests that higher-earning residents may be more likely to work outside Renfrewshire. 4.4 Key employment sectors in Renfrewshire remain focused on manufacturing, retail and business administration. Unsurprisingly, many of these sectors contribute significantly to Renfrewshire’s Gross Value Added (GVA). Renfrewshire remains especially strong in the manufacturing sector with rates of employment the highest in the GCR and well above the Scottish average. 4.5 Sustainable Tourism remains important in Renfrewshire’s economy. Although there has been a slight decline in the numbers employed in this sector this is largely consistent with Scottish and GCR figures. 4.6 Town Centre Vacancy Rates have improved across most of Renfrewshire’s retail centres with only Renfrew having seen a slight increase from 2024. 4.7 Renfrewshire has seen a decrease in the annual supply of new housing in 2024 after experiencing a ten year high in the total number of new houses in 2023. This may be due to a slowing of new houses contributed at Dargavel Village as it reaches the latter stages of its development horizon. 4.8 Renfrewshire has the third highest proportion of households with fibre broadband availability in the GCR. 4.9 The amount of vacant and derelict land in Renfrewshire has remained relatively unchanged since the previous reporting period, with only a marginal decrease. Page 20 of 58
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PUBLIC Conclusion 4.10 Renfrewshire’s economy continues to perform strongly against regional and national benchmarks, with growth in GVA, high employment rates and above- average resident earnings. Educational attainment and positive school leaver destinations remain strong. Manufacturing is a key strength, positioning the area well for advanced industry growth. However, creating more high-value, highly paid jobs should be a priority. The full development of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) and the introduction of a new Investment Zone offering tax incentives are expected to attract new businesses to invest in the area, driving innovation and supporting long-term economic resilience. 4.11 The full economic profile for Renfrewshire is included in Appendix 1 of this report. ____________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – • Empowering our Communities – the new Economic Profile will enable communities to have a clearer understanding of the relative performance of the Renfrewshire economy. • Jobs and the Economy - the new Economic Profile will present a clearer picture of the relative performance of the Renfrewshire economy. 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 – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact - None. Page 21 of 58
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PUBLIC 12. Climate Risk – None. 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None. ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Euan Shearer; Regeneration and Place Manager Email: euan.shearer@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 22 of 58
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PUBLIC Renfrewshire Economic Statistics (Eleventh Edition: January 2026) 1. Population Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region Population 2024 189,170 Increase of 9% from 2010. 5,546,900 Increase of 5% from 2010. 1,895,840 Increase of 7% from 2010. Births (2024) 1,714 Decrease of 14% from 1,995 in 2010. 46,351 Decrease of 21% from 58,791 in 2010. 17,179 Decrease of 16% from 20,538 in 2010. Deaths (2024) 2,163 Increase of 13% from 1,910 in 2010. 62,024 Increase of 15% from 53,967 in 2010. 20,735 Increase of 10% from 18,791 in 2010. Male Life Expectancy 202- 2024 76.5 Increase of 6.4% from 71.9 in 2001-03. 77.2 Increase of 5% from 73.5 in 2001-03. . Life expectancy in Renfrewshire and Scotland increased for both males and females when comparing figures from 2001-03 and 202- 24. Female Life Expectancy 2022 - 2024 80.9 Increase of 3.6% from 78.1 in 2001-03. 81.1 Increase of 2.8% from 78.9 in 2001-03. Net Migration (2023-24) 2,470 4th highest level of net migration in the GCR. Decrease of 880 since 2022-23. 56,400 Significant decrease of 21,100 people from 2022-23. 23,630 Significant decrease of 9,050 people from 2022/23. Page 23 of 58
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PUBLIC 2. Employment Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region Economic Inactivity Rate - aged 16-64 (Jul 2024-Jun 2025) 25% 28,500 people Rate has slightly increased 0.5% from the previous reporting period. 23.1% Rate has increased 0.2% from the previous reporting period. 26.6% Renfrewshire has the 3rd highest inactivity rate in the GCR. Inverclyde has the highest inactivity rate at 32% and East Dunbartonshire has the lowest at 20.4%. Employment rate - aged 16-64 (Jul 2024-Jun 2025) 72.0% 82,100 people This rate has reduced by 2% from the previous reporting period. 74.1% Rate has decreased by 0.3% from the previous reporting period. 70.3% Renfrewshire has the 4th highest employment rate in the GCR. East Renfrewshire has the highest (77.6%) and Glasgow City has the lowest (65.6%). Claimant Count (October 2025) 2.7% 3,220 people Marginal decrease in the percentage of people claiming benefits 0.2% from October 2024. 3.0% Minimal change in the percentage of people claiming benefits between October 24 and 25. 3.4% Renfrewshire has the 5th lowest proportion in the GCR. Glasgow City has the highest proportion (4.8%) whereas East Renfrewshire has the lowest (1.6%). % of population that is of the working age (16- 64yrs) (at 2024) 63.8% 1% decrease since 2018 63.3% 1% decrease since 2018 66% 1% decrease since 2018 Page 24 of 58
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PUBLIC Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region Occupations (Workplaces in Renfrewshire; at 2024) Renfrewshire has above average employment in: • Manufacturing (c.9,0001) • Retail (c.8,000) • Business administration (c.10,000) • Transport and Storage (c.6,000) Scotland is closer to Renfrewshire in terms of the proportion for construction and Professional, scientific & technical but is lower in other sectors, such as manufacturing and Business and administration. Renfrewshire has higher proportions of employment than the GCR in areas such as: • Manufacturing • Transportation and Storage; Retail; and • Business administration Resident-based Weekly Earnings (2025) Median weekly earnings for full-time employees living in Renfrewshire are £797, an increase of around £50 per week from 2024. Median weekly earnings for full-time employees living in Scotland are £776. Renfrewshire’s resident based weekly earnings are slightly lower than the GCR average of £799. Renfrewshire is 4th highest in the Region behind East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, and South Lanarkshire. Workplace-based Weekly Earnings (2025) Median weekly earning for full time employees working in Renfrewshire are £739 a slight increase of £77 from 2024 figures. Median weekly earnings for workplace- based earnings in Scotland are £774. Renfrewshire workplace-based earnings is 3rd lowest in the Region. The highest earnings in the Region is East Renfrewshire (£856). Qualifications NVQ4 and above % of pop 16-64yrs (2024) 55.9% (61,500) 7% decrease from 2022. 54.5% 0.6% decrease from 2022. Renfrewshire has the 4th lowest rate of qualification at this level in the GCR with East Renfrewshire the highest (66.2%) and North Lanarkshire the lowest at (38.3%). 1 NB the publicly available data from BRES is a rounded figure. Page 25 of 58
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PUBLIC Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region No Qualifications % of pop 16-64yrs (2024) 4.5% (5,000) 2.8% decrease from 2022. 8.0% 0.2% decrease from 2022. 11.2% East Renfrewshire has the lowest percentage (3.4%) of residents with no qualifications in the GCR. Glasgow City has the highest at 16.3% % of School Leavers in Positive Destinations 2023/2024 97.1 (1,850) Marginal 0.7% increase from 96.4% in 2022/2023. 96.0% Marginal 0.1% increase from 2022/2023. 96.4% Renfrewshire has the 3rd highest attainment level in the GCR. East Dunbartonshire has the highest at 98.6% with North Lanarkshire the lowest 94.2% % of Households that are Workless 2024 16.1% (9,031) Decrease of 1% from 2023. 18.2% increase of 0.8% since 2023. Glasgow City has the highest % in the GCR at 26.6%. East Renfrewshire has the lowest at 11.6%. Page 26 of 58
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PUBLIC 3. Business Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region Business Count (2025) 4,665 86% are micro businesses with less than 10 employees. 11% are small businesses (10 to 49). 2% have been 50 and 250 employees. Less than 1% are classed as large businesses with more than 250 employees. This figure is for VAT and/or PAYE registered enterprises 173,100 Generally, an equivalent split to that of Renfrewshire’s with around 98% of businesses being classed as either micro or small. 50,205 Renfrewshire has a higher proportion of larger sized organisations compared to areas such as East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire. Business Birth Rate (per 10,000 16-64 Population) (2023) 50.2 (595) 2.1% increase from 2022. 56.7 2.1% increase from 2022. 56.6 Renfrewshire had the 4th largest number of start- ups (595). Glasgow City had the most with 2,870 and Inverclyde the fewest with 195. Business Death Rate (per 10,000 16-64 Population) (2023) 50.2 (595) No change from 2022. 56.7 Marginal decrease of 0.1% from 2022. 56.2 Renfrewshire had the 4th lowest Business Death Rate in the GCR, with Glasgow City the highest (65.4%) and Inverclyde the lowest (40%). Page 27 of 58
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PUBLIC Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region GVA (2023)2 Source – ONS/GCR £5.18 billion GVA grew by £329m between 2022 and 2023. £183.47 billion GVA has grown substantially nationally from £166.87 billion reported in 2022 (10%% increase). £60.15 billion Glasgow City (£29.4 billion) accounts for the most GVA in the GCR. Renfrewshire accounts for the fourth highest amount of GVA. Inverclyde has the lowest at £1.26 billion. Town Centre Vacancy Rates (2025) Paisley – 18% Renfrew – 15% Johnstone – 15% Erskine – 7% Braehead – 10% Linwood – 0% Vacancy rates have declined in main retail centres except for Renfrew which has seen an increase of 2% from 2024. 4. Manufacturing Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region Number Employed in Manufacturing Sector (2024) 9,000 This figure has increased by c.1,000 workers since the 2020 figure (8,000). 179,000 The total number of jobs in Manufacturing in Scotland has increased by 2% from the 2020 figure. 59,100 Glasgow City has the highest number of manufacturing jobs in the GCR (c.20,000) and East Renfrewshire the lowest (c.600). 2 The latest GVA results are based on data from the Office for National Statistics (Regional gross value added (balanced) by industry: local authorities by ITL1 region), April 2025. The nineth edition update used the Scottish Annual Business Statistics 2020 (SABS) data. Page 28 of 58
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PUBLIC Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region Number Employed in Manufacturing Sector per 10,000 working age population (2024) 746 Renfrewshire has a higher rate of employment in manufacturing than the GCR and Scottish rates. 510 Scotland has seen an increase of 14 in the number employed in the manufacturing sector per 10,000 working age population from 2023. 478 Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire have higher rates than the Scottish average rate and Renfrewshire is significantly the highest in the GCR. Manufacturing as % of total employment (2024) 10.5% No change on the 2023 figure (10.5%). 7% Slight increase from the 2023 figure (6.8%). 6.7% Renfrewshire has the highest proportion of employment in manufacturing in the GCR and East Renfrewshire has the lowest (2.8%). % of Scottish Manufacturing GVA (2022) 4.5% Renfrewshire contributes a higher proportion to Scottish manufacturing GVA than its overall contribution to Scottish GVA (2.8%). Renfrewshire has the 11th highest manufacturing GVA in Scotland. 29.5% Glasgow City Region collectively accounts for around £5.3 billion in manufacturing GVA to the Scottish economy. Manufacturing as a % of total GVA (2022) 15.8% Renfrewshire has the 7th highest manufacturing % of GVA in Scotland. 9.9% Angus has the highest manufacturing % of GVA in Scotland 33.7%. East Renfrewshire has the lowest at 1.8% 8.9% West Dunbartonshire has the highest manufacturing % of GVA in the GCR at 28.2% Page 29 of 58
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PUBLIC 5. Tourism Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region Sustainable employment in tourism (at 2024) 6,230 Decrease of 505 employees on the 2023 figure. 234,700 Decrease of 5,150 on the figure of 2023. 65,745 This accounts for 28% of Scottish sustainable tourism employment. Renfrewshire has the joint 4th highest level of sustainable tourism employment in the Region. Glasgow has the largest with 33,840 and East Renfrewshire the smallest with 2,055. Direct expenditure (visitors, 2024) £227.88m This is a 24.2% increase on 2023 £183.50m figure. n/a3 n/a Visitors to Events (2025) 21,0864 Visitors from outwith Renfrewshire based on 4 events in 2025 (Paisley Food and Drink Festival, Renfrew Pipe Bands, SMA' Shot Day and Paisley Halloween Festival). - - All Visits to Attractions (2024) 690,655 An decrease of 0.7% from 2023 figures for the comparable 10 attractions recorded (695,540)5. 49.7m A 3.9% increase in visitors to attractions throughout Scotland from 2023 10.7m A 2.1% increase in visitors to attractions throughout the City Region from 2023 3 STEAM is commissioned at a local authority level and therefore does not provide a Scotland or city-region wide figure 4 These are unique visitors to Renfrewshire and not total attendees 5 Two attractions previously recorded, where unable to provide data for 2024 Page 30 of 58
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PUBLIC 6. Housing Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region Supply of New Housing – Rate per 10,000 Population (2024) 26.5 There was significant decrease in annual house building completions in Renfrewshire between 2023 and 2024 from 1137 to 501. 35.7 There was a decrease in annual house building nationally between 2023 and 2024 from 21,201 to 19,785. 30.0 Renfrewshire had the 4th lowest rate of new house building per 10,000 population in the GCR. Inverclyde the lowest (3.9). Supply of New Housing – Rate per 10,000 Population (average 2020 to 2024) 39.9 Renfrewshire’s rate over the last five years has decreased (6.3%) from the previous average. 36.6 Scotland has experienced a marginal decrease of 1.4 in the supply of new housing per 10,000 from 2023. 32.5 Renfrewshire has the third highest 5-year rate of new house building in the Glasgow City Region. South Lanarkshire has the highest (43.5) and East Dunbartonshire the lowest (25.6). % premises with available Fibre broadband connection (2024) 82.2% 1.6% increase from 2023. 61.2% 9.1% increase from 2023. 65% Renfrewshire has the third highest rate in the GCR. West Dunbartonshire the lowest 14.4%. 208ha Renfrewshire has experienced reduction in VDL between 2018 and 2024 (approx. 68ha). 8858 ha Overall VDL has fallen by over 2,000ha since 2018. 2,938 ha This is 33% of the Scottish total. Renfrewshire has the fourth highest total area of vacant and derelict land in the Page 31 of 58
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PUBLIC Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region Total Vacant & Derelict Land (Ha) (2024) GCR. North Lanarkshire has the highest with 1,247 ha and East Renfrewshire the lowest with 44 ha. Vacant and Derelict Land as % of all Scottish V&D land (2024) 2.3% Renfrewshire has experienced a marginal reduction (0.4%) from 2023 in its share of total Scottish V&D land. 100% 33.2% Renfrewshire has the 4th highest % of Scottish V&D land in the GCR with North Lanarkshire the highest (14.1%) and East Renfrewshire the lowest (0.5%). Total Vacant & Derelict Land (Ha) in bottom 15% SIMD areas (2024) 47.4 ha 12.3% increase from 2021. 928.6 ha 13.9% decrease from 2021. 711.1 ha Renfrewshire has the 4th highest amount in the GCR. Glasgow City has the highest amount at 483.1 ha. East Renfrewshire have the lowest with 0.5. Breakdown of Tenure Type (2023) Total Dwellings: 90,839 Owner Occupied – 62.5% Private vacant/second homes – 1.8% Private Rented – 12.3% Socially Rented – 23.3% Total Dwellings: 2,710,302 Owner Occupied – 60% Private vacant/second homes – 3.7% Private Rented – 13.2% Socially Rented – 23.1% Total Dwellings: 906,711 Owner Occupied – 57.5% Private vacant/second homes – 2.1% Private Rented – 12.9% Socially Rented – 27.6% 88% This figure is from Renfrewshire's Housing Land Audit 2024. It represents the % of the land supply that will produce units in the next 7 years that is classed as brownfield. Page 32 of 58
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PUBLIC Renfrewshire Scotland Glasgow City Region Effective Housing Land Supply % Brownfield (2024) Glossary: Claimant Count: The Claimant Count is a measure of the number of people claiming benefits principally for the reason of being unemployed, based on administrative data from the benefits system. Employment in low pay sectors: These include employment in the retail and hospitality sectors. Gross Value Added (GVA): Gross Value Added measures the value generated in the production of goods and services. It is one measure of overall economic performance. School Leavers in Positive Destinations: Includes higher education, further education, training, employment, voluntary work, Personal Skills Development and (Activity Agreements. Sustainable Tourism: Sustainable Tourism sector was identified in Scotland’s Economic Strategy as one of the growth sectors in which Scotland can build on existing comparative advantage and increase productivity and growth. Scotland’s tourism sector is a diverse industry, with a range of sub-sectors such as hotels, camping sites and other provision of short stay accommodation, restaurants, bars, travel agents, museums and other recreational and cultural activities. Vacant and Derelict Land: Vacant land is defined as land within a settlement that has been previously developed, without physical constraint, and which the planning authority has indicated is available for redevelopment. Derelict land is defined as land 'damaged by development, so that it is incapable of development for beneficial use without some remedial works'. Page 33 of 58
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PUBLIC To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 20 January 2026 Report by: Chief Executive Heading: Start Up Street Update 1. Summary 1.1 This report provides an update to the Board on the progress of the Councils Start- Up Street initiative based in Paisley, Johnstone and Renfrew town centres. 1.2 Initially approved by the Leadership Board in December 2018 the Start-Up Street proposal responded to the local need for low-cost business space with ongoing business advice and support. It aimed to encourage business growth and support the leap into commercial premises. 1.3 The project has now been operational for 5 years and the report updates the board on its outcomes. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Board members are asked to: (i) Note the contents of the report. 3. Background 3.1 Renfrewshire Council’s Start-Up Street is an innovative business support initiative tackling low business start-up rates (particularly amongst under-represented groups) across Renfrewshire. The initiative transforms underused town centre properties into thriving community enterprise hubs offering affordable, flexible workspaces for early-stage businesses. 3.2 The three Start-Up Street facilities were opened between 2020-2023, first Paisley, then Johnstone and then Renfrew. A 4-step programme of subsidised rents, wraparound business and transition support allows local entrepreneurs to build Item 5 EAR200126 Page 35 of 58
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PUBLIC sustainable enterprises. 3.3 Since launch, Start-Up Street has supported fifty nine (59) new and early-stage businesses, creating jobs, revitalising town centres, and building an inclusive local economy. The project has helped unlock entrepreneurship among underrepresented groups, including women and young people, by reducing financial and structural barriers. 4. The Start Up Street Model 4.1 Start-Up Street is designed to empower entrepreneurs with not just a workspace, but a collaborative environment fuelled by creativity, mentorship, and opportunity. It is an innovative model designed to support the innovators of the future. 4.2 Start-Up Street has a joined-up, place-based approach to economic regeneration - blending affordable workspace, wraparound enterprise support, and creative reuse of Council-owned (or partner organisation-owned) town centre properties. Rather than delivering traditional business support in isolation, the project integrates economic development with community planning, regeneration, and inclusive growth strategies. 4.3 The Start-Up Street model consists of: 1. Affordable, high-quality workspace • Vacant council-owned (or partner organisation-owned) units in Paisley, Renfrew, and Johnstone were converted into modern, digitally connected office and studio spaces—with utilities and Wi-Fi included— on a subsidised lease for up to two years. 2. Staged rent progression to ease scaling • Start-ups begin paying a low subsidised rent, which gradually increases over time, giving businesses breathing room to grow before moving to commercial premises. 3. On-site expert support and mentoring • Business Gateway advisers are available at all sites; plus, Paisley and Renfrew feature on-site enterprise managers from social enterprise business development partners Launch It and Inspirent respectively. • They provide one-on-one guidance, workshops, masterclasses, and peer networking opportunities. 4. Community-building among entrepreneurs • The model intentionally clusters small ventures, so founders naturally share learnings, collaborate, and support each other. • This mix of tenants enriches the co-working environment, allowing cross- fertilisation of ideas, group work and activities. 5. Repurposing empty streets for economic impact Page 36 of 58
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PUBLIC • Rather than letting commercial units sit idle, the programme breathes life into town centres, benefiting both entrepreneurs and the broader local economy. • The community also experiences fewer instances of vandalism and antisocial behaviour, along with a greater sense of pride in public spaces. 6. Focus on Under-represented Groups • Especially in Paisley, Launch It runs a dedicated programme supporting young people—helping them turn ideas into sustainable businesses, backed by tailored mentoring and resources. Inspirent in Renfrew have a strong track record of supporting female businesses and add value by delivering women network events and training across the area. 5. Start Up Street Outcomes 5.1 Each of the three sites were at 100% capacity within months of launching and any vacancies from graduating businesses are taken quickly by others. The centres house a diverse mix of small businesses from podcast producers to ear- care specialists. Business is booming at Start-Up Street Renfrew | Scottish Financial News 5.2 Specific outcomes and successes include: • High survival and growth rates of participating businesses (86% compared to national average 67% at 2 years). 7 of the 59 businesses have ceased to trade. 3 have done so for positive reasons e.g. the owners have decided to return to full time employment (at a more senior level and for more money) than before they started their business. • Significant focus on underrepresented groups (women and young people). ▪ In Renfrewshire less than 30% of self-employed people are women (2,000 out of 6,800) representing one of the lowest rates in Scotland. 59% of the businesses supported through Start Up Street to date have been female led. ▪ Under-30s have been receptive to the support provided through George Street, Paisley – through targeted support, mentoring, having an advisor who relates to the age group. 22 of the 35 businesses so far at George St have been young people. • Supporting town centre regeneration and reducing vacancy rates: 12 commercial units and 4 former police station garages were redeveloped for Start-Up Street use and 29 graduating businesses have now moved to larger premises, mostly in Renfrewshire. • Participant satisfaction and progression is very high. • Replicable model – Renfrewshire now has 3 Start-Up Streets and other local authorities are looking at creating similar developments. 5.3 Impact is measured through ongoing monitoring and evaluation in partnership with the delivery partners. This includes regular business health checks, participant Page 37 of 58
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PUBLIC feedback surveys, case studies, and tracking of business outcomes such as revenue growth, job creation, and transition into independent premises. 5.4 Partners, staff, and participants are actively involved in measuring success. Feedback loops are built into programme delivery, and regular review sessions with stakeholders ensure the model remains responsive, inclusive, and aligned with wider community and regeneration goals. This collaborative approach strengthens impact and ensures continued relevance and sustainability. 5.5 Founders like Grant Fraser (SweetPunkz) and Jayne Lasley (fashion) credit the programme with removing overhead worries so they can focus fully on growing their businesses Renfrewshire lockdown businesses booming thanks to Start-Up Street | The Gazette 5.6 In addition to moving into their first commercial premises at Start-Up Street Johnstone, Trail Grazers (Gillian McIntyre and Laura Calvert) were also able to access the professional kitchen at Active Communities Johnstone (the host social enterprise) to scale up their business production https://www.paisley.org.uk/2022/12/new-business-centre-launches-at-former- johnstone-police-station/ 6. Key Stats Per Area 2020-2025 6.1 Start Up Street Paisley - opened in 2020 (16 business units) • 35 businesses accommodated to date (mix of start-up and early stage) • 3 CIC, 8 Ltd, 24 sole traders • 3 businesses no longer trading • 20 Female and 15 male businesses • 22 youth businesses • 13 still trading from George Street • 1 getting ready to move in shortly • 21 moved to commercial premises 6.2 Start Up Street Johnstone - opened in 2022 (4 business units) • Accommodated 7 businesses (all startups) from 2022-25 • 1 partnership, 2 sole traders, 4 Ltd • All female businesses • 2 ceased trading in 2024 • 2 business quickly outgrew space and were supported to move to larger premises (before the end of their 2-year period) • 1 Business moved to new premises within Johnstone after completing their 2- year incubation period • 2 businesses are currently trading from startup street premises however 1 of them has signed a lease with Renfrewshire Council for a property in Abercorn Street and will relocate in January • Leases are currently being finalised for 2 new tenants to move in mid- December • Applications are being developed by 3 potential tenants for January entry when 1 unit becomes available Page 38 of 58
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PUBLIC 6.3 Start Up Street Renfrew - opened in 2023 (10 business units) • Accommodated 17 businesses (a mix of startups and early stage) from 2023- 25 • 7 Ltd and 10 sole traders • 9 male and 8 female businesses • 3 youth businesses • 2 ceased trading • 5 have already moved to larger premises • 9 still trading from Start Up Street Renfrew • 3 businesses are preparing to move on following their 2-year incubation period and are being supported with their exit strategy to find suitable premises locally • Applications have been received from 2 potential tenant businesses 7 Final Points 7.1. All three Start-Up Street centres now work as a network, supporting each other in the development of the centres and the support to those interested in starting a business. 7.2. As well as providing incubation / workspaces each centre also acts as a business hub for start-up and wider business enquiries which can be referred to the Council’s Business Team. They each host the Council’s Business Gateway ‘meet the advisor’ sessions and monthly peer group meet up sessions for businesses to network and share best practice. 7.3. A number of Start-Up Street businesses have employed people from the local area through the Invest in Renfrewshire employability service. In particular, parents returning to work through the parental employability support programme have accessed work experience and employment opportunities. 7.4. Start-Up Street is a replicable, place-based model and a number of other local authorities have expressed an interest in replicating the model following visits to the Renfrewshire centres. 7.5. A number of Start Up Street businesses have made the final of the Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce ROCCO awards over the past 2 years with a win in this year’s event in November 2025 for Tots United for Outstanding Performing Business with 5 or less employees. 7.6. Tots United are a provider of football classes designed for children from 18 months up to 8 years old. With the support of Start Up Street and Business Gateway in preparing them for franchising, the business has successfully launched a franchise model and welcomed its first franchisee based in Stirling. Building on this achievement, the business is now seeking to establish itself as a Community Sports Hub, having expanded its services to include gymnastics. 7.7. During Global Entrepreneurship Week (17th - 21st November 2025), all 3 Start Up Streets took part in a Business Fair at Abbey Mill Business Centre. The event allowed aspiring entrepreneurs to engage with start-up advisors, enabling them to refine and advance their business ideas. The fair also facilitated opportunities for Start Up Street businesses to present their products and services and foster connections with potential investors, strategic partners, and customers. In addition to networking, the fair functioned as a concentrated hub for knowledge exchange and business pitching, offering participants a professional Page 39 of 58
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PUBLIC environment to learn, collaborate, and showcase innovation. Over 150 people attended on the day with: • 6 people requesting an appointment to meet with a startup advisor to progress their business idea. • 3 enquiries for Start Up Street support. • 7 enquiries seeking loan investment. • Increased leads and sales for those Start Up Street businesses showcasing their products and services. 7.8. Since entering Start Up Street Johnstone, in August 2024, Rebecca Corsetti of It’s Alive has successfully outgrown her unit and has advanced to securing a lease for larger premises with Renfrewshire Council. The new industrial unit is currently being upgraded to meet required food-safety standards. Specialising in the manufacture of natural, live fermented food and drink, the business supplies directly to retail outlets from Paisley to Edinburgh, while also serving wholesale clients. Having exceeded her initial financial projections, the business is now expanding its workforce by recruiting two part-time staff members to support operations in the new facility from January 2026. Rebecca featured in a recent edition of the Mill magazine – see Appendix 1 of this report. Implications of the Report 1. Financial - No additional finance sought. Resources are provided through the Council’s Economic Development Budget. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning • Jobs and the Economy – progresses the business startup and growth agenda. 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 - None. 9. Procurement - None. 10. Risk - None. 11. Privacy Impact - None. 12. Childrens Rights – None. Page 40 of 58
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PUBLIC 13. Cosla Policy Position - Not Applicable. 14. Climate Risk - Not Applicable. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Economy and Regeneration Board: 29 September 2023; “Invest In Renfrewshire: Start- Up Street Update” Economy and Regeneration Board: 22 September 2022; “Invest In Renfrewshire: Start- Up Street” Economy and Regeneration Board: 23 August 2022; “Invest In Renfrewshire: Start-Up Street Leadership Board: 28 April 2021; “Start-Up Street” Leadership Board: 5 December 2018; “Invest in Renfrewshire Proposal: Start-Up Street” ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Ruth Cooper ruth.cooper@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 41 of 58
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PUBLIC Appendix 1 Page 42 of 58
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Board On: 20 January 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: UK Shared Prosperity Fund 2025-26 Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report provides an update to board of the progress and financial claims to date for the extension year (2025/2026) of the Renfrewshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) allocations. 1.2 The report also confirms the final claim figures for the previous year allocation 2024-25. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 Board members are asked to: a) Note the contents of the report; b) Note the good progress of the 2025-26 programme with no projected underspend. c) Note the final claim figure for 2024-25 Renfrewshire funds with a small amount to be repaid. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The March 2025 board report on UK SPF outlined the Renfrewshire final year allocation of funds. This allocation was for the “transition year” 2025-26. 3.2 The transition year followed a 3-year programme budget which ran from Jan 2022 – 31st March 2025. The 3 year allocation across the Glasgow City Region (GCR) for the period was just under £74m with Renfrewshire’s allocation being £6,290,987. The 2024-25 final allocation of UK SPF funds to Renfrewshire was £3,764,050. Item 6 EAR200126 Page 43 of 58
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PUBLIC 3.3 The UK Government committed to a year extension of the 2022-25 UKSPF programme in the Budget Statement, 30 October 2024. While the extension year was welcomed, the quantum for the extension year was significantly less (over 40% lower) than the UKSPF budget for the previous financial year (2024/2025). The 2025-26 allocation of funds to Renfrewshire for the transition year was £2,062,930. __________________________________________________________________ 4. UK SPF 2025-26 Spend to Date 4.1 Renfrewshire Council has a total allocation of £2,062,930 for 2025-26 of which £481,599 is the minimum capital spend leaving £1,581,331 for revenue. 4.2 The breakdown of the allocation was agreed at the March 2025 board as: Capital Revenue Total People and Skills £0 £1,000,000 £1,000,000 Business £0 £581,331 £581,331 Communities and Place £481,599 £0 £481,599 4.3 Glasgow City Region (GCR) Programme Management Office (PMO), on behalf of the eight Member Authorities (MAs) and PMO delivery, is required to provide the UK Government with 6-monthly progress reports on UKSPF spend and activity. 4.4 This table below covers spend for the first 6 month period (April – September 2025) for all areas across the City Region. Table 1. GCR UKSPF Expenditure Summary by MA Q2 2025/2026 Member Authority Q2 Spend 25/26 Forecast % of spend East Dunbartonshire £153,728 £1,159,175 13% East Renfrewshire £308,747 £1,078,992 29% Glasgow £3,031,271 £11,834,806 26% Inverclyde £345,975 £1,550,389 22% North Lanarkshire £2,982,362 £6,034,164 49% Renfrewshire £692,682 £2,062,930 34% South Lanarkshire £935,885 £4,007,757 23% West Dunbartonshire £428,187 £1,694,752 25% TOTAL £8,878,837 £29,422,965 30% 4.5 The Renfrewshire claims for April to end September 2025 are broken down as follows: Renfrewshire Finance Summary to end September 2025 2025-26 UKSPF Budget Quarter 1 Claim Quarter 2 Claim Revenue Allocation (Employability, Skills and Business) £1,498,819.80 £337,227.68 £328,812.54 Management and Admin Fee (4%) £82,517.20 £13,489.10 £13,152.50 Capital Allocation (Communities and Place) £481,593.00 £0.00 £0.00 Page 44 of 58
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PUBLIC 2025-26 UKSPF Budget Quarter 1 Claim Quarter 2 Claim Total 25/26 UKSPF Allocation: £2,062,930.00 £350,716.78 £341,965.04 Total 6 month SPF claimed: £692,681.82 4.6 The spend to date for Renfrewshire shows a full profiled spend to date for the revenue elements with the capital expected to fully spend in the second half of the year. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Progress and Final Claim for Renfrewshire UK SPF 2024-25 5.1 Renfrewshire’s 2024-25 activities under the SPF ran to plan with only small variances of spend across individual budget lines. The slight overspend on the core programme was met by existing funds with the underspend in Multiply (which had to stay separate from the other funds) being returned. 5.2 A full report on the total spend, activities and outcomes for the UK SPF programme will be submitted to board in the summer of 2026 on completion of the full 4 year programme. 5.3 UK SPF concludes at the end of March 2026. The future programme to replace SPF is outlined in the separate report to this Board agenda, titled “UK SPF Replacement Programme: 2026 and beyond”. 2024/25 UKSPF Budget Actual Spend in 24/25 Under/Overspend Communities and Place - Capital £865,000.00 £855,173.69 -£9,826.31 Communities and Place - Revenue £321,769.00 £330,590.85 £375.00 Local Business £968,408.41 £973,495.37 £5,086.96 People and Skills £1,254,666.84 £1,254,856.70 £189.86 Management and Admin (4% Fee) £169,273.10 £169,273.10 £0 £3,579,117.35 £3,583,389.71 £4,272.36 Multiply £184,933.00 £181,284.91 -£3,648.09 Overall Total claimed in 24/25: £3,764,050.35 £3,764,674.62 Page 45 of 58
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PUBLIC _________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – No additional funding is sought. All funding is accounted for within existing Council budgets and external funding. 2. HR & Organisational Development –funding secures the continuation of staff posts 3. Community/Council Planning –none 4. Legal – None. UK SPF is routed through the Glasgow City Region and formal relationships are established with them. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact - None. 12. Children’s Rights – None. 13. COSLA Policy Position – Not Applicable. 14. Climate Risk – Not Applicable. __________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Economy and Regeneration Policy Board, 23rd August 2022, “UK Shared Prosperity Fund Update” Economy and Regeneration Policy Board, 23rd May 2023, “UK Shared Prosperity Fund – Year 1 Report” Economy and Regeneration Board, 7 November 2023, “Shared Prosperity Funding: Business Challenge Fund” Economy and Regeneration Board, 5 November 2024, “Shared Prosperity Fund Update” Economy and Regeneration Board, 18 March 2025 “UK Shared Prosperity Fund 2025-26” ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Ruth Cooper, Economic Development Manager; Email: ruth.cooper@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 46 of 58
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Board On: 20 January 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: New UK Funds - Transition from UK Shared Prosperity Fund ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report provides an update to board of the recently announced UK Government funding programmes which replace UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) from April 2026. 1.2 The report outlines the known position to date and the implications for the Council at this point. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 Board members are asked to: a) Note the contents of the report; b) Agree that the existing Invest in Renfrewshire budget be used to mitigate the expected loss in funding from next year (as proposed in section 9) with a fuller report coming back to Board when funding decisions are finalised. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is being wound down (closing March 2026) and the UK Government is replacing and consolidating UKSPF and other levelling-up streams into a set of new funds — most notably a Local Growth Fund (announced on 8th January 2026 for Scotland) and place-focused programmes Pride in Place (PIP), Pride in Place Impact Fund (PIPIF) and Growth Mission Fund - all recently announced. 3.2 The precise delivery mechanics, final allocations to Scotland, and how UK-wide pots will interact with devolved responsibilities remain in development. The UK Item 7 EAR200126 Page 47 of 58
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PUBLIC Spending Review and Budget statements have signalled overall headline amounts but details and guidance for local authorities in Scotland are still being released. 3.3 At the UKG Spending Review, 11 June 2025, a commitment was made to ‘regional growth and devolution’ and advised funding in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would receive the same overall level in cash terms for 2026/2027 to 2028/2029 as it is for UKSPF 2025/2026 but through different programmes. 3.4 For Scotland this is approx. £76 million p.a., totalling approximately £238m over the three year period (up to FY 28-29). 3.5 There are four funding steams that make up the new funds for Scotland: • Pride in Place Programme (PIPP) Phase 2 • Pride in Place Impact Fund (PIPIF) • Local Growth Fund (LGF) • Growth Mission Fund (GMF) 3.6 The PIPP, PIPIF and the Growth Mission Fund were all confirmed on, or before, the Autumn Budget Statement (26 November 2025), with the new Local Growth Fund awaiting finalisation. 3.7 Around half of the Scottish allocation for next year is available through the PIPP, PIPIF and GMF programmes. Renfrewshire has not received a funding award through any of these programmes. 3.8 The New Local Growth Fund for Scotland was announced on 8th January 2026 and a full breakdown of this new fund is outlined in section 6 of the report. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Pride in Place — Scotland: Announcements to Date 4.1 The Pride in Place (PiP) programme is a new regeneration fund designed to replace and expand elements of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) by providing “long-term, community-led investment in Scotland’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods”. PiP aims to give local people control over investment decisions to revitalise high streets, improve community infrastructure, boost local skills and jobs, and enhance wellbeing. Funding is provided over 10 years for neighbourhood-level regeneration. 4.2 PiP is supported by a separate, complementary capital allocation known as the Pride in Place Impact Fund (PIPIF), targeting rapid improvements in community spaces through shorter-term investments. 4.3 Together, these programmes make up one of the main UK Government replacement funding streams for local community regeneration funding formerly delivered under UKSPF. PiP and PIPIF emphasise capital investment, long time horizons, and local governance structures (Neighbourhood Boards) — marking a shift from the more flexible revenue-capital previous allocations. Page 48 of 58
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PUBLIC 4.4 In September 2025, the UK Government announced that up to £280 million would be invested across 14 Scottish neighbourhoods as part of the Pride in Place programme, covering 12 local authority areas. Each of these neighbourhoods is expected to receive up to £20 million over a 10-year period. 4.5 Funding is intended to support a broad range of regeneration activity including high-street and town centre revitalisation, housing, employment and skills support, health & wellbeing improvements, transport links, and heritage projects — with decisions taken by locally-appointed Neighbourhood Boards involving community representatives. 4.6 Communities were selected based on a combination of deprivation and social infrastructure need, with local authorities, MPs/MSPs and community organisations providing evidence to support nominated areas. 4.7 PIP Areas Covered in Scotland • Aberdeen City • City of Edinburgh • Falkirk • Fife (two areas) • Glasgow (two areas) • Highland • North Ayrshire • North Lanarkshire • South Ayrshire • South Lanarkshire • Na h-Eileanan Siar • West Lothian _________________________________________________________________ 5. Pride in Place Impact Fund (£12m) 5.1 Alongside the main PiP allocations, a Pride in Place Impact Fund (PIPIF) totalling £12 million was announced for eight Scottish local authorities. 5.2 These authorities will receive £1.5 million each over a two-year period (2025/26–2026/27) to deliver rapid, tangible improvements locally — such as enhanced public spaces, green spaces, leisure and sports facilities. 5.3 PIPIF Allocations have been made to eight Scottish councils: • Dundee City • East Ayrshire • Falkirk • Glasgow City • Inverclyde • North Ayrshire • North Lanarkshire • West Dunbartonshire 5.4 These funds are intended to deliver more immediate capital-eligible improvements such as public realm enhancements, community hubs, and high- street interventions. Page 49 of 58
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PUBLIC 5.5 The PiP programme also builds on an earlier (spring 2025) Plan for Neighbourhoods phase that saw 10 Scottish towns (Arbroath, Elgin, Peterhead, Dumfries, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Clydebank, Coatbridge, Greenock) identified for up to £20m investment previously. ___________________________________________________________________ 6. Growth Mission Fund 6.1 The Growth Mission Fund (GMF) - £40m for Scotland – was announced at the Autumn Budget 2025 (£20m each for Inchgreen and Kirkcaldy - subject to business case approval) ___________________________________________________________________ 7. Local Growth Fund (Scotland) 7.1 The Local Growth Fund (LGF) for Scotland was announced on 8th January 2026. It is intended to begin in April 2026 and run for 3 years. 7.2 It is explicitly designed as a replacement for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which itself was originally designed to replace EU Structural Funds in the UK. 7.3 While detailed official guidance for the Scottish Local Growth Fund isn’t yet published, likely objectives will include: • Local economic growth and productivity improvements. • Support for businesses, skills, and communities. • Flexibility for locally-led investment choices. 7.4 In a change from previous programmes, the Local Growth Fund allocations have been determined at a Regional Economic Partnership (REP) level, rather than individual Local Authority level. 7.5 Another key change is that the programme is heavily weighted towards capital (70%), rather than revenue (30%), spend. 7.6 Table 1 provides a summary of both the allocations for Scotland as a whole and Glasgow City Region specifically; Table 1. Scottish and GCR NLGF three-year allocations 7.7 UKG have determined the LGF allocation methodology based on the regions of Scotland that have the lowest Real Disposable Household Income (RDHI) per capita. As a result, Glasgow City Region will receive 43.5% of the overall Scottish NLGF allocation over the three years of the funding period. However, it should also be noted that three Scottish regions: Highland, North-East Scotland and South of Scotland will not receive any NLGF allocation. Table 2, below, provides a breakdown of the full Scottish LGF allocation: Revenue Funding Capital Funding Total Funding 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 Scotland £15,800,000 £15,500,000 £11,000,000 £36,300,000 £33,900,000 £27,400,000 £52,100,000 £49,400,000 £38,400,000 GCR £6,900,000 £6,700,000 £4,800,000 £15,800,000 £14,800,000 £11,900,000 £22,700,000 £21,500,000 £16,700,000 Page 50 of 58
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PUBLIC Table 2. REP LGF three-year allocations 7.8 Revenue funding in the previous UKSPF programme was 73%. The new methodology offer 30% revenue funding for the next three years programme. This significant reduction in revenue funding will mean cuts in core employability, business support, skills, innovation and third sector support across the City Region. 7.9 Table 3 provides a summary of the GCR UKPSF annual allocations versus the advised LGF allocations: Table 3. GCR UKSPF Allocations v’s GCR NLGF Allocations 7.10 The Revenue budget also reduces year on year, with an allocation of £4.8m in 2028/29 for the whole city region, down from £22m in 2025/26. ___________________________________________________________________ 8. Potential Impact of the Local Growth Fund Announcement for Renfrewshire 8.1 GCR still await further details from UKG on the rules of the programme, with the recent announcement stating: The LGF programme is subject to full business case clearance by MHCLG and HMT, and further details on the delivery of the LGF, including investment themes will be set out later in Q1 of 2026. 8.2 Now that funding is being allocated regionally (rather than locally) the GCR Intelligence Hub is in the process of developing a number of regional allocation methodologies which will be presented to the GCR Chief Execs Group on Thursday 12 February 2026 for consideration. 8.3 The overall reduction in funding allocations are significant; however the key issue is the change in the level of revenue funding which has dropped to 30% of the reduced pot. This will have a major impact on employability programme delivery and business support services within the authority area and across the GCR. Region Economic Partnership (REP) Total (3 Yr) NLGF Allocation Ayrshire £11.8m Edinburgh & SE £37.8m Forth Valley £9.8m GCR £60.9m Tay Cities £19.5m Total £140m Revenue Multiply (Rev) Capital Total SPF Y1 22/23 £5,190,309 £3,856,888 £2,226,783 £9,047,197 SPF Y2 23/24 £12,237,928 £4,450,257 £2,596,265 £19,284,450 SPF Y3 24/25 £29,463,268 £3,115,181 £9,402,317 £41,980,766 SPF Y4 25/26 £22,554,142 N/A £6,868,820 £29,422,962 NLGF 26/27 £6,900,000 N/A £15,800,000 £22,700,000 NLGF 27/28 £6,700,000 N/A £14,800,000 £21,500,000 NLGF 28/29 £4,800,000 N/A £11,900,000 £16,700,000 Page 51 of 58
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PUBLIC 8.4 UKSPF currently represents around 20% (£1M) of the Council’s total employability funding and approximately 50% (£0.5M) of business development funding, supporting a substantial number of staff posts and contracted third- sector services. Our current estimate is that the £1.5M current allocation will reduce to around £500-600k for next year (to be finalised by GCR). 8.5 While revenue funding will fall substantially the capital allocation will rise from £0.5M to over £1M. ___________________________________________________________________ 9. Mitigation and Contingency Planning (Revenue funds) 9.1 While the potential impacts are substantial, the economic development service is accustomed to significant funding disruptions with large swings in funding, financial uncertainty, late announcements of funding and very retrospective payment processes having been the norm for the last 15 years. 9.2 The Invest in Renfrewshire Programme Budget was established in 2011 to allow such issues to be managed strategically and effectively without putting a strain on Renfrewshire Council finances or having to make quick decisions over loss of funding, disruption to services and staff redundancies. 9.3 As such, while the further drop in UK SPF / Local Growth Fund is a blow, especially following a 44% cut to that budget in the current financial year, plans were already in place to mitigate future funding disruptions and to safeguard services. 9.4 The Invest in Renfrewshire budget provides the opportunity for the service to have a multi-annual financial plan and to manage funding peaks and troughs. When a reduction (or increase) in funding is announced the services are realigned, savings are made, and external funding is prioritised to ensure that the Invest safety net of having a long term financial plan is not compromised. 9.5 As such, given the expectation of a significant cut to UK SPF / Local Growth Fund the same process will take place to manage the cuts over a longer period and therefore avoid having to make staff redundancies and large service cuts. 9.6 A fuller report on implications and future finances will be presented to a future Board once the Local Growth Fund allocations are finalised and the position is clearer. _________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – The report outlines a potentially significant drop in funding for key Council services. At this stage no additional funding is sought, the services involved will manage reductions over a number of years. All funding is accounted for within existing Council budgets and external funding. 2. HR & Organisational Development –funding secures the continuation of staff posts Page 52 of 58
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PUBLIC 3. Community/Council Planning –none 4. Legal – None. UK SPF / Local Growth Fund is routed through the Glasgow City Region and formal relationships are established with them. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact - None. 12. Children’s Rights - None 13. COSLA Policy Position – Not Applicable. 14. Climate Risk – Not Applicable. __________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Economy and Regeneration Policy Board, 23rd August 2022, “UK Shared Prosperity Fund Update” Economy and Regeneration Policy Board, 23rd May 2023, “UK Shared Prosperity Fund – Year 1 Report” Economy and Regeneration Board, 7 November 2023, “Shared Prosperity Funding: Business Challenge Fund” Economy and Regeneration Board, 5 November 2024, “Shared Prosperity Fund Update” Economy and Regeneration Board, 18 March 2025 “UK Shared Prosperity Fund 2025-26” ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Ruth Cooper, Economic Development Manager; Email: ruth.cooper@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 53 of 58
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 20 January 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Paisley Centre Redevelopment - Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the proposed redevelopment of the Paisley Shopping Centre since the November 2025 Board. 1.2 This report outlines the next steps proposed by officers (with external consultancy support) and confirms that further updates will be brought back to Board at the earliest opportunity. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: i. Notes the content of this report. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 In November 2025 a Board report outlined the challenges from a viability perspective from the currently proposed redevelopment of the Paisley Centre. 3.2 The proposals for a mixed-use redevelopment, including residential, hotel, health centre, offices, retail and leisure have been presented by the shopping centre owner as seeking Renfrewshire Council’s agreement to enter a long term “income strip” lease of the new development at a pre-determined annual rental level. The Council would retain the income derived from the sub-leases to the occupiers / operators of the development and would subsequently take full ownership of the development outright once the lease was concluded. ________________________________________________________________ Item 8 EAR200126 Page 55 of 58
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PUBLIC 4. Proposed next steps 4.1. At November 2025 officers stated that they would be happy to maintain a dialogue with the Paisley Centre owners and at the same time engage with national government officials in terms of alternative options and funding sources to assist the deliverability of the proposals. 4.2 In December 2025 officers have agreed with Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) to jointly fund a dedicated and independent consultancy report to examine the issues of viability around the future use of the Paisley Centre site. 4.3 SFT (and Scottish Government) are of the view that Paisley can offer potential for a “learning pilot” for other Scottish towns in overcoming the present challenges of the oversupply of purpose built retail floorspace. 4.4 Officers are finalising the commission of MATH Real Estate Partners to advise on a defined scope to include: • A detailed review of the financial viability of the current proposals for the site; • Quantifying the financial viability gap and advise on potential funding routes to bridge this gap; • An independent assessment of the potential scale, impact and volatility of key commercial risks that would be borne by the Council over the life of any lease; • The confidence levels in the forecast income streams from the various elements, including net income generation under different scenarios; • A summary of the key commercial factors that may be constraining the currently proposed model; • The estimated commercial value of each element of the development was it to be sold on the open market on practical completion; • Advise on alternative mixes of development which would reduce risks to viability and improve the prospects of delivering land use change on this key site; 4.5 The consultancy report will be completed over the next two months and a further report will be brought back to the appropriate Council Board to update on the outcomes of that analysis at the earliest opportunity. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None at this stage. The Council commitment of up to an estimated £0.1 million funding from existing regeneration resources to support the commissioning of relevant expertise and advice for the Council remains in place. The consultancy report referred to in this Board report will be partially funded from that budget. Page 56 of 58
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PUBLIC 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – Jobs and the Economy - the scheme has the potential to secure additional income for Renfrewshire based businesses, which in turn could support more investment and jobs within the local economy. 4. Legal – None at present. Any changes to this would be the subject of subsequent reports to Board. 5. Property/Assets – None at present. Any changes to this would be the subject of subsequent reports to Board. 6. Information Technology - None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – There are a number of potentially unacceptable commercial risks which the Council would face and these will be picked up in the consultancy report referred to in the report. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. COSLA Policy Position – Not applicable. 13. Climate Risk – Not applicable. 14. Children’s Rights – Not applicable _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers • Paisley Centre redevelopment – update; Economy and Regeneration Policy Board; 4 November 2025 • Paisley Centre redevelopment – update; Economy and Regeneration Policy Board; 7 November 2023 Author: Alasdair Morrison; Head of Economy and Development; Email: alasdair.morrison@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 57 of 58
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