Minutes of meeting
Renfrewshire Council · 20 August 2026
Back to Education and Children's Services Policy Board — 20 August 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Minute of Meeting Education and Children's Services Policy Board Date Time Venue Thursday, 20 August 2026 13:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Present: Councillor Jennifer Adam, Councillor Fiona Airlie-Nicolson, Ms Mary Jane Bird, Provost Lorraine Cameron, Councillor Carolann Davidson, Councillor Audrey Doig, Councillor Edward Grady, Councillor Gillian Graham, Councillor Neill Graham, Councillor Anne Hannigan, Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, Councillor David McGonigle, Councillor Marie McGurk, Councillor Iain McMillan, Mr Jack Nellaney, Councillor Iain Nicolson, Councillor Jim Paterson, Councillor Emma Rodden, Mr Ravinder Singh, Councillor Ben Smith Chair Councillor Rodden, Convener, presided. In Attendance J O'Neill, Director of Children's Services; E Henry, Head of Education, G McLaughlin, Head of Education (Strategy & Improvement), L McLean, Children's Services Manager and J O'Hara, Education Manager (all Children's Services); C Dalrymple, Head of Facilities & Property Management (Environment, Housing & Infrastructure); and M Conaghan, Head of Corporate Governance, M Dunbar, Managing Solicitor (Projects), R Conway, Finance Business Partner and J Barron and E Gray, both Senior Committee Services Officers (all Finance & Resources). Webcasting of Meeting Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Policy Board would be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council's internet site. Declarations of Interest and Transparency Statements There were no declarations of interest or transparency statements intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.
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1 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring as at 19 June 2026 There was submitted a joint report by the Director of Finance & Resources and the Director of Children’s Services relative to the projected revenue and capital budget outturn positions for Children’s Services as at 19 June 2026, advising of a projected revenue overspend of £1.496 million and a projected break-even capital outturn position for 2026/27 and seeking approval for premises related budget virements totalling £0.017 million. DECIDED: (a) That the projected revenue outturn position for Children’s Services, detailed in Table 1 of the report, be noted; (b) That the projected capital outturn position for Children’s Services, detailed in Table 2 of the report, be noted; and (c) That the premises related budget virements totalling £0.017 million, as set out at section 6.3 of the report, be approved. 2 Learning Estate Programme Update There was submitted a report by the Director of Children’s Services relative to progress with the Learning Estate Programme, including the Paisley Grammar School Community Campus, Park Mains High School Extension and Internal Interventions, Thistle Primary School project and progress in relation to the Full Business Case process for Trinity High School, Johnstone Primary School Estate and Johnstone High School. DECIDED: (a) That the progress of project delivery in the Learning Estate Programme be noted; (b) That the school badge chosen by the children for the new Thistle Primary School be noted; and (c) That the intention to make best use of space flexibility within Thistle Primary School, by introducing an early years provision, be noted. 3 Trinity High School OBC – AMIDS Netherton Avenue Option There was submitted a report by the Director of Children’s Services relative to the assessment of the Netherton Avenue (AMIDS) site option for a new Trinity High School and comparing the identified educational, planning, legal, economic, deliverability and financial constraints with those associated with the three sites currently shortlisted for progression to full business case stage. Councillor Paterson, seconded by Councillor Hughes, moved:
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"(a) The Board notes the additional detail outlined in the report and the officers’ assessment of the constraints and challenges associated with the Netherton Avenue site. Notwithstanding this assessment, the Board agrees that this site should remain under ongoing consideration and requests that officers engage with SEPA and Transport Scotland to establish their views on its potential use as a school site as part of the engagement process concurrently with the approved shortlist. (b) The Board recognises the long history of the existing school within Renfrew. The Board therefore requests that officers explore whether there are any other suitable and potentially deliverable sites within the Renfrew area and that any additional options identified are brought back to the Board for consideration. (c) In the meantime, the Board agree that officers be authorised to commence the FBC stage and consultation arrangements in respect of the existing approved shortlist." This was agreed unanimously. DECIDED: (a) That the additional detail outlined in the report and the officers’ assessment of the constraints and challenges associated with the Netherton Avenue site be noted. Notwithstanding this assessment, that it be agreed that this site should remain under ongoing consideration and that officers would engage with SEPA and Transport Scotland to establish their views on its potential use as a school site as part of the engagement process concurrently with the approved shortlist; (b) That the long history of the existing school within Renfrew be recognised that it be agreed that officers explore whether there were any other suitable and potentially deliverable sites within the Renfrew area and that any additional options identified be brought back to this Policy Board for consideration; and (c) That it be agreed that in the meantime officers be authorised to commence the Full Business Case stage and consultation arrangements in respect of the existing approved shortlist. 4 School Holiday Arrangements School Session 2027/28 There was submitted a report by the Director of Children’s Services relative to proposed school holiday arrangements for the 2027/28 school session following consultation with staff, parent councils and trade unions. DECIDED: That the Director of Children’s Services be authorised to set school holiday arrangements for academic year 2027/28 in line with Appendix 1 to the report. 5 Children’s Services Health and Safety Strategy Update 2025/2026 and Children’s Services Health and Safety Strategy Action Plan 2026/27 There was submitted a report by the Director of Children’s Services relative to progress made against the Children’s Services Health and Safety Action Plan for 2025/26 and the proposed Health and Safety Action Plan for 2026/27.
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DECIDED: (a) That the Children’s Services Health and Safety Action Plan Update for 2025/26, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved; and (b) That the Children’s Services Health and Safety Action Plan for 2026/27, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, be approved. 6 Gaelic Medium Education Provision in Renfrewshire There was submitted a report by the Director of Children’s Services relative to the development of Gaelic Medium Education in Renfrewshire, including progress with Gaelic Medium Primary Education, proposals for Gaelic Medium Early Learning and Childcare provision and the longer-term development of a sustainable 3-18 Gaelic education pathway. DECIDED: (a) That progress to date in relation to Gaelic Medium Primary Education be noted; and (b) That it be agreed that Children’s Services officers would continue to implement the Council’s phased short, medium and long-term strategy for Gaelic Medium Education, including the development of Gaelic Medium Early Learning and Childcare provision, the continued growth of primary provision at West Primary School and the exploration of future secondary provision with the long-term objective of establishing a sustainable 3-18 Gaelic education pathway within Renfrewshire. 7 Early Learning and Childcare – Payment of Sustainable Rates to Funded Providers There was submitted a report by the Director of Children’s Services relative to the review of sustainable rates paid to Approved Funded Providers for the delivery of funded Early Learning and Childcare and seeking approval for revised rates from 1 April 2026. DECIDED: (a) That the position of COSLA and the Scottish Government with regards to the sustainable rate paid to Approved Funded Providers be noted; (b) That an increase in the sustainable hourly rate paid to Renfrewshire Council’s Approved Funded Providers for the provision of funded Early Learning and Childcare from £6.74 to £7.09, effective from 1 April 2026, for any child aged three to five years accepted for funding under the Council’s Framework be approved; and (c) That an increase in the sustainable hourly rate paid to Renfrewshire Council’s Approved Funded Providers for the provision of funded Early Learning and Childcare from £8.88 to £9.13, effective from 1 April 2026, for any eligible child aged two to three years accepted for funding under the Council’s Framework be approved.
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8 Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 - Annual Report 2025/26 There was submitted a report by the Director of Children’s Services relative to the annual reporting requirements arising from the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 and presenting the annual report which had been submitted to the Scottish Government. DECIDED: (a) That the contents of the annual report be noted; and (b) That it be noted that the annual report had been submitted to the Scottish Government in compliance with Section 3(6) of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019. 9 Children’s Looked After Statistics - 2025 There was submitted a report by the Director of Children's Services relative to the annual looked after children census and the number and characteristics of looked after children in Scotland and Renfrewshire as at 31 July 2025. DECIDED: (a) That the information contained within the report on the number of looked after children in Scotland and Renfrewshire on 31 July 2025 be noted; and (b) That the 12.99% reduction in the number of children looked after at home between the 2024 and 2025 census reports be noted.