CE SIP Mid-Year25.26
Renfrewshire Council · 20 November 2025
Back to Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board — 20 November 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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2 OFFICIAL ___________________________________________________________________ To: Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board On: 20 November 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Chief Executive’s Service Improvement Plan 2025/26 Mid-Year Monitoring Report ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Chief Executive’s Service Improvement Plan 2025-28 was approved by the Finance, Resources & Customer Services Policy Board in June 2025. The plan sets out the priorities for the development of the service over a three-year period. These priorities are aligned to those set out in the refreshed 2022-27 Council Plan, which was approved by the Leadership Board in June 2024. The Service Improvement Plan sets out the actions which will ensure continuous improvement across the service and the performance indicators which ensure the impact can be measured. 1.2 This report contains details of the Chief Executive’s Service performance and achievements over the period 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025. The main purpose of the report is to provide: • details of the key achievements of the service over the period; • a progress update on implementing the action plan linked to the 2025-28 Service Improvement Plan; • an assessment of performance in relation to the service scorecard of core performance indicators; • an overview of priorities for the service over the next six months. 1.3 Over the past six months, the service has made good progress in delivering positive outcomes for Renfrewshire and its residents. This is within an operating
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3 OFFICIAL context that remains complex and fast-moving, with local government as a sector continuing to face significant financial challenges. 1.4 Key achievements in the last six months: • Consulting on the draft Participation Statement for Renfrewshire’s new Local Development Plan. • Continuing to deliver the AMIDS South Active Travel Links plan, with a construction contract being awarded, and works now commenced on site. • Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership hosting 46 different events for Employability Month in Renfrewshire in September, attracting thousands of people. • The annual Renfrewshire Employability Partnership Conference, with 180 people attending, and sessions focusing on the response to the Scottish Government’s No One Left Behind (NOLB) strategy, support to New Scots and Migrant groups, as well as the skills agenda and Renfrewshire’s future labour market. • The Local Employability Partnership approving funding for a net zero “retrofit” programme to support unemployed people being trained in green skills development for future job roles. • Launching another round of the Retail Improvement Scheme, awarding grants to support shop owners to upgrade their shopfronts. • Launching a second round of the Historic Buildings in Villages grant scheme after it was heavily oversubscribed in its first round. • Work on regenerating town centres progressing in Johnstone, Erskine, Linwood, Renfrew and Paisley. • Ongoing delivery of the Fairer Renfrewshire programme including the launch of the next Winter Connections Programme, winter school clothing grants, schools and family advice and pension credit campaigns amongst a range of activities undertaken. • Delivering the Summer of Fun holiday programme for children, young people and families in Renfrewshire, with almost 1,973 attendances at the summer holiday camps alone, and an estimated 2,233 children benefiting from activities delivered by local community and third sector organisations. • Completion of the Alcohol and Drugs Change Programme, with the final report presented to September Leadership Board. • Launching the first phase of the new council website, Renfrewshire.gov.uk, in July, with rewrites of content for the most used sections, including bins and recycling, council tax, housing, benefits and money. • Completing research fieldwork for a residents’ survey to gather insight on current public perceptions of local services and council priorities to inform future decision making.
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4 OFFICIAL • Delivering events including Sma’ Shot Day, Renfrew Pipe Band Competition, and Gala Days in Renfrew and Barshaw Park. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Finance, Resources & Customer Services Policy Board notes: a) the contents of this report; b) the progress to date on delivering the actions contained within the Chief Executive’s Service Improvement Plan; c) the current performance of the service as measured by the scorecard indicators; d) that an outturn report on the full year performance for 2025/26 will be brought to this Board in June 2026. 3. Background 3.1 Service Improvement Plans are a clear statement of the outcomes each service wants to achieve, the actions it will take to achieve this, and the performance measures it will use to monitor progress and measure success. Updates on the actions and performance measures are included as an appendix to this report. 3.2 Service Improvement Plans fit within the wider framework provided by the Council Plan and the Community Plan. They ensure elected members have oversight of developments within the service and consider and develop policy options which reflect customer need and resource availability. 3.3 Section 4 of this report gives details of service activity and achievements over the period April-September 2025. Section 5 discusses actions amended, delayed or cancelled, and any new actions added to reflect additional priorities identified since the plan was approved. Section 6 provides a narrative on performance, and Section 7 summarises the service priorities for the period until March 2026. 3.4 An outturn report detailing full-year performance will be submitted to Board in June 2026. 4. Service Achievements April to September 2025 4.1 The Chief Executive’s Service has a broad remit, from large-scale infrastructural projects and events to one-to-one support for individuals. This
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5 OFFICIAL diverse remit is reflected in the many achievements of the service over the last six months, outlined below by theme. 4.2 Place • Phase 1 of the Connected Communities Programme is almost complete, with an operational service structure and final stages of recruitment underway. Phase 2 workstreams, focusing on Early Help, Place Based Approaches and Making Every Contact Count, are now being progressed by workstream leads, with initial scoping and data gathering in progress to inform the development of proposals. • A new round of the Retail Improvement Scheme, awarding grants to support shop owners in upgrading their shopfronts. This initiative has already seen hundreds of thousands of pounds invested in commercial properties across Renfrewshire and, in some cases, has served as a catalyst for new business investment. • The popular Historic Buildings in Villages grant scheme launched a second round, following being heavily oversubscribed in its first round. This scheme allows owners of privately owned historic buildings (built before 1945) in Renfrewshire’s villages to apply for funding to plan and carry out repairs, helping enhance the appearance and vibrancy of these communities. • The regeneration of town centres is progressing, with a new Vision for Johnstone developed, a study to identify potential proposals for improving public spaces and greenspaces complete in Erskine, an initial landscape framework for enhancements in the Linwood Lade area prepared, in Renfrew a consultant has been engaged to produce detailed designs for transforming the former Brown Institute site into a new community space, and in Paisley the town’s transformation is progressing rapidly following the implementation of the Action Plan. • The Council events programme for 2025 is underway with events delivered throughout spring and summer delivering meaningful participation and performance opportunities across a range of artforms, providing volunteering opportunities and producing a positive economic impact for Renfrewshire. • The Council established a £100,000 Local Place Plan Fund to support communities to shape their local area. Nine organisations have received funds and are progressing local place plans. 4.3 Economy • Renfrewshire’s Local Employability Partnership hosting 46 different events for Employability Month in Renfrewshire in September, attracting thousands of people. • The annual Renfrewshire Employability Partnership Conference, with 180 people attending, and sessions focusing on the response to the Scottish Government’s No One Left Behind (NOLB) strategy, support to New Scots
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6 OFFICIAL and Migrant groups, as well as the skills agenda and Renfrewshire’s future labour market. • In relation to AMIDS, the joint venture continues to work well, and work on the Tech Terrace development is progressing, with planning permission likely to be sought in early 2026. 4.4 Fair • The Fair Food Renfrewshire steering group continues to meet quarterly, with the September meeting considering a new plan for approval, as well as an update on the Food Support Forum and the Good Food Nation work. • The Fairer Renfrewshire programme has recently launched its fourth Winter Connections programme, with funding supporting local groups to provide social activities and hot food and drinks for anyone in our community who would like to come along. The programme helps tackle food poverty and isolation, and encourages creativity and social cohesion. • Priorities have been identified and progress is being made with regard to actions identified through the Community Needs Assessment in Gallowhill, through engagement with Council Services. Work with health colleagues and discussions with Scottish Government are informing the approach here and in other areas, identified through use of data. • Completion of the Alcohol and Drugs Change Programme, with the final report presented to September Leadership Board, highlighting the impact and learning from the Programme for individuals supported, as well as staff, and as a partnership. The legacy of the Programme will continue through the work as an Alcohol and Drug partnership, as well as through the projects and actioned mainstreamed, or adapted within current service delivery. • The Chief Executive’s Service continues to lead the Trauma Informed and Responsive Renfrewshire programme. Over the past six months, the focus has been on embedding trauma-informed principles into key policies, including Respect at Work and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, both were approved by the September Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board. A trauma-informed e-learning module has been launched on iLearn, and two staff members have completed training to deliver trauma- skilled sessions, with in-person delivery planned for later in 2025. • The Equalities Outcomes Consultation took place from 1 September to 31 October. The consultation is designed to provide those who work, live and study in Renfrewshire with an opportunity to feed back on the Council’s draft equality outcomes and associated actions. Outreach activity has taken place to promote and enhance the response to the consultation. Third sector organisations, community groups, and Council services which engage with individuals who are likely to have an interest in the Equality Outcomes Consultation have been contacted and offered an individual bespoke session. Analysis of the responses will take place in November 2025.
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7 OFFICIAL • The new commissioned service to support people in Renfrewshire affected by head injury underwent a soft launch over the summer of 2025, with a formal launch in October 2025. 4.5 Green • Continuing to review opportunities within the Council’s infrastructure pipeline projects to align with the skills transition and green skills development for local people, including the Local Employability Partnership approving funding for a net zero “retrofit” programme to support unemployed people being trained in this area for future job roles. • Continuing to deliver the AMIDS South Active Travel Links plan, with a construction contract being awarded, and works now commenced on site. • Continuing the Climate Change Champions Programme, empowering young people in Renfrewshire aged 11–18 to take meaningful action on Net Zero, including Erskine’s established group hosting a climate networking event in June. 4.6 Living Our Values • The first phase of Renfrewshire.gov.uk was successfully launched in July 2025, with rewrites of content for the most used sections, including bins and recycling, council tax, housing, benefits and money. Work is now progressing on the design and procurement of a new intranet, and developing a content governance model. • Research fieldwork for a residents’ survey to gather insight on current public perceptions of local services and council priorities to inform future decision making has completed, with 1,016 interview-led surveys (telephone and face to face), 1,029 online survey interviews, and six focus groups. The survey results will be published and reported to Leadership Board in December. • Following the publication of the Controller of Audit’s Best Value Report, the ‘areas of focus’ identified by the Accounts Commission have been added to the Corporate Improvement Plan. These were detailed in a report to Council on 26 June 2025. A progress report was taken to the Leadership Board in September and work continues across all elements of the improvement agenda, continuing to represent a key focus for Chief Executive’s Service in the coming year. • Two service reviews are continuing within Chief Executive’s Service; the first is the review of data analytics which is aligned to the work of the internal Data Advisory Group; and the second is the development of a new Connected Communities function within the Chief Executive’s Service which brings together staff from the existing Community Learning and Development and Partnership and Inequalities teams. • A new Performance group to enhance senior officer scrutiny of council-wide performance has been implemented, meeting every four weeks, with three
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8 OFFICIAL initial deep dives taken to the group – planning and building standards; absence; and complaints and enquiries. • Opportunities for cross-service networking and collaboration continue to be developed, such as the Performance and Consultation and Engagement group, as well as thematic groups being established as part of the Connected Communities model which will further enhance cross-service networking and collaboration. Marketing and Policy teams have collaborated on the Resident Research project and will continue to work together for the next phase of publishing the results and developing long- term actions, in line with the Engagement and Consultation policy. • Work to implement the new Consultation and Engagement Strategy continues, with a new Senior Policy Officer appointed. A toolkit and checklist are being developed to support this policy, as well as governance arrangements for this workstream. An update on consultation and engagement will be reported to Leadership Board in December as part of the Council Plan six monthly update. 4.7 Improving Outcomes for Children and Families • A number of colleagues across the Chief Executive’s Service have completed Promise Keeper training, with officers from Policy and Partnerships supporting the Promise Keepers Conference in December, and are members of the ‘Supporting the Workforce Working Group’. • Funding received from the CORRA Foundation allowed Youth Services to develop a full summer programme for care experienced young people, young carers, and their peers, aged 12-17. This year’s programme involved a range of youth work opportunities including youth clubs, trips, and new experiences. The programme was co-designed with the Promise Champs who shaped the schedule, selected the venue for the residential and identified new experiences available over the six weeks the programme ran. The young people also designed the temporary look of their central youth space transforming it into a vibrant, welcoming environment and safe space for young people. • Youthyfest took place on 6 August and was attended by 189 children, young people, carers, and their friends and family. The youth-led festival was inspired by Youth Beatz, held yearly in Dumfries, and focused on inclusion, accessibility, and youth empowerment. The Promise Champs created an event that was safe, vibrant, and aligned with the core values of The Promise—ensuring that all young people felt Loved, Safe, and Respected. The Promise Champs led every stage of the festival’s development from branding to logistics, to developing skills in project management, communication, and collaboration. Young people felt listened to, valued, and empowered, boosting their self-esteem and sense of purpose. The festival removed common barriers to participation including cost, travel, and no one able to support them in attending other events. Feedback on the event was very positive.
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9 OFFICIAL 5. Changes to Actions 5.1 The action “Launch a new Council website – Renfrewshire.gov.uk – as part of the digital experience strategy, transforming how citizens interact with the Council across digital platforms” has been revised to incorporate the work to design and procure a new intranet. It is now “Deliver the digital experience strategy to make it very easy for our local communities and employees to find and use the information they are looking for on Renfrewshire.gov.uk and the intranet and to help them successfully access online services.” 5.2 The timescales for the delivery of a number of actions relating to data have been revised, including: • “Developing a corporate data and analytics team model which supports the aspirations of the Council to be a data driven organisation” – revised timescale to 31 August 2026 – to allow a newly established technical sub- group of the Data Advisory Group to progress this activity; • “Align service data activities with the Digital Strategy objective “Data is a critical asset” and ensure visibility of data activities at Directorate SMT” – revised timescale 31 August 2026 – to align with the change of timescale of the data review noted above; • “Ensure data owners are aware of responsibilities” - revised timescale to 31 August 2026 - to ensure this is covered in a full cycle of Personal Development Plans. 6. Progress against performance measures 6.1 The Chief Executive’s Service reports on 39 performance indicators of which 10 are reported annually, and 29 are reported quarterly. Appendix 1 contains full details of these. 6.2 Of the 29 indicators that are measured on a quarterly basis, using Quarter 2 data, 16 are on track or above target, one is close to hitting the target and nine have missed the target. Two indicators are data only and have no targets, and one indicator is currently establishing a new baseline (Number of people engaging with the Council’s digital channels (not including website). 6.3 Areas of good performance include: • “Percentage of building warrants issued within 10 days of all information being received”, which is 90.7% against a target of 90%; • “Number of people being supported to achieve qualifications by Invest Renfrewshire”, with more than 800 people earning a qualification in the first half of this year;
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10 OFFICIAL • “Number of people supported into paid employment by Invest Renfrewshire”, with almost 400 people moving into a new role in the first half of this year; • “Number of trainee posts in Renfrewshire Council for unemployed people”, with 50 people joining the Council so far this year; • “The number of visits by the Environmental Taskforce to flytipping hotspots”; • Responding to complaints within 5 days (frontline), and 20 days (investigation), and responding to FOI requests within 20 days”. 6.4 Two indicators relating to events have not met target for Quarter 2, including those around numbers of people attending, and economic impact and local spend of attendees to the visitor events programme. These indicators were affected by lower than anticipated attendances, in part due to the particularly wet weather during the Renfrew Pipe Band Competition in July. However, the Events Programme overall for the year is showing strong performance, with cumulative figures showing we continue to have excellent engagement with these activities. 6.5 Two indicators relating to building standards missed targets, with one showing a trend of improvement. This service area has experienced recruitment and retention issues which are common across councils for those fields of expertise, along with significant capacity and staff absence challenges, and this has impacted service delivery. Recent recruitment is already contributing to improvement in timescales. The time to issue a building warrant was 142 days in Quarter 1, and improved to 113 days by the end of Quarter 2. However, over the same timeframe, the percentage of first reports issued within 10 days decreased from 87.1% to 82.4%. Short-term and medium-term measures to address these challenges are currently in progress, including amending the structure of the Planning and Building Standards teams, to create additional posts which, once recruited, will improve timescales. Changes to the structure will be considered at 4 November 2025 Planning and Climate Change Policy Board. 6.6 The time taken to process planning applications has been steadily improving, although is still below the target of 8 weeks. The average time has decreased from 10 weeks in Quarter 1, to 9 weeks in Quarter 2. The team are processing a number of ‘legacy’ applications which have been in the system for a long time, and this continues to affect the average time this year. It is anticipated that the continued reduction in legacy cases will result in an increase in performance in the coming reporting periods. 6.7 The number of local businesses securing growth support, training, or grants from Renfrewshire Council Business Team increased significantly from 65 in Quarter 1, to 153 in Quarter 2. The number of trainee type posts created for
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11 OFFICIAL unemployed people at Renfrewshire Council also increased, from 21 in Quarter 1, to 29 in Quarter 2. 7. Priorities over the next 6 months 7.1 In common with all Council Services, the Chief Executive’s Service continues to contribute to the Council’s overall financial sustainability programme: • Providing strategic communications and marketing, data and policy support to other services, contributing to broad corporate support alongside colleagues from Finance and Resources. • Exploring innovative ways of delivering our services, such as commissioning cultural services and our Connected Communities review. • Supporting national workstreams, such as work on migration and asylum, and on trauma-informed approaches. 7.2 The delivery of the Connected Communities review will be a priority for the next six months. This programme will bring together work within the Council to support communities and build on our strong partnerships with the third sector and communities. 7.3 Work continues with piloting a new approach to public engagement, including the delivery of a resident survey to generate insight on current public perceptions of local services and council priorities to inform future decision making. It is anticipated that the survey results will be published and reported to Leadership Board in December. This will be supported by an engagement and handling plan to ensure the findings of the recent resident survey are shared in a transparent and accessible way, demonstrating that residents’ voices have been heard and are valued. 7.4 The work to update our town centre strategies continues, including funding being secured to demolish a former supermarket in Johnstone which will open up a key site within the town centre. Works are anticipated to commence winter 2025/26. In Erskine, a study has been completed to identify potential proposals for improving public spaces and greenspaces, and consultants were appointed to develop detailed designs for a new civic square in the town centre. Funding for these designs have now been secured, and officers are currently in the process of hiring a contractor to deliver the works, also anticipated to take place over winter 2025/26. 7.5 Work to boost the local economy will be supported through ongoing community wealth building activity, further work on making Renfrewshire attractive to investors, and the continued development of AMIDS.
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12 OFFICIAL 7.6 The delivery of Winter Connections will also be a key focus for the Fairer Renfrewshire programme, as will our cross-service and multi-agency approach to addressing actions identified through the Community Needs Assessment in Gallowhill. 7.7 Following the publication of the Controller of Audit’s Best Value Report, the ‘areas of focus’ identified by the Accounts Commission have been added to the Corporate Improvement Plan. These were detailed in a report to Council on 26 June 2025. A progress report was taken to the Leadership Board in September, and work continues across all elements of the improvement agenda, continuing to represent a key focus for the Chief Executive’s Service in the coming year, and a progress report will be presented to Leadership Board in February 2026. 7.8 Work on an engagement strategy continues, including a toolkit to accompany the new policy, and governance arrangements to support this workstream. An update on consultation and engagement will be reported to Leadership Board in December as part of the Council Plan six monthly update. 7.9 Following the successful launch of the new Renfrewshire.gov.uk., the next phase involves working on the design and procurement of a new intranet and developing a content governance model. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – This report notes the financial challenges facing the local authority and the work that will be undertaken by the service to support the financial sustainability strategy. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – Service Improvement Plans reflect the contribution of each service to the Council and Community Plans. 4. Legal – None 5. Property/Assets – The report notes progress on work relating to council property and sustainability. 6. Information Technology – Digital resources are now key to the delivery of services and strategies are in place to manage this. This report shows how digital channels are being used to convey information to staff and the public, including campaigns to advertise events and attract people to the area.
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13 OFFICIAL 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have not been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights because it is a progress report for noting. Any project reported within this report should be assessed individually. 8. Health & Safety – None 9. Procurement – None 10. Risk – Risks related to the delivery and management of services are regularly monitored and included in Renfrewshire Council’s Corporate and Strategic Risk Registers. 11. Privacy Impact – None 12. COSLA Policy Position – None 13. Climate Change – The report notes progress and future priorities for the Council’s Plan for Net Zero through its management of council property. 14. Children’s Rights – The report notes specific actions targeted at improving outcomes for children and young people. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers: None ___________________________________________________________________ Author Jacqui Jacobsen, Senior Policy Officer, jacqui.jacobsen@renfrewshire.gov.uk Appendix Chief Executive’s Service Improvement Plan 2025 – 28 Mid-Year Report November 2025
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Chief Executive’s Service Service Improvement Plan 2025 -28 Mid-Year Report November 2025
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Welcome to our six-monthly update • This update reflects on the first six months of our Service Improvement Plan, highlighting areas where we are already making progress and some areas we want to focus on more, perhaps because performance isn’t moving in the direction we anticipated or because of other pressures or factors that makes this even more of a priority for us. • Different services will contribute more towards some Council Plan Strategic Outcomes than others, so this report focuses on areas to which the Chief Executive’s Service contributes more significantly. However, a full update against all the actions and performance indicators we use to measure progress is included within this report. • The Chief Executive’s Service reports on 39 performance indicators of which 10 which are reported annually, and the remainder reported quarterly. This report contains the data for Quarters 1 and 2, covering 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025. It also contains some previous trend information for those indicators only collected annually.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Place Local Development Plan Work has begun on Renfrewshire’s new Local Development Plan (LDP3), following the statutory process. The Evidence Report was approved by Council in September 2025 and will be submitted to Scottish Ministers for Gate Check in October Resident Survey Fieldwork is complete using a hybrid methodology: • 1,016 interview-led surveys (telephone/face-to-face) – representative sample across Renfrewshire • 1,029 online surveys – self-selecting sample • 6 focus groups – explored perceptions and priorities in depth Results will be reported to the Leadership Board in December, supported by an engagement plan to ensure findings are shared transparently and demonstrate that residents’ voices have been heard and valued Events Programme The Council’s events programme for 2025 is underway with events delivered throughout spring and summer, including • Sma’ Shot Day • Renfrew Pipe Band Competition • Gala Days in Renfrew and Barshaw Park Upcoming Events include Paisley Halloween Festival and Christmas Lights Switch Ons in the five towns
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Place Village Heritage Grants and Town Centre Regeneration • The Historic Buildings in Villages grant scheme has launched a second round after high demand. It supports repairs to pre-1945 buildings in Renfrewshire villages, boosting community appeal • Town centre regeneration continues with a new Vision for Johnstone, public space studies completed in Erskine, a landscape framework for Linwood Lade, design plans underway for Renfrew’s former Brown Institute site, and rapid progress in Paisley following its Action Plan 82.4% of first reports are issued within 20 days (Building Standards) The average time for processing planning applications has decreased from 10 weeks to 9 weeks Local Place Plan Fund The Council established a £100,000 Local Place Plan Fund to support local communities prepare local places plans for submission to the Council by 31 March 2026. Nine organisations have received funds and are progressing local place plans Planning and Building Standards
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Economy Empowering People Through Employability DuringEmployability Month in September Renfrewshire’s Local Employability Partnership hosted 46 events, attracting thousands of attendees 180 attendees took part in sessions on Renfrewshire’s response to No One Left Behind, support for New Scots and migrants, and future skills needs, particularly in engineering and STEM growth sectors at the Annual Employability Partnership Conference Strengthening Renfrewshire’s Investment Proposition Work on Renfrewshire’s Investment Proposition continues, with a new webpage created to highlight Renfrewshire’s key investment location Additional information on investing in Renfrewshire and development opportunities has also been added to the Invest in Renfrewshire website, and a dedicated website has been launched to promote investment opportunities at AMIDS
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Green 31 local businesses in 2024/25 have been working with the Council to progress the Net Zero agenda Climate Change Champions Programme Empowering young people in Renfrewshire aged 11–18 to take meaningful action on Net Zero • In Glenburn, P7 volunteers were recruited for the third year through outreach in local primaries. An S1 group is working with The Promise to create a mural, due for completion in October • Erskine’s established group hosted a climate networking event in June, and is now focused on completing Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards by December • New activities launching in October include a Wednesday climate group (running through March) in partnership with Active Travel and Global Citizenship organisations, and a Saturday Eco Volunteers programme Net Zero Business Engagement
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Fair Winter Connections Round Four Launched The Fairer Renfrewshire programme launched its fourth Winter Connections round Funding supports free social activities and refreshments to tackle isolation, food poverty, and boost creativity Empowering Young Voices: Summer Support and Youthyfest Youth Services delivered a CORRA-funded summer programme for care experienced young people, co- designed with Promise Champs Activities included trips, clubs, and a residential. Youthyfest, attended by 189 people, was youth-led and focused on inclusion and empowerment Summer of Fun 1,973 attendances at our CLD summer camps 2,233 children benefited from a wide range of activities delivered by local community organisations Alcohol and Drugs Change Programme The Programme’s final report was presented to the September Leadership Board, highlighting the Programme’s impact, supporting over 5,000 people across Renfrewshire, and key learnings for individuals, staff, and the wider partnership Its legacy will continue through the ongoing work of the Alcohol and Drug Partnership, and through projects that have been mainstreamed or adapted into current service delivery
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Fair Ward Census Insights Shared As part of Members Development Week 2025, Elected Members received presentations on Ward Census Profiles, supported by a newly developed and shared data dashboard Celebrating Renfrewshire In 2025, 54 applications were submitted by 48 organisations, offering 120 funding options across the seven Local Partnership areas A total of 1,450 young people participated in the vote, with 1,355 valid votes cast and 3,765 individual choices made.42 groups were successfully awarded funding An evaluation of the fund is currently underway, with a focus group planned for late October/early November Equalities Outcomes Consultation Underway Running from 1 September to 31 October, the consultation invites those who live, work, or study in Renfrewshire to share feedback on the Council’s draft equality outcomes and actions Targeted outreach has included bespoke sessions with third sector organisations, community groups, and Council services to encourage participation. Responses will be analysed in November 2025 to inform future planning Developing ESoL Provision Work is underway to expand the Council’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESoL) offer — a key priority in Renfrewshire’s CLD Partnership Plan Local learner surveys are helping shape a more flexible and responsive approach in collaboration with partners
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Living our Values 78,924 people engaging with the Council’s digital channels (not including website) Driving Performance and Improvement The recent Best Value report recognised areas of strong performance across the Council, highlighting our “robust” performance management arrangements and ongoing work to strengthen performance improvement In response, the Accounts Commission’s focus areas were incorporated into the Corporate Improvement Plan. Progress was reported to the Leadership Board in September, and work continues across the improvement agenda 87% of frontline complaints and 100% of investigation complaints dealt with in the required timescale Youth Services Recognised for Tackling Gender- Based Violence Renfrewshire Council’s Youth Services was shortlisted for Community Group of the Year at the Scottish Women’s Awards 2025, in recognition of its impactful work addressing gender-based violence Renfrewshire Council Wins UK Council of the Year Renfrewshire Council was named Overall Council of the Year for Service Delivery at the UK-wide APSE Awards 2025, held in September The Council, alongside partners including OneRen, was shortlisted in seven out of sixteen categories — the highest number of nominations for any UK local authority — reflecting the strength and breadth of service delivery across Renfrewshire
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Actions and indicators Full list November 2025
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Place Action Due Status Progress update Deliver Renfrewshire’s Cultural Infrastructure Investment Programme 31 Dec 25 Museum work is ongoing (Council managing construction phase and operational readiness and fitout being delivered by OneRen). Other CI projects now all complete. Develop and launch Visit Renfrewshire brand and delivery model to support the delivery of the Tourism Action Plan 31 Mar 26 The consultation on the brand model is ongoing with colleagues and the Renfrewshire Tourism Network and stakeholders. Work is continuing with Economy and Regeneration colleagues to secure funding and to develop an implementation plan for the brand. Design a new Connected Communities service model for the Council – implementing a new service structure and developing the corporate approach for the whole organisation 31 Dec 26 Phase 1 of the programme, focussed on the Connected Communities service review is now near complete, with an operational service structure and final stages of recruitment underway. Phase 2 workstreams focussing on Early Help, Place Based Approaches and Making Every Contact Count are now being progressed by workstream leads, with initial scoping and data gathering in progress to inform the development of proposals. Pilot a public engagement approach including the delivery of a resident survey to generate insight on current public perceptions of local services and council priorities to inform future decision making 31 Mar 26 The research fieldwork has been completed. The hybrid research methodology included the following: • 1,016 interview led surveys (telephone and face-to-face). This was a representative sample spread across Renfrewshire • This was augmented by an online survey 1,029 interviews online. This was a self-selecting sample • 6 focus groups were also carried out with respondents to explore their perception and satisfaction in more depth and provide further insight into resident priorities. The survey results will be published and reported to Leadership Board in December. This will be supported by an engagement and handling plan to ensure the findings of the recent resident survey are shared in a transparent and accessible way, demonstrating that residents’ voices have been heard and are valued. Implement the cultural funding programmes (COF and CHEF) for Renfrewshire’s cultural sector 31 Mar 28 The new cultural funding streams of Cultural Organisation Fund and Culture Heritage and Events Fund have been awarded providing support to organisations over the next three years. COF is a new multi-year fund to support delivery of cultural activities and also designed to contribute to organisations revenue costs, making it easier for them to plan and deliver sustained programmes of cultural activity.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Place Action Due Status Progress update Proactively work with property owners to bring some of the area’s most valued assets back into use 31 Mar 27 The Council has been proactive in engaging with property owners of prominent buildings across our town centres to explore regeneration opportunities. This includes the potential redevelopment of the Paisley Centre into a vibrant mixed-use development. Investment in a number of listed buildings—such as St Matthew’s Church, County Place, 5 George Place, and the Liberal Club—has been facilitated through detailed discussions with property owners. The goal is to bring these buildings back into productive use. We have also been engaging with landlords to promote the new Town Centre Premises Grant scheme, launched in 2024, which aims to reduce the number of commercial vacancies in Renfrewshire’s town centres. E.g. grant funding was approved to help a greengrocer relocate to a new unit in Paisley town centre. The Regeneration Team is currently running another round of the successful Retail Improvement Scheme, which supports shop owners in upgrading their shopfronts. This initiative has already seen hundreds of thousands of pounds invested in commercial properties across Renfrewshire and, in some cases, has served as a catalyst for new business investment. In addition, the team have also launched another run of the popular Historic Buildings in Villages grant scheme. This allows owners of privately owned historic buildings (built before 1945) in Renfrewshire’s villages to apply for funding to plan and carry out repairs, helping enhance the appearance and vibrancy of these communities. The scheme was heavily oversubscribed in its first round and is currently accepting applications for funding in a second round. Officers have also secured £0.5 million in Council motion funding to address a key barrier to progress: challenging market conditions that inhibit the redevelopment of significant town centre buildings or sites. This funding will support work with property owners to bring vacant buildings back into use.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Place Action Due Status Progress update Progress the actions outlined in our town centre strategies/visions by collaborating with partners to transform our key centres. 31 Mar 28 The Regeneration Team is currently updating our town centre strategies to reflect the changes that have occurred in a post-pandemic environment. These strategies will align with the guidance and principles outlined in National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4). A new vision has been developed for Johnstone, focusing on improving the town centre, enhancing public spaces, and supporting local businesses to foster a more vibrant and sustainable community. Further feasibility work has been commissioned in Johnstone, with a particular focus on the two civic squares, the reimagining of the Town Hall, and the development of a heritage trail. An architect has been commissioned to complete more detailed designs (RIBA stage 4) for the Houston Court and Houstoun Square. Funding has also been secured to demolish a former supermarket which will open up a key site within the town centre. Works are hoped to commence winter 25/26. In Erskine, a study has been completed to identify potential proposals for improving public spaces and greenspaces as part of a wider review of the town’s Centre Strategy. Short-, medium-, and long-term actions have been identified, and consultants were appointed to develop detailed designs for a new civic square in the town centre. Funding for these designs have now been secured, and officers are currently in the process of hiring a contractor to deliver the works. It is expected that the works will take place over winter 25/26. Consultants have prepared an initial landscape framework for enhancements in the Linwood Lade area, located immediately south of the town centre. Officers will now be looking to consult local residents further on these initial proposals. In Renfrew, a consultant has been engaged to produce detailed designs for transforming the former Brown Institute site into a new community space. It is hoped that this project will be delivered in 2026. In Paisley, the town’s transformation is progressing rapidly following the implementation of the Action Plan. Notable achievements include establishing Paisley as an international culture and heritage destination and stimulating property investment, development, and reuse. Completed regeneration projects include the refurbishment of the Town Hall and Arts Centre, and the creation of a new Culture and Learning Hub on the High Street. The restoration of Paisley Museum—another major project—is due for completion next year. A new wayfinding strategy for Paisley has also been developed to improve the visitor experience in the town centre. The publication of the Paisley Vision document provides further inspiration for future development in and around the town centre. The Liberal Club, identified as a key building in the Vision, has recently been renovated, securing its long-term future. Discussions continue with the owner of the Paisley Centre regarding its potential mixed-use regeneration. Overall, the Regeneration Team remains committed to advancing regeneration proposals across all of Renfrewshire’s town centres.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Place Action Due Status Progress update Deliver the 2025 events programme to include high quality programming developing meaningful participation and performance opportunities for local groups and artists. 31 Mar 26 The council events programme for 2025 is underway with events delivered throughout spring and summer delivering meaningful participation and performance opportunities across a range of artforms, providing volunteering opportunities and producing a positive economic impact for Renfrewshire. Contribute to the preparation, monitoring and delivery of Renfrewshire’s Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 31 Mar 28 The 2023-2028 Local Housing Strategy was approved in October 2023. The first annual review and progress update was reported to the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 29th October 2024, advising on progress across the 5 strategic priorities and 42 actions. The second annual review was reported to the October 2025 Communities and Housing Policy Board. Deliver the Local Development Plan, the 10 year spatial strategy for Renfrewshire 31 Mar 27 Work has commenced on the preparation of a new Local Development Plan for Renfrewshire (LDP3). Preparation of the plan follows a statutory process. The preparation of the Evidence Report is the first stage of the statutory process, and the Council’s Evidence Report was approved for submission to the Scottish Ministers at the September 2025 Council meeting and will be submitted to the Scottish Ministers for Gate Check in October 2025. The annual update of the Development Plan Scheme and Participation Statement was presented at the 4 November 2025 Planning and Climate Change Policy Board. This set out a revised timetable for preparation of the Local Development Plan, with adoption now scheduled for May 2028.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Place Action Due Status Progress update Support the delivery of Renfrewshire’s Strategic Housing Investment Programme in partnership with other housing providers in Renfrewshire 31 Mar 28 104 social rented homes were delivered on Strategic Housing Investment Plan sites that were completed in 2024/25 (note: this may differ from the actual number of affordable housing completions in 2024/25). The Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) is updated annually to take account of progress and completions in relation to delivering the affordable housing programme in Renfrewshire. The Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2025-2030 was submitted to the Scottish Government in October 2024. The draft 2026-2031 SHIP was approved for consultation purposes at the August 2025 Communities and Housing Policy Board and consulted on in August/September 2025. The final 2026-2031 SHIP will be submitted to the October Communities and Housing Policy Board, and if approved will then be submitted to the Scottish Government.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Place Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Average Time for processing Planning Applications (Householder) 11 8 10 8 9 8 Performance continues to be affected by a backlog of legacy applications. The average time has decreased from 10 weeks to 9 weeks as efforts continue to reduce the number of legacy cases which now total 23. It is anticipated that the continued reduction in legacy cases will result in an increase in performance in the coming reporting periods. Affordable housing completions 104 159 Not measured for quarters Affordable housing completions figures vary from year to year. Lower than target completions in recent years may be as a result of increased construction costs that have made the viability of some schemes more challenging to deliver. The SHIP identifies a pipeline of affordable housing developments and opportunity sites for future years. Private housing completions 430 357 Not measured for quarters Following the publication of Scottish Government Guidance, the Planning Service is revising the way it records completions on housing sites in Renfrewshire to better align with Building Standards completion certificates. The indicative private housing completion figure for 2024/25 is 430, with this figure still to be subject to final verification. Time to issue a building warrant or amendment to warrant from receipt of application (days) 108.0 60.0 142.0 60.0 113.0 60.0 Average time has reduced in Quarter 2; however it should be noted that team capacity is significantly reduced due to a number of vacancies and sickness absence. The team is also dealing with a number of complex and major developments. Short-term and medium-term measures to address these challenges are currently in progress, including amending the structure of the Planning and Building Standards teams, to create additional posts. Changes to the structure will be considered at 4 November 2025 Planning and Climate Change Policy Board.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Place Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Time to issue a first report (percentage issued within 20 days) 78.2 95.0 87.1 95.0 82.4 95.0 Average time has reduced slightly in Q2, compared with Q1, albeit both Q1 and Q2 are higher than Q4 last year. This increase over time is reflected in the staffing levels of the team at present. The team is currently operating with a number of staff vacancies, absence due to sickness and the number of complex and major developments. It is likely that future reporting will see an increase in the average time. Percentage of building warrants or amendments issued within 10 days of receipt of all satisfactory information. 87.4 90.0 93.7 90.0 90.7 90.0 Performance is meeting the target although it has reduced slightly since Q1. This is due to reduced capacity in the team at present. Amount of land brought forward for re-use and development contributing to economic activity and enhancing the built and natural environment 4.83 20 Not measured for quarters The 2025 vacant and derelict land survey indicates that 4.83 hectares of land has been brought forward for reuse and redevelopment in the year April 2024 to March 2025. The figure varies considerably from year to year. Not all of this land is in council ownership so we have limited levers to influence development.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Economy Action Due Status Progress update Develop an Investment Proposition for Renfrewshire that is clear on our economic ambitions for place 31 Mar 26 A new webpage has been created to highlight Renfrewshire’s key investment locations: (https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/13818/Renfrewshire-investment-prospectus) Additional information on investing in Renfrewshire and development opportunities has also been added to the Invest in Renfrewshire website: (https://investinrenfrewshire.com/locate-in-renfrewshire/) In addition, a dedicated website has been launched to promote investment opportunities at AMIDS: https://amids.co.uk/
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Economy Action Due Status Progress update Maximise funding for regeneration of Renfrewshire’s places through grant submissions to external sources including UK and Scottish Governments 31 Mar 26 The Regeneration and Place Team has successfully secured funding from various external sources. Between 2021/22 and 2025/26, the team has been allocated £3.9 million from the Place Based Investment Fund for capital regeneration projects. In addition, between 2022/23 and 2023/24, £1.5 million was received from the Shared Prosperity Fund to support both capital and revenue regeneration activity. A further £0.4 million has been allocated for capital expenditure in 2025/26. Last year, an application was made to the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP), though this and other applications were paused while a national review of regeneration funding took place. Following a review, the VDLIP was reopened, and further information was submitted in support of our bid. The Council has since secured £650,000 from the programme to support regeneration efforts in the Belltrees area of Ferguslie. Contractors are now being secured to deliver this project during winter 25/26. The Council has consistently been successful in securing Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) support, most recently obtaining £800,000 for the PACE Theatre project. One application was submitted to the 25/26 scheme, to support town centre regeneration in Johnstone Town Centre. This scheme has now been invited to submit a further Stage application in November 2025. In Lochwinnoch, applications will be submitted to Historic Environment Scotland’s Heritage and Place Programme and the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s £250,000–£10 million Heritage Grants programme to support a heritage-led regeneration scheme. The total cost of the project is estimated at £2.5 million. Additionally, £297,000 was secured from NatureScot for a peatland restoration project in Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. Work commenced in January 2025 and was completed by the end of March 2025. A further £100,000 has been secured from SEPA to fund RIBA Stage 2 concept design work for the restoration of the Candren Burn in Ferguslie. The Council has also applied for funding from VisitScotland’s Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund to support regeneration projects at Castle Semple. This application was successful, with the Council securing £240k from the fund. Some of this funding will be used to deliver a new visitor hub facility at Castle Semple, with works commencing in October 2025. The Regeneration Team will continue to pursue external funding opportunities to support delivery of our place-shaping agenda.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Economy Action Due Status Progress update Complete the Tech Terrace development and attract the first large occupier. 31 Mar 26 This is a AMIDS JV obligation and again Council is fully participating. Planning is due to be submitted early 2026 Continue to support local employment through the delivery of targeted support through the Council’s employability programme. 31 Mar 27 September is Employability Month in Renfrewshire and the Renfrewshire Employability Partnership hosted 46 different events for people across the area and attracting thousands of people. One of the events was the annual Renfrewshire Employability Partnership Conference with 180 people attending. This year's event had two distinct parts: • The morning sessions focused on the area’s response to the Scottish Governments No One Left Behind (NOLB) strategy and the work of the Local Employability Partnership to identify, and respond to, those most in need. This included looking at the support to New Scots and Migrant groups (a key issue at last year’s event) and the specific needs they have, especially those with no recourse to public funds or with restricted right to work. • The afternoon sessions focused on the skills agenda and Renfrewshire’s future labour market with an emphasis on the growth sectors of engineering and STEM. The conference was aimed at current employability and skills practitioners operating within Renfrewshire and able to contribute to discussions around current service delivery and improving services and outcomes. Continue to progress core actions to support local and regional economic growth. 31 March 27 The Council continues to focus on securing investment at AMIDS to unlock its full potential for job creation and economic growth. External funding from Scottish Enterprise and the City Deal has been identified to support the development of Tech Terrace—a speculative project that will deliver industrial floorspace for advanced manufacturing SMEs and start-ups. Construction is expected to begin next year. The Council is also working with Glasgow City Region and the Government to secure Investment Zone funding for a new tax zone (£25m), which would incentivise businesses to locate at AMIDS/Airport. It is hoped that this will serve as a catalyst for significant investment in the years ahead. Gateways 3 and 4 for the IZ were recently submitted to Government. It is expected that the IZ and tax site will go live in 25/26. Develop a Community Wealth Building Plan for Renfrewshire 30 Jun 26 A “Community Wealth Building In Renfrewshire” paper has been produced and approved at board to set out the way forward. The CWB(Scotland) Bill was published in March 2025 which sets out the way ahead for the public sector. Plans are progressing at pace; local events have been organised and board is being kept up to date.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Economy Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Number of unemployed / low waged people securing qualifications through Renfrewshire Council Employability Programme (INVEST) 662 400 137 100 138 100 In the last 6 months 275 unemployed/low waged people have achieved an accredited qualification(s). Number of new business start ups in Renfrewshire with Business Gateway support 265 320 80 80 78 80 The team supported 78 new startups this quarter. Work is ongoing to encourage those interested in starting their own business to take the final step. Measure of civic pride relating to events 88.8 90 Not measured for quarters Across the events delivered in 2024 88.8% of Renfrewshire residents agreed that the events programme made them feel proud of their hometown, the highest response was 97% and this came from attendees at Sma’ Shot Day. Number of unemployed/ low waged people moving into paid employment through Renfrewshire Council Employability Programme 491 350 139 125 150 125 In the last 6 months 289 unemployed/low waged people being supported through employability services have secured new paid employment.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Economy Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Number of unemployed/ low waged people being supported through Renfrewshire Council Employability Programme (INVEST) 1,420 1,100 361 275 481 275 In the last 6 months 769 participant registered with the service. In addition, more than 400 continued to receive support into 25/26 and so around 1,169 people have received support so far this year. Number of Social Enterprises supported to grow / develop / income generate with Council support 58 80 21 15 11 15 In the last 6 months 32 social enterprises have been supported to grow, develop or generate income. Number of local businesses securing growth support, training or grants from Renfrewshire Council Business Team 382 300 65 75 153 75 Businesses are generally less optimistic than they were this time last year and are more reluctant to make big investments at this time. However, uptake this quarter has seen an improvement and figures are on target. Number of trainee type posts created for unemployed people at Renfrewshire Council 45 60 21 15 29 15 In the last 6 months 50 unemployed people have started in paid positions within the council.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Economy Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Number of volunteering hours supporting the development and delivery of the events programme 327 45 126.5 160 31 30 Sma’ Shot day and Renfrew Pipe Band Competition were delivered in Q2 providing 7 volunteers with opportunities to gain hands-on live event experience. In addition to direct volunteering opportunities with the council, there were multiple indirect volunteering opportunities created as a result of events. These include venue assistants throughout many of the 53 participating venues of Doors Open Days, through Renfrew Football Club at Renfrew Pipe Band Competition and Erskine Arts at Sma’ Shot Day. Number of people participating in the events programme 3,549 1,314 1,957 700 617 400 Sma’ Shot day and Renfrew Pipe Band competition provided participation opportunities across a range of activities including music, choreography, sport, visual art and costume making. As part of the wider outreach programme of Sma’ Shot Day the team supported workshops during Castlehead High School of creativity week these included spoken word, poetry and traditional music. Number of people performing in the events programme 819 300 228 275 266 225 Performance opportunities were available at both Sma’ Shot Day and Renfrew Pipe Band Competition. The pipe band offered opportunities for 120 local performers from bands including Renfrewshire Schools, Kilbarchan, Paisley and District and Johnstone Pipe Band. Other opportunities included live stage at Sma’ Shot with musical and theatrical performances and spoken word through the poetry slam. Number of people attending the events programme 108,665 95,000 39,302 40,000 8,707 12,500 Attendance at events in Q2 events were lower than anticipated this is in part due to particularly wet weather during Renfrew Pipe Band Competition.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Economy Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Economic impact and local spend of attendees to the visitor events programme New indicator 3,978,746 Previously data only 1,571,682 1,400,000 444,975 600,000 Both Sma Shot day and Renfrew Pipe Band competition returned a positive economic impact for Renfrewshire with Sma’ Shot achieving £146,196 and Renfrew Pipe Bands £298,779. Q2 performance for this indicator was affected in part due to particularly wet weather during Renfrew Pipe Band Competition. Number of people supported, sustained in work at 6 Months through Renfrewshire Council Employability Programme (INVEST) 288 180 Not measured for quarters The number of people who were still in employment 6 months after moving into work and that we have been able to collect data on is 288 people.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Fair Action Due Status Progress update Deliver the Fairer Renfrewshire programme, working with partners to support Renfrewshire residents through the cost-of-living crisis 31 Mar 27 A planning session has been held to support development of a Fairer Renfrewshire Plan. The session included members of the Fairer Renfrewshire Lived Experience Panel. Advice has continued to be provided through Advice Works and Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau, including specific services for families. Work has also commenced on the contract for RCAB, as this runs out on 30 June 26. Winter Connections has opened to community organisations for applications, with 46 received in the first fortnight. Funding will provide a range of free activities across Renfrewshire. Planning is in place for the Winter Clothing Payment of £50 per eligible child to be made in October. Grants funding was approved for Pachedu to pilot a device recycling project, where donated devices will be refurbished and redistributed to those who need them. This will officially launch as part of DigiKnowvember. The Fairer Renfrewshire Panel has continued to input to policy and practice withing Council services, most recently taking part in Employability month and Events planning for Halloween. Progressing a new workstream that will focus on advancing equality of opportunity and ensuring we have a robust and authentic organisational approach to implementing our duties (including UNCRC). 31 Mar 26 The Equalities Outcomes Consultation runs from 1 September to 31 October. The consultation is designed to provide those who work, live and study in Renfrewshire with an opportunity to feedback on the Council’s draft equality outcomes and associated actions. Outreach activity has taken place to promote and enhance the response to the consultation. 3rd sector organisations, community groups and Council services which engage with individuals who are likely to have an interest in the equality outcomes consultation have been contacted and offered an individual bespoke session. Analysis of the responses will take place in November 2025.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Fair Action Due Status Progress update Developing new and potentially radical approaches to tackling child poverty in Renfrewshire 31 Mar 27 Priorities have been identified and progress is being made with regard to actions identified through the Community Needs Assessment in Gallowhill, through engagement with Council Services. Work with health colleagues and discussions with Scottish Government are informing the approach here and in other areas identified through use of data. Leading on the Council’s migration and population change response – developing detailed understanding of the diversity of Renfrewshire’s communities 31 Mar 25 The census releases over the latter half of 2024 provided a significantly updated picture of Renfrewshire’s communities – significant work was undertaken to analyse this data. As part of Members Development Week 2025, a series of Ward Census Profile presentations were delivered to Elected Members and a data dashboard developed and shared. A Senior Policy Officer post with a focus on Migration and Population was successfully recruited and is developing strategic needs assessment in partnership with the Strategic Migration Group, with a workshop taking place in October. Work with commissioned service to ensure effective support is provided to people in Renfrewshire who have been affected by a head injury 31 Mar 28 A contract for the provision of support for people in Renfrewshire affected by head injury was awarded to Quarriers in February 2025 and took effect from 1 April 2025. The new service - Brain Injury Community Support - underwent a soft launch over the summer of 2025 and had a formal launch in October 2025. Regular discussions have taken place between council officers and Quarriers, and, contract monitoring arrangements are now in place. Officers will maintain close links with Quarriers and provide any support required as the service develops. This action is now complete
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Fair Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Community Asset Transfer - number of months from receipt of an application to a determination being issued from the Council 3 6 Not measured for quarters The number of asset transfer requests determined in the period 24/25 was 5 of which 4 were approved and 1 refused. The assets concerned: • •Calderglen Playing Fields, Lochwinnoch – approved; sale of land to Calderglen Community SCIO •Public Realm, Kilpatrick Drive, Erskine – approved; lease of land to Erskine Arts •Site, 49 Beardmore Cottages, Inchinnan - approved; sale of land to Inchinnan Development Trust •Renfrew Cricket Field, KGV Renfrew; - refused on the basis that that that there are obligations imposed on the authority, that prevent, restrict or otherwise affect its ability to agree to the request •Falcon Day Centre, Paisley – approved; sale of asset to Pachedu Multi-cultural Hub Number of people engaged with Adult and Family learning team (snapshot) 1,564 Data only 616 Data only 579 Data only AFL have not led on as many partnership events this quarter as we have been focussing on everyday learning outcomes and family learning over the summer Number of people engaged with Youth Services (snapshot) 6,054 Data only 3346 Data only 1,199 Data only Evolve New Scots – summer programme to combat social isolation and poverty through cooking, health and art activities. Renfrewshire Youth Voice band night in the bungalow, planning for the Positive About Youth awards, and social days in Edinburgh Fringe. Renfrewshire Council hosted the Scottish Youth Parliament Sitting 5th -7th September in Paisley Town Hall. Trinity HS Pupil Council training to undertake the Participatory Democracy certificate. They are planning to go to the council chambers to undertake a debate in 2026. Duke of Edinburgh- Young people, with the support of their DofE leaders and qualified instructors, navigated appropriate routes for their Bronze and Silver levels. Children and young people attended free Summer Holiday camps run by Street Stuff, taking part in games, sports arts and had input from the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service and Police Scotland.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Fair Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Number of children in receipt of school clothing grants 5316 Not measured for quarters The number of FSM/CG applications in 2024/25 during the period June to March fell by approximately 7% compared to the same period in in 2023/24, with the number of children being awarded a Clothing Grant in 2024/25 (June to March) falling by 9% compared to the same period during 2023/24. Whilst it cannot be definitively determined why there has been a reduction in the number of children being awarded a Clothing Grant, it appears that the primary reason for declinature is due to parental income exceeding the Clothing Grant eligibility thresholds for earned income within tax credits or Universal Credit. We would suggest that the reduced amount in applications and awards could be a combination of four reasons: natural and managed migration from tax credits/legacy benefits to Universal Credit where earned income thresholds are less generous, 40% of tax credits only recipients in Renfrewshire choosing not to move initially onto Universal Credit as part of managed migration between July 2023 and December 2024 and therefore potentially losing eligibility to FSM/CGs, higher pay settlements as a consequence of inflationary pressures increasing wages, and/or parents taking on additional working hours to help alleviate cost of living pressures. There is a communications campaign currently being planned to launch in conjunction with the 2025/26 FSM/CG applications opening early June 2025, highlighting the amount of money that could be saved and encouraging an increase in take-up.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Fair Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Number of school visits undertaken to raise awareness of environmental action and the impact of anti-social behaviours. 155 100 14 15 15 15 Targets vary per quarter. A mix of secondary and primary schools have been visited, including 11 high school talks and two Primary school talks. There were two respect days at two high schools
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Green Action Due Status Progress update Review opportunities within the Council’s infrastructure pipeline projects to align with the skills transition and green skills development for local people 31 Mar 26 Renfrewshire LEP have approved funding for a net zero “retrofit” programme to support unemployed people being trained in this area for future job roles. The Economic Development Team work with local contractors to maximise community benefit opportunities in all contracts and are able to identify where local people can benefit. Deliver the AMIDS South Active Travel Links plan. 31 Mar 27 Farrans have been awarded the construction contract and works have now commenced on site.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Green Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Number of local businesses working with the Council to progress the Net Zero agenda 233 40 21 10 10 10 Staffing challenges have impacted capacity; however cover is now in place. Planned actions to increase engagement and progress the agenda include: • Introduction of new Case Studies • Development of a new messaging campaign - “Know it, Cut it, Win with it” and “Sustainability Powered Growth”. • Themed Workshops. Business networking events to connect businesses interested in embarking on a sustainability journey with those who are someway along to connect, share and learn. Number of local businesses securing Net Zero growth grants from Renfrewshire Council Business Grants 3 8 2 2 0 2 We continue to offer Carbon Baseline Assessments for SMEs. These assessments provide advice, data and technical information required for the grant application. Staffing challenges temporarily impacted capacity. However, cover is now in place to support the role, and we anticipate a steady improvement from enquiries into formal net zero grant applications.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Green Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Number of visits by Environmental Taskforce to flytipping hotspots 1,483 1,500 186 375 467 375 Patrols are undertaken to visit hotspot sites to monitor activity and where possible, secure evidence from on-site camera. Although flytipping occurs throughout the year, intelligence gathered reveals increased activity in the summer months, specifically in relation to heavier loads of driveway and commercial landscaping type waste. Cameras deployed in rural hotspot locations require frequent patrols to monitor activity and enable a quick response. Number of members of the Team Up to Clean Up Facebook Community 7,500 5,000 7,900 7,750 8,300 8,000 This years Spotless September saw 322 litterpicks take place, facilitated by 1,219 volunteers, many of these young volunteers, from schools and local Scout/Guide groups. In the last 60 days, the Facebook platform has continued to attract new members and remain active with 2,215 posts and comments. The Friends of Hawkhead group September clean-up reached over 27.5k people on social media.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Living Our Values Action Due Status Progress update Deliver the digital experience strategy to make it very easy for our local communities and employees to find and use the information they are looking for on Renfrewshire.gov.uk and the intranet and to help them successfully access online services. 31 Mar 27 The first phase of Renfrewshire.gov.uk was successfully launched in July 2025 with rewrites of content for the most used sections including bins and recycling, council tax, housing, benefits and money. We're now working on the design and procurement of a new intranet and developing a content governance model. This model will help us keep information structured, accurate and useful across all channels—including Renfrewshire.gov.uk, intranet, MyAccount, Millie and CSU scripts—for both people and any future AI tools. Continue to lead Best Value activity, including the delivery of the Corporate Improvement Plan. 31 Mar 27 Following the publication of the Controller of Audit’s Best Value Report, the ‘areas of focus’ identified by the Accounts Commission have been added to the Corporate Improvement Plan. These were detailed in a report to Council on 26 June 2025. A progress report was taken to the Leadership Board in September and work continues across all elements of the improvement agenda, continuing to represent a key focus for the CE’s service in the coming year. Developing a corporate data and analytics team model which supports the aspirations of the Council to be a data driven organisation 31 Aug 26 Work on the review continues alongside increasing demands for business-as-usual data support for the organisation. Following the renewal of our contract with our GIS, work is currently ongoing to map out and support a ‘GIS modernisation’ phase of the review, moving to more cloud-based services, with consultancy support within the contract being allocated to key tasks and development/skills transfer. Colleagues in the PMU are supporting the development of a service catalogue. A stakeholder engagement plan has been developed. A proposal to establish a technical sub-group of the Data Advisory Group has will be taken to the next DAG meeting in November. This technical subgroup will be a key stakeholder group for this activity. The timescale for this action has been changed to summer 2026.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Living Our Values Action Due Status Progress update Implement a new Performance group to enhance senior officer scrutiny of council- wide performance 31 Mar 26 The Performance group is now meeting every four weeks, with three initial deep dives taken to the group – planning and building standards; absence; and complaints and enquiries. A range of workstreams now being progressed as a result of these deep dives and are reporting back to the group regularly. Continuing to develop our service models which deliver the Council’s priorities and support its financial sustainability and transformation 31 Mar 27 The service continues to support the Council’s financial sustainability programme and has delivered required efficiency savings as reported to Council. Officers within the service are also leading or supporting significant programmes of transformation including the Connected Communities programme and the review of services commissioned from One Ren. Develop opportunities for cross-service networking and collaboration 31 Mar 26 The work to establish cross-service strategic groups, such as the Performance and Consultation and Engagement groups is directly supporting this action. Alongside this, thematic groups are being established as part of the Connected Communities model which will further enhance cross-service networking and collaboration. Marketing and Policy have collaborated on Resident Research project and will continue to work together for the next phase of publishing the results and developing long-term actions in line with the Engagement and Consultation policy. Deliver service-specific activity to support employee mental health and wellbeing and reflect the findings from the Cultural Assurance Model and employee engagement survey 31 Mar 26 Within the Policy team, all colleagues have recently completed PDPs which has included a specific discussion about raising any concerns, in line with the Cultural Assurance Model actions. Discussions have also taken place at CE SMTs to explore opportunities to support colleague wellbeing and a short-term working group is being established to progress this.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Living Our Values Action Due Status Progress update Implement the new Consultation and Engagement Strategy 31 Mar 27 The new Senior Policy Officer to lead work on the consultation and engagement strategy has now started with the Council, has been developing a toolkit to accompany the new policy and checklist and governance to support this workstream is being developed. An update on consultation and engagement will be reported to Leadership Board in December as part of the Council Plan 6 monthly update. Colleagues in Marketing and Comms and Policy and Insight have continued to collaborate on the resident survey and subsequent focus groups, again a report on this will be presented to Leadership Board in December. Deliver the Internal Communications and Engagement Strategy 2023-27 to support enhanced employee communication to deliver our organisational priorities 31 Mar 27 Work continues on developing a new Managers channel which will launch in the autumn. Our RenTalks MS Teams channel this quarter attracted a total of 1013 attendees to popular sessions on Strathclyde Pension Fund and Local Government Employee Terms and Conditions, again with excellent feedback. Regular staff news and recognition stories were published linking to corporate and service priorities - such as purchase to pay, information classification, sustainability and our new renfrewshire.gov.uk website; survey feedback, insights and actions; leadership blogs; industry awards; financial wellbeing; learning and development opportunities; and carer and menopause support. Deliver the Marketing and Communications Strategy (2024-27) to inform all council stakeholders of our services and our work to make Renfrewshire a better place to live, work, learn 31 Mar 27 The focus of the marketing and communications strategy has been the following: -Promotion of the Food & Drink Festival and start of the summer events programme with integrated marketing and communications support. A total of 8.5m opportunities to see and hear were delivered through the paid-for marketing events in Q2. -Promotion and delivery of the fieldwork for the Resident survey -Brand development workshops delivered with tourism industry and key stakeholders for Visit Renfrewshire -Promotion of our parks and opens spaces. -Forward planning for Autumn Winter 2025 campaigns including back to school information for parents around school meal provision and road safety, Ready for Winter, Dog Fouling, Autumn Winter events programme.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Living Our Values Action Due Status Progress update Align service data activities with the Digital Strategy objective “Data is a critical asset” and ensure visibility of data activities at Directorate SMT. 31 Aug 26 This is a key element of the data review and is currently being explored. GIS data is covered in the service’s Business Continuity Planning in recognition of it being a critical asset for the organisation. The timescale for this action has been changed to summer 2026 to align with the data review change of timescale. Identify data skills gaps, e.g. data input, data analysis and address in alignment with the People Strategy and aligned to the CE service’s data review. 31 Mar 26 Work continues as part of the data review to ensure job outlines and person specs are updated to best reflect the key skills required to deliver an effective data service. The initial focus is on currently vacant posts and the first post is progressing through a job evaluation process. To upskill current officers, a data masterclass was delivered as part of this year’s Policy Masterclass Programme in the Policy and Partnerships division. Data skills and utilising the suite of existing training was also a key feature of PDPs across Policy and Partnerships. Ensure data owners are aware of responsibilities. 31 Mar 26 All colleagues are encouraged to complete the data iLearn course as part of the PDP process. As noted above, a data masterclass was delivered as part of this year’s Policy Masterclass Programme in the Policy and Partnerships division. The timescale for this action has been changed to 31 March 2026 to ensure this is covered in a full cycle of PDPs. Review data quality in key line of business systems and develop improvement plan in alignment with organisational priorities. 31 Mar 26 For GIS, as part of our migration to more cloud-based services and reducing our on-premise servers, a significant data cleansing exercise is being undertaken to ensure only accurate, relevant and necessary data is migrated.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Living Our Values Action Due Status Progress update Further define data analysis requirements to improve decision- making and support capabilities locally within services where required, aligned with the service’s data review. 31 Mar 26 This is also a key element of the data review and currently being explored, including opportunities around existing AI capabilities e.g. Copilot and within our GIS system and as part of the recent ICS.AI workshops.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Living Our Values Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target % of investigation complaints responded to within timescales agreed with customer (Chief Executive’s) 100% 85% 100% 85% 100% 85% In Q2, the Chief Executive's Service received 1 investigation complaint which was completed within timescale. % of frontline resolution complaints responded to within timescales agreed with customer (Chief Executive’s) 66.3% 85% 91.6% 85% 87% 85% In Q2, Chief Execs Service received 15 Frontline complaints of which 13 were completed within timescale. Target has been achieved for this quarter. Average number of work days lost through sickness absence per employee (Chief Executive's) (FTE) 6.5 6.5 1.06 1.3 2.17 1.2 An increase in this reporting period, impacted by an increase in psychological, stomach and bowel disorders, and respiratory cases. % of FOI requests in a quarter completed within timescale in the Chief Executive's Department 95% 100% 100% 100% 93% 85% During Quarter 2, CEx received 57 single service FOIs of which 53 were completed within the statutory timescale. During the summer, availability of colleagues who can provide input into requests tends to be impacted and this may have a knock-on effect to our ability to progress requests within the statutory timescale.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Living Our Values Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2024/25 Q1 2025/26 Q2 2025/26 Explanation of performance Value Targ et Value Target Value Target Number of people engaging with the Council’s digital channels (not including website). Establishing new baseline 76,107 65,000 77,851 Establishing new baseline 78,924 Establishing new baseline Followers on all our channels continue to rise consistently. Our council WhatsApp channel launched in May now has more than 5,000 followers. Opportunities to see or hear something (OTSH) positive about Renfrewshire Council and Place activity in local, regional and national media NEW FOR 2025/26 NEW FOR 2025/26 64,810,224 62,500,000 53,194,695 62,500,000 54% of coverage in Q2 was positive. Highlights include coverage of the summer events programme, positive inspection results for schools and nurseries, exam results and city deal investments. Percentage of new CE staff completing corporate induction within 30 days of start date NEW FOR 2025/26 NEW FOR 2025/26 Not measured for quarters This is a new annual indicator and data will be available at year end 2025/26. Percentage of CE staff who have completed all mandatory training NEW FOR 2025/26 NEW FOR 2025/26 Not measured for quarters This is a new annual indicator and data will be available at year end 2025/26. Percentage of CE staff who have completed a Personal Development Plan within the last year NEW FOR 2025/26 NEW FOR 2025/26 Not measured for quarters This is a new annual indicator and data will be available at year end 2025/26.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Plan – Improving Outcomes for Children and Families Action Due Status Progress update Contribute to the Council’s commitment to The Promise for all care experienced people 31 Mar 27 Officers from Policy and Partnerships are supporting the Promise Keepers Conference in December and are members of the ‘Supporting the Workforce Working Group’. Funding received from the CORRA Foundation allowed Youth Services to develop a full summer programme for care experienced young people, young carers and their peers aged 12-17. This year’s programme involved a range of youth work opportunities including youth clubs, trips and new experiences. The programme was co-designed with the Promise Champs who shaped the schedule, selected the venue for the residential and identified new experiences available over the 6 weeks the programme ran. The young people also designed the temporary look of their central youth space transforming it into a vibrant, welcoming environment and safe space for young people. Youthyfest took place on the 6th August and was attended by 189 children, young people, carers and their friends and family. The youth led festival was inspired by Youth Beatz held yearly in Dumfries and focused on inclusion, accessibility and youth empowerment. The Promise Champs created an event that was safe, vibrant, and aligned with the core values of The Promise—ensuring that all young people felt Loved, Safe, and Respected. The Promise Champs led every stage of the festival’s development from branding to logistics to developing skills in project management, communication, and collaboration. Young people felt listened to, valued, and empowered, boosting their self-esteem and sense of purpose. The festival removed common barriers to participation including cost, travel and no one able to support them in attending other events. Feedback on the event was very positive.
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Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Chief Executive’s Service Service Improvement Plan 2025 - 28 Mid-Year Report November 2025 For more information, please contact: policycefar@renfrewshire.gov.uk