Minutes of meeting
Renfrewshire Council · 8 November 2023
Back to Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board — 8 November 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Minute of Meeting Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board Date Time Venue Wednesday, 08 November 2023 10:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Present: Councillor Jennifer Adam, Councillor Stephen Burns, Councillor Jacqueline Cameron, Councillor Michelle Campbell, Councillor Carolann Davidson, Councillor Audrey Doig, Councillor Chris Gilmour, Councillor John Gray, Councillor James MacLaren, Councillor Janis McDonald, Councillor Iain McMillan, Councillor John McNaughtan, Councillor Will Mylet, Councillor Iain Nicolson, Councillor Ben Smith Chair Councillor Campbell, Convener, presided. In Attendance G McNeil, Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure; A Morrison, Head of Economy & Development Services, C Henderson, Senior Planning & Policy Development Officer, and A Johnson, Principal Estates Surveyor (all Chief Executive’s); G Hutton, Head of Operations & Service Development, G Hannah, Head of Climate, Public Protection & Roads, N Drummond, Lead Officer (Environmental Co-ordination), L Rennie, Operations Manager, K Gray, Streetscene Manager, G Heaney, Climate and Public Protection Manager, M Higginbotham, Transportation & Development Manager, J Wallace, Infrastructure & Assets Manager, and S Heron, Assistant Transportation & Development Manager (all Environment, Housing & Infrastructure); and L Dickie, Finance Business Partner, and E Gray and R Devine, both Senior Committee Services Officers (all Finance & Resources). Webcasting of Meeting Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Board would be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast on the Council's internet site.
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Declarations of Interest Councillor Audrey Doig declared an interest in respect of Item 7 of the agenda - The Carrick Centre, Main Street, Houston - by reason of holding a position on the Board of Houston Old School Trust and indicated her intention to leave the meeting during consideration of this item and not take part in any discussion or voting thereon. Councillor Campbell declared an interest in respect of Item 9 of the agenda - Renunciation and New Lease at Erskine Community Sports Centre - by reason of holding the role of Chair of the Board of Erskine Arts and indicated her intention to leave the meeting during consideration of this item and not take part in any discussion or voting thereon. Transparency Statements There were no transparency statements intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting. 1 Community Asset Transfer Sub-committee There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Sub-committee held on 30 August 2023, a copy of which forms the Appendix to this Minute. DECIDED: That the Minute be approved. 2 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring as at 15 September 2023 There was submitted a joint Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring report by the Directors of Finance & Resources and Environment, Housing & Infrastructure as at 15 September 2023. The report stated that the projected revenue outturn as at 31 March 2024 for all services reporting to this Policy Board was an overspend position of £2.770 million against the revised budget for the year. The projected capital outturn as at 31 March 2024 for projects reporting to this Policy Board was a breakeven position against the revised budget for the year. Summaries were provided around the relevant services in the tables within the report, together with further analysis. It was noted that there had been revenue budget adjustments to the value of £0.841 million and capital budget adjustments to the value of £1.504 million since the last report, with summaries of these provided in sections 4 and 6 of the report. DECIDED: (a) That the projected Revenue outturn position, as detailed in Table 1 in the report, be noted;
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(b) That the projected Capital outturn position, as detailed in Table 2 in the report, be noted; and (c) That the Revenue and Capital budget adjustments, as detailed in sections 4 and 6 of the report, be noted. 3 Service Update Report There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to key service activities. The report provided updates since the previous meeting of this Policy Board held on 30 August 2023 in respect of key areas delivered by services within Environment, Housing & Infrastructure, which were within the remit of this Policy Board, including fleets, roads and transportation; parks investment; Streetscene; climate change; Team Up to Clean Up; waste and recycling services; and cemeteries. DECIDED: That the service updates detailed within the report be approved. 4 Environment, Housing and Infrastructure - Service Improvement Plan 2023/26 Mid-Year Monitoring Report There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the performance and achievements of the service during the period 1 April to 30 September 2023. The report stated that the Service Improvement Plan 2023/26 for the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Service, approved at the meeting of this Policy Board held on 24 May 2023, set out the priorities for the development of the service over a three year period, the actions which would ensure continuous improvement across the service and the performance indicators which ensured the impacts could be measured. The report provided details of the key achievements of the Service during the period; a progress update on implementing the action plan linked to the Service Improvement Plan; an assessment of performance in relation to the service scorecard of core performance indicators; and an overview of priorities for the service over the next six months. The report also indicated that the Service had made good progress in delivering positive outcomes for Renfrewshire and its residents. This included through the actions within the Service Improvement Plan and additional areas of priority/focus which had subsequently arisen over the first six months of 2023/24. It was highlighted that to complement the six-monthly update on the Service Improvement Plan, a Service Update report would be submitted to each meeting of this Policy Board providing an overview of key service activities, an operational performance update on the services and key projects and updates on any other relevant changes to service areas covered within the remit of this Policy Board. DECIDED: (a) That the contents of the report be noted;
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(b) That the progress to date on delivering the actions contained within the Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Services - Service Improvement Plan be noted; and (c) That the current performance of the service as measured by the scorecard indicators be noted. 5 Renfrewshire Council (Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting and Loading and Parking Places) (Consolidation) Order 202*. (Ref TRO 1000), Sustained Objections There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the proposed making of a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO). A background was provided to the proposed TRO which would allow the Council to align all existing Traffic Regulation Orders within Renfrewshire, containing waiting and loading restrictions that are marked on-street, into a single digital format to modernise and increase the efficiency of Traffic Management within the service. A public consultation had taken place between 6 September and 4 October 2023 with no objections being submitted. The report set out the procedure to be followed in terms of making a TRO in-line with the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Council’s Scheme of Delegation Functions and advised that authority was delegated to the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure after consultation with the Convener of this Policy Board and the local Elected Members to make such an order. However, given the significance of the TRO in providing a baseline position from which all future amendment orders would be measured, it was considered appropriate that the Policy Board note the order was being made. DECIDED: That the making of Traffic Regulation Order (Renfrewshire Council (Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting and Loading and Parking Places) (Consolidation) Order 202*)) by the Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure under delegated authority be noted. 6 Renfrewshire’s Car Parking Strategy 2023 - 2028 There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to the management of car parking across Renfrewshire. The proposed strategy was set out as an appendix to the report. The report provided a background to the Council's approach to the management of car parking arrangements since 2010, when parking was decriminalised, which had largely centred around the control of parking in and around Paisley Town Centre, with some limited enforcement in the towns of Renfrew and Johnstone. The purpose of the new Car Parking Strategy was to manage the supply and demand for parking, support economic regeneration and to align with the aspirations for meeting the Council's climate change targets ahead of 2030 and aimed to ensure town centres were vibrant, accessible and supported businesses with a modernised approach to parking which included providing a free period of parking both on and off street in Paisley town centre.
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The report highlighted that the Council’s parking service currently did not cover its costs and as such the Council had to use reserves on an annual basis to address the shortfall. The new strategy sought to address this together with the approach taken to enforcing parking restrictions. Detail was provided on the proposed changes to parking fines, the phased approach to implementation, and the engagement which would take place with local residents, businesses and elected members. Councillor Campbell, seconded by Councillor Burns, moved that: (a) The need for a modernised approach to car parking management be noted; (b) The Parking Strategy, set out as Appendix 1 of the report, be approved; (c) The new approach to parking restrictions and charges, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved to come into effect from 5 February 2024; and (d) The proposals to increase parking enforcement fine tariffs, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved. Councillor Gilmour, seconded by Councillor Davidson, moved as an amendment that: “The Infrastructure, Land and Environmental Policy Board (ILE) rejects Agenda Item 6: Renfrewshire’s Car Parking Strategy 2023-2028 in its current form. The ILE Board instructs officers to conduct a comprehensive consultation process with the businesses and citizens of Renfrewshire who might be affected by this strategy over the period 2023-2028. Additionally officers will conduct Economic, Equalities and behavioural modelling to assess the impact of these proposed changes to our parking charges and penalties. A full and detailed report will then be presented to the board for its scrutiny to allow implementation of the new policy no earlier than November 2024.” On the roll being called, the following members voted for the amendment: Councillors Davidson, Gilmour, Gray, J MacLaren, McDonald, McMillan and Smith. The following members voted for the motion: Councillors Adam, Burns, J Cameron, Campbell, Audrey Doig, McNaughtan, Mylet and Nicolson. 7 members having voted for the amendment and 8 members having voted for the motion, the motion was accordingly declared carried. DECIDED: (a) That the need for a modernised approach to car parking management be noted; (b) That the Parking Strategy, set out as Appendix 1 of the report, be approved;
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(c) That the new approach to parking restrictions and charges, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved to come into effect from 5 February 2024; and (d) That the proposals to increase parking enforcement fine tariffs, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved. Sederunt Councillor Audrey Doig, having previously declared an interest in the following item of business, left the meeting and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon. 7 The Carrick Centre, Main Street, Houston There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to a lease renewal at the Carrick Centre, Main Street, Houston. The site was identified in a plan attached as an appendix to the report. The report intimated that the current lease holder, Houston Old School Trust (HOST), had been in place since 1993 and that the original 20-year lease, at a rent of £1 per annum (if asked), had expired and occupation had continued on a year-to-year basis. It was noted that HOST had undertaken significant investment in maintaining the building during their tenancy and sought a lease renewal for a period of 25 years to provide greater security to themselves and potential investors. The report recommended that a lease renewal on largely similar terms, subject to any amendments considered necessary by the Head of Corporate Governance to update the agreement to reflect a modern style of lease, for a period of 25 years be granted. DECIDED: That the lease renewal at the Carrick Centre, Main Street, Houston be approved. Sederunt Councillor Audrey Doig rejoined the meeting. 8 Robertson Centre, 16 Glasgow Road, Paisley There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to a lease renewal at the Robertson Centre, 16 Glasgow Road, Paisley. The site was identified in a plan attached as an appendix to the report. The report intimated that the current lease holder, the Renfrewshire Valuation Joint Board had been in place since 2011 and that their lease was due to terminate in March 2024. Approval was granted at the meeting of this Policy Board held on 29 May 2023 for the building to be declared surplus and marketed for sale.
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The RVJB sought a one-year extension to their current lease to allow further time to identify a suitable location to relocate to and to minimise disruption to any preparatory work for the next UK Parliamentary Election. It was noted that work to market the Robertson Centre for sale would continue during this extended period with the aim of agreeing a sale to coincide with the extended lease end date of March 2025. DECIDED: That the existing lease of the Robertson Centre, 16 Glasgow Road, Paisley, held by the Renfrewshire Valuation Joint Board, be extended on the same terms for one year until 31 March 2025. Sederunt Councillor Campbell, having previously declared an interest in the following item of business, left the meeting and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon. Chair Councillor Campbell vacated the Chair. Councillor Burns, Depute Convener, assumed the Chair. 9 Renunciation and New Lease at Erskine Community Sports Centre There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the lease of the upper floor of the Erskine Community Sports Centre. The site was identified in a plan attached as an appendix to the report. The report intimated that the current lease holder OneRen (formally Renfrewshire Leisure) had been in place since 2003 on a 50-year lease and that Erskine Arts, a cultural charity previously based in Bargarran Community Education Centre, had been hiring space in the centre since 2021 and were seeking a more permanent home. Erskine Arts had a Scottish Government grant approved subject to them finding suitable premises and sought to lease the entire upper floor of the sports centre. The proposed lease was for a period of three years at a concessionary rent of £1 for the first year. A further concessionary period up to a maximum of two years would be permitted if a validated Community Asset Transfer (CAT) application had been made within six months of the date of entry. An appropriate rent would be negotiated with Erskine Arts should they choose not to pursue a CAT application, or if the application was refused. The proposed terms and conditions for the lease were set out in full in the report. It was noted that an update report would be submitted to this Policy Board six months after the date of entry to highlight progress to members and to outline Erskine Art’s view on a CAT application at that time. DECIDED: (a) That the acceptance of the partial renunciation of the lease of Erskine Sports Centre by OneRen, in so far as the lease related to the first or upper floor, be approved;
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(b) That a new lease to Erskine Arts, on the terms and conditions contained in the report, be approved; and (c) That the Head of Economy & Development and the Head of Corporate Governance be authorised to conclude the lease with Erskine Arts, on the Council’s standard Full Repairing & Insuring lease and on such other terms as required to protect the Council’s interest. Valedictory The Depute Convener advised that this was the last meeting of the Policy Board that Ken Gray, Streetscene Manager, would attend before his retirement. The Depute Convener took the opportunity to wish him all the best for the future and to thank him for his years of service to the Council, making reference to the help, support and advice he had provided. Other elected members took the opportunity to echo the sentiments expressed by the Depute Convener.