Reshaping Renfrewshire - Transformation and Change Programme - Update Report
Renfrewshire Council · 16 September 2026
Back to Leadership Board — 16 September 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 16 September 2026 _________________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive and Director of Finance & Resources _________________________________________________________________________ Heading: Reshaping Renfrewshire –Transformation and Change Programme – Update Report _________________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 In February 2026, a report was presented to the Leadership Board providing an update on progress of Renfrewshire Council’s transformation programme, named Reshaping Renfrewshire. Given the scale of the programme, updates centre primarily on areas with relevant and substantive progress. 1.2 Similar to previous phases of transformation, Reshaping Renfrewshire continues to have a focus on the development and modernisation of the organisation, but is also strongly aligned to the Council’s strategic priorities. 1.3 Reshaping Renfrewshire continues to support the financial planning objective to deliver recurring financial savings and or generation of additional income to secure longer-term financial sustainability; harnessing the rapidly changing advancements in digital technology to transform how we deliver services in the future; building upon key strategic partnerships and relationships, collaborating to deliver better outcomes for communities; and continuing to shift the focus of our service provision to prevention to help reduce future need and cost. 1.4 As outlined in the 2026/27 Revenue Estimates report presented to the Council in February, the transformation programme along with more traditional service- based savings workstreams (many of which will be supported by transformational activity) continue to provide the key routes to support the Council’s drive toward longer-term financial sustainability. 1.5 This report provides updates for members as to the wide range of projects which are in progress and which will support delivery of key Council priorities. ___________________________________________________________________
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PUBLIC 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: • Note the update provided in the report on the progress of key areas within Reshaping Renfrewshire. • Note that regular reports will continue to be brought to the Board at appropriate key junctures as the overall programme is progressed. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 Reshaping Renfrewshire is the fifth phase of the Council’s ongoing strategic commitment to transformation, which has been focused on ensuring a financially sustainable long-term future, whilst improving outcomes for communities. 3.2 As summarised above, Reshaping Renfrewshire is strongly aligned to the Council’s wider strategic plan and objectives with a strengthened outward focus supporting the development and delivery of key strategies that will: - • reshape how we use council assets, reimagining the role they serve within our communities. • drive long term economic growth and address the climate transition journey. • develop our strategic partnerships (including with our communities) to support delivery of shared goals; and • secure a digital agenda that drives the delivery of large-scale savings whilst also transforming how we work, how we use data to inform our decisions, and improve our service delivery to, and choice for our citizens. 3.3 As previously reported, in addition to providing regular updates to Leadership Board, and alongside existing governance arrangements across strategic programmes, a Transformation Board (officer group) has been established to provide strategic oversight of the Reshaping Renfrewshire programme. Chaired by the Director of Finance and Resources, this group has a membership of senior officers across the Council and reviews the progress of all major projects and programmes across the organisation, explores and manage interdependencies, shares learning and supports the management and prioritisation of resources across the programme. 3.4 The Transformation Board is utilising well-established six stage Gateway Review Process for monitoring and managing delivery of all key transformation projects. The Gateway review process summarised in the table below provides a structured approach to manage projects from inception through to completion and ultimately delivery of benefits – both financial and non-financial benefits.
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PUBLIC 3.5 In addition to projects presenting at Transformation Board at these key stage gates, some projects are utilising the opportunity to present Interim Updates (attending the Transformation Board part way through a stage), to get the benefit of regular review, collaboration, and support and advice from the board members. This is especially useful for major projects where the Delivery stage may take many months, as it allows regular visibility at board level of the projects as they deliver, and allows the projects to seek advice, support and guidance mid-stage when addressing particularly challenging elements of project delivery. In addition to major corporate level projects attending Transformation Board, we are seeing a growing interest in Service-Lead projects seeking the opportunity of review at Transformation Board, utilising the collaborative support that the board brings. Furthermore, projects are engaging earlier and more regularly with key specialists across the council, ahead of attending the Transformation Board, providing earlier and greater opportunities for identifying opportunities, resolving challenges and bringing the right skills at the right time to projects. 4. Digital Programme Update 4.1 Technology has evolved significantly in recent years and continues to advance at pace. To ensure we capitalise on emerging opportunities and remain aligned with best practice, we are delivering a broad programme of digitally enabled transformation initiatives in line with the Digital Strategy approved in April 2025. These initiatives are designed to support the continued delivery of efficient and effective services, drive value for money and financial efficiencies, enhance the customer experience, and future-proof our services. The following section provides an update on a number of key programmes, including the AI Programme, Smart Social Housing, and the Digital Experience Programme.
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PUBLIC 4.2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Overview 4.2.1 As part of the Council’s Digital Strategy, approved in April 2025, there is an action to leverage advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technologies to deliver value across all facets of Council operations and ensure sustainable growth for the future. 4.2.2 The Council carried out an AI Transformation Assessment in consultation with a wide range of employees from across all Council services to understand and identify how a range of AI solutions can improve services, enhance efficiency and reduce costs. In April 2026, the Leadership Board approved a 3-year AI Transformation Programme across all Council areas. 4.2.3 Therefore, the Council has a new requirement to appoint a supplier who will work with the Council to provide the following- • AI software licensing and maintenance; • Business change consultancy services to encourage AI adoption across the Council; and • Implementation consultancy to implement AI software across Council services. 4.2.4 At the time of writing this report, the Council is concluding the appointment of a supplier to support the Council’s AI Transformation Programme. 4.2.5 Regular updates on the AI Transformation Programme will be brought to this Board at key points throughout the programme. A six-monthly ‘AI Transparency Report’ will also be presented to this Board starting in September 2026 outlining the AI tools used by the Council, the purpose, and function of each system, any data-protection or equality assessments undertaken, changes since the previous report, and any identified risks, mitigations or recommendations for future deployment. 4.3 Digital Experience Programme 4.3.1 Updated and enhanced council and HSCP website and intranet content for the public and employees are pre-requisites for the AI Transformation Programme. To address this urgent requirement, arrangements between the content team and Digital First have been put in place to complete the migration and update of all remaining content to the new council website in the next 3 months. The intranet will also see significant improvements, with priority content being rewritten and moved to enhance internal communications and resources.
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PUBLIC 4.3.2 Lists of existing website and intranet pages have been distributed to directorates to identify key content owners. MS Copilot is being used to assist in redrafting existing web pages in line with required standards, with the content team undertaking final edits, content design and publication. Appropriate operational officers are validating content before and after the AI re-write. Where appropriate, old and out of date pages will not be migrated to the new platform. 4.4 Smart Social Housing Update 4.4.1 Renfrewshire Council own and maintain circa 12,000 social housing properties, managing planned and reactive maintenance budgets, as well as investment programmes that seek to improve our housing stock and meet Scottish Government standards, such as the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS), the upcoming Social Housing Net Zero Standard in Scotland (SHNZS) and compliance with all regulatory standards, including the introduction of Awaab’s Law from October 2026. 4.4.2 Since 2020, the Council have been monitoring the internal conditions of their housing stock through the installation of Indoor Environmental Sensors, specifically those which collect indoor temperatures, relative humidity and CO2. To date, around 1,200 homes have been installed with environmental sensors which are being actively monitored. 4.4.3 The Council own a private Long-Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) which provides connectivity across Renfrewshire via a series of gateways installed in multi-story blocks and other Council owned buildings. This network is operated and maintained by the current contractor who provides an end-to-end service to the Council. The majority of the properties where Environmental Sensors have been installed are connected via this LoRaWAN network. The remainder of the Environmental Sensors are connected via Low Power Narrow Band IoT (NB-IoT) solution. 4.4.4 As previously reported to the Leadership Board, the Smart Social Housing (SSH) project set out an ambition to develop a business case opportunity to secure the deployment of market leading fibre broadband connectivity and smart sensor assets into the Council’s social housing units at no cost to the tenant. The underlying financial premise on which the business case has been developed is delivering investment that secures broadband connectivity and environment sensors at-scale into 10,000 social homes. However, after detailed scrutiny, the business case has failed to demonstrate value for money, with significant up front and ongoing costs outweighing the potential benefits. 4.4.5 Whilst the ambition of fibre broadband connectivity set out in the report to the Leadership Board will no longer be pursued, the installation of environmental sensors in our housing stock remains a key investment priority for Housing Services, with financial resources already built into the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan for sensor deployment.
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PUBLIC 4.4.6 Housing Services will undertake a programme of sensor deployment across all housing stock, to monitor the internal environmental conditions within each property and gather the associated data from the environmental sensors. The data collected will primarily be used to ensure the internal environmental conditions within the housing stock do not promote and accelerate damp and mould growth and other related conditions, as well as informing future maintenance and investment programmes. 4.4.7 The data insights will be embedded into business processes, supporting proactive maintenance, tenancy sustainment, energy efficiency and improved customer outcomes. 4.4.8 The Head of Housing Services will provide regular updates to the Communities and Housing Policy Board as this initiative is developed, with updates also provided to the Leadership Board as part of the Council’s transformation programme. 4.5 Housing Innovations Project 4.5.1 The Housing Innovations Project (HIP) is a two-phase implementation with Phase 1 being transition from OHMS, a twenty-year-old housing management on-premise system, to NEC Housing as a cloud-based service. Phase 1 focuses on housing management and creating a streamlined, integrated and scalable management system harnessing modern technology to provide a better user experience and ultimately benefiting our tenants by providing a more streamlined, aligned service. 4.5.2 Since contract signing with NEC and kick off in January 2025, the project team has conducted over 70 solution design and configuration sessions across rents, allocations, estates, anti-social behaviour, customer services, servicing and interfaces and integrations with finance, GIS and document management. The team have also embedded a benefits realisation approach, completed test cycle 1 and developed a training programme for end users. Phase 1 of the project continues to progress and has just entered its second test cycle. A nine week training programme begins in August. The anticipated go live for Phase 1 remains Q3 2026. 4.5.3 January 2026 saw the commencement of Phase 2 activities, including solution design and configuration sessions for the areas not in scopes for phase 1 which include repairs, assets and cycling maintenance, servicing, homelessness, CRM and housing online services and dashboards. Phase 2 is gathering momentum with design workshops underway across both repairs and asset workstreams.
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PUBLIC 4.6 P2P 4.6.1 The Procure to Pay (P2P) service, comprising the new operating model and Business World Procurement Module, has now been successfully embedded for eight months. The phased withdrawal of PECOS continues, with the system being decommissioned for standard users in June 2026. 4.6.2 Key achievements: • The No Purchase Order, No Pay policy is successfully implemented ensuring that all expenditure is reviewed and approved by budget holders prior to commitment. • A significant reduction in manual intervention within invoice processing has been achieved, with automation continuing to drive efficiencies. • Enhanced controls and improved data quality are supporting efficiencies and decision-making within services • Compliance with mandatory training has been strong, supported by ongoing engagement with the CPU drop-in sessions and support arrangements. 4.6.3 While the detailed scope of Phase 2 of the programme is still being developed, it will focus on maximising the use and accessibility of management information and reporting, reviewing and enhancing Purchasing Card processes, and supporting the alignment of other purchasing systems to the new P2P operating model. 5. Connected Communities 5.1 Officers are continuing to progress the Connected Communities Programme – a 3–5-year programme of change which will seek to strengthen relationships between the Council and communities, ensuring that we work as closely together as possible to make the most of the resources we have in Renfrewshire. 5.2 There are several key areas of focus that have been identified for initial progression, as these are seen as being key enablers to unlock potentially much more significant improvements in outcomes. 5 initial workstreams have been established and these are exploring how we can build on what we are already doing to enhance community capacity and investment, how we use voice and influence, how we work with communities in relation to their “place”, and how we work with citizens individually or as families when they contact the Council, particularly for advice and support. 5.3 Progress since the last update is provided as follows:
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PUBLIC Community investment 5.3.1 This workstream is looking at how the Council supports the development of community capacity across Renfrewshire. It will look at the funding we provide to local groups and organisations and what support is needed going forward for local groups and organisations that are contributing to a range of local outcomes across the area – including many early intervention type supports which may prevent citizens and families from requiring formal support from statutory services. 5.3.2 A key initial activity has been to review the processes by which grants are managed within the Council, with a specific focus on grants management and co-ordination lead by the Policy and Partnerships team, with hundreds of grants being co-ordinated every year to local groups and organisations. We are working to develop new processes, including a grants management system to support co-ordination and monitoring. Work is also underway to review the conditions of grants which require to be met in relation to all grant funding awards, in order to ensure these reflect the current grants landscape. Guidance and policy developments in this area will also be progressed by the Policy and Partnerships, with a temporary postholder being recruited to support the implementation. Place based approaches 5.3.3 This workstream is exploring how we work with communities in relation to their place. This might relate to how we engage with communities about developments in their communities, or how we think across services about the activities we are all undertaking across Renfrewshire or within specific communities. We are currently exploring potential opportunities to test new approaches linked to some of the wider review programmes being progressed by the Council, such as the review of services commissioned by OneRen, and considering whether there are opportunities to work even more closely together in local spaces. For example, Community Learning and Development with library provision. Voice and Influence 5.3.4 Services across the Council have been working to strengthen the way in which engagement and consultation is undertaken. The Consultation and Engagement Policy approved in 2024 provides a strong foundation for this, with a range of different examples recognised nationally through awards or at a local level by our external auditors. It is important to note that strengthening voice and influence is an important enabler of Connected Communities. 5.3.5 A key recent development is the Your Voice Matters programme – a new programme of engagement we have launched with partners to shape Renfrewshire’s future priorities for the next 5 to 10 years, with the feedback we get being used to inform the development of a new Council Plan, a Community Plan and Strategic Plan for Renfrewshire Integration Joint Board.
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PUBLIC Over the summer, we have been having conversations with residents from across Renfrewshire as part of our Your Voice Matters engagement programme and will continue this engagement to the end of this year. Every Conversation Matters 5.3.6 As mentioned above the foundation of the Connected Communities programme is stronger relationships between the Council, communities and citizens. A key enabler of this approach is our Every Conversation Matters programme which is focused on making sure that every human to human interaction with the Council provides as an opportunity to deliver meaningful, joined-up support - going beyond individual tasks to best meet the needs of our residents. 5.3.7 Work is progressing on a campaign across our workforce which will reinforce the Council’s commitment to our values and a ‘One Council’ approach - this means working together across the organisation, so our residents have a seamless experience regardless of how they contact the Council. To deliver this, we will roll-out training and development opportunities which will support our people to continue to deliver people-centred services and work closely across services. This will include aspects such as developing knowledge and practice in relation to trauma and reducing stigma in our response to any interaction we have. A timeline for this programme is being developed and elected members will receive future updates as this is implemented. Early engagement with trade unions has also been undertaken, with much more extensive engagement across the workforce planned. Early Help and Support 5.3.8 With a focus on early intervention and prevention we will work with partners to ensure local people can access advice and support that meets their needs. Initial work within the workstream has focused on understanding how citizens contact the Council and what support is available, and to map out the customer journeys that they may have to access this support. 5.3.9 This is a very exciting and important workstream within the programme, with opportunities to build on this work to consider how more person centred and holistic forms of support might be offered in the future. 6. Consultation and Engagement 6.1 The introduction of a Resident Survey in 2025 supported a pilot approach as part of the Council’s commitment to self-assessment and improving our dialogue with our residents and communities and was carried out to inform the council’s approach to financial sustainability and budget decisions. The purpose of the resident research exercise was to: • measure perceptions of and satisfaction with Council services • inform planning and decision-making in relation to budget decisions • benchmark against results from the Scottish Household Survey (2023) • access new information, ideas and suggestions
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PUBLIC • support the introduction of the new Consultation and Engagement Policy • build on the knowledge and insight gathered from existing consultation and engagement exercises 6.2 The survey findings and evaluation were presented to Leadership Board in December 2025 and are also available on the Council website. It is the intended the results of the survey will be used by the Council and community planning partners alongside other community and citizen engagement feedback and insight to inform future strategies and plans, including the development of budget proposals. 6.3 As a further piece of work, focus group research was conducted with equalities groups to augment the findings of the 2025 survey exercise and focus group research with sample populations of the Renfrewshire public. Specifically, focus groups were professionally facilitated with the council’s Lived Experience Panel, young people from Renfrewshire Youth Voice and clients of the Disability Resource Centre. 6.4 The equalities focus groups highlighted that while Renfrewshire is valued as a place, inequality, safety concerns, and a perceived lack of accessible spaces can significantly impact quality of life. Participants were clear that improving outcomes requires: • Safe and inclusive environments • Enhanced access to support • Genuine involvement in decision-making • A stronger focus on equity, co-design, and preventative support 6.5 The findings from the equalities focus groups are now integrated with the previously reported findings from the 2025 exercise to help inform the Corporate Improvement Plan and future strategies and plans. 6.6 Moving into a further phase of engagement, the Council recently launched Your Voice Matters engagement programme in partnership with Renfrewshire HSCP, which seeks to have valued conversations with our citizens about the things that matter to them most and their vision for a future Renfrewshire. While this has only recently launched at the end of June 2026, to date over 100 face to face conversations have already taken place with our citizens over the summer at local gala days and events, and these have been constructive, rich and insightful. There will be further themed conversations with a wide range of stakeholders and partners, including the Council’s workforce up to the end of this year. This engagement and the earlier Resident Research will shape our Council and Community Plans and will also be used by the Integrated Joint Board to inform their Strategic Plan. 6.7 These programmes sit alongside our established consultation and engagement through programmes such as You Decide, Tenants Decide and Celebrating Renfrewshire, and service-specific consultation, for example our Learning Estate programme.
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PUBLIC The Council’s consultation and engagement activity is coordinated via the Consultation and Engagement Advisory Group who have been developing a consultation calendar and a best practice toolkit to support officers undertaking consultation. 7. Place Based Programmes 7.1 Learning Estate Strategy 7.1.1 The Learning Estate Strategy report, submitted to the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board in August, detailed the progress of the ongoing Learning Estate Programme and highlighted key developments. 7.1.2 Delivery of the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus has been successfully completed on time and on budget through to formal closure of the project. 7.1.3 Park Mains High School is undergoing a major programme of construction works, including the development of two new teaching blocks within the school grounds to enhance learning and teaching facilities. In addition, a new car park has been created, along with significant alterations and an expansion of the bus drop-off and pick-up area, improving capacity, traffic flow, and access to the school site. 7.1.4 The construction works at Thistle Primary School are progressing well, with the building moving towards becoming fully wind and watertight. Installation of windows is ongoing, while brickwork and external cladding continue to advance across the site. In addition, work is now commencing on the construction of the full-size artificial sports pitch, marking another significant milestone in the development of the new school facilities. 7.1.5 A significant and comprehensive engagement process has been underway since May for the Johnstone learning estate, which has seen officers facilitate events for all school staff, parents/carers, pupils, and the local community. This has been supplemented with a survey offering the ability for anyone to provide their views. Officers have also been engaging internally with all Council services to understand operational views on any of the shortlisted options for Johnstone projects, which will be vital to understand any implications of shortlisted sites at this early stage. 7.1.6 The public engagement process for Trinity High School replacement will commence following agreement by the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board on site options. 7.1.7 Following the most recent detailed update in March 2026 on the progress of the Learning Estate Strategy, approval was subsequently granted by the Education & Children’s Services Policy Board to progress the Trinity High School, Johnstone High School and Johnstone Primary Schools projects to Full Business Case stage.
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PUBLIC Since then, work has continued to further develop and refine the emerging options for each project, supported by the procurement of key technical consultants to provide specialist input and appraisal. This work will inform the detailed assessment of options and ensure that robust evidence underpins the development of the Full Business Cases. The aim remains to identify and present a single preferred option for each project for approval in 2027. 7.1.8 To support the Scottish Government’s priorities for expanding funded Gaelic Medium Early Learning and Childcare (ELC), a recommended option for providing an Early Years Gaelic provision was presented to the August meeting of the Education & Children’s Services Policy Board. 7.2 Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme 7.2.1 The Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal programme has advanced into its fifth year of a ten-year plan where significant progress has been realised in several key areas that supports the enhancement of council stock, acquisition of key premises and demolition of empty properties to support wider transformation opportunities throughout Renfrewshire. 7.2.2 The scope, complexity and timescales for delivery of regeneration activity differ in each of the regeneration areas across the programme. Works continue in line with the phasing strategy developed to take account of delivery timescales, rehousing requirements, contractor availability, maximising grant support for owner participation and consideration of wider development constraints. 7.2.3 External improvement works is underway within several regeneration areas including the replacement of windows and doors, External Wall Insulation (EWI), rendering upgrades, roofing replacement and improvements and solar PV. The window and door replacement programme across regen areas continues to maintain consistent momentum with nearly 400 properties having received triple glazed windows. 7.2.3 Officers are working across Council services and with tenants, residents and local community groups to ensure the voice of each community is represented for each regeneration and renewal area. The approach continues to be tailored to the needs and circumstances of each area, going beyond housing and the immediate external environment, and taking account of broader issues such as links to health and wellbeing, access to outdoor space and sustainable travel and employment or training opportunities that maximise the benefits achievable for local residents. 7.3 Council New Build Housing Programme 7.3.1 The Council’s new build housing programme is progressing well, with developments on site at Gallowhill, Paisley and Howwood Road, Johnstone. The Howwood Road Area development is making steady progress with timber kits and roofing works almost complete.
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PUBLIC Construction of the newbuild homes at the Gallowhill development remain on programme with the majority of timber kits and facing brick finish now completed, giving an indication of how the site will look on completion. The first set of newbuild homes are programmed for handover towards the end of this year / early 2027. 7.4 Housing Asset and Investment Programme 7.4.1 Over the next five years the Council will invest £147M on improvements to council housing stock, including kitchen and bathroom refurbishments, rewiring, heating systems, windows, roofs, external insulation, and solar panels. 7.4.2 Investment in external work to buildings across Renfrewshire continues to focus on enhancing building performance through measures such as external wall insulation (EWI), roofing and rendering improvements, window and door replacements, and the installation of air source heating and solar PV. These works have supported compliance with the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) and the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS). 7.4.3 Investment in internal work to Renfrewshire’s housing stock includes the replacement of kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems and electrical rewiring where required. Kitchen, bathroom, heating replacements and rewires have been carried out by both Building Services and the Council’s appointed contractors. Key internal investment works undertaken during 2025/26 has included the completion of 293 properties across kitchen, bathroom and rewiring workstreams. New heating systems/boiler installs have been realised in 795 properties exceeded the target of 750 within the 2025/26 period. 7.4.4 Drilling of the borehole network and significant groundworks milestones were successfully achieved at the Gallowhill Ground Source site in May 2026. The next phase of works includes the riser installation which will carry the ground sourced heat into all 180 homes. Following this, each flat will have new heat pumps and radiators installed and the existing gas heating system removed, with the new system expected to be fully operational by early 2027. 8. Climate and Net Zero 8.1 Delivery of the Council’s approved 3-year programme of climate activity continues to progress, with a focus on transforming our approach to the provision of clean, renewable energy and sustainable travel in Renfrewshire. The Climate Action Plan set out key areas to be taken forward, centred around the 5 main themes within the Plan for Net Zero; Clean Energy, Sustainable Transport, Resilient Place, Circular Economy and Connected Communities. Since the previous update report to the board significant progress has been made across several projects.
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PUBLIC 8.2 Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) Renfrewshire Council has worked alongside technical consultants to develop Outline Business Cases (OBCs) for potential heat networks in central Paisley and an extension of the existing AMIDS network to Glasgow Airport. Both proposals directly support Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero, Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy and wider Scottish Government climate commitments, responding to the need for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from domestic and non-domestic buildings. Following completion of the OBC, the next stage would typically involve progression to detailed project development, including customer engagement, technical design refinement, commercial and funding development, and preparation of a Full Business Case. 8.3 Building Management Efficiency Improving efficiency across our buildings and utilities is key to reducing emissions and energy related costs. The Council continue to identify the most impactful measures in which to do so and has successfully upgraded Building Management Systems (BMS) across 26 buildings, with a further 17 planned this year. BMS allows temperature, air conditioning and ventilation to be monitored and controlled remotely. Additionally, the Council has been selected to take part in the Scottish Government-funded Energy Invest to Save programme. The 12-month programme commenced in July 2026 and aims to improve energy efficiency across local authority estates by installing low-cost Internet of Things (IOT) technology. This will produce actionable data to help optimise energy use across the selected properties, supporting national carbon reduction ambitions and contributing to best practice in public sector sustainability. The properties selected were Renfrewshire House, Underwood Road Depot, Lagoon Leisure Centre, Johnstone Community Sports Hub and Erskine Swimming Pool. 8.4 Sustainable Infrastructure Sustainability continues to be a key consideration within major infrastructure programmes of work. This includes Housing Regeneration, the development of our Learning Estate and the decarbonisation of our public buildings. The new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus has been built in line with Passivhaus standard accreditation and has been designed to minimise energy use throughout with low carbon heating systems and to meet net zero standards. The decarbonisation of Council buildings is essential to achieving both local and national net zero objectives by 2045.
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PUBLIC However, this remains one of the most significant challenges facing the Council due to the scale of the estate, the age and complexity of many assets, reliance on fossil fuel heating systems and the substantial investment required to retrofit buildings with low-carbon technologies. Addressing these challenges will be critical in reducing operational emissions, improving energy efficiency and demonstrating leadership in the transition to a low-carbon future. As part of the Hub West Scotland Collaborative Group, the building decarbonisation route- map has been developed, which will outline the breadth and scale of work required and provide an indicative plan of how this could be achieved. 8.5 Renewable Energy The Council continues to explore renewable energy opportunities both in terms of its own building infrastructure and larger scale energy generation opportunities across Renfrewshire. Over the next 12 months extended Solar PV Array will be installed across 13 Council buildings, supporting significant reductions in energy related emissions. More broadly, it is recognised that locally generated energy opportunities can offer significant benefits to the area thus the Council are continuing to carry out investigatory work into various solutions including large-scale wind and solar. The development and delivery of such ventures come with significant potential challenges including land suitability, capital investment requirements and national grid capacity. 8.6 Carbon Budgets A carbon budget approach is being developed to understand how our emissions relate to the services we provide, and reductions needed to deliver the same high-quality local services in a way that is fit for a resilient, net zero future. It enables monitoring of progress and ensures cross-service accountability, with departments identifying actions and projects that contribute to targets. A model has been developed and is being trialled for three council buildings: Renfrewshire House, Gryffe High School, and Lagoon Leisure Centre. The carbon budget for each building is based on electricity, gas and water consumption with the aim to reduce consumption by 5% each year. The pilot of these buildings will begin in Autumn 2026 with the Sustainability Team providing support to help understand what measures could be taken to help meet the carbon budget target. If successful, the approach will be rolled out more widely across Council buildings. 8.7 Sustainable Travel Project 8.7.1 Since the launch of the Sustainable Travel Project, several initiatives have been completed to encourage a more sustainable travel culture within the Council and help to reduce carbon emissions:
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PUBLIC • An updated staff travel hierarchy for staff to follow when travelling on Council business, to ensure the most Sustainable and practical travel choice. • A relaunch of the Electric Vehicle pool car scheme. • A review of the existing EV pool fleet and procurement of new vehicles through capital funding to replace petrol/diesel vehicles that had reached the end of their lease. • A relaunch of the Council’s pool bikes based at Renfrewshire House • The introduction of ‘Calcommuter’ which gives staff potential lower carbon and lower cost options for travelling to and from work. • The identification of new locations across Renfrewshire for the expansion of EV charging infrastructure to support fleet with the transition from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric vehicles. 8.7.2 Work is ongoing in several areas on this project including: • Clear emission reduction targets set within our CMP including reduced business mileage and increased use of Hydro-vegetable oil (HVO) in our large fleet. • An Outline Business Case for the introduction of an Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice scheme for staff, to encourage the transition to low carbon fuel while also making a financial saving for the Council, has been developed. 8.8 Glasgow City Region Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Work is continuing to develop a public EV charging networking on local authority owned assets within each local authority area in the Glasgow City Region. For Renfrewshire this includes 75 existing chargers, and the installation of over 200 new chargers across the area in the coming years. The project is currently at procurement invitation to tender stage, with a new operator expected to be appointed in early 2027. 8.9 Active Travel Infrastructure Projects 8.9.1 The council has undertaken a significant programme of active travel investment in recent years, with the aim of making walking, wheeling and cycling safer, more accessible and more attractive for everyday journeys. The Council's Travel Renfrewshire 2035 Local Transport Strategy places active travel at the heart of its transport vision and commits to expanding a safe, accessible active travel network across the area. The Council has progressed a number of major infrastructure projects designed to connect communities, employment areas and transport hubs.
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PUBLIC 8.9.2 We’ve added new and improved walking and cycling routes right across Renfrewshire, including the first ever dedicated route between Paisley and Renfrew. We’re working with local communities in Elderslie to improve walking and cycling options and developing an active travel route between Paisley and neighbouring East Renfrewshire. 8.9.3 The council has successfully attracted substantial external funding from the Scottish Government for active travel projects. Over the last financial year, the Council secured £1.6 million from the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund to extend walking and cycling routes between Inchinnan and Erskine. The council also secured funding for the Gallowhill Link through the same programme, both projects have been completed recently for local communities to use and enjoy. 8.9.4 The Council's active travel programme is focused not only on increasing route availability but also on improving safety and accessibility. Current and planned works include: • New shared-use paths and widened pavements. • Improved pedestrian crossing facilities. • Better access to schools, town centres, railway stations and employment sites. • Enhanced connections to existing path networks and National Cycle Routes. We will continue work with a clear commitment to active travel through strategic planning, successful funding bids and delivery of new infrastructure. The programme aims to provide healthier, safer and more sustainable travel options, improve connectivity between communities and employment centres, and contribute to wider environmental and public health objectives 8.9.5 Work will continue through 2026 and beyond to fully deliver the outlined projects, and to explore other opportunities to ensure our public buildings and transport are as sustainable as they can be. 9. Waste Services Programme 9.1 Packaging & Recycling Handling Facility - Linwood The service is progressing a detailed Business Case for the construction of a packaging and recycling handling facility at Middleton Road, Linwood. This facility would be able to handle materials from the blue, brown and green bins, street sweepings and gulley cleanings, bulky items from special uplifts, waste upholstered domestic seating and white goods etc. In addition, the construction would include a new secure bin store with a wash and repair facility.
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PUBLIC 10. Alignment to Medium Term Financial Plan 10.1 As outlined in the 2026/27 Revenue Estimates report presented to the Council in February, the transformation programme along with more traditional service- based savings workstreams (many of which will be supported by transformational activity) continue to provide the key routes to support the Council’s drive toward longer term financial sustainability. It was also reported at that time that the Council’s ability to generate further recurring transformation and efficiency savings at this scale without impacting on service delivery or quality will be increasingly challenging, given the £190m savings already achieved since 2010. A full Medium-term Financial Outlook will be reported to the Council in September giving further detail. 11. National developments 11.1 On 1 September, the First Minister presented the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2026-2031. The Programme for Government notes the significant challenges facing Scotland public services including increased costs, complexity and demand for services across the population. It sets out a range of proposals to “rewire” public services in Scotland by reducing the number of public bodies that are operating across the country and specifically reducing the number of health boards to 2. Linked to these proposals, the First Minister also set out proposals to reform local government arrangements more broadly, and to consider the implications for the provision of social care. At present, detailed information has not yet been provided on the specific nature of the reform proposals. A rapid period of engagement is proposed by the Scottish Government over the next 3 months with relevant stakeholders, and there will be a requirement to report back on the implications of any proposed reforms to elected members as this information becomes available, and on a regular basis as the reform agenda progresses. We are also committed to keeping our employees informed as details emerge. Officers also continue to engage with the national transformation programme for local government which is being co-ordinated by the Improvement Service. There will clearly be a requirement to consider the implications of any proposed local government reforms on the ongoing implementation of this programme. 12. Next steps 12.1 Alongside the regular updates for each individual workstream to the relevant Policy Boards, overview progress updates on the Reshaping Renfrewshire programme will continue to be reported to Leadership Board alongside the financial reporting to Council and the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board.
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – the transformation programme will continue to play a key role in improving service delivery and supporting the Council’s medium term financial sustainability. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none. 3. Community/Council Planning – the transformation programme focuses resources on the delivery of priority outcomes as outlined in the Council Plan. 4. Legal - none 5. Property/Assets – section 7, 8 and 9 of the report provides an update on investment in council properties and infrastructure. 6. Information Technology – section 4 notes a number of progress updates related to the Digital and ICT agenda. 7. Equality and Human Rights – there are no negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health and Safety - none 9. Procurement – section 4 includes an update on the P2P project as part of the overall transformation programme. Several of the individual workstreams and projects will have associated procurement elements to their delivery and which will be managed through the Council’s well established procurement arrangements to secure best value. 10. Risk – the transformation programme is a key element of mitigating the medium-term financial challenge for the Council. 11. Privacy Impact – none 12. COSLA Policy Position – none 13. Climate Risk – section 8 of the report provides an update in relation to Net Zero. 14. Children’s Rights – section 7 provides an update on the Learning Estate Strategy which will directly impact children and young people. When considering any future school provision, the impact this will have on children is a key consideration, and any work will be based around the direct needs of children to allow their education experience to thrive. Author: Karen Mann – Strategic Change Manager Alastair MacArthur - Director of Finance & Resources