OneRen Update
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 ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: OneRen Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide an update in relation to several matters which relate to the provision of services through OneRen. Specifically: • An update relating to the forthcoming opening of the Lagoon Adventure Zone. • A progress update on the final stages of the Paisley Museum Re-Imagined Project ahead of its completion. • The development of an operational agreement through which OneRen will manage the operation of community facilities within Paisley Grammar School Community Campus. • An update on the reprovisioning of library provision in Erskine. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that Elected Members: • Note the content of the report. • Note the progress in terms of the Lagoon Adventure Zone, which is scheduled to open during October. • Note that the Paisley Museum fitout and install is due to complete in December ahead of a formal opening to the public early in the new year
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PUBLIC and that Elected Members will be kept updated regarding the opening programme. • Agree a short-term suspension of the provision of library services in Erskine as detailed in paragraph 6.5 of this report to facilitate the decant of Erskine Library from Bridgewater Shopping Centre to the temporary building at Erskine Sports Centre. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 Regular updates are provided to Leadership Board on the activities and performance reported in relation to the services and activities which OneRen deliver in line with its service agreement with the Council. Additional reports are submitted to board to cover any matters arising or requiring decisions outwith planned reporting cycles. 3.2 As outlined in section 1 of the report, several specific operational matters are currently being progressed by officers and require the provision of an update to elected members. These relate to: • The forthcoming opening of the new Lagoon Adventure Zone facility. • A progress update on the final stages of Paisley Museum Re-Imagined Project ahead of its completion. • The development of an operational agreement through which OneRen will manage the operation of community facilities within Paisley Grammar School Community Campus. • The reprovisioning of library provision in Erskine. 4. Lagoon Adventure Zone – Lagoon Leisure Centre 4.1 The Lagoon Adventure Zone will offer a vibrant multi-age play experience featuring an interactive TAG active arena, the first of its kind in Scotland, a dedicated sensory area supporting people with additional support needs, a baby and toddler area, party room, spacious seating and an enhanced café offering. The facility has been developed through £1million of investment by the Council in inclusive play facilities, and will be operated by OneRen. 4.2 The Certificate of Practical Completion is pending subject to final requirements, and the project remains on schedule for launch in October, with final fit-out works and operational commissioning to be completed. 4.3 A number of centre improvements are being delivered to support the investment, including enhanced toilet and baby-changing facilities, and upgraded CCTV to strengthen safeguarding arrangements. 4.4 Operational readiness is progressing well, with specialist product, safety, and RoSPA training scheduled ahead of opening. 4.5 A flexible operating model has been developed to manage variations in demand throughout the week, and a dedicated brand and marketing
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PUBLIC campaign has been developed to initiate the launch of this new offer over the coming weeks. Catering, delivered by local supplier, Brew & Bite, will be launched to support a full menu of hot food and beverages in the play experience during opening hours. 4.6 A phased programme of testing and soft-launch activity with key stakeholders will take place prior to the official public opening in October 2026. 4.7 Investment in the new Adventure Zone play offer supports access to inclusive play facilities, and is part of our approach to making Renfrewshire fairer and more inclusive for children and families across Renfrewshire. The development of the facility, will also promote the Lagoon as a visitor destination and supports the wider economic regeneration of Paisley. 5. Paisley Museum Reimagined 5.1 Paisley Museum has been completely reimagined through rebuild, redisplay, and new practices evolved by collaborative decision-making and co-production with over 70 local groups and over 4000 conversations. This collaborative approach has shaped a new offer designed as a world-class destination telling the inspirational stories of Renfrewshire’s people and places as well as showcasing its internationally significant collections including the Paisley pattern. 5.2 The redesigned offer includes the Grade A-listed Museum building and Grade A-listed Coats Observatory & Observatory House, as well as Transit House and the Oakshaw buildings. The original Museum building is the work of the practice of Honeyman, Keppie & Mackintosh. Through the lifetime of the project, the influence of Charles Rennie Mackintosh on the design of later parts of the building has become more apparent. 5.3 Following practical completion earlier this year, the second and third phases of the project of exhibition fitout and installation of the Museum have been underway. Contractors have been working to make up time from the delayed construction phase and are due to complete by the end of this year ahead of a formal opening to the public early in the new year. A further update will be brought to the next Leadership Board to provide further detail on the opening programme. 5.4 The major redevelopment has brought the historic buildings up to modern standards to safeguard their long-term future and increased the amount of space available to showcase Renfrewshire’s internationally significant collections as a visitor destination to place Paisley Museum firmly among Europe’s leading museums. 5.5. The new design provides for 21st Century facilities with lift access to all areas, toilets on every level, a café facility with picnic area, a changing places toilet, lockers, water fountains, buggy park and the introduction of a public courtyard ensuring street level access for everyone.
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PUBLIC 5.6. A new outdoor garden has been created opening up previously hidden views of the Coats Observatory, the first publicly accessible Observatory in Scotland and spectacular views towards the High Street and the hills beyond. 5.7. The newly extended galleries will allow more of Renfrewshire’s remarkable collections to be displayed with a 100% increase in objects on display. Main Works 5.8 Practical Completion was achieved on 9 February 2026 and handover of the museum site from Construction Contractor Kier to the Exhibition Fit-out Contractor, Hub Build was confirmed. 5.9 The completion of the construction phase marked a significant milestone and the realisation of the architectural vision. The design has taken opportunities to improve the operational efficiency of the campus as well as resolve significant access issues including: • Improving the energy efficiency and lowering the carbon footprint of the building, including upgrading the insulation where possible, the use of energy LED efficient lighting, specifying for reduced energy consumption and sustainability of materials and using natural ventilation where environmental conditions allow. • All 24 historic roofs have been replaced or restored with brand new, high- performance materials that are sympathetic to the historic fabric and to maximise operational sustainability. Replacement roof tiles have been carefully salvaged from Scottish heritage sites or sourced from working Welsh slate mines. • Modern accretions removed to reveal historic details in the restored galleries, allowing and through the development of a lighting strategy daylight has been reintroduced to the galleries while simultaneously reducing solar gain. • The museum features step-free, full level access directly from the street through the main entrance into a new entrance lobby. The interior of the building is fully accessible with lifts serving all public floors, ensuring unrestricted movement between the gallery spaces, exhibition zones, and amenities. 5.10 Kier continue to maintain an onsite presence to complete snagging works. These are programmed to avoid disruption to the fit-out progress. 5.11 Renfrewshire Council’s Facilities Management team and OneRen Estates team are working together on ensuring statutory and planned maintenance inspections which are scheduled in conjunction with the fitout contractor Hub Build.
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PUBLIC Left: New red drum entrance and replaced rooflights in Grade A-listed main building Right: West extension Garden Gallery with view to Observatory and Garden Exhibition Fitout and Install 5.12 Following a period of site set-up, the fitout contractor Hub Build commenced daily deliveries of setworks and showcases from the storage facility in Linwood. 5.13 The Exhibition Fit-out contract has progressed into all areas of the museum and nearing completion in 60% of the galleries. Sectional completion has been successfully achieved in the upper galleries of the Main Building and Coats Observatory. Both images: Click Netherfield, case manufacturer, install cases in the upper galleries ahead of object install. Object Preparation and Install Schedule 5.14 Approximately 80% of objects selected for display required conservation treatment. 23 separate conservation studios or individuals across the UK were contracted to conserve 1050 objects. All work has now been completed ahead of object install. 5.15 The completion of the conservation programme has benefited from several key national and international partnerships agreements with organisations such as the American Museum of Natural History, New York, The Royal
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PUBLIC Armouries, Leeds, The Centre for Textile Conservation (CTC), Glasgow and The People’s History Museum, Manchester. 5.16 Nearly 20% of conservation costs have been sourced from external grant bodies including Museums Galleries Scotland, the Henry Moore Foundation and the National Manuscript Conservation Trust. Left: Centre for Textile Conservation student with child’s dress prepared for display Right: Buddie the Lion crated ahead of move back to Museum 5.17 By the end of August, the majority of display objects have been packed in preparation for install. Ahead of the main install programme large or complex install objects have been moved to the museum. All object displays require multi-trades and specialist input in an increasingly complex building layout as display cases and display furniture fitout continues. Left: Museum team install Steven Campbell’s 3m long painting The Golden City Right: Dr Dan Coughlan completes the installation of the Jacquard Binary Loom
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PUBLIC Feedback and Recognition 5.18 In 2024 the project design won the Architecture Review’s Cultural Regeneration category at the Future Awards. The prestigious award recognises the significant role the project is playing in the town and wider region’s cultural regeneration. The shortlist included the Prado Museum in Madrid, the Shanghai Opera House, and the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum. 5.19 In 2026 the project secured its second major industry accolade winning Scotland’s top heritage project at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) award. The project was shortlisted alongside The Canna House, The National Trust, Preston Tower Doocot, and John O’Groats Mill. The project will now go forward to compete at the RICS UK Grand Final in October. 5.20 The National Lottery Heritage Fund has been a major funder since 2017. Caroline Clark, Director for Scotland recently noted that: “The Paisley Museum project is a serious re-imagining of the role of the museum. It would be enough to deliver an international quality museum as a heritage destination, but this project has had the ambition to deliver much more and aim to fulfil a wider role, inherent to the vibrancy and wellbeing of Paisley. The design supports this approach, welcoming in the whole community whether to explore the collections or simply to enjoy the museum environment. There has been a deeply thoughtful and innovative approach to what a museum can offer the people of Paisley, and its visitors”. 5.21 International Museum Consultant Elaine Heumann Gurian has worked in museums for over 50 years including The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, The Children’s Museum, Boston, The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, and Te Papa The National Museum of New Zealand. In 2004 the American Association of Museums honoured her with the Distinguished Service to Museums Awards, the most prestigious recognition in the American museum profession. Visiting Paisley last year she noted: “The impact is clear. It is going to make ‘place’ an important part of our conversation. This museum is using every inclusive technique they can think of to go about doing their work. Outsiders are going to come to watch how a real place for a real community works and have that joy spread to them as well’ 5.22 During February stakeholder site visits with local businesses were organised. Feedback was extremely positive with one business owner writing: “I have got to say I’m completely blown away by what has been done to the museum. The museum is state of the art but somehow and I don’t know how, you have all managed to keep that true feeling of Paisley, it’s a people’s place, it’s calm, it’s inviting, it’s exciting, it’s exactly what Paisley needs.”
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PUBLIC Community Engagement 5.23 The Schools Learning Programme has been co-created through work with every Primary school in Renfrewshire so that it meets the needs of local teachers and pupils. Over 500 primary and secondary pupils have been involved in the testing and development of activities. 5.24 As part of the development of the Museum’s public programme, over 70 local services, organisations and groups were consulted through an ‘Active Listening’ programme to ensure that the museum could serve their needs. 27 community and partner organisations involved in creating and testing new approaches to and creation of resources for audience engagement. Over 500 participants attended test events, workshops and coproduction activities. 5.25 The development of the main displays involved 2500 participations with direct engagement with over 600 people including consultation for research and content development purposes to the delivery and build of interpretation and interactives. 50 of the 88 displays have either been co-produced, or involved consultation with experts and audiences. Operational Readiness 5.26 OneRen has adopted an inclusive, informal, and community-focused approach to recruitment. Local community partners were asked for their advice on how to recruit in a way that removes barriers and gives everyone an equal opportunity to succeed. The result is a values-based approach that encourages open communication before the advert is live and an opportunity to demonstrate the value that individuals could bring the organisation in practical ways. 5.27 230 people attended the initial recruitment day information session held at Paisley Town Hall. Formal evaluation of the process has shown that the events successfully encouraged applications from those who attended, with particularly positive perceptions of the approach among disabled applicants, applicants with long-term health conditions and care-experienced applicants. 5.28 499 applications were received for the initial recruitment phase. Recruitment has now concluded for the majority of Visitor Operations staff including Visitor Assistants, Visitor Operations Supervisors, Visitor Operations Manager, Archivist and Retail Manager. Further recruitment for the Heritage Archive Centre staff will take place in August and September and a programme of training and familiarisation has been organised.
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PUBLIC 6. Update on reprovisioning of library services in Erskine 6.1 At its meeting on 18 June 2025, the Leadership Board considered an update paper relating to the Reshaping Renfrewshire programme, which included information relating to the current review of leisure and culture services commissioned by the Council and delivered by One Ren. The paper highlighted that the current lease for Erskine Library at Bridgewater Shopping Centre was due to expire in May 2026, and that the landlord had indicated that they would not be willing to extend the current lease beyond that date. 6.2 Whilst the provision of library services is a key element of the ongoing One Ren review process, it was recognised that a short to medium term solution would require to be identified to ensure that library provision in Erskine could continue whilst the wider review progresses. The report at that time, outlined that officers from One Ren and the Council would progress arrangements to commission new temporary modular buildings at the Erskine Sports Centre site, in order that these could support the reprovisioning of Erskine library when the current lease comes to an end. 6.3 Following a tendering exercise, a contract authorisation report was approved by the Finance, Resources and Customer Service Policy Board in November 2025 to award a contract to Portakabin in relation to these works. Due to procurement and legal issues, there was an extended period required to formally appoint Portkabin to install the temporary library facility at Erskine Sports Centre. This has had an impact on the previously planned project timescales, which had been set to allow for the new facility to be on site before the end of the current lease at Bridgwater Shopping Centre in May 2026. 6.4 In order to ensure there was no disruption or gap in library provision in Erskine, a short term extension of the current lease at Bridgwater Shopping Centre was put into place to allow additional time for the new buildings to be put into place and for One Ren to ensure all necessary statutory and operational arrangements were made to support the opening of the new facility. 6.5 Following completion of all regulatory processes, groundworks commenced at the site in August 2026, with the targeted date for installation of the new temporary building being mid-September 2026. A programme is now in place to formally decant the library facility to the temporary building, which will involve a short closure period. The decant will necessitate a short-term suspension of the provision of library services in Erskine. Officers will work with OneRen to endeavour to minimise the duration of the suspension. Engagement with the local community on the planned opening date for the new facility will be undertaken. Subject to final completion, this is being targeted for October 2026. 6.6 Ongoing updates will continue to be provided to ward members ahead of the opening date, with wider updates on the OneRen review being reported on a regular basis to Leadership Board.
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PUBLIC 7. Operational agreement – Community facilities within Paisley Grammar School Community Campus (PGSCC) 7.1 As elected members will be aware, Paisley Grammar School Community Campus opened on 20 August 2026 and provides facilities for community use, the co-ordination of which will be managed operationally by One Ren. This includes community rooms, the football pitch, gym hall and games hall, including at weekends and will be operational from 29 September 2026 (after September weekend) to allow the school and staff to settle in. OneRen have updated let holders and are currently recruiting staff to work at the facility. 7.2 In April 2026, elected members were asked to note that the current Services Agreement between One Ren and the Council will require to be updated to reflect this operational change, however, OneRen have agreed in principle to undertake this. Work has been undertaken to develop an initial operational agreement between the Council and One Ren which supports the day to day running of the community facilities, with agreements to be developed for formal approval by the Council and the OneRen Board. It is anticipated that this approach will be replicated to support operational arrangements at other facilities operated by One Ren within a shared campus arrangement. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none within this report 2. HR & Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – the projects and facilities highlighted within the report will provide a significant positive impact for specific local communities and on a Renfrewshire wide basis. 4. Legal – A service agreement is in place between OneRen and the Council which clearly identifies the requirements that OneRen must fulfil in relation to the service payment. As noted within the paper, this will require to be updated in light of the developments being progressed. 5. Property/Assets – As outlined in the paper, there a range of property related developments ongoing at present which require to be closely managed by OneRen and the Council. 6. Information Technology – not applicable 7. Equality & Human Rights – N/A 8. Health & Safety – not applicable 9. Procurement – not applicable
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PUBLIC 10. Risk – not applicable 11. Privacy Impact - not applicable 12. Climate Risk – not applicable 13. Children’s Rights – not applicable. 14. Cosla Policy Position – not applicable _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Laura McIntyre, Head of Policy and Partnerships