Agenda Document Pack - Leadership Board - 14/06/2023
Renfrewshire Council · 14 June 2023
Back to Leadership Board — 14 June 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
Notice of Meeting and Agenda Leadership Board Date Time Venue Wednesday, 14 June 2023 13:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN MARK CONAGHAN Head of Corporate Governance Membership Councillor Iain Nicolson (Convener): Councillor Jacqueline Cameron (Depute Convener): Councillor Alison Ann-Dowling: Councillor Michelle Campbell: Councillor Graeme Clark: Councillor Gillian Graham: Councillor Neill Graham: Councillor Anne Hannigan: Councillor Alec Leishman: Councillor Marie McGurk: Councillor Iain McMillan: Councillor Jim Paterson: Councillor Emma Rodden: Councillor John Shaw: Councillor Andy Steel: Further Information This is a meeting which is open to members of the public. A copy of the agenda and reports for this meeting will be available for inspection prior to the meeting at the Customer Service Centre, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley and online at http://renfrewshire.cmis.uk.com/renfrewshire/CouncilandBoards.aspx For further information, please email democratic-services@renfrewshire.gov.uk Members of the Press and Public Members of the press and public wishing to attend the meeting should report to the customer service centre where they will be met and directed to the meeting. Page 1 of 218
Page 2
Hybrid Meeting Please note that this meeting is scheduled to be held in the Council Chambers. However, it is a hybrid meeting and arrangements have been made for members to join the meeting remotely should they wish. Webcasting of Meeting This meeting will be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site – at the start of the meeting the Convener will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed. To find the webcast please navigate to https://renfrewshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home Page 2 of 218
Page 3
Apologies Apologies from members. Declarations of Interest Members are asked to declare an interest in any item(s) on the agenda and to provide a brief explanation of the nature of the interest. Fairer Renfrewshire 1 Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-committee Minute of Meeting of the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-committee held on 31 May 2023 5 - 8 2 Fairer Renfrewshire Update Report by Chief Executive 9 - 18 Strategic Planning 3 Council Plan 2022/27 - six-month Progress Update Report by Chief Executive 19 - 80 Community Planning 4 Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023 Report by Chief Executive 81 - 140 5 Local Partnerships – next phase of development Report by Chief Executive 141 - 146 Page 3 of 218
Page 4
Leisure and Culture 6 Future Paisley Programme Six-monthly Progress Update Report by Chief Executive 147 - 184 7 Future Paisley Cultural Funding Programme 2023/24 Report by Chief Executive 185 - 188 8 Decant of Library Services to the New Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub Report by Chief Executive 189 - 192 9 Gaelic Language Plan Implementation Report - Annual Return 2022-2023 Report by Chief Executive 193 - 210 10 Development of Tennis in Renfrewshire Parks Report by Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure 211 - 218 Page 4 of 218
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
!"#$ %&%" #&'&& ()* +,-(. /01 23 415 .,16!()* +,-
7 8* 191 !3 415 .,17)* !()99)
:919!; , - !;<##<=
>
?()* +,--)1@ +8*-, ( /1) !()* +,--)1A1 /(- 1B!()* +,--)1<
7 ,C !()* +,--)1<-+D, ./ !()* +,--)1$ 1,$+A*1B
EFG
H
()* +,--)1; 91 )
IPage 8
()* +,--)1@( /1) !() J 1!K1 , L MEN
Page 9
D$+O 9 1!7 )4;)-,+ P; 19 1 .,K !<<1/ 91) CQ -91!:91 9C,+; 19 1 .,K P O 8* -,9, $ C1 RR* !:)+, -3 5 -D S44,+12 --(.,4TU+*9,JV 6W DX- . 5!R/)+1 9,+:1J,+ $ C1!($ +R) - !: ,)1()//,99:1J,+ S44,+1!R(* , C. /!< , 9 9()//,99:1J,+ S44,+1 R;)-!T Y 1 Z+. ,+, 2 --[, +P3 )*1+ 6 G
Page 10
No embedded text on this page.
Page 11
M Z.151 ) +- 1 9,) )4, 91 9, 9,/ 9 K1,)19)9.+)// +/ 9)49. /9, CL \
Page 12
;1,)19)9.+)// +/ 9)49./9, C!9.() J 1, 9,/ 9 9. 99., /9, C)49. :*0Q+)//,995)*- 04,-/ 4)1-,J)1 *0 8* 901) + 9J, 9.()* +,-V , 91 9 ,9L Item 1 Page 5 of 218
Page 13
Page 14
!!"# $"!$%! &!' ()*+ ! ,-! ,!%#%,,
%(.&+%#!*!#", "#+% #"+ #!$ %#% %-"( ##+ /
$%! #! !"!!! 0 - $"! $%, ""!%!1 2+% !!
!%$%, " #$ %!%(+#!+#0 #+%#% +(+!% 3$%- +&#" $$%! 3
+" 0# ( +#!((+!%#!$%+.! %(4#( "#! /$%! !
% !!.&$ % ! %(!5 4#( $%0 (%6+!%7 #898:
#"$%, ""# $"!%#+! , ! !%$%0 ! $ % ! /$%!$%, ""
#(% ! %#%#!;< #(-! %#!3#0&$ + 3% #0+% ! 3", + , + #
4#( 35 5%%"4#( 3#"!= ,")*$ #+>#-/$%!
- %("!%!=%+-' -">%,!&?+! %#$%! +% -" +%# "" &
! ! #0%(!=" $@%"!% -"%#A7 #898:/
BCDEBCBF!!$%! #%!"/
8
CGHI
J D K Page 15
!!"$%! &!' ()*+ ! ,-! ,!%#,- ! %#%(!
L #!'%##+! %# >%0 /$%! #! !"!!!=" $@%"! !
! #0-"%#881$! 89880"!!L #!'%##+! %# >%0
!% ",-%$" +% -"$%, "#!%.%(-%+-$-+ #" $+
$%$-+% -"+%##+!!%%! #! +% # !&" #0! #!#"MN93999
--%+!"!% $$%!-%+-0% $ #"%0# ! %# !%$! + $!O! !#
(%--%" &#--%+! %#%(( !M893999#"M93999!%P#4#!%"- ,
L #!'%##+! %# +% !- &#!%./
.& 0 (% !,- ! %# !% ! #!$%!3!%0! !
%(+% #"! %# !% +%# "" $!%(#&( ! $%0 /
BCDEBCBQ!!$%! #%!"/
:
RSTUVWXYZ[\]^_\_`^ZZa^TYZbcaV_\Z
1!!0 +>!# $ de#f - ! 6#00,$ #!! %#%#!%.
#0 #"!.#-! ,!% #" !#" #0+ -"$%,!&"!3 #+- " #0!
",-%$ #!%(+% !%(- , #0" %"#"!+ #!$ +! %(+ -"$%,!&
-%+--&/
BCDEBCBQ!!$ #!! %# #%!"/
A
gHhD
HK iKGPage 16
;#"(#+!% ! A%(!6 # !%(! ! #0%(! 1 2+% !!-"%# 886+898:3! !!"$%! &!' ()*+ ! ,-! ,!%! Page 6 of 218
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Page 41
Page 42
Page 43
Page 44
Page 45
Page 46
Page 47
Page 48
Page 49
Page 50
Page 51
Page 52
!
Page 53
" #
Page 54
Page 55
$
Page 56
! Page 57
Page 58
Page 59
Page 60
!
Page 61
%&'(%&%)
Page 62
Page 63
Page 64
Page 65
Page 7 of 218
Page 66
Page 8 of 218
Page 67
___________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 14 June 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Fairer Renfrewshire Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Council and its partners continue to work together to progress the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme, with a strong shared focus currently on the local response to the cost-of-living crisis. 1.2 This paper provides a summary of the key headline issues relating to the cost-of-living crisis locally, as reported to the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee on 31st May 2023. 1.3 Specific updates are provided in relation to: • The development of new enhanced schools advice and family advice models • The evaluation of the Winter Connections Programme • The development of the Fair Food Renfrewshire partnership and proposed further tranche of the Community Food Fund • Proposals for the delivery of holiday activities during summer 2023 which will provide support to low income families and; • An update on the work of Renfrewshire’s lived experience panel. 1.4 Officers continue to work with partners to progress the Fairer Renfrewshire programme. Priority actions over the next quarter include: • Development of the poverty and participation test of change, working alongside the newly established lived experience panel to develop recommendations and the shape of future work • Developing and delivering budget investments including holiday activities and winter school clothing grant • Producing Renfrewshire’s Local Child Poverty Action Report Item 2 Page 9 of 218
Page 68
• Commencing a ‘deep dive’ data exercise around child poverty as a Community Planning Partnership, focussing on the six priority family groups • Establishing the Fair Food Renfrewshire partnership, using the Sustainable Food Places toolkit • Continuing the evaluation of projects within Tackling Poverty Programme and exploring future options with services around required priorities going forward • Delivery of the remaining Winter Connections programme, and associated evaluation of the programme. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that elected members: • Note the content of the report and the work being undertaken to progress the Fairer Renfrewshire programme; • Agree that work to co-ordinate and deliver a Winter Connections 2023 is progressed and that £75,000 of Fairer Renfrewshire Funding is allocated to support the delivery of the programme; • Note the proposed summer holiday programme outlined in Section 6, with £25,000 of existing funding being allocated to pilot a small grants fund to extend the programme of activities and support available across communities in Summer 2023. • Agree that authority is delegated to the Head of Policy and Partnerships to award grants in line with the guidance which will be developed for both the Winter Connections and Summer Holiday Provision. An update on both schemes will be provided to Leadership Board in September 2023. • Agree the allocation of £10,000 funding to top up the Community Food Fund, with a further application round for the fund to open following summer 2023. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 As elected members will be aware through previous updates to the Leadership Board, the Council is in the process of developing and delivering a new Fairer Renfrewshire Programme. This brings together all previous programmes that have been developed to tackle the inequalities that exist across Renfrewshire’s communities, including those relating to poverty, alcohol and drugs and COVID recovery, with an immediate focus on the local response to the deepening cost-of-living crisis. 3.2 The Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee continues to meet to provide oversight of all related activities being undertaken, with the latest meeting being held on 31 May 2023. A Fairer Renfrewshire Officer Group has also been established which currently meets monthly and is chaired by the Head of Policy and Partnerships. 3.3 At its meeting on 31st May 2023, the sub-committee considered: Page 10 of 218
Page 69
• The most recent programme update including information on recent statistics and research in relation to the cost of living crisis. • The evaluation of the Winter Connections programme. • Proposals in relation to summer holiday activities to support low income families in Renfrewshire. • An update on the child poverty deep dive exercise. 3.4 In terms of key statistics highlighted at the meeting of the sub-committee it is worth noting: • Following a jump in the inflation rate in March, the inflation rate has now resumed its downward trajectory to 8.7% in April 2023. Food inflation, however, has continued to rise and is now at 19.1%. • In response to continued inflationary pressures, the Bank of England has increased the interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point twice since the last Sub-Committee, and the base rate is now 4.5%. • Recent projections anticipate a stabilisation in the energy market over the coming months, with the price cap set to fall below the rate of the Energy Price Guarantee which is due to end at the end of June. 4. Programme Updates 4.1 Since the last update to Leadership Board in April 2023, a range of activities have continued to be progressed by officers and partners. A summary is provided in the sections below. Advice services 4.2 Further to previous updates, the new Schools Advice Service will commence in Summer 2023. This service will be provided by Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau across all secondary schools in Renfrewshire including Additional Support Needs settings. This service will be promoted throughout June, with officers working to establish relationships across schools at the end of term. 4.3 Initially, advice workers will be embedded within school settings on a rota basis, but this will be kept under review and a flexible approach will be taken to make sure that the service is well-used. Clients will also be able to book appointments online, where they will have the choice to meet in the school location or elsewhere. Referrals can be received by pupils over 16, the parent/carer of any pupils, school staff on behalf of families or schools staff themselves. 4.4 Complementary to this, work is underway to launch the family advice service within Advice Works. In April 2023, Leadership Board approved the allocation of £140,000 from the Fairer Renfrewshire funding to pilot a new approach to family advice services for one year. The newly formed team will work with families to maximise household income through income advice, but also seeks to increase take-up of wider supports provided by the Council for families, for example, free school meals, school clothing grants or employability supports for parents. A key initial focus for the team will be Free School Meal uptake, as well as reaching out to support families with School Meal Debt. Page 11 of 218
Page 70
School meal debt 4.5 In February 2023, COSLA published Good Practice Principles for School Meal Debt Management with partners from across local government professional and representative organisations. These were developed to promote recognised positive practice in terms of the management of school meal debt, recognising the impact of the cost of living crisis and the shared focus on tackling child poverty in Scotland. 4.6 Work has commenced in Renfrewshire to review current processes and policy in relation to the management of school meal debt. In line with the COSLA principles and the focus of our local Fairer Renfrewshire programme, proposals are being developed for consideration by elected members which would seek to remove the issue of school meal debt for vulnerable families living in Renfrewshire. This will include actions to improve the efficiency of systems used and most importantly ensure that support is provided within the school environment to families who may be experiencing issues, at the earliest opportunity and in as non-stigmatising and supportive a way as possible. 4.7 A key element of the COSLA principles being considered in the local review, is the opportunity to write off current debt accrued by our most vulnerable families, with a particular focus on those families as being at most risk of poverty. A specific proposal will be brought forward for approval as close as possible to the start of the new academic term in order to address this issue at start of the school year, with ongoing outreach and preventative work also to be progressed through the schools advice models which will be piloted. Fair Food Renfrewshire 4.8 Following on from an engagement session that was held in October 2022, a second Fair Food Renfrewshire event was held in Johnstone Town Hall on 11th May 2023. Working closely with Nourish Scotland, and using the Sustainable Food Places Toolkit, the purpose of this event was to further engage with a wider stakeholder group and shape the vision and priorities of the food partnership. 4.9 Over 40 people attended the event, including Council officers, HSCP officers, NHS officers, businesses, growing groups, community groups, and Third Sector groups. The meeting was open to any organisation who has a passionate interest in food whether it be growing, producing, distributing, selling, or providing, with an emphasis on nutrition, sustainability, and community benefits. 4.10 The output from the event will be collated and will provide the background for a Fair Food Steering Group to set a vision and priorities for the partnership moving forward. High level themes emerging from the workshop included: • Ending food insecurity and the need for foodbanks • Increased access and availability of growing grounds in every town and village within Renfrewshire • Increase in education regarding nutrition and cooking skills, and wider use of “home economics” type classes within educational, health, and community settings • Encourage individuals to buy local food, and also encourage organisations to place emphasis better value of using local food suppliers within a procurement policy context. Page 12 of 218
Page 71
4.11 At full Council on 4 May 2023, elected members agreed and considered a motion which noted “that foodbanks and Food Pantries are facing high levels of demand from adults and children in need of vital help at this time. Council agrees to promote the work of local charities like Foodbanks and Pantries in internal communications, to raise awareness and highlight collection points. Council also agrees to work with Foodbanks and Pantries to look at levels of demand and assess whether funding support could be provided by the Council”. 4.12 Work is being progressed to ensure information is shared and disseminated by the Council and its partners on the support that is available for people experiencing food insecurity. £50,000 was initially allocated in 2022 to provide grant funding to local organisations that provide this type of support across Renfrewshire through the Community Food Fund. Through active management of the grant funding allocated, £15,000 of this funding remains available for allocation in a further round of the Community Food Fund. It is proposed that additional funding of £10,000 is also allocated from Fairer Renfrewshire funding to bring the total funding available to £25,000, with applications to the Fund reopening following the summer recess. Lived Experience Panel 4.13 Further to updates provided at both Leadership Board and the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub- Committee, progress continues to develop lived experience models locally, particularly the development of a panel of people with lived experience of poverty to inform the Council’s policy and practice. 4.14 A diverse panel of 15 people has been recruited. The Panel have met formally six times, as well as meeting in-between panel meetings to debrief and develop the work alongside a community artist to create a record of their experience. 4.15 The Panel are currently planning an outcomes sharing event alongside Star Project to showcase their work over the period which was held on Tuesday 13th June 2023, with the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee and other key stakeholders invited along to hear about the panel’s ‘journey of collaboration as they work towards a Fairer Renfrewshire for all.’ 4.16 An evaluation of the process has also been carried out by Poverty Alliance to explore how these types of participation processes can inform work going forward, and to inform the development of the model moving forward. Officers are currently undertaking contract arrangements to extend the existing panel arrangements for a further year. 5. Winter Connections 5.1 At Leadership Board on 14 September 2022, elected members agreed that officers should develop a Winter Connections Programme which would provide a network of local places and spaces where people can connect to others in their community this winter. 5.2 In some local authority areas, plans were developed to open ‘warm banks’ – places where people can come to sit and keep warm during the winter period if they are having difficulty heating their homes. In Renfrewshire, the approach was focussed more on working alongside the local third sector to create opportunities for people to connect to each other and their communities over a range of activities. Winter Connections activities were Page 13 of 218
Page 72
designed to be always free, open to all, in every neighbourhood and guarantee a warm welcome. 5.3 £50,000 of grant funding was allocated by the Leadership Board in September 2022, to support local groups and organisations to participate in the programme and to contribute some of the costs of delivery where this was required. In response to the level of interest from community organisations, a further £20,000 was allocated to the Winter Connections programme with a further £10,000 allocated to OneRen to deliver a programme of Winter Connections activities across the library network. 5.4 From the data that was collected by local groups and organisations, it is estimated that over 1800 people benefited from the Winter Connections programme. I met new people and have been in the company of people I wouldn’t normally be in. I don’t eat much anyways but being able to sit and chat with everyone as a community has benefited my health. Attendee at the Tannahill Centre Many adults who attend our groups were not eating breakfast or lunch before attending. The programme ensured they did have hot food while they were with us, this encouraged some of the families to come along at times when they might otherwise have not ventured out in the winter. Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde 62% of individuals who accessed the Drop-In for the first-time during Winter Connections, have continued engaging with STAR across a number of different activities from Gardening Clubs to well-being workshops. The Star Project 5.5 As part of the One Ren programme, most libraries offered two timetabled sessions each week of board games sessions and community jigsaws, however in some libraries these were available on a drop-in basis. The games were particularly popular with children and families. It is estimated that almost 2,000 people engaged with the timetabled sessions for games, jigsaws, and crafts over the 12 weeks. 5.6 Five of the libraries gave out craft kit bags for self-led craft sessions that people could do individually, with staff, with friends and family, or take home to use later. Foxbar Library offered an 11-week series of creative workshops led by an experienced artist and workshop facilitator. Regular attendees have been offered the opportunity to continue to meet in the library to work on creative projects together. All of those who participated expressed enhanced feelings of wellbeing from the enjoyment of the activities, the warm and welcoming library environment, and the provision of hot drinks. 5.7 Dedicated advice service drop ins were trialled in different library locations throughout the programme, however these were not well attended. However, providing this advice alongside the community market at for example the Tannahill Centre was more successful. Page 14 of 218
Page 73
5.8 An evaluation has now been carried out on the programme, which was considered by the Fairer Renfrewshire sub committee on 31 May 2023. Key messages from the evaluation were highlighted as follows: • Providing a specific activity at no cost and alongside provision of hot drinks or food has been key to the success of the Winter Connections programme. It was important for host organisations to have flexibility to adjust activities to ensure that they were as inclusive as possible. • The social aspect of bringing people together created a sense of community, which was especially important for people who were feeling isolated. Activities provided opportunities to learn new skills, make new friends and be creative. • Winter Connections highlighted the need for a programme of free activities and food for individuals and families that are experiencing financial hardship. The programme contributed to tackling food poverty in a discrete and dignified manner. • Benefits of the programme included connecting people with each other, encouraging new people to engage with services and creating a sense of belonging to the local community. It also helped to reduce social isolation and reduce financial costs for individuals and families. • The programme enabled some organisations to attract new volunteers and raise awareness of services throughout the local community. • The success of the libraries’ programme demonstrates that these community assets are well placed to deliver free activities for all ages and to link visitors with other services and sources of information and advice. 5.9 A number of suggestions to strengthen and enhance the model were put forward, should a Winter Connections programme be offered in the future in Renfrewshire. 5.10 At the sub-committee meeting on 31 May, members discussed the key findings from the Winter Connections evaluation report and noted support for the continuation of the Winter programme in 2023. It is therefore recommended that work to co-ordinate and deliver a Winter Connections 2023 programme is progressed by the Head of Policy and Partnerships, and that £75,000 Fairer Renfrewshire Funding is allocated to support the programme. 5.11 In line with the feedback received from participating organisations, it would be preferable for preparations for the programme to commence immediately following the summer recess, including the launch of any grant applications process. It is therefore recommended that authority is delegated to the Head of Policy and Partnerships to award grants in line with the existing guidance which will be updated to reflect feedback received. An update on the process will be provided to Leadership Board in September 2023. Page 15 of 218
Page 74
6 Holiday activities programme 6.1 The Fairer Renfrewshire sub-committee recently considered a report which provided an overview of the current provision of school holiday activities and food support in Renfrewshire, and noted the work being undertaken by officers to review provision and to identify gaps and barriers to access, particularly for low-income families. 6.2 Initial work has been undertaken to review provision, including engagement with the Fairer Renfrewshire Lived Experience Panel. This has shaped proposals for the Summer 2023 programme, and highlighted the following considerations: • Increasing awareness of existing provision, and how the current offer is communicated and promoted • Coverage of provision for different age ranges, with possible gaps identified for preschool children and also older teenagers • Some activities have additional cost barriers, for example transport and food • Discussion around targeting and eligibility, making sure those that need it the most can access, but recognising the potential barriers and stigma of eligibility criteria • Need to achieve fairness and consistency across different areas, balanced with local approaches suitable for different communities • Importance of working with young people to identify the activities that they want to participate in 6.3 As discussed at the recent meeting of the Fairer Renfrewshire sub-committee, £100,000 has been allocated as part of the Council’s budget from the Fairer Renfrewshire programme, to ensure low-income families are able to access holiday provision and healthy food, with national funding from Scottish Government now coming to an end. Moving forward it will therefore be increasingly important for partners to work together to maximise all of the resources and opportunities that are available in terms of holiday provision, and to ensure support is targeted to families that need this most over the summer holiday period. 6.4 From the work undertaken to date, it is clear that there is a great deal of summer holiday activity provision across Renfrewshire across all sectors in Renfrewshire – with a wide range of opportunities on a paid or free basis. It is important that all of the opportunities available are widely communicated to local families, children and young people, and that the role of all partners in providing these activities and in tackling child poverty is recognised. 6.5 It is therefore proposed that the summer 2023 programme operates based on the following key principles: • There are a range of activities for children and families that are available in Renfrewshire – a mixture of child only, family activities, free/chargeable and across a number of different communities in Renfrewshire • The Council will work with partners to promote the variety of activities that are available across Renfrewshire across all sectors – making sure that families know what is on and where. Page 16 of 218
Page 75
• The core focus of the £100,000 funding from Fairer Renfrewshire will be to provide activities which support families from the child poverty priority groups and to target gaps in provision across localities. • Any activities funded through Fairer Renfrewshire should be free at the point of access. Full day activities should include the provision of a meal, and refreshments should be available at shorter activities. • Core sports and activity camps will be delivered by the Community Learning and Development Team on 2 days per week (over 5 weeks) in each of the 6 locations in Renfrewshire, with specific focus on offering access to families in the six child poverty priority groups. This includes additional provision in Gallowhill given recent work in relation to assessing levels of child poverty in the area. • A family activity programme will be delivered by the Community Learning and Development Team. This will operate in partnership with schools and early learning centres to offer access to families in the six child poverty priority groups. • Opportunities will be progressed with One Ren, Future Paisley to provide free family- based activities which address gaps in geographical access and allow families to enjoy cultural and fun experiences that may not otherwise have access to in the summer holiday period. • A grants fund will be piloted on a small-scale basis which will commence in June 2023 and will operate on a similar basis as the grant programme developed as part of the Winter Connections programme. Community groups and organisations will be invited to help partners address gaps in particular localities or for different priority groups. It is proposed that £25,000 of the £100,000 funding available is allocated for distribution through the grants fund. • Evening activities will continue to be provided over the summer holiday period through the Street stuff activity programme – this will include multi-sports and gaming activities on the Street Stuff Buses with the provision of a healthy meal. • Community Learning and Development Youth Services will continue to deliver activities across Renfrewshire 6.6 The approach to summer 2023 will allow us to try new approaches in line with the feedback from the lived experience panel in relation to removing barriers and prioritising access for low income families, as well as offering high quality family activities which offer opportunities to have fun together within the local community. 6.7 At Leadership Board in March 2023, delegated authority was granted to the Head of Policy and Partnerships to develop and implement the summer programme in consultation with the Council Leader. As outlined above in section 6.5, it is proposed that £25,000 of the £100,000 funding available, is allocated to support a small grants fund pilot to operate for Summer 2023. In order to ensure that this funding is able to be distributed as quickly as possible, it is recommended that authority is delegated to the Head of Policy and Partnerships to award grants in line with guidance which will be developed. Information on awards will be provided to the next Leadership Board in September 2023. Page 17 of 218
Page 76
7. Next steps 7.1 Priorities for the Fairer Renfrewshire programme over the coming quarter include: • Development of the poverty and participation test of change, working alongside the newly established lived experience panel to develop recommendations and the shape of future work • Developing and delivering budget investments including holiday activities and winter school clothing grant • Producing Renfrewshire’s Local Child Poverty Action Report • Commencing a ‘deep dive’ data exercise around child poverty as a Community Planning Partnership, focussing on the six priority family groups • Establishing the Fair Food Renfrewshire partnership, using the Sustainable Food Places toolkit • Continuing the evaluation of projects within Tackling Poverty Programme and exploring future options with services around required priorities going forward • Delivery of the remaining Winter Connections programme, and associated evaluation of the programme. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – the paper outlines recommendations for the allocation of £75,000 of Fairer Renfrewshire funding to support the delivery of Winter Connections 2023, with a further £10,000 from the fund recommended for allocation to top up the existing Community Food Fund. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none 3. Community/Council Planning – This report provides a summary of current partnership activities being progressed through the Fairer Renfrewshire programme, with a key focus on tackling the inequalities that exist in Renfrewshire. 4. Legal - none 5. Property/Assets - none 6. Information Technology - none 7. Equality and Human Rights – The report provides an overview of the position around household income and expenditure, and is for noting. As such there are no impacts arising from the recommendation of this paper. It is however important to note that impacts on households explored within this paper are likely to be disproportionately felt by equality groups. 8. Health and Safety - none 9. Procurement – none 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy Impact – none 12. COSLA Policy Position – none 13. Climate Risk – none ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Laura McIntyre, Head of Policy and Commissioning Page 18 of 218
Page 77
___________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 14 June 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Council Plan 2022/27 – six months progress update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 In September 2022, the Council approved a new Council Plan for Renfrewshire, which sets the strategic direction and vision for Renfrewshire, covering the period 2022 to 2027. The plan replaced the previous Council Plan for 2017 to 2022. 1.2 The new Council Plan was accompanied by a refreshed Community Plan, which covers the longer period of 2017 to 2027, but was revised to consider how to respond to and recover from the unique challenges over the last few years. The refresh also ensures the Community and Council Plans work in harmony, aligning the framework for improving community outcomes with the priorities for the Council. 1.3 The new Council Plan sets out five strategic outcomes which the Council will work towards, grouped as Place, Economy, Fair, Green, and Living Our Values. Additionally, the plan outlines a cross-cutting theme of improving outcomes for children and families, which will underpin the delivery of the five strategic outcomes. 1.4 Alongside this, each Council service prepares a Service Improvement Plan, themed around the Council Plan’s strategic outcomes, demonstrating how the services will contribute to the delivery of the Council Plan. Progress is regularly scrutinised by the relevant Policy Board. Item 3 Page 19 of 218
Page 78
1.5 As previously agreed by this Board, the new Council Plan has a high-level action plan and performance scorecard, which will be reported to Leadership Board twice a year going forward. This reporting framework ensures plans are adaptable to any emerging national or local changes in circumstance, while delivering agreed outcomes. 1.6 This report provides the first biannual update on the progress of the Council Plan, which covers quarters 3 and 4 of 2022/23, between 1st October 2022 and 31st March. Council services have made good progress delivering the five strategic outcomes and cross-cutting theme, as outlined in section 4 of this report. 1.7 A detailed summary of progress against the action plan and key performance indicators is provided in Appendix 1. To ensure our performance reporting is as engaging and accessible as possible and to reflect the updated format of Service Improvement Plans, this is presented in a refreshed format with a short summary page for each strategic outcome as well as the full suite of actions and indicators for further scrutiny. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that members of the Leadership Board: • note the progress achieved against the strategic outcomes since the Council Plan was approved by Council in September 2022, as outlined in appendix 1; and • note that progress reports will continue to be presented to the Leadership Board every 6 months. 3. Background 3.1 Throughout the first half of 2022, work was undertaken to develop a new Council Plan which was approved by Council in September 2022. The new Council Plan has been developed in a different economic context than the previous Plan, with Renfrewshire still recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as Page 20 of 218
Page 79
addressing significant financial pressures for the organisation, and addressing the cost-of-living crisis which affects our staff and our residents, visitors and businesses. 3.2 The Council’s vision for the next 5 years, as described in the Council Plan is ‘Creating a fairer Renfrewshire built on innovation, wellbeing, and opportunity’. 3.3 The five new strategic outcomes which the council will work with partners, communities, and businesses to deliver are: • Place: working together to enhance wellbeing across communities; • Economy: building an inclusive, green, and resilient economy; • Fair: nurturing bright, happy, and healthy futures for all; • Green: leading Renfrewshire to Net Zero; and • Living Our Values: making a difference together. 3.4 Each of these outcomes will be delivered in a way that directly contribute to the cross-cutting theme improving outcomes for children and families. Within the appendix, actions which significantly contribute to this cross-cutting theme are highlighted with a ‘CF’ and there is a section in the performance scorecard with indicators relating to this theme. 3.5 In November 2022, the Leadership Board agreed the performance framework for the Council Plan, which contains 55 high-level actions to be achieved over the next five years and beyond. The few actions that were not fully completed within the previous Council Plan have been carried over into the new Plan and updated where appropriate. 3.6 Accompanying these 55 actions is a suite of 39 performance and data indicators, which will allow outcomes to be measured over the life of the Plan, striving for improvement by the end of Plan’s period. Regular monitoring will highlight best practice, sustained and improving performance and also any under-performance which can be addressed throughout the delivery period. It should also be noted that these are high-level indicators reflecting the strategic nature of the Plan. A range of further performance and data indicators are also reported to the appropriate Policy Board via the Service Improvement Planning process and regular operational performance updates. 3.7 Council Plan activity also sits alongside the Council’s arrangements in relation to progressing and achieving Best Value. Audit Scotland have introduced a new approach to auditing Best Value in local government which has commenced this year as part of the next 5-year Best Value Audit programme. This approach includes a focus on a thematic area each year which will be considered for all local authorities within the same snapshot in time. This is significant shift in approach and for year one, will examine the effectiveness of leadership in developing new local strategic priorities. Alongside the ongoing Best Value auditing and this new approach with annual themes, there will also be a Section 102 Audit carried out and a report produced for each Council at some point within the 5-year programme. Regular progress updates targeted towards a range of audiences demonstrating how the Council is delivering its strategic objectives and highlighting any areas of slippage is a key element of the Council’s Best Value approach. Page 21 of 218
Page 80
4. Progress of delivery of the Council Plan during 2022/2023 4.1 Members will note from appendix 1 that progress has commenced across the priority areas with activity broadly on target for this point. As outlined in Section 1, the Council Plan is a five-year programme and this is the first progress update reported to Members so there are some areas which may not appear to have delivered significant progress, but this is to be expected at this stage. Regular reporting to the Leadership Board over the term of the Plan will ensure progress is closely monitored. 4.2 Based on the latest available updates, key areas of achievement, progress and also areas where progress has been delayed is summarised under each strategic outcome below. 4.3 Strategic Outcome 1: Place • Delivering projects as part of Renfrewshire’s Cultural Infrastructure Investment Programme, including the refurbished Paisley Town Hall which is due to reopen later this year and will be showcased during the hosting of the Royal National Mod. • Progressing regeneration plans across Renfrewshire – within Paisley Town Centre there has been a renewed focus following the Paisley Vision publication, aligning closely with the Cultural Infrastructure Investment and other key sites, such as the Liberal Club, which is currently under restoration. Refreshed strategies will also be delivered for other major settlements across Renfrewshire, with the first focusing on Johnstone. • Successfully delivering the destination marketing plan to promote Renfrewshire as a visitor and investment destination, supporting tourism recovery, delivering a successful events programme, and increasing footfall across Renfrewshire. • Progressing the first phases of the Housing-Led Regeneration and Renewal programme with tenants moving into new Council homes in Johnstone and Ferguslie Park. • Delivering the initiatives within Renfrewshire’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan, which is now in its final year of delivery, to support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. • Developing a participatory budgeting framework for the Council, an approach particularly showcased through the Celebrating Renfrewshire (youth participatory budgeting) and You Decide projects, with £1.2m allocated to You Decide. Work is underway to explore participatory budgeting activity as part of the Housing-Led Regeneration and Renewal programme. This action has been carried forward from the previous Council Plan, with a small update to the wording and an updated due date of 31 March 2024 to reflect the ongoing work in this area. • Rolling out the Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) programme which delivers fibre to the premise, ultrafast full fibre broadband. This programme is on track to complete by late summer and is anticipated to now cover over 80% of the Council area. Page 22 of 218
Page 81
• Continuing to deliver strong universal services across all areas of the Council, which are essential for keeping our communities safe, learning, involved and living fulfilling lives. • While Renfrewshire’s draft Local Housing Strategy (LHS) was approved by Board in March 2022 and extensive engagement and consultation was undertaken, presenting the final draft has been delayed slightly in order to fully analyse the findings from the local housing and demand assessment. It is anticipated this will be presented to Communities and Housing Policy Board later this calendar year. 4.4 Strategic Outcome 2: Economy • Progressing the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside project, with construction work now moving at pace alongside the expected benefits in terms of infrastructure, economy and wider regeneration, as well as the significant community benefits for this project and the Glasgow Airport Investment Area. • Delivering the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS), which is now nearing completion, with the key enabling infrastructure now complete, alongside the new public realm space - to reflect the final stages of this project, the due date has been adjusted. The Council has also established strong links with the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) and Medicine Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC), with the MMIC building already operational and the NMIS in the final phase fit out stage. There has also been recent approval to finalise the appointment of the Council’s joint-venture partner to take forward the marketing and build out of the AMIDS site. This supports the delivery of the long term economic and job growth ambitions set out as part of the original City Deal business case. • The Youth Guarantee and Kickstart employability programmes have now been completed, focused on reducing unemployment among young people, with these programmes reaching over 500 young people. Work to promote Renfrewshire’s Apprentice Framework has also been completed with this now incorporated into business-as-usual work moving forward, with apprenticeships continued to be promoted and delivered. • Focusing on supporting vulnerable learners into positive destinations continues with the Economic Recovery Group providing oversight for this area. The work placement programme continues to provide excellent opportunities for our young people, with over 400 new employers participating this year. My Future Pathways is again successfully underway this session and showing progression for young people to move into further training, with 40 young people undertaking the construction course. • Although showing as slightly behind target timescales, work is ongoing to develop a Community Wealth Building Plan for Renfrewshire, with successful engagement events and examples of working to encourage local businesses to bid for Council contracts. The due date for this action has been extended to December 2023 to reflect the ongoing work on this. • Work continues to maximise regeneration funding through grant funding, an action that was due to complete by March 2023 and will therefore be carried Page 23 of 218
Page 82
forward. Significant progress has already been made, with successful bids bringing grant funding to a diverse range of regeneration projects across Renfrewshire. 4.5 Strategic Outcome 3: Fair • Progressing the Fairer Renfrewshire programme continues at pace, with both the Sub-Committee and Officers Group now well established to support the delivery of the programme and with funding allocated to a range of projects to support communities through the cost-of-living crisis. The Winter Connections programme was particularly successful and well-received across Renfrewshire with all funding allocated across 38 community projects and across the network of Renfrewshire libraries. A panel of people with lived experience of poverty has been established, to explore ways to inform the Council’s policy and practice and an evaluation of the process has been carried out by the Poverty Alliance to explore how these types of participation processes can inform work going forward. • Continuing to implement the workstreams to ensure Renfrewshire Keeps The Promise and delivers improved outcomes for individuals who are care experienced. Considerable activity is underway at both a strategic and an operational level across the Council. • Continuing to take forward actions across Council services to address the recommendations of the Alcohol and Drugs Commission, including the launch of My Life Ahead, providing holistic wraparound support using a Housing First approach and delivered by housing services. Children’s Services, in partnership with I am Me Scotland, have developed a digital, interactive and progressive curricular programme in substance use, which has been led by children and young people as well as people with lived experience. Work is also underway to eradicate stigma and promote positive conversations about recovery, linked to the Council’s Trauma Informed and Responsive Renfrewshire Programme, which recently saw a coordinator post being created and engagement with a range of partners and other local authorities and Leadership training being undertaken. 4.6 Strategic Outcome 4: Green • Continuing to progress Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero with phase 2 underway, which will involve developing costed, target interventions to help the Council and the area work towards net zero. The Community Climate Fund successfully allocated the full £50,000 funding across 18 community projects ranging from growing grounds to cycle repairs and reflecting all five thematic areas of the Plan for Net Zero and all local partnership geographical areas. • Operational activity to support Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero includes launching new active travel schemes such as Beat the Street, School Active Travel Promotion, Scootability, and Not Far? Leave the Car; installing additional electric charging equipment; and the Team Up to Clean Up campaign has entered its 5th year which has grown each year since its Page 24 of 218
Page 83
inception. The Council also continues to promote and encourage waste minimisation through reducing, re-using and recycling. • Delivering the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESH2) milestones is on track, with a contractor now on site to deliver energy efficient works. • Providing the opportunity for procurement officers to identify ways to help tackle the climate emergency, improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon through the contract strategy template. • The target date for a new action to develop a funding strategy to support Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero has been revised to align with work underway on both phase 2 of the Plan for Net Zero and the Council’s statutory duty to develop a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy, both of which will inform the funding strategy. • There are a range of other actions which are showing positive progress but will need their end dates extended into this next financial year to continue to implement fully, including the development of a Low Emissions/Electrification Strategy, active travel initiatives, the strategic property review, and the programme of enhanced environmental and community support activities. 4.7 Strategic Outcome 5: Living Our Values • Implementing the next phase of transformation as part of the Right for Renfrewshire Programme, alongside the actions arising from the Council’s financial sustainability workstreams, which includes the identification of £4.4m of savings. • Supporting the Council to develop new ways of working, with 5 new or updated policies to support this being approved at Policy Board over the past 9 months. • Continuing to implement the Council’s brand, increasing visibility and access to the brand toolkit and understanding of the Council’s tone of voice, embedding its consistent use and reflecting Our Values. • Supporting attendance and reducing absence with a new absence policy approved by Policy Board in November. Alongside this, work is underway to review absence recording processes and support the successful implementation of the policy through the development of training and guidance. • Alongside supporting attendance, a workforce Wellbeing Strategy has been developed and will be recommended to Policy Board in June 2023 for approval. This has been influenced by considering the needs of our workforce as we’ve emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic and considering our workforce for the future. • As noted in paragraph 3.7, there is a new approach to Best Value audits and the Council is progressing self-assessment activity to support our preparedness for this, exploring key areas of focus, starting with a corporate self-assessment which is currently underway. • There are a range of other actions which are showing positive progress but will also need their end dates extended to allow for further development and the implementation stage, these include the development of a new Equality, Page 25 of 218
Page 84
Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and the development of a strategic recruitment and talent management plan. 4.8 Cross-cutting theme: Improving outcomes for children and families • As described in the Council Plan, every strategic outcome contributes to improving the lives of Renfrewshire’s children and their families as this lies at the heart of our vision for Renfrewshire and underpins the Council Plan strategic direction. In the appended action plan, actions which directly support this are noted with ‘(CF)’. Within the append performance scorecard, indicators which directly link to this cross-cutting theme are also grouped together. All Service Improvement Plans also have this focus to enable progress to support this cross-cutting theme to be closely monitored. 4.9 Performance/data indicators on track • Performance in relation to the average time taken from households presenting themselves as homeless to the completion of duty is currently just over 22 weeks, against a target time of 24 weeks. Renfrewshire one of the best performing councils in Scotland. Performance has continued to improve against challenging targets despite significant national and local housing and homelessness pressures. • There were 369 new affordable homes completed in 2022/23, exceeding the target of 200. The newbuild housing programme is intended to provide a range of affordable home types to meet different housing needs and involves both the Council and local housing associations. The 2022/23 completions include housing in Johnstone, Renfrew, Bishopton and Ferguslie. • Employability services continue to be successful in supporting people into sustainable employment. In 2022/23, 340 people were successful in not only gaining employment with support from our Invest programme but continuing in that work six months later. This is against our target of 180. The ‘Kickstart Plus’ initiative has allowed us to support our Kickstart trainees to remain in work with an additional six months’ support. • There has been an increase in the uptake of free school meals in both primary and secondary schools, with both now exceeding their targets. Taster sessions have been delivered in schools and there has been positive feedback on the new menu choices, contributing to the increased uptake. • As part of our commitment to Net Zero by 2030, the Council has been investing in fleet which uses alternative fuel for a number of years. In 2022/23, the Council added to the fleet with 14 new electric vehicles. More than a quarter of the fleet – including 2 buses – now uses a power source other than fossil fuels. The Council continues to consider alternative fuel options when purchasing vehicles and is currently trialling refuse trucks powered by hydrolysed vegetable oil. • The Council continues to meet its target in relation to responding to Freedom of Information requests, despite long-term growth in the volume of requests received and the complexity of requests. Over 1400 requests were received in 2022/23 and 92% were responded to within the target time. • The Council targets frontline resolution for complaints wherever possible, with a focus on a quick resolution for the customer. In 2022/23, 89% of complaints were Page 26 of 218
Page 85
dealt with by frontline staff which equates to over 8,000 issues being handled in this way. • The majority of looked after children continue to be cared for in community settings such as kinship care or foster placements and we will always seek a family placement in the first instance where that is appropriate. There are some children and young people for whom a residential setting, such as one of our Children’s Houses or a residential school, is the best fit for their needs. For a small number of our young people, a decision on placement may be made by a Children’s Hearing. 4.10 Performance/data indicators which did not meet target • The return of in-person events in 2022/23 generated positive media coverage about Renfrewshire over the year, as did press interest in Paisley hosting the Royal National Mὸd in 2023. However, our reach in terms of opportunities to see and hear something positive about Paisley and Renfrewshire does not capture the extensive social media engagement and has missed the target set for the year. • The impact of the pandemic and its coinciding with changes to the calculation of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard in 2021/22 has meant that the target for Council housing stock meeting SHQS has not been met this year. This is a position reflected across many Scottish local authorities. The changes relate to new smoke and heat detector standards and upgrades have been affected by challenges in the construction industry. Work is ongoing to achieve full compliance and improvement is expected in 2023/24. • The challenges in the construction industry are also impacting on the percentage of homes meeting the EESSH 2020 standard, with some delays in work being completed. Although the target of 95% has not been met, improvement is evident with the percentage increasing from 78.4% in 2021/22 to 85.1% in 2022/23. Landlords have until the end of 2025 to be fully compliant with the standard. • The lasting impact of the pandemic, coupled with national economic uncertainty, is also impacting business start-ups. The target of 320 start-ups being supported by Business Gateway in 2022/23 has not been met, as people are currently more reluctant to launch a new business. The Council continues to provide innovative supports such as Start-Up Street, and there has been a small increase in businesses seeking support across the year. • Absence levels did not meet the target set for Quarter 3, with an average of 3.74 days lost per FTE against a target of 2.8 days. The main sickness absences reasons were psychological, respiratory and musculoskeletal which together account for two- thirds of all sickness absence. The Council offers a range of supports to help employees manage sickness and return to work safely, including counselling, mental health awareness sessions and physiotherapy. 5. Focus for the next 6 months 5.1 Given how recently the Council Plan framework was approved, the key areas of focus remain current and reflect the priorities of the Council at this time. However, for each six-month progress update, there will be the opportunity to add to or adjust the Page 27 of 218
Page 86
actions and indicators to best reflect the current context at that time and any changing or emerging priorities. 5.2 Areas of specific focus for the next 6 months include: • Delivering the Cultural Infrastructure Investment Programme, with many of the key projects nearing the final phases • Maximising the economic opportunities arising from the significant investment and infrastructure in Renfrewshire • Progressing the Housing-Led Regeneration and Renewal Programme across Renfrewshire • Implementing the humanitarian schemes through the UK and Scottish Governments to support people arriving in Renfrewshire • Delivering the Fairer Renfrewshire programme and undertaking a deep dive child poverty exercise • Developing a new Sustainable Communities Fund to support the shared ambitions of empowering and developing our communities and tackling the climate crisis and enhancing and protecting our natural environment • Developing phase 2 of the Council’s Plan for Net Zero, including a detailed phased route map and quantified delivery plans, alongside ongoing engagement with key stakeholders • Securing the Council’s financial sustainability through a range of targeted workstreams to identify efficiencies and opportunities to reduce costs • Progressing the Council’s strategic property review and Renfrewshire’s strategic assessment of our long term priorities for our school estate management. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – updates in the appended report relate to areas that fall under the remit of Finance, particularly relating to supporting the Council’s financial sustainability workstreams 2. HR & Organisational Development – updates in the appended report relate to areas that fall under the remit of HR and Organisational Development, particularly under strategic outcome 5, Living our Values 3. Community/Council Planning – the content of the report relates specifically to the delivery of the Council Plan and the appendix shows the associated progress for the latter half of 2022/23. 4. Legal - none 5. Property/Assets - none 6. Information Technology - none 7. Equality and Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No Page 28 of 218
Page 87
negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because it is for noting only. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health and Safety - none 9. Procurement – updates in the appended report relate to areas that fall under the remit of the procurement team, under both the strategic outcomes relating to ‘economy’ and ‘green’. 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy Impact – none 12. COSLA Policy Position – none 13. Climate Risk – the Council Plan priorities are underpinned by actions which will directly support the Council’s response to the climate emergency – ‘green’ has a particular focus on activities supporting this priority area. Appendices: Six-month update report Background documents: Council Plan, Council, September 2022 Council Plan Framework, Leadership Board, November 2022 Author: Pauline Moss, Strategy, Policy and Insight Manager Seony Ross, Senior Planning and Policy Development Officer Page 29 of 218
Page 88
Page 30 of 218
Page 89
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Council Plan Six monthly progress update June 2023 Page 31 of 218
Page 90
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Welcome to the six month update on our Council Plan As Chief Executive of Renfrewshire Council, I’m delighted to welcome you to the first six-month update on our Council Plan. Our new Council Plan set out our priorities for Renfrewshire Council -areas our customers, citizens, communities and partners told us mattered to them, and where our data and research showed a need for the services and projects we are well placed to deliver. We grouped these into 5 main strategic outcomes of place, economy, fair, green and living our values. Underpinning our priorities is a cross-cutting strategic outcome to improve the lives of Renfrewshire’s children and their families -this drives all that we do. The challenges for local government remain significant –our resources are stretched alongside increased demand for our services and a range of rising cost pressures. Despite this difficult context, we remain ambitious for Renfrewshire and determined to deliver the vision described in our Council Plan. Despite this being the first progress update, we’ve got some good news stories we want to highlight –with Renfrewshire tenants moving into great quality, modern, green Council homes; supporting vulnerable learners into positive destinations through programmes such as My Future Pathways; and of course our brilliant cultural infrastructure programme delivering the refurbished Paisley Town Hall, which is reopening in time to host the Royal National Mod later this year. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved so far and I’m looking forward to seeing more progress as we move through the term of this Council Plan. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues across Renfrewshire Council, who work hard every day to make a difference. Alan Russell, Chief Executive Place Economy Fair Green Living our Values Improving outcomes for Children and Families Page 32 of 218
Page 91
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level How we report progress • This update reflects back on the first six months of our Council Plan, highlighting areas where we’re already making progress and some areas we’d like 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. • The following pages shine a spotlight on some great projects or practice but for balance also highlight those areas where we’d like to improve or develop further. Towards the end of this document, you’ll find a full update against all the actions and performance indicators we use to measure progress. • Many of our performance indicators are high-level, annual indicators –our Council Plan spans a 5- year time period so it might take some time to show some trends and patterns, but to reassure you, the Council reports a wide range of performance indicators to our Council Boards through our Service Improvement Plans and also through regular operational performance updates –you can access these reports here. Page 33 of 218
Page 92
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Place: Working together to enhance wellbeing across communities Spotlight: 101 new-build modern, energy-efficient Council homes are being built on the site of the former St Fergus Primary School in Ferguslie Park. Tenants have been moving in since January, with 64 homes now handed over, and work on the new development is due to be complete by July. Our latest Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2023 –2028 was approved. As well as housing in Ferguslie, 39 newbuilds homes in Johnstone are complete, with tenants moving in there too Areas for improvement and development • The percentage of Council housing meeting the Scottish Housing Quality standard is below the 100% target at 68.31%, but this reflects some recent changes to the standard and work is on track to address this • Vacant and Derelict Land has increased with 9 new sites last year -we actively work to target these areas for development where appropriate • While we’ve developed and consulted on a draft Local Housing Strategy, the final version is delayed while a local housing need and demand assessment is being analysed 369 affordable homes completed across Renfrewshire More than 316 million opportunities to hear something positive in the media about the Council The refurbished Paisley Town Hall is due to reopen later in 2023 and will host the Royal National Mod in October 2023 Page 34 of 218
Page 93
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Economy: building an inclusive, green and resilient economy Spotlight: Renfrewshire’s Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) site is already delivering major benefits to the local economy, whether through our innovative low-carbon District Heating Network, two world-class innovation centres, new transport infrastructure and the creation of high-skilled jobs. The enabling infrastructure is now also complete along with the fantastic public realm space at Netherton Square. 110 of 150 community benefits have already been realised as part of Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside and 70 out of 70 for the Glasgow Airport Investment Area project. Areas for improvement and development • We will continue to work to increase the proportion of our procurement spend with local businesses as part of our approach to Community Wealth Building • We have a strong track record and will continue to seek external funding opportunities to support our regeneration work across Renfrewshire 340 people supported into work and sustained after 6 months Renfrewshire received £1.5m funding for regeneration from the Shared Prosperity Fund for 22/23 to 24/25 Successfully completed 2 programmes for youth unemployment, Youth Guarantee and Kickstart, with over 500 young people benefiting from the schemes. Page 35 of 218
Page 94
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Fair: nurturing bright, happy and healthy futures for all Spotlight: £70,000 of funding was allocated from the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme to support the delivery of Winter Connections activities, with an additional £10,000 funding allocated to OneRen. The programme offered an extensive and varied programme of activities across Renfrewshire, hosted by community groups and our network of libraries to ensure anyone could have a warm welcome, the opportunity to connect and perhaps learn something new! Our programme reached over 1,800 people across 38 funded projects. Established a Fairer Renfrewshire Lived Experience Panel to inform the Council’s policy and practiceAreas for improvement and development • A ‘deep dive’ into child poverty is ongoing in order to inform the local child poverty action plans, which will identify any gaps in data • We are focusing on understanding the impact of trauma and reflecting our learning in how we deliver our services, alongside the language we use to help tackle stigma, particularly in relation to drug and alcohol recovery. 4,429 Financial Insecurity Winter Payment awards made as of February 2023 £5million invested in the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme to reduce poverty and inequality Launched My Life Ahead, providing holistic wraparound housing support for households whose lives are affected by alcohol and drugs We continue to welcome people to Renfrewshire who arrive here through government humanitarian schemes, such as Ukrainian people who have been displaced by the war Page 36 of 218
Page 95
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Green: leading Renfrewshire to Net Zero Spotlight: £50,000 was invested in the Community Climate Fund, which awarded up to £3,000 to community organisations to develop local green community projects. 18 projects across Renfrewshire were funded in the summer of 2022, tackling climate challenges from food waste to energy efficiency. This photo shows work well underway on a new garden and play area at Finding Your Feet, an amputee charity based in Renfrewshire. New active travel schemes have been launched to encourage sustainable travel Areas for improvement and development • As part of phase 2 of our Plan for Net Zero, costed targeted interventions and a ‘route map’ are being developed in partnership with key stakeholders across Renfrewshire. This work will also feed into our funding strategy and our work to develop a carbon budget for Renfrewshire Council. • Work will also continue on developing our low emissions/ electrification strategy, our active travel routes and also on our strategic property review. 28% of the Council fleet uses alternative fuels Our procurement processes now identify opportunities to achieve energy efficiency and carbon reduction Over 4,300 members on our online platform supporting our Team Up to Clean Up campaign Following engagement and consultation, including setting up Renfrewshire’s Climate Panel, we published Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero Page 37 of 218
Page 96
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Living our Values: making a difference together Spotlight: Our #You Decide project empowered communities to decide how £1.2m of Environment and Infrastructure budget should be spent. It is now funding 50 priority projects across our towns and villages, and works should be complete by the end of 2023. The latest round of Celebrating Renfrewshire funding has recently launched, this focuses on children and young people taking decisions about funding projects that matter to them and is now in our third year. Areas for improvement and development • Work is ongoing to develop some key plans and strategies to support our workforce –this includes a strategic recruitment and talent management plan and our new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy • The financial sustainability workstream continues with workstreams progressing through the year and services contributing further options 94% of Freedom of Information requests were responded to on time £4.4 million savings have been identified through the Financial Sustainability workstream 5 new policies have been approved since Autumn 2022 to support New Ways of Working We’re working to make it easier to understand the Council’s progress and performance –like this report - please tell us what you think! Page 38 of 218
Page 97
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Improving Outcomes for Children and Families Spotlight:As part of our commitment to keeping The Promise in Renfrewshire, we have recruited over 100 Promise Keepers who act as local champions, helping to educate and improve services for care experienced people. Areas for improvement and development • The pandemic had a disproportionate effect on our most deprived areas, leading to an increase in the poverty-related attainment gap. We continue to target our work to support all children and young people to achieve. • Through the Children’s Services Partnership, a range of services are working together to map out whole family support services that can best support families at the right time. 90% of looked after children are cared for in community placements Over 400 new employers signed up to support our schools work placement scheme Young people (Renfrewshire’s COP26 ambassadors) were members of Renfrewshire’s Climate Panel Across all of our work and all of our efforts, we hope for loving and happy lives for Renfrewshire’s children –working togetherto get it right for children, families and communities –protecting, learning, achieving and nurturing. Every priority of our Council Plan contributes to improving the lives of Renfrewshire’s children and their families. Over 2,200 young people voted to decide where Council funds should be spent as part of the Celebrating Renfrewshire Programme in 2022/23 Over 2,000 young people took part in ‘Safe Kids’, community safety workshops in 2022/23 Page 39 of 218
Page 98
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Actions and indicators Full list June 2023 Page 40 of 218
Page 99
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Place What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 1. Progress Renfrewshire’s Housing- led Regeneration and Renewal programme 31-Mar-2031 All 39 newbuild properties at the Councils newbuild site at AuchengreochCircle in Johnstone have now been handed over by the contractor and are tenanted. This development has provided a mix of 1 and 2 bed cottage flats and 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes. The five lower cottage flats within this development were designed to be wheelchair accessible, with electrical controls at accessible heights and showers with “wet floors” in bathrooms. Further to this, all two-storey houses in this development have ground floor spaces capable of later conversion to shower-rooms and locations for future through-floor lifts if future adaptations are required. All properties have been let through the Councils Common housing allocations policy. To date, 46 of the 101 newbuild properties within the TannahillRegeneration area have been handed over by the contractor. Tenants requiring rehousing from the properties to be demolished in the Tannahillarea have all been offered housing advice and where they have wanted to remain within the area, offers of suitable alternative accommodation that meets their needs has been offered. Further handovers will take place on a phased basis until this development completes in Summer 2023. 2. Deliver Renfrewshire’s Strategic Housing Investment Programme in partnership with other housing providers in Renfrewshire 31-Mar-2028 The Renfrewshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2023 –2028 was approved by the Communities and Housing Policy Board on the 25 October 2022 and was also submitted to the Scottish Government. It sets an ambitious affordable housing programming averaging a spend of over £17m per annum on new affordable homes across Renfrewshire. The Plan also provides additional resources to deliver on the Council’s ambitious Housing Regeneration Programme. Working in partnership with Renfrewshire’s developing housing associations and other partners, it is anticipated that the 5-year programme will delivery over 1000 new affordable homes. Currently there is a range and choice of affordable homes on-site or being completed in Paisley, Bishopton, Linwood and Renfrew. Page 41 of 218
Page 100
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Place What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 3. Deliver Renfrewshire’s Local Housing Strategy 2022-27 31-Mar-2027 The draft Renfrewshire Local Housing Strategy 2022 –2027 was approved by the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board on the 15 March 2022 and was subject to extensive consultation and engagement over a 16 week period. A City Region Housing Need and Demand Assessment was prepared and fed into this regional evidence base has shaped the local housing strategy. Currently a robust local housing need and demand assessment evidence base for Renfrewshire is being prepared in order to finalise the Renfrewshire Local Housing Strategy. This will then be presented to a future board in summer 2023. The Strategy has therefore been delayed and once approved will cover the period of 2023-2028. Delivery of the Plan will begin once in place later this year. 4. Deliver the key outputs from Renfrewshire’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) 31-Mar-2024 All RRTP initiatives up to the end of year four have been implemented as far as funding allowed. The Plan is in its final year of delivery 5. Deliver Renfrewshire’s Cultural Infrastructure Investment Programme 31-Oct-2023 Delivery of key projects is progressing well. The refurbished Paisley Town Hall is due to reopen later in 2023 and will host the Royal National Mod in October 2023. Work is ongoing on other key sites including Paisley Museum and the new Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub. Page 42 of 218
Page 101
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Place What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 6. Develop long term place visions for our key settlements and town centres including the approved Paisley Town Centre Vision (2020) 31-Mar-2026 The transformation of Paisley on the back of the Action Plan is advancing at pace. Goals such creating an international culture and heritage destination and acting as a stimulus for property investment, development and re-use has already been realised. There are a number of significant regeneration projects currently under construction nearing completion including the restoration of the Museum, Town Hall and Arts Centre and the creation of a new Culture and Learning Hub in the High Street. The publication of the Paisley Vision document will also act as a further catalyst to inspire future development in and around the town centre. The Liberal Club, which was identified as a key building in the Vision, is currently under restoration. Securing its long-term status. The team are now looking at delivering refreshed strategies for other major settlements in Renfrewshire. The first will be in Johnstone, with further updates for Erskine, Linwood and Renfrew in the pipeline. 7. Deliver a participatory budgeting framework for the Council (CF) 31-Mar-2024 This year £1.2M was allocated by Environment & Infrastructure through their #Youdecide programme. Housing and Regeneration teams are participating in training with COSLA for the use of the CONSUL platform which will support PB activity in the four housing regeneration areas, this is ongoing. £25k has been approved for a pilot in Johnstone for the Christmas event. This work is at the early planning stages. The due date has been changed from March 2023 to March 2024 and the wording of this action has been adapted slightly to reflect the updated action in the new Service Improvement Plan. 8. Progress the next phase of Local Partnerships development 31-Dec-2023 Celebrating Renfrewshire awards for projects for the 12-25 year age group were announced in October 2022. Dates for Local Partnership meetings during 2023 have been agreed. A paper will be submitted to the Leadership Board in June on next phase of development of local partnerships. The due date has been changed from March 2023 to December 2023. Page 43 of 218
Page 102
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Place What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 9. Develop new options for services and partners to work together more closely across localities to provide advice and support to local people (CF) 31-Dec-2023 We are progressing new connected communities approach -considering how we develop our ‘front door’ services for people accessing advice and support; exploring family advice services; and developing options for locality working. 10. Deliver destination marketing to promote Renfrewshire as a visitor and investment destination, maximising audience and product intelligence and ensuring brand relevance for all of Renfrewshire 31-Dec-2023 The destination marketing plan for 2022 was successfully delivered and delivered the following results: o 5.1 million paid-for opportunities to see and hear (OTSH) summer campaign messaging o 57K website page views (campaign pages and blogs) o Visit section +120% compared to 2019 o Homepage +61% compared to 2019 o Social media totals -Reach/Impressions: 111,377. Engagements: 2,210 Paisley.is was awarded a total of £56,000 from the VisitScotland Destination and Sector Marketing Fund to help drive tourism recovery and encourage footfall to Paisley Town Centre. The ‘Paisley.is Calling’ marketing campaign ran from December 2021 to September 2022 to increase visits to Paisley Town Centre and subsequent visitor spend and dwell time. Campaign evaluation was presented to VisitScotland in September 2022, and included data from the Moffat Centre’s Visitor Attraction, which reported an increase in visits to Paisley attractions of 237.6% in 2022, year-to-date compared to August 2021 (impact of Covid19 restrictions), and an increase in visits of 6.7% in August alone, compared with the previous year. STP hotel occupancy data highlighted an increase in hotel occupancy from 59% in July 21 to 91% in July 22. Throughout the year, marketing campaigns were delivered to support the council’s major events programme. The overall Paisley.is evaluation statistics for Year 5 (1 April 2022 –31 March 2023) are: over 204,000,000 opportunities to see and hear something about Paisley and Renfrewshire, a social media reach of 2.9m, and 574,000 webpage visits. Page 44 of 218
Page 103
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Place What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 11. Carry out evaluation of Future Paisley and prepare a transition plan for the mainstreaming/external funding of projects beyond April 2024 31-Mar-2024 The Evaluation Framework was completed in December 2022 and rolled out to Partners and Project Leads in January 2023. Additional resources are in place to support Project Leads to evidence the impact of the activity and how it aligns with Future Paisley’s strategic objectives. The service continues to support Project Leads through ongoing 1-2-1 sessions, online training and a library of evaluation resources and data sources. This is underpinned by evidence reviews and case studies delivered by the Centre of Culture, Sport and Events. Transition planning includes policy development linked to health and social care, education and housing, and identification of those projects that meet council plan objectives and the strategic objectives that underpin Future Paisley’s Step Changes. 12. Under Connectivity As A Service (CaaS) complete the rollout of Fibre To The Premise (FTTP) across 75% of Renfrewshire as a geography by the summer of 2023 31-Aug-2023 City Fibre continue to roll out gigabit connectivity across pan Renfrewshire as part of the Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) programme. This roll out will be completed by August 2023 and is now expected to cover 80%+ of the Council area. ICT continue to investigate options to address any shortfall in coverage. Page 45 of 218
Page 104
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Place What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 13. Delivering strong universal services to all Renfrewshire citizens (CF) 31-Mar-2027 Universal services provided by the Council are essential for keeping our communities safe, educated, involved, and happy. Some examples of work to deliver strong universal services over the last 6 months is included below. Children’s Services deliver strong Early Learning and Childcare (ELCC), Primary and Secondary education provision throughout Renfrewshire. This has been demonstrated through recent inspections where our establishments perform above the national average in a range of quality indicators including learning, teaching and assessment, and ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion. Pupils are also performing consistently above the national average across almost all key indicators. Environment & Infrastructure provide essential services to every household in Renfrewshire and delivers key Council priorities and initiatives. This has included key upgrades carried out, such as the roads and footways capital investment programme, investment in local parks, and improvements to the Council’s cemeteries estate. The service also implemented a new scheduling of grass cutting and vegetation cutback in rural areas and core path network and delivered the expansion of free school meals to all P1 –P5 children and to all ASN pupils. The Communities and Housing Service continued to deliver repairs and emergency out of hours repair service to Council housing properties within Renfrewshire and continued to work closely with buildings services to maximise the number of houses that are returned to the letting pool and prioritise houses based on current needs of those requiring housing. The Community Learning and Development team carried our essential community programmes across out communities, including adult literacy, ESOL, and youth programmes. The Housing service has now joined colleagues in Environment and Infrastructure, and Communities has joined the Chief Executive’s services, so will be reported under those services going forward. The Chief Executives Service continues to deliver support services that enables frontline services to continue and improve, such as policy support and data analytics, internal communications and managed digital channels, and coordinated engagement with local communities. The service also delivers key universal services in planning and building standards, as well as employability and business support services. Page 46 of 218
Page 105
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Place Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 1. Proportion of properties receiving superfast broadband 98 Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters *This is an LGBF measure; the latest data available is for 2021/22. 2. Opportunities to see or hear something positive about Paisley and Renfrewshire 314, 041,621 240, 000,000 204, 638,668 240, 000,000 55, 990,769 60, 000,000 87, 944,833 60, 000,000 29, 727,128 60, 000,000 30, 975,938 60, 000,000 Renfrewshire’s events featured high among our coverage for the period of Q4. This included the Council’s annual events programme announcement and the programme announcements for Paisley Food and Drink Festival. We saw a great deal of coverage referencing Paisley’s hosting of the Royal National Mὸd. The OTSH figures do not reflect the coverage achieved by Paisley Christmas Partners (Paisley First and Scotland’s Theme Park). Q4 reach for social media was 2.9m as our focus was to issue content on our own social media channels. 3. Amount of Vacant and Derelict Land 208.6 Data only 254 Data only Not measured for Quarters The amount of vacant and derelict land has increased since last year. 9 new sites were added to the Vacant and Derelict Land Audit this year. Page 47 of 218
Page 106
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Place Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 4. Street Cleanliness Score -percentage of areas assessed as clean 89.6% 92% * 92% Not measured for Quarters *Data for 2022/23 will not be published until February 2024 The percentage of streets assessed as clean was 89.6% for 2021/22. This figure is provisional and is awaiting verification by Keep Scotland Beautiful. The cleanliness score is based on 3 sample surveys carried out throughout the year by both the Council and Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB). This score represents the percentage of areas assessed as acceptably clean (categories A and B) using KSB’s Local Environmental Audit and Management System (LEAMS) method. 5. Average time from household presenting themselves as homeless to completion of duty (number of weeks) 22.25 26 21.74* 24 20.34 24 21.53 24 22.55 24 22.28* 24 *Please note both are estimated as the figures have yet to be confirmed by Scottish Govt. Overall performance continues to improve despite the significant national and local housing / homelessness pressures. Performance continues to be better than the national average, though it may be challenging to keep to this level in 2023/24. Page 48 of 218
Page 107
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Place Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 6. Percentage of Council housing stock which meets the Scottish Housing Quality Standard 57% 100% 68.31% 100% Not measured for Quarters Since 2021/22 compliance with 5 yearly EICR checks and the new smoke and heat detector standard are included in this calculation. The programme of EICR checks and smoke detector upgrades has been significantly affected by difficulties facing the construction industry. Work is ongoing to achieve compliance with EICR and detectors, including a programme of forced access visits. EESSH failures are also part of the SHQS score which impacts the overall SHQS pass rate. Landlords have until Dec 2025 to comply with EESSH1. 7. Affordable housing completions 170 243 369 200 Not measured for Quarters The affordable newbuild housing programme involves both Council and Housing Association developments across a range of sites. In 2022/2023 there were 369 affordable housing completions including new homes being built in Paisley, Johnstone, Renfrew and Bishopton. The Council continues to increase the supply of a range and choice of affordable homes to meet the needs of different groups. Page 49 of 218
Page 108
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Place Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 8. Private housing completions 572 500 * 500 Not measured for Quarters *Data will be available in late 2023 The Renfrewshire Housing Land Audit is completed annually. The audit is a snapshot in time covering the duration between the 1 April to the 31 March each year. The Finalised Housing Land Audit 2022 confirmed that there were 572 new private homes for sale completed. The private completions for the period 2022/2023 are currently being collated in the Housing Land Audit 2023. In relation to all homes under construction or future housing sites, 88% of these new homes will be built on previously used brownfield land, creating attractive and sustainable places. Page 50 of 218
Page 109
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Economy What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 1. Develop an Investment Proposition for Renfrewshire that is clear on our economic ambitions for our place 31-Mar-2025 This is at an early stage and will build on existing work on infrastructure development, regeneration, economic development and placeshaping in order to promote Renfrewshire as an ideal place to invest. 2. Continue to invest in infrastructure to support growth – from road and rail links to bridges, cycle and pedestrian routes 31-Mar-2027 The Council continues to pursue design and construction projects to fill identified gaps in the local transport network and to improve road user provision in line with its published strategies. 3. Develop a Transport Strategy supported by revised Active Travel and Public Transport Strategies 31-Mar-2024 Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has now published the draft Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) which is subject to final approval. The service has commenced a scoping exercise for a new Local Transport Strategy (LTS) based on the principles included in the draft RTS and a tender for a consultant opened in May and is likely to be awarded in July/ August 2023. The award of the tender will see the successful consultant take forward the production of the LTS and all its attendant engagement and research work. 4. Monitor benefits of Glasgow Airport Investment Area (completed) and deliver Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside 31-Mar-2025 Clyde Waterfront & Renfrew Riverside Community Benefits: 110 of 150 community benefits have been delivered to date. The remainder are on track/have been re-baselined to be completed as part of the project lifespan. Project Benefits: Project is advancing with construction work now moving at pace and all expected benefits in terms of infrastructure, economy and wider regeneration on track. Glasgow Airport Investment Area Community Benefits: 70 out of 70 community benefits have been delivered. Project delivery is closed and now moved to defects management period. The infrastructure in place has allowed the progression of the AMIDS site to take place with key link road throughout and new connecting bridges opened. Page 51 of 218
Page 110
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Economy What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 5. Work with partners to deliver the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District –Scotland (AMIDS) 31-May-2023 First two centres of employment are significantly progressed with occupation of the 1st now completed in Q4 2022 and the other due in Q1 2023. Procurement of a joint venture partner for the remaining AMIDS site is nearing completion, with agreement anticipated May 2023. A strategic Group has been established with key stakeholders informing progression of development. Key enabling infrastructure is now complete together with new public realm space. Due date adjusted to the 31st of May 2023. 6. Participate fully in all aspects of the new National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) Governance arrangements and Medicine Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC) delivery 31-Mar-2023 The Council has strong links with NMIS and MMIC as they are represented on the NMIS One Scotland Collaboration Group and chair the AMIDS Strategic Advisory Group with both organisations represented. CD&I team members work closely with both organisations daily and continue to assist with the commissioning of their buildings. MMIC building is already operational with NMIS now build complete and in fit out phase, expected to open in early 2023. 7. Develop a Community Wealth Building Plan for Renfrewshire 31-Dec-2023 A key focus of this has been work with local suppliers to encourage local business to bid for council contracts. A successful event has already taken place and work is ongoing to support local businesses. Employability work has a current focus on lifting people out of low-paid employment and on supporting parents into work. Due date has been extended to December 2023. 8. Maximise funding for regeneration of Renfrewshire’s places through grant submissions to external sources including UK and Scottish Governments 31-Mar-2026 The Regeneration and Place Team have successfully been able to secure and receive funding through various external sources. Between 21/22 and 25/26 we have been allocated £4.4m from the Place Based Investment Fund for capital regeneration projects. Between 22/23 and 24/25 we have received £1.5m in funding for capital and revenue regeneration spend from the Shared Prosperity fund. We have consistently been successful in RCGF funding applications. Most recent successful application received £800k in funding for the PACE theatre project. We have also recently secured £35k funding from Visit Scotland to develop a strategic Tourism Infrastructure Development Plan for Clyde MuirshielRegional Park. Recently the team submitted applications to NLHF and HES in respect of a potential new heritage scheme in Johnstone and Kilbarchan. Page 52 of 218
Page 111
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Economy What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 9. Develop a refreshed employability programme for Renfrewshire (utilising Youth Guarantee and Kickstart funding) to reduce unemployment among young people (18-24 yrs.) and to support local businesses (CF) 31-Mar-2023 Both Youth Guarantee and Kickstart have now completed, with over 500 young people benefiting from the schemes. We have a very well performing employability service and this will continue to support unemployed people into work. 10. Promote a Renfrewshire Apprentice Framework that can be rolled out across local businesses wishing to participate (CF) 31-Mar-2023 This has been completed and this work is now mainstreamed as business as usual for the team and we will continue to promote and deliver apprenticeships across Renfrewshire. 11. Working in partnership with Skills Development Scotland, West College Scotland, Invest in Renfrewshire and Developing the Young Workforce West, we will ensure planned robust approaches to supporting our most vulnerable learners into positive destinations (CF) 31-Mar-2025 The Economic Recovery Group continues to meet regularly with a robust focus on supporting vulnerable learners into positive destinations. All secondary schools and the 2 special schools have a Developing the Young Workforce coordinator. The key priority of these staff is to ensure all young people, particularly the most vulnerable, are provided with opportunities to support them into positive destinations post school including bespoke work placements and alternative pathways as appropriate. Monthly meetings take place to review the progress of these young people and to ensure that the right supports are in place for them. The work placement programme continues to provide excellent opportunities for our young people. We have approximately 400 new employers this year who are offering a range of opportunities such as site visits, training and long-term work placements for young people in the senior phase. The My Future Pathways programme is running successfully again this session with almost 40 young people having embarked on the construction course from August 2022. 8 of these young people have now been offered places on the West College Scotland pre apprentice construction course (new this session). Page 53 of 218
Page 112
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Economy Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 1. Percentage of procurement spend spent on local enterprises 18.87% 23% * 23% Not measured for Quarters * This is an LGBF indicator and data for 2022/23 will be available in March 2024. Increasing direct spend with local businesses is a key element of Community Wealth Building and the corporate procurement team are working closely with Economic Development to identify ways in which we can support local businesses with tendering for council contracts. An event was held in Johnstone Town Hall on 29 November 2022 “Doing Business with Renfrewshire Council”, over 70 attendees representing 58 Renfrewshire businesses attended this event. 100% of those who responded to the post event evaluation survey said they were likely or very likely to take action as a result and 100% would be willing to attend future events. Further events are being delivered. Page 54 of 218
Page 113
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Economy Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 2. Gross Value Added (GVA) per capita (LGBF) £22,002 Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters * This is an LGBF indicator and data for 2022/23 will be available in March 2024. 2019/20 figure reported as £24,880. 3. Number of people supported, sustained in work at 6 Months through Renfrewshire Council Employability Programme (INVEST) 221 180 340 180 Not measured for Quarters This end of year figure will continue to rise at there is a degree of time lag with this indicator. The Scottish Government have supported a development initiative named “Kickstart Plus” in Renfrewshire to provide a further 6 months support to Kickstart trainees (with employers also contributing) to allow them to continue in the workplace. 4. Number of new business start ups in Renfrewshire with Business Gateway support 272 320 206 320 51 80 47 80 50 80 58 80 Growth in the number of start- ups in Renfrewshire has risen slightly. There were 5% more businesses start-ups in the last quarter compared with the corresponding period of last year. Page 55 of 218
Page 114
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Economy Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 5. Renfrewshire Claimant Count (NOMIS) 4,180 Data only 3,755 Data only 3,525 Data only 3,600 Data only 3,505 Data only 3,755 Data only Currently 3.3%, up from 3% in Q3 6. Percentage of Renfrewshire population working age (16-64) 76.2% Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters * This is a national dataset and population estimates for 2022/23 are not yet available. Page 56 of 218
Page 115
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Fair What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 1. Develop the new Fairer Renfrewshire programme (CF) 31-Mar-2025 The Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee has been meeting since August 22 and a Fairer Renfrewshire Officers Group made up of officers from across services is meeting monthly. Work with partners to develop the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme is ongoing. There are four key emerging themes which are shared across all elements of the programme, and these are: • Improving financial security • Advancing equality of opportunity • Building community capacity and resilience • Listening to lived experience Funding has been allocated from the Fairer Renfrewshire budget to a number of projects to support residents with immediate Cost of Living increases. These include supports around food, fuel and advice. Work is also ongoing around digital access and supporting residents to get online through the Citizen Voice group, with a new post of Digital Champion in libraries has been recruited. Our Winter Connections programme was set up to support residents over the Winter 22/23 period, and has provided grants to a number of organisations to run activities. The development of a panel of people with lived experience of poverty to inform the Council’s policy and practice is ongoing. A diverse panel has been recruited and have met formally six times, with test of change being evaluated by Poverty Alliance. In addition, officers are undertaking a ‘deep dive’ child poverty data exercise, to support the Local Child Poverty Action Plan as well as the wider Fairer Renfrewshire programme. 2. Work with partners to support Renfrewshire residents through the cost of living crisis 31-Dec-2023 The Community Food Fund has supported community food provision across Renfrewshire. Three allocations of funding have been made to the Fuel Insecurity Pilot which continues to support fuel vouchers augmented with energy advice and the increase in payment amount and continuation of the Financial Insecurity Winter Payment supports households who are struggling to purchase essentials like food and fuel. In addition the Tackling Poverty programme continues to support an Energy Adviser in the Energy Management Unit. Page 57 of 218
Page 116
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Fair What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 3. Develop mechanisms for supporting individuals with lived experience of poverty to influence policy in this area 31-Mar-2024 The development of a panel of people with lived experience of poverty to inform the Council’s policy and practice is ongoing with Poverty Alliance and STAR Project being contracted to organise, chair facilitate and support the panel. A diverse panel of 15 people has been recruited and have met formally six times, as well as meeting in-between panel meetings to debrief and develop the work alongside a community artist to create a record of their experience. Initial meetings with Officers and Elected members have been held to commence the panel’s input to policy. Work is also underway to plan an event which will bring the Panel together with the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub- Committee to discuss the Panel’s deliberations and recommendations. An evaluation of the process has also been carried out by Poverty Alliance to explore how these types of participation processes can inform work going forward, and to inform the development of the model moving forward. Officers are currently undertaking contract arrangements to extend the existing panel arrangements for a further year. 4. Bring forward actions to reduce health inequalities, improving economic participation, more secure earning and greater earning power 31-Mar-2024 The Health Inequalities Group has met regularly and recently provided an update report to the LEP on where additional service requirements were being identified. The Employer Recruitment Initiative has now been launched, new disability services contracted and in place, and new initiatives have been identified and will be delivered for the next 2 years via funding secured. 5. Carry out deep dive (planned for early 2023) focusing on child poverty, which will inform delivery of local child poverty action plans (CF) 31-Aug-2023 The Fairer Renfrewshire Programme is currently being developed, and as part of that programme, officers are undertaking a ‘deep dive’ child poverty exercise in order to fully understand child poverty across Renfrewshire and across different communities. This will inform the Fairer Renfrewshire programme as well as local child poverty action plans, helping the Council and partners understand the areas of greatest need, and will focus on the six priority family groups. Page 58 of 218
Page 117
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Fair What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 6. The Promise Strategic Oversight Board and workstreams will progress and ensure Renfrewshire ‘Keeps the Promise’ and delivers improved outcomes for individuals who are care experienced, wherever possible keeping children within their families (CF) 31-Mar-2025 Promise related activity underway across a number of area/services and in line with The Promise 21-24 Plan. The Promise involves all areas of the council and its partners and reinforces the importance of reflecting this in our strategic planning approach. Considerable activity is also taking place at operational level across the Council. 7. Build local capacity for transformational whole systems change and to scale up and drive the delivery of holistic whole family support services (CF) 31-Mar-2025 Good progress has been made with the development of the holistic whole family support services. Through Renfrewshire’s Children’s Services Partnership, a range of services are working together to map out services that can support families at the right time with a focus on early and preventative intervention. We are continuing to work with services and teams to ensure they are aligned to the Whole Family Wellbeing policy agenda. Dedicated income maximisation and welfare rights advice for families will continue to be provided as part of a new wider family advice service and this will also feature in secondary schools. Page 59 of 218
Page 118
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Fair What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 8. Take forward the recommendations of the Alcohol and Drugs Commission 31-Mar-2025 Services across the Council continue to support and implement work to address the recommendations of the Alcohol and Drugs Commission Report. MYLA (My Life Ahead) launched last year, which provides holistic wraparound support, using many of the elements of the Housing First approach and is delivered by Housing Services. The project will support any household in Renfrewshire, regardless of tenure, whose life is affected by alcohol or drugs. A specialist support provider, Turning Point Scotland, will provide this bespoke support intervention to support sustainment. An action to eradicate stigma and promote positive conversations around recovery is progressing, with scope to extend to include other existing and emerging priorities, such as The Promise, Tackling Poverty, Trauma Informed and Responsive Renfrewshire. Themes and initial actions have been identified, and a review of the resources required to deliver this project is currently underway. A coordinator for Trauma-Informed and Responsive Renfrewshire started in October 2022 and is working with partners to develop a draft plan for the Programme. Children’s Services, in partnership with I Am Me Scotland, have developed a digital, interactive and progressive curricular programme in substance use for early years to senior phase aligned to the principles of Curriculum for Excellence, and reflecting the context of drug use within Renfrewshire. Children and young people have led the design and development of the materials, with significant involvement from partners, as well as young people and adults with lived experience, from a variety of different backgrounds. 9. Develop the Trauma Informed and Responsive Renfrewshire Programme 31-Mar-2025 A coordinator post has been created to lead this programme of work going forward, with the coordinator starting in late October 2022. Further engagement with the Improvement Service and other local authorities has taken place through national networks for trauma champions and trauma leads, and the steering group reconvened in March 2023 to further explore the draft plan for the Programme. Leadership training for the Corporate Management Team was also undertaken in March 2023. Page 60 of 218
Page 119
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Fair What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 10. Progress the design and delivery of the Curriculum, Learning, Teaching and Assessment; the Families and Communities; and the Inclusion Portfolios within Children’s Services (CF) 31-Mar-2025 All portfolios have strategic plans in place which focus on driving forward service improvements for each theme. The actions from the portfolios now feature in the SIP to ensure there is clear alignment between portfolios and service improvement planning. A governance board meets regularly to self-evaluate the development of the portfolios and feedback from senior leaders involved in the portfolios has been positive in terms of a collaborative approach to planning. Work is underway to explore the alignment of reporting and evaluating actions. 11. Deliver mental health and wellbeing support, including Ren10 mental health and wellbeing network to support children, young people and their families (CF) 31-Mar-2025 Ren10 continues to provide a range of supports and interventions for children and young people. The evidence based approaches and interventions are having a positive impact on children, young people and families. Recent data demonstrates an improvement in young people’s mental health and wellbeing in a number of areas. In partnership with the Mental Health Foundation, the evaluation framework underpinning some of this work has been refreshed. We are continuing to develop the Ren10 network and link this with the GIRFEC staged intervention process, request for assistance and explore the interface with Whole Family Wellbeing. Page 61 of 218
Page 120
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Fair Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 1. Percentage of children living in poverty (after housing costs) * Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters *Data has not yet been made available for 2021/22 and is expected later in 2023. The figure for this indicator is derived from the Local Government Benchmarking Framework indicator CHN24 '% of children living in poverty (after housing costs)'. The percentage in Renfrewshire in 2020/21 was 19.5% which was a considerable drop from 23.11% in 2019/20. Renfrewshire had the lowest rate amongst its family group for this indicator, while the Scottish average was 20.86%. 2. Life expectancy at birth (Females)) 79.99 Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters *Life expectancy data is produced by National Records Scotland and there is a considerable time lag in publishing these. Data for 2022/23 is likely to be available some time in 2024. 3. Life expectancy at birth (Males) 75.53 Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters Page 62 of 218
Page 121
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Fair Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 4. Healthy life expectancy at birth (Females) 61.6 Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters *Life expectancy data is produced by National Records Scotland and there is a considerable time lag in publishing these. Data for 2022/23 is likely to be available some time in 2024. 5. Healthy life expectancy at birth (Males) 60.6 Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters 6. Proportion of people earning less than the real living wage (LGBF) 19.8 Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters *This is an LGBF indicator and data for 2022/23 will not be available until March 2024. 7. Percentage uptake of free school meals in primary schools 49.3% 75.0% 53.4% 75.0% 52.3% 52.0% 51.8% 52.0% 53.6% 52.0% 54.9% 52.0% Uptake of free school meals in both primary and secondaries saw improvements compared to the previous financial year with primaries rising from 49.3% to 53.4% in 2022/23. This is above the target of 52%. Secondary performance increased from 32.3% to 39.1% (above the target of 35%) in the same time period. There has been positive feedback to the new menu resulting in the recent increase in uptake. Taster sessions were organised with schools and engagement with schools on an individual basis to focus on uptake, is ongoing. Page 63 of 218
Page 122
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Fair Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 8. Percentage uptake of free school meals in secondary schools 32.3% 49.0% 39.1% 35.0% 39.6% 35.0% 28.8% 35.0% * 35.0% * 35.0% *While the full year-end position for 2022/23 is available, there was an issue with the source data for Q3 and 4, meaning the split across the quarters could not be verified at this time. Uptake of free school meals in both primary and secondaries saw improvements in performance compared to the previous financial year, with primaries rising from 49.3% to 53.4% in 2022/23. This is above the target of 52%. Secondary performance increased from 32.3% to 39.1% (above the target of 35%) in the same time period. There has been positive feedback to the new menu resulting in the recent increase in uptake. Taster sessions were organised with schools and engagement with schools on an individual basis to focus on uptake, is ongoing. Page 64 of 218
Page 123
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Green What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 1. Develop costed, targeted interventions and actions to support our net zero journey within the Council and working in partnership with key stakeholders (CF) 31-Oct-2023 The Council is committed to achieving Net Zero by 2030 and is coordinating efforts across the Council under the Ren Zero programme, which oversees delivery of Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero. During 2023, officers will bring forward costed delivery plans for key priority areas that must be targeted to reduce carbon emissions for Board approval. At all stages throughout the delivery of the Net Zero Plan, officers will look to identify opportunities with partners to accelerate progress wherever possible within the resources and capacity available. A number of achievements in the net zero journey have been made. Passivhausconstruction was selected as the Council’s design and construction approach for the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus in 2020, which is due to be completed in 2026. The Passivhausapproach supports the delivery of interconnected benefits which support the net zero agenda, such as low energy bills; constant fresh air; superior internal comfort; and peaceful and quiet interiors. The Energy Management Unit confirm that the LED lighting programme is now complete in the public-private partnership (PPP) estate, and that CO2 monitors have also been installed in the PPP estate. A number of advancements in sustainable travel have been implemented, with new active travel schemes being launched: Beat the Street, School Active Travel Promotion, Scootability, and Not Far? Leave the Car. Additional electric charging equipment has also been installed, and the Team Up to Clean Up campaign has entered its 5th year which has grown each year since its inception. The Council continues to promote and encourage waste minimisation through reducing, re-using and recycling. Page 65 of 218
Page 124
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Green What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 2. Development of Low Emissions / Electrification Strategy 31-Mar-2024 The strategy will outline steps that the service will take to contribute towards Renfrewshire’s achievement of Net Zero carbon emissions by 2030. Fleet services continue to trial the alternative fuel source HVO (Hydrotreated vegetable oil) and have now expanded this trial by adding in additional vehicles. HVO is stable, renewable, sustainable, high quality and significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Over 2,000 litres of HVO have been used. Thus far, the trial has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 5.05 tonnes of CO2e. 2,000 litres of HVO have cost £936 more than the cost of diesel for the same volume of fuel. Renfrewshire Council have purchased 14 Electric Vehicles to add to our zero emissions fleet of cars, light vans, minibuses and large goods vehicles resulting in almost a quarter of the fleet now using alternative fuel sources. We currently operate 117 electric vehicles up to and including two 5 tonne fully electric buses. This has reduced from 130 vehicles. There are electric bicycles at HQ. Pool fleet is 100% electric. Due date has been updated to March 2024. 3. Pilot and test the creation of active travel routes between neighbourhoods, town centres and business locations using these to test SMART travel solutions and evaluate benefits to biodiversity, air quality and access 31-Mar-2023 In 2022 the Regeneration and Place Team commissioned specialist consultants Stantec to develop an active travel strategy focussed on accessing the main areas of employment across Renfrewshire. A large-scale survey and a significant number of employer interviews were conducted with the support of the Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce and the Renfrewshire Economic Leadership Panel. A final report has now been produced with a series of recommendations to develop new routes and initiatives to promote travel behaviour change. This will act as a source document for the development of specific projects for Council and external funder support in the years to come and may be reflected in new actions to be brought forward. Page 66 of 218
Page 125
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Green What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 4. Develop a Strategic Property Review of Council operational, non- operational and surplus assets 31-Mar-2025 In 2022, Renfrewshire Council commenced a Strategic Property Review (SPR). The objectives of the review are to assess the size of and shape of the Council’s property estate, to provide a modern property estate that meets the current and future requirements to: Support Learning; Support service delivery outcomes; Support community needs; Reduce its carbon footprint (including energy consumption), and; Have a financially sustainable property portfolio. The review will identify, assess and propose options to rationalise the Council’s property holdings and portfolio, to have a property estate of high quality that meets the current and future needs of services and communities, through optimum utilisation of the buildings. The review will continue over the next couple of years, therefore the due date has been updated to reflect the ongoing nature of this work. 5. Deliver the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing post- 2020 (EESSH2) milestones 31-Mar-2023 Contractor now on site to deliver energy efficiency works. Scottish Government review of EESH2 is now underway to strengthen and realign the standard with the target for net zero heat in houses from 2040. The outcome of this process will determine the council’s strategy to meet EESH2 or any other standard which may emerge from the review. 6. Develop a funding strategy to support the resourcing of actions to deliver net zero 31-Mar-2024 This action is new this year and will be developed as part of phase 2 of the Plan for Net Zero which sets out the phased road map and costed, area-based delivery plans, which is currently underway with officers working alongside external technical expertise. The new statutory duty to develop a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy and the associated funding streams will also form part of this so the end date has been revised to 31 March 2024 from 31 October 2023. 7. Establish a carbon budget for Renfrewshire Council 31-Mar-2024 This action is new this year and is being developed as part of phase 2 of the Plan for Net Zero alongside the phased road map and costed, area-based delivery plans which are currently underway. This will involve internal engagement from October 2023 to establish and agree phased targets to 2030. Page 67 of 218
Page 126
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Green What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 8. Ensure that climate considerations are taken into account in our procurement strategies and tenders with a focus on reducing emissions 31-Mar-2025 The contract strategy template provides an opportunity for procurement officers to identify opportunities to help tackle the climate emergency and maximise opportunities to achieve energy efficiency and carbon reduction. 9. Review opportunities within the Council’s infrastructure pipeline projects to align with the skills transition and green skills development for local people 31-Dec-2024 This action is new this year and will be developed following phase 2 of the Plan for Net Zero which sets out the phased road map and costed, area-based delivery plans. Phase 2 is currently underway and the infrastructure pipeline of projects and the identification of skills gaps will follow on once the outcomes and the phasing are known. 10. Deliver a programme of enhanced operational environmental and community support activities for environment and place (CF) 31-Mar-2023 Engagement on the online platform continues to grow with over 4,300 members actively supporting the campaign. Team Up to Clean Up has developed a number of umbrella projects directed by the issues raised by those engaging on the forum. The Environmental Taskforce, a partnership of Community Wardens and StreetSceneOperational staff, focuses solely on tackling flytippingand business waste. The number of Fixed Penalty Notices has seen a significant increase on the previous year. Cameras have been installed to detect and deter flytippingduring the financial year. The Taskforce prioritises educating business and housing associations in relation to their duties and responsibilities. In keeping with the Team Up to Clean Up model, the Taskforce offer periodic updates to the online group on their achievements. This engagement is positively received by the community. Renfrewshire’s appearance on The One Show celebrated the uniqueness of the Taskforce and its commitment. Page 68 of 218
Page 127
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Green Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 1. Percentage of homes meeting the EESSH 2020 standard 78.4% 95% 85.07% 95% Not measured for Quarters Whilst below target, performance has improved. Ongoing difficulties within the construction industry have caused some delays in works being completed. Landlords have until December 2025 to comply with EESSH1. 2. CO2 Emissions area wide per capita (LGBF) * Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters *2020/21 data for this indicator wasn’t published in the LGBF. For 2019/20 this was 4.85 More recent data relating to the Council’s emissions can be found in our annual Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Reporting here 3. CO2 Emissions area wide: emissions within scope of LA per capita (LGBF) * Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters *2020/21 data for this indicator wasn’t published in the LGBF. For 2019/20 this was 4.09 More recent data relating to the Council’s emissions can be found in our annual Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Reporting here Page 69 of 218
Page 128
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Green Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 4. Percentage of the vehicle fleet which uses alternative fuels, such as electricity 25% 25% 27% 25% 26.6% 25% 27% 25% 27% 25% 28% 25% Renfrewshire Council have purchased 14 Electric Vehicles to add to our zero emissions fleet of cars, light vans, minibuses and large goods vehicles resulting in almost a quarter of the fleet now using alternative fuel sources. We currently operate 117 electric vehicles up to and including two 5 tonne fully electric buses. This has reduced from 130 vehicles. There are electric bicycles at HQ. Pool fleet is 100% electric. The Council continues to consider alternative fuels such as HVO, hydrogen and hybrid technology with HVO trial underway using a selection of vehicles. Page 70 of 218
Page 129
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Green Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 5. Amount of CO² emitted by the public vehicle fleet 3,223 3,000 3,267 3,000 Not measured for Quarters The amount of CO2 emitted by the public vehicle fleet has increased from 3,223 in 2021/22 to 3267 in 2022/23. This is above target of 3,000. Fleet Services has seen an increase over the last 12 months in operational services coming back to work in-turn there has been an increase in usage of vehicles in the fleet that use fossil fuels. This has impacted the amount of fuel used and an increase in the carbon emissions. The measure has also been impacted by the pandemic and the need for social distancing, which meant additional vehicles being required throughout 2020/21 and 2021/22. Page 71 of 218
Page 130
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Living our Values What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 1. Implement the next phase of transformation as part of Right for Renfrewshire 31-Mar-2025 Transformation updates (i.e. spotlight on a specific portfolio e.g. financial sustainability) are taken to the CMT by the Programme Management Unit (PMU) on a regular basis. Services not covered in the first phase of RFR are now undertaking reviews in order to deliver their efficiencies. Alongside this, other transformation activity continues, including that linked to the financial sustainability workstreams. 2. Implement the actions arising from the Council’s financial sustainability workstreams 31-Mar-2024 There are a range of financial sustainability workstreams underway, each led by a Council director. So far savings of £4.4m have been identified and included in the 2023/24 base budget. Initial conclusions on some workstreams have confirmed there is limited prospect of the potential to deliver savings at scale and therefore these workstreams will be closed in order to prioritise management resource to those areas where there is more potential. Further work to progress existing workstreams and develop new ones will continue during the year with proposals being brought to Council and / or Policy Boards for approval. 3. Support engagement opportunities to influence national policy direction and align the focus of the organisation in response to national legislation 31-Mar-2027 The Council continues to respond to national consultations and calls for views, either directly, via COSLA, or through participation in the wide range of professional bodies of which our officers are members. Officers continue to closely monitor emerging national legislation and consider any implications for the organisation. 4. Support the Council in developing New Ways of Working 31-Oct-2023 The vision is: “Creating the conditions and offering employees options to allow them to work more flexibly, recognising work/life balance, ensuring staff retention, whilst delivering key services for Renfrewshire’s communities”. Pilots of new types of workspace are underway, and a space planner has been commissioned to consider layouts that meet our requirements and meet national standards. We have prioritised policies to support the new ways of working and this will continue. Pilots of new recruitment adverts have been undertaken. The next steps include implementing new ideas and trying to establish where teams should reside within the building. Page 72 of 218
Page 131
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Living our Values What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 5. Undertake a corporate self- assessment exercise in line with revised best value audit methodology 31-Dec-2023 Approach and model were agreed by the Corporate Management Team and the survey element of the CSA has been completed. Follow up workshops are scheduled to take place early next quarter, and then a consideration around how to take self-assessment activity forward more generally in light of the revised best value audit methodology. As a result, this action has been carried forward into the new SIP with the due date revised to 31 December 2023. 6. Lead implementation of the council brand, ensuring council communications are responsive, informed, inclusive and accessible (CF) 31-Mar-2024 Work is ongoing to increase visibility and access to the council’s brand toolkit and embedding its consistent use across services. Brand narrative is successful embedded in the council’s main strategic documents and the use of approved corporate templates is increasing through self-serve. Audience segmentation work is underway to deliver up-to-date insights into the local Renfrewshire audience that will help to maximise the reach and impact of marketing and communication activity. Further work continues to refine the brand colour palette to meet triple A web content accessibility requirements. Review of the council services written communication with residents is underway, to ensure they meet the council’s agreed Tone of Voice and reflect the council values. Standardised corporate, place and service information, has been developed to support council recruitment. 7. Develop an overall strategic recruitment and talent management plan to enable us to meet future workforce demands 31-Mar-2024 Due to the planned re-design within the People & OD team this will likely take longer to implement. However, the international recruitment angle continues to be explored, developments within talent link have commenced with others planned, we have piloted some new types of adverts, work is ongoing but the People & OD team re-design will also impact on the final outcomes of this. The due date has been revised to March 2024. Page 73 of 218
Page 132
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Living our Values What we will do Due Date Status Progress update 8. Develop a Wellbeing Strategy that meets the needs of our workforce as we emerge from the pandemic and look towards the future 31-Dec-2023 The Wellbeing Strategy is in development and the due date has been revised to December 2023. Employee wellbeing has been a particular focus for People and OD, and the team continue to refresh existing policies and introduce new policies with wellbeing at its core. These include an updated Supporting Attendance Policy and a new Menopause Policy. 9. Support the Council with improving attendance and reducing absence) 31-Dec-2023 The absence policy was presented at the November 2022 Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board and was approved. The implementation is underway, however, at the same time we are reviewing absence recording processes to aid the successful implementation of the policy. Training and guidance on the new policy is in final draft and will be ready to launched when the process review is concluded. 10. Develop a new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for the Council 31-Dec-2023 The programme is well underway, with ED&I roundtables carried out in November 22, feedback provided to CMT in March 23, further work is planned for June 23 to gain more insight from our colleagues and how they feel about ED&I, this is planned for June 23, a final strategy will be delivered by the end of the year. The due date has been revised to December 2023. Page 74 of 218
Page 133
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Living our Values Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 1. Average number of work days lost through sickness absence per employee 11.87 9.9 * 9.9 3.02 2.6 3.02 2.1 3.74 2.8 * 2.6 *Data for Q4 (and therefore for 2022/23 overall) is not yet available. For quarter 3, the Council has recorded an overall absence rate of 3.74 days lost per FTE employee, which is 0.94 days above the target of 2.80 days. 2. Percentage of posts of the highest 5% of earners among employees (excl. Teachers) who are women (AS) 58.15% Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters *This is an LGBF indicator and data for 2022/23 will not be available until March 2024 For 2021/22, Total number of employees = 6,154 Total number of employees in top 5% = 313 Total number of women in top 5% = 182 (58.15%) There was an increase in this indicator from 57.11% in 2020/21 to 58.15% in 2021/22 due to turnover activity within the Council. We will continue to monitor this indicator as part of our equality monitoring processes to ensure that our recruitment, training, development, and retention processes treat everyone in an equal and consistent basis. Page 75 of 218
Page 134
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Living our Values Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 3. Percentage gender pay gap between average hourly rate of pay for male and female employees 2.29 Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters *2022/23 data not yet available - this is an LGBF indicator and data will not be available until March 2024. For 2021/22, the pay gaps were calculated using the difference between male and female’s average hourly rate which excludes overtime. Average hourly rate of pay (Male) = £17.50 Average hourly rate of pay (Female) = £17.10 Gender Pay Gap % = 2.29% 4. Number of complaints closed at Frontline Resolution as a percentage of all complaints 86.8% 85% 89.2% 85% 87.9% 85% 88.1% 85% 90.1% 85% 90.7% 85% A total of 2,279 complaints were received during Qtr4 22/23. From this total, 2,067 frontline cases were closed during Qtr4. Target has been achieved. 5. Percentage Of FOI requests completed within timescale 95.4% 90% 94% 90% 97% 90% 95% 90% 92% 90% 92% 90% 94% FOI requests due in 2022/23 were completed on time. 1469 requests were received with 1375 completed within timescale. Page 76 of 218
Page 135
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Improving outcomes for Children and Families Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 1. No. of opportunities for young people to achieve through accredited awards 808 1,130 * 1,130 Not measured for Quarters *Data is currently being gathered for this indicator. 2. Average complementary tariff score of pupils living in SIMD 30% most deprived areas 545 Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters *Figures for 2022/23 school leavers will become available in the February 2024 Insight update. Latest data on school leavers attainment shows 2021/22 complementary tariff score is down on the figure for 2020/21. Please note for this and the following indicator -assessment methods were impacted by the pandemic, and comparison with previous years should be treated with caution. 3. Average complementary tariff score of all school leavers in Renfrewshire 689 Data only * Data only Not measured for Quarters *Figures for 2022/23 school leavers will become available in the February 2024 Insight update. The average complementary tariff score decreased in 2021/22. The average tariff of 689 is lower than the previous year but in line with leavers from the 19/20 cohort Page 77 of 218
Page 136
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Improving outcomes for Children and Families Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 4. Percentage Point Gap in % Pupils Achieving Expected Level for their stage in Literacy between pupils living in 30% Most Deprived areas and those living in 70% Least Deprived Areas (SIMD) 15.4 7 * 10 Not measured for Quarters *The 2022/23 data will become available later in 2023 through the SQA Insight website. The percentage point gap between the attainment in literacy of pupils living in the most and least deprived areas has increased to 15.4 percentage points, in comparison to the data last reported in 2018/19. In 2019/20 this data was not collected, while the 2020/21 data collection did not include achievement of a level at S3. 5. Percentage Point Gap in % Pupils Achieving Expected Level for their stage in Numeracy between pupils living in 30% Most Deprived areas and those living in 70% Least Deprived Areas (SIMD) 13.4 6 * 9 Not measured for Quarters *The 2022/23 data will become available later in 2023 through the SQA Insight website. The percentage point gap between the attainment in numeracy of pupils living in the most and least deprived areas has increased to 13.4 percentage points, in comparison to the data last reported in 2018/19. In 2019/20 this data was not collected, while the 2020/21 data collection did not include achievement of a level at S3. Page 78 of 218
Page 137
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Delivering the Council Plan –Improving outcomes for Children and Families Indicator Current Status Short term trend Long term trend 2021/22 2022/23 Q1 2022/23 Q2 2022/23 Q3 2022/23 Q4 2022/23 Explanation of performance Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target Value Target 6. Percentage of Looked After Children cared for in the community 92% 89.9% 90% 89.9% 91% 89.9% 92% 89.9% 91% 89.9% 90% 89.9% Performance in Q4 has decreased slightly from 91.2% in Q3 to 90%. The majority of all looked after children continue to live in a community setting either with their own family or with an alternative family. A residential house or school can be more suitable for a small number of children and young people based on their particular needs, but the service will always seek to have a child live in a family setting where appropriate. All looked after and accommodated children are in the setting which has been identified to best meet their needs. Page 79 of 218
Page 138
Title can go here • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Council Plan Six monthly progress update June 2023 For more information, please contact: policycefar@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 80 of 218
Page 139
___________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 14 June 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ 1 Summary 1.1 The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 requires that each Local Authority and each relevant Health Board must jointly prepare and publish a Local Child Poverty Action Report annually. This report must describe measures taken during the reporting year within the local authority area that reduce child poverty or improve outcomes for children living in poverty. It must also describe planned and proposed future actions. 1.2 This report sets out activities undertaken in Renfrewshire to reduce child poverty between April 2022 and March 2023, as well as planned and proposed actions for the future. 1.3 With a continued focus on recovery and renewal, the report highlights work being undertaken to respond and recover from the impacts of the pandemic and cost of living crisis in order to support those parents and families disproportionately impacted with issues such as low income, insecure employment, caring responsibilities and disabilities. 1.4 The report has been jointly developed by Renfrewshire Council, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), and Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP). It also includes information about partnership work to tackle child poverty across Renfrewshire’s Community Planning Partnership. Item 4 Page 81 of 218
Page 140
1.5 Work is ongoing to develop the new Fairer Renfrewshire programme, as agreed as part of the Council’s budget approved on 4 March 2022. The programme brings together activities and funding currently being progressed through the existing Tackling Poverty, Alcohol and Drugs and Social Renewal programmes, under one umbrella programme. 2 Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: • Note the content of the draft Child Poverty Local Action Report 2022/23. • Approves the Local Child Poverty Action Report for publication. 3 Background 3.1 The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 sets out ambitious targets for the Scottish Government to significantly reduce child poverty in Scotland by 2030. The Act requires that local authorities publish a Local Child Poverty Action Report within three months of the end of each financial year. 3.2 The Report should provide detail of current, planned and proposed activity which is intended to reduce child poverty in the local authority area. It should also provide detail of preventative actions which will help young people avoid becoming parents in poverty by 2030. 3.3 With £1m per year invested in our Tackling Poverty Programme over 5 years, this continues to have a positive impact on low-income families in Renfrewshire, supporting projects such as Healthier Wealthier Children advice, Cost of the School Day, and provision of energy advice specifically to families. Significant additional funding has also been allocated to support low income households and families through the ongoing Fairer Renfrewshire programme. 3.4 Renfrewshire’s Child Poverty Action Report recognises that a significant amount of work has been and is being done which is intended to reduce child poverty. The Report highlights the many activities carried out by Renfrewshire Council, Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership and wider partners which are intended to tackle child poverty across Renfrewshire. 4 Overview of Local Child Poverty Action Report 4.1 The Scottish Government has identified the three key drivers of child poverty as: • income from employment; • costs of living; and Page 82 of 218
Page 141
• income from Social Security and benefits in kind. 4.2 This report focusses on our longer-term response to the pandemic as well as the immediate cost of living crisis, highlighting actions and achievements throughout 2022/23. The report is structured to reflect the strategic priorities within the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Delivery Plan, Best Start Bright Futures published in Spring 2022: • Providing the opportunities and integrated support parents need to enter, sustain and progress in work • Maximising the support available for families to lead dignified lives and meet their basic needs • Supporting the next generation to thrive 4.3 Providing the opportunities and integrated support parents need to enter, sustain and progress in work • Our employability service, Invest in Renfrewshire offers a wide range of tailored supports to help residents on the journey towards and into employment. There has been a significant increase in the number of parents coming forward to use the service at 231 compared to 92 last year. • The Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership have continued to plan and co-commission local employability services to help Renfrewshire residents make a successful transition towards employment and reduce unemployment in the area. This partnership working has helped reduce the unemployment rate to 3.1%,(3,635 people) now lower than the Scottish rate of 3.2%. There has also been an increase in the number of accredited living wage employers in Renfrewshire to 85. • Our Procurement Team has realised 523 Community Benefits this year, with an additional 209 being offered if the contract hits the maximum threshold. 210 recruitment opportunities are amongst these, of which 111 went to those in Priority Groups. 4.4 Maximising the support available for families to lead dignified lives and meet their basic needs • With £1m per year invested in our Tackling Poverty Programme over 5 years, this continued in 22/23 to have a positive impact on low-income families in Renfrewshire, supporting projects such as Healthier Wealthier Children advice, Cost of the School Day, and provision of energy advice specifically to families as well as supporting young people’s mental health. This Programme is now under the auspices of our Fairer Renfrewshire work. Page 83 of 218
Page 142
• Advice is a vitally important part of our efforts to tackle child poverty, with the Council supporting the Healthier Wealthier Children and School Support services which provide dedicated advice services to families with children. Apart from our own Advice Works service, the Council also provides funding to Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau (RCAB) to provide both a general advice service and a community legal advice service. This year additional services have been funded: • A Welfare Rights service based at RCAB • A ‘Fair Work’ service which deals with issues regarding to employment. • Energy advice at RCAB through our Fuel Insecurity Pilot • A benefit take-up campaign and debt campaign which were funded through the Social Renewal budget. • In late 2021/22 we developed our Financial Insecurity Winter Payment. This payment, which is currently £150, has been paid to 4,724 households, of whom 2,522 were in the child poverty priority groups. • In November 2022 we paid families an additional £50 per child for children receiving School Clothing Grant to help with winter clothing. Funding has been allocated in the 2023/24 budget to repeat this payment. • Our successful Winter Connections Programme saw £70,000 allocated from the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme to fund 38 activities across Renfrewshire and a further £10,000 allocated across all Renfrewshire’s libraries. Venues also provided hot drinks, snacks and food. • Our Energy Advocates have saved clients almost £315,000 this year including ongoing savings, write offs and Warm Home Discounts. • We top up our Cost of the School Day funding by £75,000 each year through our Tackling Poverty Programme. Food vouchers, energy top-ups, toiletries and warm clothing have been supplied this year as well as more usual items such as stationery and school uniforms. 4.5 Supporting the next generation to thrive • There is still a clear commitment and expectation within Renfrewshire to raise attainment for all whilst closing the poverty-related attainment gap and data has been used to target approaches and develop interventions which support schools to raise attainment and address health and wellbeing needs. • Work around The Promise has progressed well and there are currently 118 trained Promise Keepers across Renfrewshire, with ambitious plans to grow this network in 2023/24. There are also a number of funded initiatives currently in place to provide whole family support as well as the retain our Promise Ambassador whose role is to help Renfrewshire and its planning partners to make changes which reflect what is important to Care Experienced children, young people, and families. Page 84 of 218
Page 143
5 Next Steps 5.1 In 2022/23 one of our main priorities was gaining a better understanding of the needs of our families living in poverty, working with Poverty Alliance to establish a process to allow for meaningful engagement of people with direct experience of poverty to contribute to the development and implementation of local child poverty priorities. The Pilot of this lived experience group, renamed (by themselves) the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel , took place this year, and priority for 23/24 will be developing this work and involving diverse Council services to gain insight from the Panel. 5.2 In 22/23 we started to focus on collecting relevant data which will give us a better understanding of the picture of child poverty in Renfrewshire and will further our evidence-based policy making. This work will be ongoing into 23/24, with officers undertaking a ‘deep dive’ child poverty data exercise where we will pull data from internal Council as well as external sources to inform decision making and service delivery. While a key focus of this exercise will be the six child poverty priority groups, this exercise will also consider child poverty from a local area perspective – with a particular focus on understanding the drivers of marked increases in child poverty rates in some areas in Renfrewshire, and the potential actions that can be taken as a Council and with our partners. 5.4 Through new posts within our employability service, Invest in Renfrewshire, we will build engagement with more parents who could benefit from employability support and nurture effective partnerships with stakeholders as well as understand our data better. 5.5 Informed by our lived experience panel and better understanding of data, our Fairer Renfrewshire Programme will continue to support families and individuals in need across Renfrewshire. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – No implications 2. HR & Organisational Development – No implications. 3. Community/Council Planning – The Report highlights the continued activities which support the key priorities set out in the Council and Community Plans to tackle inequality and widen opportunity. 4. Legal – No implications 5. Property/Assets – No implications. Page 85 of 218
Page 144
6. Information Technology – No implications. 7. Equality & Human Rights - It is anticipated that activities within the Report will have a positive impact on Equality and Human Rights considering the overrepresentation on equality groups within low-income households. 8. Health & Safety – No implications 9. Procurement – No implications 10. Risk – No implications 11. Privacy Impact – No implications. ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Annabelle Armstrong-Walter, Strategic Partnerships and Inequalities Manager. Tel: 0141 487 1510 Page 86 of 218
Page 145
1 Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/23 Page 87 of 218
Page 146
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 2 Table of Contents 1. Foreword ............................................................................................................................................ 3 2. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................ 4 2.1. Progress during 2022/23 ..................................................................................................... 4 2.2. Priorities for 2023/24 ........................................................................................................... 6 3. About Child Poverty ............................................................................................................................ 8 4. Strategic Context .............................................................................................................................. 12 5. Theme 1: Providing the opportunities and integrated support parents need to enter, sustain and progress in work .............................................................................................................................................. 16 6. Theme 2: Maximising the support available for families to lead dignified lives and meet their basic needs 24 7. Theme 3: Supporting the next generation to thrive.......................................................................... 40 Page 88 of 218
Page 147
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 3 1. Foreword This is our fifth Local Child Poverty Action Report, recording actions which support our families and reduce child poverty in Renfrewshire. This year has been a particularly challenging one, as while the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have reduced, the cost of living crisis has emerged impacting all Renfrewshire households., Low income families have been affected the most especially through increases to energy and food prices. For many families who were managing last year, this year’s inflation rates, increased interest rates and other increases in living costs have had a significant impact, leaving many more families struggling financially. Renfrewshire Council and its partners, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership and other Community Planning Partners have worked tirelessly to support all of our families in the face of these mounting financial pressures. In Renfrewshire, we are committed to getting it right for children, families and communities. We recognise that too many families in Renfrewshire are facing the challenges of financial insecurity and poverty and in our strategic plans, fairness, equality and improving the lives of our children and families are key. This is reflected too in the way the Council works. Our Fairer Renfrewshire Programme overseen by our newly established Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee described in this report and our pilot involving people with lived experience of poverty in our decision and policy making, illustrate our focus on tackling Child Poverty, and this commitment to our families is reiterated in both our new Council and our refreshed Community Plan. We are clear that although we can positively impact the lives of our families, we cannot solve poverty on a local basis and national actions are needed. As a Council, however, we continue to be ambitious for Renfrewshire, while recognising that we and many of our partners face renewed financial challenges. We have a clear vision that our children should inherit a Renfrewshire where their wellbeing is nurtured, their futures are bright, and their environment is safe and healthy. Tackling poverty is a vital part of this and we will continue to implement short and long term policies and actions which support Renfrewshire’s families. Alan Russell Chief Executive, Renfrewshire Council Page 89 of 218
Page 148
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 4 2. Executive Summary This is the fifth Local Child Poverty Action Report produced by Renfrewshire Council. The report captures the range of activity that has taken place in Renfrewshire to reduce child poverty in 2022/23 and looks forward to the actions planned for 23/24 and beyond. This year the Cost of Living Crisis has had a significant impact on Renfrewshire’s families and this report describes the actions we have put into place to help our families deal with the financial challenges facing them. These immediate supports, and short term actions sit alongside our existing initiatives and longer- term plans. This report is set out in a way that reflects the three themes of the Scottish Government child poverty delivery plan, Best Start, Bright Futures: • Providing the opportunities and integrated support parents need to enter, sustain and progress in work • Maximising the support available for families to live dignified lives and meet their basic needs, and • Supporting the next generation to thrive 2.1. Progress during 2022/23 2.1.1. Providing the opportunities and integrated support parents need to enter, sustain and progress in work • Our employability service, Invest in Renfrewshire, offers a wide range of tailored supports to help residents on the journey towards and into employment. There has been a significant increase in the number of parents coming forward to use the service at 231 compared to 92 last year. • The Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership have continued to plan and co- commission local employability services to help Renfrewshire residents make a successful transition towards employment and reduce unemployment in the area. This partnership working has helped reduce the unemployment rate to 3.1%, (3,635 people) now lower than the Scottish rate of 3.2%. There has also been an increase in the number of accredited living wage employers in Renfrewshire to 85. Page 90 of 218
Page 149
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 5 • Our Procurement Team has realised 523 Community Benefits this year, with an additional 209 being offered if the contract hits the maximum threshold. 210 recruitment opportunities are amongst these, of which 111 went to those in Priority Groups. 2.1.2. Maximising the support available for families to lead dignified lives and meet their basic needs • With £1m per year invested in our Tackling Poverty Programme over 5 years, this continued to have a positive impact on low-income families in Renfrewshire in 22/23. The programme supported projects such as Healthier Wealthier Children advice, Cost of the School Day, and provision of energy advice, specifically to families, as well as supporting young people’s mental health. This Programme is now under the auspices of our Fairer Renfrewshire work. • Advice is a vitally important part of our efforts to tackle child poverty, with the Council supporting the Healthier Wealthier Children and School Support services which provide dedicated advice services to families with children. Apart from our own Advice Works service, the Council also provides funding to Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau (RCAB) to provide both a general advice service and a community legal advice service. This year additional services have been funded: • A Welfare Rights service based at RCAB • A ‘Fair Work’ service which deals with issues regarding employment. • Energy advice at RCAB through our Fuel Insecurity Pilot • A benefit take-up campaign and debt campaign which were funded through the Social Renewal budget. • In late 2021/22 we developed our Financial Insecurity WinterPayment. This payment which is currently £150, has been paid to 4,724 households, of whom 2,522 were in the child poverty priority groups. • In November 2022, we paid families an additional £50 per child for children receiving School Clothing Grant to help with winter clothing. Funding has been allocated in the 2023/24 budget to repeat this payment. • Our successful Winter Connections Programme saw £70,000 allocated from the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme to fund 38 activities across Renfrewshire and a further £10,000 allocated across all Renfrewshire’s libraries. Venues also provided hot drinks, snacks and food. Page 91 of 218
Page 150
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 6 • Our Energy Advocates have saved clients almost £315,000 this year including ongoing savings, write offs and Warm Home Discounts. • We topped up our Cost of the School Day funding by £75,000 each year through our Tackling Poverty Programme. Food vouchers, energy top-ups, toiletries and warm clothing have been supplied this year as well as more usual items such as stationery and school uniforms. 2.1.3. Supporting the next generation to thrive • There is still a clear commitment and expectation within Renfrewshire to raise attainment for all whilst closing the poverty-related attainment gap and data has been used to target approaches and develop interventions which support schools to raise attainment and address health and wellbeing needs. • Work around The Promise has progressed well and there are currently 118 trained Promise Keepers across Renfrewshire, with ambitious plans to grow this network in 2023/24. There are also a number of funded initiatives currently in place to provide whole family support as well as the retain our Promise Ambassador whose role is to help Renfrewshire and its planning partners to make changes which reflect what is important to Care Experienced children, young people, and families. 2.2. Priorities for 2023/24 In 2022/23, one of our main priorities was gaining a better understanding of the needs of our families living in poverty, working with Poverty Alliance to establish a process to allow for meaningful engagement of people with direct experience of poverty to contribute to the development and implementation of local child poverty priorities. The Pilot of this lived experience group, renamed (by themselves) the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel, took place this year, and priority for 23/24 will be developing this work and involving diverse Council services to gain insight from the Panel. In 22/23, we started to focus on collecting relevant data which will give us a better understanding of the picture of child poverty in Renfrewshire and will further our evidence-based policy making. This work will be ongoing into 23/24, with officers undertaking a ‘deep dive’ child poverty data exercise where we will pull data from internal Council as well as external sources to inform decision making and service delivery. While a key focus of this exercise will be the six child poverty priority groups, this exercise will also consider child poverty from a local area perspective – with a Page 92 of 218
Page 151
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 7 particular focus on understanding the drivers of marked increases in child poverty rates in some areas in Renfrewshire, and the potential actions that can be taken as a Council and with our partners. Through new posts within our employability service, Invest in Renfrewshire, we will build engagement with more parents who could benefit from employability support and nurture effective partnerships with stakeholders as well as understand our data better Informed by our lived experience panel and better understanding of data, our Fairer Renfrewshire Programme will continue to support families and individuals in need across Renfrewshire. This year we have a new Council Plan, providing organisational direction and with a cross-cutting theme – improving outcomes for children and families and a refreshed Community Plan for our Community Planning Partnership. Taken in tandem, these plans set the direction for a fairer Renfrewshire, where all our people have the best chances to live happy, healthy and fulfilled lives, to feel safe, supported and empowered to unlock the strength of our collective potential, and we will work across Council services to realise this. While we recognise that much has been achieved this year, we will continue to work with NHSGGC, our Health and Social Care Partnership and many other external and third sector partners, in communities and across all services to ensure our low-income families are supported and child poverty is reduced. Priority Actions for 2023/24 1 Develop Fairer Renfrewshire Programme 2 Carry out a ‘deep dive’ into local child poverty data, to inform future work 3 Develop and support Fairer Renfrewshire Lived Experience Panel to deliberate on and guide policy and practice 4 Expand opportunities for parents to enter, sustain and progress at work through the Parental Employability Support Fund 5 Pilot models of dedicated advice provision for families with children 6 Monitor the ongoing impacts of the Cost-of-Living Crisis, continuing to flexibly respond to emerging issues 7 Join up support for families within communities and across partners Page 93 of 218
Page 152
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 8 3. About Child Poverty 3.1. Scottish Government Targets In March 2022, the Scottish Government published its second child poverty delivery plan, Best Start Bright Futures under the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017. Best Start, Bright Futures sets out a vision for Scotland, the changes that are needed to achieve this, and the actions Scottish Government intend to take with partners to deliver that change for the period 2022 to 2026. The refreshed Scottish Government child poverty delivery plan ‘Best Start, Bright Futures’ focusses on three key themes and this, Renfrewshire’s report, is set out in a way that reflects those themes: • Providing the opportunities and integrated support parents need to enter, sustain and progress in work • Maximising the support available for families to live dignified lives and meet their basic needs • Supporting the next generation to thrive Child Poverty Targets were set by the Scottish Parliament in 2017 and are as follows: The statutory income targets are ambitious and relate to the following measures of poverty: Relative poverty: a child is in relative poverty if they live in a household where equivalised income for the financial year in question is less than 60 per cent of the median equivalised net income for that financial year. By 2030, after housing costs Less than 10% of children live in households that are in relative poverty Less than 5% of children live in households that are in absolute poverty Less than 5% of children live in households that are in combined low income and material deprivation Page 94 of 218
Page 153
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 9 Absolute poverty: a child is in absolute poverty if they live in a household with an income below 60 per cent of the median equivalised net income in 2010–11. Combined low income and material deprivation: a child is in combined low income and material deprivation if they live in a household with an income below 70 per cent of the equivalised median net income for that year and are unable to afford a number of basic goods and services (material deprivation). Persistent poverty: a child is in persistent poverty if they have been living in Scotland and in relative poverty for three of the past four years. 3.2. Drivers of Poverty The three key drivers of child poverty are identified by the Scottish Government as: • Income from employment • Costs of living • Income from social security and benefits in kind In Renfrewshire, focussing efforts on these drivers as well as enhancing children's wellbeing, and supporting them to achieve their potential and avoid becoming parents in poverty in the future will help mitigate the consequences of poverty both in the short and longer term. Page 95 of 218
Page 154
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 10 3.3. Priority Groups ‘Best Start, Bright Futures’ builds on action delivered through the first Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 'Every Child, Every Chance'. This plan identified six priority family types that face additional barriers to moving out of poverty: • Lone Parents • Families that include a disabled adult or child • Large families with 3 or more children • Minority Ethnic families • Youngest child is under 1 year old • Young Mother aged under 25 years old Focus continues on these priority families as reporting continues to show that almost 90% of all children in poverty in Scotland live within the six priority family types. 3.4. Child Poverty in Renfrewshire In March 2023, the Department for Work and Pensions released new statistics on children in low- income families. These statistics provide information on the number and proportion of children living in relative and absolute low income, before housing costs, across the United Kingdom. This data is available to ward level, and therefore provides local area insights for smaller geographical areas. The proportion of children in low-income families in Renfrewshire has been steadily rising since 2014/15. Data for 2020/21 showed a fall in child poverty, with rates continuing to rise in the 2021/22 financial year. It is advised that the data from 2020/2021 has significant caveats, as data collection was affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Figures from this year are subject to additional uncertainty for several reasons and therefore caution should be taken when using this data in comparison with other years. Page 96 of 218
Page 155
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 11 For 21/22, the percentage of children in relative low income, before housing costs in Renfrewshire is 20%, representing 5,960 children. The rate for Scotland is 20.8%. In 2020/21, the rate recorded for Renfrewshire was 14.9%, and for 2019/20 was 18%. All wards in Renfrewshire saw rises in the proportion of children in low-income families, with some wards more marked than others. There continues to be particularly high proportions of children in low-income families in both Paisley North West and Renfrew South and Gallowhill wards, with children living in relative low income rates at 31.5% and 36.8% respectively and a particularly sharp increase for the Renfrew South and Gallowhill ward. We are working to better understand the reasons for these sharp rises in certain Wards as part of our ‘Deep Dive’ into data, and ensure we are targeting supports in the right areas. Page 97 of 218
Page 156
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 12 4. Strategic Context 4.1. Fairer Renfrewshire Programme Renfrewshire Council is in the process of developing and delivering a new Fairer Renfrewshire Programme. This brings together all previous programmes that have been developed to tackle the inequalities that exist across Renfrewshire’s communities, including those relating to Tackling Poverty, Alcohol and Drugs and the COVID recovery Social Renewal Programme. At Council on 2 March 2023, members outlined a number of investments including bringing together Fairer Renfrewshire, Tackling Poverty and Social Renewal reserve funds into a single resource estimated at £5million. In August 2022, our newly established Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee met for the first time. This Sub-Committee considers matters relating to poverty and financial insecurity, including food and fuel insecurity and the Cost of Living Crisis. With oversight of the Council’s response to the Alcohol and Drug Commission report and the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme, it makes recommendations to the Council and the Leadership Board regarding those matters. A Fairer Renfrewshire Officer Group has also been established which currently meets monthly and is chaired by the Head of Policy and Partnerships. Establishment of the Sub-Committee and Officer Group not only keeps a strong focus on poverty, but also brings varied Council services together with Renfrewshire HSCP to work collaboratively to engender an increased impact on outcomes for our households who are living in poverty. This new way of working illustrates our commitment to tackling Child Poverty and this commitment to our families is reiterated in both our new Council and our refreshed Community Plan. There are four key emerging themes which are shared across all elements of the Fairer Renfrewshire programme, and these are: Improving financial security 01 Advancing equality of opportunity 02 Building community capacity and resilience 03 Listening to lived experience 04 Page 98 of 218
Page 157
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 13 4.2. Council and Community Plans The Council Plan is a key strategic document for Council employees, local people, businesses, partner organisations and voluntary organisations, setting out what the Council is aiming to achieve over the next 5 years. Alongside Renfrewshire’s Community Plan, the Council Plan provides organisational direction, ensuring that the key strategic priorities of the Council translate into specific actions within service improvement plans. This provides a ‘golden thread’, illustrating the role all Council services play in delivering these objectives. Our new Council Plan approved in September 2022, sets out our strategic priorities under five themes – Place, Economy, Fair, Green, Living our Values. The Plan also describes a cross-cutting theme –improving outcomes for children and families. Every one of the 5 strategic outcomes should directly contribute to this outcome and demonstrate that services are working together to get it right for children, families and communities. The new Council Plan recognises the financial challenge that Renfrewshire, like all local authorities, currently faces. However, despite the scale of the challenge, the Council remains committed to building on the many strengths of our communities and our resources, and delivering strong universal services that support everyone to live well and embrace opportunities and our wish for all of Renfrewshire’s children to have loving, happy lives where everyone can enjoy the same opportunities and where wellbeing is nurtured. In tandem with the new Council Plan, a refresh of our 10 year Community Plan took place this year. With 2022 being the mid-term of our 2017-2027 Plan, this has now been reviewed, taking into account the significant changes to the context in which the Council and its partners are operating as a result of issues such as climate change, COVID 19 and the Cost of Living Crisis. The timing of this refresh was particularly important in order to assess the impact of these issues on local businesses, communities and residents. 3 specific areas of focus have been identified by partners to guide their programme of work over the remaining 5 years of the Community Plan, which will be delivered through 12 priority actions. One area of focus is supporting low income families and the associated actions are: • Provide opportunities and support to parents to enter, sustain and progress at work • Join up support for families within communities and across partners • Provide support that allows families to live dignified lives and respond to the cost of living crisis, and • Work together to support children and young people at risk of trauma and harm Page 99 of 218
Page 158
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 14 These actions fit well with Best Start, Bright Futures themes and, along with our Council Plan, Fairer Renfrewshire Programme, and all the other work describes in this report, illustrates our commitment to addressing child poverty alongside our partners. 4.3. Renfrewshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership Renfrewshire HSCP Strategic Plan, Shaping Our Future 2022 -2025, focuses on Prevention and Early Intervention under key themes. These include the Healthier Futures theme which highlights commitment to continue to work with partners in Renfrewshire to contribute to reducing child poverty locally by detailing actions we continue to work and report on. See the report here for more details of the HSCP priorities. Renfrewshire HSCP will continue to work within a number of plans and use them to influence our Poverty work going forward. These include: • A Scotland Where Everybody Thrives - Public Health Scotland, and • Turning the Tide through Prevention The Public Health Strategy • A stronger more resilient Scotland 2022-2023 • NHSGGC Remobilisation Plan 2022 • Fairer Scotland Duty Guidance 2022 This report has a strong input from the HSCP Health Improvement Team who focus on prevention and early intervention. 4.4. Renfrewshire’s Children’s Services Partnership Throughout Scotland, local authorities and health boards work with community planning partners to ensure services delivered to children, young people and their families are the best they can be. In Renfrewshire, we do this by listening to our communities to identify what support people need, why they need it, when they need it and how best it can be provided. This work takes place through Renfrewshire’s Children’s Services Partnership (RCSP) whose members include the Council, other public sector organisations, and the third sector. Together, we identify local priorities and plan how we can join up to add value and deliver services to children, young people and their families that make a real difference to their lives. Page 100 of 218
Page 159
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 15 Our three-year Renfrewshire Children’s Services Partnership Plan is being developed to cover the period 2023 – 2026. It will set out our focus for Renfrewshire’s children, young people and families and identifies the steps we will take to improve their lives. We looked at what was happening around us to understand national and community priorities and how these link in with our vision children’s service planning. This includes work around The Promise, children’s rights GIRFEC, Whole Family Wellbeing and Poverty. Based on what is known about the needs of children and young people of Renfrewshire, we have identified four outcomes that partners will work together to deliver. 1. We will ensure our children and young people enjoy good physical and mental health 2. We will ensure our children and young people are safe and loved 3. We will ensure our children and young people have their rights protected and their voices heard 4. We will ensure our children and young people achieve and make positive contributions to their community The plan for the next three years will outline actions and outcomes and will be monitored by a monitoring and evaluation sub-group which prepares a progress report for each meeting of the Partnership Board. 4.5. How we work with people In 2022/23, we have been working with Poverty Alliance to develop a model of participation designed to have a practical impact on local policy making which will result in meaningful engagement on the part of both people with lived experience and policy makers. Using £75,000 of funding originally allocated through the Social Renewal Budget, we have been running a 6 month ‘test of change’, establishing a panel of people of people with lived experience of poverty to help develop local policy and practice. Working in partnership alongside Poverty Alliance as an expert national organisation and STAR Project as an expert local organisation a diverse panel of 15 has been recruited. The Panel met formally six times, as well as meeting in-between panel meetings to debrief and develop the work alongside a community artist to create a record of their experience. Panel sessions have been attended by the Convenor and Deputy Convenor of the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee and Council Officers and as well as setting their own priorities, the panel have been involved in discussion around holiday provision in Renfrewshire. Page 101 of 218
Page 160
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 16 Looking forward, an evaluation of the process has been carried out by Poverty Alliance to explore how these types of participation processes can inform work, and to inform the development of the model moving forward and a decision to extend the existing panel arrangements for a further year has been taken. We also intend to bring the Panel together with the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee and fairer Renfrewshire Officers Group to discuss and showcase the work of the Panel and the plans ahead. The conversations will help people on low incomes get their voices heard on the policies and decisions that most impact their lives and help us understand their needs, especially those in the Child Poverty Priority Groups. 5. Theme 1: Providing the opportunities and integrated support parents need to enter, sustain and progress in work Income from employment is one of the 3 main drivers of child poverty. As such, increasing income from employment for unemployed and low-income parents is a key objective nationally and in Renfrewshire. 5.1. Local Employability Partnership Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership (RLEP) is the local strategic employability partnership consisting of partner agencies from the Renfrewshire Community Planning Structure. It is chaired by Renfrewshire Council and its purpose is to support the implementation of local and national employability policy (No One Left Behind) through collective leadership, joint planning and co-commissioning. In doing so, the partnership, working closely with local delivery partners, makes best use of resources available to deliver effective needs-led employability services that help Renfrewshire residents make a successful transition towards employment and reduce unemployment in the area. The COVID pandemic had a massive impact on the rate and number of residents claiming out of work benefits in Renfrewshire. At its peak in August 2021 (6.8% equating to 7,765 residents) Renfrewshire was above both the Scottish and UK levels. The very strong local partnership working during the pandemic has greatly helped the recovery process and the figure has reduced significantly to 3,635, 3.1% (Feb23) now below the Scottish rate of 3.2%. Data shows us that: Page 102 of 218
Page 161
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 17 • The rate is significantly higher for males (4.1% compared to 2.2% for females). • The proportion of young people (18-24) on the claimant count remains higher than for any other age group at 4.4% with the 50+ group having the lowest rate of 2.1% however the rate for young people is reducing. • Our disability employment rate is lower than Scotland (49.5% against 51.2%) however the gap between these has dropped and the rate in Renfrewshire shows an upward trend. • Our economically inactive group is a cause for concern, with a significant increase in the number of people registering a long-term health issue now at 12,800, 47.7% compared to the Scottish figure of 31.9%. The rate continues to increase. • Our Employment rate for ethnic minority residents is significantly higher than the average, 82.5% (white 75.9%). This contrasts with the Scotland rate of 62.5% (white 74.6%). RLEP is committed to reducing those inequalities that exist in relation to employment between different geographic areas and for different groups who face significant barriers to work. Success as a Partnership goes beyond reducing unemployment at a Renfrewshire level to reducing the gaps that exist for these areas and groups. Recognising the key contribution that employability services can make to tackling child poverty, RLEP’s performance framework includes a range of indicators to help measure progress in relation to increasing income from employment of parents with low income as well as other outcomes and indicators such as tackling youth unemployment and increasing the disability employment rate and increasing engagement and positive outcomes for all RLEP priority groups. RLEPs Employability Delivery Plan for 2022-25 here provides more detail on this. Renfrewshire LEP has established a number of sub-groups focussing in on priority groups and all of these will consider employability related actions to tackle child poverty. A new Parental Employment sub-group has been established to ensure we maximise the impact of the new Scottish Government Resources for parental employment support. Other key groups are the RLEP Health Conditions and Recovery sub-group and the RLEP Disability sub-group both chaired by HSCP managers. These groups bring together key stakeholders and support effective employability service development and delivery. Page 103 of 218
Page 162
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 18 5.2. Parental Employment Support There have been significant effort and resources contributed by the Scottish Government and local employability partners working in partnership with local employers from the public, private and third sectors to support parental employment. In 2019, the Scottish Government launched a Parental Employment Support Fund (PESF) to target both employed and unemployed families who face barriers to progressing their careers, including help to gain qualifications, improving skills or work experience; money advice, and motivational support. This support is intended to increase annual income, lifting families out of poverty. PESF provides person-centred help for parents to address their barriers to work. Following publication of Best Start, Bright Futures, the Scottish Governments new Child Poverty Action Plan, the resources to be allocated locally for PESF have increased significantly and will enable RLEP to further develop the scope and scale of support available to parents. Whilst Renfrewshire Council’s Employability Service, Invest in Renfrewshire, is the key delivery partner for PESF, RLEP has already started to commission additional complementary provision for 2023/24. Parents are able to access all LEP commissioned provision, however, some specific programmes have been developed for unemployed and underemployed parents with £149,000 of funding allocated to four programmes to date, which will offer 137 places: • Enable’s ‘Progress for Parents’ service has been designed specifically for parents who are disabled and/or have disabled children to support you to progress into and within work. • Barnardos ‘First Steps to Work’ an innovative employability programme for Parents and Kinship Carers who are unemployed or on a low income • Home-Start’s ‘Empowering Parents’ programme targeted to families within Child Poverty priority groups to build their confidence and resilience as a first step towards considering life goals and ambitions. • West College Scotland to engage and support student parents to maximise progression towards employment. Renfrewshire’s Employability Service, Invest in Renfrewshire, are currently recruiting for a number of new posts to ensure our PESF impact on low-income households and local child poverty levels is maximised. Page 104 of 218
Page 163
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 19 This will include a PESF Coordinator post which will have responsibility for the effective management of the PESF team, ensuring strong and effective partnerships are developed and maintained across a range of services to integrate and align services and supports to deliver improved results for parents; a research post to more effectively gather and use data to target services and a number of advisor posts building both our capacity to engage with more parents who could benefit from employability support and to nurture effective partnerships with stakeholders and those with lived experience. Renfrewshire’s individual practical and financial support includes: We offer person-centred help for parents to address their barriers to work, including childcare advice and assistance and English language support. Training that will help a parent to progress into a job or progress in work, that is not available via LEP commissioned programmes, can be funded on an individual basis up to a value of £3,000 In addition the service offers: • Specialist employability support for parents with a disability/long term condition or who have a child with a disability/long term condition. Parents with other significant challenges such as having a criminal conviction can also access specialist support. • Targeted support to tackle the increased challenge of in-work poverty by helping parents already in work through the provision of training and employability support to remain active in the workplace and gain progression through a rewarding career. • Confidential income and money advice which includes: benefit checks and help with any claim processes; better off in work calculations; help with debts as these can be a barrier to work; creation of a bespoke budget for the family; and budgeting skills support to ensure long lasting effect. Better Off Calculation from Money Advice Employability Skills, Motivation, Confidence, Health & Wellbeing £200 for travel to Work for first 3 months £150 for New Work Clothing Up to £3,500 for Training Costs Up to £10,000 to create Family Friendly job opportunities £1,000 to Transition into work paid over 3 months Childcare costs Page 105 of 218
Page 164
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 20 • Employment Recruitment Incentives aligned to parents, in particular for those with significant barriers including those parents in the 6 Child Poverty Priority groups • Further work with employers to create family/parent friendly working conditions and working patterns e.g. school hour posts. With increasing resources, more outreach work will be developed in partnership with third sector groups and organisations and other partners such as the Health and Social Care Partnership to raise awareness of the many benefits of employment to families and the support available to parents to help them start their own journeys towards work. Employability staff will work closely with organisations that already have good relationships with parents, in particular those working with the child poverty target groups. The new PESF Coordinator will lead on this work, while the new research officer post will support Invest and the LEP work with the same groups and organisations to improve our data and evidence base for our PES support. This will include supporting and facilitating lived experience engagement. 5.3. Progress in 2022/23 The numbers of parents registering for employment support within the 22/23 period has increased significantly from the previous year (92) to 231, with the majority being unemployed. The graph below shows the profile of parents supported against the 6 child poverty priority groups, the largest group being single parents. The majority of parents supported are women across a range of ages with the largest group being the 25-40 age group. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Lone Parents Disabled Ethnic Minority Families with 3 or more Children Families with a Child under 1 Parents under the age of 25 Priority Groups Page 106 of 218
Page 165
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 21 When registering with the service, clients identify different barriers that they feel hold them back when trying to enter employment, with mental health being the most commonly reported issue. The data reflects our increasing partnership working with the third sector and other partners such as Renfrewshire HSCP, criminal justice, housing and resettlement programmes to engage those with barriers to employment. More detailed data gathered on the nature of health/disability shows mental health is a very significant barrier that we need to consider in the development of provision for parents. Provision of support for parents with a disability/long term condition or with a child with a disability/long term condition is a key priority for the LEP with several specialist employment programmes in place. The majority of parents engaging with support do not have advanced level qualifications. The LEP has commissioned a new service to support parent students at West College Scotland to sustain their further and higher education and to try and encourage more unemployed/low-income parents into further and higher education, recognising the impact that qualification levels can have on earning potential. Invest and LEP funded providers offer a range of barrier removal, prevocational and vocational training opportunities and participants take part in a range of activities. Group activities cover a wide range of topics including interview skills, team working etc., as well as formal accredited training such as care, first aid, driver training and security training, which enhance and develop the attributes, skill and knowledge required to support progression into sustainable employment (as detailed below). Given the barriers parents have to work through, it can take time to progress through the stages of employability support required. It is important to work at the pace that parents are comfortable with. Over a quarter of parents engaging last year have already progressed into employment and over a half are either in full time training/education or are continuing to progress towards work. 5.4. Supporting Refugees and Asylum Seekers Throughout 2022/23, our services saw a significant number of people arriving in Renfrewshire through resettlement schemes for Syrian and then Ukrainian nationals. This included a number of families and a new Refugee Employment Support Coordination Group is now in place to support refugees and asylum seekers based in Renfrewshire. It aims to provide a strategic and operational overview on employability policy and practice to address common Page 107 of 218
Page 166
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 22 employment barriers facing refugees and asylum Seekers and support the implementation of local and national employability policy for refugees and asylum seekers through collective leadership, joint planning and co-commissioning. Membership includes, Scottish Refugee Council, DWP, Engage Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire Council- Invest; Community Learning and Development; and Housing (Resettlement Team), and the Mears group The group has worked together to ensure language support is available and around 8 Ukrainian clients have accessed paid traineeships by Invest and other council services, with language/translation support a key aspect of their roles. Currently 14 parents are being supported by Invest in Renfrewshire. 5.5. Procurement Renfrewshire Council is committed to maximising Community Benefits through its procurement activities by including specific Community Benefit Clauses and targets within procurement contracts. These cover payment of the Living Wage as well as targeted employment and training opportunities. Fair work practices in areas such as zero hour contracts and worker representation are also scored. Community Benefits are targeted to child poverty priority groups and evaluated as part of the tendering process and monitored on a quarterly basis. Community benefits this year are significantly higher than last (198) thethe confirmed number of community benefits are 523 but with a further 209 being offered only if the contract spend hits the maximum threshold. 5.6. Economic Recovery Funding In February 2022, the Scottish Government provided £80m to Local Authorities to provide support to businesses and low-income households. The purpose of this funding is to support business recovery and cost of living impacts on low-income households. Renfrewshire received £2.654m to support a number of initiatives and deliver interventions that best meet that local need. There were 5 broad areas of support agreed under the LACER fund for Renfrewshire. These were: • Continuing or Creating Employment for unemployed people • Flexible Training Fund to increase employment opportunities • Financial support to unemployed people • Supporting Business • Financial insecurity payments Page 108 of 218
Page 167
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 23 Activities supported include: • Grant support to 80 businesses to the employment of a young unemployed person (Kickstart Plus) for an additional 6 months • A total of 64 paid placements / traineeships / jobs or trainee style extensions were provided. Participants were from a range of priority groups for Renfrewshire Long Term Unemployed Ukranian Refugees and part time/ school hour posts for unemployed parents. • A flexible training fund for 250 UC claimants (either unemployed or in low paid work) to increase their skills and qualifications to secure work prepare them for higher paid employment. • A range of training and support was provided to 67 individuals requiring support, for example, LGV license training and certification and First Aid training and certification. • 2,000 Financial Insecurity Winter Payments supported for people experiencing financial insecurity as a result of the cost of living crisis. Full details are in the update here and this work will be supported and extended for a further year. 5.7. Fair Work Renfrewshire The Council funded Fair Work Renfrewshire service was launched in October 2021 by Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau. This £100,000, two-year project provides employment advice to support clients to retain employment wherever possible and where this is not possible, ensure they are supported to obtain their full redundancy entitlement as well as access the correct benefits. From 1 April 2022 to 28 March 2023, the Fair Work Project assisted 253 clients, with a total of £25,974.19 in client financial gain and the issues the service has supported clients with include situations involving grievance or disciplinary processes, pay and entitlements, dismissal and terms and conditions of employment. In many cases there is no financial gain counted as employment is maintained, however this makes a massive difference to household income for clients. 5.8. Childcare Excellent progress has been made in relation to the implementation of 1140 hours of high-quality early learning and childcare for all eligible children across Renfrewshire, which helps support families into work. Since August 2022, all eligible children will receive 1140 hours at nursery, an Page 109 of 218
Page 168
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 24 approved childminder or a combination of both. Most of our nursery centres are open before and after the school day across the full year to support working parents. 6. Theme 2: Maximising the support available for families to lead dignified lives and meet their basic needs This year, supporting families to make the most of their money has been paramount. The Cost of Living Crisis has hit everyone’s pockets, but it is for families who had low incomes before the crisis began that that it has hit hardest. This year, Renfrewshire Council has targeted resources to support localhouseholds, working to ensure their income is maximised and outgoings are minimised. In our partnerships with Renfrewshire HSCP, the third sector and more widely, we have worked together to mitigate the Cost of Living Crisis where we can and ensure our citizens know where to turn for support and advice. Over the winter period, we worked with partners to deliver the Winter Connections programme - encouraging people to connect and participate in activities in warm and welcoming spaces across communities in Renfrewshire. Both our longer-term Tackling Poverty Programme and our more recent initiatives under the banner of Fairer Renfrewshire work include projects and activities which help families living in poverty. Our ongoing commitment to advice provision is illustrated in the number of services and projects the Council funds and our Advice Partnership continues, with advice providers across Council Services, the third sector, Scottish Social Security and most recently NHSGGC coming together to share information and work to reduce gaps and coordinate services. Our innovative affordable credit pilot has continued by attracted external funding; our digital initiatives bring together a range of partners working together to support the digitally excluded, and our housing strategies alongside our work to bolster administered funds and maximise benefits for families help make families’ money go further and help them avoid financial crises. Throughout Renfrewshire, across Council services, and with a variety of partners, our actions help families reduce their cost of living and lead dignified lives. 6.1. Income maximisation through advice Throughout 2022-23, income maximisation through advice has been a focus for the Council and its partners. The Cost of Living Crisis has made it more important than ever that families are supported Page 110 of 218
Page 169
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 25 to claim the benefits, financial support and benefits in kind they are entitled to, as well as manage debt. The Council’s Advice Works service continues to provide advice with regards to money, debt and benefits as well as providing advice and representation at benefit appeals. Overall, the financial gain for clients this year from new claims to benefit was over £14 million, with an additional £1,879,052 in mandatory reconsiderations and appeals. Advice Works have also helped clients manage £1,169,891 in debt. Advice Works provides the Healthier Wealthier Children advice, as well as that offered to all schools in Renfrewshire. During our Winter Connections programme, Advice Works also offered outreach in libraries. The Council funded Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau’s (RCAB) general service gave over 8,300 appointments and has gained £1,807,916 for the people of Renfrewshire this year. This is in addition to the 397 people seen by the Legal Service, who had additional gains of over £140,000. New debt cases this year have led to £2,120,139.92 debt being managed. Overall, between the two services, 9,873 clients fell into Child Poverty Priority families, with the disabled child/adult in a family being the largest category. 3,941 seen by RCAB and 5,932 by Advice Works. This year, Advice Works and RCAB have continued to work closely to ensure people are getting the benefits they are entitled to and the best money advice. They worked together on a benefit take up campaign, developed with partners and successfully launched during November 2022, with the aim of maximising income for low-income households. 60 clients of all ages were seen during this week, with support given around a number of benefits. We have continued to work closely with Social Security Scotland to ensure that referral between our clients and theirs is as simple as possible to maximise income for parents and parents to be. With both the Local Delivery Lead and Client Support Adviser Team Leader being part of our Advice Partnership, we can ensure relevant information is shared. In our benefits take up work, we have specifically designed marketing materials around benefits for parents, including Best Start Grants and Scottish Child Payment to maximise numbers coming forward to claim these benefits. These have been circulated in schools, libraries and community settings, with all of our Winter Connections venues receiving these. Page 111 of 218
Page 170
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 26 6.2. Advice pilots Recognising the impact of dedicated income maximisation support for families with children, looking forward to 2023/24, work is planned to redesign current advice provision for families to increase the capacity and reach of our advice services. From 2023/24 two advice pilots will be run – a family advice service within Advice Works and a Schools Advice service within RCAB. £140,000 of Fairer Renfrewshire funding has been allocated to pilot the new dedicated family advice service, which will be established within Advice Works, providing a team of income advisors who will develop relationships and pro-active referral routes with Council services and partners, including: • existing services and referrals routes for families such as Healthier Wealthier Children and Families First. • key emerging policy and service areas focussed on holistic support for families such as Parental Employability and Whole Family Wellbeing. • early years and primary school settings, complementary to the advice service for secondary schools being designed with Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau. In particular, exploring how the service can work alongside school office staff to address issues such as school meal debt more proactively. • developing relationships with community and voluntary sector organisations providing support for families, with a particular focus on reaching the child poverty priority family groups. The newly formed team will work with families to maximise household income through income advice, but also seeks to increase take-up of wider supports provided by the Council for families, for example, free school meals, school clothing grants or employability supports for parents. £100,000 has been allocated to Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau to support an embedded model of advice in all Renfrewshire secondary schools. This service will provide advice to: • all secondary school attendees, • their families and carers, • school staff who may approach the service about a pupil/pupil’s family, • school staff who may approach the service about their own concerns. Page 112 of 218
Page 171
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 27 The advice provided by the project will cover the following areas which support families to maximise their income: • Welfare Benefits including Scottish Benefits • Money and debt • Free School Meals, School Clothing Grants and other benefits in kind • Benefits that come directly to young people, such as free bus travel and EMA RCAB will work with school staff, including guidance, pastoral and home link staff to reach families who are struggling with money issues and ensure swift, proactive, and where possible, preventative support is provided. This particular service is a pilot to establish the most effective way to support young people and their families to maximise their income through utilisation of school premises and staff. 6.3. Healthier Wealthier Children The Healthier Wealthier Children (HWC) service works closely with antenatal and community child health services to target pregnant women and families with young children experiencing, or at risk of, child poverty as costs increase and employment patterns change around the birth of a child. The project offers income maximisation advice and aims to prevent families from falling into child poverty by working with health and early years services to identify families at risk at an early stage. The service has helped families with 539 matters this year, with client financial gain of £531,783 an increase of £114,464 on 21/22. Of these 181 fell within the Child Poverty Priority Groups, with lone parents being the largest group receiving advice and those with children under 1 a close second. The service is now collecting postcode information for the Priority Groups which will allow us to better plan services. HWC data is reported into NHSGGC Financial Inequalities Group, the NHSGGC Child Poverty Group and as part of HSCP Strategic Planning. 6.4. School Support Service Our current School Support service offers advice to parents and carers via all schools and Early Learning Centres. This year 271 clients were assisted with advice with associated financial gain of £189,525. Page 113 of 218
Page 172
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 28 6.5. Improving the Cancer Journey Our Improving the Cancer Journey and Long-Term Conditions services help people to get the support they need - whether that's physical, emotional, practical, medical or financial. The services are a partnership between Macmillan Cancer Support, Renfrewshire Council, and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. The Improving the Cancer Journey service has continued to offer holistic advice for those with a cancer diagnosis. With money worries highlighted as the main issue for service users, in the last year, £1,739,106 has been gained for 611 clients. In addition, a service for those with Long Term Conditions commenced this year, with 304 service users gaining £382,703. Although these services are universal, many parents have gained from them and both bring much needed income and other support into households affected by illness. 6.6. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – Advice in Hospitals Although the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) in Paisley is attended by patients from the West of Scotland, it sees most of those in need of hospital care from Renfrewshire. The Support and Information Service aims to be the first port of call for all non-clinical health & social care enquiries. The information Hub in the RAH provides information about money and benefits, income maximisation support and help with energy bills as well as information and support for carers and patients. It also provides a food supply on discharge for those who need it, in partnership with Renfrewshire Foodbank. Late in 2021/22, their Health Improvement Lead with responsibility for the service, joined Renfrewshire’s Advice Partnership. In the Royal Hospital for Children, which supports Renfrewshire families, the Money Advice service continues to support parents, carers and families. It provides an embedded and co-located Money and Debt advice with advocacy service to ensure that families access all benefits and entitlements and supports with debt issues, budgeting, energy costs, housing or eviction issues, employment, grants, white goods and applies a whole family holistic approach. 11 families from Renfrewshire were supported in 2022/23. The Maternity Matters service also supported a small number of Renfrewshire families during 2022/23. Page 114 of 218
Page 173
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 29 6.7. Tackling food and fuel insecurity • Pantries – Following the initial £75,000 funding allocated to three local partner organisations to establish or develop community pantries, we worked with Renfrewshire HSCP to bid for funding from Public Health Scotland to support families using the six existing Renfrewshire pantries. This brought an additional £3,800 to support families with free food and slow cookers. The pantries have continued to be bases for holistic support for families. • Community Food Fund – In 2021/22, £25,000 of funding was allocated to provide small awards to organisations to develop community food offerings which move from emergency response to promote dignified, localised, access to food and community resilience. After initial awards were made, in 2022/23 the fund was topped up to £50,000 and awards were made to seven community organisations to alleviate some of the pressures of food insecurity in their areas. • Fair Food Renfrewshire - In addition to support for local food provision, Renfrewshire Council is committed to exploring new ways of working together with local partners to develop a healthier, fairer and more sustainable food system locally. Looking forward, the Council are in the process of establishing a food partnership and developing a food strategy and action plan for Renfrewshire, encompassing the statutory requirements of the Good Food Nation Act 2022. The food partnership will bring together key stakeholders from right across the local food system from the local authority, HSCP, Health Board, third sector and community groups, and public sector establishments to food growers and processors, retailers and the hospitality sector. Building upon an initial stakeholder session in October 2022, we will start to develop a vision for Fair Food Renfrewshire and identify key priorities to shape this work during 23/24. The scope is wide and will cover economic development, catering and procurement, climate and environment concerns, health improvements, and social and economic wellbeing • Fuel Insecurity Pilot – Following on from last year’s initial investment of £50,000 into a fuel insecurity pilot to work with low-income households struggling to meet immediate fuel costs, a further £50,000 was allocated in 22/23 to continue the project. This project linked the provision of energy advice from Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau Energy Advisors to the provision of fuel vouchers for both pre-payment and credit meters to provide emergency assistance to families through two other partners, Linstone Housing Association and Renfrewshire Foodbank Foodbank. The project in 22/23 provided 294 pre-payment vouchers of £49 each (£14,406 in total), through Renfrewshire Foodbank. 157 credit meter vouchers worth £15,000 were distributed by Linstone Housing Association, who also used £3,300 to reduce fuel debt for 14 clients and spent £3,000 on draught proofing measures for 12 clients.This financial support was backed by energy advice and 213 clients have been supported with advice from Renfrewshire CAB with a total of £37,452.35 in Page 115 of 218
Page 174
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 30 client financial gain reported. A further £20,000 has been agreed for the coming year to continue the advice aspect of the project for a further 6 months, while the other two organisations continue to provide financial support using their remaining funding. • Energy Management Unit - Our Energy Management Unit comprises a team of three who provide advice to anyone struggling with energy costs and advocate for clients with energy companies. The advisers can also access available funds to support clients reduce bills/access emergency fuel. Overall, client financial gain for this service in 22/23 was £314,651 through supporting 1079 clients. • Information sessions – Through our advice services, we know that through the year energy bills have been the issue most families reported being concerned with. To assist practitioners working with low-income families, as well as Council staff information sessions have been held during the year. The Council also input, along with Renfrewshire HSCP, to Engage 6.8. NHSGGC Health Visiting and Special Needs in Pregnancy Service (SNIPs) There has been a detailed pilot and review in NHSGGC for those accessing SNIPs and receiving Money Matters supports in the Glasgow area. This service is a Specialist Maternity Service that supports people who are pregnant with drug/alcohol misuse, domestic violence issues, who may be a teenage pregnancy and those with mental health issues. The learning from this will be rolled out across Renfrewshire for all families accessing SNIPs support. The updated Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan covering the period of 2022-26 (24 March 2022) highlights that the Health Visiting Universal Pathway promoting support to families with money worries. This reinforces that section of the pathway and plans for NHSGGC refreshing this process are being reviewed by the NHSGGC Financial Inequalities Group. 6.9. Pregnancy, Maternity and Early Years Staff Resource The Pregnancy, Maternity and Early Years Staff Resource is a collection of resources offering support for staff engaging with families around the cost of living. The resource was developed during 22/23 by the Renfrewshire HSCP Health Improvement Team, in partnership with Engage. This resource has been developed to support staff and provide them with up-to-date information on a variety of different resources offering support that they can share when engaging with the Page 116 of 218
Page 175
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 31 families that they work with. This resource includes information on eligibility, what the family would receive and what the referral or application process would be. This resource can be assessed online with shortened PDF versions of each of the five categories of the resource are also available for staff to use and was launched in May 2023. 6.10. Affordable Credit Using initial Council funding of £45,000, Engage Renfrewshire, our Third Sector Interface led an affordable credit initiative under the existing banner of Renfrewshire Affordable Credit Alliance (RACA –www.RACA.org.uk). This funding allowed the employment of an Affordable Credit Officer (ACO) from October 2021 who has been jointly managed by Engage Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire Council. The ACO was employed to work within Renfrewshire communities covering two priority areas; promotion of affordable credit options in Renfrewshire, and the prevention/reduction of people using illegal money lenders. In 2022/23, further funding was secured from Trading Standards Scotland which has allowed extension of this post to December 2024. The ACO’s focus will be on the Child Poverty Priority Groups as well as people living with mental health and addiction issues, social housing tenants and low income households. Sessions have been carried out within local communities including with local ethnically diverse communities and lone parent groups and the ACO has also arranged for support for local credit unions to break down barriers in reaching ethnic minority families and individuals. In addition, the ACO supports practitioners, presenting to Council staff, third sector organisations and others such as further and higher education establishments. Page 117 of 218
Page 176
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 32 The ACO works closely with lenders such as local Credit Unions, Fair For You and Scotcash as well as our local Citizens Advice Bureau to help ensure affordable credit in Renfrewshire is promoted and accessible and that individuals and practitioners can recognise illegal money lenders. Looking forward to the year ahead, the ACO will continue to work with organisations targeting Child Poverty Priority groups, such as Home-Start, Barnardos and Pachedu and continue to build connections in Renfrewshire communities. 6.11. Digital For specific groups of people there remain real barriers to access which exacerbate existing inequalities. Digital exclusion can broadly be considered in terms of connectivity, access to a device, skills and positive and accessible online experiences. Renfrewshire has a strong reputation nationally in relation to the partnership approach to tackling digital exclusion and has carried this through 2022/23. Our Citizen Voice and Digi Ren groups continue to work in partnership across the Public, Third and Private sector for Digital Equity to minimise the number of people digitally excluded and to maximise the opportunity for everyone to have equal access to the benefits and opportunities of digital. One of the focusses for 2022/23, which will be carried over to 2023/24 is the development of Digi Zones. This project will see locations across Renfrewshire branded as Digi Zones offering one of three levels of digital support, free WiFi and charging, free devices to use or free digital support, such as how to get online. With £10,000 budget allocated from Fairer Renfrewshire funding, the group has also been examining the development of a device refurbishment and distribution project, with refurbished devices to be targeted at larger families, where children need to share devices. This will be taken forward in 2023/24. The Council will continue to develop a Digital Champions network in partnership with OneRen and £80,000 has been allocated to this project from the £100,000 allocated to tackle digital exclusion. This will be an initiative with SCVO and Mhor Collective and will build a network of volunteers and staff, and capacity across local third and community organisations, so that more local people can be supported to access and use digital technology. This will allow us to begin to understand how place-based solutions to digital inclusion could work and to develop a model of best practice for use across Scotland. The Digital Champion has been recruited and started in post in May 23, so Page 118 of 218
Page 177
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 33 initial reporting will take place from this project in December 2023. Initial steps for the Coordinator will be developing a training plan and volunteer recruitment. The Council recognises that too few people are aware of the ‘Social Tariffs’ available to them. These are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits. The Council’s Digital Participation Officer has been working through DigiRen, Digital Citizens and other fora including the Advice Partnership to spread the word about these tariffs to those who may be eligible. The Council has started an 18-month rollout of WiFi technologies to improve free public access WiFi across all Council and OneRen buildings. In addition, City Fibre are investing in a 700km network providing Renfrewshire residents and businesses with access to the fastest, most reliable gigabit speed connectivity. The Fibre to the Home (FTTH) component is complete which means access to full fibre broadband has increased from 5.3% to 70%, covering the three main towns in Renfrewshire, Paisley, Renfrew and Johnstone and we are working with Commsworld on how they can expand the network to increase the level of coverage. 6.12. Winter Connections As part of Renfrewshire Council’s wider response to the cost-of-living crisis, between November 2022 and March 2023, £70,000 of funding was allocated from the Fairer Renfrewshire programme to support the delivery of a Winter Connections programme. The programme was delivered in partnership with local organisations and aimed to encourage people to connect and participate in activities in warm and welcoming spaces across communities in Renfrewshire. Local community and voluntary organisations could apply for small grants of up to £2,000 to support with the additional costs of making venues, activities and sessions open as part of the programme. Items eligible for funding included equipment, food, energy costs, and rent. Funded activities needed to fit the criteria of Winter Connections and be: • Open, free and easy to access • Inclusive, welcoming, respectful, and safe • Able or willing to provide connections to other services and supports • Able to offer warm drinks/snacks/food along with activities, where possible 38 projects were funded across Renfrewshire. A further £10,000 was allocated to One Ren to provide a programme of activities across Renfrewshire’s libraries, focussing particularly on areas Page 119 of 218
Page 178
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 34 where there was no Winter Connections activity proposed. Activities included family craft sessions, board games and community jigsaw-building sessions, film shows and family play sessions. Winter Connections branded materials, including posters and stickers as well as leaflets with advice on where to find support with financial worries were also distributed to organisations participating in the programme along with free period products. To support individuals and families with financial issues, advice sessions provided by Advice Works were arranged at some of the Winter Connections venues. A wide range of activities were provided as part of the programme, some of which were tailored to the age of those attending. Some projects were targeted specifically at older people or younger people, but many aimed to be intergenerational and to attract families. Activities included: • Creative activities, such as crochet classes, flower arranging, knitting, arts and crafts, and sewing workshops for young people • Fun activities for all ages, such as bingo, board games, quizzes, Jam Jar movies, and a family friendly community woodland tour • Educational activities, such as digital skills and cookery demonstrations • Activities for younger children, such as Bookbug and lunch sessions • Activities for teenagers, including a Youth Club with recreational sports, socialising, video games and a chill out venue Evaluation has shown the programme has been well received and has had a positive impact, with encouraging feedback from the groups involved. Many adults who attend our groups were not eating breakfast or lunch before attending. The programme ensured they did have hot food while they were with us, this encouraged some of the families to come along at times when they might otherwise have not ventured out in the winter. Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde 6.13. Cash-first approaches to supporting families Locally, we continue to administer both the Scottish Welfare Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP). While these supports are ‘business-as-usual’, since the beginning of the pandemic they have been topped up by both local and national funding to meet demand. In 2022/23 DHP was topped up by £300,000 and Scottish Welfare Fund by £500,000. Page 120 of 218
Page 179
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 35 We have also administered cash payments of £2.25 per day, per child for free school meals for the periods of times children have been on school holidays. The payment is made at a flat rate regardless of age. Financial Insecurity Winter Payment It was announced in late 2021 that £848,000 additional funding would be allocated to the Council from Scottish Government, to support people experiencing financial insecurity over the immediate winter period. From this, Renfrewshire Council allocated £230,000 to provide individual grants of £100 per household for people facing financial insecurity/hardship. The £100 payment was administered by our Advice Works team, who provided feedback as to how beneficial families had found this one-off payment. During the cost-of-living crisis, it has helped with immediate costs, such as fuel and food. Advice Works were also able to offer each individual who was eligible for a payment income maximisation advice. Recognising the benefits of these payments, the initial £230,000 was topped up, the amount increased to £150 from October 2022 and the payment expanded to allow households to receive two payments. Recipients have been identified by referral only. This has allowed us to target communities who may not normally come forward for support, well as Child Poverty Priority Groups. We reached out to Barnardos to refer eligible young parents as well as Home-Start and local groups working with ethnically diverse families, such as Inspiring Families Development Network. The Health Visiting Teams also identified clients for the payments, referring in 204 clients in total, many of whom were in the Child Poverty Priority groups. To the end of March 2023, 4724 payments had been made. Of these 2522 were to families with clients in Child Poverty Priority groups. Winter Clothing Payment Last year, a further £325,000 of the Scottish Government winter funding was allocated to provide a £50 payment per child for winter clothing for children in receipt of School Clothing Grant. This was well received and it was decided that the payment should be repeated this year, with £295,000 allocated to these payments from Council funding in September 2022 and paid in October 2022. This payment will be repeated in Winter 2023. Page 121 of 218
Page 180
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 36 6.14. Period Poverty As well as our general provision of sanitary products in libraries, leisure centres and town halls, we have focussed on provision to community groups who work with families with young children, especially those with young children such as Home-Start and have also provided products to Early Learning Centres in areas of high deprivation, for mothers and other carers and family members to pick up what they need. We have also worked with a number of our pantries and Renfrewshire Foodbank to provide reusable products to establish if those types of products work well for people with lower incomes. In addition, period products were supplied to all 38 of our Winter Connections venues, and many of these have now signed up to keep a supply for their service users or the wider public. All Renfrewshire schools offer products, as do Youth Services groups and we have continued to offer an online ordering service for those who have difficulty accessing products from community venues. 6.15. National Entitlement Card and Free Bus Travel Approximately 79% of those young people eligible in Renfrewshire have a Junior or a Young Scot National Entitlement card and free bus travel as part of the U22s Free Bus Travel Scheme saving families money on transport costs. Barriers to accessing the card have been removed by setting up easy application processes with trusted verifier organisations who support young people who are more likely to experience poverty including social work, Home Link, young homeless charities, supported residential units, those in employability programmes, and young migrants and refugees. We have removed the need for them to collect documentation and pay for a passport photo in order to apply for their card. In general, where possible, we have removed the cost burden of applying for proof anyone in school Instead of families having to pay for required proofs to apply, (e.g. full birth certificate extracts), we will use their school record instead to verify their details, simplifying and poverty proofing the process. Young Scot cardholders can access discounts with their card including 15% off BE Uniforms which provide school uniforms, money off popular retailers such as Foot Locker as well as discounts in Co-op and food outlets. Page 122 of 218
Page 181
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 37 Youth Services, who support sign up for the NEC and free bus travel, have run local youth information promotions to help young people access information that may assist them if they need help. One of the most popular has been the Cost Crisis campaign produced by Young Scot. All young people who engage with our service are guided towards the campaigns available on the Young Scot website in order to find information when they need it. The Young Scot National Entitlement card can be used as part proof for opening a bank account with some banks, is accepted by Renfrewshire Council’s Housing service for tenancy agreement proofs and will be an accepted form of proof for voting under the new legal requirement. 6.16. Housing In early 2022, the Council and its partners were asked to support the establishment of a Welcome Hub at Glasgow Airport with a key aim of supporting people who arrived in Scotland through the Scottish Government’s super sponsor scheme for Ukrainian Displaced Persons (UDP). The Council’s existing Refugee Resettlement Team was strengthened and operates to meet the demands for advice, assistance and support from those staying in temporary accommodation, and, to date, the Welcome Hub has supported over 1,000 Ukrainian Displaced Persons UDP. The Housing Services have been instrumental in providing settled accommodation to UDP’s and, to date, a total of 96 social rented properties have been provided to Ukrainian households in Renfrewshire. A draft Housing Asset Management Strategy has been developed and is being reviewed to allow the new Scottish Government’s EESH2 standard to be reflected in the Strategy. It will tie in with the Local Housing Strategy and the Local Development Plan, to help ensure Housing assets are contributing to the Council’s wider aims. Fuel poverty and climate change legislation will play a primary role in the revised strategy, resulting in identifying additional investment towards energy efficiency and the decarbonisation of housing heating and hot water. Renfrewshire Council was awarded up to £1,657,500 for qualifying projects under the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Schemes (EES: ABS) programme for 2022/23. This includes over £1.1M for the Renfrewshire Council Mixed Tenure Blocks External Wall Insulation project which will support lower energy bills and help reduce fuel poverty. We delivered year 4 of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan, using a housing first approach and reducing the use of temporary furnished accommodation to permanent housing with appropriate wrap around support. The number of individuals being supported via the Housing First approach, is 43 at any one time. Page 123 of 218
Page 182
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 38 2022 saw the launch of the new holistic support service ‘MYLA’ (My Life Ahead) - The project is now fully operational, and supports any household in Renfrewshire, regardless of tenure, whose life is being affected by alcohol/drugs, and build on the concept that in order to have good health, you need to have a good, settled home. A new Tenant Participation Strategy has been developed to allow us to better engage with our tenants. As well as supporting existing tenant participation mechanisms, the new strategy will review how we can best support tenant participation, including embracing digital technology, to help us reach groups who have not been previously involved. A new “More Homes” officer is now in place, and they will help bring private properties across Renfrewshire, which are currently unoccupied, back in to use. Housing Led Regeneration and Renewal Programme Renfrewshire Council’s Housing Led Regeneration and Renewal Programme will deliver modern, high quality, energy efficient, affordable Council housing that will not only significantly enhance the Council’s housing stock but will also contribute to the wider transformation of Renfrewshire as a place and will be central to the economic and social recovery of Renfrewshire. This ambitious programme will be taken forward as a key Council priority, designed to deliver maximum benefits for local communities, with the active involvement of services across the Council. Phase 1 of the £100m, ten-year Programme covers eight areas which have been identified as being in particular need of investment and which contain a total of 1,648 properties; 1,147 of which are in Council ownership. Neighbourhood Renewal Plans are being developed involving Council Services and community representatives in each of the eight Regeneration Areas which will operate in parallel with the physical regeneration plans. These will 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 to maximise the benefits achievable for local residents. There will be ongoing engagement with residents. The programme will see a mix of investment to improve existing buildings and the common areas around them, with potential demolition and new-build in some areas, improving the wider neighbourhoods as places to live. A package of enhanced improvement works will be developed and fabric works will be tailored to the buildings in each area and will adopt a whole house retrofit approach with measures to improve energy efficiency and help reduce energy costs for tenants and residents. Page 124 of 218
Page 183
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 39 It is anticipated that, along with refurbishment of existing properties, around 400 new affordable social rent houses will be built. Private Rented Sector Advocacy and Enforcement Recognising the challenges which residents living in the private rented sector may be faced with as Renfrewshire transitioned into the period of Covid recovery and beyond, £200,000 was allocated to fund resources to improve access to support, housing options advice and advocacy for tenants, and where appropriate to support the use of enforcement powers in the private rented sector. Three new temporary posts were established within Homeless Services, the Housing Support team and Environmental Health- Enforcement, with close links being established across the three services to create an integrated support approach for tenants in the private rented sector. The three posts have forged close partnerships which has resulted in a number of success stories through tenants being supported to address, amongst other matters: • issues with landlords in relation to their tenancy conditions; • preventing homelessness; • accessing rent deposit guarantee schemes; • managing finances and dealing with benefits claims; • the physical condition of their rental property; • enforcement action against landlords, including unregistered landlords; and, • general counselling and advice. The posts have been in place since January 2022 and to date 131 service users have received help and support via the 3 new posts. The initiative has signposted service users to a broad range of other agencies as appropriate, including Adult Services, the Community Mental Health Team, Advice Works, Womens Aid and Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau, and there have been several cases where tenants have been helped to access social rented or private sector tenancies, whilst others have been helped to remain in their current private let property following the advice and support provided by the officers concerned. Feedback on this support has been extremely positive from tenants and similarly, several landlords and agents having had contact with all three areas of the initiative have expressed their positive support for the initiative. Page 125 of 218
Page 184
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 40 A full evaluation including feedback from service users will be carried out later in 2023 and the current funding allocated to the project will allow the temporary posts to continue until January 2024. Rent Collection Our approach to rent collection ensures that officers have continued to proactively contact tenants where there has been missed rent payments or changes to rent payment patterns to offer advice on accessing benefits and other support services as appropriate. It is planned to increase the advice provision in 2023/24 to support more tenants, especially in light of the Cost of Living Crisis. 7. Theme 3: Supporting the next generation to thrive 7.1. Tackling Poverty Renfrewshire’s Tackling Poverty programme supports a number of projects which help our young people thrive and help break down some of the barriers to attainment. The programme: • Augments Cost of the School Day funding by £75,000 a year • Provides funding for Breakfast Clubs in some of our most deprived areas relieving financial pressure on low-income families, but most importantly, makes sure that children start the school day ready to learn. • Funds the Peer Health project in partnership with Active Communities, working with young people in secondary schools across Renfrewshire to identify key health priorities in their school and developing young people to lead their own activities to improve health and wellbeing, with a focus on mental health. • Supports Street Stuff out of school activities during the holidays and at weekends, along with the provision of free healthy meals. • Ensures the Skoobmobile continues to provide a children’s mobile public library service, including play sessions directly to children and families in communities, including Ukrainian families. • Supports the Families First approach which continues to offer early years and family support services, including parenting support. It is anticipated the Families First model will continue to be Page 126 of 218
Page 185
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 41 adapted to align to the Scottish Government’s Whole Family Wellbeing policy agenda. Dedicated income maximisation and welfare rights advice for families will continue to be provided as part of a new wider family advice service. Breakfast Clubs are part of a number of schools, some of which are funded through the Tackling Poverty Programme and others through other means or organised by individual schools. In Tackling Poverty funded breakfast clubs only, almost 40,000 free breakfasts were provided in 22/23, a marked increase on 21/22. Breakfast Clubs support parents with their working schedules and with the family budget. Breakfast Clubs have also been found to have an impact on children’s learning, with teaching practitioners recognising impacts, such as children being ready to learn and improved concentration and focus in those attending breakfast clubs. Street Stuff provide free multi-sport, gaming and Youth Club activities for children aged 8 – 16 across Renfrewshire in the evenings and at weekends. Street Stuff buses have free Wi-Fi to ensure young people aren’t digitally excluded. To support the Cost of Living Crisis and as part of the Winter Connections programme, Street Stuff introduced a healthy meal as part of their evening activities with almost 4,000 meals provided between December 2022 – date. They also provide/support school holiday programmes for ages 5 – 14 which includes the provision of a healthy meal. Funding provided by Scottish Government and Renfrewshire Council created an energetic Summer of Fun in 2022. A range of multi-sport, arts and crafts, drumming, dance etc. activities were delivered throughout the summer holidays including the provision of a healthy meal by Community Learning and Development and partners including Street Stuff with almost 1,000 young people benefiting. Multi-sport and Gaming activities with the provision of a healthy meal were delivered during the October School Week with 538 recorded attendances. Multi-sport and Gaming Activities during the festive period were again delivered in local communities with the provision of a healthy meal. Young people were also treated to a trip to the Irn Bru Carnival at the SECC with vouchers and prizes distributed for Flip out, Cinema and St Mirren FC games. A multi-sport activity programme was delivered during the Spring Break over the 2 week period, again, with lunch provided. Page 127 of 218
Page 186
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 42 Looking ahead and working with partners including the Fairer Renfrewshire lived experience panel we will review the criteria for holiday activities to ensure Child Poverty Priority Groups are better targeted. Skoobmobile The Skoobmobile provides a children’s mobile public library service directly to children and families in communities. This service aims to help improve children’s life chances by encouraging a lasting interest in reading, literacy, physical activity and learning. This year Skoobmobile has been involved in bringing play sessions to communities as part of our Winter Connections programme as well as supporting the return of the Early Years Local Learning Community for the first time since lockdown. Skoobmobile also visits primary schools storytimes, book borrowing, access to library digital resources and learning activities. Engagement took place with Riverbrae Primary, one of our ASN schools, gifting sensory books from Scottish Book Trust to families. This led to further engagements with the school and the development of a gentle appropriate sensory Bookbug for children with severe learning difficulties. Through their programme of community outreach, the team has supported Ukrainian families new to Renfrewshire and provided holiday activities. The team note that the Cost of Living Crisis has squeezed household budgets, so access to free activities are welcomed now more than ever and numbers using the service are increasing. Skoobmobile reached 8,323 primary school pupils in 403 sessions, 1,353 pre-5 children and 250 adults were reached in 93 sessions. 6,391 books were borrowed and 1,637 children became members of Renfrewshire libraries. A further 2,829 children and 1,506 adults attended 149 outreach sessions. Looking forward, Skoobmobile will support primary transition including in schools within areas of multiple deprivation and support the summer reading challenge through a programme of weekly stops throughout the summer holidays. In addition, after the success of the play sessions that were part of Winter Connections, Skoobmobile will develop this service in areas without a library, or where the library is too small to offer these types of activities. Peer Health The Tackling Poverty Programme funded Peer Health Project, in partnership with Active Communities, continues to work across Renfrewshire secondaries, including our ASN secondary school. In 2022, 200 Peer Educators were recruited and trained and workshops provided so teachers can support this work. Activities are decided within individual schools and based on their priorities. Examples of the work taking place are: • Growing vegetables and healthy eating Page 128 of 218
Page 187
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 43 • Peer educators delivering assemblies on bullying and boosting self care • Homework Club • Mental health bookclub/café • Assemblies, PSE lessons and whole school events focussing on mental health In addition, a number of out of school activities take place in the Active Communities base: • A ‘Hearty Lives’ youth drop-in takes place once a week. These sessions have creative activities with health and wellbeing messages. Young people also have access to food, sanitary products and free condoms. • A Youth Space takes place with the building is open to High School aged young people. Access is provided to hot drinks, toast, WiFi, Homework help and Health information. • Games and Grub (part funded by Hearty Lives) for P5-P7s. Hot meal and pudding and active games for 15 pupils identified specifically by a local Primary School as families in need. 7.2. Scottish Attainment Challenge As part of the refreshed approach to closing the poverty related attainment gap, the Scottish Government announced a Strategic Equity Funding (SEF) which includes the Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC) and Pupil Equity Funding (PEF). Funding allocations have been confirmed until March 2026, allowing for long-term planning, however Renfrewshire’s allocation will gradually reduce going forward. All local authorities set stretch aims in collaboration with schools as part of the refreshed SEF approach. These are key measures which clearly articulate overall aims for raising attainment and improving health and wellbeing, and for tackling the poverty-related attainment gap. Stretch aims will be monitored annually and used as part of improvement planning. The Covid-19 pandemic and associated school closures significantly affected pupils living in the most deprived areas. Subsequent attainment data suggests that while there were decreases in attainment across all pupils, decreases were much larger for those living in the most deprived areas in Renfrewshire. Within the primary sector, attainment of pupils living in SIMD areas 1 to 2 (20% most deprived) decreased by 16 percentage points in literacy and 12 percentage points in numeracy between 2019 and 2021. This reversed a period of improvement in attainment for these pupils and resulted in a widening of the gap. Between 2016 and 2019, pupils living in 20% most deprived areas has increased attainment by 4 percentage points in literacy and 5 percentage points in numeracy. Page 129 of 218
Page 188
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 44 However, data gathered within the 2022 Achievement of a CfE Level return shows a greater recovery for pupils in the most deprived areas than those living in the least deprived areas. Attainment in literacy in Renfrewshire increased by 9 percentage points and numeracy improved by 8 percentage points from the previous year. While attainment gaps remain larger than they were in 2019, these improvements resulted in the size of the gap reducing since 2021 by 2 percentage points in both literacy and numeracy. Senior phase attainment has been affected by the cancellation of exam diets in 2020 and 2021 therefore comparisons over time are inconsistent. However, outcomes for school leavers in Renfrewshire have seen consistent improvement despite the impact of the pandemic. The gap in the percentage of school leavers entering positive destinations between 20% most and 20% least deprived pupils has continued to decrease, from 10 percentage points in 2018 to 5 percentage points in 2022. As part of the SAC programme, we continue to deliver a range of approaches and interventions to address the poverty related attainment gap. The focus for literacy has been on embedding the Renfrewshire Literacy Approach across schools with a view to sustaining the core strategies. This has included Career Long Professional Learning (CLPL) in raising attainment in reading and writing for staff at all levels – leaders, teachers and support staff. A comprehensive programme of professional learning has been offered based on the Talk for Writing approach to specifically target teacher knowledge, skill and confidence in relation to teaching writing. Tailored CLPL and targeted support has been provided for individual schools and clusters. Renfrewshire is still the first and only local authority in Scotland to provide a universal programme of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. We are the largest programme in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK. So far approximately 5,500 children aged 2-5 have benefitted from Imagination Library as a result of the council’s investment in a universal programme. This is in addition to the long-standing programme for looked after and care experienced children. As of this month, 3,477 children are receiving books on a monthly basis and 2,083 children have previously benefitted but have now turned 5 and have graduated from the programme. 95% of parents/carers agreed that receiving books from Imagination Library motivates them to read more with their child and 99% of parents/carers agreed that sharing Imagination Library books has impacted positively on family life and relationships. “Being dyslexic I hated reading, but I feel that the excitement my child has for her books has given me the confidence to push myself. Now we love reading together and I’m starting to enjoy reading as well as our time together.” (Parent) Page 130 of 218
Page 189
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 45 12 target schools, identified through a range of data, received weekly input from a numeracy Modelling and Coaching Officer. This involvement has positively impacted staff understanding of effective pedagogy, confidence levels, and engagement and achievement of children in numeracy and mathematics. Additionally, a varied universal professional learning program was offered to all practitioners, which was well-attended and highly evaluated across the authority. Bespoke training was also delivered to 20 primary schools, and 1 ASN school, with all participants agreeing that it was relevant, impactful, and increased their professional knowledge. A family games night pack designed to enhance numeracy skills and engagement through card and dice games has been piloted successfully in a few schools. The feedback from families has been extremely encouraging and plans are in place to share and promote this pack wider next session. “It has been amazing to see the change in my class…children are now able to discuss, choose and explain their strategies.” (Teacher) Childhood poverty and mental health are inextricably linked and addressing mental health and wellbeing remains a priority. As a result of our curricular programmes and staff training, we have seen improvements in health and wellbeing. Since last year, average wellbeing scores for secondary pupils have increased and the number of pupils who said they feel confident often or all of the time have increased. More young people are reporting that they’ve been feeling relaxed and feel loved. New curricular programmes, such as Renfrewshire’s Alcohol and Drug Awareness Education Resource, have been developed involving pupil voice and the wider Renfrewshire community including those with lived experience. The resource has been accessed across all of Scotland’s local authorities. Our focus on staff skills and knowledge has ensured that key staff in our schools are accessing training around mental health and wellbeing, specifically drugs and alcohol, self-harm, suicide, gender-based violence, internet safety, relationships and sleep. We are continually looking for ways to expand our peer education offer with over 500 MVP (Mentors in Violence Prevention) senior pupil mentors trained this session across our schools. This session we piloted a new Mental Health Ambassador Peer Education Programme for Education Scotland in two of our secondary schools. We look forward to rolling this out further next session. The Cost of the School Day (COSD) funding is available to schools to remove financial barriers to education. This has been topped up by the Tackling Poverty Programme by £75,000 per year, and this additional funding will continue in 2023/24. An evaluation of the COSD fund concluded that the volume of need has increased and that the needs of children and young people have changed as a result of the Cost of Living Crisis. The majority of schools have used their funding to ensure equity in school trips and uniforms. The fund continues to have a positive impact on attendance, self- esteem and sense of belonging. Page 131 of 218
Page 190
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 46 “Supporting P7 residential trip has had a significant impact on wellbeing through providing children with opportunities to develop social skills and resilience through shared outdoor learning experiences” (Head Teacher) Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) enables schools to improve the educational outcomes of children affected by poverty. We are exploring different collaborative planning approaches that could help schools maximise the impact of PEF going forward. New national guidance is expected imminently to help schools plan how they will most effectively invest PEF and monitor the impact. In Renfrewshire, we are working together to get it right for children, families and communities. In doing so, we will continue to deliver high quality evidence based approaches and interventions which add value and supports establishments to address the poverty related attainment gap. 7.3. Ren10 Ren10, our multi-agency family service for mental health support, is playing a key part in helping those in need access the right level of support at the right time. Key activity has included the development of non-violent resistance approaches, inter-agency training and the creation of digital supports. The network/platform is open and accessible to all in need and helps bridge the gap between universal services that deal broadly with wellbeing and the specialist support for severe mental health conditions. During its first year, the service supported over 1,000 children and young people, including 125 who were care experienced. Ren10 has helped connect teams and services across education, social work, health and the Third Sector which has meant the journey and outcome of those using Ren10 can be better understood. Through Ren10, we realised how beneficial it is for clients to have the services they need linked together to ease their journey. We will apply this learning to develop a new model of whole family wellbeing support, which will let families and those working with them access all the support they need in one place. Our localities focussed approach will provide seamless and holistic support wrapped around individual needs, with our resources aligned to increase our capacity around prevention and early intervention. 7.4. The Promise We have entered year 3 of this 10-year programme of change with good evidence of progress in Renfrewshire to #KeepThePromise with significant developments underway and more planned. The delivery of The Promise in Renfrewshire requires a strongly committed multi-agency Page 132 of 218
Page 191
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 47 partnership working approach and demonstration of a collective understanding, commitment, and activity in relation to The Promise across all the partners. The roll out of Promise Keeper role has progressed significantly since its inception, and there are currently 118 trained Promise Keepers across Renfrewshire, with ambitious plans to grow this network in 2023/24. A Promise Keeper can be a senior leader, middle manager, or member of frontline staff. Promise Keepers will be responsible for championing The Promise within their staff teams ensuring that their colleagues are aware of their responsibility to #KeepThePromise. They will also be central to ensuring The Promise remains at the forefront of service design and delivery. Promise Keeper values have been developed and recruitment to the role is ongoing. Prior to December 2022 Renfrewshire has been successful in obtaining £200,000 of funding from the Corra Foundation to support three projects which will drive forward our Promise ambitions. Project 1: The first grant of £50,000 enabled us to establish a Promise Ambassador whose role is to help Renfrewshire and its planning partners to make changes which reflect what is important to Care Experienced children, young people, and families. We have continued to fund this post internally on a temporary basis as we recognise its value in supporting our delivery of our Promise commitments. Project 2: The grant of £50,000 was awarded to fund development of supports to parents whose children have been placed for adoption. The project aligns with the whole family support promoted by the Promise and aims to help children’s future understanding of their birth family by encouraging and supporting parents to maintain indirect (or letterbox) contact with their children post-adoption. The funding will enable our adoption team to refine their approach and inform embedding of the service beyond the end of the funding period. Project 3: Providing Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) and Lifelong Links for a small group of families, enabled by a £100,000 grant. The work is being delivered in partnership with Barnardo’s. FGDM is being offered to parents within the pre and post birth social work team with the aim of reducing risk such that child protection measures are not required. In this approach, the extended family is supported to understand the risks and to develop their own solutions to overcome problems. The Lifelong Links work will focus on young people placed in out-of-authority residential setting for whom safe family placements cannot be identified. Interventions will be undertaken with their extended families and wider social networks to develop positive relationships to support them during their time in care and beyond. Activity has begun on a Supportive School Structure - Right to Education Project. Renfrewshire has been successful in a funding application to the Corra Foundation for an investment of £150,000 Page 133 of 218
Page 192
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 48 over two years to support us to think differently and challenge ways of working around Supportive School Structure (Right to Education). This funding will allow us to conduct targeted work to highlight the need to ensure that all Care Experienced (CE) children and young people have a key person who is their advocate/supporter. This key person will ensure their attendance, participation and achievement are being supported and monitored effectively. This resource will provide focus tracking, and a genuine response to building positive relationships to ensure that school and life outside school is supported appropriately. The Right to Education Programme focusses on ensuring the voices of our children who are in and around the edges of care shape policy and procedures to improve outcomes and future destinations. One of the aims of the Promise nationally is to reduce the exclusions of Care Experienced children and young people from school and this project will work to ensure that preventative and relationship-based approaches continue to be developed to work towards that aim. A Promise Self-Evaluation Tool has been developed to assess progress and areas for development in key areas across different services in Renfrewshire. The self-evaluation tool will be circulated across all services in the local authority and to partner agencies. We are gathering examples of best practice to provide opportunities to learn from each other and celebrate the positive work and progress that is underway. It will also assist with the identification of gaps in provision and will allow services to plan how to make improvements to better deliver The Promise. Embedded in the Promise is the use of language and the importance of care being a non- stigmatising experience. In 2022, Each and Every Child delivered a workshop to a wide range of staff from across the local authority. This session was very well received by all who attended and provided key information about tackling stigma around Care Experience. To ensure that the learning from the Each and Every Child framework is embedded locally, a Language Policy is currently being developed with rollout planned in early Spring 2023. This piece of work ensures that the words and phrases that we use to describe Care Experience are positive and do not further exacerbate existing stigma. Alternative words and phrases have been identified through consultation with Care Experienced people and staff from various areas of the local authority to ensure that this will be adopted in our work moving forward. A programme funded by Renfrewshire Council and devised by Who Cares? Scotland called the Learning about Care Experience Schools Programme is being offered across Renfrewshire’s education establishments (Early Learning Years to S6). The goal of the programme is to create more caring and inclusive school environments for Care Experienced pupils. The longer term aims of the programme are that: Page 134 of 218
Page 193
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 49 • Care Experienced pupils stay in school longer and improve educational outcomes. • An increased understanding of Care Experience is an integral part of school life • A reduction of stigma and discrimination towards the Care Experienced. There is clear evidence of progress happening across Renfrewshire Council and its partners. Given the partnership involved commitment, along with our wider accountability and collective activity approach we are well placed to increase the pace of, and the scale of change required to #KeepThePromise and to deliver better outcomes for our Care Experienced Children and Young People #KeepThePromise by 2030. 7.5. Community Learning and Development Community Learning and Development reaches out to children, young people, adults and families, including those who face barriers and experience disadvantage, and takes a preventative and asset-building approach to working with people, families and communities. The Renfrewshire Community Learning and Development (CLD) Strategy for 2021–24 was developed in collaboration with a wide range of partner organisations, third sector groups and individual service users across Renfrewshire. The CLD Strategy is aligned with the Renfrewshire Community Plan vision, supporting the agreed priorities and focus of the Renfrewshire Community Planning Partnership and putting Renfrewshire communities and community wellbeing at the heart of shaping all of the work of community learning and development partners. The strategy covers 4 main areas Digital Inclusion – ensuring everyone has the opportunity to participate & benefit from digital technology Universal Provision - ensuring no-one is left behind promoting and providing opportunities for all Targeted Provision - targeting specialist resource & support towards those most vulnerable or with restricted capacity Community Capacity/Connecting Communities - working with individuals, families and groups that have capacity to develop, deliver and maintain the services and facilities they want locally. The Adult and Family Learning tream continue to work actively in partnership with the Refugee Resettlement Team, Social Work’s Unaccompanied Young Asylum-Seeking Children team and with English as an Additional Language (EAL) staff in schools. Adult and Family Learning have delivered Page 135 of 218
Page 194
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 50 27 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) groups to people looking for support with learning English to participate more fully in their community. For work with young people, this includes universal and targeted actions such as community- based youth work to build strength and capacity amongst young people. Youth services provide a bank of tablets during most of their sessions so that young people can use them to access online services, youth information, support homework and improve their digital skills. Approximately 120 young people have been able to access the devices across the year. With the cost of living affecting so many families this year, Youth Services has developed a number of responses to support young people. Working with young people gives the service insight into their issues and priorities and ensures the responses are appropriate. This year they: • Held a Clothes Fayre for young people aged 12-18 targeted at those experiencing poverty and around 20 young people made use of it. The fayre allowed young people to pick up items they liked and take them home for free while also helping the environment. This will be extended and repeated in 2023/24. • Held a Love 2 Week inviting young people aged 12 - 18 to attend Love2Lead Love2Learn and Love2Care sessions. These sessions brought young people together and provided lunch and refreshments during the February holiday period. These sessions were targeted at care experienced or low income families and included distribution of free personal care kits that included a self-care activity guide and hygiene products • Supported up to 100 Duke of Edinburgh Award places which are allocated usually by referral through partner agencies and schools to help identify the young people who would not normally be able to access or face significant barriers to access. Appropriate kit is also supplied free for schools and groups to help ensure pupils who would not normally be able to afford to participate and purchase kit can complete the award programme with their peers. • Held Evolve groups for those aged 11-16 in local communities during school time and transport is provided where needed. Young people are referred (usually by their school) and usually fall within the attainment criteria and are more likely to be experiencing poverty. Participants learn key skills such as shopping on a budget and creative cooking on a budget and food is provided at all sessions. This year those targeted included Ukrainian refugees. Many participants also receive a free 3 month One Ren gym pass and kit to help them access leisure facilities when the cost would be prohibitive. • Supported 80 young people in their targeted groups to receive trip places, free travel, and food to support participation and access to arts and cultural opportunities. These included care Page 136 of 218
Page 195
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 51 experienced young people and Young Carers, our LGBT safe space group and Kinship Care group. The Arts and Cultural programme alleviates the barriers to participation caused by poverty by providing free travel, food, tickets and trip places to young people to support their participation and attendance at the cultural trips and experiences organised by Youth Services. • Supported the Promise Champion Present Drive. Promise Champions group are care experienced young people who meet weekly to discuss topics around issues that affect care- experienced young people and their thoughts and views on support and care they have received whilst being care experienced. In the lead-up to the festive holidays, our Promise Champions held their Promise Present Drive, creating an Amazon wish list full of presents chosen by young people for other young people. 195 Amazon parcels were received and wrapped these into bundles to create 128 presents. All these were delivered to care-experienced young people across Renfrewshire supported by Youth Services, social workers and partner organisations that work to support care-experienced young people aged 11-24 years. More information on Community Learning and Development plans and activities can be found in their Strategy. 7.6. Thrive Under 5 “Thrive Under 5”, a programme funded through Scottish Government and delivered by Health Improvement staff from NHSGCC, is to be implemented in one or two Renfrewshire neighbourhoods during 2023/24. The purpose of the TU5 programme is to take a whole system, community food nurturing approach with families of pre-school children, combining action on food insecurity, healthy eating and physical activity the key programme elements include: • access to healthy foods and cooking equipment • income maximisation support • building skills and confidence around food and cooking • providing information and resources to encourage increased family physical activity Those living in our poorest communities have poorer diets, are less physically active and more likely to be an unhealthy weight. Despite efforts, the inequality gap is not reducing and has actually widened in child healthy weight in recent years. Page 137 of 218
Page 196
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 52 Whole system approaches are effective in tackling complex problems such as obesity, which is influenced by environmental, societal and individual factors and have the best chance to impact on diet and weight at population level. 7.7. Multiply “Multiply” is a new programme in Scotland funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). It aims to help transform the lives of adults aged 19yrs + across the UK, by improving their functional numeracy skills. In Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire Council are managing the programme, which is overseen by Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership albeit its benefits are far wider than employment related. In Renfrewshire, applications from those applying for funding have been decided by a panel which includes representation from the team working on child poverty to ensure parents in child priority groups are a key target group for funding as a way to support employability, but also to create with the wider aims of building parents’ confidence to help with their child’s homework as well as support with understanding bills and credit supporting better money management. Renfrewshire residents including parents have access to a wide range of free learning activities on offer. Delivery started in January 2023 and by the end on March 2023, 11 pilot community-based numeracy/maths learning activities ran with 72 participants across the following areas: West College Scotland -Make Numbers Count 18-week course for 2 hours per week to: • increase your confidence using numbers • improve your understanding of numbers • obtain Numeracy and National 4/5 Maths SQA qualifications Multiply in KLAS Care –Fun with Numbers - Learning through play is a great way of creating confidence. Simple games like cards, dominos, bingo and darts create a culture of learning. Free Creche provided. RAMH (Recovery Across Mental Health) -Nutrition with Numbers - Five-week Nutrition with Numbers course – improving skills using numbers while learning about the benefits of a healthy and balanced diet. VIAS (Values into Action Scotland) -Count Me In - A money management course specially designed for anyone with a learning disability or autism. Page 138 of 218
Page 197
Local Child Poverty Action Report Renfrewshire 2022/2023 53 Adult and Family Learning Team - Courses to help build confidence with numbers by brushing up on the real-life maths we all use every day from helping with children's homework to getting to grips with weights, measures, and temperatures in the kitchen. Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau -Figure It Out - increasing your confidence and tools to set realistic goals. Whether it's to manage household bills or make better financial decisions. From April 2023 to March 2025 and additional 5 programmes will be on offer with scope to fund more local groups and organisations to offer activities. Barnardo’s - Getting Maths 2 Work - supporting individuals who face multiple and complex barriers. Pachedu - Fun in numbers - supporting BAME service users and local parents with improving skills to help their children. REEM - Providing learning activities aimed at engaging harder to reach learners, predominately women from ethnic minorities. RACA - Interactive Money Management workshops to help people manage their money. St Mirren FC - Winning with Numbers - supporting parents who want to be able to improve their numeracy skills and confidence. The aim is by March 2025, that the Renfrewshire Multiply programme will have supported 145 courses and activities benefiting over 1,200 participants. Page 139 of 218
Page 198
54 Chief Executive’s Service Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1BR Page 140 of 218
Page 199
___________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 14 June 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Local Partnerships – next phase of development ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Local Partnerships were established during 2019 following an extensive programme of consultation. Seven Local Partnerships were created, replacing the previous Local Area Committees that had been in place for many years. 1.2 This new model of community level governance was viewed as being critical to the Council changing the way in which it works with local communities, providing opportunities for communities to have a say on what matters at a local level and working together to achieve these ambitions. 1.3 Each Local Partnership initially identified its own priorities, with a view to these guiding local actions and activities and the allocation of grants. Further work planned to review and develop the Local Partnerships has not been fully implemented, with the Partnerships and Inequalities team being required to refocus resources to respond to the pandemic and then subsequently to the ongoing cost of living crisis. 1.4 It is important that the Local Partnerships continue to grow and develop, building on strengths which have emerged over time and implementing changes which will enhance both the operation and the future potential of the Local Partnerships. 1.5 Section 4 of the paper notes that a consultation and engagement exercise will be commence in Summer 2023 to inform the next phase of development of the Local Partnerships. Alongside side this exercise a range of actions will be progressed by officers as set out at section 5. A Local Partnership co-ordinator will also be recruited to provide the required capacity to take the development of the Local Partnerships forward. Item 5 Page 141 of 218
Page 200
1.6 An update on the consultation and engagement process, alongside any resulting proposals for development, will be submitted to the Board in Autumn 2023. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that elected members: • Note the planned Local Partnerships consultation and engagement exercise which will commence during Summer 2023, with next steps reported to Board in Autumn 2023. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 In 2016, Council agreed changes to the governance arrangements for the Community Planning Partnership, and as part of this work it was agreed that a review of the Local Area Committees (LACs) would be carried out. In September 2018 and following an extensive process of engagement and consultation, Council agreed to establish 7 new Local Partnerships, which would replace the local area committee structure with immediate effect. This process took place over 2018/2019. 3.2 Local Partnerships provide the structure for community level governance in Renfrewshire, and there was an ambition agreed at establishment for these to continue to grow and develop to provide the community with the opportunity to have their say on local issues and make a difference to their local area. They have an informal and inclusive approach as part of a drive to ensure community voices are heard on local issues. 3.3 The broad aims of Local Partnerships are to: • Make connections and networks between community groups and the wider community • Identify, set and share local community priorities • Listen to, consult and represent local communities • Distribute grants to support local priorities 3.4 The membership of the Local Partnerships is split evenly between all local elected members for the area and community representatives. Community representatives include the elected chairs of the relevant Community Councils, with the remaining places filled by representatives of community organisations in the area and these are decided by the Local Partnership members. Each Local Partnership is supported by a Lead Officer appointed by the Chief Executive. 3.5 The partnerships mirror the Community Council boundaries meaning there are seven and they are: Page 142 of 218
Page 201
• Renfrew • Erskine, Inchinnan, Bishopton and Langbank • The Villages • Johnstone and Linwood • Paisley North, West and Central • Paisley East • Gleniffer 3.6 Standing orders and terms of reference were developed as part of the initial consultation on the establishment of the Local Partnerships. These set out the term of appointment for all Local Partnership members, including the requirement that community representative membership is reviewed every 3 years. 3.7 A key function of Local Partnerships is to distribute allocated grant funding in line with agreed local priorities, from both the General Fund and Common Good Fund. Youth Challenge funding is awarded by each partnership through the Celebrating Renfrewshire Programme. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Developing the Local Partnership model 4.1 At the time of establishment it was agreed that the Local Partnerships would be reviewed after the first year. Due to the pandemic, followed by the requirement to focus on the response to the cost of living crisis, the review was not undertaken at that time. The planned recruitment of a Local Partnerships co-ordinator was not progressed at that time also. 4.2 In the intervening period Local Partnership meetings have continued to be held, and a number of opportunities to improve and enhance current governance arrangements have been suggested to officers. 4.3 It is now proposed that a process of engagement and consultation is undertaken to inform the next phase of development of the Local Partnerships. It is anticipated that this will commence in July 2023, and will be led by the Partnerships and Inequalities team, with a key focus on identifying what needs to happen to build on the existing strengths and potential opportunities which the Local Partnership model provides. It is anticipated that this exercise will involve engagement with Local Partnership Chairs and Vice Chairs, Lead Officers, elected members and community representatives. Page 143 of 218
Page 202
4.4 Key areas to be explored include identifying options to: • Enhance participation in Local Partnership meetings • Facilitate greater engagement from Council services and partner organisations on issues which impact Local Partnership areas • Develop meaningful local priorities and action plans • Identify options for improving the grant allocation process 4.5 It is anticipated that the outputs from the consultation and resulting proposals will be brought back to Leadership Board in Autumn 2023. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Wider developments 5.1 In addition to the proposed consultation and engagement exercise, a range of wider activities are also planned to support the development of the local partnerships. These include: • A scheduled refresh of community level representation in Autumn 2023 • Work to ensure community development leads from within Community Learning and Development team are aligned to each Local Partnership area • An engagement session for all Local Partnership lead officers during Summer 2023. • A review of grant administration and processes is currently underway as part of the Connected Communities programme led by the Head of Policy and Partnerships. 5.2 Recruitment of a co-ordinator role has also commenced, in order to ensure that capacity is adequate to support the next phase of the development of the Local Partnerships. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none 2. HR & Organisational Development – none 3. Community/Council Planning – Local Partnerships are a core element of community level governance in Renfrewshire. 4. Legal - none 5. Property/Assets - none 6. Information Technology - none 7. Equality and Human Rights – no issues identified. The consultation and engagement exercise will explore barriers to access as part of its approach. Page 144 of 218
Page 203
8. Health and Safety - none 9. Procurement – none 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy Impact – none 12. COSLA Policy Position – none 13. Climate Risk – none ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Laura McIntyre, Head of Policy and Partnerships Page 145 of 218
Page 204
Page 146 of 218
Page 205
_________________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: June 14, 2023 _________________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive _________________________________________________________________________ Heading: Future Paisley Programme 6-monthly progress update _________________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This Report updates Leadership Board on Future Paisley progress since December 2022 including delivery of the Future Paisley Evaluation Framework, and continues our spotlight on programme activity, with an overview of activity and projects contributing to Step Change 3 - Paisley will be recognised for its cultural innovation and Change 4 - Transform Paisley into a vibrant town centre. _________________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendation 2.1 Members are asked to note the report. _________________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 Following Paisley’s Bid for UK City of Culture, Renfrewshire Council agreed resources to deliver a bid legacy action plan and further embed the Paisley Partnership’s approach to cultural regeneration, building on the momentum and profile created through the bidding process. The Future Paisley programme was created and covers several commitments, originally expected to be delivered during a year of City of Culture, spread over the period 2018 to 2021 and extended to April 2024, due to the impact of the Covid19 pandemic. Item 6 Page 147 of 218
Page 206
4. Programme Update 4.1 Since the previous update to Leadership Board in December 2022, the team has continued to monitor the performance of programme projects including delivery of CHEF projects and CODF commitments from 2022/23. The team has secured an additional £50,000 from Creative Scotland to top up investment in the Creative Scotland Renfrewshire Place Partnership. Several projects were successfully delivered including Paisley Book Festival, The Other Side of the River, and Castlehead Creativity Week in partnership with Glasgow School of Art. 4.11 Paisley Book Festival, delivered by OneRen, and now in its fourth year, brought together more than 50 authors, poets, and event hosts to Paisley, and welcomed over 1,800 attendees across 38 events over four days. This year’s Festival adopted a pay-what-you-can model reflecting the cost-of-living crisis. The Festival’s schools programme, funded by Future Paisley brought events to 33 primary, secondary and ASN schools and reached more than 1,000 pupils. 4.12 Round 2 of small grants funding was delivered by CAHSC (Culture Arts Health and Social Care) Group. The small grants funding incorporates the Creative Wellbeing Fund (supporting initiatives that reduce loneliness, isolation and improve mental health through participation in arts and cultural activities) and Making Arts and Culture Accessible Fund (supporting organisations and groups to remove physical and social barriers to enable participation in arts and cultural activities). 4.13 Future Paisley supported In Motion Theatre to deliver The Other Side of the River, a Play that tells the story of the impact of negative place publicity on a community. Co-designed by Lisa Nicoll, In Motion Theatre and members of the Ferguslie Park community over 3-years, the story examines how condemnation of a place undermines community wellbeing. The Play premiered in April at the Tannahill Centre before touring to 7 locations across Scotland, performed in community venues, with support from local theatres. An advance programme of community engagement was delivered in each location prior to the show, including cookery workshops to provide audiences with a meal during each performance. Workshops were held by local journalists for secondary school pupils ahead of each performance offering ways to encourage young people to think about careers in writing and journalism. Pupils attended the Play and were supported to write a review, to be published by Future Paisley, OneRen and In Motion Theatre. 4.14 The Future Paisley funded partnership between Castlehead High School and The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) delivered the school’s second Creativity Week in May. The event is used to promote creative thinking across the school curriculum and offers pupils in S1 – S3 an insight into creativity as a core skill, creative subjects and further and higher education and/or career paths. Guest speakers from industry and business attended the event to demonstrate how art and creativity benefits Renfrewshire’s wider industry sectors. This included representatives from Scottish Leather Group, Daydream Believers [Creative Page 148 of 218
Page 207
Thinking Course and Qualification], Barclays Life Skills and Graham Construction. The schedule for the week included: - GSA workshops with 110 S3 pupils based on Architecture, Design and Fine Art. - A full day event for 138 S2 pupils (off timetable) to participate in Castlehead Creative Challenge Day’ which includes Escape Room, Problem- Solving Quiz (using Barclay Life Skills resource), Theme Park Design (using Daydream Believers Resource), and an Engineering Challenge (hosted by Graham Construction). - A programme of activities for S1 pupils including Artists Workshops on sculpture and jewellery, Sma’Shot Day workshops (funded by Renfrewshire Council Events Team) and Gaelic Celebration Workshop led by Grant McFarlane of Fèis Phàislig (funded by Renfrewshire Council Events Team). 4.2 Over the next 6 months, committed Future Paisley activity includes: • £400,000 of investment to support OneRen deliver venue brands, marketing activity and opening programme for Paisley Town Hall and Paisley Central Library, Paisley Art Centre, and Paisley Museum. • The launch of Round 13 of the Culture Heritage and Events Fund (CHEF) in June, following £200,000 of cultural reserve funding, agreed as part of the Council’s budget commitments for 2023/24, and a fourth round of CODF (Cultural Organisation Development Fund), also launching in June with a fund value of £200,000. • Through Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership and the CAHSC (Culture, Arts, Health, and Social Care) Group, delivery of a monthly Culture, Health and Arts Training programme for health and arts professionals and partner organisations to encourage incorporation of creative techniques in service delivery and to support artists to make their practice more accessible. In October, delivery of the Renfrewshire programme for Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF), showcasing how cultural participation improves mental health. • Support to deliver the Centre for Culture, Sport, and Events (CCSE) annual symposium, part of Future Paisley’s partnership with University of West of Scotland (UWS), as part of the programmes part-funding of CCSE. Understanding & Measuring Value in Culture, (Sport) Events and Tourism will take place on June 8. Places can be booked at Understanding and Measuring Value in Culture, (Sport) Events & Tourism Tickets, Thu 8 Jun 2023 at 13:00 | Eventbrite • Ongoing delivery of Castlehead School of Creativity, The Promise and Art Boss programmes supporting care experienced children and young people, Cultural Champions network across primary schools, development of Percent of Art and Page 149 of 218
Page 208
ongoing delivery of Renfrewshire’s Place Partnership Activity with the Place Partnership Officer transferring to the Future Paisley team. • Management of Paisley.is, Paisley brand evaluation and review, and visitor marketing linked to the council’s events programme, micro-adventures, outdoor attractions, and cultural venues. And match-funding for delivery of the Royal National Mòd schools’ engagement programme and Mòd Phàislig Fringe Programme and Paisley Halloween Festival. • Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the Programme with recommendations on projects for consideration for longer-term funding. 4.3 The Team continues to raise the profile of Future Paisley through the programme’s digital channels and local and national media. February to May highlights include: Creativity Week • BBC Radio Scotland Interview on Lunchtime Live (51.00) : https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001lr5q • The Gazette - https://www.the-gazette.co.uk/news/23513149.school- creativity-paisley-delivers-amazing-results/ • Paisley.org - Scotland’s first ‘School of Creativity’ delivering positive results for young people - Paisley Scotland • https://www.tes.com/magazine/news • 'How our school fits art and creativity into a busy timetable' https://t.co/8OlP7ga3c3 @CastleheadHS @tes (https://twitter.com/TesScotland/status/1659593946228572166?t=sV9gpPoX bq7Hej34MyHzhA&s=03) The Other Side of the River • The Afternoon Show with Michelle McManus – 39:20 – 53:43 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001lbjj • https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/theatre- reviews-sean-and-daro-flake-it-til-they-make-it-the-other-side-of-the-river- 4107350 Joyce MacMillan Review • https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001jt33 The Sculpture House - The List – May Issue - https://list.co.uk/news/43354/meet-the- innovative-minds-behind-sculpture-house Programme evaluation 4.4 The team have designed and published The Future Paisley Evaluation Framework (Appendix 1), which connects the very high-level Step Changes to the projects, activity, and events underway. This has enabled the Future Paisley team to define and test what success of the Future Paisley programme will look like, reflecting on the original programme ambitions, accounting for a post-covid environment and considering how projects on the ground are evolving. This has included accounting for an extended Page 150 of 218
Page 209
programme to April 2024, and the changing priorities of Partners, the cultural sector, and local communities. 4.5 To help make the link between the Step Changes and the breadth of projects that make up the programme, a set of strategic objectives and sub-outcomes or outputs have been identified under each step change. These provide the critical link/golden thread between projects and Step Changes, based on intended impact. The Framework is user-friendly, enabling Project Leads to select sub-outputs and outcomes relevant to their project, and review and reflect on data collection and evaluation. In addition, a question bank has been created, combining data produced nationally to enable Project Leads to compare their data with national benchmarks e.g., Scottish Household Survey and Creative Scotland Omnibus Survey. 4.6 Supplementing the evaluation framework, are commissioned Future Paisley Evidence Reviews to inform policy development, thinking and analysis long-term. The evidence reviews will be used to inform what Projects may continue post Programme funding: • The Role of Arts and Culture in Lifting Communities out of Poverty: A Review of Evidence. • The Social Value of Community Events: A Review of Literature. • Measuring Wellbeing. Gauging (Mental) Wellbeing Benefits of Arts & Cultural Participation: Insights & Approaches. • The Impact of Co-Production on Community Wellbeing: A Review of Evidence (underway with final title TBC) 4.7 Where projects have delivered multiple or less tangible impacts across several strategic outcomes, case studies are being used to capture and explain impact, and these will include Glen Cinema Memorial, Art Boss, Young Minds Matter, children and young people’s co-design of Paisley Halloween Festival and Paisley Museum co- production. 4.8 The overall programme evaluation will also draw from three Policy Insight Reports, developed as part of Future Paisley’s PhD programme: • Telling the Untold Story: Discourses, Cultural Regeneration and the Hybridity of Cultural Regeneration in Paisley undertaken between 2019 and 2022 • Arts and Health in a Context of Cultural Regeneration • Assessing the value of arts and culture to Paisley’s creative economy; Economic and Social Impact of Culture Sector 5. Spotlight on Step Change 3 - Paisley will be recognised for its cultural innovation 5.1 Through annual Future Paisley funding, we have grown cultural workforce across public services to contribute to and embed cultural strategy and policy. This has increased resource in OneRen, Renfrewshire Council and Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership. We continue to review and align Future Paisley funded posts and how they contribute to cultural strategy delivery, the long-term business strategy of our cultural venues and services such as housing, health and social care, children’s Page 151 of 218
Page 210
services and community learning and development. Several posts are temporarily funded, and over the course of the next 12 months we will review the impact and scope of funded posts and what opportunities exist to consolidate or extend activity, through mainline budgets across the Partnership. 5.2 Future Paisley continues to challenge perceptions that cultural and creative activity is considered ancillary or additional to core services by giving it equitable relevance in making real and long-lasting social, economic, and environmental impact. A continuing priority has been investment in Renfrewshire’s cultural sector to support cultural organisations and groups, creative freelancers, and collectives to build capacity, think innovatively, explore new projects, and deliver cultural activity that engages local people in meaningful and impactful ways. Through the Culture, Heritage, and Events Fund (CHEF), Cultural Organisation Development Fund (CODF), and Renfrewshire’s Cultural Recovery and Renewal Fund (RCRRF), cultural funding of just under £2.8 million will have directly supported organisations, groups and artists who are part of Renfrewshire's cultural ecology, to build a sustainable sector, increase participation and deliver new work. As the Future Programme draws to a close in April 2024, a priority is to identify sustainable funding opportunities for the sector long-term. 5.3 Since the UK City of Culture Bid, cultural and creative networks have emerged/been nurtured with the purpose of creating more opportunities for collaboration, exchanging knowledge, and creating a support base for the many freelancers, collectives, organisations, and companies involved in delivering cultural and creative activity. 5.31 As part of the Place Partnership programme, a Creative Network Promoter has been appointed and assigned to work with Creative Renfrewshire for 6-months to expand and develop the network more fully. 5.32 Arts Connection (recipients of the Cultural Organisation Development Fund) continues to be a foundation stone within Renfrewshire’s cultural ecology. Arts Connection combine 11 cultural organisations delivering high quality cultural and creative activity and experiences across Renfrewshire, who have the experience and capacity to deliver a wide programme of commissioned activity on behalf of Partners. 5.33 Through CAHSC and Engage Renfrewshire, the Renfrewshire Community Wellbeing Network – formerly the Social Prescribing Network, was established, acting as a catalyst to direct third sector organisations towards recovery referral funding and to build the ALISS database where a range of support activities and programmes can be found. 5.34 In addition, Future Paisley funds the Cultural Champions programme which is a network of named champions in all primary schools in Renfrewshire. The role of the cultural champion is to share information about the wider cultural offer in region with the aim to deliver on children’s cultural entitlement. This is achieved by connecting children, families, early years settings and primary schools with an accessible and co-ordinated cultural offer. A Cultural Champions Co- ordinator has been appointed to package the cultural offer, identify barriers to Page 152 of 218
Page 211
access, develop audience engagement strategies and encourage further uptake. 5.4 Awareness of Future Paisley’s cultural regeneration approach has grown and through the area’s profile and connections we are seeing the more freelance artists and organisations building bases and developing studio space in Paisley and wider Renfrewshire. This is increasing work produced in Paisley, and creating new networks and collaborations, opportunities for community engagement and increased participation, and opportunities for employment. A priority for Future Paisley has been to deliver the right conditions to make Paisley an attractive base for artists to work, to support communities of professional practice to emerge, and to trial different support models that enable artists and cultural organisations to be sustainable. 5.41 The Sculpture House is a new cultural asset in Ferguslie Park and studio base for The Sculpture House Collective - artists Laura Aldridge, Nick Evans, and James Rigler, and three further cultural tenants Michael Fullerton, Kate V Robertson, and Laura Spring. The model supports artists pursue cultural outreach activity, socially engaged practice through a public facing community base, whilst combining studio space for personal work and commissions and rent. 5.42 William Street Music Hub (Loud n’ Proud) brings industry professionals, music tuition and music production facilities under one roof. This includes a programme (and the facilities) of music tuition classes across all genres, permanent studio space and production studio rental within one creative space. Through Future Paisley support, Loud n ’Proud are delivering a Capital Appeal to secure funding to complete Phase 2 of the project. 5.43 Paisley Film and Digital Media Space - Through the Creative Scotland Place Partnership, 9 filmmakers and digital artists have established a Community Interest Company (CIC), Refractive, to manage a film and digital media space for Renfrewshire film makers and digital artists, based within the Hugh Smiley Building on Storrie Street, Paisley. The facility will include an accessible film exhibition space, dark rooms, film makers production area for networking and meetings, and will include the development of a film archive for Renfrewshire. 5.44 Johnstone Textile Space - Following an Options Appraisal, the former TSB bank at 2 Rankine Street Johnstone has been identified as the location of a new textile hub, bringing together a collection of textile makers, who will deliver a public programme of exhibitions and workshops. The consortium of partners includes Johnstone Historical Society, Johnstone Business Consortium, ReMode, and individual artists and makers including Mhairi McMullan, Chris McEvoy Barton, and Susan MacInnes. 5.5 Paisley Halloween Festival is recognised for cultural innovation, socially engaged practice and for removing barriers to participation, especially for children and young people. A commitment to accessibility and inclusiveness has helped to drive overall local and national audience growth with event attendance figures of 50,000. Page 153 of 218
Page 212
Programming is developed through partnership working with Youth Services, Renfrewshire Learning Disability Service, Disability Resource Centre, Zero Waste Scotland, Kibble School, Renfrewshire Young Carers, Engage Renfrewshire, and many others. By working in this way, it has ensured the widest range of access points and opportunities in the creative programme, supported by significant showcase opportunities in the event itself. From 2018 – 2022, 1,780 local people have engaged in the co-design of Paisley Halloween Festival, developing creative skills and confidence, and displaying their talents, while more than 150 volunteers have been supported across the programme. A partnership with Renfrewshire Learning Disability Service (Gateway) and Disability Resource Centre and ongoing engagement with attendees, has driven improvements to accessibility and inclusiveness at Renfrewshire Council events, with the provision of autism friendly ‘quiet space,’ fully accessible toilets, and inclusion of performers with a disability across the programme. 5.6 Popular theatre productions have been delivered through Future Paisley funding, building audience and trialling venues culminating in sell out productions. This includes Thread, a co-production between Kick the Door and OneRen, Renfrew Town Hall, which attracted 430 over 5 nights and Underwood Lane, a co-production between Tron Theatre and OneRen in July 2022, which ran in Johnstone Town Hall and the Tron Theatre, attracting audiences of 4,593. The Other Side of the River, outlined in Section 4 the Report, is delivering a combined theatre, food, song, bingo, and a karaoke experience, on a ‘pay what you can’ model. 5.7 The Future Paisley Artists and Residents programme has been delivered in Seedhill and Gallowhill, with the purpose of developing social impact through participation and engagement through arts and creativity and pursuing co-design opportunities with residents. Artist and Residents Seedhill has partnered with CIRCLE (Continuing in Recovery Changes Lives Entirely), working with clients who are in recovery from using alcohol and drugs to create The Bothy, a project that has created a physical space in the grounds of CIRCLE Recovery Hub where meetings, workshops, and events, co- designed by service users, can take place. Future Paisley investment is building a programme of activity designed by The Bothy Project Steering Group, consisting of 4 people in recovery, and OneRen. The Bothy Project will be part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival in October 2023 to increase engagement beyond Seedhill and across Paisley and Renfrewshire. The aim of the Gallowhill project is to co-design with residents an arts programme that builds connections, confidence and skills and embeds culture activity within the locality, which is disconnected from the wider town. The objective is to build capacity of Gallowhill based groups and organisations, so they can work together to deliver projects that respond to community needs and interests. Working with STAR Project, Scottish Book Trust and St. Catherine’s Primary School, the programme has delivered Musical Storytelling Workshops, Mindful Art Workshops and Food and Family Workshops, engaging with both young people and adults. The Artists and Residents team are currently working with Youth Services to deliver a cultural roadshow event to encourage the design and delivery of cultural-led activity. Page 154 of 218
Page 213
6. Spotlight on Step Change 4 - Transform Paisley into a vibrant town centre 6.1 Step Change 4 is focused on the physical transformation of Paisley, particularly Paisley High Street and Town Centre, identified as barriers to positive place perceptions. Activity also includes Future Paisley investment to animate the Town Centre across the year, generating economic and social impact, demonstrating the Town’s capacity to host events, and positioning the Town Centre as an outdoor event stage. This links directly to Future Paisley’s investment in Renfrewshire Council’s events programme and the event strategy since 2018 to build audience and attract visitors to the town to experience cultural events and performance, during the closure of the town’s main cultural venues. The Council’s cultural investment programme - Paisley Town Hall, Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub (Paisley Central Library), Paisley Arts Centre and Paisley Museum, revitalisation of Abbey Quarter public realm and delivery of Townscape Heritage and Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme 2 (TH. CARS2) has been key to the delivery of Step Change 4. 6.2 Future Paisley funding has specifically driven community engagement activity linked to Paisley’s physical regeneration. This has included: • An extensive creative learning programme to support Paisley Museum community engagement and co-production. Over 25 partners, stakeholders and individuals are involved in shaping the new approaches. This has involved working with a pilot group of 3 primary schools to explore stories and content that maps potential curriculum links within Paisley Museum’s story displays. Overall, there have been 74 sessions to date, reaching 314 children and young people, to create Scotland, The Pattern, The World and Beyond the Pattern. • What if…?/Scotland exhibition as part of the Scotland partnership at the Venice Biennale 2020 (How Will We Live Together), which considered how architects can work more closely with the people who use the buildings and spaces they create. 25 architects and designers were matched with 25 citizens from five communities across Scotland: Wester Hailes, Paisley, Annan, Elgin and Lerwick. The Exhibition was shown at the V&A Dundee and featured at the Future Paisley Exhibition. • The Future Paisley Exhibition (2022 and in lite form 2023), included a digital exhibition, community engagement and events programme, and shared the story of Paisley’s cultural regeneration journey, setting Paisley’s vision for the future and asking local people to help shape how the town will respond to society’s big challenges and opportunities. Over 1,500 people contributed ideas relating to arts and culture, shopping, food and drink, green spaces, transport and history and heritage. 6.3 In addition, Future Paisley funding has driven animation of the High Street through an annual outdoors event programme that delivers social, economic, and cultural impacts. The programme includes visitor events – Paisley Food Festival, The Spree, Doors Open Day and Paisley Halloween Festival, and local events Sma Shot Festival and Paisley’s Christmas, and has the following objectives: Page 155 of 218
Page 214
• Encourage more people to spend time in Renfrewshire by offering a year-round programme of high-quality event experiences • Maximise co-design, participation, and volunteering opportunities by embedding socially engaged practice through event design and delivery • Understand and remove barriers to participation so everyone in our communities can access events • Develop partnerships that strengthen the capacity of our cultural and creative sectors and create opportunities to promote/work with local talent • Strengthen emotional connection between local people and their place by illuminating stories and issues that are important to Renfrewshire • Support local businesses to fully maximise the benefits of supply opportunities and publicity and footfall generated by events • Incorporate new event trends and technologies ensuring the programme continues to diversify and remain relevant • Investigate how events can help work towards net zero Renfrewshire and raise awareness of climate change among attendees and participants The introduction of Paisley Book Festival, funded by Future Paisley and delivered by OneRen, has added to, and enhanced the annual programme, with the town’s reputation as an event host growing nationally, enabling new events to be delivered in partnership with Renfrewshire Council and Future Paisley on a year-by-year basis. 7. A further Programme update will be provided to Leadership Board in December 2023, to update on progress of Round 13 CHEF and Round 4 CODF and to provide a final Programme Spotlight on Step Change 5, develop a sustainable and resilient creative economy in Renfrewshire. _________________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none 2. HR & Organisational Development – none 3. Community/Council Planning – Council Plan PLACE (Demonstrating that Renfrewshire is a great place to live, work and visit) - delivering Future Paisley, our far-reaching cultural regeneration programme, harnessing the power of the arts, heritage, and culture for social and economic change. 4. Legal – none 5. Property/Assets – none 6. Information Technology – none Page 156 of 218
Page 215
7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health & Safety – none 9. Procurement – none 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy Impact – none 12. Cosla Policy Position –not applicable Author: Louisa Mahon, Head of Marketing and Communications, T: 0141 618 7546 E: louisa.mahon@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 157 of 218
Page 216
Page 158 of 218
Page 217
Evaluation Framework Page 159 of 218
Page 218
Introduction In 2015, Paisley announced the decision to bid for UK City of Culture 2021 and remains the only town to be shortlisted for the title. The campaign for City of Culture unlocked a civic conversation with over 34,000 people in the town and delivered a people-powered bid that captivated audiences far beyond Paisley’s boundaries. Over 200 business supporters backed Paisley’s bid. St Mirren FC renamed their football stadium the Paisley 2021 stadium. The town had its own Paisley 2021 Taxi, a Paisley 2021 lion and Paisley 2021 Johnnie Walker whisky! Up and down the country branded lorries and vans shared our message—Paisley for UK City of Culture. The Paisley 2021 Partnership Board provided stewardship for the bid, and drew local and national representatives from cultural, community, academic, business, and creative sectors, Chaired by Renfrewshire Council. This continues today as the Future Paisley Partnership Board, directing, shaping, and investing in Paisley’s cultural and creative future. Page 160 of 218
Page 219
Paisley continues to be ambitious for its future and is prioritising culture and creativity to achieve, with partners and communities, long lasting social and economic change. Many of the commitments made in the bid continue today. We retain a sharp focus on Paisley as a driver for cultural regeneration, whilst expanding our view so it’s Renfrewshire wide and all communities’ benefit. Through Future Paisley—a programme of over 80 projects and activities funded by Renfrewshire Council and supported and delivered by a network of partners, we are continuing to define our own model for cultural regeneration and aim to establish Paisley as a centre for excellence and a leader for creative towns. Paisley’s shortlisting as part of the UK City of Culture journey was a defining experience for the town. The foundation of the bid was the town’s rich heritage, its radical and entrepreneurial spirit, its long history of creativity, innovation, making and industry. Between 2015 and December 2017, thousands of conversations created a shared vision for Paisley place, with culture at its heart. Paisley’s bid had an authentic public mandate— co-produced and co-created and nourishing ‘a do it with others culture’. The journey boosted confidence in the town and envisioned new possibilities for Paisley’s future, and we are continuing this through Future Paisley, with a commitment to: • promote collective commitment and confidence to deliver together and seek new partnership opportunities • use culture as a catalyst for change and to bring greater prosperity, opportunity and wellbeing • achieve the step changes we agreed together and maintain ambition in the longer term • engage communities in conversations about their future so people still believe ‘this is our time’ • maintain and increase engagement with colleagues and partners (locally, nationally, internationally) • tell the story of change and illuminate the transformation taking place and make tangible the aspirations and ambitions for Paisley’s future. Page 161 of 218
Page 220
How to use the Future Paisley Evaluation Framework The Evaluation Framework uses the Future Paisley Step Changes and Strategic Outcomes, linked to over 80 projects and activities, delivered by Project Leads and partners. Underneath each strategic outcome, we have considered projects which are funded by Future Paisley, and what appropriate project-level outputs and outcomes might look like. This will bridge the gap between projects on the ground, and the wider ambitions of the Step Changes and Strategic Outcomes. The project-level material is identified either as: 1. An output, which is a direct and immediate result of the project or activities 2. An outcome, which might be a less direct and longer- term effect Under some of the outputs and outcomes, we have suggested Sub-Outputs and Outcomes/Indicators, which help to break things down to the next level. When reporting Future Paisley funded activity, everyone is asked to provide some information as standard and this includes output figures, e.g., the number of people participating. We also know different projects and activities are achieving different kinds of things, and that Project Leads are collecting data and reflecting on the learning in lots of different ways. Projects and activities will be contributing to the strategic outcomes and step changes in different ways from each other too. Page 162 of 218
Page 221
You are completing a quarterly report as part of the Future Paisley programme, and you will be asked about your learning against Sub-Outputs and Outcomes/Indicators. To make use of the Evaluation Framework, to help share your contribution to achieving Future Paisley ambitions and to support evaluation of the programme as whole, we are asking you to: • Select from the Framework the outputs and outcomes which are relevant and meaningful to your project/activities. ⚪ You may end up with outputs and outcomes from more than one Strategic Outcome area or Step Change, or your work may be concentrated under just one. ⚪ Some projects/activities may have more outputs and outcomes than others. ⚪ Some projects/activities may contribute to part of an output or outcome, but not all of it. The important thing is that you identify the outputs and outcomes which align with the aims of your project/activities. • Reflect on your data collection and evaluation approach. Are you able to evidence what you want to under these output or outcome areas? If there are areas where you would like to collect data or provide reflection, but you don’t currently, think about how to do that. The Future Paisley team are here to help Project Leads with their thinking. • Organise reporting using the outputs and outcomes. This means getting data, analysis and reflection organised to tell the story of each project and activity on the reporting forms—and in any additional material you want to share— about how your project/activity is contributing to a particular area. It’s important we learn about what does and doesn’t work, and we want Project Leads to share what hasn’t worked and/ or what’s been difficult to achieve. Using the outputs and outcomes as themes for grouping evaluation material will help tell your story. Page 163 of 218
Page 222
A Worked Example The Project A project is working with a specific community in Renfrewshire, to co-create a piece of narrative theatre which reflects on topics which the community will choose. The project will include local artists who will work with the community and will be supported to reflect on and develop their practice collectively. The project will culminate in a performance in an outdoor public space in Paisley. The project has selected the following sub-outputs/ outcomes from the Framework as relevant to the project. The cultural offer builds on Renfrewshire’s cultural assets and celebrates the heritage and diversity of Renfrewshire’s communities • Cultural programming reflects the diversity of Renfrewshire’s communities and heritage Communities and professional artists/cultural organisations work together to co-design arts and culture events, so that local people contribute to the shaping and decision-making of cultural events • Opportunities for co-design • Number of communities/breadth/reach involved in co-design opportunities • Value of co-design (from individual projects)— what did communities get out of it Greater community cohesion—people identify shared values, aspirations and common ground through arts and cultural activities • Participants feel positive about their communities as a result of participating • Participating feel able to explore and express positive values as a result of participating • Participants express enthusiasm to engage again in other activities Freelancers able to continue and build their practice • Opportunities for freelancers through the programme Page 164 of 218
Page 223
The Reporting Template Sub-Output/Outcome Freelancers able to continue and build their practice What is your project contributing in this area? Tell us about the evidence and learning you have which explains how your project is contributing in this area. It might include formal and informal feedback, survey data, data you’ve collected directly, etc. What do you think the data tells you about the impact the project is making in this area? If you have lots of data and learning, you might want to append any written evaluation material you have, and give us the headlines here. We have recruited freelance artists from the Renfrewshire area to lead on this work with community X. When we recruited the artists, we asked them to tell us about what they wanted to get from working on the project, and what kinds of development and support they need at the moment. Artists told us that they wanted: • Time to share and reflect on their processes of working with communities • The opportunity to observe each others’ work • Time at the end of the process to hear feedback from participants and contribute to the evaluation The project is now partway through, and all the artists have had built-in to the schedule a quarterly session together, and the chance to the paired with another artist and observe their work. We asked them to tell us about how they found this, and the results of our short survey are attached to this report. The headlines are that: • Artists appreciated the time to get together to reflect • Artists are already making connections across their work, and it’s enabling the project to do different things than we expected and artists to try out new things with confidence, and develop their own practice. • Artists are making connections beyond this project: two artists have already pitched together and won a commission for community-based work elsewhere, and they had never worked together previously. Has anything you’ve learnt here affected your planning for the next stage of the project? Tell us about how you’ve reflected on the data you told us about above, and whether it’s changing or informing how the project will go forwards. We are partway through the project; as a result of connections which artists were making early on, we facilitated an exchange between two of the artists working with different groups in the community, to allow both groups to experience different art forms and to enable the artists to have that experience. We are already planning a wider, facilitated post-performance session which several of the artists will support with members of the community afterwards, to reflect on the project together. Page 165 of 218
Page 224
Map of Outcomes and Activities Page 166 of 218
Page 225
Step Changes Strategic Outcomes 1. Radically change Paisley’s image and reputation in Scotland, the UK and internationally • Increased civic pride • Paisley positioned as a destination of choice • More people visit Renfrewshire attractions and events 2. Raise prosperity and increase wellbeing in our communities • Cultural participation contributes to enhanced mental health and reduced loneliness in our communities • Children and young people thrive through everyday access to arts and culture • The cultural offer is dispersed and accessible across Renfrewshire, enhancing wellbeing in our communities 3. Paisley will be recognised for its cultural innovation • Renfrewshire has a thriving, resilient and diverse cultural sector • Innovation in Paisley’s programming leads to wider engagement by local and national audiences • Community-led production and programming increases cultural participation and activism 4. Transform Paisley into a vibrant town centre • Paisley town centre is revitalised through the opening of major cultural venues and attractions • Paisley’s town centre is revitalised through improvements to public realm • Paisley town centre is animated by cultural production and participation 5. Develop a sustainable and resilient creative economy in Renfrewshire • Organisations and sole traders working in Renfrewshire’s creative economy develop sustainable and resilient business models • Pathways into employment and progression routes in Renfrewshire’s tourism, cultural and creative sectors are being supported • The tourism and the cultural and creative sectors in Renfrewshire are vibrant and employment opportunities are developing Page 167 of 218
Page 226
Step Change 1. Radically change Paisley’s image and reputation in Scotland, the UK and internationally Strategic Outcome 1: Increased civic pride Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes We share consistent positive messages about Paisley via town spokespeople (official and unofficial) • A range and volume of positive messages is shared about Paisley locally • A range of different spokespeople are attached to those messages There is high local awareness of positive developments taking place, and local people and local businesses understand how they will benefit—socially, culturally, and economically • Local people are aware of positive developments • Local people associate a range of benefits with those developments OTSH something positive about Paisley in the media, help to reinforce why Paisley is a place for a good life • Local media covers Paisley positively— moving on from negative press • Local media covers developments positively, associate them with a range of benefits for local people/places Local people and businesses confidently welcome visitors to the town • There is visible tourism-friendly activities/ messaging—town readiness • Local people/businesses see tourism as positive People feel pride in Paisley and are optimistic about the town’s future • Local people are proud about Paisley/specific things in the town/area • Local people are optimistic about living in Paisley and what it has to offer them Local people champion Paisley, are advocates for the town and contribute to shaping the town’s future • Co-design of the Paisley Vision, including the Future Paisley Exhibition • Local people encourage friends and family to visit, and speak highly of Paisley to those from outside the area • Local people engage in consultation activities Page 168 of 218
Page 227
Step Change 1. Radically change Paisley’s image and reputation in Scotland, the UK and internationally Strategic Outcome 2: Paisley positioned as a destination of choice Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes Paisley has a vibrant brand which local stakeholders buy into and use, and which engages visitors • Local people and stakeholders contributed to and were consulted about a new brand (Paisley Is) and a major public campaign (What’s Our Story) • Local stakeholders are making use of the brand • The Paisley Pattern is a key part of the brand, with clear messaging and brand package and locals and stakeholders recognising and using it The destination website has been established and is updated and used regularly • Digital metrics on website Paisley has an active network of influencers and place champions driving work of mouth recommendations • The network is set-up • Evidence of use of different influencers/ place champions • Media metrics/outputs Seasonal visitor campaigns leading to increased visitor numbers and event attendees • Spread/reach of seasonal visitor campaigns Visitors are aware of, engage with and are motivated by new brand, marketing, and improved information to explore Paisley • The brand gets visitor recognition • Evidence of seasonal visitor campaigns driving visitor numbers/event attendees Sustained, positive media commentary about Paisley and high awareness of the town’s transformation • Non-local media coverage of Paisley is positive and highlights attractions and visitor experiences, and includes improved images and stories Paisley Pattern is reconnected with the town • Visitors recognise the town brand, and associate the Paisley Pattern with the town • Other external stakeholders (media, non/ potential visitors, partners) recognise the town brand, and associate the Paisley Pattern with the town Paisley ranks as a cultural destination amongst other destinations in Scotland/UK (explore data with Visit Scotland/Creative Scotland) Page 169 of 218
Page 228
Step Change 1. Radically change Paisley’s image and reputation in Scotland, the UK and internationally Strategic Outcome 3: More people visit Renfrewshire attractions and events Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes Numbers and profile of visitors to Paisley’s new venues and attending cultural events • Attendances at events—see specific targets • Visitors at venues—see specific targets Numbers and profile of visitor numbers to Paisley and Renfrewshire attractions • Visitor numbers Numbers and profile of visitors to Renfrewshire’s great outdoors • Visitor numbers Local spend and economic impact in Paisley and Renfrewshire • Evidence of visitor/attendee spend where possible • Increased footfall in Paisley? Page 170 of 218
Page 229
Step Change 2. Raise prosperity and increase wellbeing in our communities Strategic Outcome 4: Cultural participation contributes to enhanced mental health and reduced loneliness in our communities Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes Renfrewshire’s professional arts and cultural sector is equipped to work as active agents in health and social care service delivery • Arts, culture, health, and social care professionals work cross-sector to commission combined arts and health and wellbeing initiatives • Local cultural organisations are health and social care service delivery providers • Freelance arts and cultural practitioners are equipped to lead work with health and social care related outcomes • Cultural activities and cultural venues are referral ready, building capacity in the social prescribing system • New networks are formed and shape cultural provision • Local communities influence decision-making on arts and cultural activities to enhance health and wellbeing Adults who have poor mental health or are experiencing loneliness are referred to cultural activity Social and cultural prescribing activities meet participants’ needs and support target groups into participating alongside wider communities Barriers to cultural participation for marginalised groups are removed in venues and groups specifically funded to do so Arts and culture become sustainably embedded within service delivery of mental health support at Renfrewshire HSCP and its service delivery organisations and partners • The CAHSC Co-ordinator works strategically within the HSCP to embed arts and cultural activities within this area of service delivery, with plans in place to mainstream this from April 2024 onwards • Mainstreaming arts and culture within service delivery from April 2024 onwards is supported by the arts, culture and creativity becoming embedded within relevant HSCP, Council and partnership policies, informing strategic planning (e.g., Community Plan, Social Recovery Plan, Health, and Social Care Plan) • An expanded, sustainable model of social prescribing (involving the HSCP, GPs and Community Link Workers, One Ren, and other partners) is established by April 2024 • CAHSC Group member organisations working in mental health support embed arts and cultural activities within their own individual service delivery models • Adults accessing Self-Directed Support have increased choice of arts and cultural activities to access independently with their individual budgets People who take part in cultural activity feel less lonely and some may have formed new friendships • Targeted activities have a positive effect on the connections which participants make • Participants continue to engage in activities which help them to connect Marginalised groups build confidence and transferable work skills through cultural participation Participation in the arts and culture supports recovery from addiction for people who use drugs and alcohol • Regular participation in arts and cultural activities helps to positively change participants’ weekly routines, supporting recovery • Participation in arts and cultural activities enhances participants’ wellbeing, through positively changing participants’ self-perception and creating/reinforcing connections in the community that support recovery Choice and participation in arts and cultural opportunities facilitates independent living amongst older and/or disabled people in receipt of SDS, reducing loneliness and enhancing wellbeing Older people accessing arts and cultural opportunities via Renfrewshire HSCP and its partners’ services report enhanced wellbeing Page 171 of 218
Page 230
Step Change 2. Raise prosperity and increase wellbeing in our communities Strategic Outcome 5: Children and young people thrive through everyday access to arts and culture Sub-Outputs Renfrewshire has a coherent, diverse, and accessible cultural offer for children and young people, which meets their needs • A wide range of cultural activities are available to young people in and out of school settings • Schools and nurseries are connected to professional arts and cultural providers • People working with children and young people in a range of settings know about cultural opportunities available to them • Feedback from children and young people on how they access cultural opportunities • Feedback from children and young people on whether cultural activities meet their needs Renfrewshire’s cultural offer is accessible to and meets the needs of the most disadvantaged children and young people • Practical barriers to the arts and culture for young people are removed • Future Paisley programmes and venues meet the needs of disabled young people, enabling their participation • Future Paisley programmes facilitate the participation of care experience young people and young carers New opportunities are generated for family learning and engagement in the arts, culture, and heritage The cultural offer engenders agency in children and young people as active decision-makers Participation in the arts and culture by the most disadvantaged children and young people is sustained • Participatory projects that end have exit strategies tailored to each young person’s needs • Pathways and progression routes are established from and through funded programmes, enabling disadvantaged young people to develop their talents Sustainable mechanisms are established to deliver children and young people’s cultural entitlement in formal learning, connecting cultural organisations and practitioners with schools and nurseries Progression routes are in place for children to grow and develop their creative talents Creative learning provision in schools is enhanced • Quality of provision is improved • Young people are able to access a broader range of qualifications in creative subjects Page 172 of 218
Page 231
Step Change 2. Raise prosperity and increase wellbeing in our communities Strategic Outcome 5: Children and young people thrive though everyday access to arts and culture Sub-Outcomes Taking part in arts and cultural activities on a regular basis enhances young people’s mental health and wellbeing, social skills, and relationships, and builds their readiness to learn in school Schools-focused Future Paisley programmes lead to raised attainment in young people Young people develop new skills, both arts and culture-focused skills and transferable skills Young people involved in the Future Paisley programme progress to positive destinations Young people’s involvement in decisions that affect them within Future Paisley projects leads to enhanced wellbeing Future Paisley investment builds a culture of family engagement in (cultural) education in participating nurseries and schools Schools and nurseries report increased involvement of families in school activities • Schools and nurseries build better relationships with local families • Families feel more involved in their children’s learning on arts, culture and heritage in school and nursery • Families better understand the benefits of arts and cultural learning activities for their children School and nursery staff involved in the Future Paisley programme have an increased awareness of cultural opportunities available to their pupils Disadvantaged young people have developed their social and cultural capital through participation in the Future Paisley programme Young people have raised aspirations as a result of participation in the Future Paisley programme Young people have greater ‘ownership’ of the arts and culture through participation in the Future Paisley programme • Young people feel that the arts and culture are for them, that they belong and that they have greater ‘ownership’ of the arts and culture locally Page 173 of 218
Page 232
Step Change 2. Raise prosperity and increase wellbeing in our communities Strategic Outcome 6: The cultural offer is dispersed and accessible across Renfrewshire, enhancing wellbeing in our communities Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes The cultural programme takes place in towns and villages across Renfrewshire • The programme planning is informed by data and insights at ward level • There is an expanded cultural offer where people live • Activities are planned across Renfrewshire The cultural offer builds on Renfrewshire’s cultural assets and celebrates the heritage and diversity of Renfrewshire’s communities • New cultural assets are developed for the benefit of communities in places across Renfrewshire • Established cultural assets are developed for the benefit of communities in places across Renfrewshire • Cultural programming reflects the diversity of Renfrewshire’s communities and heritage Targeted investment in arts and cultural providers increases the accessibility of the cultural offer for marginalised groups in towns and villages across Renfrewshire Children and young people across Renfrewshire are able to access a wide range of arts and cultural activities where they need them, within and beyond formal learning spaces Renfrewshire residents have access to high quality cultural experiences at all stages of life Communities have an enhanced sense of civic pride in the towns and villages across Renfrewshire where they live • The development of new cultural assets enhances civic pride and wellbeing • The development of established cultural assets enhances civic pride and wellbeing • Arts and cultural programming and projects reflecting the heritage and diversity of Renfrewshire’s communities enhance civic pride and wellbeing • Young people have an enhanced sense of civic pride in the towns and villages across Renfrewshire where they live, enhancing their wellbeing Shared cultural experiences connect people in towns and villages across Renfrewshire, enhancing community cohesion and wellbeing • Communities from across Renfrewshire are active participants in co-created programmes • Local residents’ feedback on the extent to which cultural programme activity delivered across Renfrewshire is meaningful to them • Local residents feel socially connected to others through cultural programmes and events Page 174 of 218
Page 233
Step Change 3. Paisley will be recognised for its cultural innovation Strategic Outcome 7: Renfrewshire has a thriving, resilient and diverse cultural sector Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes A rebalanced sector where public institutions are less dominant and the gap with grassroots organisations and artists is narrowed • Evidence of artists and grassroots organisations moving to/setting up in the area • Proportionally, more Council funding is distributed (or plans for it to be distributed) than used for delivery in-house • Evidence of positive and supportive interaction between public institutions and the independent sector Independent networking within the sector supporting CPD and creating new partnerships • Number of networks • Value of support for networks • Number of new partnerships • CPD opportunities Freelancers able to continue and build their practice • Opportunities for freelancers through the programme Volunteer organisations building their professionalism and increasing their capacity • Value/outcomes from specific programmes to support the volunteer sector • Increase in capacity? Possibly some case studies? Increased studio and flexible cultural spaces— co-owned or independently owned, across Renfrewshire • Increase in number of studio/visual arts spaces • Take-up of spaces is good Public institutions commission locally where possible and creating opportunities and partnerships for local artists and cultural organisations • Public institutions have a range of ongoing partnerships and commissions, in which local artists and independent organisations are engaged in shaping and making decisions • Meaningful opportunities for local artists and independent cultural organisations are generated by the programme Power and leadership in cultural organisations, services and production is distributed equitably • Organisations, services, and production have policies and processes in place which support a wide range of voices in shaping and decision- making, including independent and voluntary organisations, freelancers, and communities Page 175 of 218
Page 234
Step Change 3. Paisley will be recognised for its cultural innovation Strategic Outcome 8: Innovation in Paisley’s programming leads to wider engagement by local and national audiences Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes New cultural space and programming investment enables new and original work to be shown in Paisley • No of premiers/original commissions shown in Paisley • Audiences National tours are secured for Paisley’s venues, putting Paisley’s venues on the map • No of national tours • Audiences National audiences are drawn to visit, due to national and international partnerships and exciting programming • No of visitors from different segments (e.g., outside Paisley, 60-minute drive time, beyond) who attend • Awareness of these activities by visitors (e.g., is a driver for visiting) Paisley collection is digitised, copyrighted and licenses support a range of commercial partnerships and access to researchers • Digital textile catalogue • Range/reach of commercial partnerships has grown • Range/reach of non-commercial interest has grown Local people feel ownership of new venues and are emotionally connected, ‘first to see’ new programme • Local people aware of new venues • Local people associate new venues with positive development • Local people plan to go/interested to go and see new programme Cultural venues and programmes are fully accessible to audiences and participants who have been historically marginalised • Any standards which have been met in building works to ensure accessibility • Any standards which have been met in staff training/procedures/visitor welcome which ensure accessibility • Local people feel positive about new venues, and confident to access them and feel welcomed Local stakeholders and town centre businesses understand and respond to opportunities presented by new venues and are champions • Specific programmes/work undertaken to build stakeholder knowledge and awareness • Specific programmes/work undertaken to connect the visitor offer • Local stakeholders/businesses are aware of the venues and what they offer • Local stakeholders/businesses are positive about the venues and what they offer Page 176 of 218
Page 235
Step Change 3. Paisley will be recognised for its cultural innovation Strategic Outcome 9: Community-led production and programming increases cultural participation and activism Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes Communities and professional artists/cultural organisations work together to co-design arts and culture events • Opportunities for co-design (e.g., content for the museum) • Number of communities/breadth/reach involved in co-design opportunities • Value of co-design (from individual projects)— what did communities get out of it We have a shared definition of socially engaged practice and co-design is valued by policy makers, beyond the cultural sector • Evidence of a clear articulation and shared language around co-design across different organisations, commissioners, and communities • Evidence of co-design as a key concept in future planning by commissioners and others Increased participation in arts and cultural activity and more opportunities for communities to come together • Key activities (e.g., Hallowe’en, Literature Festival) see growing audiences and activities because of the FP funding, including the investment in Council events team Local arts and cultural infrastructure are strengthened • Local sector has meaningful, long-term relationships with communities • Local sector has meaningful, long-term relationships with commissioners • Other sustainability indicators Greater community cohesion—people identify shared values, aspirations and common ground through arts and cultural activities • Participants feel positive about their communities because of participating • Participating feel able to explore and express positive values because of participating • Participants express enthusiasm to engage again in other activities • Possible evidence of greater community collective action going forwards (e.g., communities leading their own work) Marginalised groups feel part of their community. • Participants from marginalised groups feel positive about their participation experiences • Participants from marginalised groups feel that they have connected with and are valued by their communities as a result of participating That communities are supported by the programme to examine complex challenges and work together to determine what solutions they want for their areas and their communities • Opportunities to tackle complex challenges through culture-based practice with communities • Opportunities to develop meaningful solutions and responses through culture-based practice with communities • What communities tell us about the value of this work Page 177 of 218
Page 236
Step Change 4. Transform Paisley into a vibrant cultural town centre Strategic Outcome 10: Paisley town centre is revitalised through the opening of major cultural venues and attractions Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes New venues open on time • Venues are open • Venues are functional, with a range of programming • Early audience/visitor figures • Activities Paisley is full of life and busy as more people visit the town centre to experience new attractions and events—inspired by exciting programming • Footfall • Attractions/venues as a driver to visit • Public transport numbers/usage Economic benefits from different segments of visitors and locals. • Increased spend in the local area Strategic Outcome 11: Paisley’s town centre is revitalised through improvements to the public realm Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes New public spaces are delivered on time (not for FP to measure) • Public spaces are open • Footfall New/expanded events are hosted in the town centre as a result of improved outdoors space • Events programme shows ambition • Increased visitors attracted to events (pre-Covid baselines) More people congregate and dwell in the town centre—local people and visitors • Change/rise in number of in-Renfrewshire visitors/visits to town centre • Change/rise in number of out-of-Renfrewshire visitors/visits to town centre • Change/rise in number of people living in town centre/options to live in town centre • Confidence and increased sales amongst local businesses (possibly reporting via a survey)? Page 178 of 218
Page 237
Step Change 4. Transform Paisley into a vibrant cultural town centre Strategic Outcome 12: Paisley town centre is animated by cultural production and participation Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes Annual signature events animate Paisley town centre through cultural production and participation, involving professional arts and events practitioners, local residents and visitors • Events programme • Attendance figures • Who participates in delivery Major arts partnerships produce one-off theatre events leading to mass participation in Paisley town centre, whether as performers or audiences • Events programme • Attendance figures • Who participates in delivery • Other indicators of success Vacant spaces become ‘meanwhile spaces’ for culture, animating shopping centres and Paisley High Street • No of meanwhile spaces • Visitors where measurement is possible • Footfall against previous baseline • Visitor/resident responses/perceptions A memorial sculpture, co-created with the local community, is produced to commemorate the Glen Cinema disaster • Sculpture is created • Evaluation of participants experience of engaging—feedback and possible case study • Awareness/response of town centre users Paisley’s independent cultural sector lead and develop activity in Paisley town centre, building place-based agency within the local professional arts community • Greater presence by the independent sector, whether meanwhile or more permanently • Specific developments to house arts organsiations/individuals/studios Paisley’s heritage attractions professionalise and deliver a quality visitor experience • Evidence of key steps taken to professionalise heritage attractions—new posts, accessibility measures, other things • Good feedback from visitors about the visitor experience to heritage attractions Page 179 of 218
Page 238
Step Change 5. Develop a sustainable and resilient creative economy in Renfrewshire Strategic Outcome 13: Organisations and sole traders working in Renfrewshire’s creative economy develop sustainable and resilient business models Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes The investment creates a range of meaningful opportunities for organisations and sole traders to develop their business models that consolidate their governance, financial viability, and management • Opportunities to get involved in delivering programmes/activities locally for Renfrewshire, nationally and internationally • Benefiting from any policies to procure/ employ local talent/delivery partners • Specific business development opportunities are well taken up, and participants suggest they are useful • Specific needs are identified (e.g., fundraising, appropriate space, etc) and supported • Expansion of viable cultural networks to support the sector in Renfrewshire Local organisations become recipients of regular funding and/or strengthen their business case for ongoing financial support • For local organisations to receive regular funding from Creative Scotland, access trusts and foundations and other sources of funding including sponsorship Local cultural organisations to be seen as a valuable asset that can deliver programmes and projects on behalf of the local authority Towards the end of the investment period organisations and sole traders are well-placed to lead and/or contribute to future programming and activities • Planning and commissioning processes involve organisations and sole traders in meaningful ways that utilises those organisations and sole traders as clear assets for Renfrewshire • Specific plans/follow-on programmes are in place, to continue meaningful work and grow the sector so it can be sustainable • Organisations and sole traders feel positive about the future of their work in Renfrewshire The critical mass is helping to attract other cultural organisations and sole traders to move into Renfrewshire and build the cultural ecology The sector is developing its visibility, and this yields greater opportunities to work in partnership locally, nationally, and internationally Local artists and organisations operating on a more stable footing • Organisations and artists able to plan for the future • Clear range of ongoing work which involves a range of individuals and organisations • Feasible fund-raising plans/capabilities for the medium-term Local organisations are creating more opportunities for freelancers, young practitioners, and volunteers as a result of having more/some regular funding • Number of opportunities for freelancers, young practitioners and volunteers increases (would require a baseline) • Types of opportunity Page 180 of 218
Page 239
Step Change 5. Develop a sustainable and resilient creative economy in Renfrewshire Strategic Outcome 14: Pathways into employment and progression routes in Renfrewshire’s tourism, cultural and creative sectors are being supported Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes There are projects which support participants to develop an interest in working in tourism, cultural and creative sectors Work is ongoing to join up different opportunities and routes into training and employment in tourism, and the cultural and creative sectors Young people feel positive about training and employment in tourism, cultural and creative sectors in Renfrewshire, see it as a viable option and understand what the routes into employment are Strategic Outcome 15: The tourism and the cultural and creative sectors in Renfrewshire are vibrant and employment opportunities are developing Sub-Outputs Sub-Outcomes The investment creates some direct employment, via new venues, new commissions and other additional new areas of activity and programme • New jobs available in these sectors • Types of jobs • Status of jobs (permanent, fixed term, etc) There is evidence of wider investments and interest in Paisley and Renfrewshire following the positive town developments and the raised profile of the tourism and cultural offer Page 181 of 218
Page 240
Page 182 of 218
Page 241
Page 183 of 218
Page 242
Page 184 of 218
Page 243
__________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: June 14, 2023 ________________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ________________________________________________________________________ Heading: Future Paisley Cultural Funding programme 2023/24 ________________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report provides members with an update on cultural funding for 2023/24. Round 13 of the Culture, Heritage, and Events Fund (CHEF) and Round 4 of the Cultural Organisational Development Fund (CODF), funded through Future Paisley, will be launched at the end of June 2023. The report outlines changes to CHEF Round 13 criteria, following feedback from the Review Panel during CHEF Round 12 and seeks delegated authority to administer the funds. 2. Recommendation 2.1 It is recommended that the Leadership Board: (i) Notes the development and launch of funding Rounds 4 (CODF) and 13 (CHEF) for 2023/24 and changes made to the criteria for CHEF based on feedback from the Review Panel in 2022/23. (ii) Agrees the established Cultural Recovery and Renewal Fund Panel will review the recommended awards in the forthcoming rounds of CHEF and CODF and delegates authority to the Head of Marketing and Communications to determine the applications for funding in this round and in future rounds, based on the views of the review panel, and to distribute the agreed awards swiftly. 3. Background 3.1 Cultural funding programmes are part of a wider programme of targeted interventions designed to maximise the impact of Future Paisley investment. Since 2016, £2.12m has been awarded in grants to Renfrewshire’s cultural sector and creative communities through 3 Future Paisley funding programmes. Item 7 Page 185 of 218
Page 244
3.2 Renfrewshire Council’s Culture, Heritage, and Events Fund (CHEF) was established to develop cultural and heritage activity as part of Paisley’s UK City of Culture bid and continues to support the development and delivery of cultural and heritage projects and events across Renfrewshire. Through 12 funding rounds since 2016, CHEF has provided £1.34m to support 158 creative projects which have included: festivals, events, workshops, murals, performances, exhibitions, tours and productions in music, dance, theatre and drama, heritage, literature, visual arts and design, film, and animation. The Fund is administered through a partnership between Renfrewshire Council and OneRen. 3.3 The purpose of CHEF is to raise cultural ambition and stimulate new cultural, heritage and events activity, aiming to create long-lasting cultural, economic, and social transformation in Renfrewshire. The Fund has seven objectives: • Increase the number of people taking part in creative activity in Renfrewshire • Increase opportunities for young people to develop their creative ambition • Stimulate the local economy • Realise the potential contribution creativity can make to education, social inclusion, and quality of life • Strengthen and broaden the network of people developing cultural and creative projects in Renfrewshire • Increase the number of people visiting Renfrewshire • Raise the profile of Renfrewshire throughout the UK. 3.4 Renfrewshire Council’s Cultural Organisations Development Fund (CODF), funded by Future Paisley, is reserved for established or developing organisations based in Renfrewshire that have a cultural and creative purpose. Since 2019, £580,000 has been awarded in grants to eleven local cultural organisations. Through CODF, organisations have built their governance, leadership, and management; developed their existing workforce and created new staff posts; and extended their engagement and reach. Art Connection, a new network of cultural organisations, has emerged with membership of previous CODF recipients. 3.5 The purpose of CODF is to strengthen and build the capacity of local cultural and creative organisations in Renfrewshire. The Fund has 3 objectives: • To support organisations to become more sustainable and to take the next steps in their strategic development. • To build capacity in organisations to raise cultural ambition in Renfrewshire. • To support organisations which have an ongoing commitment to diversifying and expanding cultural participation. 4. 2023/24 Funding rounds 4.1 Building on the positive impact of previous funding rounds of cultural grants and the interim evaluation presented to Leadership Board in December 2022, Renfrewshire Council agreed £200,000 for Round 13 of CHEF, funded through Future Paisley cultural reserves. In addition, £200,000 has been identified through the Future Paisley Programme to fund a fourth round of CODF. Grants will fund activity to be delivered within the 2023-24 and 2024-25 financial years. If possible, funding for CHEF Round 13 and CODF Round 4 will be bolstered by any ‘fall ins’ returned to Future Paisley from underspends from previously awarded cultural grants. Page 186 of 218
Page 245
4.2 Following the 2022/23 funding round, two recommendations were made by the Cultural Recovery and Renewal Fund Panel in relation to the CHEF fund, and were subsequently agreed by the Future Paisley Partnership Board: 4.2.1 Recognising an imbalance between an increasing number of applications from organisations representing black and ethnic minority communities and New Scots, and those successfully being funded, officers from OneRen and the Council will strengthen engagement with groups to ensure the application process is accessible and the criteria understood. In addition, up to £30,000 of CHEF Round 13 funding will be available to support applications from artists, groups and organisations who represent minority groups. 4.2.2 The criteria for CHEF Round 13 will be strengthened with priority given to applications that meet one or more three development areas: • Clear opportunities for a young person or young people to develop their cultural and creative skills. • Cultural and creative activities that promote cultural diversity and bring communities together. • Projects that reach and impact those with protected characteristics. 4.3 The 2023/24 funding rounds will be launched in June, and open for applications through summer 2023, with potential applicants offered pre-application advice and support. Applications for both funds will close in September, with grants awarded in autumn, following a rigorous application assessment process. 4.4 The established Cultural Renewal and Recovery Fund Panel will review recommended awards in CHEF Round 13 and CODF Round 4, and based on their views, the Head of Marketing and Communications will determine the applications to be awarded funding. The Cultural Review Funding Panel comprises two elected members Cllr Lisa- Marie Hughes and Cllr Alison Ann-Dowling and Future Paisley Partner Dr Alan McNiven, Chief Executive of Engage Renfrewshire. 4.5 OneRen will run a series of information sessions about CHEF Round 13 for prospective applicants, prior to the application deadline. This will be supplemented as required by one-to-one support in alignment with our key development areas, to improve accessibility. The maximum award will be £20,000, with applicants able to apply for up to 100% of total project costs. 4.6 One Ren will also run a series of advice surgeries about CODF Round 4 for prospective applicants, prior to the application deadline. Only single applications will be eligible, with a maximum award value of £20,000. Organisations will be required to generate a minimum of 10% of their total project budget from other funding sources, either in cash or in kind. 4.7 The interim evaluation of CHEF and CODF (and recovery funding through Covid19), is demonstrating strong cumulative impact. In addition to a wide range of beneficial community impacts, funding has protected the livelihoods of freelance arts practitioners and supported cultural organisations during a precarious financial climate, even enabling some to thrive. Future Paisley investment has generated momentum and created a new cultural landscape and has supported the development of new cultural organisations, events and partnerships and helped existing infrastructure to extend its reach. Funds have redistributed power, enabling creative communities to lead their own projects on their own terms, based on their own needs. Projects have contributed to enhancements in our communities’ health and wellbeing, promoted Page 187 of 218
Page 246
cultural diversity and strengthened social cohesion. This ongoing commitment by Renfrewshire Council is helping to build agency and capacity in our communities and the next generation of cultural leadership in Renfrewshire. 4.8 Evaluation of the Future Paisley programme is ongoing, will be brought back to a future Leadership Board for review. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none 2. HR & Organisational Development – none 3. Community/Council Planning – Council Plan PLACE (Demonstrating that Renfrewshire is a great place to live, work and visit) - delivering Future Paisley, our far-reaching cultural regeneration programme, harnessing the power of the arts, heritage and culture for social and economic change. 4. Legal – none 5. Property/Assets – none 6. Information Technology – none 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report 8. Health & Safety – none 9. Procurement – none 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy Impact – none 12. Cosla Policy Position –not applicable Author: Louisa Mahon, Head of Marketing and Communications, T: 0141 618 7546 E: louisa.mahon@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 188 of 218
Page 247
___________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 14th June 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Decant of library services to the new Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Leadership Board approved the temporary closure of cultural assets and the suspension of associated services managed by OneRen in the Paisley Town Centre area in 2018, with the aim of delivering the cultural investment programme to significantly enhance and modernise the cultural assets for current and future generations to experience, enjoy and treasure. 1.2 The Council is working closely with OneRen to ensure that the projects within the programme progress through each project phase from construction, to building fit-out, into operational readiness, before test and preview events, opening and launch of public programming. 1.3 Prior to the construction phase of the new Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub, library services were decanted from Paisley Central Library to a temporary modular building situated in the Lagoon Leisure Centre carpark. Paisley Central library services have been delivered from this site during the construction phase of this project. 1.4 OneRen is required to obtain the Council’s consent to suspend the provision of services under the terms of the Services Agreement with the Council. As the Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub project will soon be moving from the construction phase into the building fit out phase, the purpose of this report is to seek Board approval to suspend library services at the temporary Paisley Central Library site for a period of Item 8 Page 189 of 218
Page 248
around eight weeks. The indicative period for the decant to commence would be in Autumn 2023, and customers and elected members would be notified in advance of the specific date for the temporary closure and decant to commence. 1.5 The 8 week timeframe is required to enable the decant of library services from the temporary modular building at the Lagoon Leisure Centre to the new Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub on the High Street. During this period, service users will be re-directed to alternative libraries, as well as to the wide range of online resources available to all library service users. 1.6 Once the decant from the temporary site to the new learning and cultural hub is complete, the modular building will be available to utilise in the Council’s wider capital investment programme. __________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Leadership Board: 1. Agrees to the request from OneRen to temporarily suspend the provision of Paisley Central Library services from the modular building situated in the Lagoon Leisure Centre carpark for a period of approximately eight weeks. This will commence at a date to be confirmed in Autumn 2023, and will allow the time necessary for the decant of library resources and services to the new Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub on Paisley High Street. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Council previously approved the Paisley Heritage and Asset Strategy “Paisley the Untold Story” which set out an ambitious regeneration programme for Paisley’s cultural infrastructure. The strategy involved carrying out major refurbishment and extension works in the cultural venues in the town centre area. The investment aims to promote cultural tourism, restore civic pride and re-establish Renfrewshire’s profile as a creative, innovative and radical place to live, work and play. 3.2 This capital investment programme builds on the significant cultural and heritage foundations of the town and necessitated the temporary closure of various cultural venues and related cultural services managed by OneRen during the construction period. 3.3 Under the terms of the Services Agreement in operation since 2015, OneRen is required to seek consent from the Council to suspend specified services from any of the venues it manages on behalf of the Page 190 of 218
Page 249
Council. OneRen has requested permission from the Council to suspend the services for Paisley Central Library currently operating from the temporary building beside the Lagoon Leisure Centre to allow the decant to the new Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub. 3.4 As the Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub project will be moving from the construction phase into the building fit out phase towards the end of the summer/start of autumn period, the purpose of this report is to seek Board approval to suspend library services at the temporary Paisley Central Library site for a period of approximately 8 weeks. The exact timing of this will be adjusted to suit the actual dates following construction completion and mobilisation of OneRen resource to ensure that the library is closed for as short a period as possible. 3.5 Once the date for the decant to commence is confirmed, OneRen will issue communications to advise library service users of the change and to advise of services at alternative libraries (Ferguslie, Foxbar, Glenburn and Ralston libraries), as well as the online resources available to all library service users. Communication will also be undertaken with elected members. _________________________________________________________ 4. Library Decant Arrangements 4.1 A detailed plan has been developed to manage the decant from the temporary library site and from the library resource area in Tweedie Hall to the new facility on the High Street. A key part of the plan includes the shelving fitout and arrangement of books over the multi- level facility, placement of furniture, staff training and building familiarisation, technology set up, children play area and hosting pre- opening visits for schools and groups, final set up and opening. 4.2 On completion of the decant and dispersal of furniture from the temporary site to other library facilities, the modular building will be released to support other projects in the Council’s capital programme. _________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – the costs of the decant are built into the investment programme and any financial implications for OneRen will be reflected in future budget reports. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none. Page 191 of 218
Page 250
3. Community/Council Planning – the renovation and extension of the cultural venues aims to increase footfall in the town centre area, offer potential benefits to traders and to assist the economy of Paisley Town Centre and the wider Renfrewshire area. The renovations will also promote cultural tourism, restore civic pride and re-establish Renfrewshire’s profile as a creative, innovative and radical place. 4. Legal – approval of the recommendation will allow for compliance with the Services Agreement between the Council and OneRen. 5. Property/Assets – The temporary closure will enable the decant and opening of the new premise on the High Street, as part of the long-term investment in the Council’s cultural assets. 6. Information Technology – Library service users will be directed to other libraries in the local area to access ICT suites during the decant period. 7. Equality & Human Rights – The recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – risk assessments and safe operating procedures will be conducted to manage the decant process and to operate the new facility. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. Cosla Policy Position – None. _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Paisley Town Centre Regeneration-Consent for Temporary Closure of Cultural Assets Managed by Renfrewshire Leisure (Leadership Board, 19 September 2018) ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Laura McIntyre (laura.mcintyre@renfrewshire.gov.uk) Page 192 of 218
Page 251
___________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 14 June 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive Heading: Gaelic Language Plan Implementation Report - Annual Return 2022-2023 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. Public authorities have a responsibility under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) act 2005 to produce a Gaelic Language Plan which outlines the actions they will take to promote Gaelic in their community. The implementation of plans is overseen by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and local authorities must provide an annual update on progress against the plan’s actions both to Bòrd na Gàidhlig and to elected members. 1.2. This report has been provided by Renfrewshire Council to Bòrd na Gàidhlig and provides an update on progress during 2022/23. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1. Elected members are asked to: • Note the progress made by Renfrewshire Council in the delivery of the Gaelic Language Plan; • Note that a progress report has been provided to Bòrd na Gàidhlig; • Note that annual progress reports will continue to be provided to Bòrd na Gàidhlig and to elected members. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1. The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 requires all local authorities in Scotland to produce a Gaelic Language Plan. These plans are part of an effort to protect and revitalise Gaelic as a living language in Scotland. Item 9 Page 193 of 218
Page 252
3.2. Renfrewshire Council’s current plan runs from 2022 to 2027. It was approved by Leadership Board in 2022 and subsequently submitted to the Bòrd na Gàidhlig. Following their approval, Bòrd na Gàidhlig require annual progress reports from the council as to the plan’s implementation. This annual return is therefore based on the draft plan submitted in advance of formal approval being received, and in order to comply with relevant statutory duties. 3.3. Renfrewshire Council recognises the contribution of Gaelic to Scotland’s history and culture and promotes the learning and use of Gaelic in a range of ways cross its services. The use and learning of Gaelic is promoted to people of all ages across Renfrewshire. 3.4. Gaelic classes for adult learners remain in demand, and the Council has also commenced Gaelic Medium Primary Education (GMPE) in West Primary School since August 2022. 3.5. Renfrewshire Council seeks to incorporate Gaelic appropriately in local events such as Sma’ Shot Day, the Spree, and Hallowe’en celebrations. Paisley’s hosting of the Royal National Mòd in 2013 was hugely successful, attracting over 8,000 visitors and enhancing the profile of Gaelic in Renfrewshire, with Paisley again chosen to host the Mòd in Autumn 2023. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Progress with the delivery of Renfrewshire’s Gaelic Language Plan 4.1. The template provided by Bòrd na Gàidhlig requires progress updates on: 1. Five categories of Primary Indicator Data: • Communications from the public • Dissemination of information • Staff • Publications • Status (bilingual signage) 2. Three National Gaelic Language Plan priorities: • How is the organisation increasing the use of Gaelic? • How is the organisation increasing the learning of Gaelic? • How is the organisation promoting a positive image of Gaelic? 3. Other monitoring information: • Promotion of Gaelic Education • Corporate Parenting • Equalities Page 194 of 218
Page 253
4.2. Highlights of the progress report include: • West Primary School welcomed children in to our first Gaelic primary provision in Renfrewshire. • A full and comprehensive communication and activity plan developed to support the 5-year Gaelic Language Plan. This incorporated a Gaelic Language Plan Engagement Event that was publicly held to promote and encourage the use of Gaelic and to gain feedback on our plan from the public. Additional social media and engagement was undertaken to encourage participation. • A promotion event was held in partnership with Bord na Gàidhlig and Cormann nàm Parant, to raise awareness of existing Gaelic Medium Education (GME) provision in Renfrewshire and to provide further information to parents. • Mòd Academy has been running for several years. Each year the initiative aims to support children wishing to compete in the Royal National Mòd. This is a great opportunity for schools in Renfrewshire to get involved in Gaelic language and culture in a fun and interactive way with no previous knowledge of the language or culture necessary, including whole classes and sharing a mixture of Gaelic songs. • A local Gaelic interest group, Clann Gàidhlig, are running two evening classes each week for beginners and intermediate Gaelic adult learners. Classes are held in West Johnstone Learning Centre. 4.3. The full detail of progress as reported to Bòrd na Gàidhlig is included as Appendix 1 to this report. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - None 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – The report outlines activities which complement local council and community planning themes. 4. Legal - None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology - Service developments relating to information technology are key enablers of service improvement and modernisation and support service-level and corporate objectives. Page 195 of 218
Page 254
7. Equality & Human Rights - The recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 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 – None. ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Michelle Stewart, Resource Officer Contact: Laura McIntyre, Head of Policy and Partnerships, laura.mcintyre@renfrewshire.gov.uk ___________________________________________________________________ Page 196 of 218
Page 255
BÒRD NA GÀIDHLIG FOIRM DÀTA BLIADHNAIL 2022-2023 ANNUAL RETURN FORM 2022-2023 Ainm na buidhne Organisation’s name Renfrewshire Council Prìomh Dhàta Measaidh Primary Indicator Data Fios bhon Phoball Communications from the Public Cia mheud brath sgrìobhte a fhuair am buidheann bhon phoball ann an Gàidhlig am-bliadhna? How many written communications have the organisation received from the public in Gaelic this year? 2 We had 1 communication received in writing re Gaelic classes and this was forwarded to Clann Gàidhlig for response and the other was a response to our Gaelic Plan consultation survey. A’ sgaoileadh fiosrachaidh Dissemination of information Cia mheud pìos a sgaoil am buidheann air na meadhanan sòisealta ann an Gàidhlig am- bliadhna? How many posts did the organisation distribute on social media in Gaelic this year? 10 The Gaelic Language Plan 2022- 2027 is published on our website (Gaelic and English). https://www.renfrewshire.gov.u k/planagaidhlig Public communications highlighting the Mòd (Gaelic and English): Love Paisley article Information evening – launch of the tune competition for local musicians Gaelic Medium Education provision opens in Renfrewshire—Twitter @RenCouncil (Gaelic and Page 197 of 218
Page 256
English) Gaelic Language Plan consultation—Facebook groups Renfrewshire Council (Gaelic and English) Gaelic Language Plan consultation—Twitter @RenCouncil (Gaelic and English) World Gaelic Week events— Facebook Paisley Is (Gaelic and English) Grant McFarlane on World Gaelic Week—Facebook Paisley Is (Gaelic and English) Grant McFarlane on World Gaelic Week—Twitter Paisley Is (Gaelic and English) Gaelic Medium Education event—Facebook Stories Renfrewshire Council (Gaelic and English) Cia mheud fios-naidheachd a chaidh a sgaoileadh leis a’ bhuidheann anns a’ Ghàidhlig am-bliadhna? How many press releases did the organisation publish in Gaelic this year? 4 Gaelic Medium Education provision opens in Renfrewshire (Gaelic and English) Gaelic Language Plan consultation (Gaelic and English) World Gaelic Week Paisley groups funding release (Gaelic and English) Countdown to Mòd Phàislig (Gaelic and English) Cia meud neach-obrach a fhuair cothrom trèanaidh ann an sgilean Gàidhlig am-bliadhna? How many staff received Gaelic skills training this year? None. Page 198 of 218
Page 257
Luchd-obrach Staff Cia mheud dreuchd a th’ agaibh an-dràsta far a bheil Gàidhlig ann mar sgil riatanach? How many posts do you currently have where Gaelic is an essential skill? We have 1.5 FTE Teacher posts where Gaelic is offered. Cia mheud neach-obrach a th’ agaibh an-dràsta aig a bheil sgilean Gàidhlig? How many staff currently within the organisation have Gaelic skills? We currently have 2 teachers. We only collate this information where it is relevant to a post (e.g., teaching in a Gaelic medium). Going forward we will include this question in future staff audits. Foillseachaidhean Publications Cia mheud foillseachadh a dh’fhoillsich am buidheann gu dà-chananach am-bliadhna? How many organisational publications have been published bilingually (Gaelic and English) this year? 1 Gaelic Language Plan - Renfrewshire Website Inbhe Status Cia mheud soidhne dà-chànanach a chuir am buidheann an àirde am-bliadhna? How many new bilingual signs has the organisation erected this year? We are currently in the process of updating some internal signage within Headquarters. We will also be creating Mòd Event specific signs in the coming months leading up to The Royal National Mòd 2023. Page 199 of 218
Page 258
Prìomhachasan a’ Phlana Cànain Nàiseanta Gàidhlig National Gaelic Language Plan Priorities Cleachdadh na Gaidhlig / Using Gaelic Ciamar a tha a’ bhuidhinn a’ toirt fàs air cleachdadh na Gàidhlig? How is the organisation increasing the use of Gaelic? Gaelic is an integral part of Scotland's heritage, national identity and current cultural life and we want to highlight this in Renfrewshire. We want to ensure that Gaelic has a sustainable future, and we want Renfrewshire to be proud to be able to be part of this. World Gaelic Week (Seachdain na Gàidhlig) - 20 - 26 February 2023 This year’s celebrations were under the theme of ‘Coming Together’ and prioritise bringing communities together and promoting the importance and use of Gaelic language. To celebrate Seachdain na Gàidhlig, local groups Fèis Phàislig and Community Circus Paisley hosted some fantastic events including: • Bàrd Phàislig: The Paisley Bard Resource Creation and Family Cèilidh • Gaelic Circus Open Day, including a two-hour workshop A promotion event was held on 29 March 2023, in partnership with Bord na Gàidhlig and Comann nàm Parant, to raise awareness of existing Gaelic Medium Education (GME) provision in Renfrewshire and to provide further information to parents with a view to increasing the numbers of pupils learning via the medium of Gaelic in Renfrewshire in the coming years. Mòd Academy 2023 - Weekly progressive Gaelic song sessions (April-June & Aug-Oct) 2023 Mòd Academy, a collaboration between An Comunn Gaidhealach (the organisation responsible for running the Mòd each year), Renfrewshire Council and Gaelic arts organisation, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, has been running for several years. Each year the initiative aims to support children wishing to compete in the Royal National Mòd. The Royal National Mòd is a great opportunity for schools in Renfrewshire to get involved in Gaelic language and culture in a fun and interactive way with no previous knowledge of the language or culture necessary. Subject to funding being secured, this is the proposed timetable for sessions: April-June: a six-week block - whole classes, sharing a mixture of Gaelic songs - some of those prescribed for the upcoming competitions and others easier to 'catch' by all the children - and the teachers - involved. August-October: a second six-week block - specific support for children who have entered to compete. There was a full and comprehensive communication and activity plan developed to support the 5-year Gaelic Language Plan. This incorporated a Gaelic Language Plan Engagement Event that was publicly held on 20 September 2022 to promote and encourage the use of Gaelic and to gain feedback on our plan from the public. Additional social media and engagement was undertaken to encourage participation. Ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig / Learning Gaelic Ciamar a tha a’ bhuidhinn a’ toirt fàs air ionnsachadh na Gaidhlig? Page 200 of 218
Page 259
How is the organisation increasing the learning of Gaelic? Gaelic Medium Primary Education (GMPE) - In August 2022, West Primary School welcomed children in to our first Gaelic primary provision in Renfrewshire. The class currently caters for learners in primary 1-3 where learners are taught entirely through the medium of Gaelic. Gaelic Medium Education is available at West Primary school for children and families across Renfrewshire Council. The Gaelic class was established in August 2022. GME is open to children, from P1 onwards, who have no prior experience of the language, as well as those who use Gaelic at home. Children in GME are fully immersed in the language during the school day, which supports the acquisition of fluency. The school has embraced the addition of a Gaelic class by providing extra-curricular Gaelic clubs to all pupils and by taking part in a whole school programme of activities for World Gaelic Week. West Primary School | West Primary School (glowscotland.org.uk) An education programme (free for schools in Renfrewshire) has been developed to offer young people across the local authority the opportunity to engage with Gaelic culture and traditional music as part of Paisley hosting The Royal National Mòd. Stramash with Fèis Phàislig - One-off showcase event - 17 April - 8 May 2023 Stramash for Schools offers a free showcase of traditional music and Gaelic to schools across Renfrewshire. Our team of three professional musicians showcased live traditional music and instruments as well as have pupils learn a little bit of Gaelic. Evening Classes Clann Gàidhlig, a local Gaelic interest group, are running two evening classes each week for beginners and intermediate Gaelic learners. Both classes are held in West Johnstone Learning Centre where the Adult and Family Learning team provide a let free of charge. A’cur air adhart na Gàidhlig / Promoting Gaelic Ciamar a tha a’ buidhinn a’ cur deagh iomhaigh air adhart airson na Gàidhlig? How is the organisation promoting a positive image of Gaelic? The Royal National Mòd returns to Paisley in 2023 - Renfrewshire Website This will be the second time Paisley has hosted the Mòd and the town hopes to build on the success of the 2013 festival, which at the time was one of the best attended in the event's history. The festival will run from 13 - 21 October 2023 and will feature a range of competitive disciplines including: Gaelic song, poetry, literature, drama, instrumental, Highland dancing and sport. Gaelic Language Plan - Our Gaelic Language Plan sets out what we hope to do to promote and support Gaelic in Renfrewshire over the next five years. We want to make sure Gaelic continues as a living language in Scotland. Our plan lets us map out how we’re going to do that in Renfrewshire. Our plan shows what we know about Gaelic use in Renfrewshire right now. This information – and the feedback from our consultation – helps us figure out what we can do to support those who use Gaelic, and what opportunities we have to promote it further. It enhances the status of Gaelic and the promoting and learning of Gaelic. It’s also used to encourage the increased use of Gaelic. Page 201 of 218
Page 260
Gaelic Language Plan public consultation survey ran between 8 August and 25 September 2022. In total, there were 121 responses to the Gaelic Language Plan consultation; 110 respondents had read the draft plan. A Gaelic Language Oversight Group has been established and the purpose of this group is to: • Work collaboratively to strengthen and enhance Gaelic medium in Renfrewshire. • Develop, implement, monitor and report on the 2022 - 2027 Gaelic Language Plan. Page 202 of 218
Page 261
Fiosrachadh dearcnachaidh eile Other monitoring information A’ brosnachadh Foghlam Gàidhlig Promotion of Gaelic Education Chan fheum ach Ùghdarrasan Ionadail seo a lìonadh a-steach For Local Authorities only to complete Fo Earrainn 15 de dh’Achd an Fhoghlaim (Alba) 2016, feumaidh ùghdarrasan ionadail aig a bheil foghlam Gàidhlig anns an sgìre aca seo a shanasachd ann an dòigh iomchaidh. Feumaidh gach ùghdarras ionadail sanasachd a dhèanamh air na còraichean a th’ aig pàrantan gus tagradh a dhèanamh airson foghlam Gàidhlig aig ìre na bun-sgoile agus foghlam luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig a stèidheachadh. Ciamar a tha sibh a’ coileanadh an dleastanais seo? Under Section 15 of the Education (Scotland) Act 2016, local authorities which already provide Gaelic education in their area must take reasonable steps to promote this. All local authorities must take reasonable steps to promote the rights which parents have under the Act to make a request for Gaelic Medium Primary Education and the potential provision of Gaelic Learner Education. Could you tell us how you are undertaking this? When registering their child for school, all parents are informed of their right to have their child educated via the medium of Gaelic and have the option to express an interest in Gaelic Medium Education (GME). Information on the Council’s website is regularly updated to reflect the availability of GME within Renfrewshire. A promotion event was held on 29 March 2023, in partnership with Bord na Gàidhlig and Comann nàm Parant, to raise awareness of existing GME provision in Renfrewshire and to provide further information to parents with a view to increasing the numbers of pupils learning via the medium of Gaelic in Renfrewshire in the coming years. Pàrantan Corporra Corporate Parenting Chan fheum ach Pàrantan Chorporra seo a lìonadh a-steach For Corporate Parents only to complete Am b’ urrainn dhuibh dàta a thoirt dhuinn air an àireimh de dhaoine òga le Gàidhlig a tha, no a tha air a bhith, fo chùram a tha clàraichte leis an Ùghdarras. Please provide data on the number of Gaelic-speaking care experienced young people registered with the Authority. There is currently no Gaelic-speaking care experienced young people known to the Authority. Page 203 of 218
Page 262
Am b’ urrainn dhuibh fiosrachadh a thoirt dhuinn air tachartasan no cothroman a tha sibh a’ cur air dòigh airson daoine òga le Gàidhlig a tha, no a tha air a bhith, fo chùram a tha clàraichte leis an Ùghdarras. Please provide information on activities or opportunities you provide for Gaelic- speaking care experienced young people. There is currently no Gaelic-speaking care experienced young people known to the Authority. Renfrewshire Council fulfils its duties as a Corporate Parent and will continue to ensure that care experienced children and young people and care leavers receive support and guidance aligned to their language and communication needs, and if required Gaelic users. For example, our Throughcare team engage with a range of nationalities whose first language is not English. Staff make use of interpreters and cultural organisations to help support this group and we would adopt the same approach should we have a Gaelic-speaking service user. Co-ionannachd Equalities Bu chòir don a h-uile buidheann seo a lìonadh a-steach For all organisations to complete An do chomharraich an t-ùghdarras poblach agaibh cùisean sònraichte sam bith co-cheangailte ri co- ionannachd chothroman a thaobh leasachadh na Gàidhlig? Has your public authority identified any particular issues relating to equality of opportunity with regard to the development of Gaelic language? No. A bheil poileasaidhean, modhan-obrach no dòighean-obrach sam bith co-cheangailte ri co- ionannachd a chaidh a chur an gnìomh leis an ùghdarras phoblach agaibh, no a tha gan cur an gnìomh an-dràsta, a bhuineas ri bhith a’ cur co-ionannachd chothroman air adhart an lùib leasachadh na Gàidhlig? An inns sibh dhuinn mun deidhinn? Are there any equalities policies, procedures or measures that have been implemented by your public authority, or are in the process of being implemented, that are relevant to advancing the equality of opportunity in the development of Gaelic language? Can you tell us about them? Gaelic Language Plan - Renfrewshire Website A bilingual signage plan is being developed to support The Royal National Mòd in October 2023. Knowledge of the Gaelic Language Plan has been included in the new staff inductions. We continue to work with partners to provide Gaelic Learners Education (GLE) and engage with schools and early learning establishments to assess demand and identify relevant opportunities. Page 204 of 218
Page 263
A bheil eisimpleirean ann de cheumannan sònraichte a ghabh sibh gus piseach a thoirt air in- ghabhail agus com-pàirteachas a tha air obrachadh gu sònraichte math a thaobh leasachadh na Gàidhlig taobh a-staigh an ùghdarrais phoblaich agaibh? An inns sibh dhuinn nam biodh sibh toilichte nan sgaoileadh Bòrd na Gàidhlig na h-eisimpleirean agaibh agus nan dèanamaid sanasachd orra. Are there examples of implementing specific measures to improve inclusivity or engagement that have worked particularly well regarding Gaelic language development for your public authority? Please indicate if you would be happy for Bòrd na Gàidhlig to share and promote the examples provided. The Royal National Mòd returns to Paisley in 2023 Awaiting final timetable of performances from An Comunn. Page 205 of 218
Page 264
Amasan airson Seirbhisean Corporra Corporate Service Aims Àrd Phrionnsabalan Overarching Principles Spèis Cho-ionann A h-uile gealladh anns a’ phlana Ghàidhlig air a lìbhrigeadh dhan aon ìre anns a’ Ghàidhlig agus anns a’ Bheurla. Equal Respect Gaelic language plan commitments delivered to an equal standard in both Gaelic and English. Green Gaelic Language Plan 2022-2027 Cothroman Follaiseach Gnìomhan practaigeach gus dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil fios aig luchd- obrach na buidhne agus am poball daonnan air na cothroman a th’ ann gus Gàidhlig a chleachdadh leis an ùghdarras phoblach. Active Offer Practical measures to ensure that staff and public are kept regularly informed of all opportunities that exist to use Gaelic in relation to the work of the public authority. Green Ongoing communications relative to opportunities – The Royal National Mòd / Communities Learning & Development / website. Treas Phàrtaidhean A’ dearbhadh gum bi ALEOs agus cunnradairean eile ag obair gus plana Gàidhlig an ùghdarrais phoblaich a chur an gnìomh. Third Parties Ensure that Arm’s Length Executive Organisations and other contractors help with the delivery of the public authority Gaelic language plan. Green Gàidhlig na nì àbhaisteach Geallaidhean bhon phlana Ghàidhlig air an gabhail a- steach ann an structaran an ùghdarrais phoblaich tro thìde, le sgrùdadh cunbhalach airson cothroman a chomharrachadh taobh a-staigh bhuidseatan stèidhichte gus Gàidhlig a thoirt air adhart. Normalisation Gaelic plan commitments are normalised within the structures of the public authority over time, with opportunities to grow Gaelic within existing budgets constantly assessed. Green Pàrantan Corporra Gu bheilear mothachail air na dleastanasan a th’ ann mar Phàrant Corporra gum bi a h-uile pàiste is neach òg fo chùram no a b’ àbhaist a bhith fo chùram le Gàidhlig a’ faighinn na h-aon cothroman ‘s a tha clann le cànain eile. Corporate Parenting That the authority is aware of the duties of a Corporate Parent to ensure that looked after children and young people and care leavers with Gaelic receive the same opportunities as those with other languages. Green Page 206 of 218
Page 265
Inbhe Status Suaicheantas Ag amas air suaicheantas corporra anns a’ Ghàidhlig agus anns a’ Bheurla a chruthachadh nuair a thig a’ chiad chothrom agus mar phàirt den phròiseas ùrachaidh. Bu chòir an aon ìre follaiseachd a bhith ann airson an dà chànain san t-suaicheantas. Logo Aim to render the corporate logo in both Gaelic and English at the first opportunity and as part of any renewal process. The logo should demonstrate equal prominence for both languages. Green Both logos available. Soidhnichean Prìomh shoidhnichean air an dèanamh dà-chànanach nuair a thathar gan ùrachadh. Signage Prominent signage will include Gaelic and English as part of any renewal process. Green Conaltradh leis a’ phoball Communicating with the public Adhartachadh A’ toirt teachdaireachd bhrosnachail seachad gum bithear daonnan a’ cur fàilte air conaltradh a nì am mòr- shluagh ris an ùghdarras ann an Gàidhlig. Promotion Positive message that communication from the public in Gaelic is always welcome. Green Conaltradh sgrìobhte Bithear daonnan a’ gabhail ri conaltradh sgrìobhte ann an Gàidhlig (litrichean, puist-d agus na meadhanan sòisealta) agus thèid freagairtean Gàidhlig a thoirt seachad a rèir a’ phoileasaidh choitchinn. Written Communication Written communication in Gaelic is always accepted (post, email and social media) and replies will be provided in Gaelic in accordance with the general policy. Green We have Gaelic speaking skills within the team and can respond to written communication received within the customer service function. Ionad-fàilte agus am fòn Nuair as urrainn do luchd-obrach le Gàidhlig an t-seirbheis seo a thoirt seachad, gheibh iad taic airson sin a dhèanamh, agus thèid sanasachd a dhèanamh air an t-seirbheis am measg a’ mhòr-shluaigh. Reception and phone Where Gaelic speaking staff are capable of providing this service, they are supported to do so and the service is promoted to the public. Green We have Gaelic speaking skills within the customer service function. Coinneamhan Thèid coimhead gu cunbhalach air na cothroman a th’ ann gus coinneamhan poblach a chumail gu dà-chànanach no ann an Gàidhlig, agus thèid sanasachd a dhèanamh orra. Public meetings Opportunities to hold public meetings bilingually or in Gaelic are regularly explored and promoted. Green Page 207 of 218
Page 266
Fiosrachadh Information Fiosan-naidheachd Prìomh fhiosan-naidheachd agus fiosan-naidheachd mu dheidhinn na Gàidhlig air an cuairteachadh sa Ghàidhlig agus sa Beurla. News releases High profile news releases and all news releases related to Gaelic are circulated in both Gaelic and English. Green Na Meadhanan sòisealta Thèid susbaint Ghàidhlig a sgaoileadh gu cunbhalach sna meadhanan sòisealta, agus sin a rèir an uiread luchd-cleachdaidh Gàidhlig a th’ ann agus a dh’fhaodadh a bhith ann. Social Media Gaelic content distributed regularly through social media, guided by the level of actual and potential users. Green An Làrach-lìn Bu chòir susbaint Ghàidhlig a bhith ri faotainn air làrach-lìn an ùghdarrais phoblaich, agus prìomhachas ga thoirt do na duilleagan a dh’fhaodadh an àireamh as motha de dhaoine a tharraing. Website Gaelic content should be available on the public authority’s website, with emphasis given to the pages with the highest potential reach. Green Foillsichidhean Corporra Thèid an ullachadh ann an Gàidhlig is Beurla, agus prìomhachas ga thoirt don fheadhainn a dh’fhaodadh an àireamh as motha de dhaoine a leughadh. Corporate Publications Produced in Gaelic and English, with priority given to those with the highest potential reach. Green Tairbhe a’ Chànain Bidh pròiseas ann gus dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil a’ Ghàidhlig a gheibhear san fhiosrachadh chorporra uile aig deagh ìre agus gun gabh a tuigsinn. Language Utility A process is in place to ensure that the quality and accessibility of Gaelic language in all corporate information is high. Green Taisbeanaidhean Bu chòir beachdachadh gu cunbhalach air cothroman gus taisbeanaidhean poblach a shealltainn gu dà-chànanach no ann an Gàidhlig, le prìomhachas ga thoirt don fheadhainn a dh’fhaodadh a’ bhuaidh as motha a thoirt air cùisean. Exhibitions Opportunities to deliver public exhibitions bilingually or in Gaelic should be explored on a regular basis, with priority given to those with the highest potential impact. Green The Royal National Mòd. Page 208 of 218
Page 267
Luchd-obrach Staff Sgrùdadh air sgilean Thèid sgrùdadh a dhèanamh air sgilean Gàidhlig an luchd-obrach agus na feumalachdan trèanaidh aca a thaobh Gàidhlig rè ùine gach plana. Internal audit Conduct an internal audit of Gaelic skills and training needs through the life of each plan. Green Fiosrachadh Inntrigidh Bidh fiosrachadh mu Phlana Gàidhlig an ùghdarrais phoblaich mar phàirt den fhiosrachadh inntrigidh a gheibh luchd-obrach ùr. Induction Knowledge of the public authority’s Gaelic language plan included in new staff inductions. Green Introduced in March 2023. Trèanadh cànain Thèid cothroman trèanaidh is leasachaidh airson sgilean Gàidhlig a thabhann don luchd-obrach, gu h- àraidh mar thaic do bhith a’ coileanadh Plana Gàidhlig an ùghdarrais phoblaich. Language training Gaelic language skills training and development offered to staff, particularly in relation to implementing the public authority’s Gaelic language plan. Green Trèanadh le Fiosrachadh mun Ghàidhlig Trèanadh le fiosrachadh mun Ghàidhlig, le prìomhachas air luchd- obrach aig àrd ìre, luchd co- dhùnaidh eile agus luchd-obrach air a bheil dleastanas a bhith a' conaltradh leis a' mhòr-shluagh. Awareness training Gaelic awareness training offered, with priority given to senior staff, other key decision makers and staff dealing directly with the public. Green Fastadh A’ toirt aithne do is a’ cur sùim ann an sgilean Gàidhlig an lùib nam pròiseasan fastaidh air feadh an ùghdarrais phoblaich. Recruitment Recognising and respecting Gaelic skills within the recruitment process throughout the authority Green Fastadh Bidh Gàidhlig air a h-ainmeachadh mar sgil riatanach agus / no a tha na buannachd ann an tuairisgeulan obrach gus cuideachadh le bhith a’ cur a’ Phlana Ghàidhlig an gnìomh agus a rèir an stiùiridh bho Bhòrd na Gàidhlig airson luchd-obrach fhastadh. Recruitment Gaelic named as an essential and / or desirable skill in job descriptions in order to deliver the Gaelic language plan and in accordance with the Bòrd na Gàidhlig recruitment advice. Green Page 209 of 218
Page 268
Fastadh Bidh sanasan-obrach dà-chànanach ann no ann an Gàidhlig a-mhàin airson a h-uile dreuchd far a bheil Gàidhlig na sgil riatanach. Recruitment Bilingual or Gaelic only job adverts for all posts where Gaelic is an essential skill. Green Corpas na Gàidhlig Gaelic Language Corpus Gnàthachas Litreachaidh na Gàidhlig Thèid cumail ris an tionndadh as ùire de Ghnàthachas Litreachaidh na Gàidhlig anns na stuthan sgrìobhaidh uile a thèid fhoillseachadh leis an ùghdarras phoblach. Gaelic Orthographic Conventions The most recent Gaelic Orthographic Conventions will be followed in relation to all written materials produced by the public authority. Green Ainmean-àite Iarrar agus gabhar ri comhairle bho Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba air ainmean- àite Gàidhlig. Place names Gaelic place name advice from Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba is sought and used. Green Page 210 of 218
Page 269
______________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 15 June 2023 ______________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure ______________________________________________________________________ Heading: Development of Tennis in Renfrewshire Parks ______________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 A report was approved by the Leadership Board on 26 April 2023 relative to the refurbishment of tennis courts and the development of tennis in up to three Renfrewshire parks/sites, namely Robertson Park, Renfrew, Brodie Park, Paisley and Park Road, Johnstone. 1.2 The Lawn Tennis Association, following on from the Council’s formal approval of support at the April Leadership board, have now confirmed that they will offer Renfrewshire Council grant funding to refurbish the courts and develop tennis at all 3 locations in Renfrewshire, with the funding awards set out in the table below: Site Location Grant Funding Offered Robertson Park, Renfrew £129,960 Brodie Park, Paisley £18,090 Park Road, Johnstone £155,500 (excluding Council contribution) 1.3 The Park Road in Johnstone site was in the second tranche for funding and has only recently been surveyed. The offer at Park Road Johnstone is subject to the Council making a contribution of £17,000 towards the project, along with funding the repairs to a retaining wall. Estimates for the repair of the wall are being sought Item 10 Page 211 of 218
Page 270
and at this point a figure of up to £20,000 has been quoted. The LTA whilst approving stage 2 is still considering the offer of a contribution towards the works and is awaiting confirmation that a coach will be available for Johnstone. 1.4 The financial modelling work has been completed based on the operating model for the Courts, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report. The revenue and future capital costs have been determined following agreement on the operating model across the 3 locations being offered grant funding by the LTA. 1.5 As set out in Appendix 1 the courts will have three play options. Free play, occasional booking charges and annual membership fees. The membership fee will be £100 for an adult for annual membership and £50 for a junior membership (under 18). The cost of booking a court at chargeable times will be £8.50 per hour. Note a membership will give access to the courts with no hourly fee attached. The charging policy will be regularly reviewed and the formal agreement with OneRen will have a mechanism in place to facilitate this. 1.6 The annual recurring net revenue costs are estimated at £15,960 per annum. The net revenue costs are based on income estimates and as such may increase or decrease depending on uptake of memberships and court usage. Any shortfall in funding will be managed within the overall budget allocation of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 1.7 The LTA grant offer requires the Council to create a capital sink fund of £1,200 per court per year to pay the capital outlay of replacing the courts in future years which will be £14,400 per annum for up to 15 years. (If the courts are refurbished any time after the initial 10-year period the agreement with LTA ends at the point of refurbishment). The capital fund will be built up on an annual basis with the funds being transferred to the capital investment fund each financial year for the lifetime of the project. 1.8 The courts at Robertson Park, Renfrew and Park Road Johnstone will have red blaes courts replaced with a tarmac surface which will secure good playing surfaces for tennis for 20 to 30 years under the agreement with the LTA. Brodie Park already has a tarmac surface that will have minor repairs carried out on it. 1.9 For circa 25 weeks (April to October) from 4:00pm until 6:00pm Monday – Thursday OneRen will provide on demand free coaching to local school children as part of our Active Schools programme. From 6:00pm courts would be available to the public, community clubs and to tennis coaches to provide paid for coaching. 1.10 The proposed Heads of Terms with OneRen in relation to this project has been attached as Appendix 1. ___________________________________________________________________ Page 212 of 218
Page 271
2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Leadership Board: 2.1 Approve the proposed Heads of Terms between the Council and OneRen attached as Appendix 1. 2.2 Notes and approves the ongoing revenue and capital funding implications and the associated membership and court booking charges as detailed in section 1 of the report. 2.3 Note that a report will be presented to the OneRen Board to formally approval the Heads of Terms Agreement with the Council on 15 June 2023. ___________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The report of 26 April 2023 intimated that in October 2021 the UK Government and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) announced an investment into public park tennis courts for local communities. The Government was investing £22 million together with a committed spend from the LTA of £8.5 million. 3.2 The report outlined that the Council was working with the LTA in partnership with OneRen to submit a formal bid for funding to refurbish tennis courts in up to three sites within Renfrewshire's estate, namely Robertson Park, Renfrew: Brodie Park, Paisley and Park Road, Johnstone. 3.3 The report noted that the LTA had advised that Robertson Park and Brodie Park had been prioritised for initial funding and that Park Road, Johnstone would be added if funds became available. As part of the grant funding agreement the LTA required that an approved court booking system was introduced to support the effective use of any refurbished court and that work was undertaken to develop tennis within the Council area and the report proposed that, should the grant offer be accepted, OneRen would lead on booking, coaching programmes, and sports development arrangements. 3.4 It was also noted that a formal legal agreement with OneRen required to be approved to ensure due diligence with the contract terms and conditions associated with the grant. 3.5 In order to allow appropriate governance and oversight of this project and to enable the Council to proceed with formulating a legal agreement with OneRen there was a requirement to authorise delegated authority to the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure to allow the matter to be progressed. This was approved at the Leadership Board of 26 April 2023. 3.6 This project is being supported by the Council’s Legal & Democratic Services who have provided advice and have assisted in drawing up the Heads of Terms attached for approval in Appendix 1. If the Heads of Terms are approved by both Page 213 of 218
Page 272
the Council and OneRen, the Transfer Agreement and Supplemental Agreement will be entered prior to the transfer of the tennis courts. ______________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial –The ongoing revenue and capital implications have been detailed in section one of the report. These financial implications will be met from existing capital and revenue budgets held by the Council. 2. HR & Organisational Development- none 3. Community/Council Planning – • Our Renfrewshire is well – Improved access to sports facilities will improve health of participants. • Reshaping our place, our economy, and our future – Improvements to our assets and protecting them for future use. • Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all - Free access to sports will be available to residents at designated times along with coaching for young people. • Working together to improve outcomes – Working in partnership with LTA and OneRen will improve access to this sport. 4. Legal – This project is being supported by the Council’s Legal & Democratic Services who have provided advice, confirmed the approach, and will prepare the legal documents required to ensure the Council’s interests are protected throughout this process. The Heads of Terms have been included in Appendix 1. 5. Property/Assets – There will be a significant improved impact on the assets that are refurbished. 6. Information Technology- OneRen will be required to sign up to the national booking system used by LTA. 7. Equality & Human Rights (a) The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety- none Page 214 of 218
Page 273
9. Procurement – The Council will be using frameworks established by the LTA to procure refurbishments and gate infrastructure to facilitate the booking scheme. 10. Risk – There is a risk that the funding allocated from the LTA could be recovered if the terms and conditions of the award are not met. This will be mitigated by a legal agreement with OneRen and enhanced documented specification of maintenance from Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 11. Privacy Impact - none 12. Cosla Policy Position- none ____________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Background Paper- A paper was submitted to Leadership Board on 26 April 2023 (b) Appendix 1- Heads of Terms with OneRen ______________________________________________________________________ Author: Karen Anderson, Sustainability, Place & Assets Manager Page 215 of 218
Page 274
Appendix 1 Key Heads of Terms The following Heads of Terms will be signed by both Renfrewshire Council and OneRen. 1. Proposed sites. It is proposed that the following tennis court sites are included in the transfer agreement: Robertson Park, Renfrew Brodie Park, Paisley Park Road, Johnstone 2. Transfer Agreement There will be a further Transfer Agreement and Supplemental Agreement with OneRen and these will align with existing arrangements. 3. Lease/Licence to Occupy OneRen will be granted leases or licences to occupy the sites on similar terms to existing leases in the Property Portfolio. 4. Date of Transfer The Council will procure the refurbishment of the tennis courts listed above, including the gate access equipment, from the frameworks provided by the Lawn Tennis Association. When the works are completed, the Council can claim the agreed refurbishment costs. The transfer of the assets to OneRen will not take place until the refurbishment works are completed. 5. Specification of the Services OneRen are to provide OneRen shall appointed as the designated entity acting on behalf of The Council as an Operator to manage the courts and any associated tennis facilities and will appoint independent coaches approved by LTA Operations to assist with the coaching provision required. Ensure all your tennis venues, courts and activities are promoted on and accessible through LTA Play online booking using Clubspark (or any future LTA Operations- approved alternative booking system or aggregator). Booking access to be available through the LTA website and booking app. OneRen will ensure that their website is updated to include a tennis page, providing further information / booking instructions. Page 216 of 218
Page 275
All parks containing courts are to be attached to a Local Tennis League and OneRen shall notify Local Tennis League participants and users of your other sporting facilities (together “potential users”) before each launch accordingly (subject in each case to OneRen having an appropriate marketing consent, and details of such launch date), including providing each potential user with the option to make the necessary consent to receive marketing and promotional materials from the LTA via e-mail. For all parks identified and categorised for free tennis, OneRen commit to working with LTA Operations to deliver a free tennis offer either through an Operator or a charity like Tennis for Free. OneRen shall support the launch of all Sites following Completion of any Individual Site-Specific Works and thereafter may display promotional material relating to the LTA’s national tennis campaigns and promotions to increase opportunities to drive tennis participation. OneRen shall display signage which promotes how players can access the courts and (in a form agreed with us in advance) recognises DCMS and LTA Tennis Foundation as project funders. A charging model will be required to help develop resources that can be re-invested into on-going maintenance and repairs and future court refurbishments. Using the features of Clubspark, charging can be flexible to include coaching, season ticket, be venue specific or court time specific to contribute to on-going costs/replacement. A charging model will be agreed jointly between OneRen and the Council. Operating Model- Free tennis will be provided between 9-4 Mon/Fri. Chargeable tennis from 4 - 8 pm Mon/Fri and all-day Sat/Sun. Income generated will contribute to unplanned maintenance and the sinking funding for capital replacement of the tennis courts. The operating model will be subject to change following regular reviews to ensure the project’s sustainability. The final agreement will include a mechanism for these reviews. 6. Maintenance Arrangements The Council will be responsible for the regular maintenance of the Courts including planned and unplanned maintenance works. The Council will enter into a maintenance agreement with the gate access control supplier. 7. Financial Arrangements The financial arrangements for this project are outlined in the attached board paper. Page 217 of 218
Page 276
Page 218 of 218