2. FRSC Programme Update Nov 25 final
Renfrewshire Council · 12 November 2025
Back to Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-committee — 12 November 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee On: 12 November 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Fairer Renfrewshire Programme Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. The Council and partners have a key focus on tackling inequality and improving wellbeing and have longstanding programmes of work and partnership arrangements in place such as the Tackling Poverty Programme and the change programme established in response to the findings of the Renfrewshire Drug and Alcohol Commission. 1.2. At Council on 2 March 2023 members reaffirmed their commitment to the Fairer Renfrewshire programme and outlined several investments including bringing together the current Fairer Renfrewshire funding alongside the Tackling Poverty and Social Renewal reserve funds into a single resource. 1.3. At Council on 27th February 2025, members further reaffirmed their commitment to the Fairer Renfrewshire programme with continued investments in a number of targeted interventions including additional welfare rights and schools advice funding, a targeted programme of summer activities for children and young people from low-income families, another year of the Winter Connections programme in 2025/26, and a further winter school clothing payment in 2025. 1.4. Key priorities for the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme for September – December 2025 are as follows: • Development of our advancement of equality of opportunity programme • Commencement of work on the re-commissioning of external advice contract • Make £50 Winter Clothing Payment to families in receipt of School Clothing Grant • Launch of this year’s Winter Connections programme • Agreement of a plan for the Fair Food Renfrewshire partnership to develop next steps • Develop a Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan detailing the priorities and programme of work
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2 PUBLIC to be undertaken over the next 18-24 months. 1.5. Work on priorities has continued throughout 2024/25, with this paper containing progress updates at Section 4. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that members of the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee note the report. 3. Background 3.1 As highlighted in Section 1, the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme brings together a number of existing programmes of work focussed on achieving fairness and equity. The programme currently works to deliver against 4 key themes: • Improving financial security • Advancing equality of opportunity • Building community capacity and resilience • Listening to lived experience 4. Fairer Renfrewshire Programme Updates Equalities Outcomes Consultation 4.1 The equalities outcome consultation was launched at the start of September 2025. The consultation is designed to provide those who work, live and study in Renfrewshire with an opportunity to feedback on the Council’s draft equality outcomes and associated actions. There are two methods for individuals to participate in the consultation, either through one of the scheduled face to face sessions or via an online survey. 4.2 Outreach activity has taken place to promote and enhance the response to the consultation. Third sector organisations, community groups and Council services which engage with individuals who are likely to have an interest in the equality outcome consultation have been contacted and offered an individual bespoke session. These sessions have encouraged engagement with the consultation, and either helped individuals fill out the consultation, or were run as a focus group. These sessions have been flexible in how they are delivered and driven by the needs of the individuals attending them. For example, Sewing2Gether All Nations was visited to help individuals attending fill out the online consultation form. 4.3 Further engagement sessions took place with: • Active Communities Knitting Group • the Active Communities Pantry • Community Learning and Development ESOL class • Disability Resource Centre
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3 PUBLIC • people supported by Learning Disability Services through the HSCP • The Fairer Renfrewshire lived experience panel • Home Start Wellbeing Group • Kairos Women+ • dates-n-mates • RAMH 4.4 In addition to these bespoke sessions, 4 general sessions took place. These were face to face sessions in Johnstone, Renfrew and Paisley as well as an online Teams session. 4.5 Sixty written responses had been received when the consultation closed on 31 October 2025, using a mix of online and paper surveys. School Support and Family Advice Service 4.6 Between 1 July and the 30th of September 2025, the School Support Service assisted 43 clients. This reduction in numbers from the previous quarter is to be expected due to the school holidays. The majority of enquiries related to benefits advice, which continues to be the main focus of the service. 4.7 Total client financial gains (CFGs) for the period were £151,104.37, achieved across 27 clients. Most financial gains were secured through successful benefits claims, including: • Universal Credit – £87,258.00 • Adult Disability Payment (Daily Living) – £24,860.05 • Child Disability Payment (Care) – £16,905.20 • Carer’s Support Payment – £4,918.60 • Carer’s Allowance – £2,129.40 • Education Maintenance Allowance – £2,940.00 • Scottish Child Payment – £1,411.80 • Best Start Grant – Early Learning Payment – £1,279.20 4.8 Additional smaller gains were recorded from Child Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance, and Charitable Support, totalling £9,249.12. 4.9 The client profile for Q2 shows that the service continues to reach families facing multiple challenges. Around 42% of clients reported a long-term health condition or disability, and a third had caring responsibilities for children with disabilities. Most clients were women aged 25–59, with nearly a quarter unemployed and a further 19% unable to work due to ill health. Just over half of clients lived in council or other social rented housing, reflecting engagement with low- income households. 4.10 Advice was also provided across a range of other areas, including education, housing, energy, and finance and charitable support, reflecting the holistic nature of the project.
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4 PUBLIC 4.11 For quarter 2 of 25/26, Advice Works received 113 referrals for their Family Advice Service and completed 120 cases. Most of these clients have received a benefit check, with some School Clothing Grant and Child Benefit applications. The majority of these referrals came from Health Visitor teams, with a number too from Social Work and also through self-referral and other Council teams. 4.12 Client Financial Gain for the year to date for Family Advice is £20,007, with the total for the year so far being almost £54,000, however even in cases where a client speaks to an adviser and there is no financial gain made, the client benefits from the reassurance of a benefit check. Meeting with Advice Works also opens discussion on all financial matters that may be worrying the client, such as debts and budgeting. 4.13 With regard to the Child Poverty Priority Groups, Advice Works have seen 60 families within the Family Advice Service so far this year, falling into these categories: CHILD POVERTY STATS Q2 Lone Parent 25 Disabled Ad/child 20 3+ children 10 Minority ethnic 8 Child under 1 12 Parent under 25 3 Total 78 4.14 Officers have also been working with Advice Works and RCAB to develop a pathway to advice for families with children of all ages, with the intention of distributing and promoting this to Education staff and Whole Family Wellbeing teams as well as 3rd sector organisations working with parents and children. This promotion will take place as part of Talk Money Week. 4.15 As in previous years, Advice Works and RCAB will come together in Talk Money Week to offer additional appointments for clients to speak about any aspects of their finances which are worrying them and get Income Maximisation advice. Lived Experience Panel 4.16 Elected Members have been given a number of updates relating to work of the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel. The Panel will be involved in events around Halloween and contributed to Renfrewshire’s Employability Week through taking part in a session with Invest, DWP and Skills Development Scotland to look at how their services could be better promoted. 4.17 The Panel also took part in the Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan engagement session which took place on 8 October alongside representatives from Council services and the 3rd sector.
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5 PUBLIC 4.18 Looking forward, the Panel will meet with the Convenor and Depute of the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee as well as the Convenor of the Communities and Housing Policy Board before Christmas. Community Development in Gallowhill 4.19 As previously reported to the sub-committee, at Leadership Board on 4 December, £50,000 of Fairer Renfrewshire funding was allocated in grant funding to Active Communities to support the continuation of community development activity in Gallowhill following the publication of the earlier Community Needs Assessment which took place in the area. This is intended to provide capacity to support the development and implementation of actions emerging from the community needs assessment and continue to improve and expand community led activity and infrastructure in the area. 4.20 Unfortunately, the Community Development Officer (CDO) for Gallowhill left post during September 2025. Officers, however, continue to work with Active Communities, and using the Community Needs Assessment are prioritising areas of work which will make a difference to the community. A meeting with Transport colleagues is planned for late October, and Housing Regeneration colleagues are also involved in looking at how we can work together for maximum effect in the area. 4.21 Recruitment for a new CDO is now underway, so that more intensive work in the area can restart. Wider work will also be undertaken to develop a place-based approach based on the learning from the CNA, with a group comprising Council and HSCP officers and Active Communities steering this work. This group will continue to meet in the intervening period. Winter clothing payment 4.22 The £50 winter clothing payment for each eligible child was paid to families on 31 October 2025. The payment is made to Renfrewshire parents and carers who have received a school clothing grant, and the additional money will help families buy additional clothing for the winter months. 4.23 Recipients received a message about the payment which included information about the School Support and Family Advice Services, and Head Teachers were provided with information on how to support families to access financial advice and how to book a Talk Money Week advice appointment. 4.24 In addition, a press release was issued, again with details of where families could get advice, and promoting the additional Talk Money Week appointments. These appointments were offered by Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau and Advice Works as part of Talk Money Week which ran from 3 to 7th November.
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6 PUBLIC Fair Food Renfrewshire/Good Food Nation 4.25 The Fair Food Renfrewshire Steering Group, which met initially in September 2023, has continued to meet on a quarterly basis. The meeting took take place on 10 September, with a new plan for 2025/26 being approved alongside an update on the Food Support Forum and the Good Food Nation work. 4.26 The first Fair Food Renfrewshire work plan was approved in August 2024 by the Steering Group. The focus of that plan was on communications and marketing, re-establishing a Food Support network forum to discuss emergency and community food, and investigating the possibility of increasing access by local food producers to procurement frameworks. In addition to continuing and developing the work of the first plan, the second work plan will cover the work in 2025 onwards including exploring opportunities to apply for external funding and collaborate with Council Officers to include food growing and reducing food waste within the next phase of the plan for Net Zero. 4.27 The Scottish Food Coalition contacted the food partnership during the summer inviting them to become members of the Coalition, as they wanted to expand their membership into all local authority areas within Scotland. The Coalition is a diverse alliance of organisations working for a just transition to a fair, healthy, sustainable food system. As the Scottish Food Coalition’s principles align with that of Fair Food Renfrewshire, the Steering Group approved membership and Officers will actively take part in future Scottish Food Coalition meetings. 4.28 Officers will also continue to attend relevant events to support the work of Fair Food Renfrewshire and around the Good Food Nation legislation. The proposed National Good Food Nation Plan was laid before Parliament on 27 June. The Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee and Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee plan undertook scrutiny of the proposed National Good Food Nation Plan during September. The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee published their report on 30 September which will be considered by the Scottish Government’s Good Food Nation team. The expectation is that subject to any further amendments, the national Plan will be finalised and approved by the end of 2025. 4.29 Discussions are continuing around the commencement date for when the statutory duty begins which will require local authorities and health boards to publish their Local Good Food Nation Plans following a public consultation. Details of funding for local authorities and health boards to develop their plans is not expected until February 2026. Winter Connections 4.30 At Leadership Board in May 2025, it was agreed that £75,000 of funding be allocated from Fairer Renfrewshire programme to provide small grants to local organisations to support a Winter Connections programme in partnership with local organisations. The programme aims to encourage people to connect and participate in activities in warm and welcoming spaces across communities in Renfrewshire.
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7 PUBLIC 4.31 The funding will support local community and voluntary organisations with the additional costs of making venues, activities and sessions open as part of the programme, such as equipment, food, energy costs, and rent and funded activities must fit the criteria of Winter Connections and be: • Open, free and easy to access (although this can mean open to all within a particular age or targeted group) • 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 4.32 The Winter Connections programme opened for applications on 22 September. Due to the number of applicants, it was suspended on 6 October by which time 47 applications been received. The applications had a good geographical spread across Renfrewshire, with five of the villages currently represented, as well as Renfrew, Johnstone and Linwood and various areas in Paisley. They also offered a wide range of activities across different days and times. 4.33 The applications were assessed by a panel consisting of officers from Renfrewshire Council, Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership and Engage Renfrewshire, with authority delegated to the Head of Policy and Partnerships to award grants in consultation with the Council Leader. 4.34 A full list of awards and activities provided will be provided to the Sub-Committee at the next meeting. 5. Priorities for next period 5.1 Officers co-ordinating the programme have previously outlined a draft reporting schedule for the board. This has been required to flex due to emerging priorities, including the launch of new Scottish Government Child Poverty Accelerator funding, as well as additional development work in relation to equalities outlined in the paper. 5.2 Over the next quarter we will continue to focus on the: • Finalisation and implementation of the Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan • A review of breakfast club provision • The rollout of the Winter Connections 25 programme Implications of the Report 1. Financial – There are no financial implications associated with this report. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none 3. Community/Council Planning – The Fairer Renfrewshire Programme is a key driver in achieving the ‘Fair’ strategic outcome and theme within the Council Plan, and covers a number of the key
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8 PUBLIC actions identified in the plan. It also represents a significant partnership programme of work which supports the ‘Fair’ theme within the Community Plan, with dedicated partnership governance being established to ensure alignment between these areas of work. 4. Legal - none 5. Property/Assets - none 6. Information Technology - none 7. Equality and Human Rights – Equality and human rights are a key pillar of this plan, and it is anticipated that the programme will likely advance equality of opportunity. 8. Health and Safety - none 9. Procurement – none 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy Impact – none 12. Climate risk – none 13. Children’s rights - the articles within UNCRC underpin the work that is being progressed in Renfrewshire through the Fairer Renfrewshire programme, particularly in relation to rights in relation to aspects such as life, survival and development, food, clothing and a safe home and supporting the best interests of the child and their families. Child poverty and family wellbeing are key local partnership priorities. 14. COSLA Policy Position – none Author: Laura McIntyre, Head of Policy and Partnerships