Agenda Document Pack - Executive Committee - 05/11/2025
South Lanarkshire Council · 5 November 2025
Back to Executive Committee — 5 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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Council Offices, Almada Street Hamilton, ML3 0AA Tuesday, 28 October 2025 Dear Councillor Executive Committee The Members listed below are requested to attend a meeting of the above Committee to be held as follows:- Date: Wednesday, 05 November 2025 Time: 10:00 Venue: Hybrid - Committee Room 1, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AA The business to be considered at the meeting is listed overleaf. Yours sincerely Paul Manning Chief Executive Members Joe Fagan (Chair/ex officio), Gerry Convery (Depute Chair), Alex Allison, John Anderson, Robert Brown, Andy Carmichael, Maureen Chalmers, Ross Clark, Margaret Cooper, Andrea Cowan, Maureen Devlin, Gladys Ferguson-Miller, Elise Frame, Gavin Keatt, Susan Kerr, Ross Lambie, Eileen Logan, Katy Loudon, Ian McAllan, Catherine McClymont, Lesley McDonald, Davie McLachlan, Richard Nelson, Norman Rae, Mo Razzaq, Kirsten Robb, John Ross, David Shearer, Margaret B Walker Substitutes Walter Brogan, Poppy Corbett, Margaret Cowie, Celine Handibode, Graeme Horne, Martin Hose, Cal Johnston-Dempsey, Hugh Macdonald, Kenny McCreary, Elaine McDougall, Mark McGeever, Graham Scott, David Watson 1
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BUSINESS 1 Declaration of Interests 2 Minutes of Previous Meeting Minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 24 September 2025 submitted for approval as a correct record. (Copy attached) 5 - 12 Monitoring Item(s) 3 Revenue Budget Monitoring for Period 6 - 1 April 2025 to 5 September 2025 Report dated 7 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 13 - 18 4 Capital Budget 2025/2026 and Monitoring for Period 6 - 1 April 2025 to 5 September 2025 Report dated 7 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 19 - 26 5 Update to Funding Report dated 13 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 27 - 30 Item(s) for Decision 6 Appointments to South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 2 (East Kilbride Area) Report dated 8 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 31 - 32 7 South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan 3 Evidence Report Report dated 28 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources). (Copy attached) 33 - 38 8 Third Sector Partnership Review Report dated 22 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 39 - 68 9 2026/2027 to 2027/2028 Revenue Budget Gap and Savings Proposals for 2026/2027 Report dated 6 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attahced) 69 - 100 Item(s) for Noting 10 Community Plan Quarter 4 Progress Report 2024/2025 and Annual Outcomes Improvement Report Report dated 22 October 2025 by the Chief Executive. (Copy attached) 101 - 190 2
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11 Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2024/2025 Report dated 11 September 2025 by the Director, Health and Social Care. (Copy attached) 191 - 234 Urgent Business 12 Urgent Business Any other items of business which the Chair decides are urgent. Exclusion of Press and Public 13 Exclusion of Press and Public It is recommended that the Committee makes the following resolution:- "That, in terms of Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information in terms of Paragraphs 8 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act." Item(s) for Decision 14 Updated Homelessness Temporary Accommodation Proposal • Exempt information in terms of Paragraph 8 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act • Exempt information in terms of Paragraph 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act For further information, please contact:- Clerk Name: Tracy Slater Clerk Telephone: 07385 370089 Clerk Email: tracy.slater@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 3
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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Minutes of meeting held via Confero and in Committee Room 1, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton on 24 September 2025 Chair: Councillor Joe Fagan (ex officio) Councillors Present: Councillor Alex Allison, Councillor John Anderson, Councillor Andy Carmichael, Councillor Maureen Chalmers, Councillor Ross Clark, Councillor Gerry Convery (Depute), Councillor Andrea Cowan, Councillor Margaret Cowie (substitute for Councillor Lesley McDonald), Councillor Maureen Devlin, Councillor Elise Frame, Councillor Celine Handibode (substitute for Councillor Eileen Logan), Councillor Graeme Horne (substitute for Councillor Gladys Ferguson-Miller), Councillor Gavin Keatt, Councillor Susan Kerr, Councillor Ross Lambie, Councillor Katy Loudon, Councillor Ian McAllan, Councillor Kenny McCreary (substitute for Councillor Richard Nelson), Councillor Catherine McClymont, Councillor Mark McGeever (substitute for Councillor Robert Brown), Councillor Davie McLachlan, Councillor Norman Rae, Councillor Mo Razzaq, Councillor Kirsten Robb, Councillor John Ross, Councillor David Shearer, Councillor Margaret B Walker Councillors' Apologies: Councillor Robert Brown, Councillor Margaret Cooper, Councillor Gladys Ferguson-Miller, Councillor Eileen Logan, Councillor Lesley McDonald, Councillor Richard Nelson Attending: Chief Executive’s Service P Manning, Chief Executive; T Little, Head of Communications and Strategy Community and Enterprise Resources D Booth, Executive Director; A Brown, Head of Enterprise and Sustainable Development Education Resources L McRoberts, Executive Director Finance and Corporate Resources J Taylor, Executive Director; K McLeod, Administration Assistant; E McPake, HR Business Manager; T Slater, Administration Adviser; I Strachan, Head of Administration and Legal Services Housing and Technical Resources S Gibson, Executive Director; L Meek, Anti-Social Behaviour Manager Health and Social Care/Social Work Resources S Sengupta, Director, Health and Social Care 1 Declaration of Interests No interests were declared. 2 Minutes of Previous Meeting The minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 27 August 2025 were submitted for approval as a correct record. The Committee decided: that the minutes be approved as a correct record. 2 5
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3 Revenue Budget Monitoring for Period 5 - 1 April to 8 August 2025 A report dated 29 August 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on the overall financial position of the Council’s General Fund Revenue Account and Housing Revenue Account for the period 1 April to 8 August 2025 and a forecast for the year to 31 March 2026. As at 8 August 2025, the projected outturn position on the General Fund Revenue Account and Housing Revenue Account was a breakeven position, as detailed in appendices 1 and 2 to the report respectively. Actual spend to 8 August 2025 was also provided in the appendices to the report. Information was provided on the following key budget areas:- Reduced Class Contact Time Additional Support for Learning funding pay award transfers from the Capital Programme The Committee decided: (1) that the projected breakeven position on the General Fund Revenue Account for 2025/2026, as detailed in section 4.1, and the actual spend as at 8 August 2025, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, be noted; (2) that the update on the use of the Additional Support for Learning funding, as outlined in section 4.4 of the report, be noted; and (3) that the projected breakeven position on the Housing Revenue Account for 2025/2026, and the actual spend as at 8 August 2025, as detailed in section 5 and Appendix 2 of the report, be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 27 August 2025 (Paragraph 3)] 4 Capital Budget 2025/2026 and Monitoring for Period 5 - 1 April to 8 August 2025 A report dated 3 September 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted providing an update on the progress of the General Fund Capital Programme and Housing Capital Programme for the period 1 April to 8 August 2025. The revised programme for the General Fund for 2025/2026 was £69.932 million which included carry forward projects and previous adjustments approved by this Committee. The revised budget was detailed in Appendix 2 to the report and also included proposed adjustments totalling an overall increase of £1.398 million, as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report. The forecast for the financial year was £69.884 million and actual spend incurred as at 8 August 2025 totalled £8.041 million. Actual funding received up to 8 August 2025 was £10.824 million. This was detailed in Appendix 3 to the report. Information was provided on the transfer to the Housing and Technical Resources’ Revenue Budget of £1.000 million for the Private Housing Scheme of Assistance project and £4.300 million for Planned Maintenance. This was to reflect accounting regulations. The revised Housing Capital Programme for 2025/2026 amounted to £87.700 million. Programme funding for the year also totalled £87.700 million. The funding sources were detailed in Appendix 4 to the report. Budget for the period amounted to £19.032 million and, as at 8 August 2025, £19.032 million had been spent. 6
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The position on the General Fund Capital Programme and the Housing Capital Programme would be monitored by the Financial Resources Scrutiny Forum. In response to a members’ comments, the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) undertook to look at the road safety issues in the area around Tinto Hill. The Committee decided: (1) that the position of the General Fund Capital Programme, as detailed in appendices 1 to 3 of the report, and the Housing Capital Programme, as detailed in Appendix 4 of the report, as at 8 August 2025, be noted; (2) that the adjustments to the General Fund programme, as detailed at Appendix 1, be approved; and (3) that the revised programmes be monitored by the Financial Resources Scrutiny Forum. [Reference: Minutes of 27 August 2025 (Paragraph 4) and Minutes of South Lanarkshire Council of 26 February 2025 (Paragraph 3)] 5 Update to Funding A report dated 29 August 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on additional funding, totalling £1.654 million, which had been made available to the Council by the Scottish Government and other external sources. The funding had been allocated as follows:- Revenue Funding Resource 2025/2026 (£m) Community and Enterprise 0.146 Total 0.146 Capital Funding Resource 2025/2026 (£m) Community and Enterprise 1.508 Total 1.508 Overall Total 1.654 The Committee decided: that the report be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 27 August 2025 (Paragraph 5)] 6 Local Action Fund - Further Spend Proposals A report dated 10 September 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on further spend proposals for the Local Action Fund (LAF). 7
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The allocation of £50,000 to each of the Council’s 20 geographical wards had been approved by the Council at its meeting on 26 February 2025. Members had been issued with guidance to assist in the process of considering how the monies could be spent and were encouraged to discuss possible suggestions with their fellow ward councillors. Proposals for Ward 5 (Avondale and Stonehouse) had been agreed by local members and were attached as Appendix 1 to the report. The Head of Administration and Legal Services provided a verbal update on the proposals for Ward 12 (Rutherglen Central and North), which had also been agreed by local members, as follows:- Universal Connections (£12,000) The High Backs (£7,000 to the men’s group and £4,000 to the after-school club - total of £11,000) Overtoun Park Bowling Club for the provision of a comfort scheme for those using the park (£9,000) Cambuslang and Rutherglen Sports Council - funding to purchase a trophy for the “Burgh Cup”, a local football tournament for schools (£1,000) £5,000 for each of the 3 primary schools, Bankhead, Burgh and St Columbkille’s (£15,000) Rutherglen Community Carers (£2,000) At this point in the meeting, Councillor Cowie made a transparency statement in relation to the proposals for Ward 12, as she was the Chair of Cambuslang and Rutherglen Sports Council. There were 2 proposals for Ward 3 (Clydesdale East), as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report. The Chair advised that he had agreed, in terms of Standing Order No 40 (a), to allow Councillor Barker, who was not a member of the Committee, to speak in relation to the proposals for this ward as it was an issue of local interest. Councillors Allison and McAllan were also heard in relation to the proposals. Councillor Fagan, seconded by Councillor Convery, moved that the 2nd proposal for Ward 3 be approved. Councillor Allison, seconded by Councillor McAllan, moved as an amendment that the 1st proposal be approved. On a vote being taken using the electronic voting system, 14 members voted for the motion and 14 voted for the amendment. On the casting vote of the Chair, the motion was declared carried. The Committee decided: (1) that the proposals for the agreed Local Action Fund (LAF) submission in respect of Ward 5 (Avondale and Stonehouse), as detailed in Appendix 1 to this report, be approved; (2) that the updated agreed proposals for Ward 12 (Rutherglen Central and North), as detailed above, be approved; and (3) that the second proposal for Ward 3 (Clydesdale East), as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, be approved. [Reference: Minutes of 27 August 2025 (Paragraph 6)] 7 Visitor Levy A report dated 9 September 2025 by the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) was submitted providing an update on the current opportunities and implications of introducing a visitor levy in South Lanarkshire. 8
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The Scottish Government had granted local authorities the power to introduce a visitor levy, aiming to generate additional revenue for local authorities to re-invest in tourism-related services and infrastructure. It would be for each local authority to decide, after consultation, whether or not to introduce a visitor levy scheme. Information was provided on:- charging and collection arrangements approaches taken by some other local authorities across Scotland the potential revenue for the Council and how this had been estimated the potential use of the funds It was proposed that:- external consultants be appointed to undertake research into the accommodation sector in South Lanarkshire to assist with the provision of updated income estimates, host informal consultations and workshops, and produce an updated tourism strategy the findings from the consultations and further data gathering, together with an updated tourism strategy, be submitted to the Executive Committee in summer 2026 with a view to seeking approval and moving to a formal consultation stage The commencement of a visitor levy scheme must be at least 18 months from the date a local authority formally decides to proceed to introduce a visitor levy in its area. The Head of Enterprise and Sustainable Development responded to points raised by members, advising that those issues would be captured within the consultation. The Committee decided: (1) that the potential implications and opportunities a visitor levy could present for South Lanarkshire be noted; and (2) that the next steps, as set out in section 8 of the report, be approved. 8 Glasgow City Region Investment Zone – Proposed Creation of Non-Domestic Rates Retention Sites A report dated 9 September 2025 by the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) was submitted advising on the ongoing development of the Glasgow City Region Investment Zone (GCR IZ) programme, specifically the proposal of Non-Domestic Rates Retention (NDRR) sites. GCR IZ was progressing through the Government’s 5-stage Gateway Process for approval. This process was instigated following an announcement in summer 2023 that GCR would receive a £160 million grant allocation and be 1 of 2 investment zones in Scotland and 1 of 12 UK-wide. Information was provided on:- the proposed locations for NDRRs, including within the Clyde Gateway areas of South Lanarkshire the principles and purpose of NDRRs, with guidance that this should be pooled at GCR level and re-investment being determined by the GCR Cabinet governance arrangements next steps 9
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The Committee decided: (1) that the proposal to establish a Non-Domestic Rates Retention site within the Clyde Gateway area of South Lanarkshire be noted; (2) that any Non-Domestic Rates growth retained as a result of the Non-Domestic Rates Retention sites be pooled at a Glasgow City Region level and re-invested back into the Glasgow City Region Investment Zone programme in line with overall Investment Zone objectives, and this re-investment should be determined by Glasgow City Region Cabinet, as set out in sections 6 and 7 of the report; and (3) to note that South Lanarkshire Council would continue to be responsible for collecting Non- Domestic Rates locally. 9 Recommendations Referred by the Finance and Corporate Resources Committee A report dated 11 September 2025 by the Chief Executive was submitted on recommendations which had been referred to this Committee by the Finance and Corporate Resources Committee of 10 September 2025. The recommendations of the Finance and Corporate Resources Committee were as follows:- that the Treasury Management Activity Report for 2024/2025 and the 2024/2025 Treasury Management and Prudential Code Indicators be noted that the Council’s Annual Investment Report for 2024/2025 be endorsed and referred to the Council for formal approval in line with The Local Government Investments (Scotland) Regulations 2010 The Committee decided: (1) that the Treasury Management Activity Report for 2024/2025 and the 2024/2025 Treasury Management and Prudential Code Indicators be noted; and (2) that the Annual Investment Report 2024/2025 be endorsed. The Committee recommended that the Annual Investment Report 2024/2025 be to the Council: approved. [Reference: Minutes of Finance and Corporate Resources Committee of 10 September 2025 (Paragraph 12)] 10 Recruitment Committee - Proposed Amendment to Membership A report dated 8 September 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted advising of a proposed membership change to the Recruitment Committee. Following a request from the SNP Group Leader, it was proposed that Councillor Clark replace Councillor Ross as a member of the Recruitment Committee. The Committee decided: that Councillor Clark replace Councillor Ross as a member of the Recruitment Committee. [Reference: Minutes of South Lanarkshire Council of 18 May 2022 (Paragraph 7)] 10
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11 Annual Review of the South Lanarkshire Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy 2024 to 2029 A report dated 11 September 2025 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) was submitted providing an update on the progress made during 2024/2025 against delivering the agreed outcomes set out in the Anti-social Behaviour Strategy 2024 to 2029. The Anti-social Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004 required local authorities to prepare, publish and review a strategy for dealing with anti-social behaviour within the respective local authority areas in conjunction with Police Scotland. The current Strategy, which was approved by this Committee on 20 March 2024, covered a 5- year period and the first annual review outlined progress achieved during 2024/2025. The Strategy was constructed around the following 6 strategic objectives, with a series of indicators (actions or measures) contained within each to be delivered by the Council and its partners:- people behaved responsibly in their attitude to alcohol and the impact of drug misuse was reduced people behaved responsibly in relation to fire safety the impact of domestic noise was reduced illegally discarded litter and household waste was reduced, improving the safety and attractiveness of communities levels of disorder were reduced, improving safety within communities partners engaged with residents to promote and improve the availability and access to services for those affected by anti-social behaviour Details of the highlights across the 6 strategic objectives achieved during 2024/2025 were provided in the report. In line with reporting arrangements across the Council, the indicators were categorised into green (timescale or target met as per expectations), amber (minor slippage against timescale or minor shortfall against target), red (major slippage against timescale or minor shortfall against target), blue (completed) and to be reported later. Of the 36 indicators against which the Council measured progress for the Strategy, 33 were green and 3 were amber. At this point in the meeting, Councillor Chalmers made a transparency statement as this area fell under her responsibility at COSLA level. Officers responded to members’ questions in relation to various aspects of the report. In relation to the discussion around fly-tipping, the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) advised that a members’ awareness session would be taking place that would go into this in more detail and undertook to provide members with further information on the mobile cameras that would be used to tackle fly-tipping. The Chair highlighted the need to consider what would be the best measure to demonstrate progress in relation to tackling fly-tipping and the importance of working with Community Planning partners to share resources and consider what would be required to provide tougher enforcement powers to pursue the offenders. The Committee decided: that the progress made during 2024/2025 against delivering the agreed Anti-social Behaviour Strategy actions and measures be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 20 March 2024 (Paragraph 6)] Councillor Anderson left the meeting during this item of business 11
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12 Urgent Business There were no items of urgent business. 12
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 5 November 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Revenue Budget Monitoring for Period 6 - 1 April 2025 to 5 September 2025 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] advise the Committee of the forecast for the year to 31 March 2026 for the Council’s General Fund Revenue Account and Housing Revenue Account, and the actual spend position for the period 1 April 2025 to 5 September 2025 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Executive Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the projected breakeven position on the General Fund Revenue Account for 2025/2026 (section 4.1) and the actual spend as at 5 September 2025 (Appendix 1), be noted; and (2) that the projected breakeven position on the Housing Revenue Account for 2025/2026, and the actual spend as at 5 September 2025 (section 5 and Appendix 2), be noted. 3. Background 3.1. This overview report will summarise the projected outturn for 2025/2026 for both the Council’s General Fund (section 4) and for the Housing Revenue Account (section 5). It will also provide the actual spend as at 5 September 2025. 4. General Services 2025/2026 Projected Outturn as at 5 September 2025 4.1. As at 5 September 2025, the projected outturn position for 2025/2026 on the General Services budget is breakeven (Appendix 1). The actual spend to date is shown in Appendix 1. 4.2. Section 4.3 onwards provides detail on a number of key budget areas. 4.3. Teacher Numbers / Reduced Class Contact Time (RCCT): Committee was advised in August that there was no longer a need to restore teacher numbers to the higher level and agreed that the underspend for 2025/2026 would be transferred to Reserves and that consideration would be given to its use to support the Budget Strategy. 3 13
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4.4. As previously reported to the Council’s Executive Committee (August 2025), there is still a risk in relation to Reducing Class Contact Time for teachers. National discussions on this are ongoing. Reducing the amount of time that a teacher is in the classroom would mean a requirement for additional teachers to be brought into the system. This would have financial implications for councils including South Lanarkshire Council. Cosla and local government are engaged with the Scottish Government on this matter, and local government have made it clear that funding would have to be provided by the Scottish Government. If the Scottish Government do not fully fund the cost of RCCT then the savings that the Council has to make are higher that they would be if funding is provided. Updates will be provided as this matter progresses. 4.5. Pay Award: Following the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) Teachers Side rejection of the offer of a 4% uplift in 2025/2026 and 3.5% in 2026/2027, negotiations are ongoing and until all pay offers are agreed, there remains a risk to the costs of pay for the Council across all staff groups. We will continue to keep Committee aware of any emerging information around pay settlements for teachers and any further implications across all employee groups, as agreements are made. 4.6. Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR): As previously reported, (August Executive Committee) new waste Regulations came into force on 1 January 2025 and are designed to drive producers of packaging waste to reduce the amount of waste. The Council has had confirmation of £7.716 million funding from DEFRA for 2025/2026 and the paper noted that while there was no certainty of the funding beyond 2025/2026, proposals are in place to meet known obligations this year via an increase to the annual staffing structure at a cost of £0.305 million, over a 2-year period (total cost estimate of £0.610 million). 4.7. The remaining pEPR funding of £7.100m will be allocated to the Community and Enterprise budget for costs associated with the collection of household packaging waste as required by the scheme. By funding these core Council costs already being incurred by the Resource, this will release core Council budget in 2025/2026 only. This will result in an underspend of £7.100 million anticipated in the current financial year. In a separate report to this Committee (2026/2027 to 2027/2028 Revenue Budget Gap and Savings Proposals for 2026/2027), options on the future use of this funding are presented for consideration. Depending on the outcome of these considerations, funding will be transferred to reserves as required in 2025/2026. 4.8. As noted in section 4.5, the August Executive Committee paper noted that there was no certainty of funding beyond 2025/2026, and the Committee agreed that clarity would be sought in relation to the pEPR funding. A letter was sent to Gillian Martin MSP (Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy), seeking written confirmation from the Scottish Government that no future downward adjustment to council settlements will be made in relation of pEPR funding. This was to provide assurance and stability in our financial planning and budgeting and to enable effective planning for pEPR, ensuring the Council can fulfil its statutory responsibilities under the scheme to deliver an efficient and effective service. 14
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4.9. A response was received on 8 October advising that it is intended that pEPR funding will in future years replace equivalent funding in the Local Government Settlement The response went on to say that while the Local Government Settlement was not reduced to reflect payments for Packaging EPR in 2025/2026, decisions for 2026/2027 and beyond will be a matter for the Scottish Budget and Spending Review. They also note that the budget engagement planned between Scottish Government and COSLA is the appropriate forum for future discussions on this matter. The Council will participate in these discussions through COSLA, as appropriate. 4.10. Loan Charges: As part of the Council’s ongoing Revenue Budget monitoring, work is carried out on the Loan Charges budget to reflect the impact of borrowing levels and interest rates on the forecast spend for the year. This work has commenced for 2025/2026 and the output will be reported to a future meeting of this Committee. 5. Housing Revenue Account Position 5.1. As at 5 September 2025, Appendix 2 of the report shows a breakeven position on the Housing Revenue Account. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. None. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. As detailed in sections 4 to 5 of the report. 8. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 8.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 9. Other Implications 9.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Revenue Budget is that there is an overspend. The risk has been assessed as low given the detailed budget management applied across the Resources. The risk is managed through four weekly Budget Monitoring Meetings at which any variance is analysed. In addition, the probable outturn exercise ensures early warning for corrective action to be taken where appropriate. 9.2. There are no implications for sustainability in terms of the information contained in this report. 10. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 10.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and, therefore, no impact assessment is required. 10.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 7 October 2025 15
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Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References None List of Background Papers Financial Ledger and budget monitoring results to 5 September 2025 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: Lorraine O'Hagan, Head of Finance (Strategy) Ext: 5637 (Tel: 01698 455637) E-mail: lorraine.o'hagan@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 16
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Note: While the Year to Date Actual at period presents a net surplus position (£62.073m), this is timing only. The forecast outturn shows a breakeven position (sections 4.1). Appendix 1 Revised Projected Projected % Note Year to Date Annual Outturn Outturn Actual Budget Variance Resources: £m £m £m £m Community and Enterprise Resources 129.739 129.739 0.000 0.00% 42.782 Facilities Waste and Grounds 78.272 78.117 0.155 0.20% 27.691 Leisure and Culture 20.090 20.090 0.000 0.00% 8.417 Planning and Regulatory Services 5.223 4.985 0.238 4.56% 1.481 Enterprise and Sustainable Development 6.626 6.466 0.160 2.41% 0.822 Roads, Transportation and Fleet 19.528 20.081 (0.553) (2.83%) 4.371 Education Resources 495.083 495.083 0.000 0.00% 193.721 Education 495.083 495.083 0.000 0.00% 193.721 Finance and Corporate Resources 42.262 42.262 0.000 0.00% 26.845 Finance Services - Strategy 2.177 2.253 (0.076) (3.49%) 1.475 Finance Services - Transactions 18.020 17.709 0.311 1.73% 10.154 Audit and Compliance Services 0.363 0.332 0.031 8.54% 0.199 Information Technology Services 8.012 8.228 (0.216) (2.70%) 7.747 Communications and Strategy Services 2.435 2.422 0.013 0.53% 1.639 Administration and Licensing Services 4.580 4.539 0.041 0.90% 2.486 Personnel Services 6.675 6.779 (0.104) (1.56%) 3.145 Housing & Technical Resources 19.393 19.393 0.000 0.00% 15.453 Housing Services 8.967 9.034 (0.067) (0.75%) 4.669 Property Services 10.426 10.359 0.067 0.64% 10.784 Social Work Resources 252.078 252.078 0.000 0.00% 117.889 Performance and Support Services 6.197 6.172 0.025 0.40% 2.506 Children and Families 52.617 52.918 (0.301) (0.57%) 21.063 Adults and Older People 192.383 192.383 0.000 0.00% 93.913 Justice and Substance Misuse 0.881 0.605 0.276 31.33% 0.407 Joint Boards 1.629 1.629 0.000 0.00% 0.752 940.184 940.184 0.000 0.00% 397.442 Revised Projected Projected Year to Date Annual Outturn Outturn Actual Budget Variance Summary: £m £m £m £m Resources Total 940.184 940.184 0.000 0.00% 397.442 CFCR 1.310 1.310 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Loan Charges 37.249 37.249 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Corporate Items 12.948 12.948 0.000 0.00% 0.213 Loans Fund Review - T/f to Reserves 13.349 13.349 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Teacher Numbers - T/f to Reserves 4.200 4.200 0.000 0.00% 0.000 2025/2026 Investments - T/f to Reserves 13.859 13.859 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Total Expenditure 1,023.099 1,023.099 0.000 0.00% 397.655 Council Tax 196.599 196.599 0.000 0.00% 90.738 Less: Council Tax Reduction Scheme (24.776) (24.776) 0.000 0.00% (11.435) 171.823 171.823 0.000 0.00% 79.303 General Revenue Grant 453.144 453.144 0.000 0.00% 209.143 Non Domestic Rates 371.110 371.110 0.000 0.00% 171.282 Transfer from Reserves 27.022 27.022 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Total Income 1,023.099 1,023.099 0.000 0.00% 459.728 Net Expenditure 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.00% (62.073) Period Ended 5 September 2025 (No.6) Revenue Budget Monitoring Report SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL 17
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Appendix 2 Revised Projected Projected Year to Date Annual Outturn Outturn % Note Actual Budget Variance Budget Category £m £m £m £m Employee Costs 15.355 15.208 0.147 0.96% 1 6.413 Property Costs 59.330 59.330 0.000 0.00% 20.672 Supplies and Services 2.369 2.382 (0.013) (0.55%) 0.218 Transport and Plant 0.195 0.195 0.000 0.00% 0.036 Administration 5.594 5.626 (0.032) (0.57%) 0.210 Payment to Other Bodies 3.271 3.284 (0.013) (0.40%) 0.951 Payment to Contractors 0.100 0.100 0.000 0.00% 0.135 Transfer Payments 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Financing Charges 34.875 34.875 0.000 0.00% 14.002 Total Controllable Exp. 121.089 121.000 0.089 0.07% 42.637 Total Controllable Inc. (133.708) (133.708) 0.000 0.00% (50.377) Transfer to/(from) Balance Sheet (4.001) (3.912) (0.089) 2.22% 0.000 Net Controllable Exp. (16.620) (16.620) 0.000 0.00% (7.740) Loan Charges 16.620 16.620 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Net Controllable Exp. 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.00% (7.740) Variance Explanations 1. Employee Costs The underspend in employee costs is due to vacancies within the service that continue to be actively recruited. SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Period Ended 5 September 2025 (No.6) Housing Revenue Account 18
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 5 November 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Capital Budget 2025/2026 and Monitoring for Period 6 - 1 April 2025 – 5 September 2025 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] update the Executive Committee of progress on the General Fund Capital Programme and the Housing Capital Programme for the period 1 April 2025 to 5 September 2025 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [r (1) that the position of the General Fund Capital Programme (Appendices 1 to 3) and the Housing Capital Programme (Appendix 4), as at 5 September 2025, be noted; (2) that the adjustments to the General Fund programme, listed at Appendix 1, be approved; and (3) that the revised programmes be monitored by the Financial Resources Scrutiny Forum. 3. Background 3.1. The attached statements to this report provide a summarised monitoring position as at 5 September 2025 (period 6). Spending has been split into two separate sections below: General Fund Capital Programme inc. Education, Social Work, Roads and General Services (Section 4) Housing Capital Programme (Section 5) 4. General Fund Capital Programme 4.1. 2025/2026 Budget: The revised programme for the General Fund is £68.986 million (summarised in Appendix 2). This revised programme consists of the base budget plus carry forward projects and adjustments which have been agreed by the Executive Committee up to and including its meeting on 24 September 2025. 4.2. The programme of £68.986 million also includes proposed adjustments totalling a net decrease of £0.946 million. These are detailed in Appendix 1. 4 19
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4.3. Headquarters Heating Upgrade: Included in these proposed adjustments is a new project to upgrade the Headquarters Heating System. Given the age of the building and heating equipment, it is essential that we look to replace the boilers prior to the winter period. This work is urgent given the condition of the boilers and the significant impact that boiler failure would bring. The works will include the installation of a new energy-efficient steam central heating system. The cost of the project is £1.500 million in total, with £0.150 million of this required in 2025/2026 and funded from the existing 2025/2026 Prioritised Urgent Investment budget. The remaining budget required would be considered as the first call on the 2026/2027 Capital Programme funding as well as the use of further years’ Prioritised Urgent Investment budget. 4.4. The overall funding available of £68.986 million to support the programme is detailed in Appendix 3. 4.5. 2025/2026 Forecast: As noted in 4.1, the total capital spending programme for the year is £68.986 million. 4.6. Appendix 3 shows a forecast for the financial year of £68.986 million. 4.7. 2025/2026 Actual Position: Actual spend incurred to the 5 September 2025 totals £13.488 million. 4.8. Actual funding received to 5 September 2025 is £14.200 million. This is shown in Appendix 3. Relevant officers will continue to closely monitor the generation of all income including receipts. 5. Housing Programme 5.1. 2025/2026 Budget: Appendix 4 summarises the position on the Housing programme as at 5 September 2025. The total Housing Capital programme for the year is £87.670 million. 5.2. 2025/2026 Forecast: As noted in 5.1, the total capital spending programme for the year is £87.670 million. Current estimates from the Resource have identified an outturn of £87.670 million for the year and this will continue to be monitored. 5.3. 2025/2026 Actual Position: Spend to 5 September 2025 on the Housing Capital Programme amounts to £27.525 million. 5.4. As at 5 September 2025, £27.525 million of funding had been received. 5.5. The Council has been awarded an additional £1.650 million Affordable Housing Supply funding from the Scottish Government for the year 2025/2026. This will be used to offset borrowing in line with anticipated spend for the financial year. 5.6. Regular monitoring of both the General Fund Programme and the Housing Programme will be carried out in detail by the Financial Resources Scrutiny Forum and reported on a regular basis to the Executive Committee. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. None 20
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7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 8. Other Implications 8.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Capital Programme is an overspend. The risk has been assessed as low given the detailed project management plans prepared and monitored for each project. The risk of overspend is managed through four weekly Investment management meetings. 9. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 9.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to existing policy, function, or strategy and, therefore, no impact assessment is required. 9.2. There was also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 7 October 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References South Lanarkshire Council, 26 February 2025 Executive Committee, 24 September 2025 List of Background Papers Capital Ledger prints to 5 September 2025 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: Lorraine O’Hagan, Head of Finance (Strategy) Ext: 2601(Tel: 01698 452601) E-mail: lorraine.o’hagan@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 21
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APPENDIX 1 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2025/26 GENERAL FUND PROGRAMME FOR PERIOD 1 APRIL 2025 TO 5 SEPTEMBER 2025 Proposed Adjustments Community and Enterprise Resource Clydesdale Way To reflect timescales for this multi partner project, the profile of spend points to spend of £0.500 million expected in 2025/2026. Approval is sought to move the remaining £0.500 million from the 2025/2026 capital programme into 2026/2027. Renewal of Playparks Work is progressing on playparks, and it is expected that now programme planning has been verified, some of this work will be delivered into the new financial year. Approval is sought to move £0.300 million from the 2025/2026 capital programme into 2026/2027. White Bridge Replacement Due to the complexity of the project, with access to the site extremely challenging, the project is still at the design stage and, only feasibility spend is anticipated for this financial year. Approval is sought to slip £0.191 million from the 2025/2026 capital programme into 2026/2027. Overtoun Bandstand Due to the complexity of this project, including statutory approval and Historic Environment Scotland requirements, construction work is now anticipated to commence early next financial year and is intended to complete by early June 2026. Approval is therefore sought to move £0.110 million into financial year 2026/2027 to reflect the timing of expenditure for this project. Housing and Technical Resource North Halfway Hall Priority refurbishment works are required for North Halfway Hall which is being funded by Developers Contributions Approval is sought to increase the capital programme by £0.192 million. Of this, £0.050 million is required in 2025/2026 in line with profiled spend, with the remaining £0.142 million profiled into 2026/2027. (£0.500m) (£0.300m) (£0.191m) (£0.110m) £0.192m (£0.142m) 22
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Headquarters Heating Given the age of the building and the heating equipment, it is essential that we look to replace the boilers prior to the winter period. The works are expected to cost £1.500 million. It is proposed that £0.900 million of this will be funded from the Prioritised Urgent Investment Fund across years, with the balance to be met from the 2026/2027 capital programme (£0.600 million). This will be the first commitment on that year’s programme. Approval is sought to bring this funded project into the capital programme. Spend of £0.150 million is profiled into 2025/2026 and this will be funded from the 2025/2026 Prioritised Urgent Investment Fund. The remaining budget of £1.350 million will be required in 2026/2027. Finance and Corporate Resource Upgrade of SLC website Approval is sought to increase the 2025/2026 capital programme by £0.150 million for the upgrading of the South Lanarkshire Council website which is being funded by the IT Development Fund. Approval is sought to increase the capital programme for 2025/2026 by £0.150 million. Of this, £0.100 million is required in 2025/2026 in line with profiled spend with the remaining £0.050 million required in 2026/2027. Minor Adjustments TOTAL ADJUSTMENTS APPENDIX 1 (cont.) £0.150 (£0.150) £0.150m (£0.050m) £0.005m (£0.946m) 23
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APPENDIX 2 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2025/26 GENERAL FUND PROGRAMME FOR PERIOD 1 APRIL 2025 TO 5 SEPTEMBER 2025 £m Total Base Budget (including carry forward from 2024/2025) 69.932 Proposed Adjustments – Period 6 (0.946) Total Revised Budget 68.986 2025/26 Budget Period 6 Proposed Adjustments Revised 2025/26 Budget Resource £m £m £m Community & Enterprise 57.466 (1.096) 56.370 Education 6.070 - 6.070 Finance & Corporate 0.545 0.100 0.645 Housing & Technical 5.514 0.050 5.564 Social Work 0.337 - 0.337 TOTAL CAPITAL PROGRAMME 69.932 (0.946) 68.986 24
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APPENDIX 3 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2025/26 GENERAL FUND PROGRAMME FOR PERIOD 1 APRIL 2025 TO 5 SEPTEMBER 2025 2025/26 Original Estimate inc C/F 2025/26 Revised Budget 2025/26 Forecast Spend 2025/26 Forecast Variance 2025/26 Actual to 05/09/25 Expenditure £m £m £m £m £m General Fund Programme 64.188 68.986 68.986 - 13.488 Income 2025/26 Budget 2025/26 Revised Budget 2025/26 Actual To 05/09/25 £m £m £m Prudential Borrowing 17.192 21.192 0.000 Developers Contributions 1.965 4.743 0.000 Partners 0.450 2.872 0.593 Scottish Government: - Capital Grant 27.467 28.145 12.093 - Vacant & Derelict Land 1.477 1.502 0.994 - Place Based Investment 0.589 0.589 0.014 Levelling Up Fund 7.700 7.200 0.004 Capital Receipts 0.700 0.700 0.502 Specific Reserves 0.038 0.733 0.000 Revenue Contribution 6.610 1.310 0.000 TOTAL FUNDING 64.188 68.986 14.200 25
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APPENDIX 4 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2025/26 HOUSING PROGRAMME FOR PERIOD 1 APRIL 2025 TO 5 SEPTEMBER 2025 2025/26 Annual Budget 2025/26 Forecast Spend 2025/26 Forecast Variance 2025/26 Actual to 05/09/25 £m £m £m £m Expenditure 2025/26 Budget 87.670 87.670 - 27.525 2025/26 Annual Budget 2025/26 Actual to 05/09/25 £m £m Income Capital Funded from Current Revenue 35.633 14.002 Prudential Borrowing 25.298 8.721 Scottish Government Specific Grant: - New Build 20.489 3.628 - Open Market Purchase Scheme 6.000 1.068 - Mortgage to Rent 0.120 0.000 Climate Emergency Fund 0.130 0.000 Other Income 0.000 0.106 87.670 27.525 26
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 5 November 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Update to Funding 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] advise Members of additional funding that has been made available to the Council by the Scottish Government and other external sources since the last report to this Committee (24 September 2025) [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the additional funding totalling £1.720 million, detailed in Appendix 1, be noted; and (2) that the update in relation to Pride in Place Funding (section 4), be noted. 3. Background 3.1. In year funding can change, and this can be in relation to funding for specific purposes or funding expected and already included in our budget planning. 3.2. Additional funding may either be paid through the General Revenue/Capital Grant mechanism or by the completion of appropriate grant claims. 3.3. Details of the additional funding is attached in Appendix 1 of the report. The report details additional funding that has been reported by Resources as part of the additional resources’ notification process, as well as any additional funding that has increased the Council’s budget by more than £0.100 million. 4. Pride in Place Funding 4.1. On 25 September, the Council received a letter from Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for Scotland, which confirmed that it has been selected for one award under Phase 2 of the UK Government's Pride in Place Programme, which will support communities at what is termed a ‘hyper-local level’ with up to £20 million each over ten years. 4.2. As part of the announcement, it was indicated that the successful neighbourhood within South Lanarkshire Council will be established later this year, following an evidence-led process involving local partners. A further letter received on 20 October, provided further detail of the evidence-led process. It indicated that Scottish Local Authorities selected to receive funding have been selected based on their share of areas with both the highest deprivation levels and weakest social infrastructure, using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) and the Community Needs Index 5 27
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(CNI). The letter received on 20 October confirmed that in line with the programme objectives and the allocation methodology, successful neighbourhoods will be required to meet criteria which include the following:- • be a single contiguous area • contain no more than 15,000 people • contain no fewer than 5,000 people • contain one or more Intermediate Zones in the top 20% of need using a combined CNI-SIMD ranking with a 75:25 weighting • other, ‘lower need’ Intermediate Zones may be included in the contiguous area to connect high-need Intermediate Zones 4.3. Along with the letter of 20 October, a list of the high-need Intermediate Zones in South Lanarkshire was provided. It is worth noting that, of the 10 highest-need Intermediate Zones in South Lanarkshire listed, the greatest proportion (5 of the 10) are within the Hamilton and Clyde Valley constituency. 4.4. In his letter, the Secretary of State for Scotland shared details of the qualitative and quantitative evidence being sought to inform UK Government decision-making on neighbourhood selection. 4.5. Returns are sought by 7 November 2025 - identifying at least one or more potential neighbourhood for each of the four eligible UK Parliamentary constituencies in the South Lanarkshire area. Constituencies that are in scope contain one or more high- need Intermediate Zone and do not have a Phase 1 neighbourhood allocation. 4.6. There is an expectation that a Neighbourhood Board be established for the selected area, with the intention of putting local people at the centre of defining their town’s future, with responsibility for developing a Regeneration Plan - in partnership with the local authority - to deliver the strategic objectives of the programme. 4.7. This Neighbourhood Board should bring together residents, local businesses, grassroots campaigners, workplace representatives, faith, the local MP and community leaders and those with a deep connection to their area. Involving their community, the board should generate a vision for the future of their area and set out a pathway to deliver that over the course of the 10-year programme (and beyond), considering opportunities to attract and combine new and existing private, public, and philanthropic funding streams. The Neighbourhood Board will be led by an independent chair, appointed by the local authority following consultation with the local MP. The chair should act as a champion for the place and provide leadership for the board, ensuring it is community-led and embedded within the local area. Neighbourhood Boards must include the relevant local MP and at least one ward councillor. Information provided to date states that further guidance on Neighbourhood Board governance will be shared shortly. 4.8. Given the extremely tight timescales involved with this funding, officers will work to make an initial submission identifying potential neighbourhoods, by the deadline date of 7 November. Updates on progress regarding Pride in Place funding, including the composition of Neighbourhood Boards, will be brought to future Executive Committees. 5. Employee Implications 5.1. None. 28
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6. Financial Implications 6.1. Additional Capital funding of £1.720 million has been identified for 2025/2026. This is detailed in Appendix 1. 6.2. The total additional funding is therefore, £1.720 million and Resource budgets will be updated to reflect this additional funding as required. Where appropriate, details of spending plans will be presented to Resource Committees for approval. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 8. Other Implications 8.1. There are no other implications in terms of the information contained in this report. 9. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 9.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to existing policy, function or strategy and, therefore, no impact assessment is required. 9.2. There was also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 13 October 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References None List of Background Papers Additional Funding Grant Awards Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: Lorraine O’Hagan, Head of Finance (Strategy) Ext: 5637 (Tel: 01698 455637) E-mail: lorraine.o’hagan@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 29
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Appendix 1 Additional Capital Funding Resource Description 2025/2026 £m Total £m Method Housing and Technical Funding from Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund for Connected Response – Smart Storage Heater Controls To install energy efficiency measures in 144 properties in two multi-storey blocks in Cambuslang, which have existing storage heating systems. Each property will have Connected Response units installed. The project will deliver energy efficiency measures that can provide savings for social housing tenants. 0.070 0.070 Scottish Government Housing and Technical Funding from the Scottish Government for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme. Funding should be focused on acquisitions to help address temporary accommodation pressures. Acquisitions can be either existing properties or new build properties off the shelf, but they must be a permanent structure and available in perpetuity. 1.650 1.650 Scottish Government TOTAL CAPITAL FUNDING 1.720 1.720 30
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 5 November 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Appointments to South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 2 (East Kilbride Area) 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] seek the appointment of two elected members to the South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 2 (East Kilbride Area) [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that Councillor Devlin is appointed to the South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 2 (East Kilbride Area); and (2) that one further elected member nomination is sought for appointment to the South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 2 (East Kilbride Area). 3. Background 3.1. Councillor Robb has intimated her resignation from the South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 2 (East Kilbride Area) (the East Kilbride Licensing Board). Following Councillor Robb’s resignation, the East Kilbride Licensing Board now has 8 members, there being 2 vacancies. The East Kilbride Licensing Board’s quorum is 5. 3.2. On the basis of the political composition of the relevant Council Wards, and that there will be no nomination proposed for Councillor Robb or the Independent Group, the two vacancies should be for the Labour Group to fill. The Labour Group has nominated Councillor Devlin for appointment to the East Kilbride Licensing Board, but is unable to propose a second nomination at this time. 3.3. On the basis of the above, the remaining vacancy on the East Kilbride Licensing Board is available for another elected member to be appointed to it. It is not a requirement that members of the East Kilbride Licensing Board be councillors for the Wards within the East Kilbride locality, albeit that is preferred. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. None. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. There are no financial implications arising from this report, other than the cost of the mandatory external training to be undertaken by members appointed to the Board, before they are able to take part in Board meetings. These costs will, in the usual way, be met from existing budgets. 6 31
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6. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 6.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment from the proposals contained in this report. 7. Other Implications 7.1. There are no risks associated with the proposals contained in this report. 8. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 8.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and, therefore, no impact assessment is required. 8.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 8 October 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References South Lanarkshire Council – 18 May 2022 List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: Iain Strachan, Head of Administration and Legal Services Ext: 4658 (Tel: 01698 454658) Email: iain.strachan@southlanarkshire.gov.uK 32
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 5 November 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) Subject: South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan 3 Evidence Report 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] seek endorsement from the Executive Committee for the Evidence Report for the South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan prior to its referral to Council for formal approval, after which it will be submitted to Scottish Ministers for consideration through the statutory Gate Check process [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan 3 Evidence Report be endorsed and referred to the Council for formal approval in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. 3. Background 3.1. Local Development Plans (LDPs) guide land use and development within an area, identifying where new development, such as housing, business, and infrastructure, will take place over the plan period. Alongside National Planning Framework (NPF4), the LDP forms the statutory development plan against which all planning applications are assessed. 3.2. The Council’s current Local Development Plan (LDP2) was adopted in April 2021. Work on LDP3 formally commenced in August 2023 following the approval of the Development Plan Scheme and Participation Statement (DPS) at the Planning Committee meeting on 8 August 2023. 3.3. LDP3 is being produced under the process introduced through the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 and the Town and Country Planning (Development Planning (Scotland) Regulations 2023. A key element of this process is the requirement to prepare an Evidence Report as the first formal stage before preparing the Proposed Plan. The Context chapter on pages 5-10 of the Evidence Report is a summary of how it has been prepared. 3.4. The Evidence Report provides a robust data base for LDP preparation by summarising information that has been gathered and analysing its implications for the preparation of the next plan. However, it should be noted that the Evidence report does not include strategy, policy, or site allocations. 7 33
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3.5. Under the provisions of the Act the Evidence Report must be submitted to Scottish Ministers for a Gate Check Review once it has been approved by the Council. This involves Scottish Ministers appointing a Reporter to assess whether the information collated is robust and sufficient for the Council to proceed with the preparation of the Proposed Plan. 3.6. The Reporter may confirm that the report is sufficient which would allow work to start on the preparation of the Proposed Plan stage. However if it is deemed insufficient, the Reporter will provide an Assessment Report outlining the reasons for the decision and recommendations for it’s improvement. Once those changes have been made the Evidence Report will be returned to Scottish Ministers for a further review and approval in these circumstances. 4. Current Position 4.1. The preparation of the Evidence Report has followed the statutory requirements set out in the Act and associated Regulations, and the Scottish Government Local Development Planning Guidance published in May 2023. 4.2. It is essential that LDP3 aligns with, and facilitates the delivery of, other strategies and policies of the Council and the Community Planning Partnership. As such, there is cross referencing throughout the Evidence Report to the Council Plan - Connect and the Community Plan as well as documents such as the Local Housing Strategy, Local Transport Strategy, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy. 4.3. The chapter – South Lanarkshire Council – a profile – on pages 35 to 48 of the Evidence Report summarises the relationship of the evidence to the aims and objectives of the Council and our partners as well as some key facts for the Council area. 4.4. The key stages in the preparation of the Evidence Report are as follows: Early Engagement Extensive engagement has been carried out with a wide range of stakeholders, local communities and community councils; key agencies such as Transport Scotland, SEPA, Nature Scot, Historic Environment Scotland, NHS Lanarkshire and Scottish Water; other Council services and the Community Planning Partnership; children and young people; Gypsy/Travellers; business organisations; and organisations such as Seniors Together, VasLan and Lanarkshire Carers. The engagement activities are summarised in the chapter in the Evidence Report titled Participation and Engagement on pages 11 to 18. The main engagement event was the ‘Let’s Talk Place’ online survey which ran from 1st May 2024 until 30 September 2024. Participants were asked to comment on various aspects of their places and say what was good about them, and what could be improved. The survey received 978 responses and the results have been analysed and summarised in a separate engagement report which can be found in Appendix 2 of the Evidence Report on pages 536 to 616. That report also describes the other engagement that was carried out which included online and face to face events, meetings with key stakeholders and consultation on technical reports covering a range of topics. 34
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The Council’s approach to supporting communities with preparation of Local Place Plans (LLPs) and a summary of the LPPs that have been received to date can be found in the chapter on Local Place Plans on pages 19 and 20 in the Evidence Report. It should be noted that the contents of LPPs have to be taken into account in the Proposed Plan. Evidence Gathering The Evidence Report summarises the current baseline information for a wide range of issues relevant for the preparation of LDP3 by both policy topic and at a place level. Twenty-one topic papers have been prepared which summarise the evidence that has been gathered for each and a summary of how it will influence the preparation of the plan. They can be found in the Summary of Evidence chapter of the Evidence Report. The evidence will be kept under review and updated as appropriate to take account or new or revised data and information. One of the key requirements for the Evidence Report is the calculation of a Local Housing Land Requirement which is the amount of land required to meet all tenure housing needs of the Council area over the lifetime of LDP3. A figure of 12,500 units is proposed based on a range of evidence. It is estimated approximately half of this requirement will be met through sites that have planning permission but are not yet completed such as the Community Growth Areas. In addition, there are a number of sites with permission or that already allocated that have not started but are expected to during the plan period. A Call for Ideas will be carried out after the Gatecheck process when developers and landowners will be able to submit proposals for inclusion in the plan. A site methodology assessment has been prepared which will be used to consider each site which is summarised in the chapter titled Site Assessment on pages 21 and 22 of the Evidence Report. The more detailed Site Assessment Methodology can be found in appendix 3 on pages 617 to 631. In addition, community profiles have been prepared for the 14 localities that make up South Lanarkshire. A summary of the implications for the plan at that place-based level is found in the chapter titled Community Profiles on pages 49 to 52 of the Evidence Report. Finally a summary of the main issues identified through a review of the evidence and an overview of what the evidence means for LDP3 and the spatial strategy can be found in the chapter titled Key Issues for LDP3 on pages 523 to 525 in the Evidence Report. Position Statement The Evidence Report must include a Position Statement which draws together the level of agreement or disagreement with the evidence (particularly among statutory key stakeholders) and any gaps in the evidence. These are likely to be the focus of the reporter’s attention during the Gate Check. This can be found in appendix 1 on pages 526 to 537 of the Evidence Report. Overall, consultation responses on the topic papers showed strong agreement with the evidence that had been presented especially the Key Agencies. Where appropriate, additional information sources have been incorporated and amendments made to the finalised topic paper in response to feedback. 35
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The report acknowledges a small number of gaps in evidence. At the time of writing work is being carried out on a review of the existing Green Belt boundary at both a strategic level and around individual settlements. In addition a Landscape Sensitivity Study is being carried out which will inform the right location for renewable infrastructure development. They will be finalised after the submission of the Evidence report, however, in both cases an interim report has been prepared which describes the work done to date and the broad findings. In addition, the Marmot Place collaboration involves as a first stage the collation by an officer data group of an evidence base to determine the direction of the programme. This will not be available until after the completion of the Evidence Report but will be a strong source of data for the proposed plan. Nevertheless a wide range of other health related data has been gathered and will be submitted as evidence. 5. Next Steps 5.1. If the Executive Committee agree with the recommendation to endorse the Evidence Report it will then be presented to the meeting of the full Council on 10 December 2025 for approval which will accord with the provisions of the Act. The Evidence Report will then be submitted to Scottish Ministers for consideration through the Gate Check process. Prior to submission, officers will ensure that formatting, graphic alignment, mapping and typographic matters are reviewed and refined, and the document brought together as a comprehensive submission. A list of core documents (currently shown as ‘DOCXX’ in the text of the Evidence Report) will also be prepared, and the text updated as a result. Other minor drafting changes, for example any typographical errors, will also be reviewed and rectified. 5.2. Once the Council has received clearance to start preparation of its proposed plan, a Call for Ideas will be carried out which will allow developers, landowners and other parties to submit both proposals for individual sites and their ideas for what the plan should include in terms of policy. Based on submissions by other Councils to date a Gate Check is taking approximately 3 months to respond to the original request. 5.3. The current Development Plan Scheme anticipates a proposed plan will be presented to full Council in summer 2027 after which there will be a minimum 12-week statutory consultation period. Representations received will be assessed and potential modifications made to the Proposed Plan. Any unresolved representations must be submitted to Scottish Ministers who will appoint a reporter to carry out an Examination. 5.4. Once this is complete the reporter will prepare a report setting out recommendations for making modifications to the plan. The Council must carry out the modifications except in very limited circumstances. Once the plan has been modified the Council can then take steps to adopt it. Based on current timescales the plan will be adopted in mid-2028. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. There are no immediate employee implications as a result of this report. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. The cost of the Gate Check must be met by the Council. Exact costs will depend on the duration of the procedure however estimates are that it will be around £20,000. The costs of this will be met from existing budgets. In the event the Council has to carry out further work and return it to Scottish Ministers for further assessment additional costs would be incurred. 36
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8. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 8.1. A key requirement for LDP3 is ensuring that new development and land use changes support net zero ambitions and contribute to climate resilience. The Evidence Report includes a topic paper on climate change which includes key information and data relating to the climate emergency and land use factors that influence mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. Other topics include biodiversity and the natural environment and sustainable transport. 8.2. The proposed plan will be subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment, and an Environment Report will be produced alongside the plan. In the meantime, a scoping exercise has been carried as described in chapter 5 of the Evidence Report and the Scoping Report has been the subject of consultation with the relevant organisations. 9. Other Implications 9.1. The Council has a statutory duty to prepare a Local Development Plan for its area. The Act requires the preparation of an Evidence Report as part of this process. The relevant legislative requirements have been followed. 9.2. The reporter appointed by the Scottish Ministers to review the Evidence Report may determine that the information contained within the Evidence Report is insufficient. The appointed person will prepare a report providing their reasons for that determination and the Council will need to revise the Evidence Report accordingly. The Evidence Report will then be resubmitted for approval, following the revised Evidence Report being approved by Council. This could lead to significant delays in the LDP3 timeline. These risks have been mitigated as much as possible by adhering to Scottish Government guidance. 9.3. The Committee are reminded that in terms of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, there are specific provisions which relate to quasi-judicial and regulatory matters, such as the consideration of the report. The Code and associated guidance has detailed information on councillors’ duties in respect of such matters. The Committee are, however, specifically reminded that when making statements about emerging policy, such as the LDP, they should make it clear that they will not reach a final decision until they are in possession of, and have considered, all relevant and material information. A failure to do might result in a councillor being later unable to take part in the determination of a planning application that comes before Committee. More information can be found in the Advice Note on Quasi-Judicial and Regulatory Decision-Making which has been issued by the Standards Commission. 10. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 10.1. Section 16B of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 sets out the requirement to seek the views of identified groups as part of the preparation of the Evidence Report including the public at large, children and young people, disabled persons, Gypsies and Travellers, Community Councils and Key Agencies. The Evidence Report sets out the detailed engagement undertaken for each group and how this has been taken account of. 10.2. An Integrated Impact Assessment is not required at this stage of the process, however, it will be carried out at the proposed plan stage. 37
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David Booth Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) 28 October 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Focused on people and their needs We will work to put people first and reduce inequality We will work towards a sustainable future in sustainable places We will work to recover, progress and improve Our children and young people thrive Good quality, suitable and sustainable places to live Thriving business, fair jobs and vibrant town centres Caring, connected, sustainable communities People live the healthiest lives possible Inspiring learners, transforming learning, strengthening partnerships Previous References None List of Background Papers Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended by Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 Development Planning Regulations 2023 Scottish Government Local Development Planning Guidance published May 2023 Links South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan 3 Evidence Report Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Tony Finn Planning Manager E-mail: tony.finn@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 38
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Report Agenda Item To: Executive Committee Date: 5 November 2025 Prepared by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Third Sector Partnership Review 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- provide Executive Committee with the outcomes of the Third Sector Partnership Review 2. Recommendation(s): 2.1. The Executive Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the draft Third Sector Partnership Agreement outlined in Appendix 2 is approved; (2) that the Draft Third Sector Grant Policy outlined in Appendix 3 is approved; (3) that the Implementation Plan outlined in Appendix 5 is approved; and (4) that the proposed treatment for new Community Medium Grants in 2026/2027, as detailed at section 8, is noted. 3. Background 3.1. The third sector encompasses a diverse range of organisations, including voluntary and community groups, charities, social enterprises, cooperatives, and other not-for- profit entities operating in South Lanarkshire. These organisations play a vital role in supporting communities, delivering essential services, and driving social change through collaborative partnerships with South Lanarkshire Council and other stakeholders. 3.2. While it varies from year to year, South Lanarkshire Council invests approximately £30 million per annum in the third sector through procured contracts, the provision of grants and/or the direct purchase of services. The range of this investment touches on almost all aspects of the ages and stages of life. The third sector works alongside South Lanarkshire Council to support both communities of place and of shared characteristics. 3.3. Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan) is the Third Sector Interface (TSI) for South Lanarkshire. There is one TSI in each local authority area and they undertake 4 key functions: building capacity source of knowledge connecting partners voice of the sector 8 39
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3.4. VASLan’s 2024 Impact report highlighted there are over 1,400 third sector organisations operating across South Lanarkshire providing support and services in health and wellbeing, connecting communities, support at home, and working in community education and employability fields and more. 3.5 The Third Sector Partnership Review builds and delivers on the Keep the Beat Alive (KTBA) action plan, approved by Executive Committee on 11 December 2024, providing an action plan to support improvements on some of the Council’s processes around funding and making a commitment to improve the partnership with the local third sector. Officers worked with VASLan to engage the wider third sector in the review. 3.6. The KTBA campaign was created by the third sector, and the key ‘asks’ of both local and national government were: 1 - Recognise the sector’s value. 2 - Smarter more sustainable funding practices. 3 - Meaningful engagement between the third sector and decision makers. 3.7. The Third Sector Partnership Review sought to define and differentiate between the third sector’s ‘professional strategic partner’ relationship (where the sector participates and contributes its experience, knowledge and ideas to a strategic ‘table’ that is tackling an issue) and it’s ‘delivery partner’ relationship (where it is delivering services or outcomes alongside or on behalf of South Lanarkshire Council in response to an issue). These are different types of relationships, and they should exist irrespective of a financial relationship between an organisation and the council or not. 3.8. The Terms of Reference (TOR) for the review were submitted to the Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum on 1 April 2025. These are included at Appendix 1. 4 Purpose of the Review 4.1. As outlined in Appendix 1, the review aimed to identify actions which could make South Lanarkshire the best environment for the local third sector to operate in Scotland, acknowledging the financial environment the Council and the third sector operate in. 4.2. The review builds on the Keep the Beat Alive action plan, picking up several actions relating to the Fair Funding Charter standards on grant provision and to decision- making that required further investigation, and committing to collaboration with the third sector before any practice could be clarified a policy and /or procedural guidance. 4.3. As one specific aspect, the review investigated if South Lanarkshire Council should mandate the payment of the Living Wage with the provision of grants and other payments to the third sector. The outcome of this aspect is outlined at 7.12 below. 4.4. The management of services procured from the third sector is already covered under the Standing Orders on Contracts but further discussion on ways and support to make procurement more accessible to the local sector will be on-going. 4.5. A key aspect of the review was to improve access and engagement to strategic discussions for the third sector, through fair, open and transparent engagement mechanisms. The sector should be aware of and engaged in strategic discussions, early on and be considered a key strategic partner. Where appropriate, the third sector should routinely be considered as a delivery partner. 40
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4.6 The outputs of the Review are a draft Third Sector Partnership Agreement and a draft Third Sector Grant Policy, which are included as appendices 2 and 3 of this report. 5 Review Process 5.1. The Chief Executive met with VASLan’s new leadership team in December 2024 and then later with the Third Sector Chief Officers Group (TSCOG) in January and February 2025, to further understand and define the issues to be addressed through a review. 5.2. In collaboration with the TSCOG, the TOR, outlined at Appendix 1, were jointly agreed for the review and presented to the Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum on 1 April 2025. 5.3. An internal short life working group was established to oversee the progress of the review and ensure a cross-Resource commitment and understanding. 5.4. VASLan co-designed three deliberative workshops where South Lanarkshire Council engaged with the third sector and gathered its views to inform a Third Sector Partnership Agreement and a Third Sector Grant Policy as outlined in the TOR. 5.5. The workshops were co-hosted and co-facilitated by VASLan and the Council. VASLan undertook all of the publicity and promotion of the events and authored the summary engagement report which they will publish on their website. Over 110 third sector organisations participated in the workshops. 5.6. It should be noted that VASLan has contributed a significant amount of time, expertise and staff to the development, delivery and success of the workshops, significantly sharing the workload with the Community Engagement Team. 5.7. Each workshop concentrated on a different theme of the review: ▪ Strategic Engagement – Relationships, Values and Representation ▪ Funding – Fair, Sustainable, Transparent Grant Practices ▪ Commissioning – Collaborative, Fair, Outcome-Focused Approaches 5.8. Each themed workshop was followed by a topical survey open after the event so that organisations or colleagues that were unable to attend the event could still contribute to the process. 5.9. The first workshop on Strategic Engagement took place on 22 May and included 35 third sector organisations ranging from large service providers to small local grassroot organisations. 5.10. The second workshop on Fair Funding took place on 12 June and was the busiest of the workshops. 5.11. A third and final workshop on Commissioning – Collaborative, Fair, Outcome-Focused Approaches took place on 24 June. This workshop was designed with the Council’s procurement team who presented alongside a third sector commissioning expert. This session explored understanding of commissioning, being tender-ready and outlined boundaries of the commissioning relationships. 5.12. A Third Sector Partnership Agreement and Third Sector Grant Policy were drafted and agreed with VASLan then opened for two weeks of consultation with the wider third sector between 18 September and 3 October. 41
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5.13. Consultation feedback was positive and received from approximately 10 third sector organisations. Responses were all in support of the documents and noted that the agreement and policy were clear and offered transparency. The consultation resulted in four minor technical clarification changes to the Grant Policy and one minor change to the Partnership Agreement. 6. Partnership Agreement 6.1. A draft Third Sector Partnership Agreement is an output of this review and is included as Appendix 2 of this report. 6.2. The agreement establishes a strategic partnership between South Lanarkshire Council and local third sector organisations to collaborate on delivering services and activities for local people and communities of South Lanarkshire. It focuses mainly on the third sector’s professional, strategic partnership with the Council. 6.3 Improving the frequency of clear communications with the sector and increasing interaction with the third sector will be needed to develop this relationship. 6.4. A key finding of the review is that most organisations already in receipt of Council funding felt they had adequate opportunities to engage with the Council and are generally content with their relationship. In contrast, where an organisation does not already access Council funding, it is less likely to have a contact or a relationship with the Council and often is unsure where to start. The draft Partnership Agreement seeks to address this and improve strategic engagement with all of the third sector. 6.5. VASLan has a role to facilitate engagement as the Third Sector Interface, and there is a general consensus that VASLan should develop and coordinate effective representative structures for South Lanarkshire Council to engage with. 6.6. Resources will consider how and where they might make space for both VASLan and representatives of these structures in local partnership groups, strategic reviews, consultations or through more informal measures. 6.7. The review concluded that the Council’s relationships and knowledge relating to the third sector sits mainly with the officers who work with them directly. The draft Partnership Agreement, therefore, suggests ways to increase visibility and knowledge of the sector across all levels of the Council. 6.8. To uphold our responsibilities in the Partnership Agreement, Resources and services will need to review and make their own recommendations for how and when they will increase strategic engagement with the third sector. As previously noted, this engagement must involve wider third representative structures that are established through VASLan and must not only involve currently-funded organisations in discussions. 6.9. Funding of third sector services is not the core purpose of increased strategic interaction, and it may or may not be the outcome. Should funding opportunities arise though, they should be extended to all of the third sector and not be limited to strategic participants or currently-funded organisations. This will be within the confines of the Council’s financial position. 42
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6.10. One outcome of the partnership review has been actions for VASLan to build the skills and capacities within the third sector to find, access and win funding. Capacity building to be ‘fit for funding’ or ‘tender-ready’ would greatly support sustainability of the local third sector and reduce reliance on public sector funding. 7 Grant Policy 7.1. A draft Third Sector Grant Policy is an output of this review and is included as Appendix 3 of this report. 7.2 The Grant Policy aims to create a fair, open and transparent set of consistent third sector grant processes for all council-funded third sector grant activity that aligns to the principles of the Fair Funding Charter. 7.3 It is proposed that under the new policy, all third sector grants provided through Council-funded sources would be administered through the cross-Council grant processes but would continue to be managed by individual Resources. 7.4 From an applicant’s perspective, information about all available Council grants would be accessible from one area of the website, joined up and transparent. 7.5. While the amount and distribution varies from year to year, in 2024/2025 the Council paid approximately £1.6m in grants into the third sector across all of its Resources (this included some funds only available for 1 year). This does not include payments to the third sector for commissioned services. The largest grant provisions came from Finance and Corporate Resources, at approximately £1.0m, followed by Community and Enterprise Resources and Education Resources, distributing around £0.2m each with the balance from Housing and Technical Resources and the Health and Social Care Partnership (Council funds). 7.6. The policy proposes that the range of Council grants should be organised under three banners: Community Small Grants: Up to £1,000 Community Medium Grants: £1,001 to £19,999 Third Sector Investment Grants: £20,000 + 7.7. Information on all Council-funded grants would be consolidated into one webpage that would outline the various grants available under each banner, making clear when applications would be opening and closing, and providing links to application forms and guidance. This page would signpost to other external sources of funding administered as grants by the council that would not be subject to the Third Sector Grant Policy, such as the Renewable Energy Fund grants. 7.8. The Community Engagement Team would maintain a public grant register that all services would be required to update within 30 days of an award letter being issued. 7.9. The three grant categories address a key request raised by the third sector throughout the engagement: funding that balances the need for some third sector services to remain open and keep the lights on to deliver core services, while also offering project, new activity or programme funding from a service. For example, most of the small and medium-sized funding available would-be short term or one-off funding. Whereas the investment fund would most likely come from recurring budgets and could be offered on a longer-term basis. This is at a Resource’s discretion and could be subject to affordability caveats. 43
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7.10. A grant cycle could, therefore, be one year for smaller grants or longer for larger and investment grants. Going forward, Council-funded, third sector grants would be required to go through an open process at least once in a grant cycle and advertised through the grant webpages under the proposed banners. However, there would be exceptions to this, as outlined below. 7.11. Both the third sector and the Council support the inclusion of an option that allows for some grants to be directly awarded without an open process. All of these ‘direct awards’ would be published along with the rationale for the direct award, the amount and the timing of the grant cycle. At the end of each grant cycle a review should be undertaken to either open up the grant or continue as a direct award. Criteria for maintaining direct award will include: Council priority area; essential third sector infrastructure organisation; ringfenced or severely time-limited funding sources; and in order to temporarily extend existing funding for the purposes of a review or an unexpected emergency. 7.12. Sector feedback was clear that mandating the Living Wage created a difficulty for third sector organisations. While organisations indicated that all would strive to achieve this and advocate for fair work, their assessment was that chronic underfunding of the third sector across all funders means that mandating a Living Wage puts a lot of pressure on an organisation and would not be feasible or sustainable without increased and sustained funding to go with it. 7.13. The Partnership Agreement proposes an annual third sector report is shared with the Executive Committee. The report would outline the delivery of the Partnership Agreement and the breakdown of grant funding awarded across the three banners. The report would increase the visibility of the third sector and could also contain information on third sector contributions to outcomes and examples of partnership working, demonstrating the development of an increasingly strategic relationship as well as provide a financial breakdown of the delivery relationship between the council and the sector. 7.14. Support for officers across Resources would include the development of internal guidance for grants that aligns to the Grant Policy. In addition, templates, standard application forms and agreement templates would be available for officers. The Community Engagement Team will provide support to officers to navigate the process. 8 Grants 8.1. Subject to approval by the Executive Committee, the proposed Grant Policy would be implemented for the start of the 2026/2027 financial year. 8.2. Affected existing grant holders are aware of the review and the potential for a changed approach. Should their current grant not automatically renew at the end of a financial year, they will be able to apply to any relevant open process as discussed below. Applications for those grants will open in November so decisions on how the funding will be allocated can be made ahead of the 2026/2027 financial year. An illustrative list of grants that would be available in 2026/2027 is included in Appendix 4. 8.3. An implementation plan included at Appendix 5 details the next steps to implement the new Grant Policy and work towards delivering on the Partnership Agreement during the first year of both documents. 44
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8.4. For 2026/2027, the Grant Policy would create a new general ‘Community Medium Grant’ approach that will be administered through the Community Engagement Team. The grants would be scored by a panel that would include partners. 8.5. Recommendations for grant awards for the ‘Community Medium Grant’ approach would be made to the Finance and Corporate Resources Committee. Eligible communities would include both communities of place and of shared characteristics. 8.6. As part of the arrangements to have these new Community Medium Grants in place for 2026/2027, savings that were agreed as part of the budget-setting process for 2023/2024, but which were deferred, will now be implemented. These savings impacted on what were previously known as the ‘Voluntary Organisations’ fund. 8.7. All current recipients who in 2025/2026 received funds of more than £50,000 will move into a direct award category for 2026/2027 and receive 80% of their previous funding. This award reflects that they have been receiving a sizeable grant, and its removal would be difficult to manage with a few months of notice. Those grant recipients would then work with the relevant lead service over the coming months around the use of the grant and the ongoing requirements for the lead service. This process may include considering if other providers are also able to deliver a similar service and whether the grant activities still meet a council priority and should continue as a direct award under the Third Sector Investment category. 8.8. A small balance of recurring funding would remain in 2026/2027 of approximately £0.005m. Adding this to one-off underspends that are available from previous years’ Voluntary Organisation and community grants funding, would create a fund of approximately £0.200m into which existing or new third sector organisations can bid to the Community Medium Grant Fund for 2026/2027. This will be open to all organisations, including those groups which were previously in receipt of grants of less than £50,000 from the Voluntary Organisations fund. 8.9. The new Community Medium Grant fund provides a further vehicle to invest in communities, should additional funds become available throughout the year. 8.10. In the spirit of the Partnership Agreement, the Council is committed to working collaboratively with VASLan and the wider third sector to explore additional funding opportunities, including – but not exclusive to - through the Council’s procurement work. This reflects our shared ambition to maximise the funding for work to benefit our communities, in line with the Outcomes identified in Connect, the Council Plan. This collaborative work is already underway and will be pursued on an ongoing basis, with the expectation that proposals can be shared with elected members early in the next financial year. 9 Employee Implications 9.1. There are no direct employee implications. 10 Financial Implications 10.1. This review sought to understand the council’s financial relationship with the third sector, and create fair, open and transparent processes for accessing Council funding and increase stability within existing resources. The Third Sector Partnership review did not aim to increase or reduce the existing funding in the third sector. 45
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10.2. Savings that were agreed as part of the Council’s budget-setting process in 2023/2024 within the current Voluntary Organisation fund are as outlined at 8.6 above. 11 Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 11.1. There are no direct climate change, sustainability and natural environment implications arising from this report. 12. Other Implications 12.1. Recommendations will include improvement work across a range of services that provide grants and other payments to the third sector not directed through formal procurement. 13. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 13.1 The Integrated Impact Assessment findings can be accessed here. 13.2. As indicated in this report and the Terms of Reference, the third sector have been collaborators in designing the new approach. There is no requirement to undertake any other formal consultation in terms of the information contained in this report at this time. However, in line with the spirit of the review and good practice, council officers have consulted on drafts with the third sector prior to their being submitted for approval at committee. The results of this consultation are shared at 5.13. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 22 October 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Fair, open and sustainable Priorities Inspiring learners, transforming learning, strengthening partnerships Previous References Keep the Beat Alive report (11 December 2024 Executive Committee) Third Sector Partnership Review report (1 April 2025 Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum) List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like further information, please contact: Jen Kerr, Community Engagement Manager E-mail: jennifer.kerr1@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 46
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APPENDIX 1 Transformational Review – Terms of Reference (TOR) 1 Review Title SLC / Third Sector Partnership Review The third sector encompasses a diverse range of organisations, including voluntary and community groups, charities, social enterprises, cooperatives, and other not-for-profit entities operating in South Lanarkshire. These organisations play a vital role in supporting communities, delivering essential services, and driving social change through collaborative partnerships with South Lanarkshire Council and other stakeholders. 2 Identified Issues VASLan launched the ‘Keep the Beat Alive’ (KBA) campaign in spring 2024 and a Council Motion requested Officers to consider the degree to which SLC could meet the ‘Fair Funding Charter’ featured in the campaign. A report to Executive Committee on 11 December 2024, provided an action plan to support improvements on some of our processes around funding and made a commitment to work in partnership with the local South Lanarkshire Third Sector through a ‘Third Sector Partnership Review’ to further define the nature and terms of our strategic and financial relationship around the three key ’asks’ of the KTBA campaign: 1- Recognise the sector’s value 2- Smarter more sustainable funding practices 3- Meaningful engagement between the third sector and decision makers. Recognising that we build on many local positive examples and foundations across these three key asks, the review will focus on clearly co-defining a set of values and principles against which third sector and SLC partners consistently adhere to in our relationship. The review will acknowledge the third sector’s role as a key pillar in South Lanarkshire’s public service ecosystem, alongside statutory bodies and seek ways to maximise opportunities to work together to best meet shared outcomes for our communities.” We share a need to define the meaning of “equal partners” and to develop a relationship characterised by honesty, trust and integrity for and from all parties. Subsequent meetings between the Council and both VASLan and the Third Sector Chief Officers Group in December 2024, January 2025 and February 2025 helped inform the issues and the scope of this review. This Terms of Reference outlines the range of actions to consider taking forward discussions between South Lanarkshire Council and the local Third Sector and seeks to improve this relationship and how it operates. Issues identified through Keep the Beat Alive dialogue and ongoing engagement with third sector, include; • A challenging financial situation for both third sector and SLC and the risks this brings to our organisations and the communities we jointly serve. • Instability and a high risk of closures in local third sector expected in the coming years. • Recognition of the need to improve SLC’s strategic and financial relationship with the sector. 47
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• The need for a clear corporate approach to increase stakeholder engagement in service and strategic planning. • A desire for improved notice and timescales in our financial relationship to assist with planning and management in the third sector. • Explore other ways to enhance the sustainability of third sector organisations, including workforce development, capacity building, and long-term strategic partnerships with the Council. • Requirement for clear open and transparent grant processes and procedures and grant policy. • Further need to make procurement more accessible to the local third sector • A need to improve the understanding of the sector’s work, its value and to attribute their outcomes to a whole system approach to public service through shared outcome frameworks. • Explore how to create sustainable conditions within all partner’s financial constraints to be able implement fair work principles, ensuring that commitments to the Real Living Wage and employment standards are achievable, affordable and planned for so as to be sustainable for organisations operating within financial constraints. • A need to explore, agree and recognise third sector mechanism for representative engagement. Fair, open and transparent mechanisms for including third sector professional perspectives are embedded as early as possible in the design of policy and decisions made against it. This review will produce a co-designed South Lanarkshire approach that will outline how we will re-set the relationship between SLC and the local third sector and what the new relationship will look like. Options including the development of a Third Sector Agreement to make clear the commitments of all parties. This review will consider the impact of short term funding agreements on financial stability and long-term service planning for third sector organisations. The review will also co-design a grant policy and supporting guidance, for fair, open and transparent grant processes across all of SLC funded programmes which allocate the council’s own funds, and in some cases where we are distributing funding from other sources using our own processes. VASLAN will provide support to ensure that the Third Sector across South Lanarkshire is informed, included and enabled to contribute. The review will address the relevant points of a Fair Funding Charter Topics outlined in the Action plan. Identified Outcome(s) Aim: To identify actions which could make South Lanarkshire the best environment for the local third sector to operate in Scotland, acknowledging the financial environment the Council and the Third Sector operates in. This review will produce: 1- A South Lanarkshire Third Sector Agreement outlining the guiding principles, standards and courses of action for engaging local third sector stakeholders in both strategic and operational planning and ensuring the visibility of their value 48
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and contributions to outcomes for South Lanarkshire’s residents. a. This document will outline the responsibilities of all stakeholders in this relationship and differentiate between the third sector’s “professional strategic partner” relationship and its “delivery partner” relationship and pertinent conduct in both relationships for all contributors. b. Develop procurement skills and practice to increase local third sector ability to bid for local contracts. c. Develop corresponding practice guidance and training for Council officers to implement the resulting policies and agreements. 2- Establish a fair, open and transparent policy and process for the provision and monitoring of grants from South Lanarkshire Council based on the Fair Funding Charter and Keep the Beat Alive Action Plan. 3 Scope of Review and Outputs to Report The scope of the third sector review will include our relationship throughout all services of South Lanarkshire Council, including those delivered through the Health and Social Care Partnership. The grant review element will include all of SLC grant programmes which allocate the council’s own funds, and in some cases where we are distributing funding from other sources using our own processes. Outputs will include- • Stakeholder Engagement workshops and reports. • Update reports for CMT. • A draft local Third Sector Agreement. • A draft Grant Policy • Guidance and ongoing support for officers to implement. • Fair, open, transparent, Third Sector engagement mechanisms. 4 Resources affected: - All Resources Community and Enterprise Education Finance and Corporate Housing and Technical Social Work X X X X X 49
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5 Financial overview (£m) to be completed by finance where appropriate The data below includes anticipated Third Sector spend, including grants, from 2026/2027 onward, following the outcome of the review. CER EDR FCR HTR SWR Employee costs Property costs Supplies and services Transport charges Admin costs Payments to other Bodies 2.586 0.235 1.441 2.728 36.546 Payments to Contractors Finance charges Total expenditure 2.586 0.235 1.441 2.728 36.546 Fees and charges Other income Total income - - - - - Net expenditure 2.586 0.235 1.441 2.728 36.546 6 Key aims of/outcomes from project Service/operational Clear corporate vision and guidance for an improved and sustainability focused third sector relationship that creates the best environment for the local third sector to operate in. This vision will value and leverage the local third sector’s professional expertise, local relationships and third sector sources of funds to contribute to agreed, shared local strategic outcomes. A fair, open transparent policy and corresponding guidance on grant funding and how it operates throughout South Lanarkshire Council. Employee Increased support for officers involved in decision-making on strategic and operational planning and the delivery and monitoring of council grants. Other Provide fair, open and transparent guidance for local third sector partners when applying for SLC funding. Further develop SLC’s approaches to stakeholder engagement and collaborative relationships with the local third sector. 7 Key milestones 1. Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum 01 April 2025 2. Deliberative Workshops & Reports: May-June 2025. 3. Policy drafting and initial impact assessments: July 2025 4. Report to Executive Committee 05 November 2025. 8 Monitoring and reporting arrangements • Interim updates to CMT at key milestones first drafts of Third Sector Charter/ commitment and policy draft report in July 2025. 50
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• Engagement event report. • Executive Report November 2025 9 CMT Sponsor / Lead Officer Jackie Taylor- CMT Sponsor Tom Little – Lead Officer 10 Project resourcing ▪ Community Engagement Team Manager and Community Project Development Officer will undertake the coordination of the project. ▪ An internal steering group will be established to support the development of both policies. Membership to be agreed. ▪ Further input and oversight at all stages from CMT, Finance and Legal will be required for the development of recommendations. ▪ VASLan will support the hosting of third sector workshops and facilitate the input and oversight of the third sector’s collaborations and contributions 51
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APPENDIX 2 Partnership Agreement Between South Lanarkshire Council and South Lanarkshire’s Third Sector November 2025 Purpose This agreement establishes a strategic partnership between South Lanarkshire Council and local third-sector organisations to collaborate on delivering services and activities for local people and communities of South Lanarkshire. Our partnership will be grounded in trust, transparency, fairness. Our partnership will recognise, respect and value the benefits that third sector organisations bring to communities and the roles and responsibilities of the council. Recognising that we share the common aim of supporting people and helping residents of all ages and communities of both place and interest to flourish, this agreement is about much more than money. It is about focusing on our shared commitment to strive for equality, social justice, improved quality of health and wellbeing and an end to poverty. Our Context The third sector encompasses a diverse range of organisations, including voluntary and community groups, charities, social enterprises, cooperatives, and other not-for-profit entities operating in South Lanarkshire. These organisations play a vital role in supporting communities, delivering essential services, and driving social change through collaborative partnerships with South Lanarkshire Council and with other stakeholders. This agreement aims to build on existing good foundations to establish and develop the best environment for the local third sector to operate in Scotland, acknowledging the financial environment within which both the council and the third sector operate. The relationship will be nurtured through ongoing collaboration and a commitment to partnership. It recognises that a collaborative relationship should become a way of working across the council and should not be dependent on individual relationships. This agreement recognises that the council and the local third sector have more than one type of relationship and that at times we are professional strategic partners with a wide range of knowledge and resources to bring to the table. But it also recognises that, in some instances, we also have a financial relationship wherein we are also delivery partners. Both types of relationships are valued within this agreement. And while we all recognise there are legal and statutory duties that must be maintained, we will all work flexibly to find a way to make the best of the resources, tools and skills available between us for the benefit of South Lanarkshire. Objectives of this Agreement • strengthening communication and engagement • enhancing resource-sharing and collaboration • building capacity and knowledge exchange • improving joint strategic planning and collaborative monitoring • fostering innovation and collaborative problem-solving 52
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• creating the conditions to enable the best possible outcomes for residents of South Lanarkshire Principles and Behaviours A collaborative relationship is built on mutual respect, shared goals, and open communication. We have agreed the following core principles to help us foster effective collaboration: • we share a commitment to supporting people and communities • we will focus on what our respective organisations and services can do to meet the needs of our communities • we will respect each partner’s roles and limits • we will be flexible in our approaches and willing to adapt • co-production will become a tool and a way of working. • we will use evidence-informed decision-making • we will ensure Best Value is achieved where public funds are in use • we will operate a learning environment and be willing to make and learn from mistakes • we will be committed to building and maintaining this relationship Roles and Responsibilities Defining roles and responsibilities in a partnership is important for clarity and trust. Council Responsibilities: • improve the council’s understanding and value of the local third sector and its expertise • consistently seek to embed sector voices into strategic decision-making and policy development early in the process • engage with the sector as professional partners as well as delivery partners • provide clear information and timeous and transparent two-way communications • be clear on how and where a decision is made • increase the council’s knowledge and operational relationship with the third sector • seek to provide sustainable and transparent fair funding to enable both representative engagement and collaborative delivery, subject to available resources • participate in joint funding applications and non-financial resource-sharing initiatives where appropriate • acknowledge and support the infrastructure needed to sustain volunteering • collaborate on impact assessments and monitoring of shared outcomes Third-Sector Responsibilities: • improve the council’s understanding and value of the local third sector and its expertise • engage with accountable third sector representation mechanisms that evidence a coherent third sector voice • deliver services aligned with community priorities and agreed objectives • engage in knowledge sharing and capacity-building activities • participate in joint funding applications and non-financial resource-sharing initiatives where appropriate • contribute to data collection and collaborative reporting efforts • where appropriate, identify additional sustainable funding models • engage constructively in strategic dialogue • evidence good governance and accountable use of public funds • collaborate across the sector 53
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• understand and consider the council’s responsibilities • be clear on limitations Third Sector Interface responsibilities: • improve the council’s understanding and value of the local third sector and its expertise • improve the sector’s understanding of council processes, opportunities and limitations • ensure that the sector is represented wherever possible and applicable • encourage collaboration, communication and co-produced solutions with all stakeholders Third Sector Strategic Representation VASLan in its role as the local Third Sector Interface (TSI), will be an independent broker and conduit between South Lanarkshire Council and local third sector organisations. South Lanarkshire Council will engage strategically and operationally with the third sector through VASLan-organised thematic and place-based networks run for and by the third sector. Where a representative structure exists, South Lanarkshire Council will endeavour to provide space for both a representative third sector organisation and a TSI Officer to participate in wider strategic, outcome-focused partnerships. All partners recognise the need to work together to create contact points across a range of themes. It is envisioned that more frequent discussion and networking spaces through events, joint workforce training and other opportunities will improve collaboration and build the relationship and innovation. Together we will: • create clearer, transparent, more accountable ways to engage and participate in collaboration and partnership working • acknowledge that the landscape is complex and that there may not be a single clear path to participation; we will open entry points, map and communicate these clearly and review them regularly • increase involvement of the wider third sector in collaborative planning and decision- making across council resources which will need to consider how to work with a variety of resource planning systems and processes, some of which are regulated • ensure third sector options are considered in circumstances where an existing service is under review and it would be appropriate to do so • ensure a co-design and co-production process takes place when a new service is being considered and created where it would be appropriate to do so • ensure opportunities to engage are open to all of the sector as well as engage with those who currently participate and/or are in receipt of public funding • clarify where decisions can be shared and where they cannot. Where they cannot be shared, we will endeavour to ensure they include a third sector voice 54
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• ensure capacity support and, where applicable, resource support to enable third sector engagement in planning, reviewing, co-design and development of shared data sets • collaborate on securing external funding, including grant applications and co- financing opportunities • develop and support routes through VASLan to facilitate representative third sector strategic engagement structures • co-develop an annual Third Sector Report for the Executive Committee • develop a programme of regular networking, discussion and shared learning spaces across all levels of the council including regular meetings with senior management and councillors that will help each Resource and service in making themselves aware of different third sector organisations relevant to their remit • recognise and celebrate successful collaborative initiatives This agreement is subject to the legal obligations of all parties. It shall remain in effect until December 2027 and be subject to a joint review, amendment and continuation. Signatures For Council: Name: _________________________ Position: ______________________ Date: __________________________ For Third-Sector Organisation(s): Name: _________________________ Position: ______________________ Date: __________________________ 55
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Partnership Agreement Action Plan Objective Agreement Commitment Actions Measures Strengthening communication and engagement. 1. Communicate how and where to get involved through VASLan 2. Develop and support routes through VASLan to facilitate representative third sector strategic engagement structures. 3. Develop a programme of regular networking, discussion and shared learning spaces across all levels of the council including regular meetings with senior management and councillors that will help each Resource and service in making themselves aware of different third sector organisations relevant to their remit Co-develop clear and consistent information both on council and VASLan websites on how and where to get involved. Number of Communications VASLan and sector to define their representative structures. Third Sector Networks and Forums metrics A council third sector ‘landing’ page for accessing council funding and signpost to other sources of funding support. Website traffic Co-develop a shared learning and networking programme. Number of networking events Annual third sector report to Executive Committee. Report Enhancing resource- sharing and collaboration. 4. Develop a bespoke shared monitoring and data set for any third sector organisation to contribute to across thematic areas of work both within council policy and strategy and with South Lanarkshire’s Community Planning Partnership. This data set would contribute to strategic evidence for decision making and would be different to any funding monitoring undertaking with respect to delivery of services or activities, although where relevant, this should also contribute to the data set. 5. Collaborate on securing external funding, including grant applications and co-financing opportunities. Co-develop bespoke data set. Bespoke Data set created Annual third sector report to Executive Committee to include examples of collaboration. Number of joint projects Building capacity and knowledge exchange. 6. Shared Learning opportunities 7. Recognise and celebrate successful collaborative initiatives. To be determined in collaboration with wider third sector. To be determined Improving joint strategic planning and collaborative monitoring. 8. Create clearer, transparent, more accountable ways to engage and participate in collaboration and partnership working. 9. Ensure opportunities to engage are open to all of the sector as well as engage with those who currently participate and /or are in receipt of public funding. Resources undertake internal exercise to determine how and where they might make space for both VASLan and representatives of third sector structures in local partnership tables and strategic Numbers increase in participation 56
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10. Increase involvement of the wider third sector in collaborative planning and decision making across council Resources which will need to consider how to work with a variety of resource planning systems and processes, some of which are regulated. Ensuring third sector options are considered where appropriate for service requirements. 11. Ensure opportunities to engage are open to all of the sector as well as engage with those who currently participate and /or are in receipt of public funding. 12. Clarify how and where decisions are made. reviews or through more informal measures. Fostering innovation and collaborative problem-solving. 13. Joint working takes place. Case studies developed Number of examples 57
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APPENDIX 3 South Lanarkshire Grant Policy November 2025 Purpose of the Grant Policy This policy establishes a clear and consistent framework for South Lanarkshire Council’s grant funding processes. It aims to provide comprehensive guidance to applicants and council officers to ensure grants are awarded fairly, transparently, and in alignment with strategic priorities. The policy applies to all third sector grants awarded through council-funded programmes and also extends to situations where the council administers external funding, ensuring that all such grants comply with minimum standards unless otherwise specified by external funders. The policy guarantees that all grants are accessible only to eligible organisations. Supporting materials, including application guidance and monitoring templates, will be developed and regularly updated to ensure consistent implementation across all funded programmes. Strategic Priorities Council grants are designed to support community-led initiatives. For this purpose, “community-led” means projects and programmes where community members have meaningful involvement in decision-making, governance and delivery. All grant-funded activities must support the aims and objectives of the Council Plan and contributing sub policies and strategies relevant to a funding programme. These policies and plans are designed in consultation with the public and all stakeholders. The Council Plan strategic priorities: • People: Prioritising people and working to reduce inequalities. • Progress: Supporting progress and continual improvement in services and outcomes. • Planet: Promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility across communities. Applicants will be asked to outline which priorities their project or programme will contribute towards and how they will achieve its outcomes. Priorities will be outlined in application guidance documents. Definition and Characteristics of Grants Grants are discretionary financial awards intended to support activities that further the council’s strategic aims without expecting commercial return. Key characteristics include: • grants are not goods or services, and application does not confer entitlement to payment. • grants have terms and conditions attached to them including specific reporting, permitted use of funds, and outcome achievement requirements. • awards are made at the council’s discretion, subject to budget availability and eligibility criteria. • all grants must demonstrably deliver public benefit, Best Value, and be aligned with the Council Plan and relevant policies. 58
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Properly constituted grants will not normally be subject to the procurement rules. This does not remove the council’s commitment to maintain fairness, transparency, and openness in grant-awarding processes unless a documented and approved exception applies. Activities that constitute statutory services or involve procurement of goods or services for the council should not be funded through grants but via formal procurement processes and would be subject to the council’s Standing Orders on Contracts. The following characteristics will normally help determine whether a grant is the suitable funding route: • it should not be for critical service requirements or those the council has a statutory responsibility to deliver; grant funding is for discretionary objectives and outcomes. • the council will not normally receive services itself. • the council is providing funding to support activities that will help it to meet its commitments to South Lanarkshire and where the organisation does not have sufficient resources to deliver those activities on a self-sustaining basis itself. • a grant will normally be out with the scope of VAT and the Scottish public procurement regulations. • if the grant has (or could have) an effect on trade or investment, then the subsidy control implications should be assessed. General Principles and Application of this Policy • grant applications shall be open to all eligible third sector organisations, except as provided for in terms of this policy. • any exceptions to this policy will meet a criterion for exemption and must still be published in the council’s online Grant Register for transparency. • application of this policy is subject to compliance with any additional external funder requirements and/or when managing third-party funds with additional requirements. • applicants are encouraged to secure multiple funding sources to promote financial sustainability and reduce reliance on council grants. • all awards and exceptions will be recorded and published in the council’s online Grant Register within 30 days of award. Eligibility Criteria Only constituted forms of third sector groups can apply for third sector council grants. Individuals cannot apply for grants on behalf of an organisation. • all organisations must have a suitable level of public liability and other necessary insurance in place for their activities. • for grants exceeding £10,000, organisations must provide at least 12 months’ audited or independently examined financial accounts, a conflict-of-interest declaration, and confirmation that trustees or directors are not disqualified from holding office. • bank accounts used for grant payments must be in the legal name of the applying organisation, and personal accounts are strictly prohibited. • organisations not meeting constitution requirements will be encouraged to seek support from recognised support bodies, such as VASLan, before applying. • due diligence will be undertaken in a proportionate manner to the grant size. See Figure 1. • all grant applicants must demonstrate the public benefit through the application process. • All grants will exclude funding for political activities, religious promotion or profit- making. There will be no personal financial benefit from Council grants. • All grants will be subject to the grantee signing terms and conditions as set by the council. 59
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FIGURE 1: Amount Per Annum Length of Funding (Grant Cycle) Application Minimum Due Diligence Monitoring Evaluation Up to £1,000 Specified period up to 1 year. Brief form Governing document & public liability insurance 2 Bank statements or annual accounts. End of grant form within 1 month None required £1,000- £10,000 Specified period up to 1-2 years Brief form Governing document and public liability insurance 2 Bank statements or annual accounts. End of grant form within 1 month None required £10,001- £20,000 Specified period up to 1-3 years. Standard Form Governing document & public liability insurance Bank statements Copy of independently verified accounts End of Grant form within 2 months None required- optional and welcomed. £20,001- £50,000 Specified period- at least 1-3 years. Multi-year funding may be considered but will depend on source of funding and will be subject to future affordability and the open process may be more rigorous. Enhanced - Application Form Provision of a proposal on how specified outcomes will be achieved. Governing document and public liability insurance 2 Bank statements if new supplier Copy of independently verified accounts 1 mid grant and 1 end of grant monitoring meeting and report. End of grant report outlines achievement against outcomes. Within 2 months Outcomes reporting will require a degree of evaluation within the project. An independent evaluation may be required £50,000 + Specified period at least 1-5 years. Multi-year funding may be considered but will depend on source of funding and will be subject to future affordability and the open process may be more rigorous. Enhanced Form Provision of a proposal on how specified outcomes will be achieved Key Milestones or project plan Multi-year funding- financial projections. Governing document & public liability insurance 2 Bank statements if new supplier Copy of independently verified accounts 1 mid grant and end of grant monitoring report and meeting. End of Grant report outlines achievement against plan and outcomes. Further monitoring and reports against project plan to be agreed for multi- year funds. Outcomes reporting will require a degree of evaluation within the project. An independent evaluation may be required. Grant Categories and Funding Mechanisms Except in certain circumstances where a grant meets a set criterion set out below, all grants available across the council will be subject to an open and transparent process once every grant cycle. A grant cycle depends on the nature and purpose of a grant and the funding source. 60
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The council offers grants through defined categories: Community Small Grants: Up to £1,000 Community Medium Grants: £1,001 to £19,999 Third Sector Investment Grants: £20,000 + Participatory Budgeting (PB) (all values) Under each grant category, more than one grant programme may be run at any one time. The council reserves the right to amend award amounts, close application windows, or restrict award numbers in response to available budgets and strategic priorities, with all changes documented and publicly accessible. Restrictions and Use of Funds Any restrictions on grant size or conditions will be outlined up front in application guidance. Restrictions might include: • Eligibility • Duration of funding • Allowable and non-allowable costs • Match funding requirements Management and overheads can be included in cost breakdowns where eligibility criteria permit. When an award is not for core funding and it is permitted by a funding source, a maximum of 20% of total grant budget can be attributed to these costs. Multi-year grants will not receive automatic inflationary increases; applicants should anticipate and budget accordingly. Application Apart from participatory budgeting programmes, information on Council funded grant programmes will be centralised in one place on the South Lanarkshire Council website. All applications will be submitted via an online form or using a downloadable form for the relevant grant category. Application guidance and a required documents checklist will be available for all grants. Application guidance will outline the assessment criteria and the outcomes being sought through the grant. The terms and conditions for each grant will be available at the point of application. Required documents for due diligence will vary depending on size and purpose of grant but are likely to include bank statements, safeguarding policies, insurance and recent independently examined accounts. Deadlines and grant cycle timescales will be published on the South Lanarkshire Council website. Contact details for support will be provided for each grant. Funding support is also available through VASLan. 61
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Assessment and Decision-Making Applications will be assessed and scored against criteria relating to the strategic or policy outcomes they support. In addition, the council may consider community impact, value for money, and sustainability. Scoring criteria will be provided in application guidance. South Lanarkshire Council staff, and at times external partners, local residents or third-party panels, will score applications and make recommendations for decision. Award recommendations will be put forward for decisions to be made by either the relevant Executive Director, or at their discretion, a relevant Council Committee, depending on the source of funds and any associated criteria. Decisions will be communicated within agreed timelines, typically within six weeks of the application deadline. Direct Awards will be offered under the following criteria: council priority and an essential third sector infrastructure organisation, ringfenced or severely time-limited funding sources, to temporarily extend existing funding for the purposes of a review or an unexpected emergency. All direct awards will be at the discretion of the relevant Executive Director and will be documented and published within 30 days of the award letter. Third-Party Delivery and Accountability The council may use arms-length bodies or other appropriate organisations, partnership panels or community networks to carry out grant disbursement activities on their behalf. In these instances, there will be an agreement in place with the bodies that set out the nature of the relationship, the form of accountability, how the assessment panel will be constituted, how the organisation or network is funded or will be funded, and details of the activities they will engage in. Such bodies will be subject to the standards set out in this grant policy unless expressly agreed by the council. Terms and Conditions Grant awards are governed by formal agreements specifying: • the purpose of the grant and measurable outcomes. • grant duration and payment schedules. • reporting and monitoring requirements. • conditions for repayment of unused or misused funds. Grant recipients must comply with all relevant legislation, including governance, employment practices, safeguarding, insurance, equal opportunity, and data protection. Any proposed changes to funded activities require the council’s prior written approval. The council reserves the right to recover funds for misuse or non-compliance. Publicity related to funded projects must acknowledge council support. In circumstances where an external fund is being distributed through the council, additional terms and conditions of the respective funder may also apply. 62
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Fair Work Commitment The council encourages funded organisations to adopt fair work practices, including workforce development, diversity and inclusion, fair pay (including the Real Living Wage), and effective voice mechanisms such as trade union recognition. Applicants for Scottish Government–funded grants must demonstrate Living Wage Employer status as a condition of funding. Monitoring, Reporting Monitoring requirements will be proportionate to grant size and duration, including financial and performance reports, site visits, and independent evaluations where appropriate as outlined in Figure 1. Where required by the funding source, additional compliance information, such as receipts or bank statements, may be required to evidence monitoring information for audit purposes. This will be identified in any award agreement but may be subject to change during the award period. For example, evidence of the payment of living wages for all Scottish Government-funded grants. Failure to comply with monitoring requirements or reporting obligations may result in suspension of payments, grant recovery, or ineligibility for future funding. For grants over £20,000, a designated Grant Monitoring Officer will oversee compliance, progress, and outcome achievement. Responsibility and Conflicts of Interest Each Executive Director has responsibility for all grants awarded by their Resource and is accountable to the council for the performance of their duties in relation to grant award and management which are: • to ensure compliance with this grant policy. • to adhere to the council’s commitment to co-production. • to ensure that the grants register is updated within 30 days following the issue of a grant award letter. All individuals involved in grant assessment or decision-making, including council officers, elected members, and third-party partners, must declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest in advance of any decisions being taken. Records of such declarations and management actions will be recorded in meeting records to ensure accountability and public confidence. Complaints Complaints regarding the process may be submitted through the council’s complaints procedure. Review and Updates This policy will be reviewed annually by the Community Engagement Team or sooner if required by legislative changes or operational needs. Updates will be published on the council website. 63
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Grant Policy Action Plan Action By who By when Create Grants webpage CET and working Group Dec 25 Develop and publish an online grant register CET and working group March 26 Create 3 application form templates in line with figure1. Include space for management and overheads where eligible CET and working group Dec 25 Develop an exceptions criteria CET and working group Dec 25 Develop template scoring matrix CET and working group Dec 25 Draft standard Third party grant giving agreement CET and working group Dec 25 Draft Template Agreements in line with Figure 1. Legal Working Group Dec 25 Support and Guidance for Officers: • Grant Rule Book • Application of grant policy • Grant administration and monitoring CET and working Group Feb 26 Online learning module CET and working Group June 26 Nominate participants for VASlan Funders Forum Working Group Dependent on VASLan timescales Develop shared due diligence records CET and working Group March 26 Explore corporate grant software Working Group March 26 64
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APPENDIX 4 Illustrative List of Current Grants in 2026-27 This list outlines known recurring grants and does not include other sources of funding that may become available for grants for 2026-27. Small Grants Fund Name Value Grant Basis Small Community Grants £103,000 FCR – Open process. Agreed by Area Committees Gala Day Grants Fund £12,674 FCR – Open process for Gala organising groups Medium Grants Fund Name Value Notes Sports Councils (5 individual grants) £66,350 FCR – Direct Awards Medium Community Grants (formerly Vol Orgs) 24/25 £200,000 CET – Annual Competitive Process – funding predominantly one off Lanark Lanimer Day £3,708 FCR – Direct Award Rutherglen Landemer Day £3,378 FCR – Direct Award Participatory Budgeting Fund Name Value Notes Place Based PB £ 40,000 CET – PB is competitive process Third Sector Investment Grants Fund Name Budget Value Notes SPELL £83,317 EDR – Direct Award LEAP £44,294 SW – Direct Award HIPY £45,320 EDR – Direct Award Scottish Child Minders Association £57,505 EDR – Direct Award Tenants Information Service for independent advice and support £90,000 HTR – Direct Award Neighbourhood Planning Support • Community Links • Healthy & Happy £110,000 £40,000 CET – to be reviewed and opened competitively in 2027/28. Hamilton CAB Core Financial Inclusion Money Advice £43,631 £18,504 £20,954 Direct Award – move all funds to CET East Kilbride CAB Core Financial Inclusion Money Advice £41,694 £18,504 £20,954 Direct Award – move all funds to CET Rutherglen & Cambuslang CAB Core £42,024 Direct Award – move all funds to CET 65
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Financial Inclusion Money Advice £18,504 £20,954 Clydesdale CAB Core Financial Inclusion Money Advice £41,694 £18,504 £20,954 Direct Award – move all funds to CET 66
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APPENDIX 5 Implementation Plan Actions Completion Date Owner Notify existing grant holders of new policy and impact on their current grant or confirm it does not. 06-Nov All Resources Internal Communication of new policies 06-Nov CET Centralised Grant Information Web landing page completed 10-Nov CET web landing page - go live 17-Nov CET Community Medium sized Grant Applicant guidance drafted 13-Nov CET Scoring sheet drafted 13-Nov CET online application form 13-Nov CET Scoring Panel identified 14-Nov CET Fund Opens for applications 17-Nov CET Fund closes for applications 31-Dec CET Applications Scored 13-Jan-27 CET & Panel Recommendations presented to Finance and Corporate Committee 18 Feb 27 CET Wider Actions Draft Template Agreements in line with Figure 1 of Grant Policy 31-Dec CET & Legal Create 3 application form templates in line with figure1. 31-Dec CET & Legal Develop an exceptions criterion 31-Dec CET, VASLan & Legal Develop template scoring matrix 31-Dec CET Draft standard Third party grant giving agreement 31-Mar-26 Support and Guidance for Officers: Grant Rule Book Guidance 31-Dec Grant administration and monitoring Guidance 31-Dec Introductory Meeting 01-Feb-27 Additional Improvement Actions Develop shared due diligence records Explore corporate grant software VASLan and sector to define their representative structures. to be set by VASLan VASLan Co-develop clear and consistent information both on Council and VASLan websites on how and where to get involved. 31-Mar-26 VASLan &CET Develop a programme of regular networking, discussion and shared learning spaces across all levels of the council including regular meetings with senior management and councillors that will help each Resource and service in making themselves aware of different third sector organisations relevant to their remit May-26 VASLan& CET Recognize and celebrate successful collaborative initiatives. Aug-26 CET & VASLan Annual third sector report to executive committee. Aug-26 CET & VASLan Online learning module Dec-26 CET 67
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 5 November 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: 2026/2027 to 2027/2028 Revenue Budget Gap and Savings Proposals for 2026/2027 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to: Provide an update on the 2026/2027 to 2027/2028 Budget Gap and savings proposals for 2026/2027. 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s): (1) that the update on key budget areas (section 4), be noted; (2) that the permanent budget solutions in relation to Loan Charges, Service Concessions and LVJB Requisitions (section 5.2 to 5.4), be approved; (3) that the revised 2-year Budget Gap across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 of £36.315 million, as detailed in Section 6 (Table 1), be noted; (4) that the proposed savings included in Appendix 1, be considered; (5) that in relation to the use of one-off funding to manage the Budget Gap across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 (section 10.5), the use of £7.000 million be utilised in 2027/2028, be approved; and (6) that the risk areas detailed in the Other Implications Section (section 15), be noted. 3. Background 3.1. A report titled 2026/2027 to 2027/2028 Revenue Budget Strategy was presented to the Executive Committee in June 2025. This paper focussed on the medium-term Strategy in place covering the years 2026/2027 and 2027/2028, highlighting a Budget Gap of £24.273 million which could increase to £42 million due to assumed pay award estimates at that point. 3.2. This paper will provide an update on a number of budget areas including the impact of Pay Awards, the impact of higher inflation forecasts on contracts, the price of utilities and the impact of increasing property numbers on Council Tax income. It will also discuss options to balance the Budget and will include reference to Council Tax as well as savings proposals resulting from the Council’s Transformational Change Programme. 9 69
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3.3. This report will cover the following: • An update on key budget areas across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 (section 4), • Permanent Funding Solutions (section 5), • Two Year Budget Position – 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 (section 6), • 2026/2027 Savings and the Transformational Change Programme (section 7), and • Council Tax (section 8). 3.4. A Summary, Options, Next Steps and a Timeline for consideration will be provided in section 9. Section 10 outlines one-off funding available, including Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR), and proposals for consideration to help manage the Budget Gap for 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 on a temporary basis. Section 11 will provide details of the Reinstatement requirements following previous year budget decisions, and section 12 will detail employee implications resulting from the proposals in this report. Other implications are detailed in section 15 and section 16 will provide an update on the Integrated Impact Assessments carried out on the savings and Budget proposals. 4. Update on Key Budget Areas 4.1. Since the last Budget Strategy report in June 2025, the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 Pay Award has been agreed for SJC, Craft Operatives and Chief Officials (Teachers Pay Award has not yet been agreed) and updated information has been received on inflation forecasts which will have an impact on key Council contracts and utility projections. In addition, an early outturn position for Council Tax income has been completed for 2025/2026 and this may have an impact on the assumptions for 2026/2027. Each of these is taken in turn. 4.2. Pay Award: National agreement has now been reached on the pay award for SJC, Craft Operatives and Chief Officials for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027. However, for Teachers, there is no pay deal beyond August 2024, and assumptions have been made regarding the Teachers’ pay award and funding for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 and for both Teachers and Non-Teachers for 2027/2028. Until all pay offers are agreed, there remains a risk to the costs of pay for the Council across all staff groups. We will continue to keep Committee aware of any emerging information around pay settlements for teachers and any further implications across all employee groups as agreements are made. As these pay awards are still to be determined, this is a risk to the Financial Strategy. 4.3. The impact of the Pay Award on the Council’s Budget Gap is an increase of £16.4 million taking the revised Budget Gap across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 to £40.673 million, compared to the £24.273 million estimated in the June paper to Executive Committee. 4.4. Contract Inflation / Utilities: Some of the Council’s key contracts are due to increase in 2026/2027 in line with inflation. Updated information has been provided by our Treasury Advisers which note projections higher than originally estimated. In addition, further information has been received on price indications for utilities realising a financial benefit for 2026/2027. Based on current information, this results in a net increase to the Budget Gap of £0.7 million in 2026/2027. 70
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4.5. Council Tax: The Council Tax Budget for 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 assumed a prudent assumption for new build properties based on a slowing of the market. However, based on the 2025/2026 early outturn on Council Tax income, it is proposed that the 2026/2027 Budget could benefit from the full year impact of additional new properties in 2025/2026 and further new properties estimated in 2026/2027. An estimate of an additional £0.7 million in 2026/2027 has been made to reflect this. 4.6. The update in sections 4.4 and 4.5 have no impact on the revised Budget Gap of £40.673 million detailed in section 4.3. 5. Permanent Funding Solutions 5.1. There are permanent funding solutions identified that can assist in reducing the Budget Gap of £40.673 million across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028. These are taken in turn. 5.2. Loan Charges: A significant capital receipt is anticipated from the sale of an industrial site. As well as being used to fund any new capital spend, capital receipts can also be used to reduce the level of approved borrowing. It is proposed that this capital receipt is used to reduce previously approved borrowing. This will result in a recurring revenue saving to the Council’s Loan Charges budget of £1.500 million in 2027/2028. 5.3. Service Concessions: South Lanarkshire Council (26 February 2025) approved savings identified from the Council’s Service Concessions arrangements. This relates to how we account for the Council’s Service Concessions (PPP scheme) with a change in accounting treatment resulting in a reduction in what is charged to the Revenue Budget over the medium term. A change in interest rates and indexation since the initial calculations were undertaken, has meant that the estimated savings previously anticipated in 2028/2029 and 2029/2030, are available earlier than originally anticipated. This means a benefit to the Budget Gap of £2.800 million in 2026/2027 which would then no longer be available across 2028/2029 and 2029/2030. 5.4. Lanarkshire Valuation Joint Board (LVJB) Requisitions: There is funding in the Budget Strategy identified for the re-instatement of LVJB requisitions in 2026/2027 of £0.482 million. This is required to be realigned with the approved LVJB 3-year budget for 2026/2027 to 2028/2029. This results in a net decrease of £0.058 million in the Budget Gap across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028. 6. Two Year Budget Position – 2026/2027 to 2027/2028 6.1. Table 1 below illustrates the revised Budget Gap of £36.315 million across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 taking into account the update on key budget areas (section 4) and the permanent funding solutions available (section 5). 71
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Table 1: Revised Budget Gap Across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 2026/2027 £m 2027/2028 £m Total £m Total Budget Gap (Executive Committee, 25 June 2025) 10.468 13.805 24.273 Pay Award (sections 4.2 and 4.3) 6.800 9.600 16.400 Revised Budget Gap Before Solutions 17.268 23.405 40.673 Loan Charges (section 5.2) - (1.500) (1.500) Service Concessions (section 5.3) (2.800) - (2.800) LVJB Requisitions (section 5.4) (0.322) 0.264 (0.058) Revised Budget Gap Across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 14.146 22.169 36.315 6.2. While these figures are significant, it is acknowledged that at the time of writing, neither the UK Government nor the Scottish Government Budgets have been released for 2026/2027. As a consequence, the Council has no certainty on its financial Settlement for 2026/2027. The Council will not know its financial Settlement for 2026/2027 until after the UK Government and then the Scottish Government budget is set with the Settlement itself not due to be received by the Council until mid-January. This is a significant risk area in terms of the Budget Strategy. Members will be updated on the impact of the Settlement as soon as practical after its receipt. 7. 2026/2027 Savings and the Programme of Transformational Reviews 7.1. As presented to Members as part of the June 2025 Budget Strategy paper, the programme of Transformational Reviews ongoing across the Council will help manage the Budget Gap. The Transformational Reviews continue to progress with the outcomes achieved to date informing a package of savings for consideration for 2026/2027. The proposed savings including those from the Transformational Reviews and applicable for 2026/2027 are provided in Appendix 1 for Members’ consideration, with a view to approving a balanced budget overall. 7.2. The full savings pack as it stands totals £8.314 million for 2026/2027. The £8.314 million of savings includes proposals of £4.053 million which were previously considered but not approved as part of the 2025/2026 Revenue Budget Setting Process. These £4.053 million of savings proposals are presented for further consideration for 2026/2027. This can be compared to the Revised Budget Gap for 2026/2027 of £14.146 million (Table 1). This is shown in Table 2. Table 2 – Summary of 2026/2027 Savings Proposals 2026/2027 Savings FTE 2026/2027 Savings £m Management and Operational 24.4 3.696 Community & Enterprise 91.5 3.121 Education 11.0 1.479 Finance & Corporate - - Housing & Technical - 0.018 Social Work - - Total Savings (Appendix 1) 126.9 8.314 Revised Budget Gap (Table 1) 14.146 72
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7.3. The savings of £8.314 million includes Management and Operational Savings of £3.696 million along with Resource savings proposals of £4.618 million for consideration. Comparing this to the remaining Budget Gap of £14.146 million for 2026/2027 leaves a shortfall of £5.832 million. 7.4. The savings pack references the continuation of some of these savings into 2027/2028 with a further £0.632 million of savings identified for that year (savings references M&O03, M&O08, CER11 and EDR02). £0.470 million of these continuing (full year impact savings into 2027/2028) are from re-presented savings. 8. Council Tax 8.1. In arriving at the Revised Budget Gap of £36.315 million across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028, no account has been taken of any increase in Council Tax. On setting its Council Tax Band D at £1,378 for 2025/2026, the Council has the lowest Council Tax in Scotland. This was an increase of 6%. The Scottish Average for Band D in 2025/2026 is £1,543, meaning the Council is 12% below the Scottish Average. The average increase in Scotland into 2025/2026 was 9.57%. 8.2. Given the level of the Council’s Band D Council Tax, and its position relative to the Scottish Average, consideration could be given to the Band D Council how this could be set moving forward. An option could be a strategy to increase Council Tax over a period of time to bring it up to the Scottish average. This could feature as part of the Council’s Budget Strategy over the coming years as it could assist in reducing the Budget Gap over a period of years. It could also be used to assist in funding investments requirements moving forward. Through consideration of Council Tax levels for South Lanarkshire, an opportunity could be taken to reduce the need for savings and instead allow for investment in key priority areas. 8.3. Moving to the Scottish average over time (based on 2025/2026 levels this would be a 12% increase) would mean additional spending power of over £20 million per annum. An increase in Council Tax for 2026/2027 would mean less savings are required to be taken in order to meet the 2026/2027 remaining Budget Gap of £14.146 million. 8.4. The impact of a range of percentage increases is shown in Table 3, as an illustration. Table 3 – Council Tax Increases Percentage Increase Band D Council Tax £ Annual Increase £ Monthly Increase (over 10 Payments) £ Decrease in Budget Gap £m 0% 1,378.85 - - - 1% 1,392.64 13.79 1.38 1.718 5% 1,447.79 68.94 6.89 8.590 6% 1,461.58 82.73 8.27 10.310 8% 1,489.16 110.31 11.03 13.740 10% 1,516.74 137.89 13.79 17.180 12% 1,544.31 165.46 16.55 20.620 73
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9. Summary of the 2026/2027 Budget Position including Options and Next Steps 9.1. The Original Budget Gap across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 was £24.273 million (section 3.1). Considering updates on key budget areas (section 4) and permanent funding solutions (section 5), the Revised Budget Gap across 2026/2027 to 2027/2028 is £36.315 million (section 6.1). 9.2. The Savings pack in Appendix 1 totals £8.314 million for 2026/2027 (section 7.2, Table 2). The savings pack references the continuation of some of these savings into 2027/2028 with a further £0.632 million of savings identified for that year. This is presented for Members’ consideration, with a view to approving a balanced budget overall. 9.3. In arriving at the Revised Budget Gap of £36.315 million (section 6.1), no account has been taken of any increase in Council Tax. An annual increase in Council Tax for 2026/2027 means less savings require to be taken in order to meet the 2026/2027 remaining Budget Gap of £14.146 million. 9.4. Timeline: The timeline for the Budget process, is detailed in Table 4. Table 4 – Proposed Timeline Timeline Budget Consultation 5 November 2025 – mid-January 2026 Receive Local Government Settlement for 2026/2027 mid-January 2026 (estimate) Set Council Budget for 2026/2027 25 February 2026 9.5. Budget Consultation and Context: The financial challenges being faced by the Council and the operational changes that transformational change will bring, mean that clear communication is essential. The communication and consultation process for the 2025/2026 Budget worked well, and a similar approach will be implemented for the 2026/2027 Budget. This is detailed below. 9.6. With regard to consultation with the public, the consultation process will commence following this meeting of the Executive Committee (5 November 2025), and will run for two months, until mid-January 2026. Initial Budget communications have commenced, focusing on the Council’s financial position and giving context on the level of savings required. 9.7. The consultation itself will start by setting the scene for the Budget and again will provide the financial backdrop in relation to the £36.315 million Budget Gap across the 2-year period and will provide context to the proposals that the public will be asked to comment on. The public will then be asked for a view on each of the individual saving proposals specifically. We will continue to build on the success of the previous consultations to capture the views of hard-to-reach residents, including younger people. Once the consultation process is complete, feedback on the savings consultation will be presented to Members for their consideration, and the results will be published to show residents that their views impacted on decision-making. 74
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9.8. Meetings are taking place with the Trade Unions to advise of the Budget process and the savings exercise that is ongoing. 10. One-Off Funding Available including pEPR 10.1. There are some one-off monies that could be used to help manage the Budget Gap for 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 on a temporary basis. This includes £7.100 million core budget released by pEPR monies in 2025/2026 only. At the Executive Committee of 27 August 2025, it was proposed by officers that that the £7.100 million funding be transferred to Reserves, and consideration given to its use to support the Budget Strategy, with a view to setting this aside for the additional cost in relation to Pay Awards. 10.2. An Amendment was also presented to the August Executive Committee which proposed to retain £2.100 million (of the £7.100 million) in Community and Enterprise Resources budget to establish a ‘Cleaning up South Lanarkshire Fund’. This included additional staffing, vehicle resources and environmental reinforcement to provide resilience and tackle litter and fly tipping, boosting the bin replacement programme and increasing awareness of opportunities to reuse and recycle. Allocating monies to these areas on a one-off basis would mean that there is less one-off money available to smooth the impact on savings over years. 10.3. Using one-off monies to help manage the Budget Gap across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 on a temporary basis would allow us to spread the savings requirement over more years. The use of £7.000 million of one-off funding could be utilised in 2027/2028 (the officers’ proposal), being mindful of the impact on future years’ budget strategies and the requirement to make permanent savings. This would mean there is a remaining savings requirement of £29.315 million across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028. This is illustrated in Table 5. Table 5: Impact of One-Off Funding on Budget Gap 2026/2027 £m 2027/2028 £m Total £m Revised Budget Gap Across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 (Table 2) 14.146 22.169 36.315 Use of One-Off Solutions 0.000 (7.000) (7.000) Revised Budget Gap Across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 (after use of one-off monies) 14.146 15.169 29.315 10.4. The impact of the August Executive Committee Amendment (detailed in section 10.2) would mean the use of £2.000 million less in 2027/2028 (£5.000 million overall) which would result in a Budget Gap across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 of £31.315 million. This is opposed to £29.315 million when the full £7.000 million is used to support the Budget Strategy (Table 5). This additional £2.000 million will have to be met from elsewhere, either through further savings, increases in Council Tax or utilising reserves in order to meet the Budget Gap in 2027/2028. 75
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10.5. The Executive Committee noted the anticipated underspend of £7.100 million in core Council budget, but rather than agree to set it aside to support the Budget Strategy, or progress the Amendment, no decision was taken on its use. Instead, it was agreed that consideration of its use be taken forward to a future meeting of the Executive Committee. 10.6. For Member’s information, any use of one-off funding in 2027/2028 would require to be reinstated in 2028/2029. However, there are other one-off monies built up over recent years that can be used to help reduce the Budget Gap again that year. Appendix 2 illustrates how one-off funding can be utilised over the longer term in the Council’s Budget Strategy, with the officers’ proposed use of £7.000 million in 2027/2028. 10.7. Choosing an alternative to the £7.000 million proposed in 2027/2028 would change the profile of savings required across years as outlined in Appendix 2. Utilising anything less than the officers’ proposed £7.000 million in 2027/2028 will increase the savings requirement in that year. 10.8. Teacher Numbers / Reduced Class Contact Time (RCCT): Members will be aware that a budget issue was identified in relation to teacher numbers during the Council’s 2025/2026 Budget process. £4.2 million was earmarked as this was the estimated cost if we had to reinstate teacher numbers to the 2023 level. Committee was advised in August that there was no longer a need to restore teacher numbers to the higher level and agreed that the underspend for 2025/2026 would be transferred to Reserves and that consideration would be given to its use to support the Budget Strategy. This underspend is included in one-off monies referred to in section 10.6. 10.9. As previously reported to the Council’s Executive Committee (August 2025), there is still a risk in relation to Reducing Class Contact Time for teachers. National discussions on this are ongoing. Reducing the amount of time that a teacher is in the classroom would mean a requirement for additional teachers to be brought into the system. This would have financial implications for councils including South Lanarkshire Council. Cosla and local government are engaged with the Scottish Government on this matter, and local government have made it clear that funding would have to be provided by the Scottish Government. If the Scottish Government do not fully fund the cost of RCCT then the savings that the Council has to make are higher that they would be if funding is provided. Updates will be provided as this matter progresses. 76
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11. Reinstatement 11.1. Table 6 re-presents the year of reinstatement of the impact of any previous year Budget decisions (previously presented in June 2025). Table 6: Temporary Solutions / Reinstatement Year of Adjustment 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m 2028 / 2029 £m 2025/2026 Corporate Solutions Service Concessions One-off use of Reserves (2025/2026) Reinstated into 2026/2027 (Executive Committee, November 2022) 15.100 - - Reduction in Employers’ Pension Contribution Reinstated into 2026/2027 (Executive Committee, November 2023) Offset by further use of Reserves in 2026/2027 (reinstated in 2027/2028) 23.500 (17.700) - 17.700 - - 2024/2025 to 2026/2027 Solutions Use of 2023/2024 Probable Outturn Monies £6.000 million used across 2024/2025 to 2026/2027 at £2.000 million per annum (Executive Committee, November 2023) - 2.000 - Reduction in LVJB Requisition Reinstatement in 2027/2028 and 2028/2029 of temporary reduction. - 0.160 0.264 Use of Loans Fund Review Underspends (Council, February 2025) Offset by further use of Underspends in 2028/2029 (reinstated in 2029/2030) - - (13.000) - 13.000 (9.000) Total Temporary Solutions 20.900 6.860 4.264 Total Budget Gap 14.146 22.169 19.500 11.2. Table 6 shows that the reinstatement monies continue into 2028/2029 and beyond – there is a continued requirement to reinstate temporary solutions beyond the period of this financial strategy which is already planned for and included in our long-term funding plans. The estimated Budget Gap for these years is included for context. 12. Employee Implications 12.1. The employee implication of each of the proposed savings is detailed in Appendix 1. 126.9 FTE posts are proposed to be removed as part of the savings proposals. This affects 201 employees. 77
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12.2. The process of achieving savings where employees will be affected will involve a review of vacant posts, voluntary redeployment, and where appropriate the application of the Council’s Switch 2 policy to support displaced employees. 13. Financial Implications 13.1. The financial implications are summarised within the report. 14. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 14.1. As agreed at the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee (20 September 2023), a Sustainability Impact Assessment will be completed in respect of the Revenue Budget process. The impact assessment process aims to ensure that we continue to ensure that factors related to carbon reduction, climate change adaptation and the wider principles of sustainable development are included within Revenue Budget process. This assessment of each saving and the budget strategy will form part of the Integrated Impact Assessment (refer section 16). 15. Other Implications 15.1. The Budget Strategy approved in June 2025 is a key tool in managing a number of key risks which directly impact on the money available to deliver Council objectives. 15.2. The main risk area, where the Council has made assumptions which have a significant impact on the Budget going forwards, are on the level of grant which we will receive, as well as any general pay, demand or price increases / inflation assumptions currently unknown. These have been estimated, as far as possible and are included in the Budget Gap referred to in this paper. Also, the level of new build properties and, therefore, Council Tax Income generation is based on best information at the time of writing. Any movement in these assumptions would be a risk to the Budget. 15.3. Specific risks for the Budget are detailed in Appendix 3. These detail specifically the areas of uncertainty in the Budget. It should be noted that any movement in these areas could be detrimental to the Council’s financial position and could increase the Budget Gap. 15.4. Level of Support Provided to the Integration Joint Board (IJB) and South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture SCIO (SLLC): The Council’s Budget Strategy for 2026/2027 to 2027/2028 at this stage assumes no additional allocation of monies from the Council to the IJB or SLLC. It is for the IJB and SLLC to produce their own balanced budgets. 15.5. For the IJB, saving M&O04 (Appendix 1), in relation to increasing Council Charges in line with inflation, includes charges for Adults and Older People Services. £0.090 million of the saving is in relation to Adult and Older People Services, delegated to the IJB, and it is proposed that this be retained by the IJB towards the IJB Financial Plan for 2026/2027. 15.6. For SLLC (saving M&O05 in Appendix 1), proposes that a saving £0.500 million can be made in 2026/2027 by a further anticipated underspend in Utilities across SLLC properties. No further savings have been requested of the SLLC at this time. 78
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16. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 16.1. Integrated Impact Assessments have been undertaken for the individual Savings and the Budget as a whole. These can be found here to assist Members in their decision- making process. They will be updated following the Budget Consultation (timescales detailed in section 9.4). Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 6 October 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References South Lanarkshire Council, 26 February 2025 Executive Committee, 25 June 2025 Executive Committee, 27 August 2025 Executive Committee, 24 September 2025 List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: Jackie Taylor, Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Ext: 4637 (Tel: 01698 454637) E-mail : jackie.taylor@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 79
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Appendix 1 Management & Operational Savings Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m M&O01 All Procurement Review This proposal sees efficiencies and savings generated through a focus on demand management opportunities (buying less or not at all), alternative product specifications and new routes to market. Opportunities have been identified for inclusion in the 2026/2027 budget strategy. The total savings proposed for 2026/2027 is £0.801 million. The opportunities are outlined below: Proposal Savings £m Proposal Savings £m Boilers and Radiators 0.016 Nitrile Gloves 0.016 Postal Services 0.026 Purchase Card Rebate 0.020 Translation Services 0.006 Timber 0.371 Purchase Card Rebate 0.055 Water 0.020 Homeless Property Cleaning 0.090 Disabled Adaptation Products 0.010 Housing Property Cleaning and Clearance 0.120 Street Lighting 0.007 Construction Wallboard 0.022 Education Apps 0.022 Total 0.801 - 0.801 80
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Management & Operational Savings Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m M&O02 All Overtime Review Resources have been working in conjunction with Personnel Services to prepare action plans to meet the outcomes associated with reducing overtime across the Council. Through removing enhanced overtime expenditure and reducing and containing plain time overtime expenditure while considering the approach to service delivery, savings of £0.991 million can be realised in 2026/2027. This is summarised across Resources in the table below. Resource / Service 2026/2027 Saving Community and Enterprise 0.397 Education 0.205 Finance and Corporate 0.056 Housing and Technical 0.277 Social Work 0.056 Total 0.991 - 0.991 81
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Management & Operational Savings Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m M&O03 All Organisational and Management Structures Review This proposal considers spans of control across all Resources in order to review the number of management and supervisory posts. This is to ensure consistency in the balance of managers and front-line staff as well as to identify and remove any anomalies with direct Grade to Grade reporting. Services were identified which currently operate with lower spans of control than what is recommended by the Preferred Operating Model. In these service areas, efficiencies can be realised by aligning more closely with the model, while also ensuring consistency across Resources in terms of management workload and responsibility. This will realise savings totalling £0.900 million in 2026/2027 with a further £0.124 million achievable in 2027/2028. It is anticipated that this will affect 21 employees. 21.0 0.900 M&O04 All Council Charges In line with forecast inflation, a 3.3% increase on all Council charges is proposed. This would generate additional income of £0.290 million and would mean a 3.3% increase on all charges that the Council is able to change (including charges for Adults and Older People Non-residential Services). £0.200 million of the saving will be retained by the Council and the balance of £0.090 million, generated by Adult and Older People Services, will be retained by the IJB and will be used to support the IJB Financial Plan for 2026/2027. - 0.200 82
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Management & Operational Savings Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m M&O05 SLLC South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Utilities Recent data shows the continuation of the downward trend in utility prices in 2025/2026. The Council is a member of the buying consortium who purchase wholesale energy in advance, on behalf of ourselves and other public sector bodies. The price indications for energy purchased for the next couple of years indicates further price reductions beyond that assumed for 2025/2026. This allows an estimated saving of £0.500 million in 2026/2027 in relation to South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture utility costs. - 0.500 M&O06 Planning and Regulatory Annual Increase to Planning and Building Warrant Fees Through the realignment of income budgets to reflect current fee income being received a saving of £0.122 million is achievable in 2026/2027. In addition, through a new industry measurement to determine costs of construction works, which then determines the payable fees for Building Warrants, and statutory increases to fees generated through Planning Applications (increase of 3%) and Building Warrants (increase of 10%), income of £0.050 million will be generated in 2026/2027. - 0.172 M&O07 IT Digital Transformation Review This review will generate efficiencies by ensuring resources are suitably deployed to priority projects across Resources. The three key areas of consideration are: - Business Systems & Processes: projects and improvements to key corporate and line of business applications. - Workforce Productivity: focus on enabling and empowering staff to maximise their effectiveness and digital literacy. - 0.030 83
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Management & Operational Savings Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m - Customer Engagement: clear & consistent Council-wide customer engagement. (Separate Review) The majority of savings from this review are anticipated in future years. A saving of £0.030m is achievable in 2026/2027 and is the result of the refresh of the website technology contract. M&O08 Finance - Transactions Customer Engagement Review The organisational structure used to deliver customer services across the Council is being assessed. This will consider opportunities for ways to improve customer service, resilience and the delivery of efficiencies. The review is expected to deliver efficiencies across Resources from improvements expected to be made to customer contact processes and systems across the Council. In addition, the review of service structures is expected to add to the efficiencies. The movement of the Benefits and Revenues call centre to Customer Services and the financial benefits expected to follow from a streamlining of the management structure and a greater pooling of the call handling resource will allow efficiencies to be achieved. 1 FTE call services assistant will be removed from April 2026 and 1 FTE team leader post from January 2027. Savings of £0.048m are therefore achievable in 2026/2027 with a further £0.038m in 2027/2028. A higher level of efficiencies is expected to be generated from the following areas of activity over the medium term: • Structural change • Process review • Review of email usage • Introduction of new technologies • Standardisation 2.0 0.048 84
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Management & Operational Savings Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m M&O09 Personnel Development Team Through a reduction in the staffing structure of the Development Team of 1.4 FTE, savings of £0.054m are achievable in 2026/2027. 1.4 0.054 Total Management & Operational Savings 24.4 3.696 85
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Savings for Approval Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m CER01 Enterprise and Sustainable Development Christmas Events (Re-presented) This option would see a budget reduction due to removing the Christmas Switch-On events. The Council currently supports six switch-on events across South Lanarkshire, in Hamilton, East Kilbride, Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Lanark and Carluke. This proposal would remove the events programme. There would be no council provided Christmas events in town centres. This savings proposal would remove all the budget for this area (£0.045m). - 0.045 CER02 Enterprise and Sustainable Development Christmas Trees and Lighting (Re-presented) The proposal is a budget reduction to rationalise trees and festive lighting to eight main geographical areas: Hamilton, East Kilbride, Rutherglen, Carluke, Blantyre, Cambuslang, Larkhall and Lanark. - 0.037 CER03 Grounds Weedkilling (Re-presented) This proposal will reduce weedkilling from 2 applications to one per annum. The reduction applies across all current areas of hardstanding, shrub beds and grass edges. There will be greater weed growth over the growing season. This will affect 15 employees (14.5 FTE). 14.5 0.525 86
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Savings for Approval Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m CER04 Grounds Support for Gala Days (Re-presented) This proposal would see the removal of grounds staff supporting gala days. This includes costs of bunting and the costs of overtime for staff supporting gala days. - 0.055 CER05 Streets Mechanical Sweeping – Small (Re-presented) There would also be a reduction in the number of smaller Swingo vehicle used on footpaths, shop fronts and town centres and some roads within housing areas and industrial estates. (27% reduction in vehicles). This will mean less street sweeping. Remaining vehicles will be targeted to high footfall areas. Smaller fleet will mean means less resilience in ad hoc / urgent response situations. This will affect 6 employees (6 FTE). 6.0 0.290 CER06 Streets Litter collection (Re-presented) This proposal would see a 10% reduction in litter picking and bin emptying. The saving would include staffing and fleet vehicles. Bin infrastructure is being looked at to reduce numbers of bins but increase capacity. This will affect 10 employees (10 FTE). 10.0 0.264 87
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Savings for Approval Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m CER07 Roads, Transportation and Fleet Precautionary Footway Gritting (Re-presented) We currently treat ‘precautionary’ footways ahead of freezing conditions. Beyond that our approach is reactive, treating ‘accessibility’ and ‘other’ routes during periods of extended severe weather as resources allow. Currently, we treat 3.38% of our footways on a precautionary basis and this proposal would involve a cessation of the current practice to instead involve reactive footway treatment only in response to severe conditions. There would be potentially increased risks of accidents occurring due to potential falls on slippery pavements. It is understood that several other Scottish local authorities take this approach including Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, Inverclyde, Moray, Argyll & Bute, West Lothian, Fife, and Perth & Kinross. - 0.300 CER08 Roads, Transportation and Fleet Carriageway Gritting (Re-presented) The Council’s core carriageway gritting service treats our ‘precautionary’ routes prior to the forecast onset of freezing conditions or snow. Currently, low season routes are treated during winter low season (normally October and April), with more comprehensive high season routes being treated from November to end of March. High season routes equate to circa 49% of the road network and low season routes equate to circa 30% of the road network. - 0.130 88
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Savings for Approval Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m The Scottish average is 45% and indicates that we presently deliver an above average level of service. This proposal would be to move to the Scottish average. A change to treating only the Scottish average during high season would inevitably see some roads removed from our routes leading to an associated risk of increased accidents, however we would still be treating 45% of the network (a reduction of 4%). CER09 Roads, Transportation and Fleet Grit Bins (Re-presented) The provision of grit bins has a limited effectiveness on snow and ice clearance, however, to facilitate self-help we provide over 3,000 grit bins across our communities. In severe weather these bins empty quickly and demands for refilling peak. Refilling exercises are a substantial operation and frequently require successive visits across locations. This is a laborious, costly, and very resource intensive operation. The Service feel that this is not the most productive of the winter service provision. This proposal would be to reduce / rationalise the number of grit bins by 25% across our communities through the development of tighter criteria for the placing of grit bins. These criteria will continue to take account of the following factors: roads below a specified gradient won’t qualify for a grit bin, and the distance from the nearest grit bin will also be taken into consideration. - 0.065 89
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Savings for Approval Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m CER10 Facilities, Waste and Grounds Grounds / Grass Cutting (Re-presented) This proposal would see a reduction in the grass cutting specification for low and high amenity areas. The Grounds Service maintains all Council owned open space - 55 public parks, including 11 District Parks. Grounds maintenance work is seasonal, and grass cutting is undertaken during the summer months. The proposal is to reduce the frequency of grass cutting as per the table below: High Amenity Low Amenity 14 cuts (from 18) 7 cuts (from 14) Low amenity areas include public open space, residential grassed areas and industrial areas. This category has the vast majority of land at approximately 11 million m2. Grass is cut in low amenity areas 14 times per year and collection only occurs in a small number of these areas. High amenity areas cover approximately 635,000 m2 and include cemeteries, high footfall areas, public buildings, sports pitches and country park lawn areas. These areas are cut 18 times per year and the grass is collected as part of the service. This proposal does not include cemeteries. 36.0 1.050 90
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Savings for Approval Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m This will result in a saving of £1.050m in 2026/2027. It will mean that grass will be much longer between cuts and the general maintenance appearance will differ from current specification. Grass arisings will be left on the surface of those areas cut as grass collection will only remain in cemeteries. This saving will mean an estimated reduction of 36 FTE (impacting up to 72 employees). CER11 Facilities, Waste and Grounds Building Cleaning (Schools) (Re-presented) This proposal concerns reducing the cleaning specification for schools. Facilities Services provides a building cleaning service to all nursery, primary and secondary schools on behalf of Education Resources. 717 employees (314 FTE) deliver the cleaning service across the school estate based on a cleaning specification consisting of a number of tasks and appropriate frequencies. The Service is a member of APSE Building Cleaning performance network and participates in an annual benchmarking exercise across Scotland and the broader UK. One of the key measures is the cleaning productivity rates and in 2022/23, South Lanarkshire Council scored the third highest rate in Primary Schools and second highest in Secondary Schools within the family group, demonstrating that resources are being utilised efficiently. APSE data is shown in the table below with the productivity rate measure in square metres cleaned per hour. 25.0 0.260 91
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Savings for Approval Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m South Lanarkshire Family Group National Primary school 208 174 190 High school 246 205 197 A summary of the proposed reductions is shown in the table below. Task/ area Current frequency Proposed frequency Damp dusting 4 days per week 2 days per week High level dusting 4 weekly Monthly Spot cleaning of walls 5 days per week Monthly Electrostatic spraying Weekly Monthly Staff bases, meeting rooms, medical rooms 4 full cleans per week One full clean per week with daily check clean It is anticipated these reductions in cleaning specification would generate a financial saving of £0.520m phased over a 2-year period (£0.260m in 2026/2027 and £0.260m in 2027/2028), reflecting the implementation from August 2026. This would see a reduction of 25 FTE (62 employees). The reduction in cleaning specification will mean a reduction of 925 cleaning hours across all schools. This will likely require reprofiling/changing hours across the whole estate and potentially affect 717 cleaning employees. 92
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Savings for Approval Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m CER12 Planning and Regulatory Planning – Introduction of Charges Within the Planning & Regulatory Service, charges will be introduced for a range of new discretionary advice and support services from 1 April 2026 for Planning and Building Standards. These Pre-application advice services will be tailored in the form of tiered packages dependent on scale and complexity of the proposed development based largely on the statutory Hierarchy of Development as defined in legislation and aligning with our adopted Scheme of Delegation. The different packages will include combinations of written responses, meetings and site visits. This approach is considered appropriate to provide income for the pre-application enquiry service, which is currently provided free of charge. The pre application advice will cover requests for advice and support for minor household development through to major applications and charges will range from £0.001m to £0.010m dependant on the level of advice sought. Service Level commitments will be prepared so that potential developers are aware of the charges and the extent to which access would be provided to Council Officers. It is anticipated that additional income of £0.100 million will be generated through these new commercial charges. - 0.100 Total Community and Enterprise Resources 91.5 3.121 93
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Education Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m EDR01 Early Years/ Primary/ Secondary/ ASN Per Capita / Devolved School Management Spend (Re-presented) This saving proposes a reduction in the per capita allocation to Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) / primary and secondary schools (i.e. the amount we provide to establishments to spend per pupil). Total “per capita” spend is £3.4m. This allowance has been subject to savings in recent years, particularly as part of procurement efficiencies. The consequences would be that the ability for establishments to spend on classroom materials and resources would be reduced. A 14% reduction in per capita allocation of £0.480m will give a per pupil allocation of £17.96 primary, £86.35 secondary, £686.67 ASN and £63.19 ELC based on census 2024 pupil numbers. - 0.480 EDR02 Support Primary School Breakfast Clubs (Re-presented) Within South Lanarkshire, primary school breakfast club provision operates from 8.15am to 8.45am and is currently universally free of charge to all. This allows children the opportunity for a healthy breakfast and a good start to the school day. It is recognised that for many parents this service also acts as childcare allowing them to get to work. The majority of other councils who operate breakfast clubs charge a fee. It is proposed that in order to retain the service, rather than to reduce or remove it, that a charging policy is implemented. The proposal is to charge a flat rate of £1.50 per child, with an exemption being applied where the child is entitled to free school meals by financial assessment. This would potentially generate income of up to £0.590m in a full year. However. this would require the introduction of an administrative process, administered by 1 FTE Grade 1, costing £0.030m. (1.0) 0.350 94
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Education Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m The full year net annual saving would then equate to £0.560m, however if implemented from August 2026, there will be a part year saving of approximately £0.350m in 2026/2027 with a further saving of £0.210m in 2027/2028. EDR03 Secondary Instrumental Music Service (IMS) (Re-presented) The Instrumental Music Service, a non-statutory service, provides music tuition for young people in South Lanarkshire schools. The service is funded from core Council budget and external funding from both Creative Scotland and Scottish Government. It is proposed to reduce the current establishment of 29.5 FTE music instructors by 3 FTE (10%) realising a saving of £0.184m per annum. The loss of instrumental teaching days will be achieved through a wholesale realignment of IMS provision allocated to learning communities and a restructure of IMT timetables. 3.0 0.184 EDR04 YFCL Youth, Family and Community Learning (YFCL) The restructure of the current YFCL team to provide a greater focus on early intervention and locality-based planning for whole family support. This will involve the removal of 8 FTE Officers (temp funded) and 1 FTE Coordinator. Functional line management will be carried out by Area Coordinators / Team leaders. There will be a greater focus on the role of Pathfinders within a locality model and additional funding from the allocated ASL monies will support this going forward. 9.0 0.465 Total Education Resources 11.0 1.479 95
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Housing & Technical Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (26/27) Saving 26/27 £m HTR01 Housing Community Safety Partnership Contribution (Re-presented) The South Lanarkshire Community Safety Partnership (CSP) is a collaboration of public services and voluntary organisations that work together to keep people and communities safe. An annual contribution to the partnership is provided by the council, with funding received directed through the partnership’s Safer South Lanarkshire Board. In 2025/26 this funding predominantly contributed to the costs of three partnership posts: • Assistant Police Liaison Officer • Victim Support Scotland Support Co-ordinator • Partnership Analyst This proposal would see the Council’s contribution to the partnership reduced by £0.018m to £0.037m in 2026/2027, generating a saving of £0.018m for the council. Allocation of this contribution will continue to be determined by the Safer South Lanarkshire Board. - 0.018 Total Housing & Technical Resources - 0.018 96
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Total Savings FTE £m Management & Operational Savings 24.4 3.696 Savings for Approval Community & Enterprise Resources 91.5 3.121 Education Resources 11.0 1.479 Finance & Corporate Resources - - Housing & Technical Resources - 0.018 Social Work Resources - - Savings for Approval (before Council Tax) 102.5 4.618 Total Savings (before Council Tax) 126.9 8.314 97
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Appendix 2 2026/2027 2027/2028 2028/2029 2029/2030 2030/2031 2031/2032 2032/2033 2033/2034 Total Budget Gap before Council Tax 14.146 22.169 19.500 19.905 19.795 15.700 16.100 16.500 143.815 Use of Reserves 0.000 (7.000) (7.000) (6.000) (6.000) (4.000) (4.000) (2.250) (36.250) Reinstatement in following year 0.000 0.000 7.000 7.000 6.000 6.000 4.000 4.000 34.000 Savings Requirement 14.146 15.169 19.500 20.905 19.795 17.700 16.100 18.250 141.565 98
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Appendix 3 Areas of Risk • Pay Awards: The Strategy includes an assumption for both teaching and non-teaching staff in 2025/2026 and beyond as well as the full year effect of an estimated Teachers’ Pay Award from August 2025 (into 2026/2027). The pay deal for Non-Teachers is set for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 only and there has been no agreement of what the pay award will be beyond financial year 2026/2027. For teaching staff, there is no pay deal beyond August 2024. This is therefore a risk to the financial Strategy. • Children and Families: The position on the approved recovery plan to mitigate the estimated £10.6 million of pressures associated mainly with external placements have been reported to the Social Work Committee during 2025/2026. This includes the commissioning of new Intensive Family Support Services to address high-cost residential placements, ongoing reviews of policies and procedures, service reviews and a review and update of contracts. This is a multi-year recovery plan, and any slippage is a risk to the Council’s budget. • Inflation: As noted in section 4.4, inflation continues to be higher than originally estimated. Account has been taken of the estimated impact into 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 for the Council’s contracts. While the forecasts for 2026/2027 can be used with a degree of certainty, it is too early to assess whether future year forecasts would change significantly as we progress towards those financial years. Any variation could impact on the Budget Strategy in future years. This will continue to be monitored with updates provided on any potential future impacts into 2027/2028 and beyond. • Insurance: The Council operates an Insurance Fund to manage claims and liabilities arising from normal business. An amount has been included in the Budget Strategy to enable the Fund to balance on an annual basis without the need for a Fund. However, there is a risk that this additional budget may be insufficient if the level of claims experienced increases. 99
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 5 November 2025 Report by: Chief Executive Subject: Community Plan Quarter 4 Progress Report 2024/2025 and Annual Outcomes Improvement Report 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] advise the Executive Committee of progress made against the outcomes within the Community Plan 2022-2032 as at the end of March 2025 purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Executive Committee is asked to approve the following recommendations:- [ (1) that the progress made to date against the outcomes within the Community Plan be noted (see Appendix 1); and (2) that the content of the statutory Annual Outcomes Improvement Report (see Appendix 2) is noted. 3. Background 3.1. The South Lanarkshire Community Plan was approved in October 2017 and sets out the priorities and outcomes for the partnership over 10 years from 2022- 2032. 3.2. A report setting out the new Community Plan was approved by the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Board on 22 June 2022. The report outlined a plan to meet the requirement to publish a Local Outcomes Improvement Plan as required by the Community Empowerment Act. It was agreed that an Annual Outcomes Improvement Report would be published alongside the Performance Progress report. 3.3. This report outlines the progress made against the Community Plan up to the end of March 2025 (see Appendix 1). It also provides an update on the Annual Outcomes Improvement Report for 2024/25 as detailed in Appendix 2. 3.4. While compiling the Quarter 4 Performance Progress Report, some instances were identified where the indicators presented within the Community Plan have been amended or superseded by alternative measures. Appendix 3 itemises the Community Plan indicators which have been amended following the review of the indicators which was completed during 2023/2024. 4. Progress to date 4.1. The principles underpinning the framework remain to ensure that the Partnership Board receives clear performance reports which are produced to a common timescale and a common standard across the Partnership. 10 101
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4.2. The outcomes within the Community Plan are reported in full within this Quarter 4 report, using the latest information available. The report shows whether outcomes are being achieved to facilitate change and progress against the associated improvement actions. It also highlights progress on specific outcomes to inform good practice, learning and sharing across the Partnership. 4.3. The report uses a “traffic light” system to indicate if there are any concerns about whether a target will be reached or whether an action will be completed as intended. In general, a blue status indicates that the action to achieve change has been completed. A green status indicates that there are no concerns about meeting a target or achieving an action. Amber and red are used to flag up where there may be slippage or deviation from targets and actions. The definitions are as follows:- Status Definition Blue The action to achieve change has been completed Green On course to achieve the target or complete the action as planned/the timescale or target has been met as per expectations Amber There has been minor slippage against timescale or minor shortfall against target Red There has been major slippage against timescale or major shortfall against target To be reported later For some measures, the statistics are not yet available to allow us to say whether the target has been reached or not. These will be reported when available 4.4. The Community Plan outcomes report There are 76 measures within the Community Plan and the table below gives a summary of the progress between 2023/24 and 2024/25:- Summary: Priority Status by year Total Blue Green Amber Red Report Later/Not Available 24-25 23-24 24-25 23-24 24-25 23-24 24-25 23-24 24-25 23-24 24-25 23-24 Putting learning at the centre 0 0 11 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 11 11 Our children and young people thrive 2 0 14 14 0 2 0 0 0 0 16 16 Thriving businesses and fair jobs 0 0 10 12 1 0 1 0 0 0 12 12 Caring, connected communities 2 0 13 12 0 3 0 0 0 0 15 15 Good quality, suitable housing for everyone 1 0 11 11 1 1 1 2 0 0 14 14 People live the healthiest lives possible 0 0 7 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 Total 5 0 66 67 3 7 2 2 0 0 76 76 102
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4.5. Of the 76 measures, 5 (6.5%) have been completed, 66 (87%) are judged to be on course to achieve the targets set, while 2 (2.5%) are judged to be considerably off target and a further 3 (4%) are judged to be slightly off target. There are 0 measures (0%) to be reported later. 4.6. It is important to note that the data within the report does not always refer to the current reporting year. What is shown is the most recent data available, on the strength of which a judgement is made about whether the targets set in the Community Plan are likely to be achieved. 4.7. There are three amber measures and two red measures, and these are detailed below with explanatory commentary and the partner action to improve the measure. Thriving businesses and fair jobs: We will make it easy for businesses and social enterprises get all available help and advice from one place. Outcome: South Lanarkshire is an attractive place to start, grow and locate a business Action Measure Baseline 2024/25 Target Latest Comments Red Number of business support interventions per annum by Economic Development (grants, loans or advice) (Locally set target) Total number of businesses/ social enterprises supported • Existing Organisations 1,200 1,200 1,014 The business model of how South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) delivers client facing business support changed during this year and now relies on Business Gateway to deliver face-to-face advice to South Lanarkshire businesses. This has had an impact on the number of interventions that SLC is supporting directly, which is what this measure reflects up to this point. The vast majority of interventions going forward will be by Business Gateway, and these will be included in future reporting on this measure. Responsibility (Lead): Local Employability Partnership Partner action to improve the measure Due to a realignment of staffing in the SLC Business Support Team, and this coinciding with the Business Gateway moving from an external delivery model to ‘in-house’ provision, albeit the Business Gateway are employed by North Lanarkshire Council, there has been a move to a greater (almost complete) reliance on the Business Gateway to offer face to face business advice. Going forward, this indicator will be reviewed and amended to reflect the current business model for the next reporting year. 103
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Action Measure Baseline 2024/25 Target Latest Comments Amber Number of business support interventions per annum by Economic Development (grants, loans or advice) (Locally set target) Number and value of grants £723,000 (Made up of European Regional Development Fund projected. £483,000 Plus £180,000 SLC monies, plus £60,000 UK Shared Prosperity Fund) £723,000 £501.051 62 business grants were awarded in the 2024/25 reporting year. South Lanarkshire Council’s Business Grant Fund totalled £500,000 in the year 2024/25. These funds were supported by the UK Government via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSP). This figure when added to the amount spent on grants in the previous year to £995,986.44. This equates to a shortfall over the two years of £4,013.56, where SLC were allocated £1,000,000 (£500,000 per financial year) for Business Grants. Responsibility (Lead): Local Employability Partnership Partner action to improve the measure As mentioned above, the total business grant budget for 2023/24 and 2024/25 was £1,000,000. Over the two-year period grants totalling £995,986.44 were provided. This equates to a shortfall over the two years of £4,013.56. Please note that for 2025/26, the total annual grant budget will reduce from £500,000 to £100,000. The baseline figure of £723,000 equates to the uncommitted monies for the Business Support Grant for the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25. The total grant budget for these two years was £1,000,000 and was profiled to commit £500,000 in each year. By the end of the 2024/25 financial year, South Lanarkshire Council had committed and awarded business grant totalling £995,986.44. This equates to a shortfall from the total budget of £4,013.36. This shortfall could not have been overcome due to the fact that the business grants are retrospective and rely on projects being completed before grant monies can be awarded. Good quality, suitable housing for everyone: We will work in partnership to prevent and significantly reduce homelessness, and improve outcomes for those at risk of or who experience homelessness Outcome: Prevent homelessness and improve outcomes for those at risk of or who experience homelessness 104
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Action Measure Baseline 2024/25 Target Latest Comments Red Deliver Housing Options Service with the aim of preventing homelessness Increase the percentage of Housing Option interventions where homelessness is prevented 73.5% 70% 60% During 2024/25, 60% (889) homeless household cases were prevented, broadly similar to the position recorded last year. The operating context in relation to the prevention of homelessness remains extremely challenging. The prevailing socio- economic conditions continue to adversely impact upon the ability to prevent homelessness during 2024/25. This trend has been mirrored nationally. Responsibility (Lead): Housing and Homelessness Service Partner action to improve the measure The ability of the council and its partners to prevent homelessness continues to be a challenge. External factors such as ongoing cost of living increases and a decrease in the private rented sector limit the availability of housing options for many individuals and families. The impact of these factors has resulted in the local and national declarations of “housing emergencies”. Preventing and reducing the impact of homelessness continues to be a key focus for the council and partners and is a priority outcome within the Homelessness Strategic Plan, which was approved by the council’s Housing and Technical Resources Committee in September 2024 (replacing the Rapid Re-housing Transition Plan 2019-2024). The Housing Options Teams continue to focus on supporting those at risk of homelessness and where possible deliver interventions to prevent homelessness occurring. Action Measure Baseline 2024/25 Target Latest Comments Amber Deliver Housing Options Service with the aim of preventing homelessness Reduce repeat instances of homelessness 4.5% 3% 4.6% Instances of repeat homelessness have increased by 15% from 98 cases in 2023/24 to 113 in 2024/25. This has resulted in performance being slightly above the target of 3%. All repeat homelessness cases are reviewed to identify patterns and to inform future development and delivery of services. 105
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Responsibility (Lead): Housing and Homelessness Service Partner action to improve the measure The ability of the council and its’ partners to prevent homelessness continues to be a challenge. There are a range of complex factors which contribute to repeat homelessness and a multi- agency approach is essential to improving outcomes for those affected. The Homelessness Strategic Plan sets out key areas of work and initiatives, such as Intensive Outreach Support and Housing First, that the council and partners will continue to progress with the aim of preventing homelessness, including instances of repeat homelessness. While instances of repeat homelessness have increased by 15% between 2023/24 and 2024/25, it should be noted that overall there has been a 10% reduction in homelessness presentations. People live the healthiest lives possible: We will provide high quality day-to-day health and social care services that are accessible to everyone in our community who needs them Outcome: Health and Social Care Services are centred on helping to maintain or improve the quality of life of people who use those services Action Measure Comments Amber Implement Discharge Without Delay to return people to their home or community safely Embed Home Assessment Team approach across localities to optimise independence of those discharged from hospital/prevention from hospital admission In 2024/25, care packages were reduced on average by 29% following Home Assessment Team (HAT) intervention. In the same period, the service supported over 1,000 episodes of care; and 50% of service users who completed HAT intervention either required reduced or no support following intervention. Performance has fallen slightly short of the 30% annual target; however, it is acknowledged performance has been variable across the period and is influenced by the volume of individuals with complex needs being supported by the service who have little or no reablement potential. A review of the service model and criteria for the service is currently underway which is expected to result in changes to pathways, increasing the flow and capacity through HAT which will have a positive impact on performance going forward. Responsibility (Lead): South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Partner action to improve the measure Teams continue to review the complexity of cases to determine if this is having an impact on the capacity to reduce hours. A review of the service model and criteria for the service is currently underway which is expected to result in changes to pathways, increasing the flow and capacity through HAT which will have a positive impact on performance going forward. 4.8. Detailed progress against all outcomes and the related interventions contained within the Community Plan is noted within the Quarter 4 Outcomes Progress Report at Appendix 1. 5. Key Achievements 5.1. Key achievements for 2024/25 in relation to the priority themes, are highlighted overleaf: 106
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Priority Theme: Putting learning at the centre Achievements: Community Learning and Development Partnership - Vertigo Theatre and Vertigo 360 Vertigo Theatre is a drama group based at East Kilbride Universal Connections that meets on Thursday nights and provides access to high quality drama activity for young people aged 12 and up from across South Lanarkshire. Vertigo 360 sessions are for young people aged 8-18. Vertigo is different from many other youth theatre groups in that it was established and is facilitated using youth work values and principles. All Vertigo groups are run by a committee of members who are extremely effective in decision making in every aspect of the provision. Sessions are delivered by professional tutors and volunteers, many of whom began their development at Vertigo. At Vertigo young people can meet a new peer group outwith school and enjoy a drama class that includes improvisation, confidence building and working with others. Vertigo and Vertigo 360 have undertaken many large-scale performances over the years, and this year was no different! The group put on a fantastic sold-out production of ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ at East Kilbride Arts Centre in October 2024, adding to a storied list of successful productions organised and performed by the group since its inception. The young people of Vertigo report that they have gained and improved a number of transferable skills for life, learning and work over the course of 2024/25. With improvements to confidence and self-esteem, interpersonal skills and team working, and self-determination and aspirations, all noted by participants this year, they have greatly improved their access to higher education and employment. Indeed, former members of the group often report that a huge factor in their success has been the skills and security they gained through being part of Vertigo and that, had they not been part of it, their lives might have taken a very different direction. Many young people who have come through the ranks at Vertigo over the years have gone on to study theatre and music-based subjects at accredited drama and music schools and colleges, and are doing well within their professions as actors, stage managers and musicians. Achievements: Community Learning and Development Partnership: Gear Change and Walk’n’Roll Through funding from the Scottish Government, Cycling Scotland and Climate Action South Lanarkshire, ‘Gear Change’ has completed phase one of the project, qualifying staff in Cycle Leader, Mountain Bike Leader and First Aid to lead communities and learners in community cycles for Cambuslang Universal Connections’ learners with their first outing being to the Cuningar Loop pump track. This project was in tandem with East Kilbride Universal Connections’ ‘Walk ‘n’ Roll’ Project with introductory cycling sessions and a mixture of introductory and improvement walking sessions in each area. This provided staff with the opportunity to use the bikes to take learners (young people, adults or families) along the cycle paths in East Kilbride to Calderglen Park, spend time at the park, and then cycle back. The other section of the project has promoted walking, again for young people, adults or families. Murder mystery and treasure trail maps have also been secured to make this much more enjoyable and provide further family learning within the experience. Future developments within the project seek to access National Trust Passes which will enable groups to go further afield. The net benefit of the use of bikes within the service has seen far reaching impacts and outcomes for our communities. It has supported learners to understand and improve their healthier lifestyle options, active travel options and learning opportunities to improve health and wellbeing and family learning experiences. Priority Theme: Our children and young people thrive Achievements: Children’s Services Partnership: United Nations Convention on Rights of a Child (UNCRC) eLearning Module A new UNCRC eLearning module has been created by our children and young people and has been made available across all public and third sector partners. The training was launched by the young people in January 2025 when they hosted a premiere event at Cineworld in Falkirk complete with red carpet for friends, families and partner organisations. The young people held a 107
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question and answer session after the film and displayed their great knowledge of the UNCRC, children’s rights and the experience of creating the webinar film. This training puts children and young people at the heart of our rights-based practice and takes the form of a videoed webinar that informs staff in an entertaining way of the key messages in the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 and includes a cameo appearance from South Lanarkshire Council’s Chief Executive Paul Manning. (Article 42 – the right to know your rights). The project enabled Children’s Services partners including Action For Children, Youth Family Community Learning and The Promise Development Team to work with a group of our young people to develop training content based on guidance from the Scottish Government on the Act. The webinar contributes substantially to commitments made in the 2023-26 Children’s Services Plan, regarding further embedding a children’s rights-based culture and practice across our public sector. Achievements: Children’s Services Partnership: Care Day An event to celebrate Care Day in February 2025, was planned with and led by young people from South Lanarkshire’s Champion’s Board. Following the 2024 event, the young people asked to be more involved in co-designing care day and in delivering the event on the day. The young people hosted the event and challenged corporate parents to show how they were continuing to keep South Lanarkshire’s Promise. The programme was designed by the Champions Board with attention to celebrating success as well as showcasing good practice. Breakout groups for both young people and corporate parents took place to provide a more active aspect to the day. Sessions focussed on poverty, Kinship Care, The Employability Promise and the ethos of The Promise. This event brought together over 180 care experienced children and young people and corporate parents to share experiences and identify what more we can do together. (Articles 9, 20 and 21 - the right to be cared for). Achievements: Children’s Services Partnership: The Family Support Hubs The Family Support Hubs have offered accessible provision in Hamilton, East Kilbride, Lanark and Cambuslang localities. Each area has a team of social workers, family support workers, group workers, peer workers, Children 1st staff and therapists who have offered families a wide range of support with a shared remit of providing whole family support that prevents crisis, reduces inequalities and improves child development, family functioning and wellbeing. As a result of this ‘no wrong door approach’ for families, 75% of new referrals to Children and Families Social Work were dealt with by the hubs, a 14% increase from last year. A Parenting Support Group Work Pathway has been successfully implemented with key partners to ensure a coordinated approach to supporting parents through a range of evidence-based programmes and locally developed engagement based on Getting it Right for Every Child. The hubs held a ‘celebrating success’ event in December 2024, which was attended by partners across health, education, social work, leisure and third sector to find out and celebrate the impact that the hubs were making to children and families across South Lanarkshire. The voices of children and families were the highpoint of the event when they shared their experiences through video of support and the difference it made to their lives. The hubs are supporting more families at an earlier stage than previously was possible and have helped to reduce a range of more formal interventions e.g. less referrals to Social Work teams, fewer statutory Social Work interventions, lower rates of child protection investigations and fewer children on the Child Protection Register. 108
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Achievements: Community Learning and Development Partnership: Pathfinders The Pathfinders Programme is currently operating within six secondary schools (Cathkin High; Stonelaw High; Lanark Grammar; Calderside Academy; St Andrew’s and St Bride’s, and Carluke High) with 14 Youth, Family and Community Learning Pathfinder staff in post. The early and effective model has supported vulnerable young people and their families through a whole family approach and attachment theory principles, working with other agencies to help young people achieve their best possible life outcomes, learning achievements and supporting them to reach their full potential. Home visits and parental engagement keep families connected to the wider community and are ensuring appropriate referrals to the project. Young people and families are actively involved in designing the right supports for them. Staff are developing trusting relationships, working in partnership with young people and families, to ensure that the work is meaningful and supports each individual young person and family appropriately. In the past 12 months, Pathfinders managed to involve 20% more young people than planned providing even more young people with the support required to meet their identified needs. Young people involved told us that Pathfinders has helped them improve their social skills, managing negative peer influences and improving their overall health and wellbeing. Priority Theme: Local Employability Partnership: Thriving businesses and fair jobs Achievements: South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership’s Annual Investment Plan Through the South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership’s Annual Investment Plan there has been an increased focus on the delivery of ‘Specialist Employability Support’ to people with additional support needs and health related barriers to employment. Routes to Work South have delivered an intensive support programme for participants who require support to address barriers including long-term health conditions and mental health challenges. The programme involves the delivery of bespoke health and wellbeing interventions designed to help clients overcome these challenges. Employability Advisors also work closely with individuals to improve routine, sleep patterns and social connections as part of a holistic approach to employability. A men's peer-to-peer support group continues to be a valued and effective part of the service. It has demonstrated a deep understanding of clients' needs, providing not only emotional support but also a practical pathway toward increased confidence and readiness for work. The group offers a safe and welcoming environment where clients can openly discuss the barriers they face, connect with others who share similar experiences, and exchange ideas for building healthy habits and routines. Building on the success of this initiative, which was initially tailored to male clients, we have now launched a dedicated women’s wellbeing group. This group, introduced on International Women's Day, offers a supportive space to explore topics such as self-care, resilience, and personal growth. It has been designed to evolve based on the needs and interests of the women attending, giving them ownership over the themes, discussions and activities that matter most to them. This inclusive, client-led approach ensures that the service is both relevant and empowering, supporting participants not only in improving wellbeing but also in building the confidence to take steps toward employment. Achievements: East Kilbride Skills Rail Academy Programmes South Lanarkshire Council worked in partnership with Routes to Work South and QTS Training to deliver two East Kilbride Skills Rail Academy programmes during 2024/25. The programmes were delivered in conjunction with the East Kilbride Rail Enhancement projects at Hairmyres and East Kilbride stations and supported two intakes of 12 young people over 10-week periods followed by a 4-week work placement. The young people experienced a blend of sector-specific 109
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training which included Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), personal track safety, certificates in emergency first aid, manual handling and small plant tools as well as SQA Practical Skills for Employment. All young people completing the programme were successfully supported to progress to job opportunities within the sector. Priority Theme: Caring, connected communities Achievements: Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) South Lanarkshire Council and the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) have been chosen as one of three places in Scotland to work with Public Health Scotland (PHS) and the University College London Institute of Health Equity, headed by Professor Sir Michael Marmot who have partnered to create the ‘Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland’. A launch event was held on 25 February 2024 within the council offices, Almada Street, Hamilton which was attended by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, members of the CPP Board, CPP partners and community representatives including young people. The event highlighted the aims of this collaboration to work at a national level, providing new insights into the most effective ways to progress with health equity in Scotland through Marmot's eight principles; and to work in partnership with Local Authority and NHS Boards across Aberdeen City, North Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire to develop and implement strategies to enhance health equity. This project will take place over the next two years and will be delivered through four key stages which includes: • Analysis of data; • Understanding enablers and barriers to action; • Supporting a long-term strategy for health equity, development of recommendations for action and a prioritised implementation plan; and • Working with other places and the national system in Scotland. Achievements: Community Partnerships Self-Assessment Cambuslang/Rutherglen and Clydesdale Community Partnerships completed a Self-Assessment of how they were operating as a partnership. Supported by the Improvement Service who facilitated online meetings, they supported the Community Planning Partnership members to identify gaps and areas for improvement. This would assist the Community Planning Development Officer (CPDO) to address and support individual needs, i.e. training and development opportunities and increasing awareness and understanding of the work of the CPP. The CPDO has continued to build capacity within all the localities through meeting over 400 people and attending over 50 groups, reinforcing the value and importance at being part of the partnership and what it can bring to local groups and communities. This intense work has increased the membership level significantly. The survey is now complete and feedback has been provided to both Community Partnerships. A feedback session has taken place and the CPDO will work with the partnerships to create an improvement plan for implementation. Achievements: Hamilton South Our Place Our Plan The Hamilton South Our Place Our Plan Group meet regularly and continue to progress the priorities that form the basis of their Neighbourhood Action Plan. A schedule of meetings is in place and the group are planning community drop in events to engage the wider community in priority setting and community led action. Community safety continues to be a priority for the group and they have worked with other Neighbourhood Planning Groups across South Lanarkshire to develop a community safety leaflet aimed at promoting public reassurance and public reporting. Participatory Budgeting (PB) has successfully catalysed community interest and participation. In September 2024, 911 residents took part in the PB public vote which is a significant increase on 110
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the previous round. Six proposals were received, and the quality and range of proposals was exceptional which included the purchase of IT equipment, safeguarding training, horticulture training, repairs and improvements to a community managed facility, a community reading initiative, physical activities for primary aged pupils and the purchase of a storage container for conversion to a community meeting space. Priority Theme: Good quality, suitable housing for everyone Achievements: Market Purchase Scheme In recent years there have been significant increases in levels of homelessness across Scotland. In South Lanarkshire, this has led to an increase in the number of households with children and young people living in temporary accommodation. It is recognised that temporary accommodation is not suitable for children or young people in the long term and a key focus for the council and its partners has been to provide these households with a permanent home as quickly as possible. One of the actions progressed to tackle the increase in households with children and young people living in temporary accommodation has been to increase the scale of the Market Purchase Scheme. This scheme, part of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, is funded by the council and the Scottish Government and enables existing homes being sold privately to be bought by the council and converted tenancies. 130 homes were purchased in 2024/25, 56 of which were three or four bedroom homes suitable for families. To date, 54 of these have been let, providing a permanent home to 131 children and young people, who were either homeless or living in another home that did not meet their family’s needs. Along with other actions taken by the council and partners to tackle the increase in homelessness, the Market Purchase Scheme has supported a 25% reduction in the average time spent in temporary accommodation for households with children and young people. Achievements: Supporting homeless households in their home A key aim for the council and its partners in providing a home to someone experiencing homelessness, is to ensure that they are able to manage and maintain their tenancy in the long term to prevent homelessness from occurring again. The circumstances of those who become homeless are varied, therefore a person-centred approach is taken to identify whether and to what extent a household requires support to live in a tenancy. Officers within local housing teams work closely with households experiencing homelessness to discuss their circumstances and obtain a full and clear understanding of their needs. Based on these conversations, a detailed housing support plan is developed, and arrangements made to ensure that the household will receive the support they require when an appropriate home becomes available. Some households do not require support or only need a small amount of support but where a household’s needs are higher, there is a range of housing support, prevention and sustainability services available from the council and other partners. This can range from development of basic tenancy management skills to multi agency co-ordinated intensive support for those with complex needs. In 2024/25, this partnership approach helped to ensure that 92% of homeless households who were provided with a home, sustained their tenancy for more than 12 months. 111
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Priority Theme: People live the healthiest lives Achievements: The Futures Project A new partnership project, led by Social Work and Housing in cooperation with Barnardo’s and supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, has been helping young people transition from care into their own accommodation. The project was developed with the assistance of the members of the South Lanarkshire Champions Board, a group of care-experienced young people who advocate for the needs of their peers and shape services within the South Lanarkshire area. The Futures project provides wrap around support to young people leaving care and moving to independent living for the first time. This is done by providing four, furnished training flats together with intensive support to assist the young people in developing skills for setting up their home, maintaining a successful independent tenancy and building local community connections and networks before moving to fully independent living. Achievements: Briar Centre - Brain Injury Rehabilitation In Lanarkshire, around 250 people each year sustain a brain injury severe enough to require specialist rehabilitation. A dedicated brain injury rehabilitation facility - the Briar Centre based in Stonehouse opened this year. The Briar Centre — which takes its name from the acronym Brain Injury Assessment and Rehabilitation, and the resilient Briar Rose has ten in-patient beds providing intensive inpatient rehabilitation. This is complemented by the community brain injury rehabilitation service - a dedicated multi-disciplinary team of specialist health care professionals working together to provide rehabilitation tailored to each patient’s needs. There a state-of-the- art rehabilitation suite, therapy kitchen, sensory equipment and a garden space designed to support holistic healing. The Briar Centre ensures those individuals can receive care closer to home, supported by a skilled and compassionate team committed to helping each patient reclaim their independence and quality of life. The service provides seamless continuity of care from hospital to home, with tailored support at every stage of the rehabilitation journey. The Centre also offers support to help families navigate the challenges associated with brain injuries. It offers a holistic approach to rehabilitation for those recovering from a brain injury and provides a wonderful example of what can be achieved when health and social care come together with shared purpose and professionalism. Achievements: Inspection A range of our services, including Care at Home teams, Home Assessment teams and Blantyre Life, have been subject to inspection by the Care Inspectorate during 2024/25. The feedback has been positive throughout with areas of inspection graded as ‘very good’ or ‘good’ and inspectors highlighting significant strengths in relation to the delivery of care; positive outcomes for people; strong leadership; and a highly trained workforce. Achievements: Care Opinion In 2024/25, South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership received a total of 685 stories from service users, patients, their families and carers via Care Opinion. Care Opinion is enhancing our understanding of people’s experiences with health and care and has been crucial in helping us build on our strengths while also identifying areas for improvement, allowing us to make targeted refinements wherever appropriate. 112
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6. Annual Outcomes Improvement Report 6.1. A copy of the statutory Annual Outcomes Improvement Report is attached at Appendix 2 for noting. This was approved by the CPP Board at their meeting on 17 September 2025 followed by publication on the CPP website by 30 September 2025. The content of the report is as follows:- • Section 1: - Introduction to Community Planning in South Lanarkshire; • Section 2: - Our Ambitions – Delivery of the Community Plan; Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland; • Section 3: - Community Plan - Performance Highlights; • Section 4: - Community Plan: Overall Performance at a glance; • Section 5 – Places for Wellbeing: how we are making a difference: - Thriving Businesses and Fair Jobs – Living Wage; - Caring, connected communities – Planning: Local Development Plan 3; - People live the healthiest lives – Keep Well; - Putting learning at the centre – Youth Forum on Climate Change and Sustainability; - Our children and young people thrive – Children’s Rights in South Lanarkshire; and - Good quality, sustainable housing for everyone – Working together to help those experiencing homelessness. • Section 6 - Working with Communities: How you can get involved: - Community Participation and Engagement; - Neighbourhood Planning; - Volunteering; - Community Asset Transfer; and - Participation Requests. • Appendix 1 – Links to the National Performance Framework and UN Sustainable Development Goals; • Appendix 2 – CPP Structure Diagram. 7. Employee Implications 7.1. There are no employee implications associated with this report. 8. Financial Implications 8.1. There are no financial implications associated with this report. 9. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 9.1 There are no implications for climate change, sustainability, or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 10. Other Implications 10.1. There are no risk or sustainability issues associated with the content of this report. 113
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11. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 11.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 11.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Paul Manning Chief Executive 22 October 2025 Links to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Links to all Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Previous References Executive Committee – Community Plan Quarter 4 Progress Report 2023/24 and Annual Outcomes Improvement Report – 13 November 2024 List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Jen Kerr, Community Engagement Manager, South Lanarkshire Council Tel: 07880 174955 Email: Jennifer.Kerr1@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 114
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- Progress Report Community Plan 2022-2032 Quarter 4 2024-25 (April to March) Appendix 1 10 115
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Summary - number of actions complete, green, amber, red and to be reported later under each Priority Priority areas of action Complete Green Status Amber Red To be reported later Total Putting learning at the centre 0 11 0 0 0 11 Our children and young people thrive 2 14 0 0 0 16 Thriving businesses and fair jobs 0 10 1 1 0 12 Caring, connected communities 2 13 0 0 0 15 Good quality, suitable housing for everyone 1 11 1 1 0 14 People live the healthiest lives possible 0 7 1 0 0 8 Total 5 66 3 2 0 76 Key: Statistical Measures Project Measures 116
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Putting learning at the centre We will work with and support people of all ages to help them re-engage with education and learning or to improve their employability skills Outcome: People experiencing barriers to employment are supported into sustainable work ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) A.1.1 Provide key worker based employability support and learning to targeted groups Increase the percentage of employability participants progressing to positive destinations Currently, 81.7% of employability participants who have taken part in the project have progressed to positive destinations. This is an increase of 24.9% from the previous figure of 56.8%. These destinations include employment, further education or training, returning to school or moving on to additional employability support for continued development. The remaining 18.3% have not progressed, primarily due to leaving the programme early for various reasons, such as changes in personal circumstances or disengagement from the service. Green 56.8% 2023-24 81.7% 2024- 25 60% 62% 65% 117
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Ref Action Measure Comments Status A.1.2 Provide targeted support to adults facing barriers to employment Number of people supported into training, education and employment From April 2024 to March 2025, a total of 1,981 adults signed up to receive employability support. Additionally, some individuals who began their programmes in the previous financial year continued to receive support during this period. As such, all participants, both new and continuing, are included in the reported outcomes. During this time, 601 adults entered employment, while 277 progressed into further education or training. Those who did not achieve an outcome within this period include participants still actively engaged in their programmes and those who left early or disengaged. Green A.1.3 Provide a range of employability programmes to parents through the Tackling Child Poverty funding programme Number of parents/carers supported across the six priority groups into training, employment and education As above, all new and continuing participants are included in reported outcomes. 448 parents/carers from the six priority groups signed up for employability support in the period April 2024 to March 2025. Within the same period, 125 moved into employment and 88 into further education and training. Those who did not achieve an outcome within this period include participants still actively engaged in their programmes and those who left early or disengaged. Green A.1.4 Provide specialist employability support to young people and adults with additional support needs Number of young people and adults provided with specialist Employability Support supported into training, employment and education As above, all new and continuing participants are included in reported outcomes. 392 young people and adults with a disability/additional support needs signed up to receive support in the period April 2024 to March 2025. Within the same period, 97 moved into employment and 40 into further education and training. Those who did not achieve an outcome within this period include participants still actively engaged in their programmes and those who left early or disengaged. Green A.1.5 We will work with and support people of all ages to help them re-engage with education and learning or to improve their employability skills Learners will be offered opportunities to learn skills that meet their needs across a range of settings. We will work with learners to:- • Enhance their parenting skills • Help parents to support their child’s learning As a result of Community Learning and Development (CLD) work delivered by the Youth Family and Community Learning Service across a range of education and community settings the following has been achieved in 2024-25: • 494 learners have enhanced their parenting skills; • 145 learners are better able to support their child during key transitions (such as from primary into secondary school); and • 157 learners are better able to support curricular Green 118
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learning. We will continue to support learners to progress to other appropriate learning opportunities, ensuring that we meet ongoing needs. We will work with learners to: • Help them re-engage with education/ learning • Help them access volunteering opportunities • Help them access any other appropriate learning programmes or opportunities • Improve their employability skills As a result of Community Learning and Development work delivered by the Youth Family and Community Learning Service across a range of education and community settings the following has been achieved in 2024-25: • 828 learners have re-engaged with education/ learning; • 378 are accessing volunteering opportunities across the service; • 623 have progressed to other appropriate learning programmes or opportunities; and • 679 learners have improved their employability skills and 111 have progressed to employment. Green 119
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Putting learning at the centre We will support young people to progress to further learning, work or training when they leave school Outcome: Young people will be supported to progress to sustained positive destinations when they leave school ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) A.2.1 Support young people to progress to positive post- school destinations Increase the School Leaver Destination Rate (SLDR) initial positive destination rate 3,625 young people left school in 2023-24, 96.4% of whom achieved a positive destination. This was a reduction of 0.5% from 2022-23. South Lanarkshire achieved a higher rate than the national rate of 95.7% and placed 10th of the 32 Local Authorities. Green 96.2% (SLC) 95.5% (Scotland) 2020-21 96.4% (SLC) 95.7% (Scotland) 2023- 24 97% 97% 97% Decrease the gap in the School Leaver Destination Rate (SLDR) initial positive destination rate between the most and least deprived data zones South Lanarkshire has a gap of 3.2% which has increased slightly from 2022-23 (2.9%) and compares to 4.3% across Scotland. Green 6.1% (SLC) 4.4% (Scotland) 2020-21 3.2% 4.3% (Scotland) 2023- 24 2.9% 3% 3% Increase number and percentage of looked after school leavers in a positive destination by local authority There were 68 young people in this cohort classed as ‘care experienced’. The positive destination rate is 91.2% for this group of leavers and remains above the national rate. Green 92.5% (SLC) 86% (Scotland) 2020-21 91.2% (SLC) 87.2% (Scotland) 2023- 24 93% 93.5% 94% 120
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Ref Action Measure Comments Status A.2.2 Deliver targeted support and learning opportunities to young people in the last 6 months of school through the Aspire programme Number of young people engaged on the programme 741 young people engaged in the Aspire programme. The Aspire programme has three options for young people to support them as they approach their school leaving date, this includes individualised one-to-one support, college-based leaver programmes and groupwork. Green A.2.3 South Lanarkshire Council and Skills Development Scotland will work together to track the destinations of young people aged 16-19 including regular home visits Number of young people who did not achieve/sustain a positive destination referred to support through tracking and re-engaged The Employability Service tracked the initial destinations of all South Lanarkshire leavers and conducted a robust tracking exercise in collaboration with Skills Development Scotland to identify and engage young people who did not achieve/sustain a positive destination. In 2024-25, 104 young people were successfully re-engaged through this tracking exercise. Green 121
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Our Children and Young People Thrive We will work to ensure children have the best start in life and become everything they can be Outcome: Every family should get the right support at the right time for as long as they need ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) B.1.1 Four Family Support Hubs to promote a no wrong door approach and GIRFEC Pathways with community, third sector and universal pathways to be strengthened By March 2025, there will be a 60% reduction in new referrals to Social Work Resources escalating to local office allocations The Family Support Hubs have offered accessible provision in Hamilton, East Kilbride, Lanark and Cambuslang localities. Each area has a team of social workers, family support workers, group workers, peer workers, Children 1st staff and therapists who have offered families a wide range of different types of support with a shared remit of providing whole family support that prevents crisis, reduces inequalities and improves child development, family functioning and wellbeing. As a result of this ‘no wrong door approach’ for families, 75% of new referrals to Children and Families Social Work were dealt with by the hubs, a 14% increase from last year (61%). A Parenting Support Group Work Pathway has been successfully implemented with key partners to ensure a coordinated approach to supporting parents through a range of evidence-based programmes and locally developed engagement based on Getting it Right for Every Child. 76% of parents who attended the Incredible Years Programme Green 60% 2024 75% 2024- 25 60% TBC TBC 122
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reported an improvement in their child’s strengths and difficulties score. 96% of parents who attended the ‘You and Your Child’ programme reported an improved understanding of their child’s developmental needs and how to meet these as parents. There has been an increase in participation from fathers this year both in the Dad’s Group and across the other programmes. Across the Hubs there is a range of groups and activities available for children and young people, including group work for teens, summer activities and outdoor learning. Ref Action Measure Comments Status B.1.2 Family Group Decision Making as a core partner to Early Years Multi Agency Service By March 2024, 80% of families supported will report improvement in involvement in planning supports for their children and their family Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) is available to families at the pre-birth stage to help them find their own solutions to any challenges they are facing. This service is provided by Children First and 74 families have been introduced to FGDM this year. The Parents Plan approach was introduced in March 2024. At this stage the average number of pre-birth investigations was 1.2 per week. It took a number of months to see a sustained shift but from December 2024 the shift below the baseline has been sustained for 14 weeks and the new average per week has reduced to 0.4, which is a 67% reduction in the number of pre-birth investigations initiated for unborn babies. As a result of this approach, all families supported have reported improvement in support for their children and their family. Outcome scales completed with families at the beginning and the end of their engagement in FGDM Green 123
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indicates a 100% improvement of all outcomes. This measurement scale is used with all families engaged in the support and data is available. Implementation of a Parents Plan to prevent escalation to child protection The Parents Plan approach was introduced in March 2024 to provide a more whole family lens on supporting a child at the perinatal/infant stage and also to enable the views of parents to be articulated in any assessment and plan for support. At this stage the average number of pre-birth investigations was 1.2 per week. It took a number of months to see a sustained shift but from December 2024 the shift below the baseline has been sustained for 14 weeks and the new average per week has reduced to 0.4, which is a 67% reduction in the number of pre-birth investigations initiated for unborn babies. Green B.1.3 Continue to refine and consolidate the Pathfinders approach By March 2025, 60% of children and young people accessing Pathfinders will report improvement across three outcome indicators The Pathfinders Programme currently operates in six secondary schools in South Lanarkshire (Cathkin High, Stonelaw High, Lanark Grammar, Calderside Academy, St Andrew’s and St Bride’s and Carluke High), and is supported by the Family and Community Learning Pathfinder Service. The early and effective model of engagement has supported vulnerable young people and their families through a whole family approach and is focused on improving attachment and family relationships. The multi-agency model is helping young people achieve their best possible life outcomes, and supporting them to reach their full potential with the aim of helping to close the attainment gap. Home visits and parental engagement have helped to keep families connected with the wider community and young people are actively engaged in ensuring that the right support is in place for them throughout the project. Families have had a say in how Pathfinders has developed to ensure that the work is relevant, meaningful, bespoke and holistic and that it supports each individual young person and family appropriately. Over the past 12 months, the programme has exceeded its initial target to engage 350 young people and families, working with a total of 421 young people and families Green 124
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accessing support and benefiting from sustained engagement that is helping to meet identified needs. In helping to evaluate the impact of the project, young people involved have reported that they have developed their social skills, are more able to manage negative peer influences and have improved their overall health and wellbeing. B.1.4 Test an improvement approach to support at least 10 families with children with disabilities to cope with the financial demands of having a child/children with disabilities By March 2025, 80% of families supported report an improvement in financial wellbeing and at least one of the other targeted outcomes • Improved health and wellbeing; • Reduced social isolation; and • Increased engagement with education, training or employment The Paths Away From Poverty project developed co- produced, person centered, needs led support plans with families, which included goals and/or aspirations in respect of support to work through barriers, difficulties and/or complexities they were experiencing. Eight families benefited from a range of supports including regular one-to-one sessions for parents and carers, group sessions to develop peer networking and support opportunities and supported access to a range of essential services and amenities e.g. GPs, Housing providers, family support hubs, DWP, clothing and food banks, Lanarkshire Carers etc. This navigation role was a key element of the practice model in helping families access the following: • Financial wellbeing support debt and budgeting advice and new applications for various benefits; • GP and Health Services e.g. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and occupational therapy; • Engagement with housing providers to work collaboratively on housing issues, such as rent arrears; • Local food and clothing banks; • Time out from their caring role; and • Specialist help when necessary, e.g. signposting to ‘Talk Now’ counselling to support historic trauma and ongoing poor mental wellbeing. All families reported a reduction in financial stress and other additional outcomes e.g: • Improved quality of living within the home as a result of better access to additional resources via local authority and housing services; Green 125
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• Families more open and trusting of staff as a result of changes which have taken place in their lives and their children’s lives; • Parents are choosing to fully engage within their support and support from other sources e.g. school, housing etc; • Improved health and wellbeing, as a result of stronger and more trusting relationships with NHS Lanarkshire, CAMHS and local GP surgeries; • Improved confidence and motivation of parents/carers who have Additional Support Needs and being more open to engage with their local community; • Families more able to identify opportunities to connect with other community members, such as trusted neighbours, family members etc; and • Reduced isolation, due to families being supported to engage in meetings, appointments, activities and outings within their local community. An additional three families were referred to the project but their circumstances had improved enough to not require ongoing support. B.1.5 Four Family Support Hubs to promote a no wrong door approach and GIRFEC Pathways with community, third sector and universal pathways to be strengthened By March 2026, 80% of parents supported will report improvements in family wellbeing The Family Support Hubs have offered accessible provision in Hamilton, East Kilbride, Lanark and Cambuslang localities. Each area has a team of social workers, family support workers, group workers, peer workers, Children First staff and therapists who have offered families a wide range of different types of support with a shared remit of providing whole family support that prevents crisis, reduces inequalities and improves child development, family functioning and wellbeing. Across the Hubs there is a range of groups and activities available for children and young people, including group work for teens, summer activities and outdoor learning. There has been an increase in participation from fathers this year both in the Dad’s Group and across the other programmes. Green 126
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As a result of this ‘no wrong door approach’ for families, 75% of new referrals to Children and Families Social Work were dealt with by the Hubs, a 14% increase from last year. A Parenting Support Group Work Pathway has been successfully implemented with key partners to ensure a coordinated approach to supporting parents through a range of evidence-based programmes and locally developed engagement based on Getting it Right for Every Child. 76% of parents, who attended the Incredible Years Programme, reported an improvement in their child’s strengths and difficulties score and 96% of parents who attended the You and Your Child programme reported an improved understanding of their child’s developmental needs and how to meet these as parents. B.1.6 Health and Social Work to work collaboratively with parents to identify strengths and areas for improvement in relation to neglect Number of families completing the neglect toolkit by March 2025 The implementation of the ‘Working with Neglect Practice Toolkit’ in South Lanarkshire has been in progress over the past 2½ years, with training being a part of the implementation. Responding to Neglect training continues to be available within the Public Protection Learning and Development Programme, with 3 sessions delivered each year. Going forward, the training will move from virtual Microsoft Teams to face-to-face delivery. In total, 199 frontline staff and managers from Social Work, Health, Education and the Third Sector have completed the Responding to Neglect training. Green 127
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Our Children and Young People Thrive We will work to ensure that the health and wellbeing of children, young people and families is improved Outcome: Every child and young person should be able to access local community services which support and improve their mental health and wellbeing Ref Action Measure Comments Status B.2.1 Deliver one Mellow Bumps Pregnancy Session in each locality in partnership with the Family Support Hubs By March 2024, 80% of participants in the Mellow Bumps Pregnancy Sessions will report increased knowledge and understanding about stress, anxiety and self-care Sixteen parents completed the Mellow Bumps programme, which is having a positive impact on families’ wellbeing and is helping to build stronger relationships with those who are less likely to access universal services. The programme is helping to develop social connections through meeting other mums- to-be and learning about infant development and how to support it. Feedback from participants has been positive, with all mums-to-be reporting feeling better about themselves and at least two thirds telling us the programme had helped identify their personal strengths and build positive bonds with their baby. Participants said that the group provided support and practical strategies to help them connect with their bumps. Green B.2.2 Create and implement training at informed level to be delivered to Children’s Services staff through a Learn Online module By March 2024, at least 50 Children’s Services staff will have accessed the Learn Online module and reported an increase in confidence in supporting children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide The learn online module is now in place. Further to discussions, it was agreed that this should not be a generic module for all Children’s Services staff and should be more targeted. School counsellors were identified due to the role they play in supporting children and young people within an education setting. An adapted, online module of the training was provided and targeted at this group. Training invites were sent to all school counselling providers within South Lanarkshire. In response, five out of six counselling providers sent their school counsellors to attend the training. 32 out of a possible 44 school counsellors took part (73%). Green B.2.3 Key members of staff who support children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide to attend Lifelines Lanarkshire training By March 2024, at least 75% of staff who have attended Lifelines Lanarkshire training have shown an increase in confidence supporting children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide following the training Lifelines Lanarkshire multi-agency guidance training was provided for key staff to learn about Lifelines Lanarkshire and how to use the guidance to provide support to children/young people they may be in contact with within their role. A need was identified to focus on school counsellors, due to the role they play in supporting children and young people Green 128
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within an education setting. An adapted, online module of the training was provided and targeted at this group. Training invites were sent to all school counselling providers within South Lanarkshire. In response, five out of six counselling providers sent their school counsellors to attend the training. 32 out of a possible 44 school counsellors took part (73%). As a result, the training helped to raise awareness of staff about self-harm and suicide and increase their confidence about how to talk about self-harm and suicide. Of the staff participating, 65% reported increased knowledge, understanding and confidence in self-harm and suicide. 96% highlighted an increase in confidence regarding using the Lifelines Lanarkshire guidance materials. B.2.4 Continue roll out of Kooth service and increase the use of this By March 2024, at least 80% of registered users will report Kooth is effective in supporting them with their emotional wellbeing needs The Kooth digital platform helps young people to access emotional wellbeing support and therapy through a peer community and professional support approach. South Lanarkshire children and young people are actively engaged and using all aspects of the platform. Between April 2024- March 2025, 678 young people accessed Kooth with 72% of them reporting that the platform content was a useful form of support. Green 129
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Our Children and Young People Thrive We will work to ensure that the life chances of children and young people in need of care and protection are improved Outcome: Children and young people should grow up loved, safe, respected and listened to Ref Action Measure Comments Status B.3.1 In conjunction with care experienced young people develop ways that make it easier for them to participate in the ongoing improvement in key decision-making processes and capture the impact of their views and voices 70% of care experienced young people tell us that they feel more able to participate in key decision-making processes A new suite of documents has been completed for use and have been designed by care experienced young people using trauma informed language. The paperwork was benchmarked with Promise colleagues from different local authorities coming together to review its use e.g. outcomes and attendance at planning and review meetings for looked after children. The ‘team around the child’ professionals have reported increased attendance, improved participation as well as a better understanding of the layout. 100% of children and young people report they are more able to participate in key decision making processes as a result. The Champions Board members have now met with Corporate Parents on a regular basis including the council’s Chief Executive and other key decision makers. The ‘Champions’ have provided feedback advising that they collectively feel more included, consulted and more able to influence change at varying levels such as the ‘Keeping The Promise Thematic Group’, with the Housing Planning Group and Health Services. ‘Mini Champs’ groups have been established in all secondary schools and are supported by the Promise Development Team and care experienced teachers to ensure that the voices of care experienced pupils are heard. Green B.3.2 Support young people from 16 years old to actively manage their Child Trust Fund and/or Junior ISA savings account currently administered by the 70% of young people report they are better informed about financial planning Within three months of their 16th birthday, all care experienced young people are issued with a letter from the Share Foundation (via their social worker) informing them of their rights to take charge of their Child Trust Fund and how to do it. A number of partners are supporting the process of making care experienced young people aware of the trust funds and junior ISAs and their benefits. These include Green 130
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Share Foundation Social Work staff, Family Connections Team, Secondary Schools, the Champions Board and the Community Engagement Team (via the Financial Inclusion Network). Social Workers provide support to the young person undertaking the process of claiming their trust fund. The Continuing Care and Aftercare team support the council’s relationship with the Share Foundation and its relevance to the young people they support. Progress has been made in identifying groups of young people who could potentially ‘slip through the net’. The Family Connections Team are involved with tracing and contacting those young people who no longer have any social work involvement but whose trust fund remains with the Share Foundation. Schools are also being asked to help trace young people with trust funds, who do not have social work involvement. In addition, some young people have been supported to engage with the Stepladder Plus programme, which can earn them up to £1,500 (to be deposited in their trust fund) upon completion of all its stages. This programme is open to 15-17 year olds and is run by the Share Foundation. So far, £14,750 has been earned by 14 young people, including 8 who have received the maximum amount. All the young people who have participated in the support programme report that they are better informed about financial planning. B.3.3 Meet housing needs through continued development of Person- Centred Pathway Planning By March 2024, 100% of young people will have a Person-Centred Pathway Plan This action is now complete and the implementation of this work ensures that 100% of young people who need it have a Person-Centred Pathway Plan in place to support their housing needs. This work is being further informed by a Housing led test of change called ‘SLC Futures’ in partnership with other council resources and Barnardos, which has successfully supported six young people into training flats with two young people receiving settled tenancies by year end of support and a further four young people supported through outreach services. Blue 131
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Some output examples: • Throughcare Protocol implemented and 3 sessions with Champions Board members completed. • 44 new Throughcare Applications received during 2024- 25. • 49 active applications as at the end of March 2025. • 43 Throughcare Young People housed as at the end of March 2025. This work is now embedded in the offer of Throughcare and After Care Support. B.3.4 Test the Throughcare Mental Health Pathway is offering the correct level of support for those with low and medium need By March 2024, 75% of young people have been offered a low or medium need mental health support, report it has improved their mental wellbeing Test of the Throughcare Mental Health Pathway concluded at the end of March 2024, with a sustainable model being progressed through the School Nursing Team. 102 referrals were made between August 2022 - March 2024 (average 3.6 per month). Of these, 75% engaged with the service and 63% reported that the support has improved their mental wellbeing. This work is now embedded in the work of the School Nursing Team. Blue B.3.5 Provide targeted support to care experienced young people to engage and sustain participation in South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership (SLLEP) funded employability programmes By March 2024, establish a baseline percentage of care experienced young people engaging with SLLEP funded employability activity progressing to a positive destination A baseline of 65% was established in March 2024. In 2024- 25 this target has been exceeded. 91 care experienced young people engaged with employability services, 86.8% progressed to a positive destination. A breakdown of the destinations is as follows: Employment/Modern Apprenticeship – 8. Further/Higher Education – 45. Progression to next stage Employability support – 26. Green 132
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Thriving businesses and fair jobs We will work to make sure everyone has the same opportunities to learn new skills ---- Outcome: People experiencing barriers to employment are supported into sustainable work B - = ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) C.1.1 Work with employers to progress people to employment Number of employability participants progressing to employment The number of employability participants progressing into employment has increased this year by 16.3%. Green 623 2023- 24 725 2024- 25 625 650 700 Ref Action Measure Comments Status C.1.2 Deliver sector-based training to employability participants Demand led sector-based training will be delivered to meet the needs of the Labour Market The Local Employability Partnership Operational Sub- Group met throughout the year to identify need across employability caseloads and agree provision to be delivered. Training has included construction tasters, hair and beauty tasters, QTS Rail Academy, Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards and Social Care. Green C.1.3 Provide in-work support and training through the Upskilling programme Number of employed people engaging with the Upskilling programme 19 parents have engaged on the Aim to Achieve (Upskilling programme) and accessed in-work training. For 2025-26 the programme will merge with Supporting Families and in-work support will be provided as part of a wider parental employability approach. Green C.1.4 Work with employers to identify vacancies for progression for employability participants Number of new employer engagement contacts developed and vacancies filled Across South Lanarkshire Council and our partners, Routes to Work South, we have engaged with and provided support to 524 employers, actively managing and filling 392 vacancies with clients from across all our employability programmes. Green 133
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Thriving businesses and fair jobs We will ensure that the place where you live is at the heart of our response to the climate emergency and help places to become sustainable ---- Outcome: Thriving town and neighbourhood centres provide a focal point for local communities B - = Ref Action Measure Comments Status C.2.1 Deliver the town centre masterplans for East Kilbride and Hamilton whilst continuing to support South Lanarkshire town centres over the next 10 years, and a series of town specific strategies and action plans will sit below this, giving a template for placemaking within our communities Monitor and deliver town centre measures and initiatives in line with town strategies, Community Wealth Building and 20 Minute Neighbourhood approaches. • Town Centre Vacancy Rates – maintain at or below national averages • Businesses supported (including Social Enterprise) – support across towns and places Both masterplans are progressing well. A Project Management (PM) Team has been appointed to help deliver the East Kilbride Masterplan and £50.3m of funding has been secured. Working towards demolition of Centre West, delivery of a new Civic Hub and residential development. £8m has been secured towards the delivery of the Hamilton Masterplan. A list of suitable projects to take the plan forward has been drawn up and will go to council committee in August 2025. A PM Team will also be appointed for Hamilton Town Centre shortly and plans are progressing well for the town square development. Town Centre Vacancy Rates sit, in general, below the national average with the exception of East Kilbride and Hamilton. Both of these town centres have an over-supply of retail which is being addressed by the masterplans. With a commitment to rebalance the town centres away from an over-reliance on retail, the masterplans seek to forge a community focused future, fostering connectivity, liveability and economic vitality for generations to come. Green 134
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Thriving businesses and fair jobs We will make it easy for businesses and social enterprises get all available help and advice from one place ---- Outcome: South Lanarkshire is an attractive place to start, grow and locate a business B - = ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) C.3.1 Number of new South Lanarkshire business starts supported by Business Gateway (Locally set target) Total number of businesses/social enterprises supported • New start-ups Over 2024-25, the council’s Business Support to new start- ups delivered under the Business Gateway (BG) brand supported 907 unique start-up businesses. From February 2024, and following an options appraisal, the BG contract was brought in-house in February 2024 and is managed and delivered by North Lanarkshire Council as lead for BG across the whole of Lanarkshire. The Business Gateway have access to several locations in South Lanarkshire where BG staff can operate from to ensure reach and accessibility to businesses/ social enterprise across South Lanarkshire. Green 500 2023- 24 907 2024- 25 500 N/A N/A C.3.2 Number of business support interventions per annum by Economic Development (grants, loans or advice) (Locally set target) Total number of businesses/social enterprises supported • Existing Organisations The business model of how South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) delivers client facing business support changed during this year and now relies on Business Gateway to deliver face-to-face advice to South Lanarkshire businesses. This has had an impact on the number of interventions that SLC is supporting directly, which is what this measure reflects up to this point. The Red 1,200 2023- 24 1,014 2024- 25 1,200 N/A N/A 135
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vast majority of interventions going forward will be by Business Gateway, and these will be included in future reporting on this measure. Number and value of grants 62 business grants were awarded in the 2024-25 reporting year. South Lanarkshire Council’s (SLC) Business Grant Fund totaled £500,000 in the year 2024-25. These funds were supported by the UK Government via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This figure when added to the amount spent on grants in the previous year is £995,986.44. This equates to a shortfall over the two years of £4,013.56, where SLC were allocated £1,000,000 (£500,000 per financial year) for Business Grants. Amber £723,000 (Made up of European Regional Development Fund projected. £483,000 Plus £180,000 SLC monies, plus £60,000 UK Shared Prosperity Fund) 2023- 24 £501.051 2024- 25 £723,000 N/A N/A Grants awarded to businesses/social enterprises • Funding leveraged This figure equates to the amount of private sector contributions made by applicant businesses to our Business Growth Grant. All of the council’s current Business Grants require private match funding from the applicant. This information is required from all applicant businesses, and this detail will continue to be sought. Green N/A N/A £490,385 2024- 25 N/A N/A N/A Total number of jobs The total figure of jobs created Green 500 2023- 528 2024- 500 N/A N/A 136
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• Jobs safeguarded and sustained is 528, which exceeds the set target of 500. 24 25 Total number of jobs • Jobs created The total figure of jobs created and sustained is 528, of which 53 are new jobs that have been created, which exceeds the set target of 500. Green Included in above baseline data figure as overall target - jobs created/ sustained 2023- 24 53 2024- 25 N/A N/A N/A Total number of jobs • Increase in Turnover/Sales This figure is taken from Business Grant applications and demonstrates the significant positive impact our grant scheme has on supporting local businesses, and in particular, the growth aspirations of the businesses. The increase in turnover and sales is £8,532,339. Green N/A N/A £8,532,339 2024- 25 N/A N/A N/A Caring, connected communities We will continue to support and encourage every community to identify and act on their local priorities 137
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Outcome: Communities feel empowered to identify and act on their local priorities Ref Action Measure Comments Status D.1.1 Ensure communities are engaged and supported to participate in local decision making Develop standards and a framework for the planning, delivery and evaluation of place based Participatory Budgeting programmes A Participatory Budgeting (PB) Community Advisory Group has been established to help develop a basic toolkit/rule book for PB across the ten Neighbourhood Planning areas. This group will work alongside established Our Place Our Plan (OPOP) and Neighbourhood Planning groups to ensure that PB processes are robust and fit for purpose. Identifying areas for improvement is also a fundamental priority of PB. Green Strengthen the Neighbourhood Planning and Participatory Budgeting approach by co-producing standards and a framework for the involvement of young people Work is ongoing with Our Place Our Plan (OPOP) Stakeholder Groups, and other Neighbourhood Planning groups, to develop bespoke approaches and opportunities, to ensure young people have a voice in the Participatory Budgeting (PB) process. Focus groups are also being held in partnership with youth service providers to increase the work of the PB Community Advisory Group. Green 138
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Ref Action Measure Comments Status D.1.2 Fulfil statutory Locality Planning duties to reduce inequalities within identified priority neighbourhoods Work with local communities in the area of East Kilbride South to identify local priorities and prepare a Neighbourhood Plan for their area The East Kilbride South Neighbourhood Plan is in development. Initial engagement from local residents, community views and engagement with young people from local schools has taken place and data analysis is in process. Development of the Stakeholder Group has been a priority to build capacity. The local library and community hall were listed at risk of closure in spring/ summer 2024 which are assets that are highly referenced in the community feedback. This situation became a catalyst for increasing community engagement and for the local community to come together. The Stakeholder Group understood this is a priority for the local community and would like to ensure the assets are opened by local organisations before proceeding into further community action planning workshops and events. A Participatory Budgeting event has been held by the Stakeholder Group with Third Sector partner Healthy & Active hosting the funds with £7,000 funding awarded to 8 local groups. A total of 3,480 votes were cast from 1,160 people. Green Evaluate the Neighbourhood Planning approach for South Lanarkshire and implement improvement actions Evaluations are planned in the more established Neighbourhood Planning areas, beginning in Strutherhill and Birkenshaw. Learning from this will be used to support a roll-out in Hillhouse, Udston and Burnbank, and Springhall and Whitlawburn. The other seven Neighbourhood Planning areas will follow. Green D.1.3 Ensure children’s rights and awareness of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is embedded in the work of partner organisations Develop a UNCRC webinar to support the understanding of children’s rights and the UNCRC across the CPP workforce The UNCRC webinar, designed with young people and funded through the Community Planning Partnership (CPP), is now complete and accessible to all partners via the Fusion Learning and Development platform. External partners can access via a link. Partners have been informed of availability via the Children’s Services Partnership structures and the CPP Progress Group. Partners have been asked to encourage all staff to complete the webinar as part of Blue 139
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staff awareness of the UNCRC. This forms part of the commitment to implementing the requirements of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) 2024. 140
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Caring, connected communities We will bring communities together to share priorities and work jointly on them Outcome: Communities feel connected, share priorities and work together to create change Ref Action Measure Comments Status D.2.1 We will bring communities together to share priorities and work jointly on them Continue to develop and strengthen the membership of the Hamilton and East Kilbride Community Partnerships In the Hamilton and East Kilbride Community Partnership areas, efforts are still being made to increase membership and capacity through ongoing engagement with community groups and partner agencies. It has been agreed that chairs are required for both the Hamilton and East Kilbride Community Partnerships. There are still opportunities to find and encourage new members to participate in the Community Planning Partnerships through regular Neighbourhood Planning meetings. Green Evaluate the Community Partnership approach with Cambuslang and Rutherglen and Clydesdale Community Partnerships and implement improvement actions The Community Partnership self-evaluation survey results and comments have been finalised. The feedback received was analysed and this knowledge has assisted in reviewing future objectives, creating improved procedures, supporting training requirements and assessing process change whenever possible. Green D.2.2 Young people will lead the way on actions to tackle climate change and nature loss Support young people to continue to develop their leadership skills through engagement with the Community Planning Partnership Strategic Board on their Climate and Nature priorities A Development Session was planned by members of the South Lanarkshire Youth Forum on Climate Change and Sustainability and delivered to the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership Board on 23 October 2024. Members identified 3 key priorities for exploration with the Board members, the priorities being a Walk to School campaign, Uniform recycling and Community litter picks. The inputs and discussion supported the Board’s understanding of the challenges facing communities and the young people in their efforts to affect change. Support from the Board helped young people to consider practical ways to progress their ideas such as the council’s support to equip and guide Green 141
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young people in organising localised community litter picks such as the 3-week campaign by Duncanrig High School, involving over 350 S1 pupils in litter picking across their communities. In addition to this, the Board were able to support the Youth Forum prepare for their third, council wide environment event for schools, by helping visit Whitelee Windfarm to inform their planned ‘Power Up: Understanding renewable energy’ session at the Convention of Schools (COS) 3 event from 26-28 March 2025, seeing over 300 P5-P7 pupils in attendance. The Development Session and ongoing support from the Board is helping both young people and Board members to continue to refine their understanding of environmental issues and ideas towards mitigating and adapting to the impacts. As a result of this engagement, young people report that their confidence continues to grow as they take on more leadership roles in the development and delivery of actions to tackle climate change and nature loss. Increase youth voice and influence in Community Planning at a locality level through co-producing an approach to youth participation A working group of identified services engaged in developing and progressing youth voice across communities has continued to meet to maximise opportunities for young people to engage in decision making and raising issues. Recent success has resulted in over 1,200 young people engaging with the South Lanarkshire Council budget consultation 2025- 2026, with young people assisting their peers to participate. With the Marmot Place Programme now initiated in South Lanarkshire, further work is being undertaken to capture best practice across youth engagement work towards ensuring young people are knowledgeable and confident to engage in influencing their communities, consistently and effectively. Green D.2.3 Empower communities to improve their own health and wellbeing Progress the implementation of the South Lanarkshire Age Friendly approach through the development of an implementation plan and supporting the Seniors Community to develop and Three focus groups were held with the community of older people during October 2024 to consult on the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Checklists for Age Friendly Cities. This assisted older people to Green 142
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deliver on actions prepare an Engagement Report on their view of these standards and to add any required to be included. This was shared with Community Planning Partnership (CPP) members. A CPP Workshop was held on 22 April 2025 which will consider the next step towards the development of an Implementation Plan. This will also see South Lanarkshire Council move into stage three of the four stage programme of developing an Age Friendly Community. 143
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Caring, connected communities We will involve local representatives in community planning at all levels, including on the Community Planning Partnership Board Outcome: Community volunteers feel that they can effectively participate in and contribute to community planning at all levels People Thrive Ref Action Measure Comments Status D.3.1 Develop and deliver training/awareness raising activity to ensure that volunteers can participate effectively in Community Planning Increase the number of volunteers in our Neighbourhood Planning Stakeholder Groups who feel confident about their role in Community Planning through capacity building, training and support Increasing the number of residents participating in the Our Place Our Plan (OPOP) Stakeholder Groups is ongoing and a range of engagement approaches have been developed to ensure wide and representative involvement. Building social capital is the cornerstone of Neighbourhood Planning. The OPOP Stakeholder Groups continue to act as a catalyst to empower and build the capacity of local people. The use of an asset-based approach to Neighbourhood Planning is helping build community confidence and aspiration. Delivering the Neighbourhood Plans has created opportunities for increased local decision making, partnership working and greater collaboration between local people and those providing services. This is helping to consolidate the understanding of the participants role and influence around the work of the Community Planning Partnership partners and Community Planning. Green Increase the number of volunteers in our established locality Community Partnerships who feel confident about their role in Community Planning through capacity building, training and support Over the course of the year, membership of the Cambuslang and Rutherglen and Clydesdale Community Partnerships has remained consistent. With the Community Planning Partnership’s Community Development Officer (CDO) attending wider council-led community meetings, new chances to identify more members have emerged across communities. To support and identify any learning or training opportunities required to develop and comprehend the needs and devise a plan to implement these activities, the CDO is continuing to work with all Community Partnerships. Currently under consideration is the process for making the Community Planning Green 144
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Partnership volunteer friendly. Train 12 employees/community representatives as Health in the Community (HIIC) Trainers and support them to achieve accreditation HIIC is a course that helps people understand what affects their health and the health of their communities and assists people of all ages to develop the skills and knowledge to address health issues using community development approaches. HIIC Tutor Training, which was facilitated by the Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC), took place on 20 and 21 February 2024 and delegates were asked to undertake practical assignments to be completed by August 2024. 12 employees/community representatives completed this training and 4 have submitted their portfolios, passed their assignments and become accredited facilitators. Other participants have either left their post or moved to a new role. Green Increase community representation on the Community Planning Partnership Strategic Board and provide youth voice opportunities To increase membership in all localities and locate people who would like to represent or chair existing partnerships moving forwards, the Community Planning Partnership’s (CPP) Community Development Officer has worked collaboratively with council officers and various CPP partners. The Hamilton and East Kilbride Community Partnerships are currently being established. It is proposed that chairs for each of these Community Partnerships be confirmed once governance arrangements and future priorities have been finalised. Discussions have taken place to provide youth voice opportunities. A mapping exercise will be carried out to identify all current youth engagement and participation activities across the partnership and this will be reported to the CPP Board at a later date. Green D.3.2 Upskill employees in participation and engagement approaches Increase the number of employees who feel more confident in securing the participation and engagement of individuals and communities in their work Two engagement webinars are now complete and accessible to all partners via the Fusion Learning and Development platform. One webinar focuses on the role of staff, while the other is designed to appeal to Blue 145
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community members. External partners can access via a link. Partners have been informed of the availability of the training via the Children’s Services Partnership structures and the CPP Progress Group. Partners have been asked to encourage all staff to complete the webinar as part of staff upskilling on engagement approaches. 146
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Good quality, suitable housing for everyone We will increase affordable housing supply and improve access to and choice of housing options that suit people’s needs Outcome: Increase overall housing supply and improve access to, and choice of housing options, that suit people’s needs and are affordable ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) E.1.1 Deliver the council’s Home+ Programme Increase the number of council homes in South Lanarkshire by 1,300 The Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) sets out affordable housing development priorities across South Lanarkshire during a five 5-year period. The SHIP report to the council’s Housing and Technical Resources Committee in November 2024, noted that due to a range of circumstances, including a reduction in government funding, the council is no longer on track to meet the 1,300 target. Work will continue to focus on optimising delivery of new homes. 503 additional council homes have been provided between 2022 and March 2025 (154 new build properties and 349 acquisitions). In 2024-25, 180 additional homes were provided, consisting of 50 new build properties and 130 acquisitions. Green 0 2022 503 2022- 25 N/A N/A N/A Maintain the percentage of tenants in council new build properties who are satisfied with their home This measure has been achieved. 109 tenants across nine new build housing sites were surveyed with a 61% Green 91% 2022-23 99% 2023- 24 91% 91% 91% 147
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response rate. Based on the responses received, a 99% satisfaction rate was recorded. E.1.2 Provide settled accommodation to households experiencing homelessness Achieve the annual Local Letting Plan target for social rented properties allocated to homeless households The 2024-25 annual target for lets to the Urgent Housing Need list, comprising majority homeless households, has been achieved. Green 55%- 65% 2023-24 65.5% 2024- 25 55-65% TBC TBC Ref Action Measure Comments Status E.1.3 Develop and implement the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) Annual approval of SHIP by Housing and Technical Resources Committee The Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2025-2030 was approved by the council’s Housing and Technical Resources Committee on 27 November 2024. The SHIP includes projects with a total potential capacity for delivering up to 1,995 affordable homes in South Lanarkshire over the 5-year period. This includes 1,665 new build homes and 330 acquisitions. Green E.1.4 Develop and implement Local Letting Plans (LLP) with proposed annual targets Annual approval of LLP targets by Housing and Technical Resources Committee LLP 2025-26 targets, incorporating lets to homeless households, were approved by the council’s Housing and Technical Resources Committee on 26 February 2025. Green 148
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Good quality, suitable housing for everyone We will work in partnership to improve housing quality and energy efficiency, whilst supporting a just transition to decarbonisation Outcome: Improve housing quality and energy efficiency whilst supporting a just transition to decarbonisation ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) E.2.1 Improve overall energy efficiency of homes across South Lanarkshire Increase the average Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) score of all homes with an Energy Performance Certificate in South Lanarkshire This measure has been achieved. Based on Home Analytics Database, the average SAP score has increased as a result of the installation of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures. Green 65.1 2021-22 67 2024- 25 Increase by 1% from baseline 70 TBC Increase number of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures installed across private homes in South Lanarkshire utilising national funding sources Area Based Schemes are funded by the Scottish Government and coordinated by councils to provide energy efficiency measures to homes within a local authority area. In 2024-25, through the Area Based Schemes in South Lanarkshire there were 293 measures installed, comprising of external wall insulation, cavity wall insulation, cavity extraction and refill, loft insulation and solar PV and batteries. Green N/A N/A 293 2024- 25 200 600 TBC Increase number of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures installed in council homes in South Lanarkshire The council continues to deliver its Housing Investment Programme to improve the energy efficiency of its properties and reduce energy costs for tenants. 95.63% of council stock meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS), this equates to 24,789 properties. Green N/A N/A Year End 2024- 25 2024- 25 100 per year TBC TBC 149
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The council awaits guidance from the Scottish Government on the new social housing net zero standard. Ref Action Measure Comments Status E.2.2 Support the delivery of schemes to improve energy efficiency in homes across South Lanarkshire Develop and implement the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Scheme The ECO scheme is a government energy efficiency scheme designed to tackle fuel poverty and help reduce carbon emissions. The scheme works by placing an obligation on energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to low income, fuel-poor and vulnerable households. The scheme was launched in South Lanarkshire in July 2023. In 2024-25, 295 measures were installed in 102 private sector homes across South Lanarkshire, improving the energy efficiency of the homes and reducing energy consumption rates for occupiers. Green Co-ordinate Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme funding (EES:ABS) The council continues to make effective use of funding to support owners to improve energy efficiency. This includes features such as external wall, cavity and loft insulation as well as solar panel and battery installations. Green 150
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Good quality, suitable housing for everyone We will work in partnership to prevent and significantly reduce homelessness and improve outcomes for those at risk of or who experience homelessness Outcome: Prevent homelessness and improve outcomes for those at risk of or who experience homelessness ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) E.3.1 Deliver Housing Options Service with the aim of preventing homelessness Increase the percentage of Housing Option interventions where homelessness is prevented During 2024-25, 60% (889) homeless household cases were prevented, broadly similar to the position recorded last year. The operating context in relation to the prevention of homelessness remains extremely challenging. The prevailing socio-economic conditions continue to adversely impact upon the ability to prevent homelessness during 2024-25. This trend has been mirrored nationally. Red 73.5% 2021-22 60% 2024- 25 70% TBC TBC Increase the percentage of former homeless households provided with a council tenancy that maintain their home for more than 12 months Tenancy sustainment has remained strong again this year and the target has been achieved. Green 88% 2022-23 91.9% 2024- 25 TBC TBC TBC Reduce repeat instances of homelessness Instances of repeat homelessness have increased by 15% from 98 cases in 2023- 24 to 113 in 2024-25. This has resulted in performance being slightly above the target of 3%. All repeat homelessness cases are reviewed to identify patterns and to inform future development and delivery of services. Amber 4.5% 2021-22 4.6% 2024- 25 3% TBC TBC 151
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Ref Action Measure Comments Status E.3.2 Improve access to settled accommodation to homeless households Continue to implement the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) The final annual review of the five-year Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP 2019 to 2024) was reported to the council’s Housing and Technical Resources Committee on 18 September 2024. The report noted the sustained and significant increase in demand from homeless households over the last two years and the challenges this has presented for homelessness services both locally and nationally. The report also sought approval for the implementation of the Homelessness Strategic Plan, to replace the RRTP. Blue 152
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People live the healthiest lives possible We will ensure that all of our services work with people as early as possible to stop problems happening Outcome: People are able to look after and improve their own health and wellbeing and live in good health for longer ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) F.1.1 We will continue to support people to improve their own health and wellbeing and exercise choice and control Number of people participating in a co- produced Self Directed Support Assessment to exercise choice and control over their care 3,756 co-produced assessments have been approved exceeding the annual target of 3,000 assessments. Green 2,984 2022-23 3,756 2024- 25 3,000 3,100 3,200 Ref Action Measure Comments Status F.1.2 We will continue to establish a Community Led Support approach to promote to promote positive health and wellbeing outcomes and community resilience Number of employees trained in Community Led Support approach across all localities 64 employees have been trained to promote positive health and wellbeing across localities. The Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has been working with the National Development Team for Inclusion to support Community Led Support (CLS) development across the partnership. Development sessions were held in all localities to evaluate progress made to date and share good practice. Each locality brought together a range of stakeholders, including Health and Social Care staff, Third Sector Organisations and organisations delivering key services across South Lanarkshire communities. Over 130 participants shared their experiences and examples highlighted have been the development of Clydesdale in Conversation (CLiC), Spaces to Talk and the development of a pop-up outreach ‘Wellbeing Wagon’ in Clydesdale. In East Kilbride, strong CLS initiatives are in place through Connected East Kilbride in Calderwood, Greenhills and The Murray with the plan to establish a CLS hub in Greenhills with Loaves and Green 153
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Fishes. In Hamilton there is good CLS activity in community cafes and multi-agency hubs with the development of a hub in Burnbank now progressed. In Rutherglen and Cambuslang a first pop up hub is scheduled to take place. CLS hubs are now operational in each locality. F.1.3 We will promote self – care and self- management including technology enabled care Increase in the number of people supported by Technology Enabled Care to manage their own health and wellbeing The Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Team continues to lead the delivery of innovative, person-centred digital health and care solutions. Through its three core programmes, Telecare, Telehealth and Innovation and Solutions, the team supports citizens to live independently, safely and with greater control over their health and wellbeing as well as exploring new ways of working. Telehealth Services have continued to expand with 3,667 patients using remote monitoring to self- manage their health, an increase of 7% from the previous year. Three new remote health pathways were introduced, with a further three in development. The ‘Near Me’ video consultation platform facilitated over 25,500 virtual appointments, saving patients an estimated £150,000 in travel costs. The number of virtual waiting areas increased to 251 and 12 ‘Near Me Near You’ community access points now support individuals without digital devices at home. In 2024-25, 16% of hospital discharges were supported via the Home First pathway, with essential telecare installations completed within 24 hours. Over 6,000 service users have now been successfully migrated from analogue to digital alarm systems, with the remaining 500 users scheduled for transition by July 2025, well ahead of the national BT digital switchover deadline of January 2027. South Lanarkshire now operates a fully end-to-end digital alarm estate. The digital infrastructure enables a shift towards proactive, data-driven care, supporting early intervention for individuals at higher risk of adverse outcomes. In parallel, the team’s sustainability efforts have resulted in the reuse of 1,874 alarms, generating cost savings of Green 154
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£314,832 and reducing environmental impact. 155
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People live the healthiest lives possible We will increase access, activities and supports that help improve mental health and addictions Outcome: People, including those with disabilities or long-term conditions, or who are frail, are able to live as far as reasonably practicable, independently and at home or in a homely setting in their community ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) F.2.1 We will continue to protect adults at risk from harm Percentage of statutory supervising officer visits completed within timescale for local authority welfare guardianship orders There was a total of 243 local authority guardianship visits due with 91% (220) being completed in time, exceeding the annual target of 75%. Green 93% 2022-23 91% 2024- 25 75% 75% 75% Percentage of statutory supervising officer visits completed within timescale for private welfare guardianship orders There was a total of 2,214 private guardianship visits due with 87% (1,932) being completed in time, exceeding the annual target. Green 93% 2022-23 87% 2024- 25 75% 75% 75% Ref Action Measure Comments Status F.2.2 We will continue to protect adults at risk from harm Implement Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards across all localities Medication Assisted Standards (MAT) are a set of nationally agreed evidence-based standards to enable the consistent delivery of safe, accessible, high quality drug treatments across Scotland. They were produced in response to the emergent public health crisis by the Drug Death Task Force. The standards are relevant to people and families accessing or in need of services and Health and Social Care staff responsible for the delivery of recovery orientated systems of care. The timescale for implementation of the MAT standards is 2026. Strong progress is being made to implement the ten MAT standards. Five standards are green, three are provisionally green and one amber. While MAT standard 7 is currently red there are steps in place to progress. Green 156
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People live the healthiest lives possible We will provide high quality day-to-day health and social care services that are accessible to everyone in our community who needs them Outcome: Health and Social Care Services are centred on helping to maintain or improve the quality of life of people who use those services Ref Action Measure Comments Status F.3.1 Implement Discharge Without Delay to return people to their home or community safely Embed Home Assessment Team approach across localities to optimise independence of those discharged from hospital/prevention from hospital admission In 2024-25, care packages were reduced on average by 29% following Home Assessment Team (HAT) intervention. In the same period, the service supported over 1,000 episodes of care, and 50% of service users who completed HAT intervention either required, reduced or no support following intervention. Performance has fallen slightly, short of the 30% annual target, however, it is acknowledged performance has been variable across the period and is influenced by the volumes of individuals with complex needs being supported by the service who have little or no reablement potential. A review of the service model and criteria for the service is currently underway which is expected to result in changes to pathways, increasing the flow and capacity through HAT which will have a positive impact on performance going forward. Amber F.3.2 We will support carers to maintain their caring role through a personal outcome approach Number of new carers supported 1,348 new carers have been supported in 2024-25 by Lanarkshire Carers. Lanarkshire Carers continues to experience high demand from new carers and carers already known to the organisation which currently totals 7,949 in South Lanarkshire which is a percentage demand increase of 22% in comparison with 2023-24. Lanarkshire Carers have continued to develop and evolve its “CarerSpace” online portal to start or continue a conversation. It is a toolkit developed by carers for carers that helps explore various aspects of a carers life, focusing on what matters to them. Once submitted, staff from Lanarkshire Carers can pick up the conversation with the carer. Green 157
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South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership Working together to improve the quality of life for all in South Lanarkshire Community Plan for South Lanarkshire 2022-2032 Annual Outcomes Improvement Report 2024-25 Appendix 2 10 159
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Contents Chapter Page Number Introduction to Community Planning in South Lanarkshire • Preface • What are we? • Who are we? • What are we trying to do? • How do I get involved? 3 Our Ambitions • Delivery of the Community Plan • Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland 4-6 Community Plan • Performance Highlights 7 Community Plan • Overall Performance at a glance 8-9 Places for Wellbeing: how we are making a difference • Thriving Businesses and Fair Jobs • Caring, connected communities • People live the healthiest lives possible • Putting learning at the centre • Our children and young people thrive • Good quality, sustainable housing for everyone 10-19 Working with Communities: how you can get involved • Community Participation and Engagement • Neighbourhood Planning • Volunteering • Community Asset Transfer • Participation Requests 20-28 Appendices • Links to the National Performance Framework and UN Sustainable Development Goals • Community Planning Partnership Structure 29-30 160
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Section 1 - Introduction to Community Planning in South Lanarkshire What are we? All our Community Planning Partners are working together to make South Lanarkshire a better place to live, learn, play, work and age. We work with each other and with communities to provide the best possible services that local people want and need. Further information can be found on the Community Planning Partnership website: www.southlanarkshirecommunityplanning.org. Who are we? Our partnership includes a wide range of national and local organisations. Some of these organisations you will know well. Our community partners lead on local planning and area-based Community Partnerships. A full list can be found on our website. What are we trying to do? Our aim is to work with communities to deliver better services targeted at reducing poverty and tackling inequalities and deprivation across South Lanarkshire. South Lanarkshire is also an Age Friendly Community, and the partnership works together with the Seniors Community to deliver on this. Further information can be found on the Community Planning Partnership website: www.southlanarkshirecommunityplanning.org. How do I get involved? There are many ways to get involved in your local community and influence the work of the partnership, for example, through volunteering, joining a local action group, helping to find out what matters in your area or getting involved in how decisions are made. More information can be found on the Community Planning website: www.southlanarkshirecommunityplanning.org/info/74/getting_involved. 161
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Section 2 – Our Ambitions Our Ambitions Our Community Plan sets out how we will continue to support the people living in our communities to participate in Community Planning and puts the places where our communities live at the centre of change. We will continue to focus on improving how we work better together to deliver local needs and priorities. This work will happen across three key ambitions: People; Progress; and Planet. People – Together, we will take a people first approach to improving everyone’s wellbeing. People told us that empowerment comes from the community and it’s not something that is given to them. We understand that long-lasting change will only be achieved if we all work together, putting our communities at the heart of community planning. We will continue to have community conversations that matter. We will work with communities to ensure that their voices are heard and support them to act on the things that are important to them through a “Can Do” approach. Progress – Together, we will build on what we have learned to improve how we do things and the wellbeing of everyone. Delivering the right things that matter to people, in the right place and at the right time. We have been inspired by the phenomenal community response to the global pandemic and have seen how our communities “Can Do” more with the right information and support from us. Our focus will be to continue to grow and develop the relationships and the excellent partnership working that has supported our communities to maintain and improve their wellbeing throughout the pandemic. Planet - Together, we will act in ways that protect our natural world for a healthier future. We will work together to develop local solutions to protect nature and to take action on climate change and support our young people to lead the way. The ambitions set out where we want to see change happening across the themes of Progress, People and Planet. From your feedback, we know that there are six other priorities that are important to you. We are working to improve services in these areas and have plans that show how this is being done. Our Places for Wellbeing model shows how the plan connects though place, ambitions and priorities. 162
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You can read the full Community Plan on the Community Planning website: www.southlanarkshirecommunityplanning.org/info/1/what_is_community_planning/135/our_priorities. 163
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Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) In winter 2024, the Community Planning Partnership were chosen as one of three places in Scotland to work with Public Health Scotland (PHS) and the University College London Institute of Health Equity (IHE), headed by Sir Michael Marmot, who have partnered to create the ‘Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland’. This two-year collaboration between PHS and IHE aims to strengthen and accelerate the action underway to improve Scotland’s health, increase wellbeing and reduce health inequalities. Reducing health inequity requires action on eight key objectives. These are referred to as the Marmot 8 principles. They are to: - • Tackle discrimination and racism, and their outcomes; • Give every child the best start in life; • Enable all children, young people and adults to maximise their capabilities and control their lives; • Create fair employment and good work for all; • Pursue environmental sustainability and health equity together; • Ensure a healthy standard of living for all; • Create and develop healthy and sustainable places and communities; and • Strengthen the role and impact of ill health prevention. Further information Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland - Public Health Scotland 164
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Section 3 – Community Plan Performance Highlights There is a significant amount of work being undertaken in our communities and by our partners across South Lanarkshire to make places fairer, better and greener. This report highlights some of the work that has been done. The following are examples of key areas of work: • Thriving Businesses and Fair Jobs: The number of employability participants progressing into employment has increased this year by 16.3%. • Caring, connected communities: Focus groups were held with older people during October 2024 to consult on the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Checklists for Age Friendly Cities. • People live the healthiest lives possible: 3,756 co-produced Self-Directed Support Assessments were approved, exceeding the annual target of 3,000. • Putting learning at the centre: 741 young people engaged in the Aspire Programme which included individualised one-to-one support; college-based leaver programmes and groupwork as they approached their school leaving date. • Our children and young people thrive: 96% of parents who attended the ‘You and Your Child’ programme reported an improved understanding of their child’s developmental needs and how to meet these as parents. • Good quality, sustainable housing for everyone: 95.6% of council stock met the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) which is 24,789 properties. 165
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Section 4 – Community Plan Overall Performance at a glance The following provides a summary of our performance against our priority measures. These are: • Putting learning at the centre • Our children and young people thrive • Thriving businesses and fair jobs • Caring, connected communities • People live the healthiest lives possible • Good quality, sustainable housing for everyone The full CPP performance report can be accessed using the following link: Https://bit.ly/CPP2425Q4ProgressReport Status of priority measures 71 Improved or Maintained 5 Slippage or Deteriorated Status Definition Blue The action to achieve change has been completed Green On course to achieve the target or complete the action as planned/the timescale or target has been met as per expectations Amber There has been minor slippage against timescale or minor shortfall against target Red There has been major slippage against timescale or major shortfall against target To be reported later For some measures, the statistics are not yet available to allow us to say whether the target has been reached or not. These will be reported when available Most improved measures Least improved measures Increase the percentage of employability participants progressing to positive destinations Total number of businesses/social enterprises supported – Existing Organisations By March 2025, 60% of children and young people accessing Pathfinders will report improvement across three outcome indicators Number and value of grants By March 2024, 100% of young people will have a Person-Centred Pathway Plan Increase the percentage of Housing Option interventions where homelessness is prevented Total number of jobs safeguarded Reduce repeat instances of homelessness Maintain the percentage of tenants in council new build properties who are satisfied with their home Embed Home Assessment Team approach across localities to optimise independence of those discharged from hospital/prevention from hospital admission 66 2 3 5 0 166
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Section 5 – Places for Wellbeing: How we are making a difference Thriving Businesses and Fair Jobs – Living Wage Why is this important? The real Living Wage aims to reduce the impacts of poverty and inequality by helping employees whilst benefiting the employer and local economy. The real Living Wage is calculated on the UK cost of living, ensuring people are able to live with dignity and have a decent standard of living. In Scotland, this is currently £12.60 per hour. More recently, the Living Hours programme was launched, building upon the Living Wage accreditation in the campaign to end insecure work. Employers who join the scheme commit to: • At least 4 weeks’ notice for every shift, with guaranteed payment if shifts are cancelled within this notice period; • A guaranteed minimum of 16 working hours every week (unless the worker requests otherwise); and • A contract that accurately reflects hours worked. How are we doing? In 2024-25, South Lanarkshire’s Living Wage Campaign Group met four times. In that period, they continued to support the Living Wage Accreditation Discount Scheme by providing grants to seven employers. The latest accreditation figures for South Lanarkshire are 186 employers which has made an impact on 2,500 employees. To promote and share awareness of the Living Wage with local employers, the group also hosted a breakfast event during Living Wage Week in November 2024, which resulted in a positive outcome, with an additional South Lanarkshire employer now accredited. Throughout the year, group members focused on engagement with partners such as DWP, Skills Development Scotland and Routes to Work South Lanarkshire. This engagement, which is conducted on a daily basis, has the aim of ensuring that all relevant partners are aware of the benefits of the real Living Wage (benefits to employers, employees and the local economy). All partners are then able to promote the real Living Wage to businesses and employers. Positive changes resulting from a review of the Living Wage Group, will continue into 2025-26. Moving forward, membership of the group will also include business representatives. This will ensure that the group has a clear focus for the year ahead and continues to create positive relationships and attract further interest from local employers and businesses. Priority Next Steps The Living Wage Group will continue to support the Living Wage Week and the Living Wage Accredited Discount Scheme. There will be an updated action plan which will align with the Glasgow City Region Living Wage Living Place Working Group. Membership of the group will be more business orientated to include the Chamber of Commerce, Business Gateway and local employers/businesses. The group will continue to raise awareness of the Living Wage Campaign including Living Hours and Living Pensions. Further information • For the real cost of living | Living Wage Foundation • Support for Business - Social Enterprise Support • Business Gateway • The Poverty Alliance 167
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Caring, connected communities – Planning: Local Development Plan 3 Why is this important? South Lanarkshire Council’s Planning Service has started to prepare the new South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan (LDP3). Once adopted, LDP3 will set out the planning policies and proposals for the use and development of land throughout South Lanarkshire, over the next 10 years, to meet the needs of the area including where new homes, workplaces, healthcare, shops and community facilities could be built, and the areas that will be protected. It will focus on improving the quality of places and access to services to meet daily needs, addressing the challenges of climate change and protecting and enhancing biodiversity. LDP3 is currently in its first stage which involves the preparation of an Evidence Report which draws together data and statistics on different themes and feedback from engagement with communities. People know their communities better than anyone, so to have a real understanding of community needs, the plan has to be co-designed in partnership with them and reflect what they say and what they want to see, where they live. Through listening to their lived experiences, we can identify what works well in their community and what needs protected, fixed, improved or provided. Data and statistics alone are of limited use, but when considered together with lived experiences, both are enriched, providing a stronger foundation from which to develop the proposed LDP3 to meet the needs of the area. How are we doing? The law requires that views are sought from residents, children and young people, disabled people, gypsies and travellers, community councils and key agencies. However, the Planning Service pledged to go even further and reached out directly to over 1,200 groups including those who don’t normally engage (seldom heard voices), older people, women/girls, men/boys, LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, vulnerable people (“protected characteristics” disabled, age, race, gender, sexual orientation), carers, tenants, developers/landowners and Third Sector Organisations. Engagement communications sought to empower people to want to get involved by giving encouragement that their views were valuable and would help shape their places in the new plan. Participants chose the method of engagement that suited them best (survey/email/letter/telephone call/online or in- person meetings). They also controlled the extent of their contribution by only commenting on place themes of interest to them, and in meetings, they could feel comfortable even just to listen in. The Planning Service contacted all the groups mentioned above and most took up the offer to meet. By having cast the engagement net wider, the proposed LDP3 will be more robustly informed and inclusive, benefitting everyone and every place within South Lanarkshire. What people have said about LDP3 Engagement Workshops: “Thanks for enabling our children to share their views, they really enjoyed the session with you. Hopefully we will see you again.” Jackton Primary School. “I've heard great feedback from having you on site. I'm delighted that the community have had a chance to get their voices heard.” The Beacons. “I look forward to the next one and will encourage more people to attend.” East Kilbride/Strathaven Locality Event participant. 168
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Priority Next Steps Further engagement will take place to ask communities if they agree with what’s proposed for their community in the preparation of the proposed LDP3. The focus will be to build upon and nurture the network of collaborators, working relationships and trust that has been achieved so far. In doing so, the LDP3 once adopted, will reflect the collective diverse voices, each championing the uniqueness of South Lanarkshire’s communities of place and interest, but united by the common goal of making the best use of the land resource available to meet the needs of all communities. Further information • Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3) - South Lanarkshire Council 169
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People live the healthiest lives possible – Keep Well Why is this important? Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Scotland. Keep Well (KW), a small nurse led service, delivers a CVD prevention focused health check across Lanarkshire, to seven targeted populations and communities who may not readily access mainstream services. These groups include people affected by problematic substance use, people affected by homelessness, people attending Community Justice Services, members of the gypsy/traveller community, people who have an unpaid caring role, members of the Deaf community and people from ethnic minority backgrounds. There is strong evidence available to indicate that these communities and groups experience poorer health outcomes, not just related to CVD. How are we doing? The key to success and sustainability of KW, is collaboration with other services. KW have developed excellent partnerships with not only NHS Lanarkshire services, but with other Health and Social Care partners and Third Sector partners. Working with partner services, a traditional appointment- based approach is used, where partners can refer their patient/service user directly into the service. The team also use an opportunistic assertive outreach model, where the service is taken directly to the people the team wish to engage with. Here, people are seen outwith the traditional health care environment and clinics are delivered within a wide variety of settings, making them accessible to those who need them most in the community. During 2024-25, KW engaged with 194 people from South Lanarkshire. It should be noted, however, that the total number is likely higher as some partner services provide a service across Lanarkshire, and residents from South Lanarkshire have attended clinics held in North Lanarkshire venues. • 53% of people benefited from Case Management Support to link them into mainstream services to address their health and wellbeing needs; • 42% required further management of abnormal clinical findings and were referred to their GP practice; • 27% accepted referral to South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture to improve their physical activity; • 11% accepted testing for Blood Borne Virus detection; • 3% were referred to Addiction Support Services; and • 6% accepted referral to Homeless Cancer Screening and Sexual Health Nurse. Priority Next Steps • Continue to build on relationships with South Lanarkshire Council’s Restorative Justice and Women’s Hubs. • Discuss the possibility of delivering the service to those attending Diversion from Prosecution Services along with the new Justice Group work programme. • KW plan to shadow the Harm Reduction Team during their Outreach Service, and it is hoped that there will be further opportunities to work in partnership, delivering health checks to individuals using the Outreach Service. “Great partnership working and we know the carers we support find the service so helpful to them” Partner Service staff member. “Thank you so very much for helping me get the treatment I needed at my GP practice” Patient. Further information: Keep Well | NHS Lanarkshire 170
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Putting learning at the centre – Youth Forum on Climate Change and Sustainability Why is this important? Conference of Schools 3 Event South Lanarkshire is committed to equipping young people with the tools and confidence to lead on issues that will shape their futures, none more pressing than climate change. Engaging students from P5–P7, the Conference of Schools (COS) 3 event planted early seeds of environmental responsibility, involving secondary pupils as mentors and role models. The event’s strong emphasis on sustainability aligns directly with South Lanarkshire’s Community Plan goals of climate resilience and youth empowerment. How are we doing? The third annual Youth Forum Conference brought together over 300 students and teachers from 100 primary schools, engaging them in hands-on learning activities designed and delivered by secondary students. Key workshops addressed renewable energy, sustainable fashion, biodiversity and waste reduction. Feedback from both staff and pupils highlighted the value and impact of the experience: • “It was an extremely enjoyable day because we got to do fun activities but also learn all about looking after our environment.” • “We want to have an event like this in school.” • “I enjoyed getting to know about the problems of the Earth and how we can solve them.” • “The connection between the pupils from secondary schools and primary schools was wonderful and to see them all working together on learning for sustainability.” • “The most valuable aspect was seeing how engaged and passionate the children were about climate action.” The collaborative format also strengthened bonds between primary and secondary learners, enhancing confidence, communication, and peer leadership. Teachers noted increased pupil enthusiasm for climate topics and a desire to carry this momentum into their classrooms. Many attendees expressed a strong desire to replicate aspects of the event in their own school setting, particularly the practical, student-led workshop model. The wide variety of engaging activities, ranging from renewable energy experiments to creative upcycling tasks, proved effective in translating complex sustainability topics into accessible and memorable learning experiences. Importantly, the conference not only met its educational goals but also sparked meaningful dialogue about local action, fostering a culture where young people feel empowered to make a difference. Priority Next Steps • Enable schools to independently run mini versions of the conference by using the provided toolkit with the COS3 workshop presentations and activities. • Offer tailored training for Youth Forum members to enhance their leadership, presentation and facilitation skills. Further information To find out more about the COS3 event please view the following link: COS3 Case Study 171
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Our children and young people thrive – Children’s Rights in South Lanarkshire Why is this important? The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 provides a unique opportunity to work towards best practice in children’s rights in everything we do. Our approach is informed by the aspiration to help children access their rights more easily and the Children’s Services Partnership have been engaging with their wider workforce to help them understand children’s rights better, be more aware of the demands that incorporation will make on public services and to understand what best practice looks like. The commitment to respect and promote the rights of all children and young people is central to the work we do, and this strong rights-based approach is making a significant difference to children and young people’s lives. We are listening to the voices of more children and young people than ever before, which in turn is informing our work and the work of the wider public sector. As a partnership, we aim to ensure that the voices and lived experiences of children, young people, parents and carers are embedded within all our planning processes, and we clearly understand the impact that they have on decisions we make. Our commitment to children’s rights and engagement participation is a strength and features in our Children’s Services Plan animation, designed and created by our children and young people: https://youtu.be/Sx_rrNiKOo8 How are we doing? A selection of the many examples of children’s rights practice over the last year to support the implementation of the Act are shared below: • A Child Friendly Complaints Model has been developed by South Lanarkshire Council’s Education Resources which looks at practice regarding complaints and supports children and young people to share their views when complaints about services that affect them are made. (Article 12 – the right to be heard). • A UNCRC eLearning module has been created by our children and young people and has been made available across all public and third sector partners. This training puts children and young people at the heart of our rights-based practice and is a webinar that informs staff of the key messages in the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 (Article 42 - the right to know your rights). • We continue to refresh our Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) website with the latest information and guidance on children’s rights, making sure staff are well informed about children’s rights and their role in supporting them. (Article 3 - the best interests of the child). • Children and young people are more involved in the planning, delivery and participation in events: - An event to celebrate Care Day in February 2025, was planned with and led by young people from our Champion’s Board. The young people hosted the event and challenged corporate parents to show how they were continuing to keep South Lanarkshire’s Promise. This event brought together over 180 care experienced children and young people and corporate parents to share experiences and identify what more we can do together. (Articles 9, 20 and 21 the right to be cared for). - Our Wellbeing Warriors were at the heart of a conference in March 2025 helping to share good practice in schools across South Lanarkshire to support emotional wellbeing. The event also helped highlight other important supports that were available to support children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. (Article 24 – the right to health care). • The care experienced Champions Board have been more visible to care experienced children and young people and to corporate parents. The Champions regularly host sessions with corporate parents to discuss all aspects of The Promise. This includes a regular visit from South Lanarkshire Council’s Chief Executive. (Article 12 - the right to be heard, Article 3 - the best interests of the child). • We have introduced a ‘Mini Champs’ process and made sure that pupils in schools have the opportunity to be heard. (Article 12 - the right to be heard). 172
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• Our Champions Board helped to make our Winter Wishes campaign a success and make sure that care experienced young people got extra help over the Winter period with cost of living challenges including access to food, winter clothing, help with paying bills and having their basic needs met, despite the challenges of the cost of living and price increases. (Article 27 - the right to food and clothing and a place to live). • The Champions Board and young people from the Pathfinders project hosted a visit from Scottish Government Minister Natalie Don-Innes in July 2024 and helped launch a national consultation on ‘Moving on from Care’ from the Throughcare and Aftercare Hub. The young people were delighted to get the chance to meet, listen to and discuss issues and ideas with a member of the Scottish Government. (Article 4 - Governments have a responsibility to protect children’s rights); • The national Promise Fund is helping support a reduction in the criminalisation of care-experienced young people who are over-represented in the justice system. Care and justice experienced young people are coming together through the ASK youth justice and rights approach to inform how best young people can be safeguarded in their communities. The work is being led by young leaders and peer researchers, supported by the council, COVEY and the University of the West of Scotland. (Article 19 - the right to be protected from harm, Article 40 - the right to help in the justice system). • As part of a public consultation on council budgets, children and young people led 1,300 of their peers in a video led interactive process to make the views known throughout South Lanarkshire visible to decision makers. A report on their voice was published and made available to councillors as part of the engagement process. In a follow-up, elected members were asked what impact the views of children and young people had had on the process. Young people reported that they enjoyed the experience, and it was easy and fun to give their opinions on budget proposals and other issues affecting their lives. An annual ‘check in’ process will become a feature of community engagement. (Article 12 - the right to be heard). • South Lanarkshire is one of three local authority areas to participate in the Marmot Place Programme, which offers a unique opportunity to improve our understanding of inequalities across South Lanarkshire. Young people spoke at the launch event in February 2025 for the programme and will be a visible and important part of this collaborative approach to address and reduce health inequality across our communities. (Article 24 - the right to the best possible health care and healthy environment). Priority Next Steps The work of our partnership is rooted in a rights respecting approach, supporting and informing our work and challenging staff to aspire to the best possible outcomes for all children and young people, particularly those who are most vulnerable. Over the next year and beyond, the following commitments will be a priority for our partnership: • We will continue to promote rights-based practice, so all children’s voices are heard by decision makers. • We will ensure that the voices of children and young people are listened to at the highest level across all public sector partners as an integral part of practice, building on the impact of the Child Voice Project. • We will further test and extend a consistent approach to making complaints a child friendly process. • We will encourage staff from across the public sector workforce to participate in the UNCRC staff webinar created and presented by our children and young people. • As an integral part Children’s Services thematic groups, children, young people and families will continue to inform services based on their experiences in the past, their current needs and their aspirations for the future. • We will continue to be innovative in the way we involve children and young people, especially those who do not tend to engage in traditional consultation processes e.g. in seminars, conferences and other big events. • We will ensure that the seven principles of rights-based practice are at the heart of all our work. Further information: Children's Services Partnership 173
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Good quality, sustainable housing for everyone - Working together to help those experiencing homelessness Why is this important? Becoming homeless is a traumatic and often life changing event which can have a negative impact on the lives and health of the individuals and families affected. For many years, South Lanarkshire Council and its partners have worked together to improve outcomes for those experiencing homelessness in South Lanarkshire. However, over the last three years, due to a range of socio-economic factors, there has been an unprecedented and sustained increase in the levels of homelessness. This increase has been experienced at both a national and local level and has placed significant pressures on homelessness services. Consequently, ensuring a strong partnership approach has never been more important and the council and its partners remain committed to working together to prevent homelessness by providing support and assistance to households to sustain and manage their home. In September 2024, a Homelessness Strategic Plan was approved by the council, replacing the previous Rapid Re-housing Transition Plan (RRTP) 2019- 2024. While the new Plan is based on the RRTP, it also sets out high level actions to address the homelessness pressures being experienced locally. The Plan will ensure a strategic focus for the council and partners and is being closely monitored with progress reported regularly. How are we doing? Despite current challenging conditions, the council and its partners continue to make a positive difference to those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness through the delivery of vital services. An area of work where there have been successful outcomes over the last year relates to the further development of Housing Support Services for care experienced young people in South Lanarkshire. The council’s Homelessness Service and Throughcare and Aftercare Team has been working with Barnardo’s to deliver a project aimed at supporting care experienced young people into a home of their own. The project, named SLC Futures, provides an opportunity for care experienced young people to experience independent living in a training flat with ongoing wraparound support from the Throughcare and Aftercare Team, a dedicated Throughcare Housing Officer and a Housing Support Worker from Barnardo’s. Currently, there are four training flats where young people currently in care, who feel that they are ready to move into their own home, can live independently in a highly supported environment. This gives them the life skills and confidence to successfully move onto their own settled home after a period of time living within the training flat. There is no set timescale for how long it takes, however, so far, the average time young people spend in the training flat is around six months. In addition to the training flats, Barnardo’s also provide outreach support to young people whilst they are in their current placement. This enables Barnardo’s and the team around the young person to build relationships and trust, answer questions, ensure that the young person is prepared and understands what will happen when they move into the training flat. Moving into a new home and living independently can be daunting. Having to think about decorating, utilities, furnishing, etc can be challenging. SLC Futures helps young people to understand their rights and responsibilities when moving into a home of their own. 174
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Care experienced young people involved in the South Lanarkshire Champions Board have been fundamental to shaping this project from design through to delivery. Their continued support and input to the project has been essential to its success. After each young person moves on from the training flat, any lessons learned are taken into account and identified service improvements are progressed, ensuring a better experience for the next young person to benefit from this approach. Since SLC Futures was established in July 2024, the project has supported five young people within training flats and has provided outreach support to a further three young people in preparation for them moving into one of the flats. One of the five young people has already moved onto a tenancy of their own (see case study below) and another two are ready to move into their own homes. Due to the success of the project a further four training flats will be established in 2025-26. This means the project will be able to help more young people to develop skills to live successfully and independently in their own home. Case study – Joshua’s Story (*name has been changed) One of the first young people to benefit from the SLC Futures project was Joshua*, an unaccompanied asylum-seeking young person. Joshua was living in a Children’s House and had expressed an interest in living independently. Joshua was supported whilst living in the Children’s House to move into the training flat. Whilst there, he engaged with the Barnardo’s worker to develop essential life skills for living in his own home. This included budgeting, setting up utilities, decorating, furnishing, planning meals, cleaning as well as learning about his rights and responsibilities as a tenant. Joshua enjoyed his time in the training flat and quickly demonstrated that he could live independently with very little support. Having had thorough housing options advice from the Throughcare Housing Officer, Joshua agreed a range of areas for re-housing and property types and was quickly made an offer of housing. Joshua was pleased with his offer and accepted it quickly. He was then supported to move into his new home by the SLC Futures Team and the Children’s House and continues to live successfully in his new home. Priority Next Steps In the year ahead, the council and its partners will continue to work together to progress actions and contribute towards the achievement of priority objectives set out within the Homelessness Strategic Plan, including: • Promotion of homelessness prevention activities to prevent homelessness as far as possible. • Increasing the supply of affordable housing through new build, acquisitions and bringing long term empty properties into use. • Continuing to develop and implement approaches to prevent youth homelessness, with a particular focus on a pathway approach to meeting the needs of care experienced young people. • Monitoring, evaluating and adapting Housing Support Services to improve homelessness prevention and support tenancy sustainment across all tenures. • Delivery of the Private Sector Innovation Fund and Sustainment Service providing financial support to private rented tenants to prevent homelessness. Further information • The Homelessness Strategic Plan can be viewed on the council’s website: Homelessness Strategic Plan-RRTP Action Plan 175
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Section 6 – Working with Communities: How you can get involved Community Participation and Engagement Why is this important? Our work as a partnership is intended to improve outcomes for people who live, play and work in South Lanarkshire, particularly in those areas that experience the poorest outcomes. There is a lot of evidence that shows that when people are involved in decisions about services which affect them, outcomes are improved. As a partnership, we want to find ways to speak to communities and encourage them to act themselves and to have an influence on how services are delivered where they live. The Community Empowerment Act 2015 (www.gov.scot/publications/community-empowerment-scotland-act-summary/) means that legally the partnership has to place communities at the centre of its work, and work together with them to produce locality plans which we call Neighbourhood Plans, in areas which have the poorest outcomes. In South Lanarkshire we are ambitious and work to extend this beyond the legal requirements and listen to and involve communities in a real and meaningful way. The Act also sets out other requirements for public organisations, for example, in relation to Community Asset Transfers and Participation Requests. During the year, many consultation and engagement activities were carried out by partners with communities in the South Lanarkshire area. The following sections in the report highlight some areas of this work. 176
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Working with Communities: Neighbourhood Planning Why is this important? Neighbourhood Planning is a community engagement process in which local residents, local agencies, community groups and organisations work collaboratively to develop local plans for their neighbourhood. The neighbourhoods are identified as some of our most deprived communities in South Lanarkshire and the aim of this process is to reduce inequalities and improve outcomes for residents within these neighbourhoods. The Neighbourhood Planning process works to build a shared understanding of local priorities and work together to make use of resources and enhance community participation. Our Place Our Plan Stakeholder Groups and Neighbourhood Planning Groups continue to act as a catalyst to empower and build the capacity and participation of local people. The use of an asset-based approach to Neighbourhood Planning is helping build community involvement, confidence and aspiration. Delivering the Neighbourhood Plans has created opportunities for increased local decision making, partnership working and greater collaboration between local people and those providing services. Neighbourhood Planning involves communities in real and meaningful ways and has created positive change in these communities. For more information on the progress that has been made in these areas please see the communities’ Annual Reports: www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/cp/info/26/community_matters How are we doing? The council’s Community Engagement Team Development Officers are working with nine communities to progress Neighbourhood Planning and a further one area is in progress. Place Based Participatory Budgeting 2024-2025 Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which local people decide directly how to spend part of a public budget. PB enables the active participation of communities in local financial decision making, enabling residents to have a direct say in how a defined budget can be used to address locally identified priorities. PB has become central to the advancement of three policy agendas in Scotland: Public Service Reform, Community Empowerment and Social Justice. In South Lanarkshire, Place Based PB is aligned to the development and delivery of Neighbourhood Plans. Each plan has a set of ten priority themes, and any community led PB proposals are required to meet at least one of these priorities. The allocation of PB funds is decided through a public vote, promoting community empowerment through participatory democracy. In September 2024, PB took place in nine Neighbourhood Planning areas across the Hamilton and Cambuslang/Rutherglen localities. A total of £155,000 was invested in community led projects, £40,000 from South Lanarkshire Council and a further contribution of £105,000 from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. 177
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Outcome of PB 2024-25: Neighbourhood Number of residents who voted Projects Activity Blantyre 1,582 14 received, 4 funded, 1 part funded • Two women’s mental health and wellbeing initiatives. • A volunteer development programme. • A youth and family wellbeing initiative. Hamilton South 911 6 received, 5 funded, 1 part funded • A shipping container to create a community space. • A 12-week gardening course. • A community reading programme. • A physical activity programme. • Roof repairs to a community building. • Safeguarding training. • IT equipment. Hillhouse, Udston and Burnbank 879 17 received, 7 part funded • Provisions for a food pantry and resources for a community café. • 2 defibrillators. • A polytunnel. • A supported study programme. • Training for a Youth Development Team. • Learning resources. • Mindfulness art workshops. • Fresh food for a community hub. Strutherhill and Birkenshaw 566 9 received, 3 funded, 1 part funded • A community reading shed. • Youth diversion activity. • The development of a community garden. • A child and family programme. Whitehill 288 10 received, 5 funded, 1 part funded • A community Fun Day. • A health and wellbeing programme. • Community breakfasts. • A sports club. Burnhill 382 6 received, 3 funded • A training hub. • A men’s group. • Gardening equipment. Cambuslang East 1,386 14 received, 2 funded • Transport for educational and social visits. • The development of a mother and toddler group. 178
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Fernhill 405 9 received, 4 funded • Running costs for a soccer school. • Sports equipment. • A playscheme. • A whole community event. Springhall and Whitlawburn 1,960 11 received, 6 fully funded, 1 part funded • A projector. • A community film licence. • Whole community events. • A skip initiative. • A support group for adults with disabilities. • A men’s group. • Fitness classes. • Resources for a community led café. East Kilbride South A further round of PB took place in East Kilbride South where the Stakeholder Group successfully applied for ‘Can Do’ community funding to host a PB Event to enhance community participation in the local area whilst in the development of their Neighbourhood Plan. The funding was hosted by the local third sector partner Healthy & Active East Kilbride (EK) who are a stakeholder in the local community. The Stakeholder Group designed the process online with the PB Scotland Charter around this, with an aim to increase local participation, decision making and local democracy. The group decided to host the PB vote both online and an in-person community event. The event was held in February 2025. Young people from Duncanrig High School supported the event by co-hosting and supporting the digital voting. A total of 3,480 votes were cast from 1,160 people. These votes signify what local people feel was most important to them as they have embarked on a local democratic process. Groups awarded were: • Little Brains (a group supporting young people with additional support needs). • Dementia Carers. • Waist Not Want Not (heaters for Community Asset Transfer). • Coffee and Chat (socialising group who are planning a summer outing). • Dynamic Brass (free music tuition for local children). • Sew Not Wanted (sewing tuition and sustainability tutor). • Craft for Wellbeing. • Morphfit (gentle exercise for rehabilitation in the local community). Feedback received included: “The allocation of PB funding was instrumental in the delivery of a vibrant community fun day in the Whitehill Neighbourhood Centre. This event served as a focal point for residents, fostering a stronger sense of community cohesion and providing a valuable opportunity for social interaction, successfully uniting residents of all ages, from the youngest babies to elder pensioners”. Resident, Whitehill Community Fun Day. “I’ve never been part of anything like this before. I can use all the training for my college application/CV”. Young person, HUB Youth Development Team 179
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Training. “The fact that what we say matters is great. It’s our community as well”. Young person, Blantyre. "If it wasn’t for groups and people like you, I wouldn't be here. I need to be out and meeting people. I get that here”. AGE ACTIVE, Springhall and Whitlawburn. How can you get involved? If you have an interest in any of the communities that already have a Neighbourhood Plan, you can get involved by supporting delivery of the plan. If you would like more information or would like to get involved in Neighbourhood Planning in your community, please contact the Community Engagement Team. You can call us on 0303 123 1017 or email us at communities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk. Further information • South Lanarkshire Community Plan 2022-2032 • Neighbourhood Plans - Annual Progress Reports • South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership • Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 • National Standards for Community Engagement Further PB information (national context): • PB Scotland - Participatory Budgeting in Scotland • The PB Charter for Scotland - PB Scotland • South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership - Community Matters 180
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Working with Communities: Volunteering Why is this important? Volunteering plays a vital role in fostering social, economic and personal development. Its significance extends beyond individual contributions, as it strengthens communities and promotes collective well-being. How are we doing? 1. Strengthening Community Well-being Volunteers contribute to various initiatives, such as food banks, youth programmes and elderly care services, ensuring that vulnerable individuals receive the support they need. This fosters a more inclusive and compassionate community. 2. Supporting Local Services Many charities and community groups in South Lanarkshire rely on volunteers to operate effectively. Organisations such as Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan) help connect volunteers with roles that improve health, education and social services. 3. Encouraging Youth and Skills Development Programmes like the Saltire Awards recognise young volunteers, encouraging them to develop new skills, gain experience and build confidence. Volunteering also enhances employability by providing hands-on learning opportunities. 4. Promoting Social Inclusion By volunteering, people from different backgrounds come together to work towards common goals, reducing social isolation and fostering stronger connections within the community. 5. Strengthening Civic Engagement Volunteering encourages people to take an active role in shaping their communities, leading to stronger participation in local decision making and governance. In South Lanarkshire, volunteering is not just an act of service, it is a powerful force for social and economic development, helping individuals and communities thrive together. The following are some of the highlights of 2024-25: • 1,078 new volunteers registered. • 345 individuals supported to address barriers to volunteering. • 2,037 volunteering placements facilitated. • 62 new volunteering opportunities created. • 199 new Saltire volunteer registrations. • 9,751 Saltire hours logged. • 8 Saltire Group Administrators approved. • 251 Saltire Certificates issued. VASLan’s Case Study Impact Report highlights the crucial role of third-sector organisations in South Lanarkshire, emphasising that without volunteers, many of these organisations would cease to exist. Volunteers not only provide essential services but also transform lives by fostering confidence and resilience among participants. 181
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How can you get involved? Further information can be found on the VASLan website: Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan) Working with Communities: Volunteering Community Partnerships Why is this important? Through the creation of Community Partnerships, local organisations and residents can voice what matters to them and their community to the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Board. The goal of the South Lanarkshire CPP is to ensure that communities actively participate in the community planning process. Empowering local residents to have a voice to support community-led decision making and local democracy. The focus of these groups is to highlight and address local inequalities. Community Partnership groups have been established in each of our four localities (Cambuslang and Rutherglen, Clydesdale, East Kilbride and Strathaven, and Hamilton), and the number of volunteers attending continues to increase. How are we doing? All groups are volunteer-led and committed to inclusive membership growth. They meet every six weeks to discuss local and common issues across their area. They also discuss the challenges they encounter and share their ideas on solutions to problems that may affect and impact the members of their communities’ day-to-day lives. To address these issues, they also invite officers from across the partnership to attend their meetings. Each Community Partnership has a dedicated space on the agenda of the CPP Board, and they provide quarterly updates, highlighting local issues, solutions and achievements. During 2024-25, the established Community Partnerships, supported by the Improvement Service completed a self-evaluation. Discussions have taken place with officers on how children and young people can have a voice at a locality level. Priority Next Steps The Community Partnerships will continue to review their membership to ensure that it is inclusive and representative of their wider community. Following the self-evaluation, they will develop and implement an improvement plan. This will involve identifying training needs and fostering a stronger cooperation in the future. We will continue to develop youth voice opportunities to engage in their communities. Each Community Partnership has a dedicated space on the Community Planning website, and we will continue to work with them on the best ways to share what they are doing with their wider community. How can you get involved? Community Partnerships create a space for local residents to have a greater say and influence in decisions that affect them. Community Partnership members include representatives from Neighbourhood Planning, Community Councils and other local stakeholders such as Community Led Planning Groups. For more information or to discuss how you or your group can become involved, please get in touch with communities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk or call 0303 123 1017. Further Information: • South Lanarkshire Community Partnerships • Cambuslang and Rutherglen Community Partnership • Clydesdale Community Partnership • East Kilbride and Strathaven Community Partnership • Hamilton Community Partnership 182
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Working with Communities: Community Asset Transfer Why is this important? Local councils, the Scottish Government and other public authorities, own or rent lots of land and buildings like schools, hospitals, parks and forests. The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 gives community organisations a right to ask to take over control of land or a building. If the community organisation’s plan is better for people, they will be allowed to buy, rent or have the use of it. This is called Community Asset Transfer (CAT). The Act sets out specific eligibility criteria that needs to be met by community organisations. The ownership or control of community assets is a powerful tool for communities to drive change and achieve their goals. The CAT process allows statutory partners including the council to work closely with their communities to develop local services and provision that are responsive to the needs of residents. By capitalising on the local knowledge and expertise of those who live in these communities we can assist in the flexible usage of public sector assets and work together to make the greatest impact possible in the communities in which we serve. How are we doing? During 2024-25, due to budgetary constraints, South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture closed a number of halls. South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) put in place funding to keep the halls open whilst interested community groups were sought to continue to operate them. Extensive work was undertaken which resulted in 26 of these properties being transferred to community organisations initially on one-year concessionary leases. Over and above this, during 2024-25, SLC received and validated 15 full Community Asset Transfer applications. Four of these applications involved the purchase of a property, the remaining eleven involved lease requests. At this time, seven of these requests have been approved. The council’s designated Community Asset Transfer Officer continues to support 40 communities and groups who are interested in the transfer of land or properties. In 2024-25, SLC was the only Community Planning Partner that dealt with Community Asset Transfer requests. How can you get involved? CAT is open to any community-controlled body which has the relevant constitution or governance documentation and is open to all members of the community they serve. Any group applying for a CAT must show they have organisational strength to take on and manage an asset, and that they are supported by the community which they serve. The CAT process is an exciting opportunity which can benefit any community but involves a lot of time and effort. In recognition of this, the CAT Officer can provide tailored support to each organisation. This support can be augmented by assistance from other organisations, such as Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan), Community Enterprise, Just Enterprise, Community Ownership Support Services and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). The Fountain, Lesmahagow “The quality of the support from council officers, with communication between different departments, persistence and determination, has been key to organising the activities and evidence gathering that the CAT requires”. Ruairidh MacGlone, Lesmahagow Development Trust. Further information • Community Asset Transfer 183
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Working with Communities: Participation Requests How are we doing? Participation requests are a formal way for community bodies to request to be involved in decisions and put forward their ideas on how services could be changed to improve outcomes for the community. Requests can be made to a range of public bodies including South Lanarkshire Council, NHS Lanarkshire, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue, etc. In 2024-25, no participation requests were received by Community Planning Partners. To make a participation request, your group must meet some requirements including having a membership open to your community and working for community benefit. Your first step should be getting in touch with the public body you would like to work with for assistance in getting started. This can identify if they are the right public body to contact and they can also help you to get advice and information about any existing consultations or decision making processes that you could be involved in without needing to make a formal participation request. Further information • Participation Requests • Annual Report 2024-25 - South Lanarkshire Council 184
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Appendix 1 185
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Appendix 2 CPP Structure Diagram 186
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Community Plan Indicators which have been amended in the Community Plan (from 2023/24) Appendix 3 Putting learning at the centre Partnership priority Community Plan Ref Statistical/ Intervention Indicator Date 2023/24 Indicator New Indicator Comments People experiencing barriers to employment are supported into sustainable work A.1.4 Intervention 14/03/25 Number of young people and adults provided with specialist Employability Support with Additional Support Needs supported into training, employment and education Number of young people and adults provided with specialist Employability Support supported into training, employment and education Additional Support Needs removed from the indicator as this is no longer required to be detailed separately. Support young people to progress to positive post- school destinations A.2.1 Statistical 14/03/25 Decrease the gap in the School Leaver Destination Rate (SLDR) initial positive destination rate Decrease the gap in the School Leaver Destination Rate (SLDR) initial positive destination rate between the most and least deprived data zones This measure was updated to highlight that the SLDR initial positive destination rate details the gap between the most and least deprived data zones. Statistical 14/03/25 Increase number and percentage of looked after school leavers in a positive initial and follow-up destination by local authority Increase number and percentage of looked after school leavers in a positive destination by local authority This measure was updated to detail positive destinations of looked after school leavers only and to remove the initial and follow-up information as this is no longer available. 10 187
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Thriving businesses and fair jobs Partnership priority Community Plan Ref Statistical/ Intervention Indicator Date 2023/24 Indicator New Indicator Comments People experiencing barriers to employment are supported into sustainable work C.1.2 Intervention 14/03/25 Number of people participating in sector-based training Sector based training will be delivered to meet the needs of the labour market This measure has been amended as it is more beneficial to report on the sector-based training provision rather than numbers. Thriving town and neighbourhood centres provide a focal point for local communities C.2.1 Intervention 20/03/25 Complete the South Lanarkshire wide town centre visioning strategy which will give a strategic overview on the engagement and interventions with town centres over the next 10 years, and a series of town specific strategies and action plans will sit below this, giving a template for placemaking within our communities Deliver the town centre masterplans for East Kilbride and Hamilton whilst continuing to support South Lanarkshire town centres over the next 10 years, and a series of town specific strategies and action plans will sit below this, giving a template for placemaking within our communities The East Kilbride and Hamilton Masterplans have now superseded the South Lanarkshire wide town centre visioning strategy. 188
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Caring, connected communities Partnership priority Community Plan Ref Statistical/ Intervention Indicator Date 2023/24 Indicator New Indicator Comments Communities feel empowered to identify and act on their local priorities D.1.2 Intervention 17/03/25 Work with local communities in the areas of Hamilton South and East Kilbride South to identify local priorities and prepare a Neighbourhood Plan for their area Work with local communities in the area of East Kilbride South to identify local priorities and prepare a Neighbourhood Plan for the area This measure has been revised as the Hamilton South Neighbourhood Plan has now been completed. Good quality, suitable housing for everyone Partnership priority Community Plan Ref Statistical/ Intervention Indicator Date 2023/24 Indicator New Indicator Comments Prevent homelessness and improve outcomes for those at risk of or who experience homelessness E.3.2 Intervention 14/03/25 Continue to implement the Rapid Re-housing Transition Plan (RRTP) Continue to implement the Homelessness Strategic Plan This measure has been amended to advise that the RRTP has been renamed the Homelessness Strategic Plan. 189
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People live the healthiest lives possible Partnership priority Community Plan Ref Statistical/ Intervention Indicator Date 2023/24 Indicator New Indicator Comments People, including those with disabilities or long-term conditions, or who are frail, are able to live, as far as reasonably practicable, independently and at home or in a homely setting in their community F.2.1. Statistical 10/06/25 Percentage of statutory supervising officer visits completed within timescale for local authority welfare guardianship orders N/A The annual, medium and long-term targets have been reduced by the Senior Management Team from 90% to 75% due to an increased number of referrals for service alongside the number of staff available. Health and Social Care Services are centred on helping to maintain or improve the quality of life of people who use those services F.3.1 Intervention 13/03/25 Embed Home First approach across localities to optimise independence of those discharged from hospital/ prevention from hospital admission Embed Home Assessment Team approach across localities to optimise independence of those discharged from hospital/prevention from hospital admission This measure has been amended to advise that the Embed Home First has been renamed the Embed Home Assessment Team. 190
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 5 November 2025 Report by: Director, Health and Social Care Subject: Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2024/2025 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] outline the content of the Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2024/2025 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2024/2025 be noted. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. There is a statutory requirement for all local authorities to appoint a professionally qualified Chief Social Work Officer (CSWO). He/she must be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). The role of the CSWO is to provide professional advice and guidance to local authorities, elected members and officers in the provision of social work services, whether commissioned or directly provided. The CSWO has a responsibility for overall performance improvement and the identification and management of corporate risk insofar as these relate to social work services. 3.2. The CSWO is required to prepare an Annual Report of activity to the Chief Social Work Advisor for Scotland. The deadline for return is 31 October 2025. The office of the Chief Social Work Advisor reviews all the reports and if there is clarification required, they will contact individual CSWO direct. The report follows a standardised reporting framework and timeframe to ensure national consistency of returns and key issues are highlighted to aid learning and the sharing of information nationally. A summary report is also published annually by the Scottish Government. The CSWO report should also be a public facing document available to the public, elected members and professionals that reflects the social work and social care activity within its local authority. 4. CSWO Report 4.1. The report is split into an introduction and five main sections, a copy of which is attached as Appendix 1 and a brief summary of highlights are outlined below: 4.2. Introduction 4.2.1. Introduces the purpose of the report and contextualises the role of the CSWO. 11 191
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4.3. Section 1: Governance, accountability, and statutory functions 4.3.1. This section details the vision, values, and objectives of South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) and how these link to the work of Social Work Resources. It outlines the key role and responsibilities of the CSWO and the systems, structures and reporting arrangements which assure the quality of social work services. Responsibilities are outlined in relation to the South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership (South Lanarkshire University HSCP), Integration Joint Board (IJB), Children’s Services, Public Protection, Community Planning, and the corporate responsibilities of the Council. 4.4. Section 2: Service Quality and Performance – Children, Adults and Justice 4.4.1. Service quality, performance management and reporting are intrinsic parts of the duties of the CSWO. The CSWO has responsibility to respond to Care Inspectorate reports and findings from local and national activity, addressing the requirements of internal and external audit and reporting on progress against outcomes and follow-up actions from this activity. This includes discussion with the Chair of Social Work Resources Committee and presentation to Social Work Resources Committee on inspection activity twice yearly. As well as direct supervision from the Director, Health and Social Care, dedicated quarterly meetings take place with the Chief Executive for assurance and sight of all matters in relation to social work and social care. Information in relation to all inspection activity up to 2025 is included as an appendix in the CSWO report. 4.4.2. Engagement with service users and communities remains strong and is supported by the South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Forum. This is an independent group of community volunteers who work to engage health service and social care users, carers, and communities to improve local services. 4.4.3. Care Opinion continues to provide people who use our services with a platform to share honest and anonymous stories about their experiences of our services. There was national recognition this year as South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) was the first to engage justice social work services on the Care Opinion platform. 4.4.4. Building on the findings of the Independent Care Review, alignment with The Promise remains a national expectation. The Promise is already well embedded within our work and our commitment to support care experienced children, young people and families is reflected in the role of the Promise Board and the children and young people led Champions Board. 4.4.5. The service has continued to strengthen and develop arrangements in response to increased public protection activity, with a significant shift expected in the legislative framework arising from the Scottish Mental Health Law Review. An emphasis has also been placed on preventative action including suicide prevention as set out within the Scottish Government and COSLA Creating Hope Together Strategy. 4.4.6 Those with lived experience are now embedded within our justice social work services and third sector commissioned services. This is most notably through the Justice locality support workers with lived experience and Alcohol and Drug Problem Solving Court initiatives. A peer mentor approach is supported by South Lanarkshire’s Alcohol and Drug Partnership strategy, specifically within planning, developing, and delivering services with young people and their families. 192
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4.5. Section 3: Resources 4.5.1. Social Work Resources had a net revenue budget of £246.046 million for 2024/2025. The priority of social work services is to ensure effective delivery of critical services, complying with statutory legislation to protect vulnerable children, young people, and adults in our communities. Services have continued to be delivered to those assessed as most at risk with the focus on public protection throughout the last year. 4.5.2. There are several financial challenges which Social Work Resources continues to manage including:- the financial impact of demographic growth and an ageing population the increasing numbers of people supported in their community with long term- health conditions an increase in Adult Support and Protection and Child Protection activity service user and carer expectations the council’s requirement to achieve ongoing savings 4.6. Section 4: Workforce 4.6.1. Social work and social care services are a diverse sector in terms of job roles, career pathways and service structures; there were 2,822 social work and social care employees as of February 2025. The CSWO has a key leadership role in relation to workforce planning and development, from both a local authority and partnership perspective. 4.6.2. The new Social Work Resource Workforce Plan 2025-2027 details the five key areas of focus and inter-related priority areas: Recruitment, attraction, and retention Transformation Skills gap Delivery of key activities Employee wellbeing 4.7. Section 5: Looking ahead 4.7.1. The following areas of activity are highlighted in the report which are likely to impact the resource in the future: Impact of recent legislative changes including: The Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act 2023; Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024; and The Care Reform (Scotland) Act 2025. Continued response by the CSWO to lead council resources in the preparation of information to requests received under the Redress for Survivors (Historical Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 and will contribute directly to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry as requested. Consideration of future commissioning and procurement arrangements, as outlined by Audit Scotland, to provide consistent service monitoring and improvement across all commissioned services. Implementation of the new social work information system (Liquidlogic) and performance management reporting platform (Power BI). Continued service demand, ongoing financial pressures and the progression of digital innovation in service delivery. 193
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5. Employee Implications 5.1. There are no employee implications associated with this report. 6. Financial Implications 6.1. There are no financial implications associated with this report. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environmental implications in terms of the information contained in this report. 8. Other Implications 8.1. There are no other implications. 9. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 9.1. There was no requirement to undertake an integrated impact assessment or consult on this report. Professor Soumen Sengupta Director, Health and Social Care 11 September 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Focused on people and their needs Working with and respecting others Accountable, effective, efficient, and transparent Ambitious, self-aware and improving Fair, open and sustainable Excellent employer Previous References None List of Background Papers https://audit.scot/uploads/docs/report/2024/nr_241001_LGO.pdf https://audit.scot/publications/integration-joint-boards-finance-and-performance-2024 https://www.gov.scot/publications/mental-health-capacity-capacity-reform-programme- delivery-plan-october-2023-april-2025/ https://www.gov.scot/publications/creating-hope-together-scotlands-suicide-prevention- strategy-2022-2032/pages/4/ Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Liam Purdie, Head of Children and Family Services and Chief Social Work Officer Ext: 4887 (Tel: 01698 454887) E-mail: Liam.Purdie@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 194
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Appendix 1 Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2024-2025 11 195
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Contents Introduction Section 1: Governance, accountability, and statutory functions Section 2: Service Quality and Performance • Introductory Considerations • Children and Family • Adults and Older People • Justice Section 3: Resources Section 4: Workforce Section 5: Looking ahead Appendix 1: Performance Data and Trends Appendix 2: Care Inspectorate Gradings for Registered Services 196
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Introduction The aim of Social Work Resources is to promote social welfare and provide effective care and support to meet the needs of vulnerable people in South Lanarkshire. We are committed to providing responsive and accessible services, with defined standards for service provision and to supporting local people to maximise their potential, maintain their independence and improve outcomes. The requirement for every local authority to appoint a professionally qualified Chief Social Work Officer (CSWO), who must be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), is contained within Section 3 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. The role of the CSWO is to provide professional advice and guidance to the local authority’s Elected Members and Officers in the provision of commissioned and directly provided Social Work services. The CSWO also has responsibility for overall performance improvement and the identification and management of corporate risks, as far as these relate to Social Work services. The CSWO is required to prepare an annual report of activity for the Chief Social Work Advisor for Scotland. A summary report is published annually by the Scottish Government to aid learning and the sharing of information nationally. All local councils have a duty under the Social Work Scotland Act 1968 to assess a person’s community care needs and, where appropriate, to arrange any services they may require. South Lanarkshire Social Work Resources, in partnership with community planning partners, voluntary organisations and independent providers, offer a range of services designed to enable, support, improve and protect the health and care of those accessing our services. Self-Directed Support (SDS) is Scotland’s mainstream approach to adult social care and the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 places Getting It Right for Every Child at the centre of assessing the wellbeing needs of children and young people. In addition to assessment, Social Work Resources commission a wide range of local private, not for profit and voluntary sector providers together with a range of specialist services from within and outwith the South Lanarkshire area, including residential care for children and young people, older people and adults with disabilities, day services and care at home. Throughout 2024-2025 Social Work Resources activities included: • Supervision and monitoring the protection of vulnerable children and adults and wider public protection services • Providing assessment, specialised assessment, and support • Providing targeted services for vulnerable children, young people, adults, and their carers • Working with those who are subject to requirements within justice and mental health legislation • Reinforcing capacity across all social work services to meet statutory requirements 197
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As CSWO for South Lanarkshire, I will continue to progress our priorities in areas including: • Public protection for children and adults • Multi-agency public protection arrangements • South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) and development meetings for health and social care integration • Health and Social Work Governance Group • Health and Care standards • Developing and supporting our profession and workforce • Oversight and management of the Social Work Risk Register • Data Protection, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Information Governance • Procurement, contract compliance/monitoring • Eligibility criteria/prioritisation • SDS • Community Justice • Children and Young People’s legislation • Carers (Scotland) legislation • Care Inspectorate inspections and follow up improvement action plans • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion • Health and Safety • Self-evaluation and inspection We will continue to do all we can to support our communities affected by the cost-of-living crisis, whilst recognising the significant challenges for council services also experiencing increased pressure by rising costs. The ongoing development of Social Work services and our achievements in challenging times rely on the continued commitment of our staff, statutory and third sector partners, the local community and support of the council’s Elected Members across all parties, who continue to advocate for the service. The leadership governance and support through the Social Work Resources Committee and the council Executive Committee should also be noted as well as the recognition of the role of Social Work and Social Care through the Integration Joint Board. The chairs and depute chairs and the committee and board members of the respective committees have always demonstrated a commitment to appropriate challenge, support, and accountability in ensuring standards and risks are understood and prioritised in challenging times. The leadership and direct support from the council Chief Executive, who has a programme of formal meetings and an open-door approach for the Chief Social Work Officer reflects this commitment to delivery of services that permeates throughout the resource. This is also replicated in the direct management of the Chief Officer / Director, Health and Social Care of the South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership. I extend my thanks to everyone for their continued efforts during 2024-2025 and look forward to a successful year ahead. Liam Purdie Chief Social Work Officer 30 October 2025 198
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Section 1: Governance, accountability, and statutory functions 1.1 Community Planning Partnership 1.1.1 South Lanarkshire Council is part of the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership (CPP). A wide range of partners contribute to a well-established Partnership Board which has a key role in progressing community planning in this area. South Lanarkshire Community Planning 1.1.2 The board provides strategic leadership and oversees the activity of partners in achieving the agreed vision and outcomes within the Community Plan 2022-2032. It has established the following thematic partnerships to improve the quality of life of South Lanarkshire residents: • Children's Services Partnership • Health and Social Care Partnership • Community Learning and Development Partnership 1.1.3 Collaborative working with partners helps to maximise the use of scarce resources and develops service models that specifically focus on delivering the priorities set out in the Community Plan. 1.2 South Lanarkshire Council 1.2.1 Council-wide elections were held on Thursday 5 May 2022. There are 64 council members representing the 20 multi-member wards across South Lanarkshire. The most recent composition of the council is: Political Party Number of Elected Members Scottish Labour Party 25 Scottish National Party 25 Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 5 Scottish Liberal Democrats 3 Independent Group 2 Greens 1 Reform UK 2 Independent 1 Source: Political composition of the council - South Lanarkshire Council 1.2.2 The council’s vision to “improve the lives and prospects of everyone in South Lanarkshire” remains at the heart of the Council Plan 2022-2027, along with our priorities which are focused on: • People – we need to put people first and reduce inequality • Planet – we need to work towards a sustainable future in sustainable places • Progress – we need to recover, progress, and improve 199
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1.2.3 Social Work Resources is one of five council resources, the others being: Community and Enterprise Resources; Finance and Corporate Resources; Education Resources and Housing and Technical Resources. All resources work together in support of the Council Plan which can be accessed at the following link: Connect 2022-2027 1.2.4 In common with other council resources an Internal Statement of Assurance is produced annually covering general good governance, internal controls, information governance and systems of governance and control. 1.2.5 The resource contributes to the council-wide self-assessment and improvement programme, to provide assurance of the council’s continuous improvement and best value commitments. Each year Annual Performance Spotlights are produced which summarise how the council has performed in achieving Council Plan outcomes. 1.2.6 Each resource prepares an annual resource plan which reflects the aspirations of the Council Plan and the Community Plan and details the work, achievements, and ongoing performance activity of each service. In addition, the resource plan necessarily reflects the statutory relationship between the IJB and the council with respect to adult and older people social care. The Social Work Resource Plan can be found at the following link: Social Work Resource Plan 2025-2026. 1.3 Social Work Resources 1.3.1 The principal role and purpose of the Social Work service is contained within the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, which gives local authorities the responsibility of “promoting social welfare”. The Social Work service has a statutory duty to provide care and protection to the most vulnerable people across South Lanarkshire. 1.3.2 The CSWO role is understood and valued within the council. The CSWO provides professional advice directly to the Chief Executive of South Lanarkshire Council on statutory service delivery and on matters relating to the profession. This professional advice and guidance also extends to local Elected Members, officers within other resources of the council and to senior staff within partner agencies. There is a clear line of accountability including support and challenge that is understood by the Council Leader, the Chief Executive and the five Directors of the Corporate Management Team. 1.3.3 Social Work Resources Committee consists of 26 Elected Members and deals with most of the business relevant to the CSWO role, as well as strong links to other key member groups including relevant audit, scrutiny, equality, and member officer working groups. 1.3.4 The CSWO holds the position of Head of Children and Family, and Justice Services, is a member of the South Lanarkshire University HSCP Senior Management Team (SMT) and a standing member of the IJB. The role is integral in the supervision and monitoring of the protection of vulnerable children and adults and serving as a conduit between the IJB and public protection activity, reporting annually on the discharge of statutory duties. 200
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1.3.5 The CSWO is a prominent member of the Chief Officers Group (Public Protection) chaired by the Chief Executive of South Lanarkshire Council, the group promotes a culture of accountability through robust governance arrangements and ensures that all agencies individually and collectively are working to protect adults and children at risk. 1.3.6 The CSWO leads, in partnership with other council resources, the co-ordinating, gathering and submission of information within timescale to requests under the Redress for Survivors (Historical Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 and the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. 1.3.7 The CSWO undertakes rigorous monitoring of social work operational services, risk, performance, and practice through the Joint Health & Social Work Governance Group. Assurance is provided to the council’s Chief Executive, Elected Members, and the public through regular reporting of performance to the Social Work Resources Committee and the Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum. 1.3.8 The CSWO actively participates in a range of influential decision-making forums providing significant leadership in shaping the strategic direction of services, including: Structure Meeting National • National CSWO meeting • Local Government and The Promise (arranged by Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)) • Children’s Service Partnership Planning (CSPP) Leads Community Planning • Community Planning Partnership Board • Safer South Lanarkshire Board • South Lanarkshire Community Justice Partnership • South Lanarkshire Alcohol and Drugs Partnership • Violence Against Women and Girls (Gender based Violence Partnership) Council • Social Work Resources Committee • Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum • Joint Health & Social Work Governance Group • Learning and Development Boards • Corporate Management Team • Project Review Board Social Work IT system replacement South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership • IJB Board • IJB Performance and Audit Sub Committee • Health and Care Senior Management Team • Support, Care and Governance Group Public Protection • Chief Officer's Group • Child Protection Committee • Adult Protection Committee • MAPPA (Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements) Strategic Oversight Group • Strategic Significant Care Review – Children • Strategic Significant Care Review – Adults Children’s Services • Getting it right for South Lanarkshire’s Children (GIRSLC) Strategy Group • The Promise Board 201
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1.4 South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership (South Lanarkshire University HSCP) 1.4.1 The Director, Health, and Social Care, supported by the CSWO, has a lead role for social work functions within the South Lanarkshire University HSCP. 1.4.2 The South Lanarkshire IJB is responsible for the strategic direction of the delivery of health and social care for adults and older people in South Lanarkshire and is supported by the South Lanarkshire University HSCP to operationally deliver community-based health and social care services. 1.4.3 Staff deliver statutory services for adults and older people under a range of legislation including the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007, Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. 1.4.4 Children and family and justice social work services are not included in the South Lanarkshire Integration scheme and sit outside the South Lanarkshire University HSCP. 1.4.5 A Performance and Audit Sub-Committee assists with the governance and accountability arrangements in key areas of work which are led by the IJB, including: • The approval and implementation of a Strategic Commissioning Plan (SCP) • The implementation of locality planning • Governance and accountability arrangements • The production of an annual performance report 1.4.6 The SCP 2025-2028 outlines the vision and priorities for health and social care services in South Lanarkshire over the next three years. Whilst acknowledging the projected increases in the older population during this period, its vision is to enable communities to live longer and healthier lives with access to the right care at the right time. 1.4.7 The plan identifies five strategic goals to guide improvement of health and social care services: • Nurture: supporting children to reach their developmental milestones • Flow: shifting the balance of care from acute to community services and reducing delayed discharges from hospital • Recovery: reducing harm from substance misuse and reducing drug-related deaths • Access: improving accessibility and range of primary care services • Protect: strengthening our public protection arrangements to help keep vulnerable children and adults safe from harm. 1.4.8 The CSWO has responsibility for ensuring governance and decision-making arrangements are in place to support the SCP ambitions. The CSWO provides professional leadership and monitors the delivery of the South Lanarkshire University HSCP delegated statutory functions through the Health & Social Work Governance Group and within the SMT. 202
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1.4.9 Below is the structure chart that Social Work Resources and the South Lanarkshire University HSCP operates within. 203
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Section 2: Service Quality and Performance 2.1 Introductory Considerations 2.1.1 Service quality, performance management and reporting are intrinsic parts of the duties of the CSWO. 2.1.2 Social Work Resources utilise a range of performance and monitoring data to assess performance and outcomes against key council and social work resource objectives. Performance information is then used to inform the annual plan, highlighting areas of progress and approaches to continuous improvement. The Social Work Resource Plan also identifies those areas of action where performance requires to be measured for example, Adult Support and Protection (ASP), Adults with Incapacity (AWI), Child Protection (CP), and Justice. Examples of performance activity, which are discussed at performance and continuous improvement meetings include findings from case file audits, self-evaluation, Social Work risks and financial performance. 2.1.3 Performance scorecards for public protection, children and family, adults and justice services are monitored by the Senior Management Team and discussed quarterly with the council Chief Executive. Measures which relate to the Council Plan are formally reported to the council’s Executive Committee twice a year and those which are under performing are scrutinised further by the council’s Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum, where the CSWO, or a Head of Service from the Social Work Management Team, attends to explain the performance and potential improvement activity. 2.1.4 The current performance management system (IMPROVe) supports frontline managers with real time management information. This system allows managers to look at detailed caseload or timescale information for aspects of service such as guardianship visits and reviews and the supervision of children under statutory requirements. In addition, the system allows the higher-level performance measures within the resource plan to be tracked and measured daily, enhancing performance management capacity and knowledge across the service and allowing for corrective action to be taken instantly. 2.1.5 Key performance trend data is recorded at Appendix 1 that supports some examples of the areas of work identified above. 2.1.6 The CSWO has responsibility to respond to Care Inspectorate reports and findings from local and national activity, addressing the requirements of internal and external audit and reporting on progress against outcomes and follow-up actions. This includes discussion with the Chair of Social Work Resources Committee and presentation to Committee on inspection activity twice yearly for both internal social work services and external services based within South Lanarkshire. Further information on current internal inspection activity can be found in Appendix 2. 204
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2.1.7 Engagement with service users and communities remains strong and is supported by the South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Forum. This is an independent group of community volunteers who work to engage health and social care services with users, carers, and communities to improve local services. The Forum also supports wider public involvement in planning and decision-making, and keeps local people informed about the range and location of services. 2.1.8 Equal Say, the adult Advocacy commissioned service, completed its first year of operation in October 2024. Quarterly reports show increased activity in referrals of over 150 per quarter, and prominent advocacy issues associated with mental health legislation, AWI, and ASP. 2.1.9 An appropriate adult is usually requested by Police Scotland to provide communication support, mainly during police interviews, to adults aged over 16 who have a mental disorder as defined by The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. These include: • mental health problems • learning disability • Autism / ADHD • dementia • acquired brain injury 2.1.10 The Appropriate Adult service engaged with the Care Inspectorate in the development of a quality improvement framework to support the self-evaluation of appropriate adult services in Scotland. Significant work was undertaken to create an improvement plan for appropriate adults which forms from the ten quality indicators within the Care Inspectorate Quality Improvement Framework. This has allowed the service to carry out a self-evaluation, identifying any gaps and creating an action plan to address those gaps. 2.1.11 Care Opinion is now widely used across all South Lanarkshire University HSCP and social work services, providing people who use our services with a platform to share honest and anonymous stories about their experiences of our services. In 2024-2025, 685 Care Opinion stories were received. The process is specifically designed to enable services to use feedback to promote a culture of transparency and help build on strengths while also identifying areas where targeted refinements and improvements are required. Notable practice South Lanarkshire University HSCP gained national recognition as the first partnership to engage justice social work services on the Care Opinion platform. The service has engaged positively with Care Opinion from the outset, establishing a network of Care Opinion champions who play a pivotal role in encouraging and supporting staff to engage service users in reflective discussions about their experiences. This personalised support has helped contribute to building trust and fostering an environment where service users feel confident and valued. https://www.careopinion.org.uk/1355736 205
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2.1.12 Services are committed to pro-actively ensuring that the legislative requirements in relation to the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 are delivered. Two strategic documents outline our commitments to carers: • Carers Strategy (Carers Strategy 2023-2026) • Short Breaks Statement (Short Breaks Service Statement) 2.1.13 Lanarkshire Carers is the commissioned service offering support to adult carers throughout South Lanarkshire. During the 2024-2025 period, 5,502 carers engaged or were supported by the organisation. There has been a significant rise in support in recent years, with a 67% increase since 2021-2022. The number of completed carer support plans also increased this year to 1,583, a 36% increase from last year and a 74% rise since 2021-2022. 2.1.14 Action For Children is commissioned to provide the Young Carers Service in South Lanarkshire and raise awareness of the caring role amongst young people. The organisation ensures all young people who have been assessed are given access to the support they require, whether that is one-to-one support, group support or a mixture of both. Case Study On 12th March 2025, three young carers from South Lanarkshire were supported to attend the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh for Young Carers Action Day 2025. The theme this year was “Give Us a Break", led by Carers Trust and supported by education professionals and employers, it focused on ensuring young carers have access to timely and restful breaks in school and work to avoid burnout from their caring role. The young carers participated in group sessions, sharing their testimonies of experiences and listening to other young carers. Young carers involved had a better understanding of their rights afterwards and the value of having a break from their caring role. It also highlighted the valuable opportunities available to young carers to share their experiences, opinions, and needs with decision makers in government. Young Carers Action Day 2025: Resources 2.2 Children and Family 2.2.1 Children and Family Services promote the welfare and development of children, young people, and families to support them, wherever possible, to remain together within their own communities. 2.2.2 Social Work Resources has a duty to protect children. Whilst this is a shared responsibility with other agencies and the community, Social Work has the responsibility to investigate allegations of child abuse. These responsibilities are carried out in the framework of jointly agreed CP procedures. 206
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2.2.3 Children’s Services carried out a range of activities in 2024-2025, examples of which include: • Protecting children by undertaking 573 CP investigations between 1 August 2024 – 31 July 2025. On 31 July 2025, there were 110 children on the CP Register. • Prepared 298 reports for children who were supported through the Children’s Hearing system between 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025. • As of 31 July 2025, the council looked after 736 children. Of these children 17% were looked after at home with parents, 50% by friends/relatives (kinship), 24% in foster placements and 9% were looked after in a residential setting. 2.2.4 Performance is monitored closely on the percentage of reports submitted to the Children’s Reporter within agreed timescales. This has been a challenging area for the service over the last year, with performance reaching 58% in quarter one and dropping to 52% in quarter two. Action was taken by the service to increase local monitoring and establish regular meetings with the Scottish Children's Reporters Administration. Whilst the year-to-date position at 72% has not met the 75% annual target, improvement actions have had an impact with performance improving from 85% in quarter three, to 91% in quarter four. 2.2.5 Building on the findings of the Independent Care Review, alignment with The Promise remains a national expectation. The Promise is already well embedded within our work and our commitment to support care experienced children, young people and families is reflected in the role of the Promise Board and the children and young people led Champions Board. 2.2.6 South Lanarkshire Champions Board planned and delivered an event to celebrate Care Day 2025; this event was attended by over 200 care experienced young people and corporate parents from across South Lanarkshire. Champions shared their personal experiences and ambitions in the development of local housing, justice and employment projects, and showcased their influence in the work being taken forward by the Children’s Services Partnership as part of the council’s promise to support children, young people and families. 2.2.7 Intensive whole family support hubs in Hamilton, East Kilbride, Lanark, and Rutherglen/Cambuslang areas are providing an early social work response to pregnant women, babies, children, and young people (up to 18 years). Services include groupwork, pregnancy support, therapeutic interventions, family group decision- making and peer support. A notable development this year is the implementation of the parents’ plan approach across all the Family Support Hubs to address concerns for unborn babies and the need for child protection procedures at the pre-birth stage. The Family Support Annual Report 2024 highlights the outcomes achieved to date, including: • 75% of new referrals to Children and Family services were dealt with by the Hubs in this period - a 14% increase from the previous year • 87% of families referred for social work assessment during the pre-birth stage supported by the Hubs rather than statutory social work teams - an increase of 7% from last year 207
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• In line with the principles of ‘The Promise’ to support the wellbeing needs of families and the workforce, 120 trauma counselling sessions have been provided to children and families, and 200 sessions of therapeutic support have been provided to staff. 2.2.8 The first Family Support Hub ‘Celebrating Success’ event was held in December 2024, highlighting the work of staff and hearing testimonials from children, young people, and families in receipt of services. Families reported that supports were available at the right time for them, that the approach was caring and supportive and assisted them in overcoming obstacles and trauma to improve their situation. 2.2.9 A new partnership project supported by the National Lottery Community Fund and led by South Lanarkshire Social Work and Housing in cooperation with Barnardo’s, has been helping young people transition from care into their own accommodation. The Throughcare and Aftercare Futures Project has provided wrap around care and intensive support to five young people to date to develop skills for setting up their home, maintaining a successful independent tenancy and building local community connections and networks before moving to fully independent living. Members of the Champions Board were involved in the development of the project, providing first-hand experience of the hopes and challenges of young care experienced people who are beginning their journey into adult life. 2.2.10 The Youth Justice and Rights project was an 18 month Promise partnership funded project driven by South Lanarkshire Council, Community Volunteers Enabling You (COVEY), and evaluated by the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). Young leaders and peer researchers co-produced the project using the ASK (Additional Skills and Knowledge) approach, with the aspiration to inform a collective understanding of how to safeguard and support children and young people at risk of harms outside the home, and to achieve targeted outcomes for the care and justice-experienced young people who took part in the project. The work of the young leaders and peer researchers has been influential in the continuing development of South Lanarkshire’s contextual safeguarding approach which includes establishing a contextual safeguarding panel. 2.2.11 The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, the introduction of the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024, and the commitment to the Promise have changed the way services are delivered to children and families. Redesign and redevelopment of services was necessary to meet the requirements and future proof safe service delivery including public protection and child protection case management responsibilities. Budget recovery actions were also taken to offset increasing demand and cost pressures on the service. 2.2.12 In recognition of the growing costs for residential care, a contract was awarded to Action for Children to implement a three-year Intensive Family Support service from April 2025. This will support children from high-cost residential care to return to their family home or alternative cost-effective options within the community. 208
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2.2.13 An evaluation of the Social Work Counselling Service for children and young people was undertaken as numbers of referrals and open cases were found to be declining. Established in 1999, it was the last remaining inhouse counselling service offered by social work in Scotland. Alternative wellbeing and counselling support services, including those commissioned by the council, were accessible by children and young people in the area, including online supports; peer support groups embedded within schools; established tailored service to meet specific needs; and health resources such as CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and the CAMHS Accommodated Young People Service (CAYP) service. 2.3 Adults and Older People 2.3.1 Social work and social care services work in partnership with other council resources, health services, the voluntary sector and independent sector to deliver support to adults and older people. Social work staff fulfil duties under the law, including Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007, Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. Assessment and care management staff collaborate with partners to protect and reduce the risk of harm to adults and assess the care needs of service users and their carers to plan services to meet those needs. 2.3.2 Adult and Older People Services conducted a range of activities throughout 2024- 2025, examples of which include: • Supporting 3,968 ASP inquiries, which led to 1,643 ASP investigations • For welfare guardianship orders, visits have been maintained at a good level, with 88% of supervising officer visits held within timescale. This follows a reduction in target from 90% to 75% for the year • Supporting up to 1,840 older people at any time in long-term care placements • Supporting 1,481 people with a learning disability to live in their own communities • Working with 478 requests to support individuals with a mental health problem who were referred to Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) 2.3.3 Work is underway to strengthen and develop public protection arrangements in response to increased public protection activity, including a likely significant shift in the legislative framework arising from the Scottish Mental Health Law Review and an emphasis on preventative action, including suicide prevention as set out within the Scottish Government and COSLA Creating Hope Together Strategy. 2.3.4 The South Lanarkshire Suicide Prevention Strategy Group - Every Life Matters, is a part of the extended public protection arrangements and supports the suicide prevention agenda. The group has identified a need for additional public protection capacity for this workstream to support training, situational analysis and to co-ordinate the delivery and reporting of agreed actions. The post has links to the Child and Adult Protection Committees; and support shared understanding of mental health and suicide. 209
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2.3.5 The SDS agenda has continued to be driven forward within South Lanarkshire with our commissioned services for both carers and supported people. Take Control (Self Directed Support) Independent Information and Advice is soon to be rebranded to GCIL (Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living) (South Lanarkshire); the organisation is now co-located and working alongside our SDS review team in Hamilton. In conjunction with Lanarkshire Carers, a new-style Adult Carer Support Plan has been designed and tested during this period. This new approach considers carers in their own right, rather than the current system of their eligibility for support being dependent on the supported person accessing services. 2.3.6 In April 2022 the Quality Assurance and Governance Team was established to focus on ensuring quality and best value through contract monitoring and placement management. To-date the team has delivered a planned programme of work that has included: • reviewing historical funding arrangements and lapsed contracts to ensure compliance with best practice in procurement and contract management • reviewing high-cost care packages to ensure proportionate support for individuals that promote independence • delivered complex casework balancing eligibility and risk, including repatriating a number of service users back to South Lanarkshire (as per the Coming Home policy agenda) • contributing to targeted improvement activity with external care providers alongside the Care Inspectorate and other local services 2.3.7 The impact of this has been to secure significant efficiency savings that has contributed to the ability of the IJB to set a balanced budget (as it has a statutory requirement to do) and deliver a year-end balanced position, mitigating the impact of budget shortfalls on service users and carers. 2.3.8 The Home Assessment Teams (HAT) are now reaching full staffing capacity across each locality. Using a re-ablement and rehabilitation approach, they aim to optimise a person’s independence within their own home over a maximum period of up to six weeks. The teams have developed links with a range of health, social care and third sector provision to meet any ongoing needs identified. In 2024-2025, care packages were reduced on average by 29% following HAT intervention. In the same period, the service supported over 1,000 episodes of care; and 50% of service users who completed HAT intervention either required reduced or no support following intervention. A review of the service model and criteria for the service is currently underway which is expected to result in changes to pathways, increasing the flow and capacity through HAT which will have a positive impact on performance and outcomes for individuals going forward. 2.3.9 Blantyre LIFE campus opened in March 2023 and has supported improved pathways for people discharging from acute hospitals, mainstreaming the use of everyday technology to support health and care goals, and utilising the learning from the technology enabled houses into the Progressive Housing model that the council is taking forward through a collaboration between Housing and the South Lanarkshire University HSCP. 210
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2.3.10 A number of forward looking and innovative elements are provided onsite, including: • 20 technology-enabled houses (and the infrastructure to support these) • Intermediate Care offering 20 rooms with care • Centre of excellence • Technology Enabled Care (TEC) demonstrator and learning zone • a learning hub with meeting rooms • a state-of-the-art rehabilitation gym • interview and clinical treatment space • Café 2.3.11 Transitional intermediate care within Blantyre LIFE provides short-term strength and asset-based support focusing on rehabilitation and self-care following a period of ill health or crisis. The average length of stay for service users over the past year was 20.4 days, an improvement from 27 days the previous year. This has allowed the service to manage an increased number of patients with 271 patients using the facility and contributing to freeing up in-patient services within the NHS. The service had its first inspection by the Care Inspectorate since opening and received grades of 5 (very good) across all areas in recognition of the high standard of care. 2.3.12 Technology Enabled Care (TEC) extends and enables greater use of digital technologies to give people the opportunity to thrive within their own homes and communities. During this year, the TEC team developed specialist technical expertise to support the installation and transition of digital telecare alarms prior to the national switchover from analogue to digital, scheduled for completion by January 2027. The council embarked on a large-scale programme to replace over 7,000 community alarms and to implement new digitally ready Alarm Receiving Centre software, replacing outdated systems with a more resilient cloud-based solution. The work was completed over the summer of 2025 and offers efficiencies through flexible working, better data access and improved monitoring and response to service interruption. 2.3.13 The TEC team continues to expand its innovative approach by working with the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre to explore how technology can support daily care, improve fall response, and empower people through better information sharing and digital tools. A new model will be tested using a Personal Data Store and Digital Front Door, giving people control over their data and access to personalised support. The goal is to help people co-manage their care, stay well, and build confidence in a sustainable, digitally enabled support system. 2.3.14 South Lanarkshire University HSCP engaged with Care Messenger Holdings Ltd to deliver an innovative project as part of the Glasgow City Region Smart & Connected Social Places (SCSP) 5G Innovation Fund. Commercial LG Smart TV products were installed by Care Messenger within the living accommodation of 20 residents living within David Walker Gardens care home for older people. The technology enabled residents to communicate directly via text message or video call with care home staff, their families, and friends via their TV. Following initial evaluation where it was found that the system had a positive impact on social isolation and loneliness with improved wellbeing of residents and increased connectivity with families, the service was extended initially across David Walker Gardens and then to other South Lanarkshire care homes. 211
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2.3.15 South Lanarkshire’s Progressive Housing Framework has been developed in partnership with Housing and Technical Resources and the South Lanarkshire University HSCP to ensure the right types of specialist housing is available in future years to meet local health and care needs. It aims to promote independent living through re-focused operating models in relation to the types of accommodation provided, the location of new housing sites, the way care is provided, and the level of support that is delivered. The commitment to the outcomes were made in the Local Housing Strategy 2022-2027 and the SCP 2022-2025. 2.3.16 Residential Care Home re-provision over the last year resulted in the closure of two former care homes, McClymont House and Dewar House. An Independent Advisory Panel provided oversight of the process and consultation was held with those likely to be affected by the proposals. A full report on the consultation was published on the South Lanarkshire University HSCP website. Whilst giving due regard to the outcome of the consultation, the IJB approved the proposal on 26 March 2024 to re-provision care away from both homes. The site of the former McClymont House care home is under consideration for a future progressive housing development. 2.4 Justice 2.4.1 South Lanarkshire Justice Social Work Service’s vision statement is ‘To be a smart, fair and progressive justice social work service with those who we serve and their families at the centre of it.’ 2.4.2 Justice services work within the context of The South Lanarkshire Community Justice Partnership and provide services that meet the national aims and priorities set out within the National Strategy for Community Justice. The key priorities of the service are: • enhancing early intervention and alternatives to custody • ensuring those given community sentences are supervised and supported, promoting desistance, and enabling rehabilitation • managing those that present the highest risk of harm to others within a robust public protection framework • providing restorative justice approaches which are accessible and visible to our communities 2.4.3 Justice services provide a wide range of statutory services. These include: • Diversion • Whole Systems Approach (16-21 years old) • Bail Supervision, Diversion and Court Services • Drug Testing and Treatment Orders • Caledonian System (Domestic Abuse Programme for men, women, and children’s service) • Moving Forward Making Changes (Sex Offending Programme) • Community Payback Orders and Unpaid Work Services • Adult Throughcare Services • Recovery Orientated Justice Service 212
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2.4.4 The Care Inspectorate conducted a thematic review in respect of the Scottish Government priorities outlined within the National Strategy for Community Justice. Justice services engaged with the Care Inspectorate to test a new self-evaluation template that will contribute to an evidence-based understanding of the strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in how the sector measures and reports on performance, quality, and outcomes of community sentences. Feedback from this process will also be used to further inform the continuous improvement of local arrangements alongside informing what will be an updated approach to self-evaluation across Scotland. 2.4.5 The quality assurance dashboard reports on all statutory service provision allowing decision makers the opportunity to identify trends in workloads and any reduction in orders and service provision. The quality assurance model has been developed to focus on annual MAPPA level 1 audits: annual Bail Supervision and Diversion from Prosecution and Significant Learning. 2.4.6 In 2024-2025, justice services conducted a range of activities, examples of which include: • 761 Community Payback Orders with unpaid work requirements commenced • 340 diversion from prosecution referrals, increasing by 7% from 316 in 2023- 2024 • 1,822 justice social work reports submitted to the Courts to inform sentencing options. Of those 97% were submitted within timescales – exceeding the target set by the Scottish Government of 95% • 73% increase in bail supervision assessments and 66% increase in bail supervision orders this year, as the Pan Lanarkshire Court Services continues to develop their Bail Supervision and Electronic Monitoring Assessment service. • 80% of individuals made subject to a Community Payback Order (CPO) are seen by the service within one working day and 85% have their first meeting with their case manager within five working days, the Scottish Government target of 75% for both. 2.4.7 Performance is monitored closely on the number of people inducted within 5 days of a Community Payback Order (CPO) with an unpaid work requirement. This has been a challenging area for the service over the last year, with annual performance at 67% and not reaching the 75% target. On further scrutiny of the data, it was noted that 45% of orders were Level 1 orders, which justice services are unaware of prior to the order commencing, limiting opportunity for the service to make early contact. Performance reports now detail level 1 and level 2 orders to provide a better understanding of overall performance. A text reminder service is now in place to encourage attendance at unpaid work. This is supported by four weekly reviews for all non-attenders as standard, regardless of circumstances, to ensure robust management of the order(s). 2.4.8 In response to an increase of 57% in the volume of MAPPA Level 1 cases in Lanarkshire between 2014 and 2022, a decision was reached in May 2024 to establish a dedicated Justice Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) service. The aims of the team are to: 213
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• develop and sustain a knowledgeable and best practice service to manage Level 1, 2 and 3 MAPPA cases • future proof increasing workloads • provide a consistent approach to the application of risk assessments, Risk Management Authority Guidance and Framework for Risk Assessment, Management and Evaluation (FRAME) guidance • ensure completion of environmental risk assessments within timescales • provide staff with a sound knowledge base of all aspects of sex offending behaviour, interventions, and risk management 2.4.9 South Lanarkshire Community Justice Partnership (CJP) responded to the early release of short-term prisoners in May 2024 to reduce pressure on the Scottish Prison Service population levels. Key partners ensured all appropriate persons were provided with early intervention, screened by social work for adult and child protection concerns, received a housing interview and were supported with accommodation. Scottish Prison Service and Social Work Scotland conducted a review of the arrangements in August 2024 following the lessons learnt from the previous emergency release arrangements, in which authorities highlighted some of the challenges they faced, including the housing emergency crisis in South Lanarkshire. 2.4.10 Regulations which came into force in August 2024 to end the detention of under 18s in young offenders’ institutions have been implemented. South Lanarkshire Children and Family Services are committed to ensuring all under 18-year-old young people are kept out of custody and placed in secure care only when all feasible community options have been considered and determined not to meet the safety of them or the wider community. Justice Whole Systems Approach service and Children and Family services have worked in partnership with Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and court services to ensure safe placement of all young people who require placement through a sentenced offence or remand. 2.4.11 Justice services are committed to increasing an early intervention and trauma informed approach supporting young people up to the age of 25, particularly those who are care experienced and have neurodiversity issues. As part of the Whole Systems Approach, support is offered to complex and high-risk young people in conflict with the law who are not on statutory orders but currently subject to Compulsory Supervision Orders from the Children’s Hearing System. 2.4.12 Justice services are currently working with Social Work Scotland to identify potential ways in which they can provide the Pan Lanarkshire Court Services additional opportunities to reduce the need to place people on remand and short-term sentences. To date arrangements have been put in place to provide Sheriffs with verbal standdown reports in respect of bail supervision and electronic monitoring. This will maximise the number of cases where bail supervision could be considered within the daily court schedule. In addition to this work justice services are prioritising the re- assessment of women remanded in custody for consideration of bail supervision. This initiative was requested by the Criminal Justice Board due to a 40% increase in female remands over September 2024. 214
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2.4.13 The Pan Lanarkshire Alcohol and Problem-Solving Court is the product of a joint commitment by South Lanarkshire Council’s justice services and Hamilton Sheriff Court. Through a successful funding application from Corra via the Scottish Government’s Drugs Mission, justice services were able to create a Recovery Orientated justice social work team with integrated nursing support and third sector support assistants with lived experience. 2.4.14 The problem-solving court provides people whose offending is directly linked to substance use the opportunity to be placed on a structured deferred sentence for six to nine months with the opportunity to engage with intensive support, medically assisted treatment and in-person support to wider recovery communities. This approach has the potential to transform the direction of national standards for the delivery of statutory orders across Scotland. At the end of the period of intervention, the court retains the discretion to pass sentence in any manner that would have been appropriate at the time of conviction, but with the benefit of information from the supervising officer in relation to the period of deferral. 2.4.15 The Recovery Orientated Justice Service (ROJS) received funding from Digital Life Lines (DLL) aimed at supporting people in the Justice system with aspects associated with digital poverty. This allowed those who were placed on Structured Deferred Sentence via the Alcohol and drug Problem Solving Court (ADPSC) to be provided with access to electronic devices such as internet enabled mobile telephones, laptops, sim cards (with data) and mi-fi boxes. In line with our whole family approach a number of children and family members of those accessing the service were also able to be provided with electronic equipment and internet access. This enabled people to access online recovery and family support sessions and allowed people to have regular video calls and on-line homework sessions with their children. 2.4.16 Service user feedback received to date indicates that the person-centred approach taken by ROJS and the focus on positive relationships between services and the individual has been of great benefit to those involved. A mid-term independent evaluation of the problem-solving court and ROJS service highlights the success of its approach and ability to maintain people in service, with recommendations to widen its reach and expansion. Through this dedication the ROJS team won the prestigious Scotsman’s Health Awards in the category of Integrated Care in November 2024. Case Study Saul’s journey exemplifies the power of intensive support which has helped him abstain from substance use and plan to return to education and help others. The social work team motivated Saul and accompanied him to recovery community sessions at South Lanarkshire Beacons hub which significantly reduced his anxiety and helped him become more independent. As a result, Saul has become a prominent figure within the recovery community and plans to use his previous experience as a chef to volunteer and teach others cooking skills. Through digital lifestyle funding, Saul received a tablet and Wi-Fi router from the recovery-oriented justice team, enabling him to access online courses. This provided him with valuable learning opportunities and also alleviated the financial burden of 215
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internet expenses. Saul is now preparing to return to education in August, demonstrating his commitment to personal growth. Saul is also excited to participate in an upcoming music programme – where he plans to learn guitar as a positive outlet for stress relief and self-development. His aspiration to volunteer and share his culinary skills with others in the recovery community highlights his dedication to giving back and supporting others on their recovery journeys. *Name has been changed 2.4.17 Those with lived experience are now embedded within the justice service workforce and third sector commissioned services. This is most notably through the Justice locality support workers with lived experience and Alcohol and Drug Problem Solving Court initiatives. A peer mentor approach is supported by South Lanarkshire’s Alcohol and Drug Partnership strategy, specifically within planning, developing, and delivering services with young people and their families. 2.4.18 Justice services in South Lanarkshire was commended by the Scottish Veterans Commissioner in October 2024 for its work with veterans who come into contact with the justice system. The Unpaid Work Service was highlighted in its review as an example of good practice with the “Local authority putting the Armed Forces Covenant into effect across their policies, guidance, and practice.” South Lanarkshire Council also hold the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award, for their support of the Defence Community. The full report can be accessed via link below: Scottish veterans commissioner - veterans and the law October 2024 216
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Section 3: Resources 3.1 South Lanarkshire remains similar to that of all public services across Scotland, experiencing the effects of the cost-of-living crisis; an increase in the number of people living longer into older age with greater levels of frailty and multiple long-term conditions; and financial pressures across all areas of budget. 3.2 To achieve stability over future years, decisions will be taken that will have a direct impact on the services that we deliver. All options carry consequences which need to be balanced against the risks to financial sustainability and the council’s ability to deliver its statutory duties. In order to protect statutory services and address the budget pressures there is a requirement to review how social work services will be delivered, and the council needs to determine its risk appetite for significant change in line with the current financial challenges. 3.3 The CSWO has responsibility to identify all major risks for Social Work. The service risks identified for the resource are reviewed and monitored on a regular basis with progress updates reported at the Social Work Resources Committee. In the coming year Social Work Resources will continue to take forward all necessary actions, where appropriate, to mitigate or reduce the resource’s exposure to these risks, in line with tolerance levels defined within the council’s Corporate Risk Management Strategy. Service risk registers ensure that all areas of risk are captured and identify whether there is a cumulative risk across services areas. By identifying this, the cumulative risk will be highlighted for attention within the Social Work Resources Risk Register. 3.4 Over the last year our governance processes have had to contend with the following key issues and areas of work: • Implementation of council wide mitigation factors to minimise risks resulting from local and national funding and budgetary pressures that impact on the delivery and maintenance of front-line services. • Developing flexible approaches for the recruitment and retention of staff to ensure there is adequate capacity and skills to provide and meet increased service demands. • Affordability of services and the requirement to support service users and employees affected by legacy financial pressures resulting from an increased cost of living. 3.5 The Risk Register for the IJB is also reviewed regularly and is presented at the IJB Performance and Audit Sub Committee as some of the top Social Work risks are reflected in the IJB risk report and may affect the ability to deliver the directions within the SCP. The Audit Scotland Annual Audit Plan 2024-2025 which relates to all national outcomes as effective governance arrangements will ensure the IJB can fulfil its statutory duties, stated: • In recent years South Lanarkshire IJB has achieved short term financial balance. However, it continues to be faced with significant financial challenges and difficult decisions to ensure resources are allocated to areas of strategic priority and user need. Further work is required to ensure sustainable financial balance is maintained. South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Annual Audit Plan 2024/25 217
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3.6 Service managers provide strategic and operational oversight of all risks, and the SMT has identified top risks that impact on the delivery of social work services. Whilst these top risks are the current primary focus of the resource, there are other risks that continue to be monitored and contributed to by way of mitigation. On 26 March 2025, the top Social Work risks were: 1. Winter pressures 2. Funding and budgetary pressures 3. Cost of living crisis 4. Council does not fully deliver the strategic outcomes required of the IJB as outlined in their SCP 3.7 There are demographic factors which present specific challenges to Social Work Resources including: • A projected increase in the South Lanarkshire population from 322,472 in 2023 to 327,049 in 2033, which is around a 1.42% increase from the current population. This projects an increase in demand, further challenged by limited recruitment opportunities across social care • An increasing ageing population (this is most pronounced in the 75+ age group). As people advance in age their need for health and social care services increases • An increase of 9% for the average weekly package of care from 12.3 hours per user per week in 2018-2019 to 13.4 hours per user per week in 2023-2024 • Aligned to this is that the healthy life expectancy for people in South Lanarkshire is lower than the Scottish average and people will spend a higher proportion of their lives in poor health • South Lanarkshire has a higher percentage of children with a concern at the 27–30 month health visitor review compared to Scotland • The rate of people with 3+ Long Term Conditions (LTCs) is projected to increase steadily between 2022 and 2025 across most age groups 18+, again increasing the demand for services • South Lanarkshire is more deprived than Scotland as a whole, the publication of the latest Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) statistics highlights persistent levels of deprivation within a number of South Lanarkshire communities • Many factors combine to affect the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. Whether people are healthy or not is determined by their social and economic circumstances and the wider environment, all of which contribute to health inequalities • Exponential and unprecedented pressure on the capacity of health and social care workforce nationally, with increasing challenges to recruit new staff and retain the current workforce impacting on the delivery of critical care 3.8 Increased demand continues to place considerable pressure on existing services. There has been a significant increase in statutory work between 2018-2019 and 2024- 2025 with: • CP investigations increased by 35% from 539 to 725 (Child Protection data is recorded from July to August). • Community Payback Orders (CPOs) imposed increased by 16% from 985 to 1,145. • Justice social work reports increased by 30% from 1,395 in 2018-2019 to 1,822. In 2024-2025 218
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• ASP inquiries increased by 101% from 1,973 to 3,968 3.9 Various reports presented to Social Work Resources Committee during 2024-2025 set out proposals to address financial pressures across the service and the need to prioritise statutory duties, including: • A review of the existing Emergency Social Work model which covers all social work services from children to adults, older people mental health and addictions out with normal office hours. The revised model enhances resilience of the service and bolsters our public protection arrangements by ensuring that there is no longer a reliance on ad hoc availability staff and extensive on-call arrangements to cover core business and absence. • A review of non-statutory and third sector services out of contract with no Service Level Agreement and no recurring funding solution. This resulted in the termination of two organisations offering befriending and family mediation contracts, with appropriate exit strategies put in place for families who may be impacted. • A review of policies, procedures, services, contracts, and use of estate to ensure that they are up to date in respect of meeting statutory requirements and changes in legislation, and to benchmark procedures with other areas of Scotland. 3.10 Social Work Resources had a net revenue budget of 246.046 million for 2024-2025 which was allocated as follows: Service Budget amount in millions of pounds % of the total budget Performance and Support Services 5.974 17.0 Adult and Older People 197.490 80.3 Children and Family 41.846 2.4 Justice and Substance Misuse 0.736 0.3 Total 246.046 100 219
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Section 4: Workforce 4.1 Workforce planning 4.1.1 The social care workforce is one of the largest employment groups in South Lanarkshire with employees working to provide a range of support within our communities. Excellent social services require a confident, dedicated, and skilled workforce which is valued by employers, service users and the public. 4.1.2 Social Work Resources has 2,822 employees as of February 2025. Employees are supported to deliver their duties through a range of policies including personal appraisal and a robust training framework. The number of employees (per headcount) by service is as follows: Service Number of employees Adult and Older People Services 2,039 Children and Justice Services 535 Performance and Support 248 Total 2,822 4.1.3 All Social Work staff working with service users are bound by a professional Code of Conduct which is governed by the SSSC. South Lanarkshire Council’s Code of Conduct for social work staff has drawn on this framework; all staff, regardless of qualification agree to adhere to specific professional codes that guide their practice. 4.1.4 The CSWO has a key planning and leadership role in relation to workforce planning and development, both from a local authority and partnership perspective. Whilst social care services are a diverse sector in terms of job roles, career pathways and service structures, what unifies the sector is a common set of shared values and ethics which underpins the principles of those that work in the sector. 4.1.5 The new Social Work Resource Workforce Plan 2025-2027 details the key areas of focus including workforce profiles, key workforce challenges, and actions identified to address challenges. 4.1.6 The workforce planning process identified five key and inter-related priority areas: • Recruitment, attraction, and retention • Transformation • Skills gap • Delivery of key activities • Employee wellbeing 4.1.7 The progress of the Workforce Plan will be monitored through the South Lanarkshire University HSCP SMT, with an update provided to Social Work Resources Committee on an annual basis. 220
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4.1.8 The plan outlines the resource commitment to use a ‘grow your own approach’ to develop employees and further develop career pathways within social work. This approach will include succession planning to develop future leaders, expansion of graduate recruitment and career pathways, as well as promotion of the council as an employer of choice. 4.1.9 The Pan Lanarkshire Care Academy uses a partnership approach to share learning and enable a more structured approach to address recruitment challenges and enhance capacity to meet increasing demands for services. 4.1.10 The council has a wide range of initiatives including the Modern Apprenticeship Programme; the council’s Youth Employability Service and Foundation Apprenticeship programme; The GradU8 Programme; and professional apprentices. The Care Academy supports the council’s commitment to Keep the Promise for care experienced children, young people, and their families, promoting opportunities for routes into a career in social care and providing bespoke employability support to all care experienced young people who need it. 4.1.11 The resource has taken steps to reinforce capacity across all social work services to ensure it meets statutory requirements, increased demand, and changes in complexity of service users. Proposed changes to the staffing establishment were approved by Social Work Resources Committee on 6 March 2024 and 21 August 2024 to ensure assessment and care management, public protection and mental health workloads could be met. This demonstrates a commitment to address recruitment and retention challenges and enhance career pathways and succession planning for existing staff. 4.1.12 The role of Operations Manager was extended within locality structures, incorporating both operational service management with a strategic and governance role. This change also created capacity with Operations Managers assuming wider public protection responsibilities in chairing meetings for Adult Protection, Child Protection, and high risk Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). 4.1.13 The expansion of other areas of service including Self-Directed Support, Home Assessment Teams and the Quality Assurance and Governance Team has improved governance, protected public monies, reduced reliance on statutory and specialist services and has had a direct impact in supporting front line staff meet increased demand whilst also addressing the recurrent budget gap. 4.1.14 Planning and performance roles were created within each locality to support new management arrangements and to monitor and analyse data that informs local priorities and allocation of resources. 4.2 Employee supports and wellbeing 4.2.1 Everyone in the workforce needs to feel valued, be motivated to improve their contribution and be innovative in their practice. Workers must have the right skills, knowledge, values, and behaviours to provide high quality services. The council’s Performance Appraisal Framework supports discussions with managers and employees to consider performance, improvement, and career planning. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is expected from all employees who are required to 221
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keep up to date with developments in their profession. Retaining experienced staff in front line practice is crucial to delivering excellent social care services. 4.2.2 There are challenges across services in terms of absence management, staff resilience and employee engagement with the council as an employer. Personnel Services are recruiting additional resources to support managers in maximising attendance. The service will also continue to review and improve supports to enhance employee wellbeing and engage with Trade Unions in line with partnership working arrangements. 4.2.3 Several initiatives are available through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which offers practical and emotional support for all council employees, including early intervention, counselling, and financial support. Further initiatives developed include supporting the mental health and wellbeing of staff with useful information and contacts shared through the mental health information hub, and an addictions policy that recognises addiction problems as health issues which should be treated in the same way as any other illness. Employees are provided with confidential and voluntary counselling and support services through the PAM Assist Wellbeing App which offers 24/7 employee support. 4.2.4 Assessment of risk is undertaken to protect those staff working on site and for those working agile at home or within another location. Well established trade union and employee forums are in place that enable regular monitoring and resolution of issues. The social work health and safety group meets bi-monthly and is widely represented by all service areas, alongside health and safety and trade union colleagues. 4.2.5 South Lanarkshire Council is recognised as a Carer Positive Employer at the Engaged Level. The carer positive award is presented to employers in Scotland who have a working environment where carers are valued and supported. 4.2.6 Tackling inequality is a central theme within Social Work Resources and the partnership agendas that it contributes to. Progress against the council’s equality outcomes is reported annually within the Mainstreaming Equalities Progress Report. The council meets its statutory duties by ensuring that equality and diversity issues are effectively mainstreamed and built into strategic planning and performance monitoring. Social Work Resources participates in the council’s Equality and Diversity Working Group, and along with other resources has developed equality outcomes that will meet the general duty as set out in the Equality Act 2010: • To eliminate discrimination • Advance equality of opportunity • Foster good relations in all the work we do 4.2.7 We collect, analyse, and publish information about the diversity of our employees. This helps us check that we are supporting a culture of diversity and inclusion and identify areas for continuous improvement. We aim to ensure that our workforce reflects our community. An Equality Employee Network supports employees to share their needs and enable others to understand them. Employees are encouraged to take part in regular forums, based around the protected characteristics, to offer support, share good practice and raise concerns confidentially. The Network has four strands, 222
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Ethnicity Matters; Disability Matters; LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Matters; and Caring Matters. 4.2.8 Equality and diversity training is available to all South Lanarkshire Council employees and Elected Members. All employees are required to undertake on-line mandatory equalities training, including modules relating to recruitment, unconscious bias, diversity, and race equality awareness. 4.2.9 The council revised its approach to the completion of Integrated Impact Assessments (IIA) to ensure a general understanding of equality and in particular protected characteristics is considered during the development or review of all council policy, strategies, functions, practices, budget savings and activities including the delivery of services. IIA leads have been identified across each council resource with training available to all staff involved in the contribution of an IIA. 4.3 Learning and Development 4.3.1 The CSWO is a member of Social Work Scotland (SWS), the professional leadership body for the Social Work and Social Care professions. The membership organisation represents Social Workers and other professionals who lead and support social work across all sectors. It will influence and advise on the development of policy and legislation and support the development of the social work and social care professions. 4.3.2 The CSWO is active in overseeing the quality of services and is responsible for ensuring that Social Work staff are appropriately trained and supported to carry out their professional and statutory duties. This is undertaken in a number of ways including regular meetings between the CSWO and senior managers to discuss performance and other operational issues, fulfilling corporate governance requirements through the annual Internal Statement of Assurance and overall Governance Assessment Framework with the agreement of the Chair of the Social Work Resources Committee. 4.3.3 The CSWO actively promotes continuous improvement and evidence-informed practice, including the development of person-centred services that are focused on the needs of the service-user. The CSWO also oversees the quality of practice learning experiences for Social Work students and effective workplace assessment arrangements in accordance with the SSSC Code of Practice. South Lanarkshire is a member of Learning Network West and cohorts of students are provided with placements annually across the social work service. Placements are supported by practice teachers identified from the South Lanarkshire social work workforce. 4.3.4 The CSWO has a role in ensuring Learning Reviews take place as required. The outcome of Learning Reviews is published on South Lanarkshire Council’s Adult Protection Committee and Child Protection Committee websites. Learning is crucial for staff across the resource, with actions agreed and taken forward as a partnership. 4.3.5 The workforce planning process has identified skills gaps across all council resources in relation to digital and change management skills. The council’s Learning and Development Strategy will address this in partnership with IT. 223
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4.3.6 The South Lanarkshire University HSCP Learning and Workforce Development Group has a strategic overview of the learning and development activity that takes place across health and social care and ensures there is openness and transparency in relation to how training is organised and accessed by staff. The development of a social work Learning and Development Plan is instrumental to this and contributes to supporting a learning culture. 4.3.7 Each social work service area has a learning and development pathway, which highlights the specific learning and development needs for individual staff; and, in addition to the pathways, there are service priorities for all staff within social work. These highlight any newly required or ongoing training needs and are presented at the Learning and Development Workforce Planning Boards. 4.3.8 Access to management and leadership development training is available through Personnel services to all social work staff, in consultation with their line manager. Those who are either first-time managers or who are looking to be promoted to a management post can also participate in the Management Induction and Development Programme delivered by the social work Learning and Development Team. This programme is specifically designed for social work staff. Staff wishing to develop their leadership skills are also encouraged to make use of SSSC Step into Leadership learning resources. 4.3.9 Professional registration for staff within timescale is set out by the SSSC. Where staff have conditional registrations or where the achievement of appropriate qualifications is required, support is provided. 4.3.10 All newly qualified Social Workers meet with the relevant Staff Development Officer for a learning and development/Continuous Professional Learning (CPL) induction meeting to draw attention to the relevant learning and development pathway for their post, how to access training and ensure they understand their responsibilities in relation to post registration training and learning requirements. The support that is available in relation to the CPL is also explained. 224
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Section 5: Looking Ahead 5.1 The following areas of activity which are likely to impact on the resource in the future include: 5.1.1 The Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act 2023 was passed by the Scottish Parliament in June 2023 and introduced new measures to ensure greater focus is given to the rehabilitation and reintegration of individuals leaving prison custody. There is the potential for a significant increase for the justice service in both the assessment of bail supervision and also imposing of bail supervision orders. 5.1.2 The Emergency Release Powers of the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act 2023 that were utilised in May 2024 may again be required to manage continued high prisoner population levels, impacting further on the South Lanarkshire Community Justice Partnership. 5.1.3 Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024, passed by the Scottish Government in April 2024, makes changes to the law in relation to the children’s hearing system, the care of children and the involvement of children in the criminal justice system, including courts that hear cases relating to children and the places where children can be detained. 5.1.4 The Care Reform (Scotland) Act 2025, passed by the Scottish Government in July 2025, will introduce changes to Scotland’s social care system with further information required to enable services to assess the impact on future resources. 5.1.5 The Chief Social Work Officer (CSWO) will continue to lead council resources in the preparation of information to requests received under the Redress for Survivors (Historical Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 and will contribute directly to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry as requested. 5.1.6 Audit Scotland has continued to highlight the need for further commissioning and procurement arrangements with action needed at national and local levels. Work is ongoing to extend the remit of the existing Quality Assurance and Governance Team in what will now be referred to as the Commissioning and Assurance Team (CAT). This development will enable consistent service monitoring and improvement across all commissioned services. 5.1.7 Challenges have been experienced in meeting statutory timescales set out within the UK General Data Protection Regulation/Data Protection Act 2018, following a 102% increase in requests for personal data from 2020 to 2024. In response, the task and funding has been realigned from operational staff to two newly created Information Governance Assistant posts. Early figures show an improvement in compliance; however, this will continue to be monitored considering growing demand. 5.1.8 The service has embarked on a substantial project to implement a new social work information system (Liquidlogic) and performance management reporting platform (Power BI). Implementation is expected in 2026 with key project milestones including data migration, system configuration, system integrations, testing, training, and business readiness. A further requirement will be to fulfil reporting responsibilities to a 225
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range of stakeholders including Scottish Government, South Lanarkshire University HSCP, South Lanarkshire Council, NHS Lanarkshire, and local operational teams. 5.1.9 Challenges relating to increased service demand with ongoing financial pressures, and the progression of digital innovation in service delivery will continue to impact on the delivery of key areas of activity for the resource. Scrutiny of risks and mitigation will remain a priority, ensuring safe staffing levels are maintained and an innovative approach encouraged to address future service demand. 226
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Appendix 1 Performance Data and Trends Year Number of Adult Support and Protection Inquiries 2019 - 2020 2,862 2020 - 2021 2,948 2021 - 2022 2,849 2022 - 2023 3,449 2023 - 2024 3,859 2024 - 2025 3,968 Source: ASP Scottish Government Return Year Number of Adult Support and Protection Investigations 2019 - 2020 1,300 2020 - 2021 1,144 2021 - 2022 1,273 2022 - 2023 1,533 2023 - 2024 1,546 2024 - 2025 1,643 Source: ASP Scottish Government Return 227
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Year Percentage of Statutory Supervising Officer Visits held within timescales for Welfare Guardianship orders – Local Authority (%) Percentage of Statutory Supervising Officer Visits held within timescales for Welfare Guardianship orders – Private (%) 2019 - 2020 93 86 2020 - 2021 94 94 2021 - 2022 94 95 2022 - 2023 93 93 2023 - 2024 94 92 2024 - 2025 91 87 Source: Social Work Resource Plan, IMPROVe Year Number of Child Protection Investigations Completed 2018 - 2019 539 2019 - 2020 699 2020 - 2021 780 2021 - 2022 692 2022 - 2023 725 2023 - 2024 725 Source: CP Scottish Government Return (Academic years: August to July) 228
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Year Percentage of reports submitted to Scottish Children’s Reporter within timescales (%) 2019 - 2020 71 2020 - 2021 88 2021 - 2022 82 2022 - 2023 77 2023 - 2024 58 2024 - 2025 72 Source: Social Work Resource Plan, IMPROVe Year Percentage of children seen within 15 days following Compulsory Supervision Order commencing (%) 2019 - 2020 90 2020 - 2021 70 2021 - 2022 94 2022 - 2023 89 2023 - 2024 53 2024 - 2025 85 Source: Social Work Resource Plan, IMPROVe 229
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Year Percentage of people on CPO unpaid work requirements seen within 5 working days (%) 2019 - 2020 77 2020 - 2021 59 2021 - 2022 68 2022 - 2023 69 2023 - 2024 72 2024 - 2025 67 Source: Social Work Resource Plan, IMPROVe Year Percentage of people starting their unpaid work within 7 days of CPO (%) 2019 - 2020 77 2020 - 2021 48 2021 - 2022 65 2022 - 2023 67 2023 - 2024 70 2024 - 2025 65 Source: Social Work Resource Plan, IMPROVe 230
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37 Appendix 2: Internal Care Inspectorate Gradings as of 31 March 2025 Year of inspection Service Latest Inspection How well do we support people's wellbeing? How well is our care and support planned? How good is our setting? How good is our staff team? How good is our leadership? 2025 Care at Home Care and Support Service (South) 17/03/2025 5 Not Assessed Not Assessed 5 Not Assessed Care Home Service David Walker Gardens 09/03/2025 5 5 5 5 5 Children’s House Langlea Avenue 27/02/2025 5 5 5 5 5 Care at Home Blantyre Intermediate Care 06/02/2025 5 5 Not Assessed 5 5 Care at Home Rutherglen Care at Home Service 05/02/2025 5 5 Not Assessed 5 5 Children’s House Hunters Crescent 05/02/2025 5 5 5 5 5 2024 Care at Home Hamilton Home Care Service 03/12/2024 5 5 Not Assessed 5 5 Care at Home East Kilbride Home Care Service 19/11/2024 5 Not Assessed Not Assessed 5 Not Assessed Care Home Older McKillop Gardens* 28/11/2024 5 5 5 5 5 Home Assessment HAT (Hamilton & Clydesdale) 30/10/2024 5 5 Not Assessed 5 4 Home Assessment HAT (East Kilbride & Rutherglen) 23/09/2024 5 5 Not Assessed 5 4 Care at Home Clydesdale Homecare 24/05/2024 5 5 Not Assessed 5 5 Care Home Older Meldrum Gardens 18/01/2024 5 5 5 5 5 2023 Children’s House Station Road 22/09/2023 4 4 4 4 4 Children & Family South Lanarkshire Council - Adoption Service 27/03/2023 4 5 Not Assessed 5 5 Children & Family South Lanarkshire Council - Fostering Service 27/03/2023 5 5 Not Assessed 5 4 2022 Children’s House Bardykes Road 29/07/2022 5 5 5 5 5 Children’s House Hillhouse 30/06/2022 5 5 5 5 5 Children’s House Rosslyn Avenue 13/05/2022 5 5 5 5 5 2019 231
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38 Year of inspection Service Latest Inspection How well do we support people's wellbeing? How well is our care and support planned? How good is our setting? How good is our staff team? How good is our leadership? Day Services Harry Heaney Centre 10/05/2019 5 5 5 5 5 Day Services South Lanarkshire Lifestyles - Fairhill 22/01/2019 5 5 5 5 5 Children & Family Supported Carers Service 22/01/2019 5 5 Not Assessed 5 5 2017 Day Service South Lanarkshire Lifestyles Eastfield 15/11/2017 5 5 5 5 4 Day Service Meldrum House 05/06/2017 5 5 5 5 5 Day Service South Lanarkshire Lifestyles - Stonehouse 26/05/2017 5 5 5 4 5 Day Service Lesmahagow Neighbourhood Centre 07/02/2017 5 5 6 5 5 2016 Day Service South Lanarkshire Lifestyles East Kilbride 13/12/2016 5 5 5 5 5 Day Service Newberry Rooney 22/11/2016 5 5 5 5 4 2015 Day Service Lifestyle Lanark, Harry Smith Complex 12/08/2015 6 6 6 6 6 Grades guide: 1 Unsatisfactory 2 Weak 3 Adequate 4 Good 5 Very Good 6 Excellent NA – Not Assessed 232
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If you need this information in another language or format, please contact us to discuss how we can best meet your needs. Phone: 0303 123 1015 Email: equalities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 233
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