Agenda Document Pack - Executive Committee - 03/12/2025
South Lanarkshire Council · 3 December 2025
Back to Executive Committee — 3 December 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, 25 November 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, 03 December 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 5 November 2025 submitted for approval as a correct record. (Copy attached) 5 - 16 Monitoring Item(s) 3 Revenue Budget Monitoring for Period 7 - 1 April 2025 to 3 October 2025 Report dated 31 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 17 - 22 4 Capital Budget 2025/2026 and Monitoring for Period 7 - 1 April 2025 to 3 October 2025 Report dated 5 November 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 23 - 30 5 Update to Funding Report dated 5 November 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 31 - 34 6 Employee Workforce Monitoring Information - 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025 Summary Report dated 30 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 35 - 56 Item(s) for Decision 7 Commissioning Plan for Services Delivered by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) – Performance Framework Report dated 12 November 2025 by the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources). (Copy attached) 57 - 64 Item(s) for Noting 8 Commercial Opportunities Update Report dated 12 November 2025 by the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources). (Copy attached) 65 - 70 9 Cost of Living Support Report dated 3 November 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 71 - 78 10 Programme for Government 2025 Report dated 13 November 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 79 - 120 11 South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board - Annual Performance Report 2024/2025 Report dated 1 October 2025 by the Director, Health and Social Care. (Copy attached) 121 - 138 2
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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 1, 6 and 8 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act." Item(s) for Decision 14 Transformational Review of Routes to Work South • Exempt information in terms of Paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act • Exempt information in terms of Paragraph 6 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act Item(s) for Noting 15 Centre West, East Kilbride: Demolition Works • Exempt information in terms of Paragraph 8 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 5 November 2025 Chair: Councillor Joe Fagan (ex officio) Councillors Present: Councillor Alex Allison, Councillor John Anderson, Councillor Robert Brown, Councillor Andy Carmichael, Councillor Maureen Chalmers, Councillor Ross Clark, Councillor Gerry Convery (Depute), Councillor Margaret Cooper, Councillor Andrea Cowan, Councillor Margaret Cowie (substitute for Councillor Mo Razzaq), Councillor Maureen Devlin, Councillor Gladys Ferguson-Miller, Councillor Celine Handibode (substitute for Councillor Susan Kerr), Councillor Cal Johnston- Dempsey (substitute for Councillor Elise Frame), Councillor Gavin Keatt, Councillor Ross Lambie, Councillor Eileen Logan, Councillor Katy Loudon, Councillor Ian McAllan, Councillor Catherine McClymont, Councillor Lesley McDonald, Councillor Davie McLachlan, Councillor Richard Nelson, Councillor Norman Rae, Councillor Kirsten Robb, Councillor John Ross, Councillor David Shearer, Councillor Margaret B Walker Councillors' Apologies: Councillor Elise Frame, Councillor Susan Kerr, Councillor Mo Razzaq Attending: Chief Executive’s Service P Manning, Chief Executive; T Little, Head of Communications and Strategy; J Kerr, Community Engagement Manager Community and Enterprise Resources D Booth, Executive Director; F Carlin, Head of Planning and Regulatory Services; T Finn, Planning and Building Standards Manager (Headquarters) Education Resources S Nicolson, Head of Education (Senior Phase) Finance and Corporate Resources J Taylor, Executive Director; K McLeod, Administration Assistant; M Milne, Head of Personnel Services; T Slater, Administration Adviser; I Strachan, Head of Administration and Legal Services Housing and Technical Resources S Gibson, Executive Director; S Egan, Head of Housing Services; C Jardine, Head of Property Services Health and Social Care/Social Work Resources S Sengupta, Director, Health and Social Care; L Purdie, Head of Children and Justice Services Chair’s Opening Remarks The Chair referred to the forthcoming retirement of Liam Purdie, Head of Children and Justice Services and Chief Social Work Officer, and extended best wishes to him for a very happy retirement. 1 Declaration of Interests No interests were declared. 2 5
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2 Minutes of Previous Meeting The minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 24 September 2025 were submitted for approval as a correct record. The Committee decided: that the minutes be approved as a correct record. 3 Revenue Budget Monitoring for Period 6 - 1 April to 5 September 2025 A report dated 7 October 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 5 September 2025 and a forecast for the year to 31 March 2026. As at 5 September 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 5 September 2025 was also provided in the appendices to the report. Information was provided on the following key budget areas:- Teacher Numbers/Reduced Class Contact Time pay award Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) loan charges 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 5 September 2025, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, 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, as detailed in section 5 and Appendix 2 of the report, be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 24 September 2025 (Paragraph 3)] Councillor Cooper joined the meeting during consideration of the above item of business 4 Capital Budget 2025/2026 and Monitoring for Period 6 - 1 April to 5 September 2025 A report dated 7 October 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 5 September 2025. The revised programme for the General Fund for 2025/2026 was £68.986 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 a net decrease of £0.946 million, as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report. Information was provided on the upgrade to the Council Headquarters’ heating system. The forecast for the financial year was £68.986 million and actual spend incurred as at 5 September 2025 totalled £13.488 million. Actual funding received up to 5 September 2025 was £14.200 million. This was detailed in Appendix 3 to the report. 6
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The revised Housing Capital Programme for 2025/2026 amounted to £87.670 million. Programme funding for the year also totalled £87.670 million. The funding sources were detailed in Appendix 4 to the report. Budget for the period amounted to £27.525 million and, as at 5 September 2025, £27.525 million had been spent. The position on the General Fund Capital Programme and the Housing Capital Programme would be monitored by the Financial Resources Scrutiny Forum. Officers responded to members’ questions in relation to the upgrade to the Council Headquarters’ heating system. 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 5 September 2025, be noted; (2) that the adjustments to the General Fund programme, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report, be approved; and (3) that the revised programmes be monitored by the Financial Resources Scrutiny Forum. [Reference: Minutes of 24 September 2025 (Paragraph 4)] 5 Update to Funding A report dated 13 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on additional funding, totalling £1.720 million, which had been made available to the Council by the Scottish Government and other external sources. The funding had been allocated as follows:- Capital Funding Resource 2025/2026 (£m) Housing and Technical 1.720 Total 1.720 Information was also provided on the award of funding under Phase 2 of the UK Government’s Pride in Place Programme, which would support communities at what was termed a ‘hyper-local level’ with up to £20 million each year over 10 years. Officers responded to members’ questions in relation to the Pride in Place Programme funding and, following discussion, while it was accepted that the additional funding was welcomed, the following proposal by Councillor Clark, seconded by Councillor Loudon, was agreed:- “The Chief Executive writes to the Secretary of State for Scotland conveying the concerns and disappointment of the committee regarding the lack of engagement with COSLA and specifically South Lanarkshire Council about the design, methodology and implementation of the Pride in Place Funding, its concern at the very restrictive criteria, removal of local decision-making and disregard for existing community planning structures in relation to delivery.” 7
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The Committee decided: (1) that the additional funding totalling £1.720 million, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, be noted; (2) that the update in relation to Pride in Place funding, as outlined at section 4 of the report, be noted; and (3) that the Chief Executive be instructed to write to the Secretary of State for Scotland in relation to the Pride in Place Programme funding, in the terms as outlined above. [Reference: Minutes of 24 September 2025 (Paragraph 5)] 6 Appointments to South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 2 (East Kilbride Area) A report dated 8 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted seeking the appointment of 2 elected members to the South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 2 (East Kilbride Area). Councillor Robb had intimated her resignation from the South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 2 (East Kilbride Area) which meant that there were now 2 vacancies. On the basis of the political composition of the relevant Council Wards, and that there would be no nomination proposed for Councillor Robb or the Independent Group, both vacancies should be for the Labour Group to fill. The Labour Group had nominated Councillor Devlin, however, was unable to propose a second nomination at this time, therefore, the vacancy was available for another elected member to be appointed to it. The SNP Group proposed that Councillor Ferguson-Miller be appointed to the remaining vacancy. This was agreed unanimously. The Committee decided: that Councillors Devlin and Ferguson-Miller be appointed to the South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 2 (East Kilbride Area). [Reference: Minutes of 18 May 2022 (Paragraph 8)] 7 South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan 3 Evidence Report A report dated 28 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) was submitted seeking endorsement of the Evidence Report for the South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3) prior to its referral to Council for formal approval. LDPs guided land use and development within an area, identifying where new development, such as housing, business and infrastructure, would take place over the plan period. Alongside the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), the LDP formed the statutory development plan against which all planning applications were assessed. A link to the LDP3 Evidence Report was provided, with paper copies available for members to access. The preparation of the Evidence Report had followed the statutory requirements set out in the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (the Act), associated Regulations and the Scottish Government Local Development Planning Guidance published in May 2023. 8
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Under the provisions of the Act, the Evidence Report must be submitted to Scottish Ministers for a Gate Check Review once it had been approved by Council. The key stages in the development of the Evidence Report and next steps were outlined in the report. The Head of Planning and Regulatory Services responded to members’ questions in relation to various aspects of the report and:- confirmed that there would be further members’ awareness sessions in relation to this noted the request to provide more localised information through the Area Committees The Committee decided: 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. Councillor Chalmers left the meeting following consideration of this item of business 8 Third Sector Partnership Review A report dated 22 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on the outcomes of the Third Sector Partnership Review. The Third Sector encompassed a diverse range of organisations, including voluntary and community groups, charities, social enterprises, co-operatives, and other not-for-profit entities operating in South Lanarkshire. The Council invested approximately £30 million per annum in the Third Sector through procured contracts, the provision of grants and/or the direct purchase of services. Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan), which provided the Third Sector interface for South Lanarkshire, undertaking the undernoted functions, highlighted in its Impact Report that there were over 1,400 Third Sector organisations operating across South Lanarkshire:- building capacity source of knowledge connecting partners voice of the sector Information was provided on:- the aims of the Review which were to build and deliver on Keep the Beat Alive, define and differentiate between ‘professional strategic partner’ relationships and ‘delivery partner’ relationships, and identify actions that would make South Lanarkshire the best environment for the Third Sector to operate in Scotland, as outlined in the report the Terms of Reference of the Review, attached as Appendix 1 to the report the review process and outcomes which included a proposed:- Partnership Agreement, attached as Appendix 2 to the report Grant Policy, attached as Appendix 3 to the report Implementation Plan, attached as Appendix 5 to the report Members welcomed the report and echoed the comments of the Chair in thanking everyone who had been involved in this important process. It was highlighted that, while this had been a substantial piece of work, it would not be the end of the process and the Council was committed to working collaboratively with VASLan and the wider Third Sector. 9
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The Committee decided: (1) that the draft Third Sector Partnership Agreement, attached as Appendix 2 to the report, be approved; (2) that the draft Third Sector Grant Policy, attached as Appendix 3 to the report, be approved; (3) that the Implementation Plan, attached as Appendix 5 to the report, be approved; and (4) that the proposed treatment for new Community Medium Grants in 2026/2027, as detailed in section 8 of the report, be noted. Councillor Cooper left the meeting during consideration of this item of business 9 2026/2027 to 2027/2028 Revenue Budget Gap and Savings Proposals for 2026/2027 A report dated 6 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on the 2026/2027 to 2027/2028 budget gap and savings proposals for 2026/2027. Information was provided on:- the following key budget areas:- the impact of pay awards for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 higher inflation forecasts on contracts and utilities the impact of increasing property numbers on Council Tax income permanent funding solutions including:- loan charges service concessions Lanarkshire Valuation Joint Board (LVJB) requisitions the revised 2-year budget gap for 2026/2027 and 2027/2028, taking into account the update on key budget areas proposed savings for 2026/2027, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, and the programme of Transformational Reviews the potential impact of a range of percentage increases in Council Tax the next steps in the budget process, including public consultation one-off funding available, including pEPR (packaging extended producer responsibility) monies the potential long-term impact of the use of one-off funding on the Budget Strategy with the proposed use of the £7.000 million in 2027/2028 the areas of risk to the budget assumptions, as outlined in Appendix 3 to the report Councillor Fagan, seconded by Councillor Covery, moved the recommendations in the report, as amended below:- “Recommendation 5 be replaced with the following text: “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 £4.500 million be utilised in 2027/2028, be approved.” Recommendation 6 be added to the report to state: “that £2.500 million of the one-off funding identified (section 10) be retained within the Community and Enterprise Resources’ budget for one-off investment in waste and recycling services.” 10
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Recommendation 7 be added to the report to state: “that the Executive Committee instructs council officials to respond to the Scottish Government to make clear its view that revenue paid to councils from pEPR should not be deducted from the Scottish local government settlement.” The £2.500 million retained within Community and Enterprise Resources be allocated as follows: Item Description Amount Vehicles 2 x 18 tonne RCVs 2 x 26 tonne RCVs 2 x Luton Vans (including 3 years revenue costs for all six vehicles) £1.540m Perspex-sided bins 100 perspex-sided bins to improve recycling rates in flatted and tenemental properties £0.100m Garden composters Additional free garden composters, including public information campaign £0.010m Waste and Fly- tipping Additional staff and equipment to prevent fly- tipping and littering and improve enforcement – doubling additional investment allocated in Feb 2025 £0.350m Free Standing Hooded Bins 1,500 free standing hooded bins, including fitting, as part of a public bin replacement programme £0.200m Solar compacting smart bins 60 solar compacting smart bins, including fitting, to be located in high footfall areas, such as town and neighbourhood centres and country parks £0.300m Total £2.500m In moving the proposal, Councillor Fagan referred to:- the decision of the Committee on 27 August 2025 to consider the use of the £7.106 million underspend as a result of pEPR funding to a future meeting the response received from the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy that it was intended that future pEPR funding would replace equivalent funding in the Local Government Settlement the clarity that was still required in relation to this funding in future, the pressures on waste services and a desire to invest in them the work of Councillor Robb with Council officers and considered that this was reflected in the proposal Councillor Robb advised that she had intended to move the following amendment which Councillor Clark had agreed to second, however, requested an adjournment to consider the proposals put forward and potentially come to an agreement:- “That Recommendation 2.1 (5) be adjusted accordingly, i.e. for the spend of this one off spend of £0.160M as follows to boost the It’s Your Place campaign helping to clean up South Lanarkshire: - £0.050m for the purchase of more larger, lidded, brightly coloured street bins to boost the bin replacement programme. - £0.050m to assist communication, including in partnership with 3rd sector organisations, to increase awareness of opportunities to reuse and recycle. 11
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- £0.060m to support a lunch time litter prevention pilot project delivered in house or with external support. The project will deliver on the recent request by the Sustainability Youth Forum to the Community Planning Partnership for support to tackle litter. Project conclusions will be reported back to the Climate and Sustainability Committee sharing what works best in sustaining reduction in lunch time litter; identify options for reducing, reusing, recycling and preventing litter and highlight any opportunities for possible savings from future support for litter prevention. - In addition, Grounds Services have an existing scheme to promote community- based litter picking. The service will engage with all Litter Picking groups in South Lanarkshire to discuss and develop options to enhance this existing process and support more people to be part of looking after their neighbourhoods.” Following discussion, Councillors Robb and Clark agreed to the proposal put forward by Councillors Fagan and Convery, subject to assurances that the following key areas in their amendment were included:- the lunch-time litter prevention pilot in response to a request by the Sustainability Youth Forum for support to tackle litter engagement with litter-picking groups the request for more brightly-coloured street bins assist communication, including in partnership with Third Sector organisations, to increase awareness of opportunities to reuse and recycle Councillor Fagan advised that this could be accommodated by widening the description of the waste and fly-tipping section to say ‘interventions including engagement and awareness’ at the beginning of the description, clarifying that the proposed £0.350 million to waste and fly-tipping was on top of £0.350 million already allocated which provided a substantial amount of funding in that area. Councillor Brown, as Chair of the Community and Enterprise Resources Committee, spoke in support of the proposals. The Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) gave an undertaking to develop a programme of work and spend that met the requirements of both proposals. The Committee decided: (1) that the update on key budget areas, as outlined at section 4 of the report, be noted; (2) that the permanent budget solutions in relation to Loan Charges, Service Concessions and LVJB Requisitions, as outlined at section 5.2 to 5.4 of the report, 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) of the report, be noted; (4) that the proposed savings, as outlined at Appendix 1, be considered as part of the budget process; (5) that, in relation to the use of one-off funding to manage the budget gap across 2026/2027 and 2027/2028, the use of £4.500 million be utilised in 2027/2028; (6) that £2.500 million of the one-off funding identified be retained within the Community and Enterprise Resources’ budget for one-off investment in waste and recycling services as follows: 12
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Item Description Amount Vehicles 2 x 18 tonne RCVs 2 x 26 tonne RCVs 2 x Luton Vans (including 3 years revenue costs for all six vehicles) £1.540m Perspex-sided bins 100 perspex-sided bins to improve recycling rates in flatted and tenemental properties £0.100m Garden composters Additional free garden composters, including public information campaign £0.010m Waste and Fly-tipping Interventions including engagement and awareness, additional staff and equipment to prevent fly-tipping and littering and improve enforcement – doubling additional investment allocated in February 2025 £0.350m Free Standing Hooded Bins 1500 free standing hooded bins, including fitting, as part of a public bin replacement programme £0.200m Solar compacting smart bins 60 solar compacting smart bins, including fitting, to be located in high footfall areas, such as town and neighbourhood centres and country parks £0.300m Total £2.500m (7) that Council officials respond to the Scottish Government to make clear the Council’s view that revenue paid to councils from pEPR should not be deducted from the Scottish local government settlement; and (8) that the risk areas detailed in the Other Implications Section (section 15) be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 25 June 2025 (Paragraph 8) and 27 August 2025 (Paragraph 3)] In terms of Standing Order No 14, the Chair adjourned the meeting during this item of business at 11:54am. The meeting reconvened at 12:17pm 10 Community Plan Quarter 4 Progress Report 2024/2025 and Annual Outcomes Improvement Report A report dated 22 October 2025 by the Chief Executive was submitted on progress against the outcomes within the Community Plan 2022 to 2032 for 2024/2025 as at 31 March 2025. 13
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The South Lanarkshire Community Plan, approved in October 2017, set out the priorities and outcomes for the Community Planning Partnership over a 10-year period from 2017 to 2027. Subsequently, a revised Community Plan had been approved by the Partnership Board on 22 June 2022 which covered the period 2022 to 2032. In order to meet the requirement to publish a Local Outcomes Improvement Plan, as required by the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, it had been agreed that an Annual Outcomes Improvement report would be published alongside the Community Plan Progress Report. The Quarter 4 progress report, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, summarised progress against the Community Plan to March 2025. The Annual Outcomes Improvement Report, which detailed the progress of the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership during 2024/2025, was attached as Appendix 2 to the report. The report provided a summary of progress against the outcomes of the Community Plan using a traffic light system of red/amber/green. A blue status had also been included which indicated that the action to achieve change had been completed. Of the 76 measures contained within the Plan, 5 had been completed, 66 were judged to be on course to achieve the targets set (green), 3 were judged to be slightly off target (amber) and 2 were judged to be considerably off target (red). There were no measures which would be reported later. Details were provided on:- the 3 amber and 2 red measures, together with explanatory commentary key achievements for 2024/2025 in relation to priority themes The Committee decided: (1) that the progress made to date against the outcomes within the Community Plan, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report, be noted; and (2) that the content of the statutory Annual Outcomes Improvement Report, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 13 November 2024 (Paragraph 7)] Councillor Nelson left the meeting during consideration of the above item of business 11 Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2024/2025 A report dated 11 September 2025 by the Director, Health and Social Care was submitted on the Chief Social Work Officer (CSWO) Annual Report 2024/2025. There was a statutory requirement for all local authorities to appoint a professionally qualified CSWO who must be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). The role of the CSWO was to provide professional advice and guidance to local authorities, elected members and officers in the provision of social work services. The CSWO also had responsibility for overall performance improvements and the identification and management of corporate risk insofar as those related to social work services. The CSWO was required to prepare an annual report of activity, which followed a standardised reporting framework, for submission to the Chief Social Work Advisor for Scotland. Information was provided on the content of the CSWO’s Annual Report 2024/2025, attached as an appendix to the report. 14
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Members thanked the Head of Children and Justice Services for his hard work, support and leadership over the years and wished him a happy retirement. The Committee decided: that the Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2024/2025 be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 13 November 2024 (Paragraph 17)] 12 Urgent Business There were no items of urgent business. 13 Exclusion of Press and Public The Committee decided: 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 was likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information in terms of Paragraphs 8 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act. 14 Updated Homelessness Temporary Accommodation Proposal A report dated 14 October 2025 by the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) was submitted advising:- of the previously approved proposal to develop the Council-owned site at Beckford Street Business Centre, Hamilton to increase the supply of First Stop temporary accommodation that, following more detailed assessment, the Beckford Street property was no longer considered a viable option of an alternative proposal to address the need for increased temporary accommodation provision, through the acquisition of a property currently available on the open market In terms of Standing Order No 19, the Chair ruled that there had been a material change in circumstances and agreed that this matter be brought back to Committee. The Head of Housing Services responded to members’ questions in relation to various aspects of the report. The Committee decided: (1) that, following further assessment, it be noted that Beckford Street Business Centre was no longer considered a viable option to increase the supply of temporary accommodation; (2) that the proposal to acquire an alternative property available on the open market, on the principal terms set out in section 5.8 of this report, and redevelop the property for the purpose of providing First Stop temporary accommodation be approved; and (3) that the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), in conjunction with the Head of Administration and Legal Services, be authorised to conclude all matters in respect of the acquisition and enter into the necessary legal agreements on terms which were in the best interests of the Council. [Reference: Minutes of 25 June 2025 (Paragraph 11)] 15
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 3 December 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Revenue Budget Monitoring for Period 7 - 1 April 2025 to 3 October 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 3 October 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 3 October 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 3 October 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 3 October 2025. 4. General Services 2025/2026 Projected Outturn as at 3 October 2025 4.1. As at 3 October 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 key budget areas. 4.3. Pay Award: As of 11 November 2025, the Teachers’ Panel of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) has accepted the latest pay offer of 4% from August 2025, rising to 4.25% from April 2026, and 3.25% from August 2026 to July 2027. This also includes the ability to re-open discussions on the year 2 offer at a later date. 4.4. Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR): As previously reported, the receipt of DEFRA funding in 2025/2026 for new waste regulations released £7 million of core Council budget (Executive Committee, 27 August 2025). 3 17
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4.5. The November Executive Committee agreed that £2.5 million of these core monies will be retained within Community and Enterprise Resources and utilised towards one- off investment in waste and recycling services. In relation to the purchase of vehicles, £1.5 million will be spent in 2026/2027 and beyond to reflect lead-in times for the build and purchase of vehicles as well as ongoing revenue costs. 4.6. The remaining £1.0 million will be spent on additional staff and equipment to prevent fly-tipping and the purchase of a variety of bins. It is anticipated that £0.3 million will be spent by the end of 2025/2026 with the balance of £0.7 million spent in 2026/2027. This reflects staffing requirements, and the procurement lead-in times for the purchase of bins. As a result, £2.2 million has been transferred to earmarked reserves for use in future years, as is shown in Appendix 1. 4.7. The Committee also agreed that the remaining £4.5 million will be used to support the Council’s Budget Gap. This will be transferred to earmarked reserves for use in future years and is shown in Appendix 1. 5. Housing Revenue Account Position 5.1. As at 3 October 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. 18
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Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 31 October 2025 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 3 October 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 19
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Note: While the Year to Date Actual at period presents a net surplus position (£70.042m), 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 130.535 130.535 0.000 0.00% 54.036 Facilities Waste and Grounds 78.973 78.906 0.067 0.08% 34.683 Leisure and Culture 20.090 20.090 0.000 0.00% 8.976 Planning and Regulatory Services 5.223 4.895 0.328 6.28% 2.064 Enterprise and Sustainable Development 6.556 6.448 0.108 1.65% 2.256 Roads, Transportation and Fleet 19.693 20.196 (0.503) (2.55%) 6.057 Education Resources 494.982 494.982 0.000 0.00% 232.570 Education 494.982 494.982 0.000 0.00% 232.570 Finance and Corporate Resources 42.352 42.352 0.000 0.00% 31.290 Finance Services - Strategy 2.177 2.255 (0.078) (3.58%) 1.918 Finance Services - Transactions 18.020 17.780 0.240 1.33% 11.914 Audit and Compliance Services 0.363 0.340 0.023 6.34% 0.234 Information Technology Services 8.012 8.237 (0.225) (2.81%) 8.971 Communications and Strategy Services 2.505 2.407 0.098 3.91% 1.729 Administration and Licensing Services 4.600 4.554 0.046 1.00% 2.784 Personnel Services 6.675 6.779 (0.104) (1.56%) 3.740 Housing & Technical Resources 19.232 19.232 0.000 0.00% 7.653 Housing Services 8.967 8.996 (0.029) (0.32%) 4.885 Property Services 10.265 10.236 0.029 0.28% 2.768 Social Work Resources 252.078 252.078 0.000 0.00% 139.668 Performance and Support Services 6.197 6.167 0.030 0.48% 2.932 Children and Families 52.591 52.959 (0.368) (0.70%) 25.175 Adults and Older People 192.409 192.409 0.000 0.00% 111.193 Justice and Substance Misuse 0.881 0.543 0.338 38.37% 0.368 Joint Boards 1.629 1.629 0.000 0.00% 0.877 940.808 940.808 0.000 0.00% 466.094 Revised Projected Projected Year to Date Annual Outturn Outturn Actual Budget Variance Summary: £m £m £m £m Resources Total 940.808 940.808 0.000 0.00% 466.094 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 5.894 5.894 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 Waste and Recycling Services - T/f to Reserves 2.200 2.200 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Budget Strategy - T/f to Reserves 4.500 4.500 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Total Expenditure 1,023.369 1,023.369 0.000 0.00% 466.307 Council Tax 196.599 196.599 0.000 0.00% 105.861 Less: Council Tax Reduction Scheme (24.776) (24.776) 0.000 0.00% (13.341) 171.823 171.823 0.000 0.00% 92.520 General Revenue Grant 453.144 453.144 0.000 0.00% 244.001 Non Domestic Rates 371.110 371.110 0.000 0.00% 199.828 Transfer from Reserves 27.292 27.292 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Total Income 1,023.369 1,023.369 0.000 0.00% 536.349 Net Expenditure 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.00% (70.042) Period Ended 3 October 2025 (No.7) Revenue Budget Monitoring Report SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL 20
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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 15.451 15.219 0.232 1.50% 1 7.579 Property Costs 59.489 59.609 (0.120) (0.20%) 2 23.065 Supplies and Services 2.369 2.402 (0.033) (1.39%) 0.295 Transport and Plant 0.195 0.197 (0.002) (1.03%) 0.039 Administration 5.594 5.655 (0.061) (1.09%) 0.247 Payment to Other Bodies 3.271 3.287 (0.016) (0.49%) 1.100 Payment to Contractors 0.100 0.136 (0.036) (36.00%) 0.127 Transfer Payments 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Financing Charges 34.875 34.875 0.000 0.00% 17.012 Total Controllable Exp. 121.344 121.380 (0.036) (0.03%) 49.464 Total Controllable Inc. (133.963) (133.963) 0.000 0.00% (60.883) Transfer to/(from) Balance Sheet (4.001) (4.037) 0.036 (0.90%) 0.000 Net Controllable Exp. (16.620) (16.620) 0.000 0.00% (11.419) Loan Charges 16.620 16.620 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Net Controllable Exp. 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.00% (11.419) Variance Explanations 1. Employee Costs The underspend in employee costs is due to vacancies within the service that continue to be actively recruited. 2. Property Costs The forecast overspend reflects the impact of the higher than budgeted pay award on the cost of cleaning various premises, including Sheltered Housing. SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Period Ended 3 October 2025 (No.7) Housing Revenue Account 21
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 3 December 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Capital Budget 2025/2026 and Monitoring for Period 7 - 1 April 2025 to 3 October 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 3 October 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 3 October 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 3 October 2025 (period 7). 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 £67.712 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 5 November 2025. 4.2. The programme of £67.712 million also includes proposed adjustments totalling a decrease of £1.274 million. These are detailed in Appendix 1. 4 23
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4.3. First Stop Temporary Accommodation: The 2025/2026 programme has been increased by £1.000 million to reflect the budget for a new First Stop temporary accommodation project, as agreed at the Executive Committee on 5 November 2025. The balance of funding (£0.250 million) is required in 2026/2027. 4.4. The overall funding available of £67.712 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 £67.712 million. 4.6. Appendix 3 shows a forecast for the financial year of £67.712 million. 4.7. 2025/2026 Actual Position: Actual spend incurred to the 3 October 2025 totals £17.616 million. 4.8. Actual funding received to 3 October 2025 is £23.203 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 3 October 2025. The total Housing Capital programme for the year is £87.740 million. 5.2. 2025/2026 Forecast: As noted in 5.1, the total capital spending programme for the year is £87.740 million. Current estimates from the Resource have identified an overall outturn of £87.740 million for the year. This will continue to be monitored. 5.3. The profile of spend on the New Build programme reflects Scottish Government approval timescales, where some projects have now commenced later in the year. Any reduction in spend as a result of this will be offset by an opportunity to accelerate the Housing Investment Programme (HIP) spend on External Fabrics and Energy Efficiency projects from 2026/2027. 5.4. Any funding (borrowing) not used in 2025/2026 in relation to the new build programme will be carried forward into 2026/2027 to allow completion of the projects. 5.5. 2025/2026 Actual Position: Spend to 3 October 2025 on the Housing Capital Programme amounts to £33.147 million. 5.6. As at 3 October 2025, £33.147 million of funding had been received. 5.7. 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. 24
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6. Employee Implications 6.1. None 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. Integrated Impact Assessments have been completed as required and can be found here. 9.2. There was no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 5 November 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References South Lanarkshire Council, 26 February 2025 Executive Committee, 5 November 2025 List of Background Papers Capital Ledger prints to 3 October 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 25
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APPENDIX 1 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2025/26 GENERAL FUND PROGRAMME FOR PERIOD 1 APRIL 2025 TO 3 OCTOBER 2025 Proposed Adjustments Community and Enterprise Resource Transformation Fund Programme Procurement of the Dollan Aqua Centre Pool Lifeguard Technology is ongoing with timescales for this complex technical project meaning spend is likely to take place in 2026/2027. Approval is sought to transfer £0.200 million into the 2026/2027 Capital programme. Timescales for the Accessibility project have now been confirmed following finalisation of the procurement of the front of house system. As a result, £0.526 million of spend is anticipated in 2025/2026, with £0.754 million of spend in 2026/2027. Approval is sought to transfer £0.754 million into the 2026/2027 Capital programme to reflect revised timescales. Nature Restoration Fund Alternative delivery options are being considered for this project as the procurement process for the Woodland Management element of the project did not receive any bids. Approval is sought to transfer £0.200 million into the 2026/2027 Capital programme to reflect revised timescales. Education Resources Kirkstyles ELC Phase 2 An underspend in the capital programme means that work can be undertaken at Kirkstyles ELC to increase the size of the hard standing playground. This will be funded from Developers Contributions. Approval is sought to transfer the funding of £0.073 million into the 2026/2027 Capital programme to reflect the timescales for this work. Carluke High School The programme of works includes improvements to the physical capacity at Carluke High School, including ICT provision, funded from Developer Contributions. Approval is sought to increase the 2025/2026 Capital programme by £0.219 million. Of this, £0.010 million is required in 2025/2026 in line with profiled spend with the remaining £0.209 million required in 2026/2027. (£0.200m) (£0.754m) (£0.200m) (£0.073m) £0.219m (£0.209m) 26
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Secondary Schools Work on the expansion proposals for the secondary schools is ongoing with Hub South West. Consideration of the design plans submitted has resulted in a lower spend level in 2025/2026. Approval is sought to transfer £1.000 million into the 2026/2027 Capital Programme to reflect spend profiles. Final delivery timescales remain unchanged. Housing and Technical First Stop Temporary Accommodation As detailed in Section 4.3. Minor Adjustments APPENDIX 1 (cont.) (£1.000m) £1.000m (£0.057m) TOTAL ADJUSTMENTS (£1.274m) 27
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APPENDIX 2 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2025/26 GENERAL FUND PROGRAMME FOR PERIOD 1 APRIL 2025 TO 3 OCTOBER 2025 £m Total Base Budget (including carry forward from 2024/2025) 68.986 Proposed Adjustments – Period 7 (1.274) Total Revised Budget 67.712 2025/26 Budget Period 7 Proposed Adjustments Revised 2025/26 Budget Resource £m £m £m Community & Enterprise 56.370 (1.211) 55.159 Education 6.070 (1.063) 5.007 Finance & Corporate 0.645 - 0.645 Housing & Technical 5.564 1.000 6.564 Social Work 0.337 - 0.337 TOTAL CAPITAL PROGRAMME 68.986 (1.274) 67.712 28
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APPENDIX 3 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2025/26 GENERAL FUND PROGRAMME FOR PERIOD 1 APRIL 2025 TO 3 OCTOBER 2025 2025/26 Original Estimate inc C/F 2025/26 Revised Budget 2025/26 Forecast Spend 2025/26 Forecast Variance 2025/26 Actual to 03/10/25 Expenditure £m £m £m £m £m General Fund Programme 64.188 67.712 67.712 - 17.616 Income 2025/26 Budget 2025/26 Revised Budget 2025/26 Actual To 03/10/25 £m £m £m Prudential Borrowing 17.192 19.037 0.000 Developers Contributions 1.965 4.679 0.000 Partners 0.450 2.872 1.166 Scottish Government: - Capital Grant 27.467 28.145 14.381 - 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 6.135 Capital Receipts 0.700 0.700 0.513 Specific Reserves 0.038 1.678 0.000 Revenue Contribution 6.610 1.310 0.000 TOTAL FUNDING 64.188 67.712 23.203 29
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APPENDIX 4 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2025/26 HOUSING PROGRAMME FOR PERIOD 1 APRIL 2025 TO 3 OCTOBER 2025 2025/26 Annual Budget 2025/26 Forecast Spend 2025/26 Forecast Variance 2025/26 Actual to 03/10/25 £m £m £m £m Expenditure 2025/26 Budget 87.740 87.740 - 33.147 2025/26 Annual Budget 2025/26 Actual to 03/10/25 £m £m Income Capital Funded from Current Revenue 35.633 17.012 Prudential Borrowing 21.061 9.667 Scottish Government Specific Grant: - New Build 24.726 5.282 - Open Market Purchase Scheme 6.000 1.068 - Mortgage to Rent 0.120 0.000 Climate Emergency Fund 0.200 0.000 Other Income 0.000 0.118 87.740 33.147 30
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 3 December 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 (5 November 2025) [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the additional funding totalling £0.138 million, detailed in Appendix 1, 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. 3.4. Following on from the update provided to Committee in November in relation to Pride in Place, questionnaires for 6 areas were made in line with the instructions issued. Copies of the questionnaires were distributed to Group Leaders in advance of submission. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. None. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. Additional Revenue funding of £0.138 million has been identified for 2025/2026. This is detailed in Appendix 1. 5.2. Resource budgets will be updated to reflect this additional funding. Where appropriate, details of spending plans will be presented to Resource Committees for approval. 5 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 in terms of the information contained in this report. 7. Other Implications 7.1. There are no other implications in terms of the information 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 existing policy, function or strategy and, therefore, no impact assessment is required. 8.2. 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) 5 November 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 32
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Appendix 1 Additional Revenue Funding Resource Description 2025/2026 £m Total £m Method Finance and Corporate Discretionary Housing Payments – the Council’s allocation of the £3m additional national funding for 2025-26 £0.052 million to enable local authorities to strengthen existing housing support, to assist households in temporary accommodation to access the private rented sector where appropriate, and with flexibility to address the most urgent needs based on local priorities. £0.086 million to support local authorities to move households into settled homes in the private rented sector, where it is appropriate. 0.138 0.138 Scottish Government TOTAL REVENUE FUNDING 0.138 0.138 33
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 3 December 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Employee Workforce Monitoring Information - 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025 Summary 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide employment information relating to the Council for the period April 2025 – 30 September 2025 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the following employment information for 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025 relating to the Council be noted:- attendance statistics occupational health accidents/incidents discipline, grievance and Dignity at Work employee development labour turnover/analysis of leavers and exit interviews recruitment monitoring Staffing Watch on 13 September 2025 [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. As part of the Council’s performance management arrangements, the following monitoring information is submitted to the Executive Committee. This report for the Council provides information on the position for the period 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025. 4. Attendance Statistics 4.1. Information on absence statistics for 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025, for the Council and each Resource is provided in Appendices 1 – 8. The main points to note are: the Council’s annual average absence rate for 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025 is 6.0%, an increase of 0.1% when compared with the previous year the APT&C annual average absence rate for 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025 is 6.2%, an increase of 0.2% when compared with the previous year the teaching staff average absence rate for 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025 is 3.8%, an increase of 0.2% when compared with the previous year 6 35
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the manual workers’ average absence rate for 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025 is 7.9%, an increase of 0.1% when compared to the previous year When compared with 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024 (Appendix 8): psychological and musculoskeletal conditions are the main reasons for absence total days lost due to musculoskeletal conditions have increased by 1,219 days total days lost due to psychological conditions have increased by 2,566 days total days lost due to stomach, bowel, blood and metabolic disorders have decreased by 481 days total days lost due to respiratory conditions have decreased by 3,062 days 4.2. Managers follow the procedures outlined in the Maximising Attendance Policy to support employees to remain at work, or to return to work after a sickness absence. There are comprehensive employee supports in place and additionally, Personnel Services work in close partnerships with Managers and Resource Management Teams on a case management basis to ensure that appropriate actions are being taken, at the correct time during the course of an absence. 5. Occupational Health 5.1. Information on occupational health for the period 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025 is provided in Appendix 9: psychological and musculoskeletal conditions were the main reasons for medical referrals, which is unchanged from the previous year a total of 876 employees were referred for a medical examination which represents an increase of 88, when compared with the previous year a total of 925 employees attended physiotherapy treatment, which is a decrease of 40 when compared with the previous year. Of the 925 employees referred, 73% remained at work whilst undertaking treatment a total of 945 employees were referred to the Employee Support Officer, an increase of 159, when compared with the previous year. Of the referrals made during the year, 68% related to personal issues a total of 268 referrals were made for counselling, which is a decrease of 56, when compared with the previous year a total of 152 employees were referred for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, an increase of 127, when compared with the previous year 6. Accidents/Incidents 6.1. The accident/incident report for the period 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025 is contained in Appendix 10: the number of accidents/incidents recorded during the period was 939, a decrease of 38 when compared with 1 April 2024 – 30 September 2024 the number of specified injuries/incidents decreased by 4 when compared with 1 April 2024 – 30 September 2024 the number of minor accidents/incidents recorded during the period was 914, an increase of 9 when compared with 1 April 2024 – 30 September 2024 the number of accidents resulting in an absence lasting over 3 days decreased by 8 when compared with 1 April 2024 – 30 September 2024 the number of accidents resulting in an absence lasting over 7 days decreased by 24 when compared with 1 April 2024 – 30 September 2024 36
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7. Discipline, Grievance, Dignity at Work 7.1. Information on Disciplinary, Grievance Hearings and Dignity at Work for the period 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025 is contained in Appendices 11, 12a and 12b: a total of 109 disciplinary hearings were held across Resources within the Council, which represents an increase of 38 when compared to 1 April 2024 – 30 September 2024. Action was taken in 103 of these cases and 1 Resource appeal was submitted, which was not upheld our target is to convene disciplinary hearings within 6 weeks. During the period 66% of hearings met this target which represents a decrease of 6% when compared with 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024. The main reason(s) for not meeting this target relate to availability of all relevant parties including requests to reschedule dates due to annual leave and/or absences during the period, 2 appeals were submitted to the Appeals Panel, however both were withdrawn overall, 16 grievances were raised during the period, an increase of 11 when compared with 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 there were 12 dignity at work complaints raised during the period, an increase of 2 when compared with 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 during the period, 4 referrals for mediation were submitted that were suitable for mediation, this figure remains unchanged when compared with 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 8. Employee Development 8.1. Information on Employee Development for the period 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025 is contained in Appendix 13: the Council is committed to ensuring that every employee has the opportunity to undertake learning and development which relates to their job during this period there were 3,594 attendances at classroom learning and development events. This is a decrease of 1546 compared to the same period last year. There were 526 attendances at virtual classroom learning and development events and this represents a decrease of 156 compared to the same period last year overall, employees have successfully completed 40,590 e-learning packages covering a wide variety of subjects, this is a decrease of 11,391 packages compared to the same period last year The comparison data for the same period during 2024 is included within the Appendix 13. The 2024 figures were higher due to the additional essential training required for all council employees as part of the introduction of the new HR, Finance and Procurement system. 9. Labour Turnover/Analysis of Leavers and Exit Interviews 9.1. Labour Turnover Information on the number of leavers and exit interviews for the period 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025 is contained in Appendix 14. Exit interviews are conducted with leavers who leave voluntarily. This does not include planned retirements. 37
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Based on annual trends and the figures for 1 April - 30 September 2025, the projected annual labour turnover figure is 3.5%. This figure has decreased by 1.3% when compared with the same period last year. 9.2. Analysis of Leavers and Exit Interviews: there were 269 leavers eligible for an exit interview, a decrease of 90 when compared with the same period last year exit interviews were held with 28% of leavers. For the same period last year, 13% of leavers completed an exit interview and this represents an increase of 15% 10. Recruitment Monitoring 10.1. Information on Recruitment Monitoring for the period 1 April 2025 – 30 September 2025 is contained within Appendix 15. From an analysis of Equal Opportunities Monitoring Forms, the main points to note are: 99% of applicants completed an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, which remains unchanged when compared to 1 April 2024 – 30 September 2024 of the 886 applicants who declared themselves as disabled, 444 were shortleeted for interview and 43 were appointed. This is an improvement when compared to the same period last year where177 applicants declared themselves as disabled, of which 67 applicants were shortleeted and 8 were appointed of the 1,471 applicants from a Black/ethnic background, 425 were shortleeted for interview and 30 were appointed. This compares to 601 applicants for the same period, of which 106 were shortleeted and 14 were appointed work is ongoing to increase ethnic minority representation. As part of the work of the Employee, Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Forum, an action plan was approved in June 2025 to prioritise this work, in line with outcome one of the mainstreaming equality action plan. The aim of which is to increase the number of successful BME candidates being appointed in the Council. A number of improvements have already been implemented, such as the implementation of anonymised application forms up to interview stage and a review of job profiles to include more meaningful information for candidates. Work is also underway on the implementation of the 2025 action plan including a review of the training provision for recruitment panels; a review of the recruitment monitoring information presented to committees and forums; a detailed review of BME and ME applications received for the period July to September 2025 and a benchmarking review of recruitment advertising. This work is due to be completed in November 2025, and the findings will be presented to the Employee, Equalities Diversity and Inclusion Forum in due course of the 132 applicants who declared themselves as a Veteran, 40 were shortleeted for interview and 6 were appointed. This compares to 30 applicants for the same period last year, of which 9 were shortleeted and 1 was appointed 11. Staffing Watch 11.1. Details of the number of employees in post on 13 September 2025 are contained in Appendix 16. There were 15,447 employees in post on 13 September 2025 compared to 15,726 on 14 September 2024, representing a decrease of 279 employees. 38
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12. Employee Implications 12.1. There are no implications for employees arising from the information presented in this report. 13. Financial Implications 13.1. All financial implications are accommodated within existing budgets. 14. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 14.1. There are no Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications arising from the information presented in this report. 15. Other Implications 15.1. There are no implications for sustainability or risk in terms of the information contained within this report. 16. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 16.1. 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 16.2. There was no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 30 October 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Fair, open and sustainable Ambitious, self-aware and improving Excellent employer Focused on people and their needs Working with and respecting others Previous References Executive Committee of 25 June 2025 List of Background Papers Monitoring information provided by Resources Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: - Elaine Maxwell, HR Business Manager Ext: 4647 (Tel: 01698 454647) E-mail: Elaine.Maxwell@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 39
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2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 5.2 5.2 6.0 April 2.8 2.9 3.5 April 7.0 7.3 7.3 April 5.1 5.2 5.7 May 5.1 5.4 5.6 May 3.2 3.0 3.8 May 6.2 7.1 7.4 May 5.1 5.3 5.6 June 4.9 5.3 5.6 June 2.2 2.8 2.9 June 6.5 7.2 7.5 June 4.7 5.2 5.4 July 4.0 4.3 4.6 July 1.1 1.0 1.4 July 5.8 6.3 6.5 July 3.8 4.1 4.3 August 4.2 4.6 5.0 August 1.3 1.9 1.7 August 6.2 7.5 7.0 August 4.1 4.7 4.7 September 5.2 6.2 5.9 September 2.9 3.5 4.1 September 7.6 8.3 8.3 September 5.3 6.1 6.1 October 5.2 6.3 October 2.7 3.8 October 7.1 7.7 October 5.1 6.0 November 6.1 7.0 November 4.3 5.0 November 8.1 8.4 November 6.2 6.9 December 6.7 7.1 December 4.8 5.4 December 7.8 8.5 December 6.6 7.0 January 5.8 6.8 January 4.8 4.9 January 7.8 8.3 January 6.1 6.7 February 6.3 7.0 February 4.9 4.9 February 8.0 9.0 February 6.4 7.0 March 6.3 7.0 March 4.1 4.5 March 8.1 8.4 March 6.3 6.8 Annual Average 5.4 6.0 6.2 Annual Average 3.3 3.6 3.8 Annual Average 7.2 7.8 7.9 Annual Average 5.4 5.9 6.0 Average Apr-Sep 4.8 5.2 5.5 Average Apr-Sep 2.3 2.5 2.9 Average Apr-Sep 6.6 7.3 7.3 Average Apr-Sep 4.7 5.1 5.3 7196 4032 4400 15628 Council Wide No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 Appendix 1 Absence Trends - 2023/2024, 2024/2025 & 2025/2026 Council Wide APT&C Teachers No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 Manual Workers 40
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2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 3.6 3.2 3.5 April 6.3 6.8 7.2 April 6.0 6.3 6.6 April 5.1 5.2 5.7 May 3.7 3.1 2.6 May 6.3 6.3 7.4 May 5.9 5.9 6.6 May 5.1 5.3 5.6 June 4.3 4.1 3.6 June 5.9 6.4 7.4 June 5.7 6.0 6.8 June 4.7 5.2 5.4 July 2.3 3.8 3.6 July 4.6 4.5 5.9 July 4.3 4.4 5.5 July 3.8 4.1 4.3 August 3.0 3.4 2.5 August 5.2 6.2 6.7 August 4.9 5.7 6.1 August 4.1 4.7 4.7 September 2.5 3.8 3.5 September 7.1 7.5 8.2 September 6.4 6.9 7.4 September 5.3 6.1 6.1 October 2.0 4.2 October 7.0 7.2 October 6.3 6.7 October 5.1 6.0 November 2.6 3.6 November 8.1 8.3 November 7.3 7.6 November 6.2 6.9 December 3.0 3.8 December 7.5 8.1 December 6.8 7.4 December 6.6 7.0 January 3.6 3.9 January 7.4 7.8 January 6.9 7.2 January 6.1 6.7 February 4.0 4.0 February 7.8 8.7 February 7.2 7.9 February 6.4 7.0 March 3.2 3.5 March 7.9 8.2 March 7.2 7.4 March 6.3 6.8 Annual Average 3.2 3.7 3.5 Annual Average 6.8 7.2 7.6 Annual Average 6.2 6.6 6.9 Annual Average 5.4 5.9 6.0 Average Apr-Sep 3.2 3.6 3.2 Average Apr-Sep 5.9 6.3 7.1 Average Apr-Sep 5.5 5.9 6.5 Average Apr-Sep 4.7 5.1 5.3 577 2835 3412 15628No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 Appendix 2 Absence Trends - 2023/2024, 2024/2025 & 2025/2026 Community and Enterprise Resources APT&C Council WideManual Workers Resource Total 41
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2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 5.0 5.4 6.8 April 2.8 2.9 3.5 April 3.8 4.0 4.9 April 5.1 5.2 5.7 May 5.4 6.0 6.6 May 3.2 3.0 3.8 May 4.2 4.4 5.0 May 5.1 5.3 5.6 June 4.8 5.5 6.3 June 2.2 2.8 2.9 June 3.4 4.1 4.4 June 4.7 5.2 5.4 July 3.4 3.2 3.8 July 1.1 1.0 1.4 July 2.2 2.0 2.4 July 3.8 4.1 4.3 August 4.0 3.9 4.4 August 1.3 1.9 1.7 August 2.5 2.8 2.8 August 4.1 4.7 4.7 September 5.9 6.6 5.8 September 2.9 3.5 4.1 September 4.3 4.9 4.8 September 5.3 6.1 6.1 October 5.5 6.5 October 2.7 3.8 October 4.0 5.0 October 5.1 6.0 November 7.1 7.8 November 4.3 5.0 November 5.6 6.2 November 6.2 6.9 December 8.1 8.6 December 4.8 5.4 December 6.3 6.8 December 6.6 7.0 January 6.6 8.0 January 4.8 4.9 January 5.6 6.3 January 6.1 6.7 February 7.2 8.4 February 4.9 4.9 February 6.0 6.5 February 6.4 7.0 March 7.5 8.3 March 4.1 4.5 March 5.7 6.2 March 6.3 6.8 Annual Average 5.9 6.5 6.8 Annual Average 3.3 3.6 3.8 Annual Average 4.5 4.9 5.1 Annual Average 5.4 5.9 6.0 Average Apr-Sep 4.8 5.1 5.6 Average Apr-Sep 2.3 2.5 2.9 Average Apr-Sep 3.4 3.7 4.1 Average Apr-Sep 4.7 5.1 5.3 3158 4032 7190 15628 Resource Total No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 Appendix 3 Absence Trends - 2023/2024, 2024/2025 & 2025/2026 Education Resources Council WideAPT&C Teachers 42
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2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 3.6 2.8 3.0 April 0.0 0.0 0.0 April 3.6 2.8 3.0 April 5.1 5.2 5.7 May 3.9 3.2 2.7 May 0.0 0.0 0.0 May 3.9 3.2 2.7 May 5.1 5.3 5.6 June 4.2 3.2 2.9 June 0.0 0.0 0.0 June 4.2 3.2 2.9 June 4.7 5.2 5.4 July 3.5 3.5 3.0 July 0.0 0.0 0.0 July 3.5 3.5 3.0 July 3.8 4.1 4.3 August 3.8 2.6 4.0 August 0.0 0.0 0.0 August 3.8 2.6 4.0 August 4.1 4.7 4.7 September 3.9 3.2 4.0 September 0.0 0.0 0.0 September 3.9 3.2 4.0 September 5.3 6.1 6.1 October 3.2 3.2 October 0.0 0.0 October 3.2 3.2 October 5.1 6.0 November 3.5 4.6 November 0.0 0.0 November 3.5 4.6 November 6.2 6.9 December 3.3 4.4 December 0.0 0.0 December 3.3 4.4 December 6.6 7.0 January 2.8 3.7 January 0.0 0.0 January 2.8 3.7 January 6.1 6.7 February 3.5 3.5 February 0.0 0.0 February 3.5 3.5 February 6.4 7.0 March 2.6 3.7 March 0.0 0.0 March 2.6 3.7 March 6.3 6.8 Annual Average 3.5 3.5 3.6 Annual Average 0.0 0.0 0.0 Annual Average 3.5 3.5 3.6 Annual Average 5.4 5.9 6.0 Average Apr-Sep 3.8 3.1 3.3 Average Apr-Sep 0.0 0.0 0.0 Average Apr-Sep 3.8 3.1 3.3 Average Apr-Sep 4.7 5.1 5.3 814 0 814 15628 Appendix 4 Absence Trends - 2023/2024, 2024/2025 & 2025/2026 Finance and Corporate Resources No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 APT&C Council WideManual Workers No of Employees at 30 September 2025 Resource Total No of Employees at 30 September 2025 43
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2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 5.7 5.3 5.6 April 6.9 7.2 4.8 April 6.2 6.1 5.3 April 5.1 5.2 5.7 May 4.9 5.2 4.5 May 6.1 8.1 5.7 May 5.4 6.4 5.0 May 5.1 5.3 5.6 June 5.4 5.7 5.1 June 6.8 8.4 6.0 June 6.0 6.8 5.5 June 4.7 5.2 5.4 July 5.0 5.3 5.2 July 8.1 8.6 6.4 July 6.2 6.7 5.7 July 3.8 4.1 4.3 August 5.1 5.5 5.4 August 8.5 8.8 6.0 August 6.4 6.9 5.7 August 4.1 4.7 4.7 September 4.7 7.5 5.9 September 7.8 7.4 6.7 September 6.0 7.5 6.2 September 5.3 6.1 6.1 October 4.9 7.3 October 5.2 6.0 October 5.0 6.8 October 5.1 6.0 November 4.8 6.8 November 6.7 6.2 November 5.6 6.5 November 6.2 6.9 December 5.1 6.4 December 7.4 5.8 December 6.0 6.2 December 6.6 7.0 January 4.4 7.0 January 6.0 6.2 January 5.0 6.7 January 6.1 6.7 February 5.2 7.0 February 6.3 7.1 February 5.6 7.0 February 6.4 7.0 March 5.3 6.8 March 7.2 5.9 March 6.1 6.4 March 6.3 6.8 Annual Average 5.0 6.3 6.1 Annual Average 6.9 7.1 6.1 Annual Average 5.8 6.7 6.1 Annual Average 5.4 5.9 6.0 Average Apr-Sep 5.1 5.8 5.3 Average Apr-Sep 7.4 8.1 5.9 Average Apr-Sep 6.0 6.7 5.6 Average Apr-Sep 4.7 5.1 5.3 867 548 1415 15628 Council Wide No of Employees at 30 September 2025No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 Appendix 5 Housing & Technical Resources Resource Total Absence Trends - 2023/2024, 2024/2025 & 2025/2026 APT&C Manual Workers 44
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2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 6.5 6.5 7.0 April 9.4 8.8 9.4 April 7.4 7.3 7.8 April 5.1 5.2 5.7 May 5.8 5.8 6.6 May 8.4 9.5 8.6 May 6.6 7.0 7.2 May 5.1 5.3 5.6 June 5.5 6.0 6.6 June 8.6 9.2 8.7 June 6.5 7.0 7.3 June 4.7 5.2 5.4 July 5.4 6.5 6.8 July 8.8 11.2 9.0 July 6.5 8.0 7.5 July 3.8 4.1 4.3 August 4.8 6.9 7.1 August 8.6 11.4 8.7 August 6.0 8.4 7.7 August 4.1 4.7 4.7 September 5.6 7.2 7.7 September 9.3 12.0 10.0 September 6.8 8.8 8.5 September 5.3 6.1 6.1 October 6.5 7.5 October 8.5 11.0 October 7.1 8.6 October 5.1 6.0 November 7.3 8.1 November 9.0 10.0 November 7.8 8.7 November 6.2 6.9 December 7.4 7.0 December 9.5 11.6 December 8.1 8.5 December 6.6 7.0 January 7.0 6.7 January 10.3 11.3 January 8.1 8.2 January 6.1 6.7 February 7.0 7.0 February 9.9 11.6 February 7.9 8.5 February 6.4 7.0 March 7.1 7.5 March 9.4 10.7 March 7.9 8.6 March 6.3 6.8 Annual Average 6.3 6.9 7.1 Annual Average 9.1 10.7 10.1 Annual Average 7.2 8.1 8.1 Annual Average 5.4 5.9 6.0 Average Apr-Sep 5.6 6.5 7.0 Average Apr-Sep 8.9 10.4 9.1 Average Apr-Sep 6.6 7.8 7.7 Average Apr-Sep 4.7 5.1 5.3 1780 1017 2797 15628 Manual Workers No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 No of Employees at 30 September 2025 Appendix 6 Absence Trends - 2023/2024, 2024/2025 & 2025/2026 Social Work Resources APT&C Council WideResource Total 45
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Appendix 7 Community and Enterprise 2.0 4.5 6.5 Education 1.2 2.9 4.1 Finance and Corporate 1.1 2.2 3.3 Housing & Technical 1.9 3.7 5.6 Social Work 2.4 5.3 7.7 Council Overall for April - September 2025 1.6 3.7 5.3 Absence by Long and Short Term From: 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025 Resource Total Long Term % April - September 2025 Total Short Term % Resource Total Absence % 46
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Reason Total Work Days Lost % of Work Days Lost Psychological 34388 36 Musculoskeletal 22404 24 Stomach, blood, bowel and metabolic 10050 11 Respiratory 7813 8 Others 20139 21 Total Days Lost 94794 100 Reason Total Work Days Lost % of Work Days Lost Psychological 31822 33 Musculoskeletal 21185 22 Stomach, blood, bowel and metabolic 10531 11 Respiratory 10875 11 Others 22374 23 Total Days Lost 96787 100 Appendix 8 Absence Classifications From 1 April - 30 September 2025 From 1 April - 30 September 2024 Absence Monitoring 47
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Appendix 9 Teachers Others 212 65 121 42 133 303 172 83 149 22 125 237 Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2025 Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2025 Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2025 255 246 149 213 2 7 156 102 288 341 1 27 172 172 47 38 0 0 35 53 77 90 0 1 109 104 225 263 Social Work 2 16 238 248 786 945 Not Disclosed 20 101 965 925 Total 25 152 Reason Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2025 Work Stress 46 44 Addicition 3 1 Personal 186 50 Anxiety/Depression 65 146 Bereavement 24 27 Total 324 268 Analysis of Counselling Referrals by Cause Total Finance and Corporate Housing and Technical Housing and Technical Social Work Social Work Total Community and Enterprise Community and Enterprise Education (Teachers) Education Education (Others) Finance and Corporate Total (Apr-Sep 2024) 788 No of Employees Referred For Physiotherapy No of Employees Referred To Employee Support Officer No of Employees Referred For Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Resource Resource Total (Apr-Sep 2025) 876 Education Finance and Corporate Housing & Technical Social Work Totals Finance and Corporate Education Community and Enterprise Resource Housing and Technical Occupational Health Reports From: 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025 comparison with 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 Medical Referrals Community and Enterprise 48
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Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2025 Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2025 Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2025 Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2025 Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2025 Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2025 Specified Injury 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Specified Injury (Violence) 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 Total Specified Injury* 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 Over 7 Day 14 1 4 0 0 0 4 2 5 0 27 3 Over 7 Day (Violence) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Over 7 Day** 14 1 4 0 0 0 4 2 5 0 27 3 Over 3 Day 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 8 0 Over 3 Day (Violence) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Over 3 Day** 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 8 0 Minor Injury 62 43 95 67 0 2 13 5 31 39 201 156 Near Miss 4 11 9 34 0 0 0 1 6 8 19 54 Violence (Physical) 12 21 556 573 0 0 0 0 19 14 587 608 Violence (Verbal) 8 6 66 65 0 0 3 10 21 15 98 96 Total Minor*** 86 81 726 739 0 2 16 16 77 76 905 914 Total Finalised 104 82 734 739 0 2 21 18 85 76 944 917 Accident 1 3 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 7 Incident 0 0 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 3 Violence (Physical) 0 0 12 9 0 0 0 0 1 0 13 9 Violence (Verbal) 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 4 3 Near Miss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total to be investigated**** 1 3 30 16 0 0 0 3 2 0 33 22 Total Events/Month 105 85 764 755 0 2 21 21 87 76 977 939 Appendix 10 Analysis of Accidents / Incidents From: 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025 comparison with 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 Accidents by Month of Occurrence Community and Enterprise Education Finance and Corporate Housing & Tech Social Work TOTAL **Over 3 Day /Over 7 Day absence relates to events outwith the specified injury category that resulted in an absence or inability to do normal work for more than 3/7 days (not including day of injury) ***A minor injury is an injury not covered by Over 7 day, Over 3 day or Specified ****In process relates to records not yet investigated/defined by managers *Specified Injury is any fracture (other than fingers/toes), amputation, loss or sight, serious burns, crushing injury, scalping, loss of consciousness caused by asphyxiation/head injury, a chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or penetrating injury as defined by the HSE 49
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APT&C Manual / Craft Teachers Total APT&C Manual / Craft Teachers Total Community and Enterprise 1 45 N/A 46 0 0 N/A 0 1 45 N/A 46 15 19 12 74 119.9130435 Education 5 N/A 4 9 0 0 0 0 5 0 4 9 1 2 6 33 9 Finance and Corporate 2 0 N/A 2 1 0 N/A 1 1 0 N/A 1 1 1 0 100 2 Housing and Technical 5 9 N/A 14 0 2 N/A 2 5 7 N/A 12 5 5 4 71 14 Social Work 3 35 N/A 38 1 2 N/A 3 2 33 N/A 35 15 8 15 61 38 Total (Apr-Sep 2025) 16 89 4 109 2 4 0 6 14 85 4 103 37 35 37 66 109 Total (Apr-Sep 2024) 22 42 7 71 6 5 0 11 17 36 7 60 29 22 20 72 71 APT&C Manual/ Craft Teachers Total APT&C Manual/ Craft Teachers Total APT&C Manual/ Craft Teachers Total Total (Apr-Sep 2025) 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 Total (Apr-Sep 2024) 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 *Resources nil responses are not included in figures Appeal's Panel From: 1 April - 30 September 2025 Appeal's Panel Total 00 Appendix 11 Outcome of Appeals Not Upheld From: 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025 comparison with 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 Appeals pending to date Record of Disciplinary Hearings No of weeks to convene Disciplinary Hearing Total 0 % Held within 6 Weeks No of Appeals No Action APT&C 4-6 6+3Teachers Total No of Disciplinary Hearings Upheld APT&C Upheld in Part Teachers Resource Resource Action Taken Upheld Upheld in Part Manual/ Craft Outcome of Disciplinary Hearings Manual/ Craft 2 Withdrawn 00 Not Upheld Total Appeals Pending 50
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Appendix 12a Record of Grievances From: 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025 comparison with 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 Grievances No of Grievances No Resolved at Stage 1 No Resolved at Stage 2 No Resolved at Stage 3 Still in Process Total (Apr-Sep 2025) 16 0 13 0 3 Total (Apr-Sep 2024) 5 0 3 0 2 Dignity at Work From: 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025 comparison with 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 Dignity at Work No of Incidents No Resolved at Informal Stage No Resolved at Formal Stage No of Appeals Appeals in Process Still in Process Total (Apr-Sep 2025) 12 0 2 0 0 10 Total (Apr-Sep 2024) 10 1 6 0 0 3 51
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Appendix 12b Referrals for Workplace Mediation Workplace Mediation Apr-25 May-25 Jun-25 Jul-25 Aug-25 Sep-25 No of Referrals 0 1 1 2 0 0 *No of Successful Cases 0 0 0 0 1 1 *No of Unsuccessful Cases 0 0 0 0 0 0 No of cases unsuitable for mediation 0 0 0 1 2 0 Workplace Mediation Apr-24 May-24 Jun-24 Jul-24 Aug-24 Sep-24 No of Referrals 1 1 1 0 1 0 *No of Successful Cases 0 0 0 0 0 0 *No of Unsuccessful Cases 0 0 0 0 0 0 No of cases unsuitable for mediation 1 0 0 0 0 1 *successful/unsuccessful case outcomes may be shown outwith the month they were referred. As at September 2025 52
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1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025 Community and Enterprise 939 753 Education 1840 998 Finance and Corporate 9 78 Housing and Technical 467 645 Social Work 1975 1120 Total 5,230 3,594 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025 Community and Enterprise 26 27 Education 131 51 Finance and Corporate 15 24 Housing and Technical 93 37 Social Work 420 387 Total 685 526 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025 Community and Enterprise 13241 8606 Education 16715 12940 Finance and Corporate 2761 3261 Housing and Technical 6978 4784 Social Work 12286 10999 Total 51,981 40,590 Courses Completed / Passed Employee Development Attended classroom based training Appendix 13 Attended training delivered virtually 53
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Appendix 14 From 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025 Reason for leaving Community and Enterprise Education Finance and Corporate Housing & Technical Social Work Total % Career Advancement 10 43 2 4 19 78 29% Personal Reasons 23 22 4 6 15 70 26% Further Education 3 7 0 3 2 15 6% Child Caring / Caring Responsibilities 6 5 1 0 2 14 5% Moving outwith area 3 4 1 0 6 14 5% Poor relationship with managers / colleagues 4 2 1 0 1 8 3% Disatisfaction with terms and conditions 1 3 0 3 0 7 3% Travelling difficulties 0 0 0 1 0 1 0% Other 17 27 3 3 12 62 23% Total no. of leavers per Resource eligible for an exit interview 67 113 12 20 57 269 100% Number of exit interviews conducted 16 36 4 4 15 75 % of leavers interviewed 24% 32% 33% 20% 26% 28% From 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 Total no. of leavers per Resource eligible for an exit interview 107 161 10 29 52 359 Number of exit interviews conducted 8 24 3 4 7 46 % of leavers interviewed 7% 15% 30% 14% 13% 13% * Note these totals include temporary employees Analysis of leavers and exit interviews 54
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Appendix 15 Applied Interviewed Appointed % of Applicants interviewed % of Applicants appointed % of Interviewees appointed 11698 5168 755 44% 6% 15% 4433 1767 209 40% 5% 12% 7258 3327 544 46% 7% 16% 886 444 43 50% 5% 10% 9692 4169 620 43% 6% 15% 1497 823 126 55% 8% 15% 1471 425 30 29% 2% 7% 1901 601 49 32% 3% 8% 9184 4152 601 45% 7% 14% 132 40 6 30% 5% 15% Applied Interviewed Appointed % of Applicants interviewed % of Applicants appointed % of Interviewees appointed 4867 1466 433 30% 9% 30% 1869 534 141 29% 8% 26% 2979 912 280 31% 9% 31% 177 67 8 38% 5% 12% 3826 1031 287 27% 8% 28% 991 405 130 41% 13% 32% 4066 1321 405 32% 10% 31% 601 106 14 18% 2% 13% 30 9 1 30% 3% 11% Total No of applicants aged over 50 Total No of White applicants Total No of Black/Ethnic minority applicants* Total No of Veteran applicants *Black/Ethnic Minority applicants includes Mixed, Asian, Black and other backgrounds. Gender / Disability / Age Total EO Forms Received Total No of Male Applicants Total No of Female Applicants Total No of Disabled Applicants Total No of applicants aged under 50 Total Number of Equal Opportunities Monitoring forms received: 4867 (99%) Total Number of posts advertised: 588 Total Number of appointments: 466 Total No of White applicants** Total No of Veteran applicants *includes Mixed, Asian, Black, White (Irish, Polish, Gypsy/Traveller, Roma, Showman/Showwoman, other From : 1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024 Total Number of applications received: 4930 ** includes White Scottish and White Other British Total No of Male Applicants Total No of Female Applicants Total No of Disabled Applicants Total No of applicants aged under 50 Total No of applicants aged over 50 Total No of Minority Ethnic applicants* Total No of BME applicants Total Number of posts advertised: 425 Total Number of appointments: 767 Gender / Disability / Age Total EO Forms Received Recruitment Monitoring Analysis of Gender, Disability, Ethnicity and Age From : 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025 Total Number of applications received: 11717 Total Number of Equal Opportunities Monitoring forms received: 11698 (99%) 55
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Resource Total F/T P/T F/T P/T Total Chief Officer Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Fixed SCP Teacher Community & Enterprise Resources 3358 1243 338 242 1535 2429.25 5.00 1680.29 411.70 263.72 48.94 17.60 0.00 2.00 0.00 Education - Others 3100 97 81 561 2361 2391.81 6.00 1155.43 1038.62 129.78 49.40 11.00 0.00 1.58 0.00 Education - Teachers 4043 673 111 2143 1116 3542.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3542.61 Finance & Corporate Resources 810 182 23 364 241 722.80 8.00 87.21 333.36 216.12 56.11 22.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Housing & Technical 1384 763 116 351 154 1277.13 3.00 208.85 668.54 352.76 33.29 9.00 0.00 1.69 0.00 Social Work Resources 2752 192 228 942 1390 2361.61 3.00 315.94 1442.62 472.16 94.29 32.60 0.00 1.00 0.00 9182.60 (excluding Teachers) Total All Staff 15447 3150 897 4603 6797 12725.21 25.00 3447.72 3894.84 1434.54 282.03 92.20 0.00 6.27 3542.61 Resource Total F/T P/T F/T P/T Total Chief Officer Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Fixed SCP Teacher Community & Enterprise Resources 3439 1244 384 235 1576 2471.12 5.00 1711.95 415.46 269.47 48.94 18.30 0.00 2.00 0.00 Education - Others 3255 104 95 587 2469 2530.85 5.00 1240.13 1087.44 137.72 48.60 11.00 0.00 0.96 0.00 Education - Teachers 4034 711 114 2177 1032 3600.11 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3600.11 Finance & Corporate Resources 822 183 24 366 249 730.03 8.00 93.90 341.81 210.36 53.96 22.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Housing & Technical 1396 774 120 334 168 1284.40 3.00 196.94 674.12 365.25 33.09 10.00 0.00 2.00 0.00 Social Work Resources 2780 194 225 964 1397 2398.98 3.00 332.61 1455.57 508.52 64.77 33.51 0.00 1.00 0.00 9415.38 (excluding Teachers) Total All Staff 15726 3210 962 4663 6891 13015.49 24.00 3575.53 3974.40 1491.32 249.36 94.81 0.00 5.96 3600.11 Quarterly Joint Staffing Watch Return : Number Employed On 14 September 2024 Analysis by Resource Total Number of Employees Full-Time Equivalent Male Female Salary Band Appendix 16 Quarterly Joint Staffing Watch Return : Number Employed On 13 September 2025 Analysis by Resource Total Number of Employees Full-Time Equivalent Male Female Salary Band 56
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 3 December 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) Subject: Commissioning Plan for Services Delivered by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) – Performance Framework 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] present the proposed format and timing of the new outcome focused performance reports aligned to the Commissioning Plan for services delivered by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) (2025 to 2027) [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s): - [recs] (1) that the proposal for developing and presenting future outcome-focused performance reports, as detailed in Section 5, be approved; (2) that the outcome-focused performance reports be presented to Community and Enterprise Resources Committee in November/December each year, be approved; and (3) that interim area-focused performance reports be presented to the Area Committees in May/June each year, be approved. 3. Background 3.1. On 27 August 2024, a report was presented to the Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum outlining the approach for the future commissioning of leisure, culture and library services between South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) and SLLC (SCIO). For clarity, SCIO means Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. 3.2. The report identified three key workstreams which will help to ensure a successful and impactful leisure, culture and library service that meets the aims and objectives of the council, that is more financially sustainable and that works towards the ambitions of net-zero. 3.3. A draft of the Commissioning Plan was presented to Executive Committee on 12 March 2025 for noting. The final Plan was approved at Executive Committee on 25 June 2025 with some minor refinement following consultation with the SLLC Board. 3.4. The first Plan covers the period 2025 to 2027, with future iterations spanning a five- year period to align with each new Council Plan. 3.5. The Plan holds SLLC as the strategic lead and sole provider of all leisure and culture services on behalf of the Council. 7 57
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3.6. The Commissioning Plan defines the strategic ‘ask’ of SLLC over the medium to long term, in support of the council’s own priorities and outcomes. 3.7. In response to each new Commissioning Plan, SLLC will develop its own 5-year strategy to ensure the resources available to the SCIO are directed in the best way and at the right time to successfully deliver on the Councils’ priorities and outcomes. 4. Performance Framework 4.1. It was agreed that a performance framework would underpin the Commissioning Plan to monitor how our ask of SLLC is impacting on the people and communities of South Lanarkshire. Information will be gathered across three levels to inform, support and influence future decision making: 4.2. The South Lanarkshire Context This will include a suite of external indicators that collectively provide the South Lanarkshire context around health and wellbeing. These indicators will be continually reviewed and updated to inform future Council planning and SLLC strategy development. 4.3. Improving Outcomes This will include a series of indicators and case study information that will allow SLLC to demonstrate how well they are responding to the ask within the Commissioning Plan. Progress reports focused on improving outcomes will be presented to the Council for monitoring and this is the focus of this report. 4.4. SLLC Operational Performance It is the role of the SLLC Board to monitor the operational performance of SLLC; however, the Council will continue to annually monitor the outcomes from the Culture and Leisure Services indicators contained within the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF). The results from the LGBF are presented annually to the Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum, in line with other Council service areas, and uploaded onto the performance pages on the Council’s website. 4.5. It was agreed at Executive Committee on 25 June 2025 that officers would work with colleagues in SLLC to develop the proposed format and timing of the new Improving Outcomes performance reports (the middle tier of the pyramid). 58
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5. Improving Outcomes Proposals 5.1. Officers have been considering a range of information to determine the most appropriate and proportionate process for monitoring and reporting on outcomes aligned to the Commissioning Plan. For example: a review of how and when other Council’s report on ALEO performance consideration around the need to differentiate between the role of the SLLC Board in managing the activities of the SCIO, and role of the Council in monitoring how well SLLC are responding to the Council’s ‘ask’ consideration of the annual reporting processes within both the Council and the SCIO 5.2. Taking all of this into account, the following reporting format and timing is proposed: Annual Reporting 5.3. Given Community and Enterprise Resources (CER) have a significant role to play in managing the relationship between the Council and South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture, it is appropriate that CER Committee should play the lead role in monitoring how well the SCIO are responding to the Council’s ‘ask’ within the Commissioning Plan. 5.4. It is proposed that outcomes are reported to CER Committee annually and for noting. 5.5. November/ December is deemed to be the most appropriate timeframe for reporting once the year-end financial position of the SCIO is confirmed. This will allow a brief financial summary to incorporated into the report. The timing also aligns with other performance reporting arrangements for the SCIO, linked to the annual stakeholder event and AGM, making the best and most efficient use of the information and data available. 5.6. A key aim of the report is to demonstrate how the Council’s ask of SLLC is impacting on the people of South Lanarkshire. One of the best ways to demonstrate impact is to use case studies from within our communities. SLLC will be asked to incorporate a range of case studies within the report and use infographics to highlight SLLC’s key achievements against the Council priorities and outcomes. 5.7. In line with the above, it is proposed that the first of the annual Improving Outcomes reports be presented to Community and Enterprise Resources Committee on 10 November 2026. Interim Reporting 5.8. To supplement the overarching annual report, it is also proposed that interim area- focused reports/presentations are delivered to each of the four Area Committees once per year, to share progress. This will also provide SLLC the opportunity to highlight key achievements, issues and challenges on an area-by-area basis. It is proposed that the first of these area-focused reports be presented in the June 2026 Area Committee reporting cycle: Cambuslang and Rutherglen – Wednesday 3 June 2026 Clydesdale – Wednesday 10 June 2026 East Kilbride – Tuesday 16 June 2026 Hamilton – Wednesday 24 June 2026 59
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Format 5.9. SLLC is required to demonstrate to the Council that it responding to ‘the ask’ and delivering on the key outcomes. Examples of how they will demonstrate this are detailed in Appendix 1. 5.10. Outcome measures will continue to evolve as new health and health inequalities data and measures are established, and there will be an opportunity after the initial round of reports/presentations in 2026, for Members to consider whether these proposals meet their expectations in advance of the next full Commissioning Plan being developed in 2027. 5.11. As noted in section 4.4, the Council will also continue to monitor outcomes from the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF). The core purpose of the LGBF is to make comparisons on spend/cost, performance and customer satisfaction results over several years and also between similar councils. The LGBF comprises a suite of performance indicators, including culture and leisure services managed by SLLC, as follows: C&L01 Cost per attendance at sports facilities C&L02 Cost per library visit C&L03 Cost of museums per visit C&L05a Percentage of adults satisfied with libraries C&L05c Percentage of adults satisfied with museums and galleries C&L05d Percentage of adults satisfied with leisure facilities 5.12. Publication of the LGBF results is a statutory requirement set out by the Accounts Commission and is seen as a key part of Councils’ commitment to Best Value, public performance reporting (PPR) and continuous improvement 6. Employee Implications 6.1. There are no immediate employee implications as a result of this report. The Partnership Liaison Manager within Enterprise and Sustainable Development will continue to work with colleagues in the SCIO to develop the initial reports. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. The development of the Commissioning Plan and associated performance reports will help facilitate longer term financial planning and result in a more financially sustainable relationship between the Council and SLLC. 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 within this report. 9. Other Implications 9.1. There are no other implications or risks in terms of the information contained within this report. 10. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 10.1 An Integrated Impact Assessment was undertaken as part of the development of the Commissioning Plan and is available to view on the Council website. 60
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10.2. The reporting proposals have been discussed and agreed with the SLLC Board, as responsibility for producing the Improving Outcomes reports each year will rest with the SCIO. David Booth Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) 12 November 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent People live the healthiest lives possible Previous References South Lanarkshire Council / South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture – Vision for a Future Relationship, Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum, 27 August 2024 South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) Commissioning Plan Progress Update, Executive Committee, 12 March 2025 Commissioning Plan for Services Delivered by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC), Executive Committee, 25 June 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:- Gillian Simpson, Partner Liaison Manager E-mail: gillian.simpson@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 61
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Appendix 1 Improving Outcomes Council Outcomes 2022-27 SLLC Objectives 2022-27 Monitoring Outcomes Health and wellbeing - People live the healthiest lives possible Health and Wellbeing We will help the people of South Lanarkshire to live healthier, happier lives with a focus on physical and mental wellbeing How will we know if SLLC are helping the people of South Lanarkshire to live healthier, happier lives? • SLLC will actively participate in a whole system approach to health and wellbeing along with partners, including the NHS and the Health and Social Care Partnership, and provide examples of successful partnership working in this area (including Marmot Places) • SLLC will provide information on programmes, events and activities which encourage and support the inactive to be active • SLLC will provide information on programmes, events and activities which support positive mental health • SLLC will provide information on early intervention and prevention initiatives to address health and wellbeing matters at their root cause How will we know if those services which are essential to our communities are accessible and affordable? • SLLC will provide information on attendance levels across the various culture and leisure service areas • SLLC will provide information on the number of concessionary memberships • SLLC will provide information on the number of Activage memberships • Key performance indicators around service accessibility and availability will be developed for SLLC to report on 62
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Council Outcomes 2022-27 SLLC Objectives 2022-27 Monitoring Outcomes Communities and environment -Caring, sustainable communities and Children and young people - Our children and young people thrive Connected and Engaged We will enable people to connect with each other and with their community through the services we provide How will we know if SLLC are supporting caring and connected communities? • SLLC will provide information on initiatives which bring people together to help tackle isolation • SLLC will provide information on volunteering within our community How will we know if SLLC are helping our children and young people thrive? • SLLC will provide information on programmes, events and initiatives which increase engagement with young people (i.e. Active Schools) Education and learning - Inspiring learners, transforming learning, strangthening partnerships Equality and Inclusion We will provide accessible wellbeing and learning services through targeted interventions How will we know if SLLC are inspiring learners? • SLLC will actively participate in the Community Learning and Development Partnership and provide information on the various learning opportunities being delivered for the South Lanarkshire community Our economy – Thriving businesses, fair jobs and vibrant town centres and Housing and land – Good quality, suitable and sustainable places to live Organisational Sustainability We will develop a business model that allows sustainable provision of quality services in priority areas How will we know if SLLC’s business model is sustainable? • SLLC will provide examples of programmes, events and initiatives which increase income for the SCIO • SLLC will support the Council in its cross-cutting review of all property assets, including those managed by SLLC, and the development of the Council’s 10-year Estates Strategy 63
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 3 December 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) Subject: Commercial Opportunities Update 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- provide an update on the work being undertaken to explore commercial opportunities for the Council 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the work being undertaken to explore commercial opportunities be noted. 3. Background 3.1. The medium-term position regarding the Council’s budget remains challenging and, therefore, the Council needs to consider commercial opportunities to generate income and reduce revenue costs where possible. This report sets out the various opportunities which have/are being explored by the Head of Enterprise and Sustainable Development. 3.2. It is worth highlighting that if the Council is looking to invest in commercial opportunities that are purely for financial gain, then regardless of how this investment is financed, it prevents the Council from borrowing from the Public Works Loans Board until the end of the following financial year. This would have implications for the funding of the Council’s Capital Programmes which rely on borrowing. Instead, any investment opportunities pursued must be linked to economic development/regeneration outcomes. 4. Town Centre Regeneration 4.1. Civic Centre, East Kilbride 4.1.1. Working with colleagues in Property, Finance and Legal Services, Enterprise and Sustainable Development had prepared proposals for a 130,000sqft Grade A office development for an occupier on the Civic Centre site in East Kilbride. Heads of Terms had also been agreed with an investor who would deliver the project once ‘preferred developer status’ had been confirmed. The Heads of Terms would have secured a capital receipt for the site, taking account of the demolition costs of the building. 8 65
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4.1.2. As reported to this Committee previously, the occupier is no longer seeking a new build development but instead has committed to remain in their existing premises for the foreseeable future. Whilst this opportunity would have realised a modest capital receipt for the Council, it would have also removed a liability and acted as the catalyst for the redevelopment of the wider town centre. 4.1.3. Taking advantage of the work undertaken on this project, the site was marketed on behalf of the Council by Avison Young with a number of expressions of interest received. At the closing date on 30 January 2025, one offer was received for a 45,000sqft retail store which required the Council to provide a cleared site for development. This would involve the demolition of the existing Civic Centre ahead of any new ‘civic hub’. This would be challenging in respect of replacement office accommodation for Council staff, commitments made for the Ballerup Hall and the relocation of the existing data centre which serves a numbers of Council facilities. 4.1.4. This exercise does, however, demonstrate potential market value in the site. A further marketing exercise will be undertaken as the ‘civic hub’ comes to fruition. 4.2. East Kilbride Shopping Centre 4.2.1. On 13 September 2023, Committee approved the East Kilbride Town Centre Masterplan as the basis for the future strategic approach to investment. Heads of Terms for the transfer of the Centre West site have been agreed with the Administrators, Interpath, which is subject to a separate Committee report. The site will transfer to the Council on 30 December 2025, paving the way for demolition and redevelopment of the site. External advisors have been procured to support the delivery of this complex project. 4.2.2. Enterprise and Sustainable Development together with colleagues in Property, Housing, Corporate and Finance are working on several workstreams including: legal contracts and vacant possession of Centre West demolition strategy and procurement of contractor (which is the subject of a separate report to Committee today) design development of a ‘Civic Hub’ development strategy for new residential neighbourhood 4.2.3. The design team including property agents are considering the details for the development of the residential area including density, market interest and resultant land values. Consideration is also being given to the delivery model for realising this development including disposal of plots, joint venture arrangements and investor opportunities. Soft market testing has been undertaken with house builders which has been very encouraging. A further report will be brought to Committee on the preferred delivery model in due course. 4.2.4. An Outline Business Case was approved by the Executive Committee in December 2024 and, subsequently, approved by Glasgow City Region Cabinet in February 2025 for the re-allocation of £32.2m from the Stewartfield Way Project to East Kilbride Town Centre, giving a total project value of £50.3m for the Town Centre project and ‘green lighting’ the project. 66
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4.3. Hamilton Town Centre 4.3.1. In February 2024, Committee approved the Hamilton Town Centre Masterplan which includes proposals for the New Cross Centre, which the Council owns, and the Regent Centre, which the Council holds the ground lease. 4.3.2. Colleagues in Property are working toward securing vacant possession of the remaining leases within the New Cross Centre prior to the Centres closure. Enterprise and Sustainable Development are preparing proposals and a delivery model for the redevelopment of the site for residential development. 4.3.3. As previously reported to Committee, the Regent Shopping Centre was marketed for disposal and has since been acquired by Parial Limited. Parial Limited has requested that the Council renounce its ground lease in order to secure development of the wider site. Consideration needs to be given as to whether the renunciation of the ground lease gives Best Value to the Council. Officers are consulting legal and commercial advisors on the options open to the Council and the best way to deliver the objectives of the masterplan while ensuring best value. A further report will be provided once this exercise is completed. 4.3.4. An external project management team, led by Gardiner and Theobald, has also been appointed to facilitate the delivery of the masterplan. 5. Inward Investment 5.1. In February 2024, Community and Enterprise Resources Committee approved the Inward Investment Strategy for South Lanarkshire. Since then, a new dedicated website ‘Invest South Lanarkshire’ has been launched which provides a platform for marketing sites and attracting investment. Invest South Lanarkshire | Property, Land, TV and Film Investment 5.2. A ‘One Stop Shop’ approach has been established for engaging with developers, agents and investors with enquiries being monitored and tracked which are also now reported to the Community and Enterprise Resources Committee. 5.3. As previously reported, in February 2025, the UK Government sought ‘Expressions of Interest’ (EOI) for AI Growth Zones. At the same time, the Council was approached by several developers in respect of the Langlands West site in East Kilbride for a data centre development. In response to market interest the Council submitted EOI’s for Langlands West and Clydebridge in Cambuslang (the latter in conjunction with Scottish Enterprise and Clyde Gateway). A developer has submitted a bid for a number of sites in North and South Lanarkshire. Given the market interest, the Council appointed property agents, Savills to market the Langlands West site as a data centre location. High value offers were received from four developers and in August 2025, the Executive Committee approved the preferred developer. The developer is currently preparing a submission for a grid connection. 5.4. In recent months, there has been market interest in the Council owned site at Canderside, Larkhall for industrial development and consideration is being given to setting a closing date for offers. 67
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5.5. Community and Enterprise Resources commissioned a Land and Property Market Analysis which was reported to Community and Enterprise Resources Committee in November 2024. This analysis identified opportunities for industrial commercial development across South Lanarkshire with specific opportunities for the Council which are now being developed. 5.6. This work has also been the catalyst for a similar analysis undertaken by Glasgow City Region which looked at commercial development opportunities across the region in which South Lanarkshire feature prominently. This has led to a new regional project being developed to create new industrial/commercial space. In this regard, the Council has been awarded £11m to develop commercial/industrial space by 2030 and the Executive Committee approved at its meeting on 28 May 2025, the allocation of funding for the following projects: Cathcart Road Net Zero Industrial Units – Estimated project value £2.1m delivered by SLC providing a rental income. Red Tree Labs, Shawfield – Estimated project value £17m (delivered by Clyde Gateway subject to funding from Clyde Gateway, Scottish Enterprise, and GCR) creating 3,700sqm of office and lab space and supporting 244 jobs. Industrial Unit Retrofit – Estimated project value £0.963m providing an upgrade Council industrial unit. 5.7. Enterprise and Sustainable Development will continue to develop a suite of shovel ready projects which will allow the Council to react effectively to market interest and future funding opportunities through either internal funds or more likely Scottish or UK Government funding. The delivery of projects could be via a variety of models depending on the individual circumstances including, Council development, partnership working/joint ventures, gap funding/grant support. All proposals will be subject to appropriate committee approval/delegated authority. 5.8. As part of the Council’s Asset Review, there is an opportunity to dispose of commercial/industrial properties that are no longer viable. Subject to the conclusion of the Asset Review this could include some of the Council’s depots. In addition, consideration is being given to borrowing/financing to acquire modern industrial units or sites in pressured locations such as East Kilbride and Blantyre and thereby respond to market demand. A separate paper will be brought back to Committee in February 2026 in respect of this activity. 6. Film and TV Opportunities 6.1. Film and TV opportunities for Lanarkshire have until 2024 been co-ordinated by North Lanarkshire Council which had resulted in that Council being in a more reactive position than ourselves. 6.2. In order to take a more proactive approach to these opportunities and also to promote South Lanarkshire, Enterprise and Sustainable Development is now leading on this activity. In recent months, Enterprise and Sustainable Development have secured a number of film and television productions: EE Commercial – Council HQ BBC Children in Need – Paddy McGuiness Cycle Challenge Who Do You Think You Are? – filming on location in Leadhills 68
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Half Man Production – new six-part drama from Baby Reindeer writer Richard Gadd. Filming took place in East Kilbride Civic Centre McDonald’s commercial In East Kilbride Vigil Series 3 – Hamilton HQ BBC Drama ‘Shedites’ – Sandford 6.3. Income generated from productions to date is £61,000. There is an opportunity to use this income to fund a dedicated film and television post. 6.4. A separate report is being prepared for Community and Enterprise Resources Committee providing greater detail on this area of work and the opportunities it affords. 7. Renewable Energy 7.1. Working with colleagues in Housing and Technical Resources, discussions are taking place with Scottish Water regarding the establishment of a heat network for the Bothwell Road/Almada Street area which could produce revenue saving opportunities and limit capital investment for the Council. 7.2. Separately, officers are exploring renewable generation opportunities in Lanark, Hamilton and East Kilbride with the first step being the technical feasibility of the projects and potential grid connections or ‘private wire’ opportunities to Council properties. 7.3. Officers have also been discussing with a windfarm operator, opportunities to generate energy and/or realise an income stream. In this regard, this could be considered at odds to the general powers of competence. 7.4. Officers are continuing to explore commercial delivery models for electric vehicle charging to be rolled out across Glasgow City Region. 8. Next Steps and Timescales 8.1. There are a number of opportunities being explored or being realised which have varying timelines. Separate reports will be brought Committee as opportunities crystalise, and approvals sought. 9. Employee Implications 9.1. Opportunities are being led by officers within Enterprise and Sustainable Development Service. 10. Financial Implications 10.1. The opportunities being explored aim to ultimately generate income for the Council and in the short to medium term contribute to future year’s budget strategies. 10.2. The disposal of the Langlands West site will generate a capital receipt for the Council, subject to grid connection, planning consent and the developable area. 11. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 11.1. All projects will be taken forward in line with the Council’s sustainability objectives. 69
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12. Other Implications 12.1. A number of the opportunities being explored have current and future liabilities for the Council which require to be mitigated. Disposal and redevelopment must be actively considered which may incur some upfront expenditure which will be subject to future approvals. 13. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 13.1. Integrated Impact Assessments will be undertaken as projects are developed. 13.2. Consultations have taken place with a number of Resources and will continue to do so as projects are developed. The town centre masterplan activity has also been subject to extensive community consultation. David Booth Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) 12 November 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Ambitious, self-aware and improving Fair, open and sustainable We will work towards a sustainable future in sustainable places Thriving business, fair jobs and vibrant town centres Previous References Commercial Opportunities Report, Executive Committee, 25 June 2025 Commercial Opportunities Report, Executive Committee, 13 November 2024 Commercial Opportunities Report, Executive Committee, 24 January 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: Alison Brown, Head of Enterprise and Sustainable Development alison.brown@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 70
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 3 December 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Cost of Living Support 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide the Executive Committee with an update on the support that has been provided to households in South Lanarkshire 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Executive Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- ] (1) that the support provided in helping households manage the effects of the cost-of-living crisis be noted. 1ecs] 3. Background 3.1. Since the start of the cost-of-living crisis, reports have been provided to the Executive Committee outlining the range of the measures in place across Council services to support households in managing the effects. This report provides an update on the activity taking place. 3.2. Inflationary pressures have increased since the last update was provided, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) at 4.1% in September up from 2.3% in October 2024. The Bank of England base rate is currently 4.00%, down from 4.75% reported last year. With prices continuing to rise year on year, the pressure on household finances also continues. 3.3. The report focuses on how Council services continue to respond to the need to provide vital welfare support to many households in South Lanarkshire. 4. Cost of Living Support 4.1. Money Matters Advice Service 4.1.1. In 2025/2026, the Money Matters Advice Service (MMAS) continues to support the residents of South Lanarkshire to maximise their income, provide emergency support and address issues of over-indebtedness. 4.1.2. In 2025/2026 the service has dealt with 7,288 unique new clients by the 30 September 2025 in relation to 18,563 issues. The final financial gains for the period are provided below: Type of Gain 2025/2026 (Apr-Sept) Total welfare/benefit financial gain £13.590m Total debt write-off £1.040m Total Financial Gain £14.630m 9 71
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4.1.3. In 2025/2026 the Community Wellbeing Team made the following referrals for energy top up vouchers and foodbank vouchers: Type of Referral 2025/2026 (Apr-Sept) Energy Top Up Voucher Referrals 1,413 Foodbank Referrals 991 4.1.4. Importantly, 97% of all clients who receive foodbank and fuel bank referrals receive the support on the same day that they contact the service. 4.1.5. MMAS continues to work with multiple providers of fuel bank vouchers, this includes the Fuel Bank Foundation, Scottish Power, SCARF and has a modest number of vouchers it can issue itself, due to funding from SGN. 4.1.6. Other support that the Community Wellbeing Team has been making available to support South Lanarkshire residents, who are in food and fuel crisis, has been through the Cash First Scheme in partnership with the Citizens Advice Bureaux. Providing £50 vouchers, this scheme was launched in October 2023 and was funded by Scottish Government Local Authority Covid Economic Recovery funds. The project ended in September 2025. Cash First 2025/2026 (April-September) Vouchers Value Vouchers Issued 2,014 £100,700 4.1.7. 97% of all eligible applicants receive their cash voucher on the same day they apply. In total, 8,763 vouchers were issued and redeemed, representing a combined financial value of £438,150. This significant level of assistance highlights the scale and reach of the project in addressing immediate food and fuel insecurity across South Lanarkshire. 4.1.8. In addition, referrals were made to specialist Welfare Rights, Money Advice, or Energy Advice services, ensuring clients received comprehensive support beyond their immediate crisis needs. 4.1.9. MMAS continues to work with SGN, a British Gas distribution company and was awarded £0.056m for 12 months, to employ an additional temporary Energy Adviser in October 2024. This was to provide a variety of support including provision of energy advice, distribution of 150 carbon monoxide alarms, provision of top up vouchers and the distribution of 5,000 fuel poverty leaflets. This funding has been continued until March 2026. 4.1.10.MMAS continues to work collaboratively with a range of other internal and external partners to enhance support for South Lanarkshire residents. This includes joint initiatives with Employability Services to improve financial stability and sustain employment; partnership working with Macmillan Cancer Support to provide specialist welfare rights advice to individuals affected by cancer; and close collaboration with NHS Lanarkshire to support NHS teams and patients experiencing financial hardship because of ill health and the cost-of-living crisis. These partnerships ensure a coordinated approach to advice provision, improve access to specialist support, and maximise the overall impact of the service. 72
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4.2. Benefits and Revenues Service 4.2.1. Support for households who have fallen into arrears or are experiencing difficulty with payment of Council Tax, continues to centre on the award of Council Tax Reduction (CTR). There are currently 30,400 active claims for CTR in South Lanarkshire. The actual value of awards for 2024/2025 was £23.613m and the projected value of awards for 2025/2026 is £25.007m; 5.9% higher than last year. 4.2.2. There continues to be significant demand for grants from the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) in 2025/2026. Applications received up to 30 September were 1.71% less than the same time last year but the award rate so far this year is 61%, up 7% on the same time last year when the award rate was 54%. Grants to a value of £1.388m have been awarded so far this year. 4.2.3. To 30 September, the service made payments to low-income households of £3.024m covering School Clothing Grants (£2.050m) and Free School Meal (FSM) payments for holidays (£0.974m). Through the budget process we have invested additional funds to be able to increase the level of awards over the last two years. 4.3. Support for Tenants 4.3.1. Housing Services continues to support all Council tenants with rent arrears, this can include providing financial assistance through its successful Tenancy Sustainment Fund, to sustain tenancies and prevent homelessness. This has helped 337 individual households and 144 children until the end of October, with awards totalling £198,000. The Resource also continues to promote the supports available to tenants through the council’s social media platforms and in the Housing news. 4.3.2. The Council declared a housing emergency on 12 June 2024 due to sustained pressure on housing and homeless services because of increasing demand for homeless assistance, including temporary accommodation, and reducing housing options, related to cost of living increases and the shrinkage of the private rented sector. 4.3.3. Households at risk of or experiencing homelessness remain vulnerable to financial insecurity and hardship, particularly in the current economic climate. To address these challenges and other issues associated with homelessness, housing options advice is provided to prevent homelessness with support offered to those with an assessed need. The support and advice provided is tailored to meet individual’s needs, helping them move into permanent and settled accommodation and supporting tenancy sustainment. 4.4. School Meal Debt 4.4.1. In November 2024, the joint working group in Community and Enterprise Resources and Education Resources issued to schools the updated guidance on the management of school meal debt and have been implementing the guidance since then. The new guidance is aligned to the published COSLA Good Practice Principles for School Meal Debt Management and was prepared in conjunction with the Money Matters Advice Service and the Benefits and Revenues Service. 4.4.2. £0.191m of school meal debt was written off in line with the guidance and this related to the school meal debt of 4,101 children. 4.4.3. Work continues in line with the guidance to support families in hardship and the introduction of school meals for eligible children who are in receipt of Scottish Child Payment from February 2025 provides further support to families. 73
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4.4.4. The working group regularly review school meal debt and provision is made for further write off for families in financial hardship should this be required. 4.4.5. The Council continues to provide a school meal for all children who require one, even if they are unable to pay on the day. 4.5. Food Aid 4.5.1. Five foodbanks have reported that 11,137 households were either referred to or attended local foodbanks for assistance during 1 April to 30 September 2025. That table below compares this information where possible. Households referred on or accessing Foodbanks Area/Locality 1 April to 30 September 2024 1 April to 30 September 2025 Change (%) Number Clydesdale 1,185 1,214 +2.5% Rutherglen/ Cambuslang 1,606 1,524 -5.1% Hamilton/ Larkhall 2,427 not available Not available East Kilbride 7,514 8,178 +8.8% Total 12,732 11,137 - 4.5.2. Foodbanks provided figures for people fed through emergency food parcels. They reported between them, that 22,090 people were fed though emergency food parcels during the period 1 April to 30 September 2025. This is a 2.5% increase compared to the 21,552 people fed through parcels in the first 6 months of 2024/2025. 4.5.3. Notably, the number of adults fed through emergency food parcels declined by 5.2% while the number of children fed through emergency food parcels increased by 13.5%. 4.5.4. 11,985 adults were fed through emergency food parcels between 1 April to 30 September 2025, a 5.2% reduction compared to the number recorded during the first 6 months of 2025/2026. 4.5.5. It is also worth noting that the figure for 1 April to 30 September 2025 for the number of children being fed though emergency food parcels, is the highest recorded at the 6-month stage to date in South Lanarkshire. 4.5.6. It should be noted that the East Kilbride numbers reflect the open access policy of the East Kilbride Foodbanks which do not operate a referral system and do not restrict number of uses. Due to this, 57% of food parcels distributed in South Lanarkshire during the period 1 April to 30 September 2025, were issued by the food banks in East Kilbride, an increase in the locality share compared to the same point last year. 4.5.7. South Lanarkshire’s foodbanks continue to look at alternatives to food parcels and cash first approaches to meet demand, with 379 vouchers issued to buy fresh fruit and vegetables during 1 April to 30 September 2025, a drop of 15.4% from the 448 vouchers issued during the same period last year. Help to clients with issues such as fuel/ energy poverty and digital access also continued to be provided by the local food banks with 451 fuel/ energy vouchers issued during Q1 and Q2 2025/2026, again a drop of -35% was noted compared to the 693 vouchers issued in the first 6 months or last year. 74
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4.6. Care Experienced Young People 4.6.1. The Promise Board had identified the need for funding in early winter to ensure that care experienced young people were provided with additional support in the winter months to help with the rising cost of living. The Winter Wishes programme has been delivered in South Lanarkshire for the past 3 years. In 2024, 300 young people in receipt of aftercare received a payment of £200 towards food/fuel vouchers. In addition to the payments, the wider fund had been used for a range of purposes detailed below:- the food larder in the Continuing & Aftercare Care Hub was enhanced from November to March 2025 a weekly warm hub drop in soup/sandwich was created for all young people throughout the winter months weekly healthy food shop and food planning was delivered over the 6-month period, encouraging cooking and budgeting warm clothing was available via vouchers increased sessions delivered for The Champions and care experienced young people across Winter months Christmas food parcels/Christmas dinner Christmas parties for the younger population of children who reside in foster care Kinship Care Network Christmas party 4.6.2. In 2024, 167 young people in receipt of aftercare and living alone received a payment of £200 towards food/fuel vouchers. In addition, 16 young people received £100 crisis support for those who were returning from custody and external provisions. 4.6.3. A report on the delivery of the winter wishes programme was presented to the Promise Board in March 2025. It was agreed as part of the 2024/2025 year end underspend to set aside £0.040m to continue winter wishes into 2025/2026. 4.7 Schools Support 4.7.1. Education Resources remain dedicated to the principles of the South Lanarkshire Council Cost of the School Day (CoSD) guidance. In alignment with this commitment, a parental survey was developed and initially presented to Head Teachers in April 2025. The survey was subsequently distributed to all families across South Lanarkshire in May 2025, allowing for broad participation and feedback. A total of 1,560 responses were received. 4.7.2. The results of the survey offer valuable insights into the experiences and perspectives of families regarding school-related costs. Four principal areas emerged where families identified opportunities for further support: uniform costs, access to clubs and activities, ‘fun events,’ and educational excursions. The survey also highlighted the variation in costs for excursions and residential trips, reinforcing the efforts schools are making to ensure that all pupils, regardless of financial background, can access enriching experiences. 75
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4.7.3. Families were invited to provide their views on school funding requests. For instance, parents were asked whether they felt schools were requesting too much money. The survey revealed that most respondents, 79%, disagreed with the statement that schools were asking for too much money. This indicates that most schools are actively trying to limit the financial burden on families. Notably, schools are particularly conscious of minimising costs related to curricular excursions and are making efforts to anonymise the collection of money for fundraising activities and excursions to ensure an inclusive and equitable approach. 4.7.4. The survey findings were shared with Head Teachers at the October Business Meeting. During this meeting, Head Teachers were encouraged to revisit the South Lanarkshire Council guidance on the Cost of the School Day, especially the sections relating to fundraising and fun events. Additionally, a presentation was provided to assist in ongoing work with staff and Parent Councils, supporting the implementation of best practices. In collaboration with the Education Scotland Attainment Advisor, a selection of twenty schools will participate in a more detailed examination of their Cost of the School Day practices. This initiative aims to further enhance and share effective practices across South Lanarkshire. 5. Outlook 5.1. Services continue to provide valuable support to households. However, the cost of living remains high with prices continuing to increase and energy costs forming a significant proportion of household’s costs. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. The support outlined in the report is provided by a range of teams across Finance and Corporate Resources, Housing and Technical Resources, Social Work Resources and Education Resources. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. The financial implications of providing the support outlined in the report are met from existing budgets. 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. While a broad range of support is being provided throughout 2025/2026 with a significant level of financial resources, the actions outlined in the report are not expected to be sufficient to fully mitigate the worst effects of the cost-of-living crisis experienced by many households in South Lanarkshire. This reflects the scale and depth of the crisis and the need for significant input from other sectors such as governments and the energy sector. 10. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 10.1. There is no requirement to equality impact assess the content of this briefing paper or perform consultation. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 3 November 2025 76
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Links to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Previous References Executive Committee – 11 December 2024 List of Background Paper None Contact for Further Information If you would like further information, please contact: Craig Fergusson, Head of Finance (Transactions), Finance and Corporate Resources Tel: 01698 454951 Email: craig.fergusson@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 77
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 3 December 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Programme for Government 2025 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- provide a summary of the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2025/2026 and key items relevant to local government 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the contents of the report be noted. 3. Background 3.1. Each year, the Scottish Government publishes a Programme for Government (PfG) which sets out its key legislative and policy priorities for the year ahead. 3.2. In a continuation of the approach adopted last year, the PfG for 2025 presents the government’s plans under the four key priorities of eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency, and ensuring high quality and sustainable public services. 3.3. This report focuses on the plans and commitments set out in the PfG which are likely to have direct implications for local government. 4. Local Government Implications 4.1. As in previous years, a high proportion of the commitments in the PfG can be considered to have implications for local government. These are itemised in Appendix 1 along with an assessment of how South Lanarkshire will approach them and keep elected members informed of developments and progress. 4.2. Of the four key priorities listed at 3.2 above, the Scottish Government has identified its top priority as eradicating child poverty. The Programme for Government describes this as “this government’s national mission”. 4.3. Committee is asked to note that tackling early years and child poverty has been chosen as the focus for the Marmot pilot project South Lanarkshire Council is undertaking, with partners, as part of the Collaborating for Health Equality in Scotland (CHES) programme. This is one of only three such pilots in Scotland and it will seek to learn and implement the Marmot approach to place and inequalities with the aim of preventing the impact of today’s growing inequalities on our future generations. While this is specifically referenced in parts of Appendix 1, the pilot will inform our approach across all parts of the child poverty agenda. 10 79
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4.4. The PfG also includes the legislative programme for 2025/2026, comprising the following new Bills:- Budget (No. 5) Children and Young People (Care) Contract (Formation and Remedies) Digital Assets Heat in Buildings Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures 4.5. As in previous years, this report is presented to Executive Committee for noting. 5. Employee Implications 5.1. There are no direct employee implications. 6. Financial Implications 6.1. There are no direct financial implications. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no direct climate change, sustainability and natural environment implications arising from this report. 8. Other Implications 8.1. Considering the detail of the report and identifying actions as appropriate contribute towards effective risk management. 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 an existing policy, function or strategy and, therefore, no impact assessment is required. 9.2. Consultation was undertaken internally as each Resource contributed to this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 13 November 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Ambitious, self-aware and improving Previous References None List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Tom Little, Head of Communications and Strategy Ext: 4904 (Tel: 01698.454904) E-mail: Tom.Little@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 80
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Appendix 1 PfG Commitments with Local Government implications COMMUNITY AND ENTERPRISE RESOURCES Eradicating child poverty: tackling the cost of living • Expanding free school meals in S1-S3 in eight local authority areas – covering pupils in urban, rural, semi-urban and island authorities in receipt of Scottish Child Payment – from August 2025. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Roll our free school meals to those eligible for Scottish Child Payment in S1 to S3 in Test of Change phase for selected schools • South Lanarkshire Council is one of the eight local authorities selected to participate in the Test of Change phase of the Free School Meals Programme. The programme will be rolled out to those eligible for Scottish Child payment in S1 to S3 in Calderglen, Trinity, Lesmahagow and Larkhall Academy secondary schools • This programme will be implemented from August 2025 for the full academic year to June 2026 • Within South Lanarkshire, meal uptake will be monitored quarterly through the Resource and Service Planning process and the Test of Change phase will be independently evaluated by the Scottish Government Eradicating child poverty: helping people into work • Reviewing the delivery of employability programmes to maximise their effectiveness and bring forward proposals ahead of the Budget 26- 27, including consideration of a national model. • Supporting disabled people to move into sustainable employment through Specialist Employability Support from summer 2025. This will ensure “place and train” models are in place across all 32 local authority areas, supporting closer working between employability provision and employers. • Investing in Parental Employability Support in every local authority area, with over £40 million made available to Local Employability Partnerships in 2025/26. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Reviewing the delivery of employability programmes • South Lanarkshire Council will contribute to national discussions / consultation on the development of a national model, and • In line with Scottish Government, review of employability programmes still to be confirmed 81
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Eradicating child poverty: helping people into work advocate for the continued devolution of employability funding to local employability partnerships through the No-one Left Behind programme Continued delivery of Specialist Employability Support: South Lanarkshire established two programmes in 2024-25 through Scottish Government No-one Left Behind Funding in advance of the national target date of summer 2025. This includes the Supported Employment Programme focused on people with learning disabilities and an intensive support programme focused on people with long-term health related barriers to employment • South Lanarkshire Council will continue delivery of the Supported Employment Program including recruitment of additional Vocational Development Workers and expansion of the Project Search project to Asda in Toryglen • South Lanarkshire Council will continue delivery of the Gateway to Employment (Intensive) programme through Routes to Work South • 450 participants forecast to be supported through specialist employability support within South Lanarkshire • Delivery ongoing across 2025-26 • South Lanarkshire programmes are set out in the Annual Investment Plan which has been agreed with partners through the South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership and reported to Scottish Government on a quarterly basis • Performance report to SLC’s Community and Enterprise Resource (CER) Committee in October 2025 Continued delivery of Parental Employability Support through the Supporting Families, Making it Work and Demonstrator Programmes • In South Lanarkshire, the Supporting Families programme, previously delivered through a partnership with Clyde Gateway, has been delivered in-house since March 2025 and has a focus to expand delivery beyond initial pilot schools/communities and provide early-stage health and wellbeing and employability support • In South Lanarkshire, the Making it Work programme will continue to be delivered by Routes to Work South • In South Lanarkshire, the Demonstrator programme will provide paid 6-month work placements to parents on a part-time flexible basis to meet childcare needs. Placements available across the Council, • Delivery ongoing across 2025-26 • South Lanarkshire programmes are set out in the Annual Investment Plan which has been agreed with partners through the South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership (SLLEP) and reported to Scottish Government on a quarterly basis • Performance report to SLC’s CER Committee in October 2025 82
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Eradicating child poverty: helping people into work NHS Lanarkshire, ISS (Hairmyres) and the State Hospital Carstairs Growing the economy: boost planning capacity and reduce barriers to delivery • Removing barriers on stalled housing sites to deliver up to 20,000 new homes. • Reversing the decline in professional planners working in public authorities, including appointing, developing and training 18 new future planners in the Scottish Government, and providing 30 bursaries for post-graduate planning by end of September this year. • Undertaking rapid audits of planning teams in each of the key agencies and working with them to reduce complexity, cost, and speed up processes. (CER) • Providing local authorities, through the Planning Hub, with additional capacity and expertise, prioritising action where evidence shows they are having challenges with meeting timescales or where there are delays in producing local plans. • Removing all dated national planning advice to declutter the system • Consulting on mechanisms to accelerate house building, including land assembly, build out rates and fiscal measures that stimulate access to land with planning permission where building has not started Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Working with landowners and housebuilders to understand the barriers to progressing sites that have planning permission and consulting on mechanisms to accelerate house building on land with planning permission where building has not started • South Lanarkshire Council will contact landowners and developers as part of the 2025 Housing Land Audit exercise to find out what is preventing individual sites starting or being completed • South Lanarkshire Council will work with the Scottish Government and housebuilders on measures to address barriers to development • South Lanarkshire Council will send questionnaire to landowners and developers in July 2025 with outcomes collated and analysed by end of 2025. This in turn will also inform the assessment of ‘legacy’ sites in 2026 for future inclusion in the proposed Local Development Plan 3 83
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Growing the economy: boost planning capacity and reduce barriers to delivery Promote planning as a profession and support development of young planners • South Lanarkshire Council will collaborate with Heads of Planning Scotland and the Royal Town Planning Institute to explore options for the recruitment, development and retention of planners • South Lanarkshire Council will explore the potential for recruiting apprentices to attend the new planning course at the University of West of Scotland • Ongoing across 2025-26 South Lanarkshire’s Planning Service will work with the Scottish Government in the development of the proposed Planning Hub to ensure it provides the benefits being promoted • South Lanarkshire Council will collaborate with Heads of Planning Scotland to design and deliver the Planning Hub • Work on the proposed Planning Hub will be ongoing through the remainder of 2025/26 Work by the Scottish Government to carry out audits of planning teams in the key agencies and removing dated national planning advice to declutter the system • South Lanarkshire Council will keep abreast of any actions by the Scottish Government and implement any outcomes as appropriate • Ongoing across 2025-26 Growing the economy: more money in people’s pockets • Providing free bus travel for 2.3 million people, including older and disabled people, and all children and young people. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Continue to offer Young Scot National Entitlement Cards to all school pupils • South Lanarkshire Council will work with schools to promote the benefits of using the Young Scot National Entitlement Cards, including free bus travel for under 22-year-olds • The number of young people who have been issued with a Young Scot National Entitlement Card is reported annually in Transport Scotland’s Scottish Transport Statistics 84
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Growing the economy: supporting our rural economy • Publishing the Rural Support Plan – providing clarity on financial support plans for the next 5 years. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting The Scottish Government’s Rural Support Plan supports farmers and crofters with agricultural and landowner payments. The plan sets out the future of Community Led local development Funding (CLLD) • South Lanarkshire Council will monitor the impact on rural communities and inclusion of funding for CLLD • Along with the Local Action group, South Lanarkshire Council will agree the priorities for CLLD funding • Monitoring impact over 2026 - 2031 • Establish data and report priorities by Q4 2025-26 Growing the economy: improved communities • Work with regional and local partners to identify how best to formally devolve further elements of decision-making and delivery to Regional Economic Partnerships (REPs), and present options before the end of this Parliament. • Work with REPs in Glasgow City Region and in North East to deliver Investment Zones in those regions, bringing jobs and clusters of innovation. • Award new regional contracts, alongside delivery of the £600 million+ R100 programme, so more households, communities and businesses can access reliable gigabit connectivity. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Devolution of decision-making to Regional Economic Partnerships: work has begun through the Glasgow City region to explore the potential benefits of a metropolitan model for delivering key capital and infrastructure projects and initiatives. There has been success across England, and it appears to be supported by UK Government and investors. • South Lanarkshire Council will work with colleagues in Glasgow City region to be at the heart of discussions and decision making to maximise the potential benefits regionally and locally • South Lanarkshire Council will continue to develop regional scale projects to be ready to take advantage of opportunities as they arise • Ongoing across 2025-26 85
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Investment Zones: South Lanarkshire Council submitted two strong applications to the Glasgow City Region investment zone call for projects, working with key partners at Clyde Gateway and Conexus. Neither proposal was supported however the Council remain open to future emerging opportunities in this area. • South Lanarkshire Council will continue to work with partners to maximise the potential to deliver these proposals should a further call be made • Ongoing across 2025-26 3,000 properties within South Lanarkshire are within scope for investment via the Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contract for Scotland. The contract was awarded in March 2025 to BT Openreach. This will move forward the coverage of full fibre in South Lanarkshire, currently at 61.02%, where the market alone is not intending to invest. • South Lanarkshire Council will continue to liaise with BT Openreach and Scottish Government to facilitate the roll out in South Lanarkshire • The Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contract runs from March 2025 to 2030 Tackling the climate emergency: A green industrial revolution • Working with the UK Government to reform the consenting process through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill – reducing timescales to make decisions about whether large scale energy generation and network infrastructure can proceed and how communities can engage earlier in the process Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Introduction of changes to the community engagement and consenting process for large scale renewable proposals that is administered by the Energy Consents Unit • South Lanarkshire Council is a statutory consultee on applications submitted to the Energy Consents Unit. Any changes as far as they relate to the Council’s role will be implemented by the planning service. • Progress on this will be dependent on the necessary legislation coming into force. Tackling the climate emergency: Decarbonising transport • Introducing new rural and island EV infrastructure grants to help deliver approximately 24,000 additional public electric vehicle charge points by 2030. • Introducing a new pilot grant scheme to help households without off-street parking to install cross-pavement EV charging solutions. 86
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• Publishing jointly with COSLA a renewed policy statement on reducing car use in Scotland, which will set a successor target for car use reduction aligned with the development of the draft Climate Change Plan, and working with COSLA and regional transport partnerships to develop delivery plans for car use reduction, reflective of different communities and places. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Manage, maintain and expand public electric vehicle charging infrastructure in line with available external funding sources • South Lanarkshire Council will work to continue with the Regional Collaboration Initiative to expand public electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the west. The Council will enter into local authority agreement to appoint a consultant to take forward the proposed commercial operator model • Ongoing through 2025-26 with quarterly updates reported via the Resource and Service Plan reporting arrangements Work with regional transport partnerships • South Lanarkshire Council will work with partners to aim to reduce car vehicle kilometres across South Lanarkshire to contribute to national targets • Ongoing through 2025-26 Tackling the climate emergency: Reversing the decline of nature • Establishing statutory targets to improve biodiversity. • Increasing the scale and pace of peatland restoration to at least 12,000 hectares, up from a current target of 10,000, this year and creating at least 10,000 hectares of woodlands - which will include over 4,000 hectares of native woodland. • Extending our Nature Restoration Fund in 2026/27 to enable funding of a further round of multi-year projects to help deliver the priorities set out in our Biodiversity Strategy. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Biodiversity, Peatland restoration and woodland, Nature Restoration Fund • South Lanarkshire Council will develop a programme of works to deliver the actions within its Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan and Clyde Climate Forrest Concordat, including habitat surveys. The Council will develop Local Nature Reserve management plans, woodland • Progress on delivering the Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan will be reported annually to Climate Change and Sustainability Committee as part of the Council’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy • Habitat surveys will be complete by March 2027 87
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management plans and will progress works for tree planting • South Lanarkshire Council will continue to chair the Clyde Climate Forrest delivery group • Clyde Climate Forrest Delivery Group meets quarterly; actions are monitored against the Clyde Climate Forrest Concordat Tackling the climate emergency: Adapting to climate impacts • Expanding national coverage of Regional Adaptation Partnerships, building on success in the Clyde, Highland, Southeast Scotland and Tayside regions, with a view to achieving national coverage by 2029. • Establishing a national flood advisory service to bring more consistency, efficiency and value to how large value flood protection schemes are delivered as part of implementation of Scotland’s National Flood Resilience Strategy. • Through our Adaptation Scotland programme, starting adaptation training services for sectors particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. • Supporting projects through our Climate Engagement Fund, which aims to reach over 7,000 individuals, to build climate knowledge and skills among new audiences. • Banning the sale and supply of single use vapes from 1 June 2025 to reduce vaping among non-smokers and young people and tackle their environmental impact. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting South Lanarkshire Council will continue to engage with Climate Ready Clyde – the Regional Adaptation Partnership covering Glasgow City Region • South Lanarkshire Council will: - develop a climate change risk register with greater focus on adaptation - carry out an adaptation framework capability assessment - develop a Concordat in partnership with Climate Ready Clyde reaffirming the Council’s commitment to the City Region Adaptation Strategy and Plan • Adaptation actions are included within South Lanarkshire Council’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy and will be reported to the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee at quarter two and quarter four Support delivery of the National Adaptation Plan 3 • South Lanarkshire Council will: - attend monthly public sector climate adaptation network sessions • Adaptation actions are included within the Council’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy and will be 88
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Tackling the climate emergency: Adapting to climate impacts - deliver adaptation action through the agreed Climate Change and Sustainable Development action Plan 2025-26 - begin preparatory work for a climate adaptation plan in line with forthcoming Public Bodies Climate Change Duties guidance from the Scottish Government reported to the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee at quarter two and quarter four Promote the Scottish Government’s Climate Engagement Fund • South Lanarkshire Council will: - engage with the Lanarkshire Climate Action Hub to promote the Climate Engagement Fund to community groups across South Lanarkshire - raise the profile of the Climate Engagement Fund internally through the Council’s Climate Change and Sustainability Officers Group - • Any awards made by the Scottish Government through the Climate Engagement Fund will be announced in August 2025. The fund is expected to reopen April 2026 Remain aware of progress with a national flood advisory service as part of implementation of Scotland’s National Flood Resilience Strategy • No current action for South Lanarkshire as we don’t have areas that feature as having major flooding impact such as those at Perth/Dumfries/Stonehaven • Not applicable at this time Ensuring compliance at wholesale and retail level on the legislation covering the sale of tobacco and nicotine products • South Lanarkshire Council will implement its annual tobacco and nicotine products programme comprising compliance verification inspections and age-related sales exercises • Ongoing throughout 2025-26, any significant developments will be reported to Community and Enterprise Resource Committee. 89
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High quality and sustainable public services: A healthy NHS • Delivering our joint Scottish Government and COSLA Physical Activity for Health Framework, in pursuit of our target to achieve a 15% relative reduction in the prevalence of physical inactivity in adults and in adolescents by 2030. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting SLLC will continue to help the people of South Lanarkshire to live healthier, happier lives with a focus on physical and mental wellbeing • SLLC will actively participate in a whole system approach to health and wellbeing along with partners, including the NHS and the Health and Social Care Partnership • SLLC will deliver programmes, events and activities which encourage and support the inactive to be active • SLLC will deliver programmes, events and activities which support positive mental health • SLLC will deliver early intervention and prevention initiatives to address health and wellbeing matters at their root cause. • A performance management framework is currently being developed in line with the new Commissioning Plan for services delivered by SLLC (approved June 2025). This will enable SLLC to demonstrate that they are responding to the ask of the Council and delivering on key outcomes, including health and wellbeing. The proposed format and timing of the new outcome focused reports will be presented to Executive Committee for approval. High quality and sustainable public services: A safe, sustainable, transport system for Scotland • Making it easier for people to walk, wheel, and cycle on everyday journeys by delivering projects through our 2025-26 sustainable travel programmes, including the new Bus Infrastructure Fund. • Completing electrification and enhancement of the East Kilbride rail line in 2025-26, enabling the introduction of electric trains on the route from December 2025. • Making our roads safer and reducing the numbers killed or injured, through delivery of 20 mph speed limits on appropriate roads by the end 2025-26 and of road safety funding for road authorities. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Deliver walking and cycling projects/schemes in line with agreed 2025-26 external capital funding programme • South Lanarkshire Council will deliver new walking and cycling infrastructure. This • Ongoing through 2025-26 with quarterly updates reported via the Resource and Service Plan reporting arrangements 90
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includes various pedestrian and cycle project across South Lanarkshire. Deliver prioritised improvements to reduce journey times for buses and improvements to bus infrastructure • South Lanarkshire Council will - progress the Lanark Interchange Project for a new bus station. This next phase of the project and delivery is expected to be by summer 2026 - progress the implementation of traffic signal bus priority systems • Ongoing through 2025-26 with quarterly updates reported via the Resource and Service Plan reporting arrangements Deliver prioritised improvements to bus/rail interchange, park and ride provision and active travel connections • South Lanarkshire Council will continue to work in partnership with Network Rail to deliver new infrastructure to complement the East Kilbride Rail Enhancement project. This includes pedestrian / cycle connections, bus interchange and priority system as well as park and ride facilities including electric vehicle/bus charging infrastructure. It will also progress the Lanark Interchange Project for a new bus station. • Ongoing through 2025-26 with quarterly updates reported via the Resource and Service Plan reporting arrangements Deliver prioritised road safety projects and initiatives • South Lanarkshire Council will: - annually assess the location and causation factors of road accidents resulting in casualties across South Lanarkshire and prioritise projects to reduce the frequency and severity of these - continue to progress concept designs and internal reporting for implementing 20mph speed limit in urban areas across South Lanarkshire • Ongoing through 2025-26 with quarterly updates reported via the Resource and Service Plan reporting arrangements • Ongoing through 2025-26 with reports being prepared for presenting to a future Road Safety Forum / Community and Enterprise Resources Committee 91
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EDUCATION RESOURCES Eradicating child poverty: tackling the cost of living • Expanding free school meals in S1-S3 in eight local authority areas – covering pupils in urban, rural, semi-urban and island authorities in receipt of Scottish Child Payment – from August 2025. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Expanding Free School Meals (FSM) S1-S3 • Provide FSM for S1-S3 pupils in receipt of Scottish Child Payment in Larkhall Academy, Lesmahagow High, Calderglen High and Trinity High Schools • From August 2025 with ongoing reporting via Committee and Scottish Government reporting processes. Eradicating child poverty: helping people into work • Reviewing the delivery of employability programmes to maximise their effectiveness and bring forward proposals ahead of the Budget 26- 27, including consideration of a national model. • Supporting disabled people to move into sustainable employment through Specialist Employability Support from summer 2025. This will ensure “place and train” models are in place across all 32 local authority areas, supporting closer working between employability provision and employers. • Investing in Parental Employability Support in every local authority area, with over £40 million made available to Local Employability Partnerships in 2025/26. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Reviewing the delivery of employability programmes • We will contribute to national discussions / consultation on the development of a national model and advocate for the continued devolution of employability funding to local employability partnerships through the No-one Left Behind programme • Consultation outcomes will be reported to Committee in line with national deadlines. The continued delivery of Specialist Employability Support • Continued delivery of the Supported Employment Program including recruitment of additional Vocational • Delivery ongoing across 2025/26 92
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(South Lanarkshire established two programmes in 2024/25 through Scottish Government No-one Left Behind Funding in advance of the national target date of summer 2025. This includes the Supported Employment Programme focused on people with learning disabilities and an intensive support programme focused on people with long-term health related barriers to employment) Development Workers and expansion of the Project Search project to Asda in Toryglen • Continued delivery of the Gateway to Employment (Intensive) programme through Routes to Work South • 450 participants forecast to be supported through specialist employability support • Programmes are set out in the Annual Investment Plan which has been agreed with partners through the South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership and reported to Scottish Government on a quarterly basis. • Performance report to CER Committee in October 2025 The continued delivery of Parental Employability Support (through the Supporting Families, Making it Work and Demonstrator Programmes) • The Supporting Families programme previously delivered through a partnership with Clyde Gateway has been delivered in-house since March 2025 and has a focus to expand delivery beyond initial pilot schools / communities and provide early-stage health and wellbeing and employability support • The Making it Work programme will continue to be delivered by Routes to Work South • The Demonstrator programme will provide paid 6-month work placements to parents on a part-time flexible basis to meet childcare needs. Placements available across the Council, NHS Lanarkshire, ISS (Hairmyres) and the State Hospital Carstairs. • Delivery ongoing across 2025/26 • Programmes are set out in the Annual Investment Plan which has been agreed with partners through the South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership and reported to Scottish Government on a quarterly basis. • Performance report to CER Committee in October 2025. 93
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Growing the economy: more money in people’s pockets • Delivering free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-olds, and eligible 2-year-olds. • Reducing the cost of the school day, through free school meals and the school clothing grant. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Reducing the cost of the school day • Significant levels of work have taken place in relation to this priority including the development of our local authority Cost of the School Day guidance. This work will continue to be lead and monitored by a dedicated QLO within the central team to ensure that we build on the strong work and continue to reduce the cost of the school day for our young people and their families. • Progress in this area is monitored in detail through the council’s quarterly performance review system (Improve) and in related reports to committees. Delivery of 1140 free funded hours of early learning and childcare (ELC) for all eligible children aged 2-5 years • South Lanarkshire council writes to the parent/carers of eligible 2-year-old children advising them of their entitlement to 1140 hours free funded ELC • South Lanarkshire Council promotes the availability of funded places • Continued multi agency working across Universal Services to promote eligibility for families • ELC Admission meetings take place throughout the year to allocate nursery places to children • Ongoing reporting via Committee and Scottish Government reporting processes. 94
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Minimise food poverty for families and reduce the cost of the school day • SLC ensures funding is in place for eligible children from the Monday following their 2nd or 3rd birthday. Data shows 6,685 children aged 3-5 (including some children granted a deferred year to school) and 863 children aged 2-3, currently accessing their eligible funded ELC places. We see 70% of children attending Local Authority settings and approximately 30% attending in a Funded Provider setting. • All children in receipt of a funded ELC place receive a healthy snack, milk and a 2-course lunch provided to them free of charge. Surplus food is made available for families to take home Growing the economy: skills for success • Reviewing and improving school-age and adult careers support, including better information on career choices, job prospects and earnings. • Supporting schools to access film and screen learning – so Scotland has the workforce to meet the demands a £1bn film and screen industry will create. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Supporting schools to access film and screen learning resources and professional learning. • Through our improvement work on curriculum, we will incorporate opportunities for Headteachers to discuss film and screen learning. This will raise awareness and strengthen screen education and the provision of • Progress in this area is monitored in detail through the council’s quarterly performance review system (Improve) and in related reports to committees. 95
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film and screen learning in South Lanarkshire. Eradicating child poverty: tackling the cost of living • Providing £1m to all local authorities to deliver holiday playschemes and activity provision for disabled children. • Helping hard pressed families with the costs of childcare, supporting more parents to get on in work, including: o Designing and delivering childcare services for priority families working in 23 ‘Early Adopter Communities’ across six local authority areas. o Expanding our ‘Extra Time’ programme, providing funded breakfast and after school and holiday clubs across Scotland, supporting 5,000 children and their families most at risk of poverty. o From August, delivering a £3 million ‘Bright Start Breakfasts’ Fund to create more free club places for families who need it most across Scotland. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Enhancing Breakfast Club Provision • We have successfully bid for Bright Start Breakfasts funding (£146,000) to provide additional play equipment and other resources to all breakfast clubs in South Lanarkshire • Progress in this area is monitored in detail through the council’s quarterly performance review system (Improve) and in related reports to committees. Eradicating child poverty: helping people into work • To address growing concerns about children’s speech and language development, publish an Early Years Speech and Language action plan by autumn 2025, setting out practical steps to support children’s early speech and language development. • Building on initiatives which supported the creation of over 40 new childminding businesses in 2024-25 – expanding this across 28 local authorities, backed by £1.6 million. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting To establish a staged intervention plan that supports children’s speech and language • Joint working between NHS and Education Resource staff to develop a range of opportunities that will support improvements to children’s speech, language development and • This will be launched in 2025 at SLC Inclusion Conference with ongoing reporting via Committee and Scottish Government reporting processes. 96
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SLC Procurement processes encourage childminders to enter into contract with SLC as Funded Providers communication skills based on the ‘Balance System’. This includes a wide range of universal, targeted and specialised supports for all staff to access. • Contracted provision from Speech & Language colleagues provides a more targeted approach to support ELC colleagues and children. • Joint working with Scottish Childminding Association to advertise and promote the opportunity to become a funded child minder. • SLC ensure funding follows the child by allocating funding to child minders where this is a family’s preference • SLC ensures parents can receive a blended placement with children using part of their funding for a child minder and also part for a nursery setting. • In the past session SLC had 40 child minders as Funded Providers with an additional 3 joining to give us a total of 43 childminders currently. 97
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Eradicating child poverty: early child development • Working with schools during academic year 25/26 to amplify good practice that supports school leavers to enter positive destinations, piloting with local authorities that have the lowest rates of school leavers entering positive destinations. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Supporting school leavers to enter positive destinations and eradicate child poverty. • South Lanarkshire Council is not involved in this pilot programme. N/A Tackling the climate emergency: adapting to climate impacts • Providing training, resources and support through our Climate Action Schools to improve climate literacy and enable climate action among schools, educators and pupils across Scotland, engaging over 1,160 schools. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Focusing on ‘climate change and sustainability’ as a core priority in our planning priorities. Working to “empower leaners to shape and influence actions on climate change and sustainability”. Progressing the intention of the national Learning for Sustainability Action Plan. • Ongoing regular meetings of the Youth forum with a focus on 24/25 project targets. • Active Participation in Community Planning Partnership events and engagement with elected members. • Conference of Schools (COS3) event led by and delivered to young people. • Youth Forum on Climate Change and Sustainability created in 2021 which has engaged in both its own work and council projects, participated in community partnership events and met with senior politicians. • All schools to encouraged and supported to include elements of Learning for Sustainability within their school improvement plan. • Teacher the Teacher training delivered to young people and included across both primary and secondary sectors. • Monitored within the Education Resource Plan 2024-2027 with progress reported in detail through the council’s quarterly performance review system (Improve) and in related reports to committees. 98
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• Attending Education Scotland’s ‘Learning for Sustainability Leads’ meetings. High quality and sustainable public services: getting the A-B-Cs of education right – pupil potential We will support all pupils to achieve their potential by: • Investing up to £200 million in 2025/26 in the Scottish Attainment Challenge programme – with an aim to see the poverty related attainment gaps in primary school literacy and numeracy narrow by around 30% over 2016-2026. • Supporting the recruitment, retention and training of the ASN workforce, backed by an additional £29 million in 2025-26 in local and national programmes. • Holding a data summit with all local authorities in Scotland on Additional Support for Learning focused on recommending actions for improving consistency of identification, support and reporting of children’s needs at a local level. • Providing local authorities £186.5 million to deliver our joint commitment to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels, freeze learning hours, and reduce class contact time. • Working with the teacher unions, and COSLA to agree our approach to delivering a reduction in class contact time at pace – helping to ease teacher workload and create space for them to drive improvement and reform and improve outcomes. • Beginning construction of 6 new school building projects through the £2bn Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP). By the end of 2027-28, this will have delivered 47 modern, state of the art schools, with a further 117 already delivered through the previous £1.8bn Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Closing the poverty related attainment gap. • Continue to deliver on the 5 workstreams created as part of our Strategic Equity Fund plan as follows: pedagogy, curriculum, learner engagement, strengthening relationships and learner pathways. Each workstream is underpinned by a robust use of data and includes high quality professional learning as well as a clear focus on outcomes and • Monitored within the Education Resource Plan 2024-2027 with progress reported in detail through the council’s quarterly performance review system (Improve) and in related reports to committees. 99
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measures to secure improvement for children and young people most impacted by poverty. • Establishments will continue to deliver on their equity planning using Pupil Equity Funding. All planning takes account of the locally authority stretch aims and governance structure. Data will be collected 3 times over the year and analysed to ensure we are in line with our trajectories for 2025/26. High quality and sustainable public services: getting the A-B-Cs of education right – relationships and behaviour We will drive improvement in relationships and behaviour, and minimise its impact on learning experiences by: • Launching a national campaign on attendance in autumn of 2025, to support improved attendance at school. • Setting high expectations for all for learners, publishing new national guidelines on the use of consequences as part of positive approaches to relationships and behaviour. • Supporting Time for Inclusive Education, including their new Digital Discourse Initiative – supporting schools to equip children and young people with skills to navigate digital media and counter the impacts of disinformation and online hate. • Taking forward a Ministerial Online Safety Taskforce to strengthen our approach to keeping children safe online, providing oversight and direction across Scottish Government and identifying what more can be done to protect children and young people. • Implementing the Relationships and Behaviour in Schools Joint Action Plan 2024-27 with local authorities, and report annually to Parliament on improvements. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Improving school attendance (through a combination of effective strategies, resources and partnership working including our new SLC attendance campaign). • Continue to deliver a comprehensive support system that empowers Head Teachers to effectively tackle attendance issues and promote a culture of regular attendance in their schools. • Monitored within the Education Resource Plan 2024-2027 with progress reported in detail through the council’s quarterly performance review system (Improve) and in related reports to committees. 100
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Equipping children and young people with skills to navigate digital media and stay safe online. • Ongoing professional learning opportunities for Head Teachers resulting in improved understanding and enhanced confidence in schools. This will upskill staff in Attendance data handling, focus on engagement techniques, understanding barriers to learning and implementing restorative practices. • As part of our new digital strategy, Head Teachers will be directed to professional learning and resources, including Digital Discourse Initiative, to strengthen their confidence to support children and young people to develop the skills to navigate digital media. In addition, professional learning and resources will be shared with Head Teachers to strengthen our approach to keeping children safe online. Supporting Anti-Racism within Education Tackling Gender Based Violence • Our redrafted Treat Me Well Anti- bullying guidance reflects the new National guidance issued in June 2025. • Continue to ensure our Inclusion Learning/CPD Hub is updated with new and relevant resources to help tackle racism in schools. • Mentors in Violence Protection (MVP) programme is now established in all our secondary schools, with staff from Kear campus also being trained for the first • Monitored as part of the Mainstream Equality Framework with Education Resources reporting to the Equalities Forum every session. 101
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Promoting LGBT Inclusive Education time. Approximately 30 further staff were trained in May 2025. • Education Resources is discussing a pilot with Education Scotland on delivering MVP training to probationer teachers. • Young people from seven of our secondary schools attended the ‘Youth Violence—Action for Change Summit’ in Paisley Town Hall in June 2025. • The Violence Against Women and Girls (VWAG) early intervention subgroup is organising a conference hosted by SLC in November 2025 on ‘Gender Based Violence— Early Intervention and Prevention’. Speakers will include Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) on their Digital Discourse resources and a presentation on Equally Safe in Schools. • Education Psychological Services are undertaking the LGBT Youth Scotland Charter Silver Award and auditing how well LGBT young people are supported in our schools. • An information leaflet for young people with appropriate supports will be available from August 2025. • The Level 1 module on the national LGBT education platform continues to be on the mandatory training list for teachers with over 1000 school staff having completed to date. 102
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Promoting Positive Relationships and Understanding Distressed Behaviour (PPRUDB), • Four secondary schools and three Primary Schools have also completed the Level 2 training - which assists schools in ensuring the curriculum reflects a diverse range of gender identities. • Update PPRUDB guidance which incorporates references to more recent national guidance on the use of physical restraint, seclusion and consequences, to support safe and inclusive learning environments. • Updated operating procedures on de- escalation and de-briefing to support school staff experiencing violent incidents. • Further develop approaches to developing and supporting workforce capacity and wellbeing including emotion coaching. • Further develop targeted support approaches, e.g. NAIT ‘We Have Been Expecting You’ modules delivered to all primary establishments and training offered on CIRCLE framework to mainstream secondary schools to better support neurodiverse learners. • Monitored within the Education Resource Plan 2024-2027 with progress reported in detail through the council’s quarterly performance review system (Improve) and in related reports to committees. 103
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FINANCE AND CORPORATE RESOURCES Growing the economy: More money in people’s pockets • Funding the Small Business Bonus so thousands of small businesses pay no business rates. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Administer the Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) in line with regulations and Scottish Government relief guidance • Businesses that apply and qualify for SBBS will be awarded it • Continue to promote the availability of reliefs on the reverse of business rate notices and the website • This is an ongoing activity throughout the year Growing the economy: Making it easier to invest and do business • Recognising the ongoing concerns raised by the licensed hospitality sector on the valuation methodology applied to non-domestic property in this sector, we will commission an independent review to report by the end of 2026 and consider any recommendations in advance of the 2029 revaluation cycle. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting The Resource will monitor progress of the review and any potential impact on the billing and collection of non-domestic rates. • Review the report when published by Scottish Government • Subject to Scottish Government review and subsequent timescales Growing the economy: Improved communities • Progress the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill, alongside investment in social enterprises, support for co-operatives and employee-owned firms, as well as continued investment in a CWB practitioner’s network. This will be supported by the work of the new Economic Democracy Group focused on growing Inclusive and Democratic Business Models in Scotland. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Responding to national developments in support of Community Wealth Building Continued delivery of the Community Wealth Building Strategy, taking account of national developments • Advise CWB Commission of the progress of CWB legislation and assess implications for the South Lanarkshire CWB strategy and approach • Reflect legislation and guidance in the annual refresh of the CWB action plan which supports the CWB strategy, to • Reported through the CWB Commission 104
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ensure it remains abreast of latest developments • Contribute to the local authority practice network and continue to participate in national conversations and learning around CWB Growing the economy: supporting our rural economy • Laying the draft Good Food Nation Plan before Parliament by the summer and establishing the Scottish Food Commission. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Develop a Good Food plan for South Lanarkshire, as required by Section 10 of the legislation. • A Food Lead Officer now appointed in the Community Engagement Team is the main point of contact for Scottish Government and will chair a working group of officers from Resources to develop a local GFP. Also working with NHS Lanarkshire and North Lanarkshire Council to ensure a cohesive approach. Work will continue with other partners, including VasLan to develop a South Lanarkshire community food partnership network. Officer will continue data collection around food poverty – working closely with colleagues analysing the Marmot datasets. • Regular updates will be provided to CMT. The proposed plan local plan is expected to be presented to committee in 2026, but timing depends on publication of the final details of national plans, especially Section 10. Eradicating child poverty • There are concerning key population-level indicators showing that health and living standards at a Scotland wide level are worsening and the impact of this is that Life expectancy is no longer rising in Scotland. We are seeing a widening of health inequalities, and we know that life outcomes and life expectancy are mostly shaped by the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. We are 105
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concerned about the impact of this on our currently adult population, but we are increasingly concerned about both the short and longer- term impacts of this on children as the equality gap continues to grow. • We have signed up to the Collaborating for Health Equality in Scotland (CHES) programme as a pilot site to learn and implement the Marmot approach to place and inequalities with the aim of preventing the impact of today’s growing inequalities on our future generations. Therefore, our local partnership has chosen to focus our Marmot pilot on early years and child poverty through our programme. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Child Poverty and early years • Whole systems, place pilot for early years service model re-design. • Testing prevention approaches through proportionate universalism. • Piloting evidence- based prevention and spend avoidance monitoring. • While the CHES programme comes to an end in the summer of 2026, we will continue to mainstream the approach and embed the learning into our plans and ways of working across South Lanarkshire. Eradicating child poverty: whole family support • Recognising the importance of a thriving Third Sector in Scotland we will deliver the Fairer Funding pilot, providing multi-year funding for Third Sector organisations across Scotland and identifying the lessons from an interim evaluation by May 2026 to inform future approaches. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Make South Lanarkshire the best place in Scotland in which the third sector operates, while recognising the financial contexts in which they and the council operate. • The council has worked with Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire and the wider third sector to develop a Third Sector Partnership Agreement and a Third Sector Grants Policy. Fair, sustainable funding was a core principle in developing these. • Third Sector Review to be tabled at Executive Committee on 5 November 2025 for approval. • An associated action plan sets out how this will be taken forward. Eradicating child poverty: Tackling the cost of living • Ensuring over 460,000 households save on average, over £850 a year through some level of Council Tax Reduction, backed by £350 million. • Helping people with advice to reduce their costs and increase their incomes from social security– with increased investment to over £15 million for free income maximisation and debt advice, including: 106
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o Supporting 105 organisations, in 33 partnerships, to provide financial advice for people in accessible settings like hospitals and community centres. o An extra £2.2 million to support the expansion of tailored advice on council tax debt – building on a pilot that has helped over 1,600 people with arrears. • Working in partnership with COSLA to empower councils with the information they need to improve recovery of council tax debt – strengthening data sharing so they can act earlier to identify households which may be eligible for council tax reduction and wider support. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Provide financial support to low-income households • Award Council Tax Reduction (CTR) to residents who make an application and qualify based on their income • Continue to promote CTR on our council tax bills, website and SMS messages as part of the council tax recovery processes • Continue to award DHPs to those residents experiencing financial hardship within the limits of our budget • We continue to identify those affected by the bedroom tax and benefit cap through DHP when those are affected are identified either through our own records or through data shared by the Department for Work and Pensions • Proactively conduct benefit entitlement checks for every family with children who contacts the Service, focusing on Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Grants, and other early years benefits. • Continue to develop working relationship with Health Visitors and Midwives through our TAL Project. • Ongoing throughout the remainder of 2025/26. • Ongoing throughout the remainder of 2025/26 107
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• Provide tribunal representation where benefit decisions affecting families are unfairly refused or stopped • Provision of emergency fuel vouchers, and food bank referrals with follow-up energy efficiency advice. • Embed specialist Energy advisers in NHS settings, continue partnering with CABX, NHS Midwives and Health Visitors and GP Community Link Workers and employability services to identify at-risk families early. • Support applications to charitable energy funds to clear arrears and avoid disconnection. • Negotiate with landlords and mortgage lenders to prevent eviction of families in arrears. • Work with Marmot Project partners to align financial help with health and wellbeing interventions. The Resource will monitor progress of the HMRC data sharing pilot for council tax debt recovery as members of the IRRV forum where regular updates are provided. • Review the outcome of the pilot when published • Subject to the outcome of the pilot. Rollout to all Scottish LAs not expected until 2026 Eradicating child poverty: Helping people into work We will help people remain in work and strengthen pathways into employment for those furthest from the labour market by: • Funding pilot projects that will develop actions employers can take to implement inclusive recruitment practices – including flexible working, support for disabled employees, and supporting people at risk of economic inactivity. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Money Matters Advice Service will continue its Partnership with Employability Service • Money Matters Advice Service will continue to use their Employability • Ongoing throughout the remainder of 2024/25 108
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Services funded Adviser to support and assist residents to return to and sustain work. • Provide advice and assistance on in work benefits for those in work to maximise income and make employment sustainable. • Provide “What If” benefit calculations for those considering returning to work. • Provide emergency support for those who are suffering in work benefit. • Provide access to formal debt solutions to those suffer wage arrestments whilst in work to make work sustainable. Continue to produce and monitor Workforce Plans • The Council and Resource Workforce plans are in place for 2025 – 27. This promotes the Council as an employer of choice, supporting flexible working and inclusive recruitment via the Recruitment strategy • Workforce plans are reported annually to Resource Committees. Eradicating child poverty: Help Ensuring equality We will take action to make Scotland a fairer and more equal country for everyone, including: • Creating safe spaces for the LGBTQI+ community - funding work that tackles discrimination and upholds the human rights of this group, including through the Equality and Human Rights Fund, and progressing actions within the Non-Binary Equality Action Plan. • Developing legislation to incorporate certain international human rights treaties into Scots law, working with stakeholders to refine proposals, and laying the groundwork for effective implementation. • Applying fair work principles – including provision of flexible and family friendly working practices and actions to address workplace inequalities – to public sector funding. • Ensuring a whole government programmatic approach to tackling gender inequality through development and delivery of an Equality Strategy for Women and Girls. 109
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• Launching the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland which will work with Government, public bodies and communities to deliver on our vision to tackle systemic racism in Scotland. • Establishing, through a multi-year procurement, a new Integration Support Service, ensuring refugees, people seeking asylum and other forced migrants living in our communities can access the support they need when they need it, within the scope of devolved competence. • Having guaranteed the Access to Elected Office Fund in law, supporting people with disabilities to stand for election, we will work with electoral administrators to deliver improvements in accessibility for those with sight loss voting in elections, in time for the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections. • Continuing our commitment to embed equality and human rights across the Scottish Government and the wider public sector we will publish our mainstreaming framework which will include an action plan and toolkit, setting out practical steps to achieve this ambition. This will be complemented by enhancing the effectiveness of the Public Sector Equality Duty as it operates in Scotland. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Money Matter Advice Service will throughout 2025/26 continue to target and make advice and assistance available to the most vulnerable in society, including the elderly, children, females and those who suffer disabilities, as data shows these groups are more likely to suffer socio/economic disadvantage and already make up a large number of MMAS clients Groups. • Make Advice accessible by delivering through multiple channels, including face to face, community hubs, digitally and by telephone • Provide access to interpreter services where English is not first language or clients suffer communication difficulties. • Ongoing for the remainder of 2025-26 Using data to demonstrate the Council continues to meet public sector equality duties Continue to promote the equality employee networks • Production of Mainstreaming Equalities Report 2025: approved by Executive Committee on 25 June 2025. The purpose of the report is to update on the equality outcomes over the last four years and to set out the equality outcomes for 2025 – 2029. • Develop a set of metrics to evidence the impact of our Employee Network, which meets quarterly. It will have outputs and outcomes relating the LGBTQI+ community, as well as groups focusing on ethnicity, disability, and those with caring responsibilities • Throughout 2025-29 • Complete by July 2026 110
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HOUSING AND TECHNICAL RESOURCES Growing the economy: attracting capital investment • Acting on feedback from the consultation underway on how Scottish Ministers could use powers in the Housing (Scotland) Bill to allow for exemption from rent control, in certain circumstances, including new property built exclusively for rent and mid-market rent. This will deliver rent control in a way that supports tenants, takes account of the rights of landlords and continues to support investment in private housing. Implementing the recommendations of the Housing Investment Taskforce to unlock new investment opportunities across all tenures. This includes improving leverage of public sector funds for affordable housing delivery, driving a new commercial market for shared home ownership, and supporting a more interventionist approach from public bodies. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting • Criteria for properties to be considered exempt from Rent Control Areas • Respond to latest consultation on Rent Control Area exemptions, specifically Mid- Market Rent and Buy to Rent markets. • Consultation closed Friday, 18th July 2025 and SLC submitted response on 25th June 2025 with and H & TR Committee report 13th August 2025 for noting response. • Stage 3 of the Bill to progress after summer recess. • Will continue to monitor progress of the Bill and any final changes to this section and update Resource Management Team as appropriate. • Unlock new investment opportunities across all tenures including maximising opportunities in the delivery of affordable housing • Continue to monitor implementation of the recommendations from the Housing Investment Taskforce Report. • Housing Investment Taskforce report published 9 June 2025. • Progress against this will be monitored and reported to Resource Management Teams and Housing and Technical Resources Committee as/when required. Growing the economy: Supporting our rural economy • Progressing the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, which will improve transparency of land ownership, help ensure large scale land holdings deliver in the public interest and give communities more opportunities to own land and more say in how it is used. 111
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• To help improve the processes for communities to buy land and assets, launching a consultation on proposals from the review of community right to buy powers and deliver £7m through the Scottish Land Fund, enabling more community groups to purchase assets. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting • Reform current law around large landholdings and certain types of leases of land. • The Resource will continue to monitor progress of the Bill and any implications for the Resource. • The Bill is currently at Stage 3. • Improve the process for communities right to buy land and assets through the Scottish Land Fund • The Resource will monitor the forthcoming launch of a consultation on proposals along with colleagues in CER • Await details on launch of consultation and any input required from H & TR. Eradicating child poverty: Tackling the cost of living • Helping over 94,000 households cut their housing costs through Discretionary Housing Payments, including £89 million to mitigate the bedroom tax and benefit cap. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Helping over 94,000 households cut their housing costs through Discretionary Housing Payments, including £89 million to mitigate the bedroom tax and benefit cap. • Continue to deliver the Tenancy Sustainment Fund to support South Lanarkshire Council tenants to maintain their rent payments in order to sustain their tenancy and prevent homelessness • Progress will be monitored and reported through the annual Local Child Poverty Action Report Eradicating child poverty: Safe, warm homes • Delivering over 8,000 affordable homes for social rent, mid-market rent and low-cost home ownership, with a focus on acquisitions and family sized homes. • Driving down numbers of privately owned long-term empty homes, by investing £2 million through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership. • More than doubling the budget – from £8.25 million to almost £21 million – to deliver around 8,500 general housing adaptations to disabled tenants, so they can live independently in their home. • Supporting the completion of the 6 Gypsy/Traveller site demonstration projects funded by the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund. • Delivering an equivalent of Awaab’s law in Scotland – ensuring landlords promptly address issues that are hazardous to tenants’ health. Subject to the passage of the new Housing (Scotland) Bill, we will bring forward secondary legislation to develop timescales for investigation and commencement of repairs that are hazardous to tenants’ enjoyment of their homes, starting with damp and mould. 112
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• Tackling homelessness by implementing the new Housing (Scotland) Bill which, if passed, will improve outcomes for those at risk of homelessness and strengthen tenants’ rights, including through the introduction of a system for longer term rent controls, and removing the legislative constraint on the level of council tax premium that can be applied to second and long-term empty homes. • Investing £1 million in a fund administered by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and Homeless Network Scotland, bringing together registered social landlords, third sector organisations and community partners to prevent homelessness and protect tenants’ rights. Investing £4 million in homelessness prevention pilots in 2025-26, helping duty bearers to prepare for the new legislation and to implement the ‘ask and act’ duties effectively. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Increasing social housing supply across South Lanarkshire in areas of identified need through management of national Affordable Housing Supply Programme Funding. Support strategic regeneration initiatives across South Lanarkshire’s town centres • Continue to deliver the council’s own Affordable Housing Supply Programme (including the Market Purchase Scheme) to deliver over 1,000 additional homes by March 2027. • Support Registered Social Landlord partners to deliver their own development programme, ensuring alignment with council’s own programme and strategic priorities. • Work with Planning and Economic Development services to ensure appropriate levels of affordable housing provision are considered for inclusion within town centre regeneration proposals within East Kilbride and Hamilton. The current programme is scheduled to run until 2027, with regular updates reflecting progress, new opportunities and confirmation of grant funding for future years. Progress against the delivery of the programme is monitored through a range of published strategies and reports, including: • Local Housing Strategy annual review • Strategic Housing Investment Plan • Resource and Service Plans • Community Plan • Child Poverty Action Report Progress in relation to masterplans is reported regularly to Community and Enterprise Resources Committee and Executive Committee. 113
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Driving down numbers of privately owned long-term empty homes, by investing £2 million through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership. • Continued delivery of the Empty Homes process in conjunction with Finance and Corporate Resources to maximise the number of empty homes brought back into use across South Lanarkshire. • Monitor the delivery of the national Matchmaker Scheme that links long-term empty properties and their owners with interested buyers, ensuring opportunities to implement in South Lanarkshire are progressed. • Consider opportunities to establish an empty home grant or loan scheme that seeks to provide financial support for owners to help cover costs associated with bringing the property back into use. • Where appropriate opportunity to do so, seek to acquire the long term empty property through the council’s Market Purchase Scheme to increase the provision of affordable homes. • Progress on supporting owners to bring empty homes back into use is reported annually to Executive Committee through the Local Housing Strategy Annual Review process, as well as to Housing and Technical Resources Committee and the Scottish Government through the annual refresh of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan Bringing existing homes into affordable use through acquisitions and where appropriate also bring long term voids back into effective use. • As part of council’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme, the Market Purchase Scheme is support by Scottish Government grant funding to acquire existing homes across areas of identified need in South Lanarkshire. • Progress will be reported annually to Executive Committee through the Local Housing Strategy Annual Review process. • Financial monitoring of the programme is reported to Executive Committee and Housing and Technical Resources Committee as part of regular budget monitoring. 114
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Supporting the completion of the 6 Gypsy/Traveller site demonstration projects funded by the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund. • The council received funding in 2023/24 from the Scottish Government’s Accommodation Fund as one of the 6 demonstrator projects. All funding was spent as intended, with outcomes reported back to Scottish Government. • Continue to work with site residents to implement actions within the Shawlands Crescent and Springbank Park Gypsy/Traveller Site Masterplans • Progress will be reported annually to Executive Committee through the Local Housing Strategy Annual Review process Accelerate development of strategic sites. • Work with Planning and Economic Development services to ensure appropriate levels of affordable housing provision are considered for inclusion within town centre regeneration proposals within East Kilbride and Hamilton. • Progress in relation to the masterplans is reported regularly to Community and Enterprise Resources Committee and Executive Committee. Increase the budget for around 8,500 general housing adaptations to disabled tenants, so they can live independently in their home. • No action required • Only relevant to RSL tenants. Will ensure that RSLs are aware of proposals through established forums such as RSL forum. Ensuring landlords act promptly to address issues that area hazardous to tenants’ health (equivalent of Awaab’s Law) • Monitor the progress of secondary legislation (subject to the passage of the Housing Bill) to develop timescales for investigation and comments of repairs that are hazardous to tenants’ – starting with damp and mould. Indicative timescales for the Bill to pass as an Act will follow Scottish Government summer recess. • HTR will continue to monitor progress of the Housing (Scotland) Bill and the introduction of the secondary legislation. • Development of and potential implications from secondary legislation will be reported to the HTR Resource Management Team and Housing and Technical Resources Committee as required. Tackling homelessness by implementing the new Housing (Scotland) Bill which, if passed, will improve outcomes for those at risk of homelessness and strengthen tenants’ rights, • Continue to monitor progress of the Housing (Scotland) Bill to Stage 3 and any other amendments including further consultations in relation to secondary legislation provisions. • HTR will continue to monitor progress of the Housing (Scotland) Bill and the introduction of the secondary legislation. • Development of and potential implications from secondary legislation will be reported 115
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including through the introduction of a system for longer term rent controls to the HTR Resource Management Team and Housing and Technical Resources Committee as required. Investing £1 million in a fund administered by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and Homeless Network Scotland, bringing together registered social landlords, third sector organisations and community partners to prevent homelessness and protect tenants’ rights. • No actions required. This is a time-limited learning programme (June 2025 – April 2026) and funding for tenancy sustainment support by RSLs only and is aligned with the upcoming 'Ask and Act' prevention duties in the Housing Bill. It will generate insight into the evolving role of RSLs in early intervention and collaborative prevention. • Await evaluation report in summer 2026, with duty anticipated to be introduced later in 2027. • HTR will monitor outcomes/evaluation of programme in preparation for the introduction of the “Ask and Act” duty, with any significant implications reported to the relevant management team or Committee. Investing £4 million in homelessness prevention pilots in 2025-26, helping duty bearers to prepare for the new legislation and to implement the ‘ask and act’ duties effectively. AD/LP • Monitor the outcomes from the Local Authority prevention pilots following completion of programme in 2026. • Report to Resource Management Team and Housing and Technical Resources Committee following publication of evaluation report in Summer 2026. Tackling the climate emergency: A green industrial revolution • Supporting communities to benefit directly from investment in energy infrastructure in their areas – providing up to £8 million through Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), for communities to develop renewable energy projects. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Supporting communities to benefit from investment linked to renewable energy • The council to monitor national position and progress any opportunities in conjunction with local groups through Community Planning engagement structures • updates or progress to be reported through Climate Change and Sustainable Development Strategy. 116
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Tackling the climate emergency: Decarbonising heat in buildings and tackling fuel poverty • Supporting 20,000 households to save up to £500 on energy bills per year, by investing £300 million in 2025-26 to help households and other building owners install energy efficiency and clean heating measures. • Introducing a Heat in Buildings Bill, setting targets for installing clean heating systems by 2045 – giving a clear signal to home and buildings owners to act when upgrading their heating system, including provisions to support development of heat networks. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting To help households save money on their energy bills by accessing funding from the Scottish Government’s Heat in Building’s programmes where possible. • The Resource currently supports and delivers a range of actions in this area, including: • Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Schemes (EES:ABS) – utilise grant funding of £2,976,167 in 2025/26 to develop and deliver fuel poverty programmes (mainly solid wall insulation). • Social Housing Net Zero Fund – the Council has applied for £70k funding to install Connected Response HeatSage technology into each flat, which remotely controls the charging of existing heaters. • Scotland’s Heat Network Fund - The Council received a grant offer from the Scottish Government for £5.49 million capital support funding. The proposal is for a shared ground source heat pump system to serve 522 properties spread across six multi-story tower blocks in Calderwood, East Kilbride. • Heat Network Support Unit - An application for 100% of Heat Network Support Unit (HNSU) funding to carry out a detailed feasibility study for a revised scope for the • The projects detailed are to have the funding spent by March 2026, with monitoring reports provided to the Corporate Management Team and Climate Change and Sustainability Committee 117
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potential district heating network in Almada Street Area, Hamilton, was submitted to the Scottish Government HNSU. Facilitate the just transition to decarbonised heating across the council’s domestic estate and work with partners to support private building owners to do the same. • Work with internal services and partners to deliver net-zero heating solutions as part of all new homes within the council’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme, including implementation of the New Build Heating Standard. • Await outcome of amendments to the New Build Heating Standard and implement as appropriate • Progress on this area will be reported through the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy to the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee annually, alongside the annual review of the Local Housing Strategy, reported to Executive Committee. 118
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SOCIAL WORK RESOURCES Eradicating child poverty: Keeping the Promise • Introducing a new Care Leavers payment from 1st April 2026 – a one-off £2,000 payment to help improve the financial security of young people leaving care. • Uprating of the Scottish Recommended Allowance for eligible foster and kinship carers, providing an extra £1.9 million, which is expected to benefit more than 9,000 children. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Delivering the recommendations of the Independent Care Review to reduce or remove profit made from the care of children in Scotland • Process the uprating of the Scottish Recommended Allowance rates for eligible foster and kinship carers increased in May 2025 and backdated to 1 April, as extra funding is confirmed • Regular reporting to Senior Management Team Introducing a new Care Leavers payment from 1st April 2026 – a one-off £2,000 payment to help improve the financial security of young people leaving care • Subject to funding being provided, the council to progress as required • Report to Senior Management Team Tackling the climate emergency: Adapting to climate impacts • Developing adaptation guidance specifically for the social care sector, recognising that climate changes do not impact us equally, with some people uniquely vulnerable. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Develop the Council’s response to climate adaptation and become a more climate- resilient local authority. • Develop climate change risk register with greater focus on adaptation. • Support the delivery of Climate Ready Clyde's (CRC) Adaptation Strategy. • Carry out adaptation framework capability assessment. • Adaptation actions are included within the Council’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy and will be reported to the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee at quarter two and quarter four. 119
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• Deliver adaptation training to SLC Officers and Steering Groups. High quality and sustainable public services: renewal and reform • Funding the payment of at least the Real Living Wage to all adult and children’s social care workers who are delivering direct care in commissioned services, and early learning and childcare workers delivering funded hours, backed by £950m. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Adult and children’s social care workers who are delivering direct care in commissioned services earn the Real Living Wage • Implement Scottish Government and COSLA approved national uplifts to support the delivery of a £12.60 minimum wage for all adult social care staff delivering direct care in commissioned services from April 2025. • Report to Senior Management Team on progress High quality and sustainable public services: ensuring a safer Scotland • Working with justice partners to strengthen alternatives to remand through continued investment for bail services. Focus Actions Timeline and reporting Reduce reoffending through meaningful rehabilitation • Work in partnership with SACRO to support those with substance use issues at the point of police custody, court appearance and diversion through peer mentors and assertive outreach into recovery communities • Prevent further criminalisation of vulnerable people whose offending is related to addiction by taking a public health approach through the Alcohol and Problem-Solving Court, in Hamilton Sheriff Court, supported by the Recovery Orientated Justice Service (ROJS) • Regular updates to Social Work Resources Committee 120
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Agenda Item Report Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 3 December 2025 Report by: Director, Health and Social Care Subject: South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board - Annual Performance Report 2024/2025 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] present the Integration Joint Board Annual Performance Report 2024/2025 1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the contents of the report be noted. 3. Background 3.1. Section 42 of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 requires that Annual Performance Reports (APRs) are prepared by an Integration Authority – i.e. the Integration Joint Board (IJB) in a South Lanarkshire context. 3.2. The purpose of the APR is to ensure that performance is open and accountable, whilst at the same time providing an overall assessment of performance in relation to planning and carrying out integration functions. The APR is also of interest to the Health Board and to South Lanarkshire Council in monitoring the success of the integration arrangements they have put in place, as per the Integration Scheme. 3.3. The appended APR has been prepared with respect to the final year of the Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022/2023 to 2024/2025, and was approved at the 23 September 2025 meeting of the South Lanarkshire IJB. 4. Annual Performance Report 4.1. This APR sits alongside routine performance reporting in-year that has been provided to both the IJB and its Performance and Audit Sub-Committee (PASC). In March 2025, Internal Audit concluded that performance monitoring reports provided to the IJB and the PASC supported good governance, accountability and visibility. 11 121
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4.2. The preparation and design of the APR as an on-line document has been informed by feedback from the presentation of publications to-date. Fundamental to this has been key insights derived from external auditor observations in relation to the negative impact that excessive detail and extraneous information can have on reader accessibility; and that the reader experience – and by extension transparency – can be enhanced by greater use of infographics as a replacement for block text. The APR attached in Appendix 1 has been honed then with an emphasis on: succinctness and clarity; connectivity; visual accessibility; and strategic – i.e. high- level focus. 4.3. In accordance with good practice, hyperlinks have been used throughout to aid accessibility, so that readers can navigate between content, and access relevant information as quickly as required whilst avoiding duplication of content. 4.4. Integration Authorities are required by legislation to report on the Core Suite of Integration Indicators. Public Health Scotland (PHS) publish annual rates for the Core Suite of Integration Indicators for each IJB area and Scotland. https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/core-suite-of-integration- indicators/core-suite-of-integration-indicators-1-july-2025/ 4.5. The APR includes a hypertext link to a distinct on-line report that summarises the performance in relation to the Core Suit of Integration Indicators with respect to the South Lanarkshire IJB, and included here as Appendix 2. 4.6. As a further best practice extension of the aforementioned insights derived from external auditor observation, examples of notable achievements within 2024/2025 have been provided in the form of videos rather than as text. 5. Employee Implications 5.1. There are no employee implications associated with this report. 5.2. Audit Scotland’s Integration Joint Boards: Finance and Performance 2024 (published in July 2025) highlighted that IJBs face a complex landscape of unprecedented pressures, challenges and uncertainties; and that these are not easy to resolve and are worsening, despite a driven and committed workforce. https://audit.scot/publications/integration-joint-boards-finance-and-performance-2024 6. Financial Implications 6.1. Audit Scotland’s Integration Joint Boards: Finance and Performance 2024 (published in July 2025) details how the financial health of IJBs continues to weaken, with the then projected funding gap for 2023/2024 across all 31 IJBs being £357 million; and with indications of more challenging times ahead. https://audit.scot/publications/integration-joint-boards-finance-and-performance-2024 6.2. In October 2024, the External Auditor concluded that the South Lanarkshire IJB has a strong focus on financial sustainability over the medium term and with a plan to address significant financial challenges over the coming years. 122
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6.3. As reported within the IJB Annual Accounts 2024/2025, as presented at its meeting of 16 June 2025, the IJB ended the year 2024/2025 in financial balance. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no climate change, sustainability and environmental implications associated with this report. 8. Other Implications 8.1. Effective performance monitoring contributes to the mitigation of the following risks within the IJB Risk Register most notably higher risk themes relating to:- Financial sustainability (very high) Workforce availability and capacity (very high) Performance delivery (very high) Failure to meet public protection and legislative requirements (high) 8.2. There are no other issues associated with this report. 9. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 9.1. This report does not introduce any new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to existing policy, function or strategy, and therefore, no impact assessment is required. 9.2. The APR relates to the Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022/2023 to 2024/2025, which was extensively consulted on. Professor Soumen Sengupta Director, Health and Social Care 1 October 2025 Previous References None List of Background Papers Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022 to 2025 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Professor Soumen Sengupta Director, Health and Social Care E-mail: soumen.sengupta@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 123
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South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Annual Performance Report 2024–25 “He had a second chance in life” UNSECURED FOR COMMITTEE ONLY Appendix 1 11 125
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2024/25Annual Performance Report 1. Foreword The final year of our Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022 – 25 brought a renewed focus to the significant challenges that continue to shape our strategic landscape and operational realities. The environment in which we deliver health and social care has become increasingly complex - marked by demographic shifts, rising demand, escalating costs, and evolving public expectations. While these pressures have tested the resilience of our services, they have also reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of our leadership team and our staff to the people and communities we serve. Delivering value and driving improvement in such a dynamic context demands disciplined financial stewardship and the full mobilisation of the expertise, compassion, and ingenuity of our teams. Our approach is rooted in collaboration - with our partners, our workforce, and our communities - as we strive to improve the health and wellbeing of local people, with a particular focus on protecting and supporting those most at risk and living with vulnerability. This report highlights both the progress we have made and the tangible impact our dedicated staff continue to deliver. The challenges that so many of our communities face have strengthened our resolve and, as emphasised in our new Strategic Commissioning Plan 2025 - 2028 sharpened our focus. We remain deeply grateful for the commitment of our teams and partners, and appreciative of the insights, support, and encouragement from our communities. As we look ahead, we do so with determination and a profound sense of responsibility to make the best use of the resources available to improve the lives of people across South Lanarkshire. Professor Soumen Sengupta Chief Officer South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Lesley McDonald Vice-Chair South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Margaret Walker Chair South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board UNSECURED FOR COMMITTEE ONLY 126
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2024/25Annual Performance Report 4. Governance The IJB has well-established governance and decision-making arrangements in place as set out in the Integration Scheme. Supporting this is the governance structure for South Lanarkshire University HSCP which provides a robust and streamlined process for efficient and effective decision-making. The IJB holds the ultimate decision-making and commissioning authority, with its assurance responsibilities strengthened by the important scrutiny provided by its Performance and Audit Sub Committee (PASC). See IJB and PASC. The South Lanarkshire IJB Code of Corporate Governance details the systems, processes, culture and values by which the IJB is directed and controlled, including the Code of Conduct for all IJB members. Our sustainability and value option appraisal screening approach continues to provide a consistent and transparent framework for considering proposals for change, reinforcing the IJB’s commitment to prioritising the most vulnerable and at-risk across our communities. During 2024/25, the IJB reviewed how it issues Directions to the Health Board and Council and approved an updated Directions policy and guidance. 3. Roles 2. Context As defined within the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, Integration Joint Boards (IJB) are responsible for the governance, planning and resourcing of social care, primary and community healthcare and unscheduled hospital care for adults in their area. The South Lanarkshire Integration Scheme details the services/functions and arrangements for the IJB, an updated scheme having been approved by Scottish Ministers in March 2024. Audit Scotland has highlighted that IJBs across Scotland face a complex landscape of unprecedented pressures, challenges and uncertainties. South Lanarkshire IJB’s Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022 - 2025 set out how health and social care services would be delivered to improve the quality of support for people in its area over that three-year period. • Takes forward the operational implementation of the plan on behalf of the parties – SLC and NHSL • Provides assurance to the IJB and the parties on progress with the implementation of the plan Health and Social Care Partnership (Operational) • Formal public body • Develops and leads the strategy for health and social care through the Strategic Commissioning Plan • Issues ‘Direction to South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) and NHS Lanarkshire (NHSL) Integration Joint Board (Strategic) UNSECURED FOR COMMITTEE ONLY 127
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2024/25Annual Performance Report 5. Performance The IJB seeks to promote a culture of continuous improvement to deliver better outcomes for individuals and communities. IJB’s priorities, as set out within its Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022 – 2025, complement and reinforce the prescribed National Health and Wellbeing Outcomes; and the priorities set within NHS Lanarkshire Health Board’s Our Health Together and South Lanarkshire Council’s Connect Plan. These priorities also contribute to and are progressed alongside the wider work of the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership. The IJB’s performance monitoring arrangements reflect the positive developments recommended by its External and Internal Auditors. The performance and progress made by the South Lanarkshire University HSCP in delivering these priorities have been regularly and publicly reported to the IJB and can be accessed from the HSCP website. Performance as whole for the IJB in respect of the full suite of national core indicators can be viewed here. National integration core indicators - overview Table 1a Year On Year Comparison (April to March 24/25) – unvalidated and subject to change 2023/24 2024/25 Increase / Decrease on 2022/23 % Change A&E Attendances 106,484 107,873 1,389 1.30% Emergency Admissions 37,674 38,186 512 1.36% UC Bed days - Acute 256,080 246,164 -9,916 -3.87% UC Bed days - Acute/GLS/MH 323,745 315,588 -8,157 -2.52% Delayed Discharge Non-Code 9 bed days 33,263 36,337 3,074 9.24% Table 1b Performance Against Targets 2024/25 Target Performance Variance % Variance A&E Attendances 111,132 107,873 -3,259 -2.93% Emergency Admissions 40,677 38,186 -2,491 -6.12% UC Bed days - Acute 233,731 246,164 12,433 5.32% UC Bed days - Acute/GLS/MH 300,636 315,588 14,952 4.97% Delayed Discharge standard bed days 33,802 36,337 2535 7.5% UC (Unscheduled Care) / GLS (Geriatric Long Stay) / MH (Mental Health) UNSECURED FOR COMMITTEE ONLY 128
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2024/25Annual Performance Report Click on the image to view the video. Pathway 4 in South Lanarkshire enables people with advanced conditions to receive early palliative care at home by coordinating services and avoiding hospital stays. Blantyre LIFE in South Lanarkshire enables people to live independently by combining housing and care through the ‘home for life’ principle. 6. Impact South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Active Community Reablement “He had a second chance in life” 2024–25Home Assessment Teams in South Lanarkshire enable people to regain independence by providing short-term, reablement support after hospital discharge. South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Holistic End of Life Care @ Home “He had a second chance in life” 2024–25 South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Innovation in Intermediate Care “He had a second chance in life” 2024–25 Click on the image to view the video. Click on the image to view the video. UNSECURED FOR COMMITTEE ONLY 129
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2024/25Annual Performance Report 6. Impact Click on the image to view the video. *The Public Dental Service in Lanarkshire enables people to access vital dental care by providing clinics, home visits and prevention programmes. *The Out of Hours service in Lanarkshire enables people to get urgent care by offering treatment when GP practices are closed. Click on the image to view the video. South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Improving Population Oral Health “He had a second chance in life” 2024–25 South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Right Care, Right Time, Primary Care Out of Hours 2024–25 “He had a second chance in life” *These are Lanarkshire-wide health care services hosted by the South Lanarkshire IJB UNSECURED FOR COMMITTEE ONLY 130
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2024/25Annual Performance Report 7. Finance The IJB is recognised as having a strong track-record of sound financial management and robust financial governance, with its External Auditor having concluded that the IJB has a strong focus on financial sustainability over the medium-term. The IJB has a statutory duty to set a balanced budget. Following a process of consultation, the IJB Financial Plan for 2024/25 was approved by the IJB on 26 March 2024. The financial envelope available to the IJB in 2024/2025 totalled £740m. Detailed financial monitoring reports are regularly and publicly presented to the IJB and can be accessed from the HSCP website. View the outturn position at the year-end in the IJB Annual Accounts 2024/25. This strong year-end financial position for 2024/25 contributes to the financial framework articulated to support the delivery of the Strategic Commissioning Plan 2025 - 2028. The Scottish Government’s Medium-Term Financial Strategy presents national consequences and implications of lower growth in projected resource funding relative to estimated spending for the country’s public services. It is recognised that failure to make necessary changes to how public services are delivered will likely mean further budget pressures, and so further uncertainty and growing instability, into the future. Given this backdrop, the IJB’s Medium to Long-Term Financial Forecast has reinforced the importance of ensuring that local health and social care services are financially sustainable within the resources available. Social Care Services (£228m) Family Health Services (£126m) Prescribing Costs (£80m) Hosted Health Care Services (£156m) Hospital Acute Services/ Notional Set Aside Budget (£71m) Health Care Services (£70m) Housing Services (£1.5m) Corporate Services (£0.2m) 2024/2025 Expenditure £733m 2024/2025 Funding £740m SLC funding £182m (Core – £182m; Reserves – Nil) NHSL Funding £558m (Core – £556m; Reserves – £1.8m) Sustainability and value option appraisal screening scale Public protection and clinical safety Professional registration requirements Service redesign or reduction with impact on outcomes Service redesign or reduction with no/limited impact on outcomes Benchmarking and efficiencies Our Sustainability and Value Option Appraisal Screening Tool provides a consistent and transparent framework for considering proposals for change, reinforcing the IJB’s commitment to prioritising the most vulnerable and at-risk across our communities. UNSECURED FOR COMMITTEE ONLY 131
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2024/25Annual Performance Report 9. Risk The IJB is committed to promoting an environment that is risk aware and strives to place risk management information at the heart of key decisions. The IJB Risk Management Strategy is the foundation of good corporate governance and internal control and complements the existing risk management processes within the Health Board and Council. The IJB and PASC are regularly appraised of challenges and risks to health and social care services, as well as the opportunities for transforming services and support with partners. Risk management reports are regularly and publicly presented to the IJB and can be accessed from the HSCP website. The four IJB risks assessed as being very high or high (both pre and post-mitigation) at 31 March 2025 were as undernoted. Very High Risk High Risk • Financial sustainability • Workforce availability and capacity • Performance delivery • Failure to meet public protection and legislative requirements 10. Ahead Candid conversations and pragmatic collaboration with our staff, our partners and our communities will be crucial to securing safe, effective and sustainable health and social care support for local people, particularly those at-most-risk and those most vulnerable. As highlighted in the media clips throughout this report, exceptional support is being delivered and developed, providing momentum for the delivery of the strategic goals within the IJB’s Strategic Commissioning Plan 2025 - 2028. By combining insight, evidence, and lived experience, we will continue to strive to make responsible decisions that are grounded in realism and focused on securing the best outcomes possible for the people of South Lanarkshire. UNSECURED FOR COMMITTEE ONLY 132
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2024/25Annual Performance ReportSouth Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Strategic Commissioning Plan 2025–28 Our Mission Working together to improve health and wellbeing in the community - with the community Our Vision For all our communities to live longer and healthier lives, supported by the right care, in the right place and at the right time. FlowAccess Nurture Protect Recover Our Catalysts for Change Our Funding Our Staff Our Carers Our Technology Our Partnerships Early intervention Candour Person centred care Learning Empowerment Inclusion Our Guiding Principles UNSECURED FOR COMMITTEE ONLY 133
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2024/25Annual Performance Report 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 Produced by Communications and Strategy. 068356/Sep25 UNSECURED FOR COMMITTEE ONLY 134
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Appendix 2 Performance against National Indicators 2024/2025 Integration Authorities have been required by legislation to report on the Core Suite of Integration Indicators within their Annual Performance Reports since 2016/17. These indicators were developed to help Integration Authorities to review progress towards achieving each of the nine National Health and Wellbeing Outcomes which focus on improving how services are provided and the difference that integrated health and social care services should make for people. Indicator values are derived from national data sources to enable comparability between local areas and with Scotland. There are 23 indicators in total. The first nine indicators reported are based on the Health and Care Experience Survey which asks about people's experiences of accessing and using various services, and ten other measures mainly use health activity, community and National Records of Scotland deaths information. The remaining four indicators cannot be reported as national data is not available or there is not yet a nationally agreed definition. Public Health Scotland (PHS) publish annual rates for the Core Suite of Integration Indicators for each IJB area and Scotland. https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/core-suite-of-integration- indicators/core-suite-of-integration-indicators-1-july-2025/ This report summarises the MSG (Ministerial Steering Group) indicators with respect to the South Lanarkshire IJB using currently available data showing the year-on-year comparison between April 2024 and March 2025 Ministerial Strategic Group (MSG) Indicators MSG Indicator 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Calendar 2024* 2024/2025** Number of emergency admissions 32,537 37,028 36,849 37,674 39,118 38,186 Number of unscheduled hospital bed days (acute specialties)* 200,694 242,883 260,297 256, 080 259,904 246,164 Number of A&E attendances 83,441 104,080 103,855 106,484 108,782 107,873 Acute bed days lost to delayed discharges 22,585 35,941 41,970 41,795 47,489 46,584 % of last six months of life spent in Community setting 90.8% 89.5% 88.8% 88.8% 88.5% 11 135
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Balance of care: Percentage of 75+ population at home unsupported 84.7% 84.9% 84.7% 85.2% 85.7% *Calendar year 2024 has been used for this indicator as per guidance from Public Health Scotland due to data completeness issues. **Unvalidated data for financial year National Indicator 2023/24 1 Percentage of adults able to look after their health very well or quite well 89.4% 2 Percentage of adults supported at home who agreed that they are supported to live as independently as possible 67.2% 3 Percentage of adults supported at home who agreed that they had a say in how their help, care, or support was provided 55.4% 4 Percentage of adults supported at home who agreed that their health and social care services seemed to be well co-ordinated 58.2% 5 Total % of adults receiving any care or support who rated it as excellent or good 66.7% 6 Percentage of people with positive experience of the care provided by their GP practice 56.5% 7 Percentage of adults supported at home who agree that their services and support had an impact on improving or maintaining their quality of life 63.3% 8 Total combined % carers who feel supported to continue in their caring role 28.1% 9 Percentage of adults supported at home who agreed they felt safe 66.2% *Please note that there are no updates to the Health and Care Experience (HACE) survey this year. The information is based on outputs from the HACE survey of 2024. National Indicators 1-9 are based on the Health and Care Experience (HACE) survey that has been updated with the results from the 2024 HACE survey. National Indicator 2021 2022 2023 2024 Commentary 11 *Premature mortality rate per 100,000 persons 465 452 469 n/a 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024* 12 *Emergency admission rate for adults (18+) (per 100,000 population) 12,840 12,302 12,147 11,118 Emergency admission rates have decreased since 2023/24. 13 *Emergency bed day rate for adults (18+) (per 100,000 population) 117,956 121,285 118,969 118,821 Emergency Bed Day rates have slightly increased for SL residents and remain above the national average. 136
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National Indicator 2021 2022 2023 2024 Commentary 14 *Emergency readmissions to hospital for adults (18+) within 28 days of discharge (rate per 1,000 discharges) 103 100 96 98 While the rate of emergency readmissions is slightly increased since the last reporting period it is below the average level for Scotland. 15 *Proportion of last 6 months of life spent at home or in a community setting 89.4% 88.7% 88.5% 88.9% Trends in the balance of care from hospital to community settings indicates that South Lanarkshire has consistently achieve 88-90% performance in this area. 16 *Falls rate per 1,000 population aged 65+ 22.4 22 20.6 21.5 The rate of falls per 1,000 population for those aged 65+ has decreased since 2022/23 to present. 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 17 Proportion of care services graded 'good' (4) or better in Care Inspectorate inspections 76.1% 76.9% 79.9% 80.1% Performance has increased between last year. 2021 2022 2023 2024 18 *Percentage of adults (18+) with intensive care needs receiving care at home 64.8% 63.6% 62.9% 62.9% Trends over the last 4 years report broad consistency in this area despite notable increases in demand and complexity of care being delivered in the community. 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 19 Number of days people aged 75+ spend in hospital when they are ready to be discharged (per 1,000 population) 910 993 959 1048 Demand and complexity continue to impact on delayed discharges. 20 Percentage of health and care resource n/a n/a n/a** n/a** **See notes below. 137
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National Indicator 2021 2022 2023 2024 Commentary spent on hospital stays where the patient was admitted in an emergency** Notes Use of 2024 calendar year data instead of 2024/25 financial year data for indicators 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. The primary source of data for these indicators are Scottish Morbidity Records (SMRs) which are nationally collected discharge-based hospital records. In accordance with the recommendations made by Public Health Scotland (PHS) and communicated to all Health and Social Care Partnerships, the most recent reporting period available with complete and robust data is calendar year 2024. *Reporting on 2024 calendar year rather than 2024/25 financial year may not fully reflect local activity, however, this is still recommended due to data completeness levels at the time of reporting. Indicator 20 PHS has not provided information for indicator 20 beyond 2019/20 because detailed Patient Level Information Costing System (PLICS) cost information is not available. PHS previously published information to calendar year 2020 using costs from 2019/20 as a proxy but, given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on activity and expenditure, PHS no longer consider this appropriate. A Performance Monitoring internal audit report issued in July 2024 concluded positively on the adequacy and effectiveness of performance reporting and strategic risk assessments and the assurances provided to the IJB. IJB Performance and Audit Sub Committee 5 March 2025 page 115 138