Agenda Document Pack - Executive Committee - 13/11/2024
South Lanarkshire Council · 13 November 2024
Back to Executive Committee — 13 November 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
Council Offices, Almada Street Hamilton, ML3 0AA Tuesday, 05 November 2024 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, 13 November 2024 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, Lynsey Hamilton, Susan Kerr, Eileen Logan, Katy Loudon, Ian McAllan, Catherine McClymont, Kenny McCreary, 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, Ross Lambie, Hugh Macdonald, Elaine McDougall, Mark McGeever, Graham Scott, David Watson 1
Page 2
BUSINESS 1 Declaration of Interests 2 Minutes of Previous Meeting Minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 2 October 2024 submitted for approval as a correct record. (Copy attached) 5 - 10 Monitoring Item(s) 3 Revenue Budget Monitoring for Period 7 - 1 April 2024 to 4 October 2024 Report dated 14 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 11 - 16 4 Capital Budget 2024/2025 and Monitoring for Period 7 - 1 April 2024 to 4 October 2024 Report dated 23 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 17 - 26 5 Update to Funding Report dated 18 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 27 - 30 6 Employee Workforce Monitoring Information April to September 2024 Summary Report dated 23 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 31 - 54 7 Community Plan Quarter 4 Progress Report 2023/2024 and Annual Outcomes Improvement Report Report dated 23 October 2024 by the Chief Executive. (Copy attached) 55 - 146 Item(s) for Decision 8 2025/2026 Revenue Budget Gap and Savings Report dated 31 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 147 - 194 9 Glasgow City Region City Deal - Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement Project - Outline Business Case Report dated 23 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources). (Copy attached) 195 - 208 10 Transformation Fund - Phase 1 Update and Phase 2 Proposals Joint report dated 30 October 2024 by the Executive Directors (Housing and Technical Resources) and (Community and Enterprise Resources). (Copy attached) 209 - 216 2
Page 3
11 Public Bodies Climate Change Duties - Annual Report 2023/2024 Report dated 24 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources). (Copy attached) 217 - 248 12 Recommendations Referred by Resource Committees Report dated 30 October 2024 by the Chief Executive. (Copy attached) 249 - 252 13 Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019 – Report Consultation Joint report dated 23 October 2024 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Housing and Technical Resources). (Copy attached) 253 - 264 14 Response to Consultation on Proposal to Allow Proxy Voting by Councillors Report dated 14 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources). (Copy attached) 265 - 270 Item(s) for Noting 15 South Lanarkshire’s Children’s Services Plan 2023-2026 - Annual Report of Progress for 2023/2024 Joint report dated 9 October 2024 by the Director, Health and Social Care and Executive Director (Education Resources). (Copy attached) 271 - 316 16 Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023/2024 Report dated 23 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Education Resources). (Copy attached) 317 - 352 17 Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023/2024 Report dated 21 October 2024 by the Director, Health and Social Care. (Copy attached) 353 - 410 18 South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Annual Performance Report 2023/2024 Report dated 25 September 2024 by the Director, Health and Social Care. (Copy attached) 411 - 434 Urgent Business 19 Urgent Business Any other items of business which the Chair decides are urgent. 3
Page 4
Exclusion of Press and Public 20 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 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act." Item(s) for Decision 21 Heads of Terms Agreement for the Transfer of Centre West, East Kilbride to South Lanarkshire Council • Exempt information in terms of Paragraph 6 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act • Exempt information in terms of Paragraph 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act For further information, please contact:- Clerk Name: Tracy Slater Clerk Telephone: 07385 370089 Clerk Email: tracy.slater@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 4
Page 5
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Minutes of meeting held via MS Teams and in Committee Room 1, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton on 2 October 2024 Chair: Councillor Joe Fagan (ex officio) Councillors Present: Councillor Alex Allison, Councillor John Anderson, Councillor Robert Brown, Councillor Andy Carmichael, 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 Elise Frame, Councillor Lynsey Hamilton, Councillor Cal Johnston-Dempsey (substitute for Councillor Maureen Chalmers), Councillor Susan Kerr, Councillor Eileen Logan, Councillor Katy Loudon, Councillor Ian McAllan, Councillor Catherine McClymont, Councillor Lesley McDonald, Councillor Elaine McDougall (substitute for Councillor Gladys Ferguson- Miller), 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 Maureen Chalmers, Councillor Gladys Ferguson-Miller, Councillor Kenny McCreary, Councillor Mo Razzaq Attending: Chief Executive’s Service P Manning, Chief Executive Community and Enterprise Resources D Booth, Executive Director Education Resources A Donaldson, Head of Education (Inclusion); L Sherry, Head of Education (Support Service and School Estate); D Hinshelwood, Support Services Manager 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 Egan, Head of Housing Services Health and Social Care/Social Work Resources S Sengupta, Director, Health and Social Care 1 Declaration of Interests No interests were declared. 2 Minutes of Previous Meeting The minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 4 September 2024 were submitted for approval as a correct record. The Committee decided: that the minutes be approved as a correct record. 2 5
Page 6
3 Revenue Budget Monitoring for Period 5 - 1 April to 9 August 2024 A report dated 4 September 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted providing a forecast for the year to 31 March 2025 for the Council’s General Fund Revenue Account and Housing Revenue Account. The year-end forecast to 31 March 2025 for both the Council’s General Fund Revenue Account and Housing Revenue Account was a projected breakeven position as at 9 August 2024. Details were provided in the appendices to the report. Information was provided on the following key budget areas:- teacher numbers employer’s pension contribution increase (teachers) The Committee decided: (1) that the projected break-even position on the General Fund Revenue Account for 2024/2025, and the actual spend as at 9 August 2024, as detailed in section 4 and Appendix 1 of the report, be noted; and (2) that the projected break-even position on the Housing Revenue Account for 2024/2025, and the actual spend as at 9 August 2024, as detailed in section 5 and Appendix 2 of the report, be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 4 September 2024 (Paragraph 3)] 4 Capital Budget 2024/2025 and Monitoring for Period 5 - 1 April to 9 August 2024 A report dated 4 September 2024 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 9 August 2024. The revised programme for the General Fund for 2024/2025 was £87.007 million which included previous adjustments approved by this Committee. The programme also included further proposed adjustments totalling an increase of £0.051 million, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report. This reflected additional project funding for the Hamilton Town Centre Masterplan of £0.100 million, partially offset by a reduction in budget for Electric Vehicle expansion of £0.040 million. In addition, there were other minor adjustments to reflect revised timescales of works of £0.009 million. The overall programme was summarised in Appendix 2 to the report, with the funding available to support the programme detailed in Appendix 3. Appendix 3 also showed a forecast for the financial year of £87.007 million. Actual spend incurred as at 9 August 2024 totalled £11.296 million. Actual funding received up to 9 August 2024 was £51.662 million. This was also detailed in Appendix 3. Relevant officers would continue to monitor the generation of all income. Information was awaited on the new timetable for works and the resultant spend profiles for the secondary schools projects, which would be included as an exception proposed to the November Committee. The revised Housing Capital Programme for 2024/2025 amounted to £77.248 million. Programmed funding for the year also totalled £77.248 million. The funding sources were detailed in Appendix 4 to the report. Budget for the period amounted to £15.503 million and, as at 9 August 2024, £15.503 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. 6
Page 7
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 9 August 2024, be noted; (2) that the adjustments to the General Fund Capital programme, as detailed at Appendix 1 of the report, be approved; and (3) that the revised programmes be monitored by the Financial Resources Scrutiny Forum. [Reference: Minutes of 4 September 2024 (Paragraph 4)] 5 Update to Funding A report dated 4 September 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on additional funding, totalling £1.212 million, which had been made available to the Council by the Scottish Government and other external sources. The funding had been allocated as follows:- Revenue Funding Resource 2024/2025 (£m) Social Work 1.212 Total 1.212 The Committee decided: that the report be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 4 September 2024 (Paragraph 5)] 6 Civic Engagement in Zeeland A report dated 8 September 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted in relation to the attendance of the Provost and Civic Officer at a civic event in Zeeland from 25 to 27 October 2024. An invitation had been received from the Liberation Museum, Zeeland for the Provost to attend activities commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Scheldt. Lanarkshire regiment, The Cameronians (Scottish Riffles) had played a significant part in the liberation of the Netherlands in 1944 and activities would include visits to a number of locations where the regiment was involved in active duty. Information was provided on the proposed travel arrangements. An officer responded to points made by a member in relation to:- Zeeland not being in Holland, as stated in the report, but a province of the Netherlands the Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications section of the report The Committee decided: that the Provost and Civic Officer attend a civic event in Zeeland from 25 to 27 October 2024. 7
Page 8
7 Religious Representation on the Education Resources Committee A joint report dated 11 September 2024 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Education Resources) was submitted providing an update on religious representation on the Education Resources Committee. At its meeting on 29 June 2022, the Committee had confirmed the appointment of Mr John Mulligan as the religious representative from the Roman Catholic Church on the Education Resources Committee. Mr Mulligan had indicated that he would be stepping down from that position and a replacement nomination had been sought. Ms Angela Milton had been nominated as the Roman Catholic Church’s representative on the Education Resources Committee. The Committee decided: that the appointment of Ms Angela Milton as the nominated religious representative from the Roman Catholic Church be confirmed. [Reference: Minutes of 7 August 2024 (Paragraph 12)] 8 Appointment of Trustee to South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Board A report dated 17 September 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on the appointment of a trustee to the South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) Board. Following a recent retiral, there was a vacancy for a trustee who was not an elected member/officer of the Council, or a trade union representative. In line with the constitution and existing SLLC governance arrangements, as outlined in the report, Dr Gordon Jack had been recommended by the Nominations Committee for appointment. Notification had also been received of the resignations of Councillors Anderson, Cowan and Lambie and replacement nominations had been sought, with none received. The Committee decided: (1) that the approval to the appointment of Dr Gordon Jack as a trustee to the South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Board be confirmed; (2) that the resignations of Councillors Anderson, Cowan and Lambie be noted; and (3) that it be noted that no nominations were received to fill the vacant positions. [Reference: Minutes of South Lanarkshire Council of 15 June 2022 (Paragraph 9)] 9 Amendments to Memberships of Committees etc. A report dated 23 September 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on a proposed change to the membership of the Planning Committee and the Planning Local Review Body. Following a request received from the Business Manager of the SNP Group on 23 September 2024, it was proposed that Councillor Johnston-Dempsey replace Councillor Frame on the Planning Committee and the Planning Local Review Body. The Committee decided: that Councillor Johnston-Dempsey replace Councillor Frame on the Planning Committee and the Planning Local Review Body. 8
Page 9
10 Council’s Approach to Impact Assessments A report dated 5 September 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on the Council’s approach to impact assessments. At its meeting on 7 August 2024, the Committee agreed to adopt an integrated impact assessment (IIA) approach due to the number of impact assessments that public authorities were subject to in Scotland. A summary of the different types of impact assessments that the Council might need to undertake was provided in Appendix 1 to the report. The proposed form of IIA that the Council would use was attached as Appendix 2 to the report. This had been subject to a peer review by an external law firm to ensure it was fit for purpose and training would be arranged for elected members on the new integrated approach. The Council’s committee report template would be amended accordingly, and impact assessments would be published on the Council’s website, with a link provided in the relevant committee report. Officers responded to members’ questions in relation to:- staff expertise/training best practice mitigating travel implications on the environment The Committee decided: (1) that the report be noted; and (2) that the proposed form of integrated impact assessment that the Council would use, as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report, be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 7 August 2024 (Paragraph 11)] 11 Urgent Business There were no items of urgent business. 9
Page 10
10
Page 11
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Revenue Budget Monitoring for Period 7 - 1 April 2024 to 4 October 2024 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] advise Committee of the forecast for the year to 31 March 2025 for the Council’s General Fund Revenue Account and Housing Revenue Account, and the actual spend position for the period 1 April 2024 to 4 October 2024 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Executive Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the projected break-even position on the General Fund Revenue Account for 2024/2025, and the actual spend as at 4 October 2024 (section 4 and Appendix 1), be noted; (2) that the position on the 2024/2025 Early Outturn (sections 4.7 to 4.10) be noted; and (3) that the projected break-even position on the Housing Revenue Account for 2024/2025, and the actual spend as at 4 October 2024 (section 5 and Appendix 2 of the report), be noted. 3. Background 3.1. This overview report will summarise the projected outturn for 2024/2025 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 4 October 2024. 4. General Services 2024/2025 Projected Outturn as at 4 October 2024 4.1. As at 4 October 2024, the projected outturn position for 2024/2025 on the General Services budget is break-even (Appendix 1). 4.2. Section 4.3 onwards provides detail on a number of key budget areas. 4.3. Teacher Numbers: As previously reported, in relation to 2024/2025, the Council has received notification that the allocation of funding for teacher numbers of £145.5 million for 2024/2025 will be distributed via Specific Resource Grants, and those grants will be conditional on councils agreeing at the outset to maintain teacher numbers. Our share of the £145.5 million funding is £9.379 million. The Scottish Government has indicated that it will consider mitigations presented by councils for reducing teacher numbers, but it will not be known if mitigations will be acceptable until much later in the year. 3 11
Page 12
4.4. The Scottish Government have responded to communication from Council officers continuing to reiterate that any mitigations would be considered on a case-by-case basis, but they will not be in a position to agree any mitigations in advance of the teacher number census publication (December 2024). This position was reiterated by Scottish Government officials at a meeting with Council officers on 27 August 2024. At the meeting, officers explained the Council’s various mitigations in detail, and undertook to provide these in writing to the Scottish Government to provide context to the census information when this is complete. 4.5. The initial submission of the teachers’ census position has been submitted, but a response from the Scottish Government remains outstanding at this time. The final position is expected to be reported early December 2024. 4.6. Employers Pension Contribution Increase (Teachers): As advised previously, on 1 April 2024, the Council’s pension contribution for Teachers’ Pensions was increased from 23% to 26% of basic pay. The cost to the Council is an estimated £5.5 million. The Scottish Government has agreed to provide the related consequentials. Latest information from Cosla suggests that the final figure will be confirmed imminently for 2024/2025 and on a recurring basis to support the increase in employer contributions to teachers’ pensions. It has been agreed that 2024 teacher numbers are used for the distribution of this funding, as this most accurately represents the SNCT workforce population across local government. This funding will be paid as a redetermination to the General Revenue Grant in March 2025. 2024/2025 Early Outturn 4.7. 2024/2025 Pay Award: The Council’s Budget for 2024/2025 included an initial pay award assumption for non-teachers from 1 April 2024 and for teachers from mid- August 2024. This was augmented by the UK Government Consequentials monies (£3.7 million) which were set aside for pay awards. The pay award for 2024/2025 has now been implemented and the cost of the award can be managed within the pay assumptions for 2024/2025. As we prepare for the 2025/2026 Budget and Pay Award, the in-year (2024/2025) Consequentials funding of £3.6 million will be set aside to contribute to the 2025/2026 Pay Award costs. This is included in a further report to this Committee (2025/2026 Revenue Budget Gap and Savings). 4.8. Utilities: As noted in June 2024, recent information has suggested a downward trend in utilities’ prices into 2024/2025 and this allowed a benefit to the 2025/2026 Strategy of an estimated £2.000 million as at 2024/2025. The Council is a member of the buying consortium who purchase wholesale energy in advance, on behalf of ourselves and other public sector bodies. This will materialise as an in-year underspend. 4.9. Council Tax: The Council Tax Budget for 2024/2025 assumed the impact of new build properties during 2023/2024 and an estimate into 2024/2025. Given the current economic climate, and the potential risk that development would not progress as originally anticipated, the budget estimates included a prudent assumption on development numbers, and also that the arrears collection would not continue at the current levels. An early outturn has been completed on the 2024/2025 Council Tax budget. This is showing an estimated over-recovery of Council Tax income of £3.3 million for 2024/2025. This reflects an even better level of arrears collection than previously experienced, and also shows an increase in property numbers over and above the budgeted level. This will materialise as an in-year underspend. 12
Page 13
4.10. The total underspend in relation to this early outturn work is £5.9 million. While these figures are significant, it is acknowledged that at the time of writing, neither the UK Government nor the Scottish Government Budgets have been released for 2025/2026. As a consequence, the Council has no certainty on its financial settlement for 2025/2026. The Council will not know its financial Settlement for 2025/2026 until after the UK Government and then the Scottish Government budget is set with the Settlement itself due to be received by the Council on 12 December 2024. This is a significant risk area in terms of the Budget Strategy and as a result, it is proposed that no action is taken regarding the 2024/2025 one-off underspends, and that instead, these are considered alongside the Settlement when it is received in mid-December 2024. Members will be updated on the impact of the Settlement in January 2025. 4.11. Transfers from Capital: The Budget in Appendix 1 includes a £1.000 million transfer from the Capital Programme for the Private Housing Scheme of Assistance project. Following a review of the spend, it has been identified that it cannot be classed as Capital. Therefore, it is proposed that budget of £1.000 million will be transferred to Housing and Technical Resource’s Revenue budget. This is an accounting transaction only. The total overall budget for the project remains the same. 4.12. Similarly, a review of the capital programme for Planned Asset Management is ongoing to determine how much of this expenditure can be classed appropriately as Capital. Any required transfer to Revenue will be included in the next report. 5. Housing Revenue Account Projected Outturn Position as at 4 October 2024 5.1. As at 4 October 2024, Appendix 2 of the report shows a projected break-even 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. 13
Page 14
10. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 10.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and, therefore, no impact assessment is required. 10.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 14 October 2024 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 4 October 2024 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 14
Page 15
Note: While the Year to Date Actual at period 7 presents a net surplus position (£19.545m), this is timing only. The forecast outturn shows break-even for the year. Appendix 1 Revised Projected Projected % Note Year to Date Annual Outturn Outturn Actual Budget Variance Resources: £m £m £m £m Community and Enterprise Resources 126.170 126.170 0.000 0.00% 60.552 Facilities Waste and Grounds 77.307 77.144 0.163 0.21% 36.452 Leisure and Culture 21.738 21.750 (0.012) (0.06%) 13.204 Planning and Regulatory Services 4.659 4.464 0.195 4.19% 1.809 Enterprise and Sustainable Development 5.874 5.803 0.071 1.21% 3.105 Roads, Transportation and Fleet 16.592 17.009 (0.417) (2.51%) 5.982 Education Resources 463.729 463.729 0.000 0.00% 241.755 Education 463.729 463.729 0.000 0.00% 241.755 Finance and Corporate Resources 39.566 39.566 0.000 0.00% 27.321 Finance Services - Strategy 1.851 2.011 (0.160) (8.64%) 1.705 Finance Services - Transactions 17.684 17.501 0.183 1.03% 9.923 Audit and Compliance Services 0.318 0.304 0.014 4.40% 0.270 Information Technology Services 6.852 6.888 (0.036) (0.53%) 8.957 Communications and Strategy Services 2.575 2.496 0.079 3.07% 1.572 Administration and Licensing Services 4.048 4.086 (0.038) (0.94%) 2.130 Personnel Services 6.238 6.280 (0.042) (0.67%) 2.764 Housing & Technical Resources 14.390 14.390 0.000 0.00% 25.146 Housing Services 8.767 8.705 0.062 0.71% 5.682 Property Services 5.623 5.685 (0.062) (1.10%) 19.464 Social Work Resources 235.200 235.200 0.000 0.00% 113.884 Performance and Support Services 5.806 5.727 0.079 1.36% 2.543 Children and Families 48.199 48.687 (0.488) (1.01%) 22.747 Adults and Older People 180.460 180.460 0.000 0.00% 88.400 Justice and Substance Misuse 0.735 0.326 0.409 55.65% 0.194 Joint Boards 1.902 1.902 0.000 0.00% 1.024 880.957 880.957 0.000 0.00% 469.682 Revised Projected Projected Year to Date Annual Outturn Outturn Actual Budget Variance Summary: £m £m £m £m Resources Total 880.957 880.957 0.000 0.00% 469.682 CFCR 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Loan Charges 39.589 39.589 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Corporate Items 12.880 12.880 0.000 0.00% 0.567 Employers Contribution - T/f to Reserves 22.965 22.965 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Investments - 23-24 T/f to Reserves 0.325 0.325 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Total Expenditure 956.716 956.716 0.000 0.00% 470.249 Council Tax 181.587 181.587 0.000 0.00% 97.778 Less: Council Tax Reduction Scheme (23.544) (23.544) 0.000 0.00% (12.678) 158.043 158.043 0.000 0.00% 85.100 General Revenue Grant 386.662 386.662 0.000 0.00% 208.203 Non Domestic Rates 364.911 364.911 0.000 0.00% 196.491 Transfer from Reserves 47.100 47.100 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Total Income 956.716 956.716 0.000 0.00% 489.794 Net Expenditure 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.00% (19.545) Period Ended 4 October 2024 (No.7) Revenue Budget Monitoring Report SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL 15
Page 16
Appendix 2 Revised Projected Projected Year to Date Annual Outturn Outturn % Note Actual Budget Variance Budget Category £m £m £m £m Employee Costs 13.782 14.163 (0.381) (2.76%) 1 6.899 Property Costs 60.703 60.251 0.452 0.74% 2 28.749 Supplies and Services 1.543 1.543 0.000 0.00% 0.303 Transport and Plant 0.195 0.175 0.020 10.26% 0.068 Administration 5.594 5.594 0.000 0.00% 0.224 Payment to Other Bodies 2.975 2.932 0.043 1.45% 1.074 Payment to Contractors 0.100 0.100 0.000 0.00% 0.127 Transfer Payments 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.00% 0.000 Financing Charges 33.573 33.573 0.000 0.00% 0.003 Total Controllable Exp. 118.465 118.331 0.134 0.11% 37.447 Total Controllable Inc. (123.397) (123.250) (0.147) 0.12% 3 (54.584) Transfer to/(from) Balance Sheet (4.229) (3.511) (0.718) 16.98% 0.000 Net Controllable Exp. (9.161) (8.430) (0.731) 7.98% (17.137) Loan Charges 9.161 8.430 0.731 7.98% 0.000 Net Controllable Exp. 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.00% (17.137) Variance Explanations 1. The forecast overspnd in Employee Costs relates to the backfill arrangements for seconded staff to Projects. 2. The forecast underspend in Property Costs reflects the lower than budgeted Bad Debt write off, partially offset by an overspend on Repairs and Maintenance. 3. The under-recovery of income is due to lower than budgeted laundry charges. Virements None. SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Period Ended 4 October 2024 (No.7) Housing Revenue Account 16
Page 17
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Capital Budget 2024/2025 and Monitoring for Period 7 - 1 April 2024 to 4 October 2024 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- urpose] update the Executive Committee of progress on the General Fund Capital Programme and the Housing Capital Programme for the period 1 April 2024 to 4 October 2024 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the position of the General Fund Capital Programme (Appendices 1 to 3) and the Housing Capital Programme (Appendix 4) as at 4 October 2024, 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 4 October 2024 (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. 2024/2025 Budget: The revised programme for the General Fund is £76.792 million. 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 2 October 2024. 4 17
Page 18
4.2. In addition, the total programme of £76.792 million also includes proposed adjustments contained at Appendix 1 which reflect lower budget required in the current year for the Leisure and Transformation Fund projects to align with the profile of expenditure across financial years (£4.900 million). It also includes an adjustment for the Secondary Schools expansion project to reflect the revised timescales of works (£4.711 million) and similarly, for the Larkhall Leisure Centre project to reflect the anticipated timing of expenditure (£1.027 million). 4.3. Transfers to Revenue: In addition to the adjustments noted at Section 4.2, the revised programme of £76.792 million also reflects a £1.000 million transfer to the Revenue Budget for the Private Housing Scheme of Assistance project. To reflect Accounting Regulations, this spend cannot be classed as Capital. Therefore, it is proposed that budget of £1.000 million will be transferred to Housing and Technical Resource’s Revenue budget. 4.4. Capital expenditure can be funded by Revenue monies, however, Revenue spend cannot be paid for from Capital funding. The Council’s Capital programme includes funding that can be used for Revenue spend. We are therefore able to move funding between the Capital and Revenue Programmes and deliver the project as planned. This is an accounting transaction only. 4.5. Similarly, the 2024/2025 capital programme includes an allocation of £4.300 million for Planned Asset Management. A review of this programme of works is ongoing and will determine how much of this expenditure can be classed appropriately as Capital. This will be included in the next report. Regardless of the split, the total overall budget for Planned Asset Management, across Capital and Revenue will remain at £4.300 million. 4.6. The overall programme movement is detailed in Appendix 2. 4.7. Nature Restoration Fund: The Scottish Government had advised that Nature Restoration Fund monies previously earmarked for 2024/2025 would be used to fund the Local Government Pay Award in that year. There was uncertainty regarding whether these monies would be received in 2025/2026. Recent correspondence has confirmed receipt of Nature Restoration Fund funding next year and on that basis, we would look to maximise spend in 2024/2025 on the basis we will get the money back in 2025/2026. 4.8. 2024/2025 Forecast: As noted in 4.1, the total capital spending programme for the year is £76.792 million (see Appendix 3). 4.9. Appendix 3 also shows a forecast for the financial year of £76.792 million. 4.10. 2024/2025 Actual Position: Actual spend incurred to the 4 October 2024 totals £17.581 million. 4.11. Actual funding received to 4 October 2024 is £45.336 million. This is shown in Appendix 3. Relevant officers will continue to closely monitor the generation of all income. 18
Page 19
5. Housing Programme 5.1. 2024/2025 Budget: Appendix 4 summarises the position on the Housing Programme as at 4 October 2024. The revised capital programme for the year is £77.248 million, as approved by the Executive Committee on 2 October 2024. Programmed funding for the year also totals £77.248 million. The funding sources are also detailed in Appendix 4. 5.2. 2024/2024 Forecast: As noted in 5.1, the total capital spending programme for the year is £77.248 million. Current estimates from Housing and Technical Resources have identified an outturn of £72.106 million for the year. 5.3. Affordable Housing Supply Programme: The Scottish Government have confirmed an additional £1.724 million in Resource Planning Assumption (RPA) for 2024/2025. The total allocation of £24.558m is for both the Council and Registered Social Landlords (RSL) projects in 2024/2025. As a result of the element allocated to RSLs as grant for projects, £0.324m of this is additional funding for the Council. 5.4. The Affordable Housing budget for 2024/2025 is £43.742 million. The current estimated outturn for the financial year is £38.600 million, an underspend of £5.142 million. This is a result of delays in site starts at Cairnswell Avenue, Cambuslang and Brackenhill Farm, Hamilton. In addition, the average purchase price for properties purchased through the Market Purchase Scheme has reduced reflecting the current size of properties. 5.5. Given the estimated outturn for the year, the budget will not be increased by the additional £0.324 million of Scottish Government funding. Instead, the total allocation of Scottish Government Grant will be claimed in full this financial year (including the additional £0.324 million noted above), with the underspend reflected in the lower level of borrowing required. Opportunities continue to be explored to utilise the uncommitted £5.142m in the current programme. Any Council funding not utilised in year (borrowing) will carry forward into the next financial year. 5.6. 2024/2025 Actual Position: Spend to 4 October 2024 on the Housing Capital Programme amounts to £22.439 million. 5.7. As at 4 October 2024, £22.439 million of funding had been received. 5.8. Regular monitoring of both the General Fund Programme and the Housing Programme will be carried out in detail by the Financial Resources Scrutiny Forum and reported on a regular basis to the Executive Committee. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. None 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. 19
Page 20
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. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 9.1 This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to existing policy, function, or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 9.2. There was also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 23 October 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References Executive Committee, 2 October 2024 List of Background Papers Capital Ledger prints to 4 October 2024 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 20
Page 21
APPENDIX 1 (page 1) Proposed Adjustments Community and Enterprise Resource McKirdy Park Approval is sought to increase the 2024/2025 capital programme by £0.252 million for the redevelopment of McKirdy Park including play area, community garden and outdoor gym. The funding package is comprised as follows: Renewable Energy Fund (£0.101m) Broken Cross Community Benefit (£0.055m) Cumberhead Wind Farm Community Benefit (£0.020m) Kype Muir Community Benefit (£0.025m) Lesmahagow Development Trust (£0.040m) Auchrobert Community Energy Society (£0.003m) Lesmahagow Community Council (£0.0005m) MyPark Scotland Public Fundraising (£0.008m) Larkhall Leisure Centre The 2024/2025 includes budget of £1.742 million to be spent this financial year on Larkhall Leisure Centre. Meetings with Hub South West have identified forecast expenditure of £0.715 million on this project by end of March 2025. Approval is therefore sought to slip £1.027 million into financial year 2025/2026 to reflect the timescales for this project. Place Based Investment Funding 2024/25 Funding from the Scottish Government of £0.589 million has been confirmed for the next phase of the Place Based Investment Programme. The purpose of this funding is to support existing projects where commitments are in place, and the following projects have been agreed with the Scottish Government to use the funding in 2024/2025: Discover Lanark Outdoor Space: The project in conjunction with Lanark BID will create a high-quality outdoor seating area in Lanark to support a vibrant and attractive town centre. Coalyard: Town Centre Social Housing development bringing much needed development to the town centre and improving town centre living. Approval is therefore sought to increase the 2024/2025 Capital Programme by £0.589 million for these projects. City Deal – Secondary Schools Work on the expansion proposals for the secondary schools is ongoing with Hub South West. The target programme for the projects is for a construction start in summer 2025 with only early design work required in 2024/2025. Approval is therefore sought to slip £4.711 million into financial year 2025/2026 to reflect the revised timescales of these projects. £0.252m (£1.027m) £0.589m (£4.711m) 21
Page 22
The reduction to the current year programme is spilt between budget held in the City Deal programme (£3.458 million) and Education Resources (£1.253 million). In addition, internal adaptation/reconfiguration works at Stonelaw High School are being planned, to create 3 classrooms for the new school year in August 2025. Approval is therefore sought to increase the 2024/2025 Capital Programme by £0.400m, utilising Developers Contributions, and slip £0.350m of this into financial year 2025/2026 to reflect the delivery timescales for the project. Leisure and Culture Transformation Fund An initial programme of works totalling £8.4 million have been identified for phase 1. The current estimate of expenditure during 2024/2025 is £3.5 million on works and direct purchases by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture. Approval is therefore sought to slip £4.9 million into financial year 2025/2026 to reflect the revised profile of expenditure across financial years. £0.400m (£0.350m) (£4.900m) Education Resources Universal Free School Meals 2024/25 Funding from the Scottish Government of £0.332 million has been confirmed to support the phased expansion of free school meals in primary schools. The purpose of this funding is to support school infrastructure, including school catering and dining, ahead of further expansion of free lunches for primary school children. Approval is therefore sought to increase the 2024/2025 Capital Programme by £0.332 million. Law Primary School Nursery Expansion Approval is sought to increase the 2024/2025 capital programme by £0.200 million for the adaptation of Law Primary School and School Nursery to increase nursery registration numbers. The funding for this project will come from a Developers Contribution from the Clydesdale area. £0.332m £0.200m TOTAL ADJUSTMENTS (£9.215m) 22
Page 23
APPENDIX 2 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2024/25 GENERAL FUND PROGRAMME FOR PERIOD 1 APRIL 2024 TO 4 OCTOBER 2024 £m Total Base Budget (including carry forward from 2023/2024) 87.007 Transfers to Revenue – Sections 4.3-4.5 (1.000) Proposed Adjustments – Period 7 (9.215) Total Revised Budget 76.792 2024/25 Budget Period 7 Proposed Adjustments Revised 2024/25 Budget Resource £m £m £m Community & Enterprise 62.223 (8.544) 53.679 Education 9.042 (0.671) 8.371 Finance & Corporate 3.086 - 3.086 Housing & Technical 11.629 (1.000) 10.629 Social Work 1.027 - 1.027 TOTAL CAPITAL PROGRAMME 87.007 (10.215) 76.792 23
Page 24
APPENDIX 3 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2024/25 GENERAL FUND PROGRAMME FOR PERIOD 1 APRIL 2024 TO 4 OCTOBER 2024 2024/25 Original Estimate inc C/F 2024/25 Revised Budget 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 Forecast Variance 2024/25 Actual to 04/10/24 Expenditure £m £m £m £m £m General Fund Programme 73.850 76.792 76.792 - 17.581 Income 2024/25 Budget 2024/25 Revised Budget 2024/25 Actual To 04/10/24 £m £m £m Prudential Borrowing 32.564 23.251 23.251 Developers Contributions 8.800 7.836 0.000 Partners (Including Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisaton Fund, Cycling Scotland, Transport Scotland and REF / Wind Farms) 0.958 5.233 0.446 Scottish Government: - Capital Grant 20.156 22.278 12.465 - Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes (now included in General Capital Grant) 1.440 0.000 0.000 - Road Safety Improvement 0.000 0.497 0.000 - Vacant and Derelict Land 1.793 1.793 1.368 - Regeneration Capital Grant 2.170 2.170 0.997 - Place Based Investment Programme - Universal Free School Meals 0.727 0.000 1.056 0.332 0.727 Shared Prosperity Fund 2.645 2.649 0.000 Levelling Up Fund 0.000 7.400 2.839 Capital Receipts 1.340 1.340 2.286 Specific Reserves 1.257 0.957 0.957 Revenue Contribution 0.000 0.000 0.000 TOTAL FUNDING 73.850 76.792 45.336 24
Page 25
APPENDIX 4 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2024/25 HOUSING PROGRAMME FOR PERIOD 1 APRIL 2024 TO 4 OCTOBER 2024 2024/25 Annual Budget 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 Forecast Variance 2024/25 Actual to 04/10/24 £m £m £m £m Expenditure 2024/25 Budget 77.248 72.106 - 22.439 2024/25 Annual Budget 2024/25 Actual to 04/10/24 £m £m Income Capital Receipts 0.000 0.265 Capital Receipts – Land Sales 0.000 0.000 Capital Funded from Current Revenue 33.506 13.815 Prudential Borrowing 23.677 2.563 Scottish Government Specific Grant: - New Build 16.945 5.311 - Open Market Purchase Scheme 3.000 0.000 - Mortgage to Rent 0.120 0.263 Other Income 0.000 0.222 77.248 22.439 25
Page 26
26
Page 27
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 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 (2 October 2024) [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the additional funding totalling £5.839 million, detailed in appendices 1 and 2, 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 appendices 1 and 2 of the report. The report details additional funding that has been reported by Resources as part of the additional resources’ notification process, as well as any additional funding that has increased the Council’s budget by more than £0.100 million. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. None. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. Additional Revenue funding of £0.218 million has been identified for 2024/2025. This is detailed in Appendix 1. 5.2. Additional Capital funding of £5.621 million has been identified for 2024/2025. This is detailed in Appendix 2. 5.3. The total additional funding is therefore, £5.839 million and Resource budgets will be updated to reflect this additional funding as required. Where appropriate, details of spending plans will be presented to Resource Committees for approval. 5 27
Page 28
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) 18 October 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References Executive Committee, 2 October 2024 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 28
Page 29
Appendix 1 Additional Revenue Funding Resource Description 2024/20 25 £m Total £m Method Housing and Technical Ukrainian Resettlement – Support for local authority resettlement teams – Funding allocation 2024-2025 – Year 3 Funding is to support integration of remaining Ukrainian cohorts with full closure of welcome accommodation in 2024-25. 0.218 0.218 Scottish Government TOTAL REVENUE FUNDING 0.218 0.218 29
Page 30
Appendix 2 Additional Capital Funding Resource Description 2024/2025 £m Total £m Method Education Free School Meal Expansion Programme To support the phased expansion of free school meals to those in receipt of Scottish Child Payment in Primary 6 and 7 from February 2025, as part of the free school meal expansion programme in primary schools. 0.332 0.332 Scottish Government Housing and Technical Place Based Investment Programme 2024/25 The funding will be used for: • Discover Lanark Outdoor Space – in conjunction with Lanark BID to create a high- quality outdoor seating area in Lanark. • Coalyard - Town Centre Social Housing development. 0.589 0.589 Scottish Government Housing and Technical Heat & Energy Efficient Scotland – Area Based Schemes 2024/25 The funding is to help councils develop and deliver fuel poverty programmes (mainly solid wall insulation) in parts of their area with high levels of fuel poverty. 2.976 2.976 Scottish Government Housing and Technical Affordable Housing Supply Programme 2024-25 The uplift in RPA should be directed towards acquisitions to help address temporary accommodation pressures or, where appropriate, to bring long term voids back into use. 1.724 1.724 Scottish Government TOTAL CAPITAL FUNDING 5.621 5.621 30
Page 31
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Employee Workforce Monitoring Information - April to September 2024 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 to September 2024 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the following employment information for April to September 2024 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 as at 14 September 2024 [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 April to September 2024. 4. Attendance Statistics 4.1. Information on absence statistics for April to September 2024 for the Council and each Resource is provided in Appendices 1 – 8. Points to note are:- the Council’s average absence rate for April to September 2024 is 5.1%, an increase of 0.4% when compared to the previous year the APT&C average absence rate for April to September 2024 is 5.2%, an increase of 0.4% when compared to the previous year the teaching staff average absence rate for April to September 2024 is 2.5%, an increase of 0.2% when compared with the previous year the manual workers’ average absence rate for April to September 2024 is 7.3%, an increase of 0.7% when compared with the previous year 6 31
Page 32
A comparison of April to September 2024 to April to September 2023 (Appendix 8) showed:- psychological and musculoskeletal conditions are the main reasons for absence total days lost due to musculoskeletal conditions have decreased by 132 days total days lost due to psychological conditions have increased by 467 days total days lost due to stomach, bowel, blood and metabolic disorders have increased by 2,516 days total days lost due to respiratory conditions have increased by 1,494 days 5. Occupational Health 5.1. Information on Occupational Health for the period April to September 2024 is provided in Appendix 9. musculoskeletal and psychological conditions were the main reasons for medical referrals, this remains unchanged from the previous year a total of 788 employees were referred for a medical examination and when compared to the previous year this represents an increase of 130 employees being referred a total of 965 employees attended physiotherapy treatment, which is an increase of 11 when compared to the previous year. Of the 965 employees referred, 73% remained at work whilst undertaking treatment 786 employees were referred to the Employee Support Officer, a decrease of 26 when compared to the previous year. Of those referrals made during the period, 89% related to personal issues 324 referrals were made for counselling, this represents an overall increase of 19 when compared with the same period last year a total of 25 employees were referred for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, an increase of 15 when compared to the same period last year 6. Accidents/Incidents 6.1. The accident/incident report for the period April to September 2024 is contained in Appendix 10. During July and August there was a lag in reporting due to the transition to Oracle Fusion and this is accounts for the lower number of accidents / incidents recorded:- the number of accidents/incidents recorded for the period was 495 during the period there were 4 specified injuries/incidents during the period there were 466 minor accidents/incidents during the period the number of over 3 days injuries recorded were 7 during the period the number of accidents resulting in an absence lasting over 7 days recorded was 18 Due to a changeover in systems, data input has been delayed, therefore, comparisons to last year is not possible. 32
Page 33
7. Discipline, Grievance, Dignity at Work 7.1. Information on Disciplinary, Grievance Hearings and Dignity at Work for the period April to September 2024 is contained in Appendices 11,12 & 12b:- during the period, a total of 71 disciplinary hearings were held across Resources within the Council which represents an increase of 2 when compared to April to September 2023. Action was taken in 60 of these cases and there were 2 Resource appeals raised against the outcome; these were not upheld the target is to convene disciplinary hearings within 6 weeks. During the period 72% of hearings met this target during the period, 6 appeals were submitted to the Appeals Panel; 2 were upheld in part, 1 was not upheld and 3 were withdrawn at the end of September 2024, no Appeals Panels were pending overall, 5 grievances were raised during the period, an increase of 5 when compared with the same period last year. 2 were resolved and 3 are currently still in process there were 10 dignity at work incidents raised this period, an increase of 5 when compared with the same period last year. 1 was resolved and 9 are currently still in process. during the period 4 referrals for mediation were submitted, this figure is unchanged when compared with the previous year 8. Employee Development 8.1. Information on Employee Development for the period April to June 2024 is contained in Appendices 13 and 13a. As the report for retrieving training statistics from Oracle Fusion is currently being developed, data for the period July to September 2024 is not yet available:- 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 3,227 attendances at classroom learning and development events. There were also 507 attendances at virtual classroom learning and development events as Learn on Line continues to develop, employees have successfully completed 27,512 e-learning packages covering a wide variety of subjects 9. Labour Turnover/Analysis of Leavers and Exit Interviews 9.1. Information on the number of leavers and exit interviews for the period April to September 2024 is contained in Appendix 14. Exit interviews are conducted with leavers who leave voluntarily. The Council’s labour turnover figure for April to September 2023 is 4.8% and this figure has decreased by 0.3% when compared to the same period last year. 9.2. Analysis of Leavers and Exit Interviews during April to September 2024 there were 359 leavers eligible for an exit interview 46 exit interviews for were held during April to September 2024 Given the transition to the new Fusion system, exit interview data continues to be collated and updated for this period. 33
Page 34
10. Recruitment Monitoring 10.1. Information on Recruitment Monitoring for the period April to September 2024 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 is an increase of 4% when compared with April to September 2023 of the 177 applicants who declared themselves as disabled, 67 were shortleeted for interview and 8 were appointed of the 601 applicants from a black/ethnic background, 106 were shortleeted for interview and 14 were appointed of the 30 applicants who declared themselves as a Veteran, 9 were shortleeted for interview and 1 was appointed 11. Staffing Watch 11.1. Details of the number of employees in post at 14 September 2024 are contained in Appendix 16. There were 15,726 employees in post as at 14 September 2024 compared to 15,242 as at 9 September 2023, an increase of 484 employees. 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) 23 October 2024 34
Page 35
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 22 November 2023 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 35
Page 36
2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 5.2 5.2 5.2 April 2.7 2.8 2.9 April 8.8 7.0 7.3 April 5.6 5.1 5.2 May 5.0 5.1 5.4 May 3.6 3.2 3.0 May 7.6 6.2 7.1 May 5.4 5.1 5.3 June 5.0 4.9 5.3 June 2.6 2.2 2.8 June 8.1 6.5 7.2 June 5.3 4.7 5.2 July 4.5 4.0 4.3 July 1.4 1.1 1.0 July 7.4 5.8 6.3 July 4.6 3.8 4.1 August 4.3 4.2 4.6 August 1.4 1.3 1.9 August 7.4 6.2 7.5 August 4.4 4.1 4.7 September 5.2 5.2 6.2 September 2.8 2.9 3.5 September 8.0 7.6 8.3 September 5.4 5.3 6.1 October 5.7 5.2 October 3.4 2.7 October 8.1 7.1 October 5.8 5.1 November 6.3 6.1 November 4.7 4.3 November 8.6 8.1 November 6.5 6.2 December 6.7 6.7 December 5.3 4.8 December 8.9 7.8 December 7.0 6.6 January 5.2 5.8 January 4.3 4.8 January 8.0 7.8 January 5.8 6.1 February 5.7 6.3 February 4.1 4.9 February 7.9 8.0 February 5.9 6.4 March 6.2 6.3 March 4.6 4.1 March 8.3 8.1 March 6.4 6.3 Annual Average 5.4 5.4 5.6 Annual Average 3.4 3.3 3.4 Annual Average 8.1 7.2 7.6 Annual Average 5.7 5.4 5.6 Average Apr-Sep 4.9 4.8 5.2 Average Apr-Sep 2.4 2.3 2.5 Average Apr-Sep 7.9 6.6 7.3 Average Apr-Sep 5.1 4.7 5.1 7363 4036 4452 15851 Appendix 1 Absence Trends - 2022/2023, 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 Council Wide APT&C Teachers No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 Manual Workers Council Wide No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 36
Page 37
2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 4.4 3.6 3.2 April 7.3 6.3 6.8 April 6.9 6.0 6.3 April 5.6 5.1 5.2 May 3.9 3.7 3.1 May 6.8 6.3 6.3 May 6.3 5.9 5.9 May 5.4 5.1 5.3 June 3.5 4.3 4.1 June 7.2 5.9 6.4 June 6.7 5.7 6.0 June 5.3 4.7 5.2 July 3.9 2.3 3.8 July 5.9 4.6 4.5 July 5.6 4.3 4.4 July 4.6 3.8 4.1 August 3.4 3.0 3.4 August 6.6 5.2 6.2 August 6.1 4.9 5.7 August 4.4 4.1 4.7 September 3.1 2.5 3.8 September 7.9 7.1 7.5 September 7.1 6.4 6.9 September 5.4 5.3 6.1 October 5.1 2.0 October 7.5 7.0 October 7.1 6.3 October 5.8 5.1 November 4.2 2.6 November 8.3 8.1 November 7.7 7.3 November 6.5 6.2 December 3.7 3.0 December 8.8 7.5 December 8.0 6.8 December 7.0 6.6 January 2.6 3.6 January 7.4 7.4 January 6.7 6.9 January 5.8 6.1 February 3.6 4.0 February 7.4 7.8 February 6.9 7.2 February 5.9 6.4 March 3.9 3.2 March 7.9 7.9 March 7.3 7.2 March 6.4 6.3 Annual Average 3.8 3.2 3.3 Annual Average 7.4 6.8 7.0 Annual Average 6.9 6.2 6.4 Annual Average 5.7 5.4 5.6 Average Apr-Sep 3.7 3.2 3.6 Average Apr-Sep 7.0 5.9 6.3 Average Apr-Sep 6.5 5.5 5.9 Average Apr-Sep 5.1 4.7 5.1 585 2876 3461 15851 Appendix 2 Absence Trends - 2022/2023, 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 Community and Enterprise Resources APT&C Council WideManual Workers Resource Total No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 37
Page 38
2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 5.5 5.0 5.4 April 2.7 2.8 2.9 April 4.0 3.8 4.0 April 5.6 5.1 5.2 May 5.5 5.4 6.0 May 3.6 3.2 3.0 May 4.5 4.2 4.4 May 5.4 5.1 5.3 June 5.1 4.8 5.5 June 2.6 2.2 2.8 June 3.7 3.4 4.1 June 5.3 4.7 5.2 July 3.8 3.4 3.2 July 1.4 1.1 1.0 July 2.5 2.2 2.0 July 4.6 3.8 4.1 August 3.6 4.0 3.9 August 1.4 1.3 1.9 August 2.4 2.5 2.8 August 4.4 4.1 4.7 September 5.8 5.9 6.6 September 2.8 2.9 3.5 September 4.1 4.3 4.9 September 5.4 5.3 6.1 October 6.5 5.5 October 3.4 2.7 October 4.8 4.0 October 5.8 5.1 November 7.9 7.1 November 4.7 4.3 November 6.2 5.6 November 6.5 6.2 December 8.5 8.1 December 5.3 4.8 December 6.8 6.3 December 7.0 6.6 January 6.1 6.6 January 4.3 4.8 January 5.1 5.6 January 5.8 6.1 February 6.8 7.2 February 4.1 4.9 February 5.4 6.0 February 5.9 6.4 March 7.0 7.5 March 4.6 4.1 March 5.7 5.7 March 6.4 6.3 Annual Average 6.0 5.9 6.1 Annual Average 3.4 3.3 3.4 Annual Average 4.6 4.5 4.6 Annual Average 5.7 5.4 5.6 Average Apr-Sep 4.9 4.8 5.1 Average Apr-Sep 2.4 2.3 2.5 Average Apr-Sep 3.5 3.4 3.7 Average Apr-Sep 5.1 4.7 5.1 3303 4036 7339 15851No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 Appendix 3 Absence Trends - 2022/2023, 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 Education Resources Council WideAPT&C Teachers Resource Total 38
Page 39
2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 2.8 3.6 2.8 April 0.0 0.0 0.0 April 2.8 3.6 2.8 April 5.6 5.1 5.2 May 3.2 3.9 3.2 May 0.0 0.0 0.0 May 3.2 3.9 3.2 May 5.4 5.1 5.3 June 4.0 4.2 3.2 June 0.0 0.0 0.0 June 4.0 4.2 3.2 June 5.3 4.7 5.2 July 3.9 3.5 3.5 July 0.0 0.0 0.0 July 3.9 3.5 3.5 July 4.6 3.8 4.1 August 4.1 3.8 2.6 August 0.0 0.0 0.0 August 4.1 3.8 2.6 August 4.4 4.1 4.7 September 3.6 3.9 3.2 September 0.0 0.0 0.0 September 3.6 3.9 3.2 September 5.4 5.3 6.1 October 3.8 3.2 October 0.0 0.0 October 3.8 3.2 October 5.8 5.1 November 3.4 3.5 November 0.0 0.0 November 3.4 3.5 November 6.5 6.2 December 4.3 3.3 December 0.0 0.0 December 4.3 3.3 December 7.0 6.6 January 4.3 2.8 January 0.0 0.0 January 4.3 2.8 January 5.8 6.1 February 3.8 3.5 February 0.0 0.0 February 3.8 3.5 February 5.9 6.4 March 3.8 2.6 March 0.0 0.0 March 3.8 2.6 March 6.4 6.3 Annual Average 3.8 3.5 3.1 Annual Average 0.0 0.0 0.0 Annual Average 3.8 3.5 3.1 Annual Average 5.7 5.4 5.6 Average Apr-Sep 3.6 3.8 3.1 Average Apr-Sep 0.0 0.0 0.0 Average Apr-Sep 3.6 3.8 3.1 Average Apr-Sep 5.1 4.7 5.1 826 0 826 15851 Manual Workers No of Employees at 30 September 2024 Resource Total No of Employees at 30 September 2024 Appendix 4 Absence Trends - 2022/2023, 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 Finance and Corporate Resources No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 APT&C Council Wide 39
Page 40
2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 5.5 5.7 5.3 April 10.6 6.9 7.2 April 7.6 6.2 6.1 April 5.6 5.1 5.2 May 4.5 4.9 5.2 May 8.1 6.1 8.1 May 6.0 5.4 6.4 May 5.4 5.1 5.3 June 4.9 5.4 5.7 June 8.5 6.8 8.4 June 6.4 6.0 6.8 June 5.3 4.7 5.2 July 5.5 5.0 5.3 July 8.9 8.1 8.6 July 6.9 6.2 6.7 July 4.6 3.8 4.1 August 4.7 5.1 5.5 August 7.1 8.5 8.8 August 5.7 6.4 6.9 August 4.4 4.1 4.7 September 4.5 4.7 7.5 September 6.3 7.8 7.4 September 5.2 6.0 7.5 September 5.4 5.3 6.1 October 4.3 4.9 October 7.8 5.2 October 5.8 5.0 October 5.8 5.1 November 4.6 4.8 November 7.8 6.7 November 5.9 5.6 November 6.5 6.2 December 4.4 5.1 December 7.2 7.4 December 5.6 6.0 December 7.0 6.6 January 4.5 4.4 January 5.5 6.0 January 4.9 5.0 January 5.8 6.1 February 4.4 5.2 February 6.2 6.3 February 5.1 5.6 February 5.9 6.4 March 5.3 5.3 March 6.8 7.2 March 5.9 6.1 March 6.4 6.3 Annual Average 4.8 5.0 5.4 Annual Average 7.6 6.9 7.3 Annual Average 5.9 5.8 6.1 Annual Average 5.7 5.4 5.6 Average Apr-Sep 4.9 5.1 5.8 Average Apr-Sep 8.3 7.4 8.1 Average Apr-Sep 6.3 6.0 6.7 Average Apr-Sep 5.1 4.7 5.1 858 555 1413 15851No of Employees at 30 September 2024No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 Appendix 5 Housing & Technical Resources Resource Total Absence Trends - 2022/2023, 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 APT&C Manual Workers Council Wide 40
Page 41
2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 2022 / 2023 2023 / 2024 2024 / 2025 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 6.2 6.5 6.5 April 12.6 9.4 8.8 April 8.3 7.4 7.3 April 5.6 5.1 5.2 May 5.7 5.8 5.8 May 10.1 8.4 9.5 May 7.1 6.6 7.0 May 5.4 5.1 5.3 June 5.9 5.5 6.0 June 11.3 8.6 9.2 June 7.6 6.5 7.0 June 5.3 4.7 5.2 July 6.0 5.4 6.5 July 11.8 8.8 11.2 July 7.9 6.5 8.0 July 4.6 3.8 4.1 August 6.0 4.8 6.9 August 10.8 8.6 11.4 August 7.5 6.0 8.4 August 4.4 4.1 4.7 September 5.9 5.6 7.2 September 9.6 9.3 12.0 September 7.1 6.8 8.8 September 5.4 5.3 6.1 October 5.8 6.5 October 10.4 8.5 October 7.3 7.1 October 5.8 5.1 November 6.0 7.3 November 10.4 9.0 November 7.4 7.8 November 6.5 6.2 December 6.4 7.4 December 10.6 9.5 December 7.7 8.1 December 7.0 6.6 January 5.2 7.0 January 12.0 10.3 January 7.4 8.1 January 5.8 6.1 February 5.8 7.0 February 11.0 9.9 February 7.5 7.9 February 5.9 6.4 March 7.0 7.1 March 10.9 9.4 March 8.2 7.9 March 6.4 6.3 Annual Average 6.0 6.3 6.8 Annual Average 11.0 9.1 9.9 Annual Average 7.6 7.2 7.8 Annual Average 5.7 5.4 5.6 Average Apr-Sep 6.0 5.6 6.5 Average Apr-Sep 11.0 8.9 10.4 Average Apr-Sep 7.6 6.6 7.8 Average Apr-Sep 5.1 4.7 5.1 1791 1021 2812 15851No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 No of Employees at 30 September 2024 Appendix 6 Absence Trends - 2022/2023, 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 Social Work Resources APT&C Council WideResource TotalManual Workers 41
Page 42
Appendix 7 Community and Enterprise 1.8 4.1 5.9 Education 1.2 2.5 3.7 Finance and Corporate 1.2 1.9 3.1 Housing & Technical 1.9 4.8 6.7 Social Work 2.2 5.6 7.8 Council Overall for April - September 2024 1.6 3.5 5.1 Absence by Long and Short Term From: 1 April - 30 September 2024 Resource Total Absence % Total Short Term % Total Long Term %Resource April - September 2024 42
Page 43
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 Reason Total Work Days Lost % of Work Days Lost Psychological 31355 35 Musculoskeletal 21317 24 Stomach, blood, bowel and metabolic 8015 9 Respiratory 9381 10 Others 20205 22 Total Days Lost 90273 100 Appendix 8 From 1 April - 30 September 2024 From 1 April - 30 September 2023 Absence Classifications Absence Monitoring 43
Page 44
Appendix 9 Teachers Others 172 83 149 22 125 237 178 70 85 24 114 187 Apr-Sep 2023 Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2023 Apr-Sep 2024 Apr-Sep 2023 Apr-Sep 2024 261 255 193 149 0 2 122 156 304 288 3 1 184 172 52 47 0 0 43 35 71 77 1 0 116 109 192 225 Social Work 2 2 228 238 812 786 Not Disclosed 4 20 954 965 Total 10 25 M S M S M S M S M S M S Total (Apr-Sep 2024) 2 44 0 3 69 117 0 65 5 19 76 248 Total (Apr-Sep 2023) 62 0 0 0 183 0 14 0 46 0 305 0 Total 324 305 M = MANAGEMENT REFERRAL S = SELF REFERRAL Total Referrals (Apr-Sep 2024) Total Referrals (Apr-Sep 2023) Total Analysis of Counselling Referrals by Cause Reason Work Stress Addiction Personal Anxiety/ Depression Bereavement Total Finance and Corporate Housing and Technical Housing and Technical Housing and Technical Social Work Social Work Total Education (Teachers) Education Education Education (Others) Finance and Corporate Finance and Corporate Resource Resource Resource Community and Enterprise Community and Enterprise Community and Enterprise Total (Apr-Sep 2024) 788 Total (Apr-Sep 2023) 658 No of Employees Referred For Physiotherapy No of Employees Referred To Employee Support Officer No of Employees Referred For Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Occupational Health Reports From: 1 April - 30 September 2024 comparison with 1 April - 30 September 2023 Medical Referrals Community and Enterprise Education Finance and Corporate Housing & Technical Social Work Totals 44
Page 45
2023 2024 2023 2024 2023 2024 2023 2024 2023 2024 2023 2024 Total Specified Injury* 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 4 Total Over 7 Day** 10 14 8 0 0 0 3 2 5 2 26 18 Total Over 3 Day** 0 2 1 2 0 0 1 0 4 3 6 7 Total Minor*** 79 75 724 337 3 0 15 9 62 45 883 466 Total Finalised 90 93 734 340 3 0 19 11 71 51 917 495 Appendix 10 Analysis of Accidents / Incidents From: 1 April - 30 September 2024 comparison with 1 April - 30 September 2023 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 *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 45
Page 46
APT&C Manual / Craft Teachers Total APT&C Manual / Craft Teachers Total Total (Apr-Sep 2024) 22 42 7 71 6 5 0 11 17 36 7 60 29 22 20 72% 71 Total (Apr-Sep 2023) 7 59 3 69 1 5 1 7 5 39 18 62 44 15 10 86% 69 APT&C Manual/ Craft Teachers Total APT&C Manual/ Craft Teachers Total APT&C Manual/ Craft Teachers Total Total (Apr-Sep 2024) 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 Total (Apr-Sep 2023) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 *Resources nil responses are not included in figures Appeal's Panel From: 1 April - 30 September 2024 Appeal's Panel Total 30 Appendix 11 Outcome of Appeals Not Upheld From: 1 April - 30 September 2024 comparison with 1 April - 30 September 2023 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 3 Withdrawn 12 Not Upheld Total Appeals Pending 46
Page 47
Appendix 12 Record of Grievances From: 1 April - 30 September 2024 comparison with 1 April - 30 September 2023 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 2024) 5 0 2 0 3 Total (Apr-Sep 2023) 0 0 0 0 0 Dignity at Work From: 1 April - 30 September 2024 comparison with 1 April - 30 September 2023 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 2024) 10 0 1 0 0 9 Total (Apr-Sep 2023) 5 0 1 0 0 4 47
Page 48
Referrals for Workplace Mediation 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 Workplace Mediation Apr-23 May-23 Jun-23 Jul-23 Aug-23 Sep-23 No of Referrals 0 2 1 0 0 1 *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 0 1 0 1 1 0 *successful/unsuccessful case outcomes may be shown outwith the month they were referred. As at September 2024 Appendix 12a 48
Page 49
Attended classroom based training Community and Enterprise 525 Education 1224 Finance and Corporate 4 Housing and Technical 286 Social Work 1188 Total 3,227 Attended training delivered virtually Community and Enterprise 24 Education 111 Finance and Corporate 12 Housing and Technical 81 Social Work 279 Total 507 E learning courses completed / passed Community and Enterprise 4287 Education 8500 Finance and Corporate 1702 Housing and Technical 4773 Social Work 8250 Total 27,512 Employee Development 1 April - 30 June 2024 Appendix 13 49
Page 50
Percentage (%) Count Male 29.3% 1165 Female 70.7% 2810 Disabled 0.7% 26 Not Disabled 80.3% 3122 Not Disclosed 4.3% 167 Not Entered 14.8% 575 White - Scottish 74.4% 2957 White - Other British 2.8% 113 White - Irish 0.5% 19 White - Any other Background 1.2% 48 Asian - Pakistani 0.1% 5 All Others 21.0% 834 21 Years 1.0% 38 21-29 Years 21.2% 841 30-39 Years 19.7% 784 40-49 Years 23.7% 944 50-59 Years 24.9% 988 60-65 Years 8.0% 317 Over 65 Years 1.6% 64 Finance and Corporate Resources Appendix 13a Employee Development Monitoring Stats for all Training - 1 April - 30 June 2024 50
Page 51
Appendix 14 From 1 April - 30 September 2024 Reason for leaving Community and Enterprise Education Finance and Corporate Housing & Technical Social Work Total % Career Advancement 5 11 1 2 7 26 57% Child Caring / Caring Responsibilities 1 2 1 0 0 4 9% Moving outwith area 0 3 0 0 0 3 7% Personal Reasons 0 3 0 0 0 3 7% Poor relationship with managers / colleagues 0 1 1 0 0 2 4% Travelling difficulties 0 1 0 0 0 1 2% Further Education 0 1 0 0 0 1 2% Other 2 2 0 2 0 6 13% Number of exit interviews conducted 8 24 3 4 7 46 Total no. of leavers per Resource eligible for an exit interview 107 161 10 29 52 359 % of leavers interviewed 7% 15% 30% 14% 13% 13% From 1 April - 30 September 2023 Number of exit interviews conducted 28 42 6 9 32 117 Total no. of leavers per Resource eligible for an exit interview 96 172 16 21 77 382 % of leavers interviewed 29% 24% 38% 43% 42% 31% * Note these totals include temporary employees Analysis of leavers and exit interviews 51
Page 52
Appendix 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% Applied Interviewed Appointed % of Applicants interviewed % of Applicants appointed % of Interviewees appointed 8809 3371 731 38% 8% 22% 3006 986 205 33% 7% 21% 5789 2002 488 35% 8% 24% 321 169 19 53% 6% 11% 6843 2310 502 34% 7% 22% 2283 791 195 35% 9% 25% 7651 2760 664 36% 9% 24% 1064 365 41 34% 4% 11% 84 42 3 50% 4% 7% 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: 8809 (95%) Total Number of posts recruited for: 1215 Total Number of appointments: 786 Total No of Black/Ethnic minority applicants* Total No of Veteran applicants *Black/Ethnic Minority applicants includes Mixed, Asian, Black and other backgrounds. From : 1 April - 30 September 2023 Total Number of applications received: 9270 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 White applicants Total Number of posts recruited for: 588 Total Number of appointments: 466 Gender / Disability / Age Total EO Forms Received Recruitment Monitoring Analysis of Gender, Disability, Ethnicity and Age From : 1 April - 30 September 2024 Total Number of applications received: 4930 Total Number of Equal Opportunities Monitoring forms received: 4867 (99%) 52
Page 53
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 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 3140 1248 260 204 1428 2213.56 5.00 1535.63 371.38 236.50 44.05 16.00 0.00 5.00 0.00 Education - Others 3296 130 94 672 2400 2414.69 4.00 1185.77 951.66 144.40 49.60 10.00 0.00 62.46 6.80 Education - Teachers 3923 700 81 2235 907 3539.95 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 0.00 6.60 3532.35 Finance & Corporate Resources 841 196 15 400 230 761.82 8.00 111.26 357.34 213.64 50.28 21.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 Housing & Technical 1286 802 25 332 127 1228.24 3.00 205.10 623.16 357.38 29.60 10.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Social Work Resources 2756 199 207 1004 1346 2411.06 3.00 350.14 1461.14 529.23 36.80 30.75 0.00 0.00 0.00 9029.37 (excluding Teachers) Total All Staff 15242 3275 682 4847 6438 12569.32 23.00 3387.90 3764.68 1481.15 210.33 89.05 0.00 74.06 3539.15 Quarterly Joint Staffing Watch Return : Number Employed On 14 SEPTEMBER 2024 Analysis by Resource QUARTERLYJOINT STAFFING WATCH RETURN : NUMBER EMPLOYED ON 9 SEPTEMBER 2023 Appendix 16 Total Number of Employees Full-Time Equivalent Male Female Salary Band Total Number of Employees Full-Time Equivalent Male Female Salary Band Analysis by Resource 53
Page 54
54
Page 55
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Chief Executive Subject: Community Plan Quarter 4 Progress Report 2023/2024 and Annual Outcomes Improvement Report 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] advise the Executive Committee of progress made against the outcomes within the Community Plan 2022 to 2032 as at the end of March 2024 purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Executive Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [ (1) that the progress made to date against the outcomes within the Community Plan be noted (see Appendix 1); and (2) that the content of the statutory Annual Outcomes Improvement Report (see Appendix 2) be noted. 3. Background 3.1. The South Lanarkshire Community Plan was approved in October 2017 and set out the priorities and outcomes for the partnership. A report setting out the new Community Plan was approved by the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Board on 22 June 2022. That report outlined a plan to meet the requirement to publish a Local Outcomes Improvement Plan as required by the Community Empowerment Act. It was agreed that an Annual Outcomes Improvement Report would be published alongside the Performance Progress report. 3.2. This report outlines the progress made against the Community Plan up to the end of March 2024. It also provides an update on the Annual Outcomes Improvement Report for 2023-24 as detailed in Appendix 2. 4. Delivering the Community Plan 4.1. Critical to the successful delivery of the Plan is keeping the promise to work together with communities, local organisations and businesses to deliver the ambitions set out in the Community Plan. To achieve these ambitions, we need to change how we currently work together; taking a more holistic and joined up approach to service delivery through re-imagining current service delivery models; and through developing a clearer understanding of how our work impacts on individuals, families, communities, local organisations and businesses; and the contributions that we make as a whole in our work towards a fairer South Lanarkshire for all. 4.2. Following agreement at the CPP Board on 13 December 2023, a CPP Board Development Session focussing on Performance took place on 21 May 2024. Following on from this, a review of the Partnership’s priorities and approach to 7 55
Page 56
performance monitoring and reporting is underway and a new performance framework will be developed. 5. Progress to Date 5.1. The principles underpinning the framework remain to ensure that the Partnership Board receives clear performance reports which are produced to a common timescale and a common standard across the Partnership. 5.2. The outcomes within the Community Plan are reported in full within this Quarter 4 report, using the latest information available. The report shows whether outcomes are being achieved to facilitate change and progress against the associated improvement actions. It also highlights progress on specific outcomes to inform good practice, learning and sharing across the Partnership. 5.3. The report uses a “traffic light” system to indicate if there are any concerns about whether a target will be reached or whether an action will be completed as intended. In general, a blue status indicates that the action to achieve change has been completed. A green status indicates that there are no concerns about meeting a target or achieving an action. Amber and red are used to flag up where there might be slippage or deviation from plans. The following definitions are used:- Status Definition Blue The action to achieve change has been completed Green On course to achieve the target or complete the action as planned/the timescale or target has been met as per expectations Amber There has been minor slippage against timescale or minor shortfall against target Red There has been major slippage against timescale or major shortfall against target To be reported later For some measures, the statistics are not yet available to allow us to say whether the target has been reached or not. These will be reported when available 5.4. The Community Plan Outcomes Report There are 76 measures within the Community Plan and the table below gives a summary of the progress as follows:- Summary: Priority Status by year Total Blue Green Amber Red Report Later/Not Available 23-24 23-24 23-24 23-24 23-24 Putting learning at the centre 0 10 1 0 0 11 Our children and young people thrive 0 14 2 0 0 16 Thriving businesses and fair jobs 0 12 0 0 0 12 Caring, connected communities 0 12 3 0 0 15 56
Page 57
Good quality, suitable housing for everyone 0 11 1 2 0 14 People live the healthiest lives possible 0 8 0 0 0 8 Total 0 67 7 2 0 76 5.5. Of the 76 measures, 0 (0%) have been completed, 67 (88%) are judged to be on course to achieve the targets set, while 2 (3%) is judged to be considerably off target and a further 7 (9%) are judged to be slightly off target. There are 0 measures (0%) to be reported later. 5.6. It is important to note that the data within the report does not always refer to the current reporting year. What is shown is the most recent data available, on the strength of which a judgement is made about whether the targets set in the Community Plan are likely to be achieved. 5.7. There are seven amber measures and two red measures, and these are detailed below with explanatory commentary and the partner action to improve the measure. Putting Learning at the Centre: We will work with and support people of all ages to help them re-engage with education and learning or to improve their employability skills. Outcome: People experiencing barriers to employment are supported into sustainable work Action Measure Baseline 2023 Target Latest Comments Amber Provide key worker based employability support and learning to targeted groups. Increase the percentage of employability participants progressing to positive destinations 56.8% 60% 56.8% A total of 1,513 individuals achieved a positive destination (56.8% of total engagements across all projects). The 60% target has been identified as achievable, however, the Scottish Government No-One Left Behind (NOLB) approach to funding means that effectively only progression to employment or college learning can be counted as positive destinations as there are few training options outwith NOLB funding. This is likely to reduce the outcome rate and the target may be reviewed. Responsibility (Lead): Local Employability Partnership Partner action to improve the measure Following the Employability Review, the Advice Pro Management Information System which had been used by the Youth Employability Team was partially rolled out to other programmes funded/ delivered by South Lanarkshire Council but did not capture all activity which means that the baseline does not reflect all activity. From 2024/25 all participants and destinations will be tracked and reported through Advice Pro which will result in accurate reporting. 57
Page 58
Our Children and Young People Thrive: We will work to ensure that the health and wellbeing of children, young people and families is improved Outcome: Every child and young person should be able to access local community services which support and improve their mental health and wellbeing Action Measure Comments Amber Deliver one Mellow Bumps Pregnancy Session in each locality in partnership with the Family Support Hubs By March 2024, 80% of participants in the Mellow Bumps Pregnancy Sessions will report increased knowledge and understanding about stress, anxiety and self-care The Mellow Bumps programme is part of the newly established parenting support group work pathway delivered from the Family Support Hubs (Lanark, Cambuslang, East Kilbride and Hamilton). The pathway has been introduced in stages in year 1 of the Hubs and is not fully operational with all programmes. One barrier to delivery has been trainer capacity. As no Mellow Bumps programme has been delivered in full, collection and analysis of impact measure data will be a priority for the first half of year 2. A Mellow Bumps programme was delivered from each of the four hubs in the first quarter of 2024/25 as planned. Attendance rates varied between hubs, groups tend to start with six expectant mums, with all hubs experiencing a level of drop out with the exception of East Kilbride. Of those mums that completed the programme feedback has been positive. The hubs plan to run the programme again after the summer and referrals are building again. The groupwork pathway, including Mellow Bumps is reviewed regularly to ensure parenting support groups are targeted to meet presenting needs of those accessing the hubs and from info shared by partners. Responsibility (Lead): Children’s Services Partnership Partner action to improve the measure Priority in the coming months is to develop a full Mellow Bumps programme. Collection and analysis of impact measure data will be a priority for the first half of year 2. Outcome: Children and young people should grow up loved, safe, respected and listened to Action Measure Comments Amber Test the Throughcare Mental Health Pathway is offering the correct level of support for those with low and medium need By March 2024, 75% of young people have been offered a low or medium need mental health support, report it has improved their mental wellbeing Test concluded at the end of March 2024, with sustainable model being progressed through the School Nursing Team. 102 referrals were made between August 2022 - March 2024 (average 3.6 per month). Of these, 75% engaged with the service and 63% reported that the support has improved their mental wellbeing. 58
Page 59
Responsibility (Lead): Children’s Services Partnership Partner action to improve the measure Test of the Pathway concluded at the end of March 2024, and going forward the work will be delivered via a sustainable model being progressed through the School Nursing Team. Caring, connected communities: We will continue to support and encourage every community to identify and act on their local priorities Outcome: Communities feel empowered to identify and act on their local priorities Action Measure Comments Amber Fulfil statutory Locality Planning duties to reduce inequalities within identified priority neighbourhoods Work with local communities in the areas of Hamilton South and East Kilbride South to identify local priorities and prepare a Neighbourhood Plan for their area The Hamilton South Plan was submitted to the Community Planning Partnership Board in September 2024 for noting. The stakeholders have written an action plan which highlights what improvements they would like to make between June 2024 and March 2026. The East Kilbride Plan is still in development. Initial engagement has taken place and data analysis has highlighted hidden issues of inequality that have provided additional avenues of investigation. Neighbourhood Planning community engagement in the East Kilbride South area has been carried out with the community views survey now being completed. Development of the Stakeholder Group is now a priority to build capacity. Responsibility (Lead): Community Planning Partnership Partner action to improve the measure The East Kilbride Plan was delayed due to additional engagement work required in spring. The work is now assigned as a priority and the timescale for completion will be extended to the end of 2024. Outcome: Community volunteers feel that they can effectively participate in and contribute to community planning at all levels Action Measure Comments Amber Develop and deliver training/ awareness raising activity to ensure that volunteers can participate effectively in Community Planning Increase the number of volunteers in our Neighbourhood Planning Stakeholder Groups who feel confident about their role in Community Planning through capacity building, training and support Building community capacity and increasing community participation continues to be a priority. Volunteering support and development work has commenced to build capacity and support and establish baselines for monitoring this progress. 59
Page 60
Responsibility (Lead): Community Planning Partnership Partner action to improve the measure A range of new engagement approaches are being used to ensure that residents are contributing on their own terms, in their own way and helping to bring the Neighbourhood Plans to life. Examples include the delivery of ACTIVATE which has catalysed the interest of local people, Let’s Talk About online discussion, the use of the community HUB model and “community conversations”. Membership in Stakeholder Groups has increased or stayed the same. The Council’s Community Engagement Team have yet to implement baseline reporting to monitor this. The East Kilbride Stakeholder Group requires further community development and input. Action Measure Comments Amber Upskill employees in participation and engagement approaches Increase the number of employees who feel more confident in securing the participation and engagement of individuals and communities in their work The Community Planning Partnership Learning and Development Plan Workstream Group have produced a final draft of eLearning materials and are meeting with the council’s Corporate Learning Team to arrange upload onto the Learn on Line platform. Responsibility (Lead): Community Planning Partnership Partner action to improve the measure The membership of the Learning and Development Plan Workstream Group will be revised to oversee the implementation of training materials across the workforce and communities. Good quality, suitable housing for everyone: We will increase affordable housing supply and improve access to and choice of housing options that suit people’s needs Outcome: Increase overall housing supply and improve access to, and choice of housing options, that suit people’s needs and are affordable Action Measure Baseline 2023 Target Latest Comments Amber Deliver the Council’s Home+ Programme Maintain the percentage of tenants in Council new build properties who are satisfied with their home 91% 91% 84% 226 tenants within 11 new build housing sites were surveyed with a 39% response rate. While the overall satisfaction rate was 84%, in 3 sites 100% satisfaction was achieved. 60
Page 61
Responsibility (Lead): Housing and Homelessness Service Partner action to improve the measure Whilst there has been a slight decrease in overall satisfaction rate from respondents across the 11 new build sites surveyed, the majority of issues raised relate to the handover process rather than the overall quality or type of home provided. This includes cleanliness of home following construction works and external finishes not yet completed at the point of handover. To improve this, key actions to be progressed by the Council’s Housing and Technical Resources include: • Reviewing handover procedures to ensure appropriate time is provided to enable cleaning and inspection of new build properties prior to tenants acquiring keys and accessing properties; • Reiterating service standards and contractual requirements to developers as part of new build projects, including requirement for properties to be cleaned and ready for new tenants moving in; and • Ensuring new tenants are provided with the correct points of contact to report snagging issues with their new home to allow timely resolutions. Good quality, suitable housing for everyone: We will work in partnership to prevent and significantly reduce homelessness, and improve outcomes for those at risk of or who experience homelessness Outcome: Prevent homelessness and improve outcomes for those at risk of or who experience homelessness Action Measure Baseline 2023 Target Latest Comments Red Deliver Housing Options Service with the aim of preventing homelessness Increase the percentage of Housing Option interventions where homelessness is prevented 73.5% 70% 60.8% During 2023-24, 633 (60.8%) of homeless cases were prevented. The operating context in relation to the prevention of homelessness continues to be extremely challenging this year. The prevailing socio-economic conditions adversely impacted upon the ability to prevent homelessness during 2023- 24. This trend has been mirrored nationally. Responsibility (Lead): Housing and Homelessness Service Partner action to improve the measure The operating context continued to be very challenging throughout 2023/24 with preventing homelessness becoming increasingly difficult due to external socio-economic factors including ongoing increases in the cost of living, the shrinkage of the private sector and extreme pressures on housing across tenures, limiting the availability of affordable housing options for individuals and families. Despite these difficult circumstances, Housing Services will continue to work in partnership with partner agencies to deliver services which focus on the prevention of homelessness, where it is possible to do so. The Housing Options Team continues to focus on identifying housing risk factors and delivering interventions to prevent homelessness where possible. 61
Page 62
Action Measure Comments Red Improve access to settled accommodation to homeless households Continue to implement the Rapid Re-housing Transition Plan (RRTP) Despite high levels of achievement against several key measures within the RRTP, the level of homelessness in South Lanarkshire continues to increase to unprecedented levels. This is noted in the RRTP annual review and mirrors trends across Scotland. A range of work is being progressed locally to help mitigate the situation and the Resource continues to engage with representative groups, such as the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO), to highlight the key issues which require to be addressed at a national level. Responsibility (Lead): Housing and Homelessness Service Partner action to improve the measure The increase in levels of demand for Homelessness Services has shown no sign of abatement in the year and continues to challenge and adversely impact on the achievement of RRTP objectives. Locally, the Council is progressing a range of measures which aim to mitigate the ongoing challenges including ongoing prioritisation of homeless applicants through implementation of Local Letting Plans, delivery of practical and financial support to tenants to sustain their tenancy, and a review of all homeless applicants personal housing plans. The unprecedented scale of the challenge has been recognised at a national level with the declaration of a national housing emergency. South Lanarkshire Council will continue to work with local partners and representative groups at a national level to highlight the key issues relating to homelessness which require to be addressed. 5.8. Detailed progress against all outcomes and the related interventions contained within the Community Plan is noted within the Quarter 4 Outcomes Progress Report at Appendix 1. 6. Key Achievements 6.1. Key achievements for 2023/2024 in relation to the priority themes, are highlighted below:- Priority Theme: Putting learning at the centre Achievements: Lanark Young Reporters The Young Reporters are a group of young people who wanted to learn new media and technology skills as well as building a new, fun online presence for young people to express their thoughts and discuss important topics that are close to their heart. They came up with a podcast called ‘The Lanark Universal Connections (UC) Podcast’ which they created, host, edit and produce all themselves. The ‘Lanark UC Podcast’ logo was designed by one of the group members. The group have recorded in a professional recording studio with G4 Podcasting Studio as well as attending Sky Up Academy to create their own news broadcast. Over the weeks, they have planned, recorded and released episodes onto Spotify and received fantastic feedback from listeners. The group have also taken their interviewing skills on different excursions including visiting the Scottish Parliament to watch First Ministers Questions, as well as getting the opportunity to film and interview ‘The Glasgow Clan’, an ice hockey team based in Glasgow. They have also had the opportunity to host their own shows on live radio in partnership with community radio stations Avondale Radio and Listen Lanarkshire. Link to podcast: Lanark UC Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Link to Glasgow Clan interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzJXzChwQnM 62
Page 63
Achievements: Scottish Youth Parliament Elections 2023 Held every two years, the Scottish Youth Parliament elects young people to a national platform to champion and progress issues facing young people across Scotland. This round of elections saw 19 young people contest the five constituencies. Members of South Lanarkshire Youth Council and Youth, Family and Community Learning staff in partnership with secondary schools, colleges, universities, and local youth groups, organised and delivered council wide elections, with over 7,500 votes being cast to democratically elect nine South Lanarkshire members of the Scottish Youth Parliament. Outgoing Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament actively encourage participation of their peers to progress local and national issues. Success in achieving this has seen the development and delivery of Education Psychology Services South Lanarkshire “Let’s Connect” Young People’s Mental Health Conference, the launch of the Youth Strategy 2022 – 2025, participation in the national Anti-racism in Education Reform Sub-Group, and participation in the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership Board development session on Climate and Nature with members of the South Lanarkshire Youth Forum on Climate Change and Sustainability. Priority Theme: Our children and young people thrive Achievements: Children’s Rights and Voice Children and young people have taken a leading role at a number of high-level conferences and seminars, planning and delivering key messages that is ensuring that they are visible and listened to by decision makers and budget holders. The events include: • A UNCRC themed seminar in November 2023 for 140 staff where young people, through a film they made, set the agenda for staff discussion on their role in supporting children’s rights. (Article 4 your rights are protected); • An event to celebrate Care Day in February 2024, where young people from our Champions Board hosted the event and challenged corporate parents to tell how they were keeping South Lanarkshire’s Promise. This event brought together at least 60 care experienced children and young people and 60 corporate parents to improve the understanding and visibility of each other. (Articles 9, 20 and 21 the right to be cared for); and • Our Wellbeing Warriors were at the heart of a conference in March 2024 helping to share good practice in schools across South Lanarkshire to support emotional wellbeing. The event also helped highlight other important supports that were available to support children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. (Article 24 the right to health care). Achievements: Counselling through schools Children and young people across all our secondary schools are benefiting from support through counselling made available in schools. As a result of this support, almost all of the 480 pupils who have told us about their experience said they were made to feel safe in counselling. We have been working to ensure a more consistent offer of support to pupils in secondary schools as part of whole school support for mental health and wellbeing. We met with counselling staff in all 17 high schools to talk about how the service links to wider supports across the community and have identified areas where links could be improved, such as being more aware of and making better use of the third sector support available and being more consistent in referring to available support. This will help us plan how we offer more connected support to children and young people going forward. Priority Theme: Thriving businesses and fair jobs Achievements: Tackling Child Poverty Funded Programmes The Council’s Employability Team, working in partnership with Routes to Work South, Clyde Gateway and NHS Lanarkshire have increased the support available to unemployed parents through a range of Tackling Child Poverty funded programmes. This has included the expansion of the Supporting Families Programme to communities in Larkhall and Clydesdale, the development of the NHS Demonstrator, providing paid work experience to unemployed parents and the expansion of the Making it Work programme to provide keywork support to parents with barriers to employment. 63
Page 64
Achievements: Business Support The Council’s Business Support Team have supported 96 of our, (mainly small and micro) businesses with grant funding totalling over £674,000, securing approximately 40% European Regional Development Funding before UK access to EU funding ceased as part of Brexit. This funding supported the creation of 157 new jobs and safeguarded 490 existing jobs through growth projects and business investment contributing to the transition to Net Zero. With Lanarkshire Business Gateway partners, 509 new business starts were supported in 2023-24. Future funding has been secured through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to maximise future business support grants to deliver on Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) jobs and business growth. Achievements: Social Enterprise Strategy The Council approved the South Lanarkshire Social Enterprise Strategy 2023-2027 in June 2023. Strategy priorities include stimulating social enterprise, developing stronger organisations and realising market opportunity to shape ambitions and grow the sector in South Lanarkshire. Direct support to over 30 unique social enterprises, across a range of programmes was delivered via two tendered Business Accelerator programmes, a small grants pot, a bespoke procurement workshop delivered by the Supplier Development Programme (SDP) and a Climate Confident pilot to support organisations along their net zero journey. Achievements: South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan In 2023/24, South Lanarkshire Council appointed Ryden LLP property consultants to provide a series of employment land and property reports for the main areas within South Lanarkshire. The work was implemented in four parts to form a suite of reports that will inform the next Local Development Plan (LDP3) and will support the Council’s wider planning, regeneration, and property portfolio activities. The four reports, along with the overarching Summary Report consider the employment land and property markets for:- • East Kilbride; • Hamilton, Blantyre and Larkhall; • Clydesdale; and • Cambuslang and Rutherglen. Each of the reports follows the same structure to enable comparison to be made and overarching data to be compiled and key information includes: • A strategic economic and planning policy context for the property markets; • Core market analysis covering industrial and office property; • Assessment of employment land and development activity; • A review of funding sources for employment land; and • Identification of market potential and possible actions. Achievements: Town Centre Master Planning The master planning process for East Kilbride, Hamilton and the Town Centre Plan for Rutherglen is well underway. In developing these plans, the council is continuing to engage with local businesses and communities throughout South Lanarkshire and has undertaken in-person and online community consultation to further inform dynamic action plan(s) to address issues within each of the various towns and deliver mixed-use town centres and innovative place making solutions. Achievements: Inward Investment A South Lanarkshire dedicated Inward Investment Website has been developed to promote the area to potential investors and developers from both within the UK. The website ‘Invest South Lanarkshire’ operates separately from the council’s main website with a distinct and separate identity and brand and will go live early Summer 2024. Invest South Lanarkshire is a ‘one stop shop’ for investors and developers, demonstrating South Lanarkshire’s unique attraction for major employers. During 2023/24, a total of 144 inward enquiries for industrial/business land and property were responded to. 64
Page 65
Priority Theme: Caring, connected communities Achievements: Climate and Nature Event A Community Planning Climate and Nature Event was held on 24 October 2023 within the Council Offices, Hamilton. The event provided an opportunity for members of the Community Planning Partnership (CPP), community groups and young people to find out how they could work together and to take action to address the impacts of climate change. Key speakers were Laura Young (Less Waste Laura) who is an award-winning climate advocate and environmental scientist and Alex Cameron-Smith of Sniffer, which is an environmental charity, working across Scotland on the three key themes of leadership, placemaking and innovation. Various conversation cafes were also facilitated by local community groups and these focused on the themes of: Green Travel; Communities in Action; Nature Based Solutions; Food Growing; and Engagement. Students from South Lanarkshire College were also in attendance to record the feedback from the speakers and conversation cafes. Feedback from the event will be used to inform future Climate/Nature actions for the partnership. Achievements: Youth Voice and Participation in Community Planning A Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Board Development Session was held with young people on Climate and Nature, focussing on the issues facing young people locally and nationally. This took place at Holy Cross High School, Hamilton on 10 October 2023. The session was led by members of the South Lanarkshire Youth Council and the South Lanarkshire School Youth Forum on Climate Change and Sustainability. The young people gave a comprehensive overview on a variety of topics including the preparation for the Conference of Schools 1 (COS1); the waste pilot being carried out by Larkhall Academy and Trinity High School, Rutherglen; update on the ‘Jump’ app project; Scottish Youth Parliament activity; and the need for sustainability guidance. A further discussion took place on how the CPP Board can support young people, and how they can create the space for further dialogue with the Board on what matters to them. The next event will take place in October 2024. Achievements: Community Networking Event As part of Challenge Poverty Week, a Community Networking event was held in Hillhouse and Earnock Community Centre in Hamilton on Wednesday 4 October 2023. Over 40 members of the Financial Inclusion Network (FIN) attended the event to provide advice, support and promote their services to residents. The FIN members represent a wide range of services delivered by the public sector and third sector and all four geographical areas of South Lanarkshire. The next event will be held during October 2024. Achievements: Burnhill – Our Place Our Plan Burnhill Youth Activism Group have highlighted the issue of fly tipping and littering within their community. The young people decided to host a fly tipping and recycling campaign where they distributed flyers to over 300 residents with useful information on how to access bulky uplifts, how to recycle better, and upcycling ideas to reduce the amount of waste in their community. They also hosted an event to promote the campaign and invited along local stakeholders including residents, council services and community groups to bring together resources to tackle the issue. The young people shared their experiences of the issue and how it makes them feel about their community. As a result, the young people have also worked in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council to run a skip initiative; giving the residents of Burnhill an opportunity to dispose of any excess waste responsibly. 65
Page 66
Priority Theme: Good quality, suitable housing for everyone Achievements: South Lanarkshire Council Market Purchase Scheme A key part of the Council’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme is its Market Purchase Scheme, enabling the Council to purchase existing homes from the private sector to provide affordable council homes in areas of high demand. In 2023, the scheme was amended to provide more opportunities for the Council to purchase homes from private owners, including landlords and those with empty properties. Focus was also given to advertising areas the Council needed certain types of homes in to help meet demand and sharing this information with estate agents and property solicitors. These changes were a success, with 165 homes across all areas of South Lanarkshire purchased through the scheme during 2023/24. This significant increase on previous years supported the council’s approach to housing need, providing more opportunities to find accommodation that meets people’s needs in areas they wish to live. The 165 purchases added to the new homes built through the council’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme in 2023/24, further increasing the range of affordable housing options across South Lanarkshire and supporting those most in need to find long term, sustainable accommodation. The Affordable Housing Supply Programme, including the Market Purchase Scheme, is funded jointly by South Lanarkshire Council and the Scottish Government. Achievements: Support to homeless households In recent years there has been a continued increase in homelessness, both locally and nationally, which has placed unprecedented demands on Homelessness Services. Despite these signifcant pressures, the council and its partners, continue to work together to prevent homelessness occurring and deliver support services to those experiencing homelessness. Housing First is an innovative approach that has been proven to help and support people with a range of complex needs, out of homelessness. Providing accommodation along with intensive support, helps the individual to settle and manage a tenancy and allows them to focus on making positive changes in other areas of their life. The Housing First service in South Lanarkshire is delivered in partnership by the council and the Salvation Army. The service provides a secure home and tailored multi-agency wrap around support to people who are often the most vulnerable within communities. Staff arrange to meet those involved with the Housing First service frequently and stay in regular contact with them. The long-term aim is to build a trusting relationship between individuals in a flexible, creative and needs based way that enables the delivery of a support package that fits with each individual’s specific needs. Since the Housing First service began in 2019, 40 individuals have now been supported with significant positive outcomes achieved, including an increase in independent living skills, improved physical and mental health, reduction in drug and alcohol misuse, less offending behaviour and improved motivation. Priority Theme: People live the healthiest lives Achievements: Telecare Programme Lanarkshire’s Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Team is an integrated Health and Social Care Team aiming to empower Lanarkshire citizens to use technology to live their best lives, have choice, control and reduce the risk of harm. The Telecare Programme refers to equipment and services which can support vulnerable citizens to live more safely and well at home for longer. The TEC Team’s role includes the screening and 66
Page 67
approval of all requests for telecare and assistive technology, providing telecare advice, support and training to Health and Social Care staff, patients, carers and other key stakeholders. The team also install consumer technology welcome packages in Blantyre LIFE’s technology enabled homes, troubleshoot issues and support technology enabled homes. By December 2025, all analogue telephone services in the UK will be switched off and replaced by digital systems using voice over internet protocol technology. By March 2024, 6,580 digital alert alarms have been installed, ensuring vulnerable citizens continue to receive a reliable and safe community alarm service. Telehealth enables clinicians to monitor and manage people living with chronic conditions remotely and helps patients to better understand and self-manage their health and wellbeing. Blood pressure monitoring accounts for 74% of Connect Me activity. This reduces the need for in- person appointments and visits as well as saving patients’ time and money associated with travelling to and from appointments. The telehealth programme in Lanarkshire includes both Near Me video consultations and Connect Me remote health monitoring. Achievements: Community Nursing Service Innovative work in communities continue to support people to live well at home. This is an important part of health and care delivery, particularly in the winter when pressure grows on hospitals and indeed the whole system. One vital element is the community expertise and compassion allowing people to die in their own homes. Lanarkshire’s award winning, end of life dedicated Community Nursing Service (led by South Lanarkshire University HSCP) ensures end- of-life needs are fully recognised by designating a lead member who takes time to review patient needs and circumstances. The team member then delegates clear responsibilities and patient information with the team. This approach ensures a comprehensive, consistent and compassionate care strategy. The team are available around the clock, with direct telephone access for families and allows families to contact outside of planned visits to seek advice or request additional support. Having a single, specialist team means all record-keeping is centralised, allowing the entire team to access patient information easily and rapidly. This streamlined communication has ensured everyone is informed about the patient’s wishes, condition, any changes or deterioration and promoting the best possible care. Patients and families are reassured by the consistent care provided by the same core team members for all visits. Trust is built over time, and families are comforted by familiar faces and expertise. 7. Annual Outcomes Improvement Report 7.1. A copy of the statutory Annual Outcomes Improvement Report is attached at Appendix 2 for noting. This was approved by the CPP Board at their meeting on 18 September 2024 followed by publication on the CPP website by 30 September 2024. The content of the report is as follows:- • Section 1: Introduction to Community Planning in South Lanarkshire; • Section 2: Our Ambitions – Delivery of the Community Plan; • Section 3: Community Plan – Performance Highlights; • Section 4: Community Plan: Overall Performance at a glance; • Section 5 - Places for Wellbeing: how we are making a difference: - Thriving Businesses and Fair Jobs – Social Enterprise Strategy 2023-2027; - Caring, connected communities – Climate and Nature; - People live the healthiest lives – Telehealth and Telecare; - Putting learning at the centre – Pathfinders programme for Young People; - Our children and young people thrive – Family Support Hubs; and - Good quality, sustainable housing for everyone – South Lanarkshire ECO4 Scheme. 67
Page 68
• Section 6 - Working with Communities: How you can get involved: - Community Participation and Engagement; - Neighbourhood Planning; - Community Partnerships; - Sustainable Development and Climate Change; - Community Led Planning; - Participatory Budgeting; - Volunteering; - Community Asset Transfer; and - Participation Requests. • Appendix 1 – Links with the National Performance Framework; • Appendix 2 – CPP Structure Diagram. 8. Employee Implications 8.1. There are no employee implications associated with this report. 9. Financial Implications 9.1. There are no financial implications associated with this report. 10. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 10.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 11. Other Implications 11.1. There are no risk or sustainability issues associated with the content of this report. 12. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 12.1. 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. Paul Manning Chief Executive 23 October 2024 Links to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Links to all Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Previous References Executive Committee – Community Plan Quarter 4 Progress Report 2022-23 and Annual Outcomes Improvement Report – 22 November 2023 List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Jen Kerr, Community Engagement Manager, South Lanarkshire Council Tel: 07880 174955 Email: Jennifer.Kerr1@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 68
Page 69
- Progress Report Community Plan 2022-2032 Quarter 4 2023-24 (April to March) Appendix 1 7 69
Page 70
Summary - number of actions complete, green, amber, red and to be reported later under each Priority Priority areas of action Complete Green Status Amber Red To be reported later Total Putting learning at the centre 0 10 1 0 0 11 Our children and young people thrive 0 14 2 0 0 16 Thriving businesses and fair jobs 0 12 0 0 0 12 Caring, connected communities 0 12 3 0 0 15 Good quality, suitable housing for everyone 0 11 1 2 0 14 People live the healthiest lives possible 0 8 0 0 0 8 Total 0 67 7 2 0 76 Key: Statistical Measures Project Measures 70
Page 71
Putting learning at the centre We will work with and support people of all ages to help them re-engage with education and learning or to improve their employability skills Outcome: People experiencing barriers to employment are supported into sustainable work ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) A.1.1 Provide key worker based employability support and learning to targeted groups Increase the percentage of employability participants progressing to positive destinations A total of 1,513 individuals achieved a positive destination (56.8% of total engagements across all projects). The 60% target has been identified as achievable, however, the Scottish Government No-One Left Behind (NOLB) approach to funding means that effectively only progression to employment or college learning can be counted as positive destinations as there are few training options outwith NOLB funding. This is likely to reduce the outcome rate and the target may be reviewed. Amber 56.8% 2023-24 56.8% 2023- 24 60% 62% 65% 71
Page 72
Ref Action Measure Comments Status A.1.2 Provide targeted support to adults facing barriers to employment Number of people supported into training, education and employment There have been 1,928 adults supported in the year with 530 progressing into employment and 601 accessing further and/or higher education. Of the remaining adults, the Gateway to Employment programme delivered by Routes to Work South, has an increased focus on economically inactive adults and those with long term health conditions resulting in longer engagement and fewer job outcomes. Target 2023-24 – 1,000 into employment/training/ education; and Target 2024-25 – 1,200 into employment/education/ training. Green A.1.3 Provide a range of employability programmes to parents through the Tackling Child Poverty funding programme Number of parents/carers supported across the six priority groups into training, employment and education 335 parents have been supported across the six priority groups, 58 have progressed into work and 46 into training. The Lanarkshire Employment Partnership (LEP) Tackling Child Poverty Group has developed and reviewed the Parents Employability Programmes to provide clear pathways across the three keyworker programmes – Supporting Families, Making it Work and Upskilling. Target 2023-24 – 100 into training/employment/ education; and Target 2023-24 – 100 into training/employment/ education. Green A.1.4 Provide specialist employability support to young people and adults with additional support needs Number of young people and adults with Additional Support Needs supported into training, employment and education 44 young people and adults with Additional Support Needs have engaged in specialist programmes this year and two have progressed into employment. 2023-24 – Programmes were reviewed with full delivery taking place from January 2024; and 2024-25 – 30 progressing into training/employment/ education. Green A.1.5 We will work with and support people of all ages to help them re-engage with Learners will be offered opportunities to learn skills that meet their needs across a range of settings. We will work with learners to:- As a result of Community Learning and Development (CLD) work delivered by the Youth Family and Community Learning Service (YFCL) across a range of Green 72
Page 73
education and learning or to improve their employability skills’ – are you happy for me to add this again • Enhance their parenting skills • Help parents to support their child’s learning education and community settings the following has been achieved in 2023-24: • 590 learners have enhanced their parenting skills; and • 171 learners are better able to support their child’s curricular learning. We will continue to support learners to progress to other appropriate learning opportunities, ensuring that we meet ongoing needs. We will work with learners to: • Help them re-engage with education/learning • Help them access volunteering opportunities • Help them access any other appropriate learning programmes or opportunities • Improve their employability skills As a result of CLD work delivered by the YFCL Service across a range of education and community settings the following has been achieved in 2023-24: • 743 learners have re-engaged with education/ learning; • 243 learners are accessing volunteer opportunities across the service; • 593 learners have progressed to other appropriate learning programmes/opportunities; and • 735 learners have improved their employability skills. Green 73
Page 74
Putting learning at the centre We will support young people to progress to further learning, work or training when they leave school Outcome: Young people will be supported to progress to sustained positive destinations when they leave school ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) A.2.1 Support young people to progress to positive post- school destinations Increase the School Leaver Destination Rate (SLDR) initial positive destination rate The positive destination rate continues to increase and South Lanarkshire sits above the national rate of 95.9% and 6th highest of the 32 Local Authorities. Green 96.2% (SLC) 95.5% (Scotland) 2020-21 96.9% (SLC) 95.9% (Scotland) 2022- 23 97% 97% 97% Decrease the gap in the School Leaver Destination Rate (SLDR) initial positive destination rate The gap between the positive destination rate for the most and least deprived 20% datazones has narrowed from 6.1% to 2.9% and reflects a rate of 95.5% for the most deprived compared to 98.4% for the least deprived. The national gap is 4.4%. Green 6.1% (SLC) 4.4% (Scotland) 2020-21 2.9% (SLC) 3.7% (Scotland) 2022- 23 2.9% 3% 3% Increase number and percentage of looked after school leavers in a positive initial and follow- up destination by local authority There are 85 young people in this cohort classed as “care experienced”. The positive destination rate is 92.9% for this group of leavers, a slight increase from the previous year and is significantly higher than the national rate of 87.9%. Green SLC Initial 92.5% Scotland Initial 86% 2020-21 SLC Initial 92.9% Scotland Initial 87.9% 2022- 23 93% 93.5% 94% 74
Page 75
Ref Action Measure Comments Status A.2.2 Deliver targeted support and learning opportunities to young people in the last 6 months of school through the Aspire programme Number of young people engaged on the programme The Aspire service has provided targeted keywork support to 503 young people in 2023-24. A range of employability programme provision was delivered including college-based vocational taster and employability group work. Green A.2.3 South Lanarkshire Council and Skills Development Scotland will work together to track the destinations of young people aged 16-19 including regular home visits Number of young people who did not achieve/sustain a positive destination referred to support through tracking and re-engaged The Employability Service tracked the initial destinations of all South Lanarkshire leavers and conducted a robust tracking exercise in collaboration with Skills Development Scotland to identify and engage young people who did not achieve/sustain a positive destination. In 2023-24, 91 young people were successfully re-engaged through this tracking exercise. Green 75
Page 76
Our Children and Young People Thrive We will work to ensure children have the best start if life and become everything they can be Outcome: Every family should get the right support at the right time for as long as they need ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) B.1.1 Four Family Support Hubs to promote a no wrong door approach and GIRFEC Pathways with community, third sector and universal pathways to be strengthened By March 2025, there will be a 60% reduction in new referrals to Social Work Resources escalating to local office allocations Social Work formally launched locality-based Family Support Hubs on 27 September 2022. The Family Support Hubs are community facing and accessible provisions based in Hamilton, East Kilbride, Lanark and Cambuslang localities. Families are the second largest referrer to the Family Support Hubs In the past year, the Family Support Hubs have responded to 61% of the total referrals. This significantly decreases the volume of initial assessments being undertaken by Local Office Teams and will create more capacity within this part of the system to respond to child protection referrals. Self-referrals are now the second largest referrers to the Hubs. Families are reporting improvements in family wellbeing. Green 60% 2025 61% 2023- 24 60% TBC TBC 76
Page 77
Ref Action Measure Comments Status B.1.2 Family Group Decision Making as a core partner to Early Years Multi Agency Service By March 2024, 80% of families supported will report improvement in involvement in planning supports for their children and their family Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) is offered to all pregnancy cases screened via EYMAS that are allocated for assessment and intervention. Additional support from peer support workers is also now available. This support can be offered to pregnant mothers and their partners when there are drug and/or alcohol issues present. A parent’s plan process as an alternative to pre-birth CP has been tested in Hamilton Hub. This is now being scaled up across all 4 Hubs. Outcome scales completed with families at the beginning and the end of their engagement in FGDM indicates a 100% improvement of all outcomes. This measurement scale is used with all families engaged in the support and data is available. Green Implementation of a Parents Plan to prevent escalation to child protection A parent’s plan process as an alternative to pre-birth CP has been tested in Hamilton Hub. This is now being scaled up across all 4 Hubs. Green B.1.3 Continue to refine and consolidate the Pathfinders approach By March 2025, 60% of children and young people accessing Pathfinders will report improvement across three outcome indicators The Pathfinders Programme is currently embedded within 7 schools in South Lanarkshire, with 14 Youth, Family and Community Learning Pathfinder Officer posts. Currently, Pathfinders are deployed in seven schools: Cathkin High; Trinity High; Stonelaw High; Lanark Grammar; Calderside Academy; St Andrew’s and St Bride’s, and Carluke High. This is funded through a mix of Whole Family Wellbeing Funding (WFWF) and Pupil Equity Funding. In 2023-24 the programme set a target to engage with 350 young people and families, providing support and sustained engagement that meets identified needs. In total at the end of March 2024, Pathfinders had worked with a total of 534 young people and families, which exceeds our target by 52.5%. Pathfinder support is bespoke and provided through individual and group support. Home visits and parental engagement are key elements of the role. Pathfinder staff are well connected to key partners in the wider community to ensure appropriate referrals into and out of the provision. Green 77
Page 78
The Pathfinders Team have successfully secured funding from the UNCRC Innovation Fund to develop a youth led consultation process that will allow young people to be the catalyst for change in relation to areas that effect their lives. This funding will support the further development of youth voice in relation to developing appropriate interventions and support and has enabled us to create rich opportunities for a committee of 21 young people participating in the programme to directly influence the service that they receive and be involved and influence decisions effecting them/the programme directly. This element of the programme has three distinct phases:- 1. Skills development – to allow the participants the opportunity to develop the key skills and knowledge to actively influence the programme and services they receive. 2. Consultation- the participants will develop and deliver a series of consultation events with their peer groups. 3. Conference – young people involved will host a conference for key partners, sharing life experiences, barriers to participation and evidence of need to shape future policies. Progress against measure: By March 2025, 60% of CYP accessing pathfinders will report improvement across three outcome indicators. Impact is recorded through agreed fixed CLD impact measures that are reported directly through the South Lanarkshire CLD Plan. In addition, a range of Pathfinder specific progressive indicators have been developed to record participation levels and impact. • Target 5% increase in meaningful participation in school or learning in their social skills. Actual increase at year end 88%. • Target 5% increase in young people who recognise a positive adaptation in their behaviour, actual increase of 18%. 78
Page 79
• 5% increase in young people who identify positive development in their Health and Wellbeing 24%. • 5% increase in meaningful participation in school or learning. Actual increase of 12%. B.1.4 Test an improvement approach to support at least ten families with children with disabilities to cope with the financial demands of having a child/children with disabilities By March 2025, 80% of families supported report an improvement in financial wellbeing and at least one of the other targeted outcomes • Improved health and wellbeing; • Reduced social isolation; and • Increased engagement with education, training or employment Paths Away from Poverty is Funded by the Child Poverty Action Fund and aims to support at least ten families with disability through testing a bespoke support/navigator relationship with families where a child or young person has a disability and engages with parents and carers primarily. Referrals are primarily from Education (schools) and from NHS Lanarkshire to the third sector delivery partner – COVEY. Outcomes and successes to date: • The project is supporting 5 families with a number of others in the referral pipeline. • Improved financial wellbeing (2 referrals for urgent financial wellbeing assessments). • Improved health and wellbeing (links strengthened with NHS colleagues, CAMHS, local GPs. Regular contact established with 3 families). • Reduced Social Isolation (3 families moving to weekly support; 1 young person referred for COVEY befriending support with other additional needs young people). • Increased engagement with education, training, or employment (no evidence at this stage). • The voice of families articulating what has changed for them because of the support they have received (families are choosing to engage and to receive support; personal plans being co-produced. More evidence pending as test evolves). • Evidence showing increase in benefits/entitlement (see above referrals for financial wellbeing assessments – too soon to evidence impact). • Increased participation in community activity (see reduced social isolation above). Green B.1.5 Four Family Support Hubs to promote a no wrong door approach and GIRFEC Pathways By March 2026, 80% of parents supported will report improvements in family wellbeing Social Work formally launched locality-based Family Support Hubs on 27 September 2022. The Family Support Hubs are community facing and accessible provisions based in Hamilton, East Kilbride, Lanark and Cambuslang localities. Green 79
Page 80
with community, third sector and universal pathways to be strengthened Families are the second largest referrer to the Family Support Hubs. In the past year, the Family Support Hubs have responded to 61% of the total referrals. This significantly decreases the volume of initial assessments being undertaken by Local Office Teams and will create more capacity within this part of the system to respond to child protection referrals. Self-referrals are now the second largest referrers to the Hubs. Families are reporting improvements in family wellbeing. B.1.6 Health and Social Work to work collaboratively with parents to identify strengths and areas for improvement in relation to neglect Number of families completing the neglect toolkit by March 2025 103 Social Work staff have completed the Working with Neglect Toolkit training. Two more sessions are planned for 5 June and 2nd October 2024. A Practitioner Forum is now facilitated by the Child Protection Development Officer. Local offices and Family Support Hubs have introduced a reporting system to capture toolkit usage. Developments between Social Work and Health Visiting staff are being considered to scale up usage by introducing a targeted approach to toolkit usage and learning taken. Consideration is being given to how to measure impact. Green 80
Page 81
Our Children and Young People Thrive We will work to ensure that the health and wellbeing of children, young people and families is improved Outcome: Every child and young person should be able to access local community services which support and improve their mental health and wellbeing Ref Action Measure Comments Status B.2.1 Deliver one Mellow Bumps Pregnancy Session in each locality in partnership with the Family Support Hubs By March 2024, 80% of participants in the Mellow Bumps Pregnancy Sessions will report increased knowledge and understanding about stress, anxiety and self-care The Mellow Bumps programme is part of the newly established parenting support group work pathway delivered from the Family Support Hubs (Lanark, Cambuslang, East Kilbride and Hamilton). The pathway has been introduced in stages in year 1 of the Hubs and is not fully operational with all programmes. One barrier to delivery has been trainer capacity. As no Mellow Bumps programme has been delivered in full, collection and analysis of impact measure data will be a priority for the first half of year 2. A Mellow Bumps programme was delivered from each of the four hubs in the first quarter of 2024/25 as planned. Attendance rates varied between hubs, groups tend to start with 6 expectant mums, with all hubs experiencing a level of drop out with the exception of East Kilbride. Of those mums that completed the programme feedback has been positive. The hubs plan to run the programme again after the summer and referrals are building again. The groupwork pathway, including Mellow Bumps is reviewed regularly to ensure parenting support groups are targeted to meet presenting needs of those accessing the hubs and from info shared by partners. Amber B.2.2 Create and implement training at informed level to be delivered to Children’s Services staff through a Learn Online module By March 2024, at least 50 Children’s Services staff will have accessed the Learn Online module and reported an increase in confidence in supporting children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide A Learn Online course has been created and shared through a variety of channels including the Education Sway, through NHS Lanarkshire Health Improvement links and as a precursor to in-person skilled level training. 89 South Lanarkshire Council employees have accessed the Lifelines Lanarkshire Learn Online module. Of those who accessed the training and provided feedback, all highlighted it as being helpful and/or informative. Green 81
Page 82
B.2.3 Key members of staff who support children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide to attend Lifelines Lanarkshire training By March 2024, at least 75% of staff who have attended Lifelines Lanarkshire training have shown an increase in confidence supporting children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide following the training Lifelines Lanarkshire skilled level training has been rolled out across services, attended by key members of staff in Education, Social Work, Health, and the Third Sector. Resources have now been adapted to enable delivery as a multi-agency training which has commenced. 173 staff across South Lanarkshire Children’s Services have attended Lifelines Lanarkshire training. 92% of staff attending the training reported an increase in confidence supporting children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide. Green B.2.4 Continue roll out of Kooth service and increase the use of this By March 2024, at least 80% of registered users will report Kooth is effective in supporting them with their emotional wellbeing needs An online digital support resource for young people called Kooth has continued to be rolled out across South Lanarkshire. Presentations have been given at a number of events such as the young person’s ‘Wellbeing Warrior’s Conference’ whole school assemblies and a session is planned for GPs. Between April 2023 - March 2024, 848 young people used the support. Over 90% of children and young people who responded, reported that they would recommend the service. Green 82
Page 83
Our Children and Young People Thrive We will work to ensure that the life chances of children and young people in need of care and protection are improved Outcome: Children and young people should grow up loved, safe, respected and listened to Ref Action Measure Comments Status B.3.1 In conjunction with care experienced young people develop ways that make it easier for them to participate in the ongoing improvement in key decision-making processes and capture the impact of their views and voices 70% of care experienced young people tell us that they feel more able to participate in key decision-making processes Young people have had many more opportunities to influence change. The Champions Board was relaunched in January 2024 with new members uptake. The young people have been involved in the Keeping the Promise thematic sub-group and a forthcoming development session. In addition, they will be delivering and leading 2025 Care Day events. Corporate Parents have agreed to be more visible. The Champions Board are putting a schedule of engagement in place including with the council’s Chief Executive. In addition, they are working closely with Housing officials, delivering a bespoke housing protocol for care experienced young people. Some young people are attending the Care and Prejudice Social Work event to showcase the work of the Champions Board. 96% of young people visited within SLC units have been involved in the consultation, co-production and delivery of the suite of paperwork. This is reviewed via the Champions Board. The feedback has proved positive where young people fully included, with more opportunities for voice and participation as well as the paperwork being less cluttered with jargon and difficult language. Green B.3.2 Support young people from 16 years old to actively manage their Child Trust Fund and/or Junior ISA savings account currently administered by the Share Foundation 70% of young people report they are better informed about financial planning All care experienced young people are supported to budget through advocacy support, the Promise Team and other corporate parents. This includes use of the Food Larder, Savings, Money Matters, and Welfare Support within the Care Hub. The local authority has identified unclaimed ISA’s, and is working with Share Scotland to deliver the ‘Stepladder of Achievement for 15-17 year olds (these courses are about financial education). There are 18 registered for the programme. Green 83
Page 84
£9,850 was shared amongst those completing courses. 4 completed all 6 courses, each gaining £1,500 for their Child Trust Fund. 9 have gained between £150 and £1,100 for completing part of the course. Contributions have also been made to care experienced young people’s Savings Accounts: (figures are only available for Junior ISA accounts*) e.g.: • £1,500 has been added to 1 account of a young person who has been adopted. • £2,430 has been added to 5 accounts of young people currently in care. SLC has supported young people through the Winter Wishes initiative providing allowances over each of the last two years (£40k per year in total) over the Winter period to help with the cost of living challenges and in addition to set up allowance top ups for young people gaining their own tenancy. All care experienced young people are supported to receive financial help in the form of education and budgeting. Money Matters meet with the Care Hub on a regular basis and offer drop-in sessions or bespoke contacts where appropriate. Almost all young people supported with managing their finances report that they are better placed financially and more informed as a result of the support received. B.3.3 Meet housing needs through continued development of Person- Centred Pathway Planning By March 2024, 100% of young people will have a Person-Centred Pathway Plan Heads of Service meet fortnightly to review Care Experienced Young People (CEYP) on the Other Category Waiting List. Monitoring information has been developed jointly between Housing and Social Work Resources to reflect CEYP Application Status and prospects of housing. Where a young person is identified as care experienced, they are added to the Other Category Waiting List where appropriate. Green 84
Page 85
All CEYP to receive Person-Centred Pathway Planning to engage with Housing throughout their journey. A joint Housing and Social Work Pathway Planning Protocol was launched in January 2024. As at 31 March 2024, 100% of CEYP on the ‘Other Category’ list had a Pathway Plan in place. B.3.4 Test the Throughcare Mental Health Pathway is offering the correct level of support for those with low and medium need By March 2024, 75% of young people have been offered a low or medium need mental health support, report it has improved their mental wellbeing Test concluded at the end of March 2024, with sustainable model being progressed through the School Nursing Team. 102 referrals were made between August 2022 - March 2024 (average 3.6 per month). Of these, 75% engaged with the service and 63% reported that the support has improved their mental wellbeing. Amber B.3.5 Provide targeted support to care experienced young people to engage and sustain participation in South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership (SLLEP) funded employability programmes By March 2024, establish a baseline percentage of care experienced young people engaging with SLLEP funded employability activity progressing to a positive destination 57 care experienced young people participated in SLLEP funded employability programmes. 87.5% progressed to a positive destination of employment, learning (college etc) or further training. The baseline going forward will be 65% progressing to a positive destination. Green 85
Page 86
Thriving businesses and fair jobs We will work to make sure everyone has the same opportunities to learn new skills ---- Outcome: People experiencing barriers to employment are supported into sustainable work B - = ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) C.1.1 Work with employers to progress people to employment Number of employability participants progressing to employment 623 participants across all programmes have progressed into employment in 2023-24. Green 623 2023- 24 623 2023- 24 625 650 700 Ref Action Measure Comments Status C.1.2 Deliver sector-based training to employability participants Number of people participating in sector based training Sector Based Training via Routes to Work South (RTWS) – 42 participants undertook sector-based training and 13 progressed into employment. (Training undertaken included Site Health & Safety, CSCS, HGV Training, Forklift and SIA Security). Green C.1.3 Provide in-work support and training through the Upskilling programme Number of employed people engaging with the Upskilling programme 54 people engaged in the Upskilling Programme during April 2023 until March 2024. 6 participants completed training/qualification in areas of First Aid and Forklift Training. On completion, participants would have received a wage increase, job security and personal development. During 2023-24 the Upskilling Programme was reviewed due to Scottish Government funding changes and now provides a blend of training and support to employed parents who require support to increase their hours/rate of pay or find alternative employment. Green C.1.4 Work with employers to identify vacancies for progression for employability participants Number of new employer engagement contacts developed and vacancies filled A new Employer Engagement Team has been established to lead and co-ordinate employer engagement and support across the Employability Service, to identify work placements and suitable job progressions. Just over 300 employers have engaged, with approximately 315 vacancies filled. Green 86
Page 87
Thriving businesses and fair jobs We will ensure that the place where you live is at the heart of our response to the climate emergency and help places to become sustainable ---- Outcome: Thriving town and neighbourhood centres provide a focal point for local communities B - = Ref Action Measure Comments Status C.2.1 Complete the South Lanarkshire wide town centre visioning strategy which will give a strategic overview on the engagement and interventions with town centres over the next 10 years, and a series of town specific strategies and action plans will sit below this, giving a template for placemaking within our communities Monitor and deliver town centre measures and initiatives in line with town strategies, Community Wealth Building and 20 Minute Neighbourhood approaches. • Town Centre Vacancy Rates – maintain at or below national averages • Businesses supported (including Social Enterprise) – support across towns and places South Lanarkshire Council are working with key stakeholders across all our town centres to support businesses and invest in projects and initiatives which support the evolving way in which our towns are used by local communities. In relation to vacancy rates, all our towns, except for East Kilbride, are maintaining levels at or slightly below the national average of around 14%. The council are seeking a move to more service-based businesses and more local traders, which is an encouraging trend and where possible are supported through Business Support. Both East Kilbride and Hamilton contain shopping centres which have lost anchor tenants over the past year. East Kilbride has vacancy levels (c30%) well beyond the national levels and our own targets of circa 12%. Masterplan work to reduce retail space and increase leisure and housing provision is underway in both centres. During 2023-24, there were 1,246 unique businesses supported, in key sectors, with the most prevalent sectors including: manufacturing, construction and engineering, and food and drink. This figure includes 509 start-up businesses, significant in bringing in new jobs and services to the South Lanarkshire economy. Green 87
Page 88
Thriving businesses and fair jobs We will make it easy for businesses and social enterprises get all available help and advice from one place ---- Outcome: South Lanarkshire is an attractive place to start, grow and locate a business B - = ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) C.3.1 Number of new South Lanarkshire business starts supported by Business Gateway (Locally set target) Total number of businesses/social enterprises supported • New start-ups Over 2023-24, the council’s Business Support to new start- ups delivered under the Business Gateway (BG) brand supported 509 unique start-up businesses. From February 2024, and following an options appraisal, the BG contract was brought in-house in February 2024 and is managed and delivered by North Lanarkshire Council as lead for BG across the whole of Lanarkshire. South Lanarkshire Council has several satellite locations where BG staff operate from to ensure reach and accessibility to business/social enterprise across South Lanarkshire. Green 500 2023- 24 509 2023- 24 500 N/A N/A C.3.2 Number of business support interventions per annum by Economic Development (grants, loans or advice) (Locally set target) Total number of businesses/social enterprises supported • Existing organisations The council’s wider support provided includes funding; dedicated (but not limited to) local business advisor support to assist businesses and plan for growth; access to expert help on a range of relevant topics including Finance; HR; Digital Development and Marketing. 737 unique businesses/social enterprises were supported over the last 12 months. The council and partners also delivered 8 Green 1,200 2023- 24 737 2023- 24 1,200 N/A N/A 88
Page 89
events with 982 attendees during this time across a range of activity e.g. Lanarkshire Business Excellence Awards, Build Lanarkshire and Women into Business etc. The council’s Business Team made 161 referrals to a range of council, partner and external business supports. This figure is lower than anticipated as it previously included ‘new start-ups’ performance results, which is now reported as a separate line. Number and value of grants South Lanarkshire Council’s Business Recovery and Growth Fund (BRGF) continues to provide larger grants targeted at existing Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) to support their strategic, longer- term sustainability and growth. This grant funds specific activities to help businesses/social enterprises adapt and grow via Capital Expenditure, Infrastructure Improvements, Training Support, Consultancy Support and Exhibition Support. The council’s Micro Grant has had continued demand and success with available grants up to £3K match for businesses and social enterprises. Both grant sources are now funded under the new UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Over this reporting period 96 grants in total were awarded to the value Green £723,000 (Made up of ERDF projected. £483,000 Plus £180,000 SLC monies, plus £60,000 UKSP) 2023- 24 96 grants issued. Value £674,273 2023- 24 £723,000 N/A N/A 89
Page 90
of £674,273, this slight shortfall in spend is due to the transition over from European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding to UK Shared Prosperity funding on a short hiatus due to a change of funding criteria which required a systems update. Grants awarded to businesses/social enterprises • Funding leveraged South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) grants are accessed through an online application form. For the council’s micro grant, a lighter touch application is operated, with a quick turnaround. There continues to be significant demand for both the SLC Micro Grant and Business Growth Funding and during this period the grants awarded levered in funding totaling £1,641,754. For every £1 of council grant spent, £2.43 of additional funding has been achieved. Green N/A N/A £1641.754 2023- 24 N/A N/A N/A Total number of jobs • Jobs safeguarded As a direct result of South Lanarkshire Council’s Business Support 490 FTE jobs have been safeguarded over 2023- 24. Green 500 2023- 24 490 2023- 24 500 N/A N/A Total number of jobs • Jobs created As a result of the direct Business Support on offer, South Lanarkshire Council is reporting 157 FTE jobs created across South Lanarkshire in this reporting period. Green Included in above baseline data figure as overall target - jobs created/ sustained 2023- 24 157 2023- 24 N/A N/A N/A Total number of jobs • Increase in Turnover As a direct result of South Lanarkshire Council’s Business Support interventions, South Green N/A N/A £14.5m 2023- 24 N/A N/A N/A 90
Page 91
Lanarkshire Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have increased turnover by £14,495,539 in 2023/24. 91
Page 92
Caring, connected communities We will continue to support and encourage every community to identify and act on their local priorities Outcome: Communities feel empowered to identify and act on their local priorities Ref Action Measure Comments Status D.1.1 Ensure communities are engaged and supported to participate in local decision making Develop standards and a framework for the planning, delivery and evaluation of place based Participatory Budgeting programmes Participatory Budgeting (PB) ran in all Neighbourhood Planning areas in 2022/23, including Hamilton South to act as a method for the development of the new Neighbourhood Plan. In 2024/25, the council’s Community Engagement Team will co-design a local evaluation model for place based PB which will also consider the approach, quality, outcomes and impact of this process. This will inform a framework and toolkit with local communities. They will also pilot more Third Sector delivery Place Based PB. Green Strengthen the Neighbourhood Planning Participatory Budgeting approach by co-producing standards and a framework for the involvement of young people Work is progressing on the Neighbourhood Planning Participatory Budgeting approach involving young people. Discussions are taking place on the implementation of the UNCRC right to voice and youth voice in the budget setting. The NHS are carrying out internal work on implementing the UNCRC and a partnership working group on youth voice has been established. An Engagement Partnership page has been established on the CPP website and a review of the South Lanarkshire Community Engagement and Participation Strategy will commence in autumn 2024. Work is also progressing on involving young people in the Community Partnerships and to encourage the Community Partnerships to use the Lived Experience Fund to gather the views of youths. Green D.1.2 Fulfil statutory Locality Planning duties to reduce inequalities within identified Work with local communities in the areas of Hamilton South and East Kilbride South to identify local priorities and prepare a Neighbourhood Plan for their area The Hamilton South Plan will be submitted to the Community Planning Partnership Board in September 2024 for noting. The stakeholders have written an action plan which highlights what improvements they Amber 92
Page 93
priority neighbourhoods would like to make between June 2024 and March 2026. The East Kilbride Plan is still in development. Initial engagement has taken place and data analysis has highlighted hidden issues of inequality that have provided additional avenues of investigation. Neighbourhood Planning community engagement in the East Kilbride South area has been carried out with the community views survey now being completed. Development of the Stakeholder Group is now a priority to build capacity. Evaluate the Neighbourhood Planning approach for South Lanarkshire and implement improvement actions A review of the Neighbourhood Planning approach will take place in 2023/24. Green D.1.3 Ensure children’s rights and awareness of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is embedded in the work of partner organisations Develop a UNCRC webinar to support the understanding of children’s rights and the UNCRC across the CPP workforce A group of young people are designing and delivering a filmed webinar for all public sector staff that provides information on the UNCRC and what public services need to do to ensure children’s rights are respected. This training will be available on the council’s online training platform and offered to all public sector organisations. This approach puts children and young people at the heart of preparations for the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2014 (Article 42 the right to know your rights). Green 93
Page 94
Caring, connected communities We will bring communities together to share priorities and work jointly on them Outcome: Communities feel connected, share priorities and work together to create change Ref Action Measure Comments Status D.2.1 We will bring communities together to share priorities and work jointly on them Continue to develop and strengthen the membership of the Hamilton and East Kilbride Community Partnerships Work continues to strengthen the membership of the Hamilton and East Kilbride community partnerships. Governance arrangements including the Chair of the partnerships have still to be agreed. Green Evaluate the Community Partnership approach with Cambuslang and Rutherglen and Clydesdale Community Partnerships and implement improvement actions There are plans for a self-evaluation and review of future priorities, including group membership. This should be completed before December 2024. Processes for communication, monitoring, reporting and evaluation will also be developed. Data profiles will be developed for each locality. Training needs for the partnership volunteers are currently being identified, and a training plan will be devised and delivered. Green D.2.2 Young people will lead the way on actions to tackle climate change and nature loss Support young people to continue to develop their leadership skills through engagement with the Community Planning Partnership Strategic Board on their Climate and Nature priorities Following the success of an initial Development Session with the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership Board and members of South Lanarkshire Youth Forum on Climate Change, Scottish Youth Parliament and South Lanarkshire Youth Council, a dedicated annual development session has been agreed to take forward to explore issues and present ideas to progress action to tackle climate and nature change. The Development Session supports the work and efforts of the wider forums and presents the opportunity to develop key skills and confidence of young people. Green Increase youth voice and influence in Community Planning at a locality level through co-producing an approach to youth participation Work has been undertaken between Youth, Family and Community Learning Service and Social Work to facilitate young people's participation in locality community planning through the youth participation network, that supports young people to actively explore and progress within the South Lanarkshire Youth Council and the Scottish Youth Parliament. This process will see young people supported to explore, identify and present issues and ideas at relevant boards and forums. Green 94
Page 95
D.2.3 Empower communities to improve their own health and wellbeing Progress the implementation of the South Lanarkshire Age Friendly approach through the development of an implementation plan and supporting the Seniors Community to develop and deliver on actions Seniors Together in conjunction with the council continue to deliver Age Friendly Older People Assemblies to engage with older people representatives of groups and clubs across South Lanarkshire to share plans to develop an Age Friendly South Lanarkshire. The Leader of the Council provides an overview of the vision at each of these events. It is a requirement of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) membership that there is commitment from the highest political person within the local authority. An implementation plan has been developed and the WHO checklists for each of the eight age friendly domains will now be used as an engagement tool with older people to assist in identifying an age friendly standard for South Lanarkshire citizens. A precursor to this will be an engagement event on 5 September 2024, similar to an Older Peoples Assembly, with colleagues from the council’s Planning and Building Standards on the Local Development Plan 3. Some of the themes within the plan mirror the domains of an Age Friendly Community. Green 95
Page 96
Caring, connected communities We will involve local representatives in community planning at all levels, including on the Community Planning Partnership Board Outcome: Community volunteers feel that they can effectively participate in and contribute to community planning at all levels People Thrive Ref Action Measure Comments Status D.3.1 Develop and deliver training/awareness raising activity to ensure that volunteers can participate effectively in Community Planning Increase the number of volunteers in our Neighbourhood Planning Stakeholder Groups who feel confident about their role in Community Planning through capacity building, training and support Building community capacity and increasing community participation continues to be a priority. Volunteering support and development work has commenced to build capacity and support and establish baselines for monitoring this progress. A range of new engagement approaches are being used to ensure that residents are contributing on their own terms, in their own way and helping to bring the Neighbourhood Plans to life. Examples include the delivery of ACTIVATE which has catalysed the interest of local people, Let’s Talk About online discussion, the use of the community HUB model and “community conversations”. Membership in Stakeholder Groups has increased or stayed the same. The council’s Community Engagement Team have yet to implement baseline reporting to monitor this. The East Kilbride Stakeholder Group requires further community development and input. Amber Increase the number of volunteers in our established locality Community Partnerships who feel confident about their role in Community Planning through capacity building, training and support Membership in the Clydesdale Community Partnership has increased by over 25% in the last year. There is now 43 volunteers with all Community Council areas having representation. There has been no change to the Cambuslang and Rutherglen membership levels. There are 17 volunteers and the partnership is currently reviewing membership and considering different methods of engaging the wider community. The Partnership Community Development Officer is working with both Community Partnerships to complete a learning and development analysis to better understand their needs and to create a plan to Green 96
Page 97
deliver these activities. Enquiries are being made about the process for the Community Planning Partnership to obtain Volunteer Friendly status. Train 12 employees/community representatives as Health in the Community (HIIC) Trainers and support them to achieve accreditation The Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) hosted Health in the Community (HIIC) training on 20 and 21 February 2024 where 12 trainers participated. This training is aimed at increasing community capacity, consolidating community development approaches to tackling inequalities in health. This training highlighted the aims of the course; ideas and guiding principles; learning objectives and becoming a tutor. The participants will require to carry out live sessions with various community groups across South Lanarkshire to achieve their accreditations. Green Increase community representation on the Community Planning Partnership Strategic Board and provide youth voice opportunities Three community members attend the Community Planning Partnership Board representing, Clydesdale and Cambuslang and Rutherglen Community Partnerships and Seniors Together. The establishment of the Hamilton and East Kilbride Community Partnerships is progressing. Once the governance arrangements and future priorities have been confirmed, it is proposed that Chairs for each Community Partnership will be confirmed. Young people are supported to explore, identify and present issues and ideas at relevant boards and forums including with the Community Planning Partnership Board and Community Planning Events. Green D.3.2 Upskill employees in participation and engagement approaches Increase the number of employees who feel more confident in securing the participation and engagement of individuals and communities in their work The Community Planning Partnership Learning and Development Plan Workstream Group have produced a final draft of eLearning materials and are meeting with the council’s Corporate Learning Team to arrange upload onto the Learn on Line platform. Amber 97
Page 98
Good quality, suitable housing for everyone We will increase affordable housing supply and improve access to and choice of housing options that suit people’s needs Outcome: Increase overall housing supply and improve access to, and choice of housing options, that suit people’s needs and are affordable ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) E.1.1 Deliver the council’s Home+ Programme Increase the number of council homes in South Lanarkshire by 1,300 In total, 326 additional council homes have been delivered through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme since the council’s Executive Committee established the 1,300 target on 30 November 2022. This includes 104 new council properties and 222 purchased from the open market. Green 0 2022 326 2022- 24 TBC 1,300 (by March 2027) TBC Maintain the percentage of tenants in council new build properties who are satisfied with their home 226 tenants within 11 new build housing sites were surveyed with a 39% response rate. While the overall satisfaction rate was 84%, in three sites 100% satisfaction was achieved. Amber 91% 2022-23 84% 2023- 24 91% 91% 91% E.1.2 Provide settled accommodation to households experiencing homelessness Achieve the annual Local Letting Plan target for social rented properties allocated to homeless households The 2023-24 annual target for lets to the Urgent Housing Need list, comprising majority homeless households, has been achieved. Green 55%- 65% 2023-24 63% 2023- 24 55-65% TBC TBC Ref Action Measure Comments Status E.1.3 Develop and implement the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) Annual approval of SHIP by Housing and Technical Resources Committee The SHIP 2024-2029 was approved by the council’s Housing and Technical Resources Committee on 8 November 2023. Green E.1.4 Develop and implement Local Letting Plans (LLP) with proposed annual targets Annual approval of LLP targets by Housing and Technical Resources Committee LLP 2024-25 targets were approved by the council’s Housing and Technical Resources Committee on 7 February 2024. Green 98
Page 99
Good quality, suitable housing for everyone We will work in partnership to improve housing quality and energy efficiency, whilst supporting a just transition to decarbonisation Outcome: Improve housing quality and energy efficiency whilst supporting a just transition to decarbonisation ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) E.2.1 Improve overall energy efficiency of homes across South Lanarkshire Increase the average Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) score of all homes with an Energy Performance Certificate in South Lanarkshire The SAP score has increased as a result of the installation of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures. Green 65.1 2021-22 67.0 2023- 24 Increase by 1% from baseline 70 TBC Increase number of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures installed across private homes in South Lanarkshire utilising national funding sources In 2023-24, 161 privately owned properties benefitted from a total of 367 energy efficiency measures being installed through national funding sources. Green 0 2022-23 367 2023- 24 200 600 TBC Increase number of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures installed in council homes in South Lanarkshire The council continues to deliver its Housing Investment Programme to improve the energy efficiency of its properties and reduce energy costs for tenants. Element 35 of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) based on EESSH1 criteria is the only energy measure currently being used, 95.39% of our stock pass the standard, which equates to 24,559 properties. The council is awaiting guidance from the Scottish Government on the new Social Housing Net Zero Standard, expected to be published later in 2024-5 (it is Green 0 2022-23 Data availa ble June 2023- 24 100 per year TBC TBC 99
Page 100
likely that this measure will be revised following confirmation of new national net zero standard for social housing). Ref Action Measure Comments Status E.2.2 Support the delivery of schemes to improve energy efficiency in homes across South Lanarkshire Develop and implement the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Scheme The ECO scheme was launched in South Lanarkshire in July 2023. A total of 333 energy efficiency measures were installed in 127 properties during 2023/24. Green Co-ordinate Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme funding (EES:ABS) During 2023/24, 45 properties (34 private, 11 council properties) were provided with external wall insulation with the aim of improving thermal efficiency and reducing the energy required to heat homes. Green 100
Page 101
Good quality, suitable housing for everyone We will work in partnership to prevent and significantly reduce homelessness, and improve outcomes for those at risk of or who experience homelessness Outcome: Prevent homelessness and improve outcomes for those at risk of or who experience homelessness ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) E.3.1 Deliver Housing Options Service with the aim of preventing homelessness Increase the percentage of Housing Option interventions where homelessness is prevented During 2023-24, 633 (60.8%) of homeless cases were prevented. The operating context in relation to the prevention of homelessness continues to be extremely challenging this year. The prevailing socio-economic conditions adversely impacted upon the ability to prevent homelessness during 2023-24. This trend has been mirrored nationally. Red 73.5% 2021-22 60.8% 2023- 24 70% TBC TBC Increase the percentage of former homeless households provided with a council tenancy that maintain their home for more than 12 months Tenancy sustainment has remained strong this year and the target has been achieved. Green 88% 2022-23 92% 2023- 24 TBC TBC TBC Reduce repeat instances of homelessness The performance is within the target. All repeat homelessness cases are reviewed to identify patterns and to inform future development and delivery of services. Green 4.5% 2021-22 3% 2023- 24 3% TBC TBC Ref Action Measure Comments Status E.3.2 Improve access to settled accommodation to homeless households Continue to implement the Rapid Re-housing Transition Plan (RRTP) Despite high levels of achievement against several key measures within the RRTP, the level of homelessness in South Lanarkshire continues to increase to unprecedented levels. This is noted in the RRTP annual review and mirrors trends across Scotland. A range of work is being progressed Red 101
Page 102
locally to help mitigate the situation and the Resource continues to engage with representative groups, such as the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO), to highlight the key issues which require to be addressed at a national level. 102
Page 103
People live the healthiest lives possible We will ensure that all of our services work with people as early as possible to stop problems happening Outcome: People are able to look after and improve their own health and wellbeing and live in good health for longer ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) F.1.1 We will continue to support people to improve their own health and wellbeing and exercise choice and control Number of people participating in a co- produced Self Directed Support Assessment to exercise choice and control over their care In Quarter 4, 1,014 co-produced assessments were approved, and 473 new co-produced assessments commenced. An increase in both measures is noted when compared to the Quarter 3, 2023-2024 position. To date, there has been a total of 3,459 co-produced assessments approved and 1,565 new co- produced assessments commenced exceeding the annual target of 3,000. Green 2,984 2022/23 3,459 2023- 24 3,000 3,100 3,200 Ref Action Measure Comments Status F.1.2 We will continue to establish a Community Led Support approach to promote to promote positive health and wellbeing outcomes and community resilience Number of employees trained in Community Led Support approach across all localities Supported by Health Improvement staff, 362 Health and Social Care staff participated in Community Led Support (CLS) training. Green F.1.3 We will promote self – care and self- management including technology enabled care Increase in the number of people supported by Technology Enabled Care to manage their own health and wellbeing Lanarkshire’s Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Team continues to provide an integrated approach to sustaining people to live independently at home and within their community. It supports and facilitates hospital or integrated care discharges and may also be urgently requested as part of Adult Support and Protection planning or end of life care. The two main programmes of work include Telecare (South Lanarkshire only) and Telehealth (pan-Lanarkshire) such as the Connect Me remote health monitoring service, Green 103
Page 104
and Near Me video consultations. Demand for assistive technology has continued to increase during 2023-24 with 13% of hospital discharge requests supported through the Home First pathway during March 2024, whilst 63% were installed to improve safety and reduce the risk of harm. The transition of alert alarms from analogue to digital continues to make good progress with 227 digital alert alarms installed in March 2024, bringing the total number of installations to 6,580. A priority focus for the team is in terms of sustainability, where alarms are no longer required by service users. The target is to ensure the team is identifying 70 alarms per month that can be recycled and reused. To date, 965 digital alert alarms have been returned/uplifted and reused saving £156,330 on the cost of replacing these alarms. 104
Page 105
People live the healthiest lives possible We will increase access, activities and supports that help improve mental health and addictions Outcome: People, including those with disabilities or long-term conditions, or who are frail, are able to live, as far as reasonably practicable, independently and at home or in a homely setting in their community ---BASELINE--- ---LATEST--- ---TARGETS--- Ref Action Measure Comments Status Data Period Data Period Annual Med (3yr) Long (10yr) F.2.1 We will continue to protect adults at risk from harm Percentage of statutory supervising officer visits completed within timescale for local authority welfare guardianship orders In Quarter 4, there was a total of 54 local authority welfare guardianship visits due with 94% (51) being completed on time. A decrease in this quarter is noted when compared with the Quarter 3, 2023-24 position of 98%, however, the target of 90% has still been achieved. To date, there was a total of 251 local authority guardianship visits due with 94% (237) being completed on time. This remains the same when compared to Quarter 3 2023-24. Green 93% 2022/23 94% 2023- 24 90% 90% 90% Percentage of statutory supervising officer visits completed within timescale for private welfare guardianship orders In Quarter 4, there was a total of 499 private welfare guardianship visits due with 95% (474) being completed on time. An increase in this quarter is noted when compared with the Quarter 3 2023-24 position of 91%, target of 90% has been exceeded. To date, there was a total of 2,293 private guardianship visits due with 92% (2,108) being completed on time. This is an increase when compared to the Quarter 3, 2023-24 position of 91%. Green 93% 2022- 23 92% 2023- 24 90% 90% 90% 105
Page 106
Ref Action Measure Comments Status F.2.2 We will continue to protect adults at risk from harm Implement MAT standards across all localities Medication Assisted Standards (MAT) are a set of nationally agreed evidence-based standards to enable the consistent delivery of safe, accessible, high quality drug treatments across Scotland. They were produced in response to the emergent public health crisis by the Drug Death Task Force. The standards are relevant to people and families accessing or in need of services and Health and Social Care staff responsible for the delivery of recovery orientated systems of care. There are a total of ten standards which services are working to fully implement. Progress on the implementation of the MAT standards continues across all localities with the focus for 2024 to ensure MAT standards 1 to 5 were implemented fully and embedded with the local service and this has been achieved with all five reporting a green rating. Green 106
Page 107
People live the healthiest lives possible We will provide high quality day-to-day health and social care services that are accessible to everyone in our community who needs them Outcome: Health and Social Care Services are centred on helping to maintain or improve the quality of life of people who use those services Ref Action Measure Comments Status F.3.1 Implement Discharge Without Delay to return people to their home or community safely Embed Home First approach across localities to optimise independence of those discharged from hospital/prevention from hospital admission The Care at Home Service has been augmented by the addition of four Home First teams based within each locality. The teams use a re-ablement approach, working with Allied Health Professional (AHP) colleagues to optimise independence of service users over a 6 week period and enable them to remain in their own homes, prevent hospital admission, or receive support immediately after discharge from hospital. During the fourth quarter of the year, those in receipt of Home First support required 44% less care at the end of their intervention. Performance has increased from 40% in Quarter three and continues to exceed the 25% target. Green F.3.2 We will support carers to maintain their caring role through a personal outcome approach Number of new carers supported • 1,398 new carers identified in South Lanarkshire; • 1,161 adult carer support plans progressed; and • 3,533 carers engaged and were supported. Green 107
Page 108
108
Page 109
South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership Working together to improve the quality of life for all in South Lanarkshire Community Plan for South Lanarkshire 2022-2032 Annual Outcomes Improvement Report 2023-24 Appendix 2 7 109
Page 110
Contents Chapter Page Number Introduction to Community Planning in South Lanarkshire • Preface • What we are? • Who we are? • What are we trying to achieve? • How do I get involved? 3 Our Ambitions • Delivery of the Community Plan 4-5 Community Plan • Performance Highlights 6 Community Plan • Overall Performance at a glance 7-8 Places for Wellbeing: how we are making a difference • Thriving Businesses and Fair Jobs • Caring, connected communities • People live the healthiest lives possible • Putting learning at the centre • Our children and young people thrive • Good quality, sustainable housing for everyone 9-21 Working with Communities: how you can get involved • Community Participation and Engagement • Neighbourhood Planning • Community Partnerships • Sustainable Development and Climate Change • Community Led Planning • Participatory Budgeting • Volunteering • Community Asset Transfer • Participation Requests 22-36 Appendices • Links with the National Performance Framework • Community Planning Partnership Structure 37-38 110
Page 111
Section 1 - Introduction to Community Planning in South Lanarkshire Preface This document is for you, and everyone else who lives or works in South Lanarkshire. It shows the progress of the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership during 2023-24 and gives example of the work that we are doing to make a difference; and how this has impacted on local people and communities. What are we? All our Community Planning Partners are working together to make South Lanarkshire a better place to live and work. We work with each other and with communities to provide the best possible services that local people want and need. Further information can be found on the Community Planning Partnership website www.southlanarkshirecommunityplanning.org. Who are we? Our partnership includes a wide range of national and local organisations. Some of these organisations you will know well. Our community partners lead on local planning and area-based Community Partnerships. A full list can be found on our website. What are we trying to do? Our Community Planning Partners are working together to make South Lanarkshire a better place to live, learn, play and work. Our aim is to work with communities to deliver better services targeted at reducing poverty and tackling inequalities and deprivation across South Lanarkshire. Further information can be found on the Community Planning Partnership website www.southlanarkshirecommunityplanning.org. How do I get involved? There are many ways to get involved in your local community and influence the work of the partnership, for example, through volunteering, joining a local action group, helping to find out what matters in your area or getting involved in how decisions are made. More information can be found on the Community Planning website www.southlanarkshirecommunityplanning.org/info/74/getting_involved. 111
Page 112
Section 2 – Our Ambitions Our Ambitions Our Community Plan sets out how we will continue to support the people living in our communities to participate in Community Planning and puts the places where our communities live at the centre of change. We will continue to focus on improving how we work better together to deliver local needs and priorities. This work will happen across three key ambitions: People; Progress; and Planet. People – Together, we will take a people first approach to improving everyone’s wellbeing. People told us that empowerment comes from the community and it’s not something that is given to them. We understand that long-lasting change will only be achieved if we all work together, putting our communities at the heart of community planning. We will continue to have community conversations that matter. We will work with communities to ensure that their voices are heard and support them to act on the things that are important to them through a “Can Do” approach. Progress – Together, we will build on what we have learned to improve how we do things and the wellbeing of everyone. Delivering the right things that matter to people, in the right place and at the right time. We have been inspired by the phenomenal community response to the global pandemic and have seen how our communities “Can Do” do more with the right information and support from us. Our focus will be to continue to grow and develop the relationships and the excellent partnership working that has supported our communities to maintain and improve their wellbeing throughout the pandemic. Planet - Together, we will act in ways that protect our natural world for a healthier future. We will work together to develop local solutions to protect nature and to take action on climate change and support our young people to lead the way. The ambitions set out where we want to see change happening across the themes of Progress, People and Planet. From your feedback, we know that there are six other priorities that are important to you. We are already working to improve services in these areas and have plans that show how this is being done. Our Places for Wellbeing model shows how the plan connects though place, ambitions and priorities. 112
Page 113
You can read the full Community Plan on the Community Planning website: www.southlanarkshirecommunityplanning.org/info/1/what_is_community_planning/135/our_priorities. 113
Page 114
Section 3 – Community Plan Performance Highlights There is a significant amount of work being undertaken in our communities, and by our partners across South Lanarkshire to make places fairer, better and greener. This report highlights some of the work that has been done. The following are examples of key areas of work. • Thriving Businesses and Fair Jobs: 490 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs have been safeguarded over 2023-24 as a direct result of South Lanarkshire Council’s Business Support. • Caring, connected communities:12 employees from across the partnership participated in the Health in the Community (HIIC) Training hosted by The Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) and will work with communities to deliver what they have learned. • People live the healthiest lives possible: 1,398 new carers identified in South Lanarkshire. • Putting learning at the centre: 1,928 adults were supported into work (530 adults) or further/higher education (601 adults). The remaining adults continue to be supported to find work or further/higher education opportunities. • Our children and young people thrive: 57 care experienced young people participated in the South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership (SLLEP) funded employability programmes with 87.5% progressing to a positive destination of employment, learning (college etc) or further training. • Good quality, sustainable housing for everyone: 326 additional council homes have been delivered through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme. 114
Page 115
Section 4 – Community Plan Overall Performance at a glance The following provides a summary of our performance against our priority measures. These are:- • Putting learning at the centre • Our children and young people thrive • Thriving businesses and fair jobs • Caring, connected communities • People live the healthiest lives possible • Good quality, sustainable housing for everyone The full CPP performance report can be accessed using the following link: www.bit.ly/CPP2324Q4ProgressReport Status of priority measures xxx 67 Improved or Maintained 9 Slippage or Deteriorated Status Definition Blue The action to achieve change has been completed Green On course to achieve the target or complete the action as planned/the timescale or target has been met as per expectations Amber There has been minor slippage against timescale or minor shortfall against target Red There has been major slippage against timescale or major shortfall against target To be reported later For some measures, the statistics are not yet available to allow us to say whether the target has been reached or not. These will be reported when available Most improved measures Least improved measures Number of young people and adults with Additional Support Needs supported into training, employment and education Increase the percentage of employability participants progressing to positive destinations By March 2024, 100% of young people will have a Person-Centred Pathway Plan By March 2024, 80% of participants in the Mellow Bumps Pregnancy Sessions will report increased knowledge and understanding about stress, anxiety and self-care Number of new employer engagement contacts developed and vacancies filled By March 2024, 75% of young people have been offered a low or medium need mental health support, report it has improved their 67 7 2 0 0 115
Page 116
Most improved measures Least improved measures mental wellbeing Increase number of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures installed in council homes in South Lanarkshire Increase the percentage of Housing Option interventions where homelessness is prevented Number of people participating in a co-produced Self Directed Support Assessment to exercise choice and control over their care Continue to implement the Rapid Re-housing Transition Plan (RRTP) 116
Page 117
Section 5 – Places for Wellbeing: How we are making a difference Thriving Businesses and Fair Jobs – Social Enterprise Strategy 2023-2027 Why is this important? 44 South Lanarkshire Social Enterprises engaged and participated in a range of programmes including the South Lanarkshire Business Accelerator and Climate Confident South Lanarkshire pilot. Targeted support to start up and grow Social Enterprise is a key priority for South Lanarkshire Council (SLC), who approved the South Lanarkshire Social Enterprise Strategy 2023-2027 in August 2023. This support outlined in the strategy, supplements, and adds value to the council’s existing Business Support Programme. Many of our Social Enterprises are micro businesses (a very small company with less than 10 employees), often reliant on grant funding and the range of issues they face are broad and complex. Social Enterprises are businesses (albeit ones where the profit is to be reinvested into the business) where the aim of support is to ensure that they become and remain a sustainable business that can compete to win business in the open market. According to the most recent Scottish Government Social Enterprise Census (2021) there are 177 Social Enterprises operating in South Lanarkshire. The estimated Gross Value Added (GVA) by South Lanarkshire active Social Enterprises in 2021 was £35.2mn. This represents 13.3% Scottish Social Enterprises GVA in 2021. Social Enterprises are local employers and in 2021 employed 1,280 Full Time Equivalent employees – 1.4% of the Scottish total. Key sectors where Social Enterprises are active here in South Lanarkshire are Childcare and Early Years, Health and Care and Arts and Creative industries. How are we doing? A Steering Group made up of third sector partners, SLC and NHS Lanarkshire oversees the successful delivery, monitoring, and reporting against the strategy objectives. The strategy priorities align with the national strategy priorities for Social Enterprise, SLC Economic Strategy and the council’s Community Wealth Building approach. Taking this partnership approach, the council has delivered a range of capacity building and additional business support programmes including: Following a successful pilot in 2022/23, council officers working with partners have commissioned two Business Accelerator Programmes aimed at building business growth and sustainability of organisations. Procurement Workshop – this half day workshop in partnership with the Supplier Development Programme introduced organisations to public sector tendering and how they can do business with the council. South Lanarkshire Social Enterprise Network – SLC resourced the development of a refreshed South Lanarkshire Social Enterprise Network to encourage networking, peer support and provide an opportunity for meaningful engagement and collaboration across the sector. 117
Page 118
Climate Confident South Lanarkshire Pilot – a series of bespoke interventions including the opportunity for organisations to receive expert help, peer learning and access to a digital tool, aimed at supporting organisations to take significant steps towards net zero and positive climate action. Social Enterprise small grants – match funding to start and/or increase income through trading and work towards sustainability through income generation. Grants available up to 50% of eligible project costs (excluding VAT) and up to a maximum total grant award of up to £2.5k for single organisation applicants and up to £7.5K for consortia applications. Priority Next Steps There are several key areas of work underway to directly support the sustainability and growth of local Social Enterprise. Delivering on the objectives set out in the South Lanarkshire Social Enterprise Strategy going forward, we will: • Explore delivery of a Young Entrepreneur’s Programme in all secondary schools in South Lanarkshire; • Test new forms of democratic finance and pilot a Community Bond Initiative; • Build on the work that has taken place with colleagues in the Improvement Service on Shaping Places for Wellbeing and pilot a Community Wealth Building Exchange in the Cambuslang/Rutherglen areas to build supply chain opportunities with Social Enterprises; and • Deliver a range of additional capacity building and business support e.g. workshops, events, and programmes. What people have said about the Business Accelerator Programmes: “I just want to thank you for the delivery of the Leadership Programme. I have found it immensely useful at exactly the right time for me. The mix of group discussion and theoretical sessions to underpin the 1:1 coaching has been of great value”. “I have found the experience to be quite revelatory! Both in the communicating with peers about shared issues, to the real deep thinking the sessions…”. “The Programme has exceeded my expectations. I wasn't sure what to expect coming into this but I'm really enjoying it. Not only the Expert’s knowledge but also how the group has been facilitated in a way that creates safety for everyone to share. The 1-1 was brilliant”. Further information • Support for Business - Social Enterprise Support 118
Page 119
Caring, connected communities – Climate and Nature Why is this important? The Community Planning Partnership through working with and supporting communities, aims to ensure in its work that steps are taken to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change and nature change whilst ensuring that no one is left behind. As well as rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions (known as ‘mitigation’), it is also important to improve resilience to the unavoidable impacts of climate change (known as ‘adaptation’). The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is the framework which the partnership uses to track and monitor progress. These are a comprehensive set of global goals to end poverty, protect our planet, and improve living conditions for all. Achieving each goal depends on the success of another, for example ending poverty and reducing inequalities must go hand in hand with a healthy economy, whilst protecting the planet. Making sure no one is left behind is critical to the success of delivering on the SDGs. To create stronger, more resilient communities, and support transformational change, residents, community groups, organisations and businesses across South Lanarkshire need to be at the heart of climate and nature change. How are we doing? Community based climate and nature activity during 2023/24, included, increasing the awareness of all of the SDGs including through Community Planning events. In the lead up to national Climate Change week in September/October 2023, staff visited local community groups and volunteers, businesses, schools/college, an eco farm and a cycle park to learn about the amazing work that they are doing in and around communities across South Lanarkshire and to share their stories with the wider community. You can learn more here: Climate and Nature Community Action stories. Members of the South Lanarkshire Youth Council and the South Lanarkshire School Youth Forum on Climate Change and Sustainability invited Community Planning leaders to learn more about the climate and nature issues facing young people locally and nationally. These issues included topics such as reducing, reusing and recycling; fast fashion; transport; education; and social media. The young people also shared some of the excellent work that they are doing at school and where they live to tackle some of these issues such as Conference of Schools (COS) events; waste recycling pilots in High Schools; a mobile phone app project; and further exploration of travel and travel habits. As part of the national Climate Change week and Tackling Poverty week, a community-led event which focussed on ‘Having Climate and Nature Conversations that Matter’ was held. Community groups and schools from across South Lanarkshire shared their stories with the wider community through various conversation cafes which focused on the themes of green travel, communities in action, nature-based solutions, food growing and engagement. Key speakers were Laura Young (Less Waste Laura) who is an award-winning climate advocate and environmental scientist and Alex Cameron-Smith of Sniffer, which is an environmental charity, working across Scotland on the three key themes of leadership, placemaking and innovation. Those attending were asked to submit a personal pledge. These highlighted the need for a stronger focus on doing more locally, through community led action and personal actions to reduce our impact on the environment. Commitments included the following themes: air quality and emissions; education; energy; food; greenspace; nature and biodiversity; recycling; resilience; transport and waste. Students from South Lanarkshire College were also in attendance for the purposes of furthering their studies and using their skills to develop a pictorial representation of the discussions and learning from the day as shown below. 119
Page 120
Priority Next Steps • The council’s Youth Family and Community Learning Team will support young people to continue the dialogue on what matters to them about Climate and Nature with Community Planning leaders. • The partnership will continue to work with communities to deliver on the “Planet” ambition set out in the Community Plan, and the Partnership’s commitment to ‘invest in our planet by putting local areas at the centre of our work’ and ‘to work together to develop local solutions to protect nature and to take action on climate change and support young people to lead the way’. This includes a key area of work to co-produce and co-deliver actions with our communities. Further Information • Community Planning Partnership - Community Planning Events • South Lanarkshire Community Learning and Development Partnership • South Lanarkshire Council - Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy Graphic by South Lanarkshire College Students 120
Page 121
People live the healthiest lives possible – Promoting early intervention, prevention, and health improvement - Telehealth and Telecare Why is this important? South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership is committed to promoting early intervention, prevention, and health improvement so that people can remain independent and live their healthiest life possible. Innovation and change play a key role and we have seen an increase in the use of technology to assist people and promote their independence and help them to remain in their own homes. Technology Enabled Care (TEC) supports people to maintain essential links with the wider community and live safely and independently at home. Key services include the use of assistive technology and demand for this continues to increase. The redesign of the community alarm service from analogue to digital for 7,000 service users has been successful. Training in TEC for Health and Social Care staff, third party organisations and service users is a key area of focus. How are we doing? There is a range of telehealth and telecare options which people can access, and the following case study provides an insight into the real benefits to people who use them in terms of service and convenience while offering transformational and sustainable options in service delivery. 6,580 digital alert alarms have been installed as of 31 March 2024. The main reason telecare is requested is to improve a person’s safety and reduce risk of harm. There is a dedicated TEC team to support this work. The team is situated in the award-winning Blantyre LIFE Care Campus, where visitors can try out assistive technology such as kettles, virtual assistant technology, personal GPS tracking systems, etc. and speak to the team about how these solutions can support them and their loved ones at home. The TEC zone at Blantyre LIFE is a first of its kind health and social care collaboration with the Glasgow Science Centre. The innovative and interactive TEC zone plays an important role in supporting residents and service users to live independently and well. Near Me is a video consulting service that enables people to attend appointments from home or wherever is convenient. The service is already widely used across NHS Scotland for health and care appointments. The service is now being rolled out across a wide range of public services. All you need is a device for making video calls like a smartphone and an internet connection. Instead of travelling to their appointment, NHS Lanarkshire Near Me allows patients or service users to enter an online waiting area from their computer, smartphone or tablet. The service is notified when they arrive, and a health or care provider joins the virtual consultation. There are also Near Me, Near You community spaces in South Lanarkshire at Biggar Library, Blantyre LIFE, Larkhall Lighthouse, The Old Schoolhouse, Abington, Whitlawburn Community Centre, Forth Valley Community Centre and Coalburn One-Stop Shop. Case study – Technology Enabled Care Karen has progressive Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and lives with her husband Kevin who works full time. Until recently Karen was managing well with support from the Care at Home Service, however, Karen recently experienced several falls. Kevin is very concerned about Karen’s safety and wellbeing when at home on her own. A community alert alarm was recommended following assessment and was installed in Karen and Kevin’s home. The community alarm alert responders respond to alert alarm activations when Kevin is at work. The Care at Home Coordinator also showed Kevin how to use Amazon Alexa Show’s video call “drop-in” function to keep in contact with Karen while he is at work. Kevin purchased smart bulbs to allow Karen to control the lighting in their home from voice commands to the Amazon Alexa device. Karen advised the introduction of technology improved her health, wellbeing and independence. Kevin noted the drop-in feature is invaluable to him in his caring role and provides him with peace of mind when at work. 121
Page 122
Priority Next Steps Lanarkshire’s Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Team will continue to provide an integrated approach to sustaining people to live independently at home and within their community. The focus of the team is to promote early intervention, prevention and self-management empowering Lanarkshire citizens to use technology to live their best lives, have choice, control and reduce the risk of harm. The team are actively involved with colleagues to identify ways to transform services and provide solutions to make services more sustainable for the future. Further information • Assistive Technology • Sensory Support 122
Page 123
Putting learning at the centre – Pathfinders Programme for Young People Why is this important? Pathfinders is an alternative intervention initiative with an overarching aim of embedding a Community Learning and Development (CLD) approach within the core of mainstream education to improve outcomes for young people identified as being ‘on the edge of care’. The initiative was developed through multi-agency planning to offer appropriate and meaningful support to identified young people and their families. Pathfinders has adopted the attachment theory principles to develop positive and consistent relationships. The aim of the programme is to deliver support in a non-statutory way, which is provided holistically across a range of settings, school, community and the home. Pathfinder support is bespoke, tailored to each young person and family, and takes the form of both individual and group support. Home visits and parental engagement are key elements of the work. Pathfinder staff are well connected to key partners in the wider community to ensure appropriate referrals into and out of the provision. How are we doing? The Pathfinders Programme is currently embedded within seven schools in South Lanarkshire, with 14 Youth, Family and Community Learning Pathfinder workers. These are: Cathkin High School; Trinity High School; Stonelaw High School; Lanark Grammar School; Calderside Academy, Blantyre; St Andrew’s and St Bride’s, East Kilbride, and Carluke High School. This is funded through a mix of Whole Family Wellbeing Funding (WFWF) and Pupil Equity Funding. In 2023-24 the programme set a target to engage with 350 young people and families, providing support and sustained engagement that meets identified needs. At the end of March 2024, Pathfinders had worked with a total of 534 young people and families, exceeding our target by 52.5%. Impact and participation levels are recorded through agreed measures that are reported through the South Lanarkshire Community Learning and Development Plan. The following data demonstrates progress against targets set for the year 2023-24: • 5% increase in meaningful participation in school or learning in their social skills. Actual increase 88%. • 5% increase in young people who recognise a positive adaptation in their behaviour. Actual increase 18%. • 5% increase in young people who identify positive development in their Health and wellbeing. Actual increase 24%. • 5% increase in meaningful participation in school or learning. Actual Increase 12%. Priority Next Steps The Pathfinders Team have successfully secured funding from the Scottish Government’s UNCRC Innovation fund to develop a youth led consultation process that will allow young people to be the catalyst for change in relation to areas that affect their lives. This funding will support the further development of youth voice in relation to developing appropriate interventions and support and has enabled us to create rich opportunities for a committee of 21 young people participating in the Pathfinders programme to directly influence the service that they receive and be involved and influence decisions affecting them/the programme and other young people in South Lanarkshire. This element of the programme has three distinct phases:- 1. Skills development – to allow the participants the opportunity to develop the key skills and knowledge to actively influence the programme and services they receive. 2. Consultation - the participants will develop and deliver a series of consultation events with their peer groups. 123
Page 124
3. Conference/Youth Summit – young people involved will host a conference for key partners, sharing life experiences, barriers to participation and evidence of need to shape future policies. What people have said about the programme “Work placement has given me the opportunity to go do something I like and want to do as a job when I leave school”. “Football is a hobby and has given me something to do during the holidays. Pathfinders have included me in the Football events during summer. I have met people and friends there”. “The different opportunities Pathfinders have given me I have been more open to go and trying new things than saying I don’t want to do the stuff. I have done that before”. “Pathfinders have helped me talk to people more about how you feel helping with my feelings. I can go round there when I am having a bad day or need someone to talk to”. Young Person “Karis and Pathfinders have had an enormously positive impact on my daughter’s life. To have someone who will always be there to support and reinforce that she has talents has been very important to my daughter, to have someone who can provide opportunities which fit her needs, talents and interests has been life affirming for her. Karis has been pivotal in bringing my daughter back to a place of happiness after the struggles she has had, and my husband and I are eternally grateful to Karis”. Parent of Young Person Further information • Youth, Family and Community Learning - South Lanarkshire Council 124
Page 125
Our children and young people thrive – Family Support Hubs Why is this important? Central to South Lanarkshire’s vision for whole family support, is for families to flourish and get the right help at the right time, supporting a child's right to be raised safely within their own families for as long as they need it. Within South Lanarkshire, four Family Support Hubs are now open and provide easier access to help families. The hubs provide an early social work response to pregnant women, babies, children and young people up to 18 years of age to prevent an escalation to statutory teams by providing intensive whole family support. In the first year of operation, the Family Support Hubs have responded to 61% of the total referrals to Children and Family Social Work. The hubs are community facing and offer better access to support for families in Cambuslang, East Kilbride, Hamilton and Lanark. The hubs have had such a positive impact on families, that families themselves are now the second largest referrer to this support in the past year. How are we doing? To reduce the number of babies, children and young people who have to live away from their families, we have been supporting all families identified by our Early Years Multi Agency networks as needing extra help during pregnancy with Family Group Decision Making sessions. This approach is expected to empower families to make their own plan to safeguard their child. In an effort to reduce the use of child protection procedures, the Hamilton Family Support Hub have introduced a Parent Plan approach for vulnerable pregnancies. This approach still ensures there is early identification and response to risk and safeguarding concerns through a robust assessment and review process using a Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) approach. This has been successful, resulting in positive outcomes for families. This approach will be scaled up across all four of the Family Support Hubs in 2024. A Parenting Support Groupwork Pathway has been expanded to include support for parents with children aged 0-18 years. This includes evidence based and accredited programmes. For those parents not requiring additional or intensive groupwork programmes, the pathway has been expanded to include Family Support Hub specific groupwork programmes. These provide general parenting and wellbeing support, a positive social experience and an opportunity for parents to engage with their local Family Support Hubs. Priority Next Steps A reflective Practice Coordinator is aligned to the hubs to support trauma informed practice amongst staff. In year two, a Trauma Recovery Councillor will support families. The counsellor will work directly with families, as an early intervention approach before a situation has escalated and in line with local and national priorities. During consultation, families said that staff with relevant lived experience should work in the Family Support Hubs. In 2023, 3.5 individuals with lived experience were recruited. They work across all four Family Support Hubs. Their remit within the team is to try to reduce the impact of parental substance use by providing support to parents to address any barriers to their recovery. Evaluating and building upon the initial successes of peer support remains a priority. The support has been received positively by parents, Social Work colleagues and partners. Peer Support Worker Case study – Sharon’s Story (name has been changed) Sharon was referred to me following a period of emotional crisis. She uses cannabis to deal with her mental health and is significantly affected by her partner’s alcohol use. Establishing the relationship from the start was slightly difficult as Sharon didn’t feel she could trust services due to being let 125
Page 126
down with her previous service from Social Work. I had initially formed a relationship over the phone with Sharon for about two weeks, as her having someone to speak to when she was feeling most on edge and anxious was reassuring for her to feel comfortable and understood before I managed to visit her in her home. I had shared my lived experience with Sharon, we had so much in common with certain life events growing up which we could relate together, we could then navigate the emotions and triggers to a point of acceptance to allow Sharon to move forward with life again, being able to relate to Sharon has helped strengthen the working relationship between ourselves. I helped Sharon link in with the Clydesdale Resource Network – Mental Health Team in Lanark, also supporting Sharon to contact the doctor for referrals to her Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) and councillor for ongoing support. There was quite a lot of barriers at the start as Sharon has felt misunderstood in the past from her CPN and counsellor, the experience had caused her to disengage from the services and her mental health had spiralled into an emotional dark place. Working together to build up Sharon’s confidence and self-assurance has improved her mental health and day to day living. Sharon is more driven and motivated to embrace day to day tasks and follow through with her routines for the children and herself. Her confidence has now increased, and she is learning to play the ukulele and piano and going to join a local music group. Levels of stress within the family home have reduced significantly, Sharon is more confident in lifting the phone and seeking appropriate supports from Mental Health Services, family and friends and social work. Relationships with family members have also improved. I have learned in this experience that crisis can come at any time but so can solutions, and being able to problem solve with Sharon has been effective. I feel pointing out Sharons’ strengths and talents crossed out her negative self-concept and gave me great fulfilment knowing what work I was putting in was being reciprocated as both Sharon and I were reaching goals together. Feedback from Sharon: “Carol has been amazing. When we started, she said her goal was to help me get to a point where I don't feel like I need to move away to solve my problems. Didn't think that was likely but was wrong. It's helped to have someone safe to talk to and to feel like I have someone on my side. It’s been easier to maintain the house and focus on moving forward again instead of feeling overwhelmed and frozen. I'm almost grateful for what happened before now because I doubt anyone else would have been able to help as much as she has”. What people have said about the Family Support Hubs “The support helped me to improve mine and my children’s situation, not only their environment but wellbeing too. My perception of Social Work has changed as a result”. The support from the hub has helped me overcome all obstacles in my way and helped get my confidence back as their kind words has reminded me of the person who I truly am throughout my healing process”. 126
Page 127
“I have found the approach to be more supportive than my previous experience of Social Work and I’m planning to also take up the option of attending the parenting groups offered”. “My hub worker helped me and my daughter get through a traumatic experience of domestic abuse by spending time with us, being available when we needed her and having a caring and supportive approach”. “I would not have managed over the past few months without having the emotional support. It has got me through a very difficult period, and even if I didn't call one week, just knowing someone was there for me if I needed it was great”. Further information • Family support hubs - South Lanarkshire Council 127
Page 128
Good quality, sustainable housing for everyone – South Lanarkshire ECO4 Scheme Why is this important? The South Lanarkshire Local Housing Strategy 2022-2027 aims to ensure everyone has access to a home that they can afford and meets their needs. This includes the ability to heat and maintain their home, with the higher cost of energy alongside other cost of living pressures having impacted on the affordability of heating and maintenance, putting them in or at risk of fuel poverty. Private home owners on lower incomes or with residents who are vulnerable to the effects of a cold home may be particularly affected, including homes with very young children, older people, and people with health problems. The Scheme also aligns with the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan that sets out a pathway for achieving Net Zero. Also, with the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy, that includes proposals to create a new Heat in Buildings Standard, requiring people who own their home to meet a minimum energy efficiency standard by 2033 and private rented home owners, by 2028. How are we doing? Recognising these challenges, in 2023 South Lanarkshire Council was amongst the first local authorities in Scotland to fully launch a new ‘Energy Company Obligation Scheme’. This allows national energy company funding to be used by locally based contractors to make energy efficiency improvements to eligible private tenure homes at no cost to the homeowner or landlord. Administered through Ofgem, the current version of the Scheme is known as ECO4 and runs until March 2026. Local authorities participate play a significant role working with contractors to ensure that the funding reaches households who will benefit the most. The South Lanarkshire ECO4 Scheme launched in July 2023 and so far, 128 private tenure households have benefited from the installation of retrofit energy efficiency measures. Within these, 326 measures have been installed over that period, surpassing the 300 annual target set out in the council’s Local Housing Strategy and Community Plan. A range of 18 different measures have been installed, with the most common installations being new Solar Power systems (23% of installations) and boilers being upgraded to a renewable energy heating system (21% of installations). Twenty properties have benefited from first time central heating and 77 properties have benefited from a variety of home insulation measures (23%). Each of these will contribute to making homes being easier to heat and reduced bills for residents. Priority Next Steps The scheme can be targeted to areas assessed as having poor property conditions, or where particular customer groups and household compositions reside. By working in partnership with the Fuel Poverty Group and contractors, we aim to ensure that the scheme reaches those most in need and at risk of fuel poverty. Case study - ECO4 Scheme by South Lanarkshire Council A resident who had issues with her boiler contacted Retrofit Group who are one of several approved ECO installers in South Lanarkshire. After gathering some more information, she was advised that the household could be eligible for ECO funding as the household income was less than the £31,000 threshold. The old heating system was temperamental, so the company prioritised a surveyor’s visit to carry out an assessment of the heating system. From this, the recommended energy efficiency measures were to replace the boiler with a new condensing boiler and to upgrade the heating controls. 128
Page 129
Once the company submitted all the paperwork, an assessment of eligibility was completed by the council within one week, and the installation was completed by the engineer within a single day, minimising the disruption to the resident. The resident told Retrofit, “I have just had the hottest shower since I moved into the property in August last year. This has taken away a lot of anxiety for me! I now know that when I turn on the tap or shower that I have hot water and I don’t have to continually boil my kettle. Thank you so much”. Through ECO4, this resident who lives on a low-income, now has an improved heating system providing better energy efficiency, a warm home and safe access to warm water. Further information More information on eligible households and approved contractors for South Lanarkshire ECO4 can be found in the links below: • ECO Flex for suppliers - South Lanarkshire Council • ECO Flex approved contractors - South Lanarkshire Council • Contact: ECO4Flexscheme@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 129
Page 130
Section 6 – Working with Communities: How you can get involved Community Participation and Engagement Why is this important? Our work as a partnership is intended to improve outcomes for people who live, play and work in South Lanarkshire, particularly in those areas that experience the poorest outcomes. There is a lot of evidence that shows that when people are involved in decisions about services which affect them, outcomes are improved. As a partnership, we want to find ways to speak to communities and encourage them to act themselves and to have an influence on how services are delivered where they live. The Community Empowerment Act 2015 (www.gov.scot/publications/community-empowerment-scotland-act-summary/) means that legally the partnership has to place communities at the centre of its work, and work together with them to produce locality plans which we call Neighbourhood Plans, in areas which have the poorest outcomes. In South Lanarkshire we are ambitious and work to extend this beyond the legal requirements and listen to and involve communities in a real and meaningful way. The Act also sets out other requirements for public organisations, for example, in relation to Community Asset Transfers and Participation Requests. During the year, many consultation and engagement activities were carried out by partners with communities in the South Lanarkshire area. The following sections in the report highlight some areas of this work. 130
Page 131
Working with Communities: Neighbourhood Planning Why is this important? Neighbourhood Planning is where both residents, local agencies and organisations are committed to working together to develop local plans for their communities. This work aims to reduce the inequalities that exist in our most deprived communities and improve outcomes for residents. Key to this is supporting communities to drive the process and work alongside partners and service providers. Together they build a shared understanding of local needs and priorities and respond to these making the most of our shared resources. Neighbourhood Planning involves communities in real and meaningful ways and has created positive change in these communities. For more information on the progress that has been made in these areas please see the communities’ Annual Reports: www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/cp/info/26/community_matters How are we doing? We are working with nine communities to progress Neighbourhood Planning and a further one area is in progress. The following is a snapshot of current activity in some of the areas that are currently developing new plans. Hamilton South The Hamilton South Plan includes the areas of Eddlewood, Fairhill, Low Waters and Laighstonehall. Local people and the Stakeholder Group have created a plan that can includes actions that recognise both the individual and collective communities of their area. The Stakeholder Group meets every six weeks and is growing all the time, with both officers and community representatives attending regularly from across the whole area. East Kilbride South In East Kilbride South, the first Stakeholder Group meeting was held in August 2023. This was well attended by local groups and organisations. At that meeting, it was agreed to proceed with a whole ward plan and start the consultation to find out more about the hopes and aspirations of local people to inform the plan. An online consultation was held in October 2023 followed by door-to-door consultation within the priority area in November. The door-to- door work and visits to five local schools were completed in March 2024. The information will be analysed at the end of April 2024 with the plan on track to be in draft in Summer 2024 and to be completed and ready to present to the CPP Board in September 2024. In East Kilbride South, the first Stakeholder Group meeting was held in August 2023. This was well attended by local groups and organisations. At that meeting, it was agreed to proceed with a whole ward plan and start the consultation to find out more about the hopes and aspirations of local people to inform the plan. An online consultation was held in October 2023 followed by door-to-door consultation within the priority area thereafter. Engagement work was also carried out at the 5 primary schools. The consultation closed on 2 May 2024 with 782 survey responses. Next steps are to develop the Stakeholder Group, to build its capacity and carry out further consultation to conclude the engagement activity and identify local priorities. Case study – Burnhill Neighbourhood Plan A local group in Burnhill have developed a derelict piece of land they call the “High Backs” to use as a community space as there is a lack of facilities in the area to host community activity. This includes space for community growing in raised beds, a potting shed and a poly tunnel and three outhouses/sheds within the garden to be used as a coffee hut, community pantry, a space for activities and a stage for the young people in the area. The main issues being addressed are the top 10 priorities highlighted by local people in the Neighbourhood Plan which are: more social and recreational 131
Page 132
opportunities, housing and environmental improvements, play park and sports park improvements, stronger and better communities, better education training and employment opportunities, greater community safety, health improvements, better financial wellbeing, easier to get about and move around, and more variety of shops and businesses. Some of the activities and projects designed to address these issues are Wellbeing Hubs, Family Hubs, Citizen’s Advice Drop in, Parent Café, Youth Action Group, Cooking Courses, coffee mornings. Throughout the year they also organise free themed community events such as summer fun days, Easter egg hunts, Halloween events and a Christmas Elf Trail for the whole community. The group are currently working on creating a community pantry to allow local people access to free food and other household essentials, becoming a free sanitary product outlet and working to create a project plan with a developer to explore the potential for further development of the community space. Some of the highlights from this year’s Neighbourhood Planning Progress Report are: • 254 local people took part in the Participating Budgeting process, allocating funding to local projects. • Over 50 people accessed free sanitary products. • £50 vouchers for 100 residents to help with the rise in the cost of living. • 8 adults took part in a healthy 'on a budget' cooking class. • 15 cold weather packs given out to elderly residents. • Coffee mornings with over 25 people present at each one. • 950 residents attended the free big community events Easter, Summer, Halloween and Christmas. • 1,000 people following the What's On in Burnhill social media page – the average post reach is 4.4k. • 50 pumpkins, 100 advent calendars and 100 Easter eggs were given out for free to families. • Burnhill Young Volunteers recognised with a volunteering award. • 50 residents attended bingo in the High Backs. • 100 residents were involved in outings/trips. • 35 residents attending weekly Family and Wellbeing Hubs. • 60 young people took part in the football summer club arranged by Glencairn Football Club 2006s. Link to High Backs Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eBGdIXgZwY How can you get involved? If you have an interest in any of the communities that already have a Neighbourhood Plan, you can get involved by supporting delivery of the plan. If you would like more information or would like to get involved in Neighbourhood Planning in your community, please contact the Community Engagement Team. You can call us on 0303 123 1017 or email us at communities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk Further information • South Lanarkshire Community Plan 2022-2032 • Neighbourhood Plans - Annual Progress Reports • South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership • Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 • National Standards for Community Engagement 132
Page 133
Working with Communities: Community Partnerships Why is this important? South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership is wholly committed to ensuring that communities are fully engaged in the process of Community Planning. To achieve this, and to strengthen local democracy and community led decision making, locality-based Community Partnerships are being developed. Two have already been formed in the Cambuslang/Rutherglen and Clydesdale locality, and a further two are currently in development in the East Kilbride and Hamilton localities. The Community Partnership will act as an intermediary between the Neighbourhood Planning Stakeholder Groups, Community Councils and the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Board. There are 3 key commitments highlighted within South Lanarkshire’s Community Plan. These are supported and delivered in the work of the Community Engagement Team in partnership with Community Planning Partners, and other key stakeholders. These include the following:- • We will continue to support and encourage every community to identify and act on their local priorities. • We will bring communities together to share priorities and work jointly on them. • We will involve local representatives in community planning at all levels, including on the Community Planning Partnership Board. How are we doing? The Community Planning Partnership Community Development Officer supports the meetings of the established Partnership groups in the Cambuslang and Rutherglen and Clydesdale localities. Both groups identify priorities and needs from within the localities, work with partners and communities to deliver on these and present updates on their progress to the strategic Community Planning Partnership Board. Since June 2022, a representative from each Partnership has attended the Board on behalf of their groups. Both established Community Partnerships are currently focussing on how they will share information about their work within their local communities. One way to do this is using the Community Planning website to highlight action points from meetings, as well as future planning and priorities. This will further emphasise their essential roles in the Community Planning process and will publicise them more within the local areas. They are also focusing on the allocation of Lived Experience Funding, which will assist in their aim to reduce deprivation and tackle poverty. Partnerships in the East Kilbride and Strathaven and Hamilton localities (Hamilton includes Blantyre, Bothwell, Hamilton, Larkhall, Stonehouse, Uddingston) are currently being developed. Work will continue to strengthen the new Community Partnerships in theses areas and there will be further meetings with Community Councils and Stakeholder Groups. How can you get involved? Community Partnerships maximise opportunities for local people to be more involved, and influential in decision making that affects them in line with the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership strategic priorities. Community Councils, Neighbourhood Planning, and other area stakeholders such as Community Led Planning Groups are currently involved in Community Partnerships. If you or your group would like to get involved, or require further information, please contact communities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk or 0303 123 1017. 133
Page 134
You can also visit the following website for more details and information regarding community planning, and Community Partnerships in South Lanarkshire:- https://www.southlanarkshirecommunityplanning.org/info/1/what_is_community_planning/136/community_partnerships. Further information What is Community Planning?: The Community Planning Partnership in South Lanarkshire and what it could mean to you (youtube.com) “I am really enjoying working alongside representatives from the four Community councils across Cambuslang and Rutherglen and the four Our Place Our Plan Stakeholder Groups. Although we are still relatively new, our role is to act as an intermediary to ensure that communities are properly and meaningfully engaged, involved and influential in Community Planning and the work of the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership Board”. Cheryl Burnett, Springhall and Whitlawburn OPOP Stakeholder and Chair of the Cambuslang and Rutherglen Community Partnership. 134
Page 135
Working with Communities: Sustainable Development and Climate Change Why is this important? Climate change and sustainable development are important considerations for community planning because they have significant implications for the well- being of communities, the environment, and future generations. This has been identified as a priority in the new Community Plan and can only be delivered through working together, with our communities. Community Planning Partners can help to ensure that development is resilient, sustainable, fair, and that legal requirements are met. Empowering communities to take climate action and be more environmentally sustainable is one of the council’s priority actions and work in this area reflects wider understanding of community participation in tackling climate change. Recognising that public engagement is central to tackling the impacts of climate change, the Scottish Government set out a framework for engaging the people of Scotland in a transition to a net zero nation by 2045. The three objectives underpinning the framework which set out the importance of community planning are noted below: • Understand – Communicating climate change and how it relates to people’s lives; • Participate – Enabling participation in shaping just, fair, and inclusive policies that promote mitigation and promotion of climate change; and • Act – Encourage taking climate action in households, communities and places. How are we doing? As communities are central to creating a just and fair transition to net zero, over the past year we have undertaken community place-based climate action across South Lanarkshire to support and empower communities to become sustainable, inclusive and thriving places. Led by the council’s Sustainable Communities Engagement Officer (SCEO), work has focused on building relationships between communities, council services and external partners to help support and encourage climate action at a community level. The officer has been involved in several community-based initiatives during 2023/24 aimed at supporting engagement on climate and sustainability focused issues across South Lanarkshire. Direct engagement with community groups has helped them to achieve their aspirations with regards the sustainable development and climate change agenda. Examples include: • Supporting delivery of the ONECAN Carluke Community Climate Conference; • Supporting community networking and learning exchanges directly within communities; and • Supporting grant applications to help realise community aspirations. How can you get involved? South Lanarkshire Council will continue to administer the Climate Emergency Fund over the coming year which will be made available to community groups who are looking to pursue environmental, sustainability, or climate change projects. These grants will allow communities to implement activity that is important to them and will better enable them to respond to the unique challenges areas face in tackling climate change and its local impacts. You can get involved by applying for a grant to help deliver activities in your communities. Grants of up to £2,500 are available to community groups and partner organisations and information on how to apply can be found by following the link below. 135
Page 136
Further Information • Sustainable development and climate change strategy: www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200303/climate_change_and_sustainability/2100/sustainable_development_and_climate_change_strategy • Climate Emergency Grants: www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200168/getting_involved_in_your_community/2023/climate_emergency_and_social_enterprise_grants 136
Page 137
Working with Communities: Community Led Planning Why is this important? The Community Led Planning process enables communities to identify local priorities and produce an action plan that helps people to take realistic steps towards the change they want to see. By bringing everyone together to think about what is needed, this process highlights the skills and resources already available in the community, as well as identifying the gaps and the support required from others to make it happen. How are we doing? Communities across South Lanarkshire in the Clydesdale, East Kilbride and Larkhall areas have created their own Community Action Plans. These plans have been developed through extensive community engagement activity delivered by local people, for the benefit of the whole community to take ownership of and work together to achieve the priorities set out in the plan. You can find more information about the communities that have their own plans and view their latest plans on the Community Planning website: - https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/cp/downloads/file/458/local_community_plans. Case Study – Crawford Community Led Plan Engagement Work In 2023, community representatives in the village of Crawford came together to consider how they understand their community and collectively decided to undertake a community led planning exercise to get to know their community better, enhancing their understanding of the priorities of the people within the village and moving forward towards having stronger collective action for the future. A Steering Group of 10 local members was created, with representation from six local community groups and some local residents who were not part of a community group. To truly get the value out of this experience, the group decided to lead every element of the community planning exercise themselves instead of appointing any contractors to ensure full attention to detail from the onset. They designed a survey to find out the views of the community. This was delivered to every property in the area (including 51 rural remote properties). The response rate from this survey exceeded the 40% target the group had set. The Steering Group hosted a community event to share the survey feedback and identify key projects for action, using this engagement session to fully understand how these priorities would be achieved. They used interactive stalls, for example in the village shop, community café, village hall to show physical examples of how to achieve the priorities in the community’s plan. This is a unique engagement method, created to encourage active participation from community members in supporting the next stages of the Community Plan once launched. Whilst this process has been ongoing, the Village Hall was listed for closure. As a result of their engagement work, the Steering Group were able to identify that the village hall is an important asset within the community and is valued by local residents. The Steering Group has taken steps to become a registered charity Crawford, Elvanfoot, Dar Action Resource (CEDAR) so that they can apply for a Community Asset Transfer to retain the village hall as a community asset. How can you get involved? If you have an interest in any of the communities that already have a local action plan, you can get involved by supporting delivery of the plan. If you live or work in a community that would like to create their own action plan, please see our local Community Planning Toolkit for further information. If you would like more information, please contact the Community Engagement Team. You can call 0303 123 1017 or email us at communities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk. 137
Page 138
Further information Community Planning Toolkit: www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/cp/downloads/file/365/community_led_planning_toolkit If you would like a copy of the toolkit, including template documents, please email: contact@southlanarkshirecommunityplanning.org 138
Page 139
Working with Communities: Participatory Budgeting Why is this important? Participatory Budgeting (PB) actively engages residents in local priority setting, decision making and the allocation of elements of public funds. How are we doing? The PB process has been adopted across nine Neighbourhood Planning areas who are sharing a bigger budget than usual thanks to match funding from the national lottery. £286,000 (allocation based on population size) was shared between these neighbourhoods and a variety of approaches are being used to allocate this funding, based on local circumstances. Three neighbourhoods had undertaken their PB processes in 2022/23 while our other communities have completed their own this year. 2,996 local people have had their say on how money should be spent within their community. Example of projects funded across all areas include: youth activities including, youth clubs, football, skateboarding, and a playscheme; family activities and community events; mental wellbeing support; food growing; emergency food aid; keep fit classes; and a child and family programme. The Hamilton South area participated in its first Participatory Budgeting (PB) exercise, and after doorstep, online and community voting, £21,000 was allocated to groups and organisations who operate locally and benefit local residents. The beneficiaries of the funding have participated in training, promoted sustainability through environmental based projects and contributed to supporting local groups to assist with the current economic challenges being faced in communities. “Hamilton South Church would just like to say a huge thank you for the recent grant award of £2,000 which will allow us to purchase new integrated ovens and hobs for our kitchen. This new kitchen equipment will help us extend our work and widen our partnerships across Hamilton South. We intend to link with local community groups and organisations in terms of offering our facilities for cookery classes, improving skills, and promoting healthier eating. Our weekly lunch club will also benefit as we can now offer a wider variety of hot food”. Hamilton South Church Volunteer How can you get involved? If you would like more information or would like to get involved in Neighbourhood Planning in your community, please get in touch with the Community Engagement Team. You can call us on 0303 123 1017 or email us at communities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk. Further information • PB Scotland - Participatory Budgeting in Scotland • The PB Charter for Scotland - PB Scotland • South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership - Community Matters 139
Page 140
Working with Communities: Volunteering Why is this important? During the economic crisis, volunteers within South Lanarkshire continue to give their time, energy, and commitment every day to support their communities. Relieving pressure on statutory services, volunteering is an essential for the delivery of life saving interventions the Third Sector offer. The benefits of volunteering are evident, volunteers have a direct impact on improving mental health, reducing social isolation and an increase in wellbeing for themselves and those they support. How are we doing? The benefits of a collaborative approach to volunteering are as apparent now as they were when the “post COVID learning and evaluation exercise” was carried out. To build on the positive effect partnership working has on communities, Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan) and South Lanarkshire Council’s Employability Services have been working together to create a smoother journey into volunteering. The new employability pathway is a streamlined referral path, working closely with key workers across four employability programmes. Key workers aim to remove barriers to volunteering by offering support in areas such as confidence building, life, and social skills. At the point where these barriers are reduced, a VASLan Volunteer Support Officer offers a tailored approach to volunteering placement, working with the key worker and volunteer. The Development Officer will link potential volunteers with opportunities throughout South Lanarkshire ensuring a stable, secure, and successful placement. 2022 saw the creation of the South Lanarkshire Volunteering Strategy, endorsed by all partners through signing a Volunteering Pledge. VASLan took the lead on the creation of the strategy and the partnership continues to utilise the strategy to promote good practice and strengthen the volunteering offer to South Lanarkshire. Continuing to support and guide partners and voluntary organisations in good volunteering practice remains one of VASLan’s main priorities. Working in partnership with Volunteer Scotland they will continue to promote the Quality Standards Pipeline and to support organisations to sign the Volunteer Charter, achieve Volunteer Friendly or Investing in Volunteers accreditation. VASLan are proactive in promoting good volunteer management, supporting organisations to apply and gain the quality standard their organisation is eligible for. Coming out of the COVID pandemic, and facing daily cost of living challenges, it is vital that VASLan work with partners and the Third Sector to support the delivery of services by creating a strong volunteer network. Supporting the creation of flexible, inclusive, and diverse volunteering opportunities will remain to be an essential part of their work, by doing so VASLan will support volunteers into meaningful opportunities while supporting the Third Sector to thrive. The following are some of the highlights of 2023/24: • 728 new volunteers registered; • 80 volunteers given tailored pre-volunteering support; • 1,591 volunteering placements facilitated; • 82 new volunteering opportunities created; • 11 organisations have achieved a quality standard. 21 are currently working towards a Quality Standard and an additional 14 have indicated an interest; • 377 new Saltire volunteer registrations; • 20,088 Saltire hours logged; • 5 Saltire Group Administrators approved; and • 274 Saltire Certificates issued. 140
Page 141
Further Information: • Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan) 141
Page 142
Working with Communities: Community Asset Transfer Why is this important? Local councils, the Scottish Government and other public authorities, own or rent lots of land and buildings, like schools, hospitals, parks and forests. The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 gives community organisations a right to ask to take over control of land or a building. If the community organisation’s plan is better for people, they will be allowed to buy, rent or have the use of it. This is called Community Asset Transfer (CAT). The Act sets out specific criteria that needs to be met by community organisations. The ownership or control of community assets is a powerful tool for communities to drive change and achieve their goals. The CAT process allows statutory partners including the council to work closely with their communities to develop local services and provision that are responsive to the needs of residents. By capitalising on the local knowledge and expertise of those who live in these communities we can assist in the flexible usage of public sector assets and work together to make the greatest impact possible in the communities in which we serve. How are we doing? In 2023-24, South Lanarkshire Council was the only Community Planning Partner that dealt with Community Asset Transfer requests. South Lanarkshire Council’s CAT Officer continues to work with a high degree of interest from local residents and community groups to take advantage of the legislation by using land and property owned by the council. During 2023/24, SLC received and validated seven CAT requests. Three of these were for the purchase of land, the remaining four for lease. Four were approved, one declined, one temporarily withdrawn, and one continues to be negotiated. The number of ongoing enquiries, which have been supported, has also grown, with over 50 organisations working on proposals from community growing spaces to community football pitches. In addition, due to potential closures of buildings because of funding pressures in South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture, the CAT Officer has been supporting 27 potential transfers to interested parties. How can you get involved? CAT is open to any community-controlled body which has the relevant constitution or governance documentation and is open to all members of the community they serve. Any group applying for a CAT must show they have organisational strength to take on and manage an asset, and that they are supported by the community which they serve. The CAT process is an exciting opportunity which can benefit any community but involves a lot of time and effort. In recognition of this, the CAT Officer can provide tailored support to each organisation. This support can be augmented by assistance from other organisations, such as Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan), Community Enterprise, Just Enterprise, Community Ownership Support Services and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). Blantyre Soccer Academy – Larkfield Hall and Stonefield Pitches “The CAT Officer supported Blantyre Soccer Academy with their approach to purchase both land and a former community centre from the council to develop these into an asset worthy of the Blantyre community which they serve. The group developed and submitted a comprehensive business plan and have already worked with the Scottish Football Association to receive funding which will support the pitch development aspect of this property. Everybody involved is excited about the potential of this project”. Jimmy Whelan, Chairperson Blantyre Soccer Academy 142
Page 143
Further information • Community Asset Transfer 143
Page 144
Working with Communities: Participation Requests How are we doing? Participation requests are a formal way for community bodies to request to be involved in decisions and put forward their ideas on how services could be changed to improve outcomes for the community. Requests can be made to a range of public bodies including South Lanarkshire Council, NHS Lanarkshire, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue, etc. In 2023-24, no participation requests were received by Community Planning Partners. To make a participation request, your group must meet some requirements including having a membership open to your community and working for community benefit. Your first step should be getting in touch with the public body you would like to work with for assistance in getting started. This can identify if they are the right public body to contact and they can also help you to get advice and information about any existing consultations or decision-making processes that you could be involved in without needing to make a formal participation request. Further information • Participation Requests • Annual report 2023-2024 - South Lanarkshire Council 144
Page 145
Appendix 1 145
Page 146
Appendix 2 CPP Structure Diagram 146
Page 147
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: 2025/2026 Revenue Budget Gap and Savings 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- provide an update on the budget gap and savings proposals for 2025/2026, and provide the outcome of the Cross-Cutting Review of the Loans Fund and Service Concessions (IFRS 16). 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the update on Key Budget Areas (section 4), be noted; (2) that the £3.600 million Conseqentials will be set aside to contribute to the 2025/2026 Pay Award (section 4.2), be approved; (3) that the 2025/2026 budget reductions in Utilities and Council Tax (section 4.8, Table 1) be used to reduce the Budget Gap, be approved; (4) that the proposed savings included in Appendix 1, be considered; (5) that the position re Additional Teachers, (section 5.4), be noted; (6) that the Loans Fund Review proposal to remove voluntary repayments (summarised in sections 6.3 - 6.8 / detailed in Appendix 4), be considered; (7) that the resultant savings from the Loans Fund Review summarised in Table 4 (section 6.7) be agreed to reduce the Budget Gap, be considered; (8) that the Service Concessions (IFRS 16) review savings detailed in Table 5 (section 6.11), be noted; (9) that the use of Loans Fund Review Underspends to support the Budget Strategy from 2027/2028 to 2029/2030, as proposed in section 6.16 (Table 8), be considered; (10) that the revised 3-year Budget Gap across the period 2025/2026 to 2027/2028, as detailed in section 7 (Table 9), be noted; and (11) that the risks detailed in the Other Implications Section (section 13), be noted. 3. Background 3.1. A report titled 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 Revenue Budget Strategy was presented to the Executive Committee in June 2024. This paper focussed on the financial outlook for the next 3 years, highlighting a Budget Gap of £77.275 million. The Budget Gap relating to financial year 2025/2026 is £22.355 million. 8 147
Page 148
1 3.2. This paper will provide an update on a number of budget areas including the impact of Pay Awards, the price of utilities and an early outturn on Council Tax collected in 2024/2025. It will also discuss options to balance the Budget and will include reference to Council Tax as well as savings proposals resulting from the Council’s Transformational Change Programme. Part of the Transformational Change programme includes the Cross-Cutting Review of the Loans Fund / Service Concessions. The outcome of that review will also be covered in this report. 3.3. This report will cover the following: • An update on key budget areas (section 4), • Savings and the Transformational Change Programme (section 5), and • Review of Loans Fund and Service Concessions (section 6). 3.4. Taking account of the update in section 4, section 7 considers the Budget Gap across the 3-year period, 2025/2026 to 2027/2028. A Summary, options, Next Steps and a Timeline for consideration is provided in section 8. 3.5. Section 9 provides details of the Reinstatement requirements following previous year budget decisions, and section 10 details employee implications resulting from the proposals in this report. Other implications are detailed in section 13 and section 14 provides an update on the Integrated Impact Assessments carried out on the savings and Budget proposals. 4. Update on Key Budget Areas 4.1. Since the last Budget Strategy report in June 2024, the 2024/2025 Pay Award has been implemented and further information has been received on utility projections. In addition, an early outturn position for Council Tax properties has been completed for 2024/2025. Each is taken in turn. 4.2. 2024/2025 Pay Award: The Council’s Budget for 2024/2025 included an initial pay award assumption for non-teachers from 1 April 2024 and for teachers from mid- August 2024. This was augmented by the UK Government Consequentials monies (£3.600 million) which were set aside for pay awards. The pay award for 2024/2025 has now been implemented and the cost of the award can be managed within the pay assumptions for 2024/2025. As we prepare for the 2025/2026 Budget and Pay Award, the in-year (2024/2025) Consequentials funding of £3.600 million will be set aside to contribute to the 2025/2026 Pay Award costs. 4.3. Utilities: As noted in June 2024, recent information has suggested a downward trend in the anticipated price of utilities into 2024/2025 and this allowed a benefit to the Strategy of an estimated £2.000 million. This will result in an in-year underspend of £2.000 million in 2024/2025. The Council is a member of the buying consortium who purchase wholesale energy in advance, on behalf of ourselves and other public sector bodies. The price indications specifically for electricity purchased for the next couple of years indicates further price reductions beyond that assumed for 2024/2025. 148
Page 149
2 4.4. Since June 2024, further information has been received and while still only a proportion of the required units are purchased for the year 2025/2026 and 2026/2027, based on what has been purchased so far, the financial benefit into 2025/2026 is higher than has been assumed in the Budget Strategy. As more wholesale units are purchased during the year, further certainty can be reached on the projected costs and this will continue to be monitored as the year progresses, however, based on current information, the Budget Gap for 2025/2026 could be reduced by £3 million. 4.5. Council Tax: The Council Tax Budget for 2024/2025 assumed the impact of new build properties during 2023/2024 and an estimate into 2024/2025. Given the current economic climate, and the risk that development would not progress as originally anticipated, the budget estimates included a prudent assumption regarding development numbers, and also that the arrears collection would not continue at the current levels. 4.6. An early outturn has been completed on the 2024/2025 Council Tax budget. This is showing an estimated over-recovery of Council Tax income of £3.3 million for 2024/2025. This reflects a better level of arrears collection than previously experienced, and also shows an increase in property numbers over and above the budgeted level. 4.7. Moving into 2025/2026, the Budget Strategy included a prudent assumption of £1.4 million for new properties based on a slowing of the market, and also a lower assumption of arrears collection aligned to the ongoing cost of living crisis. However, based on the 2024/2025 early outturn, it is proposed that the 2025/2026 Budget could benefit from the full year impact of additional new properties between September 2024 and March 2025, as well as any further new properties in 2025/2026. An estimate of £1.000 million has been made to reflect this. Overall, this would reduce the 2025/2026 Budget Gap by £2.9 million. 4.8. Table 1 shows the impact of the further information on these key budget areas. Table 1: Update on Key Budget Areas 2024/2025 In-Year Underspend (One-Off Benefit) £m 2025/2026 Reduction in Budget Gap £m Utilities (sections 4.3 – 4.4) 2.000 3.000 Council Tax (sections 4.5 – 4.7) 3.300 2.900 Total 5.300 5.900 4.9. Table 1 shows that the key budget areas have resulted in a total underspend of £5.300 million anticipated in 2024/2025 and a reduction to the 2025/2026 Budget Gap of £5.900 million. This would take the original Budget Gap from £22.355 million to £16.455 million. 149
Page 150
3 4.10. While these figures are significant, it is acknowledged that at the time of writing, neither the UK Government nor the Scottish Government Budgets have been released for 2025/2026. As a consequence, the Council has no certainty on its financial settlement for 2025/2026. The Council will not know its financial Settlement for 2025/2026 until after the UK Government and then the Scottish Government budget is set with the Settlement itself due to be received by the Council on 12 December 2024. This is a significant risk area in terms of the Budget Strategy and as a result, it is proposed that no action is taken regarding the 2024/2025 one-off underspends noted in Table 1, and that instead, these are considered alongside the Settlement when it is received in mid-December 2024. Members will be updated on the impact of the Settlement in January 2025. 5. Savings and the Transformational Change Programme 5.1. As presented to Members as part of the June Budget Strategy paper, in order to bridge the Budget Gap, a Transformational Change programme is underway. This includes a series of cross-cutting reviews across the Council, as well as specific reviews across the individual Resources. These Transformational Cross-Cutting Reviews have been reported to the Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum in August and an update will be provided in November 2024, with the outcomes achieved to date informing a package of savings. These proposed savings resulting from all the Transformational Change Programme (Cross-Cutting and Resource Reviews) are provided in Appendix 1 for Members’ consideration. 5.2. The full savings pack as it stands totals £10.663 million. This can be compared to the Revised Budget Gap of £16.455 million (section 4.9). This is shown in Table 2. Table 2 – Summary of 2025/2026 Savings Proposals 2025/2026 Savings FTE 2025/2026 Savings £m Previously Approved - 0.500 Management and Operational 16.85 3.769 Cross Council - 0.375 Community & Enterprise 92.50 4.011 Education 6.00 1.510 Finance & Corporate - 0.180 Housing & Technical - 0.318 Social Work - - Total Savings (Appendix 1) 115.35 10.663 Revised Budget Gap (Section 4.9) 16.455 5.3. The savings of £10.663 million includes Previously Approved Savings of £0.500 million, Management and Operational Savings of £3.769 million along with Resource savings proposals of £6.394 million for consideration. 5.4. Teachers: Education Resources have been reviewing their service with a view to identifying savings. A funding allocation was made to the Council from the Scottish Government for additional teachers. Currently, Education Resources has funding equivalent to an additional 115 FTE teachers beyond core teacher allocations within our school establishments. This additionality was provided to support pupils 150
Page 151
4 who experienced significant learning loss as a result of school closures during the COVID period. Schools deployed this additional teacher staffing flexibly in response to local need within their own school communities for example supporting catch up programmes in literacy and numeracy in primary schools and bespoke supports to improve attendance for those struggling to return to the secondary school environment. It also provided for teacher cover, if required. The funding has provided a level of teachers beyond our core staffing model and beyond our statutory obligations. It would still be possible to operate without these staff by returning to core staffing levels in schools. 5.5. Table 3 shows the impact in FTE and in monetary value if the additionality was removed from 2025/2026. Table 3: Teachers’ Additionality FTE Value £m 2025/2026 57.5 2.300 2026/2027 57.5 3.700 2027/2028 - 1.400 Total 115.0 7.400 5.6. The reduction could be implemented from August 2025. £2.300 million could be realised in 2025/2026, further savings of £3.700 million achievable in 2026/2027 and £1.400 million in 2027/2028 meaning the complete annual saving from 2027/2028 equates to £7.400 million. 5.7. No proposal has been included in the savings pack in Appendix 1, on the basis that it affects teacher numbers and there remains uncertainty regarding the potential impact on the Government Grant if teacher numbers were to be reduced. In 2024/2025, the Scottish Government has advised that the grant relating to teacher numbers will be conditional on the Council agreeing at the outset to maintain teacher numbers. At the time of writing this report, there is no guidance in relation to any penalty for reducing teacher numbers in 2025/2026, nor whether any penalties will be applied in 2024/2025. 5.8. If the position nationally changed such that it became appropriate to consider savings against teacher numbers, this could help address the 2025/2026 Budget Gap by £2.300 million. By not cutting teacher numbers, higher levels of cuts will be required to be agreed through the savings pack. 6. Transformational Review – Cross-Cutting Review of Loans Fund and Service Concessions (IFRS16) 6.1. As reported to the Executive Committee in June 2024, one of the Transformational Programme’s cross-cutting reviews was to look at the Council’s Loan Charges budget, and the repayment of debt through Service Concessions. How these charges, in particular the repayment of debt, are calculated and accounted for can have a material impact on the amounts charged to the Council’s Revenue Budget. 6.2. Appendix 4 of this report provides a detailed report on the Loans Fund Review and the options available in relation to Additional Voluntary Repayments. In addition, it also looks at the options available in relation to Service Concessions payments as a consequence of implementing IFRS16. A summary of the output of the review is detailed below. 151
Page 152
5 6.3. Loans Fund Review / Additional Voluntary Repayments: The previous review of the loans fund in 2019 looked at the repayment profile of the borrowing from the Loans Fund to fund the capital programme. By extending the period over which the borrowing was repaid, it was identified that £68 million of loans fund advances had been repaid earlier than it would have been under the revised approach. These one-off monies were approved for use in supporting the Council’s Budget Strategy. 6.4. In addition to the benefits from the historic overpayment, the Council could also repay future advances over an extended period. By doing this, while it released further savings in repayments, the downside was additional interest costs as a result of the debt outstanding remaining higher for longer. To mitigate the additional interest costs, an alternative approach was identified that involved making additional voluntary repayments of debt. This was the approved position in June 2020 (Executive Committee). 6.5. However, given the further budget pressures being faced by the Council in the coming years, the additional voluntary repayments have been reconsidered with a view to lowering the loan charges spend across the medium term. The impact on interest payments has also been considered as part of this Review. The option to remove voluntary repayments is only available from 2025/2026 onwards due to the fact that they were originally programmed to start in that year. 6.6. By no longer making these voluntary repayments, then the loan charges incurred by the Council will be lower in the 3 years of this Budget Strategy (2025/2026 to 2027/2028 – as shown in Annex A to Appendix 4). The result of this is that we will underspend in our Loan Charges budget. The recalculations present an underspend of £18.849 million in 2025/2026 but this underspend decreases into future years to accommodate the profile of debt repayments and consequent interest charges. This is shown in Appendix 4, Annex A. 6.7. While the savings / underspend starts at £18.849 million in 2025/2026, the level of savings each year thereafter reduces over time so we cannot take this higher level of savings on a permanent basis. Instead, it is proposed that we take a 3-year view of the savings achievable from the review and that a total saving of £14.600 million be taken and spread this across the 3 years from 2025/2026 to 2027/2028. This is shown in the first 3 columns of Table 4. These figures include the additional interest costs incurred from not repaying the voluntary repayments (as referred to in Section 6.5). For information, the interest costs total £185.637 million across the years 2025/2026 to 2061/2062 (ie across 36 years), and these are included in the Strategy proposed. At today’s prices, this equates to £97 million. Table 4: Loans Fund Review – Proposed Savings 2025 / 2026 £m 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m 2028 / 2029 £m 2029 / 2030 £m Loans Fund Review 5.500 5.500 3.600 (1.000) (0.500) Cumulative Savings 5.500 11.000 14.600 13.600 13.100 152
Page 153
6 6.8. Table 4 shows that the Loans Fund Review could help address the Budget Gap by £14.6 million over the 3 years of the current Revenue Budget Strategy (from 2025/2026 to 2027/2028). Table 4 also shows that after 2027/2028, there will be a requirement to increase loan charge budgets: reinstatement of the budget is required in 2028/2029 (£1.0m) and 2029/2030 (£0.5m) as shown in Table 4. The cumulative £13.100 million shown in Table 4 reflects savings of £14.600 million for the first 3 years, and then a cost of £1.5 million thereafter. 6.9. Service Concessions / IFRS16 (Statutory Charge for Repayment of Debt): In 2022/2023, the Council applied flexibilities regarding how the debt element of Service Concessions (PPP scheme) payments are charged to revenue. These flexibilities arose from accounting regulations which removed the restriction that we have to account for these costs over the life of the contract rather than the life of the asset. By charging debt to the Revenue Budget over the life of the asset, rather than the contract period, significant one-off retrospective savings were realised, as well as permanent budget savings. 6.10. IFRS16 is an accounting standard that councils have to implement in 2024/2025. The consequence is that there are changes in how the Council accounts for leases in its Annual Accounts. This standard also applies to how we account for the Council’s Service Concessions (PPP scheme). By applying this standard, there is a reduction in what is charged to the Revenue Budget over the medium term, allowing further savings to be made. 6.11. The impact of this change in accounting treatment releases savings of £1.600 million across the 3 years of the Budget Strategy from 2025/2026 to 2027/2028. It is proposed that these budget reductions of £1.600 million are used to help address the Council’s Budget Gap across the years 2025/2026 to 2027/2028. The profile of the savings across the coming years is shown in Table 5. Table 5: Service Concessions – Proposed Savings 2025 / 2026 £m 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m 2028 / 2029 £m 2029 / 2030 £m Service Concessions 1.100 0.500 - 1.300 1.700 Cumulative Savings 1.100 1.600 1.600 2.900 4.600 6.12. Table 6 summarises the total benefit of the Loans Fund Review to the Budget Gap for 2025/2026 to 2027/2028. The 2025/2026 saving has not yet been included in the savings package in Appendix 1. Table 6 – Total Savings from Review (Loans Fund & Service Concessions) 2025 / 2026 £m 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m 2028 / 2029 £m 2029 / 2030 £m Loans Fund Review 5.500 5.500 3.600 (1.000) (0.500) Service Concessions 1.100 0.500 - 1.300 1.700 Total Savings 6.600 6.000 3.600 0.300 1.200 Cumulative 6.600 12.600 16.200 16.500 17.700 153
Page 154
7 6.13. The savings from this Review are substantial. While there is a downside in terms of the additional interest costs, a recurring saving can still be delivered for the Council without the need to cut other Council services. If this is accepted, then this could help address the Budget Gap by £6.6 million in 2025/26, and by £16.2 million by 2027/28. If it is not accepted, higher levels of cuts will be required to be agreed through the savings pack. In terms of the Service Concessions savings, these will happen as a result of the required change in accounting practice. 6.14. Table 7 below shows the potential savings from the Loans Fund Review / Service Concessions alongside the Budget Gap for the years 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 for reference. Table 7 – Potential Savings from the Loans Fund Review 6.15. Loans Fund Review In-Year Underspends: As the proposal is to take the Loans Fund Review savings across the 3 years of the Medium-Term Budget Strategy (2025/2026 to 2027/2028), there will also be in-year underspends that could be used to further support the Budget Strategy in future years. These are shown in Table 5 in Appendix 4 (Annex B). This table also shows an in-year underspend of £7.246 million in 2024/2025 which is the result of a reduction in repayments of external debt due to the timing of the original Loans Fund Review being implemented, and also reflects reduced costs as a result of the timing of borrowing required for various projects within the Capital Programme. The total underspend available across the 4 years (2024/2025 to 2027/2028) is £26.495 million. 6.16. There is the option to use these underspends to help address the Budget Gap in future years, being mindful of the fact that the use of these underspends needs to be reinstated into the next year. It is proposed that we use £13.000 million of the loan charges underspend in the final year of this 3-year Strategy, which will require reinstatement into 2028/2029. This is illustrated in Table 8. 2025 / 2026 £m 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m Total £m Budget Gap 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 (June 2024, Executive Committee) 22.355 24.515 30.405 77.275 Less Council Tax and Utilities (Table 1 / Section 4.8) 5.900 - - - Revised Budget Gap 16.455 24.515 30.405 71.375 Loans Fund and Service Concessions Savings (Table 6) (6.600) (6.000) (3.600) (16.200) 154
Page 155
8 Table 8 – Use of Underspends to Support the Budget Gap Beyond 2027/2028 2027 / 2028 £m 2028 / 2029 £m 2029 / 2030 £m 2030 / 2031 £m Revised Budget Gap (Table 7) (later years for Illustration) 30.405 10.000 10.000 10.000 Less Loans Fund Review / Service Concessions (IFRS 16) (Table 6) (3.600) (0.300) (1.200) - Budget Gap after Loans Fund and Service Concessions 26.805 9.700 8.800 10.000 Use of Underspends (13.000) (9.000) (4.495) 0.000 Reinstatement of Underspends - 13.000 9.000 4.495 Budget Gap after Underspends 13.805 13.700 13.305 14.495 6.17. Assumptions have been made on a base Budget Gap in each of the years 2028/2029 to 2030/2031, for illustration purposes (£10 million). 6.18. Table 8 shows that using the £13.000 million in the last year of the current 3-year Strategy (2027/2028) reduces the Budget Gap to £13.805 million in that year. The impact of reinstating the use of £13.000 million into 2028/2029 and how that can be managed by using the remaining loan charges underspend until 2030/2031, is also demonstrated in Table 8. The use of the underspends and their reinstatement has no impact on the Budget Gap overall but gives the benefit of being able to smooth the savings requirement across years. 7. Three Year Budget Position – 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 7.1. As mentioned at section 3.1, the Budget Gap for the three-year period 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 was previously reported as £77.275 million. Taking into account the budget reduction for 2025/2026 for Council Tax and Utilities, the Revised Budget Gap for the three-year period is now £71.375 million, as illustrated in Table 9. Table 9 also shows the savings presented in Appendix 1 for illustration, as well as the options available from the Loans Fund Review / Service Concessions (IFRS16) (Table 7, section 6.14) and the proposed use of underspends (Table 8, section 6.16). Table 9: Revised Three Year Budget Gap 2025/26 £m 2026/27 £m 2027/28 £m Total £m Budget Gap (Executive Committee, June 2024) 22.355 24.515 30.405 77.275 Reduction for Council Tax and Utilities (Table 1 / section 4.8) (5.900) (5.900) Revised Budget Gap 16.455 24.515 30.405 71.375 Savings Presented (Appendix 1) (10.663) - - (10.663) Loans Fund and Service Concessions Savings (Table 7) (6.600) (6.000) (3.600) (16.200) Use of Loans Fund Review Underspends (Table 8) (13.000) (13.000) Total (0.808) 18.515 13.805 31.512 155
Page 156
9 7.2. £71.375 million budget gap over 3 years still represents a significant Budget Gap to address over this time period and should be reflected on when considering budget decisions for 2025/2026. As illustrated in Table 9 if proposals around savings and loans fund review were accepted , the budget gap remaining for the three years would be £31.512 million 8. Summary of the 2025/2026 Budget Position including Options and Next Steps 8.1. The Original Budget Gap for 2025/2026 was £22.355 million (section 3.1). Reductions in the Budget required for Utilities along with increased income from Council Tax reduce the Budget Gap by £5.900 million (section 4.8, Table 1). This results in a Revised Budget Gap of £16.455 million. 8.2. The Savings pack in Appendix 1 totals £10.663 million (section 5.2, Table 2). This is presented for Members’ consideration. 8.3. As noted in section 5.4, Education Resources have identified the potential to remove additionality teachers that are over and above their core staffing model. This could have helped address the Budget Gap by £2.300 million in 2025/2026. No proposal has been included in the savings pack in Appendix 1, on the basis that it affects teacher numbers and there remains uncertainty regarding the potential impact on the Government Grant if teacher numbers were to be reduced (section 5.7). 8.4. Section 6 of this paper includes savings proposals in relation to the Loans Fund Review / Service Concessions. The proposal to remove Additional Voluntary Repayments in terms of loan debt, and to apply IFRS16 to the Council’s Service Concession arrangements (PPP) would help address the Budget Gap by £6.600 million in 2025/2026. This position includes the additional interest costs due when not making the Additional Voluntary Repayments (section 6.7). This proposal would not affect core services of the Council. 8.5. The potential impact of the Loans Fund Review / Service Concessions proposals beyond 2025/2056 are also detailed in section 6. This includes proposals in relation to the use of underspends generated. 8.6. Table 10 shows the revised Budget Gap of £16.455 million for 2025/2026, after taking account of the budget reductions for Utilities and Council Tax budget (section 4.8 / Table 1). The Loans Fund Review / Service Concessions proposals (section 6.12) and the saving proposals of £10.663 million (Appendix 1), are presented below Table 10 for information. The 3-year Budget Gap of £71.375 million (Table 9, section 7.1) represents a significant Budget Gap to address over this time period and should be reflected on when considering budget decisions for 2025/2026. 156
Page 157
10 Table 10 – Impact on the Budget Gap 2025/2026 Savings £m Original Budget Gap 22.355 Less Council Tax and Utilities (Table 1, section 4.8) (5.900) Revised Budget Gap 16.455 Total Savings (Appendix 1) (10.663) Savings from Loans Fund Review / Service Concessions (Table 6, section 6.12) (6.600) Total (0.808) 8.7. Council Tax: The ability to increase Council Tax as a lever to manage the Budget Gap is an alternative to making savings. Each 1% increase in Band D would generate successive amounts of £1.580 million. It should be noted that in arriving at the original Budget Gap of £77.275 million across the 3 years (£23.225 million for 2025/2026), no account has been taken of any potential increase in Council Tax. Any increase in Council Tax will help address the Budget Gap. 8.8. It should be noted that South Lanarkshire continues to have the lowest level of Band D council tax in mainland Scotland at £1300.81. The average for mainland Scotland is £1428.36. 8.9. Members can choose to freeze Council Tax or, increase Council Tax Band D. The impact of a number of percentage increases is shown in Table 11, as an illustration. Table 11 – Council Tax Increases Percentage Increase Band D Council Tax £ Annual Increase £ Monthly Increase (over 10 Payments) £ Decrease in Budget Gap £m 0% 1300.81 - - - 1% 1313.81 13.00 1.30 1.580 5% 1365.85 65.04 6.50 7.900 10% 1430.89 130.08 13.00 15.800 8.10. Timeline: The timeline for the Budget process, is detailed in Table 12. Table 12 – Proposed Timeline Timeline Budget Consultation 13 November 24 – mid January 25 Receive Local Government Settlement for 2025/2026 12 December 2024 (estimate) Update the Budget Strategy for Members (post Settlement) January 2025 Set Council Budget for 2025/2026 and Strategy for 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 February 2025 157
Page 158
11 8.11. Budget Consultation and Context: The financial challenges being faced by the Council and the operational changes that transformational change will bring, mean that clear communication is essential. The communication and consultation process for the 2024/2025 Budget worked well, and a similar approach will be implemented for the 2025/2026 Budget. 8.12. With regard to consultation with the public, the consultation process will commence following this meeting of the Executive Committee (13 November 2024), and will run for two months, until mid-January 2025. Initial Budget communications have commenced and will continue during the period of the budget consultation. These communications explain the Council’s financial position and give context to the level of savings required. The consultation itself will start by setting the scene for the Budget and again will provide the financial backdrop in relation to the £77.275 million Budget Gap across the 3-year period and will provide context to the proposals that the public will be asked to comment on. The public will then be asked for a view on each of the individual saving proposals specifically. Once the consultation process is complete, feedback on the savings consultation will be presented to Members for their consideration. 8.13. Meetings are taking place with the Trade Unions to advise of the Budget process and the savings exercise that is ongoing. 9. Reinstatement 9.1. Table 13 re-presents the year of reinstatement of the impact of any previous year Budget decisions (previously presented in June 2024). Importantly, as the reinstatements fall within the years 2026/2027 and 2027/2028, then they are included in the Budget Gap for those years previously quoted in the June 2024 paper to Executive Committee on the Budget Strategy (the total Budget Gap of £77.275 million). Table 13: Temporary Solutions / Reinstatement Year of Adjustment 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m 2028 / 2029 £m 2025/2026 Corporate Solutions Service Concessions One-off use of Reserves (2025/2026) Reinstated into 2026/2027 (Executive Committee, November 2022) 15.100 - - Reduction in Employers’ Pension Contribution Reinstated into 2026/2027 (Executive Committee, November 2023) Offset by further use of Reserves in 2026/2027 (reinstated in 2027/2028) 23.500 (17.700) - 17.700 - 2024/2025 to 2026/2027 Solutions Use of 2023/2024 Probable Outturn Monies £6.000 million used across 2024/2025 to 2026/2027 at £2.000 million per annum (Executive Committee, November 2023) - 2.000 - Reduction in LVJB Requisition Reinstatement in 2027/2028 of temporary reduction. - 0.200 - Total Temporary Solutions 20.900 19.900 - 158
Page 159
12 9.2. Table 13 shows that the last year of reinstatement monies is 2027/2028 – there is no requirement to reinstate temporary solutions beyond the period of this financial strategy. This Table does not assume the use or reinstatement of the Loans Fund Review Underspends (proposed in section 6.14 / Table 7). 10. Employee Implications 10.1. The employee implication of each of the proposed savings is detailed in Appendix 1. 115.35 FTE posts are proposed to be removed as part of the savings proposals. This affects 191 employees. 10.2. The process of achieving savings where employees will be affected will involve a review of vacant posts, voluntary redeployment, and where appropriate the application of the Council’s Switch 2 policy to support displaced employees. 11. Financial Implications 11.1. The financial implications are summarised within the report. 12. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 12.1. As agreed at the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee (20 September 2023), a Sustainability Impact Assessment will be completed in respect of the Revenue Budget process. The impact assessment process aims to ensure that we continue to ensure that factors related to carbon reduction, climate change adaptation and the wider principles of sustainable development are included within Revenue Budget process. This assessment of each saving and the budget strategy will form part of the Integrated Impact Assessment (refer section 14). 13. Other Implications 13.1. The Budget Strategy approved in June 2024 is a key tool in managing a number of key risks which directly impact on the money available to deliver Council objectives. 13.2. The main risk area, where the Council has made assumptions which have a significant impact on the Budget going forwards, are on the level of grant which we will receive, as well as any general pay, demand or price increases / inflation assumptions currently unknown. These have been estimated, as far as possible and are included in the Budget Gap referred to in this paper. Also, the level of new build properties and, therefore, Council Tax Income generation is based on best information at the time of writing. Any movement in these assumptions would be a risk to the Budget. 13.3. Specific risks for the Budget are detailed in Appendix 5. These detail specifically the areas of uncertainty in the Budget. It should be noted that any movement in these areas could be detrimental to the Council’s financial position and could increase the Budget Gap. 13.4. Level of Support Provided to the Integration Joint Board (IJB) and South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture SCIO (SLLC): The Council’s Budget Strategy for 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 at this stage assumes no additional allocation of monies from the Council to the IJB. It is for the IJB and SLLC to produce their own balanced budgets. 159
Page 160
13 13.5. For SLLC, a saving of £1.000 million has been assumed in their utilities costs and is as part of the savings pack proposed in Appendix 1. This budget is held by the Council so there is no impact of this saving on the SLLC Management Fee. No further savings have been requested of SLLC at this time. 14. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 14.1. Integrated Impact Assessments have been undertaken for the individual Savings and the Budget as a whole. These have been issued to Members to assist in the decision- making process and will be updated following the Budget Consultation (timescales detailed in section 8.12). Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 31 October 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcoems Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References Executive Committee, 26 June 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: Jackie Taylor, Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Resources Ext: 4637 (Tel: 01698 454637) E-mail : jackie.taylor@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 160
Page 161
14 Appendix 1 Approved Savings Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m APP01 Facilities, Waste and Grounds Waste Permits The Executive Committee, on 26 June 2024, approved the proposal to introduce a charge for the uplift of burgundy bins containing garden waste. The cost of the permit is £45 per annum and will allow a resident to present one burgundy bin containing garden waste on each scheduled collection day until the end of that financial year. Net income, after deducting costs of the Service, is £0.500 million in 2025/2026 with an additional income in 2026/2027 of £0.875 million. - 0.500 Total Approved Savings - 0.500 161
Page 162
15 Management & Operational Savings Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m M&O01 All Procurement This proposal sees efficiencies and savings generated through a focus on demand management opportunities (buying less or not at all), alternative product specifications and new routes to market. Opportunities have been identified for inclusion in the 2025/2026 budget strategy outlined below: The total savings proposed for 2025/2026 is £0.955 million. - 0.955 M&O02 All Overtime Resources have been working in conjunction with Personnel Services to prepare action plans to meet the outcomes associated with reducing overtime across the Council. Through removing enhanced overtime expenditure and reducing and containing plain time overtime expenditure, savings of £0.364m can be realised in 2025/2026. This is summarised across Resources in the table below. Resource / Service 2025/2026 Saving Community and Enterprise £0.125m Finance and Corporate £0.030m Housing and Technical £0.150m Social Work £0.059m Total £0.364m - 0.364 162
Page 163
16 Management & Operational Savings Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m M&O03 All Management Structures This proposal considers spans of control across all Resources in order to review the number of management and supervisory posts. This is to ensure consistency in the balance of managers and front-line staff as well as to identify and remove any anomalies with direct Grade to Grade reporting. Services were identified which currently operate with lower spans of control than what is recommended by the Preferred Operating Model. In these service areas, efficiencies can be realised by aligning more closely with the model, while also ensuring consistency across Resources in terms of management workload and responsibility. This will realise savings totalling £1.000m in 2025/2026. It is anticipated that this will affect 16.85 FTE. 16.85 1.000 M&O04 Property Reduce Corporate Accommodation The closure of Montrose House has allowed savings of £0.250m to be realisable in 2025/2026 from property costs associated with the building. In addition, efficiencies will be realised in 2025/2026 from the lease agreement with NHS for occupation of Brandongate, Hamilton. A saving of £0.112m is achievable from the lease terms including income from a share of rent, service charges and cleaning costs. The total savings proposed for 2025/2026 is therefore £0.362 million. - 0.362 M&O05 All Salary Sacrifice Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributions (SCAVCs) Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) members are currently permitted to contribute to a standard Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) scheme and receive Income Tax relief on their contributions. - 0.088 163
Page 164
17 Management & Operational Savings Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m An employer can also decide to contribute to the employee’s AVC arrangement, this is known as a shared cost AVC (SCAVC). There are financial benefits to introducing a salary sacrifice SCAVC scheme as both the employee and the employer make savings on National Insurance (NI) contributions. Based on the current number of employees who pay AVCs, there will be a net saving to the Council of £0.088m per annum from adopting the scheme from 2025/2026. M&O06 All South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Utilities Recent information has suggested a downward trend in prices in 2024/2025. The Council is a member of the buying consortium who purchase wholesale energy in advance, on behalf of ourselves and other public sector bodies. The price indications specifically for electricity purchased for the next couple of years indicates further price reductions beyond that assumed for 2024/2025. This allows an estimated saving of £1.000 million in 2025/2026 in relation to South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture utility costs. - 1.000 Total Management & Operational Savings 16.85 3.769 164
Page 165
18 Savings for Approval Council Wide Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m COR01 All Council Charges The cross-cutting review of Council charges has looked at all charges made by the Council and the basis for their charge, specifically those not recovering their costs. It has also, considered whether the increase in our charges over recent years has kept in line with the trend in inflation. This exercise identified that where an inflationary rise has been applied over the last 5 years this has not followed actual UK inflation. In general, we have applied around 16.8% whereas inflation across the UK has been closer to 33.6%. To bring us in line approximately 14.4% would be required to be applied in a single year. It is therefore proposed to apply an inflationary increase of 14.4% across all charges that are not statutory or covered by other reviews plus 1.5% year on year inflation to calculate new charges for 2025/2026. This would generate £0.190m of additional income. In addition, it is proposed to apply an inflationary increase across parking tariffs from 80p to £1 for the lower charge and rising by an equivalent percentage increase across longer stay parking tariffs and season tickets. This would generate £0.185m of additional income. The total savings proposed for 2025/2026 is therefore £0.375 million. - 0.375 Total Council Wide - 0.375 165
Page 166
19 Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m CER01 Enterprise and Sustainable Development Christmas Events (Re-presented) This option would see a budget reduction due to removing the Christmas Switch-On events. The Council currently supports six switch-on events across South Lanarkshire, in Hamilton, East Kilbride, Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Lanark and Carluke. This proposal would remove the events programme. There would be no council provided Christmas events in town centres. This savings proposal would remove all the budget for this area (£0.045m). - 0.045 CER02 Enterprise and Sustainable Development Christmas Trees and Lighting (Re-presented) The proposal is a budget reduction to rationalise trees and festive lighting to eight main geographical areas: Hamilton, East Kilbride, Rutherglen, Carluke, Blantyre, Cambuslang, Larkhall and Lanark. This savings proposal would remove all the budget for this area (£0.037m). - 0.037 CER03 Grounds Weedkilling (Re-presented) This proposal will reduce weedkilling from 2 applications to one per annum. The reduction applies across all current areas of hardstanding, shrub beds and grass edges. There will be greater weed growth over the growing season. This will affect 15 employees (14.5 FTE). 14.5 0.510 CER04 Grounds Support for Gala Days (Re-presented) This proposal would see the removal of grounds staff supporting gala days. This includes costs of bunting and the costs of overtime for staff supporting gala days. - 0.055 166
Page 167
20 Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m CER05 Streets Mechanical Sweeping – Small (Re-presented) There would also be a reduction in the number of smaller Swingo vehicle used on footpaths, shop fronts and town centres and some roads within housing areas and industrial estates. (27% reduction in vehicles). This will mean less street sweeping. Remaining vehicles will be targeted to high footfall areas. Smaller fleet will mean means less resilience in ad hoc / urgent response situations. This will affect 6 employees (6 FTE). 6.0 0.285 CER06 Streets Litter collection (Re-presented) This proposal would see a 10% reduction in litter picking and bin emptying. The saving would include staffing and fleet vehicles. Bin infrastructure is being looked at to reduce numbers of bins but increase capacity. This will affect 10 employees (10 FTE). 10.0 0.255 CER07 Roads, Transportation and Fleet Precautionary Footway Gritting We currently treat ‘precautionary’ footways ahead of freezing conditions. Beyond that our approach is reactive, treating ‘accessibility’ and ‘other’ routes during periods of extended severe weather as resources allow. Currently, we treat 3.38% of our footways on a precautionary basis and this proposal would involve a cessation of the current practice to instead involve reactive footway treatment only in response to severe conditions. There would be potentially increased risks of accidents occurring due to potential falls on slippery pavements. - 0.300 167
Page 168
21 Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m It is understood that several other Scottish local authorities take this approach including Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, Inverclyde, Moray, Argyll & Bute, West Lothian, Fife, and Perth & Kinross. CER08 Roads, Transportation and Fleet Carriageway Gritting The Council’s core carriageway gritting service treats our ‘precautionary’ routes prior to the forecast onset of freezing conditions or snow. Currently, low season routes are treated during winter low season (normally October and April), with more comprehensive high season routes being treated from November to end of March. High season routes equate to circa 49% of the road network and low season routes equate to circa 30% of the road network. The Scottish average is 45% and indicates that we presently deliver an above average level of service. This proposal would be to move to the Scottish average. A change to treating only the Scottish average during high season would inevitably see some roads removed from our routes leading to an associated risk of increased accidents, however we would still be treating 45% of the network (a reduction of 4%). - 0.130 CER09 Roads, Transportation and Fleet Grit Bins The provision of grit bins has a limited effectiveness on snow and ice clearance, however, to facilitate self-help we provide over 3,000 grit bins across our communities. In severe weather these bins empty quickly and demands for refilling peak. Refilling exercises are a substantial operation and frequently require successive visits across locations. This is a laborious, costly, and very resource intensive operation. The Service feel that this is not the most productive of the winter service provision. This proposal would be to reduce / rationalise the number of grit bins by 25% across our communities through the development of tighter criteria for the placing of grit bins. These criteria will continue to - 0.065 168
Page 169
22 Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m take account of the following factors: roads below a specified gradient won’t qualify for a grit bin, and the distance from the nearest grit bin will also be taken into consideration. CER10 Enterprise and Sustainable Development Business Support One-off income relating to Business Support activity has been identified amounting to £2.251m. It is proposed that this income is used to fund revenue costs for a re-aligned Business Support Team including four existing posts within Enterprise and Sustainable Development Service where funding comes to an end in March 2025. The income streams will also fund Business Growth Grants, Expert Help Consultancy and Inward Investment for a 3-year period. The Business Support Team will undertake activities in a different way where Expert Help Consultancy Support will be provided via Business Gateway which together with the cessation of Micro Business Grants, will provide a saving of 1 x Grade 3 post (currently vacant). The criteria for Business Growth Grants have also been strengthened to ensure the Grants achieve maximum outcomes. The Property Advisory Service will be undertaken by the newly integrated Inward Investment Team. There is also a potential income stream from Business Loans Scotland (BLS). The Scottish Government has advised that there will be no funding for 2024/2025 and an available option for Local Authorities is to withdraw from BLS. For South Lanarkshire Council, this option would release at least £0.500m. The Review has identified that a saving of £0.409m can be made from core funding on a temporary basis (3 years). The one-off income can be used to cover the cost of the revised service delivery model. Reinstatement of £0.353m will be required in 2028/2029. When the one-off income comes to an end, the Service will be required to align ongoing activities to accommodate this. This relates to inward 1.0 0.409 169
Page 170
23 Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m investment and business growth grants and identifying additional funding to support the wider Enterprise and Sustainable Development posts. CER11 Facilities, Waste and Grounds Grounds / Grass Cutting This proposal would see a reduction in the grass cutting specification for low and high amenity areas. The Grounds Service maintains all Council owned open space - 55 public parks, including 11 District Parks. Grounds maintenance work is seasonal and grass cutting is undertaken during the summer months. The proposal is to reduce the frequency of grass cutting as per the table below: High Amenity Low Amenity 14 cuts (from 18) 7 cuts (from 14) Low amenity areas include public open space, residential grassed areas and industrial areas. This category has the vast majority of land at approximately 11 million m2. Grass is cut in low amenity areas 14 times per year and collection only occurs in a small number of these areas. High amenity areas cover approximately 635,000 m2 and include cemeteries, high footfall areas, public buildings, sports pitches and country park lawn areas. These areas are cut 18 times per year and the grass is collected as part of the service. This proposal does not include cemeteries. This will result in a saving of £1.020m in 2025/2026. It will mean that grass will be much longer between cuts and the general maintenance appearance will differ from current specification. Grass 36.0 1.020 170
Page 171
24 Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m arisings will be left on the surface of those areas cut as grass collection will only remain in cemeteries. This saving will mean an estimated reduction of 36 FTE (impacting up to 72 employees). CER12 Facilities, Waste and Grounds School Meals This proposal would see Primary School and Secondary School meal charges rise by 21% and 18% respectively for the year 2025/2026. In 2023/2024, the Service delivered 2.9 million Primary School meals and 1.4 million Secondary School meals. Over recent years, school meal prices have been subject to small inflationary increases; however, South Lanarkshire Council’s charges, which are amongst the lowest in Scotland, haven’t kept up with the level of increases experienced in food costs and other operational costs. Based on 2023/2024 actual costs, the cost of production of a Primary School Meal is £3.52, and £3.69 for Secondary Schools. South Lanarkshire Council currently charges £2.17 for Primary School meals and £2.40 for Secondary School meals. In addition to this, in August 2021, Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) was introduced for P4 and in January 2022 extended to P5 primary school pupils. Further roll out of the UFSM programme will continue in February 2025 to pupils in P6/P7 who are in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment. It is unclear when UFSM will be rolled out to remaining primary school pupils. In order to minimise the impact of necessary increased charges, the proposed price increases would be implemented from 2025/2026 as shown overleaf: - 0.400 171
Page 172
25 Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m Current Charge Proposed Charge Primary £2.17 £2.62 Secondary £2.40 £2.83 It is anticipated that this proposal will generate additional income of £0.400 million in 2025/2026. There is the option to increase charges further in future years to better reflect the cost of delivering the service. A summary of school meal pricing across Scotland is shown in the table below. SLC Scottish average Highest Lowest Primary £2.17 £2.30 £3.25 £1.08 Secondary £2.40 £2.45 £3.30 £1.08 Full details of school meal prices for 2024 are detailed in Appendix 2. CER13 Facilities, Waste and Grounds Building Cleaning (Schools) This proposal concerns reducing the cleaning specification for schools. Facilities Services provides a building cleaning service to all nursery, primary and secondary schools on behalf of Education Resources. 717 (314 FTE) employees deliver the cleaning service across the school estate based on a cleaning specification consisting of a number of tasks and appropriate frequencies. 25.0 0.250 172
Page 173
26 Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m The Service is a member of APSE Building Cleaning performance network and participates in an annual benchmarking exercise across Scotland and the broader UK. One of the key measures is the cleaning productivity rates and in 2022/23, South Lanarkshire Council scored the third highest rate in Primary Schools and second highest in Secondary Schools within the family group, demonstrating that resources are being utilised efficiently. APSE data is shown in the table below with the productivity rate measure in square metres cleaned per hour. South Lanarkshire Family Group National Primary school 208 174 190 High school 246 205 197 A summary of the proposed reductions is shown in the table below. Task/ area Current frequency Proposed frequency Damp dusting 4 days per week 2 days per week High level dusting 4 weekly Monthly Spot cleaning of walls 5 days per week Monthly Electrostatic spraying Weekly Monthly Staff bases, meeting rooms, medical rooms 4 full cleans per week One full clean per week with daily check clean 173
Page 174
27 Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m It is anticipated these reductions in cleaning specification would generate a financial saving of £0.500m phased over a 2-year period (£0.250m in 2025/2026 and £0.250m in 2026/2027), reflecting the implementation from August 2025. This would see a reduction of 25 FTE (62 employees). The reduction in cleaning specification will mean a reduction of 925 cleaning hours across all schools. This will likely require reprofiling/changing hours across the whole estate and potentially affect 717 cleaning employees. CER14 Facilities, Waste and Grounds Income Generation (Bereavement) This proposal would see the implementation of an above inflationary price increase of 10% across all Bereavement Service charges. The Grounds Bereavement Service provides a dignified and sensitive burial and cremation service, which over recent years, has seen Service charges subject to inflationary increases. In order for pricing to remain competitive and appropriate, a benchmarking exercise was carried out for the year 2024/2025, reviewing Scottish Bereavement Service charges. The table below, shows how the current and proposed service charges compare to the average price charged by 5 of South Lanarkshire Council’s neighbouring authorities for the year 2024/25. Service Line SLC Price (2024/2025) SLC Proposed Price (2025/2026) Neighbouring Council Average Price (2024/2025) Cremation £857 £943 £953 Right of Burial £1,387 £1,526 £1,316 Coffin Internment £1,013 £1,114 £1,230 - 0.250 174
Page 175
28 Community & Enterprise Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m Given the level of proposed increase, an assumed small reduction in demand has been factored into the overall additional income. The proposed increase of 10% would generate additional income of £0.250m. Total Community and Enterprise Resources 92.5 4.011 175
Page 176
29 Education Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m EDR01 Early Years/ Primary/ Secondary/ ASN Per Capita / Devolved School Management Spend (Re-presented) This saving proposes a reduction in the per capita allocation to Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) / primary and secondary schools (i.e. the amount we provide to establishments to spend per pupil). Total “per capita” spend is £3.5m. This allowance has been subject to savings in recent years, particularly as part of procurement efficiencies. The consequences would be that the ability for establishments to spend on classroom materials and resources would be reduced. A 14% reduction in per capita allocation of £0.480m will give a per pupil allocation of £21.81 primary, £90.90 secondary, £723.55 ASN and £74.69 ELC based on census 2023 pupil numbers. - 0.480 EDR02 Secondary Mentoring and Learner Journeys The South Lanarkshire Council Enhanced Personalised Support Programme (EPSP) operates across all 17 mainstream Secondary schools and Kear Campus School. Its purpose is to support vulnerable young people in S1-S4 to attain and to remain in education beyond S4 and to move into a positive destination. The EPSP currently has 4 mentors (4.0FTE) each working one day per week per school to provide personalised support for identified young people with their learning and pathways. There have been recent changes to the existing MCR Pathways model, with coordinators able to work across more than one school. As a result of these changes, the EPSP programme can be removed on the basis that the reduction in service is mitigated by the extension of the MCR programme. A saving of £0.191m is achievable in 2025/2026. 4.0 0.191 176
Page 177
30 Education Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m EDR03 Support Primary School Breakfast Clubs Within South Lanarkshire, primary school breakfast club provision operates from 8.15am to 8.45am and is currently universally free of charge to all. This allows children the opportunity for a healthy breakfast and a good start to the school day. It is recognised that for many parents this service also acts as childcare allowing them to get to work. The majority of other councils who operate breakfast clubs charge a fee. It is proposed that in order to retain the service, rather than to reduce or remove it, that a charging policy is implemented. The proposal is to charge a flat rate of £1.50 per child, with an exemption being applied where the child is entitled to free school meals by financial assessment. This would potentially generate income of up to £0.590m in a full year. However. this would require the introduction of an administrative process, administered by 1 FTE Grade 1, costing £0.030m. The full year net annual saving would then equate to £0.560m, however if implemented from August 2025, there will be a part year saving of approximately £0.350m in 2025/2026 with a further saving of £0.210m in 2026/2027. (1.0) 0.350 EDR04 Secondary Instrumental Music Service (IMS) The Instrumental Music Service, a non-statutory service, provides music tuition for young people in South Lanarkshire schools. The service is funded from core Council budget and external funding from both Creative Scotland and Scottish Government. It is proposed to reduce the current establishment of 29.5 FTE music instructors by 3 FTE (10%) realising a saving of £0.184m per annum. 3.0 0.272 177
Page 178
31 Education Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m In addition, a 40% reduction in materials budget is proposed yielding a saving of £0.088m per annum. The loss of instrumental teaching days will be achieved through a wholesale realignment of IMS provision allocated to learning communities and a restructure of IMT timetables. Existing school music resources will be utilised to accommodate the reduction in materials. EDR05 Early Years Charging for Early Years (Nursery Fees) This proposal considers increased Early Learning and Childcare Service (ELC) fees, out with the statutory levels of childcare provision. The Council currently allows parents to purchase extra hours where there is availability within an ELC establishment at a current cost of £3.76 / hr. This may be in relation to wrap around hours in nursery classes, hours in excess of the 1140 hours in standalone establishments and non-exempt 0–3-year-olds. ELC fees are increased annually in line with the Council charging policy which increases fees in line with the level of inflation. This proposal is to increase fees from April 2025 to align with other local authorities based on a benchmarking exercise (Table 1), following the increase already applied from April 2024. - 0.217 178
Page 179
32 Education Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m Table 1 – West Partnership 2023/24 ELC Fees (inc. SLC) Local Authority £ph 2023/24 East Renfrewshire 3.40 South Lanarkshire 3.76 Renfrewshire 3.85 North Lanarkshire 4.16 Glasgow 4.50 Inverclyde 4.50 East Dunbartonshire 4.68 Average hourly rate of 6 Western Partnership authorities 4.18 Based on an increase aligned to the Western Partnership average rate of £4.18 per hour, the financial implication of a change to the charging policy would result in increased income of £0.217m in 2025/2026. A costing exercise, carried out to understand the unit cost per hour of ELC provided by the Council, shows that a rate of £4.18 would still be subsidised as the current cost of Service provision has been calculated to be £5.33 / hr. Total Education Resources 6.0 1.510 179
Page 180
33 Finance and Corporate Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m FCR01 Admin, Legal and Licencing Voluntary Grants, Community Grants, Gala Grants and Civic Hospitality Following the setting of the Council’s Budget in February 2024, a saving of £0.270 million was agreed and the Council invested £0.270 million as transitional funding for 2024/2025, on a one-off basis, to delay implementation of the revised saving until the 2025/2026 financial year. Further savings of £0.180 million have been identified, taking the total savings achievable from 2025/2026 to £0.450m. At present, unused grant funding is held within the Council’s Reserves with a total of £0.313 million anticipated to be held at the end of 2024/2025. It is proposed to utilise the reserves of £0.313 million to delay implementation of the revised savings further until the 2026/2027 financial year. As a result, a reduction in grants budget of £0.137 million will be implemented for 2025/2026. Appendix 3 shows the way that the reserves can be used to minimise the impact of last year’s savings and this year’s additional proposed saving by using reserves. Only 7 organisations would see a reduction in funding into 2025/2026 and it is considered that withdrawal of funding from these organisations is likely to have only a moderate negative impact on service users, and that alternative funding sources are available. The full reduction in grants of £0.450 million will be realised from 2026/2027. The proposals for that year will reduce the level of voluntary grants, gala grants, community grants and civic hospitality. A full list of those grants affected in both 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 is provided in Appendix 3. - 0.180 Total Finance & Corporate Resources - 0.180 180
Page 181
34 Housing & Technical Resources Reference Service Name and Brief Description of Saving FTE (25/26) Saving 25/26 £m HTR01 Housing Sheltered Housing – Housing Support Funding to Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) The Council currently provides housing support funding to two RSLs, Hanover Housing Association and Trust Housing Association. Removal of direct funding to RSLs, in line with the national trend over the past 15 years, would secure efficiencies of £0.692m from 2025/2026. This will be achievable across two financial years with £0.300m available in 2025/2026 and £0.392m in 2026/2027. - 0.300 HTR02 Housing Community Safety Partnership Contribution The South Lanarkshire Community Safety Partnership (CSP) is a collaboration of public services and voluntary organisations that work together to keep people and communities safe. An annual contribution to the partnership is provided by the council, with funding received directed through the partnership’s Safer South Lanarkshire Board. In 2024/25 this funding predominantly contributed to the costs of three partnership posts: • Assistant Police Liaison Officer • Victim Support Scotland Support Co-ordinator • Partnership Analyst This proposal would see the Council’s contribution to the partnership reduced by £0.018m to £0.037m in 2025/26, generating a saving of £0.018m for the council. Allocation of this contribution will continue to be determined by the Safer South Lanarkshire Board. - 0.018 Total Housing & Technical Resources - 0.318 181
Page 182
35 Savings for Approval FTE £m Council Wide - 0.375 Community & Enterprise Resources 92.50 4.011 Education Resources 6.00 1.510 Finance & Corporate Resources - 0.180 Housing & Technical Resources - 0.318 Social Work Resources - - Savings for Approval (before Council Tax) 98.50 6.394 Approved Savings - 0.500 Management & Operational Savings 16.85 3.769 Total Savings (before Council Tax) 115.35 10.663 182
Page 183
36 Appendix 2 School Meal Prices 2024 Authority Primary £ Authority Secondary £ North Lanarkshire 3.25 North Lanarkshire 3.30 West Dumbartonshire 3.04 West Dumbartonshire 3.04 Orkney Islands 2.70 Aberdeenshire 2.85 Aberdeenshire 2.65 Edinburgh, City of 2.80 East Renfrewshire 2.50 Orkney Islands 2.80 East Dumbartonshire 2.43 Shetland Islands 2.75 Fife 2.40 East Renfrewshire 2.70 Moray 2.40 Renfrewshire 2.70 Scottish Borders 2.40 Aberdeen City 2.65 Aberdeen City 2.35 Highland 2.55 Ediburgh, City of 2.35 East Dumbartonshire 2.54 Falkirk 2.35 Dundee City 2.50 Renfrewshire 2.35 East Lothian 2.50 South Ayrshire 2.35 Scottish Borders 2.50 Argyll & Bute 2.30 Stirling 2.50 Highland 2.30 South Ayrshire 2.45 Shetland Islands 2.30 West Lothian 2.43 Stirling 2.30 Argyll & Bute 2.40 East Lothian 2.25 Fife 2.40 Clackmannanshire 2.20 Midlothian 2.40 West Lothian 2.20 South Lanarkshire 2.40 South Lanarkshire 2.17 Perth & Kinross 2.30 Dundee City 2.15 Angus 2.20 Perth & Kinross 2.15 Falkirk 2.05 Angus 2.10 North Ayrshire 2.05 Midlothian 2.10 Dumfries & Galloway 2.00 North Ayrshire 2.05 Glasgow City 2.00 Dumfries & Galloway 1.90 Moray 1.70 Glasgow City 1.90 Inverclyde 1.50 East Ayrshire 1.08 Clackmannanshire 1.35 Inverclyde Free East Ayrshire 1.08 183
Page 184
37 Appendix 3 Grants Information Grant Awarded 2024/2025 Grant Award 2025/2026 (1) Proposed Grant Award 2025/2026 (2) Proposed Grant Award 2026/2027 Voluntary Organisations Spell £28,263 £14,130 £28,263 £0 Cash for Kids £19,570 £0 £0 £0 East Kilbride Community Transport £5,552 £2,780 £5,552 £0 Lanark YMCA £5,451 £0 £0 £0 Cargill House Club £5,047 £0 £0 £0 Coalburn Miners Welfare £2,060 £0 £0 £0 Thornton Road Community Centre £7,066 £0 £0 £0 Family Mediation £6,561 £3,280 £6,561 £0 Particip8 Overton £3,000 £1,500 £3,000 £0 Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust £7,571 £3,790 £7,571 £0 Lanarkshire Rape Crisis Centre £7,167 £3,580 £7,167 £0 Childcare in the Community £2,221 £1,110 £2,221 £0 Eastfield Physically Disabled Club £404 £0 £0 £0 Hamilton Churches Drop In £505 £0 £0 £0 Milan Centre Social Club £2,019 £1,010 £2,019 £0 Parent Action Group £3,028 £1,510 £3,028 £0 Special Needs Adventure Playground (SNAP) £3,533 £1,770 £3,533 £0 Clydesdale CAB £52,118 £46,900 £52,118 £39,089 East Kilbride CAB £52,118 £46,900 £52,118 £39,089 Hamilton CAB £54,539 £49,090 £54,539 £40,904 Rutherglen CAB £52,530 £47,280 £52,530 £39,398 Hamilton Information Project for Youth £56,650 £28,330 £56,650 £0 Lightburn Elderly Association Project £55,368 £27,680 £55,368 £0 Unspent in 2024/25 £97,159 £0 £0 £0 Total Voluntary Organisations £529,500 £280,640 £392,238 £158,480 Gala Grants Lanark Lanimer Day £4,635 £3,360 £4,635 £2,318 Rutherglen Landemar Day £4,223 £3,000 £4,223 £2,112 All other Gala Grants £15,842 £0 £15,842 £0 Total Gala Grants £24,700 £6,360 £24,700 £4,430 Community Grants Community Groups/Playscheme Grants £103,000 £103,000 £103,000 £58,100 Total Community Grants £103,000 £103,000 £103,000 £58,100 Civic Hospitality Civic Events £22,600 £22,600 £22,600 £11,300 Civic Gifts £5,000 £5,000 £5,000 £2,500 Total Civic Hospitality £27,600 £27,600 £27,600 £13,800 TOTAL £684,800 £417,600 £547,538 £234,810 Movement Year on Year (24/25 to 25/26) £267,200 Movement Year on Year (25/26 to 26/27) £182,790 (1) 2025/2026 Grant after 2024/2025 saving approved, (2) Use of Reserves of £0.313m in 2025/2026 184
Page 185
38 Appendix 4 Cross-Cutting Review: Loans Fund and Service Concessions 1. Introduction 1.1. As reported to the Executive Committee in June 2024, as part of the Transformation programme to help address the £77.275 million Budget Gap over the next 3 years, the Council has embarked on a number of cross-cutting reviews. One of these reviews looks at the Council’s Loan Charges budget, and the repayment of debt through Service Concessions. 1.2. Loan charges form a significant element of the Council’s revenue budget. How these charges, in particular the repayment of debt, are calculated and accounted for can have a material impact on the amounts charged to the Council’s Revenue Budget. 1.3. The review has looked at two areas where there is some flexibility in how we account for loan charges / debt repayments, and that could lead to savings to contribute to the Revenue Budget Strategy going forward: 1. Loans Fund Review / Additional Voluntary Repayments 2. Service Concessions (PPP Contractor Payment) and IFRS16 (Statutory Charge for Repayment of Debt) 1.4. Sections 2 and 3 will focus on the Loans Fund Review and the options available in relation to Additional Voluntary Repayments. This is detailed in Sections 2 to 3. Section 4 considers the options available in relation to Service Concessions payments as a consequence of implementing IFRS16. 2. Loans Fund Review/Additional Voluntary Repayments 2.1. In 2019 a review of the loans fund was carried out which looked at how the borrowing from the Loans Fund to fund the capital programme was repaid. By extending the period over which the borrowing was repaid and applying this revised approach, it was identified that £68 million of loans fund advances had been repaid earlier than it would have been under the revised approach. In addition to the historic overpayment, by repaying advances over a longer period of time, the annual charge in future years was also reduced with a further potential benefit of £198 million to 2046/2047 in reduced principal repayments. 2.2. While the Council could repay the advances over a longer period of time, this meant that additional interest costs would be incurred as the debt outstanding would remain higher for longer. An alternative approach was identified that would allow the Council to limit the benefit to the £68 million that had been historically overpaid. This approach involved making additional voluntary repayments of debt totalling £198 million which in turn reduced the additional interest costs. This was the approved position in June 2020 (Executive Committee). 2.3. Given the further budget pressures being faced by the Council in the coming years, this paper revisits the additional voluntary repayments with a view to lowering the loan charges spend across the medium term which means savings can be made. The impact on interest payments has also been considered as part of this review. 185
Page 186
39 2.4. It is noted that 5 years on from the start of the original Loans Fund Review, and following changes to the phasing of borrowing for the General Fund capital programme, the profile of additional voluntary repayments has changed from that reported to Committee in 2020. The planned voluntary repayments now total £193.555 million from 2025/2026 to 2046/2047. 2.5. The voluntary repayments are used by the Loans Fund to repay external debt, so not making these repayments means that the Council’s external debt will not be repaid as quickly as it would have been, resulting in additional interest costs. The additional interest costs have been calculated as £185.637 million over the period from 2025/2026 to 2061/2062 and these are included in the Strategy proposed. The profile of these interest repayments is provided in Annex A (column c). For information, the interest costs total £185.637 million across the years 2025/2026 to 2061/2062, and these are included in the Strategy proposed. At today’s prices, this equates to £97 million. 2.6. By no longer making these voluntary repayments, then the costs incurred by the Council will be lower. The result of this is that we will underspend in our Loan Charges budget. The in-year underspends across years are also shown in Annex A (Column a). This takes account of the recalculated loan charge payments, the removal of the additional voluntary repayments and importantly, the impact of the removal of the voluntary repayments on the interest costs incurred (as referred to in 2.5). The recalculations present an underspend of £18.849 million in 2025/2026 but this underspend decreases into future years to accommodate the profile of debt repayments and consequent interest charges, as shown in Annex A. 2.7. The option to remove voluntary repayments is only available from 2025/2026 onwards due to the fact that they were originally programmed to start in that year. 3. Loans Fund Review / Additional Voluntary Repayments – Savings Options 3.1. As noted in Section 2.6, Annex A shows the savings achievable in each financial year. However, as noted, while the savings / underspend starts at £18.849 million in 2025/2026, the level of savings each year thereafter reduces over time therefore, we cannot take this higher level of savings on a permanent basis. Instead, it is proposed that we take a 3-year view of the savings achievable from the review, given the magnitude of the savings required, and we spread the benefit over the 3 years from 2025/2026 to 2027/2028. 3.2. It is therefore proposed that a total saving of £14.600 million be taken and spread across 2025/2026 to 2027/2028. The proposed phasing of these savings is shown in Table 1 within Annex B, spreading the savings across the Medium-Term Budget Strategy. By smoothing the savings across the years, it avoids having to reinstate budget into the later years of the Medum-Term Strategy. 3.3. These budget reductions of £14.600 million would help address the Budget Gap across the years 2025/2026 to 2027/2028. This would have no impact on services delivered. 3.4. There will still be a requirement to increase loan charge budgets after 2027/2028 (as shown in Table 1, Annex B), but the benefit of £14.600 million can be taken over the 3 years of the Revenue Budget Strategy. Reinstatement of the budget is required in 2028/2029 (£1.0m) and 2029/2030 (£0.5m) however this can be included in future 186
Page 187
40 years budget plans and will be offset by anticipated benefits from Service Concessions (as outlined in Section 4). 3.5. To reiterate, these figures include the additional interest costs incurred from not repaying the voluntary repayments (as referred to in Section 2.5). The interest costs total £185.637 million across the years 2025/2026 to 2061/2062. 4. Service Concessions/IFRS16 (Statutory Charge for Repayment of Debt) 4.1. In 2022/2023, the Council applied flexibilities regarding how the debt element of PPP payments are charged to revenue. These flexibilities arose from accounting regulations which removed the restriction that we have to account for these costs over the life of the contract rather than the life of the asset. This is different from how we account for other non-PPP transactions. By charging debt to the Revenue Budget over the life of the asset, rather than the contract period, significant one-off retrospective savings were realised, as well as permanent budget savings. 4.2. IFRS16 is an accounting standard that councils have to implement in 2024/2025. The consequence is that there are changes in how the Council accounts for leases in its Annual Accounts. This standard also applies to how we account for the Council’s PPP. By applying this standard, there is a reduction in what is charged to the Revenue Budget over the medium term, allowing further savings to be made. 4.3. Officers from Finance Services have been working with the Council’s Treasury Management advisers to quantify the impact of this change in accounting treatment. 4.4. Based on the work done to date, estimated savings of £1.600 million have been identified across the 3 years of the Budget Strategy from 2025/2026 to 2027/2028. This work will continue to be developed. 4.5. Savings: It is proposed that the budget reductions of £1.600 million, which are the result of a change to accounting guidance, are used to help address the Council’s Budget Gap across the years 2025/2026 to 2027/2028. There are also additional savings available in 2028/2029 (£1.3 million) and 2029/2030 (£1.7 million). The profile of the savings across the coming years is shown in Table 2 within Annex B. 5. Loans Fund Review – In-Year Underspends 5.1. As the proposal is to take the Loans Fund Review savings across the 3 years of the Medium-Term Budget Strategy (2025/2026 to 2027/2028), there will also be in-year underspends that could be used to further support the Budget Strategy itself. Table 5 within Annex B shows the in-year underspend resulting from the review and removes the proposed savings from the review (sections 3.2 and 4.5). This leaves a resultant underspend each year. 5.2. In addition, work on the review and on the loan charges projection for the current year has identified an in-year underspend of £7.246 million in 2024/2025. This is the result of a reduction in repayments of external debt due to the timing of the original Loans Fund Review being implemented, and also reflects reduced costs as a result of the timing of borrowing required for various projects within the Capital Programme. 5.3. The total underspend available across the 4 years (2024/2025 to 2027/2028) is £26.495 million. There is the option to use these underspends to support the Budget Gap, on a one-off basis across the years, being mindful of the fact that the use of 187
Page 188
41 these underspends needs to be reinstated into the next year. These underspends are illustrated in Table 5 within Annex B and total £26.495 million across the years 2024/2025 to 2027/2028. 5.4. Table 6 within Annex B shows how we can use £13.000 million of the loan charges underspends to assist in managing the Budget Gap across the 3 years of the Budget Strategy. This reduces the Medium-Term Budget Gap to £48.075 million. 5.5. Assumptions have been made on the base Budget Gap for 2028/2029 to 2030/2031 for illustration purposes. Table 7 in Annex B shows the impact of reinstating the use of £13.000 million of the underspend in the medium term, and how that can be managed in the next years, until 2030/2031, by using the remainder of the loan charges underspend (£13.495 million). Table 7 shows that the Budget Gap remains the same before and after the use of the loan charges underspends. The benefit of these underspends is to smooth the savings requirement across years. 6. 2028/2029 and Beyond 6.1. As outlined in Section 3.4, reinstatement of the budget of £1.500 million is required in 2028/2029 and 2029/2030 from the Loans Fund Review / Additional Voluntary Payments. 6.2. It is proposed that this is offset by the additional savings of £3.000 million available in 2028/2029 and 2029/2030 from the accounting treatment of Service Concessions (IFRS16) (section 4.5). 6.3. This takes the total benefit over the five-year period to £17.700 million. This is illustrated in Annex B, Table 3. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. The financial implications of the Loans Fund review have been identified in Sections 2 to 6 and summarised below: • Savings of £14.600 million from the loans fund review are proposed across the 3- year period of the Budget Strategy (2025/2026 to 2027/2028) (Section 3.2). This reduced the Budget Gap in 2025/2026 by £5.500 million. • The work on Service Concessions is detailed in Section 7 and the financial impact has identified savings of £1.600 million across the period 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 (Section 4.5). This reduces the Budget Gap in 2025/2026 by £1.100 million. • Additional in-year underspends from the Loans Fund Review total £26.495 million (detailed in section 5). There is the option to use the in-year underspends from the Loans Fund Review to help address the Budget Gap, on a one-off basis across the years, being mindful of the fact that the use of these underspends needs to be reinstated into the next year. It is proposed that £13.000 million is used to help address the Budget Gap in 2027/2028. This needs to be restated in 2028/2029. 7.2. The overall implications of the proposals on the current Budget Gap for the years 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 are summarised in Table 1. 188
Page 189
42 Table 1 – Impact on the Budget Gap 2025 / 2026 £m 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m Total £m Original Budget Gap 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 (June 2024, Executive Committee) 22.355 24.515 30.405 77.275 Less Council Tax and Utilities (Table 1 / Section 4.8) 5.900 - - - Revised Budget Gap 16.455 24.515 30.405 71.375 Less: Loans Fund and Service Concessions Savings (Annex B, Table 4) (6.600) (6.000) (3.600) (16.200) Use of One-off Underspends - - (13.000) (13.000) 7.3. Table 1 shows that following the review, the Loans Fund and Service Concession savings could help address the Revised Budget Gap across the 3 years of the Medium- Term Budget Strategy and the Budget Gap over these 3 years could be reduced to smooth the requirement for savings. The majority of this saving is generated by the Loans Fund Review and the removal of the voluntary repayments – this option is only available from 2025/2026 onwards due to the fact that the Additional Voluntary repayments were originally programmed to start in 2025/2026. This proposal would not any impact on service delivery. 7.4. Beyond the period of the Medium-Term Strategy, Table 2 shows how the remainder of the £26.495 million of the underspends could be used to manage the Budget Gap in the medium term highlighting that the estimated total Budget Gap is the same before and after the use of the loan charges underspends. Table 2 – Beyond 2027/2028 2027 / 2028 £m 2028 / 2029 £m 2029 / 2030 £m 2030 / 2031 £m Revised Budget Gap (Table 1) (later years for Illustration) 30.405 10.000 10.000 10.000 Less Loans Fund Review / Service Concessions (IFRS16) (3.600) (0.300) (1.200) - Budget Gap after Loans Fund and Service Concessions 26.805 9.700 8.800 10.000 Use of Underspends (13.000) (9.000) (4.495) 0.000 Reinstatement of Underspends - 13.000 9.000 4.495 Budget Gap after Use of Underspends 13.805 13.700 13.305 14.495 7.5. Table 2 shows how we can use the underspends to help address the Budget Gaps in the years beyond the Medium-Term Strategy, and again, smooth the requirement for savings. 189
Page 190
43 7.6. Net additional savings in 2028/2029 and 2029/2030 from both the Loans Fund Review and Service Concessions of £1.500 million, bring the total benefit over the five-year period to £17.700 million (Section 6). Section 6 notes that reinstatement of the loan charges budget will be required, however, this can be managed by additional savings from Service Concessions. 190
Page 191
44 Annex A Loan Charge Projections Across Years (Over)/Under Spend (inc. Additional Interest) (a) £m Saving/ (Negative Budget Impact) (b) £m Additional Interest (included in column a) (c) £m 2025/2026 18.849 18.849 0.234 2026/2027 17.017 (1.832) 0.723 2027/2028 14.583 (2.434) 1.244 2028/2029 13.594 (0.989) 1.805 2029/2030 13.046 (0.548) 2.376 2030/2031 11.927 (1.119) 2.939 2031/2032 10.592 (1.335) 3.483 2032/2033 8.977 (1.615) 4.021 Interest from 2033/2034 to 2061/2062 168.812 Total Interest 185.637 191
Page 192
45 Annex B Table 1: Loans Fund Review – Proposed Savings 2025 / 2026 £m 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m 2028 / 2029 £m 2029 / 2030 £m Loans Fund Review 5.500 5.500 3.600 (1.000) (0.500) Cumulative Savings 5.500 11.000 14.600 13.600 13.100 Table 2: Service Concessions – Proposed Savings 2025 / 2026 £m 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m 2028 / 2029 £m 2029 / 2030 £m Service Concessions 1.100 0.500 - 1.300 1.700 Cumulative Savings 1.100 1.600 1.600 2.900 4.600 Table 3 – Total Savings from Review (Loans Fund and Service Concessions) 2025 / 2026 £m 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m 2028 / 2029 £m 2029 / 2030 £m Loans Fund Review 5.500 5.500 3.600 (1.000) (0.500) Service Concessions 1.100 0.500 - 1.300 1.700 Total Savings 6.600 6.000 3.600 0.300 1.200 Cumulative 6.600 12.600 16.200 16.500 17.700 Table 4 – Impact of the Review Savings on the Budget Gap 2025 / 2026 £m 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m Total £m Original Budget Gap 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 (June 2024, Executive Committee) 22.355 24.515 30.405 77.275 Less Total Loans Fund and Service Concessions Savings (from Table 3) (6.600) (6.000) (3.600) (16.200) Resultant Budget Gap (after Loans Fund and Service Concessions Savings) 15.755 18.515 26.805 61.075 192
Page 193
46 Annex B (contd) Table 5: Loans Fund Review – In-Year Underspends 2024 / 2025 £m 2025 / 2026 £m 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m In-Year Underspend from Loans Fund Review (Annex A, Column a) 7.246 18.849 17.017 14.583 Less: Loans Fund Review Savings for Budget Strategy (Table 1) - 5.500 11.000 14.600 Resultant In Year Underspend 7.246 13.249 6.017 (0.017) Cumulative Underspend 7.246 20.495 26.512 26.495 Table 6 – Use of Underspends to Support the Budget Gap 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 2025 / 2026 £m 2026 / 2027 £m 2027 / 2028 £m Total £m Resultant Budget Gap (Table 4) 15.755 18.515 26.805 61.075 Use of Underspends - (13.000) (13.000) 15.755 18.515 13.805 48.075 Table 7 – Use of Underspends to Support the Budget Gap Beyond 2027/2028 Table 2 – Beyond 2027/2028 2027 / 2028 £m 2028 / 2029 £m 2029 / 2030 £m 2030 / 2031 £m Original Budget Gap (June 2024) (For Illustration) 30.405 10.000 10.000 10.000 Loans Fund Review / Service Concessions (3.600) (0.300) (1.200) - Revised Budget Gap 26.805 9.700 8.800 10.000 Use of Underspends (13.000) (9.000) (4.495) 0.000 Reinstatement of Underspends - 13.000 9.000 4.495 13.805 13.700 13.305 14.495 193
Page 194
47 Appendix 5 Areas of Risk • Pay Awards: The Strategy includes an assumption for both teaching and non-teaching staff in 2025/2026 and beyond as well as the full year effect of an estimated Teachers’ Pay Award from August 2024 (into 2025/2026). The pay deal for Non-Teachers is set for 2024/2025 only and there has been no agreement of what the pay award will be beyond financial year 2024/2025. For teaching staff, there is no pay deal beyond August 2025. This is therefore a risk to the financial Strategy. • Children and Families: The position on the approved recovery plan to mitigate the estimated £10.6 million of pressures associated mainly with external placements have been reported to the Social Work Committee during 2024/2025. This includes the commissioning of new Intensive Family Support Services to address high-cost residential placements, ongoing reviews of policies and procedures, service reviews and a review and update of contracts. This is a multi-year recovery plan, and any slippage is a risk to the Council’s budget. • Utilities: As noted in section 4.4, there is a downward trend in the price for utilities, specifically. Account has been taken of the impact into 2025/2026 for the known price of units for 2024/2025, and a further reduction is anticipated into 2025/2026 based on what has been purchased so far. However, due to the relatively small amount purchased for the years 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 this will continue to be monitored as further purchases are made during the year. • Insurance: The Council operates an Insurance Fund to manage claims and liabilities arising from normal business. An amount has been included in the Budget Strategy to enable the Fund to balance on an annual basis without the need for a Fund. However, there is a risk that this additional budget may be insufficient if the level of claims experienced increases. 194
Page 195
i Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) Subject: Glasgow City Region City Deal – Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement Project: Outline Business Case 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] set out the Outline Business Case for the Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement project advise the Committee on the next steps in developing and delivering the project [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the Outline Business Case for the Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement project be approved; (2) that the proposed next steps in developing the project be approved; (3) that grant funding be sought in accordance with the City Deal Grant Distribution Process outlined in the Assurance Framework in relation to preliminary costs; and (4) that the relevant Full Business Cases for the project and associated sub- projects be developed for future presentation to the Executive Committee and City Region Cabinet. [1r 3. Background 3.1. The Council is one of eight local authorities who, with the UK Government and the Scottish Government, are signatories to the £1.13 billion Glasgow City Region City Deal signed on 20 August 2014. 3.2. The City Deal initiative comprises an initial list of 20 key projects which are intended to collectively drive economic growth across the City Region. 3.3. The proposed Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement project is one of South Lanarkshire Council’s (SLCs) City Deal funded projects, the others being Cathkin Relief Road (complete), Greenhills Road (complete), the four Community Growth Areas at Newton, East Kilbride, Hamilton and Larkhall (in progress) and the East Kilbride Town Centre project (in development). 3.4. Governance arrangements for the City Deal initiative are defined within the associated Assurance Framework. This sets out requirements for the development of Business Cases for individual projects. The first level of business case, the Strategic Business Case, was approved for the three SLC Roads projects and the four SLC Community Growth Areas by the Executive Committee on 26 August 2015. 9 195
Page 196
ii 3.5. An augmented Strategic Business Case for the original project was approved by the Executive Committee on 10 March 2021 to reflect design development of the scheme and an adjustment to the scope of the works. 3.6. The Outline Business Case for each project requires to be formally approved via the:- Member Authority Council City Region Chief Executives’ Group City Region Cabinet 4. Current Position 4.1. To date this project has focused on the transportation challenges across the town and how improvements to the road and wider sustainable transport network could accelerate and unlock development potential, improve access to existing facilities and improve journey times. While these issues remain at the heart of the proposals, a refined approach bringing together a combination of transportation improvements and direct town centre interventions is now considered the best way to bring sustainable economic growth to the town. 4.2. The East Kilbride Town Centre Masterplan was approved by the Executive Committee on 13 September 2023 and sets the strategic direction of the town centre for the next 20 years. Thereafter, on 8 May 2024, the Executive Committee approved development of the East Kilbride Town Centre project and the rescoping of the original Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement project to include the Town Centre. This led to the realignment of the approved project budget of £62.2 million, with £32.2m now allocated towards the town centre and £30 million remaining for the Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement project. 4.3. The Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement project and the East Kilbride Town Centre project are now progressing at slightly different rates, influenced by market conditions and developer engagement. The Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement project has progressed to the stage that an Outline Business Case can now be produced building on the augmented Strategic Business Case in terms of:- Strategic Case Economic Case Commercial Case Financial Case Management Case 4.4. The Executive Summary of the Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement project Outline Business Case is set out in Appendix 1. 4.5. The project is expected to deliver: 1.8km of enhanced road network - The widening of the existing carriageways on the A749 and Stewartfield Way to enhance and facilitate the new junction layouts. The carriageway alignment will be designed to the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) 1.0km of New Shared Cycle Route - The improvement and addition to the existing off-road cycleway adjacent to the carriageway. The cycle way will extend and tie into existing cycle routes in the area 196
Page 197
iii 5 Improved Junctions - Junctions at the existing Mavor and Nerston roundabouts to be re-designed to new 3 / 4 way traffic signal controlled junctions with cycle and pedestrian facilities and a new traffic signal-controlled junction to be constructed at the existing entrance to PlaySport 1 New Junction - a new traffic signal-controlled junction to be constructed, which creates a new route into the Kingsgate retail area, with pedestrian and cycle facilities 4.6. The production of the Outline Business Case is another key milestone and provides the basis for further development of the project. The approval of this Outline Business Case by the City Region Cabinet on 5 November 2024 will be conditional on the Executive Committee approval being given today. 4.7. It is intended that this culminates in the development and completion of a Full Business Case from 2025/2026, following completion of statutory processes and project tendering arrangements. 5. Delivery Timeline 5.1. The Outline Business Case sets out an indicative timescale of when the project will progress through each delivery stage as follows: Design: ongoing to October 2025 Ground Investigation: ongoing to July 2025 Land agreements / Planning Consultation / Consents etc: ongoing to July 2026 Tender preparation / Procurement Process / Contract Award: October 2025 to July 2026 FBC Submission and Approval: by June 2026 Construction: October 2026 to October 2028 Project Maintenance: October 2028 onwards 6. Employee Implications 6.1. There are no direct employee implications from this project as existing resources within Community and Enterprise Resources are currently tasked with the design, management, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of this City Deal project. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. The total cost of the City Deal Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement project is expected to be £30 million. Over the lifetime of this project, grant totalling £25.8 million (86%) is expected from City Deal with the balance of funding, £4.2 million (14%) being met by the Council. 7.2. A full and robust monitoring process will be put in place following approval of the project / associated sub projects by the City Region Cabinet. 7.3. The City Deal Assurance Framework allows grant to be awarded at each Business Case stage (Strategic, Outline and Full) to meet the costs incurred by the Council leading up to the approval of the Full Business Case(s) and the formal award of contracts associated with capital expenditure. Approval to incur additional expenditure of up to £3.5 million is included in the Outline Business Case. 197
Page 198
iv 8. Other Implications 8.1. The City Deal Cabinet has a Risk and Issues Management Strategy to be applied across all City Deal projects. The purpose of this Strategy is to provide a systematic and effective method by which risks can be consistently managed. It adopts a best practice approach, describes the specific risk management techniques and standards to be applied and the responsibilities for achieving effective risk management. The Council is required to apply this strategy across each of its City Deal projects to ensure consistency across all City Deal projects. This will be a key tool in mitigating project risks and thereby limiting our financial risk associated with our share of City Deal project costs. 8.2. The processes associated with the approval of the Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement project have considered the following sustainability agenda items and are subject to monitoring and review as detailed proposals for each phase of the development progress:- choice of materials and the use of low and zero carbon generating technologies support sustainable water resource management support sustainable waste management Consideration of the lifecycle costs and impacts of the development encourage the use of sustainable and recycled materials in construction support habitat connectivity consider active travel and sustainable transport links 9. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 9.1. Consultation has taken place with relevant Resources within the Council, the City Region Programme Management Office and local stakeholders. This is set out within the relevant business cases. Further consultation will take place as part of the statutory approvals process and as the project progresses to the delivery stage. 9.2. The report does not presently introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a significant change to an existing policy, function or strategy, and, therefore, no integrated impact assessment is required. However, as the project develops and progresses to delivery stage an Integrated Impact Assessment will be undertaken in line with Council policy. David Booth Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) 23 October 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Values Focused on people and their needs Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Priorities We will work towards a sustainable future in sustainable places Outcomes Good quality, suitable and sustainable places to live Thriving business, fair jobs and vibrant town centres Caring, connected, sustainable communities 198
Page 199
v Previous References Executive Committee, 26 August 2015 Executive Committee, 10 March 2021 Community & Enterprise Resources Committee, 23 April 2024 Executive Committee, 8 May 2024 List of Background Papers Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement Project Outline Business Case Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Iain Ross, Economic Development Manager E-mail: iain.ross@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 199
Page 200
vi Appendix 1 - Executive Summary 1.1 Introduction This Outline Business Case (OBC) is requesting capital funding of £30m including £25.8m from the City Deal and £4.2m from SLC to support the Stewartfield Way Capacity Enhancement Project (SFWCEP). The gearing ratio between City Deal and SLC funding is split: City deal 86% and SLC 14%. This OBC continues to build the case outlined in the SBC which released £1m to develop the project proposal from SBC to OBC. This OBC seeks an additional £3.5m to be released to develop the project proposal (this includes Public Utilities Diversions, Land Agreements, ground investigations, environmental reports and design) to FBC. The project involves a targeted intervention in the transport network, increasing the capacity of Stewartfield Way by alleviating congestion at critical pinch points, road dualling at strategic section of SFW and the creation of adjacent cycling and improved bus infrastructure. This is predicted to accelerate the delivery of new development. 1.1.1 Project Scope Direct City Deal Funded Activity: The key component of the proposed scheme is the conversion of the existing roundabouts at Nerston and Mavor junctions to 3 and 4 way traffic signal controlled junctions. This will enhance the flow of traffic through the junctions, removing “choke points” and support and accelerate economic development in the north and west of East Kilbride. The improvement will benefit residents and businesses in East Kilbride as well as residents of Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Hamilton and Glasgow at large, in addition to residents travelling to and from outlying areas such as Chapelton and Strathaven. As part of the Stewartfield Way project, active travel improvements will be delivered including walking and cycling infrastructure. This will provide connections to both the NCN-756 national cycle route and the local cycle network. This will include the widening of parts of the NCN-756 and improvements to the facilities at Mavor and Nerston junctions, along with improvements to the adjoining local cycle network. The specification includes: • 1.8km of Road Enhanced - The widening of the existing carriageways on the A749 and Stewartfield Way to enhance and facilitate the new junction layouts. The carriageway alignment will be designed to the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB). • 1km of New Shared Cycle Route - The improvement and addition to the existing off-road cycleway adjacent to the carriageway. The cycle way will extend and tie into existing cycle routes in the area. • Drainage elements will be designed to the DMRB and the Sewers for Scotland guidelines. • New modern LED street lighting (50 columns) incorporating aluminium columns with LED lanterns will be implemented. The lighting project will be designed to BS EN 13201 lighting class ME4a. • 5 Improved Junctions - Junctions at the existing Mavor and Nerston roundabouts to be re-designed to new 3 / 4 way traffic signal controlled junctions with cycle and pedestrian facilities and a new traffic signal-controlled junction to be constructed at the existing entrance to PlaySport. • 1 New Junction - A new traffic signal-controlled junction to be constructed, which creates a new route into the Kingsgate retail area, with pedestrian and cycle facilities. 200
Page 201
vii Figure 1 – Location Plan Follow-on Activity: The City Deal investment is expected to bring forward additional active travel routes in line with the East Kilbride Active Travel Plan as funding becomes available from Transport Scotland. In addition, it is anticipated that the project will help leverage and accelerate investment from the private sector (£69.4m), including commercial and residential development across vacant greenfield and brownfield sites -24,380 sqm mixed office and industrial (class 4, 5, 6). 1.2 Strategic Case Stewartfield Way is on northern edge of the town and is the most direct route for traffic travelling to, from and between two major transport nodes in East Kilbride – the Glasgow Southern Orbital in the west (M77 connection) and the A749 East Kilbride Expressway in the east (M74 connection). It is, however, a single carriageway one-lane road with eight roundabouts between these two points and, as such, through traffic typically uses the A726 Queensway dual carriageway through the town centre, or other less appropriate routes. Project delivery is part of the wider East Kilbride Community Growth Area and will provide the opportunity for opening up potential development sites identified in the Local Development Plan and improve access to existing businesses. SLC have identified several Brownfield sites in proximity to SFW that are allocated in the LDP 2 but are currently stalled. These sites could be opened up through the provision of an enhanced transport network and accelerate development activity to help create new employment generating opportunities. The key challenges that the SFWCEP is seeking to address are: • Economic constraints – decline in employment opportunities. • Lack of commercial floorspace – retention and attraction of businesses. • Population constraints – long-term growth putting pressure on transport. • Sustainability constraints – long-term attractiveness of East Kilbride. • Capacity constraints – road network restricts brownfield and new site development opportunities. • Sustainable travel constraints – infrastructure restricts modal shift to sustainable/ active travel. 1.2.1 Policy Fit UK Level • Growth Plan 2022. 201
Page 202
viii Scotland Level • National Performance Framework. • Scotland’ National Strategy for Economic Transformation. • National Planning Framework 4. • National Transport Strategy 2. • Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-22 to 2025-26. • Equality, opportunity, community – New leadership – A fresh start. Glasgow City Region and Local Policy • Glasgow City Region Deal. • Glasgow City Region Economic Strategy. • Clydeplan. • Connect – Council Plan 2022-2027. • South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan 2 • South Lanarkshire Local Transport Strategy 2013-2023 202
Page 203
ix SMART Objectives Objective Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-bound Support the development of brownfield sites in East Kilbride. Leverage private sector investment of £69.4m in identified brownfield sites and deliver 24,000 sqm of commercial space and 150 housing units Measurable by property development activity – building warrants and completion certificates To be delivered by private developers and dependent on City Deal funding for enabling infrastructure Based on identified sites and aligned with policy objectives Private sector property developed expected to be realised by 2044 Improve access to employment and training opportunities. Create 150 direct construction jobs and £8.6m GVA, and through leveraged activity support a further 530 indirect jobs and £182m GVA and number of apprenticeships, job training opportunities created Measurable by construction contractors benefits reporting and post- implementation monitoring plans SLC have control over project deliver and can influence direct project impacts- jobs, GVA and training opportunities. Indirect impacts are subject to private sector follow-on activity. Based on a project level data and a bespoke economic impact appraisal. Direct impacts to be achieved by 2028, follow- on impacts expected to be achieved by 2044. Improve the resilience of the local transport network. Delivery of a reliable local road network that supports efficient journey times and enhanced reliability for route users, particularly public transport operators through delivery of: • 1 new and 5 enhanced junctions. • 1.8 km of road enhancements • 50 new lighting columns • 7 pedestrian crossings installed Measurable by monitoring journey times pre and post project completion Based on traffic modelling in East Kilbride and transportation appraisal of the project. Need is based on data from traffic modelling; aligned with policy objectives Benefits accrue following the completion of the project 2028. Increase sustainable travel mode share. Delivery of walking/ cycling options with access to major bus and rail stations • 1 km of new pathways/cycle paths Measurable by monitoring travel patterns and passenger volumes Based on traffic modelling in East Kilbride and evidence of behavioural change in similar locations Aligned with policy objectives Benefits accrue following the completion of the project 2028. 203
Page 204
10 1.3 Economic Case 1.3.1 Shortlisted Options Short-Listed Options Option Description Option 1: Do nothing The business-as-usual or counterfactual position considers what would happen in the absence of public sector intervention Option 2: Do minimum Integrated bus route and stop enhancement, including controlled pedestrian crossings. Option 3: Dualling partial length + (Preferred way forward) Dualling partial length at key locations, junction and controlled crossing enhancements, and active travel options. Option 4: Full dualling along length of SFW Full dualling along length of SFW, junction and controlled crossing enhancements and active travel options. 1.3.2 Benefits Over the 25-year appraisal period, the total present value net GVA impacts are outlined below. Cumulative 25-Year Impacts (Net GVA) Option 1 Do Nothing Option 2 Do minimum Option 3 Dualling partial length + (Preferred way forward) Option 4 Full dualling along length of SFW South Lanarkshire £41.5 £91.8 £168.7 £190.8 Glasgow City Region £62.7 £140.2 £256.1 £290.0 Scotland £55.0 £124.3 £226.7 £256.9 1.3.3 Value for Money The public sector cost benefit ratio which sets Present Value Net Additional GVA impacts against present value public sector costs are presented below. Public Cost Benefit Ratios Benefit Ratios Total Present Value Costs Present Value Net GVA BCR Option 2 South Lanarkshire £17.7 £50.2 2.8 Glasgow City Region £17.7 £77.5 4.4 Scotland £17.7 £69.3 3.9 Option 3 South Lanarkshire £26.9 £127.2 4.7 Glasgow City Region £26.9 £193.4 7.2 Scotland £26.9 £171.8 6.4 Option 4 South Lanarkshire £36.6 £149.3 4.1 Glasgow City Region £36.6 £227.3 6.2 Scotland £36.6 £201.9 5.5 Values rounded to nearest £0.1m and discounted at 3.5% annually. 204
Page 205
11 The summary benefits set against City Deal Key Economic Performance Indicators are presented. City Deal Key Economic Performance Indicators Output Category Output Reference Benefit Geographic Level Value By 2035 Value Over 25 Years Employment EMP_01 Gross Construction PYE by 2035 Glasgow City Region 330 - EMP_02 Net Additional Construction PYE by 2035 Glasgow City Region 290 - EMP_03 Gross Operational FTEs by 2035 Glasgow City Region 400 - EMP_04 Net Additional Operational FTEs by 2035 Glasgow City Region 270 - GVA GVA_GCR_01 Net Additional GVA by 2035 (£m) Glasgow City Region £60.3 GVA_GCR_02 Net Additional GVA over 25 year period (£m) Glasgow City Region £191.5 GVA_SCOT_01 Net Additional GVA by 2035 (£m) Scotland £54.4 GVA_SCOT_02 Net Additional GVA over 25 year period (£m) Scotland £169.9 Investment OFL_01 Direct Project Private Sector Investment by 2035 (£m) Glasgow City Region £0.0 - OFL_02 Net Additional Private Sector Investment (Follow-on) by 2035 (£) Glasgow City Region £18.7 - OFL_03 Total Investment Combined (£m) Glasgow City Region £18.7 - OFL_04 Other Public Sector Investment Leveraged Glasgow City Region £0.0 - BCR BCR_01 Value of Net Additional Benefits over 25 Years (£m) Glasgow City Region - £193.4 BCR_02 Value of Public Sector Costs over 25 Years (£m) Glasgow City Region - £26.9 BCR_03 Public Benefit Cost Ratio over 25 Years Glasgow City Region - 7.2 1.4 Commercial Case 1.4.1 Addressing Partners’ Needs The project has been informed by a traffic modelling exercise that looked at issues and challenges across the wider East Kilbride road and active travel network and the development of the preferred option took account of factors including risk, impact, cost, value for money, and also specifically considered whether the preferred solution addressed the identified market failure and the needs of project partners. 1.4.2 Delivering Follow-on-Investment Achieving success over the longer term is dependent on securing follow-on investment from the private sector within a range of sites within proximity to the road network and within the wider town centre. As per the Economic Case, some of this investment is unlikely to occur in the absence of the project, while within other sites its likely to be accelerated (i.e. it would likely happen but as a result of the project will occur over a condensed timescale). The potential development sites are noted below. Assuming a commercial development footprint of 25%, this could leverage c. 24,000sqm of commercial floorspace. If we specifically consider the sites in close proximity to SFW (1-3km), this equates to 16,650 sqm. The timescales over which the leveraged activity and investment is anticipated is 2028 – 2037. 205
Page 206
12 The need for follow-on investment and development activity is identified as a key external dependency of the project. It should be noted that in the absence of the project, there will be no follow-on investment No other alternative funders or sources have been identified – the project will, however, leverage additional funding from Transport Scotland as funding becomes available to provide a continuous active travel route. 1.4.3 Procurement Strategy All procurement will comply with SLCs Procurement Strategy (2023-28) and will also follow the Scottish Government’s Procurement Journey as best practice for public sector procurement as well as the Glasgow City Region Sustainable Procurement Strategy. Tendering for Required Services Timescales for the delivery of key elements of the project are outlined below, with completion of the main construction scheduled for 2028. Design: ongoing to October 2025 Ground Investigation: ongoing to July 2025 Land agreements / Planning Consultation / Consents etc: ongoing to July 2026 Tender preparation / Procurement Process / Contract Award: October 2025 to July 2026 FBC Submission and Approval: by June 2026 Construction: October 2026 to October 2028 Project Maintenance: October 2028 onwards The conditions of contract chosen are the NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract, Option C (Target Contract with activity schedule). The Council have successfully used this contract, along with others from the NEC suite, for almost 15 years. These conditions offer a managed approach to the contract process and have allowed South Lanarkshire Council to maintain control of both time and budget throughout the duration of the project. 1.5 Financial Case The total public sector capital costs to deliver the project are £30m, broken down as follows: • City Deal: £25.8m. • SLC City Deal Match: £4.2m. The gearing ratio achieved between City Deal and the Managing Authority is City Deal 86% and SLC 14%. The project period is estimated to be between 2024 – 2032 with the main construction activity occurring 2026 – 2028. This OBC continues to build the case outlined in the SBC which released £1m to develop the project proposal from SBC to OBC. This OBC seeks an additional £3.5m to be released to develop the project proposal (this includes Public Utilities Diversions, Land Agreements, ground investigations, environmental reports and design) to FBC. Breakdown of Project Costs Budget heading Cost estimate Site investigation £150,000 Land / Legal fees £100,000 Accommodation works £500,000 External consultants £489,000 Design fees £1,141,000 Site supervision fees £1,630,000 Public utilities £2,500,000 Contract works £16,300,000 Traffic signals £300,000 Public consultation costs £5,000 Post contract monitoring £163,000 206
Page 207
13 Monitoring and evaluation £163,000 Optimism Bias £3,260,000 Contingencies £3,260,000 Total £29,961,000 Financial risks are fully considered in Risk Register along with an assessment of how they will be allocated and managed. 1.5.1 Project Costs Phasing of Project Costs 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Total £85,000 £2,845,000 £2,270,000 £13,000,000 £11,000,000 £200,000 £200,000 £200,000 £200,000 £30,000,000 0.3% 9.5% 7.6% 43.3% 36.7% 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 100% Note: figures rounded The total amount of leveraged private funding and estimated profile is outlined below. Estimated Follow-on Investment 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 Total Commercial £5.3 £7.4 £3.9 £4.2 £5.6 £5.9 £2.0 £3.9 £3.3 £41.6 Housing £11.8 £11.8 £4.1 £0.0 £0.0 £0.0 £0.0 £0.0 £0.0 £27.8 Total £17.2 £19.3 £8.0 £4.2 £5.6 £5.9 £2.0 £3.9 £3.3 £69.3 1.6 Management Case 1.6.1 Project Roles and Responsibilities The project will be delivered through SLC Roads, Transportation and Fleet Services. The Council’s Legal and Procurement service will ensure that all the contractor/subcontractors and consultant/sub-consultants engaged on the planning, design and delivery of the project comply with statutory requirements. Internal Project Governance Organogram 207
Page 208
14 1.6.2 Monitoring and Benefits Realisation SLC is developing a City Deal monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure compliance with PMO requirements for performance management. Quarterly progress reporting on project development and delivery is provided by the City Deal Programme Manager (Economy & Infrastructure) to the Programme Management Office via project status reports and MA programme reports. Benefit realisation updates will also be provided on a quarterly basis to adhere with the requirements of GCR City Deal, using the methodology set out in the Benefit Tracking Template provided within the Assurance Framework. Project monitoring and evaluation is a key element of the appraisal process. The project will be subject to a robust monitoring and evaluation programme, in line with the guidance set out in the CD Assurance Framework and Green Book and led by the CD team set up by SLC. 208
Page 209
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) Subject: Transformation Fund – Phase 1 Update and Phase 2 Proposals 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to: - advise of the progress of investment in properties identified in Phase 1 of the Transformation Fund Programme seek approval for Phase 2 of investment proposals 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Executive Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the progress in relation to Phase 1 of investment from the Transformation Fund, as detailed in Appendix 1, be noted; (2) that the proposals for Phase 2, as set out in Section 5 and Appendix 2, be approved; (3) that the arrangements for monitoring the programme and budget, as set out in Section 6, be approved; (4) that delegated authority be granted to the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources), Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources and Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) to amend budget allocation for each project and/or amend project scope as required when final costs are known, ensuring the overall budget is not exceeded; and (5) that, should there be any available budget following the delivery of all agreed projects within Phase 1 and 2, delegated authority be granted to the Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) and Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) to progress with further priority projects as identified at Section 6.2. 3. Background 3.1. In recognition of the service delivery and community challenges arising from the property estate managed by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC), the Council at its meeting held on 22 February 2023, approved funding for capital investment to help modernise the leisure and culture estate, optimise use of assets and assist in the transition towards net zero. 10 209
Page 210
3.2. A fund of £13million has been included in the Council’s financial plans in the capital programme and this is what has become known as the Transformation Fund. 3.3. At its meeting on 8 May 2024, the Executive Committee approved Phase 1 of investment priorities with an estimated budget allocation of £8.4 million. 4 Phase 1 Update 4.1. Property Services have worked alongside Community and Enterprise Resources, Finance Services and SLLC to develop detailed specifications for each of the projects and Appendix 1 sets out the current position with regards to delivery and current project status. 4.2. Now that detailed specifications and tender exercises are progressing, there is a clearer understanding of the likely costs which is now estimated to be £8.825 million including the addition of a 5% contingency allowance. There remains a number of projects at design or procurement stage therefore, we await full market testing of estimated costs before the final financial position will be known. It should be noted that the current projected forecast spend for financial year 2024/2025 is £3.5 million. 4.3. A full update on Phase 1 projects is detailed in Appendix 1 of this report with the latest estimated spend against each project identified. As many projects currently remain as estimated costs at this stage, it should be noted that individual projects may change in value, however the programme will be managed within the overall funding pot. 5. Phase 2 5.1. Committee will recall that taking into account the objectives of the Transformation Fund, projects are assessed on the basis that they must relate to a property managed by SLLC and fall under one of the following headings:- 1. Adaptation and modernisation 2. Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation 3. Reduction in Liabilities and Demolition 4. Community Accessibility 5.2. In parallel to progressing Phase 1, consideration has been given to Phase 2 projects based on the above criteria. 5.3. It should be noted that Phase 2 (Appendix 2) shows a still to be allocated line. This is mainly to address the repair and upgrading of floating floors across swimming pools, however at this stage, the scale of the issues and cost is unknown. It is proposed that a proposal will come back to members once costs are known which will also include the upgrading of 3-G pitches if funds allow. 6. Oversight Arrangements 6.1. A cross service working group has been established which is monitoring progress and managing the Transformation Fund Budget. The group has highlighted that, as project briefs are being finalised and tenders received, the exact costs for each investment will vary from estimated budgets. 210
Page 211
6.2. There is potential that there may be capacity for additional projects to be funded should the current list of projects be delivered under the total budget for Phases 1 and 2. The current preferred additional project agreed with the working group would be to upgrade the current 3-G pitch provision within the SLLC estate. It is currently known that 3 pitches are of a poor standard with an estimated replacement cost of £400k per pitch. If funds became available to progress with any or all these pitches, then a new priority assessment would be carried out. 7. Employee Implications 7.1. There is no direct employee implications identified through this report and any implications arising from individual proposals will be assessed by SLLC prior to implementation. 8. Financial Implications 8.1. Capital expenditure will improve the life expectancy and performance of properties as well as create opportunities for revenue savings and income generation. 9. Other Implications 9.1. The specification of improvements to the fabric of the properties will take into account the wider council objectives in terms of energy reduction and carbon footprint. 10. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 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. Internal consultation with various Council departments and SLLC. On- going community consultation wider Parks Masterplan. Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) David Booth Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) 30 October 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent 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: Craig Jardine, Head of Property Services Ext 4073 (Tel: 01698 454073) E-mail: craig.jardine@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 211
Page 212
PHASE 1 Appendix 1 Facility Works Budget Project Update Hamilton Water Palace, Hamilton Ventilation and fabric upgrade and refurbishment of fitness studio. £0.5 m Design development underway. Tender for work to be progressed April 25. Consultants appointed to carry out ventilation / structural surveys. Blantyre Sports Centre Ventilation and fabric along with internal remodelling and the gym and fitness studio modernisation described below. £1 m Design development underway. Tender for work to be progressed April 25. Mechanical survey completed. Costs being developed. Gym/Fitness studios modernisation programme Replace all gym equipment across sites & upgrade studios – this helps to justify price increases, make service more competitive. £1.9 m Equip. £0.84 m Studios Sourcing strategy and project scope agreed for purchase of gym equipment across the 12 sites. Tender to be progressed by April 2025. Equipment to be drawn down per site as works are completed. Design development underway. HTR carrying out a pilot on Dollan Aqua Centre to establish square meterage costs before rolling out across other sites. Hamilton, Rutherglen and Lanark Town Halls Upgrade to modern standard to maximise use/income and enhance customer experience. Refurb of registrar’s area to create additional usable space with income generating potential. £1.8 m £0.3 m Lanark Memorial Hall - Design development underway – completion by sept 25. Hamilton Town Hall - Design development underway and completion by December 25 Rutherglen Town Hall - Design brief still to be finalised. Hamilton Registrars area – currently being considered by Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)/ Discussions underway to agree alterations required, funding and heads of terms for lease. Design brief developed to extend area for general letting but this is currently on hold pending decision from CAB. John Wright Sports Centre Main Sports Hall floors 1, 2 & 3 require complete replacement. Hall 3 and reception refurbishment. £0.15 m Design and costs for renewal of Hall 3 underway. Awaiting intrusive survey of Hall 1&2 to determine if floor is suitable for refurbishment / renewal. Completion expected by June 25 Design development for reception area almost complete however there is no scope within this budget to complete these works. Reception project currently on hold. Fairhill Lifestyles Investigate extend the gym area utilising the corridor along the front of the building. Increasing size and capacity of the gym and in turn increasing income. £0.005 m Feasibility Design development underway and budget costs being explored. Mechanical survey being arranged. Works to be included in Phase 2. 212
Page 213
Murray Owen, East Kilbride Adaptation to accommodate additional public daytime lets and diversify use. £0.10 m Social Work continue to utilise facility during the day however works have been identified that will enable SLLC to operate evening lets. Design brief currently being finalised with Tender for work to be progressed April 25. Swimming pool hoists Improve swimming pool experience for residents who have access issues– 9 pools. £0.12 m Sourcing strategy and specification in progress with completion by March 25 Hamilton Palace Sports Grounds Accessibility upgrades to Male & Female Foyer Toilets and replacement lift £0.08 m Unable to deliver both toilets and lift within available budget. Accessibility assessment completed and toilet upgrade to take priority. Design development underway with completion by June 25. Lift replacement project on hold. James Hamilton Heritage Park Changing Room Refit – Ladies & Gents including shower. £0.03 m Design development underway. Completion by June 25 Coalburn Leisure Facility Pool, poolside/changing and fabric upgrade to enhance customer experience, increase use and extend the useful life of the property. £0.2 m Design development underway. Tender documentation being finalised. Completion by sept 25 Hillhouse and Earnock CC Refurbish former library area to create alternative lettable space. £0.1 m Design development underway. Completion by June 25 Chatelherault Country Park Refurbishment of reception/foyer/ cafe area to create social dwelling space. Upgrade to both internal and external public toilets, and refurbishment of exhibition space. Replacement of life expired windows, doors and gates. £0.03 m Feasibility Full feasibility study on hold pending wider country parks master plan project, however some works to upgrade toilet and café area have been identified for inclusion in Phase 2. Museum Stores Centralising museum stores to release Crosshouse property for sale and explore options for public access to collections on request. £0.03 m Feasibility Alternative storage solution options currently being investigated. Conservatory, Calderglen Country Park, East Kilbride Roof replacement, energy efficiency measures and modernisation of visitor experience following a review of the future operational requirements of a zoo and potential for alternative opportunities such research /education. £0.03 m Feasibility Full feasibility study on hold pending wider country parks master plan project, however, conservatory roof replacement has been identified as a priority and this has been included in Phase 2. Hamilton Palace Sports Ground LED lights upgrade of Indoor Sports Pitch and Floodlight Conversion for 5-aside pitches & Tennis Courts. £0.08 m Project designed and costed, ready to award. Lifestyle Eastfield Battery storage for solar panels, improve efficiency of current panels. £0.05 m Battery storage project explored but found to be non-viable. Project scope to be amended to improve air conditioning unit which will also reduce energy consumption. John Wright Sports Centre Investigate resolution of Athletics Hub power supply to allow for LED upgrade to floodlights and re- introduction of 11 a-side football £0.05 m Investigations carried out. Options and costs for fixing supply issues are currently being finalised. Likely to exceed budget. Budget does not cover LED upgrade. Completion by Sept 25 Former Farmcross Hall, Rutherglen Vacant in excess of 5 years without valid CAT interest, reinstate ground. £0.05 m Civil Engineer appointed to carry out the Statutory and H&S requirements. Completion by Sept 25 Former Bowling Pavilion, Carnwath Park Within public park which has protected planning status, however condition deteriorating, reinstate ground. £0.05 m Civil Engineer appointed to carry out the Statutory and H&S requirements. Completion by Sept 25 213
Page 214
Hamilton Palace Sports Grounds Removal of abandoned Playpark – Allow for additional parking and address antisocial behaviour. £0.08 m Civil Engineer appointed to carry out the Statutory and H&S requirements. Completion by Sept 25 Library reprovision Setting up of library space in a number of alternative venues, locations still to be identified. £0.3 m Forth Willie Waddell - Works in progress. Hillhouse/Earnock - Works in progress. Blantyre - Design and costs currently being finalised Greenhills - Design development underway Improvements to Accessibility Improving access, door entry, and security facilities. Centre access gates at 11 sites plus external staffing support & remote access. £0.65 m Sourcing strategy and project scopes developed for Access Control System and Access Gates. Procurement being progressed with tender for work to be progressed April 25. Briefs currently being developed to enable HTR to complete necessary cabling/connection works. Phase 1 Contingency 5% contingency allowance across Phase 1 Projects £0.420* PHASE 1 TOTAL £8.945 214
Page 215
PHASE 2 Appendix 2 Facility Works Budget Improvements to accessibility (extended to include Halls and Pitches) Remote access systems for various halls and pitches. £0.500 Fairhill Lifestyles Gym extension. (following phase 1 feasibility) £0.400 Calderglen Country Park Conservatory roof replacement. £0.350 Chatelherault Country Park Toilet and/or café refurbishment. £0.300 Lifeguard Technology Implementing lifesaving support technology. £0.400 Biggar Caravan Park Infrastructure work to support future investment. £0.170 Wifi accessibility across SLLC venues Improve the accessibility of Wi-Fi in up to 7 key SLLC venues. £0.130 Auchenheath Pavilion Demolition. £0.070 Priory Changing Accommodation New modular unit and demolition of old facility. £0.250 Lanark Library Replacement of windows and roof repairs. Original budget available was £460k therefore an additional £210k is required from Phase 2 to meet the overall cost. £0.210 Funds still to be allocated Awaiting swimming pool floating floor repair /upgrade costs before this is proposed as a project. The upgrading of 3-G pitches will also be under consideration as a future priority project. £0.891 Phase 2 Contingency 5% contingency across phase 2 projects. £0.197* PHASE 2 TOTAL £3.868 PHASE 1 and 2 TOTAL £12.813 * Given the uncertainty around final costs with design and procurement work on-going a 5% contingency pot has been built into the overall budget. 215
Page 216
216
Page 217
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) Subject: Public Bodies Climate Change Duties - Annual Report 2023/2024 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] present the Council’s annual Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Compliance report for 2023/2024, as legally required under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the Council’s Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Compliance report for 2023/2024 is approved for submission to the Scottish Government; and (2) that the Council’s Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Compliance report be presented for noting to the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee on 18 December 2024. 3. Background 3.1. The statutory framework for climate action and reporting is outlined by the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and the Climate Change (Duties of Public Bodies: Reporting Requirements)(Scotland) Order 2015. 3.2. Section 44 of Part 4 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 states that a public body must, in exercising its functions, act: in the way best calculated to contribute to the delivery of Scotland’s national emissions reduction targets in the way best calculated to help deliver Scotland’s statutory climate change adaptation programme in a way that it considers is most sustainable 3.3. Public bodies are required to prepare annual reports on their compliance with these duties and publish and submit these reports to the Scottish Government by 30 November each year. 11 217
Page 218
3.4. The Council has complied with the statutory reporting requirement every year since its introduction in 2015. The Council has also been reporting climate change action on a voluntary basis since 2007 as a signatory of Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration. 3.5. Due to the Committee timetable this year, it was not possible to present the full report to the Climate Change and Sustainability (CCS) Committee prior to submission. Instead, it was agreed at the CCS Committee on 9 October 2024 that the report be submitted for approval at the Executive Committee meeting on 13 November 2024 and presented to the CCS Committee for noting on 18 December 2024. 4. Climate Change Duties Report 2023/2024 4.1. The report is in a similar format to previous years and is based on a template issued by Scottish Government. It contains six sections: 1 Profile of Reporting Body Provides a better understanding of the scale of activity of the body in addressing climate change in relation to its size. 2 Governance, Management and Strategy Organisations should be able to demonstrate a robust system of governance, management and strategy in respect of duties, decision making and leadership on climate action. 3 Emissions, Targets and Projects Provides data on corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions arising from organisational activities including service delivery and the exercise of other functions. 4 Adaptation Seeks to establish if the body has assessed the current and future risks climate change presents to its assets, infrastructure, service provision and business continuity. Reporting on action and capacity building, and monitoring and evaluating adaptation progress. 5 Procurement Clarify how sustainable procurement policy has had an impact on climate change reduction, reporting and compliance issues. 6 Validation Demonstrating internal and/or external validation of data. 4.2. A copy of the Public Bodies Climate Change Duties report for 2023/2024 can be found at Appendix 1. Some of the key achievements from the 2023/2024 report are noted below: There is a robust climate change and sustainability governance structure led by the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee and supported by the Climate Change and Sustainability Steering Group. A new Council Climate Change and Sustainability Officers Group has been set up to support the work of the Climate Change and Sustainability Steering Group. A Sustainability Impact Assessment process has been developed and implemented for the Council’s Capital and Revenue Programmes. 218
Page 219
A Strategic Environmental Assessment process is in place that ensures that all plans, polices and strategies undergo an environment assessment which includes considering climatic factors. Carbon emission reductions of 68.9% have been reported in 2023/2024 compared to the baseline year of 2005/2006. This includes a 9.46% reduction in 2023/2024 compared to the previous year. The Council’s Biodiversity Strategy and the Biodiversity Duty Implementation Plan was approved by the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee in February 2024. South Lanarkshire Council continues to participate in the Climate Ready Clyde partnership which is a collaborative initiative with an adaptation strategy and action plan for the Glasgow City Region (which includes all South Lanarkshire’s rural and urban areas). 4.3. The information contained in Section 3 of the report provides data on corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions arising from organisational activities. It details the Council’s carbon footprint which is currently measured from five sources: Buildings energy Fleet Employee travel Household waste Street lighting 4.4. Other sources that are reported as part of the Public Bodies Climate Change Duties report but are currently not included within the Council’s carbon footprint include waste and water from Council building and homeworking emissions. It was agreed at the Corporate Management Team meeting on 21 March 2024 that these emissions would be added to the Council’s carbon management reporting from 2024/2025. 4.5. The information contained in Section 4 of the report details how the Council is assessing and adapting to the impacts of climate change. The strategies and plans relevant to this include the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy, Risk Management Strategy, Local Development Plans, Local Transport Strategy and Biodiversity Strategy. 5. Employee Implications 5.1. The Council’s Policy and Performance Team produce the annual Public Bodies Climate Change Duties report in conjunction with relevant Council Resources. The statutory reporting regime has elevated the importance and accountability of climate change reporting within the Council. 6. Financial Implications 6.1. Collection of climate change information is a core management task and, therefore, is absorbed into the daily business operations. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. The Council’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy outlines the action to meet our climate change duties and has undergone a full Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). This can be found on the Scottish Government’s SEA Gateway database. 219
Page 220
8. Other Implications 8.1. The annual statutory reporting requirements have implications for all Resources; however, the following services will have more involvement: Community and Enterprise Resources - Sustainable Development and Carbon Management, Fleet Services, Environmental Services, Roads and Transportation, Flood Risk Management, Street Lighting, Waste Services, Resilience Support, Countryside and Greenspace, Planning and Building Standards. Finance and Corporate Resources – Procurement, Finance (Capital Investment), Risk Management. Housing and Technical Resources - Energy Management, Asset Management and Property Services. 8.2. ‘Failure to meet sustainable development and climate change objectives’ is one of the top risks for the Council. Without a plan in place and a financial plan to support it then this risk will continue to be one of the Council's top risks. 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; therefore, no impact assessment is required. The Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 has undergone full Strategic Environmental Assessment and Equality Impact Assessments. 9.2. Consultation has been undertaken with all relevant Council Resources in the preparation of this report. David Booth Executive Director 24 October 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Values Focused on people and their needs Fair, open and sustainable Priorities We will work to put people first and reduce inequality We will work towards a sustainable future in sustainable places We will work to recover, progress and improve Outcomes Good quality, suitable and sustainable places to live Thriving business, fair jobs and vibrant town centres Caring, connected, sustainable communities People live the healthiest lives possible 220
Page 221
Previous References Public Bodies Climate Change Duties annual report 2022-23, Climate Change and Sustainability Committee on 29 November 2023 List of Background Papers The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact: - Name: Kathryn McCafferty Designation: Carbon Management Officer E-mail: kathryn.mccafferty@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 221
Page 222
Appendix 1 Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Compliance Report 2023 - 24: South Lanarkshire Council 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 222
Page 223
Part 1: Profile of reporting body 1(a) Name of reporting body: South Lanarkshire Council 1(b) Type of body: Local Government 1(c) Highest number of full-time equivalent staff in the body during the report year: 12,299 1(d) Metrics used by the body Specify the metrics that the body uses to assess its performance in relation to climate change and sustainability: Metric Unit Value Comments Population size served population 327,430 Figure taken from mid-year estimate 1(e) Overall budget of the body Specify approximate £/annum for the report year: £918,074,000 The budget represents the year end budget from our 2023-24 outturn report 1(f) Report year: Financial (April 2023 to March 2024) 1(g) Context Provide a summary of the body’s nature and functions that are relevant to climate change reporting. South Lanarkshire is Scotland's fifth largest local authority in terms of population with 327,430 (2022 mid-year estimate) residents living within 154,355 households (National Records of Scotland 2023 household estimate figure). The Council covers 180,000 hectares of land stretching from almost the centre of Glasgow to the Scottish Borders. The area has a mix of urban, rural, and former mining environments - almost 80% is classed as agriculture but 70% of the population live in the major settlements in the north. There are four towns in South Lanarkshire with a population of more than 20,000 (East Kilbride, Hamilton, Rutherglen and Cambuslang) and a further 23 towns and settlements with a population of over 1,000. South Lanarkshire is divided into 20 electoral wards which are represented by 64 Councillors who are responsible for agreeing the Council's plans and policies and deciding how the Council's budget should be spent. The Council provides services for everyone in this large and diverse geographical area from five Resources: Community and Enterprise Resources comprises various services operating from a wide variety of locations throughout South Lanarkshire. The diverse range of services contributes significantly to the quality of life experienced by both residents and visitors to South Lanarkshire. Activities include: maintaining the road and active travel networks; waste disposal and recycling services; street cleaning and maintaining open spaces; promoting economic development; planning and building standards; environmental health; trading standards; facilities services within schools and council offices; bereavement services; fleet; and leading the development and promotion of sustainable development and climate change action. Education Resources is South Lanarkshire Council’s biggest service. There are 54,085 young people attending nursery, primary, secondary and additional support needs schools in South Lanarkshire. Education is both a national and local priority. The service aims to raise achievement and attainment and improve young people’s health and wellbeing. The main focus is on raising standards, particularly in numeracy and literacy and in closing the gap between the most and least 223
Page 224
disadvantaged children so that every child has the same opportunity to succeed. Also, to provide young people with the necessary skills for life and work. Finance and Corporate Resources provides the framework of support which allows the Council to deliver its wide range of services on behalf of local people. Services throughout the Resource include: overseeing the Council’s budget; revenue; Customer Services Centre; digital transformation; human resources; registrars and licencing; audit; communications; and legal services. Housing and Technical Resources is the third largest social landlord in Scotland and delivers a range of key housing management, homelessness, and property and repairs services. Activities include: managing just over 25,000 homes for tenants; support to prevent and alleviate homelessness; adapting homes for independent living; maintenance, repair and improvements to the Council’s properties; and asset management. Social Work Resources supports social welfare and provide effective care and support to meet the needs of vulnerable people in South Lanarkshire. Activities include: assessment and support; targeted services for vulnerable children, young people and adults; providing care at home; community support services; respite and residential services; and supporting carers. South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation delivering services on behalf of South Lanarkshire Council including the operation, management and development of indoor and outdoor sport and leisure facilities, community halls, arts venues, country parks, libraries and museum services. The scope of South Lanarkshire Council's carbon footprint includes the energy used in our buildings, household waste sent to landfill and for processing/recycling, the fuel used in our fleet of vehicles, energy used for our street lighting and miles travelled as business travel. These are considered the most appropriate sources to measure with robust data collected and converted into carbon using the carbon conversion factors published each year by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The data includes emissions reporting from South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture SCIO. 224
Page 225
Part 2: Governance, management and strategy 2(a) How is climate change governed in the body? Provide a summary of the roles performed by the body’s governance bodies and members in relation to climate change. If any of the body’s activities in relation to climate change sit outside its own governance arrangements (in relation to, for example, land use, adaptation, transport, business travel, waste, information and communication technology, procurement or behaviour change), identify these activities and the governance arrangements. Sustainable Development, including climate change duties compliance is a priority objective for the Council. This is reflected in the Council Plan and the Council's Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy (SDCCS). The climate change agenda is governed through the Council's Climate Change and Sustainability Committee which has decision making powers to help to accelerate the pace and scale of action needed in response to the climate emergency and meet challenging climate change national targets. The Committee is supported by the Climate Change and Sustainability Steering Group which is made up of senior managers from all Council Resources and has responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the SDCCS; compliance with the climate change duties; embedding sustainable development within Council policy; and the scrutiny of performance monitoring reports. Progress on the Council's SDCCS and complying with our climate change duties are reported to the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee biannually using IMPROVe (the Council's performance management system). A Climate Change and Sustainable Development Officers Group has been established to support strategic direction, oversight, and guidance on climate change mitigation, adaptation, and sustainability initiatives within South Lanarkshire Council. The group will work to ensure that South Lanarkshire Council aligns its operations, policies, and practices with sustainable and environmentally responsible principles, aiming to mitigate climate change impacts and promote sustainability. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Corporate Working Group is a cross-resource group that works together to ensure that all plans, polices and strategies undergo the SEA process which includes assessment of climatic factors. The SEA group feeds into the Steering Group and reports progress of the Council’s SEA process to the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee. 225
Page 226
The following diagram outlines governance, management and strategy for the Council: 2(b) How is climate change action managed and embedded by the body? Provide a summary of how decision-making in relation to climate change action by the body is managed and how responsibility is allocated to the body’s senior staff, departmental heads etc. If any such decision-making sits outside the body’s own governance arrangements (in relation to, for example, land use, adaptation, transport, business travel, waste, information and communication technology, procurement or behaviour change), identify how this is managed and how responsibility is allocated outside the body Sustainable Development and Carbon Management sits within the Performance and Development Team of Community and Enterprise Resources. The Performance and Development Team have a strategic overview of the Council's progress to reduce carbon emissions, climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability and work with all Council Resources to build capacity on climate change awareness. The Performance and Development Team are responsible for developing the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy (SDCCS) and yearly action plan in conjunction with all Resources. The SDCCS action plan is monitored and reported using the Council's IMPROVe system. The SDCCS action plan is reported bi-annually to the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee using the progress update in IMPROVe. Many of the SDCCS actions are embedded in Resource and Service plans which results in many employees having climate change actions included in their key work objectives as part of their annual performance development review. The Council also has a ‘Behaviours Framework’ which sets out 5 key principles of how employees are expected to approach their work. The first principle is ‘Efficient’ which includes taking action to ensure sustainability and minimising environmental impact. Employees must evidence how they contribute to this principle as part of their annual review. The Behaviours Framework helps to embed sustainability and climate change considerations in the culture of the Council. 226
Page 227
The Council has corporate key performance measures that all Resources must comply with that contribute to meeting the climate change duties. Each Resource reports progress on these measures, on a quarterly basis using IMPROVe, to each Resource’s committee. The Council has taken steps to further embed climate change action across the organisation. Staff engagement and awareness activities are ongoing including Keep Scotland Beautiful bespoke carbon literacy training for elected members and officers, an e-learning module on climate change and sustainability, climate change and sustainability sessions in the management development programme and regular articles on the staff intranet. The Council has a Sustainable Development and Climate Change Communications Plan. The purpose of the Communications Plan is to identify suitable communication methods and approaches for: • promoting and raising awareness of the vision, themes and priorities of the sustainable development and climate change strategy. • promoting the climate positive work which is already happening in our communities and encourage others in the community to undertake climate positive action. • informing council employees about upcoming events or useful information. • sharing information about funding opportunities. The SEA Corporate Working Group provides a mechanism to liaise with council services to ensure that relevant plans, polices and strategies include the climate change duties considerations and any actions accordingly. The Sustainable Development Adviser is also part of the Council's procurement network. The Council’s sustainable procurement objectives, in accordance with the Sustainable Procurement Duty, are set out in the Procurement Strategy. The following diagram outlines how climate change is managed and embedded in the Council: 227
Page 228
2(c) Does the body have specific climate change mitigation and adaptation objectives in its corporate plan or similar document? Provide a brief summary of objectives if they exist. Objective Doc Name Doc Link The Council Plan has 3 priorities – People, Progress and Planet. Planet – we need to work towards a sustainable future in sustainable places. We will act in ways that protect our natural world for a healthier future. We will work together to develop local solutions to protect nature and to take action on climate change and support our young people to lead the way. The Council’s Corporate Plan: Connect 2022– 2027-page 10 Plans and policies - South Lanarkshire Council 2(d) Does the body have a climate change plan or strategy? If yes, provide the name of any such document and details of where a copy of the document may be obtained or accessed. The Council's Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy (SDCCS) 2022-2027, published on the Council website, has been prepared following extensive public consultation which helped to shape the strategic vision and themes of the strategy. It outlines the changes in sustainable development and climate change policy since the publication of the last strategy, and the Council's strategic priorities for sustainable development and climate change over the five-year period. This is the Council's fourth strategy, the first was published in 2007, and covers the actions taken throughout the reporting period FY 2023-24. The main principles of the SDCCS are: • Promote opportunities to support climate change mitigation and adaptation. • Promote improvements in human health and wellbeing and reduce inequality across South Lanarkshire. • Promote the protection of a functioning environment. • Promote sustainable economic growth and sustainable communities. • Promote the benefits of greenspace and biodiversity across urban and rural areas of South Lanarkshire. • Promote the benefits of sustainable development and infrastructure and encourage sustainable living. • Promote the importance of effective corporate and partnership working to achieve better outcomes for South Lanarkshire. Carbon management and emissions reduction actions are incorporated into the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027. 2(e) Does the body have any plans or strategies covering the following areas that include climate change? Provide the name of any such document and the timeframe covered. Topic Document Link Time period Comments Adaptation Local Development Plan Local development plan 2020 - 2025 Climate adaptation is embedded throughout the plan – in particular Policy 1: Spatial 228
Page 229
Topic Document Link Time period Comments Planning, Policy 2: Climate Change, Policy 13: Green Network and Greenspace, and Policy 16: Water Environment and Flooding. Adaptation Biodiversity Strategy Biodiversity Strategy 2024 - 2030 2024 - 2030 Climate change adaptation is incorporated into Chapter 3: Our eco- systems and challenges. Adaptation Local Transport Strategy Local transport strategy 2013 – 2023 (A new strategy that cover the period 2024 - 2034 is in development) LTS includes adaptation through Flood Risk Management. Adaptation Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 Climate adaptation is embedded throughout the strategy. Adaptation Local Flood Risk Management Plans (LFRMP) - Clyde and Loch Lomond, and Tweed Local flood risk management plan 2022- 2028 The Flood Risk Management team also have 'Response to Flooding' procedures. Business travel Air quality Action plan Air quality action plan 2024 -2029 The air quality action plan includes a number of measures to encourage a shift to walking, cycling and public transport instead of the reliance of private car. Business travel Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 Priority 4: Improve affordable, sustainable and accessible transport options. Energy efficiency Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 Priority 5: Progress a transition to net-zero, energy efficient and climate resilience homes, buildings and infrastructure. Energy efficiency Local Housing Strategy Local Housing Strategy 2022-2027 Chapter 2: Housing Quality, Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation. Fleet transport Air quality Action plan Air quality action plan 2024-2029 South Lanarkshire provide fleet operators, including the Council's 229
Page 230
Topic Document Link Time period Comments own fleet, free access to assessment and tailored guidance to assist fleet operators in becoming more economic in terms of fuel, emissions and costs. Fleet transport Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 Priority 4: Improve affordable, sustainable and accessible transport options. Land Use Core Paths Plan Core paths plan South Lanarkshire Council The CPP provides easier access to the outdoors and the countryside and helps to promote active travel. Land Use Contaminated Land Strategy Contaminated Land Strategy The CLS provides opportunities for future land use changes to mitigate the effects of climate change. Land Use Local Development Plan Local development plan 2020 - 2025 Land use is featured throughout the LDP however the most relevant policies are Policy 1: Spatial Strategy, Policy 2: Climate Change, Policy 13: Green network and greenspace. Land Use Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 Priority 9: Enhance, protect, and respect the outdoors and the natural and historic environment. Renewable energy Local Development Plan Local development plan 2020 - 2025 Policy 1: Spatial Planning, Policy 2: Climate Change, and Policy 18: Renewable Energy. Renewable energy Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) 2024 - 2028 Priority 2: Transition to zero direct emissions heating systems in buildings across South Lanarkshire to tackle climate change. Renewable energy Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 Priority 5: Progress a transition to net-zero, energy efficient and climate resilience homes, buildings and infrastructure. Staff Travel Employee Travel Plan Employee travel plan The staff travel plan was refreshed in March 2020 however was not 230
Page 231
Topic Document Link Time period Comments published due to impact of Covid19 pandemic. Changes in working arrangements for employees will require the employee travel plan to be reviewed again. Sustainable/ renewable heat Local Development Plan Local development plan 2020 - 2025 Sustainable/renewable heat is included in Policy 2: Climate Change. Sustainable/ renewable heat Local Housing Strategy Local Housing Strategy 2022-2027 Chapter 2: Housing Quality, Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation. Sustainable/ renewable heat Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) 2024 - 2028 Priority 2: Transition to zero direct emissions heating systems in buildings across South Lanarkshire to tackle climate change. Waste management Local Development Plan Local development plan 2020 - 2025 Policy 2: Climate Change, and Policy: 18 Waste Waste management Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 Priority 8: Take action to allow South Lanarkshire to become a zero-waste society Other (please specify in comments) Air quality Action plan Air quality action plan 2024 - 2029 The air quality action plan includes a measure to incorporate green infrastructure integration to reduce emissions within air quality management areas Other (please specify in comments) Procurement Strategy Procurement strategy 2023 - 2028 Sustainable Procurement - includes contribution to sustainable procurement duty and the climate emergency 2(f) What are the body’s top 5 priorities for climate change governance, management and strategy for the year ahead? Provide a brief summary of the body’s areas and activities of focus for the year ahead. 1. Implement the 2024-25 action plan for the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy. 2. Further embed sustainable development and climate change into the Council’s decision-making processes. Identify potential for development and piloting of an integrated sustainable development decision making tool to be applied to projects and initiatives. 3. Review current strategic net zero work being undertaken by the Council and consider the development of a standalone carbon emission reduction plan. 4. Development of a climate risk register upon which action planning, decision-making and monitoring will be built upon with regards to climate change adaptation and resilience. 5. Implement a robust communications plan for promoting and raising awareness of the sustainability, climate change and adaptation agenda within the SLC, national and global context. 231
Page 232
This sets out the Council’s overarching framework for engaging the people of South Lanarkshire in relation to sustainable development and climate change. 2(g) Has the body used the Climate Change Assessment Tool (CCAT) (a) or equivalent tool to self-assess its capability - performance? If yes, please provide details of the key findings and resultant action taken. A Climate Change Assessment Tool (CCAT) was last carried out in early 20024 as part of the development of the 2024-25 action plan development. The Leadership Climate Emergency Checklist was also used to review the Council’s compliance with reporting duties and to identify areas for improvement. Workshops were held with the both the Climate Change and Sustainability Steering Group and Officers Group to assess performance and identify the key priority areas and actions for improvement. The key findings are as follows: 232
Page 233
Leadership Checklist Workshop Outcomes Theme SLC Current Rating Improvement Actions Identified Strategy Advanced Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications section in reports – corporately encourage officers to embed scrutiny into reports, key issues to be listed at this section. Targets Foundation National targets are reported on, however, step targets are now required Tangible actions and projects required for each service to ensure progress is being made. Governance Advanced Influencing role needs to be expanded to move to exemplary Broaden our governance structure to include partners (e.g. SPT, NHS, SPEN and other energy providers). Delivery Foundation Co-ordination with all Resources to ensure targets are met Increase reporting to Climate Change and Sustainability Committee Increase visibility of what is happening council wide, share good practice. Finance Foundation Spend needs to be aligned with climate change targets (Steps being taken to address this for example Sustainable Impact assessments for the capital budget process). Performance Advanced Share and review reporting with Stakeholders Increase and encourage peer review (for example the Public Sector Duties reporting) Communicate more effectively externally Skills Foundation Review training requirements for all staff Make Climate Change LOL modules mandatory Encourage as part of the staff appraisal process The outputs from these workshops and the identified improvement actions will inform the development of a net zero route map. 2(h) Supporting information and best practice. Provide any other relevant supporting information and any examples of best practice by the body in relation to governance, management, and strategy. 233
Page 234
A Climate Change and Sustainability Committee was established in 2019. This was in response to both the UK and Scottish Governments declaring a climate emergency in May 2019 and new national climate change targets introduced (net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in UK and by 2045 in Scotland). To support the work of the Committee a cross-resource Steering Group was established to provide senior level management and guidance on the actions required in the Council’s transition to a net zero economy and society, help to build resilience to climate risks, and address the climate emergency. A Climate Change and Sustainable Development Officers Group has also been established to support the work of the Committee and Steering Group. South Lanarkshire Council also participate in the Sustainable Scotland Network Local Authority Forum and have been an active member of the network with participation in both Finance and Reporting Action Groups and presenting at member events. Part 3: Emissions, targets and projects 3(a) Emissions from start of the year which the body uses as a baseline (for its carbon footprint) to the end of the report year Reference Year Year Scope 1 Scope 2 Scope 3 Total tCO2e Comments Baseline carbon footprint 2005- 06 42,014 50,836 63,115 155,965 Water is not included. Emission factors were set at baseline year and have not been updated for any subsequent year. Scope 1= buildings gas and oil and fleet; Scope 2= buildings and street lighting electricity; Scope 3=waste, staff travel. Year 1 2006- 07 40,119 49,806 61,956 151,881 Comment as above (in baseline year) Year 2 2007- 08 39,655 52,085 59,597 151,337 Comment as above (in baseline year) Year 3 2008- 09 38,168 52,797 56,658 147,623 Comment as above (in baseline year) Year 4 2009- 10 41,637 50,846 52,349 144,832 Comment as above (in baseline year) Year 5 2010- 11 40,263 50,645 50,356 141,264 Comment as above (in baseline year) Year 6 2011- 12 36,510 51,081 47,665 135,256 Water is not included. Emission factors were set at baseline year and have not been updated for any subsequent year. Scope 1= buildings gas and oil and fleet; Scope 2= buildings and street lighting electricity; Scope 3=waste, staff travel and pool cars. Year 7 2012- 13 39,999 53,216 46,226 139,441 Comment as above (in year 2011-12) Year 8 2013- 14 37,119 51,383 47,513 136,015 Comment as above (in year 2011-12) Year 9 2014- 15 35,269 47,850 42,084 125,203 Comment as above (in year 2011-12) Year 10 2015- 16 35,498 45,071 39,707 120,276 Comment as above (in year 2011-12) 234
Page 235
Reference Year Year Scope 1 Scope 2 Scope 3 Total tCO2e Comments Year 11 2016- 17 34,017 38,950 37,927 110,894 Comment as above (in year 2011-12) Year 12 2017- 18 34,599 36,860 42,656 114,115 Comment as above (in year 2011-12) Year 13 2018- 19 32,863 35,378 31,942 110,183 Comment as above (in year 2011-12) Year 14 2019- 20 33,583 14,966 18,783 67,282 Water is not included. Emission factors are updated annually. Scope 1= buildings gas and oil and fleet; Scope 2= buildings and street lighting electricity; Scope 3=waste, staff travel and pool cars Year 15 2020- 21 32,530 12,256 9,805 54,591 Comment as above (in year 2019-20) Year 16 2021- 22 31,989 11,807 12,002 55,798 Comment as above (in year 2019-20) Year 17 2022- 23 32,869 11,781 8,904 53,554 Water is not included. Emission factors are updated annually. Scope 1= buildings gas and oil and fleet; Scope 2= buildings and street lighting electricity and EV pool cars; Scope 3=waste, staff travel (own cars). Year 18 2023- 24 30,281 11,982 6,223 48,486 Comment as above (in year 2022-23) 3(b) Breakdown of emission sources Emission source Scope Consumption data Units Emissions (tCO2e) Units Source Biomass 1 2,953,456 kWh 31.72 kgCO2e/kWh Buildings Gas Oil 1 3,744,192 kWh 960.37 kg CO2e/kWh Buildings Natural Gas 1 122,197,176 kWh 22,353.4 kg CO2e/kWh Buildings Diesel (average biofuel blend) 1 2,651,353.57 litres 6,660.37 kg CO2e/litre Fleet Gas Oil 1 51,045 litres 140.65 kg CO2e/litre Fleet Petrol (average biofuel blend) 1 79,257 litres 166.24 kg CO2e/litre Fleet Grid Electricity (generation) 2 49,387,797 kWh 10,226.94 kg CO2e/kWh Buildings Average business travel car - Battery Electric Vehicle 2 917,093 kWh 77.56 kg CO2e/mile Electric vehicles (Fleet) Grid Electricity (generation) 2 8,063,979 kWh 1,669.84 kg CO2e/kWh Street Lighting 235
Page 236
Emission source Scope Consumption data Units Emissions (tCO2e) Units Source Average Car - Unknown Fuel 3 1,185,436 miles 329 kg CO2e/mile Staff travel (own vehicles) Grid Electricity (transmission and distribution losses) 3 49,387,797 kWh 884.79 kg CO2e/kWh Buildings Water supply 3 411,485 Cubic metres 41.15 kgCO2e/cubic metres Buildings Grid Electricity (transmission and distribution losses) 3 8,063,979 kWh 144.47 kg CO2e/kWh Street Lighting Refuse Municipal to combustion 3 79,133 tonnes 1,684 kg CO2e/tonne Waste Refuse Municipal to composting 3 18,695 tonnes 166.62 kg CO2e/tonne Waste Refuse Municipal to Landfill 3 6,259 tonnes 3,111 kg CO2e/tonne Waste Refuse Municipal to mixed recycling 3 46,238 tonnes 983.98 kg CO2e/tonne Waste Homeworking 3 15% workforce kWh 804.61 kg CO2e/FTE/ annum Estimated figure using PBDR Guidance Total 50,436.71 (Home working, biomass emissions and grid electricity (transmission and distribution losses) are included in 3b but not in 3a) 3(c) Generation, consumption and export of renewable energy. Provide a summary of the body's annual renewable generation (if any), and whether it is used or exported by the body. Renewable Electricity Renewable Heat Technology Consumed by organisation (kWh) Consumed by organisation (kWh) Comments Solar PV 1,412,496 67 sites with PV systems Biomass 2,953,456 49 sites with Biomass heating All renewable electricity and heat generated is consumed by the organisation. 3(d) Organisational Targets. List all of the body’s targets of relevance to its climate change duties. 236
Page 237
Name of target Target Scope of target Baseline Year Baseline figures (tCO2e) Target completion year Progress against target (tCO2E) (2023/24 figure) Zero direct emissions Reduce to zero emissions Energy use in buildings (gas and oil) 2005 31,595 2038 23,314 Zero direct emissions • New cars and light commercial vehicles - zero emissions from 2025 • All larger new vehicles - zero emissions by 2030 • Petrol/diesel HGVs phased out from 2030 Fleet 2005 10,417 2025 and 2030 6,967 Reducing indirect emissions Reduce to as close to zero as soon as possible Energy use in buildings (electricity) 2005 37,831 2045 10,227 Reducing indirect emissions Reduce to as close to zero as soon as possible Waste collected from households 2005 61,320 2045 5,945 Reducing indirect emissions Reduce emissions as quickly as possible and In line with relevant transport policies. Staff travel (travel in personal vehicles) 2005 1,795 2045 278 Reducing indirect emissions Reduce to as close to zero as soon as possible Street lighting 2005 13,005 2045 1,681 Reduce overall carbon footprint Reduce to as close to zero as soon as possible Council carbon footprint 2005 155,965 2045 48,486 3(d)a How will the body align its spending plans and use of resources to contribute to reducing emissions and delivering its emission reduction targets? All Council committee reports include a section on 'Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications' to ensure that these implications are fully assessed and taken into consideration when making decisions. The capital programme bid, and approval process includes an environmental assessment which ensures all environmental impacts, both positive and negative are considered when making decisions. The Annual Revenue Budget process includes information on the environmental impact of budget additions and the savings package, to ensure that the impact, positive or negative, is considered when making decisions. In September 2023, a Sustainability Impact Assessment process was introduced as part of the capital and revenue budget which ensures that factors related to carbon reduction, climate change adaptation and the wider principles of sustainable development are included in the decision-making process. As part of the annual budget process, assessments of the impact of projects, and changes 237
Page 238
to the revenue budget, are prepared and shared with Members, prior to them making decisions around these budgets. 3(d)b How will the body publish, or otherwise make available, it's progress towards achieving its emissions reduction targets? Performance on all actions relating to the Council's Sustainable Development and Climate Change strategy are made available via the Council’s Climate Change and Sustainability Committee update reports which are uploaded to the Council website. This includes reporting on progress towards emissions reduction targets. The Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Report is also published on the Council website. 3(e) Estimated total annual carbon savings from all projects implemented by the body in the report year Emissions Source Total estimated annual carbon savings (tCO2e) Comments Electricity 35 LED lighting and PV installations projects 3(f) Detail the top 10 carbon reduction projects to be carried out by the body in the report year Provide details of the 10 projects which are estimated to achieve the highest carbon savings during report year. Project Funding source Capital cost (£) Project lifetime (years) Fuel/ emission source saved Estimated carbon savings per year (tCO2e/ annum) PV Panels – Calderwood Primary School CEEF 75,000 25 Electricity 7 PV Panels – High Blantyre Primary School CEEF 75,000 25 Electricity 7 PV Panels – St Peters Primary School CEEF 60,000 25 Electricity 5.5 LED lighting* – 10 sites CEEF 150,000 10 Electricity 10 PV Panels – Deer Park Sheltered Housing Complex Housing Capital Programme 75,000 25 Electricity 5.5 *LED projects reported as one project 3(g) Estimated decrease or increase in the body's emissions attributed to factors (not reported elsewhere in this form) in the report year. If the emissions increased or decreased due to any such factor in the report year, provide an estimate of the amount and direction. n/a 3(h) Anticipated annual carbon savings from all projects implemented by the body in the year ahead 238
Page 239
Source Total estimated annual
carbon savings (tCO2e)
Comments
Electricity 40 4 PV projects
Natural Gas 55 Our Lady of Lourdes Primary –
replacement of gas heating with air
source heat pump and other energy
efficiency measures.
3(i) Estimated decrease or increase in the body's emissions attributed to factors (not reported
elsewhere in this form) in the year ahead If the emissions are likely to increase or decrease
due to any such factor in the year ahead, provide an estimate of the amount and direction.
Emissions Source Total estimated annual
emissions savings (tCO2e)
Comments
Estate changes 150 Removal of properties from Council
Estate via Community Asset Transfers
and other closures
3(j) Total carbon reduction project savings since the start of the year which the body uses as
a baseline for its carbon footprint. If the body has data available, estimate the total emissions
savings made from projects since the start of that year ("the baseline year").
Unknown
3(k) Supporting information and best practice. Provide any other relevant supporting
information and any examples of best practice by the body in relation to its emissions, targets
and projects.
Carbon management actions, targets and projects are incorporated into the Sustainable
Development and Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan. Updates are reported on the Council
website. Carbon Management Reports outlining the yearly and mid-yearly carbon emissions
reductions are presented to the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee. This demonstrates
our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and reporting in a transparent manner.
Part 4: Adaptation
4(a) Has the body assessed current and future climate-related risks? If yes, provide a
reference or link to any such risk assessment(s).
The Council’s Risk Management Team assists in the identification and evaluation of risks associated
with the delivery of the Council's objectives and provide support to help manage these risks. The risk
management team manage the Council's risk register and one of the top risks identified is ‘Failure
to meet sustainable development and climate change objectives’. The risk scorecard identifies the
business impacts of climate change now and in the future and contains control measures such as
ensuring that the climate change duties are embedded in policies, plans and strategies and working
with services to raise the awareness of the business risks of a changing climate.
Severe weather is also one of the risks in the Council's risk register. Across the Council the impacts
of severe weather on the functionality and responsiveness of individual services are recognised.
These council functions range from flood defence management to local planning. The Council’s
Corporate Contingency Plan sets out how it will work with partners to deal with emergencies,
including the impacts of severe weather events. The Council’s Emergency Management Team (EMT)
239Page 240
leads on responding to emergencies. The EMT is made up of senior managers from Services who may be involved in dealing with emergencies and led by the Council's Resilience Adviser. The South Lanarkshire area is covered by the West of Scotland Resilience Partnership which has representatives from the emergency services, councils, NHS boards and utilities companies. The West of Scotland Community Risk Register includes severe weather incidents, the possible consequences and what the Regional Resilience Partnership are doing to mitigate the risks. Assessing Future Climate Risks The Council has a dedicated Flood Risk Management Team who manage flooding priorities and deliver prioritised flood protection schemes. In accordance with the requirements of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, the Flood Risk Management Team has been involved in the publication of the Clyde and Loch Lomond Local Plan District and the Tweed Local Plan District Flood Risk Management Plans. The production of these plans has involved a national flood risk assessment and identification of potentially vulnerable areas. Flood risk assessments and the implementation of sustainable drainage systems are required as part of the planning process for any new builds developments. These future flood risks are also incorporated into the Local Development Plan 2. The impacts from increased rainfall are the area’s biggest climate change risks, however the challenges from rising temperatures and sea levels will also bring risks as well as opportunities for the area. To understand these risks further, and what action is required to mitigate them, the Council is an active member of the Climate Ready Clyde partnership, a collaborative initiative that has developed an Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan for the Glasgow City Region (which includes all of South Lanarkshire, both rural and urban areas). 4(b) What arrangements does the body have in place to manage climate-related risks? Provide details of any climate change adaptation strategies, action plans and risk management procedures, and any climate change adaptation policies which apply across the body The Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2027 includes the Council's approach to managing climate change adaptation. Within the ‘Sustainable Places’ theme the intention is to work in partnership to ensure local infrastructure, buildings and communities are resilient to the impacts of climate change. This theme builds on work already happening across South Lanarkshire to improve communities and place, although it will do this through a sustainable development and climate lens which will take the diversity of rural and urban South Lanarkshire into account. The Council’s Risk Management Strategy aims to provide a sensible and proportionate approach to risk management that promotes awareness rather than avoidance. Resources are required to ensure that risk management is embedded in service planning and delivery; in the way they make decisions; in major projects; and in their dealings with partners and contractors. The Council also has a corporate Business Continuity Plan which is managed by the Resilience Adviser. South Lanarkshire Council is a category 1 responder and leads the Local Resilience Partnership on work required to meet the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and its associated Scottish Regulations and Guidance as part of Scotland Regional Resilience Partnership. In addition, the Council has the following strategies and plans which include policies and actions to address climate related risks: Local Development Plan 2 (2020-2025) A key theme running through the Local Development Plan 2 is the need to address the land use issues arising from the impact of climate change. • Policy 2: Climate Change – proposals for new development must, where possible, seek to minimise and mitigate against the effects of climate change. • Policy 13: Green network and Greenspace - Development proposals should safeguard the green network, as identified on the proposals map, and identify opportunities for 240
Page 241
enhancement and/or extension which can contribute towards mitigating greenhouse gases and adapting to the impacts of climate change. • Policy 16: Water environment and flooding - the avoidance principle of flood risk management as set out in Scottish Planning Policy must be met. Managing Flood Risk The Flood Risk Management team have procedures aimed at reducing flood risk and managing the impacts of flood events, called the “Managing Flood Risk2 procedure, which is reviewed annually and takes cognisance of the effects of climate change upon predicted flood risk. Flood risk assessments and the implementation of sustainable drainage systems are required as part of the planning process for any new builds or developments. Local Transport Strategy 2013-2023 The Local Transport Strategy includes the following key objectives relating to climate change adaptation: • Improve health and wellbeing by facilitating and encouraging active travel, through the development of attractive, safe and convenient walking and cycling networks • Mitigate, adapt and manage the effects of climate change, including flooding, on transport infrastructure and communities. A new Local Transport Strategy is under development and due to be published later in 2024. Biodiversity Strategy 2024- 2030 Climate change is identified as a key cross-cutting theme in the Biodiversity Strategy 2024-2030 that affects all ecosystems. Issues related to this are identified and addressed where possible. Peatland management which benefits carbon sequestration remains a key theme. The Biodiversity Duty Implementation Plan 2024-2026 (BDIP) encourages appropriate management of the council estate. The BDIP, through the planning function, encourages other landowners and developers to adopt the principles of the Biodiversity Strategy in their land use. This is especially important in woodland cover and peatland conservation for carbon management and intrinsic biodiversity. 4(c) What action has the body taken to adapt to climate change? Include details of work to increase awareness of the need to adapt to climate change and build the capacity of staff and stakeholders to assess risk and implement action. Delivering adaptation actions: • The Flood Risk Management team continue to be consulted regularly during the Planning and Development Management process to ensure all new developments are being designed in accordance with the latest guidance on flood risk, climate change and the sustainable management of surface water. • The Council continues to encourage active travel by extending the network of walking and cycle routes. • A number of Active Travel Studies have been completed for all areas of South Lanarkshire The priorities identified in these studies will be reviewed as part of the development of the new Local Transport Strategy. • The Council has signed the Clyde Climate Forest Concordat committing to actively participate in, and promote, the realisation of Clyde Climate Forest (CCF) targets; increase the average tree canopy cover to 20%, increase the average broadleaf network by 20% and increase forest and woodland cover in Glasgow city region to 20% by 2032 (totalling 18 million trees planted across the region over the next decade as a response to the Climate and Ecological Emergencies). • A high-level study has been completed to identify opportunities for tree planting on all South Lanarkshire Council’s owned or controlled land as part of the councils plans to achieve net zero. A more detailed investigation and pipeline of tree planting and afforestation projects for funding is being developed. • A Tree Canopy Cover Strategy is being developed to protect, enhance and manage a thriving canopy cover that broadens community engagement in local urban forest planning and 241
Page 242
improves community and canopy cover resilience to climate change, pests and storm events through best management and maintenance practices. • An Ash Dieback Disease Action and Recovery plan is being developed. • A biosecurity statement is being developed to promote implementation and understanding of good practices to help safeguard the future of our trees from the introduction and spread of other harmful organisms. • Continue to contribute to the flagship actions in Climate Ready Clyde’s climate adaptation strategy and action plan. • Ongoing peatland conservation at Langlands Moss to help ensure the long-term viability of the site as a peat bog that can contribute to biodiversity, flood management and carbon storage. • The Making Space for Pollinators report (2024) highlights the work and commitment we have made in improving grasslands for pollinators and wildlife throughout South Lanarkshire. Greater plant species-richness is a key driver to increased diversity, abundance and activity of soil microbes, fungi and ecosystem engineers such as worms and ants, which facilitate greater sequestration of soil organic carbon. Species rich grassland habitats also improve soil structure and nutrient cycling; provide pollination services to nearby crops, wildflowers and trees, purify water, mitigate against drought and flood events, increasing resilience to the impact of climate change. Building adaptive capacity: • As a member of Climate Ready Clyde, the Council has been involved in training on adaptation skills and competencies, training on Climate justice and the new projections of future flood disadvantage; and have access to an advisory board which is a virtual group of practitioners, cities and adaptation experts to inform and challenge the City Region’s approach to adaptation. • Flagship action 1 in the Climate Ready Clyde adaptation strategy is ‘Local authorities in the region working together to build capabilities and deliver collaborative adaptation’. • The Council continues to raise awareness of Climate Ready Clyde’s Risk and Opportunity Assessment and Climate Adaptation Strategy. • The Council has started using Adaptation Scotland’s Benchmarking Tool. The tool provides a baseline assessment of current adaptation capabilities and how development progresses over time. • A PhD project is being jointly funded by the Council and Glasgow Caledonian University’s Centre for Climate Justice. The study will focus on the climate vulnerability of South Lanarkshire communities, capacity to transition to net-zero and building resilience in this area. 4(d) Where applicable, what contribution has the body made to helping deliver the Programme? Local Development Plan The Local Development Plan 2 contains policies on protecting and enhancing priority greenspace and green networks and ensuring the effect of development proposals on the natural environment and flood risk is considered during the application process. The plan also contains policy to ensure development proposals mitigate and adapt against climate change. The Planning Service works closely with colleagues in Greenspace and Countryside to ensure habitats are not adversely affected by new development. Masterplanning of the Council’s Community Growth Areas has incorporated measures to enhance existing habitats. Managing Flood Risk Local flood risk management plans (LFRMPS) were published in December 2022. South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) was involved in the production of the Clyde and Loch Lomond and Tweed LFRMPs. Through the process of developing these plans, a National Flood Risk Assessment identified the areas at risk of coastal, pluvial and fluvial flooding, and objectives and actions were included in the Plans for Responsible Authorities to undertake to improve the current situation. 242
Page 243
The Council has been involved in the production and the ongoing updating of the Scottish Detailed River Network (SDRN), and in complying with the duty under the Flood Risk Management (FRM) Act. This dataset is used within the asset management database to assess and maintain waterbodies. The Council also has access to the LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) dataset which is regularly utilised during the catchment analysis stage in the production of Flood Studies. Local Transport Strategy The Council continue to encourage active travel by extending the network of walking and cycle routes. The next phase of the development of a segregated cycle network with enhanced pedestrian facilities in East Kilbride has commenced. Cycle Route designs are being taken forward in various locations such as Carstairs, Hamilton, Uddingston and Bothwell. The Council work with SPT and public transport operators to encourage the use of public transport. Lanark Park & Ride facility opened this year and Hairmyres Park and Ride Site is being progressed. Biodiversity South Lanarkshire Council have designated 17 Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) with a broad spectrum of habitats including ancient woodland, open water, wetlands, peatland and grassland. The Council continue to maintain and enhance the diversity of habitats creating wildflower meadows, planting trees, enhancing existing wetlands and preserving our peatlands. Invasive non- native species (INNS) including rhododendron, snowberry and Himalayan balsam continue to be removed from the LNR areas. In partnership with Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network, the Council have been collating and mapping data on priority species rich grasslands, wetlands and woodland in establishing our regional Nature Networks, a key priority in the draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy 2045: Tackling Nature Emergency. As part of this over 100 Local Nature Conservation Sites (LNCS) have been identified for the next Local Development Plan. The amount of intensively managed grassland throughout the area has been reduced with the aim to improve habitats for pollinators. A pilot project in East Kilbride is underway in partnership with local volunteers and Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network as part of their Clyde Grasslands project. At selected sites mowing and management regimes have been altered, and species composition is monitored through survey work. The Council’s Biodiversity Officer works in partnership with the Peatland Officer at Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network to determine the need for future management to restore and preserve local peatland sites. In partnership with the Clyde Climate Forest, the Council have identified and continue to plant trees in three ‘Target Neighbourhoods’ across the urban parts of South Lanarkshire which have low levels of existing tree canopy cover and are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Approximately 23,700 trees have been planted in 2022-23 on council land, many with community engagement. Working in partnership with the Clyde Climate Forest Community Volunteer Coordinator, the Council is creating wider stakeholder groups for tree and woodlands through development of a Tree Warden scheme, promotion of the existing Young Tree Champions and Clyde Climate Forest. Other Measures Heat Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme (HEES:ABS) programmes were developed to install external wall insulation in privately owned and Council properties and are prioritised to target fuel poor areas and households in most need of assistance. There are significant changes to the way in which these programmes can now be delivered, with the introduction of PAS2035, market supply of materials and the significant increase in costs. In the financial year 2023-24, 77 private properties, two private rented properties and 37 council properties had external wall insulation applied. Eight private properties had new windows and doors installed as a secondary measure, 37 council properties had new windows and doors installed. Four 243
Page 244
amenity units at one of the Travelling Persons Sites had new PV’s and battery storage installed. This information was reported to the Scottish Government as part of the HEES:ABS Returns. Measures Owner Occupied Private rented Social Landlord Total External Wall Insulation (solid wall) 77 2 37 116 Window Glazing 8 0 37 45 High Performance External Doors with less than or equal to 60% glazing area 8 0 37 45 Photovoltaics & Battery Storage 0 0 4 4 Total (ECO funded measures) 93 2 115 210 The Council also facilitates the Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (LA Flex) Scheme. The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) programme is funded from the large energy suppliers who provide funding for the installation of energy efficiency measures to owner occupied homes across the UK in order to reduce the country’s carbon emissions. Each local authority is required to complete and submit their annual return to the Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Last financial year, under ECO 4, 163 homeowners have had 428 energy efficiency measures installed, including for the first time, central heating, replacement of gas boilers and new heating controls, loft and cavity wall insulation, underfloor insulation and internal wall insulation. Measures for ECO4 Flex period July 23 to 5 April 2024 Measures completed Boiler - Upgrade to a non-renewable heating system 41 Boiler - Upgrade to a renewable heating system 89 Cavity wall insulation 22 ESH - Repair or replacement of a broken efficient ESH 1 ESH - Upgrade of an inefficient electric storage heater 11 External / Hybrid / Internal insulation of a solid wall 18 External / Hybrid / Internal wall insulation of a cavity wall 1 First time central heating 21 Flat roof insulation 4 Loft insulation where there is greater than 100mm pre-existing insulation 2 Loft insulation where there is less than or equal to 100mm pre-existing insulation 43 Pitched roof insulation 1 Programmer & room thermostat 32 Room-in-roof insulation insulated 6 Room-in-roof insulation uninsulated 3 Smart Thermostat 2 Solar PV 91 Time and temperature zone control 9 TRV's 20 Underfloor insulation 11 Total 428 4(e) What arrangements does the body have in place to review current and future climate risks? Provide details of arrangements to review current and future climate risks, for example, what timescales are in place to review the climate change risk assessments referred to in Question 4(a) and adaptation strategies, action plans, procedures and policies in Question 4(b). 244
Page 245
The Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy (SDCCS) 2022-2027 includes the Council's approach to managing climate change adaptation. The strategy includes current and future climate risks and a 5 year action plan has been developed. The SDCCS annual action plan is reported bi-annually to the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee. The Council's top risks, which include risks on both climate change and adverse weather, are reviewed annually. The Local Development Plan (LDP) was renewed in 2020. Climate change mitigation and adaptation are key themes throughout the LDP2. The Biodiversity Strategy 2024-2030 and Biodiversity Duty Implementation Plan (BDIP) were launched in 2024. The Biodiversity Partnership group meet annually to monitor the progress of the Biodiversity Strategy. The Biodiversity Duty Report 2024-2026 is requested by Scottish Government every three years, this summarises the work achieved by the Council on biodiversity. The BDIP is reviewed every three years. Action planning takes places on a rolling programme and kept under continuous review. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process is well embedded within the Council and provides an opportunity to assess the risks and opportunities of climate change in new or revised plans, policies and strategies. A full SEA was carried out alongside preparation of the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy. This has ensured a consistency in approach to addressing the climate crisis alongside the ecological emergency. It ensures that the importance of sustainable development is mainstreamed across the Council and promoted to communities and partners. The climate adaptation strategy for the city region is also undergoing a full SEA. Local Flood Risk Management Plans (LFRMP) continue to be delivered. The monitoring of weather patterns, including rainfall statistics, continues to be carried out to help inform how the Council allocates resources and tracks the observed effects of climate change. Actions for the Council in the LFRMPs include the production of four Flood Protection Studies and five Surface Water Management Plans. The Council are currently working through a programme of delivering these projects, and the effects of climate change upon future flood level, and the resultant impacts upon building and infrastructure networks, will be considered in each of these projects. Climate Ready Clyde launched the first comprehensive risk and opportunity assessment for the Glasgow City Region in October 2018. The findings and recommendations in the assessment were used in the development of the first Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan for the Glasgow City Region. The risk and opportunity assessment provides context for the Council’s risk management approaches to climate change adaptation. 4(f) What arrangements does the body have in place to monitor and evaluate the impact of the adaptation actions? Please provide details of monitoring and evaluation criteria and adaptation indicators used to assess the effectiveness of actions detailed under Question 4c and Question 4d. South Lanarkshire's State of the Environment Report provides data that facilitates the monitoring and evaluation of a range of environmental issues - such as Biodiversity, Soil, and Water - where climate change adaptation action has been undertaken. This also includes a specific chapter related to climate change. The Council's performance management system IMPROVe is used to monitor and report actions and measures within Resource Plans and the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy (SDCCS). The SDCCS includes adaptation actions such as biodiversity, greenspace and flood risk management which are monitored and evaluated through IMPROVe and reported to the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee biannually. SEPA prepared indicators that have been used in the first cycle of the LFRMPs, however these will be reviewed and adapted to ensure they are reflective of the on-going changes within the cycles and 245
Page 246
as our understanding improves through the process. Several Surface Water Management Plans (SWMP) and Flood Studies have been developed for the locations assessed with the highest Annual Average Damages from surface water and river flooding. Any actions or recommendations identified within the plans and studies will be evaluated regarding the reduction or mitigation of damages due to flooding within these areas. The regional adaptation strategy and action plan, through Climate Ready Clyde, will be monitored and evaluated. 4(g) What are the body’s top 5 priorities for the year ahead in relation to climate change adaptation? Provide a summary of the areas and activities of focus for the year ahead. 1. Develop a climate risk register upon which action planning, decision-making and monitoring with regards to climate change adaptation and resilience will be built. 2. Continue as an active member of the Climate Ready Clyde Local Authority Forum participating in city-region wide workshops and events, creating connections and opportunities for development/co-sharing of knowledge and training by 2025. 3. Contribute to the development and implementation of local actions that contribute to the wider Glasgow City Region's (GCR) Adaptation Strategy, where appropriate, working across Council Resources. 4. Benchmark the Council against Adaptation Scotland’s Adaptation Capability Framework to identify current position and areas for improvement. 5. Mainstream adaptation into governance practices and other key council plans and strategies. 4(h) Supporting information and best practice, Provide any other relevant supporting information and any examples of best practice by the body in relation to adaptation. South Lanarkshire Council is a partner in Climate Ready Clyde which is a cross sector initiative bringing partners together to work strategically to minimise risks and seize opportunities climate change presents for the economy, society and environment across the Glasgow City Region. Its aims are: • People and communities benefit from actions to adapt to climate change. • Climate adaptation helps to secure existing investment and generates new opportunities. • To protect the area’s natural environment and uses it to help adapt to climate change. Climate Ready Clyde has developed Glasgow City Region’s first Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan. The Strategy aims to ensure Glasgow City Region’s economy, society and environment is not only prepared for but continues to flourish in the face of current and future climate impacts. The Council develops and implements local actions that contribute to the wider Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan. Part 5: Procurement 5(a) How have procurement policies contributed to compliance with climate change duties? Provide information relating to how the procurement policies of the body have contributed to its compliance with climate changes duties. The Council continues to consider environmental and social issues when purchasing goods and services. The Council adheres to the Sustainable Procurement Duty to ensure that regulated procurements: • Improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the authority area, with a particular focus on reducing inequality. • Facilitate the involvement of small and medium enterprises, third sector bodies and supported businesses. • Promote innovation. 246
Page 247
The Council also use the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Procurement Toolkit and performance against the Flexible Framework is published in the Annual Procurement Report 2022-2023. Where appropriate, tenders include full sustainability tests to ensure sustainable outcomes have been embedded in the Invitation to Tender. A new sustainability process has been in place since 2022/2023, which mandates a new scoring approach in the technical envelope, with 30% of the total technical score allocated to sustainability, including Fair Work First, Community Benefits and, for the first time, a specific score for climate considerations. The Council has approved a new a five-year Procurement Strategy for 2023-2028 and one of the seven key objectives is sustainable procurement, incorporating the climate change duties. In 2023/2024, the Council’s spend with local enterprises increased from 18% to 19.5%, representing £67m spent in the South Lanarkshire area, with a further £41m spent with North Lanarkshire enterprises. 5(b) How has procurement activity contributed to compliance with climate change duties? Provide information relating to how procurement activity by the body has contributed to its compliance with climate changes duties. The Council has confirmed it will contribute to the Scottish Government led research on driving emission reduction through the public supply chain and will consider any new recommendations from this research. In respect of procurement activity which has contributed to compliance with climate change duties, the procurement team has supported the Council approaches to: • Expanding the use of electric fleet and the EV charging infrastructure • Upgrade projects for social housing to achieve Energy Efficiency standards (EESSH) • New construction arrangements for construction projects, including Larkhall Leisure Centre, with embedded sustainability standards. 5(c) Supporting information and best practice The output from the Sustainable Procurement tools can be accessed through the Council’s Annual Procurement Report 2022-2023 Part 6: Validation and declaration 6(a) Internal validation process Briefly describe the body’s internal validation process, if any, of the data or information contained within this report. The report was prepared by the Performance and Development Team with relevant Council Resources. It has been reviewed by the Performance and Policy Development Manager, the Head of Enterprise and Sustainability Development and approved by the Executive Director of Community and Enterprise Resources. It has also been reviewed by the Executive Committee prior to submission. Finance and Corporate Resources have previously carried out an internal audit of the climate change duties report. The audit interrogated the data compilation and evidence pack and reported that the methodologies and processes were robust and sound. The 2023-24 report has not been audited; however, the same methodologies and processes have been applied as in previous years. 6(b) Peer validation process. Briefly describe the body’s peer validation process, if any, of the data or information contained within this report. When the internal audit was carried out, a benchmarking exercise took place comparing the level of reporting detail within the South Lanarkshire report against six other local authorities in the Local 247
Page 248
Government Benchmarking Framework ‘family group’. Overall South Lanarkshire’s report compared favourably with the other councils reviewed. 6(c) External validation process. Briefly describe the body’s external validation process, if any, of the data or information contained within this report. No external validation carried out at this time. 6(d) No Validation process. If any information provided in the report has not been validated, identify the information in question and explain why it has not been validated. Internal validation process as outlined in 6a. 6 (e) - Declaration I confirm that the information in this report is accurate and provides a fair representation of the body’s performance in relation to climate change. Name Role in the body Date David Booth Executive Director of Community and Enterprise Resources 04/10/2024 248
Page 249
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Chief Executive Subject: Recommendations Referred by Resource Committees 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] request approval of the following recommendations referred to this Committee:- recommendation from the Education Resources Committee of 29 October 2024 that the Community Learning and Development 3-Year Strategic Plan 2024 to 2027 be approved recommendations from the Finance and Corporate Resources Committee of 30 October 2024 that the:- Treasury Management Activity Report for 2023/2024 and the 2023/2024 Treasury Management and Prudential Code Indicators be noted 2023/2024 Annual Investment Report be endorsed and referred to the Council for formal approval in line with The Local Government Investments (Scotland) Regulations 2010 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the Community Learning and Development 3-Year Strategic Plan 2024 to 2027 be approved, as referred by the Education Resources Committee of 29 October 2024; (2) that the Treasury Management Activity Report for 2023/2024 and the 2023/2024 Treasury Management and Prudential Code Indicators be noted, as referred by the Finance and Corporate Resources Committee of 30 October 2024; and (3) that the 2023/2024 Annual Investment Report be endorsed and referred to the Council for formal approval, in line with The Local Government Investments (Scotland) Regulations 2010, as referred by the Finance and Corporate Resources Committee of 30 October 2024. [1recs] 3. Recommendation Referred by Education Resources Committee of 29 October 2024 – Community Learning and Development (CLD) Strategic 3-Year Plan 2024 to 2027 – Extract of Minute 3.1. A report dated 3 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Education Resources) was submitted advising of progress made in the review and drafting of the Community Learning and Development (CLD) Plan for 2024 to 2027. 12 249
Page 250
All local authorities had a statutory obligation to produce a 3-year CLD Plan as set out in The Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013: Guidance for Local Authorities, the ‘CLD Regulations’. Key to the successful implementation of the 3-year CLD Plan (2024 to 2027), attached as Appendix 1 to the report, would be to align identified need with current good practice and the areas for improvement identified through ongoing review and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIe) inspection processes. The Plan outlined the CLD Partnership’s commitment to the shared vision to ‘improve the quality of life for people of South Lanarkshire by offering vibrant learning and development opportunities that lead to personal development and community empowerment’ and to meet the challenges ahead. Information was provided on the following areas:- the 12 priority outcomes agreed by the CLD Partnership a review of the governance arrangements mapping unmet need access to ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) digital access workforce development consultation and strategic connections The Youth, Family and Community Learning Manager responded to members’ questions on various aspects of the report and, where information was not immediately available, undertook to provide this to the relevant members The Committee decided: (1) that the CLD Strategic 3-year Plan 2024 to 2027, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, be endorsed and referred to the Executive Committee for approval; (2) that the actions and measures set out to secure improvement in the quality of life for the people of South Lanarkshire be noted; (3) that the revised governance arrangements for annual planning and reporting be noted; and (4) that the continued commitment to communities by South Lanarkshire and its partners through the work of the South Lanarkshire Community Learning and Development Partnership be noted. [Reference: Minutes of the Education Resources Committee of 8 February 2022 (Paragraph 13)] Councillor Marrs, having declared an interest in the above item of business, withdrew from the meeting during its consideration 3.2 A link to the report submitted to the Education Resources Committee of 29 October 2024 is provided for information. Community Learning and Development (CLD) Strategic 3-Year Plan 2024 - 2027 250
Page 251
4. Recommendations Referred by Finance and Corporate Resources Committee of 30 October 2024 – Prudential Indicators, Treasury Management Activity and Annual Investment Report 2023/2024 – Extract of Minute 4.1. A report dated 8 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on the:- Treasury Management Activity and Prudential Code indicators for 2023/2024 proposed Annual Investment Report for 2023/2024 The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Code of Practice for Treasury Management required the Council to prepare an annual report on its Treasury Management activities. The CIPFA Prudential Code required councils to prepare a series of financial indicators that demonstrated affordability, prudence and sustainability with regard to capital financing decisions. The Council’s Capital Programme included, within its funding package, planned borrowing. The Prudential Code provided a framework to assist the management of the financial implications and helped to demonstrate that borrowing was both affordable and prudent. The Council’s Treasury Management Activity Report for 2023/2024 and the Treasury Management and Prudential Code Indicators for 2023/2024 were attached as appendices 1 and 2, respectively, to the report. In terms of the Local Government Investments (Scotland) Regulations 2010, the Council was required to prepare an Annual Investment Strategy prior to the start of each financial year and an Annual Investment Report after the financial year end. Both documents required to be approved by the Council. The Annual Investment Strategy for 2023/2024 had covered the following areas:- permitted investments risk management borrowing in advance The Annual Investment Report, attached as Appendix 3 to the report, detailed the Council’s activity in each of those 3 areas for 2023/2024 and Appendix 4 detailed the permitted investments that the Council had approved for the financial year 2023/2024. No borrowing in advance was taken during 2023/2024. The Committee decided: (1) that the Treasury Management Activity Report for 2023/2024 and the 2023/2024 Treasury Management and Prudential Code Indicators be noted and referred to the Executive Committee for noting; and (2) that the 2023/2024 Annual Investment Report be endorsed and referred to the Executive Committee for endorsement prior to submission to the Council for formal approval in line with The Local Government Investments (Scotland) Regulations 2010. 251
Page 252
4.2 A link to the report submitted to the Finance and Corporate Resources Committee of 30 October 2024 is provided for information. Prudential Indicators, Treasury Management Activity and Annual Investment Report 2023/2024 5. Employee Implications 5.1. All employee implications were highlighted as part of the original reports to the Resource Committee. 6. Financial Implications 6.1. All financial implications were highlighted as part of the original reports to the Resource Committees. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. All climate change, sustainability and environmental implications were highlighted as part of the original reports to the Resource Committees. 8. Other Implications 8.1. Any risks or other implications were highlighted as part of the original reports to the Resource Committees. 9. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 9.1. Equality impact assessment and consultation arrangements were highlighted as part of the original reports to the Resource Committee. Paul Manning Chief Executive 30 October 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Previous References ♦ Education Resources Committee of 29 October 2024 (Paragraph 6) ♦ Finance and Corporate Resources Committee of 30 October 2024 (Paragraph 8)) List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Tracy Slater, Administration Adviser Tel: 07385 370089 E-mail: tracy.slater@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 252
Page 253
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) and Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) Subject: Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019 – Report Consultation 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide the Executive Committee with the proposed response to the Scottish Government consultation seeking responses to support the publication of the first 3-year periodic report on reducing fuel poverty rates [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Executive Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the response in Appendix 2 is approved for submission to the Scottish Government; and (2) that agreement is provided for the response to be published as part of the Scottish Government process. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. The Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019 (the Act) sets ambitious, stretching targets for the significant reduction of fuel poverty rates by 2040 and established reporting requirements for publication of 3-year periodic reports by the Scottish Government (SG). The Act lists statutory consultee groups, as well as listed organisations, including local authorities to formally engage as part of this statutory process. The most relevant provisions of the 2019 Act are set out at Appendix 1 for information. 3.2. The first periodic report is due to be laid in the Scottish Parliament by the end of the 2024/2025 financial year, which will cover a consecutive 3-year period from 23 December 2021 as the publication date of the ‘Tackling fuel poverty in Scotland: a strategic approach’, through to 22 December 2024. 3.3. This will be a Scottish Government evidence-based report of progress on the steps taken in the reporting period towards meeting our fuel poverty targets, including to address the four drivers of fuel poverty (removing poor energy efficiency of the home; low household income; high energy prices; how energy is used in the home). In addition, this will set out the steps in which Scottish Ministers propose to take in the next reporting period – December 2024-2027 to meet the fuel poverty targets. 13 253
Page 254
3.4. Information provided will also assist in building upon and developing new, existing and planned actions in the next reporting period 2025-2027, with the subsequent periodic report in Spring 2028. 3.5. The activity to address fuel poverty spans three Resources. Housing and Technical Resources lead on the development and delivery of the Local Housing Strategy and the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy, where they have a co-ordinating role. Tackling fuel poverty is built into the strategic priorities across these two strategies. Finance and Corporate Resources lead a partnership Fuel Poverty group with the Money Matters Advice Service providing direct financial support, energy vouchers and a holistic triage service. Social Work Resources lead the Child Poverty Local Action Report Plan Group. 3.6. The latest figures reported in the Scottish House Condition Survey (2017-2019) shows that: - • 22% of households in South Lanarkshire are living in fuel poverty (2% below the Scottish average of 24%); and 9% live in ‘extreme’ fuel poverty (3% below the Scottish average of 12%). • 17% of families with children are living in fuel poverty, equivalent to the Scottish average; and 4% are living in ‘extreme’ fuel poverty (1% below the Scottish average of 5%). • 19% of pensioner/older households are living in fuel poverty which is 8% below the Scottish average of 27%; and 9% are living in ‘extreme’ fuel poverty (5% below the Scottish average of 14%). 4. Views 4.1. The SG have invited views and feedback from a local authority’s perspective, specifically as contained within the Act and set out at Appendix 1 to this report (Part 2 (a) and (b)). Questions authorities may wish to consider are outlined in Appendix 2. The proposed responses detailed in Appendix 2 also address those listed in Appendix 1, Part 2 (a) and (b). 4.2. Responses were due by 8 November 2024; however, an extension has been granted to 13 November 2024 to allow the draft responses to be presented to this meeting of the Executive Committee. Individual responses will be considered for the final periodic report, and it is proposed agreement is provided by the Executive Committee for the response to be published as part of the SG process. 4.4. The proposed response highlights the following: • The Council recognises that the barriers and challenges for people heating their homes include low incomes, poor financial resilience and poor energy efficiency within properties. In addition, South Lanarkshire’s significant rural population presents further challenges with increased energy costs in these areas. • Actions taken by the Council to improve energy efficiency within domestic properties to date includes: o Investing approximately £78m since 2021 in its housing stock which has led to improved energy efficiency rating of the Council housing stock, as at March 2024, 95.4% of the Council’s housing stock are compliant with Energy Efficiency Standards for Social Housing, up from 93.88% in 2021. 254
Page 255
o The publication of a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHESS) in July 2024 that aims to set out a long-term plan for removing poor energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty. • Actions taken by the Council to increase household income centre on the services provided by Money Matters Advice Service, generating £24.2m in financial gains for residents in South Lanarkshire, supporting 12,694 unique households and made 6,432 referrals for emergency energy vouchers. • The appointment of a dedicated energy advisor within the service has allowed specific energy support to be provided to clients including access to a wide range of providers of energy vouchers. • The work of the Community Planning Partnership in tackling fuel poverty through co-ordinating partnership activity across a range of public, private and third sector partners and promoting services and supports to householders and communities. • It is not believed that any one council can influence the global markets for fuel prices. • It is estimated that 31,590 households in South Lanarkshire live in fuel poverty however, the Council suggests improvements to how this is measured would benefit opportunities to tackle it. • The availability of funding for expensive measures such as external wall insulation, heat pumps, heat networks, solar PV panels and battery storage also presents a challenge to talking poor energy efficiency as a driver for fuel poverty. • The work with Home Energy Scotland to ensure that people have access to advice about keeping warm at home and saving money on your energy bills. • Further actions from the SG include encouraging the UK Government to complete the review of electricity market arrangements (REMA) and decouple the price of electricity from that of gas, thereby reducing electricity costs. In addition, the SG could also apply pressure to the energy companies to provide a ‘social housing tariff’ for the most vulnerable tenants who are struggling to pay their energy bills at the current rates. • Assessing progress and the impact that the Council is making on Fuel Poverty levels can be challenging. National statistics are available through the Household Condition Survey; however, this data is only available at a Local Authority level every few years, with the next available data due to be published in 2025. More timely data at a Local Authority level is required. 5. Employee Implications 5.1. The response has been prepared with input from the Money Matters Advice Service, Property Services and Community Engagement Team. 6. Financial Implications 6.1. None identified at present. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 8. Other Implications 8.1. There is a risk the SG’s fuel poverty targets are not met by 2040, and the action being taken at a local and national level is only able to provide vulnerable households with support to offset some of the impact of fuel costs. 255
Page 256
9. Equality 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. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Stephen Gibson Executive Director (Housing and Technical Resources) 23 October 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes • Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent • 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: - Craig Fergusson, Head of Finance (Transactions) Ext: 4951 (Tel: 01698 454951) E-mail: craig.fergusson@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 256
Page 257
Appendix 1 Extract from the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019 specific to the legislative requirements on a periodic report (information only) Part 1 (a) the steps that have been taken during the reporting period for the purpose of meeting the fuel poverty targets (including the costs of those steps), (b) the steps that have been taken in the reporting period to address the four drivers of fuel poverty for the purpose of meeting the fuel poverty targets, (c) the progress made in the reporting period towards meeting the fuel poverty targets (including what progress has been made in removing low levels of energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty), (d) the steps that the Scottish Ministers propose to take in the next reporting period in order to meet the fuel poverty targets (including any additional funding required to take those steps), and (e) the steps that the Scottish Ministers propose to take in the next reporting period to address the four drivers of fuel poverty for the purpose of meeting the fuel poverty targets. Part 2 A report under subsection (1) must also set out, with respect to meeting the 2040 target in relation to each local authority area in Scotland— (a) the steps that have been taken during the reporting period for the purpose of meeting that target, (b) the progress made in that period towards meeting that target, and (c) the steps that the Scottish Ministers propose to take or consider should be taken in the next reporting period in order to meet that target 257
Page 258
Appendix 2 Proposed Response 1. What barriers or challenges might people in your local area currently face in terms of being able to heat their homes according to their needs. Low income, poor financial resilience and a vulnerability to income shocks are major factors that contribute to people being unable to heat their homes in South Lanarkshire. This has been exacerbated in recent years by the volatile consumer energy price market, which has seen household energy prices increase significantly. Deepening levels of poverty because of the significant increases in the cost of basic essentials such as food and heat which disproportionately affect those on lower incomes. Many low-income individuals, families, struggling to get by and unable to meet their basic needs and keep their homes warm, heat food due to rising energy prices. A significant challenge for residents being able to heat their homes is the high cost of energy. Availability of funding for retrofitting their homes to make them more energy efficient will also be a barrier for residents to reduce their homes’ heat demand to make it easier and cheaper to heat. South Lanarkshire has substantial rural areas, which are potentially at greater risk due to the particular rural dimension for fuel poverty identified in the Scottish Rural Fuel Poverty Task Force Action Plan Report in 2016. A key priority for housing investment programmes and advice and support services will be to continue to identify and target those rural housing areas and people who are likely to face higher risks of fuel poverty, including off-gas grid homes and solid wall, non-traditional construction types. 2. Local Authorities are delivery partners in many of the actions outlined in the Fuel Poverty Strategy: “Tackling Fuel Poverty in Scotland”, for example via Area Based Schemes delivery, and published Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHESS). Please provide a broad outline of the actions that your local authority has undertaken since December 2021 to: a) Improve energy efficiency in your area The Council has invested approximately £78m since 2021 in the domestic housing stock. Investment in improving the energy efficiency of homes has undoubtedly mitigated against the level of fuel poverty worsening, as acknowledged in the Report of the Scottish Fuel Poverty Strategic Working Group (October 2016) however since then significant challenges have arisen in the cost of energy used within homes. The council has and continues to actively direct its Housing Investment Programme and utilise national funding including the Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Scheme to deliver a wide range of energy efficiency improvements within its’ housing stock, including external wall insulation, installation of high-performance doors and double glazing. In June 2023, the council also set up arrangements to support delivery of the Energy Company Obligation Scheme which continues to deliver a range of energy efficiency measures across private homes in South Lanarkshire. 258
Page 259
As a result of this investment, the average Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) rating for all homes with an Energy Performance Certificate in South Lanarkshire rose from 65.1 in 2021/22 to 67 in 2023/34. b) Increase local incomes in your area A partnership Living Wage Campaign Group brings together public sector and national organisations and the business sector to promote payment of the Living Wage to employers across Lanarkshire. The council also supports the Living Wage Accreditation Discount Scheme. A partnership Fuel Poverty Group brings together various public sector and national organisations who promote the financial advice supports that are available. The action plan includes actions and measures aimed at maximising household income levels. The group has also produced a Tenant's Energy Guide and Advice for those worried about energy costs and falling into debt. A partnership Local Child Poverty Action Plan Group brings together various public sector and national organisations to address the drivers of Child Poverty. Work focuses on three main areas, income from employment, cost of living and income from social security and benefits in kind. The latest report which provides and overview of progress to date and includes cases studies, can be found here. Money is not the only problem This is an online resource to assist individuals and families with accessing help, support and guidance regarding finances and wellbeing including energy. Booklets are also available and are distributed to partners, communities, public buildings and at events. https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200134/benefits_and_money_advice/2050/mon ey_is_not_the_only_problem South Lanarkshire Council has primarily tried to address fuel poverty drivers through the provision of support from its in-house money and welfare rights service. In 2023-24, the Money Matters Advice Service generated £24.2m in financial gains for residents in South Lanarkshire, supporting 12,694 unique households and made 6,432 referrals for emergency energy vouchers. A triage service deals with food and fuel emergencies when people present with these. This is primarily achieved by working with food banks and fuel vouchers providers, but also by the investment by South Lanarkshire Council in the creation of a Cash First Scheme that sees 97% of people who are successful receiving same day financial support with a £50 payment. This scheme has built on previous schemes that included a Financial Wellbeing Support Fund that invested £1.6m in financially supporting approximately 6,000 households as they received advice with payments of £250 and also an Energy Top Up Voucher Scheme in partnership with the Wise Group that distributed over 10,000 energy top up vouchers to residents in South Lanarkshire. 259
Page 260
c) Reduce energy costs in your area A partnership Fuel Poverty Group brings together various public sector and national organisations who promote the financial advice supports that are available. The action plan includes actions and measures aimed at reducing energy costs. The group has also produced a Tenant's Energy Guide. d) Support people to heat their homes efficiently in your area (behaviour) As above, a partnership Fuel Poverty Group brings together various public sector and national organisations who promote the financial advice supports that are available. The action plan includes actions and measures aimed at providing energy saving information and advice. The group has also produced a Tenant's Energy Guide. Over 6,432 people received basic energy advice and support and 444 people received specialist level energy advice and support, as our Money Matters Advice Service has employed an energy adviser and is seeking to source funding for another. 3. In your opinion have actions undertaken by your local authority since 2021 (for example, Area Based Scheme delivery, published Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy, published Local Housing Strategy) either helped to improve fuel poverty OR helped to alleviate the impacts of fuel poverty on people in your local area in Scotland? Why or why not? Please explain your answer. Yes. The range of support provided by the Money Matters Advice Service both financial and advisory has provided a level of mitigation for households to counter some of the worst effects of the significant increase in energy costs. Any important element of support is the provision of a benefit check. The award of new and sometimes backdated benefits can result in clients’ financial circumstances changing significantly and this can help with meeting higher energy costs. The appointment of a dedicated energy advisor within the service has allowed specific energy support to be provided to clients including access to a wide range of providers of energy vouchers. Since 2020/21 the percentage of South Lanarkshire Council’s housing stock meeting Energy Performance Certificate Bands A to C has increased from 90.95% to 92.62% while over the same period the average Standard Assessment Procedure rating for housing stock has risen from 73.82 to 74.46. This suggests that the significant investment led by the council is improving the energy efficiency of homes across South Lanarkshire. The main priority for the council’s new LHEES is to reduce heat demand using a fabric first approach to improve the condition and energy efficiency of housing across all tenures to ensure that poor energy performance is removed as a driver of fuel poverty. As the strategy moves to a delivery phase, a key focus will be to help to alleviate the impacts of fuel poverty on people in South Lanarkshire. In a national context, South Lanarkshire is the tenth most deprived area out of 32 local authorities, based on the SIMD analysis carried out. A total of 31,590 properties in South Lanarkshire fall within SIMD deciles one and two. Just under half of the total properties 260
Page 261
owned by the Council fall into this category. This illustrates a strong link between the social housing tenure type and areas with high SIMD scores. With a priority of alleviating fuel poverty, South Lanarkshire Council has used the LHEES process to investigate areas of high probability of multiple deprivation in conjunction with category one properties. 4. In your opinion have actions undertaken by your local authority since 2021 helped reduce the impact of the following driver on fuel poverty in Scotland? a) Poor energy efficiency? Yes, as can been seen in the RdSAP and EPC metrics highlighted in question 3 above. As at March 2024, 95.4% of the Council’s housing stock are compliant with EESSH, up from 93.88% in 2021. b) High fuel prices? No, it is not believed that any one council can influence the global markets for fuel prices. c) Low income? During 2023/24 the council’s Money Matters Advice Service assisted 12,692 unique clients across South Lanarkshire and brought £24.2 million in financial gains for residents. The council operated a Financial Wellbeing Support Fund that invested £1.6m in financially supporting approximately 6,000 households as they received advice with payments of £250 and also an Energy Top Up Voucher Scheme in partnership with the Wise Group that distributed over 10,000 energy top up vouchers to residents in South Lanarkshire. Overall, 79% of Money Matters clients live in data zones that are classified as being in the lower half of all SIMD data zones, showing that the service is successfully reaching clients that are in the most deprived areas of South Lanarkshire. Over 6,432 people received basic energy advice and support and 444 people received specialist level advice and support. Money Matter Advice Service Financial Gains: • 2021-22 - £18.8m • 2022-23 - £27.6m • 2023- 24 - £24.2m d) Inefficient use of heat in the home (household behaviour)? The council’s Money Matters Advice Service works closely with Home Energy Scotland to ensure that people have access to advice about keeping warm at home and saving money on your energy bills. Energy advice, including energy saving advice has been provided by Money Matter Advice Service through the dedicated Energy Advisor. 261
Page 262
Significant efforts have also taken place to support the council’s 25,000 tenancies in reducing inefficiencies within their homes. This includes energy advice and support information published in regular newsletters and sent to all households, as well as supporting tenants with the transition to net-zero systems with the provision of ‘how to guides’ to make the most of their new system. 5. What, if anything, has made delivery towards tackling fuel poverty challenging in your local area? The scale of the issue has made the efforts to tackle fuel poverty challenging: 31,590 households in South Lanarkshire live in fuel poverty. In terms of the council’s land area and population distribution: 75% of the land is rural and is inhabited by 25% of the population; 25% of the land is urban with 75% of the population living in these areas. It is estimated that one in every five properties in South Lanarkshire is off the gas grid and will pay more in energy costs (source: non-gas map). In addition, the uncertainties around the level of fuel poverty add to the challenge with no accurate national or local data sets available. Limited timescales for delivery and an underdeveloped supply chain for energy efficiency measures has presented significant challenges in maximising the impact of funding made available through the Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Schemes. Owner contributions within mixed tenure buildings also add to the complexities within these projects resulting in many not being progressed despite an identified need for them to do so. Additional flexibilities for the council in utilising this type of funding to target fuel poverty would be beneficial. Improving customer awareness of how to maximise the benefits of any energy improvements made to properties is also a challenge. The availability of funding for expensive measures such as external walI insultation, heat pumps, heat networks, solar PV panels and battery storage also presents a challenge to talking poor energy efficiency as a driver for fuel poverty. A further challenge we have is about how fuel poverty is measured: (1) it is largely dependent on the income of the household and therefore very fluid and, (2) there is no real accurate way of measuring it. For example, we could complete a survey to see who is in fuel poverty, then target investment at their property to improve energy efficiency with the aim of reducing their bills and lifting them out of fuel poverty. In the time it takes us to upgrade the property the tenant has moved to a different property with lower energy efficiency ratings and remains in fuel poverty. The only solution is to aim to bring all stock up to higher standard which is increasingly difficult to do given the standards themselves keep changing and the council stock keeps getting older. To date, there has not been a comprehensive dataset detailing fuel poverty given the resources required to do so and the risk of identifying individuals and communities through the use of sensitive information such as income data. The fuel poverty data in the Home Analytics dataset is therefore probability driven and figures are not an absolute number or percentage but rather a likelihood of fuel poverty. An instance where fuel poverty data lacks confidence and leads to a poor representation of the geographical area is in households in affluent areas who may be labelled as in fuel poverty because they live in stone buildings with poor heating capture. 262
Page 263
6. What further action do feel is required from the Scottish Government for the purposes of reducing/ mitigating fuel poverty for vulnerable households in Scotland? Ensure that the transition to net zero is just and does not increase fuel poverty by introducing more costly alternatives, for example a move from gas to electric. More cost effective green alternatives which focus on decreasing fuel poverty levels for those on low incomes, could be explored. Consideration could be given to better targeted and fairer allocation of fuel payments that include families experiencing ‘in work’ poverty. Further investment in renewable energy projects which are owned and operated by local communities however with the appropriate support networks to build community capacity. Continue to challenge the injustices of the energy sector in providing affordable energy (UN SDG 7). Given that the social, economic and health determinants of poverty reach far wider than those set out in this policy, consideration could be given to aligning this legislation to existing legislation and policy, for example relating to Child Poverty Action, Employability, Housing, etc. Consider additional incentives and financial supports for households that are off grid to support them to reduce energy costs and phase out fossil fuels. The Scottish Government could implement multi-year funding for the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Schemes to give future certainty to allow local authorities to plan strategic retrofit investment programmes. The Government could also expand the options of financial products available to private landlords and owner occupiers through the Home Energy Scotland service. The Scottish Government could encourage the UK Government to complete the review of electricity market arrangements (REMA) and decouple the price of electricity from that of gas, thereby reducing electricity costs. The Scottish Government could also apply pressure to the energy companies to provide a ‘social housing tariff’ for the most vulnerable tenants who are struggling to pay their energy bills at the current rates. The Government could also renew investment in the Fuel Insecurity Fund. Assessing progress and the impact that the council is making on Fuel Poverty levels can be challenging. National statistics are available through the Household Condition Survey; however, this data is only available at a Local Authority level every few years, with the next available data due to be published in 2025. More timely data at a Local Authority level is required. 263
Page 264
264
Page 265
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Response to Consultation on Proposal to Allow Proxy Voting by Councillors 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] advise the Committee of a consultation by the Scottish Government on a proposal to allow proxy voting by councillors seek approval to a proposed response by the Council to the consultation [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; and (2) that the submission of the response by the Council to the consultation, as included in Appendix 1 to this report, be approved. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. On 3 October 2024, the Scottish Government opened a consultation on a proposal to allow proxy voting by councillors. 3.2. The consultation closes on 28 November 2024. 3.3. The consultation paper advises that concerns have been raised with the Scottish Government around the absence of proxy voting provision for councillors. The consultation notes that the absence of explicit provisions allowing for proxy voting within local authorities could impact councillors on parental leave, or those who are unable to attend for other reasons, for example, because of an accident or serious illness. Proxy voting in these circumstances would allow a councillor to nominate another specified councillor to vote on their behalf during Council decisions. 3.4. The relevant legislative framework allows for formal local authority meetings (including committees, joint committees and sub-committees) to be conducted in any way in which each member is enabled to participate, even if not physically present. However, there are no provisions which explicitly allow for proxy voting, and the consultation seeks views on introducing a provision to permit proxy voting within local authorities. 14 265
Page 266
3.5. The consultation notes that there may be options, short of proxy voting, that could aid decision making. The Scottish Government notes that local authorities could introduce informal pairing agreements along the lines of those previously used in the Scottish Parliament prior to its introduction of explicit proxy voting provisions. Pairing occurs where two individuals from opposing parties both agree not to vote on a decision. In local government, this would allow a councillor to be absent without affecting the result of the vote as the absences balance each other out. 3.6. The Scottish Government does, however, recognise that there could be difficulties around this given councils are smaller, with more limited numbers of councillors to pair. There may also be instances where local circumstances mean it would not be possible to agree a pair. Such a pairing agreement might also prevent quorum requirements being met, particularly in smaller authorities. 3.7. The consultation notes that local authorities could also consider the appointment of named substitutes to committees, effectively allowing a form of proxy voting to be used. Clearly, this is an approach the Council already adopts, and it is understood most Scottish local authorities do. The consultation does, however, note that where there are independent members or a smaller number of councillors from the same party then opportunities for named substitutes may be limited. It would also not be possible to apply this to full Council meetings as all councillors are entitled to attend those meetings. 3.8. Given the above limitations to these options, the Scottish Government believes that a statutory provision around proxy voting would be preferable. 4. Proposal 4.1. The Scottish Government proposes to amend the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to enable a councillor in Scotland to arrange for their vote to be cast by a proxy. A further amendment would also be made which would require local authorities to agree and publish a scheme setting out how proxy voting would work in practice, where they choose to introduce proxy voting. 4.2. The Scottish Government advise that the operational details, including the criteria of the scheme, would not be set out in legislation. It would be for local authorities to determine how a scheme could work in practice and under which circumstances proxy voting could be available, should they wish to allow for it. Joint guidance would be produced by COSLA and the Scottish Government to assist the drafting of the operational scheme. 4.3. The Scottish Government proposes the following criteria be included within the operational guidance as suggestions on where proxy voting could be appropriate:- maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave, shared parental leave or adoption leave complications arising from pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage or baby loss serious long-term illness or injury bereavement attending to a person who is near the end of their life any other reason subject to agreement of the full Council 266
Page 267
4.4. The Scottish Government has, however, advised that, at this time, there is no suitable legislative opportunity to introduce this amendment should the consultation support the introduction of proxy voting. The Scottish Government will continue to support authorities to investigate other options to enable councillor participation until such time an amendment can be introduced. 4.5. Officers have assessed the proposal. Broadly speaking, officers can see benefit in permitting local authorities the ability to introduce some form of proxy voting, in such form as an individual local authority considers appropriate. Officers have drafted a proposed consultation response, included in Appendix 1 to this report. As included in the draft response, there are a few comments that it is suggested are worth noting in the response:- it is understood that most local authorities already have arrangements for substitutions, so in practical terms this is most likely only to be relevant for meetings of the full Council, or where a member cannot arrange a substitute it is commonly accepted that in the exercise of a proxy vote, the person entitled to vote (Cllr A) instructs their proxy (Cllr B) to exercise their vote in accordance with their wishes (ie Cllr A’s wishes). Quasi-judicial matters cannot be pre- determined and there is a clear requirement for elected members to only make a decision once all relevant considerations have been suitably considered. It is difficult to see how this could be reconciled with a member arranging for a proxy to vote on their behalf in a particular way. If this is how the Government intends the proposal to operate, and the proxy does not have discretion as to how they vote, then it is recommended that proxy votes are not permitted for quasi-judicial matters linked to the above, whilst some local authorities require certain motions and amendments to be tabled in advance of the meeting, this is not the case for all, and even then, there will still be the ability to move proposals at the meeting itself. If an elected member is not able to participate in the meeting, then they will not have heard the full discussion and debate and, as such, might not be able to fully take all relevant considerations into account before they vote. They will neither be able to ask questions or contribute to the discussion/debate themselves as they might otherwise have done had they been able to participate. In this context, relevant considerations could include the application of the Public Sector Equality Duty and the Fairer Scotland Duty to the matter in question. Decisions of the Council are at risk of legal challenge if there is a flaw in the decision-making process, for instance because a relevant duty was not suitably discharged. As above, if this is how the Government intends the proposal to operate, then it is recommended that consideration is given to proxy votes not being permitted for matters where councillors need to be able to participate in the meeting if someone arranges for a proxy to vote on their behalf this presumably would not be counted as attendance at the meeting, in terms of Section 35 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 a member who would otherwise have been unable to vote on the matter in question should not be able to have a proxy vote on their behalf, e.g. where they are currently in a period of suspension following a decision of the Standards Commission or where they would have declared an interest and recused themselves from the meeting a member who has arranged for a proxy to vote on their behalf should not count towards a quorum at the meeting 267
Page 268
whilst it would no doubt be for each authority to consider their own local rules, any proxy arrangements would need to be advised to relevant Council officials by a suitable time in advance of the meeting commencing Councils now use a variety of electronic meeting systems, some with voting options, and individual Councils would need to ensure their system could accommodate a proxy vote 5. Employee Implications 5.1. There are no employee implications arising directly from this report. 6. Financial Implications 6.1. There are no financial implications arising directly from this report. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no climate change, sustainability and environmental implications arising directly from this report. 8. Other Implications 8.1. There are no other implications arising directly from this report. 9. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 9.1. There is no requirement for an equality impact assessment in respect of this report. There is neither a requirement for the Council to undertake a consultation in respect of this proposal from the Scottish Government. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 14 October 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Focused on people and their needs Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent 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:- Iain Strachan, Head of Administration and Legal Services Ext: 4516 (Tel: 01698 454658) E-mail: iain.strachan@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 268
Page 269
APPENDIX 1 Consultation on proposal to Allow Proxy Voting by Councillors Consultation Questions Question 1 Do you agree that an explicit provision should be introduced to allow a councillor to arrange for their vote to be cast by proxy (YES/NO) Proposed Response: Yes Question 2 Do you agree with the optional criteria set out at paragraph 12 which could be applied by a local authority to allow for proxy voting? (YES/NO) Proposed Response: Yes Question 3 Are there any further comments that you wish to make on the proposal to allow for proxy voting (free text, 300 word maximum)? In general terms, the Council is supportive of the additional flexibility that proxy voting might permit. Clearly, how such an arrangement might operate in any individual council would be for them to determine, and would need to take account of its size, political composition and meeting arrangements (including any electronic meeting/voting systems adopted). However, the Council believes the following points are also worthy of consideration:- • It is understood that most local authorities already have arrangements for substitutions, so in practical terms this is most likely only to be relevant for meetings of the full Council, or where a member cannot arrange a substitute; • It is commonly accepted that in the exercise of a proxy vote, the person entitled to vote instructs their proxy to exercise their vote in accordance with their wishes. Quasi-judicial matters cannot be pre-determined and there is a clear requirement for a councillor to only make a decision once all relevant considerations have been suitably considered. It is difficult to see how this could be reconciled with a member arranging for a proxy to vote on their behalf in a particular way. If this is how it is envisaged proxy voting would operate, then it is recommended that proxy votes are not permitted for quasi- judicial matters; • Linked to the above, whilst some local authorities require certain motions and amendments to be tabled in advance of the meeting, this is not the case for all, and even then there will still be the ability to move proposals at the meeting itself. If an elected member is not able to participate in the meeting, then they will not have heard the full discussion and debate and, as such, might not be able to fully take all relevant considerations into account before they vote. They will neither be able to ask questions or contribute to the discussion/debate themselves as they might otherwise have done had they been able to participate. In this context, relevant considerations could include the application of the Public Sector Equality Duty and the Fairer Scotland Duty to the matter in question. Decisions of the Council are at risk of legal challenge if there is a flaw in the decision-making process, for instance because a relevant duty was not suitably discharged. As above, if this is how the Government intends the proposal to operate, then it is recommended that consideration is given to proxy votes not being permitted for matters where councillors need to be able to participate in the meeting; 269
Page 270
• If someone arranges for a proxy to vote on their behalf this presumably would not be counted as attendance at the meeting, in terms of Section 35 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973; • A member who would otherwise have been unable to vote on the matter in question should not be able to have a proxy vote on their behalf, e.g. where they are currently in a period of suspension following a decision of the Standards Commission or where they would have declared an interest and recused themselves from the meeting; • A member who has arranged for a proxy to vote on their behalf should not count towards a quorum at the meeting. 270
Page 271
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Director, Health and Social Care Executive Director (Education Resources) Subject: South Lanarkshire’s Children’s Services Plan 2023-2026 - Annual Report of Progress for 2023/2024 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] update the Committee on the work to ensure South Lanarkshire’s Children’s Services Plan (CSP) remains in line with Scottish Government guidance and is helping to contribute towards best possible outcomes for children, young people and families 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendations:- ] (1) that the content of the CSP annual progress report for the period 2023/2024 be noted. 3. Background 3.1. The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 introduced requirements for each local authority and linked health board to prepare and publish the following:- (a) a Children’s Services Plan (CSP) covering the period April 2017– March 2020 (and then in a continuing three-year cycle); and (b) a Children’s Rights Report by March 2020 (and then in a continuing three-year cycle). 3.2. The duty to publish a Children’s Rights Report every three years has become a statutory duty as a result of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. 3.3. The annual reporting model has, for a number of years, incorporated a section on the work to deliver on children’s rights. This is in addition to the (now statutory) duty to produce a Children’s Rights Report on a three-year cycle. The report for 2023/2024 continues this approach. 3.4. The annual progress report for 2023/2024 was endorsed by the Getting It Right for South Lanarkshire’s Children Strategy Group in July this year and by the Corporate Management Team in October. 15 271
Page 272
4. Progress Update 4.1. The Annual Report for 2023/2024 is attached as Appendix 1 and contains a summary of the key activity of the Children’s Services Partnership covering the first year of the current Plan. 4.2. The content of the report is informed by the work of three thematic groups (Whole Family Approach, Health and Wellbeing and Keeping the Promise) reflecting relevant data gathered, the experiences of children, young people and families and the analysis of partners leading and delivering this work. 4.3. The report style reflects the refreshed branding of the Children’s Services Plan and also incorporates graphics linked to the national Promise Plan 2024-2030. 4.4. The tables below show the high-level outcomes and priorities driving the work of the Children’s Services Plan. Every family that needs support gets the right family support at the right time for as long as it is needed Reduce the number of children and young people living away from their families Reduce the number of families requiring crisis intervention Reduce the inequality gap in child development Reduce the inequality gap in wellbeing outcomes for families’ children and young people Increase the number of families taking up wider supports Children and young people grow up loved, safe, respected and listened to Put voice at the heart of all decision-making processes at all levels Increase the number of care experienced people accessing further and/or higher education opportunities and successful employment Reduce poverty amongst care experienced people Improve lifelong support for care experienced people Improve support into long term housing for care experienced people Improve the mental health and emotional wellbeing of care experienced people Every child and young person will be able to access support which helps improve their mental health and emotional wellbeing Improve maternal and infant mental health Improve support offered to children and young people who may be at risk of suicide and self-harm Improve whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing Improve visibility and accessibility of community mental health supports and services Develop staff professional learning and development to ensure their own and others’ wellbeing is established 272
Page 273
4.7. The Children’s Services Partnership carried out a reflection process at the end of 2022 to ensure that its governance structure going forward is fit for purpose and reflects the main policy areas informing services for children, young people and families. The outcome of that process can be seen in the structure diagram on page 29 of the Annual Report. 4.9. The content of the Plan is organised around the three thematic groups. The groups implement and monitor action plans which combined provide oversite of progress in a performance framework. This framework is being updated for 2024/2025 based on experience of delivering on priorities in year one of the Plan. 4.10. A report on the quality of the Plan has been received from the Scottish Government and is attached as Appendix 2. The report provides reassurance that the Plan is ‘high quality’ and is fit for the purpose of improving outcomes for children, young people and families. 5. Next Steps 5.1. The Annual Report will be published and submitted to the Scottish Government as per statutory duty and cascaded across the South Lanarkshire partner organisations. 5.2. The performance framework will continue to support the implementation, monitoring and reporting of progress against each of the agreed priorities. Each of the thematic groups will take responsibility for maintaining their contribution to the framework and in ensuring appropriate performance evidence is collected to support future reporting demands. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. There are no employee implications associated with this report. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. There are no financial implications associated with this 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. There are no issues in terms of risk associated with this report. 10. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 10.1. In developing the new Children’s services Plan, a combined Equality Impact Assessment and Children’s Rights Wellbeing Impact Assessment was produced. 11. Children’s Rights Considerations 11.1. A Children’s Rights Wellbeing Impact Assessment has been completed as part of the work to build the plan. 273
Page 274
11.2. The work to support the participation of children, young people and families in implementing the priorities of the plan is central to our commitment to the UNCRC and in particular the following Articles: Article 12 (respect for the views of the child) Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously. This right applies at all times, for example during immigration proceedings, housing decisions or the child’s day- to-day home life. Article 13 (freedom of expression) Every child must be free to express their thoughts and opinions and to access all kinds of information, as long as it is within the law. Professor Soumen Sengupta Director, Health and Social Care Carole McKenzie Executive Director, Education Resources 9 October 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Education and learning: inspiring learners, transforming learning, strengthening partnerships Previous References None List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would further information, please contact:- Kevin Mullarkey, Children’s Services Partnership Planning Manager, South Lanarkshire Council Tel: 07795453122 Email: kevin.mullarkey@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 274
Page 275
Working together: making a difference Annual Progress Report 2023—2024 for South Lanarkshire’s Children’s Services Plan SLC print proof Appendix 1 15 275
Page 276
2 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 Children, young people and families will be safeguarded and supported to reach their full potential and thrive within their communities. SLC print proof 276
Page 277
Contents 3 Section one: Foreword 4 Section two: Our Vision 6 Section three: Children’s Rights in South Lanarkshire 7 Section four: Our plan and its progress 11 • Embedding Whole Family Support 11 • Improving the health and wellbeing of children, young people and their families 16 • Keeping the Promise to our care experienced children, young people and families 21 Section five: Our commitment to improvement 27 Section six: Moving Forward 28 Section seven: Wider Partnerships 29 SLC print proof 277
Page 278
Section one: Foreword Welcome to the first annual report of South Lanarkshire’s Children’s Services Plan 2023-2026. The principle of ‘Working Together: Making a Difference’ is at the centre of our children’s service partnership and how we work together to support the best outcomes for our children, young people and families. Our plan has been closely aligned with South Lanarkshire’s Child Poverty Commitment and Local Child Poverty Action Report. This helps to provide a valuable contribution towards South Lanarkshire’s Community Planning Partnership aim of tackling deprivation, poverty and inequality and the continued challenge of reducing child poverty. This report will focus on the nineteen priority outcomes of our plan and the improvement work we put in place to help achieve these outcomes. Over the life of the plan, this focus on improvement has informed our work and our aspirations to achieve the best possible outcomes for our children, young people and families. Commitment to Keeping the Promise is now second nature in our work, building on the findings of the Independent Care Review and informed by the voice of our children and young people through robust participation processes. Our commitment to support our care experienced children, young people and families is reflected in the role of the Promise Board and the children and young people led Champions Board. Together these two groups drive the relationship that will support real change, ensuring that South Lanarkshire’s children and young people grow up loved, safe and respected. As we highlight the activity undertaken over the last year, we also look to the future and map out the direction we are taking going forward across this planning cycle. We have restructured our governance arrangements to ensure that we are closely linked to the national policy agenda, are making the most of available funding streams and are maximising investing a proportionate amount of time into the key planning, evaluation and scrutiny required to help us deliver the changes we aspire for our children and young people. As a partnership, we implement an improvement approach to the activity contained within the plan. This additionality has been a feature of how we work together to offer the best possible support to families and to help us collectively achieve our shared vision of ensuring that: South Lanarkshire’s children, young people and families will be safeguarded and supported to reach their full potential and thrive within their communities. Our report reflects the agreed priorities in our plan and what we still need to do to further improve the life chances of our children, young people and families. Our priorities are grouped around the outcomes of: T Embedding Whole Family Support T Improving the health and wellbeing of children, young people and their families, and T Keeping the Promise to our care experienced children, young people and families 4 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 SLC print proof 278
Page 279
Paul Manning Chief Executive, South Lanarkshire Council Professor Jann Gardner Chief Executive, NHS Lanarkshire We are committed to the challenge contained in the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 and to making children’s rights real in our work. We recognise the vital role public services play in delivering improved outcomes for children, young people and their communities and that the full realisation of children’s rights requires proactivity on our part, to which we are committed. One way we do this is to ensure the voices of our children and young people are being heard and acted upon by the partnership. This approach is embedded in our three thematic groups, and we have meaningful participation of children, young people and families at the heart of the co-design of services. This report details how we have worked together to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families in South Lanarkshire and built a strong foundation for delivering on our agreed priorities. While we look to the future to ensure we are making the most of the resources available to us and the capacity to achieve our shared vision, we reflect on the achievements over the last year and learn from what has worked well and where we can do better. 5 SLC print proof 279
Page 280
Section two: Our Vision 6 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 South Lanarkshire’s children, young people and families will be safeguarded and supported to reach their full potential and thrive within their communities. SLC print proof 280
Page 281
Section three: Children’s Rights in South Lanarkshire Respecting and promoting the rights of all children and young people is central to our work and we are confident that this strong rights-based approach is making a significant difference to children and young people’s lives. We are listening to the voices of more young people than ever before, which in turn is informing our work together. As a partnership we have developed a strategic approach to how the voices and lived experience of children, young people and parents and carers can be incorporated into our planning processes more effectively. We recognise that children and young people want the right to be themselves and this is a feature of our approach. #TheRightToBeMyself Our commitment to children’s rights and engagement participation is a strength and features in our children’s services plan animation, designed and created by our children and young people: https://youtu.be/fS-fdwNfg0o Our commitment to children’s rights We have been busy preparing for the incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into domestic law. Our approach is designed to help children access their rights more easily and we have been engaging with our wider workforce to help them understand children’s rights better, be more aware of the demands that incorporation will make on public services and to understand what best practice looks like. Produced for Education Resources by Communications and Strategy. 062036/Aug22 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 www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk From the Convention on the rights of the child in child friendly language, UNICEF Canada UN Convention on the Rights of the Child In child friendly language Survival Development Participation Protection You have a right to life, good food, water, and to grow up healthy “Rights” are things every child should have or be able to do. All children have the same rights. These rights are listed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Almost every country has agreed to these rights. All the rights are connected to each other, and all are equally important. Sometimes, we have to think about rights in terms of what is the best for children in a situation, and what is critical to life and protection from harm. As you grow, you have more responsibility to make choices and exercise your rights. You have a right to an education and time to relax and play You have a right to say how you feel, be listened to, and taken seriously You have a right to be treated well and not be hurt by anyone You have the right to privacy. You have the right to get information that is important to your well-being, from radio, newspaper, books, computers and other sources. Adults should make sure that the information you are getting is not harmful, and help you find and understand the information you need. You have the right to be raised by your parent(s) if possible. You have the right to be protected from being hurt and mistreated, in body or mind. You have the right to special care and help if you cannot live with your parents. You have the right to help from the government if you are poor or in need. You have the right to food, clothing, a safe place to live and to have your basic needs met. You should not be disadvantaged so that you can’t do many of the things other kids can do. You have the right to a good quality education. You should be encouraged to go to school to the highest level you can. Your education should help you use and develop your talents and abilities. It should also help you learn to live peacefully, protect the environment and respect other people. You have the right to practice your own culture, language and religion - or any you choose. Minority and indigenous groups need special protection of this right. You have the right to be alive. You have the right to a name, and this should be officially recognized by the government. You have the right to a nationality (to belong to a country). You have the right to an identity – an official record of who you are. No one should take this away from you. You have the right to live with your parent(s), unless it is bad for you. You have the right to live with a family who cares for you. If you live in a different country than your parents do, you have the right to be together in the same place. You have the right to care and protection if you are adopted or in foster care. You have the right to special protection and help if you are a refugee (if you have been forced to leave your home and live in another country), as well as all the rights in this Convention. You have the right to special education and care if you have a disability, as well as all the rights in this Convention, so that you can live a full life. You have the right to the best health care possible, safe water to drink, nutritious food, a clean and safe environment, and information to help you stay well. If you live in care or in other situations away from home, you have the right to have these living arrangements looked at regularly to see if they are the most appropriate. You have the right to be protected from kidnapping. You have the right to give your opinion, and for adults to listen and take it seriously. You have the right to find out things and share what you think with others, by talking, drawing, writing or in any other way unless it harms or offends other people. You have the right to choose your own religion and beliefs. Your parents should help you decide what is right and wrong, and what is best for you. You have the right to choose your own friends and join or set up groups, as long as it isn’t harmful to others. Everyone under 18 has these rights. All children have these rights, no matter who they are, where they live, what their parents do, what language they speak, what their religion is, whether they are a boy or girl, what their culture is, whether they have a disability, whether they are rich or poor. No child should be treated unfairly on any basis. All adults should do what is best for you. When adults make decisions, they should think about how their decisions will affect children. The government has a responsibility to make sure your rights are protected. They must help your family to protect your rights and create an environment where you can grow and reach your potential. Your family has the responsibility to help you learn to exercise your rights, and to ensure that your rights are protected. Article 1 You have the right to play and rest. You have the right to protection from work that harms you, and is bad for your health and education. If you work, you have the right to be safe and paid fairly. You have the right to protection from harmful drugs and from the drug trade. You have the right to be free from sexual abuse. No one is allowed to kidnap or sell you. £ You have the right to protection from any kind of exploitation (being taken advantage of). No one is allowed to punish you in a cruel or harmful way. You have the right to protection and freedom from war. Children under 15 cannot be forced to go into the army or take part in war. You have the right to help if you’ve been hurt, neglected or badly treated. You have the right to legal help and fair treatment in the justice system that respects your rights. If the laws of your country provide better protection of your rights than the articles in this Convention, those laws should apply. You have the right to know your rights! Adults should know about these rights and help you learn about them, too. These articles explain how governments and international organizations like UNICEF will work to ensure children are protected with their rights. Article 2 Article 3 Article 4 Article 5 Article 11 Article 12 Article 13 Article 14 Article 15 Article 6 Article 7 Article 8 Article 9 Article 10 Article 21 Article 22 Article 23 Article 24 Article 25 Article 16 Article 17 Article 18 Article 19 Article 20 Article 31 Article 32 Article 33 Article 34 Article 35 Article 26 Article 27 Article 28 Article 29 Article 30 Article 41 Article 42 Article 43 to 54 Article 36 Article 37 Article 38 Article 39 Article 40 18 £ 7 SLC print proof 281
Page 282
Children’s Rights activity and preparation for the UNCRC requirements Staff have been using the draft guidance on Child Friendly Complaints to look at practice regarding complaints and agree where changes require to be made to offer a more child friendly approach which supports children and young people share their views when complaints about services that affect them are made. Plans are now in place to revise the complaints procedures to ensure it is more child friendly. (Article 12 – the right to be heard) We are carrying out more Children’s Rights Wellbeing Impact Assessments (CRWIAs) than ever before for key decisions that affect children and young people, making sure that the voice of children and young people informs policy and decision making. (Article 12 the right to be heard) We have been increasing our support to staff through awareness raising and training about the UNCRC and the requirements of the Act. Training has been offered to staff both in person and through the use of online learning webinars. Youth Family and Community Learning staff have benefited from a series of UNCRC workshops and a webinar for staff in schools has been made available through the Education Inclusion Service. (Article 42 – the right to know your rights) A group of young people are designing and delivering a filmed webinar for all public sector staff that provides information on the UNCRC and what public services need to do to ensure children’s rights are respected. This training will be available on the council’s online training platform and offered out to all public sector organisations. This approach puts children and young people at the heart of our preparations. (Article 42 the right to know your rights) A selection of the many examples of children’s rights practice over the last year from across South Lanarkshire is shared below: Dignity Participation Life, survival and development Non discriminationTransparency and accountability Best interests of the child Interdependence and indivisibility 7The principles Child rights- based approach Section three: Children’s Rights in South Lanarkshire 8 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 SLC print proof 282
Page 283
As part of our staff development support, we have updated our Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) website, which now has up to date advice and guidance on children’s rights and the UNCRC. This will be updated on a regular basis as more support and guidance is made available, making sure staff are well informed about children’s rights and their role in supporting them. (Article 3 the best interests of the child) We have organised several conferences and seminars, with children and young people taking a leading role in the planning, delivery and participation in the events. The events include: T A UNCRC themed seminar in November 2023 for 140 staff where young people through a film they made set the agenda for staff discussion on their role in supporting children’s rights (Article 4 your rights are protected) T An event to celebrate Care Day in February 2024, where young people from our Champion’s Board hosted the event and challenged corporate parents to tell how they were keeping South Lanarkshire’s Promise. This event brought together at least 60 care experienced children and young people and 60 corporate parents to improve the understanding and visibility of each other (Articles 9, 20 and 21 the right to be cared for) T Our Wellbeing Warriors were at the heart of a conference in March helping to share good practice in schools across South Lanarkshire to support emotional wellbeing. The event also helped highlight other important supports that were available to support children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. (Article 24 the right to health care) We have refreshed and relaunched our care experienced Champions Board making it more visible to all care experienced children and young people and to corporate parents. We have introduced a ‘Mini Champs’ process and made sure that pupils in schools have the opportunity to be heard. (Article 12 the right to be heard) Our Champions Board helped to make our Winter Wishes campaign a success and make sure that care experienced young people got extra help over the Winter period with cost of living challenges including access to food, Winter clothing, help with paying bills and having their basic needs met, despite the challenges of the cost of living and price increases. (Article 27 the right to food and clothing and a place to live) Children from four primary schools helped to inform the new East Kilbride Neighbourhood Plan through participating in workshops and engagement sessions and through filling in questionnaires. This helped to make sure that the priorities being developed as part of the neighbourhood plan are child friendly. (Article 12 a right to be heard and Article 31 the right to play and rest) Support from the national Promise Fund is helping us support a reduction in the criminalisation of care- experienced young people who are over-represented in the justice system. Care and justice experienced young people are coming together through the ASK youth justice and rights approach to inform how best young people can be safeguarded in their communities. The work is being led by young leaders and peer researchers, supported the council, COVEY and the university of the West of Scotland. (Article 19 the right to be protected from harm and article 40 the right to help in the justice system) 9 SLC print proof 283
Page 284
Section three: Children’s Rights in South Lanarkshire What next for children’s rights and participation in South Lanarkshire The work of our partnership is founded on a rights- based approach which supports practice and aspires to the best possible outcomes for all children and young people, particularly those who are most disenfranchised. The following areas of work we will prioritise over the next year: T We will work to ensure that the voices of children and young people are listened to at the highest level across our children’s services partners. T We will continue to promote rights-based practice, so all children’s views are heard by all partners when deciding about care plans and their future with children’s views at the core of decision-making. T We will make sure children and young people inform our preparation for UNCRC incorporation and our rights-based culture in general especially through the staff webinar being developed. T As an integral part of our thematic groups, children, young people and families will help design future services based on their experiences in the past, their current needs and their aspirations for the future. T We will be more innovative in the way we involve children and young people, especially those who do not tend to engage in traditional consultation processes. T We will build on the involvement of children and young people leading and contributing towards seminars, conferences and other events with staff. T We will deliver our Project Child Voice, ensuring that children and young people are visible and heard in future budget setting processes. T We will develop a comprehensive set of training resources to help support staff across the public sector, be more aware of the UNCRC requirements and increase their understanding in what their responsibilities are. T We will ensure that the seven principles of rights- based practice are at the heart of our work. 10 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 SLC print proof 284
Page 285
Section four: Our plan and its progress 11 We are working together to shift from crisis responses to more proactive approaches by providing support to families earlier to reduce the likelihood of difficulties arising in the first place. This involves working with the family to identify their needs and potential solutions. Our Whole Family Approach Thematic Group, in collaboration with partners from education, health, social work, and the third sector, coordinates support efforts. We aim to leverage strong relationships to address the needs of the entire family and minimise the necessity for future interventions. We have structured our time, energy, and resources to focus on prevention. We are providing early help by building on family strengths and making the most of community support to offer practical solutions and reduce any barriers families face. Our holistic family and trauma-informed support takes a ‘no wrong door’ approach to deliver comprehensive support for individual families. As stated in our plan, we have agreed a number of areas of change that are being supported by a shared commitment to strong leadership and workforce strategy, a support system that is accountable to families, and better accessibility to support. Making sure that our families are at the centre of the design of new and changing services has been a feature of our work in a number of areas and this commitment will continue to be a core aspect of our approach. Our improvement work has focused on the following: T Helping families inform the support they are offered at the earliest stage T Reducing the need for more formal support from Social Work T Extending the successful Pathfinder project T Building staff competence to support parents T Working to address and reduce the instances of neglect T Addressing domestic abuse T Supporting families with disability with financial wellbeing Transforming Whole Family Support Central to our Whole Family Approach is helping all families to flourish and get the right support at the right time supporting a child’s right to be raised safely in their own families, for as long as they need it. SLC print proof 285
Page 286
Section four: Our plan and its progress 12 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 The following section details the work undertaken in relation to each of our priority themes: Our Outcome - Every family that needs support gets the right family support at the right time for as long as it is needed Reducing the number of babies, children and young people living away from their families Family Group Decision-Making To reduce the number of babies, children and young people who have to live away from their families we have been supporting families with Family Group Decision Making sessions for all families identified by our early years multi agency networks as needing extra help during pregnancy. This has resulted in 100% of families experiencing improved outcomes. We have been also able to offer the additional help of Peer Support Workers who are providing advice and guidance to pregnant mothers and their partners with a range of issues, including drug and alcohol use. Putting in place a Parents’ Plan for families instead of making a child protection referral has helped to support families across South Lanarkshire and has meant that families have experienced improvements in coping with the challenges they face. Implementing a Parents’ Plan for families, instead of initiating a child protection referral, has proven beneficial in supporting families across South Lanarkshire. This approach has resulted in positive outcomes for families. Family Support Hubs Community based Family Support Hubs were launched on 27 September 2022 and are helping to improve wellbeing of whole families. The hubs are community facing and offer better access to support for families in Cambuslang, East Kilbride, Hamilton and Lanark. The hubs have had such a positive impact on families, that families themselves are now the second largest referrer to this support and in the past year, hubs have been able to address 61% of the total referrals made to Social Work. This significantly reduces the number of initial assessments that have to take place by staff in a more formal setting and in turn helps to give more time for staff to respond to child protection referrals. Reducing the number of families who require crisis support Pathfinders The Pathfinders Programme delivered by the Youth Family and Community Learning Service is supporting young people and families across seven schools, Cathkin High; Trinity High; Stonelaw High; Lanark Grammar; Calderside Academy; St Andrew’s and St Bride’s, and Carluke High. Pathfinders is funded through a mix of Whole Family Wellbeing Funding and Pupil Equity Funding. The programme has supported 534 young people and families through individual and group support, home visits and parental engagement which helped to meet family needs. Pathfinders secured funding from the UNCRC Innovation Fund to develop a youth led consultation process that allows young people to be the change that matters in relation to areas that effect their lives. This approach helps to increase the voice and skills of young people and has created rich opportunities for a committee of 21 young people to directly influence the service that they receive and be involved and influence decisions affecting them. The young people are now planning a series of consultation events with other young people and a conference for key partners, sharing life experiences, barriers to participation and evidence of need to shape future policies. As a result of the project, the young people have increased meaningful participation in school and learning by 88%, reported an 18% positive change in their behaviour and improved their health and wellbeing by 24%. SLC print proof 286
Page 287
13 Engaging with families Providing participation opportunities for families to share their views and experiences has helped to enable parents and carers to inform the support available and made sure that services on offer better reflect the needs identified and ensure children’s and human rights are respected. Participation opportunities have included an event in Hamilton for a range of parents and carers including parents who have children with Autistic Spectrum disorder and Kinship Carers, work with the Supporting Families initiative in Clydesdale and with families supported by the Youth, Family and Community Learning service in Cambuslang. Through this engagement parents and carers were able to tell us about their experiences of accessing support, how they feel about being listened to and how confident they are in their parenting abilities. Their feedback highlighted the challenges faced by families in the community and helped staff to understand what changes are required to the way we deliver services. As a result of this activity, we are shifting more to a needs and rights-based planning approach that has family voice at its heart. Families have told us that support is now more accessible, delivered where and when it suits them and is helping to provide the early help and support that they need to thrive. Moving forward we are planning more engagement events and opportunities for families to share their experiences and aspirations. Reduced inequality gap in child development You and Your Child Two ‘You and Your Child’ programs which focus on helping parents and carers understand how their child grows and develops have been delivered by trained staff in Lanark and Cambuslang benefiting 22 parents and carers who participated in the programme. All parents who completed the programme reported that they are now more aware of what to expect at each point in their child’s development and more confident in supporting their child with their needs. A programme in the Hamilton area is planned to begin in April 2024. Parents told us the good variety of materials, informative sessions, interactive activities, and supportive staff helped them feel more knowledgeable about child development and be more patient and supportive towards their children as a result of the program. The sense of community and the opportunity to make new friends was also highlighted as a positive aspect of the experience. NHS Early Years Workers support Early years workers in NHS Lanarkshire have been working in partnership with parents and carers to deliver successful parenting strategies in a variety of community settings. This has resulted in 75% of children seeing improvement across their developmental milestones using the ‘Ages and Stages Questionnaire’ to measure success. These workers have developed a close working relationship with Health Visitors to offer more integrated support to children and families. Ongoing evaluation of the workers’ role has shown that 94 children have benefited from this support and 68 have recorded improvements in speech and language, physical development and problem-solving skills. Parents and carers have told us about the difference that this support has made to their family: “My Health Visitor referred me on to the Early Years Worker as she was worried about my child not meeting child development standard. I have had really good advice about my daughter’s flat head and development. We use tummy time, and she now has a bedtime routine and I bathe and read to her each night. She loves her books, and we are enjoying this. She has now passed her 4-6-month development and she is thriving. Wee tips, advice and re-assurance has led me in the right way and she is now starting to sit by herself and has started weaning.” SLC print proof 287
Page 288
Section four: Our plan and its progress 14 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 “I’ve really seen progress in my wee boy. He had delayed speech, and the worker brings lots of activities and there is always something new for him to do. The baby joins in games as well. The worker was at the house today and we did finger painting. He’s starting to learn his colours and he is definitely making more sense; I can make out what he is saying now. He’s come on leaps and bounds.” “We worked with Lucy from Early Years and our son loves her. We feel Lucy has grown a good bond with ourselves and children and don’t feel she is like a worker coming in as she’s not judgemental and always helpful. Our son smiles when we tell him Lucy is coming to visit.” Reducing the inequality gap in wellbeing outcomes for families’ children and young people The Supporting Families Programme Supporting Families is a ‘whole family’ approach that is helping to remove barriers to social and economic exclusion. The project supports children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their families and is helping to lessen the negative affect that suffering from child poverty can have. Families are referred to the project by their primary school and are allocated a dedicated worker who provides support and guidance as well as signposting onto other organisations and services who can provide the right help in the right way, such as financial or employability support. Children within the families have benefited from enhanced and flexible wraparound services such as free after school childcare provided by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture, and parents and carers are encouraged to attend free health and wellbeing opportunities to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. These opportunities are promoting increased use of greenspace and helping to improve involvement in the local community, providing activities for the whole family to enjoy. Some of the activities delivered through the project include healthy walks, group cycles and family cycle skill sessions, yoga, fitness classes and free access to swimming. The programme has been available to families living in the Cambuslang, Rutherglen, Larkhall and Rigside areas of South Lanarkshire. Increasing the number of families taking up wider supports Health care support for care experienced young people As part of an approach to improve the healthcare that care experienced young people receive, NHS Lanarkshire and Social Work’s Young Person Service have been testing a new way of supporting young people who are leaving care. As a result of this young people proactively engage with adult services, to reduce the likelihood and need for crisis responses. The testing of this new approach finished at the end of March and as a result of positive feedback from young people the work will continue to be led by the School Nursing Team. Over a hundred young people were offered the healthcare support between August 2022 and March this year with two thirds positively engaging with the service and almost all of them reporting that their health needs were being met and wellbeing was improving. SLC print proof 288
Page 289
15 Paths away from Poverty Paths away from Poverty is funded by the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Accelerator Fund and is supporting families where there is a child or a young person in the household with a disability. While this project is in the early stages of development (it will run until March 2025 working with at least 10 families) it is beginning to identify potentially more effective ways to engage and support families to deal with financial, wellbeing and inclusion challenges. Support is delivered primarily through a key worker relationship, with workers for the project being provided by the third sector organisation COVEY. The project is currently supporting five families address and find solutions to a range of challenges with a number of families ready to be referred for support. Already benefits to the families have included improved financial wellbeing through help with urgent financial wellbeing assessments, improved health and wellbeing as a result of strengthened relationships with NHS Lanarkshire, CAMHS and local GPs, reduced social isolation with three families moving to weekly support and one young person benefiting from COVEY befriending support with other additional needs young people. In addition, families are articulating what has changed for them because of the support they have received They are choosing to engage and to receive support that they feel is helping towards personal plans and solutions. Supporting leadership, workforce and culture Developing a whole workforce approach to domestic abuse Frontline staff in our Family Support Hubs have been supported to help families experiencing domestic abuse by being trained in the Safe and Together programme. Thirty-seven staff have been trained, which is over half of staff in the hubs. As a result of the training, almost all (90%) of staff stated that they were more confident about their knowledge, skills and in helping families address domestic abuse and in applying the Safe and Together approach. Staff were asked to rate their confidence before and after the training and on average they recorded an increase of 16% as a result. Reducing Neglect Health and Social Work staff have been supporting parents to identify where their strengths can help combat the risk of neglect for their children and also to identify where they can make things better as a family. Over a hundred staff from Social Work have completed special training on the use of a resource called the ‘Working with Neglect Toolkit.’ To support this work and to help families reduce the experience of neglect a forum has been set up for staff which is organised by the council’s Child Protection Officer. More sessions are planned for staff in June and October in the use of this toolkit to make sure families get the best support they can. As a result of the help this training has given staff, there are plans to offer the training to School Nurses, Health Visitors and Family Nurses across NHS Lanarkshire. An important feature of this work will be to monitor the number of staff trained, how the training helps them support families and how use of the toolkit helps to reduce the number of families being harmed by neglect. SLC print proof 289
Page 290
Section four: Our plan and its progress 16 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 Our work to improve the health and wellbeing for all children, young people and families in South Lanarkshire is led by the Health and Wellbeing Thematic Group and reinforced by taking a whole systems approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing. This approach emphasises support that is: T Empowering T Offering the right support at the right time, and T Ensuring a ‘no wrong door’ approach, so that children and young people tell their story only once We have established or extended a number of community-based initiatives for our children and young people e.g. Kooth, an online wellbeing and counselling support for children and young people, the Blues programme and the delivery of peer support programmes in schools through mental health and wellbeing workshops for families and staff. In addition, there has been an increase in capacity to deliver focused supports to the most vulnerable children and young people through the Trauma Recovery Service and additional practitioners to support those who are care experienced. The supports offered through the work of the Thematic Group and any plans for new supports have been informed by the voice of children and young people at the heart of our planning. The improvement work includes the following: T Supporting maternal and infant mental health T Improving support offered to children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide T Improving access to online mental health support T Supporting the emotional wellbeing of staff T Improve whole system approaches to mental health and wellbeing Improving the health and wellbeing of children, young people and their families As a partnership supporting children and young people’s mental health is important to achieving positive outcomes. Our approach supports protecting mental health at an early age and delivering early support to ensure robust future mental wellbeing and resilience, as well as wider life outcomes. SLC print proof 290
Page 291
17 Outcome - Every child and young person will be able to access support which helps improve their mental health and emotional wellbeing Improved maternal and infant mental health Mellow Bumps Families have been benefiting from the Mellow Bumps programme, which is a part of our work to improve parenting support and is delivered from the Family Support Hubs. Mellow Bumps is a six-week group work programme designed for pregnant mums, where families need a little bit extra support to prepare for the birth. The programme helps develop attachment, emotional and behavioural support and child development skills. Parents are being helped to increase their knowledge and understanding about stress, anxiety and self- care during the pregnancy. This helps parents to communicate in a warm, loving manner with their babies. Three programmes are already being delivered across South Lanarkshire and a new programme will be offered in the Clydesdale area soon. Breastfeeding friendly As part of the commitment to breastfeeding friendly status, we have improved our employee wellbeing by updating our breastfeeding policy as well as listening to the views of staff. We are working with early learning and childcare facilities to test the approach, with a planned information session for nurseries, private providers, and childminders in May 2024. All Leisure and Culture services are signed up to the scheme alongside the four Family Support Hubs. In addition, we have been meeting with staff from Health and Social Care to discuss partnership commitment in preparation for the release of the Baby Friendly Accreditation Councils. Improved support offered to children and young people who may be at risk of self-harm and suicide Implementation of Lifelines Lanarkshire Lifelines Lanarkshire training continues to increase the confidence of staff who support children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide. In the last year, over 170 staff from education, social work, health, and the third sector have attended the skilled level training, with almost all reporting that it helped to make them more prepared and increased their confidence to offer help to children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide. In addition to the Lifelines Lanarkshire training, staff have been benefiting from participating in an online learning course which has been created to help build greater knowledge and understanding of issues around self-harm and suicide. So far, 89 staff have accessed the Lifelines Lanarkshire Learn Online course and all who responded highlighted that the learning has been helpful to them in supporting children and young people. Improving professional learning opportunities for staff We are committed to making sure that all staff supporting the emotional wellbeing of children, young people and families get the best guidance and training possible. To help with this we have been working with partners to explore the need for further staff learning opportunities. Feedback from Lifelines Lanarkshire trained staff has pointed to the need for further, more enhanced professional learning to help them to continue the support they provide to children and young people who are at risk of self-harm and/or suicide. SLC print proof 291
Page 292
Section four: Our plan and its progress 18 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 Improved whole system approaches to mental health and wellbeing Counselling through schools Children and young people in our schools are benefiting from support through the Counselling Through Schools Service. As a result of this support, almost all of the 480 pupils who have told us about their experience said counselling improved their general mental health and wellbeing. They were made to feel safe in counselling. We have been working to ensure a more consistent offer of support to pupils in secondary schools as part of whole school support for mental health and wellbeing. We met with counselling providers in all 17 high schools to talk about how school counselling links to wider supports across the community and have identified areas where links could be improved (for example, being more aware of and making better use of the third sector support available; being more consistent in referring to available support). This will help us plan how we offer more connected support to children and young people going forward. Increasing the awareness of help in the community As part of our approach to improving access to support in a community setting, educational psychologists and health improvement colleagues have been working together with counselling providers to further understand the factors that affect the health and wellbeing of children, young people and families. In particular, we have looked at how our understanding informs current practice in relation to referring, signposting and making connections with other agencies and community supports. This work will help improve awareness of what support is available across our communities and how it can be best used to help children, young people and families. Reducing the stigma of mental health To support our communities to become safe, compassionate, inclusive, and free of stigma, we are working with Stigma Free Lanarkshire and Lanarkshire Links to encourage young people to challenge mental health stigma and discrimination. The specialist expertise of Stigma Free Lanarkshire is helping to develop resources that are free from stigmatising language and promote anti-stigma messages. So far, 12 Understanding Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination workshops have been delivered with 112 staff from Education, the wider council and third sector and this has helped to increase staff understanding of the negative impact that mental health stigma has on children, young people and families. In addition, two events focusing on challenging mental health stigma and discrimination were held for young people with lived experience and our 11 Young People Mental Health Ambassadors. One young person said: “As young people, mental health can be a daunting idea which can be difficult to talk about, but the day broke down so many barriers.” Wellbeing Warriors The Wellbeing Warriors are a group of young people from across our secondary schools who link with partners around mental health and emotional wellbeing. The group was established this session, with the aim of ensuring young people’s voices inform the development of mental health and wellbeing supports delivered. The group identified a number of issues they felt would be helpful to learn more about for their own learning and development, which included stigma and discrimination, men’s mental health, and strategies to support wellbeing. The highlight of the year was a Wellbeing Warriors Conference involving 100 pupils from most of our secondary schools and key supporting organisations. The conference provided the young people with the opportunity to share practice from across schools and build supportive links with each other. It also increased awareness of the help available and how to access it, and improved connections between the services delivering support to young people. Participants heard from Kooth about their digital support services, from Stigma Free Lanarkshire about how to recognise and challenge stigma, and from Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) about the work they are doing in schools. SLC print proof 292
Page 293
19 Young people who attended told us that the conference was useful (90%), and almost all stated they would attend again in the future. “I really liked hearing from all the different organisations about the work they do and being able to interact with them and ask questions.” The conference helped young people talk about tackling mental health stigma and share their thoughts through a ‘Wish Tree,’ where they could anonymously express their ideas. Young people were asked: “How do you think you should tackle stigma?” The feedback and comments received were insightful and inspiring. “Treat others as you expect to be treated yourself.” “Talk to young people, there’s nothing bad about talking about mental health.” “Help people to know it’s okay to not to be okay.” “Try our hardest to make sure people are aware and educate others.” Following the conference, Stigma Free Lanarkshire are working with pupils in first, second and third year at Trinity High School in Cambuslang to deliver Understanding Stigma workshops. The Wellbeing Warriors continue to meet and help support the development of important areas of provision for all our children and young people. Improved visibility and accessibility of community mental health supports and services Online support for young people Kooth, our online digital mental health resource for young people, has continued to be rolled out across South Lanarkshire. Between April 2023 - March 2024, 848 young people used the support, with over 90% of children and young people who responded telling us that they would recommend the service to others. Presentations have been given at a number of events such as the “Wellbeing Warriors Conference,” whole school assemblies and a session is planned for GPs to continue to raise awareness of this service with all partners. Helping care experienced young people access support As part of our work to make sure care experienced young people get the best emotional wellbeing support possible, we have developed a ‘Pathway’ for those young people who are ready to leave care. In doing this we have worked with mental health support services to plan for offering the right level of support for those young people as early as possible when a need is identified. Using this approach, which is being led by the School Nursing Team, 102 young people have been supported since August last year. Two thirds of those young people who were supported told us that this had helped to improve their mental health and emotional wellbeing. Peer Support Programme in schools A peer support pilot in secondary schools has been delivered to help young people feel more prepared to support their friends and other young people with wellbeing needs. Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) are helping to deliver the peer support programme to senior pupils across nine schools. Peer supporters who completed the training indicated that the sessions helped to prepare them for their role (98%), and almost all said they now know where to find help and support, should they or others need it. SLC print proof 293
Page 294
Section four: Our plan and its progress 20 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 Improving access to community mental health supports In response to feedback from children and young people, a website has been specifically designed to help provide age-appropriate information about mental health and emotional wellbeing, and to signpost resources. Young people from schools and youth centres and projects have worked with Children’s Services partners to create the website design and content. The website wellbeingsouthlan.co.uk was launched in June 2024 and is now available to children and young people across South Lanarkshire. Supporting the emotional wellbeing of staff and others Supporting staff We are committed to supporting the wellbeing of Children’s Services staff. As part of this commitment, we have begun to review available supports to improve the wellbeing of the workforce. So far, the review has included assessing needs within education and analysing data and feedback around a range of supports, including Place2Think, SAMH Managing my Wellbeing Workshops, Children’s House Manager Staff Reflection and Family Support Hub Reflective Practice. Recognising the needs identified within education and to enhance supports, a ‘supervision pilot’ initiative for staff in schools involved in child protection processes was established in 17 secondary schools. Almost all staff involved reported increased confidence in applying the learning from this course to their own context. A Staff Support and Development Group has also been established with the aim of providing peer support and sharing best practice amongst secondary school staff who work directly with vulnerable young people. To support the wider workforce, ‘Managing my Wellbeing’ workshops have been delivered to 383 staff, with 96% of staff reporting that the workshop was useful in helping them in their practice and 99% saying that they would recommend attending the workshop to others. Increase understanding and improve identification of infant mental health concerns. An online training session was delivered by the Infant Mental Health team to raise the awareness of staff in early learning and childcare settings in the importance of positive infant mental health. This has now been developed into a permanent online course that can be used by the whole workforce to improve their understanding of emotional wellbeing in infancy. Training on infant mental health is also being provided as part of wider training to support child protection. Staff have increased their understanding about how emotional wellbeing in early stages can help shape who children are, the attachments they form with their parents and carers and how they manage their emotions. Staff also are provided training on the use of resources that help to observe and understand a child’s emotional wellbeing. These resources are being made available to staff across children’s services settings. SLC print proof 294
Page 295
21 In South Lanarkshire, we are committed to the overall vision of The Promise and are working on key aspects such as ‘a good childhood,’ the voice of care experienced children and young people and through our whole family approach. The work to deliver real and meaningful change, as aspired by The Promise, is led by the Keeping The Promise Thematic Group, who are staff from organisations that are working to provide better support for care experienced families for example, access to health support, providing an education that fully meets learners needs, promoting the importance of strong and consistent relationships (particularly brothers and sisters), improving access to advocacy support, the decriminalisation of care experienced young people, supporting young people with moving on from care and ensuring the right support is available for all families at the right time. Our chief officer level Promise Board ensures a shared level of accountability set up to drive change and our Champions Board creates the opportunity for our care experienced children and young people to articulate their views and experiences with corporate parents including the Promise Board. This is already helping us shape and adapt practice to meet The Promise vision. Our dedicated Promise Participation Team works to elevate voice through creating opportunities for the participation of care experienced children and young people on the issues that matter to them. The following information reflects the programme of improvement activity to support care experienced children, young people and families and builds on the important successes of the previous two-year children’s services plan. Our focus has been on the following: T The voice of children and young people in decision making T Accessible mental health support T Help with sustaining further and higher education opportunities and greater employability options T Access to health care with dedicated nurses to support better health outcomes for young people 16 - 26 T Young people over 16 benefiting from improved and more consistent pathway planning especially in terms of housing T Support with managing finances T Brothers and sisters T Youth voice in the youth justice system and our approach to contextual safeguarding Keeping the Promise to our care experienced children, young people and families SLC print proof 295
Page 296
Section four: Our plan and its progress 22 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 Outcome - Children and young people grow up loved, safe, respected and listened to Voice is at the heart of all decision- making processes at all levels Children and young people informing their plans Almost all (96%) of the young people living in our Children’s Units have been actively involved in developing tools and paperwork that help to plan the help and support they are offered by Corporate Parents. The paperwork has also been reviewed by the Champions Board (a group of care experienced children and young people who have been established to inform planning, decision-making and how children and young people are supported). The young people said they felt that the result was a process that was more child and young person friendly, with more simple paperwork that also gathered their experiences and voices and was easier to understand how the support offered as part of their plan would make a positive difference to their lives. To make sure that the new approach is being used, staff from the Children’s Units meet with other staff from Social Work to review the content of the plans and make sure the views of children and young people are informing the help and support they are offered, Influencing Change Children and young people have had lots of opportunities to influence change in the way services are delivered. The Champions Board was relaunched in January 2024 with new members and were immediately involved in influencing the work of the Keeping The Promise Thematic Group. The ‘Champs’ were heavily involved in delivering an event in February to mark ‘Care Day’ and are leading the thematic group in preparations to celebrate Care Day in 2025. As a result of their work, Corporate Parents have agreed to be more visible and accessible to the Champs and a programme of engagement is in place, including meetings with the council Chief Executive. They are also working with Housing officials to develop and deliver a dedicated Housing Protocol that is making sure young people leaving care have the best support available when moving into an independent living situation. Some young people were actively involved in a recent ‘Care and Prejudice’ seminar, which helped to increase the awareness of the Champion’s Board and the difference they are trying to make for care experienced children and young people. You said, We did The Champions Board have been helping to develop the commitment to make sure everyone who is involved in consultation and participation events and processes understands how their views and ideas are used. They have been developing a ‘Feedback Loop’ including an input to the Scottish Government on climate change and are holding corporate parents to account through regular updates in relation to plans to improve support around finance, employment, and mental health. The Champions Board are reporting progress in respect of feedback across the council which was a theme identified at our Care Day event this year and are developing a ‘Mini Champs’ network with pupils in our schools to develop increased support to the care experienced teaching staff. The Champs are also involved in helping to set new actions and goals for the Keeping the Promise Action Plan, to make sure that we are doing all we can with the resources available to improve the life chances of care experienced children, young people and families. Increased number of care experienced people accessing further and/or higher education opportunities and successful employment Sustaining participation in employability programmes The employability team tracks the destinations of all care experienced young people aged 16-19 and works with Skills Development Scotland and Social Work to support care experienced young people into employability programmes designed to support young people’s journey into work. Over the last year, 57 care experienced young people progressed from a range of programmes offered by the Local Employability Partnership. SLC print proof 296
Page 297
23 Sustaining Further and Higher Education The work to support care experienced young people begins early in their school journey access to the right career information, advice and guidance, which helps young people reach positive destinations after leaving school. Skills Development Scotland advisors speak to young people and offer coaching by a professional careers advisers up to five times in any one school year. This includes support with applications, preparation for interviews and staying in contact once the young person leaves school. The support is delivered in school, or in Children’s Units, wherever the pupil feels most comfortable. This support has proven to be valuable for young people in their journey into Further and Higher Education courses helping to build the skills and knowledge to find the right opportunity and sustain their place on their course. If a young person is at risk of dropping out of a course an advisor is in contact to offer support. A dedicated adviser is available in South Lanarkshire College, making it easier for students to talk to someone who can help with course issues and challenges. This year additional one to one groupwork support has been offered to all care experienced students. Information sessions have been offered in all schools around accessing the care experienced bursary and other entitlements. The most recent results for school leaver destinations reported that 9.6% of care experienced young people moved into Higher Education and 46% to Further Education opportunities. This shows an increase in the number of young people accessing Further Education settings. Partnership working to support care experienced young people transition to a positive pathway at college Increased engagement with schools, Skills Development Scotland, Social Work and Throughcare support has led to successful transitions to South Lanarkshire College. This includes Q and A sessions, workshops, orientation visits and summer support pathways. Evidence shows that while the number of learners has reduced over the last year (173 to 145) the percentage of students successfully completing their college course has increased slightly by 0.3% points. Supporting care experienced pupils in schools Because we know care experienced pupils often have greater challenges and barriers in their learning, extra support is provided to help them. Pupils are supported in schools by designated senior managers who co-ordinate any help the children and young people might need, including supporting their attainment and wellbeing, which is helping to make sure they are given the same chance of success as every other pupil. Our schools are also working on improving the understanding of what it means to be care experienced and many schools have a promoted member of staff who work as a care experienced champion. This approach provides opportunities for young people to talk together about their experiences and support each other to make the most of school. There is also a team of support teachers who are directly helping care experienced children who link closely with schools to give specialist advice and advocate for care experienced children in many effective ways. This support has meant that more pupils are achieving National 5 awards, fewer pupils are being excluded from school and their attendance in school is being maintained. Reduced poverty amongst care experienced people Managing money better All care experienced young people are supported to budget for themselves through advocacy support, help from the Promise Team and from other corporate parents. Young people are offered dedicated support including using the available food larder, managing their savings and accessing welfare and benefit advice through the Money Matters Advice Service. Young people have also benefited from an initiative called ‘Winter Wishes’ which provided one-off cash awards to help with the additional cost of living demands between December and February and further help was provided for young people gaining their own tenancy. SLC print proof 297
Page 298
Section four: Our plan and its progress 24 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 Maximising Child Trusts Funds Young people over 16 have been supported to actively manage their Child Trust Fund and/or Junior ISA savings accounts, which are currently administered by the Share Foundation. The council have been working with Share Scotland to identify any unclaimed ISAs and to make sure that young people get the financial benefits they are entitled to. Eighteen young people took part in financial education courses. All the young people who participated benefited financially in some way and a total of £9,850 was provided to those completing courses. Four young people gained £1,500 for their Child Trust Fund as a result of their participation. In addition, a number of contributions were made to young people’s savings accounts/Junior ISAs. E.g. £1,500 has been added to the account of a young person who has been adopted, £2,430 has been added to five accounts of young people currently in care. Making the most of benefits advice All care experienced young people are supported to receive financial help in the form of awareness raising about benefit entitlement, financial education and budgeting. The Money Matters Advice Service meet with young people in the Care Hub on a regular basis and offer drop-in sessions or dedicated appointments when needed. As a result, care experienced young people are building their confidence with managing their money and budgeting and beginning to access additional entitlements. As a result of the financial support young people have been offered, over 70% say that they are now better informed about financial planning as a result. Improved lifelong support for care experienced people Supporting families to stay together As part of our approach to supporting families to stay together where possible and develop a strong sense of belonging, regular meetings take place with staff from the Promise Team, Residential Services and the Family Connections Service. The group have been analysing available research and information about current practice to support brothers and sisters stay in contact when they are placed in different care arrangements. Also, discussions have begun with young people to gather their views on how they have been supported to maintain relationships with their brothers and sisters in South Lanarkshire. Improved support into long term housing for care experienced people Planning for suitable accommodation for young people Housing and Social Work staff have been working closely to better understand the needs of young people moving into their first independent living home and to make sure they are offered the best option possible. Every young person leaving a care situation is supported by an independent plan that informs what accommodation is offered and the support they get to move into their new home. Young people have told us that this support is valuable in helping them move into their first home. Supporting young people in their home We are developing a multi-agency approach to providing care experienced young people the best home possible to make sure that they are satisfied with their home when they get it and are supported to make sure it continues to meet their needs. This includes making sure training is provided for third sector agencies, having a clear plan to engage young people in the process. We have recently secured additional funding to the Big Lottery to work in partnership with Barnardos to put in place a new Youth Housing Support project. SLC print proof 298
Page 299
25 Developing a Throughcare Housing Protocol Housing and Social work have been working closely with the Champions Board young people to develop and implement a Throughcare Protocol, which was launched in January 2024. The protocol will mean that young people moving into their first tenancy will get the right support they require at the right time. Improved the mental health and emotional wellbeing of care experienced people Online support for young people’s mental health As part of our work to support the emotional wellbeing of young people, staff have been working with young people to inform what online support is available including digital platforms to inform care experienced young people of the mental health supports that are available. This helped inform the use of Kooth, a support website that offers help, advice and access to qualified councillors via the website. Over the last year, 89 care experienced young people aged 18 to 26 used this support and nine of them reported that they felt this was a useful source of support and all of them would recommend the service. One young person talks about the impact the support made to them: Blair accessed the website for support because they wanted to find ways to communicate to their partner in a positive and constructive way. They spoke to a councillor who provided support on boundaries and healthy relationships. Blair was helped to set a goal for themselves which was ‘to talk to my partner about how I feel.’ Blair and the practitioner spoke about positive language to use which is less critical, to avoid defensiveness and arguments. The practitioner provided a supportive toolkit for Blair to access, which included helpful resources and reading material and they were signposted to LGBTQIA+ Youth Scotland for further information and support. Blair was given a safe space to explore their emotions; their feelings were acknowledged and validated, and Blair confirmed that they’d recommend counselling to a friend if they ever needed support. Reducing the criminalisation of care experienced young people Care experienced young people and offending “Why not enable young people to explore their own needs and make their own decisions? With the ASK approach care-experienced young people identify their own absent skills and interests, planning a programme around this. This gives them a sense of ownership and control. All along, they engage because they want to – and that’s at the heart. We put power back in the hands of those who have had power taken from them!” Former ASK Young Leader A joint bid by South Lanarkshire Council, COVEY and the university of the West of Scotland to the Scottish Government’s Promise Fund to support a reduction in the criminalisation of care experienced young people secured £150,000 for young people to work together through the ‘ASK’ youth justice and rights approach. This work is being led by the young leaders and peer researchers, and is supported by COVEY, the council and the university. It is planned that the work will provide better outcomes for the young people involved and will help improve the safeguarding of care experienced young people within their community. An event held recently and led by the young people introduced ‘contextual safeguarding’ as a way of considering risk of harm outside the home for children and young people within South Lanarkshire. The event helped to share young people’s experience of community and group-based violence and challenged staff to develop support that keep young people safe in public places, schools and peer groups. SLC print proof 299
Page 300
Section four: Our plan and its progress 26 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 The Harvard experience Who Cares? Scotland’s Reaching Higher campaign and funding from Education and NHS Lanarkshire has helped four young people to attend Harvard University’s prestigious Summer School over the last two summers. All four young people have continued onto to university where they all stated that the Harvard experience helped them in this journey and that they were helped to achieve their aspiration to higher education. This support helped to support attendance and attainment and mental health and emotional wellbeing, which reflects our commitment to The Promise. Who Cares? Scotland are working with South Lanarkshire partners to secure funding to support young people to attend the Harvard Summer School in the future to build on the positive experiences of the young people who have participated previously. SLC print proof 300
Page 301
Section five: Our commitment to improvement 27 A focus on improvement is at the heart of our shared children’s services plan activity, using the national ‘3 Step Improvement Framework’ and Model for Improvement to inform what improvement activity we implement within this plan. This means that all of our improvement work starts off small, trying out ideas to see if they work before we make wholescale changes to services or systems. We are delighted that a number of improvement projects have resulted in more strategic changes, allowing us to work together with children, young people and families for even better outcomes. As we move forward, we are committed to maintaining our focus on improvement as part of our shared work and this will feature in how we work together across the groups within our governance structure. How will we achieve this? T Increased focus on joint working, sharing our knowledge and resources to deliver additional value through the activity of the three thematic groups. T Commitment to an evidence-based approach which gives particular consideration to the needs of the families and best possible outcomes. T Meaningful involvement of children, young people and families. T Long term, strategic thinking that aligns key areas of policy and priorities to support a more holistic, preventative approach. T Robust accountability and governance across all of working groups and through strong scrutiny and the production of accessible annual reports. SLC print proof 301
Page 302
Section six: Moving Forward The Getting It Right for South Lanarkshire’s Children’s Services Partnership has a strong vision for our work together: South Lanarkshire’s children, young people and families will be safeguarded and supported to reach their full potential and thrive within their communities. Each of our Thematic Groups has been reflecting on their progress around the areas for improvement over the last year and agreeing what needs to change (if anything) going forward. The groups are taking into account, data gathered, successful outcomes, problems solved, tasks completed, available resources and above all the voice of service users. This has resulted in the areas of work below being the ones we will focus upon over the next 12 months: Whole Family Approach Thematic Group Every family that needs support gets the right family support at the right time for as long as it is needed Reduced number of children and young people living away from their families Reduced number of families requiring crisis intervention Reduced inequality gap in child development Reduced inequality gap in wellbeing outcomes for families’ children and young people Achieved Breastfeeding Friendly council status Improved whole family approaches to child healthy weight Increased number of families taking up wider supports Supporting the Child Poverty Accelerator Fund initiative to support families with disability challenges Health and Wellbeing Thematic Group Every child and young person will be able to access support which helps improve their mental health and emotional wellbeing Improved maternal and infant mental health Improved support offered to children and young people who may be at risk of suicide and self-harm Improved whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing Improved visibility and accessibility of community mental health supports and services Staff professional learning and development to ensure their own and others’ wellbeing established Keeping The Promise Thematic Group Children and young people grow up loved, safe, respected and listened to Voice is at the heart of all decision-making processes at all levels Increased number of care experienced people accessing further and/or higher education opportunities and successful employment Reduced poverty amongst care experienced people Improved lifelong support for care experienced people Improved support into long term housing for care experienced people Improved the mental health and emotional wellbeing of care experienced people 28 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 SLC print proof 302
Page 303
Section seven: Wider Partnerships 29 Our children’s services partners are: most importantly our children, young people and families, South Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, NHS Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire Child Protection Committee, Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA), Police Scotland, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture and Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan) on behalf of our vibrant and valuable third sector organisations. As a result, our governance structure is one designed to make the most of available resources and one that is well placed to drive forward our agreed priorities going forward and make a substantial contribution towards the national priorities of the Promise, Whole Family Wellbeing, Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing, Children’s Rights and Getting It Right for Every Child. The structure shown below highlights our core children’s services plan activity, but also has key links to the Community Planning Partnership, Child Protection Committee, Community Learning and Development Partnership and the Drug and Alcohol Partnership, where we share common priorities in achieving best outcomes for children, young people and families. We are committed to using our combined resources effectively to deliver services promoting wellbeing, preventing adversity and offering the right help at the right time to those who need it. Getting It Right for South Lanarkshire’s Children Governance Structure 2023-26 Children’s Services Partnership Whole Family Health and Wellbeing The Promise Continuous Improvement Promise Board Champions Board SLC print proof 303
Page 304
Key Contacts Partnership Planning Manager Education Resources, South Lanarkshire Council Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AE Email: education.inclusion@southlanarkshire.gov.uk Planning and Performance Manager South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AE Email: strategic_services@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 30 Children’s Services Plan 2023—2024 SLC print proof 304
Page 305
SLC print proof 305
Page 306
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. 067312/Aug24. www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk SLC print proof 306
Page 307
Review of Children’s Services Plans 2023-2026 South Lanarkshire Individual Feedback Report Produced by The Lines Between on behalf of the Scottish Government Appendix 2 15 307
Page 308
1 Introduction This report provides feedback on South Lanarkshire’s Children’s Services Plan 2023-2026. Context Part 3 Section 8(1) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 requires each local authority and its corresponding health board to jointly prepare a Children’s Services Plan (CSP) every three years. The CSP is designed collaboratively by specified service providers and local stakeholders, with a view to meeting the following statutory aims: The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 also requires the Scottish Government, on behalf of Ministers, to review all CSPs in the year of their submission and provide individual feedback reports to each Children's Services Planning Partnership (CSPP). Review of Children’s Services Plans In September 2023, the Scottish Government commissioned The Lines Between1 to undertake an independent review of CSPs covering the 2023-2026 period. As part of this commission, The Lines Between will produce the following outputs: • A national review report providing an overview of findings from the review of CSPs. This will highlight key themes emerging in Children’s Services Planning and discuss areas of strength, gaps and areas for development across all 30 CSPs. 1 The Lines Between is a social research agency with extensive experience of research, evaluation and analysis across different sectors, including children & families services, health & social care and education. (a) that children's services in the area concerned are provided in the way which: (i) best safeguards, supports and promotes the wellbeing of children in the area concerned, (ii) ensures that any action to meet needs is taken at the earliest appropriate time and that, where appropriate, action is taken to prevent needs arising, (iii) is most integrated from the point of view of recipients, and (iv) constitutes the best use of available resources, (b) that related services in the area concerned are provided in the way which, so far as consistent with the objects and proper delivery of the service concerned, safeguards, supports and promotes the wellbeing of children in the area concerned. 308
Page 309
2 • Individual feedback reports for each CSPP providing individualised feedback on the content of each CSP, highlighting areas of good practice and areas where further support and development is needed. Approach to analysis A number of expectations regarding the content, format, and process of developing a Children’s Services Plan are explicitly outlined within Statutory Guidance on Part 3 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 20142. The requirements set out in the Statutory Guidance have been used to develop a list of 15 key criteria, against which the CSPs have been reviewed. A full list of the criteria is provided in Appendix A. This feedback report discusses each criterion in turn, providing explanatory commentary on how the CSP addresses the criterion and where increased coverage or a stronger articulation of the criterion would be beneficial. Each feedback report also provides a summary of the key areas of good practice and areas where further support and development is needed. Where information could not be identified within a plan, this has been indicated within the report under the relevant criterion section. There may be areas for further clarification as the terminology, governance arrangements, and models of operational service delivery vary significantly across Scotland’s 30 CSPPs. Purpose of individual feedback reports Individual feedback reports are intended to support CSPPs to consider areas of strength, and potential areas for development, in their articulation of the local approach to Children’s Services Planning. This aims to support CSPPs in continuous improvement activity as part of each 3-year planning cycle. The feedback in this report is not intended as a statement on compliance with associated legislation or assessment of standards of service delivery. Feedback reports should therefore be considered in conjunction with learning from single and multi-agency quality assurance and self-evaluation activity by each CSPP, together with findings from inspection. 2 Children's services planning: guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) 309
Page 310
3 Review of South Lanarkshire’s Children’s Services Plan (2023- 2026) The table below summarises the extent to which South Lanarkshire’s CSP has met the criteria identified for the purposes of this review. Criteria Fully met Partially met Not met 1. Vision ✓ 2. National Performance Framework ✓ 3. Joint Strategic Needs Assessment ✓ 4. Include Analysis of Data ✓ 5. Manageable/Measurable Priorities ✓ 6. Children’s & Related Services ✓ 7. Prevention & Early Intervention ✓ 8. GIRFEC ✓ 9. Children’s Rights ✓ 10. Engagement & Ownership ✓ 11. Family Support ✓ 12. Resources ✓ 13. Monitoring Indicators ✓ 14. SMART ✓ 15. Links to Plans & Reports ✓ Criterion 1: Vision South Lanarkshire’s CSP sets out a shared vision on p. 6: “South Lanarkshire’s children, young people and families will be safeguarded and supported to reach their full potential and thrive within their communities”. A range of children’s services partners are listed, including South Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire H&SCP, NHS Lanarkshire, SCRA, emergency services, South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture and Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire. Governance arrangements for the CSPP are set out in a helpful chart on p. 6. The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 1. 310
Page 311
4 Criterion 2: National Performance Framework The Guidance states, “it is expected that all actions, activity and initiatives are aligned with, and seek to deliver the ambitions contained in the National Performance Framework (NPF)”. A diagram of the NPF and its outcomes is included on p. 25. It is noted that the NPF has informed the CSP’s development and formed the basis of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. A range of NPF and other national level outcomes are embedded within the CSP. The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 2. Criterion 3: Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Section 9 (p. 24) sets out the Partnership’s approach to improvement, which involves maintaining a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. This clarifies that the voices of children, families, and the wider workforce were involved in obtaining this data and shaping the CSP and its priorities. There is some evidence that those whose voices are seldom heard were consulted, such as care experienced children via a Champions Board. Pages 8-12 set out a range of population, health, education and economic data on children, young people and families in South Lanarkshire. There are clear links between the data and SHANARRI wellbeing indicators and the actions and outcomes within the plan. The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 3. Criterion 4: Include Analysis of Data As noted above, pp. 8-12 set out comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data which covers the full range of SHANARRI wellbeing indicators. The data considers the needs of children at different stages of life and those with specific needs. For example, statistics are provided on % of young people with mental health concerns (at different ages), % of young people who have tried e-cigarettes, number of child protection registrations and number of children referred to SCRA for justice proceedings. Data has been gathered from a range of sources, including surveys, consultation, inspection findings, audits and learning reviews. The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 4. Criterion 5: Manageable/Measurable Priorities While the CSP does not clearly identify ‘priorities’, sections on Whole Family Wellbeing Approach (pp. 16-17), South Lanarkshire’s Promise (pp. 18-19) and Health and Wellbeing (pp. 20-21) are all set out in a uniform structure, with headings on: ‘Why is it important?’, ‘Where are we now?’ and ‘What will we do next?’ - these could be interpreted as the CSP’s priorities. 311
Page 312
5 Each section discusses the rationale behind the selection of the priority (including relevant data and the views of children and young people), the services and actions addressing the priority and intended outcomes. However, the CSP does not include clear monitoring indicators to measure progress against the priorities; these would be required to fully achieve this criterion. The CSP has partially achieved Criterion 5. Criterion 6: Children’s & Related Services A Children’s Services Plan is intended to provide a narrative of local services offered and planned action to safeguard, support and promote wellbeing, with a focus on prevention and early intervention. South Lanarkshire’s Plan refers to both children’s services and related services, and sets out actions being taken to support the workforce. The children’s services mentioned include maternity services, the roll-out of the national Universal Health Visiting Pathway, early years/childcare services, schools and education, youth work, children’s social work and mental and physical health services. A wide range of related services are also discussed. These include: housing and finance support for care experienced young people; targeted employability support through a youth employability service Aspire; and the Alcohol and Drugs Partnership services for children, young people and families with substance use issues. The CSP also highlights the needs of children with parents in the armed forces and support and legislation in this area (p. 28). The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 6. Criterion 7: Prevention & Early Intervention A clear commitment to early intervention and prevention is stated on p. 6 and is reflected throughout the CSP, with recognition that such approaches are key to successful outcomes for children and young people (p. 26). A focus on accessible supports and asset-based approaches supports this goal; these cover all aspects of wellbeing (across SHANARRI). The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 7. Criterion 8: GIRFEC The GIRFEC approach is clearly embedded throughout the CSP. It is noted that GIRFEC and the supporting National Practice Model provide guidance to help South Lanarkshire children’s services deliver proportionate and timely support. A useful diagram on p. 26 describes the GIRFEC model, with references to the resilience matrix, the My World Triangle and SHANARRI indicators. In addition, third sector services have been commissioned to provide wellbeing support for children and staff and focused support through the Trauma Recovery Service. ASIST and trauma-informed training has also been delivered to staff. 312
Page 313
6 The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 8. Criterion 9: Children’s Rights It is clear that children's rights and the UNCRC have been taken into account in the development of the CSP. Children’s views are emphasised throughout the plan, with Section 4 dedicated to children’s rights, engagement, and participation. Examples of how South Lanarkshire has promoted children’s rights and participation include: • The Let’s Connect Conference • Launch event for South Lanarkshire’s Youth Strategy • Champions Board The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 9. Criterion 10: Engagement & Ownership The voices of children, young people and parents were central to the development of the CSP; over 16,000 children and young people were supported to give their views and opinions on services via a wide range of processes (p. 11). Some innovative methods were used, such as the ‘Mind of My Own’ app, to help care experienced children and young people share their views and experiences with staff and a Facebook ‘Closed User Group’ consultation as part of the Scottish and World Breastfeeding Week events (p. 14). Page 15 sets out the views of children and young people gathered through engagement activity; it is clear that the views of a variety of stakeholders have contributed to the development of the plan. The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 10. Criterion 11: Family Support South Lanarkshire identifies Whole Family Wellbeing as one of three key pillars for achieving the best outcomes for families (p. 4). Whole Family Wellbeing has its own dedicated section (pp. 16-17), which describes a focus on developing preventative approaches and a ‘no wrong door’ policy. A range of supports and services are set out from birth onwards, e.g. a schools-based family project called Pathfinders to reduce the need for more complex intervention later. The Whole Family Wellbeing Fund is being used to develop Family Support Hubs, employ peer support workers and early years workers, and set up a Family Group Decision Making project (p. 17) The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 11. Criterion 12: Resources Page 6 details the total 2022/23 budget for each of the following services: education, health, social work and the third sector. In addition, some specific funds are also 313
Page 314
7 highlighted; these include Care Experienced Children and Young People Attainment Fund and Whole Family Wellbeing Fund. Confirmation is given that resources are being directed towards prevention (p. 16). The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 12. Criterion 13: Monitoring Indicators Page 24 sets out 'Our approach to improvement', which states that an approach of continual improvement has been adopted in South Lanarkshire. A Continuous Improvement Group exists to provide an overview of quality assurance activity, informed by the Partnership’s self-evaluation and external scrutiny. While the priority areas have outcomes attached (e.g. ‘Reduce the number of families taking up wider supports’), the CSP does not identify clear monitoring indicators to measure progress against the priorities; these would be required to fully meet this criterion. Integrating the Scottish Government’s Children, Young People and Families Outcomes Framework (CYPF OF) Core Wellbeing Indicators into the CSP’s monitoring and evaluation approach would be best practice. The CSP has partially achieved Criterion 13. Criterion 14: SMART The CSP is well presented, with effective use of colour, photographs and diagrams throughout. It is a reasonable length (32 pages), but would benefit from the inclusion of a one-page summary. Information on how to access the document in different formats, e.g. large print, audio or different languages is provided on the last page. In terms of the SMART principles, the priorities and actions are: Specific, Achievable and Relevant; however, they are not Measureable or Time-related. Clear timescales and monitoring indicators attached to the actions and priorities would be required to fully meet this criterion. The CSP has partially achieved Criterion 14. Criterion 15: Links to Plans & Reports A wide range of local and national plans/frameworks are referenced throughout the CSP, including South Lanarkshire’s Community Plan. A useful summary of the local Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy is also provided. The CSP has fully achieved Criterion 15. Areas of strength South Lanarkshire’s CSP is high quality, ambitious and informative. Key strengths include: detailed explanations of governance and policy contexts; clear and robust examples of stakeholder engagement and involvement; a strong section on children and young 314
Page 315
8 people’s rights; clear data on children, young people and families; and excellent use of design features e.g. colour, photographs and infographics. Areas for further development Few areas have been identified for improvement; these largely relate to the lack of clear monitoring indicators attached to the priority areas. The inclusion of clear and specific progress measures and timeframes for the actions/targets would enhance the plan. Next Steps There is no requirement to provide an update to the Scottish Government in response to the feedback provided in this report. However, should any CSP Strategic Leads find it helpful to discuss any aspect of their CSPP’s feedback, please get in touch via: ChildrensServicesPlanning@gov.scot 315
Page 316
9 Appendix A: Statutory review criteria Does the Children’s Services Plan…. 1. Have a clear, ambitious compelling shared vision of what will be achieved by the end of the plan? 2. Reflect relevant National Performance Framework Outcomes? 3. Incorporate a robust evidence-based joint strategic needs assessment of the current population of the children and young people in its area? 4. Include analysis of quantitative and qualitative evidence and data relating to both service performance and child wellbeing? 5. Identify a manageable number of measureable priorities clearly linked to the joint needs assessment to ensure that the rationale behind the priorities is explicit? 6. Cover local services which fall into the categories of both ‘children’s services’ and ‘related services’ in its scope? 7. Recognise and describe services which can fulfil both ‘primary prevention’ and ‘early intervention’ across all aspects of wellbeing? 8. Describe how the Children’s Services Planning Partnership is creating and maintaining effective Getting It Right for Every Child practice for individual children, young people and their families? 9. Describe how the Children’s Services Planning Partnership is using children’s rights to inform the structural, procedural and outcome framework of the plan? 10. Convey a shared sense of ongoing engagement and ownership with staff, children, young people, families and the wider community, evidencing that the Children’s Services Planning Partnership has made full use of stakeholder’s ideas and suggestions? 11. Set out a comprehensive strategy for supporting families through a broad range of preventative and early intervention approaches from universal services to targeted intensive support and describe the rationale for how and where the family support services are provided? 12. Describe what services are going to be developed in the future and specifying which areas will see disinvestment in order to facilitate the shift of resources towards preventative and early intervention options? 13. Set clear indicators for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of children’s services in terms of their success in responding to and addressing children’s wellbeing needs? 14. Present all the information in an easily accessible format which is SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-related)? 15. Illustrate links (or incorporation) of other statutory plans and reports? 316
Page 317
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Executive Director (Education Resources) Subject: Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023/2024 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] update the committee on the content of the South Lanarkshire Child Poverty Action Report for 2023/2024 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the progress in developing the Child Poverty Action Report 2023/2024 be noted. 3. Background 3.1. The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 introduced a new requirement for local authorities and relevant health boards to prepare a Local Child Poverty Action Report (LCPAR) as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each reporting year. 3.2. The purpose of the LCPAR is to describe any measures taken in the area of the local authority during the reporting year and planned activity for the year ahead that seeks to address and mitigate child poverty. 3.3. The work described in the report is expected to contribute to the four national income- based child poverty reduction targets to be achieved by 2030:- (1) less than 10% of children are in relative poverty (2) less than 5% of children are in absolute poverty (3) less than % of children are in combined low income and material deprivation (4) less than 5% of children are in persistent poverty 3.4. The Scottish Government made it clear that the introduction of the requirement to produce a LCPAR signals an imperative to undertake new activity and a new approach to tackling child poverty; effectively a step-change in tackling child poverty. Where local partners are continuing with existing activity, they should be clear about the supporting evidence base indicating its effectiveness. 3.5. Feedback on South Lanarkshire’s LCPAR from the Improvement Service continues to be overwhelmingly positive. 16 317
Page 318
3.6. South Lanarkshire Council and NHS Lanarkshire agreed at the Community Planning Partnership Board meeting of the 6 June 2018 to produce a single LCPAR, recognising a collective effort would be more effective. 3.7. The Child Poverty Working Group, established in 2018, continues to be the main mechanism used to produce the report. This group meets at least on a quarterly basis to ensure that the work around the report remains relevant and focussed on the key actions to address child poverty in South Lanarkshire. 4. Scope of the Report 4.1. Child poverty is caused by a complex blend of structural issues relating to macro- economic and political factors governing the labour market, employment and social security. Social factors make particular groups especially vulnerable to poverty, e.g. children, lone parents, disabled people and Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) groups. The following diagram from the Scottish Government provides an overview of what its research indicates are the main drivers of child poverty. 4.2. One area for improvement is the information gathered from those with lived experience of poverty. This has been key in identifying actions for the partners to develop however, we can be much better at supporting partners engage with families and communities in developing future actions. 5. The Report and Ongoing Activity 5.1. The LCPAR for 2023/2024 is attached as an appendix and highlights a range of work delivered across South Lanarkshire to address poverty challenges faced by families. The report reflects the aspirations of the Child Poverty Commitment and seeks to reflect the oversight of this work going forward and how it is embedded in much of what we do across a wide range of planning and delivery processes. 5.2. As the planning evolves and resourcing and capacity allows, partners will continue to focus on areas for improvement, identified by the working group and from engagement processes. 5.3. Partners will continue to monitor challenges which may arise to mitigate an increase in child poverty, ensuring any new evidence and research informs our shared work and decision making. 5.4. As part of the partners approach to developing activity, listening to the voices of families and communities experiencing poverty issues will be crucial and be a feature of future design of services. 318
Page 319
5.5. The work to establish a Neighbourhood Plan for East Kilbride South has the voice of children and families at its heart and includes the additionality of a child poverty lens informing developments. This work informed a bid to the national Child Poverty Accelerator Fund (CPAF) to test an ‘Ask Once’ model of service delivery. 5.6. In 2023, partners were successful in a joint bid to CPAF to develop an initiative to support families where a child or young person has a disability. This test of change is being delivered by COVEY on behalf of our local partnership and learning from this work with be shared locally and nationally as part of this work. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. There are no immediate employee implications arising from this report. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. Any financial implications will be met within existing budgets. 8. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 8.1. There are no immediate climate change, sustainability or environmental implications. 9. Other Implications 9.1. The LCPAR continues to be a point of local and national scrutiny. This could have positive and/or negative impact on perceptions of the Council and its partners, and a proactive PR approach is required. South Lanarkshire’s report continues to be viewed very favourably. 10. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 10.1. As the new LCPAR is a reporting duty, a new Impact Assessment is not required. 11. Children’s Rights Considerations 11.1. As there is a high poverty/child poverty focus in the work in East Kilbride South, a Children’s Rights Wellbeing Impact Assessment will be completed as part of the work to develop the local Neighbourhood Plan. 11.2. Engaging children, young people and families in developing this work is central to our continuing commitment to the UNCRC and in particular the following Articles:- Article 6 (life, survival and development) every child has the right to be kept safe from harm, the right to be alive, survive and develop through life Article 12 (respect for the views of the child) every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously. Article 13 (freedom of expression) every child must be free to express their thoughts and opinions and to access all kinds of information, as long as it is within the law Article 27 (adequate standard of living) every child has the right to a safe place to live, food and clothing Carole McKenzie Executive Director (Education Resources) 23 October 2024 319
Page 320
Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Education and learning: inspiring learners, transforming learning, strengthening partnerships 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:- Kevn Mullarkey Children’s Services Partnership Planning Manager, Education Resources, South Lanarkshire Council Floor 13, Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AE Email: education.inclusion@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 320
Page 321
Providing the best start and brighter future for children, young people and families in South Lanarkshire South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 16 321
Page 322
South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 322
Page 323
Content section 3 Section 1. Foreword 4 Section 2. The current context 6-7 Section 3. Our plan and its progress • Income from benefits 8-13 • Cost of living 14-22 • Income from employment 23-27 Section 4. Monitoring of progress and delivering on our ambitions 28-29 Section 5. Our priorities for 2024/25 30 SLC print proof 323
Page 324
Section 1 - Foreword Community Wealth Building Strategy Local Child Poverty Action Report Economic Development Strategy Local Employability Partnership Child Health Plan Children’s Services Plan Local Housing Strategy Community Plan/ Neighbourhood Plans Connect (Council Plan) Tackling Child Poverty Community Learning and Development Partnership 4 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 Welcome to South Lanarkshire’s 2024 Local Child Poverty Action Report. As a partnership of many statutory and non-statutory agencies our shared aim is to support families manage increasing financial challenges and work together to identify what more we can do to make things better for families financially. Our report reflects our work over the past 12 months and what we have been able to do to support families cope with the current cost of living challenges and also how we look to improve that support moving forward. We know many children and families continue to experience poverty in their lives to some degree and often face difficult financial choices on a day-to-day basis. This often restricts opportunities for families in many important areas of life, having a detrimental impact on health, participation in education and poor housing conditions. It can also have an adverse effect on families’ involvement in our communities, pursuing hobbies and interests, or being able to experience a holiday as a family. Our aspiration for families continues to be that they experience the best start in life and achieve the best possible outcomes in health, education, employment and feel safe and engaged in the communities where they live. To support this aim, our partners work with families and local communities to identify practical solutions to the things that can bring real change for the better in people’s lives. Working to mitigate child poverty and poverty in general is unlikely to be achieved in isolation. Across South Lanarkshire we are taking a practical approach where actions to address poverty are embedded in all that we do. The diagram below explains the connections across the various processes to tackle poverty and reduce its impact on children, young people and families. SLC print proof 324
Page 325
Cllr Joe Fagan Leader of South Lanarkshire Council Martin Hill Chair of NHS Lanarkshire Board Taking a whole family approach to tackling poverty and improving wellbeing is essential to achieving the best possible outcomes for families. To successfully achieve a sustained reduction in child poverty and break its damaging cycle, we work with partners to provide the sustained and holistic support that families need to improve their wider wellbeing and facilitate improved life chances. We will continue to use the ‘key drivers of poverty reduction’ as our organisers for this work: T Income from social security and benefits T Cost of living, and: T Income from employment The foundation of our work continues to be built upon: T Providing the right opportunities and integrated support to parents and young adults to enter and sustain progress in work T Supporting families to live dignified lives with their basic needs met, and: T Doing everything we possibly can, to ensure our next generation thrives We firmly endorse our child poverty commitment that: ‘We will provide support to South Lanarkshire’s families in order to tackle child poverty head on, through an offer of the right support, at the right time and delivered in the right way.’ Moving forward, our work will be guided by the three main drivers to address poverty and we will work with families to deliver support differently and more effectively where we can. The following commitments underline this approach: T We will make sure any policy development and future service delivery is influenced by the voice of children, young people and families experiencing poverty T Our third sector and voluntary organisations with their strong links to communities will be more involved at all levels T We will use available data to improve our shared understanding of the impact of poverty at household and locality level T We will seek to deliver holistic, wraparound services which are as accessible as possible to families experiencing poverty. T We will work to eliminate stigma connected with child poverty and financial struggles T We will use our combined resources effectively to ensure we deliver services which promote wellbeing, prevent adversity, and provide the right help at the right time to those who need it T We will report on agreed short, medium and long-term outcomes As part of this continued step change journey, South Lanarkshire’s Commitment to tackle child poverty is closely aligned to the national delivery plan on tackling child poverty ‘Best Start Bright Futures’. These in turn are linked to our 2023/26 Children’s Services Plan and the wide range of strategies and plans that are shown in the diagram above. At the centre of all of this is the voice of our children, young people and families which drives our planning and delivery processes. Lastly, we wish to thank all the partners and staff from our statutory, voluntary and community sectors who are committed to making things better for our families. The commitment and dedication to enable families to achieve best possible outcomes is very much a crucial factor in our success. 5 SLC print proof 325
Page 326
Section 2 - The current context The Scottish Government has placed a great deal of emphasis on the role that the new Social Security Scotland benefits system will play in lifting and keeping children out of poverty. The Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2024/25 annual report estimates that the Scottish Child Payment alone will help keep 60,000 children out of relative poverty in Scotland over the coming year. This would equate to around 3,500 children in South Lanarkshire. Targeted benefits, such as the Scottish Child Disability Payment and Best Start Foods/Best Start Grants, enjoy higher rates of uptake in South Lanarkshire when compared to the Scottish average. The latest uptake figures for Scottish Child Disability Payment indicates that 1,645 children with a disability in South Lanarkshire benefited from the new payment, above the Scottish average, while 18,380 successful applications were made by parents/prospective parents for Best Start Grants/ Best Start Foods, again above the Scottish average. Most recent information shows that South Lanarkshire parents have received a total of £27.7 million in Scottish Child Payments since the introduction of the benefit in 2021 (6% of the Scottish total payments), while parents with disabled children have received a total of £28.5 million through the Scottish Child Disability Payment (7% of total Scottish payments), This is higher than would be expected compared to other authorities and the areas share of the national population. The most recent figures available would suggest that just under a third of all children, or 17,530 in South Lanarkshire are currently in receipt of the Scottish Child payment, just below the Scottish average. We are aware that there are increasing incidences of children being affected by homelessness situations across South Lanarkshire. The number of families experiencing homelessness continues to increase and over the last year 305 families experienced temporary accommodation situations at some point compared to 245 the previous year. The latest figures on School Leavers Destinations indicate that the gap between school leavers from the most deprived communities in South Lanarkshire and the least deprived communities, entering a positive destination on leaving school (for example, entering into employment, further/ higher education or training) has closed to just 2.9%, an improvement on the previous year and better than the Scottish average gap of 3.7%. The percentage of care experienced young people entering a positive destination on leaving school, has increased over the previous year to 92.9%, the highest level ever recorded and 4.6% above the Scottish average of 87.9%. Breastfeeding is widely recognised as the most complete form of nutrition for babies. The former UNICEF Executive Director stated that “breastfeeding is a natural ‘safety net’ against the worst effects of poverty”. More babies across South Lanarkshire are now being breastfed and being given the best possible start in life as a result of a range of initiatives. The most recent data shows that South Lanarkshire has a breastfeeding initiation rate of 57.1%, with over 38% of babies still being breastfed by the time they are eight weeks old. This represents a welcome steady increase in breastfeeding since 2017. This data reflects our understanding that children, young people and families, and the agencies that work alongside them, are living and operating in an environment where the cost of living is having an adverse impact on many families. Increases in the cost of fuel and food mean that many family budgets are under pressure to meet the essential costs. As a result, we are seeing a rise in the number of families seeking help from our council benefits advice service Money Matters and the Citizen Advice Bureau. We are also seeing an increase in referrals for help to local community foodbanks and groups and organisations such as Healthy Valleys, Community Links and the Machan Trust. Continued challenges across public sector funding create uncertainty over available resources and capacity to support families going forward and inequalities within communities continue to be a concern. We know that some groups are affected more than others by this, including the priority groups identified below: T one-parent families T a household where someone is disabled T families with three or more children T minority ethnic families T families with a child under one year old T families where the mother is under 25 years of age. In addition, we know that care experienced people are directly impacted by these changes in a disproportionate way. 6 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 326
Page 327
We bear all of these groups in mind when writing this report and when we are planning how we can use our available resources to best support families. As part of our Child Poverty Commitment, we are focussed on improving services for families where we can and have identified some key areas where we will do this. Our Commitment maps out our approach, and we will report on our progress on an annual basis as part of our reporting duty, but more importantly as part of our accountability to our children, young people and families. Our work on child poverty does not happen in isolation and the national delivery plan “Best Start, Bright Futures” identifies targeted resources such as the Scottish Child Payment and other financial support. It also details funding streams such as the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund, which is being used to increase help and support to children, young people and families earlier and in a more joined up way, for example, through the four newly established local Family Hubs, Pathfinders initiative and in the delivery of early parenting support. We have also been successful in bidding into the Child Poverty Accelerator Fund and have been able to implement a test of change aimed at supporting families who have a child or young person with a disability. Our pledge is to make sure that these resources are best used to create a meaningful change in the way we plan and deliver services and support to make a difference to the lives of children, young people and families in South Lanarkshire. This includes working towards the national aim of 5% of our spend on health and social care being on preventative measures by 2030. South Lanarkshire’s Community Plan and the Council Plan ‘Connect’ share the vision of improving the life chances of everyone in South Lanarkshire. All the partners involved locally are working to make sure that we are supporting families as best we can to overcome the impact of poverty, learning together about what works best, and acting sustainably to support our communities and our environment for the future. Our work on neighbourhood planning with communities who are facing the greatest inequalities and are supported to deliver their own priorities is very much part of this vision. Much of this work involves children, young people and families in very practical ways, helping people support each other and making sure that available resources are used to the best effect in our communities. Examples of this work are included within this report, and we continue to recognise the importance of community led activity in shaping our services and in making sure that we do all we can do to help improve the lives of children, young people and families throughout South Lanarkshire. United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) All Children and young people in Scotland, under the age of 18, have protected rights under The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. This requires all Scotland’s public authorities to take proactive steps to ensure the protection of children’s rights in their decision-making and service delivery and makes it unlawful for public authorities, including NHS Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Council, to act incompatibly with the UNCRC. As a partnership we are committed to upholding children’s rights and reporting on our activity. Key actions will include assessing current compatibility, ensuring children’s voices are listened to in relation to decisions that affect them, implementing a new child friendly complaints procedure and developing more child friendly information. 7 SLC print proof 327
Page 328
Section 3 - Our plan and its progress This section provides highlights of the work undertaken in relation to each of our priority themes: Driver 1: Progress on increasing income from benefits Case Study – Clydesdale Citizen’s Advice Clydesdale Citizen’s Advice worked with a single parent of two children 15 and 17 with significant health issues that meant that she could not work. The parent was in receipt of Universal Credit, Adult Disability Payment for herself, as well as Scottish Child Payment and Child Benefit for one of her children. One of the children had been in and out of hospital with health problems, while the other had left school recently and had not secured a positive destination yet. The circumstances had put severe pressure on the household income, not helped by the reduction in benefits due to the older child leaving school. As an initial response to the crisis, Citizen’s Advice made a referral to the Clydesdale Foodbank for an emergency food parcel and fuel vouchers for the family. The adviser offered the parent the option of contacting Routes to Work South (an employability project) and the local careers office for the older child, in order to get support for securing employment or accessing or training. The parent was unaware of the help available for her child to secure work/ training and was grateful from the information given. The parent was also grateful for the food parcel and fuel voucher as this provided immediate help to the problem of not being able to feed her children or to heat her home. Support from the Citizen’s Advice The four Citizen’s Advice offices across South Lanarkshire have played a vital role in helping families with cost-of-living challenges over the past year. They have supported a record number of 2,875 families receive benefits advice, an increase of around two thirds compared to the previous year. In addition, 718 families have benefited from a Financial Health Check, an increase of more than 50% compared to last year. As part of support to families, Citizen’s Advice successfully helped 139 families secure a Scottish Welfare Fund payment, almost double the number supported in the previous year. Around two thirds of the applications made were used to help cover food and energy payments. Overall, families received over £1.2 million in unclaimed benefits and financial gains during 2023/24, an increase of 29% compared to the previous year. 8 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 328
Page 329
Case Study – Citizen’s Advice supporting refugees The parent was referred to Clydesdale Citizen’s Advice by her Midwife as part of the routine enquiry approach. The parent had lived in Scotland for six years, was Turkish, and had refugee status. She was pregnant with her second child, her husband only worked part time and was in receipt of Universal Credit to top up the family income. The client was also in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment and Child Benefit for her first child. The adviser completed a Best Start Grant application and Best Start Food application online with the parent and explained how the Best Start Foods and Best Start Grants scheme worked, and how much it was worth weekly now and when the baby was born. The adviser also completed an application on behalf of the family for a Baby Box and ran through the details of the benefits of this. The parent was advised to come back once her baby was born in order to carry out a further benefit check, to reflect her new circumstances and to ensure that she was claiming all she was entitled to. As a result, the family benefited from a financial gain of £3,808. The parent was also confused as to how to fill in the maternity certificate due to her limited understanding of the application process, but because of the support provided by the advisor, she was able to understand the schemes and how they worked better. The parent was very relieved that she was able to come and get the full support of Citizen’s Advice, which helped reduce the confusion and apprehension that she initially felt when she came into the Bureau. Money Matters Advice Service South Lanarkshire Council’s dedicated Money Matters Advice Service supported 2,673 families over the last year, a small decrease on the 2,752 from the previous year, however the level of need of individual families being referred, appears to have increased. Through the help of Money Matters, families have benefited from an additional £5.58 million in financial gains. This included over half a million pounds in debt that was written off during the same period, a 60% increase on the previous year. Asking for help to manage debt issues has increased substantially over the last 12 months. The total debt dealt with for families was £3.55 million, a 56% increase on 2022/23. Money Matters helped with 711 welfare benefit cases that related directly to children or young people, including maternity benefits, that generated £1.61 million in financial gains, including 186 Scottish Child Payment cases, 143 Child Benefit/Child Tax Credit, 164 Child Disability Payment, 89 for Best Start Grants/ Best Start Foods, and 17 for Free School Meals/ Clothing Grants. The Money Matters Community Wellbeing Team also made nearly 1800 referrals for emergency energy vouchers for families an increase of nearly a quarter and over 500 foodbank referrals, which is almost double the previous year. The ‘Cash First Scheme,’ that gives people £50 cash payments when they are experiencing food or fuel poverty, was launched in October 2023 and since then 631 payments were made to families. 9 SLC print proof 329
Page 330
Case study – Money Matters Advice Service Money Matters supported a lone parent with three children aged under six. The parent requested a full benefit check as she was struggling financially and wanted to know if she was entitled to any other benefits. The adviser completed the benefit check with the client to identify that she was initially in receipt of Universal Credit for herself and two of her children, Child Benefit and the Scottish Child Payment for the first two children. On querying why she did not receive Child Benefit and Scottish Child Payment for the other child, the parent advised that she could not claim any benefits for the additional child due to the ‘two child restriction.’ The adviser assisted in submitting claims for Child Benefit and Scottish Child Payment for the additional child and further identified that the youngest child was autistic and not in receipt of a disability benefit. An additional application was made for Child Disability Payment (unaffected by the two-child restriction). The Child Disability Payment application was successful, being awarded at the high rate and the adviser also identified that the parent was entitled to Carers Allowance, which was also awarded. As a result of the support offered, the family’s household income increased by over £370 per week. This allowed more financial freedom to meet housing, heating and food costs as well as provide for her, including more money for activities and wellbeing. The parent fed back that the resulting increase in income was “life changing” for her and her family. Expanding the Routine Enquiry approach Young mothers under 25 and families with children under the age of one, have both been identified by the Scottish Government, as two of the family types most at risk of experiencing child poverty. The Routine Enquiry of Finances approach is now a well- established practice in South Lanarkshire, where NHS maternity and health visiting staff can refer pregnant women or new mothers deemed most a risk of poverty onto local money advice services. During the last year 808 referrals were made to Money Matters by NHS staff. Through the help given families have benefited from £667K in financial gains, having a substantially positive impact on their lives. As part of this work NHS Lanarkshire employed a Health Improvement Senior and commissioned a part time Money Advisor from Money Matters to build capacity around routine enquiry and workforce development across the organisation. During this period 174 NHS Lanarkshire staff received training, of which three staff teams received an in- depth routine enquiry session, which they are now implementing in practice. The team have also attended 13 events, engaging with staff, patients and carers to provide advice, signposting or directing referrals for financial support. Although not always specifically targeted at child poverty priority groups, many of individual staff members or patients supported have had parental or other caring responsibilities for children and they have been supported to maximise their income in an NHS setting, where they may not otherwise have reached out for help. NHS Lanarkshire South Family Nurse Partnership The NHS Lanarkshire Family Nurse Partnership Programme is a programme designed to support first- time young mums and their families, aged 19 and under, who are pregnant with their first child. The evidence based programme provides support to families to break intergenerational cycles of poor outcomes and this support, delivered by nurses helps to: T Improve pregnancy and birth outcomes; T Improve child health and development and readiness for school; and T Improve parents’ capacity. Section 3 - Our plan and its progress 10 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 330
Page 331
Support is provided from early pregnancy until the baby is two years old and the unique relationships built over this time, allows a safe space for sensitive conversations on a variety of topics. Financial worries is a common concern, often cause by the change in circumstances. Glasgow Royal Hospital for Children Project A financial advice service has been provided for parents with children on location at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow for a number of years and has been celebrated as a model of effective partnership working. Over the last year 28 families with children who have disabilities from South Lanarkshire were referred to the Money Advice Service Glasgow. Through the intervention, more than £212K in financial gains were secured for the families, an increase of 9% on the gain in the previous year. Young Patient’s Family Fund The Young Patient’s Family Fund is a Scottish Government fund to help families with the costs of visiting and providing essential care that supports the health and wellbeing of their child whilst in hospital. The fund works to remove some of the financial barriers for families visiting a baby, child or young person in hospital. Parents and siblings can reclaim expenses for travel, food and overnight accommodation costs associated with visiting a child under 18 years old in hospital. To encourage uptake of the fund, NHS Lanarkshire staff have made information available through social media platforms, and within staff newsletters and briefings, to ensure staff on site are aware of the fund and how to help families access it. In 2023/24 NHS Lanarkshire paediatric and neonatal units received funding, which meant 20 families from South Lanarkshire were able to make claims via the paediatric unit and were reimbursed a total of £6,907.86. Additional monies were used to support families via the neonatal unit. Family Nurse Partnership Case Study – Using Routine Enquiry approach to support young mothers In early pregnancy a young expectant mum aged 18, enrolled in the Family Nurse Partnership. The mum engaged with her family nurse throughout her pregnancy and the birth of her child. She was initially in a joint tenancy with her partner but due to relationship issues left the home and was staying with a family member, she registered as homeless with the council and was waiting to be assessed for suitable accommodation. The parent had been experiencing relationship, tenancy and financial issues and her family nurse was able to support her to navigate the housing and benefits system to secure a stable home for herself and child and maximise her income. This support included help with changing Universal Credit circumstances, including adding the child element to her claim and making a claim for child benefit. The parent was also supported to contact Social Security Scotland to make an application for Best Start Grant and the Scottish Child Payment and will further be supported to apply for a single adult council tax reduction via the local authority when her own tenancy is sustained. 11 SLC print proof 331
Page 332
GP Community Link Worker Programme/ Financial Wellbeing Providers The programme is aimed at helping primary care teams support people to live well in their communities. A worker engages directly with parents who are experiencing challenges affecting their health and wellbeing and helps them access additional support. As part of the approach by the Link Workers, referrals are made to Citizen’s Advice and Money Matters. Any parent that discloses financial, debt or benefit worries can be referred onto these support services. Over the last year 1,642 referrals were made by Community Links Workers, a 153% increase on the number referred the previous year, with almost 9 in 10 families continuing to engage with staff after initial referrals. As a result of this support, families have benefited from additional income of over £563K. Case Study - Community Link Worker support A lone parent with three children, one of whom has additional support needs was referred to the Community Link Worker by the GP. The patient was experiencing financial pressures and struggling to find enough money to purchase food for her family. The parent also disclosed she has some debt, which she is struggling to pay back. The worker made an urgent referral for emergency food provision and also signposted the parent to the council to make an application to the Scottish Welfare Fund. The worker also referred the parent to Money Matters for benefits advice to ensure income is maximised and recommended the patient approach the Citizen’s Advice to discuss and devise a debt repayment plan. The link worker also suggested making an application for Child Disability Payment due to the ongoing costs and support required to care for the child with additional support needs. The parent was very grateful for the help she had received and explained that she had applied and received a community care and crisis grant, she had also received an emergency food parcel. The parent also shared that following the benefit check, she had made an application for an Adult Disability payment and was awaiting a decision from Social Security Scotland. Section 3 - Our plan and its progress 12 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 332
Page 333
Social Security Scotland benefits and actions Since the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment in 2022, just under 20,000 children in South Lanarkshire have benefited from the new payment, this represents more than a third of the population under the age of 16 and just below the Scottish average. Over 7,000 of these children, live in the 20% most deprived communities. South Lanarkshire families have received almost £25 million in benefits through the Scottish Child Payment, since the payment was introduced, around 6% of the total Scottish payments. The Scottish Child Disability payment was established in 2023, to provide extra support to families with disabled children under the age of 16. Since the introduction of this benefit, Social Security Scotland has approved 2,455 applications from families with disabled children, around 82% of the total applications received, which is higher than the Scottish average (80%). Families in South Lanarkshire with disabled children have benefited from an additional £44.3 million up to 31st March this year. Social Security Scotland continue to promote their child focused benefits and provide information and promotions online to stakeholders. Invites to information sessions are regularly sent to stakeholders, to ensure partners are kept up to date with new developments and opportunities to pass onto families. Media campaigns are continuing and are targeted at client groups, such as low-income families. Social Security Scotland continue to help clients directly via appointment with resources to support with tasks such as application completion, information around appeals, and to signpost the community to the support that the benefits provide. Supporting Care Experienced Young People manage money better All care experienced young people are supported to budget for themselves through advocacy support, help from the Promise Team and from other corporate parents. Young people are offered dedicated support including using the available food larder, managing their savings and accessing welfare and benefit advice through Money Matters. Young people have also benefited from an initiative called ‘Winter Wishes’ which provided one-off cash awards to help with the additional cost of living demands between December and February and further help was provided for young people gaining their own tenancy. Maximising Child Trusts Funds for care experienced young people Young people over 16 have been supported to actively manage their Child Trust Fund and/or Junior ISA savings accounts, which are currently administered by the Share Foundation. The council have been working with Share Scotland to identify any unclaimed ISAs and to make sure that young people get the financial benefits they are entitled to. Eighteen young people took part in financial education courses. All the young people who participated benefited financially in some way and a total of £9,850 was provided to those completing courses. Four young people gained £1,500 for their Child Trust Fund as a result of their participation. In addition, a number of contributions were made to young people’s savings accounts/Junior ISAs. For example, £1,500 has been added to the account of a young person who has been adopted, £2,430 has been added to five accounts of young people currently in care. Making the most of benefits advice All care experienced young people are supported to receive financial help in the form of awareness raising about benefit entitlement, financial education and budgeting. The Money Matters Advice Service meet with young people in the Care Hub on a regular basis and offer drop-in sessions or dedicated appointments when needed. As a result, care experienced young people are building their confidence with managing their money and budgeting and beginning to access additional entitlements. As a result of the financial support young people have been offered, over 70% say that they are now better informed and more confident about financial planning as a result. 13 SLC print proof 333
Page 334
The Early Learning and Childcare service has continued to work with partners to encourage and maximise uptake of free childcare entitlements for two- and three-year-old children. There has been a 13.6% increase in the number of 2-year-olds taking up the offer of up to 1,140 hours of free, funded childcare per year. Now just under 30% of all 2-year- olds in South Lanarkshire are taking advantage of the entitlement, the highest percentage on record. Reducing the cost of the school day initiatives Following the publication of a Cost of the School Day Policy, a new, complimentary guidance booklet was produced for South Lanarkshire schools in March 2024. Education Resources hosted a conference dedicated to the issue of the Cost of the School Day, the first of its kind to be hosted in South Lanarkshire. This was featured on the Child Poverty Action Group website, detailing 10 key proposals; https://cpag.org. uk/news/south-lanarkshire-council-launches-their- cost-school-day-guidance A Cost of the School Day Position Statement has been implemented in 80% of schools and it is intended that at least 60% of schools will have a Cost of the School Day Policy in place by October 2024. Participatory Budgeting in Schools All South Lanarkshire schools who receive Pupil Equity Funding have contributed at least 5% to participatory budgeting activities this year. Schools have been working to improve engagement with children, parents and staff to ensure that the priorities of school communities better inform how the budget is spent. Pupils and parents from all of these schools have contributed to informing which activities for pupils are offered. Case Study – Lanark Primary School Lanark Primary School used 5% of their allocated Pupil Equity Fund monies (£2,430) on participatory budgeting. The school identified families to contact directly, to gather their thoughts and suggestions of how the budget could best be spent. After discussion and narrowing down to four ideas, these went to the school community to vote on. These suggestions were: 1. School trip contributions to reduce costs for all families 2. Free fruit for snack times 3. After school clubs (especially cooking and gardening) 4. Fidget toys and sensory resources The majority vote went to maintain a zero or reduced cost for class trips (40%) and running more after school clubs (38%). It was agreed to fund both as far as possible. In terms of participating in the process, 100% of staff and pupils voted and 77% of parents voted. At Lanark Primary, 31% of pupils reside in the 40% most deprived areas and/or are entitled to free school meals. One positive outcome of this participatory budgeting process so far is that all primary seven pupils have attended at least two after school clubs supported by the fund. Driver 2: Progress on minimising the effects of Cost-of-Living rises Increased uptake of funded and early learning and childcare entitlement for 2 and 3 year olds - South Lanarkshire Council Early Years Learning and Childcare Section 3 - Our plan and its progress 14 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 334
Page 335
Maximising the uptake of School benefits – free school meals and clothing grants On average 69% of primary pupils eligible for a free school meal have taken up a meal option, an increase of 2% on the previous year. While around 40% of secondary pupils who were eligible for a free school meal, took a free meal, again amounting to a 2% increase. More than half a million free meals were provided for pre-school age children and nurseries during the past 12 months, well in excess of the target for the year. The number of pupils in South Lanarkshire primary and secondary schools benefiting from clothing grants was 12,353, or more than 1 in 4 children, which is a slight decrease on the previous two years. Case Study - Carstairs Junction Early Learning and Childcare supporting families Carstairs Junction Primary Early Learning and Childcare has a strong focus on equity, ensuring there are no cost barriers to engagement and participation. All decisions are underpinned by their Cost of the School Day policy and their termly community newsletter signposts families to financial and wellbeing support in their local area. The school’s ‘Grab Rail’ is available for families to access pre-loved uniform items. This resource is accessible daily and is highlighted to families through the establishment’s newsletter on a regular basis. They also have seasonal items for parents to access, such as Halloween costumes and winter clothing, in recognition of the additional financial pressures these items may place on families. Staff know the families very well and sensitively identify where additional supports may be required. Families are supported to access funding through the Greggs Hardship Fund for families requiring financial support for clothing and household goods etc. The school are aware of individual family circumstances and are flexible with drop off and pick up times to ensure no child is impacted by factors such as the local transport network. Promoting Active Travel among young people There has been a small increase in the percentage of children using active travel to get to school over the past year, that means that more than 60% of children are now travelling to school using some form of either active or sustainable travel. There has been a 6% increase in the number of schools producing an Active Travel Plan, from 78 last year, to 83 schools this year; the highest number ever recorded. A further 55 schools are aiming to complete a plan during the course of 2024, contributing towards pupils’ overall health and wellbeing. Throughout the year, there were some excellent examples of schools and nurseries who had completed their School Travel Plan and continue to deliver important road safety messages throughout the school year. As of 31st March 2024, 74% of young people under the age of 22 in South Lanarkshire had signed up for free concessionary bus travel, higher than the Scottish average of 72%. Case Study - Cairns Primary School, Cambuslang An action from Cairns Primary School Travel Plan was ‘Park and Stride,’ with the school focusing on this campaign aim of improving safety within the school car park and on Ivy Bank Avenue, which is the road on approach to the school car park. Due to limited car parking spaces, the message of Park and Stride was incorporated in a leaflet designed to ask car users to think about their journey. Those who had to drive, were asked to park away from the school and walk the remaining distance. The Junior Road Safety Officer Team launched their Park and Stride message at the parent’s evening in November, where they had a stall to which they communicated to all parents and carers who attended to encourage safe and sustainable travel. 15 SLC print proof 335
Page 336
Case Study – Spittal Primary School, Rutherglen The Junior Road Safety Officer Team spoke at the school’s assembly to promote ‘Be Safe, Be Seen’ and how to keep safe. They presented an informative PowerPoint presentation on how to keep safe. The School Travel Plan Award was handed over and pupils heard about the key messages of being safe and being seen. Road Safety Simone was in attendance and presented a selection of pupils with Road Safety Calendar Competition ‘Highly Commended’ certificates, from this year’s competition. The school have on-loan the Little Parking Buddies to alleviate parking issues near the junction and near the school car park entrance and exit. Case Study – Supporting Families initiative The Supporting Families Rock Up and Ride Cycling Programme is aimed at children aged 7-14 years, delivering on the Scottish Government’s promise to provide access to bikes for school age children who could otherwise not afford them. 17 children attended five sessions delivered by the Supporting Families initiative. Each child was provided with a bike, helmet and safety equipment. Siblings, along with parents and carers also participated, with positive feedback received from all involved. “Amazing opportunity, both of us really enjoyed it. My child is over the moon with his new bike.” “I’m grateful for this programme and the opportunity for my kids to have their first bikes and I can’t thank the staff enough for their support and patience.” Section 3 - Our plan and its progress 16 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 336
Page 337
Tackling food poverty outwith regular school hours/ Holiday Hunger programmes and Breakfast Clubs 125 out of 126 primary schools are now offering a free breakfast to pupils, the highest number on record. During the year to December 2023 an average of 54,197 pupils per week have benefited from a free breakfast, helping to start the school day on a positive and healthy note. This is a 5% increase on last year. The Machan Trust The Machan Trust, in partnership with the council’s Community Resources have been supporting Cost of the School Day activities, hosted in Larkhall schools. This includes support for breakfast clubs in four local Primary Schools, lunch clubs in secondary schools, specifically supporting children with additional support needs and anxiety and Easter/Summer Holiday Hubs. This dedicated local support helps to minimise the difficulties that school holiday periods pose for families in terms of childcare costs and many of the parent feedback comments directly addressed the service filling that gap. “Brilliant organisation, helped me work more hours during the holidays and being self-employed I always struggle in Summer with the schools off.” “I was so grateful for having this support with having three young school age children.” “Great service for people who work and do not have a lot of family support. Keeps children interacting with other children while on Summer break.” Reducing housing costs for families Increasing the supply of affordable homes for families Housing and Technical Resources were able to support families by matching their needs to available properties including the following support: T allocating fifty new council homes to families with children, including seven properties for families who have children with disabilities or neurodiversity issues T supporting inclusiveness for larger families by building 27 larger homes across sites in Larkhall and Hamilton T freeing up a further 22 council homes for families with children T providing 104 additional new build homes for social rent, and T securing 165 homes through the council’s Market Purchase Scheme, which provides opportunities to support families who have particular requirements by providing them with an affordable home that meets their needs in an area they would like to live. The council’s Housing and Technical Resources have also been leading on the development of local masterplans in a number of areas including East Kilbride and Hamilton town centres, that have a strong focus on affordable housing to meet the needs of local communities, including families. 17 SLC print proof 337
Page 338
Maintaining affordable rents for council tenants To inform the 2024/25 budget setting process, a consultation was undertaken comprising of an online survey, social media posts and presentations to local tenant focus groups, gypsy/travellers and the homelessness service user group. In total there were 1273 responses received during this consultation. This helped to inform South Lanarkshire Council that set an average rent of £79.27 per week, which continues to remain lower than the Scottish Local Authority average of £82.40. Supporting the housing needs of minority groups The council continues to support households with children within the two council operated Gypsy/ Traveller sites in South Lanarkshire. Children and young people from the Gypsy/Traveller site at Shawlands Crescent in Larkhall have been working with the council to design and create a new play area on the site. The new park utilised the area of the former, disused play park on the site, with residents helping to clear the area before construction started. A key part of the project has been to improve the communal space available for families to spend more time outdoors, which is an important part of Gypsy/ Traveller culture. Special consultation meetings were held with children to design the parks layout and choose the various pieces of equipment, with the final designs agreed with all residents. A young person on the site said: ‘It’s really cool to have this here, I really like the climbing frame which I picked. It’s amazing to see’ One resident said: ‘The new play park is brilliant. I wish we had something like this on our doorstep when we were growing up.’ The project is part of the latest round of investment in the council’s two sites that aim to improve the lives of Gypsy/Travellers, aligning with national approaches to reduce the longstanding discrimination faced by members of the Gypsy/Traveller community. Reducing energy costs for families Money Matters and Citizen’s Advice have supported over 10,000 households with energy advice during the last year, a 154% increase on the numbers who were looking for energy advice in 2022/23. As part of this support Citizen’s Advice have helped nearly 1,500 families with energy or energy debt advice, a 122% increase on the previous year. This has resulted in families benefitting from £682,000 in financial gains and benefits, a 157% increase on the amount secured compared to the previous year. In addition to this support, local foodbanks have issued 2,279 fuel and energy vouchers to families, a 12% increase on last year. The council have utilised national Energy Efficient Scotland funding to make improvements to 34 privately owned and 11 council properties which aim to improve the heating efficiency for households and reduce the energy required to heat them. The council launched the new Energy Company Obligation Scheme, which helped over 100 privately owned properties to benefit from energy efficient improvements at no cost to the family. Utilising existing resources within Housing and Technical Resources to administer and monitor the scheme, funding is drawn from national energy companies for use by local contractors to instal improvements to homes. Work to date has included new heating, insulation and solar systems with an initial focus on the scheme to support households who are vulnerable to the cold, including those with young children. The Scottish Government are currently developing a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard that is expected to be introduced in 2024/25. Until this standard is in place, guidance requires the council to monitor and report on performance in relation to energy efficiency of the housing stock. Improving fuel and thermal efficiency within homes and reducing energy costs for families is a key part of this. In 2023/24 over 95% of the council’s housing stock passed this standard. Community Links Community Links have hosted a variety of community- based activities aimed at increasing energy saving among families in the Blantyre, Larkhall and Hamilton areas. These activities included the distribution of energy saving devices such as slow cookers, air fryers, LED bulbs and draught excluders. Devices were distributed to over 140 families, making a real difference to help parents and carers manage their energy costs. Section 3 - Our plan and its progress 18 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 338
Page 339
“I absolutely love the devices given, especially the air fryer and slow cooker, it has made life with three young children easier and I’ve noticed a difference in my electricity costs. I really appreciate it, thank you very much.” “It was brilliant. I couldn’t believe what we received. We use the air fryer all the time. The draft excluders and light bulbs were magic too and have saved us loads of money. Thank you!” Reducing homelessness and the threat of homelessness among families, children and young people The council continues to work with local partners to address the challenge of homelessness, reduce the number of homeless households and minimise the impact on children and families wherever possible. Despite this dedicated support, the number of families experiencing homelessness continues to increase and in the last year 305 families had to rely on temporary accommodation at some stage, this is compared to 245 families the previous year. However, significant progress was made in terms of the number of urgent homeless applicants allocated a property. There were 433 properties allocated to families compared to 358 last year, 15 properties allocated to 16 -17 year olds, which is similar to last year and 278 properties allocated to 18-25 year olds compared to 222 previously, a positive increase. The council were also able to help two families converting their temporary accommodation tenancies to a Scottish Secure Tenancy, allowing them to remain in their home permanently. Tenancy Sustainment Fund The Tenancy Sustainment Fund, introduced in 2020 helps to support tenants to maintain their rent payments in order to sustain their tenancy and prevent homelessness. This year a total of 493 awards were made from the fund with awards totalling over £100,00 helping children and families. Supporting care experienced young people to plan for and move to independent living in the community Planning for suitable accommodation for young people Housing and Social Work staff have been working closely to better understand the needs of young people moving into their first independent living home and to make sure they are offered the best option possible. Every young person leaving a care situation is supported by an independent plan that informs what accommodation is offered and the support they get to move into their new home. Young people have told us that this support is valuable in helping them move into their first home. In the last year 43 young people were provided with their first home, an increase of more than 40% on last year and 43 new applications were received, a drop of around 10% on the previous year. Supporting young people in their home We are developing a multi-agency approach to providing care experienced young people the best home possible to make sure that they are satisfied with their home when they get it and are supported to make sure it continues to meet their needs. This includes making sure training is provided for third sector agencies and having a clear plan to engage young people in the process. We have recently secured additional funding from the Big Lottery to work in partnership with Barnardos to put in place a new Youth Housing Support Project that will provide dedicated support for young care experienced people getting their first independent home. Developing a Throughcare Housing Protocol Housing and Social Work have been working closely with the Champions Board young people to develop and implement a Throughcare Protocol, which was launched in January 2024. The protocol means that young people moving into their first tenancy will get the right support they require at the right time to create a safe, affordable and comfortable home environment. 19 SLC print proof 339
Page 340
Improved digital inclusion amongst families in the most deprived areas Five Digital Inclusion Hubs are now established in South Lanarkshire, supported by the Good Things Foundation, who have developed an interactive map to direct people to their nearest hub for digital support; www.goodthingsfoundation.org/ our-network-services-map. The hubs have helped the distribution of 720 SIM cards through local foodbanks, allowing free mobile internet access to foodbank users and their families. As part of the Pupil Equity Funding participatory budgeting approach, Neilsland Primary School worked with pupils to tackle digital exclusion and upgrade IT equipment which led to positive outcomes for learners. Case Study – Digital Inclusion in Neilsland Primary School, Hamilton Neilsland Primary School is in an area of high deprivation, where almost all classes have a majority of children from SIMD 1 and 2 and/or entitled to free school meals. Consultation on options for using their Pupil Equity Fund spending took place with children, staff and parents/carers, with favoured ideas being around new Chromebooks and also stationary stations in each classroom. As a result of the participation process, the school aimed to improve engagement levels of targeted pupils and increase their punctuality and attendance. Positive results were recorded in both areas by February 2024. 93.6% of targeted pupils increased their engagement in reading, 90.4% increased their engagement in writing and 94.2% increased their engagement in numeracy as a result of the addition of the new Chromebooks In addition, the number of children being late for school has decreased gradually from 13% in February 2023 to 9% in February 2024. Reducing food poverty Foodbanks across South Lanarkshire have helped to feed over 25,500 children and young people through emergency food parcels over the last year, a 14% increase on the previous year and the highest number ever recorded. Many of these referrals have come from working in partnership with Money Matters and Citizen’s Advice, who have referred almost 5,000 households for emergency food assistance, an increase of 37% over the previous year. In line with dignity and cash first principals, local foodbanks have been looking at more sustainable alternatives to distributing emergency food parcels. The majority of foodbanks in South Lanarkshire are now issuing cash or supermarket vouchers to allow users greater choice to purchase their own food, as well as the ability to buy healthier and more nutritional food items, such as dairy products, fresh meat and vegetables. As part of this change in approach, local food banks have distributed 1,485 supermarket/retail/fresh food vouchers to clients, a 143% increase on the number distributed during 2022/23. Local third sector organisation, Healthy Valleys organised nine Cooking on a Budget Courses for children and young people during the past year. Promoting healthy living among children and families living in poverty Over the past year help has been provided to families experiencing cost of living challenges to access opportunities to participate in sport, leisure and cultural opportunities. South Lanarkshire Councils Employability Service in partnership with South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture were successful in a bid to the Scottish Government’s Tackling Child Poverty Fund, securing funding for 225 free leisure passes targeted at low-income families. The free passes allowed both families and children access to leisure facilities including local gyms, swimming, and skating, supporting and improving health and wellbeing and providing valuable time together as a family. Section 3 - Our plan and its progress 20 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 340
Page 341
Case Study – Rhy and Lauren stopping smoking Rhy wanted to stop smoking for health reasons, including to improve health for starting a family. Rhy and Lauren were spending approximately £100 per week on cigarettes before they quit. He found out about the Quit Your Way Service at the local pharmacy, spotting a Quit Your Way jar of tar on the pharmacy counter, which he felt looked disgusting. The tar jar prompted Rhy to ask more questions and found out about the free stop smoking support available in store. Rhy then shared with his partner Lauren what he had found out about the Quit Your Way Pharmacy Service. Both Rhy and Lauren had tried to stop smoking in the past on their own. Rhy had quit attempts with and without using nicotine replacement products and Lauren tried to stop before without using any nicotine replacement products. Triggers of having a bad day, life and work stress had made stopping smoking more difficult in the past. After the conversation in store, the following week, both Rhy and Lauren returned to the same local pharmacy and signed up for stop smoking support, agreeing to stop smoking together. As well as getting weekly face to face brief behavioural support from Heather the pharmacist, both Rhy and Lauren used combination therapy of nicotine replacement patches and nicotine replacement mini lozenges over the 12-week period, with Lauren mainly using mini lozenges in the end with additional two weeks supply as required. Along with using nicotine products during their quit attempt, they also put in place coping strategies and distractions to help them deal with cravings, withdrawal symptoms and other life stressors. Lauren felt cleaning was a very good distraction, while Rhy avoided going outside at break times to limit any temptations. Both Rhy and Lauren stopped smoking and are now ‘proud’ that they are 15 months’ smoke-free. They are most proud that they were able to welcome a baby boy, Desmond, who is now four months old, and they are all enjoying the benefits of a smoke-free home together. They also shared that stopping smoking together was helpful and nice to do as a couple as it made a difference to their own successes to becoming smoke-free. With the money they saved from quitting smoking they have been able to buy items for their new baby. Lauren says they used to have financial difficulties at the end of every month, but now they don’t worry about money. The nicotine replacement products helped both Rhy and Lauren with cravings and withdrawal symptoms throughout their journey and they no longer use products. Both agreed going ‘solo’ was much more difficult and stressful compared with getting help and support and using the available nicotine replacement products. “Don’t do it alone – get support, its more stressful otherwise.” Reduce costs associated with health harming behaviours The NHS Lanarkshire ‘Quit Your Way’ Service, is a programme that supports people to stop smoking, and is available to anyone in Lanarkshire who wants to quit, but with targeted work focussed on pregnant women, living in areas of higher deprivation. Pregnant women and families are offered a referral to financial wellbeing providers to maximise their income and this year, eight advisors from Money Matters participated in Smoking and Poverty Training. This mutual referral method helps with a ‘no wrong door approach’ and the positive relationships built between services provides a benefit to families. One of the main targets of the Quit Your Way model is to evidence how families are saving money by stopping smoking and advise on how savings can spend on household necessities. The project has found that quitting smoking saves people a significant amount of money. On average a pack of 20 cigarettes in the UK costs £14.59. This means quitting smoking will save people £102.13 per week, £408.52 per month and £4902.24 per year if they smoke 20 cigarettes per day. The most recent evidence shows that in South Lanarkshire, 8.2% of pregnant women are smoking in pregnancy, lower than the Scottish average of 11%. Between April and September 2023, six pregnant women living in the most deprived areas successfully quit smoking within 12 weeks of their pregnancy. 21 SLC print proof 341
Page 342
Breastfeeding Families are benefiting from support to encourage new mothers to breastfeed their babies, including access to breastfeeding groups. Additionally, there has been a range of promotional events and training opportunities, and information on breastfeeding and associated policy being embedded into the NHS Lanarkshire induction for new staff. This year, new ways to ensure timely support for families in financial crisis to maximise breastfeeding and/or provision of formula milk has been explored by staff and work will continue over the next year at least. South Lanarkshire Council has commenced a working group and is working towards achieving Bronze level in the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland Local Authority Award. This includes all council premises signing up to the scheme. Evidence based approach to tackling child poverty through Neighbourhood Planning South Lanarkshire Council’s Community Planning Partnership and Community Engagement Team have implemented an area-based approach to tackling child poverty, in the form of a dedicated Neighbourhood Plan in East Kilbride, the first of its kind in Scotland. Data from East Kilbride highlighted that the areas of; Crosshouse, Greenhills and Whitehills ranked highest on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation in East Kilbride. After discussion, the community stakeholder group agreed that door-step engagement should focus on the more deprived area in Whitehills. Residents in these areas would be least likely to engage in other consultation methods, and the Neighbourhood Plan addressed inequalities in the area. Local data showed that almost two thirds of the data zones have a rate for child poverty (before housing costs) above the Scottish average and almost two thirds of children living in poverty in the area live in a household where one or both parents work. This is greater than either the South Lanarkshire (63%) or Scottish (64%) average. East Kilbride recorded the highest number of families referred to local foodbanks accounting for just under two thirds of the South Lanarkshire total. An online survey, door-to-door conversations, pop- up events and engagement sessions in local primary schools helped gather a strong understanding of experiences of living in the area and what the community would like to see change in the future. By targeting a small geographical area in this way, with higher-than-average rates of child poverty, the aim of this work is to reduce the number and percentage of children living in poverty in the area. Targeted priority family type approach to tackling child poverty – Paths away from Poverty Paths away from Poverty is funded by the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Accelerator Fund and is supporting families where there is a child or a young person in the household with a disability. While this project is in the early stages of development (it will run until March 2025 working with at least 10 families) it is beginning to identify potentially more effective ways to engage and support families to deal with financial, wellbeing and inclusion challenges. Support is delivered primarily through a key worker relationship, with workers for the project being provided by third sector organisation COVEY. The project is currently supporting five families address and find solutions to a range of challenges with a number of families ready to be referred for support. Already benefits to the families have included; improved financial wellbeing through help with urgent financial wellbeing assessments, improved health and wellbeing as a result of strengthened relationships with NHS Lanarkshire, CAMHS and local GPs, reduced social isolation with three families moving to weekly support and one young person benefiting from COVEY befriending support with other additional needs young people. Families are sharing what has changed for them because of the support they have received, including increased engagement with support that they feel is helping towards personal plans and solutions and better outcomes for their children. Section 3 - Our plan and its progress 22 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 342
Page 343
Driver 3: Income from Employment Local Employability Partnership South Lanarkshire Works is host to a Local Employability Partnership for organisations with a role in delivering opportunities to improve employability opportunities for young people and adults in our communities. A multi-agency Tackling Child Poverty subgroup has been established (South Lanarkshire Council, NHS Lanarkshire, Public Health Scotland, Clyde Gateway, Skills Development Scotland, and South Lanarkshire College) to specifically consider the role that local employability action/policy can play in lifting families out of poverty. The intention of the group is to bring together local partners with a stake in eradicating child poverty, through actions such as how to implement national policy directives at a local level, consider good practice from other local authorities, as well as to examining new methods, practical research and the use of data to ensure continuous improvement and how to take advantage of new opportunities for funding that are available. This group share best practice and identify unmet need for the benefit of parents engaging with the Employability Service and stakeholders. Aligning and integrating each programme, to ensure that no-one is left behind on their individual employment journey. Employability Service South Lanarkshire Council’s Employability Service deliver parental employment support through the No One Left Behind Tackling Child Poverty Funding from Scottish Government, to the six child poverty priority groups. Support is provided to all parents, with a range of programmes, activities and interventions which are participant led. Each parent has a dedicated key worker with a robust action plan to ensure a holistic approach. The Employability Service works with partners to make all parents employment journeys successful. Achievements from programmes are explained below: Supporting Families programme Supporting Families is a joint project between Clyde Gateway, South Lanarkshire Council and South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture that offer support to parents who need most help to access a job. Parents are supported with afterschool activity and access to childcare that frees up time to enable them to improve their employability options. Parents are offered a wide range of help that support families’ wellbeing in general and make it easier for them to progress their employment journey. This can include advice with housing concerns, financial support from One Parent Family Scotland and Money Matters, as well as engaging with English for Speakers of Other Languages courses. Parents are also benefiting from dedicated health and wellbeing activities, and parenting support from the local Family Support Hubs. The Supporting Families programme is available to targeted nurseries and schools in Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Larkhall and Rigside. Since October last year 27 parents have benefited from joined up support from South Lanarkshire Council’s Employability Service. Driver 3 - Progress on maximising opportunities to increase income from employment 23 SLC print proof 343
Page 344
A parent was referred by Westburn Nursery to help her find a job and assist with debt management. She was struggling with confidence, self-belief, and mental health and also faced financial difficulties and required support with benefits and money management. Over a three-month period, her barriers and challenges were addressed through a Holistic Needs Assessment. During the initial meeting, the parent expressed her desire to train as a nurse. She had considered college courses but was unsure about the application process, having left school with no formal qualifications. Her recent experience caring for her grandmother and helping in a care home motivated her to pursue this career path. She was referred to One Parent Families Scotland for benefits check to ensure she was receiving all the relevant benefits and support with money management. She needed a new fridge freezer, so One Parent Families applied for funding to assist with this. The key worker invited the parent to attend Health Walks at the nursery to improve her mental health and referred her to ‘Rain or Shine’ for clothing for her son. The key worker spent several weeks getting to know her before discussing the possibility of applying for a Scottish Wider Access Programme Nursing course. These courses are designed for individuals with few or no formal qualifications who have been out of education for three to five years. The parent was enthusiastic about applying to Glasgow Clyde College Langside Campus due to its accessible location. The key worker reviewed her personal qualities and experiences, including caring for her grandmother and working in an elderly care home. She was invited to an interview at the college and received an unconditional offer the following day. She was elated and could hardly believe she was going to college. The nursery has been supportive regarding her childcare needs, accommodating her college schedule. “You’ve made me more confident; you’ve helped me believe in myself a lot more. You’ve helped me so much; you’ve come into my life and changed it. You’ve stuck by my side, and we clicked right away. I can’t thank you enough and really appreciate you.” Making It Work Routes to Work South deliver the Making It Work programme, supporting parents increase their employability skills. The programme covers all of South Lanarkshire, offering each parent a bespoke, tailored service to suit their individual needs. The programme includes personal and social development activities to build confidence and improve wellbeing. It also enhances employability skills through training and qualifications, bringing participants closer to their end goal of employment. By providing peer group support, childcare advice, with access to ‘The Dressing Room’ for interview clothing, the programme addresses various barriers to employment. This year, the Cambuslang Training and Enterprise Centre base has opened the Cook and Learn Community Café, where two parents with lived experience have become employed. These parents assist other participants in gaining skills and vocational qualifications, while also learning to cook on a budget. Participants can take home the ingredients to feed their families. The programme has seen 239 parents engage, 80 parents enter employment, one move into further education, and 31 obtain qualifications. Case Study – Supporting Families, Westburn Nursery Section 3 - Our plan and its progress 24 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 344
Page 345
A parent joined the Making It Work programme seeking employment. Her barriers to employment included living in a jobless household with dependent children, long-term unemployment, and low skills due to not working for years. Consequently, she lacked self-confidence and skills. Upon joining the programme, the parent mentioned that her personal skills included baking, which she enjoyed. However, she felt she lacked the confidence to apply for jobs or attend interviews, having been out of the workforce since 2005 to care for her daughter, now 16 years old. Despite having a few health problems, she was determined not to let these hold her back from moving into employment. The Routes to Work advisor supported the parent in building an up-to-date CV, assisted with job searching and matching jobs to her interests and skills and helped her apply for suitable vacancies. Additionally, she was supported in tailoring her CV for each role she applied for and was given access to a ‘My Job Scotland’ account. The parent was also provided with a ‘better off in work’ calculation to understand how employment would affect her current situation. The parent applied for several care assistant roles and secured an interview in March for a Domestic Day Care role with South Lanarkshire Council. She felt the interview went very well, but two weeks later, her mother passed away after a heart attack. She took this loss badly and was not well enough to progress to the next interview stage. She was signed off by her doctor to recover over the next few weeks and contacted the advisor a few weeks later, ready to move forward with her employment journey and get her life back on track. The advisor assisted the parent with the application process and interview skills, and she subsequently secured an interview with NHS Lanarkshire for a cleaning role that she was then offered and was “over the moon.” Demonstrator Project Programme Parents have been benefiting from the Demonstrator Programme, which is a place- based project designed to offer parents real employment experience in a live work setting. The project is run by NHS Lanarkshire and its commissioned Facilities Management service. The council’s Employability Service funds the wage subsidies for up to six months, including the costs of job start payments that bridge the gap until the first wage is received and a contribution to the NHS costs. Parents have benefited from experience in real posts that suit their childcare commitments, with progression towards suitable long-term employment, if possible. During the last year the project started with 19 parents in South Lanarkshire, and to date 17 are still engaging with the programme. As a result of the experience six parents are still learning from their placement, four have signed up to NHS Staff Bank (to select shifts that suit around their childcare), three have progressed into employment and a further seven are due to start permanent employment. Two parents have completed their work placement and continue to search for suitable jobs. As a result of the benefits to participants, the project will be continued and it is planned to extend the opportunities to include the State Hospital at Carstairs, which would suit parents within the rural community and to South Lanarkshire Council, specifically targeting cleaning and catering roles, with the opportunity to apply for permanent positions during the six-month placement. The Demonstrator Programme is a project that supports the work of NHS Lanarkshire as an Anchor Organisation, working to make a difference to health and wellbeing outcomes and reduce inequalities through work across five pillars. Case Study – Making It Work 25 SLC print proof 345
Page 346
He was offered a position on the Demonstrator Programme as an Admin Officer with hours that suited his childcare needs, which provided him the opportunity to work in a comfortable setting, earn a steady income while still being available for family commitments. Efforts were made to improve the parent’s CV and support job searches to help him find suitable employment. He was assisted in applying for NHS Staff Bank shifts, which suited his childcare needs. Initially placed in an admin role within an Intensive Care Unit setting, he found the environment triggering due to a previous personal experience. The NHS Employability Team and management were very supportive and worked to relocate him to a more suitable location. The parent reported that the supportive environment significantly improved his health. He also received a £300 job start payment to assist with clothing, transport, and other expenses until his first pay. To help him remain in work, the Employability Team worked closely with him to find a suitable location and later secure employment that matched the needs of the whole family. The parent now works covering Admin Staff Bank shifts, which he can select to suit family requirements and earns a monthly salary that fits his circumstances. “The opportunity to train and develop myself has been very beneficial. My health has improved as it is a supportive environment, and everyone is very helpful. I would say get yourself signed up; get all the support you need as there are so many opportunities that you might not realise could help you get into work.” Case Study – Demonstrator Programme A parent was referred to Routes to Work South by Jobcentre Plus as he was unemployed and seeking employment opportunities. He was supported to apply for the Demonstrator Programme. The parent was unemployed with two children, one of whom is disabled. He needed a job that would allow him to help his wife care for their children outside of school hours. Previously a nurse overseas, he wanted to transition into an administrative role due to a previous personal experience. Section 3 - Our plan and its progress 26 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 346
Page 347
A parent of two children who was employed as a drainage engineer with limited career progression due to a lack of qualifications and training was seeking to enhance his career prospects. He reached out to South Lanarkshire Council’s Employability team and was referred to the Upskilling Team for support. It was identified that obtaining an HGV driving licence would significantly broaden his career opportunities. With an agreement from his manager, the parent was promised a promotion upon completing this training. The Upskilling Team sourced and funded the HGV training and maintained regular contact to ensure he attended medical appointments and received the necessary training materials. The parent was delighted at securing a funded place with a training provider for his driver training and tests as he was not able to finance the training himself. The upskilling advisor kept in contact with the parent’s manager to ensure he could attend medical exams, training sessions, and tests. The training opportunity has boosted his confidence, enabling him to successfully secure a job as a drainage technician at a higher rate of pay. Once he passes his HGV test, he will be offered a promoted position with an increased salary, improving his career opportunities and financial situation further, benefiting both himself and his young family. “The Upskilling team has given me the freedom to secure a position within a thriving business and undertake training that not only provides me with an additional qualification but also allows for career progression and greater financial freedom for my family and me.” In Work Upskilling A number of employed parents have been benefiting from in-work support through the Upskilling Programme, which offers training and qualifications to help parents become financially more stable, gain increased hours and achieve higher wages, promotions and permanent posts. Parents have been helped to sustain and secure advanced employment while improving their Support for the living wage and fair work practices As part of the Community Wealth Building approach, we have worked to ensure that all anchor organisations and community planning partners including the council and NHS Lanarshire have adopted the living wage, living hours and fair work practices. During last year South Lanarkshire obtained 35 new living wage accredited employers making a total of 175 accredited employers. Throughout the year the group continued to promote the living wage campaign by attending events and using social media messages to raise awareness including supporting the Living Wage Week in November 2023. employability skills and wellbeing, helping to achieve financial security and become better off. Since September last year 59 parents have been supported with 42 parents undergoing their Scottish Vocational Qualification level 2/3 in Health and Social Care. 16 parents completed accredited training in practical areas such as forklift licence, HGV licence and First Aid certificate. Case Study – Parental in Work Upskilling Creating opportunities for employment and upskilling with third sector partners Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire are engaging with our parents to create bespoke volunteering opportunities that suit the start of their employment journey and childcare needs. So far 13 parents have begun their volunteering journey. The Employability Service aims to assist each parent in achieving increased income through enhanced employment opportunities, such as paid placements, volunteering, training, and qualifications, as well as in-work support. Additionally, it offers holistic guidance to continue their employability journey, addressing the needs of the entire household and working to alleviate poverty. 27 SLC print proof 347
Page 348
Section 4 - Monitoring of progress and delivering on our ambitions As a partnership, we take improvement seriously and continuously look to where we think we can deliver the best support to our children, young people and families. We are informed by a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, built around available data, the voices of children, young people and families and the views of our wider workforce. This assessment informs a range of planning and decision-making processes. Our commitment to continuous improvement is built around activity designed to improve standards and services, for example: T Producing our Local Child Poverty Action Report T Implementing a clear Performance Framework that utilises measures to show the impact of our work T Evaluating our work and using information to promote best practice across agencies T Engaging children, young people and families to hear their views and experiences of accessing services, life circumstances, hopes and aspirations T Using available data and other evidence to inform our joint planning and evaluation By taking this approach to what we do, we can map our progress and refine our work to ensure we are doing the right things in the right way. Most importantly it helps us understand where we are making a positive difference for children, young people and families. Indicator Baseline Most recent Change 12 months Percentage of children (0-15) living in relative poverty (after housing costs) Baseline 2022 22.8% (SLC) 24.4% (Scotland) 2023 23.6% (SLC) 24.2% (Scotland) SLC= +0.8% Scotland= -0.2% Percentage of children in low-income families (before housing costs) Baseline 2022 19.4% (SLC) 20.8% (Scotland) 2023 19.9% (SLC) 21.3% (Scotland) SLC= +0.5% Scotland= +0.5% Percentage of households with children not managing well financially Baseline 2019 13% (SLC) 12% (Scotland) 2021 7% (SLC) 8% (Scotland) SLC= -6% Scotland= -4% Percentage of children living in families with limited resources after Housing costs Baseline 2019 15.1% (SLC) 16.6% (Scotland) 2019 15.1% (SLC) 16.6% (Scotland) No new data available Percentage of fuel poor households Baseline 2019 22% (SLC) 24% (Scotland) 2019 22% (SLC) 24% (Scotland) Next data update expected early 2025 We have set a suite of measures that will help determine if we are being successful in this ambition. These are: 28 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 348
Page 349
Three ‘step change’ areas The three areas for development identified as step change activity in addition to our core priorities: 1. Successful extension of routine enquiry and active referral beyond existing pathways. 2. Developing holistic, wraparound support for parents to guide them through obstacles to employment (skills, childcare transport, mental health, benefit entitlement) and beyond. 3. Implementing an ‘Ask Once’ test of change to identify better ways to deliver support to families experiencing poverty and money worries. How will we achieve this? T Continued use of ‘Test of Change’ methods to try new ways of working, with families at the centre of this work T Increased joint working and the pooling of expertise and resources to deliver additional value through the Child Poverty Working Group and the organisations it represents T Working with other partnership groups and networks to drive forward change activity such as the Whole Family Wellbeing and Keeping the Promise Thematic groups T Commitment to an increasingly evidence based, outcome focused approach, which gives particular consideration to the needs of the priority groups at highest risk of child poverty T Meaningful involvement of families with lived experience and the third sector in policy development, decision-making and delivery. 29 SLC print proof 349
Page 350
Section 5 - Our priorities for 2024/25 and the longer term Income from benefits Cost of living Income from employment Working together to deliver differently An increase in the awareness of families about the benefits and entitlements they are eligible for Reduction in financial barriers to education for school age children Reduce the gap in school leavers entering a positive destination between most deprived 20% and least deprived 20% areas The voice of children, young people and families experiencing poverty informs policy development and service design Families are more aware of changes in available benefits Reduced housing costs for families Support care experienced school leavers sustain a positive destination Support the third sector to be involved in the planning, implementation, and delivery of child poverty activity Care experienced young people improve their understanding of money and available benefits Increased uptake of funded and early learning and childcare entitlement for 2- and 3-year-olds Increase employment support for low-income parents Improve the use of data so that partners can build a shared understanding of poverty at household, neighbourhood, and locality level Improved digital inclusion amongst families in the most deprived areas Employees being paid the living wage - parents Deliver more holistic, wraparound, accessible support to families experiencing poverty Reduce Food Poverty Employee upskilling - parents Paths out of poverty Test of Change – Families with Disabilities Reduce costs associated with health harming behaviours Develop an ‘Ask Once’ test of change in East Kilbride Increase the rate of breastfeeding at birth and at eight weeks and achieve the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland Local Authority Bronze Award 30 South Lanarkshire’s Joint Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023—2024 SLC print proof 350
Page 351
Useful links For further information: Key Contacts: Children’s Services Partnership Planning Manager, Education Resources, South Lanarkshire Council Floor 13, Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AE Email: education.inclusion@southlanarkshire.gov.uk Community Engagement Manager, Corporate Resources, South Lanarkshire Council, Floor 1. Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AE Email: Jennifer.kerr1@southlanarkshire.gov.uk The Local Housing Strategy 2022-2027 www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/local-housing-strategy South Lanarkshire’s Community Plan www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/cp/ CommunityPlan2022-2032 South Lanarkshire’s Children’s Services Plan 2023 -26, Working together making a difference www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/childrens-services-plan Children and Young People’s Health Plan Lanarkshire bit.ly/NHS-children-young-peoples-health-plan Best Start, Bright Futures, the national child poverty delivery plan bit.ly/tackling-child-poverty-delivery-plan South Lanarkshire’s Community Learning and Development Strategy and Action Plan www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/ community-learning-development-strategic-plan Community Wealth Building Strategy www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/ community-wealth-building-strategy ‘Connect’ the Council Plan www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/council-plan South Lanarkshire Works www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200201/ south_lanarkshire_works 31 SLC print proof 351
Page 352
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. 067390/Oct24. www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk SLC print proof 352
Page 353
Report Agenda Item Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Director, Health and Social Care Subject: Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023/2024 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] outline the content of the Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023/2024 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Executive Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023/2024 be noted. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. There is a statutory requirement for all local authorities to appoint a professionally qualified Chief Social Work Officer (CSWO). He/she must be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). The role of the CSWO is to provide professional advice and guidance to local authorities, elected members and officers in the provision of social work services, whether commissioned or directly provided. The CSWO has a responsibility for overall performance improvement and the identification and management of corporate risk insofar as these relate to social work services. 3.2. The CSWO is required to prepare an Annual Report of activity to the Chief Social Work Advisor for Scotland. The deadline for return is 31 October 2024. The office of the Chief Social Work Advisor reviews all the reports and if there is clarification required, they will contact individual CSWO direct. The report follows a standardised reporting framework and timeframe to ensure national consistency of returns and key issues are highlighted to aid learning and the sharing of information nationally. A summary report is also published annually by the Scottish Government. The CSWO report should also be a public facing document available to the public elected members and professionals that reflects the social work and social care activity within its local authority. 4. CSWO Report 4.1. The report is split into an introduction and seven main sections, a copy of which is attached as Appendix 1 and a brief summary of highlights are outlined below: 4.2. Introduction 4.2.1. Introduces the purpose of the report and contextualises the role of the CSWO. 17 353
Page 354
4.3. Section 1: Governance and Accountability 4.3.1. This section details the vision, values, and objectives of South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) and how these link to the work of Social Work Resources. It outlines the key role and responsibilities of the CSWO and the systems, structures and reporting arrangements which assure the quality of social work services. Responsibilities are outlined in relation to the South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership (South Lanarkshire University HSCP), Integration Joint Board (IJB), Children’s Services, Public Protection, Community Planning, and the corporate responsibilities of the Council. 4.4. Section 2 and 3: Service Quality, Performance and Challenges 4.4.1. Service quality, performance management and reporting are intrinsic parts of the duties of the CSWO. The CSWO has responsibility to respond to Care Inspectorate reports and findings from local and national activity, addressing the requirements of internal and external audit and reporting on progress against outcomes and follow-up actions from this activity. This includes discussion with the Chair of Social Work Resources Committee and presentation to Social Work Resources Committee on inspection activity twice yearly. As well as direct supervision from the Director, Health and Social Care, dedicated quarterly meetings take place with the Chief Executive for assurance and sight of all matters in relation to Social Work and Social Care. Information in relation to all inspection activity for 2023/2024 is included as an appendix in the CSWO report. 4.4.2. Engagement with service users and communities remains strong and is supported by the South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Forum. This is an independent group of community volunteers who work to engage health service and social care users, carers, and communities to improve local services. The Forum also supports wider public involvement in planning and decision-making, and keeps local people informed about the range and location of services. 4.4.3. The public launch of Care Opinion took place on 8 December 2023. All services including Adult and Older People and Children and Justice are collaborating with Care Opinion, a non-profit, independent feedback website that helps service users share honest and anonymous stories about their experiences with our services. The process is specifically designed to consult and engage with service users, with feedback published to promote a culture of transparency, learning and sharing of good practice. 4.4.4. Similar to all public services across Scotland, Social Work Resources continues to work in a challenging environment. The cost-of-living crisis; increased morbidity; and financial implications are a few of the ongoing pressures which are faced by social work services. These are coupled with immediate financial pressures being experienced with a number of risks and uncertainties in the health and social care environment and beyond. This level of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) means that successfully planning and delivering sustainable change becomes even more critical to ensure that we continue to support the most vulnerable people in South Lanarkshire. 354
Page 355
4.4.5. Section 3 also gives some case studies to give a flavour of the activity for the reader and goes onto give examples across Children’s Services, Justice Services and Adult and Older People Services. Examples of developments include:- Council’s ongoing commitment to The Promise Champions Board developments creation of Family Support HUBS creation of an Alcohol and Problem-Solving Court in Hamilton recovery Orientated Justice Service creation of a Whole System Approach Team for 16–21-year-olds roll out of dedicated training for staff in relation to Self-Directed Support redesign of the care at Home Service and creation of a Home First model for rehabilitation opening of a new state-of-the-art care facility, Blantyre LiFE, in March 2023 technology enabled care developments All of the above are referenced in the main report as developments over the year and report the data and demands on the services over the same period. 4.5. Section 4: Resources 4.5.1. Social Work Resources had a net revenue budget of £219,616 million for 2023/2024. The priority of social work services is to ensure effective delivery of critical services, complying with statutory legislation to protect vulnerable children, young people, and adults in our communities. Services have continued to be delivered to those assessed as most at risk with the focus on public protection throughout the last year. 4.5.2. There are several financial challenges which Social Work Resources continues to manage including:- the financial impact of demographic growth and an ageing population the increasing numbers of people supported in their community with long term health conditions an increase in Adult Support and Protection activity an increase in the number of care experienced children and young people service user and carer expectations the Council’s requirement to achieve ongoing savings 4.6. Section 5: Workforce 4.6.1. Social work and social care services are a diverse sector in terms of job roles, career pathways and service structures. The CSWO has a key leadership role in relation to workforce planning and development, from both a local authority and partnership perspective. 4.6.2. A significant number of staff are projected to reach retirement age over the next ten years and this, together with high turnover of staff and an ongoing requirement to retain and increase numbers of qualified workers, presents a particular challenge. The Social Work Workforce Plan 2022-2025 aims to mitigate the risks of a diminishing workforce against areas of growing demand by enhancing career pathways and succession planning, and the establishment of a Care Academy to ‘grow our own’ workforce. 355
Page 356
4.7. Section 6: Training, Learning and Development 4.7.1. The CSWO is a member of Social Work Scotland (SWS), the professional leadership body for the Social Work and Social Care professions. The membership organisation represents Social Workers and other professionals who lead and support Social Work across all sectors. It will influence and advise on the development of policy and legislation and support the development of the Social Work and Social Care professions. 4.7.2. This section goes on to identify the CSWO role in learning and development, ensuring registration requirements for the work force are met. Identifies the role of the CSWO in Significant Case Reviews and Learning Reviews from the Child Protection and Adult Protection Committees. The section also gives examples of all disciplines in relation to specific requirements for newly qualified staff ongoing professional development and leadership programmes all as part of the requirements for continuous professional development and learning. 4.8. Section 7: Looking Ahead 4.8.1. The following areas of activity are highlighted in the report which are likely to impact the resource in the future:- continuing financial challenges with expenditure exceeding allocated budgets. Audit Scotland report published 17 May 2023 IJB statutory duties set out in the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 and other associated legislative duties to maintain a balanced budget. Audit Scotland report published 6 April 2023 workforce availability and capacity challenged by competitive labour markets influencing the ability to recruit and retain staff across the social care sector. Audit Scotland report published 26 October 2023 Legislation: Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill – Stage 3 National Care Service (Scotland) Bill – Stage 2 Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill – Stage 2 4.8.2. Funding and budgetary pressures remain challenging as a result of additional demand and increased costs of delivering services. Implementation of the Sustainability and Value Programme across social work services will require ongoing consultation with members of the public, families, carers, and employees as service changes are taking place. 4.8.3. Community engagement and consultation continues to have an effective and direct impact on shaping service priorities for the future. A consultation programme for the new strategic plan will take place during 2024/2025. 5. Employee Implications 5.1. There are no employee implications associated with this report. 6. Financial Implications 6.1. There are no financial implications associated with this report. 7. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 7.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environmental implications in terms of the information contained in this report. 356
Page 357
8. Other Implications 8.1. There are no risk implications associated with this report. 9. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 9.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function, or strategy, or recommend a change to existing policy, function, or strategy and, therefore, no impact assessment is required. 9.2. There is no requirement for consultation in respect of this report. Professor Soumen Sengupta Director, Health and Social Care 21 October 2024 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Focused on people and their needs Working with and respecting others Accountable, effective, efficient, and transparent Ambitious, self-aware and improving Fair, open and sustainable Excellent employer Previous References None List of Background Papers Appendix 1 – Annual Report – Chief Social Work Officer, South Lanarkshire Council 2023-24 https://audit.scot/uploads/docs/report/2023/nr_230517_local_government_overview.pd https://audit.scot/publications/integration-joint-boards-financial-analysis-202122 https://audit.scot/publications/the-scottish-governments-workforce-challenges Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Liam Purdie, Head of Children and Justice Services and Chief Social Work Officer Phone Ext: 4887 (01698 454887) Email: liam.purdie@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 357
Page 358
358
Page 359
1 Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023-2024 17 359
Page 360
2 Contents Introduction Section 1: Governance and Accountability Section 2: Service Quality and Performance I. Children and families II. Adults III. Criminal Justice Section 3: Challenges and improvements Section 4: Resources Section 5: Workforce Section 6: Training, learning and development Section 7: Looking ahead Appendix 1: Performance Data and Trends Appendix 2: Care Inspectorate Gradings for Registered Services 360
Page 361
3 Introduction The aim of Social Work Resources is to promote social welfare and provide effective care and support to meet the needs of vulnerable people in South Lanarkshire. We are committed to providing responsive and accessible services, with defined standards for service provision and to supporting local people to maximise their potential, maintain their independence and improve outcomes. The requirement for every local authority to appoint a professionally qualified Chief Social Work Officer (CSWO), who must be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), is contained within Section 3 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. The role of the CSWO is to provide professional advice and guidance to the local authority’s Elected Members and Officers in the provision of commissioned and directly provided Social Work services. The CSWO also has responsibility for overall performance improvement and the identification and management of corporate risks, as far as these relate to Social Work services. The CSWO is required to prepare an annual report of activity for the Chief Social Work Advisor for Scotland. A summary report is published annually by the Scottish Government to aid learning and the sharing of information nationally. All local councils have a duty under the Social Work Scotland Act 1968 to assess a person’s community care needs and, where appropriate, to arrange any services they may require. South Lanarkshire Social Work Resources, in partnership with community planning partners, voluntary organisations and independent providers, offer a range of services designed to enable, support, improve and protect the health and care of those accessing our services. Self-Directed Support (SDS) is Scotland’s mainstream approach to adult social care and the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 places Getting It Right for Every Child at the centre of assessing the wellbeing needs of children and young people. In addition to assessment, Social Work Resources commission a wide range of local private, not for profit and voluntary sector providers together with a range of specialist services from within and outwith the South Lanarkshire area. There are thirty-six independent care homes for older people, thirteen care homes for adults with a range of support needs, and twenty- three children’s care homes operating within the council area. Additionally, we have a range of care at home, day services and supported living providers operating across our localities. Throughout 2023-2024 Social Work Resources activities included: • Supervision and monitoring the protection of vulnerable children and adults and wider public protection services. • Providing assessment, specialised assessment, and support • Providing targeted services for vulnerable children young people, adults, and their carers • Working with those who are subject to requirements within justice and mental health legislation. • Reinforcing capacity across all social work services to meet statutory requirements 361
Page 362
4 As CSWO for South Lanarkshire I will continue to progress our priorities in areas including: • Public protection for children and adults • Multi-agency public protection arrangements • South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) and development meetings for health and social care integration • Health and Social Work Governance Group • Health and Care standards • Developing and supporting our profession and workforce • Oversight and management of the Social Work Risk Register • Data Protection, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), Information Governance • Procurement, contract compliance/monitoring • Eligibility criteria/prioritisation • Self-directed Support (SDS) • Community Justice • Children and Young People’s legislation • Carers (Scotland) legislation • Care Inspectorate inspections and follow up improvement action plans. • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion • Health and Safety Households continue to be significantly impacted by the cost-of-living crisis with all sectors of society seeing prices rise. We will do all we can to support our communities in these difficult times, whilst recognizing the significant challenges for council services also experiencing increased pressure by rising costs. The ongoing development of Social Work services and our achievements in challenging times rely on the continued commitment of our staff, statutory and third sector partners, the local community and support of the council’s Elected Members across all parties, who continue to advocate for the service. The leadership governance and support through the Social Work Committee and the council Executive Committee should also be noted as well as the recognition of the role of Social Work and Social Care through the Integrated Joint Board. The chairs and depute chairs and the committee and board members of the respective committees have always demonstrated a commitment to appropriate challenge support and accountability in ensuring standards and risks are understood and prioritised in challenging times. The leadership and direct support in formal 1-2-1s with the council Chief Executive, who has a programme of formal meetings and an open-door approach for the Chief Social Work Officer reflects this commitment to delivery of services that permeates throughout the resource. This is also replicated in the direct management of the Chief Officer / Director, Health and Social Care of the South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership. I extend my thanks to everyone for their efforts during 2023-2024 and I look forward to working together on shared agendas during the year ahead. 362
Page 363
5 Liam Purdie Chief Social Work Officer 30 October 2024 363
Page 364
6 Section 1: Governance and Accountability 1.1 Community Planning Partnership 1.1.1 South Lanarkshire Council is part of the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership (CPP). A wide range of partners contribute to a well-established Partnership Board which has a key role in progressing community planning in this area. South Lanarkshire Community Planning 1.1.2 The board provides strategic leadership and oversees the activity of partners in achieving the agreed vision and outcomes within the Community Plan 2022-2032. It has established the following thematic partnerships to improve the quality of life of South Lanarkshire residents: • Children's Services Partnership • Health and Social Care Partnership • Community Learning and Development Partnership 1.1.3 Collaborative working with partners helps to maximise the use of scarce resources and develops service models that specifically focus on delivering the priorities set out in the Community Plan. 1.2 South Lanarkshire Council 1.2.1 There are 64 council members representing the 20 multi-member wards across South Lanarkshire. The composition of the council as of 5 May 2022 is: Political Party Number of Elected Members Scottish Labour Party 25 Scottish National Party 25 Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 7 Scottish Liberal Democrats 3 Independent Group 2 Greens 1 Independent 1 Source: Political composition of the council - South Lanarkshire Council 1.2.2 The council’s vision to “improve the lives and prospects of everyone in South Lanarkshire” remains at the heart of the Council Plan 2022-2027, along with our priorities which are focused on: • People – we need to put people first and reduce inequality. • Planet – we need to work towards a sustainable future in sustainable places. • Progress – we need to recover, progress, and improve. 1.2.3 Social Work Resources is one of five council resources, the others being: Community and Enterprise Resources; Finance and Corporate Resources; Education Resources and Housing and Technical Resources. All Resources work together in support of the Council Plan which can be accessed at the following link: Connect 2022-27 364
Page 365
7 1.2.4 In common with other Council Resources an Internal Statement of Assurance is produced annually covering general good governance, internal controls, information governance and systems of governance and control. 1.2.5 The resource contributes to the council-wide self-assessment and improvement programme, to provide assurance of the council’s continuous improvement and best value commitments. Each year Annual Performance Spotlights are produced which summarise how the council has performed in achieving Council Plan outcomes. 1.2.6 Each Resource prepares an annual Resource Plan which reflects the aspirations of the Council Plan and the Community Plan and details the work, achievements, and ongoing performance activity of each service. In addition, the Resource Plan necessarily reflects the statutory relationship between the IJB and the council with respect to adult and older people’s social care. The Social Work Resource Plan can be found at the following link: Social Work Resource Plan 2024-2025 1.3 Social Work Resources 1.3.1 The principal role and purpose of the Social Work service is contained within the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, which gives local authorities the responsibility of “promoting social welfare”. The Social Work service has a statutory duty to provide care and protection to the most vulnerable people across South Lanarkshire. 1.3.2 The CSWO role is understood and valued within the council. The CSWO provides professional advice directly to the Chief Executive of South Lanarkshire Council on statutory service delivery and on matters relating to the profession. This professional advice and guidance also extend to local Elected Members, officers within other resources of the council and to senior staff within partner agencies. There is a clear line of accountability including support and challenge that is understood by the Council Leader, the Chief Executive and the five Directors of the Corporate Management Team. 1.3.3 Social Work Committee consists of 26 Elected Members and deals with most of the business relevant to the CSWO role, as well as strong links to other key member groups including relevant audit, scrutiny, equality, and member officer working groups. 1.3.4 The CSWO holds the position of Head of Children and Justice Services, is a member of the Social Work Senior Management Team (SMT) and a standing member of the IJB. The role is integral in the supervision and monitoring of the protection of vulnerable children and adults and serving as a conduit between the IJB and public protection activity, reporting annually on the discharge of statutory duties. 1.3.5 The CSWO is a prominent member of the Chief Officers Group (Public Protection) chaired by the Chief Executive of South Lanarkshire Council, the group promotes a culture of accountability through robust governance arrangements and ensures that all agencies individually and collectively are working to protect adults and children at risk. 365
Page 366
8 1.3.6 The CSWO leads, in partnership with other Council Resources, the co-ordinating, gathering and submission of information within timescale to requests under the Redress for Survivors (Historical Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 and the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. 1.3.7 The CSWO undertakes rigorous monitoring of social work operational services, risk, performance and practice through the Joint Health & Social Work Governance Group. Assurance is provided to the council’s Chief Executive, Elected Members and the public through regular reporting of performance to the Social Work Resources Committee and the Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum. 1.3.8 The CSWO actively participates in a range of influential decision-making forums providing a significant leadership role in shaping the overall strategic direction of services, including: Structure Role Community Planning • Community Planning Partnership Board • Safer South Lanarkshire Board • South Lanarkshire Community Justice Partnership • South Lanarkshire Alcohol and Drugs Partnership • Violence Against Women and Girls (Gender based Violence Partnership) Council • Social Work Resources Committee • Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum • Joint Health & Social Work Governance Group • Learning and Development Boards • Corporate Management Team Children’s Services • Getting it right for South Lanarkshire’s Children (GIRSLC) Partnership Group • The Promise Board • Local Government and The Promise (arranged by COSLA) • Children’s Service Partnership Planning (CSPP) Leads Group (SG) Public Protection • Chief Officer's Group • Child Protection Committee • Adult Protection Committee • MAPPA (Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements) Strategic Oversight Group Integration Joint Board • IJB Board • IJB Performance and Audit Sub Committee • Health and Care Senior Management Team • Support, Care and Governance Group • Care Homes Assurance Tactical Group 366
Page 367
9 1.4 South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership (South Lanarkshire University HSCP) 1.4.1 The Director, Health and Social Care, supported by the CSWO, has a lead role for Social Work functions within the South Lanarkshire University HSCP. 1.4.2 The South Lanarkshire IJB is responsible for the strategic direction of the delivery of health and social care for adults and older people in South Lanarkshire and is supported by the South Lanarkshire University HSCP to operationally deliver community-based health and social care services. 1.4.3 Staff deliver statutory services for adults and older people under a range of legislation including the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007, Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. 1.4.4 Child and Family and Justice Social Work services are not included in the South Lanarkshire Integration scheme and sit outside the South Lanarkshire University HSCP. 1.4.5 A Performance and Audit Sub-Committee assists with the governance and accountability arrangements in key areas of work which are led by the IJB, including: • The approval and implementation of a Strategic Commissioning Plan (SCP) • The establishment of locality planning • Governance and accountability arrangements • The production of an annual performance report 1.4.6 The South Lanarkshire Strategic Commissioning Plan (SCP) 2022 - 2025 sets out how health and social care services will be delivered in a more integrated way to improve the quality of support for people. Crucially, the plan sets out how services will be delivered against twelve priority areas identified by communities themselves. 1.4.7 Locality implementation plans set out how the priorities outlined in the SCP will be operationalized within each of the four localities, addressing their specific demographic challenges and health and social care needs of the population. The priority areas within the locality plans include: • Greater emphasis on early intervention, prevention, and health inequalities • Addressing mental health and addictions • Supporting carers • Improving unscheduled care and optimising intermediate care 1.4.8 The CSWO has responsibility for ensuring governance and decision-making arrangements are in place to support the SCP ambitions. The CSWO provides professional leadership and monitors the delivery of the South Lanarkshire University HSCP delegated statutory functions through the Health & Social Work Governance Group and within the SMT. 367
Page 368
10 1.4.9 Below is the structure chart that Social Work Resources and the South Lanarkshire University HSCP operates within. Director of Health and Social Care ead of ealth and Social Care • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Chief inancial Officer ead of Commissionin and erformance • • • • • • • • • • urse irector Community • • • • • • edical irector • • • • ead of Children ustice Services CSWO • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 368
Page 369
11 Section 2: Service Quality, Performance and Challenges 2.1 Service Overview 2.1.1 Service quality, performance management and reporting are intrinsic parts of the duties of the CSWO. The CSWO has responsibility to respond to Care Inspectorate reports and findings from local and national activity, addressing the requirements of internal and external audit and reporting on progress against outcomes and follow-up actions from this activity. This includes discussion with the Chair of Social Work Committee and presentation to Social Work Resources Committee on inspection activity twice yearly. Further information on current inspection activity can be found in Appendix 2. 2.1.2 Engagement with service users and communities remains strong and is supported by the South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Forum. This is an independent group of community volunteers who work to engage health service and social care users, carers, and communities to improve local services. The Forum also supports wider public involvement in planning and decision-making, and keeps local people informed about the range and location of services. 2.1.3 The public launch of Care Opinion took place on 8 December 2023. All services including adult and older, children, and justice are collaborating with Care Opinion, a non-profit, independent feedback website that helps service users share honest and anonymous stories about their experiences with our services. The process is specifically designed to consult and engage with service users, with feedback published to promote a culture of transparency, learning and sharing of good practice. 2.1.4 South Lanarkshire University HSCP is committed to pro-actively ensuring that we deliver our legislative requirements in relation to the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016. Two strategic documents in relation to our commitments to carers have been published during 2023/2024, these include: • Carers Strategy 2023-26 (Carers Strategy 2023-2026 Carers and caring - South Lanarkshire Council) • Short Breaks Statement (Short Breaks Service Statement Carers and caring - South Lanarkshire Council) 2.1.5 Co-location working arrangements and multi-disciplinary forums have been positively established to develop locality-based exploration of carer’s needs. Additional to that, the establishment of the Carers Lead post has facilitated the workforce to be upskilled in relation to carer’s rights and local authority duties under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016. 2.1.6 During this reporting period, 5,400 adult carers engaged or were supported by Lanarkshire Carers, a similar number to 5,426 in 2022/23. 369
Page 370
12 Case Study Lanarkshire Carers recently supported a known carer who was in crisis; caring at home for her terminally ill husband, the carer wished to support her husband who had expressed his wish to remain at home during his illness. The Carer Support Worker (CSW) from Lanarkshire Carers discussed the situation in detail with the carer and took proactive steps to liaise directly with Social Work staff and develop a carer’s support plan to enable the carer to sustain her caring role. Positive outcomes were secured as a result of the supportive intervention, these included: • Sustaining the capacity of the carer to fulfil caring responsibilities effectively. • Navigating the caring role alongside the carer’s own health issues. • Decreasing the stress levels and avoiding burnout of the carer. With Social Work support, the carer was able to access immediate respite support at the point of crisis, and further arrangements were put in place on return to support with ongoing care at home, along with regular respite support. Feedback from the carer: “Thank you again for all your help, I am going to be able to keep my husband at home for now like I hoped I could with support, and I am going to be able to get some time out regularly as well, so I don't completely burn out.” 2.2 Children’s Services 2.2.1 Children’s Services promote the welfare and development of children, young people, and families to support them, wherever possible, to remain together within in their own communities. 2.2.2 Social Work Resources has a duty to protect children. Whilst this is a shared responsibility with other agencies and the community, Social Work has the responsibility to investigate allegations of child abuse. These responsibilities are carried out in the framework of jointly agreed child protection (CP) procedures. 2.2.3 Children’s Services carried out a range of activities in 2023-2024, examples of which include: • Protecting children by undertaking 725 CP investigations between 1 August 2022 – 31 July 2023. On 31 July 2023, there were 106 children on the CP Register. • Prepared 278 reports for children who were supported through the Children’s Hearing system between 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024. • As of 31 July 2023, the council looked after 732 children. Of these children 15% were looked after at home with parents, 47% by friends/relatives (kinship), 26% in foster placements and 12% were looked after in a residential setting. 2.2.4 The Promise is already well embedded in our work in South Lanarkshire. The Promise Board chaired by the Council Chief Executive, brings together the highest level of corporate parents to ensure The Promise commitments are central to all we do. The Promise Board’s vision is to make sure everyone plays their part in supporting care experienced children and young people as they grow and develop and assists the 370
Page 371
13 council and partners in continuing to fulfil its legal obligations and responsibilities towards looked after children and children leaving care. It reports directly to the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) and operates to a set of principles on which to lead and challenge the progress of the corporate parenting agenda and meet collective, corporate parenting responsibilities. 2.2.5 South Lanarkshire Council is committed to the overall vision of The Promise and work is underway on key aspects such as ‘a good childhood’, the voice of care experienced children and young people and the whole family approach. The work to deliver real and meaningful change as aspired to by The Promise is led by the multi-disciplinary Keeping the Promise Thematic Group of which the Champions Board are members. 2.2.6 The Champions Board is a group of young care experienced people who are supported to come together to engage directly with those who make key decisions about the care system. The vision for the Champions Board is one where corporate parents build genuine, trusting relationships with care experienced young people in their area and improve the quality of care and support for care experienced young people. 2.2.7 The Champions Board has been refreshed and relaunched making it more visible to all care experienced children and young people, and to corporate parents. Supported by two Promise Development workers with lived experience, the Champions Board has been instrumental in ensuring the meaningful involvement of care experienced young people in key decision-making processes including helping to design improved paperwork with less jargon for social work assessments and reviews. They have worked with Housing colleagues to develop and deliver a dedicated Housing Protocol that will ensure young people leaving care have the best support available when moving into an independent living situation. A ‘Mini Champs’ group has been formed and work has been undertaken with care experienced children and young people in schools to improve their opportunities for their voice to be heard. As a result of their work, Corporate Parents have agreed to be more visible and accessible to the Champions and a programme of engagement is in place, including meetings with the Council Chief Executive. 2.2.8 A well-attended Corporate Parenting event was held in November 2023 with over 170 corporate parents and partners present at the “Connecting with Children’s Rights” conference in Hamilton. As part of the day, round table discussions were held focussing on the theme of making children and young people visible with the feedback being incorporated into future planning. 2.2.9 An event to celebrate Care Day was held in February 2024, where young people from our Champion’s Board hosted the event and challenged corporate parents to say how they were keeping South Lanarkshire’s Promise. The successful event brought together at least 60 care experienced children and young people and 60 corporate parents to improve the understanding and visibility of each other. Planning for Care Day 2025 has already begun with the Champions Board taking the lead role in the planning and content of the day. 371
Page 372
14 2.2.10 Whole Family Wellbeing (WFW) investment by The Scottish Government has been instrumental in supporting whole system transformational change required to reduce the need for crisis intervention, and a shift towards prevention and early intervention. Year one funding of £1.827million in South Lanarkshire has supported the Children’s Service Partnership assess local gaps and opportunities and plan activity accordingly, with a view to laying the groundwork for scaling up transformational activity in subsequent years. The funding is intended for new work and additionality of resource to support transformation in-line with the National Principles of Holistic Family Support and our ambition to ‘Keep the Promise.’ 2.2.11 A WFW Fund Partnership Steering Group has been established to review the design and delivery of Children’s Services in South Lanarkshire, promoting best use of WFW funding. Proposals include extending the Pathfinder initiative in schools, contribution to the Family Support Hub model across the four localities in South Lanarkshire from the centralised Hub model, investment in the parenting support groupwork pathway and extending Family Group Decision Making (Children 1st) as part of the WFW approach. 2.2.12 Since opening in 2022, the Hubs have had such a positive impact on families that families themselves are now the second largest referrer to this support. From 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 Family Support Hubs dealt with 69% of incoming referrals made to Social Work, significantly reducing the number of initial assessments that would be required by staff in a more formal setting. 2.2.13 Over the last 18 months, provision established has included: • Family Group Decision Making sessions are offered to all families identified by early years multi agency networks, as needing extra help during pregnancy to reduce the number of babies, children and young people living away from their families. Peer Support Workers are providing advice and guidance to pregnant mothers and their partners on a range of issues, including drug and alcohol use. 100% of families report they experience improved outcomes. • Social Work and NHS colleagues have supported parents to identify their strengths to help combat the risk of neglect for their children and also to identify where they can make things better as a family. Social Work staff have completed specialist training on the use of a resource called the ‘Working with Neglect Toolkit.’ A forum has been set up for staff which is organised by the Council’s Child Protection Officer and there are plans to extend the training to School Nurses, Health Visitors and Family Nurses across NHS Lanarkshire. • Mental Health supports and community access within South Lanarkshire have benefited from around £800k from the Scottish Government Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund. The fund is intended to improve accessibility to support and services to children and young people and help them to improve their mental health and wellbeing by developing coping strategies and resilience. The number of community-based mental health initiatives for our children and young people has been extended with services including Kooth, an online wellbeing and 372
Page 373
15 counselling support for children and young people, the Blues programme, and the delivery of peer support programmes in schools through mental health and wellbeing workshops for families and staff. In addition, there has been an increase in capacity to deliver focused supports to the most vulnerable children and young people through the Trauma Recovery Service and additional practitioners to support those who are care experienced. • To ensure care experienced young people receive the best emotional wellbeing support possible, a ‘Pathway’ for those young people who are ready to leave care has been developed in collaboration with mental health support services, with plans to offer the right level of support as early as possible when a need is identified. This approach, which has been led by the School Nursing Team, has supported 102 young people since August last year. Two thirds of those young people who were supported told us that this had helped to improve their mental health and emotional wellbeing. • Care experienced young people aged over sixteen have been supported to actively manage their Child Trust Fund and/or Junior ISA savings accounts currently administered by the Share Foundation. The council has been working with the Share Foundation to identify unclaimed Child Trust funds and Junior ISAs and is endeavouring to unite those accounts with their owners. In addition, eighteen care experienced young people have so far taken part in the Share Foundation’s 6-step financial education course Stepladder of Achievement. All those who completed at least one step had a contribution made to their Child Trust Fund and the five who completed all six steps received £1500 each. In total, £11,350 has been added to trust funds by May 2024. 2.3 Justice Services 2.3.1 South Lanarkshire Justice Social Work service vision statement is ‘To be a smart, fair and progressive justice social work service with those who we serve and their families at the centre of it.’ 2.3.2 Justice Social Work services work within the context of The South Lanarkshire Community Justice Partnership and provide services that meet the national aims and priorities set out within the National Strategy for Community Justice. The key priorities of the service are: • Enhancing early intervention and alternatives to custody • Ensuring those given community sentences are supervised and supported, promoting desistance, and enabling rehabilitation. • Managing those that present the highest risk of harm to others within a robust public protection framework. • Providing restorative justice approaches which are accessible and visible to our communities. 2.3.3 Justice Social Work provide a wide range of statutory services. These include: 373
Page 374
16 • Diversion • Whole Systems Approach (16-21 years old) • Bail Supervision, Diversion and Court Services • Drug Testing and Treatment Orders • Caledonian System (Domestic Abuse Programme for men, women, and children’s service) • Moving Forward Making Changes (Sex Offending Programme) • Community Payback Orders and Unpaid Work Services • Adult Throughcare Services • Recovery Orientated Justice Service 2.3.4 Justice Services carried out a range of activity in 2023-2024, examples of which include: • 518 referrals were supported by substance misuse services, following a referral for alcohol or drug misuse. • 705 Community Payback Orders with Unpaid Work requirements commenced. • 316 Diversion from prosecution referrals, which have increased by 14% from 288 in 2022-2023. • 1799 Justice Social Work reports were submitted to the Courts to inform sentencing options. Of these 98% have been submitted within timescales – exceeding the target set by the Scottish Government of 95% • 13% increase in bail supervision assessments and 7% increase in Bail Supervision orders this year, as the Pan Lanarkshire Court Services continues to develop their Bail Supervision and Electronic Monitoring assessment service. • The four locality-based Justice teams currently work with over 750 individuals subject to Supervision by the Courts and Parole Board. • 82% of individuals made subject to a Community Payback Order (CPO) are seen by the service within one working day and 85% have their first meeting with their case manager within five working days, far exceeding the Scottish Government target of 75% for both. 2.3.5 Quality assurance dashboard reports on all statutory service provision allow decision makers the opportunity to identify trends in workloads and any reduction in orders and service provision. The quality assurance model has been developed to focus on annual MAPPA level 1 audits: annual Bail Supervision and Diversion from Prosecution and Significant Learning Reviews. 2.3.6 Justice Social Work staff have a responsibility to assess need and identify risks with those they work with. Underpinning this work is a strong focus on relationship-based practice which provides safe and effective interventions and challenges offending behaviours. 2.3.7 Pan Lanarkshire Justice Social Work continue to assess all bail opposed persons for their suitability for bail supervision. Justice Social Work have developed partnership working with SACRO as part of the Alcohol and Drug Partnership arrest referral, diversion, and bail supervision commissioned service. This service seeks to support 374
Page 375
17 those with substance use issues at the point of police custody, court appearance and diversion with peer mentors and assertive outreach into recovery communities. This supports our public health approach to Justice services providing intervention at the earliest opportunity. 2.3.8 In December 2023 an Alcohol and Problem-Solving Court in Hamilton Sheriff Court was introduced supported by the newly created Recovery Orientated Justice Service (ROJS). The aim of this court is to address substance use related offending whilst taking a public health approach that prevents further criminalisation of vulnerable people whose offending is related to addiction. Funding has been awarded from CORRA and SLC Alcohol and Drug Partnership. The ROJS team demonstrates an integrated health and social work model supported with third sector peer mentor support. This public health approach aligns directly with best practice identified within the Scottish Government’s Changing Lives 2022 report. In March 2024 independent evaluation was secured with staff from University of West of Scotland to assess the impact of the problem-solving court with this particular Justice Social Work model. In addition, this work will evaluate whether there has been a successful system change through our approach. 2.3.9 Our project outcomes align to the Scottish Governments (SG) Logic Model to reduce drug deaths and harms. We aim to commit to: • Reducing drug and alcohol related deaths South Lanarkshire • Reducing the volume of Community Payback Order breaches and non- completion • Preventing those in conflict with the law proceeding further into the justice system • Reducing remand and short-term custodial sentences • Providing long term Structured Deferred Sentence options for those with problematic drug and alcohol use. 2.3.10 Justice Social Work undertake public protection functions as a Responsible Authority MAPPA partner. This includes collaborative working with Police Scotland, SPS, housing, health services, CAReS (Community Addiction Recovery Services), and adult services. This report period has seen an increase in MAPPA level 1 cases (9%) as well as an increase in Category 3 cases (non-sexual offences) in which those that present the greatest risk of harm require to have a multi-agency approach to their risk management. 2.3.11 A holistic approach is taken to ensure programmatic work addresses inappropriate behaviour but also ensures the safety of persons harmed. The Caledonian programme is for persons convicted of domestic abuse offences and the Moving Forward Making Changes programme is for persons convicted of sexually harmful behaviour. The Caledonian Systems Delivery Team (CSDT) is delivered in partnership with CIRCLE and is supported by Women’s Aid South Lanarkshire East Renfrewshire (WASLER) who support the women and children impacted by the behaviour of men. 2.3.12 During the period of 2023-2024 WASLER engaged with local communities to raise awareness of domestic abuse to support the wider community to have greater 375
Page 376
18 knowledge and understanding. Between April 2023 and March 2024 there were 235 Caledonian cases, 120 being new assessments with the remaining 115 being continued cases from the previous year. CIRCLE provide support to children who have been impacted by domestic abuse. Recent reports for the time period April 2023 to March 2024, supported 13 families, 17 parents and 34 children and young people (includes direct 1:1 support, sibling and whole family support) 2.3.13 The Whole Systems Approach (WSA) team works with young people aged 16-21 who find themselves in conflict with the law. During 2023-2024 the team have worked with young people providing bail support, bail supervision, diversion from prosecution, structured deferred sentence, CSO and CPO supervision. They have also continued to provide support to young people who are either living within a secure care setting or within HMP/YOI Polmont (on remand or when serving a sentence). 2.3.14 Unpaid Work has developed its kitchen learning hub services through the introduction of a permanent kitchen hub coordinator supporting cooking and nutrition skills as part of Community Payback Order ‘other activity’ component. During the summer of 2023 fresh produce was provided to the kitchen from our dedicated education garden, based within Auchentibber. This work was then presented during open days with members of the public across South Lanarkshire between June to August 2023 to share information and enable people to gain a better understanding of Community Payback Orders and the work people do to contribute back to society. 2.3.15 Justice Social Work Unpaid Work service also developed a six-week pilot group work initiative for Armed Forces veterans who enter the Justice System. The Positive Futures initiative recognised the challenges people face in relation to substance use, employability, healthy living and mental health. The pilot, supported by Who Dare’s Cares Veteran charity, was received well with positive feedback from those that attended the group, promoting a wider network of support where required. South Lanarkshire Council, in its commitment to the Lanarkshire Armed Forces Covenant, continues to ensure the correct support is available to veterans within Justice Services by signposting and referring them on to a range of specialist veteran organisations. The learning from this programme has enabled the service to develop and expand its group work activities more generally to people on unpaid work orders. 2.3.16 A Justice Services and Recovery Orientated Support Services development day event was held (date to be added) to consolidate South Lanarkshire Justice Social Work’s commitment and passion to progressing a public health approach to those with substance use and their families to keep vulnerable people out of the justice system as long as possible. The day brought together 13 local recovery and Alcohol and Drug Partnership’s commissioned services, Police Scotland, Alcohol and Drug Consortium, CAReS and Children and Families and Adult Services. A world cafe took place to provide staff the opportunity to connect, share and learn about the recovery services in Lanarkshire. Following the event CAReS and Justice Services held a joint development session in May 2023 to explore opportunities for enhanced joint working arrangements. This session enabled staff to better understand each other's roles and responsibilities and the context of outcomes from learning reviews involving drug related deaths within South Lanarkshire. 376
Page 377
19 2.3.17 Women’s Justice Service in South Lanarkshire is a centralised social work team who provide one to one support and operate four locality-based women’s hubs, weekly. The hubs are aimed at supporting women who have been involved with the adult justice system. Since January 2023 a Structured Deferred Sentence service has been operating through Glasgow Sheriff Court, which provides females involved in the justice system with intensive support over three to six months with a view to addressing their risks and needs before allowing a prompt exit from the justice system. 2.4 Adult and Older People Services 2.4.1 Social work and social care services are delivered to adults and older people by a range of partners including other council resources as well as partners in health, the voluntary sector and independent sector. Social work staff fulfil duties under the law, including Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007, Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. Each plays an important role in guiding how some services are delivered. Assessment and care management staff collaborate with partners to protect and reduce the risk of harm to adults and assess the care needs of service users and their carers to plan services to meet those needs. 2.4.2 Adult and Older People’s services conducted a range of activities throughout 2023- 2024 examples of which include: • Supporting 3,859 Adult Support and Protection (ASP) inquiries, which led to 1,546 ASP investigations being instigated. • For welfare guardianship orders, visits have been maintained at a good level over the course of the year, with 94% of supervising officer visits being held within timescale. • Supporting up to 2,000 older people at any time in long-term care placements • Supporting 1,074 people with a learning disability to live in their own communities • Working with 462 requests to support individuals with a mental health problem who were referred to Community Mental Health Teams 2.4.3 The Self-directed Support (SDS) agenda has continued to be driven forward within South Lanarkshire for both carers and supported people with the focus on the SDS Standards. During the reporting period, there has been significant investment in the wider Social Work workforce involved in SDS, in relation to worker skills, knowledge, practice issues and knowledge of local and national services. These methods have been multi-modal: • New dedicated Self-directed Support three day in-person training programme for new and existing staff • Upskilling for staff via three weekly online briefings, which are recorded and accessible also by third sector partners. • Worker focus groups to hear directly from colleagues about their needs in relation to supporting SDS practice. • Updating of staff information available on intranet 377
Page 378
20 • Updating of public information available on internet • Engaging with ILF Scotland for bespoke in-person coaching sessions 2.4.4 Organisationally, work is ongoing to ensure full financial compliance, quality, monitoring, and control mechanisms are in place. The SDS Finance Team support local office staff with all aspects of support planning, which provides greater transparency of financial spend and governance of the SDS approach. The new centralised model of monitoring and reviewing direct payments for all client groups, previously the responsibility of individual social workers, has proved very successful in terms of financial governance with £2.4 million recovered in this period and further protection of public monies. This approach ensures that any issues arising such as potential misuse of public monies or Adult Support and Protection issues are highlighted at an early stage allowing appropriate actions to be taken to protect the council, supported persons and carers. 2.4.5 Work has continued to embed the new Home First service, which was introduced in 2022 to provide short-term reablement and rehabilitation service to adults for a period of up to six weeks with a focus on maximising individual choice, control, and independence. Focused recruitment activity has been implemented across all localities despite a challenging labour market. During 2023-2024, 900 service users received support from the Home First service, with 37% less care service required on completion of their Home First journey following reablement and rehabilitation supports. 2.4.6 The wider Care at home service has continued to manage recruitment challenges whilst embedding key priorities arising from its modernisation agenda. An evaluation of the Home Carer role resulted in the regrading of the workforce in recognition of the increasingly complex role undertaken by this vital staff group; the service embarked on a procurement process for commissioned Care at Home and Housing Support services for the next 10 years, with the first of these contracts awarded to successful providers from 1 July 2024; and, the service made significant progress in addressing outstanding assessments and reviews that arose during the pandemic. This activity has ensured service users have choice and control over the services required to meet their needs. 2.4.7 Transformation and service improvement has progressed with the opening of a new state-of-the-art care facility, Blantyre LIFE, in March 2023. This model of health and care delivery has increased the range of choice and options available to support people to live well in the community. Patients who no longer require in-patient treatment, have been assessed as clinically fit for discharge from hospital, and have rehabilitation potential, can be admitted to the Intermediate Care unit for a maximum of 42 days. The average length of stay for service users over the past year is 27 days which is a significant improvement from the previous test of change and temporary model which averaged 44 days. As the service is exceeding the initial flow target of 42 days, it has the potential to manage an increase in the volume of people and is contributing to freeing up in-patient services within the NHS. 2.4.8 The Campus is becoming a focus for the South Lanarkshire University HSCP’s work with universities to align research and learning with direct practice. Initial engagement 378
Page 379
21 work, for example, with the National Robotarium at Heriot Watt University has identified the site as a “living lab” which will provide opportunities for both academic and South Lanarkshire University HSCP’s staff to work together to test care models which will bring benefit to not just South Lanarkshire citizens, but potentially contribute to wider academic and practice learning. Blantyre LIFE campus has facilitated visits from other local authorities, partnerships, and universities including a group from the University of Adger, in Kristiansand, Norway. The campus has been able to demonstrate the progressive model in practice and the partnership has been invited to showcase the work at key conferences including NHS Scotland’s Winter Summit National Event and Holyrood's Digital Health and Care Conference 2024. Service User Feedback JB stated “This place has really given me my confidence back and I am so pleased I agreed to come. I am going to return to driving when I go home”. JB was assessed as requiring care at home support following a hospital admission. 2.4.9 Technology Enabled Care (TEC) continues to provide health and care services to people in their own homes, or near to home, to help them live independently, safely, and well at home for longer. The TEC team’s key services include telecare, Connect Me remote health monitoring service, and Near Me video consultations. South Lanarkshire’s TEC will work with partners in 2024 on an Amazon Healthcare Telecare Project that will include a test to link smart speakers to digital alarm receiving centres enabling service users to voice activate alert alarms. 2.4.10 The provision of alert alarms and telecare peripherals continues to increase year on year with 2,824 requests received in 2023-2024, compared with 2,276 requests received in 2022-23. 33% of requests received were categorised as urgent (hospital or integrated care discharges; adult support and protection; end of life care). Installation of urgent requests occur within 1 to 2 working days after screening and approval and standard request within 5 to 10 working days. 2.4.11 The TEC team has recycled 1,322 digital alarms at a saving of £214,164 (each digital alert alarm costs £162) by monitoring the digital alert alarm device management platform and highlighting alarms not permanently connected to a power supply permanently. 2.4.12 A range of training to upskill health, social care and third sector staff has been completed and enables participants to: • Have confident conversations with service users/patients and carers about technology enabled care options to support health and wellbeing. • Understand the role of technology enabled care in assessment, support planning and managing risks. • Understand the role of technology enabled care in promoting self-management and prevention of long-term health conditions. • Understand the benefits of technology enabled care to patients/services, carers, staff, and our organisations. 379
Page 380
22 Case Study Mrs A had a fall, sustained a broken shoulder, and had delirium which impacted on her cognition. Mrs A lives with her husband who works part time. Until her recent fall, Mrs A was managing well. Mr A is concerned about his wife’s safety and wellbeing when at home on her own. A community alert alarm was recommended following assessment and was installed in the family home. A package of care was put in place for personal care. The community alarm alert responders respond to alert alarm activations when Mr A is at work. After a visit to Blantyre LIFE, the Occupational Therapist also showed Mr A how to use Amazon Alexa Show’s video call “drop in” function to allow him to contact his wife and to remind her to take her medication. After 8 weeks the care package was removed. Mr A purchased smart watches for both him and Mrs A after a discussion with the Occupational Therapist. They track their steps by moving more, monitor their heart rates and both set medication reminders. Mrs A advised the introduction of technology has made her feel safe and gave her great peace of mind. Mr A expressed the positive impact technology has made to their lives, and the support it provided him in caring for his wife. Mr A noted that it now helps them both in self-managing their own health and well-being. 2.4.13 The establishment of the Commissioning and Quality Assurance Team in April 2022 has supported the Scottish Government’s Coming Home legislation. South Lanarkshire Council is rated amongst the top-performing local authorities, when examining on a per-capita basis, in relation to the Coming Home register, a central register for service users with Community Care needs who require accommodation outside their family home. Our aim is to ensure the best value for the partnership while meeting the needs of the service users. For instance, service users who no longer need specialist placements are having their needs reviewed and, where fitting, they are relocated to more suitable accommodation. If appropriate, they are sharing accommodation and, consequently, care provision, to meet their needs and outcomes. The team has successfully reviewed cases associated with expired block funding contract arrangements, saving in excess of £3million. 2.5 Performance and Support Services 2.5.1 A range of Performance and Support teams work with operational services across Social Work Resources and embrace a range of business support functions and links with: IT; Procurement; Finance and Personnel; Carers; Equalities; Workforce Planning; Corporate Governance; Information Governance; and Asset Management. 2.5.2 Administration services assist operational staff in the delivery of Social Work services by providing effective administration and communication support across all service areas. Administration staff are located in a range of settings across the council area including council headquarters, four local offices, court units, residential and day care settings. 2.5.3 Planning and Development Officers provide a range of support to operational services with regard to self-evaluation, inspection, regulation, risk management, partnership, customer feedback, engagement, and information governance. 380
Page 381
23 2.5.4 During recent years, meeting statutory timescales set out within the UK General Data Protection Regulation/Data Protection Act 2018 has been increasingly difficult, with requests to access personal data increasing by 86% from 116 in 2019/20 to 216 in 2023/24. It is recognised this increase is due in part due to the Redress for Survivors (Historical Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021. 2.5.5 Whilst short term additional resources have enabled the resource to maintain consistent levels of compliance, a longer term solution was identified to improve overall performance. Realignment of operational funding has created resources within the Planning and Performance team for the appointment of two Information Governance Assistants whose main task will be to action subject access requests. 2.5.6 Performance Officers support services with performance reporting; Scottish Government returns and statutory performance indicators; local government benchmarking; information to support planning, including demographic profiles and trends; management information requests as required by services and business needs. 2.5.7 The Resource is required to produce a range of statutory plans and partnership strategies in consultation with key planning partners, including service users and carers. The Resource also contributes to council corporate planning and reporting activities. These plans guide the planning of service provision across the Resource and commit partners to action. They are reviewed regularly to assess progress towards agreed objectives. Some of the key social work plans include: • Community Plan • Council Plan • Community Justice • Resource Plan • Advocacy Plan • Carers Strategy • Children’s Service Planning • Workforce Plan • Strategic Commissioning Plan / Locality Implementation • Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy • See Hear Strategy • Dementia Strategy 2.6 Performance monitoring 2.6.1 Social Work Resources utilise a quarterly performance and monitoring system which allows services within the Resource to assess performance against key council and Social Work Resource objectives. Performance information is then used to inform the annual plan, highlighting areas of progress and approaches to continuous improvement. The Social Work Resource Plan 2024-2025 also identifies those areas of action where performance requires to be measured for example, ASP, Adults with Incapacity (AWI), Child Protection (CP). 381
Page 382
24 2.6.2 Quarterly performance management meetings take place in-line with the reporting timescales of the quarterly report. Examples of performance activity, which are discussed include findings from case file audit activity, self-evaluation, Social Work risks and financial performance. 2.6.3 The performance scorecard within the Resource Plan has a number of measures which relate to the Council Plan. These are formally reported to the Council’s Executive Committee twice a year. Any measures which have amber, or red progress status are discussed within the Council’s Performance and Review Scrutiny Forum and the CSWO or a Head of Service from the Social Work Resources Management Team is required to attend and explain the performance and potential improvement activity. 2.6.4 The performance management system (IMPROVe) supports frontline managers with real time management information. This system allows managers to look at detailed caseload or timescale information for aspects of service such as guardianship visits and reviews and the supervision of children under statutory requirements. In addition, the system allows the higher-level performance measures within the Resource Plan to be tracked and measured daily. This enhances performance management capacity and knowledge across the service, allowing for corrective action to be taken instantly. 2.6.5 Key performance trend data is recorded at Appendix 1 that supports some examples of the areas of work identified above. 2.6.6 The Accounts Commission, as part of their statutory responsibilities, audit public performance reporting arrangements each year to provide continuity and support progress of the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF). Social Work Resources reports a range of information to demonstrate that it is securing Best Value in providing services. 2.6.7 The Care Inspectorate continues to regulate and inspect our registered inhouse care services which include: care homes for older people; day services for older people; day services for adults; care and support service for adults; intermediate care service; children’s houses; child and family services (fostering, adoption and supported carers); and care at home services. While there are forty-one registered in-house services, some of these services are delivered from alternative sites. Attached in Appendix 2 are the most up to date grades in respect of our registered services. 2.6.8 Analysis and management of information relating to guardianship orders; complex balance of need; risk and civil liberties in accordance with professional standards, for example in relation to ASP and CP guidelines; and decisions relating to the need to place children in secure accommodation and the review of such placements all fall to the CSWO. 382
Page 383
25 Section 3: Challenges and improvements 3.1 Key Challenges to Service Delivery 3.1.1 The situation within South Lanarkshire remains similar to that of all public services across Scotland. Social Work continues to experience the effects of the cost-of-living crisis; an increase in the number of people living longer into older age with greater levels of frailty and multiple long-term conditions; and financial pressures across all areas of budget. This level of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) means that successfully planning and delivering sustainable change becomes even more critical to ensure that we continue to support the most vulnerable people in South Lanarkshire. 3.1.2 There are demographic factors which present specific challenges to Social Work Resources including: • A projected increase in the South Lanarkshire population from 322,472 in 2023 to 327,049 in 2033, which is around a 1.42% increase from the current population. This projects an increase in demand, further challenged by limited recruitment opportunities across social care. • An increasing ageing population (this is most pronounced in the 75+ age group). As people advance in age their need for health and social care services increases. • The average weekly package of care increased by 9% from 12.3 hours per user per week in 2018/19 to 13.4 hours per user per week in 2023/2024. • Aligned to this is that the healthy life expectancy for people in South Lanarkshire is lower than the Scottish average and people will spend a higher proportion of their lives in poor health. • South Lanarkshire has a higher percentage of children with a concern at the 27–30 month health visitor review compared to Scotland. • Adult support and protection inquiries increased by 96% from 1,973 in 2018/19 to 3,859 in 2023/24. • The rate of people with 3+ Long Term Conditions (LTCs) is projected to increase steadily between 2022 and 2025 across most age groups 18+, again increasing the demand for services. • South Lanarkshire is more deprived than Scotland as a whole, the publication of the latest Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) statistics highlights persistent levels of deprivation within a number of South Lanarkshire communities. • Many factors combine to affect the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. Whether people are healthy or not is determined by their social and economic circumstances and the wider environment, all of which contribute to health inequalities. • Exponential and unprecedented pressure on the capacity of health and social care workforce nationally, with increasing challenges to recruit new staff and retain the current workforce impacting on the delivery of critical care. 3.1.3 Increased demand continues to place considerable pressure on existing services. There has been a significant increase in statutory work between 2018-2019 and 2023- 2024 with: 383
Page 384
26 • CP investigations increased by 32% from 539 to 712 (Child Protection data is recorded from July to August). • Community Payback Orders (CPOs) imposed increased by 16% from 985 to 1,142. • Justice Social Work reports increased by 20% from 1,395 to 1,672. • Adult Support and Protection (ASP) inquiries increased by 96% from 1,968 to 3,859. 3.1.4 The Resource has taken steps to reinforce capacity across all social work services to ensure it meets statutory requirements, increased demand and changes in complexity of service users. Proposed changes to the staffing establishment were approved by Social Work Resources Committee on 28 June 2023 and 6 March 2024 to ensure assessment and care management, public protection and mental health workloads could be met. This demonstrates a commitment to recruitment and retention of the workforce and enhances career pathways and succession planning for existing staff. 384
Page 385
27 Section 4: Resources 4.1 Financial, budgetary and resource challenges 4.1.1 Over the last year our governance processes have had to contend with the following key issues and areas of work: • Implementation of council wide mitigation factors to minimise risks resulting from local and national funding and budgetary pressures that impact on the delivery and maintenance of front-line services. • Developing flexible approaches for the recruitment and retention of staff to ensure there is adequate capacity and skills to provide and meet increased service demands. • Affordability of services and the requirement to support service users and employees affected by legacy financial pressures from the global pandemic and increased cost of living. 4.1.2 The CSWO has responsibility to identify all major risks for Social Work. The service risks identified for the Resource are reviewed and monitored on a regular basis with progress updates reported at every meeting of the Social Work Resources Committee. In the coming year Social Work Resources will continue to take forward all necessary actions, where appropriate, to mitigate or reduce the Resource’s exposure to these risks, in line with tolerance levels defined within the Council’s Corporate Risk Management Strategy. Service Risk Registers are under development to ensure that all areas of risk are captured and to identify whether there is a cumulative risk across services areas. By identifying this, the cumulative risk will be highlighted for attention within the Social Work Resources Risk Register. 4.1.3 The Risk Register for the IJB is also reviewed regularly and is presented at every meeting of the IJB Performance and Audit Sub Committee as some of the top Social Work risks are reflected in the IJB risk report and may affect the ability to deliver the directions within the Strategic Commissioning Plan. The Internal Audit Annual Assurance Report 2023-2024, which relates to all national outcomes as effective governance arrangements will ensure the IJB can fulfil its statutory duties, stated: • Overall, reasonable assurance can be placed on the adequacy and effectiveness of the partnership’s framework of governance, risk management and control arrangements for the year ending 31 March 2024. 4.1.4 Service managers provide strategic and operational oversight of all risks, and the Senior Management Team (SMT) has identified five top risks that impact on the delivery of social work services. Whilst these top risks are the current primary focus of the Resource, there are other risks that continue to be monitored and contributed to by way of mitigation. On 26 July 2024, the five top Social Work risks were: 1. Funding and Budgetary Pressures 2. Workforce Availability and Capacity 3. Market and Provider Capacity 385
Page 386
28 4. Delivery of Strategic Commissioning Plan Outcomes 5. Households most impacted by the cost-of-living crisis 4.1.5 To achieve stability over future years, decisions will be taken that will have a direct impact on the services that we deliver. All options carry consequences which need to be balanced against the risks to financial sustainability and the council’s ability to deliver its statutory duties. In order to protect statutory services and address the budget pressures there is a requirement to review how social work services will be delivered, and the council needs to determine its risk appetite for significant change in line with the current financial challenges. 4.1.6 A report presented to Social Work Committee on 6 March 2024 set out proposals to address a projected £10.6m cost pressure for Social Work Children and Families Services for 2024-2025 and beyond, with actions to ensure best value including: • Implementation of a Sustainability and Value Option Appraisal Screening Scale to support option development and decision-making to protect the provision of statutory duties that support the most vulnerable • Commissioning of a new Intensive Family Support Service to reduce numbers of children currently in high-cost residential placements and reduce the reliance on future residential placements • Review of policies, procedures, services, contracts and use of estate to ensure that they are up to date in respect of meeting statutory requirements and changes in legislation, and to benchmark procedures with other areas of Scotland 4.1.7 In order to secure recurring financial sustainability to maintain a balanced budget in the delivery of services to adults, the IJB approved the adoption of a Sustainability and Value Programme in September 2023. A range of consultation workshops were undertaken, starting in August 2023, with IJB members, IJB Voting Members and the South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Forum, to consider, inform, scrutinise and challenge potential proposals presented in draft. 4.1.8 A proposal to re-provision care that was provided from Dewar House and McClymont House Residential Care Homes formed part of the proposals. This recognised the reduction in demand for residential care home beds with people supported to stay at home for longer. There are 6% fewer registered care home services in 2022 than in 2018 (Source: Care Inspectorate). A period of consultation followed between November 2023 and February 2024 and involved those likely to be affected by the proposal, including families, some residents and staff. An Independent Advisory Panel was convened to provide oversight of the process and a full consultation report was published on the South Lanarkshire University HSCP website. Whilst giving due regard to the outcome of the consultation, the IJB approved the proposal on 26 March 2024, to re-provision care away from both Dewar House and McClymont House Residential Care Homes, with both homes subsequently closing. 4.1.9 The challenges faced by the council in the recruitment and retention of Social Workers and their Team Leaders in a very competitive labour force market were highlighted in 2023, with service model improvements made in relation to: 386
Page 387
29 • Staff and management ratios • The gap management posts in some areas of the structure • The matrix management of the Social Worker Senior Practitioner role • The impact of the current structure on service demand and delivery • Staff and caseload ratios 4.1.10 A Three Horizons Redesign Proposal was submitted to: • Extend the current role of Operations Manager within locality structures, incorporating both operational service management with a strategic and governance role • Establish Planning and Performance roles in each of the localities to support these new management arrangements and the management of data, which is used to monitor, prioritise, report on and plan locality social work services and allocation of resources • Remodel line management arrangements • Increase capacity within the service with Operations Managers assuming wider public protection responsibilities in chairing Adult Protection Child Protection and high risk Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) 4.1.11 Future work to develop Horizon Levels 2 and 3, would comprise of a redesign existing resources and other services that currently sit alongside locality services e.g. CAReS. 4.2 Finance 4.2.1 Social Work Resources had a net revenue budget of £219.616 million for 2023-2024 which was allocated as follows: Service Budget amount in millions of pounds % of the total budget Performance and Support Services 7.068 3.2 Adult and Older People 169.314 77.1 Children and Families 37.742 17.2 Justice and Substance Misuse 5.492 2.5 Total 219.616 100 387
Page 388
30 Section 5: Workforce 5.1 Workforce 5.1.1 The social care workforce is one of the largest employment groups in South Lanarkshire with employees working to provide a range of support within our communities. Excellent social services require a confident, dedicated, and skilled workforce which is valued by employers, service users and the public. 5.1.2 All Social Work staff working with service users are bound by a professional Code of Conduct which is governed by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). South Lanarkshire’s Council’s Code of Conduct for Social Work staff has drawn on this framework; all staff, regardless of qualification agree to adhere to specific professional codes that guide their practice. 5.1.3 Everyone in the workforce needs to feel valued and to be motivated to improve their contribution and be innovative in their practice. Workers must have the right skills, knowledge, values, and behaviours to provide high quality services. The Council’s Performance Appraisal Framework supports the discussions with managers and employees to consider performance, improvement and career planning. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is expected from all employees who are required to keep up to date with developments in their profession. Retaining experienced staff in front line practice is crucial to delivering excellent social care services. 5.1.4 Several initiatives are available through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which offers practical and emotional support for all council employees, including early intervention, counselling, and financial support. Further initiatives developed include supporting the mental health and wellbeing of staff with useful information and contacts shared through the mental health information hub, and an addictions policy that recognises addiction problems as health issues which should be treated in the same way as any other illness. Employees are provided with confidential and voluntary counselling and support services through the PAM Assist Wellbeing App which offers 24/7 employee support. 5.1.5 South Lanarkshire Council has been recognised as a Carer Positive Employer at the Engaged Level. The carer positive award is presented to employers in Scotland who have a working environment where carers are valued and supported. 5.1.6 Social Work Resources has 2,920 employees as of February 2024. Employees are supported to deliver their duties through a range of policies including personal appraisal and a robust training framework. The number of employees (per headcount) by service is as follows: Service Number of employees Adult and Older Peoples Services 2,133 Children and Justice Services 549 Performance and Support 238 388
Page 389
31 Service Number of employees Total 2,920 5.1.7 Ethical awareness, professional integrity, respect for human rights and a commitment to promoting social justice are at the core of social service practice. The life changing and challenging work undertaken cannot be underestimated. This essential work is underpinned by core values. These values focus on understanding each individual in the context of family and community, supporting participation, and building on the strengths of the individual and their communities to promote enablement. 5.1.8 Assessment of risk is undertaken to protect those staff who continue to work on site and for those working agile at home or within another location. Well established trade union and employee forums are in place that enable regular monitoring and resolution of issues. 5.1.9 Social Work Resources play a leading role in mainstreaming equalities across a number of partnership agendas including Integration of Health and Social Care, Public Protection arrangements, Getting it Right For Every Child, The Promise Board, Community Planning, Carers Strategy, Lanarkshire Advocacy, and the Community Justice Partnership. Tackling inequality is a central theme within all these partnership agendas. Progress against the council’s equality outcomes is reported annually within the Mainstreaming Equalities Progress Report. 5.1.10 Social Work Resources participates in the council’s Equality and Diversity Working Group, and along with other Resources has developed equality outcomes that will meet the general duty as set out in the Equality Act 2010: • To eliminate discrimination • Advance equality of opportunity • Foster good relations in all the work we do 5.1.11 We collect, monitor, and publish information about the diversity of our employees. This helps us check that we are supporting a culture of diversity and inclusion and identify areas for continuous improvement. We aim to ensure that our workforce reflects our community. 5.1.12 Equality and diversity training is available to all South Lanarkshire Council employees and Elected Members. All employees are required to undertake on-line mandatory equalities training, including modules relating to recruitment, unconscious bias, diversity and race equality awareness. 5.1.13 An Equality Employee Network supports employees to share their needs and enable others to understand them. Employees are encouraged to take part in regular forums, based around the protected characteristics, and this is intended to be supportive, and a forum for sharing good practice and raising concerns confidentially. The Network has four strands, Ethnicity Matters; Disability Matters; LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Matters; and Caring Matters. 389
Page 390
32 5.1.14 Whilst menopause is not a specific characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, if an employee is put at a disadvantage and treated less favourably because of their menopause symptoms, this could be discrimination if related to, for example, age, disability, gender reassignment, sex. The Menopause Policy aims to support individuals to feel confident about raising and discussing issues with their manager about their symptoms, and to ask for assistance and/or adjustments at work. 5.2 Workforce Planning 5.2.1 The CSWO has a key planning and leadership role in relation to workforce planning and development, both from a local authority and partnership perspective. Whilst social care services are a diverse sector in terms of job roles, career pathways and service structures, what unifies the sector is a common set of shared values and ethics which underpins the principles of those that work in the sector. 5.2.2 A significant number of staff are projected to reach retirement age over the next ten years and this together with high turnover of staff and an ongoing requirement to retain and increase numbers of qualified workers presents a particular challenge. The Social Work Workforce Plan 2022-2025 aims to mitigate the risks of a diminishing workforce against areas of growing demand. 5.2.3 The Plan highlights key challenges, including: • Sustained pressure on services and an increased demand that will continue over the period of the plan. • Significant national workforce supply challenges that require action at a national policy level to impact change • Implications of the National Care Service and impact on existing workforce and ability to recruit • Maintaining the well-being and value of the workforce to enable recruitment and retention across all service areas 5.2.4 An action plan to address these challenges focuses on the need to: • Maximise available resources. • Explore options for service redesign and review current recruitment practices, including the establishment of a Care Academy to ‘grow our own’ workforce. • Enhance career pathways and succession planning • Ensure the workforce feel valued and supported It is however acknowledged that not all risks can be eliminated whilst a national health and social care workforce crisis remains. 5.2.5 The Lanarkshire Care Academy aims to better promote Social Care as a vocation in South Lanarkshire; reinforce and expand routes into a career in Social Care; and provide a much more explicit framework to enable the council to ‘grow their own’ workforce to address workforce requirements. A Care Academy has been developed 390
Page 391
33 on a Lanarkshire-wide basis building upon existing effective co-operation between both South Lanarkshire and North Lanarkshire HSCPs; joint working between the councils and NHS Lanarkshire; and Lanarkshire-wide services “hosted” by each HSCP. Partners will work together to share learning and enable a more structured approach to address recruitment challenges and enhance capacity to meet increasing demands for services. 5.2.6 The council already has a range of initiatives which fit into and enhance the Lanarkshire Care Academy, including the well-established Modern Apprenticeship Programme; the council’s Youth Employability Service and Foundation Apprenticeship programme; The GradU8 Programme; and professional apprentices. The Care Academy will support the commitment to Keep the Promise for care experienced children, young people and their families, promoting opportunities for routes into a career in Social Care and providing bespoke employability support to all care experienced young people who need it, whilst expanding the care experienced pilot Into Work program. 391
Page 392
34 Section 6: Training, Learning and Development 6.1 Learning and Development 6.1.1 The CSWO is a member of Social Work Scotland (SWS), the professional leadership body for the Social Work and Social Care professions. The membership organisation represents Social Workers and other professionals who lead and support Social Work across all sectors. It will influence and advise on the development of policy and legislation and support the development of the Social Work and Social Care professions. 6.1.2 The CSWO is active in overseeing the quality of services and is responsible for ensuring that Social Work staff are appropriately trained and supported to carry out their professional and statutory duties. This is undertaken in a number of ways including regular meetings between the CSWO and senior managers to discuss performance and other operational issues, fulfilling corporate governance requirements through the annual Internal Statement of Assurance and overall Governance Assessment Framework with the agreement of the Chair of the Social Work Resources Committee. 6.1.3 The CSWO actively promotes continuous improvement and evidence-informed practice, including the development of person-centred services that are focussed on the needs of the service-user. The CSWO also oversees the quality of practice learning experiences for Social Work students and effective workplace assessment arrangements in accordance with the SSSC Code of Practice. South Lanarkshire is a member of Learning Network West and cohorts of students are provided with placements annually across the Social Work Service. Each placement is supported by a Practice Teacher identified from the South Lanarkshire Social Work workforce. 6.1.4 The CSWO has a role in ensuring Learning Reviews take place as required. The outcome of Learning Reviews is published on South Lanarkshire Council’s Adult Protection Committee and Child Protection Committee websites. Learning is crucial for staff across the Resource, with actions agreed and taken forward as a partnership as a result of reports published. 6.1.5 Staff continue to be supported to complete the Professional Development Award in Practice Learning (PDAPL). Currently, 2 employees are due to complete and graduate in 2024. Funding has been made available to support one employee undertake the qualification in 2024-2026. In 2023-2024 Adult Residential Services provided practice learning opportunities to undergraduate nursing students. Higher National Certificate (HNC) placements continue to be offered. 6.1.6 The Mental Health Officer Award is funded on an ongoing basis to enable the council to meet legislative obligations under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act (2000) and the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act (2003). A Staff Development Officer for Mental Health Services who is a trained Mental Health Officer provides support to meet the learning and development requirements within this service. 392
Page 393
35 6.1.7 The South Lanarkshire University HSCP Learning and Workforce Development Group has a strategic overview of the learning and development activity that takes place across health and social care and ensures there is openness and transparency in relation to how training is organised and accessed by staff. The development of a Social Work Resource Learning and Development Plan is instrumental to this and contributes to supporting a learning culture. 6.1.8 Each Social Work service area has a learning and development pathway, which highlights the specific learning and development needs for individual staff; and, in addition to the pathways, there are service priorities for all staff within Social Work. These highlight any newly required or ongoing training needs and are presented at the Learning and Development Workforce Planning Boards. This includes inhouse training (virtual, e-learning and only, if necessary, classroom learning) and any externally purchased courses. 6.1.9 Learning and development requirements of individual staff members are identified through supervision and reflected in an Annual Performance Appraisal meeting. Additional training requirements are identified through the Corporate Learning and Development Team for Social Work Resources. 6.1.10 Social Work Resources supports evidence informed practice and in developing its re- search culture funds post-graduate courses to support staff with their learning and de- velopment. On an annual basis an agreed number of staff are supported to undertake Post Graduate Certificate qualifications. In 2023 – 2024 these included Adult Support and Protection (ASP) and Child Welfare and Protection. 6.1.11 The ongoing development of the Dementia Strategy details the level of input/training required for each sector of the workforce from ‘Informed’ through to ‘Expert.’ The programme continues to incorporate new members of staff and includes colleagues from other council resources and NHS. 6.1.12 Access to Management and Leadership Development training is available through Personnel services to all Social Work staff, in consultation with their line managers. Those who are either first time managers or who are looking to be promoted to a management post can also participate in the Management Induction and Development Programme delivered by the Social Work Learning and Development Team. This programme is specifically designed for social work staff. Staff wishing to develop their leadership skills are also encouraged to make use of SSSC Step into Leadership learning resources. 6.1.13 Registration within timescale for all staff within Social Work Resources is set out by the SSSC. Where staff have conditional registrations or where the achievement of appropriate qualifications is required, support is provided. 6.1.14 All newly qualified Social Workers meet with the relevant Staff Development Officer for a learning and development/Continuous Professional Learning (CPL) induction meeting to draw attention to the relevant learning and development pathway for their 393
Page 394
36 post, how to access training and ensure they understand their responsibilities in relation to post registration training and learning requirements. The support that is available in relation to the CPL is also explained. 6.1.15 The Adult and Older People’s service is committed to ensuring newly qualified social workers are supported, in particular, within their first year. Mentors are assigned as well as slowly building caseloads over the first year. Supervision occurs on more regular basis with the model of supervision encouraging a culture of continuous learning. Group supervision has been established with a focus on specific areas of development determined by the newly qualified social workers. This helps to develop peer support. 6.1.16 Mentoring arrangements also support newly qualified MHOs (Mental Health Officer), and a Mental Health Officer Forum is held quarterly to facilitate learning and discussion regarding MHO practice, developments in legislation and the work of the Mental Welfare Commission. Training opportunities are promoted throughout the mental health service. 6.1.17 Within Children and Family teams newly qualified social workers are supported throughout their first year of practice. This includes individual and group support as well as a caseload that is built up incrementally over several months. Furthermore, all Social Workers attend Practice Development Sessions which are regularly scheduled throughout the year. This provides Social Workers with the space to learn and reflect on practice. 6.1.18 The Justice Learning & Development Liaison Group completed a training needs analysis and identified the following areas of priority: • Through the Pan Lanarkshire MAPPA training subgroup, a dedicated MAPPA Risk Management training session available to all social work staff, was delivered by Professor Hazel Kemshall in September 2023. A further session was delivered by Justice Services to frontline staff following a MAPPA learning review to support staff in developing their skill base in risk management strategy work and consideration of neurodivergent and learning disability needs. Risk Management Planning training. • Restorative Justice – Justice services are committed to ensuring all Whole Systems Approach staff are trained within this area of practice. The service provided Restorative Justice and Practice skills training from University of Strathclyde in September 2023. Since then, a working group has been established to look at a proposed change plan alongside Children and Young People’s Centre and Community Justice Scotland to support the implementation of Restorative Justice approaches within Justice Social Work • Harmful Sexual Behaviour 16–21-year-olds – Justice Social Work continues to contribute towards the re-development of the Care and Risk Management (CARM) processes. within the council. Harmful Sexual Behaviour 16–21-year-olds Whole System Approach (WSA) have completed the Lucy Faithful Foundation's INFORM Programme training and delivered this programme in relation to internet related sexual harm. Staff have also been attending relevant training relating to contextual 394
Page 395
37 safeguarding and the CYCJ inputs with a member of staff at WSA are now AIM 3 trained also. 395
Page 396
38 Section 7: Looking Ahead 7.1 Horizon scanning 7.1.1 The following areas of activity, which are likely to impact the Resource in the future include: • Local government in Scotland: Overview 2023 (audit.scot) Continuing financial challenges with expenditure exceeding allocated budgets. Audit Scotland report published 17 May 2023 • Integration Joint Boards: Financial analysis 2021/22 | Audit Scotland IJB statutory duties set out in the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 and other associated legislative duties to maintain a balanced budget. Audit Scotland report published 6 April 2023 • The Scottish Government's workforce challenges Workforce availability and capacity challenged by competitive labour markets influencing the ability to recruit and retain staff across the social care sector. Audit Scotland report published • Legislation: o Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill – Stage 3 o National Care Service (Scotland) Bill – Stage 2 o Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill – Stage 2 7.1.2 Funding and budgetary pressures remain challenging as a result of additional demand and increased costs of delivering services. Implementation of the Sustainability and Value Programme across social work services will require ongoing consultation with members of the public, families, carers, and employees as service changes are taking place. 7.1.3 Community engagement and consultation continues to have an effective and direct impact on shaping service priorities for the future. A consultation programme for the new strategic plan will take place during 2024-2025. 7.1.4 Social Work Resources will respond to the findings of the Independent Review of Inspection, Scrutiny and Regulation (IRISR) which are currently under consideration. The report outlines 38 recommendations that reflect cultural and legislative changes to the existing arrangements, including greater involvement of people with lived experience and a review of existing powers of intervention and enforcement, Health and Social Care Standards, and legislation relating to fitness of providers. 7.1.5 The council will continue to contribute to the ongoing debates in relation to The National Care Services (Scotland) Bill. Stage 1 debate of the bill was extended and concluded on 31 January 2024, allowing further consultation with stakeholders. Meanwhile, agreement has been reached to share accountability for the care system between Scottish Ministers, local authorities and NHS boards; staff will continue to be employed by councils rather than transferring to new care boards and councils will also retain responsibility for buildings and the delivery of social care and social work services. 396
Page 397
39 7.1.6 The replacement Social Work case management IT System is in progress, with a robust training programme prepared for all social work employees. It is anticipated that the new system will be available from early 2025. 7.1.7 By December 2025 all analogue telephone services in the UK will be switched off and replaced by digital systems using voice over internet protocol technology. Telecommunication suppliers are transitioning their customers to digital which includes the South Lanarkshire community alarm service users. The TEC team will finalise the council’s analogue 2 digital replacement programme, with 6580 digital alert alarms installed as of 31 March 2024. 7.1.8 Care at Home services will implement the new 10-year contract with Care at Home providers from 1 July 2024. 7.1.9 The Resource along with partners in North Lanarkshire Council, Police and NHS Lanarkshire have applied for The Bairns’ Hoose Thematic Fund. If successful, the funding would be used to: • Recruit a project manager to lead the project and co-ordinate and lead on scoping of local supports and services and consultation with children, their families, and communities. • Undertake induction of project manager, including networking across the partnership. • Back fill staff member post to manage gap in existing service. • Fully develop project brief and plan with the project manager and oversight group to identify specific timelines for scoping, consultation and access to existing data and local information. • Awareness raising of Bairns Hoose model and local project plan across the partnership. 7.1.10 As with all of the Bairns’ Hoose funding, grantholders must commit to: • Meaningfully involve children and young people, with lived experience of child protection and justice processes, in the design and delivery of the Bairns’ Hoose test of change approach. • Work to develop trauma responsive approaches across the Bairns’ Hoose partner organisations, systems and workforces in line with the Roadmap for Creating Trauma-Informed and Responsive Change | NHS (scot.nhs.uk) 7.1.11 Paths Away from Poverty is funded by the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Accelerator Fund and is supporting families where there is a child or a young person in the household with a disability. While this project is in the early stages of development (it will run until March 2025 working with at least ten families) it is beginning to identify potentially more effective ways to engage and support families to deal with financial, wellbeing and inclusion challenges. Support is delivered primarily through a key worker relationship, with workers for the project being provided by the third sector organization, COVEY. 397
Page 398
40 7.1.12 Justice Social Work continues to embed those with lived experience within their services. This has been demonstrated through the permanency of the existing two locality peer mentor posts. This has been further consolidated through a further post being created within our Whole Systems Approach team for 16–21-year-old service users. Work is underway to expand this approach further based on the findings from Iconic Consultancy independent evaluation. This demonstrated the impact and support staff in these roles made to service users and supported positive cultures within teams. 398
Page 399
41 Appendix 1 Performance Data and Trends Year Number of Adult Support and Protection Inquiries 2019 - 2020 2,862 2020 - 2021 2,948 2021 - 2022 2,849 2022 - 2023 3,449 2023 - 2024 3,859 Source: ASP Scottish Government Return 399
Page 400
42 Year Number of Adult Support and Protection In- vestigations 2019 - 2020 1,300 2020 - 2021 1,144 2021 - 2022 1,273 2022 – 2023 1,533 2023 - 2024 1,546 Source: ASP Scottish Government Return 400
Page 401
43 Year Percentage of Statutory Supervising Officer Visits held within timescales for Welfare Guardianship or- ders – Local Authority (%) Percentage of Statutory Supervising Officer Vis- its held within time- scales for Welfare Guardianship orders – Private (%) 2019 - 2020 93 86 2020 - 2021 94 94 2021 - 2022 94 95 2022 - 2023 93 93 2023 - 2024 94 92 Source: Social Work Resource Plan, IMPROVe 401
Page 402
44 Year Number of Child Protection Investigations Completed 2018 - 2019 539 2019 - 2020 699 2020 - 2021 780 2021 - 2022 692 2022 – 2023 725 Source: CP Scottish Government Return (Academic years: August to July) 402
Page 403
45 Year Percentage of reports submitted to Scot- tish Children’s Reporter within timescales (%) 2019 - 2020 71 2020 - 2021 88 2021 - 2022 82 2022 – 2023 77 2023 - 2024 58 Source: Social Work Resource Plan, IMPROVe 403
Page 404
46 Year Percentage of children seen within 15 days following Compulsory Supervision Order commencing (%) 2019 - 2020 90 2020 - 2021 70 2021 - 2022 94 2022 – 2023 89 2023 - 2024 53 Source: Social Work Resource Plan, IMPROVe 404
Page 405
47 Year Percentage of people on CPO unpaid work re- quirements seen within 5 working days (%) 2019 - 2020 77 2020 - 2021 59 2021 - 2022 68 2022 – 2023 69 2023 - 2024 72 Source: Social Work Resource Plan, IMPROVe Year Percentage of people starting their unpaid work within 7 days of CPO (%) 2019 - 2020 77 2020 - 2021 48 2021 - 2022 65 2022 – 2023 67 2023 - 2024 70 Source: Social Work Resource Plan, IMPROVe 405
Page 406
48 Appendix 2: Care Inspectorate Gradings for Registered Services as of 30th June 2024 Service Latest Inspection How well do we support people's well- being? How well is our care and support planned? How good is our setting? How good is our staff team? How good is our leader- ship? Child and Family Services 1 South Lanarkshire Council - Adoption Service 27/03/2023 4 5 Not Assessed 5 5 2 Supported Carers Service 22/01/2019 5 5 Not Assessed 5 5 3 South Lanarkshire Council - Fostering Service 27/03/2023 5 5 Not Assessed 5 4 Children’s ouses 4 Langlea Avenue 19/04/2022 5 5 5 5 5 5 Bardykes Road 29/07/2022 5 5 5 5 5 6 Rosslyn Avenue 13/05/2022 5 5 5 5 5 7 Hunters Crescent 29/04/2022 4 4 4 4 4 8 Station Road 22/09/2023 4 4 4 4 4 9 Hillhouse 30/06/2022 5 5 5 5 5 Care Homes – Older People 10 Meldrum Gardens 18/01/2024 5 5 5 5 5 11 McKillop Gardens 01/07/2022 5 5 5 5 5 12 McClymont House 31/05/2022 5 5 6 5 5 13 David Walker Gardens 11/11/2022 5 5 5 5 4 14 Dewar House 25/01/2023 5 5 4 5 5 Day Services – Adult and Older People 406
Page 407
49 15 Lifestyle Lanark, Harry Smith Complex 12/08/2015 6 6 6 6 6 16 South Lanarkshire Lifestyles - Stonehouse 26/05/2017 5 5 5 4 5 17 South Lanarkshire Lifestyles - Fairhill 22/01/2019 5 5 5 5 5 18 Whitehill Day Centre 24/07/2018 5 5 5 5 5 19 Newberry Rooney 22/11/2016 5 5 5 5 4 20 South Lanarkshire Lifestyles - Carluke 19/05/2017 5 5 6 5 5 21 Meldrum House 05/06/2017 5 5 5 5 5 22 Saltire Neighbourhood Centre 22/05/2018 5 5 5 5 5 23 Harry Heaney Centre 10/05/2019 5 5 5 5 5 24 McClymont Resource Centre 05/08/2019 5 5 5 5 5 25 Lesmahagow Neighbourhood Centre 07/02/2017 5 5 6 5 5 26 Canderavon Neighbourhood Centre 16/02/2016 4 4 5 5 5 27 Jimmy Swinburne Resource Centre 15/05/2018 5 5 5 4 5 28 St. Andrew's Day Centre 24/07/2019 5 4 5 5 5 29 South Lanarkshire Lifestyles East Kilbride 13/12/2016 5 5 5 5 5 30 South Lanarkshire Lifestyles Eastfield 15/11/2017 5 5 5 5 4 31 Nisbet Centre 18/06/2019 5 5 5 5 5 32 Parkhall House 03/08/2018 5 5 5 5 4 33 Jenny MacLachlan Centre 19/01/2017 6 6 5 5 5 Care at Home Services 34 East Kilbride Home Care Service 24/01/2020 4 4 Not Assessed 5 5 35 Hamilton Home Care Service 17/06/2021 3 3 Not Assessed 3 3 407
Page 408
50 36 Rutherglen Home Care Service 24/11/2020 4 3 Not Assessed 4 4 37 Clydesdale Homecare 24/05/2024 5 5 Not Assessed 5 5 Home First Services 38 Home First (East Kilbride and Rutherglen) Registered - 2/9/22 39 Home First (Clydesdale and Hamilton) Registered - 2/9/22 Housing Support Services 40 Care and Support Service (North and South) 20/05/2019 4 4 Not Assessed 5 4 Intermediate Care Services 41 Blantyre Life Registered - 15/12/22 Grades guide: 1 Unsatisfactory 2 Weak 3 Adequate 4 Good 5 Very Good 6 Excellent NA – Not Assessed 408
Page 409
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 409
Page 410
410
Page 411
Agenda Item Report Report to: Executive Committee Date of Meeting: 13 November 2024 Report by: Director, Health and Social Care Subject: South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Annual Performance Report 2023/2024 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- present the South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) Annual Performance Report 2023/2024 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Executive Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the content 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. The 2014 Act obliges that the APR should cover the preceding year’s activity and be published four months after the end of that reporting year. 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 South Lanarkshire Council in monitoring the success of the integration arrangements they have put in place, as per the Integration Scheme. 3.3. The Scottish Government issued Guidance for APRs in March 2016, with recommended areas for inclusion, including:- a summary of progress against the nine National Health outcomes using as a minimum the 23 core national performance indicators financial performance and best value 3.4. As with previous years, the APR 2023/2024 is aligned to reporting progress against the intentions outlined in the Strategic Commissioning Plan. This APR covers the second year of the 2022 – 2025 Strategic Commissioning Plan. 18 411
Page 412
3.5. By way of summary, some of the main achievements within 2023/24 are summarised as below: • The Blantyre Life Care Campus, which forms part of the IJB’s intermediate care strategy provides reablement/rehabilitation support to people aged 50 and over who are clinically fit for discharge. The bed based intermediate care service on the campus is resourced to provide support for up to 42 days for each person but is operating at an average of 27 days to return people home safely. 90% of people who have received a service thus far rated the service as very good or excellent, • The Home First Care at Home Service which is also part of the intermediate care strategy, provides home based reablement and rehabilitation to people in South Lanarkshire. Work to date shows that when a person successfully completes a reablement intervention they require 35% less care at home hours for their ongoing care requirements. This exceeds the 25% target for the service. • The Primary Care Out of Hours Services provides critical support to people who require access to urgent GP services in the out of hours period. Over an average week, the service provides 118 hours of support and responds to approximately 80,000 contacts per annum • The use of technology to support people with their care continues to be a real success story for the Health and Social Care Partnership. In a supported discharge context, 24% of all discharges were supported with an assistive technology solution as part of the care package • Build on and maintain how we support and protect vulnerable adults as highlighted in the positive inspection report by the Care Inspectorate with regards to adult support and protection. • The contribution of the HSCP to Operation Flow as part of stabilising pressures across the health and social care system. Initiatives like this will form part of the response to forthcoming seasonal winter pressures. • The successful implementation of the ‘Home First’ approach in supporting the Discharge without Delay programme. Moreover, the newly opened ‘Blantyre Life’ facility forms a key part of the options available to support discharge planning and ultimately, the goal to support people to return home. • The expansion of assisted technology in supporting people to remain independent. For example, 4,151 telecare items installed across 2022/23, with the intention to continue to promote this. • Commissioned arrangements with Lanarkshire Carers continues to grow with 1,398 new carers were identified in 2023/24, which represents an increase of 26% on the previous year. Overall, Lanarkshire Carers are in touch with 6,825 carers. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. There are no employee implications associated with this report. 5. Financial Implications 5.1 There are no financial implications associated with this report. 412
Page 413
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. The APR presents progress in a range of areas that contribute to the mitigation of a number of risks within the IJB Risk Register, notably: • Financial sustainability – very high • Workforce availability and capacity – very high • Performance delivery – very high • Failure to meet public protection and legislative requirements – high • Failure to fulfil emergency response commitments befitting the IJB’s status as a Category One (emergency) responder – low • Performance Reporting does not capture performance across the whole health and social care system – medium • Winter pressures – medium 7.2. There are no other issues associated with this report. 8. Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Arrangements 8.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore, no impact assessment is required. 8.2. The APR relates to the Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022 - 2025, which was extensively consulted on. Soumen Sengupta Director, Health and Social Care 25 September 2024 Previous References Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022 - 2025 List of Background Papers Appendix 1 - Annual Performance Report 2023/2024 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Name: Martin Kane, Service Manager Performance and Support Ext: 3743 Email: martin.kane@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 413
Page 414
414
Page 415
South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Annual Performance Report 2023/24 SLC print 18 415
Page 416
2023/24Annual Performance Report 2 South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Annual Performance Report 2023/24 Our Vision is SLC print 416
Page 417
3 Contents 3 1. Foreword 4 2. The role of the Integration Joint Board 5 3. Background and operating context 6 4. Performance against national indicators 7 5. Financial performance 2023/2024 10 6. Strategic overview 12 7. Governance and accountability 13 8. Risk 13 9. Taking a closer look 14 10. Looking to the future 18 SLC print 417
Page 418
2023/24Annual Performance Report 4 1. Foreword Professor Soumen Sengupta Chief Officer, South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Margaret Walker Vice Chair, South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Lesley McDonald Chair, South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Over the course of this year we have had much to celebrate as our health and social care staff have continued to deliver services and supports that we can be proud of. Alongside their professionalism and compassion, they have continued to be collaborative, evaluative and innovative in developing practice for the communities that we all serve. Through the course of this year we have also had to reckon with the hard realities and difficult decisions. In its report on Integration Joint Boards – Finance and Performance 2024, the Audit Commission has highlighted that all Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) have and continue to “face a complex landscape of unprecedented pressures, challenges and uncertainties”. The Audit Commission also acknowledges that these pressures, challenges and uncertainties “are not easy to resolve and are worsening, despite a driven and committed workforce” – and has stated that IJBs have reached the point where significant transformation will be needed to ensure the long-term capacity, financial sustainability and quality of services individuals receive. For our IJB – for our services, our staff and our communities – that was reflected in our being faced with a recurring budget shortfall of £33million for 2023/24. No one wants to be in that type of financial position – and it was certainly not one of our making. The size of that funding gap though meant that in order for the IJB to live-within-its-means that it had to take decisions that inevitably had implications for how a number of valued services were and are provided. In facing up to those realities and taking those difficult decisions, we have remained absolutely committed to developing realistic, sustainable and responsible proposals that protect those most vulnerable and at-risk across our communities. And while unfortunately we know that there is more uncertainty ahead – just as is true for all of our partners and right across the public sector – we remain steadfast in that commitment. We also recognise that continued collaboration and innovation holds the promise for practical improvements to how we deliver services and supports within the resources available – shaping our practice and delivery based on using data, evidence and insights. That long- term commitment to work with other partners differently was most visibly expressed by the adoption this year of the newly-named South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership. By enhancing and extending our work together we aim to develop sustainable, innovative and practical solutions to health and social care challenges that will directly benefit our communities and our workforce for years to come. SLC print 418
Page 419
5 • 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) 2. The role of the Integration Joint Board SLC print 419
Page 420
2023/24Annual Performance Report 6 3. Background and operating context Strategic commissioning is the main process for understanding, planning and delivering better health and wellbeing outcomes. Well-planned strategic commissioning offers the opportunity to increase the value and financial sustainability of care by making the most effective use of available resources and the most efficient and consistent delivery. • It is projected that the population within South Lanarkshire will rise from 322,630 in 2021 to 325,243 in 2028, an increase of 1%. • The projected 2028 figures show the largest decrease of 5% in 0-15 age group and the largest increase of 20% in the 75+ age group. • In 2020/2021, it was estimated that 22.7% of the South Lanarkshire population had at least one physical long-term condition. • In South Lanarkshire, 40,695 (12.8%) of people are income deprived (Scottish average - 12.1%), with 17,313 (43%) of people living in the 20% most deprived data zones. The IJB’s Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022 – 2025 (SCP) sets out how health and social care services will be delivered to improve the quality of support for people in South Lanarkshire. A review the SCP provided substantial assurance on the development and content of the SCP, noting that: ‘Notwithstanding our very positive assessment of the SCP and the process through which it was produced, the environment in which the SLIJB operates is exceptionally complex and extremely challenging at present, a fact recognised within the SCP itself’. Progress made by the HSCP on the SCP’s key priorities and key performance indicators are reported regularly to the IJB and can be accessed from the HSCP website www.slhscp.org.uk. SLC print 420
Page 421
7 Ministerial Strategic Group (MSG) Indicators MSG Indicator 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Number of emergency admissions 40,461 32,537 37,028 36,849 37,188 Number of unscheduled hospital bed days (acute specialties)* 238,434 200,694 242,883 260,297 *253,153 Number of A&E attendances 110,095 83,441 104,080 103,855 106,484 Acute bed days lost to delayed discharges 46,570 22,585 35,941 41,970 41,795 % of last six months of life spent in Community setting 88.2% 90.8% 89.5% 88.8% *88.8% Balance of care: Percentage of 75+ population at home unsupported 83.6% 84.7% 84.9% 84.7% Not available *Calendar year 2023 has been used as a proxy for 2023/24 for this indicator as per guidance from Public Health Scotland due to data completeness issues. The IJB seeks to promote a culture of continuous improvement to deliver better outcomes for individuals and communities. Our Performance Management Framework provides the structure by which the IJB can make informed decisions on future priorities, using performance information to identify and drive improvement work. A core suite of indicators has been agreed nationally to ensure consistency across all IJB areas. Nine of these indicators are survey based or qualitative measures which are gathered every two years from the national Health and Social Care experience survey, with the remaining indicators being regular health and social care performance measures. 4. Performance against national indicators A summary of the MSG (Ministerial Steering Group) indicators in South Lanarkshire for currently available data showing the year-on-year comparison between April 2023 and March 2024 is detailed below. The IJB has also reflected the recommendation from the 2022/23 External Audit Annual Report and added additional measures aligned to the Strategic Commissioning Plan (SCP) priorities. These have been introduced in performance reports to the Performance and Audit Sub Committee and IJB since November 2023. SLC print 421
Page 422
2023/24Annual Performance Report 8 National Indicator 2023/24 Percentage of adults able to look after their health very well or quite well 89.4% Percentage of adults supported at home who agreed that they are supported to live as independently as possible 67.2% Percentage of adults supported at home who agreed that they had a say in how their help, care, or support was provided 55.4% Percentage of adults supported at home who agreed that their health and social care services seemed to be well co-ordinated 58.2% Total % of adults receiving any care or support who rated it as excellent or good 66.7% Percentage of people with positive experience of the care provided by their GP practice 56.5% 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% Total combined % carers who feel supported to continue in their caring role 28.1% Percentage of adults supported at home who agreed they felt safe 66.2% *Please note that 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. Please note results for indicators 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 for 2023/24 are not comparable to previous years due to changes in survey wording. Also results for 2019/20 and 2021/22 for indicators 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 are comparable to each other, but not directly comparable to figures in previous years due to changes in survey wording and methodology. National Indicator 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Commentary *Premature mortality rate per 100,000 persons 493.4 471.6 459 n/a *Emergency admission rate for adults (per 100,000 population) 11,995 12,839 12,530 12,697 Emergency admission rates have increased slightly since 2022/23. *Emergency bed day rate for adults (per 100,000 population) 98,999 117,362 122,237 118,037 While Emergency Bed Day rates have decreased for SL residents they remain above the national average. *Emergency readmissions to hospital within 28 days of discharge (rate per 1,000 discharges) 112 103 100 97 The rate of emergency readmissions is below the average level for Scotland, and the rate for SL residents has decreased since last year. SLC print 422
Page 423
9 National Indicator 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Commentary *Proportion of last 6 months of life spent at home or in a community setting 90.8% 89.4% 88.8% 88.8% Trends in the balance of care from hospital to community settings indicates that South Lanarkshire has consistently achieve 88-90% performance in this area. *Falls rate per 1,000 population aged 65+ 19.3 22.4 22.7 21.5 The rate of falls per 1,000 population for those aged 65+ has decreased since 2022/23 to present. Proportion of care services graded 'good' (4) or better in Care Inspectorate inspections 80.1% 76.1% 76.9% 79.9% Performance has increased between last year and this year and remains above the Scotland level. *Percentage of adults with intensive care needs receiving care at home 63.4% 64.8% 63.6% 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. Number of days people aged 75+ spend in hospital when they are ready to be discharged (per 1,000 population) 544 910 1,044 1008 Demand and complexity continue to impact on delayed discharges. Percentage of health and care resource spent on hospital stays where the patient was admitted in an emergency** n/a n/a n/a n/a** **See notes below. *Indicators 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 19 are based on patient level hospital activity information called Scottish Morbidity Records (SMRs) which are submitted to PHS by NHS Boards. Please note that data may not be 100% complete for certain areas for calendar year 2023. **Indicator 19 presents the cost of emergency admissions as a proportion of total health and social care expenditure. Information for this indicator was previously released up to calendar year 2020 but is now presented to financial year 2019/20 only. PHS have recommended that Integration Authorities do not report information for this indicator beyond 2019/20 within their Annual Performance Reports. Notes SLC print 423
Page 424
2023/24Annual Performance Report 10 Financial outturn 2023/2024 Financial information is part of our performance management framework with regular reporting of financial performance to the IJB. National Health and Wellbeing Outcome 9 also requires resources to be used effectively and efficiently in the provision of health and social care services. The resources available to the IJB to deliver the delegated functions set out in the Integration Scheme and the Strategic Commissioning Plan (SCP) are comprised of the financial contributions from South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) and NHS Lanarkshire (NHSL). Following a process of consultation, the IJB Financial Plan 2023/2024 was approved by the IJB on 28 March 2023 and updated on 18 October 2023. The financial envelope available to the IJB in 2023/2024 totalled £734m. 5. Financial performance 2023/24 The expenditure incurred by the IJB in 2023/2024 totalled £727m. The net movement on reserves was a decrease of £9.1m. The reserves balance at 31 March 2024 was £28.8m (NHSL – £26.0m; SLC – £2.8m). Social Care Services (£240m) Family Health Services (£116m) Prescribing Costs (£79m) Hosted Health Care Services (£151m) Hospital Acute Services/ Notional Set Aside Budget (£67m) Health Care Services (£69m) Housing Services (£5m) Corporate Services (£0.2m) 2023/2024 Expenditure £727m 2023/2024 Funding £734m SLC funding £196m (Core – £185m; Reserves – Nil; Social Care Income – £8m; Housing Revenue Account – £3m) NHSL Funding £538m (Core – £522m; Reserves – £16m) SLC print 424
Page 425
11 A total underspend of £6.7m (NHSL – £5.3m; SLC £1.4m) was reported for the financial year ended 31 March 2024. The underspends totalled £14.3m and the overspends totalled £7.6m. The main variances across services are highlighted below. (8.0) (6.0) (4.0) (2.0) 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 Prescribing Costs (£6.7m over) Housing Services (£0.008m over) Social Care Income (£0.6m over-recovered) Social Care Services (£0.8m under) Addiction Services (£3.2m under) Out of Area Services (£0.9m over) Area Wide Services (£0.4m under) Medical and Nursing Directorate (£0.7m under) Hosted Services (£1.5m under) Locality and Other Services (£7.1m under) Variances (£6.7m) SLC print 425
Page 426
2023/24Annual Performance Report 12 Financial sustainability The IJB is recognised as having a strong track- record of sound financial management and robust financial governance. The IJB has a statutory duty to set a balanced budget. During 2023/2024, the IJB operated in a complex, challenging and changing environment, both locally and nationally. The Scottish Government’s financial planning cycle is short-term. At the start of the financial year, there was significant uncertainty about the total funding available. The demand across the IJB’s statutory responsibilities also increased and additional costs were incurred in 2023/2024. The financial projections were therefore difficult to forecast and were subject to a high degree of financial risk, particularly in respect of pay negotiations, national care home contract negotiations and projected service demand. It is anticipated that the public sector in Scotland will continue to face a range of challenges in the short and medium term. Audit Scotland have also highlighted that there remains a significant overall and recurrent budget gap across all IJBs and that IJBs have reached the point where ‘significant transformation’ will be needed. Failure to make the necessary changes to how public services are delivered will likely mean further budget pressures in the future. Making transformational change at the same time as managing existing service demands and funding pressures continues to be challenging for the IJB and both partners. To secure recurring financial sustainability, the Sustainability and Value Programme (SAVP) approach approved by the IJB on 28 March 2023 was adopted. The SAVP approach is transformational and includes whole system service redesign, service reduction, prescribing efficiencies and management and operational actions. Recognising the necessity to move at pace, a joint approach was also developed between the North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnerships to identify health care savings options. This will ensure consistency and coverage when proposed as options to each IJB. The joint approach also helps to mitigate the significant resource and capacity required to deliver change on this scale and at pace. The outcome of achievable savings will be attributed to the South Lanarkshire IJB, North Lanarkshire IJB and NHSL Health Board fairly and transparently. The new NHSL Transformation and Reform Programme for whole-system redesign has also been established. The scale of the challenge to make the IJB financially sustainable cannot be underestimated. The current and projected financial challenges inevitably mean that service levels cannot be maintained, and difficult decisions will need to continue to be taken to prioritise, reduce or stop some services. Effective communication and public awareness is essential to managing expectations of future service delivery. Setting and delivering financial balance is fundamental to delivering upon the priorities within the SCP in a sustainable manner. The IJB continues to be committed to working with both partners to implement the SCP and to progress the transformational change required to secure recurring financial and operational sustainability across health and social care services. Ongoing partnership working continues to play a key role in providing effective responses and ultimately keeping people safe. Performance improvement objectives are wide- ranging and take account of complex national legislation and strategic priorities. The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 sets out the framework for integrating health and social care. There is a range of other legislation, policies, guidance and proposals which have a bearing on the work that the IJB progresses, and these are listed in detail in the SCP Engaging with our Communities supplementary information document. https://bit.ly/Strategic-Commissioning- Plan-2022-2025 6. Strategic overviewSLC print 426
Page 427
13 7. Governance and accountability The governance framework within the IJB is set out in the South Lanarkshire IJB Code of Corporate Governance (bit.ly/Code-Of-Corporate-Governance) which comprises of the systems, processes, culture and values by which the IJB is directed and controlled. 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 Partnership 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). The Strategic Commissioning Group (SCG) is a multi- agency forum comprising of key professional leaders across the HSCP, South Lanarkshire Council, NHS Lanarkshire and Third, Independent and Carers sectors. The group provides support and delivery of the thirteen priorities and national health and wellbeing outcomes detailed within the Strategic Commissioning Plan. Furthermore, it ensures the delivery of NHS Lanarkshire’s objectives in relation to service transformation and financial prudence as well as relevant elements of South Lanarkshire Council’s Connect Plan 2022/2027. A further role of the SCG is to ensure effective links to each of our four localities. In 2023/24 the IJB submitted a climate change and sustainability statement, received regular performance monitoring reports, financial monitoring reports, risk management updates and reviewed its Scheme of Delegation. The IJB also reviewed the Directions it issues to the Health Board and Local Authority (the mechanism by which the IJB progresses the commissioning intentions outlined in the SCP). 8. Risk The IJB regularly reviews its Risk Register through its Performance and Audit Sub Committee. An annual risk workshop is held and the IJB Risk Register has subsequently been revised and refined to focus and provide visibility on risks identified and assessed as being very high or high pre-mitigation. Those risks identified at February 2024 are as follows (scores below reflecting risk scoring after mitigation with controls): Very high risk • Financial sustainability • Workforce availability and capacity • Performance delivery High risk • Failure to meet public protection and legislative requirements Medium risk • Performance Reporting does not capture performance across the whole health and social care system • Winter pressures SLC print 427
Page 428
2023/24Annual Performance Report 14 9. Taking a closer look Improving unscheduled care • Among the services which have undertaken a significant redesign in the past year is the Primary Care Out of Hours (PCOOH) Service. This service covers all of Lanarkshire (excluding Rutherglen/Cambuslang locality and the Northern Corridor) and processes approximately 80,000 contacts per year from patients who are looking to access urgent GP services in the out of hours period. On a standard week, the service is operational for 118 hours and considerably longer for those weeks where there are public holidays. 90% of calls to the PCOOH service are referred by NHS 24, with the remainder being professional- to-professional calls from community nursing, the Scottish Ambulance Service, community pharmacy and community hospitals. Over the last year, there has been a review of the working model with a significant expansion in the multi-disciplinary workforce. In turn, this has led to a service with much greater stability in being able to manage the demand and associated flow through the service as well as ensuring patients are able to access care by the right clinician in a timely manner. Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Practitioners, salaried GPs, Pharmacists, and Paramedics now comprise the clinical workforce with support from a dedicated administrative team. In March 2024, a Deputy Clinical Director was recruited to the service. Two Specialist Palliative Care Nurses have been introduced on Saturdays and Sundays from 8am to 4pm. “All of the staff involved – NHS 24, receptionist, nurse and doctor were very pleasant and professional… I really appreciated the care and support given by everyone.” Feedback from patient attending PCOOH. • Innovative work in communities continues to support people to live well for longer at home. This is an important and growing part of health and care delivery. One vital element is the community expertise and compassion allowing more people to exercise their choice of being able to die in their own homes when they wish to do so. As part of our winter messaging, https://bit.ly/an-enhanced-feature on Lanarkshire’s award winning, end of life community nursing service (led by South Lanarkshire University HSCP) was published. • The dedicated Community Nursing team in Lanarkshire ensures end-of-life needs are fully recognised and provides a comprehensive, consistent and compassionate care strategy. The team is available around the clock, with direct telephone access for families to contact outside of planned visits to seek advice or request additional support. Optimising intermediate care • The intermediate care element of the Blantyre Life Care Campus opened in March 2023 and has the capacity to support 20 people at any one time. The facility offers step-down support for South Lanarkshire residents aged 50 and over. Patients who have been assessed as clinically fit for discharge and no longer require in-patient treatment and have rehabilitation potential, can be admitted to the Intermediate Care unit for a maximum of 42 days. The average length of stay for service users over past year is 27 days which is a significant improvement from the previous test of change and temporary model which averaged 44 days. The service is exceeding the initial flow target of 42 days and therefore has the potential to manage an increase volume of people. It is contributing to reducing pressure on in-patient services within the NHS. 90% of people surveyed on the service rated it as excellent/very good. SLC print 428
Page 429
15 Case Study Blantyre Life (finalist in the Scottish Property Awards – Health Care Development of the Year) After moving into the technology-enabled community at the Blantyre Life care campus, Ann said she has been “brought back to life.” The former foster carer and psychiatric nurse said her life was taken to the darkest of places over the last decade following shattering personal adversity. Blantyre Life housing and care campus champions the ‘home first’ principle, with an emphasis on enabling more people to live as independently as possible within their own homes. It combines a 20-bedded intermediate care facility and 20 new technology-enabled properties – of which Ann is a community member. All homes are equipped with state-of-the-art technology to support independent living. The tech-enabled houses are designed to be fully accessible, making it easy for Ann to move around. The facility is fantastic in itself and has enabled me to regain a sense of being able to do things for myself again. That, in turn, has alleviated a lot of pressure and worry from my sister, Mary, who has helped care for me. It has felt like ‘a new lease of life’ – but in a very gradual sense. I’ve slowly started to reconnect with people through the many activities here, from the Yoga classes to the recent visit of school children who came to sing Christmas carols for us. The facility is, of course, incredible – and while it feels wrong to say it’s just ‘bricks and mortar,’ without the health and social care staff, it would be. They are phenomenal. They are this place’s beating heart – and they’ll always have a place in mine. Of those who used the service half returned home without care which reinforces the importance of people being discharged from hospital to be assessed. Similar to intermediate care the Home First Care at Home Service was launched in 2022. The service aims to ensure people return home without delay, safely and supported. It does this by working with service users leaving hospital or living in the community and improves individual outcomes through rehabilitation and re-ablement interventions. The integrated multi-disciplinary teams consist of occupational therapists, physiotherapists and care at home staff working together to maximise independence, thereby reducing reliance on statutory services. Work to date shows that approximately 35% of the hours initially assessed when in hospital are no longer required at the end of the ‘Home First’ phase of the person’s care exceeding the 25% target. “I would like to commend the work of my uncle’s carer. He is outstanding in his care and dealings with my uncle. Nothing is a bother and never wavers in his care. Words cannot express the character of such a carer. We cannot thank him enough for all he does.” Feedback from relative. SLC print 429
Page 430
2023/24Annual Performance Report 16 Promoting early intervention, prevention and health improvement Physical Activity Prescriptions South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture received 3741 referrals for Physical Activity Prescriptions across the partnership area. Reasons for referral include mental health, general fitness, weight management, pain management, Musculoskeletal and falls. Gerry was referred to the gym by his GP through the Physical Activity Prescription pathway as he has peripheral neuropathy – which is essentially chronic nerve damage in his arms and legs. This causes severe pain and mobility issues with Gerry relying on a mobility scooter for day-to-day activities. Gerry was hesitant at first as his mobility was so poor he didn’t think there were any exercises he would be able to do. However, staff introduced him to Motomed which allowed him to work his arm and legs. Gerry said, “I keep telling anyone who will listen how good Motomed is and the staff at Eastfield create such a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I never thought going to the gym would be the highlight of my day!” Telehealth and telecare There is a growing range of telehealth and telecare options which people can access. The following case study provides an insight to some of the real benefits to people who use them in terms of service and convenience whilst at the same time, offering transformational and sustainable options in service delivery which the partnership will continue to promote. Case Study Connect Me Zoe has two young children, works full time and has a busy life. She has high cholesterol and blood pressure and was asked to visit the GP practice regularly, however struggled to fit these visits into her already busy schedule. She was often stressed when her blood pressure was being measured which resulted in inaccurate blood pressure readings. The practice nurse suggested remote health monitoring to allow Zoe to measure her blood pressure from home and at a time of her choosing. The Florence text messaging system enabled Zoe to self-manage her own health. Her high blood pressure is now under control and Zoe states she is in great health. When I discovered I had high blood pressure, it was concerning. Being offered the use of Florence was a brilliant alternative – and I think the hassle free-nature of it, without having to commute and take time out of a busy day, probably gave a truer reflection of my day-to-day readings. Technology Enabled Care Lanarkshire’s Technology Enabled Care (TEC) team continues to provide an integrated approach to sustaining people to live independently at home and within their community. Demand for assistive technology has continued to increase during 2023/2024 with 24% of hospital discharge requests supported through the Home First pathway and telecare installations taking place within 24 hours of the request being approved. The transition of alert alarms from analogue to digital continues to make good progress with 6580 digital alert alarms installed during 2023/24. A priority focus is sustainability with the team having a target to identify 70 alarms per month that can be recycled and reused. To date 965 digital alert alarms have been returned/uplifted and reused saving £156,330 on the cost of replacing these alarms as well as the associated environmental benefits. SLC print 430
Page 431
17 Supporting carers The carers’ commissioned services from Lanarkshire Carers (Adult Carers) and Action for Children (Young Carers) continue to support increased numbers of carers/young carers in the community. For 2023/2024, Lanarkshire Carers reported the following: • 1,398 new carers identified in South Lanarkshire, an increase of 26% on the previous year • 1,161 adult carer support plans progressed • 3,533 carers engaged and were supported • 6,825 total carers known to Lanarkshire Carers • Creative Breaks Time to Live funding for 2023/24 has been fully allocated with 361 carers in South Lanarkshire benefiting from grant funding through this initiative • Action for Children were working with 202 young carers, an increase of 11% on the previous year A renewed Carers Strategy 2023-2026 https://bit.ly/Carers-Strategy-2023-2026 was published alongside a strategy on a page. A partnership statement was developed with Lanarkshire Carers, ensuring all services are open to carers aged 18 years and older living in South Lanarkshire. Delegated responsibility to lead on the provision of Adult Carer Support Plans in specific circumstances is included in the Statement. Every carer has a right to be offered an Adult Carer Support Plan and this partnership statement sets out local arrangements and responsibilities to meet this duty. https://bit.ly/Partnership-Statement Lanarkshire Carers gained the Carer Positive Award (at exemplary level) which is presented to employers in Scotland who can demonstrate that they have a working environment where carers feel valued and supported. SLC print 431
Page 432
2023/24Annual Performance Report 18 Supporting the delivery of core and statutory duties To support the delivery of core and statutory functions while securing financial sustainability a Sustainability and Value Programme (SAVP) approach was endorsed by the IJB on 28 March 2023. This included the SAVP Option Appraisal Screening Scale, designed to ensure that potential savings options are appraised, prioritised and then presented to the IJB for consideration in a manner consistent with statutory obligations and professional requirements. The demand across statutory responsibilities has increased over recent years. The screening scale reflects the advice of the HSCP’s Medical Director, Nurse Director, Allied Health Professions Director and the SLC Chief Social Work Officer and illustrates our commitment to protect the most vulnerable people in South Lanarkshire. We can provide three key assurances to people across South Lanarkshire. • The first focus of our staff is to keep people safe. • Public protection and clinical safety will be prioritised as will the professional registration requirements for our staff. • Where significant transformational change does need to occur, the IJB and HSCP will engage with the relevant stakeholders in line with statutory obligations 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 As highlighted throughout this report, positive work is being taken forward to deliver the intentions set out in the IJB Strategic Commissioning Plan. It is the intention of the IJB to continue to pursue its ambitions as set out on the Strategic Commissioning Plan on a Page in such a manner that recognises the realities of the environment within which it continues to operate, makes best use of the resources available to it and uses evidence and learning to improve provision wherever possible. Our plan on a page provides a clear summary (opposite). 10. Looking to the future SLC print 432
Page 433
19 Section 2: Plan on a page Context: • Changing needs of the population • Meeting the needs of all our communities fairly and equally • Applying evidence of what works • Best use of the public pound • Feedback from our communities – what is important to people Values: Empathy ElevateEmpower Strategic Commissioning Plan South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board 2022–25 Vision: Working together to improve health and wellbeing in the community – with the community Plan on a page • Evidence • Innovation • Learning • Partnerships • Technology • Leadership • Our staff • Our communities • Our commitment Key enablers Our priorities Priority 1: Sustaining statutory social care and core health care functions Priority 2: Greater emphasis on early intervention, prevention and inequalities Priority 3: Addressing mental health and addictions Priority 4: Improving unscheduled care and optimising intermediate care Priority 5: Supporting carers Priority 6: Promoting self-care and self-management including technology enabled care Priority 7: Improving transitional arrangements Priority 8: Facilitating single point of access and increasing access to seven-day services Priority 9: Investing in enablers to support integration Priority 10: Promoting suitable and sustainable housing Priority 11: Contributing to homelessness prevention and reduction Priority 12: Responding to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic https://vimeo.com/739607180 https://vimeo.com/689689109/cb5228bd69 SLC print 433
Page 434
Produced for South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board by Communications and Strategy. 067438/Sep24 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 SLC print 434