Document Pack - Corporate Services Committee 21 05 25 (Bookmarked)
West Dunbartonshire Council · 21 May 2025
Back to Corporate Services Committee — 21 May 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Agenda Corporate Services Committee Date: Wednesday, 21 May 2025 Time: 14:00 Format: Hybrid Meeting Contact: Scott Kelly, Committee Officer scott.kelly@west-dunbarton.gov.uk committee.admin@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Dear Member Please attend a meeting of the Corporate Services Committee as detailed above. Members will have the option to attend the meeting remotely or in person at the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton. The business is shown on the attached agenda. Yours faithfully PETER HESSETT Chief Executive Page 1
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Distribution:- Councillor Ian Dickson Councillor Fiona Hennebry Councillor David McBride Councillor Karen Murray Conaghan Councillor Lawrence O’Neill (Vice Chair) Councillor Lauren Oxley Councillor Martin Rooney Councillor William Rooney (Chair) Councillor Gordon Scanlan Councillor Hazel Sorrell Councillor Clare Steel Vacancy Chief Executive Chief Officers Date of issue: 8 May 2025 Audio Streaming Audio recordings of the meeting (including the attendance or contribution of any party participating or making a contribution) will be published on the Council’s website and the Council’s host’s webcast/audio stream platform. You should be aware that the Council is a Data Controller under the General Data Protection Regulation. Data collected during this audio stream will be retained in accordance with the Council’s Privacy Notice and Retention Schedules including, but not limited to, for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available via the Council’s internet site. Page 2
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CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY, 21 MAY 2025 AGENDA 1 STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING The Chair will be heard in connection with the above. 2 APOLOGIES 3 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Members are invited to declare if they have an interest in any of the items of business on this agenda and the reasons for such declarations. 4 RECORDING OF VOTES The Committee is asked to agree that all votes taken during the meeting be caried out by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record. 5 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING 7 – 12 Submit, for approval as a correct record, the Minutes of Meeting of the Corporate Services Committee held on 5 February 2025. 6 OPEN FORUM The Committee is asked to note that no open forum questions have been submitted by members of the public. 7 CITIZEN, CULTURE AND FACILITIES 2024/25 – YEAR-END To Follow PROGRESS AND CITIZEN, CULTURE AND FACILITIES DELIVERY PLAN 2025/26 Submit report by the Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities setting out the year-end progress of the 2024/25 Delivery Plan and presenting the new Delivery Plan for 2025/26. 8/ Page 3
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8 PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY DELIVERY PLAN 2024/25 – 13 – 50 YEAR-END PROGRESS AND PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY DELIVERY PLAN 2025/26 Submit report by the Chief Officer – People and Technology setting out the year-end progress of the 2024/25 Delivery Plan and presenting the new Delivery Plan for 2025/26. 9 REGULATORY AND REGENERATION DELIVERY PLAN 51 – 109 2024/25 – YEAR-END PROGRESS AND REGULATORY AND REGENERATION DELIVERY PLAN 2025/26 Submit report by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration setting out the year-end progress of the 2024/25 Delivery Plan and presenting the new Delivery Plan for 2025/26. 10 RESOURCES DELIVERY PLAN 2024/25 – YEAR-END 111 – 147 PROGRESS AND RESOURCES DELIVERY PLAN 2025/26 Submit report by the Chief Officer – Resources setting out the year-end progress of the 2024/25 Delivery Plan and presenting the new Delivery Plan for 2025/26. 11 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE LEISURE TRUST BUSINESS To Follow PLAN 2025/26 Submit report by the Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities providing an update on the West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust Business Plan 2025-26. 12 COUNCIL WORKFORCE PLAN 2022-2027: UPDATE AND 149 – 217 ANNUAL ACTION PLANS 2024/25 Submit report by the Chief Officer – People and Technology providing an update on the Council’s workforce planning activity for 2024/25. 13 EQUALITY OUTCOMES AND MAINSTREAMING REPORT To Follow 2025-2029 Submit report by the Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities and the Chief Officer – People and Technology providing an update on progress on the 2021-2025 Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Report, and detailing Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming areas for 2025-2029. Page 4
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14 CORPORATE SERVICES REVENUE BUDGETARY 219 – 237 CONTROL REPORT TO 31 JANUARY 2025 (PERIOD 10) Submit report by the Chief Officer – Resources advising on the performance of the Corporate Services revenue budget for the period to 31 January 2025. 15 CORPORATE SERVICES CAPITAL BUDGETARY 239 – 245 CONTROL REPORT TO 31 JANUARY 2025 (PERIOD 10) Submit report by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the Corporate Services capital programme to 31 January 2025. 16 COST OF LIVING – CAPITAL FUND 247 – 252 Submit report by the Chief Officer – Resources advising on the closure of the Cost-of-Living Capital Fund and reporting on the groups it has supported since it was established in June 2022. Page 5
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CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE At a Hybrid Meeting of the Corporate Services Committee held in the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton on Wednesday, 5 February 2025 at 2.00 p.m. Present: Provost Karen Murray Conaghan and Councillors Fiona Hennebry, David McBride, Lawrence O’Neill, Lauren Oxley, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Gordon Scanlan, Hazel Sorrell and Clare Steel. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Alan Douglas, Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration (Legal Officer); Amanda Graham, Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities; Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources; Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer – People and Technology; Michelle Lynn, Assets Co-ordinator; James Gallacher, ICT Manager; Ryan Chalmers, Section Head – Resources; Arun Menon, Business Support Manager; Adrian Gray, Finance Business Partner – Resources; and Scott Kelly, Committee Officer. Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Ian Dickson and James McElhill. . Councillor William Rooney in the Chair STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING Councillor William Rooney, Chair, advised that the meeting was being audio streamed and broadcast live to the internet and would be available for playback. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST It was noted that there were no declarations of interest in any of the items of business on the agenda. RECORDING OF VOTES The Committee agreed that all votes taken during the meeting would be carried out by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record. ITEM 5 Page 7
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MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of Meeting of the Corporate Services Committee held on 6 November 2024 were submitted and approved as a correct record. OPEN FORUM The Committee noted that no open forum questions had been submitted by members of the public. VARIATION TO PAY PRESERVATION A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – People and Technology presenting options to reduce the pay preservation period and consequent associated costs for the Council. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – People and Technology in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, Councillor William Rooney moved:- That the Committee agrees to note the findings of the analysis and approves Option 2 to reduce the pay preservation period to 6 months. As an amendment, Councillor Scanlan moved:- That the Committee agrees to reject a further reduction to pay preservation timescales and instructs officers to seek the agreement of the trade unions before returning this matter to the Committee. Councillor O’Neill then seconded Councillor William Rooney’s motion and Provost Murray Conaghan seconded Councillor Scanlan’s amendment. On a roll call vote being taken 3 Members voted for the amendment, namely Provost Murray Conaghan and Councillors Oxley and Scanlan, and 7 Members voted for the motion, namely Councillors Hennebry, McBride, O’Neill, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Sorrell and Steel. The motion was accordingly declared carried. PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY SPEND 2025-26 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – People and Technology providing a detailed breakdown of the planned People and Technology spend for both capital and revenue, covering new and existing contracts valued above £10,000 and seeking approval to procure and contract for the requisite goods and services. The Committee agreed:- (1) to note the revenue and capital spend detail included in the report; Page 8
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(2) to note the projects to deliver this spend would be included in the 2025-26 People and Technology Delivery Plan currently in development and to be reported to a future meeting of the Committee; (3) to note, that where the contract award is less than £213,477 (VAT inclusive), authority is delegated to the Chief Officer – People and Technology in consultation with the Procurement Manager, to instruct the award of contracts for the planned revenue and capital spend detailed in the report to suppliers providing the most economically advantageous offer to the Council; (4) to approve the procurement of and award by the Chief Officer – People and Technology in consultation with the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration, of all contracts valued at £213,477 (VAT inclusive) and above, subject to the cost being within the approved budget and the tender being in line with normal tender parameters; (5) to approve the revenue spend included in the report, including approval to explore and secure multi-year contracts, contracts using framework agreements and/or contracts using dynamic purchasing systems beyond the term of approved budgets where efficiencies and savings can be achieved; and (6) to approve the projects specified in section 3 of the report (as shown in Appendix 1 to these Minutes). CYBER INCIDENT RESPONSE PLAN (CIRP) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – People and Technology seeking approval of the new Cyber Incident Response Plan (CIRP). After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – People and Technology and the ICT Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note that there had been several recent high profile cyber incidents, including the Scottish public sector; (2) to note that the CIRP will be the key document used by the Council to manage major Cyber Incidents, as recommended by the Scottish Government through its Public Sector Action Plan (PSAP) for Cyber Security; and (3) to approve the Council’s Cyber Incident Response Plan (CIRP), as appended to the report. CORPORATE DEBT POLICY A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources seeking approval of the revised Corporate Debt Policy. Page 9
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After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Resources and the Section Head – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to approve the revised Corporate Debt Policy which was attached as an appendix to the report. WRITE-OFF OF NATIONAL NON-DOMESTIC RATES 2024/2025 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources seeking approval of the write-off of debts in respect of National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR), which have been deemed as irrecoverable during the financial year 2024/2025. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to approve the write-off of NNDR accounts totalling £637,211.56. CORPORATE SERVICES REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 OCTOBER 2024 (PERIOD 7) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources advising on the performance of the Corporate Services revenue budget for the period to 31 October 2024. Having heard the Chief Officer – Resources and the Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note that the revenue account currently shows a projected annual favourable variance of £0.199m (0.55% of the total budget). CORPORATE SERVICES CAPITAL BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 OCTOBER 2024 (PERIOD 7) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the Corporate Services capital programme to 31 October 2024. The Committee agreed:- (1) to note the current position of the 2024/25 capital budget for Corporate Services; (2) to note that the project life total was currently on track; and (3) to note that the £1.000m capital budget for a new financial ledger system and the associated £0.028m per annum revenue costs to cover the interest on the prudential borrowing over 20 years of the life of the asset had been approved by Council on December 2024 Page 10
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REVIEW OF THE DUMBARTON COMMON GOOD FUND A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing the outcome of a review of the Dumbarton Common Good Fund (DCG) and seeking agreement of a future financial support fund for applicants. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed:- (1) to note the financial position in relation to the Dumbarton Common Good and the need to consider current funding awards to ensure it is sustainable in the longer term and provides scope to fund new and emerging applications; (2) to approve the allocation of a £10,000 per annum maintenance budget to ensure Dumbarton Common Good sites remain fit for purpose; (3) to approve a new two stage assessment process which will be accompanied by supporting guidance and a new application form; (4) to approve all current awards for 2025/26 on a single year basis; adjusting for those who have asked for a lower amount as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report; not adjusting for those who have applied for an increase as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report; and approving the two one-off applications detailed in paragraph 4.11 of the report; (5) to approve that all beneficiaries are contacted to advise them of the outcome of this review on their 2025/26 awards and advise they will be required to reapply to the Dumbarton Common Good for the financial year 2026/27 with those applications assessed against the revised assessment process; and (6) to approve that, from 2026/27 onwards, the Dumbarton Common Good Fund operates on a three-year cycle of funding. The meeting closed at 3.05 p.m. Page 11
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Appendix 1 Table 1 – Existing Agreed ICT 1-Year Capital Plan Capital allocation 2025/26 ICT Security & Resilience Inc. Education Software Licensing Refresh £792,000 ICT Modernisation £677,000 365 Implementation £240,000 Total £1,709,000 Table 2 – Proposed Projects ICT Capital Spend 2025-26 Description Capital (Est) ICT Security & DR, Resilience £792,000 1. SWAN 1.0 Contract exit cost. £50,000 2. SWAN 2.0 Implementation £250,000 3. Replace Ageing Infrastructure Hardware £100,000 4. Security Compliance remediation £90,000 5. Security Resourcing - multi-year consultancy services £30,000 6. Internal ICT resource recharges £84,000 7. Education software refresh £30,000 8. Wi-Fi Technology licensing £80,000 9. Telephony system replacement £60,000 10. Security Patching Improvements £18,000 ICT Modernisation £677,000 1. Device replacement: £554,000 a) corporate laptops £162,000 b) education laptops £167,000 c) education PC’s £225,000 2. Resources to Support a range of corporate projects. £123,000 365 Implementation £240,000 1. Resourcing £170,000 2. Securing and implementing SharePoint and One Drive £70,000 Total £1,709,000 Page 12
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer – People and Technology Committee: Corporate Services Committee 21 May 2025 Subject: People and Technology Delivery Plan 2024/25 - Year-end Progress and Delivery Plan 2025/26 1 Purpose 1.1 This report sets out the year-end progress of the 2024/25 Delivery Plan and presents the new Delivery Plan for 2025/26. 2 Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that Committee notes the progress achieved at year-end and the new Plan for 2025/26. 3 Background 3.1 In line with the Strategic Planning & Performance Framework, each Chief Officer develops an annual Delivery Plan which sets out actions to help deliver the Strategic Plan and address the performance challenges and service priorities identified in the planning process. The Plan also provides an overview of services and resources, including employees and budgets, sets out the performance indicators (PIs) for monitoring progress and considers the relevant risks. 3.2 In the last few months of 2024/25, several services and teams across the Council were realigned to other Chief Officer areas. For consistency and transparency, the year-end progress reports reflect the content of the 2024/25 delivery plans reported to the relevant committees at the beginning of that year, with none of the organisational changes that took place in-year included. Those changes are, however, reflected in the new delivery plans for 2025/26. 4 Main Issues 2024/25 Year-end Progress 4.1 The 2024/25 Delivery Plan was presented to Corporate Services Committee on 22 May 2024 and mid-year progress reported on 6 November 2024. 4.2 Full details of year-end progress are set out in Appendix 1. ITEM 8 Page 13
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4.3 The progress of the Plan’s 22 actions is summarised below: Progress No. (%) Completed 19 (86%) Overdue 3 (14%) 4.4 Overdue actions relate to the following and will be carried forward and completed in 2025/26: • Further secure the Council’s Technology Infrastructure – 85% complete • Maintain and monitor employee wellbeing, engagement and workforce planning – 80% complete • Workforce Planning: Develop and implement wellbeing, employee engagement, equality and learning and development plans to enable capabilities, improve resilience and promotion of a diverse workforce. – 96% complete 4.5 Year-end data is available for all of the Plan’s nine PIs. The performance of those PIs is summarised below: Performance Against Target No. (%) Target met or exceeded 4 (45%) Target significantly missed 5 (55%) Performance Over Time No. (%) Improved over short term (or maintained high level of performance) 6 (67%) Improved over longer term (or maintained high level of performance) 7 (79%) 4.6 Where target was significantly missed, this relates to the following PI’s: • % employee attendance improvement rate (teachers and local government); -4.3% against a target of 1%. • % of Council employees who feel valued in the workplace; 45% against a target of 75%. • % of our workforce who have declared a disability; 1.4% against a target of 2.2%. • % of our workforce who have stated they are LGBT; 1.3% against a target of 2.5%. • % of our workforce who are from a Black minority ethnic group; 0.7% against a target of 1% 4.7 The full set of PIs will be reported through the Council’s annual performance reporting process. 2025/26 Delivery Plan 4.8 The 2025/26 Delivery Plan is set out at Appendix 2. Page 14
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4.9 Key priorities include: • Implement statutory payroll changes • Undertake annual payroll audit • Implement revised team structure and service provision across the three service teams. • Further secure the Council’s technology infrastructure • Deliver fit for purpose bandwidth capacity to all Council locations • Implement next phase of Microsoft 265 SharePoint and One Drive • Complete review of devices due to be replaced • Review and explore next generation technologies • Implement the Fit for Future programme of reviews. • Improve employee life cycle and optimise employee development opportunities • Continue to embed key Health & Safety practice • Undertake a strategic review of job profiles across the Council • Progress the plan to mainstream digital transformation across the Council • Maintain and manage the review process for Council & HSCP Core Plans • Manage and oversee the Business Continuity Process for the Council and HSCP • Continue to develop the Council and HSCP response and power resilience arrangements 4.10 Implementation of the Plan will be monitored by the management team with mid-year and year-end progress reported to Corporate Services Committee around November 2025 and May 2026 respectively. 5 People Implications 5.1 There are no direct people implications arising from this report. 6 Financial & Procurement Implications 6.1 There are no direct financial or procurement implications arising from this report. 7 Risk Analysis 7.1 Failure to deliver on the actions assigned to People and Technology may have a direct impact on the delivery of the Council’s Strategic Plan. It is essential that remedial action is taken to ensure strategic delivery plans achieve the commitments detailed. 8 Equalities Impact Assessment 8.1 Screening and impact assessments will be carried out on specific activities as required. 9 Consultation Page 15
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9.1 The delivery plans were developed through consultation with officers from the strategic service areas. 10 Strategic Assessment 10.1 The delivery plans set out actions to support the successful delivery of the strategic priorities and objectives of the Council. Chief Officer: Victoria Rogers Service Area: People and Technology Date: 30 April 2025 _____________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: Karen Connelly Performance & Strategy Business Partner karen.Connelly@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1: People and Technology Delivery Plan 2024/25 - Year-end Progress Appendix 2: People and Technology Delivery Plan 2025/26 Background Papers: People and Technology Delivery Plan 2024/25 - Corporate Services Committee, 22 May 2024 People and Technology Delivery Plan 2024/25 Mid-year Progress - Corporate Services Committee, 6 November 2024 Strategic Planning & Performance Framework 2022/27 Wards Affected: All Page 16
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1 Appendix 1 - P&T Delivery Plan Year-end Progress 24/25 4. Our Council Objective 10. Our workforce is resilient and skilled where digital technology supports service delivery for our residents 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of ICT helpdesk incidents fixed with half day of being logged. 66.82% 78.03% 65% Target exceeded, with continued improvement mainly due to technology improvements, walk up tech bar, improved network performance, removal of legacy application software and enhanced workflows in Freshservice system. Overall, over 13,000 ICT helpdesk incidents were resolved within half day of being reported. The target for 2025/26 will be increased to 70%. James Gallacher % of our workforce who have declared a disability 0.04% 1.4% 2.2% Target missed although Performance has improved by 1.36%. Action Alison McBride Page 17
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2 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner continues to encourage employees to provide equalities data. % of our workforce who have stated they are LGBT 1.19% 1.3% 2.5% Target missed. Performance has marginally increased. The data for LGB and Trans are collated separately and therefore have been reported separately. These figures are a % of the total workforce. Alison McBride % of our workforce who are from a Black minority ethnic group 0.58% 0.7% 1.0% Target missed, with marginal improvement. Action continues to encourage employees to provide equalities data. Alison McBride Disability pay gap 1.07% 0.2% 10% Target achieved. Alison McBride The percentage of the highest paid 5% employees who are women 60.1% 62% 50% Target achieved. Alison McBride Gender pay gap -0.4% 0.04% 3% Target achieved. Alison McBride % employee attendance improvement rate (teachers & local govt.) 1.86% -4.3% 1% Target significantly missed. The attendance improvement rate has decreased compared to last year this is due to an increase in sickness absence reasons across a range of reasons but in particular related to the local government employee workforce. Work continues to support employee maintain their health and wellbeing at work through application of the Supporting Employee Wellbeing policy and promotion of a range of employee supports and benefits. Alison McBride Percentage of Council employees who feel valued in the workplace 46% 45% 75% Target significantly missed. Performance has declined over the last 3 years; it was anticipated that the impact of the budget deficit and the implications this meant for service delivery would have an impact on the workforce morale and Alison McBride Page 18
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3 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner as a result how valued they feel. To assist with what is an unsettling time for the organisation, to mitigate against any negative impacts, a communication plan was put in place to ensure employees are kept informed of the budget outcomes as well as ensuring employees are aware of the package of wellbeing supports in place. Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Progress assurance and test plan for Service Plans 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. A number of Emergency Plans have been reviewed, issued for consultation, updated and now live. Civil contingencies facilitated training for both Council and HSCP. Council Incident Officers (CIOs), Support Centre Managers (CSMs) and Loggist training. Further courses facilitated by West of Scotland Regional Resilience Partnership (WoS RRP) were shared with Council and HSCP Leads. Scott McFarlane Progress and manage the Council`s & HSCPs Business Continuity Process 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Workshops completed for all heads of service and across all service areas including HSPC. Care plans validated and further workshops planned to ensure all services are fully aware of their responsibilities and the Business Continuity requirements. Scott McFarlane Develop a framework for the Council’s Power Resilience arrangements 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Essential Services Power Resilience document and Assurance Checklists were updated by the Strategic Resilience Group (SRG). A Power Resilience Workshop was undertaken, the actions are being progressed which will work towards reducing the impact of a National Power Outage or a Significant Cyber Attack. An exercise will be arranged later in 2025. Scott McFarlane Further secure the Council’s Technology Infrastructure 31-Mar-2025 Ongoing review, investigation and testing to inform enhanced security and protection. Enhancements and improvements have been introduced on anti- James Gallacher Page 19
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4 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner phishing, 365 email security, council device security, incident readiness, firewall defence and software and hardware update process. ICT will further investigate Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) in the coming year. This action will be carried over into 2025/26. Deliver fit for purpose Bandwidth capacity to all Council locations 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. In total 53 sites have now migrated to the new SWAN2 network with schools reporting immediate improvements. Next phase of the migration plans underway with site list and orders submitted and is expected to be completed by July 2025. James Gallacher Enable an improved digital workplace experience for council employees 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. We have decommissioned Citrix storefront and migrated to Palo Alto remote access solution for all remote users. Installation plan to install Office 365 to all corporate devices is nearing completion with final users scheduled. Positive feedback received from Council employees with the digital workplace experience improved James Gallacher Review and implement MS SharePoint and One Drive 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. This project will continue to progress in the coming year. MS sharepiont and One Drive have been deployed to test users. Planning in progress with People & Change team to prepare project communication strategy with next phase and wider roll out planned for 2025/26. James Gallacher Coordinate ICT device replacement programme. 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Device replacements have progressed well across corporate and education estate. James Gallacher Enhance/ expand digital skills champion roles 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. DigiChamps receive periodic newsletters and advance notification of all the Digital Themes activities. Rollout of M365 will continue to be developed as pilot evolves. Service design training developed and available to services Alison McBride Develop a plan to further mainstream digital transformation across the Council 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Digital themes have been designed and introduced. Support for pilot project for roll-out of M365 collaboration tools (MS Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive) provided. The communications and approach developed for pilot will be followed for wider roll-out. A M365 hub has been established on the intranet and Microsoft Alison McBride Page 20
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5 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner training opportunities are advertised as they become available. Workforce Planning: Develop and implement wellbeing, employee engagement, equality and learning and development plans to enable capabilities, improve resilience and promotion of a diverse workforce 31-Mar-2025 Action overdue. Knowledge sharing and development is taking place across the service. Focused resource on Voluntary Severance/ Voluntary Early Retirement (VS/VER) and savings exercise, Staff Working in Transition and Change (SWITCH) and equalities. A number of employee benefit initiatives have been launched and further developments in the workforce planning console to support the management of intermittent absence and stress risk assessment process. Trickle use continues to be promoted for engagement and there has been a realignment of the employee recognition awards with the Council's ACHIEVE values. The ICT customer satisfaction actions are underway. Further work will be undertaken on the Equality workstream. Work has progressed but not as much as the team would have liked due to resources. This action will be carried over into 2025/26. Alison McBride Workforce Planning: Develop and implement employee life cycle plans in line with the People First Strategy to attract and retain the workforce. 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. A review of the succession planning across all team has been undertaken to ensure resilience. Development of career pathway roles and talent pools and considering different Social Media platforms to reach a wider audience and diversify the workforce in ICT. Year 2 of the recruitment work plan (onboarding) has commenced with user research for new employees and recruiting managers. Further work is required in target recruitment and review of social media in recruitment. Resource has been diverted to support VS/VER and restructures. The team have started scoping this work out and making contact, but much is still to be undertaken in this area. This action will be continue in 2025/26 Alison McBride Workforce Planning: Implement service review process including role design, use of new technology and new ways of working to add resilience, address gaps, and establish opportunities for efficiencies 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Review of structures, roles and requirements in line with SOM compliance and phases is complete. Job evaluation revised policy and processes now embedding, strengthening the Council's position on Alison McBride Page 21
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6 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner equal pay and considerations around role design. Development of the workforce planning console has increased use. Further work is needed to review the Data Management provision and re-prioritisation. Work has commenced and a capital bid is being considered for investment in this area. This action will continue in 2025/26 Workforce Planning: Develop and implement learning and development opportunities to improve capabilities and resilience within the workforce. 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. We continue to progress job evaluation/analysis, management development and leadership training Digital themes to support pilot project roll-out of M365 collaboration tools (MS Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive) have been provided. Whist digital skills training has been provided the take up has been limited. This has also been seen with automation, further investment and a mindset shift required in this area to ensure WDC does not fall behind especially given the volume of work nationally. This action will continue into 2025/26 Alison McBride Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner Workforce Management System not fit for purpose There is a risk that the WMS system is not fit-for-purpose thereby requiring manual workarounds restricting the level of automation impacting on efficiencies 31-March-2025 This risk remains current due to the way Frontier deploy improvements and support the system development in line with operational requirement. Officers continue to monitor and manage this risk. No change to risk matrix Arun Menon Challenges in protecting the Health and Safety of Employees and Others Failure to meet the Council’s duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of its employees and other people who might be affected by its business 31-March-2025 Corporate H&S are actively reviewing and optimising key service areas, including Safety Management Standards and training. Figtree is now hosted by Figtree’s own server platform replacing WDC’s ICT servers and there has been a marked Alison McBride Page 22
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7 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner improvement in turnaround times for enhancements to the system. Work is also being carried out to refine and simplify the health surveillance process in collaboration with OH and line managers. The ongoing management of H & S within the Council includes facilitating management workplace inspections as well as conducting noise monitoring, auditing, scaffold inspections and presenting training. Furthermore, fire safety management remains a priority across the authority, with the fire risk assessment programme, fire safety training and support given by Corporate H&S to services to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. A significant amount of work has been undertaken to ensure WDC is compliant to the change in legislation relating to the investigation of fire alarm actuations. Corporate H&S are working with RPO’s across the Council as well as providing training on the subject both in person and via the i-learn platform. No change to Risk matrix Complexities in ensuring an appropriately resourced and resilient workforce Failure to ensure that there is an appropriately resourced and resilient workforce in place to meet future organisational needs, in effectively executing the Council’s 2022-27 Strategic Plan. 31-March-2025 Workforce Planning Strategy in place for 2022-2027. People First Strategy is in place covering 2022-2027 and this is a consolidation of a number of areas: well-being, employee engagement, workforce planning, learning and development and digital. Alison McBride Page 23
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8 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner WDC are recognised as leading in terms of adapting flexible working practices. A robust package of wellbeing resources continues to be available, absence levels are closely monitored, with personal stress and minor, ailments absences prevalent. Trickle user numbers continue to rise, and the tool is used as an additional route to ensure wider spread of workforce communications alongside an opportunity for employees to share thoughts and ideas. In addition, the tool is used regularly to gauge employee engagement levels. Digital Skills approach has been refreshed with a matrix cascade planned across the organisation to support 365 Share point rollout utilising digital leads and champions. To further support this the digital team have completed a programme over the last year focusing on digital skills, improving the use of data and maximising 365 tools. The council wide rollout to SharePoint continues with employees being supported on the opportunities this software can provide. Services are currently working on structures and service delivery whilst considering the difficult financial funding position and the impact of this will be closely supported and monitored. There have been reductions across the people support functions and this has Page 24
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9 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner increased the challenges in supporting services. No change to Risk matrix Threat of Cyber-attack Data, systems and/or infrastructure are impacted as result of security attacks which are increasing in number at a time when this threat is already placing demands on resources to deliver increased levels of security controls. 02-Apr-2025 Cyber strategy, policies and technologies are continually being improved, reviewed and monitored; ICT continues to follow National guidance where applicable. Cyber Security team focus has been on promoting employee awareness to cyber risk from both a professional and personal perspective, this work has resulted in 82% of employees in our recent survey indicating their Cyber awareness has improved. Development of a dedicated security intranet page to provide guidance and advise to employees is being finalised and is live. Progress continues to improve our Microsoft 365 security and email posture in addition to a review and update of our Disaster Recover, Cyber Incident Response and Business Continuity Plans. Incident response readiness, security gap analysis and M365 security review has been completed by our 3rd party security partner. Results are currently being reviewed with the aim to agree an improvement action plan. Our annual Network Penetration testing is underway with the aim to renew our Public Sector Network certificate early in 2025. Enhanced online email security training is in progress with continuous phishing James Gallacher Page 25
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10 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner campaigns to raise employee awareness. There is a continual review of the process to apply security updates, patches, and software deployments. Recent improvements have redesigned the update process to devices. Geo-blocking to GB and Ireland remains in place. No change to Risk Matrix. Objective 11. Our Council is adaptable and focused on delivering best value for our residents Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Undertake annual Payroll Audit 12-Jan-2025 Completed as planned. Arun Menon Implement statutory Payroll changes 31-May-2024 Completed as planned. All statutory changes such as Tax and NI have been implemented for 2024/25. Arun Menon Implement revised team structure and service provision 30-Sep-2024 Completed as planned. This was achieved through removal of tasks which has been actioned and communicated. Arun Menon Review and update FfF approach 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Following review, the approach this year will concentrating on digital champions, skills and improvements alongside supporting SharePoint rollout which will ensure services are efficient and that we make the best use of our resources. Alison McBride Continue to embed sound H&S practice 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Corporate Health & Safety continue to ensure safety management standards reflect current regulation across the Council & HSPC. The team undertook two audits of services, Alison McBride Page 26
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11 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner residential care at Crosslet House and residential care at Queens Quay care home. Audits were conducted against the councils Safety Management Standards to check compliance and workplace, and fire risk assessments have been undertaken as required. Implement improvements in recruitment life cycle processes 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Review of project plan has taken place, and progress has been made in reviewing succession planning guidance for future talent resources. Further work will be done on career pathways and developing additional recruitment links to enhance the talent pool and channels available. This action will continue into 2025/26. Alison McBride Maintain and monitor employee wellbeing, engagement and workforce planning 31-Mar-2025 Action overdue. Employee awards have now been refreshed in line with the Achieve values framework with the first ceremony planned for May 2025. Improvements to the employee console have been introduced. Support materials for stress improvement work as being designed and the review of job profiles is underway. As a result of resource pressures and completing priorities this action will be carried over into 2025/26 Alison McBride Review and enhance employee skills and learning programme 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Mandatory training information for their teams has now been made available to Managers on the console. Access to the national M365 skills hub has been granted and joining instructions are being developed. The Pilot M365 is underway and additional training resources and opportunities are in development. This action will continue into 2025/26 Alison McBride Page 27
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12 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner Keeping abreast of developments in the innovative use of Information Technologies Failure to keep pace with changing technology environment 02-Apr-2025 The Council continues to invest in technology and embrace innovation with the implementation of several improvement projects. This investment is focussed on delivering fit for future infrastructure, enabling a secure, consistent and robust hybrid working experience, reducing the threat of Cyber-attack and exploring exciting opportunities with modern technology such as Artificial Intelligence and Automation. There continues to be investment in cloud services with MS SharePoint and One Drive with additional services areas migrating to the solution from April 25. Further services areas and partners will be migrated throughout 25/26. ICT are also currently planning the deployment of an Azure cloud environment to allow the Council to begin testing servers in the cloud and provide added resilience for system access. The Council has procured additional 365 licences to allow the latest version of Office 365 to be deployed to all Council devices. The ICT team are also researching latest Artificial Intelligence solution MS Co-Pilot with the aim to trial licences across pilot groups. Installation of new Firewall technology has taken place, and this project will not only improve internal and external security but will also increase data capacity throughput at our data centre to allow improved data performance across the Council network. James Gallacher; Page 28
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13 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner The project to improve bandwidth capacity at all Council sites has progressed well with 55 sites now migrated to the new network, the remaining sites including the Aurora Data Centre will be upgraded by July 25. In addition, we are also upgrading the Council internet line and all of these changes will ensure our Infrastructure is fit for future and to allow the Council to invest further in cloud services. The Councils legacy telephony system will be replaced during 25/26 with a new cloud platform solution that will also deliver a new Council Contact Centre solution for Customer Services to enhance Citizen communication. Action Status Overdue Not on track In Progress and on track Completed PI Status Target significantly missed Target narrowly missed Target met or exceeded Long Term Trends Improving No change Declining Short Term Trends Improving No change Declining Page 29
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DRAFT APPENDIX 2 2025-26 DELIVERY PLAN People and Technology Page 31
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2 Contents 1. Introduction..............................................................................................................................................................................2 2. Performance Review...............................................................................................................................................................2 3. Strategic Assessment..............................................................................................................................................................6 4. Resources.............................................................................................................................................................................14 Finance ...........................................................................................................14 Employees ......................................................................................................15 Appendix 1: Action Plan...................................................................................................................................................................17 Page 32
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2 1. Introduction People and Technology comprise a wide range of services covering Strategic HR, Organisational Development, Change and Digital, ICT, Transactional Services (HR advice, pensions and pay), Health, Safety and Risk and Organisational Resilience. It is one of seven strategic areas responsible for delivering the Council’s Strategic Plan. Key actions to help achieve that are set out in this Delivery Plan, together with actions to address any performance issues and service priorities identified in the planning process. The progress of this Plan will be monitored and managed by the management team and reported to Corporate Services Committee bi-annually, at mid-year and year-end. 2. Performance Review The management team completed a detailed review of 2024/25 performance, focusing on the following: 2024/25 Delivery Plan year-end progress; Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) comparative data; National Digital Office programmes; Cabinet Office and Scottish Government Security compliance and guidance; and Continuous Improvement. This review highlighted our key achievements and challenges in 2024/25. These are summarised below. Key Achievements 2024/25 Transactional Support Furthered digital improvements in the Workforce Management System (WMS) specifically the implementation of Caseviewer which significantly improves the management of online form approval and visibility. Completed annual payroll audit and processed pay awards at short notice and with a significant and complex arrears element. Successfully developed automations within key process areas delivering crucial efficiencies. Page 33
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3 CAS Achieved near 100% automation in Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) payment processing, driving significant improvements in team efficiency and capacity to support additional business areas. Launched online forms across multiple functions, enhancing data consistency and streamlining the data collection and processing workflows. Implemented new automations for building security certificates and commercial waste invoicing, boosting efficiency in critical operational processes. Cross-trained teams across multiple functions, enhancing team resilience against a backdrop of reduced resources and increased workload. Developed and rolled out a financial dashboard, enabling proactive management of revenue balances and providing vital support for service teams. ICT Achieved 87% ICT Customer Satisfaction level. Achieved 82% Employees stating their Cyber Awareness has increased due to ICT campaigns. Development of new Cyber Incident Response Plan, approved by Committee in February 2025. Delivered ICT Security training course materials and Cyber Security and Phishing awareness sessions for Elected members, Joint Consultative Forum and Council employees. Upskilled ICT employees with industry-standard training in infrastructure, 365, applications, device, and cyber security fields. Enabled cross organisation collaboration by implementing the capability for Council & NHS employees to access both networks in various joint locations. People and Change Strategic HR supported the council in achieving the Gold Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme for the 5th time, maintained Disability Confident status and committed to the Race @ Work Charter. Job evaluation has been strengthened with the embedding of the policy with a focus on training and more proactive work to support streamlining the council’s organisational structure with Strategic Operating Model (SOM) compliance and multiple restructures. Page 34
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4 Organisational Development delivered Modern Leaders programme with first cohorts completed, created a coaching & Mentoring Toolkit, and Continuous Personal Development (CPD) hub with a future leader’s toolkit and peer coaching circles launched. Designed, developed and published resources to help raise awareness of digital transformation. A review into onboarding was conducted and a central onboarding hub was created for managers and new employees. Fit for Future review with Risk & Health and Safety focussing on improvements to communications and processes. Health and Safety refined H&S committee reports to include data, table charts/graphs and additional relevant information requested by Trade Unions (TUs) and management. The team have delivered the full programme of occupational noise exposure monitoring (Noise Risk Assessments) service audits against WDC Safety Management Standards The team were the first pilot team to implementation M365 SharePoint and managed the successful transition of FIGTREE (Safety Management System) from WDC servers to FIGTREE remote servers Business Resilience Supported a range of minor events and major incidents across the local area, working in support of multi-agency partners. Made significant progress in power outage planning across both Council and HSCP services. Refreshed business continuity arrangements, working closely with services in focus group scenarios. Secured Raynet communications coverage, the first of its kind in Scotland, and providing resilience in the event of an emergency/incident resulting in power outage. Key Challenges in 24/25 Resilience/ Capacity Challenges Across People and Technology, there are a range of challenges linked to a continuing and increased demand for support, and a reliance on technology which is anticipated to be an ongoing pressure in future years. The workforce levels are now outstripped by service demands. Over the last few years, we have encouraged services to become more self-reliant by introducing self-serve and developing automation of key processes to promote efficiency in time-consuming tasks, however, buy-in from wider service areas has been slow. Similarly, the take up of service champions to assist with key priorities, such as digital transformation, has been a challenge with significant improvement required to support change. In 2025/26 we will continue to promote automation and self-reliance. Significant changes in proposed employment legislation impacting on policy, process, terms and conditions and working practices and challenging political landscape. Page 35
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5 Retention of talent continues to be a challenge. Corporate Administration Support (CAS) operates a flat and lean structure with limited opportunity for progression within the structure leading to CAS providing a high level of training resulting in highly skilled and capable employees ultimately benefitting other services due to opportunities at slightly higher grades. The Digital team is a small corporate resource, therefore more individual/team ownership around digital capability will be a key requirement. This will be supported by Digital Champions, but this role needs to be visible, valued, have the right people in it and be given the time needed to ensure a consistent cascade allowing tools and skills to be mainstreamed across services. The recent digital skills survey had a very low response rate, demonstrating a lack of engagement, a worrying lack of understanding in how important it is to ensuring skills gaps are closed and we can use technology to maximise capabilities and skills across teams especially given the speed of technology developments and that this is the route forward to improving efficiency. The ongoing rationalisation of resources and development of service efficiencies has resulted in many restructures, some becoming more complex and an increased reliance on SHR which has significantly impacted on the team and the ability to do the more proactive improvement activities. This has resulted in several initiatives taking much longer than anticipated such as the Stress Risk review and the People First employee cycle improvement plan. Focus and resources are often directed to more reactive activities such as Voluntary Severance (VS) / Voluntary Early Retirement (VER), legislative changes and the application and implementation of the HR people policies which results in resources being stretched. Workforce Planning requires to be further embedded to ensure knowledge across the organisation is enhanced. Continuing recruitment challenges in attracting and maintaining resource and skills due to uncertainty and budget implications. Increased demands include policy development and new employee initiatives that necessitates data from the Workforce Management System (WMS) and operational HR skillsets, both of which increase day to day workloads for Transactional teams. This will ultimately require the strict prioritisation of operational HR and Payroll tasks. Health & Safety will experience a loss of experience and roles from the team alongside supporting and mentoring the new Graduate. Maintaining visibility, support and commitment from senior management whilst looking to ensure compliance with statutory and legislative requirements The biggest challenge for the People and Change team was, and will continue to be, the exponential rate of change leading to increase demand for the service to support employees’ skills, wellbeing and engagement whilst supporting council-wide projects such as the roll-out of Microsoft 365, structure changes, changing roles and skillsets with limited resources and increasing workload. This is leading to a much more demanding role as competing priorities such as wellbeing, workforce capability building, maximising tools and project delivery are balanced with ensuring that ongoing financial savings and service delivery expectations are met. As a result, there is an impact on employee wellbeing due to on-going complex Page 36
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6 change and the requirement to provide support mechanisms delivering consistent support with insufficient and stretched resources Continued technical challenges with Frontier (Workforce Management System), particularly the speed issues for system users. Any issues continue to be managed through discussions with the supplier at national level. ICT Challenges Reduced ICT resources impacting service delivery and requiring use of fixed term and capital funded employees to deliver business as usual support, technology improvements and service area projects. Hybrid Working Challenges: o Managing and mitigating the increased risk of Cyber Security threats including phishing emails, ransomware attacks and updating and managing devices to ensure they are secure. Challenge to ensure laptop devices are regularly onsite in a Council location and connected internally to the network. o Increased data and bandwidth demand due to a surge in MS Teams video meetings and access to cloud services. i.e. reliance on streaming media to enhance teaching and learning. o Deploying new technologies and decommissioning/upgrading existing technologies when dependency is heightened e.g., replacement of remote access solution and migration to local desktop applications. o Continued increased demand and reliance on ICT support & technology - supporting hybrid working in addition to providing an appointment service and walk-up Tech Bar service to deliver support in corporate environments. Defining backup strategy, managing storage and data growth during a period of budget pressure and increased Cyber threat. Increased revenue costs as organisations/suppliers move from a capital-based license model to revenue funded. Ensuring appropriate training for employees as new technology is deployed. 3. Strategic Assessment The People and Technology management team completed a strategic assessment to determine the major influences on service delivery and priorities in 2025/26. These are summarised below. Key Factors Financial Challenges Page 37
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7 The entire public sector is continuing to face significant financial challenges due to a range of factors including inflationary cost increases, pay awards not being fully funded by the Scottish Government and insufficient overall funding to support the delivery of front line and back-office services. The Council are currently faced with an estimated cumulative funding gap in 2026/27 of £9.24m rising to £42.77m by 2029/30. We will continue to monitor the overall financial position of the Council and updates on estimated future budget gaps will be reported to Elected Members throughout 2025/26. These challenges require further action to balance our budget and protect services for residents. Within People & Technology, this means that available funding will be reduced over time, and we will need to reconfigure how we work, what we do, where we work, and potentially reduce the number of people employed. In this context, we will aim to continue to provide a sustainable, quality service to employees and our citizens. Budget Sensitivity Analysis Budget Sensitivity Analysis In reviewing the service budget projections, consideration has been given to sensitivity of these budgets, in particular for higher risk/ higher value budgets which may have a significant impact on budgetary control and future budget projections. The analysis has considered sensitivity around demand, costs and charges, and income levels. Within People and Technology budgets identified as being more susceptible to fluctuations include ICT Computer Software, due to technological updates, enhancements, security updates, integration, user base growth, regulatory compliance and inflation. Transactional Support Automation of Processes and Information Provision Many employees across the Council are employed in manual processes and information provision, such as processing invoices and updating transactional spreadsheets. Many such processes can be automated, providing benefits such as faster service delivery, improved quality and greater flexibility, as well as enabling employees to refocus on more complex and meaningful tasks rather than those that are repetitive and mundane. Progress will be reported within Resources Delivery plan. Payroll It is critical to ensure that employees are paid contractual and non-contractual payments accurately, in accordance with Terms and Conditions of service, and in a timely manner. In 2025/26 we will continue to ensure compliance with all statutory requirements and timelines. Annual actions include payroll audit and implementation of statutory payroll changes. Page 38
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8 CAS Team Reductions The savings options agreed to deliver the 2025/26 budget have resulted in a resource reduction in the Council’s Corporate Administration Support (CAS) team. The CAS team carries out a wide range of administrative functions across all Council services to ensure consistency. The reduction in resources will see cessation of payroll support tasks and Freedom of Information (FOI) support for all areas, except Education where FOIs will continue to be distributed to services to complete the processing and issue. Outsource Print Room The savings options agreed to deliver the 2025/26 budget require exploration of the outsourcing of all printing services. Currently the Council has an in-house printing service for essential, non-avoidable print jobs. Under this proposal printing would be outsourced which would deliver savings. Services requiring approved printing would send to the external printer via their devices to be actioned. External printing and enveloping are already in place for Council Tax notices and the model has operated successfully. This change will be effectively managed through careful planning, proactive measures, and the establishment of a service level agreement (SLA). A procurement exercise would be undertaken before any final decision is made to progress outsourcing of the Print Room. ICT Infrastructure and Technology There remains a high paced programme of technology change across the council against a background of reduced budgets and resources. A heightened threat of cyber-attacks is increasing pressure on local authorities and service delivery in a digital world which is more reliant on technology year after year. Therefore, it is critical to invest in modern, innovative and secure technology to ensure the council continues to focus on effective use of technology to enhance service delivery and ensure citizens have access to key council services. The council has invested heavily in Microsoft 365 cloud services and has made significant progress on associated projects throughout 2024/25. Pilot service areas have been migrated to SharePoint and One Drive and the main deliverable in 2025/26 is to implement the solutions for remaining council services. This technology replaces our long-standing use of on-premises storage for managing council files and folders and will integrate with existing 365 services and improve collaboration from anywhere and any device. In 2025/26 we will progress the next phase of Microsoft 365 implementation. Cyber Security Page 39
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9 With increased reliance on technology and digital platforms, local government has become more vulnerable to cyber threats. Safeguarding sensitive council data and ensuring the integrity of our critical systems are paramount. The council has routinely invested in robust cyber security measures and training to protect our data and employees. Building resilience in the face of evolving threats is essential to ensure the smooth operation of council services and maintaining our citizen’s trust. 82% of employees indicated in the last year their Cyber awareness had increased due to ICT campaigns. The aim is to continue with our campaigns and schedule additional in-person sessions to encourage awareness and discussion. The security team also recently developed a dedicated Cyber intranet page for employees to visit and find guidance and information, this page will be developed further in the coming year. P&T has recently completed a new Cyber Incident Response Plan and this will be exercised with Council senior leaders during 2025 via the Scottish Government. ICT are currently upgrading backup technology and drafting a new data backup strategy, this will be finalised in the coming months. To enhance our security posture and mitigate the threat of Cyber-attack, the Council have registered an interest in a national procurement via Scotland Excel to consider a 24/7 managed Security Operations Centre (SOC). In 2025/26 we will further secure the next phase of Council’s Technology Infrastructure. Embracing Next Generation Technology Next generation technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation and advanced machine learning present significant opportunities and the Council must accelerate adoption of these technologies. AI solutions such as CoPilot need to become an integral part of everyday tools to provide employees with virtual assistants as resources reduce and workloads increase, it is essential to be adventurous in automation and enable data technology to encourage a data driven strategy and culture. ICT has piloted an Artificial Intelligence Note Taking solution and this will be expanded to Council services during 2025. In addition, further opportunities will be undertaken to explore AI and automate processes and drive efficiency. Improving Bandwidth and Internet capacity There is increased demand for data and bandwidth due to a surge in employees accessing cloud services such as MS Teams video meetings, this demand will increase further in 2025 due to remaining Council services migrating to SharePoint and One Drive. ICT has completed Phase 1 of a 2-year improvement project to transform the Council’s external network and ensure council locations have fit for purpose bandwidth available. Phase 2 of the project is scheduled to be completed by July 25. This project has improved the digital workplace experience for employees and assisted in enhancing teaching and learning across our education establishments. An upgrade to the Councils external internet line is currently in planning and this improvement will ensure that internet connectivity to the outside world is fit for future and secure as the Councils cloud strategy gathers pace. By July 2025 ICT will complete phase 2 of the improvement project and deliver next phase of fit for purpose bandwidth capacity to all council locations. Page 40
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10 ICT Device Review Project ICT will undertake the annual device review project for PCs, laptops, and mobile phones that are reaching end of life and or 5- year refresh point as per the ICT Strategy 2023-28. In 2025/26 we will complete review of devices due to be replaced. Information Communications and Technology (ICT) Team Reductions The savings options agreed to deliver the 2025/26 budget have resulted in a resource reduction in the ICT team. ICT provides centralised services across the Council and partnerships, including Health and Social Care Partnership, West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust and Valuation Joint Board. The service includes delivery and support of network infrastructure to provide access to critical business systems such as finance, social care, housing, and desktop office applications such as MS Teams, email and office 365 suite. In addition, ICT delivers and supports technology across all educational establishments. The reduction in resources will see changes to the service delivery and response times. In 2025/26 we will Implement ICT revised team structure and adjust service provision. People and Change Fit for Future Reviews (FfF) In 2020, to support continuous improvement, the Council embarked on a programme of Fit for Future service reviews. Using a range of tools that encapsulates service design and employee engagement, information is gathered and reviewed to identify improvements and to ensure our services are efficient and that we make the best use of our resources. During 2024/25 we reviewed the programme and identified some changes to ensure it continues to meet the service needs. During 2025/26, FfF will support a programme of reviews across the services in conjunction with 365 to identify and support service savings initiatives. Enhanced HR Support - Revised Team Structures The ongoing rationalisation of resources and development of service efficiencies has resulted in many restructures and an increased reliance on SHR. Focus and resources require to be directed to more reactive activities such as VS/VER, legislative changes and the application and implementation of the HR people policies. During 2025/26 job profiles will be reviewed to support efficiencies when service restructures are undertaken. People & Change Team Restructure Following agreement at the Council Meeting in March 2025, People & Change Services will progress a team restructure to deliver savings. The People & Change team will reduce the number of posts and delivering compliance with the Council’s Page 41
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11 Strategic Operating Model. In addition, there will be a reduction to the Organisational Development Team with employees being realigned under one of the People and Change Partners. This will be delivered as part of a wider service review of the People and Technology service. During 2025/26 we will Implement People & Change Team Restructure including reduction of Organisational Development Team. Improve The Employee Life Cycle The employee life cycle is made up of 5 key steps. Step 1, the recruitment life cycle begins when a need for a post is identified until the point where the preferred candidate is identified was reviewed in 23/24. In 2024/25, Step 2 Onboarding, the process of integrating new employees into the organisation and preparing them for their new roles and work environment, from the point of being offered the post up to 1 year of being in the new role was reviewed and changes implemented to streamline, improve and modernise supports for new employees. In 2025/26 we will implement the findings and initiate review of Step 3, development, providing employee training to develop additional skills to help employees become more successful by reviewing the current tools and participation to optimise employee development opportunities. Health & Safety Continue to manage council risk and ensure sound Health & Safety practices are embedded. Achieving compliance with legislative requirements in the management of asbestos. Working alongside the Fit for Future team in developing better ways of working by utilising available online resources and different approaches to data management. The team will continue to target the ongoing delivery of our annual H&S plan as, through this, we have identified the necessary priorities for our team to ensure ongoing Council compliance with statutory requirements and best H&S practice. Poor H&S practice creates significant risk for the council both in terms of financial and reputational damage. Following saving initiatives there will be a revised team structure. In 2025/26 we will review the H&S processes against the introduction of M365 to deliver a more streamlined approach to H&S including efficiencies. Transformation and Continuous Improvement Digital Transformation The People First Strategy is ensuring that we put people at the heart of our approach to digital transformation, this is supported by a more cohesive and holistic plan involving learning, engagement, wellbeing and workforce planning. This ambitious plan will ensure all aspects of the individual is considered as we progress with digital transformation from 2022-27. Page 42
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12 To facilitate this, the service needs a joined-up approach to supporting digital transformation, growing employee skills and working with citizens to adapt and change how services are delivered. To do this, structures require to be reviewed, and resources (financial and workforce) need to be identified to ensure plans and processes are in place alongside the ability to constantly monitor progress on keeping pace with digital transformation and technology. The speed of technological advancement has been rapidly increasing and will continue to do so. This will impact employees, citizens and services as the Council seeks to both capitalise and adapt to these. Additional support and upskilling have been evident with the rapid deployment of MS Teams, and this will continue as the team support the rollout and maximisation of M365/SharePoint. Managing and maximising data usage and improving skills is key to ensuring employees and users understand benefits and threats. If this is not continued it increases the potential for both reputational and financial risks. It will also impact decision making and understanding on progressing improvement activity and planning for the same. In 2025/26 we will continue to build good data practices/structures council-wide by maintaining looking to build on progress to date and enhancing our policies supporting digital transformation such as a council data strategy. We will also continue to support development of the WMS to aid wider process and digital transformation and continue to develop automations within transactional processes through collaborative practice, service design and maximising digital practice, through the reviewed Fit for Future programme. Technology is developing quickly and the Council needs to ensure that they keep pace in order to capitalise on the benefits this brings to service improvement, costs and delivery. This must be looked at collaboratively with users and employees to ensure understanding, best practice and skills required. In 2025/26 we will continue to progress our plan to mainstream digital transformation across the council. Business Resilience Service Core Plans The Civil Contingencies Officer has continued to support West Dunbartonshire’s resilience planning, and response arrangements to ensure adequate officers are trained at all levels throughout the Council and HSCP to support the Council’s response to any incident within West Dunbartonshire. Various plans have been developed and are reviewed annually, these assist with the Councils readiness to respond to emergencies and other unplanned events. In 22025/26 we will continue to maintain and manage the review process for Council & HSCP Core Plans. Business Continuity Page 43
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13 This includes managing the Council and HSCPs Business Continuity Plans (BCPs), this process is typically reviewed on an annual basis or following an incident or an event to ensure they remain fit for purpose. All BCPs essentially feed into the Strategic Business Continuity plan to provide reassurances to Chief Executive and Chief Officers that essential services have been considered, and adequate risk measures are put in place to minimise disruption. In 2025/26 we will continue to Manage and oversee the Business Continuity Process for the Council and HSCP. Power Resilience Power Resilience differs from Business Continuity Planning due to the complexities surrounding this risk. The aim of this work is to provide a robust and tested framework for the Council’s Power Resilience arrangements to a National Electricity Transmission System (NETS) failure incident. The purpose of this work is to provide confidence to the Chief Executive and Chief Officers that service managers have considered this risk, applied mitigation measures and raised awareness across their service, especially with employees. In 2025/26 we will progress plans to determine what our essential services are and how we can continue to deliver them, and at the same time prioritising those most at risk / vulnerable within our community. In 2025/26 we will continue to develop the Council and HSCP response and power resilience arrangements. Continuous Improvement Continuous improvement is central to all that we do. The actions set out in this section as well as those at an operational level not included in this Delivery Plan, demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement and take account of the wider Best Value focus on vision and leadership; governance and accountability; effective use of resources; partnerships and collaborative working; working with communities; sustainability; and fairness and equality. Action Plan The challenges identified in Section 2 and the key factors identified in Section 3 have informed P&T priorities for 2025/26. Appendix 1 sets out the action plan to address them. It also includes: performance indicators and targets that will enable progress to be monitored and reported to stakeholders strategic workforce actions to address workforce issues identified in the planning process; and strategic and/or service risks. In relation to the latter, strategic risks represent the potential for the Council to take advantage of opportunities or fail to meet stated strategic objectives and those that require strategic leadership. Service risks relate to service delivery and represent the potential for impact on individual services, or the experience of those who work within the services, i.e. employees, partners, Page 44
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14 contractors and volunteers or service users and clients in receipt of the services provided. In identifying the relevant risks for 2025/26 and actions to mitigate them, the aim is to improve or maintain the current position (i.e. the current risk score) set out in the appendix. 4. Resources Finance People and Technology has a net revenue budget of £10.385m and a capital budget of £1.775m in 2025/26. A breakdown by section is set out below. A significant amount of budget allocated to ICT covers centralised systems. We will make the best use of the resources available to deliver on key priority areas and secure external/match funding where this is possible. Service Area Gross Expenditure 2025/26 (£m) Gross Income 2025/26 (£m) Net Expenditure 2025/26 (£m) Capital Budget 2025/26 (£m) Transactional 0.911 -0.017 0.894 0.000 Strategic People & Change 1.902 -0.055 1.848 0.047 ICT 5.590 -0.527 5.063 1.728 Central Admin Support 2.602 -0.022 2.580 0.000 Total 11.006 -0.621 10.385 1.775 Employees Employee Numbers The headcount and full-time equivalent employees in each section (as of 31st March 2025) are as follows: Service Area Headcount FTE Business Support (Corporate Admin Support, HR & Payroll Service Centre) 122 103.42 Page 45
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15 Absence in 2024/25 The quarterly absence statistics for People and Technology are shown below together with the Council average for the same periods for comparison. The figures for People and Technology have been lower than the Council average throughout 2024/25. Absence in 2024/25 Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Annual FTE days lost per FTE employee P&T Service 0.99% 1.38% 0.77% 2.07% 3.22 COUNCIL WIDE TOTAL 6.51% 5.67% 7.04% 6.51% 14.33 People & Change (Strategic HR, H&S, Risk, Change, OD & Digital) 38 32.39 ICT 56 52.94 TOTAL 216 188.75 Page 46
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16 Appendix 1: Action Plan 4. Our Council Objective 10. Our workforce is resilient and skilled where digital technology supports service delivery for our residents Performance Indicator 2025/26 Target Owner Percentage of ICT helpdesk incidents fixed with half day of being logged. 70% James Gallacher % of our workforce who have declared a disability 2.2% Alison McBride % of our workforce who have stated they are LGBT 2.5% Alison McBride % of our workforce who are from a black minority ethnic group 1% Alison McBride Disability pay gap 10% Alison McBride The percentage of the highest paid 5% employees who are women 50% Alison McBride Gender pay gap 3% Alison McBride Percentage of Council employees who agree or strongly agree that in general, they feel valued in their role at WDC 75% Alison McBride % employee attendance improvement rate (teachers & local govt.) 1% Alison McBride Page 47
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17 Action Due Date Owner Further secure the next phase of the Council’s technology infrastructure 31 Mar 2026 James Gallacher Deliver next phase of fit for purpose bandwidth capacity to all Council locations 31 Mar 2026 James Gallacher Implement next phase of Microsoft 365 Sharepoint & One Drive 31 Mar 2026 James Gallacher Complete review of devices due to be replaced 31 Mar 2026 James Gallacher Review and explore next generation technologies 31 Mar 2026 James Gallacher Maintain and manage the review process for Council & HSCP Core Plans 31 Mar 2026 Scot McFarlane Manage and oversee the Business Continuity Process for the Council and HSCP 31 Mar 2026 Scot McFarlane Continue to develop the Council and HSCP response and power resilience arrangements 31 Mar 2026 Scot McFarlane Progress the plan to mainstream digital transformation across the council 31 Mar 2026 Alison McBride Workforce Planning: Develop and implement wellbeing, employee engagement, equality and learning and development plans to enable capabilities, improve resilience and promotion of a diverse workforce 31 Mar 2026 All Managers Workforce Planning: Develop and implement employee life cycle plans in line with the People First Strategy to attract and retain the workforce 31 Mar 2026 All Managers Workforce Planning: Develop and implement learning and development opportunities to improve capabilities and resilience within the workforce. 31 Mar 2026 All Managers Workforce Planning: Implement service review process including role design, use of new technology and new ways of working to add resilience, address gaps, and establish opportunities for efficiencies 31 Mar 2026 All Managers Page 48
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18 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Workforce Management System not fit for purpose There is a risk that the WMS system is not fit-for-purpose thereby requiring manual workarounds restricting the level of automation impacting on efficiencies Arun Menon Challenges in protecting the Health and Safety of Employees and Others Failure to meet the Council’s duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of its employees and other people who might be affected by its business Alison McBride Complexities in ensuring an appropriately resourced and resilient workforce Failure to ensure that there is an appropriately resourced and resilient workforce in place to meet future organisational needs, in effectively executing the Council’s 2022-27 Strategic Plan. Alison McBride Threat of Cyber-attack Data, systems and/or infrastructure are impacted as result of security attacks which are increasing in number at a time when this threat is already placing demands on resources to deliver increased levels of security controls. James Gallacher Objective 11. Our Council is adaptable and focused on delivering best value for our residents Action Due Date Owner Implement statutory payroll changes 31 Mar 2026 Arun Menon Page 49
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19 Action Due Date Owner Undertake annual payroll audit 31 Mar 2026 Arun Menon Implement CAS team reduction and adjust service provision 31 Mar 2026 Arun Menon Progress outsourcing of Print Room 31 Mar 2026 Arun Menon Implement the Fit for Future programme of reviews. 31 Mar 2026 Alison McBride Continue to embed key Health and Safety practices. 31 Mar 2026 Alison McBride Improve employee life cycle and optimise employee development opportunities 31 Mar 2026 Alison McBride Implement People & Change Team Restructure including reduction of Organisational Development Team 31 Mar 2026 Alison McBride Undertake a strategic review of job profiles across the Council 31 Mar 2026 Alison McBride Implement ICT revised team structure and adjust service provision 31 Mar 2026 James Gallagher Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Keeping abreast of developments in the innovative use of Information Technologies Failure to keep pace with changing technology environment James Gallacher Page 50
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer - Regulatory & Regeneration Committee: Corporate Services Committee 21 May 2025 Subject: Regulatory & Regeneration Delivery Plan 2024/25 - Year-end Progress & Regulatory & Regeneration Delivery Plan 2025/26 1 Purpose 1.1 This report sets out the year-end progress of the 2024/25 Delivery Plan and presents the new Delivery Plan for 2025/26. 2 Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that Committee notes the progress achieved at year-end and the new Plan for 2025/26. 3 Background 3.1 In line with the Strategic Planning & Performance Framework, each Chief Officer develops an annual Delivery Plan which sets out actions to help deliver the Strategic Plan and address the performance challenges and service priorities identified in the planning process. The Plan also provides an overview of services and resources, including employees and budgets, sets out the performance indicators (PIs) for monitoring progress and considers the relevant risks. 3.2 In the last few months of 2024/25, several services and teams across the Council were realigned to other Chief Officer areas. For consistency and transparency, the year-end progress reports reflect the content of the 2024/25 delivery plans reported to the relevant committees at the beginning of that year, with none of the organisational changes that took place in-year included. Those changes are, however, reflected in the new delivery plans for 2025/26. 4 Main Issues 2024/25 Year-end Progress 4.1 The 2024/25 Delivery Plan was presented to Corporate Services Committee on 22 May 2024 and mid-year progress reported on 6 November 2024. 4.2 Full details of year-end progress are set out in Appendix 1. 4.3 The progress of the Plan’s 28 actions is summarised below: Progress No. (%) Completed 21 (75%) Overdue 7 (25%) ITEM 9 Page 51
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4.4 Overdue actions relate to the following and will be carried forward and completed in 2025/26: • Scope out the next phase of the Shaping Places for Wellbeing Programme and how the health and wellbeing and reduction of inequalities outcomes can be taken forward - 15% complete. • Ensure regeneration sites are progressed to enable high quality development to be achieved on the ground - 80% complete • Monitor the development of the key regeneration sites to ensure they comply with the approved consent - 75% complete • Support town centre revitalisation - 75% complete • Continue to develop the 20-minute mapping tool for use at both local and regional levels - 75% complete • Prepare a robust evidence report for submission for Gatecheck to Scottish Government Planning and Environmental Appeals Division - 50% complete • Implement service review process including role design, use of new technology, and new ways of working to add resilience, address gaps, and establish opportunities for efficiencies - 90% complete 4.5 Year-end data is available for 12 of the Plan’s 23 PIs. The performance of those PIs is summarised below: Performance Against Target No. (%) Target met or exceeded 8 (67%) Target narrowly missed 1 (8%) Target significantly missed 3 (25%) Performance Over Time No. (%) Improved over short term (or maintained a high level of performance) 5 of 12 (42%) Improved over longer term (or maintained a high level of performance) 7 of 12 (58%) 4.6 Targets that were significantly missed relate to the following PIs: • Planning Applications (Major Developments - Without Processing Agreement): Average number of weeks to decision - 20.3 weeks against a target of 16. • Planning Applications (Other Locals): Average number of weeks to decision - 14.1 weeks against a target of 12. • Percentage of contract award notices published within 30 calendar days from award letter being sent - 78% against a target of 100%. 4.7 The full set of PIs will be reported through the Council’s annual performance reporting process once all data becomes available. 2025/26 Delivery Plan 4.8 The 2025/26 Delivery Plan is set out at Appendix 2. Page 52
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4.9 Key priorities include: • delivering sustainable, quality services within the context of significant financial challenges • delivering key regeneration sites across West Dunbartonshire • promoting the next phase of Queens Quay Housing • exploring commercial opportunities and supporting business recovery and town centre revitalisation • monitoring and reporting the Climate Change Action Plan • developing the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy Delivery Plan • developing Community Planning • contributing to the Community Learning and Development Plan • concluding the Cash First Project • implementing the requirements of the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill • planning for the Scottish Parliamentary Elections for the Dumbarton and Clydebank and Milngavie Constituencies • conducting an interim review of the Polling Scheme in West Dunbartonshire • preparing a succession plan to recruit and replace the Manager of Democratic and Registration Services post • providing legal support to Council services across a range of projects and providing legal services to the Council and West Dunbartonshire Energy LLP in relation to heat supply agreements and network supply contracts • reviewing processes and procedures within Legal Services’ Commercial & Place and Citizen & Regulatory teams • implementing the requirements of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 • supporting and advising businesses in relation to the new Tobacco & Vapes Bill 2024 • developing the 20-minute mapping tool for use at both local and regional levels • progressing the Local Development Plan 3 • promoting and supporting communities in the preparation of Local Place Plans • developing a plan to ensure compliance with the new Building Standards Regulations • progressing the new document management system for Planning and Building Standards • reviewing workstreams and procedures within Environmental Health • reviewing the planning pre-application process • working with steering group partners to support Historic Environment Scotland to finalise a new Antonine Wall Management Plan • providing procurement advice, guidance and support • implementing the next phase of the Fit for Future Procurement Improvement Plan 4.10 Implementation of the Plan will be monitored by the management team with mid-year and year-end progress reported to Corporate Services Committee Page 53
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and Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development Committee (economic development elements only) around November 2025 and May 2026 respectively. 5 People Implications 5.1 There are no direct people implications arising from this report. 6 Financial & Procurement Implications 6.1 There are no direct financial or procurement implications arising from this report. 7 Risk Analysis 7.1 Failure to deliver on the actions assigned to Regulatory & Regeneration may have a direct impact on the delivery of the Council’s Strategic Plan. It is essential that remedial action is taken to ensure strategic delivery plans achieve the commitments detailed. 8 Equalities Impact Assessment 8.1 Screening and impact assessments will be carried out on specific activities as required. 9 Consultation 9.1 The delivery plans were developed through consultation with officers from the strategic service areas. 10 Strategic Assessment 10.1 The delivery plans set out actions to support the successful delivery of the strategic priorities and objectives of the Council. Chief Officer: Alan Douglas Service Area: Regulatory & Regeneration Date: 24 April 2025 _____________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: Lynn Henderson lynn.henderson@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Page 54
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Appendices: Appendix 1: Regulatory & Regeneration Delivery Plan 2024/25 - Year-end Progress Appendix 2: Regulatory & Regeneration Delivery Plan 2025/26 Background Papers: Regulatory & Regeneration Delivery Plan 2024/25 - Corporate Services Committee, 22 May 2024 Regulatory & Regeneration Delivery Plan 2024/25 Mid- year Progress - Corporate Services Committee, 6 November 2024 Strategic Planning & Performance Framework 2022/27 Wards Affected: All Page 55
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1 Appendix 1: Regulatory & Regeneration Delivery Plan 2024/25 - Year-end Progress 1. Our communities Our residents’ health and wellbeing remains a priority 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of air quality monitoring stations complying with the national objective for nitrogen dioxide at the nearest building façades of residential properties, schools, hospitals and care homes (40ug/m3 NO2) 100% 100% 100% Target met with all monitoring stations complying with the national objective. Mark Walsh Percentage of highest priority pest control service requests responded to within 2 working days 97% 95% 2024/25 data not yet available. Eilidh Paton Total annual redress won for consumers by Trading Standards Group £41,062 N/A as data only PI 2024/25 data not yet available. Annemarie Clelland Food Law: Percentage of food businesses in the highest risk category (1 to 6 monthly inspections by Food & Business Group) that were inspected on time 96% 100% 2024/25 data not yet available. Eilidh Paton Page 57
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2 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Food Law: Percentage of food businesses in the high-risk category (12 monthly inspections by Food & Business Group) that were inspected on time 79% 70% 2024/25 data not yet available. Eilidh Paton Number of reports of bogus/cold callers 39 N/A as data only PI 2024/25 data not yet available. Annemarie Clelland Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Identify premises which sell Vapes to underage children and conduct integrity testing where required 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. We met our Scottish Government target to carry out underage sales visits to 10% of premises registered to sell Nicotine Vapour Products. We will continue to prioritise this work in 2025/26 if intelligence shows that this remains an issue. Annemarie Clelland Undertake proactive weights and measures work in a variety of retail premises, with a specific focus on everyday food and necessities such as heating fuel and petroleum 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Officers completed weights and measures checks in a variety of different premises focusing on everyday food and necessities, including fuel. This continues to be an important area of work with a Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland led project confirming that 15% of all solid fuel tested weighed less than the declared weight. Annemarie Clelland Scope out the next phase of the Shaping Places for Wellbeing Programme and how the health and wellbeing and reduction of 31-Mar- 2025 Overdue. Progress was impacted by vacancies within the service, resulting in the prioritisation of other work. Vacancies have now been filled including the Principal Officer Development Planning and Place and this action Michael Mulgrew Page 58
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3 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner inequalities outcomes can be taken forward will be carried into the general service work plan for 2025/26. 2. Our Environment Our local environment is protected, enhanced and valued 2023/24 2024/25 Owner Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Air Quality: PM10 Concentration 9.1 9.4 18 The year-end value is well within the national target of 18ug (micrograms). Mark Walsh Our resources are used in an environmentally sustainable way 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Tonnage of carbon dioxide emissions from Council operations and assets 19,342 Work to confirm the 2023/24 value is on-going, delayed due to vacancies and resourcing challenges. Data for 2024/25 will be available in November when all utilities bills and waste figures are validated in advance of preparing our annual mandatory climate change report for submission to Scottish Government. Elaine Troup Page 59
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4 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Co-ordinate, monitor and report the progress of the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan for 2024/25 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. The Climate Change Action Plan has been completed for 2024/25 and new actions developed for the 2025/26 Plan. Elaine Troup Develop a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Delivery Plan 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Public consultation on the draft strategy closed in June 2024. The strategy, with outline delivery plan, was published at the end of September 2024. Work is ongoing to develop a detailed delivery plan, with publication due mid-2025. Elaine Troup Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner Inability to reduce carbon footprint in line with targets The risk that the Council will be unable to achieve net zero emissions by 2045, both in relation to mitigating carbon emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Net zero refers to achieving an overall balance between emissions produced and emissions taken out of the atmosphere. This target has been developed in a way that mirrors the emission reduction trajectory set by the Scottish Government in light of the Climate Emergency. 08-Apr- 2025 The risk of not delivering carbon emissions targets remains moderate. Progress is being made through the delivery of the Climate Change Action Plan; however, pace of delivery has been, and will continue to be, impeded due to lack of internal resource and additional funding to deliver. This risk will be reviewed again once the Scottish Government publishes the revised net-zero targets. Elaine Troup Page 60
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5 Our neighbourhoods are sustainable and attractive 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of private landlord applications administered and processed within 21 days 99% 98% 95% Target exceeded. Mark Walsh Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Promote the next phase of Queens Quay Housing 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. The Council continues to meet the owner and agent to progress opportunities for future housing development at Queens Quay. Under the terms of the Joint Venture agreement, the owner and agent of Queens Quay are responsible for the commercial discussions on future housing development. The challenges faced at the site have also been raised with senior officials at the Scottish Government. Elaine Troup 3. Our Economy Our area has the infrastructure for sustainable and inclusive growth where businesses can flourish 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Number of businesses given advice and assistance to start up through Business Gateway 200 190 180 190 clients were assisted to start- up a new business, exceeding the target of 180 set for the year. Gillian Scholes Page 61
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6 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of procurement spent on local small/medium-sized enterprises and SMEs who have a presence in West Dunbartonshire 48% 36% 2024/25 data not yet available. Iain Skene Number of business gateway start- ups per 10,000 population 22.54 21.41 19.78 There were 21.41 business gateway start-ups per 10,000 population, exceeding the target of 19.78 set for the year. Gillian Scholes Proportion of properties receiving superfast broadband 99.3% 99% 2024/25 data for this LGBF indicator will be available in December 2025 following publication by the Improvement Service. Based on the most recent LGBF comparative data for the previous year (2023/24), performance at 99.3% was better than the Scottish average of 95.9% with a ranking of 1st of 32 local authorities, consistent with previous year. Gillian Scholes Immediately available employment land as a percentage of total land allocated for employment purposes 43.8 40 2024/25 data not yet available. Michael Mulgrew Page 62
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7 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Implement, monitor and report the progress of the Economic Development Strategy 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. The Economic Development Strategy annual update was reported to Infrastructure, Regeneration & Economic Development Committee in November 2024. This Strategy covers the period 2022/27 and will continue in the coming year. Elaine Troup Deliver key regeneration sites across West Dunbartonshire 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Work has progressed on the key regeneration sites across the Council area that include the three town centres, and the strategic sites of Queens Quay, Exxon and the Carless site. Milestones relating to the Scottish Marine Technology Park, Exxon Infrastructure Project and our three town centres have been successfully completed. This is a multi-year action that will continue into 2025/26. Elaine Troup Ensure regeneration sites are progressed to enable high quality development to be achieved on the ground 31-Mar- 2025 Overdue. While this remains a priority, progress was impacted by vacancies within the service. A Development Planning and Place Principal Officer was appointed in April 2025 and recruitment for a Lead Planner has been successful. Both posts will support the delivery of this action in 2025/26. Michael Mulgrew Monitor the development of the key regeneration sites to ensure they comply with the approved consent 31-Mar- 2025 Overdue. Progress was impacted by vacancies within the service, resulting in the prioritisation of other work. Recruitment within the planning teams is underway which will support the delivery of the key sites and a monitoring regime to be undertaken in the coming year. Michael Mulgrew Explore commercial opportunities in our town centres and wider regeneration sites 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. The Planning Permission in Principle application for the Artizan redevelopment masterplan in Dumbarton was submitted to the Council in July 2024. This very complex application has taken significant time to process and will be considered by the Magda Swider Page 63
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8 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Council later in 2025. The Long-Term Plan and the accompanying 3 Year Investment Plan for Clydebank were submitted to UK Government in October 2024. Following the general election in 2024 the programme has been reformed and renamed Plan for Neighbourhoods. A Regeneration Plan (which will replace the Long-term Plan and the Investment Plan) is due to be submitted to the UK Government in Spring/Summer 2025. Develop and implement business support interventions through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. UK Shared Prosperity Fund interventions have been developed and widely promoted through the Council website, social media, partner organisations and directly to eligible businesses. The Business Support team are continuing to promote the grant support and appraise applications. Gillian Scholes Support town centre revitalisation 31-Mar- 2025 Overdue. We have made good progress with the development of projects in Dumbarton and Alexandria, including obtaining planning permission and appointing a contractor for the Artizan redevelopment (Phase 1) and appointing a design team for Mitchell Way project. However, the Alexander Street project took longer than anticipated due to prolonged consultations with stakeholders. The tender process has been delayed, and it is now expected that the contractor will be appointed in summer 2025. Magda Swider Page 64
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9 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner Failure to deliver Queens Quay Masterplan Following completion of Council investment there is a risk the housing plot sales do not materialise in the next 3-7 years, with implications for the return on investment and the business case for the District Heating Network. 14-Mar- 2025 Risk remains unchanged. Focus continues on landowner agreeing a housing proposal with a potential developer. Delivery embedded into workstreams to promote development at site. Michael Mulgrew; Elaine Troup Inability to meet demands of Council to progress regeneration projects within desired timescales The number and complexity of regeneration projects is putting considerable strain on the resources available which can be exacerbated by delays out with the control of the service and when pinch points on different projects occur at roughly the same time. 14-Mar- 2025 Risk remains unchanged. Individual projects continue to progress, reducing the likelihood of undesirable outcomes. Embedded into workstreams to ensure sufficient resource to support delivery of projects within required timescales. Michael McDougall; Michael Mulgrew; Elaine Troup 4. Our Council Our workforce is resilient and skilled where digital technology supports service delivery for our residents Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Develop and implement wellbeing, employee engagement, equality, and learning and development plans to enable capabilities, improve resilience and promote a diverse workforce 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Alan Douglas Page 65
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10 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Develop and implement employee life cycle plans in line with the People First Strategy to attract and retain the workforce 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Alan Douglas Implement service review process including role design, use of new technology, and new ways of working to add resilience, address gaps, and establish opportunities for efficiencies 31-Mar- 2025 Overdue. A small number of actions were incomplete at year-end and they will be carried forward in the Workforce Plan and implemented in 2025/26. Alan Douglas Develop and implement learning and development plans and development opportunities to improve capabilities and resilience within the workforce 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Alan Douglas Our Council is adaptable and focused on delivering best value for our residents 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Planning Applications (Major Developments - Without Processing Agreement): Average number of weeks to decision 15.5 20.3 16 While the target was missed, performance was significantly better than the Scottish average for Q1 and Q2 2024/25 of 32.6 and 35.2 weeks respectively (full year comparative data is not yet available). Vacancies throughout the 2024/25 period impacted performance. Michael Mulgrew Planning Applications (Locals - Householder): 8.8 8.2 8 While the target was very narrowly missed, performance improved over both the short and long term. Performance was in line with Michael Mulgrew Page 66
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11 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Average number of weeks to decision the Scottish average for Q1 and Q2 2024/25 of 7.9 and 8.7 weeks respectively (full year comparative data is not yet available). Vacancies throughout the 2024/25 period impacted performance. Planning Applications (Other Locals): Average number of weeks to decision 11.9 14.1 12 The target was missed with performance below the Scottish average for Q1 and Q2 2024/25 of 11.1 and 11.9 weeks respectively (full year comparative data is not yet available). Vacancies throughout the 2024/25 period impacted performance across all planning indicators with performance expected to increase in 2025/26. Michael Mulgrew Percentage of contract award notices published within 30 calendar days from award letter being sent 80.7% 78% 100% The target was missed due to reduced staff resources as well as factors out with the Council’s control. These included delays in returning contract documentation to the Council and an extended standstill period (i.e. time for suppliers to request further feedback or any concerns around the evaluation process). However, the year-end value has continued to improve over the longer term. Iain Skene Cash savings achieved from procurement activity £589,843 £3,857,546 £400,000 Target exceeded. A significant saving was due to a waste cooperation agreement with Glasgow City Council. Iain Skene Page 67
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12 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of Environmental Health service requests from citizens first responded to within 2 working days 91% 90% 2024/25 data not yet available. Eilidh Paton Percentage of building warrant applications responded to within 20 working days 94% 95% 2024/25 data not yet available. Judi Ferguson Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Provide legal services to the Council and West Dunbartonshire Energy LLP in relation to heat supply agreements and network supply contracts 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Legal services provided advice to the Council and West Dunbartonshire Energy LLP in relation to connecting a new client to the network. This will be progressed in 2025/26. Michael McDougall Continue to provide high quality and timely legal support across all Council services 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Support has been provided to all Council services as well as the Health & Social Care Partnership and the Leisure Trust in relation to a number of matters that contribute towards the Council's strategic priorities as well protecting the Council's interests in a range of matters. For example: supported the Council's Buy Back programme by acting in residential conveyancing matters provided advice on the construction of nine housing developments Michael McDougall Page 68
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13 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner settled the purchase of land from Esso at Bowling, Dumbarton and five additional areas from various parties to facilitate the progression of works supported regeneration at the Artisan Centre and Glencairn House Continue to develop the 20- minute mapping tool for use at both local and regional levels 31-Mar- 2025 Overdue. Progress was impacted by vacancies within the service. Three previously vacant posts including a Geographical Information Systems Officer, Placemaking Co-ordinator and Principal Officer Development Planning and Place are now filled and all three posts will work together in 2025/26 to take forward the development of the 20-minute mapping tool. Michael Mulgrew Develop the Connecting the Antonine Wall project (Phase 2) 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Various workstreams were completed in the first half of the year, including a community map and storytelling case study project. However, a funding application to the National Heritage Lottery Fund to support programmes to engage, empower and build capacity with communities, improve wellbeing and improve access to the wall was unsuccessful and therefore the project will end in September 2025. Michael Mulgrew Prepare a robust evidence report for submission for Gatecheck to Scottish Government Planning and Environmental Appeals Division 31-Mar- 2025 Overdue. Work has commenced on this workstream and is continuing to meet a revised deadline of Q2 2025/26 in line with an updated Development Plan Scheme agreed by the Planning Committee in December 2024. Michael Mulgrew Promote and support communities in the preparation of Local Place Plans 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. The service has continued to promote, support and work with communities in relation to Local Place Plans. Michael Mulgrew Page 69
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14 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Develop a plan to ensure compliance with the Building Standards Service is implemented 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Work progressed as far as possible in 2024/25. As it is tied to a national review of Building Standards Operating and Performance Frameworks by the Scottish Government, further development in the coming year will progress in line with that. Michael Mulgrew Provide procurement advice, guidance and support on non- complex procurement for low contractual risk projects 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Support provided to service areas as and when required. Iain Skene Continue to implement the key deliverables from the Procurement Improvement Plan 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. We produced guidance for services on direct awards over £50K, made improvements to on-line guidance and forms and reviewed opportunities as part of the contract strategy/ tender in relation to the growth of suppliers through the electronic e-invoicing platform. Iain Skene Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner Failure to monitor and enforce regulatory areas with public risk The Council fails to comply with statutory regulatory duties in respect of environmental health, trading standards and licensing laws 02-Apr- 2025 The risk assessment remains unchanged and low due to mitigating actions. Licensing Standards Officers continue to engage in a pro- active programme of inspections. Reactive work is driven by complaints and applications received. They also engage with Annemarie Clelland; Michael McDougall; Eilidh Paton Page 70
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15 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner SOLAR, Licensing Forum and other bodies to assist with horizon scanning to identify emerging issues. Within Trading Standards, low staffing numbers and competing priorities continue to put pressure on the service. Where possible, our high-risk routine inspections continue as well as our reactive work into complaints and intelligence received but other areas of proactive work prove difficult to complete. This will be exacerbated in 2025/26 when our staff resources reduce further by a quarter. Within Environmental Health low staffing numbers and competing priorities continue to put pressure on the service. All statutory work is being prioritised but continuing reduced resources will likely impact in 2025/26. Page 71
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16 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner Income for services continues to be dramatically reduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent cost of living crisis. Relates to registration, licensing, planning and building control which have been impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. 10-Apr- 2025 The outturn for both Building Standards and Licensing was below target. This was in part compensated by a slightly higher than targeted planning income figure. A review is underway to ascertain any underlying trends and to adjust targets and expectations accordingly. Alan Douglas Failure to adequately respond to an emergency situation such as a multiple fatality workplace accident, outbreak of food borne communicable disease, a major public health incident or pandemic There is a national shortage of qualified staff in Environmental Health across Scotland. This impacts on West Dunbartonshire Council. Vacancy levels at WDC might impact on our ability to respond to emergencies. 03-Apr- 2025 The likelihood has increased since mid-year due to a reduction in staff resources as a result of budget savings and difficulty recruiting qualified Environment Health Officers. Management and team responsibilities have significantly increased as a result of service restructure. Eilidh Paton Inability to recruit successfully to enable performance to be maintained There is a current issue with recruitment of qualified staff in various parts of the service. 02-Apr- 2025 Whilst there has been some successful recruitment within planning, there remains an overall risk due to the number of vacancies within Building Standards and Environmental Health. Michael Mulgrew; Eilidh Paton Page 72
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17 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner Failure to secure best value of procurement spend and ensure compliance with financial regulations Improved procurement management process, contract strategies, planning, monitoring and reporting in collaboration with services will continue to mitigate against non- compliant procurement spend 24-Mar- 2025 There are a number of actions and strategies in place to deliver best value in procurement. However, the transfer of low complexity procurement to service areas when utilising a framework agreement may be increasing the risk. The risk assessment therefore remains high. Further training and guidance for services has been agreed which should mitigate this risk further. We will continue to review. Iain Skene Failure to continue to achieve increased savings from procurement activity As second or third generation revenue contracts seldom deliver the same cost savings as first generation, the contract strategies need to focus on governance, operating models, total cost of ownership, service quality and innovation 24-Mar- 2025 Reduction in staff due to previous Council measures to address the budget gap and global supply chain issues that impact directly on price means that risks to savings will increase. There are also a number of market factors which are difficult to mitigate - increases to employers’ national insurance, fuel prices remaining high (despite reducing recently) and potential impact of climate change. Iain Skene Page 73
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18 Our residents are engaged and empowered 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of Council and Committee minutes produced within 3 clear working days of the meeting 100% 100% 98% All Council and committee minutes met the timescale. Carol-Ann Burns Percentage of committee agendas published within standing order timescales 100% 100% 99% All committee agendas were published within standing order timescales. Carol-Ann Burns Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Implement the various requirements of the Elections Act 2022 in time for the UK parliamentary Elections in 2024 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. All requirements of the Elections Act 2022 were completed in time for the election. George Hawthorn Organise and implement the UK General Election for the new West Dunbartonshire Constituency 31-Mar- 2025 Completed as planned. Election organised and implemented successfully. George Hawthorn Action Status Overdue Completed Page 74
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19 PI Status Target significantly missed Target narrowly missed Target met or exceeded Risk Status Alert Warning OK Long Term Trends Improving No change Declining Short Term Trends Improving No change Declining Page 75
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2025/26 REGULATORY & REGENERATION Appendix 2: Regulatory & Regeneration Delivery Plan 2025/26 Page 76
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2 Contents 1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................................................................2 2. Performance Review...................................................................................................................................................................2 3. Strategic Assessment..................................................................................................................................................................8 4. Resources.................................................................................................................................................................................22 Appendix 1: Action Plan.......................................................................................................................................................................24 Page 77
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3 1. Introduction Regulatory & Regeneration comprises a wide range of services covering legal, trading standards, licensing, records management, planning, building standards, environmental health, democratic and registration services, economic development, community planning and procurement. It is one of seven strategic areas responsible for delivering the Council’s Strategic Plan. Key actions to help achieve that are set out in this Delivery Plan, together with actions to address any performance issues and service priorities identified in the planning process. The progress of this Plan will be monitored and managed by the management team and reported to Corporate Services Committee and Infrastructure, Regeneration & Economic Development Committee (economic development elements only) twice yearly, at mid- year and year-end. 2. Performance Review The management team completed a detailed review of 2024/25 performance, focusing on the following: 2024/25 Delivery Plan year end progress; Local Government Benchmarking Framework comparative performance; National Planning Improvement Framework; Citizens’ Panel feedback; Telephone Survey feedback; and Complaints. This review highlighted our key achievements and challenges in 2024/25. These are summarised below. Key Achievements in 2024/25 Listed below are some of the major achievements in each service area that were particularly challenging or unusual. All services achieve many other fantastic outcomes for the Council and its residents throughout the year which are not recorded here but are often as important. Page 78
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4 Cross Service Settled the purchase of land from Esso at Bowling, Dumbarton along with five additional areas from various parties and concluded the construction delivery contract with Balfour Beatty for the infrastructure at the Exxon site allowing commencement of the Exxon Transport Infrastructure and Platform Development project. Commenced Phase 1 of the Artizan Redevelopment Project as part of the wider regeneration of Dumbarton Town Centre. Concluded the Net Zero Collaboration agreement with Glasgow City Council, the first of its kind in Scotland, which will help the Council meet it’s net zero target. Democratic & Registration Services Successfully planned and delivered two local government by-elections, a snap UK Parliamentary Election and the Business Improvement District Ballot in Alexandria. Legal Services & Trading Standards Successfully undertook tobacco enforcement work, removing illicit tobacco from a retailer and imposing financial penalties on another. In undertaking this work, we worked with partner agencies such as Police Scotland and His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs. Revised and updated the Licensing Board’s Statement of Principles in relation to its gambling functions. Successfully negotiated consultancy and technical adviser contracts and construction contracts for the regeneration works at Artizan Centre and Glencairn House. Acted for the Council in residential conveyancing matters to secure the purchase of 30 residential properties to supplement the Council’s housing stock through our Buy Back scheme. Concluded the sale of the site at Playdrome, Clydebank for £1.5 million. Planning, Building Standards & Environmental Health Appointed a new Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Manager (Chief Planning Officer) in August 2024. Appointed other key vacancies, including Principal Officer Environmental Health, Principal Officer Development Planning and Place, Placemaking Co-Ordinator and Geographical Information Systems Officer. Recruitment is also underway in relation to vacancies across all service teams. Secured a place on the University of West of Scotland Planning Course for a Technical Support Officer to upskill to a Trainee Planner. Page 79
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5 Completed the Antonine Wall access and interpretation audit and installed Antonine Wall interpretation and orientation signage (new and replacement of old signs). Secured funding to progress with a new case management system for planning and building standards. Environmental Health, along with landowner and private sector partners achieved a highly commended award in the Best Project Preparatory Award category at the 2024 Brownfield Awards Ceremony. This award recognised the collaborative and transparent approach of all parties throughout the Remediation Phase of the ESSO Bowling project highlighting the importance of the regulators as active stakeholders. Provided Environmental Health input to enable housing development at Clydebank East as well as preparatory and enabling works to other key development sites such as the former Playdrome and Our Lady and St Patricks High School sites. The Development Planning Team commenced the preparation of the next Local Development Plan, with Evidence Report work underway. Alongside this work, Local Place Plan support to communities has been enhanced by the development of an easy to read “How to guide” in conjunction with Planning Aid Scotland. Economic Development and Regeneration With support from the Council, the Malin Group and Strathclyde University, were short-listed for a potential £20m for the Scottish Marine Technology Park from the City Region’s Advanced Manufacturing and Precision Engineering Investment Zone. Contributed to numerous strands of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund delivery including providing support to more than 180 new business start-ups and delivering a range of business growth interventions and successfully delivering a series of community soup events to increase local democracy. Successfully delivered Community Budgeting Phase 7 and a programme of Community Soup events to support increased local democracy as part of Community and Place project funded by UK Shared Prosperity. Developed the Scottish Government funded Cash First approach across West Dunbartonshire in partnership with Working4U. Undertook stage 1 consultation to support consideration of a potential Visitor Levy across West Dunbartonshire. Secured planning permission for Phase 1 of the Artizan redevelopment works in Dumbarton and appointed the main contractor, with works starting on site in Spring 2025. Established the multi-agency Clydebank Town Board which, following extensive consultation and engagement, produced the Long-Term Plan and 3 Year Investment Plan to secure £20m Long Term Plan for Towns funding from UK Government. Supported Alexandria traders to establish the Business Improvement District Collaborated with Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and undertook community and stakeholder engagement on Balloch Pierhead Action Plan. Consulted on and developed Alexander Street improvements which is the next phase of Alexandria Masterplan projects. Page 80
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6 Delivered 27 no shopfront grants using Shared Prosperity Fund contributing to improved aesthetics and vibrancy of West Dunbartonshire’s Town Centres. Published the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy. Recognised through the Community Learning and Development inspection for the approach taken to delivering the community transport provision in collaboration with West Dunbartonshire Community Transport. Successfully implemented a refreshed approach to Community Planning aimed at increasing community participation. Procurement Supported service led procurement following previous changes to team structure as a result of Council wide efficiencies. Delivered strategic contracts including: o redevelopment and major refurbishment of Glencairn House o specialist roofing repairs, maintenance and renewal o construction of new housing at Willox Park o delivery of phase 1 works for the Artizan redevelopment o provision of CCTV network upgrade o provision of 5 multi use vehicle 18 tonne o provision of a digital upgrade of the Community Alarm System o provision of residential housing support services for homeless households o provision of multi-functional devices for onsite staff printing Collaborated with partners and suppliers to continue to improve sustainability and deliver local, social and community benefits resulting in (as at end of Q3) o £75,193 donated to local community projects (£65,160 in cash and £10,033 in materials) o 10 work experience posts (10 work experience weeks for four different individuals) o 31 presentations delivered (28 to community groups and schools and 3 to Council staff) o 11 full time employment posts being filled. Key Challenges in 2024/25 Cross Service The national skills shortage of qualified and experienced officers in Planning, Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Building Standards continued in 2024/25, resulting in reduced staff complements across many services and increased demands on existing and inexperienced staff. This is a challenge experienced by most local authorities and has resulted in alternative Page 81
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7 service delivery models, including the use of agency staff and initiatives being led at a national level such as Future Planners Project and Building Standards hub. A new Regulatory apprenticeship is being developed and may provide opportunities in the future. Democratic & Registration Services It was a very challenging year for the election team due to the introduction and training of several new team members in a year with multiple elections, some of which crossed over each other, making the task even more difficult for those new members to manage. Changes to the political structure of the Council and memberships of committees, working groups and outside bodes, was challenging for the Democratic Services Team while covering vacancies and supporting the elections. Legal Services & Trading Standards Increased requirement for specialist construction contracts associated with infrastructure and regeneration priorities impacted on the Commercial & Place Section’s workload, changing the skills dynamic required to meet client requirements. Recruitment of solicitors has been challenging with a lack of applicants for both permanent and temporary positions in both the Commercial & Place and Citizen & Regulatory Sections. This has an adverse impact on service delivery. The Trading Standards service workforce, both nationally and in West Dunbartonshire Council, is ageing with low numbers of people entering the profession. This presents a challenge in making sure the service is resilient. Work is underway to identify where work can be done in conjuncture with other regulatory services and identify relevant training opportunities. Planning, Building Standards & Environmental Health The introduction of a new development planning system under the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 brought substantial challenges in terms of new procedures and a requirement to ensure that all applicants were familiar and compliant with the changes. High numbers of vacancies across all teams within the service for a substantial portion of the reporting period posed a significant challenge in terms of workload. It was particularly difficulty to attract Environmental Health Officers when posts were advertised. The current case management system for Planning and Building standards resulted in increased pressures on the service with workarounds and manual processes required. This added pressure to consultees such as Environmental Health, which had a knock-on effect on application performance. The future of the Antonine Wall project faced uncertainty due to unsuccessful funding applications ultimately resulting in a decision by the multi-authority Steering Group to wind the project up. Increased demands of monitoring within Building Standards as part of the new compliance regime. Page 82
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8 Economic Development and Regeneration Delivering private sector homes at Queens Quay continued to be a challenge in 2024/25 but we meet with our commercial partner regularly to monitor and encourage development interest. Businesses continued to face many economic challenges in 2024/25, including energy costs and employee recruitment and retention. The business interventions developed through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the on-going advice and support available through Business Gateway will continue to provide assistance to help them recover and grow in the year ahead. Uncertainty on future funding programmes due to Scottish Government pausing several of their capital funding programmes, including Place Based Investment Fund and Vacant and Derelict Land Fund. Towns Fund in Clydebank has been delayed until 2026/27 which will make it challenging to keep the momentum and engagement alive through 2025/26. Resourcing the operation and further development of the District Heating Centre remains very challenging due to inability to attract a lead officer, and due to Council staff turnover and capacity within the Climate Change team. Despite carbon emissions for 2022/23 showing a reduction from 2021/22, it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve the targets as outlined in our Climate Change Strategy. To ensure Net Zero targets are met for 2045, additional resources and finance will require to be considered to demonstrate continued progress. The cost-of-living crisis has seen a significant uplift in the number of residents requiring Energy Efficiency support. This has proved challenging to facilitate within our existing resources. Procurement Previous year efficiency options led to a reduction in procurement team resource. This led to processes being introduced which place more responsibility for procurement on client services. This continues to be a challenge, especially as efficiency options within client services are considered and implemented. Page 83
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9 3. Strategic Assessment The Regulatory & Regeneration management team completed a detailed strategic assessment to determine the major influences on service delivery and priorities in 2025/26 and beyond. This covered a review of local and national political priorities, new legislation and technology, Council policies, and our continued recovery from the pandemic, cost of living crisis and the financial challenges facing the Council. The key issues are outlined below. Key Factors Financial Challenges The entire public sector is continuing to face significant financial challenges due to a range of factors including inflationary cost increases, pay awards not being fully funded by the Scottish Government and insufficient overall funding to support the delivery of front line and back-office services. The Council is currently faced with an estimated cumulative funding gap in 2026/27 of £9.24m rising to £42.77m by 2029/30. We will continue to monitor the overall financial position of the Council and updates on estimated future budget gaps will be reported to Elected Members throughout 2025/26. These challenges require further action to balance our budget and protect services for residents. Within Regulatory & Regeneration, this means that available funding will be reduced over time and we will need to reconfigure how we work, what we do, where we work, and potentially reduce the number of people employed. In this context, we will aim to continue to provide a sustainable, quality service to internal clients and the public. Budget Sensitivity Analysis In reviewing the service budget projections, consideration has been given to the sensitivity of these budgets, in particular for higher risk/ higher value budgets which may have a significant impact on budgetary control and future budget projections. The analysis has considered sensitivity around demand, costs and charges, and income levels. In Regulatory & Regeneration there were no budgets identified as being more susceptible to fluctuations. However, on a more Council-wide basis, the Council’s cost of borrowing is susceptible to fluctuations in the bank interest rate due to the level of the Council’s short-term borrowing. Page 84
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10 Deliver Key Regeneration Sites A number of key regeneration projects, which span multiple years, will continue to be taken forward in 2025/26. These include: Infrastructure delivery on the Exxon site and a delivery strategy to realise the economic benefits of the site Delivery of the projects originating from the 2021 Alexandria Masterplan. Development and engagement work to support Clydebank Neighbourhood Board (previously referred to as Town Board) in the delivery of Clydebank Regeneration Plan (previously Long-Term Plan for Towns and Investment Plan). Supporting the Malin Group to deliver the first phases of the Scottish Marine Technology Park at the Carless site. Continuation of Phase 1 of the UK Government funded improvement works at the redeveloped Artizan Centre in Dumbarton and securing Planning Permission in Principle to achieve the wider ambitions of the masterplan Actions: Deliver key regeneration sites across West Dunbartonshire Produce a planning focused delivery programme to support key regeneration sites and enable high quality development to be achieved on the ground Develop a monitoring and compliance framework for major and strategic regeneration sites to ensure compliance with approved consents Queens Quay Infrastructure works for this 80-acre residential waterfront development were completed in 2020/21. In the year ahead, the focus on securing housing developments across the site in partnership with site owner Clydeside Regeneration Ltd. will continue. This continues to be a challenge, particularly in relation to flatted private homes which the market is finding commercially challenging. Discussions will continue with a range of public and private sector parties. Action: Promote the next phases of Queens Quay Housing Deliver Key Commercial Opportunities Identifying commercial opportunities in conjunction with the private sector will continue to be a priority. Discussions with developers who may wish to enter a partnership with the Council to achieve joint benefits from a commercial, housing and low carbon Page 85
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11 perspective will be progressed. The Regeneration Capital Fund with £12.77m has been allocated across a number of projects. The Fund’s key operating principles and allocations to specific projects agreed by Committee will be progressed. Opportunities include: Exxon – as infrastructure works progress, the Council will consider how to promote and deliver the best uses for the site and, working with the City Region and Scottish Enterprise, will encourage developer interest in the site to meet the growth targets set out in the City Deal business case. NHS Golden Jubilee – we will seek to deliver the extension of the District Heating network to the hospital and explore opportunities presented by the expansion of the hospital for development and regeneration of Queen Quay and Clydebank, generally. Scottish Marine Technology Park – we will continue to work with the Malin Group in their ambition to deliver the Scottish Marine Technology Park at the former Carless site near Old Kilpatrick and assist them in attracting business and funding to the site. A project board has been established to provide support and direction as the Malin Group progress the development through the planning and infrastructure implementation stages. Action: Explore commercial opportunities in our town centres and wider regeneration sites Supporting Business Recovery The UK government has extended the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to provide funding for local investment across the UK until March 2026. A Local Investment Plan has been developed and approved by the UK Government as part of a wider Glasgow City Region Investment Plan through the Fund. The business support proposals within the Investment Plan will be available until March 2026 to support business recovery and include a Business Recovery & Growth fund, Early-Stage Growth grants, Towards Net Zero Grant, Business Gateway Expert Help and Shopfront & Small Business Improvement Grants. Action: Deliver business support interventions through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund 2025/26 Supporting Town Centre Revitalisation Assisting town centres to recover from the pandemic and cost of living crisis will continue to be a focus in 2025/26, with support for high street businesses a key priority. We will continue to develop projects to make our town centres attractive places and take advantage of the external funding, including UK Government’s levelling up programme and Place-Based Investment Programme Page 86
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12 funds provided by the Scottish Government. We will also work with and support community groups or businesses which plan to invest in and establish themselves in our town centres, and whose plans align with our town centre regeneration agenda. Clydebank has been awarded £20 million funding from the UK Government as part of the Plan for Neighbourhoods (former Long-Term Plan for Towns). This funding will support delivery of the projects which originate from approved Clydebank Development Framework and reflect the priorities of the local community. The Framework provides a vision for how the town will be transformed, from reducing retail dominance to a vibrant mixed use and inhabited town centre that meets the needs of the whole community. A Clydebank Neighbourhood Board (former Town Board), chaired by Liz Connolly Principal of West College Scotland, has been established to oversee the Fund and Plans. A Long-term Plan and 3-year Investment Plan, based on the Framework and informed by further community engagement, have already been developed. While capital funding won’t be available till 2026/27, a further £200k of capacity funding to support the engagement and initial project development in expected in early 2025/26. In Dumbarton, the focus for the next year will be on completing the Levelling Up Fund programme of works including the refurbishment and reuse of Glencairn House as a library and museum and the revitalisation of the Artizan Centre. Another levelling up project, Connecting Dumbarton, was completed in early 2024. We are also exploring other ways to improve the High Street over the coming years and will continue supporting Planning with the Heritage and Place Programme application which could fund works to some of the most prominent town centre historic properties. We are also working with community and partners including Dumbarton Town Centre Forum, Historic Environment Scotland and Maritime Museum to develop a branding strategy and action plan for Dumbarton with the aim of making it a more attractive place for visitors. In Alexandria, the next phase of the 2021 Masterplan will be implemented, with an emphasis on Green Heritage Corridors and Cycling and Walking Network projects which were identified as priorities. We will continue to engage with the community and businesses to ensure that current and future projects directly respond to their needs and aspirations. Action: Support town centre revitalisation Community Planning West Dunbartonshire The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 sets out clear requirements for public bodies in promoting a greater level of local decision-making and empowerment of citizens. Empowered communities can deliver a range of results that include improved physical and mental health, increased confidence and social networks, reduced sense of isolation and can reduce demand on public sector resources. Page 87
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13 Following some organisational changes, the approach to community empowerment will focus on Community Planning and the development of locality plans and specific projects that promote local participation and empowerment particularly in our most disadvantaged communities. Progress will be monitored by Community Planning West Dunbartonshire and reported through the Empowered Delivery Improvement Group. Action: Continue the development of Community Planning Community Learning and Development The Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013 place a statutory requirement on local authorities to publish a plan every three years. The plan should outline how the Council will co-ordinate and secure ‘adequate and efficient’ Community Learning and Development provision with other sector partners. We continue to deliver against our current Community Learning & Development Plan 2024/27 to provide community-based learning opportunities throughout West Dunbartonshire. For 2025/26 we will contribute to the delivery of the Community Learning and Development Plan through community planning and community development work. Action: Continue to contribute to the Community Learning and Development Plan 2024/27 Cash First Fund In 2023 the Scottish Government awarded Cash-First funding to eight local authorities to deliver a “test of change” project aimed at reducing the need for foodbanks and offering a dignified alternative. In West Dunbartonshire the Cash First pilot project directs those in receipt of a grant on to Working4U or Citizens Advice Bureau to ensure they get the necessary support to minimise the need for further grants and reduce future reliance on foodbanks. The project started in late 2023 and will run until October 2025. It requires regular reporting to the Scottish Government and participation in extensive evaluation processes to help inform future policy. Action: Conclude the Cash First Project including evaluation Page 88
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14 Climate Change Action Plan The Council developed a Climate Change Strategy in response to the climate emergency and to provide a route map towards meeting Scotland’s national net zero carbon target by 2045. This Strategy informs annual action plans, with actions devolved to relevant service areas. Progress against the 2025/26 action plan will be monitored and reported to senior management and Council on a regular basis. Action: Co-ordinate, monitor and report the progress of the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan for 2025/26 Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) Delivery Plan During 2023/24, the Council commenced works on a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) which sets out the long- term plan for heat decarbonisation and improved energy efficiency of buildings throughout the Council area. The consultative draft Strategy was approved in February 2024, and the Strategy was published in September 2024. The Strategy sets out the changes needed to each sector of buildings stock, identifying strategic heat decarbonisation zones and prioritising delivery areas. Scotland’s statutory greenhouse gas emissions reduction and fuel poverty targets will continue to drive this area-based approach. The LHEES includes high level aims for delivery, and a full Delivery Plan is being developed in partnership with key internal and external stakeholders to accompany the Strategy with the aim of draft approval by mid-2025. Action: Develop the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy Delivery Plan Implementation of the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Act Following the Elections Act 2022, which made changes to the UK electoral system in terms of the security, accessibility and transparency of elections, the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Act seeks to make several changes to the way in which elections in Scotland are managed. The changes will be effective in time for inclusion in the planning of the Scottish Parliamentary Elections, scheduled to take place in May 2026. Action: Implement the various requirements of the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Act Page 89
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15 Planning for the Scottish Parliamentary Election 2026 The Scottish Parliamentary Elections are scheduled to take place in May 2026 and therefore planning will commence in October/November 2025. This will be another major challenge for the relatively inexperienced election team as every election is different and this one will be made more challenging by the introduction of new legislation. Action: Plan for the Scottish Parliamentary Elections for the Dumbarton and Clydebank and Milngavie Constituencies Interim Review of Polling Scheme A small change to the boundary line between the Dumbarton and the Clydebank and Milngavie Scottish Parliamentary Constituencies and the loss of a small number of existing polling places over the past two years has prompted an interim review of the polling scheme to ensure that the scheme is up to date and fit for purpose. Action: Conduct an interim review of the Polling Scheme in West Dunbartonshire Succession Planning: Democratic & Registration Services The Manager of Democratic and Registration Services has indicated his intention to retire from Council service in February 2026. The loss of such an experienced officer must be carefully managed with an effective succession plan, particularly considering the organisation of the forthcoming Scottish Parliamentary Elections in May 2026. Action: Prepare a succession plan to recruit and replace Manager of Democratic and Registration Services post District Heating Network The District Heating Network provides low carbon heating and cooling solutions to the Queens Quay regeneration site. It aims to significantly reduce fuel poverty and deprivation within some of the poorer neighbourhoods of West Dunbartonshire and, crucially, contribute to key climate change targets. As the District Heating Network matures, it is anticipated that new customer and expansion opportunities will arise. Page 90
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16 Legal services will continue to support the expansion programme through the provision of legal advice and leadership in the negotiation of contracts with prospective customers. Action: Provide legal services to the Council and West Dunbartonshire Energy LLP in relation to heat supply agreements and network supply contracts Legal Support across a Range of Projects Legal Services continues to play a pivotal role in supporting Council services with various projects and its regulatory functions. Often these projects are challenging from a legal perspective and require careful legal consideration to make sure that the Council’s interests are protected or that our statutory duties are carried out. For example, Legal Services is supporting the Gruggies Burn Flood Prevention Scheme and advising on the Council’s duties in terms of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009; providing legal advice in relation to the development of the Marine Technology Park, a key regeneration site for the Council, including high value development agreements and construction contracts; negotiating and drafting novel connection agreements and related commercial agreements so to connect the Golden Jubilee Hospital as well as other parties to the District Heating network; and ongoing legal support to the Social Work service in relation to applications relating to children and vulnerable adults which often involve complicated facts and can be time critical. Action: Continue to provide high quality and timely legal support across all Council services Changes to Legal Services Processes and Procedures Legal Services has completed a restructure that sees three sections combined into two – Commercial & Place and Citizen & Regulatory. Both sections will have new Section Heads following long- and medium-term vacancies. As a result of the restructure, the Section Heads in conjunction with the Manager of Legal Services will review the Sections’ procedures and processes to ensure that the Sections continue to provide quality support to other Council services in an efficient and consistent manner. Action: Review processes and procedures within Legal Services’ Commercial & Place and Citizen & Regulatory teams Page 91
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17 Introduction of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 comes into force in 2025. It contains amendments to important pieces of legislation we currently enforce and utilise within Trading Standards and includes new rules around fake reviews, the practice of drip pricing, and a new enforcement regime, amongst other important changes. Trading Standards Officers will require to familiarise themselves with this legislation and undertake training to effectively implement the requirements of the new legislation. Action: Implement the requirements of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 Introduction of the Tobacco & Vapes Bill 2024 Nicotine vapour products (vapes) were originally introduced as a smoking cessation device for adults, a safer alternative to traditional tobacco. While they carry the same age restriction for purchase as tobacco of 18 years or over, they have never been subject to the same display restrictions. The single use nature of some vapes and sweet flavourings appeal to those under 18. In April 2025, however, a new display ban on vapes will be introduced followed by a ban on flavours in October 2025. There is an update to existing legislation to bring nicotine pouches within the regulatory framework. Until then, retailers could give ‘free samples’ of this highly addictive product and they were not subject to any age restrictions. However, there is no clear timeline for this but we will continue to monitor it. We have had clear issues with underage sales of both tobacco and vapes in West Dunbartonshire, with shops near our secondary schools, so it is vital we continue to build on our existing work and react to the changes this new legislation will bring. Action: Support and advise businesses in relation to the new Tobacco & Vapes Bill 2024 20 Minute Mapping Tool The Scottish Government’s 20-minute neighbourhood policy aims to provide access to most daily needs, for example, shopping, health and social care facilities, schools and parks, within a 20-minute walk, wheel or cycle from home. Page 92
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18 To support this, we have implemented a 20 Minute Mapping tool that takes advantage of rapidly evolving data technology to provide better service delivery. It provides an evidenced way of understanding our residents access to critical services using the available walking and wheeling network. As such, the tool will seek to support multiple services to inform better decision making in accordance with this key national policy. It will also play a critical part in supporting the development and delivery of Local Development Plan 3, ensuring that proposed new development supports this spatial concept and in turn our communities as well as other service areas. Beyond a focus at a local level, the tool will be used to inform research across the city region, supported by partners within Clydeplan and other local councils. The aspiration is to introduce a consistent baseline measurement of service access to ensure a clear and coherent strategy across the region. Action: Continue to develop the 20-minute mapping tool for use at both local and regional levels Local Development Plan 3 The Local Development Plan is a statutory, long-term plan for the West Dunbartonshire Council Area, (excepting that portion of the Council that is within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park), that sets out how places will change in the future, including where development should and shouldn’t happen. The next Local Development Plan for the area, called LDP3, is due to be adopted in 2028 and work has now commenced on its preparation. The current Development Plan Scheme, which sets out how LDP3 will be developed was agreed by the 2023 December Planning Committee. An annual update was presented to the December 2024 Planning Committee which included a revised timescale. Workforce pressures have resulted in the program being pushed back 7 months with the submission of the evidence report to the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) expected around July 2025. Action: Prepare a robust evidence report for the next Local Development Plan (LDP3) for submission for Gatecheck to Scottish Government Planning and Environmental Appeals Division Local Place Plans Local Place Plans are community-led plans that help inform the Local Development Plan for the area but do not form part of the statutory Development Plan. Page 93
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19 The invitation to prepare Local Place Plans was issued to organisations and individuals in October 2023 and an advert placed in the local press. The Council has prepared a West Dunbartonshire “How-to” guide to encourage and assist local communities to prepare a Local Place Plan. A number of Community Councils have expressed an interest in preparing a Local Place Plan and this will be taken forward in 2025/26. Action: Continue to promote and support communities in the preparation of Local Place Plans New Building Standards Fee Regulations The fees review is part of a Scottish Government 3-year strategy to increase funding to resource Building Standards. These fee uplifts are expected to be reinvested into the service and it is anticipated that additional resources will be required for the enhanced compliance scheme, enforcement and additional inspections. The first-year fee increments were implemented on 01 April 2024, with the Building Standards Division continuing to collect data annually to enable Ministers to review fees annually. One of the conditions of verifier appointment is to adequately fund the service, and the Building Standards Division is likely to audit us to ensure performance targets of the section are sufficient. Action: Develop a plan to ensure compliance with the new Building Standards Regulations is implemented New Document Management System for Planning and Building Standards Integration between the current case management and document management systems for Planning and Building Standards has been identified as a key service constraint that is causing delays to both customers and staff and a number of unsustainable workarounds are required. A business case and funding for a fully integrated IDOX based Document Management System with our existing IDOX Uniform Enterprise case management system has been approved to proceed. The service is progressing a workplan in relation to data cleansing and data management to ensure a smooth transition between the systems is currently underway but the full system is not expected to be in place until the 2026/27 reporting year. Action: Progress the introduction of a new document management system for Planning and Building Standards Page 94
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20 Environmental Health Service Delivery Environmental Health have restructured from three teams to two, with the retirement of one of the previous Service Co-ordinators. This restructure also resulted in a loss of two other roles within the service. The Principal Officer Environmental Health and Service Co-ordinator will meet with the service manager for Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health to review current workstreams and procedures to ensure that all statutory functions are as adequately resourced as possible. Action: Review workstreams and procedures within Environmental Health Planning Preapplication Process The Development Planning and Place and Development Management Teams will review the current preapplication process to ensure that the process is fit for purpose and delivers on both placemaking and performance outcomes. The review will consider the customer guidance and set out clearly the service standards associated with all aspects of the preapplication process to ensure that customers have clearly defined outcomes and can identify the best route for their needs. Action: Review the planning preapplication process Antonine Wall Management Plan All World Heritage Sites require a Management Plan to detail how the site will be protected and enhanced. Along with other Antonine Wall Steering Group partners, we will support Historic Environment Scotland, who are the lead body, to finalise a new Management Plan. Action: Work with other Steering Group partners to support Historic Environment Scotland to finalise a new Antonine Wall Management Plan Changes to Procurement Process Changes to the procurement process were agreed at a Council meeting in March 2023 to streamline the process and deliver efficiencies. To achieve this, the Corporate Procurement Unit will develop training material and a training calendar to support Page 95
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21 service areas with non-regulated procurement and non-complex procurement for low contractual risk projects. Services will administer these projects utilising framework agreement direct awards using the Quick Quote portal on Public Contracts Scotland. This will remove onerous tasks such as market research, contract strategies, mini competitions, scorecards, monitoring activity and certain key performance indicators for those contracts. This was a significant change and as such, the impact still requires to be monitored to ensure that this change is implemented as effectively as possible. Action: Provide procurement advice, guidance and support on non-complex procurement for low contractual risk projects Procurement Improvement Plan Following a Fit for Future service review, a Procurement Improvement Plan was developed to address key findings over a three- year period. Due to significant resource changes within the team, a number of actions are outstanding. The Corporate Procurement Unit will continue to implement actions in 2025/26 to streamline the customer experience. The remaining actions focus around reporting improvements within the WeBuy system (a proprietary system for purchase to pay processes). Action: Continue to implement the key deliverables from the Procurement Improvement Plan focusing on reporting improvements within WeBuy purchase to pay system Continuous Improvement Continuous improvement is central to all that we do. The actions set out in this section, as well as those at an operational level not included in this Delivery Plan, demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement and take account of the wider Best Value focus on vision and leadership; governance and accountability; effective use of resources; partnerships and collaborative working; working with communities; sustainability; and fairness and equality. Page 96
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22 Action Plan The challenges identified in Section 2 and the key factors identified in Section 3 have informed Regulatory & Regeneration priorities for 2025/26. Appendix 1 sets out the action plan to address them. It also includes: performance indicators that will enable progress to be monitored and reported to stakeholders; strategic workforce actions to address workforce issues identified in the planning process; and strategic and/or service risks. In relation to the latter, strategic risks represent the potential for the Council to take advantage of opportunities or fail to meet stated strategic objectives and those that require strategic leadership. Service risks relate to service delivery and represent the potential for impact on individual services, or the experience of those who work within the services, i.e. employees, partners, contractors and volunteers, or service users and clients in receipt of the services provided. In identifying the relevant risks for 2025/26 and actions to mitigate them, we aim to improve or maintain the current position (i.e. the current risk score) set out in the appendix. Page 97
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23 4. Resources Finance Regulatory & Regeneration has a net revenue budget of £4.406m and a capital budget of £17.646m in 2025/26. A breakdown by service area is set out below. We will make the best use of the resources available to deliver on key priority areas and secure external/match funding where this is possible. Service Area (Figures subject to ongoing verification) Gross Expenditure 2025/26 (£m) Gross Income 2025/26 (£m) Net Expenditure 2025/26 (£m) Capital Budget 2025/26 (£m) Democratic & Registration 0.880 0.115 0.766 0.000 Environmental Health 0.942 0.374 0.568 0.000 Licensing 0.242 0.465 -0.223 0.000 Legal Services & Trading Standards 0.966 0.088 0.877 0.033 Procurement 0.680 0.080 0.600 0.000 Building & Planning 1.292 0.743 0.549 0.000 Economic Development 1.887 0.619 1.268 17.613 Total 6.890 2.484 4.406 17.646 Page 98
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24 Employees Employee Numbers The headcount and full time equivalent (FTE) staff in each service area (as of 31st March 2025) are as follows: Absence The 2024/25 quarterly absence figures for Regulatory & Regeneration are shown below together with the Council average for the same periods for comparison. Absence was significantly lower that the Council average throughout 2024/25: Absence in 2024/25 Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Annual FTE* days lost per FTE employee Regulatory & Regeneration 1.24 0.26 1.93 2.13 5.24 Council Wide Total 4.19 3.72 4.61 4.14 14.24 Regulatory and Regeneration Headcount FTE Democratic and Registration Services 20 17.90 Economic Development 23 21.77 Legal Services 20 19.06 Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health 32 30.90 Regulatory Management 3 2.8 Procurement 11 10.77 TOTAL 109 103.20 Page 99
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25 Appendix 1: Action Plan Please Note: PI targets for 2025/26 are indicative until 2024/25 year-end values become available. 1. Our communities Our residents’ health and wellbeing remains a priority 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Percentage of air quality monitoring stations complying with the national objective for nitrogen dioxide at the nearest building façades of residential properties, schools, hospitals and care homes (40ug/m3 NO2) 100% Mark Walsh Percentage of highest priority pest control service requests responded to within 2 working days 95% Eilidh Paton Percentage of planned underage sales visits carried out by Trading Standards to premises registered on the Scottish Government tobacco and nicotine vapour product retailers register 95% Annemarie Clelland Financial impact of disruptive activities carried out by Trading Standards on illegal trading N/A Data only PI Annemarie Clelland Percentage of businesses brought into compliance by Trading Standards 75% Annemarie Clelland Food Law: Percentage of food businesses in the highest risk category (1 to 6 monthly inspections by Food & Business Group) that were inspected on time 100% Eilidh Paton Food Law: Percentage of food businesses in the high-risk category (12 monthly inspections by Food & Business Group) that were inspected on time 80% Eilidh Paton Page 100
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26 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Food Law: Percentage of food businesses in the medium to low-risk category (>12 Monthly inspections by Food and Business Group) that were inspected on time 60% Eilidh Paton Action Due Date Owner Implement the requirements of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 31-Mar-2026 Annemarie Clelland Support and advise businesses in relation to the new Tobacco & Vapes Bill 2024 31-Mar-2026 Annemarie Clelland 2. Our Environment Our local environment is protected, enhanced and valued 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Air Quality: PM10 Concentration 18 Mark Walsh Our resources are used in an environmentally sustainable way 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Tonnage of carbon dioxide emissions from Council operations and assets To be confirmed Elaine Troup Page 101
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27 Action Due Date Owner Co-ordinate, monitor and report the progress of the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan for 2025/26 31-Mar-2026 Elaine Troup Develop the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy Delivery Plan 31-Mar-2026 Elaine Troup Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Inability to reduce carbon footprint in line with targets The risk that the Council will be unable to achieve net zero emissions by 2045, both in relation to mitigating carbon emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Net zero refers to achieving an overall balance between emissions produced and emissions taken out of the atmosphere. This target has been developed in a way that mirrors the emission reduction trajectory set by the Scottish Government in light of the Climate Emergency. Elaine Troup Our neighbourhoods are sustainable and attractive Action Due Date Owner Promote the next phases of Queens Quay Housing 31-Mar-2026 Michael Mulgrew; Elaine Troup 3. Our Economy Page 102
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28 Our area has the infrastructure for sustainable and inclusive growth where businesses can flourish 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Number of businesses given advice and assistance to start up through Business Gateway 180 Gillian Scholes Percentage of procurement spent on local small/medium-sized enterprises and SMEs who have a presence in West Dunbartonshire 36% Iain Skene Number of business gateway start-ups per 10,000 population 19.78 Gillian Scholes Proportion of properties receiving superfast broadband 99% Gillian Scholes Immediately available employment land as a % of total land allocated for employment purposes 40 Michael Mulgrew Action Due Date Owner Deliver key regeneration sites across West Dunbartonshire 31-Mar-2026 Elaine Troup Produce a planning focused delivery programme to support key regeneration sites and enable high quality development to be achieved on the ground 31-Mar-2026 Michael Mulgrew Develop a monitoring and compliance framework for major and strategic regeneration sites to ensure compliance with approved consents 31-Mar-2026 Michael Mulgrew Explore commercial opportunities in our town centres and wider regeneration sites 31-Mar-2026 Magda Swider Deliver business support interventions through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund 2025/26 31-Mar-2026 Gillian Scholes Support town centre revitalisation 31-Mar-2026 Magda Swider Page 103
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29 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Failure to deliver Queens Quay Masterplan Following completion of Council investment there is a risk the housing plot sales do not materialise in the next 3-7 years, with implications for the return on investment and the business case for the District Heating Network. Gillian McNamara; Michael Mulgrew; Elaine Troup Inability to meet demands of Council to progress regeneration projects within desired timescales The number and complexity of regeneration projects is putting considerable strain on the resources available which can be exacerbated by delays out with the control of the service and when pinch points on different projects occur at roughly the same time. Michael McDougall; Gillian McNamara; Michael Mulgrew; Elaine Troup 4. Our Council Our workforce is resilient and skilled where digital technology supports service delivery for our residents Action Due Date Owner Develop and implement wellbeing, employee engagement, equality and learning and development plans to enable capabilities, improve resilience and promotion of a diverse workforce 31-Mar-2026 Alan Douglas Develop and implement employee life cycle plans in line with the People First Strategy to attract and retain the workforce 31-Mar-2026 Alan Douglas Implement service review process including role design, use of new technology and new ways of working to add resilience, address gaps, and establish opportunities for efficiencies 31-Mar-2026 Alan Douglas Page 104
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30 Action Due Date Owner Develop and implement learning and development plans and development opportunities to improve capabilities and resilience within the workforce 31-Mar-2026 Alan Douglas Our Council is adaptable and focused on delivering best value for our residents 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Planning Applications (Major Developments - Without Processing Agreement): Average number of weeks to decision 16 Michael Mulgrew Planning Applications (Locals - Householder): Average number of weeks to decision 8 Michael Mulgrew Planning Applications (Other Locals): Average number of weeks to decision 8 Michael Mulgrew Cash savings achieved from procurement activity £400,000 Iain Skene Planning Applications (Major Developments – With Processing Agreements): Percentage decided within agreed target 90% Michael Mulgrew Planning Applications (Locals – Householder): Percentage decided within statutory 8-week timescale 80% Michael Mulgrew Planning Applications (Other Locals): Percentage decided within statutory 8-week timescale 80% Michael Mulgrew Percentage of Environmental Health service requests from citizens first responded to within 2 working days 90% Eilidh Paton Percentage of building warrant applications responded to within 20 working days 95% Judi Ferguson Page 105
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31 Action Due Date Owner Prepare a succession plan to recruit and replace the Manager of Democratic and Registration Services post 31-Jan-2026 George Hawthorn Continue to develop the 20-minute mapping tool for use at both local and regional levels 31-Mar-2026 Michael Mulgrew Prepare a robust evidence report for the next Local Development Plan (LDP3) for submission for Gatecheck to Scottish Government Planning and Environmental Appeals Division 31-Mar-2026 Michael Mulgrew Continue to promote and support communities in the preparation of Local Place Plans 31-Mar-2026 Michael Mulgrew Develop a plan to ensure compliance with the new Building Standards Regulations is implemented 31-Mar-2026 Michael Mulgrew Progress the introduction of a new document management system for Planning and Building Standards 31-Mar-2026 Michael Mulgrew Provide procurement advice, guidance and support on non-complex procurement for low contractual risk projects 31-Mar-2026 Iain Skene Continue to implement the key deliverables from the Procurement Improvement Plan focusing on reporting improvements within WeBuy purchase to pay system 31-Mar-2026 Iain Skene Provide legal services to the Council and West Dunbartonshire Energy LLP in relation to heat supply agreements and network supply contracts 31-Mar-2026 Michael McDougall Continue to provide high quality and timely legal support across all Council services 31-Mar-2026 Michael McDougall Review processes and procedures within Legal Services’ Commercial & Place and Citizen & Regulatory teams 31-Mar-2026 Michael McDougall Review workstreams and procedures within Environmental Health 31-Mar-2026 Michael Mulgrew Review the planning preapplication process 31-Mar-2026 Michael Mulgrew Page 106
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32 Action Due Date Owner Work with steering group partners to support Historic Environment Scotland to finalise a new Antonine Wall Management Plan 31-Mar-2026 Michael Mulgrew Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Failure to monitor and enforce regulatory areas with public risk The Council fails to comply with statutory regulatory duties in respect of environmental health, trading standards and licensing laws Annemarie Clelland; Michael McDougall; Eilidh Paton Failure to adequately respond to an emergency situation such as a multiple fatality workplace accident, outbreak of food borne communicable disease, a major public health incident or pandemic There is a national shortage of qualified staff in Environmental Health, across Scotland. This impacts on West Dunbartonshire Council. Vacancy levels at WDC might impact on our ability to respond to emergencies. Eilidh Paton Inability to recruit successfully to enable performance to be maintained There is a current issue with recruitment of qualified staff in various parts of the service. Michael Mulgrew; Eilidh Paton Page 107
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33 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Failure to secure best value of procurement spend and ensure compliance with financial regulations Improved procurement management process, contract strategies, planning, monitoring and reporting in collaboration with services will continue to mitigate against non-compliant procurement spend Iain Skene Failure to continue to achieve increased savings from procurement activity As second or third generation revenue contracts seldom deliver the same cost savings as first generation, the contract strategies need to focus on governance, operating models, total cost of ownership, service quality and innovation Iain Skene Our residents are engaged and empowered 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Percentage of Council and Committee minutes produced within 3 clear working days of the meeting 98% Carol-Ann Burns Percentage of committee agendas published within standing order timescales 99% Carol-Ann Burns Action Due Date Owner Implement the various requirements of the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Act 31-Mar-2026 George Hawthorn Plan for the Scottish Parliamentary Elections for the Dumbarton and Clydebank and Milngavie Constituencies 31-Mar-2026 George Hawthorn Page 108
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34 Action Due Date Owner Conduct an interim review of the Polling Scheme in West Dunbartonshire 31-Oct-2025 George Hawthorn Continue the development of Community Planning 31-Mar-2026 Elaine Troup Continue to contribute to the Community Learning and Development Plan 2024/27 31-Mar-2026 Elaine Troup Conclude the Cash First Project including evaluation 31-Mar-2026 Elaine Troup Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Engaging positively with Residents, Communities & Partnerships The risk that the Council fails to adequately engage, establish and maintain positive relationships with local residents and communities in addition to partnership bodies. Colin Smith; Elaine Troup Page 109
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer - Resources Committee: Corporate Services Committee 21 May 2025 Subject: Resources Delivery Plan 2024/25 - Year-end Progress & Resources Delivery Plan 2025/26 1 Purpose 1.1 This report sets out the year-end progress of the 2024/25 Resources Delivery Plan and presents the new 2025/26 Resources Delivery Plan. 2 Recommendations 2.1 Committee notes the progress achieved at year-end and the new 2025/26 Resources Delivery Plan. 3 Background 3.1 In line with the Strategic Planning & Performance Framework, each Chief Officer develops an annual Delivery Plan which sets out actions to help deliver the Strategic Plan and address the performance challenges and service priorities identified in the planning process. The Plan also provides an overview of services and resources, including employees and budgets, sets out the performance indicators (PIs) for monitoring progress and considers the relevant risks. 3.2 In the last few months of 2024/25, several services and teams across the Council were realigned to other Chief Officer areas. For consistency and transparency, the year-end progress reports reflect the content of the 2024/25 delivery plans reported to the relevant committees at the beginning of that year, with none of the organisational changes that took place in-year included. Those changes are, however, reflected in the new delivery plans for 2025/26. 4 Main Issues 2024/25 Year-end Progress 4.1 The 2024/25 Delivery Plan was presented to Corporate Services Committee on 22 May 2024 and mid-year progress reported on 6 November 2024. 4.2 Full details of year-end progress are set out in Appendix 1. ITEM 10 Page 111
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4.3 The progress of the Plan’s 17 actions is summarised below: Progress No. (%) Completed 14 (82%) Overdue 3 (18%) 4.4 Overdue actions relate to the following and will be carried forward and completed in 2025/26: • Develop and implement wellbeing, employee engagement, equality, and learning and development plans to enable capabilities, improve resilience and promote a diverse workforce - 83% complete. • Implement service review process including role design, use of new technology, and new ways of working to add resilience, address gaps, and establish opportunities for efficiencies - 71% complete • Develop and implement learning and development plans and development opportunities to improve capabilities and resilience within the workforce - 90% complete. 4.5 Year-end data is available for five of the Plan’s 19 PIs. The performance of those PIs is summarised below: Performance Against Target No. (%) Target met or exceeded 5 (100%) Performance Over Time No. (%) Improved over short term (or maintained high level of performance) 5 of 5 (100%) Improved over longer term (or maintained high level of performance) 4 of 5 (80%) 4.6 The full set of PIs will be reported through the Council’s annual performance reporting process once all data becomes available. 2025/26 Delivery Plan 4.7 The 2025/26 Delivery Plan is set out at Appendix 2. 4.8 Key priorities include: • delivering sustainable, quality services within the context of significant financial challenges • progressing the procurement of a new financial management system • developing and refining capital and revenue reporting processes • reviewing ways to decrease corporate debt in relation to sundry, non- domestic rates, Council Tax and rent • reviewing ways to improve rent collection rates in conjunction with Housing and W4U • automating Council processes and information provision Page 112
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• progressing the disposal of key strategic sites • completing the redevelopment of Glencairn House • progressing the Faifley Community Campus development • progressing the buildings upgrades programme • progressing the depot refurbishment programme • supporting Council services to deliver the asset related savings agreed by Council • engaging with relevant community groups over the potential to lease Dalmuir Golf Course • reviewing eligibility for Council Tax exemptions • reviewing the Global Internal Audit Standards and CIPFA’s Code of Practice for the Governance of Internal Audit in UK Local Government 4.9 Implementation of the Plan will be monitored by the management team with mid-year and year-end progress reported to Corporate Services Committee and Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development Committee (asset management elements only) around November 2025 and May 2026 respectively. 5 People Implications 5.1 There are no direct people implications arising from this report. 6 Financial & Procurement Implications 6.1 There are no direct financial or procurement implications arising from this report. 7 Risk Analysis 7.1 Failure to deliver on the actions assigned to Resources may have a direct impact on the delivery of the Council’s Strategic Plan. It is essential that remedial action is taken to ensure strategic delivery plans achieve the commitments detailed. 8 Equalities Impact Assessment 8.1 Screening and impact assessments will be carried out on specific activities as required. 9 Consultation 9.1 The delivery plans were developed through consultation with officers from the strategic service areas. 10 Strategic Assessment 10.1 The delivery plans set out actions to support the successful delivery of the strategic priorities and objectives of the Council. Page 113
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Chief Officer: Laurence Slavin Service Area: Resources Date: 30 April 2025 _____________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: Lynn Henderson lynn.henderson@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1: Resources Delivery Plan 2024/25 - Year-end Progress Appendix 2: Resources Delivery Plan 2025/26 Background Papers: Resources Delivery Plan 2024/25 - Corporate Services Committee, 22 May 2024 Resources Delivery Plan 2024/25 Mid-year Progress - Corporate Services Committee, 6 November 2024 Strategic Planning & Performance Framework 2022/27 Wards Affected: All Page 114
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1 Appendix 1: Resources Delivery Plan 2024/25 – Year end Progress 1. Our Communities Our residents are supported to increase life and learning skills Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Progress the redevelopment of Glencairn House 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. The project is currently on programme to be delivered on the contractual completion date. Michelle Lynn 2. Our Environment Our neighbourhoods are sustainable and attractive Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Progress the building upgrades programme 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. All projects are complete as per programme. The progress of the building upgrades programme is reflected in the performance of the associated PIs including the proportion of operational buildings that are suitable for their current use, the proportion of internal floor area of operational buildings in satisfactory condition, and the percentage of council buildings in which all public areas are suitable for and accessible to people with a disability, all of which met or exceeded targets at year-end 2024/25. We also continue to perform favourably against other local authorities. Michelle Lynn Page 115
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2 3. Our Economy Our area has the infrastructure for sustainable and inclusive growth where businesses can flourish 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Number of invoices paid within 30 calendar days of receipt as a percentage of all invoices paid 90.4% 91% 2024/25 value not yet available. Ryan Chalmers Our partnerships support economic development to deliver increased prosperity for our area 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Time for processing applications for new Housing Benefits claims from application receipt date to the day the claim is decided 23 23 2024/25 value not yet available. Ryan Chalmers Time for processing applications for notifications of changes of circumstances for Housing Benefits from the application receipt date to the day the claim is decided 3 5 2024/25 value not yet available. Ryan Chalmers Page 116
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3 4. Our Council Our workforce is resilient and skilled where digital technology supports service delivery for our residents Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Develop and implement wellbeing, employee engagement, equality, and learning and development plans to enable capabilities, improve resilience and promote a diverse workforce 31-Mar-2025 Actions have progressed across all services over the course of the year including regular 121 meetings, work shadowing, implementing a revised structure within Finance, which is providing career pathway opportunities for finance business partner development, and being supportive of flexible working patterns where a balance can be found between business requirements and personal preference. The overall target has not been met due primarily to an extended period of absence within the Internal Audit & Fraud team and a decision to no longer pursue an alternative delivery model with other local authorities for internal audit and fraud. Laurence Slavin Develop and implement employee life cycle plans in line with the People First Strategy to attract and retain the workforce 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. All actions have been delivered with the temporary new structure in Finance implemented and ongoing development of the Council’s approach to automation. Laurence Slavin Implement service review process including role design, use of new technology, and new ways of working to add resilience, address gaps, and establish opportunities for efficiencies 31-Mar-2025 Actions have progressed across all services over the course of the year. However, the decision to no longer pursue an alternative delivery model with other local authorities for internal audit and fraud means the overall target has not been met. Further work will be done in 2025/26 to consider the structure of the Internal Audit & Fraud team. Laurence Slavin Page 117
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4 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Develop and implement learning and development plans and development opportunities to improve capabilities and resilience within the workforce 31-Mar-2025 Actions have progressed across all services to develop digital skills. However, an extended period of absence within the Internal Audit & Fraud team has reduced the capacity in that team to develop skills. This will be further considered during 2025/26. Laurence Slavin Our Council is adaptable and focused on delivering best value for our residents 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of council buildings in which all public areas are suitable for and accessible to disabled people 97% 97% 97% Target met with performance consistent with the previous year and up over the longer term. Michelle Lynn Value of outstanding sundry debt as a percentage of total that is more than 90 days old from date of invoice 67.08% 65.4% 70% Target met and improved on performance from last year which is excellent. Many cases are on long term sustainable arrangements which is key given the increased cost of living that has impacted residents. The number of outstanding invoices compared to last year has dropped by over 5,400 which again reflects the work completed in year. Ryan Chalmers Page 118
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5 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Rent collected as a percentage of total rent due 99.09% 99.1% 2024/25 value not yet available. Ryan Chalmers Percentage of capital receipts achieved as forecast 90% 100% 90% Target exceeded and performance improved over both the short and long term. Michelle Lynn Cost of collecting council tax per dwelling £0.70 £3.00 2024/25 value not yet available. Ryan Chalmers Percentage of income due from council tax received by the end of the year 93.2% 93.5% 2024/25 value not yet available. Ryan Chalmers Proportion of operational buildings that are suitable for their current use 93.3% 95% 93% Target exceeded and performance improved over both the short and long term. Michelle Lynn Proportion of internal floor area of operational buildings in satisfactory condition 91% 93% 91% Target exceeded and performance improved over both the short and long term. Michelle Lynn Current tenants' arrears as a percentage of total rent due 9.29% 10.5% 2024/25 value not yet available. Ryan Chalmers Gross rent arrears (all tenants) as at 31 March each year as a percentage of rent due for the reporting year 9.44% 9.3% 2024/25 value not yet available. Ryan Chalmers Page 119
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6 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Income generated as a percentage of total revenue budget 13.1% 11% 2024/25 value will be available after 30 June 2025 following the completion of the draft financial statements. Carol Alderson Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Review ways of decreasing corporate debt through continued improvements to debt collection processes in relation to sundry, NDR, Council Tax and rent 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. We have reviewed the process between Housing and Corporate Debt in relation to rent collection. Ryan Chalmers Review ways to improve rent collection rates in conjunction with Housing and W4U 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. We have reviewed processes between Housing and Corporate Debt and also between the Department for Work & Pensions and Council in relation to Universal Credit and Alternative Payment Arrangements. Ryan Chalmers Maximise automation opportunities across the Council 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Automation Pipeline being developed. Presentation undertaken with UiPath at February Transformation and Visioning Board which will be followed by an in-person workshop in May to explore automation ideas across all Chief Officer areas. Arun Menon Page 120
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7 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Commence the introduction of a supported Financial Management System for implementation in 2025/26 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. This multi-year project is progressing well with research complete and requirement specification drafted to issue to prospective suppliers. This will then form part of system demos that will inform procurement route and decision in the coming year. Carol Alderson; Arun Menon Review the Common Good Fund 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Outcome reported to Corporate Services Committee in February 2025. New approach to the Common Good Fund now fully implemented. Laurence Slavin Progress the disposal of key strategic sites 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Capital receipts delivered the anticipated income. Michelle Lynn Progress the depot refurbishment programme 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Consultants were engaged in relation to the new build garage design, project board was reconvened, and amended scope commenced with service areas. Michelle Lynn Develop and implement plans and support services to achieve the asset related options agreed by Council 31-Mar-2025 Completed as planned. Actions completed to assist the delivery of savings across a number of service areas. Michelle Lynn Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner Debt is not recovered efficiently or effectively, with inherent risk of financial loss The processes deployed in collection of monies owed to the Council are inefficient and ineffective resulting in money not collected on time or having to be written off. 11-Apr-2025 Effectively implement the amended Corporate Debt Policy and ensure income maximisation with improvements to automation of collecting debt to be implemented. Ryan Chalmers Page 121
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8 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner Increase in the level of rent arrears due to the level of Welfare Reform changes and general state of economy The Council sees an increase in its level of rent arrears due to lower disposable income and national changes to the national benefits regime and the ongoing economic position 11-Apr-2025 The risk of an increase in rent arrears is due to the current cost of living that's linked to increasing energy costs, food costs and inflation. Financial support and advice are provided to those impacted by the cost of living with arrangements being reviewed as appropriate. Ryan Chalmers Maintaining Council Assets that are fit for purpose The risk that the Council's assets and facilities are not fully fit for purpose with consequent adverse impact on our ability to deliver efficient and effective services. Assets included in this assessment: the Council’s property portfolio. 11-Apr-2025 The risk score remains low due to the ongoing programme of capital works. Michelle Lynn Our residents are engaged and empowered 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of council resources directed by communities 0.97% 1% 2024/25 data will be available late August 2025 when it is submitted to CoSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities). Carol Alderson; Colin Smith; Elaine Troup Page 122
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9 Strong financial governance and sustainable budget management (Service Objective) 2023/24 2024/25 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Amount of free reserves as a percentage of the prudential reserve target - HRA 99% 100% 2024/25 value will be available after 30 June 2025 following the completion of the draft financial statements. Carol Alderson Amount of free reserves as a percentage of the prudential reserve target - General services 81% 100% 2024/25 value will be available after 30 June 2025 following the completion of the draft financial statements. Carol Alderson Percentage variance to budget projected - General Services 2.57% 0% 2024/25 value will be available after 30 June 2025 following the completion of the draft financial statements. Carol Alderson Percentage of Audit Plan completed 80% 85% 2024/25 value not yet available. Andi Priestman Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Prepare and submit draft Annual Governance Statement for 2023/24 to the Audit Committee 30-Jun-2024 Completed as planned. Report submitted to Audit Committee 12 June 2024. Andi Priestman Continue to improve and deliver the Assurance Statement for 2023/24 to support the Annual Governance Statement 30-Jun-2024 Completed as planned. Report submitted to Audit Committee 12 June 2024. Andi Priestman Page 123
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10 Action Status Progress Due Date Note Owner Complete the Internal Audit & Corporate Fraud Plan 2023/24 and report to Audit Committee as part of the Annual Assurance Statement 31-Dec-2024 Completed as planned. Internal Audit progress report presented to Audit Committee on 4 December 2024 highlighting completion of 2023/24 audit plan and new Internal Audit plan for 2024/25 approved. Andi Priestman Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner Failure to provide assurance of the system of financial controls Internal Audit is unable to provide assurances on the Council's financial control environment. 12-Mar- 2025 The Internal Audit Annual Report and Assurance Statement for 2024/25 will be presented to the Audit Committee in June 2025. Andi Priestman Failure to meet statutory deadlines for external returns (including HMRC) and financial statements Finance Services failing to meet statutory deadlines resulting in lost revenue or penalty costs 03-Apr- 2025 The current assessment remains unchanged from mid-year. While the risk remains high due to staff turnover, difficulty recruiting staff with relevant experience, and issues with business continuity, there are a range of controls in place to mitigate it. Carol Alderson Financial projections are significantly incorrect Financial projections for both capital and revenue are significantly incorrect resulting in insufficient reserves being held. 03-Apr- 2025 Information on projections is updated on an ongoing basis. However, with the volatility of the economy, inflation and bank interest rates, the figures are changing regularly. The Council's Chief Financial Officer engages regularly with the Directors of Finance Laurence Slavin Page 124
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11 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner across all 32 Scottish Councils to sense check material assumptions in financial forecasts. Furthermore, there is regular engagement with the Council's appointed Treasury advisors in relation to projected future changes to bank interest rates. Significant financial funding reductions / limitations from Scottish Government It is expected that the Council will continue to be faced with significant real term funding reductions from the Scottish Government settlement. This is based on local government settlements in recent years and an ongoing narrative about limited funds available to support public services. This coincides with a period where costs and demographic pressures are continuing to rise in relation to social care, significant inflationary increases, the impact of increases in the bank interest rate on the cost of borrowing and pay award pressures linked to inflation. Whilst there are ongoing discussions between the Scottish Government and Local Government on reducing the ring fencing of funding is the reality is that material elements of funding remain ring fenced which significantly 03-Apr- 2025 Assumptions on future Scottish Government funding and other material budget assumptions are updated regularly and reported to Council periodically throughout the year. It is expected that future Scottish Government funding will be insufficient to pay for current levels of service delivery. Furthermore, it is expected that future local government settlements will be a real terms reduction in local government funding, including those services delegated to the Health & Social Care Partnership Board. Laurence Slavin Page 125
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12 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Date Reviewed Note Owner restricts how the Council can most effectively use the funds made available to it. Action Status Overdue Completed PI Status Target significantly missed Target narrowly missed Target met or exceeded Risk Status Alert Warning OK Long Term Trends Improving No change Declining Short Term Trends Improving No change Declining Page 126
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2025/26 RESOURCES Appendix 2: Resources Delivery Plan 2025/26 Page 127
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2 Contents` 1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................................................................2 2. Performance Review........................................................................................................................................................................................2 3. Strategic Assessment.......................................................................................................................................................................................5 4. Resources......................................................................................................................................................................................................11 Appendix 1: Action Plan............................................................................................................................................................................................13 Page 128
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3 1. Introduction Resources comprises Finance, Business Support, Internal Audit & Fraud and Asset Management. It provides accountancy, treasury management, business support, internal audit and fraud and asset management services to the Council and external clients including the West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust, the Valuation Joint Board, Clydebank Property Company, charities and trusts, and West Dunbartonshire Energy Ltd. Company. In addition, it provides direct services to residents of West Dunbartonshire. It is one of seven strategic areas responsible for delivering the Council’s Strategic Plan. Key actions to help achieve that are set out in this Delivery Plan, together with actions to address any performance issues and service priorities identified in the planning process. Progress will be monitored and managed by the management team and reported to Corporate Services Committee and Infrastructure, Regeneration & Economic Development Committee (asset management elements only) twice yearly, at mid-year and year-end. 2. Performance Review The Resources management team completed a detailed review of 2024/25 performance, focusing on: 2024/25 Delivery Plan year-end progress Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) comparative performance Citizens’ Panel feedback Telephone Survey feedback Complaints. This review highlighted our key achievements and challenges in 2024/25. These are summarised below. Key Achievements in 2024/25 Finance Completed draft Financial Statements within statutory deadlines. Delivered service and financial returns to public sector bodies. Supported transformation projects within the Council. Page 129
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4 Introduced new capital programme reporting to improve effectiveness and efficiency including comprehensive review of capital programme expenditure profiling. Finalised the creation of a lease register for financial reporting and developed an accounting template in preparation for the change to the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting issued by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy. Business Support Processed £0.6m in Clothing Grants to parents and carers of 3,881 school pupils. Processed £2.9m in Discretionary Housing Payments to assist 3,912 vulnerable tenants with housing costs. Processed £27.9m in Housing Benefit payments to assist residents with housing costs. Processed £9.2m in Council Tax Reduction payments to assist residents with council tax charges. Improved the rent arrears process, working in partnership with Housing and Department for Work and Pensions Universal Credit Service. Increased efficiency by developing and improving automation solutions to process Employee New Start, Sickness Absence, Teachers Pension Notification, Free School Meals, Clothing Grants and Discretionary Housing payments. Internal Audit & Fraud Finalised the 2023/24 annual audit plan and progressed the 2024/25 audit plan. Delivered actual recoveries and re-billings of £108,989 (1 April to 31 December 2024) through the Corporate Fraud Team. Asset Management Supported the delivery of major capital projects including Faifley Community Campus, new build housing projects, development phase of Exxon City Deal Project and other general services projects. The Posties project, a flagship development transforming Posties Park into a state-of-the-art sports hub, moved to Asset Management in January 2025 and is now on target to open despite experiencing delays earlier in its timeline. Since transitioning to asset management approach, the project has been managed to ensure steady progress and adherence to the revised schedule. This development underscores the Council's commitment to delivering high-quality facilities that promote community engagement, health, and leisure. The new sports hub will feature a gymnasium, all-weather running track, changing facilities, and ample parking, creating a versatile space for residents and visitors alike. Further developed office accommodation plans and managed access and occupancy rates. Continued to deliver the Disposal Strategy outcomes and delivered income via capital receipts. Developed and implemented a new Council Asset Management Framework and Property Asset Plan. Progressed the programme of the Council Assets capital funded improvement projects. Page 130
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5 Key Challenges in 2024/25 Finance Reconciling and managing a significant number of funding streams, mainly due to Scottish Government priorities within limited resource constraints. Providing personal development for staff by allocating new roles to officers resulting in a significant learning curve whilst continuing to provide a quality service to customers. Continuing to manage cost pressures within the services and deliver a balanced budget. Business Support Level of rent arrears was aggravated by the cost-of-living crisis. Collection of sundry debt was greatly impacted by the cost-of-living crisis which is being managed in line with the Corporate Debt policy and a range of flexible measures. Managing levels of service delivery with the levels of budget cuts. Internal Audit & Fraud Providing a sustainable internal audit service longer term continued to be a challenge. On 23 November 2023 the now discontinued West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC)/Inverclyde Council (IC) Shared Services Committee agreed to note the continuation of shared Internal Audit and Fraud Services between WDC and IC in the short to medium term and note that wider discussions will continue with neighbouring councils on possible options to create a more sustainable delivery model for Internal Audit and Fraud Services over the longer term. At the December 2024 meeting of the Council, elected members supported a small expansion to the number of posts covered under the existing shared arrangement with Inverclyde Council. Recruitment to these posts is progressing. The same report indicated that discussions with a third council were also progressing and that an update would be reported in early 2025. Following further detailed review by the third council they have decided not to progress any further with this option and as such officers will focus on ensuring the current two council arrangement works as effectively as possible. Asset Management Staff turnover coupled with the time taken to replace, recruit and train employees continued to be a challenge in 2024/25. The national skills shortage of qualified and experienced officers in Asset Management led to a reduced workforce and increased demands on existing teams, resulting in the introduction of alternative service delivery models. Increasing issues relating to the supply of labour and materials, due to increased energy, transport and raw material costs, impacted supply chains and third parties and our ability to carry out works within budget and on time. Page 131
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6 3. Strategic Assessment The Resources management team completed a strategic assessment to determine the major influences on service delivery and priorities in 2025/26. The key factors are summarised below. Key Factors Financial Challenges The entire public sector is continuing to face significant financial challenges due to a range of factors including inflationary cost increases, pay awards not being fully funded by the Scottish Government and insufficient overall funding to support the delivery of front line and back-office services. The Council is currently faced with an estimated cumulative funding gap in 2026/27 of £9.24m rising to £42.77m by 2029/30. We will continue to monitor the overall financial position of the Council and updates on estimated future budget gaps will be reported to Elected Members throughout 2025/26. These challenges require further action to balance our budget and protect services for residents. Within Resources, this means available funding will be reduced over time and we will need to reconfigure how we work, what we do, where we work, and potentially reduce the number of people employed. In this context, we will aim to continue to provide a sustainable, quality service to internal and external clients and the public. Budget Sensitivity Analysis In reviewing the service budget projections, consideration has been given to the sensitivity of these budgets, in particular for higher risk/ higher value budgets which may have a significant impact on budgetary control and future budget projections. The analysis has considered sensitivity around demand, costs and charges, and income levels. Within Resources, budgets which have been identified as being more susceptible to fluctuations include: Building materials Labour costs Transport fuel costs Capital plan delivery Page 132
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7 On a more Council-wide basis, the Council’s cost of borrowing is susceptible to fluctuations in the bank interest rate due to the level of the Council’s short to medium term borrowing. New Financial Management System The main financial management system (FMS) used by Finance to manage the General Ledger, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions is Agresso. During 2023/24 the current service provider announced they would cease support for the system in December 2024 although this has since been extended to December 2025. As a business-critical system, it would not be practical for Finance to use the system unsupported longer term for reasons of compliance and cyber-security protection. A steering group and project team have been set up to oversee the introduction of a new cloud-based FMS. A procurement exercise has commenced to identify an appropriate solution and information has been requested from other councils who have recently undertaken a similar project to benefit from their experience and lessons learned. Demonstrations from potential providers have been scheduled in April and May 2025. In 2025/26, we will continue with the procurement exercise and information gathering to ensure the system procured meets the needs of Finance and the wider service users within the Council. It is anticipated this project will extend over two financial years with a proposed go-live date during 2026/27. Refining Capital and Revenue Reporting Processes New reporting processes were introduced for capital in 2024/25 to provide elected members with greater transparency and a clearer focus on the key issues. This will continue to be refined in 2025/26, and the current revenue reporting model will be reviewed and refinements considered. An internal audit of the budgetary control process in the coming months may also highlight issues for consideration and implementation as part of the refinement process. Page 133
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8 Manage Corporate Debt Wider economic factors, particularly the cost-of-living crisis, have impacted the collection of rent, Council Tax and sundry debt. The Council is finding it more difficult to collect all the money it is owed resulting in increased levels of debt across a range of debt types. In 2025/26, we will: continue to review ways of decreasing corporate debt through continued improvements to debt collection processes in relation to sundry, non -domestic rates, Council Tax and rent continue to review ways to improve rent collection rates in conjunction with Housing and W4U. Automate Processes and Information Provision Staff across the Council are employed in manual processes and information provision, such as processing invoices and updating transactional spreadsheets. Many such processes could be automated, providing benefits such as faster service delivery, improved quality and greater flexibility, as well as enabling staff to refocus on more complex tasks rather than repetitive tasks. In 2025/26, we will continue to pursue automation opportunities across the Council to improve efficiency. Income from Capital Receipts Continuing to secure income for the Council is a key priority and the Corporate Asset Management Framework supports this through the delivery of capital receipts from the disposal of key strategic sites. The Framework will highlight non-performing property assets, inform the process for considering future disposals, and generate additional income through the disposal of redundant assets. In 2025/26, we will monitor progress against the Framework and the disposal of key strategic sites and provide an annual update on progress. It may be necessary to reduce the reliance placed on capital receipts as part of the annual budget setting process. Glencairn House Redevelopment The Levelling Up Fund is a UK government initiative for regenerating town centres and high streets, upgrading local transport, and investing in cultural and heritage assets. Following a successful bid to the Fund, work is underway to progress the redevelopment of Glencairn House in Dumbarton town centre as a combined museum, library and community facility. Planning permission has been approved and a contractor appointed. In 2025/26, we will complete the redevelopment in line with the agreed plan with progress reported to the Levelling Up Project Board. Page 134
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9 Faifley Community Campus In September 2023, the Council approved plans to create a new education and community campus on the site of the current St Joseph’s Primary School. This significant capital investment project will bring together a number of education and community facilities in the Faifley Schools Community Campus. The planning application for the new campus was approved and construction started on site in February 2024. In 2025/26 we will continue with Phase 1 of the construction programme in line with the current programme. A specific Learning Estate Project Board meets to discuss this project, providing governance and monitoring, and regular updates are provided to Education Committee and Council in the form of budgetary reports. Building Upgrades The 2025/26 programme for delivering corporate assets building upgrades includes renovation, remodelling and refreshing corporate buildings in accordance with the Corporate Asset Management Plan. In 2025/26, we will progress the buildings upgrades programme in line with the agreed Plan and timeframe. Depot Refurbishment The Council’s depot estate is no longer fit-for-purpose. Following a review of the complete estate and the preparation of a feasibility report, it has been agreed to refurbish the estate rather than progress with a new build due to cost restrictions. In 2025/26, the Depots Project Board will continue to take forward the depot refurbishment programme and build on the outcomes already delivered in 2024/25. Asset Related Council Savings In line with the Council’s agreed savings options for 2025/26, there are a number of initiatives that include changes to Council assets that will require support from the Asset Management team. In the coming year, we will work in partnership with the relevant services to develop and implement plans and provide support to deliver the asset related savings agreed by Council. Council Tax Exemptions, Discounts and Reliefs Income from Council Tax accounts for around 14% of our revenue budget and helps to pay for local services such as education and waste collection. It is essential, therefore, that we collect all the Council Tax income that is due. Page 135
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10 There are a range of Council Tax exemptions, discounts and reliefs available for householders in particular groups, such as single person households and students, as well as time limited discounts, such as empty and unfurnished property. If eligibility for exemptions and reductions ceases and is not reported to Council, this reduces the Council Tax income available to pay for local services. In 2025/26, we will review eligibility for council tax exemptions and identify any potential Council Tax income due to the Council. Global Internal Audit Standards & CIPFA Code of Practice for the Governance of Internal Audit in UK Local Government Global Internal Audit Standards guide the worldwide professional practice of internal auditing and serve as a basis for evaluating and elevating the quality of the internal audit function. New standards for 2025 provide an updated framework to support internal auditors in effectively assessing risks, ensuring transparency, and aligning audit practices with global best practices. The new framework may necessitate changes in audit planning, risk assessment processes, and the application of emerging technologies in audits. In addition, CIPFA has introduced a new Code of Practice to support authorities in establishing and maintaining their internal audit arrangements in line with the statutory regulations. The Code supports the practice of internal audit under the Global Internal Audit Standards in the UK public sector. In 2025/26, we will carry out a gap analysis of our current internal audit practice against the new Global Internal Audit Standards and CIPFA’s new Code of Practice and identify and implement any actions to ensure compliance by 31 March 2026. Continuous Improvement Continuous improvement is central to all that we do. The actions set out in this section, as well as those at an operational level not included in this Delivery Plan, demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement and take account of the wider Best Value focus on vision and leadership; governance and accountability; effective use of resources; partnerships and collaborative working; working with communities; sustainability; and fairness and equality. Action Plan The challenges identified in Section 2 and the key factors identified in Section 3 have informed Resources priorities for 2025/26. Appendix 1 sets out the action plan to address them. It also includes: Page 136
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11 performance indicators and targets that will enable progress to be monitored and reported to stakeholders strategic workforce actions to address workforce issues identified in the planning process strategic and/or service risks. In relation to the latter, strategic risks represent the potential for the Council to take advantage of opportunities or fail to meet stated strategic objectives and those that require strategic leadership. Service risks relate to service delivery and represent the potential for impact on individual services, or the experience of those who work within the services, i.e. employees, partners, contractors and volunteers, or service users and clients in receipt of the services provided. In identifying the relevant risks for 2025/26 and actions to mitigate them, the aim is to improve or maintain the current position (i.e. the current risk score) set out in the appendix. Page 137
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12 4. Resources Finance Resources has a net revenue budget of £4.617m and a capital budget of £8.891m in 2025/26. A breakdown by service area is set out below. We will make the best use of the resources available to deliver on key priority areas and secure external/match funding where this is possible. Service Area (Figures subject to ongoing verification) Gross Expenditure 2025/26 (£m) Gross Income 2025/26 (£m) Net Expenditure 2025/26 (£m) Capital Budget 2025/26 (£m) Audit 0.341 0.303 0.039 0.000 Finance 1.628 0.103 1.525 0.680 Rent Rebates & Allowances 32.426 30.469 1.957 0.000 Revenue & Benefits 2.851 0.443 2.408 0.000 Finance Service Centre 0.495 0.061 0.434 0.000 Cost of Collection of Rates 0.091 0.085 0.006 0.000 Cost of Collection of Council Tax 0.074 0.931 -0.857 0.000 Office Accommodation 1.427 0.233 1.194 0.000 Corporate Asset Maintenance 3.020 3.020 0.000 8.211 Corporate Assets 2.216 5.758 -3.542 0.000 Central Repairs 1.453 0.000 1.453 0.000 Total 46.023 41.405 4.617 8.891 Employees Employee Numbers The headcount and full-time equivalent staff in each service area (as of 31 March 2025) are as follows: Page 138
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13 Absence The 2024/25 quarterly absence figures for Resources are shown below, together with the Council average for the same periods for comparison. The figures for Resources were lower than the Council average throughout 2024/25. 2024/25 Absence Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Annual FTE days lost per FTE employee Resources 3.24 2.88 1.92 2.25 9.64 Council Wide Total 4.19 3.72 4.61 4.14 14.24 Service Area Headcount FTE Audit & Fraud 6 4.6 Finance 36 31.8 Asset Management 16 14.4 Estates Management 2 2 Business Support 190 169.8 Compliance Team 2 2 Total 252 224.6 Page 139
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14 Appendix 1: Action Plan Please Note: PI targets for 2025/26 are indicative until 2024/25 year-end data is available. 1. Our Communities Our residents are supported to increase life and learning skills Action Due Date Owner Complete the redevelopment of Glencairn House 31-Mar-2026 Michelle Lynn Progress the Faifley Community Campus development 31-Mar-2026 Michelle Lynn 2. Our Environment Our neighbourhoods are sustainable and attractive 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Percentage of Consultancy Services project deliverables for General Services projects delivered as planned 80% Michelle Lynn Action Due Date Owner Progress the building upgrades programme 31-Mar-2026 Michelle Lynn Page 140
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15 3. Our Economy Our area has the infrastructure for sustainable and inclusive growth where businesses can flourish 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Number of invoices paid within 30 calendar days of receipt as a percentage of all invoices paid 91% Ryan Chalmers Our partnerships support economic development to deliver increased prosperity for our area 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Time for processing applications for new Housing Benefits claims from application receipt date to the day the claim is decided 23 Ryan Chalmers Time for processing applications for notifications of changes of circumstances for Housing Benefits from the application receipt date to the day the claim is decided 5 Ryan Chalmers Page 141
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16 4. Our Council Our workforce is resilient and skilled where digital technology supports service delivery for our residents Action Due Date Owner Develop and implement wellbeing, employee engagement, equality and learning and development plans to enable capabilities, improve resilience and promotion of a diverse workforce 31-Mar-2026 Laurence Slavin Develop and implement employee life cycle plans in line with the People First Strategy to attract and retain the workforce 31-Mar-2026 Laurence Slavin Implement service review process including role design, use of new technology and new ways of working to add resilience, address gaps, and establish opportunities for efficiencies 31-Mar-2026 Laurence Slavin Develop and implement learning and development plans and development opportunities to improve capabilities and resilience within the workforce 31-Mar-2026 Laurence Slavin Our Council is adaptable and focused on delivering best value for our residents 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Percentage of council buildings in which all public areas are suitable for and accessible to disabled people 97% Michelle Lynn Value of outstanding sundry debt as a percentage of total that is more than 90 days old from date of invoice 70% Ryan Chalmers Rent collected as a percentage of total rent due 99.1% Ryan Chalmers Percentage of capital receipts achieved as forecast 90% Michelle Lynn Page 142
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17 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Cost of collecting council tax per dwelling £3.00 Ryan Chalmers Percentage of income due from council tax received by the end of the year 93.5% Ryan Chalmers Proportion of operational buildings that are suitable for their current use 93% Michelle Lynn Proportion of internal floor area of operational buildings in satisfactory condition 91% Michelle Lynn Current tenants' arrears as a percentage of total rent due 10.5% Ryan Chalmers Gross rent arrears (all tenants) as at 31 March each year as a percentage of rent due for the reporting year 9.3% Ryan Chalmers Income generated as a percentage of total revenue budget 11% Carol Alderson Action Due Date Owner Progress the procurement of a new Financial Management System 31-Mar-2026 Arun Menon Review ways of decreasing corporate debt through continued improvements to debt collection processes in relation to sundry, NDR, Council Tax and rent 31-Mar-2026 Ryan Chalmers Review ways to improve rent collection rates in conjunction with Housing and W4U 31-Mar-2026 Ryan Chalmers Maximise automation opportunities across the Council 31-Mar-2026 Arun Menon Progress the disposal of key strategic sites 31-Mar-2026 Michelle Lynn Progress the depot refurbishment programme 31-Mar-2026 Michelle Lynn Develop and implement plans and support services to achieve the asset related savings agreed by Council 31-Mar-2026 Michelle Lynn Page 143
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18 Action Due Date Owner Review new Global Internal Audit Standards and new CIPFA Code of Practice and identify and implement any actions to ensure compliance 31-Mar-2026 Andi Priestman Review eligibility for Council Tax exemptions and identify potential income due to the Council 31-Mar-2026 Andi Priestman Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Debt is not recovered efficiently or effectively, with inherent risk of financial loss The processes deployed in collection of monies owed to the Council are inefficient and ineffective resulting in money not collected on time or having to be written off. Ryan Chalmers Increase in the level of rent arrears due to the level of Welfare Reform changes and general state of economy The Council sees an increase in its level of rent arrears due to lower disposable income and national changes to the national benefits regime and the ongoing economic position Ryan Chalmers Maintaining Council Assets that are fit for purpose The risk that the Council's assets and facilities are not fully fit for purpose with consequent adverse impact on our ability to deliver efficient and effective services. Assets included in this assessment: the Council’s property portfolio. Michelle Lynn Page 144
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19 Our residents are engaged and empowered 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Percentage of council resources directed by communities 1% Carol Alderson; Colin Smith; Elaine Troup Action Due Date Owner Engage with relevant community groups over the potential to lease Dalmuir Golf Course 31-Mar-2026 Michelle Lynn Strong financial governance and sustainable budget management (Service Objective) 2025/26 Performance Indicator Target Owner Amount of free reserves as a percentage of the prudential reserve target - HRA 100% Carol Alderson Amount of free reserves as a percentage of the prudential reserve target - General services 100% Carol Alderson Percentage variance to budget projected (General Services budget) 0% Carol Alderson Percentage of Audit Plan completed 85% Andi Priestman Action Due Date Owner Develop and refine capital and revenue reporting processes 31-Mar-2026 Carol Alderson Page 145
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20 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Failure to provide a reasonable level of assurance on the Council's governance, risk management and internal control procedures Internal Audit is unable to provide a reasonable level assurance on the Council's governance, risk management and internal control arrangements. Andi Priestman Failure to meet statutory deadlines for external returns (including HMRC) and financial statements Finance Services failing to meet statutory deadlines resulting in lost revenue or penalty costs Carol Alderson Financial projections are significantly incorrect Financial projections for both capital and revenue are significantly incorrect resulting in insufficient reserves being held. Laurence Slavin Significant financial funding reductions / limitations from Scottish Government It is expected that the Council will continue to be faced with significant real term funding reductions from the Scottish Government settlement. This is based on local government settlements in recent years and an ongoing narrative about limited funds available to support public services. This coincides with a period where costs and demographic pressures are continuing to rise in relation to social care, significant inflationary increases, the impact of increases in the bank interest rate on the cost of borrowing and pay award Laurence Slavin Page 146
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21 Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner pressures linked to inflation. Whilst there are ongoing discussions between the Scottish Government and Local Government on reducing the ring fencing of funding, the reality is that material elements of funding remain ring fenced which significantly restricts how the Council can most effectively use the funds made available to it. Page 147
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer – People & Technology Corporate Services Committee: 21st May 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Council Workforce Plan 2022-2027: Update & Annual Action Plans 2024/25 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the Council’s workforce planning activity for 2024/25. 2. Recommendations 2.1 The Committee is asked to: • Note progress during 2024/25 in delivering against the Council Workforce Plan within the People First Strategy and 5-year plan; • Note the workforce profile as at 31st March 2025 and key changes; and • Note progress within the Workforce Plans for each service. 3. Background 3.1 The Workforce Planning Strategy and Framework 2022 - 2027 reflects the 5- year People First Strategy and incorporates the Council’s Strategic Planning Framework. 3.2 The Council Workforce Plan is subject to monitoring and evaluation to ensure that it remains effective in delivering required outcomes and is responsive to any changes in circumstances, which subsequently arise. This report contains 2 sections and associated appendices: • The progress and achievements made over the last year (Appendix 1); • The current workforce profile and monitoring, examining any changes (Appendix 2). 3.3 Service annual action plans are scoped under the four Workforce Planning Priorities from the Corporate Workforce Plan outlined at 4.1 for each Chief Officer Area and are submitted to the relevant Committee as part of the Delivery Planning process. Separate delivery reports are tabled at this committee. 3.4 Whilst separate planning processes exist in relation to West Dunbartonshire Health & Social Care Partnership (HSCP), appropriate alignment is in place including attendance at the Health Care Staffing and Workforce Planning Oversight Group to ensure that Council employees working within HSCP are included and benefit from all Council Wide initiatives and relevant workforce planning requirements. ITEM 12 Page 149
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4. Main Issues 4.1 The attached (Appendix 1) updates on the annual action plans at Chief Officer Service level for 2024/25 under the 4 Priorities: Priority 1. Our People (Workforce Profile): Ensure resilience and engagement of the workforce; Priority 2. Recruitment & Retention: Current and predicted future workforce gaps are addressed and core skill sets retained; Priority 3. Structure & Roles: Service structures and delivery model/s are stable, fit for purpose and future requirements; Priority 4. Skills & Capabilities: Current and future skills gaps and capabilities are addressed. These 4 priorities are formed from the Corporate Workforce plan which reflects the People First Strategic Plan. 4.2 Key Achievements 4.2.1 Key achievements over 2024/25 for workforce planning within the context of the People First Strategy are outlined in the sections below. 4.3 Workforce Planning Strategy & Framework 4.3.1 During 2024/25 much of the Workforce Planning activity has centred around the Council’s savings options and subsequent service re-designs. This has led to intensive activity around voluntary severance/early retirement, SWITCH and supporting employees and managers through these processes. 4.3.2 There has been an increased number of service reviews progressed over 2024/25 across the Council as managers have reviewed service delivery in the context of efficiencies but also taking into consideration the Council’s Standard operating Model (SOM), digital requirements and building service delivery models which will meet current and future demand. 4.3.3 Efforts have still been concentrated around further supporting the embedding of workforce planning. The Council’s Best Value Thematic Audit report 2023- 24 issued in July 2024 was very positive but provided 2 recommendations for areas of improvement; The council should ensure workforce data allows officers to identify resource gaps and supports succession planning and the Council should develop a new flexible/hybrid working policy or update its existing policy. The latter has already been completed. 4.3.4 Work has stemmed around the revision of Succession Planning guidance, including critical roles and planned (phased) roll-out over 2025 – 2027 through the structure levels and scoping of initial mapping requirements for manager information on the console. There has been progress made around the console also with key developments being implemented. Page 150
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4.3.5 Consideration of role profiles including content and format has commenced with scoping work considering workforce planning requirements such as succession planning, critical roles and recommendations from the People First, Year 1, Recruitment project with a particular focus around job evaluation, skills matrix (including digital skills) and cross skilling in line with our leadership frameworks and recruitment/attraction to roles. 4.3.6 Following the initial manager’s survey, to gain feedback and benchmark knowledge on workforce planning a further survey was conducted over February and March 2025. Although the response was disappointing in terms of numbers returned the results are currently being analysed and will be fed back to management teams. 4.3.7 Previous survey results in relation to the workforce planning console and the provision of real time data across the Council informed future developments for the console and these are outlined within this report. 4.3.8 There has been significant work around continued embedding of the Strategy and Framework and promotion of the workforce planning toolkit to support managers including People & Change Partners carrying out sessions using the toolkit at service level management sessions to support the identification and undertaking of workforce planning actions to support service delivery plans. The toolkit continues to be grown with the Succession Planning Guidance Phase 1 being added this year. 4.3.9 Continued engagement in external groups to ensure the Council has input to national and local strategies has seen benefits from initiatives and joint working. Following the National Survey Workforce Planning Survey for all 32 Local Authorities through the Society of Personnel and Development Scotland (SPDS) the findings and recommendations were communicated to all Chief Officers and raised at COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) for wider action. Funding bids have recently been submitted for ‘invest to save projects’ which include the re-branding of Local Authority to aid recruitment and retention in Scotland based on the English model which has proved successful. This will support our People First Year 1 actions for recruitment. Also, bids have been submitted for Leadership development and a graduate recruitment campaign. In addition, the SPDS Digital group have also submitted bids which would support with the workforce planning agenda including digital literacy. 4.3.10 The Glasgow City Region Skills Local Government Skills Working Group has partnered with University of West of Scotland to introduce a government funded 4-year degree course for trainee planners (with a 2-year fast track option now launched for those with relevant previous experience). Local Authorities have provided trainee roles for this purpose to alleviate the nationally recognised skill shortage. Building Standards within the Council have taken this opportunity and was successful in recruiting a ‘fast track’ trainee in the first cohort for succession planning. The group will use this as a template model for future career pathways in other local authority roles. Page 151
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4.4 Priority 1. Our People (Workforce Profile): Ensure resilience and engagement of the workforce. Equalities 4.4.1 Progress of the Council’s equality action plan has continued to reflect the People First Strategy and employee life cycle concentrating on recruitment including methods, in the first instance, to increase the diversity of our workforce. However, it should be recognised that progress has been slowed in this area with some actions requiring to be carried forward as resources have been prioritised around budget savings and service re-designs. Given this a refresh of the Council’s Equality Plan is currently being undertaken to ensure focus on key achievements over 2025 – 2029. 4.4.2 Progress on People First Recruitment actions were paused whilst this was being considered as part of the National picture as outlined in 4.3.9. Joint working, if the funding bid is successful will bring numerous benefits in the coming year in relation to re-branding local government as an employer and is expected to have positive impacts on our equality agenda in supporting to diversify our workforce. 4.4.3 It is recognised that the Black and Minority ethnic (BME) workforce profile remains an area for improvement for the Council’ as we look to ‘attract more diverse talent’. The Race at Work Charter to make a public commitment to improving equality of opportunity in the workplace was signed towards the end of 2023/24 with the launch of this taking place through our communication channels including Trickle and the Council’s intranet as well as external promotions in early 2024/25. 4.4.4 Understanding the makeup of the workforce continues to be a priority and whilst this was built into workforce planning this year with various services giving consideration to this, it is acknowledged further work is required. This will carry forward into 2025/26 where a data verification exercise which has previously been delayed due to resourcing is planned for the summer of 2025/26. 4.4.5 Focus has been given to maintaining the Equally Safe at Work (ESAW) programme Development Tier. ESAW is an innovative employer accreditation programme to address sex inequality and violence against women and girls, aiming to support employers in reviewing workplace culture and ensuring that policies and practices are enhanced to address the barriers that women face at work. This year has focused on the development of a sexual harassment policy information in line with the new legislative changes on employers to prevent sexual harassment as outlined in the policy section below. The 2 e- learning modules ‘Together for gender equality’ and ‘Gender Based Violence’ have continued to be available with take up figures showing a slight increase this year. It is expected that these will form part of our mandatory training offering and will be further promoted. Page 152
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4.4.6 The Council has held the Armed Forces Gold Award for actions in support of Armed Forces, reservists and their family members since 2019. Work has concentrated on maintaining this award, with re-accreditation being received in January 2025. The Armed Forces Support Group continues to meet with the agenda being determined by the key issues of the Group. The Group has also extended membership to Cadets to ensure they are part of the community and can benefit from the support available. 4.4.7 The Council continues to consider its terms and conditions following the recent Equality Review. Consultation is on-going and work is underway to understand the workforce position on public holiday entitlements through a further employee survey. Wellbeing 4.4.8 The priority relating to Wellbeing activity in 2024/25 was to renew the Occupational Health contract and for the counselling and physiotherapy aspects of this contract to be removed in line with the savings option taken at Council in March 2024. Promotion of an alternative counselling provision that is free to the Council as part of the employee benefits platform, Vivup, has continued throughout the year with usage steadily increasing. Promotion of the full range of employee benefits has been shared through all communication channels including mental health first aiders and wellbeing advocates, Trickle, workforce updates and the intranet newsfeed. Registrations on Vivup have nearly doubled in 23/24 showing that employees are increasingly aware of the platform and how to access it and work will continue to promote it. 4.4.9 Additionally, My Money Matters, the Council’s platform to manage shared cost additional voluntary contributions (AVC’s) to employee pension schemes has seen an increase in participation. In 2024/25 there was an approximately 49% increase in the number of employees who have AVC’s generating savings for the employee and the Council and topping up employee’s pension thereby supporting their financial wellbeing. A rolling schedule of financial wellbeing webinars continues to promote financial wellbeing and information on how AVC’s can benefit employees. 4.4.10 The New Manager Induction has also been refreshed with positive feedback received from managers on the content and additional refresher sessions available for existing managers on key policies that support employee wellbeing. Employee Engagement 4.4.11 The Council’s main tool for employee engagement is a digital platform called Trickle, available via the website or App which enables inclusivity as it is accessible to the whole workforce. This enables the workforce, including front line employees, to raise issues and access information via Page 153
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the App on their phone. Recognising the benefits of this employee engagement tool, work has continued to focus on improving the level of engagement with Trickle across existing and new users. The number of users is currently 1999, which is an increase from 1974 from the last update. People and Change Partners are working with services locally to drive the increase in users by directly linking to workforce planning actions and encouraging Trickle Champions to be appointed in services. 4.4.12Through the ‘People First’ Strategy, the Council has committed to develop and improving employee engagement by building on existing good practice. The Council continues to promote several initiatives to support employee engagement including Trickle, 1-2-1 (Be the Best) conversations to support workforce development, recognising success and value through employee recognition awards and understanding the workforce voice through Trickle Moodsense in addition to regular monthly workforce updates to inform the workforce of key HR, ICT and health and safety updates. 4.4.13 Due to the volume of service re-design processes employee engagement has also been concentrated around consultation processes and ensuring employees receive the required information and supports to enable informed decisions to be made. Services have concentrated on this at a local level through meetings and various written information around the consultation packs with some services making use of internet spaces to cascade and share information for large and front-line service areas. 4.4.14 Demonstrating that the Council values employees and celebrates success is an essential component of employee engagement. There are many activities currently underway to support this, including a relaunch of the employee Recognition Awards, aligning these to our core ACHIEVE values and this launched in November 2024. There were a total of 36 nominations received across all the award categories with winners being recognised for their contribution at the first Achieve Awards Ceremony on 1st May 2025. Page 154
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The Achieve Award categories are detailed below: Award Category Description Trailblazer Award Celebrates individuals who exhibit exceptional ambition and visionary thinking, pioneering new directions in their work and inspiring others to pursue excellence. Doing the Right Thing Award Celebrates ethical conduct, integrity, and a commitment to doing what is morally right Innovative Solutions Award Recognises individuals who demonstrate a remarkable ability to think creatively and develop innovative solutions to complex challenges, contributing to more efficient and effective processes. Teamwork Excellence Award Celebrates outstanding collaboration and the promotion of a unified and effective team environment. Empowerment Champion Award Celebrates the proactive empowerment of others and supports their growth and development. Community Appreciation Award Celebrates community recognition and appreciation for exceptional service and contributions. Work Styles/Flexibility 4.4.15 The Best Value Thematic Audit Report for Workforce Planning 2023-24 noted ‘The council has a well-established approach to hybrid and flexible working’. Monitoring the working environments continues to be a priority as employees are supported to work more flexibly, from various locations, whilst balancing service delivery, digital security and personal commitments. A recommendation from the Best Value audit report was to develop a new flexible/hybrid working policy or update its existing policy base and so the flexible working policy was updated to reflect hybrid arrangements and working styles the Council offers and ensure employees can apply for these under this policy framework. Ensuring work styles and patterns are considered as part of organisational transformation, service re-design and flexible working continues has been imperative to workforce planning for services. This is essential not only in supporting employee’s wellbeing but has been key to improving productivity, recruitment and retention. Page 155
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Policy 4.4.16 Over this year the Council’s employee policy base has seen updates in relation to the Organisation Change and Switch policies and Flexible Working Policy as outlined in 4.4.15. This policy also included new guidance of the ‘Right to disconnect’ for employees out of working hours. 4.4.17 The Council’s family leave policy base including Adoption, Fostering and surrogacy Leave, Paternity and Maternity Leave, Parental and Shared Parental Leave and Maternity leave schemes have also seen changes implemented as part of the new legislation to support families of Neo-Natal babies. 4.4.18 It has been recognised that with a change of Government this year there have been a number of significant proposals around implementation of new employment legislation. Efforts have been focused throughout the year in relation to monitoring these changes as they progress through development and consultations to ensure impacts are accessed and preparedness for implementation. This will continue into 2025/26 where most of the proposals, which if become legislation are likely to be implemented later in the year and into 2026/27. 4.4.19 Legislative changes in relation to sexual harassment also came into practice in October 24 with a duty for employers to prevent sexual harassment which include employees and 3rd parties. Efforts have therefore been concentrated on the development of a sexual harassment policy base and associated processes this year. Consideration is currently being given as to whether this sits as a stand-alone policy or within one of our current policy bases such as the Gender Based Violence or Respect at Work Policy. This will cover several legislative requirements including the following: • A sexual harassment policy base (currently being reviewed); • Engage with employees around the policy (planned on roll-out); • Assess and take actions to reduce risks in the workplace (advice to be sought from Health & Safety with a view to incorporate in risk assessments); • Reporting mechanisms for sexual harassment including clear procedures and the ability to do this anonymously. • Training in relation to sexual harassment for the workforce (currently delivered through Ilearn modules); • Monitor and evaluate actions implemented. 4.4.20 Significant progress has been made in relation to a Resolution Framework which will simplify the policy base for employees and managers who raise concerns with a focus on early intervention, informal (where appropriate) and effective resolution of concerns. Following employee, manager and trade union feedback the initial drafting of the Framework has commenced. This is taking core employment policies including discipline, grievance and respect at work and summarising these into a core policy base and processes for ease Page 156
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of reference and understanding. It has been recognised that there are standardised areas of each policy and processes which can be amalgamated. It is expected that several prototypes may be required before launch but once successful this template can be used for other policy frameworks. A list of proposed frameworks has also been developed for future consideration. 4.5 Priority 2. Recruitment & Retention: Current and predicted future workforce gaps are addressed and core skill sets retained Year 1 & 2 People First – Employee Life Cycle – Recruitment & Retention 4.5.1 The People First Strategy in relation to the employee life cycle remains on- going with the intention to create a positive inspiring, informative and seamless journey from application to appointment, attract the right candidates, aid retention and in turn support the workforce planning and equalities agenda. It has been recognised the bulk of the work required is concentrated in the earlier years of this plan. 4.5.2 Whilst there has been progress around this workstream a bid has been submitted to Scottish Government following the national workforce planning survey outlined in 4.3.9 to look at the re-branding of Scottish Local Authorities as an employer of choice at a national level to support attraction, recruitment and retention. Should this be successful it is thought this national campaign will mirror, and take lessons learned from a successful model deployed in England supporting this workstream and our needs. 4.5.3 As resources have been tight this year there has been a need to focus on a specific area to progress under the year 1 recruitment work stream whilst year 2, on boarding was progressed also. Efforts have been concentrated around the development of role profiles which reflect our SOM (Standard Operating Model) structures and People First Strategy workstreams including job evaluation, workforce and succession planning, skills development and equalities but also recruitment by providing a more engaging format, emphasising job quality. Work around this is still on-going with a roll-out planned for 2025/26. 4.5.4 Recruitment audit actions from the 2022/23 audit to improve the recruitment process and attracting diverse talent are still on-going with links to working 4U to provide better connections to current and potential talent pools. 4.5.5 Year 2 of the People First Strategy concentrates on onboarding. Onboarding is the process of integrating new employees into the organisation and preparing them for their new roles and work environment, from the point of being offered the post up to working in their new role for 1 year. 4.5.6 The review approach included Research, Analysis of Research, Designing Together and Development. Step 1 included user research with new employees, recruiting managers and linked services (who provide part of the onboarding service). Surveys were issued, interviews were conducted and Page 157
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focus groups held. Analysis of the research (step 2) showed that although there was no main challenge to solve for onboarding, line management support is key to a positive onboarding experience. In step 3, a variety of challenge questions were set and ideas generated which resulted in a central onboarding hub being developed in step 4 alongside a comprehensive manager’s onboarding checklist. This will be pushed out in 2025/26. Job Evaluation 4.5.7 This year has seen a significant number of job evaluations being progressed following the implementation of the new Job Evaluation Policy and Procedure and streamlining of processes including the on-line forms. Efforts have concentrated around ensuring evaluations are undertaken within timelines where possible including forward scheduling and the list of roles awaiting evaluation significantly reduced. Job evaluation has been a key activity this year in relation to progressing the service review processes and work around the Strategic Operating Model. The volume of roles for re-evaluation continues to exceed previous years. 4.5.8 Work continues to ensure all data relating to job evaluation is robust and fit for purpose which includes the archiving of historic role profiles and job evaluation information. Also, in relation to the Strategic Operating Model (SOM) providing structured governance moving forward to any proposed changes in line with the Workforce Plan as outlined in section 4.6.5. Career Pathways & Succession Planning 4.5.9 It is recognised that recruitment and retention remain challenging for certain roles within the Council which follows national trends. There have been a few service areas which have looked to address these issues with re-structures incorporating succession planning and looking to develop career pathways. 4.5.10 The succession planning guidance has been incorporated into the workforce planning toolkit. This will be implemented throughout the Council in phases during 2025 – 2027 commencing with Chief Officer roles and progressing in line with the SOM compliance work being undertaken. Chief Officer information packs have been circulated for Phase 1, and these will continue at key stages with manager workshops undertaken as required. People & Change Partner support is being offered to undertake succession planning alongside other workforce planning activities. 4.5.11 As part of this work critical roles will be identified and categorised with plans to ensure this data is part of the workforce planning console trend analysis with a view to identify role types, skills matrix’s (including potential cross skilling) and urgency around planning for critical roles. This will tie into the role profile work being undertaken by the Job Evaluation team. 4.5.12 The development and mapping of career’s pathways continues to outline the Page 158
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entry requirements for roles and routes into employment and development opportunities/supports for future progression through career structure. This template will be included in the Workforce Planning Toolkit to be utilised across the Council aiding the development of new talent pools and routes into Council employment at the same time facilitating cross service skilling and links into other career pathways. 4.6 Priority 3. Structure & Roles: Service structures and delivery model/s are stable, fit for purpose and future requirements Budget Savings 4.6.1 Following further announcement of budget savings over 2024/25, priority has continued to be directed to supporting services across the Council to make the relevant savings and ensure services are robust and fit for the future. Whilst services have been continuing to embed the changes made as part of the budget savings from previous years, they have also reviewed their workforce planning requirements and explored opportunities to deliver services differently and more effectively whilst making proposals for savings for 2024/25 and into 2025/26. The focus for workforce planning remains to stabilise the workforce and work priorities. With future budget gaps predicted, longer-term workforce planning remains difficult. 4.6.2 Services also, as part of their workforce planning activities, have horizon scanned potential future impacts on their teams and commenced re-structures accordingly. With reviewing how services can be automated/digitalised or delivered more efficiently. Accounting for succession planning this has led to a number of additional service reviews being commenced. 4.6.3 Strategic HR resources have been directed at supporting services with the application of the organisational change policy, re-modelling of their services in line with service needs and SOM compliance and consistent consultation including employee wellbeing. Improvements continue to be made to the Voluntary Severance and Voluntary Early Retirement processes which has seen applications increase by 290% from this year to last year impacting on workloads, internal process reviews in Strategic HR to manage and advice to services for on-going impacts on the teams and structures of releasing employees. 4.6.4 Affected services are currently entering a further formal consultation period, the effective use of the workforce console and data continues to be imperative to inform and fully understand the implications of proposals for service delivery, the workforce and ensure accurate notification of the potential impacts. Focus will continue around employee engagement supports with promotion of our current support mechanisms and use of PACE (Partnerships Action for Continuing Employment) support the Scottish Government’s initiative dedicated to helping people with advice and support when faced with the possibility of redundancy if required. Page 159
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SOM (Standard Operating Model) 4.6.5 Work continues to ensure that the spans of control and ratios of employees to managers is correct and fit for purpose, to ensure service delivery moving forward. This includes the SOM principles and a tier-by-tier approach with Chief Officers and Service Managers down to grade 11 being reviewed and actions planned/commenced to ensure compliance within re-structures and a consistent structure in place to deliver the services required in the future. Work has also commenced on Grades 9 and 10 and governance arrangements are ensuring role profiles are updated to reflect current responsibilities and duties. Fit for Future (FfF) Service reviews 4.6.6 FfF approach was reviewed and updated. FfF now focusses on working with a team/service to identify and implement improvements or modernisation. 4.6.7 This new approach was piloted within the Risk & Health and Safety service from January 2025. Members of the team identified their key focus areas for improvement as communications and processes. 4.6.8 Four key processes were reviewed: SMS11 – Management Workplace Inspections SMS02 – First Aid SMS10 – Display Screen Equipment SMS28 – Corporate Warning Marker System. 4.6.9 To improve communications an online form has been introduced to allow the team to gather feedback on their service, intranet pages have been updated and there are also plans to issue a regular bulletin for the team. 4.6.10 As part of the FfF exercise, M365 APPs and tools were demonstrated to allow the team to understand how these tools work and how they could be used to improve elements of their service. Information & Data 4.6.11 The workforce planning console continues to be the key source of workforce information for managers using real time data. Further developments have taken place in relation to this console including SSSC registration monitoring, Voluntary Early Retirement/Voluntary Severance analysis tool for Strategic HR use, improvements to Absence Reporting for pay dates and combined iLearn and LD21 reporting/Skills passport for managers to be able to see completed and outstanding training within their teams. Creation of a Finance Console for Finance Business partners has also been progressed. Page 160
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4.6.12 It is recognised that further developments of the Workforce Planning Console are required, and work has continued in relation to the scoping of possibilities and requirements around workforce projections, trends and the possibility of automation of workforce plans linked to data insights. Currently new Console screen layout is under development and further work being carried out around Allowances for Finance use. 4.6.13 Currently in development is a key influencer analysis tool/predictor for absence which is currently being researched which will provide more detailed analytics and trend analysis around the Councils absence. 4.6.14 Feedback from the survey and workforce planning sessions provided useful insights in relation to the use and understanding of the console. Based on this feedback, console information sessions specifically linked to workforce planning were developed and rolled out over 2024/25 which was welcomed by services across the Council. These sessions saw the use of the console for workforce planning purposes increase significantly and consistently over this year as per the table below. 4.6.15 Further developments in relation to succession planning and critical roles analysis are being planned for the console along with automated trend analysis to further inform workforce planning requirements. In prioritising the development of the console account has been taken the most used areas which is illustrated below. Console Usage 2024-25 Month Average No of users per day Apr-24 8.2 May-24 9.2 Jun-24 10.6 Jul-24 11.8 Aug-24 18.2 Sep-24 23.3 Oct-24 23.1 Nov-24 23.8 Dec-24 18.2 Jan-25 23.7 Feb-25 28 Mar-25 31 Page 161
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4.6.16 Data and analytics continues to play a key role in considering future resource requirements and supported the People & Change function, leading to a review of the workload and support the team provides. 4.6.17 Surveys, self-evaluation, service design and quality improvement exercises and workshops continue to provide beneficial insight into areas for enhancement and have informed associated action plans. 4.7 Priority 4. Skills & Capabilities: Current and future skills gaps and capabilities are addressed. Learning & Development 4.7.1 The comprehensive in-house delivery programme continues to be well supported by managers and employees with many dates ‘selling out’ as soon as they are advertised. Feedback from delegates continues to be very positive across all programmes with an average rating of 4.6/5. Feedback from delegates reinforces that employees both enjoy the opportunity and can apply the learning in their own workplace context. 4.7.2 Usage of iLearn continues to rise with more employees engaging than ever before. Accessible on any device 24/7 iLearn provides flexibility to ensure that there is learning provision for all employees, regardless of their working hours or style. Usage compared over the last 3 years can be seen in Figure1 below: 2855 2812 2528 2197 1852 1815 1378 1314 1202 1022 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 Number of hits Subject of information Hits Page 162
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Figure 1 4.7.3 The iLearn platform has been upgraded with additional functionality and improved layout and imaging. New reporting options have been introduced enabling individuals to access their own full training report and managers to generate reports for their teams. Both options pull together the online learning completion with ‘in-person’ training recorded via HR21. 4.7.4 The Trades Unions Learning Agreement continues to underpin working in partnership with the Trades Unions to deliver relevant and timely opportunities for everyone. 4.7.5 Service Design training continues to be offered most recently in February 2025. This training takes place over 2 days onsite and 12 attendees can be accommodated on each cohort. 4.7.6 Workforce planning tools, resources and support materials still continue to be developed for managers. A further survey carried out at the end of 2024/25 and feedback from workforce planning sessions at service level will inform future developments around resources and possible training requirements Digital Transformation & Skills 4.7.8 There were plans to relaunch the Digital Transformation Board as the People First Innovation Board but there was little appetite for this, and it was agreed further work was required before this commenced. Digital highlight reports continue to be provided to the Transformation and Visioning Board for each meeting. There are plans to highlight work in this area which involve, an executive visioning session, a senior manager network meeting around digital and the art of the possible with follow up and promotion around Digi Leads and Champs. 4.7.9 Work continues to support employees in the development of their digital skills, but engagement is slow. Over the past year the Change & Digital team have created and launched 3 interactive campaigns, taking employees on a digital Page 163
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learning journey. Each campaign ran over a 12-week period with a weekly release of a new chapter. The topic areas were: • Putting People First at the Digital Airport – this focused-on building basic digital skills • Turning Data into Diamonds on Data Island – this focused on increasing awareness, knowledge and confidence around data • Maximising Technology on the MicroSoSoSoftly Seas – this focused on increasing awareness, knowledge and confidence with M365. 4.7.10 The last 2023 digital skills survey ran from October to November 2023. The survey focused on awareness, digit champs, learning information and topics, skills ratings, barriers, opportunities to improve and what supports are required. It was promoted via newsfeed, emails and Trickle. Digital Skills remains a priority for the Council and PMRG have been asked to promote the Digi Champs(s) role within their service and nominate Digi Champs(s) where none are in place. Further work is planned around this in June 2025 where the Senior Management network (SMN) will focus on Digi-skills and mindsets. 4.8 The current workforce profile 4.8.1 The workforce profile as at 31/3/25 is attached in Appendix 2, with comparisons made against the previous year and commentary on trends. The main observations are detailed below. 4.8.2 There has been around a 2% decrease in Headcount and working hours. When compared to the same period last year, there has been a headcount reduction of 110 across the council. This change is mainly accounted for by the implementation of savings options and recruitment restrictions. This year has seen an increase in fixed term contracts again reflective of service re-structures taking place and the need for temporary arrangements whilst these are progressed and a decrease of 10 apprenticeships, mainly from Housing and Resources, with the casual/supply pool headcount increasing. The decrease in apprenticeships in these areas has been linked to Modern Apprenticeships qualifying and transitioning into permanent roles. Reviewing the comparison data the overall workforce has steadily declined with the bulk of the reductions in Housing & Employability and Resources and Roads & Neighbourhood increasing, due to the transfer of Working 4U team. 4.8.3 Whilst the percentage reductions have been across permanent contracts (2.5%) fixed term contracts have increased by 1%. Although both figures are lower than last year there is a clear correlation between the figures. This is likely due to services implementing budget savings and bridging gaps during this transition. In addition, the percentage of apprenticeships has declined this year by 10 however this is indicative of the trades moving through from phase 2 to 3 and qualifying in certain areas such as Building Services and Asset Management. Page 164
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4.8.4 Whilst the number of both full time and temporary contracts has reduced this year reflective of the headcount change. However, the percentage split of the overall sex profile continues to remain a static with an overall split of 26.4% male and 73.6.% female. 4.8.5 Whilst the age distribution has also remained static, it can be noted that there are very slight increases in the age categories above 50 which may indicate a future trend of a continuing aging workforce. The number of new starts contacts has reduced by 33 with 10 of these being attributed to Modern Apprenticeships. 4.8.6 Turnover has decreased this year from 15% in 2022/23, 13.2% in 2023/24 to 12.2% in 2024/25 with the highest turnover remaining in Citizen, Culture and facilities closely followed by Education. However, a number of services are experiencing a reduction in turnover numbers which may be a result of the uncertainty of the budget savings. This is also reflected amongst the HSCP teams apart from Finance & Resources where a small number of people leaving a small team can indicate a high impact. There has also been a decrease in Voluntary Severance and Voluntary Early Retirement (VS/VER) by 19 from 2023/24 from 48 last year to 29 this year. As the VS/VER process remains open and there are a number of applications still being considered the number of leavers for this reason may increase in the coming year. The number of employees taking early/flexible retirement from the age of 55 continues to increase. 4.8.7 The year has shown a decrease in the number of flexible retirement applications approved and after applications increasing since 2022 this year reflects the lower figure of 2022. This decrease could be reflective of the 2024 pension strain increase with less flexible retirements being released due to the cost. It is anticipated that Flexible Retirement will continue to be a popular option for employees who wish to work in a reduced capacity and access their pension whilst enabling the Council to retain their skills and experience, however the trend of a reduction in those released may continue due to the costs associated. 4.8.8 This year has seen an increase in the sickness absence to above 2022/23 figure (14.00 full time equivalent workdays lost per employee) to 14.3. in 2024/25. This has increased from 13.74 in 2023/24. Although the same reasons of minor illness, personal stress and acute medical conditions remain the highest with front line employees having the highest levels of sickness. Employee wellbeing and engagement supports will continue to be developed and deployed Page 165
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4.9 Workforce Planning Actions for 2025/26 4.9.1 The Corporate Workforce Plan for 2025/26 has been reviewed and updated. Key areas for progression and continued development are outlined in the sections below and build on many of the actions outlined for 2024/25. It is noted however that many of these areas are interdependent contributing to the People First Strategy as a whole. In addition, it is also recognised that as a result of resources being deployed to Council priorities a number of actions will be carried forward from 2023/24. 4.10 Priority 1. Our People (Workforce Profile): Ensure resilience and engagement of the workforce Equalities 4.10.1 With the undertaking of a recruitment and equal pay audit in previous years work will again focus on the outcomes and recommendations from this, alongside continued progression of the Equality Plan, demonstrating our commitment to ensure there are no barriers to entering our employment. 4.10.2 In line with the People 1st Strategy efforts will also be spent on monitoring the work undertaken at national level for ease of adoption for both equality and workforce planning purposes. Equality work streams will also be considered within the role profile work being undertaken and efforts concentrated on refreshing the equality plan for 2025 – 2029. 4.10.2 This year the Council’s Performance & Strategy team will lead on a ‘spot light’ on equality project expected to commence in the summer. This will consist of key actions around improving the Equality Impact Assessment system and template, improving access to services within the council such as translation and accessibility services and an equality landing page on the intranet providing space for ‘everything equalities’ in one easy to find place. Strategic HR plan to link with this project to progress key aspects of the equality plan including an equality data verification exercise, further embedding of the Equally Safe at Work accreditation and communication of the sexual harassment policy base. 4.10.3 This project is expected to also support the further promotion of current equality agenda’s such as the Disability Confident Scheme, Race at Work Charter, the Armed Forces Gold Award and monitoring/promotion of equality related training across the Council. Page 166
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Wellbeing 4.10.4 Continued promotion of employee supports and benefits will be crucial in 25/26 given the ongoing challenges faced by the workforce and the organisation. In order to better identify data trends arising from these challenges, further improvements are planned for the workforce planning console in relation to Wellbeing data to help managers ensure that policies are being applied appropriately and consistently. 4.10.5 The Employee Wellbeing Strategy continues to focus on priority areas, responding to the needs of the organisation. Regular progress reports to PMRG and JCF including monitoring the impact of the resulting actions continue along with a focus on supporting employee financial wellbeing. Employee Engagement 4.10.6 As the Council continues to face significant financial challenges it remains crucial; we continue to support employee engagement and ensure all employees have a platform where their voices can be heard and that they are fully aware of where supports can be accessed and in times of change feel supported and valued. Continued support of employees in a virtual environment using MS Teams, trickle, webinars, online training, surveys, employee forums and support to ensure that employees feel engaged, supported and valued continues. Peer support groups/communities have been developed to allow for collaboration and networking e.g. wellbeing advocates and MS Teams ambassadors, digital champions. Work will commence this year on ‘Back to the Floor’ framework to support two-way communication and leadership visibility. 4.10.7 The established communication frameworks for national and local messages to be shared remain along with further embedding the one-to-one/Be The Best Conversations in areas where we have feedback that these could be improved. Policy 4.10.8 Best practice and legislative changes will continue to influence the review of the Council’s employment policy base. This year will bring a keen focus on monitoring numerous proposed employment law changes and impacts with a view to prioritising any policy requirements as legislation is proposed, consulted and agreed. Progress of this legislation will influence our policy priorities and engagement of such with our Trade Unions, managers and employees. 4.10.9 Policy development in relation to sexual harassment will continue to roll out, and embedding ensuring joint working with other teams and services across the Council; such as health and safety for the assessment of risk. Page 167
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4.11 Priority 2. Recruitment & Retention: Current and predicted future workforce gaps are addressed and core skill sets retained Year 1 People First – Employee Life Cycle 4.11.1 The 5-year People First Plan will continue to focus on key improvements of the Employee Life Cycle with spotlights on the following: • Year 1 – Recruitment • Year 2 – On Boarding • Year 3 – Development • Year 4 – Retention • Year 5 – Recognition 4.11.2 Work will remain focused around progressing recruitment with consideration of the National proposal to re-brand local authority as an employer in Scotland. and is expected to support recruitment guidance, resources and the building of talent pools at a national and local level. 4.11.3 Commitment remains to bringing efficiencies around recruitment processes and work has significantly progressed this year in relation to analysis of data and processes around all aspects of ‘Onboarding’ for new employees entering the Council’s employment and implementation. A central onboarding hub is being developed alongside a comprehensive manager’s onboarding checklist. The onboarding hub will go live at the end of April 25 with user testing and feedback taken into account post launch (for a 6-month period) to evaluate the effectiveness in meeting employee’s needs by analysing feedback and inviting managers and new employees to test the resources. A review will also take place of the chatbot developed in terms of usage to determine any additional queries that could be incorporated. The scoping of Year 3 Employee Development will commence into 2025/26. Workforce Planning 4.11.4 Following the Council’s Best Value Audit further work is required around Succession Planning and critical roles which will have the focus for roll out over 2025/26 and onwards. This will be imperative to ensure services are able to meet the required skills gaps, in particular as services review their delivery models and structures. The implementation of this aligns with other core developments including the SOM review, role profile work and national workstreams as outlined. 4.11.5 The workforce planning tool kit will continue to be developed in line with core objectives to ensure managers have the skills to take these forward including a tool to outline the development of career pathways is planned. 4.11.6 The Council Best Value Audit report also outlined that the council recognises that digital transformation can help it deliver services more effectively and improve productivity and The council is working to improve the digital experience and accessibility for employees and promote a culture of digital Page 168
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awareness. Within the workforce planning context there remains a need to continue to develop the Workforce Planning Console as it is a core feature of workforce planning brining quality data on which to base workforce decisions. Development in this area will continue around developing trend analysis and forecasting to aid the development and possible automation of service workforce plans for managers. Job Evaluation 4.11.8 Training will continue to be promoted for Job Evaluation Training for the continued increase of Job Analysts including refresher sessions. 4.11.9 Efforts will also be concentrated around the job evaluation information on the intranet to provide information videos for accessibility and understanding of the job evaluation processes for managers and employees. 4.12 Priority 3. Structure & Roles: Service structures and delivery model/s are stable, fit for purpose and future requirements SOM 4.12.1 Progress in relation to the SOM will continue through the management structures on to levels 4,5 &6 have the correct spans of control and ratios required for future delivery. Manager sessions will be developed and rolled out ensuring the understanding and benefits of SOM to inform future service delivery models. Budget Savings 4.12.2 Priority will remain to supporting services into 2025/26 and beyond as the Council continues to face budgetary challenges to implement the required budget savings, review structures and service delivery requirements in line with the Organisational Change processes whilst continuing to support employee’s wellbeing and engagement during this time. 4.12.3 This will include Strategic HR this year as the teams are reviewed to accommodate budget savings and SOM compliance whilst adapting and reviewing our internal processes and continuous review of priorities to ensure the affective resourcing to support the Council’s Services. Data & Information 4.12.4 The Change & Digital team have supported ICT with the roll-out of SharePoint and OneDrive. For the initial pilot, the ICT and Risk & Health and Safety teams were the first 2 teams to get access to the new technology. Page 169
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4.12.5 A second pilot exercise is scheduled for March 2025. Three teams will be involved in this roll-out including Change & Digital, Facilities Management and Planning and Building Standards. 4.12.6 Continuous improvement initiatives, service design and leadership development will continue through the year ahead as core organisational deliverables. Services will continue to promote and engage in cross organisational working, and explore the opportunities this provides, including the potential for retraining of employees into other areas, this particularly relevant in supporting the Switch Policy. 4.13 Priority 4. Skills & Capabilities: Current and future skills gaps and capabilities are addressed. Learning and Development 4.13.1 The focus on digital literacy and skills will continue with Digital Skills building blocks the basis of the first quarterly digital theme (which commenced in April 2024). Further thought requires to be given also this year as to the building of digital mindsets across our management teams in preparation of building of digital skills and how this links to our service re-design processes. This will be the main focus for the June 2025 for Senior management at the SMN meeting. 4.13.2 The Council will also work closely with the SPDS Digital group to monitor and contribute to the National picture in relation to digital skills to include the review of various digital applications, development of a ‘playbook’ of best practice examples, support around development of policy and governance bases and skills development including attendance in planned workshops to develop ideas for local government of digital ways of working with suppliers such as Oracle and accessing digital literacy programmes where available and communicating these opportunities to relevant parts of the workforce. Membership has also extended to a subgroup for development of AI in Human Resources for which a work programme is being scoped for 2025/26. 5. People Implications 5.1 Integration of workforce planning within wider organisational planning processes ensures that workforce issues are effectively identified and addressed. This supports the Council’s commitment to its’ employees in relation to all aspects of their employment, ensuring that employees’ needs are met, and that efficient and modern services are effectively delivered both now and in the future. Page 170
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6. Financial and Procurement Implications 6.1 There are no additional financial or procurement implications associated with this report. There are funding streams associated with the initiatives mentioned in this report, but these are already secured. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 A robust approach to workforce planning ensures that the Council identifies current and future needs and identifies potential risks to the council at an early stage. This proactive approach allows strategies and policies to be developed that ensure the continued delivery of best value services. A risk has been identified in relation to being sufficiently resourced to be able to undertake key workforce planning actions in the coming year and/or to be able to respond to workforce planning actions arising. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 A full EIA is not required in relation to the Council Workforce Plan as individual assessments will be undertaken in relation to each area of work referred to as it is progressed. 9. Consultation 9.1 The Strategic Leadership Group have been involved in the development of the plan through preparation of the Delivery Plans and this report and associated appendices have been provided to the relevant trade unions on 28th April 2025. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 The contents of this report and the workforce planning process supports the Council’s Priority 4, ‘Our Council’, Objective 10 ‘Our workforce is resilient and skilled where digital technology supports service delivery for our residents’ to make the best use of both financial and human resources resulting in a positive impact upon service provision. Victoria Rogers Chief Officer - People & Technology Date: 21st May 2025 Person to Contact: Lisa MacGregor, People and Change Partner 16 Church Street, Dumbarton Tel: 07949800801 Email: Lisa.MacGregor@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Page 171
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Appendices: Appendix 1 – Council Workforce Plan Progress update 2024/25 Appendix 2 – Workforce Profile and Monitoring 31st March 2025 Background Papers: Council Workforce Plan 2017-2022: Update & Annual Action Plan 2022/23 Strategic Lead Area Workforce Plans (as part of Service Delivery Plans) 2022-2027 The Workforce Planning Strategy and Framework 2022 – 2027 Wards Affected: None Page 172
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1 Appendix 1 - Workforce Planning 24-25 Strategic Actions Overview actions. 31st March 2025 1. Our People (Workforce Profile) Strategy Develop and implement wellbeing, employee engagement, equality and training plans to enable capabilities, improved resilience and promotion of a diverse workforce. Service Progress Key Actions Exceptions Citizens, Culture and Facilities – Amanda Graham, Chief Officer • Continue to embed full team meetings in contact centre to ensure employees have opportunity for their voice to be heard. • Issued Employee Engagement survey to Facilities Management employees. Good response rate and action plan being prepared based on the return data to identify improvements and interventions. • Working practices to be updated in line with outputs from working groups across Facilities Management to enable a more consistent approach and improve engagement and informed service re-design and premise manuals. • Increase presence of Team Leaders across Facilities Management to strengthen working relationships across teams and enable further embedding of wellbeing training. Page 173
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2 Education Learning and Attainment – Laura Mason, Chief Officer • Continue working group in Children's Support Service to identify service improvements and contribute to service re-design, one aim of which is to provide a quality role for people thereby helping to improve retention rates. • Early engagement complete with TU partners and working group. Review of existing role and moving to consultation and implementation and new contractual arrangements in 25/26. Housing & Employability – Peter Barry, Chief Officer • Review and monitor gender and age of workforce in Building Services (BS) for WFP & equality requirements. Continually promoting BS services as a career path for non-traditional roles. Apprenticeship scheme is supporting age profile and mitigating aging workforce. As part of re-structure work there has been significant work undertaken around reviewing the makeup of the workforce including action plans for 24/25 and 25/26. • Review Succession planning requirements across teams (along with Critical Roles). • Building services created new posts within re- structure with successful internal candidates. Further work will continue in 25/26 • Consideration of team makeup given with consultancy team joining Housing Assets this year. Succession Planning considered in line with savings options with an understanding of team skills, knowledge and experience (key strengths). • Access to HR 21 for craft and front-line employees to enable leave to be monitored has not fully progressed although work has been undertaken to map this out. Due to limited resources this will be carried over to 25/26 Page 174
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3 • A further Compliance W4U Officer role was filled (internally) in January 25 to support the Compliance team with regards to the Commissioned services and funder demands from Scottish and UK Governments. 2 Modern Apprentices commenced to support Admin- developing their skills and knowledge to support the achievement of their SQV and supporting the administration of W4U. • Continued improvement of wellbeing within Building Services - Significant progress made with long term sick and light duties and improved in-service process of HR practices in service. • Development of communication plan into digital channels - Information and briefings sent to all employees including key messages out of devices to operative emails. People & Technology – Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer • Reviewed & re-visit team meeting set up to ensure knowledge sharing and development to showcase individual & team successes in Business Support • Focus remained on ensuring the SWITCH process is effective with regular reviews of roles and supporting Council savings, service reviews and SOM compliance. Identification of long-term vacant posts and requirements have been reviewed for this purpose. • A review of the Succession Planning framework is underway and plan to roll out in phases. This commenced with CO and senior management • Council’s equality plan, particularly in relation to the use and collection of equality data and outcomes from various equality audits has been delayed due to resource being diverted to support VS/VER and re-structures. Page 175
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4 grades in 2024/25. • Manager Workforce Planning Sessions have emphasised the need for the internal job market to be exhausted in the first instance and connection to Council savings. Work will focus on improving the employee experience going forward. • Launch of new cycle to work scheme, counselling service and re-launched 'My Money Matters' across the Council and promoted a range of financial wellbeing webinars. • At service level HR have created a number of different forums for advisers to gain support and knowledge based on the changing demands in the service, for example VS/VER, pension and case management forums. • New team members have been inducted and settled. Learning needs and support have been provided to date based on requirements and skill/knowledge base. Job shadowing and a buddy system has provided beneficial • Completed and improved knowledge sharing practices now in place in ICT. Team meetings timeslots have been extended to showcase individual and team success. In addition, our annual in-person ICT team meeting presentations focus on success and achievements of previous year. • Annual ICT Customer Satisfaction survey - based on user feedback defined an action plan to improve the ICT service. All milestones completed with improvement actions in Page 176
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5 progress and will be a continuous improvement. • Further developments in the workforce planning console to support the management of intermittent absence and stress risk assessment process has been completed. • Trickle use continues to be promoted for engagement and there has been a realignment of the employee recognition awards with the Council's ACHIEVE values. Resources, Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer • Across the service teams are supporting flexible working arrangement especially in areas where skills and experience are hard to access, enhancing employee engagement and job satisfaction via 121 and team meetings and building a supportive and inclusive work environment. • In Asset management additional engagement across the team will come via Trickle Campion appointed. • Work shadowing is carried out across the service with development opportunities in particular across Building Services. Trainee surveyor post planned to deal with national skills shortage. • Temporary structure now in place which will allow for succession planning for Business Partner roles in Finance with a career pathway being established. • Asset Management commenced looking at a ‘growing your own’ initiative to develop staff. • The Lead Authority Model for Internal Audit with a third Council is no longer progressing. The Council will require to review the model internally. • The Shared Service Manager - Audit & Fraud was absent for a significant part of the financial year and therefore work has been delayed due to resources. Page 177
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6 Roads & Neighbourhood, Gail McFarlane, Chief Officer • Regular encouragement to review Trickle and promoted via Team Leaders and Co- ordinators. • Review and monitor gender and age of workforce in Waste Services and Roads - Ensure talent pipeline for aging Workforce & continue to breakdown gender stereotypical roles through Modern Apprentice (MA) and recruitment Programmes - Information session in schools are held to support the attraction of MA into roles within the service. Work will continue in this space to improve the gender balance. • Continue regular team meetings and engagement sessions with front-line employees providing a forum for feedback. Be the best held regularly with employees and completed skill profiles for all roles and developed training plans to meet the skills gap. Regular toolbox talk to update on key themes in Roads • Succession planning - considerations already in place for Team Leader level in greenspace & waste through upskilling and available resources to undertake roles on an acting up basis. Training discussed at the Be the Best Conversations to enable upskilling and succession planning when key post holders retire. Training needs identified and this has resulted in the development of training plans where employees have been trained on key priority areas where there are skills gaps to • Review Succession planning requirements with team - Corporate framework has now been rolled out to Chief Officer/Service Manager level and consideration of requirements is currently underway. Plans in place to complete this by end of April 2025. Page 178
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7 improve resilience and opportunity for growth and development. Regulatory & Regeneration Services, Alan Douglas, Chief Officer • Circulated details of Trickle encouraging colleagues to review. • Improvements in relation to engagement for morale building - Weekly catch ups in place, monthly meetings in office and team building event taken place with Regular Be the Best in procurement. Case Study: Housing & Employability – Building Services - Development of communication plan into digital channels - Information and briefings sent to all employees: A communications plan was developed which has been successfully rolled out and has been in place for a number of years. However, Building Services front line team are not on the Councils' network meaning important information and announcements both corporately (administrator massages) and locally were not being directly received by our valued team members. Key changes across the Council to address budget gaps, Housing Revenue Account budget challenges and Phase 3 of the review of Building Services structure and delivery model required to be progressed with effective communications being imperative to successfully implementing and achieving the necessary changes. A communication plan was developed for the review of Building Services Structure and delivery model and face to face consultation meetings commenced in October 2023 and these will continue until all necessary changes to the structure and delivery model of services have been successfully completed. Good progress has been made on the implementation of phase 3 and it is anticipated; all necessary changes will be completed in 2025. Whilst the communication plan included face to face meetings, monthly team briefs, workforce updates and one to ones offered to all front-line team members, we needed to ensure important and essential information was being sent and received electronically to front line team members devices. All team members were asked / helped to set up Gmail accounts on their devices and we are now able to send information direct to their devices. Line managers advise team members to review messages within their Gmail accounts to ensure team members are aware important information has been sent to their devices. In addition, we send links for Council employee surveys and bulk text messages direct to devices to allow employee feedback. The next steps are to further explore opportunities to establish if there is scope to reduce the reliance on manual processes, atomise forward transmission of notices and develop messaging services via the Aareon Mobile App. Page 179
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8 2. Recruitment & Retention Strategy Develop and implement employee life cycle plans in line with the People First Strategy to attract and retain the workforce. Service Progress Key Actions Exceptions Citizens, Culture and Facilities – Amanda Graham, Chief Officer • Steps for next phase of Facilities Management service review identified and commenced as informed by the working groups with a view to addressing recruitment and retention challenges where possible. Education Learning and Attainment – Laura Mason, Chief Officer • Continue to embed leadership pathways ensuring a robust talent pipeline for promoted Teaching posts. Improvements made in 24/25 now being embedded with further improvements to be identified and implemented in 25/26. Housing & Employability – Peter Barry, Chief Officer • Approved structure for Phase 3 and now implementing. +5% turnover with majority being internal promotions which is positive. • Review of Team Leader Housing & surrounding Recruitment & Retention Risks completed, submitted job evaluations for the roles as well as improving access to opportunities to improve skills and knowledge. • Recruitment of key roles for Building services in particular to voids and income generation- part of wider service redesign work and dependent on SRRG approval. Not replaced craft due to financial constraints and struggled with key roles such as electricians. Currently have a number of Fixed Term contracts which still require review for permanency. Page 180
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9 People & Technology – Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer • Review of requirements and resources in management structure of ICT, CAS, Transactional & SHR to ensure future resilience - This continues to be achieved via workload and management structures review both via SOM and the savings exercise. • Resources are tight across all teams in P&T. Many are now delivering statutory requirements only. • March 25 - Sept 24 - Supervisor layer completed with the appointment of Application supervisor and Service Desk Team Leader. This allows section leads to priorities strategic tasks rather than day to day line management. Development of Section Leads is continuous. • Continued support and development of HR Grad role to ensure succession planning for future needs of SHR - Development of this role has proved successful in HR grad has secured a permanent HR Adviser role and continues to develop. • ICT/Comms team used social media to widen recruitment advertisements for ICT roles which saw a large increase in volume of applicants. • All milestones completed and career pathway process for ICT will be continuous year on year. • Actions delayed and will be carried forward to 20/25/26. A review of the succession planning across all teams has been undertaken to ensure resilience. • Year 2 of the recruitment work plan (onboarding) has commenced with user research for new employees and recruiting managers. • Continued development of People First with targeted attraction and recruitment - Resource has been diverted to support VS/VER and restructures. The team have started scoping this work and making contacts, but much is still to be undertaken in this area • Review role of social media in wider recruitment advertising - No resource available to progress due to other pressures in HR. Some work is going on nationally in this area and the team are contributing via this route Page 181
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10 Resources, Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer • New temporary structure is in place for succession planning within Finance. • The temporary structure change to be implemented in the Finance team and consideration of the future structure in the Internal Audit and Fraud teams will provide career development and pathway opportunities. The Automation team will continue to engage with services to identify opportunities to automate tasks which will free up resource and provide for greater job satisfaction. • Development of skills and capacity through RPA (Robotics Process Automation) Centre of Excellence - Discussion re funding for the post for 2025/26 approved however limited opportunities for widening skillsets despite options being considered via digital teams within the council and support from the Digital Office and UiPath. Roads & Neighbourhood, Gail McFarlane, Chief Officer • Review Modern Apprenticeships in Roads to ensure provide opportunity to transition into qualified roles (subject to vacancies). • Role requirements have been adjusted to take account of the HGV License with the opportunity for candidates to be able to work towards this qualification within 12 months of being in role. Enabled two apprentices to transition into the permanent Roadworker Driver roles and both are currently being supported to achieve their HGV license. • Review turnover figures for all services and analyse reasons for leaving and exit questionnaire to understand areas of improvement - Analysis has been concluded with action plan to support improvement. • Role profiles in hard to fill posts / high levels of turnover to improve attractiveness of role via job design and principles of the fair work - Role profiles are updated as roles become vacant however, further work remains in this space and will continue in 2025/26 to improve job quality. Page 182
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11 Regulatory & Regeneration Services, Alan Douglas, Chief Officer • Climate Change & Energy Co-ordinator role being filled • Work has been undertaken to understand the requirements of a graduate apprentice schemes and an alternative approach to utilise the existing Modern Apprenticeship Scheme will be considered in the future and where budgets allow. • Revision of recruitment process led to successful recruitment of external solicitor • Within Development Management and Building Standards Recruitment has been successful into some vacant posts, with others underway. Actions for each part of the service are underway, flexible graded posts to attract a wider pool of candidates has been successful and consideration of MA roles continue. Also related to ongoing work at regional and national levels. • Review hard to recruit roles within service - District Heating Lead Discussions ongoing with CO and District Heating Board re potential solution. • Whilst steps were taken to develop the apprenticeship role in legal, matters were unable to be progressed due to funding issues. Case Study: Resources– Finance Services - Succession Planning (Temporary Structure): Over the past 12 months we identified three material issues within Finance which, if planned for appropriately, provide an opportunity for succession planning to ensure we meet and enhance future Council finance support needs. 1. Multiple Finance Business Partners are approaching retirement age and likely to leave the Council within the next 18-24 months. This will result in the loss of significant experience of providing financial support across all Council services. 2. The current finance system is close to end of life and needs replaced. It is essential we progress with the design and implementation of a new system to ensure the Council has a fully supported, future proofed finance system. 3. Following issues during the 2023/24 year-end gaps were identified in the support provided to the Finance Manager in the preparation and compilation of the annual accounts including support with external audit requirements. Page 183
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12 A temporary redesign of the team structure was considered essential to provide capacity to facilitate the timely selection and implementation of a new finance system. When considering the new structure consideration was also given to how best to support the Finance Manager for year end and external audit tasks. To facilitate the finance system project there was a need to backfill 0.7FTE of a Finance Business Partner role with the remaining 0.3 FTE retained to support the current finance system while the replacement is ongoing. Succession planning identified a gap in terms of grades, skillset, and progression opportunity for accountants. To tackle this, we backfilled the 0.7 FTE Finance Business Partner post and created a second Finance Business Partner post to take on Revenue consolidation and Capital & Treasury consolidation, providing a more consolidated approach to reporting. These posts have been recruited from existing accountants. This created a gap at accountant grade which we have managed through recruiting a 2-year fixed term accountant. These new posts are providing the successful candidates with development opportunities to expand their knowledge, experience and skills and provide resilience within the finance team. The temporary restructure has also helped address gaps within the finance team including single points of failure, support for the Finance Manager during year end and with the external audit process and help enhance current service deliverables and support succession planning within the service. The temporary two-year structure will allow further consideration of the Finance team structure required in the future and inform a further phase of re-structure over the next 24 months. We will continue to monitor and evaluate our approach around succession planning and recruitment following the implementation of the new finance system and as our priorities shift. This will provide for the provision of internal opportunities and also help retain and attract finance talent to the Council. Priority 3: Roles & Structures Strategy: Implement service review process including role design, use of new technology and new ways of working to add resilience, address gaps, and establish opportunities for efficiencies. Service Progress Key Actions Exceptions Citizens, Culture and Facilities – Amanda Graham, Chief Officer • Successful engagement with Libraries teams in relation to co-location of libraries to ensure effective transition and any employee impact is managed in line with policy - Parkhall, Balloch and Dalmuir libraries have collocated with employee impact minimised by retaining level of staffing in each affected branch and working collaboratively on any Page 184
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13 issues. • Reviewed actions arising from Libraries Strategy to identify any workforce implications - Action complete and monitored as library strategy develops in 2025-26 and is implemented. • Library staff have completed Health Literacy Training, and a library Health and Wellbeing Group has been formed. A digital skills audit is currently developed for roll out in 25/26. • Health Literacy training has been identified as required and will be delivered by NHS Public Health in 2025. Digital skills also require some upskilling to widen digital access offer in all libraries. • Identified for implementation a suitable operating model for Faifley Campus in FM. Education Learning and Attainment – Laura Mason, Chief Officer • Review of staffing for Riverside completed and implementation of children's support services review to be carried forward into 25/26 due to further work carried out as part of early engagement phase. • Identify and implement required process improvements in the applications for school transport • Automation currently being scoped in terms of admin tasks alongside opportunities that Sharepoint will bring. • Implementation of Parents Portal has enabled tasks and opportunities to be digitised. Housing & Employability – Peter Barry, Chief Officer • Completion of Building Services Review & embed – delayed due to Job evaluation requirements. Progress has been made to enter Phase 3. Still require some posts from Phase 2 to be filled but significant progress made. • Resizing of frontline teams in Building Services in line with service redesign. Completed as part of Phase 3 model of • Automated Productivity reports on power BI dashboards is due to go live for craft operatives for further efficiency. Page 185
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14 improvement and moving to implementation. • Building services reviewed for SOM compliance at SRRG in January 2025 under Phase 3. • Implemented additional controls and approval processes to ensure only necessary works and projects completed around HRA account. Reduce work to workforce and turnover. Completed necessary controls for 24/25 reducing costs, work to contractors and overtime. Will continue into 2025/26 • Further review required of structure due to consultancy team coming into this area of the service during 2024/25 around HRA account. • Consultancy Services have embedded in team and a capital saving has been made. • Considered Housing Development Structure and Strategic Operating Model compliance within identified risks around delivery of housing investment and service priorities. New service structure provides revenue savings. • Reviewed CCTV roles and structure. • Facilitate team development discussions in Working 4U in line with statutory and funders external strategic plans to identify current and future service needs and implement through BTB conversations and developed CPD plans - Regular 1-1 support and supervision meetings with individuals and their line managers, team meetings as well as management meetings enables discussions about service delivery with a focus on current and future service needs in line with external and internal funding requirements. • Consideration of preparation for condensed hours in Building services - still remains at preparation stage due to resource restrictions and delay of service re-design. Preparation work has been completed. Consultation would be the next steps Page 186
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15 People & Technology – Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer • P&T Teams are SOM compliant with review of roles following budget savings and leavers to ensure spread of tasks and automation where possible. • Two new ICT management roles complied with SOM and budget requirements. • Review of current ICT structure, teams and roles and responsibilities to meet needs of Microsoft 365 rollout - March 25 completed and will continue during 25/26 project rollout. • Recruitment of fixed term resources to ensure ICT projects such as remote access and Windows 11 upgrades could continue. • Infrastructure Modern Apprentice is in place learning server, network and cyber areas. • ICT teams are developing data skills and roles during Sharepoint implementation. • Review of Data Management provision and re-prioritisation of needs around function. Considering how to develop skills or share resources - Work on this area has commenced. A capital bid is being considered for investment in this area Resources, Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer • Review of all roles across Business Support to ensure they are fit for purpose and in line with current practices. • Due to lead authority model discussions not progressing the Audit & Fraud review has been delayed Roads & Neighbourhood, Gail McFarlane, Chief Officer • Analysis of overtime and use of casual workers has been concluded. There is limited use of casual workers across the service. Overtime remains an area of consideration in line with the service needs. Further work continues to understand if re-modelling the workforce can be achieved and this will be done in 2025/26. • Completion of Roads Service Review to deliver a compliant service - Analysis has been undertaken and consideration of statutory requirements is complete. A review of the critical roles to ensure resilience is now complete. A Page 187
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16 proposal is under development and planned to progress in 2025/26. Regulatory & Regeneration Services, Alan Douglas, Chief Officer • Recruited new members to the core election team to cover for members who will shortly leave Council employment. • Key staff have been identified and trained during two by- elections and the UK General Election held in 2024. • Hard to Recruit District Heating Lead role - discussions underway with CO and District Heating Board. • Licensing assistants taking on new role and also work continuing to shadow senior officer. Licensing Standards officers have supported Trading Standards Officers in Trading Standards operations. • Consideration of MA roles within Development Management and Building Standards is underway and is also related to ongoing work at regional and national levels. Internal recruitment and upskilling existing staff and supporting professional competence accreditations (e.g. RICS or RTPI) to be embedded into BTB conversations and training and development plans. Ongoing support for officers to take up CPD opportunities. • The service has been successful in securing a funded place on the University of West of Scotland Planning degree course for a Support Officer within the Technical Support Team. • Building Standards - process review and business case for new Electronic Document Management System to replace current failing system opportunities for more automated/efficient workflow is being explored. • Internal recruitment to the Lead Building Standards Surveyor post has been successful. Recruitment is underway to fill 3 vacant posts but as that represents 60% • SOM Compliance - Ongoing discussions to identify issues. • Procurement - looked to improve internal team development through CPD and involvement in more complex tasks. Cannot fully complete as the single point of failure identified. Currently looking at alternative ways of securing additional resource. Page 188
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17 of the team, agency support requires to be continued which will be stepped down as posts are filled to establishment levels. Case Study: Roads & Neighbourhood – Waste Services - Analysis of Overtime: The Service has undertaken a Fit for Future service review and an element of this was reviewing overtime payments with a view to reducing. This identified a reliance on drivers from out with the Waste service area to cover where shortages were occurring at an additional cost. This was due to not having adequate drivers with the required skills within waste service and evidenced a reliance on drivers from out with the service to deliver an essential service. A skills gap analysis was therefore undertaken to identify operatives that could be upskilled to provide the required resilience and a training programme implemented. In addition, the introduction and use of the missed bin bot has provided information to support the service to programme service activities more effectively and to reduce the services reliance on overtime to ensure bin uplifts are completed. The outcome is that the level of overtime incurred has reduced and the resilience of the wider service has increased. The next steps will be to analyse and identify if there is a future phase of implementation that provides increased resilience across the service. As the service continues to explore opportunities across the wider Roads and Neighbourhood Service we would anticipate that this will support workforce planning and retention, skills shortage and mitigate the impacts of a workforce where a number of individuals are approaching retirement age in the near future. 4. Skills & Capabilities Strategy Develop and implement training plans and development opportunities to improve capabilities and resilience within the workforce. Service Progress Key Actions Exceptions Citizens, Culture and Facilities – Amanda Graham, Chief Officer • Upskilling for web team to be implemented to support replacement of Caboodle system - The site is live and been used. The site was reviewed where Contact Centre raised a few issues and able to resolves these and so far, is a success. • Contact Centre team to be upskilled in relation to changes in complaints procedure - all staff were reminded/updated on the complaints process. Page 189
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18 • Upskilling in relation to service design to take place in Facilities Management and knowledge of HR practices to be embedded across team for Team Leaders. • New practices in place from audit actions in FM. Training session at welcome back meetings on new processes Stock training. Education Learning and Attainment – Laura Mason, Chief Officer • Session on workforce console delivered to Head Teachers, flexible working briefing developed for Head Teachers (delivery scheduled for early 25/26. • Work is ongoing with the development of the staffing model being undertaken and consideration being given as to how the new space can be most effectively used. Due for completion in 25/26 once new space is operational at Faifley Campus • Identified leadership structure required for Faifley campus and implement as far as possible in time for opening - Consultation commenced and scheduled to be completed in time for opening. • Participate as required and identify actions from national project to assess skills required by Teachers in the classroom and leadership capabilities - Achieved for this year; work with West Partnership on self-evaluation moving into next year. Learning from care inspections now identified and to be taken forward in 25/26. Housing & Employability – Peter Barry, Chief Officer • All front-line managers completing ilearn course and new manager induction. Work is still on-going around this and for refresher training and will continue into 25/26 in Building Services. • Review of Skills gaps for New Technology, net zero & legislation continuing • Review of training needs for Housing in line with Succession • Build on Housing Academy – Progress limited due to resourcing pressures in Housing and Page 190
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19 planning outcomes • Upskilling of Senior Caretaker roles for 1st line Management capabilities • 3-year Continuous Development Plan to scope and identify additional skill requirements for W4U - Staff have participated in training from HSCP partners on trauma informed practice and using online resources to support mental wellbeing for service users. • Staff, volunteers and partners are supported to deliver high quality Community Learning opportunities through Education Scotland delivering sessions to stakeholders and the Regional Learning festival offering a range of CPD learning both online and in-person. Staff development is a main theme within the 3 Year CLD Plan for West Dunbartonshire 24-27. • Relevant staff are encouraged to attend national networks – SLAED, CLDMS to ensure their knowledge on national developments remains up to date. • A training needs analysis with Welfare Rights and Macmillan Money staff has identified those who require Appeals training which is a priority for 25/26. W4U, to be carried over in 2025/26 • Development of Assistant Housing Officer skills and development matrix People & Technology – Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer • Self learning and development is identified, encouraged and supported. • Ensure learning and development within HR Adviser roles following known turnover of employees - ongoing with a particular look at digital. • All teams have attended available training, take advantage of CPD opportunities and look for networking and development opportunities both internal and externally • ICT team development continues with training and skills focus on recent new technologies such as M365 and • Digital skills training has been provided but take up has been limited. This has also been seen with automation, further investment and Page 191
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20 Remote Access deployment. • All cyber analysts have attended industry standard training to improve skillset and knowledge. The team are also cross skilling where possible. The council has received additional Cyber training budget, and this will be used wider across the ICT team improve Cyber skills. • Investment in leadership development will continue each year. Section Leads are attending SOCITIM and GCU courses to improve skills. New line managers are attending Council leadership development courses. a mindset shift required in this area to ensure WDC does not fall behind especially given the volume of work nationally Resources, Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer • Asset management and Business Support will continue to work with ICT and Digital teams to explore opportunities and ways to deploy the same • For O365 that has been implemented, Finance have had appropriate training. • Structure in place for Finance team for shadowing allowing for learning and development across the team as people take on new roles and responsibilities. • Further work required in Audit & Fraud team to Ensure development of digital skills in line with roll out of new technologies (O365) and new ways of working for automation of processes Roads & Neighbourhood, Gail McFarlane, Chief Officer • Opportunities are being identified and explored with Glasgow City Council under the Net Zero Collaboration Agreement. This allows the service to be upskilled through shared learning and to provide upskilling opportunities to our partner. • Targeted training has been delivered in Roads, Greenspace & Waste and competence in this area is being monitored. All new line managers attend the New Managers Induction Page 192
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21 programme. • Upskilling of HGV Drivers to be able to meet winter gritting demands Regulatory & Regeneration Services, Alan Douglas, Chief Officer • CPD options have been challenging as they have predominantly been limited to no cost solutions. Team meetings are focused on providing learning via Procurement Manager, team bringing lessons learned, guest speakers both internal and external. • Work has been undertaken to ensure team members are aware of the benefits of CPD to support succession planning and career development. Regular Be the Best conversations support these discussions throughout the team. Plans are in place to support further development throughout 2025/26. • Details circulated of relevant CPD opportunities on a regular basis and encouragement given to attend CPD. Funds made available to allow solicitors to attend the SOLAR Spring conference. Also, CPD facilitated for Trading Standards in relation to area identified as development need. • Solicitors attending committee meetings. Solicitors in the Litigation section shadowing colleagues dealing with other types of work. Solicitor in Contracts & Property Section has shadowed Litigation Solicitor dealing with a Child Protection Order. • Building Services have been successful in securing a funded place on the University of West of Scotland Planning Degree course for a Support Officer within the Technical Support Team. The officer is being supported as a trainee planner, whilst carrying out the support officer function, aiding future resilience to support the continued development of the planning profession to address a nationwide shortage Page 193
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22 of planners. • Consideration of MA roles within Development Management and Building Standards is underway and is also related to ongoing work at regional and national levels. Internal recruitment and upskilling existing staff and supporting professional competence accreditations. Case Study: Regulatory & Regeneration Services – Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health – Development Management and Building Standards Skills and Resources: All parts of the service have had difficulty recruiting due to several factors, but a significant one being the nationwide shortage of qualified officers entering the system to replace natural loss (for example due to retirement or move to other parts of the profession, i.e. the private sector). Within Planning, this has been recognised nationally by the Scottish Government and by the professional body that represents planners, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), and a number of workstreams are underway at a national level to address this, including supporting courses and providing bursaries to encourage intake into the system. Building Standards have similar issues, although not to the same extent as planning at a national level, and the Scottish Building Standards Hub and Building Standards Division (Scottish Government) continue to support a variety of options to increase the intake of qualified surveyors into the system, including Modern Apprenticeships and day release courses to HNC/HND level. The Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health Service has a strong commitment to supporting the growth and development of individuals to support career aspirations and resilience within the team, and supporting our respective professions. Several colleagues within the service have expressed interest in developing their own skills and gaining qualifications to allow them to move into either planning officer or building standards surveyor roles and we have supported them to do so. In December 2024 we were successful in gaining a fully funded place on a new 18-month planning course at the University of West of Scotland, which was initially taken up by a Support Officer within the Technical Support Team. Similarly, the service is currently working towards supporting another officer to attend a fully funded 2-year day release HNC course in Architectural Technology as part of a pathway to a career in Building Standards. Gaining a qualification whilst working in the service is a route we will continue to explore as part of a future workforce planning exercise, expected within the next 12 months. In the short term, the service is working towards establishing a formal role, within existing structures, to support the HNC course and resilience within Building Standards. In addition to these workstreams, to support individuals and service resilience, existing officers are encouraged to undertake actions to support their continued professional development and where applicable, encouraged to gain professional accreditation by their professional body. Page 194
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Appendix 2 – Workforce Profile and Monitoring Report – 31st March 2025 This appendix provides information on the workforce demographic, allowing for monitoring of trends and consideration of workforce impacts and includes headcount, contract status, grade, sex and gender profiles, length of service, new starts, turnover and leavers and analysis of employees released through early retirement and voluntary severance. Also included is information relating to redeployment through the SWITCH process and sickness absence. 1. Headcount Table 1.1 below relates to the year-end workforce profile as at 31st March 2025 and examines changes in that profile over time. Table 1.1 When compared to the same period last year the headcount has decreased by 110 overall. This is due to reductions of 249 permanent contracts and 10 apprenticeships but an increase of 49 fixed term contracts. The casual headcount has increased by 9 and invigilators by 2. Apprentice Fixed-Term Permanent Total Casual Invigilators Citizen Culture & Facilities 0 53 585 667 29 0 Education 5 119 925 1169 41 79 Housing 36 29 502 569 2 0 People & Technology 1 19 191 211 0 0 Regulatory & Regeneration 0 4 105 114 5 0 Resources 0 6 164 170 0 0 Roads & Neighbourhood 17 48 366 459 28 0 Chief Exec Office 59 278 2838 3359 105 79 Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 0 23 229 278 26 0 Community Health & Care 0 97 859 1012 56 0 Finance & Resources 0 1 5 6 0 0 Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 0 2 128 130 0 0 Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 0 1 33 34 0 0 Health & Social Care Partnership 0 124 1254 1460 82 0 Strategic Management 0 0 12 12 0 0 Local Government Employees Total 59 402 4104 4565 187 79 Education (Teachers) 0 156 870 1026 438 0 Council Wide Total 59 558 4974 5591 625 79 Page 195
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Table 1.2 shows this year’s figures compared to the last 5 years and illustrates a reduction in apprenticeship roles since 2024, after seeing an increase between 2023 – 2024. It also captures the steady decline in the workforce; -2.5% in the permanent headcount with an increase of 1% in the fixed term headcount. Table 1.2 Headcount Variance Table 1.3 below provides more information on the variance across all services with the comparison data illustrating the steady reduction of the workforce. Table 1.3 Variance across services (in headcount) No. % of Total Yrly Var No. % of Total Yrly Var No. % of Total Yrly Var No. Yrly Var 31/03/2021 73 1.23% -18% 552 9.29% -5% 5318 89.48% 2% 5943 1% 31/03/2022 54 0.91% -7% 527 8.91% -1% 5335 90.18% 1% 5916 -1% 31/03/2023 62 1.06% 1% 485 8.26% -1% 5326 90.69% -1% 5873 -1% 31/03/2024 69 1.17% 1% 509 8.92% 4% 5123 91.44% -3% 5701 -3% 31/03/2025 59 1.05% 0.00% 558 9.98% 1% 4974 88.96% -2.50% 5591 -2% Total 31/03/2021 - 31/03/2025 Overall Headcount Variance Apprentices Fixed Term Permanent 2025 compared to 2024 Citizen Culture & Facilities 0 -1 53 18 585 -45 638 -28 Education 5 -2 119 9 925 -28 1049 -21 Housing 36 -3 29 21 502 -41 567 -23 People & Technology 1 1 19 1 191 3 211 5 Regulatory & Regeneration 0 -1 4 -3 105 4 109 0 Resources 0 -3 6 4 164 -1 170 0 Roads & Neighbourhood 17 0 48 16 366 21 431 37 Chief Exec Office 59 -9 278 24 2838 -87 3175 -72 Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 0 0 23 5 229 0 252 5 Community Health & Care 0 0 97 54 859 -52 956 2 Finance & Resources 0 0 1 -1 5 0 6 -1 Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 0 -1 2 -12 128 2 130 -11 Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 0 0 1 1 33 2 34 3 Health & Social Care Partnership 0 -1 124 47 1254 -48 1378 -2 Strategic Management 0 0 0 0 12 1 12 1 Local Government Employees Total 59 -10 402 71 4104 -136 4565 -75 Education (Teachers) 0 0 156 -22 870 13 1026 -9 Council Wide Total 59 -10 558 49 4974 -149 5591 -110 Apprentice Fixed-Term Permanent Total Page 196
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During the reporting period 2024/25 there has been changes in the structures for Citizen Culture & Facilities (CCF) and Housing which is reflective of the re-structures that are currently in progress resulting in savings being made, turnover and also an increase in temporary contracts to ensure resilience during implementation. During 2024/5 this also saw the re-structure of various teams including Working 4U moving to Roads and Neighbourhood, increasing headcount in this service with a relative headcount decrease in Housing. Table 1.4 Casual Variance Table 1.4 shows the casual variance headcount compared to last year and shows an increase of 9 casual workers registered for work with the Council. Invigilators were previously reported in this category but have been separated as they are not covered by any bargaining group (Local Government or Teachers) and their pay is reclaimed from SQA. Casual Invigilators Citizen Culture & Facilities 29 6 0 0 Education 41 -21 79 2 Housing 2 0 0 0 People & Technology 0 0 0 0 Regulatory & Regeneration 5 0 0 0 Resources 0 0 0 0 Roads & Neighbourhood 28 3 0 0 Chief Exec Office 105 -12 79 2 Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 26 6 0 0 Community Health & Care 56 -8 0 0 Finance & Resources 0 0 0 0 Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 0 0 0 0 Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 0 0 0 0 Health & Social Care Partnership 82 2 0 0 Strategic Management 0 0 0 0 Local Government Employees Total 187 -14 79 2 Education (Teachers) 438 23 0 0 Council Wide Total 625 9 79 2 Page 197
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2. Full time Equivalent Table 2.1 Table 2.2 Overall FTE Variance Trends indicate a continuing increase in fixed term contracts and a reduction in permanent contracts continuing into 2024/25. Apprentice Fixed-Term Permanent Total Citizen Culture & Facilities 0.00 24.67 385.85 410.52 Education 5.00 86.56 742.73 834.29 Housing 36.00 28.29 479.14 543.43 People & Technology 1.00 19.00 173.65 193.65 Regulatory & Regeneration 0.00 3.80 99.40 103.20 Resources 0.00 6.00 148.80 154.80 Roads & Neighbourhood 17.00 44.25 335.72 396.97 Chief Exec Office 59.00 212.56 2365.29 2636.86 Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 0.00 21.20 202.84 224.04 Community Health & Care 0.00 67.44 639.13 706.56 Finance & Resources 0.00 1.00 4.80 5.80 Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 0.00 2.00 109.92 111.92 Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 0.00 1.00 30.04 31.04 Health & Social Care Partnership 0.00 92.64 986.73 1079.37 Strategic Management 0.00 0.00 12.00 12.00 Local Government Employees Total 59.00 305.20 3364.02 3728.22 Education (Teachers) 0.00 142.60 788.50 931.10 Council Wide Total 59.00 447.80 4152.52 4659.32 No. % of Total Yrly Var No. % of Total Yrly Var No. % of Total Yrly Var No. Yrly Var 31/03/2021 73 1.47% -21% 464 9.31% -9% 4441 89.22% 2% 4977 -18% 31/03/2022 54 1.09% -35% 439 8.88% -6% 4453 90.03% 0% 4947 -1% 31/03/2023 61 1.24% 11% 414 8.43% -6% 4433 90.33% 0% 4908 -1% 31/03/2024 68 1.00% 1% 423 8.80% 1% 4269 89.68% -3% 4760 -4% 31/03/2025 59 1.26% -13% 448 9.61% 6% 4153 89.14% -2% 4659 -2% Overall FTE Variance 31/03/2021 - 31/03/2025 Apprentices Fixed Term Permanent Total Page 198
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3. Fixed Term Contracts There are 558 employees working on a fixed term basis and 143 of these hold fixed term contracts which have a duration exceeding 2 years (relevant for various employment rights). This is an increase from the previous year. The table below illustrates the location of these employees and compares to last year. The increase in Housing fixed term contracts is reflective of the current re-structure being implemented a number of internal candidates taking promoted secondments and redeployments for service delivery resilience. The movement of Working 4U into Roads and Neighbourhood would have also increased their temporary contract number due to a number of posts being linked to external funding. Table 3.1 2024 2025 Citizen Culture & Facilities 4 2 Education 23 31 Housing 43 24 People & Technology 5 4 Regulatory & Regeneration 5 4 Resources 3 2 Roads & Neighbourhood 22 39 Chief Exec Office 105 106 Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 4 7 Community Health & Care 4 4 Finance & Resources 1 0 Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 5 0 Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 0 0 Health & Social Care Partnership 14 11 Strategic Management 0 0 Local Government Employees Total 119 117 Education (Teachers) 17 26 Council Wide Total 136 143 Page 199
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4. Full time / Part time Split Table 4.1 The number of full time contracts has reduced this year by 105 and the number of part time contracts has also decreased by 5 reflective of the drop in headcount. Full-Time Part-Time Citizen Culture & Facilities 132 506 Education 388 661 Housing 485 82 People & Technology 163 48 Regulatory & Regeneration 89 20 Resources 118 52 Roads & Neighbourhood 355 76 Chief Exec Office 1730 1445 Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 186 66 Community Health & Care 177 779 Finance & Resources 5 1 Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 67 63 Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 26 8 Health & Social Care Partnership 461 917 Strategic Management 12 0 Local Government Employees Total 2203 2362 Education (Teachers) 710 316 Council Wide Total 2913 2678 Page 200
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5. Grade Profile Table 5.1 As shown above the most prominent grade amongst Local Government Employees remains Grade 4, followed by Grade 3. For teachers the most prominent grade remains a Main Grade Teacher. 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 Number of staff under each grade Page 201
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6. Sex Profile Table 6.1 The sex profile remains consistent with 73.6% of the workforce female and 26.4% male. There are no significant changes across the workforce with female predominance in Education and HSCP and male predominance in Roads and Neighbourhood and Housing & Employability. Headcount Percentage Headcount Percentage Citizen Culture & Facilities 539 84.5% 99 15.5% Education 978 93.2% 71 6.8% Housing 149 26.3% 418 73.7% People & Technology 141 66.8% 70 33.2% Regulatory & Regeneration 66 60.6% 43 39.4% Resources 106 62.4% 64 37.6% Roads & Neighbourhood 86 20.0% 345 80.0% Chief Exec Office 2065 65.0% 1110 35.0% Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 208 82.5% 44 17.5% Community Health & Care 877 91.7% 79 8.3% Finance & Resources 6 100.0% 0 0.0% Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 83 63.8% 47 36.2% Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 29 85.3% 5 14.7% Health & Social Care Partnership 1203 87.3% 175 12.7% Strategic Management 8 66.7% 4 33.3% Local Government Employees Total 3276 71.8% 1289 28.2% Education (Teachers) 839 81.8% 187 18.2% Council Wide Total 4115 73.6% 1476 26.4% Female Male Page 202
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7. Age Profile Table 7.1 The distribution curve for the age demographic across the council remains consistent with previous years. The highest proportion of people are in the 55-59 age group, with age groups 40-44, 60-64, and 45-49 being the next age groups with the highest proportion. The percentage of employees working past 65 across the council has remained consistent since the previous period. 16-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65+ Citizen Culture & Facilities 0.8% 3.3% 4.5% 7.7% 11.4% 12.1% 9.9% 11.0% 14.7% 17.6% 7.1% Education 1.4% 4.6% 4.2% 5.8% 5.1% 12.1% 11.4% 13.0% 16.9% 15.5% 10.0% Housing 1.2% 3.6% 5.6% 8.6% 10.5% 12.5% 12.0% 12.6% 15.6% 12.9% 4.9% People & Technology 1.2% 3.6% 5.6% 8.6% 10.5% 12.5% 12.0% 12.6% 15.6% 12.9% 4.9% Regulatory & Regeneration 0.0% 0.8% 7.5% 8.3% 12.3% 15.5% 13.9% 13.1% 13.5% 9.1% 6.0% Resources 0.3% 2.8% 4.7% 8.9% 9.7% 8.4% 8.7% 12.7% 19.9% 17.2% 6.8% Roads & Neighbourhood 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 16.7% 16.7% 0.0% 0.0% 50.0% 0.0% 16.7% 0.0% Chief Exec Office 1.2% 3.6% 5.6% 8.6% 10.5% 12.5% 12.0% 12.6% 15.6% 12.9% 4.9% Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 0.0% 0.8% 7.5% 8.3% 12.3% 15.5% 13.9% 13.1% 13.5% 9.1% 6.0% Community Health & Care 0.3% 2.8% 4.7% 8.9% 9.7% 8.4% 8.7% 12.7% 19.9% 17.2% 6.8% Finance & Resources 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 16.7% 16.7% 0.0% 0.0% 50.0% 0.0% 16.7% 0.0% Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 0.0% 0.8% 3.1% 8.5% 8.5% 11.5% 13.8% 18.5% 17.7% 14.6% 3.1% Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 0.0% 0.0% 2.9% 5.9% 5.9% 14.7% 26.5% 11.8% 11.8% 17.6% 2.9% Health & Social Care Partnership 0.2% 2.2% 5.0% 8.7% 10.0% 10.1% 10.5% 13.4% 18.2% 15.5% 6.2% Strategic Management 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 16.7% 41.7% 8.3% 33.3% 0.0% Local Government Employees Total 0.9% 3.1% 5.4% 8.6% 10.3% 11.7% 11.6% 12.9% 16.4% 13.8% 5.3% Education (Teachers) 0.0% 3.0% 11.2% 16.4% 15.4% 17.0% 13.5% 9.6% 9.6% 2.8% 1.6% Council Wide Total 0.7% 3.1% 6.5% 10.1% 11.3% 12.7% 11.9% 12.3% 15.1% 11.8% 4.6% Page 203
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8. Length of Service Table 8.1 The distribution of Length of service has remained consistent with 2024, with the highest percentage remaining within 10 years or more. * Above data pertains to West Dunbartonshire Council service only (excluding continuous service with any public authority to which the redundancy Payments Modification Order (Local Government) 1983 (as amended applies). Headcount Percentage Headcount Percentage Headcount Percentage Citizen Culture & Facilities 58 9.1% 284 44.5% 296 46.4% Education 66 6.3% 537 51.2% 446 42.5% Housing 25 4.4% 236 41.6% 306 54.0% People & Technology 18 8.5% 91 43.1% 102 48.3% Regulatory & Regeneration 8 7.3% 48 44.0% 53 48.6% Resources 11 6.5% 38 22.4% 121 71.2% Roads & Neighbourhood 28 6.5% 169 39.2% 234 54.3% Chief Exec Office 214 6.7% 1403 44.2% 1558 49.1% Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 19 7.5% 92 36.5% 141 56.0% Community Health & Care 101 10.6% 458 47.9% 397 41.5% Finance & Resources 1 16.7% 1 16.7% 4 66.7% Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 6 4.6% 49 37.7% 75 57.7% Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 1 2.9% 12 35.3% 21 61.8% Health & Social Care Partnership 128 9.3% 612 44.4% 638 46.3% Strategic Management 0 0.0% 6 50.0% 6 50.0% Local Government Employees Total 342 7.5% 2021 44.3% 2202 48.2% Education (Teachers) 57 5.6% 427 41.6% 542 52.8% Council Wide Total 399 7.1% 2448 43.8% 2744 49.1% Less than 1 year 1 to 9 years 10 or more years Page 204
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9. New Starts Table 9.1 399 new employees joined the council in 2024/25 which is a decrease of 33 from last year. The table below shows this information by service and contract type. The largest percentage reduction in new starts is shown in Modern Apprenticeships. Apprentice Fixed-Term Permanent Total Citizen Culture & Facilities 0 35 23 58 Education 2 45 19 66 Housing 6 5 14 25 People & Technology 1 8 9 18 Regulatory & Regeneration 0 0 8 8 Resources 0 3 8 11 Roads & Neighbourhood 6 4 18 28 Chief Exec Office 15 100 99 214 Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 0 5 14 19 Community Health & Care 0 58 43 101 Finance & Resources 0 1 0 1 Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 0 1 5 6 Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 0 0 1 1 Health & Social Care Partnership 0 65 63 128 Strategic Management 0 0 0 0 Local Government Employees Total 15 165 162 342 Education (Teachers) 0 46 11 57 Council Wide Total 15 211 173 399 Page 205
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10. Turnover Table 10.1 The information above presents a decrease in turnover since the previous period, with a drop of 2.8% in total turnover. The leaver’s information in section 11 outlines that the vast majority of leavers remain as resignations and age retirals. Within the Roads & Neighbourhoods service there has been an increase in leavers since the year before and on further analysis the highest proportion of leavers left through resignations with this totalling 18 of the 60. A further 17 left due to age & ill health retirals, and 6 staff left due to end of contract dismissals. Staff at 1 April 2024 Staff at 1 April 2025 Average Leavers in Last 12 Months Turnover % Citizen Culture & Facilities 666 638 652 103 15.8% Education 1070 1049 1060 159 15.0% Housing 632 567 600 41 6.8% People & Technology 206 211 209 18 8.6% Regulatory & Regeneration 109 109 109 17 15.6% Resources 170 170 170 17 10.0% Roads & Neighbourhood 394 431 413 60 14.5% Chief Exec Office 3247 3175 3211 415 12.9% Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 247 252 250 24 9.6% Community Health & Care 954 956 955 138 14.5% Finance & Resources 7 6 7 2 30.8% Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 141 130 136 11 8.1% Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 31 34 33 0 0.0% Health & Social Care Partnership 1380 1378 1379 175 12.7% Strategic Management 13 12 13 0 0.0% Local Government Employees Total 4640 4565 4602.5 590 12.8% Education (Teachers) 1061 1026 1044 98 9.4% Council Wide Total 5701 5591 5646 688 12.2% Page 206
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11. Leavers The numbers of leavers has decreased in 2025 by 180 in comparison to 2024’s 868 leavers. 2024 was an increase from 855 employees leaving the organisation in 2023 compared to 795 in 2022, 490 in 2021, and 457 in 2020. Due to number of reasons for leaving the table has been split into two parts. This section will also detail employees who have accepted Early Retirement –Efficiencies / Redundancy, Flexible Retirement and Retirement between 55 – 59 years of age during the reporting period. It also notes the employees who have been added to the SWITCH Register. Table 11.1 Leavers Death in Service Dismissal - End of Cont Dismissal - Ill Heath Dismissal - Summary Dismissal - With Notice Employee Not Started Multi Post to Main Redundancy Resignation Retiral - Age Retiral - Efficiency Citizen Culture & Facilities * 6 9 * * * 6 * 48 16 * Education * 23 5 0 * * 13 0 74 25 0 Housing 0 * * 0 * 0 0 0 22 9 * People & Technology 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 * 6 * * Regulatory & Regeneration * 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 7 * * Resources 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 8 0 Roads & Neighbourhood * 6 * * 0 0 * 5 18 12 * Chief Exec Office * 42 18 * 6 * 20 9 180 77 12 Child Health Care & Criminal Justice * * * 0 0 0 0 0 12 5 0 Community Health & Care * * 11 * * * 6 0 69 19 0 Finance & Resources 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 * 7 * 0 Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Health & Social Care Partnership * 6 12 * * * 6 * 89 25 0 Strategic Management 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Local Government Employees Total 7 48 30 8 9 5 26 10 269 102 12 Education (Teachers) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 Council Wide Total 7 48 30 8 9 5 26 10 273 102 12 Page 207
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* Figures of under 5 have been removed and replaced with a * due to the possible identification of individuals. Table 11.2 Voluntary Early Retirement and Voluntary Severance (VS/VER - Efficiency/Redundancy) There had been a decline in employees being released through VER/VS since March 2024 however, due to the 2045/45 savings options a number of applications are still being considered and so this figure is likely to increase in 2025/6 depending on budget saving options. Retiral - Ill Health Retiral on Option (60+) Severance - Efficiency Teacher - End Fixed Term Teacher - Ill Health Teacher - Other Teacher - Retirement Age Teacher - Retirement Oth Teacher - Vol Resign Oth Unused Casual Total Citizen Culture & Facilities 5 * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 103 Education * * * * 0 0 0 0 0 * 159 Housing * * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 41 People & Technology * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 Regulatory & Regeneration 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 Resources 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 Roads & Neighbourhood 5 * * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 60 Chief Exec Office 17 11 9 * 0 0 0 0 0 * 415 Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 Community Health & Care 11 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 138 Finance & Resources 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Health & Social Care Partnership 11 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 175 Strategic Management 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Local Government Employees Total 28 22 9 * 0 0 0 0 0 * 590 Education (Teachers) 0 0 0 39 0 0 0 18 37 0 98 Council Wide Total 28 22 9 42 0 0 0 18 37 * 688 VER/VS 01/04 - 30/09 01/10 - 31/03 Annual Council Wide Total 31/03/2021 1 1 2 31/03/2022 0 0 0 31/03/2023 0 9 9 31/03/2024 46 2 48 31/03/2025 13 16 29 Page 208
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Table 11.3 Retirements 55-59 The Local Government Pension Scheme allows scheme members to retire from age 55 without employer consent. The terms of this provision allow members to access their pension benefits with an actuarial reduction applied (to compensate the fund for the member taking their benefits early) with no consequential costs for the council. There has been an increase of employees retiring and accessing their pension benefits since 2021 until the current period. Table 11.4 Flexible Retirement Flexible retirement is available to members of the Local Government Pension Scheme, excluding teachers. The approval of those employees granted flexible retirement is monitored by the Chief Officer, People and Technology and the Chief Officer, Resources. Every effort is being made to support flexible retirement requests where possible and services regularly revisit applications with a view to release. The table above shows the number of flexible retirements released in the period for this year and previous four reporting periods for comparison purposes. There has been a decrease this year for flexible retirement with this year’s figure showing the lowest figure since 2022. This decrease could be reflected on the 2024 pension Strain increase with less flexible retirements being released due to the cost. 55-59 01/04 - 30/09 01/10 - 31/03 Annual Council Wide Total 31/03/2021 3 4 7 31/03/2022 0 5 5 31/03/2023 6 4 10 31/03/2024 10 3 13 31/03/2025 8 8 16 Flexible 01/04 - 30/09 01/10 - 31/03 Annual Council Wide Total 31/03/2021 30 15 45 31/03/2022 10 28 38 31/03/2023 19 26 45 31/03/2024 23 39 62 31/03/2025 26 12 38 Page 209
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It is anticipated that Flexible Retirement will continue to be a popular option for employees who wish to work in a reduced capacity and access their pension whilst enabling the Council to retain their skills and experience, however the trend of a reduction in those released may continue due to the costs associated. 12. SWITCH (Redeployment) Redeployment is monitored and delivered centrally by Strategic HR. Employees are added to the SWITCH register for a number of different reasons:- • Through organisational change employees may be displaced, at risk of redundancy or placed in lower graded posts; • Due to ill-health they may become unable to continue in their substantive post; • Through Job Evaluation where a post is evaluated lower than the current grade; • Or where an employee is coming to the end of a fixed term contract and has more than 2 years’ service. To support employees to return to their previous rate of pay all employees who have been matched but remain on pay protection are also retained on the register. Table 12.1 below details the number of employees who were on the redeployment register at the start of the reporting period (01/04/2024), the number who joined the register in the 6 months up to 30/09/2024 and 31/03/2025 and the number who remain on the register at the end of the reporting period (31/03/2025). Page 210
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Table 12.1 SWITCH There has been a significant decrease in the number of employees being added to the Redeployment (SWITCH) Register between 1st April 2024 and 31st March 2025 and from 2023/24 with numbers decreasing in the category of organisational change. It has been recognised that there has been some challenges around employees willingness to enter the SWITCH process and the figures outlined above are for those who have completed a skills profiles. Discussions have been held with Trade Unions and managers in relation to the benefits of SWITCH and with employees within consultations for service re-designs. The Council holds a duty of care towards individuals and they will be automatically listed on SWITCH going forward where their roles are at risk. Reason Number of employees on the Register at the start of the period (01/04/2024) Number of employees added during the period Number of employees removed during the period Number of Employees on the register at the end of the period (30/09/2024) Number of employees added during the period Number of employees removed during the period Number of Employees on the register at the end of the period (31/03/2025) Ill Health (Capability) 6 2 0 6 0 3 3 Ill health (Disability) 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 Organisational Change 22 2 4 9 1 2 8 Other Process 2 1 1 2 0 1 1 TOTALS 31 6 5 18 1 7 12 Pay Protection 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 Page 211
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Apprentices Table 13.1 The number of apprenticeships supported by the council in Level 2 and Level 3 has decreased by 10. A reduction has been seen across Citizen Culture & Facilities, Education and Housing & Employability with five less Level 3 Apprentices in comparison to 2023/24. There has also been a reduction within Roads & Neighbourhoods with five less Level 2 Apprentices, however there has been a direct increase in Level 3, with apprentices moving up to the next level buy maybe not replaced at the entry level. Level 2 Level 3 Total Citizen Culture & Facilities 0 0 0 Education 0 5 5 Housing 0 36 36 People & Technology 0 1 1 Regulatory & Regeneration 0 0 0 Resources 0 0 0 Roads & Neighbourhood 5 12 17 Chief Exec Office 5 54 59 Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 0 0 0 Community Health & Care 0 0 0 Finance & Resources 0 0 0 Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 0 0 0 Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 0 0 0 Health & Social Care Partnership 0 0 0 Strategic Management 0 0 0 Local Government Employees Total 5 54 59 Education (Teachers) 0 0 0 Council Wide Total 5 54 59 Page 212
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13. Sickness Absence From 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025, there was an increase in Council wide sickness absence to 66814.70 FTE days lost compared to 65263.95 in 2023/24 with 14.3 FTE workdays lost per employee being reported, an increase from 13.74 in 2023/24. The highest absence still remains in the front-line employee service areas. Implementation of employee engagement and wellbeing practices continue and hope to bring improvements for future periods. Table 14.1 Annual Absence for Council The table below illustrates the reasons for absence distribution across the year and Minor Illness is the highest category of absence followed by personal stress and acute medical conditions which were the same 3 highest categories in 2023/24. Full details and analysis of sickness absence is covered in the wellbeing report submitted to committee. FTE Employees AR1 - Minor Illness AR2 - Back Pain AR3 - Musculo- skeletal Injuries AR4 - Stress Personal AR5 - Recur Medical Condition AR6 - Injury/Accident (Non Work) AR7 - Injury/Accident (Work) AR8 - Mental Health AR9 - Acute Medical Conditions AR10 - Pregnancy Related AR11 - Drink/Drug Related AR12 - Stress - Work Related AR15 - Long Covid Total Days Lost FTE Days Lost Total FTE Days Lost by FTE Employee Citizen Culture & Facilities 410.52 3144.95 855.1 2,150.2 2,030.0 996.1 694.0 44.0 2,025.5 3,118.3 251.0 0.0 549.1 87.9 15,946.1 6,679.2 16.3 Education 834.29 4788.87 274.6 1,297.6 3,766.9 1,805.2 384.9 913.1 1,763.4 3,274.8 421.1 0.0 1,324.4 207.1 20,221.9 12,572.8 15.1 Housing & Employability / Housing 543.43 2624.88 383.1 942.2 1,729.2 552.4 132.9 470.8 764.6 1,898.8 25.2 0.0 1,406.3 0.0 10,930.4 7,417.8 13.7 People & Technology 193.65 318.63 197.6 59.9 93.6 16.8 50.0 52.4 257.9 460.1 0.0 5.0 41.4 0.0 1,553.3 1,179.3 6.1 Regulatory & Regeneration 103.20 133.51 0.0 87.9 263.1 0.0 1.0 0.0 47.1 233.3 0.0 0.0 38.6 0.0 804.5 647.1 6.3 Resources 154.80 572.13 88.3 161.4 235.6 25.1 162.4 47.7 23.4 144.3 0.0 0.0 374.1 0.0 1,834.5 1,527.8 9.9 Roads & Neighbourhood 396.97 1791.21 465.4 607.3 1,174.6 920.0 433.3 359.4 172.1 2,133.7 5.0 0.0 249.0 0.0 8,311.0 4,763.6 12.0 Chief Exec Office 2636.86 13374.18 2,264.1 5,306.5 9,293.0 4,315.6 1,858.4 1,887.4 5,054.1 11,263.3 702.3 5.0 3,982.9 295.0 59,601.7 34,674.7 13.2 Child Health Care & Criminal Justice 224.04 1057.50 39.0 77.3 759.8 20.3 165.9 323.6 284.8 490.9 66.7 0.0 452.9 203.2 3,941.7 3,188.1 14.2 Community Health & Care 706.56 8673.09 1,970.3 6,052.9 6,071.8 1,204.0 987.8 142.8 1,924.8 5,866.4 459.3 75.7 1,365.5 352.1 35,146.5 19,501.1 27.6 Finance & Resources 5.80 2.00 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 6.0 5.6 1.0 Mental Health Addiction & Learning Disabilities 111.92 373.86 10.7 88.3 117.2 165.1 25.7 7.1 409.4 308.7 3.0 0.0 59.1 0.0 1,568.1 1,122.6 10.0 Strategy, Planning & Health Improvement 31.04 81.14 0.0 2.1 463.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 31.6 8.6 0.0 4.0 0.0 590.5 482.7 15.6 Health & Social Care Partnership 1079.37 10187.59 2,020.0 6,220.6 7,411.8 1,393.4 1,179.4 473.5 2,618.9 6,697.5 537.6 75.7 1,881.5 555.3 41,252.9 24,328.9 22.5 Strategic Management 12.00 1.00 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.0 4.0 0.3 Local Government Employees Total 3728.22 23562.77 4,284.1 11,527.1 16,704.8 5,712.0 3,037.9 2,360.8 7,673.0 17,960.8 1,239.9 80.7 5,864.4 850.3 100,858.5 59,166.9 15.9 SNCT 931.10 3469.19 17.9 978.9 1,987.9 343.3 320.4 90.2 413.0 1,515.1 393.3 0.0 838.4 0.0 10,367.7 7,402.2 8.0 Council Wide Total 4659.32 27031.96 4,302.0 12,506.0 18,692.7 6,055.3 3,358.3 2,451.1 8,086.0 19,475.9 1,633.1 80.7 6,702.8 850.3 111,226.2 66,814.7 14.3 Page 213
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Table 14.2 Reasons for Absence The table below illustrates the reasons for absence and the number and percentage of the total days lost during 2024/25. Minor Illness continues to be the reason for absence with the highest number of days followed Acute Medical Conditions and Personal Stress. This reflects the same pattern as 2023/4. Absence Reason Working Days Lost Percentage of Lost Days Minor Illness 27031.96 24% Back Pain 4,302.0 4% Musculo-skeletal Injuries 12,506.0 11% Stress Personal 18,692.7 17% Recur Medical Condition 6,055.3 5% Injury/Accident (Non Work) 3,358.3 3% Injury/Accident (Work) 2,451.1 2% Mental Health 8,086.0 7% Acute Medical Conditions 19,475.9 18% Pregnancy Related 1,633.1 1% Drink/Drug Related 80.7 0% Stress - Work Related 6,702.8 6% Long Covid 850.3 1% TOTAL 111,226.2 100% Page 214
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14. Voluntary Severance/Voluntary Early Retirement VS/VER was one offering available to employees to reduce the workforce as agreed in the budget setting process for 2023/24. Table 1 - Notes of Interest In total, there were 452 notes of interest submitted, which is a significant increase from the previous year due to the organisational wide process that was launched in September 2024. Table 1 provides a breakdown by Service. Not all progressed to offer stage for several reasons, including eligibility criteria not met, interest withdrawn, or an oversubscription in a particular area. Service No of Note of Interest Received Citizen Culture Facilities 87 Education Learning & Attain 101 Housing & Employability 58 HSCP 105 People & Technology 11 Regulatory & Regeneration 11 Resources 22 Roads & Neighbourhood 57 TOTAL 452 Page 215
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Table 2 - Released via VS/VER: 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025 During the period, a total of 27 employees (20.34 FTE) were granted early retirement on grounds of efficiency of the service, redundancy or released on voluntary severance as shown in table 2 below and 3 below. Service No of Employees No of FTE Citizen Culture Facilities 5 3.7 Education Learning & Attainment 2 1.4 Housing 1 1 People & Technology 3 2.5 Regulatory & Regeneration 4 4 Resources 1 1 Roads & Neighbourhood 11 6.74 Total 27 20.34 Page 216
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Table 3 – Voluntary Early Retirement/Severance (1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025) In line with data protection requirements, the table below shows the data consolidated as a council wide figure which includes employees in the Health & Social Care Partnership Net savings take account of annual costs. * One-off costs include provisional capitalisation (strain on the fund) costs. In respect of the 27 employees released, 20 were granted early retirement on efficiency or redundancy grounds and 7 were granted voluntary severance. The number of employees being released through voluntary early retirement/severance has significantly reduced from the previous year as detailed in table 4 below. Table 4 – Comparison to Previous Year Council Wide 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2- 25 TOTALS 50 27 The reductions achieved have contributed approximately £1.04m towards on-going savings with initial one-off costs of approximately £1.24m. The cost of release is being funded from the VER/VS earmarked reserve agreed by Council on 21 December 2022. Applications are still in the process of being considered in-line with service re-designs where appropriate. Council wide No. of EE’s *One-Off Costs Annual Costs (Recurring) Net Annual Savings (Recurring) TOTALS* 27 £1,243,827.04 £16,473.91 £1,046,573.61 Page 217
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer - Resources Corporate Services Committee – 21 May 2025 Subject: Corporate Services Revenue - Budgetary Control Report to 31 January 2025 (Period 10) 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to advise the Committee on the performance of the Corporate Services budget for the period to 31 January 2025. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Members are asked to: i) Note that the revenue account currently shows a projected annual favourable variance of £0.139m (0.38% of the total budget). 3. Background 3.1 Revenue Budget At the meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council on 6 March 2024, Members agreed the revenue estimates for 2024/25. A total net budget of £38.161m was approved for services under the remit for Corporate Services at that time. Since the budget changes to the value of -£1.423m have occurred, the details of these are as follows: Description £m Budget Agreed March 2024 38.161 Previously reported on 06-11-24 Removal of recharges to Central Support Allocation 0.142 Reduction in budgets in relation to Pension Fund reduced costs -2.807 Increase in Leisure Trust Management Fee Budget 0.370 Previously reported on 05-05-25 Additional Cost of 24-25 Pay Award 0.525 Minor budget movements between committees. -0.026 Subsequent Changes Disaggregation of Communities Budget 0.099 Additional Pay Award for WDLT Management Fee 0.274 36.738 ITEM 14 Page 219
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4. Main Issues Revenue Budget 4.1 The summary report at Appendix 1 identifies a projected annual favourable variance (underspend) of £0.139m, however after taking into account £0.584m of earmarked reserves available the underlying favourable variance is £0.723m (1.97%). Detailed service reports are attached as Appendix 2. £m £m -0.539 Movement in Service Variances Explanations Resources -0.097 CCCF 23-24 Income from CPC not accrued -0.060 Increase in staff costs as vacancies filled. 0.051 0.025 Regulatory Ongoing delay in filling vacancies. -0.127 Reduction in anticipated planing income due to reduced Building Warrant applications. 0.109 -0.054 P&T -0.031 -0.184 -0.723 Regulatory Others Various Total Movement in Service Variances Net Underlying Favourable Variance as at P7 Net underlying favourable variance as at P10 Various Arts & Heritage Building and Cleaning PPP CCCF Others Legal Services Planning 4.2 There are ten projected annual variances in excess of £0.050m. Notes on these variances are highlighted and noted within Appendix 3, with additional information on action being taken to minimise or mitigate overspends where possible. 4.3 Although the report indicates that underlying expenditure is favourable in comparison to that anticipated during the budget exercise, the present variance should be viewed in the knowledge that there are several variable factors which could arise before 31 March 2025 and which could affect the year end results. 4.4 Appendix 4 to the report summarises the current position against the saving options agreed by council as part of setting the 2024/25 budget. Page 220
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5. People Implications 5.1 There are no people implications. 6. Financial and Procurement Implications 6.1 Other than the financial position noted above, there are no financial or procurement implications from this budgetary control report. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 The main financial risks to the ongoing financial position relate to unforeseen costs being identified between now and the end of the financial year. This can affect all service areas 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 No equalities impact assessment was required in relation to this report. 9. Consultation 9.1 All services involved in delivering the revenue budgets have been consulted in the compilation of this report. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 Proper budgetary control and sound financial practice are cornerstones of good governance and support Council and officers to pursue the 5 strategic priorities of the Council’s Strategic Plan. This report forms part of the financial governance of the Council. Laurence Slavin Chief Officer Resources Date: 06 May 2025 Person to Contact: Adrian Gray, Finance Business Partner Council Offices, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton Telephone: (01389) 737838 E-mail: adrian.gray@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices Appendix 1 - Revenue Budgetary Control 2024/25 - Summary Report Appendix 2 - Revenue Budgetary Control 2024/25 - Service Reports Appendix 3 - Analysis of Revenue Variances over £50,000 Appendix 4 - Monitoring of Savings Options Background Papers: General Services Revenue Estimates 2024/25 – Council 6 March 2024 Wards Affected All Wards Page 221
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 CORPORATE SERVICES SUMMARY PERIOD END DATE 31 January 2025 Total Budget 2024/25 Spend to Date 2024/25 Final Spend Annual RAG Status Net Variance attributable to earmarked reserves spend Underlying Variance excluding earmarked reserves spend £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Audit 19 191 70 51 265% 0 51 Finance 1,501 1,368 1,681 180 12% 183 (3) Rent Rebates & Allowances 1,957 2,427 1,957 0 0% 0 0 Revenues & Benefits 2,350 2,015 2,398 48 2% 66 (18) Finance Service Centre 467 372 442 (26) -5% 0 (26) Cost of Collection of Rates 6 0 18 11 177% 11 0 Cost of Collection of Council Tax (823) (257) (1,015) (192) -23% 0 (192) Central Admin Support 2,543 2,113 2,547 5 0% 0 5 Procurement 569 439 533 (36) -6% 0 (36) Democratic and Registration Service 781 574 707 (74) -9% 0 (74) Environmental Health 616 509 566 (50) -8% 0 (50) Licensing (226) (177) (206) 20 9% 0 20 Legal Services/Trading Standards 884 680 788 (96) -11% 0 (96) Planning 566 364 515 (52) -9% 0 (52) Transactional Services 850 724 860 10 1% 0 10 Strategic People and Change 1,817 1,625 1,867 50 3% 35 15 Information Services 4,767 4,522 4,768 2 0% 0 2 Change Support 0 0 0 0 0% 0 0 Legal Fees & Settlement 0 13 13 13 0% 13 0 Communications & Marketing 280 210 251 (29) -10% (29) Citizen Services 1,382 643 1,345 (36) -3% (36) Performance & Strategy 237 186 226 (12) -5% (12) Clydebank Town Hall 319 198 299 (19) -6% (19) Office Accomodation 1,131 1,605 1,305 174 15% 191 (17) Libraries 1,726 1,418 1,744 18 1% 18 Arts and Heritage 296 119 260 (36) -12% (36) Catering Services 4,732 4,489 4,678 (54) -1% (54) Building Cleaning 1,875 1,694 1,811 (65) -3% (65) Building Cleaning PPP (188) (70) (194) (6) 3% (6) Facilities Assistants 2,410 1,933 2,278 (132) -5% (132) Facilities Management 504 470 560 57 11% 57 Leisure Management 3,364 3,469 3,484 120 4% 85 35 Events 27 43 43 17 63% 17 36,738 33,912 36,599 (139) -0.38% 584 (723) APPENDIX 1 Service / Subjective Summary Variance 2024/25 Total Net Expenditure Page 222
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE DETAIL PERIOD END DATE 31 January 2025 Total Budget 2024/25 YTD Spend 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 RAG Status £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 29,409 23,502 28,676 (733) (2%) Property 896 772 1,081 184 21% Transport and Plant 191 152 215 24 13% Supplies, Services and Admin 5,710 4,594 5,877 167 3% Payments to Other Bodies 5,908 6,057 6,368 460 8% Other 33,799 27,723 33,786 (13) (0%) Gross Expenditure 75,913 62,800 76,002 89 0% Income (39,175) (28,902) (39,417) (242) (1%) Net Expenditure 36,738 33,898 36,586 (153) (0%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 317 225 267 (50) (16%) Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 2 3 3 1 40% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 320 228 270 (50) (16%) Income (301) (37) (200) 100 33% Net Expenditure 19 191 70 51 265% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 1,507 1,238 1,506 (2) (0%) Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 50 10 55 5 10% Payments to Other Bodies 2 185 185 183 8448% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 1,560 1,433 1,746 187 12% Income (59) (65) (65) (6) (11%) Net Expenditure 1,501 1,368 1,681 180 12% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 0 0 0 0 0% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 0 0 0 0 0% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 32,426 26,580 32,426 0 0% Gross Expenditure 32,426 26,580 32,426 0 0% Income (30,469) (24,153) (30,469) 0 0% Net Expenditure 1,957 2,427 1,957 0 0% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 1,867 1,563 1,870 4 0% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 2 1 2 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 30 11 50 19 63% Payments to Other Bodies 895 897 1,007 113 13% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 2,793 2,472 2,929 136 5% Income (443) (457) (530) (87) (20%) Net Expenditure 2,350 2,015 2,398 48 2% Finance Rent Rebates & Allowances Revenues & Benefits Service Summary Variance 2024/25 All Services Audit Page 223
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE DETAIL PERIOD END DATE 31 January 2025 Total Budget 2024/25 YTD Spend 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 RAG Status Service Summary Variance 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 344 314 378 34 10% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 48 27 49 0 1% Payments to Other Bodies 74 108 90 16 21% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 467 448 518 50 11% Income 0 (76) (76) (76) 0% Net Expenditure 467 372 442 (26) (5%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 0 0 0 0 0% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 3 0 3 0 0% Payments to Other Bodies 89 0 100 11 13% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 91 0 103 11 12% Income (85) 0 (85) 0 0% Net Expenditure 6 0 18 11 177% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 0 0 0 0 0% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 64 51 64 0 0% Payments to Other Bodies 30 21 30 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 94 72 94 0 0% Income (917) (329) (1,109) (192) (21%) Net Expenditure (823) (257) (1,015) (192) 23% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 572 444 540 (32) (6%) Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 2 0 2 0 0% Payments to Other Bodies 75 79 76 1 2% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 649 523 618 (31) (5%) Income (80) (85) (85) (5) (6%) Net Expenditure 569 439 533 (36) (6%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 854 670 806 (49) (6%) Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 1 1 1 0 2% Supplies, Services and Admin 8 11 18 10 126% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 863 682 825 (39) (4%) Income (83) (108) (118) (35) (43%) Net Expenditure 781 574 707 (74) (9%) Cost of Collection of Council Tax Procurement Finance Service Centre Democratic and Registration Service Cost of Collection of Rates Page 224
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE DETAIL PERIOD END DATE 31 January 2025 Total Budget 2024/25 YTD Spend 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 RAG Status Service Summary Variance 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 2,552 2,130 2,563 11 0% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 (0) (4%) Supplies, Services and Admin 11 9 11 0 5% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 2,563 2,139 2,574 11 0% Income (20) (26) (27) (7) (32%) Net Expenditure 2,543 2,113 2,547 5 0% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 858 665 803 (55) (6%) Property 6 4 6 0 0% Transport and Plant 10 9 11 1 10% Supplies, Services and Admin 21 10 22 1 2% Payments to Other Bodies 72 56 75 4 5% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 967 743 917 (50) (5%) Income (351) (235) (351) (0) (0%) Net Expenditure 616 509 566 (50) (8%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 219 193 230 12 5% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 1 0 1 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 8 6 9 1 16% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 227 200 240 13 6% Income (453) (377) (446) 7 2% Net Expenditure (226) (177) (206) 20 (9%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 926 704 824 (102) (11%) Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 3 2 3 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 15 19 26 11 76% Payments to Other Bodies 2 0 1 (0) (13%) Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 946 726 855 (90) (10%) Income (61) (46) (67) (6) (9%) Net Expenditure 884 680 788 (96) (11%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 1,090 708 882 (208) (19%) Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 2 0 2 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 20 15 27 7 35% Payments to Other Bodies 170 76 201 30 18% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 1,281 799 1,111 (170) (13%) Income (715) (435) (596) 119 17% Net Expenditure 566 364 515 (52) (9%) Central Admin Support Environmental Health Legal Services/Trading Standards Licensing Planning Page 225
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE DETAIL PERIOD END DATE 31 January 2025 Total Budget 2024/25 YTD Spend 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 RAG Status Service Summary Variance 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 858 728 863 5 1% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 194% Supplies, Services and Admin 4 2 4 0 1% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 862 730 867 5 1% Income (12) (6) (7) 5 40% Net Expenditure 850 724 860 10 1% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 1,727 1,488 1,784 58 3% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 1 1 1 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 5 17 10 5 110% Payments to Other Bodies 214 235 214 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 1,947 1,741 2,010 63 3% Income (130) (116) (144) (13) (10%) Net Expenditure 1,817 1,625 1,867 50 3% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 2,156 1,889 2,271 115 5% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 2 2 2 0 1% Supplies, Services and Admin 3,063 2,879 3,055 (8) (0%) Payments to Other Bodies 3 0 0 (3) (100%) Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 5,224 4,770 5,328 104 2% Income (457) (248) (560) (103) (22%) Net Expenditure 4,767 4,522 4,768 2 0% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 0 0 0 0 0% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 13 13 13 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 0 0 0 0 0% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 0 13 13 13 0% Income 0 0 0 0 0% Net Expenditure 0 13 13 13 0% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 295 225 264 (31) (10%) Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 (0) (94%) Supplies, Services and Admin 9 3 5 (4) (43%) Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 305 229 270 (35) (11%) Income (25) (19) (19) 6 23% Net Expenditure 280 210 251 (29) (10%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 1,464 778 1,458 (6) (0%) Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 37 74 95 58 158% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 98% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 1,502 852 1,554 52 3% Income (120) (209) (209) (88) (74%) Net Expenditure 1,382 643 1,345 (36) (3%) Legal Fees & Settlement Citizen Services Transactional Services Strategic People and Change Information Services Communications & Marketing Page 226
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE DETAIL PERIOD END DATE 31 January 2025 Total Budget 2024/25 YTD Spend 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 RAG Status Service Summary Variance 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 222 179 213 (9) (4%) Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 (0) (77%) Supplies, Services and Admin 0 0 0 0 14% Payments to Other Bodies 14 9 14 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 237 188 228 (9) (4%) Income 0 (2) (2) (2) 0% Net Expenditure 237 186 226 (12) (5%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 133 119 142 9 7% Property 291 195 258 (32) (11%) Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 40 23 49 8 21% Payments to Other Bodies 0 5 10 10 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 464 343 459 (5) (1%) Income (145) (145) (160) (15) (10%) Net Expenditure 319 198 299 (19) (6%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 121 97 119 (2) (1%) Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 38 23 42 4 10% Supplies, Services and Admin 20 0 20 0 0% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 1,373 1,144 1,360 (13) (1%) Gross Expenditure 1,552 1,264 1,541 (11) (1%) Income (422) 342 (236) 185 44% Net Expenditure 1,131 1,605 1,305 174 15% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 1,276 1,049 1,252 (23) (2%) Property 270 239 325 55 21% Transport and Plant 15 12 15 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 206 141 206 0 0% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 1,766 1,441 1,798 32 2% Income (40) (23) (54) (14) (37%) Net Expenditure 1,726 1,418 1,744 18 1% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 322 225 325 2 1% Property 2 10 16 14 644% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 34 36 57 22 65% Payments to Other Bodies 18 5 18 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 378 275 416 39 10% Income (82) (156) (156) (75) (91%) Net Expenditure 296 119 260 (36) (12%) Arts and Heritage Performance & Strategy Office Accomodation Clydebank Town Hall Libraries Page 227
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE DETAIL PERIOD END DATE 31 January 2025 Total Budget 2024/25 YTD Spend 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 RAG Status Service Summary Variance 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 3,959 3,278 3,886 (72) (2%) Property 71 55 113 42 59% Transport and Plant 110 96 129 19 17% Supplies, Services and Admin 1,873 1,087 1,835 (38) (2%) Payments to Other Bodies 29 80 29 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 6,041 4,596 5,991 (50) (1%) Income (1,309) (107) (1,314) (5) (0%) Net Expenditure 4,732 4,489 4,678 (54) (1%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 2,009 1,547 1,816 (193) (10%) Property 170 177 241 71 41% Transport and Plant 2 0 0 (2) (100%) Supplies, Services and Admin 17 43 76 59 353% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 2,197 1,767 2,133 (65) (3%) Income (322) (73) (322) 0 0% Net Expenditure 1,875 1,694 1,811 (65) (3%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 865 697 834 (31) (4%) Property 43 45 60 17 38% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 9 17 17 8 93% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 917 759 911 (6) (1%) Income (1,105) (829) (1,105) 0 0% Net Expenditure (188) (70) (194) (6) 3% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 2,436 1,917 2,269 (167) (7%) Property 44 47 62 18 41% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 (0) (90%) Supplies, Services and Admin 12 8 8 (4) (36%) Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 2,493 1,971 2,338 (154) (6%) Income (83) (38) (60) 23 27% Net Expenditure 2,410 1,933 2,278 (132) (5%) £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 459 430 510 51 11% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 2 4 5 3 155% Supplies, Services and Admin 63 33 43 (20) (31%) Payments to Other Bodies 0 10 10 10 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 524 478 568 44 8% Income (20) (8) (8) 13 63% Net Expenditure 504 470 560 57 11% Catering Services Building Cleaning Building Cleaning PPP Facilities Assistants Facilities Management Page 228
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE DETAIL PERIOD END DATE 31 January 2025 Total Budget 2024/25 YTD Spend 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 RAG Status Service Summary Variance 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 0 0 0 0 0% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 0 0 0 0 0% Payments to Other Bodies 4,128 4,219 4,234 107 3% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 4,128 4,219 4,234 107 3% Income (764) (751) (751) 13 2% Net Expenditure 3,364 3,469 3,484 120 4% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 0 0 0 0 0% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 0 0 0 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 35 59 59 23 66% Payments to Other Bodies 93 70 70 (23) (25%) Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 129 129 129 0 0% Income (102) (86) (86) 16 16% Net Expenditure 27 43 43 17 63% £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee 0 0 0 0 0% Property 0 0 0 0 0% Transport and Plant 0 13 13 13 0% Supplies, Services and Admin 0 0 0 0 0% Payments to Other Bodies 0 0 0 0 0% Other 0 0 0 0 0% Gross Expenditure 0 13 13 13 0% Income 0 0 0 0 0% Net Expenditure 0 13 13 13 0% Provision for Legal Fees & Settlements Leisure Management Events Page 229
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Annual Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % Audit 19 70 51 265% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Cost of Collection of Council Tax (823) (1,015) (192) 23% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Democratic and Registration Service 781 707 (74) -9% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Environmental Health 616 566 (50) -8% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Legal Services/Trading Standards 884 788 (96) -11% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Planning 566 515 (52) -9% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome 31 January 2025 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Internal audit of council services. Variance due to a £100k reduction in projected fraud recovery target which is offset by an underspend in staff costs due to vacancies. The National Fraud Initiative is indicating a lower than expected recovery of fraudulent transactions this year. The service is also experiencing resource constraints. These two factors will result in a lower value of income recovery than anticipated in the budget. Adverse variance is anticipated. This service collects Council tax from local residents. The services also provides support and advice to those residents regarding council tax. A higher than anticipated favourable income outturn is anticipated from Statutory Additions. None required. Favourable variance is anticipated. The 3 Groups within this service (Food and Business Group, Environmental Pollution Group and Community Health Protection Group) are responsible for all aspects of Environmental Health work. The reason for the favourable variance is the number of ongoing vacancies. None required. Favourable variance is anticipated. This services deals with the administration functions and Democratic Services within the Authority. The favourable variance is due to a number of vacancies that are yet to be filled (£49k) and the remaining balance being driven by an increase in income from fees and charges. Recruitment is being undertaken to fill necessary vacancies. Favourable variance is anticipated. This services provides legal advice to the Council. The reason for the favourable variance is the number of ongoing vacancies. None required. Adverse variance is anticipated. A £208k favourable variance in employee costs is due to delays and difficulties filling vacancies. This is partly offset by a £30k adverse variance in Payments to Other Bodies and £119k adverse variance in projected income driven by reduced building warrant submissions. None required. Favourable variance is anticipated. This Service provides Building & Planning services. Page 230
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Annual Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 31 January 2025 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Catering Services 4,732 4,678 (54) -1% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance There is a favourable variance against employee costs due to a number of vacancies. Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Building Cleaning 1,875 1,811 (65) -3% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Facilities Assistants 2,410 2,278 (132) -5% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Facilities Management 504 560 57 11% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Management and Team Leaders for Facilities Services such as Cleaning, Catering and Facilities Assistants. There is an adverse variance against employee costs principally because turnover is not being achieved. None at present. None. None. Favourable variance anticipated. Adverse variance anticipated. There has been greater than anticipated expenditure on cleaning material costs (£69k) and urgent equipment replacements (£57k) . However, there is a favourable variance against employee costs due to a number of vacancies (£193k). This service provides Facility Assistants throughout WDC buildings. There is a favourable variance against employee costs due to a number of vacancies. Catering Services across WDC Favourable variance anticipated. This service provides cleaning services across all council buildings. Material costs and usage will be monitored. Favourable variance anticipated. Page 231
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment December 2023 Management Adjustments 1 Remove a 1.0 FTE vacant post from the Facilities Management team with service delivery being maintained through new structure with increased number of team leaders CCF09 A Graham 36 36 - Complete 2 Remove two vacant posts in the Communications team which will result in campaign activity being on digital platforms only, minimal design activity and less capacity for events CCF10 A Graham 50 50 - Complete 3 Rightsize ICT Budgets to better reflect expected costs for GIS software and general ICT inflationary pressures PT01 V Rogers 46 46 - Complete 4 Reflect reduction in employer NI/Pension contributions through implementing VivUp Employee Benefits PT02 Shared 30 30 - Complete 5 Restrict choice in office equipment to pre-agreed catalogue items/amounts. PT05 Shared 10 10 - Complete 6 Reduction in Mobile Phone usage for Council owned phones PT06 Shared 22 22 - Complete 7 Reduce the Council’s training budget, retaining budget to cover essential corporate requirements PT07 V Rogers 10 10 - Complete 8 Estimated saving from replacing ISDN telephony lines with SIP cloud telephone support (SIP is a digital method of making calls) PT11 V Rogers 76 76 - Complete 9 Replacement of Citrix Technology with cheaper technology PT12 V Rogers 75 75 - Complete 10 Implement the Water Direct Scheme which facilitates the collection of water and sewerage debt from residents direct from their benefits at source by the DWP RES05 L Slavin 60 60 - Complete 11 Remove two franking machines and further reduce use of first class mail RES11 L Slavin 12 12 - Complete 12 Seek commercial opportunities for Balloch Park kiosk RES12 L Slavin 15 10 5 The rental income was less than the assumption made at the savings exercise. 13 Rightsize minor sundry service budget lines such as travel, books etc RES14 L Slavin 17 17 - Complete Page 232
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment 14 Rightsize income budgets as consequence of historical lease review RES15 L Slavin 25 25 - Complete 15 Adjust charge to Dumbarton Common Good for support services to reflect cost recovery RES19 L Slavin 21 21 - Complete 16 Adjust charge to Valuation Joint Board for support services to reflect cost recovery RES20 L Slavin 11 11 - Complete 17 Remove 3.41 FTE vacant posts in revenue and benefit team and review work processes to minimise impact on income recovery RES21 L Slavin 109 109 - Complete 18 Procure vehicles considered permanently required rather than hiring them RN17 G Macfarlane 100 100 - In progress 19 Remove a 0.6 FTE vacant registrar post - no longer required as Clydebank Registration Service is now managed centrally from Dumbarton RR02 A Douglas 30 30 - Complete 20 Remove a 1 FTE vacancy in the Leadership Support Team whilst retaining 2:1 PA/CO ratio RR04 A Douglas 39 39 - Complete 21 Remove a 0.4 FTE vacancy in the Member Services Team to reflect requirements of elected members RR05 A Douglas 15 15 - Complete 22 Reduce 0.2 FTE in Democratic and Registration Service via a two year phased retirement RR07 A Douglas 18 18 - Complete 23 Right sizing anticipated income from regulatory and regeneration fees RR12 A Douglas 130 130 - Complete December 2023 Saving Options 24 Reduce the West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust Mgt Fee by up to 30% CCF01 A Graham 940 940 - Complete 25 Two week Christmas closedown bar delivery of essential services RES07 L Slavin 7 - 7 Cost pressure added for 2025/26 26 End the provision of hybrid committee meetings which would enable the committee team to return to its existing establishment RR03 A Douglas 21 21 - Complete March 2024 Saving Options Page 233
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment 27 Reduce opening hours of Clydebank Town Hall to 4 days a week CCF02 A Graham 30 30 - Complete 28 Reduce investment in materials in library service CCF06 A Graham 50 50 - Complete 29 Reduce financial commitment to the Highland Games CCF11 A Graham 14 14 - Complete 30 Review core library staffing (outwith branch libraries) and remove one post CCF19 A Graham 18 18 - Complete 31 Review menus in educational establishments to reduce waste whilst ensuring compliance with nutritional guidance CCF20 A Graham 60 60 - Complete 32 Reduce Community Budgeting fund by 50% reducing money available for community groups to bid for CCF24 A Graham 27 27 - Complete 33 Reduce the Community Engagement budget by 50% reducing the number of events supported CCF25 A Graham 22 22 - Complete 34 Review the Communities team reducing the delivery of community based services CCF26 A Graham 87 49 38 Delay in implementation, in year shortfall will be covered by the smoothing fund. Full year savings expected in future years. 35 Reduce pay preservation period to 12 months PT04 Shared 14 14 - Complete 36 Remove counselling and physio PT10 V Rogers 47 47 - Complete 37 Remove 3.6 FTE in CAS team PT13 V Rogers 112 112 - Complete 38 Reduce WDCVS funding by 50% RES02 L Slavin 75 75 - Complete 39 Remove one Council officer RES09 L Slavin 26 26 - Complete 40 School crossing patrollers - adhere to best practice RN01 G Macfarlane 24 24 - Complete 41 Introduce £60 Garden Waste Charge RN02 G Macfarlane 180 180 - Complete 42 Amend roads service activities to support education to statutory level RN04 G Macfarlane 37 37 - Complete 43 Reduce the Consultancy Services/Capital Investment Team by 25% RN18 G Macfarlane 10 10 - Complete 44 Reduce the roads operations service from 29 FTE to 26 FTE which will reduce resilience in the team RN21 G Macfarlane 80 80 - Complete 45 Reduce maintenance costs through replacing 6 under utilised grass pitches with 3 new 4G pitches RN22 G Macfarlane 10 10 - In progress 46 Implement new approach to road defect repairs which will capitalise costs previously charged to revenue RN23 G Macfarlane 200 200 - Complete 47 Reduce weed killing from twice a year to once a year RN26 G Macfarlane 50 50 - Complete Page 234
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment 48 Increase commercial waste fees by 14% RN27 G Macfarlane 45 45 - Complete 49 Remove £12,500 of Nightzone West funding provided to Police Scotland RR01 A Douglas 12 12 - Complete 50 Reduction in 2 FTE paralegal support to contracts and property section RR08 A Douglas 90 67 23 Delay in implementation. Full year savings expected in future years. Page 235
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment March 2024 Management Adjustments 51 Review Arts & Heritage Service CCF16 A Graham 24 24 Complete 52 Review compliance with Strategic Opening Model to identify areas where teams or posts can be merged PT08 Shared 200 200 - Complete 53 Restructure of Transactional Services to remove one vacant G10 post PT09 V Rogers 30 30 - Complete 54 Increase Council Tax on Second Homes RES06 L Slavin 82 82 - Complete 55 Remove Empty Property Relief for Listed Buildings RES18 L Slavin 34 34 - Complete 56 Remove vacant posts in asset management RES22 L Slavin 99 99 Complete 57 Remove facility assistants at Aurora House bringing service in line with that provided at Clydebank Town Centre Office RES23 L Slavin 54 54 - Complete 58 Generate income from Levengrove Pavilion. RES25 L Slavin 63 20 43 Rental income lower and running costs higher than forecast when the saving assumptions were reviewed. 59 Right size water authority income budget RES26 L Slavin 25 25 - Complete 60 Outsourcing mgt of retail assets RES27 L Slavin 33 33 - Complete 61 Transfer cost of solicitor support for the council housing building prog to HRA capital budget RR09 A Douglas 60 60 - Complete 62 Remove vacant contaminated land officer post RR11 A Douglas 30 30 - Complete 63 Reduce support to planning and building standards by removing a vacant part time technical support assistant post RR13 A Douglas 16 16 - Complete 64 Remove a service co-ordinator in env health team and invite 2 service co-ordinators to be interviewed for the principal env health officer post. RR14 A Douglas 68 68 - Complete Page 236
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment 65 Remove vacant Planning Compliance Officer post RR15 A Douglas 30 30 - Complete 66 Remove one of the 3 Building Standards Surveyor Posts RR16 A Douglas 53 53 - Complete 67 Reduce hours of solicitor from 5 days to 4 days RR17 A Douglas 12 12 - Complete 68 Fund existing Grade 8 post from UK Towns Fund Support RR18 A Douglas 60 60 - Complete 69 Fund officer costs associated with Levelling Up from final year of Levelling Up Rev funding. RR19 A Douglas 60 60 - Complete 70 March 2024 Increases in Fees and Charges Shared 492 492 Complete 4,769 4,653 116 TOTAL EFFICIENCIES/MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS Page 237
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer – Resources Corporate Services Committee – 21 May 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Corporate Services Capital Budgetary Control Report to 31 January 2025 (Period 10). 1. Purpose 1.1 This report provides an update on the Corporate Services capital programme to 31 January 2025. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Committee is asked to: i) Note the current position of the 2024/25 capital budget for Corporate Services ii) Note that the project life total is currently on track. 3. Background 3.1 On 6 March 2024 the Council approved the updated General Services Capital Plan for 2024/2025 to 2032/33. The three years from 2024/25 to 2026/27 were approved in detail with the remaining years being indicative. The budget agreed under the auspice of Corporate Services Committee was £3.264m for 2024/25 and £28.560m for the project life budget. 4. Main Issues 4.1 Exhibit 1 sets out the revised capital budget at period 7 as reported to Committee 5 February 2025. Exhibit 1: Revised Capital Budget as at 31 January 2025. 2024/25 (£m) Project Life (£m) Corporate Services Capital Budget Agreed 6 March 2024. 3.624 28.560 Updates reported to Committee on 14 August and 6 November 2024. 0.432 0.390 ITEM 15 Page 239
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Reprofiling reported to Committee on 6 November 2024. 0.123 0.000 Replacement of Council’s financial ledger system. 0.100 1.000 New Approved Budget at Period 7 4.279 29.950 4.2 Progress against the 2024/25 capital plan is detailed in: Appendix 1 – Project Life Summary by Chief Officer Appendix 2 – Projects Off Track – not required for period 10 as there are no off-track projects to report Appendix 3 – Changes to Project Profiles at P10 Appendix 4 – All Projects 4.3 The overall program summary report at Appendix 1 shows that planned expenditure against the budget agreed 6 March 2024 is on track. 4.4 Appendix 4 shows all projects with approval in year and project life budgets as well as anticipated expenditure. It highlights that the 2024/25 budget is £4.279m with current forecast spend of £4. 164m.The spend as at period 10 is £1.532m (36.79%) of the current forecast spend of £4.164m. 4.5 Exhibit 2 sets out the revised capital budget at period 10 following approval at Council on 5 March 2025 as part of the new capital programme. Exhibit 2: Revised Capital Budget 2024/25 (£m) Project Life (£m) Revised Capital Budget as at 31 January 2025 4.279 29.950 Updates agreed as part of Capital Plan 5 March 2025. 0 0.004 Reprofiling of Projects reported to Council 5 March 2025 (see appendix 3) (0.080) 0 Underspend – RES 2 Cash Receipting Systems Enhancements (0.025) (0.025) Underspend – RES 4 Agresso Development (0.010) (0.010) Revised Capital Budget Period 10. 4.164 29.919 5. Option Appraisal 5.1 No option appraisal was required for this report. Page 240
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6. People Implications 6.1 There are no people implications. 7. Financial and Procurement Implications 7.1 The report notes the projected in-year financial position for capital budgets. 8. Risk Analysis 8.1 The main risks are as follows: (a) The reported variances should be viewed in the knowledge that there are a number of variable factors which could arise between now and 31 March which could affect the year end results for capital budgets. (b) As a consequence of current market conditions, inflation is at an all-time high and interest rates continue to be volatile. To forecast for the full year costs budget assumptions have been required. These assumptions continue to change regularly and therefore it is likely the projected year end budgetary position will change from that reported. 9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 9.1 No equalities impact assessment was required in relation to this report. 10. Environmental Sustainability 10.1 No assessment of environmental sustainability was required in relation to this report. 11. Consultation 11.1 All services involved in delivering the capital budgets have been consulted in the compilation of this report. 12. Strategic Assessment 12.1 Proper budgetary control and sound financial practice are cornerstones of good governance and support Council and officers to pursue the strategic priorities of the Council’s current Strategic Plan. This report forms part of the financial governance of the Council. Laurence Slavin Chief Officer – Resources Date: 06 May 2025 ________________ Person to Contact: Adrian Gray Council Offices, Church Street, Dumbarton Page 241
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E-mail: adrian.gray@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 - Project Life Summary Appendix 2 - Projects Off Track – not required at P10 Appendix 3 - Reprofiled Projects Appendix 4 - Details of all Projects. Background Papers: General Services Capital Plan Update - Council 6 March 2024. Capital Monitoring Report – Council 26 March 2025. Wards Affected All Wards Page 242
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Summary at Period 10 Appendix 1 Project Life Budget Project Life Forecast Spend Project Life Variance On Track/Complete Off Track £'000 £'000 £'000 Resources 16,837 16,802 (35) 9 0 Citizen, Cultural and Facilities 2,912 2,912 - 2 0 Regulatory and Regeneration 63 63 - 2 0 People and Transformation 10,142 10,142 - 4 0 Total 29,954 29,919 (35) 17 0 Page 243
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Changes to Capital Plan and Implications at P10 Appendix 3 RESOURCES Project - RES 2 (Underspend) Current Year 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 2030/31 2031/32 2032/33 Total Capital Plan £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Cash Receipting system enhancements (25) (25) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (25) Cash Receipting system enhancements Revised 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Explanation Project complete, cost less than anticipated. Project - RES 3 (Underspend) Current Year 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 2030/31 2031/32 2032/33 Total Capital Plan £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Agresso Development (10) 40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 Agresso Development - Revised 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 Explanation Project near completion and costs less than anticipated. Project - RES 15 Reprofiling Current Year 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 2030/31 2031/32 2032/33 Total Capital Plan £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Finance Ledger System (80) 100 350 550 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,000 Finance Ledger System - Revised 20 430 550 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,000 Explanation Project only at initiation stage moving towards a high level options appraisal. Only minimum expenditure anticipated during current financial year. Page 244
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All Approved Projects at Period 10 Appendix 4 Service Project Project Life Budget Spend to 31 /3/24 Spend to Date Projected Future Spend Total Projected Spend Project Variance Approved Budget 2024/25 Actual to date 2024/25 Revised Forecast 2024/25 In Year Variance £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 1 RES 1 Valuation Joint Board - Requisition of ICT Equipment 24 6 14 10 24 0 11 8 11 0 2 RES 2 Cash Receipting system enhancements 30 5 5 0 5 (25) 25 0 0 (25) 3 RES 4 Agresso Development 102 62 86 6 92 (10) 40 24 30 (10) 4 RES 5 Cost of Living 1,002 502 641 361 1,002 0 250 139 250 0 5 RES 6 IFRS 16 Database 5 0 0 5 5 0 5 0 5 0 6 RES 7 Community Success Capital Fund 150 0 0 150 150 0 150 0 150 0 7 RES 8 Community Sports Success 250 0 10 240 250 0 250 10 250 0 8 RES 12 Direct Project Support 14,274 0 129 14,145 14,274 0 1,586 129 1,586 0 9 RES 15 Finance Ledger System 1,000 0 0 1,000 1,000 0 100 0 20 (80) Total Resources 16,837 575 885 15,917 16,802 (35) 2,417 310 2,302 (115) 1 CCF 1 Heritage Capital Fund 2,491 2,234 2,380 112 2,491 0 257 146 257 0 2 CCF 2 Transformation of Infrastructure Libraries and Museums 421 326 373 48 421 0 95 47 95 0 Total CCCF 2,912 2,560 2,753 160 2,912 0 352 193 352 0 0 1 RR 1 Legal Case Management System 33 0 0 33 33 0 0 0 0 0 2 RR 2 Re -imagine Antonine Wall 30 15 16 14 30 0 15 1 15 0 Total Regulatory and Regeneration 63 15 16 47 63 0 15 1 15 0 0 1 P&T 1 ICT Modernisation 4,718 0 410 4,308 4,718 0 482 410 482 0 2 P&T 2 ICT Security & DR 4,143 0 397 3,746 4,143 0 642 397 642 0 3 P&T 3 365 Implementation 983 418 639 344 983 0 325 221 325 0 4 P&T 4 Development of Workforce Management System 298 0 0 298 298 0 46 0 46 0 Total P&T 10,142 418 1,446 8,696 10,142 0 1,495 1,028 1,495 0 0 17 Overall Total 29,954 3,568 5,100 24,820 29,919 (35) 4,279 1,532 4,164 (115) Full Project Life In Year Page 245
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer - Resources Corporate Services Committee: 21 May 2025 Subject: Cost of Living – Capital Fund 1. PURPOSE 1.1 To report to members on the closure of the Cost-of-Living Capital Fund (the fund) and report on the groups it has supported since it was established in June 2022. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 Members are asked to: a) note the level of support provided via the Cost-of-Living Capital Fund b) agree the remaining £10,379 be removed from the capital plan with this to be formally agreed by full Council. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1 At a meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council on 22 June 2022, an emergency item of business was considered and approved by members in relation to the cost-of-living crisis. This made £1,000,000 of capital funds available to support Council and community organisations with capital costs for cost-of-living initiatives. 3.2 In order to progress the initiatives set out in the motion and other developing action in relation to tackling the impact of the cost of living crisis, it was decided the previously established cross-party Cost of Living Working Group (the Working Group) would be the most appropriate forum to discuss and monitor progress, emerging issues and proposed activity. 3.3 The June 2022 motion also asked that a process be developed to review applications for capital funding to be submitted through the Working Group for consideration and then passed to an appropriate committee or Council for approval. On 26 October 2022 full Council approved the guidance and application form to support the Fund and the process to manage the Fund, including delegating powers to the Chief Officer – Resources to approve or reject applications to the Fund. The agreed application approval process can be summarised as follows: ITEM 16 Page 247
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1. Applicant applies via Council website 2. Finance Officer reviews application to ensure it meets the criteria of the Fund and application is complete 3. Chief Officer – Resources circulates a summary of application to the Working Group with his recommendation for acceptance/rejection for their consideration 4. Working Group provide feedback and ask any questions regarding the application. 5. Final decision on whether to approve funding delegated to the Chief Officer - Resources. 4. MAIN ISSUES 4.1 Over the period November 2022 – March 2025 a total of 55 applications were received and three allocations were made to reflect Council decisions. This is summarised in Exhibit 1 with more detail provided in the subsequent paragraphs. Exhibit 1 – Summarised Use of Cost-of-Living Capital Fund Status Number £ Approved in Full 26 484,915 Partially Approved 10 204,153 Returned Unspent (30,068) Total Paid Out (Para 4.2) 659,000 Council Decisions (Para 4.3) 5 330,621 Rejected 19 0 Total 60 989,621 Remaining Fund 10,379 4.2 Successful Applicants (£659,000) Exhibit 2 sets out the 36 groups either fully or partially supported, the amount they were awarded and a summary of the purpose of the award. Exhibit 2 – Successful Applicants Group Purpose Award (£) 1 West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare Van 19,413 2 Clydebank Men's Shed Replacement saws and ancillary equipment 4,100 3 Clyde Shopmobility Computer equipment, mobility scooters and mobility aids 6,870 4 Carers of West Dunbartonshire Laptop, projector and accessories 3,309 5 Dalmuir Church Drop in Pantry Industrial cooker, dishwashers and laptop 7,643 6 Faifley Community Council Van 20,000 Page 248
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7 Daniel's Wish Sensory equipment 9,143 8 Lomond and Clyde Care & Repair Van 22,000 9 Awestruck Academy Upgrade nursery, kitchen, IT suite and leisure equipment 29,589 10 Mini Messy Monsters Sensory equipment 3,800 11 Our Warriors Sensory equipment 5,000 12 Tullochan Commercial range cooker and ventilation for Common Good Café 9,663 13 Y Sort It Renew windows in gym hall, stage and activity area 15,120 14 Dumbarton Area Council on Alcohol Double glazing, central heating, rewiring and flooring 39,644 15 BenView Resource Centre A new boiler (subsequently returned as unspent) 30,000 16 West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare Fund a new boiler 5,610 17 Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels Kitchen development and new toilets. In addition, OKFP applied for £11,000 of funding for architect's fees and supervised project management. Working Group agreed the Council will provide these services on a pro- bono basis to avoid OKFP incurring these costs. 44,000 18 Dalmuir Barclay Church Pantry Purchase a van (£68 returned as unspent) 20,000 19 Lomond Clyde Care & Repair Purchase a van 22,903 20 Clydebank Asbestos Group Repair meeting hub 37,560 21 Golden Friendships Air conditioning unit 20,000 22 Clydebank Men’s Shed Install a dust processor system 16,500 23 Lomond Parish Church Establish a community pantry 29,400 24 Alternatives Improve the kitchen and to provide a community space in Dalmuir Community Café 5,599 25 Haldane Youth Services To refurbish current rooms and provide a warm space for the community to come for training and internet access 27,051 26 Kinship Care To fund unit refurbishment, computer / gaming equipment, furnishings and kitchen equipment 27,500 27 Flourishing Faifley Purchase a van 20,846 28 Carers of West Dunbartonshire To refurbish premises 29,774 29 Dalmuir Barclay Church Pantry Kitchen refurbishment 16,330 30 The Recycle Room Refurbish the building and provide a van 37,400 Page 249
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31 OKFP Refurbish windows, fire doors, toilets and heating 17,900 32 Inler Park Trust To rebuild gym and upgrade building & heating 38,000 33 BenView Resource Centre To enhance warm hub environment 8,170 34 Blue Triangle To purchase equipment for a social space 4,998 35 Alternatives To fund window replacement 1,435 36 Loch Lomond Rugby Club Install Kitchen, flooring, appliances, furnishings, install double glazing and roller shutters 32,798 Returned Unspent Amount (30,068) Total 659,000 4.3 Council Decisions (£332,000) When agreeing the 2024/25 and 2025/26 Council budgets, Council agreed, in relation to the Fund to add three new initiatives. 2024/25 - £150,000 General Capital Community Success Fund: The Council agreed to establish this capital fund using the Cost-of-Living Capital monies and have it available to support community groups for capital expenditure. This investment has helped ensure groups are in a practical position to move forward with lease arrangements and ensuring future asset transfers are viable and sustainable in the long term. As at April 2025 this fund has supported three groups to the cost of £148,621 leaving a balance of £1,379 which can be removed from the capital plan. This is summarised below. 1. Antonine Sports, Glenhead Community Centre – £107,381 Enabling works to support group in preparing to take on asset. This covered minor repairs, compliance upgrades and essential upgrades needed to bring the asset up to a useable standard. Also a condition surveys was carried out as these are the critical first step in helping community groups make informed decisions about whether an asset transfer is viable. Most groups do not have the resources or technical expertise to commission surveys, and without this information, they may take on significant unknown risks. By funding these surveys up front, we have derisked the process and given groups the confidence and evidence they need to develop strong business plans and secure funding and support 2. Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels - £7,510 Costs associated with intruder alarm repair and a condition survey. 3. West Dunbartonshire Activity Centre - £33,730 Enabling works to support group in preparing to take on assets. This covered a condition survey, minor repairs, compliance upgrades and essential upgrades Page 250
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needed to bring the asset up to a useable standard. 2024/25 - £32,000 Building improvements Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels - Napier Hall: The £32,000 is to fund building works including to supply and fit utilities, gas, electricity and plumbing. This funding has been provided to the group and the works are ongoing. 2025/26 - £150,000 to Flourishing Faifley: contribution towards a new 4G Football Pitch at Faifley Knowes. 4.4 Applications Rejected The reasons for the 19 applications where no funding was awarded can be summarised as: 1. No clear link to cost-of-living crisis (8) 2. Application not capital in nature (5) 3. Application withdrawn by applicant (2) 4. Applicant referred on to Energy Fund (2) 5. Application from a private citizen (1) 6. Application met criteria but already well supported by fund (1) 4.5 Summary and Recommendation With the exception of a small balance of £10,379, the £1 million set aside for the Cost-of-Living Capital Fund has been fully expended or committed. It has helped support 36 community groups and provided further support to five groups through the funds set aside by Council decisions made when agreeing the 2024/25 and 2025/26 budgets. It is recommended that Corporate Services note the level of support provided via the Cost-of- Living Capital Fund and agree that the remaining £10,379 be removed from the capital plan. This would be formally agreed by Council when the next Council capital budgetary control report is presented. 5. PEOPLE IMPLICATIONS 5.1 None directly from this report. 6. FINANCIAL AND PROCUREMENT IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Report summarises the use of £1m of capital funds. 7. RISK ANALYSIS 7.1 None directly from this report 8. EQUALITIES IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) 8.1 None directly from this report Page 251
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9. CONSULTATION 9.1 The views of all the Cost-of-Living Working Group have been requested on this report and feedback incorporated herein. 10. STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT 10.1 The recommendation in this report supports the delivery of the Council Strategic Plan and in particular the achievement of the following priorities: o Our Communities – Resilient and Thriving; o Our Council – Inclusive and Adaptable Laurence Slavin Chief Officer - Resources Date: 15 April 2025 Person to Contact: Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer - Resources E-mail: laurence.slavin@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Background Papers Council Motion – 22 June 2022 Council Report - Cost of Living – Capital Fund – 26 October 2022 Council Budget Report – 06 March 2024 Council Budget Report – 05 March 2025 Page 252