DOCUMENT PACK BOOKMARKED - Council 29.10.24
West Dunbartonshire Council · 30 October 2024
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 30 October 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
Agenda West Dunbartonshire Council Date: Wednesday, 30 October 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Time: 16:00 ___________________________________________________________________ Format: Hybrid meeting ___________________________________________________________________ Contact: Carol-Ann Burns, Senior Democratic Services Officer Email: carol-ann.burns@west-dunbarton.gov.uk committee.admin@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Dear Member Please attend a meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council 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
Page 2
Distribution:- Provost Karen Murray Conaghan Councillor June McKay Councillor James Bollan Councillor John Millar Councillor Ian Dickson Councillor Lawrence O’Neill Councillor Diane Docherty Councillor Lauren Oxley Councillor Fiona Hennebry Councillor Chris Pollock Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal Councillor Martin Rooney Councillor Daniel Lennie Councillor Gordon Scanlan Councillor David McBride Councillor Hazel Sorrell Councillor Jonathan McColl Councillor Clare Steel Councillor James McElhill Councillor Sophie Traynor Councillor Michelle McGinty Chief Executive Chief Officers Date of issue: 17 October 2024 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
Page 3
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL WEDNESDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2024 AGENDA 1 STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING 2 APOLOGIES 3 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Members are invited to declare if they have an interest in any of the items of business on the agenda and the reasons for such declarations. 4 RECORDING OF VOTES The Council is asked to agree that all votes taken during the meeting will be carried out by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record. 5 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS Submit, for approval as correct records, the undernoted Minutes of Meetings of West Dunbartonshire Council:- (a) 28 August 2024 (Ordinary); and 7 – 14 (b) 25 September 2024 (Requisitioned). 15 – 18 6 MINUTES OF MEETING OF AUDIT COMMITTEE 19 – 21 Submit for information, and where necessary ratification, the Minutes of Meeting of the Audit Committee held on 12 June 2024. 7 OPEN FORUM The Council is asked to note that no open forum questions have been submitted by members of the public. Page 3
Page 4
8 COMMUNITY ALARM UPGRADE 23 – 27 Submit report by the Chief Officer – Health & Social Care Partnership seeking approval to progress the Community Alarm Upgrade through a procurement exercise using the Scotland Excel Digital Telecare Goods framework and approval for the award of a contract following the completion of the procurement exercise. 9 EXXON INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT UPDATE To follow Submit report by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration in relation to the above. 10 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL 29 – 168 PERFORMANCE REPORT 2023/24 Submit report by the Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture & Facilities presenting West Dunbartonshire Council’s Annual Performance Report 2023/24 and supporting performance information. 11 FINANCIAL UPDATE 169 – 178 Submit report by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the financial challenges facing the Council and the estimated 2025/26 – 2029/30 revenue budget gaps. 12 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT BUDGETARY CONTROL 179 – 185 REPORT TO 31 AUGUST 2024 (PERIOD 5) Submit report by the Chief Officer – Resources advising of the 2024/2025 HRA revenue budget position on 31 August 2024 and the forecast position of the HRA reserves as of 31 March 2025. 13 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) CAPITAL 187 – 193 BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 AUGUST 2024 (PERIOD 5) Submit report by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the HRA capital programme to 31 August 2024. 14/ Page 4
Page 5
14 GENERAL SERVICES REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 195 – 227 REPORT TO 31 AUGUST 2024 (PERIOD 5) Submit report by the Chief Officer – Resources advising of the 2024/25 Revenue Budget position at 31 August 2024 and the forecast position of the General Fund Reserve as at 31 March 2025. 15 GENERAL SERVICES CAPITAL BUDGETARY CONTROL 229 – 239 REPORT 2024/25 TO PERIOD 5 (31 AUGUST 2024) Submit report by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the General Services capital financial performance to 31 August 2024. 16 BUDGET CONVERSATION 2025/26 – ENGAGEMENT 241 – 264 RESULTS Submit report by the Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture & Facilities providing an overview of the key results and feedback from the recent Budget Conversation 2025/26 engagement. 17 NOTICE OF MOTION (a) Motion by Councillor Jim Bollan – IT Procurement With the HP contract entering its final possible extension with the Scottish Government we should be looking at options, therefore Council agrees to explore alternative procurement options/platforms open to the Council when we purchase our IT hardware/software. HP currently provide all the hardware/software for the Israeli Defence Force in Palestine, where to date 40,000 Palestinians have been killed by the IDF. Officers should report back to the Council on the feasibility of this move with any potential costs/savings included. Page 5
Page 6
Page 6
Page 7
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL At a Hybrid Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council held in the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton on Wednesday, 28 August 2024 at 4.00 p.m. Present: Depute Provost John Millar and Councillors Jim Bollan, Ian Dickson, Diane Docherty, Fiona Hennebry, Gurpreet Singh Johal, Daniel Lennie, Douglas McAllister David McBride, Jonathan McColl, Michelle McGinty, June McKay, James McElhill, Karen Murray Conaghan, Lawrence O’Neill, Lauren Oxley, Chris Pollock, Martin Rooney, Gordon Scanlan, Hazel Sorrell, Clare Steel and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Alan Douglas, Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration (Legal Officer); Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources, and Section 95 Officer; Beth Culshaw, Chief Officer – Health & Social Care Partnership; Peter Barry, Chief Officer – Housing and Employability; Amanda Graham, Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities; Gail Macfarlane, Chief Officer – Roads and Neighbourhood; Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer – People and Technology; Carol Alderson, Finance Manager; Michelle Lynn, Assets Co-ordinator; George Hawthorn, Manager of Democratic Services; Carol-Ann Burns, Senior Democratic Services Officer; and Scott Kelly, Committee Officer. Depute Provost John Millar in the Chair STATEMENT BY CHAIR Depute Provost Millar advised that the meeting was being audio streamed and broadcast live to the internet and would be available for playback. ELECTION OF PROVOST The Chief Officer Regulatory and Regeneration invited the Council to consider the election of the Provost of West Dunbartonshire Council. Councillor Rooney, seconded by Councillor McGinty, moved that Councillor Millar be elected to the post. Councillor Dickson, seconded by Councillor Scanlan, moved that Councillor Murray Conaghan be elected to the post. ITEM 5(a) Page 7
Page 8
On a roll call vote being taken, 12 Members voted for the nomination of Councillor Murray Conaghan, namely Councillors Bollan, Dickson, Docherty, Lennie, McColl, McEhill, McKay, Murray Conaghan, Oxley, Pollock, Scanlan and Traynor, and 10 Members voted for the nomination of Councillor Millar namely Councillors Hennebry, Singh Johal, McAllister, McBride, McGinty, Millar, O’Neill, Rooney, Sorrell and Steel. The election of Councillor Murray Conaghan was accordingly declared carried. ADJOURNMENT The Depute Provost adjourned the meeting for a period of 10 minutes and Provost Murray Conaghan left the meeting and returned bearing the Provost’s Chain of Office. Provost Murray Conaghan in the Chair The meeting resumed at 4.18 p.m. with all Members and officers listed in the sederunt present. Provost Murray Conaghan thanked everyone who had voted for her to become Provost, stating that she looked forward to working in a fair manner with the administration. 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 Council agreed that all votes taken during the meeting would be carried out by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council held on 19 June 2024 were submitted and approved as a correct record. MINUTES OF MEETING OF AUDIT COMMITTEE The Minutes of Meeting of Audit Committee held on 21 February 2024 were submitted and all decisions contained therein were approved. Page 8
Page 9
OPEN FORUM The Council noted that no open forum questions had been submitted by members of the public. GLASGOW CITY REGION CITY DEAL – UPDATE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration advising of the progress with the implementation of the Exxon Infrastructure Project, and providing an update on Glasgow City Region City Deal Programme. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed:- (1) to note the update on the Exxon Infrastructure Project; (2) to approve a Change Control Request to vary the construction programme dates be submitted to Glasgow City Region for approval; and (3) to note the progress of the Glasgow City Region programme AUDITED 2022/23 ANNUAL ACCOUNTS Having heard the Chief Officer – Resources the Council noted that it had not been possible for a report on the Audited 2022/23 Annual Accounts to be provided to due delays with the external auditor. DRAFT 2023/24 ANNUAL ACCOUNTS With reference to the Minutes of Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council held on 19 June 2024, a report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing a copy of the draft 2023/24 Annual Accounts and information regarding the 2023/24 outturn as set out in the draft accounts. 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 unaudited 2023/24 Annual Accounts; (2) to note the information provided in relation to the financial performance of the Council’s services and capital plan for 2023/24; (3) to note the current position regarding the Council’s reserves; and (4) to delegate authority to the Audit Committee to formally approve the audited accounts. Page 9
Page 10
GENERAL SERVICES CAPITAL BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT 2024/25 TO PERIOD 3 (30 JUNE 2024) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the General Services capital financial performance to 30 June 2024. 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 current position of the 2024/25 General Services capital budget; (2) to approve £0.04m of additional capital budget for the Agresso Development project; (3) to approve the revised completion dates detailed in Appendix 2 to the report; and (4) to note an in-year variance of £15.786m due to reprofiling of projects. GENERAL SERVICES REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 30 JUNE 2024 (PERIOD 3) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the 2024/25 Revenue Budget position at 30 June 2024 and the forecast position of the General Fund Reserve as at 31 March 2025. After discussion and having heard the Chief Executive and the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed to note a current projected annual underlying adverse variance on the revenue account of £2.542m (0.88% of total budget). ADJOURNMENT Following a request from Councillor McBride, the Provost agreed to a short adjournment to allow Councillor McBride to confirm information relevant to the item of business ‘Festive Closure and Public Holiday Variation’. The meeting reconvened at 5.08 p.m. with all those Members and officers listed in the sederunt in attendance. POLICY FOR ELECTION POSTERS A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Roads and Neighbourhood providing a proposed revision to the Arrangements in Force at the Poll prohibiting the use of election posters. The Council agreed:- Page 10
Page 11
(1) to note the negative environmental impact from the use of election posters resulting in unnecessary waste and litter; (2) to note the safety concerns in relation to the installation and removal of election posters and potential driver distraction; and (3) to approve the proposed revision to the Returning Officer’s Arrangements in Force at the Poll policy to prohibit election posters (paragraph 4.8 of the report). FESTIVE CLOSURE AND PUBLIC HOLIDAY VARIATIONS A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – People and Technology setting out the proposed changes to public holiday allocation for local government and craft/quasi- craft employees, and proposed variation of the festive closure arrangements agreed by Council in December 2023. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – People and Technology in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, Councillor McBride, seconded by Councillor O’Neill moved:- That Council agrees:- • to negotiate replacement of the additional 4 public holidays for craft employees as per paragraph 4.9 with additional days transferred to annual leave entitlement. • to negotiate replacement of 1 further public holiday (last Monday in September) for all employee groups, transferring the day to annual leave entitlement. • to replace the 6-day festive closure with a 3/4-day closure (paragraph 4.14 of the report). • to authorise the Chief Officer, People and Technology to implement public holiday variations from April 2025 subject to consultation, and • to authorise the Chief Officer, Resources to implement festive closure variation from December 2024. As an amendment, Councillor Bollan, seconded by Councillor McColl, moved:- That Council agrees to note the report today and continue it. On a roll call vote being taken 12 Members voted for the amendment, namely Provost Murray Conaghan and Councillors Bollan, Dickson, Docherty, Lennie, McColl, McEhill, McKay, Oxley, Pollock, Scanlan and Traynor, and 10 members voted for the motion, namely Councillors Hennebry, Singh Johal, McAllister, McBride, McGinty, Millar, O’Neill, Rooney, Sorrell and Steel. The amendment was accordingly declared carried. Page 11
Page 12
NOTICE OF MOTIONS (a) Motion by Councillor Jim Bollan – Proposal to close services during the holiday period, 2024/2025. Councillor Bollan moved:- Council agrees to withdraw the proposal to close WDC services for two weeks across the Xmas/New Year holiday period, 2024/2025. Within the context of the flexible working, many employees will have to use well over twenty and in some cases 25 percent of their annual leave, which is not proportionate and unfair. Council further agrees to use £8,000 from reserves to fund the resulting gap in the budget for 2024/2025. Councillor McColl seconded the motion. As an amendment, Councillor Rooney, seconded by Councillor McBride, moved:- That the Council agree to take no action. We are concerned that we have not addressed the issue of the public holidays on the previous one therefore no action on this. On a roll call vote being taken 10 Members voted for the amendment, namely Councillors Hennebry, Singh Johal, McAllister, McBride, McGinty, Millar, O’Neill, Rooney, Sorrell and Steel and 12 Members voted for the motion namely Provost Murray Conaghan and Councillors Bollan, Dickson, Docherty, Lennie, McColl, McEhill, McKay, Oxley, Pollock, Scanlan and Traynor. The motion was accordingly declared carried. (b) Motion by Councillor Gordon Scanlan – Child Poverty Councillor Scanlan moved:- This Council recognises that tacking child poverty must be a priority for all elected members and that the 2 child cap policy imposed by the UK Government is contributing to the stark levels of poverty we are witnessing within our community and our nation. Council notes with disappointment that our newly elected Labour MP Douglas McAllister voted against the SNP’s amendment to the King’s Speech, which would remove this archaic policy and immediately lift 300,000 children across the UK out of poverty. Council calls on the UK Labour government with its huge majority and total power and control of the UK Parliament to immediately remove this policy Page 12
Page 13
from its programme of government and lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. As an amendment, Councillor McAllister moved:- This Council recognises that on the 4th of July 2024 West Dunbartonshire elected Douglas McAllister, the Scottish Labour Party candidate to serve as Member of Parliament for West Dunbartonshire. Council notes the scale of that victory, with a 20% increase in Labour’s vote share from 2019. Across West Dunbartonshire, Scotland and the United Kingdom, people voted for Labour’s manifesto for change and in doing so delivered a historic landslide victory and a Labour Government. The King’s Speech set out Labour’s programme and legislative agenda for government reflecting Labour’s manifesto for change. Tackling child poverty is central not just to this Labour Government but to every Labour Government. Council recognises that this will be a government of service for all people with a clear mandate to deliver the change our country desperately needs. That work has already started. Councillor Oxley then seconded Councillor Scanlan’s motion and Councillor O’Neill seconded Councillor McAllister amendment. On a roll call vote being taken 12 Members voted for the amendment, namely Councillors Hennebry, Johal, Lennie, McAllister, McBride, McGinty, McKay, Millar, O’Neill, Rooney, Sorrell and Steel, and 10 Members voted for the motion namely Provost Murray Conaghan and Councillors Bollan, Dickson, Docherty, McColl, McEhill, Oxley, Pollock, Scanlan and Traynor. The amendment was accordingly declared carried. COUNCILLOR ROONEY’S REMARKS Councillor Rooney requested to address Council. Provost Murray Conaghan requested that Councillor Rooney indicate the subject the matter he wished to raise. Councillor Rooney stated. ‘It is clear that the Labour Administration no longer has a sufficient number of votes to be able to get a budget through. As a result, the Labour Group of Councillors will resign leadership and senior councillor positions with immediate effect. It will now be for the 12 Opposition Councillors to form an Administration’. Provost Murray Conaghan paid tribute to outgoing Provost Douglas McAllister. Page 13
Page 14
The meeting closed at 5.55 p.m. Page 14
Page 15
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL At a Hybrid Requisitioned Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council held in the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton on Wednesday, 25 September 2024 at 2.00 p.m. Present: Provost Karen Murray Conaghan and Councillors Jim Bollan, Ian Dickson, Diane Docherty, Fiona Hennebry, Gurpreet Singh Johal, Daniel Lennie, David McBride, Jonathan McColl, Michelle McGinty, June McKay, John Millar, Lawrence O’Neill, Lauren Oxley, Chris Pollock, Martin Rooney, Gordon Scanlan, Hazel Sorrell, Clare Steel and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Alan Douglas, Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration (Legal Officer); Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources, and Section 95 Officer; Peter Barry, Chief Officer – Housing and Employability; Amanda Graham, Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities; Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer – People and Technology; Carol Alderson, Finance Manager; Michelle Lynn, Assets Co-ordinator; George Hawthorn, Manager of Democratic and Registration Services; and Carol-Ann Burns, Senior Democratic Services Officer. Apologies: Apologies for absence was intimated on behalf of Councillor James McElhill. Provost Karen Murray Conaghan in the Chair STATEMENT BY CHAIR Provost Karen Murray Conaghan 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 Council agreed that all votes taken during the meeting would be carried out by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record. ITEM 5(b) Page 15
Page 16
POLITICAL ADMINSTRATION It was noted that in terms of Standing Order No.3(b) Councillors Fiona Hennebry, Gurpreet Singh Johal, David McBride, Michelle McGinty, John Millar, Lawrence O’Neill, Martin Rooney, Hazel Sorrell and Clare Steel had submitted a request that a requisitioned meeting be called to debate the Political Administration of the Council. Councillor Scanlan moved:- Council recognises that there is no SNP Alliance and that almost every Council in Scotland operates by minority Administration. Council also recognises that, as the Group with the greatest numbers, it is for Labour to seek to fulfil their mandate and lead the Council. Minority administration requires comprise and more collegiate working than simply ruling by majority but is achievable and can lead to better outcomes for our communities. Councillor Rooney, asked Councillor Scanlan if he would accept the following addendum to his motion:- At the August Council, the Labour Group of Councillors indicated their intention to step down from the political leadership to allow the SNP opposition councillors to form an administration. It is clear that neither a Labour coalition nor an SNP coalition is forthcoming, so an alternative solution needs to be found as a matter of urgency. The uncertainty over the political leadership is a real; concern for the public and our staff. Therefore, Council agrees the following:- • The Council need to work together in the best interests of the people of West Dunbartonshire. • In particular, we will work to ensure that a balanced budget can be delivered by West Dunbartonshire Council in each of the next three years. • The Council will use its earmarked reserves over the next three years to help work towards financial sustainability. • To ask the Chief Executive to explore with the parties on potential joint working arrangements. • In the short time the Labour Group of councillors will take on responsibility for the political leadership until the December council meeting while working arrangements are put in place that demonstrate the new minority administration can cooperate with members to deliver the vital services and financial sustainability that the council requires. Page 16
Page 17
Following discussion, Councillor Scanlan confirmed his acceptance of the addendum and thereafter the motion with addendum, was then agreed by the Council. VACANCIES ON COUNCIL COMMITTEES, ETC.– SEPTEMBER 2024 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration requesting the Council to fill the current list of vacancies on Council committees, senior councillor positions, working groups and outside bodies as a result of recent resignations by Elected Members. After discussion and having heard the Chief Executive in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, Councillor Rooney, seconded by Councillor McBride, moved that Council agrees to make the following appointments:- APPOINTMENT NOMINATION NOTES 1. Leader Martin Rooney Council Leader 2. Depute Provost Hazel Sorrell Senior Councillor 3. Depute Leader David McBride Senior Councillor 4. Education Services Clare Steel Senior Councillor 5. Housing & Communities Services Gurpreet Singh Johal Senior Councillor 6. Corporate Services Martin Rooney Senior Councillor 7. Infrastructure, Regeneration & Economic Development David McBride Senior Councillor 8. Planning and Licensing Spokesperson Lawrence O’Neill Senior Councillor 9. Appeals Committee Fiona Hennebry Senior Councillor Page 17
Page 18
APPOINTMENT NOMINATION NOTES 1. Alexander Cross Cameron Bequest Committee Leave vacant To be filled by the successful Councillor following the Kilpatrick by- election. 2. Depute Convener Cultural Committee Clare Steel N/A 3. Educational Services Committee member. Leave vacant To be filled following the Kilpatrick by- election. 4. Licensing Board Depute Convener Hazel Sorrell 5. Planning Committee & Local Review Body member Leave vacant To be filled following the Kilpatrick by- election. 6. Tendering Committee Deputy Convener Hazel Sorrell N/A 7. Gault Trust Hazel Sorrell Depute Provost 8. Member/Officer Cost of Living Working Group SNP to nominate. 2 x SNP 9. Glasgow City Region City Deal Martin Rooney Leader of the Council or substitute nominated by the Leader 10. Dunbritton Housing Association SNP to nominate 1 x Opposition Councillor 11. Lomond & Clyde Care and Repair SNP to nominate 2 x substitutes opposition members 12. West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau SNP to nominate 1 x Board Member The Council agreed the nominations of Elected Members to fill the various vacant positions listed above, with immediate effect and noted that any vacancies would be reported to Council in December 2024, after the results of the Ward 4 – Kilpatrick By- election was known. The meeting closed at 2.33 p.m. Page 18
Page 19
AUDIT COMMITTEE At a Meeting of the Audit Committee held in the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton, on Wednesday, 12 June 2024 at 2.00 p.m. Present: Councillors Ian Dickson, Jonathan McColl, John Millar, Karen Murray Conaghan, Martin Rooney and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources: Amanda Graham, Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities; Julie Slavin, Chief Finance Officer – Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP); Claire Cusick, Senior Education Officer; Lesley McCabe, Lead Internal Auditor; Fiona Taylor, Head of Health and Community Care; Carol Alderson, Finance Manager; and Lynn Straker, Committee Officer. Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Michelle McGinty and Hazel Sorrell; Andi Priestman, Internal Audit Manager and Tom Reid, Forvis Mazars. Councillor Karen Murray Conaghan in the Chair DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST It was noted that there were no declarations of interest in any of the items of business on the agenda. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of Meetings of the Audit Committee held on 21 February 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. NTERNAL AUDIT PLAN 2023-2024 – PROGRESS TO 10 MAY 2024 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources advising of progress at 10 May 2024 against the Internal Audit Plan for 2023/24. ITEM 6 Page 19
Page 20
After discussion and having heard from the Chief Officer – Resources and relevant officers in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the content of the report. INTERNAL AUDIT ANNUAL REPORT TO 31 MARCH 2024 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources advising of the work undertaken by Internal Audit in respect of the 2023/24 Annual Audit Plan and of the contents of the Assurance Statement given to Members of West Dunbartonshire Council, the Chief Executive and the Section 95 Officer (Chief Officer – Resources) in support of the Annual Governance Statement. After discussion, the Committee agreed to note the content of the report. ANNUAL REPORT ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE – 2023/24 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing the Audit Committee Chair’s 2023/24 Annual Report on the Audit Committee. After discussion, the Committee agreed to note the content of the report. TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AND ANNUAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Resources providing Members with the opportunity to further scrutinise the Prudential Indicators and Treasury Management Strategy (including the Investment Strategy) for 2023/24 to 2032/33. After discussion, the Committee agreed to note that at its meeting on 27 March 2024, Council had:- (1) approved the proposed Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy and the indicators contained within; (2) approved the continued use of the asset life method (using either annuity or equal instalment) for the repayment of loan fund advances with the exception of spend to save schemes where the funding/income profile method could be used; (3) approved the ability to continue to use countries with a sovereign rating of AA and above; (4) (i) added the recommendation that the short-term debt profile be capped at 30% and recognised that transitioning from current short-term levels to longer term would take some time and invited the S95 officer to manage the timeline of this change which should be reported on at the next review of the Treasury Page 20
Page 21
management strategy; and (ii) decided to seek to strike off lender option borrower option (LOBO’s) as an approved source of long or short term borrowing from our borrowing and debt strategy; and (5) to note that the report would be referred to the Audit Committee for further scrutiny. REVIEW OF LOCAL CODE OF GOVERNANCE AND ANNUAL GOVERNANCE STATEMENT A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources regarding the Review of Local Code of Governance and Annual Governance Statement. After discussion, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the outcome of the recent self-evaluation process in considering how the Council currently meets the agreed Code of Good Governance, together with the issues identified and improvement actions; and (2) to note the detail of the Annual Governance Statement and approve the actions identified by management to improve the internal control environment. The meeting closed at 2.23 p.m. Page 21
Page 22
Page 22
Page 23
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by: Beth Culshaw, Chief Officer West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) Council Meeting of 30 October 2024 Subject: Community Alarm Upgrade 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek approval to progress the Community Alarm Upgrade through a procurement exercise using the Scotland Excel Digital Telecare Goods framework and approval for the award of a contract following the completion of the procurement exercise. 2. Recommendations It is recommended that West Dunbartonshire Council: 2.1 Note the capital budget for the Community Alarm Upgrade agreed at the West Dunbartonshire Council meeting on 9 March 2022 of £924,000 over a period of 10 years. 2.2 Approve the HSCP to work with Procurement and Legal Services colleagues on a procurement exercise using the Digital Telecare Goods Framework. 2.3 Approve the award of a contract, up to the budgeted value of £924,000, following the successful completion of the procurement exercise and identification of a preferred supplier. 3. Background 3.1 Communications providers within the UK are replacing the technology they use to provide fixed landline telephone lines, with analogue telephony services being replaced by digital telephony services. The upgrade is expected to be complete by January 2027, however providers within the West Dunbartonshire area have already started transitioning their customers to digital lines and the target date for replacing alarms has remained December 2025. 3.2 The HSCP provides Community Alarms to vulnerable residents within the community to support them living safely in their own homes and ensure they can request assistance if required. The alarm devices provided are analogue models, with around 1,800 individual alarms in the community, designed to work on traditional telephone lines. Sheltered Housing complexes with integrated equipment will be transitioned separately, with a further report submitted for approval if required. ITEM 8 Page 23
Page 24
3.3 A capital bid was put forward to support the Community Alarm Upgrade project which would replace all existing analogue alarms with new digital alarms and ensure in future only digital alarms were provided. The capital bid valued at £924,000 was approved at the West Dunbartonshire Council meeting on 9 March 2022. 3.4 The Digital Office for Scottish Local Government has led on a ‘Once for Scotland’ approach for the analogue to digital transition, which has focused on ensuring availability of a fully digital Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) system and to ensure that all Community Alarm equipment moving forward is fully digital end to end, ensuring the safety of service users is prioritised. 3.5 West Dunbartonshire has a shared service with East Dunbartonshire who provide the ARC resource which is used to answer Community Alarm calls and arrange a response where appropriate from residents of both authorities. East Dunbartonshire are planning on going live with a new Digital ARC system on 15 October 2024. 3.6 For West Dunbartonshire Council to move to a fully digital Community Alarm model, the existing analogue alarms require to be replaced by new digital community alarms which will be fully functional on new digital lines and with the new digital ARC solution 3.7 Scotland Excel have recently published a new framework for digital telecare goods which the HSCP intend to use for the procurement of new digital alarms which will allow the replacement of alarms to progress. 3.8 The transition from analogue to digital alarms should be complete by the end of 2025, however it should be noted that for many residents they have already been transitioned to digital lines by their provider. 4. Main Issues 4.1 Although analogue alarms can operate on digital telephone lines, advice from the Digital Office suggests that there is a higher risk of call failure from analogue community alarms operating on digital lines. 4.2 A number of West Dunbartonshire residents have already been transitioned to digital lines, either through a planned upgrade by their network provider or in response to issues with their analogue lines where a digital line would resolve the problem. 4.3 As the shared ARC will be going live in East Dunbartonshire in October 2024, ideally any new alarms provided to West Dunbartonshire residents would be digital alarms to ensure full compatibility, however for a period of time analogue alarms may still be required to be used until a procurement exercise can be undertaken. Page 24
Page 25
4.4 The replacement of analogue alarms with new digital alarms is likely to have a significant impact on resource on a small team of 2FTE Telecare Coordinators and 9FTE mobile attendants, particularly given likely timescales for a procurement exercise and contract award would potentially mean the replacement work cannot begin until early 2025. 5. Options Appraisal 5.1 An options appraisal is not required for this report; however, one will be undertaken as part of the procurement exercise. 6. People Implications 6.1 The replacement of analogue alarms with digital alarms will ensure that users of the Community Alarm service have access to the most reliable technology available to help maintain their independence. 6.2 The replacement of these alarms will be resource intensive, especially when the December 2025 timeline is considered. 7. Financial and Procurement Implications 7.1 Procurement exercise will be undertaken utilising the Digital Telecare Goods Framework to evaluate and select a provider of Digital Community Alarms for the HSCP. 7.2 Capital funding agreed at the West Dunbartonshire Council meeting on 9 March 2022 will be used to fund the purchase of digital alarms to allow the transition from analogue to digital alarms to take place prior to the December 2025 deadline. 7.3 There is a revenue implication associated with this work estimated to be £66,000 per annum (this is based on 1,800 units). This relates to the annual cost of SIM cards. In addition, the capital borrowing will have an ongoing revenue implication estimated to be in the region of £26,000 per annum. There is currently no dedicated annual revenue budget however, these additional costs can be recharged to the service user. This equates to £0.99 per service user per week. There is currently a mechanism for this, with those service users who have SIM cards paying £404 per annum per SIM enabled alarm, as opposed to £338 for the analogue system. This will be a matter for Elected Members to determine when the local authority sets its charging policy in March 2025. 7.4 Furthermore, there may be opportunities for the for the £924,000 to be replenished through service use charges which would be an alternative way of funding the capital. Officers will explore how his may be done to ensure the service use charges picks up the interest on any borrowing and ultimately the capital repayment. Page 25
Page 26
8. Risk Analysis 8.1 Concerns have been raised through the Digital Office that there is a higher risk of failure when analogue alarms continue to be used on digital lines. Digital end to end connections between alarms and the ARC system over digital lines are the most stable and secure option. 8.2 The timeline for upgrading existing analogue alarms with new digital alarms will be challenging, and likely to require significant effort to achieve. 8.3 Any delays to the procurement exercise and contract award are likely to exacerbate this, particularly as analogue alarms may still be provided to service users after the new digital ARC goes live. 9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 9.1 An equality impact assessment is not required as to allow the procurement exercise and contract award to progress. 10. Environmental Sustainability 10.1 A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is not required in respect of the recommendations within this report. 11. Consultation 11.1 Consultation has taken place with the HSCP Senior Management Team, HSCP Information Team, Legal Services and Procurement Team. 12. Strategic Assessment 12.1 On 9 March 2022 West Dunbartonshire Council approved the Community Alarm Upgrade capital project as part of the approval for recommended new capital projects that had been agreed by the West Dunbartonshire Senior Leadership Team for approval by Council. 12.2 Now an appropriate Scotland Excel framework has been launched, the HSCP are seeking to progress a procurement exercise and contract award for a supplier who would provide digital community alarms which would allow the replacement of existing analogue alarms and ensure in future only digital alarms were used. 12.3 Implementing digital alarms would ensure that West Dunbartonshire Council can meet the December 2025 target for replacing all analogue alarms, while ensuring that all service users are provided with the most suitable and robust devices to safely support them in their own homes. Beth Culshaw Chief Officer West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership Page 26
Page 27
30 October 2024 Person to Contact: Margaret-Jane Cardno Head of Strategy and Transformation West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership Email: margaret-jane.cardno@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: None Page 27
Page 28
Page 28
Page 29
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer - Citizen, Culture, & Facilities West Dunbartonshire Council – 30 October 2024 Subject: West Dunbartonshire Council Annual Performance Report 2023/24 1. Purpose The purpose of this report is to present West Dunbartonshire Council’s Annual Performance Report 2023/24 and supporting performance information. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that Council notes the annual report and performance information provided. 3. Background 3.1 This annual report fulfils a key Council requirement to report performance publicly and is designed to ensure relevance and ease of access for a wide audience. 3.2 Audit Scotland’s Direction and Guide sets out the Public Performance Reporting (PPR) requirements for local authorities to be published by March 2025 for the financial year ending 31 March 2024. Through these PPR requirements, the Council should provide a suite of information on how services are performing. In addition to the annual report, the Council publishes detailed year-end reports for each service area through the strategic Delivery Plans, including performance indicators, and a range of additional information which citizens may find useful. 3.3 The Annual Report is one element of a comprehensive approach to PPR for the Council. In addition to this, reports and analysis will continue to be prepared and published on key performance indicators from the Strategic Plan and the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF). PPR data will continue to be updated throughout the year and published on the Council website to ensure robust and timely reporting of data as it becomes available. 4. Main Issues 4.1 In line with our evolving approach to presenting accessible data, and following on from previous reports, the Annual Report 2023/24 (attached as Appendix 1) encompasses a range of visual and infographic-based data. It is intended to offer a high-level overview of achievements against each strategic priority in the previous year, ITEM 10 Page 29
Page 30
national performance within the LGBF, along with a range of supporting strategic information on budgets, workforce, and feedback. 4.2 The performance page of the Council website hosts a comprehensive suite of PPR material in both infographic and narrative format. This enables any resident or partner requiring additional information on areas highlighted in the Annual Report to access in more detail. This model of reporting is in line with the Audit Scotland Direction and fits well with the Accounts Commission paper on the evaluation of PPR, which recommends an overview-style report with supporting detailed information. 2023/24 Strategic Plan performance 4.3 A suite of 50 performance indicators was agreed when the Strategic Plan 2022-2027 was developed and approved at Council in October 2022. These indicators are considered the most relevant for evidencing the delivery of outcomes in relation to the key priority and outcome areas as defined in the plan. 4.4 A more detailed performance report on Strategic Plan indicators is attached as Appendix 2 to this paper. All indicators are considered by strategic services in the development of annual Delivery Plans. This informs the strategic assessment section of the plans and also supports the identification of actions intended to improve performance. 4.5 The table below shows the total number of indicators reported through the Strategic Plan and details the latest performance data for the 2023/24 year. Indicator Status Strategic Indicators 23/24 Total Indicators 50 Green 33 (66 %) Amber 10 (20%) Red 7 (14 %) 4.6 As can be seen from the table above, based on the available data, 33 (66%) of Strategic Plan indicators have met or exceeded target, and a further ten (20%) narrowly missed target. 4.7 The seven (14%) indicators that significantly missed target in 2023/24, are: Percentage of adults supported at home who agree that they are supported to live as independently as possible (Core Integration Indicator) Percentage of total household waste that is recycled; Tonnage of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled; Percentage of residents satisfied with roads maintenance; Percentage of Council employees who feel valued in the Page 30
Page 31
workplace Percentage of residents who feel the Council communicates well with them Percentage of Stage 1 complaints responded to within 5 working days. Resident Satisfaction & Feedback Performance 4.8 IBP Strategy and Research undertakes a monthly telephone survey of resident satisfaction on behalf of the Council. The survey is intended to capture a representative reflection of how residents view the Council in general and to gauge their satisfaction with a range of services. The sample covers the G60 (10%), G81 (42%), G82 (22%) and G83 (26%) postcode areas. To ensure a respondent profile similar to the population, interviews are carried out during the day and at evenings and weekends. During 23/24, 225 interviews were carried out per quarter in a pattern broadly proportionate to the population profile of the area. 4.9 Resident satisfaction is a key measure of how we are performing, and within the Strategic Plan six indicators support this measure. Perception of the Council is also measured using five key indicators. The following indicators represent, with the exception of roads maintenance, relatively high levels of satisfaction. A more detailed performance report on the full suite of Telephone Survey satisfaction responses is attached as Appendix 3 to this paper. Strategic Plan Indicators Indicator 2023/24 Status 2023/24 Score 2022/23 Score Change % of residents satisfied with street cleaning Narrowly missed target 72% 72% No Change % of residents satisfied with Council services overall Narrowly missed target 78% 87% -9% % of residents satisfied with parks and open spaces Narrowly missed target 77% 84% -7% % of citizens satisfied with the Council website Met target 90% 85% 5% % of residents satisfied with roads maintenance Significantly missed target 22% 29% -7% Strategic Plan Indicators and Sentiment Statements Indicator 2023/24 Status 2023/24 Score 2022/23 Score Change % of residents who feel the Council communicates well with them (keeps residents informed of Significantly missed target 63% 71% -8% Page 31
Page 32
important information) Sentiment Statements Indicator 2023/24 Status 2023/24 Score 2022/23 Score Change West Dunbartonshire Council does the best it can with the money available Data only PI 55% New PI N/A % of residents satisfied with the way West Dunbartonshire Council runs services Data only PI 62% 79% -17% West Dunbartonshire Council takes account of residents' views Data only PI 46% 63% -17% I would speak highly of West Dunbartonshire Council Data only PI 57% 71% -14% 4.9 In addition to the Telephone Survey, an annual Citizen’s Panel was completed in spring 2024 and received 309 responses, 10% more than the previous year. Following the priorities of the Strategic Plan 2022-27, residents were asked to provide feedback on a range of topics. Information from the Citizen’s Panel is used to assist with strategic planning. A full report is available at Appendix 4. LGBF 2022/23 performance (latest data) 4.10 All 32 Scottish local authorities participate in the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF). The Framework brings together a range of performance indicators encompassing information on a wide range of key services including education, housing, social work and leisure as well as service costs and citizen satisfaction results. The use of a consistent suite of indicators across all local authorities allows for comparison of performance, meaning Councils can identify best practice, learn from each other, and improve what we do. 4.11 Significant differences between local authorities in terms of population, geography, social and economic factors and the needs and priorities of local communities contribute to variations in performance. All of these factors require to be taken into account when comparing performance with other local authorities. 4.12 There are 108 LGBF indicators in the suite overall. An assessment has been made of relative performance both against previous years and in relation to ranking against other Local Authorities in terms of family groups and the Scottish average. A full report of all indicators can be found at Appendix 5. 4.13 The 108 indicators can be classified in three thematic areas; Cost; Page 32
Page 33
Satisfaction and Performance. Overall, 55 (51%) are showing improvement against the previous year (down from 61%). The table below demonstrates the comparative performance position for West Dunbartonshire in the year of publication broken down by thematic area. Improved on previous year Better than Scottish average Better than Family group average Cost 13 (62%) 12 (57%) 14 (67%) Satisfaction 4 (36%) 7 (64%) 7 (64%) Performance 38 (50%) 38 (50%) 35 (46%) 4.14 When looking at performance over the three key areas, as in the table above, we see that satisfaction indicators are showing less improvement than the other areas. This is particularly significant within the service area of Adult and Social Care Services. The table below compares the relative rankings (indicative) for West Dunbartonshire in the last five years of publication. 1st quartile 2nd quartile 3rd quartile 4th quartile 2018/19 33% (26) 24% (19) 17% (14) 26% (21) 2019/20 26% (21) 30% (24) 18% (14) 26% (21) 2020/21 28% (21) 21% (16) 22% (17) 29% (22) 2021/22 28% (30) 30% (31) 16% (17) 26% (27) 2022/23 23% (25) 33% (36) 15% (16) 29% (31) 4.15 When looking at performance over the previous five years, as in the table above, we see that the top two quartiles performance has maintained the previous year position and, in the main, been improving year on year. 4.16 The LGBF Annual Overview Report (see Appendix 6) for this data also highlights the important fact that councils were operating in a challenging context in 2022/23. It reflects a period where communities and council services were managing unprecedented financial challenges in the shape of soaring inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis and sits against a backdrop of deepening fiscal, demand and workforce pressures including those resulting from the ongoing effects of the Covid pandemic. 4.17 Funding levels for councils have not kept pace with increased demand, growing need and rising cost pressures. The financial challenges have coincided with new burdens and additional policy commitments, with the funding for these being ring fenced and eroded by inflation. While total revenue funding for councils increased in real terms by 0.7% in 2022/23, Audit Scotland report that the proportion of funding which is ringfenced and directed, or provided with the expectation it will be spent on specific services, has grown from 23.7% to 25.7%. This has resulted in a 1.9% real-terms reduction in revenue funding available to councils in 2022/23 to pursue local priorities. The financial gap between councils’ income and expenditure has increased by over a third in 2022/23. To bridge this gap, councils have increased their reliance on savings, Council Tax increases, Page 33
Page 34
and have doubled their relative use of reserves. Despite these significant and ongoing funding pressures, the long-term trends in the LGBF reveal that Local Government has continued to do well in sustaining performance – and this is reflected in West Dunbartonshire. 4.18 To ensure a sustained focus on improvement activity, the Performance & Strategy team will continue to provide comprehensive support to Chief Officers and services. In addition to the assistance provided to each Chief Officer to support delivery planning and routine performance, the team is also providing a range of business intelligence reports to inform improvements. This includes the routine quarterly report on the telephone survey results, Citizens Panel analysis and further specific tailored reports as required/requested. 5. People Implications 5.1 There are no personnel implications from this report. 6. Financial Implications 6.1 There are no financial implications from this report. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 The content of this report forms a core element of the Council’s public performance reporting (PPR) for 2023/24. Failure to gather and report on delivery in this way may result in the Council not fulfilling its PPR commitments as set out in Audit Scotland’s Guide. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 This report is for noting and does not recommend any changes to policy or procedure at the Council. As such an EIA screening was not required. 9. Consultation 9.1 Consideration of the report at internal meetings forms the basis of consultation on development of the Annual Report. Content of the annual report has been drawn from previously prepared reports from Chief Officers. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 The Annual Report and supporting indicator reports directly link to the Council’s 2022-27 Strategic Plan and the progression of all the Strategic Priorities and Outcomes. Amanda Graham 01 October 2024 Person to Contact: Nicola Docherty Page 34
Page 35
Performance & Strategy Team Leader Email: Nicola.Docherty@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1: West Dunbartonshire Council Annual Report 2023/24 Appendix 2: Strategic Performance Indicators Scorecard 2023/24 Appendix 3: WDC reputational tracker 2023-24 Appendix 4: WDC Citizens Panel 2023-24 Appendix 5: LGBF performance indicators scorecard 2022/23 (latest data) Appendix 6: LGBF Annual Overview Report 2022/23 Background Papers: WDC Strategic Plan 2022-27 Wards Affected: All Wards Page 35
Page 36
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Annual Report 2023/24 APPENDIX 1 Page 36
Page 37
2022-27 Priorities are resilient and thriving Our Environment promotes a greener future Our Council is inclusive and adaptable Our Economy is strong and flourishing Our CommunitiesPriority 1 Priority 2 Priority 3 Priority 4 Aඕඊඑගඑඖ Cඔඔඉඊකඉගඑඖ Hඖඍඛගඡ Iඖඖඞඉගඑඖ Eගඐඑඋඉඔ Vඉඔඝඑඖඏ Eඕඟඍකඑඖඏ At the core of what we do as a Council is a commitment to reduce inequality and tackle the root causes of poverty. The four strategic priorities for 2022-2027 focus on supporting our communities to thrive, by promoting equality for all. I am very pleased to bring forward this year’s Annual Report which offers a high-level overview of how the Council is performing against our strategic priorities; national performance in the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF), resident satisfaction and expectations as well as insight into budgets and workforce. This report demonstrates how we as an organisation are delivering on our vision for West Dunbartonshire as outlined in our Strategic Plan. Every piece of work undertaken helps us deliver continuing improvement towards strong and resilient communities who are well- supported, a thriving local economy with jobs and investment, and a move towards a greener West Dunbartonshire. Local government nationally faces a number of significant challenges, including funding levels not keeping pace with increased demand, growing need and rising cost pressures. Despite this, in West Dunbartonshire the long-term trends outlined through LGBF data, shows continuing improved performance. A number of our achievements for 2023/24 are outlined in this report to demonstrate the steps being taken to achieve our aims for West Dunbartonshire’s residents. We rightly want to celebrate our achievements, but the data behind this report also allows us to reflect on how we can continue to drive positive change and where these efforts must be focused for the next year. In 2024/25, there will be continued focus on key areas including increasing recycling and reducing landfill; workforce satisfaction and improving the road network. The report highlights key facts using visual and infographic data in order to ensure the information presented is easily accessible to all. A comprehensive suite of public performance reporting material is also available on our website to enable residents and partners to understand organisational progress in more detail should it be required. I hope this approach helps residents, employees and partners to understand the work we are undertaking to build a better West Dunbartonshire for all. Councillor Martin Rooney, Council Leader, West Dunbartonshire Council Introduction Our Vision, Values & Priorities The 2022-27 Strategic Plan sets out our vision for West Dunbartonshire: Delivering services which build on the strengths and resilience of our neighbourhoods and supporting all residents to fulfil their individual potential and that of their communities. Good governance flows from shared values and culture. Our values, set out below, underpin everything we do and describe how we will deliver our Plan. These values reflect the personal stake that every one of us has in delivering our Council’s priorities: Page 37
Page 38
Attainment has increased, including for those pupils living in our most deprived areas, which has reduced the attainment gap between our most and least deprived children and young people. West Dunbartonshire is ranked in the top five performing Councils in Scotland for narrowing the attainment gap in literacy and numeracy in primary. Our Key Achievements Our Telephone Survey gathered feedback from 900 residents over the last year. This is what they said… Our residents’ views 77 % were satisfied with leisure and sports were satisfied with museums and galleries89 % were satisfied with libraries91 % rated West Dunbartonshire as a good or very good place to live89 % Our Performance WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2401 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24 01 1 4 14 Key Targets met or exceeded Targets narrowly missed Target not met 1 Shortlisted for a national Scottish Library & Information Council Project Excellence Award, the New Pathways project helps young people reconnect with their learning, with courses for those who were unable to fully engage during the pandemic lockdowns and faced challenges with the return to physical schooling. The project expanded to include school leavers, with a focus on alternative career paths and choices. Pupils in West Dunbartonshire’s primary schools are meeting or exceeding the national average in reading, writing and numeracy, with a steady improvement in all three areas. The key objectives in this area are ensuring our neighbourhoods are safe, resilient and inclusive, supporting residents’ health and well-being, and supporting residents to increase life and learning skills. Overall, performance was very good, with 74% of 19 indicators meeting or exceeding targets, rising to 95% with the inclusion of those where targets were narrowly missed. Page 38
Page 39
Our Communities - Resilient and ThrivingOur Environment - A Greener Future Strategic Priority 1 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2402 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24 02 Improved energy efficiency with over 400 external wall insulations carried out on Council tenanted properties. Another 120 insulations on private homes were completed with Scottish Government funding. Expanded the Queens Quay District Heating Network, with the connection to 46 Clydebank Housing Association flats. Providing low carbon heating and cooling solutions, the Network aims to significantly reduce fuel poverty and deprivation and contribute to key climate change targets. Established an innovative Net Zero Cooperation Agreement with Glasgow City Council to share skills, resources and infrastructure to help deliver our climate change goals. Our Key Achievements Our Telephone Survey gathered feedback from 900 residents over the last year. This is what they said… Our residents’ views 77 % were satisfied with parks and open spaces were satisfied with waste services82 % were satisfied with grounds maintenance and grass cutting60 % were satisfied with street cleaning 72 % Our Performance 3 3 5 Key Targets met or exceeded Targets narrowly missed Targets not met 2 The key objectives in this area are ensuring our environment is protected, enhanced and valued, our resources are used in an environmentally sustainable way, and our neighbourhoods are sustainable and attractive. Overall, performance was fair, with 45% of 11 indicators meeting or exceeding targets, rising to 73% with the inclusion of those where targets were narrowly missed. Page 39
Page 40
Our Economy - Strong and Flourishing* Strategic Priority 2 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2403 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24 03 Strategic Priority 3 Supported 200 new business start-ups and developed and implemented a range of business interventions, through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, to provide growth support to local businesses. Supported nearly 450 people to secure a nationally recognised qualification, assisted 305 people to progress in the workplace through apprenticeships or training, and supported 439 people into work, the highest in five years. Progressed work to create a major £44m industrial and commercial development at the former ExxonMobil terminal in Bowling, with detailed planning approval granted for work to begin. Part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal, the development will bring up to 1,000 jobs and investment, drive economic renewal and deliver green infrastructure. Our Key Achievements Our Citizens’ Panel gathered feedback from 309 residents over the last year. This is what they said… Our residents’ views 74 % shop locally for groceries and general household items, while 66% engage local trades such as plumbers and electricians feel secure about their finances 69 % Top options to improve finances were: reduced transport costs 26% access to skills development training 24% more flexible working 24% Our Performance WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2404 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24 04 3 The key objectives in this area are ensuring the infrastructure for sustainable and inclusive growth is in place, supporting businesses to flourish, and supporting residents to access training and employment opportunities. Overall, performance was very good, with 88% of 8 indicators meeting or exceeding targets, rising to 100% with the inclusion of those where targets were narrowly missed. 0 1 7 Key Targets met or exceeded Target narrowly missed Targets not met Page 40
Page 41
The key objective in this area is to have a skilled and resilient workforce, enabled to deliver best value services for our residents who are engaged and empowered. Overall, performance was good, with 58% of 12 indicators meeting or exceeding targets, rising to 75% with the inclusion of those where targets were narrowly missed. Automated a range of processes across the Council to deliver efficiencies, including employee new starts, sickness absence, free school meals, clothing grants and discretionary housing payments. Our Key Achievements 3 2 7 Key Targets met or exceeded Targets narrowly missed Targets not met Our Telephone Survey gathered feedback from 900 residents over the last year. This is what they said… Our residents’ views 62 % were satisfied with the way the Council runs things think the Council communicates well52 % would speak highly of the Council57 % were satisfied with the Council website overall90% 4 Upskilled ICT employees with industry-standard training in infrastructure, Microsoft 365, device, and cyber security and implemented a walk-up Tech Bar to provide immediate ICT support to employees, providing fast and effective solutions and reducing down-time. Improved the Council Tax collection process, which contributed to a significant saving in the annual cost of collecting Council Tax per dwelling, down from £3.00 to £0.70. We are now the top performing Council in Scotland for this, ensuring that more of the money collected is directed to services for residents. SUPPORT Page 41
Page 42
Our Council - Inclusive and Adaptable Strategic Priority 4 Our Performance WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2405 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24 05 How We Compare Nationally The Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) is a set of 108 performance indicators that all local authorities in Scotland are measured against. The latest data is summarised below, showing our performance compared to the previous year, all Scottish councils, and similar councils (known as our family group). Of the 11 Satisfaction PIs in the LGBF set: 64% performed better than the Scottish average 64% performed better than the family group average 36% performed better than the previous year Of the 21 Cost PIs in the LGBF set: 62% performed better than the previous year 57% performed better than the Scottish average 67% performed better than the family group average Of the 76 Performance PIs in the LGBF set: 50% performed better than the previous year 50% performed better than the Scottish average 46% performed better than the family group average This graph sets out the performance of all 108 indicators by service area and by quartile (Q). There are 32 councils in Scotland, so each quartile reflects a group of 8 councils. The quartiles range from Q1, the top 8 performing councils, to Q4, the bottom 8. Some services have PIs that sit in only two or three quartiles, for example Housing, and this is reflected in the columns below. Of the 108 PIs: 23% ranked in the top 8 (Q1) 56% ranked in the top half (Q1 + Q2) 8 recorded the best performance in Scotland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Children's Services Corporate Services Adult Social Services Culture & Leisure Services Environmental Services Housing Services Economic Development Climate Change Finance 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Quartile 1 Quartile 2 Quartile 3 Quartile 4 Page 42
Page 43
Education , 43.00 Health & Social Care, 27.00 Roads & Neighbourhood (including waste), 6.00 People & Technology, 2.00 Citizens, Culture & Facilities, 5.00 Cost of borrowing, 6.00 Resources, 2.00 Other, 4.00 Housing & Employability, 4.00 Regulatory & Regeneration, 1.00 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2406 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24 06 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2407 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24 07 Council Budget How each £1 was spent in 2023/24: Council Workforce £1 Absence days per employee Absence days per teacher 5.4% improvement in 23/24 18.8% increase in 23/24 Sickness absence Permanent 81% Casual 10% Apprentices 1% Fixed Term 8% 14.83 days 15.68 days 8.02 days 6.75 days 2023/24 2023/242022/23 2022/23 Page 43
Page 44
Find Out More: To find out more about our performance, visit our website at: www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/council/performance-and-spending Get Involved: To join our Citizen’s Panel, contact us at: engagement@west- dunbarton.gov.uk Contact Us: performance@west-dunbarton.gov.uk West Dunbartonshire Council Performance & Strategy 16 Church Street Dumbarton G82 1QL Page 44
Page 45
1 APPENDIX 2: Strategic Plan 2022-27 -Year-end Progress 2023/24 1. Our communities Objective 1. Our neighbourhoods are safe, resilient and inclusive 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner % of anti-social behaviour cases resolved 97.05% 98.08% 97% Target exceeded. Performance continues to remain strong and shows continued improvement over the last 10 years. Nicola Pettigrew % of emergency road related defects repaired with 4 hours of being reported 96% 96.9% 95% Target exceeded. Performance remains strong and represents a small improvement from the previous year. Liam Greene % of council resources directed by communities 1.271% 0.97% 1% Target narrowly missed. 0.97% of budget was subject to participatory budgeting. The main challenges in meeting the target was a planned underspend within the tenant priority budget as the budget had to be used to offset HRA overspends in other service areas including Loan Charges which were overbudget as a result of the current high interest rates. Carol Alderson; Elaine Troup % of Public Space CCTV cameras that are operational 87.17% 78.28% 85% Target narrowly missed. Investment for the upgrade of CCTV has been secured from UK shared Prosperity fund (UKSPF) for public space CCTV and from HRA for upgrades to housing cameras. The CCTV Nicola Pettigrew Page 45
Page 46
2 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner equipment and infrastructure is now quite dated and it is anticipated as the upgrade work progresses improvement will be seen in this area. Percentage of all street light repairs completed within 7 days 98.75% 98% 95% Target exceeded. Despite a small dip in performance from the previous year performance remains strong overall. Liam Greene Objective 2. Our residents health and wellbeing remains a priority 2021/22 2022/23 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of children who have reached all of the expected developmental milestones at the time of the child's 27 -30 month child health review - Early Years Collaborative Stretch Aim 73.95% 72.3% 72% Target exceeded. The latest data available is for 2022/23. Target was met however this represent a decline from the previous year performance and significantly lower than the Scotland average where performance is 82.1%. Lesley James 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner % of adults supported at home who agree that they 83.2% 62.7% 85% Target not met, representing a decline in both the long and short term. Fiona Taylor Page 46
Page 47
3 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner are supported to live as independently as possible (Core Integration Indicator) % 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. Michael Mulgrew Number of attendances per 1,000 population for indoor sports and leisure facilities 4,979 5,609 6,139 Target narrowly missed. Annual usage within indoor facilities was below the target set by 8% but above the previous year by 11.7%. Leisure centres were below the target set by 5.9% but above the previous year by 13%. Community Facilities usage was also below the target set but above the previous year. Sports Development and Active Schools usage was both below the target set and the previous year mainly due to Sports Development activities being used in school rather than Leisure Trust facilities. Clydebank Leisure Centre saw the largest increase from the previous year seeing a 16.2% rise in attendances. The centre is becoming a popular venue for dance and sporting events. The Meadow Centre Bobby Kerr Page 47
Page 48
4 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner increased by 13% and the Vale of Leven Swimming Pool increased by 6.3%. Sporting usage within the Community Facilities saw a 65% increase over the previous year as some facilities are proving popular with local combat sporting groups and private keep fit classes. % of Youth Homelessness levels in West Dunbartonshire 25% 23% 25% Target exceeded, representing improvement in both the long and short term. John Kerr Objective 3. Our residents are supported to increase life and learning skills 2021/22 2022/23 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of children and young people achieving Curriculum for Excellence levels in literacy 71% 72% 72% Target met. Latest data relates to 22/23. Literacy data is not available for 2023/24 as it is currently being quality assured by the Scot Gov. Julie McGrogan Percentage of children and young people achieving Curriculum for Excellence levels in numeracy 78% 75% 73% Target exceeded. Latest data relates to 22/23. Literacy data is not available for 2023/24 as it is currently being quality assured by the Scot Gov. Julie McGrogan Page 48
Page 49
5 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Total number of visits to funded and part funded museums and heritage centres (in person & virtual) per 1,000 population 1166 1223 1041 Target exceeded. Target exceeded with consistently high numbers of visits and improvement on previous year. 108,117 visits against a target of 92,000 Lauren Crooks Total number of library visits (physical and virtual) per 1,000 population 4630 4881 4072 Target exceeded. Target exceeded with consistently high numbers of visits and improvement on previous year. 432,449 visits against a target of 360,000. Stephen Daly % of establishments delivering good or very good high-quality learning & teaching (Outcome of Improvement Framework) 80% 84% 84% Target met. Julie McGrogan Percentage of school attendance 88.41% 88.96 % 88.96 % Target met Andrew Brown Percentage of 3 & 4 year old children at ELC achieving the benchmark in literacy 59.5% 56% 59% Target narrowly missed, although we have not achieved this year’s literacy benchmark target, we continue to see an increase in attainment from the first year of the pandemic. There are a range of reasons for this, for example, a higher number of children with identified ASN within our ELC settings. However, to support with this we have identified this as an area for development within this year’s delivery plan. Steve Rivers Percentage of 3 & 4 year old children at ELC 32.4% 34% 33% Target exceeded. Steve Rivers Page 49
Page 50
6 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner achieving the benchmark in numeracy Percentage of ELC settings meeting the National Standard Criteria of good and above 100% 100% 100% Target met Steve Rivers 2. Our Environment Objective 4. Our local environment is protected, enhanced and valued 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Air Quality: PM10 Concentration 10 9.1 18 Target exceeded. The year-end value is well within the national target of 18ug (micrograms), and both the short and long term trends have improved. Michael Mulgrew % of total household waste that is recycled 38.1% 35.1% 60% Target significantly missed. Figure higher than anticipated due to the need to enter into an emergency agreement with Glasgow City Council. A long-term solution will be implemented in August that will significantly increase recycling figure Ian Bain % residents satisfied with the street cleaning service 72% 73% 73% Target met. Marginal improvement on previous year. Iain Bain % Residents satisfied with Parks & open spaces 84% 77% 85% Target narrowly missed and performance marginally down from last year. The planned improvement to play Iain Bain Page 50
Page 51
7 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner parks and recreational facilities should help improve this. Objective 5. Our resources are used in an environmentally sustainable way 2021/22 2022/23 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Tonnage of carbon dioxide emissions from Council operations and assets 24,022 23,150 21,649 While emissions were 3.6% less than the previous year, the target was narrowly missed. The pandemic led to increased emissions in 2021- 22 (e.g. through the need for increased ventilation) and we are still in the recovery phase to restore those to pre-pandemic levels. Limited resources, both staff and funding, restricted the delivery of actions in the Climate Change Action Plan. Stricter targets set by the Climate Change Strategy means meeting them will be more challenging. With Waste and Recycling making up almost 52% of the Council’s carbon footprint, an increase in household waste levels meant improvements to emissions from other sources were overshadowed. The Climate Change and Energy team will provide renewed focus on the Climate Change Action Plan and will continue to identify and implement measures Gillian McNamara Page 51
Page 52
8 2021/22 2022/23 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner for reducing carbon emissions in conjunction with services. 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Tonnage of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled 16,402 17189 13,300 Target missed. Figure higher than anticipated due to the need to enter into an emergency agreement with Glasgow City Council. A long term solution will be implemented in August that will significantly reduce the tonnage going to landfill. Ian Bain Objective 6. Our neighbourhoods are sustainable and attractive 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Number of new supply social housing for rent 245 83 80 Target exceeded. The 83 new supply figure for 2023/24 is made of 48 new units from Link Housing Association (at 140 Dumbarton Road, Old Kilpatrick) and 35 units via WDC's Buy Back Scheme. There were no WDC new build completions during 2023/24. John Kerr % Satisfaction with quality of new build council housing 100% 100% 80% Target exceeded. While there were no new Council homes completed in 2023/24 satisfaction surveys were carried out during defects inspections at Queens Quay, Clydebank John Kerr Page 52
Page 53
9 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner % of tenants satisfied with the repairs and maintenance service 83.7% 94.8% 86% Target exceeded. This represents improvement in both the short and longer term. Martin Feeney % of council houses that are energy efficient 86.3% 86.9% 100% Target marginally missed with performance showing consistent improvement year on year. Work continues incrementally each year to increase the number of homes meeting the energy efficiency standard for social housing (EESSH). Compliance continues a positive trend and 24-25 capital investment programme will continue to improve those homes not meeting the standard. Alan Young % Residents satisfied with roads maintenance 29% 22% 40% Target not met, representing a decrease in performance from the previous year. Satisfaction performance for this indicator is incongruent with actual service performance in terms of time for repair and percentage of roads requiring maintenance. A full review of the Road Maintenance Plan and Roads Communication and Engagement Strategy is underway with a priority action in the Roads and Neighbourhood 2024/25 Delivery Plan. Liam Greene 3. Our Economy Objective 7. Our area has the infrastructure for sustainable and inclusive growth where businesses can flourish Page 53
Page 54
10 2021/22 2022/23 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Immediately available employment land as a % of total land allocated for employment purposes 38.95 37.39 39 Based on the LGBF comparative data published by the Improvement Service in December 2023, performance was better than the Scottish average of 22.8%, with a ranking of 10 of 32 local authorities, up three places from the previous year. Data release for 23/24 is due 30th October 2024. Alan Williamson 2022/23 2023/24 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 205 200 180 Target exceeded with 200 businesses supported to start up through Business Gateway. Gillian Scholes % of procurement spent on local small/medium-sized enterprises and SMEs who have a presence in West Dunbartonshire 41.9% 48% 36% Target exceeded and performance improved over both the short and long term. Laura Adams; Angus Cameron Objective 8. Our residents are supported to access employment and training opportunities Page 54
Page 55
11 2021/22 2022/23 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of young people entering a positive destination 95.11 95.3% 92% Target exceeded. Andrew Brown 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Number of local people entering employment through Working 4U 451 439 407 Target exceeded. Overall, 439 people entered employment through W4U, this represents best performance for 5 years. Stephen Brooks Number of local people gaining a full qualification 756 867 561 Target exceeded. Overall, 867 people were supported to gain a full qualification through W4U, this represents best performance for 6 years. This achievement rests on integrated work between employability and Youth and Adult Learning to ensure that everyone who wants a qualification is supported in an appropriate way. Stephen Brooks Objective 9. Our partnerships will support economic development to deliver increased prosperity for our area 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Number of people receiving support through Working 4U with more 1,380 1,581 779 Target exceeded. Performance continues to remain strong and shows significant improvement over the last 7 years. Working4U continue to focus on Stephen Brooks Page 55
Page 56
12 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner than one barrier to employment (aggregate) individuals with multiple barriers to employment. Barriers include: lack of qualifications, low skills, disability, care experienced, carer, criminal convictions, substance misuse and mental health Percentage of local people with increased or sustained income through reduced debt liability/debt management 90% 98.4% 90% Target exceeded, representing sustained improvement over the long term and best performance to date. With the help of Working4U, 377 local residents were assisted to manage £1.2 million worth of debt. 98.4% proceeded with their agreed debt strategy options, with the remaining 1.6% being undecided at this time. Stephen Brooks 4. Our Council Objective 10. Our workforce is resilient and skilled where digital technology supports service delivery for our residents 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner % employee attendance improvement rate (teachers & local govt.) 0.55% 1.86% 1% Target exceeded. Performance was particularly strong in the first part of the year with a contributing factor noted as the significant reduction in Long Covid related absence. Supporting employee wellbeing will continue to be the approach to ensuring improved attendance rates. Alison McBride Page 56
Page 57
13 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of Council employees who feel valued in the workplace 68% 46% 75% Target not met. Performance has declined over the last 2 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 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. Alison McBride Objective 11. Our Council is adaptable and focused on delivering best value for our residents 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Rent collected as a % of total rent due 98.51% 99.09% 98% Target exceeded despite the impact that the cost of living and the restrictions on court actions has had on rent collection. The increased collection, the highest since 2016/17, reflects the excellent processes in place for rent collection with early/efficient engagement with tenants to ensure support and assistance when required. Ryan Chalmers Cost of collecting council tax per dwelling £ £2.48 £0.70 £3.00 Target exceeded. Improved cost of collection due to improved processes and increased income from statutory additions. Ryan Chalmers Page 57
Page 58
14 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of income due from council tax received by the end of the year 94.83% 93.2% 93.5% Target narrowly missed due to the impact of the cost of living. Processes reviewed to ensure early intervention and support/assistance is in place for residents. Ryan Chalmers Income generated as a % of total revenue budget 11% 13.1% 11% Target exceeded. Income generated was slightly more than the target due to increases in fees and charges as part of the budget setting process. Carol Alderson No. of transactions undertaken online 54,563 59,368 54,500 Target exceeded. Work continues to improve and develop online transaction and performance has as a result continued to increase. Stephen Daly Objective 12. Our residents are engaged and empowered 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner Percentage of residents who are satisfied with the Council website 85% 90% 85% Target exceeded, representing best performance over the last 4 years. Work continues to ensure compliance with digital accessibility regulations. Stephen Daly % of committee agendas published within standing order timescales 100% 100% 99% Target exceeded. All committee agendas were published within standing order timescales. Carol-Ann Burns Resident satisfaction with Council services overall 87% 78% 85% Target narrowly missed although improvement has been made each quarter. Recent changes made to services due to budget reductions have impacted on the satisfaction rate Amanda Graham Page 58
Page 59
15 2022/23 2023/24 Performance Indicator Value Status Value Target Short Trend Long Trend Note Owner % of residents who feel the Council communicates well with them (WDC is good at keeping people informed of important information) 71% 63% 75% Target not met, representing a decline in performance from the previous year. Results have fluctuated quarterly between 60% and 69% over the year Communication continues to be a key priority. Over the last year communications have been issued across a range of channels including social media, the Council website, media releases and Housing News as well as specific tailored communications Lauren Crooks % of stage 1 complaints responded to within 5 working days. 64.19% 66.8% 100% Target not met. Performance has improved from previous year and represents best performance over the last 5 years. Of 476 complaints closed at stage 1, 318 were closed within 5 working days. Work continues to engage with services to improve response times. Stephen Daly 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 59
Page 60
APPENDIX 3: Reputation Tracker Survey - Annual Report 2023/24 Reputation Tracker Survey Annual Report April 2023 to March 2024 Page 60
Page 61
Contents Page 1.0 Survey Overview 1 2.0 Overall Perception of Council and Satisfaction with Services 1 3.0 Citizen, Culture and Communities 3 4.0 Roads and Neighbourhood 4 5.0 Local Area and Communities 4 6.0 Education 5 7.0 Licensing 5 Page 61
Page 62
1 1.0 Sඝකඞඍඡ Oඞඍකඞඑඍඟ 1.1 Respondents were asked to say whether they agreed or disagreed with various statements relating to West Dunbartonshire Council. It should be noted that ‘Don’t Know’ responses have been removed and so the base for each individual question is lower than the overall sample size of 900. 2.0 Oඞඍකඉඔඔ Pඍකඋඍගඑඖ ඎ Cඝඖඋඑඔ ඉඖඌ Sඉගඑඛඎඉඋගඑඖ ඟඑගඐ Sඍකඞඑඋඍඛ 2.1 The following seven general statements measure the Perception of the Council and ask residents level of agreement with each. The results are shown below. The trend is shown against the previous year, where possible. Agreement with Statements about Council 23/24 % change Statements 63% - West Dunbartonshire Council is good at keeping people informed of important information (base: 654) 46% -17% West Dunbartonshire Council is good at listening to local people's views before it takes decisions (base: 493) 52% - West Dunbartonshire Council is good at letting local people know how well it is performing (base: 505) 52% -19% West Dunbartonshire Council communicates well with its residents (base: 442) 62% -17% I am satisfied with the way West Dunbartonshire Council runs things (base: 761) 55% - West Dunbartonshire Council does the best it can with the money available (base: 630) 57% -14% I would speak highly of West Dunbartonshire Council (base: 586) Based on 900 telephone interviews representative of West Dunbartonshire by location and age 2.2 Figure 1 illustrates levels of agreement with the previous 2 years. 80% 79% 62% 66% 63% 46% 74% 71% 52% 75% 71% 57% Satisfied with the way WDC runs things WDC is good at listening to people's views WDC good at keeping people informed Would speak highly of the council 100% 75% 50% 25% 0% 2021/22 (bases: 881-1,098) 2022/23 (bases: 832-1,081) 2023/24 (bases: 442 -761) Figure 1: % levels of agreement compared to previous 2 quarters Page 62
Page 63
2 2.3 Respondents are then asked to express their degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with a range of Council services and aspects of service delivery. Satisfaction with the Council’s Services Service 23/24 % change Service 23/24 % change Street cleaning (base: 877) 72% 0% Libraries (base: 348) 91% -3% Waste service overall (base: 889) 82% 0% Council Website (base: 446) 90% +5% Roads maintenance (base: 867) 22% -7% Museums and Galleries (base: 147) 89% -2% Grounds Maintenance and grass cutting (base: 812) 60% -16% Leisure and sports centres (base: 505) 77% -6% Parks and open spaces (base: 806) 77% -7% Services overall (base: 812) 78% -8% Based on 900 telephone interviews representative of West Dunbartonshire by location and age 3.0 Cඑගඑජඍඖ, Cඝඔගඝකඍ ඉඖඌ Fඉඋඑඔඑගඑඍඛ Page 63
Page 64
3 3.1 Figure 2 details Citizen, Culture and Facilities services for April 2023 to March 2024 and compares this to April 2022 to March 2023, where possible. Figure 2: % satisfaction levels compared to previous year Citizen, Culture and Facilities 2022-2023 2023-2024 % Change Libraries (2022-2023 base: 389, 2023-2024 base: 348) 94% 91% -3% Contact Centre (2022-2023 base: 395, 2023-2024 base: 262) 66% 66% 0% Museums and Galleries (2022-2023 base: 142, 2023-2024 base: 147) 91% 89% -2% Council Website: Finding Information (2023-2024 base: 456) - 88% - Council Website: Ease of Use (2023-2024 base: 451) - 89% - Council Website: Completing Transactions (2023 -2024 base: 303) - 91% - Council Website Overall (2022-2023 base: 690, 2023-2024 base: 446) 85% 90% +5% Eඉඛඍ ඎ Cඖගඉඋගඑඖඏ Cඝඖඋඑඔ 3.2 More detailed questions were asked in relation to ease of making contact with the council. The proportion of respondents finding it very or quite easy to contact the Council by the method they used is detailed in Figure 3. Figure 3: % finding it easy to make contact Ease of Making Contact 2022-2023 2023-2024 % Change Telephoning Citizen Contact Centre (2023-2024 base: 259) - 61% - Telephoning Specific Council Department (2023- 2024 base: 136) - 85% - Through Council’s website (2023-2024 base: 199) - 82% - Visiting One of Main Offices (2023-2024 base: 8) - 88% - Iඖගඍකඖඍග Uඛඍ Page 64
Page 65
4 3.3 Figure 4 details the proportion of respondents that use the internet, that are confident using the internet and have ever used the Council website. Figure 4: % internet use compared to previous year Internet Use 2022-2023 2023-2024 % Change Use the internet (2023-2024 base: 900) - 86% - Confident using the internet (2023-2024 base: 772) - 90% - Ever used Council website (2022-2023 base: 1,076, 2023-2024 base: 776) 64% 60% -4% 4.0 Rඉඌඛ ඉඖඌ Nඍඑඏඐඊඝකඐඌ 4.1 Figure 5 details Roads and Neighbourhood services for April 2023 to March 2024 and compares this to April 2022 to March 2023, where possible. Figure 5: % satisfaction levels compared to previous year Roads and Neighbourhood 2022-2023 2023-2024 % Change Street cleaning (2022-2023 base: 1,444, 2023- 2024 base: 877) 72% 72% 0% Waste services (2022-2023 base: 1,183, 2023- 2024 base: 889) 82% 82% 0% Roads Maintenance (2022-2023 base: 1,148, 2023 -2024 base: 867) 29% 22% -7% Grounds maintenance and grass cutting (2022-2023 base: 1,097, 2023-2024 base: 812) 76% 60% -16% Parks & open spaces (2022-2023 base: 1,030, 2023-2024 base: 806) 84% 77% -7% 5.0 Lඋඉඔ Aකඍඉ ඉඖඌ Cඕඕඝඖඑගඑඍඛ 5.1 Figure 6 details positive ratings for aspects of the Local Area and Community for April 2023 to March 2024 and compares this to April 2022 to March 2023, where possible. Figure 6: % ratings compared to previous year Page 65
Page 66
5 Local Area and Community 2022-2023 2023-2024 % Change Feeling of safety (2023-2024 base: 889) 86% - Attractiveness of local environment (2023-2024 base: 868) 68% - Strength of economy and job opportunities (2023-2024 base: 523) 29% - Neighbourhood as a place to live (2022-2023 base: 1,190, 2023-2024 base: 883) 92% 89% -2% 6.0 Eඌඝඋඉගඑඖ 6.1 Figure 7 details education services for April 2023 to March 2024 and compares this to April 2022 to March 2023. Figure 7: % satisfaction levels compared to previous year Education Services 2022-2023 2023-2024 % Change Early Education and Childcare Centres / Nurseries (2022-2023 base: 145, 2023-2024 base: 83) 95% 95% 0% Primary Schools (2022-2023 base: 304, 2023-2024 base: 183) 89% 89% 0% Secondary Schools (2022-2023 base: 233, 2023- 2024 base: 162) 82% 75% -7% Additional Support Needs Provision (2022-2023 base: 68, 2023-2024 base: 43) 58% 46% -12% 7.0 Lඑඋඍඖඛඑඖඏ 7.1 Respondents were asked to comment on aspects of Licensing for the sale of alcohol. Figure 8 details the proportion that think there are too many premises selling alcohol. Figure 8: Premises selling alcohol Licensing 2022-2023 2023-2024 % Change Off-license Premises (2023-2024 base: 567) - 16% - On-license Premises (2023-2024 base: 570) - 7% - 7.2 Figure 9 illustrates the perceived impact that licensed premises have on the local area. 37% 16% 47% Positive Negative Neutral 50% 25% 0% 2023-24 (base: 473) Figure 9: Impact of Licensed Premises on the Local Area Page 66
Page 67
6 7.3 The distance respondents usually travel to purchase alcohol is illustrated in Figure 10. 47% 26% 8% 19% Less than a quarter of a mile Between a quarter of a mile and one mile More than one mile I don't purchase alcohol 50% 25% 0% 2023-2024 (base: 682) Figure 10: Disatance usually travelled to purchase alcohol Page 67
Page 68
1 West Dunbartonshire Citizens Panel Spring 2024 Survey Results West Dunbartonshire Citizens Panel provides an opportunity for residents to give their views on the Council and its services. This document presents the key findings from the online Spring 2024 survey. The responses of our members inform service development and improvements to ensure we meet the needs of our residents now and in the future. This year’s survey was themed on the four priority areas of the Council’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, to help us understand any changes over time, and people’s priorities. 1. Our Communities 2. Our Environment 3. Our Economy 4. Our Council 309 responses were received, 10% more than the 2023 survey. Self-selection bias can occur when survey respondents decide for themselves whether they participate. Self-selection can lead to biased data, as mix of respondents who choose to participate may not well represent the entire target population. The respondent profile in this survey was generally representative of demographic groups in West Dunbartonshire, apart from younger age groups, and an over representation of women. Home owners are over represented and social rented and private rented tenants are under-represented. Following a campaign to improve representation from younger age groups, as these were underrepresented, we have seen an upturn in participation amongst the 16-24 and 25-34 age groups. There was good geographical representation from across our areas. The respondent’s breakdown shows, 9% from G60, 5% from G63, 26% from G81, 31% from G82, 20% from G83 and 9% from the G13/14 area. We have highlighted any significant differences from different groups in responses. Summary of findings • 77% of respondents rated West Dunbartonshire as a good place to live • 59% of respondents felt they had no barriers to digital inclusion • 31% of respondents said they had some concerns about their finances, with 7% say they had serious concerns We look at the results in more detail below. APPENDIX 4 Page 68
Page 69
2 1. Our Communities Living in West Dunbartonshire 77% of people rated their local neighbourhood as a very good/ good place to live. 16.00 52.00 56.00 185.00 Very poor Very good Poor Good 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 How would you rate your local area as a place to live? 43% of people felt their local area had stayed about the same compared with the previous year, 19% felt it had improved whilst 38% felt it had got worse. Improvements to social housing, town centre regeneration, particularly in Alexandria, and environmental improvements had enhanced the overall look of the area. Unattractive town centres and lack of amenities was cited as reasons for a perceived deterioration in the local areas has a place to live. 132.00 22.00 19.00 95.00 41.00 Stayed about the same Got much worse Got much better Got a bit worse Got a bit better 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 How has your local area changed over the last year? Page 69
Page 70
3 Digital inclusion 59% noted no barriers to digital communications.41% noted some barriers to using digital communications, the three most common areas noted were broadband affordability, online safety and poor mobile phone reception. Overall, 79% of respondents were aware of sources of digital support in West Dunbartonshire Council through libraries and the Community Learning and Development team. 6.00 181.00 30.00 17.00 46.00 48.00 54.00 43.00 Other No concerns lack of digital skills Poor accessiblity Poor mobile phone... Worries abour online safety Broadband affordability Device affordability 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 Barriers to using digital technology Health and Wellbeing 69% of people reported they felt their physical health was very good/good. Very good Good Poor Very poor Prefer not to say 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Mental health Physical health Health and Wellbeing Page 70
Page 71
4 70% of people reported they felt their mental health was very good/good. In common with results from the 2023 Citizens Panel, women are more likely to report poor or very poor mental health compared to men. Overall, men also reported better physical health than women. Disabled people reported worse physical and mental health than non-disabled people. Home owners reported better physical and mental health than renters. How we are responding: Digital support: We offer a wide variety of free computer related courses to help users get online and become digitally included. This includes computers for the absolute beginner; smart phones and tablets; word processing; next steps in computing and digital drop in sessions. All details can be found here: Computer Courses | West Dunbartonshire Council (west- dunbarton.gov.uk) Community safety: To promote community safety, aid the detection of crime and improve feeling of safety in the community We are investing in CCTV upgrades throughout West Dunbartonshire. Housing Regeneration: We are investing to improve housing in West Dunbartonshire including new building and sustainability projects. Over the last few years, in partnership with other local housing providers we have delivered new social rented homes in areas such as Queens Quay, Clydebank and Old Kilpatrick. We have also increased our housing stock through the buyback scheme to assist the demand for social housing in key areas. Cost of living: We have committed £1million pounds to supporting people and community organisations with the cost of living as well as £250k for Community success & £100k to support young people Page 71
Page 72
5 2. Our Environment In common with earlier surveys carried out, there was strong support for actions on climate change and adaptation. There was considerable concern about flooding, with a commonality of actions suggested, including more education around recycling, protecting greenspaces, tree planting, re wilding and not expanding use of concrete driveways/ pathways. Access to public transport Good quality pavements Access to leisure facilities Good quality roads Access to green spaces Feeling safe in the community Arts & Cultural opportunities Good quality housing 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Very Important Important Somewhat important Not important Quality of life in the built environment 78% of people stated access to public transport and good quality pavements were very important to them. Other areas that were noted as very important include good quality roads and access to leisure facilities. 75% of people felt improved roads and pavements would support use of a wider range of more environmentally sustainable transport, more regular and cheaper public transport, more cycling routes and parking enforcement were also noted. 232.00 136.00 132.00 101.00 74.00 70.00 63.00 54.00 50.00 29.00 Improved roads & pavements More regular public transport Cheaper public transport Parking enforcement More cycling routes Accessible Public Transport Electric car charging points Increased disabled parking bays Wheelchair & scooter accessiblilty Car share/club 0 50 100 150 200 250 Sustainability improvements Page 72
Page 73
6 How we are responding: Green Flag We continue to embed climate change in the primary & secondary curriculum, strengthen the Green Flag scheme in schools and support pupils to make climate-friendly choices. Net Zero We have Established an innovative Net Zero Cooperation Agreement with Glasgow City Council to share skills, resources and infrastructure to help deliver our Climate Change goals. We have expanded the Queens Quay District Heating Network, with the connection to 46 Clydebank Housing Association flats. Energy Efficient Homes We have made significant improvements made to council owned properties in relation to energy efficiency improvements contributing to the Council strategic priority as well as contributing to potential reduction in fuel poverty for tenants. Community Volunteering We have engaged with in excess of 240 volunteers to carry out environmental improvement work. Active Travel Our active travel strategy and carried out consultation with stakeholders. outlines our vision and plan for promoting walking, wheeling, and cycling within our community in alignment with Scotland's national ambitions. Page 73
Page 74
7 3. Our Economy 47.00 23.00 165.00 74.00 Very secure Very concerned Fairly secure Fairly concerned 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Financial security 69% of people reported no issues with their finances. Those aged 35–44 years were the most likely to have some level of concern about their finances (42%) with the 16-24 age group having the least concern, albeit marginally behind most other groups. 66.7% of social rented tenants compared to only 21% of home owners said they had concerns about their finances. 26% said reduced transport costs, and 19% said more access to public transport would help finances. 21% said more childcare and 15% said free school meals would be beneficial. More flexibility from employers for home working and access to training were noted by 24% of respondents. 21.00 38.00 45.00 86.00 46.00 21.00 34.00 26.00 18.00 45.00 85.00 Digital Skills training Training & Development Home working Reduced transport costs Accessible public transport Free school meals Free child care provision Cease zero hours contract More work hours Living wage salary Other 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Financial Security improvements 48% of agreed it was easy to travel out with WD for work, 49% agreed it was easy to travel within the area for work. Page 74
Page 75
8 48% stated WD felt like a successful place. A large number of people answerred neutral to all of the questions. 46.00 106.00 120.00 5.005.00 5.0044.00 129.00 68.00 36.00 7.0035.00 169.00 48.00 23.00 15.00 71.00 168.00 20.008.00 7.0035.00 169.00 48.00 23.00 46.00 106.00 120.00 5.005.00 46.00 106.00 120.00 5.005.00 15.00 71.00 168.00 20.008.00 WD feels like a successful place WD is a good business location Range of job opportunities Help to find a job in WD Easy to find a job in WD It is easy to work at home in WD Ease of travel to work out with WD Ease of travel to work within WD 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Work and Employment 74% of people shop for groceries and general household items within the WD area, similarly the majority of people 66%, shop local for trades such as plumbers. Overwhelmingly, all other purchases, including entertainment, are done out with the WD area. 40.00 175.00 26.0041.00 42.00 129.00 101.00 10.00 57.00 149.00 72.00 4.00 82.00 168.00 2.0030.00 199.00 27.0027.0029.00 226.00 33.0020.003.00 Cars, Kitchens Electronic items Clothing Entertainment Trade services Groceries & household items 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 In WD Outwith WD Online N/A Shopping behaviours Page 75
Page 76
9 How we are responding: Regeneration of town centres We have ongoing regeneration work in town centres, with more planned, and detailed on our website. Economic Development Our Economic Development Strategy for 2020-2027 details our overall approach to sustainable and inclusive growth. We are progressing the transformation of the former Exxon site in Bowling to help boost the local economy and enhance our environment. Progressed work to create a major £44m industrial and commercial development at the former ExxonMobil terminal in Bowling, with detailed planning approval granted for work to begin. Part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal, the development will bring up to 1,000 jobs and investment, drive economic renewal and deliver green infrastructure. Supporting people into work and education We have supported nearly 450 people to secure a nationally recognised qualification, assisted 305 people to progress in the workplace through apprenticeships or training, and supported 439 people into work, the highest in five years. New Business start ups Supported 200 new business start-ups and developed and implemented a range of business interventions, through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, to provide growth support to local businesses. Page 76
Page 77
10 4. Our Council Perception of the Council As with previous surveys including the 2023 Citizens Panel, respondents were less positive across all areas with common questions, than telephone survey respondents. It is important to note that Citizens Panel respondents are self- selecting, whilst those to the Telephone Survey are selected at random. 21.00 130.00 107.00 50.00 22.00 108.00 114.00 64.00 20.00 124.00 111.00 53.00 21.00 119.00 104.00 64.00 22.00 102.00 112.00 72.00 WDC services are value for money WDC takes account of residents' views WDC communicates well WDC is well run WDC is open and transparent 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisifed Perception of the Council 59% of people liked to receive information about the Council from the Council Facebook page, closely followed by the Council website 51%. Text alerts and other social media channels were also noted as key areas where residents look for council information. 72% of respondents noted Facebook as the most commonly used social media channel, Instagram and twitter were the second and third most widely used platforms with 39% and 28% of users respectively. 49% were satisfied that the Council provides value for money, compared to 38% from the previous year. 42% agreed that the Council takes account of their views, compared to 31% from the previous year. 58% were satisfied with how we communicate, compared to 38% from the previous year. 60% were satisfied with the way we run services, compared to 39% from the previous year. 40% felt the Council were transparent in their decision making. Compared to 32% from the previous year. Page 77
Page 78
11 75.00 4.00 156.00 11.00 46.00 129.00 57.00 Text alerts Google classroom Council Website Instagram Twitter Facebook Other 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Preference for finding out about information on council services How we are responding: Community Participation The Council continues to run a wide range of consultations where you can give us your views and help shape your area. We will take account of how you have said you get information when letting you know about these. Best Value West Dunbartonshire Capital strategy sets out the Councils capital investment strategy over the ten year period to 2031-32 Document.ashx (west-dunbarton.gov.uk) How to get involved We want the Citizens’ Panel to have as wide a mix of members as possible and are always looking for new people to join. The Panel is open to anyone aged 16+ who lives in West Dunbartonshire. If you have any family, friends or neighbours who might be interested in taking part, they can contact us at engagement@west-dunbarton.gov.uk for more information, or sign up directly. Your information All the information you provide as a Panel member is completely confidential and will be used only for Citizens’ Panel engagement purposes. End of document Page 78
Page 79
1 APPENDIX 5: Local Government Benchmarking Framework - Comparative Performance Cost indicators where performance is: Satisfaction indicators where performance is: Performance indicators where performance is: Total Performance Indicators =108 Cost =21 Satisfaction =11 Performance =76 Better than previous year Better than Scottish average Better than family group average Better than previous year Better than Scottish average Better than family group average Better than previous year Better than Scottish average Better than family group average Children’s Services 40% (2/5) 40% (2/5) 40% (2/5) 0% (0/1) 100% (1/1) 100% (1/1) 31% (8/26) 42% (11/26) 46% (12/26) Adult & Social Care Services 50% (1/2) 50% (1/2) 100% (2/2) 0% (0/4) 0% (0/4) 0% (0/4) 60% (3/5) 60% (3/5) 60% (3/5) Corporate 100% (1/1) 100% (1/1) 100% (1/1) n/a n/a n/a 46% (6/13) 62% (8/13) 46% (6/13) Culture & Leisure 100% (4/4) 50% (2/4) 50% (2/4) 75% (3/4) 100% (4/4) 100% (4/4) n/a n/a n/a Environmental 71% (5/7) 71% (5/7) 86% (6/7) 50% (1/2) 100% (2/2) 100% (2/2) 100% (6/6) 67% (4/6) 67% (4/6) Housing Services n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 60% (3/5) 40% (2/5) 20% (1/5) Economic Development 0% (0/2) 50% (1/2) 50% (1/2) n/a n/a n/a 64% (7/11) 36% (4/11) 36% (4/11) Climate Change n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 80% (4/5) 80% (4/5) 60% (3/5) Finance n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 20% (1/5) 40% (2/5) 40% (2/5) Total 62% (13/21) 57% (12/21) 67% (14/21) 36% (4/11) 64% (7/11) 64% (7/11) 50% (38/76) 50% (38/76) 46% (35/76) Page 79
Page 80
2 Children's Services How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 32 P= Performance (26) C= Cost (5) S= Satisfaction (1) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Proportion of children looked after in the community (2022/23) 88.5% 15th HSCP C Gross cost of children looked after in residential based services per child per week (2022/23) £3,903 9th HSCP C Gross cost of children looked after in a community setting per child per week (2022/23) £251 4th HSCP C Cost per primary school pupil (2022/23) £7,946 28th ELA C Cost per secondary school pupil (2022/23) £9,053 24th ELA C Cost per pre-school place (2022/23) £13,175 27th ELA P Percentage of pupils gaining 5 + awards at level 5 (2022/23) 58% 30th ELA P Percentage of pupils gaining 5+ awards at level 6 (2022/23) 29% 27th ELA P Percentage pupils in 20% most deprived areas getting 5+ awards at level 5 (2022/23) 48% 12th ELA P Percentage pupils in 20% most deprived areas getting 5+ awards at level 6 (2022/23) 21% 13th ELA S Percentage of adults satisfied with local schools (2022/23) 79.7% 8th ELA P Percentage of school leavers in positive and sustained destinations (2022/23) 95.3% 17th ELA Page 80
Page 81
3 How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 32 P= Performance (26) C= Cost (5) S= Satisfaction (1) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Percentage of children who have reached all expected developmental milestones at time of child's 27-30 month child health review (2022/23) 72.3% 32nd HSCP P Percentage of funded Early Years Provision which is graded good or better (2022/23) 97.3% 1st ELA P School attendance rates per 100 pupils (2022/23) 88% 31st ELA P School attendance rates for Looked After Children per 100 Looked After Children (2022/23) 84.5% 16th ELA P School exclusion rates per 1000 pupils (2022/23) 20.5 23rd ELA P School exclusion rates for Looked After Children per 1000 looked after children (2022/23) 76.5 18th ELA P Participation rate for 16–19 year-olds per 100 (2022/23) 93% 26th ELA P Percentage child protection re-registrations within 18 months (2022/23) 0% 1st HSCP P Percentage Looked After Children with more than one placement within the last year (2022/23) 14.2% 12th HSCP P Percentage of children living in poverty after housing costs (2022/23) 28% 28th H&E P Percentage of P1, P4 and P7 pupils combined achieving expected CFE Level in Literacy (2022/23) 73.5% 14th ELA Page 81
Page 82
4 How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 32 P= Performance (26) C= Cost (5) S= Satisfaction (1) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Percentage of P1, P4 and P7 pupils combined achieving expected CFE Level in Numeracy (2022/23) 80.2% 16th ELA P Literacy Attainment Gap (P1,4,7 Combined) - percentage point gap between the least deprived and most deprived pupils (2022/23) 11.5% 1st ELA P Numeracy Attainment Gap (P1,4,7 Combined) - percentage point gap between the least deprived and most deprived pupils (2022/23) 13.9% 3rd ELA P Overall Average Total Tariff (2022/23) * 792 29th ELA P Average Total Tariff SIMD Quintile 1 (2022/23) 647 13th ELA P Average Total Tariff SIMD Quintile 2 (2022/23) 820 11th ELA P Average Total Tariff SIMD Quintile 3 (2022/23) 958 11th ELA P Average Total Tariff SIMD Quintile 4 (2022/23) 989 21st ELA P Average Total Tariff SIMD Quintile 5 (2022/23) 1,098 24th ELA *The tariff scale provides a measure of the latest and best achievement in each subject area for national qualifications and a range of wider awards. Qualifications are awarded tariff points based on their SCQF level. This measure includes pupils who started senior phase in S4 and looks at their cumulative attainment either to the point of leaving or to the end of S6. Page 82
Page 83
5 02 Corporate Services How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 14 P= Performance (13) C= Cost (1) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Sickness absence days per teacher (2022/23) 6.4 12th P&T P Sickness absence days per employee (non-teachers) (2022/23) 15.3 27th P&T P Support services as a percentage of total gross expenditure (2022/23) 3.4% 10th RES P Percentage of the highest paid 5% employees who are women (2022/23) 62% 8th P&T P Gender pay gap (2022/23) 1.7% 16th P&T C Cost of collecting council tax per dwelling (2022/23) £2.48 1st RES P Percentage of income due from council tax received by the end of the year (2022/23) 94.8% 28th RES P Percentage of invoices sampled that were paid within 30 calendar days (2022/23) 88.8% 24th RES P Percentage of operational buildings that are suitable for their current use (2022/23) 93% 8th RES P Percentage of internal floor area of operational buildings in satisfactory condition (2022/23) 91.2% 16th RES Page 83
Page 84
6 How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 14 P= Performance (13) C= Cost (1) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Proportion of Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grants decisions within 1 day (2023/24) 94.7% 23rd CCF P Proportion of Scottish Welfare Fund Community Care Grants decisions within 15 days (2023/24) 80.3% 28th CCF P Proportion of Scottish Welfare Fund budget spent (2022/23) 100.8% 26th RES P Proportion of Discretionary Housing Payments funding spent (2022/23) 96.7% 11th RES 03 Adult & Social Services How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 11 P= Performance (5) C= Cost (2) S= Satisfaction (4) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Self-directed support spend for people aged over 18 as a % of total social work spend on adults (2022/23) 1.8% 32nd HSCP C Home care costs for people aged 65 or over per hour (2022/23 £39.01 23rd HSCP Page 84
Page 85
7 How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 11 P= Performance (5) C= Cost (2) S= Satisfaction (4) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner S Percentage of adults supported at home who agree that they are supported to live as independently as possible (2022/23 62.7% 31st HSCP S Percentage of adults supported at home who agree they had a say in how their help, care or support was provided (2023-24) 59.1% 22nd HSCP S Percentage of carers who feel supported to continue in their caring role (2022/23) 26.7% 29th HSCP P Rate of readmission to hospital within 28 days per 1,000 discharges (2022/23) 84.6 9th HSCP P Percentage of care services graded "good" or better in Care Inspectorate inspections (2023/24) 81.4% 14th HSCP P Number of days people spend in hospital when they are ready to be discharged, per 1,000 population (75+) (2023/24) 1,327 27th HSCP P Percentage of people aged 65 and over with long-term care needs who are receiving personal care at home (2022/23) 71.1% 3rd HSCP S Percentage of adults supported at home who agree that their services and support had an impact in improving or maintaining their quality of life (2023/24) 64% 29th HSCP C Net residential costs per capita per week for older adults aged 65+ (2022/23) £646 14th HSCP Page 85
Page 86
8 04 Culture & Leisure Services How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 8 C= Cost (4) S= Satisfaction (4) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st--32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner C Cost per attendance at sports facilities (2022/23) £4.86 21st WDLT C Cost per visit to libraries (2022/23) £5.00 26th CCF C Cost per museum visit (2022/23) £0.01 1st CCF C Cost of parks and open spaces per 1,000 population (2022/23) £48,810 31st R&N S Percentage of adults satisfied with libraries (2022/23) 82% 5th CCF S Percentage of adults satisfied with parks and open spaces (2022/23) 87.7% 13th R&N S Percentage of adults satisfied with museums and galleries (2022/23) 75.3% 9th CCF S Percentage of adults satisfied with leisure facilities (2022/23) 76% 8th WDLT Page 86
Page 87
9 05 Environmental Services How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 15 P= Performance (6) C= Cost (7) S= Satisfaction (2) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner C Net waste collection cost per premises (2022/23) £61.07 8th R&N C Net waste disposal cost per premises (2022/23) £152.40 30th R&N C Net cost of street cleaning per 1,000 population (2022/23) £8,543 4th R&N P Street Cleanliness Index - Percentage Clean (2023/24) 87 28th R&N C Road maintenance cost per kilometre (2022/23) £22,802 27th R&N P Percentage of Class A roads that should be considered for maintenance treatment (2022/23) 16.8% 5th R&N P Percentage of Class B roads that should be considered for maintenance treatment (2022/23) 14.6% 1st R&N P Percentage of Class C roads that should be considered for maintenance treatment (2022/23) 21.4% 6th R&N P Percentage of unclassified roads that should be considered for maintenance treatment (2022/23) 30.2% 8th R&N C Cost of trading standards and environmental health per 1,000 population (2022/23) £19,957 12th R&R C Cost of trading standards, money advice & citizens advice per 1,000 population (2022/23) £6,530 16th R&R Page 87
Page 88
10 How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 15 P= Performance (6) C= Cost (7) S= Satisfaction (2) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner C Cost of environmental health per 1,000 population (2022/23) £13,430 16th R&R P Percentage of total household waste that is recycled (2022/23) 38.8% 25th R&N S Percentage of adults satisfied with refuse collection (2022/23) 85.3% 12th R&N S Percentage of adults satisfied with street cleaning (2022/23) 62.7% 13th R&N 06 Housing Services How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 5 P= Performance (5) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Gross rent arrears (all tenants) as at 31 March each year as a percentage of rent due for the reporting year (2022/23) 10% 16th RES P Percentage of council rent that was lost due to houses remaining empty (2022/23) 1.3% 13th H&E P Percentage of council dwellings that meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (2022/23) 32.2% 24th H&E Page 88
Page 89
11 How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 5 P= Performance (5) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Average time taken in days to complete non-emergency repairs (2022/23) 9.3 16th H&E P Percentage of council houses that are energy efficient (2021/22) 83.7% 16th H&E 07 Economic Development How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 13 P= Performance (11) C= Cost (2) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Percentage unemployed people assisted into work from Council operated / funded Employability Programmes (2022/23) 23.3% 7th H&E C Cost per planning application (2022/23) £7,977 29th R&R P Average time taken to deliver a commercial planning application decision (2022/23) 13.1 21st R&R P Percentage of procurement spent on local enterprises (2022/23) 16.7% 29th R&R Page 89
Page 90
12 How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 13 P= Performance (11) C= Cost (2) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Number of business gateway start-ups per 10,000 population (2023/24) 22.8 7th R&R C Investment in Economic Development & Tourism per 1,000 population (2022/23) £121,335 12th R&R P Proportion of people earning less than the living wage (2021/22) 14.6% 10th H&E P Proportion of properties receiving superfast broadband (2022/23) 99.5% 1st R&R P Town vacancy rates (2022/23) 15% 22nd R&R P Immediately available employment land as a percentage of total land allocated for employment purposes (2022/23) 37.4% 10th R&R P Gross Value Added (GVA) per capita (2022/23) £20,802 22nd R&R P Claimant count as a percentage of working age population (2023/24) 4.4% 30th H&E P Claimant count as a percentage of 16-24 population (2023/24) 5.6% 31st H&E 08 Tackling Climate Change Page 90
Page 91
13 How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 5 P= Performance (5) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P CO2 emissions area wide per capita (2022/23) 3.83 8th R&R P CO2 emissions area wide: emissions within scope of local authority per capita (2022/23) 3.74 8th R&R P CO2 emissions from transport per capita (2022/23) 22.1 14th R&R P CO2 emissions from electricity per capita (2022/23) 44.02 19th R&R P CO2 emissions from natural gas per capita (2022/23) 47.89 11th R&R 09 Finance How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 5 P= Performance (5) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Total useable reserves as a percentage of council annual budgeted revenue (2022/23) 12.4% 32nd RES P Uncommitted General Fund Balance as a percentage of council annual budgeted net revenue (2022/23) 2% 26th RES P Ratio of financing costs to net revenue stream - General Fund (2022/23) 4% 9th RES Page 91
Page 92
14 How we perform locally How we compare nationallyTotal Performance Indicators = 5 P= Performance (5) Latest year status Latest comparative value Performance against previous year value National position (1st-32nd) Scottish average Family group average Owner P Ratio of financing costs to net revenue stream - Housing Revenue Account (2022/23) 29.4% 19th RES P *Actual outturn as a percentage of budgeted expenditure (2022/23) 104% 1st RES *Ranked position against National, Scottish and Family group is based on LGBF calculations, where by a higher figure is more favourable. Within WDC we would rate best performance as close to 100%, in this respect we would note this PI as adrift of target. PI Status Target significantly missed Target narrowly missed Target met or exceeded Data only PI Owner Service Area CCF Citizen, Culture & Facilities ELA Education &E Housing & Employability HSCP Health & Social Care Partnership How we perform locally Better than previous year No change Worse than previous year How we compare nationally Better No change Worse Page 92
Page 93
15 P&T People & Technology R&R Regulatory & Regeneration RES Resources Page 93
Page 94
Local Government Benchmarking Framework National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Page 94 APPENDIX 6
Page 95
2 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Contents Preface 3 Key Messages 6 About this Report 11 Introduction 14 Financial and Workforce Pressures 16 Poverty, Financial Hardship and the Cost of Living Crisis 28 Health and Social Care Pressures 37 Education for Children and Young People 48 Performance of Local Government Services 58 Conclusion 65 Appendix 68 Overview Table for all LGBF Data 2022-23 68 Page 95
Page 96
3 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Preface This is the twelfth annual report for the Scottish Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF). The LGBF represents a joint commitment by Solace (Scotland) and COSLA to develop better measurement and comparable data to target resources and drive improvement. Over the past 12 years, this sector-led improvement approach has successfully supported all 32 Scottish councils to work and learn together. This report reflects a period when communities and council services were managing unprecedented financial challenges in the shape of soaring inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis and sits against a backdrop of deepening fiscal, demand and workforce pressures including those resulting from the ongoing effects of the Covid pandemic. This report reveals the extraordinary effort and achievements delivered across local government during some of the most challenging social and economic circumstances experienced by society over the last four years. Councils have adapted quickly to meet new demands, maintain essential services and implement new ways of working, and have strengthened partnerships with communities as well as the third and private sectors, helping to protect those who are vulnerable, and maintain community wellbeing. However, there is growing evidence of the negative impacts of the sustained pressures facing councils and the communities they serve, and the increasingly difficult decisions councils are having to make about the shape and level of service delivery. The evidence in this report shows that communities continue to be affected by these challenges in different ways and councils’ responses have exemplified the importance of local solutions to local needs and issues. Local solutions are an inevitable function of local democracy, reflecting the diverse needs, circumstances, and priorities of local communities. Each council has developed the structure and service arrangements it believes are the most appropriate and cost-effective to support its local community. All councils report their performance to their communities within locally developed and agreed public reporting frameworks, which draw upon LGBF information. This information is available to all citizens and users of council services, so that they can hold councils to account for what is achieved on their behalf and scrutinise their performance to drive improvement. To help communities and councils draw meaningful comparisons from the LGBF data, authorities are arranged in `family groups’, enabling comparisons to be made between councils that are similar in terms of the type of population that they Page 96
Page 97
4 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 serve (e.g., relative deprivation and affluence) and the type of area in which they serve them (e.g., urban, semi-rural, rural). The point of comparing like with like is that it will most probably lead to useful learning and improvement. The driving force behind this work is, and will always be, to improve the lives of people in communities across Scotland. We believe that effective public services contribute to both individual and community quality of life. With the sustainability of these services coming under increasing pressure, there has never been a greater requirement for working with and learning from each other. The local government sector has therefore positioned the LGBF as a key cornerstone of its evolving approach to sector-led performance improvement, especially through peer collaborative improvement. The robust evidence base provided by the LGBF will continue to be critical in informing and shaping councils’ efforts to improve and transform services for the benefit of the people they serve. Dr Grace Vickers Chair of Solace (Scotland) Councillor Shona Morrison Chair, Improvement Service COSLA President Page 97
Page 98
5 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Page 98
Page 99
6 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Key Messages 1. The 2022/23 report introduces data from a period when communities and council services were managing unprecedented financial challenges in the shape of soaring inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis. This was against a backdrop of deepening fiscal, demand and workforce pressures, including those resulting from the ongoing effects of the Covid pandemic. 2. During this time, funding levels for councils have not kept pace with increased demand, growing need and rising cost pressures. The financial challenges have coincided with new burdens and additional policy commitments, with the funding for these being ring fenced and eroded by inflation. While total revenue funding for councils increased in real terms by 0.7% in 2022/23, Audit Scotland report that the proportion of funding which is ringfenced and directed, or provided with the expectation it will be spent on specific services, has grown from 23.7% to 25.7%. This has resulted in a 1.9% real-terms reduction in revenue funding available to councils in 2022/23 to pursue local priorities. 3. The financial gap between councils’ income and expenditure has increased by over a third in 2022/23. To bridge this gap, councils have increased their reliance on savings, Council Tax increases, and have doubled their relative use of reserves. 4. In light of the sustained fiscal pressures and the requirement to make substantial savings, councils are facing increasingly difficult decisions in relation to their spending priorities. Expenditure within social care, education, and support for care experienced children continues to be sustained and enhanced, increasing since 2010/11 by 29%, 21% and 17% respectively. Meanwhile, disproportionate and substantial reductions are targeted in non- statutory services in order to provide balance to statutory and ringfenced commitments elsewhere. Since 2010/11, this has included: ● 20% reduction in culture and leisure spending ● 27% reduction in planning spending ● 24% reduction in corporate support service spending ● 9% reduction in roads spending ● 26% reduction in trading standards and environmental health spending ● 35% reduction in street cleaning. Page 99
Page 100
7 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 5. While long-term spending patterns are clear, between 2020/21 and 2022/23, more recent data reflect the active prioritisation of services that councils were required to make to support their Covid response and recovery. While education and social care continued to grow in line with national policy commitments, other areas such as roads and culture and leisure services saw fluctuation in their long-term spending trend. 6. In terms of overall council service performance, the long-term picture remains positive, with 66% of performance indicators within the LGBF showing improvement since the base year. In recent years, however, year on year trends show a slowing in this improvement, and an increase in the number of performance indicators which are now declining. In 2022/23, for the first time, the rate of decline has overtaken the rate of improvement (45% and 43% respectively). It is apparent that given the deepening fiscal, workforce and demand pressures facing the sector, councils are having to make increasingly difficult decisions about the shape and level of service delivery, and these are beginning to have a clear impact on service performance. If the current trend continues, the improvements and progress that has been achieved thus far, could potentially be lost and council service performance may start to decline over the longer-term. 7. While the recent downward trend in performance improvement is true for all councils, there is variation in the depth, severity and focus of impacts. This shows that although pressures are system wide, local areas are experiencing their impacts differently. Responses by councils have exemplified the importance of ‘local’ with local solutions and responses to local needs and issues, varying both between and within authorities. Tailoring services to the needs of local people and communities is a key function of local democracy and needs to be considered when comparing performance, however a variety in approach gives opportunities to learn and innovate. 8. Social care is the area where councils and their partners face significantly growing demands in part due to supporting the complex needs of people with disabilities and an ageing population. These demands were exacerbated by the pandemic, while at the same time the current crisis in workforce recruitment and retention is adding further to the pressures facing the sector. The long-term trends show how councils and their partners have worked together to expand provision in response to increasing demand and have succeeded in shifting the balance of care towards greater home-based support despite the extraordinary challenges they face. However, LGBF data in 2022/23 provides clear evidence of current system pressures, with significant capacity issues contributing to the delivery of fewer hours of care at home (-2.5% in 2022/23), fewer people receiving personal care at home Page 100
Page 101
8 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 -0.4% in 2022/23) and increasing delayed discharges (up 23% in 2022/23). These trends add to growing concern about levels of unmet need, particularly within the community, and the capacity within the current system to be able to adequately respond to levels of growing need within our communities. 9. A sustained commitment to the ‘whole system’ of population health is required, including investment in the vital preventative and early intervention services councils provide. Integration and closer partnership working have been essential during this exceptionally challenging period, and it is critical that the creation of a National Care Service, and its formation in the years ahead, does not undermine what has been achieved to date nor impact upon the ongoing pace of change required to support our citizens for the challenges ahead. 10. The ongoing cost-of-living crisis is adding pressures on families that will exacerbate the profound and ongoing impact the Covid pandemic has had on children in Scotland. LGBF data reveals how councils have responded to these challenges, and the impact on education and children’s service performance and outcomes. Some key outcomes are showing strong improvement in 2022/23 compared with pre-pandemic levels, including attainment for primary and senior phase pupils, and positive destinations. Other areas however, such as pupil attendance and the development of pre-school children, remain lower than pre-Covid levels. Important context for the interpretation of these trends lies in the increasing rates of mental health issues in children and young people which were growing pre-Covid and have accelerated in the last three years. There has also been a growth in support needs in relation to social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in recent years, and a particularly stark increase in speech, language and communication concerns, which will be important in the education trends we may see in future. 11. Councils are facing multi-faceted workforce capacity pressures, including challenges of recruitment, retention, staff absence, and an ageing workforce. The scale of the problem is growing and spans a wide range of skills, professions and occupations, with councils struggling to find and to keep the staff needed to provide the complex and pressured services local communities rely upon. Council staff absence levels rose by 10% in 2022/23 to reach the highest level ever reported (13.2 days for all staff, excluding teachers, and 6.8 days for teachers). Staff shortages are being felt to varying degrees across all council services, largely driven by competition from other sectors, pay related issues, and shortages of workers with the appropriate skills (locally and nationally). 12. Communities are experiencing increasing poverty and financial hardship, at a time when councils have reducing capacity to support them. Data in this Page 101
Page 102
9 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 year’s LGBF reveals the ongoing consequences of the cost-of-living crisis on the levels of financial hardship facing communities. Escalating inflation, marked by rapidly increasing energy costs, food costs, and other consumer goods prices is making it more difficult for financially vulnerable households to make ends meet and with this is increasing demand on council services. The scale of this is evidenced in the growth in demand for Scottish Welfare Fund Grants (up 49% since 2019/20), Discretionary Housing Payments (up 23% since 2019/20), and increasing levels of rent arrears (up 2.3 percentage points since 2019/20). Tackling poverty continues to be a core focus for local government and has been agreed as one of the three shared priorities within the Verity House Agreement. Councils have moved quickly to provide support to communities, deploying a range of measures aligned to local need, including bolstering existing provisions, sustaining or supplementing Covid funds, making best use of Council facilities, extending grants to voluntary organisations, debt recovery, and housing support. The deepening fiscal, workforce and demand pressures facing councils, however, pose real risks to the future sustainability of vital services which are essential in preventing and mitigating the effects of poverty. 13. This challenging reality highlights the need to progress the ambitions of the joint Scottish Government and local government Verity House Agreement. A solution is urgently required to the long-term issues of sustainable funding for councils and greater local financial flexibility in order to protect essential front- line services for our communities. 14. Local government, as a sector, is taking proactive steps to mitigate the effects of these growing challenges and seeking to ensure the ongoing sustainability of services through focusing on a programme of sector led performance improvement and transformation. These programmes will be of particular importance in light of the Verity House Agreement and the commitment made around local government accountability and assurance arrangements. They will also help the sector demonstrate that it has robust arrangements in place for reviewing local government performance and focusing on improvement. Page 102
Page 103
10 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Page 103
Page 104
11 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 About this Report 1. This report provides a high-level analysis of the performance of councils both during 2022/23 and over the longer-term. It also sets out the challenges facing councils in the context of current funding and workforce pressures, growing demand and ongoing impacts from the Covid pandemic and cost-of- living crisis. 2. Our primary source of information for this report is the LGBF dataset, which provides longitudinal data on how councils allocate resources, the performance of key council services and levels of public satisfaction with the major services provided and commissioned by councils. The rich data supports evidence-based comparisons between similar councils (family groups) and over time, providing an essential tool for policy makers and the public. The full detail of the LGBF data is available in the LGBF Dashboard which provides access to data and analysis at an indicator level, service level, family group level and council level, along with narrative to support meaningful interpretation. An overview of the trends across all LGBF indicators is presented in Annex 1. 3. The LGBF provides high-level ‘can openers’ which are designed to focus questions locally on why variations in cost and performance are occurring between similar councils to identify opportunities for learning. It does not offer a crude “league table” assessment. Local context and local decision making are essential in making sense of and making best use of the LGBF. ‘Good practice principles’ set out how the LGBF is used locally to support strategic and budget planning, improvement, scrutiny and public performance reporting. Further information, briefing notes and case studies are available in the ‘How Councils Are using the LGBF’ publication, and on the LGBF website. 4. The benchmarking data in this report should not be considered in isolation. An online interactive tool links the LGBF with outcomes data presented in the Community Planning Outcomes Profile (a resource which provides trend data on outcomes, both at a local authority level, and at a locality level). The LGBF indicators have also been mapped to the National Performance Framework outcomes and public health priorities to support councils to demonstrate the important role they play in driving progress in these key areas. 5. We refer to ‘real-terms’ changes in this report. This means that we are showing financial information from past and future years at 2022/23 prices, adjusted for inflation so that they are comparable. To make that comparison we use gross domestic product (GDP) deflators to adjust for inflation, which are published quarterly by HM Treasury. GDP deflators are the standard Page 104
Page 105
12 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 approach adopted by both the UK and Scottish governments when analysing public expenditure. As a result of the way that GDP is calculated, Covid-19 resulted in volatility across 2020/21 and 2021/22. To compensate for this, and to provide meaningful comparisons between years, we have used an average GDP growth rate across 2020/21 and 2021/22 in our calculations to separate inflation (changes in prices) from changes in outputs and those largely attributable to Covid-19 spending. As 2022/23 is the base year for this methodology, cash and real figures will match for this year. Page 105
Page 106
13 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Page 106
Page 107
14 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Introduction This year’s report introduces data from 2022/23, a period when communities and council services were managing unprecedented financial challenges in the shape of soaring inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis. This was against a backdrop of deepening fiscal, demand and workforce pressures including those resulting from the ongoing effects of the Covid pandemic. The evidence in this year’s LGBF data highlights the extraordinary effort and achievements delivered across local government during this exceptional period. Councils have adapted quickly to meet new demands, maintain essential services, and implement service redesign. Strengthened partnership working with local communities as well as with third, private and public sector partners, has been at the heart of efforts to use our collective resources more effectively to deliver shared priorities and improve outcomes for communities, particularly for those who are most vulnerable. There is also growing evidence of the negative impacts of the sustained pressures facing councils and the communities they serve, and the increasingly difficult decisions councils are having to make about the shape and level of service delivery. It is within this context, that the Verity House Agreement, signed in June 2023, aims to develop a new, improved and more effective partnership between local government and the Scottish Government, underpinned by the development of a new funding framework designed to help ensure the financial sustainability of essential services for local communities. It is acknowledged that no substantial progress has been made in the delivery of the Verity House Agreement to date. The focal points in this report are: 1. Local government financial and workforce pressures 2. Poverty, financial hardship and the cost-of-living crisis 3. Health and social care pressures 4. Education for children and young people 5. Performance of local government services Page 107
Page 108
15 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Page 108
Page 109
16 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Financial and Workforce Pressures The perilous state of council finances continues to worsen in 2022/23. Local government has suffered from a decade of austerity and underfunding with funding levels not keeping pace with increased demand, growing need and rising cost pressures. The financial challenges have coincided with new burdens and additional policy commitments, with the funding for these being ring fenced and eroded by inflation. Ring fencing also reduces the ability of councils to take local decisions. This situation has meant that councils increasingly have to rely on strategies to reduce costs backed through the use of reserves. Councils are now making progressively more difficult decisions about future service delivery and the level of service they can afford, with non-statutory services being significantly reduced, and some stopping all together. This sustained fiscal pressure has occurred within a context of huge economic uncertainty driven by Brexit, Covid-19, the war in Ukraine, and economic shocks arising from political instability and changing economic policy. The combined effect of these events and subsequent inflationary, cost and wage pressures has been significant, creating new demands on council services to respond to growing inequality and financial hardship within our communities. Against this fiscal context, councils have faced increased pressure on resourcing service delivery, resulting from deepening workforce recruitment and retention issues at a time where demands on services are growing due to demographic pressures. This includes a 2% increase in the overall population, and a 15% increase in the 65+ population between 2013/14 and 2022/231,2. An ageing population means more people in our communities with multiple and increasingly complex needs relying on essential council services, as the available labour market reduces. Councils are also managing an increasing programme of national reform, including plans for a National Care Service, education reform and commitments in meeting national climate change goals, which comes with substantial funding implications and increased uncertainty. This challenging reality highlights the need to progress the ambitions of the joint Scottish Government and local government Verity House Agreement. A solution is urgently required to the long-term issues of sustainable funding for councils and greater local financial flexibility in order to protect essential front-line services for our communities. 1 https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/population/ population-estimates/mid-year-population-estimates 2 https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/2022-results/scotland-s-census-2022-rounded- population-estimates/ Page 109
Page 110
17 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Scottish Government Funding for Councils Funding of local government has not kept pace with other parts of the Scottish budget for many years. While the Scottish Government budget has increased by 37% since 2013/14, the local government budget has remained relatively static. Although there has been some growth in Scottish Government funding for local government in the last decade, almost all of this has been to fund new services and new policy priorities which have brought with them new costs which councils have had to meet. The roll out of universal free school meals, the expansion of early learning and childcare, and the significant increase in funding for adult social care are some of the examples of where extra funding has been provided but has been ring-fenced to meet the additional costs. Scottish Government funding for existing core council services has not been uplifted for inflation and other cost pressures and has therefore fallen substantially in real terms. Furthermore, and where inflationary uplifts are not included in ongoing ringfenced allocations, there is a risk that the cost of delivering these obligations exceeds allocations which may be based on historic demand and cost estimates. This too represents a further reduction to core council budgets. Local government has been charged to do more on Scottish Government’s behalf, with less discretion to do what is important locally, and consequently core services are now significantly underfunded. In real terms, total Scottish Government revenue funding for councils has increased by 0.7% in 2022/23, and by 1.3% since 2013/14. As highlighted, within this funding growth, there has been an increase in the proportion of funding that is ringfenced or provided with expectation it will be spent on specific services. Audit Scotland calculations indicate that the funding which is ringfenced or directed has grown from 23.7% in 2021/22 to 25.7% in 2022/23. When adjusted to reflect the growth in ringfencing, Scottish Government funding for councils has reduced by 1.9% in real terms in 2022/23. This equates to £176.7 million less funding available to councils to pursue local priorities. It is worth noting that CIPFA Directors of Finance suggest that the actual proportion of ‘ringfencing’ or ‘directed funding’ is higher when factoring in the national commitment to maintain teacher numbers and other costs related to Health and Social Care Partnerships and policies such as universal Free School Meal provision for P1-53. In 2022/23, capital funding from the Scottish Government rose by 19% in real terms to £0.82 billion compared to 2021/22. However, it remains lower than many of the years leading up to the Covid-19 pandemic. 3 Evidence provided by the CIPFA Directors of Finance to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee - Official Report (parliament.scot) Page 110
Page 111
18 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Local Government Expenditure and Financial Sustainability Against a fiscal context which is more challenging than ever before, councils’ financial plans and spending patterns reflect the difficult decisions they are required to make to deliver balanced budgets and demonstrate good financial management and sustainability. Local government revenue expenditure has increased in real terms by 0.7% in 2022/23, and by 7.4% since 2013/14. Expenditure growth has accelerated since 2019/20, reflecting the provision of Covid funding, additional ringfenced or specific grant funding to deliver new national policy commitments, the impact of inflation and increased demand for some services. The Accounts Commission calculates that the financial gap for councils, where anticipated income is less than planned expenditure, has increased by over a third in 2022/23, from £350 million to £476 million. In addition to relying on recurring savings and Council Tax increases to bridge the budget gap, councils have increased their reliance on reserves, doubling their relative use of reserves from 17% in 2021/22 to 34% in 2022/234. Reserve levels have been supplemented by fiscal flexibilities and remain high as councils plan ahead for major financial challenges and protect reserves to manage uncertainty. In 2022/23, reserves remained stable at 24.5% of annual budgeted revenue, following a sharp increase in 2020/21 and 2021/22. This compares to pre-Covid levels of 17%. One- off Covid funding and the timing of grant allocations will have been a factor in this increase for some councils, with some Covid funding being carried into the 2023/24 financial year. Accounting adjustments related to the permitted use of financial flexibilities for the repayment of longer-term debt will also have been a contributing factor for some councils. It is notable that although useable reserves remain higher than the long-term trend, the extent to which these are committed has increased and the percentage which is uncommitted has continued to drop year on year (decreasing from 3.5% to 3.2% between 2021/22 and 2022/23). This references the clear plans councils have in place for how they intend to use their reserves to help balance future budgets, to meet severance costs and to fund investment in transformation. Despite the budgetary pressures, councils have continued to underspend compared to the budgets they have set since Covid. Unbudgeted income from Covid grants however, and the use of other fiscal flexibilities has created a more positive picture of how councils are coping with overall pressures on budgets. It will not be possible to sustain this position in future years. In 2022/23, actual outturn was 98.6% of budgeted expenditure, lower than the pre-Covid levels of 4 https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/uploads/docs/report/2024/nr_240116_local_government_ finance.pdf Page 111
Page 112
19 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 99.4%. The impact of pay rises and ongoing inflationary pressures may have an effect on this trend in 2023/24 data. Capital expenditure by councils increased by £0.5bn in 2022/23, although it remained lower than the pre-Covid level observed in 2019/20. The growth in 2022/23 was financed through a 52% increase in local government borrowing. At £1.41bn, this was the largest source of capital financing in 2022/23, surpassing government grants which accounted for £1.35bn of capital expenditure. While the higher costs associated with borrowing will place further pressure on revenue budgets over the longer term, lower interest rates and the use of fiscal flexibilities to ensure debt charges remain prudent and affordable in recent years have enabled councils to manage this borrowing through their Treasury Management and Capital Strategies. Subsequently, the cost of borrowing for councils has continued to reduce in recent years, with the proportion of council revenue expenditure being used to service debt falling from 8.4% to 5.4% between 2013/14 and 2022/23. It is important to note that while using flexibilities to meet immediate spending pressures may help councils to balance their budgets, some offer short term reductions in debt charges whilst deferring costs to later years and they do not tackle the underlying challenges to financial sustainability. Rises in the rate of interest, and capital inflation, are creating material pressures on the cost of borrowing and capital budgets which has resulted in a number of councils reducing their capital programmes on the grounds of affordability, which will impact on key services. Table 1: Financial Sustainability 2013 -14 2019 -20 2020 -21 2021 -22 2022 -23 Change since 2013- 14 (pp) Change 2021/22 to 2022/23 (pp) Change since Pre-Covid (pp) Total Useable Reserves as a % of annual budgeted revenue 16.0% 17.0% 23.7% 24.4% 24.5% 8.5 0.1 7.6 Uncommitted Total General Fund Balance as a % of annual budgeted net revenue 3.7% 3.6% 3.5% 3.5% 3.2% -0.5 -0.3 -0.4 Ratio of Financing Costs to Net Revenue Stream - General Fund 8.4% 7.2% 6.2% 5.9% 5.4% -3.0 -0.5 -1.8 Ratio of Financing Costs to Net Revenue Stream - Housing Revenue Account 25.9% 22.6% 22.9% 22.6% 21.3% -4.6 -1.3 -1.3 Actual outturn as a percentage of budgeted expenditure 99.1% 99.4% 97.4% 98.3% 98.6% -0.5 0.3 -0.8 Page 112
Page 113
20 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 While overall, the Accounts Commission have praised Scottish councils for their financial management throughout 2022/23, it warns of the future risks facing councils given the extremely challenging financial outlook and the unprecedented financial and service demand pressures. To support councils as they continue to develop financial plans which enable them to become more financially sustainable within this difficult financial context, the LGBF Board will work closely with local government Directors of Finance to consider how to strengthen the suite of Financial Sustainability Measures included within the framework. This work will align closely with the development of a new fiscal framework as set out within the Verity House Agreement. Protected & Non Protected Spend In light of the sustained fiscal pressures and the requirement to make substantial savings, councils are facing increasingly difficult decisions in relation to their spending priorities. The long-term trends show a clear shift of expenditure towards national priorities and those areas where Scottish Government have allocated additional monies for specific purposes. As such, expenditure within social care, education, and support for care experienced children continues to be sustained and enhanced, growing since 2010/11 by 29%, 21% and 17% respectively. As these areas account for over 70% of the benchmarked expenditure within the LGBF, councils are left with little flexibility but to target increased and disproportionate savings on those areas which are not protected by Scottish Government policies, to provide balance to statutory and ringfenced commitments elsewhere. Since 2010/11, in real terms, this has included: ● 20% reduction in culture and leisure spending ● 9% reduction in roads spending ● 27% reduction in planning spending ● 27% reduction in tourism spending ● 24% reduction in corporate support services spending ● 26% reduction in trading standards and environmental health spending ● 35% reduction in street cleaning spending ● 5% reduction in waste service spending. The scale of the budget reductions in the past decade raises concerns on future sustainability and local authorities’ capacity to support prevention and early intervention approaches to tackling poverty, improving health and wellbeing, Page 113
Page 114
21 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 and supporting our transition to Net Zero, all of which are central to the shared outcomes agreed within the Verity House Agreement.. Table 2: Real change in Revenue Expenditure since 2010/11 (£000s) 2010-11 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Change since 2010/11 Change 2021-22 to 2022/23 Education £5,204,704 £5,676,402 £5,965,966 £6,226,311 £6,310,491 21.2% 1.4% Adult Social Care £3,331,493 £3,859,673 £4,109,488 £4,190,578 £4,310,078 29.4% 2.9% Looked After Children £483,700 £583,337 £578,809 £586,950 £568,366 17.5% -3.2% Culture & Leisure £667,139 £500,267 £491,439 £518,283 £530,290 -20.5% 2.3% Environmental Services £901,311 £791,000 £791,457 £798,420 £781,196 -13.3% -2.2% Roads £754,071 £584,809 £549,448 £635,877 £684,961 -9.2% 7.7% Planning £160,785 £120,921 £118,150 £115,692 £118,087 -26.6% 2.1% Economic Development £447,634 £363,272 £395,071 £494,256 £452,020 1.0% -8.5% Central Support Services £1,022,558 £744,024 £749,892 £775,120 £777,850 -23.9% 0.4% Note: Table 2 includes expenditure covered by the LGBF measures. While the LGBF measures reflect the significant areas of local government expenditure, there are some minor areas of spend excluded, which accounts for differences with Scottish Government published expenditure data. All trends represent gross expenditure. While long-term spending patterns are clear, between 2020/21 and 2022/23, more recent data reflect the active prioritisation of services that councils were required to make to support their Covid response and recovery. While education and social care continued to grow in line with national policy commitments, other areas saw fluctuation in their long-term spending trend. Spending on Social Care and Education grew in real terms in 2022/23, increasing by 2.9% and 1.4%. respectively. Education trends mirror political manifesto commitments for pupil equity and student attainment funding, and the expansion of early years entitlement. Staffing costs and the recent pay settlements are important factors in this trend, and the potential to make savings is impacted by the commitment to maintain teacher numbers. To manage increases in these relatively fixed costs, savings have been disproportionately targeted towards ancillary workers including support staff, janitors, caterers, and cleaners. The growth in social care expenditure reflects both continuing demographic pressures and additional funding provided by the Scottish Government to support the commitment to pay the Scottish Living Wage to care workers. While spending on support for care experienced children grew significantly prior to 2018/19, this has seen a levelling out in recent years, with expenditure Page 114
Page 115
22 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 falling by 3.2% in real terms in 2022/23. This decrease is likely to reflect both the reduction in the number of children and young people formally ‘looked after’ by councils, along with efforts to reduce the use of more expensive external placements. It is possible that the continued impact of the pandemic on mental health and the societal impact of the cost-of-living crisis may create an increase in demand in future years, and it will be important to closely monitor future data to understand the impacts of this. Some nonprotected service areas such as environmental services have seen budget reductions continue throughout the pandemic years, including a 2.2% reduction in 2022/23. There are other areas, however, which have seen recent uplifts reflecting the resumption in activity, which was deferred during Covid, including in relation to significant capital programmes. For example, culture and leisure, roads and planning services have all seen an increase in expenditure in recent years, including respective increases of 2.3%, 7.7% and 2.1% in 2022/23. Three things are important to note in relation to the above expenditure trends. Firstly, beneath the national figures and trends presented, there is significant local variability reflecting the priorities and approaches adopted by different councils to respond to local needs and issues. Secondly, the recent high inflation and impact of pay settlements are not yet fully reflected in this data, with further effects of these cost pressures likely to be evident in future data releases. Thirdly, the significant scale of reductions which have already been made in non- protected services mean it will not be possible to address the projected future funding gap by targeting yet further savings in these same services and have them continue to function properly. Workforce Pressures Councils are currently facing multi-faceted workforce capacity pressures, including challenges of recruitment, retention, staff absence, and an ageing workforce. The scale of the problem is growing and spans a wide range of skills, professions and occupations, with councils struggling to find and to keep the staff needed to provide the complex and pressured services local communities rely upon. In 2022/23, council staff absence levels reached the highest level ever reported. Absence levels for all staff, excluding teachers, have continued a long-term upward trend, reaching an all-time high of 13.2 days in 2022/23, which is an 8% increase from 2021/22. Meanwhile, teacher absence levels also increased sharply in 2022/23, rising by 17% to reach a historic high of 6.8 days. Although absence levels experienced a temporary Covid related decline in 2020/21, absence has risen sharply in the past two years and now significantly exceeds pre-pandemic levels. Page 115
Page 116
23 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 The growth in absence in the last two years has been driven at least in part by NHS backlogs for treatment, longer recovery times due to treatment delays and inactivity, and increased spread of infections post pandemic. Long-term absence in particular has been impacted by treatment delays, with the CIPD reporting a sharp rise in staff being off long-term with multiple medical conditions. The impact of growing work pressure on staff due to staff shortages will also be a consideration in understanding current and future absence levels. Figure 1: Local Government Sickness Absence Trends 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Sickness absence days per teacher Sickness absence days per employee (non-teacher) Sickness absence days per staff (all) Note: Covid-related absences are recorded separately and do not contribute to the trends Recruitment and retention challenges continue to grow for councils in an increasingly competitive labour market. While some of these pressures are historical, others have emerged from a challenging labour market profile impacted by Brexit and several other post pandemic employment factors, including increased economic inactivity, labour shortages and wage inflation. The 2023 Workforce Planning Survey by SPDS and Solace provides a clear picture of the most critical workforce gaps across local government currently. Staff shortages are being felt to varying degrees across all council services, largely driven by competition from other sectors, pay related issues, and shortages of workers with the appropriate skills (locally and nationally). Social care and social work remain the highest priority workforce gaps with 97% and 90% of councils reporting shortages in these areas respectively. Staff shortages are becoming more widespread however, and councils are now facing gaps in areas not previously impacted. For example, there is a growing cluster of statutory local government professional roles facing workforce shortages, with complex structural issues within the skills system in Scotland now directly impacting on a range of critical statutory areas, including planning, environmental health, trading and building standards. Page 116
Page 117
24 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 The cost-of-living crisis has further exacerbated the workforce crisis, increasing demand for council services particularly by the most vulnerable in society, just as staff are choosing to leave local government for better paid jobs in other sectors to cope with rising inflation. In addition, prolonged industrial action over pay due to inflationary cost pressures, both increased the pressure on budgets and also affected staff morale and service delivery. Longer term, the local government workforce is ageing, and councils are now seeing employees retiring earlier. This is a particular challenge in relation to senior positions, where an age-related tipping point has been reached, and there has been a significant turn-over in the most senior positions within councils within the past 2 years. Our workforce is key to how we shape and deliver local services for the future, and the scale of current workforce issues risks leaving councils with insufficient staff with the appropriate skills and qualifications to deliver services to the level needed. Local government does not currently have the funding available to support the development of workforce areas through our normal revenue funding and had relied on accessing other sources of funding that come through the apprenticeship levy so recent changes will cause further impact. Local government is however expected to deliver the same or better outcomes with less available labour and access to development, often creating intolerable work pressure for staff. In response to these pressures, SPDS and Solace are working together to develop a co-ordinated local government approach to workforce issues to help address gaps at both a local and national level. Drawing on evidence from their recent workforce survey, they are working to agree workforce development priorities around which councils can collaborate to improve levels of workforce planning practice, linked to other national and regional activities including Health and Social Care workforce development. Councils are already taking proactive steps and making demonstrable progress towards addressing workforce issues. There is a strong focus on strengthening relationships with further education establishments to ensure employees are able to access the correct education and training required for a number of local government roles. A collaboration arrangement is underway between Glasgow City Regional Local Government Skills Working Group and University of West of Scotland to develop a planning undergraduate programme which will be fully funded and accessed in Year 1 or Year 3 depending on existing qualifications and experience. Councils are also working together to explore shared service models, such as making use of additional procurement capacity provided by Scotland Excel and exploring the possibility of shared staff across groups of councils. There are also several “grow your own” programmes in place where vacant posts are filled through providing development opportunities to existing Page 117
Page 118
25 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 staff members. In Aberdeen City Council, for example, to meet the expanding needs of the Early Learning and Childcare Service a number of roles were filled by offering training and secondment opportunities to interested internal candidates. Future Challenges Looking forward, councils continue to plan for an increasingly challenging financial landscape. This includes pressures resulting from underfunding, demographic change and increased demand for services, inflation, workforce shortages, as well as the continuing financial impacts of the Covid pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. In addition to these pressures, there are a number of other factors which are adding to the uncertainty of the challenges that councils may or may not face in the immediate future. ● Progress in embedding the ways of working and realising the shared ambitions of the Verity House Agreement. This includes adopting the European Charter of Local Self-Government and a commitment to agree a new fiscal framework which will provide councils with longer term funding and reduced ring-fencing to support a more flexible direction of resources to meet local need. As we are still in the early phases of the Agreement, the potential benefits to local government are yet to be fully determined. The ability to meaningfully realise and make progress towards the shared outcomes of tackling poverty, supporting a just transition to net zero and providing sustainable public services, remain unclear due to the uncertainty and scale of the current funding envelope. These concerns have been further compounded by the recently proposed council tax freeze, and what impact this will have on financial sustainability, recognising the reliance councils have placed on raising council tax to balance budgets in recent years. ● Impact of recent local government pay awards. The full impact of recent pay awards on budgets are as yet undetermined and will create significant additional pressure on the already limited capacity available for transforming and redesigning services. ● Uncertainty and delays in relation to the National Care Service. The integration of health and social care continues to bring significant challenges in the context of increasing demand and insufficient funding, alongside uncertainty in relation to ongoing deliberations on further reform of social care and the proposed implementation of a National Care Service (NCS). Page 118
Page 119
26 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 ● Impact of capital inflation on large scale climate adaptation infrastructure projects. Adapting to the impacts of climate change and delivering a just transition to Net Zero is a central area of focus and activity. Local government has a crucial role to play in delivering a sustainable low carbon future and is tasked with a growing number of legislative and policy requirements which require funding and resources. In particular, the impact of rising cost pressures on capital programmes and shortages in construction materials will present risks to current and future large scale infrastructure projects to adapt to extreme weather events (e.g. flooding and high temperatures) which could affect progress towards Net Zero targets. The increasing cost of, and demand for services, alongside continued uncertainty over long-term funding and the public service reform landscape, including the Verity House Agreement, provides a challenging context for the effective planning and decision making needed on the transformational change councils must deliver. The unprecedented nature of current fiscal challenges means that in order to remain sustainable and continue to perform well, councils are now absorbing a higher level of risk to bridge the funding gap. Councils are increasingly having to rely on savings and reserves to balance budgets, as well as continuing to sustain and reform essential services whilst managing significant and widespread workforce shortages. This is not sustainable, and without action and further investment, Scottish local government will reach a similar crisis point to the one local government in England now faces, where a number of Section 114 notices have had to be issued. Page 119
Page 120
27 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Page 120
Page 121
28 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Poverty, Financial Hardship and the Cost of Living Crisis Communities are experiencing increasing poverty and financial hardship, at a time when councils have reducing capacity to support them. Over 21% of Scotland’s population are now living in relative poverty5. The impact of both the Covid pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis has exacerbated the financial hardship experienced by low-income households. The impact is being borne unequally, with the most vulnerable in society most severely affected. Data in the 2022/23 LGBF reveals the ongoing consequences of the cost-of-living crisis on the levels of financial hardship facing communities. Escalating inflation, marked by rapidly increasing energy costs, food costs and other consumer goods prices is making it more difficult for financially vulnerable households to make ends meet and with this is increasing demand on council services. While tackling poverty continues to be a core focus for local government and has been agreed as one of the three shared priorities within the Verity House Agreement, the deepening fiscal, workforce and demand pressures facing councils pose real risks to the future sustainability of vital services. These services are those that are essential in preventing and mitigating the effects of poverty. Scottish Welfare Fund Demand on the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) has grown significantly in recent years, reaching an all-time high in 2022/23. The SWF includes two types of grants: Crisis Grants, which aim to help people on a low income who are in crisis because of a disaster or an emergency and Community Care Grants (CCG), which aim to enable people to live independently. The most common reasons for applications to the SWF are families facing exceptional pressure. Such circumstances cover events where benefits or other income is exhausted, the occurrence of unexpected expenses, and ‘other’ reasons increasingly relating to the cost-of-living crisis. Awards are commonly made to provide immediate financial assistance to households to buy food, floor coverings, beds, bedding, and kitchen appliances, as well as covering unanticipated spend such as essential heating expenses and other living expenses. After a period of relative stability, the growth in SWF spend accelerated sharply between 2019/20 and 2022/23 reflecting the combined pressures from Covid 5 https://data.gov.scot/poverty/#All_people Page 121
Page 122
29 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 and the cost-of-living crisis. SWF spend increased from £38m to £56m between 2019/20 (pre-Covid) to 2022/23, an increase of 48.9%. This includes a 3.5% increase in 2022/23. During this time, there has also been a change in the balance of spend between CCG and Crisis Grant funding, with a relative shift towards Crisis Grant funding. Table 3: Scottish Welfare Fund Expenditure 2013-14 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Change since 2013/14 Change 2021/22 to 2022/23 Change since pre-Covid SWF Spend £28.7M £37.6M £49.5M £54.1M £56.0M 95.2% 3.5% 48.9% CCG Applications 58,020 77,900 84,880 90,015 94,420 62.7% 4.9% 21.2% CCG Awards 35,875 42,280 48,040 48,700 48,845 36.2% 0.3% 15.5% Crisis Applications 114,525 222,065 271,565 267,895 291,515 154.5% 8.8% 31.3% Crisis Awards 81,995 140,370 188,345 175,535 186,020 126.8% 6.0% 32.5% SWF Applications 172,545 299,965 356,465 385,005 385,935 123.7% 7.8% 28.7% SWF Awards 117,870 182,650 236,385 224,235 234,845 99.2% 4.7% 28.5% % SWF Budget Spent 87.0% 107.8% 83.2% 115.1% 130.0% 43.0pp 14.8pp 22.2pp Note: Data in this table is sourced from the Scottish Government Scottish Welfare Fund Statistics. This dataset is revised quarterly so may not match the most current publica- tion. Data is correct as of October 2023 publication. In 2022/23, the total number of applications for SWF grants reached an all-time high, exceeding levels reached during the peak of the Covid pandemic. The volume of SWF grants applied for and awarded in recent years has risen sharply compared to pre-Covid, particularly in relation to Crisis Grants. The number of Crisis Grants awarded increased from 140,370 to 186,020 between 2019/20 and 2022/23, an increase of 33%. This sharp growth in applications for Crisis Grants has impacted on the speed with which grants are allocated, with the percentage of grants processed within the target time of one day falling from 95.3% in 2019/20 to 91.8% in 2022/23 (range: 65% - 100%). It is worth noting that during the pandemic, councils were also responsible for processing large numbers of applications for Self-isolation Support Grants alongside an unprecedented number of new funding streams, which impacted on their capacity to deal with SWF applications alongside other, new priorities. Furthermore, as non-statutory services, these functions have been in scope for significant capacity reductions as a result of budget savings. Page 122
Page 123
30 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Table 4: Processing of Scottish Welfare Fund Grants 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Change since 2018/19 Change 2021/22 to 2022/23 Change since pre-Covid SWF Crisis Grants Decisions within 1 Day 95.5% 95.3% 93.8% 93.3% 91.8% -3.7pp -1.5pp -3.5pp SWF CCG Decisions within 15 Days 89.5% 82.3% 84.5% 85.8% 87.3% -2.2pp 1.5pp 5.0pp In 2022/23, councils spent 130% of the available SWF budget allocated to them (range: 27% - 204%), a sharp increase from the previous two years. SWF expenditure levels have remained high in 2022/23 in line with high levels of demand, however following a Covid related uplift in the SWF budget in 2020/21, the budget has fallen back towards pre-Covid levels. Local authorities are able to top up the SWF budget with their own funds, and the overspend in 2021/22 and 2022/23 reflects other funds that councils have brought forward to deal with poverty and growing levels of financial hardship within their communities. The variation in local data reveals the different approaches being adopted to respond to local pressures on spend, with some authorities capping their provision and prioritising awards to the most compelling cases to manage budget overspends. This will be particularly pertinent in relation to the cost-of-living crisis which is seeing demand spike both for more compelling cases as well as less urgent levels of need. The point at which the SWF budget is exhausted is falling earlier in each financial year, at which point councils must evaluate whether to shift eligibility to manage the drawdown. Early data from 2023/24 indicates that demand for SWF grants may have peaked. It is important to note however, that relative demands for SWF in some areas may be mitigated to some extent by the discretionary grants offered by councils. These reliefs will not fall evenly across councils and are targeted towards specific local issues but will have, in most cases sought to manage financial hardship. Despite such action being taken, the demands for support have continued to increase, and capacity continues to be pressured, particularly as the same teams often deliver both these local initiatives and SWF grants. Discretionary Housing Payments Further evidence of the financial hardship being experienced by local communities can be seen in the growing level of spend on Discretionary Housing Payments. These payments are administered by councils to households who require financial assistance towards their housing costs and are an important tool to prevent homelessness and help struggling households to sustain tenancies. Page 123
Page 124
31 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Since 2017, when responsibility for DHP transferred to Scottish Government, there has been an increase of 34% in the DHP spend. Up to and including 2022/23, levels of spend have been significantly higher in the years following Covid, with DHP spend increasing by 20.3% since 2019/20. Table 5: Discretionary Housing Payment Expenditure 2017-18 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Change since 2017/18 Change 2021/22 to 2022/23 Change since pre-Covid DHP Spend £59.2M £66.0M £76.5M £78.9M £79.4M 34.0% 0.7% 20.3% % DHP Budget Spent 101.2% 104.5% 97.2% 96.0% 94.4% -6.8pp -1.6pp -10.1pp In 2022/23, the majority of DHP funding was spent mitigating the removal of the Spare Room Subsidy (£66.8 million, 84.1%), with a smaller proportion used to support claimants affected by the introduction of the benefit cap (£2.4 million, 3.1%) and reductions in Local Housing Allowance (£3.5 million, 4.4%). A further £6.3 million (8%) was spent on core (non-welfare reform) awards and around £260,000 (0.3%) on awards that covered a combination of purposes. Local authorities spent a much smaller proportion of their funding on the Benefit Cap than the allocated funding for this purpose (£2.4 million, 29%). Conversely, Local Authorities spent significantly more than the £3.9 million estimated allowance for core funding (162%, £6.3 million)6. In recent years, there has been a reduction in the overall proportion of allocated DHP budget which has been spent, falling from 104.5% in 2019/20, to 94.4% in 2022/23. The budget available for DHP was, however significantly higher between 2020/21 and 2022/23, by between £15 million to £20 million, compared to 2019/20. Although there is considerable variation across local authorities, it is likely that the increased fund size, the timing of the provision of the additional allocation, and Covid related delays in processing DHP will be influencing this underspend. Rent Arrears and Council Tax Collection Rent arrears have continued to rise, reaching an all-time high of 9.6% of rent due in 2022/23, compared to pre-Covid levels of 7.3%7. Some of the rise observed during the pandemic years will reflect the temporary ban on enforcing eviction orders introduced as part of the Covid response, and the ability of Housing Officers to effectively engage with tenants during restrictions. The continued 6 https://www.gov.scot/publications/discretionary-housing-payments-in-scotland-1-april-2022-to- 31-march-2023/pages/official-statistics-applications-determinations-awards-and-award-total- value/ 7 Note: For Housing Services, the data source for LGBF indicators is the Scottish Housing Regulator. There will be differences with Scottish Government Housing Revenue Account statistics due to definitions used Page 124
Page 125
32 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 increase in arrears during 2022/23 provides further evidence of the pressure that the cost-of-living crisis is placing on household budgets. The statutory five-week wait for Universal Credit and underlying inadequacy of support against current cost-of-living pressures may also be contributory issues in relation to rising rent arrears. Recent analysis reveals that the gap between Universal Credit and the cost of living is growing, and that despite an inflation-linked uprating to Universal Credit and Cost of living payments, this fails to compensate for the total increase in costs for everyday essentials which are currently facing households8. It is not yet clear whether the cost-of-living payments will continue into 2024/25, which could lead to households falling even further from being able to meet the cost of living. The level of rent arrears remains highest in those council areas serving communities with lower overall levels of deprivation (11.3% compared to 8.9% for the most deprived areas). While arrears rose much faster within less deprived council areas during Covid, this trend is not evident in data from 2022/23. It may be that households in the most deprived areas are more likely to receive full rent costs, and therefore face less challenge in their affordability compared to those who are receiving support but working. This is an area where further exploration and analysis would be helpful to fully understand this trend. Beyond the immediate impact on some individuals and families, the continued increase in arrears will also result in the loss of rental income for councils. As councils also face future reductions in their capital budgets, this further loss of income may have a significant impact on capital works programmes, including long-term implications for future investment in affordable housing, a key anti- poverty measure. This follows on from curtailed planned investment programmes during Covid, and could further undermine efforts to meet local and national targets for affordable housing at a time when a number of councils have declared a housing emergency amid mounting pressures on homelessness services9. Table 6: Rent Arrears and Council Tax Collection Rates 2010-11 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Change since 2010/11 Change 2021/22 to 2022/23 Change since pre-Covid Rent Arrears 5.6% 7.3% 8.2% 8.7% 9.6% 4.0pp 0.9pp 2.3pp Council Tax Collection Rates 94.7% 95.8% 94.8% 95.7% 96.2% 1.5pp 0.5pp 0.4pp Note: Council Tax collection rates refer to ‘in-year’ collection rates 8 https://neweconomics.org/2023/05/universal-credit-is-falling-890-a-month-short-of-the-cost- of-living-despite-inflation-linked-uprating-1 9 https://solace.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Solace-Current-Context-and-Preparing-for- the-Future-1.pdf Page 125
Page 126
33 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Council tax collection rates have increased in 2022/23, recovering to above pre-Covid levels, and reaching their highest level yet at 96.2%. It is important to note however, that in 2022/23, the majority of councils allocated the Scottish Government’s £150 Cost of Living Award directly to Council Tax accounts as targeted relief, which is likely to have boosted collection rates. As this award is available only for 2022/23, any impact on collection rates will be temporary in nature. Councils serving the most deprived areas continue to report lower collection rates in 2022/23 (95.2% compared to 97.3% in the least deprived communities). The method of payment is important in understanding the pattern of variation, with higher collection rates in areas with higher levels of Direct Debit payment compared to those more deprived communities with higher levels of cash payments. This longer-term trend highlights the need for digital inclusion to be at the heart of efforts to tackle poverty. It will be critical to closely monitor collection rates in the years ahead to understand the potential impacts of the cost-of-living crisis on the ability of households to pay council tax, and the extent to which cost- of-living payment and other initiatives, including the proposed Council Tax freeze, will be able to mitigate against this. Child Poverty Child Poverty rates10 increased to 22.6% in 2021/22, following the removal of the additional support provided to low-income families during the Covid pandemic via the £20 uplift to Universal Credit. This additional support had provided a temporary improvement in poverty rates experienced by children in 2020/21, including a narrowing of the gap between the most and least deprived council areas. Upon removal, the rate of child poverty increased sharply in all but one local authority area, almost reaching the pre-Covid peak of 22.9%. Child Poverty data for 2022/23 is not yet available and the full impact of the cost- of-living crisis on the levels of child poverty is not yet clear. It is clear however, that the crisis exacerbates the financial hardship for children and families who are living in poverty. It has a disproportionate impact on these households as they spend a greater proportion of their income on household essentials and have the fewest financial resources at their disposal to assist with increased costs. Even with the Scottish Government’s cost-of-living support package announced in May 2022, the temporary nature of some of the measures will address only the recent inflation in energy bills and rising prices and will not respond to the real terms cuts families have experienced for years. The 2030/31 statutory child poverty reduction targets are unlikely to be met 10 % of children who are in households with incomes net of housing costs that are below 60% of the median in the local authority area Page 126
Page 127
34 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 without significant action and structural change. The introduction and significant uplift in the Scottish Child Payment will be an important element of tackling poverty and addressing the inadequacy of the current social security system. However, a long-term approach is also needed to address in-work poverty and to ensure families have access to holistic person-centred services to ensure families do not continue to fall into, or deeper into, poverty. Action undertaken by local authorities, health boards and their community planning partners is set out in their annual Local Child Poverty Action Reports under the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017. The reports highlight a wide range of innovative practice intended to both reduce child poverty and mitigate its impact. Many local areas are taking an increasingly preventative, holistic approach to tackling child poverty, focusing on the role of housing, transport, childcare and economic development in reducing socio-economic inequalities. There has also been increased focus on the use of data and intelligence to map child poverty and better understand which interventions are most effective. Table 7: Child Poverty Rates 2014-15 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 Change since 2014/15 Change 2020/21 to 2021/22 Change since pre-Covid Child Poverty 20.2% 21.2% 22.9% 20.9% 22.6% 2.4pp 1.7pp -0.3pp How Councils are Responding to the Cost of Living Crisis Councils are putting cost-of-living support at the heart of their strategic commitments to tackle inequality and poverty. This seeks to mitigate the impact of the current, and sustained, pressures being faced by the families, businesses and communities they serve. Councils have moved quickly to provide support to communities and help ease the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. The speed and reach of this response was supported by joint working, including with third sector partners in the distribution of Crisis Grants as well as funding third sector partners directly to increase their support activity. The role of Community Planning Partnerships has also been pivotal, with councils working closely with cross-sector partners to understand and develop place-based plans to tackle inequalities. Strategic frameworks have been drawn up by councils to deliver a package of measures aligned to local need and these continue to be kept under review to ensure the efficacy of ongoing support and follow the following themes: ● Bolstering existing provisions – Covering overspends in areas such as the Scottish Welfare Funds and Crisis Grants. Maintaining awards without prioritising spend. Allocating additional funding backed by reserves.Page 127
Page 128
35 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 ● Sustaining or Supplementing Covid Funds – With new governance processes in place, councils are considering whether these funds could be used to continue funding in areas such as Child Bridging Payments or top up ongoing provision, for example where food vouchers have been provided. This may also include support for local businesses through local grants. ● Making Best Use of Council Facilities - Working with Leisure Trusts, Health & Social Care Partnerships and volunteer groups to develop Warm Hubs over winter months. This could be aligned to extending provisions within leisure facilities, libraries or other community facilities for free, or extended use (which would have been heated anyway) and reduced meal prices. ● Extending Grants to Voluntary Organisations - Providing additional support to third sector networks such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and volunteer groups to enable them to extend provisions locally and signpost clients to better access financial and other support. ● Debt Recovery – There may be additional considerations around the extent to which the council actively pursues debt. There have been national conversations about school meal debt and whether this could be written off. This may extend to recovery within council tax or within commercial properties. ● Housing Support – Where councils have a housing stock there may be considerations regarding rent uplifts, energy vouchers, debt recovery and promoting links to existing council programmes on tenant support. ● Welfare Advice and Health Partnerships – Working with GP practices to provide access to money and rights advice in health care settings, including providing advice to help people cope with the cost-of-living crisis. In this landscape of a sustained period of change, and ongoing inflationary pressures, it is clear that further analysis will be needed over the coming months to more fully understand the emerging consequences of the cost-of-living crisis. Page 128
Page 129
36 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Page 129
Page 130
37 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Health and Social Care Pressures The biggest short-term and long-term pressure for council budgets is adult social care. Social care is the area where councils and their partners face significantly growing demands in part due to supporting the complex needs of people with disabilities and an ageing population. These demands were exacerbated by the pandemic, while at the same time the current crisis in workforce recruitment and retention is adding further to the pressures facing the sector. Long-term underfunding has led to a system in crisis; a system that is coping only through the exceptional efforts and commitment from those working in the sector, and closer partnership working between councils, health boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs), the third sector and private providers. The long-term trends show how councils and their partners have worked together to expand provision in response to increasing demand, and have succeeded in shifting the balance of care towards greater home-based support despite the extraordinary challenges and extreme uncertainty they face. However, LGBF data this year provides clear evidence of current system pressures, with significant capacity issues contributing to the delivery of fewer hours of care at home, fewer people receiving personal care at home, and rapidly increasing delayed discharges. These trends add to growing concern about levels of unmet need, particularly within the community, and the capacity within the current system to be able to adequately respond to levels of growing need within our communities. This continues to be a period of significant change and reform in the social care landscape. The issues facing social care have been the subject of much focussed attention since the 2021 Independent Review of Adult Social Care, and within the current scrutiny of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill. It will be essential that the LGBF evolves to reflect the challenges and opportunities ahead. We will continue to work with Social Work Scotland and Chief Officers of the Integration Authorities to ensure developments in the LGBF support councils and partnerships to take action to ensure the sustainability of the sector and improve the availability and quality of social care services. Expenditure and Workforce Pressures Against mounting budget pressures, councils have continued to protect social care spend in light of policy commitments and demographic change. The rate of increase, however, has not kept pace with increasing demand and recent cost pressures. Expenditure on adult social care has increased by 29% in real terms since 2010/11, and by 2.9% in 2022/23. The most recent increase reflects sector pay settlements and additional national funding to support the commitment to paying Page 130
Page 131
38 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 the Scottish Living Wage to care workers in line with Scottish Government’s commitment to Fair Work11. Social care provision involves high volume services and even a small rise in hourly rates paid to staff in private provision, for example, results in significant additional costs. Increasing costs are making it more challenging for many providers to continue to deliver services. There are specific local pressures in different areas of Scotland, particularly within rural and island communities. An ageing population, coupled with depopulation and the significantly increasing costs of delivering services in these communities is of real concern. Within overall social care spend, expenditure on care at home provision for older people has continued to increase significantly faster than the growth in care home provision for older people (36% compared to 11% since 2010/11)12. This reflects the success of strategies to shift the balance of care towards greater home-based support. There is considerable variation beneath the national expenditure trends, reflective of local need, demographics and cost pressures, and illustrating the importance of a flexible approach to focus on what is important locally. The biggest single issue for councils and partnerships is the recruitment and retention of staff at all levels. This is particularly acute for some of our more rural and island communities where there is a high dependency ratio and a limited pool of people to attract into the workforce. While there are multiple drivers for the widespread staff shortages facing the sector, low rates of pay for often long and demanding working hours are central to this. The minimum rates of pay within social care are not competitive with the wider labour market, even with the recent Scottish Government commitment to increase the Scottish living wage from April 2024. While these pressures are particularly evident for front-line care staff, recruitment of social workers, allied health professionals and nurses are all areas where competition is fierce, and posts can remain vacant for a very long time. There is evidence that not enough people are being trained in these key disciplines to meet the workforce needs. Managing these ongoing recruitment and retention issues, against a context of increasing demand and growing financial pressures is threatening the sustainability of social care services. Not having the right staff in the right place leads to increased cost in the system. The rise in delayed discharges since the end of the pandemic is a symptom of this and is being driven in many areas by the fall in care at home availability and a lack of dementia specific care home beds. Vacancies for social workers and Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) in 11 https://www.gov.scot/publications/fair-work-action-plan-becoming-leading-fair-work- nation-2025/ 12 Note: Care Home expenditure represents gross expenditure net of client receipts Page 131
Page 132
39 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 particular, mean that early intervention is compromised, and rehabilitation and assessment activity is delayed. A national and co-ordinated approach to workforce planning will be essential to address these issues, underpinned by sustainable funding. Provision Data reveals a mixed picture in relation to provision in 2022/23, reflecting national pressures and local variability in relation to both need and capacity. This section will consider each in more detail. Table 8: LGBF Social Care Trends LGBF Adult Social Care Trends 2010-11 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Change since 2010/11 Change in 2021/22 to 2022/23 Change since pre-Covid Number of Care at Home hours delivered per year 65+ 21.6m 24.5m 24.4m 24.8m 24.2m 11.9% -2.5% -1.2% Number of Clients receiving personal care at home 65+ 46,954 47,458 46,666 45,379 45,205 -3.7% -0.4% -4.7% % people aged 65+ with long- term care needs who received personal care at home 58.9% 60.7% 61.7% 61.9% 61.5% 2.6pp -0.4pp 0.8pp Number of long- stay residents 65+ supported in Care Homes 31,050 30,125 28,368 27,948 28,248 -9.0% 1.1% -6.2% Number of readmissions to an acute hospital within 28 days of discharge 90,012 112,873 91,887 98,102 94,572 5.1% -3.6% -16.2% Number of hospital discharges 1,003,688 1,076,118 764,451 919,043 930,133 -7.3% 1.2% -13.6% Number of bed days people spend in hospital when ready to be discharged 75+ 391,389 360,733 227,524 357,719 439,596 12.3% 22.8% 21.9% Note: Data is based on an average of quarterly figures published as part of Scottish Government’s Free Personal and Nursing Care Statistics. Page 132
Page 133
40 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Care at Home As with other parts of the social care system, the sustainability of care at home services is under pressure due to significant workforce shortages, increasing demand, and growing costs. A preventative and early intervention approach to health and social care requires a resilient care at home sector which supports people to remain independent and safe in their own homes. In addition to valuing choice and independence, it prevents unnecessary admission or readmission to hospital which puts more pressure on an already strained service. The level of care at home provision for over 65s has grown over the last decade, with 24.2 million hours delivered in 2022/23 compared to 21.6 million hours in 2010/11. The balance of care has shifted over the long-term, with an 11.9% growth in care at home hours provided since 2010/11, and a relative decline in residential places of 9.0%13. The percentage of older people with long-term needs who are now receiving personal care at home has increased from 58.9% in 2010/11 to 61.5% in 2022/23. Although these trends are positive, the evidence also highlights increasing pressure on provision across this period. The number of people receiving personal care at home has decreased over time while the hours of care they receive on average has increased, i.e. in shifting the balance of care, a greater resource has become targeted on a smaller number of people with higher needs. The reducing number of personal care at home service users, alongside the size of the package delivered, reflects the resource councils have available to meet demand and the agreed eligibility criteria in place to ensure the fair allocation of care. The most recent data provides further evidence of growing capacity issues resulting from the considerable recruitment and retention challenges highlighted previously, and the associated shortages in care staff. In 2022/23, the level of care at home provision fell by 2.5% and the percentage of people with long-term care needs receiving care at home reduced by 0.4 percentage points. While there was a 1.1% increase in the number of long-stay residents 65+ in care homes, levels remain lower than pre-Covid levels. At the same time, there is a significant upshift in demand with a greater level of illness being presented post-pandemic. With significant workforce and resilience issues, there is increased pressure on waiting lists for assessment and care, and on the size of support packages offered. The growing level of unmet need is leading to more carer and informal family support being relied upon, illness and risk being held in community and primary care settings, and more people who are medically fit being delayed in hospital. 13 Note: This relates to funded residents. Results from the 2023 care home census shows that the total number of care home places reduced by 5% in the last 10 years.Page 133
Page 134
41 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 While the national trend is clear, it is important to note there is significant variation beneath this trend, reflecting local differences in need and workforce pressures. Care Homes The care home sector remains fragile after the Covid pandemic and is now facing a renewed financial crisis due to workforce shortages and inflation. This has exacerbated concerns over the rate of care home closures, with the number of care homes reducing by a fifth in the last decade. This is a particular issue for rural and remote areas, and for small care homes, undermining efforts to offer care that is local. This financial instability in care homes creates further harm and additional stress for residents, staff and care home operators following on from what was an unimaginably traumatic time for everyone involved. During 2022/23, the number of long-stay residents (65+) supported in care homes increased by 1.1%, to 28,248. This small increase sits within a longer-term reducing trend. There has been a 9% reduction in care home residents since 2010/11 as part of a longer-term trend to shift the balance of provision towards greater home-based support. While the small growth in residents in 2022/23 does reflect a recent increase in demand on care homes, this is within the context of unusually low figures in 2020/21 and 2021/22 due to the Covid pandemic. During this time, residents of care homes for older people experienced a particularly high rate of Covid related deaths, and public health measures saw the closure of care homes to new residents for significant periods of time. The future landscape remains challenging for the care home sector, as it responds to the myriad of complex challenges it faces in relation to workforce shortages, accelerating costs, funding pressures and the rate of care home closures. Close monitoring will be required to assess whether the uplift in care home resident numbers observed in 2022/23 is temporary in nature or whether it indicates the start of a longer-term trend. Readmissions After spiking during 2020/21, the rate of hospital re-admissions within 28 days has reduced to below pre-Covid levels in 2022/23. While rates peaked during Covid reflecting the reduction in hospital discharges largely due to cancelled or delayed elective activity during the pandemic, the current reduction is counter to the long-term increasing pre-Covid trend in readmission rates. Since 2010/11, the rate of readmissions within 28 days has increased by 13% overall, with the scale of movement varying significantly between councils (ranging from a 13% decrease to a 72% increase). To understand the long-term Page 134
Page 135
42 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 trend, demographic factors are important. While the focus of care is to enable some of our most vulnerable in society to have support to live their lives as well as possible, the increasing complexity of need and frailty in an ageing population brings an increase in multiple and complicated health conditions for which readmission is often a natural part of the care journey. The role being played by decision making in the hospital discharge process alongside capacity issues in relation to follow up support in driving both the long-term national trend and local variation within it, is an area where further exploration would be helpful. In 2022/23, the rate of readmissions fell by 4.7%, counter to trend, although again there was significant variability between councils (ranging from a decrease of 16% to an increase of 18%). Close monitoring will be needed to assess whether the reduction in readmissions observed in 2022/23 is part of a longer-term trend, and if it offers potential evidence that the long-term focus on the discharge process is now generating improvements in terms of getting the right destinations for people first time. It is important to recognise however, that as outlined in the previous sections, significant pressures remain in the exit solutions which are available to those ready to leave hospital and this may continue to have an impact on decision making in relation to the hospital discharge process. Delayed Discharge After falling sharply in 2020/21, the number of bed days spent in hospital during delayed discharges for the over 75s reached a historic high in 2022/23, with levels increasing significantly in both 2021/22 and 2022/23 (by 54.5% and 23% respectively). The 37% fall in delayed discharges in 2020/21 resulted from significant reductions in non-Covid related hospital admissions during this period, along with concerted efforts to move patients out of hospital to free up hospital capacity and create a better outcome for individuals at risk of hospital acquired infections. The recent increases reflect that people are going back into hospital after the lifting of Covid restrictions, often with greater level of frailty and illness. Delays in hospital treatment along with reduced activity levels during Covid have led to reduced confidence, reduced mobility, and more complex illness and conditions. This has been an area of significant and sustained focus for authorities. Waiting unnecessarily in hospital is a poor outcome for the individual and is particularly bad for the health and independence of older patients. While there have been improvements in previous years pre-pandemic, the fact that levels remain stubbornly high and are rising points to the need for a genuine whole systems approach to resolve this issue, rather than addressing parts of the system. Page 135
Page 136
43 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Risk in the system must be addressed, rather than simply moving it downstream. For delayed discharges, viewing acute settings as the priority for intervention within the system (i.e. freeing up bed spaces) neglects the complex infrastructure that may be required in the community setting, which can involve community health, primary care, social care, social work and care home provision, for an individual to live safely in the community. Delayed Discharges on their own do not tell us about the outcomes experienced, as people need to be discharged to an appropriate setting that is best for their reablement. Focusing on discharging patients quickly at the expense of this is not desirable, and improvements need to be achieved by better joint working and use of resources. In order to ensure the safety and wellbeing of individuals and their families, and prevent unnecessary admission or readmission to hospital, a whole system approach to service design and delivery, which takes account of, and maps across, the wide range of data available from councils and HSCPs is imperative. As highlighted previously, addressing the significant capacity and resilience issues within care at home and care home provision is an essential element of this whole system approach. Satisfaction Satisfaction levels among both those being cared for at home and among carers shows a long-term declining trend. Biennial data from the Health and Care Experience Survey reveals reduced satisfaction with services in relation to the impact on quality of life, living independently, choice and control, and support for carers. The sharpest reductions were observed in relation to ‘choice and control’ and ‘support for carers’, both of which have fallen by approximately 5 percentage points since 2019/20. The reduction in relation to carers is particularly concerning, as satisfaction levels for this group are historically low. While the majority of authorities saw a reduction in satisfaction across all measures, this was not universal. In relation to improving quality of life and living independently, for example, a third of authorities reported improvements in satisfaction levels in the most recent year data is available for. Page 136
Page 137
44 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Table 9: LGBF Social Care Satisfaction Trends LGBF Adult Social Satisfaction Measures 2013-14 2017-18 2019-20 2021-22 Change since 2013/14 Change 2019/20 to 2021/22 % agree that their services and support had an impact in improving or maintaining their quality of life 85.0% 80.0% 80.0% 78.1% -6.9pp -1.9pp % agree that they are supported to live as independently as possible 82.8% 81.1% 80.8% 78.8% -4.0pp -2.0pp % agree that they had a say in how their help, care or support was provided 83.1% 75.6% 75.4% 70.6% -12.5pp -4.8pp % of carers who feel supported to continue in their caring role 43.0% 36.6% 34.3% 29.7% -13.3pp -4.6pp (Source: Health and Care Experience Survey - Biennial) Although there is a longer-term downward trend, the scale of the reduction in satisfaction in some areas in 2021/22 will most likely reflect experiences during Covid where services were run differently. During this time services were stopped or scaled back, respite changed, and family members were unable to visit. People’s experiences fundamentally changed during this period, and it would be surprising if this did not have an impact on satisfaction rates. In understanding the longer-term trend, it is important to recognise that service expectations have been raised amongst our communities, at a time when our ability to deliver is under greater pressure than ever, and demand is accelerating faster than ever. This can be seen particularly in expectations in relation to choice, control and support for carers which have been introduced via legislation on Self-Directed Support and via the Carers Act at a time when councils’ capacity to deliver on this has deteriorated. Quality of Adult Care Provision While quality gradings for adult care services have reduced sharply in recent years, falling from pre-Covid figure of 81.8% to a historic low of 75.0% in 2022/23, Covid related methodological changes are likely to account for much of this movement. The Care Inspectorate’s approach to inspection under Covid changed significantly, with an increased inspection focus on higher risk services and on infection control. It is not possible therefore to draw any firm conclusions from the current data. It will be important to closely monitor data once routine inspection activity is fully resumed, in order to understand the full impact of the pandemic on the quality of adult care services. Page 137
Page 138
45 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Future Pressures The social care sector is currently facing exceptional challenges, including long-standing structural issues such as chronic underfunding, workforce issues, system fragmentation and supply chain limitations. Covid also appears to have made some longstanding problems worse, such as unmet need for care, and the burden on unpaid carers. There are a number of ‘whole-system’ issues which need to be addressed: ● Over the longer-term period, the funding and level of provision in social care has not grown to sufficient levels to meet demand and drive the desired shift to early intervention advocated for by the Christie Commission. While there has been progress in shifting the balance of care towards greater home-based support, in doing so a greater resource has become targeted on a smaller number of people with higher needs. ● Councils and service providers face growing difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff due to low pay, anti-social hours, increasing workloads and difficult working conditions. Latest figures show workforce shortages are worsening in the care sector with 49% of care services reporting vacancies, up from a third in 202014. These issues are whole system, affecting both public and private providers. This has led to wider issues and concerns in relation to resilience, especially at peak periods such as winter. Pressures often lead to a redistribution of resource rather than an ability to accelerate and increase overall provision and capacity with employees moving between organisations. A national and co-ordinated approach to workforce planning is needed, underpinned by sustainable funding. ● Most care and support is provided by unpaid carers and our social care system would struggle to function without the care they provide. There are an estimated 700,000 unpaid carers in Scotland compared to around 125,000 workers in care at home, housing support and care homes. Against a context of increasing demand and greater level of illness, alongside low workforce availability and resilience, this is leading to growing levels of unmet need, with more carer and family support being relied upon. There is significant concern over the increasing pressures facing unpaid carers and the challenges for the social care sector in delivering much-needed support, as evidenced in carer satisfaction levels presented in this report. ● A sustained and real commitment to the “whole system” of population health is required, including investment in the vital preventative and early intervention services councils provide which are critical to addressing 14 https://data.sssc.uk.com/images/StaffVacancies/Staff_vacancies_2022_Sept_2023.pdf Page 138
Page 139
46 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 the social determinants of health. Viewing acute settings as the priority for intervention within the system simply moves the risk downstream and neglects the complex infrastructure that may be required in the community setting for an individual to live safely. Investment is required in community health, primary care, social care, social work and care home provision to ensure the safety and wellbeing of individuals and their families in the community and prevent unnecessary admission and readmission to hospital. The choice facing Scotland is whether we are prepared to finance a preventative approach that values personal choice and independence or to continue to fund an emergency response which is primarily focussed on acute and secondary hospital care. ● Whilst there is no doubt that change is incoming across adult social care provision, it is critical that the creation of a National Care Service, and its formation in the years ahead, does not undermine what has been achieved to date nor impact upon the ongoing pace of change required to support our citizens for the challenges ahead. Many of these challenges have been in evidence for many years across the care sector, but arguably are more acute today, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. IJBs/HSCPs have demonstrated an ability to work collaboratively over the last 9 years to improve and transform services to deliver as high a quality of service as possible to their citizens. This work to make best use of the available resources will continue. HSCPs are working at many levels to support change; from a greater focus on staff well-being to seeking to harness digital solutions to improve work flow or service user engagement in health and care. It is clear that closer partnership working is essential during this exceptional period of sustained and deepening pressure, with the strongest partnerships best able to deal with the multiple challenges presented. Councils, Health Boards, HSCPs, the third sector and private partners all play a key role. Page 139
Page 140
47 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Page 140
Page 141
48 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Education for Children and Young People The ongoing cost-of-living crisis is adding pressures on families that will exacerbate the profound and ongoing impact the Covid pandemic has had on children in Scotland. Children and families from low-income households are amongst those who were most negatively affected by the Covid restrictions and disruption in education and childcare services, many of whom were already struggling before the pandemic. The significant changes during this period affected the family environment, physical and social development, wellbeing, learning experiences, opportunities for play and leisure, and access to services; these are all issues that have a particularly pronounced impact on families living in poverty. As a result of the cost-of-living crisis, more children are at risk of being pulled into poverty, or into deeper poverty. This can harm children’s life chances, limiting their opportunities, holding them back in education, or lead to worse physical and mental health outcomes. Throughout this period, our schools and early learning and childcare services have continued to deliver high-quality education and learning experiences to our learners and have worked in new and innovative ways to maintain connections and support wellbeing. LGBF data reveals how councils have responded to these ongoing challenges, the impact on service performance and outcomes and the degree of recovery from Covid. Recent data provides evidence that some key outcomes including attainment and positive destinations are showing strong improvement, beyond pre-pandemic levels. Other areas however, such as pupil attendance and the development of pre-school children remain lower than pre- Covid levels and in some cases are showing further and concerning signs of decline. Important context for the interpretation of these trends lies in the increasing rates of mental health issues in children and young people which were growing pre- Covid and have accelerated in the last three years. There has also been a growth in support needs in relation to social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in recent years, and a particularly stark increase in speech, language and communication concerns, which will be important in the education trends we may see in future. The cost-of-living crisis is creating additional difficulties for families that will further increase the incidence of these issues and is likely to have an impact on outcomes over the coming years. In light of this, achieving recovery to pre-Covid levels will be a significant challenge, even before seeking further improvement in closing poverty related gaps. Effective support for these families often needs Page 141
Page 142
49 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 to happen out-with schools (e.g. involving family support, whole family wellbeing, and effective partnership working on mental health support) and will be key to improving outcomes, including better attendance and closing the attainment gap. Child Development and Early Years Provision For the second year in a row, the percentage of young children with recorded developmental concerns has increased. In the most recent data available, the percentage of children with no developmental concerns at their 27–30-month review decreased from 85.1% in 2020/21 to 82.1% in 2021/22. Where developmental concerns were noted, these predominantly related to speech, language and communication. Prior to the Covid pandemic, there was a 4-year improving trend in this important measure of young children’s development. In 2021/22, less than one fifth of authorities continued to see improvement. There are persistent inequalities in the proportion of children who are found to have a developmental concern. Children in the most deprived areas are 2.3 times more likely to have a developmental concern recorded compared to those living in the least deprived areas. Developmental concerns increased faster for children living in the most deprived areas during the pandemic, increasing by 4 percentage points (most deprived) and 3 percentage points (least deprived) from 2019/20 to 2021/22. Adaptations to the delivery of child health reviews were necessary during Covid, however coverage has been largely maintained for each review (with the exception in the 4-5 year review). It is therefore possible that factors relating to assessment, and to genuine changes in the occurrence of developmental problems are contributing to the observed increase in concerns. We will continue to closely monitor improvements in the coverage of the 4-5-year old review as we consider the potential to include this important area within the LGBF. Page 142
Page 143
50 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Table 10: Developmental Milestones and Quality Ratings for Early Years Provision 2014-15 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Change since 2014/15 Change in most recent year Change since pre-Covid Percentage of Children Meeting Developmental Milestones (27-30 month review) 80.8% 85.7% 85.1% 82.1% - 1.3pp -3.0pp -3.6% Quality of Early Years Provision15 93.5% 90.2% 90.9% 89.4% 90.1% -3.4pp 0.7pp -0.1pp Note: In 2020/21 and 2021/22, covid related adaptations to inspection practice and flexibilities which were introduced in relation to aspects of the National Standard may affect comparability of data with previous and future years The expansion of early years provision is a flagship policy which underpins broader ambitions to reduce child poverty and to support economic transformation. Improving the quality and flexibility of early years provision is a cornerstone of the expansion programme. The quality of early years provision remains high at 90.1%, with a small improvement of 0.7 percentage points in 2022/23. While quality ratings have remained at or around 90% for the past 10 years, levels have shown a small decline of 3.4 percentage points since 2014/15. This trend is not universal, however, with a third of councils seeing the quality of their early years provision improve since 2014/15. The growing blend of Local Authority and partner provision is important in these trends. The early years expansion has seen a rapid growth in the use of partner provision. In September 2023, 31% of all children who will receive expanded hours will be in partner provision, up from 27% in August 202016. Given Local Authority run services continue to receive higher quality ratings compared to other sectors (93.6% compared to 81.4% in the private sector, and 90.8% in Voluntary/ Not for profit)17, this will be an important consideration as the expansion to 1140 hours is embedded. The 1140 duty brings significant challenges around workforce expansion. It takes time to build the workforce necessary to expand and double the volume of early years provision, whilst simultaneously maintaining and improving the quality. While councils have significantly expanded the workforce, both councils and their 15 This is based on data provided directly by the Care Inspectorate, and may not match what is published in ‘Early Learning and Childcare Statistics’, where estimates and imputations are used to account for non-submissions 16 https://www.improvementservice.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/45936/ELC-Delivery- Progress-Report-Sept-23.pdf 17 Early learning and childcare statistics 2022.pdf (careinspectorate.com) Page 143
Page 144
51 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 partners are currently facing significant shortages in the availability of qualified staff and are seeing the average experience level of the workforce lowered. The 2023 Audit Scotland follow up review into Early Learning and Childcare indicates that councils and their partners have done well to increase early learning and childcare provision to 1,140 hours a year per child, despite the challenge of the Covid pandemic. They warn, however, that the sector remains fragile, and budget pressures, workforce recruitment challenges and the ability of funded providers to stay in business are risks that could affect flexibility and choice for families18. It is too early to assess the extent to which the expansion has supported improved outcomes for children and increased opportunities for parents to engage in employment or education. It will be important for local government to feed into and inform the ongoing Scottish Government evaluation of the Early Learning and Childcare Expansion programme, which is due for publication in late 202519. Primary School Pupil Attainment Primary school data shows continued improvement in attainment following Covid. Attainment levels improved strongly in both numeracy and literacy in 2022/23 and are now higher than pre-Covid levels. The poverty related attainment gap also narrowed in 2022/23, and is now smaller than pre-pandemic for Literacy, but remains slightly wider for Numeracy. The improvement in achievement is true for almost all councils in 2022/23, with children in over half of authorities now achieving above pre-Covid levels. There is, however, greater variability in progress to narrow the gap in achievement between SIMD Quintiles 1 and 5, with around a third seeing their gap widen in the most recent year. 18 https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/publications/early-learning-and-childcare-progress-on- delivery-of-the-1140-hours-expansion 19 https://www.gov.scot/publications/early-learning-childcare-expansion-programme-evaluation- strategy/ Page 144
Page 145
52 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Table 11: Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL) 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Change 2021/22 to 2022/23 Change since pre Covid % of P1, P4 and P7 pupils combined achieving expected CFE Level in Literacy 72.3 - 66.9 70.5 72.7 2.2 pp 0.4 pp % of P1, P4 and P7 pupils combined achieving expected CFE Level in Numeracy 79.1 - 74.7 77.9 79.6 1.7 pp 0.5 pp Literacy Attainment Gap (P1,4,7 Combined) - % point gap between the least deprived and most deprived pupils 20.7 - 24.7 21.3 20.5 -0.8 pp -0.2 pp Numeracy Attainment Gap (P1,4,7 Combined) - % point gap between the least deprived and most deprived pupils 16.8 - 21.4 17.8 17.0 -0.8pp 0.2 pp Note: Due to the COVID pandemic and the closure of schools, the Scottish Government suspended the collection of the literacy and numeracy attainment data in 2020 to avoid adding further pressures on schools during this challenging period and citing potential comparability issues with previous years. 2019/20 data is therefore not available. Data prior to 2018/19 is not presented due to its experimental status. Covid and the resulting lockdowns have had a significant impact on learning for children and this is reflected in trends reported here. The closure of schools in March 2020 and January 2021 is likely to have had a negative effect on pupils’ progress and attainment with socio-economically deprived children amongst those who may have been most negatively affected. While the profound effects of the pandemic, including the disruption to education, are likely to effect achievement levels for some children for a longer period, it is encouraging to see overall achievement levels recover and improve. This reflects the significant efforts being made within councils to bring attainment levels back to where they were previously and provides evidence of strong progress towards the 2025/26 stretch aims. Pupil Attendance Pupil attendance rates declined both during the pandemic, and in the years following, particularly within council areas with higher levels of deprivation. Attendance rates declined from 93.1% in 2018/19 to 90.2% in 2022/2320 with 20 The rate reported in this attendance measure is methodologically consistent to attendance rates from previous years as it is not affected by the known underreporting of absence from home-learning. Therefore this measure is comparable to previous years (bearing in mind the impact of COVID). Page 145
Page 146
53 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 levels in the most deprived council areas falling from 92.2% to 89.5%. The decline in attendance rates is universal, with all authorities reporting a reduction during 2022/23. The extent to which this decline in attendance reflects an increase in long-term school absence and avoidance due to increased emotional and mental health issues during the pandemic and exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, will be an area for examination. It may also be important to understand any longer-term effect the Covid related disruption is having on our long-standing conventions and expectations in relation to school attendance. Senior Phase Attainment Interpreting the trends in the senior phase over the last five years is complex due to the different assessment methods during Covid. Data reveals a decrease in Average tariff levels in 2022/23 compared to levels achieved during the pandemic years, although importantly levels remain above those achieved pre- pandemic in 2018/19. This trend is true for pupils in all SIMD Quintiles. While there is a long-term narrowing of the poverty related attainment gap between 2011/12 and 2022/23, the gap widened slightly between 2018/19 and 2022/23, following a larger increase in 2022/23 for pupils living within the least deprived areas (SIMD Quintile 5). The national increase in attainment since pre-pandemic disguises variability at local level, with Overall Average Tariff reducing between 2018/19 and 2022/23 in a quarter of council areas. While similar levels of local variability exist across most SIMD groups, the improvement trend is more consistent across councils in relation to pupils from the least deprived areas (SIMD Quintile 5). Page 146
Page 147
54 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Table 12: Senior Phase Attainment 2011 -12 2012 -13 2013 -14 2014 -15 2015 -16 2016 -17 2017 -18 2018 -19 2019 -20 2020 -21 2021 -22 2022 -23 % Change since pre Covid Overall Average Total Tariff 770 798 827 860 877 888 894 895 925 962 972 915 2.3% SIMD Quintile 1 478 510 551 581 603 625 620 627 645 678 691 658 4.9% SIMD Quintile 2 618 644 685 716 741 751 752 742 754 807 818 781 5.3% SIMD Quintile 3 759 788 816 851 864 882 899 875 901 964 957 905 3.4% SIMD Quintile 4 909 929 962 984 998 1002 1019 1015 1025 1099 1105 1051 3.6% SIMD Quintile 5 1101 1134 1149 1185 1197 1210 1224 1195 1236 1310 1310 1264 5.8% Source: Average total tariff by SIMD quintile provided by the Scottish Government21 . Overall average total tariff calculated from this by the Improvement service. The period covered by these statistics includes four distinct approaches to assessment and certification of SQA attainment. This includes a longstanding use of exams and externally assessed coursework pre-Covid (up to and including 2018/19), the use of teacher estimates as a basis for awards in 2020, an Alternative Certification Model in 2021, and the return of formal exams in 2022 with measures put in place to mitigate the ongoing effects of Covid. The significantly different circumstances and awarding processes between 2019 and 2023 do not allow for meaningful comparison or for conclusions to be drawn on changes in education performance between these years. Any changes between the attainment levels of the 2019/20 - 2021/22 cohorts, and those of previous or future years should not be seen as an indication that performance has improved or worsened, without further evidence. While 2023 was not yet a full return to normal for learners, it marks a significant and positive step on the path back to normal awarding, following the years of disruption caused by the pandemic. The awarding approach in 2023 operated on the previously established procedure adopted pre-pandemic, with consideration of the impacts of the legacy of Covid disruption, modifications and supports. Councils continue to demonstrate a significant commitment to meeting the policy goals of the National Improvement Framework, including improving attainment in the senior phase and closing the poverty related attainment gap. Each council has set locally identified stretch aims, to frame its aspirations for learners and to set 21 Note: As the school leaver data is not yet available for 2022/23, the basis for the data included here is different from published data available on the Learning Analysis School Summary Dashboard, which is based on school leavers. To allow 2023 data to be included, the Scottish Government has provided pupil’s attainment by S6 based on the S4 cohort. All years included are based on this calculated measure of pupil attainment by S6 based on the S4 cohort Page 147
Page 148
55 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 an over-arching strategic ambition for improvement during the ongoing recovery from Covid. These stretch aims will also inform the Framework for Recovery and Accelerating Progress, as part of the Scottish Attainment Challenge. Positive Destinations The destination of pupils after leaving school is an important outcome measure of how well schools prepare young people for life beyond school. Positive destinations can be either higher or further education, employment, training, voluntary work or personal skills development. The long-term improving trend in positive destination rates has continued in 2022/23, after a temporary decline during Covid. In 2022/23, 95.9% of young people were in positive destinations within 3 months of leaving school. The Covid related decline in 2019/20 was greater for school leavers from the most deprived areas, which reflects the particular impact of Covid on employment opportunities. In the years since however, significant improvement in positive destinations for the most deprived school leavers has seen the gap between those living in the least and most deprived areas narrow to 3.7 percentage points in 2022/23, the smallest gap in over a decade. While it is encouraging that for school leavers in 2021, 2022 and 2023, positive destination rates have recovered to above pre-pandemic levels, including for the most deprived SIMD groups, it will be important to monitor what the medium to longer-term impact will be on leaver destinations, particularly for young people experiencing high levels of deprivation. It is likely that the pandemic will have continued to affect the choices made by, and opportunities available to, some school leavers. Table 13: Positive Destinations 2011 -12 2018 -19 2019 -20 2020 -21 2021 -22 2022 -23 Change since 2011 /12 Change 2021/22 to 2022/23 Change since pre-Covid Positive Destinations 90.3% 95.0% 93.3% 95.5% 95.7% 95.9% 5.6pp 0.2pp 0.9pp Positive Destinations for the most deprived school leavers 84.1% 92.4% 90.0% 92.8% 93.4% 94.0% 10.1pp 0.6pp 1.6pp Page 148
Page 149
56 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Future Priorities There is a strong focus on improving the wellbeing of children and young people, alongside the continued commitment to improved attainment. Going forward, the SAC Stretch Aims articulate our collective ambition for where we want to be by 2025/26 and set out our priorities in relation to further improvements in pupil attendance, Curriculum for Excellence attainment, leavers destinations and senior phase attainment. It will be important for the LGBF to align more closely with National Improvement Framework (NIF) measures to ensure we address these challenges collectively as a system, reducing complexity and bringing greater coherence in how data is used to drive improvement. This includes a need to ensure we have measures more broadly across the four capacities set out within the Curriculum for Excellence, with a greater focus on confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors, as well as successful learners. In the spirit of bringing greater coherence to the data landscape, positive steps have already been made in increasing the alignment between the LGBF, NIF and the SAC Stretch Aims. The LGBF has moved to using leavers’ data for the senior phase attainment measures relating to 5+ awards at levels 5/6 and will incorporate this data following publication of the February Insight release. The LGBF Board, ADES and Scottish Government continue to look at how we can bring further alignment to streamline the data landscape in this area and support the principles of the Verity House Agreement. Page 149
Page 150
57 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Page 150
Page 151
58 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Performance of Local Government Services Council service performance has improved across the last decade with considerable progress being achieved against an increasingly challenging financial context. There is, however, clear evidence that performance improvement has slowed in recent years. This is true for all local authorities, regardless of resources or policies pursued, suggesting that the causes are system wide. The long-term picture of council service performance remains positive, with 66% of performance indicators within the LGBF showing improvement since the base year. In recent years, however, year on year trends show a slowing in this improvement, and an increase in the number of performance indicators which are now declining. In 2022/23, for the first time, the rate of decline has overtaken the rate of improvement (45% and 43% respectively). This is not unexpected, given the deepening fiscal, workforce and demand pressures facing councils. As outlined in this report, councils are having to make increasingly difficult decisions about the shape and level of service delivery which are beginning to have a clear impact on service performance. These include: ● Where to target disproportionate and substantial budget reductions within non-statutory service areas in light of growing ring-fencing. ● Where to reduce or ration service provision as part of continued efforts to achieve efficiencies. ● How to sustain services with insufficient staff with the appropriate experience, skills, and qualifications to deliver services to the level needed due to workforce pressures. ● Where to reduce capital investment programmes, undermining their ability to deliver local priorities and commission work in key areas, e.g. Net Zero targets and transformation plans which are essential for improved outcomes for local communities. ● How to retain focus on prevention and longer-term outcomes, given immediate pressure to deliver unprecedented savings many of which could have long-term implications. ● How to ensure the absorption of higher levels of risk by councils does not further undermine the future sustainability of essential services. Page 151
Page 152
59 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 In addition to the longer-term fiscal, demand and workforce pressures, the full effects of the pandemic combined with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis are likely to take a number of years to emerge in their entirety, creating further pressure for service performance in the years ahead. During the pandemic, councils were at the forefront of delivering the emergency response to their local communities which required a huge remobilisation and redeployment of resources at pace. The Covid emergency response and business critical activities were prioritised during this period, which had an impact on resourcing and service levels in those less business critical areas. Covid restrictions required the closure or cessation of key council services and/or the implementation of significant service adaptations to meet physical distancing requirements. This period also saw significant service redesign with greater reliance on virtual delivery, with face-to-face support prioritised for the most vulnerable, e.g., social work services. The wholesale shift to homeworking which happened at pace at the onset of the pandemic also had implications both for service delivery, and for the workforce. These pressures, combined with the cost-of-living crisis and ongoing economic uncertainty resulting from Brexit, the war in Ukraine and more recent conflicts in the Middle East, continue to affect both the level of demand for local government services, and also the context in which they are delivered. This includes growing pressure on council budgets and workforce; increased financial hardship for families; increasing levels of vulnerability, including mental health and wellbeing; delays, cancellations, and backlogs across wider public services (e.g., NHS and justice); and volatility and uncertainty in the supplier/contractor landscape. The above factors provide vital context for the interpretation of performance data from this period, in particular when drawing comparisons with historic or future data. The evidence indicates that the shock delivered by these combined events is likely to substantially disrupt performance and efficiency improvements gained in previous years. It is likely that some of these effects will be felt for a long time to come, and along with the growing demand and budgetary pressures facing councils, it is possible that efforts in the short-term in some service areas could be focussed more on prioritising and maintaining performance, rather than service improvement. The recent trend in council service performance provides a stark warning on the future resilience of essential council services. If the current trend continues, the improvements and progress that has been achieved thus far, could potentially be lost and council service performance may start to decline over the longer-term. This will have serious implications in relation to access to front- line essential services for our communities. Signs of this impact are already evident in key areas, including the declaration of local housing emergencies, Page 152
Page 153
60 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 high levels of unmet need within health and social care provision, and cuts to libraries, community, and leisure centres increasingly within scope, to name but a few. These services are pivotal for our collective efforts to improve long- term outcomes for our local communities, including those shared outcomes underpinning the Verity House Agreement in relation to tackling poverty, delivering a just transition to net zero, and delivering sustainable person-centred public services. Performance Trends and Impact on Service Areas While the overall picture points to a slow-down in performance improvement, there are a number of long-term improvement trends which have been sustained and strengthened in policy critical areas. These include: ● Attainment both at senior phase and at primary level ● Positive destinations and participation in education, training or employment for 16–19-year-olds ● School exclusion rates ● Placement stability for care experienced children ● Payment of the living wage ● Roll out of superfast broadband ● Housing energy efficiency ● Road network condition ● The gender pay gap ● Council tax collection ● Corporate asset condition. While some of these areas did see a temporary Covid-related decline, they have since seen their long-term improvement trend recover. There are, however, areas where a clear long-term improving trend has shown recent decline, albeit this is sometimes small in scale. It is unclear whether this decline is temporary in nature, perhaps resulting from Covid or the cost- of-living crisis, or whether it is indicative of the start of a more sustained trend. This covers a range of different services, and includes self-directed support, the balance of care for both older people and care experienced children; children’s development; local procurement spend, housing quality and repairs, recycling rates, area wide emissions and corporate emissions from Electricity and Gas, and Page 153
Page 154
61 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 culture and leisure usage. In some of these areas, including culture and leisure usage, housing quality, and recycling rates, while there has been some recovery from the initial Covid impact, performance levels remain below pre-Covid levels, and the long-term improvement trend has not yet recovered. In those service areas where there were already signs of strain prior to the pandemic, this picture has largely continued, and in some cases has worsened. Areas experiencing a longer-term declining trend include pupil attendance rates; housing voids and rent arrears; delayed discharges, hospital readmission rates, care quality gradings for adults and early years, Business Gateway start-ups, processing of planning applications, street cleanliness, processing of Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grants, and council staff absence. Of further concern, is the declining level of satisfaction with council services amongst the public. This is true for all service areas with the exception of parks and open spaces, and more recently, refuse collection. The decline is evident for almost all councils, although it is important to note that a couple of councils have seen their satisfaction improve over the longer term. Public expectations have not reduced despite the reduction in local government resources and increased demand due to demographic and other change. These trends relate to satisfaction for the public at large rather than for service users. It should be noted that satisfaction rates for service users are consistently higher than those reported by the general population. Given these trends, consideration is required on whether current expectations of public services are realistic in the context of such changing conditions. As councils respond to increasing levels of need and demand, within ever tightening budget constraints, it is important that expectations in relation to local government priorities and performance do not remain static but are able to adapt to reflect the dynamic circumstances councils are operating within. Page 154
Page 155
62 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Table 14 – Public satisfaction with council services 2010 /11 2016 /17 2017 /18 2018 /19 2019 /20 2020 /21 2021 /22 2022 /23 Change since 2010-11 (pp) Change since pre- Covid (pp) Schools 83.1% 73.0% 70.0% 72.5% 73.0% 78.0% 74.0% 69.0% -14.1 -4.0 Libraries 83.5% 73.0% 72.0% 72.1% 73.0% 78.0% 71.0% 64.0% -19.5 -9.0 Parks & Open Spaces 83.1% 87.0% 85.0% 82.5% 83.0% 91.0% 88.0% 83.0% -0.1 0.0 Museums & galleries 75.5% 70.0% 69.0% 68.9% 70.0% 75.0% 74.0% 65.0% -10.5 -5.0 Leisure facilities 74.6% 73.0% 72.0% 69.3% 69.0% 77.0% 71.0% 65.0% -9.6 -4.0 Refuse collection 80.9% 79.0% 75.0% 74.9% 73.0% 78.0% 77.0% 79.0% -1.9 6.0 Street Collection 73.3% 70.0% 66.0% 62.9% 59.0% 58.0% 59.0% 58.0% -15.3 -1.0 Note: As a result of the change in methodology, the lower response rates, and the change in the profile of respondents compared to typical survey years, the results for 2020/21 and 2021/22 are not comparable to earlier or later years. While annual data is presented here, within the LGBF, 3-year rolled averages are used to boost sample sizes and improve levels of precision at local levels. The data in this table will differ therefore from data within the LGBF dashboard. While the current trends in performance and satisfaction give cause for concern, some caution is required when drawing conclusions and making comparisons over time due to the volatility in recent years. Firstly, for several important areas, there were changes in assessment, survey or inspection methodologies during Covid. This includes senior phase attainment, satisfaction with Council services (Scottish Household Survey data), and quality ratings for early years and adult social care. Secondly, it will take time for the full impacts of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, along with other recent economic shocks, to emerge. This is of particular relevance given there remains a number of key policy areas in relation to children and young people for which 2022/23 data is not yet available. This includes care experienced children, child development, exclusion rates, and child poverty rates. Local Variation While the recent decline in performance improvement is true for all councils, there is variation in the depth, severity and focus of impacts. The evidence indicates that island councils have seen their rate of performance improvement slow the least. Page 155
Page 156
63 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 More generally, there is evidence that rurality and deprivation are becoming increasingly important factors in understanding the levels of variation between councils. Analysis of the LGBF data reveals an increase in the presence of systematic and statistically significant differences between authorities due to rurality and deprivation. This shows that although pressures are system wide, local areas are experiencing their impacts differently. Responses by councils have exemplified the importance of ‘local’ with local solutions and responses to local needs and issues, varying both between and within authorities. A range of interconnected factors will be important in shaping the variability observed in the data, including: ● Local priorities and strategic direction ● Local capacity in terms of infrastructure, workforce, digital maturity, and partnership context ● Local pattern of demand and need, including the demographic and socioeconomic profile of local communities ● Local geography, including the level of remoteness and population density ● Local responses to innovation; redesign; and transformation ● Local economy Tailoring services to the needs of local people and communities is a key function of local democracy and needs to be considered when comparing performance, however a variety in approach gives opportunities to learn and innovate. This has been, and continues to be, a period of historic change, and it is essential we do not lose the learning and innovation from this time. Given the growing pressures facing local government, it will be critical to take time to evaluate and learn from our response to inform the future design, delivery and shape of services. Page 156
Page 157
64 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Page 157
Page 158
65 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Conclusion This year’s report provides an evidence-based picture of the impact of deepening fiscal, workforce and demand pressures on local government services and the communities they serve. It reveals the extraordinary effort and achievements delivered across local government against an increasingly challenging backdrop. Councils have adapted quickly to meet new demands, maintain essential services and implement new ways of working, and have strengthened partnerships with communities as well as the third and private sectors, helping to protect those who are vulnerable, and maintain community wellbeing. However, the LGBF data also presents further evidence on the widening budget gap, insufficient capacity or lack of local flexibility to respond to current demand, and declining service performance and public satisfaction. The data indicates that the shock delivered by Covid and the cost-of-living crisis, on top of sustained fiscal, workforce and demand pressures, is likely to substantially disrupt performance and efficiency improvements gained in previous years. It is likely that some of these effects will be felt for a long time to come, and coupled with the demand and budgetary pressures facing councils currently, it is possible that efforts in the short-term in some service areas may need to be focussed more on prioritising and maintaining performance, rather than service improvement. In recognition of these pressures, local government, as a sector, is taking clear pro-active steps to mitigate the effects of these challenges. This includes: ● Incorporating digital technology in service redesign ● Reconfiguring and repurposing our estate ● Making better use of data to understand needs, make decisions and direct resources ● Adopting a collaborative leadership approach ● Working with partners, third sector and communities to adopt place-based approaches and reshape services and respond to need ● Adopting new ways of working, including flexibly redeploying staff ● Investing in the health and wellbeing of the workforce ● Workforce planning and developing workforce capacity and skills ● Focusing on areas of greatest priority and demand, and supporting the most vulnerable within our communities Page 158
Page 159
66 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 To further build on these approaches, and to ensure the ongoing sustainability of services, local government has committed to a significant programme of sector led performance improvement and transformation. Important elements of this approach include the following: 1. LGBF and a more assertive approach to sector-led improvement. The local government sector has committed to adopting a more assertive approach to sector led performance improvement, through the launch of a new approach to Peer Collaborative Improvement, with the LGBF as a key cornerstone. There has never been a greater requirement for working with and learning from each other, and the LGBF provides the essential platform to support councils in this. This approach will enable local government, with the support of the LGBF Board, to use the data highlighted in this report to prioritise opportunities to work together to drive performance improvement, whilst acknowledging the need for expectations to be realistic in the context of current pressures. This commitment has gained further impetus in light of the Verity House Agreement and the commitment made around local government accountability and assurance arrangements. The role of sector-led improvement has also been the focus of recent discussion in relation to the scrutiny landscape, and how the full benefits of Crerar can be realised. The aim is to take a local government led approach to developing the accountability and assurance framework that intended to underpin the Verity House Agreement. There is a clear opportunity for local government to build on and articulate its existing sector-led approaches to improvement and accountability, including the LGBF; Self-Assessment; the Local Government Data Platform; and the Solace/IS Transformation work. This will require local government to demonstrate as a sector that they have robust arrangements in place for reviewing their own performance and focusing on improvement. Given the role that Audit Scotland and the Accounts Commission have in providing assurance, their participation in the development of a monitoring and accountability framework will be essential. 2. The Local Government Transformation Programme This Programme is aiming to bring the radical change required within local government and the wider system to tackle the challenges we face, and how we might transition to a model of public service delivery that is fit for purpose in the 21st century. This approach, led by Solace Scotland, and supported by Page 159
Page 160
67 National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 the Improvement Service, is developing proposals for a future operating model for councils and options for future delivery of council services. The six building blocks for transformation which have been identified are: 1. Unlocking community action 2. Enable a functioning, trusted local and central government relationship 3. Design for people’s needs 4. Create digital, design and technology-enabled transformation 5. A focus on people through a public sector plc that tackles inequality at the root in order to improve everyone’s life chances 6. Lead council and cross-sector partnerships with a focus on outcomes. Page 160
Page 161
National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 Appendix Overview Table for all LGBF Data 2022-23 Full data and metadata, including data sources for all indicators is available via LGBF Dashboard Note: The majority of data for LGBF indicators is financial year, however some indicators are calendar or academic year. Detail on the reporting period for each indicator is provided in the metadata data within the LGBF dashboard. Page 161
Page 162
National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 69 Indicator Description 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 %/value change 2021 - 22 and 2022-23 % change Pre COVID to most recent year Children’s Services Cost per primary school pupil £5,819 £5,981 £6,267 £6,451 £6,753 £6,863 1.6% 9.5% Cost per secondary school pupil £8,034 £8,192 £8,421 £8,350 £8,422 £8,482 0.7% 0.7% Cost per pre-school education registration £5,167 £5,732 £7,531 £10,113 £10,986 £11,008 0.2% 46.2% % of pupils gaining 5+ awards at level 5 62.0 63.0 64.0 67.0 69.0 dna 2.0 6.0 % of pupils gaining 5+ awards at level 6 34.0 35.0 38.0 41.0 40.0 dna -1.0 5.0 % of pupils from deprived areas gaining 5+ awards at level 5 (SIMD) 42.0 45.0 47.0 49.0 52.0 dna 3.0 7.0 % of pupils from deprived areas gaining 5+ awards at level 6 (SIMD) 17.0 19.0 21.0 23.0 23.0 dna 0 4 .0 The gross cost of "children looked after" in residential based services per child per week £4,084 £4,376 £4,363 £4,776 £5,011 dna 4.9% 14.9% The gross cost of "children looked after" in a community setting per child per week £388 £392 £394 £417 £429 dna 2.9% 8.9% Balance of care for looked after children: % of children being looked after in the community 89.6 89.9 90.1 90.3 89.8 dna -0.5 -0.0 % of adults satisfied with local schools 70.0 72.5 73.0 78.0 74.0 69.0 -5.0 -4.0 Proportion of pupils entering positive destinations 94.6 95.0 93.3 95.5 95.7 95.9 0.2 0.9 Overall average total tariff 894 895 925 962 972 916 -5.8% 2.3% Average total tariff SIMD quintile 1 620 627 645 678 691 658 -4.9% 4.9% Average total tariff SIMD quintile 2 752 742 754 807 818 781 -4.5% 5.3% Average total tariff SIMD quintile 3 899 875 901 964 957 905 -5.4% 3.4% Average total tariff SIMD quintile 4 1019 1015 1025 1099 1105 1051 -4.9% 3.6% Average total tariff SIMD quintile 5 1224 1195 1236 1310 1310 1264 -3.5% 5.8% Page 162
Page 163
National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 70 Indicator Description 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 %/value change 2021 - 22 and 2022-23 % change Pre COVID to most recent year Children’s Services % of children meeting developmental milestones (27-30 months) 84.6 85.5 85.7 85.1 82.1 dna -3.0 -3.6 % Funded early years provision rated good/better 91.0 90.6 90.2 90.9 89.4 90.1 0.7 -0.1 School attendance rates 93.0 92.0 90.2 -1.8 -2.8 School attendance rates (looked after children) 86.8 87.9 dna 1.1 1.1 School exclusion rates 21.7 11.9 16.6 39.8% -23.3% School exclusion rates (looked after children) 152.2 77.8 -48.9% -48.9% Participation rates for 16-19 year olds 91.8 91.6 92.1 92.2 92.4 94.3 1.9 2.7 Child protection re-registrations within 18 months 6.0 7.2 6.9 7.0 8.0 dna 1 0.8 % of looked after children with more than 1 placement in the last year 20.1 19.5 16.7 16.8 15.9 dna -0.9 -3.7 % of children living in poverty (after housing costs) 21.8 21.2 22.9 20.9 22.6 dna 1.7 -0.3 % of P1, P4 and P7 pupils combined achieving expected CFE Level in Literacy 72.3 66.9 70.5 72.7 2.2 0.4 % of P1, P4 and P7 pupils combined achieving expected CFE Level in Numeracy 79.1 74.7 77.9 79.6 1.7 0.5 Literacy Attainment Gap (P1,4,7 Combined) - percentage point gap between the least deprived and most deprived pupils 20.7 24.7 21.3 20.5 -0.8 -0.2 Numeracy Attainment Gap (P1,4,7 Combined) - percentage point gap between the least deprived and most deprived pupils 16.8 21.4 17.8 17.0 -0.8 0.2 Corporate Services Support services as a % of total gross expenditure 4.5 4.3 4.0 4.0 4.1 4.0 -0.0 0.0 % of the highest paid 5% of employees who are women 54.6 55.5 56.7 58.1 59.0 58.9 -0.1 2.1 The gender pay gap (%) 3.9 4.2 3.4 3.7 3.5 2.5 -1.0 -1 .0 The cost per dwelling of collecting council tax £8.57 £7.90 £7.36 £7.24 £7.05 £6.84 -2.9% -7.2% Sickness absence days per teacher 5.9 6.2 6.4 4.1 5.8 6.8 16.4% 7.0% Page 163
Page 164
National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 71 Indicator Description 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 %/value change 2021 - 22 and 2022-23 % change Pre COVID to most recent year Corporate Services Sickness absence days per employee (non-teacher) 11.4 11.5 11.9 9.6 12.2 13.2 8.5% 11.0% % of income due from council tax received by the end of the year 96.0 96.0 95.8 94.8 95.7 96.2 0.5 0.4 % of invoices sampled that were paid within 30 days 93.2 92.7 91.7 91.8 92.2 90.6 1.6 -1.1 % of SWF Crisis Grant decisions within 1 day 95.5 95.3 93.8 93.3 91.8 -1.5 -3.5 % of SWF CCG decisions within 15 days 89.5 82.3 84.5 85.8 87.3 1.5 5.0 Proportion of SWF budget spent 95.3 99.9 107.8 83.2 115.2 130.0 14.8 22.2 Proportion of DHP Funding spent 101.2 102.6 104.5 97.2 96.0 94.4 -1.6 10.1 Adult Social Care Older persons (over 65) home care costs per hour £27.70 £28.20 £28.33 £30.12 £30.99 £31.85 2.8% 12.4% Direct payment & personalised budget spend as a % of total social work spend on adults 18+ 6.8 7.2 7.7 8.1 8.4 8.7 0.3 1.0 % of people 65+ with long-term needs receiving care at home 61.7 61.0 60.7 61.7 61.9 61.5 -0.3 0.8 % of adults supported at home who agree that their services and support had an impact in improving or maintaining their quality of life 80.0 80.0 78.1 -1.9 -1.9 Percentage of adults supported at home who agree that they are supported to live as independently as possible 81.1 80.8 78.8 -2.0 -2.0 Percentage of adults supported at home who agree that they had a say in how their help, care or support was provided 75.6 75.4 70.6 -4.8 -4.8 Percentage of carers who feel supported to continue in their caring role 36.6 34.3 29.7 -4.6 -4.6 Older persons (over 65's) residential care costs per week per resident £563 £596 £602 £695 £691 £684 -1.0% 13.7% Rate of readmission to hospital within 28 days per 1,000 discharges 102.8 103.4 104.9 120.2 106.7 101.7 -4.7 -3.1 Proportion of care services graded ‘good’ (4) or better in Care Inspectorate inspections 85.4 82.2 81.8 82.5 75.8 75.0 -0.8 -6.8 Number of days people spend in hospital when they are ready to be discharged, per 1,000 population (75+) 762 793 774 484 748 919 22.9% 18.7% Page 164
Page 165
National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 72 Indicator Description 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 %/value change 2021 - 22 and 2022-23 % change Pre COVID to most recent year Culture and Leisure Cost per attendance at sports facilities £3.17 £2.98 £3.06 £43.95 £6.86 £4.89 -28.8% 59.9% Cost per library visit £2.41 £2.34 £2.22 £3.14 £3.10 £2.81 -9.4% 26.5% Cost of museums per visit £4.08 £3.96 £3.65 £11.11 £5.03 £3.07 -39.0% -15.9% Cost of parks & open spaces per 1,000 population £23,107 £23,003 £22,443 £20,842 £21,674 £23,311 7.6% 3.9% % of adults satisfied with libraries 72.0 72.1 73.0 78.0 71.0 64.0 -7.0 -9.0 % of adults satisfied with parks and open spaces 85.0 82.5 83.0 91.0 88.0 83.0 -5.0 0 % of adults satisfied with museums and galleries 69.0 68.9 70.0 75.0 74.0 65.0 -9.0 -5.0 % of adults satisfied with leisure facilities 72.0 69.3 69.0 77.0 71.0 65.0 -6.0 -4.0 Environmental Services Net cost per waste collection per premises £76.94 £76.77 £76.85 £78.90 £74.76 £75.64 1.2% -1.6% Net cost per waste disposal per premises £118.25 £111.22 £110.67 £115.47 £106.97 £95.28 -10.9% -13.9% Net cost of street cleaning per 1,000 population £18,022 £16,951 £16,721 £15,804 £15,717 £16,068 2.2% -3.9% Cleanliness score (%age acceptable) 92.2 92.8 92.2 90.1 89.7 90.6 0.9 -1.6 Cost of roads per kilometre £11,773 £11,330 £10,893 £10,228 £11,816 £12,844 8.7% 17.9% % of A class roads that should be considered for maintenance treatment 30.2 30.0 30.6 29.8 27.6 27.4 -0.2 % of B class roads that should be considered for maintenance treatment 35.9 35.7 35.0 34.0 33.6 31.5 -2.1 % of C class roads that should be considered for maintenance treatment 36.2 36.3 35.1 33.6 33.2 32.7 -0.5 % of unclassified roads that should be considered for maintenance treatment 39.0 38.2 37.8 38.3 36.7 36.4 -0.3 Cost of trading standards and environmental health per 1,000 population £24,945 £23,712 £22,019 £20,718 £23,628 £22,302 -5.6% 1.3% Cost of environmental health per 1,000 population £18,075 £16,984 £15,376 £14,254 £17,307 £15,239 -12.0% -0.9% Cost of trading standards, money advice and citizens advice per 1,000 population £6,870 £6,728 £6,639 £6,467 £6,320 £7,060 11.7% 6.3% % of total household waste arising that is recycled 45.6 44.7 44.9 42.1 43.0 43.3 0.3 -1.6 % of adults satisfied with refuse collection 75.0 74.9 73.0 78.0 77.0 79.0 2.0 6.0 % of adults satisfied with street cleaning 66.0 62.9 59.0 58.0 59.0 58.0 -1.0 -1.0 Page 165
Page 166
National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 73 Indicator Description 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 %/value change 2021 - 22 and 2022-23 % change Pre COVID to most recent year Housing Services Gross rent arrears as a % of rent due for the reporting year 6.7 7.3 7.3 8.2 8.7 9.6 0.9 2.3 % of rent due in the year that was lost due to voids 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.4 1.6 1.7 0.1 0.6 % of dwellings meeting SHQS 93.9 94.3 94.9 85.2 68.5 70.9 2.5 -24.0 Average time taken to complete non-emergency repairs 7.5 7.8 7.3 7.3 9.2 9.7 5.4% 32.0% % of council dwellings that are energy efficient 75.3 80.9 84.1 86.4 87.6 dna 1.2 3.5 Corp. Asset Proportion of operational buildings that are suitable for their current use 80.8 82.2 82.5 82.3 85.3 86.1 0.8 3.6 Proportion of internal floor area of operational buildings in satisfactory condition 86.3 87.2 88.6 89.2 90.1 89.7 -0.4 1.1 Economic Development % of unemployed people assisted into work from council funded/operated employability programmes 14.3 12.6 12.7 6.0 17.4 12.9 -4.5 0.2 Cost of planning and building standards per planning application £4,718 £5,083 £4,955 £5,438 £4,617 £5,538 19.9% 11.8% Average time per business and industry planning application 9.3 9.1 10.5 11.1 11.7 12.0 2.8% 14.2% % of procurement spent on local enterprises 27.4 28.7 28.5 29.1 29.9 29.6 -0.3 1.1 No of Business Gateway start-ups per 10,000 population 16.8 16.7 16.4 11.2 14.3 14.3 0.0% -12.8% Investment in economic development & tourism per 1,000 £108,182 £122,830 £115,370 £96,601 £127,083 £109,349 -14.0% -5.2% Proportion of people earning less than the real living wage 18.4 19.4 16.9 15.2 14.4 9.4 -5.0 -7.5 Proportion of properties receiving superfast broadband 91.1 92.0 93.3 93.8 94.1 95.5 1.4 2.2 Town vacancy rates 11.5 10.0 11.7 12.4 11.4 12.0 0.6 -0.3 Immediately available employment land as a % of total land allocated for employment purposes in the local development plan 40.8 37.6 36.2 38.9 27.2 23 .0 -4.2 -13.2 Gross Value Added (GVA) per capita 26,942 26,963 27,125 23,945 25,758 dna 7.6% -5.0% Claimant Count as % of Working Age Population 2.3 2.7 3.2 6.0 4.5 3.2 -1.3 0.0 Claimant Count as % of 16-24 Population 2.9 3.2 3.8 7.3 5.0 3.5 -1.5 -0.3 Page 166
Page 167
National Benchmarking Overview Report 2022-23 74 Indicator Description 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 %/value change 2021 - 22 and 2022-23 % change Pre COVID to most recent year Financial Sustainability Total useable reserves as a % of council annual budgeted revenue 17.0 16.6 17.0 23.7 24.4 24.5 0.1 7.6 Uncommitted General Fund Balance as a % of council annual budgeted net revenue 3.7 3.5 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.2 -0.3 -0.4 Ratio of Financing Costs to Net Revenue Stream - General Fund 8.0 7.9 7.2 6.2 5.9 5.4 -0.5 -1.8 Ratio of Financing Costs to Net Revenue Stream - Housing Revenue Account 23.6 22.8 22.6 22.9 22.6 21.3 -1.3 -1.3 Actual outturn as a percentage of budgeted expenditure 99.3 99.4 99.4 97.4 98.3 98.6 0.3 -0.8 Climate Change CO2 emissions area wide per tonne, per capita 5.6 5.5 5.4 4.6 5.1 dna 10.1% -5.4% CO2 emissions are wide: emissions within scope of Local Authority per tonne, per capita 5.1 4.9 4.7 4.1 4.6 dna 10.9% -2.1% Emissions from transport per capita 26.2 30.0 28.6 21.3 26.8 dna 25.7% -6.3% Emissions from electricity per capita 90.9 70.1 55.5 42.2 46.1 dna 9.0% -17.0% Emissions from natural gas per capita 60.4 56.5 52.1 52.8 57.2 dna 8.3% 9.9% Page 167
Page 168
Improvement Service West Lothian Civic Centre Howden South Road Livingston EH54 6FF T: 01506 282012 E. info@improvementservice.org.uk W. www.improvementservice.org.uk www.improvementservice.org.uk/benchmarking Page 168
Page 169
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer - Resources Council: 30 October 2024 Subject: Financial Update 1. PURPOSE 1.1 To provide an update on the financial challenges facing the Council and the estimated 2025/26 – 2029/30 revenue budget gaps. 1.2 This is the second financial update of 2024/25. It rolls forward previous estimates, considers assumptions and highlights changes to cost and demand pressures since the last financial update reported to Council on 19 June 2024. 1.3 This update has been prepared using three different scenarios, best case, worst case and mid-range. Relatively small variations in assumptions can lead to fairly significant changes in the outcome. Throughout the report the primary focus is on the mid-range however, where appropriate, reference is made to best case and worst case assumptions. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 Council to note the updated estimates for the Council’s revenue budget gaps in 2025/26-2029/30, in particular the updated mid-range 2025/26 budget gap of £10.273m as summarised at paragraph 4.19. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1 On 6 March 2024, the Council agreed a balanced 2024/25 revenue budget, a revised capital budget and revenue estimates for 2025/26- 2028/29. That budget report also highlighted estimated future year budget gaps based on a range of assumptions including future Scottish Government funding, inflation and future interest rates. The consequences of the decisions taken by Council on 6 March to agree a balanced 2024/25 budget reduced the cumulative estimated future budget gap in the best case, mid-range and worst case scenarios. A report to Council on 19 June 2024 provided a further update on the financial challenges faced by the Council and updated the estimated budget gaps as set out in Exhibit 1. Exhibit 1 – Future Year Estimated Cumulative Budget Gaps as at 19 June 2024 Budget Gap 2025/26 £000 2026/27 £000 2027/28 £000 2028/29 £000 2029/30 £000 Best Case 8,473 16,202 24,424 33,189 46,681 Mid-Range 9,235 17,842 26,941 41,915 50,953 Worst Case 13,787 26,909 40,607 54,940 74,096 ITEM 11 Page 169
Page 170
4. MAIN ISSUES 4.1 I have revisited the key assumptions and cost pressures detailed in the 19 June 2024 Council report. This is summarised in the paragraphs below. 4.2 Scottish Government Finance Settlement In my report on 19 June 2024, I advised I was retaining my assumptions in relation to future year Scottish Government funding as: Best Case - Flat Cash Mid-Range – Flat Cash Worst Case - 1.0% reduction. Although the spending review published in May 2022 indicated the total budget for Local Government would remain as flat cash until 2027/28, our Council relies on the floor mechanism to protect our funding and the floor was set at 0.5% below the annual change in 2024/25. There is no indication this is likely to change in 2025/26. 4.3 In recent months both the UK Government and Scottish Government have been highlighting the significant financial challenges the country is facing. The Autumn Budget, including the 2025/26 Spending Review, is due on 30 October. This may provide some clarity over implications for public sector and local government funding. Barnett consequentials are expected for Scotland relating to the announced pay awards but these will not be known until the October Budget. It is also important to highlight that the onward allocation of any Barnett consequentials is a matter for the Scottish Government to determine. 4.4 Similarly the Scottish Government have highlighted significant financial pressures in the current and future financial years. These are evidenced by the manner in which the Scottish Government is funding their contribution to the 2024/25 Local Government employees pay award which highlight potential difficult decisions to balance future budgets. Furthermore the Cabinet Secretary has introduced emergency spending controls including advice that new projects in 2024/25 will only proceed if “truly essential and unavoidable” and that the financial situation is not sustainable. 4.5 In October 2024 the Scottish Government announced it would withhold £145.500m in 2024/25 funding to all Scottish Local Authorities because of the continued row over maintaining teacher numbers. The Council’s share of this is £2.532m. If the Scottish Government do not release this funding it will have a material impact on the Council’s 2024/25 outturn and require even further savings to be made in future years, in particular from the education budget. Note I have not adjusted the budget gap in this report for future years to reflect this reduction in revenue support as I am currently working on the assumption it will ultimately be provided. Page 170
Page 171
4.6 On this basis I do not foresee any reduction in the financial challenges facing the Council in the medium term and I have not changed my flat cash mid-range assumption at the current time. It should be noted that any flat cash settlement is a real terms reduction due to the impact of inflation on council expenditure. Should the settlement be less favourable than flat cash then, by means of illustration, a 1% reduction in funding would increase the budget gap by circa £2.3m. 4.7 Changes to Base Budget There have been no changes to the Council’s base budget since the 19 June 2024 report to Council. 4.8 Changes to Non-Pay Inflation Inflation is included in future year budget estimates where it is considered necessary to ensure budgets are adjusted to reflect expected increases in costs. There has been one change to non-pay inflation since the 19 June 2024 report which is a small increase to the estimated future increases of external audit fee costs. A specific cost pressure (refer to paragraph 4.14) has been added to right size the audit fee budget in 2025/26 so this inflationary increase will take effect from 2026/27 onwards. Inflationary increases in the audit fee were already built into the budget so this change reflects the difference between the previous estimate and the revised one. The cumulative effect on the budget gap in the mid-range is: 2026/27 - £9,000 2027/28 - £27,000 2028/29 - £25,000* 2029/30 - £30,000 *Note the cumulative impact decreases slightly in 2028/29 due to the difference between the previous and revised estimate. Cost Pressures 4.9 Generally services work on the basis of having to contain any cost pressures within current resources, however, there are cost pressures which are unavoidable and need to be factored into future budget processes. There has been nine new cost pressures identified since the 19 June 2024 report to Council. 4.10 Cost Pressure 1 – Loan Charges As previously reported to Council the ongoing volatility in relation to interest rates necessitates an annual review of the Council’s loan charges to determine whether previous estimates for purposes of budget setting are accurate. A provision had already been created in the budget for an estimated increase in loan charges of £1.000m in 2025/26. The finance team has completed the annual review and concluded that an additional £1.250m is required in 2025/26 increasing cumulatively to £3.140m in Page 171
Page 172
2026/27 and a further small increase to £3.320m in future years. After accounting for the estimated increase of £1.000m this adds £0.250m to the budget gap in 2025/26. The primary reason for the additional £0.250m is that interest rates have not come down as quickly as forecast by our treasury advisors when we completed the last annual review in September 2023. We will continue to review loan charge budgets on an annual basis until the market stabilises. 4.11 Cost Pressure 2 – Crematorium and Burial Income A review of crematorium and burial income has identified that the level of budgeted income exceeds forecast actual income and this is not anticipated to change. In order to better align budgeted income to expected income there is a need to reduce budgeted income for crematoriums by £0.151m and burial income by £0.052m. 4.12 Cost Pressure 3 – Unfunded Pension Costs A £3.255m budget is set aside for the payment of unfunded pension costs to the Strathclyde Pension Fund (SPF). This primarily relates to costs associated with pension increases and compensation payments to pensioners who are in receipt of compensatory added years through redundancy/efficiency taken in previous years. These costs have been increasing with inflation and the current budget is no longer sufficient. There is a £0.100m overspend forecast in 2024/25 and I am estimating a continuing increase by £0.100m per annum on a recurring basis for the foreseeable future. This therefore requires a £0.200m cost pressure in 2025/26 increasing by £0.100m per annum thereafter. 4.13 Cost Pressure 4 – Intromission Provision The Local Government (Transitional Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Order 1996, provided for the appointment of Glasgow City Council (GCC), as the relevant accounting authority for residual matters relating to the former Strathclyde Regional Council (SRC), on behalf of the successor authorities. The Order established that any residual right, liability, or obligation to which SRC were entitled or subject to before 1 April 1996 transferred on that date to GCC. This means when any person makes a claim for damages or raises an action for damages for something that SRC would otherwise have been liable had it still existed, GCC takes SRC’s place in dealing with claims and litigation. This, however, does not mean GCC is solely liable for paying claim settlements and other associated expenses. GCC sends intromission statements to the successor authorities. Thereafter, each successor authority is liable to reimburse GCC. A number of claims have already been settled and payments made and an exercise has been completed with successor authorities to collate known information in relation to outstanding ex-SRC cases. All outstanding claims has been assigned an estimated cost, however have not yet been subject Page 172
Page 173
to any due diligence by the council’s claim team and must therefore be considered notional. The actual settlement value remains uncertain until the legal/settlement process has been completed. The estimated settlement value across all successor authorities is £23.855m of which West Dunbartonshire Council’s share is £1.000m. The exact timing of any settlements cannot be established so it is appropriate for the Council to set aside a provision to pay these. It would be prudent to set aside £0.200m per annum for the next five years. 4.14 Cost Pressure 5 – Software Licenses The Council's ICT service is continually updating the computer systems and software in use by council employees. In addition to seeking improved solutions the team also renew licences for existing systems. While there is an inflationary assumption already built into future budgets, suppliers are increasing the cost of their services above the rate of inflation meaning the ICT budget is insufficient to keep pace with rising costs. A review of estimated future costs has identified a need to add £0.118m to the budget in 2025/26 with further annual increases of £0.068m. 4.15 Other Cost Pressures under £50k In addition to the larger cost pressures detailed above there are four which are under £50k in value. £40k to right size external audit budget £24k for winter gritting staff costs £16k for server and software costs in relation to the Council’s Health & Safety Management / Risk Management system £7k as a consequence of Council deciding not to progress the Xmas Closure of Council Offices 4.16 Reduced Cost Pressures There are two existing cost pressures which can be reduced. The first is to reflect estimated increases in the Council’s future liability for non-domestic rates. This has been further reviewed and can be decreased by £20k. The second is a £30k cost pressure which was added in 2026/27 and every second year thereafter, to develop a Local Development Plan. That should have been a one off pressure. Employee Costs 4.17 Following discussions by Council leaders it has been agreed the 2024/25 pay offer for Local Government Employees will be implemented. The award is backdated to 1 April 2024, and is an increase of either 3.6% or £1,292 (whichever is greater). A 3.6% uplift on all spinal column points has also been implemented for Chief Officers and, for craft operatives, an agreement has been reached of Page 173
Page 174
a £0.67 uplift in the hourly rate or a 3.6% uplift (whichever is higher). The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) has reached agreement on pay from 1 August 2024 for teachers and associated professionals. The agreement is an undifferentiated 4.27% uplift at all points in the SNCT pay scales effective from 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025. The Council will fund 3.2% of these awards with the Scottish Government providing funding for the balance. 4.18 For 2025/26 and beyond I have retained my assumption that the Council will need to fund a 3.2% pay award in the best case and mid-range scenarios with a 4% pay award in the worst case. There remains a risk that the pay award could be higher and this will be monitored and updated throughout the year if more information becomes available. Every 1% over and above what is budgeted would add an additional pressure of circa £1.76m Revised Mid-Range Estimated Budget Gap 4.19 Exhibit 2a sets out the revised cumulative estimated budget gap in the mid -range in between 2025/26 and 2029/30 and Exhibit 2b summarises the total cumulative budget gaps in all three scenarios. Exhibit 2a illustrates that, in the mid-range scenario the Council are faced with a budget gap of £10.273m in 2025/26 rising cumulatively to £55.563m in 2029/30. Exhibit 2b shows that the cumulative 5 year gap ranges from £50.922m in the best case scenario to £77.095m in the worst case. Exhibit 2a – Revised Mid-Range Estimated Budget Gaps (Cumulative) Para Ref 2025/26 £000 2026/27 £000 2027/28 £000 2028/29 £000 2029/30 £000 Budget Gap 19 June 3.1 9,235 17,842 26,941 41,916 50,953 Audit Fee – Inflation 4.8 0 9 27 25 30 Increased Loan Charge Pressure 4.10 1,250 3,140 3,320 3,320 3,320 Remove Loan Charge Estimate 4.10 (1,000) (1,000) (1,000) (1,000) (1,000) Cremation Income 4.11 151 151 151 151 151 Burial Income 4.11 52 52 52 52 52 Unfunded Pension 4.12 200 300 400 500 600 Intromission Provision 4.13 200 400 600 800 1,000 Software Licenses 4.14 118 186 254 322 390 Audit Fee – Right Size 4.15 40 40 40 40 40 Winter Gritting 4.15 24 24 24 24 24 Health & Safety / Risk Mgt System 4.15 16 16 16 16 16 Christmas Closure 4.15 7 7 7 7 7 Non Domestic Rates 4.16 (20) (20) (20) (20) (20) Page 174
Page 175
Local Development Plan 4.16 0 30 0 (30) 0 Revised Estimated Budget Gap 10,273 21,177 30,812 46,123 55,563 Exhibit 2b – Estimated Budget Gaps (Cumulative) – Scenario Analysis Budget Gap 2025/26 £000 2026/27 £000 2027/28 £000 2028/29 £000 2029/30 £000 Best Case 9,542 19,408 28,126 37,127 50,922 Mid-Range 10,273 21,177 30,812 46,123 55,563 Worst Case 14,514 30,173 43,267 57,736 77,095 4.20 Health and Social Care Partnership Requisition The Council, at the budget meeting on 6 March 2024, agreed an HSCP requisition of £85.029m (subsequently increased to £88.945m as reported to Council in June to reflect funding provided by Scottish Government to fund the pay uplift to a minimum rate of £12 per hour for workers providing direct adult social care in the third and independent sectors. There is a working assumption that the future allocation to the HSCP is on the basis of ‘flat cash’ plus the appropriate share of the Health & Social Care funding commitments made by the Scottish Government. However this is only an assumption and the HSCP requisition will be a matter for Council to consider as part of the budget process. 4.21 Council Tax The estimated budget gap makes no assumption over future Council Tax increases as setting the Council Tax is a matter for Council to decide when agreeing the 2025/26 budget on 5 March 2025. Members will be aware that there was no Council tax increase in 2023/24 with funding of £2.219m made available by the Scottish Government equivalent to a 5% increase as part of the original Revenue Support Grant settlement with an additional £1.129m of funding in March 2024 (after the Council set its budget) . The two key factors to consider in relation to the Council Tax freeze are: 1. The Council could have raised council tax by more than the funded 5% however would have needed to forego the funding. 2. A freeze erodes the council tax base so does not only affect the year of the freeze it also impacts the tax base in perpetuity. Exhibit 3 sets out changes in the Council’s Band D council tax rate and the charges for water and sewerage (approved by the Scottish Water board in conjunction with the Water Industry Commission for Scotland) over the five year period 2020/21 – 2024/25. This illustrates that Council tax has increased by a total of 8.2% over the five year period whereas water and sewerage charges have increased by 22%. Page 175
Page 176
Exhibit 3 – Changes in Council Tax band D, Water and Sewerage Charges 2020/21- 2024/25 Band D CT Water Sewerag e Total 2024/25 £1,398.9 8 £252.90 £293.49 £1,945.37 2023/24 £1,398.9 8 £232.47 £269.82 £1,901.27 2022/23 £1,332.3 6 £221.40 £257.04 £1,810.80 2021/22 £1,293.5 5 £212.49 £246.69 £1,752.73 2020/21 £1,293.5 5 £207.36 £240.75 £1,741.66 £ Increase 20/21 - 24/25 £105.43 £45.54 £52.74 £203.71 % Increase 20/21 - 24/25 8.2% 22.0% 21.9% 11.7% 4.22 The budget conversation exercise recently carried out by the Council (reported as a separate agenda item) included the question: Would you be prepared to pay more Council tax in order to reduce the savings required? The response was: Yes – 50.07% (51.11% of those responding) No – 47.88% (48.88% of those responding) No response - 2.05% 4.23 Prior to the 2023/24 Council Tax freeze being announced some councils were considering Council Tax increases far in excess of the 5% funded by the Scottish Government. In particular Argyll and Bute Council agreed a 10% increase which was subsequently reversed and Inverclyde Council agreed an 8.2% increase. Exhibit 4 illustrates the impact of 5%, 10% and 15% increases on Band D Council Tax rates and the additional revenue it would generate. Exhibit 4 – Impact of 5%, 10% and 15% CT Increases CT Increase 2024/25 Band D CT (£) 2025/26 Band D CT (£) Annual Increase (£) Weekly Increase (£) Additional Revenue (£) 5% 1,398.98 1,468.93 69.95 1.35 2,035,000 10% 1,398.98 1,538.88 139.90 2.69 4,070,000 15% 1,398.98 1,608.83 209.85 4.04 6,105,000 4.24 Fees and Charges Page 176
Page 177
In 2024/25 an increase of 10% was applied to fees and charges. The current assumption built into the estimated future budget gaps is an annual increase of 4% in all three scenarios (best case, mid-range and worst case). Every 1% increase beyond 4% would generate an estimated £0.080m in revenue. 5. PEOPLE IMPLICATIONS 5.1 None directly from this report but there is a strong link between HR and budgets. 6. FINANCIAL AND PROCUREMENT IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Sets out the estimated revenue budget gaps in 2025/26 to 2029/30. There are no direct procurement implications arising from this report. 7. RISK ANALYSIS 7.1 None directly from this report but any proposals to address the estimated budget gap will need to consider risk. 8. EQUALITIES IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) 8.1 None directly from this report but any proposals to address the estimated budget gap will need to consider equality issues. 9. CONSULTATION 9.1 The views of all Chief Officers have been requested on this report and feedback incorporated herein. 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 strategic priorities of the Council’s Strategic Plan. 10.2 The General Services revenue budget contributes to all categories by providing funding in specific areas to help the Council achieve and develop these priorities. Laurence Slavin Chief Officer - Resources Date: 14 October 2024 Person to Contact: Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources E-mail: laurence.slavin@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: None Page 177
Page 178
Background Papers: Budget Report to Council - 6 March 2024 Finance Update to Council – 19 June 2024 Ward Affected: All Wards Page 178
Page 179
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer – Resources Council – 30 October 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Housing Revenue Account Budgetary Control Report to 31 August 24 (Period 05) 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to advise Council of the 2024/2025 HRA revenue budget position on 31 August 2024 and the forecast position of the HRA reserves as of 31 March 2025. 2. Recommendations 2.1Council is asked to: i. note the HRA revenue account is currently forecasting an adverse variance of £2.174m. If required, the adverse variance will be offset by using HRA reserves of £0.968m and a General Fund reserve contribution of £1.205m ii. note that the HRA would be expected to repay the General Fund reserve contribution of £1.205m from future HRA surpluses. iii. note that work will continue to identify efficiencies across all areas of the HRA revenue account budget to minimise the adverse variance including reviewing loan charges as highlighted in 4.4 of this report. iv. note that there is limited scope to further reduce spend in 2024/2025 beyond the significant actions set out in this report. 3. Background Revenue 3.1 The Council approved a £53.218m HRA revenue budget for 2024/2025 on the 6th of March 2024 4. Main Issues Revenue 4.1 The budgetary position for HRA revenue account is provided in Appendix 1 with information on projected variances valued at more than £0.050m being provided at Appendix 2. ITEM 12 Page 179
Page 180
Adverse Variances Loan Charges - £3.949m Adverse Variance 4.2 The main pressure on the HRA revenue account is elevated borrowing costs leading to higher interest and expense payments on new borrowing and debt refinancing. When the Council went to rent consultation in the last quarter of 2023 and drafted the 2024/2025 HRA budget, a HRA loan charge budget of £22.092m was set with the assumption that council borrowing costs would fall during 2024/2025. Unfortunately, local authority borrowing costs have remained at historically high levels during the first 6 months of this financial year, with the current expectation that they will remain elevated during the remainder of this year. HRA outstanding debt on 31 March 2024 was £301m, with the HRA debt expected to increase to £356m on 31 March 2025. Interest and expense payments are forecast to be £3.531m more than the 2024/2025 budget. 4.3 A further pressure on the HRA loan charge budget is higher than planned debt repayments. The HRA repays capital borrowing over the expected economic life of the asset invested in. (E.g. heating systems – 20 years, new build properties – 60 years). The HRA debt repayment period has decreased (leading to higher annual debt repayment) as the Council has recently reprofiled capital expenditure on housing stock to improve the condition of the asset to allow a quicker turnaround of void properties – more information is provided at paragraph 4.12. Debt repayments are forecast to be £0.418m more than the 2024/2025 budget. 4.4 Officers continue to review the Council’s HRA loan charge accounting arrangements to explore options to improve loan charges and to reprofile expenditure in the short term to alleviate some of the financial pressures on the HRA account. Void Loss (Council Tax / Lost Rents) - £0.173m Adverse Variance 4.5 Council tax payments for longer term void houses are forecast to exceed budget. The main factor behind HRA properties incurring a council tax liability are delays resolving issues with debt on meters and with meter reconnections. The poor performance of the utility companies is adversely impacting on the length of time properties are void and leading to more empty properties incurring a council tax liability. Officers continue to work with utility companies to drive sustainable improvement in this challenging area and to minimise the number of longer-term voids and the attendant council tax liability. Council tax payments are forecast to be £0.099m more than budget. 4.6 Regarding void losses, there has been considerable progress in reducing void levels and there is a consistent decrease in the number of vacant properties through 24/25. This reduction is being achieved whilst the HRA reduces the cost to bring a void property back to the Councils' relet standard, including a reduced reliance on overtime working and the support of sub-contractors. However, void time and void loss continue to be impacted by meter challenges with energy suppliers resulting in time delays in returning several Page 180
Page 181
of our void properties to the letting pool. Reducing the void loss remains an operational priority area and the Council’s Void Working Group and Building Services Improvement Plan will drive ongoing improvement in this key area. Void losses are forecast to be £0.074m more than budget. Other Expenditure - £0.180m Adverse Variance 4.7 The key adverse variance is a forecast rent abatement overspend of £0.100m. Demand is exceeding the new reduced abatement budget. There has been considerable progress in reducing this area of spend with the 2024/2025 rent abatement spend forecast to be more than £250,000 less than the 2023/2024 spend. Officer will continue to tightly control this budget to minimise spend. 4.8 A further variance is a forecast spend of £0.063m to Womens Aid. The HRA budget for payments to Womens Aid was removed during the setting of the 2024/2025 HRA Budget, however through discussions with the Womens Aid organisations it was agreed to retain an element of that spend for a proportion of the 2024/25 year. Favourable Variances 4.9 The HRA cost pressures detailed present unprecedented financial challenges for the council’s Housing Revenue Account. Officers have reviewed the HRA spend to explore any efficiencies and to identify the scope to reduce spend. Two key areas have been identified that are forecast to deliver an offsetting budget underspend of £2.193m Employee Costs - £0.378m Favourable Variance 4.10 The HRA employee cost budget is £7.661m. The spend against this budget is influenced by staff turnover, staff overtime spend and the success in recruiting to posts as they become vacant. Management is targeting additional staffing efficiencies to deliver a significant underspend against budget in 2024/2025, including tighter controls on staff recruitment and overtime together with a review of the HRA staff recharge to the HRA capital account and the General Fund account. Repair & Maintenance – £1.815m Favourable Variance 4.11 The HRA repair and maintenance budget is £15.208m. This budget primarily funds reactive repairs, void repairs, planned maintenance, compliance works, and environmental works. 4.12 The repairs spend was reviewed and a potential £1.7m saving was identified against the 2024/2025 repair and maintenance budget through revenue spend that qualifies for capitalisation. A review of specific workstreams assessed that some works extend the lifespan of assets, specifically work conducted in void properties to bring properties back to relet standard are significant and include component renewals. Furthermore, the completion of an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is complementary to the environmental sensor installation programme. Page 181
Page 182
4.13 Discussion is ongoing with Greenspace colleagues to deliver a minimum £0.1m saving by revising work specifications and streamlining processes. 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 implications of the budgetary control report. There are no procurement implications arising from this report. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 The main financial risks to the ongoing financial position relate to unforeseen cost being identified between now and the end of the financial year. This can affect all service areas. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 The report is for noting and therefore no Equalities Impact Assessment was completed for this report. 9. Consultation 9.1 All services involved in delivering the HRA revenue budget have been consulted during 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 five strategic priorities of the Council’s Strategic Plan. This report forms part of the financial governance of the Council. This report is for noting and, therefore, does not directly affect any of the strategic priorities. Laurence Slavin Chief Officer – Resources Date: 30 October 24 ___________________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: Jim McCarron - Business Unit Finance Partner Telephone: 07772 322055 e-mail james.mccarron@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 - Budgetary Position (Revenue) Appendix 2 - Variance analysis (Revenue) Background Papers: None Wards Affected: All Page 182
Page 183
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 1 HRA REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 PERIOD END DATE Budget 2024/25 Spend to Date 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 Annual RAG Status £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee Costs 7,661 3,108 7,283 (378) -5% Property Costs 2,600 1,083 2,600 0 0% Transport Costs 148 66 158 10 0% Supplies, Services And Admin 406 171 411 5 1% Support Services 2,788 1,160 2,785 (3) 0% Other Expenditure 330 267 560 230 70% Repairs & Maintenance 15,208 5,261 13,393 (1,815) -12% Bad Debt Provision 876 366 879 3 0% Void Loss (Council Tax / Lost Rents) 1,109 576 1,282 173 16% Loan Charges 22,092 10,850 26,041 3,949 18% Total Expenditure 53,218 22,908 55,392 2,174 4% House Rents (51,049) (21,270) (51,049) 0 0% Lockup Rents (215) (90) (215) 0 0% Factoring/Insurance Charges (1,555) (648) (1,555) 0 0% Other rents (130) (54) (130) 0 0% Interest on Revenue Balance (146) (61) (146) 0 0% Miscellaneous income (123) (51) (123) 0 0% Transfer from Reserves 0 0 0 0 0% Total Income (53,218) (22,174) (53,218) 0 0% Net Expenditure 0 734 2,174 2,174 31 August 2024 Subjective Summary Forecast Variance 2024/25 Page 183
Page 184
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 HRA REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 MONTH END DATE 31 August 2023 PERIOD 5 Budget 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 % Employee Costs 7,661 7,283 (378) -5% Main Issues Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Budget 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 % Other Expenditure 330 560 230 70% Main Issues Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Budget 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 % Repairs & Maintenance 15,208 13,393 (1,815) -12% Main Issues Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Variance Analysis Subjective Analysis Forecast Variance 2024/25 RAG Status Officers have reviewed the repairs spend and identified a potential saving against the 2024/2025 repair and maintenance budget by transferring spend charged to revenue to the capital programme. A review of specific workstreams identified revenue funded works that extend the lifespan of the assets. Specifically work carried out in void properties to bring these back to relet standard are significant and include component renewals. Furthermore, the completion of an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is complementary to the environmental sensor installation programme. Subjective Description Responsive and planned repair and maintenance services to houses and lockups and income recovered from tenant rechargeable and owner occupier repairs. Variance Narrative A high volume of repair orders and ongoing inflationary pressures are driving up costs, with the most significant pressures across responsive repair and void repair budgets. A year end underspend A rent abatement overspend of £100k is forecast because demand is exceeding the new reduced abatement budget. It is worth noting that the 2024/2025 rent abatement spend is forecast to be circa £250,000 less than the 2023/2024 spend. A year end overspend. Forecast Variance 2024/25 Subjective Description Rent abatements, support for young tenants, legal and banking expenses, and other sundry costs. Variance Narrative Subjective Analysis RAG Status Housing Operations and Building Service will continue to place the strictest controls over the abatement process to minimise this spend. Variance Analysis Variance Analysis Forecast Variance 2024/25 Subjective Description Subjective Analysis RAG Status Cost of employees charged directly to the HRA. Variance Narrative An employee cost underspend is anticipated as management target staffing efficiencies, including tighter controls on staff recruitment and overtime. None required. A year end underspend. Page 184
Page 185
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 HRA REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 MONTH END DATE 31 August 2023 PERIOD 5 Budget 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 % Void Loss (Council Tax / Lost Rents) 1,109 1,282 173 16% Main Issues Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Budget 2024/25 Forecast Spend 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 % Loan Charges 22,092 26,041 3,949 18% Main Issues Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Variance Analysis Subjective Analysis Forecast Variance 2024/25 RAG Status The Council will continue to actively manage its external / internal borrowing to ensure that it minimises borrowing costs. Subjective Description Loans Fund repayments and the payment of interest and expenses on outstanding HRA debt. Local authority borrowing costs for medium / long term Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) debt and short term debt have remained high. The higher interest rates are driving up HRA debt financing costs. The HRA budget assumed that borrowing rates would reduce in 2024/2025. Whilst Interest rates were originally expected to fall over the course of this year, we now expect rates to remain high for the remainder of ths financial year. A year end overspend. Variance Analysis Forecast Variance 2024/25 Variance Narrative Subjective Analysis RAG Status Variance Narrative Council tax payments for longer term void houses are forecast to exceed budget. There is limited progress being made with utility companies as council staff try and resolve debt on meters and meter reconnections. The poor performance of the utility companies adversely impacts on the length of time properties are void and leads to more empty properties incurring a council tax liability. Housing staff will continue to engage with utility companies to highlight meter issues that are preventing properties being available for let. Housing and Building Services staff will continue to prioritise the repair and subsequent allocation of longer term void properties. A year end overspend. Subjective Description Lost rental income for void houses and lockups and the cost of council tax on long term void properties Page 185
Page 186
Page 186
Page 187
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer – Resources Council – 30 October 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Budgetary Control Report to 31 August 24 (Period 5) 1. Purpose 1.1 This report provides an update on the HRA capital programme to 31 August 2024. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Committee is asked to: i) Note the current position of the 2024/2025 HRA capital budget and the HRA capital plan. ii) Note that in year financial performance is monitored against a 2024/2025 capital expenditure budget of £73.664m and a 2024/2025 capital income budget of £10.003m, a one-year borrowing requirement of £63.661m. iii) Note that project life performance is monitored against a five-year project life expenditure budget of £319.738m and a project life income budget of £54.577m, a five-year borrowing requirement of £265.161m. iv) Note that there are six projects reporting off track with an anticipated over / under spend against their 2024/2025 budgets, with a forecast net overspend of £0.334m in 2024/2025. v) Note that all projects are currently on track to achieve their planned completion dates and to deliver within their respective five-year project life budgets. 3. Background 3.1 On 6 March 2024 the Council approved the updated Housing Revenue Account Capital Plan for 2024/2025 to 2028/2029. 3.2 Since then budget adjustments have taken place to bring forward in year project under/over spends during 2023/2024, to reflect up to date information on progress delivering the plan and any need for budget acceleration and budget deceleration from / to future years, and to update the expenditure and income budgets for Affordable Housing Supply projects to reflect the 2023/2024 outturn and to reflect that the most recent cost and income forecasts The budget adjustments result in revised capital budgets as set out in Exhibit 1. ITEM 13 Page 187
Page 188
Exhibit 1: Revised HRA Capital Budget 2024/2025 – 20278/2029 2024/25 BCR05 (£m) Project Life BCR05 (£m) Project Life March 24 (£m) Other Capital Expenditure 7.165 27.129 27.180 Major Component Replacement 19.795 92.604 92.604 Void Capital 4.902 19.212 20.712 Structural & Environmental 2.767 14.175 14.175 Support Costs 2.761 14.367 14.367 Affordable Housing Supply Programme 36.274 152.251 149.053 Total Expenditure 73.664 319.738 318.091 Total Income 10.003 54.577 47.029 Prudential Borrowing 63.661 265.161 271.062 4. Main Issues 4.1 Progress against the 2024/25 capital plan is detailed in: Appendix 1 – HRA Capital Summary BCR05 Appendix 2 – HRA Capital Detail BCR05 4.2 The HRA capital summary report at Appendix 1 reports that planned expenditure and planned income are both in line with the overall project budgets. Appendix 1 reports that there are twenty-nine capital projects where expenditure / income budget is tracked over the multi-year life of the project and twenty-eight projects classified as rolling programme projects, which is programmes of work where an annual budget is set each year that takes account of demand, cost, and affordability. 4.3 Appendix 2 shows all projects with approved in year and project life budgets as well as forecast expenditure / income. The appendix highlights a 2024/2025 expenditure budget of £73.664m and a forecast spend of £73.998m, a net overspend of £0.334m (0.005% of the planned 2024/2025 spend) The 2024/2025 capital income budget is £10.003m, with a forecast income of £10.003m. 4,4 Commentary on the 2024/2025 expenditure variances are set out in Exhibit 2 below. Exhibit 2: Project Over / Underspends 2024/2025 Project 2024/2025 BCR05 Forecast (£m) 2024/2025 BCR05 Budget (£m) 2024/2025 Variance (£m) Commentary Special Need Adaptations 0.552 0.655 -0.103 Reduced throughput of capital adaptations this year Inhouse adaptations team is fully up to date with its order books. Improved performance with average time of 46 days. Underspend will be available for reprofiling in future years. Page 188
Page 189
Project 2024/2025 BCR05 Forecast (£m) 2024/2025 BCR05 Budget (£m) 2024/2025 Variance (£m) Commentary Capitalised Minor Works 3.964 3.000 0.964 Transfer of Electrical Installation Condition Works `spend to minor works budget. Overspend will be re-profiled over future years. Officers are increasingly directing minor works requests to the relevant planned capital programme. Environmental Sensors 1.365 2.000 -0.635 Excellent progress with this programme with an anticipated 2,000 sensors due to be installed this year. Underspend reflects the mobilization period and challenges in getting access to properties. Underspend will be available for reprofiling in future years. Roofing Works 2.033 2,500 -0.467 Underspend reflects the changing mix of the capital programme with an increased number of mixed tenure blocks that require owner consent before work can start. This necessary process delay project start Underspend will be available for reprofiling in future years. Void House Works 5.733 4.902 0.831 Transfer of increased void spend to HRA capital account following a review. Void delivery costs, including overtime on voids and contractor spend, have reduced as void number have reduced. Overspend will be re-profiled over future years. Environmental Works 0.910 1.068 -0.158 Reduced throughput of environmental works this year because operatives have also worked across other HRA service areas. Underspend will be available for reprofiling in future years. Contingency - 0.100 -0.100 Contingency released to offset cost pressures across the HRA capital account. 0.334 4.5 Budget assumptions are required to forecast costs / income, especially where projects span multi-year and project finances have yet to be finalised. It is therefore likely that the projected year end budgetary position will change during the year. 5. Option Appraisal 5.1 No option appraisal was required for this report. 6. People Implications 6.1 There are no people implications. Page 189
Page 190
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 several variable factors which could arise between now and 31 March which could affect the year end results for capital budgets. (b) Because 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 during 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: 30 October 2024 Person to Contact: Jim McCarron Business Partner, Finance 07772 322055 E-mail: james.mccarron@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 - HRA Capital Summary BCR05 Appendix 2- HRA Capital Details BCR05 Background Papers: Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Investment Programme, Revenue Budget, and Rent Levels for 2024/25 - Council 6 March 2024. Wards Affected All Wards Page 190
Page 191
Period 5 - 31 August 2024 Appendix 1 HRA Capital Summary HRA Capital Expenditure Project Life Budget Project Life Forecast Spend Project Life Variance Rolling Programmes Projects Projects On Track / Complete Projects Off Track £000 £000 £000 Other Capital Expenditure 27,129 27,129 - 5 3 3 - Major Component Replacement 92,604 92,604 - 10 1 1 - Void Capital 19,212 19,212 - 1 - - - Structural & Environmental 14,175 14,175 - 3 1 1 - Support Costs 14,367 14,367 - 1 - - - Affordable Housing Supply Programme 152,253 152,253 - 5 12 12 - Total Expenditure 319,740 319,740 - 25 17 17 - Total Income (54,576) (54,576) - 3 12 12 - Total 265,164 265,164 - 28 29 29 - Page 191
Page 192
Period 5 _ 31 August 2024 Appendix 2 HRA Capital Detail Project Category Planned End Date Revised End Date Project Life Budget Expenditure to 31 /3/24 Expenditure to Date Projected Future Spend Project Life Forecast Spend Project Variance Approved Budget 2024/25 Expenditure to Date 2024/25 Projected Spend 2024/25 In Year Variance 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 OCE1 Special Needs Adaptations Rolling 31/03/2025 3,408 - 249 3,159 3,408 - 655 249 552 (103) OCE2 Capitalised Minor Works Rolling 31/03/2025 10,945 - 1,113 9,832 10,945 - 3,000 1,113 3,964 964 OCE3 Better Homes Priority Budget Rolling 31/03/2025 1,680 - 196 1,484 1,680 - 705 196 705 - OCE4 Environmental Sensors Programme Project 31/03/2029 10,000 103 645 9,355 10,000 - 2,000 542 1,365 (635) OCE5 Housing CCTV Installation Programme Project 31/03/2025 750 - - 750 750 - 750 - 750 - OCE6 QL Development Rolling 31/03/2025 109 - 9 100 109 - 21 9 21 - OCE7 Gypsy Travellers Site Rolling 31/03/2025 141 - - 141 141 - 34 - 34 - OCE8 Airport Noise Project 31/03/2026 96 - - 96 96 - - - - - Other Capital Expenditure 27,129 103 2,212 24,917 27,129 - 7,165 2,109 7,391 226 MCR1 Targeted SHQS /EESSH compliance works Rolling 31/03/2025 32,632 - 2,173 30,459 32,632 - 6,537 2,173 6,537 - MCR2 External Component Renewal - Roofs Rolling 31/03/2025 13,010 - 691 12,319 13,010 - 2,500 691 2,033 (467) MCR3 Doors/Windows Component Renewals Rolling 31/03/2025 14,599 - 1,888 12,711 14,599 - 5,011 1,888 5,011 - MCR4 District Heating Project 31/03/2030 6,400 - - 6,400 6,400 - - - - - MCR5 External Stores / Garages / Bin Stores Rolling 31/03/2025 245 - - 245 245 - 47 - 47 - MCR6 Secure entry component renewals Rolling 31/03/2025 245 - 7 238 245 - 47 7 47 - MCR7 Statutory / Regulatory Compliance Works Rolling 31/03/2025 976 - - 976 976 - 294 - 294 - MCR8 Heating Improvement Works Rolling 31/03/2025 8,800 - 693 8,107 8,800 - 1,900 693 1,901 1 MCR9 Energy Improvements / Energy Efficiency Works Rolling 31/03/2025 295 - - 295 295 - 57 - 57 - MCR10 Kitchen Upgrade Rolling 31/03/2025 12,102 - 1,291 10,811 12,102 - 2,652 1,291 2,652 - MCR11 Bathroom & Shower Replacement Rolling 31/03/2025 3,300 - 320 2,980 3,300 - 750 320 750 - Major Component Replacement 92,604 - 7,063 85,541 92,604 - 19,795 7,063 19,329 (466) VOC1 Void House Strategy Programme Rolling 31/03/2025 19,212 - 2,325 16,887 19,212 - 4,902 2,325 5,734 832 Void Capital 19,212 - 2,325 16,887 19,212 - 4,902 2,325 5,734 832 STE1 Defective structures/component renewals Rolling 31/03/2025 2,210 - 306 1,904 2,210 - 712 306 712 - STE2 Environmental Renewal - Paths & Environment Rolling 31/03/2025 5,559 - 296 5,263 5,559 - 1,068 296 910 (158) STE3 Asbestos Management Works Rolling 31/03/2025 1,235 - 23 1,212 1,235 - 237 23 237 - STE4 Multi Storey Flat Strategy Project 31/03/2029 5,171 65 70 5,101 5,171 - 750 5 750 - Structural & Environmental 14,175 65 695 13,480 14,175 - 2,767 630 2,609 (158) SUP1 Salaries / Central Support / Overhead Rolling 31/03/2025 14,367 - 1,150 13,217 14,367 - 2,761 1,150 2,761 - Support Costs 14,367 - 1,150 13,217 14,367 - 2,761 1,150 2,761 - AHP1 Buy Backs Rolling 31/03/2025 20,522 - 1,315 19,207 20,522 - 4,670 1,315 4,670 - AHP2 Demolition Programme Rolling 31/03/2025 485 - 164 321 485 - 485 164 485 - AHP3 Contingency Rolling 31/03/2025 520 - - 520 520 - 100 - - (100) AHP4 Clydebank East Project 15/04/2025 32,894 22,334 27,852 5,042 32,894 - 9,700 5,518 9,700 - AHP5 Pappert Project 22/05/2025 10,517 601 2,838 7,679 10,517 - 9,653 2,237 9,653 - AHP6 Mount Pleasant Project 31/03/2025 6,005 555 1,712 4,293 6,005 - 4,396 1,157 4,396 - AHP7 7-9 Gilmour Avenue Project 10/10/2024 574 40 85 489 574 - 534 45 534 - AHP8 Willox Park Phase1 Project 01/10/2025 5,143 401 418 4,725 5,143 - 2,500 17 2,500 - AHP9 Bank Street Project 01/01/2026 7,549 231 278 7,271 7,549 - 518 47 518 - AHP10 Bonhill Gap Sites Project 01/03/2026 11,537 99 203 11,334 11,537 - 514 104 514 - AHP11 Clydebank Health Centre Project 30/09/2026 10,595 705 773 9,822 10,595 - 390 68 390 - AHP12 Silverton Project 01/12/2026 2,537 33 35 2,502 2,537 - 429 2 429 - AHP13 Queen Mary Avenue Project 01/12/2026 4,556 32 36 4,520 4,556 - 120 4 120 - AHP14 Queens Quay Site C Project 01/04/2029 8,231 31 31 8,200 8,231 - 1,000 - 1,000 - AHP15 Dennystoun Forge – New Build Project 01/04/2026 4,000 - 30 3,970 4,000 - 250 30 250 - AHP16 Future New Build & Related Regeneration Projects Rolling 31/03/2025 24,515 - - 24,515 24,515 - 515 - 515 - AHP17 Fees, Staffing Costs, contingency Rolling 31/03/2025 2,073 - 125 1,948 2,073 - 500 125 500 - Affordable Housing Supply Programme 152,253 25,062 35,895 116,358 152,253 - 36,274 10,833 36,174 (100) Total Expenditure 319,740 25,230 49,340 270,400 319,740 - 73,664 24,110 73,998 334 Full Project Life In Year Page 192
Page 193
Period 5 _ 31 August 2024 Appendix 2 HRA Capital Detail Full Project Life In Year Project Category Planned End Date Revised End Date Project Life Budget Income to 31 /3/24 Income to Date Projected Future Income Project Life Forecast Income Project Variance Approved Budget 2024/25 Income to Date 2024/25 Projected Income 2024/25 In Year Variance 2024/25 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 CAPI1 Scottish Govt Buyback Grant Rolling 31/03/2025 (9,451) - (748) (8,703) (9,451) - (2,858) (748) (2,858) - CAPI2 Clydebank East Project 15/04/2025 (12,605) (12,605) (12,605) - (12,605) - - - - - CAPi3 Pappert Site Project 22/05/2025 (3,725) (172) (672) (3,053) (3,725) - (3,303) (500) (3,303) - CAPI4 Mount Pleasant Project 31/03/2025 (1,838) (467) (467) (1,371) (1,838) - (1,371) - (1,371) - CAPI5 7-9 Gilmour Avenue Project 10/10/2024 (195) - - (195) (195) - (195) - (195) - CAPI6 Willox Park Phase1 Project 01/10/2025 (1,489) (414) (489) (1,000) (1,489) - (1,075) (75) (1,075) - CAPI7 Bank Street Project 01/01/2026 (2,108) (258) (258) (1,850) (2,108) - - - - - CAPI8 Bonhill Gap Sites Project 01/03/2026 (4,789) (188) (188) (4,601) (4,789) - - - - - CAPI9 Clydebank Health Centre Project 30/09/2026 (3,785) (585) (585) (3,200) (3,785) - (200) - (200) - CAPI10 Silverton Project 01/12/2026 (1,000) - - (1,000) (1,000) - - - - - CAPI11 Queen Mary Avenue Project 01/12/2026 (1,600) (140) (140) (1,460) (1,600) - - - - - CAPI12 Queens Quay Site C Project 01/04/2029 (3,086) (2,086) (2,086) (1,000) (3,086) - (1,000) - (1,000) - CAPI13 Dennystoun Forge – New Build Project 01/04/2026 (2,000) - - (2,000) (2,000) - - - - - CAPI14 Future new build sites & related regeneration projects Rolling 31/03/2025 (6,900) - - (6,900) (6,900) - 0 - 0 - CAPI15 HRA Loan Repayments Rolling 31/03/2025 (5) - - (5) (5) - (1) - (1) - Total Income (54,576) (16,915) (18,238) (36,338) (54,576) - (10,003) (1,323) (10,003) - Prudential Borrowing Requirement 265,164 8,315 31,102 234,062 265,164 - 63,661 22,787 63,995 334 Full Project Life In Year Page 193
Page 194
Page 194
Page 195
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer – Resources Council – 30 October 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: General Services Revenue Budgetary Control Report to 31 August 2024 (Period 5) 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to advise Council of the 2024/25 Revenue Budget position at 31 August 2024 and the forecast position of the General Fund Reserve as at 31 March 2025. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Council is asked to note a current projected annual underlying adverse variance on the revenue account of £2.066m (0.71% of total budget). 3. Background 3.1 At the meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council (the Council) on 6 March 2024, Members agreed the revenue estimates for 2024/2025. A total net budget of £284.668m was approved for General Services. 3.2 Since the budget was agreed, as reported to Council in June 2024, additional funding has been provided by the Scottish Government of £3.916m to fund the pay uplift to a minimum rate of £12 per hour for workers providing direct adult social care in the third and independent sectors. Also reported to Council in June was further budget adjustments due to: £1.129m to support the freezing of Council Tax. £0.860m from the release of an unspent matched European Structural Fund balance (ESF) which was returned to the general fund. £1.051m made available from the revised reduction in employer pension contributions. 3.3 The budget has also been adjusted to remove the effects of the Criminal Justice specific grant which is paid direct to HSCP; removing both the cost and income from the General Services budget while maintaining a 2024/25 balanced budget. The revised 2024/25 Revenue Budget of £289.927m (excluding earmarked reserves) is made up as follows: ITEM 14 Page 195
Page 196
Service £m £m Agreed budget 6 March 2024 284.668 Additional Resources: Additional Share of £230m for Social Care Uplift HSCP Requisition 3.916 Share of £62.7m in relation to Council Tax Freeze Strategy to rebuild reserves 1.129 Release of unspent matched ESF funding Strategy to rebuild reserves 0.860 Increased Pension benefit Strategy to rebuild reserves 1.051 Total Additional Resources 6.956 Base Budget Adjustment: Removal of Criminal Justice Specific Grant Criminal Justice Requisition (1.697) Total adjustments 5.259 Revised budget as at Period 5 289.927 4. Main Issues 4.1 The summary report at Appendix 1 highlights a projected net annual underlying adverse variance (overspend) of £2.066m (0.71% of the total budget). The current projection shows an improved year end position from the figure reported at Period 3, with a reduction in the anticipated overspend of £0.476m as detailed in the table below. Appendix 2 provides more detailed service reports by Chief Officer. In addition, services are projecting the use of £0.817m of earmarked reserves. £m £m Net adverse variance at Period 3 2.542 Movements in service variance Resources Corporate Assets – increased cost of utilities 0.126 Regulatory & Resources Delays and difficulties in filling vacancies within Planning (0.113) Education, Learning and Attainment Day and Residential Expenditure less than anticipated (0.309) Roads and Neighbourhood Targeted attempts by established working group to reduce overspends as reported at Period 3 (0.644) Loan Charges Delayed fall in interest rates 0.330 Miscellaneous Unbudgeted cost of child abuse compensation claims 0.155 Other service movement less than £0.050m (0.021) Total movement in service variances (0.476) Net adverse variance at Period 5 2.066 4.2 In June (as per paragraph 3.2) a strategy was agreed to replenish general reserves from: Page 196
Page 197
additional funding from the Revenue Support Grant in relation to the council tax freeze the release of matched ESF funding additional revised benefit from reduction in employer pension contributions. The saving from the employer pension contribution rate as explained at paragraph 4.5, would be smoothed over 4 years thus easing the budget pressure by £5.332m in years 2024/25-2027/28. 4.3 Information on any projected annual variances in excess of £0.050m are highlighted and noted within Appendix 3, with additional information on action being taken to minimise or mitigate overspends where possible. 4.4 A list of agreed efficiencies and management adjustments totalling £6.649m is shown within Appendix 4. Current indications show, £6.599m is on target to be achieved. However, Appendix 4 also shows that it is anticipated that £0.050m will not be achieved and will be funded by the smoothing fund for 2024/25 only, with the expectation that the full saving will be achieved in future years. 4.5 On 20 December 2023, a report to Council presented the financial benefit to the Council as a consequence of the Strathclyde Pension Fund (SPF) Board reducing the employer pension contribution rate in the years 2024/25 and 25/26 from 19.3% to 6.5% generating an estimated saving to the Council of £21.327m. Service superannuation budgets have been reduced via a virement to a central reserve, to reflect the saving in 2024/25. The Council agreed to smooth the total saving over 4 years with £5.332m being used to balance the budget in 2024/25 and the remaining amount to be transferred to an earmarked reserve to be used in future years to help ease the budget pressure as agreed at Council on 6 March 2024. The budgeted transfer to Reserves to date is £7.270m which reflects the current in year reduction of the service budget. The underspend of £1.938m will be transferred to an earmarked reserve to be used to balance the budget in future years. 4.6 The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is currently forecasting a deficit of £1.205m after applying all available reserves. The Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 specifies that if an HRA deficit arises in any one year, the local authority must make a contribution to make good the deficit from the General Fund. The HRA would then be expected to repay that contribution from any future surpluses generated. The Housing Senior Management Team will continue to identify efficiencies across all areas of the HRA revenue account budget in order to minimise the adverse variance. An update on this will be reported to Council when the BCRs for period 7 are reported in December. Page 197
Page 198
General Fund Reserves Position 4.8 Appendix 5 shows the latest position in respect of Unallocated and Earmarked Reserves and shows the projected balance as at 31 March 2025: Unearmarked Balance (£m) Earmarked Balance (£m) Total General Fund Reserves (£m) As at 31 March 2024 (draft) 4.418 9.115 13.533 In year movements 1.607 4.844 6.451 Projected in year use of reserves (2.066) (0.817) (2.883) Projected Balance as at 31 March 2025 3.959 13.142 17.101 4.9 A breakdown of the 2024/25 earmarked balances and the movements in reserves is summarised in Appendix 6. 4.10 The Council’s General Fund contingency (Prudential Target) is set at 3% of net expenditure for 2024/25 and amounts to £5.400m. After taking into consideration the forecast adverse outturn position of £2.066m at 31 August 2024, the Council is currently forecast to have £1.441m below the current Prudential Target. The services have mitigating actions to reduce their projected adverse variances. In addition, the June Finance Update advised how the additional benefit from the reduction in pension contributions would continue to rebuild reserves with an additional £1.621m forecast over 2025- 2026. 5. Option Appraisal 5.1 No option appraisal was required for this report. 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 both General Services revenue and capital budgets. 8. Risk Analysis 8.1 The main risks are as follows: (a) The present 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; (b) As a consequence of current market conditions, capital receipts may either not be received or they may be less than anticipated. The budget Page 198
Page 199
assumption is that all capital receipts achieved in 2024/25 will be used to the principal and premium repayments within the loan charges budget. Any shortfall in capital receipts below that budgeted will affect the revenue budget position. This is being closely monitored and any issues will be reported to Council; (c) As a consequence of current market conditions, inflation is at an all-time high and interest rates continue to rise. To forecast for the full year costs budget assumptions have been required (particularly around energy and interest costs). These assumptions continue to change regularly and therefore it is likely that 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 revenue and 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: 4 October 2024 __________________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: Carol Alderson. Finance Manager Council Offices, Church Street, Dumbarton E-mail: carol.alderson@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 - Revenue Budgetary Control 2024/25 – Corporate Summary; Appendix 2 - Revenue Budgetary Control 2024/25 – Chief Officer Summaries; Appendix 3 - Analysis of Revenue Variances over £50,000; Page 199
Page 200
Appendix 4 - Monitoring of Efficiencies Appendix 5 - Reconciliation of General Fund Reserves Appendix 6 - Monitoring of Earmarked Balances Background Papers: Ledger output – Period 5; General Services Revenue Estimates 2024/25 Wards Affected All Wards Page 200
Page 201
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 1 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 SUMMARY PERIOD END DATE 31 August 2024 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Net Variance attributable to earmarked reserves spend Underlying Variance excluding earmarked reserves spend £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Resources 3,846 7,167 4,269 422 11.0% 286 136 Regulatory and Regeneration 3,628 1,318 3,520 (108) -3.0% 38 (146) People & Technology 9,889 4,948 9,994 105 1.1% 35 71 Citizens, Culture and Facilities 14,153 5,343 13,932 (221) -1.6% 20 (241) Education, Learning and Attainment 125,120 52,070 125,284 163 0.1% 77 86 Roads and Neighbourhood 14,917 10,858 16,602 1,685 11.3% 0 1,685 2,371 2,007 2,751 380 16.0% 361 19 Miscellaneous Services 7,845 6,000 7,973 128 1.6% 0 128 Loan Charges 18,342 0 18,672 330 1.8% 0 330 Capital Receipts used to fund Loan Charges (2,884) 0 (2,884) 0 0.0% 0 0 Transfer to Reserves re SPFO reductions 7,270 0 5,332 (1,938) -26.7% (1,938) 0 Strategy to Rebuild Reserves 3,040 0 0 (3,040) -100.0% (3,040) 0 Requisition (VJB) 782 0 782 0 0.0% 0 0 Requisition (SPT) 1,588 1,587 1,587 (1) -0.1% 0 (1) Requisition (HSCP) 88,945 0 88,945 0 0.0% 0 0 Non GAE Allocation (8,925) 0 (8,925) 0 0.0% 0 0 Total Expenditure 289,927 91,297 287,834 (2,095) -0.7% (4,161) 2,066 Council Tax (40,920) (9,126) (40,920) 0 0.0% 0 0 Revenue Support Grant (150,138) (32,965) (150,138) 0 0.0% 0 0 Non Domestic Rates (87,481) (21,870) (87,481) 0 0.0% 0 0 Service Concessionary Benefit (3,259) 0 (3,259) 0 0.0% 0 0 Use of Reserves (8,129) 0 (8,129) 0 0.0% 0 0 Total Resources (289,927) (63,961) (289,927) 0 0.0% 0 0 Net Expenditure 0 27,336 (2,093) (2,095) -0.7% (4,161) 2,066 Department Summary Variance Housing and Employability Page 201
Page 202
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 RESOURCES SUMMARY PERIOD END DATE 31 August 2024 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Net Variance attributable to earmarked reserves spend Underlying Variance excluding earmarked reserves spend £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 17 99 (13) (30) -181% 0 (30) 1,487 741 1,701 215 14% 183 32 1,957 2,266 1,957 0 0% 0 0 2,316 918 2,393 77 3% 66 11 461 237 482 21 5% 26 (5) 6 0 18 11 177% 11 (0) (823) (121) (823) 0 0% 0 0 1,209 443 1,209 1 0% 0 1 (2,783) 2,632 (2,655) 128 -5% 0 128 0 (49) 0 0 0% 0 0 3,846 7,167 4,269 423 11% 286 138 Variance Service Summary Service / Subjective Summary Finance Business Centre Audit Revenues & Benefits Total Net Expenditure Finance Cost of Collection of Council Tax Cost of Collection of Rates Rent Rebates & Allowances Corporate Asset Maintenance Office Accommodation Corporate Assets Page 202
Page 203
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 REGULATORY AND REGENERATION SUMMARY PERIOD END DATE 31 August 2024 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Net Variance attributable to earmarked reserves spend Underlying Variance excluding earmarked reserves spend £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 731 221 698 (33) -4% 0 (33) 610 227 597 (13) -2% 0 (13) (156) (40) (165) (9) 6% 0 (9) 746 324 777 31 4% 0 31 553 64 462 (91) -16% 15 (106) 564 185 528 (36) -6% 0 (36) Economic Development 580 336 623 43 7% 0 43 3,628 1,318 3,520 (108) -3% 15 (123) Variance Total Net Expenditure Service / Subjective Summary Service Summary Procurement Democratic and Registration Service Legal Services Licensing Environmental Health Planning Page 203
Page 204
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY PERIOD END DATE 31 August 2024 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Net Variance attributable to earmarked reserves spend Underlying Variance excluding earmarked reserves spend £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 839 326 858 19 2% 0 19 1,806 706 1,858 53 3% 35 18 4,747 2,965 4,817 70 1% 0 70 Central Administration Support 2,497 952 2,460 (37) -1% 0 (37) 9,889 4,948 9,994 105 1% 35 70 Variance Total Net Expenditure Transactional Services Information Services Strategic People and Change Service / Subjective Summary Service Summary Page 204
Page 205
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 CITIZENS, CULTURE AND FACILITIES PERIOD END DATE 31 August 2024 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Net Variance attributable to earmarked reserves spend Underlying Variance excluding earmarked reserves spend £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 277 84 253 (24) -8% 0 (24) 1,316 615 1,364 48 4% 0 48 236 89 226 (9) -4% 0 (9) Clydebank Town Hall 317 9 325 8 2% 0 8 Libraries 1,708 596 1,723 15 1% 0 15 Arts and Heritage 293 50 326 33 11% 0 33 Catering Services 4,660 1,810 4,618 (42) -1% 0 (42) Building Cleaning 1,820 702 1,760 (60) -3% 0 (60) Building Cleaning PPP (208) (150) (295) (87) 42% 0 (87) Facilities Assistants 2,362 849 2,263 (99) -4% 0 (99) Facilities Management 404 213 461 57 14% 0 57 Communities 942 455 894 (48) -5% 0 (48) Events 27 21 14 (13) -48% 0 (13) 14,153 5,343 13,932 (221) -2% 0 (221) Variance Total Net Expenditure Citizen Services Service / Subjective Summary Service Summary Communications & Marketing Performance & Strategy Page 205
Page 206
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 EDUCATION, LEARNING AND ATTAINMENT PERIOD END DATE 31 August 2024 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Net Variance attributable to earmarked reserves spend Underlying Variance excluding earmarked reserves spend £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Primary Schools 33,430 13,107 33,064 (366) -1% 0 (366) Secondary Schools 34,602 14,523 34,364 (239) -1% 0 (239) Specialist Educational Provision 21,142 7,200 21,509 367 2% 0 367 Psychological Services 699 332 713 15 2% 0 15 Sport Development / Active Schools 627 455 627 (0) 0% 0 (0) Early Education 9,094 6,039 9,298 204 2% 0 204 PPP 18,082 6,532 18,003 (79) 0% 0 (79) Creative Arts 676 262 695 19 3% 0 19 Curriculum for Excellence 78 27 78 0 0% 0 0 Central Admin 864 683 1,018 155 18% 77 78 Workforce CPD 310 171 313 3 1% 0 3 Performance & Improvement 421 183 430 10 2% 0 10 Education Development 2,007 938 2,052 45 2% 0 45 Raising Attainment - Primary 0 0 0 0 0% 0 0 Leisure Management 3,090 1,618 3,121 31 1% 0 31 Raising Attainment - Secondary 0 0 0 0 0% 0 0 Pupil Equity Fund (including LAC PEF) 0 0 0 0 0% 0 0 125,120 52,070 125,284 163 0% 77 86 Variance Service Summary Service / Subjective Summary Total Net Expenditure Page 206
Page 207
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ROADS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD PERIOD END DATE 31 August 2024 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Net Variance attributable to earmarked reserves spend Underlying Variance excluding earmarked reserves spend £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Transport, Fleet & Maintenance Services (807) 884 (680) 127 -16% 0 127 Roads Services 2,544 1,050 3,193 649 26% 0 649 Grounds Maintenance & Street Cleaning Client 7,414 3,089 7,414 0 0% 0 0 Outdoor Services 205 32 198 (7) -3% 0 (7) Burial Grounds (313) (237) (162) 151 -48% 0 151 Crematorium (1,234) (318) (1,125) 109 -9% 0 109 Waste Services 8,922 2,943 9,298 376 4% 0 376 Depots 0 179 0 0 0% 0 0 Capital Investment Programme 1 105 8 6 507% 0 6 Consultancy Services 668 347 669 1 0% 0 1 Ground Maintenance & Street Cleaning Trading A/c (2,484) 2,784 (2,212) 272 -11% 0 272 14,917 10,858 16,602 1,684 11% 0 1,684 Service / Subjective Summary Service Summary Variance Total Net Expenditure Page 207
Page 208
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 HOUSING AND EMPLOYABILITY PERIOD END DATE 31 August 2024 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Net Variance attributable to earmarked reserves spend Underlying Variance excluding earmarked reserves spend £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Working 4 U 1,954 1,281 2,294 340 17% 340 0 Shared Prosperity Fund 0 411 0 0 0% 0 0 Homeless Persons 620 455 639 19 3% 0 19 Private Sector housing 15 6 15 0 0% 0 0 Private Sector Housing Grants 41 17 41 0 0% 0 0 Housing Maintenance Trading A/c (589) (285) (589) 0 0% 0 0 Housing Asset and Investment 0 0 0 0 0% 0 0 Anti Social Behaviour 330 122 351 21 6% 21 0 2,371 2,007 2,751 380 16% 361 19 Variance Total Net Expenditure Service / Subjective Summary Service Summary Page 208
Page 209
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 MISCELLANEOUS PERIOD END DATE 31 August 2024 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Net Variance attributable to earmarked reserves spend Underlying Variance excluding earmarked reserves spend £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 5,988 5,328 6,156 168 3% 0 168 677 244 632 (45) -7% 0 (45) 1,180 428 1,185 5 0% 0 5 7,845 6,000 7,973 128 2% 0 128 Variance Total Net Expenditure Service / Subjective Summary Chief Executive and Chief Officers Service Summary Sundry Services Members Allowances, etc Page 209
Page 210
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Projected Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % Finance 1,487 1,701 215 14% . Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Revenues & Benefits 2,316 2,393 77 3% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Corporate Assets (2,783) (2,655) 128 -5% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome 31 August 2024 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Resources The service provided by this area deals with Accountancy, Capital, Treasury, Reconciliations, Cash Office and Municipal Bank A projected full year variance of £183k in Payments to Other Bodies relates to grants awarded from the cost of living fund and will be fully covered by the earmarked reserve set aside for this. No action required Adverse variance is anticipated but funded by an earmarked balance The service provided by this area deal with benefits, council tax and debt recovery. Variance is offset by £66k Social Welfare Fund earmarked reserve. None required Small adverse variance is anticipated This service provides asset and estate management Property costs are overspending by £134k mainly due to increased costs for utilities. None required. Under recovery of income anticipated Page 210
Page 211
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Projected Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 31 August 2024 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Planning 553 462 (91) -16% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Strategic People and Change 1,806 1,858 53 3% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Information Services 4,747 4,817 70 1% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Regulatory and Regeneration This Service provides Building & Planning services A £106k favourable variance in employee costs is due to delays and difficulties filling vacancies. None possible Favourable variance is anticipated People & Technology This service area provides strategic and operational HR advice, H&S advice and guidance (including fire safety) and strateigc and operational risk management. The adverse variance in staffing costs is partly due to turnover savings not being fully met and additional training costs. The training cost element will be covered by an earmarked balance of £35k. None at this time An adverse variance is anticipated however £35k of earmarked balance will partially offset this. This service area provides general ICT support to the Council and also supports transformational change and modernisation of working practices through technology The favourable variance in income is due to additional staff recharges and this is offset by the higher than budgeted staff costs due to the additional staff. In addition inflationary pressures on the software licencing element of the budget is currently projecting a £73k adverse variance. None possible at this time. Adverse variance overall is anticipated, licencing costs are being closely monitored. Page 211
Page 212
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Projected Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 31 August 2024 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Building Cleaning 1,820 1,760 (60) -3% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Building Cleaning PPP (208) (295) (87) 42% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Facilities Assistants 2,362 2,263 (99) -4% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Facilities Management 404 461 57 14% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Citizens, Culture and Facilities This service provides cleaning services across all council buildings There has been greater than anticipated expenditure on cleaning material costs (£35k) ,urgent equipment replacements (£53k) and replacement uniforms (£4k). However, there is a favourable variance against employee costs due to a number of vacancies (£152k). material costs and usage will be monitored a favourable variance anticipated This service provides cleaning services to PPP schools There is a favourable variance against employee costs due to a number of vacancies none a favourable variance anticipated This service provides Facility Assistants throughout WDC buildings There is a favourable variance against employee costs due to a number of vacancies none a favourable variance anticipated 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 adverse variance anticipated Page 212
Page 213
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Projected Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 31 August 2024 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Primary Schools 33,430 33,064 (366) -1% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Secondary Schools 34,602 34,364 (239) -1% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Specialist Educational Provision 21,142 21,509 367 2% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Education , Learning and Attainment This service area includes all Primary Schools. The favourable variance is attributable to the average unpromoted teacher salary being slightly less than forecast when the budget was set none favourable variance This service area includes all Secondary Schools. The favourable variance is attributable to the average unpromoted teacher salary being slightly less than forecast when the budget was set. This has offset the adverse variance which has arisen due to the increase in electricity costs being higher than anticipated when the budget was set and accidental/malicious damage costs being higher than expected. none favourable variance This service area covers all ASN Services. Employee costs, after allowing for the carry forward of Ukrainian grant income, remain adverse (£58k) partly due the Council decision after the budget was set to accommodate additional ASN cases in mainstream schools as part of the enhanced support within local learning communities. In addition utility costs (£45k) and taxis (£113k) have been higher than anticipated when the budget was set. The final budget pressure is an increased net cost for external placements (£151k). none possible at present overspend anticipated Page 213
Page 214
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Projected Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 31 August 2024 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Early Education 9,094 9,298 204 2% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome PPP 18,082 18,003 (79) 0% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Central Admin 864 1,018 155 18% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome This services area includes all Early Years establishments within West Dunbartonshire. There is an adverse variance against net cross-boundary transactions of £102k. The remainder of the adverse variance is due to APT&C turnover not being achieved. none possible at present adverse variance This service area includes Vale of Leven, Clydebank High and St Peter the Apostle High Schools and St Eunan's Primary School. The costs charged to this service are Property costs and the Unitary charge. The estimated inflationary uplift anticipated for the contractual increase for the unitary charge was higher than the actual RPI none necessary favourable variance This service area covers Education Directorate There is an adverse variance against Summer Programme activities (£77k) which will be covered by an earmaked balance. The remaining adverse variance is attributable to school meal holiday payments being in excess of the sum allocated by the Scottish Government - our eligible caseload is about 15% higher than the caseload implicit in our actual allocation. none possible overspend anticipated Page 214
Page 215
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Projected Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 31 August 2024 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Transport, Fleet & Maintenance Services (807) (680) 126 -16% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Roads Services 2,544 3,193 649 26% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Burial Grounds (313) (162) 151 -48% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Crematorium (1,234) (1,125) 109 -9% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Roads and Neighbourhood This service relates to Roads operations, design, structures, street lighting, road safety and school crossing patrols Employee costs are anticipated to overspend by £60k mainly due to essential overtime. Plant hire costs and material costs have increased due to higher inflation than anticipated. The overspend anticipated on this is £308k. Winter gritting is anticipated to overspend £60k due to costs of salt and quantity required. Diesel is anticipated to overspend by £30k due to increased fuel costs. Street lighting is overspending by £45k due to increased utility costs. The remaining overspend anticipated is mainly in relation to general increased costs and inflationary pressures to undertake works required. Costs within the service are recharged to capital however, costs recharged are not sufficient to offset all costs incurred by the service. A review of the delivery of how capital projects are delivered will be undertaken. Overspend anticipated although may reduce following review Transport services across WDC Income is anticipated to be less than budgeted due to number of external users of MOT station being low. Although currently showing an under recovery of full costs a review of service requirements is being undertaken to ensure all applicable costs are recovered. Service User Review Overspend anticipated although may reduce following review This service provides burial services within the Council area Income from burials is less than budgeted. This is demand led and may change throughout the year. None at the moment. Under recovery of income anticipated This service provides crematorium services within the Council area Income from cremations is less than budgeted. This is demand led and may change throughout the year. None at the moment. Under recovery of income anticipated Page 215
Page 216
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Projected Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 31 August 2024 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Waste Services 8,922 9,298 376 4% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Ground Maintenance & Street Cleaning Trading A/c (2,484) (2,212) 272 -11% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Waste Collection and Refuse disposal services Transport costs, are anticipating an overspend of £200k principally due to hire costs being greater than anticipated when the budgets were set because of delays in acquiring new refuse vehicles. This is a part year issue as the majority of vehicles have now been received and hire costs for these vehicles will cease. Employee costs are overspending by £226k mainly due to overtime costs due to requirement to cover public holidays and periods of annual leave or sickness. In addition overtime budgets do not include pay award increase. The overspend is offset by an underspend of £87k in Supplies and Services. All refuse vehicles were received in September so hires have now ceased. overspend anticipated Trading operation providing grounds maintenance and street cleaning services Employee costs are overspending by £56k mainly due to additional overtime required for jobs requested by other Services. Supplies and services is forecasting an overspend of £195k due to cost of parts for repairs which is demand led (£60k) and overspending on contractors (£108k). A review of all contractor spend is underway to identify any opportunities to reduce or mitigate the anticipated overspend. The remainder is due to small overspends in various areas. None at the moment. overspend anticipated Page 216
Page 217
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Projected Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 31 August 2024 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Working 4 U 1,954 2,294 340 17% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Sundry Services 5,988 6,156 168 3% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Housing and Employability This is the provision of Working 4u service. The adverse variances on payments to other bodies/ other expenditure reflects spend that will met by use of earmarked balances. None Required. Net expenditure will be in line with budget. Miscellaneous This service area budgets for non departmental specific costs such as pensions costs, external grants, external audit fees and insurance costs. The service heading also holds a number of general savings options which have still to be fully allocated eg procurement targets. The main reason for this adverse variance is due to the unbudgeted cost of historic child abuse compensation claims (£0.236m). This adverse variance is offset partly by underspends across several other budget headings. Income and expenditure will continue to be monitored throughout the year. An overall adverse variance is anticipated at this time Page 217
Page 218
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2024/25 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Projected Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 31 August 2024 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Loan Charges 18,342 18,672 330 2% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Transfer to Reserves re SPFO reductions 7,270 5,332 (1,938) -27% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Strategy to Rebuild Reserves 3,040 0 (3,040) -100% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Other This budget represents the removal of the excess budgeted pension costs stemming from the reduction in pension rate from service departments. On 20 December 2023, a report to Council presented the financial benefit to the Council as a consequence of the Strathclyde Pension Fund (SPF) Board reducing the employer pension contribution rate in the years 2024/25 and 2025/26 to 6.5% from 19.3%. Service superannuation budgets have been reduced via a virement to a central reserve, to reflect the saving. £5.332m is to be used to balance the budget in year with the balance to be used in future years as agreed at Council on 6 March 2024. As a result the budgeted transfer to Reserves is £7.270m which reflects the in year reduction in service staff cost budget. It was agreed on 6 March 2024 to use £5.332m of the reduction in pension contributions to balance the 2024/25 budget. None Required The underspend of £1.938m will be transferred to an earmarked reserve to be used to balance the budget in future years as agreed by Council on 6th March 2024. This budget covers the servicing of the Council's external borrowing requirements The adverse variance is due to higher than forecast interest rates which were originally expected to fall within quarter 1 of the financial year, however, this reduction is now being forecast in quarter 4 of 2024/25 and is the main reason for the adverse variance. None possible at present Overspend anticipated This budget represents the approved strategy to rebuild general reserves At its meeting in June, Council approved a 3 year strategy to replenish the Council's reserves using the additional £1.129m of recurring Revenue Support Grant Funding, £1.051m additional reduction in pension contribution and the release of £0.860m of earmarked funding to the general fund. This favourable variance reflects the strategy to rebuild the Council reserves. None Required The anticipated underspend will be transferred to reserves to help rebuild the general fund back to the prudential level. Page 218
Page 219
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 Reduces the budget that funds furniture for temporary accommodation from £1,065 per property to £1,000 per property HE07 P Barry 16 16 - Complete 4 Rightsize ICT Budgets to better reflect expected costs for GIS software and general ICT inflationary pressures PT01 V Rogers 46 46 - Complete 5 Reflect reduction in employer NI/Pension contributions through implementing VivUp Employee Benefits PT02 Shared 30 30 - Complete 6 Restrict choice in office equipment to pre-agreed catalogue items/amounts. PT05 Shared 10 10 - Complete 7 Reduction in Mobile Phone usage for Council owned phones PT06 Shared 22 22 - Complete 8 Reduce the Council’s training budget, retaining budget to cover essential corporate requirements PT07 V Rogers 10 10 - Complete 9 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 10 Replacement of Citrix Technology with cheaper technology PT12 V Rogers 75 75 - Complete 11 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 12 Remove two franking machines and further reduce use of first class mail RES11 L Slavin 12 12 - Complete 13 Seek commercial opportunities for Balloch Park kiosk RES12 L Slavin 15 15 - Complete 14 Rightsize minor sundry service budget lines such as travel, books etc RES14 L Slavin 17 17 - Complete 15 Rightsize income budgets as consequence of historical lease review RES15 L Slavin 25 25 - Complete Page 219
Page 220
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 16 Adjust charge to Dumbarton Common Good for support services to reflect cost recovery RES19 L Slavin 21 21 - Complete 17 Adjust charge to Valuation Joint Board for support services to reflect cost recovery RES20 L Slavin 11 11 - Complete 18 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 19 Procure vehicles considered permanently required rather than hiring them RN17 G Macfarlane 100 100 - In progress 20 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 Page 220
Page 221
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 21 Remove a 1 FTE vacancy in the Leadership Support Team whilst retaining 2:1 PA/CO ratio RR04 A Douglas 39 39 - Complete 22 Remove a 0.4 FTE vacancy in the Member Services Team to reflect requirements of elected members RR05 A Douglas 15 15 - Complete 23 Reduce 0.2 FTE in Democratic and Registration Service via a two year phased retirement RR07 A Douglas 18 18 - Complete 24 Right sizing anticipated income from regulatory and regeneration fees RR12 A Douglas 130 130 - Complete December 2023 Saving Options 25 Reduce the West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust Mgt Fee by up to 30% CCF01 A Graham 940 940 - Complete 26 Reduce Additional Management Time in Primary Schools EDU08 L Mason 304 304 - Complete 27 Reduce DMR Budgets by up to 10% EDU11 L Mason 80 80 - Complete 28 Two week Christmas closedown bar delivery of essential services RES07 L Slavin 7 - 7 Reversed - cost pressure will be added for 2025/26 29 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 30 Reduce opening hours of Clydebank Town Hall to 4 days a week CCF02 A Graham 30 30 - Complete 31 Reduce investment in materials in library service CCF06 A Graham 50 50 - Complete 32 Reduce financial commitment to the Highland Games CCF11 A Graham 14 14 - Complete 33 Review core library staffing (outwith branch libraries) and remove one post CCF19 A Graham 18 18 - In progress 34 Review menus in educational establishments to reduce waste whilst ensuring compliance with nutritional guidance CCF20 A Graham 60 60 - Complete 35 Reduce Community Budgeting fund by 50% reducing money available for community groups to bid for CCF24 A Graham 27 27 - Complete Page 221
Page 222
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 36 Reduce the Community Engagement budget by 50% reducing the number of events supported CCF25 A Graham 22 22 - Complete 37 Review the Communities team reducing the delivery of community based services CCF26 A Graham 87 67 20 Delay in implementation, in year shortfall will be covered by the smoothing fund. Full year savings expected in future years. 38 Increased use of Pupil Equity Funding to pay for associated support service costs EDU02 L Mason 70 70 - Complete 39 Introduce Early Start Clubs at schools with associated fees (£2) for pupils not entitled to a free school meal EDU05 L Mason 187 187 - To be assessed when schools start new term in August. 40 Increase fees for Out of School Care Service at St Eunan’s Primary School and Linnvale Primary School by £3 from April 2024 EDU09 L Mason 14 14 - Complete 41 Remove 1 of 2 Education Officer posts responsible for quality assuring and monitoring the performance of West Dunbartonshire schools EDU13 L Mason 75 75 - Complete 42 Reduce the number of ELC Early Stage Teachers from 16.4 FTE to 11.4 FTE across the entire ELC learning estate EDU14 L Mason 219 219 - Complete 43 Reduce the number of Early Learning Childcare Posts from 223 FTE to 217 FTE across the entire ELC learning estate EDU15 L Mason 134 134 - Complete 44 Remove ELC Lead Officer in Bellsmyre and Dalmonach ELC with remaining management team required to take over aspects of their remit EDU16 L Mason 62 62 - Complete 45 Reduce the Collaborative Support Service by 3.6 FTE EDU17 L Mason 190 190 - Complete 46 Reduce use of SMS text messages with schools communicating with parents using Groupcall. EDU18 L Mason 10 10 - Complete 47 Review the current flexibility in primary school classification and allocate class structures based on numerical information which aligns with statutory obligations EDU20 L Mason 400 400 - Complete 48 Reduce funding provided to YSortIt by 25% HE02 P Barry 29 29 - Complete 49 Reduce funding provided to LCCR by £40k HE06 P Barry 40 40 Complete 50 Reduce pay preservation period to 12 months PT04 Shared 14 14 - Complete 51 Remove counselling and physio PT10 V Rogers 47 47 - Complete Page 222
Page 223
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 52 Remove 3.6 FTE in CAS team PT13 V Rogers 112 112 - Complete 53 Reduce WDCVS funding by 50% RES02 L Slavin 75 75 - Complete 54 Remove one Council officer RES09 L Slavin 26 26 - Complete 55 School crossing patrollers - adhere to best practice RN01 G Macfarlane 24 24 - Complete 56 Introduce £60 Garden Waste Charge RN02 G Macfarlane 180 180 - Complete 57 Amend roads service activities to support education to statutory level RN04 G Macfarlane 37 37 - Complete 58 Reduce the Consultancy Services/Capital Investment Team by 25% RN18 G Macfarlane 10 10 - In progress 59 Reduce the roads operations service from 29 FTE to 26 FTE which will reduce resilience in the team RN21 G Macfarlane 80 80 - Complete 60 Reduce maintenance costs through replacing 6 under utilised grass pitches with 3 new 4G pitches RN22 G Macfarlane 10 10 - In progress 61 Implement new approach to road defect repairs which will capitalise costs previously charged to revenue RN23 G Macfarlane 200 200 - Complete 62 Reduce weed killing from twice a year to once a year RN26 G Macfarlane 50 50 - Complete 63 Increase commercial waste fees by 14% RN27 G Macfarlane 45 45 - Complete 64 Remove £12,500 of Nightzone West funding provided to Police Scotland RR01 A Douglas 12 12 - Complete 65 Reduction in 2 FTE paralegal support to contracts and property section RR08 A Douglas 90 67 23 Delay in implementation March 2024 Management Adjustments 66 Review Arts & Heritage Service CCF16 A Graham 24 24 Complete 67 Removal of GF Contribution to Housing Asset & Investment Team HE05 P Barry 50 50 - Complete 68 Review compliance with Strategic Opening Model to identify areas where teams or posts can be merged PT08 Shared 200 200 - Complete 69 Restructure of Transactional Services to remove one vacant G10 post PT09 V Rogers 30 30 - Complete 70 Increase Council Tax on Second Homes RES06 L Slavin 82 82 - Complete 71 Remove Empty Property Relief for Listed Buildings RES18 L Slavin 34 34 - Complete 72 Remove vacant posts in asset management RES22 L Slavin 99 99 Complete 73 Remove facility assistants at Aurora House bringing service in line with that provided at Clydebank Town Centre Office RES23 L Slavin 54 54 - Complete Page 223
Page 224
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 74 Generate income from Levengrove Pavilion and ass land RES25 L Slavin 63 63 - Complete 75 Right size water authority income budget RES26 L Slavin 25 25 - Complete Page 224
Page 225
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 76 Outsourcing mgt of retail assets RES27 L Slavin 33 33 - Complete 77 Transfer cost of solicitor support for the council housing building prog to HRA capital budget RR09 A Douglas 60 60 - Complete 78 Remove vacant contaminated land officer post RR11 A Douglas 30 30 - Complete 79 Reduce support to planning and building standards by removing a vacant part time technical support assistant post RR13 A Douglas 16 16 - Complete 80 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 81 Remove vacant Planning Compliance Officer post RR15 A Douglas 30 30 - Complete 82 Remove one of the 3 Building Standards Surveyor Posts RR16 A Douglas 53 53 - Complete 83 Reduce hours of solicitor from 5 days to 4 days RR17 A Douglas 12 12 - Complete 84 Fund existing Grade 8 post from UK Towns Fund Support RR18 A Douglas 60 60 - Complete 85 Fund officer costs associated with Levelling Up from final year of Levelling Up Rev funding. RR19 A Douglas 60 60 - Complete 86 March 2024 Increases in Fees and Charges Shared 492 492 Complete 6,649 6,599 50 TOTAL EFFICIENCIES/MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS Page 225
Page 226
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 5 RECONCILIATION OF GENERAL FUND RESERVES Unearmarked Balance Earmarked Balance (further detail at Appendix 6) £(m) £(m) £(m) £(m) Balance on General Fund as at 31 March 2024 (draft) 13.939 Earmarked as at 31 March 2024 9.115 Capital Grants and Receipts unapplied (0.212) Other Reserves (0.194) In Year Movements: Closing General Fund Balance 13.533 Budgeted use of Reserves (9.343) Less Earmarked Balances (9.115) Allocation to service reserve balances 0.658 Unearmarked Balance as at 31 March 2024 (draft) 4.418 Allocation to pension smoothing reserve 10.489 Strategy to rebuild reserves 3.040 In Year Movements: Total In Year Movements 4.844 Available Resources: Pension Contribution Saving 10.489 Service use of reserves at as at 31 August 2024 (0.767) Service Concession 3.259 Use of smoothing fund for 2024/25 (0.050) Release from Suspense 0.860 In Year use of reserves (0.817) Additional Pension Saving 1.051 Earmarked as at 31 March 2025 13.142 CTAX freeze RSG 1.129 Allocation of DHP - RSG 24/25 2.265 Service Reserve Transfer to/from EMR: Allocation to Community Success Revenue Fund (0.250) Allocation to Youth Success Revenue Fund (0.100) Additional Cost of Living (0.105) Service balances carry forward (0.237) Release of Reserves 0.034 Strategic Reserve transfer to/from EMR: Allocation to pension smoothing reserve (10.489) Strategy to rebuild reserves (3.040) Approved use to balance budget - service concession (3.259) Total In Year Movements 1.607 Forecast Service Outturn for 2024/25 as at 31 August 2024 (2.066) Forecast unallocated Balance as at 31 March 2025 3.959 Prudential Target (3%) 5.400 Forecast unallocated Balance Above/(Below) Prudential Target (1.441) Page 226
Page 227
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 6 MONITORING OF EARMARKED BALANCES 2024/25 BY CHIEF OFFICER DEPARTMENT Amount b/fwd into 24/25 from 23/24 24/25 Transfers in/(Out) Revised 24/25 Estimate 24/25 Probable Outturn 24/25 Temporary Use of Reserves as agreed at Council 6 March 2024 24/25 Rebuild Reserves as agreed at Council June 2024 24/25 to be released To be carried forward into 25/26 £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ RESOURCES 1 Barclay Review Implementation: SG Funding for standardised NDR billing & publication relief recipients 11,187 - 11,187 11,187- - - - - 2 Social Welfare Fund - 66,187 66,187 66,187- - - - - 3 Automation Team (VKY) 26,284 - 26,284 26,284- - - - - REGULATORY & REGENERATION 4 Zero carbon (carried forward from 20/21) 38,000 - 38,000 - - - - 38,000 5 Previous provision for equal pay/holiday pay 209,859 - 209,859 - - - 209,859 6 Regulatory - Econ Development- Business Awards 2,420 - 2,420 - - - - 2,420 7 Regulatory - Underspend in 'design panel' budget for IDOX upgrade (new 23/24) - 15,000 15,000 15,000- - - - - PEOPLE & TECHNOLOGY 8 OD & Change Training Budget (new 23/24) - 34,500 34,500 34,500- - - - - CITIZENS, CULTURE & FACILITIES 9 Library Improvement Fund 12,500 - 12,500 - - - - 12,500 10 Community focused activity programme in Alexandria Library 6,000 - 6,000 3,000- - - - 3,000 11 Events Income & spend-Comms & Marketing 1,000 - 1,000 - - - - 1,000 12 Be the best unspent monies (Good Idea Fund) 4,743 4,743- - - - - - 13 Community Success Revenue Fund - 250,000 250,000 82,000- - - - 168,000 14 Youth Success Revenue Fund - 100,000 100,000 100,000- - - - - EDUCATION 15 Education recovery (ELT) 29,834 - 29,834 - - - - 29,834 16 Holiday Hunger 3,885 100,000 103,885 77,000- - - - 26,885 17 Probationers 474,000 - 474,000 - - - - 474,000 18 Whole Family Wellbeing Funding 216,941 - 216,941 - - - - 216,941 19 Ending Core curriculum charges 129,000 - 129,000 - - - - 129,000 20 Removal of music instruction fees 30,000 - 30,000 - - - - 30,000 HOUSING & EMPLOYABILITY 21 Parental Employee Support Fund Boost 12,818 12,818- - - - - - - 22 Communities - Comm Empowerment budget 15,000 15,000- - - - - - - 23 Housing green growth redetermination 26,000 - 26,000 - - - - 26,000 24 Modern Apprentice 23/24 underspend 126,289 - 126,289 126,289- - - - - 25 Ukraine Refugee Resettlement Teams 499,255 - 499,255 - - - 499,255 26 CCTV Network Upgrade - 21,000 21,000 21,000- - - - - CHANGE FUND 27 Direct debit functionality 1,557 1,557- - - - - - - COST OF LIVING 28 Cost of Living b/fwd -Committed 1,322,929 5,000 1,327,929 - - - - 1,327,929 29 Cost of Living b/fwd - UnCommitted 174,599 100,000 274,599 - - - 274,599 TOTAL USE OF SERVICE RESERVES 3,374,100 657,569 4,031,669 - 562,447 - - - 3,469,222 STRATEGIC RESERVES 30 Voluntary Redundancy & Early Retirement Reserve 3,350,000 - 3,350,000 637,000- 3,077,000- 3,040,000 2,676,000 31 Smoothing Fund 2,391,000 - 2,391,000 551,000- - - - 1,840,000 32 23/24 In year reduction in Strathclyde Pension Fund Employer Contribution - 10,489,000 10,489,000 5,332,000- - - 5,157,000 TOTAL USE OF STRATEGIC RESERVES 5,741,000 10,489,000 16,230,000 - 6,520,000 - 3,077,000 3,040,000 - 9,673,000 TOTAL USE OF EARMARKED RESERVES 9,115,100 11,146,569 20,261,669 - 7,082,447 - 3,077,000 3,040,000 - 13,142,222 Page 227
Page 228
Page 228
Page 229
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer – Resources Council 30 October 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: General Services Capital Budgetary Control Report 2024/25 to Period 5 (31 August 2024) 1. Purpose 1.1 This report provides an update on the General Services capital financial performance to 31 August 2024. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Committee is asked to: i) Note the current position of the 2024/25 General Services capital budget. ii) Approve £0.231m of additional capital budget for the Posties Park project. iii) Approve the revised completion dates detailed in appendix 3. iv) Note an in-year variance of (£0.644m) due to £1.625m reprofiling and £0.231m additional budget. 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 was £76.757m for 2024/25 and £318.357m for the project life budget. 3.2 Since then budget adjustments have taken place which result in a revised General Services capital budget as set out in Exhibit 1. Exhibit 1: Revised Capital Budget 2024/25 (£m) Project Life (£m) Capital Budget Agreed 6 March 2024 76.757 318.357 Capital Projects Removed as per P3 Report (0.09) (5.202) Reprofiling Agreed at P3 (15.786) 0 Reprofiling amendments from P3 to P5 0.168 0 Add Res7 Community Capital Fund 0.150 0.150 ITEM 15 Page 229
Page 230
Add Res8 Community Sports Success Capital Fund 0.250 0.250 Added RR 13 Clyde Mission Catalyst Fund 1.197 2.000 Developers Contributions for Clydebank Can on the Canal 0 0.050 New Scottish Government Funding – Nature Restoration 0.034 0.034 New Scottish Government Funding – Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets 0.389 0.389 Add RR14 Securing site to make safe AT 3 Castlegate Avenue 0.007 0.007 Reduction in Future Years Funding- RR 8 Place Based Investment 0 (0.943) Add R&N 33 Creation of three new all-weather pitches at Argyll Park, Post ies Park and Mountblow playing fields. 0.500 2.250 Revised Capital Budget as at Period 5 63.657 317.342 4. Main Issues 4.1 Progress against the 2024/25 capital plan is detailed in: Appendix 1 – Project Life Summary by Chief Officer Appendix 2 – Off Track Projects Appendix 3 – Changes to Capital Plan for Noting Appendix 4 – All Approved Projects 4.2 The overall programme summary report at Appendix 1 shows that planned expenditure is higher than the budget agreed by £0.231m (0.07% of budget) due to an anticipated overspend due to Posties Park Project. 4.3 Appendix 2 highlights two projects currently showing as off-track. One due to additional budget required (Posties Park) however we will explore the possibility of recovering the additional costs which, if successful, will remove or reduce the need for additional prudential borrowing. The other project (Heritage Fund) is due to revised completion dates. 4.4 Appendix 3 highlights four projects where the project expenditure requires to be reprofiled but there is no need for additional budget. 4.5 Appendix 4 shows all projects with approved in year and project life budgets as well as anticipated expenditure. It highlights that the 2024/25 budget is £63.657m with current forecast spend of £63.013m, a variance of (£0.644m), of which £1.625m related projects require reprofiling. The spend as at period 5 is £16.439m (26.09%) of the current forecast spend of £63.013m. 4.6 Changes to the capital plan already included in the summarised plan in appendix 4 is: Page 230
Page 231
• Faifley Campus Project previous included within Education Services has moved to Resources. • Creation of 3 New All-Weather Pitches at Argyll Park and Mountblow playing fields has been added to the capital plan (R&N33). The project was agreed by council in March 2024 as a spend to save project. 5. Option Appraisal 5.1 No option appraisal was required for this report. 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. Page 231
Page 232
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: 30 October 2024 Person to Contact: Jackie Thomson Council Offices, Church Street, Dumbarton E-mail: jackie.nicolthomson@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 - Project Life Summary Appendix 2- Off Track Projects Appendix 3 - Reprofiling and Acceleration of Projects Appendix 4 - Details of all Projects. Background Papers: General Services Capital Plan Update - Council 6 March 2024 Capital Monitoring Report – Council 28 August 2024 Wards Affected All Wards Page 232
Page 233
Period 5 - 31 August 2024 Appendix 1 Summary Project Life Budget Project Life Forecast Spend Project Life Variance On Track/Complete Off Track £'000 £'000 £'000 Resources 87,267 87,267 - 13 0 Citizen, Cultural and Facilities 2,912 2,912 - 1 1 Regulatory and Regeneration 57,277 57,277 - 14 0 Roads and Neighbourhoods 126,399 126,630 231 32 1 Education 24,014 24,014 - 3 0 HSCP 9,331 9,331 - 3 0 People and Transformation 10,141 10,141 - 4 0 Total 317,342 317,573 231 70 2 Page 233
Page 234
Projects that are Off Track as at Period 5 - 31 August 2024 Appendix 2 Service Project Approved Project Life Cost Revised Project Life Cost Project Life Variance Initial Completion Date Revised Completion Date £'000 £'000 £'000 CCF2 Heritage Capital Fund 2,491 2,491 - 30/03/2024 31/03/2026 R&N17 Posties Park 6,021 6,252 231 31/03/2022 29/11/2025 Project Name: Heritage Fund - CCF 2 Project Manager: Michelle Lynn Initial Completion End Date: 30/09/2024 Revised End Date: 31/03/2026 How was this project initially funded: Please Detail any additional funding Prudential Borrowing n/a Why is the project classified as off track and what has caused the issues identified? This project was delayed due to installation od new district heating system and water ingress. Physical completion of project by March 2025 with financial completion due to retentions by March 2026. What action will be taken to rectify the position? n/a New Completion Date: 31/03/2026 What are the implications on the actions proposed? Revenue Implications n/a Virement Implications n/a Source of Funding Page 234
Page 235
Projects that are Off Track as at Period 5 - 31 August 2024 Appendix 2 Project Name: Posties Park R&N17 Project Manager: Gail McFarlane Initial Completion End Date: 31/03/2022 Revised End Date: 29/11/2025 How was this project initially funded: Please Detail any additional funding Council Capital Funding/ Prudential Borrowing n/a Why is the project classified as off track and what has caused the issues identified? What action will be taken to rectify the position? Prudential Borrowing New Completion Date: 29/11/2025 What are the implications on the actions proposed? Revenue Implications £161,561 over 25 years - £6,462 per annum Virement Implications n/a Source of Funding Significant challenges including COVID and construction issues. Project has now reached practical completion. Remedial actions are underway to allow Building Standards to sign off Completion Certificate. We will explore the possibility of recovering the additional costs and if that is successful then there will be no need for the additional prudential borrowing. Practical completion will be November 2024 with financial completion due to retentions by November 2025. Page 235
Page 236
Changes to Capital Plan and Implications Appendix 3 RR12 Project - RR12 Current Year 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28 Future Years Total Capital Plan District Heating 1,500,000 5,000,000 3,595,000 1,009,000 - 11,104 District Heating - Revised 250,000 5,000,000 3,595,000 2,259,000 11,104 Explanation RN Project - RN 16 Current Year 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28 Future Years Total Capital Plan Vehicle Replacement 2,865 1,939 1,040 1,040 5,335 12,219 Vehicle Replacement - Revised 3,065 1,939 1,040 1,040 5,135 12,219 Explanation The West College Scotland Clydebank Campus district heating connection is not likely to commence before the summer break in 2025, to avoid disruption of teaching. The Golden Jubilee is still in the negotiation stage so even if agreement and approval can be reached in the next 3 months the spending is not going to be very substantial. The acceleration of budget will facilitate the purchase of vehicles required by services due to age of vehicles and to reduce reliance on hire vehicles therefore reducing revenue implications. Page 236
Page 237
Changes to Capital Plan and Implications Appendix 3 HSCP Project - HSCP 1 Current Year 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28 Future Years Total Capital Plan Aids & Adaptations - Special Needs Adaptations & Equipment - Original 629 767 767 767 3835 6,765 Aids & Adaptations - Special Needs Adaptations & Equipment - Revised 867 767 767 767 3597 6,765 Explanation P&T Current Year 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28 Future Years Total Capital Plan ICT Modernisation HSCP - Original 125 397 397 125 625 1,668 ICT Modernisation HSCP - Revised 63 459 397 125 625 1,668 Explanation The aids and adaptations budget in 2023/24 was insufficient resulting in an overspend of £0.115m at the end of the financial year which has been reduced from the initial approved 2024/25 budget. We require the 2024/25 budget to be profiled from future years to the projected outturn level and future years budgets to be increased accordingly. The increase in the budget is required due to the numbers of clients requiring aids and adaptations of a capital nature, the increasing cost of OT recharges to The Digital Strategy was approved at the HSCP Board Meeting on 20 August. Spend plans have still to be agreed but will be clearer once prioritisation planning meeting has taken place. Some of the focus will be internal around framework to support digital skills development. It is likely that spend will be incurred towards the latter part 2024/25. Page 237
Page 238
All Approved Projects at Period 5 - 31 August 2024 Appendix 4 Service Project Initial End Date Revised End Date 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 RES 1 Valuation Joint Board - Requisition of ICT Equipment 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 25 6 12 13 25 - 11 6 11 - RES 2 Cash Receipting system enhancements 30/09/2023 31/03/2025 30 5 5 25 30 - 25 - 25 - RES 4 Agresso Development 30/04/2024 30/09/2024 102 62 82 20 102 - 40 20 40 - RES 5 Cost of Living 31/03/2026 31/03/2026 1,002 502 583 419 1,002 - 250 81 250 - RES 6 IFRS 16 Database 31/03/2023 31/03/2025 5 - - 5 5 - 5 - 5 - RES 7 Community Success Capital Fund 31/03/2025 150 - - 150 150 - 150 - 150 - RES 8 Community Sports Success 31/03/2025 250 - 10 240 250 - 250 10 250 - RES 9 Strathleven Place (formerly part of Glencairn House project) 31/03/2024 31/03/2025 1,590 - - 1,590 1,590 - 1,590 - 1,590 - RES 10 New Sports Changing Facility Dumbarton West (Old OLSP site) 31/03/2024 31/03/2025 349 9 9 340 349 - 340 - 340 - RES 11 Building Upgrades and H&S - lifecycle & reactive building upgrades 31/03/2025 31/03/2033 25,370 - 479 24,891 25,370 - 3,122 479 3,122 - RES 12 Direct Project Support 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 14,274 - 52 14,222 14,274 - 1,586 52 1,586 - RES 13 Depot Rationalisation 01/04/2025 31/03/2025 8,500 649 966 7,534 8,500 - 500 317 500 - EDUC 3 Schools Estate Improvement Plan - next Phase - Faifley Campus 31/03/2027 31/03/2027 35,620 2,450 9,437 26,183 35,620 15,181 6,987 15,181 Total Resources 87,267 3,683 11,635 75,632 87,267 - 23,050 7,952 23,050 - CCF 1 Heritage Capital Fund 31/03/2024 31/03/2026 2,491 2,234 2,288 203 2,491 - 257 54 257 - CCF 2 Transformation of Infrastructure Libraries and Museums 31/03/2024 31/03/2025 421 326 366 55 421 - 95 40 95 - Total CCCF 2,912 2,560 2,654 259 2,912 - 353 94 353 - - RR 1 Legal Case Management System 31/03/2024 31/03/2026 33 - - 33 33 - - - - - RR 2 Re -imagine Antonine Wall 31/03/2024 31/03/2025 25 15 15 10 25 - 15 - 15 - RR 3 Installation of Solar PV at Clydebank Leisure Centre 31/03/2023 31/03/2025 61 4 4 57 61 - 57 - 57 - RR 4 Replace failed heating controls/valves & recommission 31/03/2023 31/03/2025 20 14 20 0- 20 - 6 6 6 - RR 5 Leisure Energy projects - air handling units, upgrade lighting, circulating pumps, and draught proofing 31/03/2023 31/03/2025 290 64 64 226 290 - 226 - 226 - RR 6 Regeneration/Local Economic Development 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 7,922 5,991 6,063 1,859 7,922 - 1,100 72 1,100 - RR 7 Regeneration Fund 31/03/2024 31/03/2028 10,931 7,107 7,180 3,751 10,931 - 615 73 615 - RR 8 Place Based Investment 31/03/2023 31/03/2027 1,708 1,398 1,401 307 1,708 - 310 3 310 - RR 9 Clydebank Can on the Canal 31/12/2022 31/12/2025 757 40 40 717 757 - 717 - 717 - RR 10 Level Up Funding 31/03/2025 31/03/2026 22,100 7,553 9,463 12,637 22,100 - 11,959 1,910 11,959 - RR 11 Level Up Capacity Funding 31/03/2023 31/03/2026 320 161 161 159 320 - 161 - 161 - RR 12 District Heating Network Expansion 31/03/2024 31/03/2028 11,104 40- 141 10,963 11,104 - 1,500 182 250 1,250- RR 13 Clyde Mission Catalyst Fund 31/03/2024 31/03/2026 2,000 415 415 1,585 2,000 - 1,197 - 1,197 - RR14 3 Castlegate Avenue - Securing site to make safe 31/03/2025 7 - 6 1 7 - 7 6 7 - Total Regulatory and Regeneration 57,277 22,721 24,972 32,305 57,277 - 17,871 2,251 16,621 1,250- R&N 1 Infrastructure - Roads 31/03/2025 31/03/2033 22,806 - 626 22,180 22,806 - 2,454 626 2,454 - R&N 2 Flood Risk Management 31/03/2025 31/03/2033 2,315 - - 2,315 2,315 - 500 - 500 - R&N 3 Street lighting and associated electrical infrastructure 31/03/2025 31/03/2033 914 - 65 849 914 - 114 65 114 - R&N 4 Flood Prevention 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 500 160 191 309 500 - 339 31 339 - R&N 5 Vehicle Replacement 31/03/2024 31/03/2033 12,219 - 1,987 10,232 12,219 - 2,865 1,987 3,065 200 R&N 6 Auld Street Clydebank - Bond 31/03/2024 31/03/2025 256 214 214 42 256 - 42 - 42 - R&N 7 River bank erosion repair - Levenhowe 31/03/2024 31/03/2025 20 - - 20 20 - 20 - 20 - Full Project Life In Year Page 238
Page 239
All Approved Projects at Period 5 - 31 August 2024 Appendix 4 Service Project Initial End Date Revised End Date 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 Full Project Life In Year R&N 8 Clydebank Charrette, A814 31/03/2022 31/03/2025 4,303 4,215 4,245 58 4,303 - 88 30 88 - R&N 9 Roads Plant 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 80 14 14 66 80 - 66 - 66 - R&N 10 A813 Road Improvement Phase 1 31/03/2026 31/03/2027 1,700 1,057 1,366 334 1,700 - 643 309 643 - R&N 11 Pavement Improvements 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 1,000 958 958 42 1,000 - 42 - 42 - R&N 12 Traffic Signal Updates 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 300 274 274 26 300 - 26 - 26 - R&N 13 Gruggies Burn Flood Prevention 31/03/2024 31/03/2028 15,028 576 753 14,275 15,028 - 550 177 550 - R&N 14 Electrical Charging Points - Rapid Charge 31/03/2023 31/03/2025 314 299 305 9 314 - 15 6 15 - R&N 15 River Leven Flood Prevention Scheme 31/03/2024 31/03/2026 801 181 181 620 801 - - - - - R&N 16 Vehicle Replacement Strategy 31/03/2025 31/03/2033 1,400 - - 1,400 1,400 - 1,400 - 1,400 - R&N 17 Posties Park Sports Hub - New sports hub to include Gym & running track 31/03/2022 29/11/2025 6,021 5,878 6,252 - 6,252 231 143 374 374 231 R&N 18 Public non-adopted paths and roads 31/03/2024 31/03/2033 2,419 - - 2,419 2,419 - 619 - 619 - R&N 19 Cemetery Extension, North Dalnotter 31/03/2024 31/03/2025 264 14 14 250 264 - 250 - 250 - R&N 20 Vale of Leven Cemetery 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 801 741 801 0- 801 - 60 60 60 - R&N 21 Allotment Development 31/03/2024 30/09/2024 492 215 341 151 492 - 150 126 150 - R&N 22 Waste Transfer Station 31/03/2024 31/03/2026 1,980 - 41 1,939 1,980 - 200 41 200 - R&N 23 Play Area Upgrade Programme 31/03/2028 31/03/2033 1,399 149 376 1,023 1,399 - 417 227 417 - R&N 24 Nature Restoration Fund 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 608 574 641 33- 608 - 34 68 34 - R&N 25 Whitecrook Tennis Court 31/03/2024 31/03/2024 59 44 45 14 59 - 15 1 15 - R&N 26 East End Park Resurfacing 31/03/2024 31/03/2025 385 6 6 379 385 - 379 - 379 - R&N 27 Park Improvements and Multi Games Area - Goldenhill Park 31/03/2024 31/03/2025 150 - - 150 150 - 150 - 150 - R&N 28 Balloch Mountain Bike Track 30/11/2023 30/09/2024 600 - - 600 600 - 600 - 600 - R&N 29 Pappert 2G Pitch 31/03/2024 31/03/2025 250 8 8 242 250 - 242 - 242 - R&N 30 Kilmaronock Cemetery Extension 31/03/2023 31/03/2025 50 45 45 5 50 - 13 - 13 - R&N 31 Exxon City Deal 31/03/2027 31/03/2028 44,325 6,235 7,699 36,626 44,325 - 2,500 1,464 2,500 - R&N 32 Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 389 - 15 374 389 - 389 15 389 - R&N 33 Creation of 3 new all weather pitches at Argyll Park, Posties Park and Mountblow playing fields. 31/03/2026 2,250 - 20 2,230 2,250 - 500 20 500 - Total Roads and Neighbourhood 126,399 21,860 27,488 99,142 126,630 231 15,823 5,628 16,254 431 Educ 1 AV Equipment - Education 31/03/2030 859 292 324 535 859 - 60 32 60 - Educ 2 Digital Inclusion 31/03/2023 31/03/2025 356 324 324 32 356 - 32 - 32 - Educ 4 Schools Estate Improvement Plan 31/03/2025 22,799 18,734 18,817 3,982 22,799 - 4,065 83 4,065 - Total Education 24,014 19,350 19,465 4,550 24,014 - 4,157 115 4,157 - HSCP 1 Special Needs - Aids & Adaptations for HSCP clients 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 6,765 1,888 1,990 4,775 6,765 - 629 102 867 238 HSCP 2 ICT Modernisation HSCP 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 1,668 40 47 1,621 1,668 - 125 7 62 63- HSCP 3 Community Alarm upgrade 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 897 27 41 856 897 - 155 15 155 - Total HSCP 9,331 1,955 2,078 7,253 9,331 - 909 123 1,084 175 - P&T 1 ICT Modernisation 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 4,718 - 125 4,593 4,718 - 482 125 482 - P&T 2 ICT Security & DR 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 4,143 - 104 4,039 4,143 - 642 104 642 - P&T 3 365 Implementation 30/09/2023 31/03/2026 983 418 466 517 983 - 325 48 325 - P&T 4 Development of Workforce Management System 31/03/2030 31/03/2030 298 - - 298 298 - 46 - 46 - Total P&T 10,141 418 695 9,447 10,141 - 1,494 276 1,494 - Overall Total 317,342 72,547 88,986 228,587 317,573 231 63,657 16,439 63,013 644.0- Page 239
Page 240
Page 240
Page 241
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture & Facilities West Dunbartonshire Council: 30 October 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Budget Conversation 2025/26 - Engagement Results 1. Purpose 1.1 This report provides an overview of the key results and feedback from the recent Budget Conversation 2025/26 engagement. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that Council notes the results and feedback from early citizen consultation on broad service areas and delivery priorities as part of the 2025/26 budget setting process. 3. Background 3.1 Over the last 10 years the Council has refined and adapted its budget consultation model. The approach has included both option-based and priority -based consultation models and incorporated online tools, focus groups, in- person events with live voting and more specific engagement with representative groups from across the community. 3.2 The last Budget Conversation exercise was undertaken online in August 2023 to inform the 24/25 budget setting process. The priority-based approach did not focus on individual savings options, instead asking residents for their views about which services were most important to them. 4. Main Issues 4.1 The same priority-based approach was agreed for the 2025/26 Budget Conversation and early engagement was undertaken with citizens over eight weeks between April and June 2024. The online budget conversation generated detailed information on which activities were more or less of a priority to the respondents. 4.2 The engagement also sought feedback on any areas of service where respondents felt savings should be targeted and any services they felt should be protected as well as seeking views on wider service delivery options such as increasing fees/charging or reducing service standards. Methodology 4.3 As in previous years, to ensure broad coverage, the budget engagement targeted the views of residents and employees in a range of ways to improve ITEM 16 Page 241
Page 242
accessibility and participation in the process. The primary method was to invite residents, employees and wider stakeholders to express their views on the priority of a range of services through an online survey. This online survey was open from 15 April – 10 June 2024. The survey was promoted through the Council website, in local media and on Council social media channels regularly during the live period. The consultation was also highlighted to employees via the intranet and a workforce email, Citizens Panel members, and community contacts for wider dissemination. A dedicated Web page was created to provide detailed information around the Council budgets. 4.4 As with previous consultation exercises, all Council libraries and Working4U learning teams offered support to any resident who required assistance to access and complete the form online. The Budget Conversation was also promoted at a range of facilities including libraries and community centres with paper copies of the survey available at these locations. 4.5 To supplement the online consultation, six focus group sessions took place with a range of representatives from local community organisations, within Dumbarton, Alexandria and Clydebank as well as with the West Dunbartonshire Equality Forum, West Dunbartonshire Youth Council and the Trade Unions. Sessions were offered at varying times of the day and evening to ensure as wide a range of participation as possible. Community groups were proactively contacted by email and encouraged to send a representative to any of the sessions. Social media engagement 4.6 Alongside the high number of responses received to the consultation there has also been debate and discussion on the Council’s social media accounts, with many people commenting and sharing information. On the Council’s Facebook page alone the various posts regarding budget consultation have reached just over 68k people, with over 556 shares, likes and comments and approximately 448 post clicks. Engagement 4.7 The online method of consultation engaged a broad range of stakeholders across West Dunbartonshire with 685 people completing the prioritisation and investment questions in the survey. The 2024 survey response equates to approximately 94 responses per 10,000 adult population or 0.94% of the adult population (16 years +). Industry standards say this represents a response level with a small statistical margin of error; this means that we can be confident that the results would be repeated with a similar sample of respondents. Though the sample was self-selecting, and this can skew results, responses were sufficient from different population groups to allow any major variations between groups to be gauged. 4.8 The majority of those who responded to the online consultation identified themselves as living in West Dunbartonshire (89%), a further 4% of respondents stated they were business owners within the area, 11% stated Page 242
Page 243
they were part of a community organisation and 31% stated they were parents or carers of school age children in West Dunbartonshire, while 43% stated they were employed in West Dunbartonshire. 4.9 Based on the responses provided by those who took part in the online survey, a relative ranking of all key statements has been compiled and arranged by strategic priority area. This ranking, shown in Appendix 1, is based on ranking each statement with one being the highest. As can be seen from the tables in Appendix 1, the following were ranked as the top priorities: Online survey top ranked responses Priority 1: Our communities Community safety including CCTV and response to anti-social behaviour and noise complaints Maintaining operating hours/access at current levels for library and cultural services Maintaining sufficient staff numbers to support children and families within Education services Support for children and adults who require to be protected and are at risk of harm Priority 2: Our Environment Investment is focused on refuse collection and recycling facilities Investment is focused on road maintenance and lighting, including (potholes, road markings and signage) Priority 3: Our Economy Regeneration of town centres and neighbourhoods Focus investment in areas with the highest child poverty rates Priority 4: Our Council Maintaining the number and location of public buildings including offices, depots, libraries and community facilities 4.10 Respondents were asked to provide any relevant comments on each priority area as well as to specify a service area for investment or disinvestment. A summary of the main comments is included in the findings in Appendix 1. In the main, comments focus on a desire for the Council to ceases making service cuts (particularly in areas such as health, education, road and environmental improvements) and a feeling of a general decline in the appearance of the area. 4.11 Of the six focus groups, one was held for discussion with Trade Unions, and five others were targeted sessions held for community organisations. These were 90-minute sessions taking place in Clydebank, Alexandria, Dumbarton Page 243
Page 244
and online with over 200 organisations contacted to take part. In total, 30 representatives attended these focused discussion sessions, drawn from community organisations representing Community Councils, Scottish Youth Parliament, citizen’s advocacy groups and those representing young people, carers, environmental issues, and mental health. . 4.12 The focus group discussions centred on the impact savings options may have on the community, suggestions for areas where improvements to service delivery could be made. Focus group summary responses Priority 1: Our communities Community safety was important with good lighting, well-kept roads and pavements noted as key priority areas. Accessibility needs to be considered in all developments at the start (e.g. drop pavements for wheelchair users, and prams); Young people, in particular, felt it was unsafe to travel on public transport due to harassment. Strengthening community networks; creating opportunities for community groups to explore for example, sharing of resources, joint funding bids, signposting to services and wider understanding of other groups that are operating in the area. Partnership with WD Community Planning and WDCVS could be improved or utilised more, felt there was a lot of silo working. Recent Child Poverty Conference was seen as a positive step for all agencies to be involved in the conversation and solutions and felt similar events to prevent silo working would be useful and would support grassroot connections. Strategic/Community partners felt that when budget decisions were made, no clear consideration was given to the contribution that community partners and community groups have in the delivery of support to the wider community, particularly in relation to health and well-being benefits and tackling social isolation. They expressed concern about the impact on Council services if community partners are no longer financially able to operate or offer the same level of support. In addition, they felt cuts to Council services resulted in increased demand for support from Strategic/Community partners to support vulnerable people. Strategic/Community partners felt the budget process does not consider the cumulative impact that funding cuts have to Strategic/Community partners. Funding from the Council provided Community partners with leverage to attract further funding, as often grants are based on match funding, therefore cuts from Council can result in further cuts from other grant bodies. Strategic/Community partners felt they had no opportunity to influence budget setting process. Felt that it was a lot to ask community to take on a community asset with little or no support. If the direction was for community facilities to be managed by the community, then increased support with Asset Transfers in relation to Page 244
Page 245
areas such as managing of lease holding, managing upgrade/repairs and sourcing/securing external funding would be welcome. Groups felt that, with the obvious challenges of balancing the budget, both over the last few years and for the next few anticipated years to come, there was an opportunity for real Community Development to happen to mitigate some of these challenges, although felt that the Council was not engaging and involving community groups enough to let that happen. Priority 2: Our Environment Groups felt West Dunbartonshire was a good place to live and that in conjunction with the community it could be improved. They said simple solutions could be implemented to improve the environmental appearance and promote sustainability and the Council should listen to community opinions around these. Ideas such as improved cycling routes and better maintained recycling facilities were noted. Community gardens, vegetable plots in Faifley and the community orchard in Drumry were noted as good examples of working well within the community and involving young people – they would like to see more of this. Double parking and pavement parking was noted as a problem in community areas which prevented people with mobility issues getting out and about safely with confidence. Levengrove park was highlighted by multiple groups including young people, as an area where they could see improvement and pride in the area. It was noted that the park looked well-kept and well used. General appearance of the area looked unkempt making the area look run down. Noted the housing improvements within the area, particularly in relation to new build housing and generally felt they were welcome; some concern about changing the heritage look of some areas with over concentration of new builds. Improved environmental impact assessments would ensure better decisions were being made. Felt that some decisions were not taken with the community in mind and without proper consultation to understand the impacts it would have to the local environment in terms of appearance, to the local area and businesses. Priority 3: Our Economy Improved local tourism across the authority was noted as an area that could be improved upon to help generate money into the area. Suggested the council need a dedicated anti-poverty strategy rather than just a report as they felt this would help shape budget decisions. No clear strategy for Town planning resulting in a lack of diversity of businesses on high streets. The Community felt that there is an abundance of supermarkets in the area however would like to see a wider variety of local businesses operating. A general consensus across the authority was that in relation to smaller businesses, these were mainly dominated by barber shops or fast-food Page 245
Page 246
outlets; the latter of which tended to operate more in the evenings thereby leaving the town centre shops closed during the day resulting in the town centres lacking any appeal. Thought introducing conservation areas or business improvement districts in town centres could help manage the types and variety of businesses in the area as well as improving the overall look of the area. The shop local approach that was fostered out of necessity during the pandemic has been eroded and the Community would like to see that restored. Felt the Council could do more to attract and support local businesses opening in the area through preferential rates to stimulate interest in the area. Lack of social/leisure activities (not sport related) across the authority. General behaviour is for people to leave the authority area for activities such as shopping (not grocerices), cinema, eating out or music events etc. This was noted for all age groups, however younger people felt there was really nothing to keep them in the area. Young people noted traveling out with the authority as a barrier due to cost, curfews, distance and lack of reliable public transport. Priority 4: Our Council Community groups would benefit from having a single point of contact in Council for dealing with queries. Develop cost benefit analysis of proposed cuts as Strategic partners rely on funding to support vulnerable people and retain service. More communication on Council achievements and initiatives, groups noted it could be difficult to know what’s going on. Current methods of communication with young people are a bit dated, need to explore alternative avenues for communication with young people, although it was recognised that it wasn’t that straightforward, and no clear ideas/ solutions were provided by participants. Felt that community links could be improved. Community Councils were under -utilised as a way of getting information out to communities and information into the Council from communities. Centralise services where possible with other Local Authorities to share expertise in key areas and reduce cost on Council. Felt communication within the Council itself could be improved; seems like departments don’t talk to each other or take a joined-up approach. Felt there was a lack of transparency from the Council around decision making including the budget. Felt that there was no long-term vision regarding the Council budget and instead was looked at in a fragmented fashion; services need to have joint approach towards budget process. Felt the Council could demonstrate better value for money for public work/repairs. Young people were supportive of a dedicated young person’s Citizens Panel as a means of participation. Page 246
Page 247
5. People Implications 5.1 There are no people implications associated with this report. 6. Financial and Procurement Implications 6.1 There are no financial and procurement implications associated with this report although the information within will contribute to the 25/26 budget setting process. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 A number of risks were identified in relation to this activity: It is important for Council to demonstrate public opinion has been considered. In circumstances where Council proposes to change service provision or reduce budget levels for a specific service, there is an underpinning reputational risk. This risk is mitigated by undertaking public consultation, ensuring the widest number possible of residents had an opportunity to express their views. There is a risk the sample size is not seen as representative of the views of West Dunbartonshire residents. However, as detailed in 4.7 above the sample size means that we can be confident that the results would be repeated with a similar sample of respondents. Appendix 1 shows a breakdown of respondent information. There is a risk this largely online survey was not accessible to a number of residents in West Dunbartonshire, and they were therefore excluded from participating and having their views heard. This was mitigated by the provision of support through libraries and digital teams and also the four focus group events across a range of days, times and venues to ensure accessibility. There is a risk that officers do not take account of this public feedback when generating their savings proposals for Councillors to consider. Results and responses have been considered by the strategic leadership group and will also be considered by full Council. There is a risk that too much emphasis is placed on the findings of the focus groups which represent a very small number of those who participated. However, the focus group discussion did not require participants to rank the services. Instead, it focused on discussion on the risks and potential impacts of savings decisions. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 To ensure the process was accessible to the widest range of stakeholders each element was planned to ensure maximum coverage and accessibility for residents. All venues were assessed for suitable access and facilities and additional support was made available on request to ensure it was specific to the requirements of the individual. Focus groups were carried out in different venues and at different times to ensure they were as accessible as possible to residents, based on feedback from previous consultation and engagement activity. An EIA is attached as Appendix 2. Page 247
Page 248
9. Consultation 9.1 This report has been shared for consultation with Legal, Finance and Procurement as well as members of the Corporate Management Team. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 The outcomes of the priority focused consultation process will support decision making across each of the Council’s strategic priorities. Specifically, this consultation activity supports delivery of the strategic priority 4 and underlying objectives: Our Council - Inclusive and Adaptable o Our residents are engaged and empowered o Our Council is adaptable and focused on delivering best value for our residents Amanda Graham Chief Officer – Citizens, Culture and Facilities 01 October 2024 Person to Contact: Nicola Docherty Performance & Strategy Team Leader Nicola.docherty@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 - Budget Consultation summary responses Appendix 2 - EIA (997) Background Papers: None Wards Affected: All Page 248
Page 249
CONFIDENTIAL Budget Conversation 2025/26 - Resident Survey results The 2025/26 budget conversation resident survey was carried out between, 15 April – 10 June. Overall, 685 responses were gathered, of that: Post code No & % of respondents Tenure No. & % of respondents G13 4 0.6% Homeowner 532 78% G14 4 0.6% Social tenant 97 14% G60 35 56% Private tenant 33 5% G63 4 0.6% Live with parents/carers 18 3% G81 179 26% Other 5 1% G82 227 33% G83 168 25% Residency No. & % of respondents Resident 611 89% Employee 296 43% Business owner 28 4% Community organisation 77 11% Parent/carer of school age children 209 31% APPENDIX 1 Page 249
Page 250
CONFIDENTIAL Strategic Priority 1: Our Communities Q1. Thinking about your community and neighbourhood, please rank in order of importance what is most important to you (1 = most important) Rank position Ave. score 1 3.63 Community safety including CCTV and response to anti-social behaviour and noise complaints 2 3.27 Funding Strategic Partners such as community organisations supporting areas such as young people and the environment 3 3.23 Youth Work and practical support for community groups 4 2.88 Supporting community led initiatives and creating opportunities for residents to get more involved in their community and/or Council decision making 5 1.99 Funding for community events (such as firework displays and pipe band championships) Q2. Thinking about Libraries and Arts & Heritage, please rank in order of importance what is most important to you (1 = most important) Rank position Ave. score 1 3.25 Maintaining operating hours/access at current levels 2 3.23 Investment in community events (i.e. book bug, wellbeing sessions, art and heritage classes, exhibitions) 3 2.89 Investment to maintain buildings even if this means there are less of them 4 2.88 Investment in physical amenities (i.e. reading materials) 5 2.74 Investment in digital services and equipment (online reading materials, heritage collections including family history and computers/devices) Q3. Thinking about Education services, please rank in order of importance what is most important to you (1 = most important) Rank position Ave. score 1 4.02 Maintaining sufficient staff numbers to support children and families 2 3.6 Support for learning such as Learning Assistants, Support Teachers 3 2.9 Support for provision such as early start clubs, music tuition, supported study, Easter and summer schools Page 250
Page 251
CONFIDENTIAL Q4. Thinking about community services delivered by our Health and Social Care Partnership such as social work, home care and care homes, please rank in order of importance what is most important to you (1 = most important) Rank position Ave. score 1 3.79 Support for children and adults who require to be protected and are at risk of harm 2 3.38 Support for older people within their own home or within a homely setting to enable them to be well cared for and remain independent for as long as possible 3 2.95 Support for children and adults with a disability to enable them to be supported in the community with family or to live independently 4 2.66 Support for children and young people to help them be supported with family in their communities and provide alternative care such as fostering if required 5 2.22 Support for people with mental health and or addictions to help them recover and live independent lives Q5. Do you have any further comments about how we invest in services to support our communities? Overall, 145 comments These are the type of services that really are the backbone of a fair society and if you cut them, you do lose any remaining community spirit. Try to listen more to the community and to get agencies/groups to work together and share funding rather than having too may doing similar things and can’t do the work properly as far too thin and too limited resources. Invest in other activities to be inclusive to young people that doesn’t have to be football, which seems to take up the majority of school lettings. There’s more need than ever for a CPP approach to Council cuts based on data and not on an equal or fair level of cuts across services. As a council and senior leadership group of managers, it is time to re-evaluate what we need to prioritize for our residents and what will make the difference long term; regardless if this means we see some service areas cut more than others. Early intervention with a view that support to children and young people and families , as early in their lives as possible will make a difference and help with future challenges. SMN should be focusing on this. There’s not enough focus on investment in the area to bring in visitors and or financial spend. Paisley is a great local example to events across their area which bring investment, visitors 4 2.87 Supplies and materials to support learning and teaching 5 1.62 Maintaining current approach to subject choices offered in secondary schools Page 251
Page 252
CONFIDENTIAL and spend to their area (Halloween/Christmas events for example). Derry in Ireland is another; very large scale events focusing on bringing in tourists/buy in of businesses and community cohesion. The most important thing is to retain jobs and frontline services Supporting communities will save money in the future. It would be short sighted to cut community services. Prevention is always the key. If we continue to cut community-based provisions at the earliest stage of intervention, we are just creating bigger and more financially costly problems further down the line. If projects and services are not provided on the ground to our most vulnerable members of the community and investment in our young people as future residents and workers, then we are in real danger of higher service interventions later in life. Money should be spent on services for the community and not on silly things like decorations to help make somewhere look better when nothing has actually changed I feel it extremely important that young people and adults with Disabilities are prioritised. The additional strain on family members is ongoing and impacts on their own lives on a daily basis. The breakdown of this vital care role due to lack of funding, would without doubt lead to families being unable to continue to do this, leading to a greater crisis. Ensure as many consultations as possible are put out to WDC people. These decisions must be driven by their inputs. By using the funds fairly and not wasting funds on things no one wants, Investing in facilities which only few people in the community use (ie golf clubs/bowling clubs) should not be a priority. There should be a greater focus on those facilities and activities which serve the needs of the wider community. Private enterprises for the likes of golf clubs and bowling clubs should be encouraged so these services can be retained but not at the cost of the Council. Strategic Priority 2: Our Environment Q6. Thinking about Waste, cleansing services and tackling climate change, please rank in order of importance what is most important to you (1 = most important) Rank position Ave. score Page 252
Page 253
CONFIDENTIAL 1 4.32 Investment is focused on road maintenance and lighting, including potholes, road markings, signage 2 3.56 Investment is focused on maintaining pathways, pavements and walking routes including footway gritting 3 3.20 Investment is focused on maintaining public parks and recreational areas such as play parks and pitches 4 2.54 Investment is focused on all other ground maintenance including green spaces within housing estates, around public buildings and adjacent to roads and walking routes 5 1.38 Investment is focused on maintenance and running costs for bowling greens and Municipal Golf Course Q7. Thinking about our environment in West Dunbartonshire such as open spaces, parks, roads and walking routes, please rank in order of importance what is most important to you (1 = most important) Rank position Ave. score 1 3.14 Investment is focused on refuse collection and recycling facilities 2 3.01 Investment is focused on the cleanliness of our area including street cleaning and public bins 3 2.09 Investment continues to offset costs of waste and special collections including bulky items, garden and food waste 4 1.76 Investment is focused on climate change solutions including reducing the carbon footprint of Council services through the likes of reducing waste, electrical vehicles, LED lighting and energy efficient buildings Q8. Do you have any further comments about how we invest in services to support our environment? Overall, 117 comments Improve recycling facilities and increase the number of bins to enable an increase in desirable are as which in turn can cut down on antisocial behaviour and in turn help with mental health thanks to people feeling they can go out for walks without feeling at risk. Get the basics right please ie no vanity projects like the Fountain in Alexandria. Fix the pavements, dropped pavements, potholes etc. This would be a great help and start to help our communities, young and old. What about investing in net zero projects? How to lower carbon and other emissions? What about rewilding? Page 253
Page 254
CONFIDENTIAL When looking at maintenance we need to ensure everywhere is accessible to all. West Dunbartonshire is in a very poor state in regard to general maintenance and cleanliness. Leaving the Erskine Bridge the gateway to the Highlands does not present a pretty welcome or picture of Scotland. Think about maximizing income in public spaces by taking advantage of grants for re wilding and planting trees as per private land ownership. The frequency of waste collections should not be reduced. There should be glass recycling collections. The council could lead the way when it comes to the environment, and it would save the council money in the long run. Charities like The Recycle Room have saves 10000s of tons of bulk waste and items going to landfill. Being green should be key to the council and helping its residents should be key. Possibly supplying compost bins to houses who no longer want their brown bin lifted if current plans to charge £60 go ahead. Play parks are a disgrace, investment is needed as this is often all children have that is a free activity. Much more options for recycling required, both household and business, no provision for paper waste in a WDC school and this is to be collected with normal waste. Glass bins at home would be a great move and scrapping the cost of brown bin. Keep the streets clean, increase the number of waste bins in common spaces and employ some rangers to impose on the spot fines for litter louts. Also, how about a widespread muti media promotion to keep our open spaces litter free. On green spaces i.e. grassy bits.... needs a refocus. Forget "meadowing" (i.e. excuse for NOT cutting the grass) and keep the verges tidy - these are the areas which visitors get their first impressions of our towns. I believe it is a priority to maintain cleanliness throughout the area; without it doesn't bear thinking about. Council needs to look at a longer-term solution around these issues. Recent cuts to brown bin collections are a classic short-sighted example which will undoubtedly lead to garden waste going to landfill, when perhaps some education around use of compost bins could have been done to support residents to take up the offer of free compost bins. Everyone understands budget cuts are happening but some thought and planning into mitigating the effects of cuts and perhaps helping citizens see how they can help with environmental issues would be beneficial. By this I do not mean putting up Page 254
Page 255
CONFIDENTIAL some social media posts, make use of green space teams and resources like the volunteers and space at Levengrove to deliver some events for citizens to attend and learn - also offer these at times which are accessible to the full range of your residents. Strategic Priority 3: Our Economy Q9. Thinking about the economy, please rank in order of importance what is most important to you (1 = most important) Rank position Ave. score 1 3.41 Regeneration of town centres and neighbourhoods 2 3.22 Supporting workers into employment 3 3.05 Supporting individuals and families to maximise income and reduce debt 4 2.82 Supporting local businesses (including new businesses) 5 2.50 Supporting residents to access training and learning opportunities Q10. Thinking about the economy, please rank in order of importance what is most important to you (1 = most important) Rank position Ave. score 1 3.35 Focus investment in areas with the highest child poverty rates 2 3.10 Target resources into services that are used by the most people 3 3.08 Target resources at families and individuals who need them most including those on low incomes or who are disadvantaged 4 3.01 Target resources into services that are used by the highest number of people experiencing disadvantage 5 2.46 Target resource and investment in areas with most low- income households Q11. Do you have any further comments about how we invest in services to support our economy? Overall, 69 comments Page 255
Page 256
CONFIDENTIAL There needs to be more visible support across economic regeneration. With the opening of the new bridge between Clydebank and Braehead more should be done to encourage retailers to come into Clydebank and fill the empty lots both in and around Clydebank Shopping Centre. How is the Levelling-Up money being invested? Very little communication with residents. Investment in Housing and the cleaning up the area. Tenants should be responsible for maintaining their gardens etc, instead they are overgrown and used as dumping grounds. Very demoralising for the majority of tenants who take pride in their properties. Secondary schools in the area need to be clearer with their pupils that littering is unacceptable, or the local retailers need to contribute to funding street cleaner s at lunchtime. Business support for our local business communities is important to help local economic growth and create jobs. This needs a balanced outlook; many strategic partners of the council are already working to support disadvantaged families and residents. As such perhaps the council should look at where it can add value to these provisions and provide the most well-rounded support across WDC. Town centre regeneration is great, but this has turned into a PR nightmare for you. Stop spending money from regeneration funds on things which “look nice” and start spending it on things which are useful. Tackling employability can’t just be working with people. Work with business and they will shape the learning opportunities with WDC. Focusing on poverty and getting people out of poverty e.g. thro ugh youth work & community development. If not WDC will pay for this in the future with awful social problems and the feeling uselessness for generations. Stop reducing third sector funding as an easy cut the repercussions are huge and cause more unmet need More opportunities for young people aged 18-25, to help them get in to work or gain qualifications they have missed out on - more work experience opportunities. Training in skills for life e.g. money/ debt management. Parenting support classes for struggling families. More apprenticeship places offered by WDC - WDC could also encourage businesses in the area to do the same. Investment should be made for all residents in West Dunbartonshire - not just those in disadvantaged areas or on low income. There are plenty of children and families who require more services from our authority not just those on low income. Fix the High Street (including our famous "roof gardens". Contact building owners and tell them to tidy up their properties (e.g. repair and redecorate) - if they don't. council should and them bill them Page 256
Page 257
CONFIDENTIAL Creating jobs by regenerating the towns should be a priority, great work in Alexandria Continue to secure external funding to improve the lives of the disadvantaged residents of West Dunbartonshire. If possible, increase the staffing levels to increase the delivery of the service. Aim higher and be ambitious. Consider the incredible heritage and opportunity for tourism and visitors if more creative approaches to community events / sites were considered. Strategic Priority 4: Our Council Q12. Thinking about the Council overall, please rank in order of importance what is most important to you (1 = most important) Rank position Ave. score 1 3.47 Maintain the number and location of public buildings including offices, depots, libraries and community facilities 2 3.17 Maintain current opening hours and service provision for services and buildings 3 2.98 Maintain service delivery even if this means a reduction in standards such as waiting longer for applications to be processed or queries to be answered 4 2.77 Protect services and provisions we aren’t required to provide by law. For example, corporate functions which support delivery of frontline services or support to community organisations 5 2.61 Maintain current level of charges for services (i.e. licences, environmental health) Q13. Would you be prepared to pay more council tax in order to reduce the savings required? Yes 50.07% No 47.88% No response 2.04% Q14. Do you have any further comments about how we invest in services to support the delivery of Council services? Overall, 157 comments Page 257
Page 258
CONFIDENTIAL You are sitting with empty commercial premises that you cannot let due to your pricing structure. Get these places filled with small business who can grow and offer employment opportunities. Reasonable rents will give WDC additional income from many small businesses and help regenerate the area and offer local employment opportunities. Yes, please raise council tax appropriately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do the right thing regardless of votes. Maintain 2 main seats of council in the authority - Clydebank and Dumbarton. Release commercial stock/ burden and profit from land sales. People can work effectively remotely; West Dunbartonshire is a very small well-connected authority. Would pay more tax if it kept jobs. keep current facilities open. very hard to get a hold of someone from WDC at times as no offices etc are open. keep community building open and they need upgraded, money spent within them. encourage more services/WDC services within them. With a river/canal/historical heritage/good road and rail links to cities and countryside, we should be focussing more on building the profile of the area/creating large events alongside business and arts partners to bring in visitors and investment. Whilst I would not support a rise in council tax, I would support rebanding of properties in West Dunbartonshire as many are in higher bands than they should be based on value whilst other are under rated mainly due to the huge increase in buildings since the last banding exercise. We pay more than enough, and the road conditions and pavement conditions are shocking unless we see improvements I would not be happy to pay more than I do already. Supporting Frontline or statutory services can only be done with the support of corporate functions; therefore they are essential. Service delivery should be maintained and if this requires some building to close to fund them then that would be the preferred option. The council tax increase, although protecting services does not enhance services. current services are not always efficient, so it would appear that residents would be paying more for continued inefficiencies. The council should be investing in events which will generate income. Our public spaces are greatly underused. Putting on events, although having an initial cost, would generate much needed income and generally be good for the community. The council needs to learn how to use its cash far more efficiently, this would involve such things as stopping sub-contracting everything possible as it Page 258
Page 259
CONFIDENTIAL ultimately costs more and causes far more significant disruption than if it was under tighter more localised control, also invest more in the general workforce as opposed to giving management over the top wages when they clearly underperform in their roles otherwise there would be no need for financial cutbacks. Reduce the number of council offices as people can work from home. Better to extend timescales than to lose services altogether, encourage more use of online systems to reduce the number of buildings that require in person presence, allowing employees to get on with meaningful work. Please increase council tax and address the funding short fall. Be brave and do the right thing, not worry about votes. Paying more tax won’t improve services provided. The council needs to demonstrate an improvement before I’d support an increase in council tax. Only suitable to increase prices if services are saved. If price increases and services closed anyway then it's not appropriate. More needs done to address the chronic underfunding package received from central government. Cuts cannot keep happening, Councillors need to stronger in dealing with this issue, perhaps adopting a collaborative approach with other LAs. Money being spent needs to be justified. I have no objection to paying a measured increase to my Council Tax as long as the money is being spent in appropriate to the needs to the people in WDC area. Value for money and a linked approach to service wide procurement of goods and services. Q15. Overall, are there any services that you feel should be protected from reductions in budget? Please specify what services these are. Overall, 437 comments. Education Waste Services Working 4U Road maintenance HSCP Greenspace Libraries, Arts & Heritage Supporting vulnerable people Q16. Where would you target spend reductions? Overall, 321 comments Page 259
Page 260
CONFIDENTIAL Staffing costs - managers costs, elected members costs Third party contractors Building rationalisation Non statutory services Services that aren’t used by many people Hospitality Vanity projects Firework events Rationalise council assets Diversity Monitoring Age % response 1.5% 16-24 14% 25-34 22% 35-44 23% 45-54 24% 55-64 13% 65 and over 2% Didn’t say Sex % response 28% Male 68% Female 0.58% Intersex 1.02% I would describe my sex in another way 2% Didn’t say Identify as Transgender % response 0.73% Yes 91.8% No 7.4% Didn’t say Sexual orientation % response 2.63% Bisexual 2.77% Gay or Lesbian 87.3% Heterosexual (straight) 1.6% Other Page 260
Page 261
CONFIDENTIAL 5.69% Didn’t say Religious Belief % response 43% No religion 0.15% Buddhist 48% Christian 0% Hindu 0 % Jewish 0.29% Muslim 0% Sikh 4.38% Other 4.52% Didn’t say Do you consider yourself to have a disability according to the terms given in the Equality Act 2010? The Equality Act 2010 protects disabled people; it defines a person as disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. % response 17% Yes 79% No 4% Didn’t say Ethnicity % response 91% White or white Scottish or white British 2% White Irish 0% White Polish 1% White other 0.15% African or African Scottish or African British 0.15% Arab or Arab Scottish or Arab British 0% Black or Black Scottish or Black British 0% Caribbean or Caribbean Scottish or Caribbean British 0% Chinese or Chinese Scottish or Chinese British 0.15% Indian or Indian Scottish or Indian British 0.15% Pakistani or Pakistani Scottish or Pakistani British 0.73% Mixed/ Multiple ethnicities 0.88% Other 3% Didn’t say Page 261
Page 262
Assessment No 997 Owner N Docherty Resource Transformation Service Citizens, Culture and Facilities FirstName Surname Job Title Head Officer Ricardo Rea Performance and Strategy Officer Members Ricardo Rea, Performance and Strategy Officer Nicola Docherty, Performance and Strategy Team Leader (Please note: the word 'policy' is used as shorthand for strategy policy function or financial decision) Policy Title West Dunbartonshire Council Budget Prioritisation 2025-26, Consultation Process The aim, objective, purpose and intended outcome of policy The consultation process is designed to gather people in West Dunbartonshire's views on priority budget areas. As well as the general public, the process directly sought the views of key community organisations within West Dunbartonshire Service/Partners/Stakeholders/service users involved in the development and/or implementation of policy. Performance and Strategy Team, Communities Team and Chief Officers. Does the proposals involve the procurement of any goods or services? No If yes, please confirm that you have contacted our procurement services to discuss your requirements. SCREENING You must indicate if there is any relevance to the four areas Duty to eliminate discrimination (E), advance equal opportunities (A) or foster good relations (F) Yes Relevance to Human Rights (HR) Yes Relevance to Health Impacts (H) Yes Relevance to Social Economic Impacts (SE) Yes Who will be affected by this policy? People resident in West Dunbartonshire, people using public services in West Dunbartonshire, other statutory organisations, voluntary organisations, Council staff. Who will be/has been involved in the consultation process? As well as members of the public through the survey consultation, focus groups sessions will be carried with a range of representatives from local community organisations, within Dumbarton/Alexandria and Clydebank. We will work to ensure a wide range of groups such as the West Dunbartonshire Equality Forum are represented. Sessions will be offered at varying times of day and evening to ensure as wide a range of participation as possible. Face to face sessions will allow discussion of cumulative impact of budget decisions over time and cumulative impact of decisions made at the same time which could interact, for example spending and income generation. APPENDIX 2 Page 262
Page 263
Please outline any particular need/barriers which equality groups may have in relation to this policy list evidence you are using to support this and whether there is any negative impact on particular groups. Specific group to consider Needs Evidence Impact Age There is a need to ensure that older and younger people have an opportunity to have their say. The survey is aimed at age 16 and older. Younger people in West Dunbartonshire are generally underrepresented in strategic engagement. A specific face to face session with younger people will be carried out. Neutral Disability Evidence suggests that this is one of groups most negatively impacted since the start of austerity. Community Group Sessions highlighted concern that cuts to budget may result in cuts that affect accessibility within the local area. A specific face to face session with equality groups will be carried out. Neutral Gender Reassign National evidence suggests that transgender people are more likely to be excluded from many community processes. With this protected group as with all others, when budget decisions are made relevant local and national evidence should be used to ensure that due regards is given to equalities. A specific face to face session with equality groups will be carried out. Neutral Marriage & Civil Partnership Pregnancy & Maternity Race Evidence suggest that this is one of groups most negatively impacted since the start of austerity A specific face to face session with equality groups will be carried out. Neutral Religion and Belief Sex Sexual Orientation Human Rights The Council are Human 'Rights Bearers' and must take decisions and act in a way that complies with the European Convention on Human Rights UNCRC considerations The consultation process will be undertaken within a way that is in line with Article 14 of the ECHR on non-discrimination on any grounds Further specific consultation with under 16 years is planned. Neutral Health Social & Economic Impact Cross Cutting Page 263
Page 264
Policy has a negative impact on an equality group, but is still to be implemented, please provide justification for this. Will the impact of the policy be monitored and reported on an ongoing basis? Q7 What is you recommendation for this policy? Introduce Please provide a meaningful summary of how you have reached the recommendation EIA 997: Consultation on Council spending is highly relevant to equalities. The approach was adopted in line with our Equality Outcome for 2021-25 of increasing the participation of underrepresented groups. In terms of online survey, we asked demographic questions to allow comparison between respondent profiles and overall population of West Dunbartonshire, which are noted in section 2 of the Equality impact Assessment. Focus groups are also being held to gather views, including with equality groups. Decision makers must give due regard to equality considerations as part of their deliberations, and it is for them to decide on weight given to equality decisions in balance with others. The consultation provides part of the relevant evidence to help decision makers, for example by providing evidence of any variations between groups on their opinions. Page 264