Document Pack (bookmarked) 27.08.2025
West Dunbartonshire Council · 27 August 2025
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 27 August 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Agenda West Dunbartonshire Council Date: Wednesday, 27 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ 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
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Distribution:- Provost Karen Murray Conaghan Councillor June McKay Councillor James Bollan Councillor John Millar Councillor Kevin Crawford Councillor Lawrence O’Neill Councillor Ian Dickson Councillor Lauren Oxley Councillor Diane Docherty Councillor Chris Pollock Councillor Fiona Hennebry Councillor Martin Rooney Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal Councillor William Rooney Councillor Daniel Lennie Councillor Gordon Scanlan Councillor David McBride Councillor Hazel Sorrell Councillor Jonathan McColl Councillor Clare Steel Councillor Michelle McGinty Councillor Sophie Traynor Chief Executive Chief Officers Date of issue: 14 August 2025 Audio Streaming Audio recordings of the meeting (including the attendance or contribution of any party participating or making a contribution) will be published on the Council’s website and the Council’s host’s webcast/audio stream platform. You should be aware that the Council is a Data Controller under the General Data Protection Regulation. Data collected during this audio stream will be retained in accordance with the Council’s Privacy Notice* and Retention Schedules including, but not limited to, for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available via the Council’s internet site. Page 2
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL WEDNESDAY, 27 AUGUST 2025 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 OPEN FORUM The Council is asked to note that no open forum questions have been submitted by members of the public. 6 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING 11 – 20 Submit, for approval as correct record, the Minutes of Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council held on 18 June 2025. 7 MINUTES OF MEETING OF AUDIT COMMITTEE 21 – 22 Submit for information, and where necessary ratification, the Minutes of Meeting of the Audit Committee held on 19 February 2025. 8 REVIEW OF HYBRID MEETINGS OF COUNCIL AND 23 – 31 COMMITTEES Submit report by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration advising of the current issues relating to the provision of hybrid meetings of Council and its committees and setting out the various options available to the Council. Page 3
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9 THE PROMISE 33 – 75 Submit report by the Head of Children’s Health and Justice (Chief Social Work Officer) providing an overview of the work and ambition in relation to the implementation of The Promise in West Dumbartonshire between 2020-2025. 10 GENERAL SERVICES REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 77 – 105 REPORT TO 30 JUNE 2025 (PERIOD 3) Submit report by the Chief Officer – Resources advising of the 2025/26 Revenue Budget position at 30 June 2025 and the forecast position of the General Fund Reserve as at 31 March 2025. 11 GENERAL SERVICES CAPITAL BUDGETARY CONTROL 107 – 116 REPORT 2025/26 TO 30 JUNE 2025 (PERIOD 3) Submit report by the Chief Officer – Resources advising of the General Services Capital financial performance to 30 June 2025. 12 117 – 123 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 30 JUNE 2025 (PERIOD 3) Submit report by the Chief Officer – Housing advising on the 2025/2026 HRA revenue budget position on 30 June 2025 and the forecast position for HRA reserves on 31 March 2026. 13 125 – 130 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) CAPITAL BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 30 JUNE 2025 (PERIOD 3) Submit report by the Chief Officer – Housing providing an update on the HRA capital programme to 30 June 2025. 14 NOTICE OF MOTIONS (a) Motion by Councillor Sophie Traynor – Shameless Youth Council recognises the work of the Shameless Youth campaign run by West Dunbartonshire Youth Council (WDYC) in partnership with the NSPCC which looked at promoting useful information and productive conversations which supports young people to understand what healthy relationships and consent online looks like. Page 4
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Council congratulates the young people involved for their dedication to this project and notes the positive impact that they have made within the local community. (b) Motion by Councillor David McBride – Rename Athletics Facility at Posties Park in Honour of Lachie Stewart Council notes with great sadness the recent passing of Lachie Stewart, a proud son of West Dunbartonshire and one of Scotland’s most celebrated athletes. Lachie Stewart rose to international prominence by winning the gold medal in the 10,000 metres at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, in what remains one of the most iconic moments in Scottish sporting history. He went on to represent Scotland and Great Britain with distinction in multiple major international competitions, including the 1972 Munich Olympics. Council further recognises Lachie’s lasting contribution to Scottish athletics, not only through his remarkable achievements in competition, but also through his continued advocacy for the sport following his retirement. His legacy continues to inspire new generations of athletes, both locally and nationally. In recognition of Lachie Stewart’s extraordinary sporting accomplishments and his lifelong connection to our community, this Council agrees to: • Formally commemorate Lachie Stewart and acknowledge his contribution to athletics and to West Dunbartonshire; • Agree to rename the recently opened athletics track and field facility at Posties Park in his honour; • Engage with Lachie’s family, local sports organisations, and the wider community to ensure the commemoration is respectful, meaningful, and reflective of his legacy. The Council will meet the small costs of signage from appropriate budgets and consider appropriate logos and the signage should meet the Scottish Parliament requirements of both English and Gaelic. Page 5
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(c) Motion by Councillor Lauren Oxley – Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland Council notes that 1st to 7th August marked World Breastfeeding Week, an annual opportunity to raise awareness of and celebrate the benefits of breastfeeding for babies, mothers, and families. Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition, strengthens the immune system, and reduces the risk of infections for infants, while also supporting the health of mothers. It offers additional advantages such as lower costs, convenience, and fostering a strong bond between the mother and child. Despite these benefits, many mothers continue to face barriers to breastfeeding, particularly in public spaces, due to outdated stigmas and attitudes. Council recognises important progress in promoting breastfeeding and reducing inequalities for mothers, including: • The 20th anniversary of the Breastfeeding (Scotland) Act 2005, which protects the right to feed an infant in public spaces. • The development of the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland (BFS) Scheme, a free national initiative enabling businesses to signal that their premises offer a safe and welcoming environment for breastfeeding. However, Council notes that only 10 premises in Clydebank are currently registered with the BFS scheme, the majority being Council- managed facilities. Council therefore encourages local businesses and community organisations to take a small but significant step and sign up to the scheme, helping to make West Dunbartonshire a more welcoming and supportive place for mothers and families. (d) Motion by Councillor Lauren Oxley – Strathclyde Pension Fund - End Investments in Companies Linked to War Crimes in Palestine Council notes with deep concern the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, and the findings of the United Nations, Amnesty International, and other human rights organisations that Israel’s actions constitute war crimes and serious violations of international law. Since October 2023, the Ministry of Health in Gaza reports that over 58,500 Palestinians have been killed and more than 139,600 injured by Israeli forces. As of 16 July 2025, over 86% of the Gaza Strip falls within Israeli-militarised zones or has been subjected to displacement Page 6
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orders. Gaza now faces an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, with over 80% of the population facing food insecurity, and experts warning the region is on the brink of famine, with conditions classified as ‘extreme starvation’. Council understands that the Strathclyde Pension Fund - one of Europe’s largest pension funds with over 277,000 members - continues to invest in companies that supply arms, military technology, or other support used in Israel’s war crimes and violations, including those operating in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Council believes pension funds should not be invested in companies complicit in breaches of international law, particularly amid this ongoing and escalating crisis. Our investments must reflect our commitment to justice, human rights, and ethical governance. Council therefore asks the Leader of the Council to write to the Strathclyde Pension Fund Committee to express our strong condemnation of Israel’s ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people, and to urge the Fund to review its investment portfolio and divest from companies linked to or complicit in Israel’s war crimes and violations of international law. (e) Motion by Councillor Chris Pollock – Remembering the Accused Witches of West Dunbartonshire Council recognises and commemorates the women and men of this authority area who were accused and persecuted as witches in the 17th century. Remembering the Accused Witches of Scotland is a charity that was established with the aim of promoting and honouring the memory of these individuals that once lived in Scotland. The charity aims to work with the council to teach the stories and history of the accused witches in schools and libraries and where possible a memorial be raised to commemorate the victims. In 2022 The Scottish Government and The Church of Scotland issued apologies over what had happened all those years before. In the 17th century, Dumbarton tolbooth stood near the entrance to the Artizan Centre, directly opposite Quay Street. The execution site is thought to be located behind Church Street in the present council office car park. This area was once where Dumbarton prison stood, with most of the building now long gone. Amateur historian and local resident Louise Wilson has been researching the subject, and her findings show that there were 31 accused of witchcraft in the area. Using accounts held by the library and researching the common good accounts, it was Page 7
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discovered that there were 27 women and 4 men that were persecuted for these supposed crimes. It is important to remember that these people were probably tortured and put through imprisonment before being executed in the majority of cases. There were many reasons a person could be accused of witchcraft including their religion or beliefs and the notion that certain people in the community were devil worshipping, and they had to be identified. Neighbours accusing each other of witchcraft over petty arguments. Missing a church service could have been enough to get the religious zealots to accuse you. The accused were often tied to a stake and strangled before being burned to death and their ashes swept away with no grave marker. The Scottish Witch Trials were a period of intense witch hunting and persecution in Scotland, lasting from the 16th to 18th centuries. They were particularly severe with Scotland executing more witches than most other parts of Europe. An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people were accused with around 2500 executed this was around five times the European average. Out of all those accused it thought that around 84% were women reflecting prevalent societal beliefs about women’s susceptibility to the Devil’s influence. Names of the 31 accused witches of West Dunbartonshire- 1624 Jonet MacKinley (executed) Marioun MacLintock (executed) Marioun Fallisdaill (executed) John Taylor (unknown outcome) 1628 Jonet Boyd (executed) Marioun MacLintock (unknown outcome) Janet Weill (unknown outcome) 1629 Janet Donald (executed) Jonet Neill (executed) Margaret Hunter (unknown outcome) 1630 Janet Mitchell (unknown outcome) 1632 Lord John Colquhoun (absconded) Thomas Carlipis (unknown outcome) Page 8
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1643 Bessie Bargillie (executed) 1649 Margaret Corruith (executed) Jonet Davisonne (executed) Agnes McKen (executed) 1650 Jonet Patersone (executed) Margaret McMurich (executed) Jonet McClintock (unknown outcome) Jonet Colquhoun (executed) Margaret McInlay (executed) Jonet Ewing (executed) Jonet Stewart (unknown outcome) 1656 John McWilliam (executed) 1671 Jonet Howat (unknown outcome) 1677 Margaret Wright (executed) Issobell Laing (executed) Jonet Munn (executed) Margaret Paterson (executed) 1697 Margaret McKillope (executed) 15 DATE OF NEXT MEETING Members are requested to note that the next ordinary meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, 29 October 2025 at 4.00 p.m. Page 9
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL At a Hybrid Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council held in the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton on Wednesday, 18 June 2025 at 4.01 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, June McKay, John Millar, Lawrence O’Neill, Lauren Oxley, Chris Pollock, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Gordon Scanlan, Hazel Sorrell, Clare Steel and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources, and Section 95 Officer; Alan Douglas, Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration (Legal Officer); Peter Barry, Chief Officer – Housing and Employability; Amanda Graham, Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities; Gail Macfarlane, Chief Officer– Roads and Neighbourhood; Laura Mason, Chief Education Officer; Lesley James, Head of Children’s Health, Care and Justice Services (Chief Social Work Officer); Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer – People and Technology; Michael Mulgrew, Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health Manager; Alan Young, Housing Asset & Invest Manager; James Gallacher, Service Manager – ICT; Lauren Crooks, Strategic Communication, Culture and Performance Manager; Michelle Lynn, Asset Manager; Carol Alderson, Finance Manager; Elaine Troup, Economic Development Manager; Geroge Hawthorn, Manager of Democratic and Registration Services; and Carol-Ann Burns, Senior Democratic Services Officer. Also Attending: Caleb Oguche, External Auditor – Forvis Mazars. Apology: An apology for absence was intimated on behalf of Councillor Michelle McGinty. Provost Karen Murray Conaghan in the Chair STATEMENT BY CHAIR Provost Murray Conaghan advised that the meeting was being audio streamed and broadcast live to the internet and would be available for playback. ITEM 6 Page 11
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ADJOURNMENT The Provost adjourned the meeting due to technical difficulties. The meeting reconvened at 4.15 p.m. with all those listed in the sederunt present. 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. OPEN FORUM The Council noted that no open forum questions had been submitted by members of the public. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council held on 23 April 2025 were submitted and approved as a correct record. MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF AUDIT COMMITTEE The Minutes of Meetings of the Audit Committee held on 4 September 2024 and 4 December 2024 were submitted and all decisions contained therein were approved. RESULTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY-ELECTION HELD ON 15 MAY 2025 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration providing information on the result of the Local Government by-election held in the Clydebank Central Ward on 15 May 2025. The Chief Executive congratulated Councillor Kevin Crawford on his election and welcomed him to the meeting and West Dunbartonshire Council. In response, Councillor Crawford thanked officers and constituents and stated that he looked forward to representing the constituents in his ward. The Council agreed to note the result of the by-election held on 15 May as detailed in paragraph 4 of the report. Page 12
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REVIEW OF INTEGRATION SCHEME Members noted, that it had not been possible for a report on this matter to be provided in time for the present meeting and that the report would instead be submitted to the Meeting of Council being held on 27 August 2025. GLASGOW CITY REGION CITY DEAL – UPDATE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration providing an update on the Exxon Infrastructure Project, and matters being discussed by Glasgow City Region. The Council agreed:- (1) to note the update on the Exxon Infrastructure Project; and (2) to note the progress of the Glasgow City Region programme. FINANCIAL UPDATE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the financial challenges and the estimated 2026/27 to 2029/30 revenue budget gaps. The Council agreed to note the updated position regarding projections for the Council’s estimated revenue budget gaps in 2026/27 to 2029/30, particularly the updated estimated mid-range 2025/26 budget gap of £8.274m. UNAUDITED 2024/25 WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL ACCOUNTS A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing a copy of the unaudited 2024/25 West Dunbartonshire Council Annual Accounts and information regarding the 2024/25 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 2024/25 Annual Accounts; (2) to note the information provided in relation to the financial performance of the Council’s services and capital plan for 2024/25; (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 13
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2023/24 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND 2023/24 ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing Members with the opportunity to scrutinise and approve the 2023/24 Audited Annual Accounts for the Charitable Trust Funds administered by the Council for the year ending 31 March 2024, and providing an update on the accompanying 2023/24 Annual Audit Report. The Council agreed:- (1) to approve the information provided within the Audited Annual Accounts 2023/2024 – Appendix 1 to the report; and (2) to note the Annual Audit Report – Appendix 2 to the report. FURTHER APPLICATION UNDER SECTION 42 TO NOT COMPLY WITH CONDITION 11 OF PLANNING PERMISSION DC21/115/FUL AT QUEENS QUAY FULL DEVELOPMENT SITE, CART STREET, CLYDEBANK BY CLYDESIDE REGENERATION LIMITED A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration seeking determination of the planning application for a national development, the application site of which sits within the Clyde Mission area as set out in National Planning Framework 4, under the terms of the approved Scheme of Delegation, and therefore requires to be determined by Full Council. After discussion and having heard the Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed to approve the application. INTERIM REVIEW OF POLLING DISTRICTS AND POLLING PLACES 2025 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration seeking approval to conduct an interim review of polling districts and polling places within the Council’s area and outlining the timetable and processes for carrying out this review. After discussion and having heard the Manager of Democratic and Registration Services in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed:- (1) to approve the Notice of Review and timetable as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report; and (2) to note that a report containing the final proposals and representations would be submitted for approval to the Meeting of Council in October 2025. Page 14
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VALEDICTORY LAURA MASON – CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER Provost Murray Conaghan informed the Council that this would be the last meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council that Laura Mason, Chief Education Officer, would attend as she would soon be retiring from Council service. Members passed on their best wishes and thanked Ms Mason for her dedication and lasting impact on education and wished her the very best in retirement. In response, Ms Mason thanked the Council for its kind words. NOTICE OF MOTIONS (a) Motion by Councillor Gordon Scanlan – Saint Peter the Apostle High School Councillor Scanlan moved:- Council congratulates Saint Peter the Apostle High School on their achievement of winning the Scottish Schools boys football shield at Hampden Park on May 8th. The Council notes that the players won a heroic penalty shootout victory following a 93rd minute equaliser. Furthermore the council also recognises the achievements of all of the players, head coach Mark Ferrier and all involved in the school football programme. The motion was agreed by the Council. (b) Motion by Councillor William Rooney – Better Buses for West Dunbartonshire Councillor William Rooney moved:- West Dunbartonshire Council notes that Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has launched a consultation on the draft Strathclyde Regional Bus Strategy. The draft strategy outlines improvements needed for the bus network to better serve existing passengers, attract new passengers, and ensure essential access for everyone who relies on it. SPT is aiming for a ‘cycle of growth’ with a bus network that delivers: · Buses where they are needed, when they are needed · Reliable and quicker bus journeys · Affordable and attractive fares and ticketing · Accessible and safer bus journeys · A trusted and recognisable bus network · A seamless and integrated bus network Page 15
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· A more environmentally sustainable, resilient and adaptable bus network fleet. An affordable and effective bus service is vital for the residents of West Dunbartonshire. · It ensures local residents can access public services like health centres, dentists and hospitals; · It can connect communities and reduce isolation This Council notes that the draft Strathclyde Regional Bus Strategy was recently approved for consultation at SPT’s Strategy and Programmes Committee. Council also notes that once the public consultation is complete, SPT intends to take a final version of the strategy to the SPT committee later in 2025. Given the importance of bus services to local residents in West Dunbartonshire, this Council requests that when the final version of the Strathclyde Regional Bus Strategy becomes available that a report is brought to future council or committee for consideration. The motion was agreed by the Council. (c) Motion by Councillor Jim Bollan – Bandstand at Clydebank Shopping Centre Councillor Bollan moved:- Council notes that Patriotic Alternative and associated groups have used the Bandstand at Clydebank Shopping Centre to display banners, posters, flags, flyers and photos publicising their beliefs. Council agrees to authorise Council officials to remove any such items attached to the Council-owned Bandstand in Clydebank Shopping Centre, that do not have prior written consent from West Dunbartonshire Council as soon as practical. ADJOURMENT The Provost adjourned the meeting due to disorder in the public gallery. The meeting reconvened at 5.10 p.m. with all those listed in the sederunt present. The motion was unanimously agreed by the Council. Page 16
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(d) Motion by Councillor Martin Rooney – Call for a Review of Sold Property Block Building Insurance Councillor Martin Rooney moved:- Council notes that a condition of sale of Council housing in West Dunbartonshire included that the owner occupiers were required to take out building insurance arranged by the Council. The previous three year fixed rate contract came to an end this year and as a result of a number of factors, the owner occupiers received a significant increase in their annual Block Insurance bill. Council officers extended the deal as it was considered financially advantageous for owners to do so, giving them a degree of stability over the coming three years. The owner occupier annual bills are based on a number of different elements as follows: (i) Insurance Premium; (ii) Insurance Tax; and (iii) Factoring fees. Historically, the factoring fee makes up around a third of total annual bill and this would still have to be paid by owner occupiers even if the block building insurance arrangements were to end. Council agrees that it is vital that Councillors have the full facts made available to allow them to make an informed decision. Given the above, this Council agrees to carry out a review of the Block Building Insurance arrangements, and a report, including potential options and associated risks, should come to a future Council meeting for consideration. Councillor Lennie asked Councillor Martin Rooney if he would accept the following addendum to his motion:- Amend the final part of the final sentence to ‘should come to the first meeting of Council after the recess, on 27 August, if possible’. Councillor Martin Rooney confirmed his acceptance of the addendum and thereafter the motion with addendum, was then agreed by the Council. (e) Motion by Councillor Sophie Traynor – Clydebank Women’s Aid Councillor Traynor moved:- Page 17
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Council notes with concern the recent announcement indicating the closure of Clydebank Women’s Aid For over 40 years, Clydebank Women’s Aid have provided specialist support, refuge and advocacy to women, children and young people experiencing domestic abuse. Council praises the work of the service and thanks the staff for their dedication to providing support to victims. Council acknowledges the high rates of domestic abuse within West Dunbartonshire and request that the funding current provided to this organisation by the council is ringfenced and protected to be used to support women and children experiencing domestic abuse within the Clydebank area going forward. The motion was unanimously agreed by the Council. (f) Motion by Councillor Michelle McGinty – Hospital Bus As Councillor McGinty was not present at the meeting, Councillor Millar moved, on her behalf:- This Council is extremely disappointed with the decision to withdraw funding for the vital 340 bus service, that links the Vale of Leven Hospital with the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley. The bus service was put in place when a number of services that had been available at the Vale Hospital were transferred to the RAH in Paisley. At the time and in the face of real concerns from the local community the Health Board recognised that there was no direct transport links and introduced the hospital bus service to ensure that patients, staff and visitors had the means to attend appointment or visit loved ones at the RAH. Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board will now provide their own bus service for staff and patients with appointments only, leaving everyone else without a direct transport link. This means that many local people, will be left with the only option of an expensive journey, involving multiple changes and significantly longer travel times. It is clear that the Health Board has broken its promise to provide a direct transport link from the communities that accessed the Vale of Leven Hospital to access the services at the RAH. Council calls on the Health Board to reconsider its decision and to reinstate the funding and reintroduce the bus service that is vital to our community. Page 18
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The Council requests that the leader of the council writes to NHS greater Glasgow and Clyde outlining our concerns. The motion was unanimously agreed by the Council. (g) Motion by Councillor Clare Steel – Recognising Carers Week 2025 Councillor Steel moved:- West Dunbartonshire Council notes that Carers Week 2025 was observed from Monday 9th to Sunday 15th June this year. Carers Week allows for everyone to acknowledge and celebrate the essential contributions of unpaid carers in West Dunbartonshire and across Scotland. Our unpaid carers, including young carers, provide critical care and support to family members, friends, and neighbours living with illness, disability, mental health conditions, or age-related needs—often at considerable personal, emotional, and financial cost. Council notes that the work of unpaid carers is fundamental to the sustainability of our health and social care systems, with estimates suggesting they save the Scottish Government and public services over £10 billion each year. This Council commends all of the unpaid carers in West Dunbartonshire, for their often unseen and undervalued efforts, which are essential to the wellbeing and dignity of many local residents. The Council also reaffirms its commitment to supporting carers through local services, including the work of Carers of West Dunbartonshire and other community-based organisations that provide vital information, advocacy, respite, and wellbeing support; Furthermore, this Council calls for continued recognition of carers' rights and needs in local and national policy-making, and supports efforts to secure sustainable funding for carer support services. Finally, Council agrees to raise awareness of Carers Week across Council platforms, engaging with local carers' organisations, and expressing our deep gratitude to all unpaid carers across West Dunbartonshire. The motion was unanimously agreed by the Council. DATE OF NEXT MEETING Members noted that the next ordinary meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council was scheduled to be held on Wednesday, 27 August 2025 at 4.00 p.m. Page 19
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The meeting closed at 6.14 p.m. Page 20
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AUDIT COMMITTEE At a Meeting of the Audit Committee held in Council Chambers, Clydebank Town Hall, 5 Hall Street, Clydebank on Wednesday, 19 February 2025 at 10.00 a.m. Present: Provost Karen Murray Conaghan and Councillors Ian Dickson, Fiona Hennebry, Martin Rooney, Gordon Scanlan, Claire Steel and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources; Laura Mason, Chief Officer – Education; Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer – People and Technology; Amanda Graham, Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities; Andi Priestman, Shared Service Manager – Audit and Fraud; Caleb Oguche, External Auditor – Forvis Mazars; and Lynn Straker, Committee Officer. Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillor John Millar; and Gail MacFarlane, Chief Officer – Roads and Neighbourhood. Councillor Gordon Scanlan 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 Meeting of the Audit Committee held on 4 December 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. ITEM 7 Page 21
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INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN 2024/25 – PROGRESS TO 31 DECEMBER 2024 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources advising of progress to 31 December 2024 against the Internal Audit Plan for 2024/25. After discussion and having heard the Shared Service Manager – Audit and Fraud, the Chief Officer – Resources and the Chief Officer – Education in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the contents of this report. STRATEGIC RISKS 2022-2027 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – People and Technology providing an update on the strategic risks for 2022-2027. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – People and Technology, the Chief Executive and the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the strategic risks as detailed in the report. TREASURY MANAGEMENT MID-YEAR REPORT 2024/2025 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing Members with the opportunity to further scrutinise the Prudential Indicators on treasury management to 30 September 2024. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the treasury management stewardship information within the appended report; (2) to approve the 2024/25 revised estimates of treasury and prudential indicators as advised within the appended report (Tables A, B, C, D, E, F, H, L and N); and (3) to note that the appended report would be referred to the Audit Committee for further scrutiny. The meeting closed at 10.32 a.m. Page 22
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration West Dunbartonshire Council: 27 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Review of Hybrid Meetings of Council and Committees 1. Purpose 1.1 To review the current issues relating to the provision of hybrid meetings of Council and its committees and consider the various options available to the Council. 2. Recommendation 2.1 It is recommended that Council: (a) approves option 2, subject to a successful trial in August, as detailed in paragraph 5.5 of the report below, which involves replacing the old hybrid unit with an up-to-date model at the cost of £4262.44; and (b) approves the proposal to replace the 28 conference units and microphones, at a cost of £48,436.77. 3. Background 3.1 In August 2018, Council considered the option to webcast its meeting to the public but decided to opt for the audiocasting of certain Council and committee meetings at the lower annual cost of £3900. 3.2 In November 2020, Council considered the introduction of hybrid meetings but decided not to proceed at that time. Members may recall that all Council meetings were being conducted remotely via ZOOM as it was not considered safe to meet in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in 2021, following the roll out of the government vaccination programme, it was considered safe to return to meetings in person but under strict rules on distance and hygiene. This prompted the need for a hybrid solution which was quickly introduced in the Civic Space at a one-off capital cost of £12,000. 4. Main Issues 4.1 The original hybrid system has now been in operation for approximately four years and has served its initial purpose but as Members will be aware it has failed on several occasions recently and is no longer considered to be reliable. Accordingly, the Chief Executive instructed the Manager of Democratic and Registration Services to investigate what options were available to the Council and submit a report to Council with recommendations. ITEM 8 Page 23
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5. Options Appraisal 5.1 The Manager of Democratic and Registration Services has suggested three different options for the Council to consider: Option 1 – Stop hybrid meetings and continue with audiocasting council and committee meeting to the public; Option 2 – Replace the current equipment with a similar but more up to date hybrid system; and Option 3 – Replace the current system with a fully supported webcasting model which will facilitate hybrid meetings and will also allow the public to view and listen to Council meetings. Option 1 – Stop Hybrid Meetings 5.2 This option is to stop operating hybrid meetings for all Council and Committee meetings but to continue with the audiocasting model to allow members of the public to listen to meetings remotely. This is clearly the cheapest option for Council to consider and will not involve any additional cost as the annual cost of supporting audiocasting is included in the revenue estimates budget. However, it will mean that all officers and members will need to attend meetings in person which may not be possible given other commitments and could result in a poorer attendance at meetings. Attendance levels have been higher since the introduction of hybrid meetings as members and officers can still participate even if unable to do so in person. As noted within the original Equality Impact Assessment (see Appendix 1), hybrid meetings are also more accessible for members with disabilities and the removal of this facility could be seen as a backwards step. For this reason, this option is not recommended. Option 2 – Replace the existing system with a similar hybrid model 5.3 The second option is to replace all existing hybrid equipment excluding cameras with new up to date equipment and to continue with audiocasting meetings to the public via Audiominutes. This option is not as expensive as option 3 and will cost £4262.44 capital with no recurring costs other than the existing audiocast fees (£4000 per annum). However, the supplier has advised that the current microphones in the hall are now eight years old and therefore it would not make sense to replace the hybrid kit without replacing the microphones which are likely to start to fail, as are the batteries which power them. The estimated cost of replacing the microphones and batteries is £48,436.77 resulting in a total capital cost of £52,699.21. The main benefit of this particular option is that hybrid meetings can continue to operate as they currently do but without the same issues as before. As members will know, the new equipment was tested during June and although there were issues with the audio in the hall, which have now been resolved, the new hybrid equipment has worked effectively with those members joining remotely being able to fully participate in meetings. The Committee Services Team will continue to trial the new equipment throughout August, including at the full Council meeting. It should also be noted that even if Council decides to stop hybrid meetings, replacement microphones or an alternative means of amplifying sound in the Civic Space will be required at some point. Page 24
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Option 3 – Replace the existing system with a fully supported webcasting model 5.4 This option is the most expensive model in terms of capital purchase, installation and recurring costs. It involves installing a full webcasting service which facilitates both hybrid meetings and allows the public to see and hear the public meetings. The procurement of such a system may require a full tendering process to establish best value but officers will also investigate the possibility of using the Crown Commercial Services framework to acquire parts of the service which may reduce the time taken to purchase the system. Similar to Option 2, this model will involve the purchase of new microphones but in order to keep costs as low as possible it is proposed that elected members and officers (with exception of the Convener and the legal officer) share a microphone. This model will also require the purchase of at least four cameras and will use the new microphones to track the speaker which will mean that both people attending from home and public will have a clear view of who is speaking. It is estimated that the cost of providing this model in the Civic Space will be approximately £69,690 including 27 new conference units and microphones. However, one of the main advantages of this system is that all meetings are monitored and managed remotely by sound engineers, at a cost of £14,373.77 per annum (based on a five-year contract) with an upfront payment of £71,868.86. Therefore, if any issues arise during a meeting, a sound engineer would be available to investigate and rectify the issue. It should also be noted that the Council would not need to continue with the Audiominutes contract thus reducing the net annual cost by approximately £4000. 5.5 As previously stated this is by far the most expensive option available to the Council at a time when the Council is under immense financial pressure to reduce its costs. That said, many other local authorities have opted for this webcasting solution which appears to be both reliable and effective. Other issues - Acoustics 5.6 The acoustics within the Civic Space continues to be a problem. Both sets of audio engineers who have conducted site visits recently have advised there is very little they can do to improve the sound quality and reduce the echo in the room – replacing the microphones will not resolve the issue. 5.7 If the Council decides on option 3, contrary to the recommendation, then there will be a delay in procuring and installing the new equipment which will need to be thoroughly tested before going live. The contractor has advised that there is usually a twelve-week window between awarding the contract and installation. Given that the tender process could take a few months and the unreliability of the current equipment, Council is asked to suspend the operation of hybrid meetings until the work has been completed. Page 25
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Shared Microphones 5.8 One way of reducing the above costs would be to reduce the number of desk conference units and microphones being purchased which would mean that members and officers (with exception of the Chair and Legal Officer) would need to share a microphone which could result in a saving of £14,251.95. However, this would greatly affect the resilience of the system. Even if only one or two units failed then there would be insufficient units available to run a full council meeting effectively. Accordingly, his option is not recommended. 6. People Implications 6.1 A hybrid meeting requires an additional member of staff to be in attendance at the meeting to control online access as well as to operate the Audiominutes live broadcast and recording. However, as this reflects the current model of support no further staff resources will be required to operate these systems. 6.2 The introduction of a fully supported webcasting solution will reduce the pressure on committee services staff who have been under pressure to deliver hybrid meetings without any external technical support which can be stressful at times. 6.3 Introduction of fully supported webcasting solution also reduces strain on ICT staff who are expected to respond when issues occur during live meetings or in pre-meeting testing and provide technical support on a system that does not fall within their normal remit or expertise and ability to influence/resolve issues 7. Financial and Procurement Implications 7.1 As stated within Section 5, the only option without any additional cost is Option 1 – to stop hybrid meetings but nevertheless replacement microphones will be required at some point. Both Options 2 and 3 will incur capital funding and accordingly would need to be funded from the Council’s Capital Programme. The Strategic Asset Management Group have approved the costs involved, if Council approves option 2, as recommended. 7.2 In terms of procurement, option 2 would be provided by the existing provider, SSUK, who are top ranked on the Scotland Excel Audio Visual Framework (Ref: 0822). The framework does allow for ranked direct award and therefore further tendering is not required, if approved. If Council agrees to proceed with Option 3, the Manager of Democratic and Registration Services will liaise with the procurement team to identify the best procurement route for the full webcasting service. Given the value this may require a mini-competition from existing framework to ensure best value is being achieved. Page 26
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8. Risk Analysis 8.1 There are several reputational risks depending on which option the Council decides to choose. If Council stops hybrid meetings altogether then it may receive adverse comments from press and public which could damage its reputation. If the Council decides to proceed with option 2, there is the risk that the system could fail at some point in the future thus resulting in reputational damage but at present, the system appears to be working well (subject to further testing in August). The current position of the hybrid system cabinet (inside the chamber) poses a risk to damaged cables. If Option 2 is approved, the Manager of Democratic and Registration Services will work with the supplier to relocate the hybrid unit to a safer location. Option 3 is the most expensive option but carries the least risk of failure as the system is fully supported by audio engineers who would be available to deal with any issues as they arise. However, there is the risk that the Council will be criticised for purchasing an expensive system at a time when it is under severe financial pressure to reduce its costs. 9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 9.1 An EIA was carried out on the introduction of hybrid meetings which identified that there could be an inequality issue for those members who were unable to participate in meetings in person due to underlying health conditions or a physical disability and therefore would not have the choice to do so. On review of the EIA it is still considered that all factors considered relevant then, remain so and there are no additional factors to be considered. A copy of the original EIA is attached as an appendix to this report. 10. Consultation 10.1 Officers from Legal, Procurement, ICT, Asset Management and Finance have been consulted on the contents of this report. 11. Strategic Assessment 11.1 This report does not impact directly on the Council’s strategic objectives as it recommends that the Council should continue to operate hybrid meetings using a new equipment. Name: Alan Douglas Designation Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration Date: 28/07/2025 Person to Contact: George Hawthorn, Manager of Democratic and Registration Services, Municipal Buildings, College Street, Dumbarton. Telephone 01389 737204 or email: george.hawthorn@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Page 27
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Appendices: Equality Impact Assessment on introduction of Hybrid Meetings. Background Papers: None Wards Affected: None. Page 28
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AssessmentNo 292 Owner GHAWTHORN Resource Transformation Service/Establishment Regulatory First Name Surname Job title Head Officer George Hawthorn Manager of Democratic and Registration Services (include job titles/organisation) Members Peter Hessett, Strategic Lead - Regulatory Alan Douglas, Manager of Legal Services (Please note: the word 'policy' is used as shorthand for stategy policy function or financial decision) Policy Title Hybrid Council and committee meetings The aim, objective,purpose and intended out come of policy If agreed, the aim would be to introduce a system which would enable formal meetings to take place with some members and officers in the same room with others participating from home via videoconferencing. Service/Partners/Stakeholders/service users involved in the development and/or implementation of policy. Elected Members and Officers of the Council. Does the proposals involve the procurement of any goods or services? Yes If yes please confirm that you have contacted our procurement services to discuss your requirements. Yes 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) No Relevance to Health Impacts (H) No Relevance to Social Economic Impacts (SE) No Who will be affected by this policy? Elected Members and Officers of the Council Who will be/has been involved in the consultation process? All elected members have been consulted on the proposal and there was a very mixed response. Some members who have underlying health conditions were opposed to the proposal and advised they could not attend meetings in person during the current covid-19 pandemic. Others expressed the view that it was their democratic right to meet face to face subject to social distancing, hand cleaning, etc, and welcomed the proposal. 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. Needs Evidence Impact Age Cross Cutting Disability Members with hearing impairments may find it difficult Other local authorities have tried hybrid Some members will not hear the full discussion and may APPENDIX 1 Page 29
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to hear discussion taking place in chamber when working from home. meetings and reports were received that those participating from home could not hear all of the conversations in the meeting room due to poor acoustics. It has already been established that acoustics in the Civic Space is poor and therefore there is a risk that members at home, especially if they have a hearing impairment, may not hear clearly. feel that they are not fully involved in the meeting. Social & Economic Impact Sex Gender Reassign Health Members who have underlying health conditions do not feel that they have the option to attend meetings and therefore may feel that they are discriminated against due to their health condition. In response to the consultation, those Members with health conditions made it clear that they could not attend in person. Members with health conditions may feel that they do not have the same status as those attending in person. Human Rights Marriage & Civil Partnership Pregnancy & Maternity Race Religion and Belief Sexual Orientation Actions Policy has a negative impact on an equality group,but is still to be implemented, please provide justification for this. Report will recommend that hybrid meetings should not be implemented. Will the impact of the policy be monitored and reported on an ongoing bases? If the recommendation of report is supported there will be no impact as all members are able to participate equally from home at present. Q7 What is you recommendation for this policy? Don't Introduce Page 30
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Please provide a meaningful summary of how you have reached the recommendation The introduction of hybrid meetings could have a negative impact on those elected members who, due to underlying health conditions and those who have hearing impairments. They may not be able to hear the full discussion in the chamber due to poor sound quality and/or their disability and therefore may feel that they are not able to participate as fully as those members in the chamber. Page 31
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by: Head of Children’s Health and Justice Chief Social Work Officer Date of Meeting: 27th August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: The Promise 1. Purpose 1.1 This report provides an overview of the work and ambition in relation to the implementation of The Promise in West Dumbartonshire between 2020-2025 2. Recommendations 2.1 To note the extensive work taking place across West Dunbartonshire to improve life chances and opportunities for our Care Experienced Young People. 2.2 To Keep the Promise when involved in decision making, and thinking about changes to policy, asking “what will the impact of decisions be for children, young people and families with care experience?” 2.3 Note that Members will receive an annual update on the implementation of the Promise through an Elected Members’ Briefing. 3. Background 3.1 All children need the same things to thrive: a stable home, strong support and steady, loving relationships. The Promise is Scotland’s commitment to making sure this is a reality for all children. The Promise emerged from Scotland’s Independent Care Review: a comprehensive, participatory process launched in response to longstanding concerns about the experiences and outcomes for children and young people in the care system. The movement for change was driven by activism and advocacy from care-experienced people across Scotland, who sought to ensure that all children grow up loved, safe, and respected. 3.2 The Promise is the output of the Independent Care Review and sets out a framework for Local Authorities and wider partners to ensure that the interests of looked after and care experienced children are promoted and that inequality of opportunity and barriers to children thriving and achieving are removed. 3.3 The Promise is built on five key foundations: ITEM 9 Page 33
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Voice: Children and young people must be listened to and involved in decisions about their care. Family: Where safe and loved, children should stay with their families and be supported to overcome difficulties. Care: If children cannot remain with their families, they should stay with their brothers and sisters where possible and belong to a loving, stable home for as long as they need to. People: The workforce must be supported to build trusting, compassionate relationships and to listen to those they support. Scaffolding: The broader system-laws, policies, and services-must provide the necessary support for these aims 3.4 The report attached at appendix 1 sets out clear definitions of who is a looked after child and the responsibilities that local authorities and wider corporate parents have for children and young people in their care. Corporate parenting in Scotland is a statutory duty for public bodies and certain organisations to act collectively and proactively in supporting, protecting, and advocating for the wellbeing and rights of looked after children, care experienced young people, and care leavers, aiming to give them the best possible start in life. 3.5. The Promise Progress Framework was launched in December 2024, and is a national tool developed by The Promise Scotland, the Scottish Government and COSLA to track and understand Scotland’s progress around keeping the Promise. The framework brings together fifty streams of existing national data, with ten vision statements, linked to outcomes and indicators which will show measurable changes over time. We are working to incorporate the Promise Progress Framework into our Integrated Children’s services activity reported through the Community Planning Partnership. 4. Main Issues 4.1 Nationally, the number of children who are looked after has been reducing since 2020 and is the lowest the figure has been since 2005/06. In West Dunbartonshire our number of looked after children has been increasing. This is a key driver to the Children Social Work Services What Would It Take? 5 Year Re-design of Children and Families Services, which aims to safely shift the balance of care, so we are able to support many more children and young people to remain at home with their families, dis-invest in purchased external care provision and reinvest in developing the scaffolding which enables families to stay together or where this is not possible to live within local family based care. 4.2 West Dunbartonshire has one of the highest percentages of looked after children living in kinship care in Scotland. In 2023 49% of our looked after children were in kinship care, whilst the national average was 34%. . Page 34
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4.3 Child poverty is considered a contextual factor within the Promise, providing context to the improvement work. Addressing child poverty is a crucial aspect of family support, with it widely acknowledged that whilst child poverty levels remain so high it is difficult for the Promise to be kept. In 2023 West Dunbartonshire’s child poverty levels were above both the Glasgow City Region (average) and the Scottish and UK averages. 4.4 The report at appendix 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the work that is taking place across West Dunbartonshire, to strengthen the voices of care experienced young people, to ensure that they are listened to, be able to form trusting and stable relationships and shift the balance of care, so more of our children and young people can be supported in their local community. 5. Options Appraisal 5.1 No options appraisal has been carried out. 6. People Implications 6.1 All people implication relates to our care experienced young people and as corporate parents helping to improve their outcomes. 7. Financial and Procurement Implications 7.1 None within this report 8. Risk Analysis 8.1 N/A 9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 9.1 None within this report 10. Environmental Sustainability 10.1 N/A 11. Consultation 11.1 No additional consultation has taken place other than consultation with young people referenced in this report. 12. Strategic Assessment 12.1 N/A 13. Directions 13.1 No directions Page 35
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Lesley James Head of Children’s Health Care and Justice Date 11th August 2025 Appendices: Appendix 1 Promise Progress Report Background Papers Page 36
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1 West Dunbartonshire’s Promise Progress Report July 2025 APPENDIX 1 Page 37
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2 Contents………………………………………………………………………… Page 2 The Independent Care Review and The Promise……………………….. Page 3 The background to the Promise………………………………………………. Page 3 The Promise Foundations……………………………………………………... Page 3 Plan 24-30………………………………………………………………………. Page 4 The West Dunbartonshire context…………………………………………. Page 6 Local data around The Promise ……………………………………………… Page 6-11 West Dunbartonshire Promise Plan 24-25 Plan on a Page……………….. Page 12 How the Promise interacts and influences other key policy areas………... Page 13 Voice……………………………………………………………………………… Page 14 Voices of the Promise…………………………………………………………... Page 14 Champions Board……………………………………………………………….. Page 15 Advocacy…………………………………………………………………………. Page 16 Language…………………………………………………………………………. Page 16 Family ……………………………………………………………………………. Page 17 Whole Family Wellbeing Funding ……………………………………………... Page 17 West Dunbartonshire Wellbeing Website…………………………………….. Page 18 Poverty……………………………………………………………………………. Page 19-21 Third Sector support……………………………………………………………...... Page 22-24 Care………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 25 What Would It Take? 5 Year Re-design Children & Families Social Work…… Page 26-28 Independent Reviewing Co-Ordinators…………………………………………... Page 28 Brothers and Sisters……………………………………………………………….. Page 28 Children’s Houses………………………………………………………………….. Page 29 Continuing Care…………………………………………………………………...... Page 30 Children’s Hearings ……………………………………………………………….. Page 30-31 People ………………………………………………………………………………. Page 32 Recruitment and retention ………………………………………………………… Page 32 Workforce support ……………………………………………………………….... Page 32-33 Signs of Safety……………………………………………………………………… Page 33 Trauma Informed Practice………………………………………………………… Page 33 Scaffolding ……………………………………………………………………….. Page 34 Keeping the Promise Group…………………………………………………….... Page 34 Education…………………………………………………………………………… Page 34-35 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)……………... Page 35 Health………………………………………………………………………………… Page 36-37 Police………………………………………………………………………………… Page 37 Fostering and Residential Framework……………………………………………. Page 37 Data …………………………………………………………………………………. Page 38 Challenges………………………………………………………………………….. Page 38 Opportunities………………………………………………………………………. Page 39 Next Steps …………………………………………………………………………. Page 39 Page 38
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3 The Independent Care Review and The Promise The background to the Promise All children need the same things to thrive: a stable home, strong support and steady, loving relationships. The Promise is Scotland’s commitment to making sure this is a reality for all children. The Promise emerged from Scotland’s Independent Care Review: a comprehensive, participatory process launched in response to longstanding concerns about the experiences and outcomes for children and young people in the care system. The movement for change was driven by activism and advocacy from care-experienced people across Scotland, who sought to ensure that all children grow up loved, safe, and respected. In February 2020, the Review published its findings and recommendations in The Promise. The Scottish Parliament, with cross-party support, committed to implementing these recommendations in full by 2030 at the latest. Keeping The Promise requires Scotland to overhaul its care system, moving away from bureaucratic, process-driven approaches and towards a culture that centres on relationships, rights, and the voices of children and families. The Promise is built on five key foundations: Voice: Children and young people must be listened to and involved in decisions about their care. Family: Where safe and loved, children should stay with their families and be supported to overcome difficulties. Care: If children cannot remain with their families, they should stay with their brothers and sisters where possible and belong to a loving, stable home for as long as they need to. People: The workforce must be supported to build trusting, compassionate relationships and to listen to those they support. Scaffolding: The broader system-laws, policies, and services-must provide the necessary support for these aims. Page 39
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4 Plan 24-30 is the national Plan we are currently following in implementation of the Promise in West Dunbartonshire. Plan 24-30 is organised under the five foundations, and builds on the progress made under Plan 21-24. You can read more about Plan 24-30 here: Welcome to Plan 24-30, Scotland's route map to keeping the promise by 2030 This progress report is structed around these themes. Page 40
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5 Keeping The Promise in West Dunbartonshire Page 41
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6 The West Dunbartonshire Context Local Data around care experience and family support The Promise highlights the need to “do data differently” and ensure that we are measuring what matters to children, young people and families. At present we collect a wide range of data across children’s services, but often it is not joined up, does not actually tell us much about children’s experiences and meets the needs of the system as opposed to the needs and rights of children and families. We are working hard to review the current data gathered across Children’s Services, which is largely quantitative and often required to report to the Scottish Government. This data will continue to be required but attempts to join up data sets will lead to greater understanding. We are working with the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) to consider opportunities where we can gather more qualitative data around children’s experiences to lead to a more nuanced and sophisticated understanding of their experiences and how we can improve services. As part of their mapping process CYCJ recognised it was important to understand what has already been said by children, young people and their families in West Dunbartonshire where they had discussed what challenges they were facing and how they thought things could be better. They looked at surveys on what more than 1,700 children and young people and more than 1,000 families had to say and produced a report to support learning and analysis. There are examples of what was shared within each of the sections under the foundations. Page 42
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7 What does it mean to be a “looked after” child? To be a looked after child in Scotland means that a child is in the care of the local authority, which assumes certain legal responsibilities. This can happen for a number of different reasons, including experiencing abuse and neglect, being an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child, having a disability that requires special care or being involved in the youth justice system. A child in Scotland can be looked after in two main ways: Looked after at home: The child stays at home with their parent(s) or usual carers and has a Compulsory Supervision Order made by the Children’s Hearing System, meaning support and monitoring from social work to address difficulties and safeguard the child. Looked after away from home: The child is cared for outside their family home. This could be with family members or family friends (kinship care), foster carers, residential care, secure units or perspective adopters. The legal basis for this can be a Section 25 arrangement (an arrangement made between the parent and a local authority for the child to be cared for away from the family home), or an Order made by a Children’s Hearing or a Sheriff. What age do you stop being a looked after child? A child or young person is generally considered looked after up to 18, however this can end early if they return home, are adopted or the legal order ends. Aftercare support is provided to young people who were looked after on or after their 16th birthday and continue until they are 26. Young people are also entitled to Continuing Care, which means they can remain where they are living until they are 21. The time a child spends as a “looked after” child can vary greatly depending on their circumstances. Being a “looked after” child is a legal term and is only applied whilst the child is living in one of the circumstances described above. Page 43
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8 What is Care Experience? Care Experience is a term used to describe anyone who is or was, at any stage between birth and 18: Looked after at home Looked after away from home (kinship care, foster care, residential care, secure care, with prospective adopters) The term care experienced is used to recognise the broad and varied experiences of people who have been in care. It acknowledges the long-lasting impact of care, and that this can stay with you throughout your life. Care Experience is currently not a legal term, however, has been widely adopted by the care community. The issue was consulted on in 2024 by the Scottish Government and a legal definition of Care Experience is likely to feature within the upcoming Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill in 2025. What is a Corporate Parent? Corporate parenting in Scotland is a statutory duty for public bodies and certain organisations to act collectively and proactively in supporting, protecting, and advocating for the wellbeing and rights of looked after children, care experienced young people, and care leavers, aiming to give them the best possible start in life. Elected members, as corporate parents, are expected to champion the needs and rights of looked after children and care leavers, hold the council and its partners to account, and ensure that every decision and policy reflects a commitment to giving these young people the same opportunities, care, and support as any good parent would provide Page 44
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9 The Promise Progress Framework was launched in December 2024, and is a national tool developed by The Promise Scotland, the Scottish Government and COSLA to track and understand Scotland’s progress around keeping the Promise. The framework brings together nearly 50 streams of existing national data, with 10 vision statements, linked to outcomes and indicators which will show measurable changes over time. We are working to incorporate the Promise Progress Framework in our Nurtured DIG planning and reporting structures. You can find out more about the Promise Progress Framework here The Promise Progress Framework : Plan 24- 30 Nationally, the number of children who are looked after has been reducing since 2020 and is the lowest the figure has been since 2005/06. In West Dunbartonshire our number of looked after children has been increasing. This is a key driver to the What Would it Take? 5 Year Re-design of Children and Families Services, which aims to safely shift the balance of care, so we are able to support many more children and young people to remain at home with their families, or where this is not possible to live within local family-based care. Table 1 One of the key outcomes the Promise is working towards is around the rate of children entering care decreasing. For those that do need to enter care, a higher proportion are able to stay living at home with parents, or in a family setting. We are seeing our number of children looked after relatively stable over the past 3 years and mirroring the Scottish average figures. Page 45
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10 89.5% 89.2% 89.3% 90.4% Mar-22 Mar-23 Mar-24 Mar-25 91.0% 90.5% 90.0% 89.5% 89.0% 88.5% 88.0% % Looked After in the Community Table 2 We have one of the highest percentages of our looked after children living in kinship care in Scotland. In 2023 49% of our looked after children were in kinship care, whilst the national average was 34%. Child poverty is considered a contextual factor within the Promise, providing context to the improvement work. Addressing child poverty is a crucial aspect of family support, with it widely acknowledged that whilst child poverty levels remain so high it is increasingly difficult for the Promise to be kept. In 2023 West Dunbartonshire’s child poverty levels were above both the Glasgow City Region (average) and the Scottish and UK averages. Children in low-income families: Local Area Statistics 2017- 2023 (%) Table 3 Page 46
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11 Funding in West Dunbartonshire related to The Promise Funding that we receive in West Dunbartonshire related to the delivery of the Promise is Whole Family Wellbeing Funding, which every local authority receives, relative to their index of multiple deprivation. In West Dunbartonshire we receive AMOUNT per year to deliver family support, testing out new preventative, early intervention and intensive intervention approaches to develop practice to support families more effectively. The Scottish Government committed to £500 million between 2022 and 2026 to support this transformational change. The Health and Social Care Partnership applied to the Corra Foundation for Promise Partnership funding in 2023 and were successful in obtaining £160,000. This was to create an 18 month project around how we embed children, young people and families voices within planning and designing of services. An element of this project was also to look at the data that we gather, and making sure we are measuring what matters to children and families, as well as using our data to drive improvements. This project will end in March 2026. The Lead Officer for the Promise was recruited in 2022, with funding initially for 1 year by Corra’s Promise Partnership fund in 2022, with match funding from West Dunbartonshire for 1 further year. In 2024 this post was made permanent and comes from the HSCP budget. Governance Reporting around the Promise currently sits with the Nurtured Delivery Improvement Group (DIG), with the Keeping the Promise Group sitting as a sub-group, reporting to the Nurtured DIG. Page 47
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12 Page 48
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13 The Promise The Promise Lead Officer Trauma Informed Practice Trauma Lead Officer Better Hearings Children’s Hearings Scotland & SCRA Authentic Voices Group Community Justice Co- Ordinator What Would It Take re-design Chief Social Work Officer Whole Family Well-being Whole Family Well-being Lead Officer Violence against Women and Girls Violence Against Women Lead Officer UNCRC UNCRC Lead Child Poverty Working 4 U Early Intervention& Prevention Group Community Justice Co-Ordinator W4U Employability Strategy Young People’s Mental Health Homelessness Strategy Child Protection Child Protection Lead Officer Housing Strategy Corporate Parenting & Champs Who Cares? ScScotland HR Workforce Strategy Carer’s Strategy GIRFEC Refresh Senior Nurse HSCP Engagement & Participation Strategy Community Engagement and Development Officer COSLA Promise Group Brothers and Sisters CoP How the Promise interacts with and influences related policy and practice areas within West Dunbartonshire Page 49
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14 Voice “Children must be listened to. That means they should be meaningfully and appropriately involved when decisions are made about their care. And it means everyone involved in their care should listen properly to them and respond to what they want and need. Scotland's culture of decision-making must be compassionate and caring. It must be focused on children, and those they trust.” The Promise What children, young people are families have told us: Trust matters: Children and families said they feel safer and better supported when they trust the adults helping them. Kind and caring workers help most: Young people and families liked having the same key worker who listened and didn’t judge them. Being listened to feels good: Families appreciated when professionals really listened and showed they cared. Voices of the Promise In 2024 West Dunbartonshire was successful in a bid and awarded £160,000 of Corra Promise Partnership Funding to create a participation project for children, young people and families around the Promise, as well as creating a data project to ensure we are gathering and measuring the data that is important to children, young people and families. We have commissioned these projects to Action for Children and the Children and Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ) respectively. The Voices of the Promise project is the result of this funding and has already achieved lots in their first 9 months. A Family Fun Day was held as their launch event in October 2024 as part of Care Experience Week. This was held in one of the WD for Families Hubs and had stalls and activities from a wide variety of West Dunbartonshire services, as well as fun activities for children, young people and families. The event attracted over 100 people and received lots of positive feedback, whilst raising awareness about care experience and family supports available in West Dunbartonshire. Voices of the Promise consists of the Participation Co-Ordinator, and a Participation Worker. They have been working alongside young people in our Children's Houses to co-design Promise workshops for children and young people. These are activity based and support young people to learn more about what the Promise is, as well as helping them explore what is most important to them within this. The workshops are now complete and will be rolled out initially within youth groups in West Dunbartonshire, with wider plans to be used within schools. Page 50
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15 They have created an Experts by Experience group, which is for adults with experience of care, family support or justice. This group will sit alongside the Keeping the Promise group and help steer the work of The Promise within West Dunbartonshire. The group are scheduled to participate in the Columba 1400 Leadership programme to support them in their work. An issue-based group has also been created with young people around Brothers and Sisters. The ambition within the Promise is that brothers and sisters should stay together in care whenever it is safe to do so, and if not together should have their relationships supported. The young people are keen to influence change in this area and will be supported by Voices of the Promise, Champions Board and Routes staff on this mission. They want to create a Brothers and Sisters Charter, that would detail expectations and practice standards for the workforce around how they can support these relationships, that the local authority would sign-up to and commit to achieve. The group are also keen to develop a training session around the importance of brothers and sisters, and sibling like relationships, for the wider workforce. Voices of the Promise are keen to ensure there are many ways to involve children and young people, including creative approaches. They have started working with a group of young people to create a musical around care experience, created by young people with care experience in West Dunbartonshire. There will be opportunities for involvement in many different aspects, including writing, acting, set design, costume design, hair and makeup, stage management and event planning. The Musical will then be performed over Care Experience week in October 2025, with performances dedicated for children, young people and their families, as well as a performance for senior leaders, elected members and decision makers, featuring a participatory session afterwards to explore the themes of the show and young people’s messages and requests for decision makers. Champions Board A Champions Board is traditionally a group or forum of children and young people with care experience who come together to influence change and engage with their Corporate Parents, who include local authority leaders, elected members, and service representatives across the Council. We have recently commissioned Who Cares? Scotland to provide a full-time Participation Worker who will lead on the development of a Champions Board. This role will involve engaging care experienced children and young people, finding out what is important to them, and how they would like this group to look and function. It is essential to also develop a robust feedback loop, so the information shared, and asks of the group are shared with relevant people within the local authority, be that elected members or senior leaders. This will ensure that their experiences and priorities can be heard and reflected in decision making. This Leadership Group around Corporate Parenting is in the process of being set up. Page 51
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16 Advocacy Independent Advocacy is an important way we make sure children and young people’s views are shared and heard within care planning and decision making. We have seen a significant increase and development of independent advocacy provided by Who Cares Scotland? and Partners in Advocacy over the past year for our care experienced children and young people. There was a 70% increase in referrals to advocacy provided by Who Cares Scotland between January – March 2023 and April – September 2023, and a 122% increase in Advocacy tasks undertaken during this period. At the end of 2024 we doubled our Advocacy provision with Who Cares? Scotland to reflect the need for this service and support the right to Advocacy for children and young people. Feedback from Who Cares? Scotland about what has supported this increase in advocacy uptake was positive around the introduction of our Independent Reviewing Co-Ordinators (IROs), who now consider advocacy at every review meeting, and make referrals on to Who Cares? Scotland themselves when appropriate. It was also noted that there has been a felt shift in relation to understanding and support of Advocacy within the workforce, and a recognition of the importance of ensuring children and young people’s voices are heard. Language The Promise calls for a shift in the language that is used around the care system, recognising our use of language historically has often been cold and stigmatising. Locally and nationally care experienced people have reflected that terms like “LAAC” feel like they are “lacking” something, and “contact” with their family diminishes the significance of this time. Language was identified as a key area for focus through the development work of the Keeping the Promise group, as well as through discussions with children, young people and families. In West Dunbartonshire we have a responsibility to acknowledge, address and embed the changes required in the way we talk, write and think about infants, children, young people and their families and their lives. Action for Children delivered training around language, which had been co- designed by young people with care experience. It aims to support people to understand the true impact of language used for infants, children, young people and their families. We will be asking staff to commit to thinking about the impact of the language they use and how they can make changes. We have also had training delivered to multi-agency staff from Each and Every Child. Each and Every Child is an initiative that aims to build understanding and shift public attitudes towards Care Experience and the Care System in Scotland, particularly considering how we think and talk about care experience. Policy and practice documents have been reviewed and new documents created through a more compassionate and respectful lens to ensure the required shift in language is embedded within practice and culture. Page 52
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17 Family “Where children are safe in their families and feel loved, they must stay. Families must get support together to nurture that love, and to overcome the difficulties which get in its way.” The Promise What children, young people and families have told us locally: Stigma makes it hard to ask for help: Some carers felt judged, especially if they had faced things like addiction or abuse. Friendly, easy-to-reach services made a big difference. Getting help early is better: Families said that if they got support sooner, things might not have gotten so bad. Extra support needed for some kids: Children with autism, ADHD or other support needs don’t always get the help they need. Families said this needs to change. Whole Family Well-being Fund The Whole Family Wellbeing Fund was created by the Scottish Government in response to the call within the Promise for better family support. Whole Family Wellbeing continues to develop, with the WD for Families Hubs creating spaces for drop-in, family support, welfare advice and parenting groups amongst others. The funding is also able to support services like Functional Family Therapy and Includem, which offer more intensive support to families that need this. This also supports a programme of professional development for the workforce. A Family Wellbeing, Participation and Involvement Lead Officer is in post to support the coordination, operational planning and developments surrounding West Dunbartonshire's aspirations to fully implement our Whole Family Wellbeing Route Map and Plan. WD For Families Hubs fully launched in October 2023. These are staffed and operate on a ‘chatty cafe’ style approach, where families can drop in for help and or plan a visit to attend 1-1 or group sessions. Families can be helped by outreach workers, signposting, on site welfare support workers and specialist providers. Evaluations show the approach is working and where we need to continue our focus. The team are developing robust evidence-based approaches and ways of measuring impact. Page 53
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18 West Dunbartonshire Wellbeing website The Health Improvement Team within the HSCP led on a project related to Young People’s Mental Health and Chaired by Principle Psychologist. This involved the creation of an online resource directory in 2023 to support children, young people, families and professionals identify available supports and resources, both locally and nationally. This was in response to consultation with the community that identified many did not know about what services were available. Expansion and widening the reach of the West Dunbartonshire wellbeing site has continued in 2024/25. Work has been undertaken to ensure the information contained within the site remains relevant and current. A communication campaign encouraged the widest reach of the site, promoting the site as a stigma free location for universal support in West Dunbartonshire. Between April 2024 – March 2025 the site received: 6.1K views (number of page views of a website) 19,000 events (an event is counted when a user view pages, scrolls for a certain time, engages with the resources, downloads a resource) 2.2K new users In March 2025 the top 5 topics searched for were: Anxiety Money Parents and Families Positive Wellbeing Care Experience Page 54
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19 Poverty The Family Prosperity Network West Dunbartonshire is dedicated to taking a transformational approach to its work to tackle child poverty and has been working alongside the Improvement Service and other national partners to gain deeper understanding of the current landscape and ensure a robust, co-ordinated approach to tackling child poverty. The Family Prosperity Network was created in 2023 and has representatives from community planning partners, third sector organisations, employers and incorporating voices of people with direct experience, to coordinate joint efforts to address child poverty. The Family Prosperity Network is focused on addressing economic challenges faced by families, with the following objectives; Alleviate immediate hardship by providing support for families in need Reduce the cost of living through targeted interventions Maximise income from benefits and employment to improve financial stability Working4U support Working4U ensures that care-experienced individuals can access support through a multi-faceted approach, integrating employability, learning, financial assistance, and social support. The key strategies for support are: 1. Multiple Access Points for Support o Community drop-ins, self-referrals, and partner referrals ensure young people can easily engage with services. o Close collaboration with Through Care and Social Work facilitates direct outreach. o 2. Targeted Employability Support o The Thrive Youth Employability Programme supports care-experienced individuals with financial assistance for expenses such as work uniforms, travel, and training costs. o Employer Recruitment Incentives help care-experienced individuals enter the workforce. o The Foundation Apprentice Team encourages young people to register for employability support before leaving school. o Apprenticeship opportunities are directly communicated to the Through Care Team to ensure care-experienced applicants receive the necessary support. Page 55
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20 3. Education and Skills Development o ESOL and literacy support is provided for Unaccompanied Asylum- Seeking Children (UASC) in care, with most progressing to college. o Training opportunities cover key qualifications in personal development, employability skills, health and safety, and customer service. 4. Financial and Social Support o The Financial Inclusion Team works with the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and social work to ensure young people leaving care and kinship carers receive welfare benefits and debt advice. o The Child Poverty Team, based in secondary schools, provides targeted financial support and assistance with grants, school meals applications, and benefit transitions. Progress within Working4U in keeping the Promise What Has Worked Well? Enhanced Partnerships: Close collaboration with Through Care, Social Work, and Skills Development Scotland has increased referrals and improved service delivery. Trauma-Informed Support: Staff receive continuous professional development (CPD) to ensure services are delivered with empathy and understanding. Engagement with Keeping The Promise Group: Attendance at The Promise meetings has improved local knowledge and service coordination, particularly in identifying the needs of kinship carers. UASC Education Support: Strong links with social work and residential homes have facilitated smooth transitions for Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children learners into further education. Next Steps & Future Focus Child Poverty & Financial Support Increase referrals of kinship carers and ensure earlier interventions for financial stability. Seek to continue with financial aid programmes, such as the Energy Hardship Grant & Cash First Fund. Develop the West Dunbartonshire Family Prosperity Network to address child poverty through an economic lens. Employability & Mentoring for Care-Experienced Young People Page 56
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21 Strengthen links with criminal justice services to reach care-experienced individuals involved in the system. Complete mentoring training in partnership with Barnardo’s and Skills Development Scotland. Expand direct outreach to kinship carers, ensuring they receive the same information as Through Care Teams. West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau been working with S1 pupils at St Peter the Apostle High School and exploring with them the stigma around poverty and how kindness and empathy along with community volunteering can help tackle the embarrassment people feel. The young people have developed characters (rather than tell of their own experience) and created a comic book with four stories, offering some insight into the lived experience of young people experiencing poverty. Poverty Alliance, Citizens Advice Scotland, Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit, West Dunbartonshire Council Education Department and Education Scotland have all indicated support and a willingness to work alongside this project, so the aim now is to troll out this programme firstly across S1 in St Peter The Apostle, and then to other secondary schools in West Dunbartonshire. You can find the videos here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGwf-g96FX4 - Trouble in the family https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmBjQy_fZqc - School Photo Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKD3_L8UHLU - Molly's Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiSCtwiaSEA - Georges's story Page 57
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22 Third Sector support Y-Sort It Y Sort It delivers two key services in West Dunbartonshire for care-experienced children and young people: the intandem mentoring programme and the Care Connections service. Both are built on a foundation of relationship-based, trauma- informed practice, and are aligned with the vision of The Promise — that all care- experienced young people in Scotland will grow up loved, safe, and respected. 1. Intandem Mentoring Programme The Intandem service provides long-term, 1:1 mentoring for children and young people aged 8–14 who are looked after at home or in kinship care. Trained volunteer mentors meet weekly with their mentees, building consistent and trusted relationships that promote confidence, emotional wellbeing, and social connection. Youth voice is at the heart of the programme, with young people actively involved in the InVoice group, including attendance at the Scottish Parliament’s Oversight Board event. Mentoring relationships are built with the whole family where appropriate, strengthening trust and engagement. The programme offers rare long-term relational support in an otherwise time- limited system. 2. Care Connections Care Connections offers flexible, holistic support for care-experienced young people aged 10–16, both in school and in the wider community. Each young person is matched with a dedicated Support Worker who helps them explore their interests, set personal goals, and build the skills and confidence they need to thrive. Support is entirely tailored to each young person and includes: 1:1 support Group sessions and informal learning. Community activities, trips, and visits Life skills development (e.g. cooking, social skills) Support with schoolwork. The service's core strength lies in its flexibility — Support Workers have the time and autonomy to meet young people where they’re at, often supporting learning outside formal education environments in partnership with schools and families. Strong relationships have also been developed with Collaborative Support Services in Education, enabling a more joined-up approach to meeting the needs of each young person. This collaborative working strengthens the support plan and helps ensure young people are seen and understood across settings. Shared Themes & Opportunities Both intandem and Care Connections: Prioritise relational, person-centred support that adapts to the needs and interests of young people. Page 58
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23 Are making a tangible difference for care-experienced children and young people — many of whom would otherwise receive minimal or no support. Face common challenges around capacity, referral pathways, and long-term funding, despite clear evidence of impact. Routes – Scottish Families Affected by Drugs and Alcohol (SFAD) Routes supports young people aged 12-16 years old who are affected family drug and alcohol use. They currently support 91 young people across West Dunbartonshire and 76 of these young people are care experienced. A key focus is giving them positive childhood experiences, creating peer support and advocating of their behalf. Routes ensures the young person’s rights and entitlements are always at the forefront of their support and work in partnership with other organisations in West Dunbartonshire to create a network of lasting support. There is no end date for their support which gives young people stability knowing they always have someone to turn time in time of crisis but equally someone to share good times and achievements in their lives. The Routes project recently obtained Corra Promise funding to deliver a youth led project. Their young people felt strongly about care experience entitlements within Education and Higher Education, and recognised the lack of awareness amongst the workforce of care experienced entitlements was meaning young people were missing out. They have been working on a project to address this over the past months and will launch their work later this year, with resources to raise awareness of these entitlements. Routes have also been able to provide other groups of care experienced young people with funding through this grant from Corra. This includes young people from one of the Children's Houses keen to explore open water swimming, with staff members getting training in how to support this safely. They have also been able to fund a group of young people from across care settings who are passionate about brothers and sisters within care. This group is supported by staff from Voices of the Promise, Routes and the Champions Board to look at how they want to influence practice and services to ensure more brothers and sisters stay together in care, or when separated have their relationships supported. Includem Includem’s edge of care service, co-produced with West Dunbartonshire HSCP, commenced on 24th July 2023. The service aims to support shifting the balance of care and contribute positively towards the West Dunbartonshire HSCP strategy for children and young people, What Would it Take? 5 Year Re-design. The primary objective of this service is to prevent children and young people’s needs from escalating, reducing admissions to statutory care provision. Includem’s delivery model is focussed on intensive intervention and support to children and young people within their own communities. This involves supporting up to a maximum of 12 children and young people at any one time, aged 10 years old and over. Whole family support is available over 7 days including evenings and weekends, alongside the provision of 24-hour helpline 7 days a week. Page 59
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24 Shameless Youths Campaign Shameless Youths is a collaboration between NSPCC Scotland, West Dunbartonshire Youth Council and partner agencies, and is an example of early, preventative help being led by young people. This has been a youth-led project, focussed on how to support young people have safe relationships online, “removing shame from the conversation”. The campaign launched in 2024 with an event in Clydebank Town Hall with over 80 attendees. The campaign has run for over 6 months, with young people creating a range of resources to support the workforce, parents and carers and young people, as well as creating artwork to support their messages. The art was on display in Clydebank Town Hall between April and May 2025, with April seeing a footfall of 368 people visiting the artwork. There have been a number of sessions around the campaign delivered within schools to pupils, staff and parents and carers. There has been national interest in the campaign, with inputs provided to national forums on online safety, and interest from the Department of Education in England around the unique and interesting strengths based approach of the campaign, with the possibility this would go on to impact policy in this area. Kinship Carers of West Dunbartonshire Kinship Carers of West Dunbartonshire are a community group created and run by local kinship carers. They have a large base in Erskine House, Clydebank, where they hold groups for kinship carers and children and young people in kinship care. They support over 100 kinship carers from West Dunbartonshire, and provide emotional support, signposting, advice and guidance. Many kinship carers have fed back that being part of this community has made the biggest positive difference to them in their experience as a kinship carer. Members of the group have been hugely influential in supporting greater understanding of the issues faced by kinship families, and how services could better meet their needs, influencing services like social work, education and welfare rights. The Chair of the group was involved in the Independent Care Review and development of the Promise, continuing to be involved in national work and consultation alongside the Scottish Government through her role with Kinship Carers of West Dunbartonshire and the national group, The Kinship Care Alliance. The kinship carers who operate the group are all volunteers and rely on financial support from the local authority and fundraising efforts. In 2024 the group were able to fundraise to take kinship families on a holiday abroad, realising a long held ambition of “weans on a plane”. They also have a caravan in Wemyss Bay which can be used for free by kinship families, providing short breaks and joy to children, young people and carers alike. Page 60
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25 Care “Sometimes, it's not possible for children to live with their family. But they must still be able to live with their brothers and sisters, as long as it's safe. And they must belong to a loving home, staying there for as long as they need to.” The Promise What children, young people and families locally told us: Staying close to siblings matters: Lots of children in care are split from their brothers and sisters. Children want more chances to stay in touch and spend time together. Plans need to be clearer: Many children don’t have a proper plan for seeing their siblings. This makes it harder to keep in touch. Children need to understand why: Some children don’t know why they are separated from their siblings. Adults need to explain things better. What would it take? 5 Year Re-design of Children and Families social work The Promise is firmly embedded within the 5-year redesign of Children and Families social work services. This involves ensuring that children, young people and families voices are sought, heard and inform the development of services. The principles of the redesign are aligned with the Promise, which is about safely shifting the balance of care, and ensuring that families have all the early help and support they need. For those children and young people who can’t live safely at home their experience must be as positive, supportive and loving as possible. Page 61
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26 Below is a summary of the projects that are part of the What Would It Take? Strategy. Child Protection and Safeg uarding Access Help and Support Team was launched on 1st April 2025 and provides one team for all new referrals to Children and Families social work, replacing the previous “duty” model. This model provides more consistency to children, young people and families, as well as to the workforce who may be referring families into the service. One social worker oversees the support and work, passing the family on to one of the longer-term teams after an initial assessment, if required. Permanence and Care Excellence The Permanence Team was established in 2024 and aims to improve the permanence process for children and young people. Four Social Worker posts were configured using existing resource in locality teams to provide a dedicated team of qualified staff in this area of work. This team is dedicated to working with children and young people where the decision has been made that they cannot return home, and so permanence is being sought to secure their long-term care. This should decrease drift and delay and increase stability and belonging for children and young people. Alongside the establishment of the Permanence team there is also work ongoing around our Permanence processes and understanding our data, with support from CELSIS and utilising the PACE approach. Page 62
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27 Foster Care Recruitment and Kinship Support There is a working group around Kinship Care and ensuring that the support we offer to kinship carers and children and young people in kinship care meets their needs. This has involved the creation of Kinship Assessment procedures and guidance, as well as an Independent Kinship Panel, ensuring a consistent and robust approach is taken across West Dunbartonshire to supporting kinship families. There is also exploration taking place around a Single Point of Contact for Kinship Carers, with dedicated staff to support kinship carers, creating consistency and specialism around this area. In addition this workstream has focused on local Foster Care Recruitment with the implementation of a local recruitment campaign to attract more West Dunbartonshire residents to fostering. There has been a national crisis around the recruitment and retention of foster carers both across Scotland and in West Dunbartonshire. Our foster carer population is aging, and a number of foster carers projected to retire in coming years. Having a robust group of foster carers in West Dunbartonshire allows children and young people to be placed closer to home, more likely to remain connected to supports like schools. It is also more financially viable than reliance on external foster care providers. The Scottish Government has also led on a national campaign over Fostering Fortnight in May 2025 to help raise the profile of foster care as a role, expel some myths around fostering and emphasise the positives that can come from foster care. A post has also been created within the Family Placement Team which will support the recruitment and training of foster carers. This is expected to be recruited to later in 2025. Family Support Services There is a workstream focussed on the re-design of the Children and Families Social Work Family Support Service. This has been a long-established service and is made up of Alternatives to Care (ATC), Family Group Decision Making (FGDM), and Family Support workers. Each team delivers early intervention and preventative services, aiming to support families and allow children and young people to remain at home where safe to do so. The redesign will use the Promise 10 Principles of Family Support as their foundation, including that they are non-stigmatising, responsive, timely and work with family assets. The project will be steered by feedback from staff, as well as the views and experiences of children, young people, parents and carers who have used the service. Page 63
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28 The Supported Accommodation for Care Leavers workstream is developing housing and support options for those moving on from care, looking at the repurposing of a building previously used as a care leavers supported accommodation. Learning from best practice nationally, and what local young people need and want from a service is currently steering how this project develops. The goal is to have a menu of options for young people moving on from care, taking into account the varying needs and preferences of young people to ensure they are supported into adulthood. Supporting young people to move on from care is a significant area raised within the Promise. The Promise recommends that there should be no “cliff edge” of support, as young people transition into adult services, and that transitions should be planned, phased and based on individual needs. All care experienced young people must have access to secure, appropriate housing as they transition into adulthood. You can find more information on the What Would It Take? Strategy here: http://www.wdhscp.org.uk/projects/what-would-it-take-programme-2024-2029/ Introduction of Independent Reviewing Co-Ordinators Recruitment took place in early 2023 of four Independent Reviewing Coordinators to undertake reviews of plans for all looked after and accommodated children. These posts will ensure that all children and young people who are looked after away from home will be regularly reviewed in line with regulatory frameworks and good practice guidance. In addition, the quality assurance function is key to ensuring the ‘birds eye view of practice’ is fully understood and quarterly reports on a set of Key Performance for children and young people is being developed and shared with the wider children’s management team. This includes consideration of retention of sibling connections as part of new reportable data to Scottish Government as well as ensuring that children and young people’s views are captured and are central to planning processes. Brothers and Sisters The Brothers and Sisters group began in March 2023 by gathering our local data to establish a baseline for how we are doing in keeping brothers and sisters together when they come into care, alongside efforts to establish how decisions are made, and how we are supporting on-going relationships when brothers and sisters are separated. A Brothers and Sisters plan was created with the findings of this data. A repeat gathering of this data was carried out in April 2024 to consider our progress in this area. Learning from this work has been shared locally and nationally, with the Lead Officer for the Promise presenting the findings at the national Community of Practice for Siblings in January 2024, and the Promise Conference in February 2024. Following this there were a number of other local authorities who were interested in replicating the work within their own area, which the Promise Lead Officer supported with. We are currently progressing through our Brothers and Sister’s Plan, which has been informed by both the qualitative and quantitative data gathered. The addition of the Brothers and Sisters group created by young people Page 64
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29 will greatly enhance this work, with work underway to develop a Brothers and Sisters Charter and training for the workforce. We continue to engage in the national agenda around brothers and sisters, following the work over the last two years around how we gather data on brothers and sisters and how we improve our practice and culture in this area. This year West Dunbartonshire is part of a small group of local authorities, alongside The Promise Scotland, CELSIS, The Care Inspectorate, Scottish Government to further develop how data is gathered around brothers and sisters, and how we can tell that story to the wider community and influence change. West Dunbartonshire’s Children’s Houses West Dunbartonshire has three Children’s Houses: Blairvadach, Burnside and Craigellachie, with a maximum of 6 young people staying in each house. The staff within the Children’s Houses have been trained in Dyadic, Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), which is a trauma informed, attachment base approach. DDP allows staff to approach situations in a manner that allows for the best resolution for the young people being able to explore their views and wellbeing using the PACE model: Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy. This approach supports staff to use a trauma informed approach when engaging young people who have experienced developmental trauma in their lives. The team are also trained in Promoting Positive Behaviour (PPB), a strengths based approach with a focus on de-escalating situations before reaching crisis. There has been a decrease in the need for safe holds and restraints to be used with children and young people. The teams will use every other tool available to them, primarily the relationships they have with young people, to de-escalate situations to avoid using restraints. In Craigellachie the young people have recently been able to develop their space based on what they need and want in their home. This has included creating a meditation/chill out room within the house, as well as converting an outhouse into a gym. This was achieved by accessing a portion of the youth-led funding Routes had been awarded. In Blairvadach there have been a number of projects that staff have adopted based on young people’s needs and interests. An example of this was the creation of their pizza oven, which was built from scratch by staff and young people and continues to provide a point of celebration and connection, with annual pizza parties held in the summer. Blairvadach also benefited from the Routes Youth-led funding and were able to have two staff members trained in cold water swimming, due to interest from young people in this area. This will involve the staff working with young people from across the three houses, finding safe places to swim. Young people from Blairvadach have been working closely with Voices of the Promise, and have co- designed the What is The Promise? Programme. In Burnside the young people have been doing workshops with The Voices of the Promise Participation Workers around the 5 foundations of The Promise and what this means to them. The young people have worked hard on a Promise wall which is the focal point of the house and serves as a reminder of what the Promise means to Page 65
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30 the young people in Burnside House. Burnside are developing a nurture / games area in the house, led by the young people as a project allowing them to develop this space as their own. Within all of the houses there is a strong ethos of maintaining positive relationships with families, and wherever possible working together towards the young person returning home. The staff are able to provide support to parents at home, providing scaffolding for as long as this is needed. The staff are also good at maintaining relationships with young people and their families long after they have moved on from the house, with an open-door policy of people being able to drop in to see staff and the house, as well as organised events throughout the year. Continuing Care Continuing Care is a legal entitlement that allows eligible young people who have been "looked after" (in foster care, kinship care, or residential care) to remain in their care placement and continue receiving the same accommodation and support after they cease to be formally looked after, up until their 21st birthday. It is designed to ensure that young people leaving care in Scotland do so at a pace and in a way that best supports their wellbeing, independence, and long-term outcomes. West Dunbartonshire created Continuing Care Guidance in 2024 to ensure that staff have a clear and consistent understanding of the legislation around this and the processes that need to ensure the assessment and provision of Continuing Care support to young people. As of April 2025, there are 38 young people in Continuing Care within West Dunbartonshire. Children’s Hearings Children’s Hearings is Scotland’s unique care and justice system for children and young people. Its primary aim is to protect the safety and wellbeing of infants, children, and young people who may be at risk, need care and protection, or have come into conflict with the law. The Promise called for reform to the Children’s Hearing System, whose function has shifted since it’s creation in 1971, now having a much greater focus and demand for infants, children and young people in need of care and protection. The Hearings Redesign Working Group was set up, chaired by Sheriff Mackie. The Hearings for Children report contained 97 recommendations on how Scotland's Children's Hearings System can be redesigned in a transformative way. It is expected that recommendations adopted by the Scottish Government will be included in the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill. West Dunbartonshire has a Children’s Hearings Improvement Partnership (CHIP) which has multi-agency representation and looks at how to improve the experience of Children’s Hearings for children and families. One of the improvements the group has introduced has been a checklist to be completed by social workers prior to submitting their report to the Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration (SCRA). The checklist contains a number of prompts to support a child’s attendance at a hearing and ensure their rights are upheld. For Page 66
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31 example, ensuring the social worker has sent a sibling report, explained and offered Advocacy for the child, as well as preparing the child for a Hearing. This includes ensuring they have explained the reason for the Children’s Hearing, the recommendations and potential outcomes as well as identifying any special arrangements required. As part of Children’s Hearings Scotland’s ongoing aim to make children’s hearings more welcoming and child-friendly, the Chair of the hearing will soon be greeting the child in the waiting room to introduce themselves, explain what’s going to happen and bring the child, their family and professionals into the hearing room. This was one of the recommendations in the Hearings for Children Redesign Report. It is hoped this will allow the child and Chair to connect before the hearing in a more relaxed setting and to reinforce that this hearing is about the child and that they are the focus. It will also prevent children walking into the hearing room with three seated strangers waiting for them, which they’ve fed back can make them nervous and anxious. Page 67
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32 People “The children Scotland cares for must be supported to develop relationships: with people in the workforce, and those in the wider community. And these people must also be supported: to listen, and to be compassionate in their care and decision-making.” The Promise What children, young people and families locally told us: Having the same worker helps: Families liked having one worker who knew their story and could give the right help. Changing workers too often made things confusing. Trust grows with honesty: Families trusted workers who were honest, kind, and worked with them, not against them. Judgement hurts: Families who faced tough times in the past didn’t like feeling judged. Workforce support There has been a significant national crisis in relation to the recruitment and retention of Children and Families social work staff, and this has been felt over the past number of years within West Dunbartonshire. In addition to core training, our workforce continues to have access to a wide range of learning and development opportunities. In relation to the Promise, there has been specific training opportunities for the workforce in relation to Language, Brothers and Sisters, Infant Mental Health and Voice as well as Trauma Informed Practice. Opportunities for obtaining formal social work qualifications has been made available within the HSCP. Between 2023-2024 5 employees entered formal academic study to obtain a Social Work degree and there is scope to widen this access for a career pathway, in partnership with the Open University. Staff supervision has been a key priority for social work and social care staff over the last year. Self- evaluation of staff experience and recording has taken place across Children and Justice services to inform the most recent training and learning for staff in relation to effective supervision for staff. The Newly Qualified Social Worker (NQSW) Supported Year is a structured, mandatory programme introduced across Scotland from October 2024. It is designed to support social workers in their first year of practice, ensuring a consistent, high- quality experience as they transition from education to professional practice. This has been introduced to support new social workers in the transition from education to Page 68
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33 practice, allowing extra time for learning, development and support. It aims to reduce early career burn out and increase retention of social workers. West Dunbartonshire HSCP is commitment to the NQSW Supported Year. This includes individual and group support as well as a caseload that is built up incrementally over several months. As part of our offer and will ensure that all social workers within their first year will be able to spend a minimum of six weeks with a range of social work teams to ensure there is experience and understanding of the diversity of social work functions across the HSCP. A Practitioner Forum has also been created for Children and Families social workers, as a space for reflective discussion, learning and peer support. Unison has also created a Practitioner Forum open to social workers from all services. Signs of Safety Signs of Safety is a strength based, solution focussed framework for supporting children and families in social work. It shares values with the Promise around collaboration and partnership, listening to children and families and building transparent and respectful relationships. West Dunbartonshire is in the process of implementing Signs of Safety within Children’s Services. This begins with an initial 6-month period of preparation for implementation, including reviewing paperwork and existing processes. The workforce will then receive training and support to embed Signs of Safety into practice. Trauma Informed Practice Trauma Informed Practice is a fundamental tenant of how the Promise is implemented. The Promise recognises that for many children, young people and families who interact with the care system have experienced significant trauma, and that at times their experience of care can inflict additional trauma. West Dunbartonshire is committed to the National Trauma Training Programme (NTTP) and appointed the Programme Lead for Trauma Informed Practice, in 2023. There is training available for the workforce at all levels across the Council, with e- learning modules to be available later this year. There is a Trauma Informed Steering group which supports the work around implementation of Trauma Informed Practice, which also has a Staff Wellbeing sub- group, and a Systems, Policies and Processes sub-being created. For services that are interested, The Programme Lead can run bespoke Trauma- Informed sessions that are tailored to what each team needs. This includes working with managers to get examples of a typical referral and discussing this through a Trauma-Lens. For managers, there is an upcoming Scottish Trauma Informed Leaders Training (STILT) in September 2025. This is a great opportunity to learn how to make changes to our systems, policies and processes through a Trauma-Informed lens. A STILT session was previously held in West Dunbartonshire in 2023 and was widely attended by managers from across Children’s Services and Justice. Page 69
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34 Scaffolding “Children, families and the workforce must be supported by a system that is there when it is needed: the scaffolding of help, support and accountability.” The Promise What children, young people and families locally told us: Too much pressure on the system: Some services are too busy to help properly. This made it harder for families to get what they needed. One size doesn’t fit all: Families wanted to choose what kind of support worked best —like talking in person, on the phone, or online. Mental health support takes too long: Children often had to wait too long to get help for their mental health. They wanted faster support and more chances to talk early. Training for workers helps: Professionals need training to understand trauma and how to support best children in a kind way. They also need help with big workloads and staff changes. Keeping the Promise Group We have a strong, multi-agency Keeping the Promise group, which was formed in 2022 and has over 60 people on our invite list, and around 30 who attend regularly. These are Promise Keepers, who take the information back to their service or organisation and are able to share their experiences of how the Promise is being embedded. Within the Governance structure this group sits below the Nurtured DIG as one of the sub-groups. Education Within Education we now have two members of staff who are dedicated to care experienced pupils: Care Experienced Principle Teacher, and the Care Experienced Classroom Teacher. They are able to provide bespoke support to care experienced pupils, as well as providing wider support to education staff around care experience, including rolling out the Promise Award within Education. Page 70
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35 Support for Care Experienced Children & Young People at school ● Schools bid for support for Care Experienced Children and Young People up to 3 times per year. ● Panel work in collaboration to allocate support between Collaborative Support Service & Care Connections (Y-Sort It) ● Care Connections providing support for pupils Looked After at home (Compulsory Supervision Order) and in formal Kinship Care. ● Collaborative Support Service supporting pupils who are currently experiencing or who have previously experienced care. ● Consistent and robust Care Experience data processes being established to target gaps in attendance and attainment. ● Collaborative Support Service Acting Principal Teacher Aislinn McQuade & Class Teacher Johann Herd- supporting 28 pupils across 15 schools. ● Care Connections, Y Sort It- 13 pupils from 10 schools. ● Planned targeted support for pupils focusing on SMART targets on Education Support Plans. ● Bespoke learning experiences within school (Collaborative Support Service) & out-with school (Care Connections) ensuring inclusion for all. ● Linking some pupils with intandem and Young Carers service if appropriate. ● Pupil progress tracked and monitored, ongoing collaboration between services and schools to provide holistic support to Care Experienced Children and Young People and families. ● Established partnership with agencies- Y Sort It, Action for Children, WDC Senior Phase Team, WDC Promise Lead. ● Direct and ongoing contact with secondary schools to promote pupil engagement with Y Sort it services and Collaborative Support Service bid system. Keeping the Promise Award Rollout 2024-2027 The Promise Award remains a key priority on the Education Delivery Plan with schools being encouraged and supported to have a Care Experience lens. This Professional Learning Programme was devised for schools to develop a consistent approach to enhancing knowledge, understanding of practical support for Care Experienced Children and Young People. To date: ● 7 Early Learning Child Care leads have achieved ‘I Promise’ Award ● 1 Early Learning Child Care Settings have achieved ‘We Promise’ Award - 70% of setting have undertaken learning. ● 3 Primary Practitioners have achieved ‘ I Promise’ Award ● 3 Secondary Practitioners have achieved the ‘I Promise’ Award ● 1 Secondary School have achieved ‘We Promise’ Award - 70% of setting have undertaken learning. ● Care Experience Principle Teacher will continue to liaise with National Keeping the Promise Network working Group regarding the development of this element of the award and evidencing the work to support Care Experienced Children and Young People. Page 71
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36 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) The UNCRC sets out the fundamental rights of all children, and fundamentally underpins the Promise. The UNCRC is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world and sets out the specific rights that all children have to help fulfil their potential, including rights relating to health and education, leisure and play, fair and equal treatment, protection from exploitation and the right to be heard. The UNCRC was incorporated into Scot’s law in 2024 and brings significant new legal duties and accountability for public bodies in Scotland. As part of the Whole Family Wellbeing Funding there has been a Whole Family Wellbeing Officer appointed, with a lead role in developing a plan regarding the upholding of the United Nation Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCRC) within West Dunbartonshire. Within this plan was the delivery, coordination and evaluation of Professional Learning for all service staff within West Dunbartonshire Council. This has helped to ensure staff have increased awareness of The UNCRC and promote strategic thinking where The UNCRC has impact in service delivery. There has been awareness raising of the importance of the voice of children in decisions that impact them, and that this is a requirement by law to ensure children and young people have their voice considered in policies that will impact them. As part of staff development and focus on ensuring implementation of the UNCRC, Reach Advocacy Scotland have delivered a series of professional learning sessions to key identified staff from all educational establishments and partner agencies. This Professional Learning has increased awareness of UNCRC knowledge, supported participants to apply UNCRC to policy and practice as well as explored monitoring and protecting rights. To date 216 Education Staff have been supported to engage with the UNCRC ILEARN Module that was created by WDC UNCRC Officer, with further learning from the UNCRC Officer being delivered directly to 18 Early Years, 31 Collaborative Support Services Team and 61 Newly Qualified Teachers. A further Council wide staff briefing was delivered to all senior managers across West Dunbartonshire Council to promote and acknowledge the rights of the child and the responsibility of all as duty bearers. To support the implementation of UNCRC across all services, a website has also been created. Health In West Dunbartonshire we are committed to providing free Leisure Passes to care experienced children and young people. Depending on their age this provides them with access to Council gyms and swimming pools. Between April 2024- March 2025 there are 213 children and young people who have a pass (this number includes Young Carers, who are also entitled to the offer). Anyone can refer a child or young person for the pass, including self-referrals. Most commonly cited reasons for accessing the pass have been improving physical health, to support with neurodevelopmental needs and improve confidence and self-esteem. Wee Minds Matter is the Infant Mental Health Service that covers the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area. They are a multi-agency team who offer support to parents and their babies from birth up until 3. They also provide consultation support and training to the workforce around infant mental health. Wee Minds Matter have provided training to multi-agency staff, and have further sessions Page 72
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37 planned in 2025 on how the workforce can best support babies and young children. A pilot is planned with staff who are regularly working with babies and young children within social work to participate in monthly Reflective Practice sessions alongside staff from Wee Minds Matter, where they will be supported to think reflectively about a family they are working with. Young People in Mind is the Mental Health Service for children and young people within foster care and residential care in West Dunbartonshire. The team are concentrating at present on foster parents and workers developing an understanding of what it means to be Trauma Informed. This is done using Book Groups, which has proved to be a popular method with foster parents. Trauma Informed Parenting increases the likelihood that children will enter caring and loving homes and translate to better outcomes, contributing in part to fulfilling some of the care components of The Promise. Children and young people’s voices often manifest in actions and behaviours and Trauma Informed parents are learning to tune in to those needs. Police In West Dunbartonshire the “Not at Home” protocol has been rolled out over the past year. This is in response to the disproportionate criminalisation of care experienced young people, and for those who can be reported missing to the Police, when they have in fact just not come home and carers are aware of where they are. This is driven by trying to replicate what would happen at home within a family. The Philomena Protocol is an information gathering tool designed to assist the police find a child or young person who has been reported missing from a care setting as quickly as possible. It should be used as part of the Not at Home Protocol. The aim of this protocol is to listen to children and young people, having their voice heard and involvement in problem solving. The responsible adult will ask the child or young person what can be done to prevent them from going missing in the future. Feedback that the Police provided to Craigellachie Children’s house highlighted there had been a reduction of children and young people having been reported as missing from Craigellachie. This shows that the ongoing training and staff involvement with the young people are working, reducing the risks involved with a child or young person going missing. Foster Care and Continuing Care Framework There is currently work underway to develop Frameworks around how we commission Fostering Services, Continuing Care services and Residential Services as part of What would it take? 5 Year Re-design. A key aim of the Framework is that enduring attachment relationships are formed, and that children and young people have positive and stable care experiences. Overall, we are developing an Outcomes based, flexible framework which is underpinned by aims and vision of the Promise. This represents a shift in how we have previously commissioned these services, and providers who are accepted onto the Framework will deliver an Outcomes focused approach to supporting children, young people and their foster/continuing carers. Page 73
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38 Data We currently have a data project as part of the wider Voices of the Promise project, which is a partnership with the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) and Action for Children. This is to support West Dunbartonshire to develop a greater understanding of current data gathered, as well as layering this with what children, young people and families are telling us to provide a deeper, more nuanced understanding of priorities and need. CJCJ have been able to provide support around reviewing our current data, suggesting areas where we learn more about people’s experiences and gather qualitative information. They have also supported the development of more child friendly ways of gathering data and feedback. Challenges It is important to acknowledge the challenges to implementing the Promise that have been experienced in West Dunbartonshire. Through discussion with colleagues nationally, and through reports like the Promise Oversight Board reports, it is evident that these are frequent challenges and barriers that are being felt nationally. The Promise was launched approximately 1 month before we went into lockdown as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic. This fundamentally changed practice, with many services adapting rapidly to risk and uncertainty. There have been many positives to take from how flexible and responsive services were able to be during this time, but the Promise undoubtedly lost some momentum in those first few years, with the focus for the workforce and for many families being to get through the pandemic. The subsequent cost of living crisis has had a significant impact on the pace at which the Promise can be kept. We are seeing rising levels of child poverty, and more financial insecurity for much wider sections of the community, including the workforce. This has created increased stress and need. The impact on local authority budgets has also been challenging, with many services being reduced or cut. The Promise is transformational and aspirational, however is having to operate in a very difficult financial climate. There is much about the system in which the Promise is trying to influence that has not yet been able to change. One aspect of this is the short-term nature of funding, with a real need for consistent, and multi-year funding to support good quality, preventative work. As mentioned earlier in this report, the recruitment and retention difficulties around social workers have had an impact on the pace at which the Promise can be implemented locally. At points over the past 5 years Children and Families teams have been operating at 40% under full complement, meaning that workers are experiencing high levels of demand and often stress. Page 74
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39 Opportunities In June 2025 the Promise Bill, now formally recognised as the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill was laid before Parliament. Some of the fundamentals of this Bill are around simplifying the legislative landscape, clarifying rights and duties, ensuring compliance with the UNCRC legislation and having a coherent vision for care. In it’s current form, some of what the Bill considers is the redesign of children’s hearings, expanding entitlement to Aftercare, ensuring life-long access to Advocacy for care experienced children, young people and adults, creating powers to limit the profit that can be made from children’s residential care and requiring fostering services to register as charities. The Bill will now be scrutinised my Ministers before moving on to the next legislative stage. The ethos and principles of The Promise are becoming embedded within services and systems in West Dunbartonshire, and are fundamental to strategies such as What Would It Take? 5 Year Re-Design. This is a really important way the Promise is brought to life, and we make sure we are “Promise-proofing” service design and delivery. We enjoy positive relationships with national organisations to support our work around the Promise, particularly The Promise Scotland, COSLA and the Scottish Government. This connects us nationally with best practice and sharing learning around our own journey in West Dunbartonshire. There continues to be a great deal of activity, energy and enthusiasm around The Promise, both locally and nationally. This report has attempted to draw together some of the incredible work that is on-going in West Dunbartonshire around supporting children, young people and their families by promoting relationship based, trauma informed practice, placing their views and experiences at the heart of planning and decision making. Next Steps Thank you for reading this report, and engaging with the progress West Dunbartonshire is making around the Promise. There are many ways that you, as an elected member, can support the work of the Promise locally, including ways you can enact your corporate parenting responsibilities and included within the recommendations in this report. Page 75
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer – Resources Council – 27th August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: General Services Revenue Budgetary Control Report to 30th June 2025 (Period 3) 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to advise Council of the 2025/26 Revenue Budget position at 30 June 2025 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 (after the use of earmarked reserves) on the revenue account of £1.282m (0.41% of total budget). 3. Background 3.1 At the meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council (the Council) on 6 March 2025, members agreed the revenue estimates for 2025/2026. A total net budget of £311.491m was approved for General Services. 4. Main Issues 4.1 The summary report at Appendix 1 highlights a projected net annual underlying adverse variance (overspend) of £1.282m (0.41% of the total budget. Appendix 2 provides more detailed service reports by Chief Officer. The main reason for this overspend is detailed in the table below with explanations provided in Appendix 3. Services are anticipating the use of £1.604m of service earmarked reserves. In addition, as a result of the reduction in contribution to Strathclyde Pension Fund a forecast £4.294m will be transferred to the pension smoothing reserve. Service Variances £m £m Resources: Under recovery of rental income based on updated tenancies Increase utility costs reflecting 24/25 actuals Unbudgeted cost of Asset Valuations Mainly due to turnover saving not achieved in year 0.207 0.139 0.067 0.046 0.459 Regulatory & Regeneration : Small underspends across service (0.086) (0.086) ITEM 10 Page 77
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Citizens, Culture and Facilities: Employee vacancies across Catering, Building Cleaning & Facilities (0.386) (0.386) Education: Increased Property Costs in relation to Non- Domestic Rates & Grounds Maintenance Job Evaluation award – Grade 3 to Grade 4 Smaller overspends throughout service 0.338 0.321 0.048 0.707 Roads & Neighbourhood Services: Increased cost of providing current level of service across employee costs, plant hire, materials and transport costs. Under recovery in Crematorium income Smaller overspends throughout service 0.355 0.100 0.080 0.515 Housing & Employability: Supported Accommodation inflationary pressures 0.097 0.097 Other service movements less than £0.050m (0.024) (0.024) Net adverse variance at Period 3 1.282 4.2 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. 4.3 A list of agreed efficiencies and management adjustments totalling £6.017m is shown within Appendix 4. Current indications show that £5.627m is on target to be achieved. However, Appendix 4 also shows that it is anticipated that £0.390m will not be achieved and will be funded by the smoothing fund. General Fund Reserves Position 4.4 Appendix 5 shows the latest position in respect of Unallocated and Earmarked Reserves and shows the projected balance as at 31 March 2026: Unearmarked Balance (£m) Earmarked Balance (£m) Total General Fund Reserves (£m) As at 31 March 2025 3.642 8.821 12.463 Projected in year use of reserves (1.282) (1.604) (2.682) Forecast in-year movement – Pension Saving 0.000 4.294 4.294 Projected Balance as at 31 March 2026 2.360 11.511 13.871 4.5 A breakdown of the 2025/26 earmarked balances and the movements in reserves is summarised in Appendix 6. Page 78
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4.6 The Council’s General Fund contingency (Prudential Target) is set at 3% of net expenditure for 2025/26 and amounts to £6.090m. After taking into consideration the forecast adverse outturn position of £1.282m at 31 January 2026, the Council is currently forecast to be £3.730m below the current Prudential Target as at 31 March 2026. A strategy to rebuild reserves will be presented to Council as part of the October Finance Update. 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 assumption is that all capital receipts achieved in 2025/26 will be used for principal and premium repayments within the loan charges budget. Any shortfall in capital receipts below that budgeted amount will adversely 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 remains volatile and interest rates are reducing more gradually than initially anticipated. To forecast for the full year costs budget assumptions have been required (particularly around energy costs and interest rates). 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 Page 79
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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: 28 August 2025 __________________________________________________________________ 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 2025/26 – Corporate Summary; Appendix 2 - Revenue Budgetary Control 2025/26 – Chief Officer Summaries; Appendix 3 - Analysis of Revenue Variances over £50,000; Appendix 4 - Monitoring of Efficiencies Appendix 5 - Reconciliation of General Fund Reserves Appendix 6 - Monitoring of Earmarked Balances Background Papers: Ledger output – Period 3; General Services Revenue Estimates 2025/26 Wards Affected All Wards Page 80
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 1 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 SUMMARY PERIOD END DATE 30 June 2025 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Use of Earmarked Reserves Variance after the use of Earmarked Reserves £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Resources 4,861 6,840 6,001 1,140 23.4% 681 459 Regulatory and Regeneration 5,169 472 5,135 (34) -0.7% 52 (86) People & Technology 10,392 3,698 10,382 (10) -0.1% 10 (20) Citizens, Culture and Facilities 18,551 4,474 18,165 (386) -2.1% 0 (386) Education, Learning and Attainment 137,340 33,108 138,147 807 0.6% 100 707 Roads and Neighbourhood 17,904 3,939 18,587 683 3.8% 168 515 902 123 999 97 10.8% 0 97 Miscellaneous Services 7,889 3,134 8,479 590 7.5% 593 (3) Loan Charges 19,592 4,898 19,592 0 0.0% 0 0 Capital Receipts used to fund Loan Charges (2,884) 0 (2,884) 0 0.0% 0 0 Requisition (VJB) 880 220 880 0 0.0% 0 0 Requisition (SPT) 1,611 403 1,611 (0) 0.0% 0 0 Requisition (HSCP) 93,442 23,361 93,442 (0) 0.0% 0 0 Transfer to Reserves re SPFO reductions 4,294 0 - (4,294) -100.0% (4,294) 0 Non GAE Allocation (8,453) 0 (8,453) 0 0.0% 0 0 Total Expenditure 311,491 84,671 310,083 (1,408) -0.5% (2,690) 1,282 Council Tax (45,426) (11,357) (45,426) 0 0.0% 0 0 Revenue Support Grant (173,447) (43,362) (173,447) 0 0.0% 0 0 Non Domestic Rates (84,737) (21,184) (84,737) 0 0.0% 0 0 Central Government Funding (1,486) (372) (1,486) 0 0.0% 0 0 Use of reserves (6,395) (1,599) (6,395) 0 0.0% 0 0 Total Resources (311,491) (77,873) (311,491) 0 0.0% 0 0 Net Expenditure (0) 6,798 (1,408) (1,408) -0.5% (2,690) 1,282 Department Summary Variance Housing and Employability Page 81
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 RESOURCES SUMMARY PERIOD END DATE 30 June 2025 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Use of Earmarked Reserves Variance after the use of Earmarked Reserves £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 289 55 289 0 0% 0 0 1,525 342 1,561 36 2% 0 36 2,201 1,300 2,201 0 0% 0 0 2,408 643 2,846 438 18% 427 11 434 78 447 13 3% 26 (13) (29) 0 (29) 0 0% 0 0 (1,072) (79) (1,077) (5) 0% 0 (5) 1,194 713 1,275 81 7% 0 81 (2,034) 3,829 (1,458) 577 -28% 228 349 (55) (40) (55) 0 0% 0 0 4,861 6,840 6,001 1,139 23% 681 458 Variance Service Summary Service / Subjective Summary Finance Service 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 82
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 REGULATORY AND REGENERATION SUMMARY PERIOD END DATE 30 June 2025 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Use of Earmarked Reserves Variance after the use of Earmarked Reserves £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 1,570 350 1,547 (23) -1% 0 (23) 568 115 551 (17) -3% 0 (17) (223) (27) (200) 23 -10% 0 23 877 189 902 24 3% 0 24 549 57 552 3 0% 52 (49) 600 140 595 (5) -1% 0 (5) Economic Development 1,227 (352) 1,188 (39) -3% 0 (39) 5,169 472 5,135 (34) -1% 52 (86) Variance Total Net Expenditure Service / Subjective Summary Service Summary Procurement Democratic and Registration Service Legal Services/Trading Standards Licensing Environmental Health Planning Page 83
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY PERIOD END DATE 30 June 2025 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Use of Earmarked Reserves Variance after the use of Earmarked Reserves £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 894 209 910 16 2% 0 16 1,845 432 1,845 (0) 0% 9 (9) 5,072 2,477 5,052 (20) 0% 0 (20) Central Administration Support 2,580 579 2,574 (6) 0% 0 (6) 0 1 1 1 0% 1 (0) 10,392 3,698 10,382 (9) 0% 10 (19) Variance Total Net Expenditure Transactional Services Provision for Legal Fees & Settlements Information Services Strategic People and Change Service / Subjective Summary Service Summary Page 84
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 CITIZENS, CULTURE AND FACILITIES PERIOD END DATE 30 June 2025 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Use of Earmarked Reserves Variance after the use of Earmarked Reserves £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 280 67 234 (47) -17% 0 (47) 1,346 374 1,351 5 0% 0 5 239 52 238 (1) 0% 0 (1) Clydebank Town Hall 337 5 352 15 4% 0 15 Libraries 1,820 371 1,838 18 1% 0 18 Arts and Heritage 282 37 263 (19) -7% 0 (19) Catering Services 5,056 1,149 5,262 206 4% 0 206 Building Cleaning 2,109 472 1,962 (147) -7% 0 (147) Building Cleaning PPP (103) (82) (162) (59) 58% 0 (59) Facilities Assistants 2,783 566 2,425 (358) -13% 0 (358) Facilities Management 280 128 289 9 3% 0 9 Events 28 3 18 (10) -36% 0 (10) Leisure Management 4,094 1,330 4,094 0 0% 0 0 18,551 4,474 18,165 (387) -2% 0 (387) Variance Total Net Expenditure Citizen Services Service / Subjective Summary Service Summary Communications & Marketing Performance & Strategy Page 85
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 EDUCATION, LEARNING AND ATTAINMENT PERIOD END DATE 30 June 2025 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Use of Earmarked Reserves Variance after the use of Earmarked Reserves £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Primary Schools 34,223 8,181 34,379 156 0% 0 156 Secondary Schools 36,037 9,094 36,134 97 0% 0 97 Specialist Educational Provision 23,315 4,850 23,400 85 0% 0 85 Psychological Services 680 171 671 (10) -1% 0 (10) Sport Development / Active Schools 627 462 627 0 0% 0 0 Early Education 19,118 4,262 19,474 356 2% 0 356 PPP 18,400 4,722 18,398 (2) 0% 0 (2) Creative Arts 616 164 616 (1) 0% 0 (1) Curriculum for Excellence 72 24 72 0 0% 0 0 Central Admin 954 594 1,049 96 10% 100 (4) Workforce CPD 285 64 284 (0) 0% 0 (0) Performance & Improvement 482 116 488 5 1% 0 5 Education Development 2,531 404 2,556 25 1% 0 25 137,340 33,108 138,147 807 1% 100 707 Variance Service Summary Service / Subjective Summary Total Net Expenditure Page 86
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 ROADS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD PERIOD END DATE 30 June 2025 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Use of Earmarked Reserves Variance after the use of Earmarked Reserves £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Transport, Fleet & Maintenance Services (117) 223 (1) 116 -99% 0 116 Roads Services 2,473 961 2,728 255 10% 0 255 Grounds Maintenance & Street Cleaning Client 0 0 0 0 0% 0 0 Outdoor Services 299 (1) 343 44 15% 0 44 Burial Grounds (245) (112) (223) 22 -9% 0 22 Crematorium (1,059) (109) (961) 98 -9% 0 98 Waste Services 9,810 740 9,936 126 1% 0 126 Depots 0 140 0 0 0% 0 0 Ground Maintenance & Street Cleaning Trading A/c 4,723 1,402 4,715 (8) 0% 0 (8) Shared Prosperity Fund 0 161 0 0 0% 0 0 Working 4 U 2,019 534 2,050 31 2% 6 25 17,904 3,939 18,587 684 4% 6 678 Service / Subjective Summary Service Summary Variance Total Net Expenditure Page 87
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 HOUSING AND EMPLOYABILITY PERIOD END DATE 30 June 2025 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Use of Earmarked Reserves Variance after the use of Earmarked Reserves £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Homelessness Services 828 65 927 99 12% 0 99 Private Sector Housing 16 4 16 0 0% 0 0 Private Sector Housing Grant 43 11 43 0 0% 0 0 Anti Social Behaviour & CCTV 305 86 303 (2) -1% 0 (2) Housing Maintenance Trading Organisation (290) (43) (290) 0 0% 0 0 902 123 999 97 11% 0 97 Variance Total Net Expenditure Service / Subjective Summary Service Summary Page 88
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 MISCELLANEOUS PERIOD END DATE 30 June 2025 Total Budget Spend to Date Projected Spend Annual RAG Status Use of Earmarked Reserves Variance after the use of Earmarked Reserves £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 6,746 2,863 7,331 585 9% 593 (8) 1,143 271 1,148 5 0% 0 5 7,889 3,134 8,479 590 7% 593 (3) Variance Total Net Expenditure Service / Subjective Summary Chief Executive and Chief Officers Service Summary Sundry Services Page 89
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Actual Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % Revenues & Benefits 2,408 2,846 438 18% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Office Accommodation 1,194 1,275 81 7% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Corporate Assets (2,034) (1,458) 577 -28% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome 30 June 2025 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Resources Provision of Shared Office Accommodation. The adverse variance is attributable to higher than anticipated electricity costs versus budget. None. Adverse variance The service provided by this area deal with benefits, council tax and debt recovery. This adverse variance is fully offset by the use of earmarked reserves: £374k in relation to the Social Welfare Fund and £53k DWP funding, that was part of the 24/25 Scottish Government revenue funding which was carried forward for use into 25/26. Both reserves will be fully utilised in year. None required. Adverse Variance This service provides asset and estate management The adverse variance is driven by a £411k under recovery in rental income. Part of this shortfall (£204k) will be met by the smoothing fund and relates to a prior year saving with regards office/depot rationalisation which will not be fully realised due to tenants yet to be identified for Kilbowie Road and Elm Road. A full review of rental income will be carried out during 2025/26 and a cost pressure considered for 2026/27. There is an under recovery from salary recharges to capital (£24k) which relates to a saving that cannot be realised. This will also be funded via the smoothing fund earmarked reserve. Supplies and Services show an adverse variance against budget due to a £67k increase in valuation costs and an increase against budget of £49k on Property Costs. The remaining £26k relates to annual turnover not being achieved. The Service will continue to monitor and review costs and reduce overspends as appropriate. Overspend anticipated. Page 90
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Actual Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 30 June 2025 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Catering Services 5,056 5,262 206 4% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Building Cleaning 2,109 1,962 (147) -7% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Building Cleaning PPP (103) (162) (59) 58% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Facilities Assistants 2,783 2,425 (358) -13% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Citizens, Culture and Facilities Catering Services across WDC There is a favourable variance against employee costs as a result of vacancies. This has been offset by an adverse variance against income. The income budget was overstated and includes £350k which was also shown within General Revenue Grant income. This has been highlighted as a 2026/27 budget pressure in the June 2025 Finance Update to Council. None. This service provides Facility Assistants throughout WDC buildings. There is a favourable variance against employee costs as a result of vacancies. None. Favourable variance This service provides cleaning services across all council buildings. There is a favourable variance against employee costs as a result of vacancies. None. Favourable variance This service provides cleaning services to PPP schools. There is a favourable variance against employee costs as a result of vacancies. None. Favourable variance Adverse variance Page 91
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Actual Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 30 June 2025 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Primary Schools 34,223 34,379 156 0% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Secondary Schools 36,037 36,134 97 0% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Specialist Educational Provision 23,315 23,400 85 0% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Education , Learning and Attainment This service area includes all Primary Schools. Non-domestic rates will be higher than the sum anticipated when the budget was set (£105k). In addition, the cost of upkeep of grounds is likely to be at the level charged in 2024/25 resulting in an overspend (£56k).These overspends are offset very slightly by a number of small underspends. none possible adverse variance This service area includes all Secondary Schools. Non-domestic rates will be higher than the sum anticipated when the budget was set (£50k). In addition, the cost of upkeep of grounds is likely to be at the level charged in 2024/25 resulting in an overspend (£26k). There is a minor overspend on employee costs (£19k). none possible adverse variance This service area covers all ASN Services. The principal reason for the adverse variance is that APT&C employee costs are higher following the recent job evaluation of grade 3 and 4 staff (£320k inc. backdating to August 2024). The projected underspend on out of authority placements (£228k) has partially offset this unbudgeted cost. none possible adverse variance Page 92
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Actual Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 30 June 2025 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Early Education 19,118 19,474 356 2% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Central Admin 954 1,049 96 10% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome The principal reason for the adverse variance is an overspend on employee costs (£321k) due to the Grade 3 and 4 job evaluation (£77k) and the likely non- achievement of the turnover target (£244k). In addition, payments to private providers are greater than budget following the sharp increase in the number of eligible 2 year olds in these nurseries (£88k). Underspends across a range of budgets have reduced the overall adverse variance. none possible adverse variance This services area includes all Early Years establishments within West Dunbartonshire. This service area covers Education Directorate The adverse variance is caused by expenditure on the summer programme being covered by an earmarked reserve outwith the Education budget none possible nil variance once the earmarked reserve is considered Page 93
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Actual Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 30 June 2025 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Transport, Fleet & Maintenance Services (117) (1) 116 -99% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Roads Services 2,473 2,728 255 10% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Transport services across WDC Transport Services is operated on behalf of services across the Council. An under recovery on income is anticipated as while the service fully allocates all costs out to appropriate services there is currently a mis-alignment between the expenditure and income budgets. This will need to be corrected in future budgets. None available as cannot recharge out more than the service costs to run. Under recovery of income anticipated Roads and Neighbourhood This service relates to Roads operations, design, structures, street lighting, road safety and school crossing patrols Plant hire costs and material costs are anticipated to overspend by £272k.This is mainly due to the level of equipment required to ensure the roads programme is undertaken and also due to inflationary levels. Winter gritting is anticipated to overspend £57k due to costs of salt and quantity required to ensure winter gritting programme is fulfilled. The anticipated £89k overspend in stock is due to a significant increases in bitumen material costs, which have risen by an average of 35% in recent years. Income is anticipated to under recover by £150k which is due to the delay in implementing parking enforcement. The overspend is partially offset by underspends on street lighting (£198k), due to an anticipated reduction in the rates for electricity and employee costs (£113k) due to current levels of vacancies. The remaining £2k is due to small vacancies in the service. The Service will continue to monitor and review costs and reduce overspends as appropriate. Overspend anticipated. Page 94
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Actual Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 30 June 2025 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Crematorium (1,059) (961) 98 -9% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Waste Services 9,810 9,936 126 1% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Waste Collection and Refuse disposal services Employee costs are anticipated to overspend by £115k mainly due to turnover not being met. Transport costs are expected to overspend by £111k principally due to internal recharges of £60k and vehicle hire costs of £51k both are which are required to ensure the Service can fully operate. Waste removal Income is expected to under-recover by £100k due to a reduction in the level of waste collection to external customers. This shortfall is partly off-set by additional income from internal recharges and general sales of £60k, resulting in an overall anticipated income under-recovery of income by £40k.The overspend is also partially offset by underspends on supplies of £160k mainly due to anticipated reduction in the costs for tonnage in relation to waste collection. The remaining £20k variance is due to small variances throughout the service. The Service will continue to monitor and review costs and reduce overspends as appropriate. Overspend anticipated. This service provides crematorium services within the Council area Income from cremations is anticipated to be £101k less than budgeted mainly due to a new crematorium recently opened in East Dunbartonshire. This budget is uncontrollable and may change throughout the year. The Service will continue to monitor and review income. Under-recovery of income is anticipated. Page 95
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 3 REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 PERIOD END DATE Total Budget Actual Spend RAG Status £000 £000 £000 % 30 June 2025 Budget Details Variance Analysis Variance Homelessness Services 828 927 99 12% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Sundry Services 6,746 7,331 585 9% Service Description Main Issues / Reason for Variance Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Housing and Employability This service seeks to prevent homelessness occurring across the authority and improves access to support services The adverse variances on employee costs related to staffing pressures at the Ashton View Supported Accommodation project where staffing levels are determined by the Scottish Social Services Council ( SSSC ) requirements. There are also inflationary pressures across supported accommodation contracts. The service will minimise any overspend through tight control on recruitment and the maximisation of housing benefit income across temporary accommodation properties and Ashton View supported accommodation properties. A year end overspend. 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 associated cost of Voluntary Redundancy and Early Retirment and will be offset by the use of an earmarked reserve. Income and expenditure will continue to be monitored throughout the year. An overall adverse variance is anticipated at this time Page 96
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2025/26 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment 1 Parking Enforcement RN05 G Macfarlane 325 163 162 The implementation of DPE is progressing and it is anticipated this will commence in Autumn 2025. There will be a part year income and therefore the use of the smoothing fund is required for the period of the year before DPE is In place 2 Office/ Depot Rationalisation SDP05 L Slavin 380 189 204 Relates to two properties (Kilbowie Road and Elm Road where tenants have yet to be identified. 24/25 shortfall to be funded from the smoothing fund and asset management continue to market sites with a view to achieving the full saving in 25/26. 3 Review the Communities team reducing the delivery of community based services CCF26 A Graham 87 87 saving anticipated to be achieved in 2025/26 4 Reduce maintenance costs through replacing 6 under utilised grass pitches with 3 new 4G pitches RN22 G Macfarlane 10 0 Delay in implementation due to planning conditions and possibility of community transfer for one of the pitches. 5 Reduction in 2 FTE paralegal support to contracts and property section RR08 A Douglas 90 90 complete 6 Charging for Pre application advice RR09 A Douglas 5 5 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 7 Remove £12,500 of Nightzone West funding provided to Police Scotland RR01 A Douglas 1 1 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 8 Review compliance with Strategic Opening Model to identify areas where teams or posts can be merged CCF26 A Douglas 50 50 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 9 Revised Legal Charges for Transactions RR06 A Douglas 25 25 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 10 Registrars RR09 A Douglas 18 18 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 11 Building Standards A Douglas 10 10 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 12 Reduce Community Budgeting fund CCF10 A Douglas 27 27 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 13 Remove Members’ Secretary RR04 A Douglas 22 22 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 14 Reduce Trading Standards team RR17 A Douglas 14 14 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 15 Reduce Records Management team RR18 A Douglas 14 14 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 16 Close Clydebank Registration Office RR19 A Douglas 8 8 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 17 Combine dog warden & pest control posts RR10 A Douglas 38 38 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 18 Lead planner replaced by basic grade officer RR11 A Douglas 7 7 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 2023/24 Efficiencies not achieved 2024/25 Efficiencies not achieved complete Page 97
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2025/26 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment 19 Antonine wall RR12 A Douglas 27 27 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 20 Review environmental health RR13 A Douglas 35 35 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 21 Development planning & placemaking RR20 A Douglas 55 55 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 22 Review core library staffing (outwith branch libraries) and remove one post CCF19 A Graham 18 18 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 23 Review the Communities team reducing the delivery of community based services CCF26 A Graham 15 15 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 24 Increase events income CCF05 A Graham 8 8 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 25 Review film locations and formalise fee arrangements CCF06 A Graham 8 8 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 26 Reduce Highland Games Spend CCF01 A Graham 15 15 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 27 Reduce Contact Centre by 2 FTE CCF09 A Graham 30 30 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 28 Reduce Community Engagement Budget CCF11 A Graham 22 22 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 29 Reduction in Arts and Heritage - 1.5 FTE reduction. CCF18 A Graham 30 30 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 30 Review Facilities Mgt Operating Model CCF04 A Graham 300 300 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 31 Electric Vehicle Charging RN13 G Macfarlane 11 11 - complete 32 School crossing patrollers - adhere to best practice RN01 G Macfarlane 25 25 - complete 33 Introduce £60 Garden Waste Charge RN02 G Macfarlane 180 180 - complete 34 Amend roads service activities to support education to statutory level RN04 G Macfarlane 37 37 - complete 35 Reduce the Consultancy Services/Capital Investment Team by 25% RN18 G Macfarlane 15 15 - complete 36 Reduce the roads operations service from 29 FTE to 26 FTE which will reduce resilience in the team RN21 G Macfarlane 60 60 - complete 37 Reduce maintenance costs through replacing 6 under utilised grass pitches with 3 new 4G pitches RN22 G Macfarlane 40 40 - Not complete, planning approval process underway and if approved will issue tender. 38 Structural Patching RN23 G Macfarlane 50 50 - Complete 39 Review compliance with Strategic Opening Model to identify areas where teams or posts can be merged CCF26 G Macfarlane 50 50 - Not currently progressed, reviewing options in climate change 40 Review Allotment charges RN03 G Macfarlane 5 5 - Complete, charges updated April 25 41 Special Uplift Charge RN26 G Macfarlane 22 22 - Complete, charges updated April 25 42 Stopping Saturday burials RN01 G Macfarlane 10 10 - Complete 43 Capitalise Play Park Fitter RN07 G Macfarlane 40 40 - Complete 44 Further replacement of hire vehicles RN09 G Macfarlane 171 171 - Vehicles have been procured and are expected to arrive late Summer Page 98
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2025/26 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment 45 Reduce Working4U service by 50% HE02 G Macfarlane 206 206 - complete 46 School Crossing Patrollers -Retain 17 Crossing Patrollers RN17 G Macfarlane 23 23 - Underway, 4 locations still to be resolved 47 Review or remove provision of footway gritting - Cease Footway Gritting RN18 G Macfarlane 68 68 - complete 48 Close or reduce Dalmuir golf course - Close completely RN20 G Macfarlane 184 184 - Partly completed Page 99
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2025/26 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment 49 Cease the Care of Gardens scheme RN21 G Macfarlane 143 143 - Complete 50 Review levels of street cleaning - Reduce by 2 staff RN22 G Macfarlane 26 26 - Complete 51 Review of park maintenance RN24 G Macfarlane 60 60 - Complete 52 Remove open space maintenance on non council land RN28 G Macfarlane 20 20 - Complete 53 Review Event Support by Grounds Service RN29 G Macfarlane 15 15 - Complete. Costs will be recharged to event organisers 54 Road Network & Capital Management Reduction RN30 G Macfarlane 50 50 - Part complete, 0.6FTE reduction with further employee reduction being assessed 55 Review Winter Plan RN31 G Macfarlane 55 55 - Complete, Plan approved. 56 Reduce Grass Cutting RN35 G Macfarlane 150 150 - Complete 57 Review Footway Gritting Operational Method RN14 G Macfarlane 60 60 - Complete 58 Reduce Additional Management Time in Primary Schools EDU08 L Mason 152 152 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 59 Review the Communities team reducing the delivery of community based services CCF26 L Mason 15 15 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 60 Introduce Early Start Clubs at schools with associated fees (£2) for pupils not entitled to a free school meal EDU05 L Mason 93 93 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 61 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 7 7 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 62 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 109 109 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 63 Reduce the number of Early Learning Childcare Posts from 223 FTE to 217 FTE across the entire ELC learning estate EDU15 L Mason 67 67 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 64 Remove ELC Lead Officer in Bellsmyre and Dalmonach ELC with remaining management team required to take over aspects of their remit EDU16 L Mason 30 30 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 65 Review the current flexibility in primary school classification and allocate class structures based on numerical information which aligns with statutory obligations EDU20 L Mason 200 200 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 66 Redesign Leadership in Children, Young People and Families Teams EDU25 L Mason 6 6 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 67 Reduce School Clothing Grant for primary school pupils to the statutory level (£120) EDU02 L Mason 64 64 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 68 Reduce Education Maintenance Allowance to statutory level EDU03 L Mason 75 75 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 69 Shared Head at two early learning centres (Clydebank and Whitecrook) EDU11 L Mason 31 31 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 70 Align funding for 1140 hours for 3 year olds with statutory guidance EDU14 L Mason 62 62 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 71 Reduce School Music Instructors EDU15 L Mason 30 30 - Saving anticipated to be achieved Page 100
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2025/26 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment 72 Remove secondary school registration EDU20 L Mason 383 383 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 73 Reduce secondary school clerical staff EDU16 L Mason 80 80 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 74 Reduced Education Support (ELC) EDUC19 L Mason 27 27 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 75 Remove two franking machines and further reduce use of first class mail RES11 L Slavin 8 8 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 76 Historical Lease Review RES13 L Slavin 44 44 - Saving anticipated to be achieved Page 101
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2025/26 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment 77 Remove one Council officer RES09 L Slavin 8 8 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 78 Review External Funding - Delete Community Wellbeing Fund RES01 L Slavin 20 20 - Complete 79 Reduce Corporate Debt team RES06 L Slavin 44 44 - Complete 80 Reduce number of caretakers RES08 L Slavin 24 - 24 Saving cannot be realised due to full salary recharge. 81 Reduce Housing Benefit and Council Tax team RES14 L Slavin 16 16 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 82 Review of Capital Programme RES06 L Slavin 66 66 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 83 Income Generation through Commercialisation RES09 L Slavin 15 15 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 84 Further asset rationalisation SDP04 L Slavin 99 99 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 85 External Consultancy Income SDP09 L Slavin 25 25 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 86 Review of charges for use of offices by external parties RES09 L Slavin 7 7 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 87 Historical lease review RES13 L Slavin 15 15 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 88 Reduce size of Building Services RES15 L Slavin 228 228 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 89 Review Asset Management team RES19 L Slavin 55 55 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 90 Reduce budget for temporary accommodation furniture HE03 P Barry 18 18 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 91 CCTV Service Reduction HE04 P Barry 31 31 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 92 Restrict choice in office equipment to pre-agreed catalogue items/amounts. PT05 V Rogers 5 5 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 93 Reduce the Council’s training budget, retaining budget to cover essential corporate requirements PT07 V Rogers 5 5 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 94 Reduce manual processing by automating the generation of debtor and creditor invoices RES11 V Rogers 25 25 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 95 Remove counselling and physio PT10 V Rogers 9 9 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 96 Remove telephone survey CCF13 V Rogers 9 9 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 97 Performance and Strategy Budget Efficiencies CCF15 V Rogers 9 9 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 98 Reduce design budget CCF16 V Rogers 12 12 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 99 Reduce Corporate Administration Support 3 FTE Reduction. PT12 V Rogers 91 91 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 100 People & Change Team Restructure PT14 V Rogers 62 62 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 101 Organisational Development Reduction PT15 V Rogers 60 60 - Saving anticipated to be achieved Page 102
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4 MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2025/26 Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer Budgeted Amount £000 Projection of Total Saved £000 Projection of Total Not Saved £000 Comment 102 Outsource Print Room function PT18 V Rogers 25 25 - Saving anticipated to be achieved 103 Reduce ICT team: 4 FTE PT20 V Rogers 84 84 - Saving anticipated to be achieved TOTAL AGREED SAVINGS OPTIONS & MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 6,017 5,630 390 Page 103
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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 2025 12.705 Earmarked as at 31 March 2025 8.821 Capital Grants and Receipts unapplied 0 Other Reserves (0.242) In Year Movements: Closing General Fund Balance 12.463 Budgeted use of Reserves 0.000 Less Earmarked Balances (8.821) Allocation to service reserve balances 0.000 Unearmarked Balance as at 31 March 2025 (draft) 3.642 Allocation to pension smoothing reserve 4.294 Strategy to rebuild reserves 0.000 Total In Year Movements 4.294 Total In Year Movements 0.000 Service use of reserves at as at 30 June 2025 (1.214) Forecast Service Outturn for 2025/26 as at 30 June 2025 (1.282) Use of smoothing fund for 2025/26 (0.390) Forecast unallocated Balance as at 31 March 2026 2.360 In Year use of reserves (1.604) Earmarked as at 31 March 2026 11.511 Prudential Target (3%) 6.090 Forecast unallocated Balance Above/(Below) Prudential Target (3.730) Page 104
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 6 MONITORING OF EARMARKED BALANCES 2025/26 BY CHIEF OFFICER DEPARTMENT 25/26 Estimate 25/26 Spend to Date 25/26 Probable Outturn 25/26 to be released To be carried forward into 26/27 £ £ £ £ £ 1 Social Welfare Fund 374,103 - 374,103 - 2 Revs & Bens DWP funding 53,000 - 53,000 - 3 Automation Team (VKY) 26,284 - 26,284 - 4 Regulatory - New document management system 90,000 - 45,000 45,000 5 Regulatory - Underspend in 'design panel' budget for IDOX upgrade (new 23/24) 7,000 - 7,000 - 6 OD & Change Training Budget (new 23/24) 8,773 - 8,773 - 7 Previous provision for equal pay/holiday pay 194,663 - 1,220 193,443 8 Education recovery (ELT) 29,834 - - 29,834 9 Whole Family Wellbeing Funding 69,862 - - 69,862 10 Ending Core curriculum charges 129,000 - - 129,000 11 Ukraine 78,000 - - 78,000 12 Removal of music instruction fees 30,000 - - 30,000 13 Modern Apprentice 23/24 underspend 177,494 - - 177,494 14 Ukraine Refugee Resettlement Teams 499,255 - - 499,255 15 CCTV Network Upgrade 21,000 - - 21,000 16 Set up a an energy Household Energy Support Fund using £250,000 15,990 - - 15,990 17 Cost of Living 1: Enhancement to the Schools Summer Programmed. £100,000 per year for 4 years. 200,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 18 Cost of Living 2: Create a 4 year School Meal Cost Hardship Fund to help families struggling with the cost of living. £60,000 per year. 92,661 - - 92,661 19 Cost of Living 3: Additional Support for Apprenticeships. £50,000 per year for 4 years. 150,000 - - 150,000 20 Cost of Living 4: Fund the successful spending on Sport & Leisure for children during holiday times for the next 4 years. £45,000 per year. 107,040 - - 107,040 21 Cost of Living 6: Transitional Funding Support to Y-Sort-It over 4 years. £39,000 per year 78,000 - - 78,000 22 Cost of Living 7: Introduce a programme of creative engagement and learning focused on supporting people through recovery and improving wellbeing. £5,000 per year for 4 years. 10,000 - - 10,000 23 Provide 64,000 for family fund day events in 2023/24 and the following three years (approx 32 events at £2,000 per event) 32,000 - - 32,000 24 Community Transition Fund 151,680 - - 151,680 25 £12k over 4 years to Tontine Food Parcels from April 2024 to March 2028 9,000 - - 9,000 26 £12k over 4 years to Lomond Food Pantry from April 2024 to March 2028 9,000 3,000 3,000 6,000 27 £12k over 4 years to Time for Tully from April 2024 to March 2028 9,000 3,000 3,000 6,000 TOTAL USE OF SERVICE RESERVES 2,652,639 106,000 621,380 - 2,031,259 28 Voluntary Redundancy & Early Retirement Reserve 593,000 - 593,000 - - 29 Smoothing Fund 1,220,826 - 390,000 - 830,826 30 23/24 In year reduction in Strathclyde Pension Fund Employer Contribution 4,355,000 - 4,294,000- - 61,000 TOTAL USE OF STRATEGIC RESERVES 6,168,826 - - 3,311,000 - 9,479,826 TOTAL USE OF EARMARKED RESERVES 8,821,465 106,000 - 2,689,620 - 11,511,085 STRATEGIC RESERVES RESOURCES REGULATORY & REGENERATION PEOPLE & TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION HOUSING & EMPLOYABILITY COST OF LIVING ROADS & NEIGHBOURHOOD Page 105
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer – Resources Council: 27 August 2025 _________________________________________________________________ Subject: General Services Capital Budgetary Control Report 2025/26 to 30 June 2025 (Period 3). 1. Purpose 1.1 This report provides an update on the General Services capital financial performance to 30 June 2025. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Members are asked to: a) Note the current position of the 2025/26 General Services capital budget. b) Approve the additional capital budget of £0.013m in respect of Vale of Leven Cemetery detailed in Appendix 2. c) Approved the revised completion dates in respect of 4 projects detailed in Appendix 2. d) Approve the reprofiling of 7 projects in appendix 3 of (£7.118m) over the project life. e) Approve £0.150m of additional capital budget for traffic signage and road markings (Para 4.8) to support the enforcement of decriminalised parking enforcement. 3. Background 3.1 On 5 March 2025 the Council approved the updated General Services Capital Plan for 2025/2026 to 2034/35. The three years from 2025/26 to 2026/28 were approved in detail with the remaining years being indicative. The budget agreed was £73.780m for 2025/26 and £307.818m for the project life budget. 4. Main Issues 4.1 Exhibit 1 sets out the revised capital budget at period 3 assuming approval by Council of all recommendations contained within this report. Exhibit 1: Revised Capital Budget as at 30 June 2025. 2025/26 (£m) Project Life (£m) Capital Budget Agreed 5 March 2025 73.780 307.818 Additional budget for Capital agreed at Council 6 0.095 0.575 ITEM 11 Page 107
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March 2024 (Para 4.7) Reprofiling from 2024/25 4.809 4.565 Reprofiling over project life (Appendix 3) (7.118) 0 Additional budget for Capital agreed at Council 5 March 2025 (Para 4.7) 0 0.150 Additional budget for Hot Box Vehicles per Management Adjustment RN09 agreed at Council 18 December 2024 (Para 4.7) 0.800 0.800 Approved Capital Bid – Roads Lining and Signing (Para 4.8) 0.150 0.150 Funding to be returned for Regeneration Capital Grant Funding for Clydebank Activity Centre (Para 4.9) (0.717) (0.717) Additional spend Vale of Leven Cemetery (Para 4.3) 0.013 0.013 Proposed revised Capital Budget as at Period 3 71.812 313.354 4.2 Progress against the 2025/26 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 4.3 The overall programme summary report at Appendix 1 shows that planned expenditure against the budget is currently off track by £0.013m for the Vale of Leven Cemetery. The additional spend was as a result of more imported soil being required than was originally anticipated at design stage. 4.4 Appendix 2 highlights 5 projects currently showing as off-track, 4 of which are due to revised completion dates and 1 as a result of the overspend in the Vale of Leven Cemetery. Project RN16 (Vale of Leven Cemetery) is off track due to an overspend of £0.013m as reported above (Para 4.3). Project RR 2 (Installation of Solar PV at Clydebank Leisure Centre) is off track due to planning permission and building control requirements. This means that the project end date has been extended by 1 year to 31 March 2027. Project RR 3 (Leisure Energy projects – air handling units, upgrade lighting, circulating pumps and draught proofing) is off track due to a revised completion date as the cost submitted through the single tender framework was double the budget allocated. This means there is insufficient budget to deliver the project, the council is not being asked to approve further capital allocation at the current time as officers will first explore alternative delivery approaches to achieve the intended Page 108
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outcomes within existing resource. The completion date for the project has been extended to 31 March 2027 while this is ongoing. Project RR 7 (Levelling Up Fund) is off track due to the project delivery taking longer than initially expected. Resulting in an updated completion date of 31 December 2026. Project RR 10 (Clyde Mission Catalyst Fund) is off track due to project development taking longer than expected as timescales of the external partner are outwith our control. The project completion date has been extended by a year to the 31 March 2027. 4.5 Appendix 3 highlights 7 projects where the expenditure requires to be reprofiled to future years with no change to the project life budget. 4.6 Appendix 4 shows all projects with approved in year budgets and project life budgets as well as forecast expenditure. It highlights that the 2025/26 budget is £71.799m. Spend as at period 3 is £7.470m (10.39%) of the current forecast spend of £71.812m. 4.7 Other minor changes to the capital plan included in the summarised plan in appendix 4 are: The Community Sports Facility at Millburn (RES 12) of £0.500m and Holm Park Community Football Academy Accessibility Project (RES 13) of £0.075m are expected to incur costs in 2025/26 and have been added onto the Capital Plan. These items were previously omitted from the capital plan as they had been managed through operational arrangements but were approved by Council on the 6th of March 2024. It was agreed at the council meeting on the 5th of March 2025 that the cost of living capital fund would contribute £0.150m towards a new football pitch at Faifley Knowes (RES 14). The purchase of hot box vehicles in line with the Management Adjustment RN09 taken at Council on the 18th of December 2024 (included in RN 5). At the time of approval cost was unknown, this has now been confirmed at £0.800m and can be added to the capital plan. 4.8 Members are asked to approve a capital budget of £0.150m to fund the signage and road markings to support decriminalised parking enforcement. This bid has been reviewed by the Strategic Asset Management Group who recommend that £0.150m is added to the Capital plan to allow the Roads and Neighborhoods team to implement decriminalised parking enforcement. This project has been included in appendix 4 (RN 30). 4.9 Scottish Government has requested that the grant funding for Clydebank Activity Centre be returned due to the original community groups withdrawing their interest because of external funding issues. Regeneration approached Page 109
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Scottish Government with a proposal from a different local group and a departure from the original proposal but this was unsuccessful. The £0.717m removed from the capital plan at the moment is the unspent budget for this project with £0.040m already outlaid. We are awaiting confirmation from Scottish Government on whether professional fees and other outlays commissioned are required to be returned. Shown on appendix 4 under RR 10. 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 high and interest rates continue to be volatile. To forecast for the full year costs budget assumptions have been required. These assumptions continue to change regularly and therefore it is likely the projected year end budgetary position will change from that reported. 9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 9.1 No equalities impact assessment was required in relation to this report. 10. Environmental Sustainability 10.1 No assessment of environmental sustainability was required in relation to this report. 11. Consultation 11.1 All services involved in delivering the capital budgets have been consulted in the compilation of this report. 12. Strategic Assessment Page 110
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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: 21 July 2025 Person to Contact: Lynsey Dickson Council Offices, Church Street, Dumbarton E-mail: lynsey.dickson@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: 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 Background Papers: General Services Capital Plan Update - Council 6 March 2024 General Services Capital Plan Update - Council 5 March 2025 Wards Affected All Wards Page 111
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West Dunbartonshire Council Appendix 1 General Services Capital 2025/26 Summary at Period 3 Project Life Budget Project Life Forecast Spend Project Life Variance On Track/Complete Off Track £'000 £'000 £'000 Resources 52,176 52,176 - 14 0 Citizen, Cultural and Facilities 3,173 3,173 - 2 0 Regulatory and Regeneration 56,938 56,938 - 7 4 Roads and Neighbourhoods 121,336 121,349 13 30 1 Education 60,899 60,899 - 5 0 HSCP 9,127 9,127 - 3 0 People and Transformation 9,693 9,693 - 4 0 Total 313,341 313,354 13 65 5 Page 112
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West Dunbartonshire Council Appendix 2 General Services Capital 2025/26 Projects that are Off Track at Period 3 Service Project Approved Project Life Cost Revised Project Life Cost Project Life Variance Initial Completion Date Revised Completion Date £'000 £'000 £'000 Roads and Neighbourhoods Project - RN 16 Vale of Leven Cemetery 912 925 13 Regulatory & Regeneration Project - RR2 Installation of Solar PV at Clydebank Leisure Centre 57 57 - 31/03/2026 31/03/2027 Regulatory & Regeneration Project - RR3 Leisure Energy projects - air handling units, upgrade lighting, circulating pumps, and draught proofing 226 226 - 31/03/2026 31/03/2027 Regulatory & Regeneration Project - RR7 Levelling Up Fund 10,249 10,249 - 31/03/2026 31/12/2026 Regulatory & Regeneration Project - RR10 Clyde Mission Catalyst Fund 2,000 2,000 - 31/03/2026 31/03/2027 Project Name: Project - RN16 Vale of Leven Cemetery Project Manager: Ian Bain Initial Completion End Date: 31/03/2025 Revised End Date: 31/03/2025 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? n/a New Completion Date: Prudential Borrowing What are the implications on the actions proposed? Revenue Implications Virement Implications n/a Project Name: Project - RR2 Installation of Solar PV at Clydebank Leisure Centre Project Manager: Elaine Troup Initial Completion End Date: 31/03/2026 Revised End Date: 31/03/2027 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? n/a New Completion Date: 31/03/2027 n/a What are the implications on the actions proposed? Revenue Implications Virement Implications n/a Additional invoices received. Source of Funding: n/a Project delayed due to planning permission and building control requirements. Source of Funding: n/a Page 113
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Project Name: Project - RR3 Leisure Energy projects - air handling units, upgrade lighting, circulating pumps, and draught proofing Project Manager: Elaine Troup Initial Completion End Date: 31/03/2026 Revised End Date: 31/03/2027 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? What action will be taken to rectify the position? New Completion Date: 31/03/2027 n/a What are the implications on the actions proposed? Revenue Implications Virement Implications n/a Project Name: Project - RR7 Levelling Up Fund Project Manager: Elaine Troup Initial Completion End Date: 31/03/2026 Revised End Date: 31/12/2026 How was this project initially funded: Please Detail any additional funding: £2.2m of Council's match funding which will be spent once all LUF funding is exhausted 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? New Completion Date: 31/12/2026 Prudential Borrowing What are the implications on the actions proposed? Revenue Implications Virement Implications n/a Project Name: Project - RR10 Clyde Mission Catalyst Fund Project Manager: Elaine Troup Initial Completion End Date: 31/03/2026 Revised End Date: 31/03/2027 How was this project initially funded: Please Detail any additional funding: External funding administered by the Council 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? New Completion Date: 31/03/2027 Scottish Government & Prudential borrowing What are the implications on the actions proposed? Revenue Implications Virement Implications n/a n/a Project delivery taking longer than expected Source of Funding: n/a Project development taking longer than expected, timescales of the external partner outwith our control Source of Funding: n/a Project delayed - The Air Handling Units replacement was tendered via a single tender framework via procurement -cost submitted was approx. double the budget approved. Further discussions therefore required about how to progress. Source of Funding: Page 114
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West Dunbartonshire Council Appendix 3 General Services Capital 2025/26 Changes to Capital Plan and Implications at P3 Project - RR 2 Initial End Date Revised End Date Reprofiling Current Year 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 2030/31 2031/32 2032/33 2033/34 Total Capital Plan £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Installation of Solar PV at Clydebank Leisure Centre 31/03/2026 31/03/2027 (57) 57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 57 Installation of Solar PV at Clydebank Leisure Centre - Revised 0 57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 57 Explanation Project delayed due to planning permission and building control requirements Project - RR 3 Initial End Date Revised End Date Reprofiling Current Year 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 2030/31 2031/32 2032/33 2033/34 Total Capital Plan £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Leisure Energy projects - air handling units, upgrade lighting, circulating pumps, and draught proofing 31/03/2026 31/03/2027 (226) 226 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 226 Leisure Energy projects - air handling units, upgrade lighting, circulating pumps, and draught proofing - Revised 0 226 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 226 Explanation Project delayed - The Air Handling Units replacement was tendered via a single tender framework via procurement -cost submitted was approx. double the budget approved. Further discussions therefore required about how to progress. Project - RR 4 Initial End Date Revised End Date Reprofiling Current Year 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 2030/31 2031/32 2032/33 2033/34 Total Capital Plan £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Local Economic Development (1,490) 2,248 2,220 760 500 500 0 0 0 0 6,228 Local Economic Development - Revised 758 2,840 1,300 830 500 0 0 0 0 6,228 Explanation Project delivery taking longer than expected. Project - RR 5 Initial End Date Revised End Date Reprofiling Current Year 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 2030/31 2031/32 2032/33 2033/34 Total Capital Plan £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Regeneration Fund (2,145) 2,145 974 705 0 0 0 0 0 0 3,824 Regeneration Fund - Revised 0 2,000 1,824 0 0 0 0 0 0 3,824 Explanation Project - RR 7 Initial End Date Revised End Date Reprofiling Current Year 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 2030/31 2031/32 2032/33 2033/34 Total Capital Plan £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Levelling Up Fund (3,173) 10,249 10,249 Levelling Up Fund - Revised 7,076 3,173 10,249 Explanation Project delivery taking longer than expected. Project - RR 10 Initial End Date Revised End Date Reprofiling Current Year 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 2030/31 2031/32 2032/33 2033/34 Total Capital Plan £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Clyde Mission Catalyst Fund (702) 1,327 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,327 Clyde Mission Catalyst Fund - Revised 625 702 0 0 0 0 0 1,327 Explanation Project development taking longer than expected, timescales of the external partner outwith our control. Project - RN 26 Initial End Date Revised End Date Reprofiling Current Year 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 2030/31 2031/32 2032/33 2033/34 Total Capital Plan £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Exxon City Deal 675 19,910 10,970 4,693 0 0 0 0 0 35,573 Exxon City Deal - Revised 20,585 10,970 4,018 0 0 0 0 0 35,573 Explanation Project development taking longer than expected, timescales of the external partner outwith our control. Project dependant on timescales of external partners, outwith Council's control Page 115
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West Dunbartonshire Council Appendix 4 General Services Capital 2025/26 All Projects Approved at P3 Service Project Completion Date Revised End Date Project Life Budget Spend to 31/03/2025 Spend Projected in Current Year Projected Future Spend Total Projected Spend Project Variance Approved Budget 2025/26 Actual to date 2025/26 Projected Spend In Year Variance £000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 RES 1 Valuation Joint Board - Requisition of ICT Equipment 31 March 2028 31 March 2028 30 17 4 9 30 0 4 0 4 0 RES 2 Agresso Development 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 92 86 6 0 92 0 6 1 6 0 RES 3 Cost of Living 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 512 502 10 0 512 0 10 0 10 0 RES 4 Community Success Capital Fund 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 150 0 150 0 150 0 150 6 150 0 RES 5 Community Sports Success 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 250 10 240 0 250 0 240 0 240 0 RES 6 Strathleven Place (formerly part of Glencairn House project) 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 1,590 0 1,590 0 1,590 0 1,590 0 1,590 0 RES 7 New Sports Changing Facility Dumbarton West (Old OLSP site) 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 349 9 340 0 349 0 340 0 340 0 RES 8 Building Upgrades and H&S - lifecycle & reactive building upgrades 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 24,704 0 2,536 22,168 24,704 0 2,536 -49 2,536 0 RES 9 Direct Project Support 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 14,274 0 1,586 12,688 14,274 0 1,586 33 1,586 0 RES 10 Depot Rationalisation 31 March 2027 31 March 2027 8,500 2,335 1,779 4,386 8,500 0 1,779 56 1,779 0 RES 11 Finance Ledger System 31 March 2027 31 March 2027 1,000 34 430 536 1,000 0 430 0 430 0 RES 12 Community Sports Facility at Millburn 31 March 2028 31 March 2028 500 0 20 480 500 0 20 0 20 0 RES 13 Holm Park Community Football Academy Accesibility Project 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 75 0 75 0 75 0 75 0 75 0 RES 14 4G Football pitch at Faifley Knowles 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 150 0 0 150 150 0 0 0 0 0 Total Resources 52,176 2,993 8,765 40,417 52,176 0 8,765 47 8,765 0 CCF 1 Heritage Capital Fund 31 March 2025 31 March 2025 2,798 2,798 0 0 2,798 0 0 -415 0 0 CCF 2 Transformation of Infrastructure Libraries and Museums 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 375 375 0 0 375 0 0 0 0 0 Total CCCF 3,173 3,173 0 0 3,173 0 0 -415 0 0 RR 1 Legal Case Management System 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 33 0 33 0 33 0 33 0 33 0 RR 2 Installation of Solar PV at Clydebank Leisure Centre 31 March 2026 31 March 2027 61 4 0 57 61 0 0 0 0 0 RR 3 Leisure Energy projects - air handling units, upgrade lighting, circulating pumps, and draught proofing31 March 2026 31 March 2027 290 64 0 226 290 0 0 0 0 0 RR 4 Regeneration/Local Economic Development 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 8,228 0 758 7,470 8,228 0 758 21 758 0 RR 5 Regeneration Fund 31 March 2028 31 March 2028 10,931 7,107 0 3,824 10,931 0 0 0 0 0 RR 6 Place Based Investment 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 1,807 1,401 406 0 1,807 0 406 0 406 0 RR 7 Level Up Funding 31 March 2026 31 December 2026 22,100 11,851 7,076 3,173 22,100 0 7,076 1,255 7,076 0 RR 8 Level Up Capacity Funding 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 320 160 160 0 320 0 160 0 160 0 RR 9 District Heating Network Expansion 31 March 2028 31 March 2028 11,104 259 201 10,644 11,104 0 201 12 201 0 RR10 Clyde Mission Catalyst Fund 31 March 2026 31 March 2027 2,000 673 625 702 2,000 0 625 182 625 0 RR11 Securing sites to make safe 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 66 35 30 0 66 0 30 2 30 0 Total Regulatory and Regeneration 56,938 21,553 9,289 26,096 56,938 0 9,289 1,473 9,289 0 RN 1 Infrastructure - Roads 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 23,010 0 2,658 20,352 23,010 0 2,658 19 2,658 0 RN 2 Flood Risk Management 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 2,180 0 685 1,495 2,180 0 685 0 685 0 RN 3 Street lighting and associated electrical infrastructure 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 900 0 100 800 900 0 100 0 100 0 RN 4 Flood Prevention 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 450 257 193 0 450 0 193 10 193 0 RN 5 Vehicle Replacement 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 12,865 0 4,623 8,242 12,865 0 4,623 0 4,623 0 RN 6 Auld Street Clydebank - Bond 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 256 214 42 0 256 0 42 0 42 0 RN 7 River bank erosion repair - Levenhowe 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RN 8 Clydebank Charrette, A814 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 4,303 4,251 52 0 4,303 0 52 11 52 0 RN 9 Roads Plant 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 79 79 0 0 79 0 0 0 0 0 RN 10 A813 Road Improvement Phase 1 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 1,700 1,379 322 0 1,700 0 322 8 322 0 RN 11 Traffic Signal Updates 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 300 286 14 0 300 0 14 0 14 0 RN 12 Gruggies Burn Flood Prevention 31 March 2028 31 March 2028 15,028 987 882 13,160 15,028 0 882 10 882 0 RN 13 River Leven Flood Prevention Scheme 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 801 181 620 0 801 0 620 0 620 0 RN 14 Public non-adopted paths and roads 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 2,341 0 541 1,800 2,341 0 541 29 541 0 RN 15 Cemetery Extension, North Dalnotter 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 264 14 250 0 264 0 250 0 250 0 RN 16 Vale of Leven Cemetery 31 March 2025 31 March 2025 912 912 13 0 925 13 0 13 13 13 RN 17 Allotment Development 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 492 312 180 0 492 0 180 8 180 0 RN 18 Waste Transfer Station 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 1,980 159 1,821 0 1,980 0 1,821 0 1,821 0 RN 19 Play Area Upgrade Programme 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 2,007 594 613 800 2,007 0 613 0 613 0 RN 20 East End Park Resurfacing 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 385 183 202 0 385 0 202 143 202 0 RN 21 Balloch Mountain Bike Track 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 450 7 443 0 450 0 443 0 443 0 RN 22 Pappert 2G Pitch 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 251 8 242 0 251 0 242 0 242 0 RN 23 Kilmaronock Cemetery Extension 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 50 45 5 0 50 0 5 0 5 0 RN 24 Creation of 3 new all weather pitches at Argyll Park, Posties Park and Mountblow playing fields.31 March 2027 31 March 2027 2,250 47 2,203 0 2,250 0 2,203 0 2,203 0 RN 25 Exxon City Deal 31 March 2028 31 March 2028 46,942 11,370 20,585 14,988 46,942 0 20,585 2,750 20,585 0 RN 26 Active Travel 31 March 2028 31 March 2028 636 0 636 0 636 0 636 27 636 0 RN 27 Strathclyde Partnership for Transport - Bus, cycling and walking infrastructure improvements & Park and Rides31 March 2028 31 March 2028 278 0 278 0 278 0 278 0 278 0 RN28 Transport Scotland 24-25 Implementation 20MPH Speed Limits 31 March 2028 31 March 2028 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RN 29 Review of schools speed Limits 31 March 2028 31 March 2028 75 0 75 0 75 0 75 0 75 0 RN 30 Roads Lining and Signing 31 March 2027 31 March 2027 150 0 150 0 150 0 150 0 150 0 Total Roads and Neighbourhood 121,336 21,285 38,426 61,637 121,348 13 38,414 3,028 38,426 13 EDUC 1 AV Equipment - Education 31 March 2030 31 March 2030 859 356 96 407 859 0 96 1 96 0 EDUC 2 Digital Inclusion 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 356 328 28 0 356 0 28 0 28 0 EDUC 3 Schools Estate Improvement Plan - next Phase - Faifley Campus 31 March 2027 31 March 2027 36,515 24,767 8,994 2,754 36,515 0 8,994 3,558 8,994 0 EDUC 4 Schools Estate Improvement Plan 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 21,904 19,921 1,983 0 21,904 0 1,983 -312 1,983 0 EDUC 5 Free School Meals Expansion 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 1,265 23 1,242 0 1,265 0 1,242 0 1,242 0 Total Education 60,899 45,395 12,343 3,161 60,899 0 12,343 3,247 12,343 0 HSCP 1 Special Needs - Aids & Adaptations for HSCP clients 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 6,646 0 765 5,881 6,646 0 765 0 765 0 HSCP 2 ICT Modernisation HSCP 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 1,819 0 164 1,655 1,819 0 164 0 164 0 HSCP 3 Community Alarm upgrade 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 662 0 307 355 662 0 307 -1 307 0 Total HSCP 9,127 0 1,236 7,891 9,127 0 1,236 0 1,236 0 P&T 1 ICT Modernisation 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 4,579 0 696 3,883 4,579 0 696 -3 696 0 P&T 2 ICT Security & DR 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 3,833 0 737 3,096 3,833 0 737 95 737 0 P&T 3 365 Implementation 31 March 2026 31 March 2026 983 757 226 0 983 0 226 -1 226 0 P&T 4 Development of Workforce Management System 31 March 2030 31 March 2030 298 0 93 205 298 0 93 0 93 0 Total P&T 9,693 757 1,752 7,184 9,693 0 1,752 91 1,752 0 Overall Total 313,341 95,156 71,812 146,385 313,354 13 71,799 7,470 71,812 13 In YearFull Project Life Page 116
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer – Resources Council – 27 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Housing Revenue Account Budgetary Control Report to 30 June 2025 (Period 03) 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to advise Council on the 2025/2026 HRA revenue budget position on 30 June 2025 and the forecast position for HRA reserves on 31 March 2026. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Council is to: i. note the HRA revenue account is forecasting a deficit of £0.282m. If required, HRA reserves will be used to fund the adverse variance. ii. note that the forecast deficit would reduce HRA reserves to £0.329m on 31 March 2026. iii. note that forecast HRA revenue reserves are less than the HRA revenue prudential target for 31 March 2026 of £1.160m. iv. note that work will continue to explore opportunities to remove the in-year deficit and to rebuild reserves, including the targeting of efficiencies across all areas of the HRA revenue account budget. 3. Background Revenue 3.1 The Council approved a 2025/2026 HRA revenue budget of £58.105m on the 5th of March 2025. A prudential reserve target of £1.16m was also set (2% of the revenue budget). HRA prudential reserves were £0.611m on 31st March 2025. 4. Main Issues 4.1 This report advises committee of the key issues contributing to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) forecasting a 2025/26 deficit of £0.282m. The forecast deficit would require a call on HRA reserves and leave forecast HRA reserves of £0.329m on 31 March 2026. Using existing reserves to address the funding deficit adds risk to the wider financial position of the HRA with reduced capacity to absorb any unforeseen future costs until the HRA rebuilds its reserves. ITEM 12 Page 117
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4.2 There are a range of unfavourable / favourable variance contributing to the forecast deficit and the main variances are detailed below. Adverse Variances > £50,000 Employee Costs - £0.257m Adverse 4.3 The main employee cost pressures relate to employers’ national insurance contribution costs and a higher than budgeted pay settlement for 2025/26. 4.4 The HRA did not budget for the increase in employers’ national insurance costs in 2025/2026. When the decision was made not to provide for additional national insurance costs in the HRA estimates, it assumed that the Scottish Government would provide the council with additional financial grant that would allow the council to compensate the HRA for this cost burden. However, the council did not receive full Scottish Government funding for the additional employer national insurance costs. Employer national insurance costs are forecast to be £170,000 more than estimate. 4.5 The HRA estimates assume a 3% pay award for 2025/26. On the 13th of June 2025, COSLA wrote to trade unions with a two-year pay offer, a 4% increase in 2025/25 and a 3.5% increase in 2026/27. The forecast is based on a 4% pay award with the higher award creating an £80,000 HRA cost pressure. Repair and Maintenance - £0.044m Adverse 4.6 The HRA repair and maintenance budget of £13.081m is forecasting a slight overspend against budget. There continues to a high responsive repair demand service delivery costs forecast to be circa £890,000 more than budget. A range of mitigations are in place to address the cost pressure, including tighter controls on contractor use, the capitalisation of EICR spend that complements the environmental sensor programme, and close working with Greenspace colleagues to deliver a minimum £0.150m saving against environmental budgets by revising work specifications and streamlining processes. Bad Debt Provision - £0.150m Adverse 4.7 The HRA needs to make prudent financial provision for uncollected income across a range of HRA debts, including rent arrears, rechargeable repairs, factoring services, capital works. 4.8 HRA income levels have increased over the past few years because of council house rent increases, the more stringent application of the rechargeable repairs policy for repairs caused by tenant neglect / abuse, and the increased amounts invoiced to owners residing within former HRA properties (factoring / common repairs / capital works). 4.9 Performance recovering this debt and outstanding debt levels is kept under constant review. Debt levels have increased alongside the increase in the amount billed to tenants / owners. The forecast adverse variance assumes an increase in the bad debt provision to take account of the increased debt. Page 118
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Void Loss / Council Tax - £0.269m Adverse 4.10 Council tax payments for longer term void houses are forecast to reduce by £60,000 in 2025/26 compared to 2024/25 as more longer-term voids are let, however forecast council tax payments for 2025/26 are £150,000 compared to a target of £50,000. As previously advised, the main factor behind HRA properties incurring a council tax liability are delays resolving issues with debt on meters and with meter reconnections with the poor performance of the utility companies adversely impacting on the length of time properties are void and leading to more empty properties incurring a council tax liability. Officers have made progress and 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. 4.11 Regarding void losses, there has been considerable progress in reducing void numbers and void rent loss. The void rent loss is forecast to reduce by £150,000 in 2025/26 compared to 2024/25 as void numbers reduce, however forecast void loss for 2025/26 is £850,000 compared to a target of £700,000. Reducing the void loss remains an operational priority area and the Council’s Void Working Group and Building Services Improvement Plan will support further improvement in this key area. Favourable Variance > £50,000 Loan Charges - £0.585m Favourable. 4.12 The favourable variance is attributable to forecast HRA capital debt repayment and HRA interest payments being less than the amount budgeted for within the HRA revenue estimates. The 2025/26 HRA loan charge estimates were based on HRA capital debt of £356m on 31 March 2025. However, lower HRA capital borrowing in 2024/25 across the More Home (new build) capital programme led to HRA debt being £348m on 31 March 2025, £8m less than anticipated. The lower debt level will attract lower debt servicing costs. 4.13 Members will be aware of the significant risk and uncertainty around forecasting local authority borrowing costs. The HRA has paid a much higher interest rate on its outstanding capital debt over the last two years because of the sharp increase in the interest rates payable on new temporary and new Public Work Loans Board (PWLB) borrowing. The favourable variance of £585,000 is predicated on reduced local authority borrowing costs during the current financial year. There is a risk that HRA debt interest payments are more than forecast. 5. People Implications 5.1 There are no people implications. Page 119
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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: 27 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ 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 120
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 1 HRA REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/26 PERIOD END DATE Budget 2025/26 Spend to Date 2025/26 Forecast Spend 2025/26 Annual RAG Status £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employee Costs 7,855 2,209 8,112 257 3% Property Costs 1,349 283 1,381 32 2% Transport Costs 154 44 177 23 0% Supplies, Services And Admin 418 102 409 (9) -2% Support Services 2,584 646 2,584 0 0% Other Expenditure 420 109 437 17 4% Repairs & Maintenance 13,081 3,110 13,125 44 0% Bad Debt Provision 1,119 317 1,269 150 13% Void Loss (Council Tax / Lost Rents) 831 275 1,100 269 32% Loan Charges 29,055 7,143 28,571 (484) -2% Total Expenditure 56,866 14,238 57,165 299 1% House Rents (55,961) (14,000) (56,000) (39) 0% Lockup Rents (232) (58) (232) 0 0% Factoring Charges (448) (108) (430) 18 -4% Other rents (137) (34) (137) 0 0% Miscellaneous income (123) (21) (84) 39 -32% Total Income (56,901) (14,221) (56,883) 18 0% Net Expenditure (35) 17 282 317 30 June 2025 Subjective Summary Forecast Variance 2025/26 Page 121
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 HRA REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/2026 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 MONTH END DATE 30 June 2025 PERIOD 3 Budget 2025/26 Forecast Spend 2025/26 £000 £000 £000 % Employee Costs 7,855 8,112 257 3% Main Issues Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Budget 2025/26 Forecast Spend 2025/26 £000 £000 £000 % Bad Debt Provision 1,119 1,269 150 13% Main Issues Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Variance Analysis Subjective Analysis Forecast Variance 2025/26 Variance Analysis Forecast Variance 2025/26 Subjective Description Subjective Analysis RAG Status Cost of employees charged directly to the HRA. Variance Narrative Recruitment of critical posts and higher employer national insurance costs are creating a cost pressure. The forecast also incudes a cost pressure for a higher than estimated pay settlement. COSLA have offered employees a 4% pay award for 2025/26, the estimates included a 3% provisiion. Management will target staffing efficiencies, including tighter controls on staff recruitment and overtime. A year end overspend. RAG Status Variance Narrative The Council needs to make prudent provision for the non collection of HRA debt. HRA debt has been increasing as officers more stringently apply the rechargeable repairs policy for repairs caused by tenant neglect / abuse. These debts are difficult to collect because tenants often have multiple other debts with the Council and others. A review of the bad debt provision has identified a need to further increase the amount set aside for irrecoverable debt. Housing and Corporate Debt staff continue to work closely to maximise contact with customers with debt and to put in place reasonable affordable repayment plans that take account of customers personal circumstances. A year end overspend. Subjective Description Provision for uncollected rent across range of HRA debts, including rent arrears, rechargeable repairs, insurance and factoring services, capital works. Page 122
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2 HRA REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2025/2026 ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000 MONTH END DATE 30 June 2025 PERIOD 3 Budget 2025/26 Forecast Spend 2025/26 £000 £000 £000 % Void Loss (Council Tax / Lost Rents) 831 1,100 269 32% Main Issues Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Budget 2025/26 Forecast Spend 2025/26 £000 £000 £000 % Loan Charges 29,055 28,571 (485) -2% Main Issues Mitigating Action Anticipated Outcome Subjective Analysis Forecast Variance 2025/26 RAG Status A year end underspend. Subjective Description Loans Fund repayments and the payment of interest and expenses on outstanding HRA debt. Variance Narrative HRA capital debt at 31 March 2025 was lower than forecast and this led to lower debt servicing costs across both debt repayment and debt interest. None. Variance Analysis A year end overspend. Variance Analysis Forecast Variance 2025/26 Variance Narrative Subjective Analysis RAG Status 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. Housing staff will continue to develop and argue the case for additional council tax relief. Subjective Description Lost rental income for void houses and lockups and the cost of council tax on long term void properties. Void numbers and council tax payments for longer term void houses are forecast to exceed budget. There are ongoing challenges 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. The service is working with the council tax team / the assessor service to secure maximum relief for several of our longer-term void properties. Page 123
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer – Resources Council – 27 August 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Budgetary Control Report to 30 June 25 (Period 3) 1. Purpose 1.1 This report provides an update on the HRA capital programme to 30 June 2025. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Council is asked to: i) note the current position of the 2025/26 HRA capital estimates and the HRA capital plan. ii) note that in year financial performance will be monitored against a 2025/26 capital expenditure estimate of £55.547m and a 2025/26 capital income estimate of £6.290m, a forecast borrowing requirement of £49.257m. iii) note that project life performance will be monitored against a project life expenditure estimate of £345.311m and a project life income estimate of £80.378m, a five-year borrowing requirement of £264.933m. iv) note that at this early stage all projects are on track regarding achieving their planned completion dates and delivering within the updated capital estimate. 3. Background 3.1 The Council approved the HRA Capital Plan for 2025/2026 to 2029/2030 on 5 March 2025. The HRA capital plan estimated £70.590m of capital expenditure and £15.324m of capital income in 25/26, a forecast borrowing requirement of £55.266m. 3.2 Since then, budget adjustments have taken place 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 2024/2025 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. The updated borrowing requirement for 25/26 of £49.257m is £6.009m less than the estimate that Council agreed in March 2025. ITEM 13 Page 125
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Exhibit 1: Revised HRA Capital Estimates 2025/2026 – 2029/2030 2025/26 BCR03 (£m) Project Life BCR03 (£m) 2025/26 March 25 (£m) Project Life March 25 (£m) Other Capital Expenditure 7.433 26.267 7.433 26.267 Component Replacement 20.881 93.567 20.881 93.567 Void Capital 5.258 19.873 5.258 19.873 Structural & Environmental 3.762 17.320 3.762 17.320 Support Costs 3.100 17.155 3.100 17.155 More Homes Programme 15.113 171.129 30.156 166.469 Total Expenditure 55.547 345.311 70.590 340.651 Total Income -6.290 -80.379 -15.324 -73.009 Prudential Borrowing 49.257 264.932 55.266 267.642 4. Main Issues 4.1 Progress against the 2025/26 capital plan is detailed in: Appendix 1 – HRA Capital Summary BCR03 Appendix 2 – HRA Capital Detail BCR03 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 estimates. Appendix 1 reports that there are fifteen capital projects where expenditure is tracked over the multi-year life of the project and twenty-nine projects classified as rolling programme projects / contingency / fees, that is programmes of work where an annual estimate 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 estimates as well as forecast expenditure / income. The appendix highlights a 2025/2026 expenditure budget of £55.447m and a forecast spend of £55.447m. The 2025/2026 capital income budget is £6.290m, with a forecast income of £6.290m. 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 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. 7. Financial and Procurement Implications 7.1 The report notes the projected in-year financial position for capital estimates. Page 126
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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) 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 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 estimates 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: 27 August 2025 Person to Contact: Jim McCarron Business Partner, Finance 07772 322055 E-mail: james.mccarron@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 - HRA Capital Summary BCR03 Appendix 2- HRA Capital Details BCR03 Background Papers: Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Investment Programme, Revenue Budget, and Rent Levels for 2025/26 - Council 5 March 2025. Wards Affected All Wards Page 127
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Period 3 - 30 June 25 Appendix 1 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 26,267 26,267 - 8 - - - Major Component Replacement 93,567 93,567 - 10 - - - Void Capital 19,873 19,873 - 1 - - - Structural & Environmental 17,320 17,320 - 4 - - - Support Costs 17,155 17,155 - 1 - - - Affordable Housing Supply Programme 171,129 171,129 - 5 15 15 - Total Expenditure 345,311 345,311 - 29 15 15 - Total Income (80,378) (80,378) - - - Total 264,933 264,933 - Page 128
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All Approved HRA Capital Projects at Period 03 _ 30 June 25 Appendix 2 Project Category Planned End Date Revised End Date Project Life Budget Expenditure to 31/3/25 Expenditure to Date Projected Future Spend Project Life Forecast Spend Project Variance Updated Budget 2025/26 Expenditure to Date 2025/26 Projected Spend 2025/26 In Year Variance 2025/26 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 OCE1 Special Needs Adaptations Rolling 31/03/2030 3,661 - 197 3,464 3,661 - 668 197 668 - OCE2 Capitalised Minor Works Rolling 31/03/2030 12,623 - 681 11,942 12,623 - 3,715 681 3,715 - OCE3 Better Homes Priority Budget Rolling 31/03/2030 1,175 - 6 1,169 1,175 - 275 6 275 - OCE4 Environmental Sensors Programme Rolling 31/03/2030 7,897 - 226 7,671 7,897 - 2,000 226 2,000 - OCE5 Housing CCTV Installation Programme Rolling 31/03/2030 750 - 287 463 750 - 750 287 750 - OCE6 QL Development Rolling 31/03/2030 50 - - 50 50 - 10 - 10 - OCE7 Gypsy Travellers Site Rolling 31/03/2030 15 - - 15 15 - 15 - 15 - OCE8 Airport Noise Rolling 31/03/2027 96 - - 96 96 - - - - - Other Capital Expenditure 26,267 - 1,397 24,870 26,267 - 7,433 1,397 7,433 0 MCR1 Targeted SHQS /EESSH compliance works Rolling 31/03/2030 30,163 - 782 29,381 30,163 - 6,628 782 6,628 - MCR2 External Component Renewal - Roofs Rolling 31/03/2030 13,204 - 367 12,837 13,204 - 2,550 367 2,550 - MCR3 Doors/Windows Component Renewals Rolling 31/03/2030 23,190 - 1,029 22,161 23,190 - 4,985 1,029 4,985 - MCR4 External Stores / Garages / Bin Stores Rolling 31/03/2030 247 - - 247 247 - 48 - 48 - MCR5 Secure entry component renewals Rolling 31/03/2030 500 - - 500 500 - 100 - 100 - MCR6 Statutory / Regulatory Compliance Works Rolling 31/03/2030 1,106 - - 1,106 1,106 - 594 - 594 - MCR7 Heating Improvement Works Rolling 31/03/2030 11,771 - 418 11,353 11,771 - 2,268 418 2,268 - MCR8 Energy Improvements / Energy Efficiency Works Rolling 31/03/2030 297 - - 297 297 - 58 - 58 - MCR9 Kitchen Upgrade Rolling 31/03/2030 10,089 - 391 9,698 10,089 - 2,850 391 2,850 - MCR10 Bathroom & Shower Replacement Rolling 31/03/2030 3,000 - 160 2,840 3,000 - 800 160 800 - Major Component Replacement 93,567 - 3,147 90,420 93,567 - 20,881 3,147 20,881 - VOC1 Void House Strategy Programme Rolling 31/03/2030 19,873 - 1,251 18,622 19,873 - 5,258 1,251 5,258 - Void Capital 19,873 - 1,251 18,622 19,873 - 5,258 1,251 5,258 0 STE1 Defective structures/component renewals Rolling 31/03/2030 4,389 - 245 4,144 4,389 - 800 245 800 - STE2 Environmental Renewal - Paths & Environment Rolling 31/03/2030 5,436 - 290 5,146 5,436 - 1,000 290 1,000 - STE3 Asbestos Management Works Rolling 31/03/2030 1,239 - - 1,239 1,239 - 242 - 242 - STE4 Multi Storey Flat Strategy Rolling 31/03/2030 6,256 - 2 6,254 6,256 - 1,720 2 1,720 - Structural & Environmental 17,320 - 537 16,783 17,320 - 3,762 537 3,762 0 SUP1 Salaries / Central Support / Overhead Rolling 31/03/2030 17,155 - 775 16,380 17,155 - 3,100 775 3,100 - Support Costs 17,155 - 775 16,380 17,155 - 3,100 775 3,100 0 AHP1 Buy Backs Rolling 31/03/2030 21,387 - 209 21,178 21,387 - 4,380 209 4,380 - AHP2 Demolition Programme Rolling 31/03/2029 1,140 - 138 1,002 1,140 - 140 138 140 - AHP3 Contingency Rolling 31/03/2030 530 - - 530 530 - 102 - 102 - AHP4 Clydebank East Project 30/04/2025 33,643 32,953 33,080 563 33,643 - 250 127 250 - AHP5 Mount Pleasant Project 30/04/2025 5,357 4,900 5,282 75 5,357 - 382 382 382 - AHP6 Pappert Project 30/06/2025 9,034 8,169 8,897 137 9,034 - 730 728 730 - AHP7 7-9 Gilmour Avenue Project 30/09/2025 733 459 461 272 733 - 264 2 264 - AHP8 Willox Park Phase1 Project 31/12/2025 5,531 1,951 2,565 2,966 5,531 - 2,980 614 2,980 - AHP9 Bonhill Gap Sites Project 30/09/2026 9,521 241 241 9,280 9,521 - 1,600 - 1,600 - AHP10 Queen Mary Avenue Project 31/12/2026 4,540 40 134 4,406 4,540 - 800 94 800 - AHP11 Bank Street Project 31/12/2026 5,797 297 350 5,447 5,797 - 1,500 53 1,500 - AHP12 Silverton Project 31/03/2027 2,889 29 29 2,860 2,889 - 100 - 100 - AHP13 28 Bridge Street Project 31/03/2027 810 - - 810 810 - 60 - 60 - AHP14 Willox Park Phase2 Project 30/06/2027 5,355 - - 5,355 5,355 - 100 - 100 - AHP15 Ottawa Crescent Project 30/06/2027 6,000 - - 6,000 6,000 - 250 - 250 - AHP16 Dennystoun Forge – New Build Project 30/09/2027 4,129 59 59 4,070 4,129 - 400 - 400 - AHP17 Clydebank Health Centre Project 31/12/2027 15,642 1,017 1,060 14,582 15,642 - 375 43 375 - AHP18 Queens Quay Site C Project 31/03/2030 7,231 31 31 7,200 7,231 - - - - - AHP19 Future New Build & Related Regeneration Projects Rolling 31/03/2030 31,030 - - 31,030 31,030 - 550 - 550 - AHP20 Fees, Staffing Costs, contingency Rolling 31/03/2030 830 - - 830 830 - 150 - 150 - Affordable Housing Supply Programme 171,129 50,146 52,536 118,593 171,129 - 15,113 2,390 15,113 0 Total Expenditure 345,311 50,146 59,643 285,668 345,311 - 55,547 9,497 55,547 0 Full Project Life Page 129
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All Approved HRA Capital Projects at Period 03 _ 30 June 25 Appendix 2 Full Project Life Project Category Planned End Date Revised End Date Project Life Budget Income to 31/3/25 Income to Date Projected Future Income Project Life Forecast Income Project Variance Updated Budget 2025/26 Income to Date 2025/26 Projected Income 2025/26 In Year Variance 2025/26 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 CAPI1 Scottish Govt Buyback Grant Rolling 31/03/2030 (10,550) - - (10,550) (10,550) - (550) - (550) - CAPI2 Clydebank East Project 30/04/2025 (12,605) (12,605) (12,605) 0 (12,605) - - - - - CAPI3 Mount Pleasant Project 30/04/2025 (1,838) (1,838) (1,838) - (1,838) - - - - - CAPI4 Pappert Site Project 30/06/2025 (3,725) (3,475) (3,475) (250) (3,725) - (250) - 250- - CAPI5 7-9 Gilmour Avenue Project 30/09/2025 (311) (191) (191) (120) (311) - (120) - (120) - CAPI6 Willox Park Phase1 Project 31/12/2025 (1,644) (1,644) (1,644) - (1,644) - - - - - CAPI7 Bonhill Gap Sites Project 30/09/2026 (3,748) (378) (378) (3,370) (3,748) - (1,600) - (1,600) - CAPI9 Queen Mary Avenue Project 31/12/2026 (2,040) (140) (140) (1,900) (2,040) - - - - - CAPI8 Bank Street Project 31/12/2026 (2,220) (258) (258) (1,962) (2,220) - (1,500) - (1,500) - CAPI10 Silverton Project 31/03/2027 (1,080) - - (1,080) 1,080- - - - - - CAPI11 Dennystoun Forge – New Build Project 30/09/2027 (2,400) - - (2,400) (2,400) - - - - - CAPI12 Clydebank Health Centre Project 31/12/2027 (4,781) (966) (966) (3,815) (4,781) - (375) - (375) - CAPI13 Queens Quay Site C Project 31/03/2030 (4,814) (2,086) (2,014) (2,800) (4,814) - 72 72 72 - CAPI14 Future new build sites & related regeneration projects Rolling 31/03/2030 (24,711) - - (24,711) (24,711) - (60) - (60) - CAPI15 Owners Recoveries Rolling 31/03/2030 (3,500) - (1,000) (2,500) (3,500) - (1,500) (1,000) (1,500) CAPI16 Other Grant Rolling 31/03/2030 (406) - (405) (1) (406) - (406) (405) (406) CAPI17 HRA Loan Repayments Rolling 31/03/2030 (5) - - (5) (5) - (1) - (1) - Total Income (80,378) (23,581) (24,914) (55,464) (80,378) - (6,290) (1,333) (6,290) - Prudential Borrowing Requirement 264,933 26,565 34,729 230,204 264,933 - 49,257 8,164 49,257 0 Full Project Life In Year Page 130