Agenda Document Pack - Community Planning Board - 17/05/2023
Moray Council · 17 May 2023
Back to Community Planning Board — 17 May 2023 and its agenda
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Community Planning Board Wednesday, 17 May 2023 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Meeting of the Community Planning Board is to be held at Council Chambers, Council Office, High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BX on Wednesday, 17 May 2023 at 14:00. BUSINESS 1. Welcome and Apologies 2. Minute of the meeting of 29 March 2023 5 - 6 3. Climate Change Update Report by the Depute Chief Executive (Economy, Environment and Finance) 7 - 94 4. Mid Term Review of Partnership Community Learning and Development Plan 2021-24 Report by the Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development) 95 - 114 5. Moray School Leaver Distribution Presentation Presentation by Anthony Standing 6. Children's Services Plan Covering Report Report by Chief Social Work Officer, Head of Service and Chair of GIRFEC Leadership Group 115 - 186 7. CPP Development Session 8 June 2023 Verbal Update by Chief Executive Moray Council Page 1
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8. Nominations for Depute Chair Report by the Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development) 187 - 190 9. AOCB Any person attending the meeting who requires access assistance should contact customer services on 01343 563217 in advance of the meeting. Page 2
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THE MORAY COUNCIL Community Planning Board SEDERUNT Councillor Kathleen Robertson (Chair) Mr George Burgess (Member) Mr Adam Coldwells (Member) Mr Murray Ferguson (Member) Mrs Anne Lindsay (Member) Chief Superintendent Graeme Mackie (Member) Mr Grant Moir (Member) Mr David Reid (Member) Mr Anthony Standing (Member) Mrs Susan Webb (Member) Ms Caroline Webster (Member) Councillor John Divers (Member) Councillor Juli Harris (Member) Councillor Graham Leadbitter (Member) Councillor Bridget Mustard (Member) Mr Roddy Burns (Member) Mr Chay Ewing (Member) Councillor Tracy Colyer (Outside Body Appointee) Councillor Amber Dunbar (Outside Body Appointee) Clerk Name: Lindsey Robinson Clerk Telephone: 07966 120593 Clerk Email: committee.services@moray.gov.uk Page 3
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MORAY COUNCIL Minute of Meeting of the Community Planning Board Wednesday, 29 March 2023 Remote Locations via Video Conference PRESENT Mr Roddy Burns, Councillor Tracy Colyer, Councillor John Divers, Councillor Amber Dunbar, Mr Chay Ewing, Councillor Juli Harris, Councillor Graham Leadbitter, Chief Superintendent Graeme Mackie, Councillor Bridget Mustard, Mr David Reid, Councillor Kathleen Robertson, Mrs Susan Webb APOLOGIES Mr George Burgess, Mr Murray Ferguson, Mr Grant Moir, Mr Anthony Standing, Mr Don Vass, Ms Caroline Webster IN ATTENDANCE Also in attendance at the above meeting were the Depute Chief Executive (Economy, Environment and Finance), Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development), Chief Officer Health and Social Care Moray, and Lindsey Robinson, Committee Services Officer as Clerk to the meeting. 1. Chair Councillor Kathleen Robertson, as Chair of the Community Planning Board, chaired the meeting 2. Election of Depute Chair There being no nominations for Depute Chair, it was agreed that it would be taken off the table and an email sent to all Board members seeking nominations. This will be reported back to the next meeting. 3. Minute of the meeting of the Community Planning Board of 9 November 2022 The minute of the meeting of 9 November 2022 was submitted and approved as an accurate record of the meeting. 4. Moray Growth Deal Update - First Annual Review A report by the Chief Executive (Economy, Environment and Finance) updated the Board on the process for and the terms of the first Annual report for the Moray Growth Deal, a draft of which had been reviewed and approved by the Moray Economic Partnership and Moray Council in line with approved governance for the deal. Item 2. Page 5
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Following consideration, the Board agreed to note the annual review process and terms of the draft Annual Report, the final version of which will be submitted to the Council for approval in May 2023. 5. LOIP 2022-23 Quarter 3 Performance Monitoring A report by the Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development) informed the Board of the performance against the Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP) for the period to 31 December 2022. During consideration, Councillor Mustard sought clarification on the progress of the Whole Famillign Well Being Fund as there was nothing noted in the report. In response, the Chief Officer Health and Social Care Moray advised that he did not have the information to hand but that it would be circulated by email to Board members. Thereafter, the Board agreed to note the progress reported in the templates hyperlinked to the report and that strategic groups have been tasked to develop the next rolling set of delivery framework action plans to continue to deliver on the LOIP 10 year plan. 6. AOCB The Chief Executive, Moray Council, wanted to formally record that Councillor Robertson was Chair of this Board and also Chair of the Education, Children and Leisure Service Committee, and as such, is part of a multi-agency working group looking at wrap around childcare and issues in the local economy. Item 2. Page 6
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REPORT TO: COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD ON 17 MAY 2023 SUBJECT: CLIMATE CHANGE UPDATE BY: DEPUTE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT & FINANCE) 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1. To update the Board on recent developments in the Council’s Climate Change Plan, Route Map to Net Zero and as regards Biodiversity. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1. That the Board consider and note the developments in Climate Change including biodiversity. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1. The Board has requested periodic updates on work undertaken by Moray Council on climate change, noting that whilst the net zero target by 2030 applies to the Council’s emissions, the Climate Change Strategy and declaration also set out steps to work with others across the Community Planning Partnership to deliver net zero. 3.2. On 2 May 2023 the Council’s Economic Development and Infrastructure Services Committee considered updates relative to the Route Map to Net Zero including the accompanying Action Plan, as well as a Position Statement on Biodiversity. These reports (with their appendices) are produced as appendices 1 and 2 to the report. 3.3. Key points relative to the Strategy and Routemap are challenges in progressing along a pathway that will deliver net zero by 2030, good progress on actions meantime, a new Climate Change Engagement Strategy and work to prepare for the 2025 review of progress. Key points relative to the Biodiversity Position Statement are action to align council activities to national and international policy within available resources and continuing support for the North East Biodiversity Partnership for the next three years. Item 3. Page 7
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4. FURTHER RECENT DEVELOPMNTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE 4.1 As tsiMoray are keypartners on climate action in Moray, they have been invited to contribute an update to this report, tsiMoray’s proposal for a Moray Climate Action Hub, attached as Appendix 3, was submitted to the relevant team at Scottish Government and assessed by the Community Climate Action Advisory Board on 26 April. Feedback has now been received and the application will be resubmitted in the coming weeks to provide further information and greater clarity on the points the Advisory Board asked to be addressed. tsiMoray will continue to engage with all stakeholders as our work on this progresses. 5. CONCLUSION 5.1 As the Council and partners work towards net zero, our approach and progress must be kept under review and the routemap and action plan have been updated accordingly, with a Position Statement developed on Biodiversity. Positive progress has also been made with the Moray Climate Action Hub. Authors of Report: Rhona Gunn, Depute Chief Executive and Fabio Villani, tsiMoray Ref: SPMAN-957343068-2479 Item 3. Page 8
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App 1 REPORT TO: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES COMMITTEE ON 2 MAY 2023 SUBJECT: CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN AND ROUTE MAP TO NET ZERO BY: DEPUTE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND FINANCE) 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1 To ask the Committee to approve the update to the Route Map to Net Zero (RMNZ), approve in principle an updated climate change action plan subject to consideration as part of the financial planning process, approve a climate change engagement strategy, and note progress with the actions approved within the Climate Change Strategy (CCS) for 2020-2030. 1.2 This report is submitted to Council in terms of Section III (F) (33) of the Council’s Scheme of Administration relating to providing, developing and monitoring the Council’s Economic Development and Infrastructure Services. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that Committee: (i) approve the updated RMNZ as set out in Appendix 1, the updated Climate Change Actions in Appendix 2, and the Climate Change Engagement Strategy in Appendix 3; (ii) notes that while the latest data available indicates that 2030 remains in the range of possible dates when net zero will be met, to ensure this is achieved the Council must commit to an aspirational approach to reducing carbon emissions in key areas but that the ability to implement such an approach is currently questionable without significant external funding; and (iii) notes the ongoing budget pressure arising from statutory climate change measures (as set out in section 1.2 of Appendix 1) for which external funding is essential. Item 3. Page 9
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3. BACKGROUND 3.1 Climate change is arguably the biggest challenge that we and future generations will face. On the 27 June 2019 the Council made a Declaration which recognised that climate change is an ecological emergency, and that the Council needs to take necessary actions to protect our area, country and planet (para 6 of the Minute refers). 3.2 In response to the commitments made in the declaration, on the 10 March 2021 (para 13 of the Minute refers) the Council adopted the CCS for 2020- 2030. The strategy set a goal of the Council being carbon neutral for direct emissions by 2030 and that the Council, its officers and members will work with others across Moray to deliver that goal. 3.3 When the CCS was approved it was agreed that there was a need to develop a detailed route map to set out a pathway how the Council could reach net zero emissions by 2030 and forecast how emissions will be reduced through the Council’s actions. This was adopted by Council on 6 April 2022 (para 18 of the Minute refers) with the RMNZ to be updated annually with up to date data on current emissions and future projections. 4. ROUTE MAP TO NET ZERO 4.1 The RMNZ in Appendix 1 sets out the current pathway to net-zero for the Council by 2030 by explaining actions to target the councils major emissions sources; buildings (electricity and heat), fleet, waste, and operating emissions. The changes from the previous RMNZ are set out in Section 4 in Appendix 1 and in sections 4.3-4.5 below. 4.2 In 2021/22, the Council’s recorded carbon emissions were 24,490 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) – an increase of 2,014 tCO2e (9%) compared to reporting year 2020/21. This increase in the Council’s recorded carbon emissions during 2021/22 is principally the result of services returning to ‘business as usual’ following the operational changes necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic and this increase was predicted within the Council’s RMNZ. It should be noted that the 2021/22 figures represent a reduction of almost 1,000 tCO2e from the pre-pandemic submission of 2019/20. 4.3 As is shown in Figure 13 of Appendix 1, the areas with the greatest potential for securing further reductions are reducing thermal demand in buildings through energy efficiency improvements and the replacement of gas boilers with air source heat pumps or other low or zero carbon alternatives. At present, it is difficult to be certain there will be enough progress in the decarbonisation of the council building stock to ensure the net zero targets are met without unnecessary offset. The current state of some of the buildings are unknown, and so the works required to bring them to net zero is uncertain. 4.4 As set out in the Energy Consumption Action Options and Decarbonisation of Corporate Buildings report to this Committee on 7 February 2023 (paragraph 18 of the draft Minute refers) the need where possible to progress a ‘fabric first’ approach to building design to reduce energy use may delay the replacement of heating systems in order to ensure older buildings have an adequate level of insulation required for low carbon heating systems. The Item 3. Page 10
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difficulties in fleet decarbonisation were also set out in the Update on Zero Emission Fleet Replacement Strategy report to this Committee on 7 February 2023 (paragraph 10 of the draft Minute refers). The impacts of these concerns and the altered timelines are reflected in the carbon reduction projections in this update to the routemap. 4.5 The current exercise to capture a programme of work to make the public building stock carbon neutral will allow accurate figures to be calculated for financial costs and emissions reductions to assist decisions the council makes on how to progress. To progress this programme it is essential that the smarter working (formerly office review) and the depots and stores reviews are completed during 2023-24 to allow subsequent actions to progress at a pace that will allow the council to reach net zero by 2030. 4.6 If the Council progresses decarbonisation of its buildings and fleet as a priority, and all decisions on future change are made by 2025, then a more accurate assumption can be made of residual emissions and the need for carbon sequestration through inset/offset. This will give a milestone for the council to recommit to the 2030 net zero target knowing the costs and carbon offset. 4.7 As shown in Figure 15, the annual emissions forecast of the council’s current pathway is shown within a range of estimates to highlight the uncertainties around current estimates of carbon reductions. In addition to the current pathway, the estimated range in emissions between an aspirational and restricted approach are shown. Current pathway - a realistic timescale built around the expected work programme of the council but, until otherwise informed, presumes a more restricted approach to aspects which are not yet agreed such as building heat decarbonisation. Aspirational approach – the quickest possible timescale to get works done to meet the council’s net zero target. It is assumed that finances will be available to invest in projects which will reduce future costs. Timings take into account any technical issues which may prevent work completion over a shorter timescale Restricted approach – a slower timescale than the current pathway where, for whatever reason, additional resources are not prioritised for climate change. This would have the consequence of missing the 2030 deadline and missing opportunities to reduce carbon early. This may result in requiring substantially more investment over a shorter period of time to achieve the statutory deadlines. 4.8 It is accepted that there are practical reasons why all of the Council public buildings and fleet will not be converted to net zero by 2030. The Council will have to develop an offsetting strategy to plan how to sequester residual emissions to balance out these areas if it is to meet the 2030 target. Part of these emissions can be offset by managing current land and woodland to maximise carbon sequestration. Funding secured from the Just Transition Fund is being used to baseline the carbon emissions of Council landholdings, to identify land types that can be improved, and to give advice on how to develop an offsetting project for the Council and for the wider Moray area. Item 3. Page 11
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4.9 By taking an aspirational approach to carbon reduction it is still feasible for Moray Council to achieve net zero by 2030 if key decisions on building decarbonisation and rationalisation of the estate are taken, and progress is made to consistently improve fleet vehicles, reduce waste, and improve insulation, heating, and hot water systems over the next seven years. However, the expected level of capital spend means that securing external funding for measures such as decarbonising council buildings will be essential if the target of 2030 is to be met. Although increasingly all external funding has net zero as a condition of grant regardless of the main purpose, the level of work required to decarbonise public buildings will require specific additional funding just for that purpose. 5. ACTION PLAN 5.1 The updated Climate Change Action Plan is included in Appendix 2. Progress on these actions are reported to the Climate Change Board on a quarterly basis and updated to this committee on an annual basis. Amendments to the actions have been agreed at the Climate Change Board. Details of amendments and completed actions are highlighted at the start of the appendix. 6. ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY 6.1 The Climate Change Engagement Strategy is included in Appendix 3. As instructed in the original Strategy and Action Plan, climate change officers have prepared an engagement strategy to accompany the Climate Change Plan and Route Map to Net Zero. The engagement strategy supports the council’s journey to net zero by outlining a framework for engagement and associated actions from the Route Map. It does not include any additional actions or place additional expectations upon officers, but will act as a guide to all departments in how to communicate and engage on climate and biodiversity related issues consistently and effectively. It will also keep a record of which actions within the wider Strategy and Route Map have engagement elements. 6.2 Recent reduction in staff capacity means there is less capacity for climate change engagement activity within the wider Moray community. However, engagement-related actions from the Route Map are led by officers across the council and its partners, many of which are fulfilling statutory functions (e.g. Local Development Plan). The adoption of this strategy should therefore support climate change action to become embedded across the council and climate change implications to be considered in all engagement activity and communications with staff, communities and businesses. 7. NEXT STEPS 7.1 The council’s emissions will continue to be reported annually through the Public Bodies Climate Change Duties statutory report each November, with the latest data brought to Committee. 7.2 This RMNZ will be periodically reviewed and refined as more projects are scoped out and more clarity is obtained in terms of carbon emissions from Item 3. Page 12
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decarbonisation trends, future technologies or offsetting mechanisms and accounting. 7.3 An annual progress report on the route map will continue to be brought to this Committee each year and will provide regular updates against actions and emissions progress. 7.4 As stated earlier, the additional work to reduce emissions contained in the RMNZ will require substantial funding over the next ten years and the ability to commit to this will need to be considered through the council’s financial planning process. While much of the initial planning for these changes should be able to progress using existing budgets, significant additional resources to progress these actions will be required to move towards implementation and given the current financial position, the ability to identify these additional resources in questionable in the absence of significant external funding . 7.5 Apart from access to capital resources, there are actions that could be taken to lower these risk factors and these are identified in page 23 of Appendix 1. Adopting some of these suggestions would allow more capacity within services and ensure a more aspirational pathway could be progressed. Suggestions of actions to create additional capacity within the council are as follows: Building heat Dedicated staff resource to manage building decarbonisation. To initially focus on planning of appropriate interventions on a building by building basis and then lead on implementation. Transport Dedicated project management resource within fleet to progress decarbonisation project and keep pace with the rapidly expanding LEV marketplace. Waste Create dedicated waste education resource within council or support equivalent third sector project Operating Emissions Include appropriate reporting in service plans to ensure climate change is a sectional priority and service change is progressed. This could be rolled out as part of the engagement around updating the CCS. Expand our roll out of Carbon Literacy Training and require key individuals to participate. Nature & Biodiversity An offsetting/biodiversity strategy (such as works to change land management regimes, purchase of additional land, and tree planting to sequester emissions) will be set out in a subsequent report, and presented to Council through the appropriate channels. The work to implement these actions will need budgetary approval to progress the work in an offsetting strategy. The creation of dedicated project management resource within Open Spaces to progress practical biodiversity and decarbonisation work. External Influence Increase resources for climate change community engagement. Item 3. Page 13
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7.6 Given the £20m budget gap and ongoing reviews of the Corporate Plan and Medium to Long Term Financial Plan, officers cannot currently recommend that these additional resources are earmarked to enable progress along a more aspirational pathway. This will however have implications in terms of progress towards meeting the 2030 target, and the state of preparedness to recommit to this in 2025. 8. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS (a) Corporate Plan and 10 Year Plan (Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP)) The CCS supports the priorities set out in the Corporate Plan and 10 Year Plan. The Council has declared a climate change emergency, a nature emergency, and the measures set out in the CCS seek to create a resilient, biodiverse, fair and more sustainable future for everyone within Moray. The strategy is aligned to deliver the priorities: Ensuring a just transition for all in the shift to a low carbon economy; Addressing inequalities of fuel poverty; Empowering individuals and communities through education and information provision to make informed choices with respect to climate change; Protecting and enhancing the world we live in to protect it for the future; and Being innovative in identifying solutions for cost reduction and income generation opportunities. (b) Policy and Legal Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 places a duty on public bodies to act in a way they consider most sustainable and in the way best calculated to contribute to the delivery of Scotland’s climate change targets; in the way best calculated to help deliver any programme for climate change adaptation laid before the Scottish Parliament; in a way it considers most sustainable. The 2030 target adopted by the Council reflects an accelerated route to net zero beyond that currently set by legislation Climate change is increasingly being embedded in all government policies ranging from Infrastructure delivery, energy policies and NPF4 and these will influence the majority of council policies moving forward. (c) Financial implications To achieve a position of net zero carbon emissions by 2030 will require significant capital investment as well as additional revenue investment to bolster staffing resources. This will be subject to consideration as part of the financial planning process and reflecting relative corporate priorities within a very constrained financial envelope. £500,000 from Council reserves has been set aside for one-off funding in the capital plan for 2023/24 to support initial steps. However, progressing actions from the Electric Vehicles, Buildings, and Hydrogen Strategies, and offsetting plans that are not covered by current approved plans will Item 3. Page 14
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require additional budgetary approval through the normal process if they are to progress. (d) Risk Implications Climate change is arguably the biggest challenge that we face in our lifetime and for future generations. It poses significant risks to our health, our economy, our environment, and endangers the wellbeing of future generations. There is a risk that the Council’s aim of being net zero by 2030 will not be realised if the actions within the CCS including decarbonisation of Council fleet and buildings are not progressed as a priority. (e) Staffing Implications There are no direct staffing implications leading from this report. (f) Property The outcome of the buildings decarbonisation strategy will impact on council housing, corporate buildings and the Learning Estate. These implications will be set out in more detail as the key actions relating to Property are progressed. (g) Equalities/Socio Economic Impact Climate Change will impact on every service area delivered by the council. It has the potential to impact on equalities for example in respect of support for active travel and fuel poverty which will have a positive socio-economic impact. Climate change will lead to more extreme adverse weather events in Moray which will have a disproportionate impact on those already in poverty or with the inability to adapt to this change. (h) Climate Change and Biodiversity Impacts The RMNZ will help focus attention on the actions required to ensure the council is on track for the 2030 net zero target. Reducing emissions will help the global climate emergency and allow the council to lead by example. Tree planting and nature restoration to assist in carbon sequestration could be used to help promote biodiversity and amenity. (i) Consultations Consultations have been undertaken with the Chief Executive, the Depute Chief Executive (Economy, Environment and Finance), the Head of Economic Growth and Development, the Head of Governance, Strategy and Performance, the Head of Housing and Property, the Head of Environmental and Commercial Services, the Head of Education Resources and Communities, the Legal Services Manager, the Energy Officer, the Equal Opportunities Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and Lissa Rowan (Committee Services Officer). Where comments have been received, these have been included within the report. Item 3. Page 15
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9. CONCLUSION 9.1 This report provides an update on progress to the council target of being carbon neutral by 2030. While the current pathway the council is on means that 2030 remains in the range of possible dates when net zero will be met, doing so will require adoption of a more aspirational pathway for which funding has not as yet been identified. 9.2 Decisions around buildings and depot infrastructure must be made to allow for a more accurate estimate on the offset needed for the 2030 target. Author of Report: Rod Lovie, Principal Climate Change Strategy Officer Background Papers: Ref: Item 3. Page 16
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1 | P a g e App 1A Item 3. Page 17
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i Contents Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ iii Section 1: Why we are taking climate change action ................................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Statutory obligations ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Co-benefits of taking climate change action .......................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Section 2: Our approach to climate change action .................................................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Accounting for net zero .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Approach to our targets .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Baselining our emissions ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Section 3: What impact are we having on climate change? ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Building heat and electricity ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Transport ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8 3.3 Waste ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 3.4 Operating emissions ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 11 3.5 Procurement and investment ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 3.6 Nature and carbon sequestration ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 3.7 External influence ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Section 4: What progress are we making? ................................................................................................................................................................................ 17 4.1 Current pathway of recorded emissions .............................................................................................................................................................................. 17 4.2 Progress ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 4.3 Concerns .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 19 4.4 Benefits and threats associated with current pathway ......................................................................................................................................................... 19 4.5 Carbon sequestration ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Section 5: Where are we going? ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 Item 3. 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ii 5.1 Pathway to net zero ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 5.2 Limitations and risks ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 5.3 2025 decision point .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 24 5.4 Adaptation and resilience ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Section 6: Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 Glossary ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 27 Item 3. Page 19
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iii Foreword Our climate is changing at a rate never before experienced. Human activity has been the major source of all global warming in recent history and we must strive to deliver on our collective responsibility to be the main drivers of action. At the launch of the AR6 Synthesis Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on 20 March 2023, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: It is therefore clear that the decisions we take today will prove pivotal for the generations to come. There is a very limited opportunity remaining for us to take the necessary actions to ensure that future impacts are mitigated and that our communities are properly adapted. These form part of our statutory priorities. Our Climate Change Plan and Routemap to Net Zero complements our Climate Change Strategy by providing the strategic approach necessary to achieve these priorities. By setting an ambitious net zero target of 2030 for direct Council emissions, we have set our sights on taking all of the opportunities available for early adaptation and mitigation measures. In doing so, we will also be delivering on the priorities of our Corporate Plan by unlocking a wealth of co-benefits for the people of Moray. As set out in our Climate Change Plan and Routemap to Net Zero, this will not be easy. But nor is it beyond our grasp at this time. Cllr Marc Macrae CHAIR, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES COMMITTEE Cllr Draeyk van der Hørn CLIMATE CHANGE CHAMPION “Humanity is on thin ice – and that ice is melting fast. In short, our world needs climate action on all fronts -- everything, everywhere, all at once. Specifically, leaders of developed countries must commit to reaching net zero as close as possible to 2040, the limit they should all aim to respect. This can be done. Every country must be part of the solution. Demanding others move first only ensures humanity comes last.” Item 3. Page 20
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1 1. Why we are taking climate change action 1.1 Introduction All local authorities signed Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration in 2007 and 28 have since declared or otherwise recognised the climate emergency. Moray Council declared a climate emergency in June 2019 and agreed a Climate Change Strategy in 2020. The strategy has a commitment to net zero direct emissions from council activities by 2030. This Climate Change Plan and Routemap to Net Zero complements the strategy by providing an annual update on progress, actions and the way forward. In addition, the council declared a nature emergency in February 2023, recognising the value of nature and its role in realising climate targets, maintaining a strong economy, and for protecting the health and wellbeing of future generations. The importance of using nature-based solutions to climate change are well recognised, with positive outcomes for both mitigation and adaptation1. The climate is changing faster than ever previously experienced. Globally scientists agree that greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are the main reason for global temperature increases over the past 150 years2 (Figure 1). Increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere also has a profound impact on the health and wellbeing of the population. There is approximately 1 excess death per 4,500 tCO2e emitted3 and the impacts of climate change will be felt disproportionately by people on low incomes who have contributed least to the increase in greenhouse gas emissions4. The impact of global temperature increases has already been significant. Weather patterns are changing and sea levels are rising. These changes are 1 Seddon et al. (2020) ‘Global recognition of the importance of nature-based solutions to the impacts of climate change’. 2 IPCC (2021) Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. leading to severe events such as heatwaves, floods, droughts and wildfires, and increasingly so in the Moray region (Figure 2). Coastal flooding is of particular concern and impact in Moray due to rising sea levels and storm surges leading to property damage, infrastructure disruption and loss of habitable land. The first ‘climate refugees’ in the British Isles are from a coastal community in Wales5. Climate change also poses the greatest threat to the natural environment and the ecosystem services that it provides (Figure 3). This threat will in turn negatively impact the Moray food and drink sector, tourism sector, and overall health and wellbeing. 3 Bressler (2021) ‘The mortality cost of carbon’. 4 UK Government (2019) The Impacts of Climate Change. 5 BBC News (2022) The UK ‘climate refugees’ who won’t leave. Figure 1. Global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration from 803,720 BCE to present day. Data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2023). Item 3. Page 21
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2 Figure 2. Frequency of extreme events occurring in Moray. Data from various Scottish public agencies. 1.2 Statutory obligations Moray Council has a statutory responsibility to undertake climate change action. Scotland aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75 per cent by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2045. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 places a duty on all public bodies to act to deliver on the national climate change targets. Under this legislation, Moray Council has three main duties: Mitigation: To contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions Adaptation: To help Moray adapt to the changing climate Sustainability: To act in a sustainable manner. The council must report on compliance with these duties annually in accordance with the Climate Change (Duties of Public Bodies: Reporting Requirements) (Scotland) Order 2015 and subsequent amendments. This council is required to provide the following information in annual climate change reports: its target date for achieving zero direct emissions; its targets for reducing indirect emissions; how its targets will align spending plans and use of resources to contribute to reducing emissions; how it will publish progress to achieving emissions reduction targets; and what contribution it has made to helping deliver Scotland’s Climate Change Adaptation Programme. National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) gives significant consideration to carbon, climate change and biodiversity by incorporating the national climate change targets into the local planning system to promote sustainable development. The Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021 aims to regulate and support the development of heat networks. Heat networks distribute heat from a central 0 10 20 30 40 50 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 Number of events Climatological events Meteorological events Figure 3. Ecosystem services gained from nature (NatureScot 2022) Item 3. Page 22
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3 source to multiple buildings, reducing the need for individual heating systems and promoting energy efficiency. The council is required to undertake assessments of the potential for heat networks in Moray and develop plans to promote their use. The Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (Scotland) Order 2022 requires the council to develop plans to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in buildings across Moray, to support the transition to net zero. The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 aims to protect and conserve biodiversity and natural habitats. It places a duty on the council to consider biodiversity in its decision-making processes and to promote the conservation of local habitats and species. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 aims to promote sustainable transport and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector. It has provided the council with greater powers to implement Low Emission Zones and improve active travel infrastructure. 1.3 Co-benefits of taking climate change action Local authorities and community planning partners play a vital leadership role in driving the ambition and local collaboration necessary to integrate net zero and the green recovery into planning and investment decisions5. In addition, taking action on climate change presents opportunities to promote co-benefits which support multiple demands from local communities and businesses. The co-benefits of climate action can include the creation of green jobs, improved public health from active travel and cleaner air, and enhanced biodiversity due to the expansion of green space. Such co-benefits could also support the delivery of themes within the Moray Council Corporate Plan 2024. Table 1 highlights a selection of potential co- benefits achievable which align with Corporate Plan priorities. 5 Improvement Service (2023) Community Planning Improvement Board: Climate change and sustainability key messages. Table 1. Selection of potential co-benefits achievable through delivery of Climate Change actions. Our people ✔ Improved health and wellbeing ✔ Reduced health and social care costs ✔ Protect the most vulnerable from climate impacts Our place ✔ Strong, well-connected communities ✔ Community-led improvements ✔ Public involvement in planning ✔ Improved greenspaces and access to the natural environment Our future ✔ Increased demand and opportunities for green jobs and skills ✔ Retaining young people in Moray ✔ Strong local economy and community wealth ✔ Improved standard of living ✔ Resilience to climate change impacts ✔ Reduced energy and maintenance bills ✔ Reduced costs from severe event damage ✔ Opportunities for council revenue generation Early investment in climate change adaptation delivers strong value for money, with most measures delivering £2 to £10 of net wider economic benefits locally for every £1 spent6. In addition, around £9 in property damages and wider impacts can be avoided. 6 UK National Audit Office (2022) ‘Climate change adaptation: the government’s role and progress’. Item 3. Page 23
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5 2. Our approach to climate change action 2.1 Accounting for net zero Net zero means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere – for example, by oceans and forests7. Emissions originate from sources directly within the council’s control (Scope 1), or where it is the direct user of a good or service (Scope 2), e.g. fleet vehicle emissions and grid electricity use. The Moray Council target for net zero is to reduce direct operating emissions of the council to net zero by 2030. Other emissions originate from sources where the council has an interest but no direct control (Scope 3), e.g. procurement of food for school catering. Calculating the latter involves a greater level of uncertainty: both in the emissions themselves, and the level of responsibility for them. The council has a duty to report on all Scope 1 and 2 emissions, all Scope 3 emissions from “relevant and significant areas of the organisation’s indirect emissions” greater than 1% of total organisational emissions. 2.2 Approach to our targets The council has previously has agreed that its targets should be ambitious and achievable. They should provide a realistic but agile pathway towards the aim of net zero carbon emissions by 2030. The targets should be measurable and recording mechanisms should be transparent and improved over time. Where there is uncertainty, assumptions backed by expertise will be made and stated clearly to avoid understating the council’s climate impact. The council’s targets will include direct emissions, and estimate how these and indirect emissions may change in the future. They will: Be clear on what is included in the scope of the council’s emissions; Cover all Scope 1 and 2 emissions and appropriate areas of Scope 3 emissions (e.g. municipal waste); 7 United Nations (2023) What is net zero? Have interim reduction targets at set periods that align to the Scottish Government interim targets; and Reduce residual emissions to as low a level as possible and set out how natural carbon sequestration methods will be used to achieve net zero emissions. The council will use a carbon management hierarchy approach to prioritise its targets and necessary actions (Figure 5). This approach prioritises the avoidance of carbon emissions to deliver lasting change. Where avoidance of emissions is not possible then they should be reduced through service efficiencies or redesign. Removal of emissions is required where further reductions cannot be achieved. Offsetting ‘unavoidable’ emissions through offsetting schemes should be considered as a last resort in target setting. Offsetting large amounts of carbon is discouraged as large scale offsets are not sustainable and guidance makes clear that public bodies are required to reduce emissions as much as possible before considering offsets. Figure 4. Emissions scope classification for Moray Council activities. Item 3. Page 25
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6 For example, actions might look like: AVOID: Redesign services to enable smarter working. REDUCE: Reduce energy through smart timing solutions. REPLACE: Decarbonisation of the council’s fleet. OFFSET: Plant an area of woodland to offset unavoidable emissions. 2.3 Baselining our emissions Calculating baseline emissions helps to determine the level of intervention needed to achieve net zero carbon emissions, and to allow progress to be monitored. The council’s carbon emissions from 2017/18 are used as a baseline for emissions (Table 2). This year was chosen as it was the earliest year that had a comprehensive return of emissions to the Scottish Government. It should be noted that as these data are from prior to the pandemic, operational emissions were minimal as most staff worked from an office base and home working emissions were not being recorded. The first time the council recorded homeworking emissions was during the pandemic. Table 2. Moray Council 2017/18 baseline carbon emissions. Emission source by area and source Carbon emissions (tCO2e) Building heat Natural gas 4,077.9 Gas oil 1,034.1 Biomass 34.7 Purchased heat and steam 15.4 Building electricity Primary schools and nurseries 1,122.0 Secondary schools 1,177.3 Unmetered electricity 1,685.5 Offices 523.8 Community facilities 358.5 Residential homes and day centres 145.7 Sports facilities 249.6 Industrial 346.2 Other 611.0 Transport Diesel 3,591.5 Petrol 27.5 Gas oil 776.6 Electric vehicles 0.0 Hybrid vehicles 0.0 Marine fuel oil 68.2 W aste Landfill gas 0.0 Municipal refuse to landfill 9,130.3 Commercial, industrial and clinical waste to landfill 2,048.7 Recycling and composting 387.2 Operational emissions Outdoor spaces 72.1 Homeworking emissions 0.0 Water supply and treatment 125.8 Corporate travel 394.8 Figure 5. Moray Council carbon management hierarchy. Item 3. Page 26
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7 3. What impact are we having on climate change? The way the council conducts its work and manages its assets all has an impact on the climate. In this section, the extent of this impact is explored. If progress is to be made on the council’s targets, it must consider what it is doing and how it is doing it. Within that, the council should also reflect on the lessons it can learn from examples of good practice and how these can be applied to future action. The actions in this section form part of the council’s climate change action plan. There is an opportunity to develop these actions further as part of the Climate Change Strategy update in 2024. 3.1 Building heat and electricity 3.1.1 Overview The council’s property portfolio comprises a range of buildings including offices, schools, libraries, sports facilities and depots. These buildings vary in age, size, energy efficiency and condition. Most of the council’s buildings are heated by natural gas or gas oil. However, there are a few sites where biomass has been installed. Building electricity is provided by the national grid, although some buildings have been fitted with solar PV panels. Electricity use also includes street lighting and safety floodlighting. There are a series of national phased targets for all publicly-owned buildings to meet zero emission heating requirements, with a backstop of 2038. To enable this, support is being provided by the Scottish Government via the: Scottish Public Sector Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme (Salix) Scottish Public Sector Non-Domestic Energy Efficiency (NDEE) Frameworks and Project Support Unit (PSU) Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme 3.1.2 Current emissions Emissions from the council’s buildings are split into two categories: building heat and building electricity. Building electricity emissions currently represent 12% of our overall emissions. As shown in Figure 6, building electricity emissions have decreased by 55% from our baseline. This is due to a greener national grid and reduced electricity consumption through efficiency programmes such as those in Case Study 1. Building heat emissions currently represent 24% of the council’s overall emissions. Whilst use of gas oil and purchased heat and steam has decreased over the baseline period, Figure 6 illustrates an increased reliance in the most recent reporting period on natural gas and gas oil for building heat. This is largely due to a return to ‘business as usual’ working practices following the marked decrease in these emissions during the Covid-19 pandemic working restrictions. 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Carbon emissions (tCO 2e) Natural gas Building electricity Gas oil Biomass Purchased heat and steam Figure 6. Building electricity and heat emissions from baseline date to present. Item 3. Page 27
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8 Case study 1: Elgin High School solar panels The council installed a 47kWp solar PV panel system at Elgin High School in October 2017. Since its commissioning, the system has generated over 177,491kWh of electricity and brought in over £5,000 in Feed-In-Tariff payments. The solar PV system produces around 3,500kWh every year, which has significantly reduced the school’s carbon footprint and energy bills. The UK energy price crisis has led to a major increase in energy prices, which has resulted in a shorter payback period for solar PV installations. As energy prices increase, the value of electricity generated by solar PV systems also increases. This means that the payback period for the initial investment in a solar PV system is reduced, as the system can generate more revenue in a shorter timeframe. The council can access several funding opportunities to implement solar PV systems including via the Scottish Public Sector Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme (Salix). 3.1.3 Action areas Outcomes Actions include: Reduced heat and electricity consumption Increasing building user awareness of ways to reduce energy use and save utility costs Reviewing building opening times Reducing the heat set point of buildings Progress a ‘fabric first’ approach to building design Identifying opportunities for heating and power refurbishment in the learning estate Promoting Smarter Working More energy produced by renewables and low carbon sources Feasibility studies to consider renewable energy potential across the Council’s property portfolio Installing renewable energy technologies on council- owned buildings and land Replacement of carbon-based heating systems Reduced building carbon output and increased energy efficiency Aim to achieve zero carbon standards for all new buildings, including housing and schools Achieve Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) for all council housing 3.2 Transport 3.2.1 Overview The council’s fleet is used by employees to conduct council business and deliver services for the people of Moray. It comprises over 500 cars, vans, buses, trucks, specialist vehicles and vessels. The majority of the fleet runs on diesel or gas oil fuel. Marine fuel oil is currently used in council vessels. Petrol is used for open spaces machinery. There are a series of national targets in relation to public sector transport fleets: Item 3. Page 28
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9 All fossil fuel cars to be replaced by zero emission alternatives by 2025 No purchases of fossil fuel powered light commercial vehicles (under 3.5 tonnes) after 2025, with remaining vehicles phased out by 2030 Phase out heavy duty vehicles by 2040 The Zero Emission Fleet Replacement Strategy details the council’s plans to decarbonise the remainder of the fleet in line with the Scottish Government’s net zero targets. 3.2.2 Current emissions Emissions from the fleet are mostly from the use of diesel (Figure 7). In the most recent reporting period, there has been a rise in emissions from diesel use (Figure 8). This is largely due to a return to ‘business as usual’ working practices following the marked decrease in these emissions during the Covid-19 pandemic working restrictions. Figure 7. Breakdown of Moray Council transport emissions 2021-22. Figure 8. Transport emissions from baseline date to present. 3.2.3 Action areas Outcomes Actions include: Decarbonised council fleet Displacing fossil fuel powered vehicles and plant with ULEV alternatives Increased awareness of actions and opportunities to reduce emissions Developing and promoting staff travel plans Delivering and promoting active travel to school campaigns Developing a calendar of sustainable events Conducting new staff travel survey in April 2023 Facilitating emissions reduction Developing strategy and guidance for provision of public EV charging facilities in Moray Organising bicycle maintenance sessions and led rides for staff Parking management around schools and supporting modal shift from vehicles to active travel 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Carbon emissions (tCO 2e) Diesel Gas oil Marine fuel oil Petrol Item 3. Page 29
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10 3.3 Waste 3.3.1 Overview Waste is collected across Moray from households and commercial organisations. The council currently operates a landfill site at Nether Dallachy which handles household, commercial, industrial and clinical waste. Disposing of waste within landfill is the worst option for the environment and leads to significant carbon emissions. It should be the last resort for waste disposal (Figure 9). In 2023, the council will be diverting waste from landfill to a new energy from waste facility (Case Study 2). There are several national targets in relation to waste management: Minimum recycling from all sources to be 70% by 2025 Maximum of 5% of all waste sent to landfill by 2025 33% reduction in food waste by 2025 Case study 2: Recovering energy from waste From mid-2023, the council’s non-recyclable waste will be processed at the NESS energy from waste facility. Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and Moray Council are working together to create the facility to process non-recyclable waste. The facility is being built at the former gas holder site at East Tullos Industrial Estate in Aberdeen. It will take the remaining, non-recyclable waste from the three councils and combust it cleanly and completely. The process will produce electricity which will then be sold to the National Grid and steam which will be used in a local district heat network to provide low cost heating to homes in the nearby Torry area. Modern energy from waste plants are commonly used throughout northern Europe and are considered utility plants alongside other power stations. In Scotland there are currently two operational plants. Despite the council’s best efforts to reduce residual waste through minimisation campaigns, recycling, composting and use of other treatments, a substantial quantity of residual waste that is generated will still need to be collected and cannot be landfilled anymore. Diverting this residual waste from landfill to this facility will reduce the council’s waste emissions by around 95%. Figure 9. Scotland’s waste management hierarchy (Scottish Government 2015) Item 3. Page 30
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11 3.3.2 Current emissions The council’s landfill accounts for 97% of all waste emissions. The remaining waste emissions result from the processes involved in recycling and composting waste. The production of landfill gas at Nether Dallachy results in a negligible level of annual emissions. 3.3.3 Action areas Outcomes Actions include: Reduced emissions from non-recyclable waste Diverting non-recyclable waste to NESS energy from waste facility in Aberdeen Reduction in residual waste Working with Zero Waste Scotland and third sector partners to progress projects to reduce waste through re- use and recycling Carrying out education on recycling and waste reduction to improve sustainability awareness and recycling in schools and across council buildings Reducing the charge for garden waste (brown bin) permits Supporting creation and promotion of a Community Identified Benefits Portal, facilitating collaborative relationships between local construction firms/developers and circular economy initiatives Improving recycling and food composting facilities in schools 3.4 Operating Emissions 3.4.1 Overview Operating emissions result from the day-to-day work of the council. These include an annually estimated carbon emissions impact for employees working from home, electricity use in outdoor spaces, the use and treatment of water and corporate travel. 3.4.2 Current emissions The council’s operating emissions have marginally increased over the past year (Figure 11). Homeworking emissions, first recorded in 2020/21, have risen due to an increase in the overall size of the workforce during the reporting period. The methodology for calculating this is set externally but work to improve the reporting of this emission source has been undertaken by the council’s climate change officers and will take effect from reporting year 2022/23 onwards. Emissions from electricity use in outdoor spaces have followed a decreasing trend in recent years owing to ongoing decarbonisation programmes such as those in Case Study 3. In the past year, these emissions have increased due to higher use of EV charging points. 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Carbon emissions (tCO 2e) Municipal refuse to landfill Commercial, industrial and clinical waste to landfill Recycling and composting Landfill gas Figure 10. Waste emissions from baseline date to present. Item 3. Page 31
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12 Case study 3: LED street lighting programme The council’s street lighting spend- to-save programme saw the replacement of approximately 17,600 lamps across Moray with LED alternatives. The typical lifespan of an LED street light is estimated to around 25 years. By comparison, traditional lamps last 4-5 years, resulting in more costly maintenance regime requirements. The programme has resulted in energy use reductions of almost 70%, as well as a reduction in light pollution across the Moray region. 3.4.3 Action areas Outcomes Actions include: Reduced emissions from operational actions Supporting homeworkers to reduce their emissions through relevant advice and practical assistance Introducing a ZEV salary sacrifice scheme for employees Promoting Smarter Working Increasing use of the cloud to reduce server network and electricity consumption Continue to make school meals more sustainable with a reduced carbon impact Developing and promoting more vegetarian and vegan food options Increased awareness of actions and opportunities to reduce emissions Developing and delivering Carbon Literacy training for employees and elected members Updating climate change awareness training as part of the employee induction process Increasing opportunities for ‘Learning for Sustainability’ within the school curriculum Applying zero and low carbon objectives as a factor in all investment decisions in relation to budgets and the Capital Plan Ensuring the Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan are living documents and remain fresh and valid until 2030 Assessing climate change and biodiversity impacts as part of all reports to committee Supporting the development of knowledge and skills to promote innovation and effective carbon management across departments Supporting opportunities for teachers and pupils to access and share knowledge/resources to progress climate change work 0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Carbon emissions (tCO 2e) Homeworking emissions Water supply and treatment Outdoor spaces Corporate travel Figure 11. Operating emissions from baseline date to present. Item 3. Page 32
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13 3.5 Procurement and Investment 3.5.1 Overview Around a third of the country’s emissions are dependent on sectors that are directly shaped or influenced by local authority practices, policy or partnerships8. It is to this end that procurement performs such a key role in reducing national climate impact. Case study 4: Food for Moray supplier engagement event The Food for Moray event invited any business interested in supplying fresh meat, fruit and veg and bakery products to schools to learn more about the process and gain advice from the teams involved. Suppliers spoke with relevant officers to find out about the criteria for supplying schools, how they can operate more sustainably and evidence this in their bids. The event was attended by officers from catering, climate change, procurement and community wealth building, as well as advisers from Business Gateway. Existing suppliers were on hand to share their experience of supplying the council. Suppliers liked that they could come to talk with relevant officers and obtain information before deciding whether to proceed with the tender process. It was an excellent opportunity for officers to handle any concerns or misconceptions about the process at an early stage. Feedback from attendees was very positive. Three local butchers went on to join the tender process, and one purchased an electric van. 8 UK Climate Change Committee (2020) ‘Local authorities and the sixth carbon budget’. Procurement of goods and services with the council amounts to some £140 million annually. The council therefore has a significant influence locally and regionally on climate change through procurement. The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 introduced a sustainable procurement duty for local authorities. This requires that before the council buys anything, it must think about: how it can improve the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of Moray, with a particular focus on reducing inequality how its procurement processes can facilitate the involvement of SMEs, third sector bodies and supported business how public procurement can be used to promote innovation Climate change and procurement officers have worked to develop a simple process for suppliers to evidence their carbon reduction actions when bidding for smaller contracts. The council has also developed Sustainable Procurement Guidance and an associated training module and embedded this within the tender process to reflect the priorities and actions of the Climate Change Strategy. 3.5.2 Action areas Outcomes Actions include: Support suppliers to reduce their climate impact Developing a simple process for suppliers to evidence their carbon reduction actions when bidding for smaller contracts Developing an action plan for raising awareness to local business of new opportunities created through the Scottish Government’s Just Transition approach, following approval of the Community Wealth Building Strategy Maximise opportunities for climate action through procurement Continuing to develop the non-cash benefits available through procurement Implementing updates into the procurement process Developing sustainable procurement guidance and updating modules as appropriate Supporting and informing departmental lead officers through the sustainable procurement process Item 3. Page 33
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14 3.6 Nature and carbon sequestration 3.6.1 Overview The council has a duty to further the conservation of biodiversity when carrying out our responsibilities. There are two broad national targets: Scotland will be nature positive by 2030 - halting and reversing nature loss by 2030, measured from a baseline of 2020 Biodiversity will be restored and regenerated by 2045 This ambition is further supported by NPF4. NPF4 places the climate and nature crises at the centre of planning policy, in addition to rebalancing planning policy to ensure that positive effects for biodiversity are secured. The council’s Climate Change Strategy recognises the interrelationship between climate and nature, and that the council must take action to protect, restore and enhance biodiversity. A nature emergency was declared by the council in February 2023. Many of the council’s activities have the potential to drive biodiversity loss or nature recovery. These include discharging responsibility as a planning authority through planning policy, as a landowner by how the council manages its estate, and as an education authority through how well the council connects young people with nature. Enhancing biodiversity also has the opportunity to sequester carbon through well managed soil and vegetation, thereby reducing net emissions (Figure 12). During 2023, the council’s Woodland and Forestry Strategy is being updated. This alongside separate research into carbon sequestration potential of council owned land will provide evidence to aid development of a planting project which would work with community volunteers to plant trees and wildflowers. Case study 5: Wards wildlife site - biodiversity enhancements Direct grants totalling £225,000 for restoring nature from the Scottish Government have enabled a number of biodiversity enhancing projects over the past two years. A priority for this funding is the Wards wildlife site in Elgin as it is both a valuable space for people to enjoy nature, and for wildlife to thrive. The wetland needs active management to keep it in a healthy condition, so a plan is now in place to guide this work. The overgrown pond has been partially cleared, restoring a large area of open water for birds, amphibians, insects to thrive in. Several new wader scrapes have been created, adding to the diversity of habitats. Water levels are now being monitored as there are suggestions the site may be drying out. Careful management of the extensive ditch network will ensure that the unique and valuable urban wetland continues to provide unique homes for plants, animals and insects, as well as storing carbon in the peaty ground and helping address climate change. Engagement with local schools and community groups is encouraging people to become involved in looking after and enjoying the Wards. Item 3. Page 34
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15 3.6.3 Action areas Outcomes Actions include: Maximise opportunities to sequester carbon within existing council assets Commissioning research for baseline carbon sequestration potential of council land holdings, and opportunities to expand and manage these assets Developing a Carbon Offsetting Plan which ensures that management of council assets is planned to maximise carbon sequestration [biodiversity outcomes – if agreed by Committee] [A report on biodiversity is being presented to ED&I committee in May 2023. Any agreed biodiversity actions will be added here.] Figure 12. Nature based solutions to climate change (based on content from Improvement Service 2021). 3.7 External influence 3.7.1 Overview Many of the council’s statutory duties are related to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the wider Moray area. This includes actions such as supporting energy efficiency improvements in homes, active travel and green training as part of a Just Transition away from fossil fuels. While this will not reduce the council’s direct carbon footprint, the Climate Change Strategy also seeks to reduce carbon emissions across Moray. Engaging with the community is essential to understand local concerns and bring about necessary change. A collaborative approach can lead to more effective policies, behavioural changes, enhanced community resilience and a reduction in climate change impacts (Case Study 6). The council has commenced work on its Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES). This strategy is crucial for communities as it aims to provide affordable and sustainable heating solutions, reduce energy consumption and alleviate fuel poverty. LHEES can help to create jobs in the green sector, improve health and wellbeing, and contribute to achieving net zero – thus ultimately benefitting the community and wider environment. NPF4 will help to guide the location of new housing, transport links and infrastructure, ensuring that communities have access to the services they need whilst enhancing the environment and meeting net zero targets. NPF4 introduces the concept of Local Place Plans (LPPs) which are community-led plans that provide a framework for shaping the future of local places. LPPs are an essential tool for engaging with communities and fostering local democracy, ensuring that Moray’s towns and villages are designed with the people who live there in mind. The council’s Hydrogen Strategy seeks to create a local supply chain for hydrogen production and use, providing job opportunities and economic benefits for the region. Using green hydrogen as a fuel for transport, heating and industrial processes will be essential to cutting Moray’s area emissions. Adapting to the impacts of climate change Reducing carbon emissions and storing carbon safely Preventing the loss of biodiversity and protecting our natural capital Improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities Building stronger and more resilient communities Nurturing our young people Supporting a Green Recovery and Just Transition Item 3. Page 35
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16 Case study 6: Scotland’s Climate Week 2022 A week of engagement across Moray, led by the council’s climate change officers in collaboration with tsiMORAY aimed to highlight positive climate action and bring people into the conversation. Fortunate timing made the use of one of the council’s new electric vehicles available, enabling a team of officers and partners to travel across Moray. The event engaged over 600 young people in two-way dialogue, and also involved libraries, social enterprises, businesses, and the public in sharing local, innovative, solutions to climate change. A follow up video highlighted the week’s activities and some of the areas where the council and other organisations across Moray are taking action on climate change. Dedicated climate change information for staff was launched on Interchange during the week, along with a news item with links to national events and quizzes. Schools and libraries welcomed being involved and suggested ways to expand engagement in these areas. While the ability to hold such a wide reaching event was a unique opportunity and is unlikely to be repeated without additional resources, it was extremely valuable in terms of the positive impact on young people, raising the profile of climate action in Moray and demonstrating collaboration between different organisations and council departments. 3.7.2 Action areas Outcomes Actions include: Develop skills and the economy Increasing provision of relevant skills and knowledge for a greener economy to support delivery of the Moray Apprenticeship Strategy Supporting the planning and delivery of awareness raising events for businesses to transition to a green economy Joining support networks to assist the progress of climate change action Enabling the community to understand and take action on climate change Consulting community groups and residents about climate change action and delivering the Moray Climate Change Engagement Strategy Supporting the work of the Moray Climate Assembly Engaging with communities to facilitate renewable energy projects Promoting Moray-specific climate emergency training for community groups and organisations Promoting the Active Travel Strategy Delivering the LHEES programme Continuing the Energy Efficiency Scotland: Area Based Scheme (EES: ABS) Delivering the Moray Hydrogen Strategy Strategic planning which reflects the climate and nature emergency Implementing NPF4 policies relating to the climate and nature crises. Developing a Regional Spatial Strategy Reviewing the Forest and Woodland Strategy, Food Growing Strategy and Open Space Strategy Developing 20-minute neighbourhood concepts for Moray’s main towns and embedding within the next Local Development Plan Promoting and supporting brownfield over greenfield development Developing carbon guidance to support Moray Growth Deal projects Developing carbon and offsetting guidance for development applicants in line with NPF4 Monitoring and reporting of area-wide carbon emissions and actions Item 3. Page 36
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17 4. What progress are we making? 4.1 Current pathway of recorded emissions The current pathway of recorded emissions is a projection towards 2030 using the baseline and other known emissions data. It shows how recorded emissions may change over this time period when considering the council’s pre-planned actions. Only activities which are highly likely are accounted for within this projection. Carbon sequestration is considered and accounted for within net zero projections separately in sections 4.5 and 5.1. This pathway highlights the increase in emissions as a result of the council’s services returning towards a ‘business as usual’ approach following the pandemic. Notwithstanding that, the overall trend remains that emissions continue to reduce from the baseline value to a level where a carbon sequestration scheme may be used to offset any remaining emissions (Figure 13). In this figure, annual emissions are divided into five categories (Table 2). Table 2. Explanation of emissions categories used in carbon emission reporting. Category Description Operating emissions Emissions generated by the council through its day-to-day work. These consist of emissions that the council can control and influence. These are recorded in the annual greenhouse gas emissions reporting. Waste Emissions from dealing with municipal and industrial-level waste. These are recorded in the annual greenhouse gas emissions reporting. Building electricity Emissions from electricity use in council buildings. These are recorded in the annual greenhouse gas emissions reporting. Transport Emissions from the operation of the council’s fleet vehicles and vessels. These are recorded in the annual greenhouse gas emissions reporting. Building heat Emissions from heating of council buildings. These are recorded in the annual greenhouse gas emissions reporting. The current pathway aims to find a compromise between speed, technological limitations and funding. Whilst there are likely to be budgetary restrictions, this pathway avoids late adoption of technology and measures. This is to reduce carbon emissions and also because demand could impact on the cost of supply as the 2045 deadline approaches and public and private sectors are potentially legislated to take action. A balanced approach to the implementation of measures is more likely to benefit from reducing costs of measures as the scaling up of production reduces costs. This could also allow planned solutions to align with national infrastructure investment. For example, vehicles could continue to transition to zero carbon using batteries, or hydrogen could become more dominant if electricity distribution networks are unable to cope with the electrification of both heat and transport. The calculations for the current pathway account for: Internal factors: Known internal changes that will impact on emissions, e.g. confirmed waste management change. External factors: Known external changes that will impact on emissions, e.g. ongoing decarbonisation of the national grid. Population change: Annual changes in population, based on the 2018 Scottish Sub-National Populations Projections for Moray, which may impact future emissions. 4.2 Progress Progress has been made by climate change officers in improving the council’s homeworking emission estimates. From reporting year 2022/23 onwards, this emission source is forecast to reduce considerably as more information is available around homeworking employees. A delay was experienced in implementing the planned shift from landfill to energy from waste. This will now occur partially in 2023 and fully from 2024, leading to a 95% reduction in waste emissions going forward. Building electricity emissions continue to decrease primarily owing to ongoing decarbonisation of the national grid. Council electricity use reduction projects also contribute to this and currently have a target of 2% reduction annually. Item 3. Page 37
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18 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Carbon emissions (tCO 2e) Building heat Transport Building electricity Waste Operating emissions Figure 13. Current pathway of recorded carbon emissions from baseline date to 2030. Figures from 2022 onwards are forecast estimates and denoted by a lighter colour. Item 3. Page 38
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19 Difficulties in the global vehicle market has led to a slowdown in the availability of electric vehicles for the council’s planned fleet replacement programme. This will lead to an increase in diesel emissions into the late 2020s. Building heat emissions remain relatively stagnant with the exception of planned decarbonisation by 2030 of off-gas grid properties using gas oil. The upcoming ‘Heat in Buildings Strategy’ will present a course of decarbonisation action for the remaining building heat emissions. The actions agreed within this strategy can then be used to inform future updates to the Climate Change Plan and Routemap to Net Zero. 4.3 Concerns Given the current rate of progress, it is difficult to be confident there will be sufficient progress in the decarbonisation of the building heat and electricity categories to ensure that the net zero target is met without excessive carbon sequestration offset. The current condition of some of the buildings is unknown. Therefore, the works required to bring them to net zero is also uncertain. Net zero must be budgeted for and taken into consideration in the pace of decision making around the renovation and rationalisation of the council building stock. This will enable the production of accurate estimates of financial costs and emissions reductions which will assist future planning. The council’s smarter working, depot and store reviews must be completed promptly to give direction on which buildings to improve and which to rationalise. A completion timescale of 2023/24 is necessary to enable actions to progress at a pace which assists in reaching the 2030 net zero target. More efficient use of workspaces and technology could lead to a reduction in single use accommodation and an increase in the number of co-located partnership facilities. The difficulties and expense of converting buildings to reach net zero means that if delays are experienced then emissions relating to buildings may not reduce sufficiently by 2030. Therefore, greater emphasis on other parts of council operations reaching net zero quicker (following the aspirational approach), and increased carbon sequestration, may have to be explored if the pace of change continues to be insufficient and the target remains set at 2030. If all information gathering and decisions on future change are made by 2025 then a more accurate assumption can be made for residual emissions and the need for carbon sequestration through carbon sequestration insetting and offsetting. This will provide a decision point milestone for the council to reassess the commitment to the 2030 net zero target knowing the full costs and carbon sequestration requirements. 4.4 Benefits and threats associated with current pathway In summary, the benefits of threats of the current pathway are: Benefits Threats Reflects the path the council is currently pursuing. Does not commit the council to altering the timing or type of planned expenditure. Statutory deadlines are met. Carbon sequestration will be required to reach net zero by 2030 as decarbonisation of estate and fleet will not be complete. Uncertainty around timescale for building improvement relating to carbon emissions. Many of the current commitments to reduce carbon emissions are currently unfunded by the council. The council requires to use its full breadth of powers to raise/attract funding, apply for government and other external funding, and lobby for further powers or financial assistance as may be required. Item 3. Page 39
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20 4.5 Carbon sequestration To continue delivering services, some residual emissions will be unavoidable. Carbon sequestration will be required to offset these emissions. Wherever possible this should take place on council owned land and include wider community benefits, in line with national guidance9. Carbon is sequestered by vegetation and soil. The quantity of carbon that can be sequestered varies according to land cover type. An analysis of the carbon sequestration potential of council land assets was conducted in early 2023. The analysis provided: An approximate, current baseline level of carbon sequestration An action plan to change existing land assets to sequester further carbon The current approximate baseline carbon sequestration value of all Moray Council owned and operated land (an area of approximately 318 ha) is estimated as 2,121 tCO2e per year. Changing how the council manages its land to increase how much carbon is held in vegetation and soils is central to mitigating climate change impacts10. To this end, the types of land assets most suitable for change have been identified. This provides an approximate additional carbon sequestration value (above the baseline) of 2,277 tCO2e per year (Figure 14). There is potential for even more carbon sequestration from council owned land which is currently leased out. If some of this was developed into woodland there is an estimated additional carbon sequestration value of 1,200 tCO2e per year. In addition to this there would be an opportunity to include innovative projects such as green walls. Whilst such schemes can deliver a wide range of co-benefits, the carbon sequestration potential is not as significant as fully nature-based solutions. A decision on the council’s approach to carbon sequestration will be the subject of a report to committee in late 2023. This is necessary for the 9 Scottish Government (2023) Guidance on nature-based carbon reduction projects. 10 NatureScot (2023) Managing nature for carbon capture. required resource to be made available to progress beyond the current baseline level of sequestration. Figure 14. Carbon sequestration potential from council land assets. 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 Carbon sequestration from council land assets (tCO2e) Current level Potential Potential additional (land currently leased out) Item 3. Page 40
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21 5. Where are we going? 5.1 Pathway to net zero A net zero routemap provides options for the strategic decarbonisation of an organisation over a set timescale. This document has been developed by considering three possible approaches towards net zero emissions, involving different combinations of decarbonisation interventions. This will enable the council to engage strategically with the Scottish Government and other partners on its net zero journey as all the options will involve partnership working on actions and funding priorities. The pathways being considered are: Current pathway - a realistic timescale built around the expected work programme of the council but, until otherwise informed, presumes a more restricted approach to aspects which are not yet agreed. This includes projects which have not yet sourced external funding, but set at a realistic, if challenging, timescale Aspirational approach – the quickest possible timescale to get works done to meet the council’s net zero target. It is assumed that finances will be available to invest in projects which will reduce future costs. Timings take into account any technical issues which may prevent work completion over a shorter timescale Restricted approach – a slower timescale than the current pathway where, for whatever reason, additional resources are not prioritised for climate change. This would have the consequence of potentially missing the 2030 deadline and requiring substantially more resources invested in carbon offsetting every year post 2045 to meet national targets as a minimum There is a lot of information currently unknown and so there are no firm projections for these aspects. Assumptions have had to be made around the aspirational and restricted approaches to heating decarbonisation, and to the extent of improvements to council green space with possible nature and carbon sequestration improvements. The assumptions behind the different approaches are set out in Table 3. Current pathway It is not currently known if all statutory deadlines will be met. Achieving these deadlines will be challenging. Projections for the future means that net zero carbon emissions by 2030 is possible although more accurate data is needed. Requires quick roll out of building and fleet decarbonisation as soon as firm plans made. Requires substantial additional investment which has not been budgeted for in a short period of time. Medium to high level of carbon sequestration and associated costs. Potential revenue generating opportunities through the development of commercial carbon offsetting schemes. Aspirational approach Achieves net zero carbon emissions by 2030 target and all current statutory deadlines. Maximise potential for carbon offsetting and aspirational approach for heating decarbonisation. Additional staffing resource across services would be required. Potential revenue generating opportunities through the development of commercial carbon offsetting schemes. Restricted approach Some statutory deadlines will not be met. Net zero by 2030 target will only be met with substantial levels of offset at significant cost to the Council. Uncertainty if delaying improvements will cost more or save money. Missed opportunity to generate revenue from emerging commercial carbon offsetting market. Table 3. Assumptions behind routemap pathways. Item 3. Page 41
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22 The current pathway represents the decisions which have been taken and, where no firm plans are in place, presumes that decarbonisation will take place at a rate to meet statutory deadlines. As shown in Figure 15, this means the pathway is potentially closer to a restricted approach in 2030 but could shift if more aspirational approaches to decarbonisation can be funded and adopted. Going forward there is still a large range in the possible level of carbon emissions in 2030. We know that we will be somewhere between these and our exact pathway will be dependent on the actions the council takes in all areas of operations. While the 2030 target is possible, it will only be achieved if the decarbonisation of heat in buildings happens at pace. At present there is not firm costed plans or adequate levels of funding available to ensure this will happen. 5.2 Limitations and risks There are technological, practical, and financial limitations which will impact on the route to net zero and have to be taken into account whether or not an aspirational or restricted approach is preferred. These limitations include: Area Limiting Factors Buildings Financial costs of energy efficient buildings are likely to be 10% more than standard buildings, although this should decline as technology is mainstreamed. There are practical limitations to the speed of decarbonising council building stock: Reviews of the building stock and suitability of heating solutions have to be carried out before budgets decided. Fabric first approach means improved insulation measures are needed before new heating solutions. The heating solutions for some properties (e.g. hydrogen) have not reached market yet. Transport Production restrictions and costs will influence when it is practical for different types of vehicles to transition to low carbon alternatives. Electric vans are more expensive and the transition of heavy plant is only likely to be technologically practical toward the end of the programme and may use different technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells. Improvements to infrastructure and training schemes for technicians and mechanics are needed to make a move to low carbon alternatives a success. Waste The council has contractual conditions associated with the energy recovery project. Operating Emissions Smarter Working changes to working methods and services provision will take time to be agreed. Departmental thinking required to ensure climate change is a priority and service change is agreed timeously. Nature & Biodiversity Principles around the council offsetting have to be developed, e.g. It should be local, and it should have co-benefits such as amenity or job creation. External Influence Opportunities to change these are limited because the council only has influence, not control, over many of these. Therefore encouraging behavioural change will be required. Apart from access to capital resources, there are actions that can be taken to lower these risk factors: Figure 15. Possible range in net carbon emissions from present to 2030. 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Net carbon emissions (tCO 2e) Estimated range in emissions between aspirational and restricted approaches Current pathway Item 3. Page 42
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23 Area Risk Suggested possible action Outcome Co-benefits Building heat Lack of capital resources and uncertainty of the suitability of different heating solutions prior to fabric first improvements. Currently planning is being undertaken by staff with significant existing workloads. Dedicated staff resource to manage building decarbonisation. To initially focus on planning of appropriate interventions on a building by building basis and then lead on implementation. More certainty on timing and which heating solutions are suitable to meet the 2038 net zero public buildings deadline. Local businesses/employment know what work is coming up and rationale for staff training or business planning, heating costs reduced for council. Transport Delays in converting fleet to LEV options because of uncertainty around future technologies, infrastructure, workshop facilities, grid connections (electric), availability - storage facilities (hydrogen), staffing, technical training & available budget. Dedicated project management resource within fleet to progress decarbonisation project and keep pace with the rapidly expanding LEV marketplace. More certainty over emerging technology options and timetable for fleet decarbonisation. Reduced carbon emissions in line with the councils route map to net zero Encourage wider local market to decarbonise, demonstrate leadership, driving hydrogen economy and EV provision so supporting other public and private sector fleet providers, health improvements through lower particulate emissions and anthropogenic heat. Waste Lack of progress on reuse and recycling to lower residual waste volumes. Lack of waste education resources. Create dedicated waste education resource within council or support equivalent third sector project Community buy-in for recycling and reuse initiatives. Lower residual waste emissions. Increased third sector involvement, financial savings for community through re-use, reduction in waste costs. Operating Emissions Lack of priority given to climate change at a sectional level means opportunities to reduce emissions are missed. Include appropriate reporting in service plans to ensure climate change is a sectional priority and service change is progressed. Expand our roll out of Carbon Literacy Training and require key individuals to participate. Carbon budgets and PIs implemented within sections. Grey fleet governance improvement. Training of elected members, senior managers and officers with significant carbon responsibility. Financial savings through reduction in resource use, waste, travel, energy, potential culture change and staff sense of involvement through ability to influence change Engagement and training would have the potential to increase the pace of getting to net zero. Nature & Biodiversity Council open space is not used to promote biodiversity and nature enhancement. Create dedicated project management resource within Open Spaces to progress practical biodiversity and decarbonisation work. Nature and biodiversity improvements on council open space. Enable access to nature funding sources for greenspace improvements. Health improvements through better green space, nature and biodiversity, opportunities for community involvement in biodiversity projects. External Influence Lack of resource allocation means no opportunity to engage meaningfully with community. Increase resources for climate change community engagement. Support community and businesses and allow projects to progress across Moray. Community involvement, a focal point for community and businesses to lead on climate action. Item 3. Page 43
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24 While property, fleet and waste services are planning to decarbonise their activities, the co-benefits of investing in climate change action and reducing carbon emissions will be to assist local business and the third sector as well as showing leadership and a way forward through the crisis. By May 2024 our Climate Change Strategy will be updated. This process will be an opportunity to include carbon reduction targets in individual service plans. This would give a focus on reducing carbon emissions through service delivery and not just through areas like fleet and property. Rolling out the Carbon Literacy Training will embed this knowledge throughout the council and enable staff in all sections to look over the plans of their sections to highlight carbon savings and how service delivery could adapt to a changing climate. 5.3 2025 decision point If all relevant information is gathered and decisions on decarbonisation are made by 2025 then more accurate calculations can be made for the level of residual emissions in 2030 and the need for carbon sequestration through inset/offset. However, a commitment to resource an aspirational approach will need to be taken soon in order to guarantee the 2030 target will be met. At present there is not adequate levels of funding allocated to allow such an aspirational approach to happen. The decision point milestone will enable the council to reassess the commitment to the 2030 net zero target knowing the full costs and carbon offsetting requirements. This will enable a more informed decision to be made regarding whether the target of being net zero by 2030 is achievable with resources and redesign or if it is advisable to push back the target and invest in other aspects to ensure an appropriate response to the climate and nature emergencies. 5.4 Adaptation and resilience We have a statutory duty within the Public Bodies Climate Change Duties annual report to record how we are contributing to Scotland’s Adaptation Programme. There is also a statutory duty to carry out actions to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Case study 7: Flood and coastal defences In the last decade, over £170 million has been invested to alleviate the impacts of flooding in Moray. These flood alleviation schemes have protected homes and infrastructure from flood events to an estimated value of £86 million and counting. An innovative pathway approach is now being used to develop new flood and coastal erosion plans. This will enable the council to plan for, and react to, different scenarios as they are triggered. Collaborative working across services will ensure the coastal plans links with wider adaptation plans and how services can be delivered while taking into account of possible climate change impacts. The local impacts of climate change will include: damage to infrastructure such as buildings, roads and power supplies damage to ecosystems, water supplies and agricultural production disrupted food supply chains and increased costs disproportionate health and economic effects on vulnerable groups Global carbon emission trajectories at present fall far short of restricting average temperature rises to a safe 1.5°C. If global targets continue to be missed then the quality of life we know in Moray today will no longer be Item 3. Page 44
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25 recognisable to our children by 2100, due to the extreme circumstances they will be living in. Pressure on council services will increase as a result of climate change. Action taken now to reduce our emissions and to prepare for climate change impacts will minimise damage, reduce overall costs and protect the most vulnerable people in our communities. Item 3. Page 45
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26 6. Conclusion It is feasible for Moray Council to achieve net zero by 2030, but only if key decisions on building decarbonisation and rationalisation of the estate are taken, and progress is made to consistently improve fleet vehicles, reduce waste, and improve insulation, heating, and hot water systems over the next seven years. This means the 2030 target will only be achieved if a more aspirational approach to decarbonisation is adopted. Present levels of funding and resources means a more restricted pathway is currently being adopted. The expected level of capital spend means that securing external funding for measures such as decarbonising council buildings will be essential if the target of 2030 is to be met. Although increasingly all external funding has net zero as a condition of grant regardless of the main purpose, the level of work required to decarbonise public buildings will require specific additional funding just for that purpose. If all relevant information is gathered and long term decisions on decarbonisation are made by 2025 then more accurate calculations can be made to determine the residual emissions in 2030 and the need for carbon sequestration through inset/offset. In addition it may be possible to better quantify and accelerate change in carbon reductions through embedding climate actions into service delivery plans. This will provide the information for a decision point milestone to allow reassessment of the commitment to the 2030 net zero target knowing the full costs and carbon offset. A more informed decision can be made whether the target of being net zero by 2030 is achievable or if it is advisable to review the target and invest in other aspects of climate change to ensure an appropriate response to the climate and nature emergencies. A proactive pathway as demonstrated by the aspirational approach could avoid a situation whereby we pay a premium for low-carbon solutions in the future because demand exceeds availability, and for commercial carbon offsetting schemes. However, caution should also be taken as buying carbon solutions too soon may involve a premium for new technology. Hence there is a need for an agile approach which can flex across planned approaches as the context demands, informed by expertise. While the 2030 target is possible, it will only be achieved if there is a shift in focus onto a more aspirational route. At present there is not adequate levels of funding available to ensure the reduction in carbon emissions will happen at the required pace. Without deploying our existing resources, creating additional staff resources in key areas, a defined capital plan contribution, and more external funding secured, the restricted pathway is looking more and more likely to continue and so bring the prospect of pushing back the date when we will reach net zero. As the energy price increases over the last six months has shown, assumptions on potential cost savings through energy interventions are difficult to predict. However, it is known that investing is energy saving early will save costs, and investment in energy schemes has the potential to provide income for the Council which could contribute to the decarbonisation programme. Item 3. Page 46
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27 Glossary Term Definition Active travel Journeys made by modes of transport that are fully or partially people-powered, irrespective of the purpose of the journey. It includes walking, people using wheelchairs, cycling (including e-bikes) to name a few. Adaptation Adjustments in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities. Anthropogenic Resulting from or produced by human activities. AR6 Synthesis Report A comprehensive summary of the latest scientific knowledge on climate change, including its impacts, risks, and potential solutions, compiled by the IPCC. Baseline Historical period specified for the purpose of comparing greenhouse gas emissions. Biodiversity The variability among living organisms from all sources, including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems (UN 1992). Carbon In this context, an umbrella term used to describe all of the greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide (CO2) A naturally occurring gas, CO2 is also a by-product of burning fossil fuels (such as oil, gas and coal), of burning biomass, of land-use changes and of industrial processes (e.g., cement production). It is the principal anthropogenic greenhouse gas that affects the Earth’s radiative balance. Carbon Literacy Training Certificated training which equips individuals with the knowledge, skills and motivation to reduce their carbon footprint and take practical action to mitigate climate change, based on a thorough understanding of the science and impact of carbon emissions. Carbon sequestration The process of removing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in long-term carbon sinks. Circular economy A circular economy is one in which resources are kept in use for as long as possible. Climate action Efforts taken to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Climate change The state of the climate that can be identified (e.g., by using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. Climate emergency A situation in which urgent action is required to reduce or halt climate change and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage resulting from it. Climate refugee A person who has been forced to flee their home because climate change has made it impossible to stay. Climatological event Events reflecting changes in weather patterns over a long term (e.g. droughts, heatwaves), or events influenced by these changes (e.g. wildfires). Co-benefits The positive effects that a policy or measure aimed at one objective might have on other objectives, thereby increasing the total benefits for society or the environment. Co-benefits are often subject to uncertainty and depend on local circumstances and implementation practices, among other factors. Direct emissions Emissions directly under the organisation’s control. Drought A prolonged period of abnormally dry weather that results in a water shortage, causing significant impacts on crops, ecosystems and human activities. Item 3. Page 47
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28 Ecosystem services Ecological processes or functions having monetary or non-monetary value to individuals or society at large. These are frequently classified as (1) supporting services such as productivity or biodiversity maintenance, (2) provisioning services such as food or fibre, (3) regulating services such as climate regulation or carbon sequestration, and (4) cultural services such as tourism or spiritual and aesthetic appreciation. Excess deaths The number of deaths that occur which exceed the expected number of deaths based on historical data or trends. Flood The overflowing of the normal confines of a stream or other body of water, or the accumulation of water over areas that are not normally submerged. Floods include river (fluvial) floods, flash floods, urban floods, pluvial floods, sewer floods and coastal floods. Fuel poverty A situation where households struggle to afford adequate heating and energy services, leading to poor living conditions and negative health and wellbeing outcomes. This is often considered to be where fuel costs exceed 10% of net income after housing costs. Green jobs Employment opportunities which contribute to environmental sustainability. Green recovery The transition to a more sustainable and resilient economy following a crisis, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, that prioritises investment in low carbon technologies, sustainable infrastructure and job creation in environmentally friendly sectors. Greenhouse gas emissions Any gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere. Heatwave A heatwave is an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year. In Moray, a heatwave event is defined as at least three consecutive days with daily maximum air temperatures meeting or exceeding 25°C. Indirect emissions Emissions outside the organisation’s control but over which it has an influence. Insetting The process of offsetting carbon emissions by sequestering carbon within the organisation's own landholdings. IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. A scientific body established by the United Nations to provide policymakers with regular assessments of the state of climate science and the potential impacts of climate change, as well as strategies for mitigation and adaptation. Just Transition The process of transitioning to a sustainable economy that is socially equitable, inclusive, and which provides fair opportunities for workers and communities affected by the shift. Meteorological event Short-term weather events occurring over a period of hours or days (e.g. convective storms). Mitigation A human intervention to reduce emissions or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases. Nature emergency The rapidly worsening state of the natural world, including the loss of biodiversity, ecosystem degradation, and the threat of ecological collapse, caused by human activities such as habitat destruction, pollution and climate change. Net zero Net zero emissions are achieved when anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere are balanced by anthropogenic removals over a specified period. Offsetting The practice of compensating for carbon emissions by funding projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions outside of the organisation's own landholdings. Sustainability A dynamic process that guarantees the persistence of natural and human systems in an equitable manner. tCO2e Tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. A metric used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases on the basis of their global-warming potential, by converting amounts of other gases to the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide with the same global warming potential. Wildfire Any uncontrolled vegetation fire which requires a decision, or action, regarding suppression. Item 3. Page 48
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APPENDIX 1B 1 | P a g e M: Mitigation action A: Adaptation Action B: Biodiversity Action Climate Change Strategy Actions Details of Climate Change Strategy Actions with an initial explanation of completions, updates and actions added, followed by a full list of the updated actions. Progress on these actions are reported to the Climate Change Board on a quarterly basis and updated to ED&I committee on an annual basis. Actions Completed Action Explanation for Completion Continue to purchase vehicles with anti-idling technology Trucks come as standard with anti-idling tech, we monitor other vehicles via on board vehicle telematics. Action closed to enable focus on other action areas. Improve sustainability and recycling in schools including reduction / elimination of single use plastic packaging, a greater selection of recyclable materials across school catering services Banning of single use plastic means much of this has been superseded. Marked as completed and another action added for council buildings/waste education in general. Embed net zero aspirations in Levelling Up Fund bid Completed. Projects aim to reduce carbon through reuse of vacant and derelict sites, using renewable energy solutions and innovative design, promoting active travel and promoting biodiversity greening of the Centre. By default operate PCs and related equipment in the most energy efficient mode, e.g. auto switch off A technical policy has been implemented to automatically power off PCs in schools at a certain time. Continue to utilise the various national hardware frameworks to ensure that the devices we procure, adhere to these. There is little more that can be achieved and this action can be closed. Actions Updated Action Explanation for Update Replace vehicles with low energy alternatives as soon as is practically feasible Align Moray Council targets for fleet decarbonisation with the Scottish Government targets to phase out light commercial vehicles by 2030 and heavy duty vehicles by 2040. Progress a “fabric first” approach to allow buildings to reduce carbon emissions to net zero Challenges of costs including capital investment which does not generate any financial savings and potential increased running costs in relation to decarbonisation. All capital interventions required, which do not have a spend to save payback within 15 years, must be provided with a full Item 3. Page 49
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APPENDIX 1B 2 | P a g e M: Mitigation action A: Adaptation Action B: Biodiversity Action life cycle cost appraisal taking account of net zero objectives. Reporting of area-wide emissions and actions. Lack of capacity for wider community engagement means area wide report will be developed alongside the Regional Spatial Strategy Support the development of carbon knowledge and skills to promote innovation and effective carbon management across departments After an initial pilot, a lack of capacity to continue to support individual climate change champions means the focus will be on support for sections to reduce their individual emissions. Community actions (7.10 – 7.14) Lack of capacity for wider community engagement means these actions will be progressed by the Moray Climate Hub with support from Council officers. Actions Added Action Explanation for Addition Adaptation benchmarking - Identify current adaptation work happening across the council, including gaps and opportunities Overview of Councils Climate Change adaptation plans now part of the annual statutory return. Continue to deliver the Moray Hydrogen Strategy, and explore accessing other available funds if resources allow. To include hydrogen update that was missing from original CCS actions. Moray Growth Deal Carbon Guidance Additional guidance required NPF4 Carbon guidance for applicants and offsetting requirements Required due to new National Planning Framework 4 Improve sustainability and recycling in schools and across council buildings. Promote recycling and waste reduction through waste education. To replace action on single use plastics. Item 3. Page 50
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APPENDIX 1B 3 | P a g e M: Mitigation action A: Adaptation Action B: Biodiversity Action 1 Building heat and electricity Action M A B Time Period/Phase SMART Measure Resources Delivery Lead 1.1 Progress a “fabric first” approach to allow buildings to reduce carbon emissions to net zero Y Y Design – plan and budget for decarbonisation. Backstop date of 2038 to decarbonise heating systems in public buildings Building SAP Ratings; % of carbon neutral council buildings Staff time and significant external capital resources required Property Services 1.2 Increased renewable energy generation from Council buildings and land. Subject to project appraisal and technical feasibility. Y Y Scoping & research. Delivery during 2023/24 Capacity (kW) of energy generation installed All projects would be subject to business case approval with a defined ROI. Energy 1.3 Complete Learning Estate Asset Management plan to identify opportunities for 'Heating and Power' refurbishment and implemented over next 10 years. Y Scoping & Research. Complete 2024/25. Backstop date of 2038 to decarbonise heating systems in public buildings Building SAP Ratings; % of carbon neutral council buildings Staff time and significant external capital resources required Programme Manager, Learning Estate 1.4 Aim to achieve zero carbon standards in all new buildings, including housing and schools Y Design and Development , no timescale set % of new buildings that are net zero carbon standard Additional expense over non net-zero building Property Services 1.5 Achieve Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) for all Council houses Y Delivery – ongoing. EPC Band C or higher by 2025. EPC Band B or higher by 2032 % of Council houses achieving EPC Band B (Energy Efficiency rating), or are as energy efficient as practically possible. % of Council houses that are carbon neutral. External resources required to achieve ambition Property Services 1.6 Increase building user awareness of ways of reducing energy use and saving utility costs. Y Delivery - ongoing No of energy events Staff time Energy Item 3. Page 51
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APPENDIX 1B 4 | P a g e M: Mitigation action A: Adaptation Action B: Biodiversity Action 2 Transport Action M A B Time Period/Phase SMART Measure Resources Delivery Lead 2.1 Replace vehicles with low energy alternatives as soon as is practically feasible Y Y Targets for fleet decarbonisation aligned with the Scottish Government targets to phase out light commercial vehicles by 2030 and heavy duty vehicles by 2040 Fossil fuel consumption reduced by 55% by 2030. Vehicle replacement programme. Staff time and capital resources required Transport 2.2 Develop and promote Travel Plans for Moray Council, Major Employers and Schools Y Delivery - ongoing Staff Surveys on Travel Behaviour. Number of schools and businesses with Travel Plans implemented. Staff time Transport 2.3 Active Travel to School campaign and promotion, including parking management around schools, and supporting modal shift from vehicles to active travel wherever feasible Y Delivery - ongoing No of pupils using active travel Staff time Transport 2.4 Develop Strategy and Guidance for provision of Public Electric Vehicle Charging facilities in Moray Y Delivery - ongoing Number and type of public EV chargers Implement as funding becomes available. Transport 3 Waste Action M A B Time Period/Phase SMART Measure Resources Delivery Lead 3.1 Reduction of waste landfilled through diversion to energy recovery Y Design. Complete in 2023/24 95% diversion from landfill by 2024 Staff time Waste 3.2 Reduce waste through reuse and recycling Y Delivery – Ongoing. Application for increase recycling rates Staff time Waste Item 3. Page 52
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APPENDIX 1B 5 | P a g e M: Mitigation action A: Adaptation Action B: Biodiversity Action a re-use hub 3.3 Improve sustainability and recycling in schools and across council buildings. Promote recycling and waste reduction through waste education. Y Delivery. Ongoing Staff time Waste 3.4 Supporting creation and promotion of Community Identified Benefits portal. Facilitating collaborative relationships between local construction firms / developers and circular economy initiatives. Y Y Y Delivery - ongoing Record of circular economy focussed community benefits Staff time New CWB post structure TBC 4 Operating Emissions Action M A B Time Period/Phase SMART Measure Resources Delivery Lead Smarter Working 4.1 Support homeworkers to reduce their emissions through promotion or signposting to advice and explore potential for practical assistance Y Delivery - ongoing Staff time Climate Change / Energy 4.2 Determine which buildings are surplus to requirements. Development of shared co- location facilities for all community areas (e.g. business, volunteers, leisure) Y Scoping & Research. Complete in 2023/24 Progress by 2023/24 Heavily dependent upon other factors, e.g. multiple reviews, external partners, etc. Property Services 4.3 Promote on-line working / Smarter Working Y Delivery. Ongoing Reduction in office space. Reduction in officer travel. Increase in flexible working arrangement Property Services 4.4 Increase use of virtual environment to reduce server network and consequent electricity consumption Y Delivery. Ongoing Incorporate into ICT Digital Strategy - draft by 2023 ICT Item 3. Page 53
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APPENDIX 1B 6 | P a g e M: Mitigation action A: Adaptation Action B: Biodiversity Action Governance & Training 4.5 Apply zero and low carbon objectives as a factor in all investment decisions in relation to budgets and the Capital Plan Y Y Y Design & development Incorporate carbon objectives into the AMWG, budgets and capital plan Staff time Climate Change supported by other sections as appropriate 4.6 Ensure the Climate Change Strategy and associated Action Plan are living documents and remain fresh and valid until 2030. Y Y Y Delivery. Ongoing CCS reviewed every 3 years. Route Map reviewed Annually, with updates every six months Staff time Climate Change 4.7 Climate Change and Biodiversity assessed as part of all committee papers Y Y Y Delivery. Ongoing Staff time All sections 4.8 Adaptation benchmarking - Identify current adaptation work happening across the council, including gaps and opportunities y Delivery. Initial benchmarking complete by November 2023 Staff time Climate Change supported by other sections as appropriate 4.9 Carbon Literacy – In depth training on climate change implications and opportunities to be delivered in house Y Y Delivery. Ongoing No of staff completed training, follow up surveys on impact Staff time Climate Change 4.10 Update online Climate Change awareness training Y Design and development. Complete in 2023/24 No of staff through training Staff time Climate Change 4.11 Support the development of carbon knowledge and skills to promote innovation and effective carbon management across departments Y Design & development in 2023/24 to allow carbon budgeting included in Section PIs Staff time Climate Change supported by other sections as appropriate Education 4.12 Support opportunities for teachers and pupils to access and share knowledge and resources to progress climate change work Y Y Delivery. Ongoing Staff time Climate Change 4.13 Increase opportunities for Learning for Sustainability within the curriculum for children and young people. Y Y Delivery. Ongoing No of training/CPD sessions delivered to staff. No of early years settings/ schools with Learning for Sustainability Staff time Education Item 3. Page 54
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APPENDIX 1B 7 | P a g e M: Mitigation action A: Adaptation Action B: Biodiversity Action (LfS) in their curriculum Improvements in outdoor learning environment 4.14 Continue to make school meals more sustainable with a reduced carbon impact. Develop and promote more vegetarian options, e.g. ‘meat free’ days and vegan options improved recycling & food composting facilities in schools Y Delivery. Ongoing Percentage of food and produce sourced locally. Percentage of meal options offered that are vegetarian or vegan Menu planning and local suppliers Catering / Climate Change 5 Procurement and Investment Action M A B Time Period/Phase SMART Measure Resources Delivery Lead 5.1 Continue to develop the non-cash benefits available through procurement Y Y Delivery. Ongoing Monitor and report on through the sustainable procurement section of the Annual Procurement Strategy Procurement team and lead officer Procurement and new CWB post structure TBC. Climate Change to assist. 5.2 Implement updates into procurement process Y Scoping & Research. Ongoing Update to SPD Staff time Procurement 5.3 Develop simple process for suppliers to evidence their carbon reduction attempts when bidding for smaller contracts Y Scoping & Research. Ongoing Measure use of tool Staff time to develop process, to trial and implement. Climate Change to assist in developing and progressing 5.4 Develop an action plan for raising awareness of local business of new opportunities created through just transition, following approval of CWB strategy. Y Scoping & Research. Ongoing No of suppliers assisted. Staff time to develop communications plan and participate in Supplier Development Forum Procurement / new CWB post structure TBC. / Climate change Item 3. Page 55
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APPENDIX 1B 8 | P a g e M: Mitigation action A: Adaptation Action B: Biodiversity Action 5.5 To further develop Sustainable Procurement guidance and support and inform departmental lead officers through the process. Modules can be reviewed for further updates as appropriate. Y Scoping & Research. Ongoing Increase in the number of sustainable measures noted and incorporated in tender submissions Staff time Procurement with Climate Change to assist 6 Nature and biodiversity Action M A B Time Period/Phase SMART Measure Resources Delivery Lead 6.1 Commission research for baseline carbon inset of council land holdings, along with opportunities to expand and manage Y Y Y Commission research during 2022/23 Research delivered Staff time – JT Fund Climate Change 6.2 Development of Carbon Offsetting Plan and ensuring management of council land holdings is planned to maximise carbon sequestration Y Y Y Develop plan in 2022/23 and review management in 2023/24 Plan delivered and work started TBD Climate change, Estates, Open Spaces The report on biodiversity going to ED&I in May is the opportunity to determine actions and add any to the Climate Change strategy. Agreed actions will be included here 7 External Influence Action M A B Time Period/Phase SMART Measure Resources Delivery Lead Strategic Delivery Item 3. Page 56
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APPENDIX 1B 9 | P a g e M: Mitigation action A: Adaptation Action B: Biodiversity Action 7.1 Develop LHEES Strategy Y Creation of strategy by December 2023 Staff time, technical support Climate Change 7.2 Continue the Energy Efficiency Scotland: Area Based Scheme EES:ABS Y Ongoing SHCS - % of private sector dwellings with SAP B or C Dependant on continued Scottish Government funding. Housing Services 7.3 Promotion of the Active Travel Strategy Y Delivery. Ongoing Mode of transport survey information. Quantity of new active travel infrastructure provided Number of website 'hits' Staff time Transport 7.4 Continue to deliver the Moray Hydrogen Strategy, and explore accessing other available funds if resources allow. Y Y Ongoing Staff time Climate Change Officers with support from Fleet, Energy and Property as appropriate 7.5 Reporting of area-wide emissions and actions. Y Y Y Link with the Regional Spatial Strategy Staff time Strategic Planning & Development 7.6 Engagement Strategy - Consult, raise awareness, communicate and engage with staff, residents, businesses and organisations across Moray about climate change. Promote relevant campaigns. Y Y Y Delivery. Ongoing Greater engagement from staff and residents Staff time Climate change, alongside energy team, transport, waste team etc. as appropriate and external CPP partners 7.7 Join support networks to assist the progress of climate change work Y Y Y Delivery. Ongoing Involvement with support networks Staff time Climate change Skills and Economic Development 7.8 Increase the provision of relevant skills and knowledge for a greener economy to support deliver of the Moray Apprenticeship Strategy. Y Y Delivery. Ongoing Staff time New CWB post structure TBC, Economic Item 3. Page 57
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APPENDIX 1B 10 | P a g e M: Mitigation action A: Adaptation Action B: Biodiversity Action Working in partnership with UHI Moray, Moray Chamber, FSB. Development, Business Gateway 7.9 Support planning and delivery of awareness raising event to promote new opportunities for existing businesses in the green economy transition. Y Y Delivery. Ongoing New CWB post structure TBC, Economic Development, Business Gateway Community Action 7.10 Assist effective governance for CC priorities for Moray. Y Y Y Monitoring and reporting system in place. Improved communication between local orgs and Moray Council regarding climate change policy and action Staff time Climate Change in partnership with the CPP, public, private and community organisations. A key role for the Moray Climate Hub 7.11 Consult community groups and residents about climate change Y Y Y 7.12 Support the work of the Moray Climate Assembly. Y Y Y 7.13 Engage with local communities to facilitate renewable energy Y Y 7.14 Promote Moray-specific climate emergency training for local groups and organisations Y Y Y Strategic Planning & Development 7.15 Implement NPF 4 policies relating to the climate and nature crisis. Y Y Y Delivery. Ongoing Staff time Strategic Planning & Development 7.16 Develop Regional Spatial Strategy, concentrating growth in existing centres, identifying opportunities for carbon reduction and renewable energy projects, woodland expansion, peatland restoration Y Y Y Delivery - ongoing Staff time Strategic Planning & Development 7.17 Review Forest and woodland strategy Y Y Y Delivery - ongoing Staff time Strategic Planning & Development Item 3. Page 58
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APPENDIX 1B 11 | P a g e M: Mitigation action A: Adaptation Action B: Biodiversity Action 7.18 Develop 20 minute neighbourhood concepts for Moray’s main towns, and embed within next Local Development Plan Y Y Delivery - ongoing Staff time Strategic Planning & Development 7.19 Promote and support brownfield development over greenfield development. Y Y Delivery - ongoing Setting targets for brownfield development in housing land requirements Enacting this will require budget support Strategic Planning & Development 7.20 Deliver Moray Growth Deal Housing Mix Delivery project. Y Y Y Design & Development. Complete 2025/26 Staff time Strategic Planning & Development 7.21 Review and support Food Growing Strategy and Open Space Strategy Y Y Y Delivery - ongoing maximise food growing opportunities and to maximise opportunities for tree planting and active travel measures Staff time Strategic Planning & Development 7.22 Moray Growth Deal Carbon Guidance Complete 2025/26 Staff time Strategic Planning & Development 7.24 NPF4 Carbon guidance for applicants and offsetting requirements Ongoing Staff time Strategic Planning & Development Item 3. Page 59
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12 | P a g e Overview of Actions Key Phase 1 - Scoping & Research Phase 2 - Design & Developing Business Case Phase 3 - Delivery No. Action 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30 2030/31 1.1 Progress a “fabric first” approach to allow buildings to reduce carbon emissions to net zero 1.2 Increased renewable energy generation from council assets. 1.3 Complete Learning Estate AMP. 1.4 Implement zero carbon standards in new buildings. 1.5 Achieve EESSH for all council houses. 1.6 Increased building user awareness on energy usage. 2.1 Replace vehicles with low energy alternatives as soon as is practically feasible. 2.2 Develop and promote Travel Plans for council, etc. 2.3 Promote and enhance active travel at schools. 2.4 Develop strategy and guidance for public EV charging facilities. 3.1 Reduction of waste landfilled through diversion to energy recovery. 3.2 Reduce waste through reuse and recycling. 3.3 Improve sustainability and recycling in schools and across council buildings. 3.4 Support creation and promotion of Community Identified Benefits porta. 4.1 Support homeworkers to reduce their emissions. 4.2 Ratify buildings and develop shared facilities. 4.3 Promote and increase opportunities for smarter working. 4.4 Increase use of virtual environment for information. 4.5 Apply zero and low carbon objectives in all investment decisions. 4.6 Ensure CCS and CCAP remain fresh and valid until 2030. 4.7 CC and Biodiversity assessment as part of all committee papers. 4.8 Adaptation benchmarking 4.9 Deliver carbon literacy training. 4.10 Update CC awareness training as part of staff induction process. 4.11 Support the development of carbon knowledge and management across departments 4.12 Support networking opportunities for teachers and pupils on CC. 4.13 Increase opportunities for Learning for Sustainability in schools. 4.14 Continue to reduce carbon impact of school meals. 5.1 Continue to develop the non-cash benefits through procurement. 5.2 Implement updates into procurement process. Item 3. Page 60
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13 | P a g e 5.3 Develop simple process for suppliers to evidence carbon reduction. 5.4 Develop action plan for raising awareness of local businesses. 5.5 Develop sustainable procurement guidance and inform lead officers. 6.1 Commission research for baseline carbon inset 6.2 Development of Indicative Carbon Offsetting Plan. 7.1 Develop LHEES strategy. 7.2 Continue the EES ABS programme. 7.3 Promotion of the Active Travel Strategy. 7.4 Moray hydrogen Strategy 7.5 Reporting of area-wide emissions. 7.6 Internal CC Engagement. 7.7 Join support networks to assist the progress of climate change work 7.8 Feed into the development of Moray apprenticeship strategy. 7.9 Support awareness raising for businesses. 7.10 Assist effective governance for CC priorities for Moray. 7.11 Consult community groups and residents about climate change 7.12 Support the work of the Moray Climate Assembly. 7.13 Engage with local communities to facilitate renewable energy 7.14 promote Moray-specific climate emergency training 7.15 Implement NPF 4 policies relating to the climate crisis. 7.16 Develop Regional Spatial Strategy 7.17 Review Forest and woodland strategy 7.18 Develop 20 minute neighbourhood concepts for Moray’s main towns 7.19 Promote and support brownfield development over greenfield development. 7.20 Deliver Moray Growth Deal Housing Mix Delivery project. 7.21 Review and support Food Growing Strategy and Open Space Strategy 7.22 Moray Growth Deal Carbon Guidance 7.23 NPF4 Carbon guidance for applicants and offsetting requirements Item 3. Page 61
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APPENDIX 1C MorayCouncilClimateChangeEngagement Outline Strategy for Engagement Context or Introduction Moray Council approved its Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan in March 2021, setting out the council’s aim to have net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The national approach to tackling the global climate crisis places a legal duty on local authorities to reduce their emissions, adapt to climate change impacts and to act sustainably. It also recognises the crucial leadership role that local authorities will have in supporting the national goal for Scotland to be net-zero by 2045. Under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, people in the UK have a legal right to information and education on climate change and how it will affect them and to participation in decision making processes. The Scottish Government’s climate change engagement strategy, Net Zero Nation1, highlights that although public concern for climate change has greatly increased in the last decade, behaviour changes have not followed this upward curve. The evidence suggests that targeting individuals, specific behaviour related nudges, raising awareness and providing information are not effective at changing behaviour on their own. Furthermore, experiences of distress around the climate and ecological crisis are now widespread, which can counterintuitively lead to a sense of powerlessness and inaction. As a result, the new national strategy emphasises the need for a holistic, systemic approach that positively communicates the fundamental shifts taking place, and which are required by society. For behaviour change to be successful, engagement and messaging should: be combined with enabling infrastructure; connect people with the wider action taking place in the transition to net zero, therefore normalising net zero living; celebrate our collective (rather than personal) responsibility and the many benefits arising from action on climate change. Moray Council must use this approach to embed action on climate change throughout the organisation and workforce, and at the same time engage with our wider community and use local voices to shape climate based service improvements in ways that work for the people of Moray. To support the Moray-wide contribution towards the national net zero goal, the council should seek to promote positive stories that connect people with what is happening both locally and beyond. This engagement plan will support the journey to net zero by outlining a framework for engagement and associated actions. It will therefore act as a guide for the council to use best practice in communicating and engaging with internal and external stakeholders on climate and biodiversity related issues, and also keep a record of engagement actions within the wider Strategy and Route Map. Aims and what we want to achieve We aim to support action on climate change and biodiversity loss through effective engagement and communication with council staff, elected members and the Moray community. 1 Net Zero Nation https://www.gov.scot/publications/net-zero-nation-public-engagement-strategy-climate- change/ Item 3. Page 62
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APPENDIX 1C Our strategic objectives align with the Net Zero Nation approach which is based around the three pillars; Understand, Participate and Act1. Principles for engagement The evolving relationship between the public and climate change will be monitored. It will be important to be responsive to policy changes and to make the most of moments when issues are high on the agenda. Equally important is a sensitivity to the capacity of people to act, therefore it will be essential to co-ordinate messages and engagement around interventions for which the enabling infrastructure is in place. The Net Zero Nation strategy identifies seven guiding principles to underpin effective climate change engagement; Positive – uplifting, motivating, relatable, co-benefits Putting people first – communities play a key role Participative – conversation and discussion Just – understanding and engaging with those most affected Inclusive – equal and accessible engagement Evidence based – using sound science, improving engagement through active reflection Open and transparent – ensuring our actions are seen and understood These principles will be followed alongside the national standards for community engagement2; 2 https://www.voicescotland.org.uk/national-standards •We will communicatethe wider transformational changes that are happening in order to meet net zero, and how these relateto our work, communities and personal lives •This will look like a low carbon culture embedded across the council and underpinning decisions and actions taken by staff Understand •We willinvolve council staff and the wider community in shaping the changes required by the climate crisis •This will look like communities and all council staff engagedin shaping the council’s response to the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis and related activities; Participate •We will normaliselow carbon living and inspirepositive changes to take place •This will look like council staff and the wider community feeling supported and empoweredto make the collective changes required to meet net zero targets Act Item 3. Page 63
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APPENDIX 1C Delivery The Climate Change Strategy outlines the discrete responsibilities for its delivery, however all individuals of every level within Moray Council are encouraged be engaged themselves and to demonstrate leadership within their own sphere of influence towards the net zero goal. Where specific actions from the Climate Change Strategy and Route Map are assigned to departments, they will take the lead on engagement in these areas. Services who may engage on climate change issues through their work areas include, but are not limited to, Energy, Housing and Property, Strategic Planning and Development, Economic Development, Transport, Environmental Protection, Procurement, Education, ICT, Catering and PR. Climate change officers will work with other departments to co-ordinate and monitor engagement actions, supporting delivery of engagement that is consistent with this plan and aligned with the Scottish Government’s approach and the latest evidence. Strategy Review This engagement strategy will be reviewed and updated every three years. Lessons learned and feedback received will inform future updates. Engagement actions will be monitored for progress and updated as appropriate. Progress reports will be included within the overall Climate Change Strategy reporting framework. Engaging within the Council Stakeholders All council staff and elected members will contribute to the council meeting its emission reduction target, acting sustainably and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Item 3. Page 64
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APPENDIX 1C Key stakeholders and partners include those in decision making capacities (management as well as elected members) and those working in sections with greater carbon implications or in public facing roles (including teachers). In order to bring about the transformation required to meet the 2030 target and prepare for the impacts of climate change, significant improvement is required to fully engage staff with the Climate Change Strategy. A key priority will be to build and deliver narratives that resonate with a diverse range of values that staff and members may hold. Methods of engagement Rationale Potential methods Build capacity and skills Networks, e-learning, in person training (Carbon Literacy) Feedback and information gathering Pop up coffee chats (free cake!), networks, suggestion ‘box’ Disseminate info/ influence behaviour change Interchange, Connect, Team Brief, story maps, themed campaign/ promotion Monitor engagement, track attitude and behaviour change Surveys Engage wider staff group (including offline and not otherwise engaged) Focus groups Pop up coffee chats (free cake!) Monitoring and Review Engagement of the council workforce is essential for the council to meet the challenges of climate change and meet our ambitious net zero goal. Initial figures indicate a significant gap in engagement on the issue of climate change, with a 2021 survey circulated to all staff stimulating a 2.5% return rate which is lower than average Pulse survey response rates and is therefore not representative and is likely also skewed by sampling bias (for example having stronger views or an interest in climate change issues). However, the survey also highlighted that, of those who responded, only 49% were either moderately or very aware of the Climate Change Strategy itself, indicating there is likely a very low level of awareness across the full staff population of the council’s response to this crisis (and perhaps their role in this). Measuring the level and quality of engagement will highlight areas where more work is needed and will support evaluation of progress in delivering the overall strategy. Ongoing engagement will be regularly monitored, and feedback actively sought, with the aim of improving the methods and reach of future engagement activity. Specific events will be followed by evaluation and reflection on what worked well and how to learn from what was less successful. Evaluation will seek to identify barriers to engagement and change, and inform future approaches that address these issues. Examples of measurement criteria: Qualitative analysis of comments and feedback Analytics e.g. survey response rates, story map engagement Evidence of engagement from staff across all council departments Evidence of how engagement has shaped changes in working practice Number of learners having completed training Item 3. Page 65
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APPENDIX 1C Engaging with the wider community Stakeholders Climate change affects the whole Moray community and so all local residents are stakeholders and will be encouraged to engage with the transition to net zero and to create resilient and sustainable communities. Individuals, communities and organisations across Moray are already working hard to support and inspire climate action and the council will work with them to wherever we can. The council will demonstrate leadership through our actions, and support community groups and businesses seeking to reduce their carbon footprint adapt to changes in climate and look after our natural environment and biodiversity. We will collaborate closely with our partners in public and third sector organisations who are working to deliver these objectives. In particular, reducing Moray’s area wide emissions will require a broad cultural shift and adoption of new norms. It will be important to build and deliver narratives that resonate with a diverse range of values and concerns. It will also be essential that we listen to the voices of those who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including children. Methods of engagement Rationale Potential Methods Disseminate info/ influence behaviour change Social media (Moray Council accounts), press releases, story maps, videos Feedback and information gathering Workshops, focus groups, consultation events, surveys, online tools/ apps Involve community in decision making Participatory budgeting Monitor engagement, track attitude and behaviour change Surveys Provide advice and information Climate change web pages on council site Build capacity and skills Promote training and e-learning resources Engage youth Arts and creativity, games and tech Monitoring and Review Acting on climate change is largely viewed as the responsibility of the public sector and so the council must demonstrate strong leadership in this area to the Moray community. As resources allow, measuring levels of engagement will highlight areas that require a more targeted approach and will support evaluation of progress in delivering the Climate Change Strategy. Ongoing engagement will be regularly monitored and feedback actively sought from partners and participants to inform how to improve the methods and reach of engagement activity in future. Specific events will be followed by evaluation and reflection on what worked well and how to learn from what was less successful. Evaluation will seek to identify barriers to engagement and change, and inform future approaches that address these issues. Examples of measurement criteria: Qualitative analysis of comments and feedback Analytics from social media and surveys Item 3. Page 66
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APPENDIX 1C Evidence of engagement with hard to reach groups Evidence of how engagement has influenced council services and that feedback has been provided to participants Evidence of productive partnership working with stakeholders/community groups Item 3. Page 67
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APPENDIX 1C Engagement Actions Most of the actions within the Climate Change Strategy and Route Map to Net Zero will involve elements of engagement or communication. Engagement actions on climate change are central to the Climate Change Strategy and are included throughout the action plan in the route map to net zero. The Climate Change Strategy aims to consult, raise awareness, communicate and engage with residents, businesses and organisations across Moray about climate change. Please refer to these documents for further information and the full list of actions. Below is an overview of those actions identified as being most relevant to this engagement strategy. Wider community Strategic local development |Climate change route map actions7.15 to 7.24 Strategic Planning and Development will be leading on the Local Development Plan 2027 (LDP) consultation, with early stakeholder and community engagement to inform the LDP evidence report ongoing until late 2023. A wide variety of engagement tools will be used, including apps and other online tools, workshops and drop ins. The outcomes for this stage are: Early meaningful and inclusive engagement meeting National Standards for Engagement Youth Engagement linked to the Curriculum for Excellence Geographic and demographic spread of engagement Spatial outputs from engagement to inform “Place” based plan Partnership working to engage beyond Local Development Plan both locally and strategically on Moray Growth Deal, Regional Spatial Strategy and Locality Plans Deliver engagement through a climate change lens Following completion of the Evidence Report, several stages of informing and consulting will take place until adoption of the new LDP in 2027. This will involve website and social media updates, drop in exhibitions, direct correspondence and making copies of the final plan available to the public. Other engagement alongside the LDP process will include a review of the Forest and Woodland Strategy, consulting with key stakeholders and industry representatives. Public consultation will involve all stakeholders including local landowners, community councils and active community organisations to ensure the needs of the local community are met, especially in terms of leisure and recreation. Opportunities to bring stakeholders together to progress biodiversity actions as part of the LDP and development management will be explored. Engagement around biodiversity and our natural environment will be a priority for development planning. The LDP aims to support the concept of “20 minute neighbourhoods”. Public engagement will support the design of places that enable residents to meet their day-to-day needs within a 20 minute walk of their home; through access to safe walking and cycling routes, or by public transport. The Moray Growth Deal will present opportunities to showcase innovation and leadership in net zero design, construction and operation of projects to the wider community and businesses in Moray. Item 3. Page 68
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APPENDIX 1C Skills and knowledge in the community |Climate change route map actions 5.4, 7.8 and 7.9 to 7.14 Increasing the provision of skills and knowledge required to progress a greener economy will involve cross-council collaboration between Strategic Planning and Development, Procurement and Economic Development. This will involve awareness raising to promote opportunities for existing businesses in the green economy transition. Climate change officers will support partners to develop and deliver climate emergency training that is specific to the area. Further support to communities will involve supporting the work of the Moray Climate Assembly, the development of a Moray climate action hub and good communication between the Council and local organisations regarding climate change policy and action. Connecting people to resources |Climate change route map actions 3.4, 6.2, 7.6 7.9, 7.12, 7.13 7.14 Communities will be supported to access information and advice for renewable energy projects. Climate Change and Economic Development Officers will work with Moray climate action hub to engage with community groups. Similar support for communities will be developed for tree planting/ offsetting. Raising awareness of the opportunities for just transition and the circular economy will highlight the multiple benefits businesses can realise through taking action on climate change. This work will involve officers from across the Council. Climate change officers will also work with other council departments and partner organisations to promote campaigns that connect people, community groups and businesses to information, support or enabling infrastructure as they emerge. Sustainable Travel |Climate change route map actions 2.2, 2.3 and 7.3 Transport will deliver the Council’s Active Travel Strategy 2022-2027, which includes several actions that correspond with the Climate Change Strategy. Employers will be encouraged to develop active travel plans to reduce the use of car travel to work. Similarly, schools will be supported to develop active travels plans alongside a wider campaign to encourage active travel to school. Staff Engagement Learning |Climatechange route map actions, 4.12 and 4.13 Climate change officers will co-ordinate and deliver certified carbon literacy training to staff to increase knowledge and empower individuals to embed climate action throughout their work. This training will be offered to all staff but will also be delivered to target groups such as elected members, senior management and key service areas. A short e-module will provide a snapshot of climate emergency training and will be included as part of staff inductions. Education will continue to lead the delivery of Learning for Sustainability within the curriculum, supporting CPD for teachers and increased opportunities for pupils. Climate change officers will support teachers and pupils to access relevant resources and information. Knowledge exchange |Climate change route map actions 4.6 and 7.6 Climate change action plans will be kept up to date through regular engagement with staff. Item 3. Page 69
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APPENDIX 1C Behaviour change |Climate change route map actions 1.6, 2.2, 4.1 Energy officers will encourage a reduction of energy use in Council buildings through engagement with staff, delivery of workshops in schools on an ongoing basis. Climate change officers will support this and also lead on promoting resources to support homeworking staff to reduce emissions at home. Transport will develop and promote Moray Council’s travel plan, encouraging staff to increase active travel, public transport, and car share options. Item 3. Page 70
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APPENDIX 1C Links Net Zero Nation https://www.gov.scot/publications/net-zero-nation-public-engagement-strategy- climate-change/ Moray Council climate change web page, including the Strategy and Route Map http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_136444.html Moray Council Interchange staff climate pages http://interchange.moray.gov.uk/int_standard/Page_143298.html Item 3. Page 71
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App 2 REPORT TO: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES COMMITTEE ON 2 MAY 2023 SUBJECT: NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY POSITION STATEMENT BY: DEPUTE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND FINANCE) 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1 To inform the Committee of how existing Council strategies and action align with national and international biodiversity policy and to ask the Committee to approve continuing support for the North East Biodiversity Partnership for the next three years. 1.2 This report is submitted to Committee in terms of Section III (F) (13) of the Council's Scheme of Administration relating to matters regarding environmental protection. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee:- (i) note how existing council policies, strategies and action align with the Global Biodiversity Framework and Scottish Biodiversity Strategy; (ii) note the opportunities and challenges involved in delivering the council’s statutory duty to further the conservation of biodiversity, and; (iii) approve continued support for the North East Scotland Biodiversity Partnership for next three years; (iv) agree to add the biodiversity actions highlighted in appendix 1 to the Climate Change Plan and Route Map to Net Zero; and (v) agree that the actions identified within this report form the basis of a Moray biodiversity strategy to be reported in 2024 setting out priority actions for nature recovery in Moray in accordance with the limitations set out in para 5.12. Item 3. Page 73
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3. BACKGROUND 3.1 Moray Council declared a climate and ecological emergency on 27 June 2019 (para 6 of the minute refers). ‘Land use, biodiversity & adaptation’ was identified as one of the resulting strategy themes, however the associated action plan contained notably few actions relating to these areas. 3.2 The council has since strengthened its commitment to act on biodiversity loss by agreeing to sign the Edinburgh Declaration on 10 August 2022 (para 21 of the minute refers) and by declaring a Nature Emergency on 2 February 2023 (para 9 of the minute refers). Council also agreed at that meeting that a further report be submitted that; “8) Outlines how existing Council strategies such as the North East Scotland Local Biodiversity Action Plan, Climate Strategy, and woodland strategy align with the GBF and Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, and notes any changes to existing strategies required to deliver against these. 9) Provide an update on the North East Scotland Local Biodiversity Action Plan, including specific consideration to: An ecological coherence approach to effectively identify and target actions required to tackle the nature emergency and deliver against the various strategies listed above, including through the further development of the region’s Nature Network as defined and outlined in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045. Adopt a partnership approach, including working with project partners, to maximise opportunity for delivery of the strategies listed above, and taking learning from the partnership model developed as part of the 2030 Climate Strategy work” 3.3 The council undertakes various functions that can either drive biodiversity loss or nature recovery. These include our responsibility as a planning authority through delivery of the Development Plan, the development management function and Regional Spatial Strategy; as a landowner by how we manage greenspace; our work with partners and communities to deliver projects; and as an education authority through how well we connect young people with nature. 3.4 There are a range of benefits to the council resulting from action to reverse biodiversity loss and restore nature. Reversing biodiversity loss will help prevent climate change and help us adapt to its impacts, will improve health outcomes and create jobs. These nature based solutions are considered to be cost-effective responses to a wide range of challenges. 4. CURRENT DELIVERY OF BIODIVERSITY DUTY 4.1 Under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, Moray Council has a duty to further the conservation of biodiversity. In accordance with the Wildlife Item 3. Page 74
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and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 the council must also publicly report its compliance with this biodiversity duty. The next biodiversity duty report is due for publication in 2024, covering the period 2021-2023. 4.2 It is recognised by the Scottish and UK governments that this is a critical decade for tackling the biodiversity crisis. The Scottish Government’s new Biodiversity Strategy aims to reverse nature loss by 2030 and restore biodiversity by 2045, and is aligned with the Global Biodiversity Framework, of which the UK is a signatory. 4.3 These strategies are primarily focused at the national and international level, however the Scottish Government have outlined several actions that are directly relevant to local authorities within the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy; “Ensure we secure positive effects for biodiversity from our National Planning Framework (NPF4) Ensure that every local authority area has a nature network improving ecological connectivity across Scotland Ensure that productive forests and woodlands deliver increased biodiversity and habitat connectivity as well as timber production Maintain and seek to increase investment in nature restoration through our £65 million Nature Restoration Fund” 4.4 A range of actions are already in progress that align with the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and Global Biodiversity Framework and fulfil our biodiversity duty, most of which are outlined below. Biodiversity enhancement though the planning process 4.5 The recently adopted National Planning Framework (NPF4) presents a step change in the planning system by placing climate change and biodiversity loss at the heart of development decisions. 4.6 The council’s Local Development Plan 2027 and Regional Spatial Strategy will embed this principle and NPF4 outcome that biodiversity will be ‘enhanced and better connected including through strengthened nature networks and nature-based solutions.’ Several pieces of work have been commissioned to support their delivery; Local habitats and species data will be collated and mapped. This evidence base will inform planning decisions, the protection and development designated sites and Nature Networks. Nature Networks are similar to what would often be referred to as wildlife corridors, linking internationally designated nature sites through coherent routes for biodiversity to move freely. The revised Woodland and Forestry Strategy will bring together opportunities for biodiversity, carbon reduction, health and wellbeing as well as skills development and the economy. The strategy will support the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy’s action to: “Ensure that productive forests and woodlands deliver increased biodiversity and habitat connectivity as well as timber production”. Item 3. Page 75
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A baseline review of natural capital has been undertaken using Just Transition funding (referenced in the Climate Change Plan and Route Map to Net Zero reported separately to this committee). The study recommends a biodiversity first approach to pursuing opportunities for carbon offsetting. 4.7 A series of Topic Papers are being collated by officers within Strategic Planning and Development. These will form the basis of workshops with members to inform the Local Development Plan Evidence Report which will be presented to Planning and Regulatory Services Committee in March 2024. Local Biodiversity Partnership 4.8 The North East Scotland Local Biodiversity Action Plan is a locally driven process to meet the requirements of Scottish and UK government biodiversity action plans and the Convention on Biological Diversity, of which the UK is a signatory. The North East Biodiversity Partnership (NESBiP) produced and maintains this action plan, which outlines the habitats and species in most need of urgent local action. 4.9 The partnership strives to progress ‘joined-up’ approaches to tackling landscape scale threats to nature, also referred to as ecological coherence. It also seeks to support the delivery of projects on the ground to enhance biodiversity as well as people’s lives and wellbeing. This approach will support the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy’s goal to not only expand protected areas by 30% by 2030 (referred to as ‘30x30’), but to ensure they are adequately linked through nature networks. It can also contribute to the councils meeting its biodiversity duty, which extends beyond the management of sites, habitats and species and also aims to increase connection between people and nature and encourage biodiversity to be considered throughout all aspects of our work. It is likely that councils will also be responsible for mainstreaming biodiversity when delivering nature networks. 4.10 Supporting NESBiP enables the council and partners to pool limited resources to meet legal obligations as well as the requirements of our own policies and plans. Currently the council makes limited use of the partnership and there are a number of opportunities that could be taken advantage of through more active involvement; Habitat and species statements (the local biodiversity action plan) on the NESBiP website can be used by developers and other key parties Influence content and advice provided to developers on NESBiP website can improve quality biodiversity considerations within planning applications Training for Planning, Roads and Environmental Protection on best practice and ensuring compliance with wildlife laws and statutory duties 30x30 and Nature Networks may become statutory duty. Being in partnership with neighbouring local authorities will help deliver this Project support and collaborative working, potentially also for joint funding Support with communication, engagement and awareness raising online and at community events Item 3. Page 76
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A copy of NESBiP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025 is published on the council’s website. 4.11 The partnership agreement is currently being renewed. Moray Council has been making its financial contribution from the Strategic Planning Revenue budget, within Economic Development and Infrastructure. It is proposed that this same budget continue to cover the financial contribution to the partnership and it is anticipated that this budget will be able to accommodate the funding for the next three financial years. 4.12 The proposed contribution for the duration of the renewed agreement, and as requested by the partnership, is as follows: 2023/24 £1750.48 2024/25 £1803.00 2025/26 £1857.09 4.13 Moray Council’s contribution is the lowest of all the partners, by a wide margin when compared to the two other local authority partners, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City. Small though it may be, Moray Council’s contribution is very valued by the partnership and ensures that the core costs of the partnership can be met. 4.14 An officer from within Strategic Planning and Development currently sits on the NESBiP management and steering groups but there is very limited capacity to contribute additional time to support the work of the partnership. Nature Positive Management of Council Land 4.15 While in-house capacity to drive and deliver positive outcomes for nature has been severely limited by budget restraints over the years, officers from Environmental Protection have continued to make improvements in how council land is managed for nature while carrying out statutory functions. 4.16 Investment in the last two years from the Scottish Government through the Nature Restoration Fund has enabled some additional work to be progressed that contributes to the fulfilment of the council’s biodiversity duty. Strategic Planning and Development officers have taken the lead on delivering the direct grant and continue to be well supported by officers from Environmental Protection, with both sections managing this alongside other heavy workloads. The challenges associated with delivering projects that directly benefit nature under existing resources were outlined in a report to this committee on 5 November (para 9 of the minute refers). 4.17 The living lawn and wildflower program approved by the Economic Growth, Housing and Environmental Sustainability Committee on 1 December 2020 (para 19 of minute refers), continues to support the national strategy for action on pollinators. 26 sites across Moray have already benefitted from wildflower planting and/or adjusted mowing patterns. Simple signage has engaged public support for these improvements. Item 3. Page 77
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4.18 Scotland’s four most invasive non-native plant species are Giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam and Rhododendron ponticum, all of which may be treated by the council if they present an issue on council land. The council has, via the Nature Restoration Fund, supported the work of the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative who co-ordinate a wider program of work along the river catchments within and upstream of Moray. 4.19 Renewed management of two key nature sites has been enabled via the Nature Restoration Fund grant. One of the largest areas of woodland under council management, Millbuies, now has a plan in place to protect and enhance the site for both nature and public enjoyment. The Wards wildlife site is of exceptional value as an urban wetland and predominantly wild space. Restoration of the site was an action identified by NESBiP, and now has a new management plan in place with community engagement and gradual wetland improvements currently underway. Climate resilience and biodiversity are at the heart of both projects. 4.20 Many schools have been taking opportunities to improve outdoor learning environments to support deliver of this approach to learning which is embedded in the curriculum. These spaces often directly enhance biodiversity in addition to connecting young people with nature and developing green skills within the young workforce. The Moray Growth Deal STEM project is considering options to develop a dedicated outdoor learning hub for young children. 4.21 The use of glyphosate based herbicides to treat unwanted vegetation is being monitored, with its application being minimised where practical and at no additional cost. On 7 February 2023 this committee agreed that a report will be brought to committee detailing how glyphosate will be phased out by 2025 (para 14 of the minute refers). 4.22 Biodiversity is a key benefit identified within the Moray Food Growing Strategy which was approved 3 March 2020 (para 7 of the minute refers) to fulfil the council’s duty under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. Staffing capacity means a reactive approach to the strategy is currently being taken, however a more proactive approach will be taken in 2024/25 once early engagement on the Local Development Plan is complete. The council continue to support communities to deliver on the ground projects including Elgin allotments, REAP’s therapeutic garden and various community orchards and other edible planting in suitable locations. 5. OPPORTUNITIES and CHALLENGES GOING FORWARD 5.1 The new Scottish Biodiversity Strategy calls on us to raise our ambition and act decisively on nature loss in conjunction with our climate action. However it is also recognised that these are extremely challenging times and that there are limited resources available to achieve this. 5.2 The strategy outlines that every local authority will be required to have a nature network. NatureScot are currently developing guidance on this but it is clear that the delivery of these networks will be the responsibility of local authorities. Item 3. Page 78
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5.3 A primary lever for delivering nature networks will be through the planning system, with the commissioned work outlined in para 4.6 and the development of the Regional Spatial Strategy providing an excellent opportunity to ensure we are prepared for these increased duties through identifying strategic ecological connections. 5.4 Cross-border collaboration will be essential to this process and the council’s contribution to NESBiP presents an efficient mechanism for collaborating with our neighbours to identify the network connections and pool resources for biodiversity enhancements. This will be an increasingly valuable partnership going forward as our biodiversity responsibilities expand. 5.5 Partnership working at the local level will also be required for successful delivery of nature recovery and officers from Strategic Planning and Development are currently identifying a network of stakeholders to co-ordinate biodiversity action within Moray. 5.6 The management of council land presents both challenges and opportunities. It is clear after the council meeting of 2 February 2023 that there is a strong mandate among the public and councillors to enhance biodiversity, however any major change to current management practices would require additional resource and resource allocation must be looked at in the context of wider financial planning. 5.7 There are grant opportunities for biodiversity and greenspace enhancement, however there is limited capacity to access funding, discussed in more detail in a report to this committee on 5 November 2022 (para 9 of the minute refers).In the immediate term, multi-benefit opportunities such as carbon insetting, delivering nature networks, working with volunteers and enhancing health and wellbeing and STEM opportunities within the curriculum should therefore be explored. 5.8 The Scottish Government has committed to continuing its Nature Restoration Fund, however the direct grant to local authorities is not guaranteed. NESBiP presents opportunities for the kind of landscape scale partnership working the Nature Restoration Fund competitive streams ask for – reducing the burden on Moray Council while contributing to biodiversity duty. 5.9 The Climate Change Strategy includes a vision to ‘work to retain, protect and enhance biodiversity across Moray’, however the accompanying list of actions do not strongly support this aspiration. Closer alignment of the council’s action on nature within the Route Map to Net Zero will reflect the twin relationship of these two emergencies, as well as recognise the value and statutory importance of the existing actions being undertaken across council services. 5.10 It is proposed that the actions listed in Appendix 1 be included within the Climate Change Plan and Route Map to Net Zero and updated Climate Change Strategy due in 2024. There are no additional costs to the council resulting from the inclusion of these actions within the strategy. To the contrary it will enable closer monitoring of biodiversity actions through an existing and appropriate channels, thereby streamlining existing work. The Item 3. Page 79
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outcome should be reduced, rather than increased, officer time and should facilitate greater accountability and detail in future biodiversity duty reports. 5.11 The interlinking work currently being commissioned (outlined in para 4.6) provides an excellent opportunity for the development of a biodiversity plan to deliver national and local strategic priorities. It is proposed that a biodiversity strategy be prepared and reported to this committee in conjunction with the biodiversity duty report in 2024. 5.12 Given the budget gap, it is proposed that a biodiversity strategy be prepared using existing staff capacity. It should be noted that if members wish to progress biodiversity action beyond the ongoing work described in this report, further resource would be required at a time when the council cannot meet its current resource demands. Biodiversity should also not be viewed in isolation but within the wider approach to managing the network of green and blue spaces. Many areas of the council’s work that do not have an obvious link to nature may have surprising influence, and so embedding knowledge across the council will greatly improve the council’s success in meeting our biodiversity duty. 5.13 Supporting the recovery of local wildlife is very important to people and concern around issues such as the use of glyphosate based herbicides and the spread of avian flu are currently high. However there are also conflicts to be balanced between expectations of what is aesthetically acceptable, cost- effective, and provides real space for nature to recover. 5.14 These are changing times. The traditional expectation of how public greenspaces should be managed, and the built environment developed, has centred on the control of nature and tidiness, which we are only now starting to recognise has come at a cost. Reframing the council’s relationship with nature will not be without its challenges, however there is strong public support for protecting and enhancing our natural environment and there are significant benefits to be realised, including for health and wellbeing, the economy and climate resilience. 6. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS (a) Corporate Plan and 10 Year Plan (Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP)) Action on biodiversity loss also supports the delivery of corporate plan priorities for people place and the future by; improving health and wellbeing, strengthening communities, minimising harm and costs arising from climate change impacts, creating economic opportunities. (b) Policy and Legal Some policies and legislation relating to biodiversity that are particularly relevant include; Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 Pollinator Strategy for Scotland Item 3. Page 80
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Local natural heritage designations National Planning Framework 4 Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and 2019 Moray Climate Change Strategy Moray Woodland and Forestry Strategy Moray Food Growing Strategy Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor Learning Scotland's National Strategy for Economic Transformation (c) Financial implications The actions outlined in para 4.6 are being funded through Just Transition grant and through existing revenue budget as part of preparation of the Evidence Report for LDP2027. The proposed contribution outlined in para 4.12 is anticipated to be covered by existing revenue budget. The activities referred to in 4.17 - 4.21 have been funded through the Nature Restoration Fund grant and existing operational resources. (d) Risk Implications There is a risk that should the council choose not to renew its contribution to NESBiP, it will be more difficult to demonstrate we are fulfilling our biodiversity duty and to deliver nature networks. There is a risk that staff resources are not sufficient to deliver a Moray Biodiversity Strategy so the preparation of this will need to take account of staff capacity to ensure it is realistic and achievable. There is also a reputational risk should the council not take meaningful action following its declaration of a Nature Emergency. (e) Staffing Implications . While the actions set out above can be managed by climate change and planning officers within Strategic Planning and Development, additional actions would require additional resources. Some areas, such as delivery of the food growing strategy, are currently unable to progress due to limited staff capacity and reprioritisation however this will be delivered more proactively in future. (f) Property None directly arising from this report. (g) Equalities/Socio Economic Impact Decisions taken to enhance biodiversity should also contribute to community health and wellbeing and aim to reduce inequalities of access to nature. (h) Climate Change and Biodiversity Impacts Humans are part of nature and our survival depends on healthy ecosystems and rich biodiversity. However, Scotland is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world and we are continuing to lose biodiversity at an alarming rate. Pressures on nature include changes in Item 3. Page 81
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land and sea use, climate change impacts, pollution, over exploitation and invasive non-native species. NatureScot recognises the underlying driver of these combined pressures as stemming from people’s disconnect with nature and lack of recognition for its value. The risks associated with the loss of vital ecosystem services range from disrupted food systems and water supplies to increased damage resulting from climate change impacts and reduced capacity to absorb carbon emissions. The independent Dasgupta Review published by HM Treasury in 2019 clearly outlines that we need to adequately value and take action on biodiversity. Failure to act now will lead to catastrophic implications on our economy and the health and wellbeing of future generations. While the recommendations in this report have limited impact on their own, there are significant positive biodiversity, carbon reduction and climate resilience impacts arising from the approaches and actions referenced. (i) Consultations The Depute Chief Executive (Economy, Environment and Finance), Head of Economic Growth and Development, the Legal Services Manager, Open Spaces Manager, Chief Financial Officer, Lissa Rowan (Committee Services Officer) and Equal Opportunities Officer have been consulted and comments received have been incorporated into the report. 7. CONCLUSION 7.1 Biodiversity has not been a priority for the council in recent years, however there are increasing opportunities to both influence and take action to restore nature. The policy drivers for local authorities are only expected to increase as the global response to the climate and nature emergencies continue to align more closely and the additional benefits of working with nature are recognised. Author of Report: Sophie Ward, Climate Change Strategy Officer Background Papers: Economic Development and Infrastructure Services Committee, 5 November 2022 Moray Council, 2 February 2023 Economic Development and Infrastructure Services Committee, 3 March 2020 Economic Growth, Housing and Environmental Sustainability Committee, 1 December 2020 10 August 2022 Ref: http://spman.moray.gov.uk/MANComRepDraftSite/DevSer vLib/2023%2005%2002%20EDI%20Committee/20230502%20Nature%20and%20Bi odiversity%20Position%20Statement.doc Item 3. Page 82
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APPENDIX 2A Appendix 1: Proposed ‘Nature and Carbon Sequestration’ actions to be included in the Climate Action Plan and Route Map to Net Zero Deliver the direct grant from Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund Increase nature positive management of council land Participate in NESBiP management and steering group (local biodiversity action plan) Promote and support developments to be nature positive through the planning process Co-ordinate a network of partners to progress biodiversity actions at the local level and support the development of Nature Networks Item 3. Page 84
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Moray Climate Action Hub proposal Moray Climate Action Hub proposal: draft for consultation page 1 of 9 Introduction The Scottish Government is supporting the development of a network of climate action hubs to stimulate local community-led climate action, supporting a just transition to low carbon and climate adapted living, and drive wider behavioural change. The hubs are intended to provide a coordinated and coherent approach to supporting communities across their region, ensuring communities are informed, connected, engaged and empowered to develop and implement local solutions to create low carbon, resilient places. The local context This proposal for a Moray Climate Action Hub is based on the outputs of meetings, events, conversations and consultations held during most of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, and is presented here as a draft for consultation (see appendix for scope and list of stakeholders). It brings together a number of key players spanning the private, public and community sectors, building on Moray’s existing, and often long-established, community-led activity, groups and networks. The proposal should be read and assessed within the context of our wider, multi-pronged, systemic approach, seeking to address holistically a number of complementary, intersecting and interdependent issues and policy areas, including: • addressing the climate and environmental emergencies • enabling a just transition to a carbon-neutral and sustainable future • supporting the development of a wellbeing economy • facilitating community development and capacity-building • investing in community leadership and community-led local development • supporting and building on the concept of community wealth building. What we aim to achieve Our overarching aim is to support community action and leadership in the development of a wellbeing economy working for people, places and planet1. To this end, we will promote and support participation in the development and implementation of a Community Led Vision for Moray, structured as a just transition plan and based on the principles of just transition planning2. Within and alongside the framework provided by the Community Led Vision, the Moray Climate Action Hub will focus specifically on: • raising awareness of the climate emergency, • widening community participation, • advancing greater inclusion and diversity, 1 See Wellbeing Economy Alliance (weall.org) for more information about the wellbeing economy, underlying concepts, and supporting resources 2 See National Just Transition Planning Framework - Just Transition - A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Scottish Government response - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) Item 3. Page 85
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Moray Climate Action Hub proposal – April 2023 page 2 of 9 • facilitating sharing of knowledge and experience between groups, • supporting groups to develop projects that help tackle and/or adapt to climate change including, subject to funding, projects supporting a Just Transition, and • representing and amplifying community voices to influence and shape local and national policy. Our operating model Our proposal envisages a network fulfilling the key functions of a Climate Action Hub through a number of ‘nodes’ hosted by existing groups, building on existing strengths across Moray, as set out in the Functions & Hosts section, below. The model emerged from engagement and discussion with a wide range of stakeholders. This followed an online meeting for Moray convened and hosted by Scottish Government Climate Change team in March 2022, at the end of which tsiMORAY3 offered to facilitate the development of a proposal for a Moray Climate Action Hub, an offer which was welcomed by participants. The engagement process was punctuated by two events organized and hosted by tsiMORAY (and widely publicized, including through the Scottish Government Climate Change team) in June and November 2022, by participation in the Moray Joint Community Councils’ / Zero Carbon Moray’s Energy Fair at the end of June 2022, and by the meeting, in December 2022, of an open working group set up at the November event. The proposal was circulated as a consultation draft in late March and early April 2023, attracting support from all responders; report to follow in due course. The Hub will operate within the context of a Community Led Vision for Moray, currently being developed under the governance and oversight of the Moray Local Action Group4, which will also oversee and govern the implementation and ongoing monitoring of the Vision. The Hub coordination and management will be the responsibility of tsiMORAY, which will remain responsive and accountable to the members of the network and the wider community through the Moray Climate Assembly5 and a reconvened and rejuvenated Moray Area Climate Action steering group6. 3 tsiMORAY | Connected People Creating Change tsiMORAY is a dynamic, independent local charity operating as a company limited by guarantee. Membership is open to any third sector organisation – i.e. community groups, voluntary organisations and social enterprises – based or operating in Moray. It is governed by a Board of unpaid trustees elected by its members 4 Moray Local Action Group (moraylag.org.uk) The Moray Local Action Group is an un-constituted voluntary association, bringing together people from all sectors, from different walks of life, and with different personal and professional experience, recruited through an open process for the purpose of steering community led local development in Moray. It builds on the legacy of LEADER, a European-funded programme supporting a bottom-up approach to rural development 5 MORAY CLIMATE ASSEMBLY | tsiMORAY a cross-sector forum catalysing action for a just and green renewal of our communities. The assembly’s aim is to inspire new thinking, provide a platform to share the latest environmental actions in Moray, and connect cross-sector change-makers to each other. Anyone with an interest in tackling climate change in Moray is welcome to join the assembly 6 The Moray Area Climate Change Action Steering Group was initially convened by tsiMORAY with cross- sectoral support to “regularly convene motivated and willing cross-sector leaders within the Moray Community Planning Partnership area to tackle climate change through a just and green recovery leading up to COP26 and beyond” Item 3. Page 86
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Moray Climate Action Hub proposal – April 2023 page 3 of 9 Functions & Hosts Functions, and key people to deliver them or support their delivery, which were identified by local stakeholders as key for a Moray Hub to deliver, or at least support included: Key function, as identified locally: Delivered through / led by: Being a central source of knowledge and/or signposting / facilitating access to expert advice, including: Hub coordination team and website, employed by tsiMORAY and linking up when needed with other resources either national (including online, e.g. by SCCAN and Third Sector Net Zero Working Group) or hosted locally by: carbon / environmental footprinting Moray Council Climate Change Team energy advice REAP / Zero Carbon Moray ‘green your business’ Moray Chamber of Commerce circular economy Moray Waste Busters / ReBoot whole system thinking Moray Local Action Group / Global Ecovillage Network / tsiMORAY, including through the use of the Local Transformation Toolkit developed by Municipalities in Transition demonstration sites for community level action REAP / Park Ecovillage Trust / Transition Town Forres / Portgordon Community Trust / Cullen Connected and others demonstration sites for household level action Zero Carbon Moray / Park Ecovillage Trust / Tomintoul & Glenlivet Development Trust / Finderne Development Trust and others Linking / connecting / providing opportunities for groups to share knowledge Mostly facilitated by tsiMORAY, including through Moray Climate Assembly, knowledge exchange platforms and funding Building community capacity tsiMORAY / Moray Local Action Group / REAP / Transition Town Forres / Park Ecovillage Trust / Zero Carbon Moray Upskilling people / future proofing job market ReBoot / Social Enterprise Academy / Moray College-UHI / Local Employability Partnership / NESCAN Just Transition Communities Project / HIE Graduate Placement Scheme / tsiMORAY Tackling food and fuel poverty REAP / Transition Town Forres / Elgin Youth Development Group / Moray Local Action Group / Zero Carbon Moray / Warmer Moray Group / Fairer Moray Forum Action Group & members, including Citizens’ Advice Bureau Signposting / facilitating access to funding, including: Hub coordination team, linking up as needed with tsiMORAY colleagues and other resources either national (including e.g. Home Energy Scotland, Changeworks, SCVO) or hosted locally by: from / for renewables Community Energy Moray / REAP for retrofitting REAP / Zero Carbon Moray PB (participatory budgeting) / PGM (participatory grant making) opportunities & just transition fund Money for Moray / tsiMORAY / NE Just Transition Participatory Budgeting working group / Moray Council UKSPF Item 3. Page 87
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Moray Climate Action Hub proposal – April 2023 page 4 of 9 Practicing / enabling inclusive communication and engagement, including youth engagement Hub coordination team / NESCAN Just Transition Communities Project / Elgin Youth Development Group / Moray Council Community Learning & Engagement Team Supporting environmental protection Moray Climate Assembly members / Moray Local Action Group Some of these are already in place and resourced from elsewhere. Others will need additional resourcing through Climate Action Hub funding and/or other sources, as detailed in the Resources section. While there were different views regarding the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a permanent physical presence for the Hub, most stakeholders seemed to favour a mix of virtual and geographically dispersed presence through participation in events and pop-up hubs both online and in communities and localities across Moray. As a consequence, this proposal does not include plans for a permanent physical presence for the Hub at this stage. Groups and individuals will be able to access the relevant support / function primarily through a widely publicised and promoted coordination team and online presence, as well as through any node within the network. Activities & Timeline As described earlier, the Moray Climate Action Hub will build on a strong foundation of existing activities and well-established connections between a wide range of stakeholders spanning the public, private and third sectors. A key characteristic of the asset-based community development approach adopted and promoted by tsiMORAY, which will permeate the programme proposed here, is to leverage and support the further development of existing community assets, both physical and social. Where existing groups are already engaged in activities furthering or supporting the aims of the Moray Climate Action Hub, or have the skills, knowledge, expertise or connections, or are otherwise well-placed to do so, the Hub will seek to invest in their deployment and further development rather than ‘reinvent the wheel’. Within and alongside the framework provided by the Community Led Vision for Moray, the initial activities for the Hub will therefore focus on: • recruiting a Hub Coordination team and connecting them to the key people and organisations detailed in the Functions & Hosts section • resourcing, supporting and/or linking to existing capacity and capability in the key Hub network ‘nodes’ identified above • developing and implementing a communication & engagement strategy and supporting implementation plans for the Hub • commissioning the development and publication of a new dedicated Hub website, and the development of additional layers for a reinvigorated and expanded Moray Community Map, already hosted by tsiMORAY Item 3. Page 88
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Moray Climate Action Hub proposal – April 2023 page 5 of 9 • building on and systematising our existing knowledge by carrying out an initial mapping of relevant activity already happening in Moray, including activity by groups that might not consider themselves as being climate-focused, and identifying both ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ spots • capturing and publicising our findings in line with the communication & engagement strategy, including through developing existing databases to feed into the Hub website and the relevant layers of the Moray Community Map, and using the findings to inform our activities and priorities • increasing and diversifying the activity of the Moray Climate Assembly, to strengthen its appeal to current members as well as to increase – and publicise – its relevance to a broader audience through communication and engagement activities, e.g. releasing appropriately targeted and supported media information, hosting open events and programmes • reconvening and supporting the activities of the Moray Area Climate Action steering group • supporting capacity-building of existing groups and initiatives, as well as the development of new ones, including through: o providing resources through grant-funding and commissioning activity o organising and facilitating learning & development opportunities and o organising and facilitating learning exchanges, both within and beyond Moray • supporting the development of climate action plans and projects, including a pipeline of community-led projects and initiatives that can support a Just Transition and be funded through the Just Transition Fund and/or other sources • further developing links with other local, regional, national and international actors and networks for mutual support and shared learning, as well as to represent and amplify community voices to influence and shape local and national policy • communicating and engaging with groups which do not currently recognise the relevance of their activity in relation to the climate emergency and/or the impact of the unfolding emergency on their work and beneficiaries • communicating and engaging with new audiences and the wider community to increase awareness of the climate emergency • building community capacity to address the climate emergency through community-led action, including through mitigation, adaptation, increased resilience and regeneration. Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning The Moray Climate Action Hub will be outcome-focused; it will draw on the expertise available within and beyond the tsiMORAY team, and on tools developed by Evaluations Support Scotland and others to monitor and evaluate its impact. This will enable the Hub both to report to its many stakeholders and to share its learning not only on the basis of the activities it carries out, but also in terms of how its activities contribute to its aims and to those set out in the Community Led Vision for Moray. The key outcomes the Hub will seek to achieve are: CH1. more people in Moray are aware of the climate emergency, CH2. more people in Moray are engaged in climate action, CH3. a more diverse range of people is engaged in climate action in Moray, CH4. groups are better able to share knowledge and experience about climate action Item 3. Page 89
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Moray Climate Action Hub proposal – April 2023 page 6 of 9 CH5. more groups are supported to develop projects that help tackle and/or adapt to climate change CH6. more groups are successful in their effort to secure funding to deliver projects that help tackle and/or adapt to climate change CH7. community voices are better able to influence local and national policy. Subject to funding, the Hub will also seek to achieve the following key outcomes in relation to supporting a Just Transition: JT1. more people in Moray are aware of Just Transition plans and funding streams, JT2. more people in Moray are engaged in Just Transition planning and activities, JT3. more groups are supported to develop projects that support a Just Transition, JT4. a more diverse range of groups are able to bid for Just Transition funding, JT5. more groups are successful in their effort to secure funding for Just Transition projects. Progress on some of the longer term outcomes will be beyond the capacity of the Hub to measure directly, so the Hub will, at least initially, focus on tracking progress using key indicators related to outcomes CH4 to CH7 and JT3 to JT5. The Hub will also wish to track its contribution to outcomes and indicators identified in the Community Led Vision for Moray currently in development, as well as to engage with ongoing work by Local Action Groups and others, across Scotland and beyond, seeking to develop and apply evaluation approaches and tools designed to embrace complexity, such as Human Learning Systems, Social Value Engine, the Local Implementation Toolkit and others. Resources To complement and build-on existing resources, funding for the Climate Action Hub and a Just Transition will be needed to: 1. recruit and employ a community engagement and development specialist to support community engagement and capacity-building in relation to climate awareness, climate action, and just transition 2. recruit and employ a technical specialist to support climate action and transition focused project development 3. contribute to the cost of deploying energy advisors 4. fund: a. set up costs (ICT & office equipment) b. communication and engagement strategy and plans c. website and systems development d. operations and engagement activities / materials e. grant-funding specifically for climate action and just transition, including seed funding and preparatory work for bigger bids, e.g. feasibility studies f. commissioning activity, including project support, training and learning programmes and learning exchanges (including hosting fees and other costs related to the delivery of functions by the hosts identified above) 5. contribute to cost of assigning a member of the Leadership Team of tsiMORAY to provide strategic leadership covering the whole scope of the Community Led Vision for Moray, and Item 3. Page 90
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Moray Climate Action Hub proposal – April 2023 page 7 of 9 helping to ensure activities remain closely aligned and synergise with those of the wider tsiMORAY team as well as external partners and stakeholders 6. contribute to administrative resource spanning Community Led Vision and closely aligned with Third Sector Interface (TSI) functions 7. contribute to communication resource spanning Community Led Vision and TSI functions 8. contribute to systems specialist spanning Community Led Vision and TSI functions Finances Responsibility for managing the Hub’s finances will sit with tsiMORAY, which will be the accountable body for the Hub while remaining responsive and accountable to the members of the network and the wider community, as set out in the operating model section. tsiMORAY has acted and continues to act successfully as the accountable body for the last LEADER and subsequent Community Led Local Development programmes. Funding is being sought from a number of sources able and willing to engage with the approach proposed here. Funders are being asked to recognise that seeking to address simultaneously a number of complementary, intersecting and interdependent issues and policy areas will require a holistic approach and a degree of flexibility. This will include the recognition that most community- led and place-based activity will be likely to span more than one area of interest or departmental responsibility. The following table sets out how an initial proposal of how funding may flow from specific funders to support the resources and activities identified above. Resource Funded by Notes 1 Climate Hub funding (or 50/50 Climate Hub / Just Transition) Hosted by tsiMORAY 2 Just Transition (or 50/50 Climate Hub / Just Transition) Hosted by tsiMORAY 3 Climate Hub funding (+ contribution from Just Transition?) Hosted by REAP 4a – 4c Climate Hub funding (+ contribution from Just Transition?) Non-recurring costs 4d Climate Hub funding (+ contribution from Just Transition?) Recurring costs 4e – 4f Climate Hub funding (seed-fund); Just Transition (project prep work, JT project funds); Rural Communities / Community Led Local Development / Community Led Vision (feasibility studies, project grants); as well as potentially other sources Potential for Moray Local Action Group role in sourcing and distributing grants 5 & 6 Rural Communities / Community Led Local Development + Climate Hub funding + Just Transition Community Led Vision resource 7 & 8 50% Rural Communities / Community Led Local Development + Climate Hub funding + Just Transition + 50% tsiMORAY Community Led Vision / TSI resource tsiMORAY – 20 April 2023 Item 3. Page 91
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Moray Climate Action Hub proposal – April 2023 page 8 of 9 Appendix – stakeholders and scope of consultation The proposal has been informed by meetings, events, conversations and consultations held during most of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, and it builds on work done by many stakeholders in recent years. It was circulated as a consultation draft through a number of networks, including the Moray Climate Assembly distribution list (over 350 members) and the Moray stakeholder list held by colleagues at the Scottish Government Community Climate Action Team. The consultation was also be publicised through other media, including the tsiMORAY bulletin, which goes out weekly to a list of over 1,400 recipients. The purpose of the consultative stage of engagement was to: 1. evidence community support for the proposal 2. identify any gaps in the list of functions and hosts set out in the relevant section 3. identify any gaps in the resources to be funded through investment from Climate Action and Just Transition funds Stakeholders involved in meeting and conversations which have informed this proposal so far, and who were consulted on this draft, include colleagues from: • Community Energy Moray • Cairngorms National Park Authority • Dufftown & District Community Association • Ekopia Social Investments • Forres Area Community Trust • Global Ecovillage Network • Highlands & Islands Climate Hub • Highlands & Islands Enterprise • Moray Chamber of Commerce • Moray Climate Assembly • Moray Council Climate Change / Community Learning & Engagement / Economic Development / Planning & Development teams • Moray Local Action Group • Moray Waste Busters • NESCAN • Outside the Box • Park Ecovillage Trust • Portgordon Community Trust • REAP • ReBoot • SCCAN • Scottish Government • Transition Town Forres • tsiMORAY • Third Sector Net Zero Working Group • XR Forres • Zero Carbon Moray Item 3. Page 92
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Moray Climate Action Hub proposal – April 2023 page 9 of 9 In addition to the above, and to general circulation of the draft proposal, we targeted colleagues from a range of other groups, including: • Cullen Connected • Elgin Youth Development Group • Fairer Moray Forum Action Group & members, including Citizens’ Advice Bureau • Finderne Development Trust • Local Employability Partnership • Money for Moray • Moray College-UHI • NE Just Transition Participatory Budgeting working group • NESCAN Just Transition Communities Project Team • Social Enterprise Academy • Tomintoul & Glenlivet Development Trust • Warmer Moray Group While a full report on the consultation will be published in the coming weeks, it is worth noting here that all responses were supporting the proposal, with some respondents asking for more additional focus and attention to be given to the biodiversity and wider environmental dimension of the current climate and nature emergency, and for a request for plainer language to be used. tsiMORAY – 20 April 2023 Item 3. Page 93
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REPORT TO: COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD ON 17 MAY 2023 SUBJECT: MID TERM REVIEW OF PARTNERSHIP COMMUNITY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-24 BY: DEPUTE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (EDUCATION, COMMUNITIES AND ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT) 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1 To update the Board on of the work done so far to deliver on the statutory Moray Partnership Community Learning and Development (CLD) Plan and on emerging priorities for the final 18 months of the plan. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1. It is recommended that the Board: i) note the positive impact of partnership working in delivering on the Moray Partnership CLD Plan (2021-24); ii) note the allocation of £745,218 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for partnership delivery of the ‘Multiply’ programme to support adult numeracy; iii) comment on the emerging priorities which have been identified and which will be incorpored into a refreshed work plan; and iv) note the resumption of HMI inspections of CLD and the role that the CLD Plan will play in that process. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1 Moray Council has lead responsibility on behalf of the Community Planning Partnership to produce the statutory three year Community Learning and Development (CLD) Plan as per the Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013 (CLD Regulations) 3.2 The current Partnership CLD Plan was approved by the CPP Board on 22 September 2021. The Plan covers the period September 2021 – August 2024 and is currently at the mid-term stage of delivery. This report updates Item 4. Page 95
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committee on progress made so far in delivering on the Plan through the CLD Strategic Partnership (CLDSP). 3.3 The CLDSP is the strategic lead group with responsibility for delivering on the plan. There are representatives from UHI Moray (who currently chair), Skills Development Scotland; Moray Pathways, LEAD Scotland, tsiMORAY and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Council services are represented through Communities (CLD), English as Additional Language (EAL), Education, Communities and Volunteering 3.4 Partners agreed to use national Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) developed by CLD Managers Scotland to report on delivery against the Plan. The results of these are summarised in Appendix 1 and can be grouped in relation to adult and family learning; youth work; community development and capacity building and mental health and wellbeing. 3.5 Partners have also developed case studies and other performace information which capture some of the impact of the work against the priorities identified in the CLD Plan which have been captured in an interactive online resource - http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_39860.html 3.6 The Plan had an initial focus on Covid recovery and Appendix 2 captures the actions taken in the first year which demonstrate significant progress against the initial plan priorities and meet the Plan’s aim to ‘shift the balance of delivery to provide more face-to face support and to create opportunities to help people reconnect within their communities.’ 3.7 This CLDSP meet regularly to monitor progress in delivery of the Plan. Partners used the new How Good Is Our Community Learning and Development 4 framework to evaluate the quality of partnership working around the CLD Plan – the results of which have been added to the Education Scotland case studies website (Appendix 3) 3.8 The self-evaluation identified examples of improved partnership working; enhanced collaborative working linked to external funding investments and new strands of work being developed strategically. 3.9 The most recent example of this is the ‘Multiply’ programme to improve numeracy which is part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund drawn down through the Moray Economic Partnership. The CLD Strategic Partnership will have a co-ordination role around the ‘Multiply’ allocation of £745,218 to be completed by 31 March 2025. As per the approved governance arrangements final decision making on Multiply funding approval is located with the Local Economic Partnership 3.10 As always, there is room for improvement with partners keen to raise awareness of the impact of the difference CLD approaches make in Moray and to build on the collaborative approach to delivery over the lifetime of the current plan and into the next one from 2024-27. Item 4. Page 96
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3.11 Partners have identified a number of emerging themes which they wish to take account of in the remaining 18 months of the current plan. The overarching themes remain the same but partners are working together to • Deliver on the Multiply programme to improve numeracy in Moray. • Understand the impact of reduced volunteering levels (for example Health and Social Care Communities and Volunteering Team have noted a 30% reduction in their volunteer numbers) and actions needed to support and sustain volunteering. • Understand and respond to the cost of living crisis and how this is impacting on services, agencies and communities. • Continue ethos of working strategically and in partnership to maximise the impact of external funding streams in improving outcomes for Moray communities. • Identify how best to respond to the projected rise in Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children and other refugee/ asylum seekers in Moray. • Seek support from Community Planning Partners to respond to LOIP priorities in relation to community meeting spaces – particularly in New Elgin. 3.11 HMIe have intimated that CLD inspections will be restarting in the 2023/24 academic year and that there will be a particular focus on the delivery of the Partnership CLD plan and the role of the CLD Strategic Partnership and their use of data to inform priorities. The mid term review of the Plan is timely in preparing for that forthcoming inspection. 4. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS 4.1. The Statutory Requirement to produce the Plan has been met and this mid term review is in line with the governance role of the CPP Board. 4.2. The Plan mid term review has already been discussed at Education,Children’s and Leisure Services Committee on 19 April 2023 and was approved by them (paragraph 19 of the minute refers). 4.3. A further reporting on the Localites element of the CLD Plan will be brought to the Board after discussion at the CLD Strategic Partnership and CPP Community Engagement Group. 5. CONCLUSION 5.1 The Board is asked to note the progress made by the CLDSP in delivering on the Partnership CLD Plan as evidenced by the information attached to this paper. 5.2 The Board is asked to comment on the refreshed priorities. 5.3 The Board is asked to note the resumption of CLD inspections and the key role that that Partneship CLD Plan will play in that process. Item 4. Page 97
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Author of Report: Kevin McDermott Background Papers: Appendix 1 (Key Performance Indicators) ; Appendix 2 (CLD Workplan update) Appendix 3 (Self- Evaluaton) : Plan on a Page Summary Report Ref: SPMAN-957343068-2485 Item 4. Page 98
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Appendix 1 Statistics pooled from work of Moray UHI; tsiMORAY, Moray Pathways, SDS, LEAD Scotland, Moray Council’s Communities CLD teams, Libraries Service and Communities &Volunteering Team (HSCP) KPi 6a and 7a refer to children and are not reported on other than in the context of family learning. 2021 - 2022 MORAY CLD STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP Key Performance Indicators (KPi 1-13) Totals KPi1 Number of adults engaged in CLD activity 3,318 KPi2 Number of adults receiving completed nationally recognised awards through CLD activity (SCQF levelled and awards such as Adult Achievement Award including sectional certificates) 216 KPi3 Number of adults gaining wider achievement awards, local awards, and those not nationally recognised, through CLD activity (e.g., Health Issues in the Community & Keystone Award) 203 KPi4 Number of adults engaged in family learning through CLD activity 496 KPi5 Number of children/young people engaged in family learning through CLD activity 498 KPi6b Number of young people engaged in CLD activity 2263 KPi7b Number of young people receiving completed nationally recognised awards through CLD activity 523 KPi7c Number of young people receiving sectional certificates towards above Awards (sectional certificates only to be included if full award not completed) 34 KPi8 Number of young people gaining wider achievement awards, local awards and those not nationally recognised, through CLD activity Moray Pathways 16-24yrs 248 438 KPi9 Number of adults with improved mental health and wellbeing outcomes through CLD activity 1060 KPi10 Number of children/young people with improved mental health and wellbeing outcomes through CLD activity 349 KPi11 Number of community groups receiving capacity building support through CLD activity 292 KPi12 Number of adults and young people taking part in influence and engagement activity through CLD – (including community planning / participatory budgeting / local and national consultations / ... 2104 KPi13 Number of adults and young people reached and engaged with through one-off promotional events / drop-ins / community events / engagements / etc. 2500 Item 4. Page 99
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Appendix 2 Partnership CLD Work Plan Individually the CLD Strategic Partnership members will continue their own focussed work and share this so there is a collective picture of learning opportunities and community activity. The real value of the partnership is through analysing data and creating actions or accessing and progressing opportunities through collaborative working so we can make a difference to communities. The insight from the inequalities case studies carried out by the Fairer Moray Action Group reinforces the daily challenges people face before they contemplate learning or community activity. The partnership will respond to emerging need as Covid tiers and access to facilities change and as a result this plan is a live document which can be adapted as required The work plan is built around the strategic priorities highlighted in the one page summary visual. We have referred back to the cross cutting themes and LOIP priorities in relation to our three priorities but not for the workforce related priority 4 or the governance related actions as these are more inward focussed than with communities and learners. • Priority 1: Learning for All • Priority 2: Active Citizens and Communities • Priority 3: Participation & Community Voice Cross-cutting themes: 1. Addressing impacts of rurality & poverty 2. Improving mental health & wellbeing 3. Addressing social isolation & helping people to reconnect. Linking back to the LOIP The work plan outlines the action and links it back to the Local Outcomes Improvement Priorities (LOIP) relating to the Delivery Framework for the Empowering and Connecting Communities strand LOIP Empowering Communities Outcomes • Develop stronger, more resilient, supportive, influential and inclusive communities. • Improve life chances for people in Moray experiencing the greatest inequality of outcomes LOIP Actions 1. Develop and implement a Community Wellbeing Survey identifying and responding to community needs. (L1) 2. Support Community Anchor Organisations to extend reach and involvement of those who are experiencing poverty and greatest inequalities and therefore less likely to participate (L2) 3. Support to maintain delivery of current and develop further locality plans as live active documents with meaning for the community. (L3) 4. Encourage and support the softening of the location boundaries for NE and BCE so that a wider population benefits where appropriate. (L4) 5. Promote and support Community Wealth Building initiatives to build wealth and prosperity within our communities (L5) 6. Capacity building support to community anchor organisations to become more involved with local decision making. Through support to develop locality plans identifying key priorities for their communities.(L6) 7. Ensure all communities have access to a range of learning offers to meet needs, focussing on the most disadvantaged groups. (L7) Item 4. Page 102
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Appendix 2 Partnership CLD Work Plan Theme 1: Learning for Life LOIP - Improve life chances for people in Moray experiencing the greatest inequality of outcomes Activity (LOIP link) Year 1 Summary year one 3 year Performance Target Rag Status Cross Cutting themes Skills for life & work (L7) M Power programme offered and piloted in Secondary Schools and impact evaluated for school leavers; M Power has been adopted into core CLD Youth Work offer. 49 young people took part in this strand during the first year of the plan with young people progressing into positive destinations. Over 80 pupils participate in programme. All 8 schools offer programme; 1 Moray pathways to improved employability (L7) Moray Pathways at the Inkwell (employability and training hub) evidences increased CLD partners’ involvement with regard to referrals and progression routes. There were eight core partners inputting to the hub in first quarter of plan with a further 6 contributing in the remaining quarters. Employability Team, CLD Adult &Family Learning, Moray College training department, Elgin Youth Development Group, Moray Wellbeing Hub, Lossiemouth Entertainment Academy. Lead Scotland, Moray Reach Out, Enable Works, Barnardos, Apex Scotland, Social Enterprise Academy FACT, WEA ( Aberdeen), 10% increase on 2021-2022 baseline 1,2 Digital Skills (L7) Digital Mentoring Youth project piloted supporting community groups with digital skills/practical projects A small group of 3 young people had started on this project but it was unable to continue as a result of key staff unavailability. 30 young mentors trained & accredited. 15 learners/activists supported. 3 Item 4. Page 104
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Appendix 2 ESOL (L7) EAL pupils are made aware of the opportunity to study ESOL at Higher Level through Moray College. In the academic year 22/23 there was a 160% increase in Nat 5 students (from 5-13). There was a slight drop in higher candidates (8-7) but that will hopefully balance as current Nat 5 students’ progress. 10% increase annually on EAL pupils accessing Nat 5 and Higher level ESOL qualifications. L7 Partnership research with EAL families and wider community to understand awareness and demand for ESOL learning opportunities from informal through to accredited learning. ESOL survey was carried out by partners. Increase UHI provision to meet demand as well as additional short term hybrid provision for Ukrainian learners over summer 2022 and the development of community based ESOL provision through CLD. ESOL learners are able to access a range of learning options and are able to fully participate in learners’ forums. L7 Item 4. Page 105
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Appendix 2 Theme 2: Active Citizens and Communities • LOIP – Develop stronger, more resilient, supportive, influential and inclusive communities. Activity (LOIP link) Year 1 Summary Year One Performance Target RAG status Cross Cutting themes Valuing volunteering, support people to get into volunteering (L2) Partnership promotion of CLD volunteering charter by CLDSP; Promotion of Volunteer Friendly Award (VFA) ; Annual Volunteers week celebration tsi MORAY led on Volunteer Week celebrations in an effective social media campaign that focussed on 20 organisations working with volunteers. Three Moray voluntary organisations received the Queens Award for Voluntary Service – Moray Food Plus, Buckie Boys Brigade and the Moray Duke of Edinburgh Committee. The Volunteer Friendly Award has now changed and is delivered online by the national charity Volunteer Scotland. Good practice continues to be shared and promoted within tsi MORAY Volunteer Managers Network. Significant levels of volunteering with older people being supported though Health and Social Care Partnership Communities & Volunteering Team. All CLD strategic partners adopt VFA principles. Increased recognition of the role and impact of volunteers in Moray. 2,3 Neighbourhood approach to develop community owned plans (L1 , L3, L4) LOIP priority communities in Buckie and New Elgin supported to sustain and develop activity and involvement as new groups emerge in Keith, Lossiemouth and Forres. Buckie Localities Plan – Extensive community engagement around reviewing and refocusing on community priorities. Community lunches to connect people with services were restarted and have been highly successful. Community feedback events further refined the priorities of the new Plan before its launch. New Elgin Localities Plan – Development of new working groups has led to increased engagement activities to reach more local residents. Targeted events around older people and pensions, family learning and pop up engagement sessions. Anchor organisations supported to review progress and identify areas that require further partner support for development and improvement. 1,2,3 Item 4. Page 106
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Appendix 2 Locally lead work in Lossiemouth has helped Lossiemouth Development Trust produce their new plan In Forres continued consultation has happened with two well attended community events and other outreach activity. Work has started in Keith with high levels of engagement in the community survey after a successful engagement process which included outreach sessions in the surrounding settlements. Continuing to support & develop community action groups through training & other initiatives (L6) Local action groups supported to deliver on initiatives and projects. Community Council elections were held and 17 were formed. Area Forums continue to meet in Buckie and Forres with Milne’s looking to reform. Buckie have had a productive year with increased participation in meetings and developments like the formation of a new Development Trust Steering Group and securing a short term lease for a short term community warm hub. HIE continue to support community anchor organisations. 118K of Covid Recovery Funding was distributed to 8 organisations. Development Officer posts funded in Lossiemouth ,Forres, Tomintoul& Glenlivet, Portgordon, Dufftown, Elgin Youth Café and Cullen Community Support Unit continued to support community groups across Moray directly helping them leverage in external funding. Community groups in Moray are able to progress actions they have identified as local priorities. 1,3 Developing community resilience plans (L3 and L6) Joint Community Councils develop 6 Resilience plans. Awareness of benefits of resilience planning shared at conference hosted by Resilience Partnership Group. Community Support Unit helped 12 local groups draw down £207k of funding from the SSEN Resilience Challenge Fund – all working towards localised Resilience priorities. All community councils to have their own Community Resilience Plans in place by 2024 1,3, Item 4. Page 107
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Appendix 2 Theme 3: Participation & Community Voice • LOIP – Develop stronger, more resilient, supportive, influential and inclusive communities. Activity (LOIP link) Year 1 Summary Year One Performance Target RAG Status Building on existing forums to foster inclusive community participation and engagement (including young people) (L6) Work with CPP to relaunch Community Engagement Group.(CEG) Review of current provision and areas for improvement and whether any support required; e.g. young people’s participation/ involvement. Stakeholders were involved in co-designing the new refreshed Community Planning Partnership Community Engagement Strategy – which was endorsed by the CPP Board in November 22. tsiMORAY facilitated Children and Young People’s Forum, Fairer Moray Forum Action Group, and Health and Wellbeing Forums and Moray Climate Assembly. Moray is represented by two MYSP’s at the Scottish Youth Parliament and young people have participated in the Northern Alliance Youth Advisory Group. Community Planning Partnership Engagement Strategy is refreshed. Wider community group involvement in Community Engagement group Improved quality of community engagement in Moray. 1,2,3 Further roll out of participatory budgeting (L5) PB programme delivered around play parks in Moray – piloting the use of the CONSUL online engagement tool and building on previous approaches (e.g.) with care experienced young people. Increase the number of council services utilising PB as a method to prioritise spending The main council service to engage through PB has been the Open Spaces Team re Playparks in Rothes (120K) Findochty (70K), Cullen, and (74K). The Money for Moray Partnership allocated 150k through PB funding, 50k of which was for young people through the Back of Your Feet Programme which funded 20 youth led health and wellbeing projects. Partners worked together to allocate significant amounts of external funding – over £257K Mental Health and Wellbeing funds were distributed through a representative tsi panel; 6 projects were funded through the Community Priorities Fund with a further 6 through Carbon Neutral Communities Fund. Moray Council is moving forward in its commitment to meet the 1% requirement in the Community Empowerment Act. 1,2,3 Item 4. Page 108
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Appendix 2 Theme 4: Workforce Development Activity Year 1 Summary Year One Performance Target RAG Status Digital skills for learning Skills rapidly learnt consolidated; Gaps identified and supported. 10 organisations took part in Cyber Resilience Training. LEAD Scotland delivered sessions on Thinking Digitally at SCQF Level 6. Moray Pathways Digital Champion supported 81 individual digital support sessions carrying out 67 Essential Skills Assessments. Digital skills need met in annual appraisals 8 champions identified Increasing understanding of a rights based approach with CLD providers in Moray. Partnership capacity building programme to raise awareness of CLD as a rights based activity. Training was delivered on the United Nations convention on the Rights of the Child through the wider Learn North partnership. Staff also took part in training delivered by Education Scotland and Youth Link. CLD partners understand and use a rights based approach with communities and individuals Career pathway and progression routes to further skill and grow the CLD workforce Work with CLDSC, Learn North and Northern Alliance plus CLDMS to deliver CLD generic inductions on-line. Moray workforce survey completed and priorities identified. Moray practitioners both contributed to and participated in the Share, Shape , Sustain programme of CPD with inputs from Moray Wellbeing Hub , adult and family learning and on Participatory Budgeting. 16 people took part in Get Ready for Youth Work training as the first step to a career in youth work. The next progression will be to the PDA in Youth Work which is planned for year 2. CLD recognised and promoted as a career choice by all partners – and qualifications actively sought out in recruitment processes. Staff and volunteers access to accredited learning opportunities. 10% increase in CLDSC membership in Moray. Partnership approach to training offer to community groups and organisations Workforce subgroup expanded to create the Capacity Building Training Calendar delivered annually • Q1 – Challenge Poverty Week programme of events and Vulnerable Adult training ( 16 orgs) • Q2 – Cyber Resilience Training; Defibrillator training; How Good Is Our CLD session for third sector • Q3 – Get Ready for Youth Work, Child Protection, REHIS, Intro to STEM; STEM and Mental Health. • Q4 – Gaelic, Child Protection, Alcohol Brief Intervention Training, Confidence 2 Cook Training for Trainers, Local Health Walks. Learning offer is linked to identified needs and meeting CLD Plan priorities and cross-cutting themes. Item 4. Page 109
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Appendix 2 Theme 5: Governance - CLDSP Improvement Actions Activity Year 1 Summary Year One Performance Target RAG Status Provide quarterly statistics linked to KPI’s to CLDSP for monitoring purposes 4 quarterly reports to CLDSP, CPOG and LOIP Targets set after 2nd quarter. Quarterly reporting has been initiated and discussed at CLD Strategic Partnership. Year One KPI’s will; act as benchmark for the rest of the Plan. Data is used to report back to CPP through quarterly LOIP reporting. Increases on benchmark data created in Q1 and Q2 of the new plan. Samples confirm target audience achieved Improve sequencing of meetings to streamline reporting on LOIP Meetings structured to ensure partnership scrutiny of LOIP reports prior to submission. Meetings have been timetabled more regularly but for shorter duration with a cycle of business agreed in advance. There were two meetings with a specific focus on the LOIP and the work in New Elgin and Buckie. Partners carried out a robust year one self-evaluation using the How Good Is Our CLD 4 Framework. . CLD Strategic partnership are able to report on performance and to demonstrate the impact of improved partnership working. Revisit the risk mapping every 6 months to identify gaps and needs Communities identified where provision has not re-opened and contact made Analysis of availability and community access to tsiMORAY led on the partnership delivery of Community Based Adult Learning provision which met needs and gaps identified in the initial consultation about the CLD Plan. Learning sessions were delivered throughout Moray in order to meet these identified needs. CLD service starting to deliver community based ESOL – again as part of co-ordinated partnership working with UHI Moray CLD regulations are met and information contributes to formation of next Partnership CLD Plan. Agreement to adopt case-studies/other mediums to evidence impact of work by partnership Moray Strategic CLD Partnership develops Word press website to store and highlight partner case studies on effective delivery. Partners have pulled together a suite of case studies which will be added to the webpage to Increase transparency and access to information around the CLD Plan and the work being done in Moray. Moray CLD Strategic Partnership is able to demonstrate the impact of improved partnership working on performance. Item 4. Page 110
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Appendix 2 Leadership focus with the new HGIO4? New members induction to CLD completed; CLDSP focus on 2 QI’s & learning embedded CLD Strategic Partnership used the How Good Is Our CLD 4 Model to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of partnership working – shared as a case study on the Education Scotland website. Working knowledge of the new framework applied by partners in other settings To develop a partnership approach to quality assurance Programme developed and piloted linked with North Alliance. Agreement that partners across the 8 authorities can request support with joint work and Associate Assessor type provision. Moray delivery within the “Share Shape Sustain” on-line CPD sharing good practice/learning opportunities. Follow up questions received from other local authorities in youth participatory budgeting and CHIME. Moray practice benefits from supportive external scrutiny and opportunities for peer learning. Addressing impacts of poverty in Moray Participate in Challenge Poverty Week to review case-studies for CLD practice issues. Put in place measures to support learners and activists and signpost them to partner and wider CLD provision. Core partners engaged with Challenge Poverty Week 2021which included on-line workshops; a Real Living Wage campaign; Stalls in Forres, Elgin, Buckie and Keith. 2022 focussed on promoting the Money Worries leaflet ensuring communities were aware of supports available and signposted to resources. Support to community lead initiatives to build resilience and capacity. An updated Inequalities in Moray report is being collated to document the voices of residents and organisations. Partners are increasing the involvement of people who experience poverty and helping them to access support and learning opportunities. Item 4. Page 111
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Appendix 3 Moray CLD Strategic Partnership (CLDSP) Self-Evaluation 2022 Purpose: to reflect on the first year of the new CLD Plan and to discuss how we are working as a partnership This is an abridged version which was carried out using challenge questions from ‘How good is our community learning and development? 4th edition’. 1. What do we do collaboratively that only this partnership achieves -What’s special? Partners recognised that the Moray CLDSP is a unique space for stakeholders with a specific CLD remit and those whose work includes CLD approaches. Partners are able to share information on current activity and to identify emerging themes and opportunities. This often lead to improved partnership working External funding streams have enhanced collaborative working – for example the co- ordinating role that the group played to support tsiMORAY in delivering Community Based Adult Learning (CBAL) activities which were built around meeting needs identified by communities in the production of the Partnership CLD Plan. Partners recognise that there is still work to be and through strategic partners. For example, Highland and Islands Enterprise invest in numerous community anchor organisations These community anchor organisations are not directly involved in the CLDSP, but the link back via HIE ensures that the work is linked back to the CLD Plan. Moray Partners have a responsibility and a remit to represent CLD in other partnership settings – the development of the Inequalities in Moray reporting through the Fairer Moray Forum Action Group is a good example of this. In terms of Improvement Priorities it is acknowledged that more needs to be done to promote the work being done in delivery of the CLD Plan. Question 2: 3.2 Challenge Question How well do leaders at all levels initiate, negotiate and resource collaborative working to improve outcomes? There have been clear examples where partners have worked well together to deliver on priorities in the CLD Plan as well as meeting other key objectives described by one partner as ‘the intersectional work we do – a strength’. There has been a change to the breadth of delivery of ESOL in Moray informed by the survey carried out by the CLDSP. There have been innovations like the delivery of online learning to Ukrainian nationals funded through Moray Pathways using an external provider ( the WEA) ; the development of community based ESOL through Communities (CLD) and the continued growth in academic delivery through UHI Moray (all connected and all delivered in partnership). Improved networking and connections between partners accelerated support to the small number of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) in Moray. Partner involvement in the panel process supported tsiMORAY to deliver a significant amount of Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Funding – which supported a wide range of community groups and activities meeting needs identified in the Partnership CLD Plan. Partners have worked together strategically to develop a framework to deliver on the Multiply numeracy programme in Moray which will allow us to widen our adult learning Item 4. Page 113
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Appendix 3 offer and also contribute positively to the cost of living crisis as one of the key interventions is around financial literacy. Partners would like to see more joint planning and co-ordination, particularly where there are opportunities to tap into particular funding streams. . Partners acknowledged that some of the timelines around funding announcements and spending windows create challenges that can work against strategic co-ordination. It was noted that the outputs of partnership work (such as delivering more community based adult learning or capacity building opportunities) are creating more opportunities for people in communities to benefit from CLD. Question 3: How well do we ensure that all partners are equally committed to delivering the intended outcomes that a partnership is working to achieve? A common unifying theme that resonated with people was a sense of having shared values and purpose – and a recognition that the focus on social justice and inequality makes it easier to locate the work of the CLDSP alongside other key policy documents such as the Children’s Services Plan. Funding opportunities have allowed for ‘strategic and iterative growth’ - but some partners felt that now was the time to reflect on what we have learned over the first year of the plan and to identify areas in which we can work collectively as a partnership to address. There was a sense that social justice should be the driver for all key priorities and a challenge to honestly reflect on how much of our focus is on addressing these structural barriers (e.g. people with disabilities; closing the attainment gap etc.). Question 4: How well do we forward plan and prepare to meet changing needs? Partners recognised again that working collectively can help to take a strategic and co- ordinated approach – Multiply being the most recent example of this. Partners recognised the wider circumstances and challenges which are affecting the sector such as precarious core third sector funding and that these will continue to cause uncertainty. The first year of the plan was always designed to be responsive to the impacts of the pandemic. The unknown that emerged during 2022 has been the cost of living crisis. Funding streams such as the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund, Just Transitions, Multiply and Shared prosperity have all been able to respond to some of these emerging challenges in a way not explicitly identified in the CLD Plan. Partners recognise the need to look back (which requires all to complete KPI returns) and to look forward based on the situation in Moray now. The CLDSP is seen as a supportive environment in which to do this and that there is an opportunity to revisit the work plan format and agree on refreshed priorities we can collectively address. Partners used ‘How Good Is Our CLD ‘framework and levelled as GOOD. Most partners levelled at 4 but two who operate across larger geographies scored higher at 5 (with the median being 4 and the average 4.2) An evaluation of good means that there are important strengths within CLD provision yet there remains some aspects which require improvement. The strengths have a significantly positive impact on almost all service users and learners. The quality of service users’ or learners’ experiences is diminished in some way by aspects in which improvement is required. It implies that providers should seek to improve further the areas of important strength and also take action to address the areas for improvement. Item 4. Page 114
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REPORT TO: COMMUNITY PLANNING OFFICERS GROUP ON 27 APRIL 2023 & COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD ON 17 MAY 2023 SUBJECT: CHILDREN’S SERVICE PLAN (CSP) 2023-26 BY: TRACY STEPHEN, CHIEF SOCIAL WORK OFFICER, HEAD OF SERVICE AND CHAIR OF GIRFEC LEADERSHIP GROUP 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1. To ask the Community Planning Officers Group to review the Children’s Services Plan 2023-26. 1.2. To ask the Community Planning Board to approve the Children’s Services Plan 2023-26 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1. The Community Planning Officers Group submits the finalised Children’s Services Plan (CSP) 2023-26 to the Community Planning Partnership Board for approval at their meeting on 17 May 2023. This report is a final draft. Moray Council Communications Team will produce the CSP, prior to submission to the Community Planning Board. All corporate branding requirements will be met. 3. STATUTORY CONTEXT 3.1. Part 3 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 places a statutory duty on the local authority and its relevant health board to prepare a Children’s Services Plan for the area of the local authority, in respect of each three-year period. It is expected that they will work collaboratively with other members of the Community Planning Partnership (CPP), as well as with children, young people and their families at various stages of the plan’s development and review. Item 6. Page 115
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2 3.2. Part 3 of the Act seeks to improve outcomes for all children and young people in Scotland by ensuring that local planning and delivery of services is integrated, focused on securing quality and value through preventative approaches, and dedicated to safeguarding, supporting and promoting child wellbeing. It aims to ensure that any action to meet need is taken at the earliest appropriate time and that, where appropriate, this is taken to prevent need arising. 3.3. The Scottish Government reviews all Children’s Services Plans within 6 months of submission in line with statutory criteria detailed below: Does the Children’s Services Plan:- 1. Have a clear, ambitious compelling shared vision of what will be achieved by the end of the plan? 2. Reflect relevant National Performance Framework Outcomes? 3. Incorporate a robust evidence-based joint strategic needs assessment of the current population of the children and young people in its area? 4. Include analysis of quantitative and qualitative evidence and data relating to both service performance and child wellbeing? 5. Identify a manageable number of measureable priorities clearly linked to the joint needs assessment to ensure that the rationale behind the priorities is explicit? 6. Cover local services which fall into the categories of both ‘children’s services’ and ‘related services’ in its scope? 7. Recognise and describe services which can fulfil both ‘primary prevention’ and ‘early intervention’ across all aspects of wellbeing? 8. Describe how the Community Planning Partnership is creating and maintaining effective Getting it Right for Every Child practice for individual children, young people and their families? 9. Describe how the Community Planning Partnership is using children’s rights to inform the structural, procedural and outcome framework of the plan? 10. Convey a shared sense of ongoing engagement and ownership with staff, children, young people, families and the wider community, evidencing that the Community Planning Item 6. Page 116
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3 Partnership has made full use of stakeholder’s ideas and suggestions? 11. Set out a comprehensive strategy for supporting families through a broad range of preventative and early intervention approaches from universal services to targeted intensive support and describe the rationale for how and where the family support services are provided? 12. Describe what services are going to be developed in the future and specifying which areas will see disinvestment in order to facilitate the shift of resources towards preventative and early intervention options? 13. Set clear indicators for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of children’s services in terms of their success in responding to and addressing children’s wellbeing needs? 14. Present all the information in an easily accessible format which is SMART? 15. Illustrate links to other statutory plans and reports? 3.4. In June 2022, GLG agreed to incorporate the following statutory plans within the CSP:- • Child Poverty Plan • Corporate Parenting Plan • Children’s Rights and Participation Plan In addition, it was agreed to incorporate the Promise Plan and the Child Protection Improvement Plan. The action plans within the CSP detail the steps we will take to both meet our statutory duties and address the key areas of concern, as highlighted through the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. 4. DEVELOPMENT PROCESS 4.1. GLG devolved responsibility to produce the CSP to a multiagency development group made up of representatives identified from their own organisations. In addition, there was representation from Adult Services. 4.2. The development process is detailed on P10 of the Children’s Services Plan and meets all requirements, as set out in the statutory guidance. Item 6. Page 117
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4 4.3. The plan is based on a robust Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), which was produced on a partnership basis, led by Public Health. Presentation of the findings of the JSNA will be embedded in the report for the Community Planning Board. 5. KEY POINTS TO HIGHLIGHT • All efforts have been made to simplify the planning landscape within Children’s Services. By incorporating the key partnership plans that have an exclusive focus on improving outcomes for children and families into the CSP, the number of separate and often disconnected planning forums is reduced. The added benefits of this approach are:- - Less staff time is spent on producing and reporting against plans. The Children’s Services Plan Annual Reports will meet our statutory reporting responsibilities in relation to Child Poverty, Children’s Rights and Corporate Parenting. - More coordinated engagement activities with children, young people and families, which minimises the risk of over consultation • The action plans are more detailed, based on feedback from the members of the strategic groups with responsibility for overseeing the delivery of the previous plan This approach ensures there is greater clarity on the steps that need to be taken to achieve the agreed outcomes. • Throughout the development of the plan, there has been a clear focus on ensuring the plan comprises of a manageable set of actions. This includes the specific actions we are required to take to meet our statutory responsibilities. The Tacking Child Poverty and Improving Outcomes for Care Experienced and Looked After Children are lengthier, to reflect statutory responsibilities, as well as the requirement to deliver the Promise Change Plan 2021-24. The majority of the short-term actions are already underway as we transition from CSP 202-23 to the new plan. • The CSP incorporates the national wellbeing dataset Baseline data is included in the ‘Wellbeing of Moray’s Children’ section of the plan (see P7) • The CSP has been reviewed through a Children’s Services inspection lens, given the impending inspection of Children’s Services, which has a clear focus on how we as a partnership are improving outcomes for children and young people in need of care and protection. Item 6. Page 118
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5 • This plan has been written with and for children, young people and families. The language throughout reflects this and meets our requirement to Keep The Promise. • Children 1st have kindly agreed to support children, families and front- line practitioners to produce a ‘plan on a page’. It will be distributed across the partnership and publically displayed 6. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS 6.1 There is a statutory duty to produce a 3-year Children’s Services Plan. It must be submitted to the Scottish Government and published on the Community Planning website. There is a risk of reputational damage if these duties are not met. Author of Report: Susan Leonard, GIRFEC and PROMISE Lead Officer and Chair of CSP Background Papers: Ref: SPMAN-957343068-2478 Item 6. Page 119
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Appendix 1 OUR PROMISE TO THE CHILDREN OF MORAY MORAY CHILDREN‘S SERVICES PLAN 2023-26 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Moray Community Planning Partnership Item 6. Page 121
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Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3 POLICY CONTEXT ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 PROFILE OF MORAY’S CHILDREN ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 WELLBEING OF MORAY’S CHILDREN .............................................................................................................................................................. 7 WHAT WE SPEND ON CHILDREN’S SERVICES ............................................................................................................................................. 8 OUR VISION, CORE PRINCIPLES AND VALUES ........................................................................................................................................... 9 DEVELOPING THE PLAN ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 OUR PLAN AT A GLANCE ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 VOICE .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 FAMILY........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 19 Tackling child poverty ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Improving the mental wellbeing of children, young people and their families ......................................................................................... 26 Keeping children and young people safe .................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Supporting children and families who experience challenges due to disability and neurodiversity ................................................ 36 Strengthening family support .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 41 CARE ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 45 PEOPLE ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 56 SCAFFOLDING .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 58 OUR PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................................................................. 61 Measuring Progress .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 61 Governance .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 63 Item 6. Page 122
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1 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Welcome to Moray Children’s Services Plan 2023-26 Our plan has been produced by the public sector agencies with a responsibility for Moray’s children and families, alongside third sector and community partners. At its heart is the voice and experience of children, young people and families themselves. It sets out our joint vision for Getting It Right for every Family in Moray. “All children and young people in Moray grow up loved, safe, respected and equal, because our services and workforce put people first and support families with the right help at the right time.” We have taken time to listen to children and their families who told us where we were getting it right, as well as the improvements that they feel would make the biggest difference to them. Moray Youth Matters, a group of young people from diverse backgrounds across Moray reviewed the vision they had developed in 2020. They decided to make no changes and highlighted the importance they place on being heard, not just listened to. “We live in communities where our voice is heard, and we are built up to be all we can be.” This plan outlines how we intend to realise our vision and deliver the improvements children, young people and their families both need and want, building on our success to date. The key areas for improvement identified are; tackling child poverty, keeping children safe, improving the mental wellbeing of families and strengthening support for families. We have also prioritised meeting the needs of specific groups of children and young people; our care experienced and looked after children and children and young people who experience challenges due to disability or neurodiversity. To deliver these improvements we recognise whole system change is required. This plan includes the actions we intend to take to achieve this. The plan was developed and will be delivered in the uncertain and challenging times we are currently experiencing, both locally and nationally. The longer-term impact of the restrictions put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of children, young people and families remains unclear. At the same time, family finances are being squeezed in the face of the rising cost of living, particularly, Item 6. Page 123
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2 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included but not exclusively, in the rising costs of energy and food. Both have a direct impact on our services and community supports who continually strive to meet this escalating demand with ever diminishing resources. As a partnership, we recognise that it has never been more important for us to work closely with our communities, pooling our collective resources to prevent more children and families reaching crisis point. We will build on the real successes delivered over the past 3 years, particularly those led by our communities and third sector partners. We know that having a skilled, trauma informed workforce who have trusting relationships with children, young people and families is critical to our success. We will place an even greater priority on investing in the development of our paid and voluntary workforce, as well as providing the support they need to safeguard their own wellbeing. This plan is our Promise to the children, young people and families of Moray. Our grateful thanks go to all those who collaborated on its production. We look forward to delivering it together, keeping children and young people at the heart of all that we do. Signature:……………………………….. Item 6. Page 124
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3 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included INTRODUCTION The GIRFEC Leadership Group, which is made up of strategic leaders from Education, Health, Social Work, Police and 3rd sector have co- ordinated the production of this plan on behalf of the Community Planning Partnership. The plan covers: - - Universal services available to all children and families such as health visiting and education - More specialist services for families under pressure or in need of more support. For example, counselling for young people experiencing poor mental wellbeing - Targeted services for the small number of children and young people who need care and protection. Building on our achievements from our previous plans, it describes how we will work together to Get It Right for Every Family by delivering high quality, trauma responsive services and supports in a way that works for the children, young people and families of Moray. In accordance with statutory guidance, our focus is early intervention and prevention. To streamline our strategic planning landscape and better coordinate partnership improvement activity, this plan incorporates the other key partnership plans that have an exclusive focus on children, young people and their families. They are: • Child Poverty Plan • Children’s Rights and Participation Plan • Corporate Parenting Plan • Child Protection Improvement Plan. On 5th February 2020, a promise was made to Scotland’s infants, children, young people, adults and families. The Promise describes Scotland’s commitment to children and young people that they will grow up loved, safe and respected. This Children’s Services Plan is our Promise to all children and families in Moray. It outlines our shared priorities, outcomes and actions under the 5 foundations of the Promise. Item 6. Page 125
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4 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included POLICY CONTEXT National Scotland’s National Performance Framework articulates the vision of creating a more successful country by setting out 11 national outcomes we will work towards collectively. All the outcomes interlink and all are crucial to improving the lives of children and young people. Our improvement priorities and associated actions are aligned with the ambitions for Scotland. The Scottish Government’s Getting it Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) approach overarches everything that Government and public and voluntary services do that impacts on children and young people. It is the national approach in Scotland to improving outcomes and supporting the wellbeing of children and young people. Our Children’s Services Plan details the improvements we are going to make to get it right for every child in Moray. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is the global “gold standard” for children’s rights. It sets out the rights that all children have to help them to “be all they can be”. They include rights relating to health, education, leisure, play, fair and equal treatment, protection from exploitation and the right to be heard. We have detailed which rights are being met through the delivery of each of our priority action plans. The Promise is based on the voices of over 5,500 children and young people of which more than half had experience of living in care. It outlines what needs to happen on a Scotland wide basis to make sure children most in need feel loved and have the childhood they deserve. Keeping the Promise implementation plan outlines what is going to happen at a national level to help ensure the PROMISE is kept. This plan details what we are going to do together in Moray to #keepthepromise. The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 places a duty on the council and NHS Grampian to produce a plan on how they will meet the targets set by Scottish Government to reduce child poverty. Best Start, Bright futures explains how the public, private and third sectors should work with communities to reduce child poverty. This plan outlines the actions we will take together to reduce child poverty in Moray. The Mental Health Strategy 2017-27 sets out what the government and local services need to do to prevent and treat mental health problems. It has a clear focus on prevention and early intervention. This plan details steps we are going to take together to support children, young people and families to maintain good mental wellbeing and to address problems as soon as they arise. Item 6. Page 126
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5 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Local Across the Community Planning Partnership, there is a wide range of local multi-agency strategies and plans which seek to improve the lives of children, young people and families in Moray in different ways. As previously highlighted, the partnership plans which solely focus on children, young people and families have now been incorporated within our Children’s Services Plan. Links have been made with the other local strategies and plans whose scope is either broader than children, young people and families e.g. the Community learning and Development Plan or they have a thematic focus such as the Community Safety Strategy and Moray Alcohol and Drug Partnership Strategy. Individual members of the GIRFEC Leadership Group either chair or are members of the other partnership groups responsible for developing and implementing these related plans. As such, they have an explicit remit to ensure the necessary linkages are made over the 3-year lifespan of this plan. Item 6. Page 127
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6 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included PROFILE OF MORAY’S CHILDREN Population Item 6. Page 128
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7 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included WELLBEING OF MORAY’S CHILDREN Item 6. Page 129
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8 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included WHAT WE SPEND ON CHILDREN’S SERVICES Service £ Local Authority: Social Work (including commissioned services) £18,442,475 Early Learning and Childcare £14,816,105 Schools £63,456,912 Additional Support Needs - Education £17,336,156 Youth Work and Family Learning £465,838 Employability (Council core funding and Scottish Government grants specifically for children and families) £1,639,100 Health Health Visiting and School Nursing £2,144,046 Perinatal Mental Health Services £996,000* Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services £4,800,000* Paediatric Allied Health Professional Services £758,599 Partnership Funding (Confirmed on an annual basis) Whole Family Wellbeing Fund £546,000 Whole Family Approaches –Alcohol and Drugs Partnership £60,000 Mental Wellbeing Framework Funding £275,000 *Grampian budget. Moray breakdown not available Item 6. Page 130
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9 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included OUR VISION, CORE PRINCIPLES AND VALUES “All children and young people in Moray grow up loved, safe, respected and equal, because our services and workforce put people first and support families with the right help at the right time.” The principles and values which underpin the delivery of this plan reflect the core principles set out in The Promise and the 10 principles of holistic family support. A relentless focus on what matters to children, young people and their families What matters to children and families will be our highest priority and the cornerstone of how our services will operate both on a single agency and partnership basis. It will be centre of all policy, planning and service delivery. Strengths based approach adopted by all Inclusive, non-stigmatised approaches will be adopted which build on the strengths of all stakeholders - children and families themselves, the communities they live in and the professionals with a responsibility to support and protect them. Prioritise prevention and early intervention As a partnership, we will endeavour to retain a clear focus on identifying needs as early as possible. We will respond quickly and strive to provide the right services at the right time, with the knowledge that early intervention and support delivers better outcomes. We will place an ever-increasing focus on preventative work. Uphold children’s rights and enable participation Through the development and delivery of this plan, we will protect, promote, defend and uphold children’s rights. Our partnership is committed to investing in the engagement of children, young people and their families in the development, implementation and review phases of this plan. Tackle inequalities Our collective efforts and shared resources will be on addressing the greatest differences in outcomes for children, young people and families living in Moray. Item 6. Page 131
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10 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included DEVELOPING THE PLAN Our Approach The production of this plan was a collaborative effort. Building on our strong partnership relationships, in July 2022 we established a Children’s Services Development Group made up of Managers from all key agencies and other relevant partnership groups including; Education, Social Work, Child Health, Public Health, Community Learning and Development, Public Protection, Adult Health and Social Care, Police and 3rd Sector. The Children’s Services Development Group completed a joint strategic needs assessment to inform the plan. This comprised of: - Analysis of key quantitative data available across the partnership. - Findings of the national health and wellbeing survey, which was undertaken across schools in Moray in June 2022. Over 5400 pupils from P5 to S6 participated. - Findings from two engagement events with members of the locality networks, made up of front-line practitioners and representatives from community organisations from across Moray. They were asked to highlight what is going well, the areas of greatest concern and what children and families are telling them would make the biggest difference. 102 front line practitioners and representatives from community organisations participated. - The views of young people who participated in the summer school holiday activity programmes. - Findings from more targeted engagement with children, young people and families whose voices are seldom heard including; LGBTQI+ community, care experienced young people, care experienced parents, young carers, young people with neuro-diverse challenges, parents whose children were born during the pandemic and parents of children with disabilities. Findings from the strategic needs assessment were shared at a stakeholder event attended by 91 people from across the partnership. We are delighted that our community and third sector partners were particularly well represented at this event. The areas for action both in the short and longer term were identified. They focus on continuing to build on the successes to date, as well as tackling emerging themes and ongoing challenges where a partnership approach is most likely to deliver the improvements required. Item 6. Page 132
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11 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included The key priority areas agreed are: - Overcoming challenges experienced by children with a disability or neurodiversity - Tackling child poverty - Improving the mental wellbeing of children and young people - Keeping children and young people safe - Strengthening support for families - Improving outcomes for our care experienced children and young people Our action plans are structured around the five foundations of the Promise. Voice Explains how we will seek out and act on the voice of children, young people and their families Family Details the actions we will take to; tackle child poverty, improve the mental wellbeing of children, young people and families, keep children and young people safe, strengthen support for families and meet the challenges children, young people and families face due to disability and neurodiversity Care Outlines how we will support our looked after and care experienced children and young people to reach their full potential People Describes how we will support the workforce to listen and be compassionate in their decision making, develop trusting relationships with our children, young people and families and deliver the services and supports they need Scaffolding Outlines the key actions strategic leaders will take together to ensure that the ‘system’ supports the delivery of improvements outlined within this plan. Children’s Rights underpin every foundation, so we have explicitly highlighted the rights we promise to meet when delivering the different aspects of this plan. As a partnership, we are committed to ensuring every child knows their rights and is heard in matters affecting them. Item 6. Page 133
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12 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included OUR PLAN AT A GLANCE OUR VISION All children and young people in Moray grow up loved, safe, respected and equal because our services and workforce put people first and support families with the right help at the right time OUR PRIORITIES Family Overcoming Challenges Experienced By Children with a Disability Or Neurodiversity Tackling Child Poverty Improving Emotional and Mental Wellbeing Keeping Children Safe Strengthening Family Support Care Voice People Scaffolding Improving Outcomes for Care Experienced Children and Young People Hearing children’s voice Supporting our Workforce Working in Partnership Item 6. Page 134
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13 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included OUTCOMES Family Overcoming Challenges Experienced By Children With Disability or Neurodiversity • Children and young people’s education and care needs are met, regardless of need. • Parents and young people with neurodiversity challenges can access early help and support. • Children, young people and families with additional support needs have improved access to support, leisure and community-based activities. • Families can access a neurodiversity diagnosis in a timely way. • Children with additional support needs experience a smooth transition to adult services. Tackling Child Poverty • Parents claim all of welfare benefits they are entitled to and do not feel stigmatised when seeking support. • The impact of poverty on children, young people and their families is minimised. • Young adults and parents experience no poverty related barriers to entering and sustaining training and employment Improving Mental Wellbeing of Families • Parents are confident and able to support their child(ren) to sustain good mental wellbeing. • The right mental health and wellbeing support is available to children, young people and their parents as soon as they need it. • Community based mental wellbeing support is strengthened. • Children, young people and their parents experience a smooth transition between support services, including transition to adult services Keeping Children Safe • Workers are confident and supported to identify and understand risk. • Children, young people and families are empowered to participate in child protection processes. • Children and young people develop healthy relationships with peers, online and in the community. • Children and young people are safer because risks have been identified early and responded to effectively. • Children and young people at risk of or who come into conflict with the law are supported with compassion and care. • Children and young people are supported through recovery and do not experience further trauma. Item 6. Page 135
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14 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Care Improving Outcomes for Care Experienced Young People • The gap in educational outcomes of looked after and care experienced young people is reduced. • Looked after and care experienced young people enter and sustain education, training or employment after leaving school. • The health needs of looked after children and young people are met. • Looked after and care experienced young people and their parents/carer feel their voice has been heard through the provision of independent advocacy. • The number of range of placements available meets the needs of children and young people in need of care. • Transitions feel and are experienced as integrated, with maintaining relationships being paramount. • Siblings are supported to maintain positive relationships with one another. • Children and young people seeking asylum are fully integrated into school and community life. • Looked after and care experienced young people are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system. • Our improvement activity is shaped by the voice of our looked after and care experienced young people. Voice Hearing children’s voice • The voice of children and young people is evident in all things that impact on them. • Adults successfully seek out and hear the voices of children and young people of all levels of ability. • Engagement activities are more coordinated, minimising the risk of children and young people being over consulted. Strengthening Family Support • Children and family’s needs are addressed early through implementation of effective child’s planning processes. • There is a clear pathway of non-stigmatised support available to parents throughout Moray. • Children’s transition into Nursery is consistently good. • Parents are supported and enabled to be the best parents they can be. Item 6. Page 136
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15 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included People Supporting our Workforce • Integrated working practice is enhanced through joint development opportunities that support our shared vision, core principles and values. • Staff facilitate and enable the relationships, networks and connections that support our children, young people and families Scaffolding Working in Partnership • As a partnership, we are aware of the changing needs of children, young people and their families. • As a partnership, we maximise all opportunities to lever in additional funding and work together to ensure it supports the delivery of our shared priorities. • The risk of silo working across children and adult services minimised. • We more consistently and effectively measure impact of the actions we are taking to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. • The co-ordination of continuous improvement activity improves Item 6. Page 137
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16 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included VOICE Hearing Children and Young People’s Voices The Promise mandates that we listen properly to the voice of children and families and respond to what they need and want. The voice of the child is used to describe the real involvement of children and young people. It does not exclusively refer to what children say and does not and should not preclude those who cannot communicate through speech. We believe that the voice of the child is more than seeking their views; it is about enabling children and young people to take as active a role as possible in making decisions about things which affect them. On a departmental, single agency and partnership basis we are using a range of different approaches to successfully engage those affected by the decisions we make. We promise to… Respect Your Views UNCRC 12 You have the right to express your views in each and every matter that affects you and for your views to be taken seriously. Enable You to Express Your Views in the Way That Works Best for You UNCRC 13 and 23 You have the right to express your views in whatever way you choose, as long as you don't harm others. Make Sure We Understand the Language You Choose to Use to Express Your Views UNCRC 30 You have the right to use your own language to express your views. Promote and Protect Your Rights UNCRC 42 You have the right to know your rights! Everyone including you, should be helped to learn and understand them. Item 6. Page 138
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17 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Moray Champions Board is a forum for care experienced young people aged 16years + to come together with key decision makers to influence and affect change in the care system. Our Champions Board has been re-invigorated and 20 young people are now actively participating. Our younger care experienced young people (aged 10-16years) have their own forum called Little Fix. Key successes include young people planning and hosting a series of events to celebrate national Care Day and taking a lead role in the commissioning of advocacy services and residential children's houses in Moray. The Better Meetings Project is led by a group of 21 young people with experience of care. This is an ambitious project which aims to ensure that young people have choice and feel fully involved in shaping their meetings. With the support of Out of the Darkness, a local theatre company, they have produced three powerful films through which they voiced their experiences of how meetings and Children’s Hearings feel for them and how those responsible for supporting them could make things better. The young people are now working with professionals to produce guides and checklists for all those involved in meetings, as well as child friendly meeting spaces. They have also showcased their work to Sheriff David Mackie and key members of the National Hearings System Redesign Group. Young Carers in Moray were involved in the development of Moray’s new unpaid carers’ strategy. They participated in a range of activities, including the production of a short film through which they explained what it feels like to be a young Carer in Moray and what they need from the adults around them. The strategy explains what we will do together to deliver the improvements young Carers have prioritised. Young Carers Leads have now been identified in every Moray school with a remit to continue to seek out and act on the voice of young Carers within the school community and a group of young carers have supported the redesign of Moray’s Young Carers Statement. “I am proud to be a young carer and want to be recognised and feel supported in school, I want my teachers to talk more about young carers.” “Every young person should be celebrated here in Moray. We will continue to celebrate our care experienced young people and have those voices of all care experienced young people heard.” Bev, Member of the Champions Board “We want our meetings to feel like our meetings and that it’s all about me, please keep meetings to 5 or 6 people in the room and give us more choice in shaping where and how our meetings will take place.” Item 6. Page 139
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18 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included VOICE LEAD: CHILDREN’S RIGHTS AND PARTICIPATION GROUP OUTCOME HIGH LEVEL ACTIONS HOW WILL WE KNOW WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE? Short Term Longer Term The voice of children and young people is evident in all things that impact on them. Across the partnership, establish how the voice of young people is currently being captured. Develop a Moray wide ‘Youth Voice’ which connects with all the other thematic and geographic youth forms that exist throughout Moray. Feedback from members of Youth Voice. Evidence of connection and joint working with other youth forums. Adults successfully seek out and hear the voices of children and young people of all levels of ability. Develop and roll out a toolkit to strengthen single agency and partnership knowledge understanding and skills to successfully gather the voices of children and young people. This will include under 3s and those with a disability or English as a second language. Survey of members of all groups which make up the Children’s Services Partnership. Evidence of increase in range of tools being used. Evidence of seldom heard voices being captured. Engagement activities are more coordinated, minimising the risk of children and young people being over consulted. Develop a central portal where findings from engagement activity undertaken across the community planning partnership can be shared and promoted. This includes summary of action taken in response. Feedback from Moray Youth Voice members. Item 6. Page 140
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19 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included FAMILY Tackling child poverty Poverty impacts on the health and wellbeing of the whole family and for children it can have long term effects on outcomes in adulthood. Child poverty in Moray has been rising over many years, with 21.3% of children living in poverty in 2020/21. Most of these children live in households where a parent is in employment. This is not unexpected given Moray has one of the lowest average incomes in Scotland. Families experiencing poverty are not concentrated in the areas of greatest deprivation in Moray - only 7.1% of Moray residents classified as income deprived live in the most deprived geographic areas. We promise to... Help You if You Are Really Struggling Because Your Family Doesn't Have Enough Money UNCRC 26 You have the right money and support if your family is poor. Help You Grow Up Safe and Healthy UNCRC 27 You have the right to clothing, good food and a clean and safe home. Make Sure You Have Opportunities to Play and Participate in Community Life UNCRC 31 You have the right to have the same opportunities as other children to rest, play and take part in culture and leisure activities. Proportion of children living in low-income families Item 6. Page 141
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20 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Through the Health and Wellbeing Survey, 8% of children reported that they often or always go to bed or school hungry. Research tells us that poverty is a significant risk factor for children. “Changes in income alone, holding all other factors constant, have a major impact on the numbers of children being harmed. Reduction in income and other economic shocks increase the numbers of children being subject to neglect and abuse, whilst improvements in income reduce these figures “(Neglect: New Evidence March 2022) There has been a steep rise in demand for emergency food, clothing and financial support. Through the wide range of engagement activities undertaken to inform this plan, families, community organisations and front-line professionals have painted the picture of a perfect storm of low pay, increasing costs and insufficient income from benefits. Large families, single-parent households and those with additional needs are most often experiencing ‘deep poverty’, but the impact is being seen across a broad range of families in Moray. This is reflected in the steep rise in demand for emergency food provision, clothing and financial support. Number of referrals to Moray Food Plus for emergency food provision, by month. “I didn’t have a breakfast this morning, as there wasn’t enough bread left” -child attending summer holiday activities “Had to pay deposit for new boiler so no money left for the next two weeks” “Sanctioned for missing appointment due to COVID-19. I appealed and the decision was reversed but had to wait for the balance to be paid. No money for food or power” “Universal credit has been cut. Direct debits took all the money out of my account in the same week. I now have 4 weeks to wait until the next payment” “Client requires oxygen machine and electricity bill has gone up considerably but been told not entitled to help with running costs of vital equipment” -Moray Food Plus – reasons for needing support “Energy bills have increased from £100/month to £300/month” Dec-19 Apr-20 Dec-20 Dec-21 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 Apr-19 Jun-19 Aug-19 Oct-19 Dec-19 Feb-20 Apr-20 Jun-20 Aug-20 Oct-20 Dec-20 Feb-21 Apr-21 Jun-21 Aug-21 Oct-21 Dec-21 Feb-22 Apr-22 Jun-22 Item 6. Page 142
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21 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Fuel poverty is a significant issue in Moray, with the most recent data (2017-19) identifying nearly a third of households as fuel poor and 19% as being in extreme fuel poverty. An even greater proportion of the Moray population is now likely to be living in fuel poverty. The housing stock in Moray is very poorly insulated making the cost of heating houses even more expensive. Also, a high percentage of households are not connected to the gas grid and use oil to heat their houses. A tank of oil must be paid for prior to delivery. This is a further barrier to heating for families on low incomes. Families have told us that they are struggling to pay for activities for their children. This has prevented them from joining their peers as equal members of their community. In addition, a survey of 110 parents, showed us that families living rurally struggle to afford public transport to access groups and activities for their children. Families tell us that they struggle to ask for help and professionals struggle to initiate conversations with families, whom they suspect are struggling financially In 2022, research into the Early Years Financial Inclusion Pathway highlighted that parents were fearful about drawing attention to their financial problems, some saying they would deny they were struggling, if asked. Through the Locality networks, frontline professionals and community representatives have highlighted that they don’t know how to start a conversation with a family whom they suspect is struggling due to lack of money, but aren’t asking for help. “I’m glad all the activities are free, or I wouldn’t have been able to go.” -young people who participated in our summer activity program. “I didn’t tell anyone because I've been too nervous or too, too frightened... I've just been like, no, say it’s okay” -18yr old mother of 2yr old Item 6. Page 143
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22 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included FAMILY: Tackling Child Poverty LEAD: CHILD POVERTY GROUP OUTCOMES HIGH LEVEL ACTIONS HOW WILL WE KNOW WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE? Short Term Longer Term What poverty looks like in Moray is understood by all. Establish a child poverty data set, which includes data relating to the key priority groups*. Build on the data set to ensure all the statutory elements of child poverty can be captured and accurately monitored. Dataset is informing improvement activity. Parents claim all of welfare benefits they are entitled to and do not feel stigmatised when seeking support. Map and promote support available across Moray. Children, young people and parents report they are aware of support available and feel able to access it. Child Poverty Group and Locality Network members can clearly articulate the support available. Develop and implement a financial inclusion pathway for parents of children under the age of 5 years. Evaluate impact of the financial pathway. Based on evaluation findings, extend the pathway to include parents with children over the age of 5 years. Increase in sign posting and referrals to supports available. Dip sample of family’s experience of accessing support. Work alongside parents to understand and overcome barriers to engagement with financial support services. Embed income maximisation support within intensive family support services. Families entitled to benefits will have a financial gain to household income. Item 6. Page 144
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23 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included The impact of poverty on children, young people and families is minimised. Understand the extent of maternal and infant food insecurity within Moray. Roll out and embed the emergency Infant formula pathway within Moray. Increase in uptake of emergency access to infant formula. Develop poverty toolkit guidance for practitioners. Roll out poverty toolkit guidance and associated training across frontline practitioners and community organisations who have contact with children and families. Number of practitioners trained. Increase in numbers referred for support by practitioners utilising the toolkit. The impact of poverty on children and young people is minimised whilst opportunities for wellbeing and attainment are maximised. Promote subsidised and free supports and activities. Better understand and address reasons for low uptake of subsidised and free support available to families. Initial focus on free school meals, bus passes and leisure activities. Increased uptake of free school Meals. Increased uptake of bus passes. Increased participation in and evaluation of free/ subsidised activities. Rollout the revised Cost of the School Guidance and adopt a partnership approach to ensure costs are equitable across Moray. Number of schools engaged with the cost of the school day indicatives. Number of breakfast clubs available. Improve joint working between Child Poverty Group and Transport and Housing Departments to better understand and address the specific challenges faced by families experiencing poverty. Build improvements into revised transport and housing policies and strategies. Through ongoing review of poverty dataset, identify other policies/strategies which require to be reviewed through a child poverty lens. Impact of improvement activity. Item 6. Page 145
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24 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Young adults and parents experience no poverty related barriers to entering and sustaining learning, training and employment Promote access to Moray Pathway Local Employability Partnership support and provision for those young people who are aged 15yrs + and no longer in Education. Increase in Young People accessing Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and other grants/allowances through Moray Pathways. Increase in young people aged 15yrs plus and no longer in Education who are participating and sustaining employment, learning and training opportunities. Develop and test affordable wrap around childcare options (Led by short life working group). Further develop and upscale affordable, wrap around childcare throughout Moray based on learning from tests of change. Increase in the number of School aged childcare places available. Increase in the uptake of School aged childcare places by those in the six priority groupings. Parental feedback and case studies on the impact of School aged childcare Increase in household income Raise awareness of and embed the Moray Pathways local employability partnership support and provision which is available for all young people 16 years and beyond. Increase in referrals to Moray Pathways local employability partnership. Increase in parents from the six priority groups participating and sustaining education, training or employment opportunities. Item 6. Page 146
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25 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included As a partnership, promote all existing free and subsidised school holiday provision in one central place and support families to access it. Pool existing resources to provide year round programme of holiday provision for priority family groups. Maximise opportunities as a partnership to lever in additional external funding streams to maximise supply. Increased uptake of school holiday provision by those in the six priority groupings. * The 6 priority groups are; families with 3+ children, lone parent households, families where the mother is aged under 25years, families with child aged under 1yrs, ethnic minority families and households where someone is disabled. Item 6. Page 147
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26 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Improving the mental wellbeing of children, young people and their families Positive mental wellbeing greatly improves the experience of growing up and provides a solid foundation upon which a person’s lifelong health and wellbeing outcomes. The mental wellbeing of young people, particularly adolescents has continued to decline both locally and nationally. In 2022, the national health and wellbeing survey was undertaken across schools in Moray. Over 5400 young people from P5 to S6 expressed their views on their own wellbeing. Between 47-51% of the teenagers reported experiencing some mental wellbeing difficulties. Loneliness steadily increased with age, with 13% of S1 young people feeling lonely rising to 26.4% in S4. The mental wellbeing of girls has declined much more rapidly than that of boys and is a specific concern in Moray. Girls scored lower than boys on almost all measures. 2 in 5 girls reported feeling confident “rarely” or “none of the time”. As COVID-19 restrictions have eased, mental wellbeing services across Moray have experienced a significant rise in referrals, particularly in relation to increased levels of anxiety. Teenage girls are most affected. We know we are still not identifying and addressing mental wellbeing concerns early enough. There has been a rise in referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, an increasing percentage of which relate to eating disorders and self-harm. There has also been a rapid rise in the number of young people presenting out of hours in relation to significant self-harm, overdose and suicide risk. A significant number of those presenting at crisis were not previously known to services. We promise to... Support Your Parents to Help You Stay Mentally Well UNCRC 5 You have the right to receive guidance from your family and community around you. Help You to Develop in the Best Possible Way UNCRC 6 and 24 You have the right to get the help you need to stay healthy and to recover should you become ill. Average WEMWBS score for each year group by gender. From Moray Schools HWBC, 2022. Item 6. Page 148
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27 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Young Carers, children and families experiencing poverty, children and adults in single parent households, children with disabilities and their parents as well as LGBTQI+ young people report a higher prevalence of poor mental health and wellbeing. Mental wellbeing is impacting on young people’s ability to attend and engage in Education. Children across all ages have struggled to transition back to school post COVID-19 and schools are reporting that children who were doing well before COVID-19 are now struggling. Declining school attendance rates reflect these challenges. We need to get better at identifying and addressing the mental wellbeing needs of our care experienced children and young people The Promise places a specific responsibility on us to identify and address the mental wellbeing needs of our looked after and care experienced young people. Worryingly, we have seen a decline in numbers receiving a health assessment and a decline in numbers being referred for support. This is very different from the national picture. Parental Mental Wellbeing There is a lack of local data available on perinatal and infant mental health, however we know nationally that perinatal mental health disorders are the most common complication of child-bearing women and anxiety, and depression affects nearly 20% of expectant and new mothers. Through local engagement activities parents of babies born during COVID-19 reported feeling isolated and lonely. They explained how lack of peer and family support has impacted on their mental wellbeing. We know that to improve the mental wellbeing of children and young people of all ages we need to address the mental health needs of their parents too. To do this we need to work more closely with adult mental health services, adopting a holistic family approach. Knowledge and self-help There is a strong desire from young people and their parents to build their own knowledge and ability to maintain good mental wellbeing, as evidenced through consultation activity undertaken with 150 children, young people and their families as part of the local mental wellbeing improvement programme. The consultation also highlighted that both professionals and families were unclear about the support available to them and how to access it. A concerning number of young people said they didn’t feel connected to their community, and this was impacting on their social, physical and mental wellbeing. “Need to have parent support groups, it’s especially hard when you’re a single parent family, you need people to talk to” “I would say it was the loneliest time of my life having a new baby and being pregnant again soon after with the restrictions, no groups to go to and no family close by” Item 6. Page 149
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28 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included FAMILY: Improving Mental Wellbeing LEAD: WELLBEING PARTNERSHIP GROUP OUTCOMES HIGH LEVEL ACTIONS HOW WILL WE KNOW WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE? Short Term Longer Term Parents are confident and able to support their children) to sustain good mental wellbeing. Collate and promote the existing tools, training and community assets available to meet parents wish to feel more confident to recognise and address problems as soon as they arise. Identify and address gaps in training and support available to parents and overcome barriers to access. Numbers engaging with training. Training feedback. The right mental health and wellbeing support is available to children, young people and their parents as soon as they need it. Complete the mapping of existing mental wellbeing services and supports and promote widely to families, communities and front-line services who have regular contact with children, young people and families. With families, identify gaps in mental wellbeing provision and overcome barriers to accessing existing provision. Survey with young people and families and frontline professionals via Locality Networks report increased awareness of support available. Reduction in referrals which are declined by services. Develop and embed a coordinated pathway of mental wellbeing support for children, young people and their parents. Quality assure the mental wellbeing support pathway, prioritising and addressing areas for improvement on a partnership basis. Increased provision. Service user feedback on accessibility and impact of service provision. Evidence of improvement through quality assurance activity. Establish whether the newly established Grampian Perinatal & Infant mental Health Services is accessible to families in Moray and meeting their needs. Establish the Infant Mental Health Team to provide specialist support for families with children 0-3years. Uptake of services and supports. Parental feedback on impact of support provided. Item 6. Page 150
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29 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Overcome barriers to access and shape delivery of provision with families. Establish the need for perinatal peer support provision and the extent to which this need is currently being met. Develop a sustainable model of perinatal peer support, which meets local need. Trial the extension of counselling in schools to younger children. Counselling in schools outcome data. Progress the implementation of the mental wellbeing system redesign project, which focuses on meeting the mental wellbeing needs of families with pre-school children. Upscale the mental wellbeing system redesign, based on the learning from the test of change. Reduction in wellbeing concerns at point of school entry. Further measures to be identified as part of the development of this project. Community based mental wellbeing support is strengthened. Explore how a coordinated participatory budgeting approach could be developed to enhance existing community-based provision. Evidence of increased community led provision. Numbers accessing provision. Feedback from young people and parents on impact of provision. With Health and Social Care Moray, design and test a social prescribing model for young people in the Forres and Lossiemouth locality. A component part includes young people shaping improvement of community- based supports and services. Based on learning from the pilot, roll the social prescribing model out across Moray. Feedback from young people, their parents and relevant professionals on the impact of the pilot. Evidence of impact from data collated through outcome measurement tool. Increase in community provision shaped by young people. Item 6. Page 151
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30 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Through the locality networks, explore how community organisations and local services can work more effectively together to address the escalating number of young people not engaging in school and community life due to low level anxiety. Test new approaches within 2 localities. Evidence of partnership working leading to reduction in the number of young people not engaging in school or community life due to low level of anxiety. Children, young people and their parents experience a smooth transition between support services, including transition to adult services. Improve coordination of mental health and wellbeing support provided to children and families by CAMHS, Counselling in Schools and the Tier 2 Family Mental Wellbeing Service. Dip sampling to explore experience of joint up practice. Feedback from services. Journey map care experienced young people who have recently transitioned between children and adult services and use learning to prioritise improvement activity for all. Implement improvements identified and quality assure. Feedback from young people and their parents. Evidence from quality assurance activities. Item 6. Page 152
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31 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Keeping children and young people safe The safety of children and young people is recognised as a core component of their wellbeing. To be safe means growing up in an environment where a child or young person feels secure, nurtured, listened to and enabled to develop to their full potential. This includes freedom from abuse or neglect. Our children and young people have the right to be protected from all forms of harm and abuse. Child abuse can take many forms: physical, sexual or emotional abuse - or a combination of all three. It can also come in the form of neglect, exploitation, and anything else that puts children at risk. Sometimes the harm caused isn’t intentional but happens because someone doesn’t have the skills or support needed to care for someone. That doesn’t make the impact of it any less, but it can help us to understand how it happened. We promise to... Act in Your Best Interests UNCRC 3 When we make decisions, we will consider how these decisions will affect you. Respect Your Views and Keep you Informed UNCRC 12 and 17 You have the right to express your views in each and every matter that affects you, and for your views to be taken seriously. You have the right to receive information, in a way that you can understand. Work to Keep Families Together UNCRC 9 You have the right to live with your parents if this is what’s best for you. You have the right to live with a family who cares for you. Keep You Safe UNCRC 20 You have the right to special care and help if you cannot live with your family. Protect You UNCRC 33, 34 and 36 You should be protected from dangerous drugs, sexual abuse, being taken advantage of, being sold, and from doing things that could harm you. Support You to Recover UNCRC 29 You have the right to special help if you’ve been hurt, neglected or treated badly. Item 6. Page 153
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32 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included People, Places and Spaces It is everyone’s job to keep children safe and it is crucial that we raise awareness with professionals and public about how they can recognise and respond to children at risk of harm. Children who are at risk of or experience harm may not recognise or understand what is happening to them, they may be too young or not have the words to tell their story. Some children and young people may be made to feel afraid or ashamed to talk to someone, so it is important that we create safe spaces with trusted adults in our children's services settings. Where we live and how safe we feel there can be a key factor in our wellbeing. 86% of P5 students and 94% in S6 tell us that they feel safe in their local area. Teenage girls and young women are less likely to feel safe than boys and young men. Young people with disabilities, neurodiversity, and LGBTQ+ told us they can feel unsafe and want to be able to access safe spaces to meet and talk in school and the community. Bullying in childhood and adolescence can have severe and long-lasting impacts on both those victimised and those engaging in bullying. We have found that the proportion of children reporting that they feel bullied reduces with age with 44% of P5 pupils telling us they have been bullied in the past year against 24% of S3 students. Child protection provokes constant developmental challenges for every individual practitioner and for every team. The Moray Child Protection Committee provides leadership for safe systems and practice by placing an evaluative focus on outcomes and promoting systematic learning from case reviews. Child Protection services have remained categorised as critical and protected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic so support, advice and response to child protection issues did not change. However, it is widely recognised that school closures and disruption of early year’s services meant that children at risk were less visible to professionals. In Moray, the most common reasons for children to need a protection plan and have their name placed on the child protection register are parental drug use, domestic abuse, parental mental health and neglect. Child Protection registrations, de-registrations and number on the register in Moray, by quarter Item 6. Page 154
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33 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Supporting Families There is significant research that demonstrates the pervasive impact and relationship between substance use, mental health difficulties, domestic abuse and likelihood of children being removed from the care of their parents. We know that families experiencing these issues must be supported with flexible, creative services and relationships. Our workers need to be confident, knowledgeable, skilled and supported to be effective in complex situations, and be able to spend time with families to really understand what they can do to make a difference. Families should feel able to be open and honest with workers and receive the same in return. Poverty is a significant contributor to stress and potential to develop harmful coping mechanisms and can increase the risk of abuse and neglect. It is important therefore that we assess the impact of all structural factors such as poverty and poor housing as part of our care and protection planning, to support more holistic approaches that reduce stressors in families and communities to help reduce the risk of harm to children. Gender-Based Violence is a major health, human rights and social justice issue. The prevalence of gender-based violence increased during COVID-19 and the restrictions in place made it more difficult for those experiencing violence to leave and access support. The number of domestic abuse incidents reported to Police in Moray is below national average however, the rate of increase in Moray is well above and the cost-of-living crisis exacerbates the financial barriers to leaving an abusive relationship and increases the potential for coercive control. Moray Child Protection Committee and Moray Violence against Women and Girls Partnership are working together to roll-out the Safe and Together practice approach. This evidence-based model will help to ensure that our systems and services are Domestic Abuse informed. Preventative initiatives are also delivered to young people throughout schools in line with Moray’s Equally Safe Delivery plan to prevent and eradicate all forms of violence against women and girls. Young People’s Behaviour that is Antisocial or Harmful There has been a slow but consistent upward trend in the number of reported crimes in Moray. The number of offences where young person is aged under 18years has increased by 24% since 2019/20, however the number of young people has remained relatively stable meaning the same number of young people are offending more often. The offences with the largest increase include fire raising, malicious mischief, vandalism and miscellaneous (mainly assault and threatening and abusive behaviour). Item 6. Page 155
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34 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included FAMILY: Keeping Children and Young People Safe LEAD: MORAY CHILD PROTECTION COMMITTEE OUTCOMES HIGH LEVEL ACTIONS HOW WILL WE KNOW WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE? Short Term Long Term Workers are confident and supported to identify and understand risk. Develop a learning and practice development programme that is informed by an assessment of training needs. Develop a learning culture through local implementation of multiagency training and learning reviews. Workforce survey and course evaluations. Supervision audit. Evaluation of Learning Reviews. Children, young people and families are empowered to participate in child protection processes. Introduce a solution orientated approach to Child Protection Planning Meetings and Core Groups. Develop resources about our child protection processes with and for children and families. Reviewing Officer quality assurance activity. Feedback from parents, children and young people. Ensure all children and young people can access independent advocacy as early as possible. Advocacy service contract reporting. Children and young people develop healthy relationships with peers, online and in the community. Encourage parents and carers to have conversations with children and young people about online safety. Feedback from parents, young people and professionals. Uptake of sexual violence prevention programme. No. of LGBTQ+ Charter awards gained in Moray. Referrals to and outcomes from Prevent Multiagency Panel Meetings. Deliver education programmes in youth settings on issues of consent, gender equality and healthy relationships. Support schools and organisations in Moray to take part in the LGBTQ+ Charter programme. Identify young people who are vulnerable to extremist and terrorist ideologies and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support at an early stage. Children and young people are safer because risks have been identified early and responded to effectively. Work in partnership with families to enable the reduction of factors causing risk. Develop our relationship with commissioned services to best understand those who require intensive family support to reduce risk factors in the home. Referrals to Functional Family Therapy. Child planning quality assurance. Safe & Together evaluation. Continue to embed domestic abuse informed systems and practice. Item 6. Page 156
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35 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Ensure our child protection processes are reviewed and in line with national guidance. Adopt a place-based approach to safeguarding young people at risk of harm beyond the family home. Child protection minimum dataset and associated quality assurance. Children and young people at risk of or who come into conflict with the law are supported with compassion and care. Review our whole systems approach (WSA) to develop and deliver an implementation plan towards rights based and trauma informed justice services, with a particular focus on: • The needs and rights of young people who pose risk of serious harm to others, and the systems in place to support them • Developing our diversion activities with young people and reducing the criminalisation of our youth • Interventions that take a family-based approach Partnership self-evaluation: Youth Justice Standards, performance monitoring and feedback. Children and young people are supported through recovery and do not experience further trauma. Embed a child centred and trauma informed approach to our Joint Investigative Interviewing of Children & Young People. Develop a joined up holistic model of therapeutic recovery support for children who have experienced or witnessed abuse. Application of Scottish Child Interview Model Self- Assessment and Quality Assurance Framework. Partnership self-evaluation: Bairns Hoose Standards. Item 6. Page 157
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36 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Supporting children and families who experience challenges due to disability and neurodiversity Children in Schools with Additional Support Needs In Moray between 2017 and 2022 the number of children in schools with an additional support need rose by 50%. There are currently 2414 primary pupils and 2540 secondary pupils with additional support needs, of which 396 pupils are recorded as requiring additional support for their autism. The most common reason overall is social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. The escalation in volume and complexity of needs is also being noted by Social Work who currently support 142 young people with complex disabilities and their families. Support for Parent Carers It is well evidenced both nationally and locally that the pandemic has profoundly impacted families with children with a disability, or long- term condition. UK-wide research conducted by the Family Fund found that around 80% of the participating families had lost formal and We promise to... Act in Your Best Interests UNCRC 3 When we make decisions, we will consider how these decisions will affect you. Remove obstacles To Independent Living UNCRC 23 You have the right to become independent and actively participate in school, work and community life. Help You Grow Up Safe and Healthy UNCRC 24 You have the right to the best health care available. Provide You With An Education Which Meets Your Needs UNCRC 28 and 29 You have the right to be educated on a full time basis. We should help you learn in a way that works best for you. Enable You Play and Participate in Community Life UNCRC 31 You have the right to have the same opportunities as other children to rest, play and take part in culture and leisure activities. Promote and Protect Your Rights UNCRC 42 You have the right to know your rights! Everyone including you, should be helped to learn and understand them. Item 6. Page 158
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37 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included informal support due to the pandemic. Parents and the front-line practitioners who know them best including; school and nursery staff, 3rd sector organisations and health visitors have told us that this is a significant gap in Moray. The re-establishment and further development of peer support provision is a priority for our parents. They would also like training built into this provision, so they can understand how to best support their child. Support for Learning Differences and Neurodevelopmental Conditions Significant concerns have been raised around the particular needs of neurodiverse young people. Neurodiversity is a term used to describe the different ways in which people think and feel, or the different ways that brains ‘work’. Parents of neurodiverse children and young people have told us that they want more opportunities for their child to be involved in activities within communities. This includes additional support to access the activities available to all, as well as groups and activities specifically for them. Families who have the added pressure of limited finances and single parent families are least able to access the activities which are available. The Neurodiversity GIRFEC survey 2022 found that there was not enough support available to families before diagnosis and there were real frustrations with delays in diagnosis. Current waiting time in Moray is over 12 months. Parents also told us they don’t know where to go to find about the help available to them. They don’t feel heard and are worried that they will be left until things get really bad before they get help. The specific number of children with disabilities on reduced school timetables is unclear at present, as the current recording system does not collate the detail required. However, Education, Social Work and parents highlight it as an issue which requires to be better understood and addressed. Reduced education provision not only impacts on the child, whose rights to an education are not being fully met, but there is wider impact on family. Finances are stretched as parents can't work fulltime and the additional strain of caring responsibilities can impact on both their physical and mental wellbeing “We think that other people listen more once there is a diagnosis “ -Parent “It helps me that I know I have Autism. I want to be able to talk about it and find out more so that I can chat to others and be part of a group” -young person Item 6. Page 159
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38 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Family: Overcoming Challenges Experienced by Children and Young People with Disability or Neurodiversity LEAD: DISABILITY PARTNERSHIP GROUP OUTCOMES HIGH LEVEL ACTIONS HOW WILL WE KNOW WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE? Short Term Longer Term Children and young people’s education and care needs are fully met, regardless of need. Develop and implement a framework of support for all children and young people who cannot access their education in a school setting. Framework is twofold:- - Council Team structure to provide education out with school settings - Procurement framework comprising of 3rd sector and other external suppliers of wellbeing and learning support Number of young people who cannot access education in a school setting receive an education which meets their needs. Reduction in out of area placements. Explore options to extend nursery provision for children with complex needs. Increase in sustainable nursery provision suitable for and available to children with more complex needs. Increase in provision available and uptake of this provision. Better understand the impact of reduced school timetables on children and young people with a diversity of needs. Create and implement a policy and associated processes to ensure effective oversight of the use of reduced school timetables. Increase in the time children and young people spent meaningfully engaged in education. Parents and young people with neurodiversity challenges can access early help and support. Establish the specific gaps in peer support provision for parents of children with neurodiversity challenges and barriers to accessing existing provision. Enhance existing peer support and establish additional provision to meet identified gaps. Build peer support into the commissioned unpaid carer contract. Number of peer support opportunities available, shaped by parents. Feedback from parents on impact of peer support. Promote information on disability specific financial support and identify barriers to access. Overcome all barriers to access. Parents supported through the commissioned Carer Service report they are:- - aware of the benefits available - able to access the benefits they are entitled to. Item 6. Page 160
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39 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Work with existing providers to improve access to support and development opportunities for parents who want to better understand and manage their child’s behaviours, with a specific focus on under 5s. Increased range of opportunities for parents to engage with training and development opportunities. Range of provision on offer. Nos engaging in training. Feedback on impact of training. Children, young people and families with additional support needs have improved access to sport, leisure and community- based activities. Understand and remove barriers to inclusion in existing community, sport and leisure opportunities. Feedback from children and young people. Increase in number of young people reporting they feel able to access opportunities they want to. Establish the needs, costs and current availability of specialist out of school and holiday activities for families with additional support needs. Develop and implement a programme of specialist weekend and holiday activities. Availability and uptake of provision. Feedback from parents and children. Respond to the request from community organisations to better understand neurodiversity and be able to support young people to engage in the activities they offer. Feedback from activity providers on their confidence to welcome and support neurodiverse young people to enjoy the activities they provide. Increase in neurodiverse young people participating in activities. Families can access a neurodiversity diagnosis in a timely way. Autism Diagnostic Assessment Pathway Team (ADAPT) will Roll out the Grampian Neurodevelopmental pathway across Moray thus ensuring all Number of children referred and seen under ADAPT. Item 6. Page 161
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40 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included transition to the Grampian Neurodevelopmental pathway children impacted by neurodiversity have access to timely diagnosis and early support. Reduced time between referral and assessment, reduced number of re-referrals. Families report receiving the support they need whilst waiting for assessment and diagnosis. Refresh and implement the autism strategy, ensuring the voice of children, young people and their families is central. Autism strategy launched. KPIs within the strategy are achieved. Children with additional support needs experience a smooth transition to adult services. Understand barriers to effective transition to adult services. Implement clear transition pathways into adult services. Feedback from young adults. Item 6. Page 162
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41 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Strengthening family support 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. Promise 2020 Holistic Whole Family Support involves a range of services that help families meet their individual needs, to thrive and to stay together. We want to make sure that families can access the help they need, where and when they need it. Holistic support should address the needs of children and adults in a family at the time of need rather than at crisis point, helping families to flourish and reduce the chances of family breakdown. Community Based Support: Keeping the Promise requires us to have places in every community where parents of young children can meet, stay and play and get the support and advice the need. The restrictions put in place during the pandemic isolated families from their normal support networks and this has had wide ranging impact on family member’s health and wellbeing. We promise to... To Be Guided by Your Family UNCRC 5 You have the right to receive guidance from your family and community. Work to Keep Families Together UNCRC 9 You have the right to live with your parents if this is what’s best for you. You have the right to live with a family who cares for you. Help You to Grow Up Safe and Healthy UNCRC 24 and 27 You have the right to clothing, good food, a clean and safe environment, and to see a doctor if you are ill. Promote and Protect Your Rights UNCRC 42 You have the right to know your rights! Everyone including you, should be helped to learn and understand them. “[Looking to] meet new people. There’s no groups. It’s so isolating at the moment… I‘ve met some lovely people which has really helped“ -Parent attending Parent Wellbeing Walks Item 6. Page 163
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42 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Support for Parents Through survey and focus group work undertaken as part of our Joint Strategic Needs Assessment with both parents and locality group members who support parents, the following needs were highlighted:- • Targeted support for new parents, especially those who became parents for the first time during COVID-19 • Ongoing support with return to nursery, school and community life post COVID-19 • Specific support to help with routine and boundary setting • Support for parents struggling with their own mental wellbeing and/or that of their child • Support for families where a member; is LGBTQI+, has a disability or long-term health condition Early Learning Centres and nurseries are reporting a significant increase in the number of children with a diversity of needs entering nursery, although the number of children in Moray with at least developmental concern at their 13-15month and 27-30month reviews has not increased. This is concerning given numbers with developmental concerns in our comparative authorities and Scotland wide are between 5 and 6 times higher. Families under Pressure Whatever issues families face, we must ensure that intensive family support is available, proactive and characterised by the 10 family support principles. Alongside our work to refresh child’s planning processes in Moray, we are working with families and using methods for improvement and service redesign to build support systems and services that follow these principles. Together with the Moray Alcohol and Drug Partnership, our key focus is to improve the supports for parents experiencing problematic substance and adopting whole family approaches to support. Through the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund, we will continue to build on the work across adults and children’s services to establish responsive and relationship based models of family support across a wide range of specialist service areas. 10 Principles of Intensive Family Support o Community Based o Responsive and Timely o Work with Family Assets o Empowerment and Agency o Flexible o Holistic and Relational o Therapeutic o Non-Stigmatising: o Patient and Persistent o Underpinned by Children’s Rights Item 6. Page 164
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43 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included FAMILY: Strengthening Family Support LEAD: FAMILY SUPPORT STRATEGIC GROUP (TBC) OUTCOMES HIGH LEVEL ACTIONS HOW WILL WE KNOW WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE? Short Term Long Term Children and family's needs are addressed early through the implementation of effective child’s planning processes. Test the revised child’s plan paperwork and associated guidance in one Associated School Group area. Based on feedback from families and Team Around the Child, roll out revised plan and associated guidance across Moray. Dip sample survey of Team Around the Child and families in child's planning. Develop a bank of solution orientated trainers across Social Work, Health and Education. Design and roll out a programme of training to build the knowledge, skills and confidence of named persons and Lead Professionals to implement child’s planning processes. Quality assurance of child’s plans through Multi Agency Practice Hub. Further develop the role and function of the Wellbeing Coordinators and Multi Agency Support Hub (MASH) based on findings of the external evaluation and ongoing self- evaluation activities. Feedback from children, families and Team Around the Child. Evidence of impact captured on child’s plan. Develop and implement a multi-agency child's planning self- evaluation calendar, which includes voice of children and families, child's planning at points of transition. Improvements measured through self-evaluation activity. Develop a central repository of information and supports available to children, young people and families in Moray and a system in place to keep it current. Numbers accessing the repository. Feedback from families and front-line practitioners. There is a clear pathway of non- stigmatised support available to families throughout Moray. Utilising Whole Family Wellbeing Fund, recruit a skilled manager to coordinate the development of holistic family support in Moray. With parents and frontline practitioners, undertake self- evaluation of existing provision, utilising the national family support evaluation tool. Based on self-evaluation, identify gaps in provision. Pool resources across the partnership and maximise external funding streams to develop a pathway of support with and for parents. Quality assure impact of pathway and implement improvements. Increase in provision and evidence of impact from suppliers. Feedback from parents and the frontline practitioners who know them best on - Accessibility of support - Whether support meets their needs - The difference support has made. Item 6. Page 165
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44 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Based on learning of pilots to date, roll out PEEP across Moray on a partnership basis covering the antenatal to 5yrs age range (Health, Early Years and 3rd sector). Further develop PEEP programmes, maximising opportunities for parents and senior phase pupils to gain qualifications which could lead to employment in childcare. Increase in number of PEEP groups operating. Feedback from parents on impact of PEEP. Increase in the number of children meeting developmental milestones. Children’s transition into nursery is consistently good. Undertake Quality Improvement (QI) activity within the Speyside Associated School Group (ASG) to establish an information sharing protocol between Health and Early Years. Roll out the findings from the QI project across Moray. Increase in the number of children transitioning into nursery with their needs clearly identified. Practitioner’s feedback evidences smooth transition. Parents are supported and enabled to be the best parents they can be. Commission specialist services that provide tailored support to families under pressure (Social Work). Embed commissioned services in the pathway for family support. Evidence of impact utilising robust outcome measurement tool. Test the intensive family support redesign, utilising Whole Family Wellbeing Funding. Scale up and roll out the Intensive Family Support Service across Moray. Reduction in family breakdowns. Roll out the vulnerable pregnancy pathway across Moray. Quality assure the vulnerable pregnancy pathway to ensure it is fit for purpose and having the desired impact. Finding from quality assurance and evaluation activity including feedback from parents. Item 6. Page 166
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45 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included CARE Improving Outcomes for Looked After and Care Experienced Children and Young People We promise to... Act in Your Best Interests UNCRC 3 When we make decisions, we will consider how these decisions will affect you. Work To Keep Families Together UNCRC 9 If you can't live with your parents, you have the right to be helped to stay in regular contact with them, when it's safe to do so. Make Sure You Grow Up Feeling Loved and Safe UNCRC 20 and 21 If it isn't possible for you to live with your own family, you have the right to be loved and cared for in a family setting where you are enabled to thrive. Help Children, Young People and Families Seeking Asylum UNCRC 22 You have the right to get the help and protection you need. Check In Regularly With You if You Are Living Away From Your Parents UNCRC 25 You have the right to live in a loving home and to be asked regularly whether it's working for you. Work Together To Overcome The Barriers You Face When Trying To Access Education UNCRC 28 and 29 You have the right to be educated on a full time basis. We should help you learn in a way that works best for you. Promote and Protect Your Rights UNCRC 42 You have the right to know your rights! Everyone including you, should be helped to learn and understand them. Item 6. Page 167
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46 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included In 2022, there were 174 people under the age of 18 are categorised as ‘Looked After’ in Moray, representing just under 1% of young people in that age group. Education Care experienced young people’s school attendance and attainment levels are lower than their peers and a high number are not in education on a full-time basis. Attendance rate for care experienced children highlight that looked after girls have an attendance rate of 91% and looked after boys of 88% whilst their non-care experienced peers attendance remains stable at around 94%. Exclusion rates have reduced across Moray but the number of looked after children and young people being excluded from school remains higher than their non-looked after peers. In 2020/21 there were 125 exclusions per 1,000 looked after pupils compared to a rate of 14.2 per 1,000 for the whole school population. This data highlights looked after children were 9 times likelier to be excluded from school. Looked After Children and Young People (LAC) by accommodation type in Moray 2018-2115 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 2018 2019 2020 2021 At home with parents With friends / relatives With foster carers provided by LA With foster carers purchased by LA In other community In local authority home/ Voluntary Home In other residential care Percentage school attendance for children looked after within the last year, by gender, 2020/21 Item 6. Page 168
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47 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Our looked after and care experienced young people are at risk of being further marginalised from their peers, communities and educational opportunities by being on a reduced timetable. The table on the right shows the number and percentage of care experienced and looked after and care experienced young people on a reduced timetable. Percentage of Looked After and Care Experienced Young People on Part-Time Timetables by School in Moray. School No. of LAC pupils on reduced timetables % of LAC School population Buckie High School 10 42% Elgin Academy 1 7% Elgin High 6 26% Forres Academy 2 9% Keith Grammar 2 33% Lossiemouth High School 0 / Milnes High School 0 / Speyside High School 0 / School rates of exclusion per 1,000 pupils, by year Proportion of cases of school exclusion by gender in Moray 2020-21 Female Pupils 22% Male Pupils 78% Item 6. Page 169
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48 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Care experienced young people in Moray continue to have poorer educational outcomes than both the national average and all but two of our local authority comparators. The proportion of young people achieving at least one qualification at SCQF 3 is 73% compared with 97% of all school leavers. For SCQF 4 65% compared to 96% for all school leavers. 29% of looked after children are not receiving any qualifications at SCQF 3 or above. Positive Destinations 75% of the 16 looked after and care experienced young people in Moray moved on to a positive destination after leaving school in 2021. Health & wellbeing Looked after and care experienced children and young people are more likely to experience poor health than other young people. All children who become looked after receive an initial Health assessment within 4 weeks of becoming looked after. The number of initial health assessments completed within nationally agreed timescales remains low at just over a third of referrals. The proportion of health assessments not undertaken within 8 weeks has increased to 45% (33% undertaken after 8 weeks and 12% not undertaken). LAC Initial destinations Establishment Year % of Schools Leavers in a Positive Destination Number in Cohort Moray 2020/21 75.00% 16 Virtual Comparator 2020/21 91.25% 160 The Northern Alliance 2020/21 82.79% 122 The National Establishment 2020/21 87.94% 1045 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total Referrals % Receiving Assessment within Given Period Within 4 weeks Within 6 weeks Within 8 weeks >8 weeks Not completed Total Item 6. Page 170
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49 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included The number of looked after children and young people being referred to CAMHS has significantly dropped during 2021/2022 resulting in looked after children and young people potentially not receiving the mental well-being support they need. Number (left-hand axis) and proportion (right-hand axis) of CAMHS referrals in Moray classified as Looked After Children and Young People Care Experienced Parents In order to truly understand the impact of care on families in Moray, we need to understand the needs of care experienced people as parents. Care experienced parents reported feeling judged and stigmatised as a poor parent. They told us that they place great importance on having someone they can trust such as Health Visitors and Support Workers. They want opportunities to mix with other care experienced parents in a community setting. “I think [it would help] if there were groups. Especially when I was a young mum, I had no- one else to talk to, nobody spoke about being care experienced.” -care experienced parent “[It would help] being able to talk about being care experienced. Groups for mums and dad – being in care is one part, your journey how you ended up in care would be good to talk to others who have been through similar experiences.” -care experienced parent 0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 2018 2019 2020 2021 LAC LAC as a % of all referrals Item 6. Page 171
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50 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Moving on There is a lack of affordable housing options available for young people leaving care and transitioning on to independent living. During 2021/2022, 6 care experienced young people were living in homeless accommodation. Young people have told us they want continued support when they leave care from the people they have relationships with and trust. Youth Justice A disproportionately high number of care experienced children and young people are represented in the youth justice system. The majority are boys and young men. This raises important questions about gender norms prevalent in our society, which lead more boys and young men than girls and young women to offend; but also, about whether systems are working appropriately to support boys before they come into contact with the Police and the Criminal Justice System. Voice To better understand care experienced children and young peoples journey within the care system and where improvements are needed qualitative data was captured through a range of engagement activity. Children and young people told us “Living in homeless accommodation on the outskirts was hard, it was a place where no one spoke to me. I felt so isolated. No one in there ever spoke to me I felt really alone. I didn’t know anyone in that area as I’m not from there so I couldn’t even go out to talk to people.” “I am really struggling since I left care, managing all my bills and living on my own is difficult, I feel very lonely and isolated.” Number of young people accused of an offence in Moray by gender, by age group, by year192. “I would like to see family especially parents and siblings more frequently” “I would like for better understanding at school of what it means to be care experienced.” “To move around from foster placements is challenging and just being in care is hard in case people at school find out.” “I feel like I’m treated differently because I’m in care. It holds me back doing what I’m able to do.” Item 6. Page 172
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51 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Care: Improving Outcomes for Looked After and Care Experienced Children and Young People LEAD – CORPORATE PARENTING STRATEGIC GROUP OUTCOMES HIGH LEVEL ACTIONS HOW WILL WE KNOW IF WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE? Short Term Long Term The gap in educational outcomes of looked after and care experienced young people is reduced. Improve the identification, tracking and monitoring of looked after children and young people within schools, nurseries and other preschool settings. Embed systems and processes that allow for the ongoing monitoring of support to looked after children and young people. We will know what support our looked after young people are receiving. Recruit a Virtual Head Teacher who will work alongside local partners to better understand the barriers to attendance, engagement and achievement in Education. With care experienced and looked after children, design and test new and improved interventions to overcome the barriers identified. Implement improvements on a partnership basis and quality assure effectiveness. Improvement in attendance. Findings from quality assurance activity. This includes feedback from children, young people and their parents. Improvement in educational outcomes. Improve understanding on the use of reduced timetables and internal/external exclusions for looked after children and young people. Adopt a multi-agency approach to improve engagement in Education. Develop and implement a policy and governance structure around the monitoring and tracking of reduced timetables. Increased attendance in meaningful Education. Reduction of informal and formal exclusion. Looked after and care experienced young people enter and sustain education, Identify the challenges and barriers to looked after and care experienced young people accessing further/higher education, training opportunities and alternative awards. Adopt a partnership approach to improving accessibility of further/higher education, training opportunities and alternative awards. School leavers outcome data via SDS, Moray Pathways and further/higher education. Item 6. Page 173
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52 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included training or employment after leaving school. Track and monitor care experienced destinations up to the age of 26 years old – to measure the effectiveness of existing supports and identify if there are gaps in current provision. Develop and implement a partnership action plan to improve positive destinations for care experienced and looked after young people. Annual dip sample of care experienced young people measuring positive destination outcomes. Raise awareness and access to funded early learning and childcare provision for care experience parents. Monitor uptake of early years provision for care experienced parents. Increase in care experienced parents accessing training and employment opportunities. The health needs of looked after children and young people are met. Better understand and overcome barriers to consistent completion of Initial Health Assessments within agreed timescales (4 weeks from NHS Grampian receiving notification). Review best practice around Strength and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ) and how they support onward referral to CAMH services where required. Investigate systems to strengthen SDQ data capture and electronic scoring within Moray. Understand the needs of Looked after children who are living at home and ensure they all have an initial health assessment completed. Increase in number of children receiving IHA within 4 weeks. Increase in number of children referred to CAMHs or other services because of elevated SDQ’s at the three-month review. Audit of ‘child’s voice’ in the health assessment process. Improvements in children and young people's health related outcomes. Increase in the number of Looked after children living at home receiving IHA. Ensure mental well-being needs are identified early, a range of support (up to age 26 and beyond) is accessible and outcomes monitored. Increased referrals for mental health and well-being support where evidenced it is required. Services provide evidence through impact reporting of improved outcomes. Item 6. Page 174
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53 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Looked after and care experienced young people and their parents/carers feel their voice has been heard through the provision of independent advocacy. Appoint a single service advocacy provider who will provide independent advocacy to care experienced children and their families at all stages of their care journey. With care experienced young people and their parents, quality assure the advocacy support delivered via commissioned services within Social Work and Education. Agree improvements and begin implementation. Annual dip sample to collect views of children and families who have accessed advocacy support. The number and range of placements available meets the needs of children and young people in need of care. (Including those who experience disability/have complex needs, young people seeking asylum and brothers and sisters who should be accommodated together). Increase focus and resources on the recruitment of foster carers, drawing on the assistance of local, regional and national partners. Review the impact of the foster carer recruitment campaign and further develop building on success to date. Increase in number of foster care placements available Increase in children and young people accommodated in foster care placements. Decrease in out of area and residential placements. Identify and address the training and development needs of foster, kinship and residential care workers employed by Local authority. Update and implement revised training provision provided by the local authority. Numbers attending training. Feedback on impact of training. Reduction in placement breakdowns. Better understand what peer support foster and kinship carers want. Develop and implement peer support opportunities with and for foster and kinship Carers. Feedback from foster carers and kinship carers on the how this impacts their ability to care for children and young people. Transitions for children and families feel and are experienced as integrated, with maintaining relationships being paramount. Review the current pathway plan to ensure young people receive support before, during and after they move on to independent living. Implement changes identified through the review of the current pathway plan and quality assure. Care experienced young people voice their transition to independent living felt positive and they are maintaining the relationship which are important to them. Number of Care experienced young people up to the age of 26years with a pathway plan in place. Item 6. Page 175
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54 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Develop and implement a care leavers Housing Needs Policy which includes a homelessness prevention pathway. With the Housing Support Officer (care experience) and care experienced young people identify a resource for young people transitioning from care to trial living independently. Reduction in homelessness. Understand young people's experience of the current support received when transitioning out of care and identify gaps in provision. Improve Through Care and Aftercare support provision for care experienced young adults up to the age of 26 years ensuring support is based on individual need not on ‘age of services’ criteria. Young people voice feeling supported as they transition on to adulthood. Increased uptake of Through Care Aftercare Support Services. Siblings are supported to maintain positive relationships with one another. Embed the learning from PACE in policies and procedures relating to the placement of children and young people in Care. Quality assurance implementation of policies and procedures. Increased proportion of siblings growing up together. With care experienced children and young people develop a local maintaining relationships policy with a specific focus on siblings. Implement and evaluate maintaining relationships policy. Services report increased numbers of young people maintaining relationships that are important to them. Children and young people seeking asylum are fully integrated into school and community life. Understand what barriers there are for children, young people and their families seeking asylum with regards to education, health and inclusion within their community. Adopt a partnership approach to supporting asylum seeking children, young people and families to access education, health and community life. Children and young people who are seeking asylum achieve educational outcomes in line with their peers. Feedback from children, young people and their families who are seeking asylum report they feel included in their community. Item 6. Page 176
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55 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Looked after and care experienced young people are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Evaluate effectiveness of current support system. Improve early and preventative supports for young people at risk of offending. Reduction in the number of care experienced young people in justice services. Develop and implement robust guidance in on the use of restraint across the care system. Support the workforce to adopt a trauma informed, rights-based approach when responding to children and young people in distress. Reduction in use of restraint. Our improvement activity is shaped by the voice of our looked after and care experienced children and young people Develop and monitor a corporate parenting data set which reflects looked after and care experienced children and young people’s experiences within the care system. Areas for improvement identified. Evidence of impact of improvement activity. Increase the voice, choice and participation of looked after children in their hearings and meetings through implementing and evaluating the Better Meetings Practitioners Guide. Create with children and young people, safe trauma informed spaces for looked after children and young people attending their hearings and meetings. Children, young people and their families report positive experiences of their meetings. Develop and embed the role of Promise Keepers across the partnership ensuring the Promise remains at the forefront of service design and delivery. Extend the network of Promise Keepers across the Health and Social Care partnership (adult services). Children and young people report that they have been included in the design and delivery of services they access. Further develop forums through which care experienced children and young people can both socialise and affect change Initial focus on younger children and those with additional support needs Increase participation in Champions Board and Little Fix Vehicle established with and for younger children and those with additional support needs Young people involved report that they are affecting change Item 6. Page 177
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56 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included PEOPLE Supporting our Workforce Our workforce includes all volunteers, carers and employees who have a role in improving wellbeing of children, young people and families. This might be through direct contact or indirectly through a supporting role. It may be within a statutory service or as part of a community group or organisation. There are a broad range of professions and roles, and therefore diversity, of staff across the partnership. Relationship building is key to providing the correct support to children, young people and families. In practice this requires an understanding of the ways that trauma can impact on children and young people's development and wellbeing. This involves working in consultation with the child or young person and taking all reasonable steps to understand what is going on in that child's life and how current and past life experiences may influence relationships. The work required to keep The Promise for all our children and young people will be a key area of our workforce development. We recognise there is much to build on including changes we have made to our language, introducing love, kindness and relationships as key concepts and practices in the work across children’s services. We will continue to build on our trauma informed and compassionate approaches to work with families. We know that workers must also feel valued and supported to respond to the individual needs and wishes of a child or young person and their family. We will strive to create the conditions for best practice through leadership, supervision and support for workers to feel empowered and confident so they can, in turn, instil that feeling in the children and families they work with. Learning and Practice Development We need to be aware of the learning and development needs of our workforce to ensure learning opportunities are relevant and delivered in a way that makes best use of resources. We previously undertook an options appraisal for children’s services partnership training and are now working to develop a joint workforce development strategy and engagement plan. This will take into consideration changes in legislation, policy, priorities and working practices. “Maintaining a stable and motivated workforce is central to the delivery of effective high-quality services for children, young people and families. Pivotal to this is valuing and supporting the workforce and promoting their wellbeing” The Promise 2020 Item 6. Page 178
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57 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included People: Supporting Our Workforce LEAD: MULTI AGENCY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT GROUP OUTCOME HIGH LEVEL ACTIONS HOW WILL WE KNOW WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE? Integrated working practice is enhanced through joint development opportunities that supports our shared vision, core principles and values. Review our workforce training needs and ensure we have all we need to meet them, incorporating national developments. Develop a workforce development plan that supports our vision and values and priorities established in the creation of this plan. Continue to deliver joint workforce development programmes to implement National Child Protection Guidance and GIRFEC policy. A partnership workforce plan with a baseline, measures and reporting is agreed. Monitoring and reporting of single and multi-agency training activity. Staff facilitate and enable the relationships, networks and connections that support our children, young people and families. Embed the principles of trauma-informed and strengths-based working across all multi-agency/sector training and development activity. Change our language and introduce love, kindness and relationships as key concepts and practices. Reflective feedback incorporated into planning cycle. Audit of minutes, plans and papers. Item 6. Page 179
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58 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included SCAFFOLDING Working in Partnership Through the development of this plan, we have sought the views of children, families and our workforce to better understand what’s getting in the way of progress at both a strategic and operational level. Our ongoing self-evaluation activity that includes learning reviews, file auditing and journey mapping has also informed the actions we plan to take to strengthen our scaffolding. During the lifetime of this plan, we will strive to ensure that our governance, culture, systems and processes empower our paid and voluntary workforce and local communities to deliver the improvements children and young people have told us matters most to them. Successes we will build on: Revised governance structure with streamlined partnership groups each with a clear focus on statutory responsibilities and the delivery of actions to progress priorities within the Children’s Services Plan Pooling of single agency budgets to meet partnership priorities Our revised locality networks, which are made up of front line practitioners and community organisations, have operated as a successful means of identifying and addressing emerging themes. The need for a substance use service for young people aged under 18 years was identified through the Buckie Network. A successful partnership funding bid was made to CORRA, led by Aberlour Childcare Trust. Health, Education, Social Work, Moray Drug and Alcohol Partnership and the 3rd sector pooled their budgets to provide match funding, in recognition that the new service supports the delivery of both our partnership and their single agency objectives. Building the capacity of the 3rd sector to take a lead role in the identification and delivery of our partnership priorities Through a competitive procurement process, 3rd sector organisations are bidding to become chairs of the locality networks. Their remit is to coordinate the identification of emerging needs within the communities that make up Moray and facilitate creative joint working at a local level to meet those needs. “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 2020 Item 6. Page 180
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59 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Scaffolding: Working in Partnership LEAD: GIRFEC LEADERSHIP GROUP OUTCOME HIGH LEVEL ACTIONS HOW WILL WE KNOW WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE? As a partnership, we are aware of the changing needs of children, young people and their families. Identify a dedicated resource to coordinate the annual update of our partnership Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. Integrate the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment into our continuous improvement framework. Host the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment in a central repository, accessible to all and ensure it is used to inform all other relevant single agency and partnership strategic plans, including; LOIP, Strategic Plan for Health and Social Care Moray, Community Learning and Development Plan and Moray Council Corporate Plan. Current Joint Strategic Needs Assessment accessible to all. As a partnership, we maximise all opportunities to lever in additional funding and work together to ensure it supports the delivery of our shared priorities. Raise awareness across GIRFEC Leadership Group of external funding allocated to single agencies and the partnership to address priorities within this plan. Agree how this funding can be used to best effect. Maximise opportunities to work with the 3rd sector to lever in additional funding. Develop and resource a joint commissioning process through which funds will be allocated and monitored. There will be an overall increase in external funding. External funding is being targeted to priorities of this plan. A joint commissioning process is operational. The risk of silo working across children and adult services is minimised. Agree and implement a reporting process across children and adult services. Improve communication and joint working with relevant adult services including drug and alcohol partnership and adult mental health services. A clear oversight of activity across the partnership evidences coordination. Item 6. Page 181
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60 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Ensure members of partnership groups responsible for improving outcomes for children and families highlight silo working on both a single agency and partnership basis. We more consistently and effectively measure impact of the actions we are taking to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. Build on the quality assurance process to ensure that the intersectionality across our thematic priorities is well evidenced, widely understood and all mitigating actions are co-ordinated. Listen to the views and opinions of children, young people and families and collate information together to evaluate overall impact. Findings from our self- evaluation activity. Improve co-ordination of continuous improvement activity. Develop a robust performance management and quality improvement framework and implement on a consistent basis. Celebrate and build on good practice. Framework will be in place and there will be evidence of what works. Item 6. Page 182
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61 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included OUR PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK Measuring Progress Self-evaluation Self-evaluation is a useful process that enables us to identify what’s working well and where we need to target efforts to support improvement and achieve better outcomes for children. Self-evaluation is a complex area which involves the measurement of what we do (actions), what we deliver (outputs/products), and the difference that this makes to children and their families (outcomes and impact). In children’s services planning, both in Moray and nationally, one of the challenges has been to focus more effectively on outcomes for children and their families. We can measure our outputs, systems and processes but demonstrating the impact of these in terms of improved wellbeing outcomes is more difficult. In practice, there may be many different actions and process improvements that together lead to improvement in one or more outcomes, and it is not always possible to evidence a direct linear relationship between activity and outcome. This challenge led the Scottish Government to work with stakeholders to develop a Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) Outcomes Framework to provide an overall holistic picture and understanding of children and young people’s wellbeing in Scotland. The CYPF Outcomes Framework will sit below Scotland’s National Performance Framework at an intermediate level and will be aligned to this. The aim is that the proposed framework will contain a ‘core’ suite of indicators which authorities will supplement with their own local indicators. Use of these core indicators will allow us to compare the holistic picture of children and young people in Moray with that of other authorities in Scotland. We are using the core suite of indicators in this plan along with our own locally identified indicators which will be developed. Any canges to the final suite will be reflected as our Children’s Services Plan is reviewed and revised. The proposed core suite of indicators from the Outcomes Framework is shown below. Item 6. Page 183
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62 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Scottish Government Core Wellbeing Indicators: • Mean score on Stirling wellbeing scale for P5-S1 children/Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Score for S2-S6 children (WEMWBS) • Percentage of S2-S6 children with slightly raised, high or very high Strength and Difficulties score • Percentage of P5-S6 children who agree that adults are good at taking what they say into account • Percentage of P5-S6 children who eat both fruit and vegetables every day • Percentage of children with a concern at their 27-30 month review (as a % of children reviewed) • Percentage of P5-S5 children who say they always have an adult in your life who they can trust and talk to about any personal problems • Relative child poverty rate after housing costs • Percentage of settings providing funded Early Learning and Childcare achieving Care Inspectorate grades of good or better across all four quality themes • Percentage of P5-S6 children who say they feel safe when out in their local area always or most of the time. • Percentage of S1-S3 children participating in positive leisure activities (participation in at least one from list) • Percentage of P5-S6 children who agree that their local area is a good place to live • Percentage of P5-S3 children who were bullied in last year • Number of children subject to Interagency Referral Discussions • Number of children in temporary accommodation at 31 March • Percentage of P5-S6 children that had at least one hour of exercise the day before the survey • Percentage of P1, P4 and P7 children achieving expected CfE levels in literacy (reading, writing, listening and talking) • Percentage of P1, P4 and P7 children achieving expected CfE levels in numeracy • Percentage of all school leavers in positive destinations at 9-month follow-up • Proportions of all children under 16 who live in households that contain at least one person aged 16 to 64, where all individuals aged 16 and over are in employment • Percentage of P7-S6 children who have access to the internet at home or on a phone or another device • Percentage of P5-S4 children who agree that their friends treat them well. Item 6. Page 184
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63 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Governance Moray Community Planning Partnership has devolved responsibility to both produce and deliver this plan to the GIRFEC Leadership Group (GLG). GLG comprises of senior decision makers from the public and 3rd sector who have a remit to work together to improve the lives of children and young people across Moray. The group is chaired by the Chief Social Work officer and Head of Service. Item 6. Page 185
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64 Being Safe – Being Healthy and Happy - Being all that I can be - Having people in my life that care about me- Being Active - Being Respected –Being Included Specific strategic groups across the Children's Services partnership have oversight responsibility for the delivery of each of the action plans. Given the interlinkage between the priorities and associated actions, the chairs of these groups will meet regularly throughout the life of this plan to coordinate improvement activity. Progress will be reported on a quarterly basis to GLG. Priority Strategic Group with oversight responsibility Supporting families where children experience challenges due to disability or neurodiversity Disability Partnership Group Tackling child poverty Child Poverty Group Improving the mental wellbeing of children and young people Wellbeing Partnership Group Keeping children and young people safe Moray Child Protection Committee Strengthening support for families Family Support Strategic Group (To be established) Improving outcomes for looked after children Corporate Parenting Strategic Group An annual report will be approved by the Community Planning Partnership and submitted to the Scottish Government in accordance with our statutory duties in relation to Children’s Services planning, as outlined in section 3 of The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act (2014). This annual report will also meet our statutory reporting responsibilities in relation to UNCRC, Corporate Parenting and Child Poverty. Our plan needs to remain agile and responsive to the changing needs of children and families. The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment will be revised annually and will inform priorities and actions for the forthcoming year. Item 6. Page 186
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REPORT TO: COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD ON 17 MAY 2023 SUBJECT: NOMINATIONS FOR DEPUTE CHAIR BY: DEPUTE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (EDUCATION, COMMUNITIES AND ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT) 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1. To invite the Board to consider the nominations and elect a Depute Chair. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1. It is recommended that the Board approve the nomination(s) received and elect a Depute Chair. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1. At the meeting of the Board on 29 March 2023 (paragraph 2 of the minute refers), the Board agreed that nominations for the Depute Chair be submitted and a report brought to this meeting. 3.2. A Depute Chair would provide continuity in the ad hoc absence of the Chair and would encourage participation from wider partners. 3.3. The nomination(s) for Depute Chair are included at Appendix 1. 3.4. The Chair rotates around partners every 12 months, with the next nominations due for the meeting on 20 September. It is intended that the Depute Chair would do the same. 4. CONSULTATIONS 4.1. The Chief Executive, the Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development), and the Head of Governance, Strategy and performance have been consulted and any comments received have been incorporated into this report. 5. CONCLUSION 5.1. The Board is asked to approve the nomination and elect a Depute Chair. Item 8. Page 187
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Author of Report: Lindsey Robinson, Committee Services Officer Background Papers: Ref: Item 8. Page 188
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Appendix 1 Nominations for Depute Chair of Community Planning Board Mr Adam Coldwells, NHS Grampian Deputy CEO Item 8. Page 189
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Item 8. Page 190