Governance Arrangements Report 24 September 2026 Final
Renfrewshire Council · 24 September 2026
Back to Council — 24 September 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Public To: Council On: 24 September 2026 Report by: Director of Finance & Resources and Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Heading: Governance Arrangements 1. Summary 1.1 The Council at its meeting held on 14 May 2026 agreed to appoint Councillor McGurk the Licensing Board. Council is asked to reappoint Councillor McGurk as set out in section 3.1 of this report. 1.2 The Tobacco & Vapes Act 2026 received assent in April 2026. That Act confers various statutory duties on the local weights & measures authority (Trading Standards). The Council’s Scheme of Delegated Functions will require to be updated to reflect the new duties and responsibilities that will fall to Environment, Housing & Infrastructure. 1.3 At its meeting held on 26 February 2026, Council agreed to formally declare a ‘Dolly Day’ in Renfrewshire, to be marked annually, in honour of Dolly Parton’s 80th birthday and her outstanding contribution to literacy and early years development through the Imagination Library. A request has now been received that Council buildings be lit pink on 25 September each year, starting this year, to mark ‘Dolly Day’. The report sets out arrangements arising from an occasional overlap with MacMillan Cancer Support’s MacMillan Coffee Morning. 2. Recommendations 2.1 That Councillor McGurk be reappointed to the Licensing Board. 2.2 That The Tobacco & Vapes Act 2026 be included in the list of
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Public legislation set out in the Scheme of Delegated Functions which fall within the scope of the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure and the Head of Climate, Public Protection & Roads. 2.3 That Council buildings be lit pink on 25 September each year, starting this year, to mark ‘Dolly Day’ subject to the detail set out in section 3.3 of the report. _____________________________________________________________________ 3.1 At the meeting of Council held on 14 May 2026 it was agreed that Councillor McGurk be appointed to the vacant position on the Licensing Board. In terms of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 the Licensing Board shall consist of not fewer than 5 and not more than 10 members as may be determined by the Council. All members of the Board require to undertake a course of training accredited by the Scottish Ministers within three months of their appointment to the Licensing Board, whether or not they have been Licensing Board members before. Assessment of training shall be undertaken under exam conditions. Following the meeting it was not possible to arrange a suitable date for that training to be undertaken within that three month period and accordingly the appointment fell. A suitable date has now been agreed. Therefore Council is asked to reappoint Councillor McGurk to the Board. 3.2 The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 is a significant piece of legislation aimed at reducing tobacco use in the UK. It introduces measures to phase out the sale of tobacco products for future generations, particularly targeting individuals born on or after 1 January 2009. The Act establishes a framework for regulating the sale, display, and advertising of tobacco and vaping products, addressing associated health risks. The Council’s Scheme of Delegated Functions includes an Undernote which lists the range of legislation which falls within the scope of the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure and the Head of Climate, Public Protection & Roads. Agreement to include The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 in the Undernote is requested. 3.3 At its meeting held on 26 February 2026, Council agreed a motion which noted that 2026 marked the 80th birthday of Dolly Parton and recognised her work as the founder of the Imagination Library, a globally recognised early years literacy programme which gifts free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five. It further noted that the Imagination Library operates successfully in Renfrewshire, supporting families, improving early language development, encouraging a lifelong love of reading, and helping to reduce educational inequality. Council recognised the significant positive impact the Imagination Library has had for children and families across
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Public Renfrewshire, particularly in supporting early learning, parental engagement, and inclusion. Council therefore resolved to formally declare a ‘Dolly Day’ in Renfrewshire, to be marked annually, in honour of Dolly Parton’s 80th birthday and her outstanding contribution to literacy and early years development through the Imagination Library. Reflecting the terms of that motion, a request has now been received from Children’s Services that Council buildings be lit pink on 25 September each year, starting this year, to mark ‘Dolly Day’. Members are asked to note that Council has previously agreed to annually light up Council buildings green to support McMillan Cancer Support’s MacMillan Coffee Morning. That event falls on the last Friday of September. It is therefore proposed that this year the buildings will be pink to mark Dolly Day. Thereafter, on any year where the MacMillan Coffee Morning falls on 25 September one significant Council building will be lit up pink to mark Dolly Day, with all others being lit up green to mark the MacMillan event. Implications of the Report 1. Financial - none 2. HR & Organisational Development - none 3. Community/Council Planning – none 4. Legal – as set out in the report 5. Property/Assets – none 6. Information Technology – none 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report as it deals with Member appointments to Boards, a change of the Council’s Scheme of Delegation to reflect a statutory change, and a building light up request. 8. Health & Safety – none 9. Procurement – none 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy Impact – none 12. CoSLA Policy Position – none 13. Children’s Rights - none 14. Climate change - none List of Background Papers
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Public None Author: Mark Conaghan Head of Corporate Governance 0300 300 0287 mark.conaghan@renfrewshire.gov.uk